depression

These PET scans show the normal distribution of opioid receptors in the human brain. A new study suggests ketamine may activate these receptors, raising concern it could be addictive.

Ketamine, A Promising Depression Treatment, Seems To Act Like An Opioid

9:11pm August 29, 2018

by Jon Hamilton

A Stanford research team finds that ketamine's ability to quickly relieve depression may depend on activating the brain's opioid system. The finding raises new questions about the drug's safety.

The recommendations say physicians should look for these risk factors: "a history of depression, current depressive symptoms (like persisting hopelessness, lack of sleep, etc.) or certain socioeconomic risk factors," such as being low-income, very young,

Panel: Doctors Should Focus On Preventing Depression In Pregnant Women, New Moms

4:27pm August 28, 2018

by Rhitu Chatterjee

Physicians are urged to identify which pregnant women and new mothers are at high risk of depression and refer them to talk therapy before they show worsening symptoms.

Girard Children's Community Garden in Washington, D.C. was created on a vacant lot and is now a thriving community space for neighborhood kids, many of whom are from low-income communities of color.

Replacing Vacant Lots With Green Spaces Can Ease Depression In Urban Communities

7:44pm July 20, 2018

by Rhitu Chatterjee

When researchers cleaned up vacant lots and planted grass and trees in poor neighborhoods in Philadelphia, residents' mental health improved.

Health & Safety

Opening Up About Depression And Suicide Could Help Someone Else On The Brink

8:02am June 17, 2018

by Joelle Hann

With suicide in the news, a writer finds the courage to share the story of her own worst night — and what got her through.

Helping those who are suffering know they are not alone is one step toward suicide prevention, researchers say.

U.S. Suicide Rates Are Rising Faster Among Women Than Men

2:38pm June 14, 2018

by Rhitu Chatterjee

You can help prevent suicide, researchers say, by knowing the signs and reaching out. More boys and men in the U.S. take their own lives than women and girls, but that difference has narrowed.

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Americans are increasingly taking multiple drugs. And depression is a potential side effect of many of them.

1 In 3 Adults In The U.S. Takes Medications Linked To Depression

10:01am June 13, 2018

by Allison Aubrey

Depression is a possible side effect of 200 medications. Now, a new study finds people who take these drugs are, in fact, more likely to be depressed. The more drugs you take, the higher the risk.

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The Perils Of Pushing Kids Too Hard, And How Parents Can Learn To Back Off

5:00pm June 11, 2018

Part of a parent's job is to help kids do their best, but pushing too hard can backfire. Research shows kids in high-achieving communities are at higher risk of anxiety, depression and substance use.

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An average of 13,776 inmates in 45 California counties were on psychotropic medications in 2016-2017, a recent report found. That is up from 10,999 five years ago.

Big Jump Seen In Number Of Inmates Prescribed Psychiatric Drugs In California

4:16pm May 04, 2018

by Anna Gorman

Amid a severe shortage of psychiatric beds and community-based treatment throughout the state and nation, county jails have become repositories for people in the throes of acute mental health crises.

Wendy Root Askew with her husband Dominick Askew and their son. When the little boy (now 6) was born, Root Askew struggled with postpartum depression. She likes California's bill, she says, because it goes beyond mandatory screening; it would also require

Lawmakers Weigh Pros And Cons Of Mandatory Screening For Postpartum Depression

7:38am March 19, 2018

by April Dembosky

California's legislature will soon take up a bill requiring doctors to screen new mothers. Many doctors oppose the idea, and similar laws elsewhere haven't increased the number of moms treated.

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It's easy to mistake adolescent depression for something else, child psychiatrists say; the signs can include misbehavior, eating problems or sleep trouble.

Pediatricians Call For Universal Depression Screening For Teens

5:11pm February 26, 2018

by Allison Aubrey

The nation's leading group of pediatricians has updated its guidelines for tackling teen mental health issues. One recommendation: Annual depression screening for all adolescents 12 and older.

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