October is National Depression Awareness Month

Depression is a common illness, with an estimated 350 million people affected worldwide, according to World Health Organization (WHO). The Centers for Disease Control statistics indicate an estimated 1 in 10 U.S. adults report depression.

During the month of October, the nation focuses on depression to educate and raise awareness about the illness. Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad. But these feelings are usually short-lived and pass within a couple of days. When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain for both you and those who care about you. Depression is a common but serious illness.

Many people with a depressive illness never seek treatment. But the majority, even those with the most severe depression, can get better with treatment. Medications, herbal remedies like those found at hempvidaplus.com, psychotherapies, and other methods can effectively treat people with depression. Some decide to ingest it through cbd vape oil.

Most likely, depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.

Depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain. Brain-imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have shown that the brains of people who have depression look different than those of people without depression. The parts of the brain involved in mood, thinking, sleep, appetite, and behavior appear different. But these images do not reveal why the depression has occurred. They also cannot be used to diagnose depression.
People with depressive illnesses do not all experience the same symptoms. The severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms vary depending on the individual and his or her particular illness. Signs and symptoms include:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” feelings
• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Irritability, restlessness
• Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
• Fatigue and decreased energy
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
• Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
• Overeating, or appetite loss
• Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
• Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment.

Depression can be long-lasting or recurrent. It can substantially impairing an individual’s ability to function at work or school or cope with daily life. When mild, people can be treated without medicines but when depression is moderate or severe they may need medication and professional treatments. Due to the severity of depression, it can be difficult for those who suffer from the mental illness to be covered for life insurance. 45% of people who have depression that apply for income protection are denied. Thankfully there are companies similar to Special Risk Managers that may be able to help them. You can search online to learn more. Treatments for depression can be complicated or it could simple. Some people choose to use pills to help their depression while other chose CBD oil. It has been found that combating against anxiety and depression is one of the benefits of using CBD. At its most severe, depression can lead to suicide.

National Institute of Mental Illness (NAMI) suggests that the impact of depression is significant. NAMI outlines the impact as:

Higher Rates of Death
• Studies show that depression is associated with higher mortality rates in all age groups. Depression’s impact is clear in the case of suicide.
• Suicide, a risk of untreated depression, is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for 30,000 deaths each year.
Serious Complications for Chronic Disease Patients
• People who have suffered a stroke or who have heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and/or HIV/AIDS are at a much greater risk for depression than the overall population.
• Annual prevalence estimates of depression for these groups range from 10 percent to 65 percent. Depression often negatively affects the course of diseases.
• Depression can interfere with the ability of patients to follow medication and dietary regimens and has recently been linked to increased bone loss in women.
Workplace Costs of Over $34 Billion per Year in Direct and Indirect Costs
• Major depression is associated with more annual sick days and higher rates of short-term disability than other chronic diseases.
• People suffering from depression have high rates of absenteeism (in some cases, three times more sick days than non-depressed workers) and are less productive at work.
Detrimental Effects on all Family Members
• The caregiver burden associated with depression can affect workplace performance.
• Children of parents who suffer from chronic depression are more likely to have behavioral problems at school.
Associated Substance Abuse Problems
• Rates of undetected depression among drug and alcohol users are estimated to be as high as 30 percent.
The good news is depression is a disorder that can be reliably diagnosed and treated. Holzer Health System offers the Geriatric Life Management Center at the Gallipolis Medical Center, which is designed to provide inpatient care for those 55 and older suffering from mental health challenges including depression. The Center is a short-term (12-14 day) inpatient hospital stay, providing mental health assessment and treatment. We have designed our program to assist the aging adult in attaining the highest possible quality of life and well-being.

We offer a social environment and intensive therapeutic interventions under the care of a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals. The program works to improve the functional skills and independence in aging adult patients with behavioral or emotional disorders. Our goal is to safely return the person to their home or another residential setting. Individualized treatment is emphasized, as is sensitivity to the patients’ emotional needs.

The Holzer Geriatric Life Management Center team consists of:
• Psychiatrist
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
• in Mental Health
• Program Director
• Community Liaison
• Social Worker
• Nurses
• Activity Therapist

If you or a loved one is experiencing a depressed mood, extreme feelings of sadness and grief, decreased desire to be around others, difficulty taking care of personal hygiene, feelings of wanting to hurt yourself, significant weight loss, difficulty sleeping or difficulty being motivated to get up in the morning, please contact a healthcare professional to discuss treatment options.

For more information on depression, please speak to your primary care physician, visit our website at www.holzer.org, or call 1-855-4-HOLZER.