Psych Basics

Depression
Dysthymia, Mood Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder

Some 15 million Americans struggle with depression—an illness that comes in many forms—from major depression and seasonal affective disorder, to dysthymia and bipolar disorder. While some people are flat-out dysfunctional, others thrive in spite of it. Here, we show how they try to tame the beast within.

Signs and Symptoms

Self-Knowledge Each Day

Learning to Debrief Yourself

by Robert Wicks in The Resilient Life

The Therapeutic Power of Sleep

Sleep is a highly underrated activity!

by Dr. Stephen A. Diamond, Ph.D. in Evil Deeds

The Rumination Rut

Women are more likely to ruminate obsessively.

by Ellen McGrath

Bipolar Imperialism or Freedom?

Who are the imperialists in psychiatry?

by Dr. Nassir Ghaemi in Mood Swings

See Also

Shades of Depression

Hiding Cracks

Why it's hard to forget Depression lurks.

by Anthea Rowan in Living Around the Blues

Good Morning, Heartache

How to make joy out of despair.

by Kathleen McGowan

The Season of SADness?

Seasonal Affective Disorder and the light at the end of the tunnel.

by Hara Estroff Marano

Sad Mom, Sad Baby

Battling the baby blues.

by Lacey Beckmann

Ballooning Depression Among Women

The Shriver Report's woman's nation may be a depressed one

by Stanton Peele in Addiction in Society

See Also

Treatment and Therapy

Antidepressants Are Still Neck and Neck

Lexapro and zoloft only seem different.

by Dr. Nassir Ghaemi in Mood Swings

Is Depression Contagious? How I Caught It, and Cured It

How I “caught” and cured my depression: An MD’s story

by Susan Biali, M.D. in Prescriptions for Life

Small Comforts for Depression

Finding small comforts for depression.

by Martha Manning in Living With Depression

Change Your Posture

Change your mind and mood.

by Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D. in The Science of Willpower

Chicken and Egg

Does depression cause brain change, or does brain change cause depression?

by Peter D. Kramer in In Practice

To Treat or Not to Treat: The Debate Over Residual Symptoms of Depression

How vigorously should we treat mood disorder?

by Peter D. Kramer in In Practice

Does God Have a Place in Psychiatric Treatment Plans?

One's identity is unraveled by psychiatric diagnosis and often, so too is faith.

by Victoria Maxwell in Crazy for Life

Prevention Works, If Only We’d Let it

Therapy's blind spot?

by Michael D. Yapko, Ph.D. in The Social Side of Depression

See Also

Anxiety and Depression

One and the Same: Anxiety and Depression

Genetic commonalities between the two conditions.

by Hara Estroff Marano

How Big a Problem is Anxiety?

In any given year about 17% of us will have an anxiety disorder.

by Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D. in Anxiety Files

Antidepressants and Suicide: WHO Scientists Weigh In

Antidepressants and suicide: What we don't know harms children.

by Peter D. Kramer in In Practice

See Also

Seasonal Affective Disorder

How Seasonal Are You?

Assessing and treating seasonality.

by Norman Rosenthal, M.D. in Your Mind, Your Body

On the Bright Side, Again

Bright lights for depression: they may help, or they may simply feel good

by Peter D. Kramer in In Practice

Here Comes the Sun

Lack of light can make you SAD.

by Camille Chatterjee

The SAD Artist

Winter blues can cast a shadow on creativity.

by Cary Barbor

See Also

Depression Tests

Depression

Are you suffering from depression?
Bipolar Depression Quiz

Are your emotional highs and lows normal?
Coping Skills

How well do you react to rough times?
Anxiety

Do stress and anxiety interfere with your life?
More Tests

The Latest on Depression

How are you fighting back? by Jenny Lind Schmitt
Is homicide or suicide more of an issue? by Elana Premack Sandler, L.C.S.W., M.P.H.
Don't overlook this critical element to a happy life. by Gretchen Rubin
Why are women more depressed than ever and what can be done about it? by Eva Ritvo, M.D.
Mindfulness: a straightforward tool to help abate depression? . by Victoria Maxwell
Self-help therapy in the form of four exercises. by Thomas Scheff, Ph.D.
Art therapy goes digital in the 21st century...well maybe. by Cathy Malchiodi
Broken Symmetry: Nobel Physicists explain why you miss old places, friends. by Jeremy Sherman, Ph.D.
Mindfulness Psychotherapy offers a direct path for inner transformation. by Peter Strong, Ph.D.
The curious continuing stigma of depression by Jonathan Rottenberg, Ph.D.

Depression Blogs

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