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D
epression is a serious and
common mental health
condition that affects more
than 16 million Americans.
1
It
affects people in different ways; for
example, a person may:
■
■
Want to sleep a lot or may find it
hard to sleep.
■
■
Have trouble focusing or
remembering things.
■
■
Feel sad, anxious or
guilty.
■
■
Think about harming
themselves.
Because depression
shows itself in different
ways, many people who
are depressed may not
know it. Others might
think that they are
depressed but are too
afraid or embarrassed to
ask for help.
People with
depression need
treatment, just like they
do for any other illness.
The Alliance wants to
make sure that members
who need help can get
it. There are many ways
to treat depression. The
first step is to figure
out if you are at risk for
it. Alliance health care
providers screen for
depression by asking
questions about feeling
down or hopeless or
losing interest in doing things. They
might also ask about appetite and
energy level. The answers to these
questions help the provider know
if someone is depressed and decide
the kind of treatment that is best
for them.
The Alliance is committed to
making sure that you are as healthy
as you can be, and mental
well-being is an important
part of that.
1: nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/
prevalence/major-depression-among-
adults.shtml
Depression
screenings
The Alliance’s
American Sign
Language (ASL)
interpretation
services
Did you know the Alliance offers
FREE American Sign Language
(ASL) services for Alliance members
who are deaf or hard of hearing? We
work hard to ensure that all Alliance
members can talk to their Primary
Care Provider about their health
care needs. To learn more about
the Alliance ASL interpretation
services, please call the Health
Education Line at
1-800-700-3874,
ext. 5580
. You can also use the
California Relay Service’s FREE
TTY line at
1-800-735-2929
.
member health
There are many ways to treat
depression. The first step is to
figure out if you are at risk for it.
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living
healthy