This website will not gather or ask for information about you.  It was started in 2001 by Dr. Jim Phelps as a way to explain tricky stuff to his patients and colleagues. Dr. Chris Aiken joined the team in 2020.  We write in plain English, but also provide research references. Skepticism is welcome. Some of the information here is not mainstream, notably the emphasis on spectrum-based diagnosis and cautions about antidepressants.  But these and other explanations here are very well supported by research and (some) expert opinion. See what you think.

The website has spawned a few books, starting in 2005 when McGraw-Hill asked Dr. Phelps to turn it into one. That was updated in 2017 with Dr. Aiken (Bipolar, Not So Much). A workbook version (The Depression and Bipolar Workbook) was released in 2020; it’s a good option if you want all the natural ways to improve mood in one place. And for professionals and those who want all the science, there’s a textbook version (A Spectrum Approach to Mood Disorders).

Our goal is to provide quality education on mood and anxiety problems about which information is scattered or misleading or non-existent.  We receive no funding for the work and operate free of support from the pharmaceutical industry.

Welcome. We hope you find something useful.

 

Get Smarter About Mental Health

Our Brain Bulletin decodes mental health updates for you.

It’s free.