A new 4-minute video from the National Institute of Mental Health provides an overview for the general public on the symptoms, impact, and treatment of depression. The video is available for viewing by individuals or can be used by community groups or in health care offices to inform viewers about depression and its consequences, and the critical importance of seeking treatment.
Depression is a serious medical illness; it's more than just feeling "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. Depressive disorders are common: they affect an estimated 9.5 percent of adult Americans in a given year, or about 20.9 million people. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who have depression.
The NIMH video features first-person narrative describing an individual's experience with depression, and depictions of others dealing with symptoms of the illness. It illustrates research underway and gives examples of treatments available for depression. Importantly, the video urges viewers with symptoms to confide in friends or family members and to seek treatment.
Included with the video is a "How to Use" fact sheet that outlines key points in the video, audiences it can be used for, and suggestions for how to use it in a public setting.
Additional information on depression and disorders that affect the brain is also from the following sources:
- Visit NIMH for more information on depression
- The National Institute on Aging
- The National Cancer Institute
- The National Institutes of Health
- The National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus
Additional Sources of Information:
Great Informational Websites Created by Dr. Speller and Dr. Korkosz:
- Stress and the Human Brain
- Early Life Stress and the Immune System
- The Facts About Major Depressive Disorder
- The Parent's Guide to Understanding Adolescent Depression
Sources: National Institute of Mental Health, Also see blogposts in Psychiatric Disorders: General and Depression
Additional Resources:
- For related articles on the Web, click on: “Sphere: Related Content” located at the bottom of this blog post.
- For related books or blog posts with related content in Dr. Jeff’s and Dr. Tanya’s Blog type in the keywords into “Google Search” located in the sidebar.
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Dr. Jeffrey Speller Dr. Tanya Korkosz
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