When Teen Angst Turns to Pandemic Anxiety and Depression
When kids grow into teens, they generally start separating from their parents and spend more time with their peers. But the isolation of Covid-19 has rewritten the script. Remote schooling, quarantine orders, and the cancellation of sports teams and other activities have caused young people to lose contact with their peers, as well as with […]
Using Nicotine to Puff Away Sadness
Ask a smoker what they get out of cigarettes and they are likely to talk about pleasure, contentment, and an overall good feeling. Nicotine, the active ingredient in cigarettes, is a stimulant. Used in low doses like those delivered by combustible cigarettes, stimulants activate the nervous system, resulting in enhanced arousal and alertness. Nicotine binding […]
Can Exercise Help Treat Anxiety?
Chances are good that you, or someone you know, is dealing with anxiety. One in 5 Americans over 18, and 1 in 3 teenagers 13 to 18, reported having a chronic anxiety disorder during the past year. And when I talk to college students, they’re not at all surprised that a whopping 63% of students […]
SuperBetter Game Aims to Decrease Depression
One in 13 people globally suffers from anxiety, the World Health Organization reports. While some video games and apps can contribute to anxiety, one new game is designed to increase optimism, self-efficacy and social support. After suffering from a severe concussion in 2009, game designer Jane McGonigal created a resilience-building game and watched her anxious […]
Hormone Therapy for Depression: Are the Risks Worth the Benefits?
When you think of menopause, you might think of hot flashes and night sweats. But many women also experience symptoms of depression. The risk of depression doubles or even quadruples during the menopausal transition, which has researchers looking for ways to address — or even prevent — the problem. One study published in JAMA Psychiatry […]
Treating Depression
From telehealth to magnetic stimulation, innovative therapies provide alternatives At the end of the 19th century, it wasn’t uncommon for those suffering from depression to spend a stint in a sanitarium. Never mind that it would have been framed that they’d “gone to visit relatives.” A century later, more than 16 million people in the […]
Teenage Breakdown
The rise in mental health issues and what parents can do Fifteen-year-old Evan Wilson likes to play video games, draw and listen to music, especially classic punk (think Sex Pistols and The Clash). He’s also dealing with mental health issues — in his case, depression with a mood component and ADHD. Many teens experience symptoms […]
Yoga could complement traditional treatment for depression
New research on yoga has yielded promising evidence that it could complement traditional treatment for depression. The scientific study of yoga has grown rapidly in the past decade. Between 1975 and 2014, a total of 312 randomized controlled trials on yoga from 23 countries were published. Between 2005 and 2015, 24 randomized controlled trials have […]
Can probiotics help treat depression and anxiety?
Harvard Health Blog There is a lot of interest right now in the human microbiome (the populations of bacteria that live in various parts of the body, including the intestine, skin and lungs). We now know that there are approximately 10 times as many bacterial cells as human cells in the body. The vast majority […]
Teen Depression Rising, Especially Among Girls
The teen years have always been a trying time, but now they are more stressful than ever. And the incidence of depression in teens is rising. The percentage of teens age 12 to 17 experiencing major depression during a 12-month period jumped from 8.7 percent in 2005 to 11.3 percent in 2014, according to a […]
Scientists find new path in brain to ease depression
Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered a new pathway in the brain that can be manipulated to alleviate depression. The pathway offers a promising new target for developing a drug that could be effective in individuals for whom other antidepressants have failed. New antidepressant options are important because a significant number of patients don’t adequately improve […]
Rapid and intense mood changes often a normal part of teens’ development
Mayo Clinic Q & A DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My 13-year-old daughter has become very moody, which I realize is normal for this age. But, I’m concerned she may be depressed. What is the difference between typical teen behavior and depression in teenagers? Are there certain things I should watch for that could be signs of […]
New depression screening guidelines outline very helpful, achievable goals
Harvard Health Blog Every once in a while, a simple idea comes along that has the potential to bring enormous health benefits. Screening for depression is one of them. It is a low-cost, high-impact intervention that should be a regular part of primary care medicine. This idea is not new, but it has gotten another […]
Risk for developing depression increases following traumatic brain injury
Mayo Clinic Q&A DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Is there a link between traumatic brain injury, or TBI, and depression? Would the treatment for depression in someone with a TBI be different than treatment for depression without this sort of injury? ANSWER: Quite a bit of research has been done on this topic. The results clearly show […]
Strong link between depression and migraine headaches
By Howard LeWine, M.D. Ask the Harvard Experts Q: Is there a link between depression and headaches? A: Yes, they are connected. People with depression tend to have more frequent and more severe headaches compared to those without depression. And as headaches occur more often and become more intense, it’s likely that the person will […]
Abruptly stopping antidepressants can cause distressing symptoms
By Michael Craig Miller, M.D. Q: I have been taking paroxetine (Paxil) for more than a year. Since I felt better, I stopped it. But now I feel even worse than when I started it. Is there something else I can do rather than just taking the drug again? A: You may be having discontinuation […]
Is your medication making you depressed?
Harvard Health Letters Be on the lookout for mood swings, sleeplessness, and anxiety when starting certain medications. We all get the blues from time to time. But if signs of depression, such as prolonged hopelessness or trouble concentrating, seem to come out of nowhere, the cause may be in your medication regimen. “I think most […]
Where Does It Hurt?
Untreated or mistreated chronic pain can lead to the pangs of depression By Morgan Lord When Bill Lipscomb, 60, was in the tightest grips of chronic pain, he couldn’t stand up for more than a minute at a time, and his right leg was so red, hot and sensitive that wearing long pants was out of the question—which […]
The Medicine Cabinet-Ask the Harvard Experts: Depression during pregnancy should be treated
By Howard LeWine, M.D., Tribune Content Agency Q: I just found out that I’m pregnant. I’m excited, but worried because I have a history of depression. I’m afraid to take medicine if I start to get depressed again. Any advice? A: Pregnancy is a joyful time for most women, but not for a pregnant woman […]
Knot Now!
It’s time to seek professional help if anxiety turns your nerves into a tangled mess By Donna Shryer When studies said that red wine—in moderation—reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, we toasted the news. When research divulged that moderate exercise is just as beneficial as vigorous activity, we jumped for joy. The same sweet […]
Doctor’s Orders
Shattering the Stigma of Depression By Dr. Gena Vennikandam Since the mid-20th century, when cognitive psychotherapy was being introduced, depression has been talked about in hushed tones in small circles. Sadly today, depression can still be seen as the elephant in the room, a condition that is not getting the light it deserves and is gravely […]
The Chicago Blues
Seasonal Affective Disorder a far cry from clinical depression By Jenny Allen We’ve all been there. It’s the dead of winter. The alarm clock is blaring. We turn to the window with bleary eyes and… total darkness. A long workday lies ahead. Surely the lunch hour will offer some respite, but it’s 20 degrees out […]
