With the Food and Drug Administration’s recent approval of Emsam, an antidepressant patch, happiness may be only an inch of skin away.

Karen White, director of NIU’s Psychological Services Center, said depression is part of a larger category of diseases known as mood disorders.

About 9.5 percent or 18.8 million Americans suffer from depression during any 12-month period, according to the National Institute for Mental Health.

There are several different categories of the disorder, including bipolar disorder, dysthymic depression and psychothymic disorder, she said.

Anna Beth Payne, associate director of NIU’s Counseling and Student Development center, said some signs of depression include feelings of sadness, helplessness, irritability, fatigue, insomnia and suicidal thoughts.

Origins and use of Emsam

Emsam is a patch form of a relatively old drug previously used to treat Parkinson’s disease in addition to depression, said Mardjan Foroutan, an attending psychiatrist at Kishwaukee Community Hospital.

The medication is usually only used as a last resort because of the restrictions and diet the drug demands. While using the patch, consumers must avoid the amino acid tyramine, which is commonly found in preserved foods such as wine and cheese.

“You’re down to a diet of fish and some chicken,” Foroutan said. “It would not be the first medication I would give.”

The medication also has bad interactions with pain killers, which can lead to death. The patch is used as a last resort because it is aimed at treatment-resistant depression.

Students suffering from depression can find many resources at the Counseling and Student Development Center.

“Depression is one of the most common reasons students come here,” Payne said.

The center’s Web site also offers material for those feeling depressed, including a free, anonymous online screening for depression. There also are links to other depression-aiding Web sites, including Ulifeline.org, a site for college student health and well-

being.