November Meeting at Ocean

Worried that the holiday this week would prevent attendance at our meeting, we had a great crowd of 18. A great tribute to many dedicated members.

Lunch was served and enjoyed by everyone. Tuna and turkey sandwiches and tossed salad were the menu for the day.

Diane JanTausch welcomed everyone and wished us all a Happy Thanksgiving. She then introduced our guest speaker, Lisa Berbig, Supervisor of Crisis Services, OMC E.R. The topic today was depression, a common occurrence in cardiac patients.

Depression, as many know first hand, has a wide range of symptoms, causes and treatments. Many are not aware that they are depressed, some realize that something is “not as usual,” and often a caregiver or family member or friend will mention a change in your personality.

However you become aware of your depression, it needs to be dealt with by a professional. That person may create a path to recovery which may include “talk” therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy and may lead to medication. Because there is still a big concern with the stigma attached to depression and mental health issues, seeking treatment may often be avoided. You may want to consider talking to clergy, family doctor, family or friend or a support group.

Some doctors may advise exercise as part of the treatment, which may be compared to using an antidepressant medication in the case of depression. There is also a school of thought that there may be some possible links to certain foods and interactions with medications. Also, tell your doctor if you take any supplements as they could possibly inhibit the effectiveness of medications.

Some symptoms of depression (and there are many) are sadness, hopelessness, fatigue, change in eating habits, withdrawal from normal activities, difficulty concentrating - just to name a few. If you notice any of these symptoms for two weeks or more, seek an evaluation and possible treatment.

Recovery from a heart event is hard enough - physically and emotionally - but the world goes on with all its pressures and they will affect us, for good or bad. In the end, we must be able to take care of ourselves: taking medications, keeping appointments, staying active. Sometimes being unable to resume normal activities is hard to accept and can add to depression.

Not surprisingly, the discussion drifted off to mental health. So many symptoms of mental illness are the same or similar to depression. We had many questions and lively discussions regarding mental illness. Lisa was more than capable in fielding our questions without hesitation. Did you know? a psychiatric evaluation can be done while in the ER or hospital. Social workers are often on staff to answer questions.

Thank you, Lisa, for such a thorough and informative presentation. As you noted, depression is close to the “hearts” of those who have had a cardiac event. Thank you also for such an informative handout.

In case you would like more information, Lisa gave us permission to include her hospital phone number: Lisa Berbig, 732-836-4140.

The next meeting at OMC is Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 1:00 – 2:30 pm. Happy Holidays to all!