Recently I had the pleasure to be involved in the Science of Psychotherapy podcast and discussed 10 causes of anxiety and depression. These 10 causes have been discussed in my blog previously. I must say that when it comes to depression and anxiety, there are more than these 10 causes and I will offer an updated version to include other causes soon. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy listening to the podcast.
I am very excited to announce my article 'The gut as a key player in neuroscience' has been published as a feature article in The Neuropsychotherapist.
Do you feel bloated on a regular basis, or at times worse just before and during the 'time of the month'? Do you get so bloated that you even 'look pregnant'?
You could have endometriosis.
This month is endometriosis awareness month and while more women are becoming aware of this condition and getting a proper diagnosis, there are still many that are getting misdiagnosed and as a consequence are living in pain and missing out on proper treatment.
An often-debilitating condition, depression can affect anyone and symptoms can range from low motivation and just feeling 'blah', to feelings of hopelessness and suicide ideation. In men, depression will often manifest as anger, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, low libido, a desire to withdraw from social life, a feeling of disconnect and a loss of pleasure from activities that used to be pleasurable. If a man walked into a doctor's office with these symptoms, it would be very likely that he would be given a prescription for an antidepressant.
This is the tenth and final post in a series on some of the physiological (non-psychological) causes of depression and/or anxiety.
The amount and quality of sleep we get has a significant impact on every system of our body. Sleep is not a state of inactivity but a necessary phase for deep regeneration. Prolonged sleep deprivation can have serious consequences including depression. Both chronic and acute sleep deprivation are associated with alterations in brain function and increased inflammation markers.
This is the ninth post in a series on some of the physiological (non-psychological) causes of depression and/or anxiety.
What is methylation?
Methylation is a process that happens in every cell of the body where one molecule passes a methyl group, which is a carbon atom linked to three hydrogens, to another molecule. Methyl groups are added to different proteins, DNA and other molecules. Methylation is involved in repairing DNA, turning genes, enzymes and neurotransmitters on and off, getting rid of toxins, energy production and regulating inflammation to name a few.
This is the eighth post in a series on some of the physiological (non-psychological) causes of depression and/or anxiety
There are certain prescription and over-the-counter medications that have the potential to induce or exacerbate depression and anxiety conditions. The way they do this is because a number of them cause nutrient deficiencies, upset the balance of certain nutrients, affect neurotransmitter function or cause gut flora imbalances.
This is the seventh post in a series on some of the physiological (non-psychological) causes of depression and/or anxiety.
This is the sixth post in a series on some of the physiological (non-psychological) causes of depression and/or anxiety.
This is the fifth post in a series on some of the physiological (non-psychological) causes of depression and/or anxiety.
The fats we choose to eat have a big impact on the function of every cell of our body, including those in the brain, where neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation are synthesised. The brain is made primarily of fatty acids, and the fat we eat is incorporated into brain cells as well as all other cells in our body.