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Stopping Depression in the First Place

July 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Dorothea Lange's "Migrant Mother," a...

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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: , ,

The Assumption of Will: Depression

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Happiness is a choice — this is the promise you’ve been offered, the affirmation you’ve been told to seek. Contentment can be earned. Satisfaction can be certain. You must merely be willing to offer the necessary time and energy to procure it. All days can be easy if you allow them to be; and the notion of depression is dismissed, thought to reflect a weak mind and a weaker character. You can be secure in your life. You simply must work for it.

And… you try to, wanting to meet the expectations of the public. You give you all you can; you do what you must. But your feelings don’t shape themselves to comforts. They instead remain wilted, burdened by thoughts you don’t dare to admit. No task is easy. No laugh is real. You can’t generate the essential grins. Instead you find yourself overwhelmed.

And that sensation is not going to leave — not while you’re trying to simply ignore it.

There is an unfortunate stigma attached to the idea of depression. The masses believe it to be nothing more than an excuse for laziness, a reason to remain tucked in bed (letting the world and its realities pass by). Many assume it can be undone through simple desire — and they demand that those suffering from it merely shrug it away, cure themselves through willpower.

This will not happen.

Depression is a serious (potentially life-threatening) disease. It is caused through biological and emotional factors — which spark chemical imbalances and deep despair. It cannot be overcome by a smile. It cannot be tamed with simple refusal. It demands treatment and professional care.

Few are willing to accept this, however. The majority assume this to be a futile illness, think it can be challenged with the proper state of mind. Such a state can’t be achieved, though — depression affects all thoughts, leaves the individual unable to respond as he once would. There is no way to overpower this: it steals the opportunity.

Depression demands help and a cure is only possible through support, not mere determination.

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The Normalcy Belief: Depression

February 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Sorrow is to be expected. Despair can’t be denied. Life is far too complicated to ever experience simple happiness — you know this, understand that there will be days that don’t satisfy, hours that trouble. All suffer from occasional discontentment or discomfort. This is the way of things and it’s known to be true.

Such truth leads you to ignore your own worries therefore. You think nothing of the overwhelming dejection. You refuse to acknowledge the pain. It’s common, you’re sure. Everyone experiences it; everyone feels this way. There’s nothing to do but merely… wait. This will pass.

It won’t.

Depression is not to be confused with the typical sadness, the occasional worries — and yet too often do individuals believe themselves to be suffering from nothing more than the proverbial blues. They assume that their feelings are normal and that they will eventually fade away. Such an assumption can lead to a lack of treatment and a worsening of depression, however; and this can be dangerous.

Depression is not a momentary illness. It will not simply disappear. It is instead a persistent — and complete — sense of despair. Those who suffer from it are defined by chemical imbalances; and these cause a prolonged sadness (which can last for months, or even years, at a time). This cannot be considered normal.

Instead individuals must be able to recognize the differences between occasional dissatisfaction and genuine worry. The feelings will be far worse; the longevity will be far more distressing; and there will be no lull in the illness. It will instead remain — causing endless complications.

Do not mistake depression for lesser concerns. Do not think it to be common. You must instead be able to distinguish the disease from others and understand its severity. This is not proof of rainy day worries. This is instead a tragic — and frightening — disability. It must be offered treatment and care; and this can’t be accomplished if you dismiss it as just an expectation.

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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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Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder

December 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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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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