Depression in Adults
Related Topics
by Nadja Reilly, Ph.D, Associate Director, Freedman Center for Child and Family Development, Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology
It is normal to feel “sad” or “blue” at times. Depression is different from these temporary feelings. Depression is a biological illness that presents with sad mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, difficulty concentrating, low energy, changes in sleep and appetite, and sometimes thoughts of suicide.
- Clinical depression is a biological, treatable illness that involves abnormal functioning of the brain’s chemicals that affects a person’s emotions, thoughts, energy, sleep, concentration and impairs how they feel about themselves and their relationships and the world.
- Depression is an illness and therefore someone cannot “just get over it”.
- Depression is a family illness. If one person in a family suffers from depression it affects the entire family.
- Peak years of onset of depression: 16-24 years old.
- After age 15, girls and women are twice as likely as boys and men to have depression.
Resource Organizations » Depression
10 listing(s), including 2 with hotlines and 3 offering support groups
In Chelmsford
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance DBSA Merrimack Valley
DBSA Merrimack Valley is a peer- based self-help support group
focusing on issues surrounding bipolar and depressed individuals
and their families. They are affiliated with the National
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. The mission of DBSA is to
improve the lives of people living with mental illness. No
appointments or referrals are needed to participate in their free
groups. Meetings are open to anyone who suffer from the symptoms of
a mood disorder, families and friends.
Due to the sensitivity of the issues discussed and the privacy of our members, participants in group must be at least 18 years of age. Weekly meeting s are held on:
Monday 6:00- 7:30PM at 273 Summer Street, Lowell MA in the Eliot Presbyterian Church or Thursday 6:00-7:30PM at 1195 Varnum Avenue, Lowell MA in the Lowell First Church of The Nazarene.
Due to the sensitivity of the issues discussed and the privacy of our members, participants in group must be at least 18 years of age. Weekly meeting s are held on:
Monday 6:00- 7:30PM at 273 Summer Street, Lowell MA in the Eliot Presbyterian Church or Thursday 6:00-7:30PM at 1195 Varnum Avenue, Lowell MA in the Lowell First Church of The Nazarene.
In Massachusetts
BEST, Boston Emergency Services Team
24 hours a day, seven days a week. By using this helpline, a caller
is assisted in dealing with psychiatric crisis support,
information, and referrals. The caller may be directed to a
B.E.S.T. Urgent Care Center, a Designated Emergency Department, or
a crisis intervention mobile team may be dispatched to the site of
the crisis. The Urgent Care Center is located at the Dr. Solomon
Carter Fuller Building, 85 E. Newton Street, Boston. It is open
from 7am-11pm. It is strongly advised that prior to arrival to
Urgent Care Center the Call Center be contacted at
1-800-981-4357.
Riverside Emergency Services
Twenty-four hour a day, 7 day a week on-site and mobile teams
provide psychiatric and substance abuse assessment, emergency
medication evaluation, information, referral, hospital prescreening
and admission. The Emergency Services utilize a multi-disciplinary
approach to intervention and treatment and collaborate closely with
other community resources.
Berkshire Coalition for SUICIDE PREVENTION
Our mission is to save lives. Together we can build resilience in
our community, educate the public and strengthen the response to
community need. The Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention was
formed to address the higher than state average rates for self-harm
and suicide here in Berkshire County. The mission of BCSP is to
save lives. Together we can build resilience in our community,
educate the public, and strengthen the response to community need.
Please see our News and Events Pages for more information about our
organization.
Who We Are: Volunteers from the health sector and law enforcement, educators and students, community organizers, social workers, mental health providers, policy makers, survivors of suicide loss and concerned citizens
What We Do To Help: EDUCATE about risk factors for suicide & self harm. ASSIST populations identified as being at-risk. REDUCE stigma and break barriers to self-help. PARTNER with schools, agencies, and providers. SECURE funding from public and private sources. ADVOCATE for public policy issues & budgets.
Holds public education series focusing on at risk populations for suicide on the third Wednesday of month, from 5:30 – 7:00 pm. At the Brien Center @ 333 East St. 1st floor conference room. For more information go to www.berkshirecoalition.org.
Who We Are: Volunteers from the health sector and law enforcement, educators and students, community organizers, social workers, mental health providers, policy makers, survivors of suicide loss and concerned citizens
What We Do To Help: EDUCATE about risk factors for suicide & self harm. ASSIST populations identified as being at-risk. REDUCE stigma and break barriers to self-help. PARTNER with schools, agencies, and providers. SECURE funding from public and private sources. ADVOCATE for public policy issues & budgets.
Holds public education series focusing on at risk populations for suicide on the third Wednesday of month, from 5:30 – 7:00 pm. At the Brien Center @ 333 East St. 1st floor conference room. For more information go to www.berkshirecoalition.org.
Bridgewell Counseling Services
Located in Lowell, Bridgewell Counseling Services (BCS)provides
comprehensive behavioral health treatment and continuity of care to
adults with psychiatric and developmental disabilities in a setting
that respects individual strengths and differences. We consider it
a part of our mission to engage individuals who have struggled with
continued treatment due to the severity of their illness. Our
standard outpatient services include individual, couples, family,
and group psychotherapies, diagnosis and treatment, and medication
assessment and management.
Bridgewell Counseling Services seeks to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities through consultation, collaboration and coordination of care. Our experienced team of clinical nurse specialists, psychiatrist, and psychotherapists provides services in a manner to ensure that individuals and their families, other care providers and advocates are active collaborators in the process of growth, change and recovery.
The clinic is licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). BCS accepts Medicaid, Medicare and most private insurance plans.
Bridgewell Counseling Services seeks to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities through consultation, collaboration and coordination of care. Our experienced team of clinical nurse specialists, psychiatrist, and psychotherapists provides services in a manner to ensure that individuals and their families, other care providers and advocates are active collaborators in the process of growth, change and recovery.
The clinic is licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). BCS accepts Medicaid, Medicare and most private insurance plans.
Springwell, Inc.
Springwell is a private, non-profit agency that has been creating,
managing, and coordinating services for seniors, individuals with
disabilities and those who help care for them for more than 30
years. Along the way, we have amassed a wealth of knowledge and
insight about the many public and private resources available.
We serve all elders, individuals with disabilities and their families regardless of financial situation or level of need. Our reputation for excellence is why more than 10,000 families turn to us each year for support.
We serve all elders, individuals with disabilities and their families regardless of financial situation or level of need. Our reputation for excellence is why more than 10,000 families turn to us each year for support.
Suicide.org
In addition to this fact sheet, this web site has information on
suicide intervention, prevention, and support with a list of
several Helplines including those for military veterans, in Spanish
and text telephone.
Outside Massachusetts
Blue Pages
BluePages provides information on treatments for depression based
on the latest scientific evidence
BluePages also offers screening tests for depression and anxiety, a depression search engine, and links to other helpful resources.
BluePages also offers screening tests for depression and anxiety, a depression search engine, and links to other helpful resources.
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
www.DBSAlliance.org
Offers support group(s)
730 N. Franklin Street
Suite 501
Chicago, IL 60610800-826-3632
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) is the leading
patient-directed national organization focusing on the most
prevalent mental illnesses. DBSA supports research to promote more
timely diagnosis, develop more effective and tolerable treatments
and discover a cure.
DBSA's prestigious 65-member Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) is comprised of the leading researchers and clinicians in the field of mood disorders. DBSA has a grassroots network of nearly 1,000 patient-run support groups across the country. DBSA has 17 state organizations and more than 400 chapters across America.
DBSA publishes more than two dozen educational materials about living with mood disorders, all available free of charge.
DBSA's prestigious 65-member Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) is comprised of the leading researchers and clinicians in the field of mood disorders. DBSA has a grassroots network of nearly 1,000 patient-run support groups across the country. DBSA has 17 state organizations and more than 400 chapters across America.
DBSA publishes more than two dozen educational materials about living with mood disorders, all available free of charge.
E-Couch
E-couch is a self-help interactive program with modules for
depression, generalised anxiety & worry, social anxiety,
relationship breakdown, and loss & grief.
It provides evidence-based information and teaches strategies drawn from cognitive, behavioural and interpersonal therapies as well as relaxation and physical activity.
It provides evidence-based information and teaches strategies drawn from cognitive, behavioural and interpersonal therapies as well as relaxation and physical activity.
Additional Sources of Information
Fact Sheet: Older Adults and Depression & Suicide, from the National Institute of Mental Health. The web site also features various publications and articles on treatment, prevention, and intervention.
The National Institute of Mental Health hosts a number of web sites about the signs and symptoms of depression, available treatment, and help:
- Older Adults and Mental Health: Depression
- Real Men. Real Depression.
- Women and Depression: Discovering Hope
General Resources on Aging and Wellness
- From Project INTERFACE: Caregiver Resources.
- Geriatric Mental Health Foundation.
- “Older Adults and Mental Health,” from Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General.
- PubMed, a collaboration of the U. S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health, provides a comprehensive list of journal articles regarding mental health and older adults.
Disclaimer: Material on the Project INTERFACE web site is intended as general information. It is not a recommendation for treatment, nor should it be considered medical or mental health advice. Project INTERFACE urges families to discuss all information and questions related to medical or mental health care with a health care professional.
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