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on: Friday, 08 August 2008 13:13
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QUOTE(marak88 @ Aug 24 2007, 08:38 PM) *I forgive myself for all the hurtful and harmful things I have done and said to me Thank you to the person who started this board, this is so helpful to forgive and release all the tough emotions behind our thoughts! hearts.gif
(-marak88)
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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 11 th 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.
Our DF Members
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Family Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents
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Family Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents
Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Topic of New Book By K-State Professor
Topeka, KS - infoZine-Tony
Jurich knows how precarious life can be, especially for an adolescent.
The professor of family studies and human services at Kansas State
University tells this story: 
A young man came into his office, brought by terrified parents who heard the teen muttering about killing himself.
Suicidal adolescents often occupy the worn black leather couch where
the young man slumped. Jurich has been a therapist specializing in
youth suicide for 36 years. He has not lost one.
The forlorn young man was not to be consoled.
With gentle nudges honed from years of experience and research, Jurich
drew out the young man's story -- girlfriend gone and life spiraling
out of control. His only spark of interest came from cars and, well,
why would he need a car with no girlfriend and no place to go.
"If your car was broken, what would you do?" Jurich asked.
"Fix it," came the answer.
"What if the problem was the battery? Would you get a new battery or throw out the car?" the counselor asked.
"Oh, Dr. J., I wouldn't throw out the car!" the young man answered,
looking at Jurich as if he had suddenly sprouted a second head.
The professor paused. The young man stared. Suddenly, the teenager
nodded. Of course. Why throw away your whole life if only part of it
was broken.
Jurich has compiled similar examples into his new book "Family Therapy
with Suicidal Adolescents," published by Routledge. The book outlines
the therapeutic style he developed through research, theory, ideas and
counseling with thousands of suicidal adolescents and their families in
his effort to treat the individuals and understand the nature of
suicide and its special fascination for youth. The publisher calls it
"a blend of insight-oriented, behavioral and strategic family
therapy..."
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people age
15-25, Jurich said, and he believes the numbers are underreported.
"In a culture where medical science treats death as the 'enemy' to be
conquered, we find it particularly disturbing that so many people,
especially young people, choose death, as opposed to life," he said.
Suicide is a pervasive theme in the adolescent culture -- music,
popular actors, films -- and few are unaffected by it, Jurich said.
Suicide is a very complicated phenomenon. Basically, a teen
contemplates suicide when stress outweighs the ability to cope with the
stress, he said.
Teens think they are invincible, Jurich said. So when they feel
psychological pain, they are more apt to feel overwhelmed by
hopelessness and the belief that they have no control over their lives.
He calls hopelessness and helplessness the Molotov cocktail that triggers teen suicide.
At this point, the teen either develops new coping skills or fails to
cope to a point where death seems to be a reasonable solution.
Self-concept is a crucial factor, Jurich's research has found. Teens
with high self-esteem and ego strength are more willing to take the
chance to try new coping strategies.
Traditionally, books about therapy have focused only on a single type
of therapy. The therapy most often used with suicidal individuals is
cognitive-behavioral therapy. Jurich, using his hybrid of the science
of theory and the art of therapeutic practice, treats the entire family.
Family therapy produces the best results when working with suicidal
adolescents, he said. It is the "magic sword for taming the beast of
suicide."
According to Jurich, research has pinpointed five factors that are most
important in the lives of adolescents: physical, personal, family,
peers and community. Each contributes to a person feeling alone and
overwhelmed.
Of these, the family may be the single most important factor in an
adolescent's suicidal thoughts or actions. A family can be unengaged
with the child or too engaged with the child, not allowing room for
independence and growth, Jurich said.
In his study on accident survivors of suicide attempts, 63 percent of
the adolescents listed family as the primary long-term cause of their
attempt.
"Family therapy cannot only change the adolescent's ideas and behaviors
but also can alter the attitudes and behaviors of the rest of the
family members, especially parents," he said.
Article link: http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/28159/
ISSN 1082-7315 - © 1994-2008 INFOZINE
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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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