Teen Depression

Teens and Depression

Adolescence can be wonderful experience for many teenagers. During this time, teens begin taking their grades more seriously, looking forward to going to college and getting a great job. They also like to assert more independence and become more interested in the opposite sex. But for many teenagers, the transition from childhood to adulthood can be a very difficult time. Depression is often the culprit. In fact, researchers state that one out of eight teenagers suffer from depression.

Why is your teenager depressed?

Your teenager may become depressed for many reasons. Genetics could be one reason your child is depressed. Children who grow up in homes in which their parents or siblings are depressed may grow up to become depressed adults. Another reason your child may be depressed is peer pressure. Your teenager may be hanging with the wrong crowd and doing things that are dangerous and that make them feel bad in an effort to fit in --- such as smoking, drinking, and having sex. Also, they may have difficulty making friends and could be the victim of bullying and verbal abuse by their peers. Many depressed teenagers live in a bad environment, homes where their parents are not getting along, or a home where there is little money coming into the house. Boredom is also a reason why your child may be depressed. They may simply need something else to do.

Sometimes children have an inaccurate idea about people and life in general. When they get out into the real world, there can be a major gap between what they believe and reality. As a result, they feel let down on a regular basis. For example, a young girl who thought that she would go to an ivory league school and get married barely pays her way through junior college and gets pregnant by her absentee boyfriend.

Signs that your teenager is depressed includes:

• gossiping on the telephone


• over eating or under eating


• slacking on doing household chores


• masturbating or becoming promiscuous


• abusing drugs and alcohol


• bullying others


• disrespecting authority figures


• dropping out of high school


• sleeping a lot


• spending long periods of time in their room


• turning up the volume on the stereo


• allowing their appearance to suffer


• choosing not to participate in family get togethers

What to do if your child is depressed?

Talk to your child about his or her life, wants, and needs. Let them know that their opinions matter and that they are important. Play an active role in their life. Go to ball games with them. Hang out with them at the mall.Talk to them about their bodies, relationships, and about life in general. Get them involved in activities and hobbies that are healthy and that they will enjoy. If your child continues to behave as if they are depressed, it may be necessary to talk to a therapist who may recommend treatment.

Depression Natural Cures - Lift Your Mood Nauturally and Quickly !

Depression is an illness, and it has been shown to affect no less than 6% of any sample population (America for example) at any given period.

The percent may indeed be much higher at times of stress. Many sufferers need medical attention; as the depression does not just go away on its own, here we are going to show you some simple natural cures.

Depression has basically three levels of severity; mild, moderate, and acute (meaning severe).

Mild depression is described as the sufferer having difficulty in with their normal daily activities.

moderate depression disables the sufferer to function properly at their work or in private life.

Acute depression can produce a condition that interferes with a person's ability to generally function normally. This in tern can also produce collateral symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations, and can eventually lead to suicide.

There are of course, many synthetic pharmaceutical remedies for depression.

Some are very well known and have been used by doctors for some time. They do, unfortunately have their own adverse side effects, such as dependency (thus withdrawal symptoms. An example is Paxil, were the US, FDA is now requiring the manufacturer to state the drug has severe withdrawal symptoms).

Happily, there are several natural ways to lift depression, and some aren't even medicines at all. See below a list of what is being used (some very successfully against depression).

oKriya Yoga. This is a form of Yoga that uses a type of rhythmic hyperventilation, and its daily practice has been shown in studies to alleviate several or all of depressive symptoms in whole ranges of depressive symptoms.

oBright Light Therapy. Originally a test and treatment for depressed pregnant woman, the Bright Light Therapy has also been used to treat SAD (seasonal affective disorder), where the sufferer has a depression due to the season's lack of sunlight.

oSt. John's Wort (hypericum perforatum). This is a long-studied, and well tolerated natural herbal cure for depression.

St John's Wort contains a variety of natural antidepressant substances including, hypericin, pseudohypericin and hyperforin. These work at the root of mild depression, boosting neurotransmitter function and returning your mood to normal.

It may not work as fast as the pharmaceutical alternatives, but there are NO side-effects, and in time (perhaps 6 weeks) are just or more effective.

oEPA. This is one of the Omega-3 fatty acids, derived from fish oil. Recent studies show high does of this natural substance are curing acute depression, even suicidal tendencies.

oSaffron. New studies have indicated that saffron (long known for its anti-depressive qualities) is as effective as imipramine and Prozac.

oDL-Phenylalanine (DLPA), is now considered by many doctors an effective antidepressant. This herbal remedy for depression works by raising phenylethylamine (PEA) levels in the brain increasing the production of Norepinephrine. This natural antidepressant also protects and increases the lifetime of Endorphins (chemicals involved in mood and pain regulation). DL-Phenylalanine converts to L-tyrosine in the body.

oL-Threonine is an essential amino acid. In several studies, L-Threonine supplementation gave people with acute depressive symptoms a greater control over their moods.

o5-HTP. This is an herbal remedy for depression that is also the immediate precursor to Melatonin and Serotonin. Serotonin gives a neurochemical balance during times of stress, and is essential to regulating mood and other important bodily functions.

* Skullcap (scutellaria laterifolia). ) Skullcap is rich in the minerals that are essential for the nervous system. This herbal remedy for depression is also used for agitation, neurasthenia, anxiety, fatigue, hysteria, and headaches, Skullcap as an herbal remedy for depression is useful to relieve withdrawal symptoms when going off of pharmaceutical antidepressants and tranquillizers.

As you can see, there are many alternatives to the synthetic, and possibly harmful drugs now given to relieve depression.

Can Food Allergies Be The Cause Of Your Depression?

Millions of patients in the U.S. alone are on all sorts of medications for depression and anxiety. If you are such a person, have you ever thought of being tested for food allergies?

The question arises because although it has long been recognized in the scientific literature that food allergy can impact moods, mental states, and so on - hardly ever does a doctor prescribe a food allergy test for someone suffering from depression.

If your doctor has not done so, it may be advantageous for you to arrange one for yourself. Reputable food allergy tests can be found at many places online and they are not that expensive.

One of the earliest studies showing the relationship between food allergies and mood states was performed by Dr. Joseph Egger in the mid 1980's. The study took place at the University of Munich in Germany and involved thirty patients who had a history of anxiety and depression. The test was a double blind, placebo controlled test so that no patient was sure of what they were being given to eat at various times.

The patients were first tested for allergies. Once the test began, they were given either small quantities of foods that they were allergic to or placebos. But they never knew what they were being given. The outcome of the test was eye-opening to say the least.

The clear result showed that the allergens alone were able to induce feelings of depression and anxiety. And even though most of the foods that the people in the study were allergic to where wheat, milk, sugar, and eggs - the result would no doubt be similar to those who are allergic to other foods. The common term coined for these types of allergies are brain allergies.

Other studies since then have shown that many people are allergic to many of the preservatives that are put into modern processed foods. It doesn't take much of a leap to notice the startling increases in the number of people suffering from all sorts of mental problems to make the link between these problems and the food choices that we make.

In reality, even though it is easy to find out, very few people today have any idea of what foods they are allergic to. And, if you are suffering from any type of mental problems, your doctor or psychiatrist should ultimately be the person whom you listen to. But, you have to take some responsibility for your health as well. And a start would be to at least pinpoint your own food allergies to determine if going on an allergy free diet could also improve your mental health.

Gluten Intolerance - How to Be Gluten Free

What is it to be gluten free and have celiac disease?

Are you allergic to gluten? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt and triticale. They are prolamins (proteins) that cause damage to the digestive system. Tiny hairlike structures called villi are in the lining of the small intestine. It helps to digest the nutrients in your food. For people who have gluten intolerance or celiac disease, gluten attacks the villi and makes it flat. Then you cannot absorb the nutrients in your food. It is actually an autoimmune disorder. You can also become intolerant to dairy, sugar and possibly other food sensitivities. The only way to reverse the process is to stay away from gluten and the villi will grow back so that you can absorb the nutrients in your food again. Many people can have gluten intolerance or celiac disease and not know it. It is always best to get tested to make sure. I suggest you talk with your primary care physician/G.I. physician to get tested for celiac disease or go to see a nature path to test for food allergens.

What foods contain gluten?

All these foods contain gluten:

Mostly your grains like Wheat, Barley, Barley Malt, Rye, Spelt, Semolina, Graham Flour, Wheat Starch, Wheat Germ, Couscous, Bran, Kamut, Bulgur, Durum, Triticale, Oats (Oats are not guaranteed from cross contamination, make sure it is gluten free oats)and allot of Alcohol has gluten in it.

So what can you eat in place of gluten?

Non Gluten Flours: Almond Meal Flour, Amaranth Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Buckwheat Flour, Garbanzo Bean Flour, Millet Flour, Potato Starch, Quinoa Flour, Sorghum Flour, Soy Flour, Tapioca Flour/Starch, Arrowroot Flour, and Teff Flour.

Binding Agents:

Arrowroot, Cornstarch, Guar Gum Potato Starch, Tapioca Flour or Starch and Xanthan Gum

Gluten Intolerance Symptoms

These are some of the symptoms of gluten intolerance: Abdominal pain and distension, bloating, diarrhea, greasy foul smelling floating stools, vomiting, acid reflux, constipation, gas and flatulence, nausea, weight loss or weight gain, loss of appetite, fatigue and weakness, headaches and migraines, depression, irritability and mood disorders, fuzzy brain or inability to concentrate, dental enamel deficiencies and irregularities, nerve damage(peripheral neuropathy), respiratory problems, lactose intolerance, rosacea, hashimoto's disease, hair loss, bruising easily, muscle cramping and muscle weakness, swelling and inflammation, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, joint and bone pain, infertility, abnormal menstrual cycles, seizures, ataxia(bad balance), canker sores, eczema and psoriasis, Acne, early onset osteoporosis, night blindness, hypoglycemia(low blood sugar), nose bleeds, elevated liver function tests(AST, ALT), lack of motivation, hashimoto's disease, sjogren's syndrome, lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune disorders, irritable bowel syndrome or spastic colon, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia, lupus (an autoimmune disease),unexplained anemia, psychological issues(hypochondria, depression, anxiety, bipolar, schizophrenia, neurosis and mood disorders), food allergies, parasites or other infection, gallbladder disease, thyroid disease, cystic fibrosis(respiratory disorder), diverticulosis, diabetes, thyroid Disease, dermatitis herpetiformis(skin rash related to celiac disease), peripheral neuropathy(tingling or numbness in arms and legs), and many more conditions.

Symptoms in children:

Inability to concentrate, irritability, ADD/ADHD or autism and down syndrome, failure to thrive (infants and toddlers), nose bleeds, short stature or delayed growth, delayed onset of puberty, weak bones or bone pain, abdominal pain and distension. If these symptoms are not put under control like being on a gluten free diet, they can turn into more serious conditions. Like heart disease, lung disease, addison's disease, the list goes on and on. Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder.

I am gluten intolerant, now what do I do?

1. See a Doctor, Nutritionist or a Nature Path that, understands what is to be on a gluten free diet.

2. Join a support group like Gluten Intolerance Group. Look up your state and city to find your local support group. You are not in this alone.

3. Find a gluten free blog you really like for tips, recipes and resources.

4. Learn to read food labels. Make sure to look for the gluten free label on grocery products. Learn what what is in your food.

5. Learn how to eat healthy and gluten free, is better for you.

6. Join a gluten free cooking class or find an instructor. Many nature stores have cooking classes.

7. Find your local grocery stores that sells gluten free products. For example, Lingonberries Market, Whole Foods, New Season's, Trader Joe's, Fred Meyer Nutrition Center. Winco, Safeway and Wal-Mart Superstores. There are websites that sell these products. For example, Amazon and The Gluten Free Mall.

8. Find your local Restaurants that are gluten free friendly.

9. Get yourself a couple of Gluten Free Books and a magazine.

10. Search for gluten free coupons online and in the newspaper.

11. Here is a fact you should know, People with Celiac Disease can Declare their "Gluten Free Food" as Tax Deduction.

12. Try different recipes and food products and find out what you like the best. Most of all, have fun with it.

Be sure and avoid cross contamination, you don't want to get gluten mixed up with your non gluten food.

For more information check out my gluten free and healthy living website.

10 Simple Coping Strategies When a Family Member Has Clinical Depression

1.Remember that it is an illness:

Clinical depression often requires medical supervision as well as professional treatment. Clinical depression is treatable and requires commitment, understanding and patience from all those involved.

2.It is not your fault:

Clinical depression is usually a combination of chemical imbalance and learned behaviors. There may be times when the depressed individual is extremely sensitive, argumentative and/or blaming towards you, the children, the in-laws, the boss and even the world. All the above mentioned are not the cause. What you are responsible for is how you choose to take on the outward symptoms and how they affect you, your home and your relationships.

3.Be well informed:

Educate yourself on what type of depression is present and if there is a dual diagnosis
IE: chemical dependency and depression or personality disorders and depression. Know what the symptoms, treatments and follow-ups are. There are suggested guidelines for communication and setting boundaries. Though the illness is not your fault; it benefits you and your family to remain open minded and willing to learn new ways of doing things.

4.Make sure to have a support network:

Depression and dual diagnosis affects the whole family. There are many ranges of emotions from anger and fear to hopefulness and hopelessness. Having others that have experienced it before can help eliminate unhealthy coping mechanisms such as isolation, shame, control and low self-esteem. There are many national and local support groups available on line. For more information check with your favorite search engines or call a local and/or national mental health hotline.

5.Make time for yourself and your children:

Don't fall into the trap of not taking care of yourselves. Misery and fear love company. Living with and loving someone who is clinically depressed can be incredibly draining. Do not become a hostage or enabler. Remember your flight instructions: "For those traveling with small children; place the oxygen mask on yourself first and then assist the children."

6.Be a victor not a victim:

Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional:
We are all going to feel pain in life never mind a home with mental illness. Surround yourselves with knowledge, self-care, experienced support and nurturing. There are no such things as victims only volunteers.

7.Recognize that clinical depression is episodic
Clinical depression comes in waves. People with clinical depression do get better!

8.Understand that medication takes time to work:

In most cases, improvement takes as long as 6-8 weeks. Even early responders require about 3-4 weeks before they notice mood improvement. Even after a person with clinical depression feels better, she or he needs to stay on medication at least six months. People should never stop taking medication on their own; medical supervision is a must. There can be serious physical and emotional complications from sudden withdrawal such as increased depression and suicidal tendencies.

9.Medication alone is fairly ineffective:

Research shows that medication in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy is more effective than medication alone. Combined with therapy, the person who is clinically depressed may need to make lifestyle changes, including dietary and exercise changes. The family needs to find ways to reduce stressors by simplifying their lives.

10.Get a written relapse prevention plan:

Make a list of early symptoms such as sleep, appetite and mood changes. Early intervention is the key to stopping a downward spiral. Determine what worked in the past to get the person with clinical depression back on track and do the things that worked before.

How to Deal With Negative Emotions

Negative emotions sap your energy and undermine your effectiveness. In the negative emotional state, you find the lack of desire to do anything. The mind is filled with thoughts of fear, doubts and insecurities. Your body experiences fatigue, tightness and muscle tension.

Notice that your negative emotions arise when you respond to something, attach a meaning to it and picture it in your mind. You add power to it by using words to label and describe the situation or emotion. You will then experience the sensation and respond accordingly, as you always, have unconsciously.

How to deal with negative emotions.

Decision.

It takes a decision to change anything. Once you decide that you no longer want to allow your negative emotions to control your life, you will take action to manage them when the first hint appears.

Awareness.

You should condition yourself to become aware of your emotions and the stimulus that trigger them. When you are aware, you are able to look at it squarely. Train your mind to "catch" yourself getting into an emotional state.

Questioning.

It takes conscious awareness to question your limiting feelings and state of mind. Questioning yourself is a way to dehypontize your way of getting into an automatic state. Question your reasons, assumptions and understandings in order to change the intensity and meaning you attach to your emotions.

Change your focus.

When you focus on hurtful feeling, fear and all other negative state of emotions, you will einlarge them. You need to refocus and divert your attention to what you want to experience. Instead of brooding and playing disempowering images and talking negatively to yourself, take a different action. Since you have total control over your thoughts at any given time, you can shift your thinking. The best way to shift your thinking and refocus is to do something physically. Moving your body through physical activity changes your internal state of mind.

De-stress and relax.

When there is a lot of stress in your life, everything seems against you. De-stress yourself at intervals during your waking hours by taking time to relax and exercise breathing techniques. A calm and peaceful mind is able to produce positive emotions and a better outlook about life and events.

Accept responsibility.

Try to remind yourself that the cause of your anger, hurt and fear are not due to external situations or people. It exists inside you. If you can control and manage your negative emotions, nothing out there will affect your state of mind and body.

Misconceptions Of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a very common issue for many folks and is a diagnosis that many people don't really understand. When someone is diagnosed as bipolar this means that they can swing very rapidly from one mood or state of mind to another which can seem quite erratic to those who are around them but many people don't, at least at first, realize that the person is dealing with a disorder.

Confusion arises when the terminology of mania comes up when researching bipolar disorders. The dictionary states mania as an excessive excitement or enthusiasm. Most people would interpret this as a happy state of being. For bipolar individuals it can mean a period of wild behavior or excessive rages. Mania takes on a whole different meaning when used in regards to bipolar individuals.

There are many symptoms that appear in a person who has bipolar disorder. Some are more predominate then others and are more noticeable to the average person. Besides the erratic mood swings you may observe lack of control, angry outbursts, little need for sleep, cannot control their impulses. Other behaviors may be negligent sexual behavior, inflated ego or extreme spending sprees. However, the other side of their elated state is the tormenting and severe bouts of depression.

The ominous signs of a depressive bipolar individual can be seen in the inability to make decisions or concentrate, either an increase of loss of appetite, excessive fatigue where they don't even want to get out of the bed to horrific thoughts of suicide. Many times during thee periods, the individual will withdraw from family and friends which is hard for those who truly care about them. No one knows how longs these episodes can last. Because of this, bipolar disorder can be difficult to diagnose. For some these episodes switch rapidly and multiple times a day and others stay in one state for a longer period of time.

Substance abuse is a common problem amongst those with this disorder as is suicide. Overall, getting an accurate diagnosis and the treatment that is needed can help a person to keep their symptoms under control and begin to live a healthy and productive life once again. Mental illness can be difficult to address since the symptoms can be in a constant state of flux but it is important to realize that help is available for those who are struggling with this illness.

Facebook - Is It Really a Solution?

Facebook, the most popular social media in the country. People get to invent themselves in all different ways and portray the pictures of their lives in just the way they want to. And what about your children? The best, most beautiful, smartest kids ever. Where posting SAT scores has become commonplace, along with college acceptances, prom dates and vacationing on every beach worldwide.

Today someone posted, "Vail or Aspen"? Gee, what a dilemma, trying to figure out where to go on your next vacation. And what makes you think that anyone might care what your grandchild ate for breakfast or look at a picture of your home cooked meal? The daily inspirational quotes are quite inspiring, as well as the declaration of love to your spouse, significant other, and pet.

I don't think that Facebook was ever intended to cause so much depression among those who don't really live an exciting, decadent life. After all, how many people post a picture of their spouse sleeping on the couch after a major blow up? Facebook, the land where everyone has the perfect life- the perfect marriage- the perfect children.

You wake up and check your FB newsfeed, only to watch everyone's wonderful life going on around you. It seems that no one has a boring day, or is in a bad mood, or isn't off to some exotic party or impressive trip.

Here's the bulletin. Facebook isn't the real world. It is the internet world.

I recently saw a post which said "Being popular on Facebook, is like sitting at the cool table in the cafeteria in a mental institution." How many of the hundreds of thousands of collected friends could you put down as a contact number in an emergency? We are a voyeur into other peoples lives- but only the part they want us to see.

More and more clients are coming to me mentioning that everyone else has a much more exciting life than they do. How do they know? They bought into the imaginary Facebook world. How do I know? I see these people in therapy- the ones who are posting how great their lives are. The stories are imaginary. We invent stories to accompany the pictures. The stories are a perfect fairytale life.*

It doesn't exist. All the people on Facebook are just like you and me. They have good days and bad days. They fight with their children, friends, parents, and employers- just like you. They want to portray to the world a sunnier life than they possess. Maybe it makes them feel better to let other people see how "great" their lives are. Maybe it makes us feel better to post pictures and events in order to convince ourselves that our lives are better than their lives.

I recently had a birthday celebration. It was more than I could ask for.People asked me what I wanted for my birthday. All I wanted was their "time". It was a gift they could give me that they could never get back. I was more than accommodated. I had celebration after celebration. I felt gifted and blessed. I, too, posted these fabulous events. But, I did not post them to make me look better than someone else. I posted them because I was so grateful for the time shared with these people who celebrated me. I felt so lucky and appreciated.

Now, I am back to my not so exciting existence. Am I still posting pictures of my life? Yes, once in a while- but the posts are about me- not about my fabulous children or my life which is, at times, better or not better, than yours.

So, next time you wake up and look at your newsfeed on Facebook, remember that we never really know what struggle someone is facing for that day. Try to look at it as people posting their celebrations, and keeping the disasters private. Some have more celebrations than others, and some look at events as celebrations that we may not. I post pictures of going to the beach with friends. To me, that is a great day. Sometimes, we have to look at the small pleasures in life, and let them make us happy.

We all know that around the corner, there is always something that will come along that we will have to deal with. As we get older, the celebrations are fewer and farther apart. So, today when you wake up- find things to celebrate. Life can be difficult at times. So, let's stay with the things that put a smile on our faces for as long as we can. Even if it is just a picture.

Teen Depression

Teen depression can happen for a number of reasons and tends to occur quite often when a teenager needs more help fitting in during their high school years. Teen depression can be triggered by something as simple as not being popular, not having great grades or not making the football team. Some teens get depressed because they come from a poor family and can't afford to buy the right kind of clothes. Most schools have school counselors, but quite often they are over burdened and some students may not get a chance to speak with them. When a teenager becomes depressed they often feel alone and feel like they can't turn to their parents or friends for help. Some teenagers even turn to self medication to make themselves feel better.

So instead of receiving the right kind for counseling to treatment, some teenagers will instead turn to drugs, alcohol or sexual activity. Sometimes teen depression can be prevented if we notice the warning signs of them becoming depressed. When a teenager becomes despondent and isolated, those are usually signs of teen depression. Others signs that your teen may be suffering from depression is over or under eating or staying in bed until midday and having no interest in getting out of bed and enjoying life.

You really do need to get your child help if you think they may be suffering from depression. If not treated they may carry on this depression for their whole lives and therefore will have fairly miserable lives. Also if they received the correct treatment straight away it may prevent the drugs and alcohol from becoming a major part of their life. There are many prescription drugs and counseling treatments available for your child.

Help your teen get through the adolescent years and look ahead to the future. If you are not comfortable with putting your child on anti-depressant medications, there are also herbal treatments available that you can try, like St. John's Wort, that can alleviate teen depression. Many parents who can't get help from counselors at school or therapists, have started to look around the internet. There are many different solutions for teen depression.

As a parent you may even want to attend counseling sessions with your teenager and create an open environment so they may learn to open up and share their feelings. Adolescent years are difficult for more teenagers and increasing peer pressure drives some children to the edge. You can make a difference. Talking to a therapist or a psychiatrist or even going on the internet can give you more information on teen depression; and make your child safe and happy. A teenager who is well adjusted is less likely to get into trouble and more likely to succeed in life. A successful life is important for the future of your child and important for a parent as well.

The Benefits Of Income Insurance

Human nature dictates that prior to buying something, people see to it that they will benefit from the product. Most times, people buy things that they perceive to give them the most benefits. This also holds true when buying an income insurance policy. It is easier to convince people to avail the protection when they know that they can benefit much from their purchase of the policy.

Main Benefit

The main benefit of income insurance is financial protection. It protects your income from any incapacity or disability to earn it from work due to illness or injury from accidents. While it does not pay for your entire income, you will enjoy up to 75% without having to work.

This is not to encourage you to get sick or meet an accident and benefit from the policy. What this means is that while you need to rest or rehabilitate from your sickness or injury, you need not worry where to source your income, as the policy will pay for it up to 75% depending on your provider.

You see, the biggest impact of your disability to work to earn your income is on your finances. If you have to suddenly stop working, this can mess up the otherwise normal flow of money in your household. Consequently, it can cause undue stress, depression and anxiety, and low self-esteem on your part. It can strain relationships and wreak havoc to what used to be an orderly way of life.

Other Benefits

Aside from receiving up to 75% of your income for the duration of your disability which can either be long term or short term, you also get to enjoy the amount tax free. Depending on your insurance provider and the type of income protection you avail, you can enjoy permanent compensation benefit up to the time you have reached your retirement age.

The policy empowers you to continue your retirement plan contributions. It adds to your peace of mind knowing that a stable future awaits you from your retirement benefits. This is not possible without an income insurance to protect your needs.

Another important benefit of the policy is that it gives you the means to pay for your financial obligations. In fact, banking institutions and other financial lenders require protection from insurance to make sure that you are able to pay for your loans regardless of any disability or incapacity on your part to repay the borrowed amount.

You'll enjoy extreme flexibility with this type of insurance. You can choose to go for the fixed term policy or the short-term renewable coverage. You can decide to receive your benefits lump sum or the monthly benefit compensation. Whichever way you choose, you are assured that for the duration of your disability you will still be able to earn a big percentage of your income.

If you wish to find out how to get the best financial protection from your income insurance policy, and where to get it at its most reasonable premium, all you need to do is to avail online services of insurance companies. Not only will these services make it convenient for you to meet your insurance requirements, you will also have all the resources at your disposal to enjoy the best income protection.

How to Detect HIV Infection

Anybody who has had sex is already at risk for becoming infected with sexually transmitted diseases. From the term itself, the disease is transmitted by any sexual activities, whether vaginal, oral or anal sex. Other times, it may also be transmitted through direct skin to skin contact or by exchange of body fluids from one who is already infected. This may happen when sharing medical equipments such as injections. A person may be at high risk from infection if he or she is sexually active, has multiple sex partners, frequently changes sex partners and does not use condom protection during sexual activities.

One of the most dangerous and fatal sexually transmitted diseases is HIV or human immunodeficiency virus. This is said to have the most number of fatalities among all STDs. This means that this disease is highly life threatening. The difficult part of being infected with HIV is that it does not show symptoms during its early stages. The only possible time one may determine or notice infection is when it is already severe. A person carrying the disease may not even know that they are already infected with it until symptoms or complications have already showed up.

Some of the common symptoms of HIV are rapid weight loss, dry cough, recurring fever or profuse night sweats, profound and unexplained fatigue, swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck, diarrhea that lasts for more than a week, white spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat, pneumonia, red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids, memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders.

If one has these symptoms or doubts about his or her health condition, he or she should immediately consult a doctor for an HIV test. This is the surest way to detect infection of HIV. Once HIV is detected early, medications may be given to control the increase its extent may be given. These medications are antiviral drugs. They are known to preempt the effects of the disease to the patient. This means that if a patient takes these medications, he or she may not be immediately affected by the complications that the disease may give.

Some local STD testing is done in local health centers and may need urine or blood samples from patients. Results may come out after a few weeks. Other clinics offer quick or rapid STD testing which provides results within twenty minutes or so. For people who do not want be revealing their personal information while taking the test may go the private HIV or STD testing clinics for more confidentiality. As well known, HIV can lead to AIDS. Both of these diseases are fatal and they are never an easy thing to deal with. This is why it is important for one to be tested immediately to make sure that the situation of getting AIDS becomes farther.

There is lots of STD testing clinics that offer help whichever way you want to be tested. They offer accurate STD testing, counseling, treatment and sometimes others even offer a more affordable STD testing to provide more help to other people.

Water As A Natural Remedy For Depression

One of the most effective and arguably the most important but often overlooked natural remedies for depression is water. Water makes up 60% of our body, and over 70% of our brain tissue. Water is the most essential nutrient for the human body and brain and it is logical that a deficiency in water can lead to all kinds of medical issues, including depression symptoms. Unfortunately, many individuals seem to take water for granted.

Whenever people have common ailments or symptoms of illnesses such as fever and flu, the basic advice given by their doctor is to "get plenty of rest and drink lots of water". Most people follow the first instruction and get their adequate rest, but for some reason place less importance on drinking enough water.

How much is enough water? You might have heard of the recommendation to drink 8 glasses of water daily. This is a myth. It does not take into account your environment (the hotter the area you live in, the more water you need), your gender, physical size and your activity levels. Bigger-sized individuals and pregnant or nursing women will need more water than others.

Some people advocate simply drinking when you feel thirsty (and similarly, eating only when you are hungry), that is, to simply trust your body's signals. This can work for some individuals, but many others might not find it workable, perhaps because their body simply doesn't send the right signals at the right time.

The best way to tell if you are properly hydrated is to look at your urine color. Pale yellow or straw-colored urine is considered ideal. Colorless urine usually means you are overhydrated and will have to go to the restroom every few minutes. Dark yellow means you might be dehydrated.

While overhydration is not typically an issue in most cases, recent research has suggested hyponatremia (low sodium in blood), which can cause swelling, including of the brain, as a potential, albeit fairly uncommon risk. This can cause seizures and lead to coma, and may even be fatal. Overhydration may also dilute the benefits of vitamin supplements that you are taking.

If you are constantly passing out dark-colored urine, you should try aiming for a lighter-colored urine by drinking more plain water. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can provide plenty of benefits including helping you to stay hydrated, as such foods typically have high water content. Stay away from or reduce your intake of coffee, beer or carbonated drinks. Those drinks may increase your frequency of urination, but actually have a dehydrating effect on your body. Cutting down on such harmful substances is one of the best natural remedies for depression.

Note that some medication, vitamin tablets and other conditions such as pregnancy can cause your urine to be a darker shade or even completely differently-colored. While not typically a cause for concern, it is always best to check with your doctor in such cases.

The smell of your urine, too, can indicate your body's health. A sweet odor can indicate kidney malfunction or too much sugar in your blood. A pungent odor could be problematic, but it can also simply be a result of what you ate (especially foods such as asparagus) and not a cause for concern. Healthy, pale-colored urine should typically have only a slight odor.

Considering how essential water is to the basic functions of our body and our brain, it is somewhat surprising more people don't look to changing their drinking habits when looking for a natural remedy for any kind of ailments. If you are not already drinking enough water and staying adequately hydrated at all times, it should be one of the first and most important natural remedies for depression you should try. Remember that even if it does not work for your depression, water is still essential for everyone and can help prevent many other ailments.

Facing Menopause? How to Overcome Menopause Symptoms and Live a Full Life

In the U.S., it is estimated that more than 1 million women reach their menopausal stage each year. That means more than 1 million women undergoing an expected but sometimes unpredictable change that can affect many aspects in their lives. Menopause is not something most women look forward to, thanks in part to the many negative connotations and stories they've probably heard during their younger years. But it doesn't have to be an uphill battle because you can overcome menopause.

What is menopause?

Quite simply, it's just a woman's transition from being reproductive to being non-reproductive - the time when menstrual activity slows down and eventually stops. The average age of women beginning menopause is about 47.5 years and menopausal transition itself can last from 4 to 8 years. That means a woman going through menopause will not only deal with the changes for a few weeks or months but for several years. Thus, it is important to learn how to overcome menopause.

How to Overcome Menopause

About two-thirds of women who undergo menopause report physical and emotional changes, some of which are quite confusing and distressing. However, they don't have to be that bad; menopause and its symptoms can be conquered. Here's how to overcome menopause symptoms:

Get comfortable

One of the challenges of undergoing menopause is the physical discomfort that accompanies the transition. Be ready for the sudden changes you will have to deal with physically. Hot flashes, for example, can hit you at the most inopportune times. You could be sweating profusely even in an air conditioned room where everybody else seems cool and comfy. Try to overcome menopause symptoms like hot flashes. Wear comfortable clothing, avoid stress and stay away from foods that may trigger a hot flash.

Take care of your body

Just because their bodies seem to be 'winding down' doesn't mean women should just let go and leave their bodies alone. Menopause is a time when your body needs even more special care. To overcome menopause symptoms, get regular exercise, maintain a healthy diet and take vitamin and mineral supplements. Go for regular visits to your doctor and take care of the way you look.

Deal with depression

Menopause can be a time of sudden changes and if a woman isn't ready for it, she might suffer from depression. As a result, not only is her social relationship affected, so is the quality of her life. To overcome menopause and depression, expand your social life, get a hobby, improve your diet and see your therapist. This time of your life is a time of changes and you can make it a good one if you only choose to do so. You can overcome menopause symptoms if you choose to do so.

Use hormone replacement therapy

Most women who go through menopause suffer from physical symptoms such as mood changes, sleeplessness, memory loss, decline or increase in sexual interest, not to mention the heart palpitations and night sweats. If the symptoms are much too uncomfortable and inconvenient, hormone replacement therapy or HRT may be used to help overcome menopause symptoms.

HRT may be used as a short-term treatment or a long term treatment to overcome menopause symptoms and is very helpful in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Recent findings have also indicated that using estrogen can help improve memory and mood in menopausal women.

Get help and support

If you're going to overcome menopause, you don't have to go through it alone. Get help from health practitioners and support from your family. It will do your relationship with your friends and family members good to discuss the possible challenges you may be facing because of menopause. Go to a therapist if you have to or join support groups and clubs who can provide you with the emotional support you need during a very special time.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - A Viewpoint

Background: Since the late 60s I've followed a progression of fashionable therapies and studied others back to the turn of the previous Century. I've seen little genuinely new. Mostly just repackaging under new authorship. Long before the term "CBT" became popularised psychologists were making full use of it but they simply talked of an "eclectic cognitive restructuring approach" or "behaviour modification techniques." Then there's the question of the effectiveness of one therapy compared to another. There seems to be no dearth of impressive looking research proving that each therapy is superior to each other! And note well: CBT is not really a single therapy or technique.

Katy Grazebrook & Anne Garland write: "Cognitive and behavioural psychotherapies are a range of therapies based on concepts and principles derived from psychological models of human emotion and behaviour. They include a wide range of treatment approaches for emotional disorders, along a continuum from structured individual psychotherapy to self-help material. Theoretical Perspective and Terminology Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is one of the major orientations of psychotherapy (Roth & Fonagy, 2005) and represents a unique category of psychological intervention because it derives from cognitive and behavioural psychological models of human behaviour that include for instance, theories of normal and abnormal development, and theories of emotion and psychopathology."

Wikipedia free dictionary: "Cognitive therapy or cognitive behavior therapy is a kind of psychotherapy used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, phobias, and other forms of mental disorder. It involves recognising unhelpful patterns of thinking and reacting, then modifying or replacing these with more realistic or helpful ones. Its practitioners hold that typically clinical depression is associated with (although not necessarily caused by) negatively biased thinking and irrational thoughts. Cognitive therapy is often used in conjunction with mood stabilizing medications to treat bipolar disorder. Its application in treating schizophrenia along with medication and family therapy is recognized by the NICE guidelines (see below) within the British NHS. According to the U.S.-based National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists: "There are several approaches to cognitive-behavioral therapy, including Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Rational Behavior Therapy, Rational Living Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, and Dialectic Behavior Therapy."

The above "definitions" have the practical advantage that they don't really definine CBT; they don't tell us where it starts and ends. For example, there are published on the net results of comparative studies comparing CBT with a number of other therapies. One of those other therapies is "modelling" (I call it monkey-see-monkey do). But modelling would be considered by many therapists, certainly myself, to be ecompassed by CBT and not something to be compared with it. Modelling is how you learned your most vital skills, like driving a car and your most vital occupational skills. It's how your local brain surgeons, bakers, mechanics and airline pilots learned their skills and how the bird in your backyard learned to pluck a grub from under the tree bark. Modelling is so important that it could not be ignored by a therapist on the basis that it did not fit some purist definition of "CBT". But "modelling" is only one psychological phenomenon not encompassed by some definitions of CBT but which are too important to be ignored.

If I am right, and CBT as it is practiced is a mishmash of therapeutic approaches that have always been used in an eclectic approach to psychotherapy then one might wonder why there was any need to invent the term CBT? Well, for a start it justified a book and I suspect it helped American psychologists sell psychotherapy to their relatively new "managed health care" (insurance) system as being "evidence based therapy". It leans heavily on the conditioned reflex idea and has a "no-nonsense-let's-get-'em-back-to-work-at-minimal-cost" ring to it. (never mind about how they feel!)

Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be seen as a repackaging and franchising of a group of therapies dating from before the 60s, with some emphasis perhaps on Albert Ellis' ("A guide to rational living," Harper, 61) "rational emotive therapy" (RET) which shares many of the underlying tenets of Buddhism (without the Nirvana and reincarnation), and Donald Michaelbaum's ('70s) "self talk" therapy - (see also "What to say when you talk to yourself", Helmstetter, 1990) in which like Ellis' he holds that we create our own reality via the things we say to ourselves; and the various techniques of attention distraction and use of countervailing mental images as described under the name Neuro-linguistic programming, e.g. "Practical Magic", Stephen Lankton, (META publications 1980) & other books by Bandler & Grinder.

Arguably, other related ideas of the era encompassed by CBT can include Maxwell Maltz's "Psycho Cybernetics" (like a servo-mechanism, we automatically approach increasingly more accurate approximations of our persistent goals) and Tom Harris' "transactional analysis" (TA) which is a simple, pragmatic and non-mystical explanation of psychodynamics. It encourages insight into self and stresses the importance of "adult" rational responses. CBT is even consistent with some "existential" approaches, e.g. of Auschwitz survivor psychiatrist Victor Frankl ("Mans' search for meaning," 1970 & 80 Washington Squ Press) which can involve asking oneself what one would do with ones' life if one knew when one was going to die?

The "behaviour therapy" or "behaviour modification" aspect naturally makes use of the principles of classical and operant conditioning, i.e. associating one thing or behaviour with another - e.g. a reward, or an escape, i.e. the reinforcement. To be effective reinforcement requires motivation, a need or "drive state". Thus a response to the first thing becomes modified, or a style of behaviour becomes "reinforced" and therefore likely to reoccur in specific circumstances. Classical conditioning applies to the reinforcement of autonomic responses, and operant conditioning to reinforcing skeletal responses.

In practice, the "behaviour" part of CBT often involves using Wolpe's progressive desensitisation method (or a variation) which was originally based on the notion (partly false) that anxiety cannot exist in the presence of skeletal relaxation. This method involves a yoga style of progressive relaxation together with graded visualisations of the threatening situation. The client gets accustomed to visualising a low grade example of a threatening situation while staying relaxed, and when this becomes easy, moving on to a slightly more threatening visualisation. When this method is combined, in the later stages with real world exposure to graded examples of the threatening situation (preferably at first in the supportive presence of the therapist) it becomes a powerful treatment for phobias.

What is CBT used for?: Just about everything! The main things: panic, anxiety, depression, phobias, traumatic and other stress disorders, obsessional behaviour and relationship problems.

The procedure. A. In collaboration with the client, define the problem. If the problem is intermittent look for triggering or precipitating factors Try to formulate concrete behaviourally observable goals for therapy."How would your improved confidence actually show to others?" How could your improvement be measured? How will you really know you are "better"?

Lead the client to expect a favourable outcome. This is using suggestion. Doctor's words on medical matters, even their frowns, grimaces and "hmm hmms" have enormous suggestive power and can do both harm and good. Anxious patients are prone to misunderstand and put negative interpretations on what is said to them. Also they may hear only certain key words and fail to put them in the context of the other words which they might not "hear" or understand - i.e. they are "looking for trouble", jumping to the wrong conclusions or to use a term coined by Albert Ellis, "catastrophising".

B. Of course CBT requires all the normal forms of good practice in counselling technique best described elsewhere.

C. According to the exigencies presented by the client's problem and lifestyle, make use of any one or combination of the following:

1. Simple measures like practising slow diaphramatic breathing during panic attacks, getting sufficient exercise and giving attention to good nutrition and adequate social contact. Mental (cognitive) rehearsal: (a) Ask the client to divide a desirable response into a number of steps or stages. (b) Have the client imagine actually performing each desirable step leading to the complete satisfactory response. (c) Set a homework assignment of actually experimenting and practicing in "real world" some or all of the steps drawing upon the imaginary practice for confidence.

2. Client's journal: A diary can be divided into time slots, smaller than a day if necessary. Or the diary can focus on just the significant events. Some headings: (a)The time, (b)what happened, (c)how I actually behaved including what I said, and (d)what I felt. (e)What should have I done/will do next time? Over time the diary or journal can be a valuable learning tool and source of confidence and inspiration for mental rehearsal.

3. Modelling: This is what I call "monkey see monkey do." In its purist form it involves learning by observing and receiving encouragement and useful feedback from someone who is expert in the desired behaviour. Practice and competence banishes anxiety. This is how all vital skills are learned, from surgery and aviation to panel beating. I once sent a timid youth out night-clubbing with another young man who was expert at approaching strangers of the opposite sex, and totally devoid of social fear. Training videos can provide a useful and convenient form of modelling. For example there was a time when South Australia's Mental Health service's Cerema Clinic made use of videos modelling sexual behaviour for sex therapy. Videos on various topics can be helpful to corporate persons with anxieties related to their performances (e.g. speaking up at meetings, or speaking to high status persons - "executive phobia".). Modelling can involve joining a special interest training group, e.g. Toastmasters or the Penguins as part of the homework.

4. Relaxation techniques. These can involve the techniques commonly used with hypnotherapy. The relaxation procedure itself follows closely the format of yoga relaxation. Once a pleasant state of relaxation or trance like state is achieved systematic desentisation can be attempted and so too methods such as encouraging clients to construct or their own mental place of refuge to which they can retreat any time they choose for mental refreshment - it can be simply a room or a castle or whatever pleases the client. A variation or addition to this technique can be the invention by the client of a fictitious guru or teacher. Some religious people are already using this technique in the form of a belief in guardian angels. But literal belief is not necessary.

4. Systematic desensitisation: E.g. for a spider phobia. The patient is guided through a relaxation routine similar or identical to yoga relation and perhaps then asked to visualise a tiny little spider down the end of a long hall, so far away it is hard to see it. When the patient can visualise this without rising tension (patient can indicate tension by raising index finger) the image is made slightly more threatening. With spider phobias I make use of a children's book with the artists' friendly stylised pretty spiders being held up at a distance, and moving up to a documentary book with clear photography, the book eventually being held on lap by the client and browsed. Finally the client keeps and feeds a spider in a jar at home at the bedside, brings it to sessions and in my presence opens the jar and releases the spider. I always try to introduce real-world practice. I have spent nearly 2 hours riding up and down an elevator in Adelaide's David Jones store in Rundle Mall with an elderly lady clinging to my shirt. We were getting strange looks from the store detectives! She was after about 2 hours, able to do it alone while I had coffee in a totally different store 100 metres away.

5. Self talk: Get the patients to identify what they are saying to themselves during episodes of say anxiety or depression and to document the precipitating stimuli. This where the journal or diary mentioned above can be useful. Then the patients are asked to write a better script, more uplifting or productive things to say to themselves during such times. This is where Albert Ellis' (mentioned above) ideas can be useful. He points out we make ourselves miserable by catastrophising, and by expecting too much of the world. It is not reasonable to expect to be liked by everyone. A failed dinner party is a trivial matter not genuinely "ghastly", "horrible", or "terrible"! We should do what we can to make a bad situation better, but worrying beyond that is wasted emotional energy.

Does everyone agree CBT is a good thing? No. Arthur Janov of "The primal scream" fame (70s) saw these methods as a symptom of a useless, superficial "let's get ourselves together" approach that ignored the inner realities, the neurological concomitants of neurosis. Simon Sobo, in his Psychiatric Times article (July, 2001), "On the banality of positive thinking", sees CBT as a symptom of economic rationalism and the whole "cookie cutter" one treatment fits all approach to both psychological diagnosis and treatment. Again he argues that the patient's realities get ignored. But one does not have to totally discard all the concepts of analytical therapies. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater would be a big mistake. For example it would be a massive mistake to dismiss the importance of symbolism just because symbolism is a feature of Freudian and Jungian psychology. We are symbol using animals. These very words are symbols. The psychology of symbolism is not alien to stimulus-response psychology because it is precisely via the processes of reinforcement that things and events acquire their symbolic value. http://www.psychologynatural.com

If you look at books on CBT you will see that it is recommended that patients keep a journal with many headings. A great many of patients suffer depression. Depression patients lack energy and are procrastinators so about 30-40% of them never get as far as even buying a little book to write in. Others don't bother because they are quick to see that the CBT procedures or "homework" being recommended are irrelevant to their situation. For example some of my depression and panic patients are women who are trapped in a marriage with a husband they despise but at the same time are dependent on. There often seems to be a passive-aggressive lose-lose aspect to their behaviour as refusing to drive a car, or spending husband's entire pay packet or credit card limit on the "pokies" in hotel gaming rooms, or getting arrested for shoplifting.

I'm inclined to agree with Sobo. CBT has been packaged and marketed in a way to make it agreeable to the USA's managed health care system - and of course to health insurance systems generally. So we therapists go on doing what we've always done but with attention to the required nomenclatures and of course we try to bring in some positive results at the stipulated price. The bottom line is that unless our patients/clients have access to substantial health insurance benefits then all we have is a cottage beer money industry, which has been the case in Australia until November 2006.

Visual Art and the Need for Mental Illness

It is not by chance that the best representation of the mental illness ever to be published is neither a photo of a mentally ill patient nor a representation by a psychiatrist, but the creation of an artistic mind. It is "The Scream" by Edvard Munch. Reproductions of the painting decorate psychiatry textbooks, mental health websites and psychiatric articles. In fact, The Scream is one of the most recognizable works of art in the world. Munch himself was subject to mental distress, suffered from anxiety, hallucinations and paranoid thoughts but until the mental disease took the best of him, he used various techniques to masterly express his anguish in his paintings.

Munch is hardly an isolated case in the world of art. Many other visual and other artists are known to have suffered from mental illness and the history of art is, at least in part, a history of the mental illness.

Alive between the years 1770-1827, a musical genius changed forever the shape of classical music: Ludwig van Beethoven.

Struggling with depression, intestinal disturbances, alcohol and opium abuse, and possible lead intoxication, Beethoven created musical more powerful than anything created before and since.

"The Heiligenstadt Testament" written in 1802, 25 years before his death and the first out of three testaments he produced during his lifetime, is a vivid representation of his feelings of despair, lineless and hopelessness. So profound is his despair that he is convinced that even death would not free him from his sufferings.

Despite and maybe because his despair, it is during the years of despair that Beethoven's artistic proficiency was at its best.

Beethoven did not consciously commit suicide, but his alcohol abuse was the cause of his demise through extensive liver damage he inflicted to himself.

The famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh lead also a life of abuse and despair, prematurely ended by suicide at age 37. Documents left after his death point to numerous psychiatric symptoms, including insomnia, nightmares hallucinations and depression.

The list of artists with documented symptoms of mental illnesses includes many of the modern and classic artists.

Even before descriptions of mental illnesses existed, mentally ill artists left the mark of their disease in art. From Michelangelo to the unknown sculptor of the Medusa head, from Durer to Hyeronimus Bosch, the common denominator of creativity is madness, especially depression.

In neurosciences, the left hemisphere of the brain, which is the dominant hemisphere in all of us is the part of the brain dealing with reason and depression, while the right hemisphere of the brain, deals with creativity and is responsible for mania. It is therefore at least strange the fact that so many artists show a hyperactivity of the left hemisphere as manifested by depression. A modern therapy for depression, transcranial magnetic stimulation (stimulation of the left prefrontal cortex with a powerful magnet) has been shown to temporarily increase artistic creativity.

In conclusion, throughout history, artistic creativity has been associated with mental illness, especially with depression. The traditional view of creativity being localized in the right hemisphere of the brain might need to undergo further scrutiny.

Ten Ways To Survive The Depression And Make A Profit

1. Only attempt to make money where you KNOW you can really make it. Don't attempt to make money in new directions unless you can 'test the water' very cheaply and can afford to lose the time and money that you have invested.

2. Have a good long look at your expenses. Where can you obviously cut down? What can you do without?

3. Try to pay all your bills immediately. By doing this, you gain greater peace of mind because you can always delay paying if necessary. You may need a cushion to fall back on which you won't have if you are already paying bills at the very last moment.

4. Keep track of your spending and try to spend less. For example, when you go shopping and normally spend $20, take only $15. This will FORCE you to cut back. If you are in business, keep track of each days expenses compared with each days takings. Never spend more than you take. Compete with yourself on the smallest weeks expenses and largest weeks takings.

5. Look, look, look all the time for LOWER prices on the items which you must buy. Check the quality first; it is amazing the savings that can be made.

6. If you have the time but little money, don't spend that time brooding or getting depressed. Read books that will uplift you. Learn more on the subjects that could help you make more money and plan your way to more money. Keep active. You won't get anywhere if you don't.

7. If you don't have time, it is still important to keep your spirits high. Record some lifting chapters or quotes from books and play them while you are working. Keep a note-pad handy and write down any ideas you have to improve your situation. Try to find fifteen minutes to half an hour each day to plan your work and make a plan for the future. This is vital as it will save you more than the half an hour spent.

8. Before borrowing to raise capital, look around your house and find unwanted things that are obviously things you could do with out. Sell these. You could raise quite a few hundred dollars this way if you are lucky.

9. Don't go for big money fast. Only a very small minority EVER achieve it. Aim to cut costs a little each week and increase your income a little each week.

10. If you really need to borrow, always remember that you Must pay it back PLUS interest. There is nothing wrong with borrowing if it is carefully planned. Take into account your initial expenditure, advertising costs and the time it will take before you will get paid. NEVER borrow unless you have thoroughly tested as much as you possibly can first and even then, plan for things taking longer than you thought as well as being much harder than you first thought.

'Slow but sure' is a must. The good thing is that if you can survive during a depression, you will be sure to find it easier after it.

Depression Don't Deny It - Accepting Depression is the Start of Your Healing

If you had back pain you would see a pain therapist. If you broke your arm you would want a doctor to set it for you. If you had liver pain you would want to have it examined right! Then why do so many people avoid the issue of depression and just hope it will go away.

Confusing Definitions

The term depression itself is confusing, how can a word we commonly use to describe feeling upset of worn out also be the word that describes a severe or even life threatening medical condition. Simple in the first instance we misuse the word depression.

When many people mean when they say they are depressed, is that they are feeling low, they may be tired, stressed, overloaded, anxious, frustrated with life or overwhelmed. They are not depressed.

This definition confusion is common. Take asthma for example. It kills some people and other sufferers become Olympic champions.

You need to be professionally diagnosed

The symptoms can be confusing so a proper diagnosis is required. If you suffering from any of the following? Aches, pains, fatigue, low self esteem, lack of sleeping through the night, sleeping excessively, poor appetite, or eating to manage stress. If these symptoms have persisted over a few months then it is possible you are suffering from depression.

Discard the stigma

A major reason for denying the possibility of depression is the unfortunate negative and ignorant social stigma attached to mental illness. Crazy, looney, nutcase etc have long been popular expressions; these do nothing to encourage sufferers of depression to seek help.

Acknowledge the reality

If you think you may be depressed, take courage and seek help. It is not your fault, it is not a failing on your part, you are not weak. You are just a person who has a chemical imbalance and it happens to be in your. Brain

Medical treatments.

The most common western medical treatments include serotonin re-uptake inhibitors-SSRIs this group of medications spare the available serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter. Think of it as a chemical which allows connections to occur.

When you have enough of this chemical you r connections are firing correctly and you feel emotionally stable. If there is a deficiency you will feel the flat mental symptoms of depression. So remember depression is a chemical imbalance condition.

The other main therapy is CBT, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This is a one on one process where the client is assisted to see and respond to their situation from a new healthy perspective.

Natural therapies have a great deal to offer and will be discussed in the next article.

Depression and the Mother and Child Relationship

Recent studies indicate that, every year, approximately 15 million Americans suffer extended periods of clinical depression. Of that number, there is a subset for whom clinical depression is a lifelong struggle. It has also been documented that women are twice as likely to suffer from this debilitating disease as men. A significant number of new mothers suffer from postpartum depression. The vast majority of those recover after a brief period of time. However, some women are life-long sufferers for whom a "cure" has been elusive. What are the effects on the children who grow up with mothers who suffer from prolonged periods of depression? How well known are those effects? I can only speak from my own personal experience as a son of a severely depressed mother, combined with casual observations of other cases.

The importance of a strong mother/child bond is well documented and virtually indisputable. The first few years of that relationship are extremely critical in laying the emotional and psychological foundations from which the child will develop. Many studies have indicated that the first two years of life is the critical stage that largely dictates who and what we will become in later life. A mother who suffers from clinical depression may be unable to provide the child with the intimacy that is necessary to facilitate a healthy mother/child bond. In many cases, the mother understands what is required of her but is incapable of responding due to one, or a combination of, the following:

• Lack of desire
• Lack of energy
• Feelings of inadequacy
• Inability to give anything beyond the superficial

The sense of detachment that results from a poor mother/child bond can last a lifetime. Trying to enhance a bond that was never fully developed is extremely difficult. Given the fact that extreme depression can often be accompanied by other personality disorders (e.g., Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder,) the parent/child roles can become reversed, with the child being forced to assume the emotional role of the parent. This role-reversal can deprive the child of many of the elements of a normal childhood and can create a festering resentment towards the mother. This can gradually devolve into a love/hate relationship that neither mother nor child are able to extricate themselves from.

During early adolescence these children find that their activities are, almost without exception, centered around the homes and families of others. Their home is seldom the gathering place for friends and family. Their ability to form friendships may not be impaired, but in many cases those friendships may lack significant depth or trust. Many of these children also exhibit a heightened need for control. They strive for control and structure in their relationships and environment. If unchecked, these issues can impair their ability to function effectively in those circumstances and environments that lack the level of structure and control that they need.

Perhaps the most tragic consequence of this particular mother/child dynamic is that, over time, the child loses the ability to see his or her mother as a real person who, despite all her problems, shares most of the common traits with all of us frail humans. After years of living inside the combustible relationship, we lose sight of the fact that at one time she had her own set of dreams. We forget that in spite of all the drama and manipulation that much of her pain was/is real.

We forget that she is our Mother...

Keith Merrill

Hope for Chronic Back Pain and Depression

The link between physical and emotional pain has been well documented. One study showed that depression is 3-4 times more prevalent among those who suffer chronic back pain than among those who don't (Sullivan et al, 1992).

One theory that attempts to explain this correlation acknowledges that symptoms of both pain and depression become signals in the brain that travel via the same neurotransmitters. Serotonin and norepinephrine transmit both physical and emotional signals, creating a mind-body link. Altered levels of these neurotransmitters can be caused by pain, and this alteration affects emotional states.

There is hope for those who suffer chronic pain and depression. A variety of therapies, both medicinal and physical, are available.

What is Depression?

Depression is set apart from normal sadness by severity and duration. Generally, clinical depression is not purely situational. It lasts long after a stressful situation's occurrence and often has unknown causes. Symptoms of depression include:

-Feeling low, helpless, guilty and/or worthless for a prolonged period of time
-Trouble sleeping
-Disturbance of appetite
-Difficulty concentrating
-Decreased memory
-Agitation or lethargy
-Disinterest toward things one used to enjoy

Experiencing a number of these symptoms for a prolonged period of time merits the diagnosis of clinical depression.

The Relationship Between Pain and Depression

Alongside the idea that shared neurotransmitters cause depression among sufferers of chronic pain is the common-sense connection between the two.
Chronic pain can lower the quality of one's life, thereby posing as a situational cause of depression. Though clinical depression is often not purely situational, a constant negative situation can cause a constant negative emotional reaction.

Back pain can be felt as a piercing sensation, a dull ache, or a burning sensation. It can be located in the upper back, lower back or neck. For some with back pain, the unpleasant sensation extends from the back to the neck and arms or to the legs and feet.

Chronic back pain is present when any of the symptoms above recur regularly or are experienced constantly. Pain can limit one's ability to participate in activities that once brought enjoyment. It can also interfere with healthy sleep. The combination of limitation, fatigue and pain itself may be enough to induce a state of depression.

The Good News

A number of treatment options exist for those with chronic back pain and depression. Since the two are biologically and environmentally linked, an improvement of one side is likely to be reflected in the other.

Several medications are used to alleviate back pain. These range from over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen to muscle relaxants and anti-convulsion. Anti-depressants have also been used to some extent to treat pain. If an individual chooses anti-depressant medication, it is recommended that the one chosen targets serotonin and norepinephrine.

Since medication often comes with safety and dependency risks, many are seeking alternative treatment plans for pain management. Fortunately, many exist. Some drug-free treatments involve movement:

Exercise can be done to target particular muscle groups and strengthen specific areas.

Water aerobics has emerged as a promising component of physical therapy.

Massage therapy and chiropractic care are passive manipulation techniques available to correct problems and ease pain.

Other forms of treatment target one's reception of the pain rather than the pain itself:

Relaxation and meditation therapies cause changes in neurotransmitter activity in the brain. These therapies, also used for those with depression alone, change the way negative sensations are processed by the brain and therefore the degree to which they are experienced.

For those who take medications for chronic back pain and would like to come off of them, a plan is necessary. Consulting with a doctor is the first step, since pain medications come with the risk of dependency. Second, an alternative treatment plan must be set in place to take over the role that medicine used to play. A combination of the above techniques is recommended.

Teenage Depression - Untreated Teen Depression

Teen Depression statistics indicate that only 33% of teenagers with depression access the appropriate help or services. This leaves the other 67% to deal with the intense feelings of hopelessness and feelings of isolation on their own. Depression often leads to the teenager withdrawing from potential support networks due to feelings of isolation, which sets a negative cycle into place if the teen does not received the help and support needed. Often the depressed teen lacks the insight to be able to pinpoint the problem or that there even is a problem. This results in the teen seeking relief from negative emotions through maladaptive behaviours. Untreated, these maladaptive behaviours can escalate to result in negative consequences such as

• Eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia - It is reported that girls have a higher risk of experiencing depression than boys. The teenage years are characterised by exploring sexual identity and so most teenage girls are preoccupied by their developing body image. When teen depression is untreated, feelings of inferiority and worthlessness are perpetuated. In an attempt to rectify this many depressed teen girls resort to extreme methods to improve their sense of self-worth. In many cases this results in the onset of an eating disorder.


• Running away - Depression can cause the teen to become so overwhelmed by their negative thoughts and emotions that they feel unable to cope with even minor problems in everyday life. Many depressed teenagers try to escape their realities by running away. This is often also a cry for help.


• Problems at school - A common physiological symptom of depression are fatigue and low energy levels which has a negative impact on concentration. This can result in problems with school work, poor attendance and lack of social participation. These occupations are the building blocks to the teen's future, so if left untreated, continued poor performance in the various life areas could have detrimental effects on the life of the future adult.


• Addiction - While experimentation is common in teens, the experience of depression magnificently increases the risk of drug and alcohol abuse in teenagers. Often the depressed teen uses substances as a way to 'numb' or 'escape' from the negative emotions they experience. However, in today's technological world, substance abuse is not the only form of addiction in teenagers. There is a rapidly growing trend toward teens becoming addicted to technology. The depressed teen may find solace in the faceless characteristic of the cyber-world. The depressed teen may become addicted to overcoming feelings of isolation through technology.


• Violent and Reckless Behaviour - Constant exposure to negative emotions can cause violent outbursts in some teens who find it difficult to express their emotions verbally. There is also an increasing trend of teens who 'bottle-up' negative emotions over a long period of time to lash out with violence when these emotions become intolerable. Since the depressed teen often lacks self-respect, reckless behaviour such as sexual permissiveness can be used as a cry for help.


• Self-injury - sometimes the emotions experienced by the depressed teen are so intense and overwhelming that self-injury and self-mutilation such as cutting, burning and biting are seen better alternatives.


• Suicide - when feelings of hopelessness and helplessness become so severe, the depressed teen may have suicidal ideation, which inevitably leads to suicide attempts as a cry for help if the depression goes untreated. Worse still. The teen may experience their situation to be so hopeless that they see death as the only option.

Given the negative effects of untreated teen depression, it is crucial that the signs and symptoms of depression are recognised early and the appropriate services are accessible to teenagers.

Help For Teen Drug Addicts & Abusers - Importance of Family Health Insurance

Teen drug abusers and addicts face serious health challenges. Parents need to keep a watchful eye on their teens, especially if they show signs of drug abuse or addiction. Also, parents should endeavor to provide the right health coverage for their teens.

Below are some warning signs to note of teens at risk:

Depression and low self esteem: This is a very common sign since most teenage drug addicts and abusers are known to isolate themselves.

There's also the feeling that they do not fit in with other people and that they are not known or popular. This makes them hungry for alternative means of feeling right and excited.

Most times they feel sluggish and battle to sleep. They are aggressive and very rebellious towards people in authority.

There's also the effect of family history. If the family is known to have a history of drug or substance abusers and addicts. Teens from a family like this are at high risk. They need quality counseling on the problems they face and their possible solutions.

Getting the right family health care service is a great way of helping your teenagers to cope with drug and substance abuse problems. The right family health insurance will provide you and your family access to reliable health professionals and medical doctors that will give you and your teenager(s) all the medical help needed.

Proper medical evaluations are very important. Do not over look the gains in working with trusted health insurance professionals. Start by comparing free quotes on family health insurance policies now.

Where To Start?

Five Famous Types of Quotes

Quotes are not just a few words but they have the power to change your life into what you always wanted it to be. They are a guide to direct mankind on the path of love and success. These pearls of wisdom can inspire anyone and throw out negativity and sadness from life. There are plenty of great philosophers and authors around the world who have quoted various quotes on different subjects like family quotes, food quotes, motivational, inspirational, success, leadership, friendship, love, amusing, wisdom, dream, anger, life, fun, sweet and hundreds of more categories.

This article identifies five famous types of quotes that are popular all around the world.

1- Family Quotes - This is one of the most popular subjects of quotes all around the world. It is one of the highly searched terms on major search engines. That makes me happy because it proves that peoples are now understanding the importance of family and finding the way to make them happy. Coming to the point, Family Quotes are quotes about family and members of family. They are intended to helps us express our love to our family and remind us of importance of those very valuable bonds.

2- Inspirational Quotes - Inspirational quotes are short sentences being said by great peoples according to their great experiences in life. Reading them keeps you inspired and motivated throughout your life and helps you achieve your dream. They not only help you to rise to your full potential but also teach you valuable lessons about life and success.

3- Funny Quotes - Today, everyone has bunch of worries. Life is full of stress and peoples forget to laugh. In such a stressful time, Funny Quotes are great way to make you laugh. They can be used to crack up your friends and to lighten the serious moments of life. Reading them loud is definite way to bring smile on everybody's face. They can be used to send to your friends via SMS Messages or you can print them on your T-shirt as well to make the whole world chuckle.

4- Love Quotes -This category of quotations contains quotes about love and romance. It is one of the most popular formats amongst lovers. If you are in love, then read these quotes to take your love life to next level. If your not love, then you must read these quotes know about the beauty of love and make yourself fall in love. They are great way to send your heart's special message to the person you love in cute and romantic manner.

5- Life Quotes - Life Quotes is one of the most popular formats of Quotes. It consists of quotes about life. They are aimed to look at the positive side of life. Reading them inspire you to live your life with smile, energy and positive attitude. It makes you a cheerful person and increases your productivity.

Reading quotes on daily basis is a way to get lots of motivation and inspiration in a small amount of time. These words of wisdom can change you way of thinking and makes you look at things with more optimism.

Read any of these popular categories of Quotations and get success in every field of life. Don't forget to send them to your friends and family using SMS Text Messages.

Bipolar Disorder - Self Hypnosis to Help Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder help is available in various treatments. The first step is to recognize the symptoms of manic depression to determine if you need to seek help. Borderline personality disorder and depression are often confused with this mental illness.

The problem with getting bipolar disorder help is that you may not know that you have the condition. You may think that you fall into bouts of depression when you actually have this mental illness. The difficulty is identifying the manic episodes.

Manic Episodes

Mania is a condition that many people with this condition do not recognize because it is not bothersome, at least on the surface. Manic states are often euphoric, consisting of "highs" that make you feel energetic and motivated. Many people feel very productive and happy during this stage.

Manic episodes can be damaging if you consider some of the behaviors associated with them. You may spend money in great excess. Shopping binges occur because you feel free and at ease. They also occur because you are thinking about the consequences of your actions.

You may also feel agitated during this part of the cycle. You become irritable and angry with relative ease. The manic stage of the mental illness does not last long and it is followed by deep feelings of depression and despair. This cycle of the condition is very problematic.

Depressive Episodes

You may seek bipolar disorder help because of your depressive states. The problem is that you may only recognize the depression without addressing the mania. This can lead you to believe that you should receive treatment for a depressive mood condition.

Depressed states are mentally and physically unbearable. It may be difficult for you to get out of bed. You don't look forward to any events and things that you used to love no longer bring any joy. Prolonged sadness wears on you and you feel an overwhelming sense of hopelessness.

Bipolar Disorder Help

You can get the support you need through self-hypnosis in conjunction with your psychiatrist's intervention plan. Hypnosis is very effective as a complementary approach to dealing with manic depression and the episodes that go along with them. This approach works through the subconscious mind.

Self-hypnosis goes directly to the subconscious and instills new perceptions and thinking processes. Your mind is open to suggestion and you are able to work through your stages and recognize the cycle for what it really is.

You are better able to control your thoughts and actions in a calm, collected manner when using this approach. Your responses are automatic in the subconscious and this force can help shape your conscious thoughts and behaviors. Bipolar disorder help is at its best when it is augmented with self-hypnosis.

Signs of Postnatal Depression

They key to finding out when a woman has postnatal depression is, of course, to understand and to recognize the signs of postnatal depression, also known as postpartum depression and when they can occur.

What is postnatal depression, though?

Postnatal depression is a type of clinical depression that can afflict women, after they give birth to their children.

Postpartum depression should be considered as a serious medical illness. It occurs because of the changing hormone levels in a woman after giving birth. The lifestyle changes inevitable after childbirth also contribute significantly.

In most cases, this type of depression can happen within the first few months after a woman has given birth. Women who have undergone either a stillbirth or a miscarriage can also suffer postpartum depression.

Women who are affected with this type of depression can experience a difficult time in their efforts at bonding and caring for their new infant.

In some cases postnatal depression can even worsen to the point that it becomes something known in clinical circles as postnatal psychosis. This is a rare and more extreme type of depression, which could result in the afflicted women potentially hurting herself or her infant.

The symptoms of postpartum depression can actually overlap with something referred to as the Baby Blues, which is a recognised type of depression experienced by women in first days and sometimes weeks after giving birth. The Baby Blues can become postnatal depression when a person suffers the symptoms for an extended amount of time.

Here are the Baby Blues symptoms:

• Mood swings

• Either mild or moderate types of anxiety

• It is usual for sadness to be present

• Unusual irritability

• Lack of ability in either focusing or concentrating on things

• Sleep predicaments like excessive sleep or difficulty in falling asleep

• Crying

• Lack of interest in the baby

Some of the usual postnatal depression symptoms are:

• A loss of appetite

• difficulty in falling asleep

• Irritability

• Loss of sexual and general interest

• Extreme mood swings

• Withdrawal from people they are normally close to

• Inability to bond with new infant

• Thoughts of self-harm or even harming the new infant

There are a whole host of symptoms that a woman experiencing postnatal depression may display. Therefore, there is again the need to be really familiar with these symptoms. Woman and men in Ireland should be aware that postnatal depression is real, and they should be on the lookout for the very real possibility of its onset after childbirth occurs.

Suicide Prevention Ireland provides resources for men and women who are at risk of suicide. Find a range of articles including women and depression, male depression, as well as common stresses, illnesses, and issues, and know that help is at hand.

Children With Behavioral Disorders Should Be Tested For Celiac Disease

Celiac.com published an article on July 17, 2009 explaining that doctors, well versed in celiac disease, now recommend any child with behavioral disorders be tested for celiac. For those that are not familiar with celiac disease, it is a digestive disease where gluten from food damages the lining of the small intestine and creates malabsorption of nutrients (minerals and vitamins).

Celiac is referred to as a genetic disease so if one person in your family has it, it would be important for you to get tested. For some people they can go through most of their life and never have one symptom (or they never receive the right diagnosis). 1 in 133 people have it but only 3% of them are diagnosed. It is important to know there are triggers for this disease. Some triggers are: Surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection or severe emotional stress.

My celiac started up after the birth of my triplets. I started getting sick from eating processed foods and I also developed an allergy to casein (dairy) as well. I believe my daughter's celiac was most likely triggered by vaccinations (but that is hard to prove...just call it a mom's intuition).

Back to the subject at hand: It has been well documented that children with celiac disease have a greater chance of suffering from schizophrenia, depression and obsessional neurosis (if it is not treated).

Classical symptoms in children are:

• Delayed growth


• Failure to thrive as infants


• Seizures


• Tooth discoloration or loss of enamel


• Earaches


• Diarrhea


• Projectile vomiting


• Abdominal bloating/distention

Untreated celiac disease will lead to malnutrition. Malnutrition is a serious problem for anyone, but particularly for children because they need adequate nutrition to develop properly. If this is not caught early it can lead to behavioral disorders.

A recent study done by Luca Mascitelli, M.D., Francesca Pezzetta, M.D. and Mark R. Goldstein, M.D. concluded that children with psychiatric symptoms improved after they implemented a gluten-free diet. On a personal note, I "got my daughter back" after putting her on a GF/CF (gluten-free / casein-free) diet. She had horrible OCD, tantrums, was not sleeping well and was diagnosed with autism. All of her "autistic characteristics" disappeared after the diet change...and I mean 100% of them. One month after starting her on this diet my father was diagnosed with celiac disease. That was all of the confirmation I needed.

It is also important to know that you don't have to have digestive problems to have an allergy to gluten. Many people have no symptoms at all, some only have psychological issues and some have a multitude of issues. I feel that so many doctors are not fully knowledgeable on celiac disease. When my daughter was diagnosed with autism I asked the doctor if the GF/CF diet helps autistic children. She said it was, "not proven to work."

All I know is that gluten certainly gave my daughter "autistic characteristics." So much so that three psychologists easily diagnosed her with autism. After one year on the diet, a team of psychologists, neurologists and all sorts of therapists easily came to the conclusion she is NOT autistic "anymore." I am so glad I tried the diet and I hope someday it is protocol for doctors to run the celiac blood tests on all children with behavioral disorders.

If you never think of gluten as a cause to your child's behavioral disorder, then you will never test for it. My hope is that all parents of children with behavioral and/or seizure disorders will think about it. It certainly can't hurt anything. If the blood test comes back positive, just imagine how some or all of your child's issues could potentially disappear simply from a dietary change.

I never claim this diet to be the one sure bet to heal a child. I know that is sadly not true. But it has changed the life of one little girl I know and love and I know it is surely worth a try.

Don't Suffer in Silence With Depression

Let there be no doubt that depression is a serious mental illness that requires months and sometimes years of treatment on the path to a cure. Millions of Americans across the United States are affected by depression each and every year. To make things worse it is estimated that only a third of those who suffer the disease will ever seek treatment. Depression has always been classified as a mental affliction. Therefore, many Americans choose not to be placed into that category. They would rather deal with the problem on their own than risk being stereotyped should they seek assistance. Depression is more common- place than you might think and it will not go away on its own.

So, what causes depression? The answer can get very complicated because you have to take many factors into consideration. There are so many things factored into the cause of this disease. Lets examine some of the most notorious. Many medical professionals believe that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. This may be the case, but what causes that imbalance? Typically the causes stem from biological, genetic, physical, mental and environmental implications. There are those inflicted that never really determine what spurned their depression. Many become depressed when they are diagnosed with a very serious medical condition. This is especially the case if the diagnosis presents the possibility of death or impairment.

Another cause of depression can be the emotional pain felt after losing a loved one. In many cases the loss can be very traumatic. Some depression is brought on after years of physical, emotional or sexual abuse. In addition, many cases of depression are given birth by substance abuse, rather it be drugs or alcohol. The mental state of a human can be very fragile depending on their environment and the life events that they have been exposed too. In many cases depression is passed on genetically. Those afflicted have a family history of the disease. There are even some prescribed medications that can bring on depression. It has been clinically proven that some high blood pressure medication can cause depression.

One of the major causes of depression is stress. Stress can derive from many different areas in our life. Some of that stress can even be related to positive events in our lives such as promotions, graduation or moving into a new house. People tend to stress when they face the unknown, like a new job or new financial obligations. In addition, many are stressed from personal conflicts with their loved ones, associates in employment or friends. There are a great number of people who are stressed from simply trying to perform their jobs to satisfaction and trying to support their families from week to week. By determining the cause, medical professionals have a much better chance of administering a treatment. If you or someone you love suffers from depression-please seek medical assistance.

Depression is caused by biological, genetic, emotional and environmental factors. Stress certainly plays a major role in the advent of depression. There are wide ranges of stress related issues that affect us every day in our lives. The online depression test can only assist you in identifying the prospects in your case. It can only educate you to the potential threat and give you the opportunity to follow up on it. There are medications like anti-depressants and natural herbs on the market to treat depression. Medical professionals offer talk therapy and depression support groups offer a way to share those feelings with others who suffer the same disease. If you or someone you love thinks they may be suffering from depression take a depression test and see where you stand.