New View of Depression: An Ailment of the Entire Body

[steve2470]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304587704577333941351135910.html

Scientists are increasingly finding that depression and other psychological disorders can be as much diseases of the body as of the mind.

People with long-term psychological stress, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder tend to develop earlier and more serious forms of physical illnesses that usually hit people in older age, such as stroke, dementia, heart disease and diabetes. Recent research points to what might be happening on the cellular level that could account for this.

Scientists are finding that the same changes to chromosomes that happen as people age can also be found in people experiencing major stress and depression.

The phenomenon, known as "accelerated aging," is beginning to reshape the field's understanding of stress and depression not merely as psychological conditions but as body-wide illnesses in which mood may be just the most obvious symptom.

[The Straight Story]

1. K&R (nt)

[slackmaster]

2. I'm kicking and recommending it but as a long-time PTSD person I'm not sure that I buy it

Kicking for discussion.



ETA I am naturally resistant to the quasi-Lamarckian notion that environment can affect individual genetics.

[MADem]

3. If you can "forget your troubles, come on get happy," you're apparently better off!

Whatever it takes to make that happen!

[slackmaster]

4. Beer can help, or hurt.

Sushi is good, too.

[MADem]

9. Sunshine helps for some! nt

[teewrex]

5. As a lifetime sufferer of depression, it makes sense to me

[ashling]

6. Me too

[nashville_brook]

14. agree -- i recognize this from my family, and many friends who suffer depression

and, it makes sense. we know that stress tricks the body into attacking itself. this describes how that might be working on the cellular level. very interesting stuff.

[Bette Noir]

7. Sure, stress causes accelerated aging.

Look how fast Mr. President's hair turned grey, after he got elected.

I hope he'll forgive us. He has the worst job in the world.

[cpamomfromtexas]

8. Came to this conclusion 20 yrs ago

Pain & stress therapy center in San Antonio has excellent books on subject

[cliffordu]

10. K&R.

[bananas]

11. What's TA-65?

In the comments:

Jerine Watson Wrote:

I am a young 82 and a survivor of Breast
Cancer, having sustained a modified radical
mastectomy of the right breast in 1986, at
Kaiser Permanente of San Diego. I was told this
was an aggressive cancer and I began then to
pay even more attention to my diet. Later, in
'09, I sustained a cerebral hemorrhage (OD of
coumadin) in the right temporal region of the
brain and after being unconscious several days,
awoke in a strange hospital in Bakersfield, CA,
also Kaiser. I now am rigidly on guard - I eat no
red meat, no animal fat I know about, no dairy,
no sugar, enjoy fish, vegetables, no-carb, and
Greek non-fat yogurt. I also have researched the
exciting results of TA-65, stem cell discoveries
of the effect of the enzyme telomerase on the
telomeres of our chromosomes. I have been
taking TA-65 for 10 months now and no one
believes I am over 65. I work full time as a
freelance editor and ghost writer and do not
"feel" my age - in fact, I feel gloriously young
and excited about the future. I can still day
dream with "One of these days, I'm
gonna. . . .?." Come, grow old with me... The
best is yet to be! BELIEVE IT!!

[FedUpWithIt All]

12. I can only speak to PTSD, which i have, but it is well known to cause specific physical changes.

The changes occur largely in the brain but also greatly affect hormones. Hormones can have a very powerful affect of aging, diabetes...

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2020701/Brain-Chemistry-and-PTSD-W

I personally suffer from psychogenic seizures and a number of other physical issues due to the chronic trauma which led to the PTSD

[Ship of Fools]

13. How painfully obvious.

Both of my parents suffered clinical depression; my sibs and I
are positive for it as well. I could have explained this to
*said scientists* almost 40 years ago when I was diagnosed.

Just sayin.

[Locrian]

15. hormones / adrenals / etc

Doctors are NOTORIOUSLY ignorant of the complex interactions of your hormone system. Endocrinologists are the WORST.




It's so easy to get a pill for anxiety or whatever for stress than address the multiple issues.