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QUOTEQUOTE(Useless1999 @ Jul 24 2007, 12:40 AM) *It's Like my heart is being ripped out-----------I'm pretty new here, but I already feel like I've found a lot of understanding and acceptance, and you will too. And your heart won't hurt so much, and it'll feel like it's found its place -- here.tbeav's response in "How do you describe the pain of depression?"
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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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Some moms of autistic kids prone to depression.
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Wednesday, April 18, 2007
By Amy Norton
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Mothers of children with autism may be prone to depression if they feel responsible for the cause or outcome of their child's disorder, a new study suggests.
Autism is a developmental brain disorder that impairs, to varying degrees, a person's use of language and ability to communicate, interact socially and form relationships. While its cause is not completely understood, genetic vulnerability plays a role. And "bad" parenting definitely does not.
Still, with so many questions surrounding autism -- its exact cause, the difficulty in diagnosing the disorder or predicting how well a child will do -- parents constantly deal with uncertainties. Such ambiguity may leave some mothers vulnerable to depression, according to the new study, published in the journal Family Relations.
Specifically, mothers with high levels of "identity ambiguity" -- which included blaming themselves for their child's autism and holding themselves responsible for their outcomes -- reported more depressive symptoms and feelings of stress.
"One of the big messages here is that mothers are not to blame," said study author Dr. Marion O'Brien, director of the Family Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
And while mothers can push for better services for their autistic children, O'Brien told Reuters Health, they shouldn't hold themselves personally responsible for their children's ultimate outcomes, which vary widely from child to child.
"Mothers, by themselves, cannot determine the long-term outcome," she said.
O'Brien based her findings on interviews with 63 mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders, which range from autism to Asperger syndrome, a condition marked by much milder behavioral impairments.
She found that many mothers expressed feelings of "ambiguous loss," the conflicting feelings and ideas caused by finding out your child is different from the one you'd expected to raise.
Parents of children with autism, O'Brien explained, have to constantly balance optimism with realism -- having hope for their children's future, while recognizing that they have a lifelong, serious disorder.
For those who, like some mothers in this study, feel overwhelmed or depressed, a family therapist might be helpful, according to O'Brien. It's important to not simply treat the depression symptoms, she explained, because parents need to realize that it's not a "personal failing," but the uncertainty of their situation, that makes them feel distressed at times. Other parents of children with autism might also be able to help, O'Brien noted.
On the positive side, she said that most families with autistic children are highly resilient, and with time learn how to deal with their challenges.
SOURCE: Family Relations, April 2007.
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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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