Who Gets Depressed?

	Tweet

Depression afflicts approximately 17 million Americans, from children to the elderly, in all walks of life. It reportedly afflicts twice as many women as men (although some observers speculate that this could be because fewer men admit they need treatment).

Among those prone to depression are people:

• With close relatives who have had depression
  
• Who have had depression before
  
• With low self-esteem or self-loathing
  
• With chronic medical disorders, including thyroid disease, diabetes, and High Blood Pressure
  
• Who take certain medications, including oral contraceptives, steroids, and some medications for High Blood Pressure
  
• With a loved one who is seriously ill
  
• Who are alcoholic or drug-abusing
  
• Who are withdrawing from alcohol or drug addiction
  
• Who are going through stressful or traumatic life events

In the elderly, depression:

• May be a predictor of Alzheimer’s disease
  
• May be caused by undiagnosed physical illness before the symptoms of the disease itself become evident
  
• May be a side effect of many drugs that are commonly prescribed for the elderly

RELATED STORIES:
Seasonal Affective Disorder   Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’S)   Symptoms of depression   Depression in childhood   Depression Demands Attention   Going to Extremes: Manic-Depressive Illness   Using medications to treat depression   Depression: You Don’t Have to Feel This Way   Emotional After-Effects of Stroke   Effects of mental illness on the family   Teen depression unnoticed   Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis and Symptoms   Diminished Heart Rate Variability   Effects of Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Future Directions for Research   Can dysthymia lead to major depression?

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]