Thanks so much to Sam Chan of DMH for forwarding this most important article!
Full text at: http://nihcm.org/pdf/FINAL_MaternalDepression6-7.pdf
“Approximately 10 to 20 percent of women experience depression either during pregnancy or in the first 12 months postpartum. Maternal depression can lead to serious health risks for both the mother and infant, increasing the risk for costly complications during birth and causing long-lasting or even permanent effects on child development and well-being.
I promised some time ago that I’d post a note about how to deal with depression so here goes…
Mental Health & Depression – the general bit!
Mental Health is a much mis-understood term. Some of us will conjur up stereotypical images of ‘mad’ people – as does much of society – but it really is no different to physical health, in fact I believe the two are intrinsically linked. We talk all of the time about physical health whether it be in terms of diet, smoking or lack of exercise but there is a taboo that surrounds ‘mental health’ and so we rarely speak of it.
I believe (and I’m not alone) that mental illness is a spectral thing – a very wide spectrum! Most if us are mentally ill to a greater or lesser extent. People who procrastinate and refuse to face certain issues in life are, to a lesser extent, mentally ill. People who are overtly superstitious and let these superstitions rule their decision (and maybe their life) are mentally ill – I’ll bet that we can all relate to this, either in ourselves or in people we know but we’d never refer to them as mentally ill…think of this kind of mental illness as akin to someone who has a stubborn cold or a bad cough. At the other end of the spectrum, there are serious mental illnesses such as schitzophrenia where the individual may have little or no control over their reactions – this would be akin to a serious, maybe life threatening physical health condition. As with physical health, there are many levels in-between the two extreme examples I’ve quoted above.
Welcome to “Mental Health 101.“ In this series, we will explain some of the more common (and not-so-common) diagnoses found in our field.
Do you recognize the symptoms (either in yourself or others?) It may be time to speak to a professional.
We’ll start today with probably the most common, Dysthymic Disorder.
Dysthymia is really just a fancy clinical term for Depression. Now, there are different degrees of depression. Dysthymia generally covers the mild-to-moderate type, where life definitely is not going the way you want it to, but it’s not so bad that you’re ready to just end it all.
The Huffington Post
Posted February 23, 2010
Dr. Andrew WeilFounder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine
Posted: November 18, 2009 08:32 AM
Integrative Mental Health: A New Model For Depression Relief
The World Health Organization has predicted that by 2030, more people will be affected by depression than any other health problem. Yet of all the dysfunctions of modern medicine, the way we treat depression may be the worst.
As I outlined in “Are You Depressed, Or Just Human?” normal changes in mood are often labeled as depression, leading to an overdiagnosis of the condition. But even if the patient is truly depressed, the prescribed treatment is almost always limited to a potent pharmaceutical. In other words, a complex, multifaceted problem is frequently treated with an oversimplified, expensive therapy that, sadly, is often ineffective.
A New Twist on Mental Health: Treating Depression with a Prescription to Exercise
By Deborah O. Norris, Ph.D.Exercise may be more effective than prescription drugs in treating and controlling depression. While most health scientists agree that exercise has a positive effect on physical well-being, a new body of research is beginning to show that exercise is similarly beneficial for mental well-being. Research shows that properly prescribed exercise can positively enhance self image, elevate mood, improve the ability to cope with stress, increase energy and increase one’s feelings of well-being overall. Prescribing exercise as a therapy for treating depression is a growing area of research interest and potential.
Over 19 million people in the United States are reportedly diagnosed with depression. Many others suffer without diagnosis. The signs and symptoms of depression include loss of energy, motivation, hope and zest for life and an overall feeling of worthlessness. Prescription medication and psychotherapy are the most common forms of treatment for depression within the US. Annually, over $53 billion is spent in treating depression with prescription medications such as tricyclics, monoamine oxidase inhibitors or serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). Effects are usually not seen before six weeks of drug therapy and may be dependent upon continuing medication. Psychotherapy is another viable, yet costly, treatment option for dealing with the debilitating effects of depression, usually administered in one of several forms including psychodynamic or cognitive-behavioral, individual or group. Psychotherapy can also be a lengthy and time-consuming process.
Receiving in home caregiving services for senior citizens is an expensive endeavor, although some don’t realize that it can sometimes be less costly than moving into an assisted living center, assuming the senior is mobile and not in need of round-the-clock assistance. Receiving help in one’s own home can help the elder person being cared for be in a much happier state amongst familiar surroundings, which can sometimes extend the length of their life.
Although some of the evidence is anecdotal, after opening a fortune cookie today which said, “The joyfulness of a man prolongeth his days,” I started to wonder what empirical studies have been done over the years linking loneliness with poor health.
On Saturday 9th May 2009 we were privileged to host Ian and Dr Maarit Brooks as keynote speakers on Overcoming Depression. Maarit spoke from her experiences as a fully qualified Human Givens therapist, an approach she has practised both as a GP in Bristol and with victims of the Rwandan Genocide suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to the Human Givens approach, getting our basic emotional needs met in the right measure forms the foundation for good mental health. This challenges the widely held view that depression is a biological illness, caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, replacing it with a pschyological model that emphasises the power of the individual to overcome depression by better understanding their basic human needs. This model is based on scientific research into how the brain functions.
Welcome to another edition of “Mental Health 101″. Major Depressive Disorder is a more intense, severe form of depression than the previously mentioned Dysthymia. With major depression, one feels depressed most of the day, “nearly every day,” according to the DSM-IV (the primary diagnostic tool used in the mental health field.) The severity must last for at least 2 weeks and must be notably different (to you or others) than your normal mood.
One of the other major markers of major depression is a noticeable loss of pleasure in pretty much all activities, especially the ones that bring you the most joy (for example, spending time with your family, playing golf and so forth.)
However, much more goes into being classified as suffering from a major depressive episode, according to the DSM-IV.
Emotional Health and Essential Oils
The natural properties found in essential oils produce a soothing, uplifting effect on the mind and emotions which allow for natural stress and depression relief. When an oil containing the optimum level of therapeutic constituents is diffused or applied topically, the result fosters a sense of emotional balance and well-being.
Essential Oils for Improved Emotional Wellness
Smell is the only one of the five senses directly linked to the limbic lobe—the emotional control center—of the brain. From anxiety to depression, fatigue to stress, essential oils have long been appreciated for their uplifting, calming, and clarifying effects on emotional wellness. By diffusing essential oils or applying them topically to targeted areas of the body, therapeutic constituents reestablish balance where stress, depression, or mental discomfort has disrupted healthy emotional function. To bring yourself into a natural state of emotional balance, consider using essential oils for aromatherapy and massage therapy.
Everybody feels sad once in a while. Depression, on the other hand, is a complex condition characterized by profound sadness, lethargy, feelings of worthlessness, and a loss of interest in social activities. About 15 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with clinical depression each year.
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