Segment 2 - An Overview of the Problem With Mental Health Treatment

Wayne Katon, MD, started the discussion by highlighting the most common and prevalent mental health illnesses—anxiety and depression—and how the healthcare industry is failing to even properly care for these patients.

Some of the side effects of anxiety and depression include poor sleep, low energy, headaches, and back pain. As a result, their initial visits are with primary care physicians who have to recognize these symptoms may be stress related, Dr Katon explained.

“We know that about half the people who go in with anxiety or depression to a primary care doctor are not correctly diagnosed,” he said. “And then when they do get diagnosed, the most common treatment is starting them on antidepressant, and often with very poor follow-up.”