-
Pregnant women with specific alterations in two genes may be at increased risk of suffering depression after giving birth, a small new study suggests.More >> Pregnant women with specific alterations in two genes may be at increased risk of suffering depression after giving birth, a small new study suggests.More >> Racial disparities exist in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer among hospitals in the United States, according to a large new study.More >> Racial disparities exist in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer among hospitals in the United States, according to a large new study.More >> Music can help soothe the fear and anxiety of critically ill patients who have been placed on ventilators, reducing both their stress and their need for sedatives, according to a new study.More >> Music can help soothe the fear and anxiety of critically ill patients who have been placed on ventilators, reducing both their stress and their need for sedatives, according to a new study.More >> Dermatologists are saying that new federally mandated labeling laws for sunscreens should help Americans make smarter choices when it comes to products that provide the best sun protection.More >> Dermatologists are saying that new federally mandated labeling laws for sunscreens should help Americans make smarter choices when it comes to products that provide the best sun protection.More >> A child whose mother lived near heavy traffic while pregnant faces a relatively higher risk for developing a respiratory infection before the age of 3, a new study suggests.More >> A child whose mother lived near heavy traffic while pregnant faces a relatively higher risk for developing a respiratory infection before the age of 3, a new study suggests.More >>
-
Pregnant women with specific alterations in two genes may be at increased risk of suffering depression after giving birth, a small new study suggests.More >> Pregnant women with specific alterations in two genes may be at increased risk of suffering depression after giving birth, a small new study suggests.More >> Although spring arrived late this year in parts of the United States, the summer allergy season will still be strong, according to a sinus expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.More >> Although spring arrived late this year in parts of the United States, the summer allergy season will still be strong, according to a sinus expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.More >> New research suggests the dominant side of your brain may make the call on which ear you choose to use while talking on your cellphone.More >> New research suggests the dominant side of your brain may make the call on which ear you choose to use while talking on your cellphone.More >> Film star Angelina Jolie will have her ovaries removed to help lower her odds for ovarian cancer, People magazine reported Wednesday.More >> Film star Angelina Jolie will have her ovaries removed to help lower her odds for ovarian cancer, People magazine reported Wednesday.More >> Weight gain in men and women is predicted by two different genetic variations -- so-called polymorphisms, according to a new study from the Netherlands.More >> Weight gain in men and women is predicted by two different genetic variations -- so-called polymorphisms, according to a new study from the Netherlands.More >>
(NBC) – Depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide are intense mental health problems plague millions of Americans. A new report suggests these issues are more common that you might think.
Half of these people will be diagnosed with a mental illness at some point during their lives.
"I think it's more prevalent than anyone imagined," said Ileana Arias, PhD, principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control.
The CDC released the largest report to date on the mental health of Americans. About 50 percent of us are expected to receive some kind of psychiatric diagnosis during our lifetime and as much as a quarter of the U.S. population is experiencing a mental health problem right now.
"They can't function at work," said Arias. "They can't go to school. They can't do the things that are necessary to essentially cope or survive on a day-to-day basis."
Mental illnesses often coincide with chronic physical diseases like obesity, cancer, Type II diabetes and heart disease. Experts say depression can come first, sometimes prompting people to make unhealthy lifestyle choices. Sometimes it's the other way around.
"Those chronic conditions can be severe enough that they influence the psychological functioning of an individual and those disorders can be the result of that," Arias said.
Eeither way, experts say proper treatment is key and can help patients feel better mentally and physically.
The CDC plans to release a report on childhood mental illnesses next year.
(Copyright 2011 NBC News. All Rights Reserved.)
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WAVE, a Raycom Media Station. 