updated: Mon Aug 13 2012 17:44:00
Rev. Jesse Jackson opens up about his son, Jesse Jackson Jr., & the mood condition he is battling.
Critics everywhere have hailed "Bully" as an important, engaging documentary.
updated: Tue Mar 27 2012 05:50:00
An independent filmmaker teams up with 'Anonymous' in an effort to bring Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony to justice.
Modern medicine is very good at some things, and really lousy at others. As I wrote in a blog last week, psychiatry is no different in this regard.
I would like to know what you recommend for a person that believes he or she is suffering from depression. There are mood swings, and extreme sleeping, and just thoughts of being lonely, and that no one cares. Is this depression?
My 18-year-old daughter has been repeatedly hospitalized. There is a definitive family history of bipolar disorder on the paternal side. She has OCD behaviors and much of her conversational speech is off-topic and inappropriate. The medical team is unable to stabilize her. She was recently found to have schizoaffective disorder. Will she ever be functional?
I have had depression for almost seven years. I saw a psychiatrist and therapist for eight months, two years ago; it made me feel worse. I started to see another psychiatrist and therapist last November; it only mildly helped. I tried Prozac first, but when the dosage increased, I started to have hallucinations and delusions. I was then prescribed Celexa (disrupted my sleep greatly) and then Cymbalta, which showed no change. I also was given several sleep medications. Medications just do not seem to work; they all have side effects. I just moved and have not found more doctors here. My depression and sleep problems seem to get worse with every day. What should my next step be?
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall is known as much for his headline-grabbing troubles off the field as he is for his standout play on it.
updated: Mon Aug 29 2011 16:19:00
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall was stabbed in the abdomen Friday evening. Authorities charged his wife.
I was wondering if my brother, who we have been told is bipolar, could develop schizophrenia? My uncle, my mom's brother, was schizophrenic and unfortunately fell victim to the mental illness. We are aware that there have been some mental health issues with males on my mother's side of the family, so could it be possible that he could be schizophrenic as well as bipolar?
Can a 9- or 10-year-old get a true diagnosis of bipolar disorder?
The Teen Mom star told PEOPLE she suffered from bipolar disorder
I am five months pregnant, and it has been great. My mother-in-law has bipolar disorder and is clinically depressed. I wonder if there will be a slight chance that my baby will get that from her? My husband has been emotionally taking care his mother since he was 10 and can't seem to help.
I have bipolar disorder type 2. My mood is almost always influenced by the season and this winter I went through one of the worst depressive episodes I have ever experienced. When I mustered up the courage to tell my mom that I felt trapped and that I was desperate for help, she dismissed my symptoms as "something every teenager goes through" and that things will get better. She keeps telling me that everyone is depressed once in a while and that's just how life is. I'm better now, but I'm constantly scared about the next depressive episode I'll have to go through. It's been about three years since my diagnosis, and I think my mom has been in denial ever since. I've tried my best to convince her that this isn't normal but she refuses to see the truth. Even when I attempted suicide about a year ago, she lectured me about how selfish I was being and refused to even consider hospitalization or medication. How do you convince an unsympathetic parent that you need help?
The growing use of a popular drug in the long-term treatment of bipolar disorder is based largely on a single, flawed clinical trial that may be steering doctors and patients away from drugs with a more established track record, a new review published this week in the journal "PLoS Medicine" suggests.
The actress made her bipolar 2 diagnosis public after her cover was blown, her husband says
"I never found out until I went into treatment," the teen star tells PEOPLE
With the support of husband Michael Douglas, the actress faces her battle with a mental illness
The actor stepped out solo, then joined his wife for lunch in Connecticut the next day
The actress has had "a stressful year," says a friend as the star seeks treatment
updated: Thu Apr 14 2011 11:33:00
Catherine Zeta-Jones has checked into a mental health facility for treatment of a less-severe form of bipolar disorder.
Although the symptoms of bipolar disorder can vary significantly from person to person, mental health professionals have identified four main subtypes of the illness that together are referred to as bipolar spectrum disorders: bipolar I, bipolar II, bipolar not otherwise specified, and cyclothymia.
After dealing with husband Michael Douglas's cancer, she checks into a facility briefly, her rep says
About 2.4% of people around the world have had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder at some point in their lifetime, according to the first comprehensive international figures on the topic.
I have a family history of mental illness. Three of my siblings have schizoaffective disorder (one recently told by a doctor that it may be bipolar with hallucinatory symptoms). I have dealt with mild to moderate depression for over 10 years with a few episodes of major depression in that time. About three months ago, I began taking Lexapro even though I have always wondered whether doing so might aggravate an underlying genetic illness. I feel much better on this medication, and do not have a history of mania or hallucinations. (I am a 31-year-old female, and take 10mg of Lexapro a day).
I had an untreated health issue for a couple of years that threw me into a mild depression. I have a mother and brother who are bipolar and one of the things my therapist told me is that studies show that if you go on an antidepressant and there is a history of bipolar in your family that this can sometimes "kick in" the bipolar. I am lucky and was able to get past my depression with therapy, exercise, etc. I was just wondering what your thoughts were.
Hi, I am a teen in high school and I was wondering whether or not I should talk to my doctor, again, about taking medicine for depression. I have been so depressed for roughly two years, however it has progressively gotten worse. I have done some research and I have almost all the symptoms of depression.
I would like to know what you recommend for a person that believes he or she is suffering from depression. There are mood swings, and extreme sleeping, and just thoughts of being lonely, and that no one cares. Is this depression?
NOTE: This expert answer was originally published on December 8, 2009
How do I help my daughter who has a diagnosis of bipolar and each time the doctors put her on an antidepressant, her liver counts go up and she goes into mania? This happens when the liver levels rise. It takes at least two weeks to cycle through.
The rituals of college -- making new friends, studying until dawn, excessive partying -- can stress out any young adult. But students with bipolar disorder, or those at risk for the condition, are even more vulnerable in a college environment.
updated: Sun Sep 12 2010 08:13:00
World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10th. Its mission is to promote worldwide commitment to prevent suicides.
From the moment I was admitted to my first psychiatric ward, I was desperate to get out. I hated the smell, the food, most of the staff, the routines, the magazines. I hated the sagging mattresses, the glassless funhouse mirrors, the furniture, the isolation rooms. But as much as I despised the place, there was one saving grace for me there: the other patients.
Jennifer Konjoian was 10 years old when she put a plastic bag over her head. She remembers doing it impulsively, for no other reason than to get attention.
Is it possible to have mood swings where one moment you are happy, then the next you can be sad? Is this a sign of depression? I do also have ADD as well but currently am not on medicine.
I want to address a spate of criticism I received for my suggestion several weeks back that family therapy might be a first intervention for a 6-year-old boy diagnosed with bipolar disorder who was demonstrating problematic behavior at home but not at school.
I have problem with a 30-year-old male in my family who is constantly in a state of high. He is prescribed Adderall by his doctor and his friends have told me he snorts it. His condition is escalating to the point of violence against relatives. I am very concerned because he has sole custody of a 9-year-old child. I have asked his doctor to cease prescribing Adderall to him but he continues. He stays awake for as long as five nights and his doctors tell us that is physically impossible. The doctors see him occasionally and we see him daily. I know he is going to end up dead or in jail. I'm so afraid of what is happening to him.
How can you tell if someone is suffering from Alzheimer's disease or if it is just depression?
As recently as 10 years ago, doctors advised women with bipolar disorder not to have children. While that thinking is now dated, bipolar women often face tough decisions about how to handle their medication during pregnancy.
The multibillion-dollar market for dietary supplements is filled with products that claim to boost mood or improve depression. Some products are even billed as an alternative to prescription antidepressants.
If a family shows a history of bipolar disorder -- in a mother and her son -- are there environmental steps the son can take to "discourage" the development of bipolar disorder in his children?
Editor's note: This answer was published originally on May 11, 2010, and prompted considerable response. Today we offer more on the topic from Raison and Dr. Ken Duckworth of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when I was 16, and I'm now 18 and it has gotten where I can't even get a job because I stress myself out so much that I can't even think straight. I've been on Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, and Seroquel but nothing has helped me get over this. I feel like every time I try to do something a switch comes on in my head, and I get in fight-or-flight mode, and I usually flee. My sleeping patterns are also irregular. If anyone has some suggestions for me I would greatly appreciate it.
This week, Dr. Charles Raison offers part two of his answer to the viewer question: Can a 9- or 10-year-old be bipolar?
Are the psychoses of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia very similar? How do you tell psychotic bipolar disorder apart from schizophrenia with mood disorder? How similar are the two diseases considering that the same medicines (anti-psychotics) are beneficial to both?
Are the psychoses of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia very similar? How do you tell psychotic bipolar disorder apart from schizophrenia with mood disorder? How similar are the two diseases considering that the same medicines (anti-psychotics) are beneficial to both?
China should not execute a British man convicted of smuggling heroin, a top United Nations official said Thursday, days before the execution is scheduled to take place.
updated: Thu Dec 24 2009 21:31:00
Family of Briton on death row in China says he's mentally ill and was duped. Morgan Neill reports.
China will go ahead with the execution of a British man convicted of trafficking heroin, despite pressure from the British government and human rights groups for clemency, the Chinese foreign ministry said Tuesday.
My husband, age 39, was diagnosed with manic depression/bipolar disorder approximately two years ago. He suffers from recurrent bouts of depression and is currently in a depressive phase. He does not have very many manic phases at all. His short-term memory is getting progressively worse. Lately he cannot seem to remember how to get to places that he had just visited two or three days before. This has happened three times in the past week alone. Is there a correlation between recurrent bouts of depression and memory loss? I would question the medications as a factor, but he has not changed meds in many months and the episodes of memory loss have been in recent weeks. I would appreciate any information you can give me, as the primary caregiver you can imagine that this whole ordeal is very difficult.
I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when I was 28. I was a successful neurosurgeon in a leading UK teaching hospital, and a leading researcher in head injury. This diagnosis followed 12 months in which I had experienced a series of personal and work related stresses.
I have had a quite a few ups and downs in my life. I have had depression since I was 8 years old. (I am now 26 and was diagnosed as bipolar three years ago.) In my lifetime, I have suffered major emotional abuse and betrayals from a variety of people, not to mention rough circumstances (losing a job last year, and unstable conditions in my current job). I have now gotten to a point where I've become obsessive about money due to fears of once again becoming unemployed, and I find myself drifting away from friends because I don't feel safe being close to anyone any more. It's scary for me because I went through a major depressive episode from ages 14 to 18, and I had to fight just to keep myself alive (medication was not available for me at the time, either). I've fought so hard just to get to my current point in life, which was graduating from college and living independently. I'm just so terrified of losing everything that I've fought for and returning to those lows, but I feel like
Schizophrenia drugs, increasingly prescribed to children with bipolar disorder and other conditions, can cause youngsters to experience rapid weight gain, according to a new study.
Can a stimulant medication for ADHD make the child taking it have mood swings and violent aggression?
The brother of a convicted British drug smuggler facing imminent execution in China has pleaded for authorities to show compassion amid concerns over the man's mental health at the time of his arrest.
I have a diagnosis of brittle bipolar disorder. Most peer-reviewed literature tells me that setting up concrete routines (daily, work, home, etc.) is a good way to help control symptoms. Is this true? Is it an important tool or just speculation? How can I work with my employer/coworkers to limit my symptoms with routines?
Most people, if they know of Mark Whitacre at all, remember him as a whistleblower. In the early 1990s, the Archer Daniels Midland vice president turned FBI mole helped bring the company to its knees by wearing a wire for three years to expose its price-fixing scheme.
My friend's 20-year-old daughter has been diagnosed as bipolar. I have seen the depressive effects, but can you tell me how someone who is having a manic episode would behave? This girl yells, screams, swears, kicks the walls, uses inappropriate language to her parents and it usually happens when she is not getting her way. It looks like a temper tantrum to me.
My boyfriend and I are discussing getting engaged and having children one day. He said he's scared to have kids. His biological grandmother and his father both have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He has no symptoms of it, but some of his siblings do. He is terrified that his children could inherit this disorder! My family has no history of it at all. Since neither of us have it, should we be worried?
My daughter was treated for anxiety with Zoloft around a year ago. However, her school reported alarming, violent behavior (she never had that before), and we stopped it after only a week. I always understood this to be an "adverse effect," but a nurse today told me it was an allergy. An allergy means she should never take it again, but an adverse effect could be grown out of, and doesn't rule out similar drugs. Was the nurse just dumbing things down, or was she correct?
My daughter suffers from borderline personality disorder that appears to be worsening, even though she is now 36 years old. Treatment centers are too expensive, and her insurance will not cover it unless it is a hospital. Why would this disorder seem to be worsening -- mainly impulse control/depression -- and should she have a CT scan or other brain imaging to see if there is an underlying problem? Her primary care doctor has given up on her, and there are no psychiatrists in this town who will treat borderline personality disorder. Any help or information could help.
I have phase II bipolar and cannot afford the necessary drugs. I'm dealing with this alone, which as you may know is tough. Are there any tips you can give in management of my disorder?
My husband's bipolar disorder was diagnosed several years ago. He has tried several medications and the side effects have far outweighed any benefits. Now he refuses to see a doctor about it because he thinks it's hopeless. Not to mention we have moved and discovered that there are few psychiatrists in the area, and the ones who will take him have a six-month waiting list. Our primary care doctor won't treat him for the bipolar (he asked). It is terrible to see him suffer from this disease without any relief in sight. Any suggestions?
For the first 45 of her 50 years of living, Bonnie Neighbour used to wake up feeling sorry to be alive.
The works of David Foster Wallace, who committed suicide September 12, are famous for their obsessively observed detail and emotional nuance.
Children and teens who have a parent with bipolar disorder are 14 times more likely than their peers to have bipolar-like symptoms themselves, and are two to three times more likely to be found to have an anxiety or mood disorder, such as depression, according to a report in the March issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
I have been treated for depression since I was 8, and I am now 30. I have tried numerous medications along with a ton of therapy. I am also a recovering alcoholic who is working the AA program. My problem lies in the fact that I am extremely sensitive to medications and of the 30+, I still have yet to find something that actually works. Lexapro seemed to work for a while, but I changed due to the sexual side effects being a problem. When I tried to restart taking it, I was overcome with anxiety. I was also taking 50mg of Serzone if that makes any difference. I am currently taking Prozac-5mg, Serzone -50mg, and Klonopin as needed (reluctantly, I might add). I am hesitant to try electroconvulsive treatment, but I am at a point where I am desperate. The depression interferes with every aspect of my life and makes it difficult to fully live. I feel as if I am merely surviving in this world. I don't know what else I can do. Do you have ANY suggestions? I have a great therapist, doctor and
Is it OK to take antidepressants while pregnant?
Susan Craig's brother Roger died of a pulmonary embolism in 2007, at age 38. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in high school, he had been on antipsychotic drugs for years. At the time of his death, he was carrying 280 pounds on his 6-foot-4-inch frame.
Has Cymbalta antidepressant caused any aggression problems such as those alleged for Prozac?
I have suffered from bipolar depression for five years. I am taking medication and worked with a specialist for three years. My question is, can one ever grow out of or heal from this affliction?
What is the best way to deal with a young man's depression and despair? I have a son, almost 22, who has a very high IQ, is very smart, but is extremely depressed and in despair over what he describes as a future that's "not worth it." He finished two years of college, is delaying the final two or three years and is living extremely lower than his potential. Is this the new "normal"?? I am at my wits end. He is a wonderful person, with so much potential (not just my motherly opinion). He seems lost. For his sake, I would like to see him get out of this horribly pessimistic rut. What gives?
A growing body of research suggests that men's fertility declines as much as -- if not faster than -- that of women
Marya Hornbacher's courageous memoir tracks her coming to terms with a difficult mental illness
updated: Mon Mar 17 2008 07:42:00
CNN's Becky Anderson is at CERN, Geneva, where researchers are trying to unlock the deepest secrets of the galaxies.
The discovery of HIV, a breakthrough in the treatment of bipolar disorder, the advent of the contraceptive pill ... CNN looks at some of the scientific discoveries that changed the world.
Britney Spears's latest hospitalization could finally give her the help she needs – if she's more willing to accept treatment this time around, experts tell PEOPLE.
Britney Spears has "suffered from a psychological disease for years," says a source close to the singer.
Scientists are testing seasickness patches and other surprising options in a challenging search for new ways to treat the crushing depression and uncontrolled mania of bipolar disorder.
A new analysis suggests there's been a huge increase in the number of U.S. children found to have bipolar disorder, but experts question whether the surge is real and say some kids have been mislabeled.
Army soldiers committed suicide last year at the highest rate in 26 years, and more than a quarter did so while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan
The nation's prisons and jails are filled with people who don't belong there, but police from Memphis to Miami are stepping in to set them free
Troy Dayton pops a little white pill every morning. He's one of the 10 million Americans taking a daily antidepressant. But in his case, he says he was never depressed in the first place.
Almost 16 hours after Martha Freeman's husband was strangled and beaten to death in the couple's upscale south Nashville home, she finally reported his death to police.
Antidepressants in the form of a patch, not a pill, will soon line pharmacy shelves.
Dr. Francine Benes has more brains than just about anyone else in the world.
Defense lawyers for NBA star Kobe Bryant said in a court document filed Tuesday the woman who accuses Bryant of raping her suffers from a bipolar disorder, and that her medical and mental health history is vital to the case.
You hate the way you feel. A dark cloud hangs over you, blotting out the sunlight. There's no escape, no hope. You're used to handling stress, but this is different; it's out of your control. Ask a...
Not that long ago, taking herbs and supplements other than a multivitamin was decidedly fringy. By 1999, supplements were a $14.7 billion industry, according to the Nutrition Business Journal, and ...
After studying psychiatry at Harvard in the 1960s, John W. Schott earned a stockbroker's license. Now the psychoanalyst and pioneer in the study of investor psychology is also a part-time portfolio...
The mole has turned.
Warren Buffett, the smartest man on Wall Street and consequently the richest man in America, believes his Berkshire Hathaway stock has become overpriced. Apparently, he feels so strongly about his ...
THE MARCH of science has produced this arresting tidbit: Though most of us are in a blah or foul mood three days out of ten, an annoying 0.5% of the population is in a good mood all the time. And j...
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