Posts Tagged ‘symptoms of depression’
» posted on Tuesday, April 26th, 2011 at 3:24 PM by
Postures That Promote Mental Health
When you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, exercise may be the last thing you want to think about doing; however, it could be one of the most beneficial, particularly if the exercise you choose is yoga.
Well over a hundred million people worldwide are affected by depression, and in the U.S. alone the annual cost of medically treating depression is astronomical. That said, yoga isn’t an instant cure or a replacement for the clinical treatment of severe depression. But at the same time, yoga practice may ease some of the symptoms of depression or even clear a path of sight through the gloom. It might also increase feelings of empowerment for sufferers, by showing them a way to treat themselves better.
If you’re new to yoga, the hardest thing might be actually making it to the mat; but even if you start with just a few poses a day, you may find that you’re soon ready to do more. The slow, deep breathing, the yoga postures and the meditation can each help you to become more in tune with yourself, by strengthening your sense of wholeness and balance in mind, body and spirit.
The benefits of yoga don’t end there. Regular, slow and gentle practice can help reduce stress, contributing to a more peaceful state of mind and positive outlook. You might see the results in better mood control, improved concentration and energy levels, as well as in your general sense of well-being.
There’s science behind the positive effects of yoga, as well. Practicing yoga can stimulate the nervous system and circulation, raising the levels of hormones that make us feel good and decreasing those that cause us to feel stressed. Yoga practice can also be beneficial to the immune system and can help flush toxins from the body.
If you’re interested in trying yoga to soothe feelings of depression, you might want to join a class at a nearby yoga studio, fitness club or community center. A good certified instructor should be able to provide you with tips and poses that are particularly good for easing depression, but you can also turn to videos or the Internet for sites addressing this more specific use of the practice.
For a more in-depth examination of the relationship between yoga and mental health, you might want to read Yoga for Depression: A Compassionate Guide to Relieve Suffering Through Yoga, by yoga instructor and mentor Amy Weinstraub.
Brodi Saatpha has been practicing Yoga for many years, and one day hopes to attain true enlightenment. When she is not teaching others how to discover inner peace, she writes for yoga-insight.com a website educating people about home yoga workouts, comfortable yoga clothes, yoga retreats and more.
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post a comment | filed under Mental Health | tags: depression exercise, feelings of depression, gentle practice, symptoms of depression, yoga postures
» posted on Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011 at 3:34 AM by
How Regular Exercise Can Improve Your Physical and Mental Health
Exercise also elevates the levels of neurotransmitters in the capability which improves mental wellbeing. Why does exercise work in good dingy health? Regular exercise after some weeks gives best results
* A proper exercise benefits are given to those who are low fit and slow
* Good benefits for those high in anxiety to instigate with broke depression
* Conspicuously constructive results after weeks of regular activity
* Most beneficial when done several times a week
* Most beneficial with supplementary vigorous exercise
* Most beneficial for those who are more depressed
* Undoubted activity appears to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety.
* Exercise helps control your weight.
* Exercise combats chronic diseases.
* Exercise improves your mood.
* Exercise increases your energy.
* Exercise promotes better sleep.
* The exercise can be put back to stimulate your sex life.
Biochemical Mechanisms:
Fat exercise stimulates production of nor-epinephrine and serotonin owing to mechanisms for air improvement and hardship relief. If you are physically healthy and fit, you have the power, flexibility, and security needed for your day to day activities. Physical activity helps in releasing endorphins access the astuteness which improves the mood, reduces the levels of the stress hormone cortical and relieves muscle tension.
What are the three mechanisms by which exercise has an authenticated effect on mental health also well being? After understanding that exercise is good and keeps you healthy start doing regular exercise. Physical activity also increases cerebral blood present and improves momentum relaxation that follows physical well being.
Regular exercise helps you feel better physically and improves your mental health drastically. Do not do labor as a concussion instead do characteristic activities that becomes an physical activity flip over walk rather than driving, climb stairs instead of using lift. Brain derived neurotoxin factors are other chemicals monopoly the knack which are provoked by exercise.
Regular physical functioning improves the attitude further reduces the risk of developing depression. These chemicals are used by the brain cells to transmit information so that they affect your thinking and mood. Stress produced harmful changes clout the mastermind are broke with regular exercise and improves mental health.
Physiological Mechanisms:
Inherent exercise lowers blood pressure, slows down pulse rate, and makes breathing easy which all contribute to reduction in anxiety also depression. Healthy sleep construction
* Improved endurance
* Increased sexual desire
* Relief of stress
* Gain supplementary stamina and energy
* Mood improvement
* Decreased weariness increases mental health.
Positive self esteem is indirectly or directly connected with good mental well being and fitness. Do group enterprise with your friends and family members, which would be hopped up and enjoyable.
Psychosocial Mechanisms:
Exercise also improves your body image and self exaltation in a person.
Group exercise improves your social plight and helps in social interaction. Reduction in anxiety and depression leads to mental totally being and improved function. Plan your exercise program and if finished are any barriers to stop doing them avoiding them.
Here are some tips owing to recipient yourself moving to do exercise. Mental health improves drastically with exercise. Body temperature becomes more with exercise which gives a mild behavior. Perform universal exercises like walking fifteen minutes monotonous instead of ambulatory more hours.
What are mental health benefits of physical activity?
How to carry out yourself to Exercise?
Change imprint body image through exercise gives you a sense of control also improves self canonization predominance a person drastically. Do labor whereas a fun corporal activity instead of forming exercises a task.
Regular exercise seems to have an effect on certain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine importance the brain. Loss of weight scrap people who are overweight.Improved cardiovascular wellbeing and decreased cholesterol levels.
What are the contra distinct health benefits of regular exercise?
Exercise is a physical process that includes anything that gets you going, jibing as walk, dance, or work in the lawn. These chemicals help greater brain cells to show again maturate.
Seomul Evans is with Dallas Web Marketing Services consulting for CallMD, an informational Medical resource site specializing in: Mental Health and free Exercise articles.
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post a comment | filed under Mental Health | tags: biochemical mechanisms, exercise work, mental wellbeing, symptoms of depression, symptoms of depression and anxiety
» posted on Tuesday, October 19th, 2010 at 4:47 PM by Mental Health Ideas
Leave Depression Behind Quickly and Easily with Hypnotherapy and Self-Hypnosis
Getting depression is not a sign of weakness. There are no particular ‘personality types’ that are more at risk than others. However, some risk factors have been identified; these include inherited (genetic) factors, such as having parents or grandparents who have suffered from depression and non-genetic factors such as the death of a parent when you were young or suffering a trauma of some kind..
It is often impossible to identify a ’cause’ in many people, and this can be distressing for people who want to understand the reasons why they are ill. However depression, like any illness, can strike for no apparent reason. There are drugs on the market that can really help, but many people are reluctant to take these, as the side effects can almost be as unpleasant as the depression, but there are alternatives, and Hypnotherapy is one of them.
Self-Hypnosis is designed to combat the most common symptoms of depression, and lift that dark shadow of misery, anguish, gloom, and despondency.
Only a qualified doctor or health practitioner can formally diagnose you with clinical depression. However, how they reach this diagnosis gives an incredibly important insight into how to treat depression.
Depression Screening and Tests for Depression
Screening for depression is becoming more common, as we begin to realize how much is left undiagnosed. So let’s look now at how clinical depression is normally diagnosed.
Common Signs of Depression
The 5 most common signs of depression, according to research published in The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine (1998) are as follows:
These five signs of depression were reported by at least 90% of those in the study.
Reduced enjoyment from usual activities
Disappointment with self
Hopelessness
Irritability
Difficulty sleeping
If you are experiencing some or all of these, it still doesn’t mean that you would necessarily be diagnosed with depression. There are of course many more symptoms of depression, both physical and mental.
Diagnosing Depression
According to the definitions of most medical, psychological, and psychiatric bodies, there is a commonality in the diagnosis of depression. Most depression tests have a very similar framework. Almost without exception, clinical depression will be diagnosed if a certain number of feelings, that are signs of depression, are present over a certain period of time.
Below is the ‘official’ guide for diagnosing clinical depression:
A person can be diagnosed as suffering from clinical depression if:
(A) Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.
(1) Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood.
(2) Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others)
(3) Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains.
(4) Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day
(5) Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down)
(6) Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
(7) Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick)
(8) Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others)
(9) Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
(B) The symptoms do not meet criteria for a Mixed Episode.
(C) The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
(D) The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hypothyroidism).
(E) The symptoms are not better accounted for by Bereavement, i.e., after the loss of a loved one, the symptoms persist for longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, or psychomotor retardation.
To even start to feel better, you have to muster up from the depths of despair, enough energy and motivation to take action, and once your subconscious mind starts this process for you, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to make all those positive, life-changing, decisions you need to make to turn your life around.
The fact that you are reading this means you are ready…you’ve got this far…now just take the next step!
Depression – A Natural Response?
OK, so that’s what the doctors use but if we look at E), it raises some interesting questions.
It says that clinical depression can be diagnosed if the symptoms cannot be attributed to bereavement. So, since grieving is a natural response, we can see that depression is simply an out-of-place natural response. And of course it is. If it were not, we would have to take drugs to create it.
So what about the incredibly popular idea that depression is due to some unnatural chemical imbalance in the brain. That this ‘imbalance’ is the source and root cause of depression?
It’s possible, but it just doesn’t make sense for the majority of cases. And when we look at the increase in depression over the last 50 years or so, we will see that our brain chemistry just can’t change that quickly. Understanding this is one of the keys to understanding depression itself.
Typical Symptoms of Depression
ALTHOUGH it is often classed as ‘mental illness’, clinical depression often has as many physical symptoms as mental. The feelings or emotions that are depression symptoms, actually begin to cause the physical effects. How this happens is a vital part of understanding depression and the symptoms that come with it.
If you are depressed at the moment some of the following symptoms may sound familiar:
You feel miserable and sad.
You feel exhausted a lot of the time with no energy.
You feel as if even the smallest tasks are sometimes impossible.
You seldom enjoy the things that you used to enjoy-you may be off sex or food or may ‘comfort eat’ to excess.
You feel very anxious sometimes.
You don’t want to see people or are scared to be left alone. Social activity may feel hard or impossible.
You find it difficult to think clearly.
You feel like a failure and/or feel guilty a lot of the time.
You feel a burden to others.
You sometimes feel that life isn’t worth living.
You can see no future.
There is a loss of hope.
You feel all you’ve ever done is make mistakes and that’s all that you ever will do.
You feel irritable or angry more than usual.
You feel you have no confidence.
You spend a lot of time thinking about what has gone wrong, what will go wrong or what is wrong about yourself as a person.
You may also feel guilty sometimes about being critical of others (or even thinking critically about them).
You feel that life is unfair.
You have difficulty sleeping or wake up very early in the morning and can’t sleep again.
You seem to dream all night long and sometimes have disturbing dreams.
You feel that life has/is ‘passing you by.’
You may have physical aches and pains which appear to have no physical cause, such as back pain.
It’s this wealth of depression symptoms, and the broad scope that confuses many people as to what depression actually is. Explanations rarely cover all the symptoms, and everybody’s experience is different.
1) Know about your condition – what you know about your depression has been shown to have an effect on how well you respond to treatment. Start helping yourself.
2) Get deep rest – It may not feel like it, but depression is a form of exhaustion, where over-dreaming caused by depressive thinking styles, doesn’t allow the body to recover properly. So it’s highly important to be able to relax properly and deeply. Getting back your energy and understanding how your body works are vitally important. Hypnotherapy is excellent for deep relaxation.
3) Find ways to lessen the impact of the outward emotions of depression, such as anxiety and anger. Along with getting proper rest, being able to relax is incredibly important. And a lot harder than it seems, and Self-Hypnosis can teach you have to establish a regular routine of relaxation both mentally and physically.
4) Find ways to assess and monitor your depressive episodes – The way depression makes us adopt all or nothing thinking, is a unique and crucial part of understanding depression. The way depression makes us generate seemingly hopeless outcomes to our situation, can make it almost impossible to see a way out of it.
5) Finding ways to gauge your depression can help to show the shades of grey that will ultimately defeat the black and white thinking on which depression thrives. This is often done in the form of a diary, where you grade how bad your days have been on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the worst and 10 is the best. Then, after 2 weeks or so, you can look back and see how things have varied over that time.
6) Get exercise if you can. If you can increase the amount of physical exercise you get, it can be a great self-help for depression. The results of the physical exertion will lift your depression temporarily at least, in addition to the other benefits of exercise. (As always, consult your medical practitioner before starting any strenuous exercise regime.)
7) Cut down on rumination. Do whatever you can to decrease the amount of rumination you are doing. (Ruminating is ‘chewing over’ emotional issues in your mind without coming to any decision to act.) If possible, decide to put off difficult decisions for 1 or 2 weeks while you get your energy back.
Ways to cut down rumination are to:
a) Read novels when you have nothing to do, to occupy your mind. (Make them exciting novels, not romance or self-help books!)
b) Do exercise (see 5 above)
c) Work if you can.
Basically, anything that keeps your mind active and of your problems for a while. This is not ‘avoidance’; it is simply giving you a chance to recover.
8. Do What You Enjoy.
Do what you used to enjoy doing, even if you don’t particularly feel like it. Even complete small tasks within the home if you don’t feel like meeting other people. Seemingly mundane tasks, if they have an end result, can result in a feeling of satisfaction, and actually increase your serotonin levels!
Relaxation therapies are effective in overcoming some of the other issues that can co-occur with depression. The effects of panic attacks, anxiety and anger, etc can be lessened and overcome with the ability to relax properly and deeply.
Remember, Self-Hypnosis is a powerful self-help tool for implementing change within your life. It is simple, effective, and non-invasive, produces long-term changes, and can be used by almost everyone.
Hypnotherapy sessions often include the benefit of soothing music at strategic points, helping you to relax even more, and absorb the information whilst the therapist guides you with gentle suggestions, positive language, and life changing imagery. You will always be in control at all times, able to awaken immediately should the need arise and attend to anything that you need to. Hypnotherapy cannot make you do anything or say anything that you would not normally say or do, and it will never coerce you to try to.
By using self-hypnosis pre-recorded material such as a CDs and mp3 download, you will have at the touch of button, a full Hypnotherapy session that can be used whenever you need to, as often as you need to. It’s as simple as that.
-
About the Author:
Sharon Shinwell. Dip Couns. Dip HP. Dip CBT. Dip Sup. MBACP.Is a published author, UK qualified Counsellor, Hypnotherapist, Life Coach and Clinical Supervisor.
Sharon works in Private Practice in Manchester seeing individuals and couples. She also produces a range of Self-Hypnosis Audio CDs and mp3 downloads to improve health, and combat fears, phobias, unwaned habits, and for personal development. All these can be ordered direct online or by telephone so visit our website: www.hypnosisrecordings.net
Article Source
post a comment | filed under Mental Health | tags: depression screening, diagnosing depression, five signs, signs of depression, symptoms of depression
» posted on Tuesday, October 19th, 2010 at 4:47 PM by Mental Health Ideas
Leave Depression Behind Quickly and Easily with Hypnotherapy and Self-Hypnosis
Getting depression is not a sign of weakness. There are no particular ‘personality types’ that are more at risk than others. However, some risk factors have been identified; these include inherited (genetic) factors, such as having parents or grandparents who have suffered from depression and non-genetic factors such as the death of a parent when you were young or suffering a trauma of some kind..
It is often impossible to identify a ’cause’ in many people, and this can be distressing for people who want to understand the reasons why they are ill. However depression, like any illness, can strike for no apparent reason. There are drugs on the market that can really help, but many people are reluctant to take these, as the side effects can almost be as unpleasant as the depression, but there are alternatives, and Hypnotherapy is one of them.
Self-Hypnosis is designed to combat the most common symptoms of depression, and lift that dark shadow of misery, anguish, gloom, and despondency.
Only a qualified doctor or health practitioner can formally diagnose you with clinical depression. However, how they reach this diagnosis gives an incredibly important insight into how to treat depression.
Depression Screening and Tests for Depression
Screening for depression is becoming more common, as we begin to realize how much is left undiagnosed. So let’s look now at how clinical depression is normally diagnosed.
Common Signs of Depression
The 5 most common signs of depression, according to research published in The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine (1998) are as follows:
These five signs of depression were reported by at least 90% of those in the study.
Reduced enjoyment from usual activities
Disappointment with self
Hopelessness
Irritability
Difficulty sleeping
If you are experiencing some or all of these, it still doesn’t mean that you would necessarily be diagnosed with depression. There are of course many more symptoms of depression, both physical and mental.
Diagnosing Depression
According to the definitions of most medical, psychological, and psychiatric bodies, there is a commonality in the diagnosis of depression. Most depression tests have a very similar framework. Almost without exception, clinical depression will be diagnosed if a certain number of feelings, that are signs of depression, are present over a certain period of time.
Below is the ‘official’ guide for diagnosing clinical depression:
A person can be diagnosed as suffering from clinical depression if:
(A) Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.
(1) Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood.
(2) Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others)
(3) Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains.
(4) Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day
(5) Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down)
(6) Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
(7) Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick)
(8) Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others)
(9) Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
(B) The symptoms do not meet criteria for a Mixed Episode.
(C) The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
(D) The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hypothyroidism).
(E) The symptoms are not better accounted for by Bereavement, i.e., after the loss of a loved one, the symptoms persist for longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, or psychomotor retardation.
To even start to feel better, you have to muster up from the depths of despair, enough energy and motivation to take action, and once your subconscious mind starts this process for you, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to make all those positive, life-changing, decisions you need to make to turn your life around.
The fact that you are reading this means you are ready…you’ve got this far…now just take the next step!
Depression – A Natural Response?
OK, so that’s what the doctors use but if we look at E), it raises some interesting questions.
It says that clinical depression can be diagnosed if the symptoms cannot be attributed to bereavement. So, since grieving is a natural response, we can see that depression is simply an out-of-place natural response. And of course it is. If it were not, we would have to take drugs to create it.
So what about the incredibly popular idea that depression is due to some unnatural chemical imbalance in the brain. That this ‘imbalance’ is the source and root cause of depression?
It’s possible, but it just doesn’t make sense for the majority of cases. And when we look at the increase in depression over the last 50 years or so, we will see that our brain chemistry just can’t change that quickly. Understanding this is one of the keys to understanding depression itself.
Typical Symptoms of Depression
ALTHOUGH it is often classed as ‘mental illness’, clinical depression often has as many physical symptoms as mental. The feelings or emotions that are depression symptoms, actually begin to cause the physical effects. How this happens is a vital part of understanding depression and the symptoms that come with it.
If you are depressed at the moment some of the following symptoms may sound familiar:
You feel miserable and sad.
You feel exhausted a lot of the time with no energy.
You feel as if even the smallest tasks are sometimes impossible.
You seldom enjoy the things that you used to enjoy-you may be off sex or food or may ‘comfort eat’ to excess.
You feel very anxious sometimes.
You don’t want to see people or are scared to be left alone. Social activity may feel hard or impossible.
You find it difficult to think clearly.
You feel like a failure and/or feel guilty a lot of the time.
You feel a burden to others.
You sometimes feel that life isn’t worth living.
You can see no future.
There is a loss of hope.
You feel all you’ve ever done is make mistakes and that’s all that you ever will do.
You feel irritable or angry more than usual.
You feel you have no confidence.
You spend a lot of time thinking about what has gone wrong, what will go wrong or what is wrong about yourself as a person.
You may also feel guilty sometimes about being critical of others (or even thinking critically about them).
You feel that life is unfair.
You have difficulty sleeping or wake up very early in the morning and can’t sleep again.
You seem to dream all night long and sometimes have disturbing dreams.
You feel that life has/is ‘passing you by.’
You may have physical aches and pains which appear to have no physical cause, such as back pain.
It’s this wealth of depression symptoms, and the broad scope that confuses many people as to what depression actually is. Explanations rarely cover all the symptoms, and everybody’s experience is different.
1) Know about your condition – what you know about your depression has been shown to have an effect on how well you respond to treatment. Start helping yourself.
2) Get deep rest – It may not feel like it, but depression is a form of exhaustion, where over-dreaming caused by depressive thinking styles, doesn’t allow the body to recover properly. So it’s highly important to be able to relax properly and deeply. Getting back your energy and understanding how your body works are vitally important. Hypnotherapy is excellent for deep relaxation.
3) Find ways to lessen the impact of the outward emotions of depression, such as anxiety and anger. Along with getting proper rest, being able to relax is incredibly important. And a lot harder than it seems, and Self-Hypnosis can teach you have to establish a regular routine of relaxation both mentally and physically.
4) Find ways to assess and monitor your depressive episodes – The way depression makes us adopt all or nothing thinking, is a unique and crucial part of understanding depression. The way depression makes us generate seemingly hopeless outcomes to our situation, can make it almost impossible to see a way out of it.
5) Finding ways to gauge your depression can help to show the shades of grey that will ultimately defeat the black and white thinking on which depression thrives. This is often done in the form of a diary, where you grade how bad your days have been on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the worst and 10 is the best. Then, after 2 weeks or so, you can look back and see how things have varied over that time.
6) Get exercise if you can. If you can increase the amount of physical exercise you get, it can be a great self-help for depression. The results of the physical exertion will lift your depression temporarily at least, in addition to the other benefits of exercise. (As always, consult your medical practitioner before starting any strenuous exercise regime.)
7) Cut down on rumination. Do whatever you can to decrease the amount of rumination you are doing. (Ruminating is ‘chewing over’ emotional issues in your mind without coming to any decision to act.) If possible, decide to put off difficult decisions for 1 or 2 weeks while you get your energy back.
Ways to cut down rumination are to:
a) Read novels when you have nothing to do, to occupy your mind. (Make them exciting novels, not romance or self-help books!)
b) Do exercise (see 5 above)
c) Work if you can.
Basically, anything that keeps your mind active and of your problems for a while. This is not ‘avoidance’; it is simply giving you a chance to recover.
8. Do What You Enjoy.
Do what you used to enjoy doing, even if you don’t particularly feel like it. Even complete small tasks within the home if you don’t feel like meeting other people. Seemingly mundane tasks, if they have an end result, can result in a feeling of satisfaction, and actually increase your serotonin levels!
Relaxation therapies are effective in overcoming some of the other issues that can co-occur with depression. The effects of panic attacks, anxiety and anger, etc can be lessened and overcome with the ability to relax properly and deeply.
Remember, Self-Hypnosis is a powerful self-help tool for implementing change within your life. It is simple, effective, and non-invasive, produces long-term changes, and can be used by almost everyone.
Hypnotherapy sessions often include the benefit of soothing music at strategic points, helping you to relax even more, and absorb the information whilst the therapist guides you with gentle suggestions, positive language, and life changing imagery. You will always be in control at all times, able to awaken immediately should the need arise and attend to anything that you need to. Hypnotherapy cannot make you do anything or say anything that you would not normally say or do, and it will never coerce you to try to.
By using self-hypnosis pre-recorded material such as a CDs and mp3 download, you will have at the touch of button, a full Hypnotherapy session that can be used whenever you need to, as often as you need to. It’s as simple as that.
-
About the Author:
Sharon Shinwell. Dip Couns. Dip HP. Dip CBT. Dip Sup. MBACP.Is a published author, UK qualified Counsellor, Hypnotherapist, Life Coach and Clinical Supervisor.
Sharon works in Private Practice in Manchester seeing individuals and couples. She also produces a range of Self-Hypnosis Audio CDs and mp3 downloads to improve health, and combat fears, phobias, unwaned habits, and for personal development. All these can be ordered direct online or by telephone so visit our website: www.hypnosisrecordings.net
Article Source
post a comment | filed under Mental Health | tags: depression screening, diagnosing depression, five signs, signs of depression, symptoms of depression
» posted on Monday, September 6th, 2010 at 12:19 AM by Mental Health Ideas
Depression In Teenagers
It is not only adults that can suffer from depression, these days teenaged children are increasingly falling prey to this dreaded phenomenon. However, the reasons for depression symptoms are a bit different in teenagers than that in adults. The primary causes for depression among teenagers are unavailability of parents as both of them are working, high expectations in academic, sports or other activities by parents, sometimes the teenagers themselves are very competitive, have high expectations from themselves and want to excel in all fields, being physically or mentally abused by adults or friends, dealing with the divorce or loss of parents.
These days the internet is fast, becoming the major reason for depression among teenagers.
Teenage is a difficult time for the children as they are not only encountering the reality of the adult world and having to deal with it but also they are facing major changes physically and mentally. This is a time when there is a rush of many different kinds of hormones in the body of these young adults, making them irritable and moody. Sometimes the parents note that their young teenagers are becoming distance and secretive about their lives and nag them or worry immensely about their behavior. Such changes in the life of teenagers are common and it is important to note the difference between normal teenage habits and depression among teens.
The following signs in a teenager can be symptoms of depression-
- Constantly throwing fits of anger and irritability.
- Becoming increasingly withdrawn not only from family but also from friends.
- Crying and feeling worthless and guilty all the time.
- Lacking concentration more often and losing interest in any kind of activity.
- Becoming increasingly restless and sleepless.
- Skipping meals on account of loss of appetite.
- Reporting of fatigue and loss of vitality.
- Threatening to commit suicide.
If one detects one or many of the above symptoms in their teenagers then immediate treatment is required. The first step to help depressed teenagers has to be taken by the parents. Talk gently and in a non-judgmental way to the children, this will help you to understand the cause of depression. Don’t criticize or ridicule the child when he/she is narrating his/her problems. This will make the child trust and open up to you. Once you have gained the child’s trust take him to the family doctor.
-
About the Author:
acne treatment | baby care
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post a comment | filed under Mental Health | tags: depression among teenagers, depression among teens, depression symptoms, loss of appetite, symptoms of depression
» posted on Sunday, August 29th, 2010 at 9:07 AM by Mental Health Ideas
Top Anxiety Natural Remedies
Anxiety is common and many times normal especially when under stress of deadlines and so on. It is a feeling of fear, worry and apprehension. However, there is anxiety that will raise an alarm. When it happens ‘out of the blue’, it can prove to be a stubborn and serious condition that needs the right remedies. Although there is no known justification to this feeling at certain times, the following anxiety natural remedies have been proven to work.
• Anti-anxiety medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) will come with a myriad of side effects. However, going for herbs with an anti-anxiety action will evade this trap. Top herbs for this condition include Melissa officinalis, Lavandula augustifolia and Passiflora incarnata. They are some of the best known anxiety natural readies.
Melissa officinalis
This herb will be found in many parts of the world and has been used for thousands of years. It will not just cater to this condition but will also improve overall health. Those with cold sores will find it especially helpful as well. It is a common ingredient in many supplements found at drug stores and hospitals.
Lavandula augustifolia
This herb is known commonly as Lavender and has been studied extensively and it is one of the anxiety natural remedies. It has been used for years in central part of America and according to a study done in Michigan, sniffing the herb will ease the symptoms of depression.
Passiflora incarnate
This herb will fall under anxiety natural remedies and is also known as Passionflower. It will not just work to relieve the anxiety and depression, but has been found to act against feelings of nausea.
The anxiety natural remedies can be mixed together in certain proportions to offer people a perfect remedy that will promise to act and not have the ill-effects that come to life on the side.
• Bodywork therapies will also help greatly and have been recognized as good anxiety natural remedies. They include massages, shiatsu and so on. They work by relieving tension in the muscles and this will also help with getting quality sleep.
Mind and body techniques
Under this category, anxiety natural remedies include physical exercises, yoga, hypnosis, meditation, prayers, tai chi and the list is endless.
The following are other anxiety natural remedies
• Pantothenic acid
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• B vitamins
• Valerian (herb)
• Kava (herb)
• Aromatherapy
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About the Author:
The author has been working to compile numerous relevant articles on health information that affect you. Her extensive experience in research will make your process of information search on anything worthwhile and interesting. Get more here http://www.emmalifetips.com
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one Comment | filed under Mental Health | tags: anxiety and depression, anxiety medications, massages shiatsu, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, symptoms of depression
» posted on Thursday, August 19th, 2010 at 3:27 AM by Mental Health Ideas
Sound Therapy: Great Treatment for Depression
Depression is known as the medical illness which involves the brain. There are some symptoms which indicate that you suffer depression. Those symptoms include sadness, change in weight, energy loss, feeling of worthlessness, and also loss in interest in other activities. Another indication of depression is the state of oversleeping or difficulty sleeping.
Furthermore, this medical illness can lead to poor physical health from the interaction of the mood wit the immunological function. It can also potentially reduce the higher-order capacities such as energy, motivation, and self-efficacy. It is also considered as the two-thirds cause of suicides in adults.
There are some ways you can do to cope with this depression. One of the ways is through sound therapy. It has been widely known to have dramatic effects on mind and body. In addition, it is able to improve concentration and memory. Another benefit you can take from this kind of therapy is the reviving energy and also relaxing tension.
Through sound therapy, symptoms of depression can be alleviated. Different music types will be able to activate the neurons in the cortex of the brain. In addition, filtered music can also increase the activity in particular part of the brain. It is very helpful in strengthening the neural pathways. Another advantage from using sound therapy is to help the brain increase the levels of dopamine as well as serotonin, chemicals which can affect the state of the mood. They can increase the feels of happiness and motivate and energize.
To start the therapy, you can start it from the closest and the most versatile instrument, you own voice. It is claimed as one of the most beneficial sound which you can create yourself to improve the health of your physical and mental. Take a sit comfortably in your chair and take a deep breath slowly. Make a hum or whistle in tune you like. It will come into your mind. Make your voice naturally rise and fall. Focus on listening by closing your eyes. Put your hands on your cheeks to feel the vibration of the sound. While your hands on their places, keep on making tones for about five minutes. It can help you feel relaxed and energized.
Another way is by listening to binaural beat music through a meditation CD. With this type of music, a steady tone of 495Hz will be presented to you left ear and the right ear with the steady tone of 505Hz. Further, these two tones will combine in your brain. Then, your brain will perceive the difference of tone 10 Hz and create a stimulus for elevating the mood and relaxing.
In addition, the binaural rhythm is able to resonate all over your body and create the vivid emotions range. This rhythmic beats are able to stimulate the responses of the specific brainstem for increasing the brainwaves flow.
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About the Author:
As what has been mentioned above, sleeping may be one of the symptoms of depression. If you find this disorder, you can also use sound therapy machine. One of the types which you can use for helping you improve the quality of sleeping is Marpac sleep mate 980. Get one and have a good sleep!
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post a comment | filed under Mental Health | tags: music types, neural pathways, self efficacy, symptoms of depression, versatile instrument
» posted on Tuesday, July 13th, 2010 at 12:04 PM by Mental Health Ideas
5 Symptoms of Depression
Depression is a serious illness that many times people overlook. They tend to tell someone who is suffering to snap out of it. However, unless you really understand the symptoms of depression and how hopeless the sufferer can feel you can’t help them. This is why it is important for everyone to understand and learn to recognize the symptoms so they can help a loved one who has this painful problem.
Lack of Energy – This is probably one of the most prominent symptoms of depression. Even when someone is mildly depressed they feel lethargic and don’t want to do anything. Sometimes simple chores seem to be too difficult to accomplish. Other times a simple act like making the bed seems like a triumph. The drained feeling that depressed people have is very real. They can’t just perk up and get something done. They truly are exhausted.
Sleep Disorders – Going along with the previous symptom, people who are depressed often have problems with their sleep patterns. They either sleep too much or can’t sleep at all. They will wake frequently during the night or have difficulty falling asleep. There is no set pattern for sleep issues in people with depression, but there are definite disruptions in sleep.
Loss of Interest – Many times, sufferers lose interest in the very things that have brought them joy. Hobbies and interests fall by the way side and don’t appeal to them anymore. Perhaps they just don’t have the energy to participate, or they don’t feel that they are capable. Loss of interest in hobbies can be a result of other symptoms of depression.
Overwhelming Hopelessness – While this isn’t always a symptom that others can see, we can sometimes detect it when the sufferer talks to us. It seems they have given up on life and themselves. They have feelings of worthlessness and have no hope for the future. When they talk, there is a strong negative current in their conversations as though everything is wrong with the world.
Eating Disorders – Like sleep, eating patterns can be disrupted by depression. The sufferer may binge eat or they may quit eating all together. They may start to crave salty or sweet foods since they are typically comfort foods. If you notice a sudden weight gain or loss, your loved one may be suffering from depression.
So now that you know the symptoms of depression how can you help? You need to help your loved one realize that they need to go to the doctor. Now this will not be easy because they usually cannot see the symptoms in themselves. In fact, many depressed people think everyone else has something wrong with them.
Show your friend love and understanding. Be there for them to talk to when they need it. Once you build a strong trust, you can encourage them to seek medical help. Sometimes just having a shoulder to cry on and someone you can rely on can help someone who has a mild case of depression. Just be there and be a friend. That is the most important thing you can do.
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About the Author:
Cathy is a freelance writer who enjoys gardening and camping with her family. She loves to work in the garden and uses a folding garden cart for an easy to store garden cart. As an avid gardener, Cathy realizes the importance of a great yard cart to keep her supplies organized while she works!
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2 comments | filed under Mental Health | tags: hobbies and interests, loss of interest, sleep loss, sleep patterns, symptoms of depression
» posted on Monday, July 12th, 2010 at 5:36 PM by Mental Health Ideas
How To Cope Depression During Menopause
Depression is defined as the condition where sufferer experience sadness or despondent feeling over a long period of time. Depressive illness is one of the widely suffered mental disorders around the globe.
Depression occurs due to reduce levels of serotonin in human brain. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that acts as necessary receptor in proper functioning of person’s mood levels.
Though reason of getting depression in one’s life is not yet found out. But one thing is clear; depression can be suffered by any person of any age group or gender. To add to that list experts have linked depression to menopause experienced by women.
Infact they believe it is normal for menopausal women to get depression. If properly treated depression should not lead to any serious health, emotional or behavioral problems.
There are many types of depression suffered by various people around the world. So to have better picture of how person behave when they are in depression. Some of the common Symptoms of Depression in women are as follows.
1) They are unable to concentrate and hence leading them to experience insomnia.
2) They are preoccupied by negative feeling such as intense sadness, grief, and low mood. At the same time they begin to view themselves as hopeless, guilt feel and are not optimistic about their life.
3) They get negative think, there is no possibility of them getting comfort or success in their life. Such improper thoughts make them feel hopeless about themselves.
Under depression women go through frequent mood changes. And lack clear, orderly thoughts and behavior.
Women get in to depression after their menstruation periods end. Leading them to experience following depressive signs.
1) Experience irregular sleep.
2) Feel tired or loss of energy.
3) Transform it to more irritable behavior, when normally she is very jolly and happy go lucky kind of women. Signs of increasing anxiety begin to be seen in her.
4) Lose her healthy appetite and also her old hobbies.
5) Face suicidal thoughts running through their mind. Are extremely restless.
According to various researches, following women are more likely to get depression.
1) Women who have previous history of experiencing mood disorders.
2) Women of age group of 20s who had witness depression earlier in their life.
3) Females who are in position of work that is very demanding and stressful.
4) Smoking women too fall in category of women group that have high chances of experiencing depression.
5) Those that have under gone operation too can experience depression.
How To Avoid Depression
Though expert convey that depression is quite normal for women to feel during their menopause periods. But this does not in any way endorses that people do not have to take treatment for complete recovery. People should be serious in consulting professional physician and follow their prescription.
First step in solving depression problem is to pursue step in curing depression out of your life. Many modern treatments are available to patients diagnosed with depression. If people recognize depression early, they have more percentage of conquering depression in short time interval.
There are current many viable treatment option that patient can contemplate undergoing to treat depression. Treatment such as medication, mindfulness techniques, exercise, self help methods and other therapies. Apart from these doctors also recommend Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Estrogen therapies. To gain complete recovery from depression people need to consult doctors and follow mentioned treatment accordingly.
-
About the Author:
Know about types of depression. Find out the different manic depression symptoms
Article Source
post a comment | filed under Mental Health | tags: depression women, experience sadness, intense sadness, symptoms of depression, types of depression
» posted on Monday, July 12th, 2010 at 5:36 PM by Mental Health Ideas
Coping Depression During Women Menopause
Depression is defined as the condition where sufferer experience sadness or despondent feeling over a long period of time. Depressive illness is one of the widely suffered mental disorders around the globe.
Depression occurs due to reduce levels of serotonin in human brain. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that acts as necessary receptor in proper functioning of person’s mood levels.
Though reason of getting depression in one’s life is not yet found out. But one thing is clear; depression can be suffered by any person of any age group or gender. To add to that list experts have linked depression to menopause experienced by women.
In fact they believe it is normal for menopausal women to get depression. If properly treated depression should not lead to any serious health, emotional or behavioral problems.
There are many types of depression suffered by various people around the world. So to have better picture of how person behave when they are in depression. Some of the common Symptoms of Depression in women are as follows.
1) They are unable to concentrate and hence leading them to experience insomnia.
2) They are preoccupied by negative feeling such as intense sadness, grief, and low mood. At the same time they begin to view themselves as hopeless, guilt feel and are not optimistic about their life.
3) They get negative think, there is no possibility of them getting comfort or success in their life. Such improper thoughts make them feel hopeless about themselves.
Under depression women go through frequent mood changes. And lack clear, orderly thoughts and behavior.
Women get in to depression after their menstruation periods end. Leading them to experience following depressive signs.
1) Experience irregular sleep.
2) Feel tired or loss of energy.
3) Transform it to more irritable behavior, when normally she is very jolly and happy go lucky kind of women. Signs of increasing anxiety begin to be seen in her.
4) Lose her healthy appetite and also her old hobbies.
5) Face suicidal thoughts running through their mind. Are extremely restless.
According to various researches, following women are more likely to get depression.
1) Women who have previous history of experiencing mood disorders.
2) Women of age group of 20s who had witness depression earlier in their life.
3) Females who are in position of work that is very demanding and stressful.
4) Smoking women too fall in category of women group that have high chances of experiencing depression.
5) Those that have under gone operation too can experience depression.
How To Avoid Depression
Though expert convey that depression is quite normal for women to feel during their menopause periods. But this does not in any way endorses that people do not have to take treatment for complete recovery.
People should be serious in consulting professional physician and follow their prescription.
First step in solving depression problem is to pursue step in curing depression out of your life. Many modern treatments are available to patients diagnosed with depression.
If people recognize depression early, they have more percentage of conquering depression in short time interval.
There are current many viable treatment option that patient can contemplate undergoing to treat depression. Treatment such as medication, mindfulness techniques, exercise, self help methods and other therapies.
Apart from these doctors also recommend Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Estrogen therapies.
To gain complete recovery from depression people need to consult doctors and follow mentioned treatment accordingly.
-
About the Author:
Know about types of depression. Find out the different manic depression symptoms
Article Source
post a comment | filed under Mental Health | tags: depression women, experience sadness, intense sadness, symptoms of depression, types of depression
