Feeling depressed and having depression Photographed by Ben Lamberty. Despite lots of advancements in the psychology world, many aspects of depression remain mysterious, to mental health professionals and their patients alike. The video below, one of the latest from TEDEd, suggests that this is due to the condition’s intangibility — depression isn’t a cold or some other illness with physical symptoms that are clear and consistent. However, the video, created by Helen M. Farrell, MD, provides some insight into what depression is, and what signs to look for (in yourself and your loved ones). It’s vital to understand the difference between feeling depressed and having depression. Just about all people…

Do you know that 1 in 4 Americans will suffer from some form of mental illness in any given year? Do you know that approximately 60% of adults, and almost 50% of youth, ages 8 -15, with a mental illness received no mental health services in the previous year? Do you know that serious mental illness costs the U.S. $193.2 billion in lost earnings per year?           Lenny Sanicola  Total rewards professional, blogger, author, passionate about employee benefits & employee well-being Posted: 10/21/2015 4:46 pm EDT Updated: 10/21/2015 5:59 pm EDT   Good mental health, an essential component of overall health and well-being, is often overlooked…

Increasing Alcohol Taxes Could Help Reduce Binge Drinking, Study Suggests       Share Raising alcohol taxes may help reduce the binge drinking rate, according to researchers at Boston University. They found a one percent increase in alcohol prices due to taxes was associated with a 1.4 percent decrease in binge drinking. The more alcohol taxes increase, the more binge drinking rates decrease, the researchers report in Addiction. Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks in one sitting for men, or four or more drinks for women and causes more than half of the almost 90,000 alcohol-related deaths in the United States annually, HealthDay reports. Tennessee, the…

You've seen the TV commercials, the person in black and white and sad while they watch their friends and family in color happy as can be? Then the sad individual gets help, sees the world in color and has a dog run into frame to play with them, or they are suddenly on the couch petting their beloved cat. Well, there's a reason for that, pets can help individuals with depression/illnesses/anxiety. "Pets offer an unconditional love that can be very helpful to people with depression," says Ian Cook, MD, a psychiatrist and director of the Depression Research and Clinic Program at UCLA. Depression affects millions of individuals in the USA…

Students may skirt system to connect with favorite pets By Jason Daniels Senior Staff Writer Published: Wednesday, September 18, 2013     MCT Harry Potter, a corgi with the Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dog group, waits to meet students and staff at Chapman University Law School for some stress relief. Some enjoy the company of an animal. The presence can be calming, therapeutic or just friendly. Yet while some just enjoy the company, others may need it. There recently has been a proliferation of service animals in a widening range of occupations outside of the traditional roles as helpers for the hearing or sight impaired. “It’s just an opportunity to have…

 Posted: 07/29/2013 11:14 am It is midsummer, 2013. With memories of high school graduations still strong but sadly beginning to fade, as in the cascade of summers before, millions of families are busily preparing for a signal event in their lives — sending a child off to start college. To be sure, most things about starting college are the same for these students and families as they were in the past — even the same as they were for the very parents who send them off. However, much is different as well. Advice abounds for the students themselves; I will provide little more here. My intended audience is those proud…

Hello Members!   LGJ and I are announcing the Moderator of the Month of July plus our New Webmaster Say hello to our wonderful new Webmaster/Technician, LioninWinter       NorthernStar!

Hello Members!   LGJ and I are announcing the Moderator of the Month of June We are also announcing our wonderful new Webmaster/Technician, LioninWinter       NorthernStar!   She exceptionally fabulous and is still the super aurora borealis star that she is! I am not amazed at all at how quickly she has learned all her mod skills and we are so very proud of her.   Thank you so much NorthernStar for doing a fabulous job putting in your time moderating Depression Forums.   You are just so fantastic!   Thank you to all of our Moderators who did wonderfully this past month.  You all are just totally fabulous!    I…

Hello Members!   LGJ and I are announcing the Moderator of the Month of May     NorthernStar!   She is still fabulous and has become more than the super aurora borealis star that she is! I am amazed at how quickly she has learned her mod skills and we are so proud of her.

Hello Members!   LGJ and I are announcing the Moderator of the Month of March.   April came in like a like a Lion as well, even, yes..even in Florida!   We should be getting a thaw this coming week though.   She is consistently an extremely adorably dedicated and hard worker, especially after her day job!     AquaViolet!     Thank you so much Aqua for doing a fantastic job putting in your time moderating Depression Forums.   You are just fabulous!   Thank you to all of our Moderators who did wonderfully for this chilly windy month,    you all are just totally wonderful!    I also want to put in a…