Tag Archive for: depression

Why I Believe SAD Is Real

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Let’s take a closer look at the study on seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The questions this study raises are two-fold:

  •  Were the research methods used appropriate to answer the question?
  •  Were the conclusions the researchers made warranted?

Without getting too technical, there are several problems. First, all the researchers could do is see if each of the events were correlated—the Depression Survey, the weather and latitude, and the season of the year. That’s all. Correlation does not mean cause and effect. It’s puzzling that experienced researchers would say there . . .

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How SAD Was Measured

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Let’s take a look at the study that concluded SAD was folklore. The researchers used data from the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaire (BRFSS 2006). This is a telephone survey conducted every year in the US. In 2006, over 34,000 people responded to the phone survey. The survey varies from 199 questions for the short version and up to 373 questions for the full survey. The phone numbers are generated at random and reflect the population distribution of the US.

Because the survey is given throughout the year, all areas in the U.S. will be . . .

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Is Seasonal Affective Disorder Real?

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Not according to a recently published study. At least, that’s what the headlines about the study suggested. While not exactly using these words, a group of psychologists said, “We’ve proven that SAD is just a big scam so that pharmaceutical companies can sell more drugs. It has no place in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It’s folklore and should be removed!”

There is a whole lot in those statements, and I’ll break down this study this week to see if what they said is real or not. To me, SAD is real based . . .

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Question Time: Professional Help

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Wrapping up this week on recently asked questions, I saved the most serious question for today. I talked to a number of people who were concerned about themselves, friends, or family members. The simplest way of explaining the questions is to say they or people they knew had medical issues related to nutrition and diet, and the inability to resolve health and eating issues may have contributed to a state of depression and anxiety.

Note that I said “may have.” This is not my area of expertise. I wouldn’t presume that I know enough to be able to say . . .

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Depression: The Next Step

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In today’s message, I’m going to wrap up this week on depression. After Thursday’s message, I thought that the first question would be “What is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)? I’m going to give you the definition according to the National Alliance for Mental Illness:

“Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of treatment that focuses on examining the relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By exploring patterns of thinking that lead to self-destructive actions and the beliefs that direct these thoughts, people with mental illness can modify their patterns of thinking . . .

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Depression: Never Too Late

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Not all depression can be handled the same way the person in Tuesday’s message did. Sometimes depression is a lot more severe. For some, it may require long-term medication; Paula expects to take an antidepressant for the rest of her life. But there are still ways to work with the medication to make it more effective.

Here is the second person’s story:

“I’m 70 and for the first time in 54 years I have just completed a year that has been really depression-free. I’ve suffered from depression since I . . .

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Depression: Your Stories

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The comments from readers and listeners on my special message last week on depression were very positive. What I did not anticipate was how some of you opened your hearts and shared your battles with depression. Today and Thursday, I’m going to share two of those stories, with the permission of the individuals and keeping their identity confidential; I’ve already shared Paula’s story and my mother-in-law’s story. I’m hoping they will inspire you to know you’re not alone and to take the next step in finding out whether you may be suffering . . .

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Special Message: Enough!

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You may have seen the news that actor and comedian Robin Williams reportedly took his own life on Monday. I was on a plane when I heard, and the guy next to me just kept saying over and over, “He was only 63!” That was my seatmate’s age and mine as well. One of the contributing factors was depression. I know it was severe depression and needed to be treated by physicians, but there’s plenty of mild to moderate depression going around.

We don’t know all the details, but I’ve had enough—enough of men, especially baby boomer men, who refuse to acknowledge they might be depressed. They certainly won’t bother to get an actual diagnosis. They walk around fatigued, tired, and unable to accomplish anything. Those are signs of depression? Yes!

I don’t want any more tragedies especially for men in my age group! I want them to become productive again and be able to have the vigor they used to have.

Many people, especially men, don’t want to address depression because they believe there’s a stigma attached. That’s why Paula talks about her battle with depression and urges me to talk about it, too: the more people open up about it, the less effective the stigma becomes.

My mother-in-law spent years living half a life. We always suspected she was depressed, but she refused to take that medication. When she moved into continuing care, she was given an antidepressant along with her other meds, and she came alive—more like the person Paula and Steve remembered from childhood. Her last few years were some of her best. If you suspect you may be depressed, don’t wait until you’re in a nursing home to treat it. I guess the other side of that coin is that it’s never too late to feel better.

Not everyone will need an antidepressant, but that’s getting ahead of the game. I don’t want any more tragedies but even more, I want men and women in my age group—baby boomers—and of all ages to really live every day they’re alive. If you have a friend or family member in trouble, speak up. I know you don’t want to meddle, and neither do I, but meddling is a whole lot better than watching people fritter their life away.

For men only: quit playing games. I always say you can’t walk off a heart attack. Well, you can’t walk off depression without some guidance. So get off it and get after it. Today!

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet