| Depression can be a fatal illness in the | | | | Men often deal with depression by withdrawing |
| elderly. | | | | from others and throwing themselves into |
| | | | their work, engaging in risky or dangerous |
| Depression is a chronic disease with a very | | | | behavior, and/or becoming angry, frustrated |
| high likelihood of recurrence. Long term | | | | and abusive. |
| treatment may be necessary for your older | | | | |
| parent. Efficacious treatments are available. | | | | Less severe forms of depression are also |
| | | | common among the elderly and can be as |
| Major depression strikes about 1 in 12 | | | | debilitating as Major Depressive Disorder. |
| adolescents. In any given 6-month period, | | | | |
| about 5 percent of 9- to 17-year-olds are | | | | Mild levels of depression can also impair |
| estimated to be suffering from major | | | | functioning and coping with chronic illnesses |
| depression. | | | | and pain. Depression, however, is not a |
| | | | normal part of aging. |
| Six million elderly suffer from some form of | | | | |
| depression. Their depression tends to be | | | | Research findings indicate that women with |
| dismissed as inevitable, but in fact is a | | | | bipolar disorder may have more depressive |
| serious medical condition that can magnify | | | | episodes and more mixed episodes than do men |
| disability and lead to premature death. | | | | with the illness. |
| | | | |
| Clinical depression can often accompany | | | | As many as 80 percent of women experience the |
| long-term illnesses that are common in later | | | | "postpartum blues," a brief period of mood |
| life, such as diabetes, cancer, and | | | | symptoms that is considered normal following |
| arthritis. Some medications can also trigger | | | | childbirth. |
| clinical depression. Depression is also a | | | | |
| common consequence of alcohol problems among | | | | According to the American Academy of Child |
| older adults. | | | | and Adolescent Psychiatry, up to one-third of |
| | | | the 3.4 million children and adolescents with |
| The number of deaths from suicide each year | | | | depression in the United States may actually |
| is greater than the number of deaths from | | | | be experiencing the early onset of bipolar |
| Homicide. Depression is not sadness. In | | | | disorder. |
| depression, we lose the ability to feel any | | | | |
| emotion strongly.The true opposite of | | | | Mental illnesses strike individuals in the |
| depression is vitality the ability to feel a | | | | prime of their lives, often during |
| full range of emotions, including happiness, | | | | adolescence and young adulthood. All ages are |
| joy, pride, but also including sadness and | | | | susceptible, but the young and the old are |
| grief. | | | | especially vulnerable. |
| | | | |
| Major depression is extreme and persistent | | | | Depression can lead to poor school attendance |
| and can interfere significantly with an | | | | and performance, running away, and feelings |
| individual's ability to function, in contrast | | | | of worthlessness and hopelessness. Some teens |
| to the normal emotional experiences of | | | | try to make the pain of depression go away by |
| sadness, grief, loss, or passing mood states. | | | | drinking or taking drugs, which only makes |
| | | | the depression worse. Still others |
| Almost 20 percent of Americans have some form | | | | contemplate suicide. |
| of depression, most without knowing it. They | | | | |
| just assume that they can't win, that their | | | | All too often, depression is left untreated |
| relationships are always trouble and that | | | | because people fail to recognize the symptoms |
| hopelessness, insomnia, chronic fatigue, and | | | | and believe that it is just normal sadness, a |
| guilt are their lot in life. | | | | phase that a teen is going through, or a sign |
| | | | of weakness. This can be a terrible mistake. |
| In the elderly population, men are nearly six | | | | It is important to know the symptoms, so that |
| times more likely than women to commit | | | | you can distinguish depression from |
| suicide. | | | | occasional normal sadness or moodiness. |
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