Depression News & Updates

January 27, 2025 — The FDA’s latest approval of the nasal spray Spravato (esketamine) CIII allows people who have tried at least two oral antidepressants to use the spray on its own – without the need for more medication.

November 15, 2024 — Transcranial direct current stimulation devices allow patients to connect electrodes to their head in order to treat depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

October 25, 2024 — Thousands of bottles of the medicine duloxetine are being recalled because they may contain a potentially cancer-causing agent.

October 22, 2024 — A headset that can be worn at home to stimulate the brain and treat depression has passed an important research milestone.

August 14, 2024 — Some people diagnosed with bipolar depression are seeking alternative ways to treat the condition. While prescription medication is the traditional route, some of them may improve a lot if they use more holistic approaches. Here’s what to know.

July 2, 2024 — More than 1 in 10 people in the U.S. take antidepressant medications, although many stop due to side effects, including weight gain. But recently, some antidepressants have been linked to a higher chance of weight gain than others. Here's what to know.

April 22, 2024 — The spouses of people who have strokes, heart attacks, and heart failure are more likely to experience depression than people whose spouses didn’t have those health problems.

February 15, 2024 — Many common forms of exercise are as strong as therapy in treating depression, a new study says. In the study presented in The BMJ, researchers reported that walking, yoga, jogging, and strength training were the most effective exercises, especially if they were performed intensely.

February 14, 2024 — People with depression who get stuck in negative thought cycles could potentially use their sense of smell to help manage their symptoms, according to a new study that prompted people to smell a dozen scents, ranging from coffee to ketchup.

September 29, 2023 — The drug, Exxua, will stand out on the market because studies show it does not cause side effects like sexual dysfunction or weight gain.

July 11, 2023 — Just 20 minutes of moderate activity a day for five days a week can significantly lower symptoms of depression in older adults with ailments like diabetes, heart disease, and chronic pain, says the study published this week in JAMA Network Open.

May 30, 2023 — The desensitizing drug ketamine helped more people overcome treatment-resistant depression symptoms, compared to electroconvulsive therapy, according to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

May 17, 2023 — In a survey, 29% of adults said they had been diagnosed with depression during their lifetime, and 18% said they currently have depression or are being treated for it. Those rates are up from the baseline 2015 rates of 20% of people ever having depression, and 11% of people with a current diagnosis.

April 25, 2023 — People who frequently eat fried food, particularly potatoes like french fries, have a higher risk of anxiety or depression, according to a new study.

April 4, 2023 — Depressed adults who were given a self-directed workbook focusing on mindfulness practices plus cognitive therapy saw greater improvement in their depression (at less cost) than peers who were given a self-help book focusing solely on cognitive therapy in a large study from the United Kingdom.

February 13, 2023 — Researchers from Harvard and Emory Universities have found a link between long-term exposure to air pollution and being diagnosed with depression after age 64.