Depression Archive

Cognitive distortions are internal mental filters or biases that fuel anxiety and make us feel bad about ourselves. These filters can cause us to devolve into counterproductive brooding that can worsen depression or anxiety and stall positive lifestyle changes. So how can you recognize and overcome these distortions?

Many conditions of the gastrointestinal tract are easy to diagnose using standard testing. But some such diseases can impact the GI tract without a clear test finding. Disorders of gut-brain interaction are so called because they involve impaired communication between the gut and brain via the nervous system.

For many people, a visit to the doctor causes anxiety, and discussing sensitive subjects like sexual problems, substance use, or mental health issues is even more likely to induce discomfort. But these discussions can be less anxiety-inducing and more productive if people know what to expect.

Some people feel very strongly that their gender is not the one they were assigned at birth. When families, health care providers, and others ignore or deny this, or try to stop the person from living as the gender they feel is right for them, it's not only unkind but dangerous.

Alarming rates of anxiety and depression are affecting children and teens across the US. While calls are made to expand much-needed programs and access to services, there are actions parents can take today to support their children’s mental health.

A large, randomized Harvard study published online Dec. 21, 2021, by JAMA found that taking fish oil supplements didn't prevent depression in otherwise healthy older adults.

Treating insomnia with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-I) may reduce the risk of depression in older adults. CBT-I seeks to modify thoughts and habits to improve sleep. It outperformed a more traditional insomnia treatment, sleep education therapy (SET), which seeks to change environmental factors and behaviors that contribute to poor sleep.

The past two years have been hard and children and teens have had to deal with particularly challenging circumstances. Resilience—the ability to overcome hardship and stress—is one of the most important skills parents can teach their children.

Depression is common among older adults, and insomnia doubles the risk of major depressive disorder. There is increasing evidence that treating insomnia in older people who have both insomnia and major depression has the potential to improve both their sleep and their mood.