Reaching Out For Help With Depression

Aired 8/19/14 on KPBS Midday Edition.

Reaching Out For Help With Depression

GUESTS:

Dr. Steven Ornish, UC San Diego School, Department of Psychiatry, past president, San Diego Psychiatric Society

David Peters, family therapist

Graeme Cowan, author Back from the Brink

Transcript

Book: Back from the Brink: True Stories and Practical Help for Overcoming Depression and Bipolar Disorder, by Graeme Cowan

Many in our community are dealing with depression, from mild to severe.

Depression affects almost 1 in 15 Americans, but finding the right treatment or knowing who to go for help can be confusing — especially if you're dealing with the sometimes debilitating disease.

KPBS Midday expands its conversation about depression by hearing firsthand how dark those days of severe depression can be. In his book "Back from the Brink," author Graeme Cowan tells his story of suffering five years with severe depression and multiple suicide attempts. He also surveyed some 4,000 people who have lived with depression or bipolar disorder. The No. 1 thing that helped them was emotional support from a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Psychiatrist Dr. Steven Ornish, who teaches in the psychiatry department of UC San Diego and family therapist David Peters will join us to discuss treatments for depression including medication, and how your family physician can work with mental health professionals to get you through the tough times.

Graeme Owen is keynote speaker tonight at the International Bipolar Foundation lecture at 6:00pm.