Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Nov 02, 2008
Famous personalities who have struggled against depression include Winston Churchill, Princess Diana, Jim Carrey, Leo Tolstoy, Harrison Ford and Boris Yeltsin.
All exhibited similar traits. They were intelligent, articulate individuals, raised in ‘normal’ families and benefiting from the love and support of those around them. None were reclusive hermits, many held firm religious convictions, yet they all still suffered from the seriousness of clinical depression.
Just consider the suffering of Princess Diana, for example. Despite the fact that she cried out her troubles out loud on our television screens and in our daily newspapers, did anyone really listen? Despite the fact that she desperately wanted others to love her – as evidenced by her immense charity work around the world – her depression manifested itself in many ways, including bulimia.
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Nov 02, 2008
In today’s competitive society there has been an increasing incidence of what is termed Existential Depression in school-children – something which can lead to thoughts of suicide.
Existential Depression is particularly common among gifted children. The most common reasons given for such children wanting to end their lives were: feelings of personal worthlessness, feelings of isolation and loneliness, pressure to achieve, and fear of failure. The most common time for teens to commit suicide is the 'after-school' period but many teens mask their feelings for fear of ridicule amongst their peers.
What depressive symptoms and disorders are linked to adolescent suicide?
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Nov 02, 2008
A drug to stop smoking linked to depression and suicide
Champix, a wonder drug prescribed to nearly 400,000 people in the UK to help them give up nicotine has been linked to severe depression and suicidal thoughts. Launched two years ago, scientists and researchers claimed Champix (known clinically as Varenicline) was more effective than alternative therapies in helping people give up smoking. Across the world, nine million people are said to use the drug which mimics the effects of nicotine to help reduce the desire to smoke and aids nicotine withdrawal. However, stories are now emerging in the media about people who are taking the drug suffering with depression while some people are attempting to take their own life, and succeeding.
In Britain alone, 3,000 people have complained about the drug’s effects with nearly 300 reporting suicidal thoughts. Ten people taking the drug have killed themselves.
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Nov 02, 2008
Diagnosis of depression in physical illness
There is no doubt that clinical depression is a painful and debilitating condition that often occurs in association with severe physical illness, but how to diagnose it in these circumstances?
The biological symptoms of depression include anorexia, weight loss, sleep disturbance, lethargy and psychomotor retardation; however, all of these may equally be due to the physical illness. A useful guide is the three main symptoms that help to differentiate depression from non-depression in medical patients: depressed mood, morning depression and hopelessness.
Posted by: Uticopa in depression on
Oct 31, 2008
You can't pick up a newspaper, switch on the TV or radio, or even go online without hearing or seeing more bad news about the credit crunch. Thousands of people are losing jobs, and many more are bogged down in debts they are finding it hard to pay off. After years of banks and financial institutions throwing money at us, we are finally paying the price. And it is making a lot of us very unhappy.
Only yesterday, a new thread was started on our forum discussing the difficulties people are coping with unemployment and mounting debts in this time of crisis. The worries and stresses of not having a job or being unable to pay bills can quickly lead to depression and other mental health problems. With no end in sight for this period of recession, are we in danger of becoming a nations of depressives?
I certainly hope not, and the whole purpose of this website is to help people all over the UK who are dealing with issues that effect their mental health. If you are having difficulty coping with financial problems or job loss, there is help available. It is easy to let pride take over and try to shoulder all of your burden alone, but this is very unhealthy in the long term. Discussing your situation with friends and family can help but, as much as they care for you, they also have their own interests at heart. Sometimes it is more effective to speak to an unbiased and objective person who is prepared to listen to your problems and help you through them with no agenda of their own. If you feel you would benefit from discussing your worries with someone like this, we can help you to find a therapist in your local area.
In a
ground-breaking legal case in the UK, a judge has ruled that a mother should not stand trial for the attempted murder of her baby, as the woman was suffering from severe post-natal depression at the time of the incident.
The mother of four had suffered from post-natal depression after the birth of each of her children, with the condition becoming steadily worse each time. After the birth of her fourth child, she had become so ill that she threw the six-week-old baby from a first floor hospital window.
On Monday, a judge decided that the mother had been too ill to realise what she was doing. This is an important case that shows how serious a problem post-natal depression can become.
Many mothers find it difficult to cope with the birth of a child, and the hard work and sleepless nights that follow. But post -natal depression is a serious mental illness, and one in ten mothers in the UK are affected by this condition to some degree. In some cases it has been classed as a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. But for many years the condition has been called the ‘baby blues' and been dismissed as a symptom of tiredness or a difficulty adjusting to the new responsibilities of parenthood.
Sarah Harding, singer with the pop group Girls Aloud, has spoken out this week against rumours that she is suffering from an eating disorder. The rumours were triggered by photographs of the singer's slim frame, but Harding insists that she "eats like a horse".
This is just the latest in a long line of rumours - some true, some false - about women in the public eye having eating disorders. Perhaps most famously, and certainly most tragically, was the case of singer Karen Carpenter who, after years of denying she suffered from Anorexia Nervosa, died in 1983 from a heart attack brought about by the condition. She was only 32. At the time of her death, she weighed just an astonishing 49Kg.
Pop stars, actresses, and other women in the public eye are admired as role models by young girls. They often want to emulate them in many ways, and while the celebrities themselves may be eating healthily, their slim figures can often lead young girls to take drastic measures to achieve the same look.
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Oct 05, 2008
Recognise the signs
As we get older, the difficult changes that many face - such as the death of a spouse or medical problems - can lead to depression, especially in those without a strong support system. But depression is not a normal or necessary part of ageing. In fact, most older people are satisfied with their lives despite the challenges of growing old.
Left alone, depression not only prevents older adults from enjoying life as they should, it also takes a heavy toll on health. But if you learn how to spot the signs of depression and find effective ways to help, you or your loved ones can remain happy and vibrant throughout the golden years.
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Oct 05, 2008
Recent television programs on BBC1 have highlighted the many traumas involving abortion, but especially those involving teenagers. Abortion-victim teenagers, are especially vulnerable because they are at a critical developmental period of their life. Even though teens are likely to be most deeply affected by abortions, they are also likely to be the least expressive about their doubts and pains. Instead of being encouraged to accept the consequences of their choices, and to mature through the responsibilities of parenthood, they are encouraged to progress their life through infantile destruction.
There is a myth that Post-Abortion Stress Syndrome or PASS does not really exist. Some people say "It is a myth made up by pro-lifers in an attempt to scare women, and to help in their fight to make abortion illegal". Yet, any woman who's experienced PASS doesn't need anyone to convince them it's real. Even though much of the mainstream world still does not acknowledge the existence of PASS, let us not forget that abortion itself has only been legal and widely-practised for twenty-odd years.
PASS is a term that describes the emotional and psychological consequences of abortion. To cope with the emotional pain that accompanies abortion, a woman often develops a set of defence mechanisms to justify her decision. They may include:
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Oct 05, 2008
Someone once said that the way to differentiate between great sadness and depression is that sadness relates to ‘real’ events, whereby depression is an overwhelming pressure pushing down on the top of your head. There is no doubt, however, that identifying depression in a loved one can be challenging because your loved one may not even be willing to acknowledge his or her symptoms of depression. It's important to recognise the early warning signs because this can lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment, with a greater chance of success. Once a person has sunk into a deep depression, suicidal thoughts may be more evident and it can be a lot harder effectively to treat the depression.
What changes should we look out for?
Some changes can be subtle but others will more clearly indicate your loved one has depression. Energy levels are a good indicator. These can change markedly when depression is present. Your loved one may be highly excitable and restless or may be quiet and sluggish.
