Guidance

New Manic Depression Drug Gives Hope

November 6, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

The anticonvulsant drugs sodium valproate, sti...

Manic depression, or bipolar disorder, is getting more and more common in today’s societies. Treatments are tried and kept or tossed out after studies are proved or disproved, and now there’s a new medicine on the market to treat the disorder. Lithium has been the treatment of choice, however, it isn’t well liked because of the side effects.

Now there’s a drug that has fewer side effects and its being liked by both doctors and patients with bipolar disorder. It’s called Valproate and is the first new treatment for bipolar disorder in 20 years. The study on it, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and conducted by Dr. Charles M. Bowden, MD, proved Valproate to be successful in treating manic depression, but the medicine was originally formulated as an anti-convulsive drug successfully used on epilepsy patients.

Lithium’s side effects leave it the least favorite, but it’s been the only drug doctors had to turn to. A good 40 percent of epilepsy patients can’t tolerate Lithium, and of those who do tolerate it, a third pay a pretty big price in side effects. Nausea, trembling, lowering of proper kidney function, decrease thyroid hormone (in 1 out of 10 people), getting up several times to urinate at night, water retention (Edema) and weight gain. Then, there is also slurred speech, disorientation and wobbliness or unsteadiness.

Some doctors have even noticed that over long periods of time lithium-taking manic depressive patients lose their creativity and spontaneity. Most of them lose certain skills, and what came easy before is now tough to accomplish. It’s enough to keep people from seeing the doctor and taking their medicine.

There aren’t many drugs that don’t have any side effects whatsoever. Valproate also has its share of them, but they are not as common nor as severe, with some of them being as follows:

Change in appetite
Weakness
Weight loss
Vomiting
Trouble sleeping
Constipation
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Stomach cramps and/or pain
Mild pain or redness at injection site
Nausea
Headache
Indigestion

There are more severe symptoms, too, but they rarely happen to anyone. Any side effects usually are outweighed by the benefits the drug provides, and for some it‘s what keeps them going. More studies are being done all the time, and maybe variations of Valproate will come without side effects as technology and medicine advance.

Filed Under: Guidance Tagged With: Bipolar disorder, Nausea, Valproic acid

How to Stay on the Non-Depressed Wagon

July 26, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Image by Leo Reynolds via Flickr

When an alcoholic slips and begins to drink again they call it falling off the wagon. In a similar vein to this, a person can also fall off the wagon with regard to being depressed. Depression isn’t alcoholism, but some of their symptoms are similar in nature. Both tend to inspire feelings of desolation and result in being unable to do much with one’s life.

When you feel depressed, it can get to the point where even getting up in the morning doesn’t even seem worth it to you. You could have all the abilities in the world, but they all feel useless. No matter what you try to do it always seems to feel like you’re failing at it. The most important thing about depression is that it isn’t as hopeless as it may feel. There is a lot you can do to overcome it and put it in its place while you live an enjoyable, productive life.

Naturally, you need to do something to get over your depression. But it has to start right now. Plan out something you really want to do, and force yourself to do it. It doesn’t matter what it is, so long as it’s legal and not inherently self-destructive. Just make a plan for yourself and then get to work on it. So long as you have a plan and make steady progress on it, you can overcome your feelings of helplessness and stay on the wagon. It’s a lifelong process, just like staying off the drink.

Filed Under: Guidance, Health Care, Prevention Tagged With: Alcoholism, Depression, Wagon

Stopping Depression in the First Place

July 24, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

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Depression is one of the worst illnesses on the face of the planet. Unfortunately, to a lot of people it just seems like regular sadness. When you’re depressed, less sensitive people will tell you to stop being “emo,” not because they don’t care about you but because they really don’t understand the situation. Depression is a sickness, just like the flu.

Unfortunately, too much of our medical establishment is geared toward stopping existing problems instead of preventing them from coming up. For all the drugs medical practitioners will push on a person, so little will actually be accomplished by it. Far too often a person will continue feeling depressed, often with the addition of extra symptoms and more problems than they had before. We need to prevent depression in the first place.

Preventing depression can take many forms, but the ultimate expression of it is to cut it off at the pass by being proactive and genuine with yourself. Allow yourself to feel what you’re feeling, and understand why you’re feeling them. From there, it’s primarily a matter of focusing on your goals and keeping them in mind. This way you’ll feel like you always have a great reason to get up in the morning. When you feel the rush of having a real reason to live and accomplish something every day, you won’t feel depressed any more. This kind of self-actualization is the best way to keep depression from ruling your life — rule it for yourself.

Filed Under: Guidance, Health Care, Prevention Tagged With: Depression, Mental health, Mood

How To Help Someone Through Depression

June 6, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

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When a loved one is suffering from depression, your first thought is how do you help them? You need to know the right things to say and do however, or else you may just make it worse. To help someone with depression, the first thing you should do is study depression. Learn all about the symptoms, treatments, and any other information you find useful. You will want to understand what the person is going through before you just jump in and try to help. The more you learn about what your loved one is going through, the better chance you have of being able to help them.

Do not put all your time into it and make it too stressful on yourself. If you start to feel overwhelmed, back off a little and take some time for yourself. You will not be able to help them if you start to feel stressed out as well. Someone who is depressed needs someone who is willing to listen and shows a lot of support, so be as reliable and understanding as you can. Do not judge the person in any way and show them that you are there for them.

When you are helping someone with depression, these feelings can often rub onto you. Do not bottle up all of your feelings. You may start to feel sadness, frustration, or even anger. Talk to someone who will be able to help you and join a support group if necessary. Do not try to cheer them up by telling them to be optimistic. Work on everything step by step.

Filed Under: Guidance Tagged With: Depression, Major depressive disorder, Support group

How To Treat Depression

May 9, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

There are many different ways to treat depression. It can be treated with medicine, naturally, or just by changing your lifestyle. Try taking an antidepressant. You can get these at a pharmacy if you have a prescription from your doctor. Antidepressants can be very effective, however, they may take a few weeks to start working.

If you have a lower level of depression, you may want to try a more natural way of treating it. There is a natural supplement called St. John’s Wort. You do not need a prescription to get this and it is not very expensive. You are also less likely to experience side effects when taking a natural supplement.

One of the most natural and effective ways to treat depression is to increase your daily exercise and eat healthy food. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that helps you feel more at ease and creates the feeling of comfort and happiness. When you exercise, you are increasing the production of serotonin in your brain. This will naturally ease your depression over time.

Another way to help with your depression is to see a psychotherapist. They will help you determine the cause of your depression and help you adjust those things in your life that are causing it. There is also a treatment called light therapy. This is used when you are suffering from seasonal depression. Light therapy will help in the winter months. A doctor will set up special lights in your bedroom that will imitate the sun rising earlier.

Filed Under: Guidance Tagged With: Antidepressant, Dietary supplement, St John's wort

The Youth Despair

March 20, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Depression is a disease for the old, the weary. No youths are to experience sorrow. No children are to be burdened with despair. This is the certainty of all adults — with emotional disorders thought the be defined by age, kept away until the teenage status disappears.

Such thoughts are understandable. They are not, however, wise.

Depression is not a kind illness. It does not merely affect adults, is not willing to wait until experience has been gained. Instead it will latch on to any that it chooses — and the effects can be devastating.

It is believed that one out of every 33 children suffers from some form of this illness (often faced with minor episodes and too often dismissed symptoms). This number increases with age: with one out of 10 adolescents experiencing clinical depression. And, sadly, the third highest cause of death for all youths — that wasn’t formed from natural methods or accidents — is suicide; and this is the ultimate proof of the havoc this disease can create.

It is important then for all parents to be aware of the possible appearance of depression within their children. Never assume that adolescence will be a barrier. It won’t — and persistent sadness can be an all too easy symptom of youth.

Be certain therefore to discuss this problem openly. Seek the opinions of physicians or psychologists when necessary. Look for any signs of stress, anxiety or excessive guilt. And never dismiss a child’s assertion that he is indeed depressed. Understand instead that the possibility is all too real and all too dangerous.

Filed Under: Guidance Tagged With: Adolescence, Depression

Catatonic Depression: Symptoms

March 7, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Depression is not defined to mere sadness — and yet this still remains the certainty of all individuals. They assume it to be crippling only in its strain, in the burden it places on the mind. They never believe that such a burden can extend to the body itself.

It can, however — in the form of catatonic depression.

This rare disease (estimated to affect only five percent of the total depressive population) is unique among the assumptions, offering symptoms that are composed of far more than mere sorrow. They instead are shaped by physicality:

One: Lack of Movement. The most revealing sign of catatonic depression is the sudden arrival of stillness. Individuals will not move. They will not respond to physical stimuli. Instead they will be rendered motionless — and this is known as a stupor, a prolonged period in which there is no movement beyond breathing. Nothing else is offered and it can’t be ended externally. The body simply shuts down.

Two: Lack of Speech. During a stupor individuals suffering from this form of depression will cease to speak. They will not reply to questions or concerns. Instead they will become silent. This symptom can often predate the stupor, however, and is considered the first sign of catatonia. When speech is regained it may be presented as imitation — with individuals mimicking what they hear rather than offering their own thoughts.

Three: Lack of Control. Depression isn’t always shaped to immobility. Catatonia can instead be revealed in the form of motion. Individuals may experience an excitement phase — where they lose control over their bodies and begin to move jerkily. Hyperactivity is common and there will often be no context for the movements. They will instead be random.

Catatonic depression is among the most uncommon of illnesses. Its severity is not lessened because of this, however, and all must note its symptoms.

Filed Under: Guidance Tagged With: Catatonia, Major depressive disorder, Symptom

The Atypical Explanation: Depression

February 23, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Unending sorrow, the unfortunate apathy: this is what defines depression for the masses. It’s thought to be an unrelenting feeling, an unstoppable despair. There can be no relief. There can be no respite. Instead there can only be anxiety — and those who suffer from it can never be cured.

This the belief that shapes depression. The public assumes that there can be no other form of it, refuses to even consider anything beyond their expectations — but there are other elements to this disease that cannot be denied, and one such element defies the cliche entirely (even in its name).

Atypical depression — as its title suggests — does not epitomize the conventional notion of depression. It is instead more reactive in nature, with individuals able to improve their moods through positive experiences (unlike the traditional disorder, which is marked by persistent worry). It is characterized by weight gain, excessive sleeping and fluctuating states of mind. Those who suffer from it can experience the expected sadness; they may simply also be able to combat it with comforting stimuli.

40 percent of the depressive population is estimated to experience this illness. This makes it the most common form (despite the fact that it goes against what the public believes the disease to be). Though chronic when left untreated, it is generally thought to be a minor variation and is not generally followed by thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Often it is a by-product of other disorders — such as dysthymia, body dysmorphism and anxiety. It is also believed that a thyroid imbalance can cause it.

Depression cannot always be assumed to be shaped by sadness. It can instead offer occasional hope — and the atypical version provides that.

Filed Under: Guidance Tagged With: Anxiety, Atypical depression, Dysthymia

The Melancholic Distinction: Depression

February 16, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

It’s a trust in singularity: depression — it’s assumed — is defined by specific traits, can offer nothing beyond the expectations. Its signs are to be predicated; its effects are to be known. Despair is to shape it and nothing more. This is what the masses believe.

That belief is misguided, however.

Depression is not a simple disease. It’s instead a complex one — filled to variations and differing symptoms. And understanding these is vital for all individuals. Too often can those suffering from this illness confuse their feelings, assume that they do not apply to the conventional definitions. There is more than one way to experience depression, however, and this must be noted.

Among the rarest forms of this disease is the melancholic distinction. This type of depression is categorized as a major episode. While experiencing it individuals will be subjected to intense mood swings, the inability to focus on normal activities, sleep disturbance, lethargy, excessive guilt, weight loss and a persistent sorrow. The severity of emotions may fluctuate (resembling more familiar manic disorders) but will impact daily life. Routines will be impossible to maintain and all tasks will be ignored.

The melancholic disease is — fortunately — rare. It is estimated to only affect 10 percent of the total depressive population. Treatment for it is less developed, however, and individuals will find that the assumptions of counseling are simply not effective. Medication and even the controversial electro-convulsive therapy is used instead. This is a biological disorder in origin and traditional therapy does not offer results. The body must be aided, rather than the emotions.

Depression cannot be thought of as a singular disease. It instead has many facets. The melancholic form is one such facet — and it must be recognized quickly to combat its symptoms.

Filed Under: Guidance Tagged With: Disease, Electroconvulsive therapy, Melancholia

The Generational Shame: Depression

February 10, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

The years were once defined to secrets — no ailments could be confessed; no worries could be whispered. It was an age of utter silence, with men and women hiding themselves from the world, certain that ignorance was truly bliss. They couldn’t admit their doubts, their indecisions. Such things were to be kept separate; and the dissonance was accepted, assumed to be right.

That assumption hasn’t changed.

The generations that shaped the 1950’s and 1960’s were children of uncertainty. Their disabilities were deemed shameful. Their illnesses were tucked away. And any attempt to draw out an acknowledgment was met with the greatest of fear. And that fear still remains.

As of 2011, those above the age of 50 are three times as likely to refuse to seek help for their concerns — especially depression. This disease is instead deemed common, thought to be an effect of senility (triggered by loss of friends, family and the abilities of youth). Because of this few seniors ask for aid. They instead remain quiet, thinking themselves beyond saving… or, worse, thinking that their problems are too terrible to confess.

It is estimated that five million of the country’s elderly population experience depression (whether major or minor episodes). Of these five million, only 15 percent seek treatment on their own. The rest try to hide their worries — or must instead be forced to find care. Such numbers are staggering, reflecting the effects of the generation gap.

It was once deemed unseemly to ask for help, to admit a mental disability. The stigma cast upon the diseases of the mind was a tragic one — and it has managed to survive throughout the years, has not been undone (despite the efforts of doctors and psychologists). It instead thrives, cemented thoroughly within seniors.

This must change.

Depression is far too serious an illness to be ignored. It must instead be recognized and combated. The elderly must find treatment — or at least be offered it by their loved ones.

There can be no more secrets. There must instead be honesty.

Filed Under: Guidance Tagged With: Depression, Disease, Health