Mental Health Treatment Can Begin with a Family Physician

Monday, November 25, 2002

Minnesota family physicians want patients to know they can turn to a family doctor for help with their mental health. Family physicians are well-trained to diagnose and treat a majority of mental illnesses, including depression. In fact, an estimated 30% of family practice visits involve counseling for psychological stressors.

“Often times people are confused about where to go and who to see when it comes to mental health,” said Nicholas Bernier, a Brainerd family physician and president of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians. “Talking to your family doctor will help determine what needs to happen next, whether it is treatment by that physician or an informed referral to a psychiatrist.”

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in any given year, 9.5% of the population, or about 18.8 million American adults suffer from a depressive illness. Women are affected by such illnesses twice as often as men. Common symptoms of depression include a persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood, feelings of hopelessness, a loss of interest in pleasurable activities, decreased energy, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, weight loss/gain, thoughts of suicide and persistent physical symptoms like headaches and chronic pain. Manic-depression is when a person alternates between feeling down and up. Manic symptoms include excessive elation, a decreased need for sleep, poor judgment, racing thoughts, and taking risky actions.

Knowing where to go for help is especially important since Minnesota faces a shortage of psychiatrists. According to a report from the Minnesota Psychiatric Society Task Force, Minnesota has about 10 psychiatrists per 100,000 people. That’s about 33 percent fewer psychiatrists per capita than the national average.

“I’ve seen studies that demonstrate there are significant savings to society, businesses, and the medical system when depression is treated in the primary care office setting,” Dr. Bernier said.

The key word is treated. Mental health problems can be addressed in a variety of ways, from medication to psychotherapy, or both. The first step to getting appropriate treatment is a physical examination by a physician to rule out certain medications or other medical conditions as the root cause of the problem.

“If a patient needs a psychiatric referral, we as family physicians, are well suited to help guide them along,” said Dr. Bernier. “We are a valuable asset to navigating the mental health system.”
 

The Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians is a professional association of approximately 2,700 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students organized to assist family physicians in providing quality medical care in Minnesota. The MAFP is the largest medical specialty organization in Minnesota and is a state chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with more than 93,000 members.