Dr. Des Spence, a general practitioner from Glasgow, said that “”we use antidepressants too easily, for too long, and that they are effective for few people (if at all).” Though he acknowledges that depression is real, he argued that the definition of clinical depression is too general and is “causing widespread medicalization.”

Spence also points out that antidepressant prescriptions in the U.K. rose to 46 million in 2011, a 9.6% increase. He questions the view that depression is a simply chemical imbalance, and believes antidepressants are becoming “a distraction from a wider debate about why we are so unhappy as a society.”

“But even if we accept that antidepressants are effective, a Cochrane review suggests that only one in seven people actually benefits,” said Spence. “Thus millions of people are enduring at least six months of ineffective treatment.”

On the other side of the debate, Ian Reid, a professor of Psychiatry at the University of Aberdeen, argues that the rise in antidepressant prescriptions is due to an increasing duration of treatment, rather than a rise in the number of people prescribed the medications.

Reid dismisses most of Spences claims, pointing to a survey of doctors that shows “cautious and conservative prescribing.” He also states that there are “methodological flaws” in studies showing that antidepressants are no better than placebos for mild depression.

“Antidepressants are but one element available in the treatment of depression, not a panacea,” said Reid. “Like ‘talking treatments’ (with which antidepressants are entirely compatible), they can have harmful side effects, and they certainly don’t help everyone with the disorder. But they are not overprescribed. Careless reportage has demonized them in the public eye, adding to the stigmatisation of mental illness, and erecting unnecessary barriers to effective care.”

Myelin acts as an “insulating material” around the areas of nerve cells that send impulses to other nerve cells. Production of the fiber is controlled by nerve cells called oligodendrocytes, but is lost in diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Abnormal myelin has, in other studies, been linked to mental illnesses including autism, anxiety, schizophrenia, and depression.

The study, published in the journal Nature neuroscience, showed that mice who were deprived of social contact had reduced myelin production. Researchers stated this demonstrates that formation of oligodendrocytes is affected by environmental changes.

“We knew that a lack of social interaction early in life impacted myelination in young animals but were unsure if these changes would persist in adulthood,” said Dr. Patrizia Casaccia, who led the study and is chief of the Center of Excellence for Myelin Repair at the Friedman Brain Institute at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. “Social isolation of adult mice causes behavioral and structural changes in neurons, but this is the first study to show that it causes myelin dysfunction as well.”

After observing the myelin drop in the mice, the researchers re-introduced them into a social group. Within four weeks, the social withdrawal symptoms were reversed.

“Our study demonstrates that oligodendrocytes generate new myelin as a way to respond to environmental stimuli, and that myelin production is significantly reduced in social isolation,” said Casaccia. “Abnormalities occur in people with psychiatric conditions characterized by social withdrawal. Other disorders characterized by myelin loss, such as MS, often are associated with depression. Our research emphasizes the importance of maintaining a socially stimulating environment in these instances.”

The study, published this week in the journal PLOS ONE, looked at 15 to 18 year olds who underwent genetic testing and environmental assessment. The were then given a computer test to gauge how they process emotional information. The test used words such as “joyful” and “failure” and had participants rate them as positive, negative, or neutral.

“Whether we succumb to anxiety and depression depends in part on our tendencies to think well or poorly of ourselves at troubled times,” said Dr. Ian Goodyer, co-author of the study and professor at the University of Cambridge. “How it comes about that some people see the ‘glass half full’ and think positively whereas other see the ‘glass half empty’ and think negatively about themselves at times of stress is not known.”

Study participants with a variation of a specific gene, exposure to intermittent family arguments for longer than six months, and violence between their parents before the age of six had more difficulty evaluating the emotion within words in the computer test. The researchers point to previous research, which associates a “maladjusted perception and response to emotions” with an increased risk of depression and anxiety.

“The evidence is that both our genes and our early childhood experiences contribute to such personal thinking styles,” said Goodyer. “Before there are any clinical symptoms of depression or anxiety, this test reveals a deficient ability to efficiently and effectively perceive emotion processes in some teenagers – a biomarker for low resilience which may lead to mental illnesses.”

The researchers hope the study could lead to an inexpensive cognitive test to screen for emotional mental illness in high school students who are at genetic risk for the illnesses.

“Having difficulty in processing emotions is likely to contribute to misunderstanding other people’s intentions and can make individuals emotionally vulnerable,” said Dr. Matthew Owens, lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Cambridge. “This research opens up the possibility of identifying individuals at greatest risk and helping them with techniques to process emotions more easily or training them to respond more adaptively to negative feedback.”

The researchers believe the treatment of breast cancer can cause inflammation, leading to sleep disturbance and depression. Through the study they hope to discover whether sub-sets of breast cancer survivors are more at risk for depression. The volunteers will have their DNA examined for potential biomarkers and genetic anomalies. If a risk profile is identified, a follow-up study will be launched to evaluate prevention measures.

“Depression in breast cancer survivors is a huge problem,” said Dr. Michael Irwin, professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. “It often goes undiagnosed and is under treated. If we can identify those breast cancer survivors at elevated risk for sleep disturbance and, therefore, depression, we can diagnose and treat it earlier with better outcomes. Additionally, if we can identify those at greatest risk, efforts can be implemented early to prevent the occurrence of depression in the first place. Because depression is so prevalent and difficult to treat in breast cancer survivors, prevention of depression will dramatically improve quality of their life.”

Irwin stated that the prevalence of depression in breast cancer survivors is three to five times greater than for the general population. His stated goal is to prevent the “cascade of events” that leads to depression, specifically inflammation and sleep disturbance.

“There are no published prospective data that have examined the independent contribution of sleep disturbance on depression occurrence in breast cancer survivors,” said Irwin. “Increasing evidence implicates that sleep disturbance is activating inflammatory signaling, which serves as a biological mechanism that contributes to depression. We hope to define the genomic and biologic processes that results in this depression.”

“Depression and infertility are two complicated conditions that more often than not go hand in hand,” said Dr. Alice Domar, lead author of the study and OB/GYN at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “And there are no definitive guidelines for treatment. We hope to provide a useful analysis of available data to better inform decisions made by women and the providers who care for them.”

Domar’s study is a review of other published studies that evaluate women with depressive symptoms who took SSRIs while pregnant. The researchers found that antidepressant usage has increased 400% over the past 20 years, particularly for those between ages 18 and 44 – childbearing age for women. For women undergoing fertility treatments, they found no evidence of improved pregnancy outcomes with antidepressant use, but “mounting evidence” that SSRIs decrease pregnancy rates for these women. In addition, long-term SSRI exposure “appears” to correspond with an increase in the risk for early delivery, low birth weight, and Newborn Behavioral Syndrome.

“There are three main points that stand out from our review of the scientific studies on this topic,” said Dr. Adam Urato, chairman of OB/GYN at MetroWest Medical Center. “First, there is clear and concerning evidence of risk with the use of the SSRI antidepressants by pregnant women, evidence that these drugs lead to worsened pregnancy outcomes. Second, there is no evidence of benefit, no evidence that these drugs lead to better outcomes for moms and babies. And third, we feel strongly that patients, obstetrical providers, and the public need to be fully aware of this information.”

Here’s the trailer:

The game is getting some media attention this week from sources like The Daily Mail and AFP, which reports:

Its release details are still being finalised but Merry said she would like to make it available through schools, doctors and youth centres as an easily accessible resource for teenagers struggling with depression.

Other options include releasing it on the Internet so it can be played on iPad and Android tablets, as well as developing specialised versions, such as “Rainbow SPARX” for gay youths.

SPARX is described as a self-help computer program for young people with symptoms of depression.

“In order to actively engage young people, SPARX uses a 3D fantasy game environment and a custom-made soundtrack. The programme teaches skills to manage symptoms of depression, in a self-directed learning format,” the games website explains. “Young people learn cognitive behavioural therapy techniques for dealing with symptoms of depression (e.g. dealing with negative thoughts, problem-solving, activity scheduling, and relaxation). It can be used with minimal oversight.”

Players can customize their avatars and journey through seven provinces each with different sets of challenges and puzzles.

Here, the team explains more about how this can be used to help treat depression:

The game’s release is dependent upon funding. The team is hoping to make it available this year.

So how does one go about solving this problem if they are, in fact, depressed and obese? According to Alexandros Vgontzas, MD, you might consider losing some weight. “If you lose weight, you are going to be less tired and sleepy,” he explained.

Of course, that kind of goes without saying.

Out of the 1,173 adults studied over the span of seven years, 138 participants developed excessive sleepiness during the daylight hours. For those who are obese and/or suffering from sleep apnea, the likelihood of becoming prematurely tired was twice as high. However, for those individuals suffering from depression, the risk of becoming drowsy during the day was three times higher. Additionally, those who experienced daytime sleepiness are also likely to gain weight.

Here’s the triple threat: If you’re depressed, obese, and suffering from sleep apnea, there’s a very strong possibility that you’re asleep right now.

Alon Y. Avidan, MD, MPH, associate professor of neurology and director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, admitted that the findings offer nothing doctors didn’t already know about excessive drowsiness. However, the study did find a strong link between BMI and being unusually tired.

The solution to the problem, of course, relies on the individual losing weight, getting treatment for their depression, and talking to their physicians about sleep apnea.

Perhaps the biggest appeal of telephone therapy is the accessibility of the process. Instead of having to schedule your life around a trip to the therapist’s office, a patient can simply pick up the phone without having to add unwanted and unnecessarily stress to their daily routine. Additionally, the program could be beneficial to those who live in areas where help isn’t immediately available.

In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 20 percent of patients who participated in phone therapy eventually decided to bail on the program. On the other hand, those who chose to seek traditional in-person therapy had a 30 percent drop-out rate. Although this may sound like a breakthrough in treating depression, there are a few downsides to the process in the long run.

During the six-month follow-up, researchers discovered that those who attended face-to-face sessions had made more progress than those who were handling everything over-the-phone. It’s thought that the process of getting up, putting on clothes, and stepping out into fresh air may have therapeutic benefits.

“I think that’s a very encouraging finding,” said UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior researcher Suzette Glasner-Edwards. “With mental health and substance abuse treatment, we see people who for various reasons are unable to comply with treatment, and that’s one of our major challenges.”

Sax explains that the risk is greater in girls because their posts over-exaggerate how happy they are and are more likely to brag about every little thing that they are doing.

This can leave girls who are more realistic and less self-promoting feeling like they aren’t popular or pretty enough.

The psychologist advises that young girls should limit FB time to 20-30 minutes per day.

Janie Lacy is a family counselor and she found five warning signs for Facebook Depression:

Obsession with site

Changes in physical appearance/decline in health

While Facebook gives adolescents the opportunity to view videos and retrieve other information it can be used for darker objectives. Many children and teens have been bullied on Facebook leading them to be home-schooled.

What are your thoughts on the impact of Facebook on kids and teens? Has FB ever made you feel depressed?

And where else but Facebook can you go to see constant updates on what everyone is doing all the time. Status update: i’m taking out the trash. Status update: going to grandma’s house. Status update: Stacy’s coming over for soup…so excited! Seems depressing to me.

Utah Valley University conducted research last year which indicated that people are becoming depressed after viewing Facebook, and not because they find stays updates monotonous like I do. A sample of 425 undergraduate students was surveyed and for those who spent the most amount of time on Facebook, depression was more likely. Why?

Those student perceived that others were happier and had a better life than they do. This phenomenon is known as “Facebook depression”.

A sixteen year old high school comments on the phenomenon:

“If you really didn’t have that many friends and weren’t really doing much with your life, and saw other peoples’ status updates and pictures and what they were doing with friends, I could see how that would make them upset”

She also pointed out:

“It’s like a big popularity contest — who can get the most friend requests or get the most pictures tagged”

There is a lot of debate around the subject of Facebook depression. A key argument is whether it is a symptom of an existing underlying depression or if it is the cause of depression itself.

A good way for parents of children with Facebook depression to view the phenomenon is to realize that Facebook represents a gigantic scoreboard for how their child is doing socially. If self- esteem is low and your child is not very social, Facebook can facilitate depression and a feeling of disconnectedness.

Conversely, if your child is very social and has a lot of connections, Facebook enhances self-esteem and the feeling of being connected. It has a facilitative effects overall. If we constantly remind ourselves that everyone around us is doing better, we will never get in the game and get engaged in what we care about. Also note that this is just a general guideline- not a rule by any means.

Several of the articles I read while preparing this piece compared Facebook Depression to “sitting alone in the high school cafeteria”. So it’s about comparison. Why aren’t I like them? Why doesn’t anybody want to sit with me? Why doesn’t anybody care about me? They have 20 people at their table, I have 2. What’s wrong with me?

But does it stop after high school or college? I haven’t come across the adult research for Facebook Depression but there are several articles out there from people in their 30′s and 40′s who are claiming they have Facebook depression.

This should come as no surprise to anyone. A major need of humans in general, regardless of who you are, is a need to feel connected to others and experience a sense of belonging. This is not B.S., If you are socially isolated, you are bound to be depressed. So the scoreboard theory of Facebook just being a constant reminder is going to be the same for adults.

It feels good to have friends that care about you whether they’re are just casual Facebook friends or real physical companions. We never outgrow these needs, in fact, as you reach retirement age and leave your position in the organization you work for, these belonging need will come full circle from adolescence.

I can’t wait to see the research on how seniors are using Facebook. I know that retirement can be lonely for a lot of people . With limited mobility and budgets, social networking like Facebook could be a lifeline to good social health. Of course we know that some seniors can be more brutal than any adolescent! Should be interesting!