October 6, 2003
Hello! In June, CNN brought a face of depression to those who may not follow the happenings on MTV: "(CNN) -- Right after graduating
college, aspiring actress Cara Kahn was already known on MTV's 'Real
World Chicago' -- as the young woman diagnosed with depression.
'I actually started feeling symptoms of depression pretty young,
the sleepiness, the anxiety, difficulty concentrating, crying spells,'
she says....In addition to the symptoms Kahn experienced, major
depression can also cause anxiety, fatigue, feelings of guilt or
chronic body aches not explained by another physical condition,
according to the NIMH....'When it was revealed on the 'Real World'
that I in fact suffer from depression and take medication to treat
it every day, all the feelings of depression [and] the stigma, kind
of came flooding back and I was pretty embarrassed....I started
getting fan letters from people across the country saying that they
too suffer from depression. So, I wrote back to these people and
would sort say, depression is nothing to be embarrassed about....as
I'm writing all these things. I started to convince myself and realize
that ... I have nothing to be embarrassed about. Depression is a
real disease.'" "Depression is a real disease." "Since the turn of this century,
thanks in large measure to research-based public health innovations,
the lifespan of the average American has nearly doubled. Today,
our Nation‚s physical health˜as a whole˜has never been better....Yet,
despite unprecedented knowledge gained in just the past three decades
about the brain and human behavior, mental health is often an afterthought
and illnesses of the mind remain shrouded in fear and misunderstanding." "[I]llnesses of the mind remain shrouded in fear and misunderstanding." "...[N]ot everyone recognizes depression
when it happens to someone they know. And some people have incorrect
ideas about what it means to be depressed. People who don't understand
may react to the depressed person's low energy with criticism, scolding
them for acting lazy or not trying. Some people mistakenly believe
that depression is simply an attitude a person can change or a mood
they can shake. It's not that easy. Many people just don't
realize that depression can cause so many problems or so much pain.
Sometimes even people who are depressed don't take their condition
seriously enough. Some people have the mistaken belief that depression
comes from weakness or is a character flaw. This myth causes some
people to hide their depression. Feeling embarrassed, they may avoid
getting help." "Feeling embarrassed, they may
avoid getting help." "The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the results from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)...In the study there were very clear similarities in the perceived unmet need for mental health treatment amongst those individuals that are receiving general mental health services and those with Serious Mental Illness (SMI). In fact the five most reported reasons for both groups were:
Seeking help "Might cause neighbors/community to have negative opinion..." "The future of our
country depends on the mental health and strength of our young people.
However, many children have mental health problems that interfere
with normal development and functioning. A 1999 study estimated
that almost 21 percent of U.S. children ages 9 to 17 had a diagnosable
mental or addictive disorder that caused at least some impairment.
When diagnostic criteria were limited to significant functional
impairment, the estimate dropped to 11 percent. Moreover, in any
given year, it is estimated that fewer than one in five of these
youth receives needed treatment." "[I]t is estimated that fewer than one in five of these youth receives needed treatment." Questions of the Week: Please email me with any ideas or suggestions. Please email me with any ideas or suggestions. I look forward to reading what you have to say. Cindy |
|||
