Depression

What is Depression?

• Depression is more than having the “blues”

• It is a condition that affects the mind and the body

• People clinically depressed can not merely help themselves.

Facts about depression

• Depression affects 18.8 million Americans ages 18 or older per year

• Everyone will at some time in their life be affected by depression

• Depression rates are increasing 23%

• 15% of the population of most developing countries suffer servere depression

• 30% of women are depressed.

Facts continued

• 54% of people believe depression is a personal weakness

• 41% of depressed women are to embarased to seek help

• 15% of depressed people commit suicide• Depression will be the second largest killer

by 2020 after heart disease- depression is a contributing factor to coronary heart disease

Depression recovery

• Good relationships• Understanding the real cause of depression• Learning how to create relationships• Identifying emotional, cognitive, relationship and

neuromuscular patterns• A supportive group environment• Relationship with therapist• Techniques to boost self-esteem• Spiritual beliefs

Causes of depression

• Workplace

• Trauma

• Stress

• Postpartum depression

• Medical conditions

• Grief

• Childhood difficulties

Depression Diagnosis

• Professionals use the DSM-IV to diagnose a person with depression

• They diagnose people with any of these four symptoms: affective, behavioral, cognitive, or somatic.

• DSM is not used to catagorize people but to catagorize disorders that people have

Treatment

• Family doctors• Mental health professionals• Community mental health centers• Private clinics and facilities• Local medical societies• State hospital outpatient clinics• Even the yellow pages can provide phone

numbers for depressed people to get help

Medication

• Medications are used to affects the neurotransmitters in your body such as seretonin.

• Many patients try to stop medication before they are ready

• Medication should be continued for 4-9 months• Sometimes antianxiety drugs are sometimes

used along with antidepressents

References

• http://www.allaboutdepression.com/spe_01.html

• Http://www.upliftprogram.com/depression_stats.html#recovery