Advertisement
 
 
Log in
Welcome Guest



User:
Pass:
Anonymous: 
Advertisement
Donate To Depression Forums
Latest Forum Discussions
on: Friday, 09 January 2009 17:31
on: Friday, 09 January 2009 17:24
on: Friday, 09 January 2009 16:55
on: Friday, 09 January 2009 15:28
on: Friday, 09 January 2009 15:16
Search

Advanced Search

Member Testimonials
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
hopeline.com
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.

Advertisement

How to Take an Antidepressant Part 1

By Forum Admin
How to Take an Antidepressant Part 1
Evidence indicates that all of the available antidepressants on the market have a high efficacy rate. The only area where the drugs do differ, is in the side effects they create. Side effects have become a central consideration in the new approach to depression treatment.

By:Hara Estroff Marano

Page 1 of 2

Years ago, Prozac launched a revolution. It rendered depression a disorder that was finally safely treatable. The torrent of prose hailing Prozac and its chemical kin eventually made the mental illness dinner-party discourse. Today, a much quieter revolution in treatment is taking place. It, too, has its origins in Prozac and its siblings, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Fifteen years of experience with reasonably safe treatments has given the mental health world a new understanding of the disorder and its true course: It's no longer enough to merely treat depression; it's necessary to banish it.

Increasingly, the aim of treatment is not to make patients better but to make them completely well. In the absence of full remission from an episode of depression, the disorder tends to recur. What's more, studies now show that the longer patients remain sick, the harder it is for them to recover completely.

"It became very clear over the past several years that people who don't achieve full remission are at high risk for relapse and for doing poorly," says Jonathan Alpert, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the depression research program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. "Even if they don't have a full relapse, they don't do well in social and occupational function."

There is no magic bullet; evidence indicates that the available antidepressants are equally effective. All of the drugs get 70 percent of people better within six to ten weeks, according to David Dunner, M.D., director of the Center for Anxiety and Depression at the University of Washington. However, "better" does not necessarily mean symptom-free. "There isn't any difference among the drugs regarding that."

Where the drugs do differ, however, is in the side effects they create, especially in the long haul. Side effects have become a central consideration in the new approach to depression treatment.

Long-term treatment is also critical. Data indicate that individuals should be treated for at least nine months following their first acute episode. If they have chronic depression—an episode lasting two years or more—they need to be treated for two years after remission. "And if they have recurrent depression marked by multiple episodes, perhaps forever," notes Dunner.

However, the average duration of a prescription is about 100 days. "It's a serious problem," Dunner points out. "We're not treating people nearly long enough."

Nor is treatment aggressive enough, according to Alpert: "Really pushing for remission may mean using two antidepressants at once or pushing the dose up higher than one would normally use."


Pick Your Pill

For many experts, the most sensible approach to selecting an antidepressant is to factor in the presence of associated or co-occurring conditions. Anxiety disorders, for example, commonly accompany depression. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been well studied for the major anxiety disorders: panic, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

"For someone who has depression and social phobia, it's reasonable to use a medication whose effectiveness has been well documented for both disorders," reports Alpert. The data also suggest that SSRIs are "reasonable first choices" for those with eating disorders.

But antidepressants don't work if people don't take them. Patients have to be willing to put up with side effects that range from drowsiness to seizures. As true as that is for short-term treatment, it's even more the case with long-term treatment. "The issue is, what can we do to get these patients to stay on the drugs for the length of time the evidence now suggests is best?" explains Dunner.


Page 1 of 2 Next>>

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
This Month In Pictures
Members Online
Medical News
Depression News From Medical News Today
Latest Depression News From Medical News Today.

Getting Through Those Winter Blues, UK
Long cold nights and dull dark days - the British winter isn't fun for anyone. Travelling to and from work in the dark and spending all day cooped up in an artificially lit office can send some people into a downwards spiral of exhaustion, depression and anxiety. These symptoms, often referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) are thought to be a direct result of a lack of sunlight.

Access To Health Care For Children Ages 10 To 19 Lacking, According To Report
U.S. residents between ages 10 and 19 do not receive adequate medical care, according to a report recently released by the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine, the AP/Arizona Daily Star reports.




ADHD News From Medical News Today
Latest ADHD News From Medical News Today.

Studies Examine Genetic Determinants Of ADHD
A special issue of American Journal of Medical Genetics (AJMG): Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics presents a comprehensive overview of the latest progress in genetic research of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Child's ADHD Diagnosis Is Tied To Mother's Health Status
The probability of having one's child receive an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis involves a mother's own medical conditions and her use of health services prior to having the child, a new study finds. What is not clear, however, is whether the effects are due to biological, environmental or psychosocial factors - or some combination of these.




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

Teens Should Be Taught How To Handle School Stress
Teenagers are turning to alcohol and cigarettes to relieve school stress. This is the finding of a study presented at The British Psychological Society's Division of Educational and Child Psychology annual conference. The study carried out by psychologist Dr Pamela Taylor at Salford Local Authority looked at the stressors and coping strategies of 172 fifteen and sixteen year-olds facing their GCSE examinations.

Getting Through Those Winter Blues, UK
Long cold nights and dull dark days - the British winter isn't fun for anyone. Travelling to and from work in the dark and spending all day cooped up in an artificially lit office can send some people into a downwards spiral of exhaustion, depression and anxiety. These symptoms, often referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) are thought to be a direct result of a lack of sunlight.




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

Next-Generation GRII Receptor Antagonist Prevents/Reverses Weight Gain Linked To Olanzapine Use - Active Ingredient In Zyprexa(R)
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NASDAQ: CORT) announced results from two preclinical studies conducted as part of its collaboration with Eli Lilly. The data demonstrate that CORT 108297 has the potential to both reduce weight gain caused by olanzapine and to prevent weight gain caused by initiation of treatment with olanzapine. Olanzapine is the active ingredient in Lilly's Zyprexa(R), which is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Missing In Action: 'Where Is The New National Mental Health Plan?' Asks SANE Australia
Australians affected by mental illness are worried by repeated delays in producing a new National Mental Health Plan - SANE Australia calls for prompt action by the Rudd Government and COAG. 2008 is drawing to a close and the Rudd Government is now in its second year in office, yet there is still no new national plan for mental health services, despite widespread acceptance of the urgent need.




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

Mind Comments On The Indignity Of Mixed Sex Wards
A report out by the Conservative Party reveals that patients with mental health problems continue to suffer the indignity of being accommodated on mixed sex wards. Commenting on these new findings, Mind's Chief Executive Paul Farmer said: "Mental health wards are meant to offer care for people who will be at their lowest and most vulnerable, and treating patients in mixed-sex environments compromises their sense of privacy, dignity, and safety.

Action Needed To Reduce Child Homicide, Australia
Taking advantage of opportunities for early intervention in families that come into contact with health workers, welfare agencies and the police may help reduce the rate of child homicide in Australia, according to a study in the latest edition of the Medical Journal of Australia.




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

Alzheimer's Patients On Antipsychotics Have Nearly Double Death Risk
A new study sponsored by the UK Alzheimer's Research Trust concluded that antipsychotic drugs commonly prescribed to Alzheimer's patients in the UK nearly doubles their risk of death over three years. The study was led by Professor Clive Ballard of King's College London and was published in The Lancet Neurology on 9 January.

Teens Should Be Taught How To Handle School Stress
Teenagers are turning to alcohol and cigarettes to relieve school stress. This is the finding of a study presented at The British Psychological Society's Division of Educational and Child Psychology annual conference. The study carried out by psychologist Dr Pamela Taylor at Salford Local Authority looked at the stressors and coping strategies of 172 fifteen and sixteen year-olds facing their GCSE examinations.




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

Next-Generation GRII Receptor Antagonist Prevents/Reverses Weight Gain Linked To Olanzapine Use - Active Ingredient In Zyprexa(R)
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NASDAQ: CORT) announced results from two preclinical studies conducted as part of its collaboration with Eli Lilly. The data demonstrate that CORT 108297 has the potential to both reduce weight gain caused by olanzapine and to prevent weight gain caused by initiation of treatment with olanzapine. Olanzapine is the active ingredient in Lilly's Zyprexa(R), which is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

FDA Issues A Complete Response Letter For Lilly's Olanzapine LAI For Treatment Of Schizophrenia In Adults
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that it received a complete response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for olanzapine long-acting injection (LAI) for acute and maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Lilly is continuing to work with the agency on the new drug application (NDA). The FDA does not require any additional clinical trials for the continued review of the NDA.




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

Exercise Reduces Periodic Leg Movements, Improves Sleep Patterns
People who experience insomnia or have sleep disruptions related to periodic leg movements (PLM) can benefit from both the immediate and long-term effects of exercise, says a study published in the January 2009 issue Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, the official scientific journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Protecting Against Parasites With A Good Night's Sleep
Animal species that sleep for longer do not suffer as much from parasite infestation and have a greater concentration of immune cells in their blood according to a study published in the open-access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology. The question of why we sleep has long puzzled scientists.




Andertoon
Vote for DF
Rate this Site for Psych Central:
A Potpourri of Mental Health Articles
Mental Health Parity News
Suicide Prevention Llifeline
suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Amazon Books
Advertisement

Dialectical Behavior The...Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workboo...

Matthew McKay, Jef...

New $14.93

The Instinct to HealThe Instinct to Heal

David Servan-Schre...

New $10.85

Self-CoachingSelf-Coaching

Joseph J. Luciani

New $10.17

Depression-Free, Natural...Depression-Free, Naturally

Joan Mathews Larso...

New $10.17

Change Your Brain, Chang...Change Your Brain, Change Your Life

Daniel G. Amen

New $10.20

The Food-Mood SolutionThe Food-Mood Solution

Jack Challem, Melv...

New $10.17
Our Soldiers & Veterans
edclogo


eatingdisorderscoalition.org
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




Advertisement
Att: Mental Health Professionals
Take advantage of this excellent opportunity
to promote your practice, research, career
and expertise.
Depression Forums, Incorporated is now starting a
Therapists Directory so that we will offer to our members
access to a searchable database of Mental Health
Professionals and facilities Nationwide dedicated to
providing treatment services and support for
those with mental health disorders.
List your individual or group practice in
Depressionforums.org's
Therapist's  Directory
and help prospective clients and referral
sources learn more about you and the services you offer.
Communicate in detail your unique credentials and expertise.
Contact Forum Admin.