As the days get shorter and winter closes in, many people feel like hibernating. We start sleeping more, eating more and avoiding social contact. The effects can be particularly oppressive for people with depression, many of whom feel escalating dread as the end of daylight saving time approaches. Here are eight ways to keep the black …
Depression
What Does a 400% Increase in Antidepressant Use Really Mean?
Antidepressant prescribing has risen nearly 400% since 1988, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 1 in 10 Americans over age 12 now takes an antidepressant, the study finds, and …
Tracing the Circuits of Self-Loathing in the Depressed Brain
They say there’s a fine line between love and hate, as evidenced by the fact that the same brain circuitry processes both intense love and severe hatred. Now a new study finds that that the key wiring that connects brain regions …
Coffee May Lower Women’s Risk of Depression
Many of us rely on a cup of coffee to kick-start our day (you’re welcome, Starbucks), and now new research suggests that our morning caffeine infusion may also help ward off depression over the long term, especially for women.
Why Patients Don’t Open Up to Doctors About Depression
Would you feel comfortable confiding in your family doctor about symptoms of depression? For many Americans, the answer is no.
Newer Antidepressants May Not Be as Safe for Seniors
Some widely prescribed antidepressants may not be as safe for elderly patients as other classes of drugs, according to a study recently published in the British Medical Journal.
Study: How Chronic Stress Can Lead to Depression
Can chronic stress cause depression? A new study in mice adds important evidence that it can, and sheds light on how antidepressants work.
Timely Treatment for Depression Hard to Get, Even for the Insured
Massachusetts requires health insurance for all, is second in the nation in the number of doctors per capita, and mandates equal coverage for mental and physical illnesses. Yet when researchers there posed as well-insured …
What Salt and Prozac Have in Common
Recently, two medical controversies have made headlines: the question of whether too much salt is bad for your health and the debate over whether widely used antidepressant drugs work any better than placebo.
Could a Body-Clock Drug Help Ease Depression?
Sad mood and sleep problems often go together — sleep disturbances like insomnia or, conversely, sleeping too much are common symptoms or warning signs of depression. Now, some doctors say that drugs that help regulate sleep …
Drug War: How Advil May Thwart the Benefits of Prozac
The common painkillers known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a class of medication that includes aspirin, naproxen (Aleve), and ibuprofen (Advil), can significantly reduce the effectiveness of certain …
Spring Allergies: Can They Make You Depressed?
Leave it to a terrible spell of spring allergies to ruin your day, or for many sufferers, many days or even weeks. It turns out, the coughing, sneezing and itchy eyes that accompany seasonal allergies may also help trigger or …
Study: Fish Oil May Prevent Symptoms of Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression can affect up to 25% of new mothers during the first year after delivery, but researchers say there may be a relatively easy way to lower that risk — starting before women give birth.