Studies Show Workplace Depression Is Significantly Under-Treated

The Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine (JOEM) has published a series of new studies that suggest depression in the workplace may be a much bigger problem - with more serious social and economic impacts - than employers realize. The peer-reviewed journal has devoted an entire special-edition, titled "Depression in the Workplace, " to the topic, with 15 papers prepared by experts on depression and workplace health.

New Evidence-Based Guidelines For Antidepressants

A new revision of clinical guidelines to help doctors manage patients with depression has challenged the rationale behind the UK government's policy of rolling out of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for milder depression.According to a comprehensive review of treatments for depression, there is a lack of evidence for CBT being more helpful than other forms of psychological support in mild depression or for its efficacy in severe depression.

Sudden Death Of A Parent Raises Risk Of Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder For Surviving Children, Pitt Researchers Find

The children of parents who die suddenly - whether by suicide, accident or natural causes - are three times more likely to develop depression and are at higher risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than children who don't face such a difficult life event, according to a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study published in the current issue of the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Suicide Prevention Group Delivers Much Needed Message To Pennsylvania's Elderly

This month, in recognition of National Mental Health Month and Older Pennsylvanians Month, Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Council (SPC) will offer an important message to senior citizens through a public service announcement.

Potential Options For Reducing Post-Stroke Depression

An article published in the May 28 issue of JAMA reportsthat patients who took the drug escitalopram or participated in aproblem-solving therapy group during the year following a stroke werefound to have a lower risk of depression compared to patients whoreceivedplacebo.

New Nationwide Report Estimates One In Every 12 Adolescents Experienced Major Depression In The Past Year

About 2.1 million teens aged 12 to 17 experienced a major depressive episode in the past year, according to a new nationwide report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. For almost half of the teens, depression drastically reduced their abilities to deal with aspects of their daily lives, the report said.

Osmotica Pharmaceutical Receives FDA Approval To Market Novel Forms Of Extended Release Venlafaxine HCl

Osmotica Pharmaceutical Corp. received notice of final approval for its Venlafaxine Hydrochloride Extended-release 37.5 mg, 75 mg, 150 mg and 225 mg tablets NDA from FDA for major depressive disorder and social anxiety disorder. The Osmotica product provides a controlled release tablet form of venlafaxine HCl including a previously unavailable 225 mg dosage strength.

Antidepressants And Immunity

"Antidepressants may help body fight HIV and cancer" was the headline in The Independent recently. The newspaper article was on research that suggests that antidepressant drugs may help the immune system to fight off serious infection. The newspaper says the drugs could increase the activity of Natural Killer (NK) cells, a part of the immune system that targets cancerous and infected cells and induces "apoptosis" or "cell suicide".

New Research Reveals 32 Of Those With Depression Experience Frequent Thoughts Of Death Or Suicide

Launched recently, Mind Yourself - The Lundbeck Mental Health Barometer report has revealed the most common symptoms amongst those with personal experience of depression are frequent thoughts of death or suicide (32%), low self esteem (29%) and sleep disturbance (28%).

Untreated Depressed People Have Fewer Serotonin Opioid Receptors, And Variation Is Linked To Symptoms And Treatment Response

Depressed people may have far fewer of the receptors for some of the brain's "feel good" stress-response chemicals than non-depressed people, new University of Michigan Depression Center research shows.And even among depressed people, the numbers of these receptors can vary greatly.