Depression Quiz - Great Way to Help Determine If You Suffer From Depression

If you want to learn more about depression, or if you want to ascertain whether you are suffering from it, then you can use a depression quiz.  It helps us to ascertain whether we are suffering from this disease in the first place or not, and once the fact has been established, and it is found that depression is present, then the depression quiz also helps us ascertain the exact type and symptoms experienced.

Depression Quiz does not help to gauge the depth of the disease that a person may be experiencing. However, it is very helpful for diagnosis also for judging the state of mind of the person. If you show your doctor the result of the quiz, he/she will be able to know the present state of your mind, assess the disease's depth and prescribe the measures needed to combat it. Therefore, a depression quiz serves more as an awareness generation tool, which helps you familiarize yourself with the most important facts and some of the main symptoms of this disease.

Depression Quiz is a somewhat like a set of questionnaires. The answer to the questions gives you an idea whether you are suffering from mild, severe, acute or chronic depression. In fact, you can even assess whether you are actually suffering from the disease, by undertaking this kind of quiz. You can use a checklist of the disease's symptoms and put a 'tick' mark across the specific symptom which you experience or simply say "Yes" to the question you feel rightly explains the way you feel. If you have answered 'YES' to at least three of the questions then you may be suffering from acute depression.

Though elderly people and women are more susceptible, this disease can affect any one. Teenage depression is very common in present world. Signs of teenage depression include -

• Loss of interest in day to day activities


• Poor concentration with school work as well as with other things


• Changes in the eating and sleeping habits


• Irritability, anger, restlessness and hostility


• Withdrawing from society


• Thoughts of death or suicide

Usually, the depressed feelings get washed away as the relevance or magnitude of the problem which triggered the disease fades away. But if it persists for more than four weeks it may be an indication of clinical depression and may call for medical intervention.

Signs of clinical depression include:

• Feeling tired and fatigued


• Unable to cope with life anymore


• Insomnia


• Social phobia


• Constantly feeling irritable


• Loose perspective; not realizing that what one is experiencing is abnormal


• Thoughts of suicide and often feeling that death is the only solution for freedom from the shackles of life

If a person feels he/ she is suffering from this disease, then he/she can take a depression quiz. The result of the quiz should not be taken as a diagnosis, it actually pin points the state of our mind or mood. If you feel that you or your loved ones are suffering from this disease do not hesitate to take this quiz and show the results to your doctor.

By keeping this information in mind, you can begin to see why a depression quiz can be so helpful in getting a proper diagnosis. Just by doing a little more research, you should have a greater understanding of this disease and also give you a little more peace of mind.

Effects of Alcohol on Mood Disorders

People affected by mood disorders or depression often rely on drugs or alcohol instead of seeking treatment. While they may not know they have a treatable condition, they will use stimulants and other substances to change the way they are feeling. This often causes even more problems when the effects of the alcohol or drugs wear off, prompting bouts of depression.

Alcohol

When people affected by mood disorders, such as manic depression, feel sad or out of control, drinking alcohol is one method of changing the way they feel. This can numb feelings of sadness or make body aches and pains associated with the mental health condition. Once the effects wear off, however, the person is usually left with a hangover. Physical effects include nausea, headache and dehydration, making them feel worse than before. In order to feel better, this may become a habit and then a cycle.

Drugs

Rather than using alcohol, some people experiencing mood swings or bouts of depression may turn to recreational or prescription drugs to help make themselves feel better.

One popular drug of choice is cocaine. When used, this stimulates the brain, giving the user a euphoric feeling. After the effects wear off, however, the user feels more depressed. In order to alleviate the feelings of sadness or boredom, the brain is fed more stimulant, cocaine. The more it is used, the more it is needed to combat the moodiness and feelings occurring when the individual is not under the influence of a stimulant.

This can also happen with certain prescription drugs when the patient is not monitored or obtains the medications from people with a valid prescription with or without their consent. This can spiral into a more serious condition.

Dual Diagnosis

Alcohol or drug dependency coupled with mood or behavioral disorders is referred to as a dual diagnosis. They must be treated simultaneously to help the patient to overcome the feelings and symptoms associated with both. Otherwise, they will likely teeter-totter back and forth between the two problems with neither being controlled or relieved for any length of time.

This problem is often misdiagno0sed as another condition when the patient is dishonest with the health care provider about use of substances. Certain recreational drugs with very strong effects on the user can be misunderstood as symptoms of other mood or behavioral disorders. Schizophrenia, for example, includes hallucinations in its list of symptoms. Unknown use of hallucinogenic drugs, such as certain types of mushrooms, may lead to a wrong diagnosis. The hallucinations would likely cease when the person stops using the drugs.

When the two problems are treated together, the patient will likely improve when the use of conflicting drugs and alcohol stops. Psychotherapy and prescription medication may be given to help the patient. This often includes an in-house treatment program at a mental health facility that specializes in dual diagnosis.

Cognitive What? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Cure Your Anxiety Condition!

There is a permanent cure for the wide range of anxiety conditions, including panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and phobias. According to the National Institute For Mental Health (NIMH), anxiety disorders plague 40 million American adults ages 18 and older. As we mull over significance of that staggering number, let's have a look at the recommended method of treatment, one that's provided recovery for hundreds of thousands of sufferers.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is actually a merging of two distinct therapies, both of which trace their roots back to the 1950s and 1960s-- and their acceptance by the medical establishment to the 1970s and 1980s.

Cognitive therapy was developed during the 1960s by American psychiatrist Aaron T. Beck. Beck originally applied his approach to matters of depression, then expanded his practice to include anxiety disorders. How it is that people interpret their daily lives and assign meaning is a process called cognition. Beck, disillusioned with traditional psychotherapeutic delving in to the subconscious, concluded that cognition, what his patients perceived, was the key to effective therapy that would lead to reliable recovery.

When developing his therapy, Beck first observed that depressed people adopt a negative perception of the world during formative years-- based on the loss of a loved one, peer rejection, criticism by authority figures, depressed attitudes present in significant others, plus a host of random negative events. Most often, this negative perception is fed and nurtured by a biased, emotional view of the world-- for example, all-or-nothing thinking, over-generalization, and selective perceptions that exclude vital, meaningful information. Cognitive therapy postulates that distortions in a person's perspectives grow into disorders. It is the job of a cognitive therapist to point out these distortions and encourage change in a sufferer's attitude.

Behavior therapy made its debut back in 1953, in the United States, in a research project headed by B.F. Skinner. In South Africa, Joseph Wolpe and his research group is credited with pioneering work. In the United Kingdom, Hans Eysenck contributed to the development of this type of therapy.

Behavior therapy relies primarily on functional analysis. Behavioral therapists has successfully been used as a treatment for intimacy problems, chronic pain, stress, anorexia, chronic distress, substance abuse, clinical depression and anxiety.

Behavior therapy is data-driven and contextual, concentrating on the environment and its context. Primarily, behavior therapy is concerned with the effect or consequence of a behavior, Behavior is viewed as statistically predictable, A person is treated as a whole, without the distractions of a mind versus body approach, but relationships, bidirectional interactions, are well taken into account.

Originally, anxiety conditions were viewed as byproducts of chemical imbalances and/or genetic predispositions. As these notions were abandoned, learned behaviors were credited as the source of most anxiety conditions. Hope for a permanent cure emerged, and, in the 1990s, cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy merged into cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The common ground for these two therapies is emphasis on the "here and and now" by focusing on alleviating symptoms and replacing harmful, self-destructive behavior with beneficial beliefs and attitudes.

In the United Kingdom, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommends CBT as preferred treatment for mental health difficulties such as OCD, post-traumatic stress disorder, bulimia, clinical depression, and even for the neurological condition chronic fatigue syndrome. In the United States, in spite of our obsession with pharmaceutical solutions, CBT has received acceptance within the medical establishment. Skilled, results-driven help is available for sufferers who seek it.

There you have it. The cat is out of the bag. Prescription medications? Not needed. A permanent cure for anxiety conditions? Within your grasp!

If you suffer from anxiety in any of its horrific manifestations, truly the best and most qualified person that you know is waiting for you to seek professional assistance by way of a licensed cognitive behavioral therapist. That person, always on your side, always to the rescue when you need it most, is you!

Retirement - What to Write on Retirement Card

Retirement - this is a time to pursue dreams by exploring new dimensions of life. This is again the time for some people to get mentally paralyzed with loads to stress and stressful thoughts about how life's going to be the next phase. Whatever way does retirement come in to one's life, it's true that he or she deserves the best and the choicest wishes, as the person is going to get a transition into an entirely new phase of life. The most meaningful and aesthetic of all are those retirement wishes, where you use some really thoughtful words of inspiration and encouragement. Wish the person a life flooded by the waves of happiness and cool splashes of peace - a healthy life, both mentally and physically.

The evidences of the unfulfilled seniors have been observed to be more prone to health problems followed by severe mental depression - usually compounded as time passed by. A good wish with a thoughtful message works like panacea. What to write on a retirement card is the most talked about topic of debate, when it comes to retirement wishes. Here are some points that works like magic:

Write something that comes from your within - from the core of your heart. Your retirement wishes wordings must make the person feel his energy soared higher and spirits lifted to a great height.

Your retirement wishes wordings should give your wish fervor of inspiration and encouragement to flag on a new voyage in the next phase of life. Your wordings should be such that could sprinkle the grains of inspiration on the retired person to gear up a new journey of life even at the age of 60s.

If you are a co-worker of the person who's retiring from his or her job, it would be really appreciable if your wordings can reflect the memories of the past moments that you spent with him or her in the canteen and conference room.

Retirement quotations and thoughtful sayings on retirement can give your speeches and wishes a special dimension. A beautiful retirement quotes can make your remarks come to bloom and set a distinctive tone for your message that can bring one of life's most significant changes.

Here are some of the really awesome quotes that you can start off your remarks with:

"It has become clear to most of us that we don't want "our father's retirement"; the only thing that needs to be retired is old ideas about retirement.
Our greatest fear and insecurity for our later years should not be about the Social Security system or about being broke but rather about being without purpose and meaningful work." - Mitch Anthony, author of The New Retire mentality

"Age is only a number, a cipher for the records. A man can't retire his experience. He must use it. Experience achieves more with less energy and time." - Bernard Baruch, financier, statesman.

"When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not; but my faculties are decaying now and soon I shall be so that I cannot remember any but the things that never happened." - Mark Twain, author.

Sexual & Cyber Bullying on Oprah - How Kids Can Fight Bullies, Depression & Suicide

Success secrets for kids to be victorious over sexual & cyber bullying. Tips for kids to fight bullies, depression, suicide and a poor self-image. Oprah's national conversation on sexual & cyber bullying confronts bullies and empowers kids. Parents awake to signs of depression in your children before they commit suicide. Release your kids to fight their social battles and not break under cruel name calling and sexual slurs. Beat sexual & cyber bullying before it beats your family.

I recently saw a segment on cyber bullying on Oprah discussing how three young boys were devastated and brought to depression as a result of bullying occurring at school.

Sexual slurs and cyber bullying was involved in one of the three cases, where a guy and young lady posed as if there was a romantic interest in the young man who was being teased and accused of being gay. The young boy was certainly not gay.

Although he wasn't the greatest student or athlete, he wasn't gay. But these slurs and the cyber bullying further crushed him emotionally to the point he hated school and never wanted to go back.

Eventually unable to cope and take it, sadly the young boy committed suicide. It's unfortunate he did not confide in and speak to his loving parents, but I guess there was embarrassment in even the accusation of being gay itself.

Schools often intervene very little in sexual bullying. Cyber bullying is even less regulated as it occurs online. The young lady posed to like the boy, but later met him face to face calling him a "loser" and expressed her disinterest in him. Very cruel and hurtful indeed.

Here are some secrets for kids to use to be victorious over sexual & cyber bullying.

1. Be secure in yourself no matter what anybody else says.

2. Speak up for yourself and don't silence your voice.

3. Tell the principal and every administrator in your school along with teachers until you find a sympathetic soul who will listen and take immediate action.

4. Get some sarcastic one liners to say back to the bully at the appropriate time when other kids are around to embarrass him or her as they have you.

5. Phone the bully's house around 8:30pm or later to speak to his / her parents and tell them of the abuse occurring against you. Forewarn the parents that unless they take immediate action, you will be going to the principal, police and hiring an attorney. (The last one usually comes with economic restitution and punitive damages the parents of the bully would have to pay financially for not intervening and dealing with their child.)

6. Write the facts and truth about the bully online yourself, which is a great way to be heard and shame the bully.

7. Take martial arts classes and prepare to defend yourself if a physical altercation occurs.

Be strong, be wise, and never despise yourself. The next time the bully picks on you, stand up to him / her and be victorious!

The Emotional Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

Most MS patients recognize the symptoms of MS within a few months of their diagnosis. The emotional effects are not visible externally, so may be overlooked by the families or carers of MS patients and even by the patients themselves. Despite the fact that it has the same physical cause, the effect of MS on the way somebody thinks is different to other symptoms. If the messages passing from the brain to the rest of the body via the central nervous system are distorted by MS it is hardly surprising the actual way the brain works is affected as well.

Therefore the tricks multiple sclerosis plays on the internal messaging systems of the central nervous system can take MS patients by surprise.

These mental effects can include:

Euphoria, which means an "exaggerated and unrealistic state of happiness", is a fairly common emotional symptom. It may not sound too bad, but it can be a problem if it means uncontrollable giggling when nothing funny has happened. Like being drunk, euphoria is quite fun at the time, but is frustrating for outsiders who can see perfectly well there is no joke and is potentially disastrous when talking to employers or people in authority.

Depression is at least as bad for people with MS as for people who are otherwise healthy, although it is impossible to tell how far the bad news about having MS is a cause in itself. Is it cause or is it an effect? Perhaps MS depression is both a cause and effect. In any case, depression amongst MS sufferers is well above the average for the population as a whole.

Irrational mood swings are a feature of MS that combines both euphoria and depression. The families of people with MS are often baffled by the sudden and unpredictable lurches from highs to lows.

Some researchers claim that more abstract concepts such as spacial awareness can become difficult for multiple sclerosis patients.

Clearer examples of thought problems are memory lapses, which can look like lazy thinking, carelessness, or just plain rudeness. MS patients are sometimes embarrassed to find they have forgotten the names of people they know very well.

Certainly MS patients can find it difficult to articulate ideas, especially in a group setting. Speech is at the complex crossover between the mental and the physical working of the brain, so it is inevitable that the MS patient has to learn to manage the way he or she talks, especially when feeling the effects of one of the emotional symptoms of euphoria, depression, or is undergoing irrational mood swings.

Clinical Depression - Which Treatment Shall I Go For

Are you sick of life?

Has your desire to live come to an end?

If yes, then my friend you need to get rid of it right now. The only thing you need to know is how to get rid of it. Bur before that I will tell you what is Clinical Depression and its treatments available.

Depression is the state of mind in which you start feeling inferior, helpless with no desire to live. You get the feeling of hopelessness, fear and anxiety all the time. This can prove fatal sometimes as it leads to suicidal tendencies in your mind.

Depression is curable in most of the cases. But it gets chronic, if not cured within six months and is called Clinical Depression.

But do not worry, still it can be cured. So, here are the treatments available to cure Clinical Depression:

Treatments

1. Prescription medications and psychotherapy This therapy is also known as Talking Therapy. In this treatment, your childhood is fully explored to discover what is affecting your life including your relationships, feelings/emotions and your over-all thinking pattern. This makes you positive. Psychotherapy might be very effective in mild cases but is used along with other antidepressants.

2. Electro-Convulsive therapy (ECT) In this treatment, electric current is passed through the brain to produce controlled convulsions where each convulsion lasts for 20 to 90 seconds. The patient gets awake within 10 minutes. With time, this technique has improved a lot into a painless procedure. This has a very common side-effect of short-term memory loss which resolves quickly.

3. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation In this treatment, an electrically charged magnetic coil is passed over your scalp. Then currents passing through skull activate the nerve cells in brain. Still considered experimental but this treatment is expected to treat other brain disorders very effectively.

4. Natural therapies Yoga and Meditation relieve you easily from the pain of Clinical Depression. 30-minute Yoga every morning with a clean stomach can set you free from this depression.

5. Acupuncture, Acupressure, Reflexology and Aroma Therapy These are the other therapies that bring a lot of relief in several cases.

6. Herbal Supplements These supplements are a mixture of an extract from mood-enhancer herbs and other nutritional substances for certain benefits. These are absolutely safe and effective. But do not take them with any other prescribed drugs as this reduces their effectiveness.

7. Natural Remedies Natural remedies provide great relief by treating the damage caused to the brain functioning of the Clinical Depression sufferer.

8. Anti-Depressants Anti-depressants may damage your over-all health by reducing your sex drive, causing dry mouth, nausea, at the worst suicidal thinking and/or attempts.

Conclusion

Its really hard to judge who can and who cannot become a victim to this horrible disorder. Anybody and Everybody can face it anytime. But yes, some people do have the tendency to suffer from such a mental disorder as compared to the others, such as the socially isolated, introverts by nature, the long term sick and disabled, single parents, the unemployed and the rejected ones by the society or by the loved ones.

A recent research shows that nutritional deficiencies in brain and nervous system could cause the malfunctioning of neurotransmitters and in cognitive impairment in brain. In such a situation, seek advice from an expert if it starts disturbing your daily life.

Get your clinical depression cured as soon as you notice its symptoms. If left untreated, depression can get worse, and may lead you to put an end to your own life.

And there is not much to be worried about as nothing is there in this world that cannot be cured.

Always Feel Depressed - 3 Reasons Why You're Depressed

Do you get that feeling that you are always depressed yet you don't know why? This article will touch on 3 reasons why you're depressed. Depression can be a state of mind for most people, yet they do not realize that depression can also be a physical or a nutritional imbalance. Granted a hectic lifestyle filled with stress and strife can indeed trigger depression, but so can a prolonged physical illness and so does a lack of proper nutrients in one's body.

As stated above there are three reasons to explain why you feel depressed they are as follows:

Number 1: Overgrowth of Candida

This particular problem is considered a fungal infection which can cause a high level of toxins in the body; this creates a problem as it can trigger depression and anxiety within a person. Unfortunately this type of infection is overlooked when diagnosing a reason for a person developing depression. By eliminating the fungal infection, or candida in one's body a person can restore health and vitality to their lives; seeing a difference within a week's time.

Number 2: Deficit of Dietary Nutrients

A deficit of the proper nutrients in one's diet can trigger depression in a person, this can include both mineral and vitamin deficiencies. When a person's body lacks the proper balance of vitamins and minerals their natural immune system begins to lower opening the door for other possible health issues; this can happen when there is not enough of these nutrients in someone's daily eating habits or when their bodies are not properly absorbing them from the foods they eat. By increasing the amount of minerals and vitamins one ingests during the day, they should begin to feel and see changes in their overall health.

Number 3: Imbalance in Hormones

An imbalance of the hormones in one's body can lead to depression and other possible health issues; this imbalance can be triggered by a number of different things, such as traumatic injuries that have not healed properly, prolonged or chronic illnesses, an increase in daily stress levels, and poor eating habits without regular exercise. When this imbalance happens the adrenal glands, such as thyroid, tends to get off balanced creating a decrease in adrenaline and cortisol production creating a sluggish and tired feeling.

When it comes to depression, these 3 reasons need to be considered along with the advice of a medical professional; depression is a serious illness that should not be taken lightly and should be monitored at all times. The best way to rule out the above mentioned three reasons is to adopt a better and more nutritious and healthy eating habit and to add in a daily routine of exercises. Once these three causes are eliminated from the body, a person will begin to feel better and have more energy to cruise throughout their daily lives.

Understand the Symptoms of the Most Common Hormonal Imbalances

Many couples or individuals fight one another, because there is a common misperception that any disagreement is often caused by some form of hormonal problem. Most individuals simply dismiss it as a mood change or a form of agitation, yet when real hormonal imbalance is present it can cause many side effects which are incredibly uncomfortable for both men and women. When most individuals look at the symptoms of hormonal imbalance, there is a general misunderstanding of hormones and how they impact your body and state of mind.

When it comes to hormonal imbalances it is important you take the time to identify the specific hormones which may be impacting you so you can take advantage of opportunities like bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. When it comes to hormonal imbalances in women, the most common culprits can be found with estrogen, progesterone and androgens. The following identifies the common symptoms of each of these imbalances to help educate the public -

Estrogen

High Levels: Experiencing higher levels of estrogen are often a very common ailment of hormonal imbalance experienced by women over the age of 35. You are experiencing the condition known as estrogen dominance, which common symptoms can be found with PMS, migraines, cramps, depression, unexpected weight gain, low sex drive and mood swings.

Low Levels: The symptoms related to low levels of estrogen production are most often associated with women who are currently experiencing menopause. With this form of hormonal imbalance you will discover that mood is significantly impacted as well as symptoms including fatigue, hot flashes, memory lapses, joint pain and arthritis. Many women have found opportunities like bioidentical hormone replacement therapy have significantly impacted their imbalances to help relieve these symptoms.

Progesterone

High Levels: This hormone is produced by the ovaries and women utilizing birth control pills or taking advantage of menopausal hormone replacement therapy experience symptoms of this hormonal imbalance. The symptoms include breast tenderness, feeling bloated, mood swings, and dizziness.

Low Levels: On many occasions finding low levels of progesterone is a result of having higher estrogen levels and can produce negative symptoms including infertility, depression, thyroid dysfunction, waking, low blood sugar and water retention.

Androgens

High Levels: Androgens are utilized to help produce estrogen and when treated, they can come with many serious health consequences that will influence organs. Without treatment high levels can cause insulin resistance, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Seeking resources like bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can address this life-threatening hormonal imbalance.

Low Levels: Lower levels of androgens can also cause complications and have been linked to bone loss with symptoms including a reduced sense of well-being, vaginal dryness, fatigue, and a low libido.

Each of these imbalances has negative side effects which can significantly impact a person's quality of life.

You May Talk Too Much

During the past month, I've had several queries about personal information, as in, how much should be revealed within the confines of the workplace?

Consider this-you are the parent of a driving teenager, a challenge that post teen parents will empathize with you on. Your son has been practicing his independence with the car, his responsibilities on the home front, and in general, he's being a royal twit. You aren't getting enough sleep-you are worried; you've even had a call from the police that your former pride and joy has recently been picked up for drag racing during rush hour; and your neighbors are grumbling about the level of noise generated from his side of the house with windows wide open. You aren't a happy camper, and for that matter, either are your son and the rest of the family.

What do you do? Bite your tongue, ground the kid until voting age . . . and share your exacerbation with coworkers? Is there a difference in what men say in the workplace than what women say to each other? You bet, and for women, it can ruin a career. For years, men have been dinged for not sharing personal information about themselves, their families, and their fill-in-the-blank. Women rarely feel hesitant to share and confide personal fears, concerns, hopes and aspirations to . . . anyone and at anytime!

Most likely, if you are a male, you will most likely not say anything at work about the latest escapades of your son. If you have an after-work activity-sports or a workout-you might, and I say might, confide in your partner that your son is acting out and raising hell at home. You may issue ultimatums to him, but creating a running banner with your colleagues and friends is unlikely.

The Big Deal
Now, let's switch genders. Women enjoy talking about their kids-the good and the bad. It's being part of the club of womanhood/motherhood. If you are a female, everyone at work will know the intimate details of what he's done this time. You may even lace your commentary with a few, "I don't know how these parents of teenagers make it through . . . I'm at my wits end from non-sleep and counter-fighting all the time. Joining the military is beginning to sound good to me." And, as others nod their heads in agreement, you may be thinking, so what . . . what's the big deal if I share what goes on at my house?

The big deal is that the word spreads. Let's say you are being considered for a major promotion-something that has been a true career goal for you. You are on the short list and know that a decision will be made within the next two weeks. You are also willing to admit that your primarily competitor for the position is as equally talented as you are. You want this position, but deep down, know that if either of you gets it, the company will be in good shape.

The big day comes and the position does not have your name attached to it. In fact, the office grapevine questions whether you will be able to make it through the teen years; that the last thing that you need is another responsibility added to your shoulders. After all, you did say that you were at your wits end and that you didn't know how parents got through these years didn't you?

Personal Strategies
It's a smart career move to have some rules about what you share and what you don't share in your workplace. Start with:

o Personal Problems-we all have them, some to a greater degree than others. Unless it's a major health issue or something that directly impacts your work, it's best to strongly filter what you bring into the workplace and divulge to and with others.

o Previous Mistakes-everyone makes mistakes-mini ones and major ones. If it's behind you, it's in the past. What did you learn, what can you use, and do you really need to tell the workplace world that you created a major disaster for an employer three jobs ago?

o Money Issues-the economy is tough for many right now with the cutbacks and shutdowns. But, is this the time to grumble and complain about the level of Holiday debt you created or how the car payment is pushing you toward bankruptcy. If money really is a problem, contact a group such as Consumer Credit Counseling Service for help in getting back on track.

o Personal Confidences-if someone tells you something in confidence, it's supposed to be retain in confidence-at least, that's the usually assumption that women carry. It is so easy to share information casually-women routinely connect with others this way, men don't. A word to the wise-if you don't want it repeated, don't say it.

So, I'm with the guys-don't be so open to everyone, everything. There is a time and place for divulging personal information. Across the water cooler, in the cafeteria or just in general chatter is usually not the appropriate playground.

Myxedema Madness: When Being Crazy Isn't in Your Head, But in Your Thyroid

Your husband watches in dismay as the men in the white coats chase you about the living room. Finally, with skill befitting a giant botanist, an attendant captures you in a large net and wrestles you to the ground. The second adds his expertise to the effort, his three-hundred-fifty-pound bulk, by sitting squarely atop your skull. You now consider your rage over the fallen flapjack to have been somewhat of an overreaction.

With the straightjacket chaffing at your neck, you call to your husband for help. Though his hesitation is brief, you see the fear in his eyes. He thinks you've lost your mind. You begin to tear up but, in a flash, you see that fatally wounded flapjack laying helplessly on the kitchen floor and the nightmarish rage overtakes you once again. Feeling it all slip away as they carry you to the ambulance, you make one last desperate effort to escape the beds at Bellevue. Looking over your shoulder you spot your husband, take deep breath and shout, "It's not my fault - it's my thyroid!"

Your thyroid? Yes indeed - a condition known as Myxedema Madness mimics many psychiatric conditions.

Myxedema, the medical term for hypothyroidism, is most commonly recognized by well-known physical symptoms: weight gain, puffiness about the face, dry skin, fatigue and a general slowing of the metabolism. However, the emotional signs and symptoms are quite often overlooked. Or, even more disturbingly, are attributed to non-existent mental health and psychiatric conditions.

Myxedema Madness is a catchall phrase, coined by Dr. Richard Asher in 1940, that encompasses a broad swath of emotions ranging from minor anxieties, doubts and worries to full-blown panic attacks and classic psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia. Myxedema Madness typically manifests as a simple bout of depression and is often treated as such, with antidepressants and advice to, "Slow down - take it easy for a bit." Unfortunately, neither the pills nor the pontification strike at the root of the issue.

If let untreated, Myxedema Madness can quickly devolve into a deadly serious condition. Minor anxieties may give way to major psychoses, delusions, hallucinations and paranoia. An otherwise affable person may snap at the slightest annoyance, exhibiting a degree of rage previously unseen. The patient may be diagnosed as schizophrenic, psychotic or manic-depressive.

The risk of misdiagnosis is increased because hypothyroidism inordinately impacts women - particularly women over the age of forty. As a result, the emotional difficulties are often attributed to the "natural" process of aging, possibly due to the empty-nest syndrome, the onset of menopause or other adjustments and changes in life. The elderly, especially those already living in a group home setting, face a doubly difficult task in receiving both the proper diagnosis and treatment for this condition.

That's the bad news. The good news is that diagnosis is actually quite straightforward. A simple blood test is all that's needed to identify a thyroid problem. The best news? When properly treated with a daily thyroid hormone you'll be your old self in no time flat. No more outbursts, no more voices and no more men in white coats. Which, unfortunately, means no more shouting, "It's not my fault - it's my thyroid!"

Yes... modern medicine is a double-edged sword indeed.

Test For Low Thyroid - The Body Temperature Low Thyroid Test

You may need to test for low thyroid hormone production if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms associated with hypothyroidism:

• Weight gain


• Steady reduction in weight and loss of appetite


• Tiredness that results in longer hours of sleep and waking as tired as when you went to bed


• Chronic fatigue and feelings of lethargy


• Feeling weak


• Change of toilet routine leading to constipation


• Shortness of breath without exercise or exertion


• Sudden bouts of depression


• Irritable and short tempered


• Poor memory retention, forgetfulness and lack of concentration


• Feeling cold at all times coupled with low body temperature


• Dry coarse hair, dry skin and possible hair loss


• Aching muscles and/or painful joints


• Headaches


• Fall off of libido


• Raised levels of cholesterol or triglycerides


• Heavy periods


• Difficulty in becoming pregnant

If you are looking for conformation of a possible thyroid disorder, why not try the D.I.Y Barnes thyroid temperature. This type of test for low thyroid was the only means doctors had of diagnosing a patients condition prior to the advent of blood tests. It may prove to be a reasonably priced, accurate first step to getting to the bottom of your own symptoms. Once you have determined if your symptoms are indeed hypothyroidism, you can decide on any future course of action, which could mean further tests either at home or in a clinic.

So just how do you test for low thyroid using the Barnes basal temperature low thyroid tests?

Keep a thermometer, preferably a digital thermometer if you own one, close at hand when you go to bed at night.

When you wake, place the thermometer in the pit of your arm for a period of five minutes. Make sure not to move around too much as movement can increase your core body temperature.

For five days repeat this test and record the temperature readings. For women pre-menopause, special consideration needs to be given during ovulation as this too will increase the body temperature. It is recommended that women who still have a menstrual period begin the test on or after the third day of their cycle.

At the end of the test for low thyroid, calculate the average temperature (add all the readings together and divide the total by the number of results taken) and if the resulting average temperature is 36.4 or below then a low thyroid function may be indicated. Further checks and a visit to your physician is recommended but thanks to this low thyroid check you have given yourself a better chance of overcoming any thyroid disorder.

Managing Depression Naturally and Safely

Managing depression may seem like one of the hardest things you have ever tried to do. Getting rid of those dreadful symptoms can be draining and very time-consuming, especially if you aren't going about it properly. Each and every moment that a person suffers with depression is another moment they will never get back. Spending all of your time trying to fight your symptoms only to get knocked back down by another ineffective treatment simply isn't living.

You can work on managing depression by trying natural remedies, because they definitely help. What they do is to help increase serotonin levels without offering your body any harmful side effects. It is highly likely that you are going to need to take some type of remedy to help aide in getting rid of your symptoms. Medication isn't going to work because it's not natural and provokes a negative chemical reaction inside of the body leading to side effects.

There are so many other ways to manage depression besides popping pills. You could start a daily exercise regimen and change your diet. You might also want to start meditating each day to help you clear your mind of negative thoughts. Your symptoms will lesson as you begin taking more time out for yourself. It is all about a simple change in lifestyle.

As for natural remedies, it is highly advised that you take some time to perform some research before selecting the one that you feel may be right for you. You don't want to waste anymore time than what you already have. Available for the treatment of depression are natural remedies such as St. John's Wort, 5-HTP, Passion Flower, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e, folic acid, magnesium, vitamin B-6, and skullcap.

The good news is that each of these remedies have been proven safe for managing depression, but like everything else, you are bound to have a preference. One of them may work better for you than the other, so make sure to take some time to read about the benefits of each remedy. You might want to compare the benefits to prescription medication as well just so you know that there is no competition when it comes to managing depression.

You are very unlikely to find that someone has died from using natural remedies properly. However, it is a common occurrence to hear of death by prescription medication - something that the world believes to be safer than natural remedies. When you look at the proof, you are not so sure anymore, that is because natural remedies are safe and actually work to do what they say they will.

If you are suffering from depression now, the chances of developing other mental disorders are very high. Spurring off from depression are other disorders including anxiety and bipolar disorder. The longer you have been depressed, the worse you are going to feel. Your life as you know it is literally passing you by. There is not much time to sit and wait to get better.

Managing depression won't take as much work as you think. Right now, it may seem like just getting out of bed is difficult enough, but remember, that is just your depression feeding you lies. Out of all of the natural ways to manage depression, have faith that you will find your way. It is best to do something now that involves healing naturally while you still have the chance before other disorders set in and everything becomes worse.

The Wisdom Within Depression: A Spiritual View

If it can be said that there is wisdom to be gained through hardship or suffering that we would not freely choose, then it can also be said that there is deep learning and truth to be gained through the experience of depression in all its many forms . As with all experiences that are painful and that create limitation, the deeper self or soul can bring out of this, something valuable for the heart and for the spirit. Though this may not immediately be apparent to the self in the midst of pain, grief, or sorrow, what has limitation on the one side, offers the possibility for learning and for greater life on the other.

This paradox is hard for the human self to grasp, because the human response to suffering is to want it to end, and the human heart cannot help but believe that what feels bad - what deprives it of joy, love, meaning, hope, and energy - cannot be the source of something good. However, the perceptions of the soul and the choices that the soul makes during a time of pain or limitation are invisible, and everything depends upon the choices that are made.

For example, it is possible, as a result of feeling disconnected from joy or meaning in life, to begin to seek that joy with a fuller heart, to value life more, to hope for the possibility of experiencing one clear and pure sunlit day without the cloud of sorrow on the mind or in the heart. It is possible in the presence of aloneness or isolation to feel the heart longing more for love and connection. And it is possible to feel, in the presence of the wish to die, an even greater wish to live. These are the choices of the soul. In fact, they are more 'orientations' than choices and they turn the inner self in the direction of pursuing the fulfillment that is needed and toward new possibilities for growth. In this sense, though depression may be a 'dark night of the soul' which we would not choose and in which it may appear that every light has gone out, the soul, within its own domain, continues to support the seeking of that light and continues to radiate light toward the self that suffers and struggles. For this reason, it would be well to look at all forms of depression as a spiritual crisis in its underpinnings, for although no positive movement may be visible on the mental or emotional levels, on the level of spirit and soul a question is being asked and a question is being answered all of the time, namely, 'what is this life about, what is its value, and what am I doing in it'?

Whether flooded with feelings, or numb and experiencing merely a sense of deadness, on the level of the soul a groping movement is taking place during this dark and painful night - a search for a way toward the light that is, for the moment, invisible. In the blackness, there is a sharpening of vision as one seeks the promise of the light, and pursues the elusive hope of an end to darkness. Even on the conscious level, where everything may feel quite bleak, there is often a reaching out toward that which may have seemed impossibly far away before, namely, to the awareness, however tentative, of our Divine and holy self, the center of our spiritual being.

For those for whom the higher self or soul remains a hypothesis rather than a reality, this type of understanding may seem invented. However, this, too, is a choice that the inner self must make - whether to adhere to a perspective which emphasizes indifference, loss, randomness, deprivation, and lack in life, or to believe that at all times there is a purpose behind the manifestation of what life brings to us, and that this purpose, when found, can become the springboard to a new and more vital sense of ourselves and of life.

7 Things to Do to Be Happy

There are possibly seven things humans could do to become happy. These seven things are listed below with explanations in detail.

1. Sex
2. Smile (e.g. in worries)
3. Listen (e.g. music, others around)
4. Observe and Forget about Making Money
5. Believe in Yourself (e.g. also in supreme power, beauty of nature)
6. Respect (e.g. women or male)
7. Be like a child.

1. Sex

Sex gives pleasure. Most often, it's the human mind among male counterparts that think about sex. Especially, when in loneliness or aloneness. Medical experts believe that sexual exercise will burn calories to produce health benefits. The more you make love, the better for your health.

2. Smile

Smile is motivating cause for happiness which could be shown voluntarily or involuntary. We may have difference in culture, political system, life styles, country, religion and land but one thing remains same, "smile." Smile especially in worries, when you are alone. When you think there are more worries coming your way. The root cause of all your worries will be long gone, once you start smiling at ourselves. Look at the problems but do not forget to smile. The simple quote would be, "A smile a day will keep the doctor away."

3. Listen

Most of the things changes with time. For example, Music has common language. Music is "the harmony of the spheres", it will bring happiness by inextricably intertwining into our life. As all our concepts and ideas are internal pictures, music is eternal harmony in our lives. Others around signifies, those who want to speak listens to them. By understanding the philosophy of those people around we can become good listeners. If I were a God, this is what I would like to say, "Some times, I can listen to all those who are not even near to me. Just by listening to their heart full of worries."

4. Observe and Forget about Making Money

Spiritual God, Gautama Buddha has done great deal of the work on Observations. His quotes on Observation will explain everything on this issue. "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." Human can become fully satisfied, if he/she can stop thinking on the techniques to make money. This is what I state,"Little is enough to be satisfied and the desire to want more money could be further hiccup".

5. Believe in Yourself

Always remember, It is not who you are that will hold you back, it is who you think you are not. Vincent Van Gogh said, "If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint', then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced." Therefore, the most important motivating factor to be alive is to believe in yourself and your abilities. Once I was ready to die but I stopped just because I wanted to make most of myself and conquer myself. Supreme power and beauty of nature should be believed because in the difficult times, when you are feeling low and down, when there is shadow of darkness quest for light, just close your eyes and pray. All your prayers and wishes will be heard.

6. Respect

Respect could be defined as a manifestation of a human quality or behavior which does not come from influence but inner instincts. A single gesture, words and expression can result into great respect for those around you. If you are male, respect to female and vice-versa. What is the reason to do so? Simply because respect will give you pleasure and make you happy.

7. Be like a child

Einstein said, "All of my discovery and invention are because I stayed to be like a child." This quote is absolutely true. The unquenchable curiosity of the child can result into great inventions, can perform even far greater miracles. Most of the time,we hear the question that, if God exits, why is he/she not visible?

Author recommends, see the beauty and innocence of the child and you are ought to see the miracles of God.

If You Want to Be Happy, Try to Ignore the Little Things

If you want to be happy in life, it is best to enjoy the little things, while also ignoring the little things. That sounds confusing at first, but let's discuss what we mean. Life is full of problems, as you well know. However, we must stand back from ourselves sometimes and admit that what we are so worried about at the moment is usually a "little thing" in the overall scheme of life.

Why do we lose so much sleep over the silliest matters? Like problems at work, problems at school, relationships with people, and various "little" occurrences that will probably be forgotten within 20 years. Of course, nothing at the moment appears to be a little thing. When we are emotionally involved in the moment, we react with our emotions.

Such reactions are not always wise, especially if we are discussing a very personal issue. When things are personal, they don't seem small. They seem like life-threatening, end-of-the-world issues! Whenever the honor or the safety of our family members is threatened, it seems like a big deal. Whenever our most precious goals are hindered by someone else, it seems like a big deal. You must ask yourself though, how truly life-threatening is this situation? Is there an obvious solution somewhere that could change this situation for the better?

If we can remember to distance ourselves from such problems, and view all of these issues for what they are-that is minor setbacks in the ultimate mission of life-then we will achieve a deeper happiness. Instead of worrying about the little things in life, start enjoying the little things in life that make you truly happy. Spend time with friends and family. Find a job or a hobby that you really enjoy. Enjoy every taste, smell, sound and sight.

Stop worrying about the little things that will eventually be forgotten. By learning self-control and patience, and forgetting about these rotten "little things" you will live a happier life full of great memories.

General Guide to Sugar Glider Physiology, Behavior, and Interaction

The following notes cover essential points about sugar glider physiology and basic behavior patterns. Use this information to better understand why your sugar glider (SG) is behaving in a particular manner.

1. Information about the group or colony is passed around through scents. If you introduce a new sugar glider to an existing colony, it will most likely be scented by the dominant sugar glider. Either this happens, or a fight will ensue.

2. Only male suggies have scenting glands on their faces. This makes it easy to differentiate males from females. Male glider bears are keener to mark their territories than females.

3. A sugar bear that has been replaced by a more dominant member of the colony can become depressed and may begin to exhibit signs of depression.

The behavior of other sugar bears toward particular gliders in a group also has a direct bearing on how a suggie will behave in the long-term. For example, if a sugar bear is regularly bullied by older and stronger gliders, the weaker sugar bear may become depressed or may exhibit excessive aggression.

4. Fights that ensue because a new suggie has been introduced to an existing group should be prevented because adult sugar bears have been known to fight 'intruders' to the death. At the first sign of aggression, remove the newcomer and transfer the new sugar bear to a separate cage.

5. The dominant male of a group should not be removed because this will cause stress to the entire group. Stress can eventually lead to extreme symptoms like self-mutilation.

Some pet owners remove the dominant male to facilitate the entry of a new SG. This approach may or may not work, because the colony system of honey gliders is so important that other members of the group become physiologically weakened when a dominant member is forcibly removed from the group.

6. Rubbing a piece of fabric to a newcomer's body would be a better approach when introducing new gliders to an existing group. Let the old gliders bond with the smell before showing the existing group their new member. This way, the entry of the new member will have less of a negative impact on the existing group.

7. New gliders should be placed in a starter's cage for at least 21 days before being introduced to the existing colony or group. This is done to reduce the chances of spreading infection or disease.

8. If a new SG has been attacked or has not been integrated through general scenting, the sugar glider must be taken out and placed in a separate cage once again. Any attempts to re-integrate the new honey glider should be done after one or two weeks.

9. Honey bears are naturally active at night because this marsupial species is nocturnal. In the wild, honey bears hunt at night as well.

10. Behavior synchronization is sometimes observed in small groups of sugar bears. If one glider becomes alarmed, it is possible that the others will become alarmed as well.

11. When temperatures drop, a colony of honey bears will group closely together to raise or maintain their body temperatures.

12. The gestation period of sugar bear is only fifteen to seventeen days.

13. A sugar glider can reproduce any time of the year.

Manic Depression Symptoms and Warning Signs

There are many things that you can look for when trying to identify manic depression symptoms. Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, is a disease that affects every aspect of life. The mood swings that are associated with this disorder can create problems that are hard to deal with each and every day.

People with bipolar disorder suffer through cycles of depression and mania. One of the first noticed symptoms of those with bipolar disorder is clinical depression. Depression can cause a person to sleep more than usual, not feel like doing anything, stop talking to friends, stop caring about their appearance and often miss several days of work.

This clinical depression can last anywhere from a few days to a few months. It is often followed by a slow recovery of mood, which later swings into a full manic episode.

Mania is characterized by elevated moods, or elation, restlessness, shopping sprees and unusual sexual behavior. Often those who are experiencing mania act a certain way and later wonder why in the world they would have done or said those things. They often feel as though they are invincible and nothing can hurt them, causing them to act in a reckless manner.

There are many treatments for manic depression, including therapy, drug treatments and a combination of both. Most people with bipolar disorder have to experiment with several treatments before they find one that works well for them. Joining a support group, either locally or online, is also a great way to get help for you and your loved ones.

Sufferers of Bipolar Disorder - Good Parent, Bad Parent

I have suffered with bipolar disorder for seventeen years, however for sixteen and half of them, I was unaware I had the condition, as I was diagnosed with clinical depression instead. I have also been a parent  for seventeen years, and although I have not always been the perfect mother, I have always done the best I could for my children and have an extremely deep emotional bond with them. Despite my imperfections due to the ups and downs of bipolar disorder, my children have always come first and have turned out to be wonderfully sensitive and intelligent individuals.

Bipolar disorder is not a disease or illness, as some people think. Like Autism, or Aspergers Syndrome, bipolar disorder is a brain condition that affects a sufferer from birth. However, unlike many conditions of the brain, bipolar  may not present itself until the sufferer faces a traumatic period in his or her life, such as a car crash or childbirth. This goes some way to explaining why the majority of people with the condition, are not diagnosed until reaching their early twenties and many women have no signs of the condition, until after the birth to their first child.

Unfortunately, society has been given a very negative view of people who suffer with Bipolar Disorder, due to the portrayal of the condition in previous years, especially when it was known as manic depression. Even today, with information about the condition being widely available, when some people think of a person with the condition, they imagine a violent and delusional lunatic, who is unable to control their mood swings. They automatically think that nobody with the condition could be a good parent. However, there are arguments for and against parents who suffer with Bipolar Disorder that many people do not realise, due to the lack of information about the positive personality traits common to most people with the condition.  

These personality traits make them excellent parents when receiving the correct treatment as they have more understanding of their children than a lot of parents. Anyone who has never had any relations with someone diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder may be surprised to learn, there are quite a few attributes common in most people with the condition that many other people do not possess.

The Pros of Having Bipolar Disorder

People with Bipolar Disorder are both academically and emotionally intelligent, and therefore, are very intuitive to other peoples feelings. Many people with the disorder can instinctively know how to ease the suffering of another person, even if they are not close to the other person. When a person with the condition is being kept stable with the correct treatment, the symptoms no longer present a problem in the sufferer and what is left is an amazing ability to tune into other peoples emotions, and offer their excellent emotional healing skills. This is an extremely positive attribute for any parent to possess, as it creates an emotional bond between the parent and child, which is incomprehensible to most people. People with Bipolar Disorder can also put themselves in others shoes, including their childrens, very easily. Therefore, although the parent  is not always perfect, they are usually well respected by their children, as they are able to come down to their childrens level and have an unusual, contradicting, ability of explaining issues to their children in a completely honest and childlike, yet mature and loving way. Considering these attributes, it's not at all surprising that many people who are managing their condition successfully, also go on to become great counsellors.

The Cons of Having Bipolar Disorder

During depressive and manic episodes, a parent who is not receiving the correct treatment can create problems in families that children can be detrimentally affected by, and should not have to experience at such a young age. For example, children may be living with the effects of financial problems in their home due to a person with the condition being unable to control their spending during manic episodes, or the children may have to witness angry outbursts when the parent is unable to control their mood swings. When the parent is going through a depressive episode,  a child may feel they are unable to get through to them; however, this is not unique to Bipolar Disorder, and the same for children of parents with any depressive illness.

Although no child should have to experience some of the problems that come with having a bipolar disorder parent, no upbringing is perfect, and like most bad experiences in life, good lessons can be learnt from them. Most children of parents with bipolar disorder learn a great deal about mental illness during their parents depressive and manic episodes, and grow into extremely understanding adults. The unique positive traits that come with bipolar disorder can create a very open and loving relationship between the child and the parent with bipolar disorder that is full of deep emotion and understanding. Its up to you to decide whether the pros make up for the cons for children of parents with bipolar disorder.

Dealing With Depression in Children

Childhood is supposed to be a time of growing and developing. It is supposed to be a time of fun and innocence, not dealing with adult issues. Unfortunately there are many children in the world who deal with adult issues. Some of the issues are inherited while some are a result of the environment they live. Depression is an adult issue that some children are dealing with that is not discussed a lot.

Depression haunts a lot of children, sometimes starting as young as six years old but unfortunately it is not diagnosed until they are teenagers. Diagnosing depression in the teenage years can sometimes be too late. As the child keeps getting older the peer pressure and cruelty of other kids gets worse. Bad teasing and rumors can spread like an ugly wildfire with today's technology. Kids text and post things on social network websites that are very mean which makes the victim feel like the whole world is against them. There have been several cases on national news where the end result of this situation was suicide or killing sprees. The key is for parents to catch the signs of depression early to catch the illness before it gets extreme.

One of the first signs is not in the child but in the parents. If one of the parents suffers from depression the child has a small chance of inheriting the illness. When both parents have depression then the chance of their child getting it is greater. Some of the other signs include but are not limited to:

1. The child is bored a lot and does not feel like doing anything.
2. The child complains about headaches and other physical pain often.
3. The child frequently does not want to go to school or anywhere else. They just want to stay at home.
4. The child may lose interest in their favorite activities like sports or music lessons.
5. The eating habits change drastically.
6. The child might begin to become more interested in death.

The best thing for parents to do is to not blame themselves and keep an eye open for drastic behavior changes. For example, if the child is always a good helper around the house and does not mind cleaning up but does not like to do it anymore. It may be that a very social, outgoing child changes to a reserved child with no more friends. The parent should pay attention to a lot of changes coupled with a constant irritated attitude. The child will constantly not be happy.

The best solution for helping a depressed child is not to deny it or put it off as puberty. It is good idea to take the child in for a psychological evaluation. The doctor will decide if the child just needs counseling or they might prescribe a light antidepressant. The parents should read and get as much information as possible about the medication. Research is still being conducted about how antidepressants affect children long-term. If the parent is not happy with the doctor's opinion then there is nothing wrong with getting a second one. The parents should not let the depressed child go without any help at all. Getting the right help will give the child a bright future.

Reducing Alcohol Cravings - Pt 3 - Test Results

In the previous article on Reducing Your Alcohol Craving, there was a questionnaire regarding people's genetic and family backgrounds and their mental and physical responses to alcohol. In this article, we are going to help you determine why your body reacts the way that it does to alcohol. Hopefully, this allows you to take back some control over your life.

TEST RESULTS

Record your chosen answers and match them to the alcohol biological types below. Most people some traits from each category, but you should find most of your answers in one area.

1. Normal Drinker or Nonalcoholic Chemistry

A1 A few drinks calm you and make you feel drowsy.
B1 You probably have no vivid memory of your first drinking experience.
C1 You keep your drinking light and your hangovers rare.
D1 Your drinking limit is two to four drinks at a time.

2. Alcohol-Intolerant or Nonalcoholic Chemistry

A2 Alcohol makes you ill.
B3, B4 Your first drinking experience made you ill. You do not like the taste of alcohol.
C6 You can often feel even small amounts of alcohol on the following day.
D5 You generally do not drink due to the taste and effects.
E8 Your family may be of Oriental origin and you might be only equipped with one alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme in your liver.
F1, F10 Alcohol makes you drowsy, but has no effect on your personality.
G1 You have no ability to handle lots of alcohol.

3. Hypoglycemic Nonalcoholic Chemistry (Often labeled as alcoholic)

A2 Even small amounts of alcohol make you feel spaced out and uncoordinated.
A8 If you are female and hypoglycemic, you will crave alcohol during premenstrual periods. Alcohol can temporarily raise your glucose metabolism.
B1 You probably cannot recall your first drinking experience.
C6 You probably get hangovers from moderate drinking due to the outpouring of insulin. This mild insulin shock can give symptoms of confusion, fatigue, depression and irritability.
D8 As a female, your craving for alcohol increases before your period.
E1 None of your family has a history of heavy drinking. Or...
E7 A few drinks make you feel spacey and a close relative is a heavy drinker.
F1 You may be the type of hypoglycemic who becomes light headed and sleepy when they drink.
G1 You have a low alcohol tolerance.

4. THIQ/ADH Alcoholic Chemistry

A4 Alcohol give you tremendous energy and performance. Or
A6 Alcohol used to give you a boost, but now it just steadiness your nerves.
A9 You need several drinks to get feeling good.
A10 Alcohol stimulates your endorphins. But this will inhibit the natural production of these opiates. Depression can result. Drinking only temporarily reduces your depression.
B2 You enjoyed your first alcohol experience. It did not make you ill.
C3, C5 You rarely got hangovers in your early days of drinking, but liver damage has changed your tolerance.
D7 You handle lots of alcohol well and still possess a strong, compulsive Type-A personality. You can get by with very little sleep.
G3 You have been able to increase your tolerance for alcohol. Or...
G4 Your alcohol tolerance has declined over the years.

5. Addicted/Allergic Alcoholic Chemistry

A5 Alcohol will give you a boost at first, but then you usually lose control or drink until you are drunk.
B3 You probably remember getting sick from your first drink of alcohol. Your body naturally rejects alcohol. Repeated use has forced your body to accommodate and adapt the alcohol. You now have an allergy-addiction.
C2 Heavy drinking gives you bad hangovers due to the high allergic reaction to the toxicity of alcohol.
C4 You usually feel depressed after a night of heavy drinking.
D3 Alcohol alters your brain's ability to make choices. You cannot predict the amount that you drink.
D4 You can go long periods without drinking before you go on a binge.
D6 Being around chemical fumes like paint, gasoline, ink and formaldehyde can set off your cravings for alcohol.
E2 A close relative of yours drinks or drank heavily. Or...
F9 Alcohol triggers reactions in your allergic brain. When this happens, you often lose control over your bizarre or irrational behavior.
G5 You find it difficult to control the amount that you drink.

6. Linoleic Acid Deficient Chemistry

A7 You can temporarily relieve depression by drinking.
B2 Your first drinking experience brought relief from your depression.
C4 Your depression returns when you stop drinking.
D10 You drink frequently to prevent depression from returning.
E2 You have alcoholics in your family. Some may have been depressed and have committed suicide.

You should have consistent responses in one of the four or five categories. There may be some confusion between allergic/addicted and ADH/THIQ answers. Generally, if you are answering both biotypes, but are over 40 years of age and have had several decades of heavy drinking, you are the ADH/THIQ biotype due to the extensive immune system damage.

Understanding and Comparing Life Insurance Quotes

For many people they have some difficulty in choosing what type of life insurance. they are going to purchase. Part of the reason is they do not know how much does life insurance cost . Getting insured can be a daunting undertaking if you do not know how to start. Starting with life insurance quotes would be a good start. This way you can understand and compare life insurance quotes you have gathered. What most people do is to learn or know what is the average cost or price and then get some quotes. These quotations that you may gather from amongst the many life insurance companies will be very useful.

Once you have already gathered the quotations from a multitude or numbers of insurers, you can easily compare their quotes. Every insurer has their own set of policies and guidelines in underwriting life insurance. Most of these life insurance quotes can be obtain from amongst the many insurers on the internet. These companies have their online sites where you can simply search for their sites and use these tools and resources for free.

Sometimes it's as easy as entering your zip code and you get started. Most of these big insurer sites have these tools and resources which are very helpful and can provide you many scenarios. You can make hypothetical situations to get different quotes to compare and make the best decision possible. What you need here some personal information to keyed into the system and it will calculate for you how much the average price or cost to you is.

First thing you need to do after you enter the zip code is to know the coverage amount you like to purchase. Whether it would 250,000, 500,000 one million or more dollars, you need to enter the amount in the box provided. Choosing the right amount to be insured should be thought of properly and think what is enough for your family and business should you unexpected die. The rule of thumb is you need and amount that is equivalent to seven to 10 times of your annual gross income. The idea here is make sure that when you are no longer there to provide form them they can at least maintain their financial lifestyle.

The next thing you need to provide is some personal information to be able to calculate what your projected monthly premiums will be. Here you need to enter your date of birth or age, gender, height and weight ratio, your first and last name, and address. You may also need to enter your telephone number and cell phones and your email address too. Some of these brokers and insurers also need to know if you want to receive some newsletters. Sometimes these are valuable as it gives you more information and tips on how you go about your life insurance quotes online.
Another factor that they always would like to know is if you are a smoker for the twelve months or have ever smoked. They will also ask information about your health. Health information like if you have or have suffered from diabetes, cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure (hypertension), anxiety and depression, asthma, alcohol and or drug abuse, or any similar diseases should be provided. Some life insurance companies would also ask if you have any convictions for driving under the influence (DUI) or similar convictions.

But you have to be cautious when giving all these information as some bad apples in the industry are just interest in your email address and some personal information. So always remember to get these life insurance quotes from a reputable and highly rank life insurance companies or insurers. The life insurance quotes that you received from these inquiries will be very helpful in comparing them and choosing the type of life insurance policy coverage that suits your needs.

Questions to Ask Mental Health Professionals About Depressive Illness

If you or someone you love visits a therapist, there are questions you need to ask to avoid problems. Some therapists are more advanced than others are. I can tell you that some are not qualified to diagnose anything that is more complex. If you suspect you have a disorder, the best thing you can do is get accuracy on those symptoms, research your behaviors, and write them down.

If you go to the therapist you will be ahead of the game, and by learning more about your own behaviors, symptoms, and so on can save you from a diagnose you may or may not have. Therapists as a rule base their treatment on the thought patterns, which includes hearing and talking. If the patient shows a disturbance in their thinking patterns, the therapist will consider psychosis, since this is a symptom related to the diagnosis.

They will search for signs that the patient may demonstrate, including vague thoughts, fleeting ideas, peripheral thought patterns, blocking thoughts, disassociation and so forth. Counselors often search for evidence of schizophrenia or psychosis when there is a break in reality, paranoia etc.

Paranoid and Paranoia are separate from the other, and must not be misconstrued. Professionals could make a mistake in diagnosis if they are not aware of the difference of paranoia and paranoid. Schizophrenias are often paranoid, while patients that suffer posttraumatic stress in the early stages may illustrate paranoia.

When a patient answers out of content, or else the ideas delivered are unrelated to the conversation then there is a potential mental illness. For example, we are discussing society, and the patient says, "I never go there. After I get back from Australia next week we can do that."

An area of concern is when the patient is talking fragments. The patient will start with one idea and jump to several other ideas. This pattern is known as fleeting thought processing. When the patient is illustrating thoughts that are sidetracked, the therapist may show a degree of concern.

Language is important when evaluating a patient, since some patients may not have sufficient skills in communication it could very well mean a lack of education rather than a diagnosis. If you have been talking individually to a therapist, and this is the only symptom, make sure that the patient is not on medications he or she may not need.

It is important to pay attention to symptoms and signs that link mental health problems and other issues. Ask the therapist questions any time there is a diagnosis, what the symptoms include, and what medicines can do to treat the disorder. When a person is suddenly, losing a train of thought during a session this may be a possible diagnosis.

If a person is telling you about a dream related to his or her parent, and all of a sudden claims they cannot remember what they were talking about, this is an evident sign of some disorder. Most likely, this patient has suffered trauma. The symptoms are in front of you and it is important to continue treatment to find which diagnosis the patient may have.

Unfortunately, most therapists are not trained to treat patients with Multiple Personality Disorders, and often these people pay a steep price. The sign or symptom is known as disassociation or blocking memories and this is a definite sign or Multiple Personality Disorder. Multiple Personality Disorder is often exclusive in blocking memories to avoid pain.

It is always wise to ask questions when you are visiting any therapists since anyone can make mistakes without the complete medical picture and your mental health is important and should not be taken lightly.

How Do I Stop My Heart From Breaking?

Everyone experiences heart break at some point in their lives. Young love can end cruelly. More mature relationships can stop in their tracks. Marriages can dissolve. How can you endure the pain and get over a broken heart?

The initial realization that a relationship has gone sour is the hardest point on the timeline of healing from heartbreak. During the very first day, focus on the idea that you can take it one day at a time. Stop and breathe. Do not be afraid to let yourself feel sad, angry or depressed. The biggest mistake would be to suppress these feelings. It will be impossible to heal if you do. Let it all out so you can truly feel the pain and rage. Do not feel like you must face a normal day at work if you can't stand the idea. Call in sick, stay in bed, watch a funny movie to distract yourself, or a sappy love story to get a good cry. Mourn with those closest to you. The following few days can be for bitter, personal congratulations. You are human, you allowed yourself to love. Find words of comfort from your favorite music or inspirational speaker. Repeat motivational phrases like "I'm going to get through this" or "This is only a moment in time." Healing words can help you get over a broken heart.

As you gain momentum through the weeks the follow, get out again. Do not linger in the state depression. Go out with friends, take a walk, exercise. Cardiovascular activity produces endorphins and act as a natural pick-me-up. Resist the temptation to contact your ex. To get your feelings out, write a letter that you will not send. Go away for the weekend. Visit family. They will help you get over a broken heart. When you return, put everything out of sight that reminds you of your past relationship. No need to torture yourself. Treat yourself to something new, a hairstyle or day spa visit.

After about a month, when talking about the experience becomes less emotional, assess it. What did you learn about how to get over a broken heart? How can you relate better to others now who have been in similar situations? Start a new activity that will rebuild your confidence. Take a class, learn a new language or begin playing a musical instrument. Volunteer at a homeless shelter, where others' suffering will keep yours in perspective. Now might be an acceptable time to contact your ex, but only if you think it will help, not if all you want to say are hurtful things. Now or a little further down the line, begin dating again. Don't be afraid. It's essential to the healing process.

Definition and Key Thoughts of Mental Disorders

A mental disorder is characterized by thoughts and behaviors that cause individuals to experience extreme problems in functioning in significant areas of their lives relationships, employment, education, financial well-being, even spirituality. Mental disorder is not short term, but it is also not necessarily permanent. By definition, mental problems must endure for a certain minimum period of time before a mental disorder can be diagnosed. Most mental disorders resolve after treatment with counseling, medication, or simply the passing of time.

Other mental disorders are lifelong and cause ongoing problems for those afflicted with them and for their families. If someone is mentally ill, he is not simply odd. Labels of mental disorder ought never to be applied without a professional assessment. Mental disorders are by definition serious disturbances. These are some common types of mental disorders:

Psychotic disorders are those that result in bizarre, paranoid, or delusional thinking. The most common one is schizophrenia. Individuals with psychotic illnesses manifest the symptoms most often thought of as crazy seeing or hearing things that are not there, making bizarre connections between unrelated events, or showing grossly inappropriate responses to ordinary occurrences.

Mood disorders are those that primarily affect a person's emotional stability.

The most common are depression and bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depression). Individuals afflicted with depression feel discouraged and hopeless almost every day, have lost interest in activities in which they used to take pleasure, and sometimes consider or attempt suicide. Those with bipolar disorder exhibit cycles of wildly changing emotions and behaviors. Anxiety disorders are characterized by extreme nervousness, panic, or phobias.

Persons suffering from anxiety disorders cannot calm down, feel panicky much of the time, and have physical symptoms of constant nervousness. Those with post-traumatic stress may experience flashbacks of trauma and may react to loud noises or other reminders of the precipitating event.

Personality disorders are disturbances in thinking and behavior that are a part of a person's basic character. They result in lifelong patterns of counter- productive behavior. Unlike the above mental disorders, personality disorders do not often respond to medications or short-term therapy.

There are many other disorders, and disorders associated only with children, but there is not enough space here to deal with them all. There are huge differences between mental disorder, sin, and demonic influence. Treatment must take place after a thorough assessment and careful diagnosis. In a church, mental disorders most often become apparent in relationships.

Mentally ill people who are active in church may have difficulty tolerating the opinions of others, getting along on committees, or accepting limits. Other mentally ill people may be on the periphery of the churcha churchgoers spouse or child who is often the subject of prayer requests. Misdiagnoses and improper treatments are common. Far too many suffer needlessly. The failure to understand the multiple reasons people suffer including the distinction between sin, mental illness, and demonic influence has significant consequences.

Some people are only confessing sin when they should be taking medication; others are blaming an illness when they should be confessing their sin. Demons are being cast out of schizophrenics who need medical treatment; people who need the casting out of demons are put into mental hospitals and drugged to complacency. Christians must understand that even throughout the Scriptures, physicians, balms, salves, and other medicines were used. The church and mental health professionals must value the contribution each can make and work together to relieve human suffering. Take help from Internet counseling.

Depression - Symptoms and Treatment

Being sad once in a while is just a part of life. When a loved-one leaves for abroad, we feel a tinge of loneliness, despite the fact that we can easily communicate with them. This is also true when the team that we are rooting for was not able to make it in the finals. The sadness is there but it does not linger. Today, I will be discussing about the intense and lingering kind of sadness or depression, its symptoms, and treatment.

Depression makes it difficult for a person to function normally and enjoy life as they did before. Their friends and hobbies have ceased to interest them. Often times, they feel really exhausted and the mere idea of getting through the day can be very overwhelming. This kind of situation can make things seem hopeless. It is like being inside a tunnel without the "light at the end" in sight.

Often times, people make use of the term depressed to characterize a feeling of depression or disappointment. However, it is a different case for those who have clinical depression. The sadness is much more intense and the feeling lingers for a long period. Most of the time, the feeling of depression is characterized by a feeling of an imminent doom. For other depressed patients, they don't feel loneliness. Instead, there is strong sensation of emptiness, lifeless and being apathetic.

Basically, depression is very much different from the loneliness that surfaces in your day-to-day life. It is a far cry from the sadness that gets in between your ability to eat, work, study sleep and fun. Just imagine being completely conquered by the feeling of hopelessness, helplessness and losing your self-worth.

For you to have an idea about clinical depression or if you have intentions of checking if you are currently experiencing one, check these depression symptoms:
· You find it difficult to sleep or you have sleeping to much than normal
· You find it hard to focus or concentrate with whatever you are doing (e.g.: work or academics)
· Your previous daily tasks seem to become difficult
· There is a lingering feeling of hopelessness and helplessness
· Your mind is always occupied with negative thoughts that you can't seem to sweep off your system
· You have greatly lose your appetite or you can't stop yourself from eating
· You are easily annoyed, irritated or short-tempered than usual
· You have thoughts that life no longer worth living (In this case, you have to seek for help immediately).

Unlike with other illnesses, depression is highly complicated. It is not merely an imbalance in the chemical make-up of the brain, which a medication can bring a solution to. According to experts, depression is caused by the combination of biological, psychological and social aspects of the sufferer. There were even studies that suggest the vulnerability of a person to depression can be traced in their genetic make-up. Given these factors, the solution also concerns your lifestyle, relationships and coping capacities.

The mere fact that you are informed about depression can be of great help. This will allow you to help yourself as well as the people around you. It is in uncovering the real cause of your depression that enables you to overcome the problem. Say, you are depressed due to losing your job, the treatment for this would be finding yourself a more fulfilling career. Thus, you don't have to take anti-depressants right away.

Another coping strategy that you could help you is finding new friends. You may find new buddies at work or through a similar hobby. Sometimes, merely changing the situation can do wonders to your depression.

Testing For ADHD

Testing for ADHD can be a challenge. There is no available test that 'proves' that a person has ADHD. Thorough testing requires multiple screening tool and assessment. The accurate diagnosis of attention disorders is difficult but essential as there are multiple adverse outcomes related to undiagnosed and untreated ADHD. Unfortunately, the traditional method of ADHD diagnosis, which relies on the completion of symptom surveys by parents and teachers, is considered by many people to be highly subjective.

Russell Barkley has reported that the degree of agreement between parents and teachers for any dimension of child behavior are modest, ranging in the 30% to 50% range. This lack of agreement between teacher and parent can be problematic as the DSM criteria for diagnosing ADHD requires that the ADHD symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and inattentiveness be present in at least 2-3 environments.

Many parents are reluctant to medicate a child with ADHD unless there is an objective 'test' which positively identifies the presence of this disorder. Since there is no objective 'proof' for the diagnosis of ADHD, many parents struggle with accepting a treatment plan. A family's reluctance to treat ADHD can result in tremendous detriments for these children and families.

Last year a test known as the Quotient(TM) ADHD System became available. This system, formerly known as M-MAT, was developed by a Harvard Psychiatry professor and was similar to the continuous performance task test but added a motion analysis component. The company that promotes this test reports that this is the most accurate non-invasive testing method for ADHD. The test uses a computer program and motion detectors placed on the individual's forehead and shins to evaluate hyperactivity, inattention, and Impulsiveness.

There is very little information in the literature on using this test for the initial diagnosis of ADHD. The studies that I was able to find evaluating this took looked at the reliability of this tool for assessing the effectiveness of stimulant medication. The Quotient(TM) ADHD seems to work well in this regard but these studies do not answer the question of how useful this test is for identifying ADHD
There have been many studies done on the use of the continuous performance task test, known as CPT, as a diagnostic tool. The results of this test have all been positive for identifying a problem with attention and/or impulsiveness but there are problems with the interpretation of these results. The CPT can identify a problem with attention but it does determine that these problems are caused by ADHD. An abnormal CPT could be the result of another diagnosis such as anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, or low IQ.

It would be exciting to find a blood test or other marker that incontrovertibly determined the presence or absence of ADHD. Currently there is no such test. Other methods being studied to identify ADHD include EEGs, imaging studies, and DNA markers. These test are only now be evaluated as diagnostic tools but I am hopeful that, in the near future, some of these test may prove fruitful in the accurate diagnosing ADHD.

Know About Crack Cocaine

Crack cocaine, often called as 'Crack', is a smokable form of Cocaine and processed by mixing Cocaine powder with baking soda or ammonia and water and then heating the mixture till crystals or rocks are formed. Crack cocaine is abused as a person experiences a sudden high or euphoria in a short span. It is strongly addictive substance and causes harmful effects like paranoia, depression, lethargy, mood swings etc. Crack is affordable at low prices as it is inexpensive to manufacture.

Psychological Effects

Crack cocaine abuse has harmful psychological effects on the health of person abusing it. Its intake releases large amount of dopamine that causes a feeling of euphoria or high that lasts for 5-10 minutes. Crack abuse alters the brain chemistry of the person and causes loss of appetite, insomnia, alertness, intense craving for drug, grandiosity, paranoia etc. As the effect of crack in body begins to deplete, the person may slip into depression or feel lethargic. When injected into body, crack cocaine gets absorbed at the same rate when it is smoked. As the body develops tolerance after each intake of drug, a person feels desire to take high doses next time to attain same level of high or euphoria. Intake of high doses every time leads to irritability, restlessness, and paranoia. Prolonged exposure to crack results in hallucinations, depressions, formication, and delirium.

Physiological Effects

Physiological effects of crack cocaine abuse include dilated pupils, constricted blood vessels, increased blood pressure and heart rate etc. Intake of large amount of crack can cause tremors, vertigo, muscle twitches etc. As a person gets a sudden high, it may lead to violent behavior, aggression etc. Long term physiological effects of crack cocaine abuse include liver and lung damage, respiratory problems, tooth decay, weight loss, excessive sweating, sexual dysfunction, slowed digestion etc. Addiction to crack also causes heart attack and severe respiratory problems like congestion of lungs, wheezing, and formation of black phlegm. Smoking crack can also result in severe chest pain and bleeding.

Addiction

Crack cocaine is abused for its addictive properties. It is a potent and addictive form of cocaine. A person abusing 'crack' becomes addicted as higher doses are taken every time to achieve the same high or euphoria. Also, high doses of crack are taken each time to avoid the depression that occurs after the effect of drug recedes. Those addicted can not even feel normal without being intoxicated. They need to take cocaine regularly just to feel normal. Also, those addicted to crack may find it hard to get rid of it due to strong withdrawal symptoms that are witnessed. The withdrawal symptoms are marked by intense craving for drug, hunger, irritability, paranoia, anxiety, angry outbursts, shaking etc.

Consuming crack cocaine after mixing with alcohol can cause a deadly mixture that imbalance the body chemistry increasing the risk of sudden death. Addiction to crack is also associated with high crime rates as the person can perform illegal activities, crimes, thefts to fund his addiction. Various effective treatment programs at rehabilitation centers can help crack addicts to overcome their addiction and withdrawal symptoms.

Forgiveness - Release and Let Go of Your Past!

Next to love, forgiveness is the most misunderstood concept. Forgiveness has been twisted by a lack of awareness as to how it functions. To forgive does not mean we must rejoin with our ex-lovers, free criminals from prisons, return to old jobs or anything else absurd. We are taught to believe that if we are to forgive the one who hurt us, it must manifest in some form of behavior and it reflects weakness.

Forgiveness is a function of love that seeks to understand the negative impact of another person and then to release the pain and find inner peace. When you choose to forgive somebody this does not mean that you acknowledge their cruel behavior as acceptable, for doing this would be dishonest. Above all, it does not mean that we assume a superior (holier than thou) attitude to pardon the sins others.

Let's explore the truth of forgiveness. The meaning of the verb forgive, translates into "to let go", which is the act of forgiveness. Forgiveness is the release (letting go) of negative feelings generated in you by another. It is your responsibility to let go of the hurt that another produces for you. The other person can apologize to you for their negative impact, but you still have to let go of the hurt feelings in order for forgiveness to become a healing experience.

What makes forgiveness so difficult, for so many? The greatest obstacle in the living of our life is the negative ego, which loves to hold onto a grudge and is our greatest source of resistance toward forgiveness. Our negative ego is what blocks our happiness and peace of mind. We hold within us grudges, bitterness and resentment which later manifest into stress, ulcers and poor health conditions. Ultimately, we have a choice to support our EGO or our SOUL, to be RIGHT or find PEACE.

Forgiveness like all other soul qualities (peace, love, innocence, respect, oneness, and passion) does not require a type of behavior. It begins with a relinquishing of emotional baggage and the choice to function from your Soul versus your negative ego. Forgiveness is a willingness to perceive everyone, including yourself, as either feeling and expressing love or perceiving it's absence, and having a need for more love. It is a relinquishing of a harmful train of thought that leads to constricting feelings. Forgiveness offers freedom to live a full and harmonious life.

The bi-product of forgiveness, is our own willingness and ability to forget. If we can not seem to forget then we have never completely let go. Holding on to pain only weaken us and produces misery. The purpose of forgetting is to prevent the mind from becoming a battle field. Negative feelings evaporate whenever they are looked at calmly and honestly and are dealt with responsibly. Often this process is gradual. The desire to function from your Soul (love) and to live your life in peace is the greatest motivation for forgiving another.

If you feel that forgiving adds one more grudging obligation to your life, you are functioning from your negative ego. Understanding that forgiveness is the doorway to your happiness and is the choice to function with love. When you are attacked by another, you must first deal with the hurt feelings that you honestly feel. Forgiveness is not a short cut to avoid dealing with the negative impact of your emotions. Too many try to forgive without releasing their anger and hurt. That common mistake only represses the anger and it putrefies into resentment down the road.

A great habit to cultivate is to pause whenever you are having difficulty releasing an upset from your mind. Look directly, and in detail at the contents of your thoughts. Dissect your emotions. Step back from them for a moment and gain new perspective. Write them down in a journal to gain deeper clarity. And give yourself time to forgive, it doesn't have to be instantaneous, but know it is necessary to your happiness and peace.

A person who claims they "love everyone equally" and are never hurt by others are not more spiritually evolved, but more likely emotionally repressed. To be a spiritual, doesn't mean you have to like the ego of everyone that crosses your path, for you would then become transparent and lose your individuality. Liking somebody and letting go of someone's negative impact upon you are two completely different issues.

Steps to Forgiveness:

1. Release the Charged Emotions: Take a legal pad and write at the top of the page, the person you wish to forgive. Write out all your feelings about the situation that you are forgiving. Release the anger, hurt, frustration or any feelings you have due to this experience. Take your time and feel your words as you write them down. 

2. Forgive Yourself: Close your eyes and relax. Mentally repeat, I forgive myself for allowing myself to be hurt/disappointed by this experience with _________ (person's name).

3. Express Your Emotions Meditatively: While you are still meditating begin to express your thoughts and feelings to the person you are forgiving. Let them know how much it has hurt you and how upset you are by their actions. If you are so angry you want to hit them, then do it (IMAGINATIVELY) express your pent up emotions within your imagination.

NOTE: Your intention is to release the feelings around this person and to forgive them. That is where the energy will go towards. You will not be sending this person negative energy unless that is your intention.

4. Forgive Them: With your eyes still closed, sense a light coming down from above you. It is a warm healing light that surrounds you and creates a safe environment for forgiveness. Visualize the person you wish to forgive, and see them inside the light. Mentally tell them, I forgive you for hurting/disappointing me in this way. Mentally reaffirm what you are forgiving them for. Then release them into the light.

When you finally understand that you can generate the healing of forgiveness, by choice. It will never happen until you take full responsibility for every facet of your life and your relationships with others. When you stop looking for love, security and peace outside yourself, and discover it within, you are finally set free and the magic of forgiveness has worked it's spell.