Posts Tagged substance abuse

Mental Depression and Its Downward Spiral

The term mental depression brings fear to those who hear it. Mental plus illness leads some people to think “crazy”. This is of course untrue. Although mental depression is a real medical condition it isn’t insanity in the classic, negative sense. Drop the mental illness stereotypes. It can be cured, and mental depression does not make a person some type of sub human. Mental depression attacks about 15 million Americans each year. But 2/3 of those never seek medical attention because of their fear. Make health the primary concern. Wishing away mental depression doesn’t work. The illness is persistent. It can affect anyone, anywhere at any time. It doesn’t care about your color or the god you worship. It has no care for financial or social status. It does not care if you are young or old. This disease has no boundaries. Early detection can be a great boon when it comes to treatment. But the signs of mental depression aren’t easy to spot. Everyone is down from time to time.

The general term depression is better used to describe a temporary depressed or sad mood. By contrast, major depression is a serious and often disabling condition that can significantly affect a person’s work, family and school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health. In Western countries, around 3.4% of people with major depression eventually commit suicide, and up to 60% of all people who commit suicide have depression or another mood disorder. Depressed individuals have a shorter life expectancy than those without depression, being more susceptible to medical conditions such as heart disease. However, depression may be overdiagnosed, and current diagnostic trends arguably have the effect of medicalizing sadness.

Depression is a loaded word in our culture. Many associate it, however wrongly, with a sign of weakness and excessive emotion. This is especially true with men. Depressed men are less likely than women to acknowledge feelings of self-loathing and hopelessness. How is depression expressed in men? Frequently, it comes out in more “socially acceptable” forms. Anger, aggression, reckless behavior and violence, along with substance abuse, can be signs of an underlying depression. You might hear complaints about fatigue, irritability, sleep problems, and loss of interest or sudden excessive interest in work and hobbies. Even though depression rates for women are twice as high as those in men, men are a higher suicide risk, especially older men.

Depression is a major risk factor for suicide. The deep despair and hopelessness that goes along with depression can make suicide feel like the only way to make the pain go away. Suicidal individuals often give warning signs or signals of their intentions. The best way to prevent suicide is to know and watch for these warning signs and to get involved if you spot them. If you believe that a friend or family member is suicidal, you can play a role in suicide prevention by pointing out the alternatives, showing that you care, and getting a professional involved.

There are a variety of symptoms that may indicate mental depression. Sufferers avoid contact with others. They may not find any enjoyment in activities that once comforted them. Sleeplessness and insomnia are common. People may begin to eat more than usual or less than usual. Dealing with others becomes a chore. Feelings of hopelessness may arise, and despair results. Even physical health will begin to deteriorate. They can be suffering from mental depression and not even realize it. Sometimes we have to realize it for them.

Depression is caused by a variety of possibilities. Stress can be a key. Many things cause stress. Stress comes from relationships and even the struggle to make ends meet. There is also stress from losing someone you love. It is also believed that mental depression is passed on through the genes. Many things cause depression. But there are many treatments too. Talk therapy is a good treatment. Prescription drugs and natural herbs can also work. If treated, mental depression can be cured.Depression is generally ranked in terms of severity — mild, moderate, or severe. The degree of your depression, which your doctor can determine, influences how you are treated. Symptoms of depression include:

  • Trouble sleeping or excessive sleeping
  • A dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss
  • Fatigue and lack of energy
  • Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and inappropriate guilt
  • Extreme difficulty concentrating
  • Agitation, restlessness, and irritability
  • Inactivity and withdrawal from usual activities
  • Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
  • Recurring thoughts of death or suicide

Low self esteem is common with depression. So are sudden bursts of anger and lack of pleasure from activities that normally make you happy, including sex.

Depressed children may not have the classic symptoms of adult depression. Watch especially for changes in school performance, sleep, and behavior. If you wonder whether your child might be depressed, it’s worth bringing to a doctor’s attention. For some people, a combination of many factors may be causing clinical depression. For others, a single factor may be triggering the illness. Depression often is related to the following.

  • Imbalance of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters -
  • Certain diseases or illnesses -
  • Negative thinking patterns -
  • Family history of depression -
  • Difficult life events -
  • Certain medications -
  • Frequent and excessive alcohol consumption.

Now, knowing all this about Mental Depression, it’s up to you to get on the ball and maybe read some more of the information on the site.

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Winnebago Mental Health Institute – Its History and Development

If we speak of a primary center for treatment of mental illness in Wisconsin, Winnebago Mental Health Institute or WMHI is the first facility that comes to mind. Located at Lake Winnebago’s west shore, this state facility has about 1300 admissions every year and an average of 250 patients.

The facility was constructed in 1871. Originally named Northern Asylum for the Insane, its name was later changed to Winnebago State Hospital before the name was again changed to Winnebago Mental Health Institute.

Basically, WMHI’s services can be grouped into three areas. The first one is called Adult Service 1, consisting of forensic units. The second area is called Adult Service 2, for adults that are multiply impaired, and those requiring treatment for behavior modification, substance abuse and mental illnesses. The third unit, Youth Services, is for children and adolescents that are multiply impaired and those who are mentally ill and have substance abuse disorder.

The Therapeutic Services Department is responsible in evaluating and assessing the patients. There are 4 divisions of service: occupational therapy, recreational therapy, speech therapy and physical therapy. These divisions are responsible in the holistic approach to treatment.

There are various treatment activities in WMHI. One of them is individual psychotherapy. A treatment plan is outlined for each patient to determine the frequency of sessions that he must undergo. A clinical staff writes notes for each visit. The attending psychiatrist meets the treatment team on a regular basis to review the treatment plan.

Another treatment activity is through psychopharmacology. The attending psychiatrist determines and orders the medication according to the individual patient’s treatment plan. Psychotropic medication is used in order to achieve treatment goals and reduce risk of injury and violence.

Group therapy is another kind of treatment, where problems of each patient are shared and solutions are discussed. Other treatment activities include self-help groups, family therapy and community groups.

However, the facility is faced with controversy lately. City inspectors found violations of the hospital. Infractions include failure to protect patient’s rights such as the right to be protected from violent and sexual behaviors of other patients, to have privacy and to be in a safe environment. Other violations include medication errors and failure to correct environmental hazards and infection control in the facility.

Within a period of two years, three deaths and one rape case were reported. These, among other problems, have caused authorities to cite the facility for neglect and lack of attention. Reports indicate that poor supervision and staffing as well as bad judgment in medication caused these problems. Because of this, the government ordered the facility to correct the problems by 2008. Otherwise, it shall lose its federal funding for both Medicaid and Medicare.

With this development, lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill requiring all patient deaths in the facility be investigated. This is to create more transparency and accountability to the taxpayers.

More problems are at hand for WMHI. Hospital officials cite financial loss as the reason why there is not enough staff in the facility. Because of such financial losses, there are not enough employees to maintain hospital safety and provide better service to patients.

Despite these problems that the Winnebago Mental Health Institute has, hospital officials continue to work hard to give quality treatment to their patients.

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