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QUOTE (Darson @ Jun 21 2008, 08:05 PM) * I'm feeling rather happy today BTW. Seeing these kind of messages is enough to put anyone in a good mood. Ta.
(Darson)
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Depression & Mental Health FAQs
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated 40 million
Americans living today will suffer from major depressive illness during their lives.

Seasonal affective disorder is major depression that appears in the fall or winter and goes away in spring, thought to be caused by lack of sunlight.



Postpartum depression occurs within four weeks of a women giving childbirth. Most new mothers suffer from some form of the �baby blues.� Postpartum depression, by contrast, is major depression, thought to be triggered by changes in hormonal flows associated with childbirth.

Catatonic depression is a rare form of major depression characterized by (at least two): Stupor, excessive motor activity, extreme negativism, peculiarities in voluntary movement, and repetition of other people's words or actions. - mcmanweb.com



Psychotic depression is a rare form of depression characterized by delusions or hallucinations, such as believing you are someone you are not and hearing voices.


According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 18.8 million American adults, or about 9.5 percent of the US population age 18 and older in a given year, have a depressive disorder.
Depression is a chronic illness that exacts a significant toll on America's health and productivity.  It affects more than 21 million American children and adults annually and is the leading cause of disability in the United States for individuals ages 15 to 44.


Lost productive time among U.S. workers due to depression is estimated to be in excess of $31 billion per year.  Depression frequently co-occurs with a variety of medical illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and chronic pain and is associated with poorer health status and prognosis.  It is also the principal cause of the 30,000 suicides in the U.S. each year.  In 2004, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, third among individuals 15-24.


According to the World Health Organization, depression is presently on track to becoming the world's second-most disabling disease (after heart disease) by the year 2020.

Depression is responsible for some $87 billion a year in lost productivity in the US (a conservative estimate), and according to Bank One, is responsible for most lost work days in its employees after pregnancy and childbirth.

Additionally, one million people worldwide die by their own hand, most as a result of a mood disorder. Finally, the linkage between depression and a host of physical illnesses makes it arguably the world's greatest killer.

Research presented at the 56th Annual Conference of the Canadian Psychiatric Association shows a marked link between bipolar disorder and migraines.

The odds of migraine in persons with bipolar disorder were 40% higher than the general population.

Data obtained from 36,984 people aged 15 and over, who screened positive for manic or depressive episodes with migraine, were compared against those who screened positive for mania but who didn�t suffer from migraines.

Amongst males, 14.9% of those with manic episodes were also diagnosed with migraines compared with 5.8% of the general population. Amongst females, 34.7% had both migraines and bipolar disorder compared with 14.7% who only had migraines.unquote.gif

While the research was skewed towards persons who were already diagnosed with bipolar disorders, what does it mean for people who suffer from migraines but who may have an undiagnosed bipolar disorder?



Migraines and headaches aren�t fully understood but the manifestations are very real and debilitating for their sufferers:

Throbbing pain
Nausea
Heightened sensitivity to light or sound
Seeing dots, wavy lines, flashing lights, or blind spots
Difficulty with speech, sensation, or movement

 


An estimated 2.1 million American adolescents have experienced major depression within the last year, according to a new comprehensive government study.  Researchers surveyed more than 67,000 young people ages 12 to 17 and found that one in 12 had suffered from serious depression in the previous year.Nearly 13 percent of girls had struggled with depression, compared to less than 5 percent of boys. Odds of depression increased with age -- just 4 percent of 12-year-olds experienced depression but that climbed to 11 percent for older teens.

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CUT STRESS BY ANTICIPATING LAUGHTER?

By Lindsay
 CUT STRESS BY ANTICIPATING LAUGHTER? A QUICK FEEL GOOD ARTICLE

Researchers Say Merely Anticipating a Laugh Can Jump-Start Healthy Changes in Body

By Kelley Colihan
WebMD Medical News

OK, take a deep breath. Now put your hand on your belly. Imagine your stomach jiggling, as if you were starting to laugh. You may have just taken a step toward reducing stress hormone levels.

The findings come from a small study, made up of 16 healthy men. The men were divided into two groups. The experimental group was told to anticipate something funny. The other group was used as a comparison.

Researchers then tested the levels of three stress hormones participants had in their blood and compared that to the control group, which did not expect a laugh was on the way.

Researchers found that the group anticipating the laughs had reduced levels of three stress hormones compared to the other group.

Here's the breakdown from the experimental group:


Cortisol levels dipped 39%. Cortisol is known as a major stress hormone.

Adrenaline levels dropped 70%. Adrenaline is also known as epinephrine.

Dopac levels dropped 38%. Dopac is a chemical related to the "feel-good" chemical known as dopamine.

Persistently elevated stress hormone levels in the blood, as happens under chronic stressful situations, has been linked to a weakened immune system.

"Our findings lead us to believe that by seeking out positive experiences that make us laugh we can do a lot with our physiology to stay well," says researcher Lee Berk in a news release.

The researchers were following up on a similar study they did two years ago in which they found that anticipating laughter led to an increase in healthful chemicals such as beta-endorphins.

Visit our bookstore to order a copy of Healing Through Humor: a book containing fabulous jokes, anecdotes, and mind twisters to speed healing to your heart and soul.

http://www.freedomfromfear.org

Comments

Depression Forums would like to hear from you!
Mental illness affects one in seventeen Americans. However, in this country alone, funding for mental health
facilities is dropping drastically and the care for the mentally disabled.
When the people who need those facilities have no where to go, they end up overcrowding emergency rooms.
Depression Forums would like to hear from you!
We would like to invite you to PM Forum Admin to share your story about your Depression or Mental Health issues as breaking the silence will help us to break open the stigma surrounding mental health that keeps people from getting the care that continues misunderstandings about those affected by mental health disorders.
There is nothing better than to speak out, tell your story get the word out!
Together, we can help ourselves and others. Your stories would appear right here on DF's Portal.
Please PM Forum Admin for more information or to submit your story.
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Medical News
Depression News From Medical News Today
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Yerkes Researchers Create Animal Model Of Chronic Stress
In an effort to better understand how chronic stress affects the human body, researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, have created an animal model that shows how chronic stress affects behavior, physiology and reproduction.

Youth In Rwanda That Head Households Commonly Depressed
Of the orphaned youth who are heading households in rural Rwanda can be classified as depressed, according to a report released on September 1, 2008 in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Rwanda has one of the largest groups of orphans in the world, a result of the 1994 genocide and the epidemic of HIV infection.




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Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) Community Comes Together For First Ever Virtual Conference
Twenty-two of the most celebrated doctors, therapists, and coaches in the field of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) are coming together for the first time in a virtual setting. From September 22-24, 2008, people affected by AD/HD, including parents, service professionals, and AD/HD adults, will hear live presentations from experts including: - Dr. Edward Hallowell, author of "Driven to Distraction" - Dr.

VYVANSE(R) Now Available In U.S. Pharmacies Nationwide In Six Dosage Strengths - ADHD
Shire Limited (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, has announced that VYVANSE is now available in U.S. pharmacies nationwide in three additional dosage strengths, bringing the total number to six: 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 50 mg, 60 mg, and 70 mg. The expanded VYVANSE dosing options will allow physicians to individualize treatment for each patient.




Anxiety / Stress News From Medical News Today
Latest Anxiety / Stress News From Medical News Today.

Conventional Wisdom Suggests That Stress Accelerates Aging -- But Is It Really True?
Evolutionary studies of aging typically utilize small, short-lived animals (insects, worms, mice) under benign conditions - constant temperature and humidity, no parasites, superabundant food - in the laboratory. Oddly enough, very little is known about aging in such animals in their harsh, stressful natural environments.

Yerkes Researchers Create Animal Model Of Chronic Stress
In an effort to better understand how chronic stress affects the human body, researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, have created an animal model that shows how chronic stress affects behavior, physiology and reproduction.




Bipolar News From Medical News Today
Latest Bipolar News From Medical News Today.

Family Therapy With Medication Improves Depression In Bipolar Teens
In combination with medication, family-focused therapy appears to help curb depression symptoms in teens with bipolar disorder, according to a report released on September 1, 2008 in the Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.  Bipolar disorders are characterized by occasional periods of elevated mood, known as mania.

Healthy Minds Across America Features 48 Public Forums On Mental Health Research, Sept. 14
People concerned about the toll that mental health disorders are taking on their families and communities will have a unique opportunity to hear from world-class experts on what is known to-date about the causes, symptoms and progression of such illnesses as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia and autism, and learn about current and potential treatments.




Mental Health News From Medical News Today
Latest Mental Health News From Medical News Today.

More Mental Health Problems Reported By Older Vietnamese
Vietnamese Americans over 55, most who came to the United States as political refugees, report more mental health problems than non-Hispanic whites, according to a UC Irvine Center for Health Care Policy analysis of state data. Vietnamese Americans participating in the California Health Interview Survey were twice as likely as whites to report needing mental health care but were less likely to discuss such issues with their doctor.

University Of California Irvine Extension Introduces "Tourette's Syndrome, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder And Other Anxiety Disorders"
Millions of children across the United States suffer from disorders such as Tourette's Syndrome and anxiety disorders, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - conditions which often affect their performance in school on both social and academic levels.




Psychology / Psychiatry News From Medical News Today
Latest Psychology / Psychiatry News From Medical News Today.

New Research Suggests That Action As A Goal May Be Too Broad
A series of experiments conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois suggest that society's emphasis on action over inaction may lead to unforeseen consequences. "Our research highlights how the pressures of society to be active may produce fairly unregulated behavior," said Dolores Albarracín, a professor of psychology who led the work. The new analysis appears this month in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Study Finds Neutral HIV Presentations More Likely To Be Considered Inviting
A recent study by University of Illinois professor of psychology Dolores Albarracín and her colleagues at the University of Florida and the Alachua County Health Department in Florida found a method to increase enrollment among high-risk individuals in HIV prevention programs.




Schizophrenia News From Medical News Today
Latest Schizophrenia News From Medical News Today.

PITT Receives $10 Million NIMH Grant For Schizophrenia Research
The University of Pittsburgh has received a $10 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to support a new Conte Center for the Neuroscience of Mental Disorders (CCNMD). The center will focus on developing new treatments for schizophrenia, a disease that affects over two million adults in the United States alone.

Healthy Minds Across America Features 48 Public Forums On Mental Health Research, Sept. 14
People concerned about the toll that mental health disorders are taking on their families and communities will have a unique opportunity to hear from world-class experts on what is known to-date about the causes, symptoms and progression of such illnesses as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia and autism, and learn about current and potential treatments.




Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia News From Medical News Today
Latest Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia News From Medical News Today.

LUNESTA(R) Next-Day Function And Discontinuation Data From A Long-Term 12-Week Study In Elderly Patients Presented At ECNP
Sepracor Inc. (Nasdaq: SEPR) announced the presentation of LUNESTA ® brand eszopiclone Phase IV study data at the 21st European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress in Barcelona. The poster presentations reflected results from a 12-week, double-blind, randomized safety and efficacy study of 388 elderly patients (65-85 years of age) who were administered either LUNESTA 2 mg or placebo nightly.

What A Sleep Study Can Reveal About Fibromyalgia
Research engineers and sleep medicine specialists from two Michigan universities have joined technical and clinical hands to put innovative quantitative analysis, signal-processing technology and computer algorithms to work in the sleep lab.




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Depression & Mental Health FAQs 2
What is Clinical Depression?

Clinical depression can affect your body, mood, thoughts, and behavior. It can change your eating habits, how you feel and think about things, your ability to work and study, and how you interact with people.

Clinical depression is not a passing mood, a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed away. Clinically depressed people cannot "pull themselves together" and get better.

Depression can be successfully treated by a mental health professional or certain health care providers. With the right treatment, 80 percent of those who seek help get better. And many people begin to feel better in just a few weeks.

Depression a Big Factor in Poor Health
World Health Organization Finds Depression Often Goes Untreated
By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Sept. 6, 2007 -- Depression has a greater impact on overall health than arthritis, diabetes, angina, and asthma, but it all too often goes unrecognized and untreated, a report from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests.
more...Depression a Big Factor in Poor Health

For Additional Information About Depression Write To:
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
 

For free brochures on depression and its treatment call:  1-800-421-4211.
or visit: http://www.nimh.nih.gov
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