Archive for the ‘Depression and bad mood, how to treat depression’ Category

How to struggle with depression

Tuesday, February 27th, 2007

The condition, accompanied constant feeling of apathy, melancholy, the alarm, named depression, today is very widespread. And it is no wonder, in fact it is enough reasons for it: family problems, break with the close person, problems on work, etc.

With arrival of depression there is an indifferent attitude to the validity, burdensome feeling of fault, impossibility of reception of pleasure from a life and aspiration to loneliness.

Depression section into three kinds:

- Functional – it is inherent to mentally healthy people. Arises seldom or periodically (about it and there will be a speech further);
- Pathological – meets at people psychiatric disturbances;
- Imaginary – when it seems to the person (and it very much wishes to inspire it to itself(himself) and associates), that at it depression. Approximately 50 % of all cases of functional depression are an imaginary, seeming depression.

For the causing reasons of depression section on endogenous – when the reason of depression inside, it is not visible (like all at the person well, nobody has died, has not thrown) and exogenous – when there is an obvious external reason.

Cyclicity of depressions is very well appreciable. At someone it is bound to seasons, at someone with phases of the moon. And sometimes in due course day or even day of week. Usually in the mornings depression is shown more strongly. The winter too often is the reason of an exacerbation of a depression. It is bound to decrease of duration of light day and, as consequence, deterioration of mood. For this reason in southern breadthes depression is widespread much less, than, say, in the Europe or in Russia.

All know, that salvage rolling – a handwork rolling. It concerns and to “drowning” in everyday storms. Psychologists consider, that in such situation the person only itself can help to recover to itself. Yes, yes, to recover, because depression is a disease which is necessary for treating the same as also any other illness. Before to run to the psychoanalyst and to ask it to write out to you somnolent, try to cope with this condition.

More sleep.

Dream – the best medicine. As a rule, people being a depression, suffer a sleeplessness, that aggravates their condition even more. For the most useful and long dream well air your bedroom and whenever possible leave a window leaf open. It will provide to you enough of oxygen, accordingly, you oversleep more longly and will wake up vigorous. Consider what to sleep on high and soft pillows not only it is not useful, but also it is harmful. Try, that your pillow was above a level of a bedsheet since if the head during a dream settles down much more above a body, blood supply of a brain worsens, that can lead to headaches in the mornings.

Try to not remain in loneliness.

Spend time in a society of other people. Try to speak with them about the things which are not having the attitudes to depression. “Always will help if to share with someone the experiences. Find friends who love you, and tell it, that at you on mind”, – recommends Bonnie to R.Striklend, Dr. of philosophy, the professor of psychology at University of Massachusetts. If conversation on your problems causes tears, do not constrain them. “Tears carry simplification, especially if the nobility about what you cry”, – Robert Dzhaffe, Dr. of philosophy, the family therapist from Sherman Oaks, California adds.

Have a good time.

” Your depression only will be aggravated, if you will loaf on the house and to be depressed. Our advice consists in leaving the house. Unimportantly, than you decide to borrow, if only something active. Go on walk, drive on a bicycle, visit friends, esteem, play in a chess or borrow with children. The American psychologists consider, that viewing of the TV not only does not promote a relaxation, but also on the contrary, harms to your state of health, therefore it is better to take, for example, a warm bath with foam, to lead evening in an opera or in a noisy night club … Do all that want and enjoy it!

Do not accept serious decisions, such as moving, change of work, divorce, not having discussed a problem with close friends or relatives from among those to that you trust. Try to postpone decision-making on the important questions until you will not leave depression. Now you cannot rely on the decisions really. Postpone their acceptance until itself will feel is better.

Go in for sports.

Researches show, that people testing depression feel themselves is better, if on a regular basis are engaged in physical exercises. To overcome despondency employment on fresh air (jogging, walking, navigation, bicycle walks) will help. If you already on a regular basis carry out physical exercises and are in the good physical form, but in bad condition, try ” to be engaged up to full physical exhaustion, – Dr. Gessel offers. Is a good way to take out a strain “. Enter the name in a sports hall or pool and instead of staying all the evening long in front of the TV, looking through a melodrama and muffling the experiences by sweets, burn calories, being engaged on simulators or floating in pool. As a result instead of the eyes which have swelled from tears and risings of weight you improve the figure, and it, you see, should please.

Try to float more.

At the worst, simply take a shower is more often, because water possesses really unique properties. It as if washes off from you negative emotions. Besides at washing a head blood supply of a brain improves.

Live for today.

The last troubles are powerless, they cannot strike you any more, forget insults and lesions, do not chafe a wound, do not recollect what to not return any more. It is not necessary to frighten itself of phantoms of the future troubles – the future only one, and to invent it is possible the whole one hundred misfortunes, the majority from which never will happen.

Do not overeat and do not refuse from meal.

Keep to the healthy balanced diet. Feasts have effect of a boomerang. During meal you, maybe, also feel well, but with the subsequent augmentation of your waist at some centimeters, your depression will be enlarged also. Leave the house if it is necessary to overcome desire to eat.

Many medicines which we accept, can cause depression.

Depressions are quite often accompanied by absence of appetite, a hypersensibility to a smell and a kind of nutrition, a nausea and a vomiting.

Change an interior.

The surrounding light background very much influences mental state of health. Therefore try to surround yourself light things, to change wall-papers and in general as much as possible to replace a situation in which you are the most part of day, on more light and spacious.

Remember, ourselves owners of the mood! The main thing – to want to leave for ever depression and to throw out it from the life. Really.

Check up, whether there is at you a depression!

Tuesday, February 27th, 2007

Now depression advances all other alienations on a degree of damage for a working capacity and accordingly on a share of the years lost for a high-grade life. The appreciable share of patients with depressive frustration addresses for the help in a somatic network. Thus only in 10-30 % of cases depression is recognized was well-timed. In the present test signs of depression and an estimation of its gravity are brought into accord with criteria of the International classification of illnesses of 10-th revision, but filled by the concrete maintenance from our personal medical practice.

Typical (basic) signs of depression:

1. The mood bad, suppressed, nasty, gloomy, disgusting, decadent, melancholy, ” is lovely nothing “, ” boredom on soul “, ” all is grey for me “

2. ” there is no bent for to business “: you postpone performance of any plans or affairs, or longly adjust yourself on their performance. There is no desire to penetrate in short of a business problem, maintenance of the important conversation – know, that it should be made, but do not do. Industrial decisions, business acquaintances also postpone on “tomorrow”. Nothing interests, it would not be desirable anything to do, and know what to do it is necessary. Pleasures are not present such as before – ” All became somehow all the same “. For a long time it is forgotten, when with something were pleased.

3. Get tired at once, even after insignificant physical effort, or in the evening after homing from work on what there are no forces. The sensation of constant weariness is possible. It seems, that had never a rest. It would be desirable to dump from itself duties on the house, on work – to have a rest, gain strength. However, short-term rest does not improve a condition, and entertainments quickly lose the appeal.

Other signs of depression:

1. It is difficult to concentrate at presence of an extraneous stimulus (for example, the TV, radio, conversation in the next room works); because of “parallel” ideas – ” I Read, and I think of other “. In dialogue it became difficult to select words, to catch a string of conversation; at reading books, magazines, the business documentation the sense read through is hardly caught, it is necessary to re-read pages anew.

2. There was unusual to you an indecision, constant doubts in performance of ordinary household and well familiar professional duties, after the made decision. The confidence of – ” Suddenly not was gone so I shall tell, not so I shall make “.

3. The critical estimation of all last life – ” Everything is possible, that in the past it was bad, necessary to be engaged in another “. You test burdensome feeling of “burden” in family, ” the superfluous person ” on work. Reproach itself with the irresponsible attitude to the filial or affiliated duties, insufficient attention to other close relatives.

4. You are overcome with gloomy reflections that you are “loser”, cannot solve in a life the problems; ascertaining of full professional bankruptcy, finish (” I have fulfilled the a resource “). Gloomy and pessimistic vision of the future can be filled and rather concrete household circumstances.

5. From time to time there are ideas – ” Can be is easier die, as all badly, badly, it is bad …. “, hopelessly, not visible prospects and, in general, the life for you has ceased to be something significant, has lost the sense.

6. Frustration of a dream are various enough. It is the complicated period of a backfilling; reduction of hours of a night dream because of frequent awakenings; awakenings in 3-4 one o’clock in the morning or 5 o’clock in the morning with the subsequent sleeplessness. At all variants of frustration of a dream after final awakening there is no feeling of freshness (rest) in the morning.

7. Appetite is lowered (“I Can be limited for a day to a glass of tea”), or appetite is absent at all, is possible even with disgust for a kind and a smell of nutrition.

Self-diagnostics of depression

In the event that you do not type any 3 signs (the basic and additional list), you do not have depressive frustration of mood according to criteria.

Easy depressive frustration

Presence any 2 typical signs of depression and even 2 signs from the list “and”. You are concerned by the condition. Experience the certain difficulties in performance of usual work and social activity.

The moderate depressive frustration

Presence any 2 typical signs of depression and not less than 3 (it is preferable 4) from the list “and”. There are значитель-th difficulties in performance of social duties, house affairs and continuation of professional work.

Serious depressive frustration

Presence of all of 3 typical depressive signs and 4 or more from the list “and”. Social and house activity can not be carried out or its performance is improbable.

What is the depression?

Monday, February 26th, 2007

The word depression has densely become current the modern person, the suppressed mood, feeling of emptiness, absence of interest to a life, tearfulness, disturbances of a dream, notions of compulsion of the negative contents, feeling of isolation and own inferiority – here the basic signs of this condition.

Depression can become response to external, injuring events, such, as mors of the close person, separation or changes in a vital situation: moving to other city or the country, an output on pension, divorce, a birth of the child, etc.

Endogenous depression, disturbance in emotional sphere of the person, arising without the visible external reasons, as a rule, proceeds in the serious form, practically paralyzing social activity of the person. One of the most disturbing signs of endogenous depression are ideas on a suicide. Such form of depression can speak about presence of mental disease MDP and demands not only psychological, but also medicamental treatment.

For today depression is one of the most widespread reasons of the reference behind the psychological help. As the depression caused by external events, and endogenous depression are successfully treated by means of a psychotherapy. Therefore, despite of feeling of a hopelessness which quite often accompanies with this condition, it is not necessary to despair. Was well-timed the received professional help, will help to find internal equilibrium and to return by a normal life.

How to Fight Depression and Improving your Mood

Monday, February 12th, 2007

Are you one of the millions of peoples who are depressed and tired all the time. Do you experience unbearable sadness and emptiness. Do you feel exhausted, dragged out and run down. You’re barely functioning and pushing yourself through the day. Then this few tips make your day more productive and full of happiness.

Sleeplessness, tension and fatigue are often associated with depression. Try to relax everyday for optimal performance. Pick a quiet spot and do this drill. Breathe deeply and observe your breath and focusing all your problems and distraction are vaporizing in the air. Visualize great scenery and feel you are part of it, whether is it mountain area or white sandy beach in Florida.

Try to solve and fight one problem at a time. Do not try to conquer every problem at a time. If you do you will feel tired, depressed and helpless. Suggest and train your mind one problem at a time.

Read motivational or inspirational books that have positive and inspiring effects on your mind. Self-help books have great impact to fight depression. Inspiring authors like Deepak Chopra, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay and Aaron Beck father of cognitive therapy has written books on how to change thinking patterns.

Isolation is also one of the major causes of depression. Try to communicate with other positively, show your genuine interest in themselves, share their thoughts. Human contact is the key to heal this problem. Newly research shows that our behavior shapes our emotions.

Find a good hobby or activity to feel you pleasant. Gardening, bicycling, exercising, cooking or traveling give you a powerful boost to your mood. Crafting is also a very good therapy. Go out and having a good meal with friends. Do involve volunteer work, community services this way you’ll feel you are also a important part of the community and it also have therapeutic effects.

Exposure to light is either from the sun or artificial devices such as lamps can also be very helpful to relieve depression and improve your sad mood.

Do not get angry easily. Read self-help books on becoming assertive. Getting angry in positive way can help to boost your energy and also your mood. Let your anger to work positively.

Watch your diet very closely. Eat consciously and try to avoid those foods which may contribute for mood swinging like sugar, chocolate and caffeine. Quit smoking if you can, also reduce drinking habit.

Take your vitamins and nutrients regularly. Vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, magnesium and L-tyrosine are good anti-depression nutrients. Eat green vegetables, fruits and beans for balance diet.

Yoga and tai chi are very good exercise to fight depression. Slowly moving postures are very calming and soothing effects on your whole body including mind. You will get more relaxed and soother after performing these exercise.

Read books on how to meditate effectively. Newly research show meditation has very positive effects to boost immune system. Meditation also create positive attitude towards everyday problem solving. Meditation always is a very important factor on every religion throughout centuries. Meditate every night for about 15 minutes to 30 minute are very effective tool deal with depression while you become more focused for critical thinking to resolve your daily chores without exhaustion and depressed.

Source: High Quality Article Database – 365articles.com

Anxiety and Depression

Monday, February 12th, 2007

Many people who engage in various multi-tasking activities tend to exert too much of their brain power and as a result usually exhaust not only their physical strength, but they also tend to over extend their brains to the extent when it obviously needs some good old relaxation time. Busy people sometimes ignore the need to relax and take time off work, as well as their worries. It is these people who tend to start having nervous breakdowns, anxiety depression and other mental illnesses. Fortunately, if you’re one of those poor unfortunate people who are unable to de-stress and is constantly fussing and worrying over things, there are various treatments available for treating anxiety depression.

Anxiety depression symptoms can vary from person to person but are usually characterized by irregularities and erratic behavior, this can be due to certain stress triggers that may tend to cause a person undue jitters and stress. Some people are naturally more nervous people and don’t handle stressful situations as well as others, these people are more prone to having anxiety depression. They need to teach themsleves to be strong-willed when it comes to facing difficult and stress-prone activities. This is easier said than done and may be pretty hard to overcome at first, but trying to be calm and cool in times of extreme pressure is what will actually save your mental health from going in a totally downward spiral.

You will not be able to be cured from mental illness unless you are willing to admit that you have a mental illness in the first place. You have to be honest with yourself and assess what kind of depression or mental illness you actually have, go to your doctor to get yourself diagnosed correctly and to be placed on the right treatment for your condition. Here are the various types of depression:

Manic or Bipolar depression – symptoms include sudden and extreme changes in one’s mood. One minute he or she is in an elevated state of euphoria while the
next minute (day or week) he or she is feeling to be in a personal hell.

Postpartum depression – characterized by a prolonged sadness and a feeling of emptiness by a new mother. Physical stress during child birth, uncertain sense of responsibility towards the new born baby or over tiredness can be factors that can contribute to developing postpartum depression.

Dysthimia – characterized by a slight similarity with depression, although this time, it’s been proven to be a lot less severe, but of course with any case, should be treated immediately.

Cyclothemia – characterized by a slight similarity with Manic or Bipolar depression wherein the individual suffering from this mental illness may occasionally suffer from severe changes in one’s moods.

Seasonal Affective Disorder – symptoms of falling in a rut only during specific seasons (i.e. Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall). Studies have shown that more people actually fall in to a rut more during the Winter and Fall seasons. Mood swings, wherein a person’s mood may shift from happy to sad to angry in just a short time.

Anxiety depression has proven to be one of the most common types of depression and quite a high number of the population suffer from it. Anxiety depression is characterized by the state of being overly anxious about things. Anxiety, a supposedly normal behavior that actually helps a person adjust more to a certain stressful activity like first date jitters or a grueling exam the following day. Anxiety actually helps you get psyched up towards facing certain “difficult situations”; and therefore anxiety is actually a good thing. Anxiety depression however, is simply the opposite, not to be easily dismissed as a “case of the nerves”; Anxiety depression is actually an illness that can be caused from the biological makeup of an individual, or in other words, a hereditary illness.

Also, there are actually various types of Anxiety depression, each having its own unique characteristics. Take for example Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD, this kind of Anxiety depression is a lot more complicated than the average Anxiety depression, in spite of possibly being a day-to-day habit for those who suffer this kind of Anxiety depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder can make a person more paranoid than usual, anxiety attacks are more frequent, even absurd at times. They can even be anxious when there is no apparent reason that calls for them to behave in such a way. People suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder actually show a lot of symptoms, from lack of sleep, to being unable to relax, getting tired easily, cannot concentrate on what they’re doing and even suffering from depression. This kind of Anxiety depression is curable but takes a bit of work to be cured.

Consult your doctor or therapist who will help give you the therapy that you need to help you loosen up. They may also prescribe medication to help with anxiety and help to calm and relax you.

Source: High Quality Article Database – 365articles.com

How To Beat Depression

Monday, February 12th, 2007

Clinical Depression is the number 1 mental disorder in the world and the 2nd most disabling condition in the world behind heart disease.

A staggering 16% of the population will suffer from depression at some point in their lives.

Why should you be interested in this?

1. Because EVERYONE at some stage in their lives will be affected by depression, either their own or someone else’s.
(Source – Australian Government research)

2. Because only around 20% of those who develop depression will receive adequate treatment.

If you or someone you know suffers from depression it is essential to understand what depression is; what the causes are; what the symptoms are and what treatments are available, both conventional and complementary.

What is Depression?
Depression can be defined as a mental illness which causes feelings of sadness and loss of hope, changes in sleeping and eating habits, loss of interest in your usual activities, and pains which have no physical explanation.

What does this really mean?

Perhaps it is easier to have a look at how a doctor would diagnose a person as suffering from depression.

A person can be diagnosed as suffering from clinical depression if 5 or more of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2 week period and represent a change from previous functioning. At least one of the symptoms is either (a) depressed mood or (b) loss of interest or pleasure.

(a) Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either a subjective report or an observation made by others. In children and adolescents this can be an irritable mood.
(b) Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.
(c) Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.
(d) Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness or sleep) nearly every day.
(e) Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feeling of restlessness or being slowed down).
(f) Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.
(g) Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day.
(h) Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day.
(i) Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal thoughts or attempts.

What are the Symptoms of Depression?
Not all people suffering from depression will have the same symptoms.
In addition to the symptoms listed in the above definition of depression, people suffering from depression may report some of the following symptoms:

 Exhaustion on waking
 Disrupted sleep, sometimes through upsetting dreams
 Early morning waking and difficulty getting back to sleep
 Doing less of what they used to enjoy
 Difficulty concentrating during the day
 Improved energy as the day goes on
 Anxious, worrying and intrusive upsetting thoughts
 Becoming emotional or upset for no particular reason
 Shortness of temper, or irritability
 Feeling miserable and sad
 A feeling that even the smallest of tasks is impossible
 Don’t want to see people or are scared to be left alone
 Loss of hope
 No confidence
 Physical aches and pains with no physical cause

What are the Causes of Depression?
There is no single cause of depression.
In general, ‘causes’ can be categorised into 3 main points of view:

1. Depression is a medical disease caused by a neurochemical or hormonal imbalance.
2. Depression is caused by certain styles of thinking.
3. Depression is a result of unfortunate experiences.

There is a school of thought that believes that the chemical imbalance referred to above is actually a SYMPTOM of depression and not a cause and therefore anti-depressants which treat this imbalance can never cure a person of depression as at best they can only alleviate a symptom and will do nothing to find or cure the cause.

Conventional Treatments For Depression
 Medication
 Counselling
 Complementary Medicine

Medication has some benefit to around a third of sufferers and as suggested above can only ever treat the symptoms not the cause.

Counselling can be of help to some but success is largely dependant upon the skill of the counsellor.

More and more people are now turning to Complementary Medicine and Self-Help in their battle with depression and finding amazing results with this approach.

To benefit from Complementary Medicine and Self-Help it is important to fully understand what depression is and how it is affecting the individual concerned.
This may be as simple as treating an underlying anxiety problem with self hypnosis CDs or by using aromatherapy to help promote relaxation.

Another great method of self-help to consider is modelling.
We can all learn from the experiences of others in many aspects of life and beating depression is no different. Simply find someone who has successfully beaten the condition, find out how they achieved their results and copy and adapt their methods to suit your own circumstances.

The benefit of this technique is that what took one person months or perhaps several years of trial and error to find the right results, can be modelled immediately and the results can be achieved so much quicker.

In order to free yourself from the shackles of depression I urge you to fully research the modern thinking relating to the condition, reach out to others who have gone through a similar experience and don’t be afraid to try a different approach – you may be surprised at the results.

By: Alan Hands