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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
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Ways to Get that Needed Deep Sleep Without Taking Pills
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Ways to Get that Needed Deep Sleep Without Taking Pills
Q: I've been having problems falling asleep. Are there things I can try other than taking sleeping pills?
A: Many things can interfere with sleep, ranging from anxiety to an unusual work schedule. But people who have difficulty sleeping often discover that their daily routine holds the key to nighttime woes. Below are some common enemies of sleep, and some tips for dealing with them.
- Cut down on caffeine. Caffeine-drinkers may find it difficult to fall asleep. Once they drift off, their sleep is shorter and lighter. For some people, a single cup of coffee in the morning means a sleepless night. People who suffer from insomnia should avoid caffeine as much as possible, since its effects can last for many hours. Those who can't or don't want to give up caffeine should avoid it after 2pm, or noon if they are especially caffeine-sensitive.
- Stop smoking or chewing tobacco. Nicotine is a potent drug that speeds your heart rate, raises blood pressure, and stimulates brain activity. In people addicted to nicotine, a few hours without it is enough to induce withdrawal symptoms. Cravings can even wake a smoker at night. People who kick the habit fall asleep more quickly and wake less often during the night. They may be more tired during the day at first, but many former users say they sleep better. Quitting also offers many other health benefits, including a lower risk for cancer, heart disease and stroke. But those who continue to use tobacco should avoid smoking or chewing it for at least one to two hours before bedtime.
- Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol affects sleep in two different ways. Because it makes you sleepy for an hour or two, a nightcap can help some people doze off. But after that, alcohol can cause frequent awakenings as it suppresses deep sleep, reducing the quality of your sleep. Experts blame alcohol for 10 percent of chronic insomnia cases.
Some people fail to get even the short-term benefit from a nightcap because alcohol raises a hormone in the body that makes falling asleep difficult. Because alcohol relaxes throat muscles and interferes with brain control mechanisms, it can worsen snoring and other nocturnal breathing problems, which can sometimes be dangerous.
- Avoid a sedentary life. Aerobic exercise like walking, running or swimming promotes restfulness by helping you to fall asleep more easily and to sleep more soundly. One study found that physically fit older men fell asleep in less than half the time it took for sedentary men, and they woke up less often during the night. Timing is important: Exercising five or six hours before bedtime will encourage drowsiness when it's time to go to sleep. But strenuous activity within two hours before bedtime can keep you awake. If you can't exercise several hours before bedtime, exercising earlier in the day can also help you sleep better.
- Improve your sleep surroundings. An ideal sleep environment is quiet, dark and relatively cool, with a comfortable bed and a minimal amount of clutter from daytime responsibilities. Reminders or discussions of stressful issues should be banished to another room. Removing the television, telephone and office equipment from the bedroom is a good way to reinforce that this room is meant for sleeping.
- Keep a regular schedule. People with the most regular sleep habits report the fewest problems with insomnia and the least feelings of depression. Experts advise going to sleep at the same time on most nights, and getting up at about the same time every day, even after a late-night party or fitful sleep. Napping during the day can also make it harder to get to sleep at night.
- Keep a sleep diary. Keeping a sleep diary may help you uncover some clues about what's disturbing your sleep. If possible, you should do this for a month, but even a week's worth of entries can be beneficial.
- Use strategic naps. If your goal is to sleep longer at night, napping is a bad idea. Because your daily sleep requirement remains constant, naps take away from evening sleep.
But if your goal is to improve your alertness during the day, a scheduled nap may be just the thing. If you're anxious about getting enough sleep, then a scheduled nap may help you feel better at night by helping you feel less anxious. If possible, nap shortly after lunch and no longer than an hour. Even a 15- to 20-minute nap can make you feel more alert.
You may also find it helpful to make sure your bedroom is quiet (see graphic). If you try all of these suggestions and still have sleep problems, talk to your health-care provider.
SOURCE:-
By The Faculty of Harvard Medical School
The Harvard Medical School Adviser
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
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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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