Question: For the first time in his life, my husband, who has always made really good money, and has had high power positions, is out of a job. He sits at home at the computer all day and doesn’t get anywhere. He has really changed. He’s mad all the time. I wouldn’t be so worried if this hadn’t been going on for so long. It’s been two years now. How can I get him to go see someone?
Anne Fenton, MD: This is unfortunately becoming more of a problem with the decline of the economy. You might try the straightforward approach. Let your husband know that you are worried about him. You understand how stressful and frustrating it must be to have difficulty providing for his family and to be at home all the time. In fact, for someone who has always been active, and whose identity is largely tied into his profession, this kind of change can trigger a depression. There may be other factors at play as well, such as his thinking you see him as a failure, which may result in his trying to avoid you. If you let him know you are aware of these things, he may be more receptive to seeing someone.