FDA approves esketamine nasal spray, the first new major depression drug in more than 30 years

In one of the most significant milestones for depression treatment in decades, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has approved a new drug with esketamine, a derivative of ketamine. Made by Johnson & Johnson under the brand name Spravato, the drug is meant to be taken as a nasal spray in […]

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Podcasts were my friends when I had none

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Welcome to No Shame November! This week we’re diving into the pop culture we love that society tells us we shouldn’t.


Alone in my apartment, chewing on cheap takeout lo mein, rocking the same sweatpants for a fifth day in a row—again. Six months after finishing my bachelor’s degree, this was how I found myself: a post-grad poltergeist haunting my New York City abode like a metropolitan Boo Radley. Isolated. Lonely. Things had gotten bad.

My life hadn’t always been this bleak. As a senior in college, I had lived with my two best friends, Sarah and Ellie, a pair of girls more akin to criminal accomplices than sorority sisters. For ten glorious months, we inhabited Apartment 1012 with reckless abandon, setting off smoke detectors, rescuing stray cats, and pissing off just the right number of resident advisors. Read more…

More about Entertainment, Depression, Graduation, Podcasts, and My Favorite Murder

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Limiting social media use reduced loneliness and depression in new experiment

The idea that social media can be harmful to our mental and emotional well-being is not a new one, but little has been done by researchers to directly measure the effect; surveys and correlative studies are at best suggestive. A new experimental study out of Penn State, however, directly links more social media use to worse emotional states, and less use to better.

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MIT researchers teach a neural network to recognize depression

A new technology by MIT researchers can sense depression by analyzing the written and spoken responses by a patient. The system, pioneered by MIT’s CSAIL group, uses “a neural-network model that can be unleashed on raw text and audio data from interviews to discover speech patterns indicative of depression.” “Given a new subject, it can […]

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Google Assistant’s latest feature delivers just the ‘good news’

You’re not the only one feeling run down by the news of the day. The folks at Google apparently believe we could all use a dose of good news, at times, too. The company today announced it’s testing a new Google Assistant feature called “Tell me something good” that will allow users to hear a […]

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Football club sends letter of support to fan who wrote about depression on social media

A man who posted about living with depression has received a touching letter from the CEO of the football club he supports.
Chris Ryder posted a photo of the letter sent to him by Gauthier Ganaye, chief executive of Barnsley Football Club in South Yo…

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Verne Troyer, Mini-Me star from ‘Austin Powers,’ is dead at age 49

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Actor Verne Troyer died on Saturday at the age of 49. 

Troyer was perhaps most famous for his roles in the Austin Powers film series, where he played Dr. Evil henchman Mini-MeAn Instagram post to his official account broke the sad news.  

“Verne was an extremely caring individual,” read the post. “He wanted to make everyone smile, be happy, and laugh. Anybody in need, he would help to any extent possible.”

It is with great sadness and incredibly heavy hearts to write that Verne passed away today. Verne was an extremely caring individual. He wanted to make everyone smile, be happy, and laugh. Anybody in need, he would help to any extent possible. Verne hoped he made a positive change with the platform he had and worked towards spreading that message everyday. He inspired people around the world with his drive, determination, and attitude. On film & television sets, commercial shoots, at comic-con’s & personal appearances, to his own YouTube videos, he was there to show everyone what he was capable of doing. Even though his stature was small and his parents often wondered if he’d be able to reach up and open doors on his own in his life, he went on to open more doors for himself and others than anyone could have imagined. He also touched more peoples hearts than he will ever know. Verne was also a fighter when it came to his own battles. Over the years he’s struggled and won, struggled and won, struggled and fought some more, but unfortunately this time was too much. During this recent time of adversity he was baptized while surrounded by his family. The family appreciates that they have this time to grieve privately. Depression and Suicide are very serious issues. You never know what kind of battle someone is going through inside. Be kind to one another. And always know, it’s never too late to reach out to someone for help. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation in Verne’s name to either of his two favorite charities; The Starkey Hearing Foundation and Best Buddies. Photo by @paulmobleystudio Read more…

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View More Verne Troyer, Mini-Me star from ‘Austin Powers,’ is dead at age 49

Dwayne Johnson has opened up about his experience with depression

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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has opened up about the times during his life he’s battled with depression.

The actor spoke about his mother’s suicide attempt when he was 15, which he witnessed, in a recent interview with the Express.

“I reached a point where I didn’t want to do a thing or go anywhere,” he said. “I was crying constantly.”

He went on to describe another difficult period he went through after injuries prevented him from becoming a professional footballer and his girlfriend broke up with him — something he referred to as his “absolute worst time”. Read more…

More about Mental Health, Dwayne Johnson, Depression, Culture, and Celebrities

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We’re getting close to a solution for one devastating aspect of antidepressants

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A prescription for an antidepressant is hope. It can also be a guessing game. 

“Do I feel different? Do I feel better?” Nausea, weight gain, and sexual side effects — those can hit right away. But it can take weeks to feel a change in mood, then another few weeks to tell if an antidepressant is actually doing any good.

Now imagine this future: You walk into a psychiatrist’s office. They swab inside your cheek, or put sensors on your head, and then prescribe you the right drug. No trial and error. No false starts. Just an antidepressant that works with minimal side effects.

More about Depression, Anxiety, Qeeg, Fmri, and Social Good

View More We’re getting close to a solution for one devastating aspect of antidepressants