Why Psychological Treatment Methods for Depression Can Work Better Than Antidepressants - By Tess Thompson

Millions of people who are suffering from depression are currently taking antidepressant medication in an attempt to battle the condition. Oftentimes, doctors are quick to prescribe the medication -- in fact, many times, it's the first thing they do after diagnosing a patient.

One of the keys to understanding and treating depression is understanding what antidepressants really do: they tackle the symptoms of depression, not the roots. In many cases, psychotherapy and behavioral therapy are much more effective in treating depression and preventing relapse than medication is. Antidepressants can be useful, especially in cases where the symptoms are so intense that it prevents the patient from receiving any other kind of treatment. But even in those cases where major depression treatment is needed, antidepressants alone are rarely enough to permanently battle the condition -- they are just an effective way to temporarily relieve the patient's symptoms enough to allow him/her to receive proper treatment.

Antidepressants are used to treat chemical imbalance in the brain, but what many do not realize is that the chemical imbalance is usually a symptom of depression and not the cause. Even when treating the symptoms, antidepressants can be highly unpredictable. In one third of the cases, the medication is effective; in one third, it is partially effective, and in the remaining third, it is not effective at all. In many cases, even when the medication is working, the side effects are so unpleasant that the patient elects to stop using it. Also, antidepressants are not meant to be taken permanently. When a patient stops taking them, he/she is likely to relapse.

Depression is often better combated without any medication at all. Psychological treatment methods for depression -- especially certain kinds of psychotherapy -- have proven highly effective in treating the condition permanently. Good counseling will break down each patient's cycle of depression and help the patient identify unhealthy behaviors or thinking patterns and teach him/her how to change them. If there is a particular event that triggered the depression, counseling can help the patient work through that as well.

Some herbal remedies can be a good complement to therapy by helping to naturally relieve some of the symptoms of depression. St. John's Wort is generally considered to be one of the most potent natural remedies for depression, and is so effective that it outsells prescription medications in some markets. Other popular choices for treating depression naturally include ginko biloba and passion flower.

In all cases, depression should be treated with the help of a professional. However, the more responsibility you take for learning about your condition, the better you'll understand your options, and the more participation you'll have in deciding which treatment is best for you. Remember to allow time for whichever treatment option you choose to take effect, and to speak up if you are uncomfortable. Eventually, you will find your path to better health.

Tess Thompson is a Homeopathic Practitioner, Reflexologist, Certified Aromatherapist, and Herbalist who contributes regularly to Native Remedies - where you can find All Natural Homeopathic and Herbal Remedies for treating depression naturally and natural remedies for depression.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tess_Thompson

The Depression Diet — Feel Better Naturally Without Gaining Weight! - By Christine Silva

Depression is a serious illness that affects millions of Americans. Although many patients must manage their depression with medication and therapy, a good percentage of individuals with mild and moderate depression can successfully manage their symptoms with diet and exercise. This does not mean that their depression is “imaginary”. It just means that some individuals can manage their depression naturally, without the unpleasant side-effects of anti-depressant drugs. If you have depressive symptoms, check with your doctor and then try the depression diet and see if it lightens your mood!

The Depression Diet

Step 1

See your doctor first! I cannot stress this enough. Many serious medical conditions cause serious depressive symptoms. Here are some common illnesses that cause depression in many individuals. If you have an underlying medical disorder, like diabetes, it is imperative that you alert your doctor, so he/she can manage both illnesses together.

This is not an exhaustive list. A medical evaluation is always an important part of your diagnosis. Ask for a complete blood panel and a thyroid test. People with chronic disease have a much higher risk of developing depressive symptoms, so it is important to rule out other physical disease. Many medications have depressive side effects. Birth control pills, sleeping pills, and high blood pressure medication have all been shown to cause depression in some individuals. Alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drug use can also generate depressive symptoms.

• Thyroid disorders
• Epilepsy
• Diabetes
• Multiple sclerosis
• Stroke or Brain trauma
• Lyme disease
• Syphilis
• Huntington's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Cancer of the pancreas
• Chemical Exposure
• Physical Trauma
• Childbirth/Pregnancy (post-partum depression)

Step 2

Start taking depression-targeted vitamins. Take a multi-vitamin every day, and invest in a good B-vitamin supplement. B vitamins have been clinically proven to help alleviate mild depressive symptoms, and those who are B vitamin deficient often show symptoms of depression as a side effect. Vitamin B9 (folic acid) may be the most important of all these vitamins. Up to 38% of people with depression have low folate levels and those with very low levels are usually the most depressed. Clinical research has shown that depressed individulas are usually deficient in nutrients essential for general health. Some good natural supplements for depression include:

•St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an herbal supplement that has shown great promise in relieving depression. European studies have shown success with anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and nerve pain. This herb is widely prescribed in Europe, and is available as a dietary supplement in the United States. St John’s Wort can interfere with the action of some prescription medications, so check with your doctor before taking this supplement.

•Omega-3 fatty acids, are naturally present in fish, nuts, whole grains, beans and other seeds. They are also readily available in supplement form. These fatty acids play a crucial role in the function of serotonin and dopamine, two of the most important “mood” chemicals in the brain.

•Vitamin C has been shown to help the body metabolize other nutrients essential for boosting immune function and fighting depression. It has also been shown to alleviate the dry mouth associated with prescription anti-depression medication.!

•All B vitamins, including folic acid, are absolutely essential for the treatment and management of depression. Eat your leafy greens, and take a B supplement!

Step 3

Switch to depression-fighting foods, avoid caffeine, sweets, and all white flour. All of these boost insulin blood levels, and caffeine suppresses serotonin; an essential brain chemical for the treatment of depression. Do not purchase ice cream, cakes, or other sugary treats. If you have to force yourself to go out and get them, you’ll eat these ‘bad’ foods less often. Here are some foods that can help you fight depression and feel better!

•Eat protein three times a day (sausage, eggs, chicken, tofu, beef, cheese, lamb, cottage cheese, nuts)

•Eat only complex carbohydrates and fruit (beans, fruits, vegetables, whole wheat bread)

•Drink lots and LOTS of water! This seems like the easiest thing to do, but so few Americans get enough water every day. If you drink soda, coffee, and other diuretics, you must increase your water intake. Even mild dehydration can cause fatigue, depression, irritability, and muscle pain.

Step 4

Exercise! Simple exercise, even just walking outside 30 minutes a day, has been shown to have a tremendous impact on depressive symptoms. Some people can manage mild and moderate depression with exercise and diet alone. Syd Baumel, the author of ‘Dealing With Depression Naturally’, has said that, “Basically… being physically active and being depressed are very largely mutually incompatible.”

In 2005, the journal of Biological Psychiatry published a study that showed certain foods and supplements treat depression even better than some prescription medications. Even if you are already on prescription medication, healthy eating and adding anti-depression supplements may greatly enhance your mood, and help stabilize mood swings and depression.

Sources: The Mayo Clinic, The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, News Target

Christine P Silva, BA, CRTP, lives in California with her husband, two children, and three spoiled cats. She earned her undergraduate degree from San Jose State University, and her advanced accounting certificate and California tax registration from Cosumnes River College. She is the founder of the Sacramento Volunteer Tax Preparation Clinic, a free service offering tax assistance to low income and Spanish-speaking taxpayers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_Silva

Do Mental Health Experts Suffer from Depression? - by: Friedrich Asen

This article is about depression from an unusual perspective. It is about the powerlessness and hopelessness of modern psychological science and research. The importance of an holistic approach to mental and physical health will be explained.

Do you know, what really startled me since I was a child?

It is actually very simple but profound at the same time. I could see that there were problems in the adults' lifes. That was one thing. The other was that they never seemed to really get beyond them. My first assumption about grown ups was that they are really smart people. I mean, they were grown up and I was a kid. You admire them. Anytime they want they can turn on the TV or take the car for a ride, just for fun. They can go to sleep whenever they want or they can stay awake till the morning dawn. They are gods...

My father used to comment on the radio news. From what I could hear I realized that adult people are not what they seem to be. They lacked knowledge, although they heavily pretended to have some. Adults build huge hospitals, but the number of diseased people is increasing. They do a lot of research, but things get worse. They are holding big conferences, but there is no solution to poverty, hunger and pollution. The destruction of the planet continues, unhampered. They scientifically study the human mind for years, but still they are fighting over minor issues and killing each other. Depression is rampant.

The experts are wearing white coats of authority and they look really impressive. But the picture is deceiving. They are as helpless as the rest. They have been told that depression is caused by some material disfunction in the body. They wouldn't admit it, but this theory is the cause of their own latent or acute depression.

There is one important saying: "Doctor, heal thyself". So, obviously, an expert treating depression in a person should be free of that mental condition himself. But is this really the case? Are our experts examples in their own lives? Have they achieved the peace of mind and the happiness that we are looking for?

To be quite frank: Our mental health experts are haunted by depression themselves.

Of course, their job is demanding and it is hard to stay untouched from all these unfortunate human destinies. But that is no excuse. For a health practitioner it is of prime necessity to become a strong, positive and loving personality. It is not enough to just "know" one's field of "expertise". Life operates on rules that cannot be managed properly just by some theoretical knowledge. A doctor abusing nicotine and alcohol is as unbelievable as a psychologist suffering from a minority complex, being arrogant and insensitive.

People tell me about their experience with mental and physical health practitioners. They feel ignored, misunderstood and treated like an innate object. That's how modern science looks at it's objects: things, which have to be manipulated into proper function.

People feel that the experts lack self esteem and hide behind academic degrees and honors. They rightly perceive all this as symptoms of personal weakness. How to develop real trust in such a person?

The formal training in any given area was much less in former times. But that does not mean that we have become advanced. Modern education has created highly trained specialists in their respective fields, but being too much focused on a tiny segment of reality they seem to have lost the whole big picture. At the same time they have lost themselves.

A person is not just ears or heart or mind. A person is an individual being. And what does that mean? A person cannot be divided. A person is one. Treating a depressed person without this consideration will only lead to frustration and more depression.

Depression spreads like wildfire. People seem to get lost in the rat race and the competition. Survival of the fittest. They drown in the struggle for existence. The one and only thing a depressed person needs is unalloyed love and compassion. No one will learn this at university. The students will learn about material processes in the body, in the brain. But they will learn little or nothing about the person possessing the body or brain. In this way they will not learn anything about themselves, too. They will look at depression with the arrogance and helplessness of a lost soul. How should they be able to help?

A psychologist, a coach, a trainer, a priest, a doctor: they all have to understand what life really is. They have to thoroughly understand themselves first. They have to get rid of their own depression and hopelessness deeply buried in themselves. They actually have to become free and independent loving persons. That is the real challenge: How to transform oneself into a great personality. Theoretical knowledge alone is useless.

Friedrich Asen is a spiritual counsellor, coach and author since 20 years. He lives in Austria near Vienna. If you are looking for more quality information about the subject of depression, visit his website www.personal-development-guide.com

Article source: http://searchwarp.com

Just Say "No" To Depression! - By: Dr. Isaac Schumann

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.

About the Author:

Dr. Isaac Schumann brings to you a life time of experience in the mental health field http://www.depressionhelpguides.comRead more articles by: Dr. Isaac Schumann

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Fighting with Depression - Tania Jain

Depression is a medical condition, which cannot be ignored, and it has to be considered seriously.

It is caused due to chemical changes and imbalances in the brain. These changes may be caused due to several factors. Many people may not know the actual reason for depression. Depression can be debilitating but now treatment is available to cope up with this condition. It has to be diagnosed properly in the initial stages. These treatments help to stabilize the chemical imbalances in the brain and makes sure that the brain functions normally. In order to fight against depression you need to find out the reason for it and understand how it affects your normal life. Then you can go for the different treatment methods that are available nowadays and select the one, which suits and treats the condition, the best. There are different approaches for treatment of depression like medications, psychotherapy, talk therapy, meditation, Aromatherapy etc. The common symptom seen in a person suffering from depression are feelings of hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, loss of appetite, weight loss, feelings of sadness, extreme pessimism, lack of sleep, loss of interest in activities, feelings of loneliness and sadness etc. Depression can also cause severe mood disorders. Some women suffer from depression during the post partum period. They will not be able to bond with the new born baby. They have to be treated with the help of the doctor. They need support and medical attention to overcome this phase. Another type of depression is the bipolar disorder where the patient suffers from extreme mood swings such as intense highs and crippling lows. For them life seems to be a roller coaster ride. There are several medications available to treat such conditions.

Depression can be managed just like any other medical disorder of the body like diabetes, high blood pressure etc. All that you need is the positive attitude and the will power and determination to fight it. Besides medications you can also choose different holistic approaches to fight depression. You can join some activities such as a laughter club, where you can divert your mind and get your mind involved in some soothing activities. Sometimes you may have to change your entire life style or move to a different place in order to fight out depression. You cannot expect a change overnight but with course of time, and the right type of treatment you can fight depression and get it out of your life. Symptoms of depression may be aggravated due to teenage problems such as acne, use of drugs, loss of job, loss of loved ones, etc.In order to fight depression, you need to understand the basic cause or reason, which has triggered such a condition. Once you find out the reason, then find out effective options for solving this problem.

You must always keep in mind that will power or the power of mind is very important to fight out depression. Positive thinking can help you to fight out depression without any medical support. You can fight out depression by clearing your mind and empowering it with positive thought or affirmations. Tania recommends you to see depression symptoms and medication - http://www.depression-doctor.com/, ayurvedic treatment of insomnia - http://www.ayurvedic-medicines.com/insomnia.html and vitamins for depression- http://www.vitaminsdiary.com/depression.htm .

Article source: http://www.valuablecontent.com

Teen Depression - By Rick Kelly

Teen depression happens for many reasons. A lot of teen depression occurs when a teenager needs more help fitting in during their high school years. Teen depression can be triggered by something as simple as not making the football team or the cheerleading squad. Many teens are even depressed because they may not have the money to buy the right kind of clothes. Some teenagers cannot even get an appointment with a school counselor because the counselor is over burdened with administrative work. Some teenagers even turn to self medication to make themselves feel better. They do this because they feel they cannot even turn to their parents for help.

When a teenager self medicates it usually comes in the form of drugs, alcohol, or sexual activity. Really, what they need is counseling or treatment for depression. Teen depression can be prevented. When a teenager becomes despondent and isolated, those are usually signs of teen depression. Teen depression can manifest itself in other ways as well. If a teenager is sleeping until twelve or one in the afternoon, they are probably suffering from teen depression. As well, if a teenager is overeating or not eating at all, this may be symptoms of teen depression.

If you think your child is suffering from teen depression, get help. There are many new drugs and counseling methods to help your teen get through the adolescent years and look ahead to the future. There are even herbal treatments, like St. John’s Wort, that can alleviate teen depression. Many parents who can’t get help from counselors at school or therapists, have started to look around the internet. There are many different solutions for teen depression. Treating depression isn’t as hard as it use to be. Some parents even home school their children and work at home so they can be closer to them. This is a great way to prevent teen depression.

Some parents are even going to counseling with their children to create an open forum where a teenager feels like they can open up and share their feelings. This lets a therapist know that there is a teen depression problem for a child and they can often prescribe different treatments and therapy for the child. Adolescent years are difficult for more teenagers and increasing peer pressure drives some children to the edge. You can make a difference. Talking to a therapist or a psychiatrist or even going on the internet can give you more information on teen depression and make your child safe and happy. A teenager who is well adjusted is less likely to get into trouble and more likely to succeed in life. A successful life is important for the future of your child and important for a parent as well.

Learn More At: www.hbcprotocols.com

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About the Author:

Rick Kelly has been a well respected magazine and newspaper columnist in the fields of consumer advice, civic matters and business development for the past twenty years.

Article source:http://www.netterweb.com

Depression and Erectile function - Psychology of Sexuality - by PETERSON MARKY

A recent research showed that the brain activity is totally different during peak sexual activity.

That is why men with depression have difficulty in having satisfactory sex life. The serotonin level in depressed patients is lower than normal adults.

If the depression is treated with right medicines, their erectile function will also improve significantly. But the class of medications known as SSRI antidepressants are used to treat depression in men. But unfortunately these drugs also cause erectile dysfunction in 65% of men taking SSRI for depression.

Depression and ED are highly inter related. If a man is mentally depressed, he will have erectile dysfunction and similarly a man who has erectile dysfunction because of some other medical condition may have depression. So if a depressed man taking drugs for that will eventually have ED.

The recent research shows that in men undergoing treatment for depression, the new class of drugs called PDE5 has improved their erectile function. So in turn it paves a way to decrease their depression too. So with PDE5 class drugs both erectile function and symptoms of depression improved. Viagra, levitra, cialis belongs to the PDE5 class of drugs.

Another study reveals that underlying cardiovascular disease may also lead to erectile dysfunction. Since the cardiac output is low in such patients, the penile blood flow will be a bit lower than normal even though they are sexually aroused. The usage of PDE5 class drugs had significantly lower blood pressure and heart rate, improvement in measures of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production.

This study confirms the successful treatment of ED wit PDE5 class drugs in CHF could not only improve sexual relationships but overall quality and success of CHF treatment.

PDE5 class drugs blocks the activity of the enzyme phospodiesterase type 5 which is active in multiple tissues and cells. So the effects of PDE5 class drugs are increased production of nitric oxide, which is directly responsible for smooth muscle relaxation. This improves the functioning of heart and blood vessels.

Reasons for erectile dysfunction are psychologic and organic in nature.

Harmonal problems or psychologically induced impotence, stable heart disease, controlled diabetes, controlled hypertension, chronic dialysis and kidney transplantation, Parkinson's disease, mild to moderate conjestive heart failure, taking antidepressants like SSRI inhibitors like prozac are organic in nature.

Psychological factors for erectile dysfunction are many but most often it is related to depression, performance anxiety, marital relation or stress etc. Organic factors include vascular, harmonal, drug induced. Some medical conditions like hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, obesity, neurological disorders also lead to erectile dysfunction. Drinking too much alcohol and smoking are also contributing factors in organic ED.

Exercising the pelvic floor muscles, i.e kegel exercise improved blood supply to pelvic area and strengthens pelvic muscles. After doing kegel exercise for 3 months many men reported increase in erectile function. Life style changes from sedentary nature also contribute to satisfactory sex life as well as to combat mental depression.

Some herbal products like Ashwagandha, tribulus terestris are found to increase libido, muscle strength, stamina and also reduce stress thus increase sex drive.

Peterson Marky regularly contributes articles to various ezines about health, fitness, internet marketing. See his generic cialas cealis blog for more information on cheap generic pde5 inhibitors.

Article source: http://www.amazines.com

Depression During Menopause - By Andrew Bicknell

As women approach midlife and menopause one of the things to be on the lookout for is depression. While menopause is not thought to be a cause of depression the two can occur at the same time. What is believed to be a cause of depression is changes in estrogen levels which occur during menopause. It is known that women are affected by depression over twice as much as men and that a family history of depression can factor into this as well.

The symptoms of depression and menopause are very similar and include sleep disorders, hot flashes, fatigue, anxiety, and irritability. Many women associate these symptoms with the changes that menopause brings, but they may be a sign of depression that needs to be understood and dealt with. There is no reason women need to suffer from depression during menopause. It is important that they accept the physical changes happening to their bodies during this time and work with their doctor to mitigate the symptoms of menopause, but it is also important that they realize that depression and menopause can be mutually exclusive and both can be dealt with.

As women approach menopause their menstrual cycles begin to change and start to become unpredictable. This unpredictability of their monthly cycle is a sign of erratic ovulation. Erratic ovulation causes unpredictable releases of the hormones estrogen and progesterone leading to mood swings, forgetfulness, hot flashes and all the other symptoms associated with menopause.

Most women going through menopause feel that they are loosing control of their bodies when in fact it is just their natural reaction to the aging process. This feeling of loss of control can lead to symptoms of depression. As the symptoms of both menopause and depression worsen they start to feel that there is nothing they can do and a feeling of hopelessness falls over them. This feeling of hopelessness is a major part of depression and left untreated can lead to severe depression.

Untreated depression is a major health risk. Researchers have found that depression is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and in some cases it can lead to bone deterioration increasing the likely hood of osteoporosis and broken bones.

The treatment for depression and menopause can follow a two pronged approach. It is important to treat not only the depression with antidepressant medications and counseling but also to treat the symptoms of menopause as well. Menopause can be treated with hormone replacement therapy where synthetic forms of estrogen and progesterone are used to even out the woman's hormone levels.

If you are a woman approaching midlife and menopause be aware that depression can be a very real side affect of the changes that will happen to you. If start to see the symptoms of depression it is best to talk to your doctor about what treatment options may work best for you.

Andrew Bicknell is a writer and owner of http://depression.worfdog.com. Visit his website for more information about depression during menopause and depression itself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Bicknell

Alcohol Depression: The Bottle May Be Increasing The Depression - By: Foras Aje

Alcohol depression is very grave and should not be one’s state of living, however just how one can overcome this form of depression could be quite challenging as two factors are being addressed here: a substance abuse and an emotional disturbance.

Dealing with depression means at the moment you may not be feeling too good. What with low energy, poor sleep and a general feeling of helplessness, naturally finding a solution out of being depressed is a much expected step. Sadly, most people turn to either legal (e.g. Zoloft) and illegal (e.g. marijuana) drugs or the use of drinking alcoholic beverages in a quest to ease the pain, however, research has shown that both illegal drugs and alcohol are marked depressants. (in spite of the buzz they may temporarily give) and speaking of depression drugs from recent studies, these substances just may not be worth the side-effects.

Now on the subject of alcohol use and depressive illnesses; this is actually the worst possible strategy for dealing with depression. Depressed moods can be a direct outcome of substance abuse. Conversely, use of alcohol by people with a depressive disorder may increase the severity of their depression symptoms and thus should be avoided.

Alcohol depression is quite rampant these days as up to 40 per cent of people who drink alcohol heavily have symptoms that resemble depression. However, when these same people are not drinking heavily, only 5 per cent of men and 10 per cent of woman have symptoms meeting the need to be diagnosed for depression.

Even though when used sparingly, alcohol may briefly produce a pleasant and relaxed state of the mind, depression resulting from alcohol is not uncommon. This starts off like anything else, slowly but picking up intensity with time. When alcohol is used sparingly, it may for a while lift the moods; however, when used to treat a depressive illness, tolerance to the effects of it may lead a patient of depression to drink more alcohol in search for a positive effect. This is where the problems begin, one drinks more and more and before you know it, alcohol- being a noted depressant-starts to cause depressive tendencies in the mind.

Alcohol Depression: Effects and Consequences

Now we all know alcohol confuses judgment and makes one more impulsive to take risks, moreover it causes a loss of inhibition and increases aggressive behavior and violent acts even towards one own self. Consequently, when used as a means to curb depression, this should be a particular concern as studies have shown depression can lead to suicide. Generally, a much higher incidence of suicide, both completed and attempted, is associated with alcohol depression.

Moreover, alcohol depression leads to complicated social disorders such as absenteeism, sickness and under-performance. Inevitably, marital problems often arise because of an alcohol problem, add this to the depression problems at hand, it is not surprising that many marriages have suffered due to this particular depressive illness.

In regards to health, alcohol depression can cause a lot of physical problems. These may arise in the liver in the form of hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver failure. Stomach Ulcers, sexual dysfunction and irregular heartbeat are other factors as well. Now these are just symptoms that result from excessive alcohol use, add to this the effects of depression on the body…needless to say, this particular form of depressive illness is a very serious and grave one. Here are the symptoms of this particular kind of emotional disorder.

Alcohol Depression: Symptoms indicating its presence

There are a number of pointers that should lead one to consider if one has an alcohol depression problem. In no particular order, they include:

1. Using alcohol to try to escape from one’s worries and trouble.

2. Drinking too much alcohol everyday.

3. Using alcohol to induce sleep.

4. Drinking this excessive alcohol alone.

5. Feeling an immense guilt about one’s excessive drinking

Thankfully, as with all things there is hope, however one has to have the desire to change. Enumerated are some helpful tips for this emotional disorder resulting from excessive drinking.

Alcohol Depression: Helpful solutions.

Depressive symptoms resulting from alcohol might indeed be quite difficult to curb, However, as with anything, the more one works at it, the better the chances of success.It always helps to know the cause of one’s reckless desire to drink in the first place. These may be marital, financial or even spiritual problems. Therefore these issues should be addressed by competent counseling, reading self-help books and even a good old talk with one’s creator.

Moreover, a simple fast or restricted diet on a seasonal juicy fruit can aid to detoxify the body of alcoholic tendencies. Now this may sound very unconventional, but according to Professor Arnold Ehret, this method has been used successfully to aiding many an alcoholic to give up excessive drinking. Dr. Stanley Burroughs also attested to this in his writings known as the Master Cleanser. Of course 60% of the battle may perhaps be the patient’s desire for change in the first place.

In addition, physical exercise, besides occupying one’s time, also goes a long way to first aiding in detoxifying the body and helping with alcohol depression as this method exercises the motor centers of the brain, making the blood flow away from the emotional activity center; consequently one becomes more receptive to positive thoughts. Yoga is highly recommended as a choice for exercise here as several benefits lay in its use as an alternative depression treatment. From the intense relaxation and stress relief that arises from its use, to the increase of alpha and theta waves in the right portion of the brain ( a noted characteristic of optimistic people), yoga as a means of coping with alcohol depression, though admittedly may be unconventional, is indeed a wise choice.

One major step in overcoming alcohol depression is the desire for change. Consequently if a relative or loved one expresses the need for help, it is advised to immediately lend a helping hand and walk them through the steps to redemption. If however one is alone in these struggles, well, the internet in constantly making the world a smaller place or help may just be a phone call away…as long as one makes the move, the spiritual forces that are ever inherent in our own minds will guide one to the right path for success. The tips provided thus far can definitely help as well.

Alcohol depression need not be one’s state of living, with the drug-free methods of a positive thinking, and even diet and proper exercise, its symptoms, causes and effects can definitely be overcome.

About the Author:

Foras Aje is an independent researcher and author of Fitness: Inside and out, a book on improving physical and mental health naturally. For additional information on depression treatment go to: http://www.bodyhealthsoul.com/depression.htmRead more articles by: Foras Aje

This article is distributed by: www.iSnare.com

Family Advocacy - Part One - By Terry Coyier

Who Was Jean Piaget?

Jean Piaget was to cognitive development as Albert Einstein was to physics. In fact Einstein was afan of Piaget's work. Jean Piaget was born in Switzerland on Aug. 9, 1896. He published his first scientific paper at the age of 10. By the age of 22 he already had a doctorate in zoology. He became interested in psychoanalysis after WWII and attended lectures given by Carl Jung. He then studied in Paris working in Alfred Binet's child psychology lab. It was there that he first began to notice that children of the same ages answered true/false questions similarly.

He returned to Switzerland and spent many years studying and conversing with children. He realized through his conversations that when asked a question a child did not necessarily give an incorrect answer just because the answer wasn't an adult response. They instead gave logical answers based on the knowledge that they had within them. He concluded that if adults try to teach children to quickly that it prevents them from reinventing it themselves, thus making it their own.

His career spanned nearly 75 years and he is credited with developing several new fields of science including developmental psychology, cognitive theory and what later became genetic epistemology. Without him, some of today's modern methods would have never come about. Many of his theories are still the basis for modern child development including the "Theory of Knowledge Construction." This theory is based upon the principle that when a child comes into contact with a new piece of information, his mind must understand it in a way that fits his current view of the world. If it doesn't fit the mold then the child will re-construct their knowledge so they can assimilate the new information. It is much like constructing a building - you cannot start with the top, you must build the foundation first and then develop up from the base.

Four Stages of Cognitive Development in Children

Let's take a minute to get a feel for Piaget's 4 stages of cognitive development in children. Remember, he spent most of his life studying and interacting with children and I think his theory makes a lot of sense.

Stage I: Sensorimotor (Infancy)

Infants learn about the world around them through sensation and movement. The focus at this stage is on motor and reflex actions. They take a great interest in the faces and voices of caretakers. Parents can aid in their development by making faces, talking and singing to their little ones.

Stage II: Preoperation (Toddler & Early Childhood)

This stage's main focus on the child's intellectual development is language and using symbols (e.g. words and pictures). The child will act intuitively at this stage. They have active imaginations and vivid fantasies. It is not uncommon for the child to personify objects, thus giving toys and dolls human like qualities. Parents should take the time to help them learn language and promote their imaginations ,as well as pay attention to how they play with objects.

Stage III: Concrete Operation(Elementary & Early Adolescence

During this stage children start to process abstract concepts such as numbers and relationships. Before a child could only manipulate things physically. Now they begin to be able to manipulate them mentally as well. To do this they need concrete examples or they will not understand the concept. A child's development should focus on giving concrete examples of ideas.

Stage IV: Formal Operation (Adolescence & Early Adulthood)

This is the stage where children begin to reason logically and analytically without needing concrete examples as before. Children are now capable of hypothetical and deductive reasoning. Encouraging young people to consider multiple possibilities will help their development at this stage.

All of these stages represent areas of opportunity or risk of failure when it comes to helping your child get through the world. This task is tough enough for two parents who are normal by societies standards. Throw in a parent who suffers from a mental illness and you face a much greater challenge. This is the reason I started with the 4 stages of development - so that parents could see areas that they could reach out to their children in an appropriate way and affect them in a positive manner.

Some General Statistics

~*~Almost 1/3 of American women and 1/5 of American men provide evidence of psychiatric disorder in the past 12 months. Of these women, 65% are mothers; 52% are fathers.

~*~Women and men with mental illness are at least as likely, if not more likely, than those without psychiatric disorder to become parents.

~*~The majority of adults falling into psychiatric diagnostic categories (affective disorders,anxiety disorders, PTSD, psychotic disorders, etc.) are parents.

~*~1 in 4 American families are affected by parental mental illness.

Why Parents Don't Seek Help

One of the biggest reasons that adults don't seek assistance for their mental problems is due to the stigma that is still attached to having a mental illness. Unfortunately many people still do not view mental illnesses as a medical problem but as a personal flaw or weakness in the person. You still hear the mentally ill referred to as "crazy," "loony," "nuts," "psycho," or even worse terms.

One of the other reasons for not seeking treatment is that mental illness is the primary reason for custodial challenge. Some studies have reported as many as 70-80% of parents with a mental illness have lost custody of their children due to their illness (Burton, 1990). There remains a strong misconception that mentally ill parents are violent and are therefore at an increased risk for abusing their children. While this may be true for alcohol and drug abusers, it is not true for parents with psychiatric disorders getting treatment.

Still, for these reasons many people are afraid of getting the help that they need. They are afraid their symptoms may give the impression that they would be an unfit parent. If they are seen as unfit they could lose their children. Therefore families may not receive the services they need to raise healthy children. Thus a vicious cycle begins.

Warning Signs

The following is a list of symptoms that could indicate that children are not dealing well with a parent's mental illness. Mind you, these are also signs for other causes such as trouble in school, peer pressure, sexual problems, abuse, relationship problems, substance abuse, a change in circumstances at home and a host of other issues. Still, I felt they were worth mentioning. If you notice any of these things in your children over a continual period for 3-4 weeks, please seek help for them. Never turn a blind eye and think that the problem will solve itself.

*moodiness

*bad temper or irritability

*crying a lot

*sleeping problems

*lying

*not talking to people or going out with friends

*eating more or less than usual or skipping meals

*giving up hobbies

*arguing

*feeling lazy, bored or tired

*stealing or getting into trouble

*not looking after themselves (hygiene)

*low self-esteem

*acting recklessly

*drinking alcohol or using drugs

*skipping school

*preferring to be alone

How Children are Affected - Risk or Resilience?

As seen above in Jean Piaget's "Theory of Knowledge Construction," children are only capable of understanding things if they have the knowledge from the preceding level of development. At each level they can be affected either adversely or positively by their interactions with their parents - regardless if the parent has a mental illness or not. The challenge here is the capability of mentally ill parents to provide what is needed at each stage. (This is where you want to go back and re-read the section on the 4 stages of cognitive development.) It is up to us as parents to provide them what is needed and as a mentally ill parent that becomes quite a challenge.

Now, research clearly indicates that parental mental illness increases the risk of the child developing emotional or behavior problems. (I'm leaving out genetics here since it is a different issue.) Children with the most serious emotional disturbances, served by systems of care across the U.S., report high rates of parental mental illness, psychiatric hospitalizations and substance abuse (Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and their Families Program, Annual Report to Congress, 1998). This report shows nothing of the relationship between the age of a child and their exposure to parental mental illness. Some feel that if children are exposed repeatedly at a young age their risk is higher. However, some studies have failed to find conclusive results regarding age or developmental stages in regards to their level of risk (Oyserman et al.; Weissman, 1989).

Stressors outside of the family detrimentally affect children of parents with a mental illness. Stressful issues that increase the likelihood of emotional or behavioral problems are minority status, low levels of education, stigma, single parenthood, social isolation and poverty (Biedel & Turner, 1997; Hammen et al., 1987; Harnish et al., 1995; Sameroff & Seifer, 1983). These types of issues are difficult at best for a child to cope with but when you add in a mentally ill parent the problem is simply compounded massively.

The gender of the child also appears to play a roll in how they react to a parent's illness, although there is conflicting evidence in how exactly. Some studies show that girls are more adversely affected and some feel that it is boys who have a worse time coping. Studies have shown, however, that girls are more prone to develop depression and boys are more likely to exhibit conduct problems (Cummings & Davies, 1994).

It is well documented that children with greater intelligence, better social skills and stronger cognitive processes have been shown to be more resilient to their parental mental illness (Beardslee & Podorefsky, 1988; Radke-Yarrow & Sherman, 1990.) Cognitive skills such as a positive and coherent self-concept, a positive attribution style, effective coping and problem solving abilities have been associated with positive outcomes among children in general and specifically among children with depressed mothers (Beardslee & Podorefsky, 1988; Downey & Walker, 1989; Radke-Yarrow et al., 1995)

Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Terry was diagnosed with bipolar ten years ago. She lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.

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What is Manic Depression? - By Kitty Barker

Manic depression is that state of depression in which the patient suffers from mood swings which go between extreme elation and depression. So while one minute the patient may feel on top of the world the other minute there will be feelings of despair and helplessness. Although there are many factors that cause this kind of depression genetic reasons are the most prominent ones. This means that two thirds of the people suffering from manic depression have someone in their family also suffering from the same. It is not only the moods of the person that get affected by this but there are also physiological changes, there will be heightened activity at some time, sleeplessness at another and it also impacts once social rhythms and thinking abilities.

Varying forms of Manic Depression

Bipolar Depression

There are varying degrees of manic depression which means in some cases the ratio of a person being depressed may be 3:1 while in other cases it could be as great as 37:1. What this means is that a person who has a ration of 3:1 will spend three times as much time depressed than elated.

Researchers are also if the opinion that the condition of depression that the patients of Manic depression feel is quite more than that of normal depression and indeed the chances of a person committing suicide is twice as much as someone who is suffering from only depression or unipolar depression as it is called.

Mixed Mania

Manic depression is also known to manifest itself in a Mixed state, this means that the people suffering from it will experience mania and depression at the same time. So they may experience agitation, anxiety, fatigue, guilt, impulsiveness, insomnia, irritability, morbid and/or suicidal ideation, panic, paranoia, pressured speech and rage all at the same time. A typical example would be someone tearful or even crying even when seemingly appearing very cheerful or excited. Such states are the most dangerous and are prone to induce the maximum chances of drug abuse and even suicides.

Rapid and utltradian cycles

Rapid cycling means that the individual tends to swing between one mood and the other quite frequently so while you may find them to be in a euphoric state at 10 in the morning as if the world belonged to them you can see them at 11 and feel that they are the most helpless people in this world, although such type of hour cycling is not known to afflict a lot of people there are fairly large number of cases who have greater cycles of a day or a month.

Famous people having manic depression

Although manic depression is a mental disorder and one must take all steps to ensure that one is treated of this condition there are several famous people who have had this kind of illness. And at the same time these people also attribute the reason for their creativity to having some sort of mania which helped them in the creative work they did. Indeed this is not to mean that you should not get yourself treated. If you were suffering from this disorder as it is a dangerous situation and many people like Kurt Cobain who was the lead singer of the rock band Nirvana have ended up committing suicide because they could not control it.

While most such celebrities have had turbulent life they were able to control it and live a more or less normal life. It would surprise most to know that it is thought that a large number of artists, writers and other celebrities like Vincent Van Gogh, Mark Twain, Axl Rose of Guns n Roses, Ozzy Ozbourne, Edgar Allen Poe, Isaac Newton, Florence Nightingale, Jimmi Hendrix, Ralph Waldo Emerson and even Winston Churchill were suffering from it.

In the end with proper treatment this illness can be controlled and taken care of and the list of successful people who have gone through their lives with this disorder should give the patients comfort that not only are they alone, people suffering from similar disease have lived happy and successful lives as well.

Author: Kitty Barker

Kitty often writes for and with Depression-Assistance. You can also see more information on this subject at Manic Depression - should this link be inactive, you can paste this link to your browser - manic-depression-assistance.com/

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How Can You Identify Postpartum Depression? - By Kitty Barker

Sometimes women suffer with depression immediately after child birth and this depression is known as postpartum depression. There are five kinds of postpartum depression, any of which can occur after child birth; however similar depression can also occur before or during pregnancy as well.

Patients of postpartum depression who have had other kinds of depression in their lives state that this depression feels very different from any other kind of depression that they have faced in their lives.

What are the different kinds of postpartum depression and How can you indentify Postpartum Depression?

There are five main kinds of postpartum depression or postpartum mood disorders as they are also known and women who have given childbirth may be suffering from any one of these. A brief description of these is given below so that you can see the current news about postpartum depression:

1. Baby Blues –

This is one kind of depression which is not considered a disorder at all and as many as 80% of mothers experience it.

The symptoms of the same are given below:

Instability of your mood or mood swings as they are called commonly

Sadness and weepiness

Anxiety

A strong sense of dependency on those around you

Inability to concentrate

2. Depression and Anxiety –

This is a postpartum depression which onsets gradually and which can happen any time during the first year of childbirth and is characterized by the following features:

Depression and anxiety which translates into worrying excessively

Finding it difficult to make decisions because you are overwhelmed with the circumstances all the time

Feelings of guilt and phobias

Hopelessness

Having sleep problems which could mean not being able to sleep properly or on the other hand sleeping excessively

Physical pain or discomfort without any apparent cause

Lack of comfort near the baby

Decreased libido and losing interest in pleasure

Getting short tempered and irritable

3. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder –

This is a postpartum disorder with which 3 – 5% mothers struggle and it can be recognized with the following symptoms:

Intrusive, repetitive thoughts and mental pictures

These thoughts are often violent and about hurting the baby

There is also at the same time a sense of disgust in these thoughts and horror about them

There would accompany such behavior which would suggest the actions to reduce these thoughts. For example you may try to hide all the pointed or sharp objects with which one can hurt the baby

Repetitive behavior like counting often or cleaning up again and again.

4. Panic Disorder –

This postpartum disorder is found in about 10% of the pregrant women. The symptoms of the same are listed below:

Extreme anxiety in phases

Dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain and a sensation of being smothered or choked

Trembling, palpitations, numbness or tingling sensations

Restlessness, agitations, or irritability

During such attacks women feel that they are going crazy, losing control or even dying

Excessive worry or fears

There will be no triggers for these panics and they will happen suddenly.

5. Psychosis –

This is the rarest and what may also be called the worse form of postpartum depression. In such a state the mother goes through tremendous strain to such an extent that this has got a suicide rate of 5% and infanticide rate of 4%. However Psychosis is quite rare and will only happen in one or two per thousand.

Following are the symptoms of psychosis:

Visual or sound hallucinations

Delusional thinking (for instance could be about the infant’s death or maybe even killing the baby)

Delirium or mania

Can I get help to fight postpartum depression?

This is a normal situation in the sense that many women suffer from it and it can be treated effectively through talk sessions with psychologists or medication. However, very often women who suffer from these also tend to be guilty of having such thoughts and they feel that it will be an embarrassment to tell other people that they are actually sad when they should be having the happiest time of their life. And so they end up hiding the problem which further aggravates it only.

Author: Kitty Barker -

Kitty often writes for and with Postpartum Depression. You can also see more information on this subject at Postpartum Depression - should this link be inactive, you can paste this link to your browser - postpartum-depression-assistance.com

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Depression - A Modern Dis-ease - By Margo Kirtikar Ph.D.

In our present turbulent times, more people suffer from depression than what we can ever imagine. The feeling of depression for sure has always existed in stressful conditions, for as long as mankind has. When surrounded with loving family members and friends who genuinely care for your well being, the emerging out of a depressed state of mind is made much easier than if one were alone, feeling neglected and unloved, without a network of support. Interestingly, the more we immerse ourselves into the materialistic world to satisfy our physical senses and the further away we are from our true feelings, out of touch with our inner self, the more prone we are to fall into the trap of depression. Apparently, the highest rates of suicides amongst the young generation, due to depression, are found in the wealthiest countries, with the highest standards of living, such as Sweden and Switzerland and Japan. It is not surprising that we seem to have an epidemic of depression on our hands. Just look at our fast pace of life, the breaking down of families and relationships, denial of our true emotions, many singles living without companionship, children not having enough love or affection, the stress of work or family abuse, bad living habits or bad eating habits. The list is endless, no one seems to have time any more for the essential things in life. Most of all, I think, the primary reason is the fact that we in general have deprived ourselves from our own spirituality, failing to communicate with our very individual soul. Too busy living in a cold materialistic world accumulating things, chasing success, money or fame, we have forgotten the very Spirit of our existence. Moreover, in our frenzy as we rebel again traditional religion we deny God, the very Source and Force of Life. My knowledge is not that of theory but of personal experience. I, like millions of others, have also suffered, now and again from a feeling of being depressed. I know what it is like to be stuck in a black hole, depressed, I know how it feels when it seems as if there is no way out of a miserable situation. Yet, with time, reaching deep within me and connecting with the very Source, the inner Force or God if you like to call it that, a light has always appeared at the end of the dark tunnel, offering new opportunities with new pastures to explore. With time and practice, I learned how to handle these dark moments. Rather than fight it, I recognize the feeling, I acknowledge it and I allow myself to be depressed but only for a short while, say an hour, half a day, or a day, depending on the situation. But then I wake up determined to begin a new day with a fresh new positive attitude and with new positive plans. There is a lot of suppressed and denied anger, resentments, fear and guilt in depression. Depression, which is actually suppressing negative emotions, drains you of your energy and causes chronic fatigue. Many people live with a mild case of depression for a long time without even realizing it. They live with this denial for so long that what might begin as a light case of depression could develop with the time into a major illness. A light depression left unattended, can deteriorate to become worse and then still worse. Sometimes it could lead to very serious mental problems that will eventually require serious medication and perhaps even long or even permanent hospitalization. In the United States visiting a therapist, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or attending workshops for self-development is a popular and accepted way of dealing with personal problems and unhappy issues. People are more aware of the benefits of self development. In Europe, self development is mostly frowned upon or even ridiculed unfortunately. Europeans are only now, very slowly and very reluctantly, catching on to this new idea. Far too many believe falsely that talking to a friend about their problems is good enough. The reality is that friends do not appreciate at all being used as garbage bags for your problems and unhappy moods. It is also not fair to dump your problems and negative emotions, which is bad polluted energy, on to others. If you have been the recipient of an hour of listening to a friend’s complex problems and unhappiness then you know how drained and exhausted you feel after such a meeting. You say goodbye as you leave them, with a big sigh of relief, looking to breathe some fresh air to clear your mind. In the Eastern worlds perhaps they have less use for professionals in this field as families there are still intact and relatives, especially the elder generations, are always there to give love, affection, care, support and perhaps even advice as they lovingly listen to the woes of the young. Not to forget the fact of strong religious beliefs where faith and prayer can be a source of help too and work as an anchor for stability. Suffering from depression is not a stigma and it is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. The earlier one recognizes this and the quicker one seeks help, the bigger are the chances of recovery and the less danger there is of ending up with manic depression, paranoia or schizophrenia. To avoid falling into the trap here are some of the symptoms that you can look out for.

If you suffer from any of the following on a regular basis for a month or more, then it would be advisable for you to seek help immediately. The sooner you do this the better are your chances for recovery. Don’t try to delay by talking yourself into believing that you can get out of this on your own. Only the very few are strong enough to do this.

If you find that you are unable to relax lay in bed sleepless night after night feel constantly exhausted and drained of energy find it difficult to get out of bed mornings afraid to face the day are avoiding contact with your friends and family are avoiding answering the phone are spending a lot of time alone at home like brooding in the dark are avoiding light, fresh air and sunshine have no desire to take care of yourself, to bathe, to groom yourself require a huge effort to do anything are always in an unhappy hopeless mood see nothing but the negative side of life have no desire to listen to music have no sense of humor and you don’t laugh feel unloved as if the whole world is against you get angry if someone mentions that you need to see a doctor!

Here are some simple solutions that you can take care of yourself when you notice the beginning symptoms of depression that can help you to get out of it. If the depressed state persists for a couple of weeks, then you really should seek professional help immediately. Share your problem with a member of the family or a friend and ask them to accompany you to see a specialist.

Alternative and natural healing methods, in my point of view, are more desirable to begin with than traditional medicine. However, for chronic cases traditional medicine might be the only answer.

(1) Identify and differentiate your feelings.

Emotional –

Acknowledge and experience them. i.e. be a witness to your emotions. Look at your emotions as if they were an ‘object’ in front of you to be analyzed.

Communicate your feelings to the person concerned directly (if the feelings are connected with another person) or then see a therapist. Putting your feelings down in writing on paper can work wonders. Drawing or painting can help too. This puts you in charge of the situation rather than being the helpless suffering victim.

(2) Physical –

Exercise daily. An absolute must against depression is physical exercise to maintain good health. Daily walks, aerobics, dance, gym exercises daily is a must. The object is to move, keep on moving the body. This pumps oxygen into your blood, your blood circulation improves, and it keeps up the vibration of the cells saving you from being heavy and lethargic.

(3) Mental –

Learn to accept and to integrate both the desirable and undesirable of your self image. Do this by self observation, self acceptance and self improvement. Learn to love yourself as you are by practicing self love. If you cannot accept and respect yourself, forgive and love yourself, it is not possible for you to practice these emotions with others around you. This is a well known fact.

(4) Recognize and live your own thoughts, values and beliefs. The power of thought cannot be ignored in healing the mental self. Maintain positive thoughts through positive affirmations. (see below)

(5) Guilt breeds fear and resentment, stress and tension, anxiety and conflict. Guilt is a major obstacle in healing a relationship. For a relationship to heal both must be free of all guilt feelings.

(6) Forgiveness is the major key to healing, peace of mind and healthy growth. Learn to let go and to forgive others and most of all to forgive yourself. If you are hard on yourself, others will be hard on you. If creativity is stifled, inner conflict, depression and illness ensues. If you constantly try to be less than what you are, do less than what you are capable of, you will be forever unhappy.

(7) St. John’s Wort, a herbal remedy, is well known to help with mild cases of depression. Also Bach Flower remedy, Rescue is good to have always near at hand. A therapist specialized in these remedies can help you.

(8) Listen to happy music, have a lot of light in your home and at the work place.

(9) Surround yourself with happy flowers, the colors yellow and orange for energy.

(10) Be grateful for whatever good you have in your life. We all have something to be grateful for. Gratitude is healing and makes you feel good. Be grateful and thankful for what you have rather than being unhappy about what you do not have. You can always create what you want in your life. Get out of the depressed state first so that you can create.

Affirmations –Here are some basic affirmations to repeat as often as possible. You can repeat these anywhere anytime, aloud and/or quietly mentally. Choose the ones that correspond with your own need. You can begin with repeating any three or four for a whole week, then take another three or four for the next week and so forth. The idea is that you repeat these aloud as often as possible until it becomes a habit for you to think them. In time you will be able to know them all by heart and you can then make up your own affirmations as you need them.

I am healthy

I am happy

I am creative

I am a beautiful person

I love myself

I love life

I love my body

I am happy to be alive

I am master of my life

I am thankful for everything I have

I love people

I love being active

I love being with myself

I love being with people

I do everything that is good for me

I am in touch with my higher self

I am in touch with the Divine within me

I am in touch with my intuition

I always know what is good for me

I am free of the past

I am free of fear

I am free of all anxiety

I am free of all negativity

I have faith in myself

I have trust in myself

My body is healthy

My mind is strong and healthy

My organs are healthy

I sleep peacefully

I am strong full of energy and vitality

I feel inner peace and harmony

I am in control of my thoughts

I am in control of my emotions

I am fully aware

I am master of my life

I am a beautiful being

I am happy to be me

I am full of love (the energy of love is a universal healer)

NB. You can make up your own affirmations. Always remember to be in the positive.Ex. I am wealthy. I am fearless. I am slim. I feel wonderful. etc. etc.© Margo Kirtikar Ph.D. www.visionsunusual.com

Margo Kirtikar Ph.D. is psycho therapist since fifteen years. She helps and guides individuals who find themselves at a crossroad and going through difficult changes in their lives. She helps them to contact their own inner source of strength and inner guide so that they are able to think clearly and independently to make their own decisions. She uses both eastern and western techniques and therapies dealing with mind, emotions and energy. website: http://www.visionsunusual.com/ email mk@visionsunusual.com

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Wholistic Treatment for Bipolar Disorder - By Terry Coyier

Bipolar Disorder is one of the most difficult to treat. Not only is it difficult to find the right medicine recipe for each person, patient compliance is a major obstacle. Some people suffer debilitating side effects or cannot tolerate the high dosages of some medications. Some start feeling better and make a conscious decision to stop taking their medications. Others simply don’t like taking medication at all.

Some of these same people will turn to vitamins, health supplements and holistic answers instead. Herein lies the problem. It seems to me that the general population is much more willing to trust the claims on vitamins bottles and health supplements than that of prescription medications that are governed by the FDA. Who is it that regulates vitamins and health supplements– the “natural healing fairy?

Well, come to find out, many studies are being conducted on holistic approaches to bipolar treatment and they are being funded by organizations like The Stanley Organization, National Institute of Health and the National Institute of Mental Health. Some important organizations are taking notice that maybe there is something to this “natural” approach. Maybe there is and maybe there isn’t. I am convinced that doing everything possible to make this illness more bearable is worth a shot, but I’m not willing to give up my medication yet and neither are any of the organizations funding the studies.

Nothing that you read here is meant to replace any advice that you are given by a trained professional. The information is simply what I researched and the claims may or may not be accurate. Please do not try any holistic approach without consulting with your physician or psychiatrist first. Also, all of these approaches, by their own admission are to be used as an adjunct to psychiatric medications. In other words, they are meant to help reduce the dosage, not replace the medicine all together.

VITAMINS & MINERALS

Mood Stabilizing SubstancesLecithin (Phosphatidyl Choline)L-Taurine (Amino Acid)GABA (Amino Acid)

To Fight DepressionB- ComplexFolic AcidB1 (Thiamin)B6B-12Magnesium & CalciumManganeseZincL-TyrosineMethionineL-Phenylalynine & DL-PhenylalynineL-Triptophan (Amino Acid)

Most of these vitamins and minerals can be found in a good multivitamin. The ones that are separate supplements should be verified with your doctor before you go spend a lot of money on them. I didn’t even start taking my multivitamin without checking it out with my psychiatrist first – but then I’m a little anal when it comes to managing my bipolar and my money. I don’t know about your insurance but mine doesn’t cover vitamins.

ST JOHN’S WART

This is the supplement that we’ve all heard does wonders for depression. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but marketing and advertising people create all that hype. I know this, because I work in advertising. I found tons of information on St John’s Wart (SJW) and most of it echoed the same warnings, that bipolar patients should use extreme caution and consult their physicians before attempting to use it. I know I won’t be adding it to my recipe. The only time it seems to be recommended is for people with very mild depression who almost don’t need to take prescription medication and they still suggest checking with your doctor.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School believe that SJW could be a mania trigger for those who are bipolar but who haven’t experienced a manic episode yet. This is similar to what some antidepressants do to people with bipolar. It can also precipitate hypomanic states or rapid cycling. They mentioned that if you have bipolar you should use extreme caution and confer with your doctor before hand.

In Feb 2000, the FDA released a public health advisory warning that there was a risk of dangerous interactions between SJW and certain prescription medications. Bipolar meds included mainly the Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCA’s) Tofranil, Asendin & Elavil and the anticonvulsant Tegretol. It is assumed that the similar TCA’s Vivactil and Palemor and the similar anticonvulsant Trileptal could also be in the risk group.

There are also reports that when SJW is combined with Serotonin Selective Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s) it can cause Serotonin Syndrome. Symptoms of Serotonin Syndrome symptoms can include dizziness, cognitive difficulty, faintness when standing or walking, unsteadiness when walking, muscle spasms and a racing heart beat. Do not combine SJW with any SSRI’s or with the newly FDA approved Tamoxifen that is used for depression.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega-3) are found in fish, fish oil and flaxseeds.

Yummy! You can bet I was not too excited about the thought of fish oil as a cure for bipolar.

Oddly enough, every bit of information I found on Omega-3 was positive. Positive that is as an adjunct to standard bipolar medications. So for people who cannot tolerate high doses or the side effects of their medications, this is something to check out with your doctor.

Many studies have been done, but the one I read most about was a 4 month double-blind placebo controlled study comparing 9.6 g/day of Omega-3 vs. olive oil in 30 patients (Stoll et al., 1999). 8 co-authors concluded that not only were the Omega 3’s well tolerated, but the improved the short term course of the patients with bipolar. They would not suggest using Omega-3 as a first line treatment but would try it for patients who had failed with other medications. Omega-3’s should only be used alone in patients with a very mild form of the illness.

Patients seem to be quite interested in the Omega-3’s because they are a natural supplement with very few side effects and little or no toxic effects. The only reported symptom was mild gastrointestinal distress – generally characterized by loose stools. Many psychiatric medications have this same effect along with a myriad of other more unpleasant ones. If my meds plagued me with a tremendous number of side effects, I would certainly be looking into this one myself.

TRUEHOPE (Synergy Group of Canada, Ltd.)

If you haven’t heard about this one, it’s pretty interesting – depending on how you look at it.
Personally I thought they were a couple of quacks until I started investigating it deeper. I mean, when all you know is that it started out with supplements that they give to pigs who are prone to ear and tail biting, you have to be a little skeptical. Don’t you?

Well, they didn’t start with actual pig nutrients; the biologist of the pair, David Hardy created a supplement for humans that were then given to Anthony Stephan’s 2 bipolar children. You can read the entire story at their website, referenced below. The supplement was named EM Power and consists of common minerals, vitamins and amino acids. In fact, the ingredients are so common that they cannot receive a patent for their work.

Several small independent studies were done through individual doctors with small numbers of patients. The results were good – up to a 50% reduction in symptoms compared to when the patients were on psychotropic drugs. Then Harvard psychiatrist Charles Popper monitored 15 patients within his own practice and the results were reported in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Of the 15 patients that were treated, 11 were stable for 6 – 9 months without taking psychiatric medications. They also did research with Dr. Bonnie Kaplan, PhD. This helped get a grant of a half million dollars to do a placebo-controlled double blind study of 100 bipolar patients at the University of Calgary.

The two drawbacks with EM Power (besides it’s odd origins) are that it isn’t cheap and it’s a lotof pills to take. Initial treatment requires 32 capsules per day until your symptoms disappear and the cost is approximately $220.00 a month. The maintenance dose averages 16 capsules a day. It is safe for children as well – as long as they can take that many pills.

ACCUPUNCTURE

Boy did I find a ton of information on the treatment of depression and bipolar with the ancient Chinese art of acupuncture. What I didn’t find was any proof. No real trials with quantifiable results. I did find one small study done at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, which simply reported positive results using it for major and unipolar depression. That was it.

That was it except for 2 major grants being given to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas (where I am trying to get in on some studies!). Both the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Health have awarded UT Southwestern significant grants to study the effects of acupuncture. NIMH’s grant with be used to study bipolar patients in their depressive states. The NIH grant will be used for a study similar to the one done at the University of Arizona.

The NIMH trial is the first being conducted regarding acupuncture as an adjunct to medication for bipolar disorder. Once again, not a full cure, but the possibility of reducing medications to tolerable levels.

So, after all of this am I still a skeptic? Sure I am. I’m skeptical of everything until I see proof – but that’s just me. Am I skeptical of “Wholistic Healing” – using holistic methods with psychiatric medications and anything else you can do to make your life better? No. I think there are some great alternative options available for those who cannot handle the symptoms or for those who seem to get little or no results from psychiatric medications. My biggest concern is that if you try any of these, please check with your doctor so that you can work together at managing your bipolar. Don’t go it alone!

Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Terry was diagnosed with bipolar ten years ago. She lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft.

Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.

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Defy the Devil Depression - By Monalisa Hyden

The “devil depression” hits now and then and makes our lives miserable. We feel blue and gradually it becomes a habit. Blame it on life and the unfortunate incidents in life that was beyond our control. But only few incidents of life where we proved ourselves to be unlucky do not have enough reasons to lead a life of frustration and depression. This life is a gift of God and we deserve to be happy and healthy through out our life.

Trust me, it is not that easy to challenge the depression within you, but it is not tough either. You just need to love yourself and realize that you deserve to be happy! Just follow the simple tips mentioned below;

1. Set small goals on daily basis. When you get up in the morning, decide what you are going to do for the day. If you are to submit a work assignment, make it your goal for the day. Put serious efforts to accomplish that job and take it to a level of your personal satisfaction. If there is no assignment pending for the day, make it a point that you do not leave anything pending for the next day, you finish your days work within the 8 and ½ hours, of course without having to stay back. This will make your everyday a special day! And believe me! These small efforts will boost your self confidence. Practice this for a week.
2. Try to remember what you enjoyed doing the most, I mean a long forgotten hobby, anything you like under the sun! Fishing? Doing the garden? Reading, playing guitar, listening to music? Playing foot ball? Swimming? Think of an activity you enjoy doing most and devote an hour to that. Make it a point to do that everyday, and do not let anything upset your daily routine. This is the way to love yourself and this activity will relax your inner self and you will start enjoying your daily life.
3. Engage yourself in physical exercise everyday at least for 15/20 minutes. This will increase the blood flow and fill you with energy and activate the hormone secretion in the body that is required to keep the body and mind healthy and happy. Remember, there is a very close connection between body and mind; a healthy mind can live in a health body and vice versa. So, take care of your health, if required go to a doctor for regular check up and make sure that you are physically alright.
4. Do not sit idle, when depression hits, you may feel lethargic; you will not feel like leaving the bed and may sleep all day during your weekends. Avoid doing so. Make plans, go out and meet people, go for a picnic or anything you enjoy doing, but not alone, with a person or a group of persons you like to be with. But, NEVER SIT IDLE.
5. At last, find out someone trustworthy and speak your heart out. You will be able to vent out your inner frustration and if you feel like crying, do that. There is no shame in crying in front of a person, whom you know to care for you. Crying is a way of expressing pain that is given by God. So do cry sometimes, you will feel better. If you are not comfortable talking to someone, keep a journal or diary, and pour down your thought on that. Writing down what you feel will give you relief from your inner frustration and suppressed anger, may be that was a hidden reason behind your depression. Talking heart to heart or writing down sometimes can bring some unknown facts about your own self to light. So do that!

Follow the simple ways so that you can help yourself in the mission of leading a happy life, so that you do not have to opt for depression and anxiety medications like Xanax. Life is worth living till you love yourself, trust me, every man and woman have something special which no other person has. You are worth being loved and you worth the happiness knocking at your door. Just open the door to happiness and start living.

The author, Monalisa Hyden, addresses psychological issues. If you wish to help yourself and your loved ones to fight emotional problems, you can log on to http://www.buy-xanax-online-now.com for more information and advice.

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Break Free From Depression Helplessness - By Chris Green

I recently posted an article to my website about how certain beliefs underpin stress, depression and anxiety. One of the main beliefs I briefly introduced concerns helplessness. Helplessness is a major part of these illnesses so let’s look at how you can reduce the impact this flawed belief has.

Believing you are helpless in life is a truly terrible feeling and I write from personal experience here. For five years, a number of traumatic events led me to the point where I believed life held nothing but pain and anguish. I truly believed life would unfold in a way that would destroy me and there wasn’t a single thing I could do about it.

Perhaps you’ve felt this way too?

The underlying belief is the important factor here. It is a firm belief that life is something that happens to you and you have NO CONTROL over anything. In short, you are a powerless, passive recipient for whatever life decides to throw at you.

It is an awful state to be in. Furthermore, this belief simply isn’t true.

Let me give an example. Say you and your partner split up. Now, this can be one very traumatic experience, I’ve been through it, so have many others. You react in a highly negative and emotionally arousing way:

“I’m devastated. He/she was my whole world and now my world has fallen apart. Everything I do in life always goes wrong and this is another disaster. I’ll never be happy again.”

Wow. It’s a powerful reaction isn’t it? I’m sure you, like me, have either reacted this way to an event or you’ve heard someone react this way. It is a very damaging way to assign a meaning to an event you are confronted with.

The last two sentences reveal the belief in helplessness. The key words are: Everything always goes wrong and never be happy again. When you react in such a way, you are telling yourself that you are helpless because nothing has ever gone right for you and you’ll never be happy no matter what. You’re saying you cannot control anything and therefore, you truly believe you’re helpless.

How do you think you’ll feel when you react like this? Exactly. You’ll feel deeply unhappy, confused, frustrated and of course, helpless to change your life. Why would you feel anything else? Everything ALWAYS goes wrong and you’ll NEVER be happy again so what’s the point of doing anything to create change?

Do you see how helplessness works? But it simply isn’t true. Of course, there are many things in life that are entirely beyond your control. Other people and Mother Nature to name but two. There are things in life you have some control over – where you live and work for example. It is important to keep these facts about control firmly in mind.

Here’s the most important fact about helplessness: There is one thing you have full control over in your life and that is how you react and assign meanings to everything you are confronted with. In the example above, a better reaction would be:

“OK, my relationship hasn’t worked but other things in my life are going well and I’ll concentrate on them for a while as I come to terms with what’s happened. Just because this relationship hasn’t worked out, it doesn’t mean future relationships will fail and once I’ve got over this, I’ll get out there and find someone better.”

See the difference? You’re keeping control by assigning a less emotional meaning, a meaning more in keeping with reality. You’re acknowledging that you’re hurting, but that this is temporary and when you’re ready, you’ll try again. You know you have other things in your life that you can concentrate on and this reaction will prevent a feeling of helplessness arising.

See you soon.

Copyright 2006 Christopher Green

Former anxiety sufferer Chris Green is the author of “Conquering Stress”, the internationally acclaimed program which will help you to permanently conquer stress, depression and anxiety without taking powerful drugs. For a free mini course, please click here => http://www.conqueringstress.com

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Fat Food for Bad Mood (Omega-3 and Depression) - By N Singh, PhD

Depression is a multifactorial illness whose etiology is influenced by a pattern of familial inheritance, environmental, and nutritional factors or from a combination of all.

Symptoms of depression include: Constant sadness, lack of motivation, constant irritation, lack of concentration and interest, feelings of isolation, hopelessness, feeling worthless or guilty for no reason, thoughts of ending yourself, fatigue, low energy, sleeplessness, weight change.

A variety of alternative medicine therapies, including dietary supplements, is used for the treatment of depression, although the evidence supporting them is quite patchy. Among the more commonly used supplements are omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids present in mainly fatty fish and flaxseed (linseed) oil. Cells use the three main types of fatty acids (FA): saturated FAs, that do not contain any double bonds; monounsaturated FAs, that contain a single double bond; and polyunsaturated FAs (PUFA), which contain multiple double bonds. PUFAs are essential for the function of the brain, nervous, endocrine and immune systems.

Once consumed in the diet, PUFAs are converted by enzymes in the body to produce omega-6 and omega-3 metabolites. Some Omega-6 fatty acids, such as arachidonic acid (AA), can be manufactured in the body using linoleic acid as a starting point. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are manufactured in the body using alpha linolenic acid as a starting point. Oily fish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, and sardines are rich in preformed EPA and DHA. Omega-3 fatty acids are considered as an important anti-inflammatory factor able to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines (chemicals produced by these cells in order to communicate to each other). High blood levels of Omega-3 fatty acids and low levels of Omega-6 fatty acids have been associated with inhibitory effects on tumour/cancer formation and various inflammatory diseases and with lesser passing away from cardiovascular diseases in a range of populations.

Similarly, research has shown that there are strong correlations between low consumption of fish (rich in omega-3 PUFAs) and high prevalence of depressive disorders or bad mood and many neurodegenerative conditions. However, in societies and nations consuming larger quantities of fish, high in essential fatty acids (EFAs), experience lower rates of major depression. Furthermore, higher concentrations of DHA (major brain PUFA) in red blood cell membranes and higher EPA to AA (higher omega-3 than omega-6) ratios in plasma have been associated with less severe levels of depression.

It has been seen in scientific studies that there are lower concentrations of total PUFAs and a higher ratio of high levels of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids to omega-3 PUFAs in participants with depression. However, in Western countries the intake of PUFAs has decreased and a steady rise in fried and fast-foods, vegetable and seed oils and a variety of commercially prepared baked goods. An Omega-3 deficiency in rat brain has been associated with decreased learning ability and cognitive performance but improves with Omega-3 addition along with the improvement of the mood state. This is due to the fact that the activity of some neurotransmitters involved in psychiatric disorders affects the metabolism of PUFAs. Studies have shown a decrease in the omega-3 PUFAs content of red blood cell membrane in depressed patients and the addition of PUFAs in clinical trials has shown to have beneficial effects. Some studies have also shown that in patients with schizophrenia, decreased omega-3 PUFAs levels were observed.

It has been concluded that 5% and 20% of women giving birth will be affected by postnatal depression which can adversely affect the mother-child relationship, infant development and well-being. Studies have shown that insufficient dietary intake, mothers may become depleted of omega-3 PUFAs during pregnancy leading to increase in risk of suffering depressive symptoms.

More scientific work would be required to establish the function of PUFAs in the nervous system to appreciate the possible health implications of reduced dietary intake of PUFAs.

N. Singh, PhD. is the editor of http://www.eStressHelp.com

Mental Stress has an enormous impact on physical health hence the saying “a healthy mind is a healthy body”. The influence of Stress on all aspects of health has increasingly become an issue for all of us. This website contains articles and resources on stress and depression. Please feel free to use this article with proper referencing and outgoing link.

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