Walter Black is a very successful toy executive and family man who finds himself in a downward spiral. Regardless of what he tries he can’t seem to get himself back on track. Of course therapy isn’t one of the things he tried. Enter stage left “The Beaver,” a hand puppet. The puppet becomes Walter’s means of communication which results in a fascinating dichotomy of results, some brilliant, some devastating.  Deftly directed by Jodie Foster, (who also plays his wife) and Anton Yelchinas as his teenage son, the Black family is faced with tough decisions as Walter’s personality becomes more and more divided between the Beaver, his stable rational side, and the depression trajectory that he is headed down.

Study Shows Higher Risk of Postpartum Depression for Pregnant Women With Low Levels of Oxytocin

May 11, 2011 – Pregnant women who have lower levels of the hormone oxytocin may be at greater risk for developing postpartum depression a new study shows.

Sometimes called the “cuddle hormone” or the “hormone of love,” oxytocin has been the subject of much research interest for its ability to foster feelings of bonding and attachment.

Previous studies have also suggested that oxytocin is important in parenting behaviors.

“Fatherese”

New fathers who are given a whiff of oxytocin nasal spray, for example, are more likely to encourage their children to explore during playtime and are less likely to be hostile, compared to fathers given a placebo.

“Motherese”

The whole world knows that Catherine Zeta-Jones has been helping her husband Michael in his battle with stage 4 throat cancer. The good news is that he has won his fight with the cancer. Now Catherine has confirmed that she has been seeking treatment for bipolar II disorder says a representative for her. “After dealing with the stress of the past year, Catherine made the decision to check into a mental health facility for a brief stay to treat her bipolar II disorder."

In a recent Oprah interview Douglas said, “Indeed, dealing with a health problem of that magnitude is "very hard. My son’s in federal prison and my ex-wife is suing me. Of course it’s hard for the wife to say that she’s depressed."

According to the Mayo Clinic bipolar II disorder is less severe than bipolar I disorder. It causes irritability and mood swings occurring as often as several times a day, or as seldom as a few times a year. Douglas told Winfrey that he wasn't aware of what his wife was struggling with the disorder. "She’s Welsh," he explained. "The Welsh, it’s all stiff upper lip and not letting your feelings show. That probably played a big part of it," he said. "She’s got to be stoic and deal with all this stuff I’m going through." Now that he's cancer-free - the actor recently went for a check-up and was in the clear - she's been able to "relax," he said.

The 66-year-old star added that he's proud of his wife, who's doing well. "She’s great, she’s shooting a movie down in Louisiana, and I think she’s relieved that she has a better understanding of bipolar II," Douglas said.

In light of the issues his family has faced, Douglas added that he's moving on from the experience a changed man. "I know that I’m much, much closer to my friends and family," he said, choking up a bit. "I have a much deeper appreciation of family and friends."