depression

What is CBT?¹

That is an excellent question and one that a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) clinician will routinely and proactively address with a client in a first treatment session or in an introductory call.

Nikki Lively interviews Dr. Kara Driscoll, reproductive psychiatrist and founder of The Allegro Center, LLC in Chicago. Dr. Driscoll explores common myths and fears surrounding the use of psychotropic medications while pregnant and breastfeeding and the role of hormones in women's moods in the postpartum period.

Nikki Lively interviews Kristina Cowan, journalist and author of the book, When Postpartum Packs a Punch: Fighting Back and Finding Joy. Ms. Cowan shares insights from her experience with postpartum depression and anxiety.

For most of our sons and daughters, especially the tweens and teens, Facebook has become almost as essential as food, air and water. With adolescent identity development oriented so much around the peer group, Facebook and other social media are powerful vehicles mediating how our kids experience themselves within their social universe. Is the impact largely positive, negative, or neutral?

Approximately 18.1 million Americans adults suffer from depression each year. They experience symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, persistent feelings of sadness, disinterest in once-pleasurable activities, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, and even thoughts of death.

Chronic health conditions, or psychological or physical health conditions that persist for 3 months or longer (Newacheck & Taylor, 1992), are quite common. About half of all adults in the U.S. have at least one chronic health condition, and about 25% have two or more (Ward, Schiller, & Goodman, 2014). While arthritis and muscoskeletal conditions are the leading cause of activity limitations among working-age adults, psychological disorders are the second leading cause among individuals age 18-44 years old (National Center for Health Statistics, 2006). In 2007, approximately 39% of the nearly 41 million disabled individuals had mental disabilities, which include disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar and chronic depression (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007).

Childhood experiences greatly influence our adult relationships, choices, and habits. Some experiences children face, though, are far more detrimental than others. Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is an atrocity that causes a great deal of pain and suffering for adult survivors, and researchers have continued to study the long-term effects of CSA on adults.

At the end of each workday, couples face two goals: to unwind from the day's stresses, and to take care of the family's needs. But can a spouse truly unwind when faced with household chores, meal preparation, and (if there are kids at home) the endless demands of child management? When couples are both wage-earners, each needs to recover from the day's stress. But when there's plenty to do after coming through the door, who gets to relax? Who enjoys the leisure that allows the cortisol level to drop?

Major depressive disorder is a relatively common but severe illness associated with significant impairment in functioning. It was identified as the fourth leading cause of disability worldwide in 1990, and it is predicted to be the leading cause of disability by 2020 (Murray & Lopez, 1996). Major depression is an episodic disorder – that is, individuals suffering from depression typically have one or more periods of depression (called episodes) that may fluctuate in duration or severity.