depression

Silhouette of depressed and anxiety person head.

FDA allows standalone use of nasal spray antidepressant Spravato (esketamine)

5:30pm January 21, 2025

The FDA says esketamine, an antidepressant derived from the anesthetic and party drug ketamine, can now be prescribed on its own. It was approved in 2019 to treat severe depression.

Tiny fish on ketamine may show how drug eases depression

8:00am January 07, 2025

In zebrafish, ketamine causes changes a brain circuit involved in "giving up." That may help explain how the drug helps people with depression.

Wrist view of an mature man with a smartwatch, attempting to connect it to his mobile phone in a natural park.

Getting your steps in can reduce depression, research finds

6:30am January 05, 2025

A recent study shows getting walking more may help prevent depressive symptoms. Tracking your steps may help you stay motivated, researchers say.

How do you help young Afghan refugees heal? A new program in Maine offers a way

7:00am September 15, 2024

Research shows that a toxic mix of past traumas and the stresses of resettlement puts refugee kids at significantly higher risk of long term mental health challenges. A new effort aims to mitigate those risks by supporting parents and children in refugee families.

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Got brothers or sisters? Warm sibling bonds help boost happiness as you age

10:44am April 27, 2024

by Allison Aubrey

Researchers have found that a warm, close bond with a sibling in early adult life is predictive of good emotional health later in life, with less loneliness, anxiety and depression.

The author's 8-year-old daughter Rosy has a 'kids' license,' showing she has her parents' permission to ride her bike around her Texas hometown.

How to give kids autonomy? 'Anxious Generation' author says a license to roam helps

7:00am April 14, 2024

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Kids have too much screen time and not enough autonomy, says author Jonathan Haidt. His book The Anxious Generation argues this has caused an epidemic of mental illness and suggests ways to fix it.

Zion Kelly holds a photo of his late twin brother Zaire B. Kelly.

Health & Safety

A gunman stole his twin from him. This is what he's learned about grieving a sibling

2:59pm April 10, 2024

by Rhitu Chatterjee

About 60,000 children a year in the U.S. lose a sibling. Zion Kelly joined that unlucky group in 2017 when his twin, Zaire, was killed. Zion has learned a lot about grief, and himself, since then.

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The number of people living alone in the U.S. went from nearly 5 million to about 38 million in a decade. A new study shows those who live alone report depression more than those who live with others.

Americans who live alone report depression at higher rates, but social support helps

5:01pm February 15, 2024

by Rhitu Chatterjee

The number of people living alone in the U.S. jumped to nearly 38 million. A new study shows people who live alone are more likely to report depression if they didn't have other social supports.

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Iain Campbell, a researcher in Scotland, has lived with bipolar disorder since he was young. After trying the ketogenic diet, he discovered profound improvements in his symptoms — and now wants to learn if it can do the same for others. He shared his recent findings at the Metabolic Health Summit in Clearwater, Fla., on Jan. 25.

Health & Safety

Patients say keto helps with their mental illness. Science is racing to understand why

4:27pm February 02, 2024

by Will Stone

It's not just for weight loss. Patients and doctors alike are having success using the diet for illnesses like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. And research is taking off.

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Patients report that ketamine infusions can be lifesaving, with immediate improvement for severe depression. But dosage and safety measures vary widely at the hundreds of clinics that have opened.

The ketamine economy: New mental health clinics are a 'Wild West' with few rules

5:00am January 30, 2024

by Dawn Megli

Ketamine, approved as an anesthetic in 1970, is emerging as a major alternative mental health treatment. But more than 500 clinics have popped up with little regulation, and treatment varies widely.