Roxanne S. Abbas wrote:
"I am seeking information, insight and opinion on a phenomenon that I have
been observing in my community over the past many months. This is my
perception of a significant increase in serious depression among persons
of all ages."
Psychiatric Times Nov 1996 cover story reads: Mental Illnesses to be
among most prevalent by 2020, WHO study says. The subtitle: Unipolar
Depression will be No. 2 cause of disease burden. This was determined by
analysis of the impact of mortality and disabling illnesses. Ischemic
heart disease is number 1. Alcohol dependence, manic depression and
obsessive compulsive disorder also made the top 10.
This is certainly evidence that the trend observed antecdotaly is likely
to be true. The article further states that depression was the world's
leading cause of disability in 1990 ( Alcohol was 4th). There is not
speculation as to why in the article.
My personal experience as a mental health professional is that there are
increasing pressures and decreasing support systems to deal with these
pressures. Job security is decreasing, relationships are less stable and
lasting, families are more dispursed and disrupted, and the list grows.
I have become interested in LO's as a potential means to an increased
awareness of these issues and a method of looking for systematic solutions
to these problems. I would point out that healthcare systems I am aware
of are not leaders in addressing these issues. In fact, healthcare is
changing rapidly which adds to the above list as a destablizing force.
The most hopeful perspective I can identify relates to the apparent
increaseing awareness of depression and some trends to see a reduction in
stigma. With depression as prevalent as it is, this is needed. The
article above does indicate WHO's(World Health Organization) suggestion is
more aggressive identification and treatment of depression, especially in
view of the effective treatments available.
I could go on, but that's enough for now.
David C. Rupley, Jr., MD
dcrupley@coredcs.com
I need to know my story.
It is in my story that I come to know myself.
--"David C. Rupley, Jr." <dcrupley@coredcs.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>