As you may know, I am passionate about light – and its power to affect the way we feel. My colleagues and I have done extensive research on light therapy for seasonal affective disorder, depression and the winter blues. Also, I have used and prescribed light therapy for years.
This past month I had the pleasure and privilege of taking part in a symposium on the effects of stress on the mind and body, sponsored by the Kluge Foundation and held at the Library of Congress. The presentation that most captured my attention involved anxiety, pain, and the placebo effect, and was presented by Fabrizio Benedetti, Professor of Neurophysiology
Now that the weather has taken a turn for the better, one of my favorite activities is going out for a walk during these cool spring evenings. The lawn mowers and leaf blowers have been put to bed for the night. The mosquitoes have not yet hatched from their larvae and are not yet thirsting for my blood (and everybody else’s). All is quiet in the suburbs, and it’s a fine time to
Der spring is sprung
Der grass is riz
I wonder where dem boidies is?
Der little boids is on der wing,
Ain’t dat absoid?
Der little wings is on de boid!
This post has been written to assist the reader in observing signs of depression in a friend or loved one.
A young couple I have treated for some time came into my office recently. Lisa was angry with Justin because he had been (in her opinion) distant and unloving towards her in recent weeks. No matter how hard she tried to please him, nothing seemed to work
Be the first to receive the not-yet published latest version of Winter Blues AND have a chance to win a free copy once it is published.
I am delighted to let you know that the Fourth Edition of Winter Blues is due out this coming autumn.
For those who don’t know — Reddit is a social network that some have called, “the front page of the internet.” Reddit has many great features that allow its users to determine what gets seen and what falls by the wayside. I was recently told about Reddit and was delighted to interact with its users. One of Reddit’s popular features is its IAmA section
Like many yoga practitioners, I read with great interest the recent New York Times article, How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body by William Broad — See New York Times article.
The article seemed to me like an important caveat, especially considering the large number of people in the US currently practicing yoga (20 million and counting, according to some estimates).
Most people have heard about Seasonal Affective Disorder and its milder version, the Winter Blues. But at this time of year, when many people are feeling slowed down and disinclined to read a lot of text, we thought it would be a perfect time to present visually some of the key points that most people would like to know about these conditions
“Mehr Licht!” cried out Goethe, the great German writer, as he was dying, “More light!” In these two words he encapsulated (albeit inadvertently) the essential principle underlying the major treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD). But one question that has dogged researchers since we first described SAD and developed light therapy is: “How much light is enough?”
There is a tremendous amount of evidence that the students in our schools today are under a lot of stress. Whether we are talking about inner city students who come to school through violent neighborhoods, or more affluent school children who are under academic stress and social pressures, 70% of distressed children are not getting the mental health care that they need.
As the holiday season comes, the joy of the season begins to take hold. Despite the darkness, I sense the warmth between friends, family and even strangers.
Since the publication of my book Transcendence this past June, I have traveled all over the country, sharing some of the events and insights that propelled me to write Transcendence
I have seen the video of David George and his mother Julia now many times (you can view below) – it never fails to move me. And no wonder. A courageous young person travels abroad to serve his country, is shaken and bombarded by the horrors of war, and returns home a changed person. By day, his mind is tormented daily by intolerable memories and flashbacks, which he may self-medicate with alcohol and risk-taking activities. By night,
For many of us, the holidays are a joyful time. But for some people, the expected happiness does not arrive. Lonely people – without family or friends – and those who grew up in dysfunctional families and have unpleasant memories of the holidays, simply can’t achieve the ideal that many commercial images of the holidays portray. Obviously,
As the days get short and dark, many of us crave carbohydrate-rich foods. Breads, potatoes and pasta become irresistible, not to mention winter weight gain foods i.e. cookies, cake and donuts. And carbohydrates beget more carbohydrates. One potato chip invites another. And who was ever able to eat just one cookie?
Over half a million of our Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). It stopped me in my tracks when one of my patients said, “it can happen once in your life, but one hundred times in your mind.” The echoes linger on… This is a very serious dilemma not only for our nations veterans, but for countless individuals that have experienced any variety of serious trauma
The shift from Daylight Savings Time (DST) happens every year, and in 2011 it’s scheduled for Sunday November 6. You put the hands of your clock back an hour as you remind yourself to “spring forward and fall back,” and then ask yourself all over again, “Does that mean it becomes earlier or later and do I gain or lose an hour of sleep?”
I had taken all my own advice to stave off my own winter blues – everything, that is, short of taking medications (which I would not hesitate to take if I needed them, though I gravitate to “natural” cures whenever possible). I had faithfully used my dawn simulator and light box – lots of light boxes really. I had exercised, meditated and done yoga regularly. Don’t get me wrong – all these things helped; they helped a lot. But I had disobeyed a cardinal rule in my own guidebook for keeping Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) at bay.
Autumn leaves evoke different things for different people – such as a trip to look at the foliage, a romance that started (or ended) in autumn, or a jigsaw puzzle with a thousand pieces. But for some, the association is to . . . . falling – or panic at the idea of falling. These include people with the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder. (SAD).
Detecting emotions in yourself and others is an important element of Emotional Intelligence. In my recent post, “10 Ways to Enhance Your Emotional Intelligence,” I offered a list of suggestions to help you tune in to your emotional landscape. In this post, I want to discuss two methods used to uncover basic emotions
People often confuse clinical depression with sadness. That’s a mistake. You can be sad without being depressed and vice versa. Sadness is a normal reaction to many life circumstances, such as bereavement, loss of a job, or a financial setback. When these things happen, sadness is to be expected.
As many of you may, or may not know last week I spent the week touring the Pacific Northwest! It was a very fulfilling trip in many regards. I wanted to take the time and post some pictures from the trip.
On arriving in Seattle, I spoke to a gathering at the University of Washington about
Well, the time has come… I am off to tour the Pacific Northwest, and am very much looking forward to spending time with you all. I wanted to quickly touch bases here on my blog to spread the word, and personally invite all who can, to join me. I will be speaking on the topics of mind, body, and emotions, as well as addressing steps we can all take to maximize optimal functioning.
Every time your heart beats, it sends blood filled with oxygen and nutrition through the arteries to reach your entire body. By the time you reach age 80, your heart will have done this more than three billion times. Your entire cardiovascular system, which includes the heart and blood vessels, works in harmony to send blood to every part of your body.
Everyone’s always talking about Emotional Intelligence (EI) but what exactly is it? One important aspect of emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions – in oneself and others – and to use that information appropriately.
On Tuesday September 6, 2011 Fox News invited me to speak about post-traumatic stress surrounding the anniversary of the tragic attacks from 9/11/2001. This weekend marked the 10th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks and I wanted to share this interview with you all.
I really wanted to show you all a letter I received from a psychologist colleague of mine, Dr. Ellen Dye.
I have really been enjoying engaging with all the people on my book tour, and have recently been invited to speak in cities such as Atlanta and Portland. I find myself wanting to open up more and more with this community that has been building since the launch of my book Transcendence. This weekend in Atlanta, Georgia I will be speaking at the Decatur Book Festival.
Hurricane Irene had just blown through DC and New York and Amtrak was shut down – but Gloria Starr Kins, Editor of MaximsNews Society and Diplomatic, had invited a host of friends — and I couldn’t miss the evening in my honor to promote my new book, Transcendence, as well as to highlight the important Operation Warrior Wellness, which brings Transcendental Meditation to our veterans with combat-related PTSD. So I sprung for a limo — and wow! Was it worth it! I was so happy to be there, and be part of such a spirit of sharing and festivity.
As a psychiatrist, I have given a lot of thought to how to lead a healthier life by managing your emotions. Here are some of my thoughts, which I expressed in my book, “The Emotional Revolution.”
Emotions can have an important influence on physical health, and it is critical to deal effectively with the feelings that accompany the everyday ups and downs of life.
Dr. Catherine Ulbricht, Founder and CEO of Natural Standard, interviewed me recently about my book Transcendence and, specifically, about the effects of Transcendental Meditation on addictions. Since the transcript is too long to post in its entirety, I just wanted to share a few edited comments for the blog.
I am a psychiatrist, researcher and author, who loves discovering new ways to help people feel better and stay well.
