Depression Archive

Men can encounter episodes of depression and anxiety as they age. Such feelings often stem from life experiences like grief, financial anxiety, health issues, and the loss of independence. While confiding in friends and family can sometimes help, men may benefit more from therapy. A professional therapist can help identify the causes of their emotional problems and create a strategy to resolve them.

In addition to hallmark symptoms such as persistent sadness and apathy, depression can also trigger memory problems. People with depression may lack focus, leading to memory lapses. Depression may also alter brain chemicals that help people sustain attention. Memory problems in depression show up differently than in dementia, making people unable to retrieve long-term memories. Positive memories also fade first in depression because brain areas that process positive or rewarding experiences are disrupted.

Depression may be more common as people age, but new data suggest that the biggest threat to older adults' mental health is their failure to recognize its symptoms and seriousness. Many chalk up depression as a normal part of aging, but addressing it as a real and treatable disease can help older adults seek the help they need and not needlessly suffer.

Gratitude has the power to boost well-being, improve sleep, lessen depression, and help heart health. Now new data from the long-term Nurses' Health Study shows that it may extend lives. How can you jump start a gratitude practice in your life?

If you're struggling with depression, the most important question about taking an antidepressant is whether it will work. But another question on your mind may be whether it will fuel weight gain. A new study provides some context.

A 2024 study suggests that women in perimenopause are significantly more likely to experience depression than either before or after this stage.

The spouses of people who have heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure may face an elevated risk of depression, according to a 2024 study.

A meditation practice may help lower blood pressure and encourage people to make healthier choices when coping with stress. The two best-studied forms are Transcendental Meditation, which may lower blood pressure, and mindfulness-based meditation, which may reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and blood pressure. People can learn how to meditate at in-person or virtual classes or by using an app.

A 2024 study found that people with high blood sugar and high triglycerides are more likely to develop chronic stress, anxiety, or depression later in life, compared with people who have low or normal blood sugar levels.