Mental Health

News and Features Related to Mental Health

Seasonal Mood and Hormonal Changes

Many women report mood changes linked to their monthly menstrual cycles. Between 3% and 9% of women of reproductive age experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), often with severe depression symptoms. How are these monthly mood changes -- mild or severe -- affected by seasonal weather and
Read Full Article
Lifestyle Tips for Treatment-Resistant Depression

If you have treatment-resistant depression, getting expert medical and psychological treatment is crucial. But recovery isn't only about dutifully taking your medicine and seeing your therapist. There is actually a lot that you can do on your own to support your treatment. "Because some treatments h
Read Full Article
Treatment-Resistant Depression: Your Continuum of Care

If you've been diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression, you might be wondering what happens next. You've already tried some medications. Maybe you've already tried talk therapy, too. They haven't helped. So what now? "Having treatment-resistant depression is a terrible burden for people," says
Read Full Article
Is Hypochondria Stressing Your Marriage?

Sometimes recognizing hypochondria takes a little time. It wasn't until Rebecca Serrano (not her real name) had been married for a full year that she realized her new husband had a problem. Once, he was convinced he had testicular cancer -- but he wouldn't go to the doctor. Another time, when he got
Read Full Article
Diagnosing ADHD: Teacher Input Overlooked?

Oct. 21, 2009 -- Pediatricians are most often involved in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, but many do not get recommended input from teachers before rendering a diagnosis, Consumer Reports says in a parent survey about their children with ADHD. The survey of pa
Read Full Article
Omega-3s No Help for Depression?

Oct. 20, 2009 -- Depressed heart patients don't get extra help from omega-3 fatty acids when they take the supplements along with an antidepressant drug, a clinical trial shows. Heart patients are often prescribed omega-3 supplements. There's evidence that the supplements can make antidepressants si
Read Full Article
Daily Pot Smokers Court Health Risks

Oct. 15, 2009 -- Marijuana smokers who take up the habit in their teens, as well as those who smoke daily or nearly every day, are at the greatest risk for dependence and other ill health effects, according to a new review of marijuana use worldwide by Australian researchers. About 9% of those who e
Read Full Article
Parks, Green Spaces Protect Your Health

Oct. 14, 2009 -- There is more evidence that living near parks, woods, or other green spaces may improve your mental and physical health. Close proximity to green spaces was associated with less depression, anxiety, and other health problems in a newly published study. The relationship was strongest
Read Full Article
Serotonin: 9 Questions and Answers

Serotonin acts as a neurotransmitter, a type of chemical that helps relay signals from one area of the brain to another. Although serotonin is manufactured in the brain, where it performs its primary functions, some 90% of our serotonin supply is found in the digestive tract and in blood platelets.
Read Full Article
Internet Addiction: Is Your Teen at Risk?

Oct. 6, 2009 -- Kids with ADHD, hostility, social phobia, or depression may be more likely to become addicted to the Internet, according to a new study. Researchers in Taiwan examined the relationship between psychiatric symptoms and Internet addiction in 2,162 junior high students over a period of
Read Full Article