Sutter Health

Department Chair

Site Lead and Psychiatrist

Self-Management of Depression

Depression is a complex illness, which presents in a myriad of ways and almost 60-70% people treated with antidepressants fail to achieve a symptom-free state when first treated with these medications. The treatment of depression cannot be pigeon-holed into one or two kinds of treatment modalities. Self-management is increasingly becoming the standard of care in people with long-standing medical conditions. Self-management puts one in the driver’s seat with regards to making choices regarding one’s health. However, treatment of depression has lagged behind in incorporating the concept of self-management with the most popular self-help paradigm on depression focusing mostly on cognitive-behavioral approaches. Self-management goes beyond the narrow perspective of self-help and addresses life style changes, social relationships, communication, problem-solving, and also includes elements of wellness and recovery.

Author and Blogger

Kaiser Permanente

Senior Physician

County of Humboldt

Medical Director

ProMedica

UPMC

Resident Physician

Central Institute of Psychiatry

Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences

House Officer

Harpreet S. Duggal, MD, FAPA, is a board-certified psychiatrist and an international expert on self-management of depression. He has practiced psychotherapy and psychopharmacology for over 20 years and has authored over one hundred articles in scientific journals. He is also a bestselling author of books on depression. Check out his blog on evidence-based strategies for self-management of depression and lifestyle psychiatry. The content on this platform or other social media sites should not be construed as treatment advice or a substitute for it.

Harpreet Duggal, MD, FAPA

taplio