Depression: More Than Being Down in the Dumps

How common is depression?

So common that it is thought of as the common cold of mental illnesses. However, this is not to understate the severity of depression which is one of the leading indicators of suicide. By some estimates depression costs the country a staggering $43 billion dollars a year in costs resulting from medicine, hospitalization, lost work days and reduced productivity. One in six of us will experience a major depressive episode in our lives and 15 million Americans are suffering from depression at any given time.

What causes depression?

There are a great many possible causes for depression. Frequently, depression is caused by an organic (chemical) or physiological cause. Possible organic causes include food allergies, heavy metals, prescription drugs, illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco and caffeine. Depression can also be caused by preexisting physical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, chronic pain, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, and nutritional deficiencies.

How do you know if you have depression?

Depression can be broken into at least two categories major depression also called unipolar depression or mild depression, which is also referred to as dysthmia.

Major depression is determined by therapists to be present when a person has five of the following symptoms: Poor appetite accompanied by weight loss, or increased appetite accompanies by weight gain; insomnia or excessive sleep; hyperactivity; loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities or decrease in sexual drive; loss of energy including feelings of fatigue; feelings of worthlessness; reduction in one's ability to think or concentrate; recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

Some symptoms of mild depression can be similar to those of major depression. Therapists will diagnose a person as having mild depression if at least three of the following symptoms for at least two years: low self-esteem or lack of self-confidence; pessimism; hopelessness or despair; lack of interest in ordinary pleasures and activities; withdrawal from social activities; fatigue or lethargy; guilt or ruminating about the past; irritability or excessive anger; lessened productivity; difficulty concentrating or making decisions.

How does western medicine treat depression?

A number of drugs have been developed by western medicine for the purpose of treating depression. These drugs include tricyclic antidepressants (Amoxapine, Amitriptyline, Trazodone and Mirtazapine), polycyclic antidepressants (Imiparamine, Desipramine or Protriptyline), or most commonly prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Fluoxetine, Nefazodone, Sertraline or Parozetine). Other drugs such as Venlafaxine which increases serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain and Bupropion which increases catecholamine reuptake are also used for depression. Most drugs are prescribed to increase chemicals in the brain that are low in people who are depressed.

What are the natural remedies for depression?

Natural medicine practitioners frequently prescribe botanical medicines for depression. The best researched of the botanical medicine for treating depression is St. John's Wort. The studies done to date have shown that St. John's Wort is just as effective as anti-depressants for treating mild depression and that patients report greater satisfaction and fewer side effects then with anti-depressants. Ginkgo bilboa has also proven effective for treating depression in both human and animal studies. Exactly how Ginkgo bilboa works to treat depression is not known; however, the most likely reasons are that it impacts serotonin levels and that it is a powerful antioxidant.

Homeopathic medication that is frequently used for depression includes Anacardium, Arsenicum album, Aurum metallicum, Calcarea carbonica, Ignatia, Natrum muriaticum, Pulsatilla, Staphysagria, and Sulfur. The exact remedy is chosen by matching a person's individual symptoms with the remedy.

Counseling is frequently employed in the treatment of depression. Of the counseling techniques available, one of the most useful for treating depression is Cognitive therapy. In this type of counseling the counselor works with the patient to restructure the thought patterns of the individual. Important in treating depression are how the person thinks about such issues as failure, mistakes, and personal deficiencies.

Other natural therapies may treat hormonal imbalances including hypothyroidism, and adrenal functions. Treating these and other hormonal imbalances can clear up depression. More information on these conditions can be found on other pages of this site.

Can you prevent depression?

Self-care is highly important in warding off and preventing reoccurrence of depression. Important factors include diet, lifestyle and nutritional supplements.

Lifestyle changes may be in order.

People suffering from depression should decrease, or better yet discontinue, alcohol consumption as alcohol is a depressant drug. They should begin or increase exercise to increase levels of endorphins. And, they may want to discontinue or reduce intake of caffeine.

Diet changes should include an increase in fruits, vegetables, grains and raw nuts and seeds all of which are fiber-rich. Avoid any foods which are triggering allergies.

Some supplements to consider include folic acid and vitamin B12 (800 mg /day each) which are frequently deficient in people with depression; vitamin B6 (50 - 100 mg / day) which is essential for the brain to make serotonin, and omega-3 oils which are important in the composition of nerve cell membranes.

Natural medicine offers many ways to deal with the possible underlying organic and physiological conditions of depression. Consulting a healthcare professional is always recommended as they can assess your condition and create an individualized treatment plan.

David Westbrook writes for such fine websites as [http://www.healthcraz.com] and [http://www.automedicine.com]

Seasonal Affective Disorder and Tanning Salons

With the arrival of the cold season, besides cold-driven nuisance, some persons experience drawbacks regarding the general state, lack of energy and depression of unknown origin. It was scientifically ascertained that the lack of light favors the production of melatonin by the pineal gland, a hormone inducing sleep. That is why, during the cold seasons when days are shorter and the sunlight is scarce, we often feel sleepy or drowsy. Also, even during spring and summer, if the tendency is to keep most of the time indoors at home or at the office, the effect may be similar, though not as severe.

Well, if drowsiness were the only impact generated by season changes, things would be easier to solve (with a little coffee maybe!). The problem is that melatonin secretion is synchronized with the production of a neurotransmitter, serotonin, which is involved in several physiological processes such as temperature, blood-pressure regulation and in neuropsychological functions such as appetite, memory and mood. The two do not work together at the same time. When melatonin is secreted, serotonin production is inhibited. Lack of serotonin causes disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome and reflects its effects on mood also, triggering depression in some persons.

Melatonin is active at night and serotonin is active in the daytime. Also, there is the age factor that contributes to the balance of the two chemicals: the secretion of melatonin decreases with age. There has been established that the link between serotonin and melatonin along with their dependence on the body clock may explain the depression experienced by the people suffering from the disorder called Seasonal Affective Disorder - SAD. Depression, sleep problems, weight gain, anxiety, joint pain, irritability, stress, headaches are some of the symptoms that may appear when we suffer from SAD.

The problem is primarily caused by the lack of sunlight. It has been scientifically proven that sunlight favors increase in serotonin levels and favors vitamin D accumulation. Besides having anti-osteoporotic, immunomodulatory, anticarcinogenic, antipsoriatic, antioxidant properties, vitamin D is also a mood-modulator.

UV rays exposure favors vitamin D synthesis in the skin. That is why persons who go to tanning salons have noticed mood improvement and keep the habit in order to maintain the state of well-being. However, it is common knowledge that the effects of the UV exposure are not always the most desirable ones. If going to tanning salons becomes a habit, then recurrent, prolonged UV exposure may result in consequences such as premature skin aging and eventually skin cancer.

Light therapy represents a way to treat SAD. Light operates on the body in two ways: through skin impact or by entering your eyes. Only UV light has effects on the skin, while the light that has effects by entering your eyes needs not be UV, it just has to be bright. Its energizing effect comes from the fact that it stimulates the production of serotonin. The simplest way to get enough bright light is to spend an hour a day or more outdoors, where the light levels range from 1,000 to 50,000 lux or more, compared to room lighting, which is about 50-200 lux.

If your schedule or the weather does not permit it, an alternative is to purchase a light therapy device. For optimum effects, the light source either has to be very bright - 5,000 lux or more - or it has to be in a particular spectrum - around 460 nanometers, which is in the blue range. According to new research, blue range light will provide benefits even if at a dimmer level. Most companies producing light bulbs make full spectrum lights that may successfully replace sunlight.

Yet, there are side effects that bright artificial light may induce, namely it may interfere with sleep (especially when exposure is made in the evening hours) or even trigger in some people a mania - condition called bipolar disorder (known as manic depression).

The safest remains the natural outdoor light, on condition that UV protection is used.

Run For Your Life From The Mental Illness Ghetto

‘Who put the boys in the club house? You did, baby, you did.’

The song ‘Keep a Lid on Things’ by the Crash Test Dummies sums it up. Psychiatric rehabilitation organisations are often there to simply keep a lid on things (clients’ behaviour) rather than to get them back in the mainstream of society. Their stated aims are often vastly different from the actual outcomes.

Does the ghetto keep you sick? So it seems. Last year an Australian research team interviewed people who had bipolar disorder, and one of the findings was stunning—people who did not use psychiatric rehabilitation services tended to stay well longer than those who did*.

If you’re coming out of a bipolar crisis, perhaps just out of hospital, it’s worth questioning the value of rehabilitation. If the only place you go is the mental health clinic, you surround yourself with others who are sick. It becomes comfortable, you make friends, there’s no challenge, and you will find over time that you become nervous about venturing into mainstream activities, like ringing up about a job, or going back to your sporting club. The longer you are inside the ghetto the harder it is to break out. Your confidence disappears. People share stories of being victimised and discriminated against and this shores up your growing sense that it’s too hard ‘out there’. You conclude you should stay in rehab.

The religion editor of my city’s broadsheet wrote this last month:

‘Victimhood is a bad address. It's a dangerous and delusory place and definitely the wrong side of the tracks. Unfortunately, far too many people live there.

Even if you really are a victim, you have to move out. Victimhood offers an odd but counterfeit comfort, where nothing is your own responsibility, where life is something that is done to you by others, and is beyond your control, yet you can enjoy the moral high ground... It's a short step from victimhood to paranoia.’**

Zwartz was writing about race riots in Sydney, but these words resonated with my experience of the mental health lobby. Victimhood leads to a sense of futility, a wariness that prevents fair assertion of our wishes. Countless so-called advocacy organizations work in the short term, never daring to jeopardize their funding by pursuing the big picture, the dream.

‘Consumer’ organizations fare no better. Consumer organizations are beset with ineptitude not because of illness, nor because of lack of skills and intelligence. The one thing that undoes the political work of consumer organizations is the prevalence of victimhood. These organizations include many people who have been actually victimized, but too many are stuck in the ghetto and exhibit ongoing ‘victim behavior’. If you cast yourself as a victim, your requests will never be taken seriously—you’re too easy to say ‘no’ to.

I believe this is a reason that mental health funding around the developed world is far lower than funding for the equivalent level of burden of disease in general health. For example, In Australia it is only 8% of the total health budget compared with the OCED average of 12%.

SANE Australia reported last year that stigma was the villain of the piece, and produced startling evidence to support the view.

In Australia there have been eight State or national inquiries in the last twelve years. Each time puny progress is made but the underlying flaw (lack of funding) is perpetuated. As Einstein supposedly said: ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.’ We need to do something different. Here is my suggestion:

• Get out of the ghetto and into the mainstream.
• Do stuff that doesn’t involve mental health
• When you have gotten rid of your victim outlook, start demanding fair funding for mental health in your country. Follow up, don’t take no for an answer, and incite all your friends and relations to do the same.
• If your consumer organisation has a victim outlook, you could try to change it, but expect resistance. People can be codependent on their organizations.


*Russell, S J and Browne, J L 'Staying well with bipolar disorder' Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2005; 39:187–193.

**Barney Zwartz, The Age, Melbourne Australia 15 December 2005

How Depression Can Threaten Your Marriage

In my work through the years as a counselor, I've talked with many depressed individuals. I've also had personal experience with depression myself and know firsthand how debilitating it can be.

Nearly everyone at some point in their life will be affected by depression--either their own or someone else's, such as a spouse, parent, sibling, child, or friend. Just in the U.S. alone, depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million adults in any given year.

Statistics show that only twenty percent of those who experience depression will receive an appropriate treatment plan. Many depressed individuals will be too embarrassed to seek help and will suffer in silence, sometimes for years.

The effects of depression can negatively impact every aspect of a person's life--marriage, home life, work, and friendships. And the burden of living with a depressed spouse can take a heavy toll on the quality of a marriage.

Untreated depression poses a very real threat to a marriage. Recent research indicates that when one spouse suffers from depression, the likelihood is increased that both spouses will have an unhappy marriage.

This is because mental health and unhappy marriages are closely entwined. The harmful effects of depression are not limited to the depressed spouse but affect the partner, also

The depressed spouse will experience less happiness, satisfaction, and contentment in the marriage. At the same time, the partner will struggle with handling the increased isolation and social withdrawal of the depressed spouse, the loss of emotional intimacy (and often sexual intimacy as well), and the prevalent negativity in the relationship.

When one spouse is depressed, the depression colors everything in the relationship. The depressed spouse sees the world through a darkened lens that limits his or her perspective. Any negative events are interpreted even more negatively, neutral events are also interpreted negatively, and the positive happenings are often overlooked.

It's as though depressed individuals have blinders on that keep them from seeing any positive, hopeful opportunities right in front of them. Even if they did see them, they wouldn't have the energy to follow through.

The depressed spouse often loses interest in activities that used to bring pleasure and may experience fatigue and listlessness. There can be loss of sleep or sleeping too much; eating too much or too little; or problems focusing and concentrating.

Feelings of love and sexual desire may become dulled or absent when an individual is depressed. The biggest danger when this happens is that the depressed spouse may erroneously conclude that this means he (or she) is no longer in love with the mate.

Many depressed individuals report that they feel detached from what is happening, as though they are watching a movie. There can be a profound feeling of separation and isolation from others and a desire to avoid social contact. There can be feelings of sadness, hopelessness, dejection, and resignation. Or there can be feelings of irritation, agitation, anger, or emotional numbness.

Another danger to the marriage is that the partner of a depressed spouse can become depressed from the depressive atmosphere and energy in the relationship. Depression can be viewed as contagious when it creeps into a partner's outlook, attitudes, moods, conversation, behaviors, and reactions. When this happens, both spouses may feel they are helplessly sinking lower and lower into despair.

Blame and shame are involved in depression and can cause additional problems. If a spouse doesn't understand that the partner is depressed and not just lazy or uncooperative, she (or he) may blame the partner for things he can't help at the time. This stirs up feelings of anger and resentment for the spouse.

The depressed spouse may be ashamed to admit that he (or she) can't handle the depression herself and thus refuse to see a physician. This feeling of shame reflects the belief of numerous people about depression. They may feel that they should be able to just "snap out of it," which is what family and friends may tell them, also.

In one research study, fifty-four percent of people surveyed believed that depression is a personal weakness. In reality, depression has nothing to do with personal weakness or will power or character.

A depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It's not just a case of the "blues" that a person can "get over." Thus, common misunderstandings about depression can add to the problem.

It's vital for both spouses to have a thorough understanding of depression--what it is, what it isn't, what to expect, and what treatment options are recommended. It's also important to recognize that before marital problems can be effectively treated, the depression needs to be treated first. That means that the depressed spouse needs to see a physician or mental health professional for a depression assessment and treatment recommendations.

What can a spouse do when the depressed partner refuses to seek help? This is a common situation and there's no one answer that fits all situations. It's important to get the depressed partner to the doctor or mental health professional, even if the spouse has to schedule the appointment, take off from work, and accompany the partner to the appointment.

Sometimes the parents or siblings of a resistant depressed spouse can be enlisted to encourage him (or her) to take action and seek treatment. At other times, a close friend or minister can help to convince a depressed spouse to consult with his physician or see a therapist.

Another strategy that a concerned partner can sometimes use is to send a confidential letter to the depressed spouse's doctor, detailing the concerns and depressive symptoms observed. This only works when the depressed spouse has to see his (or her) physician for some other reason, such as a required annual physical, to get a prescription for medication, or on-going monitoring of some condition. The physician can't respond to the partner's letter due to confidentiality, but at least the information has been conveyed.

If all else fails, the partner can consult with a therapist herself (or himself) to get individualized recommendations on how to handle the situation. Together, they can create an appropriate plan of action while the therapist provides emotional support to the partner.

Nancy J. Wasson, Ph.D., is co-creator of Overcome Control Conflict with Your Spouse or Partner, available at http://www.ControllingSpouse.com She is also co-author of Keep Your Marriage: What to Do When Your Spouse Says "I don't love you anymore!" which is available at http://www.KeepYourMarriage.com, as well as a free weekly Keep Your Marriage Internet Magazine . Dr. Wasson offers telephone and email coaching to individuals and couples who want to overcome relationship problems and create a rewarding, loving partnership.

All You Need to Know about Hair Follicle Drug Testing

Hair sample drug testing is a great way to detect whether or not a person has used drugs in the past 90 days. Whether in an office format or in the home, hair drug testing serves the purpose of answering questions about an individual’s drug use history.

How Does Hair Follicle Drug Testing Work?

Hair drug testing is actually quite simple and merely requires a sample of hair in order to be completed. Parents who are worried about their teen’s use of drugs can collect a strand of hair from their pillow. Employers can request a sample from their employees. Once a hair sample has been collected, it is sealed in an envelope and sent to a participating laboratory for completion. Hair testing is fast and more accurate than other drug test forms.

For instance, hair sample drug testing can detect drug use for up to 90 days after use. The detection window is much larger in hair drug testing (compare it to few days for urine and saliva based drug testing) because trace amounts of drug chemicals become trapped inside each hair. A simple lab test can detect these trace chemicals making for either a positive or negative test result. Once the results are recorded, you are sent notification of the results. Some companies even provide a phone service where you call in, enter an account number and retrieve the results in that way.

What Kinds of Drugs Can Hair Drug Testing Detect?

Hair sample drug testing can detect all of the major types of drugs, including marijuana, opiates, methamphetamines, PCP, ecstasy, and cocaine. Hair follicle drug testing can detect the trace amounts of illicit substances trapped in the cortex of the hair for up to 90 days after use.

Employee drug testing programs often incorporate hair follicle drug testing into their plans because of the sheer accuracy of these tests. Even though hair testing is more expensive that a urine drug test kit, for example, they can provide a level of accuracy that is nearly ten times that of other testing methods. Likewise, hair follicle drug testing does not involve the embarrassing collection of samples like that of urine or saliva drug tests. A single strand of hair is all that is needed to obtain accurate results.

Parents can also benefit from hair sample drug testing. Hair testing is discrete and confidential. An individual can be tested without their knowledge, making it so parents can know the truth about their teen’s drug use first before making accusations. By using hair drug testing in the home, parents can safeguard their teens against drug abuse, and help them quit the abuse should test results come back positive.

Solutions For Depression

This article is aimed at helping people who are often in a state of depression. I have had many of periods in my life where I have found it difficult to carry on and where in truth I have wished that my life would just end.

Depression affects people in many different ways. From a personal note it affects my sleep patterns and makes the smallest things irritate me. I have even been sick in the morning after spending the night worrying about my present situation.

Most of the time I am not so much depressed at what is happening now but am fearing what might happen in the future. This fear may be about financial matters, a social occasion, health or about my family.

I had basically had enough of constantly being depressed, about being in fear of the future and needed to learn about how to control my depression.

After seeking inspiration from a variety of sources, I had what I hoped was enough ammunition to keep my fears and phobias at bay. I will at times have an off day where I feel quite low and this is where I use my new found knowledge.

How to control your depression

I am a very quiet person and I like to keep myself to myself. Some would say that I border on being a loner, which I would quite agree with. Too many people have hurt me throughout my life and to tell you the truth I prefer being on my own. I am not a peoples person.

I also like to keep my problems to myself. This was my biggest failure, what I needed to do was to talk through my problems and fears with somebody else, a member of my family for example.

This was not easy for me to do and it took a great deal of courage to talk to anybody about the areas of my life which made me feel depressed. I did however go down this route and it did have a positive effect. To talk about my problems was like taking a weight off my shoulders.

The person I confided in was my father. He listened and then came back with some superb advice and a couple of suggestions of what I could do.

This is my second piece of advice. We need to spend less time worrying and more time seeking solutions to our problems. We need to ask ourselves why we are depressed and what can help us to remedy our issues.

My father also stated that I should only do things and go to places that I wanted to. I have always found it hard to turn down invitations to for example a party and have found myself often somewhere that I do not in reality want to be.

He also told me about one of his friends. His name was Mike and he had just been diagnosed with cancer. The doctors had told Mike that he only has a maximum of six months to live and he is only fifty-nine. He asked me to imagine how he must be feeling.

I went home and thought about Mike, I was sure that he would love to swap shoes with me. It is not just about Mike, he has a wife and three children, what must they be going through. I started to appreciate my own health and that of my family a bit more.

By opening up and talking about why I was depressed was the best thing I ever did and is something I will continue to do. My dad certainly helped me to think in a more positive way.

This advice I am sure will not help every person who is depressed as depression is an illness. It has however helped me and I am hoping it will be of benefit to others.

Just Say "No" To Depression!

Depression is believed by the medical profession to be the most prevalent disease of our time. The fear of developing heart problems or cancer alone is enough to cause tremendous stress and accompanying depression. There is a tremendous malaise circulating our world today. Both the medical profession and the media are constantly "warning" us of the dangers and probabilities of different diseases, some of which seem more than likely to shorten our life span. For instance, if there is cancer in your family, you're most likely going to get it! And of course, if cancer is not threat enough there is always the West Nile virus, Bird flu, AIDs and a host of other diseases to frighten us...

One thing is for sure, we will never hear the end of calamities that are likely to beset us, whether from disease or some other form of challenge we may face. It seems inevitable that there will always be “something” that will get our blood pressure soaring.

So, what is the answer to this problem? How can we carry-on with our lives without being constantly afraid of what lies around the next corner? Here are several suggestions about how to effectively deal with life’s challenging situations:

1) Seek interpersonal support

People need other people, and there are many good and practical ways to relieve stress and anxiety. Exercise, good nutrition and positive thinking are great antidotes. These not only help relieve the angst; they actually give us a sense of empowerment over our lives.

2) Seek spiritual guidance about spoken words

The Bible tells us that the power of life and death are in the tongue. Words can both bless and curse (James 3). Negative words can evoke fear, anxiety and actually produce negative effects in a person’s life.

Whenever a word is heard - any word - the mind paints a picture of it. For instance, when someone says "black cow" immediately you will see that cow in your mind's eye. Although words are not tangible, they have the power to bring about emotional and physical change! Remember - The Bible teaches that the earth was created by the Word of God! Now that's real word power!

We all have a choice when it comes to listening and what we hear. We can choose to empower ourselves by listening to positive words and encouraging thoughts or we can do otherwise. Think about the last time you listening to some of your favorite music…Did your feet start tapping? Did you start to hum the melody? Didn’t your mood lighten-up a bit as a result of hearing the melody and the words? Negative words almost always produce negative results, whether seen or unseen. On the other hand, positive words instill a sense of well-being. A mere smile and a quick, happy-sounding, "Have a great day!" can instantly produce good feelings and joy.

3) Develop a “thankful” attitude.

Thankfulness is one of the greatest virtues. A wise man once said that if we divided a page in two and wrote all our setbacks on one side and all our blessings on the other, we would find that the blessings far outweigh the negatives. The Bible teaches us to give thanks with a grateful heart for all things. Don't look back on past hurts, nor fret about tomorrow. Live “today” to the fullest…choose joy and thankfulness.

In conclusion, remember that our thoughts respond to what we feed the mind through our senses. Therefore, it naturally follows that happiness is a choice. This may be a foreign concept to many of us at first, but when applied, the results can be truly amazing! Break the habit of feeling trapped in a world of negative thoughts and decide to switch-on the power of positive thoughts, today.

What About Drugs for Anxiety and Depression?

As a counselor, I am often asked, “Can drugs be helpful for anxiety and depression?” The answer I give is “Yes” and “No.”

Yes, drugs may be useful for short-term help. No, drugs are not a good long-term solution.

Anxiety and depression are not caused by a lack of drugs. Drugs do not heal the underlying causes of anxiety and depression. However, when drugs are temporarily used to give a person a window of relief to do the inner work necessary to heal the underlying causes, they can be useful.

Anxiety and depression generally have two major underlying causes - emotional and physical.

THE PHYSICAL CAUSES OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

Our bodies go into imbalance when we do not eat well or have enough healthy exercise. Our bodies are not made to handle the unnatural substances found in processed food. When we overload our bodies with chemicals, pesticides, sugar, and devitalized foods, our bodies become depleted of vital nutrients and go into stress. Anxiety and depression can be the result of this physical depletion and resulting stress.

Our bodies are designed to thrive on the food and water that God gave us – pure, clean, organic, unaltered food and water. If you take drugs for anxiety and depression and do not clean up your diet and get proper exercise, you are just using a Band Aid for a gaping wound.

THE EMOTIONAL CAUSES OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

Emotionally, anxiety is caused by dysfunctional thoughts – thoughts that are not true. For example, if you tell yourself that you are not good enough or you have to be perfect, you will likely feel anxious. Thoughts of not being good enough and having to be perfect are generally focused on our outer qualities of looks and performance, rather than on the inner qualities of kindness, compassion, and gratitude. When we choose to be kind, loving and compassionate with ourselves and others, we feel good about ourselves. When we choose gratitude for what we do have rather than dwell on what we don’t have, we create inner peace. Kindness and gratitude are wonderful antidotes to anxiety!

Anxiety is always a sign that we are telling ourselves a lie. The truth creates peace inside, while lies create fear and anxiety. This is a sure-fire way of knowing what is true and what is not true!

Emotionally, depression is caused by not taking good care of ourselves. If we ignore our needs, don’t speak up for ourselves, judge ourselves, and make others responsible for our feelings, the result may be depression. If you have a child whom you ignore and judge, that child will likely be depressed. The same occurs on the inner level when we ignore and judge our own inner child. Putting yourself last and taking care of everyone else but yourself may cause you to feel unworthy and depressed.

There is little point in taking drugs for anxiety and depression without attending to your dysfunctional thinking and to how you are treating yourself. However, if you take drugs for a short time and give yourself the opportunity to do your inner work, they may be helpful. Many of the people I work with find that as soon as they start taking good care of themselves, they don’t like the effect of the drugs. They don’t like the fact that the drugs take the edge off their feelings. They find that, rather than wanting to be numbed out, they want to feel all of their feelings deeply, both the highs and the lows. The more they learn to take responsibility for their feelings by attending to their thoughts and needs, the more they want to feel all of their feelings. They discover that, while drugs may take the edge off pain, they also take the edge off joy.

Most of the people I work with can avoid drugs completely by learning to take loving care of themselves, both physically and emotionally. Many of the people who practice the Inner Bonding process that we teach find Inner Bonding to be far more powerful in healing anxiety and depression than drugs.

If you are a person who does not want to learn to take personal responsibility for your pain and joy, then drugs may be a way out for you. But if you want to feel true peace and joy, drugs are not the answer.

Over Compulsive Disorder (OCD) A Bit Of The Other

What gives a person suffering from over compulsive disorder (OCD) the right to chastise others e.g. children/husband and wife's on their behaviour when we as a patient have no control over our own. Other peoples habits are very similar to that of what we do ourselves, antics may include irritating and annoying stunts. What is the difference between over compulsive disorder actions to that of what others do, fortunately for the others they gain control to stop what it is they do, as for the OCD patient I am afraid to say they have no jurisdiction or say on the matter when to stop?

Over compulsive disorder (OCD) comes with invisible powers where it leaves a patient feeling disorientated to an extent where life becomes meaningless. In other words life is not worth living if not able carry out their compulsions. (Depending on the individual)

You are not alone if you suffer from OCD the number in others are on the increase daily, we even have fellow patients who are unaware that they are infected. The reason for this is because symptoms are mild and seem to go unnoticed unlike the more sever cases where patients undergo medical treatment.

Over compulsive disorder (OCD) in the past was considered untreatable but doctors in the modern world would not be beaten and continued to research day and night looking for answers behind why a patient believed their OCD was a sign of madness or that their actions sent out signals of mental instability, in other words crazy. The good news is the modern world won the battle and brought hope to all sufferers with modern medication. Treatment is readily available along with people who care and want to help. All you have to do is, ask.

This is the modern world so be honest with yourself and face up to your over compulsive disorder (OCD) with revenge in mind. Retaliation as an ally in this battle is enough to win the war; it will take time but all worth while in the end. Start gathering ammunition to beat this invisible force by visiting the doctor, he/she may not see it but certainly are aware of its presence when the questions asked are answered openly and honestly.

Depending on you and the severity of your (OCD) symptoms medication and treatments will differ. How great your needs are to be rid of this illness that is slowly destroying breaking your heart and causing you and your nearest and dearest so much pain and suffering lies in your hands.

I envy how OTHERS are in control of their behaviour. I chastise no more. Give me a bit of the other any day.

How Is Depression Treated?

More than eleven million people in the United States suffer from depression each year. This medical condition that affects the mind can have lasting effects such as a feeling of hopelessness, lack of ambition and an inability to focus. Depression can affect all age groups and genders, but is more prevalent in women. Consulting a mental help professional such as a psychiatrist is beneficial to obtain proper diagnosis and treatment. This condition can adversely affect school, home life and employment.

Most treatments will involve a combination of drug therapy and natural remedies for a fully balanced physical and emotional state. Medications will likely involve some form of antidepressant drug. The most commonly used types are: tricyclic, Monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOI’s, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRI’s. SSRI’s have become the most popular form for treating depression because of the lower risk of side effects. These drugs include names such as Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft.

Therapy is often prescribed with drug treatments to help a person come to terms with issues, symptoms and techniques for dealing with depression. These can be group or individual therapy sessions to talk about issues. Expression therapy such as dance, art or music can help articulate deep feelings and emotions. Relaxation techniques will assist in bringing focus and serenity. Yoga and meditation are ideal forms of this.

Changing lifestyle to promote a better self image and naturally adjust chemicals in the body has also proven helpful. Eating a well balanced diet and adding supplements such as fish oil, Zinc and B vitamins help regulate depression. Exercising several times each week is also valuable. Alternate treatments such as acupuncture and hypnosis may be beneficial to help alleviate symptoms of depression and melds the body, mind and spirit.

It is important to discuss all treatment options with your physician or psychiatrist to decide on the proper combinations. Each person has different levels of depression and a treatment plan should be customized to the individual. If using supplements or radically changing your diet; make sure to inform the doctor so those can be taken into consideration when developing a treatment plan.

Depression does not need to negatively affect a person’s life. With proper treatment, many depressed people live full, happy, successful lives. It is important to take action to help minimize depressive tendencies in order to allow a better sense of well being and peace. Using a combination of drug therapies and natural remedies will bring a balance to mind, body and spirit.

Depression natural treatment

Man is the social animal who has come with his own development. He has come to this phase with his own thoughts and ideas. He not only got the compensations with his progress but also got some of the negative aspects like he was exposed to many diseases that came in the way of his progression. One among them is this depression. This is a curable disease and can get treated as early as possible at its early stage. It has a natural and herbal remedy.

This depression is one of the diseases having an anxiety disorder that attacks especially the adult population. No matter what the age is or where we are from. The depression is a mental disorder that prevails in the person and may attack at any moment. Here in this condition he undergoes a mental disorder that affects his mood. In this situation he has abnormal feelings or normal feelings, which fall in the category of calm and deep which in turn makes him to get or fell into the attack of this disease. If a person gets deeply attacked with this disease then he is away from performing his daily activities or he is away from his normal life and this can be considered as the symptoms of the depressive order. This in turn leads to personality disorder and lacks in self-improvement.

When the man gets this at the initial stage then it just sadness and gloom. But this must not go deeper as he will become abnormal from his daily activities. So, he should get treated at its initial stage. He may get upset for the small things but these should not contribute as a major part for his depression disease. Now there is a good news for this disease that it can be cured with the proper treatment given by the physician whom you consult for the treatment.

The cause for this depression is not found exactly. In the previous days the main cause was that the man was disturbed with his thoughts and emotions. But the for this there are many factors and it may depend on any of these factors like biological, environmental and the genetic also. It can also occur when a person is affected with the chronic diseases that take some period to get cured. There is chance of getting affected with this disease when the medication does not cure the affected disease.

One can say that he is affected with this disease when he has these signs like tension, sadness, lack of interest in new things or habits or daily activities, feels tired unnecessarily, inactive in what he does, unable to concentrate, feels guilty about himself, attempts or thinks about suicide.

A person can come out of this depression with the regular intake of the medications which are prescribed by the physician that may be natural or herbal. The patient may also undergo counseling if needed. It is better to turn your attention towards the natural or herbal treatments as they don’t have any side effects to you. The disease can be cured by the remedies are natural so that they don’t harm you and cures you as soon as possible.

The primary thing what you can do is you can consult the doctor as early as possible. The check ups that are needed should be regularly as it should be narrowed at its first stage. Keeping oneself with enthusiasm and being away with the tiredness. To have confidence in doing the works which are daily activities or others. This depression can be helped when we encourage the people active in their work, thinkings. He should have a loved atmosphere that can cure the disease.

Techniques to ease stress, treat depression and increase relaxation.

Stress is one of the top health hazards we face today. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to go through life without the irritations that make us tense. Some people deal with the situation better than others. Here are some techniques for easing stress and increasing relaxation:
- Get enough sleep
- Meditate regularly
- Give up junk Food
- Adopt a pet
- Surround yourself with supportive people
- Limit your exposure to chemicals
- Enjoy yourself
- Exercise regularly such as stretching, aerobics etc
- Take Your Vitamins

You should learn to control stress before it controls you. There are also medications available for people whose stress levels are bad enough to impact their ability to function effectively. Doctor in some instances may prescribed medication for you but are usually prescribed for no more than a few months as medications may have the potential to cause side effects such as sleepiness and some nausea.

Those who afraid of the side effects should seek natural treatment. One of the natural treatment that is available in the market is Relagen. Relagen is a natural product that treats the various and debilitating symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. Relagen unlike Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Wellbutrin and Effexor is produced to treat you safe and naturally without unwanted side effects that can be found in the prescriptions medication. With Relagen, you can lose that stubborn excess weight around your waist caused by high levels of the cortisol stress hormone.

Treatment for stress and anxiety, or depression is not that simple because brain is not that simple. Scientist has found that certain naturally occurring ingredients can assist in treating stress and anxiety, or depression. The active ingredients in Relagen help to regulate the chemicals that influence your moods safely. To learn more on Relagen visit www.magicapsule.com

Anxiety - Rise From The Grave

In some cases of anxiety and depression a patient clings to hope by taking anti-depressant drugs in hope that it is the answer to their prayers in relieving them of their symptoms. It has been proven that certain drugs work for some and not for others.

Anti-depressants have an enormous affect on the chemicals in the brain thus changing the mood. Drugs as such are known to help anxiety sufferers to cope with their displeasures but what you have to remember is anti-depressants are not a cure they are there to help control the condition by dealing with the discomforts i.e. symptoms.

The healing process can take a few weeks for the drug to go to work and take affect where you will see changes. It is important to follow through with any course of prescribed medicine dosage from your doctor other wise it will hamper the effects. Anxiety/depression can cause major changes in a persons life where they have no choice but to turn to medication. Not all medical prescriptions of this sort agree with people therefore unwanted side effects. Before continuing with any medication or treatment that you feel is disagreeing with your body then consult your doctor.

Pill popping is an easy way to take away the pain from backache - headache or whatever illness causes misery, but is it the answer to a cure, no it is a temporary fix for pain.

Natural medication and treatments in the form of herbal remedies are taken by many sufferers in the 21st century to help combat the stress and pressure brought on by anxiety - depression and panic attacks. Visit your local herbal store and talk with the herbalist who can advise you on many of natures natural potions. Depression can be a very disturbing mind meddler where lack of control and concentration is lost, due to how it interferes with your well being leaving you feeling low and in some cases at an all time low when in desperation a patient can end up harming themselves

A proven therapeutic method practiced the whole world over for many people with health concerns is Yoga, surprisingly not many people are aware of the benefits that yoga has to offer. It is known with out doubt to ease the mind and has the ability with certain moves to ease physical pain (depending on the condition) If you feel there are no answers behind why your anxious moments erupt and that it is time for a paracetomal, then think again, are you doing more arm than good.

Dealing with anxious moments can prove to be unsettling for many people but then you have those that grin and bear it. Anxious moments should not be ignored if they prolong or outstay their welcome as this could now be recognised as the start of anxiety or depression.

An early grave has been the answer for many a sufferer who found coping alone with anxiety caused more pain and heartache than actually dealing with it.
Are you a sufferer of the type of anxiety that leaves you feeling life is not worth living or wishing you were dead if so I urge you to rise from the grave in your thoughts and seek help. You are not alone and with the right help and medical attention you can enjoy the experiece of feeling on top of the world rather than six feet under.

Learning to Cope with Depression

A person with depression is not the only one affected with this mental and emotional disorder. Every person around the depressed patient is also affected. The emotional toll can destroy and shatter any relationship; this could also result in a loss of jobs and in a worst case scenario, can lead to killing oneself. Although there is no known cure for depression, there are treatments that can aid a depressed person to lead a better and productive life.

A person with depression needs a lot of support from the people he or she trusts. The family members and the friends is the best source of love and support. The best thing to do is to show some compassion and understanding, the person is sad enough as it is, they don't need to feel alone and alienated.

Once a person has been diagnosed with depression, people should learn about the effects the disorder has on an afflicted person's behavior and personality. This way, we won't be shocked and taken aback by the changes in the person. We should not take personally whatever the depressed person does.

A person with depression should understand what is happening to him so that he or she could learn to accept his situation. If depression gets the best of a person he could lose his rational way of thinking. Knowing his or her options is also good because the depressed person will have hope.

Depression treatments can either be medication prescribed or therapies with a licensed or qualified psychiatrist or both. There is no need to be depressed about depression, many people with this ailment have lead healthy and productive lives.

The Really Great Depression

For almost 10 years, from 1929 to the late into the 1930's the word went into a massive economic decline. The entire world was hit with the decline, however the most industrialized nations were hit the hardest. These nations included the United States, Europe and Japan. Due to the nature of the depression economies that were built around industry were hit the hardest.

Although every industry was during these years, industries such as agriculture were hit less hard due to the fact that they remain basic necessities no matter what the economic situation of an economy is. This doesn't speak true however for industries such as construction which come to a complete halt when there is no economic activity.

The two main causes for the great depression was the vast unequal distribution of wealth during the 1920's as well as extensive stock market speculation that started to take prominence the the later 1920's. Imbalance in wealth creates a largely unstable economy, and this resulted in several parts of the world. During the 1920's because it was the biggest boom the United States economy had ever seen, the stock market, despite speculation, remained artificially high. Once the legs fell out from underneith the stock market, the unstable economy (created from the maldistribution of wealth) made the entire economy of America to collapse.

America right now looks to be headed in the same direction once again: the gap is growing between the rich and poor, and we are again in a major bust where we the majority of us are living beyond our means. Will history repeat itself? Are we smart enough to avoid another great depression? These are both questions that we will probably see answered in our lifetime.

Anxiety and Pregnancy

Women and babies have been interrelated since the very beginning. It is a natural phenomenon and there is nothing unusual about it. All young women want to bear a child or in other words become a mother. These days even for a career woman the desire to give birth to a child and become a mother is bound to catch up and no other joy can ever replace the joy of becoming a mother in the hustle bustle of everyday life. There are several expectant mothers who suffer from severe stress and emotional turmoil and now the question arises that can pregnancy and the anxiety related to becoming a mother can bring her joy and contentment, equally?

The answer to this question varies from woman to woman. A part of the past life of the expecting mother is always to be brought to light especially when she is going to give birth to a new life.

What things might make it more stressful?

During pregnancy, a woman spends most of her time thinking and being drowned in her thoughts most of the times. The common thoughts during this time are will her new born be normal? will she fail as a mother? Will her baby have to go through the same problems as she had to go in her adolescence? etc etc.This is quite expected as this is a preparatory stage for the mother to love the baby who is growing inside her womb and also her body is preparing to adapt to the changes to meet the demand of the new life which is growing inside of her.

It is seen in most cases that the anxiety during pregnancy triggers stress in the woman. The other factors that might lead to rigorous stress during pregnancy are:
·A current miscarriage: This shakes the woman’s confidence and the woman tends to wonder whether she will ever experience the joy of becoming a mother and see her baby cry for the first time.
·A uncertain income during the pregnancy
·An inconsistent relationship with the baby’s father
·No emotional and moral support
·Unexpected and unwanted pregnancy that might mess up other plans of life.

It is very essential to be mentally stable during pregnancy and settle all the worries and doubts with her close friends, family members and doctors. It is not impossible to deal with anxiety and pregnancy. Like other crisis of life, pregnancy and anxiety can be very easily dealt with. The pregnant woman is the right person to determine what is best for her baby. No matter what all expecting mothers want to emerge as the best mother and would always want to do the best for the welfare of her child.

However, note that anxiety and pregnancy do not bear good results for the child. Several studies reveal the fact that if the mother is stressful and over anxious during her pregnancy then her baby is bound to develop stressful behavior later in life. Between the 12th and 23rd weeks the baby in the mother’s womb is mostly likely to be affected by its mother’s stress and anxiety.

What good can come out of it?

Other than harboring some negative thoughts the expecting mother makes preparations to deal with anxiety and pregnancy. Several bodily changes take place during pregnancy.

One of the major concerns during this time is that whether their anxiety disorders will affect the unborn and worsen the pregnancy conditions and also after the baby is born whether they will be able to take care of the baby properly or not. Obviously, a great concern is whether or not the symptoms of their anxiety disorder will worsen during the pregnancy, and if they will be able to care for the baby after it is born. Whether intake of different medicines will affect the baby or not is also a cause of concern. All these thoughts however can elevate the levels of stress in the expecting mother.

The following facts can offer some hope for anxiety and pregnancy:

·During the pregnancy period and breast feeding period the medicines for anxiety disorders are quite safe for the baby.
· About 40% of women experience a precise decrease of the anxiety pattern during pregnancy. However during postpartum the set of anxiety symptoms may return.
·The intake of medicines for anxiety disorders by the expecting mother can actually help in preventing the development of anxiety disorders in the baby later in life. If the mother’s symptoms are not treated properly then however it may result in lower birth weight of the baby.

What can be done during pregnancy to deal with anxiety?

About 10% of women develop anxiety symptoms during pregnancy. Following the steps below will definitely help them to deal with the situation in a better way.

·Seek advice from your doctor about your plans to either become pregnant, or that you already are. The doctor’s instructions and medications will help you to deal with your anxiety and pregnancy strategically.
·Bond with your partner in a more strong and intimate way. This would ensure support and love which would help in dealing with the situations in a better way.
·Relax. Pursue hobbies according to your liking. Talk to your friends, go for walks, practice gardening. All these activities will divert you mind and keep your stress under control.
·Open up to your husband or partner and close friends and discuss your causes of stress. This will definitely help.

Get more information on anxiety and pregnancy here.

Anxiety Depression: Learn How to be worry free.

From a religious stand-point, Jesus once asked his 12 disciples: “Which of you by worrying can add a single strand of hair to your head?” Now, you may be of a religious background or maybe not, but, think about that statement and you’d see why worrying, a main symptom of anxiety depression is quite unnecessary.

Reduced to its simplest form, what is worry? It is simply an unhealthy and destructive mental habit that- believe it or not folks-you were not born with but simply acquired out of practice. The good news is, with aggressive actions, as with any habit and acquired attitude; we can be worry free and eliminate it from our lives successfully.

In the words of Dr. Smiley Blanton, a noted Psychiatrist: “Anxiety depression is the great modern plague.” Other psychologists go on to say ‘worry’ a noted symptom of any form of depression, is the most subtle and destructive of all human diseases. When we worry excessively, we disintegrate our inner workings as humans and really put a lot of things out of order. Needless to say avoiding worry as a step of treating depression and anxiety will be the first step for our own benefit.

Anxiety Depression: Steps to take to be Worry Free:

The following steps should be used to deal with anxiety depression and its main symptom, worry. When used wisely and effectively, you will inevitably be successful at these natural depression help techniques.

1. Practice Mind-drainage: Empty your mind of pessimistic and negative thoughts, especially before going to and after waking up from sleep. This involves some degree of imagination friends. (the same imagination-mind you-that you are actually using to aggravate your present situations…didn’t realize that eh?). This mind-draining strategy cannot be overemphasized as I will let you know, if you fear something for a long period of time, it may actually come to pass. “For the thing which I feared has come upon me…” (Job 3:25)

2. Fill up the mind with powerful thoughts of faith and success to fill up the vacuum now left in the mind. You become a worrier by practicing it, you can be worry-free by practicing the opposite.

3. Say positive things about those things you previously spoke negatively of.

4. Never participate in a worry conversation. Induce your conversation with faith and worry-free statements.

5. Make friends with optimistic people, practice prayer and meditation.

6. Exercise and eat right. You’ll be making yourself look and feel better and consequently stronger through the process for overcoming depression, anxiety and becoming worry free.

No one is saying things will be automatically changed overnight. No, it takes work. However with direct and equally aggressive actions as the destructive worry habits one may be indulging in, anxiety depression can be overcome and you too can be worry free if you believe in your mind you can.

Will your child die of Bullycide?

Many thanks to Brenda for her courage and conviction and permission to use Jared's story for this article. Please read Jared's story at the end of this article, and visit the website dedicated to ending this needless cruelty. This is an ongoing problem throughout the world. It needs to stop.

I've tried my entire life not to hate people, to avoid the bitterness that comes with hatred and prejudice. There is one group of individuals that I could very nearly hate, though, and those are bullies. When I was a child, I had probably more than my share of bullies, due, in part to my small stature and the fact that we moved a lot. Always being the new kid has its special problems, and the new kid is like a bullseye to a school bully, because a new kid hasn't had the time to make friends and build alliances. They're out there on their own, until they do.

I can remember when I was in grade school, and the new kid, being a bull's eye for girl and boy bullies alike. The girls would taunt me on the playground, threaten to cut my hair, exclude me or run away from me, saying cruel things. One particular day, I was about at the end of my rope with these abusers, having sat through an entire morning of having spitballs thrown across the classroom when the teacher would be turned writing on the board. I had already been kicked very hard, on the tailbone by a boy bully that day. When the bell rang and they all left, headed for the cafeteria, I stayed in my seat and cried. The teacher came over and tried to ascertain the problem, by I was inconsolable at this point. The straw had broken the camel's back. I had not talked to anyone about the things happening at school, not teachers, not even my parents. I would not stop crying, so the teacher brought the principal into the room. He talked to me, and calmed me down enough to get me to go with him and personally have lunch with him in the cafeteria. Just him and me. Those kids must've realized how much trouble they could be in, and began approaching our table with their desserts and food from their trays. I thought, trying to look good to that principal. I doubt if he was fooled, but the bullying stopped, at that school anyway. I didn't make friends there before we moved again, because I had no interest in befriending people who would treat me that way.

In other schools I encountered different versions of bullying. I look back now, and realize that I must have had some strength, to never tell on them. Sometimes, the bullying gets worse if you tell. In one school the senior class heard about the cruelty of a group of girls I had hung around with, and threatened them. One senior (I was a freshman) told me, "there's something wrong with this class, they're just the meanest bunch of kids." I silently agreed, and befriended another group of girls who were very nice. But then we moved again...

We moved to another town, in the middle of a terrible time with racial unrest and violence. I heard that a cheerleader had been shot in the face, so I decided I wasn't going to public school any more. My parents didn't fight me on it, I was fourteen then, and I was homeschooled from then on. This article is about children and teens who commit suicide as a result of being bullied. The one thing I had going for me was thinking, "I can get through this," and my faith in God. My family belief was that if you commit suicide, you couldn't ask forgiveness, and you've taken a life (your own), and therefore you would not go to heaven. Hey, it worked for me.

I can remember, at one particular school, while at home, one day, I discovered a bunch of books on the martial arts, Ju-Jitsu, that an uncle had left at our house. I was fascinated by it, and read every one of them. The illustrations showed how you could defend yourself, and even put an attacker's eyes out, break their eardrums, and many other useful things to a bullied child. I was only ten, then, and had no one to practice with. The Ju-Jitsu defense idea slowly faded from my arsenal, and it's just as well- violence begets violence. I excelled in my classes that year, and discovered the saying that I would hear much later, as an adult, "The best way to get even is to be a success" was true.

Most of the schools I attended harbored just a few bullies, and most of the student body was decent. It's just that the new kid makes a good target. They weren't all like the worst town I can remember.

What bullies do

Calling another names, putting them down
Cruelty: excluding the child, and recruiting others to do the same
Taunting and constantly teasing
Ignoring the person, diminishing their importance
Threatening behavior, and singly or group intimidation
Damaging another's belongings, with no chagrin
Taking their books, hat, other items that belong to another
Making another do silly, embarassing things to be "included"
Physical harm, hitting, pulling hair, tripping another

The types of bullies

Some of the indicators of an adult bully

Can be male or female, fellow employee or manager, husband, wife, or parent
Makes mountains out of molehills, in order to control another
Unreasonable/rigid management style, his way or the highway
Destroys staff moral, later "feels bad"
Now more apt to use learned cruelty through verbalization- aiming for "pushing the buttons" by using intimate knowledge to hurt another
Sabotages the work of another
Micro-manages
Still makes cruel comments and put-downs
Uses jokes to target, saying, "I was just joking"
Was a bully or was bullied in school

Imagine this (from www.jaredstory.com, used by permission)
"Imagine these things happening in our workplace. Imagine being harassed and humiliated day in and day out. Imagine being shoved in the hallways or knocked in the head--never knowing when the perpetrator will strike again. Imagine sitting quietly, eating your lunch, and being knocked from your chair. Just imagine that as your head hits the floor, you go in and out of consciousness, as you feel blow after blow, to your head and face. Imagine being told that if you ever defend yourself--you will be fired--but your attackers are allowed back the next day or the next week--to do it all over again.

"Hard to imagine, isn't it? How absurd to think that any business in the United States would operate in that fashion and stay in business. Yet, in the business of public education, we are telling our children to expect it and accept it. The reality is that others took Brandon's life long before he ended his pain. Brandon was courageous. He fought a valiant battle, enduring all these things--until he lost all hope. Just imagine." Cathy, Brandon's mom, from www.jaredstory.com

Causes of Depression and the Bad Side of a Possible Good

Let there be no doubt that depression is a serious mental illness that sometimes requires months and years of treatment on the road to a cure.  Hippocrates referred to depression as melancholia, which literally means black bile. Black bile, along with blood, phlegm, and yellow bile were the four humors (fluids) that described the basic medical physiology theory of that time. Depression, also referred to as clinical depression, has been portrayed in literature and the arts for hundreds of years, but what do we mean today when we refer to a depressive disorder? In the 19th century, depression was seen as an inherited weakness of temperament. In the first half of the 20th century, Freud linked the development of depression to guilt and conflict. John Cheever, the author and a modern sufferer of depressive disorder, wrote of conflict and experiences with his parents as influencing his development of depression.

Each year, millions of people come to the realization that they suffer from depression.  To make things worse it is estimated that only a third of those who suffer the disease will ever seek treatment.  Because depression is considered a mental affliction, many sufferers shy away from seeking help from a doctor.  Instead of being considered mentally ill, people try to manage the problem themselves.  Depression is more common- place than you might think and it will not go away on its own.

Depression has no single cause; often, it results from a combination of things. You may have no idea why depression has struck you.

Whatever its cause, depression is not just a state of mind. It is related to physical changes in the brain, and connected to an imbalance of a type of chemical that carries signals in your brain and nerves. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters.

Some of the more common factors involved in depression are:

    * Family history. Genetics play an important part in depression. It can run in families for generations.

    * Trauma and stress. Things like financial problems, the breakup of a relationship, or the death of a loved one can bring on depression. You can become depressed after changes in your life, like starting a new job, graduating from school, or getting married.

    * Pessimistic personality. People who have low self-esteem and a negative outlook are at higher risk of becoming depressed. These traits may actually be caused by low-level depression (called dysthymia).

    * Physical conditions. Serious medical conditions like heart disease, cancer, and HIV can contribute to depression, partly because of the physical weakness and stress they bring on. Depression can make medical conditions worse, since it weakens the immune system and can make pain harder to bear. In some cases, depression can be caused by medications used to treat medical conditions.

    * Other psychological disorders. Anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and (especially) substance abuse often appear along with depression.
 

Why do people get depression?  The answer can get very complicated because you have to take many factors into consideration.  The list is quite long. Let's list a few of the contributing factors to depression.  A chemical imbalance is widely considered to be the main cause for depression.  Why does this chemical problem in the brain happen?  Typically the causes stem from biological, genetic, physical, mental and environmental implications.  In many cases the underlying cause is never identified.  Depression often follows diagnosis of other medical conditions, particularly those that result in imminent death or are chronic.

Scientists do not know why the hippocampus is smaller in those with depression. Some researchers have found that the stress hormone cortisol is produced in excess in depressed people. These investigators believe that cortisol has a toxic or poisonous effect on the hippocampus. Some experts theorize that depressed people are simply born with a smaller hippocampus and are therefore inclined to suffer from depression.

Another cause of depression can be the emotional pain felt after losing a loved one.  In many cases the loss can be very traumatic. Long periods of emotional, sexual or other physical abuses can result in depression.  When people abuse drugs and/or alcohol the result is often depression.  People's mental states are fragile.  If exposed to the wrong pressures, depression can result.  There can also be a genetic element to depression.  Those afflicted have a family history of the disease .  Oddly, many drugs including those that regulate depression or anxiety can cause depression.  High blood pressure medication can result in depression. 

One of the major causes of depression is stress.  Stress can derive from many different areas in our life.  It's not well known, but it's true, that stress can result from the pressures associated with positive events such as a new, high paying job.  The unknown is often the root cause of this stress, whether it be positive or negative.  Arguments with family members, disputes with business clients can both cause stress. 

The causes of clinical depression are likely to be different for different people. Sometimes a depressive episode can appear to come out of nowhere at a time when everything seems to be going fine. Other times, depression may be directly related to a significant event in our lives such as losing a loved one, experiencing trauma, or battling a chronic illness.

Research indicates that depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain. Brain-imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have shown that the brains of people who have depression look different than those of people without depression. The parts of the brain responsible for regulating mood, thinking, sleep, appetite and behavior appear to function abnormally. In addition, important neurotransmitters-chemicals that brain cells use to communicate-appear to be out of balance. But these images do not reveal why the depression has occurred.

Scientists believe genetic factors play a role in some depressions. Researchers are hopeful, for instance, that they are closing in on genetic markers for susceptibility to manic-depressive disorder.

Depression in adolescence comes at a time of great personal change-when boys and girls are forming an identity distinct from their parents, grappling with gender issues and emerging sexuality, and making decisions for the first time in their lives. Depression in adolescence frequently co-occurs with other disorders such as anxiety, disruptive behavior, eating disorders or substance abuse. It can also lead to increased risk for suicide.

Teen depression cannot always be prevented, but there are some things that can help reduce the chances of an episode of depression in a teen who is at risk.

Teen Depression is presented for troubled teens or parents of teens. We offer information on teenage depression, issues, and other teen problems. Our articles were written to educate parents and teens about adolescent depression, the warning signs, and various treatment options available.

Some of the causes of depression in teenagers seem to be genetic, and those cannot be changed, but other triggers of teen depression can be avoided. Some of the risk factors for teen depression include:

    * A family or personal history of depression

    * A long-term illness or disability, whether physical or mental

    * Experiencing a trauma or loss, including abuse, divorce of parents, death of a loved one, or a break-up

   * Difficulties at home, at school, or with friends

If you know a teen who suffers from or is at risk for depression, you can help the teen by:

    * Talking and listening to him or her

    * Encouraging him or her to be involved in positive activities and to take good care of him or herself

    * Being fair when dealing with or disciplining the teen

    * Setting a good example by taking good care of yourself and getting help if you feel depressed or overwhelmed.

The majority of older adults with depression improve when they receive treatment with an antidepressant, psychotherapy, or a combination of both.18 Research has shown that medication alone and combination treatment are both effective in reducing the rate of depressive recurrences in older adults. Psychotherapy alone also can be effective in prolonging periods free of depression, especially for older adults with minor depression, and it is particularly useful for those who are unable or unwilling to take antidepressant medication.

Additional research data indicate that people suffering from depression have imbalances of neurotransmitters, natural substances that allow brain cells to communicate with one another. Two transmitters implicated in depression are serotonin and norepinephrine. Scientists think a deficiency in serotonin may cause the sleep problems, irritability, and anxiety associated with depression. Likewise, a decreased amount of norepinephrine, which regulates alertness and arousal, may contribute to the fatigue and depressed mood of the illness. Other body chemicals also may be altered in depressed people. Among them is cortisol, a hormone that the body produces in response to stress, anger, or fear. In normal people the level of cortisol in the bloodstream peaks in the morning, then decreases as the day progresses. In depressed people, however, cortisol peaks earlier in the morning and does not level off or decrease in the afternoon or evening.

There is mounting evidence that depression takes a serious toll on physical health. The most recent studies exploring health and depression have looked at patients with stroke or coronary artery disease. Results have shown that people with depression who are recovering from strokes or heart attacks have a more difficult time making health care choices, following their doctor's instructions, and coping with the challenges that their illness presents. Another study found that patients with depression also have a higher risk of death in the first few months after a heart attack.

Some people have a low threshold for stress.  They're affected by events and activities that to others seem to not be stressful. The good news is that very effective treatments are available to help those who are depressed. However, only about one-third of those who are depressed actually receive treatment. This is unfortunate since upwards of 80-90% of those who do seek treatment can feel better within just a few weeks. Many people do not seek treatment for depression for a variety of reasons. Some believe that depression is the result of a personal weakness or character flaw. This is simply not true. Like diabetes, heart disease, or any other medical condition, clinical depression is an illness that should be treated by a mental health professional or physician. Another reason why many people do not seek help for depression is that they simply do not recognize the signs or symptoms that something may be wrong.

Knowing is half the battle.  If you or someone you love suffers from depression-please seek medical assistance.

RockinJay gathers information for a variety of helpful sites. Learn more about depression and how you can help yourself @ RelieveDepressionToday.com RockinJay@creativeheadspace.com

Depression - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment options

Depression is a complex of psychological and physical symptoms. Low mood level or sadness is often the most prominent symptom. The common property of these symptoms is a decreased activity level in parts of the brain.

THE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

Depression may give one or more of these symptoms:

-Low mood level or sadness.

-Lack of joy or interest in activities that were joyful before.

-Pessimism.

-Feel of guilt of something without any substantial reason to feel so.

-Inferiority thoughts.

-Irritability.

-Slowness in the thought process.

-Slowness in interpreting sensorial stimuli.

-Slowness of digestion or other internal physical processes, and symptoms caused by this slowness, for example inflated stomach, constipation or difficulties by urination.

-Slow physical reactions.

Depression can be a mild disease that only causes some annoyance in the daily life, but can also get very serious and make a person totally unable to work and unable to participate in social life. By depression of some severity, there is also a greater risk of suicide.

Depression can occur in all age classes. In teenagers lack of interest in school work, withdrawal from social life and difficult mood can be signs of depression.

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES THAT PRODUCE THE SYMPTOMS

By depression there is a decreased amount of neurotransmitters in parts of the central nervous system, mainly deficiency of serotonin, but also to some extend of noradrenalin, acetylcholine, dopamine or gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA), or the nerve cells do not react properly by stimulation from neurotransmitters. A neurotransmitter is a signal substance that transmits the nerve signal through the junctions between two nerve cells.

Serotonin and noradrenalin cause nerve cells to send impulses along to other nerve cells, and thus increase the activity in the brain. Deficiency of these substances causes slowness in parts of the brain, and that again causes the depressive symptoms.

The role of GABA is the opposite, namely to slow down some nerve impulses, mainly those causing anxiety and panic response. Lack of GABA causes higher anxiety and easier panic response. Yet, lack of this transmitter also seems to cause depressive symptoms. This is because a too high activity in some brain processes may slow down other processes.

There are many causes and subtypes of depression with different physiological mechanisms involved.

TYPES OF DEPRESSION

Depression is often divided into subtypes according to exhibited symptoms.

1. Mono-polar depression and dysthymic disorder

By mono-polar depression there are pure depressive symptoms. Mild cases of mono-polar disorder that do not affect a persons ability to work and to participate in social activities are often called dysthymic disorder.

2. Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disease) and cyclothymic disorder

In this condition there are periods with symptoms of depression - the depressive phase, alternating with periods of elevated mood level with increased mental and physical activity - the manic phase. In the manic phase, the affected person also sleeps poorly and has concentration difficulties. A mild form of this disease is called cyclothymic disorder.

3. Manic disorder

This condition is characterized by abnormally elevated mood, by unrealistic optimism, by lack of sleep and by hyperactive behaviour. Many psychiatrists think that this disorder is simply the same disease as bipolar disorder where the depressive face has not yet occurred.

4. Depression with mainly physical symptoms

Sometimes the physical symptoms of depression are alone or dominant, as for example: Digestive problems, constipation, difficulties with urination, slow response to sensorial stimuli or slow physical reactions.

CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

Two or more factors can have an effect simultaneously to cause depression. Depression can be an independent disease, or a part of other disease. Depression is also divided into different subtypes according to cause.

1. Reactive depression

This disease is simply a result from psychological stress, physical struggle or mental straining without proper rest or sleep over a long time period. The straining will simply wear out the nervous system or deplete the organism from nutrient necessary for the nervous system to work properly.

2. Endogenous depression

When there has not been any period of stress, straining or lack of rest that can explain the condition, the condition is often called endogenous depression. Inheritance is thought to be a part of the cause.

3. Depression by physical disease

Depression or depressive symptoms may be a symptom of physical disease. This is perhaps the most common cause of depression.

Diseases often associated with depression are: Heart disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, hypertension or Cushing's syndrome.

Mononucleosis or flu may trigger depression that continues after the infection has gone.

By lack of thyroid hormones, hypothyroidism, the metabolism in the whole body is slowed down, including the production of neurotransmitters in the brain. Therefore depression is an important symptom of hypothyroidism.

4. Depressive symptoms as a consequence of unsound lifestyle

A general unsound lifestyle with too less exercise, too much of stimulants like alcohol, coffee or tea, too less of important nutrient and too much of sugar and fat may give depressive symptoms, as well as physical problems.

5. Postnatal depression

Women will often have a period of depression after pregnancy and berth of the baby Pregnancy and berth is physically and mentally exhausting, and may drain the body for nutrient. This in turn can cause depressive symptoms

6. Seasonal affective disorder

Depression can occur in cold and dark periods of the year and go away in warm and light periods. Light stimulates brain activity, and lack of light is a causative factor.

TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION

Serious or prolonged depression is often treated with anti-depressive medication. Medicines used against depression generally increase the level of neurotransmitters like serotonin in the central nervous system, or they mimic the neurotransmitters.

The medications mostly used today increase the serotonin concentration by decreasing the removal of serotonin from the space around nerve cells. Examples of this medication type are: Fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), escitalopram (Lexapro, Celexa), sentraline (zoloft).

By bipolar disorder in the manic face, heavy tranquilizers (neuroleptica) are used to stop the manic symptoms. By bipolar disorder, lithium salts are sometimes used to stabilize the condition, and prevent new outbreak of depressive or manic faces.

Psychotherapy is sometimes used by depression, usually in combination with medication.

Sometimes serious depression is treated by applying electric shock through the head, electroconvulsive therapy. The shock induces epileptic eruption of nerve signals through the brain and this gives cramps throughout the body. The cramps are alleviated or stopped by applying anaesthesia before the electroshock. This form of treatment is controversial, since it can cause memory loss and is suspected of causing brain damage. The possibility of brain damage is however denied by most psychiatrists.

By seasonal depression, light therapy maybe useful.

Adjustment of lifestyle should always be considered by depression or depressive symptoms. Lifestyle measures can sometimes be enough to cure depressive symptoms before a serious depression develop. Lifestyle adjustments can be:

- To slow down a stressful life with too much work or activities.

- Enough rest and sleep.

- A good diet with enough of necessary nutrients.

- Some physical exercise.

- Meditation.

- Supplement of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, lecithin, amino acids and essential fatty acids.

- Stimulants like coffee or tea may help against depressive feelings in moderate amount. However, if you are a heavy user of these stimulants, you should cut down on your consumption.

There exist nutritional products in the marked to help against depressive symptoms. These contain ingredients that the brain uses as building blocks for neurotransmitters, for example amino acids and lecithin. They also often contain vitamins and minerals that the brain uses as tools to produce neurotransmitters, especially vitamin B6.

Supplements may further contain herbal extracts that trigger higher brain activity much like anti-depressive medications, but may have fewer side effects.

Knut Holt is an internet consultant and marketer focusing on health items. TO FIND natural supplements to help against serotonin deficiency, GABA deficiency, hypothyroidism, mental problems, acne, skin problems, heart disease, hemorrhoids, rheumatism, and other common health problems, PLEASE VISIT http://www.panteraconsulting.com/salg2.htm

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