Mood Emot 2024 Nov; 22(3): 53-62   https://doi.org/10.35986/me.2024.22.3.53
Recognizing and Understanding the Association Between Depression and Physical Illnesses
Saeheon Jang , MD
Department of Psychiatry, Bong Seng Memorial Hospital, Busan, Korea
Correspondence to: Saeheon Jang, MD
Department of Psychiatry, Bong Seng Memorial Hospital, 401 Joongang-daero, Dong-gu, Busan 48775, Korea
TEL +82-51-664-4120 FAX +82-51-631-8054 E-mail powernp@nate.com ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4186-1101
Received: February 28, 2024; Accepted: August 1, 2024; Published online: November 30, 2024.
© Korean Society for Affective Disorders. All rights reserved.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Depression, which has a prevalence of 2%-5% among the general population, has shown higher rates (6%-14%) among those with chronic medical conditions, particularly neurological (epilepsy: 20%-55%; multiple sclerosis: 40%-60%; and stroke: 14%-19%), vascular (up to 80% in stroke), endocrine (diabetes and hypothyroidism), and pain-related disorders like fibromyalgia. Recognizing this link is crucial for holistic healthcare, highlighting the importance of addressing mental health alongside chronic illness management. Diagnosing depression in these patients requires a comprehensive approach, potentially involving psychological assessment tools. Treatment focuses on identifying and addressing organic causes, minimizing resistance to psychiatric treatment, and selecting appropriate pharmacotherapy while considering potential interactions and side effects.
Keywords: Depression; Physical illness; Health care

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