Causes and Symptoms

The cause of depression in many cases remains unknown. Research shows a high percentage of those who suffer with depression have a family member who suffers as well. Stress is known to trigger depression. Symptoms of depression vary and can be moderate to severe.

The Struggle To Be The Ideal You

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A new study examining the Self-Discrepancy Theory, which predicts emotional outcomes based on the differences between self-concept and the actual self, may provide another reason why some people suffer from depression. Self-Discrepancy Theory was developed in 1987 by Edward Tory Higgins, a psychology professor at Columbia University. The theory states that people have the following three concepts of themselves: Ideal self: This is the person who you would like to become, including reaching your highest goals. Ought self: This is the person who you should be, or ought to become, …

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

by Kevin Mathews on July 15, 2010

“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” may be some sage advice. While plenty of research has connected worry to anxiety, its relation to depression has only recently been explored. A team of Korean psychologists found that people who worry are prone to show signs of depression, particularly when they ruminate extensively. A more clinical way to describe worry is Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU). People who suffer from IU “regard ambiguity as stressful, frustrating, and anxiety provoking, and believe that uncertain situations should be avoided.” Additionally, they overreact to the possibility of something …

Mutant Gene May Cause Compulsive Hair Pulling

by Paul Chavez on July 13, 2010

Humans with the trichotillomania disorder have been known to pull their hair until it creates bald spots, while others pluck off their eyebrows and eyelashes or yank their hair until abrasions erupt. Now, researchers studying mutant genes in mice have found a link that someday could help people suffering from compulsive disorders such as trichotillomania, an obsessive disorder that leads to compulsive hair pulling. A team from the University of Utah School of Medicine discovered that mice with mutations in the Hoxb8 gene groomed themselves twice as much as other …

Why Women Are More Stressed Out Than Men

by Judee Shipman on July 9, 2010

Why is depression twice as common in women compared to men? Despite many years of academic study, the answer remains uncertain. But a team of eight researchers at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia have now identified the chemical that causes the apparently greater stress sensitivity in women. The study, which involved male and female lab rats, revealed that this chemical behaves differently in females than in males. The researchers are confident that the results of this study can lead to more effective treatments for all types of stress-related illnesses. This …

Empty Nest Syndrome: Are You At Risk?

by Irene McGee on June 11, 2010

We’ve all heard of Empty Nest Syndrome, and yet it’s not actually a clinical “syndrome.” Empty Nest Syndrome is a term used to describe the sadness you may feel if your child is getting married, going away for college, or even leaving for sleep over camp. The spiral of sad emotions that get set off can lead some parents into a severe clinical depression. Though it was thought that Empty Nest Syndrome was felt harder by women, because fathers today are equally involved in their children’s lives they also suffer …

Romantic Attachment: The Mood for Love

by Shannon Chen on May 20, 2010

Do you look around at the happy couples around you holding hands and laughing, and wonder why that’s not you? Do you wonder why your romantic relationship always seems to have problems? A study from The Association for Family Therapy collected data to examine how your perception of relationships in general and your perception of yourself can affect couple relationship dynamics. The study of 266 community individuals uncovered some expected and surprising results. First, the degree of romantic attachment you feel with your significant other is positively associated with how …

Indoor Tanning May Be Addictive

by Irene McGee on May 18, 2010

Yet another piece of research proves indoor tanning is really bad for you. The skin cancer beds may be addictive – that’s right – addictive. New findings published in the Archives of Dermatology show that artificial tanning is habit-forming just like alcohol or drugs. Recreational indoor tanning has long been linked to higher risk for skin cancer. Furthermore, the researchers found the people addicted to indoor tanning also reported using drugs and alcohol. Despite the research pointing to the dangers of indoor tanning, young adults are tanning more now than they …

Poor Sibling Relationship Could Predict Depression

by Sarah Kricheff on May 14, 2010

Sibling rivalry could take on a whole new meaning. A study led by Dr. Robert Waldinger, director of the Study of Adult Development at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, found that poor sibling relationships in childhood may be a predictor of major depression in adulthood. Getting along with siblings is a significant challenge of growing up. Brothers and sisters help us learn how to negotiote with others, work in a group, and play together. Of course, we also have some of our worst conflicts and difficult experiences with our siblings. Sibling rivalry …

Does Power Breed Hypocrisy?

by Kevin Mathews on May 7, 2010

It seems every few weeks a new story hits the headlines exposing a politician for some misstep in his personal life that contradicts the “family values” campaign on which he was elected. Perplexed by these double standards, a team of professors from the Netherlands and Illinois conducted a series of five experiments and found that when everyday people are put into positions of power, they are prone to increased moral hypocrisy. The five experiments the professors devised ran through different morality-testing scenarios such as stealing a bicycle and evading taxes. …