Depression management program

Health checks

If you've been diagnosed with depression, ask your doctor or behavioral health provider about these things:

  • Monitoring your moods
  • How often to visit your doctor
  • What to do if your symptoms change
  • Taking medicine for your depression and what to expect (how often, side effects, how quickly your symptoms should improve)

These are general suggestions. Check with your doctor or behavioral health provider about your treatment. If you've been hospitalized for depression, follow up with your doctor or behavioral health provider within seven days of being released.

Depression is a medical condition that is both common and treatable. You may feel hopeless, worthless and unable to cope. Sometimes, you might not know why you are depressed. If you find yourself struggling with feelings of sadness, unrelieved stress or fatigue that won’t go away, remember that help is available. Our depression program is part of our Disease Management program. We want to help you understand depression and learn how to live well.

Managing depression

Depression is a treatable illness. Counseling and medicine are options that can help you feel well again. You can manage your condition and work with your behavioral or mental health provider to feel better.

If you think you may be experiencing depression, score your feelings on the PHQ-9 (PDF), a standard questionnaire. Your primary care physician, behavioral or mental health care provider and our behavioral health case managers can offer the support and the follow up care that’s best for you.

Setting goals may help you feel better or less overwhelmed with feelings of depression. Try it with our action plan (PDF) and discuss these topics with your care provider.

If you are working with a behavioral or mental health provider, refer to the health checks at the right for more information about your care.

Behavioral or mental health case managers are available at 1-800-482-5982 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to help you with routine behavioral or mental health care issues. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for behavioral or mental health emergencies.

To get help finding a behavioral or mental health care professional, call the number on the back of your ID card. You do not need a referral from your primary care physician. You can also find a provider through our online provider search.

Other Resources

Contact our Disease Management department

To talk with a Disease Management nurse, call us at 1-800-392-4247 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Log in to Member Secure Services and click the Health and Wellness tab for more health resources, including in-depth information about these conditions.

page modified 09/23/2011