Depression & Anxiety: Understanding and Managing Mental Health Conditions
This comprehensive resource page delves into the world of depression and anxiety, two common mental health conditions that can take a toll on an individual’s daily life. It discusses various treatment options, including therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes, and highlights the importance of seeking help if you’re struggling with these conditions.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a behavioral health crisis, get help now with crisis intervention.
What to Discuss with Your Doctor
Choosing the right medication, medication dose, and treatment plan should be based on a person’s needs and medical situation, and done under an expert’s care. Only an expert clinician can help you decide whether the medication’s ability to help is worth the risk of a side effect. Your doctor may try several medicines before finding the right one.
You and your doctor should discuss:
1. How well medications are working or might work to improve your symptoms
2. Benefits and side effects of each medication
3. Risk for serious side effects based on your medical history
4. The likelihood of the medications requiring lifestyle changes
5. Costs of each medication
6. Other alternative therapies, medications, vitamins, and supplements you are taking and how these may affect your treatment
For more information, please visit Medications Health Topic webpage developed by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Please note that any information on this website regarding medications is provided for educational purposes only and may be outdated. Information about medications changes frequently. Please visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website for the latest information on warnings, patient medication guides, or newly approved medications.
Depression & Anxiety Resources
