More than 10 million people in the United States are living with bipolar disorder, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). It’s characterized by severe, dramatic shifts in mood that can catch people off guard. The name captures the dramatic swing from elation to despair. With treatment, many people with bipolar disorder lead stable, satisfying lives. What is bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition marked by extreme swings between mania (elevated mood) and depression. On average, it starts around age 25, according to NAMI, although it may begin in adolescence. “These are not just your normal run-of-the-day mood swings,” said James Maddux, a senior scholar at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, in Fairfax, Va. He explained that the condition “involves a manic episode that could be for several weeks or several months, followed by a crash into a major depression — which also can last several weeks to several months.” Bipolar disorder symptoms The main symptoms of bipolar disorder are mania or hypomania and depression. These periods may occur separately, one right after the other or at the same time, according to NAMI and the American Psychological Association. Mania is marked by: Elevated mood Psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusional thinking Impulsive behavior Risk-taking Poor decision-making Irritability, agitation and restlessness Overconfidence Suicidal thoughts Hypomania is…  read on >  read on >

TikTok content overwhelmingly promotes vaping, putting young users at potential risk of e-cigarette use, according to researchers in Australia. The popular social media platform’s own policies on promoting e-cigarette use are often violated, their new study shows. “Our study explored how e-cigarettes are promoted on TikTok, to assess the effectiveness of the platform’s own ‘drugs, controlled substances, alcohol and tobacco policy,’” said researcher Jonine Jancey, of the Curtin School of Population Health in Perth. “The sheer amount of potentially harmful content being fed to young people on TikTok shows self-regulation is failing.” The findings show the dangers of letting social media platforms create and enforce their own content policies, she said. “Of the 264 videos related to e-cigarettes that we studied and which had a total of 2.5 million views, 97.7% portrayed them positively, and these posts received 98.7% of the total views and 98.2% of the total likes,” Jancey said in a school news release. “These used humor, music, shared vaping tricks and referred to a ‘vaping community,’ supporting the normalization of these products.” Of 69 posts reviewed by researchers, about 26% violated TikTok’s content policy by promoting e-cigarettes for purchase, including links to information and discount details. “It seems there are no major consequences for those who do not follow TikTok guidelines and violate content policy,” Jancey said. “Social media platforms can decide…  read on >  read on >

Older adults are more easily distracted than younger folks, especially if they’re also physically exerting themselves, according to new research. “Our results suggest that older adults might have heightened distractibility,” said study co-author Lilian Azer, a graduate student from the University of California, Riverside. For the study, the researchers assessed the interaction between physical exertion — such as driving a car or carrying in the groceries — and short-term memory performance when distractors were also in play and when they weren’t. “Action and cognition, which interact often in daily life, are sensitive to the effects of aging,” Azer said in a university news release. “Our study found that in comparison to younger adults, older adults are less likely to ignore distractors in their surroundings when simultaneously engaging in a cognitive task and an effortful physical task. Ignoring task-irrelevant items declines with age and this decline is greater when simultaneously performing a physical task — a frequent occurrence in daily life,” she explained. The study team recruited 19 adults aged 65 to 86 and then enrolled another 31 younger adults, ranging from 18 to 28 years old. All participants were asked to grip a hand dynamometer at either 5% or 30% of their strength while they also did a short-term memory task. A visual gauge provided real-time feedback on the exerted grip force, a type of…  read on >  read on >

Did you know that ketamine is one of the newest possible methods for treating depression? For a better understanding of ketamine treatment, here are explanations of what it is, how it helps depression, what types of depression it can help with, its side effects and what you can expect during a ketamine therapy session. What is ketamine? Ketamine is a dissociative drug, meaning its mind-altering chemical properties cause you to disconnect from your body. It was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as anesthesia for surgery, according to the National Library of Medicine. It has been used as a street drug under different names like Special K. Doctors sometimes prescribe ketamine for “off-label” (non-FDA-approved) uses, including for pain management and treating people who have depression and suicidal thoughts. As of 2019, the FDA did approve a form of the drug called esketamine, a nasal spray to treat one type of depression known as treatment-resistant depression. How does ketamine therapy help depression? “As a human being everyone has their own default network … a person with depression or anxiety, those people tend to look at the glass half-empty,” said Dr. Keming Gao, director of the Ketamine Infusion for Depression Clinic at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. “So, the ketamine temporarily loosens up their default [network]. This whole thing is what people call neuroplasticity,”…  read on >  read on >

Becoming a mother is an experience like no other — a time of joy, anticipation and love. But, for some women, new motherhood can come with challenging emotions. Many women struggle with feelings of sadness, anxiety and overwhelming exhaustion. These emotional struggles, coupled with the physical demands of caring for a newborn, can be signs of a condition called postpartum depression (PPD). What is postpartum depression? About 1 in 7 women develop PPD, according to StatPearls. This mood disorder happens after childbirth. It’s characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety and despair that can significantly impact a woman’s ability to function and care for herself and her baby, according to the Mount Sinai Hospital Health Library. Postpartum depression symptoms According to Mount Sinai, PPD typically begins within the first few weeks after delivery, although it can develop up to 6 months after giving birth. Its exact cause is not fully understood, but hormone changes, emotional factors and lifestyle contributors such as lack of support, sleep deprivation and stress can contribute. The most common postpartum depression symptoms cited in the article include: Persistent sadness, hopelessness and feelings of emptiness Changes in appetite, leading to significant weight loss or weight gain Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or excessive sleeping Fatigue and loss of energy Difficulty concentrating, making decisions or remembering things Loss of interest or pleasure in activities…  read on >  read on >

An estimated 5% of adults worldwide suffer from depression, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This mental health disorder permeates all areas of life from personal relationships to academic and professional ones and goes well beyond typical mood fluctuations and everyday concerns. Depression can affect anyone, but individuals who have experienced trauma, significant losses or high stress levels are at greater risk. Women are more prone to depression than men. This overview will discuss different types of depression, their symptoms and treatments. Types of depression According to the Cleveland Clinic, there are several types of depressive disorders, the most serious of which is clinical depression, or major depressive disorder. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, provides a breakdown of the various depressive disorders. They are classified as follows: Clinical depression Persistent depressive disorder Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder Premenstrual dysphoric disorder Depressive disorder due to another medical condition. This breakdown will help explain their similarities and nuances. Clinical depression Clinical depression, or major depressive disorder, is a debilitating mental health condition characterized by persistent and intense sadness, hopelessness and a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities. According to the Mayo Clinic, individuals with clinical depression may experience changes in appetite and sleep patterns, an inability to concentrate, and may contemplate or exhibit suicidal thoughts or behaviors.…  read on >  read on >

While people might assume suicide is more common in the darker months of winter, it actually peaks in spring and early summer. Researchers investigating what’s happening have found that suicidal thoughts peak in December but then take a few months to reach a “tipping point.” People are also most vulnerable to ending their lives between 4 and 5 a.m., according to a new study. “It is well documented that winter is the time when people with mental health problems may struggle with worsening mood and depression. Indeed, seasonal affective disorder is a recognized issue related to the change in season that affects many people’s mental health,” said study co-author Brian O’Shea. He is an associate professor of psychology at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. It may seem surprising that spring, when someone might assume people’s moods lift, is actually a time of greatest risk, he said in a university news release. “The reasons for this are complex, but our research shows that suicidal thoughts and mood are the worst in December and the best in June,” O’Shea said. “Between these two points, there is a heightened risk of suicidal behavior, and we feel this is occurring because the gradual improvements in their mood and energy may enable them to plan and engage in a suicide attempt,” he explained. For the study, more…  read on >  read on >

Think you might be struggling with depression? It’s not always easy to recognize, but identifying the symptoms is the first step toward getting the help you need. Depression is a common mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. In the United States alone, an estimated 21 million adults had at least one major bout of depression in 2020, representing about 8.4% of the adult population, according to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Symptoms of depression vary from person to person, but some are more commonly experienced than others. Exploring the most common symptoms will help you know what to look for if you suspect that you or someone you know may be struggling with depression. What are symptoms of depression? Craig Sawchuk, a clinical psychologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said “understanding the basics of depression can help you take the next step.” In a Mayo Clinic video, he noted: “Depression is a mood disorder that causes feelings of sadness that won’t go away … and people who experience depression can’t just snap out of it.” Depression can show up in many ways and can affect each person differently. But some common symptoms are associated with this condition. They can range from feeling persistently sad or hopeless to losing interest in activities you once enjoyed. Other symptoms may…  read on >  read on >