A stroke is a health condition where the flow of blood to specific sections of the brain is interrupted. This predicament results in a reduction in the levels of oxygen and glucose that reach the brain cells, ultimately causing the death of these cells.
Researchers at Loyola University claim that caregivers for persons who have survived a stroke are at a higher risk of becoming diagnosed with depression than individuals without similar responsibilities. Continue reading
Stress is an inevitable part of day to day life and the workplace is just one of its many sources. But even so, you can learn to keep stress levels in check. There have been numerous studies which confirm that stress on the job can wreak havoc on your general health. In fact, frequent headaches and heart palpitations are signs that your job could be slowly killing you.
People who are chronically stressed are more likely to develop heart disease, insomnia, digestive problems, obesity and a decline in mental health. Chronic stress has been linked to depression, anxiety and memory problems. Do not be afraid to take a few days off from your job if you feel that you have been working too hard and are too stressed out. Coming back to work when fresh in body and mind can make all the difference. Continue reading
A study compiled by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has found that adults who have experienced mental illness in the previous year were more likely to suffer from certain physical illnesses than those who maintained good mental health. Conditions such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes had increased rates of occurrence in individuals who experienced mental disorders or major depressive episodes in the past year.
Of those who reported any kind of mental illness, 21.9% had high blood pressure compared to 18.3% of persons who reported no mental health problems. Asthma also increased significantly from 10.6% (with good mental health) to 15.7% (with poor mental health). Continue reading
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a characterized by a regular inability to obtain and/or maintain an erect penis during sexual activity. Psychological factors account for 10-20% of all erectile dysfunction cases and are often secondary components in situations where physical causes of the dysfunction are present. Continue reading
Various studies have recorded a significant link between depression and parenting styles characterized by low care and high control (McGinn, Cukor, & Sanderson, 2005; Mezulis, Hyde, & Abramson, 2006). Using the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) developed by Parker, Tupling and Brown (1979, cited in Enns, Cox & Clara, 2002) , McGinn et al. (2005) were able to separate adolescents into four categories according to the style of parenting by which they were raised. One of these categories, affectionless control, closely resembles the authoritarian parenting style in Baumrind’s classification system and is characterized by low care and high overprotection. McGinn et al. (2005) found that persons exposed to this parenting style were more depressed than persons who experienced a different style of parenting. Another group of researchers (Radziszewska, Richardson, Dent, & Flay, 1996, cited in McPherson, 2004) found that uninvolved (or neglectful) parenting was associated with the highest level of depressive symptoms among adolescents while the authoritative parenting style was significantly related to lower symptom levels. Continue reading
Ever felt “down in the dumps?” Ever had a “case of the blues?” Ever been completely “down and out?” If you answered yes to any of these questions, then relax. You only proved that you’re normal. Whether it’s the result of a major break-up, the loss of a pet, or those crazy female hormones that will get any boyfriend/husband walking on eggshells, sadness is normal. Ask anyone you meet and chances are they will tell you that at some point in their life, they’ve felt depressed. But “feeling depressed” is not the same thing as “having depression.” While a depressed mood must be present for a diagnosis of depression, it is only one of the many symptoms of this disorder. In other words, “feeling depressed” is necessary but not sufficient for a diagnosis of depression. Continue reading
