Depression Blog

If you are an elderly patient of depression, and continue to take medication for two years after the first episode, then you are less likely to have a recurrence of depression, a new study has found. According to University of Pittsburgh researchers led by Dr. Charles Reynolds, of Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, monthly psychotherapy on its own could not forestall a repeat bout of the blues.



“It’s not enough to get well... What counts is staying well, and the treatments we have available help people to stay well,” he said. The findings are in the recent New England Journal of Medicine edition.



Via: Post Gazette

Clinical depression is expected to become the most expensive disease in healthcare budget in the industrialized part of the world in just next 20 years! Yes, just 20 more years to go. The problem lies in the fact that most of the people are not willing to acknowledge that they are under stress or depression, and therefore, not keen on taking professional help, according to industry representatives.

‘Psychological problems are caused due to many factors like work overload, personal loss, illness, harassment at workplace, job changes, etc. The effects of such issues range from loss of motivation and irritability to tension with colleagues and absenteeism. It is important, therefore, to cope with pressure by adopting effective time management, relaxation techniques and so on,’ said S Kalyanasundaram, director of clinical practice, PPC Worldwide, India.

Does your girl child suffer from anxiety disorders or depression? Or did grow fat after reaching adulthood and used to stay depressed during childhood? But ways, as researchers say, anxiety disorders or depression, particularly at a young age, may put women at greater risk of obesity.



Investigators followed 820 men and women from childhood through young adulthood, and found women with a history of either depression or anxiety - or, in many cases, both - tended to gain more weight over time. And when it came to depression, the earlier in life the disorder arose, the greater the weight gained.



Via: The New Zealand Herald

It is well known that woman suffer more from depression than men. But do you know, women who suffer from major depression are much more likely to have allergies than women who are not depressed? A new study of 3,032 people has found it.



But, there is no more reason for men feel relief. Though there was no evidence directly linking allergies to depression in men, the same study found that men with nervous personalities tend to have more allergy symptoms.



The same study found that men with nervous personalities tend to have more allergy symptoms, but there was no evidence directly linking allergies to depression in men. The researchers not only examined the association between depression and allergy, but also studied how personality may play a role in these two ailments...!



Via: mydna

Cognitive decline that is linked with age may get accelerated by depression Researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco reported this. That depressed seniors are more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment within six years than those who are depression-free, is found by them.



The more severe the depression, the greater the risk of the mental decline — this study appears in the March issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.

The researchers found that close to 20 percent of those with moderate to high depression at the start of the study had developed cognitive impairment after six years, compared to just over 13 percent of those who had mild depressive symptoms and 10 percent of those who had no symptoms of depression.

It seems symptoms of depression could mean more than problems with your mood! Yes, it could be a red flag for dementia. Older adults with depression were more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment within six years, according to a new study.



The greater the depression is, the more serious is the impairment. Cognitive impairment often precedes dementia, according to researchers. So, do take depression seriously, caregivers.



Via: wndu

This happens only in women, and not men. Depression and anxiety disorders in a girl child may increase her risk of obesity during adulthood!

The study, by a team of researchers led by Sarah E. Anderson, M.S., from Tufts University, was carried out on a group of 820 people - 403 women and 417 men - who were assessed four times between 1983 and 2003. The participants ranged in age from 9 to 18 years at the beginning of the study, and were 28 to 40 years old at the most recent assessment.

An experimental treatment called deep brain stimulation may help individuals with severe depressions who do not respond to standard types of treatment. This is reported by Canadian investigators.



Four of six severely depressed patients underwent deep brain stimulation. This stimulation involves surgically implanting electrodes in a targeted area of the brain thought to be involved in depression. They experienced a “striking and sustained” let-up in their depression, as investigators report in the medical journal Neuron.



Despite treatment with antidepressant medications, psychotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy, the six patients had been suffering with depression for between 1.5 to 10 years, the team informed.



Via: Pak Tribune

Nearly 18 percent of mothers displayed some symptoms of depression after the births of their children. This is revealed by a recent joint study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University and Columbia University.



The study says, depressed mothers were less likely to breast-feed, play with or read to their babies. And pediatricians could use the study results to help screen for and treat postpartum depression, the researchers said. This finding is a copyright 2006 by nbc5i.com.



Via: nbc5i

Injuries are common among AFL players. And such serious injuries are the major cause of depression for them, the league’s chief medical officer told a sport and mental health conference yesterday.

A range of issues associated with recovering from a serious injury can be of concern to a player, according to Dr Harry Unglik, who helped former North Melbourne and Sydney player Wayne Schwass through depression.

“We don’t know how prevalent it is, but, anecdotally, when players get serious injuries - knee reconstructions, shoulder reconstructions, fractures to major bones - and they are going to be out for a long time, first of all they get a bit isolated, they train a bit on their own, they are not part of the group and you can just tell’ From Chemistry to Communities”, Unglik said at Monash University’s Sport and Mental Health conference.

Via: The Age