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on: Monday, 01 December 2008 13:43
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on: Monday, 01 December 2008 11:43
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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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Depression Raises Risk of Diabetes, Study Finds

By Lindsay
May 1, 2007 --- After controlling for these factors, they found that even a single report of high depressive symptoms was associated with an increase in the incidence of diabetes. Increases in symptoms over time and persistently high symptoms of depression were also associated with the disease. Over all, people with the highest scores on the depression questionnaire were roughly 50 percent more likely to develop diabetes than those with the lowest scores. Adjusting for race, sex, smoking status, alcohol intake and body mass index made no difference in the result.

Mercedes R. Carnethon, the lead author and an assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University, said there was no evidence one way or the other on whether treating depression could reduce the risk for diabetes. “People in our study who were on antidepressants didn’t have an elevated risk for diabetes,” she said. “But we don’t know if that’s because of the antidepressants” or for some other reason. The study appeared April 23 in The Archives of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Jonathan W. Stewart, a research psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute who was not involved in the work, said that the conclusions “fit with what else we think we know,” but he was troubled by one aspect of the work.

“I worry that some of the items on the questionnaire could be attributed to diabetes rather than to depression,” suggesting that there is some overlap between the symptoms of the two disorders, he said. “This doesn’t make the study wrong or inaccurate, but it’s a serious limitation which they didn’t mention.”

Inflammation has been proposed as an explanation for the connection because it is associated with both diabetes and depression. But this study found that having higher or lower levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, did not alter the association between the two disorders.

Instead, the authors suggest, other biological mechanisms may be at work in the autonomic nervous system, which controls heart, digestive, respiratory, glandular and other involuntary processes. Previous studies have shown that depression is associated with dysfunction in that system, which has also been detected before the development of diabetes. The stress response associated with depression may increase the risk for diabetes by decreasing insulin secretion from the pancreas, which then causes increasing glucose levels in the blood. This can result in a blood sugar level above normal, the defining characteristic of diabetes.

The authors acknowledge some weaknesses in their study. Measures of physical activity were not consistently available during follow-up, and assumptions about this may have introduced error. Also, some of their data were gathered with self-reports, which are not always reliable. In addition, while their questionnaire detected depressive symptoms, the researchers were not able to make definitive diagnoses of clinical depression.

Still, Dr. Carnethon said, depression “is a novel risk factor for diabetes, so we need to look at factors beyond physical inactivity and diet for an explanation.” Depression is common in older people, she added, and 15 percent of those over 65 have diabetes.

“The most important thing to keep in mind,” Dr. Carnethon said, “is that depression has a lot of effects on the body, one of which may be the development of diabetes, which can lead to a number of other diseases. So addressing depression is important not only for improving mood, but for protecting overall health.”

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

Source: The New York Times

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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IMPAX Receives Final FDA Approval For Generic Wellbutrin(R) XL 150 Mg
IMPAX Laboratories, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted final approval of the Company's Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for a generic version of Wellbutrin® XL 150 mg Extended-release Tablets on Wednesday, November 26, 2008. GlaxoSmithKline markets Wellbutrin® XL for the management of depression. IMPAX's Global Pharmaceuticals division launched the product immediately following approval.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) 'Works Best With Recurrent Depression'
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is most effective in patients who have had four or more prior episodes of depression, according to new research from The Netherlands. The study, published in the December issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, suggests GPs could use the number of prior episodes to determine which patients are likely to benefit most from therapy and prescribe treatment accordingly.




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Ability To Quit Smoking May Depend On A.D.H.D. Symptoms
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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.




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Australian Study Warns That Workers Caring For Elderly Likely To Leave Industry En Masse Due To Stress
Almost a third of registered aged care nurses are considering quitting in the next year because of job stress, says a new University of Melbourne study. The study, conducted by the Centre for Human Resource Management at the University of Melbourne and the Australian Nursing Federation finds Victoria's registered nurses in Victoria's aged care sector are "emotionally exhausted" and not committed to their workplace.

Normal To Experience Strong Feelings Related To One-Year Anniversary Of Von Maur Shootings, Nebraska, USA
As the anniversary of the shootings at the Von Maur department store in Omaha approaches, some people may have more thoughts, feelings, and memories about the event, according to Scot Adams, Ph.D., director of the Division of Behavioral Health in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Nebraska. "It's common to feel grief and sadness again, and the reminders can create fear, anxiety and even anger or guilt," Adams said.




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14 Drugs Identified As Most Urgently Needing Study For Off-label Use, Stanford Professor Says
Physicians and policy-makers know that drugs are frequently prescribed to treat certain diseases despite a lack of FDA approval - a practice known as off-label prescribing. Yet they say the problem is so big they don't know how to begin tackling it. But a potential game plan now exists.

Bipolar Disorder Genes, Pathways Identified By Indiana University Neuroscientists
Neuroscientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine have created the first comprehensive map of genes likely to be involved in bipolar disorder, according to research published online Nov. 21 in the American Journal of Medical Genetics. The researchers combined data from the latest large-scale international gene hunting studies for bipolar disorder with information from their own studies and have identified the best candidate genes for the illness.




Mental Health News From Medical News Today
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New Study Shows Potential Of Rational Drug Design In Schizophrenia
In one of the first instances of targeted drug design in psychiatric treatment, University of Pittsburgh researchers have found an experimental agent that shows promise in addressing working memory impairments that occur in the schizophrenia. The study breaks new ground in the strategy used to develop new pharmacological treatments for schizophrenia, explained David Lewis, M.D.

Lower Childhood IQ Associated With Higher Risk Of Adult Mental Disorders
Researchers have hypothesized that people with lower IQs may have a higher risk of adult mental disorders, but few studies have looked at the relationship between low childhood IQ and psychiatric disorders later in life.




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

New Study Shows Potential Of Rational Drug Design In Schizophrenia
In one of the first instances of targeted drug design in psychiatric treatment, University of Pittsburgh researchers have found an experimental agent that shows promise in addressing working memory impairments that occur in the schizophrenia. The study breaks new ground in the strategy used to develop new pharmacological treatments for schizophrenia, explained David Lewis, M.D.

Students Invited To London Lecture - The British Psychological Society
The impact of size zero media ideals on body image is just one of the fascinating topics up for discussion by local students at The British Psychological Society's upcoming student lecture on Tuesday 9 December 2008. Students from London and beyond are invited to hear from some of the UK's top psychologists at the event, which is taking place at Kensington Town Hall from 10am on 9 December 2008.




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

New Study Shows Potential Of Rational Drug Design In Schizophrenia
In one of the first instances of targeted drug design in psychiatric treatment, University of Pittsburgh researchers have found an experimental agent that shows promise in addressing working memory impairments that occur in the schizophrenia. The study breaks new ground in the strategy used to develop new pharmacological treatments for schizophrenia, explained David Lewis, M.D.

Testimony About Discrimination And Mental Illness Sought - Wyoming Department Of Health
To help raise awareness about discrimination against people with mental illness, the Wyoming Department of Health is inviting residents with relevant personal experience to participate in a December 3 public hearing in Cheyenne.




Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia News From Medical News Today
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Study Shows How Shift Workers Can Improve Job Performance And Implement A Realistic Sleep Schedule
A study in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that the use of light exposure therapy, dark sunglasses and a strict sleep schedule can help night-shift workers create a "compromise circadian phase position," which may result in increased performance and alertness during night shifts while still allowing adequate nighttime sleep on days off. Results show that performance was better for the experimental subjects than the controls.

High Levels Of Prenatal Smoking Exposure Affect Sleep Patterns In Preterm Neonates
A study in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal Sleep is the first to show that high levels of prenatal smoking exposure strongly modify sleep patterns in preterm neonates, which places infants at a higher risk for developmental difficulties that could persist throughout early and middle childhood. Results indicate that preterm neonates born to heavy-smoking mothers who smoked more than 10 cigarettes per day displayed disrupted sleep structure and sleep continuity. From 7 p.m.




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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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