Depression: October 11, National Screening Day

**AJE** · 10-11-2007, 07:18 AM

October 11 is National Depression Screening Day. Time to take action.

Depression is a common illness affecting an estimated 16% of Americans.

Raising awareness about depression within the workplace and our communities is an important first step. While the prevalence and cost of depression are high, it is the most treatable of any mental health diagnosis. More than 80% of depressed people who seek treatment find relief.

Untreated, depression has far-reaching implications for all of us. Medical costs for those experiencing depression average twice those who are not depressed. In addition to personal hardship, depression costs U.S. employers tens of billions of dollars annually, in diminished productivity.

Despite the high treatment success rate for depression, up to 2/3 of those experiencing depression never reach out for help. We can make a difference through communication and education.

Mental Health America of Wisconsin

Painting is Van Gogh "Depression"

**AJE** · 10-11-2007, 08:04 AM

The recent headline shootings up in Crandon and Virginia Tech was probably a result to depression. They just snapped.

We seek to cope by any means possible, drugs, illusive behavior, violence, isolation whatever it takes...what we don't take a moment to realize is that we also bring down those around us and the longer we wait the ramifications will be unfortunately harder to deal with. Do seek help! The first step is always the hardest, but trust me it will get better.

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Here in Oshkosh not to long ago a young handsome 20 year old from a wealthy family took his life as a result of depression. Here is the sad story of Alex.

Alex never had a worry about his life, his family had money, and he had a million friends, a stable job. When I mitt the man at my work place he was always so vivacious with such positive energy to radiate to everyone. Not once did I realize that he was in such turmoil. If only I knew I would have been up front and honest with the man about my own battle with Depression. But Alex masked his conscious very well.

In the days preceding his suicide, he was beat up by some very jealous individuals. Why because the ex-girlfriend of one of the envious men was interested in Alex. A hospital visit was the result of this act. Alex desperately sought help from his closest friends but they were too busy with their own lives to respond immediately, or that is until it was too late.

The young man chugged down a 12 pack, before he floored the gas on a backcountry road here in Winnebago County. Nobody knows the speed he was going but he literally wrapped the sedan around a tree. He was a John Doe until the dental records gave his identity.

This scenario of suicide as a result of depression is quite common, almost 25 years ago I too recall a similar account of a Valders High Teen taking his life down a backcountry road in Manitowoc County. The tree is still there today baring the awful scars of the accident but at least it lived to tell the story.

**CarolsCritterCare** · 10-11-2007, 08:40 AM

Unfortunately, many fail to recognize the illness and get the treatment that would alleviate their suffering. They or their loved ones fail to notice a pattern and instead may attribute the physical symptoms to "the flu," the sleeping and eating problems to "stress," and the emotional problems to lack of sleep or improper eating.

**AJE** · 10-11-2007, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolsCritterCare

Unfortunately, many fail to recognize the illness and get the treatment that would alleviate their suffering. They or their loved ones fail to notice a pattern and instead may attribute the physical symptoms to "the flu," the sleeping and eating problems to "stress," and the emotional problems to lack of sleep or improper eating.

Most depression is actually the result of a chemical imbalance; mine just seemed to disappear after I went on Zoloft 50mg for years. Today, I feel great but I have kept the pills on hand...but hopefully a relapse won't happen.

**CarolsCritterCare** · 10-11-2007, 10:52 AM

Did anyone catch Oprah a few weeks ago when she did her show on depression/bi-polar?

She had Maurice Benard (Sonny from GH) on and he talked about his battle with bi-polar and how they even wrote it into his story line at one point. His wife contacted the producers at one point and said they had to stop because it was affecting him outside of work and he was slipping.....

Quote:

Bipolar disorder, once known as manic depression, affects 2.3 million Americans. Men and women are equally likely to develop it. Its sufferers endure cycles of devastating lows and euphoric and compulsive highs. People with bipolar disorder have three times the alcohol and drug abuse rate as the rest of the population. The mania, or the highs, can lead to destructive, extreme and reckless behavior including violence, aggression, compulsive shopping and/or sexual promiscuity. The irrational highs are followed by periods of deep, paralyzing depression. Many bipolar people commit suicide—20 percent end up dying by their own hands.

pk · 10-11-2007, 10:17 PM

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Quote:

Did anyone catch Oprah a few weeks ago when she did her show on depression/bi-polar?

I wonder if that was one of her reruns? I remember watching a show with Maurice Benard and his wife and they were discussing this, but it was quite some time ago. Unless she did another show with him before?

Anyways, it was an intersting program where he was very candid about his problems and discussed alot of the many issues he has had in his life.

**CarolsCritterCare** · 10-12-2007, 07:28 AM

I dont know if it was a rerun or not. First time I ever saw it. If she had him on before I was not "into" GH until the weeks before the Metrocourt Blow up......when I had 30 baby coons on bottles and wanted to watch something on TV....LOL. Now I'm hooked!