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  • Wearable Sensor Could Point To Anxiety, Depression In Kids

    Wearable Sensor Could Point To Anxiety, Depression In Kids

    New tech may help children better identify their own feelings.

    Whether or not a child suffers from an internalizing disorder like depression or anxiety may soon be identifiable through a wearable sensor, new research indicates.  

    According to PsyPost, a recent study put the sensors to the test. The study involved 63 children ages 3 to 8, both with and without internalizing disorders. The children wore a motion sensor which tracked their movement, and a machine learning algorithm then analyzed those movements. 

    Study author Ellen W. McGinnis, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Vermont Medical Center, says children struggle to identify their own feelings, so the sensor may help do so. 

    “Young children who suffer from anxiety and depression often have a lot of difficulty understanding and communicating their suffering—and for parents, it’s really difficult to read inner emotions of someone who doesn’t even understand themselves,” she said.  

    “This is also a large problem, with up to 1 in 5 children experiencing an internalizing disorder during childhood, that can lead to increased risk for serious health problems like chronic anxiety and depression, substance abuse, and suicide, later in life if left untreated,” added study co-author Ryan S. McGinnis, an assistant professor at the University of Vermont. 

    During the study, children were taken into a “dimly lit” room. A research assistant then made statements meant to increase the children’s anticipation. The statements included things like, “I have something to show you,” and, “Let’s be quiet so it doesn’t wake up.”

    The back of the room housed a covered terrarium. With the children in the room, the research assistant then pulled out a fake snake, assuring the children the assistant was allowed to play with the reptile. 

    This exercise and the sensors led researchers to determine that the children in the study with disorders like anxiety and depression were more apt to turn away before the snake was taken out. The algorithm from the machine did pick up on some variations between children with internalizing disorders versus those without—in fact, it was 81% accurate. 

    “Feasible objective screening of child anxiety and depression in young children is possible using wearable technology and is proving to be very sensitive—meaning we can find those previously overlooked kids and connect them to the services they need,” Ellen McGinnis told PsyPost.

    “Hopefully people will start to see technologies like these being deployed during their children’s pediatric well visits in the coming years,” Ryan McGinnis added.

    Though the results are promising, as with most small studies, researchers say a larger sample is needed to prove their results further.

    “A big caveat is that, although our results are intriguing and promising, we need to replicate them in a much larger, more diverse sample,” Ellen McGinnis told PsyPost. “In so doing, we’d like to partner with pediatricians to ensure that the resulting technology can easily fit within the workflow of a standard pediatric well visit.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How Working Long Hours & Weekends Affects Mental Health

    How Working Long Hours & Weekends Affects Mental Health

    Working longer hours during the week increased depression symptoms in women, according to a new study.

    Working longer hours is associated with increased risk of depression in women, but not men, while working weekends increased symptoms of depression in both genders, according to a recent study. 

    The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, found that men who worked all or most weekends had 3.4% more symptoms of depression than men who didn’t work weekends, while women who worked weekends experienced 4.6% more depressive symptoms than their counterparts who didn’t work weekends. 

    Interestingly, working more hours during the week increased depression symptoms in women, but not in men. Women who worked 55 hours a week had 7.3% more depressive symptoms than those who worked 30-40 hours. 

    Lead study author Gill Weston told Science Daily that there are likely social aspects at play to explain the difference between how men and women respond to extra work hours. 

    “This is an observational study, so although we cannot establish the exact causes, we do know many women face the additional burden of doing a larger share of domestic labor than men, leading to extensive total work hours, added time pressures and overwhelming responsibilities,” Weston said. 

    The results also likely have to do with the type of jobs that people are working, she added. The study found that people of both genders who worked weekends were less satisfied with their careers and were more likely to be doing low-skilled work. 

    “Additionally women who work most weekends tend to be concentrated in low-paid service sector jobs, which have been linked to higher levels of depression,” Weston said. 

    She added that factors outside of work hours also contribute to the risk of depression. 

    “Women in general are more likely to be depressed than men, and this was no different in the study,” she said. “Independent of their working patterns, we also found that workers with the most depressive symptoms were older, on lower incomes, smokers, in physically demanding jobs, and who were dissatisfied at work.”

    Weston suggested that having more flexible schedules could help counteract depressive symptoms that are connected to work, particularly for women. 

    “We hope our findings will encourage employers and policymakers to think about how to reduce the burdens and increase support for women who work long or irregular hours—without restricting their ability to work when they wish to. More sympathetic working practices could bring benefits both for workers and for employers—of both sexes.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Jessie J Cries In Emotional Video About Depression, Vulnerability

    Jessie J Cries In Emotional Video About Depression, Vulnerability

    The singer said that she hopes her emotional outpouring helps others find motivation to acknowledge their feelings. 

    Singer Jessie J became teary in an emotional Instagram video that showed her working out her feelings at the piano during an “off day.”

    The video was posted on Sunday (Feb. 24). In a lengthy caption, the “Nobody’s Perfect” singer explained why she shared her vulnerable moment on social media. 

    “I’m not posting this for sympathy. Im posting this for anyone who needs to see it (I needed it),” she wrote. “This video is from yesterday I woke up. Feeling kinda off. I sat at the piano (which I’ve been avoiding) knowing it will bring some stuff up. I’m making it up and feeling my real feelings.”

    Jessie said she went live to share the moment, not knowing that she would end up crying.  

    “But it’s important to be open that we are not always done up and feeling 100. All of us have our days. Yesterday was one of my weird emotional days,” she wrote.

    Jessie said that she hopes other people will find motivation to acknowledge their feelings. 

    “In a time and a world (especially the social world) where sadly vulnerability is often seen as weakness where the younger generation are almost being taught to hide their real feelings behind a perfected edited image. Hence why anxiety and depression in kids is through the roof and only carries to their adult life if it doesn’t change.”

    She pointed to the high suicide rate, particularly among young men, and seemed to say that expressing emotion is one way to combat it. 

    “We push our feelings to the bottom of our energy and hope it goes away. It won’t. Don’t define yourself on it. But stand with it, process it and learn from it. Find YOUR happiness. No one can make you happy but you. People can contribute. But ultimate happiness comes from within. It’s a personal journey,” she said. 

    She called on people to find a way to cope with their emotions—through exercise, creativity or anything else that works. 

    “To anyone young or older. Let your sadness / pain / Greif [sic] out. In your OWN way. Ever noticed so many people apologise as soon as they start to cry these days? Like it’s an inconvenience to FEEL. Draw. Sing. Paint. Walk. Write. Drive. Work out. Be still. Whatever it is that let’s you understand and process your real emotions do it.”

    Most importantly, people should reach out for help when they need to, she said. 

    “TALK to people you love when you are down. Please do not suffer in silence. Life is way too short and ALWAYS GETS BETTER. I’m thinking of you and sending love to your heart.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Comedian Brody Stevens Dies At 48

    Comedian Brody Stevens Dies At 48

    “The Hangover” star was memorialized by his comedic peers on social media.

    Actor and comedian Brody Stevens, known for his role in movies like The Hangover and The Hangover II, has died of an apparent suicide, according to numerous reports.

    Stevens, 48, was found deceased in Los Angeles on Friday (Feb. 22). According to The Blast, officers of the Los Angeles Police Department were dispatched to the scene shortly before 1 p.m. on Friday. 

    “Brody was an inspiring voice who was a friend to many in the comedy community,” a rep for Stevens told The Blast. “He pushed creative boundaries and his passion for his work and his love of baseball were contagious. He was beloved by many and will be greatly missed. We respectfully ask for privacy at this time.”

    Many are mourning the loss, especially those in the baseball community, People reports. Stevens was a passionate baseball fan who reportedly played on a scholarship at Arizona State University. 

    The team at ASU honored Stevens, who was a pitcher, with a moment of silence before their game on Saturday. They also shared a statement on Twitter. 

    “We lost a treasured member of our Sun Devil Baseball Family yesterday,” the team wrote. “We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Brody Stevens. He will be in our hearts this weekend.”

    Others in the baseball community, including retired pitcher Dan Haren, also spoke out on Twitter. 

    “One of my best friends is gone, @BrodyismeFriend i love you man. He always took the time to talk to me about baseball, comedy and life. A true friend,” Haren tweeted.

    Phillies ace Jake Arrieta also expressed his sadness at the loss of his friend.

    “I will never forget the time spent with Brody Stevens during my time in Chicago thx to Mike Borzello,” Arrieta tweeted. “Every conversation was memorable, he loved baseball, and watching him throw a bullpen during an early spring morning will always be a highlight for me.”

    Fellow comedians also took to social media to mourn the loss.

    “#RIPBrodyStevens he was so funny and weird and vulnerable and wild and kind. Every time he was onstage it was an adventure,” comedian Nick Kroll wrote.

    Comedian Patton Oswalt took the opportunity to speak on the importance of reaching out for anyone who is feeling depressed or suicidal.  

    “If you are depressed or feeling suicidal please please please please please reach out to ANYONE,” he tweeted. “I never get to see Brody Stevens again I can’t stand this.”

    According to The Blast, Stevens has been open about his depression in the past. 

    If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, reach out the the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “home” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Lady Gaga Disappoints Fans by Failing to Address Mental Health Triggers in "A Star Is Born"

    Lady Gaga Disappoints Fans by Failing to Address Mental Health Triggers in "A Star Is Born"

    Lady Gaga has worked tirelessly to help people with mental health problems, sharing her own struggles with debilitating depression. So why hasn’t she addressed the very real and dangerous depressive and suicidal triggers in the film?

    Trigger Warning: The following story discusses a completed suicide in a film and links to potentially triggering articles. Proceed with caution. If you feel you are at risk and need help, skip the story and get help now. Options include: Calling the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-TALK (8255), calling 911, and calling a friend or family member to stay with you until emergency medical personnel arrive to help you. 

    (This piece contains spoilers for A Star is Born.)

    Months after its release, the highly-acclaimed A Star is Born is still generating plenty of headline-worthy buzz, most recently with an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

    It’s an incredible movie with an equally impressive soundtrack; I had every song memorized long before I seeing the movie. But months after seeing A Star is Born on a rare date-night with my husband, I still feel that Lady Gaga—Mother Monster herself—let the entire mental health community down. And while I agree that the Oscar-buzz is well-deserved, I also wonder at the media’s lack of attention to the film’s numerous potential triggers for alcoholism, addiction, depression, and suicide.

    Lady Gaga has made a name for herself as more than just a performer, using her platform to bring awareness to preventative mental health care. She’s spoken publicly about her personal struggles with her own “debilitating mental health spirals,” amassing a following of “Little Monsters” – fans who see themselves in her message. She and her mother, Cynthia Germonatta, created the Born This Way Foundation for a “kinder and braver world.” Germonatta also notably presented to The United Nations General Assembly in 2018 on behalf of the Born This Way Foundation on the topic of mental health, launching the United for Global Mental Health initiative. According to its Twitter page, the initiative’s vision is “a world where everyone, anywhere, can turn to someone who is able to support their mental health when needed.”

    You could say that I’ve been stanning Lady Gaga since before “stanning” was even a word, so I was well aware of her activism before seeing the movie. I was thrilled going into A Star is Born. But my excitement soon gave way to anxiety and sadness. Certain scenes left me dismayed and shaken, stunned that there weren’t safety protocols put into place to warn the very fans she has worked so hard to fight for and protect.

    Never having seen the original film (and not having done any research on the film before seeing it) I still knew going in that A Star is Born wasn’t going to have a happy ending. One friend had posted on Facebook that she was “gutted” as the credits rolled. But even that did not prepare me for the very real and incredibly dangerous depressive and suicidal triggers contained within the film’s ending, most notably Jack’s suicide (and the very brief glimpse of the belt from which he was hanging swinging through the garage windows). That shot alone, while problematic in terms of the little that could be seen and the dangers of suicidal triggers according to The Association for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), I might have been able to shake off. It wasn’t until the moment after Jack’s brother, Bob, was consoling Ally (played by Gaga) following Jack’s suicide, telling her that it was nobody’s fault but Jack’s, that I cracked. 

    I waited, breathless and crying, for Mother Monster to channel herself through the character she was portraying on the big screen, to speak up. She’d done so repeatedly while Jack was still alive and fighting his addiction, assuring him that alcoholism is a disease and that there was no blame to be placed or taken on.

    All she needed to say was that the addiction won; that Jack’s suicide wasn’t any more his fault than his alcoholism had been. 

    But she didn’t. And it broke me. 

    For a brief moment, I thought that maybe I was the only one. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe I was just being too sensitive. But it wasn’t just me.

    In researching this piece, I discovered that complaints of “viewer distress” in New Zealand had caused the film to be reclassified with a suicide warning note. But why wasn’t a trigger warning for suicide added to the beginning of the film from the get-go? 

    David Shanks, head of the New Zealand film classification board, was quoted in The Guardian after demanding that the film add a warning to protect vulnerable viewers. “For those who have lost someone close to them, a warning gives them a chance to make an informed choice about watching.” 

    Houston-based licensed therapist Bill Prasad notes that for those who haven’t yet seen A Star is Born, it’s best to skip the film if proper resources are not in place. 

    “Triggers can be tricky and dangerous,” said Prasad, who added that those in the early stages of sobriety may also be adversely affected. 

    The AFSP’s fact sheet on suicide statistics, warning signs, and risk factors includes “Exposure to another person’s suicide, or to graphic or sensationalized accounts of suicide” among the many risk factors for triggering those vulnerable to act. A Star is Born triggered for me my own “debilitating mental health spiral.” I withdrew from my friends, both personal and those in my social media circles. I stopped writing. I stopped sleeping at night and started sleeping too much during the day. And when no one was looking, I kept crying. 

    As a writer whose livelihood depends on my ability to create, I lost months of income. As a survivor of my own suicide attempt with a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, I am grateful that I’m not actively suicidal now or when I saw the film. That doesn’t mean, however, that I am not sensitive to associated triggers. Two months later, I’m still trying to find all the pieces and put myself back together. 

    I’m not asking for Hollywood to hold my hand. I know that hard stories need to be told. A Star is Born is a brilliantly acted film and rightfully deserves all the attention it continues to receive. I understand that perhaps it might not have been “realistic” for Ally to snap out of her grief-stricken state and set Jack’s brother right about how dangerous it is to blame the victim, that it’s never okay to even imply that.

    So I waited for Mother Monster herself to set the record straight after the fact. 

    But she didn’t. 

    Lady Gaga didn’t say a word. Not then, and not after, during countless interviews, did she reassure her monsters that depression is an illness beyond the control of the afflicted. Not once did she say that no one should ever blame the suicidal.

    As Prasad reminds us, “If you are struggling after the movie, reach out to someone or get professional help. You don’t have to suffer alone.”

    If you or someone you know may be at risk for suicide, immediately seek help. You are not alone.

    Options include:

    • Calling the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-TALK (8255)
    • Calling 911
    • Calling a friend or family member to stay with you until emergency medical personnel arrive to help you.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • "Smiling Depression" Explained

    "Smiling Depression" Explained

    Low mood is not the only feature of depression. 

    Depression is associated with sadness, crying and an inability to get out of bed. However, up to 40% of people who have depression may have “smiling depression” and not exhibit these symptoms.

    “It can be very hard to spot people suffering from smiling depression. They may seem like they don’t have a reason to be sad – they have a job, an apartment and maybe even children or a partner. They smile when you greet them and can carry pleasant conversations. In short, they put on a mask to the outside world while leading seemingly normal and active lives,” Olivia Remes, a doctoral candidate at the University of Cambridge, wrote for Science Alert.

    Many people are able to “keep up appearances” even while they’re feeling down. Marissa, a 22-year-old from New Jersey, posted a picture of her smiling at an adorable puppy, with the caption, “Sometimes it’s the little things that bring the most joy.”

    However, Marissa told Women’s Health how she really felt that day: “I wish I had half of this puppy’s joy. Earlier today I was driving, and looking for objects to crash into. My life feels so overwhelming that I just can’t deal.”

    Smiling depression isn’t a medical term, but depression with atypical features is. People who suffer from depression with atypical features might have primary symptoms including weight gain or appetite increase, sleepiness, or social isolation.

    However, they can still experience positive reactions to good events, whereas many people with typical depression might not be able to tap into the joy brought by good news or positive occurrence. 

    This can make it hard for some people to recognize that they’re depressed, Dr. Michelle B. Riba, of the University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center, told Health.

    “Many people will come to their doctor complaining about sleep problems, or headaches, not realizing that it’s a mood disorder because they don’t have low mood. Not all symptoms of depression always occur at once.”

    Another woman who spoke with Women’s Health posted a picture of herself in a shirt that said “Be kind always.” However, that didn’t actually fit her mood, she explained. 

    “I feel so down I almost broke into tears at the grocery store today. I wish I could have extended this kindness to myself,” the 33-year-old said. 

    The feelings of smiling depression can sneak up and be surprising, said Rebecca, 36, who posted a photo of herself smiling at a friend’s wedding. 

    “After this, I snuck out of the reception to cry in my hotel because I suddenly felt depressed without knowing why,” she said. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Riverdale's Lili Reinhart Opens Up About Depression, Getting Treatment

    Riverdale's Lili Reinhart Opens Up About Depression, Getting Treatment

    “We are all human. And we all struggle. Don’t suffer in silence. Don’t feel embarrassed to ask for help,” Reinhart noted on Instagram.

    Riverdale actress Lili Reinhart used Instagram to announce through her Instagram story that she is again seeking help for anxiety and depression.

    The 22-year-old actress is best known for her Riverdale character, Betty—the part that launched her into stardom. By then, Reinhart had already experienced a profound bout with depression, at 18 when she came to Hollywood.

    She became physically sick from depression and moved home to North Carolina for help. After six months of working on her mental and emotional health, she returned to Hollywood, eventually landing the starring role that would make her a household name.

    Reinhart has been public about her mental health struggles, but not without concerns about the level of transparency she’s chosen. She told Teen Vogue, “It’s very much a constant balance of what do I share? What do I not share? I want to be authentic, but I also don’t want to give everyone parts of myself that they don’t need to know about.”

    Still, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, the show’s creator and showrunner, told Teen Vogue of Reinhart, “She has a lot of contradictions, but the big thing is there’s nothing we can’t write for Lili that she cannot do. She’s sort of fearless.”

    This week Reinhart spoke about her depression and anxiety on Instagram, directly addressing those reading her words and encouraging anyone experiencing similar difficulties to speak out and get help if they’re feeling overwhelmed. 

    “Friendly reminder for anyone who needs to hear it,” Reinhart wrote, “Therapy is never something to feel ashamed of. Everyone can benefit from seeing a therapist. Doesn’t matter how old or ‘proud’ you’re trying to be.”

    The actress then added, “We are all human. And we all struggle. Don’t suffer in silence. Don’t feel embarrassed to ask for help. I’m 22. I have anxiety and depression And today I started therapy again.”

    Reinhart shared that her “journey of self-love” included therapy and medication.

    Selena Gomez is another young star who has been open about her mental health issues, which has included mental health facility stays and the therapeutic practice, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. DBT teaches skills such as emotional regulation, improving communication, and incorporating mindfulness practices.

    Gomez told Vogue, “I wish more people would talk about therapy. We girls, we’re taught to be almost too resilient, to be strong and sexy and cool and laid-back, the girl who’s down. We also need to feel allowed to fall apart.”

    Reinhart told Ocean Drive magazine a year ago, “I know so many other young people have [struggles with mental health], and I didn’t have someone who was talking about it. I remember being in middle and high school and hearing Demi Lovato speak up about her mental illness and that was comforting. But I wanted more people to stand up. I needed more people to relate to. I was like, all these people can’t be so happy, can they?”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Are "Night Owls" More Prone to Depression?

    Are "Night Owls" More Prone to Depression?

    Researchers examined if burning the midnight oil could put you at higher risk for mental health disorders.

    New research has found that a genetic link may exist between individuals who prefer sleeping later, or “night owls,” and mental disorders, including depression, anxiety and even schizophrenia.

    A study of genomic data—information culled from an organism’s genetic and DNA material—from thousands of participants in a UK health survey found that while differences in sleep timing did not impact sleep quality of “night owls” or “morning people,” it did reveal a causal link between night owls and the aforementioned conditions.

    While the reason for the connection remained unclear, researchers indicated that its presence underscored the need for greater research into genetics and mental health.

    The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, reviewed genomic data from nearly 700,000 participants culled from two sources: the private, U.S.-based genome analysis company 23andMe and the non-profit UK Biobank.

    Participants were given a health survey in which they would answer if they were “morning people” or “night owls” based on sleep timing and tendencies. The researchers compared information from the survey with data from wristband activity trackers worn by 85,000 participants in the UK Biobank.

    The data yielded two significant findings. First, the researchers determined a vastly larger number of regions in the human genome—351—associated with early rising than previously identified; prior to the study, only 24 of these regions were known to science. Study participants with more gene variants connected to early rising typically went to sleep up to a half hour earlier than individuals with fewer variants.

    These variants also appeared to be linked to both the retina and the body’s circadian clock, which is the body’s means of monitoring sleep, wakefulness, digestion and other bodily functions.

    As study lead author Samuel Jones noted, “Part of the reason why some people are up with the larks while others are night owls is because of differences in both the way our brains react to external light signals and the normal functioning of our internal clocks.”

    But what the scientists also found was that those individuals whose genomic data identified them as night owls also had a greater propensity for the risk of depression and schizophrenia, among other conditions.

    Sleep quality or lack of sleep did not appear to play a role in this causal link, and while the researchers were unable to determine a specific reason for the link, study co-author Jacqueline Lane suggested that a combination of physical stimuli, such as morning light, societal pressures—the need to feel awake in the morning and midday due to work schedules—and genetics may play a role.

    “Our current study really highlights the need for further study of how chronotype is causally linked to mental health and, until these studies are done, we can only speculate on the mechanism,” said Lane.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Depression Might Make You Angry

    Depression Might Make You Angry

    Some medical experts would like to see anger added to the list of symptoms for depression.

    Depression is associated with fatigue and melancholy, but there’s another often-overlooked symptom of depression, professionals say: anger. 

    Some medical providers, including psychiatrist Maurizio Fava, who practices at Massachusetts General Hospital and teaches at Harvard Medical School, would like to see anger included as a symptom of depression in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

    “[Anger is] not included at all in the adult classification of depression,” Fava told NPR, despite the fact that it is a listed symptoms of depression for children and teens. “Why would someone who happens to be irritable and angry when depressed as an adolescent suddenly stop being angry at age 18?”

    Because anger isn’t listed as a symptom of depression, people present with anger as a primary symptom can be misdiagnosed. 

    “We see in our clinics patients who are labeled as having other diagnoses because people think, ‘Well, you shouldn’t be so angry if you are depressed,’” Fava said. 

    Still, he said about 1 in 3 patients have told him about angry outbursts associated with depression, something Fava calls “anger attacks.”

    “They would lose their temper, they would get angry, they would throw things or yell and scream or slam the door,” he said. 

    Fava would like the medical community to study anger more closely in order to fully understand depression. 

    “I don’t think that we have really examined all the variables and all the levels of anger dysregulation that people experience,” he said.

    Mark Zimmerman, who teaches psychiatry at Brown University, conducted a poll in which two-thirds of people seeking first-time psychiatric treatment reported feelings of anger. The fact that anger associated with mental illness, specifically depression, hasn’t been studied means that it is hard to know what treatment might work to alleviate this symptom. 

    “The most frequently used scales to evaluate whether or not medications work for treating depression don’t have any anger-specific items,” Zimmerman said.

    Kevin Einbinder, who handles communications for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, said that looking back over his life he can see that anger played a big role in many of his relationships, although he didn’t realize it until a journalist posed the question. 

    “I thought of all the people in my life who have interacted with me — my family, the counselors, psychiatrists, even employers, significant others, and I realized that anger was an underlying factor in all those relationships,” Einbinder said. 

    If he had realized this at the time, or if his providers had known to ask about this symptom, he could have learned to cope with it earlier on, he said. 

    “I think that would have provided a tremendous amount of context for what’s adding to my depression and in helping me, early on in my life, with more effective coping mechanisms.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Dads' Post-Natal Depression May Affect Their Teenage Daughters

    Dads' Post-Natal Depression May Affect Their Teenage Daughters

    A new study found a connection between paternal depression and the later depression of their female offspring. 

    There’s been much more attention given to maternal mental health in recent years, but a new study suggests that paternal mental health is also important to the long-term health of children, particularly daughters. 

    The study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, examined more than 3,000 pairs of parents and children to try to understand how depression in a parent can increase depression risk in their offspring. The authors found that when dads are depressed during the postnatal period (8 weeks after a baby’s birth), their daughters are more likely to have symptoms of depression when they turn 18. 

    Interestingly, the study found that when dad is depressed, the mother may be more likely to have depression as well. In turn, this can affect the child, even in the long-term. 

    “Depression in fathers in the postnatal period has potential implications for family and child functioning into late childhood and adolescence; it should be addressed in perinatal services, and both parents should be considered when 1 presents with depression,” study authors wrote.

    The connection between paternal depression and the depression of offspring was seen in girls, but not in boys. 

    “The association between paternal depression in the postnatal period and depression in girls at age 18 years is partially explained by maternal depression,” study authors wrote. 

    More research has been delving into how fatherhood affect men’s mental health. Last year, research suggested that fathers can experience hormonal changes after the birth of a baby, which can lead to depression and affect the function of the whole family.

    Darby Saxbe, an assistant professor of psychology at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and lead author of that study told Science Daily that we are still learning how fatherhood affects men. 

    “We often think of motherhood as biologically driven because many mothers have biological connections to their babies through breastfeeding and pregnancy. We don’t usually think of fatherhood in the same biological terms. We are still figuring out the biology of what makes dads tick,” Saxbe said. 

    Having a healthy father in the home can help improve outcomes for children. 

    “We know that fathers contribute a lot to child-rearing and that on the whole, kids do better if they are raised in households with a father present,” Saxbe said. “So, it is important to figure out how to support fathers and what factors explain why some fathers are very involved in raising their children while some are absent.”

    View the original article at thefix.com