When a woman is pregnant she goes to see an obstetrician. If someone has a heart problem, he goes to see a cardiologist. When someone suffers from depression or anxiety, they are often unsure of where to turn for help. And if they see a psychiatrist, they are sometimes not even sure about what type of doctor they are seeing. After 25 years of practice, I continue to be struck by how many otherwise knowledgeable and well educated people do
The New York Times Opinionator blog ran an article on Wednesday about the fact that short term sleep deprivation can alleviate the symptoms of depression. Based on the comments posted, it seems like this article caused a bit of confusion for some folks. As a neuropsychiatrist as well as a sleep medicine specialist, I'd like to try to clarify a few points. First, the fact that depression improves after a night of partial
As you’ve probably already noticed, the word “mindful” is used a lot these days. Every other self-help book seems to have something about mindfulness in the title and this blog is called The Mindful Brain, but what exactly is that supposed to mean? The word “mindful” has been part of the English language since the 16th century, as in “be mindful of the stairs so you don’t trip”, and basically, it means to pay attention. But the way it’s used here
Today is Easter, which means spring has arrived. The grays and browns of winter are quickly fading as green grass, yellow forsythia, pink dogwood, and purple tulips bring color back to the landscape. Songbirds return from their winter sojourn, bringing music to the morning stillness. Chipmunks and squirrels emerge from their winter sleep and once again scurry about in search of food and perhaps a mate. For thousands of years people have celebrated the arrival of spring as a time
