BIO ~ JESSI GOLD, MD, MS
Psychiatrist, best-selling author, and international speaker
“How are you feeling?” It’s a routine question in depression care, often followed by a reflexive answer: “I’m fine.” But for many people being treated for depression, those two words may mask ongoing symptoms that continue to disrupt daily life –- from difficulty getting out of bed or completing household tasks to trouble concentrating or functioning at work.
New survey findings reveal a significant communication gap:
- About 3 in 4 people being treated for depression say ongoing symptoms have a moderate or significant impact on their lives, yet nearly half say they don’t have the energy to raise persistent symptoms with their doctor
- 52% of healthcare providers say fewer than half of their patients proactively bring up ongoing symptoms
- 84% of healthcare providers say patients struggle to explain what’s not working with their current treatment
Even as mental health awareness grows, it can be difficult for people with depression to recognize ongoing symptoms, let alone put them into words. When the conversation stops at “I’m fine,” important details about how someone is really doing can go unspoken and unaddressed.
Generation Fine, a campaign from Johnson & Johnson, is helping people living with depression recognize and talk about ongoing symptoms that may otherwise go unspoken. Available resources include a Self-Reflection Exercise and Care Team Conversation Guide to help people reflect on how they’re feeling and prepare to discuss their care and treatment goals with a provider.
For more information please visit: Generation-Fine.com
