In the previous post, I briefly discussed how mindfulness involves being nonjudgmental. In a manner of speaking, this is impossible. We are constantly making judgements: What do I want to eat? What do I want to wear? What TV show do I want to watch? Which friend do I want to try to hang out …Read More
Ways to Battle the Holiday Blues
Dec 18, 2010
The holidays are a difficult time for many people. Many people struggle with depression, stress, loneliness, and feelings of resentment during the holidays. If you are one of those people, you are not alone, and there are things you can do to help yourself feel better. Here are five ways that can help lift your …Read More
Revisiting the “The Catcher in the Rye”
Jul 17, 2010
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is one of my favorite books of all time. I read it my junior year of high school and loved it immediately, which I can’t say for many of the other books which I was required to read (yes, I’m talking to you Silas Marner). If you …Read More
Do Supplements Help Relieve Depression?
Jun 15, 2010
I ran into the great article on CNN’s website “Supplements for Depression: What Works & What Doesn’t” by Ray Hainer of Health.com. Long ago…well, September 19, 2006 to be exact, I blogged about whether supplements work for depression and anxiety. While I didn’t go into specific details of which supplements have the greatest research evidence …Read More
Depression and Chronic Pain
Apr 29, 2010
Depression and body aches or pain often go together. Depression is actually one of the most common psychological issues that people with chronic pain must endure. While some people have a painful medical condition that eventually brings their mood down, others experience feelings of depression that may create bodily pain. Either way, depression and chronic …Read More
Winter Blues?
Feb 23, 2010
Do you ever notice that your mood changes with the weather? Many people say that the weather can either bring them down or pick up their mood. While these fluctuations are completely normal, some people become clinically depressed or anxious depending on the weather. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs …Read More
Internet Addiction & Depression
Feb 13, 2010
As cited in a recent Reuters news article on MSNBC, a study by British scientists published in the journal Psychopathology found that people who spend a lot of time on the Internet are more depressed than those who don’t. In this study, the researches analyzed the Internet use of 1,319 Britons between the ages of …Read More
Health Benefits of Fish Oil
Feb 8, 2010
Studies have shown that omega-3 essential fatty acids as found in fish oil have many health benefits. Fish oil has been shown to help improve heart health, alleviate pain and inflammation, suppress autoimmune disorders, and lower the risk of cancer. These omega-3’s also have been shown to improve mental health. Regular fish oil consumption may …Read More
Depression and the Economy
Jan 31, 2010
Major depression affects approximately 15 million American adults each year. The current economic crisis may contribute to this statistic and may actually increase the amount of people struggling with depression. A recent national survey by Mental Health America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and Depression is Real Coalition have found that people who are …Read More
Is Diet Related to Depression?
Jan 18, 2010
Many studies have shown that our diet affects physical health such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, up until recently, researchers haven’t explored the effects of diet on our mental health. A recent study that was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that diet is in fact associated with mental health. This study …Read More