Reflections From A Chair

While I’m on the topic of depression, The National Institute of Mental Health has a number of valuable resources on depression and its treatment.

The newest one, I believe, is a video. It is aimed at a general audience so that they can “learn about signs, symptoms and research on depression.” The video can be viewed at the NIMH website, click here.

The NIMH also has a fact sheet: Depression: A Treatable Illness.

They also have a pamphlet for men:Real Men Real Depression. Judging by how quickly this pamphlet vanishes from the reading material in the waiting room, you may find it very helpful.

Not to leave women out, the NIMH’s Women and Depression: Discovering Hope is a more extensive booklet than the others mentioned here.

For more information about depression and other mental health topics from authoritative sources, please visit the Links and Search Engines page on my website.

Time Magazine has an online article titled “Study: ‘Depression Gene’ Doesn’t Predict the Blues.”

The article reviews a recent meta-analysis published in JAMA.

Time’s writers report that “The meta-analysis of 14 prior studies concludes that the so-called depression gene — a variant of a serotonin-transporter gene called 5-HTTLPR — may not be associated with an elevated risk for depression, as many researchers had believed.”

However, the meta-analysis did find that there was a significant correlation between the number of a person’s stressful life events and depression.

The researchers found that “This meta-analysis yielded no evidence that the serotonin transporter genotype alone or in interaction with stressful life events is associated with an elevated risk of depression in men alone, women alone, or in both sexes combined.”

As the Time article concludes:
“So what does this mean for anyone who is struggling with depression? The science of linking specific genes to the disorder is still in its infancy, so no one should worry that their genes alone doom them to a life of sorrow. And while no single treatment works for every patient, there are many — including simple physical exercise or strengthening social relationships — that can help to lift the blues.”

Stephen Ilardi, associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Kansas has a new research program on depression, he calls it TLC. The Daily Kansan reports about in its article Professor develops six-step program to cure depression.
Professor Ilardi says that his research recommends six points.
They are:

• exercise,
• omega 3 fatty acids,
• sunlight exposure,
• anti-rumination strategies,
• social support
• and sleep hygiene.

It is his contention that modern, urban lifestyles deprive us of these six simple factors. One of the results is a higher rate of depression.
You can read more about the research here.

Good Housekeeping has an online article 6 Surprising Stress Fixes.

Here are their recommendations:

• “Strategy 1: Smooch spontaneously…’Kissing relieves stress by creating a sense of connectedness, which releases endorphins, the chemicals that counteract stress and depression.’”
• “Strategy 2: Take the cuddle cure…holding hands and hugging can measurably reduce stress.”
• “Strategy 3: Lash out less…Concentrate on the issue at hand and forget about getting even; drop the sarcasm and name-calling.”
• “Strategy 4: Put the kettle on…people who drank black tea four times a day for six weeks had lower levels of cortisol after a stressful task than those who drank a caffeinated fruit beverage. Research also shows that a substance in green tea leaves, L-Theanine, may shift brain wave activity from the beta waves that accompany anxiety to the alpha waves associated with relaxation.”
• “Strategy 5: Loosen your electronic leash…take turns with your spouse being ‘on call’ for minor emergencies, and make sure the sitter and the school have his number as well as yours. You may have to retrain the kids, too.”
• “Strategy 6: Reflect on what you value. When your frazzle level is so high you feel yourself spiraling out of control, a quick way to re-center is to remind yourself of what’s most important in your life.”

You can read the whole article here.

The authors write that these are based on research findings, but they do not provide references to the studies.

From WebMD comes the article Depression Raises Risk for Type 2 Diabetes .

It reports on a study done by Julie Wagner, PhD, of the University of Connecticut Health Center.

Dr. Wagner’s research finds that:

“Depressed participants who were not being treated had significantly greater insulin resistance than study participants who were not depressed. But treatment for depression appeared to improve insulin sensitivity, with depressed participants on antidepressant therapy having similar insulin sensitivity to non-depressed participants.”

She concludes that:

“the more depressed someone is, the more cortisol they produce, which leads to more belly fat and more diabetes…(and) Depression may also influence type 2 diabetes risk by disrupting the immune system or levels of serotonin, which helps modulate metabolic function as well as mood…”

Treating depression is important in its own right; but it also helps lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Forbes published an article today entitled “Early Bedtime May Help Stave Off Teen Depression.”

It discusses recent research on teens and sleep by James Gangwisch of Columbia University Medical Center.

The study found that “Teens whose parents insist on 10 p.m. or sooner for lights out were 25 percent less likely to be depressed and 20 percent less likely to have suicidal thoughts, compared with kids who hit the sack at midnight or later.”

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) has a fact sheet about teens and sleep on their website. They suggest that “Teens need about 9 1/4 hours of sleep each night to function best (for some, 8 1/2 hours is enough). Most teens do not get enough sleep — one study found that only 15% reported sleeping 8 1/2 hours on school nights.”

The NSF conducted a poll in 2006  and found that “73% of those adolescents who report feeling unhappy, sad, or depressed also report not getting enough sleep at night and being excessively sleepy during the day.”

The NSF also finds that sleep and depression have a reciprocal relationship. “Research shows that lack of sleep affects mood, and a depressed mood can lead to lack of sleep. To combat this vicious cycle, sleep experts recommend that teens prioritize sleep and focus on healthy sleep habits. Teens can start by getting the 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep they need each night, keeping consistent sleep and wake schedules on school nights and weekends, and opting for relaxing activities such as reading or taking a warm shower or bath before bed instead of turning on the TV or computer.”

The article also has an extensive list of pointers to help improve sleep hygiene.

On another front, Science Daily highlights another study today. Their article has a self-explanatory title: Insomnia With Objective Short Sleep Duration In Men Is Associated With Increased Mortality.

They write that “men with insomnia and sleep duration of six or fewer hours of nightly sleep are at an increased risk for mortality…men with insomnia and less than six hours of nightly sleep were at highest risk of mortality.”

This is based on a study conducted in Pennsylvania over the course of fourteen years.

So ask the teens and men in your life: “Got Sleep?”