Joint Commission Releases New Patient Education Video Addressing Depression

The Joint Commission has released a new patient education video to draw attention to the importance of learning the warning signs of depression and seeking help for the condition. Part of the agency's Speak Up initiative, the video, Speak Up: About Your Depression, features the stories of two characters, a new mother and a world traveler with cancer, both of whom are battling depression. In the video, the mother no longer wants to take her baby for a walk with other mothers, and the traveler avoids his chemotherapy appointment. The narrator stresses that "everybody feels blue sometimes, but depression is more than that. It can affect anyone, at any age."