Mad Medusa mum

By Judith Tan - Apr 4, 2007
The Straits Times

Looking at my three-year-old, people say I'm a great mother and that my daughter, Victoria, is clever and well-adjusted.

But they would be surprised if they knew this: In the first few months of her life, I entertained graphic thoughts of picking her up, opening the window of my flat and throwing her out of it.

I was going through post-partum depression.

I can laugh now, but at that time it was no laughing matter. I didn't realise what was happening. I just felt overwhelmed by this little person who didn't like to sleep.

I guess I had really set myself up for deep disappointment.

I got pregnant when I was 26 and I wanted to go the natural way. I looked for a gynaecologist who believed in it, and I even went on radio to tell listeners that I wouldn't have an epidural.

When my friend, a mother of three, heard the show, she called to say I was mad to have such high expectations of myself.

She was right. It turned out to be a difficult birth and I ended up going through an emergency C-section.

I also thought that, after the birth, the nurse would clean the baby, put her in my arms and my husband would take a snapshot which would be picture perfect - like we see on TV.

It was nothing like that.

When I looked at the photo, I was dishevelled and my face like kena bus langah (like a bus had hit me).

When I went home with Victoria, I had to cope with my C-section wound, a crying and non-sleeping baby, and bleeding nipples.

All these little things added up - making me feel like a loser. It was no wonder I went into depression.

Read the full article below
http://justwoman.asiaone.com.sg/motherhood/stories/20070404_001.html

Six-fold increase in eating disorders among teenagers since 2002
By Janice Ng and Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 20 February 2007 2019 hrs

Photos 1 of 2
SINGAPORE: The number of teenagers with eating disorder has increased six-fold since 2002.

The Singapore General Hospital said 140 new cases are reported every year.

But only 10 to 20 percent of them are seeking treatment.

A study of some 1,000 girls across Asia, aged between 15 and 17, shows teenage girls suffer from a severe lack of confidence.

In Singapore, more than eight in ten want to change the way they look, while six in ten feel bad about themselves because of looks or weight.

Read more here
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/259641/1/.html

Depression May Be Early Sign of Parkinson's Disease

By Jeffrey Perkel
HealthDay Reporter Fri Apr 27, 11:47 PM ET

FRIDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- In some cases, depression can be an early manifestation of Parkinson's disease, new research suggests.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health compared antidepressant use among more than 1,000 individuals with Parkinson's disease to more than 6,600 age- and gender-matched individuals without the degenerative neurological illness.

They found that people currently on antidepressants had an 80 percent higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease than those who had never taken antidepressants. This was true for both men and women, regardless of age or the class of antidepressant used.

For the full article refer to the below link
http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20070428/hl_hsn/depressionmaybeearlysignofparkinsonsdisease;_ylt=Al.MXyGSfLpq1IGv7o81fwbVJRIF

Off Centre

First staged in 1993 to critical acclaim, Off Centre is recognised as a
landmark play in the history of Singapore theatre, best remembered for
bringing mental illness and its patients’ plight to the attention of
the media and general public in Singapore. The play traces the
friendship of Saloma and Vinod and the hurdles they have to overcome,
including social stigmas, prejudices and personal conflicts.

Off Centre has also been selected by the Ministry of Education as the
first Singapore play to be offered as a GCE ‘O’ Level literature text
from 2007, and has been republished by The Necessary Stage.

9, 12 – 13, 16 – 20 May 2007, 3pm
9 – 12 May, 18 – 19 May 2007, 8pm

$30 | $21* (Excludes $2 SISTIC ticketing fee)
* Concessions for students, NSF & senior citizens

Get your tickets from 1 Mar 2007 at all SISTIC authorised agents,
online at www.sistic.com or via the SISTIC hotline at 6348 5555.

For more information or for school and corporate bookings, please
contact us at Tel: 6440 8115 or email: admin@necessary.org

An interview done by Mediacorp Radio with Off centre's (refer to the last blog entry for more information) director Alvin Tan about their journey and research that went into this play.

Read the interview here
http://www.rsi.sg/english/artsarena/view/20070426170427/1/.html

My thoughts.

I had the opportunity and privilege to hear and speak to Mr Alvin personally a couple of days ago spoke about his own experiences and story regarding his brother and his family. I won't go into details but it was heartwarming to hear from him his brother's route to recovery and will to live, as well as the support and patience his brother has received from their parents. I could see that it couldn't have been easy all these while for their family and I truly wish them well and hope that the play would help spread more awareness of mental illness.

Thank you Mr Alvin for sharing with me.

Mr Alvin is kind enough to forward this article to me.

Life! Arts
The Straits Times
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Pg 12

Study guide for local play

A former lead actor in the play Off Centre, which is a GCE O-level
literature text, has written a guidebook to it

Adeline Chia
ARTS REPORTER

YOU could say Abdulattif Abdullah is the perfect man for the job.

The 39-year old English and literature head in Bukit Batok Secondary
School, who played lead character Vinod in Off Centre when it was first
staged in 1993, has written a student’s guidebook to the play.

He had married a fellow cast member, Sakinah Dollah, who played the
female lead, the following year. The study guide was written because
the work by playwright Haresh Sharma of The Necessary Stage (TNS) has
been selected as a GCE O-level literature text this year.

The seminal work about mental illness is the first Singaporean play to
become an O-level text. Not all schools have to study it as they can
use another play on the syllabus, but 13 schools are doing so this
year.

The play is about the friendship between Vinod, a top debater in school
who has a mental breakdown, and a 19-year old, schizophrenic called
Saloma. It is best remembered for bringing the plight of mental
patients to the public’s attention.

For the past six months, Abdulattif and colleague Ruth Tan, 28, have
been writing a 40-page guidebook, which includes sections on
characterization, plot, themes and sample essays.

“It has a lot more details than your typical Cliff Notes
guidebook,” he
says. They are still looking for a publisher but hope to have the book
ready by July in time for the school exams in September.

He says his involvement in the play more than a decade ago gave him
unique insights.

Together with Sharma and TNS artistic director Alvin Tan, he spent
months researching and interviewing mental patients and working out the
roles in workshops.

Also, having played Vinod gave him a deeper understanding of the
character’s motivations which he hopes to share with students.

“If anything else, I can talk to my wife about it,” he says with a
laugh. He has three children with Sakina, 34, who now runs a
pre-school.

Off Centre joins two other Singaporean texts in the O-level curriculum.
They are Heartland, a novel written in 1999 by lawyer Darren Shiau,
and Island Voices, a 2007 anthology of Singapore short stories
commissioned by the Education Ministry.

The ministry said the play was included because it satisfied the
criteria for literature texts, which include To Kill A Mockingbird by
Harper Lee and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“Off Centre explores a wider range of themes such as marginalisation,
friendship, and societal and familial pressures. The play has good
characterisation, dramatic potential and accessibility,” said a
ministry spokesman.

The play has been restaged thrice since its debut in 1993. The most
recent revival was in Malay, called Otak Tak Centre in Kuala Lumpur two
years ago.

Over the past 14 years, Off Centre has also been made into an
experimental feature film and adapted into a television movie, both
with the same title. It has also been given a full reading in Britain
and taught at the International Islamic University Malaysia in Kuala
Lumpur.

Sharma, 41, has been giving talks to teachers since it was announced
the play would become a school text, and even had a webchat with
students on it.

“I feel like a mini-literary celebrity,” he jokes.

And for an entire generation of students who had missed the first run,
TNS is restaging the play this month.

Alvin Tan, 44, who directs the play, says Off Centre remains relevant
today because prejudice against mental health patients still exists.

“I still hear of people whose salaries get halved because employers
think that if you have mental health issues, you’re not so
productive,” he says.

He adds that Off Centre is also a timeless play about human
relationships, such as the friendship between the lead characters Vinod
and Saloma.

Playing Vinod this time is Melvinder Kanth, 34, an actor and
documentary film-maker. Saloma is played by Mislina Mustaffa, 36.

And reprising her 1993 role as Saloma’s mother is actress Alin
Mosbit, 33.

Alin says she is now closer to the actual age of her character, who is
in her late 40s. In the first Off Centre production, she was only 19.

She adds: “The character is more curt and much harsher – she has a
darker streak this time.”

chiahta@sph.com.sg

Off Centre will be staged at the Esplanade Theatre Studio from May 9
to 20 with 3pm shows on May 9, 12 and 13, and from May 16 to 20; 8pm
shows on May 9 to 12, May 18 and 19.

Tickets at $30 from Sistic (www.sistic.com.sg, tel: 6348-5555).

A list of the best/worst things to say to someone who is depressed.
http://healthyplace.com/communities/Bipolar/Site/depression/best_worst_words.asp

I would say that the list applies to all those who has to go through mental illnesses, grief or just feeling plain down.

Nearly 7 in 10 kids exposed to trauma by age 16

By Anne Harding Wed May 9, 3:23 PM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While exposure to traumatic events among children and teens is "almost commonplace," only a small fraction of young people will go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after such exposure, a new study shows

But the findings shouldn't be interpreted to mean that kids don't suffer after a trauma, Dr. William E. Copeland of Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, the study's lead author, told Reuters Health. While children exposed to a single traumatic event did seem to fare well, those exposed to two or more such events were at higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress symptoms, as well as psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety.

For the full article, refer to the below link
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070509/hl_nm/kids_trauma_dc;_ylt=At.3_d481IYCZ5zBN39LN9fVJRIF

This event and news is taken from SilverRibbonSingapore's website at
http://www.silverribbonsingapore.com/news.htm

Off Centre Post Event Talk – About Schizophrenia
22 May 2007
Institute of Mental Health
Lecture Hall
Free Admission
*First-come-first serve basis.
To register at info@silverribbonsingapore.com

Join the following speakers to understand more about Schizophrenia!

Dr Lim Choon Guan
Psychiatrist, Institute of Mental Health

Mr Alvin Tan
Founder/Artistic Director, The Necessary Stage

Mr Haresh Sharma
Resident Playwright, The Necessary Stage

Mr Harris Ng
President, Association for The Open Mind

Dr Rita Goh
Founder, Aspiron Services

Life! - Life Arts

Off Centre is right on
Adeline Chia, ARTS REPORTER
432 words
15 May 2007
Straits Times
English
(c) 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

OFF CENTRE The Necessary Stage Esplanade Theatre Studio Last Saturday

FIRST performed to rave reviews in 1993, Off Centre by The Necessary Stage (TNS) was lauded as a seminal play highlighting the plight of mental patients.

It has been revived by playwright Haresh Sharma this year to mark two milestones: the company's 20th anniversary, and the introduction of the play into the GCE O-level Literature syllabus.

Fourteen years on and with so many expectations riding on its back, this powerful work shows its 1990s vintage but remains fresh and compelling.

On one level, the story is a timeless one about the complex relationship between two sensitive individuals. Vinod (played by a mercurial Melvinder Kanth) is a straight-A junior college student and school debater who suffers from depression.

He meets Saloma (played sensitively and with much pathos by Mislina Mustaffa), a schizophrenic girl who graduated from a vocational institute.

And by sheer craft and sensitivity, the script is a gem which tackles serious issues with liberal doses of humour. Vinod's suggestion for a slow suicide, for instance, is to 'stay in Singapore'.

The darker elements haven't lost their ability to shock and to move either.

The way in which a clothes hanger featured in a brutal, humiliating episode during Vinod's national service and in the fate of mental patient Emily Gan (played superbly by Josephine Tan) drew gasps from the audience.

There were also aspects of the play which were quaintly dated, although not alienating. Set in a time when batik T-shirts were in fashion, and before mobile phones were ubiquitous, the two friends chat over their land lines, sing to Boyz II Men and make radio dedications to each other over Class 95.

In a way, it was apt that director Alvin Tan kept these references, as a kind of a retrospective gesture to the company's performance history.

Off Centre still strikes a raw chord 14 years after it was first staged. Some of the reasons for Vinod and Saloma's breakdowns continue to sound familiar: a high-pressure society and uncomprehending and defensive family members.

It remains one of the play's piquant ironies that its relevance partially hangs upon malaises it seeks to address. The day that mental patients are treated with respect and sympathy is
the day of Off Centre's expiry date. That day may be a long time coming, even as Vinod and Saloma become familiar characters among O-level students.

chiahta@sph.com.sg

TODAY's review

260 words
14 May 2007
TODAY (Singapore)
English
(c) 2007. MediaCorp Press Ltd.

IT SHOCKED 14 years ago, but the re-staged play Off Centre seems a tad
mild in today's context.

You can pick out what could have been taken as shocking for local theatre in 1993. Vinod, who suffers from depression, rants about God to Saloma, his schizophrenic girlfriend. He speaks of how Singaporeans avert their attention from what they are uncomfortable with - in this case, the idea of mental patients and their ability to live, and love.

The play sparked controversy when it was first staged due to what was deemed irreverent handling of a sensitive subject matter. The Ministry of Health, which commissioned it, took away its $30,000 funding after Haresh Sharma's script didn't suit their guidelines.

But this restaging reminds us of how much has changed since the early 90s; local plays now teem with such references to the Singapore psyche, mixing critique with humour in the way that Sharma did contentiously all those years ago.

Both Sharma and director Alvin Tan have chosen not to tamper with the original play so the references remain, from the use of Boyz II Men's End Of The Road, to the denim jeans and bandannas that served as fashion for NUS undergrads then.

It would have been interesting to see the play updated for our times, but its adamant retro-ness does underscore the fact that despite the years that have passed, some things remain the same. Off Centre is on until May 20, at the Esplanade Studio Theatre.

All photos belong to and are credited to "The Necessary Stage"

Mislina plays Saloma in Off Centre.

Saloma: My social worker said I must come here. Rose. She always visit
me.

Melvinder Kanth plays Vinod and Mislina plays Saloma

Saloma [Narrator]: Saloma looked at Vinod and...and smiled. What else
could she do?
She liked him. He was crazy

Saloma: Must take. If not cannot become well. You take or not Vinod?

Mislina plays Saloma

Saloma: You can go back. I know you very busy. Got a lot of work to
do. So, you can go back

Alin Mosbit plays Mak (Saloma's mother) and Mislina plays

Saloma
Mak: Saloma, today is Friday. Today what we do? Asap rumah kan? See,
I put that
there OK? Dengar tak? Nak dekat Azan.

Mislina plays Saloma and Melvinder Kanth plays Vinod

Vinod: We are friends?

Mr Alvin was very gracious and kind to send me these nice photos of the play itself to post up.

All photos belong to and are credited to "The Necessary Stage"

Got this from a search. its a news article dated 2 months ago

Prime News
1 in 4 teens and young adults could face mental problems
Salma Khalik, Health Correspondent
546 words
12 March 2007
Straits Times
English
(c) 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

Experts to help IMH identify symptoms early, start treatment

A MAJOR effort is under way to identify the symptoms of mental problems and start treatment early.

This comes in the face of findings which show that one in four teens and young adults here and in other developed countries could have psychological problems.

The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) has invited nine experts, both foreign and local, to help it develop a study to see how this can be done.

The hope is that this will help prevent the onset of serious diseases such as schizophrenia

One expert on the IMH panel, Associate Professor Alison Yung of Melbourne University, said: 'If we can pick them up early, we may not even need medicine to help them.'

The concern stems from studies conducted internationally - covering several developed countries, including Singapore - which have shown that 25 per cent of those in their teens and early 20s suffer from mental problems such as anxiety, depression, anorexia, psychosis and personality disorder.

For most, the problems are transient. But 10 per cent are at risk of serious long-term psychosis - or mental problems such as schizophrenia, hallucinations and delusions.

This means that going by Singapore's population growth rate, 1,000 babies born here each year could end up with serious psychological problems.

In 20 years, some of them may join the 5,300 patients warded at the IMH last year for psychosis - adding to the strain on available funds.

Already, about a third of the $40 million from Medifund, the government kitty to help the poor pay health-care bills, goes to IMH patients each year.

Grasping the extent of the problem, Associate Professor Chong Siow Ann, who heads the IMH's Early Psychosis Intervention Programme, invited the nine experts to help.

A panel member, Associate Professor Richard Keefe of Duke University in the United States, said that most serious mental illnesses hit people in their teens or early 20s - when the brain's frontal lobe is developing.

He explained: 'This is the area that helps you plan, organise, strategise - all the high-level processing. It is important in controlling behaviour and emotion - which adolescents struggle with.'

His explanation is borne out by the age range of the IMH's psychotic patients, many of whom were warded between the ages of 22 and 26.

Half of the IMH's 32,000 outpatients are also being treated for chronic schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia, one of the more serious forms of psychosis, makes patients hear voices or believe that others are reading their minds or controlling their thoughts.

Treating schizophrenia early is crucial, said Professor Patrick McGorry of the University of Melbourne. 'After a couple of years, it becomes relatively permanent, and treatment at that point is largely ineffective.'

Prof Chong hopes to get the IMH study off the ground towards the end of this year, once approval and funding is obtained.

Duke University's Prof Keefe described Singapore as an ideal place for such a study. The country is 'compact and structured', and it is easier to follow up on patients, unlike in the US, where people move around a lot.

salma@sph.com.sg

This is just a personal entry so this isn't some official or unofficial review on the play.

I don't usually watch plays and I made this an exception due to the theme itself as I went to watch the play with my friend yesterday. I enjoyed the play a lot, the play lasted 1 hour 50 minutes, but I could have easily continued watching it for another 1 or 2 hours. Perhaps it's due to the fact that the theme is close to my heart, yet, without a realistic protrayal of the social situation and connection I could feel with the characters themselves, how would I have been able to enjoy it so.

While watching the show, I dare say a tinge of sadness and pain was felt because I know for myself how true and real the prejudices and the emotional and mental confilcts, and more importantly the struggles and fears that the characters face, for in the 2 characters Vinod and Saloma, I also see in them the cries and faces of some people that I know.

Vinod protrayed just how what depression supposedly is, "anger turned inward." His anger and frustrations, hidden in his fears. The seemingly stable but yet more fragile than the very girl he tried to befriend

Saloma on the other hand outwardly looks mentally and emotionally frail, yet in her, I see the courage and strength that she has deep down. Just like a friend of mine that I know who also suffers from schizophrenia coincidentally.

Emily, Saloma's friend in the play, despite how the character's manner of talking is understandably funny to most public, it brings about a sense of sadness again knowing that people like Emily truly do believe what they say and think. Delusions of grandeur.. bipolar disorder if im not mistaken.

There are several other characters I enjoyed watching in the play, among them would be Vinod's platoon seargant (not the captain mind you) who protrayed just how their fellow peers are also in a state of helplessness themselves, unable to rise against those above them in rank in the army, and not knowing how to truly help people like Vinod.

It thoroughly annoyed my friend and I that some people in the audience were constantly laughing, annoyed in the sense that I feel sad for these people in the audience who despite seeing the play, is clearly completely out of touch and unable to connect with the depth of pain and struggles the characters are going through.

I saw and recognised in the play, the loving yet denial state and lack of understanding parents some mental illness sufferers had to face, the harshness of NS which so often lacks a human heart, the fears and struggles mental illness sufferers go through, the fear and prejudice of the majority public, and the co-dependent but genuine friendship that Vinod and Saloma share. In their friendship, I saw the neediness of both, and in the progress, the abandonment and fearful feelings that Vinod must have felt.

At the end of the play, Saloma sitting there, to me protrayed the aloneness that mental illness sufferers face, and how we could all so easily take the time not to judge and be there with them and that alone could have helped and meant so much to them. We are all too busy as Saloma puts it, too busy with our lives, unable to spend a moment to care. I sat there with my friend watching the audience depart at the end of the play with Saloma sitting there waving goodbye, and I wonder, just how much did the audience truly understand what Vinod and Saloma (and all the other mental illness sufferers out there) had to go through.

From the health section of TODAY (22nd May 2007)
Pg 41

The men do get it.
But unlike women, men are no likely to admit they feel that way or seek help for their condition.

Joanne Yap
Joanne@mediacorp.com.sg

During his days in the army, product support coordinator Adrian Tan* caved under the pressure and stress of life in a camp and succumbed to depression.

One of his officers suggested that he consulted a psychiatrist, who prescribed anti-depressants to help Adrian cope with his condition. But due to the lack of funds, the medication dried up after his army days.

"I turned to taking off-the-counter cough syrup, as it was the only drug I knew that was cheap and sleep inducing. Over the years, the dosages I took increased, but it still didn't help my condition," Adrian said.

Contrary to the popular belief that depression mostly affects women, the reality is that men also suffer from it. In fact, 40 per cent of men aged between 40 and 60 will experience some degree of depression.

Dr Tay Woo Keng, senior consultant at the Division of Psychological Medicine at Changi General Hospital, explained:"The core symptoms of depression, such as having a depressed mood, a lack of capacity for pleasure and enjoyment, negative thinking and suicidal thoughts, are experienced by all patients regardless of sex."

The triggers of depression might be many and often include a combination of environmental, genetic and psychological factors. But while these causes are not uncommon among men and women who fall into depression, the similarity ends there.

While women tend to be more open about discussing their condition and seeking help, men often act out their feelings of hopeless and helplessness instead, through anger or working long hours.

In Adrian's case, he shield away from those around im, preferring to be on his own. "I find it difficult to communicate what I'm feelnig to others, so I don't share my thoughts very often. When I felt down I kept to myself instead."

The symptoms of depression that manifest in men are different from those typically diagnosed in women and are hence harder to recognise and diagnose.

According to Dr Tay, men tend to show depression through hostility, irritability or aggression. "Men tend to cope with their depressed feelings by drinking, taking drugs or engaging in risky acitivties like dangerous sports. They might even atttempt suicide."

As many as 80 percent of people who seek help for depression find relief through therapy or medication, but the problem remains that not many men come forward.

Dr Chua Hong Choon, senior consultant, head of general psychiatry department at the Institute of Mental Health, said :"men don't usually cry, show sadness and loss of will or verbalise an intention to hurt themselves. As a result, their depression is hidden from caring friends, family members and associates who might insist that they seek help."

According to Dr Tay, men's reticence could stem from societal and cultural expectations put on them to fit a certain mould - to be in control, tough and successful in dealing with advesities.

"Thus, men often restrain their emotions. They do not express their depression freely or ask for help, as this is perceived as a sign of weakness."

Treatments for depression include antidepressant therapy, medication or psychotherapy, which involves counselling. In addition, cognitive therapy (a form of psychotherapy) may also help in treating mild to moderate cases.

Those who are depressed tend to have a pessimistic outlook on life - and these negative thoughts become automatic and habitual over time. Therapy aims to get individuals to recognise these thoughts, challenge them and replace them with more realistic and accurate ones.

In cases of mild depression, exercise may help chase the blues away, Dr Tay advised those with depression to talk about their condition, spend time with others, keep active, write down the thoughts that trouble them and be patient with themselves as recovery is seldom achieved overnight.

For more information about male depression, call the Institute of Mental Health at 6389 2833
*Name has been changed at the request of interviewee

China ill equipped to treat mental health problems

Sat May 19, 4:31 PM ET

SHANGHAI (AFP) - Most Chinese who suffer from depression do not get proper treatment due to a lack of psychiatrists and public prejudice, state press reported Friday, citing the country's mental health professionals.

China has just 17,000 registered psychiatrists for its 30 million depression patients, only one-10th of the ratio in Western countries, the China Daily newspaper reported, citing figures from an industry meeting here.

The imbalance means 90 percent of people in China with depression do not get adequate treatment, according to health experts at the meeting.

"There are just too few doctors available," Hao Wei, vice-director of the Chinese Psychiatrists Association, was quoted as saying.

Moreover, public prejudice against mental diseases also deterred sufferers from consulting psychiatrists, with women and people in rural areas the most affected.

Many patients were reluctant to look for professional care and visited physicians instead on fear of prejudice, Hao said.

Many patients were reluctant to look for professional care and visited physicians instead on fear of prejudice, Hao said.

The economic cost of depression to China, in medical bills and lost employment opportunities, is nearly eight billion dollars a year, according to experts at the conference

For the article, refer to the below link
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070519/hl_afp/healthchinamental;_ylt=AnoJoKsan21SR5HIM1iyn_3VJRIF

Minorities prefer depression counseling to drugs

Fri May 18, 3:35 PM ET NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When it comes to depression therapy, minorities are more likely than whites to prefer counseling to medication, according to a large U.S. survey

In an Internet survey of about 75,000 Americans, researchers found that African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans were two to three times more likely than whites to say they'd rather be treated with talk therapy than with drugs for depression.

Minorities were also less likely to believe that depression stems from biological changes in the brain and were more likely to think antidepressants are addictive, according to findings published in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry.

"This study documents that, overall, ethnic minorities hold attitudes toward depression and depression treatment that are distinct from those of white participants," lead study author Dr. Jane Givens, of Boston University Medical Center, said in a statement.

For the full article, refer to
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070518/hl_nm/minorities_depression_dc;_ylt=AhmQ_HnJahX8BUME13Ak0GXVJRIF

Melinda Wenner
Special to LiveScience
LiveScience.com Mon Jun 4, 10:45 AM ET

People who are looking to ease depression may have a new treatment option--marriage.

A recent study suggests that marriage provides a greater psychological boost to depressed people than to happy people, even if the marriage is so-so.

Previous studies have suggested that the psychological perks of marriage depend upon marriage quality--a happy marriage gives rise to a happy couple, and vice versa.

Other studies have shown that depressed people, who tend to communicate poorly and require more caring and support than happy people, also end up in unhappier marriages.

So Adrianne Frech, a sociology graduate student at Ohio State University, and her colleague, Kristi Williams, speculated that happy people would garner more psychological perks from marriage than depressed people.

To test their theory, they looked at a sample of 3,066 men and women who had been interviewed and tested for depression once in either 1987 or 1988 and then again five years later. In the interviews, they were asked about the quality of their marriage (if they were married).

On average, controlling for differences in depression, subjects who had gotten married over the five-year span between the two interviews reported improved psychological well-being in the second interview--scoring an average of 3.42 points lower on the 84-point depression scale--than their counterparts who did not marry.

When they teased apart how marriage affected those who had been depressed at the start of the study to those who had been happy, however, they came across something unexpected. The depressed who married scored an average of 7.56 points lower on the depression scale than the depressed who did not marry, while those who were happy and got married scored only 1.87 points lower on the scale.

In other words, marriage provided a much bigger psychological boost to the depressed subjects than to the happy subjects.

For the full article, refer to the below url
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20070604/sc_livescience/newdepressionrxgetmarried

Taken from TODAY 18th June Pg 27 (there's 2 workshops so pls look through the whole entry)

Mental Health Workshops for Persons Affected by Mental Illness & Their Caregivers.

Illness Management & Recovery Program (IMR)

A 10-session workshop (2-hour weekly) to equip persons diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar or depression with knowledge & skills in management of their illness.

Topics & Dates for IMR (7.00 to 9.00pm)

1. Recovery Strategies
2. Practical Facts about the 3 Major Mental Illnesses
3. Stress-vulnerability Model and Intervention Strategies
4. Overcoming Stigma & Discrimination
5. Building Social Suppport
6. Using Medication Effectively
7. Reducing Relapses
8. Coping with Stress
9. Coping with Problems and Symptoms
10. Getting Your Needs Met in the Mental Health System

Dates (3rd run)
Jun 25th
Jul 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th
Aug 13th, 20th, 27th
Sept 10th, 17th

4th run
Sept 24th
Oct 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th
12th, 19th, 26th Nov
Dec 10th, 17th

Eligibility Criteria
* Must be diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar or depression and in a stable condition.
* Able to attend all 10 sessions & complete the whole course.

Fees : One time registration fee of $10.00

Family Link Program (FLP - English version)

A 9-session workshop (2-hour weekly) to equip caregivers with knowledge & skills in supporting their loved one affected by schizophrenia, bi-polar and depression

Topics & Dates for FLP (7.00pm to 9.00pm)

1. Introduction to Family Link Program
2. Understanding Schizophrenia, Bipolar & depression
3. Practical Drug Guide & Management
4. Effective communication with person with mental illness
5. Handling Crisis & Suicide Prevention
6. Treating Yourself Good
7. Understanding Mental Health Services
8. Your rights and advocacy skills
9. Reviews & assessment

(Mandarin Class)
Jun 21st
Jul 5th, 12th, 19th
Aug 2nd, 16th, 23rd
Sep 6th, 13th

(English Class)
Sep 20th
Oct 4th, 11th, 18th
Nov 1st 15th, 22nd
Dec 6th, 13th

Eligibility Criteria
& Must be caring for a loved one diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar or depression.
* Able to attend all 9 sessions & complete the whole course

Fees : By Donation only.

How to join?
If you meet the eligibility criteria, please phone 1800-283 7019 (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm & 2-6pm)
Registration is on a first-come-first served basis.

Organised by SAMH (Singapore Association for Mental Health)

By Ed Edelson
HealthDay Reporter Mon Jul 2, 11:47 PM ET

MONDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Suicide attempts dropped among people with depression soon after they started treatment, either with antidepressant drugs or psychotherapy, a study of more than 109,000 patients shows.

The study results come after a controversial 2004 recommendation on antidepressant labeling from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That move slapped a strong "black box" warning on the labeling of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which include Celexa, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft.

The warning outlined the potential for an increase in suicidal thoughts among teenagers and young adults prescribed the medications. The warning also urged closer clinical monitoring of these patients.

However, "the FDA warning was based on placebo-controlled trials," noted lead researcher Dr. Greg Simon, a psychiatrist and researcher at Group Health, a Seattle-based nonprofit health care system. "They did not look at suicide attempts, because they were too rare. In the whole group of studies the FDA looked at, there were only two suicide attempts," Simon said.

The current trial, published in the July issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, does focus on suicide attempts. It finds that pharmaceutical and psychotherapy treatments aimed at fighting depression reduce those attempts.

For the full article, refer to the below url
http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20070703/hl_hsn/suicideattemptsfallafterdepressiontreatmentbegins;_ylt=AmT0qJrbjcVC0r4RnZHaVkjVJRIF

Chronic insomnia linked to depression, anxiety
Wed, Jul 11, 2007
Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - For some people, chronic insomnia may be a sign of broader mental health problems like depression and anxiety, according to a new study.

In surveys of more than 25,000 Norwegian adults, researchers found that those with chronic insomnia were more likely to also be suffering from depression or an anxiety disorder.

What's more, people who reported insomnia during the first wave of the survey were at increased risk of having an anxiety disorder during the second wave, conducted a decade later.

This, the researchers say, suggests that insomnia may either raise the risk of future anxiety problems, or be a sign that a person is particularly vulnerable to developing anxiety symptoms.

The findings are published in the medical journal Sleep.

Sleep problems are common in people with depression, anxiety and certain other mental health conditions. But whether insomnia can lead to depression or anxiety is unclear.

To study the question, researchers led by Dr. Dag Neckelmann of Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway, used data from a general health survey that followed 25,130 adults age 20 and older.

Respondents were first surveyed between 1984 and 1986, then again between 1995 and 1997. Anxiety and depression symptoms were gauged during the second survey, with standard questions used to diagnose the disorders.

In general, the researchers found, people with chronic insomnia during the first survey were more likely to have anxiety disorder symptoms during the second survey -- as were respondents who had insomnia during the second survey only.

This suggests that, in some people, insomnia could signal a current anxiety disorder, or be a risk factor for developing anxiety down the road, according to Neckelmann's team.

In contrast, there was no evidence that insomnia was a risk factor for future depression. Instead, people with insomnia during the second survey were at heightened risk of current depression -- indicating that insomnia and depression commonly co-exist.

The findings, Neckelmann told Reuters Health, point to the importance of seeking help for chronic insomnia, as well as being evaluated for any symptoms of depression or an anxiety disorder.

Each of these disorders, the researcher noted, can be treated with non-drug options, like cognitive behavioral therapy.

However, Neckelmann said, while this study suggests that insomnia may be a risk factor for anxiety, it's not yet clear whether treating insomnia lowers the odds of future anxiety disorders.

SOURCE: Sleep, July 1, 2007.

REUTERS

taken from
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Wellness%2B%2540%2BWork/Story/A1Story20070711-17991.html

Fri Jul 13, 5:32 AM ET

CHICAGO (AFP) - US researchers have identified the parts of the brain that are involved with suppressing unpleasant memories, a finding that could have implications for treating depression or post traumatic stress disorder, according to a study released Thursday.
ADVERTISEMENT

The concept of memory suppression has been a controversial one among psychologists for a century, but in this study neuroscientists used brain scans to show that volunteers who have been asked to banish disturbing memories show very specific patterns of brain activity.

The scans showed that two specific regions of the prefrontal cortex -- what neuroscientists call the seat of cognitive control -- appear to work in tandem to modulate posterior brain regions like the visual cortex, the hippocampus and amygdala. These areas are involved in tasks such as visual recall, memory encoding and retrieval and emotional expression.

"These results indicate memory suppression does occur, and, at least in nonpsychiatric populations, is under the control of the prefrontal cortex," the investigators reported in the journal Science.

For the purpose of the experiment, the 16 volunteers were given 40 pairs of photographs to study. In each case, an image of a neutral human face was paired with an emotionally disturbing image such as a car crash, a wounded soldier, an electric chair or a violent crime scene.

After memorizing each pair, the volunteers were placed in an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanner. Once inside the machine, they were shown only the neutral face images and instructed to either actively recall the associated image or to actively suppress it.

The results of the scans or fMRIs (functional magnetic resonance imaging) indicated that the volunteers were able to "exert some control over their emotional memories," said Brendan Depue, a doctoral student in neuroscience at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and lead author of the study.

"By essentially shutting down specific portions of the brain, they were able to stop the retrieval process of particular memories," Depue said.

The authors of the paper said they hope that their work will promote further research into better therapies and possibly even drug treatments for people suffering from conditions such as PTSD, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive syndrome. The symptoms of these disorders include flashbacks to disturbing events, and intrusive or obsessive thoughts.

"The first step is to understand how memory suppression works in healthy individuals, and what neural mechanisms are at work," said Depue. "Then you need to look at those same mechanisms in a clinical population and figure out why they aren't functioning properly."

News taken from
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070713/hl_afp/ushealthmemory;_ylt=AgqyptOr9CU6OW25kBhP1InVJRIF

Exercise may help with hard-to-treat depression
Fri, Jul 20, 2007
Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Regular exercise may improve depression symptoms in people who've failed to get better with antidepressant medication, the results of a small study suggest.

The study found that depressed women who started a supervised exercise regimen had significant improvements in their symptoms over the next 8 months. Those who didn't exercise showed only marginal improvements.

Before the study, all of the women had tried taking antidepressant medication for at least two months but had failed to improve.

A number of studies have found that physically active people are less likely than couch potatoes to suffer depression. Some clinical trials have shown regular exercise can help treat the disorder, and perhaps be as effective as antidepressant drugs in some cases.

The new findings suggest that exercise can even help people whose symptoms have been resistant to medication, according to the study authors.

Dr. Alessandra Pilu of the University of Cagliari in Italy and co-investigators report their findings in the online journal of Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health.

The study included 30 women ages 40 to 60 who'd been diagnosed with major depression. The researchers randomly assigned the women to either stick with antidepressants alone or to start an exercise program. All of the patients continued to take their medication.

The exercisers worked out as a group twice a week for 1 hour, using cardio-fitness machines. At the beginning of the study and 8 months later, women in both groups completed standard measures used to assess depression severity.

Pilu's team found that women in the exercise group showed marked improvements in their depression symptoms, while those on medication alone made only modest gains.

The findings suggest that exercise could be an effective additional treatment for depression over the long term, the researchers point out.

There are several theories on why exercise might improve depression. Physical activity seems to affect some key nervous system chemicals -- norepinephrine and serotonin -- that are targets of antidepressant drugs, as well as brain neurotrophins, which help protect nerve cells from injury and transmit signals in brain regions related to mood.

Beyond that, people who take group exercise classes may feel better from simply getting out and being with other people.

SOURCE: Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health, online July 9, 2007.

REUTERS

Taken from
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Fitness/Story/A1Story20070720-19087.html

1) A team from NTU is presently working on a mental health project. They hope to interview consumers, youths aged 15-24, and have suffered/are suffering from depression, anxiety disorder and/or schizophrenia.

If you are willing to speak out, and wish to know more, please email me at listeningfromtheheart83@yahoo.com

2) NUS would like to organise an art exhibition to commemorate World Mental Health Day. They aim to showcase the talent of our consumers.

Again as above, if you are keen to showcase your art work, please drop me an email at listeningfromtheheart83@yahoo.com

PARIS (AFP) - The first worldwide comparison of depression with four other non-fatal chronic diseases shows that feeling seriously blue is the most disabling of all, according to a study released Friday.

Combing through self-reported health data on 245,404 adults from 60 countries collected by the World Health Organization (WHO), researchers found that an average of 3.2 percent of those surveyed had experienced depression over a one-year period.

This was a bit lower than for asthma (3.3 percent), arthritis (4.1 percent), and angina (4.5 percent), and higher than for diabetes (2.0 percent.)

But the results of a quality-of-life index called the "global mean health score" showed that depression was, by a significant margin, the most difficult to bear.

Individuals burdened with diabetes returned an overall satisfaction score of 72.1, and a score of nearly 80 for the three other chronic ailments. Respondents with no chronic diseases scored 90.6 on the 1-to-100 scale.

For those suffering from depression, however, the score was only 72.9.

"Our findings are consistent with earlier studies that have shown a high degree of association between depression and disability," commented lead author Saba Moussavi of the WHO and colleagues.

The study, published in the British journal The Lancet, says that depression accounts for the greatest share of non-fatal disease burden, accounting for almost 12 percent of total years lived with disability worldwide.

The researchers called on doctors around the world to be more alert in the diagnosis and treatment of the condition, noting that it is fairly easy to recognize and treat.

They also note that even if the prevalence of depression is similar to the four other chronic physical diseases, the lifetime risk -- the number of people who cycle in and out of depression -- is five to 10 times greater.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070906/hl_afp/healthdisease;_ylt=AnpsTomkO.AdHk8HBMz8MCLVJRIF

Volunteer nurses care for residents' mental health
Sumathi V. Selvaretnam
22 October 2007
Straits Times
English
(c) 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

A MONTHLY visit by a group of volunteer nurses to 35 lonely and mostly aged residents in Geylang Serai has given them the assurance they are being cared for.

Launched last November, the Psychological Outreach Programme (POP) is a tie-up between the Psychiatric Nurses Chapter (PNC) and the Geylang Serai Citizens Consultative Committee.

In the past nine months, PNC's nurse volunteers have visited these residents to give them advice, information about their health and psychological support.

Most are home alone, mildly depressed or sufferfrom anxiety.

The 35 residents, assessed on their degree of depression before and after the programme, registered drops in their depression scale scores by an average of 42 per cent, signalling a significant improvement in their mental well-being.

Marine Parade GRC MP Fatimah Lateef released these findings at an event to mark Mental Health Day yesterday.

The Straits Times, accompanying a pair of POP volunteers on their rounds, met an 80-year-old who lives in a three-room HDB flat.

Madam Valli (not her real name) is on her own most of the day, as her son works from 7.30am to 6.30pm.

Nurse volunteers Rose Ho and Margaret Rajeswary checked the date for her next visit to the doctor, and found out she was taking the wrong dosage for one of her tablets for diabetes so they alerted her son to it.

Madam Valli said she looks forward to their monthly visits: 'I sit alone at home and watch TV. The pain in my legs makes me sad.'

Ms Ho, a nurse clinician at the Institute of Mental Health said: 'These residents just need to know that there are people concerned about them and willing to listen to them.'

One in six Singaporeans suffers from some form of mental illness and the numbers are expected to increase.

The Health Ministry has allocated $88 million towards mental health care over the next five years.

People with depression more affected during holidays: experts
By Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 27 December 2007 1818 hrs

SINGAPORE: According to psychiatrists, people who suffer from depression are more affected during the festive period because there is a conflict between the nature of those who are depressed and the upbeat mood prevalent during the holidays.

And psychiatrists said it is more common for women to suffer from depression, while men are more prone to personality disorders, and these conditions usually worsen during religious holidays.

Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre’s psychiatrist, Dr Tan Chue Tin, said, "Will God be angry with me? Will I offend God? Will this bring disaster to my family? These are real issues when people suffer from such delusional ruminations, and gradually it can become psychosis."

Men are also more prone to becoming more anti-social during this time of the year.

Dr Tan pointed out, "Antisocials are the types who actually dislike festive celebrations (where) people (are) getting together, celebrating together. They get depressed because what they see is alien to what they themselves feel."

Experts, therefore, said that those close to people who get depressed should try to have smaller festive celebrations, especially at home.

Help is also just a phone call away. The hotline of the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) is 1-800-221-4444.

Those who wish to be trained as a volunteer with the SOS and help operate its 24-hour crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline can email pv@samaritans.org.sg or log on to www.samaritans.org.sg. Volunteers must be at least 23 years old. - CNA/ac

Taken from
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/319411/1/.html