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on: Thursday, 20 November 2008 18:31
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QUOTE (JoySeeker @ Jul 22 2008, 07:32 AM) * Hello - I'd been looking to expand my network of support when I found this site; I've been going through an especially difficult time and due to various circumstances, the friends/family that I usually turn to have not been as able to be there for me as in the past. I appreciate the support that I'm already beginning to find here. Sometimes people that haven't experienced chronic depression just don't GET IT, and think that I should just try harder to 'be positive'. I did that for years and it just doesn't work. I finally was able to ease up on myself once I realized that it wasn't always something that I could just snap out of. I also like that there are a number of topics that cover a number of disorders and that's helpful too since there are times when I'll be struggling with one or the other, or a few all at once. I feel that these will be really helpful. I know that these are no substitute for "face-to-face" interactions but from someone like me who has a hard enough time reaching out as it is, sometimes this is the only way I do that. Thanks everyone for being so hospitable hugs.gif Thank you for letting me share. JS Me
(JoySeeker)
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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 11th 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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Breast Cancer Recurrence Impacted By Stress

By Lindsay
Breast Cancer Recurrence Impacted By Stress
Main Category: Breast Cancer News
Article Date: 29 Sep 2007 - 3:00 PDT

Women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who have also endured previous traumatic or stressful events see their cancer recur nearly twice as fast as other women, according to a report by a University of Rochester Medical Center scientist.

The small, retrospective study showed that women who faced physical or sexual abuse or life-threatening situations see metastatic tumors return after about 2.5 years, compared with women who have more peaceful lives, who see recurrence at about five years. The report was published in this month's Journal of Psychosomatic Research by scientists from the University of Rochester Medical Center and Stanford University School of Medicine.

While some of the reported events are less common than others, they all took a toll on the women and, scientists believe, may have contributed to the recurrence of disease.

"There is such a dramatic difference between women who had experienced traumatic things and those who didn't," said Oxana Palesh, Ph.D., first author of the study and research assistant professor of Radiation Oncology and Psychiatry at the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center. "Clearly this study demonstrates that it's important to recover from trauma or stressful event for your mental and physical health."

The relationship between stress and breast cancer has been heavily studied, however the results are murky. Studies have shown that stress can alter the immune system's function, and that the activity of natural killer cells is related to breast cancer progression. But scientists have had more difficulty showing a link between stress and the development of breast cancer. Some large-scale studies have shown connections between recent stressful life events, such as the death of a spouse, and breast cancer risk, while others have not. Scientists are intrigued by the conflicting evidence, and research continues.

In this most recent effort, the bi-coastal team interviewed 94 women from the San Francisco Bay area and categorized their life experiences as either traumatic or stressful, and compared them with a control group of women who had not faced similar situations. The participants reported traumatic experiences such as childhood sexual abuse, rape, suicide of a family member or life-threatening injury. Stressful events included adoption, parent's death, living with their mother-in-law, earthquake, divorce or having a family member imprisoned.

In the three study groups, 39 women reported traumatic events in their history, and median disease-free interval was 2.5 years; for 27 women who had experienced stressful situations, it was 37 months -- just over three years. And in the final group of 28 women who reported no stress or trauma in their history, the median disease-free interval was 62 months -- just over five years.

All of the women were diagnosed in their late 40s, and 85 percent of them were white. Demographic analysis showed that 69 percent were married, and 19 of the women in the stressed and traumatic groups were divorced or widowed.

The research also involved analysis of cortisol levels from saliva samples from participants. Cortisol is produced when the body faces periods of stress, and there is growing evidence that abnormally prolonged cortisol production inhibits the body's immune response. This could potentially make the body more susceptible to recurrence of cancer, Palesh said.

"Extended periods of stress and trauma and its resulting cortisol production may interfere with the body's ability to fight off cancer progression," said Palesh. "When there is consistent, long-term stress in the body, the elevated cortisol level may can change the body's normal rhythms and potentially reduce resistance to tumor growth."

----------------------------
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
----------------------------

Palesh worked on this study as a post-doctoral fellow at Stanford, with principal investigator David Spiegel, M.D., who is known for his research on support groups and cancer patients.

Source: Leslie White
University of Rochester Medical Center

Comments

Depression Forums would like to hear from you!
Depression Forums would like to hear from you!

Mental illness affects one in seventeen Americans.
We would like to invite you to share your story about your Depression, as breaking the silence will help us to break open the stigma surrounding mental health that keeps people from getting the care that continues misunderstandings about those affected by mental health disorders.

Stories with a positive outlook are most welcome.
There is nothing better than to speak out, tell your story and get the word out! 

There is hope!
Together, we can help ourselves and others.

Please PM Forum Admin for more information to submit your story.
Warm Regards,
~Lindsay and The Depression Forums Administration Staff
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Medical News
Depression News From Medical News Today
Latest Depression News From Medical News Today.

Prognosis After Attempted Suicide Impaired By Psychiatric Disorder
People who have attempted suicide at some point in their lives are more likely to actually succeed in committing suicide at a later date. The risk is particularly high for people with serious psychiatric disorder, according to a new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet. One in ten suicide attempters actually commit suicide later on in life.

Somerset Mental Health Trust Will Support Armed Services Personnel, England
NHS and MOD collaborate to provide mental health care closer to home. A Somerset mental health Trust is one of only seven organisations selected by the Ministry of Defence to support members of the armed services affected by mental ill health.




ADHD News From Medical News Today
Latest ADHD News From Medical News Today.

ADHD Medications Do Not Cause Genetic Damage In Children
In contrast to recent findings, two of the most common medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not appear to cause genetic damage in children who take them as prescribed, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Duke University Medical Center.

Brain Abnormalities That May Play Key Role In ADHD Revealed By Novel Imaging Technique
A study published in the online advance edition of The American Journal of Psychiatry for the first time reveals shape differences in the brains of children with ADHD, which could help pinpoint the specific neural circuits involved in the disorder. Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Md.




Anxiety / Stress News From Medical News Today
Latest Anxiety / Stress News From Medical News Today.

New Research Finds Anti-Same-Sex Marriage Amendments Spark Distress Among GLBT Adults And Families
Amendments that restrict civil marriage rights of same-sex couples - such as Proposition 8 that recently passed in California - have led to higher levels of stress and anxiety among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults, as well as among their families of origin, according to several new studies to be published by the American Psychological Association.

Decision-Making Abilities Hindered By Stress In Rat Model
A little bit of stress goes a long way and can have far-reaching effects. Neuroscientists from the University of Washington have found that a single exposure to uncontrollable stress impairs decision making in rats for several days, making them unable to reliably seek out the larger of two rewards. The research was presented here Tuesday (Nov.




Bipolar News From Medical News Today
Latest Bipolar News From Medical News Today.

New Data, New Directions In Management Of Mood And Anxiety Disorders - 8th International Forum For Mood And Anxiety Disorders Congress
Clinicians and researchers from around the world attended this week's 8th International Forum on Mood and Anxiety disorders in Vienna, Austria to discuss the latest advances in the treatment of mood disorders. A wide range of topics were included in this year's programme, highlighting the position of IFMAD in the congress calendar as a forum for breaking news, original thinking and debate.

Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder - Clinical Feasibility Of Once-a-Day Ziprasidone
Lipocine Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company that uses clinically validated proprietary technologies to address key unmet drug delivery and therapeutic needs, today announced the successful completion of a clinical study that establishes feasibility of the first once-a-day dosing product for Ziprasidone, a leading treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. - Schizophrenia affects 1% of the population and bipolar disorder affects 5.7M adults in the US*.




Mental Health News From Medical News Today
Latest Mental Health News From Medical News Today.

British Psychological Society Response To Government Announcement Of New Advisory Council On Children's Mental Health And Psychological Well-Being
The British Psychological Society has issued the following statements in response to the Government announcement. The British Psychological Society strongly welcomes the announcement today of planned major investment in mental health care and related services for children and young people.

North Carolina State Spending On A Community-based Mental Health Program Drops 50% In One Year
The State Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has reduced spending on a community-based mental health program by nearly 50 percent over the past year. For the first four months of the current fiscal year, which began July 1, expenditures for Community Support totaled $183 million. Over the same period last year, July-October 2007, Community Support expenditures surpassed $355 million.




Psychology / Psychiatry News From Medical News Today
Latest Psychology / Psychiatry News From Medical News Today.

Panel Of Experts Warns FDA Of Frequent Use Of Antipsychotics In Children
Certain antipsychotic medicines are being prescribed too frequently to children, and FDA should take action to discourage the drugs' growing use, a panel of federal drug experts told agency officials Tuesday, the New York Times reports.

Media Violence Cited As 'Critical Risk Factor' For Aggression
Paul Boxer's large-scale study shows conclusive link between media violence and real violence in adolescents. You are what you watch, when it comes to violence in the media and its influence on violent behavior in young people, and a new paper, lead-authored by Rutgers University, Newark, researcher Paul Boxer, provides new evidence that violent media does indeed impact adolescent behavior.




Schizophrenia News From Medical News Today
Latest Schizophrenia News From Medical News Today.

Memory Pharmaceuticals Achieves Enrollment Goal For Phase 2 Study Of MEM 3454 In Cognitive Impairment Associated With Schizophrenia
Memory Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Nasdaq: MEMY) announced that it has achieved the enrollment goal for its Phase 2 trial of R3487/MEM 3454, its lead alpha-7 nicotinic receptor agonist, in cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS). The Company has randomized 212 patients in the Phase 2 trial, triggering a $5.0 million payment from its partner Roche. Memory Pharmaceuticals expects to report top-line results from the trial by the end of April 2009.

Schizophrenia: Brain Compound 'Throws Gasoline Onto The Fire'
New research has traced elevated levels of a specific compound in the brain to problem-solving deficits in patients with schizophrenia. The finding suggests that drugs used to suppress the compound, called kynurenic acid, might be an important supplement to antipsychotic medicines, as these adjuncts could be used to treat the disorder's most resistant symptoms - cognitive impairments.




Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia News From Medical News Today
Latest Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia News From Medical News Today.

A Quarter Of Children Who Sleep Fewer Than 10 Hours A Night Become Overweight By The Age Of 6
Between the ages of six months and six years old, close to 90 percent of children have at least one sleep-related problem. Among the most common issues are night terrors, teeth-grinding and bed-wetting. For the majority, it's simply a stage that passes. But at least 30 percent of children in this age group have difficulties sleeping six consecutive hours - either because they can't fall into slumber or they can't stay asleep.

Learning Complicated Tasks Requires Sleep
Sleep helps the mind learn complicated tasks and helps people recover learning they otherwise thought they had forgotten over the course of a day, research at the University of Chicago shows. Using a test that involved learning to play video games, researchers showed for the first time that people who had "forgotten" how to perform a complex task 12 hours after training found that those abilities were restored after a night's sleep.




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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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