How can I find treatment and who pays?

Most insurance plans cover treatment for depression. Check with your own insurance company to find out what type of treatment is covered. If you don't have insurance, local city or county governments may offer treatment at a clinic or health center, where the cost is based on income. Medicaid plans also may pay for depression treatment.
If you are unsure where to go for help, ask your family doctor. Others who can help are:

•Psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed social workers, or licensed mental health counselors
•Health maintenance organizations
•Community mental health centers
•Hospital psychiatry departments and outpatient clinics
•Mental health programs at universities or medical schools
•State hospital outpatient clinics
•Family services, social agencies or clergy
•Peer support groups
•Private clinics and facilities
•Employee assistance programs

•Local medical and/or psychiatric societies.
You can also check the phone book under "mental health," "health," "social services," "hotlines," or "physicians" for phone numbers and addresses. An emergency room doctor also can provide temporary help and can tell you where and how to get further help.
Why do people get depression?
There is no single cause of depression. Depression happens because of a combination of things including:
GENES - some types of depression tend to run in families. Genes are the "blueprints" for who we are, and we inherit them from our parents. Scientists are looking for the spe-cific genes that may be involved in depression.
BRAIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURE - when chemicals in the brain are not at the right levels, depression can occur. These chemicals, called neurotransmitters, help cells in the brain communicate with each other. By looking at pictures of the brain, scientists can also see that the structure of the brain in people who have depression looks different than in people who do not have depression. Scientists are working to figure out why these differences occur.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS
- trauma, loss of a loved one, a difficult relationship, and other stressors can trigger depression. Scientists are work-ing to figure out why depression occurs in some people but not in others with the same or similar experiences. They are also studying why some people recover quickly from depression and others do not.
What if I or someone I know is in crisis?
If you are thinking about harming yourself, or know someone who is, tell someone who can help immediately.

•Call your doctor.
•Call 911 or go to a hospital emergency room to get immediate help or ask a friend or family member to help you do these things.
•Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255); TTY: I-800-799-4TTY (4889) to talk to a trained counselor.
•Make sure you or the suicidal person is not left alone.

Personal Story
It was really hard to get out of bed in the morning. I just wanted to hide under the covers and not talk to anyone. I didn't feel much like eating and I lost a lot of weight.
Nothing seemed fun anymore. I was tired all the time, and I wasn't sleeping well at night. But I knew I had to keep going because I've got kids and a job. It just felt so impossible, like nothing was going to change or get better.