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QUOTE(robinbird @ Jun 15 2007, 03:43 PM) *Hi everyone. I found this forum when I was searching for information about side effects of Lexapro. There is so much useful information here...I'm so glad I found this place. Thanks for such a great forum...I've lurked a few times before joining and everyone seems so helpful and friendly.
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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
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College Mental Health Care Demand Rising
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College mental healthcare demand rising
By REBECCA PEARSEY
WASHINGTON, March 29 (UPI) -- College students are seeking mental healthcare in unprecedented numbers, putting tremendous pressure on mental health resources of university campuses, experts say.
"There are long waiting lists to get in with counselors and psychiatrists, and it seems like no matter how much we extend ourselves, increase our hours, increase the numbers of our staff, we still can't get everyone in," said Miriam Grossman, a
psychiatrist at UCLA's student healthcare center.
In a recently published audit by the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, the nation's top schools reported an increase in needing and accessing mental health services. ADAA completed interviews with 83 schools, which were selected using the "U.S. News & World Report Guide 2007" of the top 50 national universities and top 50 liberal arts colleges.
The survey found an average of 23 percent of all students at liberal arts colleges and 12 percent of those at national universities have used the mental health services at their school. And, while 90 percent of national universities think they are meeting the needs of their students, only 60 percent of liberal arts colleges believe they meet the needs of students.
In addition, 60 percent of mental healthcare directors reported a record number of students using their counseling services in a survey conducted by Pennsylvania State University.
"Across the nation there is an increase in the number and severity of mental health issues," said Jane Morgan Bost, associate director of the counseling and mental health center at the University of Texas at Austin, which has recently expanded due to higher demand.
But others claim universities aren't the only resource for students.
"No large school can provide everything that students need. It's just not possible," said Bradford King, director of the University of Southern California counseling center. In addition to making fewer appointments, USC sends patients to other local providers, because it cannot accommodate the amount of care needed. Unless it's an emergency, any student needing an appointment will have to wait at least two weeks to be evaluated.
When students are successful in getting care, depression and anxiety seem to be the main concerns. Nearly half of all college students have felt so depressed that they had trouble functioning, according to the American Psychological Association.
The stress of school, lower self-esteem and relationship stress combine to make college students especially prone to depression.
"There are times of year that's such a crunch -- midterms, finals time -- that we're staying late, or working overtime on the weekends in order to accommodate these kids," Grossman said.
Students also aren't being asked the right questions when they get into the counseling center, she said.
"The standard questions that are asked of students on their initial visit includes things about sexual abuse, molestation, but not things about pregnancy, STDs or abortions."
Political correctness has caused overflowing mental health centers to avoid some of those crucial questions, she said. Grossman recently wrote "Unprotected: How Political Correctness Within Campus Health Centers Endangers Every Student," to reveal errors within university mental healthcare.
Though Grossman blamed universities for avoiding social issues, King doesn't think politically charged decisions such as abortion influence mental healthcare.
"Regardless of where one is on the political spectrum," said King, "it's still a sense of loss."
What psychiatrists are most concerned about is getting to the problem, even if that means addressing touchy issues, said Bost of the University of Texas.
"I don't think our psychiatrists have any hesitation."
Copyright 2007 by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
Source: Science Daily
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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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