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on: Friday, 16 May 2008 08:47
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QUOTE(Tanha @ May 23 2007, 10:02 PM) **hugs* I know how you feel...I often feel like an outsider here so it's hard for me to post at times, but I know I have a few friends here who care. I love the forum and that's why I stay. There's such a wide variety of people with all kinds of experiences to learn from...plus I need all the help I can get.
(-Tanha)
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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
Our DF Members
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Depression Risk for CA Caregivers
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Apr, 9, 2007
Reviewed by: John M. Grohol, Psy.D.
Caregivers of individuals receiving treatment for cancer may suffer more mental health problems and long-term quality of life impairment than the cancer survivors. The findings on caregiver stress come from a study which examined partners of cancer survivors who had undergone blood and marrow transplant (BMT) as part of their treatment.
“These findings highlight the importance of addressing the needs of family members who care for cancer patients, and who may be suffering in silence,” said Michelle M. Bishop, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, University of Florida, and the study’s lead author.
“We need to acknowledge that cancer occurs in the context of a family that is profoundly affected by the experience, and that needs intervention for their own well-being.”
The study will be published online April 10 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO).
Researchers found that while partners of cancer survivors reported better physical health, less fatigue, and less cognitive dysfunction than cancer survivors, they experienced equal levels of mental health impairment.
The study further found that while similar numbers of partners and survivors suffered from clinical depression (20 percent vs. 22 percent ), depressed partners were less likely than depressed survivors to receive mental health treatment (34% vs. 58%).
Partners also reported less social support, spiritual well-being, marital satisfaction, and more loneliness than survivors. In contrast to survivors, partners reported little “post-traumatic growth” (positive personal change occurring as a result of the cancer experience).
Previous research has found that the partners of cancer patients experience as much if not more anxiety, distress, and depression than patients themselves. However, this is the first study to examine the very long-term quality of life issues faced by partners of patients who have recovered from their cancer.
The study evaluated 177 partner pairs who had been together since cancer treatment, which took place an average of seven years prior to the study. The pairs answered questions about their physical functioning and well-being, psychological adjustment, social functioning and marital adjustment, spiritual well-being, and post traumatic growth.
Researchers focused on cancer survivors who had received BMT as part of their treatment because little is known about the long-term quality of life outcomes for these patients. BMT is used to treat an increasing number of cancers, and approximately 40,000 BMTs are performed each year.
“While we focused on partners of cancer survivors who received BMT, there is some evidence in the literature to suggest that the issues faced by the partners of other cancer survivors may be similar,” added Dr. Bishop.
Source: American Society of Clinical Oncology
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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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