Depression Articles

Just recently, Dr. Oz, the popular physician who has a daily show on TV, talked about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a fairly new treatment for diagnosis that works by magnetic means to portions of the brain rather than through drugs or talk therapy. We had an article about it here already, but thought we would revisit the subject. Basically how it works is that under the direct supervision of a psychiatrist, a patient is hooked to an electrode like device, but there is no electricity or shock involved. Instead a powerful magnet stimulates a part of the brain’s mood center that is often inactive in depressed people, basically waking this area up. The frequency and magnetic pulse rate are fine tuned to the individual in...

Depression is often a symptom of deeper issues that need to be resolved, external issues that aren’t reachable by pills. That is why many feel as though talking is a very important part of the process. By learning how to cope with what is bothering us or even to help us fix what is beating us down, we can survive the tribulations that life deals us. But in many clinics, that is not the case. I remember when I was going to the doctor for help. I’d get to spend a whole 5 to 10 minutes (at best) and then given drugs. Now I’m not against anti-depressants at all, but what I realized was that taking the medicine wasn’t all that was necessary. I needed to put my problems into a perspective I could handle and for that, I needed to talk...

You may not recognize the name or the group that she is in in the US, but Frankie Sandford is arguably one of the best known and best loved girls of the pop group The Saturdays, the UK’s very popular five girl group that is burning up the charts. But many wondered what had happened to her late last year when she disappeared from the scene, the four others filling in for her. In an interview with Britain’s Glamor magazine, she spoke about the panic and depression in her life that had led her there. She said that since the age of 15, which was a bit after the group S Club Juniors broke up, she had suffered from the disease, but like so many others did not want to discuss it or admit it to others and so suffered in silence. Her...

I kind of wish this was an April Fool’s thing, but it’s not. A new study says that those comfort foods that people often chow down on such as baked goods and fast food from places like McDonalds and the like can increase the risk of depression in people. When I was a kid and I was feeling particularly down, my mother would always bake up some fresh cupcakes, and that would pretty much cheer me up for the moment, but as we all know, depression is more of a long term thing. And since I’ve had my battle with the disease and probably more than I should have of Big Macs, it’s hard to not see the reality in the findings presented. According to the research, done at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and University of Grenada...

They say that idle hands are the devil’s workshop. I don’t know if that is true or not, but being idle and losing one’s sense of purpose can have a lot of effect on the psyche of someone, enough to sink them into depression. One such case, Clara Barton, who founded the Red Cross, knew this all too well and even considered suicide when she was suddenly without a way to express herself through her work. In 1864, which was right in the heart of the Civil War, there as a short time where peace had sort of broken out, even though more battles were to come. And Barton, who had served as a nurse, helping to patch up the wounded, found herself with nothing to do. She tried to open up a warehouse for medical supplies, but being a woman...

As you would think, depression can be extremely deep in a disease like Parkinson’s because it robs the person of the ability to move properly, which makes it difficult to do the things they did in their lives. Even in its early stages, it can be a source of embarrassment because of the shaking, even though people should not feel embarrassed at what they cannot control. But common thought had been that anti-depressants would make the disease worse because they often modify the chemicals in the brain. But a new study is showing that not only is that is wrong, but they actually can be useful in helping the person battle the emotional struggles of the disease. The study looked at 115 different patients, all over 30 and had no sign of...

Recently we lost one of our members to suicide and it made us reflect on the process that one goes through before reaching that point. It’s a horrific thing to be in so much pain that you would rather end your life, unknowing of what is in the afterlife (religious or not), in order to make that pain go away. It seems that they reached out and did not find satisfaction in the online world, and that’s unfortunate. But it is understandable to an extent. People, whether in cyberspace or in the real world, don’t really comprehend how much torture depression leading up to such an act can be. They think it’s just a phase or someone is being melodramatic. And perhaps in some cases it is. I’ve know from my own experience that when I’ve...

Let us debunk this age old myth with a qualifed yes. Of course men experience depression and the stigma has been lifted in our society in many ways in the past few decades regarding male depression. But not as a separate, stand-alone condition. Men suffer the same depression disorders as women, it's just that their brains cause the symptoms to differ, and the reactions to various social stimuli to vary. Men can even suffer from Post Natal Depression (PND), a condition which is often mistaken as being 'female'. Studies have shown that as we enter the second decade of the 21st century, male depression is on the rise. We can't be sure exactly why that is, but it could be something to do with sexism being turned on its head. The...

There are several medical researches carried out to determine the cause of depression but none has suggested an exact mechanism that triggers such illness. Unlike the old studies that suggested that a person will suffer from depression as a result of troubled thoughts or emotions, new discovery suggests the causes can be multi-factorial. Biological/ Genetic Biological causes are caused by changes in the chemistry of the brain such as fluctuations in the level of hormones. Genetical reasons for depressions can run in families for generations. In the case of if one identical twin suffering from depression, the chances the other twin suffering from the same illnes is 70 percent. As for adoptive family members, depressive illnesses has...

Depression, either severe or mild can lessen our quality of life overall. However, certain key symptoms can be avoided by following a healthy lifestyle, having a positive attitude and developing healthy habits. The common depression symptoms that result from environment or external factors can be lesssened by reminding ourselves that nobody’s life is without conflict. Life's occasional stress or obstacles are about learning how to manage daily stress so we can fully enjoy life. When dealing with feelings of depression, try to accept that minor set backs are part of life, loss of things and loss of loved ones unfortunately is also part of life. When experiencing feelings of depression reach out and accept help and support from others...

Depression symptoms are different for everyone. Some people have depression symptoms that are severe and very obvious when something about them doesn't look or feel right. However, to others, these symptoms can be subtle and in general they feel miserable or unhappy about themselves without specific reasons. Depressed mood Depressed people feel sad or empty and may even cry frequently. Both children and adults may even display irritability and similar depression symptoms. Although depression is often explained as being in an extreme state of sadness, there is a difference between clinical depression and sadness. A sad person feels bad but with the hope for strength to move on while a person with clinical depression may feel...

Accurate and effective management of depression requires a combination of medication and long-term psycho-therapy. Many psychotherapists begin treatment with their patients' feelings of being ‘trapped’ in their depression, more than 90% of clinically depressed patients describe some form of emotional paralysis. Medication controls the patient's biochemistry, addressing the source that triggers episodes of sadness, withdrawal, hopelessness, psychological fatigue, and emotional paralysis. One frequent advertisement for an anti-depressant medication represents this feeling with a wind-up doll, the voice-over saying, "I have to wind myself up to get going every day, and I have to wind myself up to keep going through the day." Patients...

With so much pressure and competition teenagers experience it is safe to say they are the worst hit generation with depression. Unfortunately teenage depression is often overlooked as parents tend to view their teenager’s mood swing and odd behavior as another ‘teenage trait’. Teenage depression does not mean just occasional unhappiness or bad moods but it is constant sadness and anger. Depression is a very serious matter because it affects every aspect of a teenager’s life; it affects their relationships with their parents, siblings, teachers and friends. If left untreated, depression can result into several problems such as school trouble, drug / alcohol abuse, homicidal violence and suicide. Teenage depression treatable, however...

Depression can be described as an illness of the mind where the affected person remains in a state of sadness and is unable to concentrate and actively participate in normal day to day activities. There is no single cause of depression, since there can be a series of events that lead to depression. Research has shown that depression can be hereditary and run in families; however there are many cases where there is no family history of depression. Whatever the reason, the major depressive disorder or depression has association with brain functioning or changes in brain structures. Some of the common factors that can trigger depression are discussed below: Family history:This is an important factor when patients suffering from...

It may seem obvious that those that had an abusive childhood where they were mistreated, abused or even raped would have a more difficult time in life. The horrid tragedies of such scenarios often put that person into a recurrent and severe depression that lasts long after the abuse stops. But a new study shows that perhaps the treatments that doctors have been prescribing, both drug and psychological, are not working because they aren’t the right tool for the job. Abuse is a horrific thing for a kid to go through, whether it’s physical pain, mental degradation, sexual or even the loss of a loved one. A hardship like that can do physical damage to the brain and immune system. This damage, referred to sometimes as a biological scar...

Today’s article is really a bone I have to pick with the TV advertising world. I don’t know whose brilliant idea it was to let pharmaceuticals pawn their wares on the public air ways, but it was a bad idea for a couple of reasons. And if you were wondering what this has to do with depression, bear with me. I was watching TV today, a soap opera, and an ad for one of the anti-depressant medicines popped onto my screen. It was going along fine, telling me that if I am suffering from certain symptoms, such as aches and pains and loss of love for the things I used to do, that it could help. And during the first 10 seconds or so, I actually thought maybe I should talk to my doctor about this. I have some of the things they were talking...

Supermoms are women who balance a full time job or career and take care of their children at home. It’s quite a rough existence if one cannot find the balance between their work and home life that they can feel comfortable with and that can lead to an increased risk of depression. Katrina Luepp, who is a graduate student at the University of Washington, followed up with 1600 married women in their 40’s that had answered questions 20 years earlier about their opinions on what the woman’s role in the workplace and at home was. Those that stated that a woman could have it all, both career and children, without sacrificing much, were at an increased risk of depression than those that understood that one could not handle everything...

Before you start wondering if we are turning this site into TMZ, let me assure you that we are not. The reason I wanted to bring up the whole Kate Gosselin thing is because it shows a very jaded attitude by the media in relation to the disease of depression, making it seem petty or just a plea for money. But the only real difference between her case and many other Americans, even high paid executives, being let go is that hers has played out on national TV. Of course, one could argue that that was her choice, but think about it for a second. You are faced with raising 8 children. Do you know how expensive that is? And so in order to be able to afford that, you have to make decisions that you may not be proud of, but as long as...

Professional Hockey is a hard life for most of the players, even though it may not seem like it when you hear about million dollar contracts. It’s hard to imagine someone being depressed with that kind of money, but depression is not about money, it’s about feeling. And in some cases, instead of easing the pain, the money fuels the addiction that ultimately leads to the destruction of the person. I bring this up because Wade Belak, who was 35 and recently retired from being an enforcer for the Predators and before that for the Toronto Maple Leafs, was found dead in Toronto and while no cause of death has been officially issued, the police report says that it was most likely suicide from hanging. He is the third hockey player in two...