People with sleep apnea, a breathing disorder that causes frequent sleep disturbances, often feel tired and unfocused during the day. But that may not be the only fallout: New research suggests the disorder also dramatically increases the risk of depression.
updated: Fri Mar 30 2012 07:26:00
A study from Harvard University shows coffee may help reduce depression over the long term, especially for women.
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 am starting to think that there are no answers to the issues most worth writing about, at least in psychiatry.
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?
I just read something on the Internet that omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent depression. Is there any truth to this?
I recently had my first baby and just learned I have OCD. My doctor put me on a very low dose of antidepressant and my symptoms are much better. I am breast-feeding my son and don't want to use formula but am worried about side effects. What problems should I look for?
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?
A few cups of coffee a day may help keep the blues at bay. According to a large new study, women who drink caffeinated coffee are less likely to become depressed -- and the more they drink, the more their risk of depression goes down.
People with depression are more likely to have a stroke than their mentally healthy peers, and their strokes are more likely to be fatal, according to a new analysis published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Can a 9- or 10-year-old get a true diagnosis of bipolar disorder?
Is it dangerous to be on an antidepressant for several years?
updated: Wed Jul 06 2011 09:22:00
A new study suggests environmental factors may play a larger role in triggering autism than was previously thought.
Children whose mothers take Zoloft, Prozac, or similar antidepressants during pregnancy are twice as likely as other children to have a diagnosis of autism or a related disorder, according to a small new study, the first to examine the relationship between antidepressants and autism risk.
I am a college student, recently diagnosed with depression, and am taking steps to figure out if I have ADHD because of a tremendous inability to focus and retain information. It is almost like, when I'm trying to focus on something someone says, it slips right through me like water. I am curious to know what prospects I have of gaining my cognitive abilities back if I start taking Lexapro or other antidepressants. If these are going to impair my ability to concentrate and focus even more, then I am not sure how to weigh the cost-benefits of taking them, because I am in school. In short, are antidepressants more helpful or hurtful to my cognitive functions? Can I look forward to reversing the concentration and memory retention problems I am currently undergoing?
What is the best and safest way to wean yourself off of an antidepressant drug such as Zoloft?
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.
I am a 21-year-old female set to graduate from college in May. I have been taking antidepressants since roughly my senior year of high school, so approximately four or five years. I have been on Xanax, Cymbalta, Effexor, Paxil and Wellbutrin. I am currently taking only the Paxil and Wellbutrin together (in conjunction with birth control pills, which I have been on since my freshman year of college). I just read your answer about the effectiveness and safety of taking antidepressants long term, and my question is this: Since I am fairly young, and may be taking antidepressants for several years, how do I transition when I marry and decide to have children? I know that Paxil can result in serious birth defects, but it is working very well for me. What would I do instead?
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.
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.
I am a 26-year-old female. I have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, PTSD, and anxiety. The doctor gave me samples of a transdermal patch called Emsam. What can you tell me about the medicine and possible side effects?
The antidepressant Lexapro (escitalopram) may reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes, the bouts of sweating and overheating that are an uncomfortable fact of life for many menopausal women, a new government-funded study suggests.
updated: Mon Jan 03 2011 10:42:00
"Ask the Doc" explores seasonal affective disorder and finds that many artists,poets and composers have the disorder.
By 10 a.m. every day during the winters, Rachelle Strauss felt like she could go back to bed. She used to be a morning person, but that all changed about 10 years ago when she started to feel exhausted as the darkest days dragged on.
I have been on antidepressants for many years and have taken almost every kind of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. One side effect I developed is temporomandibular joint disease symptoms and tinnitus. I also recently have been diagnosed with attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder. All of these medications aggravate my TMJ. The only medication that has helped me in the past is Valium. I am now taking clonazepam with less effectiveness. How common are TMJ symptoms and tinnitus with both of these medications? Any suggestions on how can I get relief for my jaw pain and ringing in my ears?
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 daughter started taking Zoloft for anxiety two weeks ago and since then, she has gone from talking to me every day to not speaking to me for days. We were very close, and now she gives me the cold shoulder. Her response is she doesn't want to talk and she is depressed. She has more or less cut herself off from her family. Is this a side effect?
Diabetes and depression often occur together, but it's always been a chicken-or-egg scenario. Does diabetes make people depressed or are depressed people more likely to develop diabetes? Now a large new study suggests it's both.
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.
Young children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are roughly four times more likely than their peers to become depressed or attempt suicide in later childhood, a new study suggests.
At some point, they were happy; they had moments of joy. And then, one molecule at a time, the happiness went away.
I have been taking 10 mg of Paxil for nine years. I would like to get off of it but have heard of the many side effects associated with stopping it. Brain "buzzes" and various other frightening possibilities.
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.
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.
Why do antidepressants cause weight gain?
My daughter Rachel is sitting silently ten feet away from me, stroking our cat. It's a hot summer day and nearby her siblings are all splashing in our new pool. Why isn't my 11-year-old with them?
Can you suggest alternatives for depression sufferers who have experienced serotonin syndrome? I've suffered from dysthymia and major depressive episodes for my entire life. Until recently, I controlled my depression through strenuous exercise, but returning to graduate school forced me to try antidepressants for the first time. After having adverse reactions to five different SSRIs, I was recently diagnosed with serotonin syndrome. Most of the information I've found talks about treating the syndrome itself but says nothing about what to do next.
updated: Mon Jun 21 2010 09:26:00
Michele Madonna Lindsey, a bipolar manic depressive, discusses what it takes to cope with the mental illness.
I've received medical treatment for depression for approximately 10 years. Recently, single therapies haven't done the trick, so my doctor augmented my antidepressant with Abilify. Due to side effects, I went off that, and he prescribed lithium. I always associated lithium with bipolar disorder, which I don't have. Is lithium an approved therapy to augment an antidepressant? What other add-on therapies are possible?
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?
Matthew and his wife were excited about the birth of their daughter in January 2008, and the proud father took a month off of work to spend time with his spouse and child.
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.
updated: Fri May 14 2010 10:43:00
Chris Loo shares an iReport of her experience with postpartum depression.
Nine years ago, Chris Loo thought about putting her newborn daughter, Becky, in a basket on the steps of a church down the street from her home, and leaving her there.
Two years ago, in perhaps the hardest decision of his life, an Oklahoma charter jet pilot stopped flying because he was suffering from depression. Embarrassed, he kept the reasons for leaving his career hidden from all but his closest confidants.
updated: Fri Apr 16 2010 12:41:00
The FAA is changing its policy to allow pilots using anti-depressants to fly again. CNN's Jeanne Meserve reports.
updated: Fri Apr 02 2010 12:00:00
The FAA's Randy Babbitt says the agency is dropping its ban on pilots using Prozac and three other anti-depressants.
What are the effects on your of health using antidepressants for 20 or so years?
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?
updated: Thu Jan 07 2010 10:01:00
A new study says that antidepressants may not have a big effect on people with mild depression. Bill Tucker reports.
For people with milder cases of depression, fake pills may be just as effective as antidepressant drugs, a new study suggests.
People who take antidepressants such as Paxil often say they feel less stressed and more outgoing, lively, and confident. Now a new study suggests it's not just because they're less depressed.
It is known that people who have had a depressive episode have a high chance of experiencing a second depressive episode. It seems that people are more "sensitive" to stress/life events (kindling hypothesis). What options are available for people who had a depressive episode in the past, to avoid having a recurrence or at least lower the chances of a recurrence in the future?
Robert Enke, the goalkeeper for the German national football team who killed himself on Tuesday, was suffering from depression, his widow has revealed.
Shortly before last Mother's Day, 28-year-old Lauren Meehan-Machos broke down in front of her startled husband. "This is more than I can handle," she sobbed.
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?
More than one in 10 women develops depression during pregnancy. Now, a new study suggests that women who are treated with antidepressants are more likely to give birth early or to have newborns that need to spend time in a neonatal intensive care unit.
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?
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?
I have a 4-month-old baby. I am going through postpartum depression with a lot of anxiety and panic attacks. I went through postpartum depression with my first baby eight years ago but at that time I didn't have anxiety and I didn't take any medication. And I started getting better after 3½ months itself. But now it's been three months that I am going through this. I have been taking medications (Paxil 20 mg, Buspar 10 mg) and getting counseling but it's not helping much. I still don't feel myself and am having unwanted thoughts. How long does postpartum depression last? Is this temporary? Will this anxiety and depression ever go away? Should I stop the medications and try it on my own? Does exercise help to get out of the depression? Will I ever be normal like I was before?
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?
Insomnia, the inability to fall or stay asleep, can make the days feel fuzzy and the nights never-ending.
When Holly Betten, 28, came home from the hospital after a rough delivery, she had one day to adjust to her new life as a mom before her husband went back to working 12-hour days as a computer-software architect.
If you're feeling down, it can be hard to tell if you're experiencing a temporary case of the blues or a serious depression. Now a group of researchers say there's a relatively easy way to figure out whether some young adults are at greater risk of psychiatric problems or drug abuse -- just ask about their family.
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?
Douglas Cootey is replacing his lightbulbs with brighter ones, but not just to see better. The new broad spectrum lights simulate sunlight, and might help enliven his mood in the gloomy winter months.
The works of David Foster Wallace, who committed suicide September 12, are famous for their obsessively observed detail and emotional nuance.
I suffered a career-ending injury in the past and now have further health issues related to that incident. How do you keep from going into a deep depression when you lost your job, have undergone 12 surgical procedures and almost three years of rehab since 2002? I have battled depression, lack of self-worth and confidence.
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
All antidepressant drugs are not created equal, according to the authors of one of the few studies that have ever systematically analyzed and compared "new generation" medicines for treating depression.
Is it OK to take antidepressants while pregnant?
I am 29 and have been suffering from depression for more than 10 years. It started with losing my virginity in an unpleasant situation, and continues through my mother's battles with severe depression, alcoholism and drug abuse. I have also lost two grandparents to slow, declining dementia. I have tried talk therapy but didn't find it to be very useful. I walk 20 miles a week, try to eat well and maintain social relationships.
Has Cymbalta antidepressant caused any aggression problems such as those alleged for Prozac?
Long-term outcome research indicates that deep brain stimulation holds promise for the treatment of intractable major depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, a frequent companion illness. The technique targets a specific node in the cerebral cortex. When that one region is stimulated, the effects spread throughout the frontal lobe of the brain.
I've been on different depression meds. They make me feel loopy. I have disscussed it with my doctor. He says that it's something that I must live with. Now I'm off all meds and feel great but I can feel the symptoms coming back. What could I do without having to go back on the meds? I just don't like the loopiness.
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?
I have been taking Zoloft for a few years now and it does not seem to work as well these days, even with a dosage increase. My question is: Can you become immune to antidepressants after a while?
Depressed moms-to-be are more likely than nondepressed women to have a preterm birth, and the worse their mood, the greater their risk, says a new study published in Human Reproduction. In fact, women in the study who were severely depressed during early pregnancy more than doubled their risk of giving birth to premature babies.
updated: Mon Oct 13 2008 12:53:00
Experts say many new dads suffer from a form of postpartum depression as CNN's Judy Fortin reports.
Rob Sandler comforted his infant son as he lifted him out of the crib, cooing in his ear while he walked to the living room.
© 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|