A fascinating new study finds that a large chunk of Americans would rather not discuss symptoms of depression with their doctors.

According to Health.com, “43% of people would keep their depression symptoms to themselves during a doctor’s appointment, because they feel their emotional difficulties are off-topic, they don’t want to be prescribed antidepressants, or they’re afraid a record of the conversation will be seen by employers … Respondents also expressed fear about being referred to a specialist or being labeled a ‘psychiatric patient’.”

Gerard Sanacora, a Yale psychiatry professor interviewed for the story, told Health.com such treatment avoidance can be very harmful to patients.

This reluctance among patients is crucial to overcome, Sanacora says, because the longer depression goes undiagnosed, the harder it can be to treat and the more permanent damage it can do. “There’s increasing evidence that the state of being depressed could actually be injurious to the brain,” he says. “Delaying treatment is probably the worst thing a patient can do for their mental health.”

The same is true for those who suffer from postpartum depression.  Prolonging reaching out for help means the severity of symptoms may increase, and that it may take longer to recover.  While the barriers mentioned by the people in the study are valid, and we need to do everything we can to eliminate stigma, for now moms will need walk right past that stigma, head held high, and get help anyway.

For more on the study, visit the Annals of Family Medicine.