Yesterday was my last Beyond Blue post. Since I wasn’t able to publish a concluding post, I thought I would do so here. Two words are appropriate. Thank you. I wanted to be sure to communicate one last message of gratitude for all your support. My first post published only a couple of months after […]
The opposite of depression is not happiness, according to Peter Kramer, author of“Against Depression” and“Listening to Prozac,” it is resilience: the ability to cope with life’s frustrations without falling apart. Proper treatment doesn’t suppress emotions or dull a person’s ability to feel things deeply. It builds a protective layer — an emotional resilience — to safeguard a depressive from […]
I wanted to offer some quotes on following your dreams since I recently decided to transition from a stable job as a defense contractor to my passion: writing about mental health. The following quotes are from a great little book called “2500 Years of Wisdom: Sayings of the Great Masters.” You’ll break the worry habit […]
From my archives … I fear that I’m giving my daughter an eating disorder with intentions of teaching her how to eat right. Which begs the question: which is more harmful–obesity (and diabetes) or an eating disorder? I’ve implemented a “one-treat rule” in our home, which simply means that if my kids get ice-cream after […]
Awhile back I wrote a piece on what not to say to a depressed person. Blogger Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S., adds a few more to the list from mental health experts and writers in her new Psych Central piece, “9 Things Not to Say to Someone With a Mental Illness.” She begins … Julie Fast’s friend […]
I’ve always found it curious that more suicides happen in the spring than in any other season. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Health Statistics, suicide rates are lowest in the winter months and highest in the springtime. What’s so bad about April and May? The sun […]
For their book, “The Wisdom of Failure,” authors Laurence Weinzimmer and Jim McConoughey interviewed 1,000 managers and leaders on one of my favorite topics: failure. The results comprise a fascinating volume on the benefits of blunders. Here are some insights from their book. What can understanding failure teach both seasoned and aspiring leaders that they […]
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), sometimes referred to as “shock treatment,” is the most controversial treatment in modern psychiatry. Many people envision it as the cruel and violent procedure that it is portrayed in movies such as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” The truth is that today’s treatment is safe and painless, but it isn’t without […]
Learning to read the daily newspaper as a depressive is like learning to feed the ducks in Annapolis without getting crapped on by the seagulls: it demands good timing, a certain strategy, and an obnoxiously wide hat (to shield your head). I can’t check CNN.com every half hour for the most recent headlines like Eric […]
Among some very insightful posts on the blog “Weightless” is this one on ways to recognize poor body image…. In this day and age, it seems like a positive body image is a rarity. Whether you fit today’s skinny standards or wish you did, most women have issues with their bodies. Some may argue that bickering […]
When I was in the eye of depression’s storm, I couldn’t pray. I would go into my bedroom closet, shut the door, and light a candle in the dark. I stared into its flame, wanting so badly to feel at peace. But I didn’t. Instead, I trembled with anxiety, barely able to hold my […]
During the last ten years, there has been a flurry of studies on what makes us happy. Surprisingly, it’s not about how much money we make, or the prestige of the corner office. Experts in the field of positive psychology have interviewed people and groups all over the world to discover the elements that affect […]
No four words felt better when I was depressed than these, spoken by so many friends so often: This too shall pass. It didn’t matter who said them: my mom, who I figured was lying; my friends, who I knew were being nice; or my therapist, who I suspected wanted to get paid. When my […]
10:00 a.m. Accidentally pressed “reply all” to everyone in my company, offering sincere condolences to a co-worker who lost her mom three years ago, which spurred dozens of emails companywide on who died, and whether or not the company should send flowers. Oops. 10:50 a.m. Wrote a premature announcement on a website that I would […]
I have read every parenting sleep book that has been published in the last 20 years. I’ve been told by neighbors, mothers, siblings, friends, and strangers why my children don’t sleep and how to make them miraculously nod off. But 11 years after the first insomniac was born, I’m still exhausted, as I am convinced […]
What really makes people happy? Join me at one of three private screenings of “Happy,” a film that explores that very question. I will open with a chat on my own experiences with depression and happiness and then answer your questions. Book signing! After the screening, I will be signing FREE copies of Beyond Blue: […]
The cover story of the most recent issue of BPHope magazine features several couples who live with bipolar disorder. In the “Power of Two,” writer Barbara Boughton does an exceptional job of pulling together nuggets from different two-somes on ways they manage a mental illness together. The handsome couple that graces the front cover, Heather […]
As seasons shift, so does the amount of sunlight, which affects your circadian rhythm, the body’s internal biological clock that governs certain brain wave activity and hormone production. In some people, the changing of mood-related chemicals can cause depression. Bright light therapy has proven to be an effective treatment for season affective disorder (SAD), also […]
From my archives … I have had 14 days without any “I wish I were dead” thoughts. Two full weeks. It’s exhilarating but–and I know you can appreciate this–scary. Because I am so nervous for the thoughts to come back. It’s like finding your balance on water skis. I’m going … I’m going … I’m […]
Recent happiness studies indicate that popularity, influence, and money do not make people happiest – even as our culture suggests otherwise. Autonomy, life purpose, and relationships are found at the top of the list. In her new book, “The Happiness Choice: The Five Decisions that Take You From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be,” Marilyn Tam communicates […]
