Health Expert Jerry Kennard shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. 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/profiles/c/4182/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/4182/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/4182/index http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/c/4182/160875/turning-effects-anxieties Wed, 15 May 2013 10:11:00 -0400 Jerry Kennard This is my second post on the topic of eating anxieties, where I consider the physical and emotional effects of eating anxieties and ways to weigh up the reasons to change.   Previously I pointed out that some people get so anxious about their weight, shape and diet that it affects their life. If this occurs it’s called an eating disorder. Turning first to the physical effects of eating disorders, these come about as a result of... http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/c/4182/160875/turning-effects-anxieties http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160870/identifying-thinking Wed, 15 May 2013 05:52:00 -0400 Jerry Kennard This morning I’m having gloomy thoughts. Despite the fact it’s halfway through May the weather is cold enough to put the heating on. It has been pouring with rain for hours and the prospects for getting out and about (in anything other than a thick coat) today or the rest of the week are poor. Oh well, on with other activities I suppose.   What makes my gloomy thoughts different to those of a low mood? Well, I’m... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160870/identifying-thinking http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160788/low-moods Thu, 09 May 2013 05:58:00 -0400 Jerry Kennard Low moods have a way of affecting us completely. Because the onset of low moods is often gradual it can hard to pinpoint a time when things started to go wrong. Sometimes it’s other people who point out the changes and it can come as a surprise that others have noticed. But we shouldn’t really be surprised because low moods affect emotions, thoughts, behavior and the way we feel physically; and that’s pretty much our whole make... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160788/low-moods http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160441/depressed Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:05:00 -0400 Jerry Kennard What’s the matter with those people who always seem introverted, gloomy and never have any fun? Are they depressed? Maybe they have dysthymia, often thought of as a mild but chronic form of depression. Or just maybe there’s nothing wrong with them at all?   Over the years this is something that has exercised the minds of many eminent clinicians. Could there be such a thing as a depressive personality with features that only... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160441/depressed http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160270/cyber-bullying-depression Fri, 12 Apr 2013 05:57:00 -0400 Jerry Kennard We may be more aware of cyber bullying and its effects but it doesn’t mean it isn’t a force still to be reckoned with. The effect on children of being bullied is always negative and is fully recognized as contributing to a variety of mental health problems like anxiety and depression as well as other behavioral issues. So what can you do if you are worried your child is the victim of cyber bullying?   Most parents will be... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160270/cyber-bullying-depression http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/c/4182/160220/anxiety-anger-relationship Tue, 09 Apr 2013 05:16:00 -0400 Jerry Kennard We have all experienced anger and we know the causes are many and varied. Moods boil over as a result of some real or perceived injustice, or a stress or frustration too many. I don’t need to describe anger as we’ve all seen and felt it. It’s also the case that people who have a problem with anger tend to know, but it doesn't follow they will do anything about it.   When anger becomes too strong, occurs too often or leads... http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/c/4182/160220/anxiety-anger-relationship http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/c/4182/160156/compulsions-obsessions Fri, 05 Apr 2013 03:57:24 -0400 Jerry Kennard In a previous post I looked at the most common treatments for Obsessions and Compulsions and concluded by looking at self-help ideas. In this post I’m extending the self-help theme a little further by considering some of the main issues associated with obsessions and compulsions.   Breaking into the cycle of obsessions and compulsions is no easy thing and negative thinking is a strong element that fuels the problem. Self-criticism... http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/c/4182/160156/compulsions-obsessions http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160119/kinect-diagnose-depression Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:09:00 -0400 Jerry Kennard Have you ever visited a website and been invited to chat with their virtual assistant? It’s becoming more and more commonplace for companies to use technology as a way to interact with customers. A friendly face (even though it's a cartoon) who never gets frustrated, never responds to sarcasm or swearing and only appears to want to help, is considered a step up from a cold list of frequently asked questions.   Similarly, anyone... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160119/kinect-diagnose-depression http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/c/4182/160108/obsessions-compulsions Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:12:00 -0400 Jerry Kennard Obsessions and compulsions are actually fairly common and many people are able to live with these without their lives becoming disrupted. If lives do become disrupted it is possible that a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder will be made.   These days, treatments are quite effective and there are many useful self-help strategies that can help to support a formal treatment plan, or be effective in their own right. Whether the... http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/c/4182/160108/obsessions-compulsions http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160007/circumstances-depression Wed, 27 Mar 2013 09:05:00 -0400 Jerry Kennard We sometimes fall into the trap, myself included, of addressing single aspects of depression to the exclusion of others. It’s unavoidable in blogs and that’s why a well-rounded and coherent book is so much more informative. Sometimes however a post merely reflects a strand of interest and sometimes it reflects some personal bias. I’ve noticed, for example, that many of my posts are about the medical and psychological aspects of... http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/4182/160007/circumstances-depression