A win for coffee drinkers: America’s favorite mood-boosting brew may help treat depression by Jason Crosby | Mar 4, 2022 | Depression, Mental Health Topics It’s hard for me to imagine a world in which I don’t wake up, pour beans into a grinder, and wait patiently for that first cup of warm, life-giving goodness to rush through me. Nothing starts the day off quite like that first cup of coffee. And yet I’ve heard…
Companion animals: The best pets for depression by Taylor Bennett | Feb 1, 2022 | Depression, Mental Health Topics We all feel lonely sometimes—say, when we’re drowning in work and too busy to hang with loved ones, or after a tough breakup from a significant other. This loneliness is often discouraging and, for some, loneliness transforms into depression. Sometimes resolving depression isn’t possible by ourselves, especially when our friends…
Is “post-Disney depression” worse than normal vacation withdrawal? by Wistar Murray | Dec 1, 2021 | Depression, Mental Health Topics It’s day 2 after your arrival home from a fun, meaningful, and memorable vacation. You’re back at work and you feel down, almost disassociated from the business around you. Everyday reality feels drained of color and emotion. Unofficial diagnosis: You have the post-vacation blues. But what if you’ve just returned…
Strategies for coping with infertility and infertility depression by Wistar Murray | Oct 19, 2021 | Depression, Mental Health Topics, Postpartum & Pregnancy Even scientific literature has described infertility as “the most upsetting experience” of a person’s life. This seems to be more true for women than men, since their minds and bodies usually bear the greater burden of infertility treatment. It’s pretty clear how culture, biology, and identity can all align to…
Children of depressed parents suffer inadvertent effects—these mental health interventions can help by Jason Crosby | Jul 27, 2021 | Children, Teens, & Adolescents, Depression, Mental Health Topics, Parenting When we think about or discuss mental health topics such as depression, our minds tend to zero in on what the individual with the mental health condition is going through. But what about those closest to them—like their children? As a mental health condition that can leave sufferers feeling distant…
Sports fanaticism and post-game depression: How to comfort a distressed sports fan when their team loses by Wistar Murray | Jul 13, 2021 | Depression, Mental Health Topics Even if you can’t relate to the sports fanatics who paint their teams’ colors on their bellies and go on week-long alcohol benders when their teams lose, you can still identify with the tragedy writ large on 7-year-old Prince George’s babyish features when England lost to Italy in the Euro…
My relationship is triggering panic attacks and depressive thoughts—What do I do? by Rachel Lee-Nigsch, LCSW, MEd | Dec 9, 2020 | Anxiety, Ask a Therapist, Depression, Mental Health Topics Question: I’m having panic attacks and I’m not sure if I can repair my relationship with my boyfriend after he lied to me about having a 1 year old son and I am uncomfortable with his relationship with his child’s mother. I don’t want to break up with him, but…
Am I suffering from lack of discipline or am I exhibiting symptoms of depression? by Heidi Faust, LCSW | Dec 8, 2020 | Depression, Mental Health Topics Q: I’m struggling with discipline across many facets of my life. Lack of discipline in healthy eating, being active, completing my work or tasks at my job, and keeping any sense of routine. Are there activities or methods I can use to stop waiting for motivation and to start building…
US adults in counseling are feeling stressed, fearful, depressed, and hopeless about the presidential election, according to survey of mental health professionals by Taylor Bennett | Oct 20, 2020 | Depression, Mental Health Topics, Research, Stress Fredericksburg, VA. 10/20/2020 — Amid a jarring presidential election and an overall difficult year, US adults in counseling are feeling stressed, fearful, depressed, and/or hopeless about the election. This, according to a survey conducted by Thriveworks Counseling and completed by 275 mental health professionals. Are your clients talking about election-related…
Election depression: Managing feelings of despair and hopelessness during and after the election by Taylor Bennett | Oct 19, 2020 | Depression, Feelings & Emotions, Mental Health Topics Election season is—and always has been—stressful. So stressful, in fact, that Couples Therapist Steven Stosny created the term “election stress disorder,” which describes a state of complete and utter stress caused by the election. Think: Smear campaigns on both sides of the political aisle, nonstop news alerts, social media feuds,…
Strong and silent? Male depression is common but it goes underreported due to social stigma and lack of emotional literacy by Taylor Bennett | Oct 2, 2020 | Depression, Men's Issues, Mental Health Topics According to Mental Health America (MHA), women experience depression about twice as often as men. That said, several studies and surveys have also shown that men are less likely to seek help for things like depression—which might create a false idea that women are more likely to struggle with this mental health problem. The…
Managing fear, anxiety, and postpartum depression together: Tips for new parents by Madison Bambini | Sep 29, 2020 | Anxiety, Depression, Mental Health Topics, Postpartum & Pregnancy, Relationships Becoming a new parent is hard for anyone. There are so many unknowns and new lessons that come along with having a baby: Will they sleep okay? Are they eating enough? What does that cry mean? Is their crib safe enough? What do I do when I go back to…