Tag: Depression

Maternal Mental Health And Its Effect on Children

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 40% to 50% of people experience adversity during childhood, which can increase the risk for physical and emotional challenges when they grow up. Studies show that parents who faced difficult situations in their childhood may pass on some of those risks to their children.… Continue reading Maternal Mental Health And Its Effect on Children

American Pain

New cases of chronic pain occur more often among U.S. adults than new cases of several other common conditions, including diabetes, depression, and high blood pressure, according to new research. And among people who have chronic pain, almost two-thirds will still have it the following year. These findings come from a new analysis of National… Continue reading American Pain

Depression And Breast-Cancer Survival

In a recent study, having depression before or after a breast cancer diagnosis was associated with a lower likelihood of survival. The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.  For the study, Bin Huang, DrPH, of the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, and his colleagues… Continue reading Depression And Breast-Cancer Survival

Easier Ways to Get Mental Health Help

Taking good care of your mental health is an important health priority, especially during stressful times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Institutes of Health  has resources on their website that may help, including fact sheets on stress, depression, and anxiety. You can also find helpful brochures and fact sheets on the National Institute… Continue reading Easier Ways to Get Mental Health Help

Is Depression Linked to Stroke Before It Occurs?

While depression is a common problem for people who have had a stroke, some people may have symptoms of depression years before their stroke, according to a study published in the July 13, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers found that, in people who developed a… Continue reading Is Depression Linked to Stroke Before It Occurs?

Spirituality Eases Depression for Some Stroke Patients

Having a higher level of spirituality helps lessen depression in stroke survivors and their caregivers and boosts their quality of life, according to new research. The study included data from 223 caregiver-stroke survivor pairs in Italy who completed questionnaires measuring spirituality, depression and quality of life between 2016 and 2018. Survivors who scored above average… Continue reading Spirituality Eases Depression for Some Stroke Patients

The Maze of Vision Loss and Depression in Older Adults

The association between vision loss and depression is a complex conundrum, as I wrote in a commentary on the challenges of vision loss and depression in older adults, published May 30th, 2019 in JAMA Ophthalmology. The commentary is a response to a study by Sarah E. Jackson, PhD, University College London and co-authors, published in the… Continue reading The Maze of Vision Loss and Depression in Older Adults

7 Signs of Mental Illness in the Elderly

Most of us know that as we age, our body goes through certain physical changes. What a lot of people don’t realize is that the older we get, our mental health also experiences change. When is it time to really take notice and get professional help?: Changes in appearance: One of the most telling signs that… Continue reading 7 Signs of Mental Illness in the Elderly

4 Undiscussed But Serious Side Effects of Sleep Apnea

It’s estimated that 22 million Americans have sleep apnea, and that 80 percent of moderate to severe cases are undiagnosed. Also known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), the condition affects between 5 and 20 percent of adults and 10-20 percent of children. While many are familiar with some side effects – loud snoring, disturbed… Continue reading 4 Undiscussed But Serious Side Effects of Sleep Apnea

Traumatic Brain Injury Patients Vulnerable to Mental-Health Issues

About 20 percent of patients may show mental-health symptoms up to six months after suffering a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), according to a new study. The study was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.… Continue reading Traumatic Brain Injury Patients Vulnerable to Mental-Health Issues

Confronting The Side Effects of A Common Anti-Cancer Treatment

A new treatment approach is needed to deal with the side effects of aromatase inhibitors, drugs that are commonly given to men and women to stop the recurrence of estrogen-positive breast cancer, researchers say. The therapy, though effective, has been linked with hot flashes, memory lapses, anxiety and depression. Sometimes the effects have been so… Continue reading Confronting The Side Effects of A Common Anti-Cancer Treatment

Too Much of A Good Thing?

When it comes to sleep, more isn’t necessarily better, according to a global study. Researchers who studied more than 116,000 people in seven regions of the world found that who slept for longer than the recommended duration of six to eight hours a day had an increased risk of dying or developing diseases of the… Continue reading Too Much of A Good Thing?

What Does It Mean to be Bipolar?

Everyone experiences normal ups and downs in their mood, but bipolar disorder – characterized by dramatic shifts in mood, energy and activity levels – can make day-to-day life far more challenging. Fortunately, this psychiatric condition can be effectively controlled with a variety of treatment approaches. An estimated 4.4% of adults in the United States experience… Continue reading What Does It Mean to be Bipolar?

In-Person Contact May Protect Vets Against PTSD and Depression

Having regular in-person contact appears to protect against depression and PTSD in veterans, but Facebook contact might not be beneficial. The results of the study, by Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System and Oregon Health and Science University researchers, will appear in the Jan. 15, 2019 issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders. “When we… Continue reading In-Person Contact May Protect Vets Against PTSD and Depression

Social Media Buffers Depression Among Older Adults with Pain

With a few finger strokes or swipes on a computer or cell phone, seniors with pain reduce the risk of depression when visiting social media sites. That is the finding  of a 2018 University of Michigan study published in the Journals of Gerontology, Series B. A release from the univerisyt notes that the researchers reported… Continue reading Social Media Buffers Depression Among Older Adults with Pain

Very Surprising Uses for Botox That Have Nothing to Do with Forehead Wrinkles

When most people think of Botox the first thing that usually comes to mind is wrinkle reduction. Indeed, Botox is the world’s most popular treatment for eradicating wrinkles and fine lines. The toxin is specifically FDA approved for treating frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines) and lines around the eyes (crow’s feet). In addition to… Continue reading Very Surprising Uses for Botox That Have Nothing to Do with Forehead Wrinkles

An Overlooked Condition: Perimenopause

Researchers have developed the first-ever guidelines on diagnosing and treating perimenopausal depression, the time immediately before menopause when hormones are in decline. According to a news release from the University of Illinois at Chicago, perimenopausal depression remains under-recognized and clinical recommendations on treating it have been lacking until now. The researchers published the guidelines simultaneously… Continue reading An Overlooked Condition: Perimenopause