Since childhood, Rachael Petersen had lived with an unexplainable sense of grief that no drug or talk therapy could entirely ease. So in 2017 she volunteered for a small clinical trial at Johns Hopkins University that was testing psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, for chronic depression. “I was so depressed,” Petersen, 29, said… Read More »
Several weeks ago, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued recommendations that all pregnant and postpartum women should be evaluated in order to determine risk for depressive illness and suggests that women at increased risk should be referred for counseling. The hope is that if we can identify the women at highest risk for… Read More »
Of the 16 million American adults who live with depression, as many as one-quarter gain little or no benefit from available treatments, whether drugs or talk therapy. They represent perhaps the greatest unmet need in psychiatry. On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration approved a prescription treatment intended to help them, a fast-acting drug derived… Read More »
While there is some data to indicate that exercise may improve well-being and diminish symptoms of depression and anxiety, the results have been mixed. A recent randomized controlled trial has explored the efficacy of exercise during pregnancy for reducing the risk of postpartum depression. The Physical Activity for Mothers Enrolled in Longitudinal Analysis (PAMELA) Study… Read More »
Both men and women can experience depression, but the signs and symptoms can be different. Although the primary symptom of depression for many is often a feeling of sadness, men may have a higher tendency than women to feel anger, demonstrate aggressive feelings, and engage in substance abuse. Due to the different symptoms, and because… Read More »
Photo Credit Getty Images When girls come in for their physical exams, one of the questions I routinely ask is “Do you get your period?” I try to ask before I expect the answer to be yes, so that if a girl doesn’t seem to know about the changes of puberty that lie ahead, I… Read More »