Taking antidepressant medication does not mean you will not feel bad. It’s important to have reasonable expectations of how you should feel on an antidepressant medication. Depression medication corrects a chemical imbalance responsible for the typical depressed symptoms. Some of these symptoms include a depressed mood, appetite changes, poor sleep (too much or too little), […]
Depression Twice as Likely to Strike Women
Women are twice as likely as men to suffer major depression, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Analyzing the most recent research on women’s mental health issues, the report, Action Steps for Improving Women’s Mental Health, examines the role gender plans in treating and coping with […]
Women’s Sleep Habits Linked to Mood
When mom doesn’t get enough sleep, the whole family suffers. In women, there’s a definite connection between sleep and mood. Worry, stress and anxiety can interfere with sleep, and sleep problems can increase depression and anxiety symptoms. According to a 2007 National Sleep Foundation study on women’s sleep habits, the relationship between sleep and mood is […]
Two Cookies with Love
My supervisor in residency training gave me a saying that I thought was very descriptive. When you’re a child, if you get two cookies with love, two cookies will always be enough. If you get two cookies without love, no amount of cookies will ever be enough (paraphrased). Of course, the cookies are metaphorical for […]
Why Women Have Trouble Sleeping
Less than half of American women get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis with stay-at-home moms least likely to enjoy adequate pillow time. According to a 2007 National Sleep Foundation (NSF) poll quizzing women about their sleep habits, 67% of American women experience frequent trouble sleeping and 43% report that daytime tiredness interferes […]
What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
A plain English term for this would be a worrywart. This is more than concern about a specific issue such as whether you child will return home from Iraq. People with this disorder tend to worry about most things. There is usually something at the forefront of their minds that they are worried about. If […]