Health & Fitness

Teenage depression: Is it just a phase in growth?

Unlike any form of depression, Teenage depression may perhaps be the most delicate and challenging to diagnose and treat. However learning the signs of and tips for overcoming depression in teens can be helpful to both prevent and control this emotional discomfort in our youth.

Keywords:
Teenage Depression

We all remember when we were teenagers. Boy, what a phase in our lives.
What with the need for peer acceptance, parental expectations, raging hormones, acne…
It’s no wonder teenage depression exists in such high numbers.

From research and even mere observation, teenage depression actually manifests itself differently from adult or childhood depression as during this age, teens want to start to mark their territorial signs of independence and the last thing a teen may want to do is admit they need help for depression. Teenagers tend not to display gloom, self-depreciation, or talk about feeling hopeless like adults do during this stage of their lives if they are depressed, so as a parent or adult role-model you may need to watch for other signs of depression in the teenager you are dealing with.

Teenage Depression: Symptoms to watch out for

Though the signs of teenage depression may vary in both sexes, here are some symptoms that are common to both male and female teens battling with depression.

1. Excessive negativity and antisocial behaviors.
2. Wanting to leave home or retreat to their rooms constantly.
3. Inattention to personal appearance.
4. A lack of desire to co-operate in family get-togethers and activities.

Signs of Teenage Depression in Males:

1. Increasing in aggression and agitation.
2. A higher tendency to get in trouble with school or the law.
3. Reckless behavior such as uncontrolled use of illegal substances.

Signs of Teenage Depression in Females:

1. Less attention to their appearance.
2. Pre-occupation with death and themes of suicide.
3. Excessive promiscuity or an extreme isolation from members of their opposite sex.

Although this is not a conclusive list of the signs of teenage depression one should look out for in teens, the ones listed above are the most common ones. In addition to these depression symptoms in regards to teenager, other ones may include a lower self-esteem than average, referrals to suicide (in extreme cases) and a general negative outlook on life.

It indeed may be challenging to cope with as an adult to deal with a depressed teenager as it’s a catch 22 situation, they want to be independent as teens, yet they need your help.
Well, this may be a good time to simply take charge, albeit with care and caution as we are dealing with delicate and sensitive emotions here and reach out to help.

Teenage Depression: Solutions for coping with depression in your teen

1. If necessary, seek professional help. I lean more towards drug-free alternatives so meetings with competent Pastors, guidance counselors, teachers and therapists may suffice to at least get a diagnosis…if you need one.
2. Talk to your teen’s friends and or their parents, although this approach requires care, remember, they are starting to declare independence and ‘snooping’ around on them may be defeating the purpose of reaching them, so do this with care and tact.
3. Suggest one-on-one outings with phrases like: “hey, how about a game of basket ball, just you and I..?’ or “Hey how about us girls take a trip to the Mall?”
If they refuse, don’t appear too crushed; simply respond with an understanding “okay maybe some other time…”
4. Ask if there is anything they’d like to discuss and this will be a great time to be more of the listener and less of the talker as soon as they start to open up.
5. Don’t be what you’ve not always been to your teen, in other words being overly nice or “Bill Cosby-ish” (no pun intended Mr. Cosby) , trust me, they’ll see right through the act and may withdraw even more.
6. Watch for signs of suicide (in extreme cases) and if there is the slightest
indication, double up your efforts to reach your teen. It helps if you’ve been close as parent and child from the beginning.
7. In the hopes things are not as extreme, soon as they manifest signs of reaching out, help, be there. Incorporate such limbs of a natural treatment for depression as exercise, proper diet and positive thoughts and affirmations.
8. Set a good example of being upbeat around your teen as much as possible. This can also be more of preventive measure if any.
9. Prayer. If you are spiritual, pray and it doesn’t hurt and can help immensely to ask
your depressed teen to join. “Where two or more are gathered in My name, there will I be.” Keep that promise from Above in mind-it works.

Teenage depression may wear a different mask from all other types, but it is essentially the same and with the proper steps taken can be overcome. Do not panic, however, be strong and there for your teen and in applying the steps above with other suggestions or creative ideas you deem right as an adult dealing with a depressed teen, you will be able to steer him or her back to a positive outlook on life.

Fighting Withdrawal: Methadone Abuse & Addiction & Testing

Methadone is a prescription medication that is used to treat severe pain and rehabilitation of heroin addiction. This article talks about how Methadone is used, its abuse and fighting with the withdrawal symptoms of methadone. You can also find information about how to test for Methadone use and different drug testing methods.

Keywords:
methadone,drug testing,drug tests,testing,heroin,detox,rehabilitation,addiction,drug abuse,drugs

Methadone is a prescription medication that is used to treat severe pain. It also helps those addicted to heroin to cease their use of the drug without experiencing horrendous withdrawal symptoms. Since heroin causes an excess of dopamine to be released into the brain, addicts feel a constant need for the drug to maintain this high. Methadone satisfies this need for an opiate without the euphoria associated with heroin. While users of methadone are ultimately transferring their dependence from one drug to another, they become more stable and no longer experience urgent impulses to take heroin. Once the desire to take heroin is completely diminished, patients are then weaned off of the methadone, although this process can sometimes take several years to complete.

Effects of Methadone Methadone side effects can vary greatly and should be closely monitored. Symptoms that are typical of methadone users include upset stomach, headache, drowsiness, constipation, dry mouth, insomnia, decreased sex drive and excessive sweating. Severe side effects should be reported to your doctor. These methadone side effects include lightheadedness, swelling of extremities, rash, hives, itching, difficulty breathing and chest pain.

A methadone overdose can be very serious. Should someone you know exhibit the symptoms, call 911 or poison control immediately. Warning signs of a methadone overdose include loss of consciousness, coma, difficulty breathing, extremely small pupils, clammy skin and loss of muscle tone.

It should also be noted that methadone has a high interaction ratio with other drugs. For instance, Elavil is the brand name for amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant. Taking both Elavil and methadone can be potentially hazardous. A methadone interaction with Elavil could cause a dangerously high dose of methadone to be released into your system, causing an overdose. Should an overdose not occur, it is still highly likely that once the Elavil exits your system, withdrawal symptoms will be experienced for the high levels of methadone that were previously experienced.

Symptoms of methadone withdrawal include dilated pupils, irritability, stomach pain, fever, sweating, runny nose and eyes and nausea.

Signs of Methadone Addiction As with any addiction, someone with a methadone addiction will do whatever it takes to continue taking the drug. Some may make their doctors believe they require a higher dosage of methadone, while others may “double up” on their dosages. Still others may continue to take heroin and use methadone as a “topper” of sorts. Methadone is addictive, and most who begin taking methadone as a means of ceasing an addiction to heroin or another opiate become addicted to the new drug. Tolerance and dependence develops, creating the need for a methadone detox program, which can take much longer to complete than many other rehabilitation programs.

How To Test For Methadone Abuse Methadone drug testing is an invaluable resource for many individuals, including employers, parents and government agencies. While methadone does have its legitimate purposes, extremely high doses of the substance can create dangerous side effects and should be monitored. Methadone drug tests come in a variety of forms including urine drug tests, saliva drug tests and hair drug tests. Each of these methods works very well in detecting methadone in an individual’s system. For a longer testing window, hair follicle methadone drug testing is the way to go. Results are achieved in a laboratory setting and can detect methadone use for up to the past 90 days.

Employers benefit from methadone drug tests, as they prevent potential drug-related liability claims, accidents and other misfortunes from occurring. Investing in a drug testing program helps to increase employee productivity and maintain the positive image you want for your company.

While methadone is a prescription substance, it can be obtained on the street illegally. Parents who are concerned about their children or teenager’s behavior can benefit from methadone drug testing tremendously. Drug test kits put your mind at rest and allow you to either put the question of whether or not drug use is occurring in your house behind you or take the next step in getting your teen drug rehabilitation.

Depression Treatment and Changing your Diet, Results could beat using drugs.

Depression and its symptoms are mostly in the mind. However, what we should know is the mind is affected by several factors including diet. Thus it will be safe to say one crucial step in depression treatment and control will be-amongst other factors-monitoring one’s diet: for physical and mental health. Discover how eating right may aid you in alleviating your depression symptoms.

Keywords:
Depression Treatment

I had stated in a previous article how Yoga could work as a natural depression treatment based on my own experiences. To add to that information-being a very important limb of Yoga into itself- what you eat also has an effect on your mental health. Consequently, if you’re interested in a drug-free treatment of depression, without the side-effects common to most depression medications, a crucial step will be to make some dietetic changes amongst other factors.

However, what should be the main priority, to avoid adding insult to injury when using depression medications, will ironically be avoiding their use considering the many side effects common to these anti-depression drugs. Effective as they may be for a while, it’s been noted that these substances have several side effects which may include nausea, fatigue, insomnia and some sexual dysfunctions. In some cases on mental side effects, mania has even been reported; so needless to say, a drug free depression treatment might be your best AND safest bet for your health.

Now, when in depression, most of us have the tendency to binge in an effort to mask our feelings or deaden the pain, some of us go as far as soliciting the use of alcohol, drugs or even sex for depression help. Yes, they may give some relief for a while, but when these mere distractions wear off, the symptoms of depression always do come back, and with a vengeance.

This considered, it will be safe to say the first step of a dietetic factor in regards to depression treatment could be refraining from food, at least for a while friends, really.

An observance of nature will show us that when animals are frightened or angered, they refrain from eating until after the passage of considerable time. It is true that under stressful circumstances many civilized people refrain from eating and find in truth that they lack the desire for food, but it is also too often that most will eat large meals under these circumstances, which will be mostly disease forming foods to start with, that as a consequence, complicates or altogether halts an already retarded ongoing digestion. This endless cycle leads to even more toxins and poisons in an already encumbered body.

So what are you saying Foras (that’s my name by the way), I should fast or something? Well, if you can, that will be excellent. At least till your emotional balance returns, which will be the end result as the body is not taxed with the duties of digestion, assimilation and re-building. Your mind clears and all moroseness disappears and consequently, we tend to find the answers to the problems warranting a treatment for depression in the first place.

Now for many, I agree it might be asking for too much to fast during a stressful time based on old habits, but as an alternative, it will be advisable to steer clear of harmful mucus forming foods and partake of body healing ones: Fruits and Vegetables. A restricted diet of one kind of fruit can be considered a camouflaged fasts but you have to be knowledgeable of its season, how it was grown (organically or conventional) and even when to eat as body cleansing and building do occur at specific times of the day.

Now, not to get of the subject of depression treatment, these steps, be they a fast or a healthier diet, will ensure that the body is cleaner and well we all should know by now that a cleaner body equates to a cleaner mind. In fact Yoga sages (this obviously showing my vote of Yoga for anti-depression) suggest that certain foods, which they coin as ‘rajasic’ (stimulating foods including Spices, alcohol, and animal products) foods have a negative stimulating effect on the nervous and endocrine systems, the two main ones that are related to mental health and consequently depression.

Based on their impeccable analysis of the human body, it may be safe to say these old Yoga Sages are completely right in suggesting we as humans-or at least those of us seeking the use of Yoga for depression treatment-should abstain from these foods for optimal success.

Is it a co-incidence that these same foods are the ones that have been shown to wreak havoc on our physical health? I think not folks.

This considered, instead of introducing chemical substances into your body in a quest for seeking depression treatment, from the facts above, it will be wise to first make a dietetic change, which again may include a short fast, at least to clear our minds first to tackle our problems, then eat the proper foods for nourishment and of course partake in some physical exercise (my choice being some Yoga) to obtain the inevitable feel-good results.

Depression is something we all may go through at some point, but thankfully relief and a successful treatment of it is not out of reach and this without harmful side-effects.

So empower yourself to a successful depression treatment targeting its root cause with drug-free methods of healing. On the subject of diet and depression treatment, I choose to remind you of this quote: “Let your foods be your medicine and your medicine your foods” (By Hippocrates the ‘Father or Medicine”)

May happiness be yours.

Run For Your Life From The Mental Illness Ghetto

Psychiatric rehabilitation programs can be a hidden trap.

Keywords:
rehabilitation, psychiatric, mental health, rehab

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is Depression Always a Medical Problem – Another View

It is commonly accepted that depression is caused by some medical or emotional problem. Here is a viewpoint that questions this assumption.

Keywords:
Depression,anti depessives,drugs,conviction,contraindications,common depression,melancholy,Abe Lincoln,joviality,levity,salvation.Jesus,moody,Devine healing,God,chemical imbalance

Advertisements for anti-depression drugs are constantly smattered across the tube today. They are accompanied with the possible advantages of taking one drug or another to relieve this common malady. By law such ads are followed with a list of contraindications (possible side effects) some which sound much worse than the depression itself.

Along with these ads is a little noticed disclaimer or shall we refer to it as a simple honest statement about depression. That statement is that the cause for common depression is not fully known. I use the word common here for an important purpose. Surely some depression is in fact caused by chemical imbalance or emotional shock of some kind. No one could argue that point.

It is said that up to twenty million Americans have some sort of depression. It seems to be a modern phenomenon in our history as a nation. There are few records of this malady prior to the early twentieth century. Depression prior to the modern era was often referred to as melancholy. Abraham Lincoln was said to suffer deep bouts of melancholy that were offset with times of joviality and levity. Perhaps a change in his attitude was his own way of making adjustments or a behavioral self medication of sorts.

Few studies conducted on depression include a side by side comparison with other countries or cultures. Some countries have virtually no sizable number of reported cases of depression. Often these are the poorest countries in the world. A lot could be deduced from this about how much money; affluence and materialism have to do with making Americans happy and well balanced.

In thirty five years of studying the Bible I have never heard one preacher or theologian worth his salt ever approach the causes for depression based on a biblical view. Not only does the Bible explain the cause of depression but it provides a complete answer to it as well. No, it is not a miracle or a divine healing it is simply a profound change in a life that pushes the depression out sometimes instantly and in some cases more slowly. First let’s look at the cause for most general depression in people according to the Bible.

Contrary to the general consensus God doesn’t just wink at unbelief but he is actively engaged in convicting the unbeliever to answer his call to salvation. His dogged pursuit is fired not just by the fact that they are sinners but because he loves every human being that is born in a way that is beyond our imagination. God is trying to love people into his kingdom not drag them into it. To do this he has to make them fully aware of their separation from him. It is a present pressure applied by God’s Holy Spirit.

Jesus spoke of this matter and he said in no uncertain terms that it is one of the Holy Spirit’s primary works while he is in the world. He said in John’s gospel “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove (convict) the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” Jn. 16:7, 8.

Believers often say they came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and that is what finally brought them to pray and accept the salvation God is offering. Unbelievers say they’re depressed, moody or in some inexplicable state of mind. That the conviction described by the believer and the depression felt by the unbeliever is one and the same thing is verified by the countless millions over the centuries that ceased to experience the depression soon after they yielded to God. I have seen this result countless times in the past more than three decades. This first hand experience and the scriptural support have convinced me beyond doubt that millions of people are suffering needlessly.

I would never advise anyone not to see their doctor for a complete examination of their depression. If it does happen to be a chemical imbalance or related to an emotional experience then the question is answered. If this does not answer the question then seeking God for his salvation should be the next move in their lives. In fact it should be the first move in their lives.

Speaking for myself I think living apart from Jesus’ love and having no certain hope of the future would indeed be very depressing. I’m glad I answered that question many years ago.

Depression Cure: Tips on how to draw from that Higher Power

A depression cure may not lie in pills and visits to shrinks. Great wonders already exist in your mind and are at your disposal. Unleash them with a re-connection to your Spiritual Core and you too can cure your depression successfully by drawing from that Higher Power. Let’s proceed to find out how starting today.

Keywords:
Depression cure

In spite of the immense technological advancements and inventions designed to make our lives easier, depression still exists and millions of people are still seeking a depression cure. With all the sources of entertainment around us, depression still lurks in the core of our very existence as humans.

Why? Could it be that with all the technology and scientific breakthroughs that we have lost the very essence of our being as humans? That-being a deep connection with the Omnipotent.

This may very well be the case. We work too hard, go at neck-breaking speeds in life to get things done and never take the time to relax and draw on the Higher Power inherent within us, it is no wonder over 25 million people in the United states are depressed and consequently seeking a depression cure to end their misery.

Coming from a Christian background and adhering to most of its principles in my honest opinion, an answer when asking for a depression cure will be a re-connection with God, by perhaps the most powerful yet easy method that although it is as old as the mountains is still extremely effective till this day: Prayer.

Don’t approach it by thinking that you have to say some specific verses or a bunch of “Thee’s and ‘Thou’s’”. That’s not necessary, talk to your Creator as you would your best friend and let it all out.

The next step will be to simply take the time out to relax.

I’m going to borrow from Yoga folks, and the pose here is the relaxation pose.
It involves laying flat on a bed, and consciously breathing deeply and evenly in a ratio of 5:5:5 (inhalation, retention and exhalation). You may do this accompanying a clock or a metronome. Breathe evenly as thus for several minutes, now consciously make auto-suggestions to your body starting from the toes to relax by saying mentally: “my toes are hereby relaxed, my feet are hereby relaxed etc…”

Do this working to the crown of your head and make sure every organ you can think of is relaxed by this auto-suggestion. Now the best part, pick one of the following quotes depending on your spiritual beliefs and repeat this to yourself…(or heck, pick them all and repeat one after the other…)

1. I am that pure consciousness or self.
2. I can do all things through God who strengthens me.
3. They that wait upon God shall renew their strength.

Repeat this ‘mantra’ mentally till it seeps into your subconscious and it literally replaces the negative thoughts you may have about your problems, just as light always overcomes darkness.

Now, turn to your right side, breathe evenly again, then arise and approach your day believing that you are refreshed and drawing upon that higher power for a depression cure.

Friends, this is very important, that you believe you are healed, just like a child believes the pain felt earlier has been cured by Mom kissing it away. Yes, such a child-like faith is required. Child-like but folks, powerful! It’s been written: “According to your faith be it unto you” (this is a basic law of successful living.)

In addition to this, to co-operate with the Higher Power in healing you, you’ve got to meet this Power halfway. Make efforts to better yourself. Let’s get back to the basics folks, exercise, eating right and positive thinking. In regards to a depression cure, you may have to supplement drawing upon that Higher Power with seeking good company, sources of laughter and a wise avoidance of those factors or people that bring you down.

A depression cure is within reach, the power which has its roots in the Omnipotent and Unseen is right there inside of you. With the tips above, you can draw from it, solve your problems and lead a depression free life.

Empower yourself with a depression cure that works, reconnecting with the spiritual forces around you. Great wonders exist in your mind. Tap into it and win.

Coping with Anxiety

This article provides information about how to cope up with anxiety. It also gives information about symptoms and treatments of anxiety.

Keywords:
Anxiety, Anxiety treatment, symptoms, Anxiety disorders

Anxiety is a part of everyone’s life. There are different ways of dealing with different of anxiety owing different causes. Proper treatment and support can help a person to deal with their anxiety in a better way and making living with it better. And with time one can find himself or herself free from the majority of their issues.
Causes and types

Anxiety is mainly of two types. One type is that type of anxiety with which you can deal and the other type is worsened form of anxiety which leaves a mark on your personality. The first type of anxiety is easy to deal with. Support from your near and dear ones can help you to come out of your anxiety or you can always deal with it on your own, without needing any support. But the second type of anxiety requires some effort to make living easy. The first thing that is needed to be done is to determine which the type of your anxiety is and then find out the root cause of it.
Causes for anxiety can be external as well. So in order to deal with your anxiety in a better way you need to find out whether your anxiety is caused due to an external factor or not. Any bitter incident which took place in your past life can be the cause or sometimes it can be an indistinct intuition that something is not right but if your anxiety is due to some external factors then you should work towards dealing with it. However there is no obvious external cause for anxiety reactions to life.

Studies are still conducted to find out the cause of anxiety in people who don’t have any reasonable past traumatic experience which could lead to anxiety. People with deep rooted anxiety may have chemical imbalances in their brains for improper registration of neuro chemicals. However you should be aware that it is not a proven fact with any concrete evidence. A relatively new study conducted in 2005 showed that it is possible to do a normal blood test to find out the chemicals present in the brain which can cause anxiety.

Symptoms

More or less all the anxiety symptoms are quite well known because over the years people have experienced anxiety. The usual symptoms are prolific sweating, ‘lump in the throat’, palpitations, twitching, dry mouth, chest pain and shortness of breath or wheezing. However these symptoms can exist as side effects of some other medicines or some other psychological issues. When linked to a phobia, as opposed to being ‘general’ anxiety disorder, the symptoms normally only happen in reaction to explicit stimuli.

Treatment

Groups like Toastmasters International helps you with specific anxieties that have not yet reached a weakening stage. After you notice the anxiety symptoms in yourself you must consult a psychiatrist or a professional health professional.

A qualified mental health professional can assess your anxiety, diagnose your psychological issues, and plan a course of treatment that suits you best. If you detect that your anxiety is reaching a bad stage then at once you must seek advice from your doctor. So that there are full chances of your recovery. If you have full support from your family and from all those people who understands you can help you treating your anxiety. Thus you can cope with anxiety in a better way and your recovery will be quick and complete.

Journaling, therapy, group sessions, or medication are the various methods of treatment. However cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most common type of therapy. In this kind of treatment the mental health professional aids the patient in shagging the ways of thinking that contribute to the cause of anxiety. The professional then introduce the patient to the situations that helps in controlling their anxiety. Common types of medication include anxiolytics such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are the common medicines and also tricyclic anti-depressants, though these days those are prescribed less often. It is seen that over 90% of patients get recovered by availing these treatment options.

Get more information on coping with anxiety here.

Climbing Out Of Depression

One man is scaling each continent’s tallest mountain to heighten global awareness of depression.

Keywords:
Climbing Out Of Depression

One man is scaling each continent’s tallest mountain to heighten global awareness of depression.

Twenty years after the suicide death of his father, mountain climber Joe Lawson formed Expedition Hope to help raise awareness of depression and the risks of letting the illness go untreated.

Lawson’s father battled depression his entire life, until he decided to put an end to his suffering when Joe was just 16 years old. After struggling to understand his father’s suicide, Lawson developed an interest in mountain climbing and has since traveled the world in search of new adventures and personal challenges. One of these personal challenges includes Lawson’s attempt to climb the highest mountain on each of the seven continents.

Up to 19 million Americans suffer from depressive disorders, including major depression. Although it is one of the most frequently seen psychiatric disorders in the primary-care setting, it often goes undiagnosed or is under-treated. This may be because depressed patients often discuss their physical symptoms rather than emotional complaints. In fact, in one study about 70 percent of patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) presented with only physical complaints. Pain is present in approximately 45 to 75 percent of patients with MDD, and can include headache, back, shoulder and abdominal pain.

“My father’s depression left him feeling isolated and estranged, making it hard for him to seek help and talk about his condition,” said Lawson. “Had he had the proper treatment, his life might have been saved.”

With the help of Eli Lilly and Company, Lawson began his journey last May by climbing Alaska’s Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America. However, after injuring his knee while on the mountain, Lawson had to turn back. Instead of giving up, Lawson went on to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, in September 2005, and Mt. Kosciusko, the highest peak in Australia, in November 2005.

“Like mountain climbing, persons suffering from depression may face extreme challenges, but help, treatment, and relief from symptoms are attainable with appropriate assistance,” said Lawson.

This year, Lawson will attempt to summit Mt. Elbrus, the highest peak in Russia, and Mt. Vinson Massif, the highest peak in Antarctica.

When I Finally Admitted I Was Depressed And Cured It.

Realizing, admitting and curing an ongoing depressive disorder with a natural alternative vs prescription drugs.

Keywords:
Depression, Drugs, ssri, Depression forums, Treatment, Mood, Anxiety, panic, disorders, panic Attack, St. john’s wort, St.johns wort, paxil, zoloft, prozac, natural, alternative, doctors, treatments, help, clinics, news

Winter has always been a difficult time for me in Michigan, with its many gray days, and not much sunlight. I awoke, feeling heavy, sluggish, and still exhausted. I wanted to pull the covers back over my head and return to my secure sleep state. I sensed something was wrong but really didn’t seem to care what it was. I knew I did not want to face another grueling day, outside the world of sleep. I felt scared, but didn’t know why. I dragged myself, out of bed, and into the bathroom. I could not decide whether I wanted to shave or shower first, then I made that extremely difficult decision to shower. Typical thoughts that would run through my head every morning, would I ever get over this feeling? Why was I feeling like this all the time? Maybe this is normal and I will eventually get over it?

Finally, I was fully awake small tasks seemed monumental, drudgery and overwhelming but I pushed on. I started my day by looking for faults in everything but myself. I was very short tempered with those closest to me and I didn’t even realize it, then out the door to work I go. The rest of the day, at work, I felt numb people were talking to me, asking questions, but nothing was getting thru. On the outside I put up a great front so no one could see, but I was trapped inside a deep dark world, a personal hell.

I was forgetting things very easily, even if I wrote them down. Organization, no matter how I organized things, didn’t seem to matter, because I was depressed and felt hazy. I couldn’t decide exactly what to start on because it all seemed overwhelming. When I did start something it was like climbing a mountain and I couldn’t see the top. Sometimes I felt a sinking feeling or a sense of little hope for anything. I felt like no one knew what I was going through or could help me. I would easily get angry and irritated at everything and everyone. There were times of Panic/Anxiety attacks in the middle of the night, those were not fun.

My typical day was like that movie “Ground Hog Day” with Bill Murray where he had to keep repeating the same day over and over till he got it right. What I found out later was that somewhere, I allowed myself to tumble into a state of depression and had not realized it or even truly acknowledged it. When I did finally acknowledge I was depressed and needed to do something it took me along time to find the right solutions by trial and error. The only person that can drag you out of depression is you, but I have to tell you the big secret to my success was the pharmaceutical grade St. Johns Wort that I took for about 6 months. If you need to know more about what I was taking come to my forum I go into more detail there.

Now I am doing great, I have focus, drive, energy and care what happens to myself and others. I jump out of bed, can’t wait to face all of the issues at hand (They are issues now, before they were monumental problems). I don’t have the emotional tendencies that I had before. I am by no means walking around with “rose colored glasses”, but more like a clear view now without the numb hazy feeling.

Depression is an emotionally draining journey that many will go through in their lifetime, but depression does not have to rule your life there is plenty of help available. Answers and treatments will vary from person to person what works for one person may not work for another. Allowing the state of depression to control you and be the norm will negatively affect you and others. Depression drags you down to depths that you feel you don’t have the energy to accomplish anything or even beat depression itself, a vicious cycle. Depression appears to cause many physical illness’s that can be over come with treatment. It’s time now, for you to pull out of the emotional numbness and rollercoaster that you step on to, but can’t remember where.

Being able to feel normal and handle life is your right. When people look at others that are cool and calm they appear to have everything under control that might not be the case, because many of us can put of a really good front. Putting up a good front is ok for a while, but you need to address the disorders. “Depression slowly erodes your will and breaks down any attempt at your happiness for a normal life this is not what anyone wants.

Finally, I want all of you to know that depressed people are highly intelligent, loving and sensitive people that have a lot to contribute to the world, but they need to realize that they are depressed, admit it and find a solution.

- Thomas Fullerton

http://www.toolsfordepression.com/phpBB2

Building Self Confidence

The very first step is to accept yourself – lovingly. No person in the world in perfect so why bother to shed tears over your imperfectness. This is how God wanted us to be – Imperfect! We might have something that someone else may lack and someone else might be endowed with the qualities, which we lack. This incompleteness makes us go out and seek companions who make us feel loved, wanted and complete. Oh what a great feeling! Would we experience it if we were inside the cocoon of our perfection? Never! So accept yourself the way you are. It will free your mind of a heavy baggage of unnecessary worries. You will instantly feel light and cheerful.

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building self confidence, feel better, physically, mentally, diet, atkins, confidence level

Liberate yourself - Go out and do what you like! - How long it has been since you last went to have a walk among the pines – something that you loved as a child? How long has it been when you walked hand in hand with your friend to the bakery and tossed a coin to decide what to buy? These might seem very simple things but these simple things have the power to add on to build great confidence and fulfilment. Life if see is actually quite simple. What gets a bit too complex though is to remain simple. Isn’t it? Just as small drops of water make the mighty ocean, the little things you enjoy doing have the capability to turn you into a storehouse of confidence. When God made you, He put a desire in your heart and bestowed onto you the capability to achieve it. However, in the process of growing up, you forgot what exactly your purpose was, what is that you liked and what is that you enjoyed doing. It does happen with lots and lots of people who do feel like breaking free but are too tied up in their day to day responsibilities that it gets impossible for them to spare even 10 minutes to reflect on their lives, their direction, their dreams and goals. It’s our duty to clear the mess that prevents us from hearing to our heart. The conversations with your heart should keep getting clearer and the best way to do it is to find time to do what you enjoy. And since you enjoy doing that activity, it straightaway means that you have all the aptitude and intelligence necessary to do the job effortlessly even though you may not realize it.

Find your flock - Birds of a feather flock together. You must find out people with whom you enjoy being. They are certainly the people of your frequency and the energy flow between you and them is natural. Life becomes easy when you are among the people who are more or less on the same plane of thought as you and it’s easier to relate to them. They seem to understand you and vice versa thus creating conditions for healthy conversations. A good conversation is a very healthy exercise and an important need of our mind. We all want our ideas to be heard and appreciated and a good company provides platform for the same.

Set Achievable Goals and Go for it! - The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The idea is to begin with a small single step that can then further developed into giant strides. Learn to do the work at hand rather than to overwhelm oneself by looking at the entirety of a mammoth looking task. Just like the soil underneath your foot, the top of mountain too would someday be under your step. The only way to do something is to GO FOR IT! No matter how small the progress is the focus should be on completing a task successfully even though it’s a small task. A series of big uncompleted task is a sure shot way to depression. Break a big task into a list of small tasks to be completed. Tick off from your list each job successfully completed. A completed task no matter how small it is gives a sense of achievement that boosts our confidence and equips us with more energy to try a bigger task.