MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'depressed'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:08:37 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077768&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F29%2Fdbs-for-depression-still-mixed-results%2F Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a treatment long used for Parkinson’s disease. But in the past decade, some researchers have also examined its use for the treatment of severe clinical depression. Severe major depression is a serious problem in society, because some studies estimate that up to 30 percent of those who attempt to be treated for it find they have “treatment resistant” depression — that is, traditional treatments simply don’t work very well. Deep brain stimulation has mixed results. As we reported on back in February, a long-term followup of 20 patients found an average response rate to DBS of 64 percent. Not shabby, but also not the hopeful, guaranteed cure it was once held out to be. Maiken Scott, the behavioral health reporter for Philadelphia... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077768 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:39:07 +0100 5077768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050718&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F19%2Fdepression-and-empathy-in-couples%2F Discussions focused on eliciting support, with one partner playing the role of help seeker and the other playing the role of help giver. The couples were given an alarm that beeped after 6 min, at which point they switched roles and continued the conversation for an additional 6 min.” In the second part, each individual reviewed their recordings separately and after watching the discussion in 30-second segments, paused the recording and wrote down the thoughts and feelings they experienced at that time during the interaction. They were also asked to infer and write down their partners’ thoughts and feelings. In the third part of the study, five coders independently judged “the degree of similarity between perceivers’ and targets’ statements by examining the taped discussi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050718 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:15:54 +0100 5050718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704714&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F12%2F6-things-every-kid-should-know-about-a-parents-depression%2F Depression never happens in a vacuum. Like a ripple in the water, a parent’s illness can’t help but affect her offspring. Different studies have documented how depression in a new mother clearly affects her interactions with her baby or toddler. Depressed mothers are more withdrawn, less responsive to their infant’s signals. “Their facial expressions and displays of emotion [are] more muted or flat, and their voices [are] monotone,” explains Ruta Nonacs in “A Deeper Shade of Blue.” “They [remain] disengaged and [do] little to support their child’s activities or exploration of the environment.” A mother’s depression also affects grade-schoolers and adolescents. When parents fail to meet the needs of the people under their care, some kids begin to act out, have ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704714 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:05:43 +0100 4704714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4580955&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F14%2Fdiet-coke-and-depression%2F When you are a recovering drunk, you don’t have a ton of options at parties. I used to be an avid Diet Coke drinker. But last summer my sister scared the well you know out of me when she started talking about what aspartame can do to your system. I am chemically sensitive as it is, and many of you are, too, probably — which is why I don’t drink alcohol and gave up smoking. But I was curious if Diet Coke was really that dangerous. I did some research, and as you well know, every paranoia will be confirmed eventually by some article on the web. I found an article about Diet Coke on John McManamy’s website about Diet Coke . What was particularly interesting to me was the relationship between aspartame and depression and bipolar disorder. Says John: In 1993, Dr Walt... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4580955 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:15:06 +0100 4580955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570586&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F10%2Fare-rich-people-more-depressed-than-poor-and-other-depression-factoids%2F I taped a radio show the other day with Court Lewis of American Variety Radio in which he wanted me to cover the demographics of depression. So here we go. Many of these stats I assembled from the book Understanding Depression by J. Raymond DePaulo Jr., MD, Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Others I picked in articles here and there. Depression and Gender More women are depressed than men because women have more to be depressed about than men. Kidding, of course. But I still don’t understand how our gender got stuck with labor pains and all that. Almost one in five women in the US will have one or more episodes of clinical depression, which is TWO or THREE times the rate of depressive illness that men have. Some say the discrepancy can be attr... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570586 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:15:30 +0100 4570586 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4472980&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F13%2Fwho-moved-my-cheese-keep-moving-the-cheese%2F Human beings are creatures of habit, which is why Spencer Johnson sold more than ten million copies of his book, Who Moved My Cheese?. Business executives sit down to PowerPoint presentations based on it, and depressed patients watch the Who Moved My Cheese? video during group therapy in hospital psychiatric units across the country. (Who would have thought corporate America and psych ward programs had so much in common?) The story is about two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two “Littlepeople,” Hem and Haw, who live in a maze of cheese stations, some filled with cheese and others empty. When Cheese Station C runs out of cheese, the two mice immediately search the maze for other cheese stations, while Hem and Haw overanalyze their situation, convinced that one day the old cheese wi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4472980 Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:17:40 +0100 4472980 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429057&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F02%2F10-winter-depression-busters-for-groundhog-day%2F I don’t really care if that bloody woodchuck emerges from its hole to see its shadow or not today (Ed. – He did not, so an early spring is predicted). History tells this depressed person that we still have a good 30 to 40 days to endure really crappy weather, during which we should employ every sanity exercise available. Let’s call a spade a spade: winter sucks for some of us. So, little marmot, I don’t care what you do. I don’t care if you get yourself a nice rat for dinner, I’m sticking to these techniques regardless! Here are a few of my favorite winter depression busters… 1. Watch the sugar. I think our body gets the cue just before Thanksgiving that it will be hibernating for a few months, so it needs to ingest everything edible in sight. And... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429057 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:39:58 +0100 4429057 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377613&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F20%2Fwhy-ruminating-is-unhealthy-and-how-to-stop%2F Ruminating is like a record that’s stuck and keeps repeating the same lyrics. It’s replaying an argument with a friend in your mind. It’s retracing past mistakes. When people ruminate, they over-think or obsess about situations or life events, such as work or relationships. Research has shown that rumination is associated with a variety of negative consequences, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, binge-drinking and binge-eating. Why does rumination lead to such harmful results? For some people, drinking or binge-eating becomes a way to cope with life and drown out their ruminations, according to Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, Ph.D, a psychologist and professor at Yale University. Not surprisingly, ruminating conjures up more negative thoughts. It becomes a cycle. ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377613 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:06:31 +0100 4377613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4164556&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F13%2Fwhat-not-to-say-to-a-depressed-person%2F I’m always on the lookout for articles that touch on ways to communicate to a friend or family member who is depressed because, well, it’s a delicate issue and one that deserves some education. I found this quiz on Everyday Health on what you should and should not say to a loved one struggling with depression. 1. Snap out of it! Your loved one hasn’t left the house in what seems like days. Should you tell him to pull himself up by his bootstraps and just snap out of it? Don’t say it. You may be tempted to tell someone who’s depressed to stop moping around and just shake it off. But depression is not something patients can turn on and off, and they’re not able to respond to such pleas. Instead, tell your loved one that you’re available to help them ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4164556 Sat, 13 Nov 2010 21:16:54 +0100 4164556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946537&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F08%2Fsuicide-risk-amongst-college-students%2F Suicide is a serious concern amongst young adults, and the isolation and loneliness of some college students’ experience appear to be some of the factors that may trigger the behavior. Suicide is the second leading cause of death amongst college-aged students. Suicide is most commonly viewed as a symptom of severe depression. Depression of this nature often goes undiagnosed in a young adult, because they don’t know what it is, or have no energy or motivation to seek out help. But other risk factors can also be in play. In a survey of 1,085 University of Maryland college students, 12 percent said they had contemplated suicide. Eight out of 10 students reported having had a depressed mother. Other risk factors the researchers identified included: exposure to domestic violence, fe... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946537 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:33:39 +0100 3946537 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3942792&cid=t_101787_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdepression-in-preschoolers%2F2010.09.07 The New York Times Magazine recently featured an article on preschooler depression. Pamela Paul wrote: Diagnosis of any mental disorder at this young age is subject to debate. No one wants to pathologize a typical preschooler’s tantrums, mood swings and torrent of developmental stages. Grandparents are highly suspicious; parents often don’t want to know. “How many times have you heard, ‘They’ll grow out of it’ or ‘That’s just how he is’?” says Melissa Nishawala, a child psychiatrist at the New York University Child Study Center. And some in the field have reservations, too. Classifying preschool depression as a medical disorder carries a risk of disease-mongering. “Given the influence of Big Pharma, we have to be sure that every time a child’s ice cream falls off t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3942792 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3942792 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3911739&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F27%2Fect-the-electric-personality-change%2F Patrice was misery incarnate. Unlike some of my depressed patients, who lived the proverbial life of quiet desperation, Patrice did not hide her suffering. She wept. She moaned. She regaled our walk-in clinic with a kind of biblical keening, which, understandably, attracted the attention of our clinic director. He took me aside one day and said, as gently as possible, “You really need to do something with that lady.” He was right, of course, and thus far I had done little to help Patrice, despite months of treatment. Aside from being poor and dealing with some physical limitations, Patrice had no discernible cause for her chronic depression. Her marriage was good, and despite her straitened circumstances, Patrice lived in a modest but comfortable home. Unlike many depressed patients, P... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3911739 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:26:14 +0100 3911739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3867052&cid=t_101787_136_f&fid=39215&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcancersuucks.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fdream-on.html I am so tired so this will be short. But I had to write about the J. Geils and Aerosmith concert tonight. Awesome. We had great seats and both bands were fantastic. I know I saw both of them like 30-35 years ago and they still sound the way they did then. And to see these 60-plus guys dancing around the stage and looking quite sexy if I do say so myself, was an inspiration to me. Clearly, old is the new young. I am exhausted because i stood up the whole time and sang and danced along with the bands. For the second half of the show, two clinically depressed guys were next to me, standing up with their arms folded, never clapping or smiling or anything. I think they may have been spies. And they were crowding my space, so of course I had to sing louder and dance around much more than I would... Cancer does suck but it is a little funny. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3867052 Sun, 15 Aug 2010 05:43:00 +0100 3867052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3808849&cid=t_101787_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Ffriends-can-do-help-2%2F Mental health study shows friends can help The study by the Mental Health Foundation discovered almost 80% of people know at least two friends who have experienced mental distress, yet many don’t want to admit their problems for fear of what their friends might think. People in recovery will know of the benefits of helping others. The charity surveyed people across the UK looking at the experiences of both people with mental health problems and those of people who have supported friends during a period of mental illness. Half of all people who did not want friends to know about their mental health problem said it was because they felt ashamed and two in three were worried their friends would not understand. A total of 49% of those who responded said they did not feel able to talk... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3808849 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:28:00 +0100 3808849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3318434&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F01%2Fthe-myth-of-depressions-upside%2F Jonah Lehrer’s essay on “Depression’s Upside” in the Feb. 28, 2010 New York Times Magazine raises many important questions about depression, and what, if anything, we can “learn” from suffering a bout of serious depression. Alas, the article obscures almost as much as it illuminates, and I fear that its net effect may be to perpetuate what I call “The Myth of Depression’s Upside.” But first, let’s be clear: a “myth” is not the same thing as a lie. A myth is a transgenerational story we tell ourselves, which often has a grain of truth to it, and which usually serves some unifying function in our culture. It is a myth that George Washington threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River — there were no silver dollars ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3318434 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:30:47 +0100 3318434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3269716&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F13%2Fwhat-to-do-when-life-falls-apart-the-essential-6-step-program%2F What constitutes life falling apart? The death of a beloved spouse or family member? A marriage or relationship that has withered away or perhaps ended abruptly? A job loss potentially leading to financial ruin (or so you might think right now)? Whichever situation is closest to yours, there are some steps that you must go through to come out the other side with your heart — and new life — intact.   The 6 Steps Wallow in it. This step is essential. Repeat everything you went and are still going through many times to anyone who will listen. Good friends and family will be very patient with this part of the process. If your big life change included a cheating spouse, self-righteous indignation is appropriate at this point. Part of this step includes getting out of bed and... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3269716 Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:22:56 +0100 3269716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3197895&cid=t_101787_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fprocrastination-is-only-a-habit%2F Without discipline, there’s no life at all. –Katharine Hepburn Procrastination is habitual. It’s perhaps a habit we’ve struggled with over the years, and not one that can be willed away. It eats at us, no doubt. How many times have we gone to bed at night depressed, discouraged, and angry with ourselves for not finishing a job we promised ourselves, or someone else, we’d do! Sometimes it feels hopeless. The tasks awaiting our attention pile up, seem impossible to complete. But there is hope. The program has offered us an easy solution. We have only this day to concern ourselves with. We can break the spell of procrastination, lethargy, immobility, if we choose. We can pick a task that needs attention, any task, preferably a small one for today. Maybe it’... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3197895 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:17:09 +0100 3197895 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3056698&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F04%2Fconsumer-reports-on-antidepressants%2F Consumer Reports, the consumer magazine that reviews common products like refrigerators and vacuum cleaners and rates them, also dabbles in trying to educate consumers in other areas, like health. Earlier this week, they published a review article on the effectiveness of the commonly-prescribed class of medications for depression, antidepressants. The impetus for this article was apparently the Olfson (2009) Archives of General Psychiatry study that examined data from household surveys. You know, the one we reported on back in August, noting that antidepressant use was up 75 percent. A day later, I wrote this blog entry discussing the new study, and perhaps the more important data point the study found — psychotherapy use was down 35 percent in the same time period (1996-2005). The ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3056698 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:21:28 +0100 3056698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3036932&cid=t_101787_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fburnt-out-depressed-surgeons-need-help%2F Depression affects job performance – that’s been known for a while now. Burn out does as well. When the worker is not involved in keeping humans safe and healthy, this can be costly to the employer and frustrating to coworkers, but when the worker is a doctor, much more is at risk. It isn’t hard to imagine doctors getting burned out or depressed. They usually see people at their worst and their most vulnerable. The responsibilities on a doctor can become overwhelming. Surgeons, for example, have to make split second decisions sometimes as their patients lie open, literally, in front of them. Mistakes by an accountant may cost someone a lot of money, mistakes by a surgeon can cost someone their life. Considering that many errors do occur in a hospital, from the nurses to t... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3036932 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:13:29 +0100 3036932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3033621&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F27%2Fa-note-to-the-severely-depressed-dont-try-so-hard%2F I don’t know about you, but when I’m severely depressed 90 percent of my negative thinking is based on the fact that I am a failure because all my cognitive-behavioral strategies and positive thinking and mindfulness attempts aren’t working. I discussed this with Dr. Smith yesterday and she reminded me, once more, that severe depression can’t be treated in a mind-over-matter way. Her compassionate logic made me review the pages of my forthcoming book, Beyond Blue, where I list the neurological and scientific reasons why. And I breathed a much-needed sigh of relief. You deserve one too. Here’s my passage: Trying too hard was precisely my problem. It was the mind over matter issue again. In my mind, I was failing because I couldn’t think myself to perfect... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3033621 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:23:30 +0100 3033621 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3029868&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F25%2Fcan-therapy-really-change-your-brain%2F In this study they used Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) which looks through the lens of both cognitive and interpersonal issues. It would be interesting to know how other theoretical orientations would fare. There is a lot known about the power of oxytocin (the hormone of love) to bond people together but oxytocin can also be an ally to encourage therapeutic change. According to Linda Graham, MFT and trainer on the integration of relational psychology, mindfulness and neuroscience, it is “the neurochemical basis of the sense of safety and trust that allows clients to become open to therapeutic change.” It was a class I recently took with Linda, “The Neuroscience of Attachment,” that left me feeling so inspired about the implications of this in my practice. As a therapist, it’s ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3029868 Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:25:33 +0100 3029868 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2757824&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F02%2Fa-how-to-guide-to-getting-doctors-to-prescribe-your-drug%2F Lexapro is an antidepressant medication that is pretty much the equivalent to the now-generic version, Celexa. It is primarily prescribed to treat depression by primary care physicians and psychiatrists. It is a popular antidepressant. And it’s also a big money maker for its manufacturer, Forest Laboratories. So you have to wonder, how do drug companies “educate” docs about the greatness of their products? How does one get an antidepressant to become “popular.” Embarrassing documents released through an investigation by the Senate’s Special Committee on Aging into the drug manufacturer’s marketing practices describes the process in grueling detail: Under “Lunch and Learns,” the company intended to spend $36 million providing lunch to doctors ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2757824 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:20:51 +0100 2757824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2744112&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F28%2Fcould-depression-be-natures-way-of-saying-think%2F Could depression serve a purpose we hadn’t thought of? Something simple, like thinking? That’s the theory presented by Paul W. Andrews and J. Anderson Thomson, Jr. in a recent article in Scientific American. The scientists point to a couple of points of evidence to support their theory. One, they say, ruminations help people figure out their complex problems, breaking them down into smaller, more digestible components. Such an exercise, they argue, makes a depressed person more able to solve the problems that made them depressed in the first place: This analytical style of thought, of course, can be very productive. Each component is not as difficult, so the problem becomes more tractable. Indeed, when you are faced with a difficult problem, such as a math problem, feeling d... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2744112 Sat, 29 Aug 2009 03:41:07 +0100 2744112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348543&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F16%2Fpostpartum-depression-advocacy%2F I’ve spent a good deal of the day writing advocacy for postpartum depression. I’ve been in communication with the wonderful and passionate Katherine Stone, author of the blog “Postpartum Progress” and postpartum depression advocate. It’s been a great way to learn and stand up for women with pregnancy-related depression disorders. The MOTHERS act is currently going through congress. It is a bill that supports research for the causes of postpartum depression as well as education and helping families with appropriate services. There is a great deal of controversy about this act. Those who support are hopeful it will provide better support and services for women who need it. Those who oppose fear that postpartum depression will be overdiagnosed, leading to a great... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348543 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:26:36 +0100 2348543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2211489&cid=t_101787_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fpostpartum-blues-and-depression%2F Everyone expects the postpartum period to be a joyful happy time welcoming the newborn home and into the family. Unfortunately, however, many women will experience either short or long-term mood disturbances in the year after giving birth. In fact, at least 40-80 percent of women experience postpartum blues, which is a short-term, transient condition characterized by mild, but often rapid, mood swings from elation to sadness, accompanied by tearfulness, crying spells, irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and insomnia. Symptoms typically peak on the fifth postpartum day, and fortunately usually resolve within two weeks without treatment other than support and reassurance. It is important for women experiencing the blues to get adequate rest and sleep, which may require additiona... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2211489 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 23:04:51 +0100 2211489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2177491&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F10%2Fdepression-the-spouses-side-of-the-story%2F Depression is like an unwelcome obnoxious guest at a party, the bully at the table next to you in school, the bad roommate you can’t kick out of your house. It’s overwhelming, saddening, frustrating, and imposing. When depression worms its way into a marriage, it can turn a good thing upside down in a short time. Depression pushes its way between two spouses when it shows up. Maybe only one person is diagnosed, but depression puts its mark on both people. That’s the trickery of depression — the deception that if you even realize that’s what it is, you just think it is about the person with the symptoms. If you get married in good faith believing that each of you are stable, solid people, depression can be a real surprise. It can come on after a difficult ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2177491 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:20:20 +0100 2177491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2167560&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F07%2Fdepression-forgetting-who-i-used-to-be%2F After I had my first child, I had a great deal on my mind. My new daughter needed surgeries and extra medical care early in her life. This was a huge adjustment for me and my husband. She needed so much so often, when could I rest? The thought of returning to work was looming in my mind. All of this took a toll and eventually spilled out into postpartum depression. How could I get myself back? First and foremost, I got through everything by focusing on my daughter. She needed to be fed, changed, held, and so on. She didn’t understand what I was dealing with and still needed me anyway. As long as I could keep going enough to get her what she needed, I could let go for a while. After several weeks of feeling utterly burdened, I began to wonder about how things were “supposed&#8... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2167560 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:12:02 +0100 2167560 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2160357&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F04%2Fpostpartum-depression-hormone-test%2F As we noted earlier today, there’s a new study out that suggests that a simple blood test that checks for a particular hormone level predictive of postpartum depression might be on the horizon. It’s likely such a test is still a few years away, since this was the first study that found such a link. But such a test could act as an early-warning signal to expectant mothers (and their doctors) about possible complications after delivery. Postpartum depression is a very real and a very serious problem amongst moms. Left untreated, the depression can hurt not only the mother, but the baby after birth as well. Women with depression during pregnancy may eat poorly, not gain enough weight, have trouble sleeping, miss doctor visits and not follow doctor’s directions. Because of t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2160357 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:51:43 +0100 2160357 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2073999&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F31%2Fcollectively-are-we-still-happy-in-a-depression%2F Sonja Lyubomirsky thinks so. Or at least that seems to be her argument in a recent op-ed in the New York Times, where she suggests that people (What people? Most people? Her friends? She doesn’t say…) aren’t panicking due to the depression/recession that we’re in. That most people aren’t really that unhappy in these difficult economic times. Of course, I have to raise an eyebrow whenever a commentator makes a claim such as this which goes against conventional wisdom and is supported by zero evidence. Instead, she cites research into our individual happiness, which says nothing about society’s collective happiness in tough economic times such as these: Research in psychology and economics suggests that when only your salary is cut, or when only you... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2073999 Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:09:15 +0100 2073999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2052692&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F19%2Ftop-ten-depression-blogs-2008%2F Just in time for the holidays, we present to you our Top Ten Depression Blogs for 2008. What qualifies me to evaluate blogs? As an early adopter I got absorbed in people’s candid stories and shared my own. I watched the medium develop and saw the growth of tech blogs, food blogs, etc. that aren’t diary-like. But depression blogs mostly remain as personal as (for example) 1997’s Protest Against Life. Extreme introspection and rumination are symptoms that lend themselves to blogging and you can see a thread of that depressive style in all these blogs. One appeal of blogging about a disorder you suffer from is community; friendships and social supports emerge. But although someone’s insights may help you feel less alone, it can also prompt you to feel worse. I am dep... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2052692 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:43:40 +0100 2052692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2039946&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F15%2Fssri-antidepressants-and-your-sex-life%2F As we’ve noted in the past (such as here, here, and most recently here), SSRI antidepressant medications — the most commonly prescribed psychiatric medication today — often have sexual side effects. Inability to orgasm, delayed orgasm, losing sensation in your genitals, and a lack of sex drive are all possible side effects of these common medications. Despite this being a pretty well-known issue with SSRI antidepressants for at least 10 years and maybe even as long as 20 years, apparently someone over at the Boston Globe just found out. And decided to make it front page news today. Ostensibly the report is noting that some recent studies put the rate of sexual side effects as high as 1 in every 2 patients who take it (which seems about right based upon what I’ve he... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2039946 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:25:58 +0100 2039946 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1990725&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F11%2F26%2Facp-guideline-for-medication-depression-treatment%2F Last week, the American College of Physicians (ACP) released a practice guideline in the treatment of depression through the use of medications. MedPage Today covered some reaction to it from some psychiatrists, who lamented the lack of a comprehensive treatment approach guideline to depression (the ACP guideline focused only on the use of medications). While I agree, in theory, that any guideline that focuses solely on one treatment method for a common mental disorder such as depression, while completely ignoring other treatment options, is a bad thing, I’m not sure we could’ve expected anything different from this physicians group. After all, physicians treat medical diseases, not mental disorders, and have no training or background in anything other than diseases and medi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1990725 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:54:09 +0100 1990725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1947131&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F11%2F09%2Fweather-can-change-your-mood%2F Pages: 1 2 Next »     Single Page I was browsing a blog the other day and saw an undated (recent?) entry suggesting that research shows that “weather has little effect on our mood.” The entry relied heavily on a recent study (Denissen et al., 2008) that shows that although a correlation between mood and weather does exist, it’s a small one (not nearly as large as conventional wisdom might suggest). The entry quotes almost exclusively and entirely from the one study. I’m familiar with this area of research, so I found the entry’s conclusions a little simplistic and not really doing justice to this topic. There’s a fair amount of research in this area (more than the 3 or 4 studies mentioned in the blog), and I think the overall prep... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1947131 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 21:56:28 +0100 1947131 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513533&cid=t_101787_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2FfAWAqeM7OFc%2Fmeet-rebecca.html Rebecca details her symptoms of worsening menstral cycles after tubal ligation, discovery of the Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal center and the Tubal Reversal Message board, and her ultimate decision to have tubal ligation reversal surgery. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513533 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:04:22 +0100 2513533 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1873042&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2F13%2Fhow-does-a-bridge-suicide-net-work%2F As we noted a few days ago, the Golden Gate Bridge is finally getting a suicide barrier. However, it’s not so much a barrier as it is a net. A steel net, to be specific. The net will be suspended from either side of the iconic span, and reach out about 20 feet. Out of the five barrier proposals considered, this is the only suicide barrier that will not interfere with tourists’ view from the bridge. It will also allow the 16 painters employed on the bridge to continue their current work routines (the other four barriers would’ve required additional effort and risk for the painters to do their work). When people jump from the bridge into the net, it will hold them there, suspended some 740 feet over the entrance to the San Francisco Bay. Denis Mulligan, the chief engi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1873042 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:10:18 +0100 1873042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1865455&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2F09%2Ftms-treatment-for-depression-gains-fda-approval%2F For anyone looking for an alternative to medications or ECT for the treatment of depression, there’s a new FDA-approved option: transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). NeuroStar TMS Therapy® is specifically indicated for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder in adult patients who have failed to achieve satisfactory improvement from one prior antidepressant medication at or above the minimal effective dose and duration in the current episode. In clinical trials with NeuroStar TMS Therapy, these patients had been treated with a median of 4 medication treatment attempts, one of which achieved criteria for adequate dose and duration. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) utilizes an electromagnet placed on the scalp that generates magnetic field pulses roughly the strength o... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1865455 Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:43:05 +0100 1865455 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1859484&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2F07%2Fbipolar-disorder-and-weight-gain%2F One of the significant problems people with bipolar disorder grapple with is weight gain. Many online commentators have suggested that this is due largely to the impact of certain types of medications commonly being prescribed for bipolar disorder (a class of medications called atypical antipsychotics). However, recently published research suggests that the whole picture is a bit more complicated than laying blame on the medications alone. First, it helps to start off by understanding America’s overall weight problem. Nearly two-thirds of all Americans are overweight (over 70% of all men and over 61% of all women), and one-third of us are considered obese (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey). America is fat, there’s simply no easy or other way to say it. So if... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1859484 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:22:56 +0100 1859484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1809732&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2F20%2Fthe-bipolar-child-puzzle%2F As I’ve been away on vacation this past week, I missed this great (but lengthy) article by Jennifer Egan published last week in the New York Times Magazine about the controversial and complicated issue of bipolar disorder in children. Egan makes a compelling case for the legitimacy of this disorder in a nonscientific and very human way — by retelling her account of following families who’ve been dealt the bipolar child diagnosis. It’s a poignant, moving tale to read about these families’ distress and attempts at getting to the “right” diagnosis and treatment for their child, and the trauma involved in living with these children: But even with Risperdal and a shadow, James struggled in his second year of pre-K; with his anger under control, his ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1809732 Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:05:14 +0100 1809732 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1798100&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2F17%2Fcan-sadness-lead-to-depression%2F It’s a vexing question and one that Dr. Ronald Pies tries to address in a recent New York Times piece, I think with great aplomb. The answer is, of course, “Yes,” but does sadness always lead to depression? And that answer is, of course, “No.” Has psychiatry and psychology simply medicalized ordinary “sadness” to become a mental disorder diagnosis? To these critics, psychiatry has medicalized normal sadness by failing to consider the social and emotional context in which people develop low mood — for example, after losing a job or experiencing the breakup of an important relationship. This diagnostic failure, the argument goes, has created a bogus epidemic of increasing depression. The truth of the matter is almost always more complicated a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1798100 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:35:22 +0100 1798100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739073&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F27%2Fdown-economy-therapy-boom%2F The Star Tribune brings us a piece earlier this week on the “boom” in psychotherapy practices, ostensibly because of the down economy: Schoener is, again, seeing more of those things. “We’re busier than ever, and we haven’t had any recent publicity or visibility,” said Schoener, executive director of the Walk-In Counseling Center in Minneapolis. “It’s quite striking.” He estimates that the number of clients is 20 percent higher than just three years ago. Calls are coming from stressed-out couples who can’t stop fighting, from people worried about losing their jobs, from parents whose adult children have been forced to move home. “And we haven’t seen the full bore of the housing crisis,” he said. The article ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739073 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:03:38 +0100 1739073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1733878&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F25%2Fhelp-defy-depression%2F Want to help survivors and those grappling with depression? Just a click can help the nonprofit International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression raise $1.5 million from American Express Member Projects’ initiative. Vote now for this positive effort to try and help get the word out about depression and its many effective treatments: aLive iThrive is a televised concert with artists and leaders publicly discussing depression. aLive will launch the positive depression brand - a color (green - renewal), a symbol (sunflower, seeds for planting in a field of Hope), month (May), and re-emphasize a 1-800 suicide hotline for those in crisis. We will remember those famous and not so famous we have lost and celebrate those that continue to survive. We will share new tools and... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1733878 Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:45:34 +0100 1733878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1704685&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F13%2Fdoes-americanization-lead-to-depression%2F As if a pregnant Latino woman didn’t have enough to worry about, new research suggests that the more American they are (or try to become), the more depressed they are. The study was conducted on 439 Latino women seeking pregnancy and post-pregnancy services at public health clinics in San Antonio, Texas. Some were born in the U.S., while others were not. The researchers found that those born in the U.S. and those who asked to conduct their interviews in English (showing an attempt at acculturation). Also, being single and being pregnant were related to higher depression scores in the study. It is a stressful situation to be living in another country where you’re trying to fit in, learn the language and culture. So it would seem that this acculturation process might be inher... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1704685 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:57:42 +0100 1704685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1688986&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F07%2Fpsychotherapy-meds-for-chronic-depression%2F Although we harp on this at least once every few months, it bears repeating: Psychotherapy with medication is usually the best possible treatment option for depression (acute or chronic) for nearly everyone. If you’re only doing one or the other, you’re likely not going to get well as quickly, it’s that simple. We have decades’ worth of research showing this, but here’s another one to add to the pile. Manber and colleagues (2008) re-examined previous data on 656 patients with chronic depression to see who would get to remission first. Remission in depression research is simply when a person’s depression score on a commonly used depression quiz (the Hamilton) falls below a certain number. People who had scores of less than 26 on the Hamilton fared bes... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1688986 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:50:35 +0100 1688986 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1682963&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F05%2Fplacebo-response-persists-in-depression%2F This study demonstrates that while placebos appear to still continue to work for most people taking them, they are still significantly less effective than an antidepressant. I think that antidepressants remain an effective treatment modality for depression, although as STAR*D demonstrated, patients and their doctors will usually have to try multiple medications before finding one that works for them. References: Deshauer D, Moher D, Fergusson D, Moher E, Sampson M, Grimshaw J. (2008). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for unipolar depression: a systematic review of classic long-term randomized controlled trials. CMAJ, 178(10):1293-301. Ioannidis JP. (2008). Effectiveness of antidepressants: an evidence myth constructed from a thousand randomized trials? Philos Ethics Humanit Med... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1682963 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:32:19 +0100 1682963 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1648983&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F23%2Fspeak-up-for-the-women-who-suffer-perinatal-mood-disorders%2F Hey there World of Psychology readers. You’re probably saying to yourselves “This is NOT Dr. John Grohol. I detect a Southern accent.” Very intuitive. My name is Katherine Stone and I write Postpartum Progress, the most widely-read blog in the U.S. on perinatal mood disorders, including postpartum depression, antepartum depression, postpartum OCD and postpartum psychosis. For some reason, Dr. Grohol has seen fit to give me the keys to his blog. Before he changes his mind, I thought I’d sneak in and talk to you while I had the chance … The timing of my post is very important. Later this week, the United States Senate may be voting on the Advancing America’s Priorities Act. This package of bills, introduced by Senator Harry Reid this morning, includes... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1648983 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:59:04 +0100 1648983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1645910&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F22%2Fsuicide-and-the-japanese%2F On Sunday, USA Today published an article detailing the epidemic of suicide that is gripping Japan. Unfortunately, like many stories on suicide, the article is thin on actual data to back this idea of an “epidemic.” When crossing international boundaries, one has to understand different cultures’ takes on taboo topics. Suicide is one such topic, and one where culture has a significant impact on how it’s viewed. For instance, in Japan suicide has practically been raised to a virtue, where committing suicide is seen as the honorable thing to do when one’s life seems to be going wrong: A suicide fad is sweeping Japan: Hundreds of Japanese have killed themselves this year by mixing ordinary household chemicals into a lethal cloud of poison gas that often injure... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1645910 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:24:40 +0100 1645910 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1640246&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F21%2Fdepressions-many-treatments%2F Therese Borchard over at Beyond Blue wrote about the disconcerting “either/or” artificial dichotomy that some researchers and doctors set up about treatments for mental conditions such as depression. Medications for depression are either evil and the root cause of all of society’s problems, or they are saviors and rescue people from a lifetime of suffering. Depression is either a problem with living and one’s life, or it’s a biological disease we simply don’t yet understand. Psychiatrist James Gordon is the subject of the ire, because he’s promoting his new book over in a Newsweek interview suggesting that alternative treatment methods are the preferred treatment approach for mild to moderate (e.g., most people’s) depression. And that antide... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1640246 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:30:31 +0100 1640246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1639019&cid=t_101787_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fdr-neil-bacon-publishes-more-defamatory.html I looked at the front page of Dr Neil Bacon's "I want great care" website and this is what I found. Note the attention grabbing remark by the red cross. Totally lacking in interpersonal skills...Click on that remark, and you are taken here, to a named doctor, and you find the full remark, anonymous, but allegedly from a patient:Added by: Patient 2008-07-16Trust: 3%Listening: 0% "Totally lacking in interpersonal skills. No standing up or handshake on my arrival. Didnt appear to listen. Totally lacking in kindness, manners, imaginations or sensitivity. He stopped a course of medication which was working well after 1 month, the day before I went on holiday, spoilt my holiday completely and thoroughly upset me. I had been warned about him but the doctor I wanted to see was unavailable all wee... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1639019 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:06:00 +0100 1639019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1615970&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F11%2Fdepression-is-real%2F But you already knew that, because you read this blog. For millions of people in the world, however, depression still isn’t viewed as a “real” health problem. These people think it’s just something you have to “get over.” Some even think you can “catch” depression, like you can catch a cold. The number of misconceptions out there is amazing. Anchor Magazine recently published an article on this topic, basically reminding us that mental illness is still not as widely accepted as we would like, but how much progress we’ve made in just the past 20 years. It starts by describing the story of Keith Anderson, a Canadian lawyer who grappled with depression: Anderson’s depression affected every aspect of his life, including his family, his... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1615970 Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:46:27 +0100 1615970 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1582928&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F06%2Fanother-brain-fad-for-depression%2F We’ve all heard the theory — a chemical imbalance in your brain causes depression. Although researchers have known for years this not to be the case, some drug companies continue to repeat this simplistic and misleading claim in their marketing and advertising materials. Why the FTC or some other federal agency doesn’t crack down on this intentional misleading information is beyond me. Most researchers now believe depression is not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. How did we come to this conclusion? Through years of additional research. But now some are jumping on the next brain bandwagon of belief — that depression is caused by a problem in the brain neuronal network. Jonah Leher makes the case in today’s Boston Globe: In recent years, scient... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1582928 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 23:38:20 +0100 1582928 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1526115&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F06%2F18%2Fdiabetes-treatment-depression%2F As we reported earlier today, if you’re diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, your risk for depression is increased by 52 percent: “A diagnosis of diabetes or the burden of dealing with its complications might also lead to symptoms of depression,” the authors write. But here’s the kicker — the increased risk of depression isn’t from the diabetes itself. It is instead from the treatment of the diabetes! The researchers found that treated type 2 diabetes was associated with a 52 percent higher risk of developing elevated depressive symptoms. Individuals with untreated type 2 diabetes were not at increased risk. People with untreated diabetes don’t suffer from a higher risk of depression. So here’s a perfect example of where health professiona... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1526115 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:58:12 +0100 1526115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522045&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F06%2F16%2Fcover-up-paxil-and-suicide-risk%2F Yes, it appears the makers of Paxil may have been a bit disingenuous in their publication of the risks of suicide associated with their medication back in the early 1990s. The U.S. Senate has made available an in-depth report (4 MB PDF) written by Joseph Glenmullen, a Harvard psychiatry professor, who examined the drug company’s data on Paxil. There apparently were some serious discrepancies in the original researchers’ data analysis. One of those discrepancies was a pretty big one — that Paxil resulted in a suicide rate 8 times greater than a sugar pill. That’s a huge, major difference. The researchers were clever in their cover-up. They included 2 people who apparently committed suicide before the study even began and attributed their suicides to the placebo con... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522045 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:09:16 +0100 1522045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1494305&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F06%2F04%2Feconomic-costs-of-serious-mental-illness%2F Individually, we don’t much care about global or societal costs of our care. When we hear about the budget deficit or anything to do with healthcare costs in the billions, we tend to tune out. Why? Well, most of us simply can’t wrap our heads around such numbers. We deal in the $10s and $20s of everyday life, the $100 cable bill, and the $1,500 mortgage. Few of us know what tens of thousands of dollars looks like at a time, much less millions. Much less billions or trillians. When get to those numbers, it just becomes meaningless. So my eyes tend to gloss over when people ramble on about “disease management” and savings of “billions of dollars” if only we could convince employers to better recognize that mental illness has a significant impact on thei... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1494305 Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:25:12 +0100 1494305 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1463750&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F05%2F22%2Fpostpartum-depression-in-men%2F You think postpartum depression only strikes in women? Nope, men experience depression after the baby is born too. While more rare a condition, if left untreated it can affect both the newborn baby and mom just as much as mom’s postpartum depression can. (Postpartum depression simply refers to an episode of clinical depression experienced after a baby is born.) U.S. News and World Report has the story: Ten percent of new fathers and 14 percent of new mothers are affected by depression, says psychologist James F. Paulson, assistant professor of pediatrics at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va. Yet most men and their partners fail to recognize the condition when it arises. The symptoms are similar in both sexes, but the causes may be different. Hormonal changes can cont... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1463750 Thu, 22 May 2008 20:15:01 +0100 1463750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1460937&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F05%2F22%2Fa-scary-bipolar-child-story%2F Meet Max. He’s a 10 year old who’s gone through a lifetime of trials and tribulations already. And he was profiled in this story in Newsweek about children with bipolar disorder. Max had an unusual childhood, according to the article: Max never slept through the night, and neither did she. He cried for hours at a time. He banged his head against his crib and screamed until his face burned red. Nursing, cuddling, pacifiers—none of them helped. At 2 a.m., at 3, at 4 and 5 and 6, Amy cradled her son, trying to believe this was typical infant irritability, the kind her friends with kids had warned her about. It must be colic or gas, she thought, as Max howled another day into being. Exhausted, mystified, she made jokes—he was born on Halloween, she ate too many spicy chick... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1460937 Thu, 22 May 2008 13:39:45 +0100 1460937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446026&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F05%2F15%2Fdepressed-moms-may-put-kids-at-risk%2F Left untreated, depression can result in all sorts of problems for people. But by and large, the problems tend to be focused on the depressed person’s life. Sometimes, however, a person’s depression can spill out into other people’s lives in unintended and potentially harmful ways. A new study suggests that moms who suffer from depression are three times more likely to have kids who have an accidental injury. A likely cause for the link between severe maternal depression and young children’s injury risk is that chronically depressed mothers may not appropriately safeguard the physical environments that children engage in, [the researchers] said. Another cause may be that symptoms of depression include inattention, poor concentration and irritability, which migh... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446026 Thu, 15 May 2008 20:38:44 +0100 1446026 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1439521&cid=t_101787_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F05%2F12%2Fdepression-doesnt-play-favorites-an-exclusive-interview%2F Tomorrow is theme day once again here at the b5media Health & Wellness channel and this month is all about depression. Not a sunny topic, I know, but one that is vitally important and has most likely touched each and every one of us in some way or another. Thus, I am so honored to have been able to interview Tristram Hussey, our very own blogger training extraordinaire. Tris has been suffering with depression for many years and has some incredibly valuable insight to share regarding diagnosis, treatment, triggers and more. Tris’s hope is that if this interview helps even one person see a doctor for treatment, we have accomplished something great. Indeed, Tris. And now, the interview: 1. Depression is often considered a quiet disease or one that many folks live with for quite som... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1439521 Tue, 13 May 2008 02:04:08 +0100 1439521 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1340546&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F03%2F31%2Fcan-depression-be-prevented-yes%2F Can psychiatric disorders like depression be prevented, instead of just treated? Well, the obvious answer is also the correct one — yes. Just like we can all do things to help prevent the spread of the flu or cold viruses in the winter (such as washing your hands regularly), there are also scientifically proven techniques that suggest we’re only a short distance from offering more generalized and practical strategies for preventing depression. Research published in December 2007 looked at 17 research trials that looked at preventative strategies for depression, either for a primary diagnosis, or for relapse prevention after someone had already been diagnosed with depression. After examining the data and conclusions from these 17 studies, the researchers were optimistic: Th... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1340546 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:00:09 +0100 1340546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1277845&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F03%2F04%2Fpristiq-versus-effexor-xr%2F What is Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)? The newest antidepressant approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which will hit the U.S. market in a few months. Pristiq is a drug similar in composition to Wyeth’s existing antidepressant, Effexor XR (which loses its patent protection in 2010, 2 years from now). It is Wyeth’s hope that Pristiq, therefore, will replace Effexor XR in a few years’ time. Why? Because Effexor XR makes $3.8 billion (with a ‘b’) a year in sales. Pristiq has shown the same level of effectiveness as many other antidepressants on the market today — about a 2 point difference in a depression rating scale, compared with a placebo. This is the same 2 point difference that research last week showed wasn’t all that clinically ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1277845 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:09:33 +0100 1277845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1255039&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F02%2F25%2Fcoping-with-existential-depression%2F People and professionals often divide up depression into different types, such as “clinical” depression versus “non-clinical” depression, “biological” depression versus “situational” depression. The diagnostic manual professionals refer to, however, doesn’t make any distinctions about theorizing where or how your depression is caused, and neither does most research in this area. And yet, I believe such distinctions may serve a purpose if they help guide a person’s treatment choices. So the other week I was heartened to read Liz Spikol’s entry about dealing with life events, work issues, and existential depression. Existential depression may be the result of a person’s attempt to deal with the realization that we are t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1255039 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:09:17 +0100 1255039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1132693&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F01%2F06%2Fdepressed-women-wear-more-perfume%2F This article presented some interesting theories about biology and depression. However, I still have one question after reading it; what about the women who smell really, really bad? Are they more depressed than the women that put too much perfume on? (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1132693 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 03:54:04 +0100 1132693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1121710&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F12%2F29%2Fcymbalta-still-good-for-pain%2F In the past ten days, a few different blog entries > have been written calling our attention to a meta-analysis that suggests perhaps Cymbalta (duloxotine) — a newer antidepressant — isn’t as good as the company claims it is for the physical symptoms of pain associated with depression. But, as regular readers of World of Psychology know, a single study does not a conclusion make. Not even a meta-analysis. The new meta-analysis, conducted by Glen Spielmans, included only five of the published studies that have examined the question of pain, depression and duloxetine (Cymbalta). Why only five, when there have been dozens of studies that have been published examining depression and duloxetine with a pain measure in them? One key to a good meta-analysis is how is it cons... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1121710 Sat, 29 Dec 2007 23:06:50 +0100 1121710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1070205&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F12%2F04%2Fthe-five-symptoms-of-depression%2F You’ve probably heard of depression if you’ve listened to a radio or watched a TV in the past 25 years. You can’t miss the commercials for medications that treat it (”Depression hurts”). Depression is the common cold of mental disorders, because it affects so many people over the course of a lifetime. If you don’t end up having at least a mild case of it in your life, I bet you know a loved one who has. And while some minor depressive feelings may be a normal part of modern life, major depression (also known as clinical depression) is a more serious and debilitating condition. The problem arises when depression overtakes your life and becomes your life’s focus. Nobody wants that, and it feels like a black hole that there’s no way you can cli... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1070205 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:14:23 +0100 1070205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1065805&cid=t_101787_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F12%2F02%2Fdepressed-women-more-at-risk-for-physiological-illness%2F Recently there has been more research into the link between psychological disorders and physiological illnesses. One of the things we’ve been hearing about a lot is the link between depression and heart disease. This appears to be especially true in woman. In fact, a recent study found that cardiac events occurred at a rate of 2.5 times more in the depressed women in a study vs. the group without depression. Further, new research completed by the National Institutes of Mental Health, suggests that premenopausal women with depression have a lower bone mass than premenopausal women without depression. An interesting article pertaining to this subject is posted on the Medical News Today website, which is titled; “Bone-Thinning and Depression Linked in Premenopausal Women”. The article,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1065805 Mon, 03 Dec 2007 12:50:12 +0100 1065805 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=788177&cid=t_101787_140_f&fid=34838&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarmale.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fmrs-mo-cracked-up-at-work-today.html (Source: Bipolar Mo) Bipolar Mo blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=788177 Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:54:00 +0100 788177 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=563572&cid=t_101787_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F04%2F23%2Fthought-for-the-day-britneys-bald-explanation%2F Filed under: Daily news, Celebrity news, Thought for the DayBritney Spears, fresh out of rehab and back in the spotlight, is explaining why she publicly shaved her head back in February, following a rampage of bizarre behavior.Think about this:A friend of Spears says the pop star shaved her head as a tribute to her aunt who died from cancer. The pal states Spears was definitely suffering from postpartum depression at the time and the bold hair maneuver was an act of solidarity."Britney's aunt had just died of cancer," says this friend. "She was feeling very guilty because she hadn't been there with her, she was overwhelmingly depressed and she shaved her head in solidarity."Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Ca... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=563572 Mon, 23 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 563572 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478733&cid=t_101787_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F03%2F14%2Fdepression-in-breast-cancer-moms-affects-kids%2F Filed under: Breast Cancer, Research, Daily news, Cancer SurvivorsCancer sent me into a state of depression. And it took more than a year of counseling and treatment with an anti-depressant to bring me back to a balanced and healthy level of functioning.My type of depression -- the kind that shows up just after a cancer diagnosis -- is not uncommon. And neither is the spillover that depression can leave on the children of moms depressed because of their disease.A study at the University of Pittsburgh -- the first to examine the relationship between children's concerns and a mother's cancer-related depression -- found children of depressed breast cancer patients were more likely to be concerned or anxious about their mother's cancer and about how the disease affects their families.It's not ... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478733 Wed, 14 Mar 2007 04:00:00 +0100 478733