Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.life From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Support for depression includes practical advice Date: Tue, 17 Nov 92 15:07:56 EST Message-ID: \SE E;LIFE;WAY OF LIFE;DR. NEIL SOLOMON \SS (WS) \HD Support for depression includes practical advice \BY Dr. Neil Solomon \CR LOS ANGELES TIMES SYNDICATE Dear Dr. Solomon: I have read in your column and elsewhere about the use of medication to treat depression. A niece of mine is now seeing a counselor for treatment of depression, and she is receiving something that is called "supportive treatment." What kind of support is involved in such treatment? - Gwen, Lowell, Mass. Dear Gwen: Supportive therapy includes listening to the patient, empathizing with the patient and trying to clarify the situation confronting the patient. Any advice that is offered is generally of a practical nature. For example, a depressed person is often in no position to make important lifestyle changes. Therefore, he or she would be discouraged from making a significant financial investment in a business or other enterprise until the situation improved. Specific advice would, of course, be offered if the patient was engaging in self-destructive behavior, such as alcohol and drug abuse. Such behavior would only make the depression worse. Supportive therapy can be provided by primary care physicians as well as by psychiatrists and other mental health personnel. Dear Dr. Solomon: I attended a school picnic, and about a week later, I had a bad case of nausea and diarrhea. My doctor told me that I probably had a case of food poisoning from the food I ate at the picnic. How can something I ate during one week have an effect on me the following week? - Terry, Norfolk Dear Terry: Food poisoning usually becomes evident within a couple of days of eating the contaminated food. However, it is possible for symptoms to occur a week later or, in extreme cases, even two weeks later. Dear Dr. Solomon: Would it be a good idea for someone who has the virus that causes AIDS to get a flu shot? - Damien, Philadelphia Dear Damien: Persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may become seriously ill if they develop influenza. Therefore, vaccination against influenza would be a reasonable precaution. However, not all HIV-infected individuals will develop a high degree of protection. For Bertram, Grants Pass, Ore.: I have one word of advice for anyone who has arthritis and who experiences joint pain while exercising: Stop. If you have a medical question, write to Dr. Solomon, PO Box 36184, Baltimore, Md. 21285-6184. Dr. Solomon cannot give personal replies but will answer as many questions as possible in his column. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM