Publications - Depression

Incorporating Community Groups Into Depression Care Can Improve Coping Among Low-Income Patients, by RAND Corporation, RAND Corporation, Jun 25 2013.

“Improving care for depression in low-income communities — places where such help is frequently unavailable or hard to find — provides greater benefits to those in need when community groups such as churches and even barber shops help lead the planning process, according to a new study. ”

Hundreds of Studies Back Benefits of Psychotherapy for Depression, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central , May 29 2013.

“Treatments for depression that do not involve antidepressant drugs but rather focus on different forms of psychotherapy interventions are all beneficial. The techniques, also sometimes called talk therapy, can take various iterations with no one form of therapy being better than the others, according to a study by international researchers published in PLOS Medicine. Experts believe the findings are important as they suggest that patients with depression should discuss different forms of non-drug therapy with their doctors and explore which type of psychotherapy best suits them. ”

How Therapy Can Help in the Golden Years, by Abby Ellin, New York Times , Apr 22 2013.

“Marvin Tolkin was 83 when he decided that the unexamined life wasn't worth living. Until then, it had never occurred to him that there might be emotional "issues" he wanted to explore with a counselor. Though he wasn't clinically depressed, Mr. Tolkin did suffer from migraines and "struggled through a lot of things in my life"--the demise of a long-term business partnership, the sudden death of his first wife 18 years ago. He worried about his children and grandchildren, and his relationship with his current wife, Carole. ”

NIH Study Shows People with Serious Mental Illnesses Can Lose Weight, by National Institute of Mental Health, NIMH , Mar 21 2013.

“People with serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression can lose weight and keep it off through a modified lifestyle intervention program, a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded study reported online today in The New England Journal of Medicine. ”

Rashness & Rumination: New Understanding About the Roots of Depression, by Maia Szalavitz, Time , Mar 8 2013.

“Two studies explore some of the developmental roots of depression in childhood and adolescence. In the first study, published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science, researchers focused on depressive rumination, or the relentless focus on what has gone wrong or will go wrong, coupled with an inability to see a solution to these overwhelming problems. It's no surprise that rumination has a strong connection to depression--in fact, studies show that some talk therapies can actually make depression worse by compelling people to focus on problems and their origins, rather than guiding them toward positive solutions on what to do about them. Smith, who is also investigating some of the potential root causes of depression, reports in his study, published in Psychological Science, on an interesting connection between depression and people's tendency to act without thinking when faced with strong emotion, known among psychologists as "urgency." Although this behavior seems unrelated to depression, he and his colleagues found a surprising link. ”

Five psychiatric disorders 'linked', by James Gallagher, BBC , Feb 28 2013.

“Autism, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia all share several genetic risk factors, according to a major study. Versions of four genes increased the odds of all five disorders. Researchers hope to move the psychiatry away from describing symptoms towards fundamentally understanding what is going wrong in the brain. The findings were reported in the Lancet medical journal. ”

Ketamine: Leading the Way Toward Fast-Acting Antidepressants, by Maia Szalavitz, Time , Jan 8 2013.

“It�s an anesthetic popular with veterinarians, but the latest studies show ketamine also shows promise as a potential antidepressant. Ketamine produces hallucinations, out-of-body feelings, disorientation and even amnesia that can last a few hours, which has made it not just a staple in veterinary clinics but occasionally in nightclubs as well, as a recreational drug. In a research review published last October in the journal Science, however, researchers called the growing connection between ketamine and depression "the most important advance in the field" in the depression field over the past 50 years. And now scientists report on two formulations of drugs with ketamine's benefits, but without its consciousness-altering risks, that could advance the drug even further toward a possible treatment for depression. ”

How To Get Unstuck From The Negative Muck: A Kid's Guide To Getting Rid Of Negative Thinking, by Lake Sullivan, 2013.

Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers, by Deborah Serani, 2013.

CBT Helps Relieve Depression When Medication Fails, by Janice Wood, Psych Central , Dec 7 2012.

“People who don't respond to antidepressants report improvement with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), according to researchers at the University of Bristol. CBT, a combination of cognitive and behavioral therapy, is a way of helping people with depression change the way they think, which helps improve how they feel and change what they do, researchers said. A research team led by Nicola Wiles, Ph.D., from the University of Bristol recruited 469 adults who had not responded to at least six weeks of treatment with an antidepressant. ”

How Gender Stereotypes Warp Our View of Depression, by Amanda Gardner, Time , Nov 15 2012.

“Stereotypes about male and female roles may influence the way we perceive depressed people. It's a well-known fact that men and women who behave the same way in the exact same situation--whether it's a job interview, a cocktail party, or a traffic stop--are sometimes perceived and treated differently based on their gender. Something similar, it seems, may happen when men and women start to show signs of depression. A new study, published this week in the journal PLoS ONE, suggests that people of both sexes are less likely to view men as being depressed and in need of professional help--even if a man's symptoms are identical to a woman's. ”

How to Recognize Teens at Risk for Self-Harm, by Janice Wood, Psych Central , Oct 6 2012.

“It's a startling statistic: Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for teens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response, a University of Missouri public health expert has identified factors that will help parents, medical professionals and educators recognize teens at risk for self injury and suicide. ”

Depression, Anxiety and Insomnia Drugs Can Increase Risk of Car Accident, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central, Sep 14 2012.

“A new study warns that medications used to treat anxiety, depression and insomnia may increase an individuals’ risk of a car accident. Because of the risk, researchers suggest physicians should consider advising patients not to drive while taking these drugs. The new research stems from knowledge that psychotropic drugs affect the way the brain functions and can impair a driver’s ability to control their vehicle. ”

Internet Surfers Over 50 Less Depressed, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Jul 16 2012.

“Recent studies have linked Internet use to mental health problems and loneliness among young people - but new research shows that older people who utilize the Internet for social purposes are less likely to suffer from depression. ”

Military Suicide: Help for Families Worried About Their Service Member, by Alexandra Sifferlin, Time, Jul 12 2012.

“Each person deals differently with the stresses of war, frequent deployments, separation from family, death of comrades. Many contend with depression and post-traumatic stress upon returning home. There are several programs and support lines for soldiers, but it also helps for immediate families to remain vigilant and to monitor their behavior. Even still, many service members fall through the cracks. ”