Depression
Depression is a condition that affects your mental health. People who suffer from depression may experience intense feelings of hopelessness, anxiety and negativity for an extended period of time. Depression can present itself forms such as seasonal depression and persistent depressive disorder.
Symptoms include sleeping problems, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, changes in appetite and suicidal thoughts. Medical treatment includes antidepressants such as Selective Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, while cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be an alternative to drugs.
The puzzling link between city living and schizophrenia
According to the UN, almost two-thirds of us will live in cities by 2050. But as mental health issues gain recognition, is our urban living helping or hindering?
Cannabis may help treat anxiety and depression. But there’s still plenty of unknowns
US researchers find cannabis shows promise of being an effective antidepressant, but their study has several key limitations.
Depression could be linked to inflammation, study finds
Researchers believe there may be ‘a core biological process behind the association between depression and increased inflammation’.
New study bolsters support for ‘magic mushroom’ treatment for depression
Psilocybin, a drug derived from magic mushrooms, appears to be at least as effective as the antidepressant escitalopram, when administered in a therapeutic setting.
Dr Michael Mosley on how to manage seasonal affective disorder
Many of us suffer from low mood when the nights draw in, but take heart: there are some easy ways feel better.
Botox injections could be an unlikely ally in the fight against depression
Research has found that patients who received botox were between 40 and 80 per cent less likely to report depression.
Probiotics may help in the fight against depression
Compounds found in foods such as yoghurt, sauerkraut and kimchi may ease symptoms of depression.
Regular yoga practice may reduce symptoms of depression
The effects were most noticeable among those with depression and schizophrenia, researchers said.
Even light activity reduces risk of depression in young people, study suggests
Researchers found that every additional hour of light activity each day in adolescence reduced symptoms of depression at 18.
I’ve broken up with my ex. Why is listening to sad songs making me feel better?
Turn up the melancholic ballads and wallow in minor keys, listening to sad music can make you feel happier.
Reality Check | Why do people think antidepressants are ineffective?
News coverage of antidepressants often claims that they have little impact on mental illness. So why are they prescribed at all?
A healthy diet could reduce the symptoms of depression
Changing to a diet containing more fruit, vegetables and fish could contribute to treating depression, the researchers say.
Living by the coast could improve mental health
Living near the sea could support better mental health in England’s poorest communities, according to the study.
Depression 30 per cent more likely in school year's youngest students
Experts said the findings should be a catalyst for more research into the causes of depression in schoolchildren.
Reality Check | Should we try to feel neutral about our bodies?
The body positivity movement advocates loving your body, even if it doesn’t conform to beauty standards. But should we encourage young people to stop worrying about their body altogether?
Wake therapy | The new technique that starves people of sleep to treat depression
Up all night to get happy: psychiatrist Professor David Veale explains how sleep deprivation, under controlled conditions, can treat depression.
Psychedelic healing: could magic mushrooms help reboot the brain?
At any given moment, more than 3 per cent of the UK population are thought to be suffering from depression. For some people, like Kirk Rutter, symptoms persist despite treatment. Could psilocybin – the psychedelic drug found in magic mushrooms – help to put an end to depression by ‘rebooting’ the brain?
Could pain be the other side of happiness?
You might wince when you feel pain, but psychologist Brock Bastian reckons this might be the secret to a happy life.
Is the dark really making me sad?
How do Scandinavians deal with long, dark winters? And what might this teach us about the relationship between our moods and sunlight? By Linda Geddes.
Antidepressant could help fight dementia
Researchers discover antidepressant drug trazodone hydrochloride could help those with Alzheimer's disease by reducing brain shrinkage, preventing cell death and improving memory.
Birdsong key to beating the blues
Surrounding yourself with birdsong, nature and greenery could help you feel more relaxed, happier and combat stress and anxiety.
My grandparents survived the Cultural Revolution: have I inherited their trauma?
Shayla Love’s mother and grandparents lived through China’s Cultural Revolution – now she wants to know what biological traces of their trauma she carries within her today.
What is worse for your mood – interrupted sleep or shortened sleep?
We’d also argue that being hooked up to lab equipment is not conducive to a good night’s rest.
What are the most successful therapies for depression?
There’s no simple answer to treating depression because individual experience, and therefore success of treatments, depends on many factors.