New study reveals that depression may be losing its stigma

According to a recently released public opinion poll, the negative stigma associated with people who suffer from depression seems to be fading. HealthDay News reports that a phone survey of 1,021 adults, which was conducted last September by Screening for Mental Health Inc., revealed that nearly 53 percent of Americans are familiar with someone who suffers from depression and 72 percent of those people said that they would try to get treatment if they developed depression symptoms.

The poll was released as part of National Depression Screening Day, when community organizations, schools and military institutions offer free screenings for depression. The observance day strives to inform Americans about the effects of depression as well as effective treatment methods.

“The goal of the program is to educate people on the symptoms of depression, assess their risk for mood and anxiety disorders and connect those in need with local treatment services,” said Douglas Jacobs, M.D., founder of Screening for Mental Health Inc.

The study also showed that most Americans would not change their vote for their presidential candidate if they found out that he or she had been treated for depression.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) depression has a variety of causes, such as life events like relationships ending, poor performance in academia, a loved one dying or social isolation (which is most common in older people).

There are also biological reasons for depression, like an underactive thyroid, cancer or long-term pain. The NIH notes that a lack of sleep can also be a cause of depression, and that 90 percent of people who suffer from the mental condition also report having poor sleep habits.

Melatonin may be helpful in getting enough sleep. According to the University of Maryland (UMD), it helps regulate sleep patterns and maintains the circadian rhythm, which can be likened to an internal clock. You can get melatonin from a Calmax Sleep supplement from Dr. Newton’s Naturals, which is also fortified with calcium.