Warning signs

To help you get some insight on the seriousness of your husband’s problem, here’s a rundown of the warning signs to be vigilant of.

A persistent feeling of sadness.

A lost interest in hobbies or activities that were previously enjoyed.

Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or hope-

A good resource for identifying depression is Mental Health America, a national nonprofit organization that offers a free online depression screening test at depressionscreening.org.

This test takes just a few minutes and can help determine the severity of your husband’s problem.

There’s also National Depression Screening Day which is coming up Oct. 11. Sponsored by Screening for Mental Health, this is a free service that provides depression screenings by mental health professionals at hundreds of locations across the country.

The test takes less than 15 minutes to complete, and is available to people of all ages. To find a site near you visit helpyour selfhelpothers.org.

Also be aware that Medicare now covers annual depression screenings as part of its free Welcome to Medicare visit for new beneficiaries, and free annual wellness visits thereafter.

Get help

If your husband is suffering from depressive symptoms, he needs to see his doctor for a medical evaluation to rule out possible medical causes.