......................................................................................
Thanks
to the National Institute of Mental Health
for the following information.
Depression - 4
A recent NIMH study
showed that in the case of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS), women with
a preexisting vulnerability to PMS experienced relief from mood and
physical symptoms when their sex hormones were suppressed. Shortly after
the hormones were re-introduced, they again developed symptoms of PMS.
Women without a history of PMS reported no effects of the hormonal
manipulation.
Many women are also
particularly vulnerable after the birth of a baby. The hormonal and
physical changes, as well as the added responsibility of a new life, can
be factors that lead to postpartum depression in some women. While
transient "blues" are common in new mothers, a full-blown depressive
episode is not a normal occurrence and requires active intervention.
Treatment by a sympathetic physician and the family's emotional support
for the new mother are prime considerations in aiding her to recover her
physical and mental well-being and her ability to care for and enjoy the
infant.
Depression in Men
Although men are less likely to suffer from depression than women, 6
million men in the United States are affected by the illness. Men are less
likely to admit to depression, and doctors are less likely to suspect it.
The rate of suicide in men is four times that of women, though more women
attempt it. In fact, after age 70, the rate of men's suicide rises,
reaching a peak after age 85.
Depression can also
affect the physical health in men differently from women. A new study
shows that, although depression is associated with an increased risk of
coronary heart disease in both men and women, only men suffer a high death
rate.2
Men's depression is often
masked by alcohol or drugs, or by the socially acceptable habit of working
excessively long hours. Depression typically shows up in men not as
feeling hopeless and helpless, but as being irritable, angry, and
discouraged; hence, depression may be difficult to recognize as such in
men. Even if a man realizes that he is depressed, he may be less willing
than a woman to seek help. Encouragement and support from concerned family
members can make a difference. In the workplace, employee assistance
professionals or worksite mental health programs can be of assistance in
helping men understand and accept depression as a real illness that needs
treatment.
Part 1 |
Part 2
| Part 3
|
Part 4
| Part 5
