Can Anyone Explain Seasonal Depression?

Seasonal depression is a form of depression that usually happens to a sufferer of depression once a year. This type of depression usually happens in the colder months leading into winter and will start to disappear as the weather starts to warm up.

It's quite common for people to go through seasonal depression and it's a form of depression that is still quite unknown to a lot of people.

We all get the blues when winter arrives don't we? This is just normal, as the cold can restrict us from getting out and about and enjoying the outdoors. The unfortunate thing for season depression sufferers is that the colder months really do affect them worse than the average person.

Anyone who sufferers from this form of depression will quickly start to show classic depression signs like feeling sad and unhappy, a lack of energy, irritable, socializing and a lack of concentration are what to look out for, they will find they have little control over these symptoms.

Riding out the depression can be an option for some but not recommended as in some countries winter can go on for months so I don't think riding out the depression it the right decision so getting the correct help would be your best option.

Many seasonal depression sufferers will find it very hard to resist eating more than they normally would over this period as this is a way for them to feel better about themselves, it's a way of replacing something they have lost and the problem with this is they will most likely start to show signs of weight gains without even realizing it until someone points it out to them or they notice it themselves, if they keep this up over a short period of time they will start to notice a decrease in their energy levels and they will sleep more often than not. Each sufferer will show different sorts of signs some will want to be around a lot of people others will want to be left alone.

The worry I have with this sort of depression is they can get themselves into quite a spot of bother quite quickly. Although this is called seasonal depression there is no guarantee they will be OK by the time summer comes around. You cannot just snap your fingers and all those depression symptoms and feelings will go away, what you're going to need is the correct help and advice to get through this period. For some they might know the depression is coming because it was there the year before therefore treatment can be easier, for others this might be the first time and either way getting the right treatment or advice should and will point you in the right direction and if you know what to do and with a good plan you will be OK.

Vitamins for Depression and How They Can Benefit You

There are several vitamins for depression that one should consider adding to their daily diet if they are suffering from depression or working on getting over depression. It seems that the most beneficial ones are of the "Vitamin B" family of vitamins, so that is what I will focus on here.

In today's crazy and busy society, most people are not getting their required daily intake of many vitamins. This is partly due to our bad eating habits as we are so quick to just grab something on the run. As you probably already know, most fast food has very little nutritional value and it doesn't take long for our bodies to become deficient. Of course, one of the best ways to combat this is to always take a daily multi-vitamin and preferably one with added minerals. However, people with depression may want to ask their doctor about supplementing with certain B-Vitamins. Below are the most commons ones and what each does.

Vitamin B1 plays a critical role in stimulating our nerves. It also helps us to metabolize the carbohydrates in our bodies. This in turn helps feed the brain and body with energy throughout the day. Some of the symptoms of not getting enough of this vitamin are restlessness and insomnia. You could also experience bouts of anxiety or depression.

Vitamin B2 is usually not associated with depressive or emotional disorders, but there is some indication that being deficient in this form of vitamin can have an impact on a person's personality changes including some aggressive personality disorders.

Vitamin B3 is one of the more common forms of this vitamin to be associated with depression and anxiety. It seems to have a greater effect on people's bouts of irritability and other mental disorders than a lot of the others do. If you feel you are not getting enough of this vitamin in particular, you can discuss supplementation with your doctor.

Vitamin B5 plays an active role in how the neurotransmitters in our body form and function and has also proven to be one of the more common vitamins for depression. Being deficient in this form of vitamin can also affect ones sleep patterns and has also been known to bring on certain allergies in some people.

Vitamin B6 is very important when it comes to mood regulation. This one is the most talked about version of Vitamin B when it comes to deficiency in depression sufferers. With that said though, it is also the most beneficial of the B Vitamins to take to help combat your depression. This is definitely one you should discuss with your doctor.

Vitamin B12 and its deficiency are mostly known to affect the brain. One might find themselves having a hard time concentrating or remembering daily tasks. If you've ever walked into a room and forgot why you were there, a deficiency of Vitamin B12 could be part of the problem. Becoming irritated very easily is another symptom of this deficiency and, as you know, this is also a symptom of depression.

These aren't the only vitamins for depression one should consider supplementing with. There are many other that have proven to be highly beneficial for getting over depression. Talk it over with your doctor. If she agrees that you need more of any of these vitamins, give it a try. I'm confident you are going to feel much better as a result.

The Relationship Between Seasonal Affective Disorder and Sleep Problems

One of the most common causes of sleep disorders during the winter months is seasonal affective disorder. SAD is a very real form of depression that may affect six out of every 100 people in the United States, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Some Symptoms of SAD

Symptoms of SAD generally manifest in late fall, when the days become shorter and colder, and people enjoy less natural sunlight. Symptoms include, but are not limited to, feelings of sadness, hopelessness and helplessness, lack of energy, loss of sexual interest and usual pleasurable activities, irritability and restlessness, cravings for carbohydrates and overeating (which can lead to weight gain and compound negative and depressive feelings), trouble concentrating, difficulty sleeping and/or insomnia and at the extreme end - thoughts of death or suicide. Symptoms of SAD are usually most intense during the darkest months of the year, so it stands to reason that the farther a person lives from the equator, the higher the incidence of SAD occurs.

Sleep Problems Related to SAD

A person with SAD who suffers from sleep problems may go to sleep early and stay in bed for nine or ten hours, but not experience refreshing sleep. Because of a lack of restful sleep, people with SAD are often drowsy and have trouble concentrating and working during the day.

The relationship between sleep and depression is a bit of a "chicken or the egg" relationship. Which came first? SAD-related depression, or the sleeping problems? It depends. For some, symptoms of SAD occur first - for others, sleep problems appear first. Depression may cause the sleep problems, and sleep problems may cause or worsen the other SAD symptoms.

The Link between Depression and Insomnia

There is a common link between people with depression and insomnia. Studies have shown that people with insomnia have a ten-fold risk of developing depression compared with people who sleep well. Further, developing depression is highest among those with both sleep onset and sleep maintenance insomnia.

People with depression may also experience insomnia symptoms, including difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, experiencing a lack of restful sleep and have daytime sleepiness. People who suffer from depression are also five times more likely to have a breathing-related sleep disorder than non-depressed people, according to a study at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The 2003 study by Stanford researcher Maurice Ohayon, MD, PhD, found that people with depression were found to be five times more likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common form of sleep disordered breathing. This was one of the first studies to make the connection between depression and sleep disorders. More current research has confirmed the connection.

SAD? Seek Help

If you believe you are experiencing SAD-related depression and/or sleep disorders, please see a psychiatrist or sleep specialist about it. There are treatments such as morning light therapy that can offer some relief, so you don't have to suffer unnecessarily through the winter blues.

How Can Meditation Help With Depression?

Currently, we live in a world that is always changing and moving a faster pace. While these changes benefit us in numerous ways, an increasing number of people are becoming stressed and losing their interest to enjoy life. This is no doubt due to the fact that many aspects of life are not certain such as having enough money and holding a job.

This could lead to relationship and health problems that have to be recognized before they become too serious. Meditation can be very helpful in these situations as you will discover in the rest of this article.

Meditation was formerly thought of as a mysterious practice that people would observe in isolated mountain retreats. Today, you can find people all over the world who meditate on a regular basis. All you need to do is take some time to go to a quiet place and be there alone. As long as you're comfortable with your particular meditation technique and do it regularly, it doesn't matter which technique you utilize.

One of the first benefits you will note is that you'll begin to feel mellow every day. It's possible that you will experience less irritation with trivial problems and be able to take on bigger problems without stressing too much. This can happen as you incorporate the deep breathing practices of meditation which enable you to handle stress better.

Alternatively, you may have found that you are having an anxiety attack as you breathe more shallowly due to the stress in your life. Meditation techniques of any sort can make a difference and help to neutralize stress reactions.

A further change that should likewise become apparent is how much more energetic you feel as some of your natural vitality returns. With meditation, you will get a different kind of relaxation than the kind you get after sleeping all night.

Meditation can even help you sleep better every night. It could help to replace some of the hours of rest you have missed if you have had a restless night as well as making you feel less agitated before the nights ahead.

A large number of meditation practitioners observe increased creativity and inspiration following meditating. This is most likely a result of the way that meditation quiets the mind allowing the creative side to come out. You may find this to be really beneficial if you need help resolving a problem in your life.

It's a good idea to write down on paper any ideas that come to mind during this time so you won't forget them later on. Integrating meditation into your daily routine is easy to achieve and will help you to feel less stressed while living a healthier life.

Light Therapy For SAD - 7 Important Factors In Choosing A Light Box

Seasonal affective disorder is not a myth. Almost 10 percent of the population develops SAD, often called "the winter blues", which is a form of depression linked to the decreased hours of sunshine in autumn and winter. Every year, as the days become shorter, colder, and the spring seems like a lifetime away, you start to get these symptoms:

Depression - Feeling miserable, hopelessness, loss of self esteem and sometimes just lack of feelings altogether.

Fatigue - You can't seem to carry on with your normal routine.

Stress and anxiety - You can't seem to handle any kind of stress and you are often tense.

Mood changes

Irritability - Usually accompanied with no desire to be social and for social contact.

Eating disorder - Suddenly you start craving heavy foods and carbs.

What to Consider When You Buy a Light Box for SAD?

There are a few important considerations to make before you decided which light box will help you the most. All light boxes for SAD treatment are built to do the same thing, but one may work better for you than another.

Light therapy for SAD comes in different intensities. They also differ in size, shape and features. They are all designed to be safe, but they are not regulated by the FDA. These are the things you should consider to find the safest and most suitable light box for your needs:

1. Light Intensity - Look for a device that provides the right intensity of light when you're a comfortable distance away. For example, it may be effective to use a device that produces 10,000 lux (a measurement of light intensity) 12 to 14 inches (30.5 to 35.6 centimeters) from you for 30 minutes each morning. However, using a box that produces 2,500 lux at the same distance may take two hours or more to achieve the same effect (data from MayoClinic.com).

2. Does it have Blue Light? - Recent research found that blue light at a certain range is more effective for depression and SAD than white light. But, blue light may cause some damage to your eyes so avoid looking directly at the light source in any device that you buy.

3. Does it filter UV light - Light therapy for SAD is usually designed to filter most of the UV light, the same light that can cause damage to your skin and eyes. Look for a light box that releases as little UV light as possible at high intensity. If you're not sure, contact the manufacturer for safety information

4. Is the light box made for SAD and depression? Make sure you are not buying a light box designed for skin orders for example. You should look for a light box specifically for SAD or depression for it to be safe and effective for you.

5. Does it use LED light - LED light bulbs are more efficient and lighter weight than standard lights and fluorescent, and appear to work just as well.

6. Style and features - Make sure the size of the box fits your needs and that you have a rechargeable battery. Keep in mind; most light boxes need to be positioned within 2 feet (61 centimeters) of you. Some offer more than an Off and On switch - such as timers you can program, adjustable brightness, extended batteries and more.

7. Cost - The prices vary, it can be a low as 88$ and as high as 500$. Some health insurance companies cover some of the cost of light therapy for SAD, but you will of course have to get a prescription from your doctor.

The Top 2 Light Boxes for SAD

Considering all of the factors above, there are 2 light boxes that are considered the best to relieve seasonal affective disorder, but don't buy any of them until you read a real review about them.

How To Know What Depression Is Like

Depression is a state of feeling unhappy and lonely which can lead to the feeling of despair. A lot of the time people just brush the thought of depression off, telling themselves that they are just having a bad day and keep on smiling, but the sad fact is that deep down the depression is there just waiting for the right time to pierce through the outer core of your body and reveal its self to the world, for some this can be a scary thought as they are really not sure what's around the corner or what might trigger their emotions.

Ok so what is depression like?

Below are some examples of what depression can be like:

1) Quicksand - Meaning you are sinking deeper and if you try to force things you will make it a lot worse, you feel stuck and know you are sinking deeper and deeper into a place where you do not want to go.

2) Have a heart attack - You are finding it hard to breathe correctly as you are not aware of the surroundings and seem to get confused too much, plus you are always focusing on things you regret that are in your past.

3) Zombie - I'm sure you have seen the zombies on television and the movies, they have no emotions and they always look like they are asleep, when you feel depressed you feel like a zombie, you want to sleep all the time and seem to have no emotional feeling at all.

4) Lost in a maze - You're not sure what direction to go in and your judgment is questioned because you have no clear path to take.

5) Dark tunnel - When you are depressed it's like you are in a dark tunnel and you cannot see the light of day at the end, you know when you move forward you will see the light but the way you feel right now you think you will never see that light, it just never seems to appear.

6) A ghost - When you are in a depressed state of mind visually your there but in reality you are not.

When you are in a depressed state it is very hard for someone to express what depression is like, you know it's there and doing you harm but your mind is all over the place and therefore you find it hard to express your feeling. In this situation it's important to stay calm and not to think too much as you will get confused and frustrated. Just calming yourself down and maybe have a laugh or two with a friend will help to ease the burden you are carrying.

How to Overcome the Symptoms of Depression

If you suffer from depression you are not alone, and there is hope. There are many natural treatments for the symptoms of depression. This short article is written for you, as well as for physicians and mental health professionals who sincerely want to help their patients and clients to truly heal from depression in ways that transcend simply prescribing or taking anti-depressant medication.

I have personally experienced a deep, seemingly never-ending depression -- fatigue daily sadness, misery, and hopelessness. In the winter of 1984/'85, I experienced no pleasure and doubted that I ever would again. My depression was precipitated by a crisis in my business and by a betrayal by someone I cared for deeply. This, combined with a pre-disposition towards hypoglycemia and a history of extreme attention deficit, kept me rolled up in bed much of the time. Though I was able to take care of my fundamental needs,

I did so as if trapped in a dark tunnel. This book is not specifically born out of that experience. Yet the opportunity to write this book brought forward in my mind my experience with depression -- an experience I had almost forgotten about.

I have learned that depression symptoms are not a selective. This awful disease can affect an individual of any race, religion, nation, economic class, and political persuasion. Composer Cole Porter fell into a deep depression in the late 1940s that plagued him to his death in 1964. Winston Churchill suffered through most of his life in a struggle with depression that he came to call "the black dog." Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, began suffering from a type of depression he called "the melancholy of things done." The great writer and storyteller Mark Twain suffered from a period of great depression towards the end of his life; Abraham Lincoln, considered by many to be the greatest of all American presidents, suffered from what was then called melancholy throughout his life; and poet Emily Dickinson wrote a poem about an emotional breakdown she experienced, saying, "I felt a funeral in my brain."

Depression often seems to have a life of its own. Like some creature from one of those "Alien" movies, it grows inside of you and begins to consume you. Friends and family want to help, offer support, but what they say just doesn't get in. When you are depressed, you feel completely isolated. Depressed individuals sincerely want help and yet they often seem paralyzed in acting on that desire. People with the best of intentions will tell you to "get on with your life," "snap out of it," "think positive," and "exercise!" It isn't as easy as that. Depression, and the treatment of its symptoms, is both basic and highly complex at the same time.

Depression has become one of the major health problems in recent years. With the advent of technology, such as the internet, email, faxes and wireless devices, we are being forced to work harder than ever before, to be on call longer, while at the same time, to take less vacation and personal time. Catastrophic world events have only exacerbated this, spurning a record number of new cases of depression. In 2001, the National Book Award Winner in the category of Non Fiction -- and a major bestseller -- was a book about depression.

As you address your depression symptoms remember that there is no one magic answer. By being tested for blood sugar, glandular imbalances, nutritional deficiencies or some other factor you will in time heal and transcend this awful condition.

Survivors of Child Abuse - Action Tips for a Nurturing Christmas

The happy, jolly picture that we are force fed about Christmas is not necessarily the reality for everyone. Around this time of year, many survivors of child abuse feel a whole host of negative thoughts and feelings which usually lead to them having a pretty miserable time.

We could write copious amounts about why you feel this way, what caused you to form negative beliefs and why things don't change for you but as fellow survivors, we don't think that would be particularly helpful to you.

Instead, we would like to encourage and motivate you to give a very special Christmas gift to yourself.

We have put together some ACTION TIPS for you which we hope will help you to create a brighter, better time for yourself over the coming festive period.

These tips will be helpful to you - but only if you CHOOSE to take ACTION and FOLLOW them! As an adult survivor of child abuse, you are essential to your own recovery - only you can make this happen.

TIP 1 - plan the ultimate nice day for yourself - decide in advance what sort of day you want to have and make sure it happens!

At the beginning of each and every day, start by drinking a large glass of water with a slice of lemon or lime in it. (Keep drinking plenty of water throughout your day.)

Then have a nice warm, nurturing aromatherapy bath or stimulating shower to start your day.

You will need:

4 drops of Rose Absolute Essential Oil

4 drops of Frankincense Essential Oil

2 drops of Chamomile Roman Essential Oil

2 drops of Patchouli Essential Oil

How to prepare your nurturing bath:

Set the scene by preparing a warm room, warm towels, clean, comfortable clothes and slippers.

If possible, play your favourite music in the background.

Use soft lighting with low wattage bulbs or candles. (If you do use candles, remember to never leave them unattended, near fabric or near any other fire hazard. Take care not to burn yourself and remember to blow them out before you leave the room.)

Close the door and window and drop your oils into the running bathwater.

When your water has reached a nice level and is a comfortable temperature, lower your body slowly into it.

As you soak in the bath, take regular, slow, deep breaths.

Allow your muscles to relax and rejuvenate.

Stay in the present and focus on how your body is feeling right now.

Think about how nice it is to just lie there and rest.

Picture your body from the tip of your toes to the top of your head beginning to relax bit by bit.

If troubling thoughts start to break through, just notice them and then take your focus back to your relaxing body.

If possible, spend at least 15 minutes soaking and relaxing in the bath.

DON'T WORRY if you don't have essential oils - make sure you've got some bubble bath or nice shower gel to use.

TIP 2 - Think about what is missing in your life - what do you want to change or achieve in the coming year, focus on what you DO WANT- not what you DON'T WANT - and write it down. Don't overwhelm yourself - keep it simple and achievable, for example, "I want to increase my confidence" I want a stress free life" I want to like myself more" I want peace of mind" "I want to be kind to myself" "At least once per day, I'm going to make time for me." Keep referring to this list from time to time to remind you of your goals and your progress.

TIP 3 - Treat yourself to a nourishing, nutritious meal - imagine you are cooking for your most favourite person in the world, make that person you. As you prepare and cook the food, imagine you are pouring love and care into the mix. Your food is now filled with love, care and positive energy. As you tuck into this scrummy meal, imagine that you are being filled and infused with healthy, positive love, and nurturing.

TIP 4 - Plan and go for a refreshing walk - on your own or with others. Prepare for your walk - wear appropriate clothing - cool if you're in summer time and warm and cosy if you're in winter time. Take water if the weather is hot and a flask of tea / coffee or soup if the weather is cold. Make it a brisk walk, taking in nice deep breaths, filling your lungs with health giving oxygen. Take in your surroundings, go to a park or beach, see some 'green stuff', notice the berries on the trees, look at the wildlife and most of all, stay in the moment and ENJOY!

TIP 5 - Prepare for a lovely relaxing evening. If you have children, get them settled and off to bed and make the evening yours! Get comfortable and watch your favourite movie or indulge in your favourite hobby. Sit down and read your favourite book. Draw or paint pictures, write in your journal or write a letter to someone you like. Make yourself a gratitude list. Think of all the things you can be grateful for - a home to live in, warm food, clothes, laughter, health, a job, your loved ones etc. If you find your mind wandering off to the past, STOP - bring your focus back to the present and the task at hand.

TIP 6 - Make yourself a warm, soothing drink and get ready for bed. Get your pyjamas or nightgown nice and warm before you step into them. Take a hot water bottle to bed if it's cold. Set your lighting to low and ambient, play relaxing music on a low volume. Get into bed and let your body relax into the mattress. Take slow deep breaths and take your attention to your feet. Allow your feet to sink deeper into the mattress as you allow them to become heavy and relaxed. Still taking deep breaths, allow your legs to sink deep into the mattress as you allow them to become heavy and relaxed. Continue focussing on and relaxing each part of your body in this way to bring about a state of total peace and wellbeing.

If, for whatever reason, you are unable to sleep, why not give yourself the ultimate treat of the day and download our free eBook on Insomnia Solutions - written especially for survivors of abuse and filled with lots of easy to follow suggestions, ideas and recipes which show how you can take control of your sleeping patterns and get a good, restful nights' sleep.

You can do this by visiting www.classwebcoach.com and clicking on the link there.

We hope that you will use this guide and adapt it to your own version of your perfect day, filling it with nourishing, nurturing thoughts, feelings and experiences that empower and uplift you. As a survivor of abuse, you deserve to be loved and cared for, but first of all, you have to love and care for yourself - MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR YOU - NOW!

Childhood Depression - Group Programs Effective For Prevention

Childhood Depression - Group Programs Effective For Prevention

A systematic review reveals that psychological programs designed to prevent depression in children and teenagers can be helpful; the protective effects can last for up to a year. The report is published in the current issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that assesses medical research.

Lead author Sally Merry, M.D., a pediatric psychiatrist with the department of psychological medicine at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, explained:

"Our results were encouraging, because depression is so common. It's one of the costliest disorders internationally. Researcher noted in the novel review reveals that in 2002, depression was the second leading cause of disability in developed countries and the first leading cause in several developing nations."

Tamar Mendelson, PhD., an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who focuses on methods to prevent mental illnesses, explains that the enjoyment young individuals experience in daily life can be destroyed by depression.

Depression can also weaken their social relations and performance at school, as well as increase their risk of substance use. Mendelson states that an initial episode of depression significantly increases the risk of further episodes, activating what is often a recurring course of illness.

Mendelson explains:

"Preventing depression and other mental illnesses is critical for many reasons. For one, there are far too few clinicians to treat all the people suffering from depression and other mental illnesses."

In addition, Mendelson highlights that even evidence-based treatments that are effective for preventing depression do not work for all people. Several individual suffering with depression or other mental illnesses do not seek help, even when care is available, due to stigma.

Mendelson explained:

"By intervening before the start of a disorder, prevention strategies have the potential to avert a chronic, episodic course of mental illness. Thus, prevention efforts with children and adolescents are particularly critical."

The researchers gathered data on 53 studies conducted in various nations. In total, 14,406 participants between the ages of 5 and 19 were included. At the time participants started the prevention programs none suffered from depressive disorder.

The researchers discovered that those who participated in prevention programs were considerably less likely to develop depression in the year after the program than youngsters who did not take part. This finding was the same even if the programs were aimed toward a specific subset of children, such as universal, or only boys.

Mendelson said:

"Group-based prevention strategies may offer a means of reaching more individuals than most treatment approaches. Prevention strategies are often less stigmatizing and therefore more acceptable to people than mental health treatments."

The majority of programs contained some elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Other programs gave priority to stress reduction methods, self-efficacy, and techniques for managing trauma and maintaining optimism.

Merry and Mendelson highlight that with depression among young individuals being prevalent, these discoveries are vital for several audiences, including young individuals and their parents, healthcare professionals who sever children and families, and school personnel.

In addition, policy makers worried about enhancing public health and managing the substantial costs linked to depression are likely to be interested. The researchers explain in several countries, "Governments are keen to take action" in order to reduce the significant human and financial costs connected with depression.

Written by Grace Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Additional

References

Citations

Visit our depression section for the latest news on this subject.

The Cochrane Library

Need Help? Know Where to Go

September is suicide prevention month and yet another suicide on the front page of the Aspen papers, you have to wonder why Aspen and the surrounding area has one of the highest suicide rates in Colorado. It is probably one of the most beautiful areas in the country in the heart of the magnificent Rocky Mountains. Its culture, beauty and resort living make the quality of life there one of the best places to live in the country yet there continues to be a very high suicide rate. Colorado has double the national average and Pitkin County has triple the national average.

The Aspen Valley Medical Foundation commissioned a study in 2009 by the University of Colorado Depression Center found that historically a suicide happened every 11 weeks in Pitkin County. I find these very interesting statistics. Having lived in Aspen most of my life, I find it has always satisfied most of my needs and that the beauty always seems to lift me up when I am down.

I can only speculate that some of the reason may be alcohol related as resorts tend to encourage night life. Isolation may be another. People who need to reach out for help may not have as many resources as a big city. Our community in Aspen has changed over the years and isn't as strong as it used to be. The expense of living here has driven many locals out, bringing in part time seasonal home owners instead. The shops that had been there for years have been replaced with R.E. development companies and high end shopping that appeals only to the pocketbooks of wealthy tourists.

I knew a young man once who took his life after a relationship break up. He wasn't able at the time to look into the future and see that his lost romance at the age of 28 might have just been a door closing. Perhaps it was a lesson learned that would lead him to a new relationship around the corner that might carry him into old age with children and grandchildren. He will never know now because sometimes the pain is too great to see the next chapter of your life. Pain masks the possibilities and what is left is giving in to the pain allowing its voice to haunt you. It covers up the voice that says, "Will this still bother me a year from now, three years from now?" You may not be able to change your situation but you can change the way you respond to it. You may need time to cry, grieve your losses, feel your feelings but don't allow it to keep you from looking at new possibilities. This is a time when a friend or a therapist is needed. Don't give up one hour before the miracle in your life could happen.

A suicidal person may not ask for help, but that doesn't mean that they don't want it. Most people who commit suicide don't want to die; they just want to stop hurting. When you can understand their world and be compassionate, that is when you have the ability to influence and help. The moment you judge someone, you lose the ability to influence them. They need to know that they are not alone, they are not broken, and they are loved. They need to know that they can create a future worth living. Without a vision, people perish. They need to know that if they can conquer this challenge in their life that it will be a gift that guides their life. Many great people have overcome intense struggles and have become better for it.

Recognize the warning signs and if you think a friend or family member is considering suicide, don't be afraid to ask them openly. It can save a life! Let them know you are concerned and that they can talk to you. Through understanding, reassurance, and support, you can help your loved one overcome thoughts of suicide. Seek professional help immediately if you have any concerns or questions about a loved one.

Finding Depression Cures That Work

Everyone feels blue from time to time, but when those sometimes blues turn into everyday down-in-the-dumps, you should begin to seek out depression cures that work. Depression is a true mental condition that is marked by changes in sleeping and eating patterns, feelings of helplessness and guilt, increased anxiety and anger, and more. Suicide attempts are also far more common for those with this condition than others. When you are facing this issue yourself, you know that you are pulling away from others and losing interest in life, and that in itself can feel scary. You may find that you feel like you are in a hole and simply cannot pull yourself up. There are, however, some depression cures that can set you on the right path.

Medical Attention. First, it is absolutely imperative that you pick up the phone today and make an appointment to talk to your doctor about your condition. The fact is that hundreds of millions of people around the globe suffer from this condition, and your doctor will not think anything less of you for seeking out the help you need. Your doctor can help you get on the right medication that will have you feeling far better in no time at all. In fact, many who first get on antidepressants notice that they feel worlds better in just days.

Natural Solutions. While you absolutely do not want to cut corners and want to make the most of your doctor's visit, there are some extra measures you can take at home to enhance your depression cures. In addition to taking any medication that your doctor has prescribed, you will also want to make an effort to spend a few more minutes out in the sunshine each day. The sun boosts vitamin D production in your body, which has a positive effect on your mood. Then you will want to make an effort to eat healthier, more natural foods, and to increase the amount of exercise and sleep you get. Your overall health and fitness level has a lot to do with your mood, as diet, sleep, and exercise all help to regulate mood-altering chemicals in the brain.

Therapy It is common for people to enter into a state of depression when the stresses of life become too much to bear. There are times in most people's lives when it seems life just knocks you down, but that life also just keeps kicking you while you are down, too. During these times, you may feel depressed and like you just cannot cope. In addition to following the medical advice of your doctor, you may want to seek out therapy for depression cures that can help you better manage stress and deal with life's issues.

While you may feel as though your life is just hopeless and there is no point in going on another day, you should grasp on to the knowledge that there are many depression cures available to you. In fact, when you make an appointment to see a doctor today, you will be on the right path to feeling much more like your old self in just a few days.

Blood Test Might Predict How Well A Depressed Patient Responds To Antidepressants

Blood Test Might Predict How Well A Depressed Patient Responds To Antidepressants

Loyola University Medical Center researchers are reporting what could become the first reliable method to predict whether an antidepressant will work on a depressed patient. The method would involve a blood test for a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). A Loyola study found that among depressed patients who had higher than normal blood levels of VEGF, more than 85 percent experienced partial or complete relief from depression after taking escitalopram (brand name Lexapro®). By comparison, fewer than 10 percent of depressed patients who had low levels of VEGF responded to the drug. "This would be the first time we would have a predictor for how well a patient would respond to an antidepressant," said Angelos Halaris, MD, PhD, first author of the study. Halaris presented results during the 2011 annual meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry and the 4th Annual Illinois Brain, Behavior and Immunity Meeting. About 60 percent of depressed patients do not respond fully to the first prescribed medication. Consequently, doctors often must prescribe a different medication again and again before finding one that works. "It would greatly benefit our patients if we could predict ahead of time whether a given medication would be effective for a certain patient," Halaris said. The Loyola study involved 35 patients who took escitalopram for major depressive disorder. Escitalopram belongs to a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Other common SSRIs are Prozac®, Paxil® and Zoloft®. Scientists aren't certain why SSRIs work in some patients but not in others. One possible mechanism is that SSRIs help restore a chemical balance in the brain. Some scientists recently have proposed a second possible mechanism, called neurogenesis -- SSRIs help to regenerate brain cells in specific parts of the brain that have atrophied in depressed patients. The Loyola study supports the neurogenesis theory. It appears that escitalopram, the SSRI used in the Loyola study, jump-starts brain cells that have become inactive. This regeneration is fueled by VEGF. In the brain, VEGF stimulates the growth of blood vessels and works in other ways to keep brain cells healthy and active. It appears that in patients with higher levels of VEGF, there was more regeneration, helping to reduce depression. Conversely, in patients with lower VEGF levels, there was less regeneration of brain cells and less relief from depression. If the finding is confirmed by further studies, it could lead to a blood test that would help physicians tailor treatment. If, for example, a patient had low levels of VEGF, the physician might skip SSRIs and try alternative classes of antidepressants, such as bupropion, or alternative therapies, such as psychotherapy or Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMG). These treatments are all available at Loyola University Medical Center. Currently, a VEGF blood test would be quite expensive if it were performed for a patient. But the cost likely would come down significantly if a VEGF test were to become widely used, Halaris said.

View drug information on Lexapro; Paxil CR; Prozac Weekly.

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Why People Suffering From Depression Feel They Are Alone?

Scientifically speaking, there are certain factors that cause us to feel as we do. Chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, control our moods. When these chemicals fall beyond their normal levels, negative mood manifestations are very likely to happen.

One specific feeling one experiences is that of being alone. Depressed individuals tend to believe that they are the only ones suffering, that they are the only ones being made to suffer, or that they are the only ones who deserve to suffer. These feelings can be mild at first, but without the proper management, these can become intense to the point that they can affect one's health or inflict pain to other persons.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression Requiring Help

Depression usually occurs following a stressful event or a traumatic experience. In many cases, the feelings of sadness fade in due time. But there are times when they do not. If you or someone you know is in a depressed state, observe the presence of the following signs and symptoms:

extreme feelings of sadness

withdrawn and aloof

lack of or no interest at all to perform daily tasks

fatigue or lack of energy

sleeplessness or insomnia

oversleeping

loss of appetite

overeating

These signs and symptoms can affect one's physical health in a big way, the reason why necessary measures are called for. Besides, uncontrolled depression can progress into a major depressive disorder which can mean bigger trouble for the affected individual.

Some Helpful Coping Mechanisms

If you know someone who is under the state of depression, helping him/her cope with it in a constructive way is very important. Some coping mechanisms that will be useful under the circumstances include:

Talking. Get your loved one to talk about his/her feelings, but never judge him/her. Your opinion is not what matters here; rather it's your simply being there that's more important.

Take your loved one to an empty room where he/she can be free to shout or to cry his/her feelings out. Taking it out on the wall is way better than taking it out on someone else.

Treat your loved one out. Don't allow your loved on to wallow in self-pity. Get him/her out of his/her shell to watch the beautiful surroundings and kids playing around, or simply to enjoy the sun. These things can do a lot of wonders to one's mood.

Take a break from work or go out of town. Sometimes a change of scenery is all one needs to bounce back.

Depression shouldn't last longer than a couple of weeks. If it does, and if it is accompanied by signs and symptoms that affect one's health in one way or the other, medical approaches have to be instituted to prevent a worsening case. Remember, once, depression has turned into a full-blown mental disorder, it will be very difficult to treat it. In fact, there is no cure for the likes of Bipolar or Manic Depressive Disorder, although there are means you can control it.

The first thing you can try to do, then, is to convince your friend to see a psychotherapist. A psychotherapist is someone who has had training and skills in dealing with depressed individuals. He/she properly assesses the case of the depressed individual, considering historical facts and physical manifestations among others. The psychotherapist then helps the individual come to a better understanding of his/her depression and assists him/her also in making and carrying out plans and objectives.

Along with psychotherapy, taking depression medications may be necessary. However, medications for depression come with many side effects. It's important that your patient is made to fully understand the necessity of taking medications and the risks associated with these drugs.

Most Depression Is Diet Related

It seems strange to think that depression is diet related. But it has been estimated that 90% of chronically depressed people are deficient in proper nutrition.

Depression is a serious and debilitating illness which can break families apart. It can cause problems at work and often leads to suicide. The trend is, alarmingly, on the rise.

Depletion of the neurotransmitter called norepinephrine can result in loss of alertness, a poor memory and clinical depression.

The medical solution is to prescribe anti-depressants. These not only take time to work, but are toxic in nature. They do not deal with the cause of depression. Side effects can be extremely unpleasant. And one of them compounds the depression, making it worse.

There are as many causes of depression as there are people with it, so this is a complicated area to venture into. Everyone needs a different solution, to match their individual needs. And the best way to resolve the cause of your depression, on an individual basis, is through homeopathic treatment.

However, there is also something you can do yourself. Dr Abram Hoffer and Dr Andrew Saul (author of Fire Your Doctor) have discovered that depression can be significantly improved, if not cured, by increasing your nutrient intake.

It has been said that the west has never been do well fed but so poorly nourished. Not only do most people lack the knowledge of good nutrition, the modern farming methods are focused on quantity rather than quality. However, there are ways around this.

The production of norepinephrine can be increased dramatically by increasing your levels of vitamin C and the vitamin B complex. However, before you rush out and buy these vitamins as supplements, you need to be aware of problems they can cause.

The majority of nutrient supplements on the market today are isolated and synthetic. They are made in a laboratory. They can give you a short term favourable result, but can be harmful in the long term. Your body does nor recognise nutrients in isolation as it has been designed to get all its nutrition from the perfect balance of healthy food.

All nutrients are co-dependent on a complex array of other nutrients. So your best source of perfect nutrition is to eat healthy foods. With 90% of depression diet related, discover the way to cure it, along with any other ailments, with healthy eating.

By the way, all medical drugs upset the absorption of nutrients, further compounding your depression.

What Are The Types of Depression?

Almost everyone experiences some form of depression. Simply put, depression elicits feelings of sadness, worthless, and hopelessness. Depressed individuals are often found to have negative views of things around them. Feelings of guilt may also come with depression.

In many cases, depression requires no medical treatment. Individuals feel sad for one reason or another, but the feeling normally goes away after a few days. In some cases, the feeling of sadness can become severe such that it already interferes with one's health and state of mind. Depression of this form has to be properly managed to eliminate or reduce health risks and suicidal tendencies.

Types of Depression

There are at least 10 different types of depression that you need to be aware of:

Major Depression. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, major depression is the type whereby the affected individual is in a state of gloom for most of the day lasting for a couple of weeks at the very least. Common to individuals with this disorder are the following signs and symptoms:

Lack of interest in doing daily tasks.

Loss of appetite or overeating

Weight loss or weight gain

Insomnia or oversleeping

Fatigue or lack of energy

Loss of focus and concentration

Inability to make decisions

Suicidal thoughts

Dysthymia. Dysthymia or dysthmic disorder is depression of the chronic type. Individuals with dysthymia are said to be in and out of depression for a period of two years, accompanied by the following signs and symptoms:

Feelings of hopelessness

Eating problems (decreased or increased appetite)

Lack of energy

Low self-esteem

Loss of focus and concentration

Inability to make decisions

Manic Depression (Manic-Depressive Disorder or Bipolar Disorder). Individuals with Manic Depression have manic episodes in one instance and may or may not have depressed episodes. Manic-depressive individuals appear to be highly irritable for a week or so. Their self-esteem is so great that they may feel as if they are the most important people in the world. Individuals with this disorder:

Have an inflating ego.

Are hyperactive they may not have the time to sleep anymore.

Talk nonstop.

Get distracted easily.

Have an increased interest in social and work activities.

Are engaged in risky habits, such as irresponsible sex and shopping beyond one's limits

Seasonal Affective Disorder. Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is major depression that occurs during a specific season, such as fall or winter, for instance.

Post Partum Depression. It typically occurs within a month after giving birth.

Atypical Depression. This type is similar to a major depressive disorder or dysthymia but which comes with a temporary improvement in one's mood after experiencing something nice and beautiful.

Endogenous Depression. It occurs with no apparent reason. One simply feels "out of it".

Situational Depression. This type is brought about by circumstances such as death of a loved one, loss of job or broken relationship. It does not last for more than 6 months.

Psychotic Depression. This kind is major depression than comes with hallucinations and delusions. When somebody who is diagnosed with major depression appears to hear voices, you can be almost certain that person is entering the state of psychotic stage.

Catatonic Depression. It is a subtype of Major Depression characterized by lack of or inappropriate and bizarre voluntary movements. Catatonics meaninglessly repeat movements or words.

Treatment Options

Treatment options will vary greatly depending on the type of depression to be treated. A combination of psychotherapy and medications is usually recommended, and in more severe cases, ECT or shock therapy may be necessary. Treatment will also involve controlling the signs and symptoms to prevent them from posing major health risks.

Types and Causes of Depression

What is depression? What are the causes of depression? It is a syndrome that reflects a sad behavior exceeding normal grief. It is a very serious disorder and it is usually reported in the older people. The main cause of this disorder is still unknown. There are many types of depression but some important types are listed below

• Major depression
• Dysthymia
• Manic depression

These are very common types of depression. Major depression is a very severe type and it is characterized by avloss of appetite, weight changes, feelings of hopelessness and sleep changes. Similarly there are also many other symptoms of this disorder. This type of depressive disorder usually lasts for two to three weeks. Similarly the second important type of depression is Dysthymia and its symptoms are very different from other types. The most common symptom of this type of depressive disorder includes reckless behavior, pain in the different areas of body and loss of energy. The suicidal thoughts and loss of concentration is also possible in this condition. The symptoms of Dysthymia are very common and easy to observe. Similarly manic depression is characterized by loneliness, irritation and sleeping problems. The treatment of each type of depression is easy at early stages but after the appearance of complete symptoms it is difficult to cure.

If you want to treat depression then you should find out the main cause of this disease. This disease result due to several factors and reasons. But some very important causes of depressive disorder are listed below

• Stressful conditions
• Lack of confidence
• Accidental shocks
• Loss of any precious thing
• Severe injury
• Medical problems
• Divorce between life partners
• Loss of money
• Unemployment
• Loss of job
• Consumption of alcohol
• Smoking
• Headache
• Failure in the examination

These are very important causes of depression but this is not a complete list of causes of this disorder. There are also many other causes of this problem. The treatment of this problem includes the use of medicines and physical exercise. If you are suffering from this disease then you should act upon the following suggestions

• First of all you should ignore this disease and keep your mind in peace
• Create better communication and relationship with others
• Participate in sports activities like cricket, foot ball and baseball
• Avoid loneliness
• Have a better sleep
• Use nutritious food
• Use of exercise is very beneficial
• Avoid from alcohol and smoking
• Don't use medicine

If you want to treat depression without medicines then you should act upon these suggestions. The use of medications is not better at early stages of this disease. It is better to discuss this problem with your health provider because he can provide you better information.

Depressive Symptoms And Impaired Physical Function Are Frequent And Long-Lasting After Acute Lung Injury

Depressive Symptoms And Impaired Physical Function Are Frequent And Long-Lasting After Acute Lung Injury

Depressive symptoms and impaired physical function were common and long-lasting during the first two years following acute lung injury (ALI), according to a new study from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Depressive symptoms were an independent risk factor for impaired physical function.

"Early identification and treatment of depressive states should be evaluated as a potential intervention to improve long-term outcomes in ALI survivors," said first author O. Joseph Bienvenu, MD, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. "Depressive symptoms are a potentially modifiable risk factor for later-onset physical impairment in these patients."

The findings were published online ahead of print publication in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

A total of 186 mechanically ventilated patients with ALI were included in the study, with follow-up at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months following injury. Outcome measures included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), with a score 8 indicating depressive symptoms, and dependencies in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), with 2 impairments indicating impaired physical function.

The cumulative two-year incidence of depressive symptoms among the 147 patients without baseline depression was 40 percent, and the cumulative incidence of impaired physical function among the 112 patients without baseline impaired physical function was 66 percent. Incidence rates were highest at three-month follow-up and declined thereafter. The modal (most common) durations were >21 months for each outcome.

In multivariable analyses, education 12 years was significantly associated with incident depressive symptoms, and depressive symptoms at last follow-up were significantly associated with incident impaired physical function.

There were some limitations to the study. Depressive symptoms were measured using a self-report questionnaire, not psychiatric diagnoses. Baseline depression was identified from medical records, which may have led to some inaccuracy regarding patients' baseline mood states. Lastly, the possible effects of treatment of depression or impaired physical function were not considered, and instances of depressive symptoms or impaired physical function that occurred but resolved may have been missed.

"Depressive symptoms are not only persistent in ALI survivors but are a risk factor for subsequent impairment in physical function in ALI survivors," said last author Dale M. Needham, MD, PhD, associate professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine. "Given our findings, the early identification and treatment of depressive symptoms should be evaluated as part of the comprehensive rehabilitation of these patients, to determine if such an intervention would improve not only mood states but physical functioning."

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Long-Lasting Depressive Symptoms, Physical Impairment Often Follow ICU Stays

Long-Lasting Depressive Symptoms, Physical Impairment Often Follow ICU Stays

Critically ill patients who recover from a potentially deadly syndrome known as acute lung injury frequently emerge with new, apparently long-lasting depressive symptoms and new physical impairments that make them unable to perform many daily tasks, Johns Hopkins research suggests.

Results of the new study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, also suggest that the depressive symptoms frequently precede the new physical impairments, not the other way around. The research team also said the findings may be applicable to patients with other types of disease or injury who spend time in hospital intensive care units hooked up to ventilators that breathe for them.

"When people are discharged from the ICU, we tend, understandably, to focus on their physical health, but our data tell us we need to focus on their mental health, too," says study leader O. Joseph Bienvenu, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "Depression can make recovery much more difficult. Identifying depressive symptoms early and treating them could make a real difference in how patients fare physically in the long term."

Bienvenu and his colleagues assessed 186 survivors of acute lung injury from four Baltimore hospitals at three, six, 12 and 24 months after they became ill, and surveyed their levels of depression as well as their ability to independently perform important tasks of daily life, such as using the telephone, shopping and preparing food.

The Hopkins team found that 40 percent of the patients developed depressive symptoms in the first two years after discharge even though they had not previously experienced them, and that 66 percent experienced new physical impairments. The average age of patients in the study was 49 years people who should be in the prime of their lives but became disabled and unable to return to work, the researchers say. The researchers are continuing to follow these patients to see if the problems persist for an even longer period of time.

"Patients are burdened for a very long time after their hospital stays," says principal investigator Dale M. Needham, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "We need to figure out what we can do to help these previously productive people get back their lives."

Needham says it is unclear whether it is the acute lung injury syndrome itself causing the new problems or whether the cause is to be found in how patients are routinely cared for in ICUs. Standard ICU care for patients with acute lung injury often includes deep sedation and bed rest. Long stretches of inactivity are known to cause physical impairment, and the use of high-dose benzodiazepines to sedate ICU patients has been associated with depressive symptoms. Needham suspects that both critical illnesses themselves and typical ICU practices contribute to negative outcomes.

Patients' lungs typically recover relatively quickly from acute lung injury, a syndrome often caused by pneumonia, but also by other infections or trauma. In acute lung injury, the body's inflammatory response is revved up and gets out of control, causing fluid to flood into the breathing spaces of the lungs and respiratory failure. An estimated 190,000 Americans suffer from acute lung injury each year and more than 74,000, almost 40 percent, will die while in hospital.

Needham says it is important that intensivists like himself, and psychiatrists like Bienvenu work together to ensure the best outcomes for patients, a collaboration that is frequently missing in the care of ICU patients.

Bienvenu says he was surprised by the finding that depressive symptoms frequently precede new physical impairments, since the conventional wisdom is that the inability after an ICU stay to do things like grocery shopping, driving and walking long distances causes patients to feel demoralized about the loss of these functions. But the reverse appears to be true, he says. Depressed patients, he suggests, are harder to motivate to do the physical activities necessary for recovery and maintenance of function.

Bienvenu says acute lung injury is considered an archetypal critical illness and that its consequences may be present to one degree or another in patients who have suffered other critical illnesses. "All doctors should look out for these symptoms in their patients who have been in the ICU," he says.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

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Learn Why Antidepressants Don't Work and Find The Best Depression Treatment

Antidepressants annulate the actuation of your immune system. They give you relief for a certain period of time, without solving your problems, and without letting your conscience fight against the invasion of the absurdity that comes from your anti-conscience. The anti-conscience is your wild and primitive conscience, which is still active inside you and generates mental illnesses within your human conscience.

If you'll take antidepressants instead of following psychotherapy, you will simply suppress your depressed feelings, without eliminating the causes of your depression. Even if you believe that your depression is caused by life situations that you cannot control, the truth is that you can change your life and stop being in a difficult position. You can also change your personal philosophy of life and learn how to deal with problematic situations without feeling despair.

Dream therapy according to the scientific method of dream interpretation is the best natural depression treatment you can find, especially because it is safe. When you take antidepressants you are in great danger. The antidepressants may cause you many psychological problems instead of helping you cope with depression. On the other hand, when you follow the psychotherapy of ignorant human beings your depression may increase because ignorant human beings cannot see the content of your brain, and they ignore many things about you and your life.

The unconscious mind that produces your dreams is the only doctor you can absolutely trust because it is God's mind. The unconscious wisdom proves God's existence. This means that you can really trust the treatment you follow when you obey the guidance of your unconscious doctor in dream messages.

The unconscious mind knows everything about you and your life. Thus, the guidance you receive is specific and surely appropriate for your case.

If you have no conditions to study the dream language because you are too sad and you need urgent support, I can translate your dreams for you and provide you with psychotherapy. Many people prefer this option because they are not familiar with the unconscious psychotherapy in dreams. When they see how it works, they usually decide to study my dynamic method of instant dream translation (derived from Carl Jung's method of dream interpretation).

Dream therapy works for all cases.

If you had a sad childhood and adolescence, you will surely have to bear depression at a certain point in your life. You have to eliminate the wounds of the past and your erroneous ideas in order to eliminate the depressed feeling they bring to your memory.

The suffering from the past prevents your evolution. You have many self-defensive reactions that you started adopting after having various traumas. Your anti-conscience takes advantage of the traumatic experiences of your life in order to send you absurd fears and block the development of your intelligence, generating abnormal behavior.

Your anti-conscience damages your memory and your nervous system, causing many distortions. Therefore, you don't have the chance to understand what is happening to you and react. Only through a detailed analysis of your life biography and through the correction of the mistakes you make for being influenced by your anti-conscience, can your conscience stop being blocked.

Without the right treatment you will feel worse, and you may even become neurotic. This is why you must be very careful when you are feeling depressed.

There are numerous false treatments that are very dangerous for your mental and physical health. You should be prudent and look for the authentic psychotherapy of the unconscious mind in your own dreams.

You may suffer from depression in your adult life even if you had a normal childhood and adolescence because you are too introverted. Those who belong to introverted psychological types tend to acquire mental illnesses because they are nearer the absurd content of their psyche. They tend to neglect the real characteristics of their external reality and pay attention only to their personal impressions and ideas.

This doesn't mean that those who belong to extroverted psychological types are not vulnerable to depression. Extroverted psychological types suppress their psychological problems, finding relief with material pleasures. This is why they don't become depressed as frequently as introverted psychological types. However, since they don't really solve their problems, they become victims of their anti-conscience at a certain point. They feel horribly depressed without understanding why.

Each one becomes depressed for a certain reason related to his/her psychological type. We are constantly having to face situations that demand the development of all our psychological functions, so that we may stop being one-sided. We have to be as introverted as extroverted in order to find balance.

As you can see, the intention to cure depression through antidepressants is totally absurd. Without psychotherapy you'll never understand what is causing your psychological problems and stop feeling depressed. The depression treatment of the unconscious mind in your dreams is the only one that can give you many explanations and help you evolve.

Depression The Silent Killer

Depression sneaks up on people. You will not see blood or a broken limb. Very gradually, the disease creeps up on you, dragging you down into a dark abyss of hopelessness.

The patient is not the only one afflicted with this illness. Family and friends are drawn into the cold grey world of the depressed, desperately trying to provide advice or support. However, they soon realize that they exist outside of an invisible barrier, which they are unable to penetrate.

The occasional state of melancholy becomes more frequent but you do not see it happening. The sun no longer shines brightly and you do not look forward to the day with joy in your heart. Getting out of bed in the morning is almost more than you can manage. Indeed, increasingly, you pull up the duvet and call in sick. You ask your spouse to take the children to school as you hunker under the blankets.

You excuse yourself from a variety of social occasions with the excuse that you are too tired, which you truly are. You do not have the energy to get up and get dressed but if you must you pull on a couple of items that cover your body. You do not take care to present a good appearance; you do not add a touch of perfume; you pull a brush or comb through your hair.

The house becomes your haven. You can slop around in your old garb. You need not face anyone nor do you need to respond to questions. You know that you are negative and never have a positive answer for anyone, but there are no positive answers within you.

You wear black, you feel sad, as if in continual mourning for your own life that simply drags on day after day. Holidays are not a time of joy and again you hear in your own head people saying that you are a misery. You know that you do not bring joy or good cheer but there is a void inside you and a complete hopelessness about the world and the future.

It is almost impossible to drag yourself out of depression. If you are really fortunate, someone will come to your rescue by taking you to a doctor who can provide the chemicals necessary to address the chemical imbalance in your brain. Somehow, the information that it is not your worthlessness that is responsible for your condition but something that can be defined as a chemical; something that is objective; something that is real for doctors.

But if you think that taking a medical drug will resolve everything at the wave of a wand, you are sadly disillusioned. You are warned that you have work to do to climb out of the pit of despair, but you know that the effort will be too great for you; that you are too tired to do it.

If you do not have someone watching over you, you will not escape, even while taking a handful of pills a day. You will need someone to visit you, to go out with you, to persuade you or even bully you very gently. It will take someone with a kind soul who will not accept a negative answer.

If you are very fortunate, you will receive guidance and support to take very small steps to build your confidence and happiness. You will walk to the corner shop, open the windows when you awake or wear a brightly colored outfit.

It is not easy, but you can beat depression if you accept that you need help.

How Can You Help Your Boyfriend Who Is Suffering From Depression?

A strong support system is very important in depression treatment. I've come across people who would have "lost their mind", gone over the edge, and committed suicide, had it not been for their loved ones being there for them through and through. Loved ones sticking through one's ordeal is really necessary, after all. So if your boyfriend is suffering from depression, don't leave him, even if he tries to push you away.

How To Help Your Boyfriend Cope With Depression

Helping your boyfriend cope with depression is not going to be easy. It's definitely not a "walk in the park". Many times, in our haste and excitement to help our loved ones, we end up saying or doing the wrong things, pushing them further down the brink of depression. It's very important to get on the right footing early on.

Here is a collection of tips on how you can help your boyfriend bounce back to his normal, pre-depressed state:

Don't judge him or blame him. It is nobody's fault that he is feeling depressed, so don't take it all on him. And don't make the mistake of being a "Miss Know-It-All".

Give him your listening ear. For once, let him do the talking, and simply be there to listen. Your depressed does not need to hear your opinions; he only needs to express himself. Give him that chance to rant about things that bother him.

Show him you care. Give him a hug - he needs you to be affectionate.

Take him to see a ballgame. Men always love sports, don't they? He is not likely to refuse your offer to take him to see basketball or football, or any other game for that matter. Being in a crowd is bound to make him feel better.

Encourage him to do things he used to do as a child. Go bicycle-riding for instance, or ride the ferris wheel. As a child, did your boyfriend enjoy playing in the park? Take him there where he can be free to do whatever he wants.

Treat your boyfriend. Make your boyfriend feel like royalty. Treat him to a spa or a therapeutic massage.

When To Seek Professional Help

With these tips, your boyfriend is not supposed to brood for a very long time. Needless to say, you need to watch closely for signs and symptoms that may indicate a worsening condition and the need to get professional help:

Little desire to eat. Severe depression can cause people to lose their appetite. Don't let this happen to your boyfriend, else he will be dealing with more problems than he can already handle, such as malnutrition and weight loss, for instance.

Food binging. Some people tend to binge to cope with their depression. Food binging is not at all a lesser evil compared to not eating at all. Food binging is unhealthy eating and it can in fact lead to obesity, weight problems, diabetes, and even heart problems.

Insomnia. Your boyfriend not sleeping for days is not at all a good sign. This can lead to anemia and lethargy.

Paranoia. When one's depression becomes so severe, one may feel paranoid or delusional.

When any of these signs and symptoms are present, don't waste time. Get your boyfriend to see a therapist at once. The therapist is the best person to properly evaluate your boyfriend's case and determine the treatment program that is right for him. Most likely, your boyfriend will be recommended to undergo psychotherapy sessions, to which you, being the significant other, will go to as well. The therapist may also suggest putting your boyfriend on medications to control his feelings of sadness.

What Makes A Depressed Person Want To Push You Away And Be Alone?

Depression causes a variety of reactions. The reactions may or may not be intended, real or imagined. With depression, certain chemicals in the brain become unstable, causing people to think rather irrationally. Many times, the sad feelings are so intense that for a lot of people, the only way to cope with them is to retreat themselves away from others or push their loved ones away.

Possible Reasons Why Depressed Persons Push Their Loved Ones Away

There could be several reasons why depressed individuals feel the need to push their loved ones away, among them:

Depressed individuals are hopeless beyond hope that they feel nobody else can help them.

There is a tendency to feel threatened or overwhelmed by the presence of loved ones.

Depressed individuals love their family and loved ones so much that they would not want to drag them into the "mess" they feel they are in.

In worse cases, severe depression can make people delusional and paranoid that they may see their loved ones as "enemies".

While the tendency to push loved ones away is real, it does not mean that it is okay. If you are at the other end, allowing your loved one to push you away because he or she is suffering from depression will only bring more harm than good to both of you. Keep in mind that your "significant other" is at a very low point at the moment, and even though he or she may not realize it, your loved one actually needs your love and support.

Reversing Depression

Let your loved one know that you are not the type of person who will leave her in the dark nor are you someone who will just take no for an answer. So here are some things you can try to do to reverse depression and make your loved one feel better:

Stay with him/her while giving him/her space at the same time. Give him/her time to sort his/her emotions, but don't let him/her mope. You don't necessarily have to say anything. Just be there to hold his/her hand and to offer your shoulder when he/she needs to lean on to someone.

Take your loved one somewhere fun. A park with a playground and children playing is a nice place to spend a cool afternoon. Watching kids play and hearing them laugh is very good to the senses. Who knows, you might actually get your loved one to smile.

Get your loved one to eat ice cream. Who doesn't love the thought of ice cream, especially on a sunny day? There's something about ice cream that takes us back to the time when we were little kids, a time when we didn't have a care in the world, a time when we didn't have time to be sad.

Watch DVDs. Spend all afternoon just watching light and funny flicks. As much as possible, have the lights on. Being in dark places will not do anything to lift the mood of your loved one.

Keep in mind that depression should never last for more than a few days. If none of the above helps to reduce your loved one's feeling of sadness and if your loved one is already exhibiting signs and symptoms that affect his/her health (not sleeping very well or sleeping too much, not eating or overeating, having palpitations and panic attacks ), do the next best thing - get your loved one to see a counselor or a therapist.

Untreated depression can progress into something much worse and you really don't want that to happen. Even severe depression has good chances of getting healed completely if treatment has begun early on.

Confidence Beats Depression

I wish I could be extremely succinct, write the correct words, and convey to you what I have learned about the wonder of our own bodies and minds as we change (our posture) for the better. Here is my attempt to convey how one may gain confidence as we make this change.

When you were born and as you wander through life to adolescence and young adulthood, you have seemingly locked in your body shape. To unlock and improve your body shape from that point, you must begin by having a desire, that light within you to change for the better.

Your posture and the shape of your own body are a depiction of who you are inside, all the things you are, so changing it requires the most from your body and your mind.

The body is equipped to give us good mobility and a fine, appreciated form for the rest of our lives. I personally, as probably most of you, want to go past acquiring good posture. I want my senses to come alive. I want to know how others with grace and poise, and those with a fine posture and nice body lines, make their way in this world. I believe that each of them think of their surroundings as part of a world that is going their way. That way they fit into this wonderful world as only those with grace and poise would.

I know this much, people of this rarefied social class don't do many of the things I did, or carry themselves in the improper way I did. Also they have befriended me only when I properly carried myself, became an established, trustworthy person having a desirable attitude. It the truth were told, I really did not want their friendship until I was satisfied with my appearance and attitude, (So there)! Only then was I, and were we, ready to become acquaintances. Only then would we be a part of this desirable group of friends. Like many of you reading this, to accomplish this I was, and am, prepared to change for the better. I am changing for the better still. Sometimes it is a road with unexpected twists and turns, but a road that I must travel. I consider anyone who is of fine character and part of this desirable upper social class likely to be found on this road.

People of a preferred social strata will only desire my friendship when I physically and mentally meet their criteria. These two social traits, exceptional and physical and mental traits, are social hurdles to me, and are now under my focus. They are pleasant traits, those traits of being both upright physically and mentally. I want to continue to investigate the "subtleties" of social success so that I may accommodate these traits. I want to have the same traits as those who've been blessed with social graces. I want the poise, the good posture, and the self confidence that are found in the people having these social graces. Then I want it "all".

I want to enjoy, even during this part of my life, the lifestyle that I envision, that properly fulfills my character. I want the greetings and pleasantries that are given to cordial, upright people. Presently I am making this change. I am spending the rest of my days acquiring the positive behavioral and physical traits revealed to me by others of fine character. (Maybe I didn't learn these traits from my parents or caregivers). After acquiring these fine traits, I am displaying them to these folks of good character, sharing with them these wonderful attributes. Yes, as the wonderful bits of information mount within me, I learn the fine art of walking into a room with a subtle confidence to be a part of it all. I obtain a nice sense of style, a certain grace and desirable poise, just like those found in the people I admire and share my time with.

It's like learning a new craft, that of acquiring a preferable behavioral modification. Perhaps we were taught how to enter a room without confidence. Were we a person with the painfully shy communication skills that left us feeling awkward? It just does not "happen" that we would feel clumsy and out of sorts. Unfortunately, we were taught to display these bad habits. If we'd like to change this, if we don't, or like the way we presently behave, let's make a change for the better. Let's make our entrances to a room a display of our subtle confidence. Become smooth in the ways to "work" a room filled with gracious and influential people. Please note that the room would be filled with those people holding desirable, graceful traits. Let's not not waste our efforts on those we wish not to engage with.

Bits and pieces of the good life are available to all of us by watching others who have a certain "cool", those with a sense of style and an "upper class". Teach yourself. This acquired appreciation that becomes who your are, your mannerisms, happens at the same time your body and mannerisms improve. This is no accident. It is a sort of symbiosis. The more you improve your graceful ways, the more you are able to "see" and understand the ways you can ingratiate yourself into a superior, refined "class" of folks. You learn to enjoy their company. It is like being drawn up, into this new social setting, and you then have all the perks that come with this social position. That is why I am "all in" for changing for the better, the physical body and it's intertwined mind. Forget which comes first. They both cross the finish line first, with you gracefully along for the ride.

With you being a person who is changing for the better, with all your subtle changes that have taken place the last few moments or years, and, if you have been reading the articles from my website, you have evolved and allowed yourself to make this transition. As our legs stretch, our backs lengthen and widen, as we become more balanced with our heads gracefully poised atop our shoulders, so does the "sense" that we have reached yet another plateau. It is so nice and gratifying to open our stride and walk gracefully, to glide from one place to another, or to stand and sit with a certain confidence and enjoyment. During this transition we note how the finer things in life reveal themselves to us. Pleasant responses come to us as we simply make small talk with others, as we move with grace and poise going about in our daily lives.

In previous articles I have commented on this "improving phase" of our life. I do so again, presently, because it is very important when we realize the following: As we elevate our physical and mental position in life, life elevates what it offers to us in exchange. That's all for now. Have a Merry Christmas and happy holidays.

Depression, What Is It?

Depression is considered a state of mind or emotional state in which a person feels anxious, sad, unhappy, worthless, guilty, unexcitable, etc. In most cases, depression is quite treatable with the use of counselling or medication. In more extreme cases, depression may lead to suicidal thoughts and actions which will prompt a more aggressive approach to treatment. Almost all people will feel feelings of depression at some or other point in their lives and one must remember that this is completely normal. It is when depression begins to interfere with your daily life that it is considered problematic.

Many times a person may not even be aware of the fact that they are depressed and may be showing outward signs that appear quite normal. However, certain enjoyment begotten from certain activities do not hold as much joy for the person suffering from depression. At times, the person may feel frustrated with their inability to feel joy or satisfaction and this may result in over- compensatory behaviour or unusual behaviour that is contrary to the norm.

The school of psychiatry recognise depression as being a fundamental symptom in almost all noted psychiatric syndromes. These focus primarily on mood disorders in which depression plays a main role. Mood disorders include mild disorders which can be treated rather quickly and major mood disorders which require more time and more intensive treatment in order to overcome it. Major mood disorders feature a person being depressed for more than two weeks at a time and losing interest in almost all activities that are usually of interest to them.

Another main major mood disorder which is now growing in frequency is bipolar mood disorder. Bipolar disorder is somewhat different from clearly defined depression in that a person who suffers from bipolar can experience both highs and lows in their moods whereby the bipolar sufferer can experience weeks or months of elation and drop very suddenly to a few weeks of severe depression.

Depression is not necessarily limited to psychiatric disorders or psychological functioning. At times, depression may very well be the result of a physical defect or physical cause. For instance, certain viral infections, a lack of activity in the thyroid gland and even certain heart conditions can lead to feelings of depression. Certain chemical states within the brain itself can also lead to feelings of depression. Fortunately, certain physical causes of depression can treated more easily than those that are considered strictly psychological.

Psychologists and Psychiatrists maintain that depression, if not rooted in specific physical conditions, is due to certain chemical reactions in the brain. At times, the chemical condition within the brain may be hereditary and at other times may be the result of environmental influences, such as stress. Sometimes, it could be a bit of both.

Certain aspects may contribute to the development of depression:

Drug abuse.

Alcohol abuse.

Insomnia or over-sleeping or other sleeping disorders.

Medical conditions which include an underactive thyroid, heart conditions, cancers and chronic pain.

Stressful events which occur in one's life or environment which may include the loss of a loved one, divorce, job-loss and child abuse... to name a few.

The important thing to remember when faced with depression is to ascertain why you may be suffering from it. Secondly, do not wait until the depression gets the best of you. Have it addressed as quickly as you can so that you can avoid some painful episodes which you should, ideally, rather not experience in life.

Why Being Depressed Can Be A Good Thing

We all feel depressed at times but for some of us, depression can completely wipe out any hope of living a good life. Some people never recover from depression and this is a travesty but it doesn't have to be this way.

In our 'fix it fast' society depression is seen as something that must be 'cured instantly' and that usually means the involvement of anti-depressant medication. When you go to the doctor they ask a series of questions that will determine whether or not you're depressed and then before you know it you are given a prescription which purports to help remove the depression and get you back to 'normal living'. Then, it's assumed that you'll take the medication for a few months and the depression will disappear. But we all know that it doesn't really work like that. You don't deal with the reasons why you were depressed in the first place and when you stop the 'happy pills' very often the depression returns.

OK, so what am I talking about when I say that depression can be a good thing? Well here goes...

Depression is a sign...a sign that all is not well with you. But it's a good sign because it's bringing you to a halt and offering you the opportunity to take a look at what's not working. Depression isn't an imbalance of brain chemicals; depression is a suppression of emotions and the most potent emotion that needs to be tackled is anger.

Now, that doesn't mean to say you need to become a raging bull, no it means that the way you respond to life is to swallow your frustrations and this is causing you to suppress hope and aliveness with the frustration and anger. Depression is like living with a dark cloud pressing down on you and when you suppress anger, you suppress everything else as well. It takes on its own life and becomes so big so that, no matter how hard you flail you arms, you just can't see any light through the darkness.

Through my own journey many people have spoken to me about their depression, and their recovery. The one thing that comes to light is that their recovery began when they began to understand that they had buried resentments and took measures to grab them by the balls and drag them to the surface. It doesn't come easy but then if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. No, it's a hard road - the road less travelled - but it's the road to get back home.

Some of us needed extra help to get there and I'm one of them. Trying to untangle the inner workings of my heart on my own was just not possible. I need to speak about it to others who understood depression and how it works. And I needed their reassurance that I wasn't mad, just depressed and through their guidance, I was able to find my lightness again. I'm ultimately grateful to those people I found along the way who helped me to find that right path.

So, instead of thinking that all is lost, how about looking at your depression as a godsend? I do, every day. If I hadn't been depressed I wouldn't have gone down the recovery road and I would be stuck in a hum drum life. See it as a turning point, a signal for change, the beginning of a new life full of possibilities you never knew were there. If you asked me: what should I do right now? I would say to surrender - stop trying to fight the depression because it's like trying to claw your way out of quicksand, you just go down even further. Instead, just accept you're depressed, take yourself to bed with a soothing drink and tell the world to go to hell. The acceptance you offer yourself will bring new hope and a starting point for complete recovery.

Are Depression And Insomnia Linked?

By definition, depression is a mood disorder, while insomnia is defined as being a sleep disorder that can have depression as a symptom. But, like the chicken and the egg enigma, which one can be definitely determined to come first or is one the result of the other only under certain circumstances? This is a question that has puzzled the medical community for years.

Depression Defined

As a mood disorder, depression is usually characterized by a constant feeling of sadness, also known as feeling blue. Everyone can feel this way from time to time but when those feelings become more intense, last for long periods of time or prevent someone from leading an otherwise normal life, then it can be classified as depression.

The inability to sleep or insomnia, is often called a symptom of depression, even though not being able to sleep has not been proven to cause depression. Oddly enough, depression is also considered to be a symptom of the sleep disorder as well, which leads to the confusion as to which one causes the other. While sleeping too much or too often, is also considered to be a sign of depression, an inability to sleep regularly over a long period of time can often lead your doctor to believe that you are indeed depressed.

Can Treating the Depression Cure the Sleep Disorder As Well?

The answer to that is an emphatic yes, if the sleep problems you have been experiencing are proven to be caused by the depression. Once the depression has been successfully treated and managed, the inability to sleep should abate as well. Treatment for the depression however, will depend upon how serious the condition is.

The most common treatment for depression is often counseling combined with medication. The medication will abate the obvious symptoms more quickly than the counseling, while the counseling will teach sufferers coping techniques to help them manage their depression. These skills can also be used to prevent the depression from recurring, and even help them alleviate any sleep problems that go along with it.

What you need to be aware of is that some of the normal medications prescribed for depression, such as Zoloft, Prozac and Paxil, may cause you to develop sleep problems, even if you were not already suffering from them, a side effect that happens to a small percentage of patients over time. Talking to your doctor honestly about any side effects you may be experiencing is the only way that he has to determine whether the medication is working or not.

Effective Sleep Habits That You Can Develop

Whether you are depressed or not, there are some changes you can make in your sleeping habits that can actually help you to improve your ability to fall asleep regularly. The first, learning how to relax, is a fairly simple one. Most people concentrate on their bodies while lying prone on the bed, and mentally will each part of the body to relax, one by one. Combining this technique with some deep breathing exercises, drawing each breath in and releasing it in a practiced rhythm will also distract your mind and allow you to relax gradually, as each minute passes by.

Exercising a few hours before bedtime will help to tire you out and aid in relaxing those tired muscles. Try not to drink anything containing alcohol or caffeine in the evening, because of the stimulants and sugars within them. If you smoke, it is best not to do so after the sun goes down for the same reasons.

Another change you can make to avert insomnia is to reserve your bedroom for only sleep related activities. This means no television, radio, and especially no computer. If your subconscious recognizes that it is a sleep only zone, it will comply, eventually, with your desire to sleep. The mind is a powerful tool for healing, if you let it.