Depression: Latest Medical News
Depression can affect any person at any age. To outsiders, depression can appear to be simple anger. But for those suffering from depression, the feelings of sadness, loneliness, regret, angst and helplessness can be overwhelming.
Depression can last for a short time or for weeks and months on end. Depression can also cause physical problems such as eating disorders or sleep disruption. Treatment of depression is accomplished through counseling and medication when needed.
Yet in addition to counseling and medication, it is important for people suffering from depression to strive to continuously lead a healthy life. Eating healthy, maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough and regular sleep, engaging in physical fitness activities, and being in healthy relationships and avoiding and/or ending unhealthy relationships.
No one should suffer alone through depression. There continue to be advances in both the understanding and treatment of depression. Recent developments include the following.
Rush University Medical Center in Chicago has opened the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Clinic to offer patients suffering from major depression a safe, effective, non-drug treatment. TMS therapy is the first FDA-approved, non-invasive antidepressant device-based treatment clinically proven for treatment of depression.
Psychiatrists at Rush University Medical Center were among the first to test the technique and Dr. Philip Janicak, professor of psychiatry and lead investigator at Rush for the clinical trials of TMS, helped to develop this therapy.
Other new research has shown that sadly, fewer than 50% of men and women suffering from depression seek treatment. The study, conducted by St. Michael’s Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) also found that many patients hospitalized for severe depression fail to see a doctor for follow-up care within 30 days of being discharged, and many head to hospital emergency departments for care.
It’s clear that we need to do a better job of getting the word out regarding the treatments available for depression. Help is available for those who reach out.
