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on: Friday, 04 July 2008 01:41
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Fight stigma. Misunderstandings about mental illness cause fear or shame and may prevent you from seeking the help you need. You can help by understanding that people do not choose to have a mental disorder. It is a disease that can and should be treated.
(-US Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H)
HOPELINE 1-800-SUICIDE
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
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.
Our DF Members
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Tricyclic Antidepressants
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Tricyclic Antidepressants
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are often prescribed in severe cases of depression or when SSRI medications do not work. Tricyclic antidepressants include amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan, Zonalon), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil).
How do TCAs work? TCAs block the uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine, thereby providing higher levels of these neurotransmitters at the brain receptor site. Besides increasing norepinephrine and serotonin, amoxapine also increases the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Who should not use these medications?
* Individuals who have allergic reactions to TCAs
* Individuals in the acute recovery phase following a heart attack
* Individuals with glaucoma
* Individuals with urine retention
* Individuals who are currently taking or have taken MAOIs within the past 2 weeks (Phenelzine , and tranylcypromine , are examples of MAOIs.) (Do not start taking MAOIs for at least 2 weeks after stopping TCAs. This is a general warning; see drug and food interactions for low-dose use together.)
* Individuals taking some medications that alter heart rhythm such as thioridazine (Mellaril) or cisapride (Propulsid)
Use
* Tricyclic antidepressants are taken orally by tablet, capsule, or oral solution.
* Elderly individuals and adolescents often require lower doses.
Elderly: Elderly individuals require lower doses. Elderly individuals are more susceptible to sedative effects and may feel faint when standing up, therefore increasing the risk of falls and injuries.
Children: The following TCAs are approved in the United States for treating adolescents with depression who are older than 12 years:
* Amitriptyline
* Desipramine
* Doxepin
* Nortriptyline
* Protriptyline
* Trimipramine
* Amoxapine (approved for persons older than 16 years)
Drug or food interactions: Tell the doctor what medications are currently being taken because many medicines interact with TCAs. Do not take any nonprescription or herbal medications without first consulting the doctor or pharmacist. The following are examples of interactions, but they do not represent a complete list.
* TCAs may increase the blood levels and/or risk of toxicity of the following medications:
o MAOIs (These may cause serious and sometimes fatal reactions; some TCAs have been used safely with MAOIs, but the dose of TCAs must be increased very slowly and the person must strictly adhere to MAOI dietary restrictions.)
o Sympathomimetics such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
* The following substances may increase the toxicity of TCAs:
o Alcohol or other drugs that depress the central nervous system such as medications taken for insomnia
o Medications, such as antihistamines (Benadryl), that may produce similar side effects
o Antifungal medications such as ketoconazole (Nizoral) or fluconazole (Diflucan)
o SSRIs, venlafaxine, and nefazodone (may increase risk for serotonin syndrome—symptoms include hypertension, fever, muscle tremor, or confusion)
o Tramadol (Ultram) (may increase risk of seizures)
o Medications such as cisapride, thioridazine, quinidine, antihistamines, erythromycin, dofetilide, and pimozide that also increase the risk for abnormal heart rhythm
o Valproic acid
* Other interactions include the following:
o
TCAs may decrease the ability for clonidine to lower blood pressure levels.
o
Carbamazepine may decrease TCA effectiveness.
o
St. John’s wort may decrease TCA effectiveness and increase the risk of serotonin syndrome.
Side Effects: This is NOT a complete list of possible side effects reported with TCAs. A doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist can discuss a more complete list of side effects.
* Confusion, agitation, or hallucinations (Contact a doctor immediately if these occur.)
* Severe diarrhea, fever, sweating, muscle stiffness, or tremors (These may be symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Contact a doctor immediately.)
* Rapid or abnormal heartbeat or fainting (Contact a doctor immediately if these occur.)
* Changes in sexual interest or ability
* Manic episodes in persons with bipolar disorder (If not combined with a mood-stabilizing medication, SSRIs may induce manic episodes in individuals with bipolar disorder .)
* Drowsiness (Caution is advised when operating machinery, driving, or performing other tasks that require alertness.)
* Photosensitivity (increased risk of sunburn) (Use protective clothing, such as long sleeves and hats, and sunscreen to decrease the risk of sunburn.)
* Rash
* Nausea
* Dry mouth
* Urine retention
* Blurred vision
* Constipation
* Lightheadedness when standing up from a sitting or lying position (Stand up gradually from lying down or sitting positions.)
* Seizures (TCAs lower the threshold for seizures, that is, seizures may occur more easily in the person taking TCAs. Caution is advised for individuals prone to seizures or those who have a history of seizures.)
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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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