Gatsby and Daisy Forever? (or for 5 Minutes?)

If you have read Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' you may have thought it was a love story. To some it is, but to most who study it in school or read it with an analytical eye start to wonder about the romance that dominates the narrative. Does Gatsby really love Daisy, or more specifically does e love her as a person, or just as a status symbol. There are valid arguments to be made on both sides.

We'll start with the idea the idea that Gatsby does love Daisy as this is the most common interpretation taken from the book. Lets have a look at some quotes from the great Gatsby to prove this.

Well for a start there is Gatsby bought the house so Daisy would be just across the bay, and the casual way he remembers that the last time they saw each other was five years last November. Even the weather thinks Gatsby is in love with Daisy, when they meet again for the first time in years the room is filled with twinkle bells of sunshine.

So is it clear that he loved something about her but we still don't know what. One of the most easily believable options is he wants her as a trophy wife. The perfect women to complete his perfect image. He says that fact that 'many men had loved her increased her value in his eyes' which makes you think that he doesn't care about the girl but about her image, what people think of her and therefore her husband. He also spends a lot of time talking about how beautiful her house is, again hinting that what he loves about her is her status as the richest and most desirable girl, rather than anything about her personality.

A third option is also on the table and it's one that I personally agree with. Gatsby doesn't love her as a person, and doesn't just want her to look good on his arm, although that is a fringe benefit. He wants her just for the challenge of getting her, the thrill of the chase. Gatsby is obsessed with the American Dream, of making himself perfect through nothing but the sweat of his own brow. Daisy rejected him for being poor in his youth so now he has to prove how much he has climbed the social ladder by winning her love. I like this idea the most because it makes sense of his ridicules need for her to say she never loved Tom, if he loves her, as a person or a status symbol he would quit while he was ahead, but he can't.

In conclusion, Gatsby definitely loves something about Daisy, that much is clear but whether it is her as a person, her as the perfect wife,were just the fact she's the next to do on his to-do list is up for debate. Personally, I think intentions were good, I think he really thought he did love her but when the moment came he found she tumbled short of an expectations and the only thing he knew how to do was carry on trying to live the dream.

Anger Management Techniques And Tips

What is Anger

Anger is a term for the emotional aspect of aggression, as a basic aspect of the stress response in animals whereby a perceived aggravating stimulus "provokes" a counter response which is likewise aggravating and threatening of violence. Very mild types of anger are typically described as "distaste," "displeasure", or "irritation," while "rage" refers to an extreme degree of anger associated with a loss of calmness or discipline (in the case of human conduct).

In modern society, anger is viewed as an immature or uncivilized response to frustration, threat, violation, or loss. Conversely, keeping calm, coolheaded, or turning the other cheek is considered more socially acceptable. This conditioning can cause inappropriate expressions of anger, such as uncontrolled, violent outbursts or misdirected anger, or, at the other extreme, repressing feelings of anger (or lacking them altogether) when those feelings would be an appropriate response to the situation. Also, anger that is constantly "bottled up" can lead to persistent violent thoughts or nightmares, or even physical symptoms like headaches, ulcers, or hypertension.

Anger Side Effects

Anger can aggravate several mental health problems. Anger can fuel depression. People who are depressed generally don't take care of themselves. They indulge in self-destructive activities, such as too much drinking, smoking, overeating, taking risks, and not watching their finances. Depressed people have less energy, reduced appetite, and need more sleep. Their work performance will drop and relationships will deteriorate.

Many people believe that depression is in fact anger turned inward. The reason for this assumption is because many depressives react to stress by turning their anger inward as a response to physical or emotional abuse, or neglect from parents or parent figures. After a while, the coping mechanisms become habits that they use inappropriately and indiscriminately whenever they perceive loss or frustration.

Depressives tend to grow up believing that if they are hurt or abused, there are merely two options available, which are self-blame and denial of blame. One secondary effect of the depressives denial of anger is that their interpersonal relationships are often unhappy and they do not get the 'breaks' that other people seem to get. They may not get promotions, social invitations or love because the reality is that most people do not want to be around depressed people for any length of time, both at home and at work. Another side-effect of anger is that it can fuel obsessions, phobias and addictions.

Obsessions and phobias arise from situations when, for some reason or another, we feel we are either losing control of ourselves or the world around us. Anger can also fuel manic tendencies. Many people who are not able to express their anger let it out in furious activity. Sometimes this activity reaches a breaking point and results in clinical depression or even bipolar disorder.

Anger can also fan the flames of paranoia and prejudice, even in normal, everyday situations. People tend to express their anger either passively or aggressively with the basic 'flight' response, which is repression and denial of anger. Aggressive behavior is associated with the 'fight' response and the use of the verbal and physical power of anger to abuse and hurt others.

Symptoms of anger

Anger can be of one of two main types: passive anger and aggressive anger. These types of anger have some characteristic symptoms:

Passive anger

Passive anger can be expressed in the following ways:

1. Secretive behavior, such as stockpiling resentments that are expressed behind people's backs or through sly digs, giving the silent treatment or under the breath mutterings, avoiding eye contact, putting people down, gossip, anonymous complaints, poison pen letters, stealing, and conning.

2. Manipulation, such as provoking people to aggression and then patronizing forgiveness, provoking aggression but staying on the sidelines, emotional blackmail, in genuine tearfulness, feigning illness, sabotaging relationships, using sexual provocation, using a third party to convey negative feelings, withholding money or resources.

3. Self-blame, such as apologizing too often, being overly critical, inviting criticism.
Self-sacrifice, such as being overly helpful, pointedly making do with second best, quietly making long suffering signs but refusing help, or lapping up gratefulness and making friendly digs where it is not forthcoming.

4. Ineffectual, such as setting yourself and others up for failure, choosing unreliable people to depend on, being accident prone, underachieving, sexual impotence, expressing frustration at insignificant things but ignoring serious ones.

5. Dispassionate, such as giving the cold shoulder or phony smiles, looking cool, sitting on the fence while others sort things out, dampening feelings with substance abuse (to include overeating), oversleeping, not responding to other's anger, frigidity, indulging in sexual practices that depress spontaneity and make objects of participants, giving inordinate amounts of time to machines, objects or intellectual pursuits, talking of frustrations but showing no feeling.

6. Obsessional behavior, such as needing to be clean and tidy, making a habit of constantly checking, over-dieting or overeating, demanding that all jobs are done perfectly.

7. Evasiveness, such as turning your back in a crisis, avoiding conflict, not arguing back, becoming phobic.

Aggressive anger

The symptoms of aggressive anger are:

1. Threatening, such as frightening people by saying how you could harm them, their property or their prospects, finger pointing, fist shaking, wearing clothes associated with violent behavior, driving on someone's tail, setting on a car horn, slamming doors.

2. Hurtful, such as physical violence, verbal abuse, unfair jokes, breaking a confidence, playing loud music, using foul language, ignoring people's feelings, willfully discriminating, blaming, or punishing people for deeds they are known not to have committed, labeling others.

3. Destructive, such as harming objects, knowingly destroying a relationship between two people, driving recklessly, drinking too much.

4. Bullying, such as threatening people, persecuting, pushing or shoving, using power to oppress, shouting, using a powerful car to force someone off the road, playing on people's weaknesses.

5. Unjustly blaming, such as accusing other people for your own mistakes, blaming people for your own feelings, making general accusations.

6. Manic, such as speaking too fast, walking too fast, working too much and expecting others to fit in, driving too fast, reckless spending.

7. Grandiose, such as showing off, expressing mistrust, not delegating, being a poor loser, wanting center stage all the time, not listening, talking over people's heads, expecting kiss and make-up sessions to solve problems.

8. Selfish, such as ignoring other's needs, not responding to requests for help, queue jumping, 'cutting in' when driving.

9. Revengeful, such as being over-punitive, refusing to forgive and forget, bringing up hurtful memories from the past.

10. Unpredictable, such as blowing hot and cold, explosive rages over minor frustrations, attacking indiscriminately, dispensing punishment out of the blue, inflicting harm on other just for the sake of it, using drink and drugs that are known to destabilize mood, using illogical arguments.

Tips on Anger Management

1. Relaxation

Simple relaxation tools, such as deep breathing and relaxing imagery, can help calm down angry feelings. There are books and courses that can teach you relaxation techniques, and once you learn the techniques, you can call upon them in any situation. If you are involved in a relationship where both partners are hot-tempered, it might be a good idea for both of you to learn these techniques.

Some simple steps you can try:

1. Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm; breathing from your chest won't relax you. Picture your breath coming up from your "gut."

2. Slowly repeat a calm word or phrase such as "relax," "take it easy." Repeat it to yourself while breathing deeply.

3. Use imagery; visualize a relaxing experience, from either your memory or your imagination.

4. Non-strenuous, slow yoga-like exercises can relax your muscles and make you feel much calmer.

Practice these techniques daily. Learn to use them automatically when you're in a tense situation.

2. Cognitive Restructuring

Simply put, this means changing the way you think. Angry people tend to curse, swear, or speak in highly colorful terms that reflect their inner thoughts. When you're angry, your thinking can get exaggerated and overly dramatic. Try replacing these thoughts with more rational ones. For instance, instead of telling yourself, "oh, it's awful, it's terrible, every thing's ruined," tell yourself, "it's frustrating, and it's understandable that I'm upset about it, but it's not the end of the world and getting angry is not going to fix it anyhow."

Be careful of words like "never" or "always" when talking about yourself or someone else. "This !&*%@ machine never works," or "you're always forgetting things" are not just inaccurate, they also serve to make you feel that your anger is justified and that there's no way to solve the problem. They also alienate and humiliate people who might otherwise be willing to work with you on a solution.

Remind yourself that getting angry is not going to fix anything that it won't make you feel better (and may actually make you feel worse).

Logic defeats anger, because anger, even when it's justified, can quickly become irrational. So use cold hard logic on yourself. Remind yourself that the world is "not out to get you," you're just experiencing some of the rough spots of daily life. Do this each time you feel anger getting the best of you, and it'll help you get a more balanced perspective. Angry people tend to demand things: fairness, appreciation, agreement, willingness to do things their way. Everyone wants these things, and we are all hurt and disappointed when we don't get them, but angry people demand them, and when their demands aren't met, their disappointment becomes anger. As part of their cognitive restructuring, angry people need to become aware of their demanding nature and translate their expectations into desires. In other words, saying, "I would like" something is healthier than saying, "I demand" or "I must have" something. When you're unable to get what you want, you will experience the normal reactions-frustration, disappointment, hurt-but not anger. Some angry people use this anger as a way to avoid feeling hurt, but that doesn't mean the hurt goes away.

3. Problem Solving

Sometimes, our anger and frustration are caused by very real and inescapable problems in our lives. Not all anger is misplaced, and often it's a healthy, natural response to these difficulties. There is also a cultural belief that every problem has a solution, and it adds to our frustration to find out that this isn't always the case. The best attitude to bring to such a situation, then, is not to focus on finding the solution, but rather on how you handle and face the problem.

Make a plan, and check your progress along the way. Resolve to give it your best, but also not to punish yourself if an answer doesn't come right away. If you can approach it with your best intentions and efforts and make a serious attempt to face it head-on, you will be less likely to lose patience and fall into all-or-nothing thinking, even if the problem does not get solved right away.

4. Better Communication

Angry people tend to jump to-and act on-conclusions, and some of those conclusions can be very inaccurate. The first thing to do if you're in a heated discussion is slow down and think through your responses. Don't say the first thing that comes into your head, but slow down and think carefully about what you want to say. At the same time, listen carefully to what the other person is saying and take your time before answering.

Listen, too, to what is underlying the anger. For instance, you like a certain amount of freedom and personal space, and your "significant other" wants more connection and closeness. If he or she starts complaining about your activities, don't retaliate by painting your partner as a jailer.

It's natural to get defensive when you're criticized, but don't fight back. Instead, listen to what's underlying the words: the message that this person might feel neglected and unloved. It may take a lot of patient questioning on your part, and it may require some breathing space, but don't let your anger-or a partner's-let a discussion spin out of control. Keeping your cool can keep the situation from becoming a disastrous one.

5. Using Humor

"Silly humor" can help defuse rage in a number of ways. For one thing, it can help you get a more balanced perspective. When you get angry and call someone a name or refer to them in some imaginative phrase, stop and picture what that word would literally look like. If you're at work and you think of a coworker as a "dirtbag" or a "single-cell life form," for example, picture a large bag full of dirt (or an amoeba) sitting at your colleague's desk, talking on the phone, going to meetings. Do this whenever a name comes into your head about another person. If you can, draw a picture of what the actual thing might look like. This will take a lot of the edge off your fury; and humor can always be relied on to help in a tense situation.

The underlying message of highly angry people, Dr. Deffenbacher says, is "things oughta go my way!" Angry people tend to feel that they are morally right, that any blocking or changing of their plans is an unbearable indignity and that they should NOT have to suffer this way. Maybe other people do, but not them!

When you feel that urge, he suggests, picture yourself as a god or goddess, a supreme ruler, who owns the streets and stores and office space, striding alone and having your way in all situations while others defer to you. The more detail you can get into your imaginary scenes, the more chances you have to realize that maybe you are being unreasonable; you'll also realize how unimportant the things you're angry about really are. There are two cautions in using humor. First, don't try to just "laugh off" your problems; rather, use humor to help yourself face them more constructively. Second, don't give in to harsh, sarcastic humor; that's just another form of unhealthy anger expression.

What these techniques have in common is a refusal to take yourself too seriously. Anger is a serious emotion, but it's often accompanied by ideas that, if examined, can make you laugh.

6. Changing Your Environment

Sometimes it's our immediate surroundings that give us cause for irritation and fury. Problems and responsibilities can weigh on you and make you feel angry at the "trap" you seem to have fallen into and all the people and things that form that trap.

Give yourself a break. Make sure you have some "personal time" scheduled for times of the day that you know are particularly stressful. One example is the working mother who has a standing rule that when she comes home from work, for the first 15 minutes "nobody talks to Mom unless the house is on fire." After this brief quiet time, she feels better prepared to handle demands from her kids without blowing up at them.

7. Some Other Tips for Easing Up on Yourself

Timing: If you and your spouse tend to fight when you discuss things at night-perhaps you're tired, or distracted, or maybe it's just habit-try changing the times when you talk about important matters so these talks don't turn into arguments.

Avoidance: If your child's chaotic room makes you furious every time you walk by it, shut the door. Don't make yourself look at what infuriates you. Don't say, "well, my child should clean up the room so I won't have to be angry!" That's not the point. The point is to keep yourself calm.

Finding alternatives: If your daily commute through traffic leaves you in a state of rage and frustration, give yourself a project-learn or map out a different route, one that's less congested or more scenic. Or find another alternative, such as a bus or commuter train.

Depression a Symptom of Low Thyroid Function - How to Deal With Low Thyroid Depression

There are many signs and symptoms of low thyroid function, but depression ranks highly as being one of the most serious and hardest to cope with. Depending on the degree of depression, you may need to seek medical help immediately. Studies of patients with depression have shown that a large percentage of them have some degree of hypothyroidism (low thyroid function). It is so important to learn about the thyroid gland and how having an underactive thyroid can be treated to avoid further problems. There are things you can do, other than or along with medications, to help with your thyroid and depression.

Studies have linked a relationship between low thyroid function and depression. In one study thyroid function was evaluated in 250 patients that were referred to a psychiatric hospital for treatment of depression. Out of the 250 patients, 20 had some degree of hypothyroidism, ranging from overt levels to subclinical. Up to 20 percent of all chronic-depression may be related to low production of thyroid hormones. These results suggested that a significant number of patients with depression may have low thyroid function and may be candidates for thyroid replacement therapy. Unfortunately, most patients who are treated for depression do not first get thyroid tests.

Exercise will help with your depression. Any type of exercise will be good, but a nice brisk walk outdoors will be a wonderful way to lift your depressed mood. Walk somewhere that you can enjoy the scenery while you get your exercise. If you have a friend or someone special to join you, to talk to during your walk, it can be very therapeutic as well. Although it may seem hard to get started, usually once you are a few minutes into it, you will suddenly realize that your already feeling better. There is nothing worst than sitting in the house making excuses why you do not feel like exercising. Just do it, you will be glad you did!

Bananas a Cure For Depression?

Bananas are an amazing fruit packed with vitamins and minerals. Surprisingly, the minerals and vitamins in bananas can help alleviate the symptoms of depression, everyday stress, anxiety and the winter blues.

Bananas alleviate the symptoms of depression partially because of the protein tryptophan. Tryptophan is converted by the body into serotonin. Serotonin is a protein Serotonin regulates metabolism and brain activity, and produces a relaxed state. Serotonin helps to promote stabilized moods, and is key to the bodies' ability to regulate sleep. Adequate sleep is directly linked to better moods and lower levels of stress.

Bananas help to alleviate stress because they are high in B vitamins. B vitamins calm your nerves,. For instance, a depletion of vitamin B6 can trigger depression in individual not previously showing symptoms of depression. Therefore, a diet rich in B6 can assist in alleviating the symptoms of depression and possibly prevent the onset.

Bananas in alleviating stress because a stressed body depletes its reserve of potassium rapidly, which in turn causes an increase in your body's metabolic rate which depletes your bodies potassium much more rapidly than normal. The potassium rich bananas replenish the bodies' potassium supply, which in turn normalizes the bodies' metabolic-rate.

Ways bananas can help alleviate stress. If you are experiencing high stress levels try eating a banana in the morning. Chop it up. Mix it with some juice or pour some honey on it. Make this a peaceful time. Relax. Sit and meditate. Think happy and positive thoughts and establish a routine. The natural calming vitamins in bananas will help you through the day and bring your stress levels to normal.

Take bananas with you to work. Keep them around the house. When you feel depressed, eat one or even a small piece.

Take them for a month. Keep a logbook or a journal; track your thoughts, feelings and emotions. Record the progress of the aches and pains after the month reassess your condition. Are the aches and pains associated with depression or stress gone? Do you feel less anxious? Do you have more energy? Are you feeling better: Emotionally, physically and mentally?

19 Facts About Depression At Midlife - Tips, Strategies, And Info-Bites

When we age, we produce less of two important mood stabilizing hormones, serotonin and dopamine. So, depression is a risk factor for both men and women as we get older. Yet twice as many women compared to men suffer from depression, which leads some to believe there is a link between the female sex hormones and depression.

1. Memory loss at midlife may not be related to aging, but depression. Depression affects our ability to concentrate and remember things. Our mind instead is caught in a cycle of self blame, guilt, or hopelessness,

2. Of the studies that differentiate between major depression and minor depression, an increase in minor depression (ie. non-clinical) is reported, rather than an increase in major depressive episodes,

3. Major depression is characterized by feeling sad or tearful all, or most of the time. Other symptoms include losing interest in regular activities and engaging in day to day life.

4. Those that seem to be at risk of suffering from major depression during menopause are those that have suffered major depression at some other time in their lives. This can include postnatal depression, severe depression associated with PMS, or any other type of clinical depression.

5. Some of the symptoms of perimenopause are also the symptoms of depression, so it's important to consider the whole picture. These common symptoms include tiredness, weight gain, insomnia, difficulties in concentration, memory loss, and a loss of interest in sex.

6. Depression is usually treated with psychological treatments and medication. The psychological treatments include cognitive behaviour therapy which looks at the negative ways we think; and Interpersonal therapy, to improve relationships.

7. Antidepressant medication covers a range including SSRI's, SNRI's, MAOI's, and others. Each class has a lot of individual medications within it, and people may tolerate one well, but have side effects on others. Finding an antidepressant medication appropriate to the individual can be a trial and error endeavor.

8. Some anti-depressants - prozac and others in the category of Selective Serotonin Re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI's) - may cause cardiovascular problems in some people after long term use.

9. If you're taking hormone replacement therapy, too high a dose of estrogen or androgen hormones can lead to side effects like headaches and anxiety. Synthetic progesterone treatments are also often associated with depression.

10. Caffeine and sugar, in excess, may have a negative impact on recurring depression.

11. Estrogen boosts the levels of serotonin and acetylcholine, which are neurohormones that make people feel good, and are part of a normal memory.

12. Deficiencies of the B vitamins biotin, folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, have been linked with depression, as have vitamin C deficiencies.

13. Vitamin B6 is important because of it's role in making the monoamine neurotransmitters, which help stabilize moods.

14. Minerals linked to depression include deficiencies of calcium, copper, and magnesium.

15. St Johns Wort has been found to be as effective as prozac in treating mild to moderate depression.

16. Anecdotally, 5HTP has been found to help some people with depression who also suffer from weight problems and insomnia.

17. Our brain needs a small supply of good qualify fats every day. This is because nerve fibers are coated with a fatty sheath called myelin. Good sources of healthy fats include non-hydrogenated olive oil, sesame oil, and fish oil. Deficiencies of the omega 6 fatty acids may play a role in depression.

18. Depression is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.

19. Depression can increase the risk of more heart problems in people with coronary heart disease.

Anti-Depression Medicine - Balancing The Hormones

You may have read plenty of literature discussing the importance of changing your lifestyle and your diet for a healthy mind. These are excellent resources that can help you manage your depression. However, there are times that these alternative modes or natural ways of treating depression are not enough and that the only thing that can help you for the moment is a dose of anti-depression medicine.

Depression and Anxiety - The Basics

To understand how anti-depression medicine can help a depressed person, you must understand how depression and anxiety can strike a person.

It's not unusual for people of all ages to occasionally experience anxiety and depression. Anxiety is a normal reaction of a person whenever there's a significant event happening in their life, for example while awaiting the release of a test result a call from a prospective employer. Anxiety strikes when stressors such as these are present. However, normal feelings of anxiety don't last for long. Right after the test result arrives or that call has been received, anxiety ceases.

However, to some people, when they face these types of stressors, they over-react, become restless and suffer from insomnia. So, even after the cause of anxiety has passed or has been resolved, they remain anxious and they shut down and fall into depression.

Chronic depression and anxiety are two distinct debilitating mood disorders; but for psychiatrists and researchers, these two disorders often overlap, as shown by the illustration above. What's more, it was found that what could treat depression can also treat anxiety.

Depression may be mild or major. With mild depressive symptoms, a person can do well even with psychotherapy and other natural means (food supplements and meditation). However, in major depression, these are not likely to suffice. You need the help of an anti-depression medicine.

Major and Mild Depression

A person with major depression has a suicidal tendency that must be addressed immediately. People with this type of depression goes into a self loathe stage wherein they want to end everything, the hopelessness and sadness, once and for all. Since they hate themselves and that they feel their depression is caused by their being alive, they will want to end the life that they think causes their misery.

Anti-depression medicine is not just an option for major depression - it is a necessity, without which the hormonal imbalance can not be neutralized.

In fact even in mild depression, a medication therapy could help. If the depression although mild is chronic, meaning the depressed feeling lasts for years, anti-depression medicine can help a person live a normal life especially if he's falling into major depression during his chronic depression years.

What is the Role of Anti-Depression Medicine?

Antidepressants are designed to prevent hormonal imbalance from happening or to neutralize the imbalance if it is already present. It has been found that hormonal imbalance causes the brain to go haywire and to bring one's moods to the extreme: whether to extreme sadness or happiness or going into a happy-sad seesaw.

Antidepressant medicine is not the sole source of cure; it is just one of the many means of curing a depressed person. In fact, it only helps in relieving symptoms and not target the root source of the mental disorder.

If you are thinking of undergoing a medication therapy to help you get back on track and be able to live fully without the depression, talk the matter out with your psychiatrist. Weigh everything -- the benefits versus the risks - before you decide to have a go with antidepressant medicine. Discuss the pros and cons and ask for recommendations and advice.

Don't forget to learn about the side effects and what to do if a major side effect is noticed and in case overdose happens. What is important here is you take an active role in your treatment process. By doing so, it will give you strength and courage to face your condition and to achieve your speedy and successful recovery more easily.

Depression In Others

Many of us struggle day in and day out. That does not mean that we suffer from depression. But, for others, it does. If you are worried about a friend or family member who you think may be suffering from depression, you can and should help. But, how can you do this? Recognizing depression in others is difficult, unless you pay attention.

There are many signs that someone is suffering from depression. The most common thing to notice is how they have changed. Often times, people who suffer from depression have changed. They no longer do the things that made them happy. They no longer value their friendships. They isolate themselves by avoiding others. Sometimes, the changes are very small, even unnoticeable. While they may put on a fake front, you can tell that something is different or wrong.

Do you feel that someone you care about is suffering from depression? If so, you can try and talk to them. But, do not be aggressive. They will more than likely need to speak to their doctor about being diagnosed. You can not force the issue as it will only make their situation seem more desperate. People who are suffering from depression need help. By encouraging them to seek out professional help, you are telling them that you care.

For more information about doing this or other information about depression visit the internet. One good website to check out is http://www.avoiddepression.com. It's not a medical website, but a source for information about this disease.

The Stigma of Depression

If you haven't had depression and you're curious to know how it feels, try reading Sally Brampton's brilliant memoire called "Shoot The Damn Dog". It's a difficult read as she explains the excruciating pain of living with severe depression. Yet it's well worth the effort.

Few people are brave enough to talk openly about having suffered with depression. The stigma attached to the illness is huge and yet the figures are even bigger.

There is nothing morally, ethically or lawfully wrong with suffering with depression. Nobody does anything to deserve the illness and yet we act as if it is something to be ashamed of.

Dealing with shame about having a problem with your thought patterns will obviously make things even worse.

One of the worst questions to ask someone in depression is the usual "How are you?" This may sound like a normal question but in depression it's one of the worst.

How can you explain that you feel in so much mental pain that you can barely deal with it? Suicide thoughts begin. The idea of living another day with the pain is almost too much to bear.

Maybe that's where the awkwardness sets in.

Depression can lead to suicide and nobody wants to ever think about that. Far too scarey. Far too much to handle in conversation.

Yet the sufferer longs to be heard. To somehow share the burden of what it feels like to be living with depression. Having someone alongside them to listen, to comfort and to say nothing other than "I am with you in this".

The stigma of depression is so strong that it frightens people off. Almost as if associating with someone with depression will somehow rub off on them and they too will be stigmatised.

Have you ever felt like crossing the road when you see a suffering friend or colleague heading your way?

Next time try saying "I want you to know that I am here for you. Let me do something to help. Let me take your ironing off your hands. Let me make you an evening meal. Let me help you clean the house." Offers of concrete help, rather than a fleeting moment of concern as you ask, yet again "so how are you?"

Yes, it's a complicated illness that affects not just the sufferer's thought patterns but those who are caring for them too.

But we have to start somewhere and that somewhere could be with you.

Are You Aware of the Benefits of Being Single? Test Yourself

Although the common trend nowadays is staying single and having the time for fun and enjoying what life has to offer, it cannot be helped but notice that there are still singles out there that are worried about their status and belittle themselves. To help them with their dilemma, I have made three key questions with analytical answers that will show those singles that all is not lost just because they are single.

1.) I am single and that means:

a.) I am stress-free from problems that arise from romantic relationships

b.) I am incapable of developing and staying in long term relationships

c.) I am bound to be and old maiden

The correct answer is A. Since relationships are handled by two unique individuals, arguments and problems arise despite their mutual understanding. There will come a time when conflicts of interests occur and different ways of handling matters show. Although relationships provide a venue for growth for the couples, undeniably it is also a venue for stress causing depression, weakened immune system, even alterations in our blood pressure. That is why being single is advantageous since it frees you from such worries. Being single does not signify that you have troubles developing interpersonal relationships. As a matter of fact, most singles are looking for a long term relationship however they are just currently single because they are still in search for that special person they want to build that certain relationship with or because they are still developing themselves to become that righteous one (with good personalities, successful lives, stable job) when they finally find their partner in life.

2.) I am single and that means:

a.) I cannot go on dating since I do not have a boyfriend or girlfriend

b.) I have the chance to date different people

c.) I am not a dateable man or woman

The correct answer is B. Dating is not exclusive for those who have relationship labels (labels such as engaged, married, or boyfriend-girlfriend). Honestly, single dating gives you the possibilities of knowing people without the serious commitments that interfere with your way of life. With single dating, you can meet variety of people whom you can gain knowledge from, or even discover more about yourself. Your horizons will expand as you meet several people that you have not even considered as possible partners. Casual dating provides you a venue for personal growth.

3.) I am single and that means:

a.) I am a loner

b.) I have no time for developing relationships

c.) I have more time to spend with my family, myself and friends

The correct answer is C. Developing relationship does not only revolve around romantic ones, it also includes cultivating friendships and familial bonding. Being single does not mean that you are having hard time establishing romantic interests. In fact, singles rather invest their time first with family, work, self and friends because they know that once they enter into a relationship, they will be spending less and lesser time with their families and friends. Another important note to bear in mind is that when relationships ends, partners are gone too; a most likely effect of moving on process. That is why singles rather invest their time with family and friends, making their bond stronger as ever for they know their time spent will be paid off once they get into life's hardships.

Mood Stabilizer Bipolar Medication - Taking Care of Bipolar Symptoms

It's not easy to conclude the effectiveness of a mood stabilizer bipolar medication immediately. It's essential to take note of how it works for at least a month and a half before a physician can say that it's the right one for the patient. Lithium is the typical mood stabilizer bipolar medication taken in by the patient who can actually balance out the symptoms of being manic and depressive. However, there are instances when lithium may not work in treating depression. Hence, it can be concluded that the depression is not caused by the bipolar disorder or is just resistant to this type of medication. Lithium is the first medication tried on as a mood stabilizer if the condition is not severe yet. However, additional medication like antidepressants is prescribed together with lithium when severe bipolar disorder occurs. History is among the things considered in prescribing medication like the number of depressive and manic symptoms.

On this scenario, a patient may experience a very low mood, and then it will be followed by getting too hyped about things. The change between these two moods can be very rapid and changing at a regular basis. Several medications are able to help this problem like lithium. People who have been under this medication for 20 days showed positive results in terms of stabilizing their moods. Lithium is something considered to be helpful for people who experience grandiosity, anxiety, agitation and attention problems. However, this medication has not been effective for people who may have more serious symptoms like sexual molestation and even criminal tendencies.

Medications like benzodiazepines are used together with lithium to work as mood stabilizers to help reduce the symptoms of acute manic symptoms. However, this can only be effective if this symptom is not classified as schizophrenic behaviors. If the symptom is showing to be schizophrenic behaviors, it's essential for the patient to get medications like clonazepam to add with lithium. Conversely, it's also important for the patient to know that these antipsychotics besides have side effects like tardive dyskinesia, particularly in taking amantadine. This is a serious side effect that includes involuntary movement, particularly on the hands, legs, and even on the face. Some may have bipolar symptoms that are resistant when it comes to other medications. Carbamazepine as well as valproic acid is the most effective medications to use for this type of symptom.

The Effects of Debt on Your Emotional Health

When debt becomes overwhelming, it can create horrible effects on emotional well-being. Broken marriages, depression and even suicide are the effects of the debt that gets out of hand.

In these cases fighting with your partner is the last thing that you want to do. You went in as a team. And you should overcome the situation with debts as a team. It will certainly make your marriage stronger.

When a person faces an overwhelming debt, depression comes into his/her life. Depression is a state of hopelessness that things cannot be rectified. Remember that depression is an emotion that is real. If you think you or someone you know are overwhelmed by bills and are showing signs of depression call the doctor and get help. It won't probably change your money situation. However, with the right treatment you'll be able to manage your bills sensibly and more rationally.

In addition, debt can have such effects on your emotional health as restlessness, fear and anger. As your debts slowly become overwhelming, one of the first affects is your sleeping habits. You will be unable to fall asleep because you are thinking about the debt. Not being able to sleep keeps you from getting enough rest to function properly. As the result the brain does not work as quickly or with accuracy when it has not gotten the rest it needs.

Too much debt can cause another effect - anger. The anger can become as unmanageable as the debt itself. It spills over into your personal life.

No doubt that debt has a tremendous hold on us. Although every situation is unique, the point of desperation is the same. People tend to do things out of character in order to repair the debt problems they may be having. When you feel that you have had more than you can take, don't take any desperate measures to get rid of it. Try to find help. Remember that the best plan of action is prevention.

Anger - A Warning of Depression

Depression is a condition that affects a person's mind and body. There are two main classes of depression. First, there is "contextual depression" which is understandably brought about by events that would cause most reasonable people to be temporarily effected. Examples of these events would be: a recent trauma, break-up, death or other situational event. This type of depression is considered "normal" and time-limited. It is triggered by something outside the person. Second is "clinical depression" which is a biological condition, caused by chemicals is the brain, primarily Serotonin and sometimes Norepinephrine. This type of depression is evident even in the absence of outside events.

When a person is depressed with either contextual or biological depression, all aspects of their life can be affected including eating, sleeping, working, all relationships and how a person thinks about themselves. People who are clinically depressed cannot simply "snap out of it, get over it or pull themselves up by their boot straps." Without appropriate treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months or years.

At some point in their lives, 10%-25% of women and 5%-12% of men will become clinically depressed as reported by The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Often depression can go misdiagnosed or under-diagnosed as a result of how it is reported. Reports are based on the symptoms people experience and their ability to communicate these symptoms cohesively to their health care practitioners.

Anger is a common symptom of depression but is often overlooked as mere "moodiness". Women frequently exhibit depression through typical symptoms such as: withdrawal, hopelessness, tears, increased/decreased sleep and agitation. Men often exhibit depression symptoms in more atypical ways such as: anger, reckless behavior and substance abuse. When the underlying issue of depression is treated, along with any secondary issues such as increased alcohol consumption, we consistently see anger decrease.

Depression causes suffering for those that are depressed as well as their family and friends who often don't understand what is happening and don't know how to help. If someone you know is an 'angry person," don't rule out the possibility that they may be struggling from the unaddressed issue of depression. There are different types of depression and a variety of treatments which including psychotherapy, exercise, guided imagery, medication, journaling and good nutrition. Seek help from a well trained clinician and explore the possibility of allergies as well as other context driven triggers.

The Therapeutic Relationship Is the Most Important Ingredient in Successful Therapy

"Maybe if I have this client blink his eyes at an increased speed, while exposing him to his past, and add some cognitive behavioral therapy while sitting next to a waterfall, he may be able to function more effectively in his life!" Yes this is rather exaggerated, however it demonstrates the idea that as professionals in the field of therapy, we often seek complex theories, techniques, and strategies to more effectively treat our consumers. A large amount of our precious time is spent seeking new theories and techniques to treat clients; evidence for this statement is shown by the thousands of theories and techniques that have been created to treat clients seeking therapy.

The fact that theories are being created and the field is growing is absolutely magnificent; however we may be searching for something that has always been right under our nose. Clinicians often enjoy analyzing and making things more intricate that they actually are; when in reality what works is rather simple. This basic and uncomplicated ingredient for successful therapy is what will be explored in this article. This ingredient is termed the therapeutic relationship. Some readers may agree and some may disagree, however the challenge is to be open minded and remember the consequences of "contempt prior to investigation".

Any successful therapy is grounded in a continuous strong, genuine therapeutic relationship or more simply put by Rogers, the "Helping Relationship". Without being skilled in this relationship, no techniques are likely to be effective. You are free to learn, study, research and labor over CBT, DBT, EMDR, RET, and ECT as well as attending infinite trainings on these and many other techniques, although without mastering the art and science of building a therapeutic relationship with your client, therapy will not be effective. You can even choose to spend thousands of dollars on a PhD, PsyD, Ed.D, and other advanced degrees, which are not being put down, however if you deny the vital importance of the helping relationship you will again be unsuccessful. Rogers brilliantly articulated this point when he said, "Intellectual training and the acquiring of information has, I believe many valuable results--but, becoming a therapist is not one of those results (1957)."

This author will attempt to articulate what the therapeutic relationship involves; questions clinicians can ask themselves concerning the therapeutic relationship, as well as some empirical literature that supports the importance of the therapeutic relationship. Please note that therapeutic relationship, therapeutic alliance, and helping relationship will be used interchangeably throughout this article.

Characteristic of the Therapeutic Relationship

The therapeutic relationship has several characteristics; however the most vital will be presented in this article. The characteristics may appear to be simple and basic knowledge, although the constant practice and integration of these characteristic need to be the focus of every client that enters therapy. The therapeutic relationship forms the foundation for treatment as well as large part of successful outcome. Without the helping relationship being the number one priority in the treatment process, clinicians are doing a great disservice to clients as well as to the field of therapy as a whole.

The following discussion will be based on the incredible work of Carl Rogers concerning the helping relationship. There is no other psychologist to turn to when discussing this subject, than Dr. Rogers himself. His extensive work gave us a foundation for successful therapy, no matter what theory or theories a clinician practices. Without Dr. Rogers outstanding work, successful therapy would not be possible.

Rogers defines a helping relationship as , " a relationship in which one of the participants intends that there should come about , in one or both parties, more appreciation of, more expression of, more functional use of the latent inner resources of the individual ( 1961)." There are three characteristics that will be presented that Rogers states are essential and sufficient for therapeutic change as well as being vital aspects of the therapeutic relationship (1957). In addition to these three characteristics, this author has added two final characteristic that appear to be effective in a helping relationship.

1. Therapist's genuineness within the helping relationship. Rogers discussed the vital importance of the clinician to "freely and deeply" be himself. The clinician needs to be a "real" human being. Not an all knowing, all powerful, rigid, and controlling figure. A real human being with real thoughts, real feelings, and real problems (1957). All facades should be left out of the therapeutic environment. The clinician must be aware and have insight into him or herself. It is important to seek out help from colleagues and appropriate supervision to develop this awareness and insight. This specific characteristic fosters trust in the helping relationship. One of the easiest ways to develop conflict in the relationship is to have a "better than" attitude when working with a particular client.

2. Unconditional positive regard. This aspect of the relationship involves experiencing a warm acceptance of each aspect of the clients experience as being a part of the client. There are no conditions put on accepting the client as who they are. The clinician needs to care for the client as who they are as a unique individual. One thing often seen in therapy is the treatment of the diagnosis or a specific problem. Clinicians need to treat the individual not a diagnostic label. It is imperative to accept the client for who they are and where they are at in their life. Remember diagnoses are not real entities, however individual human beings are.

3. Empathy. This is a basic therapeutic aspect that has been taught to clinicians over and over again, however it is vital to be able to practice and understand this concept. An accurate empathetic understanding of the client's awareness of his own experience is crucial to the helping relationship. It is essential to have the ability to enter the clients "private world" and understand their thoughts and feelings without judging these (Rogers, 1957).

4. Shared agreement on goals in therapy. Galileo once stated, "You cannot teach a man anything, you can just help him to find it within himself." In therapy clinicians must develop goals that the client would like to work on rather than dictate or impose goals on the client. When clinicians have their own agenda and do not cooperate with the client, this can cause resistance and a separation in the helping relationship (Roes, 2002). The fact is that a client that is forced or mandated to work on something he has no interest in changing, may be compliant for the present time; however these changes will not be internalized. Just think of yourself in your personal life. If you are forced or coerced to work on something you have no interest in, how much passion or energy will you put into it and how much respect will you have for the person doing the coercing. You may complete the goal; however you will not remember or internalize much involved in the process.

5. Integrate humor in the relationship. In this authors own clinical experience throughout the years, one thing that has helped to establish a strong therapeutic relationship with clients is the integration of humor in the therapy process. It appears to teach clients to laugh at themselves without taking life and themselves too serious. It also allows them to see the therapist as a down to earth human being with a sense of humor. Humor is an excellent coping skill and is extremely healthy to the mind, body, and spirit. Try laughing with your clients. It will have a profound effect on the relationship as well as in your own personal life.

Before delving into the empirical literature concerning this topic, it is important to present some questions that Rogers recommends (1961) asking yourself as a clinician concerning the development of a helping relationship. These questions should be explored often and reflected upon as a normal routine in your clinical practice. They will help the clinician grow and continue to work at developing the expertise needed to create a strong therapeutic relationship and in turn the successful practice of therapy.

1. Can I be in some way which will be perceived by the client as trustworthy, dependable, or consistent in some deep sense?

2. Can I be real? This involves being aware of thoughts and feelings and being honest with yourself concerning these thoughts and feelings. Can I be who I am? Clinicians must accept themselves before they can be real and accepted by clients.

3. Can I let myself experience positive attitudes toward my client - for example warmth, caring, respect) without fearing these? Often times clinicians distance themselves and write it off as a "professional" attitude; however this creates an impersonal relationship. Can I remember that I am treating a human being, just like myself?

4. Can I give the client the freedom to be who they are?

5. Can I be separate from the client and not foster a dependent relationship?

6. Can I step into the client's private world so deeply that I lose all desire to evaluate or judge it?

7. Can I receive this client as he is? Can I accept him or her completely and communicate this acceptance?

8. Can I possess a non-judgmental attitude when dealing with this client?

9. Can I meet this individual as a person who is becoming, or will I be bound by his past or my past?

Empirical Literature

There are obviously too many empirical studies in this area to discuss in this or any brief article, however this author would like to present a summary of the studies throughout the years and what has been concluded.

Horvath and Symonds (1991) conducted a Meta analysis of 24 studies which maintained high design standards, experienced therapists, and clinically valid settings. They found an effect size of .26 and concluded that the working alliance was a relatively robust variable linking therapy process to outcomes. The relationship and outcomes did not appear to be a function of type of therapy practiced or length of treatment.

Another review conducted by Lambert and Barley (2001), from Brigham Young University summarized over one hundred studies concerning the therapeutic relationship and psychotherapy outcome. They focused on four areas that influenced client outcome; these were extra therapeutic factors, expectancy effects, specific therapy techniques, and common factors/therapeutic relationship factors. Within these 100 studies they averaged the size of contribution that each predictor made to outcome. They found that 40% of the variance was due to outside factors, 15% to expectancy effects, 15% to specific therapy techniques, and 30% of variance was predicted by the therapeutic relationship/common factors. Lambert and Barley (2001) concluded that, "Improvement in psychotherapy may best be accomplished by learning to improve ones ability to relate to clients and tailoring that relationship to individual clients."

One more important addition to these studies is a review of over 2000 process-outcomes studies conducted by Orlinsky, Grave, and Parks (1994), which identified several therapist variables and behaviors that consistently demonstrated to have a positive impact on treatment outcome. These variables included therapist credibility, skill, empathic understanding, affirmation of the client, as well as the ability to engage the client and focus on the client's issues and emotions.

Finally, this author would like to mention an interesting statement made by Schore (1996). Schore suggests "that experiences in the therapeutic relationship are encoded as implicit memory, often effecting change with the synaptic connections of that memory system with regard to bonding and attachment. Attention to this relationship with some clients will help transform negative implicit memories of relationships by creating a new encoding of a positive experience of attachment." This suggestion is a topic for a whole other article, however what this suggests is that the therapeutic relationship may create or recreate the ability for clients to bond or develop attachments in future relationships. To this author, this is profound and thought provoking. Much more discussion and research is needed in this area, however briefly mentioning it sheds some light on another important reason that the therapeutic relationship is vital to therapy.

Throughout this article the therapeutic relationship has been discussed in detail, questions to explore as a clinician have been articulated, and empirical support for the importance of the therapeutic relationship have been summarized. You may question the validity of this article or research, however please take an honest look at this area of the therapy process and begin to practice and develop strong therapeutic relationships. You will see the difference in the therapy process as well as client outcome. This author experiences the gift of the therapeutic relationship each and every day I work with clients. In fact, a client recently told me that I was "the first therapist he has seen since 9-11 that he trusted and acted like a real person. He continued on to say, "that's why I have the hope that I can get better and actually trust another human being." That's quite a reward of the therapeutic relationship and process. What a gift!

Ask yourself, how you would like to be treated if you were a client? Always remember we are all part of the human race and each human being is unique and important, thus they should be treated that way in therapy. Our purpose as clinicians is to help other human beings enjoy this journey of life and if this field isn't the most important field on earth I don't know what is. We help determine and create the future of human beings. To conclude, Constaquay, Goldfried, Wiser, Raue, and Hayes (1996) stated, " It is imperative that clinicians remember that decades of research consistently demonstrates that relationship factors correlate more highly with client outcome than do specialized treatment techniques."

References

Constaquay, L. G., Goldfried, M. R., Wiser, S., Raue, P.J., Hayes, A.M. (1996). Predicting the effect of Cognitive therapy for depression: A study of unique and common factors. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 497-504.

Horvath, A.O. & Symonds, B., D. (1991). Relation between a working alliance and outcome in psychotherapy: A Meta Analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 38, 2, 139-149.

Lambert, M., J. & Barley, D., E. (2001). Research Summary on the therapeutic relationship and psychotherapy outcome. Psychotherapy, 38, 4, 357-361.

Orlinski, D. E., Grave, K., & Parks, B. K. (1994). Process and outcome in psychotherapy. In A. E. Bergin & S. L. Garfield (Eds.), Handbook of psychotherapy(pp. 257-310). New York: Wiley.

Roes, N. A. (2002). Solutions for the treatment resistant addicted client, Haworth Press.

Rogers, C. R. (1957). The Necessary and Sufficient Conditions of Therapeutic Personality Change. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21, 95-103.

Rogers, C. R. (1961). On Becoming a Person, Houghton Mifflin company, New York.

Schore, A. (1996). The experience dependent maturation of a regulatory system in the orbital prefrontal cortex and the origin of developmental psychopathology. Development and Psychopathology, 8, 59-87.

Sing For Your Sanity - How to Counteract Depression

Many people feel sad and depressed for a variety of reasons. Maybe you are one of those people. It is easy to become disillusioned, especially during times of stress or grief. However, it is possible to feel better and enjoy life, too.

When you are depressed or upset you tend to think in ways that are unhealthy, unrealistic or even unreasonable. The thoughts going around in your brain make you feel sad, lethargic and hopeless. There is a strong relationship between what you think and how you feel.

Here is a good example.

One day, I walked out of my house to go to work. I got in the car, turned the key and nothing happened. Of course, I tried again and it still didn't work. I became upset because I didn't want to be late to work. I also was afraid that car repairs would be costly. I remember thinking, "It is going to cost a thousand dollars to fix the car." This is a great example of an irrational, unreasonable thought. Why? Because I know very little about the inner workings of cars. I didn't know what was wrong with the car and I certainly didn't know how to diagnose a car problem. So what made me think car repairs were going to cost one thousand dollars? Who knows? I only know that after having the thought or belief that repairs would cost one thousand dollars, I became very upset.

This event is a perfect example of what I would call mixed-up thinking. It is a particular type of mixed-up thinking called jumping to conclusions. I don't know much about cars. It was unreasonable to believe that the repairs would cost some amount that arbitrarily popped into my brain.

This is the way that depressed or upset people think all the time. There are many different types of thoughts that cause you to be in distress. I will outline these various thoughts so that you can start to recognize them yourself. Once you recognize them, then you can change them.

The title of this article is "How to feel better and have fun, too." Now for the fun part. One of the interests I have in life is music. I like to sing in the church, listen to music, and see musicals. One day I noticed that many songs are great demonstrations of unhealthy, mixed-up thinking. Here is one of my favorites. Frank Loesser wrote a song called "Marry the Man Today." The best line is Marry the man today and change his ways tomorrow." Some people believe that it is actually possible to change someone! I hope you don't. If you follow the advice in this song, you are in for a lot of trouble and distress. So the fun part of this article is that when I describe unhealthy or mixed-up ways of thinking, I will use examples of songs to demonstrate the point. Let's get started. I hope you have fun. I know I will. As an aside, if you come up with your own songs that demonstrate irrational thinking, please let me know. I am always interested in new ways to apply these ideas.

Irrational Beliefs

There are many lists of irrational beliefs that have been developed by therapists over the years. If you look up cognitive-behavioral therapy on the Internet or in a library you will find a lot of information. I have included here the ones that I think are the most powerful and potentially unhealthy.

Irrational Beliefs are ways of thinking that are unhealthy. When you subscribe to these beliefs you are causing yourself distress, such as depression, anger or anxiety. The Snoopy Song from "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" by Clark Gesner
exemplifies this nicely.

It starts off where Snoopy is happy and thinking good thoughts.

"Pleasant day, pretty sky, life goes on, here I lie, not bad, not bad at all."

Everything is good, right?
Then he starts talking about the little birds that visit him. They come

"every day, sitting here, on my stomach, with their sharp little claws which are usually cold and occasionally painful... Sometimes there are so many...Rats!
I feel every now and then that I gotta bite someone. I know every now and then what I want to be!
A fierce jungle animal crouched on the limb of a tree!
I'll wait very, very still till I see a victim come. I wait knowing very well every second counts. And then like the fierce jungle creature I am, I will pounce!"

Poor Snoopy. There he was, sitting happily on his dog house roof with not a care in the world. What happened? He talked himself into being angry and upset!

We are all just like Snoopy. We can talk ourselves into feeling any way possible. That is the bad news. The good news is that we can talk ourselves into feeling good!

So what do we have to do? First, we have to be able to recognize when we are thinking in unhealthy ways. Then we need to replace the unhealthy thoughts with healthy ones.

Here is a list of unhealthy thoughts.

1. Jumping to Conclusions

This is when you decide you know something that you can't actually know. Maybe you think someone is thinking poorly of you. This is not possible because you can't read someone's mind. You can also jump to conclusions by thinking you know what will happen in the future. If you know what will happen in the world before it does, let me know. I want to know the winning lottery numbers, please.

I haven't yet come up with a song for this one. Does anybody have any ideas?

2. All-or-Nothing Thinking

This type of thinking is very rigid. It is when you view the world in very rigid, perhaps legalistic, terms. Sometimes this is helpful, ie a belief that robbing banks is wrong. However, most of the time people upset themselves over things that don't have to be black and white. There is a lot of gray in the world. Look for that and you will be mentally healthier.

A good example of this type of thinking can be found in the song "Oh, How I Hate To Get Up I The Morning" by Irving Berlin.

"Oh! How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning,
Oh! How I'd love to remain in bed
For the hardest blow of all is to hear the bugler call:
'You've got to get up, you've got to get up,
You've got to get up this morning!'"
Someday I'm going to murder the bugler
Someday they're going to find him dead
I'll amputate his reveille and stomp upon it heavily
And spend the rest of my life in bed!"

This soldier basically thinks it is the worst thing in the world to get up early in the morning. He is so upset about it that he is willing to kill the bugler. Now admittedly, I have never been in the army so it is entirely possible that I could feel the same way myself. I don't like to get up early either. But please notice that his hatred for the morning results in a homicide! It is far better to tell yourself that although getting up early is unpleasant, you can do it if necessary. I do this every day when I have to get up and take my daughter to school at 7:30 a.m.

3. Should Statements

Should statements are demands that people or circumstances behave the way that you think they should. This is, in essence, having rules for how other people, yourself or the world should behave. Rules are all well and good but other people don't have to follow your rules most of the time. The world doesn't either. For example, I believe that the car in front of me should drive faster. Does my belief make this happen? Of course not. All my belief does is get me angry. And truly, why does anyone have to do what I want? I am not that powerful. I will let you know when I am Queen of the world. Then everyone will have to do what I want. Actually, again in "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown," Lucy sings a song about becoming a Queen. I think this is only in the original version, not the new one. Anyway, she sings about becoming a Queen. Her little brother Linus comes along and says that you have to inherit a royal position and Lucy is not in line to inherit. Lucy replies that she will buy a Queendom. She believes she should be able to do this and no amount of logical argument from Linus will persuade her otherwise. She wants it to be so, so it should be.

4. Exaggeration

When you exaggerate, you blow things out of proportion. We do this all the time in a harmless way. "I'm starving," we might say but of course we aren't really. Or we say, "This is terrible," or horrible or awful or any other term denoting doom. Most of the time something is not as awful as we portray it to be.

An example of exaggerating comes from "No, No, Nanette" again. Nanette, who is a teenager says,

"No, no, Nanette,
that's all I hear!
I get it the whole day through.
'No, no, Nanette,' regales my ear
no matter what I may do.
Sometime, perhaps,
I'll have my way
when I am old and turning grey.
But just as yet it's always
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, Nanette!"

Any of you have teenagers? Does this sound familiar? It does to me.

5. Blame

You can blame yourself or others for bad things that happen. The problem with blame is that it makes you powerless. Blaming yourself or another for a problem does not help solve the problem. Some people blame themselves unnecessarily for a problem that they really don't have control over. "My daughter failed her English test. I should have made her study more." Ultimately she is responsible for studying, not you. Actually, if you take the blame for this, you are helping her get out of the responsibility she really has for her grade. Blame, on the other hand, is when you make someone else responsible for your behavior. In either case, you can not solve the problem. You have taken someone else's problem as your own, or given up your problem to someone else. See how that makes you powerless? You can blame yourself or others for bad things that happen. The problem with blame is that it makes you powerless. Blaming yourself or another for a problem does not help solve the problem. Some people blame themselves unnecessarily for a problem that they really don't have control over. "My daughter failed her English test. I should have made her study more." Ultimately she is responsible for studying, not you. Actually, if you take the blame for this, you are helping her get out of the responsibility she really has for her grade. Blame, on the other hand, is when you make someone else responsible for your behavior. In either case, you can not solve the problem. You have taken someone else's problem as your own, or given up your problem to someone else. See how that makes you powerless?

A great song that demonstrates taking too much blame is "I Want to Be Happy" from "No, No, Nanette," a musical comedy with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach and music by Vincent Youmans. In this song, the singer Nanette refuses to be happy unless her boyfriend is happy. She sings,

"I want to be happy
But I won't be happy
Till I make you happy too.
Life's really worth living
When you are mirth giving
Why can't I give some to you?
When skies are gray
And you say you are blue
I'll send the sun smiling through
I want to be happy
But I won't be happy
Till I make you happy too."

She makes her happiness dependent upon the happiness of her boyfriend! And while I am in complete agreement that it is nice to do nice things for your loved ones, it is possible to be happy when your loved ones are not. Otherwise you have to always be a people pleaser. That is not a healthy way to live. It is especially bad if you are raising children. To be a good parent, you have to make your kids unhappy sometimes. Otherwise you are setting no limits for them.

So in order to be less depressed you need to identify your unhealthy beliefs. Once you do that, then you can change them to healthy ones. You will feel better and enjoy life more. Be happy!

copyright Angela K. Williams 2010

Depression Management - Depression Symptoms

Whilst managing depression, it helps to understand it. In this article lets talk about symptoms. I have heard people with depression say that they can 'feel it coming on.' I would have to concur. You can almost feel it approaching like animals can sense an oncoming rare eclipse before they suddenly disappear.

What are the symptoms?

Depression symptoms are varied but most people experience one or more of the following. The symptoms (for some), often represent an almost complete change of character and create possibly the maddest thoughts you have ever had.

Because they are so way out, self destructive, self obsessed and often illogical depression symptoms come laden with guilt for added measure.

Self loathing and worthlessness.

Depression encourages that creeping feeling of worthlessness. Suddenly you feel that all your contributions so far have been worth nothing. YOU are nothing. Every one else is so much better and could someone explain the point of you being here at all?
This is backed up faithfully by thoughts of:

Suicide.

In the lowest points of depression I have gone through many variations of suicide attempt in my head, (aside from actual attempts) and uselessly scored them on their viability. Have you?

Which would hurt the most?

Which would be quicker?

Which would be more economically sound for the person who found me, (re carpets and all!)

Would you really feel the 'thud' if you fell off a building...

I mean totally crack-pot stuff right? But this is the absolute stark reality of depression. As a sufferer I would prefer it to be understood for all it's mental bullying glory without sugar coating it, because I believe that exposing it's dark power and understanding it rather than masking it with medication, as seemingly always the first step, is the most resilient way to try and control it.

Sleep.

You either sleep an awful lot, (more guilt for feeling lazy), or hardly sleep at all. You might find, like me, that it becomes a bit of a vicious circle where you can't summon up the energy to eat therefore you lose more energy and end up sleeping too much, thereby getting weaker and weaker and more despondent.

But it is this vital life-energy that you get from activity that is required to create the oxygen to whizz around your body that you actually need to fight the depression....the most natural way.

Weight changes.

Then there are weight fluctuations as a result of depression causing your lack of appetite or causing you to gorge on food.

Lack of enthusiasm.

This one is hard. It is the symptom that makes 'the shiny, happy people,' (the non sufferers of depression), eventually lose patience with you 'for not trying'. From experience they fail to understand that it is merely another manifestation of depression, just as tooth ache is a symptom of poor gums or rotting teeth, neither of which you can just choose to stop immediately, without treatment.

Unfortunately, the things that depression makes you do creates other issues that make you feel even worse. I do feel there is hope, (but bear in mind that I am writing this article in an up cycle!) Sometimes...just sometimes, current cures are obscured by a medical or financial agenda that is not naturally kind to us or our systems, which is why I try to seek out and trial transparent remedies that have no agenda other than to help our highly intelligent bodies work WITH us to make us feel better.

Bipolar Disorder and Manic Depression - Noticing the Signs Can Do You a Whole World of Good

Changes in energy level might be the best way to characterize bipolar disorder in a sufferer. Also called manic-depressive illness, the condition takes you to two extremes of the same bleak rainbow. On the one side, all the excitement that you are feeling when manic causes you to be bustling and beside yourself; and on the other side of the same coin, your sadness can leave you powerless beyond understanding. This is not too difficult to observe, but it might take some patience to witness it all. You need to take note of this by all means.

Depression changes one's energy level, and so does excitement, whether or not the impulses are pointless. Sometimes bipolar disorder might be difficult to tell in a person because when they are depressed they could feel restless and agitated the same as when they suffer from mania.

So, all the fidgety movements and pacing could point in either direction, and unless you have more information you might not be able to conclude that it is bipolar disorder that they suffer from.

Most folks feel sluggish and inactive when they are depressed, and they characterize their obsession or mania with extensive activity, which does not seem to head in any direction. That's when they suffer from manic-depressive infirmity. If you are a very observant person, you might be able to observe these changes in their persons before too long so that you can get them help; the sufferer is not likely to be able to notice it themselves.

Bipolar Disorder Treatments - 6 Effective Alternative Methods Of Treatment

Bipolar has many definitions, all of which can affect a person lot as well as their family. One of the definitions is that a person diagnosed with the bipolar disorder has alternating experiences of extreme elation coupled with deep depression. Another form of bipolar is Manic Depression which is characterised by episodes of deep depression, that is accompanied with one manic episode.

Bipolar disorder is said to affect a person's thought patterns, behaviour, feelings and their perception of things around them. Professional put this down to chemical imbalances and electrical elements of the brain, as it is not functioning normally. Others say that this is a mental illness which can run in the family, so people are more prone to getting this disorder if there is a medical history of bipolar disorder running in the family or any other mental illness.

Many types of medications are offered to bipolar patients, and not everyone is comfortable with having to take the daily doses continually for some time. There are those who prefer to supplement or to use alternative therapies which are deemed healthier than using prescribed medication.

1. Omega 3

Research shows that Omega 3 which is found in fish oils and in many other fishes is good for anyone with a mental illness and bipolar. One significant research involving 30 bipolar patients was conducted over four months. It was done to show comparisons of the efficacy of Omega 3 against olive oil or placebo for treating bipolar disorder. Researchers believe that this disorder is a neuropsychatric illness with high mortality and morbidity. They proved at their preliminary study that Omega 3 was much better in performance for longer remissions, as based on the symptom severity which is on four scales. Studies are continuous in the hope of finding new classes of the psychotropic compounds, so that they can be utilised as mood stabilisers to help sufferers.

2. Herbal

Herbal supplements are preferred by many people as an alternative to taking prescribed drug medications due to their beliefs, or as a healthy option. Not all herbs are ideal for treating bipolar disorder, as some herbs can in fact worsen the condition in a patient. Taken with some drugs, herbal supplements can have a harmful reaction. You should always consult your doctor before taking herbal medication with any other drugs.

3. Diet and Nutrition

For treating depression, holistic doctors will suggest that you use B-Complex, Magnesium and Thiamin as part of your diet. Organise your menus every day and check that you have adjusted your diet accordingly, so that your body receives the necessary nutrients to regain your good health again.

4. Counseling with your Pastor

Whatever your religion, if you are suffering from Bipolar Disorder, it is a good idea to talk to your vicar, pastor, priest or rabbi, rather than to a therapist. During difficult times, your religious community can be a great help at comfort. Spirituality and prayers are recognised by the community, and also as part of your medication and psychotherapy sessions.

5. Art Therapy

Joining in expressive therapies are especially good for those who mostly stay at home. Art helps you to express yourself freely without any inhibitions. You may want to enroll in classes like Drawing, Watercolours, Oil Painting, Sculpting and many other Arts. Look around locally to see what classes are available in art or expressive therapies.

For those who enjoy movement, there is dance therapy. Your cognitive, emotional and physical well being is catered for as your feet move into action and lift your spirits.

How about sound or music therapy? Listening to soothing music can help anyone relax. The chemical in your body will react so that your blood pressure, improves along with your breathing and pulse rate; and even your posture will change.

6. Traditional Medicine

For emotional, physical and spiritual well being there are traditional medicines, some of which are culturally based. These include Acupuncture, Yoga, Reiki, Shiatsu, Ayurveda, Qigong which are all popular examples of Healing Arts, based on the belief that any imbalance in your body will cause illness.

By combining all these alternative therapies and medications a person with bipolar may be treated effectively, and bring their body back into balance by nature. You should always consult a doctor if you encounter any problems, and any prescribed medication should be continued with unless it is making you worse in which case, a doctor will change course. Your doctor will be able to advise you on alternative medicines.

Depression Test

You might be feeling depressed, but are you depressed enough to see a doctor about it? It's always difficult to tell if what we are experiencing is a normal level of sadness or true clinical depression that requires treatment.

About 30 years ago, researchers published a depression self-assessment in a medical journal called Applied Psychological Measurement. The scale presented in that article has been used by many doctors since to determine how depressed a patient is and to measure the effectiveness of treatment.

The following statements have been adapted from that scale. Read each of the descriptions below and think about how you've been feeling and behaving over the last two weeks. For each statement, try to decide if it's something that has been true almost every day, not true at all, or somewhere in between.

1. Have you had little interest or pleasure in doing things, even things that you used to enjoy doing before?

2. Have you been feeling depressed, down or hopeless?

3. Think about your sleeping patterns. Have you had difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep? Or have you been sleeping much more than usual?

4. What about your energy levels? Over the past two weeks, have you felt tired or felt like you had very little energy?

5. Have your eating habits changed at all? For example, have you had a poor appetite with little desire for food? Or have you been overeating?

6. During the past two weeks, how often have you felt bad about yourself? Have you felt like a failure, like you have let yourself or your family down in some way?

7. Any trouble concentrating? Do you have difficulty focusing on television or reading?

8. Have you begun speaking or moving very slowly, enough that people have noticed? Or have you become restless and fidgety, unable to stay still?

9. Have you entertained any thoughts of suicide or of hurting yourself?

If you have been experiencing several of the feelings or behaviors described above fairly often over the last two weeks, you may be experiencing depression. You should contact your doctor and talk about how you're feeling. Your doctor will probably repeat a similar assessment to the one above and may prescribe antidepressants. The quicker you begin treatment, the sooner these troubling symptoms will begin to disappear.

Menopause Anxiety Symptoms - How To Naturally Overcome Anxiety Caused By Menopause

Some anxiety symptoms caused by menopause could be manifested in various ways.

Sometimes you may feel that your body and mind don't belong to you anymore - that they've been taken over by some entity that you wish could be exorcised from you forever more.

Hormonal imbalances are causing this difficulty... and they can be controlled by restoring balance to your system.

Menopause anxiety symptoms can lead to depression if not dealt with. It's extremely important that you gain some insight into these anxiety symptoms, how they manifest themselves and what causes them.

Once you understand what's happening to you...you can make decisions about how to manage and treat them.

Anxiety is characterized as a psychological problem that keeps you worried, tense and nervous. Sometimes, it can affect your life to such a degree that you're no longer able to function. Anxiety can be persistent even when there's nothing going on in your life to provoke it. It could produce times of panic that feel like terror or a horrible dread of something that might happen.

Menopause anxiety symptoms could also manifest themselves into a social phobia that prevents you from socializing with others, not going to work or enjoying life as you have in the past. It's a state of mind that's difficult to shake off and could lead to depression or other disorders such as fatigue, shortness of breath and digestive problems.

Attempt to discover what the root cause of your anxiety problems is. For example, if hot flashes are causing anxiety because they're embarrassing and could happen at any time or place, tackle the problem with natural supplements that can help control that symptom.

Insomnia might be controlled by taking a natural supplement called Valerian.

Menopause anxiety symptoms have been greatly reduced by practicing relaxation techniques. Breathing exercises such as those taught in yoga classes can be extremely helpful.

Reducing stress by aerobic exercising can also be obliging when it comes to reducing your anxiety symptoms.

You're not alone in your concern for menopause anxiety symptoms that might be reducing your enjoyment of life. Online help sites and books are available to answer your questions and for you to research what might help in your specific case. There are even online chats where you can talk to other women who might be experiencing the same symptoms you are and together you can find something that helps.

If you're going through menopause, low estrogen levels are probably the reasons for your anxiety...Try going the natural way to reduce your anxiety symptoms by taking the path of natural supplements, exercise and a balanced diet. It will help your symptoms and your overall health.

Depression Treatments Australia

People in Australia, like any other place in the world battle with Depression. Depression treatments (in) Australia are the same as most other countries. There are some differences and they will be introduced. The treatments fall into about four categories. We will take a look at each category and the treatments in those categories.

Physical Treatments

Anti-depressant drugs are one treatment. In cases of depression that are of biological origin, the effectiveness of these drugs is variable.

Tranquilizers are not helpful in cases of minor depression and they are addictive. It has been noted that they may actually worsen depressive symptoms. They may be helpful in more serious cases of depression.

Electroconvulsive therapy is also known as shock treatments. Basically, a general anesthetic and a muscle relaxer are administered. Electrodes are placed on the head. Regular pulses are delivered. If it is done properly a seizure ensues. The patient only experiences mild movement in the hands and feet because of the muscle relaxer they were given. This stimulates the brain. The patient will awaken minutes after the procedure and remember none of the events surrounding it. They may be mentally confused. With prolonged treatment more seizures could develop as well as movement disorders.

Psychological Treatments

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy teaches you how wrong (negative) thinking is affecting you, your moods and your emotions. Negative thinking becomes a habit. It teaches you how to change over to positive thinking.

Psychotherapy is also called talk therapy and uses a number of approaches to treatment.
It is a series of approaches that helps you to look at your life including your childhood if necessary to recognized unresolved issues and possibly bring you to some resolution. Your relationships, your interactions with people and your core belief about yourself are all evaluated.

Self-help Therapy

One of Australia's self-help treatments struck me as very interesting because I am not sure this would be considered treating your depression elsewhere. It is Bibliotherapy.
Bibliotherapy is the reading of books and magazines on how to beat Depression and practicing the techniques on your own.

Herbal Treatments

Herbal treatments today are most commonly found in the form of supplements or in teas.
Centuries have proven that herbal treatment is effective and safe. It lacks the serious side effects most often associated with prescribed anti-depressants.

Herbs such as Chamomile can be brewed into teas. Chamomile is a light naturally sweet tea that works as a gentle sleep aid. Chamomile might also lift your mood and boost your metabolism.

The highest quality herbs will have had the following done:

The metabolic paths of each ingredient are tested at the molecular level.

The interactions of the ingredients are closely observed.

They will have been made to pharmaceutical standards.

This process assures you that the supplement is safe, potent, and effective.

It also tells you that you are getting exactly what you think you are getting.

Conclusion

Depression treatments (in) Australia are not unlike those elsewhere in the world. Credence is given to self-help techniques as a treatment of Depression. Psychotherapy, medication (anti-depressants) and herbal supplements are also treatment options. You and your physician together can come up with a treatment to meet your personal needs.

What Can a Therapist Do For Me? Three Ways a Therapist Can Help

A year ago,a 46-year-old slightly built man with piercing eyes sat across from me, and asked, "what can you do for me?" He had come from a severely abusive background, and he didn't trust easily. All he knew at that moment was the pain of betrayal. Today, he is feeling better both physically and emotionally; he has had to make difficult changes in his life. Did the therapy help? He would say, "yes."

Don't you wonder if a therapist can help you? What can talking to another person do to help me? Telling a stranger your inner most secrets may seem difficult to imagine given that you are probably being a fairly sane, well-functioning adult. Shouldn't you be strong enough to get yourself out of the funk you are in?

Jonathan, another client, had a wife who berated him for coming to therapy. She would tell him that if he were a "real man," he would be able to solve his own problems. He later identified her lack of support and understanding as one of his problems!

Clients have often told me that well-meaning loved ones recommend that they "just stop thinking so negatively," or "exercise more and you won't be so down." Basically this is the American motto of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" speech. While such a motivational speech might work for some situations, such as finding a new job, it doesn't help for someone who is experiencing clinical depression or anxiety. Most likely the person who hears this feels worse and like a failure.

Clinical depression and clinical anxiety require specialized treatment. And that is what a therapist can do. A therapist is not a "paid friend" who only listens and supports. And most friends require reciprocity. Therapists do not expect you to listen to their problems. Should you find yourself listening to your therapist's problems on a regular basis, change therapist!

A therapist receives years of special training so that he or she can do the following:

1. Asks the questions which lead to an accurate and objective assessment of the problem.. If there is a biological component to the problem, the therapist will recommend medication. Assessing the situation also includes determining the risk rate, i.e. harm to self or others. Those well-meaning others described above might not know that my client has considered suicide. While much rarer in my practice, my client might be thinking of harming someone else.

2. Guides the client through the maze of his or her past and present in a safe way so that maladaptive patterns can be identified and changed. Unless we are in an environment where we can become curious about why we think, feel and act the way we do, we can't identify those patterns that ultimately defeat us. In order to lower our guard, we have to know that we are heard, respected and understood. A therapist is trained to provide such an atmosphere so that the you can delve deeper into who you are. Facing those past pains and recognizing patterns of sabotage is difficult. We often prefer the pain of the known to the unknown, and the research from neurobiology supports this. We have well-worn pathways in our brain of the old maladaptive patterns. Changing involves discomfort and, at times, failure, before we can proceed to true change. Who wants to go through that? Having a guide who also supports and encourages the change during the rough times is often necessary. Talk therapy also has been shown to lead to that change as successfully as medication alone.

3. Facilitates change or improvement with special techniques that help the client gain clarity and awareness. Learning new behaviors, such as assertiveness, communication skills, or sleep hygiene, gives the client new tools to replace self-sabotaging ways. A psychologist, unlike social workers or marriage and family therapists, can use intelligence and personality testing to help decide what the least intrusive treatment. One person who was suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder as well as learning disabilities, needed the testing to confirm the diagnosis for herself and for the licensing board for her profession. She had failed the boards twice. When she asked for special considerations such as a reader for the test items, she passed the tests. Addressing these difficulties greatly enhanced that client's quality of life.

These are but three of the ways therapy can help you. I know that if you enter into a therapeutic relationship, you will discover others. Support and expert guidance is much preferable the pain of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Call a professional therapist today. You don't have to go it alone!

Overcoming Depression Using Natural Hyperthyroid Treatment Methods

If you have hyperthyroidism and suffer from depression, then you might benefit from natural hyperthyroid treatment methods. Although depression is more prevalent in people with hypothyroidism, people with hyperthyroidism and Graves' Disease can also become afflicted with this condition. A high percentage of these people will be told to take anti-depressant drugs by their medical doctor, which frequently is necessary to manage the symptoms. However, this is only a temporary solution, and the ultimate goal should be to eliminate the underlying cause of the problem.

When someone with hyperthyroidism presents with depression, most of the time their medical doctor will recommend for the person to take anti-depressant drugs. As I just mentioned, taking prescription drugs to manage the symptoms is important, but these drugs won't do anything for the actual cause of the condition. Sometimes taking antithyroid drugs will help to regulate the thyroid hormone levels, and can help with the symptoms of depression.

The Key Is To Cure The Cause Of Hyperthyroidism

When depression is due to hyperthyroidism, using prescription drugs to manage the symptoms may be necessary, but the goal should be to restore the person's health back to normal. And while most endocrinologists label hyperthyroidism and Graves' Disease as being incurable, many people with a hyperthyroid condition can have their health restored back to normal by following a natural hyperthyroid treatment protocol.

Such a protocol will usually involve changes in certain lifestyle factors, including eating better, getting sufficient sleep, doing a better job of managing your stress, as well as taking certain nutritional supplements and/or herbs. It's definitely not an easy protocol to follow, but if it will help eliminate your symptoms of depression, and at the same time allow you to avoid taking antithyroid drugs for a prolonged period of time, and/or receiving radioactive iodine, then it's usually well worth the commitment.

In order to determine whether or not you're a candidate for natural hyperthyroid treatment methods, I recommend consulting with a competent natural endocrine doctor. Such a doctor will not only look at your thyroid blood tests, but will most likely recommend additional tests as well to help determine the underlying cause of your hyperthyroid condition. Then if this doctor feels they can help you, they will recommend a natural treatment protocol to help restore your health back to normal.

Can Certain Nutritional Supplements And Herbs Help With Depression?

There are specific nutritional supplements and herbs which can help with depression. However, while they might be a more natural option when compared to prescription drugs, one needs to keep in mind that these too are usually temporary solutions. So while it might be fine to take certain supplements or herbs on a temporary basis to manage the symptoms, just remember the goal is to get to the underlying cause of the condition.

Also, not all of the supplements and herbs I'll be listing below are effective in helping with moderate and severe depression. If you have severe depression then it's probably best to consult with your medical doctor, and it might be a good idea to take the anti-depressants on a temporary basis until the natural treatment methods kick in (assuming this is the path you decide to take)

In any case here are a few supplements and herbs that can potentially help with depression:

• St. John's Wort. There is a good chance you're familiar with this herb, as many people take St. John's Wort to manage the symptoms of depression naturally. In most cases this herb won't be effective for severe cases of depression.

• 5-HTP. This is a precursor to serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter which can help combat depression. While this can be effective in managing the symptoms of depression, there have been questions regarding its safety.

• Tryptophan. Just as is the case with 5-HTP, some health experts also question the safety of Tryptophan. This can help manage the symptoms of depression by increasing the production of serotonin.

• GABA. This amino acid can help with depression by inducing a feeling of relaxation and calmness. It can also help with anxiety issues as well.

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids. A lot of people take omega 3 fatty acids these days, as they have a lot of health benefits, specifically for cardiovascular health. But fatty acids also are important with regards to proper brain function, and taking them along with other supplements or herbs may help to manage the symptoms of depression. On the other hand, taking omega 3 fatty acids alone probably won't do much to help with your symptoms.

In summary, many people with hyperthyroidism who are also suffering from depression can have their symptoms eliminated through a natural thyroid treatment protocol. While you might need to take prescription drugs on a temporary basis to manage your symptoms, the ultimate goal should be to restore your health back to normal, which is possible with many people who have hyperthyroidism and Graves' Disease.