(BPT) – Chances are, if you haven’t been personally affected by depression, you know someone who has. Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States, affecting millions of people every year. In fact, an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7 percent) experiences at least one major depressive episode in any given year.

As common as it is, struggling with depression can feel isolating, overwhelming and affect all areas of a person’s life. While there are many available approaches to helping treat depression – including talk therapy, medication, support from peers and lifestyle changes – because of the nature of the condition, patients often find it challenging to follow through on their treatment.

In today’s digital world, advances in technology are opening up new approaches to helping patients manage their health, including their mental health. Interestingly, a 2014 survey found that 70 percent of patients being treated for a mental health disorder say they want to use a mobile application to monitor their mental health on a daily basis. Using a smart phone to track things like mood and behavior, even medication, in real-time is convenient and can make it easier for patients to identify long-term patterns in partnership with their care team.

The Moodivator app (currently available for free download to iPhones from the Apple App Store) is an example of one mobile app that helps to address this need for people living with depression. Developed by Pfizer, the app is designed to motivate people living with depression and help complement the therapy they receive by allowing patients to track their mood, set goals and establish routines that can help support them in their daily life.

‘Goal setting in particular is important for people with depression, as even small tasks can feel overwhelmingly difficult. The Moodivator app ties into cognitive behavioral therapy techniques that I use frequently with my patients, since it encourages users to set, track and achieve personal goals in a simple and encouraging way across categories like work, home and family or social activities,’ says Susan Kornstein, MD, professor of psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, who consulted on the content and design of the app. ‘Goals are broken down into clear action steps, which are like smaller goals that can help patients eventually achieve their bigger ones. They can be adjusted over time and turned into helpful habits as part of an ongoing routine.’

Kornstein adds, ‘Mood tracking, another component of the app, is an important tool for improving patients’ emotional self-awareness. The ease and convenience of tracking mood through a mobile app like Moodivator can lead to patients tracking their moods more often and more accurately.’

Beyond goal and mood tracking, patients also receive encouraging and inspirational messages in the app to help motivate them along the way as they manage their depression. The benefits of using the Moodivator app may extend beyond the person living with depression, and actually help their care team as well. ‘Importantly, the app includes the opportunity for patients to export and share their progress with their care team if they choose, showcasing their goal progress and mood patterns through easy-to-read charts,’ continues Kornstein. ‘This can help doctors inform care decisions, and ultimately impact the patient’s overall treatment plan.’

The Moodivator app is not a treatment for depression. All patients should work with their doctor to determine which course of treatment is right for them, and even when patients start to feel better, they should continue their therapy and work closely with their doctor until they reach an agreement to conclude the treatment plan. This app includes information about a prescription treatment option for depression.

This content is provided by Pfizer Inc.

(BPT) – Chances are, if you haven’t been personally affected by depression, you know someone who has. Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States, affecting millions of people every year. In fact, an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7 percent) experiences at least one major depressive episode in any given year.   

As common as it is, struggling with depression can feel isolating, overwhelming and affect all areas of a person’s life. While there are many available approaches to helping treat depression – including talk therapy, medication, support from peers and lifestyle changes – because of the nature of the condition, patients often find it challenging to follow through on their treatment.  

In today’s digital world, advances in technology are opening up new approaches to helping patients manage their health, including their mental health. Interestingly, a 2014 survey found that 70 percent of patients being treated for a mental health disorder say they want to use a mobile application to monitor their mental health on a daily basis. Using a smart phone to track things like mood and behavior, even medication, in real-time is convenient and can make it easier for patients to identify long-term patterns in partnership with their care team.  

The Moodivator app (currently available for free download to iPhones from the Apple App Store) is an example of one mobile app that helps to address this need for people living with depression. Developed by Pfizer, the app is designed to motivate people living with depression and help complement the therapy they receive by allowing patients to track their mood, set goals and establish routines that can help support them in their daily life.  

“Goal setting in particular is important for people with depression, as even small tasks can feel overwhelmingly difficult. The Moodivator app ties into cognitive behavioral therapy techniques that I use frequently with my patients, since it encourages users to set, track and achieve personal goals in a simple and encouraging way across categories like work, home and family or social activities,” says Susan Kornstein, MD, professor of psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, who consulted on the content and design of the app. “Goals are broken down into clear action steps, which are like smaller goals that can help patients eventually achieve their bigger ones. They can be adjusted over time and turned into helpful habits as part of an ongoing routine.”  

Kornstein adds, “Mood tracking, another component of the app, is an important tool for improving patients’ emotional self-awareness. The ease and convenience of tracking mood through a mobile app like Moodivator can lead to patients tracking their moods more often and more accurately.” 

Beyond goal and mood tracking, patients also receive encouraging and inspirational messages in the app to help motivate them along the way as they manage their depression. The benefits of using the Moodivator app may extend beyond the person living with depression, and actually help their care team as well. “Importantly, the app includes the opportunity for patients to export and share their progress with their care team if they choose, showcasing their goal progress and mood patterns through easy-to-read charts,” continues Kornstein. “This can help doctors inform care decisions, and ultimately impact the patient’s overall treatment plan.” 

The Moodivator app is not a treatment for depression. All patients should work with their doctor to determine which course of treatment is right for them, and even when patients start to feel better, they should continue their therapy and work closely with their doctor until they reach an agreement to conclude the treatment plan. This app includes information about a prescription treatment option for depression. 

This content is provided by Pfizer Inc. 

(BPT) – Whether you go into the office every day or work from home, most of us probably spend a lot more time at our desk than anywhere else. Why not take some time to make it a space that you can enjoy? With some creativity and individual flare, you c…

(BPT) – Whether you go into the office every day or work from home, most of us probably spend a lot more time at our desk than anywhere else. Why not take some time to make it a space that you can enjoy? With some creativity and individual flare, you can transform a utilitarian work station into a personalized think tank that is as stylish and unique as you. 

Best of all, you don’t have to hire a contractor to do this. Whether you’re a pro DIYer or new to the crafting game, here are five simple ways to make a serious design statement in your office.

Add color                              

It’s truly amazing what vibrant or soothing colors can do for a space! So where to begin? Try this: Take a quick inventory of everything in your office that looks dull, flat or just plain. This could be a wicker basket, a lamp or even a coat rack! Try using a high quality general purpose spray paint such as Krylon COVERMAXX.  It’s a paint and primer in one, resulting in premium coverage and superior color in one simple coat! Whatever color you choose — red, green or blue — the transformation will astonish you and the bright bold colors are bound to put a spring in your step, even on a stressful work day.

Go green and fill your space with plants!

If you already have a plant or two in your office, why not buy more? In most cases, you’ll want to select plants that thrive in low-light conditions. Now, the true creative work is in how you choose to arrange your plants. Rather than just placing them on your desk, look into hangers and wall hooks — all of which will create a winning combination where nature meets design.

Write it out on a chalkboard

If you’re someone who stays organized by writing out your schedule or to-do list each week, a chalkboard is the perfect addition to your workspace. Rather than buying a board, pick up a can of Krylon Chalkboard Paint. Simply spray it on wood, metal or glass and once it dries, you’ll have your very own custom chalkboard that works with chalk or chalkboard markers.

Declutter in style

We’re all more productive when we’re organized, so getting rid of clutter is a must do in every office. Make organizing fun by incorporating bold colors! Use bright file folders to keep track of important documents or create your own supply containers using mason jars to keep all of your desk items in one place. To add additional flare, spray your mason jars or glass containers with Krylon Stained Glass paint. This paint creates a beautiful translucent color on any glass surface and comes in a variety of exciting colors like royal purple and cobalt blue.  

Revitalize your old stuff

Telephones, paperweights, old figurines — pretty much anything you might otherwise call junk — can make a strong artistic statement in your office. All you need is a canister of Krylon Colormaster Paint and Primer in new and trendy, Rose Gold. With a coat of rose gold paint and a metallic shine, any old thing can be turned into an amazing decorative item. 

Feeling inspired to revitalize your office? Check out Krylon.com for more information on products and project inspiration!

This post was created in partnership with Vistaprint Corporate. Vistaprint Corporate makes it easier than ever to create and customize unique marketing materials to represent your business. We are focused on providing quality materials at an affordable price. Mix and … Read More

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(BPT) – During your first few weeks with baby, your lives were intimately entwined: eating, sleeping and eating some more. All occurring at erratic, irregular times, and around the clock, might we add.As the calendar on maternity leave begins to run ou…

(BPT) – During your first few weeks with baby, your lives were intimately entwined: eating, sleeping and eating some more. All occurring at erratic, irregular times, and around the clock, might we add.  

As the calendar on maternity leave begins to run out, it’s hard to fathom how this intensive baby schedule is going to fit in with your working life. Now is the time to start planning for your return to work, especially if baby will be eating from a bottle for the first time.

It’s a scenario that will be familiar to many moms. About four-fifths of U.S. infants are breastfed at some point, according to a 2016 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When babies reach 3 months old, 44.4 percent are exclusively breastfed, and that percentage dips to 22.3 percent by the age of 6 months.

Whether you plan to pump or switch to formula, preparation is the key to ensuring a smooth transition.

Pump and freeze: Two weeks before you return to work is the ideal time to start pumping and freezing extra milk so you have plenty in your supply. Set aside time after one feeding per day to pump, and store the milk in the plastic bags that are designed for use with the pump. If baby is going to a daycare provider, be sure to label them with your last name and the date.

Practice with a bottle: In this two-week period before work, start offering breast milk or formula from a bottle so baby becomes accustomed to this new approach to eating. Some babies aren’t picky, while others will protest. In the latter case, that might be because your baby strongly associates you with food! Before a regular feeding, try leaving for a brief outing while another caretaker stays behind with baby and offers her a bottle. Many parents have found that eventually, with practice, baby will accept a bottle.

Have a supply plan for your child care provider: Talk to your child care provider about what they need from you. If you are providing breast milk, have a conversation about what happens when the supply runs low. Some provide formula, while will require that you send a container or two they can keep on hand for backup. With that in mind, a test feeding at home with formula is a good idea, so you can confirm baby does not have any allergies.

Pumping at work: If you plan to pump, set up a meeting with your boss a couple of weeks before you return to work to plan on how this will fit with your work schedule. One way to do it is to break up your lunch hour into three 20-minute segments, pumping once in the morning and once in the afternoon, which leaves a 20-minute meal break for you. Also, talk about where you can pump, preferably in a clean, private lactation room not far from your work space.

Keep formula on hand: Over the next few months, your baby’s eating habits will emerge and change. Even if your workplace is generous with time and resources to help you stay on your pumping schedule, a busy week can collide with a hungrier than usual baby, which can tax your supplies. Have a couple cans of powdered baby formula on hand so your family is ready in any situation. Consider store brand infant formula, which is just a nutritious and safe as the nationally advertised name brand versions, because all infant formulas sold in the U.S. must meet the same Food and Drug Administration standards and offer complete nutrition for baby. Store brand formula can save families up to 50 percent, or approximately $600 per year. Even if you are already feeding baby with a certain brand formula, switching to store brand formula is safe and well-tolerated in infants, according to “the Switch Study,” a clinical study conducted by researchers at the University of Virginia.

(BPT) – Technology evolves and improves seemingly every time you blink. From apps to virtual reality and voice assistants to robots, technology affords us the ability to make life easier so we can enjoy what matters most to us. And when it comes to man…

(BPT) – Technology evolves and improves seemingly every time you blink. From apps to virtual reality and voice assistants to robots, technology affords us the ability to make life easier so we can enjoy what matters most to us. And when it comes to managing finances, digitizing your life can actually have a bonus effect on your wallet.

Digital Lifestyle Expert Katie Linendoll teamed up with Capital One to share simple tips to digitize your life and save even more. “We live in a day and age where new technologies afford us the ability to improve our lives in new, offbeat ways,” Linendoll says. “By applying that same principle to our personal finance routines, we’re better poised to cut unnecessary costs while saving precious time and hard earned money, too.”

Whether you’re budgeting for back-to-school season, saving for your next vacation or simply just “tech curious,’” Linendoll’s tips offer a great way to employ modern technology to aide your bottom line.

1. Make your home smarter. Strengthening your financial IQ begins at home. Enhancing your home life with smart products can save you time, energy and money. By switching to a smart thermostat, which can turn on and off when you need to, you’ll save up to $145/year.

2. Cut the cord. The average cable bill per household is around $99 per month, and most people only watch a handful of those channels. A one-time purchase of a media streaming device costs about the same as a single month of cable. Subscribe to your favorites and you can save around $1,000 a year.

3. Leverage cutting edge technology. Voice-activated technologies hold a lot of promise to make our lives easier. For example, with the Capital One Skill for Amazon Alexa, you can use any Amazon Alexa-enabled device like the Amazon Echo to access your Capital One accounts and check your balance, make a payment and manage your account — all using just your voice.

4. Trade in your old tech for cash. Have some old phones and tablets lying around? They could be worth a couple hundred bucks. Many internet trade-in sites and retail stores will offer gift cards and even free shipping for your old tech through something called “recommerce,” aka reverse commerce. If you can make money off old things lying around, do it!

5. Take charge of your spending (and saving). Many Americans struggle to come up with emergency expenses, which makes having the flexibility to bank more ways all the more critical. Enroll with a bank like Capital One, which offers great digital tools and services — such as Online BillPay, Enhanced Transactions, Mobile Check Deposit and Personalized Alerts — which ultimately work harder for you and your bottom line.

Ryan Hanley is the Vice President of Marketing at TrustedChoice.com and the Managing Editor of Agency Nation. He is also a speaker, podcaster and author of the Amazon best-seller, “Content Warfare.” Ryan has over 12 years of insurance expertise and … Read More

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