Tackling Depression Through Song

We all know about the healing power of music. Finding solace in a song lyric or a classical orchestra can very therapeutic, especially when dealing with issues like addiction, anxiety or grief. And that goes for the Top 40 tracks of today as well. We certainly tip our hat to any contemporary artist who offers comfort in their songs. One, in particular, is the incredibly popular band Imagine Dragons, who just released a new single about coping with depression.

Ironically, the Dragons song “Zero” appears on the soundtrack for a family film. A standout single from the Ralph Breaks The Internet album, it definitely has a upbeat feel. But in reality, it touches upon the mental struggles that many people in this country deal with on a daily basis.

Written and produced by the band themselves, “Zero” reflect some very personal emotions (according to lead singer, Dan Reynolds).

“Zero is a song about somebody who feels empty, who feels like nothing, but continues on and puts a smile on their face,” Reynolds explained to The New York Post. “That’s kind of the theme of my life: a constant battle to find positivity in living and feeling a little empty at times. I’m trying to fill that void.”

Despite having millions of fans and large earnings from album sales and tours, Reynolds admits that he gets down quite often as well. Since the band’s inception, Reynolds has been open about his depression struggles and emphasized that fame and money did not fix the problem. As he mentioned on a recent morning show, it is something he continues to work on.

Interestingly Imagine Dragons purposely chose Ralph as an outlet for the song, particularly because of its themes about the internet and social media. Reynolds and the band want to get the message out that is ok to experience these feelings and people shouldn’t get caught up in the negativity they may encounter online.

“That journey of feeling like nothing and trying to realize and recognize your worth as a human is an important part of life,” Reynolds concluded. “And given the distorted version of reality kids face online and the expectations that come with it, this struggle is real for so many people right now.”

One other unique way that the band is exposing the single is through a colorful new video. It brings out the powerful depression lyrics amid bumpy, eye-grabbing visuals. And clearly, with 22 million views, it appears to be working.

You can watch the full “Zero” video below.

The Dark Side Of The Holiday Season

With November upon us, expect to see lots of joyful Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s ads plastered on your TV’s and mobile devices. And while that’s all fine and dandy, it is worth noting that this season can stir up difficult emotions as well. In fact, many studies have shown that depression, anxiety and addictive tendencies all increase during the “holiday season.”

Recently Forbes touched upon this timely issue, calling out several of the triggers that can dredge up dark feelings. Stress, for example, is much more common during the November and December months due to an increase of demands. Everything from work deadlines, to holiday shopping lists, to travel hassles and what have you. A lot can be expected of a person during this period and it is important to take a step back for mental health checks and self care.

Anxiety is another common emotion during this time of year. Though the idea of spending time with family is exciting to most, there can be certain loved ones who create anxious feelings. Facing a dysfunctional family member (who perhaps harassed or abused you) can be tremendously difficult and often times drives people to use in order to escape painful memories.

On the family front, grief also comes into play. Perhaps this is the first Thanksgiving without a parent or a grandparent. That, in itself, is incredibly painful and can send people into a depressive spiral. Divorce and separation is often thrust to the forefront too, especially if you’re anticipating uncomfortable confrontations with an ex.

The Forbes piece called out a specific symptom of depression that occurs during the holiday season. It is defined as “anhedonia” or the loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities. Basically, it is the inability to experience joy or pleasure.

“This is a time when there is an increase in stressful demands, an inability to sidestep family issues, and heavy emphasis put on managing expectations,” Forbes writer Anita Sanz explained in the article. “Thus, the holidays can leave a person dealing with depression with increased feelings of sadness, guilt, inadequacy, overwhelm, alienation, and unworthiness.”

So what can be done to combat these issues? The article goes on to lay out several helpful tactics; including creating laid out plans and timelines, setting realistic expectations and simply avoiding toxic situations. We too are making ourselves available during these months to lend support to anyone anticipating a difficult end of the year. Please, reach out in advance and save yourself unnecessary trauma and pain.

Social Media May Help Seniors With Depression

Often times, social media is associated with many negative connotations. Some people claim it can be addictive and potentially cause ADHD. Others warn about its dark underbelly and the predators who use it to sell drugs or scam account holders. But let it be known that there are many positive aspects to this medium as well. It all depends on how people choose to use it. And, as a recent study showed, for lonely seniors, social media is proving itself to be a powerful tool.

Reuters Health recently reported that people 67 and older who live in assisted living communities have found sites like Facebook and YouTube to be incredibly inspiring. And for those of them who suffer from chronic pain (as many older Americans do), depression levels dropped significantly following regular usage of social media.

The research specifically revealed that 15 percent of seniors dealing with pain showed signs of depression. When sites like Facebook entered the equation, however, that number changed to just 6 percent. Study co-author (and University of Michigan at Ann Arbor professor) Shannon Ang attributed that shift to the sense of community that social media brings. Even if family members and friends live far away, these web destinations make them feel much closer.

“Using online social media to maintain contact with family members and friends is a good way to compensate for seniors who restrict their social activities due to pain. It is not going to replace seeing people in person, but it will help supplement their reduced activities,” Ang explained. “For us, this study is about preserving mental health.”

The only hiccup is that many people within this age group are somewhat unfamiliar with these sites and how they work. So despite the fact that a place like Facebook can drastically decrease depression symptoms, only 17 percent of that population regularly logs on.

This, of course, will change as younger generations enter their senior years and it will be very interesting to see what kind of role social media will play for the next set of older Americans. But for now, we agree that these types of sites should be strongly considered in the fight against elderly depression. And on that note, we encourage family members to teach their parents and grandparents about the benefits of staying virally connected.

“It’s very well known that social support is helpful for depression and physical symptoms,” Ang concluded. “It’s a growing area of interest in research and clinical care.”

New Show Brings Attention To Mental Health & Suicide

The fall TV season has officially begun and with it are a slew of new shows, ranging from silly sitcoms to action packed reboots. But in between all of that is a an ABC series that is tackling a very important topic. The new drama A Million Little Things directly touches upon suicide and mental health. It is also going beyond the script to help viewers come to terms with these issues.

The show itself profiles a very real scenario. In it, a man who has everything to live for is suffering from depression in silence. Though his family and close friends don’t realize it, successful businessman Jon Dixon (played by Office Space’s Ron Livingston) is battling demons that he can’t overcome and chooses to take his own life in the first episode. This literally sets the series in motion, as the surrounding characters learn to process and cope with Jon’s abrupt decision.

One of the things we like most about Little Things is the honesty it conveys. Not only in the scenario of Jon Dixon, but also with his inner circle. There are characters in recovery, divorced couples and the honest topic of grief is brought out into the open on a regular basis.

Now as we mentioned above, there are other elements that go outside of the show. One of the big ones involved an important Public Service Announcement that was aired after the pilot episode. In it the cast spoke out about suicide prevention, along with some special guests. You can watch it in its entirety below…

As you may notice, there are some famous faces in that clip as well. Linkin Park rapper Mike Shinoda and the wife of the late Chester Bennington also appear in the PSA. They, of course, have been directly impacted by suicide and want others to get help before it’s too late.

“The passing of my husband cannot be in vain,” Benningston’s wife Talinda says in the clip. “His passing was a catalyst for opening up dialogue with respect to emotional and mental health. Throughout his life, he saved countless lives with his music and philanthropy. And through his death, he continues to save lives by spotlighting the urgent need for a change in our mental health culture.”

The :30 spot is followed by a website address and 800 number for suicide prevention. We applaud Mike, Talinda and everyone involved in the making of the A Million Little Things. This is an extremely important topic and one that all too often gets buried on primetime TV.

Using Technology To Identify Depression

 

 

Depression certainly has its symptoms and indicators, but what if there was a more advanced way to identify it? Over as the esteemed Massachusetts college MIT, researchers have been testing an artificial intelligence system that may be able to flag warning signs based on the way that we communicate.

 

This groundbreaking research actually analyzes speech and text messages to see if certain patterns appear that may indicate depression. Incorporating the use of a neural network model; the A.I. listens to (or reads) conversations, then provides a diagnosis. Interestingly, no direct questions or answers are necessary. For this to work, people just need to carry out regular conversations.

 

“We call it ‘context-free’ because you’re not putting any constraints into the types of questions you’re looking for and the type of responses to those questions,” MIT analyst Tuka Alhanai explained. “If you want to deploy [depression-detection] models in a scalable way… you want to minimize the amount of constraints you have on the data you’re using. You want to deploy it in any regular conversation and have the model pick up, from the natural interaction, the state of the individual.”

 

Trigger points that may lead to a depression diagnosis include longer pauses between words or a slower pattern of speech. When it comes to texting, words like “low,” “sad” or “down” raise the red flags. Patterns are sought out as well, indicating that these types of behaviors happen regularly when a particular person is having a long dialogue.

 

“The model sees sequences of words or speaking style, and determines that these patterns are more likely to be seen in people who are depressed or not depressed,” Alhanai added. “Then, if it sees the same sequences in new subjects, it can predict if they’re depressed too.”

 

Though it’s still in the testing phase, Alhanai has high hopes for making these A.I. programs more available. He did not rule out the possibility of turning this tool into a Smartphone app that can be used for voice recordings and alerts. He also foresees doctors and counselors using it for their own professional assessments.

 

One other interesting stat mentioned in the article was the fact that 37 percent of people suffering from depression in the U.S. continue to go undiagnosed. And as we all know, these types of dark feelings can be a gateway to addiction, self-harm or even suicide. Let’s hope this future tech can decrease that number.

 

Mental Health Among ‘Midlife Women’

  Depression is obviously a very personal issue, but there are certain trends that come to light among different genders, races and age ranges. One segment recently singled out was women who are experiencing “midlife.” These particular age ranges, which covers the menopausal years of 45-60, has shown an increase in mental health struggles.   Professors at The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine helped identify this trend and even went so far as to release guidelines for treating this particular age set.   “Pre-menopause is a window of vulnerability for the development of both depressive symptoms and major depressive episodes,” Pauline Maki, lead researcher at the University, explained. “The recent suicide of Kate Spade at 55 years of age shows the seriousness of mental health issues in midlife women, a group that has shown a 45% increase in suicide rates over the past 15 years.”   The prime era for these depressive symptoms to begin (according to the data) is roughly three to four years before menopause. It is during this time that periods become irregular and symptoms like hot flashes begin to occur. Coming to terms with this major life change can be a major mental challenge for a woman, even if they’ve had no history of depression.   Other external factors can come into play as well, creating additional hardships for midlife women. This can include the death of a parent, caring for an aging loved one and empty nest syndrome, among others. Considering the hormonal imbalances that may be happening simultaneously, this can be a recipe for some very dark emotions.   Maki added that these feelings are completely normal and, in fact, are very common.   “When you add in hormonal changes that can affect the brain’s ability to cope with these stressors, it’s no surprise that depression is a common occurrence in midlife women,” she explained. “If your mood is low, if you’re feeling irritable, I want women to understand there is a consensus that this is normal before and during menopause.”   Advice provided by the researchers included attending counseling sessions and considering antidepressants. They also shared the successes of hormone therapy, which is used to treat the physical symptoms of menopause. Removing stressors like hot flashes and lack of sleep can make a tremendous difference for a women’s emotional state.   At Inneractions, we regularly hold therapy sessions for women experiencing depression and know firsthand how difficult the challenges of midlife can be. If you or someone you are close to is having a difficult, please do not hesitate to reach out.  

A Warning For Addicted New Moms

We know how it easy it is to fall prey to an addiction. And how that addiction can overpower you, even interfering with parenting and raising a family. New moms who may have put their cravings on hold during a pregnancy can quickly fall back into the trappings after a healthy baby is born. This, however, can be an extremely dangerous time to re-ignite a habit, particularly when issues like postpartum depression creep in.

New data from The Sarasota Herald Tribune is showing that women who use opioids are at much greater risk of an overdose during the first year of their baby’s life. This could relate to moms who restart their dependencies after nine months of pregnancy or those who become first time users after childbirth.

As study rep Davida Schiff told The Herald Tribune, pregnancy can be a time when women feel empowered to kick their addiction. But old habits can easily return, especially during the emotional ups-and-downs that accompany caring for a newborn.

“Pregnancy seems to be a time for change. Women tend to make healthier decisions during pregnancy. So, for women with an opioid addiction, it can be a motivating moment,” Schiff explained. “Where things fall apart is postpartum.”

The study itself monitored 4,000 Massachusetts women who had battled an opioid addiction before pregnancy (and some during). When it came to overdoses, the highest percentage occurred seven to twelve months after their baby was born. Issues listed that caused this group to use again included sleep deprivation, stress and depression.

And for the record, there is a definite increase in pregnant women who abuse opioids. The article goes on to say that the amount of moms-to-be who use has quadrupled in the past 15 years (killing nearly three million).

As far as postpartum is concerned, that stat accounts for nearly 15 percent of all women who give birth. And when it comes to minority moms or those living in poverty, that stat can be as high as 40 percent.

Schiff added that more welfare checks and continued health visits could be a key to overcoming this problem. Coming home from the hospital and feeling a loss of control or safety could easily trigger women who have used in the past.

“We should capitalize on the positive emotions women feel during pregnancy,” Schiff concluded. “I believe it is important to sustain their care or enhance it during the postpartum period, which is arguably the most challenging.”

We at inneractions know how very real postpartum depression and addiction can be for women in America. If either of these issues are plaguing you or someone you care about, know that we are always available to help.

Depression On The Rise Among Med School Students

On the surface, you would think that medical students have a lot to be excited about. They’re on a path toward a lucrative and rewarding career and, let’s face it, just getting into an M.D. program alone is something to be proud of. But, according to new research uncovered by CNBC, that is not the case. Apparently young doctoral interns are suffering from depression at an alarming rate.

The article starts out by highlighting some serious challenges that these young people face. Challenges that many who are not close to programs like this may be aware of. For starters, most medical students suffer from sleep deprivation, peer hazing and harsh deadlines that could impact their graduation. And apparently, it only gets worse from there. After completing the schooling component, these student have to spend up to two years as residents, literally thrown into the fire of trauma cases, emergencies and demanding supervisors.

Issues like this have not only led to a large amount of depression cases among this set (as much as 50 percent), but also an increase in suicides.

“During the first year of training, rates of depression go up, risk of suicide goes up, anxiety goes up and part of what we’re studying is why that is and who’s at risk and what environmental elements put them at risk,” Dr. Srijan Sen, a professor of depression and neurosciences, told CNBC in the article. “We find that many of the interns may start out fine, and about half get depressed by the end of the year.”

Indeed, in a survey shared by The Washington Post, it was revealed that roughly 10 percent of all U.S. medical students have reported having thoughts of killing themselves during the first year of their program. The same research also showed these 20-somethings suffer from depression at rates that are 15 to 30 percent greater than that of the general population.

And sadly, the data revealed that superiors in the field are not doing much to help. In fact, they may actually be exacerbating the problem.

“Rather than receiving support in these situations, these students often suffer humiliation from senior clinicians,” writer Nathanial Morris explained in The Post. “This hierarchy engenders a culture of bullying toward medical trainees. More than 80 percent of medical students report mistreatment from supervisors. I’ve seen classmates shouted at, cursed at and mocked in clinical settings. A surgeon referred to me as ‘Helen Keller’ because I couldn’t suture fast enough.”

We understand that depression can impact people from every background and within every profession. If you know any young people who may be putting too much pressure on themselves (via med school or not), please reach out and let them know there is help available.

 

 

Links Discovered Between Teen & Parent Depression

Is sadness contagious? That is probably too bold of a statement to make, but a new study claims that households with a depressed teen often include a depressed parent as well. Termed a “ripple effect” by The Atlantic, it is research that is both alarming and encouraging. Particularly because further data is showing that one family overcomes their issues, so can another.

This particular study included several years of research and monitored 325 teens who were clinically depressed, along with their parents or caregivers. Northwestern University professor Kelsey R. Howard, M.S. oversaw much of the research, which also pointed to an increase in teen diagnoses.

“Depression is a massive public health concern that will take a variety of approaches to better manage,” he explained. “We believe our study is among the first to evaluate how the emotional health of a child can impact that of the parent.”

One interesting component regarding the adults was that not all caregivers had biological connections to the children. In fact, a good portion were adoptive parents. Regardless, it was shown that mom or dad’s depression affected both their adopted and non-adopted children. Now other research has shown a genetic link with issues like depression, but this proves that environmental factors are also at play.

“The concept of emotions being ‘contagious’ and spreading from person to person is well-known by psychologists,” Howard added in the article. “This work opens up a range of possibilities for future research on the family-wide effects of treatment for adolescent depression.”

But as we mentioned before, there were quite a few positives to arise from this research as well. One very encouraging stat showed that when depressed teens go through some version of mental-health treatment, symptoms of depression in their parents lessen. So, in many ways, “happier kids lead to happier parents” and certainly the vice versa is true as well.

One big recommendation is opening up an entire family to mental health treatment. Sure the teenage child may be exhibiting more outwardly depressed symptoms, but bringing parents into therapy can open up the healing process on a much grander scale.

As Howard concluded in the article; though alarming, there are quite a few silver linings to come out of this data. And he is certainly hopeful that families can use this information to make a positive change.

“It’s terrific to have that data,” he explained. “I think that it highlights our need to look at the interaction between a teen and their family members … The more support the family can get, the better.”

How Science Is Helping In The Fight Against Depression

Though depression most certainly taps into our emotions, there has always been a scientific element to it as well. Chemical imbalances in the brain are what led to the effectiveness of medications like Prozac. And now, it appears as though irregularities in people’s blood could be another contributing factor.

USA Today recently published an article that utilized research released from Stanford University. Their findings showed that people who suffer from depression typically have low levels of acetyl-L-carnitine, which is a specific biomarker in the blood. The lack of this element was shown to not only contribute to the severity of a person’s sadness, but also its duration.

Study co-author (and Stanford professor) Natalie Rasgon released a statement about the findings, classifying them as a major breakthrough. “This is truly an exciting addition to our understanding of the mechanisms of depressive illness,” she explained on the site.

To come to this conclusion, Rasgon and her team conducted a series of experiments on laboratory rodents. Those who had a deficiency in this particular biomarker showed stronger depression symptoms. What was most encouraging was that when acetyl-L-carnitine supplements were introduced, behaviors began to normalize.

Humans were also looked at for the study. Many of the participants had previously been diagnosed with depression. Of that set, lower levels of acetyl-L-carnitine were positively identified in their bloodstreams. Those who had the least amount of these biomarkers suffered from the most severe symptoms.

“In patients with depression, something is causing a problem in the mechanisms related to the biology of (acetyl-L-carnitine),” study co-author Carla Nasca explained in a statement. “And, surprisingly, the deficiency in (acetyl-L-carnitine) is even stronger in patients that don’t respond to standard antidepressants.”

Both Rasgon and Nasca agree that more testing is needed to conclusively determine whether there is a link. But these findings are certainly promising. Even better is the fact that acetyl-L-carnitine nutritional supplements are widely available at drugstores and retailers throughout the country. Though the researchers caution anyone going out and buying the product to instantly curb their symptoms, they do believe it could be a viable tool in the fight against depression (pending further tests).

We are always fascinated with the progress that science is making when it comes to overcoming emotional issues. Depression is a very real condition that millions of Americans suffer from. Hopefully this can assist with the healing process, coupled with counseling and professional support.