Families For Depression Awareness Launches Adult Depression Wellness Guide Nationwide

Families for Depression
Awareness, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families
recognize and cope with depressive disorders, today announced the
nationwide release of its Depression Wellness Guide for adults, following
an extensive pilot study. This is the first simple, practical tool that
helps adults with depression monitor treatment -- in conjunction with their
clinician, family and friends. The educational booklet consists of daily
tools, including diaries and worksheets, to track symptom progress.



The Depression Wellness Guide for adults was created in response to the
Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) advisory that patients, family members
and clinicians monitor antidepressant treatment together. Treatment
monitoring will likely be an important issue in the FDA's December 13
hearing on adult antidepressant use and suicide risks. Families for
Depression Awareness believes firmly that family and friends play an
essential role in effective treatment and treatment should be monitored.



"To-date, FDA guidance is clear -- close monitoring of antidepressant
treatment and depression symptoms is necessary," said Julie Totten,
president of Families for Depression Awareness. "Unfortunately, treatment
monitoring is not the norm, and most patients do not have a systematic
framework to guide them. The Depression Wellness Guide is the first simple,
practical tool bridging the gap between embracing the FDA's guidance and
closely following it."



The guide is designed for adults with major depression or dysthmia. It
was developed by a clinical review committee. The pilot study was led by
Carol Glod, Ph.D, associate professor of Nursing at Northeastern University
Bouve College of Health Sciences, director of Developmental Studies at
McLean Hospital, and lecturer in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.



In the pilot study since October 2005, the Adult Depression Wellness
Guide has helped more than 600 families monitor their illness and its
treatment. The Guide provides a three-step approach to monitoring
treatment:


-- Define Wellness: A Wellness Worksheet helps define what is well and not
well, treatment goals, and signs and life events that families can
identify for when depression gets worse.


-- Record Daily: In the monitoring diary, mood, medications, wellness and
other items can be recorded.


-- Keep a Journal: This helps those affected gain insight into their
thoughts and feelings.



"My therapist always asked 'How have you been?'" said Mary Dick, who
used the Depression Wellness Guide. "I never knew how to answer and it was
easy to say I was awful. But, the guide showed I was actually improving. I
also liked the fact I could monitor what was important to me -- my
medication schedule, daily accomplishments, exercise, and appetite."
















Pilot Study Results



Participants were asked to complete a pre-survey, use the Guide for a
month and then fill out a post-survey on their experience. The pilot
evaluation focuses on three areas: educational effectiveness, adherence to
treatment (compliance), and usefulness. Dr. Glod led the study.



Most participants used the Depression Wellness Guide every day or once
or twice a week. Overall, they rated the Guide in the top satisfaction
rankings. The Guide was most helpful in terms of understanding and
monitoring treatment and helping patients better communicate with their
families and clinicians. Additional benefits include help in sticking with
a medication regimen and more regular visits to clinicians.



"Depression is usually a treatable illness, but it requires the active
participation of patients and their families to help clinicians provide the
best care," said Dr. Glod. "The Depression Wellness Guide pilot study
indicates that the guide can help people closely monitor how they are doing
and stay with treatment."




Depression: Important Issues



Depression is a real medical condition that requires treatment, whether
that is medication, psychotherapy or other appropriate therapies. It can
take multiple tries to find the most helpful antidepressant, according to
STAR*D, the nation's largest depression treatment study sponsored by the
National Institute of Mental Health. Depression is also the leading cause
of suicide. Monitoring helps patients find the most appropriate treatment.




Availability



The Depression Wellness Guide is available immediately. Interested
families can download a free electronic version from
familyaware or call 781-890-0220 to order a hard-copy guide
for $6.95.



About Families for Depression Awareness



Families for Depression Awareness is a national nonprofit organization
helping families recognize and cope with depressive disorders. The
organization provides education, outreach and advocacy to support families
and is comprised of families who have lost a family member to suicide or
have watched a loved one suffer with depression, with little knowledge
about how to help. For more information please go to
familyaware.




Multiple patients and clinicians are available to be interviewed by the
press. Please contact us to set up an interview.


Families for Depression Awareness

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