Mental Health

Could a Statin Lower Your Risk for Depression?

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 29 -- Patients who have heart disease and take cholesterol-lowering medicines known as statins are less likely to develop depression than those not on such drugs, a new study suggests.For the study, Dr. Mary Whooley ...

Sports Concussion: Myths and Facts

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 29 -- Sports-related concussions are common in the United States, but there are many misconceptions about this type of head injury, according to an expert.While it's widely believed that everyone with a concussion req...

Dad's Depression May Rub Off on Child's Behavior

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 29 -- Children with a depressed father are more likely to have emotional or behavioral problems, new research finds.Most prior research has focused on depressed mothers and the negative impact their depression can hav...

Study: Sleep Disturbances Not Linked to Aging

Over-80 Group Reports Fewer Sleep Problems Than Many Young Adults By Denise MannWebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD March 1, 2012 -- Like fine wine, sleep may get better with age.At least that's what a study of more than 150,000 adul...

Web Therapy Helps With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Internet Behavioral Treatment Highly Effective for Teens With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome By Salynn BoylesWebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD Feb. 29, 2012 -- Internet-based behavioral therapy appears to be a highly effective new tool f...

'Chemo Brain' May Linger 20 Years After Breast Cancer Treatment

MONDAY, Feb. 27 -- "Chemo brain," the name given to the mental fog and related memory problems that can occur during and after chemotherapy, may last for two decades after breast cancer treatment, new research suggests. In the new st...

High Social Status Linked to Bad Behavior?

In and out of the Lab, Upper Class Thinking May Lead People to Lie, Cheat By Matt McMillenWebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD Feb. 27, 2012 -- People who consider themselves upper class may not always act all that classy, according t...

Young Blacks Less Likely to Seek Mental Health Care: Study

FRIDAY, Feb. 24 -- Young adult black Americans, especially those with higher levels of education, are much less likely than their white counterparts to seek mental health services, a new study finds.Reasons for this reluctance may i...

Toddlers With Angry Parents May Have More Temper Tantrums

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 22 --Toddlers are more likely to become easily upset and act out if their parents anger quickly and overreact to their children's behavior, according to a new study.Researchers looked at the behavior of adopted childr...

Laughing in the Face of Dental Fear May Ease Worries

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 22 -- If you're afraid of going to the dentist, optimism and humor might help ease your worries, new research suggests.About 50 percent of adults suffer some degree of dental fear and about 5 percent have severe denta...

Health Tip: Take a Deep Breath

-- Deep breathing may be an effective way of reducing stress and calming down.The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these guidelines for practicing deep breathing techniques:Lying flat on your back, place one hand on your ...

Is Grief an Illness? The Debate Heats Up

THURSDAY, Feb. 16 -- The loss of a loved one can trigger deep emotional turmoil, but is the grief that follows a normal part of being human or is it a form of mental illness in need of diagnosis and treatment?That's the gist of a maj...

What Is Morgellons Disease?

Medical Author: Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Morgellons disease is a little-known disorder that is often associated with nonspecific skin, nerve, and psychiatric symptoms. Some refer to it as a fiber...

Psychotherapy May Ease Hot Flashes After Breast Cancer

TUESDAY, Feb. 14 -- After breast cancer treatment, many women suffer from hot flashes and night sweats, but a type of "talk therapy" might relieve these symptoms for some women, British researchers suggest.In a new study, women who r...

Prescription Drug Abuse

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr. FACP, FACR In 2010, around 7 million people in the U.S. were "nonmedical" users of prescription drugs. This amounts to about 2.7% of the total pop...

Handling Divorce May Be Easier Later in Life

MONDAY, Feb. 13 --Getting divorced at a younger age causes more harm to health than getting divorced later in life, perhaps because older people have more coping skills to deal with the stress of divorce, a new study suggests.Michiga...

Most Teens Who Self-Harm Are Not Evaluated for Mental Health in ER

FRIDAY, Feb. 10 -- Most children and teens who deliberately injure themselves are discharged from emergency rooms without an evaluation of their mental health, a new study shows.The findings are worrisome since risk for suicide is gr...

Spanking Produces Troubled Kids, Study Contends

MONDAY, Feb. 6 -- Adding more fuel to the controversial topic of children and spanking, two Canadian child development experts have published a new analysis that warns that physical punishment poses serious risks to a child's long-te...

Antidepressants May Not Raise Suicide Risk in Youth: Study

MONDAY, Feb. 6 -- Antidepressant drugs such as Prozac do not raise suicide risk in young people, a new study says.The finding should help reassure doctors about prescribing antidepressants to youngsters, said first author Robert Gibb...

Could a Blood Test Help Spot Depression?

FRIDAY, Feb. 3 -- Depression can be a tough condition to diagnose accurately, but new research suggests that someday a blood test might help.It's not clear how much the test might cost, and it needs more stringent validation before i...

Itch Intensity and Scratching Pleasure Vary at Different Body Sites

Itching More Intense, and Scratching More Pleasurable, at Ankle Than at Back or Forearm By Rita RubinWebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD Feb. 2, 2012 -- You've got to love a scientific paper entitled "The Pleasurability of Scratching...

Health Tip: Preparing for a Stress Test

-- A cardiac stress test gives doctors an idea of how your heart functions at rest and when it's under "stress" from activities such as treadmill exercise.The U.S. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute says you can prepare for the ...

U.S. Soldiers Face Host of Mental Health Issues

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 -- U.S. military personnel and veterans are plagued by substance abuse, depression and suicide, three new studies indicate.In one study, researchers surveyed nearly 600 veterans returning from war zone deployment i...

Too Much Overtime May Raise Depression Risk

Workers Who Regularly Put in 11-Hour Days More Than Double Their Depression Risk, Researchers Say By Cari NierenbergWebMD Health News Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD Jan. 25, 2012 -- Working 11-hour days may seem the norm in this economy, but reg...

Could 'Magic' Mushrooms Ease Depression?

TUESDAY, Jan. 24 -- Psychedelic mushrooms may point to new ways to treat depression, suggest two small brain imaging studies that seem to show how psilocybin -- the active ingredient in such mushrooms -- affects the brain.One study i...

Health Tip: When Stress Becomes Dangerous

-- Stress can contribute to a number of serious health problems, so it's important to visit your doctor when you notice warning signs that stress is affecting your health.The Cleveland Clinic mentions these warning signs of serious s...

Health: 8 Tips for Making and Keeping Healthy New Year's Resolutions

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr, MD, FACP, FACR If you are the type of person who makes but never keeps New Year's resolutions, these suggestions can help you make healthy -- and at...

Gossiping Might Be Good for You

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 18 -- Many people regard gossip as idle chatter that can harm people's reputations, but it may have some benefits, such as reducing stress, discouraging bad behavior and preventing exploitation.That's the finding of a...

Your Smartphone May Be Stressing You Out

THURSDAY, Jan. 12 -- Compulsively checking your smartphone may not actually be that smart, British researchers warn.The cautionary observation stems from a new study that finds an association between the increasingly popular use of W...

Health Tip: Better Manage Stress

-- Learning how to control stress can help you feel better and improve your health.The Cleveland Clinic suggests ways to help manage stress:Become aware of the earliest signs of stress and how you respond.Learn and practice a relaxat...