Okay, let's prepare for the talk with William by reviewing some basic skill elements for talking with patients about antidepressant medication.

As I mentioned earlier, it's important to have a shared decision process when discussing treatment options, as patients who are informed and feel part of the treatment process are more likely to be adherent to the therapy. That's why I worked so hard to get William to agree to medication.

Once the patient agrees to the treatment, it's important to educate them about what to expect when taking an antidepressant. In addition, the skill elements include discussing the following key aspects about antidepressant therapy with the patient:

•  Benefits may be slow to appear, and some symptoms may be relieved quicker than others.
•  The goals include both short-term symptom management and longer-term prevention of relapse.
•  Side effects are frequently worse early in treatment, but usually improve.
•  Antidepressants are not effective unless taken regularly.
•  Consult with your clinician before stopping the medication.