It sure is! Not every one with neuro symptoms also has depression that is caused by their disease. Sometimes the depression is situational, but it is none the less, depression.

In cases where depression is caused by the disease process, medication is used to balance the neurotransmitters that are affected by the disease. In cases where depression is situational (caused by symptoms and disability) medication is used to uplift mood, to give the person the opportunity to address symptom management and apply new coping mechanisms.

Regardless of the cause of depression in people with chronic disease, medication and therapy help. Finding a medication that works well for you may be a challenge, but good communication with your doc will help them to prescribe the correct meds. Keep an eye on your symptoms, and tell your doc if the medication is only helping some symptoms and not others. In psychiatry, medication is prescribed based on the symptoms that are reported by the patient and what the doc observes. So in other words, if you go to your doc and say "I feel just great!" But you haven't bathed in a week, chances are the doc is going to have a more in depth conversation with you about how you feel. That said, if you go there and say "I feel terrible! My life is awful, and I can't take it anymore!" then report that you need to make the appointment short because you are going to get your nails done, and then out to dinner with the girls, the doc will probably determine that you are not depressed to the point where you need medication.

A lot of people feel uncomfortable about seeking help for mental health issues when they are already exhausted by their illness, or feel that they are a burden, or feel they just need to ignore it. Depression is a real, physical illness, and should be treated.

Most of the people in this forum are here to find ways to improve their quality of life, or help someone improve theirs. Dealing with depression as a real illness that requires treatment is a fantastic way to improve your quality of life.