Rising rates of major depression and suicide.

A recently published Health of America report from Blue Cross Blue Shield, Major Depression: The Impact on Overall Health, highlights a dramatic rise in major depression diagnoses—up 33%—from 2013 to 2016. According to the report, women were found to have major depression at twice the rate of men.

Perhaps most startlingly, rates of major depression have risen 47% among millennials, while among adolescents the increase has been 47% in boys and 65% in girls.

‘Sorrowing Old Man,’ by Vincent Van Gogh. Photo by Peter Horree/Alamy Stock Photo.

In an equally disturbing trend, the CDC has noted that the rate of suicide in the United States rose more than 25% from 1999 to 2016, with 45,000 people dying by suicide in 2016 alone. Suicide rates are higher among people who have mental illnesses, and suicide is of particular concern among those who have depression. Yet the CDC also points out that more than half of people who died by suicide had not been diagnosed with a mental health condition.

An antidepressants primer for nurses.

Given the rapidly rising rates of depression diagnoses, nurses are increasingly likely to encounter patients who are taking one or more antidepressant medications.

In this month’s Mental Health Matters column, “Antidepressant Medications,” Donna Sabella provides an evidence-based review of antidepressants’ history, indications for use, and adverse effects. She also describes important nursing considerations, including the essential reminder that these medications “don’t work for everyone.”

Realistic expectations.

Sabella details how efficacy can vary and can be affected by such factors as patients taking the incorrect dose or discontinuing treatment early. It’s important, she says, to ensure that patients have realistic expectations and know about complementary treatment options:

“When antidepressants are effective, it may still take several weeks—two to six, on average, and sometimes more—for patients to notice any significant symptom relief. . . . It’s important that nurses inform patients about this anticipated interval and encourage them to explore other ways to improve their well-being in the meantime.”

In addition to medications, Sabella notes that psychotherapy, exercise, and dietary changes can all help to improve a patient’s symptoms and mood.