Articles
Bringing it up: 13 tips for talking with your physician about depression
Perhaps you’re troubled by lingering sadness or hopelessness, or you’re noticing changes in sleeping or eating habits and a lack of energy. Talking with a doctor about what’s bothering you is the most direct route to determining what’s wrong and taking action to remedy the problem. But for many people, the prospect of discussing a mental health problem with a doctor is almost as scary as the problem itself. -more-
Here’s to a Brain-Healthy 2012! Realistic Resolutions for the New Year
Many of us fall into the New Year’s Resolution trap – making promises to ourselves we’re really not able to keep, and ending up feeling disappointed. For those of us working to manage depression, that can be a recipe for disaster. This article is your invitation to trade in that wishful thinking for realistic, positive, manageable resolutions, especially when it comes to fighting depression. -more-
Quarterbacking Your Own Wellness: Tips from an NFL Pro
Fans of professional football are familiar with the career of quarterback Eric Hipple, who led the Detroit Lions for ten seasons in the 1980s. But they may be less familiar with Hipple’s struggles off the field, battling his own depression and coping with the suicide of his 15-year-old son in 2000. -more-
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Light Therapy
Temperatures are dropping, daylight hours are decreasing, and the holiday season is upon us. The Michigan winter is here!! For many people, shorter and darker days mean an increase in depression symptoms. For some, these symptoms result in Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. -more-
Are you doing all you can to manage your depression? Check in with yourself and find out.
Regardless of where you are in your journey to recovering from depression, evaluating the elements of your treatment and support plan is a worthwhile exercise. This article will provide a quick “self-check” to help you determine if you’re staying on track, and to identify steps you might consider taking to make your plan work even harder. -more-
A Harvest of Reflections for Thanksgiving: What a world of traditions can teach us about wellness
IThanksgiving is right around the corner. And although there is no shortage of advertisements or store displays to remind us that we should enjoy a healthy, heartfelt, joyous holiday season, the reality is that, for most of us – and especially for those of us managing depression – this time of year puts our physical and emotional resilience to the test. -more-
Thinking about joining a support group? Find out more here.
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder, the road ahead may seem overwhelming. Depressive illnesses challenge every aspect of life, and although treatment can be highly effective, it is not an easy journey for anyone involved. If you haven’t already considered participating in a support group, perhaps you should. -more-
When therapy hits a wall: 10 suggestions for getting back on track
If you're currently participating in psychotherapy to address depression or a related illness, you're probably already seeing (or will soon see) improvements in your symptoms, outlook, mood, and coping skills. But what if you're feeling stuck, or if you're just not connecting with your therapist? -more-
Omega-3 and Brain Health: Your Questions Answered
Every day, American consumers are bombarded with nutritional advice, in the media, online, in advertising and on food packaging. One of the latest hot topics is omega-3. What exactly is omega-3? How does it contribute to our overall health? How much omega-3 is enough, and if we need more, how do we get it? -more-
Depression in the Sandwich Generation
Are you a member of the “Sandwich” generation? The phrase was aptly coined to describe those of us who, at midlife, find ourselves with the responsibility for caring for not only a child (or children), but an elderly parent (or parents) as well. If you’re living your life in the middle of that “sandwich,” you’re not alone. -more-
Gutting it Out
A relatively new and exciting area of science deals with the human gut and the bacteria that inhabit it, making up a microbial community called a “microbiome.” These guys are mostly there to help us out with digestion and other basic things, but we have a lot to learn about them and the roles that they play in our health and disease. -more-
Depression After 60: Your Questions Answered
If you are aged 60 or older and think you may be suffering from depression, or if you are caring for an older adult who is experiencing symptoms of depression, the first step to wellness is to become educated about how depression impacts older adults, and how it can be effectively managed. Here, we address a number questions commonly asked by patients and caregivers about later-life depression. -more-
The Food and Mood Connection
Most of us have days when we feel great: energetic, enthusiastic, clear-headed, content, and well-balanced. We also have those other days when we feel down: sluggish, unmotivated, forgetful, irritable, helpless, and hopeless. Compelling scientific evidence shows that mental health and physical health are absolutely intertwined, and we now understand that the link between mood and nutrition is much stronger than previously thought. -more-
Fat: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and the Depression Connection
Fat is bad for you – at least that's what we were told for a long time. More recently, we're told that some fat is good for you, like olive oil and fish oil. Then there are the downright "evil" fats we've been hearing so much about, like trans fats. Unless you're someone who spends a lot of time figuring out all this advice, it can be more than a little confusing. -more-
Treating the Head with the Heart
It is common for people suffering from chronic illnesses like diabetes or heart disease to also battle depression at the same time. However, mental health care is often delivered by a different doctor, if at all, and is not well coordinated with care for their chronic illness. -more-
Can Junk Food Give You the Blues?
This is one question researchers set out to answer in a recent study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry. Many studies have focused on different nutrients as playing a role in mental health, but this group wanted to look at diet patterns as a whole to determine what big things in your diet might be affecting your mood. -more-
Western Diet Linked to Attention Problems
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, has become a major childhood mental health disorder, but we don’t have a good grasp on what causes ADHD. The disorder makes it difficult for kids to focus or pay attention in school and other areas of life. -more-
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