Depression

PrimeWest Health offers a Depression Focused Wellness program for our members who have depression.

What is depression?

Depression is a brain disorder that affects your emotions, mood, and other aspects of your life. Depression is caused by a combination of biological, chemical, hormonal, and physiological factors. Depression does not just go away. It is a real health problem. You cannot just "snap out" of depression. Depression weakens the immune system and can lead to other medical conditions.

Depression is treatable. With treatment, up to 90 percent of people with depression find relief. This makes depression one of the most treatable of all illnesses.

What does this program do?

This program can help you learn to manage your depression. It was designed using a model called COACH, which is an innovative way to help people take charge of their health. When you join the Depression Focused Wellness program, you will choose a goal to work on to help you meet your needs. As a part of the program, a nurse is available to answer your questions. They will provide education and support to help you make healthy lifestyle changes. They can help you do the following:

• Improve your quality of life and health status
• Reduce your risk of experiencing adverse effects related to your condition
• Build skills to change and sustain the behaviors that influence controllable risk factors

If you say it’s okay, we may talk to your health care provider about your condition. Your health care provider can help you manage your depression. Please talk to them any time you think your depression is not under control.

Depression Action Plan – Develop an action plan to help with day-to-day management and to know what to do in an emergency.

Do you have questions?

If you have any questions about depression, please call Member Services and ask to speak to the Focused Wellness nurse. If you need to talk to someone right away, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. TTY users call 711 then 988. These calls are free. You can call 24 hours a day, any day of the week. In an emergency, call 911.

• Depression Medicines
• Patient Health Questionnaire
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• National Institute of Mental Health