“Dissociating” has become an internet buzzword, but what does it mean and how common is it really? A study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research suggests that this mental disconnect may be very common among people with depressive symptoms.

Are depressed people simply more realistic in judging how much they control their lives, while others view the world through rose-colored lenses, living under the illusion that they have more control than they do? That’s the general idea behind “depressive realism,” a theory that has held sway in science and popular culture for more than four decades.

Chronic pain is widespread among those in their mid-40s in Britain, with those who experience it more likely to report pain, poor health - including COVID-19 infection - and joblessness later in life, according to a new study by researchers at UCL and Dartmouth College, US.

A new study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found preliminary evidence that exercise can alleviate distress among patients in suicide crisis.

The naturally occurring psychedelic compound psilocybin can significantly reduce symptoms of depression, according to data from the largest trial of its type ever conducted. Psilocybin was given to 233 patients who had already tried at least two antidepressants in the past with little success, suggesting the compound could have huge benefits for those suffering with hard-to-treat depression.

A new 4-year longitudinal study of children and their families found inattention, one of the components of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, to predict symptoms of depression 4 years later. The study was published in the Research on Child Adolescent Psychopathology.

A study on a large sample of patients found chronic, long-lasting depression to be associated with reduced brain volume. The reduced volume was found in brain regions relevant for planning one’s behavior, focusing attention, thinking, learning and remembering and also in regions relevant for regulating emotions. The study was published in Neurobiology and Treatment of Depression.

A U of A doctoral student in the Public Policy Program co-authored a paper with Brian Primack, former dean of the College of Education and Health Professions.

It is human nature to want stability, but what happens when those needs are not met in childhood? A study published in Depression & Anxiety suggests that early-life instability is associated with adverse outcomes in adulthood, including anxiety and depression.

A sense of defeat, not mental ailments, may be derailing the lives of less-educated people in the United States.

This post discusses new findings on the link between feeling not wanted or loved by one’s parents and the lifetime risk of depression. The research, by Ahuja and collaborators, is published online ahead of print in Psychological Reports.

After more than 15 years in Hollywood, Zac Efron is coming clean about the price of onscreen perfection. The “High School Musical” alum revealed in a Men’s Health cover story that he suffered from a deep depression due to his “Baywatch” diet and fitness routine for the 2017 film.

Although it was a small study on 10 patients, researchers at the University of Texas Health–Houston were able to achieve something long out of reach, locating the G-spot where brain stimulators can make a real difference for depression patients.

Most clinical trials of antidepressants were done decades ago in people with severe depression recruited from specialist mental health services. Yet most people who take these drugs have mild to moderate depression. We wanted to know whether a common antidepressant called sertraline works for this group. We found that, indeed, it does work, but differently from how we expected.

For three decades, people have been deluged with information suggesting that depression is caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain – namely an imbalance of a brain chemical called serotonin. However, our latest research review shows that the evidence does not support it.

Suicide attempts are not always preceded by worsening suicidal ideation.

Many people who struggle with addiction feel a lot of guilt and shame over their use. A new study published in PLOS One suggests that independent of depression, this shame and guilt can be significant barriers to reducing drug use, which has considerations for recovery.

Macquarie University is running a clinical trial using a low-dose formulation of synthetic psilocybin

Antidepressants are the mainstay for treating depression, but their use is clouded by questions about lasting efficacy. A new study now suggests antidepressants may not improve people's quality of life in the long run, compared to depressed people w

Psilocybin fosters greater connections between different regions of the brain in depressed people, freeing them up from long-held patterns of rumination and excessive self-focus, according to a new study by scientists at UC San Francisco and Imperial College London.