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on: Friday, 03 September 2010 16:23
on: Friday, 03 September 2010 16:08
on: Friday, 03 September 2010 15:35
on: Friday, 03 September 2010 15:14
on: Friday, 03 September 2010 15:13
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Depression & MH FAQ's Helping Over 40,000 Members
Mental health is how we think, feel and act as we cope with life.
It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Like physical health, mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Everyone feels worried, anxious, sad or stressed sometimes. But with a mental illness, these feelings do not go away and are severe enough to interfere with your daily life. It can make it hard to meet and keep friends, hold a job or enjoy your life. Mental illnesses are common – they affect about one in five families in the U.S. It is not your fault if you have one. These disorders – depression, phobias, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and many others - are real diseases that you cannot will or wish away. Fortunately, they are often treatable. Medicines and therapy can improve the life of most people with mental illnesses. Family Doctor 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. Depression occurs in persons of all genders, ages, and backgrounds. Facts: * Depression is common, affecting about 121 million people worldwide. * Depression is among the leading causes of disability worldwide. * Depression can be reliably diagnosed and treated in primary care. * Fewer than 25 % of those affected have access to effective treatments. 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. 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. 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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How to Take an Antidepressant Part 2 Ways to fight the winter blues What if one therapy could help ward off addiction, depression, stress and even Alzheimer's, all the while keeping you slim and feeling great? In the interest of fairness to one and all Dr. Paul Donohue - Highs and lows of bipolar disorder Abused Children Face Depression Risk as Adults Omega-3 for bipolar disorder - Restoring the balance Study suggests interplay of gene, stress can predict depression One of 2007’s hottest food additives will be: omega-3. Study Questions 'Off-Label' Use of Antipsychotics A sweet drink twice a day might help people beat the blues. Talking To Doctors Depression May Be World's Most Disabling Disease FDA antidepressant warnings; Use caution when starting medications |

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