Depressed or Just Unhappy?

Am I depressed or just unhappy? A difficult question you may think, but it is my opinion that a depressed person knows when they are depressed and a sad person knows when they are sad.

It is perfectly human to experience the feelings of sadness. There is not one person on this planet who will live their life and not experience sadness. Sadness is a natural reaction to a painful circumstance. Depression on the other hand is more extreme, a clinical illness which has many more symptoms than general sadness and can, if not treated lead to suicide.

A person experiencing feelings which upsets them can logically distinguish what it is that is causing the unhappiness. Whereas a person suffering depression can not necessarily do so. As a person suffering sadness would know, their feelings will begin to heal over a period of time, this person is dealing with their pain and know that it will get better over time. Whereas a person suffering depression tends to get worse and see that they are feeling sad more-or-less all the time with little or not let-up.

Depression can last for weeks, months and for some years. It is not something that a person can merely 'snap out of', much as they wish that they could - it is impossible. The feelings involved are intense and overwhelming and believe me; no-one wants to be contemplating taking their own life.

Generally, if a person has had a loss of interest in 'life' in their daily activities, job, relationship or socialising for more than approx 2 weeks and their mood is out of character for them, then the doctor could potentially diagnose depression.

Some of the main symptom of depression are:-

1. Tiredness/lethargy or inability to sleep (insomnia)

2. Loss of interest in social activities and sexual relations

3. Recurrent thoughts of death and/or suicide

4. Lack of self worth and inappropriate guilt

5. Significant weight changes

6. Inability to concentrate

Seeing your GP should be the first port of call, however screening tests are available and there are a range of them available on the internet.

Author reserves all rights to this work

(c) Samantha Weaver 2006

Depression After Prostate Surgery - 3 Tips to Feel Better

As men age, the chances of developing prostate cancer increases, especially for men over the age of 50. When these conditions occur, prostate surgery is one of the most often-recommended courses of action by doctors. Radiation therapy and proton therapy are other common treatments.

The possible long-term side effects of prostate surgery include potentially life-changing conditions such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction (ED). However, thanks to nerve-sparing surgery and other techniques developed over the past few decades, these effects and their severity is significantly reduced for most surgery patients. In fact, all types of complications from this type of surgery have continued to decline since the 1990s.

One common, non-physical side-effect of prostate surgery is that of depression. Depression can set in for recipients of any type of surgery. However, for those who have undergone prostate surgery, instances of depression can occur more frequently due to the nature of the side effects that some men can experience. Here are 3 tips that can make you feel better if you are experiencing depression after prostate surgery:

1. Many side effects are temporary: For example, one common side effect is the inability to completely hold one's urine (incontinence) during normal activities or when lifting heavy objects. However, many men can learn to tighten the muscles in the groin area at key moments in order to avoid urine dribbling.

2. You can often learn to overcome many of the sexual side-effects: Over-the-counter and prescription medicines widely available today can cure many of the effects of erectile dysfunction.

3. Depression is usually caused by anger or a lost sense of power: The cause of depression usually stems from repressed anger and/or a feeling of the loss of power. By finding ways to feel powerful and in control in your life in other ways, you can reduce or eliminate your feelings of depression. Of course, taking solace in the fact that you are now prostate cancer-free can be another reason to show yourself how you are in control of your life.

Most importantly, remember that recovery after any type of surgery can be time-consuming and challenging. Give it time and take the right steps and your depression will likely go away on its own.

Depression - Causes And Remedies

Depression can take various forms. Some people lie in bed all day, others weep constantly while many people feel as if a large black cloud hovers overhead. Yet others are affected with physical symptoms and are left feeling exhausted by the simplest of acts and have insufficient energy to take a few steps. There are even reports of depression causing blindness.

Depression is often difficult to diagnose and the usual treatment, on diagnosis, is the prescription of mind altering drugs, some of which have been found to be extremely addictive. Counselling is now a popular treatment, including cognitive behavioural therapy. Such treatment needs to be undertaken on a regular basis which is not always available to some patients due to a lack of funds and counsellors. Private treatment is, of course, always available but at a price.

Counselling can be extremely effective when carried out regularly and has the added benefit of being drug free. A counsellor will listen to the patient's problems without being judgemental. He or she then gently guides the patient to view his/her problems from a different perspective, thus enabling the patient to cope more efficiently. For someone who has experienced a major life changing event such as losing a home, counselling may not always work. Being asked to view that experience from a different perspective is sometimes easier said than done. Losing one's home is a traumatic event and no amount of counselling will help the patient to view it as anything other than disastrous, let alone trivial. The only comfort available from such counselling sessions for the patient may be in the realisation that many others are in the same boat. This knowledge alone can help the patient to understand that he/she is not completely isolated thereby sometimes helping the patient to feel less vulnerable which can be of considerable benefit.

Everyone should be aware of certain symptoms which may indicate depression. You may feel constantly tired, irritable or lack motivation. Loss of energy or changes in sleeping habits such as experiencing difficulty in sleeping, sleeping too much or waking too early can all signal the onset of depression. In addition, feelings of guilt and low self-esteem are particularly common as is the inability to make decisions. Suicidal tendencies and thoughts of death are almost always indicative of depression. `Post Partum depression is a type of depression which sometimes occurs in women who have recently given birth but can take up to a year to manifest itself. The symptoms are typical of most depressive disorders. Often there is no single cause of depression as it often results from several factors. Many people are unable to pinpoint a particular reason for feeling depressed. We know that during depression physical changes take place in the brain which proves that depression is not all in the mind.

Research has established that there is a chemical imbalance which affects the way in which signals are transmitted to the brain and nervous system. The chemicals involved are known as neurotransmitters. We also know that relationships, the death of someone close and financial problems can all contribute to depression. So also can life changing events such as marriage, employment and moving house which is reputed to be one of the most stressful events in life apart from death and divorce. Severe health problems can be another factor which can lead to depression due to stresses and strains which accompany ill-health, thus weakening the immune system.

Depression can strike at anytime and makes no distinction between rich and poor, young and old although women are twice as likely as men to succumb to depression. Hormonal changes in women caused by adolescence, the onset of periods, pregnancy and the change of life are thought to play a large part in the incidence of depression. Men suffer considerably less from depression than women but men often refuse to seek help. Consequently the condition frequently remains undiagnosed. This often leads men to turn to drug or alcohol in an attempt to conceal the condition. It should give us serious pause for reflection to learn that men are 25% more likely to commit suicide than women.

Elderly people are also prone to suffer from depression but they often attribute depressive symptoms to the ageing process. They are therefore at considerable risk of not receiving suitable treatment to alleviate their feelings of depression.

It is important to emphasise that anyone who feels depressed or down for more than a couple of weeks should see a doctor as the symptoms could point to a depressive illness. Many different drugs are available today which can help enormously in the treatment of depression and are free from the addictive effects associated with previous drugs. Overcoming depression can take time and effort and may seem insurmountable at times but please believe me it can be done. I know from personal experience that depression can be conquered so, however low you may be feeling right now you must never give up. There is a light at the end of the tunnel no matter how dark it seems at this moment.

Depression - The Secret Of

The secret of depression is that it is a none life threatening condition being treated by the medical industry with mood alternating drugs which can threaten you life, even destroy your life and are very profitable for them. None life threatening means that the depression will not directly cause your body to not function and die as with cancer or heart disease. This depression treatment seems validated by the fact that at first the symptoms are treated fast and the problem seems to be solved. The problems begin later when more or stronger drugs must be taken to mask the original depression or the original problem.

The long term effects of taking these drugs along with the drug side effects is the dependence on the drugs to be able to relate to others as close to normal as possible. Depression is caused by stress, life style, difficult problems, diet and others which cause our brain to use up it supply of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are a chemical messenger used by neuron (nerve cells) to communicate in the brain . This is why with most of us can correct our depression with a vacation. Time, diet and lack of 24/7 stress is the answer for most of us. Given these our body can corrects the chemical imbalance which causes unclear or incorrect messages which we call depression.

The reason that more or stronger drugs are needed for the long term treatment of the symptoms of depression is that our bodies are self adjusting with lots of the automatic functions out of our control. Such as the productions of neurotransmitters and breathing. These drugs cause the brain to function with less neurotransmitters, which seems like a good thing until the body decides that the demand for neurotransmitters has dropped and less is needed and produces less. This causes a cycle of more drugs and less production of neurotransmitters, and a downward spiral into deeper and deeper depression. This vacation solution seems simple, but the application is impossible.

To get the nutrition necessary from our over used, mineral depleted and over processed food supply would take more foods than one could eat. And the 24/7 stress is so much a part of our life that we do not know how or do not want to change. The ideal solution is to give the body what it needs to make and replace the neurotransmitters which are causing you to be depressed. This involves large doses of natural nutrition designed to give the body the means and way to correct the chemical imbalance.

Depression - Vitamins As Treatment

Depression is difficult to diagnose and treat but still far more difficult to live with on a daily basis. There are a variety of treatments that may benefit your Depression but what may help you may not work for another person. We will discuss what Depression is and what some of the symptoms are. We will then discuss the use of vitamins as a treatment and the benefits of their use.

Depression explained

Depression is more than feeling sad for a couple of the days it's more that the sadness is intense and long lasting. Typically if these feelings of sadness last for more than two weeks you should talk to your doctor. It could be depression but it could also be something more physical and the physical causes should be checked out first. Depression can be very debilitating at its worst.

Symptoms and Causes of Depression

If you are depressed you may lose interest in previously enjoyed activities. You may find yourself shying away from family and friends. Listlessness may keep you from being able to do every day things such as personal hygiene or household tasks. You can be assured that you are not alone.

Some experience feeling like they are moving in slow motion or are watching their lives as if in slow motion. They may feel like they are worthless or of no value. They may think "Why should anyone love me- I can't do anything right?" Others may also experience suicidal thoughts or even attempt it. If this is true of you or someone you know seek help immediately.

Causes include trauma, serious injury, death of someone close to you, losses of job, a pet, or life events like getting divorced and moving may all trigger depressive symptoms. Abuse and chronic illness could also be the catalyst for Depression.

Vitamins as treatment

Vitamins as most are aware are necessary for optimum health. There are some vitamins that seem to be better at treating depression than others. This in no way diminishes the value of other vitamins.

B vitamins seem to figure prominently in treating Depression and are most often found in supplements. Some of the B vitamins such as Biotin can stand alone as a treatment for not only Depression, but Diabetes (may lower blood sugar values) and other illnesses as well. It supports efficient usage of energy and also supports the synthesis of nucleic acid and fatty acids. It aids the metabolism of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Your supply of B vitamins must be replaced every day as they are water soluble and pass through our bodies in urine.

In supplements for Depression, vitamins are blended with herbs and other nutritive agents in a specific formula. These can be classified as natural and have few if any side effects.

Top quality supplements for Depression are studied extensively. The metabolic pathways of the ingredients are evaluated at the molecular level. The ingredients' interactions should be monitored. They should also be made to pharmaceutical standards. This tells you of their safety, effectiveness, and their potency.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that Depression cannot go untreated even it is fairly mild. More serious cases definitely should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible after it is discovered that someone is suffering with depressive symptoms. For those who prefer to use natural treatments including vitamins there are supplements available that may be effective.

Antidepressant Depression Treatments

Antidepressant Depression treatments are very effective in treating depressive symptoms. There are classes of these medications and each class works in their own way on the chemicals in the brain thought to control mood. Each one also comes with its own set of side effects as well.

Classes of Antidepressant Depression Treatments

Trycyclic antidepressants affect the levels of two neuro-transmitters in the brain; Serotonin and Norepinephrine. This class has the most serious side effects and if used it is only for the most serious of cases. It is not the first choice of action.

MAOIs - monomine oxidase inhibitors is an early form of anti-depressant. These drugs are often used for patients who do not respond to other treatments. They are also effective in the treatment of other mental illnesses. Those who are taking these drugs are kept on a strict diet because there may be negative interactions with particular foods.

SSRIs - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors is a newer form of anti-depressant. They work by changing the amounts of Serotonin in the brain. This class has fewer side effects and is generally well tolerated. Lower doses of these drugs mean less intolerance.

SSNRIs - Selective Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors work slightly differently. These drugs increase the amounts of Serotonin and Norepinephrine that are available to the brain.

Newer classes have been and are being developed. One class is called Atypical Cyclics. This class included the drugs Desyril and Wellbutrin. Booster drugs are a new trend. They are drugs that are given along with a primary anti-depressant to enhance the primary drug's effects.

Though many of the newer classes of drugs have fewer side effects than older antidepressants, they are not without their side effects. Many people want to avoid such serious reactions. There is an increasing trend to more natural types of Depression treatments. Herbal supplementation is one natural treatment.

Conclusion

In the herbal supplements, specific herbs known to affect mood are blended with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutritive substance to enhance their effect on your mood. To ensure the safety, potency, and efficacy of the supplement, they should have been put through rigorous testing: the metabolic paths of the ingredients are tested at the molecular level and the interactions of the ingredients will have been tested as well. The most effective supplements are made to pharmacy grade.

The variety of treatments available including anti-depressant depression treatments enables you to make an informed choice with consultation with your physician. You can take charge of your treatment. You can be successful and happy.

Mental Health - Why Does Depression Hurt?

That television advertisement that asks; 'Where does depression hurt?' And the answer, 'Everywhere,' is painfully true, (no pun intended).

But why does depression hurt? After all, it's a mental illness, isn't it? So why do I keep having aches and pains for no apparent reason? Well, yes, it is mental, but it marches in lockstep to your physical make-up. By marching in lockstep, I mean that although depression is partly mental, and this is evidenced by, and in the way that, depressives dream, it has a direct bearing on our physical well-being.

Some years ago, when I suffered major, or clinical, depression, I used to have the most peculiar and vivid dreams. Until I learned more about depression, I had no idea at all that these dreams were actually the cause of my feeling aches and pains all over my body during my waking hours. The point is that people with depression dream three times as much as those who don't suffer from the condition.

The depression-free person dreams about two hours a night, two hours in twenty four, if you like. The depressive, on the other hand. dreams three times that amount. Six hours in twenty four, so he or she spends no less than a quarter of their life dreaming!

The unfortunate part is, though, that while they're dreaming, they're not having the deep, restful sleep that their bodies need to repair themselves. They're in the Rapid Eye Movement, or REM, sleep stage, which is when you dream. To put it very basically, you dream in order that the brain can flush away all the old rubbish that's been built up by your thinking during the previous day. Hardly a medical description, but since the question is; 'Why does depression hurt?' and not the causes of depression, this description will suffice for the moment.

The important point is that the depressive goes through the night in the REM sleep stage for six hours, and a mere two hours in deep sleep. With the non-depressive, this is reversed. Now, because the person with depression is only having two hours, (if they're lucky), of good, deep sleep, their bodies are simply not receiving the rest that they so desperately need. There's nothing restful about the REM sleep stage. It's called Rapid Eye Movement because your eyeballs are constantly moving very quickly from side to side as you dream.

Another problem, and another reason for the aches and pains, is that your serotonin levels drop. Serotonin helps to keep your pain threshold up, so when the levels drop, you become far more susceptible to pain and chronic fatigue.

The big mistake is in thinking that serotonin, or the lack of, is the factor that causes depression. This is totally wrong.

But that's why depression hurts. Too much REM dream sleep and vastly insufficient deep sleep, with a corresponding drop in serotonin levels. Hence, aches and pains.

Clinical Signs of Teenage Depression in Teenage Girls

Clinical signs of depression in teenage girls can be hard to recognize and decipher based on normal expressions and actions most teenage girls exhibit from day to day. But, with teenage suicide in girls on the rise, parents must remain alert and never take anything for granted. Teenage depression is real and can be serious.

As hard as teenage depression is to recognize, it's harder still for the teen to cope with. The majority of teenage girls who experience severe depression and don't receive help often have a much higher chance of falling in with the wrong crowd, failing in school, getting involved in drugs, becoming promiscuous and attempting suicide.

Additionally, teenagers who experience depression and don't receive help may retain some portion of the illness for the remainder of their lives. Recognizing the clinical signs of depression in teenage girls and obtaining medical help for those who exhibit these signs should be the focus of every parent of every teenage girl.

Clinical Signs Of Depression In Teenage Girls

The clinical signs of depression in teenage girls often border on everyday emotions, but, if the following signs persist for more than a week, you and your daughter should visit a doctor:

Social Awkwardness And Isolation: When a teenage girl finds herself unable to blend into social engagements without feelings of inferiority, she becomes vulnerable to depression. Peer pressure and the fear of rejection are extremely difficult on teenagers. Teens who are socially awkward tend to avoid social situations. Her loss of interest might indicate that she feels like an outcast or thinks she is unworthy of love.

Sadness, Death And Thoughts Of Suicide: Teen girls seem to have a hard time dealing with sadness and issues pertaining to death. A death in the family can cause a teen girl to slip into depression as quickly as can the death of a pet or the loss of a friendship or breaking up with a boyfriend. If your child seems sad or withdrawn or has suicidal thoughts, pay attention and seek medical help.

Low Self-Esteem: Often when teenage girls become depressed, they are accepted into groups that also seem to be dysfunctional on some level or are involved in drugs and promiscuous behavior. When this happens, she may feel this type of group is the only kind of love she is capable of receiving or worthy of receiving.

Anxiety, Anger, Irritability And Despair: These are classic signs of depression. Documenting your child's mood swings can be as time-consuming as it can be monotonous, but, if your child won't open up to you, this may be the only way to understand what might be going on inside your child's head. If your child throws tantrums, becomes hostile and/or cannot seem to control her emotions, you may be looking at the first indications of depression.

Poor Performance And Poor Concentration: School grades can decline as concentration and focus becomes scattered.

Disrupted Sleep Patterns, Ill Health And Loss of Energy: Whenever sleep patterns are disrupted, signs of fatigue generally follow. Complaints of headaches, stomachaches and other physical ailments may also be heard.

Loss Of Appetite: Not eating or binge eating can occur.

Guilt: Overwhelming feelings of guilt or hopelessness may also be indicators that your child needs intervention.

Because each child is different and because there are often outside influences and precursors to this disease, such as genetics and peer pressure, never take anything for granted. Because genetics plays a part in this equation, if you or your spouse or someone else in the family has experienced some form of depression, your child may be genetically wired for some of the same illnesses. Therefore, if your child exhibits any of these signs or engages in behaviors unusual for her, seek the advice of your child's physician.

Coping With Depression

The first and most important thing to do when you suspect some form of depression in you child is to seek medical attention. A trained professional can tell you what signs to look for and when these signs are indicative of an illness.

In order to learn when issues are too much for your daughter to handle, pay attention to her mood swings and learn from her emotional outbursts or moments of isolation. A child who suddenly becomes quiet and seeks safe harbor in her room may be dealing with overwhelming issues that might welcome your input. And whenever a teenage girl becomes obsessed with death or experiments with any form of mutilation to her own body such as cutting or burning herself it's time for you to obtain professional help.

Ways To Prevent Depression In Teen Girls

Parents are placed in a tough spot. The average adult isn't trained to recognize the signs of depression in teenage girls, and sometimes the signs are so minute even parents who are sensitive to their daughter's personality don't see depression for what it is. The best way to understand there's something going on with your daughter is to know your daughter as well as you can. Keep the family close-knit by engaging in activities together as a family, but also set aside time for just you and your daughter. Moms who spend time shopping with their daughter or enjoying other activities together often form a strong connection.

Also, daughters can and should bond with their fathers. As the father of a teenage girl, you can bond in the same way she and her mother bonded, or you can find other ways to spend time together. For instance, take on the responsibility of teaching your daughter to drive. In the process, teach her the mechanics of a car how to fix a tire, how to change the oil and how to pump gas, or spend time with her while teaching her about one of your own personal hobbies. Share of yourself with her, and most of the time she will share of herself with you in return. A teenage girl who has someone to open up to when she has a problem will already have a defense mechanism in place when problems soar. Another teenage girl who does not have this mechanism in place will have a harder time dealing with issues and may end up becoming seriously depressed.

Depression and Major Depression

Many people will be surprised when they find out that I have suffered major depression for most of my life. Although there are many types of depression, they are usually distinguished between depression and major depression.

By the time I had reached my early twenties I had suffered at least three episodes of depression. Over the next thirty years I had multiple breakdowns and was diagnosed with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).I had been treated for it with medications and most of the time it seemed successful at least until the next occurrence.

Each episode seemed to get longer and more difficult to deal with. In 2003 it lasted for a three month period and I found that it strange that it had started in the summer, questioning the SAD theory that I had been given.

In the summer of 2006 the depression returned again this time the episode was not going to go away and again was during the summer months. I started seeking answers to what was going on. How could I have SAD when I seemed to start these occurrences during the sunny days. The medical professionals decided to go back into my file and re-examine there diagnosis. They realized that I actually had been suffering major depression bi-polar disease and we began a treatment program.

I only wish that I had questioned three years earlier the diagnosis that I was given it may have saved me the past two and a half years that I have had to undergo an emotional rollercoaster. We tried multiple medications and each one took months to find out if they were going to work or have to start again with the process.

When I was struggling to find answers I found some of the following information regarding depression. I hope this will make others understand how difficult this disease truly is either to live with or have someone in your family suffering with it.

"Major depressive disorder, also known as major depression, unipolar depression, clinical depression, or simply depression, is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive low mood and loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. The diagnosis is made if a person has suffered one or more major depressive episodes. Diagnosis is based on the patient's self-reported experiences and observed behavior. There is no laboratory test for major depression, although physicians often test for physical conditions that may cause similar symptoms before arriving at a diagnosis. The course varies widely, from a one-off occurrence to a lifelong disorder with recurrent episodes." As per the Wikipidia.

But how does that possibly affect us and what kind of symptoms should we be looking at?

According to many psychiatric professionals any change or increase in any of the following should be reported to your physician.

- DELAY IN FALLING ASLEEP AND RESTLESS SLEEPING

- WAKING UP TO EARLY

- SLEEPING TOO MUCH

- FEELING SAD

- FEELING OVERPOWERED

- DECREASED OR INCREASED APPETITE

- SUDDEN LOSS/GAIN OF WEIGHT

- CONCENTRATION/DECISION MAKING

- DECREASED SELF ESTEEM

- THOUGHTS OF DEATH OR SUICIDE

- LACK OF INTEREST

- ENERGY LEVEL

- FEELING RESTLESS

- FEELING LIKE MOVING OR SPEAKING IS MUCH SLOWER

Depression can make you feel hopeless and helpless. But by taking the first step -deciding to get treatment-can make all the difference

Medical care is the ONLY Answer! Seek a professional for there assistance.

It is believed that there are many reasons that people suffer debilitating depression. Feelings of depression are caused by a chemical change that affects how the brain functions.

The brain is made up of billions of nerve cells called neurons. These neurons send and receive messages from the rest of your body, using brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

These brain chemicals-in varying amounts-are responsible for our emotional state. Depression happens when these chemical messages aren't delivered correctly between brain cells which lead to disrupting communication.

The good news is that there are many forms of treatment that can help you cope with depression, including medications that can strengthen weak signals by raising the levels of certain neurotransmitters, or by improving the neurons' ability to process signals. This ensures that the brain's vital messages are received.

Who Gets Depression?

Although depression can make you feel alone many people will suffer some form of depression in their lifetime. While depression can affect anyone, its effect may vary depending on your age and gender.

Women are almost twice as likely to become depressed as men. The higher risk may be due partly to hormonal changes brought on by puberty, menstruation, menopause, and pregnancy. The most common time of onset is between the ages of 30 and 40, with a later peak between 50 and 60. The condition appears to be more common in women.

Men. Although their risk for depression is lower, men are more likely to go undiagnosed and less likely to speak up and get help. They may show the typical symptoms of depression, but are more likely to be angry and hostile or to mask their condition with alcohol or drug abuse. Suicide is an especially serious risk for men with depression, who are four times more likely than women to kill themselves.

Elderly. Older people may lose loved ones and have to adjust to living alone. They may become physically ill and unable to be as active as they once were. These changes can all contribute to depression. Loved ones may attribute the signs of depression to the normal results of aging, and many older people are reluctant to talk about their symptoms. As a result, older people may not receive treatment for their depression.

Children. Age does not discriminate when it comes to depression. The family structure has changed causing additional stresses to family. Children are affected by the social pressures that they now feel. Bullying, abuse by others, pressures to succeed all add to the reasons that many children are affected. Symptoms should be looked for by the parent. Suicide is rising amongst this age group due to depression.

DEPRESSION DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE

IT'S NOT A RARE DISEASE

I found some great information regarding the Definition of Manic-depression also known as Major Depression.

Manic-depression: Alternating moods of abnormal highs (mania) and lows (depression) is called bipolar disease because of the swings between these opposing poles in mood. Bi-Polar is a type of depressive disease that is not nearly as prevalent as other forms of depressive disorders.

Sometimes the mood switches are dramatic and rapid, but most often they are gradual. Mania often affects thinking, judgment, and social behavior in ways that cause serious problems and embarrassment. For example, unwise business or financial decisions may be made when an individual is in a manic phase. Bipolar disorder is often a chronic recurring condition.

A mild to moderate level of mania is called hypomania. Hypomania may feel good to the person who experiences it and may even be associated with good functioning and enhanced productivity. Thus even when family and friends learn to recognize the mood swings as possible bipolar disorder, the person may deny that anything is wrong. Without proper treatment, however, hypomania can become severe mania in some people or can switch into depression

.

Most people with bipolar disorder -- even those with the most severe forms -- can achieve substantial stabilization of their mood swings and related symptoms with proper treatment. Because bipolar disorder is a recurrent illness, long-term preventive treatment is strongly recommended and almost always indicated. A strategy that combines medication and psychosocial treatment is optimal for managing the disorder over time. Medications known as "mood stabilizers" usually are prescribed to help control bipolar disorder.

There are several different types of mood stabilizers are available such as Lithium, valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine, gabapentin and topiramate.

As an addition to medication, psychosocial treatments -- including certain forms of psychotherapy (or "talk" therapy) -- are helpful in providing support, education, and guidance to people with bipolar disorder and their families. Studies have shown that psychosocial interventions can lead to increased mood stability, fewer hospitalizations, and improved functioning in several areas. Psychosocial interventions commonly used for bipolar disorder are cognitive behavioral therapy, psycho education, family therapy, and a newer technique, interpersonal and social rhythm therapy.

Treatment DOES Work! Seek help from a professional and start getting your life back or help your family member get the help that they deserve. They really do want to feel better.... Trust me. Depression hurts everyone!

My Top 10 Tips For Recovering From Depression and Anxiety

I suffered from depression badly for years, years of being stuck in a never ending nightmare. I was in psychiatric hospital three times between the ages of 23-29 for prolonged stays, and little did I think back then that I would make a recovery to the level that I have today.

These days I am in good form much more often than I am down. I also think that the quality of my happiness is very good when I am happy, which is most of the time. My depression symptoms are practically non-existent now, I am happy today and am very optimistic about the future, despite all of the gloom and doom in the media.

The following top 10 tips for recovering from depression are not theory - they have been hammered out on the anvil of experience, for me, who has been a chronic sufferer of severe depression and anxiety.

Will they work for you? I do not know, but my guess is "yes".

Some people reading this may think "what an order, I can't do this!", well all that I will say is that if you WANT to recover, and you really have to WANT it, you need to become an opposite, you need to slowly change the way that you live and also very importantly the way that you relate to yourself.

1. If you drink too much or use drugs and it is making you depressed or anxious (or covering up your depression) and cannot stop then go to Alcoholics Anonymous, or Narcotics Anonymous, and most importantly, don't judge it on the first few meetings. This is a vitally important piece of advice. This fellowship is an amazing gift that has been given to me. Make lots of friends there. Over time watch your anxiety and depression evaporate into thin air.

2. Use Udo's Choice vegetable oils (as directed) or a quality Fish Oil supplement (2 grams a day) - this will help to repair your brain, and help to heal your body in all aspects.

3. Consider becoming a vegetarian or vegan - Eat lots of grains, legumes, pulses, nuts, fruit and vegetables. Eating meat and dairy products is very bad for you. A vegetarian or vegan diet will help you recover much more than you think. You'll also be slimmer, feel more energetic and will be much less at risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke.

4. Drink LOTS of mineral water. You cannot heal or live healthily without consuming lots of pure water.

5. Exercise - Take a walk regularly, in the countryside if you can. This will lift your spirits immensely.

6. Quit caffeine - that means coffee and tea and cola drinks if you drink them - caffeine has a very pronounced effect on all anxiety and depressive illnesses, there are too many negative effects to list here. Research it for yourself - just Google "caffeine negative effects" and you'll see what I mean.

7. Do this one thing and it will MASSIVELY aid your recovery - I cannot stress this enough - Look into the mirror once per day, look into your own eyes, and repeat three times "I love and respect you ___________ exactly as you are" (replace ___________ with your own first name). Most people will see a positive result within a day or two, and over the longer term, this will have a HUGE impact on your self-esteem, confidence and your overall mood.

8. If you are into reading, which I am, then instead of reading "how to get better from depression" books, read Osho and Eckhart Tolle instead. Their teachings are very powerful. And they have loads of audio programs also.

9. See your doctor regularly - those who do have a much better chance of a full recovery.

10. Get an Alpha Stim SCS - this will "wake up" your brain from its foggy slumber. It will re-balance your brain chemistry. Use it lots at the start (the first few weeks) and thereafter every day or every second day.

Depression Article

Depression treatment can be through lifestyle changes, therapy, medications and other alternative treatments. Lifestyle changes are simple but effective. The changes include regular exercise which provides a natural mood lifting and other chemical changes in your body. A regular balanced diet is crucial for your physical and mental health.

Having the right amount of sleep is important because it has a great effect on your mood. Having strong social networks is also important because it helps in reducing isolation. Isolation is a risk factor for the condition. Too much stress exacerbates depression and therefore you should device ways that help to reduce and manage stress.

Therapy is another depression treatment. It helps to treat this condition from several angles. It gives you skills and insights that can help you prevent the recurrence of the illness. The three most common types of therapy that are used to treat this condition are cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy and psychodynamic therapy. Often, a blended approach is normally used.

Therapy can teach you some practical techniques on how you can re-frame negative thinking and work through the root cause of your condition. It can also empower you with behavioral skills that can help in combating the condition. Therapy helps you to understand why you feel in a certain way. It also helps you to understand the triggers of your situation. Through therapy, you will understand what you need to do to stay healthy.

There are also medications that can be used in depression treatment. These medications normally help relieve some of the symptoms but they do not cure the root cause of the problem. Antidepressant medications may have side effects and safety concerns. Alternative treatments for depression include relaxation techniques and acupuncture.

Depression Help

Depression: It's a shell of a word, drained of its meaning through overuse. Missing your morning bus is depressing. The evening news is depressing. The word doesn't even begin to communicate the reality of the clinical disorder that affects millions of Americans each day. This isn't the blues, the occasional sadness that visits every life; this is the dark swamp of despair. It can be life threatening: I5 percent of people who are clinically depressed kill themselves. And it is a woman's disease, striking one out of every five women- twice as many women as men. If you're a typical woman today, your risk of becoming clinically depressed is double your risk of developing breast cancer, yet most women ignore this problem as if it was a petty annoyance to be borne by all.

There are two acknowledged forms of depression: endogenous and exogenous depression. Endogenous depression is of biochemical origin. Neurotransmitters(chemicals that transmit nerve impulses across synapses) in the brain that are responsible for mood elevation become unbalanced for unknown reasons. A decrease in the amount of these neurotransmitters gives rise to outward expressions of depression. If not treated, endogenous depression may become chronic. Exogenous depression, on the other hand, is usually caused by an external event such as the loss of something or someone of great value. Victims of exogenous depression can slide into chronic depression if they are unable to work through the grieving process necessary for overcoming event-related depression.

Are You Depressed? Sadness and despair are the main indicators of depression. The following are among the more common symptoms that a person may experience.

Loss of motivation or interest in pleasurable activities.

Preoccupation with failures and inadequacies; concern over what others are thinking.

Difficulty concentrating; indecisiveness; memory lapses.

Loss of sex drive or interest in close interactions with others.

Fatigue and loss of energy; slow reactions.

Sleeping too much or too little; insomnia.

Feeling agitated, worthless, or hopeless.

Withdrawal from friends and families.

Diminished or increased appetite.

Recurring thoughts that life isn't worth living, thoughts of death or suicide.

Significant weight loss or weight gain.

A person who is depressed may display any or all of these symptoms. Sometimes he may mask his symptoms with a forced, upbeat sense of humor or high energy levels that are deceptive. Usually, the depressed person suffers from low self-esteem, loneliness, or detachment. Communication may cease or seem frantic at times. The people who are suffered from depression, they can take the help of natural depression remedy, which is very much helpful to get relieved from depression.

The Depressed Man - Is a Testosterone Deficiency the Cause of His Depression?

Testosterone deficiency is one of the undiagnosed causes for depression in men.

Testosterone is known as the 'male' hormone, the hormone that gives assertiveness, sex drive, and mental and physical energy. It also helps maintain muscle and bone growth. When there's a testosterone deficiency not enough testosterone is produced to meet the body's needs. It's common to hear people joke about men with 'too much testosterone' as being over aggressive and assertive. And while too much testosterone can be a problem, low testosterone also brings along issues. These issues are both physical and mental.

Testosterone deficiency symptoms include increased body fat (obesity), decreased muscle mass and strength, erectile dysfunction and lowered sex drive. Another major sign of this hormone deficiency includes psychological changes including depression, fatigue, reduced assertiveness, poor memory and lowered self-esteem.

Recent scientific studies reveal that men with depression are nearly three times more likely to have low testosterone levels than men without depression. In addition, aging men with low testosterone levels are five times more likely to have symptoms of depression than men with normal testosterone.

The following questionnaire can be used as a screening tool for a testosterone deficiency.

1. Do you have a lack of energy?


2. Do you have a decrease in strength, endurance, or both?


3. Do you have loss in height?


4. Have you noticed a decrease in enjoyment in life?


5. Are you sad, grumpy, and/or irritable?


6. Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your ability to play sports?


7. Are you falling asleep after dinner?


8. Has there been a recent deterioration in your work performance?


9. Do you have a decrease in libido?


10. Are your erections less strong?

If you answer yes to more than half of these questions, then it may indicate that your testosterone levels are low.

As men go through the natural aging process they experience a decrease in testosterone at a rate of ten percent, per decade from the age of thirty. It has been shown that thirty percent of men after the age of fifty-five have a testosterone deficiency.

Because these hormone levels decline with age, it is often misinterpreted that the symptoms of a testosterone deficiency i.e. "depression, muscle loss, memory loss, lower sex drive", are just a normal part of the aging process. And although it is part of the aging process, you simply don't have to put up with the associated negative feelings and physical symptoms. A testosterone deficiency can be easily treated with testosterone medications. Injections, pellets and creams are available by prescription.

Depression and Experts

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 dysfunction 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.

Depression and Anxiety

After anxiety, depression is the most common mental health disorder. An estimated 10% of people who visit their doctors for what they think is physical problem are actually experiencing depression. But what if you have both depression and anxiety? Could this be possible to have both the number one and number two mental health disorders all wrapped up into one little package known as you? The answer is yes.

 

Definition of depression: A feeling of intense sadness that may follow a recent loss or other traumatic event that last longer than normal.

 

Definition of anxiety: Excessive frequent nervousness and worry lasting over 6 months.

 

Let's examine a number of symptoms of depression and see whether they could include a dose of anxiety.

 

*Low self esteem

*Low self confidence

*Lack of enthusiasm for doing activities

*Withdrawal from social activities

*Guilt about the past

*Irritability

*Decreased productivity

*Difficulty remembering

 

With each one of the above depression symptoms a case could be made that anxiety was either the cause or a by product of that particular depressive symptom.

 

Let's take a look at Sara who has been depressed for months due to the unexpected death of a close friend.

 

Sara has fallen deep and deeper into the grasp of depression since her tragic and traumatic loss over 6 months ago. She has quit going out with her faithful and handsome boyfriend James and her college grades have taken a turn for the worst. One afternoon James called to invite her out for a date. He proudly proclaimed that he had already made reservations at their favorite restaurant, and if she felt up to it, a movie. After initially saying "yes" she relented due to her low self esteem, recent weight gain, and the realization that she wasn't looking her best these days. After hanging up the phone Sara was upset, nervous, and frustrated with herself. She wondered whether James would ever call her again. Months have passed and James hasn't called leading Sara even deeper into the black hole known as depression.

 

The story above is a twisted tale of depression and anxiety. The fact is Sara really needs help but surprisingly new research suggests that 35% of teenagers and 40% or young adults reported having depressive symptoms for longer than two weeks. Only 12% of both groups reported attempting to find help. Amazingly, among those who had struggled depression for over 2 years only 15% sought out professional help.

 

Depression and anxiety are a serious combination that can lead to significant health risks including suicide. If you know anyone who needs help encourage them seek professional assistance, if only to talk about their situation.

 

Additionally, if you suffer from mild to moderate depression and anxiety a natural remedy could prove helpful. Natural remedies for depression are very safe and have been shown to be effective in supporting both emotional and mental health. If you are one of the millions who have this condition natural solutions for depression are an option worth considering.

Regrets Can Trigger Depression

Your body is a chemical factory fed by your thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions. Frequently thinking about past regrets is an entry way to a depressed mood. If you do it long enough and often enough you can trigger biochemical responses that lead to depression.

The Brain Is in the Now

Your body responds to everything as if it were happening right now. If you recall an incident from the past which you deeply regret, your body responds as if the incident was occurring now. By remembering something that frightened you, your body will respond with the fight or flight response as if you were currently in danger. The same is true if you anticipate something sad or traumatic, like the death of a loved one.

If you have a tendency to a depressed mood, or even what is called the blues, you need to be particularly aware of your own thoughts, including your memories of the past or what can be called pre-memories of the future. By being aware of such thoughts you may prevent chemical reactions resulting in depressed mood.

In addition, Medical science has found that your fears release chemicals which depress your immune system. This means that every time you are afraid, you have lowered the germ fighting abilities of your body.

Calming the Mind Calms the Body

Just as bringing to mind your regrets can lead to depression, so can focusing on your successes lift you from depression. You can focus on the good things of life and your body will respond as if those are happening right now. Scientists have found that good thoughts improve the strength of your immune system.

Calming the mind also strengthens your immune system. One way to do this is through meditation. This works well for people who are spiritual connected. If you don't have a spiritual connection, you can still calm your mind and improve your immune system through methods similar to meditation, deep breathing and focusing on neutral or positive thoughts or images.

A Calm Mind Can Relieve Depressed Feelings

When you are down it's more difficult to stay away from your regrets. When you are calm you are able to think more clearly. You are able to stay in the present and not let your negative thoughts run rampant. The more clear headed you are the more able you are to lift yourself from feelings of depression. Regrets fall into the background and you're better able to focus on that which brings you pleasure and joy.

How To Recognize The Signs of Depression!

Depression is not only painful for the individual affected; it can also bring much pain to the individual's family. This is because the individual will normally shut himself off from any kind of communication with others, preferring to leave himself/herself isolated. This will leave family and friends bewildered by the individuals actions and leave them wondering what they can do.

Fortunately, there are some signs that an individual is struggling with depression that you can look out for. These warning signs can help you identify if a friend or loved one may have a problem and if you suspect there may be a problem, you can get them some help early on.

Some of these depression symptoms will be quite clear and others will be harder to spot. Some people who have depression will act as extroverts and freely mix with people making it hard to spot a problem with them. They're outgoing around people, but inside they feel disinterested in life. However, everybody who is suffering with depression will display various signs of depression; it's just about knowing what to look out for.

Depressed people who try to hide their depression by smiling and acting happy can be hard to spot. But it is possible to look behind their phony smiles. Normally when a person smiles, their smiles will reach their eyes too; you know they are happy! However, when a person's smile isn't genuine, the smile won't reach their eyes. You know they aren't happy or really enjoying themselves. This can be a sign of depression, if you notice the person is acting this way regularly.

Some other warning signs you should watch out for will include a person who feels worthless, not being able to concentrate, regularly taking about death, not able to hold a job down. You shouldn't have too much difficulty recognizing if an individual is suffering from depression after chatting with them for a little while.

Depression can be a serious illness that as led to death on too many occasions. If your concerned about a friend or a loved one. Spend some time with them and talk to them about how they feel. Taking the time to listen too them and helping them could save so much potential heartache.

Are You Unable to Fight Off Depression? - Here Are 2 Ways to Beat It

Depression can be very tough to handle. It is a period of life when you don't feel like doing even important tasks. Getting out of bed each morning becomes very tough. Going off to work will be hard. You won't feel like smiling or socializing.

Everybody of us might have gone through these feelings sometimes in their life. If these feelings do not occur frequently, then probably there is nothing to worry about. But when the frequency of such feelings increases, then we need to start taking some steps to correct the situation.

Now is the time to find out how to get over these feelings of depression. We need to think up of ways to lift our mood and carry on with our work. In this article, let us discuss some of the top ways you can employ to fight depression and beat it off.

Ways to Beat Depression:

The first thing you can do is to remind yourself that depressive feelings usually do not last for long. They go away even if you don't do anything about them. Remind yourself constantly that this condition is not permanent. You are soon going to get over this and feel joyful again. In this way you can get over your fear of depression soon.

When you constantly remind yourself, it will serve as a kind of assurance that things will soon be normal and okay. You need to be polite while reminding yourself - just the same way as someone advices their dear friend who is going through a rough patch.

The trick here is to become your own friend. You can even seek support of other people like your spouse, colleagues or old friends. But if you don't find any supportive person, even then there is no worry, as you can be your own adviser and friend.

Another trick is to divert your mind. Your mind cannot fully concentrate on 2 different things at the same time. When it is absorbed in one thing, it will forget another one.

So, one of the best ways to beat depression is to get busy with something constructive and useful. Start enjoying your work, and work more passionately. Do something which is beneficial not just to yourself but to others as well. You might even volunteer for any work which serves the society.

When you get busy with something useful, then your mind can be diverted away from those negative thoughts. It will now have something better to focus on. You will feel happy that you are doing something that is beneficial to others.

Depression and Socializing

It can sometimes be hard to meet people. It is hard to get out, hard to feel comfortable in strange situations, hard to know what to say. The gut instinct is to, when going out, be quiet and nervous, not say anything for fear of getting laughed at. Or to get a drink, get drunk and let happen what will be. Neither solution is particularly conducive to successfully meeting people. Especially if you are on medication. It is important to stress that if you are on medication, alcohol might be detrimental.

That said, the physical act of holding a drink might be calming. The first thing to try would be a soda. You can drink as much of it as you want, without many ill effects. It also may act as a placebo, where you can feel comfortable having a drink in your hand without needing to have something that might intoxicate you. If you need to have a drink, limit yourself to one.

The second step is to get involved in conversations. Pick someone who looks friendly and try to join in a conversation with them. It might be easier to join in while they are talking with other people. This way, you can find a conversation that you are comfortable in and establish yourself when you are on steady ground. It's nerve-wracking to join a group and conversation, so why try and do it in an area that you know nothing about. Following these steps will get you in the right direction.

How Do You Know If You're Depressed?

Every one of us feels unhappy, bitter or disappointed from time to time. While such emotions shouldn't be ignored, they don't necessarily mean that you're suffering from depression. It's also easy to confuse certain age-related changes with depression for example, if you're sleeping fewer hours than you used to, this may simply be a normal part of growing older and not a warning sign of depression.

You should seek medical advice if.

* You develop new signs and symptoms that trouble you most of the day, nearly every day, for a period of two weeks or longer.

* You experience significant weight loss not due to dieting, or significant weight gain, i.e, more than 5 percent of your total body weight in a month (if you normally weigh 150 pounds, this means a gain or loss of eight pounds within a month).

* You experience memory loss, confused thinking or difficulty concentrating.

* You experience persistent depressed feelings and physical symptoms after being diagnosed with a serious or chronic illness, or following bereavement.

* You have recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), thoughts of suicide with out a specific plan, or a specific plan for committing suicide.

How Is Depression Diagnosed?

The good news about depression is that for most people, treatment can significantly relieve and even cure your symptoms. But before treatment can start, it's absolutely vital that the problem is properly recognized.

Sometimes people go to their doctor complaining that they feel depressed. In many cases, however, depression is diagnosed after you've sought help for a problem such as insomnia, digestive upset, headache or nervousness.

Your doctor may sometimes want to rule out underlying disease that might be causing these symptoms, so you may be asked to undergo a physical examination, including laboratory analysis of blood and urine. She will review your current medications, question you about your general mood and observe you for clues that may suggest depression slowed speech and gestures, restless motions such as hand wringing or pacing, stooped posture, irritability, a sad or empty expression, tearfulness or an unkempt appearance.

How Is Depression Treated?

Older people who suffer from depression tend to experience more rapid physical and mental deterioration than a younger person with the same illness. That's why depression in an older adult requires prompt and vigorous treatment, usually in the form of medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of medication and psychotherapy.

In some cases your family doctor or a geriatric specialist may be able to treat you for depression. But if your depression is incapacitating, if it doesn't respond to treatment, if it reoccurs or is accompanied by suicidal thoughts, you will probably be referred to a psychiatrist. The best specialist is a geriatric psychiatrist if one is available in your community or a psychiatrist with experience in treating older adults.

How to Support People With Depression

Depression is quite a common word amongst people as it is the second most occurring disease in human beings. It is a mental disease that affects millions all over the world. Right from kids, adolescents, adults and old people can suffer from this serious mental illness. People suffering from depression generally found in the state of sadness and blues. Depression has so many types associated with it. Some of the types of depression are very dangerous and some of them are mild. Women are more susceptible to depression. The exact cause of depression has still not been discovered, researches are still going on to find out the exact reason. However it is believed that depression is due to the chemical imbalances in the brain system. People suffering with depression commonly exhibit following symptoms:

1. Sadness and irritation almost all day.

2. Loss of energy or fatigue.

3. Socially inactive.

4. Decreased interest in daily activities that generally enjoyed by sufferer in the normal life

5. The feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness and helplessness trouble the sufferer almost all day long.

6. They find it difficult to get off to sleep, they usually sleep too less or too much (exceptional case).

7. They find themselves inferior amongst others because of lower self esteem.

8. Poor appetite, because of which they might gain or loose significant amount of weight.

9. Headache and abdominal pain is another symptom that people suffering from depression usually exhibit.

10. Suicidal tendencies are also observed in depressed people.

People with depression usually exhibit 5 to 6 of the above listed symptoms. They need to seek immediate help as soon as they find themselves suffering from these symptoms. If proper treatment not sought at the right time, the affects may disrupt their lives. People suffering from depression need plenty of support from friends, family, relatives or neighbors. Following are the ways you can support people with depression:

1. People suffering from depression need your emotional support if you are his family or friends. Engage the depressed person in conversation to divert his attention from all those things that depress the sufferer.

2. Monitor a depressed person make sure he or she follows the treatment method properly. Also make sure your depressed friend does not use alcohol to reduce depression, as alcohol is a depressant and worsens depression.

3. In severe cases you might have to accompany your depressed friend to doctor.

4. Try to remind sufferer about his positive accomplishments, it will help him getting out from state of lows, and will also put positive energy in him.

5. Try to engage your concerned depressed person in fun activities to energies him.

6. Make sure there is no negativity around the sufferer.

7. You can accompany sufferer to gym, or encourage him to exercise daily for an hour, do not hesitate if you also need to exercise along with depressed to motivate him.

8. Put some positive energy in depressed by assuring him about his good health.

Depression Affects Learning

Did you know that depression affects your ability to learn?

Inability to concentrate, forgetfulness, lack of drive - all this can be a result of depression disorder. The scientists only now began researching human brain and its intricacies thoroughly. We all know that depressed people lack serotonin, a brain chemical which affects their happiness.

But what we don't know is that there are two origins of depression:

- Predisposition to depression, which can be a depression gene or family history of mental illnesses.

- External triggers like grief, major trauma, stress, extreme tiredness, etc.

The first type of depression is majorly treated by antidepressants, but the second is more complex and requires a combination of depression therapy and antidepressant medication.

When we are depressed, the illness blocks supply of happy, comforting and hopeful images from our brain when we need them to go on. This is how we lose our drive. Instead depression makes us see everything in negative light and also produces anxiety, which can be at times debilitating. It also reduces our creativity.

Some of the antidepressants like Prozac for example will hinder your learning as well as it will level you; stop you from feeling and reacting more deeply. I would imagine that someone studying arts or creative design will have trouble functioning to the best of their abilities on such medications.

There is also a theory that some learning disabilities in children are caused by depression. If you think about it, it fits - lack of interest, loss of energy, mood swings, memory problems, irritability, problems with concentration... This is all textbook signs of depression.

But do not give up your learning whatever you do as the more you persist with learning the more you progress, the happier it will make you. This is like catch 22. Learning new skills especially with jobless depression will give you back your self-respect and confidence which often shrink in depression. But depression itself blocks you from doing it successfully.

What I suggest is to try coping mechanisms in depression first (you learn them in any decent depression therapy), then break your learning process into easy segments which don't make you feel overloaded and desperate.

Just remember an old Chinese proverb:

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

What is Psychological Depression?

It is one of the most common and most serious mental health problems facing people today. Psychological depression can interfere with a person's ability to function effectively throughout the day or even to have the motivation to get out of bed in the morning and it is in fact so common that over 1 in 5 Americans can expect to get some form of depression in their lifetime.

The causes behind depression are complex and not yet fully understood but we are able to treat it much more effectively because we have a better understanding of the causes of clinical depression.

The first step in fighting depression is to understand what it is, how it affects you, and what causes it. Unfortunately, many people do not recognize that depression is a treatable illness. Most people with a depressive illness do not seek treatment; although the great majority, even those whose depression is extremely severe can be helped. This condition is so common that over 1 in 5 Americans can expect to get some form of depression in their lifetime.

Symptoms of major depression include at least five of the following symptoms (at least one must include the first and second listed below) and they must be present nearly every day, all day, for 2 weeks: Persistent depressed mood, including feelings of emptiness or sadness, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, feelings of hopelessness or pessimism, feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness, insomnia, early morning awakening or oversleeping, change in eating (either loss or increased appetite), decreased energy, fatigue or feeling slowed down, restlessness and irritability, difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions, thoughts of suicide or death, persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders or chronic pain. A less severe type of depression, Dysthymia, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that do not disable, but keep one from functioning well or from feeling good.

The most important thing anyone can do for the depressed person is to help him or her get an appropriate diagnosis and treatment. The guidelines for diagnosis of major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder are found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM IV). The depressed mood must persist for greater than two weeks in order to warrant this diagnosis.

The first step to getting appropriate treatment for depression is a physical examination by a physician. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression. If a diagnosis of depression is made, treatment with medication and/or psychotherapy will help the depressed person return to a happier, more fulfilling life. Most do best with combined treatment: medication to gain relatively quick symptom relief and psychotherapy to learn more effective ways to deal with life's problems, including depression.

Psychological depression is not something you can just "snap out of", it is a serious medical condition that affects the chemistry of the brain. With the appropriate medical treatment the vast majority of people of suffer from its effects can live depression free lives.

Are you suffering from Depression?

Millions of people sufferaround the world from a depressive illness. They think that depression is just a normal occurrence in their lives, which will go away after a short while. If you think of the fast moving and complicated world we live in today it's easy to feel a little overwhelmed and dismiss how serious depression can be.

Did you know that words related to depression are searched around almost 1 million times a month? Much attention has been centered to this global health problem as one of the rigorous challenges of the 21st century.

No one is safe from being affected by depression because it affects everyone. It doesn't matter whether you're a male or female, rich or poor, educated or uneducated. Once a person starts becoming depressed, he or she usually behaves in a manner that intensifies the illness.It is a viscious circle that can be very difficult to break free

Symptoms can include :

Miserable frame of mind over a period of time, sometimes in a number of weeks

Disheartened thinking - negative approach about oneself, the present and the future

Difficulty in focusing and remembering

Feelings of unimportance and desperation

Anxiety - a sense of being afraid - that something "dreadful" is going to happen

Phobias or doubts about specific situations

Loss of appetite and weight loss or, alternatively, increased appetite and weight gain

Disrupted sleeping patterns - not much sleep or wanting to sleep all the time

Physical symptoms - aches and pains, gastrointestinal upsets, headaches

Incapacity to do the usual everyday activities

Thoughts of suicide

It is a mystery sometimes why some people suffer depression throughout their lives and others do not. The following are some physical causes of depression:

Hepatitis

Hypoglycemia

Infections

Brain or nervous system disorders

Glandular disorders

Low thyroid

Hyperthyroidism

Excessive ovarian hormonal irregularities

Note that there are "mental" as well as physical factors that cause depression such as anxiety which is a symptom of depression itself.

There are many ways to improve your life. Sometimes this can involve drug medication and in other circumstances it might not be necessary at all.

Recent scientific evaluation studies show in some scenarios medication has little positive benefit while having the potential side effects that come with SSRI drugs such as fluoxetine or older tricyclic antidepressants.You need to find a resource which can assist you in this sometimes confusing area.

How To Stop Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are psychological conditions that affect a large degree of people at various circumstances in life. Attacking anxiety depression can be somewhat puzzling because anxiety and depression are two separate conditions thought it has similar symptoms and can occur together or separately.

Anxiety and depression usually occur due to direct stress affecting our lives, these changes in mental health has a direct bearing on our physical health. We cannot isolate the mind from the body, both are interconnected and the impairment of one will follow suit with the other. Therefore it is important to start attacking anxiety depression as early as possible.

A few simple guide lines can help you to start attacking anxiety depression effectively, it is very important to understand thoroughly if you suffer from this condition, therefore you must arm yourself with self knowledge, know its triggers, symptoms, its impact on your life and effective relaxation techniques, Knowledge and acknowledgement is a key component to attacking anxiety depression.

People get bouts of anxiety depression due to pessimism or sudden let downs, betrayals, disappointments etc and you see yourself at an unexpected cross road in life and yet with no end in sight.

One way to overcome this wallowing in depression is to realize and learn to cope with very situation in life as a new direction, think of experiences as an opportunity to learn more about life and move on to better things. Power of positive thinking can go along way not only can it dispels the blues away in all actuality it can bring you closer to what you really want and value in life.

Another positive way of attacking anxiety depression is find an outlet to vent your emotions that may be causing anxiety depression. This can vary from person to person, if you're an introvert writing poetry or keeping a journal may be very therapeutic, if you prefer the finer arts joining a theater club, dancing, even martial arts can be helpful, actually any physical activity will be helpful for it helps to release endorphins and oxytocin the bodies natural feel good hormones.

Meditation is perhaps the best way to start attacking anxiety depression, since all these problems appear due to proliferation of the same line of thinking which nurses all the fears and anxieties associated with this condition, meditation can bring much needed relaxation to your mind.

By focusing on a meditative object you will feel yourself letting go of all harmful destructive thoughts and symptoms, don't forget the mind cannot think two things at the same time. Cultivating lifestyle changes such as meditation and physical exercise which helps to combat stress can go long way in attacking anxiety depression for good.

Depression from Bodybuilding

How could bodybuilding cause depression? Afterall, bodybuilding is supposed to get the endorphins going and as you see positive progress, you feel good about yourself. With all those endorphins running around, there shouldn't be even the slightest case for depression.

For the most part, lifting weights, doing aerobic exercises and overall physical activity can be very effective to keep depression away and help with a cheerful outlook. Although sometimes things don't always come out the way we expect them to and our mood can swing up and down, even with proper exercise.

Ask anyone that exercises and they'll time you the time spent is worth it. But if depression hits while doing these things already, the depression can be really hard to shake.

Let me show you some of the symptoms. Anyone that's lifted weights for a period of time has hit that proverbial "wall" where it just feels like you can't make any progress. Or sometimes there can be a period of time where one feels "burnt out" or just tired of lifting weights. If these feelings last longer than three weeks, these could be signs of depression.

Fortunately, I've talked to lots of bodybuilders and found something that may offer a quick "real" solution. If you're feeling tired, unexplained sadness, or you don't want to work out or you just feel like you're not making any progress in the gym, this may be the answer you're looking for.

In my research on how to overcome bodybuilding induced depression, I uncovered a supplement called Vinpocetine. It is known for helping mental concentration and is a derivative of an extract taken from the lesser periwinkle plant (Vinca minor), an evergreen undershrub. The shrub is native to Europe, where it has been been studied since the 1950s and has been found to boost stroke- and age-related declines in brain function.

Vinpocetine also enhances the brain's use of oxygen by increasing the amount of available ATP (adenosine triphosphate, those in bodybuilding are familiar with this as being the body's cellular fuel). So far, there hasn't been any serious side effects found with this supplement, however if you feel a dry mouth, continued weakness or accelerated heart rate, then discontinue the use as you may have a more serious condition requiring expert medical care.

What I found in my research is that vinpocetine works well in conjunction with vincamine and vinburnine (both are also extracts). It has been noted that these help with cognitive function to enhance memory and concentration.

As a result of this, it appears that these help the brain to feel "peppy" and thereby reduce the effects of depression. That's what it did for me.

My purpose in writing this is not to endorse any single product but to let you know that there is a supplement that costs less than a single visit to the doctor, yet has the right amount of vinpocetine (and vincamine and vinburnine) and it helps with other functions of bodybuilding and muscle development. It is called NO-Xplode from BSN. I'm sure there's other supplements out there that have the vinpocetine, you'd have to do some checking around.

I really like NO type products, and my first choice is NO2 by MRI and then the Trac-Extreme NO by MHP (both can be found at General Nutrition Center).

But if I start getting that "burned out" or sad feeling, I'll buy some NO-Xplode (one container will last me over a month) and I'll have a scoop once a day in the early afternoon. That seems to help me feel more cheerful.

So... if you're doing good workouts and yet start to feel burned out, tired, sad or depressed, try some vinpocetine and see what happens. This article is not meant to replace medical advice. If you feel any prolonged symptoms for a lengthy period of time, see your medical professional. Copyright 2005, all rights reserved.