Should You Take the Alzheimer's Test or Is It Just Forgetfulness?

Are you in your 50s or 60s and think you need to take an Alzheimer's test. You think your losing your memory because you misplaced your keys or you can't find your glasses? Don't panic here in the United States as the baby boomers are reaching their 60s Alzheimer's disease and dementia are growing concerns. If you're had personal experiences with a friend or family member who suffers from dementia, you are critically aware of what a monster this disease is.

Occasionally we all forget things; you can't remember the name of the person you were just introduced to. Perhaps you've misplaced your car keys again, can't find your glasses the moment you need them. You have to search for a word to complete a sentence. When driving you miss a turn going to a familiar place. These are not Alzheimer's signs it is simply normal forgetfulness. Despite what the family may think, it's not time to take an Alzheimer's test.

Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia are aggressively being researched to find a cure. Researchers have begun to unlock many causes of memory loss, where memories are stored and why we easily recall some information and not others. Alzheimer's tests are being developed and evaluated constantly.

Researchers have raised the challenge, and although a cure may be out there on the horizon. What can we do today to help ourselves? No matter what your age it's never too late to take steps to preserve your memory. Preventing memory loss must be easier than trying to restore it.

Memory issues concerned most of us at some point, but let's not panic. A certain degree or forgetfulness is to be expected as we age. You don't expect to have the heart and lungs of a 19-year-old when you're 60. Nor should you expect the rest of your organs not to have some age related wear and tear, your brain included.

So much of our concern about dementia and Alzheimer's disease may just be forgetfulness. Unfortunately as we age it's only natural to have concerns over memory loss. Here is a list of some common complaints that do not signal Alzheimer's disease or other dementia.

1. You have a hard time recalling the name of a colleague.
2. You're reading a good book and for a moment you can't recall the title.
3. At home you open the refrigerator and have no idea why.
4. You go to the mailbox only to remember you have already retrieved the mail.
5. You walk into a room and forget why.
6. You miss place common things, your keys, your eyeglasses.
7. A person's name is on the tip of your tongue, but you just can't remember it.

These few items and many more are simply signs of forgetfulness, and is a normal sign of aging. It's not time to subject your-self to Alzheimer's testing just yet.

Here's a list of signs of mild cognitive impairment;

1. Constantly misplacing items, even when you try to make a mental note of where you're placing them.
2. Frequently forgetting people's names, and are slow to recall them if at all.
3. You have difficulty choosing the right words when speaking.
4. You begin to forget important events, like doctor's appointments or meeting the kids at the bus stop.
5. Have trouble retaining newly learned information or news events you've just read in the paper.
6. When driving you are getting lost more often, and don't remember how to program the car's GPS.
7. Your family and friends began to notice your memory loss, and start showing concern. You may want to consider taking some Alzheimer's tests.

Mood Swings, Depression and Lack of Sleep - Are You Trying Too Hard to Be Normal?

I have a love hate relationship with Raffaello Colombo because of her 'pure science' approach to the human psyche. Whenever I attend one of her lectures she manages to push all my buttons about the nature of the human psyche yet at the same time she makes me think more deeply about ideas I take for granted.

How so?

Once, in a previous lecture, she demonstrated that religious experience can be had on tap just by electrically stimulating a certain place in the brain!

I got my own back after the lecture by demonstrating to her how thought can instantly impact on the body; that one can make one's hand grow in an instant as much as quarter of an inch just by intending this for a few seconds. (Ha ha, nothing like instantly measurable results to blow the mind of a scientist.)

Anyway, back to her lecture on mood swings and musing about mood, sleep, humanity, and the danger of 'normalcy' ever since.

If you only sleep a few hours a night, this is time to prick up your ears. Some useful info follows.

If you're not manic, depressed or bipolar or prone to mood swings of any type, have no sleep irregularities whatsoever and consider yourself 'perfectly normal' you can save time by just skipping down to 'what's normal for humanity?'

Colombo spoke about the fact that mood decides and informs the life of a person. She also spoke about the historical link between creativity and 'the melancholic temperament'. I'm interested in this as a hand analyst because this tendency is visible in one's hand, (through the degree to which one's headline (thinking style) curves down into the spiritual 'unconscious' side of the hand. (the moon). )

What I found really interesting was the idea that there are degrees of mania. And what really is 'normal'?

Gradations of mood:

Severe mania
Hypomania
Hyperthemia
'Normal'
mild depression
moderate depression
severe depression

We're mostly all familiar with the extreme version of mania where the person is overly confident to the point of putting themselves and others at risk. (eg. Movies Eternal sunshine or Mr Jones.) Or the slightly less extreme form which Colombo labelled 'hypomania'.

What are the characteristics of hypomania?

• Elevated mood, euphoric, unusually cheerful


• Uncritical self confidence/ inflated self esteem,


• Decreased need for sleep


• Over activity and acceleration of thinking


• Distractibility


• Increased involvement in goal-directed activities (!)


• Not able to consider the painful consequences of behaviour. Therefore, excessive involvement in pleasurable activities (eg. Buying sprees or indiscriminate enthusiasm for sex.)


• Rapid non-stop talk without regard for other's communication wishes (difficult to interrupt)


• Objective time slow/subjective time fast. Time is too fast so one is not capable of doing 'mind reading'/getting feedback from others.


• Flights of ideas: Feeling one has the capacity for more thought than others, don't understand why others are so slow. Joking, punning, amusing irrelevancies.

Colombo also described the characteristics of depression and the tendency to swing up and down, like a pendulum. The higher you go, the lower you go.

What was most interesting to me was Colombo's description of a mild form of mania, a state called 'hyerthemia'. Also, she gave the key how to control this and stop yourself slipping into a more extreme form of manic behaviour.

Sleep is the core of the problem and therefore points to the solution. If your sleep is totally unbalanced you will start tipping in the direction of mania. If you want to control this you have to control your sleep either naturally or chemically (taking fish oil, vitamin D and minerals ( magnesium, chromium and lithium) or by taking sleeping pills. All foods, whether natural or junk, have a chemical effect. We tamper with sleep and mood all the time through the quality of the food we eat or our use/abuse of caffeine, alcohol and drugs.

So what is hyperthemia and have you got it?

Hyperthemia (I love the proximity to hyperthermia!) is a state of elevated mood, cheerfulness, optimism, where one is overly confident but not totally out of control. It is characterised by being able to achieve a super human go-go-go work load without rest or much sleep.

Colombo said you know you are in this state if your sleeping pattern is irregular. People who 'suffer' from this condition are often highly successful. The danger is that if one stays in this state too long one can progress to full blown mania characterised by irresponsible behaviour and the other symptoms listed above.The other danger is the cumulative lack of sleep could tip you into the other side of the pendulum swing, namely mild or severe depression and longer periods of required sleep.

You can prevent yourself toppling into depression by making sure you get enough sleep. You carefully manage and control the pendulum swing, making it shallower rather than deeper.

So what is 'normal' for humanity?

Raffeala Colombo prescribes (chemically induced) 'normalcy' as the solution and this is where I disagree with her. I think this is extremely dangerous advice for humanity at this point in our evolution. Not the method of getting there so much as the condition.

I maintain that if most humans didn't have hyperthemia flushed out of them at an early age, this would be the rightful 'normal' state for humanity. We are extraordinary beings, capable of transcending the human form. Deep down we know this and fear it too. Because if we acknowledge that we are at the steering wheel of our own lives then there's no one else to blame...

The main problem with humanity is that we totally under value our potential and capabilities. Both as a species and individually. Humanity is in danger of slipping and the entire world with us because we are all pretending to be far smaller than we really are.

Hence the powerful wake up call by Marianne Williamson '.....our real fear is we are powerful beyond measure....your playing small does not serve the world.....'

The extreme manics are right in a sense. But they are leaving out essential details such as, yes we are spirits at play and we are capable of everything but we do also have a body. This is a material world and there are responsibilities (and also delicious rewards) that come with this... I think to really cure mania one shouldn't aim to bring them right down to the lowliness of 'normalcy' but rather teach them the rules of this universe and self mastery skills to cope with being in a body.

I think of the many people doing really important work right now to help us step into our full human potential one man stands out and that's Paul Scheele of Learning Strategies.

Why?

Because he teaches practical techniques to step past one's conscious mind to access infinite mind. E.g. His PhotoReading program.

I think the world is speeding up and information doubling for good reason. It's forcing us to each connect with source/our infinite genius minds.

How does Scheele's system work? The starting point to this method is intention. Once one has clear objectives about why one should read/listen to anything one then has choice. Do I need/want this or not? Then we step beyond conscious mind which goes too slow and allow genius mind to find quickly exactly the phrase we need.

If we are fully connected to source we can do this anyway (like Emma Kunz could) without seeking information outside of ourselves. It all comes down to intuition. But sometimes we confuse the small voice of fear with our genuine intuition/connection with source. Actually, there is a huge difference. We need to learn to recognise the difference and we can do this by monitoring how the thought makes us feel or other signs. For example, when I get genuine intuition I get a tickle on the back of my neck.

7 Reasons Why Young Men Are Suffering From Erectile Dysfunction Today

Erectile dysfunction is the inability of a male to get and sustain an erection to be able to enjoy satisfactory sexual intercourse with his partner. The condition of ED (erectile dysfunction) was previously considered by many to be a problem associated with men generally in the age group of 40 years and above, suffering from heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or recovering from post prostrate surgery. Though this still holds true in many cases, recent studies have shown a dramatic rise of ED in younger men (early 20's onwards).

The modern lifestyle is a major contributor for both the psychological and physical reasons for this increase of ED in the young men. This holds especially true in the urban areas. The fast paced life of the younger generation has forced them to live a life which is unhealthy and full of stress.

The key psychological factors that affect young male adults include:

• Performance anxiety: This is by far the biggest psychological trigger that causes erectile dysfunction. Peer pressure and unrealistic expectations lead these youngsters to over think and worry about their sexual prowess, which in turn becomes a self fulfilling prophecy and causes them to loose erection.


• Bereavement in the family: A lot of young adults have trouble coming to terms with the recent demise of a family member or a friend, which affects their sexual performance.


• Work related stress: This is another biggie; the current corporate climate has increased stress levels of younger employees to a degree never before experienced by the preceding generations. Tight project deadlines, office politics and job insecurity have elevated stress levels to such heights that they can lead to erectile dysfunction.


• Depression: Untreated clinical depression is also on the rise among young men, the non treatment of which can also affect sexual performance.


• Other lifestyle factors that contribute to ED are:


• Excessive intake of alcohol: While there is no harm in letting one's hair down once in a while and enjoy a drinks with family and friends occasionally, problem arises when youngsters party hard; consuming copious amount of liquor on a regular basis. High alcohol intake not only impairs mentally but also physically and may lead to erectile dysfunction.


• Smoking: Despite the efforts of the Indian government to discourage sale of cigarettes by banning their advertisement and raising prices, the trend of smoking in youngsters especially male is on the rise. Studies have shown that smokers are 1.5 times more likely to suffer from E.D than non smokers.


• Obesity: Sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits among young men is leading to an alarming rise in obesity cases. Being obese means that the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently throughout the body including the penis, which leads to E.D.

Erectile dysfunction is totally curable, but unfortunately the majority of young men suffering from it do not take professional medical help, in fact only 1 in every 29 seek do so. They tend to suffer both physically and mentally in silence because of the social stigma attached to it, especially among younger men. They cannot talk to any of their family or friends because they think that if they do, their manhood would be questioned and they would be made fun of.

There is a lot of misleading information out there and a lot of times these youngsters will go for the quick fix in the form consuming non prescribed medicines such as the generic versions of Viagra etc, without realizing that they can cause adverse side effects, without identifying the underlying cause of their problem. The truth is that all they need to do is seek a qualified sexologist who will respect their privacy and is equipped to give them both; professional counseling (as we have seen that the biggest reasons for E.D in young men are psychological) and the right medication to identify the root cause of E.D in that individual, and offer a long term cure. This will help them lead a much more fruitful and complete life without having erectile dysfunction as a hanging sword over their heads.

Clinical Depression - A Chemical Imbalance

Clinical depression is a complex condition in which many different bodily changes come together to cause a multitude of different actions that in chorus result in a primary response in the body known as a chemical imbalance.t

Stress can be a primary indicator of depression. When you deal with stress long term, your body can cause the neurotransmitters, known as Serotonin and Norepinephrine, in the central nervous system and in the brain to carry an excessive work load resulting in a malfunction. Your body requires these neurotransmitters to work well in order to create the chemicals you need in order to feel happy and well. They also help to control stress levels and overall moods.

Chemical imbalance caused from stress is quite common. Think about it, we all worry at some time or another about a child, a friend, our personal health, work, financial issues or a relationship. We might also find ourselves worrying about a recent death of a friend or family member or you might have even recently suffered from a traumatic event. Regardless the cause, stress can lead to an imbalance of the "feel good" workers in the brain and nervous sysem.

The trouble arises when Serotonin and Norepinephrine, the neurotransmitters, malfunction or even begin to slip in their normally stellar performance, you may find your mood impacted. Things that used to never bother you can now seem like the end of the world and your feelings may seem totally out of control and you may find yourself battling depression.

In the face of a full blown battle with clinical depression, those suffering typically face both mental and physical challenges. The negative thoughts invading the mind can totally distort the reality of any given situation. This can cause serious issues since when the thought distortion associated with depression can lead to a change in behavior, thereby altering your life.

Clinical depression can certainly cause you to change your behavior and daily activities. It can cause you to stay away from family and friends, it can cause you to want to stay at home under the covers languishing in the safety of your bed, it can cause you physical pain, it can banish your appetite and it can even cause you to suffer from a reduced sexual drive.

How do you beat the demons of clinical depression? First and foremost find medical attention from a qualified healthcare provider who can help you to get the treatment you need. Dealing with the pain of depression is the best decision to you could possibly make. Avoid treatment is a mistake and unless someone who cares about you intervenes and helps you to realize that you need help, then avoiding treatment can be a deadly mistake since there are times when depression can spiral so out of control that it can lead to suicide.

When you have made the decision to seek medical attention for the treatment of depression then first thing you must recognize is the courage it took for you to seek help. Then you must actively involve yourself in treatment so that you can battle the demons of depression that seek to overtake your life. Depression can be a hereditary condition and can also be cyclical in nature, meaning that it can come and go throughout your life. Treatment often takes several weeks and sometimes even months to be totally successful. But a combination of counseling and medications designed to treat depression have proven to be most successful.

Seeking medical attention if you are suffering from clinical depression is the best gift of all that you could ever give to yourself or to your family. Find the help you need and keep fighting. Your life and your happiness are worth the effort.

Can A Blood Test Predict Postnatal Depression?

Quite a number of women suffer from postnatal depression a few weeks after they have given birth. According to researchers, approximately 14 percent of women who have given birth will suffer from the depression. Some women who suffer from this form of depression go through a lot of turmoil, sometimes lasting for more than a few years. In this light, it can be helpful for the expecting mother to know if she will develop it. Scientists are experimenting with some methods to determine if a woman can develop the depression. One of these methods involves a simple blood test. Is it possible? Let's take a look.

The symptoms of post birth depression include irritability, anxiety, reduced sexual drive, crying spells, changes in sleeping and eating habits, and sadness. It's important to distinguish it from "baby blues" where the symptoms are temporary and milder. Most women go through a period of "baby blues" because of the demands of motherhood and the changes in their lives. As for women who suffer from this despair, the illness can be quite devastating. If they don't get the necessary professional help, it can spiral into something more serious.

According to a study conducted at the University of Warwick Medical School, the researchers propose that it's possible to predict the likelihood that a woman will suffer from post birth depression. This is done by checking for specific genetic variants, and the researchers are confident that a blood test can be used to make a similar prediction. On May 7, 2012, the University of Warwick's professor of molecular medicine, Dr. Dimitris Grammatopoulos, presented the findings of the study to the European Congress of Endocrinology/International Congress of Endocrinology.

Using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Score, the researchers from the university studied a group of 200 pregnant women. The first time that the women were assessed was the time of their first prenatal visit. After that, the women were assessed for a second time about two to eight weeks after they have given birth. The researchers discovered that the women who suffered from it had a higher probability of possessing specific genetic variants such as the hormone receptor-1 genes that release corticotrophin and the glucocorticoid receptor's rs242939 single nucleotide polymorphisms and bcl1. The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, an endocrine system, is controlled by these receptors. This system is activated by stress.

Dr. Grammatopoulos explained that the University of Warwick's study was the first to prove that there's a link between postnatal depression and the specific genetic variants of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. Buoyed by the findings from this study, she revealed that the university will be expanding their research with women from other parts of England in a bigger, multi-centre study. The focus will be on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis' other genetic elements.

As you can see from the results of this groundbreaking study at the University of Warwick, it's possible to predict this depression with a blood test. It will be a great help for pregnant women if they know that they are likely to develop post birth depression because they can be better prepared to deal with it.

How Depression Can Threaten Your Marriage

In my work through the years as a counselor, I've talked with many depressed individuals. I've also had personal experience with depression myself and know firsthand how debilitating it can be.

Nearly everyone at some point in their life will be affected by depression--either their own or someone else's, such as a spouse, parent, sibling, child, or friend. Just in the U.S. alone, depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million adults in any given year.

Statistics show that only twenty percent of those who experience depression will receive an appropriate treatment plan. Many depressed individuals will be too embarrassed to seek help and will suffer in silence, sometimes for years.

The effects of depression can negatively impact every aspect of a person's life--marriage, home life, work, and friendships. And the burden of living with a depressed spouse can take a heavy toll on the quality of a marriage.

Untreated depression poses a very real threat to a marriage. Recent research indicates that when one spouse suffers from depression, the likelihood is increased that both spouses will have an unhappy marriage.

This is because mental health and unhappy marriages are closely entwined. The harmful effects of depression are not limited to the depressed spouse but affect the partner, also

The depressed spouse will experience less happiness, satisfaction, and contentment in the marriage. At the same time, the partner will struggle with handling the increased isolation and social withdrawal of the depressed spouse, the loss of emotional intimacy (and often sexual intimacy as well), and the prevalent negativity in the relationship.

When one spouse is depressed, the depression colors everything in the relationship. The depressed spouse sees the world through a darkened lens that limits his or her perspective. Any negative events are interpreted even more negatively, neutral events are also interpreted negatively, and the positive happenings are often overlooked.

It's as though depressed individuals have blinders on that keep them from seeing any positive, hopeful opportunities right in front of them. Even if they did see them, they wouldn't have the energy to follow through.

The depressed spouse often loses interest in activities that used to bring pleasure and may experience fatigue and listlessness. There can be loss of sleep or sleeping too much; eating too much or too little; or problems focusing and concentrating.

Feelings of love and sexual desire may become dulled or absent when an individual is depressed. The biggest danger when this happens is that the depressed spouse may erroneously conclude that this means he (or she) is no longer in love with the mate.

Many depressed individuals report that they feel detached from what is happening, as though they are watching a movie. There can be a profound feeling of separation and isolation from others and a desire to avoid social contact. There can be feelings of sadness, hopelessness, dejection, and resignation. Or there can be feelings of irritation, agitation, anger, or emotional numbness.

Another danger to the marriage is that the partner of a depressed spouse can become depressed from the depressive atmosphere and energy in the relationship. Depression can be viewed as contagious when it creeps into a partner's outlook, attitudes, moods, conversation, behaviors, and reactions. When this happens, both spouses may feel they are helplessly sinking lower and lower into despair.

Blame and shame are involved in depression and can cause additional problems. If a spouse doesn't understand that the partner is depressed and not just lazy or uncooperative, she (or he) may blame the partner for things he can't help at the time. This stirs up feelings of anger and resentment for the spouse.

The depressed spouse may be ashamed to admit that he (or she) can't handle the depression herself and thus refuse to see a physician. This feeling of shame reflects the belief of numerous people about depression. They may feel that they should be able to just "snap out of it," which is what family and friends may tell them, also.

In one research study, fifty-four percent of people surveyed believed that depression is a personal weakness. In reality, depression has nothing to do with personal weakness or will power or character.

A depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It's not just a case of the "blues" that a person can "get over." Thus, common misunderstandings about depression can add to the problem.

It's vital for both spouses to have a thorough understanding of depression--what it is, what it isn't, what to expect, and what treatment options are recommended. It's also important to recognize that before marital problems can be effectively treated, the depression needs to be treated first. That means that the depressed spouse needs to see a physician or mental health professional for a depression assessment and treatment recommendations.

What can a spouse do when the depressed partner refuses to seek help? This is a common situation and there's no one answer that fits all situations. It's important to get the depressed partner to the doctor or mental health professional, even if the spouse has to schedule the appointment, take off from work, and accompany the partner to the appointment.

Sometimes the parents or siblings of a resistant depressed spouse can be enlisted to encourage him (or her) to take action and seek treatment. At other times, a close friend or minister can help to convince a depressed spouse to consult with his physician or see a therapist.

Another strategy that a concerned partner can sometimes use is to send a confidential letter to the depressed spouse's doctor, detailing the concerns and depressive symptoms observed. This only works when the depressed spouse has to see his (or her) physician for some other reason, such as a required annual physical, to get a prescription for medication, or on-going monitoring of some condition. The physician can't respond to the partner's letter due to confidentiality, but at least the information has been conveyed.

If all else fails, the partner can consult with a therapist herself (or himself) to get individualized recommendations on how to handle the situation. Together, they can create an appropriate plan of action while the therapist provides emotional support to the partner.

Depression Definition and the Different Types

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is the fourth leading cause of disability and is affecting about 121 million people from across the globe. It can affect persons of all races, ages, and genders.

Depression Definition

Depression refers to an array of abnormal variation in the mood of a person. It is a condition that involves the chemicals in the brain. Depression is more than just a feeling of being sad or blue. A person who is depressed usually shows feelings of guilt, loss of pleasure or interest, depressed mood, low self worth, loss of appetite, and low energy.

The Different Types of Depression

Here are the several types or forms of depressive disorder and their corresponding depression definition:

* Major depression disorder. Major depressive disorder is also called as major depression. This form of depression is characterized by a group of symptoms that intervene with an individual's study, sleep, work, activity, and relationship with others. This form of depression is disabling and usually affects the person's normal functioning.

* Dysthymic disorder. Dysthymic disorder, or otherwise known as dysthymia, is characterized by less severe symptoms that may not be disabling to a person but can prevent him or her from feeling well or functioning normally. This type of depression usually affects an individual for two years or more. People who are affected with this type of depression may also experience one or more episodes of major depression at some point of their lives.

* Psychotic depression. This is the type of depression that occurs together with a psychosis. A person with psychotic depression experiences delusions and hallucinations.

* Postpartum depression. Postpartum depression can be found in some women who just gave birth. This is common within a month after delivery, although not all women experience postpartum depression. Approximately 10-15% of women who just gave birth experience this type of depression.

* Seasonal affective disorder or SAD. From the term it self, this type of disorder only occurs in a certain season, usually during winter, when there is lesser sunlight. During summer and spring, the depression usually subsides. Usual treatment for this type of depression is light therapy. However, in some cases, psychotherapy and antidepressant medications are needed since not all people respond light therapy.

* Bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is previously termed as manic depression. This disorder is characterized by alternating periods of extremely elevated mood (mania) and depressed mood.

Knowing the types and the different depression definitions is not enough to stop depression. For you want to live a normal life again that is free from the harmful effects of depression, you should look for the right treatment which is 100% safe to use, fast acting, and of course, with permanent effects that can cure all these forms of depression listed above. Natural cures for depression are said to contain all these properties. Also, from the word natural, you don't have to worry about the side effects because you are sure that they are made from natural ingredients.

Inspirational Quotes Meant to Motivate Teams

There are many inspirational quotes that have gone down in history that are meant to promote the spirit of team building from different speakers. One of these quotes is "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships." This inspirational quote is from one of the greatest basketball players of all time Michael Jordan and it is meant to encourage individuals to that apart from ability there has to be teamwork involved in any tasks if they are to be completed successfully. Another famous quote is how teams play as a whole determine its success.

You could have the best individual stars in the whole world, but without them playing together, the club isn't worth a dime. This is a quote from Babe Ruth and it is meant to show that in order for a team to work together successfully it does not depend on how many talented people are in it, but the effort each person puts to support each other is what will count. "Strength lies in differences, not in similarities." This is another quote from the famous Stephen Covey and it basically says that people who have similarities are not very strong but those with differences are stronger and this because they can accommodate each other.

Another famous quote from Billy Martin says that there is nothing greater than when somebody from the team does something good and everyone pats them on the back. This quote is meant for individuals in teams to encourage each of them to do a good deed that will benefit the group and at the same time for team members to acknowledge the good deeds and go as far as encourage more good deeds that will help the team reach its goals. "Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress and working together is success" is another inspirational quote basically used to encourage the spirit of team building and ensuring the unity is lasting in order for individuals to work together for the success of a common goal. This quote also encourages people to find ways of keeping together a specific team that is responsible for a specific task. Of notice is also this common quote "Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results." This quote points out at the differences that various people in the same group may have but still have what it takes to attain a common goal.

It is very clear that not everyone in a group has the same thoughts or ideas as the others but this should not be hinder the group's successful completion of their respective tasks. Theodore Roosevelt also has an interesting quote that goes something like this; greatest executives are the ones who have wisdom enough to choose good men to do a good job, and self-control enough to stop from interfering while they their job. This quote is specifically dedicated to leaders or managers who are responsible of picking leaders of specific groups to complete certain tasks. And it basically says the best leaders will always pick the right person for the task and at the same time he will not interfere with the group as they are in the process of completing the task.

Find Out How To Combat Depression With a Super Food

What I am going to tell you about this specific super food is based on research and studies done by some of the foremost scientists in this area of plant nutrition and medicine. Dr James Duke author of "The Green Pharmacy" and other books on rainforest botanical medicine is one such expert who has done numerous studies on the camu camu berry. This little grape size berry that grows in the Amazon Rainforest is know to be a natural anti-depressant.

One of the causes of depression is an imbalance of the nervous system. This is actually one of the most common causes of depression, an under nourished nervous system can be a direct cause of depression. Of coarse the allopathic western medical model will say that this is an imbalance in the brain and that a drug prescription is the solution.

The Camu Camu Berry has an ability to create an uptake of serotonin levels in the brain, this hormone is responsible for making you feel good. You gain a better sense of well being. This can off set the effects of depression. As an antidepressant the camu camu berry is known to help you change not only your mood and sense of well being but also the nourishment level of your nervous system.

People who are lacking in basic nutrition often exhibit signs of depression, your whole body is at a low ebb when your are under nourished. Your body does not run well without the right combination and quality of nutrition. This goes for your mental state as well.

Have you heard of people who are depressed and they don't really know why? Chronic clinical depression is not emotionally based or life event based. Since most traditional western doctors or pychologists look to a brain dysfunction or chemical imbalance and not to a potential nutritional imbalance they just offer a pharmaceutical drug to chase the symptoms away. This does not heal the root cause of this type of depression.

There is clear evidence and studies that point to the effectiveness of super foods like the camu camu berry for not only a natural remedy for the symptoms but also to rebalance and heal the root cause.

The Camu Camu berry naturally supports an increase in the serotonin level in the body. Serotonin is a hormone that works in the brain to elevate your mood and make you a happier person. It is the vitamin C in the camu berry that support this uptake in serotonin level. The camu berry has the highest naturally occurring content of vitamin C of any know plant.

This mood balancing capability makes the camu a valuable aid for people with depression. Because it has so many other positive benefits for human health it is considered a true super natural food.

Natural nutritionally based products are often put down? or not considered seriously for depression by the mainstream allopathic medical establishment and so people often are unaware that there are effective natural food based solutions for depression.

Eating the camu camu berry daily either in a powder form that you hydrate into a bottle of water or it can also be found in a concentrated liquid form. In some places in the world it is found in fruit drinks, smoothies and even mixed into a soda like beverages.

The best way to get the most direct benefit from the camu is to consume it pure from a producer that carefully dries and packs the camu powder in a individual serving packets so the camu powder does not loose nutritional potency by being exposed to the air.

Oh No! It's the Depression Torpedo - Another Day in the Life of an MLM'er

Every chapter in "Your First Year In Network Marketing" by Mark and Rene Reid Yarnell tends to speak to me, and Chapter 3 - Dodging the Depression Torpedo, unfortunately, is no different.  Thank God I love this industry as much as I do, and thank God my "why" is big enough to get me through, because there are days that are just MISERABLE!  Of course, there are those "yippie yi ki yay" days that truly make it all worthwhile.

In the corporate environment, it doesn't seem to matter as much if you are having an "off" day.  Goodness knows many of your co-workers thrive on the sheer joy of whining, complaining, and being depressed.  However, in network marketing a positive, uplifting personality and intense enthusiasm are requisite for the job at hand.  After all, why should anyone join your business if you appear not to be having a good time?  They won't.  I realize that it's hard to be that happy all the time, but to achieve success in MLM, it is important to keep your attitude in check.

MLM depression has all kinds of causes - the friend that promises they are going to come to an opportunity meeting and pulls a no-show; the person who you know is going to be your "diamond" distributor quits, or worse yet joins another MLM and takes half your downline with him; friends that no longer will return your calls - whether you talk about your company or not; and on and on.  No shows, attrition and not being taken seriously are all facts in this business.  Unfortunately, knowing this doesn't make it any easier.

One of the huge mistakes I made very early in my MLM career is that I did not go Upline when I was down.  I chose to share some of my negative thoughts with a close friend and distributor who was building the business with me.  After all, we had gotten in at the same time and we were learning everything together.  We were both in this for life - right?  Wrong!  I shared with him all kinds of feelings that I had about the way the company was promoting the product wrong, how we didn't have the right support, and so on.  Eventually my attitude did a complete 180 as the company made some vast improvements in their way of doing business.  Although I was able to see the positive changes my company was making, the damage had already been done.  It was only a couple months later that my "diamond" distributor left without notice and has not returned a phone call or email in 7 months.  Remember, it really doesn't matter how close you are with your distributors, the rule remains the same - when you're down, go upline; when you're up, go downline.  Of all the mistakes I've made thus far, that one has been the most costly - more personally than financially,  but I can honestly say, I've learned my lesson!

Optimism is the key in network marketing.  This is such a fantastic industry and there are so many reasons to appreciate the gift that we've been given.  The Yarnell's share many of the reasons that this is true: 

1) it is an entrepreneurial business with literally no downside.  The products are great and the price to get involved is relatively low compared to a traditional business of any kind. 

2) There is no ceiling or limit on earnings.  When you are trading time for money, there are only 24 hours in the day that you can devote to your company (and we do need to sleep).  By having a residual income, you are literally making a living while your are sleeping - and you can make quite a life that way!

3) Time freedom.  You can make all the money in the world, but if you have no time to enjoy it with your family and friends, really - what's the point?

4) "If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right."  (That's one of my many favorite quotes in this book.)  This reminds me that the only stress that I am experiencing is self-created. 

5) MLM is a 3-5 year plan instead of a 45 year plan.  Frankly I don't want to work until I die.  As US Department of Labor statistics clearly show, 95% of us are "on the graph."  We start working around age 18-21.  We get some decent  raises (well maybe not so much anymore) until the age 0f 32-35 when our income levels off to that wonderful 2-3% cost of living raise.  We'll then work 100,000 hours making money that we're having a hard time surviving on, and then at age 65-72 we'll retire at 1/2 to 1/3 of what we couldn't survive on before.  No thanks.  I'd rather work really hard for the next 3-5 years and build a residual income that I can rely on for the rest of my life.  THAT's the beauty of network marketing.

6)  Recognition.  Holy guacamole!  It's a fantastic feeling to be recognized by your peers.  Walking across the stage; going on exotic trips, being presented with HUGE checks, being applauded by hundreds of thousands of people - just for being good at what you do.  Now THAT is not something that happens in the traditional career world!

7)  See the world.  How many trips can one person take?  I know with my company you almost have to quit your day job once you become successful, as they send you on so many free trips it's hard to get the time off work.  Aside from the fact that when you're building teams around the world, your travel becomes a write-off.  Sweet!

One of the best things that I've done for myself lately is participating in a 30-day Mental Cleanse.  Through this process I am reading and discussing "Think and Grow Rich" chapter by chapter with a mastermind group.  I am not watching or listening to any news of any kind - no radio, talk shows, newspapers - nothing.  (If something really important happens, I'm sure someone will fill me in within about 2.5 minutes of it happening anyway.  I don't need to pollute my mind with negativity.)  I have to say, so far I feel great.  As a matter of fact, I've turned this into a 6 month cleanse, and after that I'm sure it will continue for the rest of my life.

In order to torpedo the depression, I am constantly filling my mind with great, positive books (like this one, of course), listening to audiobooks and seminar tapes when I'm in the car, and saying my affirmation all throughout the day, "I am having fun inspiring others that they can create the life of their wildest dreams as I have created mine."  You see, that's my "why."  The money is nice, but there's far too many people out there that just don't realize how powerful they are, and if they can just believe in themselves, take some well calculated risks while working with a mentor, and taking action towards the achievement of their own dreams and goals, I believe that we can accomplish anything we make our minds up to do.

The last and most important thing is "Whatever you do, just don't quit!"  In network marketing, it does pay to be the last man standing.  Sticking with it, believing in yourself through the darkest hours, and being persistent in the pursuit of your dreams is the key.  After all, "As many as 95 percent of those people who remain in this industry for ten years or longer reach the highest pay levels in their respective companies."  Whatever you decide to do - DON'T QUIT!

Depression and the Role Medication, Anxiety and Stress Play in Treatment

Depression can occur to anyone at any time.

• Sudden loss of a loved one can trigger depression and it's quite normal.


• Loss of a job creates depression.


• It's common for waves of sorrow to hit a mother that lost a child, even years after the loss occurred.

All of these things are normal and are the way a person grieves for a loss and last short periods. When the length and severity of depression decreases as time passes, then it's the normal grieving process. If however, it continues and worsens with no visible mental or physical indication of changing, you might have clinical depression.

Why Depression Occurs - Depression sometimes occurs because of the chemical composition of the brain according to some theories. While the theory of brain chemistry imbalance is still a theory and not fact, some people find that medication makes them better. When you consider the potential chemical imbalance, it occurs in a variety of ways.

The person may change as they reach adulthood, drugs, been that way all their life, had a brain injury, hormonal change such as menopause or pregnancy or an illness that caused the chemistry to change. In this case, re-balancing the chemistry with prescription drugs is important to help the person overcome the debilitating effects of depression.

Loss And Depression - Some people face loss and for a variety of reasons fail to overcome the sadness and fall into the range of clinical depression. Depression may occur for seemingly no reason at all. One day the person seems quite normal and suddenly they begin to lose interest in life and everything around them. Occasionally, people seem driven, almost manic, in order to mask the underlying depression. When it finally takes hold, it's a sudden and noticeable change in personality and mood.

Help Is Available - Regardless of the cause, there is help. Several different types of therapy help the victim of depression function back on a normal path in life. There are also medications that assist them as they do. In cases where the depression comes from a chemical imbalance in their brain, these medications may be necessary for the balance of their life.

Only a trained psychiatrist can evaluate the patient and make recommendations. People with mild depression often make great strides with just therapy and no psychotropic drugs. More severe depression may require the addition of medication to make strides.

Depression Medication - The anti-depression medication increases the levels of serotonin in the brain to a normal level. While the medication, such as Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, Celexa, Zoloft and Luvox create an immediate change in the level of serotonin; it takes longer to affect the symptoms of depression. For this reason, many scientists now take a closer look at the way the drugs work.

Newer drugs called atypical antidepressants affect other neurotransmitters in the brain, such as dopamine and nor-epinephrine but may also increase the serotonin levels. These drugs include Remeron, Desvrel, Serzone, Effexor, Cymbalta and Wellbutrin.

All of these drugs have side effects similar to those found in those that increase just the serotonin levels. The side effects may include sleepiness, nervousness, dry mouth, fatigue, weight gain and blurred vision. Occasionally the drugs cause more severe depression with suicidal tendencies.

But Does It Fix The Problem - Simply taking a drug doesn't necessarily fix the problem that caused the depression. It's not only helpful but also mandatory to maintain a schedule of visits with a trained psychologist and psychiatrist when you take these types of prescription drugs for depression.

The drugs help lift the depression so the therapist can help you make headway toward the discovery of the reason and perhaps a solution. Because of the potential for severe side effects, which include a potential for suicidal tendencies, it's mandatory that you take every precaution to keep the appointments for therapy when taking prescription drugs for depression.

Simple But Radical Method to Get Rid of Signs of Clinical Depression in 6 Weeks

How would it be like for you to be able to get rid of signs of clinical depression in 6 weeks time? Allow yourself to imagine to reclaim your true self, have your life back, and be happy again!

Of course, you probably already know this: When you are depressed you get caught in a downward spiral with old-habit thought patterns when something goes wrong. Even if you feel only a bit blue, that can send you into full-blown depression.

You are still on your journey to recovery, and tried everything possible...medication, visits to physicians, psychologists, and psychiatrists but everything to no avail. It takes so much to not give up!

If I told you that you can recognize signs of clinical depression, and change these thoughts and habits by following a simple but radical new approach to them, would you be interested? While reading this article word for word you will discover these simple secret methods.

To be bigger than your depression, follow these 3 easy tips to start to heal completely ( 'just coping' is not an option):

• Establish priorities so that your energies go into what will be on what's most important to you.


• Communicate as directly as possible to everyone around you. Depressed people are often poor communicators who don't get their emotional needs served. With better communication, they can experience a more supportive emotional environment.


• Take care of your self. Learn to enjoy yourself.

Just pause for a moment, and imagine hearing your loved ones saying, "Thank you, for having you back in our lives!" How wonderful is this!

Brain Trauma Induces Depression

More than two percent of the United States population is reported to have sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI); within one year of injury, approximately 25-50% of the survivors experience a certain degree of depression (Gualtri & Cox, 1993). When a person is depressed, he or she is imprisoned in a morose mood, and it feels as if there is no escape. However, there are strategies for alleviating the suffering that results from the imprisoning grasp of post-traumatic brain injury depression.

Post-traumatic brain injury disturbances tend to bring about uneasiness, apprehension, extreme sadness, dejection, and hopelessness in survivors. Some are affected for a short period, and others over a longer term (i.e. transient and prolonged). Transient depression lasts up to three months, it presents itself as a depressive syndrome without anxiety. Prolonged depression lasts for more than six months and is accompanied by an anxiety disorder (Jorge, et al., 1993; Jorge, Starkstein, Robinson, & Arndt, 1994).

Influences

Since post-TBI depression often seems to occur immediately following neurological injury and is accompanied by psychosocial impairments, researchers believe that TBI and depression are correlated (Jorge et al., 1994). As mentioned in a study by Lehr, "so-called organic symptoms of TBI" are those that are directly linked to damaged cerebral tissue, thereby resulting in altered behavior. These direct effects of brain injury often include behavioral and social-emotional changes, such as an increase inappropriateness, aggressiveness, or frequent mood changes" (as cited in Savage and Wolcott, 1994, p. 240). Some of the psychosocial impairments may include deficits in self-awareness, self-regulation, self-esteem, fluency of expression of thoughts and feelings, the ability to interpret emotions and the subtle non-verbal cues of others, and the ability to initiate activities or function in relationships (Armstrong, 1991). Any of these psychosocial impairments can lead to depression. It is common for depression to emerge as a result of such uncontrollable and sudden changes in one's life. For example, post-injury patients often find themselves unable to express their thoughts and feelings clearly. They isolate themselves by being uncommunicative and this can lead to loneliness, frustration, and ultimately depression.

Emotional difficulties are often interrelated with neurological and/or cognitive deficits. Cerebral dysfunction affects a person's reasoning, judgment, personal relationships and outlook (Armstrong, 1991). Jimmy, an adolescent who has sustained a closed head injury, has a rash of symptoms; he can be used as an example. He has difficulty reading other people's emotions and often misunderstands the underlying meaning of what is said to him. He already tends to detach himself from others and deficits such as this cause him to be further distanced from friends and family. Jimmy's family should respect his need to spend time by himself, yet they should be aware that one of the most devastating and depressing effects of a TBI is social isolation (Armstrong, 1991). For more information on unmasking concealed chronic illness and pain, see http://www.writefaceforward.com. Author Carol Sveilich, is working on a second book on the topic of depression and mood disorders.

Emotional trauma is hard to read. So many influences transition a survivor, we cannot assume that one symptom leads to another. Simply the trauma itself or just neurological interference may lead to a depressive state; there are additionally the resulting complications.

Many Faces of Depression

Depression has many influences or causes and is manifested in many forms of behavior. Being depressed is not always easy to detect - it is a camouflaged illness that is manifest by symptoms of varying severity.
In a study conducted by Jorge and associates, symptoms were grouped in two categories, psychological, and vegetative. The less severe category of depressive symptoms, the psychological, consists of worrying, brooding, loss of interest, hopelessness, suicidal plans, social withdrawal, self-depreciation, lack of self confidence, simple ideas of reference, guilty ideas of reference, pathological guilt, and irritability. The more severe symptoms of depression, the vegetative, include autonomic anxiety, anxious foreboding, morning depression, weight loss or gain, delayed sleep, subjective anergia, early morning awakening, and loss of libido (1993). In a study by Prigatano (1991), it was mentioned that certain TBI patients might deny the presence of a depressed mood as a part of a general unawareness deficit or a denial syndrome. A brain injury results in psychological and social difficulties. Symptoms such as these can be a result or cause of a depressive condition.

Modifying Depression

Apart from medical interventions (i.e. anti-depressants, mood stabilizers, etc.), a depressive state can be modified through physical, emotional, or psychosocial interventions. An example of a physical approach to intervene into a depressive state of mind is the use of pharmaceutical methods. Emotional relief is obtainable through participation in activities such as the expressive arts; psychosocial rehabilitation can occur by attending brain injury support groups. For brain injury survivors, some or all of these methods can be used, and the support, encouragement, and involvement of peers and family is crucial. For more information regarding personal rehabilitation, see http://www.graymatters4u.com - Rehab Services.

Emotional Rehabilitation

The expressive arts can be used in rehabilitation to help the individual with TBI come to release pent up energies and to better understand him or herself. The arts can help reduce a person's general level of stress and can help him or her creatively compensate for deficits. Painting and dance are two methods of artistic expression, which can help promote self-understanding, emotional self- expression, and the reduction of stress (i.e. many other artistic modalities may be used to help a student learn to cope with trauma and personal changes).

Poetry

Writing poetry is a literary tool that facilitates recognition, expression and acceptance for a survivor. It is a unique intervention for brain injury rehabilitation because it facilitates psychological, emotional and cognitive development. The author of this article has written a book of poetry about brain injury titled Gray Matters (see description at the end of the article). This poem on depression, "Melt Down", is taken from a chapter about the symptoms of brain injury.

Melt Down

Depression...

Deflates me,

Frustrates me,

Invalidates me,

I fluctuate,

Wander into self-hate,

Tend to isolate,

Myself,

I usually underrate,

I need someone to...

Medicate,

Vindicate,

Tolerate,

I am real,

and I feel,

But don't see the beauty

that is within me.

I am an infidel to myself.

I'm smoked,

I can't see through my fog,

I'm being charbroiled,

Churned,

Melted down.

It's like...

I tore my flesh out of my ribcage,

I'm scarred,

Hurting,

I wallow inside,

Watching my heart pulse and quiver -

Want to reach in,

Pull out my fear,

Only I clutch hold of the meds,

I confess,

I am a bit afraid

of where my depression has led.

It wraps into the subconscious

like a snake,

Even my strongholds

I let it take.

I avoid everything that makes me feel good,

Then there's no chance

of feeling like I could.

I'm simmering,

I walk my path alone.

I've yet to find someone

that harmonizes with my tone.

I want to tell you -

Self-esteem can be hard to inflate

all on your own.

I tell myself -

My attitude is my ammunition.

Good or bad,

It's my decision.

I swing from that moody tree,

But I'm losing grasp of the vine.

Personal importance stabilizes,

But mine is waning.

My strength of self is draining.

I'm liquifying,

Simmering, frying,

I ruminate about dying,

I'm melting down.

Painting.

Expression through painting, allows emotions and attitudes to be expressed either directly or symbolically. The intensity of feeling can be expressed through exaggeration or focus on particular parts within a painting. Such distortions such as the flexible use of color and the exaggeration of form can also develop the emotional impact of the painting (Lowenfield, Brittain, 1987), and should be encouraged. The painting also serves as a reminder feelings, thus the act of painting can serve in familiarizing a person with his or her current or past emotions and allows for the touching over, redefining or healing of harsh memories.

Dance.

Dance is a means of emotional and imaginative expression. It helps the individual learn how s/he moves, how her/his body language is perceived by others and to create her/his own form of self-expression. Expressive movement can also serve as an act of claiming independence (Talbott, M., 1996).

Dance can help to alleviate the impact of life's stresses and also exercises certain processes of the brain that may have been disturbed in a brain injury. Dancing applies the functions of the cerebellum, basal ganglia, and the pons, which control balance, coordination, movement, and the alignment of thought and movement.

Creative compensation is a self-inspired process of adapting. A survivor can utilize this inspiration in adjusting to psychosocial or other type of problems in new and innovative ways. In dance class, Susie, a TBI survivor, noticed that certain movements she made caused people to smile, even to laugh. Susie is a woman who is usually very self-conscious when people notice her impairments. The next time her slowness and forgetfulness attracted a group of people's attention, Susie tapped her hand up in the air, as if to music, and spun around. The faces of five curious onlookers turned to laughter. This relieved Susie of the stress of everyone's attention and was her means of creatively compensating.

Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Support groups are strongly recommended for the survivors and their families. Support groups can provide survivors and their families with a setting in which each member can be understood and supported; additionally, families can find information they need at the meetings. For the person who has sustained an injury, the support group supplies peer relations, feedback, modeling and an environment for strategizing about methods of compensating. It enables the individual to utilize the modeling of others with the same concerns, to feel less isolated, to demonstrate competencies, and to help others, thereby increasing his or her own self esteem. The meetings can also help a person improve communication and social skills, and become more aware of injury related deficits and residual assets (Armstrong, 1991).

An individual with post-traumatic depression can be greatly affected by the attitudes of friends, family, therapists, teachers, and associates. Some standpoints serve to discourage a survivor's rehabilitation (e.g. a protective attitude may shun a person's participating in activities that may be necessary for the individual in order to learn to better get by). It is important not to address a depressed person with a sentiment of wanting to cure him from his or her life's woes; better approach a survivor with an empowering, "you are more than your injury" approach. A survivor can always use encouragement and guidance from friends, family or therapists; nevertheless, recovering individuals can learn to apply strategies that can help to free them from the imprisoning grasp of depression.

A brain injury survivor wrote this article whilst pursuing her Masters degree in Special Education specifically for brain injury survivors. She investigated on the Internet the relationship between head trauma and depression and found only a remnant of research, yet she personally knew there was a direct relationship. She sees it as "neurological traffic" and thinks that bundled up nerves can be redirected and depressive congestion can be alleviated, with a conscious effort in place of or to supplement pharmaceutical interventions. Research in the field is still under development, there is a definite need to know the "inside perspective" of brain injury.

Gray Matters

Ms. Lerner has published a book of poetry about brain injury titled Gray Matters, Brain Injury: The Inside Perspective. Her book's aim is to give readers a feel for what it is like to walk in the shoes of a brain injury survivor. In the book, she gives her experiential insight, as well as a professional understanding of what brain injury entails. Many books about brain injury are clinical and unapproachable by the lay public; Gray Matters serve as an entertaining and understandable resource of knowledge about brain injury. The website, http://www.graymatters4u.com is a wonderful resource to learn more about brain injury and the book can be purchased on the site.

Tough Times Never Last But Tough People Do by Dr Robert Schuller

Do you often find yourself drowning in emotion due to surrounding life circumstances? It can be difficult to get through the tough times, but it is always important to remember that the hard times won't last. Tough Times Never Last But Tough People Do by Dr. Robert Schuller helps you to realize that although those times don't last, that there is no reason for you to allow those times to bring you down.

This program offers you with the five principals for putting problems into the proper perspective. If you don't quite understand what is happening in your life and how you can benefit from it, chances are that you're going to hit rock bottom even harder than what you had imagined. This program also provides you with ways to overcome discouragement. It's easy to become discouraged. However, when you do become discouraged, you give up and allow whatever caused you to feel that way to take over. When this happens, you give up and are molded by your circumstances.

Tough Times Never Last But Tough People Do by Dr. Robert Schuller also offers tips on how to manage your problems effectively. Do you feel as though you have no idea how to manage the things that are going on in your life? You might be faced with an insurmountable number of issues at the moment, and if so, not knowing how to handle them can cause damage that will take years to recover from. The key is to confront the problem and handle it head-on.

The five steps needed to develop faith is yet another thing that this program provides. In tough times, you must have faith to endure. Sometimes, you can't make the problem go away. Often, when problems are tossed our way, it is merely a test of strength. Many problems are created and thrown in our paths to help us grow and move on to something better. Having faith that the hard times will come to an end is the only way to get through trying times.

As you maneuver through the difficult times, you'll need to maintain your enthusiasm as well. Most people will give way to depression when faced with problems and stress, and it is very easy to do so. Tough Times Never Last But Tough People Do will provide you with simple techniques that will help you to stay happy and strong in the face of adversity. This program also focuses on helping you to continue to achieve your goals when faced with detrimental circumstances. Instead of giving up and trying to "take it easy", you can continue to work in your personal growth and development.

Just because times are hard doesn't mean that you have to throw in the towel. Despite the type of weather that you may be enduring in your life at the moment, realize that soon, the storm will pass. Tough Times Never Last But Tough People Do by Dr. Robert Schuller helps to enlighten you to the fact that you can either take this time to build character or allow it to tear you down completely.

Tips to Beat Depression - 5 Sure Fire Ways To Do It Naturally

Want tips to beat depression naturally? Depression can make you feel as though you are barely alive. By getting the right medical care and teaching yourself how to cope with your symptoms and what to do to help to alleviate them, you can win. You may not only be better able to deal with your depression, but also to improve your life completely.

Some of the best methods to get help when living with depression are to talk about it in an effort to learn to understand your symptoms and your illness and to get help from others who are dealing with the same situation.

1. Joining support groups - this is one of the best methods of learning more about your illness and in some cases about yourself. A support group is a group of like-minded individuals who are joined together for a common cause. You will find depression support groups both online as well as offline. Joining a group is one of the best things you can do to help yourself when living with depression.

2. Help someone else - Nothing will help to alleviate your symptoms and to lower your sense of depression or helplessness than giving some time or energy to another cause. While you may not be inclined to help another person, doing so will give you a wide range of benefits, not the least of which will be less time to feel your own sadness.

3. Learn to deal with stress - Develop and use better coping mechanisms for dealing with your own stress. Take some classes to learn how to cope with your stress. By dealing with stress in a better way, it will lower the resultant secretions that the body puts out when we are under stress. Long-term release of these cortico-steroids can have a detrimental effect on the body processes, that can impact depression.

4. Exercise - By exercising on a regular basis it can be very helpful. If you have the time, take an exercise class and if you don't, spend a minimum of twenty to thirty minutes a day exercising. The endorphins that are released as you exercise are natural mood elevators. By exercising on a regular basis, you will begin to have more energy, have less stress and be in a much better mood. In fact, exercise is addicting after you develop the habit. What a great addiction to have!

5. Think positive - Did you know that some studies say that perpetual negative thinking can actually be a cause of depression? Give yourself a chance to feel better and to relax more. Be forgiving with yourself and let go of the negative thoughts and emotions that are controlling your actions and your moods.

In making these simple changes in your life and taking action on these tips to beat depression, you will be well on your way to recovery. Using these techniques, along with other treatment methods such as therapy and possibly medications (consult a professional), you will begin to feel so much better in a very short period of time.

Acquired Brain Injury Can Result In Behavioral and Emotional Consequences For The Victims

Apart from any specific behavioral or emotional difficulties, people with head injuries or acquired brain injuries typically go through a number of emotional changes as they adapt to their new circumstances. In the immediate aftermath of their injuries, patients commonly experience a great deal of confusion, as well as an agitation with their unfamiliar internal and external environment. The struggle to deal with such a profoundly altered situation and brain injury symptoms may cause even the most mild-tempered person to lash out physically at those nearby. In most cases, this confused state will diminish or disappear entirely within anywhere from days to months.

Brain-injured people also frequently develop an attitude of denial toward their situation. Sometimes, this denial manifests in people who have undiagnosed problems in the aftermath of an accident. At other times, it manifests in people with diagnosed cases of brain damage. While denial has a strong emotional component, it can also reflect a true inability to recognize the fact that something's wrong. For instance, some forms of brain trauma limit self-awareness and the ability to notice changes in perception. In addition, undamaged portions of the brain can contribute to this problem by following automatic routines that effectively "hide" the presence of serious malfunctions.

Usually, blanket denial eventually gives way to a mixed state of anger and depression. Bursts of anger, in particular, can stem from actual physical changes inside the brain that reduce normal levels of emotional control. However, anger and depression can also stem from a recognition of changed circumstances and a feeling of helplessness about remedying those circumstances. In some cases, brain-injured people blame themselves for what's happened to them; this is especially true for those involved in risky behaviors such as drinking and driving. In other cases, people with brain injuries blame another person who caused their accident, or blame some larger, unknowable force or fate.

Behavioral problems commonly associated with acquired brain injury or more generally head injured can include violence or other forms of aggression, failure to comply with prompts or requests, diminished self-awareness, diminished self-control, inappropriate behavior, egocentric or childlike behavior and an unwillingness to take responsibility for one's actions. Common emotional problems include anger, confusion, depression, mood swings, apathy, agitation, frustration, paranoia, irritability and anxiety. In some cases, combined emotional and behavioral problems grow severe enough to warrant a diagnosis of a condition called borderline personality disorder.

People with even mild or moderate brain damage commonly experience disruptions in their normal ability to remember, think and reason. People with more severe forms of damage may have extensive problems in these areas, as well as problems expressing themselves, understanding what's being said to them and processing information from any or all of the five senses. Most people who suffer traumatic brain injuries also have significant psychiatric problems that manifest as changes in their behavior or emotional state.

Some people remain more or less permanently angry and/or depressed in the aftermath of their injuries. However, others improve through rehabilitation and start to test the limits of their returning mental and motor skills. While this testing is vital for maximizing the potential for recovery, it can also lead to its own denial or sense of frustration as patients with significant remaining problems seek to gloss over those problems and focus only on their successes. For example, a person with diminished levels of energy may decide to ignore this problem and attempt to get a lot of things done in a relatively short period of time. In turn, this overexertion can result in fatigue that lingers for days and leaves the person feeling like a "failure." Unnecessary feelings of failure can also set in if a brain-injured patient has unrealistic expectations about the pace of rehabilitation and doesn't reach a self-directed goal or milestone in a certain amount of time.

In some cases, people with brain injuries eventually come to accept their limitations, brain injury symptoms and the pace of their rehabilitation. For those with temporary problems, this can mean dealing with short-term difficulties on the way to a full recovery. However, for those with permanent impairments, it means making ongoing adjustments to a new reality and learning how to regain a sense of self that will sustain them in the future. On a physical level, this type of adjustment involves working within the known capabilities of the body. On an emotional level, it can involve forging new relationships with friends, family and acquaintances, as well as forging a new internal self-image.

Holistic Dog Care - Bring Your Dog Out of Depression

When I first told my friend that my Corgi suffers bouts of depression, they find it hard to believe. Like humans, dogs do occasionally suffer from depression. They get lethargic, stop eating, and drink only minimal amounts of water, stop wanting to play, and even lose drastic amounts of weight. My Corgi is such a case. He caught us totally unaware. He went on and on like this for 2 weeks before we surrendered and brought him to the vet. The vet ruled out all physical problems and told us that Corgi is a little bit "depressed". We were shocked to learn that dogs do suffer from depression! However, the minute he stepped out of the veterinary, he became his old self again.

What can cause this in pets?

Grief, change of scenery, or sometimes it is a chemical imbalance, needing medication to correct it. In my Corgi's case, it resulted from a sudden action from my dad. He accidentally pressed hard onto his hands when he rolled over in his sleep. And Corgi happens to be sleeping besides him. From then, Corgi recoiled into his own protective world for two weeks! Despite all the persuasion and treats, he refused to step out of his shell. My whole family was worried sick for him.

As a pet owner, how do you fight an invisible, inner enemy? The first step is recognizing the problem. You've ruled out all the possible physical causes with help from your veterinarian, now it is time to start looking at the mental causes.

Has your pet recently lost a friend? Perhaps a neighbourhood dog he played with is gone, or perhaps he missed someone close in the family, out on vacation? My sister's dog, Ebby was restless for a week when she was away for holidays. He slept beneath my bed the entire week and only came out for his meals.

Pets do grieve

Losing a playmate, especially an in-home playmate is often a reason for depression. When my stray dog, Casper was killed in a car accident 3 years ago, my old dog, Gal saw us crying and holding him. She became so quiet and still that I could almost feel the sadness in her. We may not notice it very often, but pets do grieve, and in some cases, especially concerning a violent death or just a disappearance, dogs can grieve to a dangerous point, and it can be very hard to bring them out of it.

Signs of depression

How do you tell that something is bothering your dog? He is slower in response or appears to lose interest and initiative. If you notice this is happening to your pet, do something now and start to make life fun for him again. Ask your vet about Anti-depressants available as well. Depression if left too long could very well turn into a life-threatening physical condition.

Be sure to have all physical aspects of your dog's health checked out by a veterinarian first. Pain is frequently the cause of moodiness and irritability in a normally pleasant pet, but often locating the source of discomfort requires veterinary help, and often x-rays. Those blood tests your vet mentioned could be crucial in determining the problem.

How to bring your dog out of depression

Once you and your vet have determined that depression is the cause, there are a few options. One is medicated therapy. This could be veterinarian recommended anti-depressants.

An increase in your activity level or at least your dog's will also likely be called for. In cases of grief, arrange play dates with your dogs and with other dogs may be a good way to draw him into the happy mood again.

If you are ready, you may even consider getting another dog.

Depression can be both a physical and mental cause. Taking care of your dog's well-being involves commitment to go through with him, his life's up and downs, just like a human companion. A dog is a healthy dog! Help him embark on a healthy body and mind and allow him to live longer through well researched dog food recipes by clicking recipes4pet.com

Remember, a happy dog bring happiness to owner and whole family!

Passion Flower For Use Against Depression

Can Passion Flower be used as an alternative to antidepressants for treating depression? This has been used for thousands of years because of its effectiveness in a number of categories. While it does not actually treat depression itself, it does treat many of the symptoms associated with this disease, and has been used for treating other illnesses as well. First we will discuss a little about what it is, and what it does, and then later we will talk about what precautions you should use when taking this as an herbal supplement for helping you with your depression.

Depression is a debilitating disease that affects many aspects of your life, and many people turn to antidepressants as a way to treat it. The problems with taking drugs is that they have many side-effects and can cause problems later on in life like liver disease, plus many of them are highly addictive.

Passion Flower, like many other herbal remedies, is all natural, and not addictive if taken in the right dosages. It is a plant that grows naturally along fences and in the woods of dry areas of the U.S. It likes to grow in partial shade. It has a vine that can grow 30 feet, produces serrated leaves, and finely toothed lobes. Its flowers are white in color with purple centers, and blooms from May through July. Its smooth yellow fruit contains many seeds.

Using this to treat some of the symptoms of depression has been done for many years. It contains compounds that produce sleepiness, and can be used effectively against insomnia. It has anxiety suppressors, and can give you a calmness that many antidepressants can not provide. It also can relieve a number of stomach problems that can be associated with depression. It is the main ingredient in many homeopathic remedies, and counteracts the effects of herbal supplements that may get people worked up.

That is not to say that Passion Flower is not without its draw backs when it comes to an alternative to antidepressants in treating depression. Unlike most herbal supplements, this will promote some side-effects, especially in higher doses. It is a sedative, and can cause drowsiness. It should not be taken in doses more that 200-300
milligrams, and just twice a day. Because of its own properties which affect anxiety, insomnia, and depression, it should not be taken with other medications. These can include sleep aids, anti-anxiety medication, or any antidepressants. Although no tests show that they interfere with these drugs, they still should not be used in conjunction with them, but as an alternative.

Yes you can use Passion Flower as an alternative to taking antidepressant medication when it comes to treating depression, if you only use recommended dosages. It has been very effective, if used right. You can find out more about this flower, as well as many other alternatives when treating this illness, online, or in other areas. It is a good idea to consult your health care provider before you start any kind of alternative medicine, and discuss with them your concerns over taking prescription drugs.

Signs of Calcium Deficiency - What are the Early Signs of Calcium Deficiency

Calcium is important for bone health and prevents many degenerative diseases in old age. Deficiency of calcium may cause weakening of bones, depression, PMS in women, osteoporosis or bone disease and many other complications.

On the other hand, if calcium intake is increased through a combination of proper diet and nutritional supplements, it helps in proper growth and development of bones, teeth, hair, nails, and the immune system.

Early signs of calcium deficiency include frequent muscle cramps, brittle nails, dry skin and frequent eye twitching. If not treated immediately, calcium deficiency can also cause prolonged depression, infections, problems with blood clotting and frequent back pain. Another common symptom that occurs as a result of calcium deficiency is yellowing of teeth.

Calcium is required by many internal functions of the body to work properly. If not absorbed by the blood, it either gets out through urine or gets accumulated in skin, nails and even tissues. As a result of this unnecessary accumulation, calcium level in bones and teeth decreases and causes complications.

Some other less common signs of calcium deficiency are hypertension, formation of kidney stones, miscarriages, sleeplessness, and unusual menstrual cramps etc. A blood test to measure the level of calcium in it must be performed to prescribe some medicines in case of low and dangerously high levels of calcium in the body.

If you have been diagnosed with extremely low calcium level in blood, immediately start consuming calcium-rich nutritional supplements especially the ones made with coral calcium as it is easier to absorb and helps in the prevention of most of the above-mentioned symptoms and signs of calcium deficiency.

Other than calcium-rich tablets, calcium can be obtained from milk, green leafy vegetables and fish. Calcium citrate, calcium carbonate, and calcium acetate are three of the most widely-used compounds in the making of various calcium supplements. Out of these, calcium carbonate is its least soluble form but provides up to 40% of elementary calcium which can be easily absorbed by the blood.

Coral calcium obtained from fossilized coral reefs in the Okinawa island of Japan has been found to be the most beneficial of these salts. It is essentially calcium carbonate but also contains little quantities of other nutrients like magnesium, sodium and potassium as well. It is easy to absorb and reduces acidity in stomach. Many good-quality calcium supplements are now making use of coral calcium because of its purity and long-term health benefits.

Suboptimal Thyroid Can Cause Weight Gain and Depression

One of Oprah's viewers diagnosed her as having a problem with her thyroid. That was one factor in her constant struggle with weight. Your thyroid is the main hormone of metabolism and it affects your energy, weight, mood, temperature, fertility, menstrual cycles, hair growth, bowel movements, sleep and more. It's a hormone that is sometimes misunderstood and it is suggested that the range of normal be changed. I will shed some light on the symptoms and tests. These are the most common symptoms and is not a complete list:

Symptoms of Overactive Thyroid- Hyperthyroidism

• Rapid heart beat


• Chest pain


• Diarrhea


• Insomnia


• Weight loss


• Irregular menses


• Anxiety


• Feel hot & sweaty

Symptom of Underactive Thyroid - Hypothyroidism

• Weight gain


• Fatigue


• Constipation


• Excess sleep


• Depression


• Dry coarse hair & skin


• Poor memory


• Hair loss


• Muscle pain and weakness


• Feeling cold

These symptoms can overlap with other conditions. You may have one or more of these and should report these to your doctor, have a check up and get laboratory studies to determine if an overactive or underactive thyroid is causing the symptoms. You may find a difference in opinion when it comes to measuring and interpreting thyroid levels. Here are some tests you should be aware of:

Thyroid Tests

• TSH - this is a common screening test and most doctors order this. It is the signal from the pituitary gland in your brain that tells your thyroid to make more hormones. If it is high, it means it is shouting at your thyroid gland to make more hormones because your levels are too low. The common misinterpretation is that high means high thyroid levels and it is actually the opposite.


• New range of normal - The current range of normal for TSH is quite wide 0.5-5. Normal and optimal are not the same. People with symptoms who are on either end of the range, may be considered normal and won't be treated. The American Association of Clinical endocrinology and the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry have recommended changing the range since people who don't have severe symptoms may be suffering and can benefit from treatment. They recommend a range of 0.3-2.5.


• Free versus bound - most hormones are carried through the blood stream by protein carriers. If they are bound to protein, they are inactive. When it comes to thyroid, the free hormone is what counts.


• Free T4 - has 4 iodine molecules, it is a reserve or storage hormone that becomes active when it is converted to the active hormone free T3 by removing one iodine molecule.


• Free T3 - is the active hormone. This conversion can be halted by aging, stress, nutritional deficiencies, trauma, infection, surgery, medications, hormone imbalance and diet. The hormone's actions can also be blocked by thyroid antibodies (Antithyroglobulin or Anti Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) Antibodies) and/or Reverse T3. The standard of care is to measure TSH and free T4 or to calculate free T4, however you can see that there is more to it than that. There also seems to be a subset of people with depression that respond better when a combination of T3 and T4 is given. The most commonly used thyroid replacement medication, synthroid, only has T4 and if you have a problem converting to the active form, it may not feel as effective.


• Reverse T3 - binds to the same receptor as T3 and blocks its actions. If it is too high, even though all of the other lab tests are "normal" you may have symptoms of low thyroid function. The most common causes are stress and hormone imbalance. Anything that interferes with the conversion of free T4 to free T3 can also cause an elevation of reverse T3. The ratio of free T3 to reverse T3 is important. Just think of one as the gas (free T3) and the other the brake (reverse T3). If you are below the midpoint of the range of free T3 you have less gas, and if you are above the midpoint of the range of reverse T3 you have too much braking action.

Hormone balance is complex. It requires a nutritionally balanced diet, hormone balance, stress management and other factors. There may be restrictions on your doctor to do the full battery of thyroid tests. If that is the case, consult an anti aging, metabolic or functional medicine physician to help you get to the root cause of your issues and find a natural approach.

Depression - Sad? Get a Hobby

When we have too much time for ourselves different thoughts would bombard us, and most of the time the thoughts that would dominate are negative thoughts, mainly because its memories of negative traumatic events that would stick with us for a long time.

For this reason, experts agree that distractions from destructive thoughts could help prevent depression triggers and decrease the chances of experiencing this destructive condition.

Hobbies are an effective distraction. It keeps the mind busy while giving a feeling of satisfaction, especially when you start seeing the output of your efforts. Here are a few hobbies that are easy to learn, cheap, and an effective way of killing time:

Scrapbooking is a practice that dates back to the cavemen, or at least that's what most people would say of the drawings and accounts written all over cave walls. Fortunately, with the availability of materials it is easier to compile memories in pages of a book sans the danger of falling from a cave's ceiling. You can use an old phonebook or used notebook as your album, and then you could paste photographs, recipes, quotes, or trinkets that would represent a wonderful memory that you want to keep. Scrapbooking is therapeutic as it encourages you to compile good memories and allows you to hone your creativity, stimulating your brain cells.

Learn photography. Photography is an emerging art that is gaining recognition across the art world. It is an opportunity for those who may be challenged when it comes to using a brush on canvass but has the eye of a painter knowing a good composition from an ordinary one. Photography is also an opportunity for you to explore the outdoors in search for a wonderful subject. More importantly, it allows you to appreciate beauty and see ordinary things and events with a new perspective.

Stamp and coin collecting. Collecting is one of the easiest hobbies known to man, but the challenge can be exhilarating. Looking for an item that would complete your collection can be a bit of a challenge. Philately, or stamp collecting, can prove to be very challenging, especially these days when snail mail are becoming obsolete with the advent of technology and the fast changing world of communications and correspondence. Other interesting items to collect are coins and currencies, shells, model cars or vehicles, comic books, and movies.

Painting and art. If you want to learn a new skill, painting or other forms of visual art like sculpture and pottery can be very stimulating. It serves as an avenue for you to vent your frustrations while stimulating your creative juices. It helps you to transform your frustrations into beautiful creations that would eventually cheer you up. Other art forms that can be explored include music, dance, the written word, and performance art.

Stitching and crocheting. Having too much time on your hands allows for disturbing thoughts to sneak into your mind. Instead of sulking and spending too much time thinking about the past, train your hands to create beautiful and usable items by learning the art of stitching or crocheting.

Being busy with productive activities allows you to take your mind away from worrisome thoughts. Hobbies are one way of keeping yourself busy, choose one now and experience the wonder of learning a new skill.

Can We Ever Get Over the Stigma of Depression?

For as long as health professionals can remember, our country has developed a negative stigma towards depression. People who have suffered from depression in our country tended to suffer in silence, or not seek the appropriate treatment because of the shame associated with admitting they have a mental illness. For instance, in the United States, during the 19th and 20th centuries, almost every form of mental illness was linked with a stigma of a moral failing or a sign of weak character.

Currently, patients diagnosed with depression are viewed as broken, helpless people who need lifelong assistance. The stigma of being depressed is often compounded by shame, guilt, and discredit for not being a "productive" member of our society. People often measure their self-worth by building their career or taking care of their family. However, the depressed person feels like a nobody when their depression makes them unable to work or earn a living for their family. In fact, the majority of Americans agree that if they admit to their boss that they are diagnosed with clinical depression, they will lose their jobs.

However, in the attempt to ameliorate the issue of depression, pharmaceutical companies have increased production and advertisements of anti-depressants. With over 27 million people currently taking anti-depressants, it has become increasingly more acceptable to take medication for this condition. Simply stated, instead of resolving the problem within a person, we are using medication as a Band-Aid to avoid any signs of weak character. So, has the stigma associated with depression changed in any significant way? Signs are pointing to no.

Tipper Gore said it best when she stated, "the last great stigma of the 20th century is the stigma of mental illness." It is generally thought that a depressed person has "trouble coping," a "bad attitude," or a "poor outlook on life." However, depression is a combination of environmental and biological causes, and our society has a lack of understanding and acceptance for this condition. Why is it so scary to be open about our weaknesses? The stigma surrounding depression developed from living in a country where feelings of uncertainty and vulnerability are considered weak and unacceptable. Therefore, people easily lose touch with their feelings by avoiding situations where a strong emotion is present.

As health professionals, our mission is to reduce the stigma associated with depression. Although many celebrities have admitted to their struggles with depression, the stigma of mental illness still remains in the working world. In order to reduce this stigma, there needs to be a larger public health and educational approach to this condition. There are various groups who are working diligently to educate the public and diminish the myths and stigma that surrounds mental illness. For instance, people of all ages need to be informed about the signs, symptoms, and treatment for depression.

If our society becomes more knowledgeable and aware of depression, we can reduce the stereotyping that is often association with this condition, making is more acceptable in our culture. It is important to promote the unique strengths that are required to endure depression. It takes much courage and mental toughness to get help for this condition, especially under its current stigma. This is also a good opportunity to teach others about overcoming adversity, and assisting their peers who are also struggling with depression. The key to overcoming the stigma of depression is to realize that your individual self-worth is a function of who you are, not what you do or how much money you make. Repeating this mantra can help you re-define how you view yourself.

Clinical depression is a medical condition, and is just as important as a disease such as diabetes, lupus or hypertension. Therefore, our society needs to stop making depression strictly a moral issue. Is the patient with a heart complication or a pancreas disorder considered weak, lazy, and defective? Of course not, and neither is the person who suffers from depression or mental illness. Depression is a diagnosable condition that needs to be treated with as much respect as any other disease, and in this manner, we can eliminate the stigma of depression in our society.

The Power of Being in the Now - Gateway to Ultimate Happiness

You've heard it before: the present moment, the NOW, is all you have. Here are just a handful of being quotes:

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."
-- Buddha

"The point of power is always in the present moment."
-- Louise L. Hay, You Can Heal Your Life

"Now is all there is, and the future is just another present moment to live when it arrives."
-- Wayne Dyer

"The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness."
-- Abraham Maslow

"Life is now. There was never a time when your life was not now, nor will there ever be."
-- Eckhart Tolle, The Power Of Now

It's something you've always known at some level. You already know, deep inside, that powerfully living in the now is the only way you will ever find real lasting happiness -- ultimate happiness. Because it's only in the now that you can realize you already have everything and don't need anything else.

The power of being in the now is the path to ultimate happiness, the one that fulfils your heart, soul, body and mind, where you are one with Oneness. Some call it the Enlightenment. You cannot 'achieve' ultimate happiness by accomplishing, doing or having something. You can only be in the state of ultimate happiness by BEING. And Being is only in the NOW.

But here comes the million dollar question: how do we actually do this?

It is hard to do any of this by standard intellectual or psychological approaches. I have myself tried various ways and different paths to learn to live in the moment and find happiness, and realized that it is more easily said than done. None of the methods I tried actually managed to do a significant change within a reasonable amount of time. Even mindfulness and meditation didn't really do it for me. If I have to stop and think about being in the moment to actually be in the moment, it is a contradiction in itself, because if I have to think about being in the moment, then I'm not in the moment!

Just for one moment I want you to imagine that you are living totally and completely in the present moment. So completely that any events from the past seems like a distant memory. You can remember the event, the situation and the emotions you had at the time, but since you are totally in the now the memory of the pain doesn't create any fear in the present moment because you are now detached from your past. You can look at the event as a witness, without any reactions or feeling triggered into the fear that something similar might happen again. The key is to be completely present in the moment. There is no fear in the now. Fear exists only in relation to the past or the future. In the now, fear does not exist.

So do you want to know a secret? Do you want to know the shortest path to being in the now and living in the state of ultimate happiness?

It's total and unconditional acceptance of what IS. Acceptance is as if you are being transparent to whatever comes to you. Instead of things hitting you, they just pass through you. You do not take things personal anymore. You become accepting of everything. You do not have any reasons to stress or worry anymore; you can be relaxed and peaceful at all times. You know that for each situation that comes up, you can deal with it, no matter what it is.

And HOW do you do Acceptance?

By coming Home, at the very centre of your Being, to the Light, where "I am", where you are one with Oneness. That is the key to ultimate happiness.

Ultimate Happiness is the result of what happens when you come back home to your core consciousness and reconnect with Oneness.

It's the purest expression of your unlimited potential and the ultimate contribution of your divine and sacred nature into the world.