5 * BENNETT BANNER » OCTOBER 13, 1995
NEWS AND FEATURES
Depression:
What Every Woman
Should Know
(NAPS)—Women experience
clinical depression about twice
as often as men, but tlie good
news is that this common illness
is highly treatable.
Symptoms of depression last
two weeks or longer and include
sadness, loss of interest, pessi
mism, worthlessness or guilt,
anxiety, changes in sleeping and
eating habits, fatigue, poor con
centration, irritability, thoughts
of death, and chronic aches and
pains.
Seeking treatment
early is important...
Varied factors unique to
women ’ s lives may play a role in
the development of depression
in those vulnerable to the illness,
say experts at the National Insti
tute of Mental Health.
Hormonal cycles, stress, vic
timization, and certain personal
ity patterns are possibly signifi
cant factors on which research is
now focused.
Regardless of contributing fac
tors, standard treatments for de
pression are effective for a ma
jority of women. Seeking treat
ment early is important, espe
cially for depressed mothers,
whose illness can negatively af
fect their children’s develop
ment.
Common treatments for de
pression are medication, psycho
therapy, or a combination of the
two.
Only a qualified professional
can decide which treatment is
right for an individual. With ap
propriate treatment, nearly 80
percent of those with depression
can begin to feel better, most
within a matter of weeks.For a
free brochure about women and
depression, write: depression.
Dept. W, Rockville, MD 20857;
or call 1-800-421-4211.
A cure for cold sores?
(NAPS)—Cold sores, those ugly
blisters that crop up around the
mouth, are a lot like an unpleas
ant relative—they show up when
you least expect them, and
nothing can keep them away
forever.
Eight in 10 Americans will get
a cold sore at some point in their
lives. Unfortunately, once you’ve
hadacoldsore, it willkeep coming
back.
According to Dr. Pol
Vandenbroucke, director of medi
cal affairs for Bayer Corporation,
the makers of Campho-Phenique®
Cold Sore Gel, there is no cure for
cold sores.
“Medical evidence has shown
that so-called cures based on diet
or vitamin therapies simply do not
work,” he said.
“The only thing cold sore suf
ferers can do is try to avoid things
UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND
A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste.
A PuWic Service of
This Publication
(NAPS) Forafree, comprehen
sive brochure, “Women’s
Guide to Vaginal Infections,”
write the National Vaginitis As
sociation, 220 Soutli Cook Street,
Suite 201, Barrington, Illinois
60010.
For a free brochure with tips
on preventing practically ev
ery skin problem from dry skin
to skin cancer, call the makers
of Eucerin Creme at 1-800-655-
SKIN.
A list of Medicine for the Pub
lic booklets is available free by
writing to; Clinical ('enter C\)m-
munication, Nation:il Institutes
For Health, 10 Center Drive,
Room 1C255, M(\S, 1170.
Bediesda, MD 20892-1170.
Forafree 12-page recipe book
let with low fat dips, cheese
cakes, brownies, and fudge reci
pes, send a self-addressed
stamped envelope to: PHILI.Y®
FREHl® Recipe Booklet, c/o
Hunter & Associates, Inc., 41
Madison Avenue, New York, NY
10010-2202.
For information on children’'
mental liealth, call the ('cnlcr Ibi
Menial Health Services at 1-800
78‘>-2647.
Free ()nline info, 1-8M>-X48-K I ‘W
for CompuServe, anil 1 -800-776-
3449 for Prodigy.
A free brochure al)oul the ef
fects of media on children i.savail
able by sending a slanipc'd, .self
addres.sed envelope to: TV and ihc
F;unily BriK'hure, IX'pt. (', Amcri
can Academy of Pediatrics, P.()
Box 927, Flk Orove Village, II
60009. i
21st century voter registration is here
that cause a recurrence and, if the
blisters do reappear, apply a treat
ment to speed them on their way.”
Cold sores are caused by a type of
herpes virus.
Colds and flu, excessive expo
sure to sun and wind, menstrua
tion, stomach problems and stress
can all cause a recurrence.
Dr. Vandenbroucke advises the
use of a skin protectant to reduce
cracking, plus a local anesthetic or
counter-irritant to control discom
fort. Cracked cold sore blisters are
subject to infection, which can slow
down the healing process. Antibi
otics have no effect.
To receive a free brochure on
cold sores and their treatment, send
a stamped, self-addressed enve
lope to Campho-Phenique Cold
Sore Guide, 99 Cherry Hill Road,
Parsippany, NJ 07054.
Becky Cain
President,
U.S. League of Women Voters
This year our voter registra
tion system had an overhaul; it
was called the National Voter
Registration Act, also known as
the motor voter law, and it was
long overdue.
Prior to the new law, many
states’ antiquated voter registra
tion systems were straining to
meet the needs of a changing,
mobile population.
In some places, laws written
years ago were intended to make
the registration system convenient
for whoever happened to be the
registnu"; in other places, they were
intended to suit tlie political par
ties.
Motor voter, enacted in 1993,
was written to make registration
convenient for citizens.
Now citizens cjui register when
they go to renew their driver’s li
cense, when they apply for assis
tance at state agencies or hy mail.
According to Max Cleland, (leor-
gia Secretary of State, “People are
amazed and pleased tliat the gov
ernment is taking steps to m;ike
life easier for them rather than cre
ating a bureaucratic maze to obtain
es.senlial government services."
As a result of this voier-l riciidly
law, we arc now experiencing the
largest increase in voter registra
tion in American history—hirger
even than the increase that (K curred
:ifter women got the right to vole.
By the next presidential elec
tion, 20 million voters will have
registered under the new law. This
surge suggests that bureaucracy
was indeed stjmding in the way ol
many people who were not regis
tered.
The National Voter Registra
tion Act is a rare example of a
federal law “trickling up” from
Not settins your
child all her shots
is like leaving her
out here alone.
At least 11 shots fay two.
Howsttre Questions?
I-8004SS 2522.
U.S. HsalSi Md Htimaii Soviets
Ivan Neal has put out
a lot of fires.
He’s not a
firefighter—
he’s a teacher. But to the
kids he’s reached, he’s a hero.
BE A TEACHER. BE A HERO.
Call 1-800-45-TEACH.