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QUOTE (wanderer82 @ Jun 27 2008, 06:45 AM) * Hey everybody, thanks for your replies; your caring thoughts & understanding make a world of difference. I guess the only thing I can find the slightest of comfort in is that I can come here & people actually understand.
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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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Antidepressant use, depression common amongst college students

By Lindsay
  2/19/08

At one time or another, most college students feel like they can't get out of bed or don't want to go to class. Not being able to do these things because of depression, however, is a different story.

Depression is not largely uncommon, especially on college campuses and one of the ways to combat it is the use of antidepressants.

"They're a good, safe class of drugs," Dr. Karen Pfost, professor of psychology, said.

"[Antidepressants] can be useful for a variety of different problems," Dr. James Terfruchte, staff psychiatrist at Student Health Services, said.

"They can treat depression, dysthymia and a variety of anxiety disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Bulimia."

"They're non-addictive, unlike anti-anxiety medications," Pfost said.

"You don't build up a tolerance to them like you can with anti-anxiety meds."

While antidepressants can be useful for a variety of different problems, they are mainly used to combat depression.

According to Terfruchte, Major Depressive Disorder is characterized by a depressed mood and/or diminished interest or pleasure and four or more of the main seven symptoms associated with depression.

These symptoms include significant weight loss or gain, insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue or energy loss, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, decreased concentration or indecisiveness and thoughts of suicide.

Also, for college students, Terfruchte said not being able to go to class, sleep or get out of bed, having low motivation and being overly critical of oneself are other signs of depression.

"You won't see immediate relief from antidepressants," Pfost said. "They usually take two to four weeks to become effective."

Antidepressants have side effects and disadvantages like any drug, but they are relatively safe.

"With the current popular ones, there are even fewer side effects," Pfost said. "Another advantage of SSRIs is they have very low lethality. They're a wonderful choice for people with suicide potential."

SSRI stands for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor and are a class of antidepressants.

"The primary downside to [antidepressants] is matching people to antidepressants," Pfost said. "It is sort of trial and error."

Also, Pfost said, antidepressants may not allow people to learn coping skills and life lessons they might have otherwise learned without the help of medication.

According to Terfruchte, other side effects of SSRIs include nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, decreased libido, delayed orgasm, headache, insomnia and somnolence-a state of sleepiness or drowsiness.

Besides antidepressants, there are other ways to combat depression. Exercise is as good as antidepressants, Pfost said.

According to Terfruchte, therapy or counseling can help patients learn coping skills, relaxation skills and learn how to appropriately interpret life events. These skills can help diminish and prevent depression, Terfruchte said.

Non-biological factors can cause depression as well. Terfruchte said students could experience more stress at different times of the year and situational depression can result.

The lack of sunlight during the winter months can also lead to depression. Terfruchte said there is certainly evidence showing there is more depression in the winter.

This condition, called Seasonal Affective Disorder, usually goes away with better weather according to Pfost.

"The basic premise [of Seasonal Affective Disorder] is that it is related to day length," Terfruchte said.

While college students are not at a high risk for developing such things as prostate cancer, mental disorders such as depression can hit at any time and college students should be aware.

"In contrast to other diseases which tend to develop later in life, mental and emotional disorders disproportionately affect people at a younger age," Terfruchte said.
By: Tony Andracki, Daily Vidette Staff

© Copyright 2008 The Daily Vidette

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Medical News
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Suicidal Thoughts Not Uncommon Among US Students
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Actavis Receives Approval Of Generic Wellbutrin XL(R) 300mg In The United States
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Suicidal Thoughts Not Uncommon Among US Students
A recent study found that suicidal thoughts among US college students is more common than might be expected, after more than half of 26,000 students surveyed at 70 colleges and universities reported having at least one episode of suicidal thinking at some point in their lives. 15 per cent of students also reported having seriously considered attempting suicide and more than 5 per cent said they had tried to commit suicide at least once.




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Astonishing 52 Percent Of Newly Diagnosed Bipolar Disorder Patients Receive Antidepressant Drugs In First-Line Treatment
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Managing Psychiatric Meds In Transition To College Studied By Case Western Reserve University
An increasing number of students are packing more than their computers and iPods when leaving for college. They are bringing along prescribed psychiatric medications. Case Western Reserve University researchers will survey incoming students on how they manage psychiatric medications in the transition from home to college.

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Study Shows Link Between Spanking And Physical Abuse
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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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