Depression Is a Treatable Disease
Life is a roller coaster, full of ups and downs. But if you start to feel like you’re always “down” or you start to have trouble just getting through the day, you may be depressed. More than 17 million people in the U.S. experience an episode of depression each year, twice as many women as men. Fewer than two-thirds of depression sufferers receive the medical help they need, yet in most cases proper treatment can alleviate symptoms of the disease. Yes, depression is a disease. Depression is caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. It is a whole body illness that...
read moreLearning to Recognize Symptoms of Stress
The nagging headache starts at the office. You feel tired. You’re having trouble concentrating. Your productivity starts to suffer, and you begin to wonder if you’re coming down with the flu. By the time you get home you’re ready to tuck yourself into bed. The chills and fever never materialize but your symptoms don’t go away. While persistent headaches, fatigue, frequent forgetfulness and decreased productivity can be signs of illness, stress is often the culprit. Stress can affect your body physically, can impair thoughts and emotions, and can...
read moreStability, Not Marriage, Key to Kids’ Happiness
A new study by an Ohio State University researcher found that it is the stability of the parent and the home, not marital status, that determines whether divorced children will thrive and be happy. The study found that children who grow up with a single mother are as likely to succeed academically and socially as those who grow up in traditional married-couple homes if the parent is emotionally stable and the home environment is stable. Published in the book Marriage and Family: Perspectives and Complexities, the study bolsters support for single-parents, gay couples, children being raised...
read moreHow to Tell When Sadness Becomes Depression
It’s hard not to feel depressed these days. We’re still digging ourselves out of the economic rubble, more soldiers are needed in Afghanistan and fires are raging across California. Then there’s the normal mayhem that parades across our TV screens on the local news every night. Unless these events intrude into our personal lives, however, they affect most of us only superficially. It’s when traumatic experiences become part of our personal daily experience that the risk of depression increases. Unfortunately, the scope of today’s problems is so great that an...
read moreDr. Marks Debuts Self-Help Tools for Better Mental Health
You take responsibility for your physical health. You see your doctor when you don’t feel well or something isn’t right, but there are a lot of things you do for yourself every day to stay healthy. You watch your diet, stock up on fruits and veggies, cut back on salt and fats, and take it easy on dessert. You force yourselves to exercise, stop by the gym regularly, walk the dog, take the stairs, and ride bikes with the kids. It should be the same with your mental health. Just as people sometimes need the help of a medical specialist to deal with heart problems or diabetes or...
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