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QUOTE (QNA @ Oct 24 2007, 08:35 PM) *To All:Thanks for providing a place for a recluse like myself to vent to begin with. It helps...it truly helps. I appreciate it, and I find that-even with my hypertrophied vocabulary*-I do not have the words to properly do so other than to simply say: Thank you.(*how often does someone get to use the word 'hypertrophied' in a sentence? About as often as someone gets to say the word 'infinitessimal!!! I love it!!!)
(QNA)
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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

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Friday, May 2, 2008
By Will Boggs, MD

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Migraine is commonly associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia, a new study shows.

 


"In addition, having migraine and a psychiatric condition is associated with worsened health-related outcomes (disability, quality of life, restriction of activities)," Dr. Nathalie Jette from University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada told Reuters Health.

Jette and colleagues sought to determine the prevalence of various psychiatric conditions in association with migraine and to describe the pattern of association of this "comorbidity" with a variety of health-related outcomes.


April 9, 2008
Charles Bremner and Marie Tourres, Paris

Promoting extreme thinness will become a criminal offence punishable with jail in France under a government-backed law that was tabled today to combat anorexia nervosa.
 
The world's first use of the law to tackle eating disorders is broadly aimed at the media and fashion world, but especially at the websites and blogs of the co-called pro-ana movement. While many are support groups, others promote starvation as a "life-style choice", with girls and young women posting their wasting images as "thinspiration" for others.


Social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have recently come under pressure in Britain and other countries to ban their pro-ana entries.

Fines of up to €30,000 and a two-year prison sentence will be imposed on offenders who "provoke a person to seek excessive thinness by encouraging prolonged restriction of nourishment" to the point of risking of death or damage to health. The prison term is raised to three years with a €45,000 fine if the person dies.


Executive Summary:

A Report of the Surgeon General On Mental Health

Mental health—the successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with adversity; from early childhood until late life, mental health is the springboard of thinking and communication skills, learning, emotional growth, resilience, and self-esteem.

Mental illness—the term that refers collectively to all mental disorders. Mental disorders are health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning.

 

This is the first Surgeon General’s report ever issued on the topic of mental health and mental illness. The science-based report conveys several messages. One is that mental health is fundamental to health. The qualities of mental health are essential to leading a healthy life. Americans assign high priority to preventing disease and promoting personal well-being and public health; so too must we assign priority to the task of promoting mental health and preventing mental disorders. Nonetheless, mental disorders occur and, thus, treatment and mental health services are critical to the Nation’s health. These emphases, combined with research to increase the knowledge needed to treat and prevent mental and behavioral disorders, constitute a broad public health approach to an urgent health concern.

A second message of the report is that mental disorders are real health conditions that have an immense impact on individuals and families throughout this Nation and the world. Appreciation of the clinically and economically devastating nature of mental disorders is part of a quiet scientific revolution that not only has documented the extent of the problem, but in recent years has generated many real solutions. The decision to publish the report at this time was based, in part, on the tremendous growth of the science base that is enriching our understanding of the awe-inspiring complexity of the brain and behavior. This understanding increasingly supports mental health practices.



A misunderstanding of the placebo effect must not be allowed to sideline a holistic approach to depression, writes Dr Harry Barry There are many people suffering from depression in Ireland who are now confused, even despairing, following the release of a recent survey on the effectiveness of anti- depressants, suggesting that they are no more effective than placebo therapy.

A misunderstanding of the placebo effect must not be allowed to sideline a holistic approach to depression, writes Dr Harry Barry There are many people suffering from depression in Ireland who are now confused, even despairing, following the release of a recent survey on the effectiveness of anti- depressants, suggesting that they are no more effective than placebo therapy.

Mental Health Parity Vote Scheduled March 5 in Congress

February 29, 2008 - The EDC has been working throughout 2007 and early 2008 to enact full mental health parity. Now, victory is within reach. Following the Senate's passage of the Mental Health Parity Act (S. 558) by unanimous consent, the House is ready to take up its version of the bill, H.R. 1424, on Wednesday, March 5. After that, Senate and House leaders will reconcile differences between the two versions of the bill in order to pass the strongest possible parity legislation.

As a supporter of mental health parity, we urge you to contact
your U.S. Representative NOW to urge support for H.R. 1424.

Take 3 minutes. Call now!



CHICAGO (AP) _ Psychiatrists say it's a common scenario — troubled patients stop taking their medicine, because of cost, side effects, the stigma, or delusions that they don't need it. The consequences can be tragic, though rarely as horrific as the Valentine's Day suicide-slaughter at Northern Illinois University.
No one knows what triggered Steven Kazmierczak's campus rampage, yet one of the clues to an emerging psychiatric profile is this: His girlfriend says he recently stopped taking Prozac.

Prozac is a drug generally prescribed for major depression. It and similar antidepressants carry warning labels about risks for suicidal behavior in patients younger than Kazmierczak, who was 27.
Still, stopping these drugs can also lead to suicidal thoughts and behavior. And taking them may increase the risk for other violence if they're mistakenly prescribed as the only treatment for patients in a depressive phase of bipolar disorder, psychiatrists say. In that case, the drugs may trigger a manic phase that could include aggressive behavior toward others.


 An uplifting result of music therapy. (Alan Zale for The New York Times)

Many people find that music lifts their spirits. Now new research shows that music therapy — either listening to or creating music with a specially trained therapist — can be a useful treatment for depression.

The finding that music therapy offers a real clinical benefit to depression sufferers comes from a review by the Cochrane Collaboration, a not-for-profit group that reviews health care issues. Although there aren’t many credible studies of music therapy for depression, the reviewers found five randomized trials that studied the effects of music therapy. Some studies looked at the effects of providing music therapy to patients who were receiving drug treatment for depression. Others compared music therapy to traditional talk therapy. In four out of five of the trials, music therapy worked better at easing depression symptoms than therapies that did not employ music, the researchers found.

“The current studies indicate that music therapy may be able to improve mood and has low drop-out rates,” said lead author Anna Maratos, an arts therapist for the National Health Service in London. “While the evidence came from a few small studies, it suggests that this is an area that is well worth further investigation….We need to find out which forms have greatest effect.”


Dec.  30, 2007  -  It's one thing to read about the current research being done on depression. But it's another experience altogether to actually hear the voices of the reigning experts. I want to recommend a one-hour audio program that was well worth the money I spent. (I have no financial or other link to the product!) I just want to say that I found this so refreshing and enriching to listen to.
 
Essentially, a half dozen of the most-acclaimed depression experts in the U.S. – from Stanford’s Robert Sapolsky to Yale’s Ronald Duman to Harvard’s Peter Kramer -- got together last year to talk about the latest studies involving the brain. Also, journalist Virginia Heffernan provided an extremely stirring description of what it was like for her to experience depression – an account that I think all of us can definitely relate to -- and how her getting better from an anti-depressant made her convinced that her depression was biologically-based. Among other things, she describes how simple things like taking a shower or buying a ticket at a movie theatre are transformed into desperate all-encompassing acts.

Gift the gift of good health this holiday season with festive treats for healthy bodies

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

Link Between Mothers' Depression And Young Children's Injuries Confirmed By Study
Infants and toddlers whose mothers are severely depressed are almost three times more likely to suffer accidental injuries than other children in the same age group, according to a new study. The study's findings, published in the Advanced Access edition of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, suggest that proper treatment for depression would improve not only the mothers' health, but the health of young children as well.

New Nationwide Report Estimates One In Every 12 Adolescents Experienced Major Depression In The Past Year
About 2.1 million teens aged 12 to 17 experienced a major depressive episode in the past year, according to a new nationwide report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. For almost half of the teens, depression drastically reduced their abilities to deal with aspects of their daily lives, the report said. Overall, 8.




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

FDA Approves Strattera(R) For Maintenance Of ADHD In Children And Adolescents
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Strattera(R) (atomoxetine HCI) for maintenance treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. Strattera, a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, is the first FDA-approved non-stimulant to treat ADHD in children, adolescents and adults.

VYVANSE Demonstrated Significant Improvement In ADHD Symptoms In Adults
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, presented the results of a phase III pivotal study in which VYVANSE demonstrated significant improvements in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in adults and met all safety and efficacy endpoints. "Adults with ADHD often find it challenging to focus and organize during the day.




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

LUNESTA(R) Study Of Patients With Insomnia And Co-Morbid Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Published In Archives Of General Psychiatry
Sepracor Inc. (Nasdaq: SEPR) announced the publication of a study of LUNESTA tablets in patients with insomnia and co-morbid generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. This 595-patient study examined the safety and efficacy of LUNESTA co-administered with escitalopram oxalate, which is commonly used in the treatment of anxiety, versus co-administration of escitalopram and placebo in patients with insomnia and co-existing GAD.

Alcohol Cravings In Response To Negative Emotions Felt More Acutely By Men
Women and men tend to have different types of stress-related psychological disorders. Women have greater rates of depression and some types of anxiety disorders than men, while men have greater rates of alcohol-use disorders than women. A new study of emotional and alcohol-craving responses to stress has found that when men become upset, they are more likely than women to want alcohol.




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

FDA Approves Astrazeneca's Seroquel For Maintenance Treatment In Bipolar Disorder
AstraZeneca announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved SEROQUEL® (quetiapine fumarate) for the maintenance treatment of patients with bipolar I disorder, as adjunct to lithium or divalproex. SEROQUEL is approved by the FDA for the treatment of schizophrenia, and is also the only single agent approved by the FDA for the treatment of both depressive episodes in bipolar disorder and acute manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder1,2.

Perceptual Switch Rates With Ambiguous Structure-from-motion Figures In Bipolar Disorder
Most people believe that the way we see things is affected by how we feel emotionally. Does our mood really change what we see or do individuals with certain genetic traits always tend to see things differently, regardless of their mood? Earlier research suggested that people with bipolar mood disorder might alternate their perception more slowly when looking at ambiguous figures.




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

Female Sex Offenders Often Have Mental Problems
Women who commit sexual offences are just as likely to have mental problems or drug addictions as other violent female criminals. This according to the largest study ever conducted of women convicted of sexual offences in Sweden. Between 1988 and 2000, 93 women and 8,500 men were convicted of sexual offences in Sweden. Given that previous research has focused on male perpetrators, knowledge of the factors specific to female sex offenders has been scant.

Distinct Treatment Needed: Tourette's And Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Canada
While 30 to 50 percent of people with Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome are also affected with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), both illnesses have a distinct neurocognitive profile, according to a new study published in the print edition of the journal Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry by researchers from the Université de Montréal and the Fernand-Seguin Research Centre of the Louis-H Lafontaine Hospital.




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

Psychotherapy Reduces OCD Symptoms In Young Children, Helps Some Achieve Clinical Remission
Although children as young as 5 can be diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), few research studies have looked at treatments specifically geared toward young children with this disorder. Now, a new study from the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center provides some of the first evidence-based data on a successful intervention for early childhood OCD.

Regulate Anti Psychotic Drugs Now, UK
Help the Aged have backed an MPs bid to regulate the prescription of anti-psychotic drugs for people with dementia in care homes.




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

By Evaluating MicroRNAs Scientists Dig Deeper Into The Genetics Of Schizophrenia
Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have illuminated a window into how abnormalities in microRNAs, a family of molecules that regulate expression of numerous genes, may contribute to the behavioral and neuronal deficits associated with schizophrenia and possibly other brain disorders.In the May 11 issue of Nature Genetics, Maria Karayiorgou, M.D., professor of psychiatry, and Joseph A. Gogos, M.D., Ph.D.

New Link To Schizophrenia Discovered By Hopkins Researchers
Neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins have discovered that mice lacking an enzyme that contributes to Alzheimer disease exhibit a number of schizophrenia-like behaviors. The finding raises the possibility that this enzyme may participate in the development of schizophrenia and related psychiatric disorders and therefore may provide a new target for developing therapies.




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

Study Takes A Step Toward Better Defining Fatigue
In an effort to better define and ultimately address fatigue more effectively, a qualitative study from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has identified three primary themes loss of strength or energy, major effects of fatigue and associated sensations - among patients being treated with standard radiation therapy.Presenting at the 33rd Annual Congress of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), Loretta A. Williams, Ph.D.

Novel Treatment Offers Insomnia Sufferers Hope Of Quality Sleep
A new, first in class sleep medication is launched, offering hope for thousands of sufferers of insomnia in Europe. Circadin(R), sustained-release melatonin, provides natural sleep by increasing the body's own level of this naturally occurring hormone throughout the night. (1) Melatonin is the hormone responsible for regulating the circadian rhythm (or sleep cycle) and enabling restorative sleep.




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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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