WASHINGTON – When patients present with what you suspect is depression, how confident are you in your ability to differentiate your diagnosis from distress or demoralization? In this interview, Dr. James L. Griffith, the Leon M. Yochelson Professor and chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral Sciences at George Washington University, Washington, discusses the clinical signs of all three, and offers his thoughts on how to confidently diagnose and treat them.
“Humans are built to heal through many redundant pathways,” Dr. Griffith says. “We don’t have to hit all of them.”
In addition to using antidepressants and forms of talk therapy, Dr. Griffith talks about how leveraging hope, a patient’s relationships, and the insights they have into their lives and ailments can lead to better outcomes. Dr. Griffith also shares the single most important question to ask patients when addressing their behavioral health needs.
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