Top Ten Holistic Depression Treatment Techniques

1. Consult your doctor

If you think you have depression, the first thing you should do is to consult your doctor so that they can:

1. Evaluate you to determine whether your symptoms are due to depression or to another medical or mental condition


2. Determine the cause of your depression


3. Change any medications that you may be on that may be causing the depression. Medications which can cause depression include Acyclovir or Zovirax (used to treat herpes or shingles), Atenolol or Tenormin (used to treat high blood pressure, angina chest pain, abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure), Atorvastatin or Lipitor (used to lower cholesterol and prevent heart attacks) and many other medications.


4. Prescribe treatment for your depression such as duloxetine (Cymbalta), venlafaxine (Effexor), paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac), escitalopram (Lexapro), citalopram (Celexa) bupropion (Wellbutrin) and amitriptyline.

2. Pray

Are you suffering? Pray.(James 5:13) Pray if you are suffering from depression because God promises you that If you call on Him, He will answer you and He will be with you in trouble and He will deliver you and honor you. (Psalm 91:15) Medical research also assures us that prayer works therefore, present your problems to God each day in prayer and experience the tranquillity that comes as prayer lifts the issues that were depressing you.

Cast all you care upon Jesus in prayer because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5: 6-7) Cast the mental burdens that are weighing you down in your mind to Him and He shall sustain you. (Psalm 55: 22) Cast and then ask for whatever you need to heal your depression for you are to Ask and you will receive so that your joy may be full. (John 16:24)

The following is a sample prayer for depression

Save me O my God!

For problems have come up to my neck.

I am sinking in deep depression,

I am in deep trouble and problems overwhelm me.

I am tired of crying and my prayer is to You.

O Lord, in the multitude of Your mercy hear me.

Deliver me out of this depression and let me not sink in it.

Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of these deep troubles.

Do not let problems overwhelm me and do not let depression swallow me.

(Adapted from Psalm 69)

3. Think Positively

Since thoughts contribute to how you feel and who you become, if you consistently think depressing thoughts, you will begin to feel depressed and you may even become depressedFor as a person becomes what they think in their heart. (Proverbs 23:7) Therefore, constantly monitor your thoughts and if negative ones enter your mind, replace them with thoughts that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, virtuous and praiseworthy (Philippians 4: 8) and you will begin to feel and to become truthful, noble, just, pure, lovely, virtuous and praiseworthy instead of depressed.

4. Establish Social Support

Establish your social support system because Two people are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor and if one falls down, they other will lift up their companion. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) Therefore, find a friend whose company you enjoy and spend time with them to ease the loneliness of depression.

5. Take an Aromatherapy Bath

Adding essential oils such as bergamot, rose, rosemary, ylang ylang and chamomile to you bath water may help you feel better since these essential oil may raise your spirits. You can make a blues busting bath blend by adding 3 drops of bergamot, 3 drops of rosemary, 3 drops of ylang ylang and 3 drops of chamomile to your bath water.

6. Blog

Writing therapy can be updated to the 21st century by creating a blog and posting your deepest uncensored feelings online without revealing your identity as this can help you heal from pain and recover from depression.

7. Sing Praises

The Bible tells us to put on The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3) therefore sing praises to God whenever the spirit of heaviness or depression tries to pull you down. Sing praises to God every day even if you don't feel like singing for as you continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, (Hebrews 13:15) you will break the spiritual chains of sadness trying to constrain you for God is enthroned in the praises. (Psalm 22:3) You can sing your praises to God as you spruce up after your aromatherapeutic bath or as you exercise since singing will also help you reduce tension and relax.

8. Affirm Yourself

Since Anxiety in the heart causes depression but a good word cheers it, (Proverbs 12:25) you have to speak good words to yourself whether or not others are speaking them to you. Therefore, choose positive, power filled, present tense Scriptural affirmations and repeat them to yourself each day for at least 10 minutes. Scriptures that you can use as affirmations include:

• This is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)


• I will be happy because the God of Jacob is my help.(Psalm 146:5)

9. Increase dietary omega 3 fatty acids

Increase your dietary intake of omega 3 fatty acids as some studies imply they may alleviate mood changes. Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids include salmon, halibut, tuna and other fatty fish as well as flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans, winter squash, extra virgin olive oil and dark green vegetables To do this you can grind 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds and sprinkle them onto your breakfast cereal, eat salmon or tuna with winter squash for lunch and snack on salads with ground flax seeds and walnuts tossed it in extra virgin olive oil.

10. St John's wort

Though St John's wort or hypericum perforatun can be of some benefit in treating mild depression, always consult your doctor before you begin taking it since it interacts with other prescription medications and it may reduce their effectiveness.

For more information on depression visit http://www.christianstressmanagement.com for the FREE E-Course on Holistic Treatment of Depression which will be taught every Monday from January 3, 2011. This E-Course will cover the Causes of depression, Symptoms of depression and the Treatment of depression using Medical techniques, Biblical Principles, Psychotherapy, Social therapy, Hydrotherapy, Aromatherapy, Writing therapy, Music therapy, Talk therapy, Art therapy, Laughter therapy, Diet therapy, Herbal therapy, Nature therapy.

What Does It Mean To Be Depressed?

Depression is an overused word to describe how someone may be feeling. It is often used to describe moments of sadness or disappointment, where those descriptions may be more on target and more clearly define a course of action.

Clinical depression is more than feeling bad for a few days; it is a common, yet serious, illness that affects almost 10% of Americans each year. Unfortunately, only one-third of sufferers seek treatment even though getting assistance can help 80 percent of all people who are affected. Although depression is a real medical illness, many people still mistakenly believe it is a personal weakness. Events such as the death of a loved one, divorce, financial strains, moving to a new location or significant loss can contribute to the onset of clinical depression. It is not only negative events that can trigger depression. It is often the sum of many events, even good ones like getting married or finding a new job.

If you have experience 5 or more of the symptoms below for more than 2 to 3 weeks it is time to talk to your doctor and/or a counselor.

o Do you feel sad or irritable?

o Have you lost interest in activities once enjoyed?

o Have you experienced changes in weight or appetite?

o Have you experienced changes in sleeping pattern?

o Do you have feelings of guilt?

o Are you unable to concentrate, remember things, or make decisions?

o Have you experienced fatigue or loss of energy?

o Have you experienced restlessness or decreased activity noticed by others?

o Do you feel hopeless, or worthless?

o Have you had thoughts of suicide or death?

Clinical depression is one of the most readily treatable illnesses, and getting treatment can truly save lives. The most common ways to treat depression are with antidepressant medication, psychotherapy (talk therapy), or a combination of both.

Postpartum Panic Attacks: If You Are Plagued With This Condition Here Are 3 Ways To Deal With It

For many women giving birth is a happy time of their life. For others, however, symptoms of depression and panic attacks can occur so strongly as to drastically affect their lives.

Postpartum disorders occur in one in every eight women, so if this your case, you are clearly not alone.

These symptoms go far beyond the typical baby blues that many mothers experience but rather they are intense feelings of not being able to cope and not feeling like you.

What can these women experience?

These new moms worry about really harming their children. This is a large part of the cause for the anxiety as even picturing harming a child can cause anyone to feel just horrible.

Furthermore, the anxiety of raising a child, because of the feeling of not being adequate to the job, is also a contributing factor.

Such questions as how to provide proper care and nutrients to the child just keep swimming in the postpartum mothers mind.

While this depression and postpartum anxiety continues to rage on the feelings will compound, and the situation will just get worse. This is why it is absolutely crucial to seek help at the very first signs of postpartum depression!

Can Postpartum Panic Attacks Be Helped?

Fortunately, postpartum depression can be reversed, and the anxiety attacks that come with this condition, can also be treated. This is certainly not a new disorder and many Mothers go through the same feelings after giving birth.

So What Are The 3 Ways to Deal with Postpartum Panic Attacks?

1.) The best way to start to deal with postpartum panic attacks, are to recognize them for what they are and to seek out a local support group. Just talking to other mothers can reassure you that you are not going crazy.

Furthermore, these groups help to realize that these feelings do not make you a lousy mother.

2.) Another way to deal with these anxiety attacks is to seek out professional medical care. Now obviously you are nursing so the medications you take will have to be taken into account.

Just using some simple and homeopathic remedies has been proven to help many mothers with postpartum depression. As well as relaxing exercises such as some light Yoga or any other relaxing exercise could be very helpful.

3.) The last way is to seek out cognitive therapy and interpersonal therapy. The way this helps is that cognitive therapy helps to overcome negative perceptions, which can result is a lack of energy and depression.

While interpersonal therapy can overcome immediate and difficult problems also help with difficult transitions such as giving birth.

Is This a Common Condition?

While postpartum depression may not be all that common, it is vitally important that you and your family recognize the symptoms of this disorder. Once you have the ability to spot yourself falling prey to this disease it will be easier to seek out the best treatment.

There should never be any stigma associated with seeking out help when you are facing this difficult situation.

Far too many times tragedy has struck many families because they either did not know about this disease or were unwilling to seek out treatment because of the fear of being judged harshly by others.

Team Motivation

Motivation is a force, which drives and encourages a person to overcome conflicts and hurdles. It also refers to a set of forces that leads people to behave in a certain way. It is having the encouragement to do something that a person desires to do. It boosts the will power of the person and enables them attain both long term and short terms goals. It is often seen that motivation helps a lot in boosting efficiency and increasing productivity. Lack of motivation leads to dissatisfaction, develops stress, makes a person short-tempered, and can result in depression. All these affect both the personal and professional life of the person. Teamwork is practically existent in all aspects of a person's life, be it professional or personal. To play a number of sports and games also requires a great deal of teamwork. A good leader is one who motivates and keeps his team focused on achieving pre-determined goals. Team motivation proves to be extremely significant in the success of any teams organized efforts.

Team motivation proves to be more difficult than individual motivation. This is because a leader motivating a team has to deal with a number of emotions. Each person in a team may require different levels of motivation. The capability of a good leader depends on his ability to motivate his team properly. A good team leader understands all his team members' needs and requirements. This understanding proves to be extremely important in motivating the team. Factors used for motivating a team may differ from one situation to another. An organizational team, achieving business targets may require different means of motivation compared to a sporting team planning to compete in a particular event. It is commonly seen that money, fame, and glory tend to be typical motivational factors.

In today's competitive era, team motivation proves to be extremely important. Managers and leaders are required to possess adequate team motivation skills in order to achieve favorable results.

Chronic Depression - Living Under the Cloud of Impending Doom

Another long-term form of depression, Chronic Depression or Dysthymia is much less severe and yet considered a chronic form.

Dysthymia does not stop a person from performing routine functions but prevents him from performing them as well as he could have.

It's believed that some of the causes of dysthymia could be childhood trauma, adjustment problems during the formative teen years or stress in the adult life.

People with dysthymia could stay depressed for quite a long time starting with days continuing for up to two years.

Dysthymia is again a fairly common psychological ailment and generally affects about 3-5 percent of the people.

Though the symptoms of dysthymia greatly resemble those of manic depression, there are not as severe and as such tend to be overlooked or misdiagnosed as a case of psychosomatic illness.

This is the kind of depression I have dealt with for my entire life. The chronic feelings of sadness and "feeling down" turned out to be dysthymia.

For many years I got misdiagnosed because I started having headaches and stomach discomfort which brought my doctors to believe that I had a psychosomatic illness, which is the fancy term used when no physical damage is found in the body. It leads to believe that the cause is purely mental.

Harvard Health Publications states that, "the Greek word dysthymia means 'bad state of mind' or 'ill humor'.

As one of the two chief forms of clinical depression, it usually has fewer or less serious symptoms than major depression but lasts longer."

At least three-quarters of patients with dysthymia also have a chronic physical illness or another psychiatric disorder such as one of the anxiety disorders, drug addiction, or alcoholism.

The Primary Care Journal says that dysthymia "affects approximately 3% of the population and is associated with significant functional impairment". Harvard health Publications says: "The rate of depression in the families of people with dysthymia is as high as 50% for the early-onset form of the disorder."

Unfortunately although this type of depression is fairly common most people with dysthymia can't tell for sure when they first became depressed, making the diagnosis quite challenging at times.

Consult your doctor about this type of chronic depression called dysthymia.

Short And Long Term Effects Of Depression - Get The Facts

1 in 20 Americans suffer from depression, so it's important to know the short and long term effects of depression. Read on to find out more about how the short and long term effects of depression may be affecting YOU.

• 1. Common short term effects. In most cases sufferers will experience the following symptoms - loss of energy, loss of enjoyment and enthusiasm in life, loss of short term memory, listlessness and lethargy, find concentrating difficult, inability to show affection. In extreme cases people have suffered decreased sexual drive, which has resulted in male impotence and cessation of periods in women.
  


• 2. Long term effects on your health. If you don't get help, both short and long term effects of depression can have devastating effects on your health. In the worst cases sufferers have experienced the following... worsening of short term depression symptoms, chronic fatigued, constant aches and pains (psychosomatic), increased susceptibility to illnesses, weakened immune system, agoraphobia and panic attacks (anxiety).
  


• 3. The short and long term effects of depression on your emotional state. If untreated your emotional state will almost certainly suffer. In the worst cases sufferers have experienced the following... not wanting to leave the house, no longer wanting to take part in social activities or seeing friends, lack of sexual drive and affection, which can cause strain on relationships, no longer taking pride in appearance, self harm and suicide attempts.
  


• 4. How to lead a healthy normal life. It is easier than ever to live with depression. There are so many options available, all you need to do is find the right one for you. Medication has helped changed some suffers lives, allowing them to avoid the short and long term effects of depression and to live normal healthy lives. Medication is not always the answer but it can be a great way to regain control over your life. Counselling and therapy will help you to come to terms with your depression and give you greater understand and control.

I hope I have helped you better understand the short and long term effects of depression and realise that you don't have to suffer from these effects. There is a lot of support available, so you no longer deal with depression alone. For more information, help and guidance on the short and long term effects of depression click on the links below.

Depression Symptoms - Uprooting At Early Stages

A person is diagnosed as having depressive disorder if he is suffering from any five or more of the following common symptoms.

• sadness


• mood swings


• loss of interest or pleasure in activities


• change in appetite or weight


• difficulty sleeping or oversleeping


• physical slowing or agitation


• energy loss


• feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt


• difficulty thinking or concentrating


• recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

Severe depression often occurs between ages 15 to 30 years; however, it can also appear in children Some people have a chronic but less severe form of depression, called dysthymic disorder, which is diagnosed when depressed mood persists for at least 2 years (1 year in children) and is accompanied by at least 2 other symptoms of depression.

People with dysthymia develop major depression symptoms.

Episodes of depression also occur in people with bipolar disorder In this disorder, symptoms of depression includes depression alternating with mania, which is characterized by abnormally and persistently elevated mood or irritability and depression symptoms including overly-inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, increased talkativeness, racing thoughts, distractibility, physical agitation, and excessive risk taking.

Without treatment, symptoms of depression can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression to get over their depression symptoms.

Severe mood swings like phases of high mood followed by sadness, then back to high or irritable mood with some phases of normal moods. Added to this are changes in the person's behavior and energy level. These mood swings are commonly called as episodes of depression or mania.

Unlike main health related problems, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder cannot be done physiologically i.e. with regular blood or urine tests. It is usually done by monitoring the depression symptoms narrated by the patient or family members along with the history of the family.

The most severe depression symptoms in patients with depressive and manic-depressive illnesses is suicidal tendencies, which is the main cause for deaths among patients with the mortality rate being higher than it is for most types of heart disease and many types of cancer.

The chances of them having risk of suicide is more in initial phases of the disorder which makes it even more important to be diagnosed at an earlier stage.

The Humor in Our Everyday Life

The world as they say is a harsh place to live in. I beg to differ with this conclusion though. I may be sometimes on a downward spiral toward depression but that does not make me resign to the fact that life is indeed unfair. All we have to do is maintain a positive mental attitude and always believe in the oft-repeated statement that laughter is the best medicine. I have collected some funny quotes about life. These quotes encompass life in general.

"If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side."

This one is for those who do not seem to see the bright side of life. Life may not always be peaches and cream but we have lots of things to be thankful for. Today may be not be your lucky day but for sure tomorrow will be better. You may not get the job you have been longing for but there's a reason for everything.

"Keep your sense of humor. There's enough stress in the rest of your life to let bad shots ruin a game you're supposed to enjoy."

I can't live a day without having a good laugh. This is one antidote to a wounded soul. Life is indeed short so why waste my precious time sulking and regretting the mistakes I have done from the past. A friend once told me, "No use crying over spilled milk." it will not change the situation you have gotten yourself into. Regrets will only make you feel all the more resentful of the situation. Laugh, live and move on.

"Life is a foreign language: all men mispronounce it."

Have you ever wondered why some people are successful and others are not? I really marveled at the fact that people who really succeed are those who were not born with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouth. They are the ones who were left in the cold, dark street with no place to roost in. It's their perseverance that made them successful. Life is full of complexities but if you are brave enough to decipher its intricacies there is no reason to go through your life with any regrets or misgivings.

"Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem."

There are lots of contributing factors why people commit suicide. One of which is when they lose their hope. It's really not easy to get rid of these morbid thoughts of suicide. Reassuring clich矇s will not even help in making the situation better. One question that I have in mind that lingers like a smoke hovering over the furnace is the question of why people are so afraid of living life? Problems are all but temporary. Death is permanent.

"May your life be like toilet paper... Long and useful."

This one really got me... in a funny way. The toilet paper is a blunt description of what life is supposed to be: long and useful. Life is not that short if we know how to live it.

Crazy Making and Living With Personality Disorders

When a loved one in your family is suffering from one of the personality disorders, the entire family is under stress. A family is like an orange: each segment is unique, but connected to make a whole. When member suffers, the entire family suffers.

There are many excellent therapists, counselors, and medical practitioners who specialize in treating personality disorders, but very often the caregivers are overlooked. Just as Mom and Dad can be taken for granted by the children, they can also be assumed to be doing just fine in such a stressful environment.

It doesn't matter much what the personality disorder is when it concerns the well-being of the family. It could be borderline personality disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, or manic depression. The caregivers need to be taken care of as well!

Be careful for Crazy Making

Crazy making is a term to describe a common effect that someone with a personality disorder can have on the one caring for them. It means that the caregiver begins to question his own sanity. It can and does happen that you become so surrounded by the relentless symptoms of a disorder that you lose sight of reality. It begins to make you crazy, hence the term: crazy making.

If you have been there, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Day after day, night after night, maybe your spouse acts out. Sometimes it is subtle, other times it is blatantly obvious that something is wrong. But if there is nobody else to talk to, or you are afraid to confide in another, it creeps up on you and you start to question your own mental condition.

Some typical examples of crazy making

Suppose for a moment that your adult son, who still lives at home, owes you some money. You politely, but firmly ask him for the money, which is past due. This should not be a complicated matter, he borrowed it and promised to pay it back on a certain date.

One favorite tactic is what I call smoke and mirrors. He brings up numerous semi-relevant topics to distract you, all the while appearing like an honest person. He has developed a refined ability to cloud the matter and eventually bring it back on you! Now you might even owe him money!

He might tell you of his hardships, your hardships, your relationship to the other children and how you favor them, and on and on and on. Next thing you know, you actually should have given him this money anyway, somehow he is entitled to it.

The worst thing is that you might fall for it, at least a few times. Eventually though, you begin to realize that you are being manipulated very skillfully. It it when you put your foot down that the sh*t hits the fan.

Another example is when they tell you (and everyone else within earshot) how you think, feel and act. Never mind that it is not true, they are telling you anyway. In fact, they have the uncanny ability to make five hens out of a feather any time, day or night!

Even when such a person is shown to be wrong and they acknowledge this, soon they are back to the original embellished story that protects them from reality. Their show simply must go on, in spite of the facts or feelings of other people.

What can you do to avoid crazy making?

The first thing is to recognize it. If you live with somebody who has a personality disorder, you will see it all the time. It becomes entirely predictable, once you learn the signs.

Educate yourself. There are numerous books available that are very helpful in learning to cope with the stress of crazy making.

Take your life back. You have the right to a safe and healthy life. Take care of you health, your finances, your well-being. This is also one of the best things you can do for the family member who has a personality disorder.

Be forewarned, however: once you begin to take your life back, the episodes will most likely escalate, at least for a time. Make sure you have an adequate support system in the form of friends, family, church, therapists, etc. Personality disorders can be extremely stressful to deal with, but over time you will become confident and strong.

The Deeper Wound by Depak Chopra - Book Review (Harmony Books, 2001)

In a Nutshelll: The emotional scaring of the 9/11 attacks on America ignited the deep seeded fear of safety for our lives which in turn sparked the even deeper seeded emotion of tribal warfare: an eye for an eye mentality that seems to repeat itself in our human history. Chopra takes us on a journey of the soul, finding peace within ourselves from death and the need to understand the "why" behind tragedy that befalls all of us in our lives. In the second half of, The Deeper Wound, Chopra gives us 100 days of healing affirmations to soothe the mind and spirit.

Why Buy This Book: If you have any issues with anger management or the inability to forgive whether it is with a single person, a culture or nation, then you will benefit greatly from the words and exercises Chopra has compiled here. If you're not comfortable with the idea of your death, then The Deeper Wound will provide love and encouragement to accept the inevitable. This book will also help you relieve the feelings of suffering and victimization that hold us back from conscious spiritual and emotional growth.

Why Not Buy This Book: If you are deeply spiritual and can forgive people for the wrongs of the past or if you have accepted death as part of this incarnation, you might not find much new information from this book. The Deeper Wound is designed for those whose souls or spirits need healing either from long suffering limiting thoughts or past actions that have locked us into an emotional holding pattern. If you regularly meditate, commune with your Inner Self and can look lovingly on all of God's creatures with compassion, then you might want to pass on this book.

Why I recommend this book: Moving forward in conscious spiritual and emotional growth is unique to the human experience. We go through life learning that we have ourselves, our emotions and others. There is a balance to find with all three. Our egos tend to get in the way and we attach ourselves to emotions of pride, fear and the need to control others. Perhaps in small doses these emotions can be catalysts, they tend to hold us back from attaining a higher level of inner peace and love. Emotional wounds are like shrapnel, they can be minuscule and deeply embedded within our minds, without knowing how they are daily detriments to our innate joy.

I especially recommend this book for anyone looking to heal from a wound caused by another person, such as a parent or ex-lover who deeply hurt us. If you hold any anger within you, then this is a must read. Anger is like cancer, it reproduces by living off healthy cells. The more it is fed, the faster it spreads affecting other areas of the body and mind. It leaves nothing but death and destruction in its wake. The Deeper Wound is a gentle and loving way of creating an inner world of peace and love. If you fill your spirit with peace and love, then you will have only peace and love to give away.

I also recommend this book for anyone looking to be a positive force in changing the world for betterment. As Chopra quotes in the preface, A principle of physics states "When an electron vibrates, the whole world shakes." Let us then, you and I, be those electrons that vibrate at the level of consciousness to bring peace, harmony, joy and love to the world. Let this be call to action.

Taking Control Of Your Mood With This Seizure Medication

Distributed under the name of Tenegrol, carbamazepine is a mood stabilizing and anticonvulsant drug. It is an antimanic medication used to control certain types of seizures in the treatment of epilepsy, to treat bipolar disorder, and is sometimes used in the treatment of schizophrenia.
Also used to combat trigeminal neuralgia.

Tegretol Information

Carbamazepine was discovered in 1953 in Switzerland by Walter Schindler.
It was synthesized in 1960. In 1962 Tenegrol was approved for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia Often within 24 to 48 hours this miraculous drug relieves pain associated with trigeminal neuralgia disease.

Tegretol has been found with some patients to have a mild psychotropic effect which could help prevent psychomotor or temporal lobe epilepsy. When used together with lithium or another neuroleptic or an immunotherapy has been found very useful in the treatment of acute mania and the preventative treatment of manic-depressive maladies. Tenegrol is also used for central partial diabetes insipidus (water diabetes), alcohol withdrawal and severe mental illness (psychotic disorders).

It is an enzyme inducer of the cytochrome P450 system that metabolizes oral contraceptive, Tegretol renders certain methods of hormonal contraception.

Also has a moderate anticholinergic action, like any other tricylic compound, which may cause certain conflicting effects of the drug. Some of these effects may include:

blurry or double vision

juvenile myoclonic epilepsy

temporary or mild loss of blood cells or platelets

drowsiness; upset stomach

small reductions in white cell count

syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone (SIADH)

We well understand the mechanism of action of Tenegrol - voltage-gated sodium channels are molecular pores that allow neurons to bring about action potentials (the events that let neurons communicate over far distances); in order to begin the action potential they shut the channel and carbamazepine makes the brain cells less agitated. Hence stabilizing the inactivated state of sodium channels.

Should not be used by patients having:

hepatic disease

serious blood disorder

acute intermittent porphyries

with or after an MAO (monoamine oxidase) inhibitor

behavioral problems

kidney or liver disease

diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes)

to patients presenting AV heart block

hypersensitivity to any of the tricyclic compounds

pregnancy (it causes neural tube defects for the fetuses)

This drug should be taken on a regular basis, at the same time everyday. Citrus fruit or its juice may alter the amount of the drug that is accepted into your bloodstream so it is recommended to abstain from the fruit while taking Tegretol.

Following these guidelines will make taking this medication a simple and safe endeavor.

Broken Heart Quotes on Steroids!

I am a strong, independent woman, and I go on at least 3 dates every single week. I recently had a guy ask me to marry him, and I've got other people calling my cell phone like crazy. I never thought this would happen after my last relationship break up, and it's still not easy for me to accept as my new reality. But it wasn't always this way!

A few years ago I had the worst break up of my entire life. The absolute man of my dreams, the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, dumped me like a piece of trash at the curb. He said I wasn't right him, and that he needed to move on to do other things. My world shattered. All my hopes and dreams crashed. I became extremely depressed and lost all my aspirations. I severed connections with any friends and holed up like a hermit inside my bedroom.

I cried every single day for hours on end, and couldn't get out of bed for at least a month. All I did was watch sad movies and read sappy broken heart quotes. The problem was that my life made these broken heart quotes look easy to handle! This was the most terrifying breakup of my life. I know now, looking back, that I became dependent on him as my source of happiness and inspiration. But at the time it was dangerous how pathetically sad I was.

In the process of overcoming this, I began to study all kinds of self help books, relationship guides, and took all kinds of seminars on human behavior and communication.

I have boiled it all down to three key points:

• You must have life-long goals for yourself that don't necessarily include anybody else.


• You must always remain loyal to yourself first. Then your lover second.


• You've got to know when to call it quits.

These three tips have helped me change the entire face of my life. It has transformed in the most fascinating ways when I really began to apply these principles in earnest.

After going through the living hell of being sad and single for so long, and spending almost every waking minute either crying in bed, wishing I was asleep, or reading broken heart quotes in full agreement, I have really started to see the writing on the wall.

You've got to be a strong, independent person, whether you are in a relationship or not. This is the secret to happiness!

Depression Victims - Extending a Helping Hand

The most disheartening thing about depression is that it's fairly common and yet many people either don't realize they are affected by it or simply close their eyes and ears from accepting it. Just like the patients, their family members and loved ones also bear the brunt of this mental disorder. Hence it's important all the people around the patient are aware of the dos and don'ts so as to support their precious friend or relative 100% and make their own job as a caregiver more productive.

Coach yourself- study depression, its symptoms and causes: This will help you track the progress and improvement of your friend/relative. Also whenever possible give your feedback to the patient's doctor to help them make a better judgment.

Network with people in similar situations: Communicate with other caregivers or support groups to comprehend things at a wider perspective; this will help you understand your loved one and their symptoms better.

Be patient: The line between over-reacting and firmly dealing with a disgruntled person is very thin, be careful not to step over. Give space to yourself and your ward. Do not hold your pent up emotions against the patient.

Don't suppress: patients affected by this ailment might often say things that sound irrational, do not get impatient or argumentative with them. Be calm and help them understand that it is all going to be fine.

Be at their side: Depressed people are bound to feel worthless and have low self esteem, they often think of themselves as an unnecessary burden. Communicate regularly with them and make them understand that they are as important as anyone else. Give them a shoulder to cry on and you unconditional support.

Protect yourself: Caring for a depressed person can be over-whelming, so you have to be extremely caring towards your self too. Feelings of depression can be contagious in a way, so detach your self from the whole situation once in a while to freshen up your body and mind.

Understand them: It is worthwhile to step into the shoes of the depressed person and understand how they must be feeling. This will help you deal with the frustrating situations more empathetically.

Depressed people often ignore your advice and may not even be able to concentrate on simple chores around the house, do not mistake this with laziness and encourage them.

Colon Cancer And Warning Signs That Can Mimic Other Illnesses

An alien world was revealed to us after what proved to be a fortuitous incident that left my mum void of memory for a 24 hour period. After this incident, constipation came on suddenly along with lethargy & cognitive decline. What was to ensue within the next 4 weeks was a rigmarole of memory assessments & blood tests to find the cause, which eventually was believed to be related to her anemia.

It was only upon investigation into this foreign world that I was to discover that anemia in the elderly can be symptomatic of internal bleeding that needs to be investigated. Many Google searches revealed what I did not want to believe - the link between Colon Cancer and those with anemia (low iron stores in the blood). After consultation with a Colorectal Specialist we were advised to have a Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy. At the time, it was explained that mum was a Category 1, yet the waiting list at the public hospital could not be guaranteed within 6 weeks, therefore we chose to utilise a private clinic. It took us 2 weeks from the initial consultation.

During this period we were also to stumble upon the fact that mum had been taking a well known statin drug - Lipitor, which was recently linked to new FDA guidelines issuing a warning as to having some severe side effects. These include cognitive decline and anyone with suspected renal & liver conditions to be cautiously monitored. With mum's blood tests revealing moderate renal dysfunction & the cognitive decline, I wondered if there could be a correlation? After speaking with the doctor, we decided to wash the drug out of my mum's system, even though it was doubtful as to the cause of her memory decline. (For anyone taking this drug, see FDA guidelines & consult with your practitioner prior to ceasing medication).

It was interesting to note the improvement in mum's memory throughout the period that she stopped taking the drug, irrespective of the fact that she was still classified as anemic. The recent memory lapses appeared to reduce dramatically as crosswords began to make sense again, with her even joking that she had also found her long lost sense of humor. I watched on as a silent observer as to the re-awakening of her thought processes and continued to wonder?

I will digress for a moment here and reveal the substance of an Aged Care assessment to further support how imperative it is to question and continue to seek advice and support of trusted open-minded professionals. Interestingly, my mum had formed a diagnosis of Dementia (honestly, we all had!). This was not supported by the assessment process and a clinical diagnosis of Depression was offered with a recommendation of antidepressants given. Not wanting to add another tablet to mum's regime of daily medication, our family doctor supported the decision that we would intervene and deal with the episode with family support. The pieces of the puzzle were somewhat foggy in all areas as to the cause of the memory dysfunction and mum's future.

Our conversations took many forms and were open, raw and honest as to if the inevitable was to be faced. In a matter of weeks, we traveled the road of low care Nursing Homes, Independent Living Villages all the way through to Palliative Care options. At this time mum felt that she was no longer capable of looking after herself and showed little self confidence and low self esteem. On top of it all, she had recently instigated the sale of her home after many years of procrastination. It seemed as if a hidden part of her psyche propelled her to make changes and slowly piece by piece it all began to make more sense.

I make the pun slowly, as Colon Cancer is the "slow killer" and quite often does not make its presence known until it is of adult like nature. The testing is not as intrusive as one might believe, with quite often the worst part being the Glycoprep mixture prior to the procedure, which produces a laxative effect. A tedious 48 hour period to prepare is that of low fibre dietary requirements and monitoring of blood sugar levels for those with Diabetes.

Another interesting part of this process was that my mum had little or no idea as to the terminology used, preparation required and relied upon me as her "interpreter", even surrendering to the process as I was given Medical POA. Most doctor's visits throughout this time consisted of the relaying of information between all parties. I have been given a new appreciation for any elderly person navigating this process alone or someone of foreign speaking background. If you have an elderly parent, I cannot stress enough the importance of having "an advocate" to help decipher the process with them.

Finally, a diagnosis of Bowel Cancer was given and we were told that from now on "things will happen quickly". Over the next week, more CT scans were performed to see if the cancer had metastised to any other organs. The next step was to see a Colorectal Surgeon and we were given the treatment options. The scans revealed no secondary sites. The tumour was in the caecum and a Hemicolectomy would need to be done as soon as possible. Basically, removal of the contaminated part of the bowel and then a rejoin so that a colostomy bag would not be needed. My mum often joked that she had "a good cancer" as it was on the right side, instead of the left, therefore this procedure was a more comfortable outcome. Either way, I think they both pose their own challenges to the individual and the more information primary carers & those diagnosed have to support recovery is imperative. Ask questions and if you don't remember write them down and take them to your appointments!

Surgery was booked within 4 days and the following week we arrived at the hospital. I felt as if the tables had been turned as our parental roles seemed to be in reverse. The surgery time took approximately 3 & 1/2 hours including post-op recover time. After surgery mum was groggy, yet she gave that beaming little smile of hers with a thumbs up and I immediately knew that it wasn't her time to go.

Back on her feet the very next day, I behaved like an overprotective mother as I ensured that her stockings had been put on, massaged her legs & rang friends/family to keep an ongoing support crew at her bedside (thank god for phones). Due to the high risk of clotting, patients are encouraged to walk around as soon as possible, deep breathe regularly and wear stockings when in bed. Within days mum was ready to come home with approximately 15 staples in her belly and a working bowel that she said felt little different to before. As the surgeon explained with this type of surgery, the patient finds their "new normal". Mum found hers after the first bowel motion!

Our house has now turned into an interesting daily phenomena of poos, medication and memory programs (thank god for crosswords, scrabble & resourceful teenagers). Throughout the whole journey, I have maintained an optimistic expectation and tried to visualise the outcome; the right surgeons, nurses and a speedy recovery. I even sent out prayer requests to every denomination I could find on the internet as I believe in the power of prayer to help heal!

By facing the inevitable, a magical process happened as time merged into the most important moment to moment memories. The laughter throughout this time was almost constant, support never far away and tears let go as needed. We spent many hours dealing with the process of our very own family sitcom as a multitude of synchronistic events played out. Laughter is definitely a healer!

Being of a holistic nature, I believe that it is imperative to address all facets of one's disease & lifestyle. In my mum's case, we addressed lifestyle and social support (she now lives with my daughter and I) In addition, with the doctor's support we have modified the statins as we do believe based on observation that they were partially responsible for the memory decline, in conjunction with the low levels of iron in her blood. She now takes iron tablets and will have blood tests to rule out any future onset of this disease, further scans and a Colonoscopy in one year's times to check that no polyps (small lumps in the bowel) have formed. In conjunction, I believe the key factors are: proper nutrition, regular exercise, ongoing monitoring and social support. Ironically, mum has no signs or symptoms of Depression anymore.

I believe in looking at the process of dis-ease as a journey, forget the destination and life can take on new meaning. It is simply as the word states, a dis-ease within the body that needs attention. Avoid powerful words of suggestion and speak in positive realistic terms, internally and externally. The mind is a powerful tool that can and will talk itself into and out of anything. I am not advocating living in denial but simply mapping the journey as positively as you can with limited stress to all involved. If you have an elderly parent who is over 55, it is worthwhile to screen for Colon cancer periodically, as it is the number one cancer in the elderly that is curable, if treated early.

I wonder if I had not asked questions and just accepted the waiting list for testing as to whether this outcome would have been so positive. Thankfully, the tumor was removed along with 14 lymph nodes; all of which were negative. The follow up was with an Oncologist who advised that there is only a 10% chance that it will return and given mum's age she has a higher chance of dying from other unrelated illnesses. If chemotherapy was to be used for 6 months it would only reduce the chance by 1% & reduce quality of life, therefore we have decided to continue on this journey with a light heart, lots of laughter, support and gratitude for what we have right here and now. I'll keep you updated.

Some Ways to Improve Depression Without Medication

According to the Alternative Medicine Encyclopedia, depression is:

"Mental illness characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that once were pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep, appetite, and mental processes are a common accompaniment."

Clinical depression, which is far beyond just the popular meaning of "being depressed", it may be diagnosed by a health care professional after the condition described above, lasts for at least two weeks straight.

What are the symptoms of depression?

According to the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario, some signs and symptoms of clinical depression include, but are not limited to:

1. Loss of interest in things one used to enjoy


2. Feeling sad, blue, or down just all the time


3. Feelings of constant restlessness


4. Feelings of being worthless


5. Pronounced changes in appetite, which may lead to rapid weight loss or rapid weight gain


6. Lethargy


7. Feeling anxious


8. Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep; or, sleeping too much (more than nine hours a night on a regular basis)

How to overcome depression?

Here are five tips

1. Start your day in a positive way. One of the very best ways to do this is to get up and do some kind of physical exercise--yoga, or going hiking, running, or bicycling out of doors.


2. Create the habit of having adequate hours of sleep, eat in a balanced way, and get physical exercise at some point at least four days a week.


3. Start building your self-esteem. Remember low self-esteem is a symptom of depression. If you have scars from your past that bring on negative thoughts about yourself, talk to close friends, a priest, or a counselor about them. There is no reason for you to feel inadequate.


4. Learn to manage stress. Too much stress can weigh you down. It can be tricky, but get away from the things that are stressing you out for a while, or confront the problems causing the stress--don't just passively accept it.


5. Make sure to see your family doctor to determine if you might need to talk to a psychiatrist. We want to avoid drugs for depression if we possibly can, but they might be necessary in some situations.

Some natural cures for depression

While there are times when pharmaceuticals are the best answer for depression, they are very over-prescribed, and they typically come with side effects that nobody wants. It's best to try to cure depression through other means first; for these other means are most often the best response to depression.

Herbal medicine: For instance, the herb St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a well-known stress-reducer, and this can lead to a remedy for depression. Other herbs that work like this include Valerian and ginseng. Talk to someone who practices homeopathy for guidance.

Bach Flower Remedies. Named after Edward Bach, a highly respected English doctor, homeopath, pathologist, and bacteriologist who came to distrust the isolationism of orthodox medicine, Bach Flower Remedies are medicines used to balance negative mental states and emotions.

Aromatherapy. This is an "alternative" treatment that uses the scents released from highly concentrated essential oils that are extracted from plants to treat symptoms and assist in the healing process for a wide range of disorders and illnesses. Consult an experienced practitioner.

Massage. Massage is being prescribed more and more for stress relief and for nervous system health in general, even in the workplace. Higher levels of health are associated with lower risks of becoming depressed.

Vitamins. Vitamin supplements, specially The B-complex vitamins, help to increase health and energy level, which prevent the risk of becoming depressed.

Conclusion

If you are concerned that you may be suffering for chronic depression, do not substitute this tips for medical advice. Consider all of them, but also talk to a doctor.

How Rejection Causes Depression And Social Anxiety

Rejection is one of the main causes of depression and social anxiety. Understanding why may help you combat and even overcome some of your depression and social anxieties.

Rejection causes a series of emotional and spiritual issues that need to be addressed. God did not create us to be antisocial. The need for human companionship, love, acceptance, and even touch is intrinsic to our natures. Rejection, however, can subjugate those needs creating even larger and more serious issues.

A predominate theme throughout the Bible is the need people have for other people. From loving our enemies (Mat 5:44), to sharing burdens (Gal 6:2), and on to praying for each other (James 5:16), and then back around to the emphatic statement God made in Genesis 2:18 regarding Adam, 'It is not good that the man should be alone', we were never intended to live beyond human relationships.

Feeling rejected from one of our most basic needs can have a devastating impact on the way we think, the way we see life, and the way we deal with life. Cain, feeling as if God had rejected him, became so warped in his thinking that he committed murder and then, after being banished for that act, declared, "My punishment is greater than I can bear!"

The hardest thing to overcome in a person's life is the emotional impact of feeling rejected. Teenagers will go to extra-ordinary lengths to be accepted-sometimes by any group, good or bad. Adults are constantly seeking a niche where they can be accepted and useful. Children who are accepted are significantly more emotionally stable than those who are not.

But those who feel rejected from family and/or social circles develop a fear of rejection which makes it harder and harder to be accepted. The end result of such a case is often depression and anxiety. It is a vicious circle.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

First, acceptance nearly always begins with being accepting of others. If you want to have friends, be friendly. There are enough people out there looking for acceptance that if you would simply accept them, you will, in turn, be accepted.

Part of the problem is when we want to be accepted by a particular person or group that has rejected us. You can't force someone to accept you. But you can be accepting of others. We miss out on a lot of life when we can only see one or two areas of our life. There are many more people out there to get to know.

Next, don't hibernate. I believe God meant for our earthly happiness to be found within our God ordained relationships. Fearing rejection means you are in perpetual rejection. You can't be accepted if you are never in a position to be accepted. Get out and do things with people. Involve yourself in their lives. Find ways to contribute to the wholesomeness of other people's lives. When you are focused solely on yourself, you miss out on so much joy!

Lastly, find acceptance with God. Knowing that God loves you will see you through many a dark valley in life. One of Jesus' promises that, when put to the test, never fails is one made to Peter. Peter, trying to feel accepted by Jesus made this statement in Mark 10:28, "Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee." What an amazing statement. Yet, it is one that is only made by a person who is still seeking some measure of acceptance or feeling somewhat depressed or anxious.

Jesus responded with an incredible statement that has been proved true over and over again:

"And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." - Mark 10:29-30

For me, the key phrase is 'now in this time'. You can be accepted here, in this life, on this planet. In my pursuit of God and Jesus Christ, I have found a richness and depth of acceptance that has brought me tremendous confidence and joy! Depression is rare for me, but then I have a very, very large family that accepts me.

WHY CAN'T PEOPLE JUST ACCEPT ME FOR THE WAY I AM?

Without delving too deeply into this subject, let me explain in short why that statement is absurd. First, it demands everyone else bend to your inflexibility. Secondly, it becomes a condition of your own acceptance of others. Thirdly, it implies a complete disregard for personal improvement. Fourthly, it precludes you from ever allowing yourself to change for the sake of another. And lastly, it isolates you to a minuscule world where everything else must revolve around the way you are-a tiny world indeed.

I stand firm on my beliefs, not on me. I need to improve. I can change for the better. I don't demand, ever, that someone accept me for who I am, but I do seek people who are willing to accept what I believe.

One lady, whose bluntness had cost her many of her relationships, told me once, "This is just the way I am." I shrugged and replied, "Then change the way you are." Until she can learn to accept that others struggle with her bluntness, how can she expect others to accept her? It would be different if she said, "I'm working on it. I'm trying. Could you help me?" Ah, that is much easier to accept! Her willingness to change for the better is something I can believe in! It is something easy to accept!

When you become more accepting of others, you are accepted. When you feel accepted, you will not get as depressed or have as many social anxieties.

Studies Suggest That Bipolar Disorder Can Be Prevented

Anyone can develop bipolar, but certain groups are more susceptible to it than others. For example, if either of your parents or grandparents exhibited bipolar disorder symptoms, you have a significant higher chance of getting it than those whose parents and grandparents are free of it. The same is true if you have a brother or sister with the disease. In fact, heredity is the biggest predictor of someone developing the disease.

Another predictor is age. Most of the time, this illness strikes someone in their late teens. Therefore, pre-teens and older adults, as a group, have a much less chance of getting it.

And finally, the presence of any other brain disease or disorder in the family, increases your odds of developing the disease. So, if your family has a history of anxiety disorders, for example, even though it is not a bipolar disease, the statistics say that your odds of getting bipolar have increased. Once someone does get it, barring unusual cures or remissions, the disease lasts a lifetime.

On rare occasions, the illness will strike young kids. When it does, it is referred to as early-onset bipolar disorder. This is meant to distinguish it from the more prevalent adult version of bipolar disorder. The symptoms in both adults and children are mostly the same. The distinction is mainly that children feel the effects more sharply than adults.

The frequency of mood switches also is greater in children than adults. These two facts, together, means that a child with bipolar disorder will experience the disease at a much higher level than an adult would.

Scientists and researchers have been studying bipolar-disorder for years in an effort to determine the causes of the illness. And, until recently, aside from the fact that it was genetically based, they could not identify any particular reason why one person might get the disease and another would not.

And then, largely due to the human genome project, two genes were identified as the predictors of who stood the best likelihood of developing the disease. The two genes, ANK3 and CACNA1C are now the subject of much study as scientist rush to develop cures and treatments for bipolar disease based on these new facts.

Studies are also under way to determine if these genes can be turned off, thus preventing someone from ever getting the disease. But don't expect cures to appear in the next one or two years. Scientist have just begun to crack the code. But when they do, the many thousands of children suffering from this disease will be able to begin life anew.

Bipolar Disorder - From Devastation to Delight

Bipolar disorder can totally devastate your life if you are afflicted by it. It can also put extreme pressure on relationships with friends and loved ones. Quite often it has been the major cause of these important relationships breaking down. Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depressive disorder, does not need to dominate one's life like that. It can be well managed. Imagine the delight for the afflicted person and their friends and loved ones, if this does occur. It would give them all back control of their lives.

Unmanaged manic depressive disorder can be totally in control of one's life. Swinging between manic episodes and depressive episodes is frightening. When will the next high or low hit? Can you tell the difference between being high and being happy? Can you tell the difference between being depressed and being sad? Even that state of normality between mood-swings can be terrifying. When will the next of your manic episodes or depressive episodes arrive?

Suicide Does Not need to be a Threat

Of all the mental disorders bipolar disorder has the highest successful suicide rate and attempted suicide rate of them all. The USA National Institute of Mental Health advise that up to 20% of bipolar people will successfully commit suicide. The USA National Institute of Health state that between 25% to 50% of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder will attempt suicide at least once in their life. Both of these organizations also advise that these rates drop markedly if the afflicted person is receiving proper treatment for their manic depressive disorder.

Manic episodes and depressive episodes can definitely be successfully managed. Achieving this gives the afflicted person, their friends, and their loved ones a much more comfortable life to live. Even if manic depressive disorder episodes are experienced they are nowhere near as frightening as unmanaged episodes can be. Can you think of the relief this would bring to all parties. The way to start managing these episodes normally comes from within the afflicted person. Manic depressive disorder is best managed when there is a strong DESIRE from within for this objective to be achieved.

The First Step to Managing Manic Depressive Disorder is Having a Strong Inward DESIRE to do so.

This DESIRE ensures that the prescribed treatment regime is strictly followed. This is a big step forward towards successful management of bipolar disorder. A proper understanding of the disorder will be gained. Good communication between doctor and patient is needed to ensure that the prescribed medication is achieving the required results. Hopefully friends and loved ones will also obtain a good knowledge of the disorder. This knowledge helps them considerably as they provide support to help good management of the disorder.

The successful management of manic episodes and depressive episodes goes a long way towards giving back control of your life. Imagine the delight for yourself, your friends and your loved ones. Can it be time for you to take back control of your life? Take the first big step. Build up a strong DESIRE to do so.

Manic Depressive Disorder Can Be Successfully Managed

Manic depressive disorder (now known as bipolar disorder) is a mental disorder. Wikipedia indicates that 1% of the population of the world have bipolar disorder. There are many sources which quote an even higher percentage. The disorder can be very debilitating. However, it is one that, with a strong desire and a proper treatment regime, can be successfully managed.

Manic depressive disorder is said to be one of the worst mental disorders to be diagnosed with. You might ask how this can be. If you had manic depressive disorder you would know how this can be. The disorder can cause wild changes from mania to deep depression. Thus you have to face two extremely different mental conditions. There can be quick changes or the change from one to the other or it can take years.

You may be 100% clear of all manic or depressive symptoms. However the disorder can still be in full control of your life. Firstly, you can decide that you are now free of manic depression. This can lead to a decision to cease taking your medication. Amongst your medication most likely there were some called mood stabilizers. You are then left very much at risk of another bipolar episode. Suddenly you are gripped by bipolar all over again.

An alternative to this is fear. Whilst you are living without any bipolar symptoms you might be living in fear as to when the next episode will arrive. Unfortunately this is all too common amongst those of us with bipolar symptoms. The disorder can not only control the person who has the diagnosis. It can have a pronounced effect on their friends and loved ones. They too, find life difficult when an episode occurs. Also, they can live in fear of the next episode arriving.

If you are diagnosed with manic depressive disorder that diagnosis stays with you for the rest of your life. However that does not mean that the disorder has to control the rest of your life. There is good news for you. The disorder can be managed. I have read many comments on the internet of people saying how grateful they were to be properly diagnosed with the disorder. From there many have managed the disorder and regained control of their life.

About thirty years ago I was diagnosed with manic depressive disorder. The symptoms totally controlled my life. I felt that I could not continue my life in that fashion. My first thought was suicide. Clearly, my various attempts did not succeed. Today I am very grateful for this. Many people with the disorder consider this option. The American National Institute of Mental Health advises that 20% of those with the disorder successfully commit suicide.

I have mentioned that I have attempted suicide on a number of occasions. Today I am very grateful that all my attempts were unsuccessful. Seven years ago I met, and very quickly married (5 months for the curious) a wonderful lady. We are very happily married. Judy, my new wife has been a great source of strength in my management of manic depressive disorder.

I know that manic depressive disorder can be managed. I have learned to manage my own bipolar symptoms. I have known friends who have succeeded in managing their symptoms. There are references to countless such people on the internet. Basically I have achieved this by studying the disorder. I practiced what I learned about the disorder. It has worked for me. It has worked for many others. Why shouldn't it work for you?

Depression Natural Cure - Really a Reality?

Look around the world today. No matter where you live or what you do you are bound to know someone who either has or is suffering from depression. As sad as it is many of these people are not receiving the treatment that they need. Old taboos still hold some people from getting the help they desperately need. They are embarrassed and ashamed of the illness that has befell them but there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Clinical depression strikes every race and sex on earth. Millions of people are forced to find ways to cope with mental illness. Currently there are a number of treatments available and a depression natural cure is fast catching on.

The first treatment that many people think of when they think of clinical depression is probably antidepressants. This has been the accepted treatment for clinical depression for many years but with new studies come new answers. Several studies being conducted are pointing to a natural remedy for depression. For example certain parts of Europe have been prescribing St John's Wort as a depression treatment for years with promising results. St John's Wort is an herb that grows naturally in many different parts of the world.

In clinical studies patients suffering from mild forms of depression who were treated with St John's Wort showed significantly more positive results than those taking the placebo treatment. In fact, many patients treated with this natural treatment showed results comparable or greater than the patients taking prescription antidepressants. In patients taking St John's Wort less side effects were reported and of those reported they were mild. At this time, no results are available on how patients suffering from more severe forms of clinical depression such as bipolar depression would react to St John's Wort.

Natural herbs are not the only depression natural cure. Many people will turn to therapy when battling this illness. Therapy can consist of many different things but one thing to keep in mind is experts agree that a emotional as well as physical support network is one of the strongest factors in overcoming clinical depression. Therapy can be prescribed by a health care professional although for many people depression self help groups are an alternative answer. Self help groups usually consist of other people who are either suffering or have suffered from clinical depression. Clinical depression can be one of the hardest things a person could ever go through in life and without battling the illness themselves it is nearly impossible for someone to understand what it is like. This gives these types of support groups the added benefit of a likeness. Everyone can feel comfortable knowing everyone else can empathize with what they are going through.

If you are suffering from depression it is important to get help. Whether you choose to take a natural route or you prefer to seek professional help, take action. Depression does not fix itself and sadly it will not just go away. It is a fight that will continue to be fought day in and day out but with the right help it is completely possible to hold depression in check and lead a normal life.

Detecting Signs of Depression in Children and Teens

While childhood depression can be triggered by events such as changing schools, divorce, moving, or a death in the family, there is a genetic component to depressive mood disorders, and some children are more predisposed to these feelings than others. In past generations childhood depression was often dismissed as normal growing pains, but now that we know more about the causes, symptoms and long-term effects of depression, early detection and treatment of depression have become important concerns.

If you suspect that your young child may be suffering from depression, do not dismiss it. Depression can take root early in life and have long-lasting effects, but you can take steps now to ensure that your child lives a full and happy life. Here are the most common signs and symptoms of childhood depression:

Family history: If there is a history of depression in your family, pay extra close attention to the moods of your child. Even if neither you nor the other parent have depression, these afflictions can skip generations. If you have any parents or siblings who have struggled with mood disorders, then your child could be at greater risk.

Irritability: The symptoms of childhood depression mimic those of adult depression in many ways, but there are important differences. For one, while depressed adults often become withdrawn and sad, depressed children are more likely to become irritable and have outbursts of irrational emotion. They do not have the emotional maturity to recognize the meaning of their feelings, so they lash out.

Loss of interest in activities: If your child frequently complains that she is bored, or if she does not seem interested in any of the activities she used to enjoy, this could be a sign that her mood has declined.

Social difficulties: Having an active social life is a crucial part of childhood development. Depressed children often have trouble interacting with their peers and maintaining friendships, which can lead to arrested development in the social sphere. If not changed early, this can have negative social effects for life.

Frequent complaining: More often than in grown-ups, depression in children can lead to physical aches and pains. If your child frequently complains of headaches, stomach aches, or other pains, be sure to take her to the doctor for a checkup. If nothing is physically wrong, it could be that the pains are triggered by depression. They may be signs that your child is reaching out for help.

Declining school performance: To do well in school, children need to be focused and engaged. Depression can get in the way of this. If his grades have declined, or if he frequently expresses an intense aversion to school, it could be that depression has begun to interfere with his studies.

Frequent crying: Children who are depressed often cry for seemingly no reason. If your child sometimes cries but cannot seem to tell you what is wrong, it could be a sign of unusually melancholy feelings within.

Violence or aggression: Depression can cause children to become aggressive toward their peers or siblings. Some children are naturally rougher than others, but if your child has suddenly become aggressive or has repeatedly gotten in trouble at school for fighting, it could be linked to depression.

Low self-esteem: Childhood depression often goes hand in hand with feelings of low self-worth. If your child often speaks negatively of herself or seems to lack confidence, these might be symptoms of depression.

Morbid thoughts: Children who are depressed sometimes become obsessed with death or violence, and if they do not express these thoughts openly, it may come out in schoolwork or in things like drawings or writings.

Two Energies, One Body - Balance Your Male - Female Sides

What is the big mystery of the male and female sides of the body? Why do we need to be aware of this? The body is energetically divided into two parts. The right and the left, male and female dominated sides. This is not a new concept, it has an origin in eastern philosophies like Buddhism, Yoga, and you can even find ancient writings that the Mayan civilization was aware of the power of maintaining balance between these two opposite energies.

The Buddha taught it quite clearly. Each human being has a right and left hemisphere in the brain, which we classify as male and female, the right being female, left being male. The left or male side is in charge of the right side of the body and the right brain or female side is in charge of the left side of the body.

The Maya placed themselves and their environment into categories that allowed them to order and manipulate their world. They frequently categorized using the basic complementary pairing of male/female, and right/left.

In yoga, male energy (the sun), is referred to as Shiva, and is the form of the universe. Male energy is the domain of the right side of the body. Whereas female energy (the moon), is referred to as Shakti, and is the force of the universe. The female energy is the domain of the left side of the body.

The significant importance is that as one person we need to be in constant balance to be able to achieve the best of our world, mental physical and emotional. Both sides, male and female have to attain a harmonious whole.

The male side is usually connected to our rationality, logic, linear thinking, and understanding. The female side is connected to feelings, nurturing, caring, compassion, love, and all the emotional qualities. Each of us has sides, the emotional and the mental capacity. Very few people develop both equally, therefore their cart often topples. Emotionalism is just as much a danger as thinking without being in touch with one's feelings. That too can go very much astray.

A person who goes too far on the side of rational thinking has to learn to balance with feelings, the female side. Anyone who thinks to the extent where the experience of feelings is hardly known has to practice much mindfulness of feelings. On the other hand, the female side is often emotionalism. This means we are carried away by our emotions and consequently our thinking is impaired. The quality of logical thinking, of delving into a thought process and being able to analyze, is not possible when the emotions are at the forefront.

During yoga practice, the goal is to observe and understand the dance between Shiva and Shakti. In this dance Shiva and Shakti flow in balance with each other are bringing balance to the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the yogi.

When we experience blockages, or imbalances within our male/female essence or energy the results can be disastrous and harmful to our physical body as well as our mental body.

For example there is a belief that manic depression is common and occurs when the right and left energies are uncontrolled or out of balance. When a person is stuck on the right, the male manic side, then the body becomes wiry and thin and heart attacks become prevalent. When stuck on the left, the female depressive side the person becomes lethargic and fat and easily depressed. The physical base of these energies is the perineum in the male and the vulva in the female. Their other control point is the left and right nostrils. Blocked nostrils and mucus can show a blockage of these energies.

There can also be outward signs of imbalances, notice to see if you are having issues with
males or females in your life and your body will begin to manifest these imbalances in the form of maladies. Issues with males may result in simple things like stubbing your toe on the right foot, hurting your right elbow. The same goes with the opposite side of the body. Issues with females manifest in the left side of your body.

The balancing of male and female energy needs to be seen as connecting heart with mind. Energy and concentration have to balance. In yoga the practice is to begin to allow the energy to realign itself with the body. Meditation is one of the most effective tools that can be used to connect and balance the male/female energies. Yoga is used to prepare the body for meditation thus increasing the ability to have these energies find their space and begin to realign, to balance, to find harmony. Chakra balancing is an effective way in which to align those energies. Other very effective tools for connecting and balancing are Reiki, Watsu and pranayama work.

It is interesting that this knowledge that has been with us through many centuries and was common place then to detect bodily, mental and spacial ills should be so foreign and mysterious to us in this so called "advanced" civilization. I believe that more and more as we enter the age of "inspirato"1 we will begin to learn how to listen and connect with our own energy. Only then will we begin to feel the balance and healing that comes from this.

1. Inspirato-latin for inspiration. We will be moving from the age of information to the age of a new world where compassion and respect for ourselves, the universe and others will prevail.

Rejecting the Bipolar Disorder Test and Going For a Proper Conclusion Instead

Unfortunately, there's no simple, quick and easy test to diagnose people suspected of experiencing bipolar disorder. In fact, this ailment isn't even a single disorder. Rather, it's a term used to describe a number of mood disorders that are identified by mania or manic episodes, bouts of depression, and possibly psychotic episodes. One of or all the above can be present, making a simple and easy test for the disorder difficult to put together.

Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder

A psychiatrist will typically base a bipolar disorder diagnosis on the patient's own descriptions of their behavior and feelings. They may also use feedback from family and friends of the patient along with their own observations of the patient.

To be diagnosed, an individual must meet a certain list of requirements.

Tests to Determine its Presence

Though a medical professional may administer a psychological bipolar test - weighing the patient's symptoms against various criteria for diagnosing the disease - there is no single test that can nail an accurate analysis. There is also no biological test for determining whether a patient has the disorder.

The said, doctors may still administer certain physical tests to ensure that a patient's symptoms are not being caused by a possible medical problem. For example, a brain tumor or lesion can often cause a sudden change in behavior patterns that could be mistaken for bipolar disorder.

And though there are no definitive physical or biological tests for this disorder, there have been advances in the field. The Mayo Clinic is currently developing an MRSI method that seeks out and pinpoints particular patterns of metabolic activity in the brain that are common to people with bipolar mood disorder.

Misdiagnosis of Symptoms

There are several diseases that are commonly mistaken for bipolar disorder. These include schizoaffective disorder, drug abuse, drug-induced psychosis, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder.

How the Condition is Classified

Once diagnosed through various clinical and psychological tests, bipolar disorders are often classified into one of four groupings. These include:

Bipolar I: In Bipolar I, a patient must have experienced at least one manic episode. This manic episode is not required to be accompanied by or followed by an episode of depression.

Bipolar II: Bipolar II is identified by more hypomanic episodes than typical manic expressions. The patient must have also exhibited at least one major depressive incident. Hypomanic episodes are often not as extreme or debilitating as manic versions.

Cyclothymia: Cyclothymia is characterized by hypomanic episodes and depressive episodes that are not major. For example, the patient experiences hypomanic episodes alongside depressive instances, but those depressive ones aren't debilitating.

Bipolar-NOS: Bipolar NOS stands for Not Otherwise Specified. It is a blanket term that doctors use to diagnose a patient as bipolar, but without a classification. For Bipolar-NOS, a traditional bipolar test or interview may not be as effective for diagnosing the patient.

How Much of Life is Wasted in Waiting?

The title quotes a line from the new Indiana Jones film, and one that we could all do well to heed.

This quote is particularly relevant to the one thing many people don't seem able to focus clearly on; their health and fitness.

How many times have you wasted time, waiting to do something about your big bum, your sagging arms or your terrible diet? Have you caught yourself complaining about your lack of results, your poor willpower or just the simple fact you don't have time?

For those of you already active, how long have you been waiting to match your eating with your effective exercise program?

They say all good things come to those who wait...

Waiting is fine, so long as you've already started the ball rolling and taken action to make things happen.

Waiting to get started is a killer.

Complaining about your lack of energy, your expanding bottom or your ballooning waistline, without doing anything constructive about it will take you nowhere, except further into depression and dissatisfaction.

Getting started on a healthy plan is a great start, but unless you stick with that plan and see it through to completion (ie: fat loss or improved health), you may as well save your energy.

Indiana Jones was relentless in finding his treasure. He didn't give up at the first hurdle. He put the time and effort in and it paid off - richly!

Take my advice - little and often - both for exercise and eating portions.

With those two health changes you can't go wrong...

Linking Reiki and Bipolar Disorder

How can reiki treatment actually be considered as a good alternative medication for bipolar disorder? Many people under such condition or who might know someone close to be having such would surely delve into this upon hearing that reiki can be a really good healing technique. First, let us try to look at bipolar disorder and see how it can actually be alleviated by reiki.

Bipolar is basically a disorder by which one person experiences a variation of moods but all in a very extreme state. Most people refer to it as manic depression because a deep depression usually follows high elation and again, all in an extremely alternating process. Manic episodes following depressive episodes are a common thing for a bipolar. Oftentimes, family members and other people around a bipolar struggle with the appropriate actions or treatments and reiki treatment might just do the trick.

As bipolar disorder affects every aspect of the human behavior and with the reiki as a means of channeling positive universal energy, there just might be a spark that could create the link in reiki bipolar disorder treatment. In most cases of bipolar disorders, the medications given can be quite uncomfortable hence patients are being referred to alternative forms of treatment and even therapies. Since bipolar is what you can refer to as a manic depressive state, reiki could very well work in the relaxation and keeping at peace of the manic stage.

Reiki treatment relaxes and rejuvenates the inner state of the bipolar. This is the same as eliminating or washing out all the negative forces and energies that are concealed within the manic depressive person and ultimately pushes itself to burst out in proportions that are not adequate. As bipolar disorder affects significantly the whole human behavior meaning thoughts, feelings, perception and all the rest, so shall the universal energy generated by reiki as channeled through the practitioner be proportionately distributed throughout the areas with particular need to be soothed.

For many who have experienced and witnessed reiki bipolar disorder treatment, it may be deemed that the spiritual healing is able to tame down the surge of uncontrolled negative emotions of the bipolar. Several treatments along the area and line of spirituality is deemed in fact to be more effective than those synthetic medications and even psychotherapies. This is because most bipolar patients need to have an expressive outlet to be heard and at the same time have the assurance that calmness and peace of mind may be very well at hand.

Linking reiki with bipolar disorder can be quite far-fetched for those who have no deeper understanding and first-hand experience of this alternative healing. All it would take for one to consequently benefit from its healing power is for one to understand and learn to properly practice or become recipient of reiki treatment.

Tips On Dating Someone With Bipolar Disorder

It's not easy being a person living with bipolar disorder. Having to discuss or even admitting to having mental illness can make for an uncomfortable setting leading one to have feelings of embarrassment, shame and awkwardness. It's very hard for someone to manage the illness on their own without losing the people closest to them and being labeled crazy. It's even more challenging to try and lead a normal active social life and not have a potential mate or partner look at you through that same lens.

Bipolar Disorder or manic depression is a mental illness that causes persistent mood swings, where a person can have extreme highs of euphoria or mania and lows of depression and feelings of hopelessness. The rapid onset of a mixed phase of depression and mania can cause the person to lose control and become very impulsive, reckless, self-destructive or dangerous. Their behavior can be very reactive.

Pure manic episodes are very rare. There can last hours or many weeks. There is seldom a set pattern. The severity and duration is never the same and not everyone who is living with the illness responds the same to the disorder. One of the biggest myths out there about bipolar disorder is that a person living with the disease is completely unable to function daily. This is not true. With treatment the illness can be very well managed just as any other disease and many people go on to maintain a pretty stable life.

If you are dating someone who has openly discussed with you that they have bipolar disorder here are a few tips that can help you get over the stigma attached to mental illness and any confusion while still being able to pursue a normal relationship.

Try not to be judgmental - People with mental disorders tend to be treated horribly and it makes them feel ashamed of who they are. Know that just because someone is dealing with mental illness doesn't mean that they are a bad person.

Increase your own awareness of the disease - Educate yourself on the condition. It's the only way to get a better understanding of how those who are living with the illness cope and manage their lives daily.

Be Supportive - Try not to focus on the person's disorder or remind them at every turn that they have it. They are already fully aware of their condition. Proper treatment helps them to cope with their illness and having a good support system makes for the best medicine. Try to focus on their good qualities and what attracted you to this person in the first place.

Enjoy each other - There is simply no other way to put it. The best way to pursue any potential relationship is to get to know each other better and work towards building something meaningful. The daily decisions you and your potential partner will make together can influence the course of where the relationship will go.

Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety Depression - 4 Quick Tips To Deal With Depression Fast

Are you displaying the signs and symptoms of anxiety depression? Do you have panic attacks, feeling stressed out or depressed? If so, you may be suffering from Anxiety. Read on to find out about the most common signs and symptoms of anxiety depression and how to deal with and treat anxiety.

• 1) Types of Anxiety:
  
  
  
  1. 
     Panic disorder: panic attacks, which are caused by situations that bring on feelings of anxiety for no apparent reason.
     
  
  
  2. 
     Phobias: Agoraphobia = the fear of going into wide open spaces and crowds / Social phobia = fear of meeting new people and worries of what others think of you.
     
  
  
  3. 
     OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder includes reoccurring obsessions that trigger feeling of disgust. Sufferers will commonly have issues with germs, resulting in constant hand washing.
     
  
  
  4. 
     Generalised Anxiety Disorder/Anxiety Depression: is a long term disorder, where sufferers will experience constant stress and worries (see below for more on the common signs and symptoms anxiety depression).
  
  
  
  


• 2) Signs and symptoms of anxiety depression Physiological effects: muscle tension, headaches, nausea, tiredness, trembling, pins and needles, frequent visits to the toilet and insomnia. Signs and symptoms of anxiety depression Mental and emotional effects: increased worrying and tension, restlessness, feeling edgy, easily startled, difficulty concentrating, constantly worried, feeling uneasy, thinking that you are going mad and a lack of control over your actions. Panic Attacks: shortness of breath, palpitations, a pounding heart, chest pains, shaking, hot/cold flashes and dizziness.
  


• 3) Causes: anxiety and depression can both be genetic and run in families. Chemical changes in the brain can often bring on depression, but the most common reason for anxiety is caused by ones environment. Stress at work, abuse, death of a loved one, moving or changing jobs or losing a job are often sited as the main causes.
  


• 4) Getting help: more than 4 million Americans suffer from anxiety, so remember you're not the only one in the world who is feeling like this. Getting help for anxiety and depression is easy then ever and there are so many options available to you. Some of the most effective cures are relaxation techniques, regular exercise, a good diet, monitoring your moods, group support, professional help, CBT and medication.

If you have been experiencing the Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety Depression for more than two weeks you should seek some medical advice from a professional. For even more information on Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety Depression click on the links below.

What Are The Different Types Of Depression?

So what is depression? For me I would describe it as an illness that affects the body and mind, depression affects your self-worth, self-esteem, confidence and your social life, being able to mix with others can be quite a challenge as well, and you even find it quite hard to deal with your own company, you see yourself as someone who has no value to life in general, you find it very hard to think positive and you always assume the worst, you lack motivation and struggle to get going in the morning, it can get to a point where you have no will to live anymore, being at this stage is very serious as there is only one more stage after that and that's taking your own life. When talking to people about this, those that don't really have any idea about the seriousness of depression seem to smirk at the fact that someone could actually take their own life, this kind of response gets to me because most don't take depression serious enough, and then wonders why someone takes their own life.

What are the different types of depression?

Today I want to discuss just two of them, there are other varieties but for today I will take about two. OK the first is major depression, this is a very serious type of depression and would suggest that the sufferer would have had depression for quite some time to get to this stage, possible 1-2 months or even longer, this depends on a variety of things. Symptoms of major depression are as followed, lack of eating resulting from a loss of appetite, changes in their weight, sleeping issues and a feeling of worthlessness, and loneliness, these are the main symptoms of major depression, but there are a lot more than just these. OK the second I want to discuss is manic depression, the symptoms are very similar to major depression, they are as followed, loneliness, a lack of energy, becoming irritated a lot, sleeping issues, can experience pain in certain parts of the body, usually the back is one of those areas, manic depression sufferers usually experience irregular thought patterns and with that find it very hard to focus on anything for a long period of time, this can also happen with major depression sufferers.

Treatment for these conditions can be fairly easily if caught in the early stages, however if not the condition can be treated but it will take a lot longer and different methods will need to be implemented, but in saying that all types of depression can be treated and cured. My belief is that all depression can be treated through using natural methods, for this to take place the depression sufferer first need to make the decision to want to change and if there is a big enough want a path can be created.

Serotonin Deficiency Syndrome - Signs and Symptoms

Serotonin is an invaluable chemical found in the brain that helps to regulate sleep patterns, stress levels and overall disposition. There are many different factors that can affect the levels of serotonin, including increased levels of stress, lack of sleep, lack of exposure to sunlight, lack of exercise and a poor diet. The use of prescription medications as well as excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption also plays a role in decreasing the amount of serotonin in the brain. When the serotonin levels drop to an unhealthy level, a variety of symptoms can appear; many of these symptoms are common in most patients with a serotonin deficiency, however the severity and combination in which they appear can help physicians to properly diagnose and treat this condition. The most common symptoms include depression and anxiety, feelings of fatigue, insomnia, impaired cognitive function and impulse control, decreased interest in regular activities, and severely lowered levels of self-esteem.

Arguably the most common sign of a serotonin deficiency is depression; this can range anywhere from just feeling melancholy to extended periods of deep depression. Feeling anxious is also very common with a deficiency in serotonin levels; again, this can range from slight distress to extreme panic in stressful situations. In some mild cases, this can be dealt with through simple lifestyle changes -- in more severe cases, supplementation may be required or your physician may prescribe medications to help bring your serotonin back up to a healthy level.

Many people with a serotonin deficiency have disrupted sleep patterns; while some sufferers may still get adequate rest, they are often plagued by feelings of fatigue and a lack of mental clarity. In more severe cases, people suffer from insomnia as a result of decreased serotonin levels; insomnia can include not being able to fall asleep, waking up frequently and having difficulty falling back to sleep. These interruptions in sleep patterns can be a nuisance, but left untreated can be extremely dangerous for one's health and well-being.

A lack of sleep can also result in an impaired ability to think and reason properly. This decrease in cognitive function can cause minor memory loss, mental fogginess, and the inability to solve problems efficiently. This can also lead to a lack of impulse control, which will often manifest itself as obsessive compulsive behaviors, extreme spending or gambling and addictions to drugs or alcohol. Low serotonin levels in the brain can have a direct impact on how a person reasons and behaves.

Lower levels of serotonin also have an effect on how a person feels about themselves and their surroundings. Those with unhealthy levels of serotonin can experience a loss of interest in their regular activities; this goes beyond regular boredom, and the afflicted individuals may also suffer from a low self-esteem. Consistent feelings of worthlessness and negativity are a cause for concern and should be discussed with a physician or mental health professional.

While many of these symptoms can come and go, persistent depression, insomnia, lack of interest, low self-esteem and mental fogginess should be brought to the attention of a doctor. A health professional may be able to recommend simple changes that can help solve everyday problems concerning a serotonin deficiency. For more severe cases, they may suggest supplements or prescribe medications that can increase serotonin levels in the brain and help restore that essential balance.