Depression Expert Jerry Kennard shares Depression management news and commentary at MyDepressionConnection.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182 http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182 http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/103176/depression Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:52:54 -0500 Jerry Kennard People with diabetes have double the risk of developing depression. Depression and diabetes also appear to increase the risk of developing further complications such as cardiovascular disease and those who suffer both are more likely to die at an early age. But why?   Depression is thought to be associated with blood glucose control either through hormonal dysregulation or poor diabetes self-care such as smoking and alcohol intake and... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/103176/depression http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/101832/risk-depression Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:02:51 -0500 Jerry Kennard The fear of feeling anxious, known as anxiety sensitivity, has been linked to a higher risk of depression in several studies. According to recent findings by Penn State researchers, above average worriers already prone to anxiety sensitivity, are also vulnerable to depression.   Andreas Viana and Brian Rabian published their findings in the December issue of the Journal of Anxiety Disorders. They highlight the fact that two of the four... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/101832/risk-depression http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/101133/antidepressant Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:40:53 -0500 Jerry Kennard Results from a study aiming to estimate the benefit of medication according to the severity of depressive symptoms have concluded only the most severe cases achieve symptom relief. The report, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jan 6th edition) states that, on average, true drug effects are nonexistent to negligible in patients with mild, moderate and even severe baseline symptoms. By contrast, very large effects are... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/101133/antidepressant http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/100491/depression-fail Mon, 11 Jan 2010 05:17:00 -0500 Jerry Kennard Physical activity is an acknowledged way of beating the blues. The precise reasons why this is the case are still being discovered. We know that exercise increases the flow of hormones known as endorphins around the body. Endorphins have the effect of making you feel good. That aside, there is often a social element to some sporting activities and this may help some people who feel isolated and lonely. And, the effect of exercise on mood,... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/100491/depression-fail http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/98740/relationships Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:08:30 -0500 Jerry Kennard Depression is a debilitating disease and its effects are not restricted to the individual suffering with it. In this Sharepost I touch on three specific areas that repeatedly appear in any documentation about depression: work, family and relationships.   Work. People with a major depressive episode are five times more likely to miss work than people experiencing other physical symptoms. One study found that 11 disability days in the... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/98740/relationships http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/98251/depression Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:40:31 -0500 Jerry Kennard Doctors and Patients frequently attest to the fact that certain symptoms of depression drag on well after the main symptoms appear to have subsided. On the face of it these may seem quite modest, after all, the term 'residual' suggests nothing more significant than a left-over. Unfortunately they also represent a constant reminder of the fact that such people are more likely to become depressed more rapidly.   The dilemma in... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/98251/depression http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/97540/predicting Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:44:05 -0500 Jerry Kennard Those of you familiar with my Shareposts may know that I live and work in the UK. I was therefore very pleased to see the UK government is preparing to announce a major shift in health policy in order to tackle depression. The announcement will broaden the range of psychological therapies available for doctors to recommend for their patients and will elevate the ‘status' of depression as equivalent to heart disease. In this Sharepost... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/97540/predicting http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/95982/depression Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:01:18 -0500 Jerry Kennard People who suffer with depression frequently report physical illness and discomfort. Some of these symptoms relate to behaviors associated with changes in appetite and sleep, and some are more general in nature.   Perception of symptoms is very influential when it comes to decisions about whether to self-medicate, take time away from work, or seek help from the doctor who may prescribe powerful medication based on the information a... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/95982/depression http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/95179/antidepressants Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:27:09 -0500 Jerry Kennard Every year well over 200 million prescriptions are handed out for antidepressants in the United States. Of the people who take antidepressant medications some will feel a certain level of relief and some won't benefit at all. So, if depression is simply due to an imbalance in neurotransmitters, why are some people ‘treatment resistant' when they take the very medication designed to correct the problem?   Professor Eva Redi, of the... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/95179/antidepressants http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/94082/diet-depression Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:56:31 -0500 Jerry Kennard Over the years various lines of enquiry have pointed to the fact that mood is affected by food. Not uncommonly, the focus has tended to be on particular types of sugary or fatty foods along with their nutritional value, or lack of. Most people, for example, have heard of the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in so far as it appears to protect against certain cardiovascular problems and possibly even depression. Of course for many of us the... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/94082/diet-depression