Looking for a book to help you or a loved one better understand depression? We recommend the following: Active Treatment of Depression Addressing his fellow professionals in the mental ...  Read more... »

Has the latest fad, "positive psychology," increased our happiness? Not according to a British author and cultural historian. Positive psychology, defined as "the study of optimal human functioning," has gained enormous popularity in the past decade. ...  Read more... »

Over fifteen years of experience with reasonably safe drug treatments for depression has given the mental health world a new understanding of the disorder, a more accurate sense of its true course and a new ...  Read more... »

When people talk about depression, sometimes they refer to different types based upon what they think may have caused their depression. One such possible cause is existential in nature, that is, a person ends ...  Read more... »

Serotonin is a common neurotransmitter found in our brains. Neurotransmitters are special chemicals in our brain that help relay signals from one area of the brain to another. Although serotonin is manufactured in the brain, ...  Read more... »

Serotonin syndrome is the name for a condition when the body has too much serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates many functions, including mood, appetite, and sensory perception. Serotonin syndrome typically occurs when you've taken ...  Read more... »

Sleep disturbances and depression are anything but strange bedfellows. Nearly all depressed individuals experience sleep problems. At least 80% complain of insomnia — difficulty falling or staying asleep. Indeed, early-morning awakening is a hallmark of ...  Read more... »

Alcohol abuse and depression can be a deadly mix. Often, a person with depression will also have alcoholism, and vice versa. In fact, 30 percent to 50 percent of people with alcoholism, at any given time, ...  Read more... »

Depression is the most common mental disorder diagnosed. Two treatments are usually recommended for most people who are experiencing depression: psychotherapy and medication. Medication helps some of the symptoms of depression, while psychotherapy helps ...  Read more... »

The conclusions from the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry on November 1, 2006. An overall assessment of the nation's largest real-world study of treatment-resistant ...  Read more... »

The holiday season is just about over. The presents are unwrapped. The relatives have left. The leftovers are almost gone. Some things went well. Some didn’t. There were moments of pleasure and joy and moments ...  Read more... »

Optimism usually is viewed as a desirable attribute, but many believe it is really only helpful if it is realistic. Dr. Martin Seligman, former president of the American Psychological Association and legendary researcher in the ...  Read more... »

Sexual side effects and one's libido are an important issue when it comes to antidepressant medications and depression itself. All too often, this issue is ignored when antidepressants are prescribed by a family physician or ...  Read more... »

Employers sometimes have concerns about a specific employee and whether the employee's poor health might be affecting their performance and ability to do their job. But employers should also look to their employees' mental health ...  Read more... »

Many people mistakenly believe that most depressed people have no energy. But that is not always the case, as some people with depression often experience one form or another of anxiety. Depression and anxiety ...  Read more... »