29 Nov
Health experts’ understanding of depression has come a long way in the last few decades. In many cases, depression doesn’t have only one cause. It often results from a mix of biology, psychology, and stressful or traumatic events.
Reasons for depression include:
Biology. Researchers still have a lot to learn about exactly why people become depressed. But [...]
1 Nov
What is a nervous breakdown? What causes people to have them?
Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Daniel Hall-Flavin, M.D., answers:
The term “nervous breakdown” is used by the public to characterize a wide range of mental illnesses. Nervous breakdown is not a medical term and doesn’t indicate a specific mental illness. Generally, the term describes a person who is [...]
30 Oct
What causes depersonalization disorder? How is it treated?
Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Daniel Hall-Flavin, M.D., answers:
Depersonalization — a feeling of unreality or of being “outside” your body — can be a syndrome or a symptom of another mental disorder. It’s often associated with anxiety and stress.
When you feel anxious or stressed out, you may breathe [...]
3 Oct
ScienceDaily (Oct. 2, 2009) — Many patients urgently admitted to hospital with cerebral infarction state that they were under great stress over a prolonged period prior to suffering their stroke, is shown in a unique patient study conducted in cooperation between the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden.
“There appears [...]
16 Aug
Depression can impair memory, but early treatment with antidepressants may stop the decline. New research at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada found that people with a history of depression didn’t perform as well on word recall as those without psychiatric problems. Previous research has also shown that depressed people have smaller brain regions such [...]
8 Apr
Two techniques worked for patients after heart bypass procedures, study finds
MONDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) — Two non-drug treatments — cognitive behavior therapy and supportive stress management — seem to be more effective than usual care for treating depression in patients who’ve had coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, a new study finds.
About 20 percent [...]
18 Feb
ScienceDaily (Feb. 17, 2009) — Widespread body pain in fibromyalgia patients is associated with specific brain metabolite abnormalities, according to research in The Journal of Pain.
Scientists at Louisiana State University examined 16 fibromyalgia patients to assess the role in fibromyalgia pain played by metabolite abnormalities in the hippocampal region of the brain. The hippocampus is [...]
24 Jul
Discover if you’re at risk of burnout, and what you can do when your job begins to affect your health and happiness.
It’s time to head back to work after your brief vacation. You have a demanding job and carry a great deal of responsibility on your shoulders. Even though your time off was relaxing, you [...]
27 Jun
(ScienceDaily) – June 02, 2008 — Exposure-based therapy, in which recent trauma survivors are instructed to relive the troubling event, may be effective in preventing the progression from acute stress disorder to post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a new report.
Individuals who develop acute stress disorder during or soon after a traumatic event are likely to [...]
28 Nov
ScienceDaily (Nov. 21, 2007) — Researchers have known for years that psychological trauma that results in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression can change how a person responds to stress. Now, Cornell researchers report that rapes, sudden deaths of loved ones, life-threatening accidents and other such traumas may result in long-term changes even if the [...]
23 Nov
ScienceDaily (Nov. 19, 2007) — According to a study that appears in the current issue of SCAN (Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience), researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discuss how men and women differ in their neural responses to psychological stress.
“We found that different parts of the brain activate with different spatial [...]
25 Aug
DAVIS, Calif., Aug. 16, 2007 (UPI) — An analysis of a survey to explore mental health problems in Asian-Americans found domestic violence more likely if a family lacked closeness.
University of California at Davis psychology Professor Nolan Zane and graduate student Manveen Dhindsa found that other factors also stood out as significant risks for marital violence including [...]
15 Aug
What is the difference between normal worrying and an anxiety disorder?
Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Daniel Hall-Flavin, M.D., and colleagues answer.
Answer:
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps you cope with tense situations. It also helps you focus on the task at hand and motivates you. Almost everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. Typically, anxiety [...]
21 Jun
I COULD SCREAM!!! My world has been turned upside down. Actually, it’s due to my working world. It’s has been turned upside down once, yet again.
I have been back to work 1 ½ years. It has not been clear sailing, believe me; first the training, then the three-month probation. Also, mastering the company’s computer system [...]
18 Jun
Reuters Health
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Mothers of young children who feel they lack emotional support or help in caring for their children have more than three-times the risk of mental health problems compared to their peers who feel adequately supported, a new study shows.
More than one third of the 1,747 [...]
In 1994, depression took over my life and held on tight for 9 years.
I was medication resistant and told my only hope was ECT. Thankfully, a new doc stepped in and put me on the correct meds. I am now working again and moods are stable. Couldn't have survived this without the support of my hubby of 30 years.
Virginia was a brilliant author, penning some 10 novels, numerous short fiction and non-fiction, as well as, autobiographies. However she was the victim of depression and drastic mood swings, later diagnosed as Bipolar Disorder. Relapse after relapse eventually led to her death in 1941. Virginia drowned herself by weighing her pockets with stones and walking into a river. Her body was not discovered until one month later.
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