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How You Behave Matters

January 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

No one is perfect. Everyone knows that. So naturally you’d think there are some demons in your closet or maybe you have relationship issues that give you troubles from time to time. In all honesty, that’s normal. Nevertheless, you’d be surprised that it is important to include in your health insurance plan a segment devoted to behavioral health for whatever might happen in your life or in the lives of your spouse and children. Anything traumatic would ever happen in life would fester later on and could damage connections and an ability to maintain sociability. So recognize the importance.

It is especially important if you or anyone in your family already has a serious illness of some kind, either trauma-based or genetically based. Usually what follows such events is depression or any other mental illness that would need special treatment. It’s important to consider an insurance quote and then find the best match that fits your needs. It also benefits you well through your years as a senior citizen, especially when you’re in the care of a licensed professional.

How much it will cost extra does matter. But what matters more is the benefit that the well-being of your mind and all of its parts are protected from any possible harm. Naturally, what follows the mind is the body; so if the mind gets into trouble, the body follows. It would stand to reason to protect your mind the best way possible. Consider as many quotes as you’d like as well to find the right policy for you. Each one varies and services a certain kind of illness or temperament or history, so be careful with how you make your decision.

Know that if you don’t, even though your body is protected from viruses and bacteria in general, if your mind gets into serious trouble, youare in trouble. And the truth is you don’t want that.

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Don’t Let Postpartnum Depression Affect Your Newborn

December 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

ContentDepression can take many forms and can be triggered by a variety of experiences – even those that normally bring happiness. Up to 20 percent of women will experience these baby blues, so know that you’re not suffering alone.

Although postpartnum depression can be confusion and frightening, especially to someone embarking on that new chapter of life known as motherhood, but there are some proven techniques to ensure that your depression doesn’t negatively affect your baby as you seek treatment.

Make time every day to hold and talk to your newborn. Most postpartum depression episodes last less than two weeks, but two weeks can account for significant developmental time for a newborn. Even when the prospect is difficult, dedicate several minutes each day to holding your child and tenderly talking to him or her. Even if you use this time to voice frustrations or negative feelings, saying them aloud in a cooing voice can help your baby form a bond with you can will be foundation of the lifelong relationship.

Let your partner know that you’ll need some alone time. While you should certainly not try to isolate yourself while you’re suffering from postpartnum depression, it’s perfectly acceptable to carve out a little time for yourself each day. Make a list of the things you enjoy doing by yourself and make an effort to do something on the list each day – whether it’s reading a chapter in a favorite book, painting your toenails or practicing racquetball. Private time spent doing an activity that you’ve loved in the past can give you a lift whenever you need it.

Lastly, make sure to spend some time with your partner. Some women feel that a baby changes everything, but intimacy is key to a healthy relationship and your partner needs you as much as you need them right now.

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Reconciling Spirituality and Depression

December 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

ContentFaith is a powerful factor in life, but even those with strong faith can still fall prey to depression. A popular religious tenant is that God will never give you more than you can handle and while it may be impossible to always know that to be true while you’re suffering, keeping it in mind during the most difficult times can help you work through your depression.

Because depression can lead to a sense of loneliness and despair, many people may feel that their God has abandoned them or doesn’t love them anymore. Know that your depression is unrelated to how God feels about you.

One way to keep knowledge of His love obvious to to attend religious practice at your preferred house of worship. Being around other believers who can keep you feeling positive about your faith is important as a part of the healing process. If you are having a particularly bad day during the primary day of worship, seek out additional social events at your religious organization throughout the week. Fellowship with other believers during this time will give you the strength to continue throughout the rest of the week.

Additionally, prayer is a powerful healing agent and can be used to rejuvenate your spirits and bring you enough courage to face the day. Prayer doesn’t have to be fancy for formal to be effective. Pray as honestly as you can, as simply as necessary to get out your feelings and feel pure communication with someone who is always there to listen and support you in whatever you’re going through.

Allow your faith to guide you through the most difficult times. Remember that medical intervention does not mean that you’ve given up on the power of faith to pull you through – it only means that you’re using everything at your disposal to get well.

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Natural Ways to Beat the Blues

December 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Millions of people suffer bouts of depression, but many types of depression can be controlled without professional intervention. Obviously, anyone who has prolonged feelings of being depressed or whose thoughts turn to violence or despair should seek immediate medical treatment. However, if your depression is mild and you believe you can get through it on your own, here are some ways to beat the blues and get back to feeling like yourself again.

Get up and move. Exercise and other activity is not only a productive way to spend time, but it also produces endorphins (known as the feel-good hormone) in the body which will give you a burst of energy and boost your emotions enough to make it through the day. Physical activity is known to reduce depression, and even just a brisk walk or a half hour of yoga can do wonders to dictating your mood for the rest of the day.

Eat fresh, healthy foods. Many of the food that people eat for comfort when they’re depressed are loaded with fat, salt and sugar. Foods that come in boxes, canned foods or fast-food fare may be easy and require little thought, but these same foods do nothing to boost your mood. Low-fat, low-protein carbohydrates allows serotonin to be developed in the brain, naturally curbing food cravings and bringing up moods.

Organize and clean up. A cluttered house or a to-do list full of items that never get crossed off can just add to the despair or unhappiness that you feel. Make a list of things that need to be done and rate them by priority. Try to accomplish one thing on the list everyday. On days when it’s difficult to feel motivated, accomplish the easiest or most simple task on the list. On days when you feel well, tackle the most important task you have on the list.

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Dangers of Depression: Self Harm

December 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

ContentWhile depression itself is a highly prevalent condition that can be debilitating for some, one of the most significant dangers of depression is the possible destructive side effect that some sufferers may find themselves slipping into if their condition goes untreated.

One way the chronically depressed sometimes express their sadness and depression is a desire to hurt themselves. This desire to “feel” something is usually manifested in self-harm. This can include hair pulling, burning one’s self and other forms of deliberate harm to one’s self, but the most prevalent form of self-harm is “cutting.”

People who cut themselves use a sharp instrument to create a self-inflicted would that is used to end a sense of numbness they feel in life. Self-harm is considered to be a symptom of a greater problem (like depression, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia) rather than a distinct mental disorder of its own.

Self-harm does permanent damage to your body for a condition that can be temporary in nature or kept in control if treated. Treatment methods for those that engage in self-harm vary widely and there is no definitive method of treatment at this time, since the most effective treatment depends on the patient’s personal history and mental state.

However, avoidance techniques – something that a depression sufferer engages in instead when they want to commit an act of self-harm – has shown to be successful for some patients in the past. The idea with avoidance techniques is to keep the person busy enough that they don’t have time to engage in the self-harm that they normally would. For instance, going for a run, cleaning the house or tackling a school or work project. In the end, though, the avoidance technique or alternate treatment must be appropriate and suited toward the individual whose behavior is being curbed.

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Seeing People is Important to Treating Depression

December 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Human beings are deeply social creatures, and scientists have established how important social connections and relationships are in maintaining both mental and emotional health. But for those suffering with depression, the natural desire to engage with others can become seriously deteriorated, to the point where the depression are actually exacerbating their own mental conditions instead of helping them.

When in self-induced isolation, human beings show markedly increased anger, paranoia and instability. Without human contact, the feelings that one is a victim of society or other specific person or circumstance can be dramatically increased, to the point that revenge fantasies and other violent imaginings can severely impact the ability for a person to become a normal, integrated part of society even after successful depression treatment. Self-induced isolation can create a problem that becomes even more permanent than the depression that causes it.

That’s why it’s important for people suffering from depression to continue in their normal daily routines as much as possible. While a significant portion of the depressed population may find the edict to “go out and have a good time” to be an impossible one to adhere to, especially on a bad day, the effort they go through to maintain some semblance of a social life will definitely pay off in the long run. For one, short term benefits include an alleviation of symptoms when in the presence of others. The long-term benefit is that they will be more likely to adjust to normal social conditions after the depression has been treated.

Don’t try to go out every day. Even people who don’t have depression errors don’t necessarily want to be around friends and family every single day and time for yourself is a very important aspect of understanding your progression from depression. But on your best days, don’t turn down the chance to see people. They’ll be glad to see you and you will likely be lifted up by being around other people.

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Keeping Post-Partum Depression from Ending Your Relationship

December 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

ContentPost-partum depression is an experience that makes you feel like you’ve gone through a deeply personal, life-changing experience. And you have! But that doesn’t mean that your partner should be shut out of your life completely while you work to adjust to your new feelings, your new body and your new baby.

Many women believe that the easiest way to deal with post-partum depression is to withdraw into themselves and not to bother anyone else with their pain. They may even feel guilty about the sadness and anger they feel so soon after having a child. And while the miracle of pregnancy and birth can often bring a couple closer together, post-partum has the ability to force two people apart if not recognized, treated and dealt with together.

Partners of those suffering from post-partum depression often feel rejected and isolated from the women they love most. Even worse, they can feel helpless in recognizing the origin of your pain and the inability to just make it better. This is why keeping communication lines with your partner open even through the haze of post-partum depression is important for the long-term health of the relationship. Your partner may never truly understand what you’re going through, but they can support you throughout your period of post-partum depression and help create a world of normalcy for when you’ve adjusted to the major changes your life has gone through.

Even though it may be difficult, make an effort each day to connect with your partner. Whether it’s a small sign of affection (hand holding, a hug or cuddling on the couch) or a shared in-joke that makes you both smile and remember what makes you two such a great couple, these small gestures will have a large impact on keeping your relationship strong through post-partum depression.

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Try Music to Stave Off Depression

December 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

ContentMusic has long been used as a source of inspiration and as a calming agent in recreational use, but researchers have began to develop more concrete information about the formal ties that exist between music and helping people who suffer from depression.

In an active therapy session, a depressed person would use music as a way to articulate feelings that might otherwise be difficult to discuss with the words they have available. For instance, feelings of guilt, anger or rage may be easier to both recognize and express if a particular musical piece or lyric also expresses that same emotion. The feeling is then more acceptable to express if someone else has already articulated it in musical form. Therapists can use those expressed feelings as a springboard to better awareness towards one’s emotions, which can lead to determining the best course of treatment.

However, music is more often used in the receptive therapy technique – people even administer self therapy in this way. Music is played specifically to trigger feelings of calmness, reflection or relaxation. The purpose is to initiate a positive mood change which helps someone who is depressed take better control over their feelings and decide for themselves to have a good day.

Several studies have shown that those who suffer from depression usually have their symptoms relieved if they undergo some sort of organized music therapy. The studies also show a marked improvement in mood for those who engaged in music therapy. Additionally, therapy only works as well as the person who is engaging in it wants to continue, and music therapy has shown very low rates of dropout in the five major studies that have been conducted on the subject.

The music listened to in order to stave off depression should be slow in tempo and optimistic in nature for best results.

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Natural Remedies to Alleviate Depression

December 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

ContentWhile it is important to research the appropriate treatment necessary for depression – especially if the depression is chronic or is leading to destructive behavior – there are several natural remedies to alleviate depression that may help those that are suffering from mild depression and want to take steps toward self-help before consulting a professional.

St. John’s Wort is a popular herb used to alleviate the symptoms of several different medical conditions and has been used for hundreds of years as a natural remedy for several of the symptoms associated with depression. In fact, almost two dozen clinical trials have shown it to have an effectiveness similar to some commercial anti-depressants for mild or moderate depression and with less of the nasty side effects. The only downside to using St. John’s Wort to treat depression is that the herb may take a few weeks to demonstrate noticeable effects.

While there is no universally recognized cause for depression, researchers have found that people who suffer from depression are more likely to be deficient of folic acid than non-depressed counterparts. The exact relationship isn’t clear, but making sure you get the daily recommended value of folic acid though green leafy vegetables, beans and fruit, can help to alleviate the symptoms of depression over the long term.

Studied have also linked low intake of omega-3 fatty acids to incidents of depression. The rates of depression are significantly reduced in countries that have a higher consumption of fish as part of their regular diet. To make sure you’re getting all the omega-3 fatty acids you need each day, consider increasing your consumption of cold water fish (like salmon) or taking a supplement of fish oil.

Remember, if your depression is lingering, chronic or considered “major,” natural remedies don’t seem to help or if your depression is so debilitating that it’s affecting other aspects of your life, it’s time to seek help from a medical professional.

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Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder

December 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Children in Jerusalem.
Image via Wikipedia

Bipolar disorder in children is becoming more and more common. Once only seen in adults, this alarming trend is seeing health professionals diagnose more and more children each year, and, they’re being diagnosed younger.

Called Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder, symptoms such as extreme mood swings seem to be the most common. Children will rapidly move from giddiness to depression and back again, sometimes several times in a row. For children that are hyperactive, it can be very difficult to distinguish normal behavior from bipolar symptoms. Child behavioral specialists can be consulted to help you determine if there is cause for worry, once you begin to suspect there may be a problem.

Children are ill equipped to deal with bipolar disorder. They will have difficulty in school and may be labeled as difficult and dealt with more harshly by teachers who are unaware of the disorder. Other children my find those afflicted with this disorder to be strange, and they may begin to suffer from being a pariah. Erratic behavior in a child with this disorder may attract the attention of children with behavioral issues which can just lead to more and more issues.

The depression element of bipolar disorder in children is particularly severe. Even adults have difficulties with depression but children just do not have the ability to comprehend what is going on and certainly can’t objectively deal with their feelings. Depression may be expressed through moody or aggressive behavior such as stealing your treasured Mikimoto pearl necklace, and can ultimately lead to suicidal thoughts.

Unfortunately these children are being diagnosed under the age of 10. The years that are supposed to be carefree and exploratory are filled instead with incomprehensible feelings, emotions and behaviors. Sadder still is that many parents refuse to accept that their child has an issue so many go undiagnosed all together.

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