Category Archive for : ‘Depression’

 What Depression Is and Is Not 

Rochester Holistic Psychiatry treats many people with depressive disorders, particularly major depressive disorder, or MDD. Today, we’ll refer to “depression” as a blanket term for depressive disorders. 

Depression is not just sadness. Sadness is a classic symptom of depression—feeling “blue,” or “down.” But there are so many other aspects of depressive disorders. Depression is a blend of emotions, and everyone has their own mix. 

Depression isn’t always visible. Someone may do their job just as well as usual or put on a good

What is Bipolar Type 1?   

We talked about general bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) in a recent post, but we  need to narrow down the types of bipolar disorder and describe each of them. There are 4 kinds of  bipolar disorder. Some sources say there are 3 kinds, but research is progressing, and we want to be as  specific as we can to cover our bases.  

Today, we’d like to talk more about bipolar disorder, which we’ll call BD. In general, BD is characterized  by unpredictable periods of

How to Get More Energy When You Have Depression

We treat patients with MDD (major depressive disorder) and other depressive disorders at Rochester  Holistic Psychiatry every day. A common question we get is, how do I get more energy when I have  depression? It’s not surprising. After all, some of the common symptoms of depression are lethargy, lack  of energy, feeling tired, or having trouble with the executive function needed to get moving.  

Getting more energy isn’t just about feeling more alert. With the experiences and accomplishments that  come with it, feeling

 Manic Depression or Bipolar Disorder 

Updating Our Terminology 

Before we talk about manic depression, it should be mentioned that “manic depression” has recently become an outdated term. Manic depression has been rolled into the bipolar disorder (BD) diagnosis, but the term is still widely used and searched for, which is why we’re using it today. 

According to NIMH, “bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.” 

Because bipolar disorder has such

Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Caregivers

A Growing Need for Care

According to the Mayo Clinic, as the population ages, more caregiving is provided by people who are informal caregivers.  This does not denote the importance of their work; it refers to people who are not healthcare professionals.

Currently, this number is already 1 in 3 adults in the United States, and that only refers to those who are informal caregivers to adults.  Being a caregiver can be temporary, such as attending to a spouse who has the flu, or indefinite, such as

Stress, Depression, and Divorce  

Mixed Feelings 

Rochester Holistic Psychiatry encounters many patients that have gone through a divorce, are  currently divorcing, or are on the verge of divorce. Even if the split is not a hostile one, divorce can be  intensely stressful on all parties. Each person will have their own cocktail of emotions. When the stress  of a divorce is comorbid with a mental disorder, the effects can hit so much harder and make the  situation that much worse.  

Talk About It 

Unfortunately, there is a social stigma attached to a strained marriage

Neurotransmitter #1: Acetylcholine

Introduction to Neurotransmitters

Rochester Holistic Psychiatry specializes in neuromodulation using transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy, or TMS.  Today, we want to talk about neurotransmitters, which are the chemical messengers in the brain that respond to the TMS treatment to help improve brain function.  One of our most important neurotransmitters is acetylcholine.

What Is Acetylcholine?

Acetylcholine (ACh) is a chemical compound built from acetic acid and choline.  Acetylcholine is released by nerve cells to communicate with cells in our muscles, brains, and glands.  It is produced in humans and a wide variety of

Major Depressive Disorder and Lupus

When the Body Fights Itself

What is lupus?  The proper name for lupus is systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE.  Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that is a chronic condition among sufferers.  Symptoms of the disease vary among patients, but it is essentially the immune system mistaking healthy cells for pathogens and lashing out at them.

Lupus affects the central nervous system, causing physical and psychological distress.  When lupus causes psychiatric symptoms that affect the sufferer’s quality of life, this is called neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, or NPSLE.

Depression and

Depression in Pre-Teen Children

An Ageless Problem

In this post, when we use the term “depression,” we are using it as a general term for MDD, or major depressive disorder.  Depression doesn’t care who the sufferer is, how old they are, or what people see when they look at the sufferer’s life.

Children today live in a very busy world, and though they may be lively and energetic, their minds can become overloaded the mind, which impedes the brain from processing things well and lessening the amount of rest they get.

Circumstances are extremely

What is PMDD?

PMDD stands for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.  This is a condition that causes significant mental and physical upset before women (we’ll use this general term for our purposes today) and AFAB individuals in their reproductive years begin their menses.

Statistical studies indicate that about 1 in 20 women globally suffer from PMDD, and the number is likely higher.  PMDD is often misconstrued as PMS, and there is a significant amount of stigma and ignorance around these issues.

Symptoms of PMDD

PMDD can have its root causes in past trauma or genetic predisposition