• What are the Symptoms of Depression?
• You Should Seek Treatment For Your Depressed Mood If...
• What Is The Treatment?
• Who Can Attend?
• How Large Are The Groups?
• Who Lead The Groups?
• When and Where Do These Sessions Take Place?
• What Does It Cost?
• Referral Form (PDF)
• Contact Information

  What are the Symptoms of Depression?

  Primary features:

  Depressed mood or sadness, or,
  Loss of interest of pleasure in previously enjoyed activities
  
  
  Additional symptoms:
  A change in appetite or weight
  Insomnia or excessive sleep
  Fatigue or loss of energy
  Feeling restless or slowed down
  Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
  Concentration problems
  
  
Depression ranges from mild to very severe. Many people experience a few of these symptoms occasionally and these fluctuations in mood are normal.
People with severe depression experience a large number of these symptoms and these symptoms are frequent, long-lasting and disruptive.
Depression is not the same as the normal sadness or grief you experience after a significant loss. Depression lasts longer, and includes feelings of self-criticism, hopelessness and despair.
Back to Top

You Should Seek Treatment For Your Depressed Mood If:

Your depressed mood feels overwhelming or out-of-control.

Your old methods of "boosting" your mood aren't effective and you are unable to overcome your depression.

Your depressed mood has a negative impact on your ability to work, enjoy leisure activities, or maintain satisfying relationships with family and friends.

You have had thoughts of suicide.

Back to Top

What is the Treatment?

This group uses short-term, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), which is an effective treatment for depression. People suffering from depression experience negative thoughts, feelings and behaviour changes which in turn exacerbates or prolongs their depression. CBT teaches patients coping strategies to interrupt this negative cycle and begin the recovery process. Treatment consists of 8-10 90-minute sessions consisting of education, group discussion and skill-building components.

Topics covered include:

What is depression and what causes it?

Why do people with chronic illnesses often become depressed?

How can you stop your negative thoughts and feelings?

How can you get more pleasure and joy from life?

How can you increase your energy and motivation?

How common are suicidal thoughts?

Are you at risk?

What is the recovery process?

How can psychological treatment help?

What are antidepressant medications and how well do they work?

How do you take antidepressant medication to ensure optimal benefit?

Back to Top

Who Can Attend?
These groups are open to anyone with a rheumatological disorder, such as Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Scleroderma. If you are unsure if you qualify, please ask your family doctor. Back to Top

How Large Are The Groups?
Each group will consist of 8 to 12 patients, all of whom are struggling to cope with both a chronic illness and depression. Back to Top

Who Leads The Groups?
The depression groups are run by Dr. Marilyn Hill, a clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of patients with chronic pain. Back to Top

What Does It Cost?
The program itself is covered by OHIP, but patients pay a small fee for session materials. Back to Top

When and Where Do These Sessions Take Place?
The sessions are held throughout the year, and are typically scheduled for Monday afternoons, from 4:00 to 5:30 PM. The depression treatment group sessions will take place in the Rheumatology Day Program conference room on the third floor of the Arthritis Institute, St. Joseph's Health Care London. The Arthritis Institute is located in the Monsignor Roney Building at the corner of Cheapside and Richmond.

A drop-off point is available next to the Monsignor Roney building, off Cheapside. Limited parking is available in the St. Joseph's parking garage (entrance on Grosvenor St.), at a cost of $3 for up to one hour, and $1.50 for every half hour afterwards. Two-hour metered parking is available on Wellington St. Back to Top