Depression Blog

Most of the burn patients even after undergoing reconstruction surgery go deeper and deeper into the bog of depression. I think this is quite obvious for a patient whose physical condition turns out incondite after passing through this incident, which is normally not less than an incubus.

However, I would still call this study quite significant as it once again impels us to rethink that how important mental healing is for such patients whose life turns out to be quite horrible. Therefore, I think that special attention should be given for bringing out these burn patients from the bog of depression otherwise; their lives would take no time in turning into a nightmare.

Giving way to the same idea lead author of this study Bret Thombs says, ‘The finding may not be surprising, but it may be a valuable tool that could spur burn centers to devote more resources to mental healing.’

Image credit: Films

Via: Earth Times

If there is really a link between chronic headache and depression, then it is really an appalling disclosure because all of us know that in the recent years depression cases have accrued startlingly.

However, another revelation, which states that chronic headache is more prevalent in women who pass through the dastardly phase of childhood abuse and sexual abuse is quite significant.

But repeatedly a question peeps out that why this study is tongue-tied about men. Is this equation applicable only for women not for men? If the answer is ‘yes’, then what is the reason behind this is?

Don’t you think it should be out?

Image credit: Find Rx Online

Via: Reuters

If you are getting regular nightmares, then there are chances that you may probably try to commit suicide some day in your life; a new study by the Swedish researchers has uncovered this fact. The patients under study tried to commit suicide and 89 percent of them were found suffering from sleeping disorders, including staying asleep, nightmares, and early morning awakening.

This study is quite significant, especially for countries like United States where a big number of people are suffering from sleeping disorders and if seen in the light of this study then saying that more people are vulnerable to suicide attempt in the U.S., would not be wrong. Moreover, this study seems somewhat more plausible because as we know that sleeping disorders normally lead to several psychological problems, among which depression is most common, that sometimes brings a person in such a stage where he finds himself in a grim situation and even thinks of committing suicide. However, we should not forget that this study has a didactic value as it proves that sleeping disorders may impel us to commit suicide therefore, just at the knock of such sleeping disorders we should consult psychiatrists so that situation which bring us to a suicidal stage may be obviated.

Image credit: Southern Hills

Via: Health Scout

Women are more vulnerable to depression than men if they indulge in heavy alcohol drinking; a new study by the researchers brings this fact to the light after studying about 6,009 men and about 8,054 women along with their history of depression. However, the same study further states that moderate drinking is not harmful for either of the sexes but does contain several health benefits.

Actually, this is not the first study that has tried to fuse alcohol consumption with depression. However, we cannot deny the fact that this study has tried to press on an important but neglected issue once again that heavy consumption of alcohol may pave way to depression, which is fast becoming a common problem these days and giving way to several other physical as well as psychological problems.

Image credit: Net Doctor

Via: DNA India

If you find symptoms of post-traumatic stress, which include a tendency to startle at loud noises, nightmares and flashbacks then your chances of suffering from heart attacks and fatal coronary heart disease are quite higher. For the first time, a study has come out linking post-traumatic stress with heart health and coming out with such conclusion researchers tracked several people and found that a big percentage of people with post-traumatic stress symptoms developed heart diseases and among those diseases most prominent was fatal coronary disease.

This study is quite significant because this is first study of its kind, which uncovers the link between heart health and post-traumatic stress. If we say that these symptoms provide us with an opportunity to take strong measures to prevent heart diseases then it would also not be wrong to say so.

Moreover, now we can approach P.T.S.D. in a whole new way, paying more emphasis on psychological and other treatments required to dilute the effect of trauma or other events in patients.

Image credit: Advance-counseling-denver-boulder

Via: NY Times

Kids who are physically abused and neglected in their childhood, there chances of being engulfed by depression are 59 percent higher, a new study reflects.

This reflection is really appalling because we all know that the trend of physical abuse against kids is constantly mounting all round the world, which include both physical as well as mental torture. At the same time we must not forget that depression is also becoming deep-rooted not only among adults but among small kids as well. In addition, if we look at the whole scenario in the light of this report, then saying that this much of rise in depression cases among kids can be attributed to such kinds of abuse would also not be an irrational notion.

Therefore, strong measures should be taken to nip the evil in the bud so that some hidden black sheep may not turn children lives into hell, making them prone to depression.

Image credit: Gibr Altar

Via: Scotsman

If you wish to bring down your stress level, then you simply have to hold hand of your spouse. Yea, hand, because a new study by the psychology experts from the University of Virginia has cleared out the fact that handholding of life partner provides our brain with soothing sense. To get this fact precisely, psychologists scanned the wives’ brains with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Whether handholding has similar effect on husbands’ brain is still not clear, since this study was focused just on wives’ brain. Therefore, we cannot deny that this study is lop-sided or incomplete. However, we shall have to accept that this study has brought before us a very significant fact, which vindicates that directly as well as indirectly company of a life partner plays a significant role in our life.

So, still it would be adequate to say that at least, wives can hold their husbands’ hand whenever they find themselves stressed.

Image credit: Photo Bucket

Via: Fox News

- In UK, depression rate is at its peak this time.

- One in four people is suffering mental ill health.

-Every 14 minutes, someone in the UK kills him or herself, and depression is one of the main causes behind these suicides.

These facts clearly prove that the numbers of people clutched by depression are increasing in the UK. Yes, this harsh reality is holding up its head and we’ll have to face it. However, it is important to note here that UK is not the only country inflicted with depression syndrome but many other countries too have shown similar results and here defining depression as a pandemic would be right to some extent. Don’t you think so? Now the question arises what can be those reason that have been responsible for soaring the depression figures in UK. Apparently, there are multiple reasons responsible for this constant rise.

Chiefly I would like to hold lifestyle responsible because it compels a person all alone in most of the cases. Secondly, obesity can also be one of the nourishing causes as several studies have made it clear that obesity higher ups the chances of depression. In addition, factors like hike in divorce cases in the recent years may also have been playing a major role in exacerbating the situation. And if we say that along with parents, children are also made to bear the situation that stir the chances of depression.

One more reason that I see responsible for mounting depression cases is that doctors treating these depressed people are not paying as much heed as they actually require. In the last few years, we’ve seen a boom in antidepressant drugs in the market, as a result, patients as well as doctors that treat depressed patients are simply prescribing these antidepressant drugs. But I don’t understand why these doctors as well as depressed patients forget that antidepressant drugs could be used just for short term use only. Moreover, long-term use of these antidepressant drugs may give way to serious health related problems as well. We must not forget that ultimate solution of depression could be carved out just by counseling.

I appreciate the views expressed by Summer B., Kingston, PA, USA, which clearly show how disastrous consequences can spring out by using antidepressant drugs for a long time. He says:

Seroxat (Paxil here in the states) did me more harm than good. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is what finally did the trick and saved me. Antidepressant medications are NOT meant for long term therapy, and are no substitute for actually dealing with the root of the depression/anxiety/panic. Developing coping strategies can improve your life indefinitely; taking a drug can only improve it temporarily.

I think it’s very important to begin making the public aware of the huge medical issues such as antidepressant withdrawal (or, as the pharmaceutical industry likes to disguise it, “Discontinuation Syndrome”). Therapy does NOT have any type of discontinutation effects, but now that I’m withdrawing from Paxil (over an eight month period, no less), I’m getting those famous “zaps”, headaches, nausea, racing heart, palpitations, fatigue, sleepiness, depression (and I never had depression before Paxil), shakiness, and dizziness (just to name a few!)

Meds should be a last resort.

At last, I would just say that ultimate solution to kick away depression could be obtained just by training mind to be fit and that could be done just by counseling.

Via: Daily Mail

Using antidepressant drugs may help adults above the age of 25 in reducing their stress level while it may pose serious threat to the adults under the age of 25. A long awaited analysis has unmasked this finding after going through a deep study. Before coming out with this finding researchers tried to find out the impact of these antidepressant drugs both on adults above the age of 25 as well as on the adults under the age of 25 and concluded that using antidepressant drugs higher up the chances of young adults committing suicide.

However, there are many psychiatrists who see this new finding with suspicion and assert that they have been in this profession for the last many years and didn’t noticed any such relation between antidepressant drugs and suicide tendency. The study raises many doubts. Moreover, it can also be the reason behind some doctors’ opposition that they are scared of losing their patients and if they say in favor of this study then it would be just like quarreling with their tools.

Blaming antidepressant drugs utterly for this rise in suicide cases among adults under the age of 25 would be lop-sided convictions because psychologically it is proved that adults in younger age are more likely to take risks thus quite often end their lives. Another conclusion that looms out of this study clearly indicates that patients under placebo treatment have shown no such trend, so the research remains open ended still and it would be too early to conclude right now about it. Therefore, I think researchers should yet move on with their study so that evidences that are more concrete could be obtained to defend these newly emerged findings more effectively.

Image credit: Tourettes-disorder

Via: NY Times

If you don’t like eating food any more, as you used to do earlier, and are loosing your sense of taste, it is quite likely that depression has started sprouting out within you. The latest study further uncovers the fact that mood-enhancing chemicals serotonin and noradrenaline are linked to our sense of taste. During the course of study, researchers found that whereas, decline in the levels of these chemicals blunted the taste while boosting the level of these chemicals improved the sense of taste.

Through this study, one thing clearly looms out that if your sense of taste is melting down, levels of chemicals like serotonin and noradrenaline are falling drastically, means you are heading to embrace depression. So, take this as a signal of depression and consult your doctor immediately.

Via: Daily Mail