WESTERN MASSAGE and Depression

According to van Weel-Baumgarten and associates (2000: 284-287), depression is a common form of mental disorder associated with feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, guilt, sadness and a sense of grief. Depression is often associated with changes in appetite and weight, a loss of energy and feelings of fatigue, difficulties concentrating and indecisiveness. There can also be recurring thoughts of death or suicide and physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches.

The extent to which depression is a healthcare concern for society cannot be overestimated. Murray and Fortinberry (2005: 1-2) state that depression is one of the most lethal healthcare problems of contemporary times, affecting more than 18.8 million Americans per year (9.5 percent of the population). Over 80 percent of those suffering from depression will go without treatment of any kind. As to the costs of depression, the authors report that these run about $51 billion dollars per year in terms of absenteeism and lost productivity; however, these figures do not include medical or pharmaceutical costs.

Murray and Fortinberry (2005: 1-2) also report that there are many causes of depression which can vary by type of depression (short term or chronic). These include: loss, extreme trauma in the present or trauma in childhood. There can also be some genetic disposition. Illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and so forth can also be

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[13] According to a 2004 Rand Corporation report. [14] Newer figures are lower but this figure was reported in the NY Times article Antidepressants Lift Clouds, But Lose 'Miracle Drug' Label, June 30, 2002. Also C Bruce Baker, MD, "Quantitative Analysis of Sponsorship Bias in Economic Studies of Antidepressants," The British Journal of Psychiatry 2003, 183: 498-506. [15] S. Vedantam. "FDA Links Antidepressants, Youth Suicide Risk." Washington Post, 23 February, 2004, page A01. W. Meijer, et al. "Association of Risk of Abnormal Bleeding with Degree of Serotonin Reuptake Inhibition by Antidepressants," Archives of Internal Medicine 2004, 164:2367-2370. Health news story: Antidepressants May Increase Risk of Abnormal Bleeding. [16] J. Jureidini, et al. "Efficacy and Safety of Antidepressants for Children and Adolescents," British Medical Journal 2004, 328:879-883. Health news story: The Antidepressant Storm Rages On: Ely Lily Knew of Prozac Risk. [17] B Timothy Walsh, et al., "Placebo Response in Studies of Major Depression: Variable, Substantial, and Growing," JAMA, Apr 2002, 287:1840-1847. Irving Kirsch, Ph.D., and David Antonuccio, Ph.D. "Antidepressants Versus Placebos: Meaningful Advantages Are Lacking," Psychiatric
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