Keyword: chronic

Because of their high recurrence, experts now consider depressive and anxiety disorders to be chronic illnesses. Supported self-management (SSM) is an essential component in the Chronic Care Model, a standard to strive for when providing care for people with chronic illnesses, both physical and mental. Most clinical practice guidelines also recommend SSM for treating depressive and anxiety disorders (NICE, CANMAT).

The stepped care model seems to be a promising approach for improving quality of care for people with common mental disorders. To recap, stepped care is a health care model where interventions are prioritized according to patient needs. When the patient’s health does not improve following the interventions offered, progression towards more complex care is considered. This model would improve the current organization of mental health services.

Supported Self-Management (SSM) is gaining increasing recognition as an essential component in the treatment of people suffering from anxiety and depressive disorders. Most practice guidelines (NICE, CANMAT) recommend it. Finally, it is also part of the Chronic Care Model, which is progressively more popular for both physical illnesses and mental disorders.