Presented by Michael L. McClam, MD, Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine; in collaboration with DBSA Greater Houston. Depression is an illness that has wide reaching implications for cost, lost productivity, and its impact on overall physical health. It is estimated that depression in America costs society $210 billion per year, yet only 40% of this sum is associated with depression itself (25 Feb 2015, Scientific America). It is estimated that 6-7% of full-time US workers experienced major depression within the last year. Unlike other diseases (heart disease, cancer, etc.), the vast majority of patients who suffer with depression remain in the workforce but have elevated absenteeism and lower productivity. Oftentimes depression is experienced as anxiety (up to 65% of the time). This talk will cover the prevalence, comorbidities, diagnosis, and treatment of depression. The societal impact, cost, and barriers to treatment will also be discussed.
The Hope Line
Need someone to talk to? The Hope Line is open daily from 5 PM to 8 PM to provide supportive listening, guidance, and referrals for mental and behavioral health concerns. Support is available in English and Spanish.