All Articles by Jennifer Gibson, PharmD
Dr. Gibson, PharmD, is a practicing clinical pharmacist and medical writer/editor with experience in researching and preparing scientific publications, developing public relations materials, creating educational resources and presentations, and editing technical manuscripts. She is the owner of Excalibur Scientific, LLC.
Mixed Messages from Mom – Maternal Psychological Health Influences Fetal Development
Pregnancy is far from a stress-free time of life. But, most mothers try their best to provide a healthy, happy placental home for nine months, knowing that anything she does to or for herself, she does to her growing fetus. The placental environment is sensitive to many foods, drinks, medications, and even activities, and the effects of many of these (think smoking and drinking) have long-term negative consequences. But, in addition to these external influences, internal factors, including psychological health and hormone levels, affect fetal development. A new study to be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science claims that, in fact, consistency of maternal mental health is more important in fetal outcomes than whether or not the mother is actually healthy.
The Concern with Self-Confidence
People want to feel good about themselves. From the time children are young, they are told to believe in themselves and be confident. As they grow, children are showered with sometimes-undue praise in an effort to boost their self-esteem and self-confidence. They, in turn, learn to give themselves positive feedback and tell themselves they have done a great job. However, unrealistic self-assessments of performance do not boost self-esteem, but, instead, lead to depression, according to a study recently published in the American Psychological Association's journal Emotion.
Silent Suffering – Nondisclosure of Depression Symptoms
The lifetime prevalence of a major depressive disorder in the United States is nearly 20%. Unfortunately, many cases of depression are undiagnosed owing to nondisclosure of depression symptoms by patients. A new study evaluates the reasons for nondisclosure and emphasizes that we have a long way to go to erase the stigma associated with mental illness.
Young at Heart – Depression and Cardiovascular Mortality in Young Adults
Mental health and physical wellbeing are strongly interconnected. Specifically, depression is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, as well as an increased incidence of overweight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. However, these links are mostly defined in older populations. For one of the first times, a new epidemiological study, published in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, examines the risk of heart disease and depression in a younger age group.
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