About 20 percent of Americans, older than 65, are having clinical depression. 6 percent of them are at pinpoint criteria. According to the National Mental Health Association, old age depression can be prevented, with the help from friends and family. NMHA suggests some ways to improve older people’s mental health status: 1) Be active 2) Keep fit your body and mind with help of some exercises 3) Learn a new skill such as gardening, bird watching or dancing 4) Visit a new destination 5) Don’t be too active 6) Get frequent naps 7) Be social
Americans
TagSuicides among young Americans see an exponential rise, says report
In a sharp contrast to the suicide rates among U.S. teens during 1990-2003, where they fell by 28% have risen by 76% from 2003 to 2004. As per a report, this has been the biggest jump in suicides in the last fifteen years. Today, most of the suicides are done by hanging and guns are used exceptionally. The age group of 10-14 has witnessed the maximum number of suicides. It is important to mention here that suicide ranks as the eleventh major cause of deaths in U.S. It has risen to the third position for deaths among young Americans. The study also pointed towards trend reversal in methods of suicide. Hanging and suffocation has replaced guns as a method. Dr. Ileana Arias, director of the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control said, In surveillance speak, this is a dramatic and huge increase. It is possible that hanging and suffocation is more easily available than other methods, especially for these other groups. Suicide is a multidimensional and complex problem. As much as we’d like to attribute suicide to a single source so we can fix it, unfortunately we can’t do that. Dr. Keri Lubell, a CDC behavioral scientist who was a part of the study pointed, ‘While we can’t say (hanging) is a trend yet, we are confident that’s an unusually high number in 2004.’ The study doesn’t explain the reason why hanging has become the most popular method but it notes that it is the most accessible method indeed. The report advises counselors, suicide prevention programs to focus on girls between 10 to 19 and boys of age between 15-19 years of age. Also, the programs should focus on all the methods of suicide. It may be accredited to the decline in use of anti depressants after they were speculated to increase suicidal behavior after a certain stage. However, it is important to note that the underlying factors for suicide and such behavior should be treated first, only then the death rates will see a decline. Source: CBS13 Image credit: Depressionblog
Bipolar depression has increased 40 folds among young Americans, says report
As per a new study, the teenagers and adults of America, suffering from bipolar disorder have increased in number as compared to the past. Bipolar disorder which is basically a psyche illness is basically characterized by depression and elevated moods for some period. The study was done by Dr. Mark Olfson of Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute. He and his colleagues compared the figures between 1994-1995 and 2002-2003 with respect to one group involving individuals aged 19 and younger, the other comprising of adults aged 30 and above. The statistics reveal that the increase has been manifold. In the younger group, a forty fold increase has been registered. Thankfully, the increase in the older group is just two fold. Also, the reports revealed that the majority of people when found suffering with the disorder are prescribed mood stabilizers, antipsychotic and antidepressants. One basic reason is being speculated for such a ‘gigantic’ increase is the disease is its non-diagnose in children The researchers warn that there is an urgent need of studying the disease to its roots and also making the necessary alterations in the related medicines. It notes, ‘Without independent systematic diagnostic assessments, we cannot confidently select between these competing hypotheses. There is an urgent need.’ Source: Reuters Image credit: Newcastle