Influence of nondepressive psychiatric symptoms on whether patients tell a doctor about depression.

The authors studied the other recent psychiatric symptoms of 218 subjects who reported having had depressive episodes within the past year to determine the influence of the nondepressive symptoms on whether the subjects discussed the depressive episodes with a doctor. Symptoms of panic and obsessive-compulsive disorders encouraged discussion of a depressive episode, but symptoms of drug abuse/dependence inhibited such discussion. The findings illustrate the bias in studying only patients who seek treatment, point to groups of persons who may need psychiatric help, and provide insight into the complex process of help seeking.