Depression is an important cause of suicide! 20% of Taiwanese people may have "depressive symptoms" without knowing it? Professor: Stop hiding illnesses and stigmatizing mental health care
Depression is the most important factor in suicide! Facing “multiple stressors” and suffering from physical and mental exhaustion, you should seek timely help
It has been reported that celebrities such as Ai Cheng and Coco Lee have passed away due to depression, which has attracted Taiwanese people’s attention to the issue of depression treatment and care. Wu Jiayi, chairman of the Taiwan Depression Prevention and Treatment Association and professor of the Department of Nursing at National Taiwan University, said in an exclusive interview with “healthorn” that depression is not only the most important risk factor for suicide, but also the most easily ignored risk factor. Without timely medical treatment and complete Treatment not only affects the ability to live normally, but can also easily lead to despair and suicidal thoughts.
“Depression and suicide are the result of multiple risk factors, but many people do not know the severity of depression in themselves or their relatives and friends!” Professor Wu Jiayi said that adults face multiple problems such as marital distress, sudden death of relatives and friends, workplace pressure, lack of peer support, etc. Stressors are more likely to aggravate depression symptoms, but because you fail to seek help from appropriate channels, you fall into an isolated and helpless situation.
In addition, people generally have insufficient “self-awareness” of depression symptoms. Professor Wu Jiayi pointed out that the ability to pay attention to whether one is facing depressive symptoms has always lacked family and school education, resulting in most people “not being keen observers.” The study also found that relatives and friends around them play an important role in helping depressed people. Nearly 70% of teenagers with depression seek help from classmates, friends and teachers instead of seeking medical treatment.
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Is the diagnosis rate of depression among Taiwanese people low? “Sleep disorder” symptoms are as high as 20%
“The World Health Organization has called for depression to be the number one disease that increases the cost to society in 2030. This matter will not be too far away from us.”
Professor Wu Jiayi said that statistics in the United States from 2010 to 2018 found that the number of people suffering from depression increased by at least 40%. Although the local prevalence rate in Taiwan is not high, the proportion of major depression is only about 3-5%, and the proportion of general mild depression symptoms is about 10%. But this is because most people are unwilling to seek medical treatment, so the number of confirmed cases is relatively low.
Professor Wu Jiayi pointed out that if we take “sleep problems”, the most typical of the nine major symptoms of depression, according to the “Taiwan Society for Suicide Prevention and Treatment” survey, the average proportion of Taiwanese people suffering from sleep problems is as high as 20%-25%, which means that 1/4 Up to 1/5 of Taiwanese people are suffering from insomnia. As the symptoms worsen and they do not seek medical consultation and other help, the risk of depression and suicide may continue to increase.
“Most people in Taiwan do not seek medical treatment properly. Taking the highest proportion of depressive symptoms as ‘insomnia’, it is conservatively estimated that the proportion is at least 15% every year, and it has increased to more than 20% during the epidemic!”
Professor Wu Jiayi reminded that there are many people with potential depression who have symptoms but have not been diagnosed. Therefore, the proportion of depression symptoms is an indicator worthy of attention. People should also learn more about whether they meet relevant symptoms, including: low mood, obvious loss of interest in things, weight Decline or rise, drowsiness or insomnia, psychomotor retardation, easy fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or intense guilt, difficulty concentrating or indecisiveness, frequent thoughts of death.
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Is depression related to both medical and surgical diseases? Drug use linked to suicide increases 10 times
Another aspect of depression that deserves attention is its high degree of comorbidity. Professor Wu Jiayi said that depression has been confirmed to be significantly related to physical and mental diseases, substance abuse, drug addiction and any mental illness. In particular, the relationship between drug use and suicide increases the risk by more than 10 times compared with those who do not use drugs.
Professor Wu Jiayi explained that although mental illness is directly related to the risk of suicide, what is more noteworthy is the co-morbid impact of depression, substance abuse, and medical and surgical diseases. Whether it is chronic disease, hypertension, or major disease cancer, they have been found to be related to each other. Depression is related and affects people of all ages.
This is why WHO emphasizes that “without mental health, there is no real health.” Professor Wu Jiayi reminded that the public should have a correct understanding of mental illness and depression symptoms, rather than adopting an attitude of avoiding, ignoring, or fearing. If many patients with chronic diseases can detect the negative impact of physical diseases on their mental health early and do not fear, avoid or delay mental health care, many people can get great help through professional mental health care.
The concept of depression treatment needs to be updated! The first line is not medication but lifestyle adjustment?
Are depression treatment concepts different from those in the past? Professor Wu Jiayi said that the latest “NICE GUIDE” treatment guidelines in the UK have been revised based on the latest content of the “BJM” journal. Depression will no longer be treated with medication as the first line of treatment, but will be assessed by a physician as to whether psychological treatment is needed and non- Drug therapy, and the cooperation and intervention of professionals in the field of mental health such as psychologists, nurses, social workers, physical/occupational therapists, etc., help patients successfully adjust their lives in accordance with medical advice.
Professor Wu Jiayi explained that the necessary time for medical treatment for depression is mostly based on whether the patient meets two indicators. One is that it causes great psychological pain or distress, and the other is that depression seriously affects the ability to live normally, such as students being unable to attend classes and office workers unable to If the patient is unable to function at work or as a housewife, then the intervention of drugs will be considered based on the severity and impact on life. However, people with severe depression must take medication in a timely manner to adjust many imbalances in the brain and life, and discuss with a doctor how to adjust their work, rest and mentality. In combination with many psychotherapy or adjustment techniques other than drugs, the effect will be relatively better.
Professor Wu Jiayi pointed out that it has been clinically found that about 30% of depression patients cannot achieve complete recovery with drug treatment. To return to the so-called “recovery” healthy initial state requires the assistance of individuals, families, society, and even public policies or systems. Therefore, , how the relatives and friends around the depressed group treat and care for them is still very important. Sometimes patients with depression will have “symptoms” such as random thoughts, talking to themselves, and repeated questioning. If relatives and friends around them do not understand that these are symptoms, they will easily lose patience, which will increase misunderstandings and the patient’s psychological pressure. Recovery from depression requires the public and professionals to work together for care and healing!
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Relatives and friends with depression should master the “Three Principles”! Understand, empathize, and continue to accompany
If a relative or friend suffers from depression, what roles and functions should the caregiver play? Professor Wu Jiayi said that relatives and friends around them should master three major principles. First, correctly understand the symptoms of depression; second, sympathize with the patient’s suffering from depression and “listen more and talk less”; third, continue to accompany and care for the patient and connect with medical treatment in a timely manner. Once you find that your relatives or friends around you have a different emotional state, or have recently taken psychotropic drugs, call on your relatives and friends to try their best to provide care and support.
“Currently, society still has too many negative impressions and stigmas about psychotropic drugs. We must continue to let the public have a correct understanding of the progress and important role of mental medicine!”
Professor Wu Jiayi emphasized that as long as they cooperate with the guidance of doctors and mental health professional teams across fields, many patients with depression can be successfully cured or regain a new life. The Depression Prevention and Treatment Association also continues to promote “Depression can be cured, and you and I care about it together.” concept, hoping that the public will know that depression can be cured.
Looking forward to the future, the public in Taiwan still needs to strengthen their understanding of mental illness, especially the complex disease of depression, as well as a correct understanding of mental health care and a full understanding of psychiatric drugs. We look forward to the transmission of correct knowledge from generation to generation. , can we move towards a more “mentally healthy” society.
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