When To Call A Professional

Depression is a painful and potentially dangerous illness, so you should contact a health care professional if you have any suspicion that you or a loved one is depressed.

Prognosis

Treatment of depression has become quite sophisticated and effective. The prognosis with treatment is excellent. The intensity of symptoms and the frequency of episodes often are significantly reduced. Many people recover completely.

When treatment is successful, it is important to stay in close touch with your doctor or therapist, because maintenance treatment is often required to prevent depression from returning.

Additional Info

Depression and Related Affective Disorders Association (DRADA) Meyer 3-181 600 North Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21287-7381 Phone: (410) 955-4647 http://www.med.jhu.edu/drada/

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) 730 North Franklin Suite 501 Chicago, IL 60610 Toll-Free: (800) 826-3632 http://www.ndmda.org/index.html

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Colonial Place Three 2107 Wilson Blvd. Suite 300 Arlington, VA 22201-3042 Phone: (703) 524-7600 Toll-Free: (800) 950-6264 http//www.nami.org/

American Psychiatric Association 1400 K St., NW Washington, DC 20005 Toll-Free: (888) 357-7924 Fax: (202) 682-6850 http://www.psych.org/

American Psychological Association 750 First St., NE Washington, DC 20002-4242 Phone: (202) 336-5510 Toll-Free: (800) 374-2721 TTY: (202) 336-6123 Fax: (202) 336-5500 http://www.apa.org/

National Institute of Mental Health 6001 Executive Blvd. Room 8184, MSC 9663 Bethesda, MD 20892-9663 Phone: (301) 443-4513 http://www.nimh.nih.gov/

National Mental Health Association 2001 N. Beauregard St., 12th Floor Alexandria, VA 22311 Phone: (703) 684-7722 Fax: (703) 684-5968 Toll-Free: (800) 969-6642 TTY: (800) 433-5959 http://www.nmha.org/