The CDC has released a worrying report on adolescent mental health. More than 2/3 of teenage females report suffering from persistent sadness. Dr. Polo discusses the role of social media, early puberty, and external pressures that are creating a pressure cooker for adolescent mental health.

Dr. LeJune and Dr. Brian Goff talk about cancel culture, the increase in trigger warnings, and the pros and cons of safe spaces on college campuses, businesses and public gathering places.

Sheila Hamilton is a national speaker on suicide prevention, mental health, and resilience. In this live presentation, Sheila talks about the unique opportunity we have to remake ourselves, again and again. During Suicide Prevention month, reach out to someone who may be suffering from prolonged grief, complicated depression or suicidal thoughts and remind them: One day, your story about what you are going through will help someone else survive another day. There is an opportunity for growth in every aspect of our suffering. Stay Another Day.

Many people who are deep in the throes of depression or anxiety can't recognize how sick they've become, and they resist help. Here's a simple guide for broaching the subject of well-being, when and how to get professional help, and the language of love that should be used again and again in dealing with someone's mental health disorder.

Long before Sheila started the podcast Beyond Well she found herself feeling depressed, lethargic and sluggish during the winter months. Seasonal affective disorder in the Pacific Northwest is a serious challenge. Here, she talks to the host of City Cast about the evidence-based strategies she used to recover.

As a Portland, Oregon resident since 2001, our host Sheila Hamilton started to notice the dreariness, lethargy, and sadness of the winter months. Seasonal affective disorder is a real mood disorder with devastating impact for people who feel discouraged, listless, and unmotivated during the dreary winter months.

In this interview, CityCastPortland talks with Sheila about cognitive behavioral therapy tricks for combatting the winter blues and when you know its time to talk to a professional.

Dr. James Polo talks about the science behind seasonal affective disorder and why we need to attend to our diets, light exposure, and willingness to socialize during the winter months.

Seasonal affective disorder is a depressive disorder that impacts five to ten percent of the population, especially those living in northern parts of the hemisphere.  Dr. James Polo talks about the ways that SAD mirrors depression; lethargy, change in appetite, increased need for sleep, and irritability.

There is new science to suggest that treating SAD with light therapy, low dose anti-depressants, exercise and Vitamin D may benefit those who suffer. 

Falling in love can be exhilarating, but it isn’t the secret to happiness per se. You might more accurately say that falling in love is the start-up cost for happiness—an exhilarating but stressful stage we have to endure to get to the relationships that actually fulfill us.

The most important predictors of late-life happiness are stable relationships—and, especially, a long romantic partnership. The healthiest participants at age 80 tend to have been most satisfied in their relationships at age 50.

In other words, the secret to happiness isn’t falling in love; it’s staying in love. Dr's Angela Izmirian and Brian Goff discuss the psychological components of love, attraction, and desire. 

Technology has opened a new frontier in mental health support and data collection. Mobile devices like cell phones, smartphones, and tablets are giving the public, doctors, and researchers new ways to access help, monitor progress, and increase understanding of mental well-being.

Mobile mental health support, apps that can help people create changes in their personal behaviors, and telehealth are just a few of the many digital breakthroughs that have come to the aid of people who are suffering from mental health distress. However, the new technology frontier includes a lot of uncertainty regarding effectiveness, data collection worries, and lasting impacts.