Tom also complained to his wife about not sleeping well and about different aches and pains each day. Fortunately, his wife took him to a doctor who recognized Tom was depressed. After a few weeks of treatment, Tom began to enjoy his retirement as much as he had expected. Trained professionals in numerous settings diagnose and treat clinical depression. Mental health specialists include psychiatrists, psychologists, family therapists, and social workers.
Psychiatrists can prescribe antidepressant drugs because they are physicians.
Other mental health specialists, however, often work with physicians to ensure that their patients receive the medications they need. Community mental health centers, which often provide treatment based on the patient's ability to pay, usually have a variety of mental health specialists. Hospitals and university medical schools may have research centers that study and treat depression. The program is based on more than 40 years of research on the diagnosis and treatment of depressive disorders. NIMH-supported studies alleviate suffering and bring hope to people who have a mental disorder, to those who are at risk of developing one, and to their families, friends and coworkers.