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"A wonderful bunch of humankind........Hello everyone....Depression Forum has created a place of warmth in the internet world. A place of dialog between PPL from around the world bringing together a diversity of thoughts from those who share a common feeling and need for friendship and trust which is at times impossible to achieve in the everyday world. From Australia to the USA to Britain to South America to Canada. People in chat all getting along sharing the birth of their children, going to college, working while I chat has become a real help in my own dealing with anxiety as it gives me a break. The men and ladies are the best I have ever come across.FEEL THE LOVE.......Thanks for the gift of this lovely place,"-Dusty
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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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Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Ratings and the Allocation and Outcomes of Mental Health Services

By Forum Admin


OBJECTIVE: The Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) is an integral part of the standard multiaxial psychiatric diagnostic system. The purpose of including the GAF in DSM-IV as a tool for axis V assessment is to enable clinicians to obtain information about global functioning to supplement existing data about symptoms and diagnoses and to help predict the allocation and outcomes of mental health treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the value of the GAF as part of a systemwide program for monitoring the allocation and outcomes of mental health care services. METHODS: Clinicians used the GAF to assess global functioning among 9,854 patients with psychiatric or substance use disorders, or both, who were already participating in an outcomes monitoring program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. A longitudinal prospective follow-up design was used. RESULTS: Patients' clinical diagnoses and symptoms were stronger predictors of GAF ratings than was their social or occupational functioning. GAF-rated impairment was associated with the provision of inpatient or residential care and outpatient psychiatric care, but patients with greater levels of impairment did not receive more treatment. GAF ratings were only minimally associated with treatment outcomes. No robust associations were found between GAF ratings and outcomes as assessed by clinician interview or by patients' self-report at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Including GAF ratings in a program for predicting the allocation and outcomes of mental health care is of questionable value. Research is needed to determine whether systematic training and ongoing validity checks would enhance the contribution of the GAF in monitoring service use and outcomes.




More..... Global Assessment of Functioning

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Medical News
Depression News From Medical News Today
Latest Depression News From Medical News Today.

Brain Study Could Lead To New Understanding Of Depression
Brain scientists have moved a step closer to understanding why some people may be more prone to depression than others. Dr Roland Zahn, a clinical neuroscientist in The University of Manchester's School of Psychological Sciences, and his colleagues have identified how the brain links knowledge about social behaviour with moral sentiments, such as pride and guilt.

UT Southwestern Researchers Find Antidepressants Need New Nerve Cells To Be Effective
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered in mice that the brain must create new nerve cells for either exercise or antidepressants to reduce depression-like behavior. In addition, the researchers found that antidepressants and exercise use the same biochemical pathway to exert their effects. These results might help explain some unknown mechanisms of antidepressants and provide a new direction for developing drugs to treat depression, said Dr.




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Latest ADHD News From Medical News Today.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) Community Comes Together For First Ever Virtual Conference
Twenty-two of the most celebrated doctors, therapists, and coaches in the field of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) are coming together for the first time in a virtual setting. From September 22-24, 2008, people affected by AD/HD, including parents, service professionals, and AD/HD adults, will hear live presentations from experts including: - Dr. Edward Hallowell, author of "Driven to Distraction" - Dr.

VYVANSE(R) Now Available In U.S. Pharmacies Nationwide In Six Dosage Strengths - ADHD
Shire Limited (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, has announced that VYVANSE is now available in U.S. pharmacies nationwide in three additional dosage strengths, bringing the total number to six: 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 50 mg, 60 mg, and 70 mg. The expanded VYVANSE dosing options will allow physicians to individualize treatment for each patient.




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

Chronic Stress Alters Our Genetic Immune Response
Most people would agree that stress increases your risk for illness and this is particularly true for severe long-term stresses, such as caring for a family member with a chronic medical illness. However, we still have a relatively limited understanding of exactly how stress contributes to the risk for illness.

New Evidence On Addiction To Medicines Diazepam Has Effect On Nerve Cells In The Brain Reward System
Addictions to medicines and drugs are thought to develop over a relatively long period of time. The process involves both structural and functional changes in brain nerve cells that are still poorly understood. However, a single drug or alcohol dose is sufficient to generate an initial stage of addiction.




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

Gene Abnormalities Implicated In Bipolar Disorder - Sodium, Calcium Imbalances Linked To Manic Depressive Episodes
The largest genetic analysis of its kind to date for bipolar disorder has implicated machinery involved in the balance of sodium and calcium in brain cells. Researchers supported in part by the National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health, found an association between the disorder and variation in two genes that make components of channels that manage the flow of the elements into and out of cells, including neurons.

Astonishing 52 Percent Of Newly Diagnosed Bipolar Disorder Patients Receive Antidepressant Drugs In First-Line Treatment
Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that an astonishing 52.3 percent of newly diagnosed bipolar disorder patients are prescribed antidepressant drugs first line. The new report entitled Treatment Algorithms in Bipolar Disorder finds that this high preponderance of early-line antidepressant use stems from primary care physician prescribing.




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

'Substance Dependency-Induced Psychosis' (SDIP)
Letter to the Editor This message will be very shortly be followed by a longer one that will further explain the very important -- but unfortunately -- also very politically incorrect psychiatric diagnosis of "Substance Dependency-Induced Psychosis" (SDIP). This label has, effectively, been applied to it by the Psychiatric Establishment.

Physical And Sexual Abuse Linked To Asthma In Puerto Rican Kids
Children who are physically or sexually abused are more than twice as likely to have asthma as their peers, according to a recent study of urban children in Puerto Rico. In fact, physical and sexual abuse was second only to maternal asthma in all the risk factors tested, including paternal asthma and indicators of socioeconomic status.




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

'Substance Dependency-Induced Psychosis' (SDIP)
Letter to the Editor This message will be very shortly be followed by a longer one that will further explain the very important -- but unfortunately -- also very politically incorrect psychiatric diagnosis of "Substance Dependency-Induced Psychosis" (SDIP). This label has, effectively, been applied to it by the Psychiatric Establishment.

Brain Study Could Lead To New Understanding Of Depression
Brain scientists have moved a step closer to understanding why some people may be more prone to depression than others. Dr Roland Zahn, a clinical neuroscientist in The University of Manchester's School of Psychological Sciences, and his colleagues have identified how the brain links knowledge about social behaviour with moral sentiments, such as pride and guilt.




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

'Substance Dependency-Induced Psychosis' (SDIP)
Letter to the Editor This message will be very shortly be followed by a longer one that will further explain the very important -- but unfortunately -- also very politically incorrect psychiatric diagnosis of "Substance Dependency-Induced Psychosis" (SDIP). This label has, effectively, been applied to it by the Psychiatric Establishment.

Anti-Psychotic Drug Use In The Elderly Increases Despite Drug Safety Warnings
Three regulatory warnings of serious adverse events slowed the growth of use of atypical antipsychotic drugs among elderly patients with dementia, but they did not reduce the overall prescription rate of these drugs, found a research analysis of prescription drug claims data in Ontario. The rate of use of these drugs actually increased 20% from the month prior to the first warning in September 2002 to the end of the study period in February 2007.




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

What's The Real Cause Behind Your Child's Behavior Problems? Sleep Apnea Could Be To Blame
It's often labeled attention deficit disorder, but experts say what may be the real problem behind thousands of children's behavior problems could actually be sleep apnea. According to ear, nose and throat physicians, enlarged tonsils can cause obstructive sleep apnea in children causing them to stop breathing repeatedly during the night resulting in sleep deprivation.

New Evidence On Addiction To Medicines Diazepam Has Effect On Nerve Cells In The Brain Reward System
Addictions to medicines and drugs are thought to develop over a relatively long period of time. The process involves both structural and functional changes in brain nerve cells that are still poorly understood. However, a single drug or alcohol dose is sufficient to generate an initial stage of addiction.




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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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