Comments on: A GP’s Take on Treating Depression & Anxiety http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/05/30/a-gps-take-on-treating-depression-anxiety/ Dr. John Grohol's daily update on all things in psychology and mental health. Since 1999. Sat, 26 May 2012 02:27:01 +0000 hourly 1 By: Treatment for Postnatal Depression? http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/05/30/a-gps-take-on-treating-depression-anxiety/comment-page-1/#comment-602918 Treatment for Postnatal Depression? Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:45:26 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2146#comment-602918 [...] A GPs Take on Treating Depression & Anxiety - World of Psychology reddit_url='http://www.baby-parenting.com/birth/pnd_treatment.html' reddit_title='Treatment for Postnatal Depression?' [...] [...] A GPs Take on Treating Depression & Anxiety – World of Psychology reddit_url=’http://www.baby-parenting.com/birth/pnd_treatment.html’ reddit_title=’Treatment for Postnatal Depression?’ [...]

]]> By: Treating Anxiety http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/05/30/a-gps-take-on-treating-depression-anxiety/comment-page-1/#comment-549925 Treating Anxiety Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:57:37 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2146#comment-549925 I think that medication are a short term solution. In the long run it's best to see a practitioner that can help you without the need of medication. However in some severe cases medication are needed and then I recommend the Valerian plant. I think that medication are a short term solution. In the long run it’s best to see a practitioner that can help you without the need of medication. However in some severe cases medication are needed and then I recommend the Valerian plant.

]]> By: Ann Russell http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/05/30/a-gps-take-on-treating-depression-anxiety/comment-page-1/#comment-511148 Ann Russell Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:51:53 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2146#comment-511148 I am a licensed clinical social worker and am providing mental health services at a Federally Qualified Health Center, which serves people with Medicaid and those with no insurance. I was hired because we could not get patients into the local mental health center in a timely fashion. Our family practice docs prescribe a lot of psych meds and I believe that this is often the case in other medical practices. I would like to write a paper on this, but have been unable to find anything published in this country, until the article cited above. I would be interested in any more articles that could be found. I am a licensed clinical social worker and am providing mental health services at a Federally Qualified Health Center, which serves people with Medicaid and those with no insurance. I was hired because we could not get patients into the local mental health center in a timely fashion. Our family practice docs prescribe a lot of psych meds and I believe that this is often the case in other medical practices. I would like to write a paper on this, but have been unable to find anything published in this country, until the article cited above. I would be interested in any more articles that could be found.

]]> By: Wendy Aron http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/05/30/a-gps-take-on-treating-depression-anxiety/comment-page-1/#comment-509166 Wendy Aron Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:53:00 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2146#comment-509166 I think it makes sense for a GP or internist to recommend that a patient see a mental health professional, get a commitment that she/he will do so and THEN prescribe anti-depressants. I find that these front line doctors often dispense with antidepressants just to get a patient that is incessantly asking for pills off their backs. This is actually a disservice is those who truly suffer from mental illness. Wendy Aron, author of Hide & Seek: How I Laughed at Depression, Conquered My Fears and Found Happiness I think it makes sense for a GP or internist to recommend that a patient see a mental health professional, get a commitment that she/he will do so and THEN prescribe anti-depressants. I find that these front line doctors often dispense with antidepressants just to get a patient that is incessantly asking for pills off their backs. This is actually a disservice is those who truly suffer from mental illness.

Wendy Aron, author of Hide & Seek: How I Laughed at Depression, Conquered My Fears and Found Happiness

]]> By: John M. Grohol, Psy.D. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/05/30/a-gps-take-on-treating-depression-anxiety/comment-page-1/#comment-508473 John M. Grohol, Psy.D. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:26:32 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2146#comment-508473 Sadly, I could find no more recent data than this study, published in 1998, after a cursory literature search. I may have more time later to search further: Pincus, HA, Tanielian, TL, Marcus, SC, Olfson, M, Zarin, DA, Thompson, J, & Zito, JM. (1998). Prescribing Trends in Psychotropic Medications: Primary Care, Psychiatry, and Other Medical Specialties. JAMA, 279, 526-531. http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/279/7/526 Their findings, for all psychotropic medications (not just antidepressants) were than psychiatrists prescribe about 33% of such meds, while primary care physicians and other specialties account for the other 66%. And while the overall number of office visits that result in a psychotropic medication have, I believe, increased since this data (it looks at data from 1993-1994), I wouldn't be surprised to find the percentages are largely the same. Sadly, I could find no more recent data than this study, published in 1998, after a cursory literature search. I may have more time later to search further:

Pincus, HA, Tanielian, TL, Marcus, SC, Olfson, M, Zarin, DA, Thompson, J, & Zito, JM. (1998). Prescribing Trends in Psychotropic Medications: Primary Care, Psychiatry, and Other Medical Specialties. JAMA, 279, 526-531.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/279/7/526

Their findings, for all psychotropic medications (not just antidepressants) were than psychiatrists prescribe about 33% of such meds, while primary care physicians and other specialties account for the other 66%.

And while the overall number of office visits that result in a psychotropic medication have, I believe, increased since this data (it looks at data from 1993-1994), I wouldn’t be surprised to find the percentages are largely the same.

]]> By: kat-missouri http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/05/30/a-gps-take-on-treating-depression-anxiety/comment-page-1/#comment-508247 kat-missouri Sat, 31 May 2008 19:37:01 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2146#comment-508247 Dr. Grohol, I was on the call with you on <a href="http://dodlive.blogspot.com/2008/05/we-can-do-better-were-going-to-were.html" rel="nofollow">Thursday with the DOD</a> re: mental and behavioral health. One of the things that I was concerned about, that I don't believe received a good answer, was in relation to Dr. Rob's post: anti-depressants being prescribed in the field by field physicians without a significant psychiatric diagnosis and without any ideal follow up in the field or upon redeployment back to home base. As you note from Dr. Rob's blog, it does happen in the civilian world considerably more than people would like to admit and I believe that it is the same for the military in the field or possibly even at home. I believe that based on anecdotal evidence and the observance of civilian health care. I want to approach the DOD on this subject and wondered if you could point me to any statistical information regarding the prevalence of prescription anti-depressants through general practitioners and other non-psychiatric physicians. I believe that there IS a gap in our identification of and treatment of depression and other conditions that lead to major depressive episodes and that it exists in the military. I think this is very interesting because, in essence, the military has a captive patient base, so to speak, and certainly has extensive access to data and medical records, even in the prevailing sense of patient privacy. I think they are missing an important piece of preventive care if this is indeed being ignored. I don't want to play "gotcha" with the military, but I do want to follow up with some questions to Col. Richie, et al and would like to be well armed with information to make informed inquiries. Thus, any assistance you could provide in pointing to this statistical information would be greatly appreciated. Please contact me at kehenry1@hotmail.com. Sincerely, Kat Henry thedonovan.com (Castle Arrggh) Dr. Grohol,

I was on the call with you on Thursday with the DOD re: mental and behavioral health.

One of the things that I was concerned about, that I don’t believe received a good answer, was in relation to Dr. Rob’s post: anti-depressants being prescribed in the field by field physicians without a significant psychiatric diagnosis and without any ideal follow up in the field or upon redeployment back to home base.

As you note from Dr. Rob’s blog, it does happen in the civilian world considerably more than people would like to admit and I believe that it is the same for the military in the field or possibly even at home. I believe that based on anecdotal evidence and the observance of civilian health care.

I want to approach the DOD on this subject and wondered if you could point me to any statistical information regarding the prevalence of prescription anti-depressants through general practitioners and other non-psychiatric physicians.

I believe that there IS a gap in our identification of and treatment of depression and other conditions that lead to major depressive episodes and that it exists in the military. I think this is very interesting because, in essence, the military has a captive patient base, so to speak, and certainly has extensive access to data and medical records, even in the prevailing sense of patient privacy.

I think they are missing an important piece of preventive care if this is indeed being ignored.

I don’t want to play “gotcha” with the military, but I do want to follow up with some questions to Col. Richie, et al and would like to be well armed with information to make informed inquiries. Thus, any assistance you could provide in pointing to this statistical information would be greatly appreciated.

Please contact me at kehenry1@hotmail.com.

Sincerely,
Kat Henry
thedonovan.com
(Castle Arrggh)

]]> By: Rob http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/05/30/a-gps-take-on-treating-depression-anxiety/comment-page-1/#comment-507605 Rob Fri, 30 May 2008 21:01:23 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2146#comment-507605 Why, Thank you! It is nice for my Psych colleagues to agree with my approach. Why, Thank you! It is nice for my Psych colleagues to agree with my approach.

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