Posts Tagged ‘Depression’

Treat Seasonal Affect Disorder With Light Therapy

For some people, fall means going back to school and buying cute boots and sweaters. For others, fall means that old familiar depression is right around the corner.

Seasonal Affect Disorder, or SAD for short, affects millions of people in this country. Some sufferers don’t even know they have SAD, they just assume they get the “winter blues” every year. But SAD is a very real condition that has garnered much study and research by the medical community.

Without getting too technical, Seasonal Affect Disorder is caused by the decrease of light in fall and winter months. Sunlight, which is full spectrum light, actually plays a key role in our brain chemistry. Sunlight helps to balance the levels of Serotonin and Melatonin. When these levels are off, we’re off. Read more…

Side effects of the pain killer Codeine

Codeine is a pain-killer that is extremely popular with a great number of users around the world and there is no doubt that there is a legitimate reason for people to use and take this form of medication. There is a huge problem with pain-killers though in that people can become quickly addicted to them and find that their benefits wear off over time. This is because the user will quickly develop a tolerance to them meaning that if the user wishes to experience the same feeling they had when initially taking the drug, they need to take a higher dosage to do so. Any drug which encourages a higher level of use on a growing basis carries a great number of dangers, both in the short-term and long-term.

The short-term dangers of over using pain-killers are that people can fall into a dream like state where they are unable to respond quickly and become sheltered to what is actually happening. This numbing of the emotions is obviously attractive to people who are experiencing troubles or difficulties in life but it can also be very dangerous as they do not know when they are experiencing pain. This may mean that people do not seek medical help when something occurs, which can be very dangerous and could ruin a persons life in the long term. Read more…

Regain Your Life After Depression – The Emotional SOS Approach

What is Depression?

Depression is a condition that can affect anyone, of any age. It can affect a person regardless of their circumstances or life experiences. In fact, one in five people will suffer depression at some point in their lives. It can be brought on by a number of mental and physical factors. Often it is hereditary, or brought on by hormones in the body. Sometimes if a person is not receiving adequate nutrition they may become depressed.

Stress is another known factor as well as drugs alcohol. Studies have also shown that many sufferers of depression have long term sleeping difficulties. Psychological causes of depression due to personal circumstances are very common. For example if someone loses a child or someone related or close to them it can often trigger depression. Other social impacts such as status or reputation can also have an impact on a person’s self esteem or create additional stress which can lead to symptoms of depression.

Why do people suffer depression? Read more…

Different types of depression

There are other theories such as the cause of depression arises from genetics. It is considered that it is the family and their behavior that has a predisposition towards depression. There are numerous studies and research that has shown family members who are affected by depression have a genetic makeup that is very different from family members who are unaffected by depression. A depressive disorder is a mental disparity exemplified by a pessimistic sense of insufficiency. A person commonly suffers from feelings of gloom and sadness, downturns in mood, despair, feelings of low self-esteem, guilt, self-pity, and loneliness.

Depression is not just a temporary or situational sadness, but a persistent and pervasive feeling of melancholy or hopelessness that is often associated with weight loss or gain, sleep disturbances, constipation, disturbances of sexual function, and feelings of remorse or self-blame. It also results into withdrawal from interpersonal contact, psychomotor retardation and continuous agitation. Read more…

Is There a Relationship Between Type 2 Diabetes and Depression?

Research has shown people who have stress and psychological strain, or suffer any mental condition with depression as a symptom, have high blood sugar levels as a result of the way different hormones respond to stress. Therefore, a person who suffers with depression has a high possibility of developing type 2 diabetes.

Although for years it was thought depression was a complication of type 2 diabetes, studies are now showing stress and depression are also a cause.

A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) conducted by Dr. Sherita Hill Golden in 2008, on the association between depressive symptoms and type 2 diabetes, revealed:

* there is a modest relationship between depressive symptoms and type 2 diabetes
* there was no link with depression and untreated high blood sugar levels and undiagnosed type 2 diabetes
* with treated type 2 diabetes, there was definitely a positive association Read more…

Panic Attacks Causes – What Could Possibly Be the Cause of Your Panic Attacks?

Panic disorder is becoming quite common an is a growing concern for many people. The sudden onset of an overwhelming sense of fear and anxiety can be very scary and if it isn’t treated can result in complete isolation of a person. Often sufferers will be too scared to leave their home for the fear of having an attack while in public.

The good news is that there are treatments available and with a little help you can overcome panic disorder completely. The first step to overcome this problem is to find the source. You will need to think back or take note of things going on in your life and see if you can pinpoint the cause of your attacks.

Some of the possible causes for panic disorder include:

• Stress
• Depression
• Death of a family member
• Big change in your life Read more…

What Not To Do With The Mentally Unwell

1. Baby us – I understand that I am sick and you are trying to help but by treating me like an infant reinforces my own thoughts that I am basically useless

2. Speak louder then normal – I have severe depression, post traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder and generalized anxiety disorder none of which affect my hearing or will get your advice/suggestion/support through quicker Read more…

Brain Injuries and Apathy

Apathy is very common following a traumatic brain injury and may often occur in conjunction with depression, but not always. It may become apparent shortly after a brain injury or may not be evident until a few years later.

There are many indications of this deficit – a decrease in goal-oriented activities and no interest in making goals of any kind; no interest in working towards rehabilitation; no effort towards becoming independent; no effort made towards any work-related activities; no interest in achievements of any kind; an emotional indifference; little effort at communication; little concern for their own health; loss of interest in daily activities; reduced interaction in personal relationships; few emotional reactions to situations and circumstances; unable to initiate, take action or make any plans; no interest in the future; little appreciation or notice of recovery made to date, and withdrawal creating social isolation. Read more…

Panic Attacks Acute Care: Gentle expressions of hope

So often, my working relationship with a panic sufferer begins with an initial email of all-consuming pain, fear, bewilderment, and desperation. The writer has visited my website, identified with the content, felt a glimmer of possibility, saw my invitation to write, and did exactly that. But as this person wrote, just what were they really looking for? And what do they really need to receive at this most vulnerable, yet opportunistic, time? Those are hugely important questions because their answers hold the very keys to lifelong recovery and growth.

If you’ve been in the panic attack or panic disorder saddle, you know it’s a rough ride; especially when the symptoms first appear. I mean, seemingly out of nowhere you’re being pounded by sledge-hammers of panic, anxiety, agoraphobia, derealization, depersonalization, avoidance, phobias, depression, substance abuse, and crushed self-esteem and confidence. And you may not even know what some of these phenomena are, much less that you’re suffering from them. The one and only thing you know for sure is, “I want to be the way I used to be.” And you’re mentally, emotionally, and physically flailing wildly to establish that sense of identity and comfort.

Read more…

Bipolar Disorder And The Symptoms

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression. Bipolar disorder is a psychological disorder that effects a person’s mood. The mood swings are very extreme with a manic (high elation) phase and a very deep depressive phase. There is estimated to effect approximately 1% of the adult population. There is also evidence that shows that neither men nor women have a greater chance of suffering from bipolar disorder than the other. Bipolar is the third most common disorder after major depression and dysthymic disorder (a mild but persistent form of depression). Because of the extreme psychological disturbances caused by bipolar disorder, it can destroy lives. Alcohol and drug problems are often present in sufferers and without proper medication and care, it leads to 20% of sufferers committing suicide.
Many people experience a depressive phase most of the time, while only experiencing very few manic episodes. It is the swing between moods that people find hardest to deal with. Although no one would care to feel deeply depressed.
Read more…