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Norman-E.-Rosenthal,-M.D.Contact Dr. Norman Rosenthal

You can reach Dr. Rosenthal with press inquiries through his Contact Page here. Please use “Press Inquiry” as your subject line.

 

Experts expect higher incidences of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Here’s what to look out for – and how to help someone experiencing it… Read Full Article

 

Light therapy lamps can ease seasonal depression. Here’s what you need to know

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For some people, the beginning of winter signals more than a change in weather. The shorter, darker days trigger a noticeable shift in their mood and behavior, causing what’s known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. And this winter, the onset of SAD may be exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. Read Full Article

This winter the pandemic is expected to intensify the depression experienced by many people with the syndrome known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Read Full Article

 

‘Tis The Season: Coping With SAD, Or Seasonal Affective Disorder


When Dr. Norman Rosenthal moved to the U.S. from South Africa, he felt less energetic during the harsh winters. He noticed that other people felt the same way. “Just like the autumn leaves, they became depressed on schedule,” says Rosenthal, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Read Full Article

Many Americans Face Bleak Winter as Covid Takes Toll on Mental Health


Every winter, as the days get shorter, darker and colder, millions of Americans suffer debilitating psychological symptoms that can interfere with every aspect of life at home, work and school. Read Full Article

Gloom With a View | Light-therapy lamps can zap winter blues. And now they needn’t be ugly

 

THIS YEAR, INSTEAD of accepting my inevitable winter metamorphosis from cheery human into a sloth-like version of myself, I tried to outsmart the snap back to standard time with a new “SAD” lamp. Read Full Article

6 Ways to Boost Your Mood When You Have the Winter Blues, According to a Psychiatrist (Video)


With winter just around the corner, it’s time to prepare for shorter days, less sunlight, and that constant feeling of wanting to cuddle up under a cozy blanket on the couch while eating a giant bowl of cheesy baked ziti. Read Full Article

Yes, You Should Get a SAD Lamp This Winter


When Norman Rosenthal moved from Johannesburg to New York City for a psychiatry residency, he found the winters dark and gloomy. It wasn’t until a few years later that he realized the winters might be more than just gloomy. Read Full Article

How not to get seasonal affective disorder: DR NORMAN ROSENTHAL – the pioneering psychiatrist who first discovered SAD – reveals how to avoid the blues this winter


It’s dark when we get up and – for many – still dark when we get to work. We sit indoors for much of the day. Even a trip to the sandwich shop at lunchtime seems a chore in chilly weather. Read Full Article

Winter Blues? A Practical Guide to Getting More Light in Your Life


April is allegedly the cruellest month, but October and November could give it a run for its money. In the northern hemisphere, the nights are noticably drawing in, especially now the clocks have gone back and sunset is an hour earlier. Read Full Article

How to Cope With Seasonal Affective Disorder


It happens every year, and every year, it’s a shock to the system. Nature throws itself one last party, festooning every tree in a crisp blaze of glory. After we’ve digested the last of the spiced cider, after the pumpkins have gone soft, the long, dark days of winter descend. In much of the Northern Hemisphere, December through March brings blustery cold that makes dreary days feel as if we’ve been banished to Siberia. Sound dramatic? Probably not to the roughly 6 percent of Americans suffering from Seasonal Affective DisorderRead Full Article

Light Therapy Offers Bright New Remedies for Depression, Alzheimer’s


Light therapy is most associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — a form of depression that hits some people during darker winter days — but what’s exciting is the growing number of studies pointing toward this therapy’s effectiveness in treating nonseasonal depression.

In a 2015 study at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, subjects with depression were given Prozac, a placebo, light therapy, or Prozac and light therapy for eight weeks… Read Full Article

How to Treat Seasonal Affective Disorder

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Catch 27-year-old Laura Thomas at the right time, and she’s outgoing, upbeat and cheerful—only “the right time” depends almost entirely on the time of year. From late spring to early fall she has the ideal personality for her job as a retail-store manager. But as the days get shorter, she loses interest in her usual activities and becomes withdrawn, moody and anxious. Read Full Article

The autumn blahs are real. 3 simple ways to stay upbeat all season

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Happy first day of fall! It’s getting cooler and the days are getting shorter. If you find you have less pep in your step, or you’re struggling to get work done, you may be experiencing the autumn blahs — and those could lead to the winter blues.

People who suffer from winter depression actually experience the first signs of it just as autumn sets in, according Dr. Norman Rosenthal, the psychiatrist who pioneered the idea of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Read Full Article

What is seasonal affective disorder?


As the bright colors of autumn fade and give way to gloomy, gray winter days, winter blues can set in.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a condition that occurs as the light dwindles in the autumn, usually around September and October. It deepens towards the new year, and often January and February are the worst months.

“It is the result of a lack of light affecting people with the genetic vulnerability, and it is aggravated by stress,” Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical School Doctor Norman Rosenthal said. Read Full Article

Is Seasonal Affective Disorder Different From Depression?


Fall has fallen upon us, and while that brings with it some wonderful seasonal treats –apples, cider donuts, colorful foliage, football – it also means shorter days, longer nights, the advent of winter and, for many, the risk of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.

SAD is both similar to and different from other forms of depression, and no one knows that better than Dr. Norman Rosenthal, who “discovered” the medical condition after he noticed its effects on himself. Read Full Article

What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder? It’s More Than the Winter Blues

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Now that the clocks have fallen back, and the sun has already begun to set even earlier, we feel that winter dread begin to creep up. Soon enough we will be unpacking winter coats from storage and leaving work in the pitch black (is it 6 p.m. or midnight?!). While many of us will experience a dip in our mood in the coming months, some will be hit harder than others.

I know because it happened to me. Read Full Article

8 Ways to Cope With Seasonal Affective Disorder


When daylight saving time ends, we gain an extra hour of sleep but lose something precious: sunlight. As daylight slips into darkness earlier in the day, depression diagnoses increase, according to a 2016 study published in Epidemiology. An estimated 5% of Americans slump into a type of depression known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Millions more experience the “winter blues,” a milder form of seasonal depression. Read Full Article

The darkest day of the year is almost here — here are science-backed ways to fight winter blues


The idea that our mood might darken in the dark winter days has been around for millennia.

The coldest months of the year were a terrible time for the Greek Gods: Persephone was banished to the underworld every winter, while Boreas ushered in the cool winter winds and his nasty temper. Read Full Article

Sad! Trump Could Make Your Cold Weather Depression Worse This Year

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Often feel down in the cooler months? If the political climate is already stressing you out, your seasonal bout of depression could be worse this year.

As temperatures drop, so does the amount of daylight. Until March 20, there will be more hours of darkness than light in a day for people living in the Northern Hemisphere. Read Full Article

Fall is here and so is seasonal affective disorder


Despite the unseasonably warm weather, winter is coming and so is seasonal depression.

For those affected, the first bout of seasonal affective disorder can actually be experienced earlier as autumn sets in, said Dr. Norman Rosenthal, the psychiatrist who first described the disorder, in an article for Today. Read Full Article

The real reason you get depressed in winter


When Manhattan writer Anna Breslaw is invited out for drinks, she usually says no.

It’s not because she has sworn off alcohol or has other commitments. Breslaw suffers from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or seasonal depression. Its symptoms include excessive sleeping, low energy and increased anxiety — all caused by lack of natural light. Read Full Article

Have you got Nature Deficit Disorder? Then ditch the gym – it’s time to get outdoors


When psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal moved from South Africa to the US in the 70s, something changed. In the colder winters of New York he and his wife felt their energy levels slump and their mood drop. So when he met fellow scientist Alfred Lewy at a party, it was easy for the pair to begin chatting about Lewy’s research into melatonin, a hormone associated with sleep – and how light and mood might be entwined. Which is how, more than 30 years ago, the pair became the first scientists to describe seasonal affective disorder – and treat it with light therapy. Since then our understanding of the way light affects us, Rosenthal tells me, has “skyrocketed”. Read Full Article

How botox became the drug that’s treating everything


During a recent therapy session, one of Dr. Norman Rosenthal’s regulars said he was considering suicide. It wasn’t the first time the patient had entertained the thought, and even though he was on antidepressants and always kept up with his appointments, Rosenthal, a licensed psychiatrist with a private practice in North Bethesda, Md., wanted to offer his patient something else. Read Full Article
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Guiding light: the scientist who first diagnosed Sad

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When psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal moved from South Africa to the US in the 70s, something changed. In the colder winters of New York he and his wife felt their energy levels slump and their mood drop. So when he met fellow scientist Alfred Lewy at a party, it was easy for the pair to begin chatting about Lewy’s research into melatonin, a hormone associated with sleep – and how light and mood might be entwined. Which is how, more than 30 years ago, the pair became the first scientists to describe seasonal affective disorder – and treat it with light therapy. Since then our understanding of the way light affects us, Rosenthal tells me, has “skyrocketed”. Read Full Article

Transitioning from daylight saving time could increase depression

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Even though setting the clocks back during winter leads to an extra hour of sleep, the added hour of darkness in the evening is harder to handle, according to a new study.
Depression cases at psychiatric hospitals in Denmark increased immediately after the transition from daylight saving time, the study says. An analysis of 185,419 severe depression diagnoses from 1995 to 2012 showed an 11% increase during this time period. The cases… Read Full Article

Mindfulness And Transcendental Meditation: Why These Practices Are Having A Moment

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Transcendental Meditation is a practice that has its roots in Hinduism. Mindfulness traces back to Buddhist awareness techniques. Today in America, these forms of meditation seem to be everywhere from schools to businesses to the military. Whether it’s to treat a serious medical condition, help deal with depression, or simply find peace in the craziness of life, Americans are increasingly turning to meditation for answers. Diane and her panel of guests discuss how these practices work, their roots in Asian religion, and what science tells us about how they could impact our health. Read Full Article

Using Meditation to Help Close the Achievement Gap

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Closing the so-called achievement gap between poor inner-city children and their more affluent suburban counterparts is among the biggest challenges for education reformers. The success of some schools’ efforts suggests that meditation might significantly improve children’s school performance – and help close that gap. Read Full Article

How Meditation Changed Hugh Jackman’s Life

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Norman E. Rosenthal, MD: How has transcendental meditation changed your life?

Hugh Jackman: I would say possibly equally to how marriage and kids did—I would put it right up there, in terms of things that have affected my life. I was always very curious and very much a searcher, but soon after I started meditating, I felt I gained a true understanding of myself and was no longer just being reactive to events that came my way. I felt a sense of calm, a sense of purpose, of finer energy in things I did. Read Full Article

Why filmmaker David Lynch says Transcendental Meditation is the secret to success

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David Lynch says he hasn’t missed a day of Transcendental Meditation since he started practicing it 43 years ago.The director and writer behind the cult TV series “Twin Peaks” and movies including “Mulholland Drive” was in Los Angeles recently to lend support to Georgetown University School of Medicine clinical psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal who was… Read Full Article

Ray Dalio: More than anything else, I attribute my success to one thing

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Billionaire Ray Dalio, the founder of $160 billion hedge-fund behemoth Bridgewater Associates, says that Transcendental Meditation has been “the single biggest influence” on his life.

Dalio,  66, is considered the most successful hedge fund manager of all time. He’s been practicing Transcendental Mediation for more than 40 years. Read Full Article

Within Your Mind, Is There a Super Mind? Renowned Scientist Says Yes

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At a time when people everywhere are embracing yoga, meditation and self-development, Dr. Norman Rosenthal‘s new book, “Super Mind,” comes as a welcome guide—not only for the seeker but anyone wishing to achieve peak performance. Dr. Rosenthal, a former 20-year senior researcher at the National Institutes of Health, professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical School and acclaimed author, may be the most highly credentialed scientist of our time to elucidate higher stages of human development. Read Full Article

Transcendental Meditation

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Dr. Norman Rosenthal, Georgetown Medical School clinical psychiatrist, talks to Chris and Markette about his book SUPER MIND: How to Boost Performance and Live a Richer and Happier Life through Transcendental Meditation. He says you can reach peak performance... Read Full Article

How to develop a ‘Super Mind’ through meditation, according to this renowned psychiatrist

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Psychiatrist and author Norman Rosenthal  practices Transcendental Meditation, an ancient  practice brought from India to the U.S. in the 1950s. A TM teacher gives the student a mantra or other sound and explains how to repeat it in an effortless way.  A successful practice leads to “relaxation, joy and a feeling of being refreshed,” Rosenthal says. He explains in this excerpt from his new book... Read Full Article

Growing a Super Mind

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I have now been practicing Transcendental Meditation (TM) for eight years. My meditation sessions, 20 minutes twice a day, are often the most joyful times of my day, as I retreat into some deep part of myself where something good happens every time I meditate. I could describe it in terms of soothing alpha waves, fluxing over the prefrontal parts of my brain, where decisions and judgments are made; or increased brainwave coherence — EEG patterns suggesting that different regions of the brain are cooperating better with one another. Read Full Article

Super Mind Interview with Dr. Norman Rosenthal On Fox 5

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We live in a fast moving world, and taking some time to block it all out will actually help your minds performance and improve your life all together, in general. Dr. Norman Rosenthal is the author of a new book called, “Super Mind: How to Boost Performance and Live A Richer and Happier Life With Transcendental Meditation”.

The interview above is with Dr. Rosenthal where he and FOX 5 discuss—improving your work and personal life through Transcendental Meditation (TM).

The David Lynch Foundation did co-sponsor Dr. Norman Rosenthal’s book tour and advocated meditation for veterans with post traumatic stress… Watch Interview

Trump, Hillary or Sanders: Seven reasons why our next president should meditate

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Running for president is thought to be among the hardest, most stressful, and emotionally exhausting experiences one can imagine. As a psychiatrist, my natural instinct is to try to understand what advice would be most helpful to give to the winning candidate.  If asked, I would quote Victor Hugo, who said: “Meditate.  All is full of light, even the night.” Read Full Article

Super Mind: A Path to Higher Consciousness

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MEDITATION is trending big these days. Celebrities are embracing it, and media outlets are constantly reciting a litany of benefits: reduced stress, lower blood pressure, improved immune function. But meditation is so much more. Super Mind, a new book by psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal, gets to the heart of the matter: meditation, specifically the Transcendental Meditation technique, leads to higher states of consciousness.

Don’t be Sad: how to beat seasonal affective disorder

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If you live in the northern hemisphere, the ever darker days may be getting you down. Britain, in particular, has just experienced an “exceptionally dull” November, according to meteorologists at the University of Reading, who saw just 18 hours of sunshine in the whole 30 days. Are you worried you may have what doctors call seasonal affective disorder, or a milder case of “winter blues”? And in either case, what can you do about it? Read Full Article

A Transcendental Cure for Post-Traumatic Stress

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War wounds come in many forms. Some are obvious, such as scars, gashes and amputations. Others, the psychological ones, are less visible but equally devastating. The numbers in this second group are staggering: The military’s latest mental health survey of combat troops in Afghanistan found that 20%—one in five—suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Read Full Article By David Lynch and Norman Rosenthal

10 dangerous myths about meditation

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What’s the truth about meditation? Does it really have health benefits – or is it just a silly waste of time? These are questions Dr. Noman Rosenthal, clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center, knows a thing or two about. Best known for first describing the form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), he’s also a widely acknowledged experton meditation. In addition to practicing Transcendental Meditation and recommending it to his patients, he is the author of a new book on the topic entitled Transcendence: Healing and Transformation Through Transcendental Meditation. Read Full Article

Meditation Heals Military Vets With PTSD

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For months, David George, 27, of Fairfield, Iowa, had been eyeing a pistol he saw at a local store.

In 2004, shortly after returning from Iraq, the former specialist in the 101st Airborne Division moved into his parents’ home in Maryland. At every noise, George, who owned a rifle, systematically moved from one room to the next to make sure the house was clear. The pistol, he thought, would make it easier. Read Full Article & See Video

Transcendental Meditation: Topping The Bestseller List Since 1975

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When I saw that a book about Transcendental Meditation (TM), written by a scientist, had landed on the New York Times bestseller list, my reaction was to quote the great Yogi of Berra: “It’s déjà vu all over again.”

In 1975, “TM: Discovering Inner Energy and Overcoming Stress” was propelled onto the list when its lead author, psychiatrist Harold Bloomfield, appeared on Merv Griffin’s syndicated TV talk show (the Oprah of its day) with TM founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The book remained a bestseller for six months, and then had a solid run on the paperback list. During that period, Merv devoted a second show to Maharishi, and TM centers could barely keep up with the demand. Read Full Article

Transcending a Different Type of PTSD — Helping Children of the Night

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Lately there has been a storm of publicity – and deservedly so – about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The public has become better educated about this potentially disabling disorder and its symptoms, such as hypervigilance, an exaggerated tendency to startle, flashbacks, nightmares and emotional numbness, to name just a few.

Mental health professionals have emphasized the need to diagnose and treat PTSD wherever it arises. In this piece, I would like to draw attention to yet another group suffering from PTSD – child victims of prostitution who, against all odds, are trying to go straight and choose a different path in life. Read Full Article

If Stressed, Try Meditating: Psychiatrist

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If you’re stressed, meditate, says a world-renowned psychiatrist. “Your nervous system is constantly being assaulted all day long — stresses from within, from other people, obstacles occur. When you meditate regularly, you don’t get bent out of shape so easily,” says Dr. Norman Rosenthal, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical. “Often times when we snap at people, we’re under stress,” he says. This can be especially true for those living in large cities like New York City. Read Full Article

Beating The Blues

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SUSAN DENTZER: An estimated 18 million Americans suffer each year from depression. And as many as two million are believed to be treating themselves with this. St. John’s Wort is a simple yellow wildflower, so named because it blooms in Europe around June 24, or St. John’s Day. Extracts of it have been used for centuries to treat depression, including, reportedly, by the roman emperor Nero. It’s long been widely used in Europe and caught on in 1990s in the United States. Sold most frequently as an over- the-counter herbal supplement, St. John’s Wort has found its way not only onto pharmacy shelves, but also into breakfast cereals, herbal teas and fruit juices. Read Full Article

Stress, Health, and “Transcendence”-Dr. Norman Rosenthal

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“It is not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it” – Hans Selye

Stress isn’t just a part of life, it is in some ways, essential to life. Without any stress our bones would fall apart, we wouldn’t learn new ways of coping, and life would certainly be quite uninteresting. Bt there’s another kind of stress – the unrelenting, toxic kind – that robs us of sleep, drains our joy, damages relationships, and makes us ill. The bad news is that chronic stress actually changes our brains to make flight-fight-freeze our default setting, regardless of the triggering event. Something as major as being in combat, or as trivial as being cut off in traffic can produce the same “0-60” reaction. The good news is… Read Full Article

Transcendental Meditation – Dr. OZ and Norman Rosenthal

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Oprah Radio host Dr. Oz talks with Dr. Norman Rosenthal about his book Transcendence: Healing and Transformation Through Transcendental Meditation, which is about the mental and physical health benefits of meditating. Listen to Audio