concerned about your mental health?

Source: PlanetOut

April 13, 2006: In a recent survey, gay men reported that depression was their most serious health concern after HIV/AIDS. Lesbians reported that the issue of depression and mental health was their number one health concern.

There may be some basis for this concern. Research has shown that gay men and lesbians may have higher rates of depression when compared with the general population. Homophobia may be part of the reason-both internalized homophobia (directed against oneself) as well as the homophobia many gay people encounter at school, work, home, and in society at large. As a gay person in a homophobic society, being in or out of the closet can carry its own set of pressures and problems.

Understanding Depression

Depression is more than just feeling sad. People who are clinically depressed are not just moody or feeling "blue" for a few days. They experience long periods of feeling very down -- or in some cases, very anxious or extremely tired -- for several weeks or months. Drug and/or alcohol abuse may also be signs of depression. Because depression can change the way a person feels, thinks, and behaves, it can have negative effects on all aspects of a person's life, from school to work to family and social life. Read more about depression.

What Depression Isn't

Depression is not a sign of a weak personality, nor is it something to be ashamed of. It is a real medical illness. People with depression cannot "just snap out of it" -- no more than it would be possible for a person with an HIV infection, diabetes, or some other medical illness to "just snap out of it." The good news is that depression can be treated effectively. Read more about treatments for depression.

What Causes Depression?

In addition to external, societal factors that may contribute to depression, there are other reasons why a person might become depressed. These include traumatic life experiences such as the death of a loved one, certain diseases or medications, substance abuse, hormonal changes, or a family history of depression. Sometimes the cause of depression is unknown.

Whatever the circumstances, depression is caused by an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain. Normally, these "chemical messengers" help nerve cells communicate with one another by sending and receiving messages, and they may also influence a person's mood. In the case of depression, the available supply of the chemical messengers is low, so nerve cells can't communicate effectively.

Antidepressant medications such as LEXAPRO work by helping to correct the imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain. These medications may take several weeks to be effective, but they work well and are generally safe. With just one 10 mg tablet a day, LEXAPRO significantly improves the symptoms of depression and anxiety for many patients beginning at week 1 or 2.