Funny Shero Shayari

Shayari is a beautiful way to express our love, care, affection and emotions. Shayari is connected to our heart and our deep emotions. Through Shayri one can say everything in a beautiful way. Expression of love is generally very tough for everyone but shayari makes it really simple, fill your emotions into it and guess what your love accepts you whole heartedly. Not only can the expression of love but pain of a heart break be beautifully moulded into words through shayari. There are many languages to express yourself and show your feelings but the most effective and powerful way is of course the world of shayaris.

Shayari give us inner strength to express our feelings and it gives us words to also. Many times when we are really depressed and a little weary with the way things are going on in our life. Funny shero Shaayri can bring us out of that gloominess and enlighten our mood.

Romantic shayari has a power to take you towards our mate and sad shayari can express your feeling for someone very special when he/she is in need.

These days wit and humor have become an essential part if at all we want to break the monotony of the otherwise monotonous life. Funny shero shayari can act as a fresh breath of air in our daily life. We all crave for moments of joy and laughter and their presence indeed makes life a beautiful experience worth living. Funny shero shayari can bring us these moments.

Funny shero shayari not only help people smile while relieving them of their numerous stresses and strains but actually help individuals recover their health by improving their moods and general outlook towards life. Funny shero shayari is an excellent way of sharing joy and laughter with your loved ones, be it parties or get-togethers or whether you are enjoying a tranquil moment alone in your favorite spot at home.

Homeopathic Treatment of Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are very common today, depression affects 40% of the population every year with 20% developing clinical depression - low mood with sleep difficulties, changes in appetite, hopelessness, pessimism and sometimes thoughts of suicide. Last year alone 36 million prescriptions for antidepressants were handed out.

Anxiety is now such a universal problem that it is costing the UK more than £5 billion per year causing much suffering to the affected individual.

Conventional treatment offered for these conditions are mostly psychotherapy and drug treatment.

Drug treatment for anxiety consists mainly of beta-blockers and sedatives:

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  Beta-blockers reduce autonomic symptoms like palpitations and tremor and reduce the heart rate but do not affect psychological symptoms such as worry, tension and fear or non-autonomic function such as muscle tension.


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  Sedatives (mostly benzodiazepines, eg diazepam, better known as valium) are licensed for short-term relief of severe anxiety, but do cause dependence with severe withdrawal symptoms. Side effects may include drowsiness, confusion, ataxia, increase in aggression, depression, impaired motor function and learning, suppressed REM (rapid eye movement - the important dream phase) sleep, amnesia, dizziness and nausea.

Conventional drugs for depression divide into three groups: Monoamine-oxidase inhibitors, trycyclic and related drugs and the more modern selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. All of them can have many side effects, some very severe.

Natural alternatives for the treatment of anxiety and depression include St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), an unlicensed herbal product, and 5 HTP (5 Hydroxytryptophan), an amino acid and precursor to serotonin.

Both the natural as well as the conventional depression remedies work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, also known as 5 hydroxytrytamine. Higher brain serotonin levels lead to mood elevation.

St John's Wort can cause inducting of drug metabolising enzymes and a number of important interactions with conventional drugs have been identified for both St John's Wort and 5 HTP.

Both herbal and conventional antidepressants can lead to serotonin toxicity, a potentially life threatening syndrome. They also do not address the underlying issue, but rely on a constant supply of serotonin increasing substances, which increases the risk of side effects and is also costly.

Homeopathy treats anxiety and depression from a completely different angle trying to address the deeper causes of the disease origin. Rather than artificially increasing serotonin levels in the brain, it addresses the underlying problem, having caused the central imbalance within you. It can be very successful in addressing both anxiety and depression, making you long term independent of drug (herbal or conventional) treatment.

By taking a very detailed history, which will discuss not only your present symptoms, but also your medical history, family history, personality, preferences, dislikes, fears, dreams, any specific causes (never well since...) and modalities (what makes you better or worse) A homeopathic doctor will be able to find the right remedies to treat your central disturbance, which has caused your "disease". These medicines will naturally return you to a state of well being by changing the energy in your body. Not only your depression/anxiety will be addressed, but all other aspects of your body and mind. Treating your central disturbance will affect all parts of your body and both mental as well as physical symptoms will improve. Improvement can sometimes be fast and dramatic, but usually is gradual over time. Occasionally there can be an aggravation of some physical symptoms, but you should feel more energy, vitality and optimism.

A medically qualified homeopathic doctor will integrate homeopathic treatment with your present medications and work together with your GP, if needed.

Homeopathy is also completely safe in pregnancy and breastfeeding, making it a side effect free alternative in ante and postnatal depression.

How to Care for Persons With Manic Depression

Every day in your life you experience things that may either give you a happy or a sad feeling. Stressors are always present in the environment and within you. It is the ability of the body to cope with it that makes you adapt to the norms. There are instances that the feeling of happiness is distorted to a frantic feeling. On the other hand, the feeling of sadness can be altered to a depressive state. These situations happen when you are suffering from a bipolar disorder. This disorder doesn't only manifest manic episodes but depressive episodes as well.

There are two episodes of this disorder as mentioned above. The manic episode is characterized by verbosity, ostentation, sleeplessness, flight of ideas (shifting from one topic to another), hypersexuality, distractibility, social intrusiveness, and psychomotor agitation. While the depressive episode can be manifested by fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, somatic complaints, diminished hygiene, inability to make decisions, social withdrawal, and suicidal ideations. The episodes can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months. The two can interchangeably occur, but the duration of their occurrence will depend on the type of bipolar disorder the person has.

The first priority for this type of person is safety. As you can observe, safety is almost always the priority when you deal with people who have mental disorders. This is because they lack the ability to decipher things. When the person has a depressive disorder, it is extremely important to assess for the presence of any suicidal ideation. If the ideation is evident in the person, then you'll have to make sure that the environment is safe. Remove all sharp objects, bottles, ropes, or any materials which he can use to harm himself. Have a person watch over him for 24 hours to monitor his actions. You should also provide rest during this episode to compensate for the fatigue he is experiencing. On the other hand, when the person has shifted into a manic episode, you should be extra watchful because he has now enough energy to execute his suicide plan. The person can be hyperactive so there is a higher risk for that person to injure himself. Provide him with diverse activities that can channel his energy, such as ripping off newspapers, and you also need to set the limits for them.

The next main concern would be nutrition. This can be a crucial aspect of their care because both disorders involve existing problems dealing with food. Manic persons have hyperactivity, and they hardly pay attention to food because their attention is focused on other irrelevant things. Since most of the time they are in motion, you can give them high-calorie finger foods such as French fries and sandwiches. It will replenish the energy they've been using and also satisfy their needs temporarily. For a person who has depressive episodes, you may need patience to be able to convince him to eat. Give him time to finish his meal because they even lack energy to eat.

The most important and humane aspects in caring for these types of people are empathy and patience. For manic persons, you can portray the role of a father who protects and controls their inappropriate behaviors. As for the depressive ones, you can depict a mother figure that can be available to listen to them. You have to always be there for them. Assist them to achieve their optimum level of wellness where they can be a functional member of society.

What a Depressed Person Can Do to Ease Depression Naturally and Safely

In a given year, a depressed person is merely one of the 20 million or so adults in the United States who are suffering the same fate. Most people do not recognize the symptoms of depression, attribute them to something else, or fear to seek help for stigma associated with seeking help from the mental health community. Depression can either be depressive disorder, or a symptom of some condition, like hypothyroidism.

A depressed person can do a lot of things to naturally maintain their emotional health and drive away depression. Keep your body's natural feel-good chemicals up to par with fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grain in your diet. Get enough exercise, fresh air, sleep, and sunshine and eat foods that help maintain healthy serotonin levels.

Among the natural and herbal remedies great for lifting depression are:

St. John's Wort, an herb that helps a depressed person to alleviate worry, sadness, nervousness, and sleep disorders, is a recognized remedy. Clinical trials seem to indicate that it can be as effective as antidepressants in cases of mild to moderate depression.

The herb has traditionally been used as a support to balance mood and maintain mental equilibrium. The active ingredients in the herb are flavonoids, glycosides, volatile oils, tannins and resins. Passion Flower also has flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids and saparin, which clinical studies indicate can support usage as a soothing herb.

If you are feeling depressed, Omega-3 fatty acids, needed for normal brain function, intake can help. Higher amounts of fish in your diet help avoid depression as evidenced by the really low occurrence of such illnesses in fish eating cultures. Cold water fish including sardines, salmon, and anchovies are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

SAM-e, or S-adenosyl-L-methionine is a chemical found naturally in the body that could increase levels of serotonin and dopamine. SAM-e can me bought over-the-counter as a food supplement, and will help you fight the sense of feeling depressed. Amino Acid Supplements are also a good idea with special emphasis on specific amino acids that are the precursors to neurotransmitters. Other dietary supplements like folic acid, vitamin B6, and magnesium also help.

As a general rule, lower your sweet intake, and avoid caffeine and alcohol. Regular exercise particularly aerobic exercise, help to release the natural mood-elevating chemicals; try dance classes, tennis, or gardening. other natural remedies like flower remedies, yoga, acupuncture, and light therapy can also help.

Homeopathic and natural remedies can make a huge difference in the life of a depressed person without the side effects of prescription drugs, but can take a couple of weeks to build up in your system. For the best results, take them at the same time every day, and follow the directions. Homeopathic remedies used along with a healthy diet and moderate exercise can turn your life around once and for all and bring back your sense of meaning and engagement with life.

10 Small Challenges to Totally Transform Your Life!

Welcome to a new decade. How can you make this year your best so far? Here are 10 small challenges to make within your day to day life. Guaranteed to make a big difference.

1. Start the day with some inspiration.
Whether you sign up to a free online daily guidance site so that your first email at work can put you in the right frame of mind, or you flick open a book of inspiration at random while you have your morning tea, that 1 minute can change the other 1439 minutes of your day.

2. Make goals, not resolutions.
Set your mind to what you want to achieve this year, concentrating on the positive not the negative. Thinking 'I want to be a thinner, happier, more active person' will inspire you to take a lot more action than 'I want to stop being fat, miserable and lazy'.

3. Make exercise fun.
Decide with a group of friends what suits you best and then whether it's Salsa or Break dance Mondays, five-a-side football Fridays or weekly boxing/yoga sessions, make an event of it. This way it becomes something social to look forward to each week and you can support one another to keep going.

4. Learn to master our mind and do not let it master us.
In the not-so-secret 'The Secret', it is suggested that the universe responds to our thoughts but does not know our intentions, so if we are thinking 'I must get out of debt' it hears 'debt', whilst the positive 'I want to make money', it hears 'money'. Small changes in the way we think can have huge effects on the way we feel and behave.

5. Enjoy the moment.
Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh writes that it is better to enjoy doing the washing up and take a little longer than to rush it and waste the moment wanting to be doing something else. If we are always thinking about the future or what we want to be doing next, we can lose sight of the happiness that can be felt right at this present moment.

6. Travel.
Go somewhere you've never been before and explore. Whether it's Cornwall, Paris, or Thailand be adventurous and book to stay away from the main English tourist resort, get a great guide book and learn how to say 'please,' 'thank you,' 'help,' and 'could I have a glass of wine please?' in the local language.

7. See the happiness of yourself and the happiness of others as the same thing.
One person's happiness can never be at the expense of someone else's. If someone gets a promotion that you wanted, really trust that that was right for their life and that something else fabulous is right for yours. Envy is just fear that our own lives will not be wonderful. Likewise, happiness derived from the exploitation of others or your environment will be short lived. Trust that happiness can be created, not just traded from one person to another.

8. Learn something new.
Take a deep breathe and an honest look in the mirror. What is that secret thing you've been yearning to learn for years? How to write a script, speak Italian, sing, play the violin, rockclimb or dance the tango? This is the year to really go for it. Have a look on the internet and at local gyms or colleges for classes. If you're feeling shy see if you can join the class as a spectator for the first week.

9. Take some Me-time.
Make it a priority to do something you find relaxing once a week; go for a massage (or even better, book a mobile massage therapist to come to your home or office,) read a book, go for a walk in the countryside or have a long relaxing candle-lit bath.

10. Give three compliments a day.
To friends, family, your partner, colleagues or complete strangers; strive to search for people's positive qualities and to let them know. Try this everyday and see how things subtly change within a week, month or year. If you get home and realise you've missed one you can give it to yourself, but make sure it's a sincere praising of something fabulous about your self!

How Can You Improve Your Light Depression Symptoms At Home?

If you are experiencing light depression symptoms it often means that what you are having is a simple or mild case of depression. That kind of depression can be managed easily. It usually does not require medical treatment, unless it occurs frequently over the course of several months. If it does, then your depression is more serious than what you think.

Mild Depression Symptoms and How To Reduce Them At Home

Depression often manifests in the following signs and symptoms:

• Feeling of sadness


• Loss of interest in physical and social activities


• Sleeping problems


• Eating problems

With mild depression, the symptoms are generally the same, only less extreme so as not to cause a major impact on your health. Anyhow, here are some helpful advices aimed at reducing depression symptoms at home:

• Start eating right. Get on a healthy diet and stick to it. Know what to eat and what to avoid.
  
  • Junk foods are loaded with junk, and must be avoided as much as possible.
  
  
  • Foods that are high in carbohydrates and sugar content, caffeine, alcohol, and preservatives only serve to worsen depression symptoms, and you'll be better off without them as well.
  
  
  • Finger foods will be very helpful for people with mild cases of depression - keep them handy.
  
  
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables and food items high in Omega-3 fatty acids.
• Try to get a restful sleep by:
  
  • Having a warm, relaxing bath at night. Try infusing your bath water with lavender salts to make it more relaxing.
  
  
  • Having a light dinner, topped with a cup of hot ginger tea or relaxing chamomile tea.
  
  
  • Shut down your computer or TV set or anything that can get in the way of your resolve to sleep.
  
  
  • Maintain a sleeping routine.
• Give yourself a break. At the end of a stressful day, make time to unwind.
  
  • Go for leisure walks or do some window-shopping.
  
  
  • Go on long drives from time to time or have a vacation trip once or twice a year.
  
  
  • Read anything that will make you laugh or put a smile to your lips. Try reading comic strips if you are not fond of reading at all.
  
  
  • Work on a favorite hobby. If you know how to play the piano, hit on some keys. If you are a writer, write your thoughts down. Do anything creative to express yourself.
• Exercise.
  
  • Try meditation techniques and deep breathing exercises.
• Take vitamins.
  
  • The B-vitamins are especially known for their role in warding off depression. Make sure you get a daily dose of the essential B-vitamins.
  
  
  • Vitamin C has a key role in the production of serotonin, a chemical in the brain that controls mood.
  
  
  • Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids that are needed in the development and maintenance of a healthy brain.
• Talk to someone. Verbalizing your feelings is a good way of coping with depression. Seeing a psychotherapist can be very helpful in controlling depression at this stage.

Mild depression typically lasts but a few days. If your depression symptoms last longer or if you are losing sleep (or oversleeping), losing (or gaining) weight, losing concentration, or showing signs of anemia, getting professional help will be extremely wise to keep the depression from progressing. As you know when it comes to the point that your physical health and mental well being are being challenged or compromised, a more serious mood disorder is in the making and you need to take more drastic actions as soon as possible.

Looking to Restore Your Marriage? Learn 4 Signs of Depression

I just read an interesting statistic: in the year 2007 between 30 and 50 percent of married couples who suffer marital strife; one partner suffers from depression! (and I'm sure that these statistics haven't got any better.) I think that we can safely assume, according to these statistics, that a good place to start to restore your marriage is to tackle depression.

The first step to overcome depression and restore your marriage is obviously to diagnose that you or your spouse is suffering from depression and not some other disorder. After you "name it", the saying goes, then you can treat and "claim it".

In this article I will show you 4 tell-tale signs of depression that will be a warning for you to look for help.

1. Prolonged periods of sadness. I don't mean that if you or your spouse are sad for a day or two then you should run to your doctor to check for depression. Life has its ups and downs. However, if you see that you feel sad, Even After The Cause Of The Sadness Has Stopped, then the time has come to look for help.

2. Loss of self-worth and helplessness. Another symptom of depression is when you begin to hear from your spouse (or you notice your own self talk) how you are not a good mother or wife, how you are not a good father or husband, or that you are "a mistake". In my experience with parents and people, you are probably an all right mother/wife/father/husband/, who is doing a good job but could be better. Perfection is definitely not the default mode in this world.

3. Perpetual pessimism permeates your life. People generally feel that tomorrow (or next week, month, or year) will be better. This keeps the human race going. If you see that For A Long Period Of Time you see a very dim future, then you are probably suffering from depression and should look for some ways to overcome it.

4. Lose interest in taking pleasure and hobbies. Another sign of depression is when you lose interest in doing the things that normally give you pleasure for no understandable reason. If, however, you are crazy about a certain music artist and he dies suddenly so you can't listen anymore, this is NOT a sign of depression. Losing interested in hobbies and pleasures is only a sign of depression if you lose interest in them for no reason and you lose interest in ALL of your hobbies and pleasures.

Studies point in the direction that people who suffer from depression also suffer from marital strife. If you suffer from a bad marriage and want to restore your marriage to the way it was in those first enjoyable few years, then learn to spot the symptoms of depression so you can treat it and once again enjoy married life.

Optimistic Thinking and How to Get It

What do you do when bad things happen to you? More importantly, how do you explain why that bad thing has happened to you? Do you tell yourself that bad thing happened because you have rotten luck? Or that it's all your fault and you never get things right?

Research shows that how you explain why the events occur is one of the most powerful predictors of whether or not you become depressed. This is what separates resilient people who are able to bounce back on their feet when bad events happen to them and people who become paralyzed when adversity strikes.

Great news! According to world famous psychologist Dr. Martin Seligman and decades of scientific research, you can learn to become more optimistic! Here's how:

Firstly, there is a lot more to pessimism than seeing the glass as half-empty and a lot more to optimism than looking on the bright side of life. Optimism and pessimism are not traits they are ways of thinking.

That means you are not born an optimist or a pessimist, you learn to think like an optimist or a pessimist. Psychologists fondly refer to this as your explanatory style (ES); or how you explain the good and bad things that happen to you in your life.

Dr. Martin Seligman shows that people with a pessimistic explanatory style are more likely to describe the bad things that happen in their life as being their fault. If, for example, you ask a depressed child or one with a pessimistic ES, why he failed the test, his reply might be something like, "I'm stupid," "I suck at school," or "My teacher hates me!" A child with an optimistic ES might say he failed the test because, "The test was hard," or "I did not study enough". For the time being, it is irrelevant which explanation for the failed test is true. What's important is that after years of accumulating thoughts that support either ES, people fall into patterns. A model for explanatory style created by Dr. Karen Reivich is:

Me vs. Not Me Always vs. Not Always Everything vs. Not Everything.

People with a pessimistic ES describe negative events as Me, Always and Everything and positive events as Not Me, Not Always and Not Everything. For example, Jack asks Kelly out on a date and she politely declines. Having a pessimistic ES, Jack thinks to himself, "No wonder she doesn't want to go out with me, I'm a loser". He explains the event as being his fault (Me), and not just limited to this situation (Everything), saying "I'm a loser," refers to many areas of his life. Taking it further, he might even think, "I'll never get married" (Always).

If a positive event happens, like getting the job he wants, and someone asks him why that good thing happen, he might say "I got lucky." He certainly wouldn't forecast more luck in his future. The positive thing isn't attributed to his qualifications for the position (Not Me). He is referring to luck in this one particular situation (Not Always) which would be different from someone saying, "I'm a lucky kind of guy" or predict this luck to trickle into his love life (Not Everything).

Someone with an optimistic ES that gets rejected may say something like, "She is just not interested (Not Me). Oh well plenty of fish in the sea." That one negative event does not pervade their whole life (Not Everything) and just because this person rejected them doesn't mean everyone will (Not Always). Positive events, like getting a job are the result of their own actions "I got the job because I'm qualified for the position (Me) and I present myself well to others (Everything).

Test this out in your own life. Think back to the negative events. How did you explain why that thing happened? Where would you code that on explanatory style? And the good events? Are you expecting more positive events in your future? Or you on the look out for all the things that could go wrong?

We create our own reality based on our thoughts. Most of the time we don't pay attention to our thoughts and we accept them as unquestionable truth. So tune in. Challenge your Me, Always, Everything thoughts with the possibility of Not Me, Not Always, Not Everything thoughts when necessary.

Again, this is one of the most powerful techniques for combating depression and increasing your happiness. Put it into action!

ADHD Symptoms Revisited

In an earlier article here on the EzineArticles website, I discussed a piece by L. Alan Sroufe that had appeared in the New York Times, seriously questioning the effectiveness of Ritalin, Adderall and other stimulants used to treat children with ADHD symptoms. My article largely supported Sroufe's view, but I've since come to believe that the issue deserves another look.

Shortly after Sroufe's article appeared, Harold S. Koplewicz MD, President of the Child Mind Institute, wrote a point-by-point rebuttal of it; if you're interested in this issue, the article by Koplewicz bears reading and can be found online. I won't bother to summarize the whole piece, but suffice it to say that he brings some fairly persuasive evidence in support of the effectiveness of stimulants to treat ADHD symptoms in children and raises important questions about the validity of the studies cited by Dr. Sroufe and the conclusions drawn from them.

I still have major objections to the current ways we think about and treat ADHD symptoms, however, and I'm not ready to write off Dr. Sroufe, as Koplewicz does. First of all, any discussion that asks the question 'What is ADHD?' misses the point; ADHD is not a disease condition, as the label would have us believe. Instead, as defined by the APA in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, it's a set of behavioral markers that many people believe indicate a disease state, but can actually be produced by any number of different conditions, including brain abnormalities, early physical insults, emotional trauma, etc.

The disease model of the current DSM, along with marketing strategies employed by the pharmaceutical industry, contribute to the common misconception that an actual "disease state" has been identified not only for ADHD, but also for depression and other psychological conditions. By and large, the effects of the most common psychiatric medications in use today were actually discovered by accident; once their neuro-chemical effects were better (though not entirely) understood, an underlying disease state was then hypothesized but never proven. As I continually state on in my articles here on eZine, there is no evidence whatsoever to support the theory that depression symptoms are caused by insufficient serotonin in the neural synapses.

Even if we accept that ADHD symptoms result from different conditions, isn't it possible that the stimulants currently prescribed remedy these symptoms, whatever their origin? Evidence from a great many scientific studies suggests that indeed they do. But I'm more skeptical about this kind of evidence than most people; whenever someone insists that a drug's effectiveness has been "proven", I want to ask exactly what that means. For the purposes of FDA approval, a drug's effectiveness must be demonstrated via clinical trials designed in scientifically acceptable ways and there must be a statistically significant difference between results for groups receiving placebo vs. the actual drug; that doesn't necessarily say a lot about the degree of the drug's effectiveness, however.

For instance, new cancer drugs that extend the life of a terminal patient by only three months often receive FDA approval because that's a statistically significant difference in outcomes, but such drugs certainly don't cure or eliminate the illness. Koplewicz does make it clear that there is no cure for ADHD, but in my view, he doesn't look hard enough at what these stimulants actually do and do not do for ADHD symptoms. How much do they help? Which symptoms do they remedy and which are unaffected? What are the side effects and do they outweigh the benefits?

Yes, these stimulants help you focus attention and perform repetitive mental work more easily -- and for many, that alone is almost miraculous. They can also help enormously with problem behavior in the classroom. Over the past week, I've spent quite a bit of time visiting online forums where people discuss their reactions to Adderall, Ritalin and other stimulants. This may be anecdotal, unscientific evidence but there's no question in my mind that these drugs have dramatically changed the lives of many, many people. I've also read a large number of accounts from people who felt dull, apathetic or zombie-like while taking these medications; many of them underwent disturbing personality changes and some had psychotic episodes.

In The Gift of ADHD, Dr. Lara Honos Webb describes a person on Ritalin as "like a horse with blinders, plodding along. He's moving forward, getting things done, but he's less open to inspiration." While Adderall and Ritalin are undoubtedly helpful for a great many people, like all psychiatric medications they are a blunt instrument, inflicting all sorts of collateral damage. Koplewicz makes light of the side effects and insists there are no long term consequences of taking them; but if you want a scary read, take a look at the chapters on ADHD medications and the rise of childhood bipolar disorder in Robert Whitaker's The Anatomy of an Epidemic.

What I found most troubling about Koplewicz's rebuttal, however, was the contemptuous, short-shrift he gives to Dr. Sroufe's thoughts about the role of environment in the development of ADHD symptoms. He finds it "distressing" that Sroufe believes "ordinary parents who make ordinary mistakes during a child's early development could produce the kind of brain changes we see in children with ADHD." Koplewicz also finds it "bizarre" that Sroufe believes family stresses like domestic violence, lack of social support from friends or relatives and chaotic living situations might contribute to the development of ADHD symptoms; he's particularly perturbed by Sroufe's statement that "patterns of parental intrusiveness that involve stimulation for which the baby is not prepared" also play a role."

Why is it "bizarre" to wonder if intrusive parents who model or demonstrate distracting behavior can influence their child's capacity to pay attention? Not to mention that this isn't a case of "ordinary parents" making "ordinary mistakes" -- or any kind of mistake, for that matter; these are influential patterns of behavior, likely based on the parent's own psychological difficulties. In his work on attachment theory, Allan Schore has shown how failures of attachment cause the brain of an infant to develop abnormally. Is it such a leap to consider whether repetitive types of intrusiveness and distraction by parents might also affect the development of their child's brain?

From a psychodynamic perspective, that not only seems plausible but I've worked with clients who have discussed such behavior by their parents and how it affected them. We believe that other types of parental behavior and parent-child interactions influence development; why is it so outlandish to believe that distractibility might be modeled? I think the larger issue here is one of guilt, and rescuing parents from the idea that they may have a role to play in their child's condition.

In a piece for the online version of Time, Judith Warner argues that Sroufe's ideas about the role of the environment are a giant step backwards, a return to blaming parents for their child's condition in the way that responsibility for childhood autism was once laid at the feet of "refrigerator mothers." This line of attack seems a little over-the-top to me; I think that Ms. Warner, like many people, can't distinguish between blaming and attributing influence. Her article is full of words like "stigma", "blame" and "victims"; surely there's a middle ground between pointing accusatory fingers, on the one hand, and exploring how parent-child interactions might influence the development of ADHD symptoms. In the end, Ms. Warner's critique devolves into ad hominem assaults on Sroufe's character and motivation, not a terribly persuasive mode of argument to my mind.

In revisiting the question of ADHD symptoms and their origins, I came away feeling that the issue has not been settled. As always, I continue to believe that psychiatric medications have their uses, especially in the short-term, and I'll try to keep an open mind about their usage in treating deficits in attention. But I'll also continue to wonder about the psychological dimension, and whether explanations and eventual help may be found from a psychodynamic exploration of these issues.

Teen Anxiety Disorder - Signs, Symptoms And Remedies To Know About

Childhood anxiety is on the short list of most-dreaded-events facing parents and families. Like complex development "sponges", kids are vulnerable to any number of incoming influences. Other kids impose tough pressures and choices on your child. School and the values culture are force-fed to your child.

Could all this "stuff" create confusion, fear through patterned repeating behavior, triggering the onset of teen anxiety disorder, phobias, escape into drug abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder, general withdrawal and anti social outlook? Yes...it's a serious and present danger for many kids.

Teen Anxiety Physical Symptom - What Parents Need To Look For. What seems like "tough" on parents is dilute compared to the growing nightmare experienced by children. The list of Bad Guy anxiety physical symptoms parents need to spot include breathing difficulties, elevated heart and pulse rate, headaches, dizziness, nausea, sleeping disorder, on-off-again eating habits along with gastrointestinal issues.

Teen Anxiety Depression Symptom - Altered Behaviors To Look For. While the physical insults of teen anxiety represent one serious class of issues, the deeper imbedded behavioral roots of anxiety depression disorder pose a greater and more complicated challenge in terms of intervention and remedy.

* Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Signals. Parents cannot be too diligent in focusing attention on their kids, looking for telltale signs of obsessive compulsive disorder...a restless and fidgety obsession with minutiae that might begin innocently enough with things being in a certain place, fear of dirt and germs, eating disorders showing like bulimia.

* Anti Social "Isolating" Behavior. Increasingly, anti social behavior shows itself in a defensive and protective response to growing fears and uncertainties. "Keeping the world out", isolating herself within a "safety" zone of her bedroom or other safe spot becomes her number 1 concern, and obsession.

* Denial Of Self - Drift Into Dream State Filled With Anxiety Panic Attack. Deeper yet grows anxiety depression in your child's mind, where they begin the process of self-denial, where they separate out themselves in a form of ongoing abstraction, de-personalizing themselves. What is your child feeling? Like they're beginning to go mad, a feeling like they've begun to drift away from their very self

Teen Anxiety Disorder Medication - Psychiatric Drugs And Impacts. Stress hormones like cortisol along with other physical and psychiatric symptoms have drawn millions of troubled teens and their agitated parents into a new experience with powerful mood-altering psychiatric drugs.

* Major Classes Of Prescription Anxiety Medicine. The chemistry is complex, however parents need to know the generalities of these profound mood-altering anxiety medicine include beta blockers, anti depressants, mild tranquilizers, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, anti convulsants and benzodiazepines such as brand labels Xanax or Valium or Librium.

* Drug Strengths And Target Focus Area. These psychiatric drugs are all about intensity and neural targeting. Drug strength, like carbon dating, is measured in "half life strengths". Parents need to ask, and understand, the basic targeting scope of a particular drug.

* Anxiety Medicine Side Effects. Serious drugs carry serious user risks. While 70% of the user population may experience more-or-less gratifying and stabilizing results, continued drug use sets up a teen or adult for drug-dependency...which is polite talk for drug addiction. Withdrawal creates its own personal hell, unless a months-long carefully managed program of incremental tapering in usage is carried out. Meanwhile, kids and adults may experience intense withdrawal symptoms, with anxiety panic attacks, confusion, sleep disorders, eating disorder and weight loss, mental confusion, muscle cramping, diarrhea, and more.

Considering Non Prescription Teen Anxiety Herb Remedies. Before modern pharmacology dominated the treatment scene, people relied exclusively on plant kingdom remedies and support groups. Botanicals including rosemary, ginseng, St. John's Wort, kava and others have been shown in modern British side-by-side studies with pharmacy drugs to have substantially similar positive intervention potentials, with none of the negative side-effects of anxiety disorder medication.

Live Your Life Out Loud: 30 Ways to Get Started

"If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I will tell you, I came to Live Out LOUD." ~Émile Zola

1. Live your life on purpose. Not on "DEFAULT ". Be Proactive. Make conscious and deliberate choices. When you don't choose, circumstances choose for you and you are never leading: you are following or catching up, or worse, living in "default" mode. Instead, make a decision to be the leader in your own life and take front and center. Lead.

2. Utilize your full potential. Give what you're doing your best and fullest attention. Be here now. Even if you're not where you want to be, giving it half your effort doesn't move you forward. Master what you have at hand, for the sake of mastering it, and something will shift. Give it what you've got.

3. Overcome your fear. Get out of your comfort zone. Find out you have a pulse. Let something give you butterflies in your stomach. This is how you know you're alive - how you grow into something new. Every fear overcome is a freedom gained. The less afraid you are,the more room you have to play. Consider that you live in a huge mansion with 35 rooms but you only live in 3 of the rooms because the rest of the house is dark. Go in and open all the lights. Unveil the darkness and you have a bigger house to play in. Don't know how to overcome fear? Do the thing you're afraid of. Cross them off the list. Make it a game. Pretty soon, you will be invincible. Living a life out loud, is living a life of freedom. Living a life of freedom is good.

4. Discover a new talent. One of my favorite quotes by Martha Grimes is, "We don't know who we are until we see what we can do". But we don't find this out until we try something new. You don't know what jewels you have inside of you until you tap into them. You might just find out you are a multi-talented, multi-faceted individual. Don't know what to try? Here are some suggestions; learn a new instrument, take an art class, play with a digital camera, sign up for a salsa class, take up cooking, plant a garden, join toastmasters, pick up a needle and thread, try mountain climbing, go scuba diving, camping or kayaking. The list is endless. And they don't all cost money. Create an online social network. Find something that interests you and explore it. You never know what will come out of it and isn't that the whole purpose of being here? To discover who you are?

5. Honor your word. When you strip everything else away, your word is all you've got. Do what you say you're going to do. By honoring your word, you honor yourself. And it doesn't feel good when you don't. So, make it a habit. Value your integrity and keep your promises. It's a good life practice. It's a good business practice.

6. Create a new habit or break an old one. This goes in line with #1 - Leading. Who has dominion over your life - you or your habits? Make it a game. How many things can you get under your control? How many bad habits can you convert. Jack Canfield in his book, Success Principles: How to Get from Where you Are to Where You Want to Be includes a chapter entitled: Develop Four New Success Habits a Year. There is a great sense of empowerment when you feel you are in charge of your life. This helps you get there.

7. Pay a stranger a compliment. Does the woman ahead of you in the check out have a fabulous hair style? Tell her so. Is the man on the subway wearing a nice tie? Tell him so. Not only does it make someone else feel good, but it makes you feel good to compliment someone else. All of the sudden the world is small and the stranger next to us becomes our friend and we recognize that we're all in this together.

8. Take yourself out on a date. Are you ashamed to be single? Don't be. And don't wait until you have company to get out. Treat yourself. Bring a book. Bring something you're working on. Bring a journal and use it to write up all the amazing qualities that you want in a partner or a friendship when it comes your way. Find somewhere that has music or wireless and plant yourself there. Have a meal, enjoy it. Treat yourself. You deserve it. Living out loud is playing out loud whether you have someone to join you or not. And you never know who you might meet or strike up a conversation with. There may be another single diner dining about, or your waitress (or waiter) may become your new best friend. Again, small world. Six degrees of separation. We're all in this together. There is no "right" way to do it. Make your own rules. Live by them.

9. Take 100% responsibility for your life. If things aren't working out in your favor, take note and ask yourself what your part in it is? Being a victim, is passé, boring. There is no power in blaming other people. Don't wait for other people to change. When you change, your world will follow suit. Claim dominion over the only life you have control over. Use the unwanted circumstances to make clear what NEW thing you want to create in your life and then start asking about how to get there. You will be led, but you first have to lead with the question, the intention, the commitment to change. There is no power outside of yourself.

10. Live in the question. There is nothing you cannot be, do or have. So do not impose limitations on yourself. You are ALWAYS in co-creation with something much bigger than you. Call it God, Universe, Angels, Divine Beings - you have an invisible team that is supporting you, waiting on your very direction. But it works in collaboration with you, in partnership. Instead of saying you can't get there, ask "How can I get there?" Live in the affirmation of possibility rather than the declaration of negativity. There is always a way, and it is being presented consistently, but you have to live in the question to be on the lookout for the answer.

11. Make more decisions for yourself. Living out Loud is about being a DECIDER. It's part of taking dominion over your life. When you are not making the decision, something or someone else is deciding for you. People who have become successful made a decision to become successful. There is great power in making a decision. It's a declaration. You don't know what you want? Then look at what you DON'T want and work backwards. I bet you DO know what you want, you just haven't been in the habit of asking yourself. Hey. That's a new habit to change! (See #6)

12. Learn to say "No". A fabulous teacher, I once knew said "Your 'Yes's mean nothing until you can learn to say "No." Many people, especially women, have a problem with saying the word "NO", mostly in fear of letting someone else down. And in order to live your best possible life, you need to learn how to say NO to the things that aren't serving you. Living out Loud means taking your "Yes's" seriously. The best barometer to measure this by is: if it isn't a "HELL YES " (yippee, so fun, can't wait), then it is most probably a NO. If you have to talk yourself into it, it's a NO. Living your life on purpose is following the Yes's. Once you get comfortable saying NO, everything becomes a matter of choice. Living a life of choice is a living a life of freedom. Living a life of freedom is good.

13. Know your own value. Do not defer. There is no one above or below you. Others may be more educated, skilled or talented in one or another area, but there is something magnificent and valuable about what you have to offer this world that, in comparison, is equal. Do not allow yourself or anyone else to diminish it. It is a "sin"(error in thinking), to deny your greatness. The great teacher Jesus, who once walked this earth said, "Yea are Gods'. . . and yea shall do greater things than me". How do you know he wasn't talking about you? What are you hiding? Are you a computer geek? So was Bill Gates. Billionaire. What? You have a learning disability? So did Dr. John Demartini and that's what makes him the most powerful speaker today. Joe Vitale came from homelessness. Look at him now? Stop idolizing anyone else's gifts and/or dismissing your own. Stop hiding your light under a bushel. Take pride in your talents. Living Out Loud is allowing yourself to shine and allowing others to do the same.Don't know what sorts of talents you have? Good. Then, it's time to find out!

14. Give yourself permission. For everything. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Give yourself permission to shine. Give yourself permission to look beautiful. Give yourself permission to accept (instead of correct or dismiss) praise. Give yourself permission to have bad days. Give yourself permission to get angry. Give yourself permission to cry, to laugh, to scream. Give yourself permission to take the day off. Give yourself permission to take a nap, go to sleep early. Give yourself permission to get a massage. Give yourself permission to do nothing. Give yourself permission to succeed. Give yourself permission to fail. Life is about LIVING, not about getting there, being there, acquiring stuff, or pursuing some end result. Life and living is about being here NOW, in all your full range of emotions, mood swings, wins and losses. Take responsibility for where you are, now. It will change soon enough tomorrow. Give yourself permission to Live Out Loud. Today. No shame.

15. Own your own opinion. No one has to agree with you in order for your opinion to matter. Stop waiting for consensus. YOU matter. Your opinion matters. The nature of Living Out Loud is that some people will agree with you and some people won't. You will NEVER get consensus. So, stop looking for it. The only question you have to ask is, does your opinion matter to you? Claim it. Own it. And know that with new information, it could change tomorrow. Life is transitory. Live in the evolution.

16. Do not punish yourself for past actions. Know this: your past behavior was what you've DONE, but it is not who you ARE. Who you ARE is still unfolding, being discovered, being triumphant in it's evolving stages. Forgive yourself for past actions.Stop berating yourself. Mistakes, errors in judgments, and failures all add to our character and value. It makes us human and compassionate and wise. To berate yourself for acquiring these VALUABLE qualities is wrong, so stop it. A new beginning starts today. Living Out Loud means claiming yourself in your entirety (warts and all), and to see your own beauty in the midst of it all.

17. Live in the realm of "possibility" rather than "probability". Stay open at the top. You don't know what the outcome can be. Statistics are made up of groups. You are an Individual. Be the individual that charts your own course. The laws of the universe adhere to your vibration. So declare it. Do not fall into the temptation of "GROUP THINK". Own your truth. You don't know what is possible for you until you find out.

18. Do not argue for your limitations, but instead focus on your strengths. We all have weaknesses, but we also have our strengths. What do you do well? Practice that. When you lead with your strengths, the rest follows suit. And miraculously, your limitations sort of disappear. What you focus on grows.

19. Practice gratitude. In a world of imperfections, it's amazing how perfect things actually are. But sometimes we have to look for them. Practicing gratitude is an antidote to depression. It is also the precursor to a fabulous life. The more grateful you are, the more you have to be grateful for. This goes with #1 & #6. When your life's circumstances aren't working in your favor, the one thing you DO have control over is your attitude. If you lead with gratitude, and create a habit of it, in short order, your life will change.

20. Be authentic. Thoreau said something profound, "If I am not I, who will be?" Why try to be like anyone else? Did you ever notice that the ones who are most successful are not the ones that follow the masses and trends, but the ones who stand in their own authentic expression and declare who they are? Regardless of who agrees with them? There is an expression that is uniquely yours and to dismiss it, is to dismiss the divine. Living Out Loud is leading with the authentic. Don't know what that looks like for you? Then, that's a good place to start. Live in the question. Watch for clues.

21. Own your own power. Innately, we were given an inner guidance, an inner knowing that is capable of leading us to live extraordinary lives. And something in you is always aware of this knowing. The answers are not outside of you. Own what you know. The more you practice this, the more you hone your own powerful magnetic field that surrounds you and the more power you emit in your convictions, knowing and in your life.And your results will confirm this.

22. Stop Complaining. Complaining is a form of passive victimhood. It's a way of saying that someone (or something else) has taken dominion over your life. Stop. Ask yourself instead, why is this happening to me and what part do I play in this picture? And then work on YOUR part of the solution. Have you ever found yourself not setting a boundary and allowing someone to take advantage of you? Maybe you didn't take care of yourself so well in a situation and got burned by the outcome? Or, have you ever not trusted your gut instinct and ended up having to pay the consequence? We are always the single common denominators in our life and we are the only ones we have control over. Use what you are complaining about as your inner clues as to where you need to start taking better care of yourself. Be the VICTOR in your life. It's the only life you have to work with. This is part of leading and not living your life on default.

23. Practice "Being" and have nothing to prove. Know your own value with or without results. Your value is in your human Being-ness not your Human Doingness.In a society that is wrapped up in image, this is sometimes difficult to practice. People ask what you DO, not who you ARE. But a person who knows their own value, does not have to prove it. There is great power in just being. Be still and know that you are GOD. "To a mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders." Chuang-tse

24. Be of service. Cast a wider net, energetically, of your circle of friends. Be of service where you can, to who you can be of service to. Edwene Gaines, a funny teacher, says "Don't be so "spiritual" that you're of no earthly good!" Offer your help where you can and do your part in making the world a friendly place. We are all in this together. As Gandhi preached: BE the change that you wish to see happen. You would be surprised by the impact you have.

25. Love generously. Spread random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty. Hatred is already rampant. We need to tip the scales the other way. Love is a far more powerful emotion and has far reaching consequences. Living out Loud means Loving Out Loud. And ironically, the more you love, the more love you have to give. It is a generative emotion capable of transforming the entire planet. Be generous with it. Don't skimp.

26. Find your bliss and live your passion. Again, don't know what that is? Then it's time to find out! Your emotions give away clues. When your life has spun out of control and you are finding yourself in a tizzy, go back to what makes you happiest and do that. The more you follow this thread, the more you are leading with the heart. There are always ways to monetize your passion, to find ways to make a living at what you love, but first you have to discover it. Your emotions don't lie. Follow their lead. They will "true" you every time. If it's not a "Hell Yeah" (yippee, hooray, more of this please!) then it's not worth exploring. Find out what rocks your world and play there for awhile. Find out where it takes you. Make this your real job.

27. Stop waiting. Life is happening right now. Don't wait for the right career, the perfect relationship, the landfill of money. Make the best of what you have right now and be creative with it. Don't put your life on pause. Live with the possibility that what you are waiting for can arrive tomorrow, and live your best life TOD AY. Time is Now. Make use of it. This moment doesn't repeat itself tomorrow. Tomorrow is a different moment. Live today's moment. Today.

28. Let other people off the hook. They didn't mean harm, and even if they did, it hurt them more than it hurt you. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and rise even taller. Living Out Loud is Thriving out Loud. Don't use anyone as your excuse to shirk your responsibility to live a bigger life. Victimhood is not a badge of honor. Overcoming adversity is. Use success and joy as your barometer. And march on.

29. Use co-creation to help you. We have at our disposal a power that creates worlds. We are ALWAYS working in conjunction with invisible forces. Acknowledge them, address them, put them to work. They want to create on your behalf, but they are waiting for your leadership to direct them. Consider them invisible managers in the sky. They have broad reach and are ready to put into place your heart's desire. Living Out Loud means acknowledging that we are a big presence with a big force of nature at our disposal. We don't underestimate our power. We utilize it.

30. March to the beat of your own drum and STAY THE COURSE. Do you hear your own music, but find yourself dancing to the tune of someone else's beat? Stop it. Were you told at any point in your life that your own music was the wrong kind? Re-Consider. Your own music has genius to it. Just like the acorn has contained within it everything it needs to become an oak tree, so within your own music, do you have the notes to play out your life's grand song. The symphony of the world's vibration, the hum of it's tune, is the sound OM (aum). The task is to find your own Om - your life force vibration; life pattern or purpose; your song or melody - and to live it. We all have a divine patterning, a blue print that we can't escape, something that has our original imprint on it. As we move closer and closer in alignment with this source, we feel closer and closer to our own divinity, our own God, our own life force, our own "OM". So the task is always to find it, claim it, express it, and live it. And to never (not ever) give up on yourself. You are who you are. It's time to honor that and make use of it. Stay the course.

For many of us, this is already a way of life. But to others, some of these practices may feel daunting. To you, I say this: just start. You may not succeed 100% of the time, but like a friend once said, "life is a hard hat zone, we're always under construction."

Bloom where you are planted. Work from the inside out. Make the commitment to yourself and get started.

Find your "OM". Claim It. Own it. Express It. Live it. You are divinely supported.

Depression and Emotional Abuse - 6 Signs Your Depression May Be Caused by a Relationship

Depression is caused by many root factors, including unresolved past traumas, grief, current life challenges, and/or issues with brain chemistry. One issue that is often overlooked, however, is the impact of our intimate relationships on our feelings of self worth and consequently depression. An emotionally and psychologically abusive relationship may not be completely obvious, even to the victim. Here are 6 signs your depression may have its root in your relationship dynamic:

1. Your partner puts you down, in public or in private. The insults may come as blatant name calling, or they may be in the form of more subtle critiques about how you do things, your character, and even your mental health.

2. Your partner attempts to control your daily activities. You may be outright prohibited from doing certain things, or it may be pressure to act differently coming from your partner. You may feel as if you must give an account and then defend and justify your actions. You may even feel it is easier to just do things that you know your partner would "approve" of.

3. Your partner discourages or prohibits you from spending time with friends and family. This isolation technique gives the abuser a couple of benefits. First off, it affirms his or her control over you, and it prevents your form receiving positive messages about your worth. It also limits the criticism you are likely to hear from your loved ones about your partner.

4. Your partner attempts to restrict your access to work opportunities and education. This helps keep you dependent upon your partner.

5. Your partner uses sex as a form of control, domination, or manipulation. This may happen in the form of demanding sex and intimacy regardless of your wants and desires, or it may manifest in the opposite manner, in which your partner deliberately withholds affection and sex from you, leaving you rejected, vulnerable, and feeling further subjected to your partner's control.

6. Your partner implies that there will be other, non-physical consequences for not agreeing to his or her demands. This may be interspersed with occasional acts of kindness, but these are sporadic events designed to keep you hooked into the relationship so you won't leave. As soon as you are safely back under your abuser's control, the abuse cycle begins again.

Top 4 Signs That You Might Have a Thyroid Problem

It is approximated that 59 million Americans have a thyroid problem, and don't even know about it. Here I want to discuss the top 4 signs that you might have a thyroid problem.

Fatigue

Feeling tired or exhausted throughout the day or when you first wake up. Feeling like 8 to 10 hours of sleep is just not enough, or not being able to get through the day without a nap are all good indicators that you might have a thyroid problem.

Many people do feel exhausted due to work or just a heavy load throughout the day, but this might not be caused by over exerting yourself, this might be a thyroid problem. If you feel tired and miserable on a day to day basis and are questioning yourself why? Then it would be a good idea to take a further look into the problem. I am not going to say you have a thyroid problem, but this is good sign that your thyroid functionality could be at fault.

Weight Changes

Many people wonder why they never lose weight when they get on a diet, or start an exercise routine. Weight loss and weight gain are both affected by abnormal thyroid functionality. If you have joined a diet program or exercise routine and have not noticed any changes in your weight or body fat percentage, this could be an indicator of either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.

If your thyroid is malfunctioning it can lead to abnormal weight loss or gain. Many people just don't understand why a diet or workout regime doesn't work but it just might not be your fault. Your thyroid regulates a lot of your bodily functions and fat cells are part of what it regulates. Take a closer look if this is happening to you.

Depression and Anxiety

Depression, Anxiety, and panic disorders, are growing dramatically in America today. If you are suffering from manic depression, anxiety attacks, or panic attacks and getting treatment for these issues, but they are just not working it is a good idea to look a little further into what might be causing this.

Getting on a pill program, as I like to call it, is not always the best solution. Yeah it does help for a temporary solution, but long term healing is not addressed when you are taking medication for any 3 of these disorders. Too many people think that medication is the solution to many of their problems, and that might not be the case.

Thyroid dysfunction can lead to depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Let us not get a temporary solution to a long term problem, let's get a long term solution. If you look deeper into what may be causing this it isn't always a pill that will solve your problems, take a look into possible Hypothyroidism which is most commonly associated with depression, anxiety, and panic disorders.

Cholesterol Issues

High cholesterol is very common in the world today, and many diets, and medications are out there to help with this issue. Some work, and some don't as we all know, but if you are non-responsive to diets or medication it may be an indicator of undiagnosed hypothyroidism.

If you are experiencing lower than normal cholesterol levels, which is also not too good for you, it might be a sign of hyperthyroidism. Don't always rely on medication to solve your problems, we need to always be looking into the route of the issue and getting it taken care of permanently.

If you are not feeling like yourself or have not felt good for a long period of time it is time to take action. Thyroid dysfunction is serious and needs to be addressed. Being healthy in this world is a #1 priority to me and taking care of yourself is critical. Please act on you instinct, start to take an inventory of symptoms that you might be feeling, and take note if they are on an everyday basis.

If something is wrong with you it is not a very smart decision to let it go for a long period of time, now remember that you might not even know you have a thyroid problem so this is key to getting healthy. If you don't know what you body is doing and you are in the dark please go and get checked out, or look into herbal remedies (not pills) and see if they make a difference. I know this might be common sense, but I am going to say it anyway; if you let a problem go to long there could be serious consequences in the long run.

A thyroid gland dysfunction can come from family history, so take a moment and ask you parents or siblings if they are experiencing any symptoms of thyroid dysfunction. If they are this is a good indicator that you may have some sort of thyroid disease, which you might not be aware of.

Take this information to heart and act on it. Solve the problem before it gets more complicated than it needs to be. I thank you for your attention, and really hope this information has helped you out.

Elderly Depression - How to Deal With Depression in Older People

Many elders think that feeling depressed is a natural part of the aging process. This is not true. While many elders suffer from depression, they don't necessarily have to feel that way.

Recognizing the signs of depression is the first step in handling it. Has your elder stopped doing the things he or she once enjoyed? Has personal care declined? Is your elder unnaturally quiet or lash out in anger? These are signs of depression.

It is important to bring up these symptoms with your elder's doctor as soon as you see them. While it can be treated, chances are good that treatment will not be the same as it would be for someone younger.

A younger person might be prescribed antidepressants. An older person is probably taking medications for other conditions and may be unable to take an antidepressant. There is also some evidence that certain types of this medication aren't as effective for seniors.

Instead, counseling or group therapy may be suggested. Increasing social interaction can be a good means of countering the isolation some elders feel.

Exercise is another area that could help ease depression. As an added benefit, exercise can also be beneficial for cognitive function. Elders dealing with cognitive decline are likely to feel depression.

While supplements may not be a good idea for an elder, due to drug/herb interactions, aromatherapy could be useful. The essential oils of chamomile and lavender are considered particularly useful. If the elder needs mental stimulation, oil of peppermint is another good product. On the oil of peppermint, be sure to keep children under the age of two away from this oil. Just the scent can cause serious breathing problems.

Depression can be beaten, but only if it's recognized. Look for symptoms and start treatment as soon as possible for the best results.

Different Stages and Symptoms of Dementia

There are various symptoms of dementia depending both on the primary cause and the individual. Nearly everyone with dementia experience some, but not all these symptoms. They may be very evident, or they may not be distinguished for some time. Loss of short-term memory is often the very first sign of dementia. This involves immediately forgetting where one has placed an item or repeating the things that he just said. Below are some of the other signs and symptoms of dementia.

Early dementia

-Difficulty finding the right word to express one's thought.

-Forgetting things, names, schedules, or whether or not he has already done some something.

-Having trouble doing everyday tasks such as cooking, managing personal finances, household chores, and driving.

-Changes in personality, such as a quiet person suddenly becoming unrefined and silly or an outgoing person becoming reserved.

-Unusual behavior.

-Mood swings, which is often accompanied with short periods of rage or anger.

-Weak judgment.

-Problems in behavior such as suspiciousness and paranoia.

-Lower level of functioning but still able to keep up with established home routines.

-Bewilderment, confusion in new places, which may lead to the individual trying to go back to his familiar environment.

Symptoms of Intermediate Dementia

-Symptoms in early dementia becoming worse, and having less ability to make up for them.

-Losing the ability to perform activities of daily living such as dressing, grooming, bathing, and feeding, without others helping them.

-Disordered sleep (every so often sleeping during the day until nighttime).

-Lack of ability to learn new things.

-Becoming more and more confused and disoriented even in familiar places.

-Being more prone to falls and accidents because of their poor judgment and confusion.

-Disorders in behavior such as aggressiveness, paranoid delusions, agitation, unfitting sexual behavior.

-Hallucinations

-Confabulation or thinking that a person has experienced or done something which never really occurred.

-Poor concentration, inattentiveness, and being indifferent toward the outside world.

-Uncharacteristic moods such as depression and anxiety.

Symptoms of Severe dementia

-Symptoms of early and intermediate dementia becoming worse.

-Total dependence on other people for doing activities of daily living.

-May not be able to move from one place to another or walk without the assistance of other people.

-Losing the ability to do simple things such as swallowing (which increases their risk of choking), being undernourished, and aspiration.

-Total loss of memory, both short-term and long-term. When this happens they may not be able to identify even their close family and friends.

-Complications such as malnutrition, dehydration, infections, issues with bladder control, aspiration, pressure sores, seizures, injuries from falls or accidents.

People who are affected with dementia may not be aware of these symptoms of dementia or the problems involving them, particularly the behavior problems. This is particularly true in those who have severe dementia.

Depression in older people can result in symptoms similar to that of dementia. Around 40% of individuals with dementia also have depression. Symptoms of depression commonly include loss of interest in things that they used to enjoy, depressed mood, alienation from others, weight loss or gain, sleep disturbances, suicidal thoughts, loss of ability to concentrate or think clearly, and feelings of being worthless.

When to Seek Medical Care

A senior with dementia may not realize that he has a problem. In most cases, it is the caring relative or friend who often brings individuals affected with dementia to medical attention. If an individual has two or more of the symptoms of dementia discussed above, then he should be brought to his health care provider as soon as possible.

While it is true that a senior with dementia must be under constant medical care, it is his family who handles most of the daily care. The focus of medical care is to improve the health and quality of life of the senior while family members have to cope with the difficulty of caring for a senior loved one with dementia. However, family members alone may not be sufficient to help a senior with dementia. Seeking professional help is necessary to ensure that the patient receives the necessary help. In-home care for seniors with dementia involves cooperation among caregivers and health professionals to create an environment that is both comfortable and safe for them as well as make daily living tasks as simple as possible.

Early diagnosis of dementia can cause those affected to cooperate with their caregivers and doctors to plan for the future and organize their home and daily living tasks. Because dementia develops at various rates in different people, it is possible for a senior to have several, or even years, of unchanging functioning. Hence, seniors with dementia can stay active both physically and mentally even for years.

Genetic Testing - How It Can Predict Your Future Health

Getting genetic testing, can unlock what your future health conditions may be, but before you decide to decode your genomes it is important that you consider the benefits and risks. In the following article we will discuss the benefits and cons of genetic testing, and how you can safeguard your privacy rights as a patient.

Researchers also are concerned that people who are found to have genetic alterations that increase disease risk may face job and insurance discrimination. Testing positive could also lead to unnecessary radical treatment. As well, a seemingly hopeless diagnosis could result in depression or withdrawal from life when a cure is out of reach.

In the final analysis, would you rather know if you were at risk for a specific disease that a genetic test could point out? If so, ask your physician about the possibility and wisdom of testing you for the genetically linked diseases in your family tree. In this way, you can identify and avoid the controllable risk factors that would contribute to development of genetically linked diseases present in your family.

Genetic testing for disease susceptibility will be more common in the future as the genes that increase risk for various diseases are isolated and deciphered. Sometimes organs within a system can serve another system. For example, the basic function of the digestive system is to convert the food we eat into absorb able nutrients. At the same time, the digestive system serves the immune system by preventing dangerous pathogens from invading the body and causing illness. As you study nutrition, you will note the multiple roles played by many organs.

So naturally the question is would it be more beneficial to get genetically tested and find out your risk factors or avoid genetic testing due to health insurance reasons or negative repercussions over being tested. The obvious answer would be that if you can have an insight into your healths, than the benefits far outweigh the risks, and in the United States there are plenty of laws that protect patient's rights. Additionally, there are now do it yourself kits available at your local pharmacy that you can send of your sample to get genetically decoded and viewable online anonymously. So, if you are afraid that your data might be leaked to your insurance company, or you do not want to have any record of getting genetic testing this is also a very viable option.

Whatever your choice, the benefits today with genetic testing are highly beneficial to anyone's health, however you should remember that they only serve as genetic markers, meaning that just because you have a high likelihood of suffering a disease it doesn't mean you will. One of the biggest obstacles many doctors face today comes from patients treating themselves- i.e. they go online and try to diagnose their illnesses and can do more harm than good. The opportunity for a patient to have access to such vast genetic testing information, can actually be not good for your health, if you do not discuss those results with a medical professional, and instead try to self diagnose or worse cure your ailments, that you may never get. For these reasons, it is highly suggested that even if you opt to get a do it yourself genetic testing done, that you consult with your doctor about the testing results and do not take your health into your own hands.

Tips to Combat Depression Naturally

Many people do not know that I have clinical depression. I was on Buproprion for many years, and it worked well, but I decided that there must be a better way than taking a pill everyday to feel normal. I knew that serotonin played a key part in mood, so I decided to try and find ways to combat my depression naturally.

Since then, a number of people have asked me how I manage my depression without medication. Rather than answer each one individually, I created this article. Below, I will outline the strategy that I have been using for about five years now, to remain both depression and prescription free:

1. Sunlight is a great way to combat depression naturally. Get at least 15 minutes of sunlight a day. Sunlight is instrumental in the synthesis of vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D has been linked to keeping serotonin levels elevated in the brain. In addition, the pineal gland is extremely sensitive to light and through this mechanism, regulates both serotonin and melatonin production. Stimulated by sunlight, serotonin levels are what you want to keep elevated during the day to keep depression at bay.

2. Regular exercise is a great way to combat depression naturally - Exercise plays an important role in regulating mood and sleep quality. And conversely, getting quality sleep is important for your mood and overall well-being. There is so much evidence supporting the beneficial effects of regular exercise that I'm only going to summarize briefly: During and after exercise the body releases chemicals that are associated with "feeling good" and this effect carries over throughout the day into your sleep cycle. The important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy and do it regularly. Even on days when you don't feel you can go "all out" just make sure to do your workout. It's the pattern and the habit that will carry you through in the long-term and that is really what your goal is here.

3. Eating dark chocolate is a great way to combat depression naturally. Besides containing healthful anti-oxidants, chocolate is a known mood and serotonin elevator. However, most people only think about consuming it in candy form. It is much better to get dark, unsweetened, chocolate powder and then add it to various foods. I like to mix one teaspoon into my daily coffee. You can also make a mole sauce with it, or dip fruit into it before eating it. This way, you can get your daily chocolate without all the unhealthy amounts of sugar and unnecessary calories.

4. Eating dairy is a great way to combat depression naturally. At latitudes further away from the equator, the sun is not as intense and sunlight alone may not be enough to meet your vitamin D requirements. Here, dairy plays a key role in supplementing them. Dairy also contains whey protein which contains tryptophan which the body makes into serotonin. It has an added benefit of keeping you feeling satisfied longer. I eat all natural fat-free yogurt daily. I love it!

5. Eating carbohydrates which rank low on the glycemic index is a great way to combat depression naturally. Foods that rank lower on the glycemic index take longer to reach the bloodstream in sugar form and therefore keep you from getting hungry longer. This also helps avoid energy crashes by giving you a steady supply of energy rather than the spikes and crashes caused by eating foods that hit the blood stream quickly. Keeping my energy level steady throughout the day definitely helps me keep my mood in check.

6. Don't forget music is a great way to combat depression naturally. We all have a few songs that get our blood pumping, our minds racing, or simply remind us to look at the bigger picture. Even before that first chorus hits, we feel that we can take on the world! Music has such a powerful influence on our mood that simply playing one of these songs can pull you out of a slump and put you on top of your game as if by magic. Keep your playlist of these songs close by and don't forget to explore new music, you never know when you'll find that next bit of "uplifting awesome" to add to your collection!

As you can see, I don't go overboard in any one area; I use the sum of many small steps in order to combat depression naturally, and I hope that you will find some of these tips will work for you.

Treating Depression Without Medications

Depression is a disorder that disrupts the lives of its victims and renders them incapable of enjoying life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in ten American adults say that they feel depressed but the real figures are likely much higher. That's to say nothing of American children, of whom three to eight percent are estimated to be clinically depressed. A further 20 percent of young people report feeling depressed but do not quite meet the criteria for the disorder.

While it's perfectly normal for people to occasionally feel depressed in response to certain life events, feeling depressed for prolonged periods or for no apparent reason can be incredibly destructive. Sadly, it is on the rise and as a result, doctors have begun over-prescribing antidepressant medications. At best, these drugs work only for a short time and at worst, they don't work at all. Furthermore, they are notorious for causing a variety of unpleasant and even dangerous side effects. For this reason, many people suffering from the disorder have begun seeking out natural ways to combat the condition. Here are some of the ways that this can be done.

Exercise

Many people don't exercise, or don't do so enough. While exercising may seem boring or strenuous, it is a critical part of your physical and mental well-being. Physical activity releases certain brain chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin that lend themselves to mood enhancement, relaxation and feelings of contentment. Certain types of physical activity, such as weight training, also cause your body to produce greater amounts of testosterone. Higher levels of this hormone are associated with higher self-esteem and feelings of well-being.

Exercise can also alleviate symptoms in depressed people by providing a more positive body image. Many people who are overweight or obese are depressed because they feel badly about the way they look. Because physical activity results in weight loss, a negative body image can be improved.

Avoiding Sugar

It's natural to crave sweets but that doesn't mean they're good for you. In fact, sugar consumption has been linked to an alarming number of health problems ranging from the common cold to cancer. One problem caused by sugar that is often ignored by mainstream medical science is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Consuming large amounts of sugar, especially without adequate protein and fiber intake, results in a large spike in blood sugar that is followed closely by a sharp decline. When this happens, feelings of anxiety and unexplained sadness, as well as other symptoms, may result until blood sugar is once again stable. Because low blood sugar produces cravings for more sugar, it can result in a vicious cycle of depression. The best way to remedy this is to avoid refined sugars entirely.

Avoid Soy

Soy has been touted as a health food for many years, but new evidence is showing that it may be far less wholesome than previously believed. Soy is a potent endocrine disruptor that floods the body with estrogen and inhibits the production of essential thyroid hormones. This can support feelings of being depressed in a variety of ways. First, excess estrogen is well known to cause emotional instability and feelings of helplessness. Second, high estrogen and the inhibition of thyroid hormones make it very easy to gain weight and nearly impossible to lose it, which can result in low self esteem. Finally, estrogen drives down levels of testosterone which, particularly in men, can lead to feelings of insecurity and loss of confidence.

Nutrition

Proper nutrition is the cornerstone of good health, both mental and physical. Any number or combination of nutrient deficiencies can cause you to become depressed so it's important to take this into account when attempting to combat the disorder naturally. Avoiding processed or refined foods and sticking with fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs and dairy is the best way to ensure that your nutritional needs are met. Substances like sugar and alcohol will actually flush nutrients from your body, most particularly those in the B group that are essential for mood and brain health.

Copyright (c) 2012 Embracing Depression

Bipolar Disorder and Substance Abuse

In a multimedia cyber world, the awareness of Bipolar Disorder continues to grow. You can go on the internet and search "Celebrities with Bipolar Disorder" and some names that will pop up are Britney Spears, Mel Gibson, Ben Stiller, Kurt Cobain, Ozzy Osbourne, Macy Gray, Axl Rose, Virginia Woolf, Linda Hamilton, Sting, Jean-Claude Van Damme and many more. Because celebrities are in the public eye, and constantly under the close watch of the media, any unusual behaviors are seen and scrutinized.

Many individuals with Mood Disorder can recall years or manic and depressive behaviors. They did not seek help until there was a notable impairment of function of their daily activities. Prior to seeking help, some individuals with mood disorder try to cope with their manic depressive mood swings either through exercise, hobbies, yoga, art, music or talking with close friends or family. Unfortunately, most individuals choose to self medicate with alcohol and illicit drugs. 60% of individuals with bipolar disorder will develop a substance abuse disorder at some point in their lifetime.

Bipolar disorder is categorized as a mood disorder wherein a person will cycle between a manic state (hyperactivity, distractibility, decreased need for sleep, grandiose behavior, flight of ideas, racing thoughts, pressured / rapid speech, impulsivity, poor judgment, hypersexuality, spending sprees, dangerous behaviors and unrealistic optimism) and depressive state (sadness, crying spells, decreased sleep, loss of interest or pleasure in activities or hobbies, excessive guilt, low energy / motivation, weight gain, feelings of helplessness/hopelessness/worthlessness, restlessness or irritability, poor concentration and suicidal thoughts or attempts).

The prevalence of Bipolar Disorder in the United States is 1 -2 % of the general population. The age of onset is around 19 years old with most cases presenting between ages 15 - 20 years old. The Incidence between male and females with bipolar disorder is equivalent with no general association with a socioeconomic class or ethnic group. Only one-third of those with Mood Disorder are formally diagnosed by a physician and of the one-third, approximately 25% is actually treated. Untreated Bipolar Disorder has a lifetime risk of completed suicide of 15%.

An individual with Mood Disorder may look very different when manic or depressed thus making the disorder frequently misdiagnosed. In regards to substance abuse, often times an individual may deal with their depression by using cocaine to elevate their mood. When dealing with their mania, an individual may consume alcoholic beverages, benzodiazepines or opiates to bring down their mood. The question that one should ask is if the substance abuse is a result of the Bipolar Disorder or if the signs and symptoms of Bipolar Disorder (mood swings of mania and depression) are a result of the substance abuse. Such individuals may be bounced back and forth from Psychiatric inpatient hospitals or Drug Rehabilitation Centers. Often times, individuals are refused treatment or are become frustrated with the system that they no longer pursue treatment.

To help better manage this question, Dual diagnosis or Mental Illness and Chemical Addiction (MICA) Units were developed. These units recognize both "Mental Illness" (Major Depression, Bipolar or Schizophrenia) and "Substance Abuse." These units are comprised with Psychiatrists, Nurses, Psychologist, Therapist, Social Workers and various other support staff. Such programs provide a medically supervised and safe detoxification process; individual treatment plan addressing both psychiatric illness and substance abuse and a central location limiting disruption and enhancing continuity of care.

What We Need to Be Happy

If you were to write a list with all the things you need to be happy, what would you put on that list? While the list may vary from person to person, it is often interesting to see how many dependencies people put on happiness. Naturally, the answers will vary from a loving relationship to financial independence, to being in good health, not having to work etc.

Often times we observe that the more we need to be happy, the less happy we actually are. Why is that the case, you may ask? It goes back to the question of dependencies. The more you make your happiness dependent on certain things you need to have in place in order to be happy, the less you're likely to achieve it.

If you wake up every morning thinking that you'd be happy if only you'd have that new exciting job, you're depriving yourself from being happy right now without that job. Or if you believe that you need that new house to be happy, you're actually telling yourself that you won't allow yourself to be happy without the new house. In other words you're acknowledging that you're unhappy. The same is true for all the other dependencies we've identified for happiness to materialize.

If we can detach happiness from these dependencies and make a conscious decision to be happy with or without the things we have on our list, we'll in fact not only allow ourselves to increase our level of happiness, but also open ourselves up to discover other things around us that add to our happiness.

"We are no longer happy as soon as we wish to be happier", Walter S. Landor

What Causes Clinical Depression

Clinical depression touches so many lives, not only the clinically depressed person's but their family and friends. So what causes clinical depression?

Everyone walking the planet has needs. When these basic needs aren't met we don't function as well and this can lead us down the path of clinical depression. The following are the main basic human needs:

Need for Emotional connection to others - This begins in the womb, we live inside our mother and therefore feel a connection to her. When we are born and grow we need emotional connection to others for many reasons - to feel loved, to feel a part of group, to become more intimate with a lover. When we lose this connection we feel cut off and lonely.

Need for attention - We need to both give and receive attention. When we do something really well or achieve something in our lives and no one is there to share it with us our need for attention isn't being met. Also, we feel good when we give someone or something our attention. This is why when someone is feeling lonely they are sometimes recommended to buy a pet.

Need to feel safe - If we feel safe in our surroundings we can flourish and grow. If this 'safety' is taken away and we are always looking over our shoulder for danger, we shrink back into ourselves. When this need isn't met it can lead to a lack of trust.

Need for control - Routine is important, we need to know that tomorrow just like every day we'll be able to eat. We need to know that those we love aren't going to suddenly go off and leave us. We feel good when we are able to make our own choices and not have someone else make them for us.

Need for friendship - We need to know that whatever we do in life we have someone who we can trust and that they in return trust us. The need for friendship is nurturing because without it we feel isolated and can begin to mistrust society.

Need to feel part of society - This is about acceptance of who we are in the world. We are social animals that live by certain 'community' rules. When we break one of those rules we feel ostricised. We feel like an outcast and the need to redeem ourselves can be great. When we are a part of society we feel like we belong.

Need for privacy - Sometimes we need our own space. Though we have a need to feel a part of society we wouldn't want to be with other people all the time. We should value our privacy because it helps us recharge and organise our thoughts, away from the hustle and bustle of life. If we never get any time to ourselves and are always giving to others it can lead to burn out.

Need for a sense of status in the community - Many of us go to school then onto college or university to improve our status for when we go into the outside world. It's important to feel a sense of importance in the community though sadly, sometimes this can get distorted when we become power crazy, but that's a whole other issue.

Need for a sense of achievement - Whatever we do we want to feel we do it well. We want to feel we are competent.

Need For a sense of purpose and meaning - When we don't feel stretched either physically or mentally we become bored and stagnant. Life has to have meaning and purpose. It is important that it is exciting for us yet at the same time mean something.

50% of Depression Sufferers Complain of these Physical Symptoms of Depression

Are you suffering from physical symptoms of depression?

Depression, burn out, mental fatigue - whatever you may call it affects your entire body. For some reason, we have separated our minds from our bodies in the last decade of medicine, or perhaps two. We think that if something is wrong in our body, it won't affect our mind. We forget that our neck connects our head to the rest of our body.

So, if you have physical pain, you could be suffering from depression. It's usually a combination of physical pain along with feeling hopeless and helpless, but not always...

"We're becoming more sensitized that major depressive disorder has physical as well as emotional symptoms," says Stephen M. Stahl, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Diego. He believes that the many unrecognized cases of depression--as high as 50% of all cases--may be ones that do not complain of depressed mood.

In a study of over 25,000 patients at 15 primary care centers on five continents, Seattle researchers found that 50% of all depressed patients worldwide report multiple unexplained physical symptoms. (Source: "When Depression Hurts" - Psychology Today Magazine- Hara Estroff Marano - Jul/Aug 2002)

The trouble is, too often your physical pain may be sending you or your doctor on a wild goose hunt looking for a different cause. The true source of the problem and your depression may go untreated as well as unrecognized.

Here are the physical symptoms of depression:

-Back pain

-Neck pain

-Migraines

-Leg pain

-Chest pain

-Stomach problems (digestion) - diarrhea or constipation

-Dizziness or lightheadedness

-Exhaustion - sleeping at night and during the day

-Lack of sleep - waking up early, can't fall asleep at night

-Change in eating - weight loss or weight gain

(Source: National Institute of Mental Health: "Depression")

What to do if you think you suffer from these physical symptoms of depression?

First of all, see your doctor. These symptoms can also mean another illness either besides depression or in addition to your depression. Also, take our depression test.

Then, read our powerful 6 Steps Report which shares with you step by step what to apply to your life based on the research from leading medical journals. Visit our site for more info.

There is hope! You are worth it!

Warmest regards,
Merri Ellen

© Copyright http://www.cure-your-depression.com - All Rights Reserved.

Can A Person With Bipolar Disorder Be Successfully Self-Employed?

If you suffer from a long-term mental illness, like bipolar disorder, it's possible that your level of confidence in your ability to successfully start and manage a business of your own has eroded with time. Your efforts in the past may have left you feeling like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole - both in your business pursuits, and in the path of traditional employment.

If not approached correctly, starting a business can be dangerous for a person with bipolar disorder, adding fuel to the fires of both mania and depression. People with bipolar disorder can be subject to manic delusions of grandeur, pursuing unrealistic business ideas, along with having grandiose and unrealistic expectations of themselves. After the period of mania wears off, the depressive mindset will likely set in, and with it, a realistic view of the unrealistic business they had been so excited about. They may feel foolish, and like a failure, and they may have also hurt and let down many people who believed in them.

This cycle of feelings of grandiosity followed by feelings of failure is harmful to the health and stability of the person with bipolar disorder, and may cause them to give up on themselves altogether. After many such let-downs and disappointments, many people with bipolar disorder who have great potential end up on disability, or otherwise dependent on others for their survival.

If you have bipolar disorder, starting your own business can be one of the best things you can do for yourself and your health - as long as you approach it in the right way. It's important for you to gain perspective and understanding in order to tame the possibility of poor judgment based on manic impulses. You may gain this insight from recognition of your past patterns and mistakes in business, or if you're lucky enough not to have made any, from awareness of the potential pitfalls of both mania and depression in your business.

Ideally you can find a trusted friend and advisor to help support you with your goals of successful self-employment. This person should be a logical, grounded and rational critical thinker who has an understanding of bipolar disorder. He or she can be the sounding board for your plans, and you will need to rely on this person to help you by telling you when your ideas or judgment is poor. Your advisor can also help motivate you when your mood is depressed.

You're going to need to train your mind to approach your business in the right way, rather than in the incredible excitement, creativity and grandiosity that may have fueled your past endeavors. Be realistic, and know your weaknesses. You want to keep your stress levels down, so be careful not to do too much. If you find yourself beginning to work unstoppably 12-16 hours a day, it's time to force yourself to stop. Check in with your advisor to let them know you have to take a break, and do whatever you need to do to take care of your elevating mood, such as calling your psychiatrist and/or therapist.

Have realistic expectations and set small goals. This will prevent you from setting yourself up for disappointment, failure and depression. Don't start with dreams of becoming an overnight millionaire - simply begin with small steps. Be sure to find a good accountant - many small businesses may start out by making only a hundred or a few hundred dollars a month. By maximizing your tax write-offs, you can make up for this.

A good type of business for someone with bipolar disorder is a small home business. A home business is something you can start small and build up slowly, you won't need a lot of money to get started. You can set your own hours and limits, taking on only as much as you are capable of without over-stressing yourself. With a home business, you have the flexibility you need in coping with this disorder. You'll still be able to find the time for all the various tasks you already have throughout the week such as doctor's appointments, support groups, exercise, therapy, filling prescriptions, and so on.

There are an incredible number of benefits for a person with bipolar disorder starting a home business. You will find something that uses your talents and skills, and your confidence will increase dramatically. Having a regular responsibility that you enjoy will help you to be more healthy and stable. Your business will keep your mind active, and if you've been on disability it's likely you'll appreciate having something to do.

As your income increases and you take advantage of your tax deductions, you can get better insurance, more easily pay for your medication, and enjoy your increasing quality of life overall. As you take control of your income, you can begin to be relieved of the major stressor of poverty and financial need. Your self-esteem will rise as you become more independent and less dependent. You'll be able to start paying off your debts. And, being self-employed, you have created your own job security.

There are a great many more benefits to having your own home business if you have a mental illness. Finding a home business that fits and approaching it in the right way is one of the best things a person with bipolar disorder can do for their financial, mental and emotional health.