Treatments are Available for the So-called Winter Blues

• Depression, Patients and Families

As we move toward winter with shorter daylight hours and falling temperatures, many people begin to feel the cloud of seasonal depression. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that occurs seasonally, typically in the winter months. SAD is not just the winter blues – SAD is a subtype of major depressive disorder. It can also occur during summer, but it is much less common that time of year.

Are there Mental Health Benefits to Being a Morning Person?

• Depression, Patients and Families, Serious mental illness, Sleep Disorders

Many of us identify ourselves as either a morning person or a night owl, and these preferences are at least partly the result of our genes. New research finds associations between the timing of your sleep/wake preferences and your mental health.The study from researchers at the University of Exeter and Massachusetts General Hospital suggests that being genetically programmed to rise early may lead to greater well-being and a lower risk of depression and schizophrenia.

Social Connections Key to Maintaining Mental Well-being

• Depression, Patients and Families

Positive social connections have consistently been shown to support mental health and well-being. New research finds that social support is also key to coping with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has upended life for most of us, and the uncertainty, economic strain and isolation have left many struggling with stress, anxiety or depression.

September Issues of APA Journals Cover Depression Risk Factors and Treatments, Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Treatments and the Evidence for School-Based Services

The latest issues of two American Psychiatric Association journals, The American Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Services, are now available online. The September issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry brings together research on depression, both therapeutic insights and contributing risk factors, and an overview and look at the promise of noninvasive brain stimulation.

Infertility: The Impact of Stress and Mental Health

• Anxiety, Depression, Patients and Families, Women

Infertility, though often not talked about, is common. An estimated one in eight couples (or 12% of married women) have trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy. There are a range of complex connections between mental health and infertility.

New Review Study: Neuromodulation Advances Offer Promise for Treating Depression

A new review study looking at the current state of neuromodulation therapies being used to treat depression, including rTMS, ECT and others, is available online today in the December issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry.

Parental Leave Brings Mental Health Benefits, Especially for Mothers

• New research, Patients and Families, Women

Along with all the excitement and anticipation, becoming a new parent comes with a great deal of change and potential stress, such as the challenges of childrearing, financial pressure and career uncertainties. This elevated stress can contribute to mental health problems, including peripartum depression. New research published in the Lancet finds that access to employer-provided parental leave may help protect mothers’ mental health in the months after childbirth.

The Mental Health Benefits of Simple Acts of Kindness

• Healthy living for mental well-being, Patients and Families

There are many reasons acts of kindness are good for the giver and the receiver. New research looks at the mental health benefits, finding that performing acts of kindness may help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.(1) “Acts of kindness” refer to benevolent and helpful actions intentionally directed towards another person, motivated by the desire to help another and not to gain reward or to avoid punishment

New Research Highlights the Expanding and Valuable Role Telepsychiatry is Playing in Improving Mental Health Care

Two studies released today in the journal Psychiatric Services add to the growing evidence of telepsychiatry’s contribution to improved mental health care. One study examined the use of telepsychiatry in emergency departments nationwide and a second looked at the use of telepsychiatry to improve screening, diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy-related depression.

Personal Perspectives on Major Depressive Disorder, Part 1

These podcasts include the real-life experiences of people with mental illness and family members. Some of the content includes discussions of topics such as suicide attempts and may be triggering.

March Issues of American Psychiatric Association Journals Cover Advances in Depression Treatment, Suicide Risk Screening, and Mental Health Help Seeking Among Indigenous Populations

The March issues of two of the American Psychiatric Association’s journals, The American Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Services are now available online.

Women, Disasters and Resilience

• Depression, Trauma, Women

Do women experience disasters, including planning, preparedness, response and recovery, differently than men? That is the question examined in a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The report looks at the long-held notion in disaster behavioral health research that "women are more vulnerable to adverse mental health consequences of disaster than are men."