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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
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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I can't 'snap out' of' my depression

By ophelia123

	I can't 'snap out of' my depression I'm tired of lying about it. I'm tired of the stigma and shame. That's why I'm writing this. May 7, 2009 at 12:00 AM EDT -- "It's a shame about your job," my friend says. "Yes," I say. "But what can you do? In this economy lots of people are getting laid off." We both nod and sigh a little. The part about the economy is true. The part about my job is a lie. I've been lying to a lot of people lately. The truth is that I wasn't laid off from my job. I've been sick, too sick to work. I struggled through most of the winter to make it through those long, dark days at my desk, but eventually I had to quit before the end of a six-month contract. It wasn't a choice. I simply couldn't keep going. So why didn't I just tell my friend this? Surely he would be supportive. Why would I lie to someone I've known for more than 10 years? Because the thing I'm sick with usually doesn't generate the same level of sympathy and understanding as other illnesses, even though it's far more common than most people imagine. Simply put, I'm depressed. Clinical depression, major depressive disorder, severe depression; there are several names for what's going on inside my head. Major depression is more than just feeling sad all the time. It's a serious illness that can take over an entire life and make a formerly productive person incapable of doing pretty much anything. At least that's what it's done to me. But from my experience fighting depression on and off for the past eight years, most people don't see it that way. There is a deeply ingrained belief in our society that mental illness is a form of personal weakness and that if sufferers really wanted to they could just (and I detest this phrase) "snap out of it." Unfortunately, that's not possible. Believe me, I've tried. I've tried talk therapy, light therapy, yoga, meditation, medication, exercise, vitamins, you name it. But my boot straps firmly refuse to be pulled up. None of my efforts or the efforts of several medical professionals have so far been able to pull me out of the swamp of despair that I've been sinking into for months. I barely remember what it feels like not to be depressed. I've heard depression described in many ways, usually involving the colour black — sometimes as a black wave, black dogs or a black hole. These make it sound like depression is something external to the depressive, as though it comes sneaking up from the outside or is a well-hidden area of quicksand that a person can slip into by accident. For me it's never been like that. I've always felt like it's something inside me, always there even if I can't feel it at one particular moment. It does feel black, but more like a black swamp, a heavy, wet, cloying ooze that bubbles up from inside my chest and spreads throughout my body, weighing me down. I tried for a long time to act normal in spite of it, and most of the time I did an excellent job. But I couldn't keep it up forever. I feel the depression so deeply that sometimes I don't understand how it's possible that people don't see it. I feel I radiate misery like a halogen bulb. Sometimes, if I'm having a really bad day, someone will ask, "Are you okay?" I want to burst into tears and say, "No, I'm not, please help me." But I never do. Instead I say, "Yes, I'm fine," in the high-pitched voice I always use when I lie. This is only my personal experience of depression, and I'm sure it feels different for everyone, but I think a feeling of intense despair is common to most depressives, along with feelings of isolation and loneliness. On top of the despair is the embarrassment and shame that inevitably come with mental illness. Sometimes the stigma feels as heavy as the despair itself. A few close friends and family know what I've been going through, but to the rest of the world I do my best to present a normal front. They ask how I am and I say, "I'm fine." But I'm not fine. I'm so tired. I'm tired of lying, tired of hiding. I'm tired of feeling ashamed of being sick. And I know I'm far from the only person who feels this way. Every instinct I have is telling me not to reveal my mental-health issues, telling me to keep struggling to get better in silence. I cringe at the thought of people I know reading this. What will they think of me? But somewhere along the line, the silence has became more of a burden than the shame and the fear of judgment. There are countless people out there right now in pain and ashamed of their own suffering. So that's why I'm writing this, for myself and for everyone else who struggles with mental illness. I haven't given up the fight to get better. I know it's possible. But it takes time, resources and, above all, patience. It also takes people to believe in us. We can't be afraid to ask for help. We have nothing to be ashamed of. ophilia123 lives in Toronto and is a member of Depression Forums

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4 Responses to "I can't 'snap out' of' my depression"

James101

said this on 20 May 2009 7:12:59 PM CST

I want to tell you thank you. When I read your story I felt relived. I thought no one understood what I have been dealing with for 10 years now. I have been to all kind's of doctors and never got any real help. But it was because I didn't tell them the real problems I had or the way I truly felt. I was embarrassed to tell the truth. I have been married for 17 years and it's taking a toll. I have just told my wife how bad it has become. I am lucky she understands. It's not like she don't see it. It's a day to day problem that I hope to over come soon. Thank you and thank this forum. I came across the forum by luck. I didn't know that people took this for real and not as an excuse. Thank you

(Reply to this comment)

Roses_girl

said this on 09 Jun 2009 12:11:07 PM CST

I want to say thank you as well. You pretty much described the feelings I have. The black oozing sludge that weighs me down and makes everything such an effort. It's only been in the last couple of weeks that I've actually talked to my family about my depression, though I have been on meds for 10 years and depressed for much longer than that. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for letting me know I'm not alone.

(Reply to this comment)

Contemplate

said this on 16 Jun 2009 1:19:16 PM CST

I also recently stumbled onto this form by accident. It is wonderful to find a place to relate to others regarding a huge part of my life that, to this point, few people really understood! Your description of depression is very good- thank you for writing and being vulnerable. Depression/despair has permeated every aspect of my life since my earliest memories. The "snap out of it" expression is a favorite in my family and intensified my feelings of helplessness for many years. There is much comfort and relief in just knowing that you are not alone in these experiences. Thank you again.

(Reply to this comment)

Evanjelion

said this on 02 Jul 2009 6:07:39 PM CST

Thank you so much for being honest about your experience with depression. I just found this website, and it has become a place where I look to for support. I too was previously a productive person with goals, ambitions and dreams. But depression has hit me like a truck, leaving me without motivation. I tried for several weeks to keep working, and had people ask the dreaded question, " How are you feeling?". I had to answer with "Fine" even though I did not feel fine, in fact I was depressed. You are not alone in what you are experiencing!!!

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I can't 'snap out' of' my depression

I can't 'snap out of' my depression

I'm tired of lying about it. I'm tired of the stigma and shame.

That's why I'm writing this.

Spread The Word

4 Responses to "I can't 'snap out' of' my depression"