Sleeping patterns and mental health are two closely-related concepts. During sleep, your body and mind repair themselves and become stronger. Because of this, sleep deprivation can worsen or even increase your chances of anxiety and depression. Around 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders, and the problem is also significant in other locations around the…

Are you feeling hopeless, shameful, uninterested, or disconnected from life? These are just a few of the many signs that indicate you could be suffering from depression. Depression is a paralyzing mental disorder that can cause you to feel so alone that you don’t even know who you are anymore. But with 350 million people…

We frequently throw the word “depressed” around when we’re feeling bummed out, much like we use “starving” when we’ve had too little lunch to sustain us until dinner. It’s much easier to know if you’re actually starving (and what to do about it) than if you’re actually depressed. Some signs of depression can even be…

Are you currently decking the halls with boughs of holly or dodging bouts of holiday depression? Depression at this time of year is fairly common, so don’t beat yourself up for feeling particularly blue. You are not alone if sadness and isolation are all that seem to accompany the deluge of toy commercials, family gatherings,…

You probably have a picture in mind of someone who’s depressed: they can’t get out of bed, stay in their pajamas all day, and can’t stop crying. But you definitely don’t fit that description. You’re able to hold down a job, maintain friendships, and put in the effort to look good. Surely, that means you…

An individual may have two chronic disorders or illnesses at once, a situation known as comorbidity. The interactions between the illnesses frequently impact the way one or the other affects the individual and certainly makes them even more challenging to heal. In many cases, comorbidity happens with someone who has a mental illness and a…

The moment you open your eyes every day, you engage in a fight. You protect yourself from pervasive, negative thoughts that inundate your mind. That battle rages, draining you of time and energy, until you finally fall back asleep at night. Is this the way your days go? What can help you struggle less? Things…

You toss and you turn, yet nothing. No matter how long you stare at the ceiling, sleep evades you. What can you do when you have trouble sleeping? Insomnia affects about 60 million Americans each year, especially women and those who are over the age of 65. There are three general types of sleep disturbance:…