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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
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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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When Children Feel Sad After The Excitement Of The Holidays

By Forum Admin

	January 3, 1991 PARENT & CHILD By LAWRENCE KUTNER THE coming of the New Year hits many children with an emotional thud as the excitement and fantasy of the holidays are replaced by the mundane reality of arithmetic tests and tuna casserole. For some, it is a time of great stress as they try to make sense of all they have done and felt over the past few months. "To children, Christmas is built up as a time when all sorts of wonderful and important things will happen," said Dr. Lynn P. Rehm, a professor of psychology at the University of Houston who studies depression among children. "And they don't happen." Dr. Rita P. Underberg, a child psychologist and a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center, said: "The holiday is never as good as what the children see on television in the commercials or on Christmas cards. I've been warning parents not to be discouraged if their children regress emotionally a bit after the holidays." Children who become more demanding, clinging and whiny at this time of year are usually tired or overstimulated. Their problems are almost always solved by sleep and a return to the old pre-holiday routines at home. But for other families, post-holiday stress is more serious. "We know that adults tend to become more depressed after the holidays," said Dr. David Fassler, a child psychiatrist in Burlington, Vt., and an instructor at the Harvard Medical School. "We see an increase in referrals to mental health centers in January." Children may also show bouts of sadness, either because of their own disappointment or in response to their parents' emotions. "Depression in children is often a reflection of depression in their parents," Dr. Rehm said. "In one outpatient clinic where we did our research, more than 40 percent of the children who were diagnosed as depressed had mothers who were also depressed." Parents and teachers are more likely to notice children's depression when they appear sad and withdrawn. They may have nightmares or lose their appetites. But not all depressed children show those symptoms. In fact, some show the opposite. "Some kids will express depression by increasing their activity," Dr. Fassler said. Particularly at risk this time of year are children whose parents are divorced, remarried or deceased. They feel the contrasts between the idealized family celebrations and their own festivities most acutely. Shuttling between two homes or celebrating without one parent can resensitize children to the pain of their parents' divorce. Trying to combine two families' traditions when a parent has remarried can make them feel awkward and out of place. Not having a father or a mother around can rekindle their sense of loss and mourning. "Children feel a responsibility to make their parents happy," Dr. Fassler said. "This time of year can be particularly confusing because they know that everyone's supposed to feel happy. But the holidays can bring out painful memories that may be put off until after the celebrating is over." Preschoolers and children in early elementary school who are depressed often don't talk about feeling sad. Instead, they may say they are bad children, because they have difficulty distinguishing between doing something bad and being someone bad. If they have been unable to make their parents happy, they may conclude that they have done something wrong. While a moderate amount of sadness is normal and nothing to worry about, parents should become concerned if their children lose interest in their usual activities, complain about vague physical problems, suddenly become fearful, have nightmares or refuse to go to school. Children usually overcome these problems with a little support. "If your child seems to be depressed, help him realize that his feelings don't make him a bad person," Dr. Rehm advised. "If the child misbehaves, let him know that although you don't approve of what he did, you still love him." WHEN THE GRINCH ARRIVES LATE PARENTS can help if their children have difficulty readjusting after the holidays: Re-establish old routines as soon as possible. Stability in even seemingly minor matters, like the consistency of the dinner hour, can be extremely helpful. "Children thrive on routine," said Dr. Rita P. Underberg, a child psychologist and a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center. "The holiday season destroys those routines," Dr. Underberg said. "For children, there are often too many unfamiliar people and too much to do." Examine your own emotions about the holidays. Children are extremely sensitive to what their parents are feeling. They may act in ways that display their parents' emotions as much as their own. "When kids feel sad after the holidays, they may be picking up on their parents' issues," said Dr. David Fassler, a child psychiatrist in Burlington, Vt., and an instructor at the Harvard Medical School. "As adults, the holidays remind us of the disappointments of our own childhoods." Help your child explore his emotions. Although this is easier with school-age children and adolescents, it can be done with toddlers. Often, frightening or upsetting feelings will eventually disappear if a child simply talks about them. "Don't say to your child: 'Why are you so sad? Didn't you have a wonderful holiday?' " Dr. Underberg advised. "That will only make the child more annoyed. Instead, make a statement like, 'You look unhappy today.' That gives him permission to talk without demanding it of him. You're seen as available but not intrusive." Don't overreact. Mild post-holiday depression does not mean that anything is wrong. It usually disappears by itself or with your help in a few days or weeks. A certain amount of sadness is to be expected from most children. Even children who had a lot of fun and received everything they wanted may simply need to withdraw for a while to calm down. Seek professional help if your child still is behaving unusually after a month or so. Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company

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