Mental illnesses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mental illnesses - Essay Example In the United States, major depression is the leading cause of disability; it also has an effect on other countries (Duckworth, 2006, par. 1). According to the National Institute of Health, 50% of people between the ages of 20 and 50 will experience some type of depressive episode. Also, people who are depressed are "four times more likely to develop a heart attack than those without a history of illness" ( National Institute of Health as quoted in Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance 2006). According to the Center for Mental Health Services at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 33% of adults over 50 report that they had bouts of depression in their early teens (as cited in Bipolar Support Alliance, 2006). People with depression are four times as likely to develop a heart attack as those without a history of the illness. After a heart attack they are at a significantly increased risk of death or second heart attack. (National Institute of Mental Health, 1998). The research did not report that specific ethnic groups were more susceptible than others. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) an individual must have "a minimum of five symptoms" from the criteria list (with numbers 1 or 2 being one of the five) and these must occur during a two week period; the symptoms must also be a difference in the individuals previous functioning. A short version of the DSM-IV criteria includes: E. The symptoms are not better accounted for by bereavement, the symptoms last longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideology, psychotic symptoms or psychomotor retardation (Caremark, "Major Depression"). According to Fram (2006), "twice as many women suffer from major depression than men" (par. 4) and this is largely due to hormonal fluctuations that women experience through "menstruation, miscarriage or