Clipmarks | dmegivern's 'depression' clips

The Problem of Hoarding

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:09:14 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Is Hoarding a Big Deal?

Hoarding can manifest itself in the excessive collection of household trash, newspapers, magazines, clothing, and even animals. In some instances, not only have reams of useless items been accumulated, but also an entire household may be brimming with items from floor to ceiling. All available living space, including every surface, countertops, chairs, sofas, bathtubs, sinks, coffee tables, desks, and beds, may become jam-packed with broken televisions, radios, boxes, containers, bottles, magazines, newspapers, bills, photos, expired coupons, food, and old clothes, leaving barely enough room to maneuver throughout the home.

The mental health community attributes hoarding behavior to a variety of both physical and psychological factors.

It may be considered a mechanism for coping; a symptom of depression, anxiety, or substance abuse; a result of cognitive impairment; an obsessive–compulsive disorder; or a number of other possible conditions.

Tags: hoarding, mental health, aging

Suicide Risk High for New Mothers with History of Mental Illness

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:53:53 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

Mental illness may up risk of postpartum suicide

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New mothers with a history of depression or other psychiatric disorders appear more likely than other women to attempt suicide soon after giving birth, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that among nearly 1,800 women who recently gave birth, those with a history of a psychiatric disorder were 27 times more likely to attempt suicide in the year after having their baby.

Similarly, women with a history of substance abuse had a six-fold increase in their risk of attempted suicide.

Overall, Comtois and her colleagues found, the risk of postpartum suicide was markedly higher among women who'd been hospitalized with a psychiatric disorder, substance abuse problem or both 5 years before giving birth.

Tags: mental illness, pregnancy, motherhood, suicide

Mental Illness goes Untreated in Asian Americans

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:02:42 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: www.newsweek.com

East Mind, West Mind

Mental health problems among Asian-Americans are often stigmatized and untreated. But doctors are finding ways to help.

And some of the national data point to a need for increased vigilance and treatment: Asian-American females, for instance, have the highest suicide rates among American females in the 15-24 age group, and Asian-American women who are 65 or older are 10 times more likely to commit suicide than are their white counterparts, according to numbers compiled by the Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS). Forty percent of Southeast Asian refugees suffer from depression, and anxiety plagues significant parts of that population as well, according to the ACRS statistics. And because of language and insurance barriers, many Asian-Americans aren't particularly likely to seek professional help.

Tags: mental illness

Can Depression Change Your DNA?

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:42:18 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

Can Depression Change Your DNA?

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

New research points to significant modifications of an important gene that suggests depression may play a role in changing the very makeup of the brain.

Researchers at the Robarts Research Institute at The University of Western Ontario compared the brains of people who committed suicide with those who died suddenly of natural causes, such as a heart attack. They found that the genome in suicidal, depressed people was chemically modified by a process that is normally involved in regulating the essential characteristics of all cells in the body.

This is apparently the first study to show that proteins that modify DNA directly are more highly expressed in the brains of people who commit suicide. These proteins are involved in chemically modifying DNA in a process called epigenomic regulation.

The rate of methylation in the suicide brains was found to be much greater than that of the control group.

Tags: mental illness, genetics, epigenetics, depression

Genes Influence Whether Antidepressants Work

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:47:10 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

Genes Influence Antidepressant Effectiveness

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

Wednesday, Jul 16 (Psych Central) -- A new study suggests variations in the serotonin transporter gene could explain why some people with depression respond better than others to treatment with citalopram (Celexa), an antidepressant medication.

Researchers examined the serotonin transporter gene, or SLC6A4, in 1,914 study participants. The study showed that two variations in this gene have a direct bearing on how individuals might respond to citalopram. SLC6A4 produces a protein that plays an important role in achieving an antidepressant response.

Pharmacogenetics, the study of how people’s genetic makeup affects their response to medications, could improve patient outcomes by matching patients with the right drug from the start rather than endure the arduous process of trial and error.

Tags: depression, medication, genetics

No Surprise...Overtime Linked to Anxiety/Depression

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:44:43 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern
clipper's remarks: Sigh, don't I know it.

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

Overtime Work Linked to Anxiety and Depression

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

Working overtime was associated with higher anxiety and depression scores among both men and women. The rate of questionnaire scores indicating “possible” depression increased from about nine percent for men with normal work hours to 12.5 percent for those who worked overtime.

For women, the rate of possible depression increased from seven to eleven percent. In both sexes, rates of possible anxiety and depression were higher among workers with lower incomes and for less-skilled workers.

The new results support this directive by showing increased rates of anxiety and depression among overtime workers. Men working more than 48 hours per week are at highest risk, although the authors note that working even moderate overtime hours seems to increase the risk of “mental distress.”

Tags: overworked, depression, anxiety

State Suicide Rates are Linked to MH Services

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:08:23 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: www.mentalhealthamerica.net

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.

Download the full report (PDF)

The four measures were: (1) the percentage of the adult population experiencing at least one major depressive episode in the past year, (2) the percentage of the adolescent population (ages 12 to 17) experiencing at least one major depressive episode in the past year, (3) the percentage of the adult population experiencing serious psychological distress, and (4) the average number of days in the past 30 days in which the population reported that their mental health was not good.

Tags: suicide, mental illness, depression, states

The Diabetes and Depression Link

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:34:11 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

Increased Risk of Depression for Diabetics

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

New research discovers individuals with treated type 2 diabetes are at increased risk for developing depression, while a more modest association was found between persons with depression and the risk of diabetes.

These associations may be related to increased risk of depressive symptoms in individuals with diabetes, increased risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals with depressive symptoms, or both. It is unclear whether type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for increased symptoms of depression.

“Our findings of an association in participants with treated but not untreated type 2 diabetes suggests that the psychological stress associated with diabetes management may lead to elevated depressive symptoms,” the authors write.

“… the present study contributes to a growing body of literature indicating a bidirectional association between these 2 serious long-term diseases.

Tags: health, diabetes, depression

What is Existential Depression?

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:23:51 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

What is Existential Depression?

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

When people talk about depression, sometimes they refer to different types based upon what they think may have caused their depression. One such possible cause is existential in nature, that is, a person ends up questioning his or her life, death or meaning of life, and by doing so, lapses into depression.

According to existentialism, a specific type of philosophy, humans are driven to meaning in their lives not by a specific type of deity or god, or by an outside authority, but internally, through our own choices, desires and pursuits. Humans are entirely free, and, therefore, entirely responsible for their own happiness or misery. It is up to each one of us to create the meaning which drives our life, whether it be through work, hobbies, charity, religion, relationships, offspring, family, or something else.

Existential depression may occur when a person comes face to face with these kinds of issues of life, death, freedom and the meaning of their life.

Becoming Run-Down While Sick Explained

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:32:49 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

Why Mental Lethargy When Sick

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

A recent study examines why it is hard to concentrate when you feel sick. This problem very likely reflects the effects of substances that are released by immune cells in the brain.

The research, published in Biological Psychiatry, describes how the immune cells, called inflammatory cytokines, help your body cope with infection.

During an infection, humans typically experience a set of physiological and psychological symptoms, including fever, confusion, decreased motivation, depression and anxiety that are accompanied by a slowing of movements.

These changes, collectively known as “sickness behavior,” are the body’s way of conserving energy during illness so that an effective immune response can be launched. This new study helps researchers further understand how cytokines communicate between the immune system and the brain to promote sickness behavior.

How Does Your State Rate?

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:51:14 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern
clipper's remarks: Depression levels by state

Clip Source: www.nmha.org

The Ranking of the States

State Ranking on Suicide Rates

South Dakota was the healthiest state with respect to depression status.

Utah was the most depressed state.

The Five Factors Affecting Depression Status

Mental health resources -

Barriers to treatment -

Mental health treatment utilization -

Socioeconomic characteristics -

Mental health parity -

Factors That Influence State Mental Health Status and Suicide Rates

Metabolic Syndrome as Depression Risk Factor

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:01:37 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

Metabolic syndrome: a risk factor for depression?

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A cluster of heart disease and diabetes risk factors known as the metabolic syndrome may be a "predisposing factor for the development of depression," Finnish researchers report.

Components of metabolic syndrome include high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and excess belly fat.

According to Koponen and colleagues, non-depressed subjects at the start of the study who were found to have the metabolic syndrome were twice as likely as those without the metabolic syndrome to have symptoms of depression at follow-up 7 years later.

The increasing incidence of metabolic syndrome suggests that the incidence of depression may rise accordingly, the researchers warn in a report in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Effective prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome may, in turn, reduce the incidence of depression.

Possible Blood Test for Depression

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:03:17 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

Protein discovery could lead to depression test

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Changes in the location of a single protein in the brain could be used to tell whether a person with depression is responding to an antidepressant within days of taking the drug, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

People with depression now must wait weeks before they learn whether the drug they are taking will bring relief.

But researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have discovered that a single protein in the brain changes its location within a cell membrane when an antidepressant is working, and this change could be identified with a simple blood test.

In people with depression, this protein is trapped in what Rasenick called a "lipid raft" inside the cell membrane. While stuck in this thick, gluey area of the cell, the signaling protein seemed less effective at directing the action of message-carrying chemicals.

Anxiety Increases Heart Attack Odds

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 16:02:37 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

Study: Worry increases men's heart attack odds

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Those Type A go-getters aren't the only ones stressing their hearts. Nervous Nelsons seem to be, too.

Researchers reported Monday that chronic anxiety can significantly increase the risk of a heart attack, at least in men.

The findings add another trait to a growing list of psychological profiles linked to heart disease, including anger or hostility, Type A behavior, and depression.

"This is very important research because we really are focused very much on prescribing medicine for cholesterol and lowering blood pressure and treating diabetes, but we don't look at the psychological aspect of a patient's care," she added. Doctors "need to be aggressive about not only taking care of the traditional risk factors ... but also really getting into their patients' heads."

Military Stigma of Mental Illness Problematic

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:29:14 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

Mental Health Stigma Continues in Military

Clip Source: psychcentral.com

A new research study finds the stigma accompanying mental health disorders persists in the military. In a study of over 8,400 Canadian troops, mental disorders ranging from depression to alcoholism were unreported because of a variety of barriers. “Our findings show more than half of the military members with a mental disorder do not use any of the mental health services available to them,” says lead author Deniz Fikretoglu, an expert in posttraumatic stress disorder, at McGill University.

“Foremost among barriers is a failure to acknowledge any need for services and mistrust of military administrative health and social services,” he said, adding that further impediments identified were the belief that a condition is temporary or the inability to identify a problem as a mental illness.