How to Combat Postpartum Depression

Do you think you have postpartum depression? Don't worry because there is nothing wrong with you. Postpartum depression affects most mothers, especially new moms. It is also commonly known as "baby blues" and it is caused by the sudden changes in your hormones. Most women experience the symptoms of postpartum depression for about a week; however, it can also last longer in some women.

Before you learn about how to combat postpartum blues, it is very helpful for you to learn how to identify its symptoms. These symptoms are quite similar to that of normal depression; however, they do not last very long. Usually mothers with post partum depression often are irritable which is why they can get easy angry and upset by even the smallest things. Exhaustion is also very common. Also, they also tend to pull away from their baby. They may even try to ignore their responsibilities as a mother and have someone else take care of their baby. One reason for this is that they get anxious about how well they can do their responsibilities and they are afraid that they will just harm their baby. This can even resort to panic attacks.

Other symptoms for postpartum depression include changes in appetite, sleep pattern disturbances, low libido, and fatigue. A confirmatory sign is an unexplainable constant feeling of sadness or guilt.

If you do have postpartum blues, there are several ways to combat it, so don't worry. The first thing to do is to take care of yourself and you should start with getting enough rest and sleep. Lack of quality rest can lead to irritability and fatigue. Another way to combat postpartum depression is to express your feelings. It will help give you peace of mind and help lessen the stress and anxiety you feel. Talking to someone about may seem very basic, but it really does help. Sometimes all you really need is someone to be there for you. Try talking to someone you can easily relate with, or someone that has also been through the baby blues. If you have a therapist, then you can talk to him as well. While medications are also available for treating postpartum depression, most physicians will tell you that regular counselling is still the most effective treatment for helping women cope with their depression.

If counselling doesn't work, antidepressants are prescribed to help new mothers overcome postpartum depression. Other doctors also prescribe psychotherapy such as the Emotional Freedom Technique which uses both psychology and acupuncture.

If you are pregnant and are worried about postpartum depression, don't be. There are several ways of combating it. Another good thing is that not all pregnancies will result to it. Not all mothers will experience it, and even if you get it when you deliver your first baby, it doesn't mean that you will also experience it on your next pregnancy. Postpartum depression is easily treatable, so get treated as early as you can. Don't wait until it gets out of control before you start doing something about it.

Common Depression Symptoms to Watch Out For

A romance gone wrong, a death of a loved one, a disappointment in your endeavours are just a few of the reasons why we become sad. Sadness and grief are normal. It's just how the body reacts and cope to some of life's stressors. Typically, most people will heal and then revert back to their natural selves. However, if these feelings of sadness and grief do not go away, and they start to disrupts with the person's daily life, it is no longer normal. It becomes a mood disorder, called depression.

It is important that we watch out for depression in those people we care about. If it is unrecognized and untreated, it could lead to suicide ideas. There are a lot of depression symptoms we could watch out for as it could affect almost every aspect of a person's life. It affects your physical health, your thoughts, your behaviour, your feelings and even your relationships with other people.

Depression is more than just a state of being sad. Most depressed people also experience irritability, anger, hopelessness, anxiety, fear, fatigue, confusion and feelings of shame and worthlessness. They often feel weak and ill. Others even have hallucinations. Here are other signs of depression:

1. A lack of interest in pleasurable activities or even in any activity
2. Inability to feel pleasure, which is known as anhedonia
3. Weight changes (a loss or gain of at least 5% of the total body weight in a month)
4. Insomnia, oversleeping and other sleep problems
5. Restlessness
6. Slowed movements
7. Feelings of guilt about something that they cannot control
8. "Brain fog" or the decrease ability to concentrate, think and make decisions, and
9. Thoughts about death such as suicidal ideas, whether its planned or not

People with depression often have crying spells to express their sadness. Some of them self-medicate or even try to numb themselves by abusing a drugs and alcohol. Others engage in self-destructive behaviour to try to relieve the emotional pain they feel. These activities include overeating, sexual promiscuity, or physically injuring themselves.

Depression can either slowly progress or suddenly occur due to a stressful or traumatic experience. It is important for people to understand that those who feel depressed need all the support they need. Depression is a real illness and they cannot just simply snap out of it. They need your help, and when you know about the symptoms of depression, you'll be able to identify who needs support.

Just like other illnesses, depression can be treated. There are a lot of treatment modalities that can help control and diminish its signs and symptoms. Medications, psychotherapy and counselling are commonly used to treat depression. There are several options for antidepressants and several forms of psychotherapy available, so it is important that anyone suffering from depression symptoms to go see a doctor. With the proper support and the right treatment, a depressed person can return to his normal self and become a productive and happy member of society once more.

Remember that depression is the number one cause of suicide. Do not let depression take one of your loved one away. Watch out for the different depressions symptoms, and if you notice that someone you love has these symptoms, make sure that he or she gets treated. It could mean the difference between life and death.

Coffee Lowers Depression Risk In Older Females

Coffee Lowers Depression Risk In Older Females

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The more coffee an older woman drinks the lower her risk of depression is, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health reported in Archives of Internal Medicine. The researchers stressed that theirs was an observational study, and can only suggest the possibility of coffee's protective effect, rather that prove that it reduces depression risk.

The authors explained that about 80% of caffeine consumption worldwide is in the form of coffee - it is the most commonly used CNS (central nervous system) stimulant.

Previous studies have looked at associations between coffee drinking and depression risk - one prospective study among young adult males suggested coffee consumption might be linked to depression risk. Depression is often a long-term (chronic) condition that has a tendency to come back, it affects twice as many females as males. Experts say that about 1 in every 5 women in the United States will suffer from depression at some point in their lives.

The authors wrote that:

"(the) identification of risk factors for depression among women and the development of new preventive strategies are, therefore, a public health priority."

Michel Lucas, Ph.D., R.D. and team set out to determine whether the consumption of coffee or some drinks containing caffeine might be linked to depression risk.

They gathered data on 50,737 women, average age 63 years; none of them had depression when the study began. They had all participated in the Nurses' Health Study. They were prospectively followed up until June 2006. Questionnaires had asked them what their caffeine consumption was from 1980 to 2004. The researchers had data on how often they consumed caffeinated and non-caffeinated coffee, nonherbal tea, caffeinated sodas (sugared or low calorie), all types of caffeine-free soft drinks, and chocolate during a twelve month period before filling in each questionnaire.

In this study, depression was defined as having a diagnosis of clinical depression and being prescribed regular antidepressants during the previous two years.

They analyzed the cumulative consumption over a period and then looked at a two-year latency period. For example, caffeine consumption data from 1980 through 1994 were used to predict clinical depression rates from 1996 through 1998.

They identified 2,607 new diagnoses of depression during the 10-year follow up period 1996-2006.

Below are some highlighted data from their findings:

Women who consumed two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day were 15% less likely to develop depression compared to those who drank a maximum of one cup of caffeinated coffee per week

Women who drank at least 4 cups per day had a 20% lower risk than the maximum 1 cup per week females

Those who consumed at least 550mg per day of caffeine had a 20% lower risk of developing depression compared to the women whose daily consumption was 100mg or less per day

The consumption of decaffeinated coffee had no impact on depression risk

The authors wrote:

"In this large prospective cohort of older women free of clinical depression or severe depressive symptoms at baseline, risk of depression decreased in a dose-dependent manner with increasing consumption of caffeinated coffee."

They added:

"(this observational study) cannot prove that caffeine or caffeinated coffee reduces the risk of depression but only suggests the possibility of such a protective effect."

Further studies are required to confirm their findings, as well as to determine what impact regular caffeine consumption might have on the general population, and whether it could be used to treat depression.

Caffeine content in some food, drinks and drugs

Caffeine tablet (regular strength), 1 tablet. 100 mg

Caffeine tablet (extra strength), 1 tablet. 200 mg

Excedrin tablet, 1 tablet. 65 mg

Hershey's Special Dark (45% cacao), 1 bar of 1.5 oz. 10 mg

Percolated coffee, 7 fl oz. 80-135 mg

Drip coffee, 7 fl oz. 115-175 mg

Decaffeinated coffee, 7 fl oz. 5-15 mg

Espresso coffee, 1.5-2 fl oz., 100 mg

Black tea, 6 fl oz. 50 mg

Green tea, 6 fl oz. 30 mg

Guayaki yerba mate, 0.2 oz. 85 mg

Coca-Cola Classic, 12 fl oz. 34 mg

Mountain Dew, 12 fl oz. 54 mg

Gurana Antartica, 11 fl oz. 30 mg

Jolt Cola, 23.5 fl oz. 280 mg

Red Bull, 8.2 fl oz. 80 mg

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Depression - In Women

Women are twice likely to have depression than men. The reason for this is not completely clear, but it might be because of some factors unique to women such as changes in hormone levels, abuse and oppression. These factors are likely to increase the chances of women developing depression.

Common Causes of Depression

Chemical imbalance in the brain

Stressful life events such as death of a loved one, divorce or moving from an area, or a comfortable zone to another.

Side effects from taking specific drugs

The abuse of alcohol and drugs

Genetic

Other Depression Causes for Women

It's common to see most women after giving birth start to have mood swings, which is known as baby blues. They start to find it difficult to concentrate, they lose their appetite or can't sleep when their baby is sleeping. This is almost normal and the symptoms often disappear within 10 days, but in some cases it doesn't and when that happens, it's known as postpartum depression.

Symptoms of Depression in Women

Lost of interest in previously enjoyed activities (including sex)

Regular feeling of sadness, hopelessness and frequent crying

Lost of appetite or eating too much that leads to sudden weight loss or gain

Change in sleeping pattern either sleeping too much or not able to sleep

Feeling unduly tired

Having trouble concentrating and making decisions

Feeling headaches and pains that don't improve even after treatment

Having suicidal thoughts and death

How to Treat Women Depression

If you think you have depression, see your doctor and discuss your symptoms, he or she will be able to direct you to the appropriate medical specialist for your case, in the case of depression, a mental health professional.

For the scientific treatment of depression, you have the options of psychotherapy, antidepressant or a combination of both. And then there are non scientific treatment options known as alternative treatments and for that you have options such as herbs, acupuncture, yoga, massage and so on. If the depression is not severe often all you need to recover are some coping skills and/or psychotherapy.

But whatever type of depression you have or how severe it is, taking good care of yourself can help your recovery. Do this by exercising regularly and eating healthy.

Taking Medicine to Treat Depression for Women

Women should be more cautious when taking antidepressants. Open up completely to your doctor in order to get the right treatment. Are you pregnant or planning to have a baby soon? Tell your doctor because all medicine you take in passes into your breast milk.

Are you on any specific drug? In most cases it's okay to take birth control pills alongside antidepressants but still confirm from your doctor. Your doctor is there to answer all your questions and provide you with the right treatment, so help him to do that and help yourself.

The Brain, Use It or Lose It

The use of psychotropic medications (antidepressants) for stress, depression, and anxiety problems can cause the dependency for stronger medications as the brain loses the ability to produce its own serotonin.

We have all at some point in our life heard the phrase use it or lose it. We can apply it to skills we may have not used for years, and found you partially or totally lost the skill completely.

This old, but true saying applies to our body the same way. Centuries ago, during a more unsanitary time, our gallbladder had a major role in fighting germs and food breakdown. Now, due to proper cooking of foods, the gallbladder has become unused, unneeded, and has deteriorated in size and function.

The human body is very adaptable and has the potential to adapt according to our environment given enough time. Modern times, especially since the industrial revolution, have created something that the human body has found itself incapable of adapting to. The demands of a faster paced society, deadlines, and a state of always being in a hurry have destroyed our body's harmony. Your body and brain has been programmed to run at a faster speed than was intended. We don't take time to properly rest and give the brain time to properly reflect on activities before the next has started. To make things worse, we rely on modern conveniences and have become less physically active.

The brain in ways is a super computer controlling and regulating every aspect of our body. Our body is loaded with safety programs, just like a computer. The presence or lack of a hormone tells the brain to turn on or off something else. What happens to your computer if the firewall gets turned off? It becomes vulnerable to attacks. The brain is no different; it has its own firewall called serotonin (natural shield). Serotonin, at normal levels, creates a natural shield that protects us from falling apart and is produced during exercise. While indulging ourselves with all the modern conveniences and becoming less active we have been training our brains to produce less and less serotonin.

As we replace our serotonin, we are in fact building up mental/spiritual roadblocks. These roadblocks affect our ability to think clearly and allow for fear and doubt to control our decisions and actions.

The absence of, or low serotonin levels have disarmed our firewall making our brains very vulnerable to depression, stress, and anxiety. To further complicate the problem, we as a society have begun relying on antidepressants to replace the role of our serotonin.

As we slowly replace our serotonin with pharmaceuticals we send the message to our brain that we need less and less so the brain produces less. This in turn causes us to require larger doses or stronger pharmaceuticals to make us feel better.

As our brains slowly stop producing serotonin, and has been replaced with pharmaceuticals there comes a point where the brain forgets how to make its own serotonin.

Have we reached a point where some may say they don't need it? We have food processing companies so we don't need our gallbladder. We have pharmaceutical companies so we don't need serotonin.

Therapeutic levels of serotonin can be rebuilt through a carefully planned fitness approach such as the W.A.R. (worry, adrenaline, rest) method from Building The Temple Therapeutic Fitness program.

The solution is within our lifestyle changes. Exercise and being active produces serotonin. Medications for mood stabilization should only be used for short periods of time to avoid dependency. Usage during the period of exercising to build up serotonin levels is ideal, but should be stopped when a therapeutic serotonin level has been achieved. This should only be done under the supervision of a physician.