Depression Archive

Find out if your sleeping habits put you at risk—and what to do about it.

Anxiety disorders promote the stress response, which influences the same brain systems that affect cardiovascular functions.

Over time, most people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (a decline in thinking skills) also experience behavioral changes, such as depression and agitation. Which comes first? A study published online by Neurology on Jan. 14, 2015, suggests that psychological and behavioral changes can begin before people develop mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Researchers evaluated the daily functioning, memory and thinking skills, and psychological and behavioral symptoms of about 2,400 people, ages 50 and older, who had no evidence of cognitive decline. The study also suggests that a pattern of depressive symptoms may occur in older adults, unrelated to cognitive decline. The takeaway? "Depressive symptoms can occur in older adults for many reasons. If you are experiencing mood or cognitive changes that last for more than a few weeks, it's a good idea to bring this up with your doctor or consult a mental health specialist to help sort out possible causes," says Dr. Nancy Donovan, an instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. 

Q. I took a low dose of the antidepressant desipramine for more than two years for chronic pain. Once I started physical therapy, my pain improved so much that I quickly tapered off the medication. I have been off of it for a month now, but am still experiencing "discontinuation symptoms." I can't sleep well and feel a little dizzy. What can I do for this?

A. It can be liberating to realize that you no longer need to take a medication. However, sometimes you can't just throw your pills away. There are many medications (both psychoactive and otherwise) that require you to taper off slowly when it's time to stop them. Stopping such a medication too quickly will cause what are called rebound side effects. Desipramine (Norpramin) is a tricyclic antidepressant, one of the drug categories that require a slow taper.

Even if you're not clinically depressed, a little light can counter sleepiness, low energy, and carbohydrate cravings.

The dark nights are longer these days, but they don't have to be dark nights of the soul. Although only 5% to 10% of the population has outright seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—marked by sadness, loss of interest in regular activities, exhaustion, and weight gain—about 25% of people living in the middle and northern regions of the United States get the winter doldrums—milder changes in mood, alertness, energy, and appetite. SAD requires professional treatment, but the winter doldrums can be more easily banished.

You might be surprised to learn that how you feel emotionally can have a big effect on your heart health. In fact, the relationship between depression and heart disease is a two-way street. Not only does depression appear to promote heart disease, but it can also result from a heart attack. And depression can sap your motivation, make it hard to concentrate, and leave you feeling hopeless — all of which can make it much harder to take medications as prescribed and stick to a treatment plan.

Depression is also an important consideration for people with heart failure. For people with heart failure who are also depressed, symptoms are likely to worsen more quickly. One study demonstrated that the rate of death and hospitalizations among depressed individuals with heart failure is much higher than in those who don't show signs of depression. And, while depression is more common in women with heart failure, it appears that depression tends to be more severe in men with heart failure.

Seasonal mood shifts may indicate untreated depression.

In temperate climes, it's not uncommon to feel a downturn in mood as we say goodbye to summer, enjoy the falling leaves, and then reluctantly say hello to winter. In some cases of clinical depression, a man's symptoms may follow a clear seasonal pattern. This is called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and it's a less common subtype of major depression. It can develop in either the fall or the spring.

If your mood droops a bit as the winter holiday season approaches, do you have SAD? Probably not. Research has found that humans, like other members of the animal kingdom, can experience hormonal and other physiological variations in response to changes in the intensity and even the color of light. It usually passes.

Seasonal celebrations can take you to new heights or put you in the dumps. Either way, it's good to prepare psychologically.

There is ample evidence that companionship, connectivity, and overall contentment reduce disease risk and extend life. So does it stand to reason that the approaching holiday season should provide a boost to your health?

Author and migraine sufferer Joan Didion once wrote, "That no one dies of migraine seems, to someone deep into an attack, an ambiguous blessing." At that time, migraines weren't something that could be prevented. Today, that's a possibility for some people who have severe migraines, frequent migraines (more than three or four times a month), or migraines that don't respond well to treatment.

The cornerstone of migraine prevention is managing triggers like stress or certain foods or strong perfumes. Alternative and complementary therapies (like acupuncture) help some migraine sufferers keep headaches at bay.

Irritability, sadness, or apathy may signal another condition.

Everyone has a bad day now and then. But if you or someone you care about seems sadder, more worried, or more easily agitated these days, it could be a sign of a more serious condition. "Mood-related symptoms can come and go in response to everyday stresses. If they occur for long periods, cause significant distress, or interfere with your daily functioning, it's an indication to seek help," says Dr. Nancy Donovan, an instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.