National Suicide Prevention Week

Depression is the most prevalent mental health disorder. The lifetime risk for depression is 6 to 25%. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 9.5% or 20.9 million American adults suffer from a depressive illness in any given year. There are two types of depression. In major depression, the symptoms listed below interfere with one’s ability to function in all areas of life (work, family, sleep, etc). In dysthymia, the symptoms are not as severe but still impede one’s ability to function at normal levels.

Common symptoms of depression, reoccurring almost every day:
o Depressed mood (e.g. feeling sad or empty)
o Lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities
o Significant weight loss or gain, or decrease or increase in appetite
o Insomnia or hypersomnia
o Agitation, restlessness, irritability
o Fatigue or loss of energy
o Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, guilt
o Inability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness
o Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation, suicide attempt or plan for completing suicide

A family history of depression (i.e., a parent) increases the chances (by 11 times) than a child will also have depression. The treatment of depression is effective 60 to 80% of the time. However, according the World Health Organization, less than 25% of individuals with depression receive adequate treatment. If left untreated, depression can lead to co-morbid (occurring at the same time) mental disorders such as alcohol and substance abuse, higher rates of recurrent episodes and higher rates of suicide. In 2007, suicide was the eleventh leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming 34,598 lives. Suicide rates among youth (ages 15-24) have increased more than 200% in the last fifty years. The suicide rate is also very high for the elderly (age 85+). Four times more men than women kill themselves; but three times more women than men attempt suicide. Suicide occurs across ethnic, economic, social and age boundaries.  read more »

I used to dread grant writing. ICTV relies on grants for about 30 percent of its income, so it is a necessary task. And, now is the season. The reason I don't dread it any longer is that I have found that when you write a grant, you really get to celebrate all the good work your organization has done recently over again. It's two minute party at the keyboard. You also get to retool what didn't work so well--remind yourself how the Board of Directors wants to adjust to the new economy, changing memberships, changing technology. It is also all about the deadline. I thrive on the final edit (the old journalist in me). And, just when you think you've had enough of writing one, balancing the project budget again, you get a prize--the call that says you got a mini-grant for the Sept. 30 taping of an election forum. Now that I have my prize, I am re-energized to re-read the latest grant request. Party On!

On the last day of August, the last Summer Concert Series performance for 2010 took place at the Assembly of God Church. The featured performers were the LaPlants. The show featured Lloyd LaPlant with his sons Bill and Don, and Don's daughter Emily and son Jed. Filled with music and laughs, this entertaining program was recorded by ICTV staff and can be seen on ICTV's public access channel beginning Friday, September 3 at 5:30pm. It is also scheduled to play on Sunday, September 5 at 2:00pm; Wednesday, September 8 at 5:30pm; and Friday, September 10 at 2:00pm. Don't miss this great concert!

I know September 21, 2010 is the last official day of summer but once we pass the Labor Day holiday it feels like summer is over. Our ICTV calendar is less colorful this month. No more summer concerts, parades, or festivals to videotape. School age kids definitely know summer is over because most of them start back to school on Tuesday, September 7. The Bovey Farmer’s Day parade takes place every year on Labor Day. This year the parade begins at 10:30 am. This will also be the last event taped by our summer intern. So what I’m trying to say is get out and enjoy the last big weekend of the summer because the fall season is right around the corner.

August is Cataract Awareness Month. A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light. Early in the development of age-related cataract the power of the lens may be increased, causing near-sightedness (myopia), and the gradual yellowing and opacification of the lens may reduce the perception of blue colors. Cataracts typically progress slowly to cause vision loss and are potentially blinding if untreated. The condition usually affects both the eyes, but almost always one eye is affected earlier than the other. A senile cataract, occurring in the elderly, is characterized by an initial opacity in the lens, subsequent swelling of the lens and final shrinkage with complete loss of transparency. Moreover, with time the cataract cortex liquefies to form a milky white fluid in a Morgagnian cataract, which can cause severe inflammation if the lens capsule ruptures and leaks. Untreated, the cataract can cause phacomorphic glaucoma. Very advanced cataracts with weak zonules are liable to dislocation anteriorly or posteriorly. Such spontaneous posterior dislocations in ancient times were regarded as a blessing from the heavens, because some perception of light was restored in the patients with cataracts.  read more »