|
Log in
Donate To Depression Forums
Latest Forum Discussions
on: Sunday, 20 July 2008 10:20
on: Sunday, 20 July 2008 09:14
on: Sunday, 20 July 2008 08:38
on: Sunday, 20 July 2008 02:54
on: Saturday, 19 July 2008 20:16
Search
Member Testimonials
QUOTE (Darken @ Mar 30 2008, 11:44 AM) *
Thank god I found you all and this incredible site. (Darken)
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
|
|
 Wanda Bowen is taking steps to ensure history doesn't repeat itself. Her mother survived breast cancer, but her sister died of the disease two years ago.
 Wanda, on the right, along with daughter, Natalie, and new granddaughter, Sophia.
Bowen has had two breast biopsies and a lumpectomy as a result of lumps found in her Executive Health Program exams.. Everything thus far has been benign, but the presence of possible precancerous cells spurred her to volunteer for a clinical trial designed for postmenopausal women at high risk of developing breast cancer..
Bowen was an early participant in Mayo Clinic's STAR Study, which began in 1999. STAR stands for the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene. The study compares the effectiveness of each drug in preventing breast cancer, as well as the side effects.
Bowen and her husband, Robert, have participated in Mayo's Executive Health Program for the past 10 years. They started in Rochester and continued in Scottsdale when they moved to Arizona in 1996.
"I feel I am being monitored very closely, which is reassuring," says Bowen. "The Executive Health Program and the care through the clinical trial have both been great. Everyone seems so organized and efficient. I feel confident that if anything shows up, they will find it."
As a participant in the STAR Study, Bowen is seen twice a year by an oncologist and has an annual mammogram, gynecologic exam and lab work. Her health will continue to be monitored even beyond the end of the five-year study, which closes this summer.
According to Lynn Boyer, RN, clinical research coordinator, people choose to participate in clinical trials for a number of reasons. "For one thing, you know your health is being very closely monitored," she says. "For another, you know you're going to be helping future generations. For those of us who've seen parents and grandparents suffer from cancer, it's a great legacy to try to keep us and our children from the same fate."
Bowen couldn't agree more, especially now that she has a baby granddaughter, Sophia. "Because of my history, I'm very concerned about my daughter, my nieces and now my granddaughter," she says. "I've told them all that this is something to be aware of and that early detection is critical, especially when you're at high risk. Having my health closely monitored has just become habit."
Mayo Clinic conducts hundreds of clinical trials each year. For a listing, see Mayo Clinic's research site (opens in new window). If you're interested in participating, talk to your physician for more information. Copyright �2001-2007 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
|
|
 |
|
 |
Comments 
|
This Month In Pictures
Members Online
93 Users Online: 82 Guests 0 Anonymous 11 Visible: linebacker24, Torchwood, lonely29, fibrolady, Lindsay, MNI, stealyourface722, LEELABIRD, Thimble, seraphim26, theguy, |
Medical News
Andertoon
A Potpourri of Mental Health Articles
Mental Health Parity News
Suicide Prevention Llifeline
Amazon Books
Our Soldiers & Veterans
edclogo
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
Link To Us
Please use the image below and the code provided to link back to us
|