The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

How — and why — to tell your doctor you’re feeling depressed

Your doctor can be your mental health ally. Here’s how to talk about it.

We’re making this story accessible to all readers as a public service. Support our journalism by becoming a member today.

I don’t know about you, but whenever I go to see my primary care doctor, my mental health isn’t usually at the top of my list of things to talk about. But it should be. In fact, experts say that all of us could benefit from more candid conversations with our doctors about our mental health.

(This story discusses mental health issues and suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. You are not alone. You can call the national 988 hotline for support.)

For years, the United States has been trying to figure out “parity” for mental health care — to have it treated and paid for like any other medical need, not something that is carved out and separate. A big part of that has been pushing primary care doctors and OB/GYNs to do more screenings, to make your mental state a part of your well-being that you discuss with your doctor the same as your blood pressure or any physical ailment.

But that is easier said than done. A lot of people may not even realize that their depression or anxiety or stress is something they should talk about with their primary care doctor. Others might fear being judged, and for good reason — national policymakers warn there continues to be a stigma toward mental health conditions among doctors.

About one in three Americans say they have never been asked about their mental health by a doctor, which is unsettling considering that the nation has been going through a collective mental health crisis for several years. Men are significantly less likely to be asked about their mental health than women — perhaps a reflection of a culture that expects men to “tough it out” when it comes to their feelings. But those attitudes come with a price: Men are diagnosed with depression at half the rate as women, but die by suicide much more frequently.

Much of the burden for starting these conversations should fall on your doctor to be more curious and accommodating during annual exams. But you don’t have to wait to be asked to bring it up. Regularly talking to your provider about your mental health is the best way to get ahead of any problems and get treated if you need to be. In honor of Suicide Prevention Month, I reached out to a handful of doctors who have studied why it’s sometimes so hard for patients and doctors to talk about depression, anxiety, and stress — and learned some novel strategies for how you can take charge, push through any stigma, and start having more honest talks with your doctor about your state of mind. Here’s what you should know.

Know the relevant symptoms before you talk to your doctor

One of the tricky things about depression or any serious mental health problem is that it isn’t always easy to identify when you’re the one experiencing it. “Patients need to recognize their distress…as potentially emanating from depression,” Dr. Richard Kravitz, a general medicine professor at UC Davis who has studied depression screening in primary care, told me.

There is a checklist of sorts that you can go through on your own to understand whether you’re just having a tough couple of days or there’s something........

© Vox