Publications - Depression

New Apps Give Teens Easier, Persistent Access To Mental Help, by Lorraine Sanders, NPR , Jan 13 2015.

“A growing technology sector is creating coaching, counseling and monitoring services for teens and young adults fighting eating disorders, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. The programs promise to open new avenues for those who want or need more mental health care but - because of high service costs, logistical hassles, struggles with stigma or other obstacles - would not otherwise get it. Many focus on crisis intervention - including DoSomething.org's Crisis Text Line, which provides teens free, round-the-clock access to trained counseling and referrals - as well as Mood 24/7, which lets people send a daily text message about how they feel to a doctor, therapist or loved one. ”

I would, but my DAMN MIND won't let me: a teen girl's guide to understanding and controlling her thoughts and feelings, by Jacqui Letran, 2015.

The Color Thief: A Family's Story of Depression, by Andrews Fusek Peters and Polly Peters, 2015.

Meh: A Story About Depression, by Deborah Malcom, 2015.

Left Across the Border: A Story of Teen Depression, by Patrice Foster, 2015.

Why Schools Should Screen Their Students’ Mental Health, by Alexandra Sifferlin, Time, Oct 7 2014.

“Schools should be a first line of defense for catching young people at risk for mental health issues from depression to ADHD, a pair of new reports says. Kids and adolescents spend a significant amount of their time in school, yet providing mental health screenings and care is not an overarching requirement for many schools. 'We need to think about how to embed mental health services so they become part of the culture in schools,' says study author Dr. Mina Fazel, a child psychiatrist at the University of Oxford. It will take a commitment from health and education. ”

How Exercise May Protect Against Depression, by Gretchen Reynolds, New York Times , Oct 1 2014.

“Exercise may help to safeguard the mind against depression through previously unknown effects on working muscles, according to a new study involving mice. The findings may have broad implications for anyone whose stress levels threaten to become emotionally overwhelming. ”

Single Dose of Antidepressant Changes the Brain, by Janice Wood, Psych Central , Sep 19 2014.

“Just one dose of an antidepressant is enough to produce dramatic changes in the brain, according to a new study. While SSRIs are among the most widely prescribed antidepressants worldwide, it’s still not entirely clear how they work, according to researchers. The drugs are believed to change brain connectivity, but over a period of weeks, not hours, researchers noted. The new study shows that changes begin to take place right away. ”

10 Depression Myths We Need To Stop Believing, by Alena Hall, Huffington Post , Sep 3 2014.

“In recent weeks, the global conversation surrounding death by suicide has taken center stage, and now more than ever, we're acknowledging the effects of undiagnosed, untreated and mistreated depression on those rising numbers. Approximately two out of three people who commit suicide suffer from major depression first. In the past, we have spent more time focusing on suicide than on this dominant root cause. And that's finally changing. Here are 10 myths and misconceptions about depression that hinder us from truly understanding the disease. ”

Postpartum Difficulties Not Just Limited to Depression, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Aug 19 2014.

“Both mothers and fathers need to pay attention to their mental health during the perinatal period, and they need to watch for these other types of conditions, not just depression, said Carrie Wendel-Hummell, a doctoral candidate in sociology. Anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, and bipolar disorder are all shaped by circumstances that surround having a baby.”

Preschool Depression May Continue for a Decade, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central , Jul 31 2014.

“New research discovers early childhood depression increases the risk that a child will be depressed throughout their formative school years. Washington University researchers discovered children who had depression as preschoolers were 2.5 times more likely to suffer from the condition in elementary and middle school than kids who were not depressed at very young ages. ”

Antidepressant suicide warnings 'may have backfired', by James Gallagher, BBC , Jun 18 2014.

“US warnings about the risk of suicide in young people prescribed antidepressant medication may have backfired, research suggests. A study, in the British Medical Journal, showed a sudden fall in antidepressant prescriptions and a rise in suicide attempts after media reports of the connection. The team at Harvard Medical School said the unintended effect was "disturbing". Experts said similar changes had been seen in other countries. ”

Suppressing Positive Emotions Can Lead to Postpartum Depression, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central , Apr 30 2014.

“New research discovers that the suppression of positive feelings can play an important role in the development of postpartum depression. Investigators believe this finding has implications for the treatment of depressed mothers. ”

Meaningful Activities Protect the Brain From Depression, by Olga Khazan, The Atlantic , Apr 21 2014.

“How we seek and respond to those rewards is part of what determines our overall happiness. Aristotle famously said there were two basic types of joy: hedonia, or that keg-standing, Netflix binge-watching, Nutella-from-the-jar selfish kind of pleasure, and eudaimonia, or the pleasure that comes from helping others, doing meaningful work, and otherwise leading a life well-lived. Recent psychological research has suggested that this second category is more likely to produce a lasting increase in happiness. Hedonic rewards may generate a short-term burst of glee, but it dissipates more quickly than the surge created by the more selfless eudaimonic rewards. ”

Depression risks increase for young dads, by Michelle Healy, USA Today , Apr 14 2014.

“Becoming a dad can be emotionally tough for any guy, but especially for young, first-time fathers. A new study finds that the first five years of parenthood - key attachment and bonding years for a child - may be the riskiest for young dads when it comes to developing depression. Symptoms of depression increased on average by 68% over the first five years of fatherhood for men who were around 25 years old when they became fathers and lived with their children, according to the study published online today in the journal Pediatrics. ”