Hobart, NY – According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for adults between the ages of 18 and 65 years in the United States. This November 21st will mark the 11th annual National Survivors of Suicide Day, which was created by the U.S. Senate thanks to Senator Harry Reid of Nevada. This Day is meant to comfort those who have lost someone to suicide through locally organized conferences (www.afsp.org).
As the National Survivors of Suicide Day approaches, it is a reminder of the importance of diagnosing treating depression before it leads to suicide. Science Daily reports that The American College of Preventative Medicine (ACPM) recommends that all primary care providers should have screening systems in place for diagnosing and treating depression. This is because primary care offices are often the earliest places where detection of depression is possible. Dr. Michael T. Compton of the ACPM was quoted as saying “Depression is a highly treatable condition, and the goal of treatment is complete recovery.”
FREDERIC FLACH, M.D., K.C.H.S.According to, Frederic Flach, M.D., renowned psychiatrist and author of The Secret Strength of Depression, many people don’t recognize depression because they don’t know what signs to look for. Here, Dr. Flach lists five major questions to ask yourself to help determine whether you may be depressed:
*Are you experiencing one or more of the cardinal signs of depression (sleeplessness or oversleeping, poor appetite or the tendency to overeat, a marked decrease or increase in libido, a drop in self-esteem, fatigue, a loss of energy, persistent nervousness and tension, down moods)?
*Have any major changes, good or bad, taken place in your life over the last few years that might have set off a depression?
*Are you the kind of person likely to be susceptible to depression?
*Could depression be lurking behind self-defeating behavior patterns, like abusing alcohol or drugs, compulsive gambling, underachievement, or provocative, irritating interpersonal behavior?
*Are you living or working in a demoralizing environment?
Dr. Flach warns that “even after such a self-assessment, depression may sometimes be hard to detect since it is often concealed behind the particular way in which each person reacts to any stress including the stress of depression itself.” This difficulty in self-detection reinforces the assertion that primary care physicians should be screening their patients for depression.
A treatable disease doesn’t have to lead to so many tragedies. Find more information on the warning signs of depression in The Secret Strength of Depression, Fourth Edition available in paperback or as an e-book wherever books are sold.
About the author: FREDERIC FLACH, M.D., K.C.H.S. was an internationally recognized psychiatrist and author whose highly acclaimed books include Putting the Pieces Together Again; A New Marriage, A New Life; Resilience; Rickie; The Secret Strength of Angels; and Faith, Healing and Miracles. In 1996 he was awarded the Maxine Mason award by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. He appeared on numerous radio and television programs across the country including Today, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Good Day New York, and Donahue. Dr. Flach died in 2006.
About the book: The Secret Strength of Depression, Fourth Edition (Hatherleigh Books/ 2009) includes the latest information of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression in children, the roles of spirituality in aiding recovery, and the myths and benefits of the newest antidepressants. Dr. Flach’s positive, informative approach helps readers use their creative energy to turn their depression into a powerful force for personal growth.
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Nov 20, 2009 
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