Men and Depression
Depression is a serious medical condition that affects the body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way one eats and sleeps. It affects how one thinks about things, and one's self perception. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition one can will or wish away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely pull themselves together and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. However, appropriate treatment, often involving medication and/or short term psychotherapy, can help most people who suffer from depression.
Depression can strike anyone regardless of age, ethnic background, socioeconomic status, or gender; however, large scale research studies have found that depression is about twice as common in women as in men. In the United States, researchers estimate that in any given one year period, depressive illnesses affect 12 percent of women (more than 12 million women) and nearly 7 percent of men (more than six million men).3 But important questions remain to be answered about the causes underlying this gender difference. We still do not know if depression is truly less common among men, or if men are just less likely than women to recognize, acknowledge, and seek help for depression.
In focus groups conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to assess depression awareness, men described their own symptoms of depression without realizing that they were depressed. Notably, many were unaware that physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain, can be associated with depression. In addition, men were concerned that seeing a mental health professional or going to a mental health clinic would have a negative impact at work if their employer or colleagues found out. They feared that being labeled with a diagnosis of mental illness would cost them the respect of their family and friends, or their standing in the community.
Over the past 20 years, biomedical research, including genetics and neuroimaging, has helped to shed light on depression and other mental disordersincreasing our understanding of the brain, how its biochemistry can go awry, and how to alleviate the suffering caused by mental illness. Brain imaging technologies are now allowing scientists to see how effective treatment with medication or psychotherapy is reflected in changes in brain activity.4 As research continues to reveal that depressive disorders are real and treatable, and no greater a sign of weakness than cancer or any other serious illness, more and more men with depression may feel empowered to seek treatment and find improved quality of life.
"Antidepressant drugs are not habit-forming, however, as is the case with any type of medication prescribed for more than a few days, antidepressants have to be carefully monitored to see if the correct dosage is being given."
Darkness rolls in
Wicked and Lazy posted a photo:
Oh hurricane, what you gonna do to us this time?
I don't wanna run,
I've been here since I was young
Whoa this city day could be gone within the hour.
oh hurricane
Is it something we gotta get used to?
HURRICANE by Athlete: www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1P81hLrjd4
im loooooving this weather... <3
the only thing that can make me happy these days are those same dark clouds that everyone dreads. I love the rain and i love the numbing feeling that comes with the cold air.
lately ive noticed that im not myself. i cant stay up... literally. i fall asleep without knowing. and it freaked me out. its like i couldnt control it. it was so bad... SO bad to the point that somedays id go to school without studying or having any of my work complete, because i simply fell asleep.
everyone thought i was just being lazy, and theyd think it was a joke when i told them, "no i didnt do the homework, sorry you cant copy, sorry i cant help you, why? oh well i just kinda fell asleep doing it last night."
and even when ii DO study, its as if i didnt. i forget concepts, i get confused easily (for some reason) and i cant concentrate. THAT annoyed me because i started to think i was actually dumb... stupid.. i doubted my intelligence.. (you could say i was depressed... who am i kidding? i WAS depressed. and i wasnt myself. i hardly talked, i didnt eat, and i gave up easily. i was sooo down!
no one believed me when i said something was wrong with me. they all said, no ur just being lazy. im lazy but not like this. not to the point where i cant NOT sleep. its like i couldnt resist it. couch, bed, anything soft and comfy will put me to sleep (dont even get me started about school.. yes i actually slept in school! =$ i think thats when it started, but i was too stupid to notice anything wrong with me)...
my family psycho analyzed me and thought that the reason id sleep is to escape reality. that i had given up on myself, and would sleep, put the blame on that (that id blame sleeping for me doing bad in school). that depressed me even more, because its like my own family doesnt get it when i tell them im not ok.
so i went and took a blood test.
turns out i have B12 defficiency.. and i had most of the symptoms..
depression, nervousness, confusion, loss of apetite, LAZINESS (sleeping more than usual)....
i learned not to doubt myself. i am always correct.
i am.
dont tell me otherwise.
OH and 50% of the people here have B12 defficiency thats why theyre all depressed here.
and that time i slept in school, the other guy that also fell asleep same time also had b12 defficiency.
im glad thats out! oh look im talking alot again! =D
wats it gonna take to shut me up??...........nothing!
too bad, get used to it! xP
"Other health professionals who may prescribe a drug such as a dentist or other medical specialist should be told of the medications the patient is taking."
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