- With Mayo Clinic psychiatrist
Gabrielle J. Melin, M.D.
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Gabrielle J. Melin, M.D.
Gabrielle J. Melin, M.D.
Dr. Gabrielle Melin, board certified in general psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine, is looking for ways to empower patients and families dealing with chronic mental illness. She encourages patients to commit to working together with their physicians and health care teams.
Dr. Melin completed medical school at the University of Minnesota. She completed both her psychiatry residency and consultation-liaison fellowship at Mayo Clinic before joining the Mayo Clinic staff in 2001. She is medical director of Mayo Clinic Psychiatry Emergency Services in Rochester, Minn. She has special interests in emergency psychiatry, adult psychiatry and addiction psychiatry.
"Instilling hope is one of the most important things we can do for patients and families. Mental illness can be chronic and significantly impacts lives. Our goal is to provide the best treatment and education so that patients can manage their symptoms more effectively," she said.
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Depression blog
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July 25, 2009
Blog: Sometimes antidepressants aren't enough
By Gabrielle J. Melin, M.D.
Sometimes medication alone is enough to achieve depression remission. However, a recent study found that many people won't achieve depression remission when only using a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI. (SSRIs include Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa and Lexapro)
Does this mean you shouldn't go on an SSRI and should ask for another class of antidepressant medication? No, but it does mean that you may need more than medication alone. Or, you may need to be on more than one medication. For instance, Wellbutrin could be added.
Let's examine diabetes to illustrate this further. When someone has diabetes, insulin may be necessary. However, insulin alone is not enough. The doctor will also prescribe a healthy, balanced diet and exercise. The same is true for heart disease and other diseases.
Reframing our thinking and approach to treating depression effectively should include a change in our lifestyle. It is misleading to think that medication alone is the answer.
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