Wait ... hear that? That's our collective sigh marking the fact that the great holiday season of 2011 has finally come to a close.
And while for many of us, that is indeed a relief -- there's no more cooking, no more cleaning, no more forced New Year's revelry -- the post-holiday period can represent a real time of sadness and readjustment, too.
Each of us has our own personal blend of apres-holidays feelings, but there are many issues and emotions that crop up again, and again and again. So we went to a team of experts to ask for some advice on what you can do -- right now -- to help beat those post-holiday blues.
Showing posts with label seasonal depression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seasonal depression. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Monday, December 19, 2011
Dealing with Holiday shopping stress and depression from MSNBC
NEW YORK — Chennel King, a nurse from Norwalk, Conn., went Christmas shopping the other day with a new holiday companion: a budget.
Despite a tough economic situation — her husband was laid off almost a year ago — King didn't want to disappoint her five children. So she still went to a mall in suburban New Jersey, but with a limit of $200 per child.
Plenty of Americans are having to hold back this year as the lure of flashy ads, tempting bargains and family expectations clashes with the realities of the economy. Experts in consumer behavior say that situation can strain the brain.
Despite a tough economic situation — her husband was laid off almost a year ago — King didn't want to disappoint her five children. So she still went to a mall in suburban New Jersey, but with a limit of $200 per child.
Plenty of Americans are having to hold back this year as the lure of flashy ads, tempting bargains and family expectations clashes with the realities of the economy. Experts in consumer behavior say that situation can strain the brain.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Beat the Wintertime Blues from Nurse Together
If you are like me, you’re not a big fan of winter. However, for some people it is a far more serious concern and a real medical condition. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) also referred to as the “wintertime blues” is a type of depression that mainly affects people during the late fall and winter seasons. It is most common in young adult women. According to E-Medicine Health, this condition affects as many as 6% of American Adults with another 10 to 20% experiencing mild symptoms. The exact causes are unknown but it is believed to be related to chemical changes in the brain caused by changes in or lack of sunlight. Experts also suggest that there may be a tendency for SAD to run in families.
Whether you or your patients are affected by SAD or not, spring is still a long way away. The end of January, all of February and even some of March can be a challenging time to stay upbeat, motivated and focused. I did my own unofficial survey, checking with friends, family and colleagues to get their ideas on beating the “winter time blues!” Here are a couple of suggestions – let me know your thoughts and favorites!
Whether you or your patients are affected by SAD or not, spring is still a long way away. The end of January, all of February and even some of March can be a challenging time to stay upbeat, motivated and focused. I did my own unofficial survey, checking with friends, family and colleagues to get their ideas on beating the “winter time blues!” Here are a couple of suggestions – let me know your thoughts and favorites!
Women and depression: Factors that contribute to depression via Yahoo News
Depression is a major health problem in today's troubled world. Thousands of women each day struggle to get up, go to work, and take care of themselves and their children. Antidepressant drugs are prescribed by the thousands each day. What is contributing to the climbing rate of depression in this country?
There have been a number of research studies focused on trying to understand the factors responsible for the increased cases of serious depression. One group of researchers studied 92, 539 postmenopausal women from different income, cultural, and religious backgrounds. They published their findings in the Women's Health Initiative. Another research study conducted by Michel Lucas, Harvard School of Public Health, Nurse's Health Study, followed 49.821 women by questionnaires from 1993 until 2000. These women were depression-free when the research project began. These and other research studies point to several factors that increase the risk for women to develop depression.
There have been a number of research studies focused on trying to understand the factors responsible for the increased cases of serious depression. One group of researchers studied 92, 539 postmenopausal women from different income, cultural, and religious backgrounds. They published their findings in the Women's Health Initiative. Another research study conducted by Michel Lucas, Harvard School of Public Health, Nurse's Health Study, followed 49.821 women by questionnaires from 1993 until 2000. These women were depression-free when the research project began. These and other research studies point to several factors that increase the risk for women to develop depression.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Recognizing Signs of Depression in Our Patients from Nursing Together
In nursing school, we all likely studied mental health/psychiatric nursing, at least to some extent. We also likely did our clinical experiences in patient units specifically devoted to the care of those with mental health issues. We know, however, that we encounter the same kinds of issues no matter what type of patient population we serve. We take care of patients with these diagnoses on Medical-Surgical units, in long term care, in the Emergency Room, etc. In these settings, we may tend to focus more on the physical symptoms, but what about emotional symptoms, specifically depression?
Physical illness causes stress. Patients often feel a loss of control over their bodies, functions, and treatment. They may be experiencing a loss of income or worry about other financial issues. They may feel guilty for burdening their families with not only the financial cost of their illness, but the emotional issues that the family experiences. They grieve for their loss of independence in some cases and are fearful about the future. These factors are true not only in elderly patients, but in other age groups as well.
For the full article please press on the link.
Physical illness causes stress. Patients often feel a loss of control over their bodies, functions, and treatment. They may be experiencing a loss of income or worry about other financial issues. They may feel guilty for burdening their families with not only the financial cost of their illness, but the emotional issues that the family experiences. They grieve for their loss of independence in some cases and are fearful about the future. These factors are true not only in elderly patients, but in other age groups as well.
For the full article please press on the link.
11 Tips for Avoiding Holiday Depression Triggers from Health.com
By Tammy Worth
It's a myth that suicide is more common around the holidays (springtime is actually the peak). But holiday cheer isn't a given either.
High expectations, money woes, and other holiday hazards can spell trouble for anyone, but especially those prone to depression.
With a bit of foresight and planning, however, holidays can leave you feeling up, not down. Follow these tips for a successful holiday.
It's a myth that suicide is more common around the holidays (springtime is actually the peak). But holiday cheer isn't a given either.
High expectations, money woes, and other holiday hazards can spell trouble for anyone, but especially those prone to depression.
With a bit of foresight and planning, however, holidays can leave you feeling up, not down. Follow these tips for a successful holiday.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Why Antidepressants Don’t Work for Treating Depression
HERE’S SOME DEPRESSING RECENT medical news: Antidepressants don’t work. What’s even more depressing is that the pharmaceutical industry and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have deliberately deceived us into believing that they DO work. As a physician, this is frightening to me. Depression is among the most common problems seen in primary-care medicine and soon will be the second leading cause of disability in this country.
The study I’m talking about was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. It found that drug companies selectively publish studies on antidepressants. They have published nearly all the studies that show benefit — but almost none of the studies that show these drugs are ineffective. (1)
That warps our view of antidepressants, leading us to think that they do work. And it has fueled the tremendous growth in the use of psychiatric medications, which are now the second leading class of drugs sold, after cholesterol-lowering drugs.
The problem is even worse than it sounds, because the positive studies hardly showed benefit in the first place. For example, 40 percent of people taking a placebo (sugar pill) got better, while only 60 percent taking the actual drug had improvement in their symptoms. Looking at it another way, 80 percent of people get better with just a placebo.
The study I’m talking about was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. It found that drug companies selectively publish studies on antidepressants. They have published nearly all the studies that show benefit — but almost none of the studies that show these drugs are ineffective. (1)
That warps our view of antidepressants, leading us to think that they do work. And it has fueled the tremendous growth in the use of psychiatric medications, which are now the second leading class of drugs sold, after cholesterol-lowering drugs.
The problem is even worse than it sounds, because the positive studies hardly showed benefit in the first place. For example, 40 percent of people taking a placebo (sugar pill) got better, while only 60 percent taking the actual drug had improvement in their symptoms. Looking at it another way, 80 percent of people get better with just a placebo.
Depression - Trends In Health Care Spending And Quality Of Care
An investigation in the December issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals reveals that over one decade, costs for Medicaid-enrolled patients suffering from depression has significantly increased, although only slight improvements have been noted in quality of care.
The investigators explain:
The investigators explain:
Monday, November 21, 2011
Dark days? Bright ideas for coping with winter From MSNBC
Does winter get you down? Plenty of people suffer mood changes ranging from mild "winter doldrums" to full-blown seasonal affective disorder (aptly acronymed SAD), all due to the decrease in daylight that occurs in fall and winter and the hormonal changes that coincide with it.
"SAD is a serious condition, a subtype of major depressive disorder in which life can be severely compromised by fatigue, low mood, anxiety, reduced sex drive, and more," says psychologist and SAD specialist Michael Terman, PhD, director of the Center for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms at New York's Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. "But SAD is really just the tip of the iceberg," he adds. Far more of us experience similar but less intense symptoms, becoming just short of clinically depressed. And that's just, well, sad.
"SAD is a serious condition, a subtype of major depressive disorder in which life can be severely compromised by fatigue, low mood, anxiety, reduced sex drive, and more," says psychologist and SAD specialist Michael Terman, PhD, director of the Center for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms at New York's Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. "But SAD is really just the tip of the iceberg," he adds. Far more of us experience similar but less intense symptoms, becoming just short of clinically depressed. And that's just, well, sad.
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