Thursday, January 10, 2019

Thursday Thirteen

The holidays are over, and this time of year lots of folks are sad. So here are some facts about depression.

1. Depression is a whole body illness that affects a person's physical health as well as how he or she feels, thinks, and behaves towards others.  In addition, a person who suffers from this disorder may have problems eating, sleeping, working, and getting along with his/her friends.
 
2. Specifically, clinical depression is a persistent, depressed mood that is often characterized by feelings of sadness or emptiness.  People who have depression, or more formally, Major Depressive Disorder, experience at least five of the following symptoms, nearly every day, for a period of at least two weeks: Sad, low, empty, depressed mood; Loss of interest of pleasure in nearly all activities; Feelings of worthlessness, or guilt; Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions;  
Decreased energy, fatigue,and feeling "slowed down"; Changes in appetite and/orweight; Oversleeping,early-morning awakening, or insomnia; Thoughts of death,suicide, plans or attempts

3. These episodes are also accompanied by clinically significant distress, or impairment (interference) in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.  If impairment is severe, the person might lose the ability to function socially or occupationally.


4. Of the estimated 17.5 million Americans who are affected by some form of depression, 9.2million have major or clinical depression.
 
5. Two-thirds of people suffering from depression do not seek necessary treatment
 
6. 80% of all people with clinical depression who have received treatment significantly improve their lives.
 
7. The economic cost of depression is estimated at $30.4 billion a year but the cost in human suffering cannot be estimated.
 
8. Women experience depression about twice as often as men.

9. By the year 2020,the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression will be the number two cause of "lost years of healthy life" worldwide.

10. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suicide was the ninth leading cause of death in the United States in 1996. Today, suicide is the second leading cause of death in the world for those aged 15-24 years. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide.

11. Major Depression is 1.5-3.0 times more common among first-degree biological relatives of those with the disorder than among the general population.

12. In established market economies such as the United States, depression is the leading form of mental illness.


13. People with depression are five times more likely to have a breathing-related sleep disorder than non-depressed people.

If you or someone you love is having problems, talk to your doctor for guidance. They may offer you medication, send you to talk therapy, or suggest some other method of assistance.  You can also seek out resources online such as:
  • Anxiety and Depression Association of America
  • Psychology Today
  • GoodTherapy.org



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    Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 586th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

    6 comments:

    1. I have a great deal of respect for people fighting and iving with it ..Many do not realize - it is evven difficut t for them to move loving header again

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    2. Sadly, depression is the time you're most likely to hide yourself and not to seek help or not have the energy to make anything like that happen. I do feel kind of down after the holidays and start waiting for spring to lift it

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    3. Thanks, Virginia. Playing in the garden and playing with colors help me stay out of the blues these days, thank goodness.

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    4. Thank you for sharing this. I've had a life of trying to manage it, and of hearing people give terrible well-intentioned advice. There are so many people I just don't talk to about it, because I know I'm going to hear it, and it will make me feel worse about myself. Which, really, is the opposite of helpful. Depression is not just sadness, and it's a disease that can prove fatal. It's nice to read something based in the reality of the experience. Thank you.

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    5. #6 is so important! I wish there was no stigma attached to help.

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    Thank you for dropping by! I appreciate comments and love to hear from others. I appreciate your time and responses.