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on: Saturday, 07 November 2009 14:42
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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.
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Not Certain How To Find The Help That I Need
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By Kristina Randle, LCSW
June 15, 2009
Q. I need help. I’m 16 years old and I am falling apart. I
have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, ptsd, depression, and
generalized anxiety disorder. My parents won’t bring me to a therapist
anymore and I can’t go to my phyciatrist because we don’t have to
money. My parents won’t listen to me when I say I have a problem. I
don’t want to die but I black out and hurt myself a lot and it just
keeps getting worse. I don’t think I’ll be able to control myself next
time something bad happens.
I won’t even get out of bed anymore unless my boyfriend wants me
to go somewhere but my problems have been affecting him so greatly
lately that I just feel guilty when I’m with him. I try to be happy, I
do but there’s this voice in my head and it just tells me everything
that’s wrong with me and tell’s me that I’m worthless and that I’d be
better off dead.
I have several medical ailments that my mother won’t bring me to the
doctor for, including a test that will determine whether I need my
gallbladder out or not and a rash that completely covers both of my
hands.
I don’t want to live anymore and I don’t like feeling like that. I
need help and don’t know how to get it. I’m so confused. I want to go
back to the mental hospital but can’t get there. How do I get there,
what do I do? I’m afraid of myself.
I’m afraid to sleep because of my nightmares, I’m afraid of almost
everything. I cry all the time, sometimes I don’t even know why. Please
tell me how to get real help, please. I’m so scared, why do I feel like
this?
I apologize for the unorganization of this but I just had to get everything I could think of out.
A. There is no need to apologize. Everything you wrote made perfect
sense. You are suffering greatly and your parents won’t help you. This
may be in part because they can’t afford treatment. It also may be
because they are simply ignoring you or don’t believe there is
something wrong. You’re been diagnosed with multiple psychiatric
illnesses and you’re currently experiencing suicidal ideation. These
symptoms require immediate attention.
The other concern is that you have a problem with your gallbladder
and an unidentified rash on your hands. These conditions may require
medical treatment. At the very least, they need to be assessed by a
medical professional.
Your parents don’t have the right to ignore your physical and mental
health needs. By law they have to help you access treatment especially
for a possible medical concern until you’re 18 years old. If they
cannot afford health care for you the president recently re-authorized
a bill in which children under 19 years of age (age may vary depending
on the state) can have free access to medical care if their parents
make less than a certain amount of money per year. It’s called the
SCHIP program. You could make your parents aware of the program. Do a
Google search for “SCHIP program” and the name of your state. This
should provide you details on how your parents could access this
program.
In this situation you have several options. One option is to go to
an adult such as aunt, uncle, pastor, teacher, mentor, or doctor and
ask them to help you. One of these individuals may be able to speak to
your parents on your behalf.
You could also inform your parents that you’re planning to go to
someone else for help if they won’t. This may get their attention and
make them believe that you are serious about your symptoms.
You can take yourself to the hospital. If you tell the hospital
staff that you’re having suicidal thoughts as well as medical problems
they would likely admit you and contact your parents.
One last thing. It may also help if you give your parents this
letter and my response. Once they read it they may realize just how
serious you are.
Copyright © 1992-2009 Psych Central.
Site last updated: 17 Jun 2009
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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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