depression news stories on Newser

Kennedys Reveal Depths of Mary's Depression

Rob Quinn — Fri, 18 May 2012 04:49:05 CDT

Friends and relatives of Mary Kennedy have opened up about the depression she struggled with for many years. They describe Kennedy, who hanged herself at her Westchester home this week , as a friendly, generous woman, but one who was fighting a tough battle against depression, and who had spoken of...

The APA Must Not 'Pathologize Grief'

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:32:54 CDT

Jerry Adler lost his son, Max, in 2008 and he still feels “intense sorrow and emotional pain,” not to mention “intense anger,” over the loss at least once per day—which means the American Psychiatric Association could soon label him as suffering from an “adjustment disorder.” The APA is revising...

First-Ever Jail Opens Just for Veterans

Neal Colgrass — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:03:05 CDT

In one Georgia county jail, military veterans will receive a special kind of treatment. The sheriff of Muscogee County says he's opening the first-ever jail dorm exclusively for veterans, where programs are designed to keep them from breaking the law once they're out, Fox News reports. "When they transition back...

Depression: It's in Your Blood, Can Be Tested

Kevin Spak — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:32:05 CDT

Soon, you may not have to sit down with a therapist to know if you have depression. A team of researchers has developed a blood test that can identify the markers of major depressive disorder in teens, they say in a study published yesterday in Translational Psychiatry . The researchers focused...

Bank Robber Leaves a Tip

Kevin Spak — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:40:05 CDT

If you're going to go off your meds and become a bank robber, you might as well be polite about it. That's what Texas firefighter Jesus Ventura did this week. According to a federal complaint, Ventura, 37, walked into a Chase Bank on April 10, asked where the bathroom was,...

Sleep Apnea Tied to Depression

Matt Cantor — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:44:05 CDT

Sufferers of sleep apnea—a disorder that causes difficulty breathing while asleep—may face a mental health risk. A new CDC study associates the sleep disorder with depression, ABC News reports. In a study involving almost 10,000 adults, researchers saw higher rates of depression among those who reported breathing...

Mushrooms May Light Way to Depression Treatment

Mary Papenfuss — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:00:05 CST

Far out. Hallucinogenic mushrooms' effect on the human brain may provide valuable clues for scientists seeking treatments for depression. Two studies into the effects of psilocybin, the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms," reveal that it suppresses activity in the same areas of the brain dampened by anti-depressant treatments, reports Reuters...

Grieving? You May Soon Qualify as 'Depressed'

John Johnson — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:45:51 CST

Doctors are considering what would be a controversial change to the definition of depression, reports the New York Times . For the first time, the official criteria to determine who gets diagnosed would include grief. Doctors who oppose the move say grief after the death of a loved is a perfectly...

Tips to Beat Daylight Saving Blues...

Mark Russell — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:26:05 CST

The increasingly short and dark days of winter can make many people feel depressed this time of year, and Daylight Saving Time only makes things worse. So to help people out, Time offers eight tips to keep your spirits up: Socializing and exercising. OK, not exactly what you crave when...