Deeper Shade of Blue or Multiple Sclerosis

Deeper Shade of Blue: A Woman's Guide to Recognizing and Treating Depression in Her Childbearing Years

Author: Ruta Nonacs

Depression affects women almost twice as often as men, with about one in four women suffering from it in her lifetime. While depression may strike at any time, studies show that women are particularly vulnerable during their childbearing years.

Despite the increasing awareness of this deeply concerning issue, many studies and health professionals still continue to focus almost solely on postpartum depression, ignoring the fact that depression is just as likely to affect women while they're trying to conceive and during pregnancy. Now, in this comprehensive, empathetic, and candid book, Dr. Ruta Nonacs, a senior member of the Center for Women's Mental Health at Massachusetts General Hospital and mother of two children herself, confronts the seldom talked-about issues of pregnancy-related depression, including:

Becoming pregnant while being treated for depression

Infertility-related depression and the effects of fertility treatments

Understanding the effects of maternal depression on spouses and family

Postpartum depression and anxiety

Nonacs also addresses the many complicated issues in a woman's life during the span of her childbearing years -- education, career, marriage, childbearing, and child rearing -- and discusses the ways in which depression often takes hold during potentially stressful times. Nonacs identifies many of the symptoms of depression associated with pregnancy and discusses treatments and cures, as well as ways to minimize effects of depression on family and friends.

Straightforward and honest, as well as emotionally sensitive and deeply moving, A Deeper Shade of Blue gives every woman who has sufferedfrom pregnancy-related depression the information she needs to get the best care for herself, during pregnancy and beyond.

Table of Contents:

Foreword   Lee S. Cohen, MD     xi
Introduction
A Neglected Problem: Depression During the Childbearing Years     3
Hormones and Mood: Understanding What Causes Depression in Women     3
The Ripple Effect: How Depression Affects the Family     31
Pregnancy
Modern Technology Meets Mother Nature: Getting Pregnant     55
Unexpected Tragedies: Coping with Pregnancy Loss and Other Complications     84
A Not-So-Rosy Blush: Depression During Pregnancy     109
The Postpartum Period
Crying for No Good Reason: Baby Blues and the Transition to Motherhood     127
Beyond the Blues: Postpartum Depression and Anxiety     148
No Sense of Reality: Postpartum Psychosis     171
Minimizing the Impact of Depression
Life After Children: Partners As Parents     189
Helping Yourself: Practical Techniques for Managing Stress and Depression     208
Seeking Professional Help: Treatment of Maternal Depression     228
Understanding Your Options: Treating Depression During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period     260
For Families and Friends: How You Can Help     301
Author's Note     309
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)     311
FDA Pregnancy Categories     313
Women's Mental HealthPrograms     314
Resources     317
Recommended Reading     320
References     323
Index     351

Look this: The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Nights Sleep or The Supermarket Diet

Multiple Sclerosis: Understanding the Cognitive Challenges

Author: Nicholas LaRocca

Despite the prevalence of disabling cognitive symptoms among people living with multiple sclerosis, there is a dearth of literature on this important topic. Multiple Sclerosis: Understanding the Cognitive Challenges is the first comprehensive discussion of MS-related cognitive dysfunction, including the changes that can occur, their assessment and treatment, and strategies for dealing with their impact in daily life.

Written by two clinical psychologists with special expertise in MS, and with contributions by two leading neuropsychologists, the book answers all questions patients may have about their condition, including:

• A definition of cognition and discussion of the processes that underlie human thought
• The emotional and social impact of cognitive changes
• The neuropsychological evaluation of cognitive symptoms
• Detailed overview of treatment options
• Vignettes describing the real-life experiences of a person with cognitive dysfunction
• Extensive references to the scientific literature

Combining detailed, referenced advice with hands-on strategies for living, this is the only book to provide in-depth information about cognitive dysfunction. It will be an invaluable reference to patients, families, and caregivers, as well as health professionals who care for people with MS.