Doctors have struggled with diagnosing depression for years now, relying on patients’ reported symptoms and health journals’ definition of the condition. New research is working to develop a blood test that would accurately diagnose depression.

Defining Depression

Depression can be hard to diagnose. Physicians traditionally use a reference book such as Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) which is widely accepted in the mental health field as the most comprehensive and most accurate. But even this book is subject to debate. In the newest version, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) is once again planning to exclude bereavement or grief as part of the depression definition. Many people don’t agree with this decision. “Depression can and does occur in the wake of bereavement, it can be severe and debilitating, and calling it by any other name is doing a disservice to people who may require more careful attention,” Sidney Zisook, a psychiatrist at the University of California, San Diego, said. (1)

Blood Test for Depression

It is possible that a simple blood test, developed by Ridge Diagnostics, could tell doctors very quickly if a person does indeed have depression. The test analyzes 9 biomarkers – such as inflammation, the development and maintenance of neurons, and the interaction between brain structures involved with stress response – that distinguish patients with depression. “These results are already providing us with intriguing new hints on how powerfully factors such as inflammation – which we are learning has a major role in many serious medical issues – contribute to depression.” says lead author George Papakostas, MD, director of depression research at Mass General and a professor at Harvard Medical School. (2)

Helping Depression Patients

Many people are hopeful that because of this test, more people with depression will get the treatment they need. Co-author John Bilello, PhD, chief scientific officer of Ridge Diagnostics, which sponsored the study, said, “It can be difficult to convince patients of the need for treatment based on the sort of questionnaire now used to rank their reported symptoms. We expect that the biological basis of this test may provide patients with insight into their depression as a treatable disease rather than a source of self-doubt and stigma. As we accumulate additional data on the MDDScore and perform further studies, we hope it will be useful for predicting treatment response and helping to select the best therapies.” (2)

The traditional ways of diagnosing depression are subjective, and many patients and even doctors question the accuracy of the diagnosis. “Traditionally, diagnosis of major depression and other mental disorders has been made based on patients’ reported symptoms, but the accuracy of that process varies a great deal, often depending on the experience and resources of the clinician conducting the assessment,” Dr. Papakostas states. (2)

Sources

(1) Can You Be Diagnosed With Grief?

(2) Promising Blood Test for Depression Reported by Massachusetts Research Collaborative

Blood test accurately distinguishes depressed patients from healthy controls

Researchers have been studying the effects of exercise on the human body and mind for years now, and they still conclude that exercise has great benefits to people of all ages and backgrounds.

Health Benefits to Exercising

We know there are health benefits to exercising. Working out will help with things like obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and arthritis. It also helps improve mood and decreases depression and anxiety. Exercising helps a person gain confidence, it refocuses their mind, gets them out and about with others, and increases body temperature, which is thought to have a calming effect.

Mental Health Benefits to Exercising

People have called exercise a magic drug for people with depression. Getting the blood pumping actually releases endorphins which are the feel-good chemicals of the brain, and decreases the amount of immune system chemicals in the body that make depression worse. “Individuals who exercise report fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, and lower levels of stress and anger,” says Jasper Smits, director of the Anxiety Research and Treatment Program at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. “Exercise appears to affect, like an antidepressant, particular neurotransmitter systems in the brain, and it helps patients with depression re-establish positive behaviors. For patients with anxiety disorders, exercise reduces their fears of fear and related bodily sensations such as a racing heart and rapid breathing.” (1)

Some people even suggest that with the benefits of a good exercise program, certain mental health patients can be weaned down on their medication or be treated without medication altogether. “Exercise can fill the gap for people who can’t receive traditional therapies because of cost or lack of access, or who don’t want to because of the perceived social stigma associated with these treatments,” Smits says. “Exercise also can supplement traditional treatments, helping patients become more focused and engaged.” (1)

Be Active in Things You Enjoy

Exercise can be a daunting undertaking. Most people are so overwhelmed by the thought of getting in shape that they avoid starting any kind of program altogether. The good news is that exercise does not have to occur only at a gym or on a treadmill, or while training for a marathon. Taking a walk is the easiest form of exercise, and it can be very enjoyable – walking along a lake path, walking the dog, or taking a hike through a beautifully wooded area in the fall. Bike rides may take a little more coordination and energy, but can be just as relaxing. Other people may choose to play volleyball with their kids in the yard, or get on a softball league, or even use household activities like gardening or cleaning to get moving. The important thing is to find ways to be active, and to continue to do them. Experts suggest exercising 30 minutes or more three to five days a week to improve depression symptoms.

If depression or mental health problems are disrupting your life, seek the help of a professional. They will come up with a treatment plan that will best serve you. In addition to this treatment, however, it would be beneficial to incorporate an exercise routine to your daily schedule.

Sources

(1) Mental Health Providers Should Prescribe Exercise More Often for Depression, Anxiety, Research Suggests

Exercise may boost mood for some chronically ill

Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms

SAMHSA has released a new report on mental health statistics for our country. They found that in the past year, 45.9 million Americans above the age of 18 years, or 20% of American adults, experienced mental illness. (1)

Seriousness of Mental Illness

SAMHSA administrators acknowledge the seriousness of mental health disorders. Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said, “Mental illnesses can be managed successfully, and people do recover. Mental illness is not an isolated public health problem. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity often co-exist with mental illness and treatment of the mental illness can reduce the effects of these disorders. The Obama Administration is working to promote the use of mental health services through health reform. People, families, and communities will benefit from increased access to mental health services.” (1)

The CDC agrees. “Mental illness is a significant public health problem in itself, but also because it is associated with chronic medical diseases,” said Ileana Arias, Ph.D., Principal Deputy Director of CDC. “[The] report issued by SAMHSA provides further evidence that we need to continue efforts to monitor levels of mental illness in the United States in order to effectively prevent this important public health problem and its negative impact on total health.” (1)

The Forgotten Mentally Ill

However, accusations have arisen that say SAMHSA did not accurately present information for their report because they failed to count people in jails, prisons, and hospitals, and the homeless who have mental health issues. The accusation states that SAMHSA underestimated the incidence of serious mental illness and overstated the percentage of those receiving treatment.

This raises some concerns, particularly about the number of mentally ill inmates in our country. Studies suggest that 10 percent of prisoners, or 218,000 individuals in the system at any given time, have severe psychiatric disorders. (2)

Jailing the Mentally Ill

Mentally ill individuals find themselves behind bars for a variety of reasons. Some are arrested because local businesses do not want them seen on their streets. Police in some areas arrest people with serious mental illness to keep them from causing a disruption or hurting themselves or others. Mercy bookings are done by police who are trying to protect mentally ill citizens from being victimized. Some family members reportedly go through the justice system to get their loved ones into treatment, because they believe the process is faster that way.

Not Equipped to Treat

The problem with the practice of arresting mentally ill citizens is that the justice system is not equipped to treat these individuals. Corrections officers in 84 percent of jails receive either no training or less than three hours training in the special problems of people with severe mental illness. (2) Jails and prisons are becoming crowded with patients they cannot help. A prison psychiatrist in California states, “We are literally drowning in patients, running around trying to put our fingers in the bursting dikes, while hundreds of men continue to deteriorate psychiatrically before our eyes into serious psychoses… The crisis stems from recent changes in the mental health laws allowing more mentally sick patients to be shifted away from the mental health department into the department of corrections.” (2)

Sources

(1) Mental Illness Affects 1 In 5 Americans

(2) Criminalization of individuals with severe psychiatric disorders

SAMHSA Statistics Ignore 500,000 Mentally Ill

We hope you enjoy this article from one of our guest writers, Gerald “Jerry”  Shulman. Treatment Solutions Network is honored to have Jerry contributing to our blog. Jerry is a pioneer in the field of substance use and dependency and we thank him for putting his good name behind our company. Look for more from Jerry in the coming weeks. Also be sure and sign up for one of our CEU approved seminars led by Jerry.

The problem with the above is not with the answer, it is with the question.  The way the question is worded assumes that all people who use substances comprise a population composed of similar individuals, while in reality we find people experiencing a range of substance use patterns and problems.  Some definitions are in order.

Harm reduction is the process of reducing harm to the individual or society without necessarily reducing or eliminating the substance use.  Examples of such strategy are drinking low risk amounts, changing the drinking pattern such as not drinking and driving or taking prescribed psychoactive medications only as prescribed.

In contrast, the disease model describes a disease, disorder or illness which is progressive, fatal and incurable.  It is also described as a chronic, relapsing brain disease, for which there is currently ample evidence, and for which the only reasonable intervention is total abstinence. These two positions initially appear to be totally incompatible until one looks at the different patterns of use and the best way to do so is to divide the population of users by degree of risk.

There are individuals who make low risk choices characterized by drinking low risk amounts, not drinking in high risk situations (e.g., driving or operating machinery), using prescribed psychoactive medications only as prescribed and no use of illicit drugs. We will refer to this as “Risk Phase 1. Their use results in no problems and there is no significant increase in tolerance.  The harm reduction strategy for this population is to continue to make low risk choices, or said another way, no change from the current pattern.

In this next phase of risk, Phase 2, individuals are beginning to use substances in a high risk manner such as drinking high risk amounts and making high risk choices (drinking enough to be impaired when driving) or misusing prescribed medication. In this phase, individuals may develop social dependence and we see the onset of state dependent learning.  The individual may begin to have problems such as a single DUI or missing work but as yet without consequences but does not meet diagnostic criteria for substance abuse or dependence. A harm reduction strategy for these individuals is to return to Phase 1, return to making low risk choices. .

People in phase #3 present a more complex picture.  In this phase we find the development of psychological dependence, the substance use is more integrated into the person’s life, there is state dependent learning, high risk choices become more important than relationships and we find the individual defending his or her use choices. This phase tends to correspond to substance abuse or substance dependence without physiological dependence.

Individuals in this phase manifest substance-related health or impairment problems, blackouts and drinking to cure hangovers. While return to low-risk drinking choices may still be possible, only about 50% may be able to do so and the individual may require outside help to change choices. The critical issue here is that continued use likely to lead to Phase 4 (see next) and the safest choice at this point is total abstinence.

Phase 4 represents the most severe pattern of use and corresponds to the diagnosis of substance dependence with physiological dependence. In this phase we see physical addiction, withdrawal, compulsion, loss of control and increasing tolerance. The substance use now results in more negative, more severe outcomes than in Phase 3 up to possible institutionalization or death. Since return to low-risk choices no longer possible, the only rational response requires total abstinence, which usually requires outside help to achieve and maintain.

For many clinicians who hold to the disease model of addiction, the idea of harm reduction is repellent because they think of it as applied to those people that find their way into treatment.  However, on average, these patients in treatment are in treatment because they have the most severe substance use disorders and its resulting problems (e.g., legal, employment, medical, family). They are generally in Phase 3 or 4.

For those in Phase 3 harm reduction (trying to return to a lower risk pattern of use) may be hazardous and for those individuals in Phase 4, harm reduction is inappropriate and contraindicated.  However, for those in Phase 4 who are in the Precontemplation Stage of Change, a non-abstinence approach such as reducing amount or frequency of use, is sometimes employed as an intermediate goal.

Returning to the original question of whether harm reduction and the disease model of addiction can coexist, the answer is a definite “yes” and is clearly related to the degree of risk or problem severity of the substance user.  While the only totally safe alternative for every drinker/user is abstinence, people in Phases 1 and 2 are unlikely to choose abstinence, and by forcing them into this position we risk the opportunity to apply harm reduction strategies to halt the progress of the problems and thereby reduce the harm to the individual or society.

Firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and other public safety officers are supposed to be the strong ones, the ones who never break down, the ones who can always pull through; or so we think. As we near the ten year anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, we need to remember that our first responders are human too, and many suffered greatly during and after that terrifying day.

The Effects of the Attacks on Firefighters

On September 11, 2001, 343 NYC firefighters lost their lives in the World Trade Center attacks. Some firehouses lost most of their men and women all within a matter of minutes. As many as 20 funerals were held daily for the fallen workers.

Events like that aren’t easy to get over, even for those who have been trained to handle traumatic situations. According to New York City’s three 9/11 health programs, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) plagues at least 10,000 fire fighters, police officers, and civilians who were exposed to the attacks. (1) This kind of disaster can lead to other things too, such as substance abuse among the suffering. In spring of 2004, the number of FDNY firefighters and EMS workers being treated for alcohol and drug abuse was more than 50 percent higher than the previous year. (2) However, studies also estimate that only 5% of firefighters who need help for a drug or alcohol problem actually seek out that help.

Providing Help

There has been some legislation since 9/11 that sets up funds to help with doctor bills and treatment for the first responders and others who were affected by that day. The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act (also known as the First Responder Bill) provides $4.3 billion to treat people who were affected. There are many long term problems that these surviving safety workers face, such as PTSD, depression, panic disorder, substance abuse, asthma, lung disease, and sleep apnea. While the First Responder Bill provides coverage for many workers, it does not yet cover treatment for a few things such as cancer, something people are fighting to amend.

Effective Treatment

There are many first responders who will not seek out the treatment they need for mental health disorders and substance abuse. It is important to create and maintain more programs designed specifically for firefighters, EMTs, or police officers. Because of the public’s view of these individuals as being able to handle anything, they need a place where they can receive healing among their own. Without outside pressures or expectations or embarrassments, a public safety worker can feel comfortable enough to be open about their feelings and experiences. Treatment is usually more effective for these individuals when they are going through it with others similar to them.

As firefighters do, they continue to stick together. Many firefighters from around the country are on their way to NYC this weekend to support their fellow workers for this year’s anniversary.

Much of our country has recovered from the terrorist attacks, even if we are forever changed. For some people, however, the pain is still very real, and they are in need of help to get their lives back on track, even ten years later. 

Sources

Some 9/11 first responders get help – and some don’t

Treating the trauma of 9/11

FDNY Was Faced With Alcohol, Drug Abuse Problems Following 9/11

Kids who bully other kids often do it to cover up their own insecurities and to put other people down. It might be that some kids do this to have fun or are pressured into it by friends. With the consequences of bullying in news headlines more frequently lately, it is hard to imagine why anyone would bully someone else.

Effects of Bullying

There have been a number of studies done lately on bullying and its effects on the kids involved. This is because numerous incidents have taken place with kids committing suicide or other drastic acts because they were bullied. One of the first high profile cases were the boys who committed the Columbine shootings in 1999. These boys were teased and seen as outcasts, and eventually acted in retaliation. Other grade school, high school, and college students have committed suicide because of bullying. Many more suffer in silence for years.

Recent studies have found that the rates of mental health conditions are up to 3 times higher among students that are bullied. Bullying causes depression, suicidal thoughts, and attempts at suicide. Many of these kids that are teased do not tell anyone, so they suffer quietly, sinking further and further into depression, and their grades and social lives also suffer.

Many people still think that kids will be kids and this is a part of growing up. They say that if we leave the kids alone to work it out, they eventually will stop. However, with the tragic stories of suicide and homicide becoming more common, many people are ready to finally put an end to bullying.

Cyberbullying a Growing Problem

The problem now is that kids have so many more venues in which to bully. The schoolyard bully who beats the little guy up and takes his lunch money is not so common anymore. Today, kids can bully other kids from their bedrooms at night, sending text messages or putting posts on Facebook. Since kids are so connected to their social media, bullying by using these means really does emotional damage to the person being bullied. “The cyberbullying feels like something they can’t get away from,” said Laurie Curley, a school psychologist who works with kids who are bullied. (1)

Parents are being warned to be more aware of their kids’ activity and how much time they are spending on cell phones and the Internet. Parents can help their child maintain a healthy caution for these things so that they will be less likely to post things thatwould make them a target for bullying. Overall, parents, teachers, and other adults need to watch for bullying and take action and report it when it occurs.

Sources

Bullying, Suicide, Punishment

Bullying and Suicide

MetroWest report shows link between bullying, mental health

We don’t really know what causes depression, except that it often runs in families and can be brought on by some sort of emotional loss or things like substance abuse. If we could predict who was going to suffer from depression, we could be more prepared to treat them.

Depression is often called the silent epidemic. Many people suffer with it on their own, not getting help until it is too late. Family members often do not realize their loved one had depression until they have ended their life, or hurt someone else, and too many lives are tragically altered because of this disease. We need to do more to diagnose and treat depression.

Effects of Tragedy Early in Life

A new study tries to predict which people are more prone to developing depression, based on the earlier events of their lives. Researchers at UCLA released the results of a study that looked at the life history of people with depression. They found that people that had experienced the death of a parent or separation from a parent before the age of 18 were more sensitive to stress than other people. They may have become less resilient in the face of adversity, which lead them to be depressed. Those who had suffered from depression in the past were also likely to be affected by future depressive episodes.

George Slavich, the lead researcher for the study, explains; “The present study suggests for the first time that [certain] associations may be unique to stressors involving interpersonal loss. In other words, individuals who are exposed to early parental loss or separation and persons with greater lifetime histories of depression may be selectively sensitized to stressors involving interpersonal loss.” (1)

The Power of Perception

The researchers also have a theory about why this is, and it has to do with our thoughts. Individuals who have experienced adversity or negative events at a young age begin to believe negative things about themselves and the world around them. “Although many factors impact stress sensitivity,” Slavich said, “thoughts almost always play a role. For example, when your best friend doesn’t call back, do you think she is angry at you or do you think it just slipped her mind? Our thoughts affect how we react emotionally and biologically to situations, and these reactions in turn greatly influence our health. Regardless of your prior experiences, then, it is always important to take a step back and make sure you are interpreting situations in an unbiased way, based on the information available.” (1)

This explains why some people are more affected by a relationship breaking up than others, or sensitive to everyday stresses in life. If someone has been telling themselves all their life that they are going to experience trouble, they may be expecting problems to come their way. Realizing that these thoughts and attitudes can actually be a precursor to depression can help us provide early intervention to these individuals before their depression escalates to a debilitating level.

Sources

(1) Life History Contributes to Future Stress Sensitivity, Depression

Sweating the small stuff: Early adversity, prior depression linked to high sensitivity to stress

A Tough Childhood May Lower Your Threshold for Stress 

As we celebrate Memorial Day, we take a moment out of our lives to remember and honor those who serve our country. These people have dedicated their time and lives to ensuring our freedom. Some lose their lives or spend many months away from their families. Many others come back from service forever changed because of injury or substance abuse and mental health disorders. We should be doing all we can to help our service men and women recover from these serious issues.

Lasting Effects of War

Most of us know the dangers soldiers face when they enter the military. Not only do they dedicate time serving away from their families, but they put their lives at risk. For those that make it home from combat safely, there is the increased risk for mental health disorders and substance abuse. Brain injuries and traumatic experiences are most often to blame. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious disorder that stems from experiencing a distressing event such as war. It causes the person to be plagued with anxiety and flashbacks that can last years.

Our soldiers also return from service with possible physical injuries and with lasting mental disorders, and then they are expected to jump back into society. Transitioning back to living at home and being a father, mother, sister, or brother again can be difficult. Many service men and women struggle with it.

Self-Medicating

The solution many military personnel turn to is substance abuse. It is a way for them to deal with the pain and uncertainty that they feel. Many soldiers binge drink because they don’t know how to live their life again. Others do drugs to forget the things they’ve been through. The result is that our soldiers are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol than the general public. A statistic coming out of Arizona last week helped draw attention to the problem. It said that drug and alcohol abuse is four times more common in veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan than the general public and veterans from other wars.(1) Many veterans feel there is no other way to get relief than to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol.

Help for Veterans

We might think that these people just need to get treatment and therapy for all the things that are bothering them. But many do not seek help when they should because of embarrassment or denial. Others that do want help are stuck trying to wade through red tape and restrictions on benefits through the military.

This Memorial Day, as we remember our service men and women, let’s not assume their struggle is over just because they are home. Encourage anyone you know who needs help to find it. SAMHSA has a web page of links that can help military personnel and their families with substance abuse and mental health problems.

Sources

(1) Study: Younger veterans show high levels of mental health issues, substance abuse

Military Families

After fighting for country, veteran fights for benefits

Many obese individuals at one time or another consider bariatric surgery. Gastric bypass surgery, which reduces the size of the stomach, causes huge weight loss in patients over a relatively short period of time. While the surgery is generally successful and most patients are happy with the outcomes, new studies are looking at bariatric surgery’s pros and cons from a different point of view. Potential bariatric patients will want to investigate all the new studies before making a decision about this surgery.

Gastric Bypass and Alcoholism

First of all, a study done at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm concludes that patients that have undergone gastric bypass surgery are more at risk for alcoholism. In fact, they found that after the surgery, these individuals are twice as likely to develop alcoholism than those who had lap band weight loss surgery. The reason given for the increased risk is that patients who have had their stomach’s size reduced are not able to process the alcohol in the stomach and it is passed, largely unchanged, to the intestines. The result is that these individuals reach a higher blood alcohol level much more quickly, which can lead to dependence. Based on this research, lead study author Dr. Ostlund states, “Patients undergoing gastric bypass should be carefully counseled on alcohol consumption. In addition, caregivers should be aware of the greater potential for alcohol abuse after surgery so treatment can be sought if problems arise.” (1)

Bariatric Surgery and Depression

Studies have also examined the incidence of depression on an obese person before surgery and after weight loss surgery. It is common for obese individuals to experience depression before surgery because they are not happy with their size or with other things in their life. But this Stockholm study also showed that after bariatric surgery, these individuals remained at risk for depression, suicide attempts, and substance abuse. Many people have speculated at this result, saying it is because these patients still struggle with food and their weight, or that they naturally suffer from psychiatric disorders, regardless of their weight.

Bariatric Surgery and Memory Function

Another study, however, gives a bit more hope to patients wanting to undergo bariatric surgery. This study, done by Kent State University in Ohio, concludes that patients that have undergone bariatric surgery actually experience increased memory function. Researchers of this second study hope that treating obesity can help treat things like underlying depression. Lead researcher John Gunstad states, “This very clearly demonstrates that obesity causes adverse changes to the brain but that some of these changes might be reversible through significant weight loss.” (2)

Both of these studies have been released recently, and require more studies to back them up. It may be that with more research, we will find more information about just how obesity and weight loss influence depression, and in turn, substance abuse.

Sources

(1) Gastric bypass weight-loss surgery increases risk of alcoholism, study says

(2) Lose Weight, Gain Memory Function?

Risk for Problem Drinking May Rise After Gastric Bypass

Reports say that Catherine Zeta-Jones has been treated for a mental health disorder. This well-known actress is often thought of as being a strong individual. She plays leading roles in movies, she is viewed as having her life together, and she has been recognized for caring for her husband, actor Michael Douglas, as he battled throat cancer last year. Even with rumors of mental health problems in the past, she has remained constant through it all. But as fans have seen this week, mental illness can happen to anyone, and recognizing it and getting treatment is important.

Characteristics of Bipolar II

Zeta-Jones was admitted into a Connecticut mental health facility where she was treated for bipolar II disorder. This disorder, like bipolar I, is characterized by cycling episodes of a happy “high” feeling, and a low, depressed feeling. Bipolar II is the less severe of the two types, with the highs not becoming full blown manic episodes. Rather, the times of happiness are called hypomanic episodes. These are when the patient is happy, has more energy, and is often social and fun to be around. However, in all bipolar patients, the high is followed by a low, when getting out of bed is difficult, and the person suffers from depression. These episodes can last anywhere from days to years. Bipolar is usually detected when the depressive episodes keep the person from normal daily functions.

Bipolar disorder can affect anyone. Nearly 6 million people in the U.S. suffer from bipolar – 25% of the population. It can and does affect children, but most people are diagnosed in their late teens or early 20s with it. It does seem to have some genetic link, so that people with bipolar disorder in their immediate family are at greater risk for it themselves.

Bipolar disorder tends to get worse if not treated. It also can manifest itself more when the individual is under stress. Serious cases of bipolar disorder have left people debilitated and driven them to harm themselves or others.

Treatment for Bipolar Disorder

Treatment is important for this disorder. Treatment can be inpatient or outpatient, depending on the severity of the case and the program offered by the facility. Psychotherapy is beneficial for bipolar disorder. Medications such as mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and tranquilizers are used as well.

Because of the actions of Catherine Zeta-Jones, the public will become more educated about bipolar disorder. It is important for people to recognize the symptoms and to seek treatment when necessary. Reports say that Catherine Zeta-Jones is doing well and will be able to start work again soon. She, no doubt, gives hope to others struggling with this disorder.

Sources

Catherine Zeta-Jones Seeks Treatment for Bipolar II Disorder

Bipolar II Disorder

Catherine Zeta-Jones is treated for bipolar II disorder. What is it?