About Depression

Bad Choices, Bad Habits

2009-12-30T00:00:45Z

A habit is any action that we have performed so often that it becomes almost an involuntary response. If we consider this habit to be undesirable then we may label it a "bad habit". People spend countless hours and dollars each year attempting to break these bad habits and often do not have any success. Why? Because there is no magic bullet. Change is hard work and there is no short cut to achieving it. The steps a person needs to take, however, can be very simply outlined. To effect a change in habits, one needs to bring the action back into the realm of consciousness and regain the ability to make choices. Read More

Bad Choices, Bad Habits originally appeared on About.com Depression on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at 00:00:45.

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Stop Procrastination--Now!

2009-12-29T15:19:51Z

Never do today what you can put off for tomorrow. Better yet, never put off 'til tomorrow what you can avoid altogether!

I don't know who coined these phrases, but they must have been a depressive. The symptoms that we face, such as fatigue and hopelessness, make it so easy to say to ourselves, "I'll just put this off until tomorrow when I feel better". Before we know it, that deadline is creeping up on us and we're starting to panic. What's the best way to deal with panic? Hide your head in the sand and hope it goes away! Not really, but procrastination an easy habit to fall into and as the panic mounts, so does the depression. The more depressed we get, the more we avoid reality. Read More

Stop Procrastination--Now! originally appeared on About.com Depression on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 at 15:19:51.

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Change Your Life

2009-12-28T11:51:51Z

Are you contemplating making some changes in your life? Unfortunately, although most of us start out full of resolve and determination, we end up falling short of our goals. We know we can benefit from change in our lives, but how do we make those changes become lasting ones? Read More

Change Your Life originally appeared on About.com Depression on Monday, December 28th, 2009 at 11:51:51.

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Holiday Support Chat

2009-12-23T00:00:54Z

Feeling especially blue this time of year? A moderated chat room is open 24/7 at Depression Haven to support you. I know all of the moderators personally and give this site my highest recommendation.

Holiday Support Chat originally appeared on About.com Depression on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 at 00:00:54.

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Help Seniors Beat the Holiday Blues

2009-12-22T10:08:16Z

While the holidays are commonly thought of as a time of joy and celebration, they may be a time of a time of sadness and isolation for the elderly, especially if they have lost loved ones or are experiencing health or financial difficulties.

According to the American Geriatrics Society, there are some things that seniors can do combat holiday depression.

Get out and about. Ask friends and relatives for help in getting to parties and events or invite them to your home.
Volunteer. Volunteer work can lift your mood by taking your mind off your own troubles. Contact local schools, religious organizations or charities to learn about opportunities.
Don't drink too much alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant and can make you feel even worse.
Accept and express your feelings. There's nothing wrong with feeling blue. Talking about it can help you understand why you feel like you do.
Recognize the signs of depression. Symptoms of depression include sadness that doesn't pass; loss of interest or pleasure; changes in appetite or weight; sleeping more than normal; frequent crying; feeling restless or tired all the time; feeling worthless, helpless or guilty; slowed thinking and thoughts of death or suicide.
See your healthcare provider. If you are depressed, see your physician. Depression is very treatable and you do not have to suffer.

Many older people do not realize that they are depressed, however, and it may be up to friends and family to recognized the signs and encourage them to seek assistance. If you suspect that someone you know is depressed, there are some things you can do to help.

Invite them to do things with you. Invite them to go places with you and to holiday gatherings. Be aware that they may need help with transportation or special needs such as diet.
Help with holiday tasks. Offer to help them with holiday shopping and preparation for get-togethers in their own home.
Be a good listener. Encourage them to talk about how they are feeling and acknowledge that they may be going through a difficult time.
Encourage them to talk with their healthcare provider. Let them know that you are concerned about their well-being and that depression is a medical illness and nothing to be ashamed of. Offer to make an appointment for them and take them there.

You can learn more about depression in the elderly by visiting the Web site of the American Geriatrics Society's Foundation for Health in Aging.

Help Seniors Beat the Holiday Blues originally appeared on About.com Depression on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 10:08:16.

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When a White Christmas Makes You Blue

2009-12-21T00:00:19Z

One recent evening I was watching my neighbors put up a dazzling display of lights on their home. Judging by the wattage being consumed they had more Christmas spirit than anyone around. Suddenly I heard a barrage of angry shouts from the mother. The lights were malfunctioning and she was upset. I said to myself "something is definitely wrong with this picture". Although the Christmas holidays are supposed to be a time of peace, joy, and love, all too often we spend it angry, stressed, and blue. Why does this happen and how can we avoid it? I have a few tips to share that I think can help you have a much happier holiday.

When a White Christmas Makes You Blue originally appeared on About.com Depression on Monday, December 21st, 2009 at 00:00:19.

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Teen Pot Smokers More Prone to Depression, Anxiety

2009-12-19T05:36:14Z

Teenagers who smoke marijuana daily may be damaging their brains and making themselves more prone to depression and anxiety as adults, according to a new study out of McGill University.

The researchers at the University found that when adolescent and adult lab rats were exposed to the active ingredient in marijuana for 20 days, only the adolescent rats were adversely affected.

Changes observed in the rats included a decrease in a substance in the brain called serotonin, which is believed to play a role in depression. Increases in another substance called norepinephrine, which has been associated with anxiety, were also noted.

Although the study was carried out on rats, study author Gabriella Gobbi said the results could be extrapolated to humans.

The results suggest, according to Gobbi, that because the adolescent brain is still developing, it may be particularly vulnerable to chronic drug use.

Earlier research done by Gobbi found that marijuana can act as an antidepressant, but only in the short-term. If used long-term, the opposite effect occurs.

The new study appears in the latest issue of Neurobiology of Disease.

Teen Pot Smokers More Prone to Depression, Anxiety originally appeared on About.com Depression on Saturday, December 19th, 2009 at 05:36:14.

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Antidepressants May Raise Women's Stroke Risk

2009-12-18T05:00:23Z

Older women who take antidepressants have a small, but statistically significant, increased risk of having a stroke or dying, compared to women who do not take antidepressants, says a new study.

The study compared six-year data on 5,500 postmenopausal women who began taking antidepressants after enrolling in the Women's Health Initiative trial to data on over 130,000 women who did not take an antidepressant.

The researchers found that women taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) - a class of drugs including the popular antidepressants Celexa, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft - had a 45% increase in risk for stroke and a 32% increase in risk for dying from any cause. Similar results were found for another class of antidepressants called tricyclics.

Overall risk for any given women, however, was small. The annual risk of stroke was 0.3% for women who had not taken an antidepressant, compared to 0.4-0.5% for women who had.

So what do these results mean in real terms? According to the lead author of the study, Dr. Jordan W. Smoller of Harvard Medical School, "statistical significance can be different from clinical significance." In other words, while the effect is measurable, it may not be a large enough effect to really be a problem for most women. Ultimately, while this study provides more information for you and your doctor to use in determining whether an antidepressant is appropriate for you, it is still going to be a matter of weighing any potential risks against the benefits to be gained. "For most women with serious depression," said Smoller, "the benefits of medication outweigh the risks."

The study appears in the December issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Antidepressants May Raise Women's Stroke Risk originally appeared on About.com Depression on Friday, December 18th, 2009 at 05:00:23.

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Feeling SAD This Holiday Season?

2009-12-15T00:31:49Z

Ever notice how a gray, rainy day makes you feel gloomy and tired, but a sunny day can leave you feeling cheerful and energized? Well, there's a scientific reason for this. Insufficient exposure to sunlight has been associated with low levels of melatonin and serotonin, abnormalities of cortisol, carbohydrate craving, weight gain, and sleep disturbance. Some of you out there may have also noticed that you find a seasonal fluctuation in your moods, feeling depressed in the winter months. Take a look at your calendar and you'll soon see why. Each year on June 21 we experience the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. With our longest hours of sunlight smack dab in the middle of summer it's no wonder we're happier this time of year! After this date, however, the days progressively get shorter until the Winter Solstice on Dec. 21, the shortest day. Is it any accident then that so many of us run for the hills when the holidays roll around? Read more

Feeling SAD This Holiday Season? originally appeared on About.com Depression on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at 00:31:49.

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Higher Blood Lead Levels Associated With Depression in Young Adults

2009-12-11T04:46:34Z

According to a report in the December issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, young adults with higher blood levels of lead appear to be more likely to also have major depression and panic disorders.

Maryse F. Bouchard, Ph.D., M.Sc., of the Universit� de Montreal, Canada, and Harvard School of Public Health and her colleagues examined data from 1,987 adults between the ages of 20 and 39 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2004. The participants underwent a diagnostic interview to identify depression, panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. They also had a blood sample collected and analyzed for lead.

Bouchard's team found that the one-fifth of the participants with the highest levels of lead in their blood (2.11 micrograms per deciliter or more) had a 2.3 times greater chance of having major depressive disorder and nearly five times the risk of having panic disorder compared to those in the lowest one-fifth (0.7 micrograms per deciliter or less).

"These findings suggest that lead neurotoxicity may contribute to adverse mental health outcomes, even at levels generally considered to pose low or no risk," conclude the authors. "These findings, combined with recent reports of adverse behavioral outcomes in children with similarly low blood lead levels, should underscore the need for considering ways to further reduce environmental lead exposures."

Higher Blood Lead Levels Associated With Depression in Young Adults originally appeared on About.com Depression on Friday, December 11th, 2009 at 04:46:34.

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