October is Depression Awareness Month

I'll be raising funds for Active Minds again this October, with a mission to increase awareness of the prevalence of depression and de-stigmatize depressive disorders through music. Check back soon for more details!

Active Minds is a national leader for young adult mental health advocacy and suicide prevention. Headquartered in Washington, DC, Active Minds brings to mental health what no other organization can — the voice of young people who are disproportionately affected by mental illnesses and the way mental health is addressed on campuses and in society at large.

Now in its seventeenth year, Active Minds is present in more than 800 schools, communities and workplaces nationwide, including 550 student-led chapters. Our programs and services empower young adults to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, create communities of support, and ultimately save lives.

What is Major Depressive Disorder?

MDD is characterized by having at least five of nine common symptoms. One of the symptoms must be either an overwhelming feeling of sadness or,

a loss of interest and pleasure in most usual activities.

The other symptoms that are associated with major depression include:

Decrease or increase in appetite
Insomnia or hypersomnia
Psychomotor agitation or retardation
Constant fatigue
Feelings of worthlessness or excessive and inappropriate guilt
Recurrent thoughts of death and suicidal ideation with or without specific plans for committing suicide
Cognitive difficulties, such as, diminished ability to think, concentrate and take decisions

The symptoms must persist for two weeks or longer and represent a significant change from previous functioning. Social, occupational, educational, or other important functioning are impacted by major depressive disorder. For instance, the person may start missing work or school, or stop going to classes or their usual social activities.

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Source:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Depression is more common than you might think . . .

280 million people report
struggling with depression annually according to
The World Health Organization

16.1 million American adults
are diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in a given year according to
The Anxiety & Depression Association of America

The depression rate is almost
twice as high for women as for men,
and 8% of American adults
suffer from low mood annually
[data gathered from the U.S. National Health & Nutrition Examination Surveys]

Effective treatment includes
talk therapy and antidepressant medication

For more information, visit:
https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/depression

October is Depression Awareness Month

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