We all know there's a connection between happiness and healthiness, but a new American Heart Association (AHA) study highlights how important this is to heart health -- even for young women. They found that depressed women, 55 and younger, increased their risk for having a heart attack, requiring major heart surgery or even dying from related causes. The researchers followed 3,237 women in this age category at varying stages of heart disease, who also showed symptoms of moderate to severe depression. After a three-year period, they discovered some were twice as likely to require artery-opening surgery or worse: dying from any cause during the follow-up if they experienced serious (moderate to severe) depression.
There hasn't been a shortage of findings on how depression can wreak havoc on your body. Just Google the phrase "depression health risks" and a seemingly endless list of results pop up. However, so many Filipinos (including Fil-Ams) either don't know they are depressed or refuse to seek help. I know it's not easy for people to talk about -- and it's not just among Filipinos. But studies have shown higher rates of depression among Filipinos compared to other Asian groups1, and updated statistics are almost non-existent since there isn't a consistently measurable number of Pinoys seeking help. A study entitled Mental Health Care of Filipino Americans suggested depression rates may be even higher, but there is "the cultural tendency of Filipinos to deny, somatize, and endure emotional problems2."
As a volunteer for the Filipino Mental Health Initiative (of San Mateo County), the group hopes to increase awareness and to help people seek help for depression or related health issues. Sometimes, I hesitate to use the phrase "mental health issues." Why? Because in my experience, many community members treat the word "mental" like it's the plague. FMHI has had a number of focus groups and many of the participants, particularly the elderly, seemed to evade the topic. Of course, we're not giving up. It is our hope that depression and mental health problems will be things all Filipinos can talk about openly someday. Call it naive -- but I'm allowed to dream.
Why is this topic so important to me? Because I struggled with depression for years. It took a complete emotional breakdown for me to realize I needed help. And, this did not only affect my emotional well-being, but my physiological/medical health, as well (a story for another time). By breaking my silence, I want to give hope to others and let them know there's no shame in talking about it. Doing so, can mean the difference between life and death, as the AHA study has shown.
Unsure if you are experiencing depression. Take this self-test. Note: taking this test is not an official diagnosis and cannot take the place of a proper medical evaluation with a licensed professional. This merely helps people gain a better understanding of depression and whether additional help might be needed.
Footnotes:
1 & 2. Mental Health Care of Filipino Americans
Francis Sanchez, M.D.; Albert Gaw, M.D.
Psychiatric Services 2007
http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleid=98135
No comments:
Post a Comment