>> >>ALISON: Many questions remain after the death of Junior Seau with some wondering if
depression was linked to his u parent suicide or if perhaps the many years of taking hits
on the field contributed. Here is my guest Dr.ﾊSteven ornish, he's
a chemical professor ats the UC San Diego school of medicine, department of psychiatry.
People are talking about the fact that perhaps his suicide is connected to depression which
could have been caused or made worse by head injury, what's thrr link?
>> >>STEVEN ORNISH: We know there's a significant link between depression and suicide.
Approximately 60% of people who have attempted or committed suicide are suffering from a
very severe depression. The relationship between suicide and head
injurysis less clear. There seems to be an association, but there's
really very little research done on the topic and whether or not there's a cause and effect
relationship requires further study. >> >>ALISON: We heard that he was a very intense
guy. When he was a kid, was it possible a head
injury might make emotions more intense? >> >>STEVEN ORNISH: We know that head injuries,
particularly severe ones can lead to disinhibition where the person does become emotionally labile,
and more impulsive. That occurs with quite significant and more
severe head injuries. We also know that you can have secondary depression
from head injuries. The point is that dp prigz from a head injury or any other cause is very
treatable. The suicide ideation and thoughts of suicide
often are stemming from the untreated depressionﾊ hence the person's attempt to try to get away
from a great deal of emotional pain. >> >>ALISON: The other thing that people always
say about Junior Seau is he was out going, friendly, cheerful.
Is that the normal face of depression? >> >>STEVEN ORNISH: The normal set face is
not to be out going and cheerful. The normal face is teu peer depressed, agitated, anxious,
maybe appear more like a bump on a log, and with drawn.
That said, often we have a smiling depression, where the person actually puts on a facade
where they look to the outside world like they're functioning just fine, and yet they're
really crying on the inside, they're in a great deal of emotional pain.
Ironically sometimes it's the most famous people who feel as if they need to maintain
a certain image who feel a certain stigma about reaching out for help and getting help
for what is other wise a very treatable condition. >> >>ALISON: So there must be warning signs.
Do you think some might have been missed in this case?
>> >>STEVEN ORNISH: The karn r warning signs can be subtle to the loved ones and family.
To professionals, they are often red flags. The kinds of warning signs we look for symptoms
of dis pregz will be changes in mood, men manifest not in terms of a sad mood, but in
terms of irritablibility or anger, the person may have trouble sleeping, falling asleep,
they may start making vailed references to that people would be better off if they weren't
alive, that could be a big red flag. Some time saids we'll visit their primary
care physician and express symptoms. Off thrn are warning signs that may be miss
bid the family but to trained health professionals are apparent.
>> >>ALISON: Obviously support from family and frendz is vital, but how important is
professional support when somebody is suffering from this?
>> >>STEVEN ORNISH: Professional support is key if any family member or friend believes
a person may be suffering from depression, it's very import tonight get them referred
to treatment. This can be done through a direct referral
or a crisis line. If a family friend thinks a a person is eminently
suicidal, they can pick up the phone, dial 911, the police will come out and determine
if a person is suicidal. It's import tonight recognize that depression,
that the suicide is a symptom and it's often a symptom of depression.
Depression is very treatable, so if we can get the person treated, then the symptom of
suicidal ideation will just kind of melt away with the treatment.
>> >>ALISON: Isn't it true that there is still a bit of a stigma to admitting depression,
especially perhaps for men? >> >>STEVEN ORNISH: Unfortunately there remain
as stigma particularly among men, and particularly among athletes who have grown up ane culture
of feeling as if if they have to be very macho, endure a great deal of pain, that's what they're
trained to do, which is to endure physical pain.
When they have emotional pain, that same kind of culture of just toughening out this erroneous
belief that some how if they reach out for help, this is a weakness, quote unquote, that's
very predominant in men. The other thing that make dz pregz, suicidal so it dangerous in
men is that men often turn to very violent and lethal means of attempting or committing
suicide, such as we see in this case. As opposed to weum whoon may overdose on medication,
or may cut on themselves where they still may survive the suicide attempt.
>> >>ALISON: We've come to the end of our time but thank you very much for those incites,
Dr.ﾊOrnish. >> >>STEVEN ORNISH: Thank you very much.