Publications - Depression

Behavioral Activation is Effective, Less Expensive Therapy for Depression, by Rick Nauert PhD, Psych Central, Jul 22 2016.

“A new largescale study has found that a simple and inexpensive therapy called behavioral activation may be equally as effective at treating depression as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). While CBT has been viewed as the “gold standard” psychological intervention for depression, the new study finds that Behavioral Activation (BA) is an approach that is equally effective and less expensive. ”

Teen checkups should include suicide risk screening, by Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, Jun 27 2016.

“Suicide is among the leading causes of death in U.S. adolescents and while it’s not entirely preventable, doctors can minimize the risk by asking the right questions during routine checkups, the American Academy of Pediatrics says.   Pediatricians should ask about mood disorders, use of drugs and alcohol, suicidal thoughts, bullying, sexual orientation and other risk factors for suicide as part of a routine conversation about medical history, the AAP notes in treatment guidelines released today. ”

For teen girls, risky dieting tied to family conflict, depression, by Kathryn Doyle, Reuters, Jun 15 2016.

“Young teen girls are more likely to count calories, skip meals and engage in other risky dieting behaviors if they’re experiencing family conflict or have symptoms of depressed mood, according to a new study from Australia. “There are many factors associated with the development of risky dieting, including socialization by peers, media, and parents/family,” said coauthor Adrian B. Kelly of The University of Queensland in an email. “This study takes a look at the emotional climate of families as an underlying vulnerability of girls to risky dieting.” ”

Are mental health issues more of a problem for immigrants than for others?, by Jack Doppelt, Immigrant Connect, Jun 12 2016.

“This is a blog-run information site for immigrants in the Chicago area.  This article discusses the many pitfalls both children and adults face as either first or second generation immigrants in terms of accessing proper mental health care.   ”

More Than 6 Million U.S. Students Are 'Chronically Absent', by Elissa Nadworny, NPR, Jun 10 2016.

“It's one of the oldest issues in school improvement: Getting kids to show up. If students miss 10 percent of the school year — that's just two days a month —research shows they are way more likely to fall behind — even drop out. Today, the U.S. Education Department is releasing a report on the first national data set on chronic absence — defined as missing 15 or more days of school a year. The numbers come from the 2013-2014 Civil Rights Data Collection survey — an on-the-ground look from 95,000 schools. The numbers are striking: More than 6 million kids are missing 15 days or more of school a year. ”

New Programs Help Parents Cope With Stillbirth and Infant Death, by Laura Landro, The Wall Street Journal, Jun 6 2016.

“Despite advances in pregnancy care, each year in the U.S. there are approximately 50,000 stillbirths and infant deaths shortly after delivery, a rate that hasn’t budged in years. Some are the result of genetic abnormalities or unanticipated complications, but often there is no known cause. Now, as researchers learn more about the traumatic effects of such deaths on families, more hospitals are creating programs to help them cope. So-called perinatal-loss coordinators train staff to provide compassionate care and guidance for both practical and emotional issues. They are connecting grieving parents with support groups, counseling and nonprofit advocacy groups that help mothers move on and in many cases try again for a successful pregnancy. ”

Depression in Older Adults, by L. Robinson, M. Smith, M.A. & J. Segal, Ph.D, Helpguide.org, Jun 2016.

“Never assume that a loss of mental sharpness is just a normal sign of old age. It could be a sign of either depression or dementia, both of which are common in older adults and the elderly. Depression and dementia share many similar symptoms, including memory problems, sluggish speech and movements, and low motivation, so it can be difficult to tell the two apart.  As you age, you experience many losses. Loss is painful—whether it’s a loss of independence, mobility, health, your long-time career, or someone you love. Grieving over these losses is normal and healthy, even if the feelings of sadness last for a long time. Additionally, distinguishing between grief and clinical depression isn’t always easy, since they share many symptoms. However, there are ways to tell the difference. Grief is a roller coaster involving a wide variety of emotions and a mix of good and bad days. Even when you’re in the middle of the grieving process, you will have moments of pleasure or happiness. With depression, on the other hand, the feelings of emptiness and despair are constant. ”

Girls’ early puberty and breast development tied to depression, by Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, May 26 2016.

“Girls who go through puberty and develop breasts earlier than peers may have a higher risk of depression as well, a Chinese study suggests. Researchers analyzed data on puberty timing and adolescent depression for almost 5,800 children born in Hong Kong in 1997. For boys, the timing of genital development was unrelated to the presence of depression, researchers report in the journal Pediatrics. ”

Magic mushrooms 'promising' in depression, by James Gallagher, BBC News, May 17 2016.

“A hallucinogenic chemical in magic mushrooms shows promise for people with untreatable depression, a short study on just 12 people hints. Eight patients were no longer depressed after the "mystical and spiritual" experience induced by the drug. The findings, in the Lancet Psychiatry, showed five of the patients were still depression-free after three months. Experts cautiously welcomed the findings as "promising, but not completely compelling". There have now been calls for the drug to be tested in larger trials. ”

Psychotherapy should be first choice to treat chronic insomnia, by Andrew M. Seaman, Reuters, May 3 2016.

“People with chronic insomnia should try cognitive behavioral therapy before medications, suggests a prominent group of U.S. doctors.   While the American College of Physicians (ACP) can't say cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) outperforms medications for chronic insomnia, the group does say psychotherapy is less risky than drugs. ”

Addiction may explain the link between social media and depression, by Rob Goodier, Reuters, Apr 5 2016.

“Studies have linked the use of social media to depression, but addiction to social media, rather than use alone, may explain the connection, new research suggests. “We believe that at least having clinicians be aware of these associations may be valuable to them as they treat patients with depressive disorders. For example, they may wish to inquire about social media use patterns and determine if those patterns are maladaptive,” coauthor Ariel Shensa of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine told Reuters Health by email. ”

Kids' Grades Can Suffer When Mom Or Dad Is Depressed, by Patti Neighmond, NPR, Apr 4 2016.

“When parents suffer depression, there can be a ripple effect on children. Kids may become anxious, even sad. There may be behavior problems. Health may suffer. Recently, a large Swedish study showed that grades may decline, too, when a parent is depressed. Using data from 1984 to 1994, researchers from Philadelphia's Dornsife School of Public Health, at Drexel University, measured school grades for more than 1.1 million children in Sweden and compared them with their parents' mental health status. The study was published in a February issue of JAMA Psychiatry. ”

Meditation Plus Running as a Treatment for Depression, by Gretchen Reynolds , The New York Times, Mar 16 2016.

“Meditating before running could change the brain in ways that are more beneficial for mental health than practicing either of those activities alone, according to an interesting study of a new treatment program for people with depression. ”

Online insomnia therapy may help ease depression symptoms, by Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, Feb 19 2016.

“Online therapy for insomnia may help people who also have depression manage symptoms of the mood disorder, an Australian study suggests. Researchers randomly assigned 1,149 participants to use either an online cognitive behavioral therapy program for insomnia or to follow an interactive health program that wasn’t designed to treat the sleep disorder. ”

Virtual therapy 'helps with depression', researchers say, by Dominic Howell, BBC News, Feb 15 2016.

“A new therapy which involves a patient embodying themselves in a virtual reality avatar of a crying child could help with depression, research has suggested. Lead author Prof Chris Brewin said the results were promising and patients had described the experience as "very powerful". Of the 15 patients, aged between 23-61, nine recorded reduced levels of depression one month after the trial. And four of those nine reported "a clinically significant drop in depression severity". ”