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2004 Press Releases
Medical Illness Increases Risk of
Depression
ROME - Those with medical
illnesses face higher risks for depression than other
individuals, according to Marcellus Cephas, M.D., a
psychiatrist at Rome Memorial Hospital’s Senior
Behavioral Health Unit, and his associate, nurse
practitioner Patty Powers.
The losses, stress, and
uncertainty associated with medical illness may make
people more vulnerable to depression. Depending on the
illness, the risk for depression may be twice that of
the general population. Depression affects:
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about 25 percent of
people with cancer;
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up to 27 percent of
people who have had a stroke;
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about 33 percent of
those with HIV; and
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up to 65 percent of
those who have had heart attacks.
When a person with
cancer, diabetes, or heart disease develops depression
it can be harder to recognize. “Depression is often
overlooked when it coexists with a medical illness,”
said Dr. Cephas. “Patients and family members dismiss
sadness as a normal reaction to being seriously ill and
mistake changes in eating and sleeping as side effects
to medication.”
There is nothing normal,
however, about experiencing symptoms of depression for
weeks on end. Individuals and family members should be
concerned when they observe any of the following
symptoms of depression persisting for weeks at a time:
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feelings of sadness,
helplessness, and hopelessness;
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worried, restless, or
anxious mood;
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lack of energy,
feeling tired or slowed down;
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difficulty
concentrating, remembering, and making decisions;
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sleeping too little
or too much;
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loss of interest in
hobbies or activities that were once enjoyed; and
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thoughts of death or
suicide.
Depression can be
effectively treated with medication and counseling.
Within a matter of weeks, most people experience relief
from depressive symptoms. “Treating a person with cancer
for depression is a little more complicated than the
average case,” Dr. Cephas said. “Extra caution is
important when a person is taking other medications or
treatments.” This is because some medications or pain
relievers interact with antidepressant medications. As a
result, doctors carefully select safe, suitable, easily
tolerated medications.
“Recovering from
depression helps people to cope better with medical
illnesses. Mood and outlook improve. Energy levels rise.
Sleeping and eating normalize. Thoughts become more
hopeful. And it gets easier to follow through with
strict treatment regimens, diets, or procedures needed
to treat the medical illness,” Powers said.
If signs of depression
are present, people should ask their doctor for a
depression screening. To be screened for depression,
people answer a standard set of questions about their
symptoms. The resulting score indicates if a person’s
depressive symptoms are normal, mild, moderate, or
severe.
Community Education
Manager Diane Oliver is participating in several
community events to educate the public about the higher
risk of depression in those with medical illnesses. The
next event is Saturday, Oct. 16, from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Paul’s
Baptist Church,
Utica.
To learn more about
treating depression when it coexists with a medical
illness or to arrange for a depression screening,
contact the Senior Behavioral Health Unit of Rome
Memorial Hospital at 338-7399.
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