A recent report from ABC News-Chicago reveals the depth and severity of some women's battles with depression. The network spoke to several women and doctors who have been exposed to the disease:
"I couldn't function, I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. I lost a tremendous amount of weight," said Gina Adkins.
"I had to make a rational decision whether or not to go home to these two or drive my car off the road," said Lauren Machos
"I was on three different kinds of depression meds at one point," said Alison Parker.
Depression isn't just about your mood any more: New studies show it might lead to disease, too.
For instance, several studies have linked depression to osteoporosis. Harvard researchers reported in 2007 that women over 50 on anti-depressant medication called SSRIs have double the risk of getting fractures as women not taking anti-depressants.
According to the Harvard press release:
Whether the danger comes from depression, the drugs used to treat it, or something else, doctors are paying more attention to this association. During the 1990s, depression began to emerge as a possible cause of bone loss, rather than a result. Scientists studied women who didnt have osteoporosis symptoms or even know they had the condition. They found lower bone mineral density in those who were depressed. Moreover, the link was found in both younger women and women past menopause. Other studies have found a similar relationship, so investigators have been looking at hormones and brain chemicals potentially involved in both depression and bone loss.
