Hello and welcome to
"Health for a Lifetime!
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I'm your host Don Mackintosh
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and today, I'm just delighted
to have Dr. Neil Nedley
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back with us,
Welcome Dr. Nedley!
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Thank you, good to be here.
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I understand you're
working on a new book
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that's a little bit depressing!
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Well, that's what the
book is about, actually.
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So maybe it's not depressing,
maybe it's how to deal with that
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You maybe don't even
have a title for the book yet,
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but you're working on
that, it's coming out...
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Some of the things we're going
to be sharing today will be
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in that book... either
when they see this program,
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or maybe a little bit after.
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What exactly is depression?
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I mean, lots of people have
different ideas when you say,
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"I'm depressed"
It could just mean
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you don't feel good that day,
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but what really is depression?
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Well depression is a
sense of deep sadness...
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that's what most
people equate depression with.
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But as far as in
the medical community,
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we classify MAJOR
depression as a disease entity.
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It's actually a mental
illness, and it goes beyond
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just having an
occasional blue Monday,
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even though it isn't Monday.
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It really goes
beyond that to a disease.
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So it's something that
is actually verifiable.
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You can diagnose
it; you can say...
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This is exactly what it
is, it's not something else.
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This is what it is. Correct...
And how do you go about that?
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Well, we go about that
by looking at the symptoms.
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Actually, the diagnosis
of depression is very much
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a part of the
symptoms of depression,
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and if you have 5 of those 9
symptoms for more than 2 weeks,
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you are depressed.
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You fit the
diagnosis of major depression.
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Okay, so if you
have your pen and pencil,
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you're going to tell us
those, aren't you? That's right
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So, maybe you can
repeat them later too,
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but what are those 9 symptoms...
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And you said if you have
4 or more, 5 or more? Five
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...of these 9, then
you have major depression,
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if it's gone on
for 2 weeks. Correct
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Okay, what are they?
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Deep sadness is one of
them, or a feeling of emptiness.
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Some people will just
feel emptiness inside,
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and not really
the deep sadness...
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But if that persists
for more than 2 weeks,
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you've got one of
the symptoms. Okay...
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The 2nd symptom is that of
apathy... where an individual
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just doesn't have the
motivation they used to have.
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Doing fun things aren't
really all that fun anymore.
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And just a general sense
of a lack of purpose would fit
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under the "apathy," which
is the 2nd characteristic.
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The 3rd is agitation...
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And individuals here can
actually have restlessness,
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or they might actually have a
slowing of their body motions.
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This also counts as agitation.
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If you see someone
walking, for instance,
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and they aren't walking
with the PEP in their steps...
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Spunk in their trunk...
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That could be that
they're suffering from at least
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one of symptoms of depression.
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The 4th symptom
is sleep disturbance.
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Some individuals
will be too sleepy,
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and actually be
sleepy throughout the day,
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want to sleep more at night...
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And then other
people will have insomnia,
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and not be able to sleep.
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Most people actually
fit into the insomnia role,
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but some will have the
hypersomnia, or too much sleep.
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So if someone is sleeping a lot,
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they say, "This is not fun. "
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You say, "Are you having fun?"
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And they say, "No. "
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"Didn't you used
to enjoy this?" "Yes"
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You can sort of pick
up on whether or not,
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if you knew the
right questions to ask,
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whether or not
someone is depressed.
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That's right... that's one of
the things I'd like to bring out
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is this doesn't require
a psychiatrist, or even a
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mental health professional,
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or a physician to come
up with this diagnosis.
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An informed lay person
can actually diagnosis people
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correctly with major depression,
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or even diagnose themselves.
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So we have deep
sadness, apathy, agitation,
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and sleep disturbances...
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Just one question
before we go on...
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Deep sadness
versus apathy again,
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I don't know if I
really understood that.
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Deep sadness... is
that where they say,
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"I'm just REALLY
sad," or how can you tell
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when someone is deeply sad?
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Often it will be crying spells
without apparent reason...
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That's one of the things I
see in my office practice a lot.
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People will be
there for another reason,
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they'll be
talking about something...
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I'll ask them a few questions
about how things are going,
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and then they lose control,
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and they start crying.
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And they're
embarrassed about it often...
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Of course we have
tissues there because this is a
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frequent occurrence
in a doctor's office,
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and they wipe their
eyes, and I reassure them.
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But to me, they
would be labeled with that
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deep sadness from that point.
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Okay, deep
sadness, apathy, agitation,
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sleep disturbances, what else?
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Weight changes
or appetite changes.
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Some individuals will feel
a need to eat all the time,
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and will actually gain weight;
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and others will
LOSE their appetite;
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lose their sense of hunger,
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and actually not be hungry,
and as a result, lose weight.
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Okay, so if they're
heading for the refrigerator,
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they could be
depressed, or if they're NOT,
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they could be depressed,
but you have to look at
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the other symptoms.
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What's another one?
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Another one is actually
a sense of worthlessness.
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Individuals will actually
feel like they don't have
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self-worth anymore, and they
won't feel useful to others.
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They will always be putting
themselves down in regards
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to their attributes...
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And that is one
of the more serious,
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but a real
symptom of depression.
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Why is it more serious?
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Because that usually
leads to yet another symptom
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of depression, and
that is morbid thoughts.
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Once people get this
feeling of worthlessness,
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some people, as they advance,
will actually begin to get
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into the morbid
thoughts where they're actually
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beginning to plan their demise,
or coming up with a suicide plan
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Okay, so any others?
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Yes, lack of
concentration is another.
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In fact, this is very common
among depressed individuals.
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They will be indecisive.
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They will have a very difficult
time in making a decision.
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The evidence is there;
they can look at the evidence,
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but as far as making a decision
based upon that evidence,
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they have a real
rough time doing that,
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and they often relegate that
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decision-making
process to others...
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And that is a very significant,
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but very common
symptom of depression.
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So if you have 5
of these symptoms,
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that being deep sadness, apathy,
agitation, sleep disturbance,
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...help me out
when I get wrong here,
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weight or
weight loss, fatigue...
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Okay, we didn't mention fatigue,
but that is the 9th one.
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And that's the one
that most people come to me,
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as an internal
medicine physician, for.
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They're coming to try to find
out... "Why am I so tired. "
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And in the process, I start
asking them other questions,
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and not always, but some
of the people that come to me
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complaining of fatigue...
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the reason for it
is they're depressed,
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and they haven't
really recognized that.
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And then we have to
give them that diagnosis,
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and then also find out
why they're depressed...
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and then get them on the
appropriate treatment program.
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So 5 out of 9 for 2 weeks...
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But let me say, what
if I just had my dog die,
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or I had a relative die, or I
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was in a car
accident, does that count?
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That would count for
situational depression.
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Situational depression
normally resolves on its own.
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Given enough time,
after a grieving event,
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the depression and the deep
sadness and emptiness goes away.
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With major depression; however,
it does not go away on its own.
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At least, most
commonly it does not,
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and the only way it's
going to go away is when we find
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the cause, and get on the
appropriate treatment program
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...and then it
can be gone forever!
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You don't have to
be depressed for life.
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Okay, so there's good news!
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It's not ALL
depressing. That's right
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So, once you diagnose
it with 5 out of those 9,
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or, you know, maybe just
a sub-situation where you're
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not really having it full-blown
but you have some of it.
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What are the real
risk factors involved?
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Is it, in fact,
just a coping mechanism,
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so that you don't
burn yourself out when
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bad things are
happening, or are there really
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down-sides to having depression?
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Oh there are significant
down sides to having depression.
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It would be bad enough, Don,
if it just caused these things.
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I mean, living your life
with deep sadness and emptiness
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is a sad state
of affairs to be in.
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But, unfortunately, it
does much more than that...
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It increases the risk in
men of having a heart attack.
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It increases the risk of
both sexes if they're depressed.
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After having had a heart attack,
it increases their risk of
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dying from complications
of their heart attack.
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It increases the
risk of certain cancers.
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And, it also
increases the risk of stroke.
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All of the 3 major
killers in America...
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it increases the risk of those.
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Correct... it will also increase
the risk of actually having
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complications of diabetes, even.
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And, on top of that, of course,
it increases the risk of suicide
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which is one of
the most devastating
00:10:06.19\00:10:08.53
consequences of depression.
00:10:08.56\00:10:10.05
So, you really should just say,
Paul or Jane or Mary or Susan
00:10:10.08\00:10:15.36
is going to work through
this.. just give them time.
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No, unfortunately, if
Paul, or Mary or Jane or Susan
00:10:17.52\00:10:22.70
have depression, they
really need to find out
00:10:22.73\00:10:24.95
why, and get on an
appropriate treatment program
00:10:24.98\00:10:27.20
as soon as possible.
00:10:27.23\00:10:28.31
You mentioned suicide, tell
us a little bit more about that.
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How often do people
that are depressed actually
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commit suicide?
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Well, it's the 8th leading cause
of death in America today, Don.
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...31,000 people every
year in the United States
00:10:42.44\00:10:46.51
die from suicide. Wow
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And among those ages 15-25,
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it's the third
leading cause of death.
00:10:52.53\00:10:55.20
Why is it elevated
in young people 15-25?
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Well, that's a
very good question.
00:10:58.52\00:11:00.92
It actually has to do
with some of the root causes of
00:11:00.95\00:11:04.51
depression.
00:11:04.54\00:11:08.15
We are now finding out that
the frontal lobe is the seat
00:11:08.18\00:11:11.57
and the origin center of just
00:11:11.60\00:11:13.68
about every case
of major depression.
00:11:13.71\00:11:16.62
And it takes 30 years for
the frontal lobe to be fully
00:11:16.65\00:11:19.27
developed in human beings;
00:11:19.28\00:11:20.79
so the 15-25 year group
hasn't had their frontal lobe
00:11:20.82\00:11:24.67
fully developed... Not
everything is connected;
00:11:24.68\00:11:25.88
all the sockets are not
in yet, all the cylinders...
00:11:25.91\00:11:29.32
Not all the
connections are there...
00:11:29.36\00:11:31.03
And secondly, often
the 15-25 year age group
00:11:31.07\00:11:35.47
are on a lifestyle program
that is further suppressing
00:11:35.50\00:11:38.33
the frontal lobe; high
entertainment television,
00:11:38.36\00:11:40.84
a poor diet, not
getting proper sleep...
00:11:40.87\00:11:44.53
And then if they
have a bad event happen,
00:11:44.56\00:11:46.73
such as they break up
with their girlfriend,
00:11:46.76\00:11:48.69
or something else bad happens,
00:11:48.72\00:11:51.06
and then if they have
a substance onboard like
00:11:51.09\00:11:53.21
alcohol... you put
all those things together,
00:11:53.24\00:11:55.69
and you end up very commonly,
unfortunately, with suicide.
00:11:55.72\00:12:00.44
So when it's not
connected, their frontal lobe,
00:12:00.45\00:12:02.90
all the way that is...
I mean, I'm not trying to
00:12:02.93\00:12:04.99
say to the people
that are watching today,
00:12:05.02\00:12:06.40
"Hey, you're disconnected,"
00:12:06.43\00:12:07.56
but, really, it's
still coming together,
00:12:07.59\00:12:09.78
and then if you
compromise it through drinking,
00:12:09.81\00:12:13.33
through smoking,
through whatever those
00:12:13.36\00:12:15.50
different things are...
drugs, all that kind of stuff,
00:12:15.53\00:12:18.21
and THEN you have a bad event,
00:12:18.24\00:12:21.72
you just don't have the
wherewithal to get through it.
00:12:21.75\00:12:24.83
Correct... And so you say,
00:12:24.86\00:12:26.91
"I might as well
just end it all. "
00:12:26.94\00:12:29.19
Often that's what people do. Sad
00:12:29.22\00:12:33.14
So, what should you do,
and maybe we'll talk more
00:12:33.17\00:12:41.62
about this a little
bit later in the program...
00:12:41.65\00:12:44.12
And we'll start
talking about it now...
00:12:44.15\00:12:45.20
What should you do
if you KNOW someone
00:12:45.23\00:12:47.14
who you believe is suicidal?
00:12:47.17\00:12:49.31
They need to get help, and they
need to get help immediately.
00:12:49.34\00:12:53.07
If anyone states
that they want to die,
00:12:53.10\00:12:56.63
they wish they were
dead, those are code words
00:12:56.66\00:13:00.84
for saying that they
are contemplating suicide.
00:13:00.87\00:13:03.32
So you shouldn't just
try and talk him out of it
00:13:03.35\00:13:05.10
and say, "Oh, you'll be okay,"
not that kind of stuff... No
00:13:05.13\00:13:07.78
And so what do
you mean, "get help"
00:13:07.81\00:13:09.93
Because most people
listening would say,
00:13:09.96\00:13:12.58
"Well, that's what it
means, you just talk to them"
00:13:12.61\00:13:14.95
What does it mean
when you say, "Get help. "
00:13:14.98\00:13:16.92
Well actually, at that point,
they need professional help.
00:13:16.95\00:13:19.73
They need to find out
why they're feeling that way.
00:13:19.76\00:13:22.37
And, they also need to
be on appropriate treatment
00:13:22.40\00:13:27.75
for their depression... so that
they no longer feel that way.
00:13:27.78\00:13:31.85
Now it is true that
many family members can help
00:13:31.88\00:13:35.15
them through the process.
00:13:35.18\00:13:36.95
One of the ways is by actually
00:13:36.98\00:13:39.34
finding out what
instills hope in them.
00:13:39.37\00:13:41.50
The fact that they
haven't committed suicide
00:13:41.51\00:13:43.54
usually means that
there IS some hope...
00:13:43.57\00:13:46.36
And then dwelling on
those hope aspects of things,
00:13:46.39\00:13:49.32
and then trying to get
them to see when their talking
00:13:49.35\00:13:51.73
about this, that they
really need some help,
00:13:51.76\00:13:54.85
can go a long
way in saving a life.
00:13:54.88\00:13:57.17
So what if they say, "Well
look, I hear what you're saying,
00:13:57.20\00:13:59.46
and whatnot, but I
don't want to listen to you"
00:13:59.49\00:14:01.92
and they're belligerent; I want
you to answer that question.
00:14:01.95\00:14:03.68
It looks like we're just
about out of time for our break,
00:14:04.19\00:14:06.39
but when we come
back, what about the person
00:14:06.42\00:14:08.26
who is not
listening to their relatives?
00:14:08.29\00:14:11.04
We've been talking
to Dr. Neil Nedley.
00:14:11.07\00:14:12.87
When we come back,
he'll help us understand HOW
00:14:12.90\00:14:15.23
to intervene if someone
has that major depression,
00:14:15.26\00:14:17.74
and, in fact, they're suicidal.
00:14:17.77\00:14:19.21
Join us when we come back.
00:14:19.22\00:14:23.70
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Welcome back, we've been
talking with Dr. Neil Nedley
00:15:24.69\00:15:27.57
about depression.
00:15:27.60\00:15:29.03
But you know, we had mentioned
just before we went away...
00:15:29.04\00:15:32.81
that if someone is so depressed
00:15:32.84\00:15:35.49
that they're
suicidal, how do we intervene?
00:15:35.52\00:15:37.45
What if they don't respond?
I want to come back to that...
00:15:37.48\00:15:39.61
But, there was some interesting,
what would you say, risk factors
00:15:39.62\00:15:44.02
that set us up for depression
00:15:44.05\00:15:45.23
that I think
that we should cover,
00:15:45.24\00:15:46.69
and then we'll come back, so
remind me if I don't remind you
00:15:46.72\00:15:48.59
to come back to that question...
00:15:48.62\00:15:50.62
But what are some
of the risk factors,
00:15:50.63\00:15:51.83
who is more
likely to be depressed?
00:15:51.86\00:15:53.65
Well actually, as far as suicide
itself, males are more likely
00:15:53.68\00:15:58.14
to commit suicide.
00:15:58.17\00:15:59.47
Females are more
likely to be depressed,
00:15:59.50\00:16:01.73
but males are 4 times as likely
00:16:01.76\00:16:03.55
to commit
suicide than females are.
00:16:03.58\00:16:05.72
Is that because... do females
females attempt suicide more?
00:16:05.75\00:16:09.92
Females actually
do attempt it more,
00:16:09.93\00:16:12.33
but they're not near as
successful on their attempts.
00:16:12.36\00:16:16.29
Males, when they do it, they
tend to really WANT to do it,
00:16:16.32\00:16:21.93
and get it done
the first time...
00:16:21.96\00:16:24.69
And so that's
something to keep in mind;
00:16:24.72\00:16:26.30
if you have a
depressed male, it can be,
00:16:26.33\00:16:31.73
although it can be
serious with females as well.
00:16:31.76\00:16:34.30
Often you need to
take it a little more
00:16:34.33\00:16:36.18
seriously in a male person.
00:16:36.21\00:16:38.53
Okay, so then what are
some of the other risk factors
00:16:38.56\00:16:40.58
besides being male?
00:16:40.59\00:16:41.94
...Being under the
influence of alcohol.
00:16:41.97\00:16:44.61
Almost 50% of all suicides
take place under the influence
00:16:44.64\00:16:48.87
of alcoholic
beverages... That makes sense!
00:16:48.90\00:16:52.92
And mind-altering substances;
other drugs onboard...
00:16:52.93\00:16:56.52
And so that is
something that we really need to
00:16:56.55\00:16:59.96
pay attention to, and if
those drugs weren't used,
00:16:59.99\00:17:02.17
then we would have
a lot less suicides.
00:17:02.20\00:17:04.26
Again, the frontal lobe, you're
saying... they can't really
00:17:04.29\00:17:07.90
use their reasoning
abilities. Correct... What else?
00:17:07.93\00:17:10.21
Unwillingness or refusal to
seek help for their depression
00:17:10.24\00:17:15.15
is actually a risk
factor for suicide itself.
00:17:15.18\00:17:18.38
So that's the one we
were talking about then...
00:17:18.41\00:17:20.47
that if they say, "No,
I'm not going to get help"
00:17:20.50\00:17:22.23
That's actually
another risk factor!
00:17:22.26\00:17:23.76
That's a risk
factor, that's right.
00:17:23.79\00:17:26.03
Another one would be if
the individual had a serious
00:17:26.06\00:17:30.70
physical illness.
00:17:30.73\00:17:32.80
The elderly actually
commit suicide at a higher rate
00:17:32.83\00:17:38.58
than any other age group;
00:17:38.61\00:17:40.05
even a little higher than
the 15-24 year age group...
00:17:40.08\00:17:42.96
And that's because often they
have a serious physical illness
00:17:42.97\00:17:46.21
and they don't know
how to cope with it,
00:17:46.22\00:17:48.15
and they go ahead
and commit suicide.
00:17:48.18\00:17:50.00
And say... "Might as
well get it over with. "
00:17:50.03\00:17:51.76
That's their thought
process, but unfortunately,
00:17:51.77\00:17:55.16
it's not a healthy
thought process. No, not at all.
00:17:55.19\00:17:57.57
And then homosexuality
is actually a risk factor
00:17:57.60\00:18:02.10
for depression, as is those that
listen to heavy metal music.
00:18:02.13\00:18:06.37
...That has been shown now
as a risk factor for depression.
00:18:06.40\00:18:10.39
How would someone who is
homosexual be a risk factor?
00:18:10.42\00:18:13.10
Is that because of
the way others in society
00:18:13.13\00:18:15.15
relate to that
behavior, or is that
00:18:15.18\00:18:16.97
because of the behavior itself?
00:18:17.00\00:18:19.10
Probably a
combination of those factors.
00:18:19.13\00:18:23.92
Actually, the
researchers who brought out
00:18:23.95\00:18:26.87
homosexuality as a
risk factor, mentioned that
00:18:26.90\00:18:30.18
those are 2 probable reasons,
00:18:30.21\00:18:32.37
but the ACTUAL reason
why it's a risk factor
00:18:32.40\00:18:35.09
has not been
completely unfolded.
00:18:35.12\00:18:37.48
And heavy metal, why is
it that that's a risk factor?
00:18:37.51\00:18:40.14
Probably again, because of
00:18:40.17\00:18:42.04
what it does to the
frontal lobe of the brain.
00:18:42.07\00:18:44.06
Heavy metal music has
quite a suppressant effect
00:18:44.07\00:18:47.42
on the frontal lobe, and it
can have an influence actually
00:18:47.45\00:18:51.42
similar to alcohol on the
frontal lobe of the brain.
00:18:51.45\00:18:53.76
Seems to me like
country western music
00:18:53.77\00:18:55.69
might be a little depressive.
00:18:55.70\00:18:56.74
...Listening to that...
"Oh, she left me, she left me"
00:18:56.77\00:18:59.20
"Oh, he left me, he
left me" "Oh, poor me"
00:18:59.23\00:19:01.26
Yeah, it can be
melancholy music...
00:19:01.29\00:19:04.32
and, who knows, we might find
00:19:04.35\00:19:06.94
out that that's a
risk factor as well...
00:19:06.97\00:19:08.56
But the one that's been
looked at closest is the
00:19:08.57\00:19:11.06
heavy metal
music up to this point.
00:19:11.09\00:19:13.11
Okay, so there are
some of these risk factors
00:19:13.14\00:19:17.25
that you really
can do something about.
00:19:17.28\00:19:18.44
What you listen to, and what
behaviors you're involved in...
00:19:18.47\00:19:21.73
those are important
things. Anything else?
00:19:21.76\00:19:23.97
Those are the main
risk factors for suicide.
00:19:23.98\00:19:27.68
Obviously, all the risk
factors for depression of
00:19:27.71\00:19:29.73
which there are even
more we could get into,
00:19:29.76\00:19:31.83
but being depressed, itself,
00:19:31.86\00:19:33.40
of course, is a
risk factor for suicide.
00:19:33.43\00:19:35.46
Let me come back to
that question... Okay
00:19:35.49\00:19:37.73
We've now learned that one
of the actual risk factors is
00:19:37.76\00:19:42.16
refusing help when
someone says they're suicidal...
00:19:42.19\00:19:46.15
What should you do
then, I mean, so many times
00:19:46.16\00:19:49.89
it's kind of a stigma to either
ADMIT that you are depressed
00:19:49.92\00:19:55.38
and suicidal, or you don't want
to be the BAD guy, so to speak
00:19:55.41\00:20:02.50
when you're helping someone.
00:20:02.54\00:20:03.66
What would you say to both
00:20:03.70\00:20:04.78
those types of
individuals, and what do you do?
00:20:04.82\00:20:08.07
Well first of all, it's
always better if you can,
00:20:08.11\00:20:11.33
to try to talk the
individual into receiving help.
00:20:11.36\00:20:14.08
Try to talk them into
the benefits that they could
00:20:14.11\00:20:17.10
gain from this, and the
fact that they don't need
00:20:17.13\00:20:19.77
to be worried about the stigma.
00:20:19.80\00:20:21.24
Abraham Lincoln
suffered from severe depression.
00:20:21.27\00:20:24.59
Winston Churchill
suffered from severe depression.
00:20:24.62\00:20:28.23
But these individuals
were able to actually harness
00:20:28.26\00:20:31.92
the powers of their
brain, and get on a program
00:20:31.95\00:20:35.58
that actually made
them GREAT individuals.
00:20:35.61\00:20:37.99
So just because you're
having severe depression,
00:20:38.02\00:20:40.24
or having suicidal thoughts,
and are seeking help for that,
00:20:40.27\00:20:45.16
does not relegate you to the
dumps of society by any means.
00:20:45.19\00:20:49.67
But there are, as you
mentioned, there are people,
00:20:49.70\00:20:53.20
that no matter you talk to
them, they are going to say,
00:20:53.23\00:20:55.79
"I'm sorry, I'm not
going to get help. "
00:20:55.82\00:20:57.54
"Yeah, I want to end it
all, and I don't want to have
00:20:57.57\00:21:02.44
anybody intervene. "
00:21:02.47\00:21:03.81
So what do you do then?
00:21:03.84\00:21:05.21
Then you have to be the bad guy.
00:21:05.24\00:21:08.38
And being the bad
guy will save a life,
00:21:08.41\00:21:11.55
and you need to
understand that...
00:21:11.58\00:21:13.24
And by being the bad guy, you
have to actually turn them in
00:21:13.27\00:21:16.69
to a health professional,
and that health professional
00:21:16.72\00:21:22.02
or the law department
also has to get involved.
00:21:22.05\00:21:25.52
The health professional
can contact the police.
00:21:25.55\00:21:28.43
If they are a
danger to themselves,
00:21:28.46\00:21:30.72
then the laws of this
land allow us to forcefully
00:21:30.75\00:21:36.73
treat the individual...
00:21:36.76\00:21:38.23
And that means that they are
committed for a 72-hour period
00:21:38.26\00:21:42.84
at which point they are
given the opportunity for help.
00:21:42.87\00:21:46.85
Okay, so this is the GOOD way
to be a BAD guy! That's right!
00:21:46.88\00:21:52.18
...And we really should do that.
00:21:52.21\00:21:53.43
Will they
eventually come around and say,
00:21:53.46\00:21:56.51
"You did the right
thing" most times, or not?
00:21:56.54\00:21:58.07
Most of the time,
they will thank that person
00:21:58.10\00:21:59.60
for saving their
life down the road.
00:21:59.63\00:22:02.73
They may not do it in
the first week or two,
00:22:02.76\00:22:04.59
but after they have
gotten complete help,
00:22:04.60\00:22:07.74
and they're over
their depression completely,
00:22:07.77\00:22:10.04
which sometimes
can take a few months,
00:22:10.07\00:22:12.25
they will come
back and thank you.
00:22:12.28\00:22:14.55
So, take action
NOW, is really the word.
00:22:14.58\00:22:18.55
If this kind of
thing is happening,
00:22:18.58\00:22:19.93
and you've seen those symptoms,
00:22:19.96\00:22:21.36
if they have 5 of
the 9 different things,
00:22:21.39\00:22:23.02
and one of them
is suicidal ideation,
00:22:23.05\00:22:25.47
or saying, "I'm
going to do that"
00:22:25.50\00:22:26.82
They don't necessarily even
have to have a plan, do they?
00:22:26.85\00:22:29.16
No, that's right.
00:22:29.19\00:22:30.18
Some suicidal
patients have not had a plan
00:22:30.21\00:22:33.81
up until the minute
before they committed suicide.
00:22:33.84\00:22:36.26
They're contemplating it...
00:22:36.27\00:22:37.89
They'll tend to tell somebody.
00:22:37.92\00:22:39.76
Most suicidal victims will
actually tend to tell somebody
00:22:39.79\00:22:43.45
that they don't
want to live anymore.
00:22:43.48\00:22:45.77
But, to ask them
whether they have a plan or not,
00:22:45.80\00:22:49.19
does not necessarily tell you
00:22:49.22\00:22:51.93
as to where
they're going to do it.
00:22:51.96\00:22:53.19
You should still
follow through...
00:22:53.23\00:22:54.43
Now I'm interested
about the Winston Churchill,
00:22:54.46\00:22:56.78
and Abraham Lincoln, I
believe, that you mentioned.
00:22:56.81\00:22:59.54
You said that they had
this problem but they found
00:22:59.57\00:23:03.26
ways to treat it,
or to live with it.
00:23:03.29\00:23:05.33
What did Winston Churchill do?
00:23:05.36\00:23:06.58
What did Abraham
Lincoln do to find satisfaction
00:23:06.61\00:23:10.38
to treat depression?
00:23:10.41\00:23:12.95
I'm sure they didn't have
the drugs back then that we do.
00:23:12.98\00:23:15.37
What did they do?
No, there was no Prozac
00:23:15.40\00:23:17.32
or Zoloft
available in their day.
00:23:17.35\00:23:20.65
Actually, what they did
was to get on a reasonably
00:23:20.68\00:23:23.74
good lifestyle
program, and a thinking process
00:23:23.77\00:23:28.28
to actually get them
over their depression.
00:23:28.31\00:23:31.78
And, we don't have all
the details on what they did,
00:23:31.81\00:23:35.57
necessarily, but we DO
know that they were both
00:23:35.60\00:23:40.10
students of the mind,
and students of thinking.
00:23:40.13\00:23:43.11
And, they were actually able
to habitually get their minds
00:23:43.14\00:23:46.91
OFF of the
melancholy and deep depression.
00:23:46.94\00:23:49.28
I mean, Abraham Lincoln
went so far as to say that
00:23:49.31\00:23:52.65
"If what I felt were
equally distributed to the rest
00:23:52.68\00:23:57.15
of the human race, there
wouldn't be one smile left
00:23:57.18\00:23:59.81
on the face of the earth. "
00:23:59.84\00:24:01.08
That's how bad he felt;
how deeply depressed he was.
00:24:01.11\00:24:05.66
But yet, he was able
to overcome that and give
00:24:05.69\00:24:08.97
the Gettysburg
Address years after he had
00:24:09.00\00:24:12.01
overcome depression.
00:24:12.04\00:24:13.70
And Winston Churchill, his
father thought he was going
00:24:13.73\00:24:17.70
to, in fact, was
quoted as saying that,
00:24:17.73\00:24:20.80
"He would be an
obscure individual
00:24:20.83\00:24:23.64
who would never make it. "
00:24:23.67\00:24:24.73
He failed his entrance exam
to college a couple of times.
00:24:24.76\00:24:30.75
Winston Churchill?
Winston Churchill did.
00:24:30.78\00:24:33.87
And ended up having
quite a few problems
00:24:33.90\00:24:37.57
before he overcame them.
00:24:37.60\00:24:39.51
And so there is hope.
00:24:39.54\00:24:40.68
And there's actually
more hope today, Don,
00:24:40.71\00:24:42.54
than there was back in
those days for depression.
00:24:42.57\00:24:45.46
We now know so much more
about it than we did back then,
00:24:45.49\00:24:48.35
and we also have so many
more ways of finding the actual
00:24:48.38\00:24:53.10
root cause of the depression,
00:24:53.13\00:24:54.59
and then getting them on
the appropriate treatment.
00:24:54.60\00:24:56.62
And let's come back
to that just a minute...
00:24:56.63\00:24:58.33
We have about 3 minutes left,
00:24:58.36\00:25:00.47
but I want to
ask another question.
00:25:00.50\00:25:01.88
What are the
long-term effects of depression
00:25:01.91\00:25:04.98
if it's not treated?
00:25:05.01\00:25:06.31
There are serious
long-term effects.
00:25:06.34\00:25:09.49
There's a loss
of the hippocampus.
00:25:09.50\00:25:11.73
This is the area of the
brain that involves memory.
00:25:11.76\00:25:14.24
And, the longer
you are depressed,
00:25:14.27\00:25:16.93
the smaller that
hippocampus will become,
00:25:16.96\00:25:19.70
and the worse the
memory will end up being,
00:25:19.73\00:25:22.15
and even the opportunity
for memory will go down.
00:25:22.18\00:25:25.01
Osteoporosis can result from
depression.. How does that work?
00:25:25.04\00:25:28.38
We're not exactly sure, but
it probably results from the
00:25:29.06\00:25:33.44
rise in the stress hormone
levels; cortisol, for instance,
00:25:33.47\00:25:36.85
that occurs in depressed
patients, and cortisol will
00:25:36.88\00:25:39.12
get rid of bone mass.
00:25:39.15\00:25:40.24
But, osteoporosis actually
can be a problem of depression.
00:25:40.27\00:25:46.00
And then, even
the common headache...
00:25:46.01\00:25:48.42
Tension headache,
you'd be surprised how many
00:25:48.45\00:25:50.86
depressed individuals
have tension headaches.
00:25:50.89\00:25:53.26
In fact, a lot of
headache people don't even
00:25:53.29\00:25:55.41
recognize they're depressed.
00:25:55.44\00:25:56.74
They may not
have the deep sadness,
00:25:56.77\00:25:58.50
but they have 5 of
the other 8 symptoms,
00:25:58.53\00:26:02.49
and they're actually
suffering from depression
00:26:02.52\00:26:05.26
and in order to get
rid of their headache...
00:26:05.29\00:26:06.67
we have to actually find
out why they're depressed first.
00:26:06.70\00:26:10.49
So, when they say,
"It's all in your head"
00:26:10.52\00:26:16.40
and if it's a headache,
they really should get that
00:26:16.43\00:26:19.27
tested out... maybe
there's a little truth to that.
00:26:19.30\00:26:24.21
Make sure and test out why
00:26:24.24\00:26:25.66
it is that you're
having those headaches...
00:26:25.70\00:26:27.01
Maybe you are
actually depressed.
00:26:27.05\00:26:28.66
I had a head elder of
another church come to me,
00:26:28.69\00:26:33.26
who had been to
4 other physicians,
00:26:33.29\00:26:35.05
with severe splitting
headaches; had to even be on
00:26:35.08\00:26:38.36
narcotics for his headache.
00:26:38.39\00:26:39.97
And when we got
through the interview process,
00:26:40.00\00:26:42.53
it was clear
that he was depressed.
00:26:42.56\00:26:44.25
He didn't recognize it.
00:26:44.26\00:26:45.24
Fortunately, his wife was
there, when I had asked him,
00:26:45.27\00:26:48.08
"Do you have
feelings of worthlessness?"
00:26:48.11\00:26:49.81
He would say, "Oh
no" and then she would
00:26:49.84\00:26:51.28
in the corner, nod her head...
00:26:51.29\00:26:53.12
and then I would talk it
through with both of them,
00:26:53.15\00:26:55.21
and then he'd
finally would admit
00:26:55.24\00:26:56.45
he did have
feelings of worthlessness.
00:26:56.49\00:26:58.41
When he went through with
it, his headache was caused by
00:26:58.44\00:27:00.89
depression.
00:27:00.90\00:27:02.24
So, this could be
an indicator as well...
00:27:02.27\00:27:05.74
Not something to toy with.
00:27:05.77\00:27:07.29
Well, we have less
than a minute left...
00:27:07.32\00:27:10.18
And, you're a Christian
physician, is depression a sin?
00:27:10.21\00:27:14.15
No... to be
depressed is not a sin.
00:27:14.18\00:27:18.43
Now, it can result from sins.
00:27:18.46\00:27:22.46
But it doesn't always
have to result from sin.
00:27:22.49\00:27:27.05
You can have depression
even though you never sin.
00:27:27.08\00:27:30.98
Arguably, Jesus
Himself, was a Man of sorrow,
00:27:31.01\00:27:35.47
and acquainted with griefs...
00:27:35.50\00:27:38.09
But in many cases in this world,
it is a result of not following
00:27:38.12\00:27:43.82
the laws of health.
00:27:43.85\00:27:46.33
And through either eating,
drinking or lifestyle measures
00:27:46.36\00:27:50.27
that have helped
bring this about.
00:27:50.30\00:27:52.16
We've been talking
with Dr. Neil Nedley
00:27:52.19\00:27:54.02
We've talked about
depression and what it is.
00:27:54.05\00:27:55.90
We hope this has helped you.
00:27:55.93\00:27:56.97
Get in touch with
us. Thanks for watching.
00:27:56.98\00:27:57.98