認識 Depression

The Employee Assistance Program and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital bring you the Health Tip of the Week

MAJOR DEPRESSION IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DISABILITY IN THE UNITED STATES.

Approximately 18.8 million American adults have a depressive disorder in a given year.

Studies show that at any one time between 10 and 15 percent of the child and adolescent population has some symptoms of depression. Of the nearly 35 million Americans age 65 and older, an estimated two million have a depressive illness and another five million may have subsyndromal depression (symptoms that fall short of meeting full criteria for a disorder).

Child/Adolescent

Children who first become depressed before puberty are at risk for some form of mental disorder in adulthood. Teenagers who first become depressed after puberty are most likely to experience another episode of depression.

* Most children with depression experience a recurrence. 20 to 40 percent of depressed children relapse within two years and 70 percent will do so by adulthood. Suicides among young people have increased dramatically in recent years. It is the third leading cause of death for 15- to 24- year-olds and the sixth leading cause of death for 5- to 14-year-olds.

* A major depressive episode lasts on average from seven to nine months and has many clinical features similar to those in adults such as irritability, indecision, and lack of motivation.

* Many of the symptoms of suicidal feelings are similar to those of depression. Parents need to be aware of: change in eating/sleeping habits, withdrawal, drug/alcohol use, personality change, loss of interest, complaints about physical symptoms related to emotions, and violent actions.

Adult

Stress has been identified as the single biggest contributor to depression. Depression can range from normal grief and adjustment phases to major depression.

*Depression and depressive illnesses occur when chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin become unbalanced/disrupted. A person with depression does not think like a healthy person.

* Some of the core symptoms of depression such as changes in appetite and sleep patterns are related to the functions of the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is closely tied to the function of the pituitary gland. Abnormalities of pituitary function such as increased rates of circulating cortisol and hypo/hyperthyroidism are well established features of depression in adults.

* The most common symptoms of adult depression include: pessimism, helplessness, guilt, loss of interest, persistent sad/anxious/empty mood and a general feeling of “down” for weeks.

ElderlyDepression is one of the most common conditions associated with suicide in older adults. Several studies have found that up to 75 percent of older adults who die by suicide have visited a primary care physician for depression within a month of their death.

* Depressive symptoms are not a normal part of aging. Subsyndromal depression is common among older persons and is associated with an increased risk of developing major depression.

* Depression often co-occurs with other serious illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and Parkinson

(感謝瑞洪師姐轉寄此文章)