Depression in people with medical issues
The risk of clinical depression is often higher in individuals with serious medical illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. Certain medical disorders and medications may contribute biologically to depression.   Many times medically ill people become clinically depressed as a reaction to the prognosis, pain, or loss of functioning caused by the illness or its treatment.  Individuals and family members frequently discount the warning signs of depression and think that feeling depressed is a normal part of dealing with the medical condition.  
It is very important that each individual share any symptoms related to depression with their primary physician.   If not properly diagnosed depression can hinder an individual from following through on treatment for their medical condition.  It also can interfere with restoring feelings of hope that are needed for recovery or changes of lifestyle.  Depression can be overbearing in individuals with terminal illnesses and prevent them from living the rest of their lives connected to family and friends.
 

|Depression Support Network Home| |DCMH Home Page|   |Westchester County  Home Page|