Modern medicine typically treats depression with a form of psychotherapy and/or anti-depressant drugs regardless of the specific symptoms presented. In the United States, the DSM-IV, a diagnostic tool for appropriately categorizing psychological disorders, is widely used in the diagnosis as well as the treatment for depression. In contrast, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) does not recognize […]
The Link Between Alcohol and Depression
People with substance abuse problems are more likely to have other psychiatric conditions than the general population. Conversely, people with psychiatric disorders are more likely to develop substance abuse problems. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, someone who suffers from depression is four times more likely to develop a substance-related disorder. For people […]
How Medications Affect Your Mood
Sometimes, symptoms of depression or mania are a side effect of certain drugs, such as steroids or blood pressure medication. If you’re taking antidepressants, tranquilizers, or stimulants such as the amphetamines or Ritalin, it’s fairly obvious that they are going to affect your mood. But what about less obvious medication such as the hundreds of […]
Vitamin B9: Folic Acid and Depression
This is the continuation in a series of articles about the profound effect of specific B vitamins in depression treatment. Vitamin B9, more commonly known as folate or folic acid, can benefit people with depression. Folic acid is linked to the production of serotonin and the degree of folic acid deficiency can be directly related […]