Overview
A chronic disease is one that you have for a long time. Some chronic diseases can be managed, but they usually cannot be cured. Depression is common in people with chronic diseases.
If you have depression, it's not your fault. Depression is a common mental health condition. And it may get better with treatment. Counselling, medicines, and self-care can all help.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse advice line (811 in most provinces and territories) if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
How can you care for yourself at home?
Watch for symptoms of depression
The symptoms of depression are often subtle at first. You may think they are caused by your disease rather than depression. Or you may think it is normal to be depressed when you have a chronic disease.
If you are depressed you may:
- Feel sad or hopeless.
- Feel guilty or worthless.
- Not enjoy the things you used to enjoy.
- Feel hopeless, as though life is not worth living.
- Have trouble thinking or remembering.
- Have low energy, and you may not eat or sleep well.
- Pull away from others.
- Think often about death or killing yourself.
Get treatment
By treating your depression, you can feel more hopeful and have more energy. If you feel better, you may take better care of yourself, so your health may improve.
- Talk to your doctor if you have any changes in mood during treatment for your disease.
- Ask your doctor for help. Counselling, antidepressant medicine, or a combination of the two can help most people with depression. Often a combination works best. Counselling can also help you cope with having a chronic disease.
Where to get help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
If you or someone you know talks about suicide, self-harm, a mental health crisis, a substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress, get help right away.
- Call or text Canada's suicide and crisis hotline at 988.
- Call Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645 (4 p.m. to midnight ET).
- Kids or teens can call Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868.
- Go to the Talk Suicide Canada website at https://talksuicide.ca or the Kids Help Phone website at https://kidshelpphone.ca for more information.
Consider saving these numbers in your phone.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
Enter A548 in the search box to learn more about "Depression and Chronic Disease: Care Instructions".
