Depression + Original Articles

If you are depressed, antidepressants aren’t the only solution. Depression is one of the most common health conditions in the world. It ranges in seriousness from mild, temporary episodes of sadness to severe, persistent depression. Doctors say that for most forms of depression, symptoms improve with psychological counseling, antidepressant medications, or a combination of the two.

Health professionals warn against using tanning beds or booths to relieve seasonal affective disorder symptoms. In the midst of the winter seasonal affective disorder period--generally October to March--you may be tempted to take drastic measures, such as getting UV rays from a tanning bed or booth. Some studies suggest that tanning can improve mood when you're struggling with SAD.

Family ties may boost your risk for depression. Mental disorders or illnesses tend to run in families. Last year a study published in the Journal of Family Psychology revealed another familial connection. People with a sibling suffering from a mental illness or disorder are more have a higher risk of developing depression at some point in their lives.

Shopping to cope with depression may provide temporary relief, while causing long-lasting damage to your health and finances. Few people haven't indulged in a little retail therapy on occasion. However, if you suffer from depression you may be more at risk for compulsive shopping, according to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research Compulsive shopping is becoming a national epidemic, with consequences that range from financial difficulties, to health problems, family conflicts and poor self esteem.

New treatment for depression may be possible based on study that shows how this mood disorder affects areas of brain involved in pleasure. It's common knowledge that depression can cause less enjoyment and interest in previously enjoyed activities. Recently, a study revealed that this mood disorder actually affects the function of certain areas of the brain responsible for enjoyment. In the study published in NeuroReport, researchers observed the brain activity in 16 recently depressed people and 15 healthy people.

Suffering from fibromyalgia? Learn more about the risks of depression and what you can do to protect yourself from this mood disorder. About 30 to 40 percent of people who have fibromyalgia also suffer from depression, according to the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA). The link between the two conditions is not clear, and health professionals believe that depression in fibromyalgia is often poorly treated.

New study marks Wednesday as the most likely day for people to attempt suicide. It wasn't that long ago that Monday was considered the most likely day for people to attempt suicide. Now, a new study suggests that hump day, Wednesday, is the deadliest day for suicides. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), and appears online in the journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.

Stress at work is linked to depression which can increase absenteeism and affect your income. Learn how to recognize the symptoms and how to reduce stress in your workplace. For millions of Americans work stress is an all-too common reality. And it's seemingly getting worse. Technology such as cell phones, emails, and text messaging increasingly causes job stress to spill over into our personal lives. In some cases, this leads to severe illnesses, including depression.

Researchers find more evidence that creativity and mood disorders are linked. Creative types such as Van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway, and John Coltrane are known as much for their genius as for the mood disorders they experienced. Several studies have identified a connection between creativity and mental illness, particularly depression and bipolar disorder, formally referred to as manic depression.

Here's what you can do to stay emotionally healthy during this important period of your life. Women deal with tremendous changes during their 40s and 50s. Kids leave home, their parents become more dependent, and career goals may change.  And then there's menopause. Approximately 75 percent of women experience symptoms in the years leading up to their last period.

A family history may make a person more likely to commit suicide. Find out what increases—and decreases—the risks. Last year nearly eight million Americans considered attempting suicide--many of them young adults. Suicide rates are increasing, and several recent studies have confirmed that there's a family connection. In a Danish study, a family history of suicide more than doubled the likelihood that a person would commit suicide.

Every fall season millions of Americans suffer from seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, a form of major depression. As the long days of summer fade away with the warm weather, many of us start to feel blue. But, that sinking feeling may not be just a normal reaction to the approaching chill of winter - for millions, it's a form of major depression called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.

Study shows that people suffering from depression who have memory problems are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. If you suffer from depression you've probably noticed that your memory isn't as sharp as it used to be. Now, new research conducted at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) indicates that having these two conditions can increase a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Learn more about this important connection. Doctors aren't sure why, but depression is much more common in heart disease patients than in the general population. In fact, people with heart disease run twice the risk of depression, according to a study published in the April 2009 issue of the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics and reported in Science Daily.

New research has made critical correlations between asthmatics and suicide risk. If you suffer from asthma, you know that coping with the condition can be extremely challenging. But can you imagine ending your life as a result of having this condition? While this may sound very extreme, some of the latest research has found that there is a real link between asthma symptoms and suicidal tendencies.

Persistent nightmares and sleep problems when you have depression may make you more prone to thoughts of suicide. A recent study found that frequent nightmares could predict symptoms of suicide in patients seeking emergency psychiatric evaluation. The findings were presented at SLEEP, 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. Sleep disorders such as nightmares are quite common in people who have depression, which is one of the leading risk factors for suicide.

New research shows that a weight loss program improves mood in obese patients with depression. Depression is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness, loss of pleasure or interest in activities, and even thoughts of death or suicide. Some estimates indicate that depression and other mood disorders are more common among people who are obese--affecting about 25 percent of this group.

Study shows that nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke are more at risk for depression. Learn how to avoid secondhand smoke and improve your overall health. You probably already know that secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer, trigger asthma attacks, and increase your risk of allergies, respiratory irritation and infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Now, a study presented at the annual American Psychomatic Meeting shows that smoking can make you more likely to suffer from depression.

Once widely considered an inhumane practice, electric shock therapy finds increasing support as a treatment for depression. Six days after receiving electric shock therapy for depression, renowned writer Ernest Hemingway killed himself. He'd suffered severe memory loss after the treatment. Although mental health professionals are well aware of the severe side effects associated with this electric shock therapy, some regard it as one of the best treatments for severe depression, especially when antidepressants and counseling are not effective.

You have the power to change your attitude for the better. It's not easy to be around people who are downers. But if you're the type who sees the bad in everything, you might be hurting more than just your social life. Several studies have revealed that those who think positive actually live better and longer than those whose glass is perpetually half empty.

Read on to learn more about the role that genes play in depression and what you can do to keep the disease at bay. Having a family history of depression doesn't mean you'll definitely become depressed. And just because everyone in your family is relentlessly upbeat doesn't mean you'll never experience a bout of depression yourself. But people with parents, grandparents, siblings or other blood relatives who've suffered from depression have a higher risk of suffering from the disease.

People aren’t judged for having cancer or multiple sclerosis or any other number of diseases. But depression is a different story. People aren't judged for having cancer or multiple sclerosis or eyesight problems or any number of other diseases and disorders. But hearing that someone suffers from depression may lead others to believe that something is wrong with that person or that he or she is "crazy" or "weak.

Can a few cups of green tea each day actually cure your mental woes? With green tea being mentioned as a panacea for so much of what ails us, from cancer to heart disease, it's no wonder that it's touted in some circles as an antidote to depression. But does this impressive beverage actually have an impact on clinical depression? Can you cure yourself of depression simply by steeping some tea several times a day? Probably not.

A new study suggests that your bedtime may be closely tied to the state of your mental health. Whether you're tucked into bed before the 10 o'clock news or like to putter around until the wee hours of the morning, you probably never thought your nocturnal habits had any connection to your risk of depression. But a new study suggests that your sleep preferences may be closely tied to the state of your mental health.

Here’s what to do if your depression feels like it just won’t go away. Dealing with depression is never easy, but for sufferers of dysthymia, also known as long-term depression, the emotional pain can seem never ending. According to the American Psychiatric Association, dysthymia is depression that lasts most of the time for at least two years.

Can this perennial plant help lift your mood? For more than 2,400 years, the herb St. Johns wort, also known as hypericum perforatum, has been used medicinally. While originally people ingested the plant to treat problems such as arthritis pain, menstrual cramps, and gastrointestinal bugs, in more modern times it's been employed as a depression cure.

How safe is this controversial treatment? And does it really work? Get the facts here. Even before the movie "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was released more than 30 years ago, electroconvulsive therapy-or shock therapy-was falling out of favor as a cure for depression. And once the movie was released, people had a hard time seeing the treatment as anything but cruel and inhumane.

When most of us think of depression, it calls to mind a persistent feeling of gloom and despair, one that doesn't quit no matter what happy events are occurring in a person's life. And while that is the scenario for most depression sufferers, it is by no means the case for all of them.

Coping with a diagnosis of depression could certainly be difficult. Here, tips to get you moving in the right direction. You've just been diagnosed with depression. While it may be a relief to finally have a name for the feelings you've been having, hearing the word "depression" may also conjure up some pretty negative images. Are you crazy? Doomed to feel bad for the rest of your life? The only person who feels this way? What's the next step to take? The first thing to do is remind yourself that you are far from alone.

Did you know that depression is not always solely about life events or brain chemistry gone awry--that a malfunction of your thyroid gland can also cause depression or anxiety? The thyroid, a small gland located in your neck, secretes thyroid hormones that control your energy level and other bodily functions. So it's no surprise that the symptoms of an out-of-whack thyroid glad can mimic those of mental illness. The most common form of thyroid disorder is hypothyroidism.

Your children may find it hard to understand this complex condition. Here, tips to help you answer their questions. It can be hard for children to grasp that depression is a true medical disorder. After all, you're not in the hospital, you're not hooked up to tubes and wires, and no bones are broken. But your children can certainly sense that something is wrong with you, and you may be looking for some way to talk to them about depression--in a way they'll understand.

  There's no doubt about it, having a baby is a life changing experience.  It's exhausting, demanding and requires all the resources a woman can muster.  Add to that the physical and hormonal changes birth causes, challenges of breast feeding, and extreme sleep deprivation and it's no wonder many new mothers get bummed out.

While we often assume that an emotional crisis precipitates a bout of depression, that's not always the case. For a significant number of people, chronic physical pain can bring on depression. Chronic pain is not the same as the pain you may experience after stubbing your toe on the bed frame or banging your arm against the wall. In most cases, an over-the-counter pain reliever can get rid of that problem in a matter of minutes, and the aftereffects last only a few days.

Depression--it’s not all in your head and it does matter. It's understandable that a chronic illness such as Crohn's can make you feel depressed. The occasional blue days are normal and we all experience them from time to time. When depression becomes severe or prolonged, however, it can negatively affect symptoms caused by other existing illness, such as Crohn's disease (see sidebar for symptoms of depression).

See what the studies are saying. Depression is a real illness that causes real suffering. But depression sufferers who are married or in committed relationships don't suffer alone. People living in close quarters are quite sensitized to each other's moods and actions, and when one spouse spends most of his or her time depressed, with the attendant complaining, moping, worrying, criticizing, crying or complete withdrawal, it's not surprising that the other spouse's emotional state will be negatively affected as well.

Learn more about this controversial treatment. Although it sounds like something out of a science-fiction movie, deep-brain stimulation actually is a relatively new treatment for depression and other conditions involving the brain. Performed as part of clinical trials at accredited universities and centers, it is still in the experimental stage and, as such, remains controversial.

It's bad enough that you have asthma, but to make matters worse, do you also have to suffer from a variety of other illnesses? The Link Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your airways, making them more sensitive to a host of triggers that can cause them to become inflamed and make you cough, wheeze and experience chest pain. If you regularly grapple with the discomfort...

Learn about this key connection. If you're at all familiar with depression and its causes, you may have heard talk about serotonin. But what exactly is this substance found inside our bodies? It turns out that serotonin juggles multiple roles. It not only plays a part in depression but helps regulate our sleep patterns, appetites, blood-vessel tone, body temperature, secretion of certain hormones, and our perception of pain.

How can depression lead to suicide? Find out here. Many of us don't think of depression as a life-threatening illness in the same way we do cancer, but it's important to remember that in severe cases, depression can lead to suicide. And suicide cuts across all age, gender, racial and socioeconomic lines.

Learn more about this over-the-counter dietary supplement. S-adenosylmethionine, or SAMe, is an over-the-counter dietary supplement that's a synthetic version of a compound found naturally in the human body. Besides being used to treat osteoarthritis and liver disease, some practitioners have recommended it to treat depression.

Learn how to keep your head up during these frightening economic times. The economy is scary. In the past year our national mood has gone from optimistic to pessimistic. Salaries have been slashed, retirement portfolios have tanked, and many jobs have been lost. Those who still have jobs are often afraid that they will lose them.

Despite magazine covers shouting at us that 40 is the new 30, and that life gets better as we get older, recent research bears out the theory that middle age can be a time of discontent. Does just hearing the words "midlife crisis" conjure up a tired old stereotype? Maybe a forty- or fifty-something man who ditches his family sedan for a flashy sports car and his wife for his young secretary? While this example may be a cliché, there's certainly some truth to the idea that middle age is when we start taking a hard look at ourselves and our satisfaction with our lives.

It's a frustrating fact that the very medications people take to help lift their mood can also create distress by causing sexual difficulties. It's a frustrating fact that the very medications people take to help lift their mood and feel better often create distress by causing sexual difficulties. People who previously enjoyed a satisfying sex life may suddenly experience problems, or sexual problems that were considered minor before now are major ones.

Learn how these two conditions are connected and what you can do combat them. Although researchers aren't entirely sure what causes depression, it's believed that environment plays a role along with genetics. And it stands to reason that in an environment is causing repeated stress, a susceptible person may eventually begin feeling depressed.

Learn what to expect from aromatherapy treatment. Aromatherapy, or the practice of using essential plant oils to improve physical and psychological well-being, is not new. Devotees claim that people have been using plants to heal for thousands of years, before traditional medicine was available. But while essential oils may smell good and feel even better when used on the body during a massage, for example, does aromatherapy as a treatment actually work? The answer depends on what you expect aromatherapy to do for you.

Learn more about the link between the two. If you've been on an antidepressant and you think your clothes are getting tighter, you're not imagining it. Research has shown that many people add pounds when they're on antidepressants. And certain antidepressants, such as a class of medications known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), are more likely to cause weight gain than the newer, more popular selective serotinin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

If you're not getting enough B12 in your diet, your entire well-being may be paying the price. You may pop a vitamin pill (or several vitamin pills) daily to keep your body strong and healthy. But did you know that certain vitamins can also be good for your mental health--and that the lack of them may affect your mood? Vitamin B12 in particular has an important link to depression.

Learn more about caffeine's effect on your state of mind. Caffeine is often thought of as an upper, not a downer. And it's true that the substance, found in large amounts in coffee as well as tea, soda, sports gels and other foods, is a stimulant. People who eat or drink caffeine often experience a perk-up in mood and become more productive.

Find out if you're at risk of heart disease and what you can do to protect yourself. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in America. It kills more people each year than cancer. Depression, an underrecognized and undertreated disease in the medical population, may be contributing to this worrisome public health threat.  Origins of The Idea In 1628 William Harvey, an English physician, defined the circulatory system as we know it and proposed a link between the heart and the mind as it pertains to health.

Learn what steps you can take when it comes to diagnosis and treatment. The National Mental Health Information Center reports that the number of children and families affected by mental, emotional and behavioral disorders is significant, estimating that one in five children has a mental health disorder that is identifiable and treatable.

Find out how more D in your diet can help your mental health. Studies have shown that vitamin D is effective in treating seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD. Additional research is needed to provide a concrete link between vitamin D treatment and improved conditions in other types of depression. That being said, evidence exists that major depression is associated with low vitamin D levels and that depression has increased in the last century as vitamin D levels have fallen.

Learn why having a support system is so vital to your emotional health. When you're feeling depressed, sometimes the last thing you feel like doing is reaching out to other people. But experts agree that regular contact with a supportive network of friends can do wonders for your mental health—and your health in general.

Find out if simply expressing your feelings with a professional can help alleviate depression. For people with depression, sometimes talking it out with a counselor is all that's needed. Being able to express sad feelings to an impartial expert can give relief, and a trained professional can help sufferers pinpoint the roots of their problems and steer them to appropriate solutions.

Some simple lifestyle changes can keep you feeling healthy and happy. While some mood disorders have a genetic or neurological basis (recent research shows a link between depression and changes in the brain's right cortex), others are caused by problems in your environment or difficult life circumstances. Can you change the way you live and prevent depression from occurring? Absolutely.

We've long heard this explanation: but is it true? Anyone who's watched television in the last few years has seen the ads for antidepressants that maintain depression is caused by a chemical imbalance. Take this little pill, they imply, and your brain's hormones will magically rebalance themselves-and you'll feel fine again.

Learn how the environment around you can significantly impact your mood. Can your physical surroundings exacerbate or contribute to depression? Some experts believe they can. While living in a pristine mansion won’t necessarily make a sad person into a happy one, and many poor people seem quite content in small apartments and houses, studies indicate there is a link between how we live and how we feel.

Learn how a furry (or scaly) friend can help lift your spirits. Want to lift yourself out of the doldrums? It may be as simple as finding the right furry (or scaly) friend. Studies have shown that owning or interacting with animals has a host of health benefits, from physical to mental, and that everyone from young children to seniors can benefit.

Some simple exercises can bring about inner peace and tranquility. Many people think of breathing as something that just comes naturally, in order to keep us alive. But did you know that your breathing can change depending on your mood? And that by changing your breathing, you can actually improve your mood? When you’re depressed, your respiration is likely to be very shallow.

Learn how a furry (or scaly) friend can help lift your spirits. Want to lift yourself out of the doldrums? It may be as simple as finding the right furry (or scaly) friend. Studies have shown that owning or interacting with animals has a host of health benefits, from physical to mental, and that everyone from young children to seniors can benefit.

More than 200 million days of work are missed each year due to employee depression. Get the whole story here. Since Americans spend so much of their lives working, it makes sense that depression affects people on the job well as outside of work. In fact, clinical depression is a very costly illness for businesses. According to the organization Mental Health America, more than 200 million days of work are missed each year due to employee depression, mostly by women, not to mention lost productivity at work and the measurable costs of treatment.

Learn how this age-old practice can help ease your symptoms. Did you know that you can ease your depression simply by using your mind? Meditation can help you chase away sadness, hopelessness, and negative thoughts. Originally used to help people better understand the mystical and sacred, in today’s world meditation is often used to reduce stress and restore calm and peace in our lives.

The disease can wear a very different face on men than it does on women. Far from being a “female” condition, depression is something that affects men as well—to the tune of about 6 million a year, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. But men often experience depression very differently than women do.

According to a study conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), people with rheumatoid arthritis are twice as likely to suffer from depression. Rheumatoid arthritis is a degenerative autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation and stiffness of the joint, and in extreme cases disfiguration and joint destruction. One of the main symptoms is chronic pain. Chronic pain is a key risk factor for depression, which affects more than 19 million Americans.

When it comes to treating depression, is there a better option? In a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry a group of individuals suffering from depression was treated with either medication, cognitive therapy or a placebo. Cognitive therapy, as defined by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is an empirically supported treatment that focuses on negative patterns of thinking in an attempt to reprogram the inner message into a more positive one that doesn't deride the patient and drive them into depression.

Depression has been linked to a higher likelihood of cardiovascular disease. Heart disease and depression share a circular relationship: In some cases, heart disease can bring about depression, with an estimated one in six heart-attack sufferers facing clinical depression after the event, which can increase their mortality rate to 17 percent.

Here's what you need to know about this crucial topic. Are you pregnant and feeling confused, afraid, sad, stressed or depressed? According to the American Pregnancy Association, 10 to 20 percent of women will struggle with some symptoms of depression during pregnancy. And of those women, a quarter to half will suffer from severe depression.

A service of The National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health reports that a study has been published suggesting that measuring the levels of hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy may predict whether a woman is likely to develop postpartum depression or not. Hormonal changes during pregnancy increase greatly. In the first 24 hours after childbirth, hormone levels quickly return to normal. These hormonal changes may trigger symptoms of postpartum depression Researchers think the dramatic change in hormone levels may lead to depression.

Is medication necessary, or is talking it out enough? Depressed? Feeling blue or just down right despondent? The good news is that depression, even the most severe cases, is a highly treatable disorder. As with any disease early detection is helpful in increasing the effectiveness of treatment and preventing a recurrence or relapse.

If you’re thinking of moving, these cities might not be the best for your mood. Most depressed, saddest, or worst city in the country-labels that any city hardly covets; however, each year, numerous surveys and studies cast an unwanted spotlight on cities with the worst standards of living. Depending on which data you rely on and the focus of the reporting agency, the cities may vary.

Learn how fitness can have a positive effect on your mind. Although exercise may be the last thing you feel like doing when you're down in the dumps, research shows that it can definitely help. Exactly how exercise boosts your spirits isn't fully known, but there's evidence showing it increases neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate mood.

From causes to treatments, learn more about this common problem. If you've got a "grumpy old man or lady" in your life, he or she may be depressed. According to the Geriatric Mental Health Foundation (GMHF), depression affects 15 percent of Americans seniors. Depression is a serious illness characterized by a combination of symptoms that disrupt normal living.

Some simple lifestyle changes can significantly improve your mood. If you're feeling down, it can be an effort just to get through the day. While major depression generally isn't something you can alleviate on your own, and you should speak to your doctor about any symptoms you're having, some simple lifestyle changes may be enough to banish a mild case of the blues: Exercise.

The nation's costliest conditions rack up a combined tab of more than $500 billion a year. What's the cost of poor health? A lot more than you may think. The nation's 10 most expensive medical conditions cost about $500 billion to treat in 2005, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Although the holidays are supposed to be a time of joy, they can also be a time of stress and depression. Find out how you can avoid the holiday blues. Many of us will attend or host a winter holiday party this season. We have to balance normal work and home demands with special holiday events and shopping for gifts. Festive lights, warm fires, and family gatherings are common during the holidays, but unfortunately so are stress, anxiety, and sometimes, depression.

Learn about the four classes of antidepressants, from their indications and efficacy to possible side effects. If you're among the 17 million Americans suffering from depression, a condition in which prolonged feelings of sadness and hopelessness interfere with the ability to function normally, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the alphabet soup of medications--SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, TCAs, MAOIs--from which to choose.

Feelings of depression are significantly more common in people with chronic back pain. Find out more about how to manage your pain and your emotions. Chronic pain and depression are two of the most common health problems Americans face. What's more, studies have found that these two conditions are often linked, afflicting the same sufferers. Close to 6 million American adults report suffering from back pain, and studies have shown that depression is four times greater in people with chronic back pain than in those without.

When you've been wronged, can you forgive and forget, or do you need to exact revenge? Many of us love good revenge stories--tales in which victims ultimately become victors by wielding vengeance on all who've wronged them. But in real life, retribution isn't always all it's cracked up to be. In fact, according to experts, letting go of revenge fantasies may be one of the best things you can do for your health.

Gain a spouse...and gain weight, too? Learn why tying the knot can contribute to unwanted pounds. You may have heard of the freshman 15-those inevitable pounds college students are likely to gain in their first year. But what about the newlywed 30? In a recent University of North Carolina study, which tracked 1,200 couples over a five-year period, married people gained six to nine pounds more than their single counterparts.

Find out how to control your excessive spending. Americans just love to spend money. The average American has about five credit cards. Our national debt is more than $10 trillion. A political campaign spent a reported $150,000 on a vice presidential candidate's wardrobe. Because of our culture, it can be easy to laugh off or ignore excessive spending habits.

Is your city getting you down? Find out if where you live made our list. Feeling stressed? Overwhelmed? Depressed? Did you ever think that where you live could be making you miserable? According to experts, environmental factors can have a major impact on your mood. And if you live in a dangerous place or a city known for high stress levels, it's possible that your location could be dragging you down, too.

From war to human trafficking, these 10 spots are the most dangerous on the planet. Looking for exotic and exciting getaway? While the ten places on this list certainly meet those criteria, none of them will provide the kind of relaxing reprieve you had in mind. These locations are often war-ravaged and suffer from problems such as government corruption and human trafficking.

We all feel a little bummed from time to time, but could your diet be the cause? Find out here. In our modern American society, anxiety, stress, and depression can play a large role with respect to work, relationships, and money. In fact, 33.9 percent of adults report having poor mental health, according to the Kaiser Family Health Foundation. Many people eat when they're depressed, but few realize that what they eat may be at the cause of their woes.

Some shades are calming, others inspire conversation. Find out how colors can improve your surroundings and your mood. Have you ever wondered why a clear blue sky puts you in a good mood? Or how the off white walls of your office seem to put you to sleep? Studies show that colors have a profound affect on our emotions. Marketing companies and advertisement campaigns have long used color schemes to sway our mood in one direction or another.

A sense of humor and perspective can help you maintain your dignity—even in the most humiliating circumstances. You mistakenly sent a scandalous email about your love life to your entire company. Your mother-in-law accidentally walked in on you in the bathroom. You received an award, then tripped and fell on your way to the podium. Some embarrassing scenarios are unavoidable, while others can be prevented.

Follow these tips to start improving your self-worth. Your confidence not only affects how you see yourself; it also impacts the way in which others view you. Positive self-esteem isn't an overnight acquisition, but there are steps you can take to immediately boost your self-esteem. Get on the right track with these 10 important strategies: Surround yourself with friends.

Skepticism and pessimism can wreak havoc on your health. Here, how to make some important attitude adjustments. We all know someone who is deeply cynical: a friend, a relative, or perhaps even ourselves. A cynic is someone with an attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, who usually doesn't hide their feelings from anyone. In fact, cynics seem to be almost compelled to make others feel negative about their own lives as well.

As it turns out, heartbreak may be more than just a metaphor. You've seen the movies, read the books, and heard the stories of love and loss of people not being able to go on without their significant others. But is there really such a thing as a broken heart? A growing body of research suggests that the emotional trauma of losing someone you love may lay the groundwork for a genuine medical condition.

Bipolar disorder represents not a single disease, but a spectrum of disorders. Learn about the most common forms. Some 10 million Americans are suffering with bipolar disorder. Also known as manic-depression, the disease is characterized by intense periods of elevated mood, or mania, alternating with periods of depression. Sufferers may seem euphoric one minute and despondent the next.

Do you see the glass as half-empty or half-full? Your answer could have major effects on your health. They're like night and day: Optimists manage to maintain a sunny outlook, even in the worst of times; pessimists assume the darkest possible outcomes, even when things are going their way. Which one are you? A growing body of research suggests that your answer could affect not only your attitude, but also your health, success, and longevity.

Nearly 7 percent of Americans suffer from depression, but the disease is often misunderstood. Here, we separate fact from fiction. Persistent feelings of hopelessness, mood disturbances, sleep problems, weight gain or loss these are just some of the symptoms that characterize clinical depression. Also known as major-depressive disorder, the condition affects approximately 14 million Americans each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

The way you view your body can affect your health. Follow these tips for an instant body-image boost. At some point, most of us have wished that we were thinner, more muscular, or better looking. After all, in today's world, we're constantly bombarded with images of celebrities and models. After a while, many people want to be like them or even believe they're happier because of the way they look.

Parkinson's disease doesn't have to keep patients from living full and active lives. Follow these seven tips to help manage your symptoms. Parkinson's patients spend more than $5 billion on treatment each year. Drug treatments have improved so much that doctors are now less likely to recommend surgery to people with Parkinson's. These tips can help you manage your symptoms and maintain an active lifestyle, but it's important to consult with your doctor, too.

See if yours made the list. Are you a daycare worker, caregiver, or full-time waitress? If so, you may be at a higher risk of becoming depressed. A national survey recently examined 21 major occupational categories and found that people who change diapers, tend to the elderly, and wait tables have the highest rates of depression, while the lowest rates occur among engineers, architects, and surveyors.

For many, the holidays are a time to celebrate... For many, the holidays are a time to celebrate with family and friends. But for some, the season can bring on feelings of intense stress and sadness. In fact, an estimated 10 million Americans, or about 6 percent of the U.S. population, experience these feelings in their most extreme form--a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

For millions of Americans, depression is more than just a bout with "the blues"; it's a serious psychiatric disorder. Here, a look at the disease by the numbers. Depression is a mood disorder that causes people to feel sad, anxious, or hopeless for an extended period of time. More than just a temporary bout with "the blues", depression can have a significant impact on people's ability to eat, sleep, work, or socialize.

Get the real story on America's most prevalent mental illness, from symptoms and diagnosis to treatment. Depression has been called the "common cold of mental health"--and is it any wonder? Approximately 18.8 million American adults, or 9.5 percent of the U.S. adult population, suffer from a depressive disorder each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Millions of Americans suffer from irrational or excessive fears. Learn about the five most common phobias. Do you have an irrational or excessive fear of something? If so, you're not alone. According to the American Psychiatric Institute for Research and Education (APIRE), 7.8 percent of U.S. adults suffer from a phobia of some kind. What Is a Phobia? A phobia is defined as an abnormally emotional and physical response to an imagined or irrationally exaggerated fear.

When it comes to bipolar disorder, it can be difficult separating fact from fiction. Here, we debunk the biggest myths surrounding the disease. It's believed that more than 5 million American adults have bipolar disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. But while most people are familiar with the term "bipolar disorder," several myths about the condition still abound. Myth: It's obvious when someone has bipolar disorder, so it's easy to diagnose.

Follow these tips to help reduce the likelihood of a manic episode. One of the best ways to manage bipolar disorder is to prevent manic episodes before they start. Although that's not always doable, it is possible to identify triggers that may lead to mood disturbances. Follow these tips to reduce the likelihood of a manic episode: Stick to a daily routine.

It's common for seniors to experience sadness and grief, but when these feelings are persistent, they may be a sign of depression. Although depression is common among older Americans, experts say it's not just a normal part of the aging process. Whenever feelings of sadness and grief are persistent and interfere with daily activities, they may be signs of major depression--a disease that affects 1 to 5 percent of senior citizens in the mainstream community, the National Institute of Mental Health reports.

Learn how to spot the warning signs--and break the vicious cycle. Controlling spouses, unstable siblings, friends you just can't trust. Does any of this sound familiar? If so, you may be in a toxic relationship--and you're not alone. According to experts, most Americans have struggled with at least one unhealthy social bond by the time they're in their late teens, and sadly, many continue to endure these connections throughout their lives.

It's often said that you can never be too rich or too thin--but can you be too nice? According to a recent University of Iowa study, excessively nice people often feel as if they have no control over their decisions, thoughts, or opinions. As a result, they can become resentful, frustrated, even depressed. Are you too nice for your own good? 10 Telltale Signs That You're Too Nice 1.

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease can be overwhelming. Follow these tips to help deal with the diagnosis and cope with the holidays. Caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer's disease (AD) means that each new day brings a unique set of challenges. Coping with changing levels of ability and new patterns of behavior can become overwhelming at times. Not surprisingly, research has shown that caregivers often are at increased risk for depression and illness, especially if they do not receive adequate support from family, friends, and the community.

An estimated 5.7 million Americans suffer from bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression. Here's one man's story of despair, diagnosis, treatment, and hope. "I'll never forget the day when my doctor put his comforting hand on my shoulder and said the two words that cleared up a lifelong mystery: "Bipolar disorder. "Until then, I simply couldn't figure out why, like an out-of-control roller-coaster, I plunged into a downward spiral from extreme happiness to extreme depression, why I plummeted from such highs to such lows.