Daily Archives: June 11, 2012

11 Jun

CDC Study about Teen Suicide

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Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – A growing number of teenagers are considering taking their own lives, according to new statistics from the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

15,000 teenage students were surveyed for this report. It says, in the past year:

  • 7.8% attempted suicide
  • 15.8% seriously considered attempting suicide
  • 12.8% made a suicide plan

Kelly Day’s son Daryl Day committed suicide in March 2010 before he could graduate from Chittenango High School. Now, she asks teenagers to never give up.

http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story/CDC-study-about-teen-suicide/7ww9xs-EqkG4w2EF6buJ4Q.cspx

11 Jun

Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Depression

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For many people, talking with your doctor about a medical or psychological problem can be difficult, but if you have the symptoms of depression, it’s important to discuss them with your doctor and receive appropriate depression treatment.

When you visit the doctor, you may feel rushed or forget to ask some important questions about your symptoms, causes or treatment of depression. So here is a list of questions you can print out to bring with you to the doctor’s office. Add your own notes about your symptoms, medical conditions you may have or any medications or herbal supplements you are currently taking plus any personal questions about depression to the list.

  1. Do I have depression or is it something else?
  2. What caused my depression? Is it possible that it’s related to a medical problem or medications I may be taking?
  3. What depression treatments are available that don’t include antidepressant medications?
  4. Do you think I need antidepressant medications for my depression and why?
  5. If I need antidepressants, how do they work? What should I expect when I start them? And how long do they take to relieve my depression symptoms?
  6. What antidepressant side-effects should I expect? Will they affect my sex life or daily functioning? And what can I do about the side-effects from antidepressants?
  7. Should I see a therapist as part of my depression treatment?
  8. What else should I do to relieve my depression and keep the symptoms of depression from coming back? Any lifestyle or behavioral changes?
  9. Can I call you if I have more questions or any problems relating to my depression or treatment?
  10. What should I do if I feel suicidal?

Reviewed by:
Harry Croft, MD (Psychiatrist)
Medical Director, HealthyPlace.com

Created on 30 December 2008 Last Updated on 28 January 2012

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

11 Jun

Difficult to Improve Teens’ Impression of Mental Health

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While everyone seems to agree that adolescents often have a negative opinion of mental illness — a perception that prevents many teens from obtaining the care they need — the means to overcome the dilemma remains elusive.

Researchers at Case Western Reserve note that the relative dearth of data regarding stigma in this age group makes tackling the topic particularly tough.

Not only is adolescent mental health stigma rarely studied, but even less is known about the accuracy of measures used to assess it.

Melissa Pinto, Ph.D., R.N., KL2 Clinical Research Scholar and an instructor of nursing at the university’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing comments: “We need to find a reliable and valid way to measure the presence of stigma associated with mental illness among adolescents.”

http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/06/08/difficult-to-improve-teens-impression-of-mental-health/39876.html?xid=nl_EverydayHealthLivingWithDepression_20120611

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on June 8, 2012