What Are Some Herbs for Anti-Depression?

The most traditional treatments for depression are medications and psychotherapy. Herbal treatments are becoming increasingly popular. This is because they are all natural and have few if any side effects. Using herbal treatments should be done with the approval of your physician.

The reason is because herbal supplements could reduce the effectiveness of some of the medications you may already be taking. They could also intensify the results. For example, if you are considering taking an herbal supplement to lower blood glucose levels and you are on medications for that, your blood sugar could drop to a dangerously low level. Herbal supplements are every bit a medication.

For our purposes here, we will look at only a few of the herbs that can be used for anti-depression. They can be very effective and you will want to get the best quality supplement possible. Top quality supplements are of pharmaceutical grade and the metabolic paths of each ingredient are studied at the molecular level. The interactions of the ingredients are also evaluated, so this ensures quality and lets you know that what is on the label is what you are getting.

Milk Thistle is also known by the name of Silybum Marianum. It helps to protect the liver from diseases such as Hepatitis B and aids in the synthesis of protein in the liver. It works well in a supplement when combined with certain other nutrients.

Chamomile has been known for awhile as a mild sleep aid. It helps to ease anxiousness and relaxes the nervous system. It is usually taken as a tea that is made from dried flower leaves and boiled water that is poured over them. Chamomile may also help to elevate your mood and boost the metabolism.

Passion Flower is another herb that while not specifically used for depression, it helps relieve insomnia. It also helps to relieve nervousness, anxiety, and pain. As these are relieved, your mood may also be elevated, thus reducing your depression.

Depression is an illness with varying degrees of intensity and duration. The depression can cause loss of interest in usual activities, changes in appetite and sleep, and a certain amount of self consciousness. You are not crazy, unsociable, or inept in any way at all. You are certainly not alone. There is help and treatment available. Your doctor can help you to find the right course for your particular needs and with the right treatment, you can feel better.

Achieve a Happy Life by Reflecting on Happiness Quotes

If you want nothing more than to generate a feeling of well-being in your life, check out a variety of happiness quotes to get started!

These quotations can help you define your personal meaning of happiness, and often times the light-hearted, heart-felt, evocative words of others can help generate a sense of joyfulness internally.

You can use quotations on being happy to shape your reality, to change how you perceive your world and life situations, and to generate some cheer in your life every single day.

Abraham Lincoln believed that happiness is definitely defined by every individual seeking it. Finding it involves understanding what it is, how it affects your life, and how to ultimately achieve a happy state.

You can use the powerful, thought provoking and original words and expressions offered up by others to make you think about the true meaning of what it is to be truly content.

Is contentment found in money? Is your bliss found in being loved by another? Can you create your own seventh heaven without seeking it from the external world around you?

Happy quotes, when contemplated, reflected, and deliberated on can help you form a firm understanding of what real well-being is; once identified you can pursue happiness in your life.

You may find that on some days you just need one or more inspiring sayings to lift your spirits. You can turn to the words of Anne Frank who wrote: "Think of all the beauty that is still left in and around you and be happy."

Or you can use the wise words of Democritus who believed that happiness is not found in gaining material possessions but is something that is found deep within the soul in order to help you develop a deep, spiritual understanding of what being happy means.

You can also use quotations to enhance your journal writing and to cause you to reflect deeply about your life and your overall state of contentment.

Whenever you feel your mood starting to shift into a slight depression or you feel too stressed out to handle daily situations, you can read and reflect on quotes about being happy so that you can immediately shift your state of mind to things more positive.

Having a positive perspective and world outlook will help you shape your future in more positive ways; great quotes are the perfect expressions to touch your heart and soul, to cause you to think, and to help you move forward in your life even when things seem a bit tough.

Use happiness quotations every day by reading them, writing about them, and spread the joy you find by sharing your quotes with others!

Reduce the Level of Stress in the Family

Stress is the part of one's day to day life. Though, a little stress is necessary in one's life because it makes a person mentally strong and well prepared for all the situations in life, thus it makes a person really strong. A person can overcome his fears by handling a little amount of stress in life. But as everything should be in a limit. Excessive stress can lead to depression and anxiety. Thus it affects even the health & mind of the individual. There can be number of ways by which a person can reduce the level of stress. These are as follows:

A) One must laugh at all the Funny Quotes found in the family magazine: the funny jokes that one reads in the magazine can bring a smile on everybody's face. Such light moments can reduce the level of anxiety & depression. These quotes are always filled with humor and fun thus liked by all. These converts all the serious moments into light and fun filled moments. Any family sitting together and enjoying together is good for making the bond between all the members really strong.

B) Exercises: daily exercising is really very useful to reduce the level of stress. One must do regular yoga and deep breathing so as to make things really easy. One should follow a routine of exercising daily for at least half an hour. A person can see a noticeable change in the stress level. One could be able to handle their stress effectively. Thus a person's muscle relaxes to a great extent and thus has a better and relaxed good night sleep.

C) Meditation: meditation is one effective method to reduce the level of stress in a person's life. This is the simplest way to get rid of the stress level and anxiety in any person's life. It has been followed since hundred years all over the world. Meditation can be practiced by any person. It does not require rigorous training period. One just needs to be determined to follow meditation. It can be done at any time of the day but morning should be preferred. This is very an inexpensive method to reduce the level of stress in any person's life. 

D) Reading: if one reads continuously one can overcome their stress level and can control their depression level and anxiety. A person gains a lot of knowledge by reading and is able to deviate one's mind from all the tensions. A person should read family books so as to learn new ways of bringing all the members of the family close to each other. Good books motivates a person to do right thins in life thus even increase a person's moral values and thus help a person become a better person in life. Thus even the family life of the person becomes much better. 

E) Massage: Massaging is one more effective way to get rid of stress. A person is able relax all his muscles by going for a massage.

Over Analyzing - Are You Guilty of It?

You start thinking about something you need to do, something that has happened, or something that could happen. You start analyzing, the you examine it again and again. This becomes like compulsive and a bad habit.

What are the signs of over analysis?

The nagging thoughts that race through your mind can be over analysis. Being over critical over things you or others said or did is another sign. You will begin to see problems in everything with enough analysis which will prevent you from doing anything. This one is commonly known as analysis paralysis.

Can over analysis cause health problems?

It can make you depressed, because in being over critical of yourself or others means you are constantly finding faults not the joys. The racing thoughts and repeated analyzing makes you feel stressed and worried and then makes the over analysis worse. You may have trouble sleeping as the day repeats again and again with you staying up over analyzing everything that happened during the day.

How does over analysis bother your day?

Since every decision must be analyzed repeatedly, great opportunities are missed. Your opportunity to make new friends and relationships are missed because you find faults in the person or in why they would want to be friends with you. Your mind races yet you do very little because you are always analyzing. Goals and dreams require action and yet you are thinking not acting.

Do you know why you over analyze?

There is probably a reason you get stuck in analysis paralysis. When you think back you probably can find a trigger that sets off the individual episodes or think further back to the first time you remember analyzing everything. Knowing the answer to one or both can help you take another look at things the next time you get analysis paralysis.

What is your thought process?

You can set up a routine or time limit for analyzing and thinking through situations and opportunities. The amount of time you should give should be reflected in the decision you need to make. Picking clothing for the day should not be a long ordeal. Deciding which seminar to go to, will take longer. Reflect that in the time you allow, but have a limit to force yourself to make a decision.

Can you replace the over analysis?

Next time you want to give into the over analyzing find something else to do. When your mind wants to repeat the day, imagine a calm beach or some other favorite soothing scene. Concentrate on your breathing until the over thinking process stops. Replace the negative thoughts with positive. This will help you build a better future.

Not All Whiplash Claims Will Lead To A Compensation - Here Is Why

What is whiplash? It's an injury to the soft tissue by jolting the head either backward (hypertension) or forward (hyperflexion), extending the neck suddenly. The pain can be immediate, or sometimes take a few days. If your head was turned to the side when injured, the injury can be worse.

The most common reason for whiplash claims is due to an accident on the road. Nearly 20% of people involved in road accidents sustain whiplash. The vehicle doesn't have to be driving fast to cause whiplash. In a survey performed in 2006, apparently it depends on your head and body's distance from the back/head rest. The closer the better as far as whiplash is concerned.

You can still make a whiplash claim even after other injuries occur such as a head injury as well as repetitive, long-term neck damage. There's no set time on whiplash recovery. It could take a long time. And if you've missed work, then you should be compensated for lost wages.

How do you know if you have whiplash? Well, through x-ray, but also by symptoms such as neck, arm, shoulder pain, dizziness, headache and even loss of memory, depression, ringing ears and trouble concentrating. See your doctor if you are unsure. Any doctors' bills accumulated due to your whiplash needs to be filed with your claim.

A National Accident Helpline exists where you can file a claim online, or chat with a professional if you have any questions.

What you need to know when filing a whiplash claim, and hence, keeping your claim from being denied:

• Do not fake an injury or an accident


• Don't overwork your body - it is important to rest, as whiplash can be quite painful if strained. Also, you may be accused of worsening the injury.


• Do not admit any liability - do not apologize or admit that you may have been at fault. If the other person was injured, you may be in a lot of trouble.


• Don't grab a witness that was not at the scene of the accident. His or her story may not match up with yours. Then, your claim will be immediately denied.

It is hard to calculate a figure when talking about whiplash claims. Here's what you need to know:

• Know your injury's severity - this goes along with lost wages. The severity often decides how slow or fast the claim will move.


• Were you at fault-you need to know this


• Where was the accident located - good to know to find out the city, state or even countries rules for whiplash compensation.


• Your quality of life after the injury


• Your attorney's experience - especially if he or she specializes in whiplash claims, can make or break the claim.

Meditation For Alleviating Anxiety and Depression

Medical disclaimer. Always consult your doctor if you have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression. Do not decide on your own to stop taking medication, and to stop visiting your doctor for checkups.

Do you struggle with anxiety and depression? Do you wish you could control the negative thoughts which enter your mind?

If so, then you may want to consider beginning the practice of meditation.

Meditation has been shown in clinical studies to be effective in aiding the process of healing many of the symptoms of anxiety and depression.

For example, scientists at the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland randomly selected one group to try mindfulness meditation and yoga to treat their depression symptoms, and another group for traditional drug therapy. They found that those who practiced mindfulness meditation improved in all areas measured by the test which included fatigue, anxiety, and depression, in some cases up to 30% (compared with the group which was treated with drug therapy).

A side benefit of the study: it was shown that those who completed the study felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment because they had been able to actively participate in the alleviation of their symptoms. Traditional therapy leaves the cure in the hands of doctors, or the drug, however, mindfulness meditation teaches the person that they can cure themselves This empowers the patient, and it is incredibly cost effective.

How does mindfulness meditation work to alleviate depression and anxiety? By training the participant to not identify with their anxiety and depression, but to instead see it as objectively separate from who they are as a person. It appears to be more effective than medication because medicine simply masks the symptoms, while mindfulness gets to the heart of the problem and confronts it, offering a way to overcome the symptoms permanently.

If meditation alone can improve the debilitating effects of anxiety and depression, think what promise it holds for helping all of us deal with the chronic negative thoughts which invade our mind, steal our joy, and keep us from living a happy and abundant life. After all, we all have some anxiety and depression, and we all have that little voice inside our heads which tells us we are not good enough. Meditation holds the key to controlling those thought patterns, and understanding that they are objectively separate from who we really are as a person.

You are more than you think you are. There is no limit to what you can achieve. However, this remains only potential if it is not actualized in your life.

Meditation, twice a day, can offer you the opportunity to live a full and happy life. Look into a good meditation program, and begin changing the way you see the world around you.

Always Stay Alert For Manic Depression Symptoms

The fist step in treating any illness such as manic depression is the ability to detect the problem, usually through the appearance of certain symptoms associated with an affliction and then making sure that the person suffering from the condition acknowledges and understands that they indeed have a problem and convincing them to seek help.

Unfortunately those who suffer from panic attacks and anxiety which are normal symptoms of depression in many cases will not recognize or admit early enough that there is a problem. The longer the conditions go untreated the greater is the potential for permanent damage.

Because of the tendency of this condition to go undetected medical professionals usually depend on the appearance of symptoms that traditionally indicate the presence of the condition. This detection is complicated because many of the symptoms are not readily detected.

However it is very helpful for non-medical persons to be able to notice when a family member or friend is suffering from these conditions so they can convince the victim to seek professional help early. Some of the symptoms normally associated with the affliction are listed here.

* Increased energy which many times will cause restlessness and sleep loss.
* Anxiety and or panic attacks.
* Euphoric mood swings.
* Lack of good judgment.
* Abnormal spending sprees or hording.
* Extreme irritability.
* Unusual speech behavior as the result of racing or rapid thoughts.
* Aggressive or intrusive behavior.
* Increased sex drive.
* Easily distracted.
* Denial of his or her condition or unusual behavior.

Of course non-medical persons need to be extremely careful in determining if any conditions actually indicate the presence of manic depression but being aware of the potential could help to get a victim to professional care more quickly.

Parents of teenage children need to be especially aware of any indication of the presence of these conditions because the affliction can have devastating effects on that age group. Eating disorders, school troubles and in today's culture substance abuse are all very possible.

Teens will additionally suffer from listlessness, self-pity and hopelessness. Of course some of these conditions in very mild form may be present in any teens development years but when they persist or become acute they must be diagnosed and treated early.

So it would appear that the proper course of action would be to first familiarize oneself with the traditional symptoms and then stay alert for anything that would indicate a problem in yourself or family members or friends.

The best treatment for any ailment is always early detection and early introduction of professional treatment. Although detecting and then seeking help for manic depression symptoms can be difficult, early action usually always has a happy ending.?

Signs of Depression in Women and Men

There are actually more signs of depression than people realize and it affects men and woman differently in most cases.

Most people think that to be depressed a person is despondent, or has feelings of gloom and perhaps has suicidal feelings. But, depression signs can range from just being tired with no energy or feeling down or sad. If you have another illness it can sometimes compound the problem. If you don't feel well to begin with depressive symptoms can be much worse. Not sleeping well creates an irritable mood making the depression worse which can then lead to insomnia or excessive sleeping. It is a vicious cycle leading to other or more intense symptoms like alcohol abuse, eating disorders, headaches or just unexplainable aches and pains that don't go away.

The biological differences of men and woman can cause certain symptoms unique to woman even though the signs are the same. Seasonal affective disorder caused by low levels of sunlight in the winter can affect more woman than men, and women seem to experience more depression in general. Causes could be hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy, infertility, postpartum depression and even thyroid problems can cause depression.

Depression signs for men can include feeling sad, anxiety, weight loss, and loss of sex drive, no interest in hobbies or friends. Men typical will try to feel better with alcohol and drugs which only deepens the depression. Men will also in general sleep less, experience weight loss while women tend to sleep more and eat more during a depression.

There are many signs of depression and also many ways to treat this illness. If you have a mild or moderate form of depression there are some excellent natural remedies on the market including St. Johns Wort, supplements such as Omega 3's and natural homeopathic remedies that just might give you that jump start to feeling better.

Biopolar II - Techniques to Help Restore Inner Balance

Living with bipolar is a real challenge! The mood fluctuation can feel like riding a never ending roller-coaster. The extensive medical utilization of drug therapy to manage the highs and lows is not only hugely expensive but may be accompanied by a range of side effects. It is scary not knowing when the next high or low will hit and this can feel like one is out of control.

Feeling alone in your struggle is not uncommon as support is rare as often the people close to you do not know how to support you or how to react to your moods which further complicates the situation. It can be easy to feel like a victim and at the mercy of something far bigger than you. Learning techniques that will assist you in managing this serious illness can help you to support yourself and decrease the impact that bipolar has on your life.

Self-knowledge

Part of the management of bipolar is recognising the onset of a mood change. Keeping a daily journal and recording how you are feeling can help to recognise your mood fluctuations. Symptoms of mania, hyper mania and depression are experienced differently by different people. Checking in with yourself daily can facilitate you to take quicker action as you begin to see a mood fluctuation.

Behaviour changes

A change in mood is usually accompanied by a change in behaviour. Take a moment to reflect on how you behave when your mood is either up or down. Often we may feel high or low and not be aware of how this impacts on the way in which we behave. Behaviour changes associated with depression may include a change in sleeping and eating habits, a withdrawal from social activities, a lack of interest in hobbies or activities and a generally pessimistic view of life. Manic or hyper mania behavioural changes may include talking faster or more loudly than usual, less sleep, driving fast, increased social interaction, over working, increased risk taking with money or the law and generally shocking people.

These are just some examples of changes in ones behaviour that can result from a mood change. You need to evaluate how the up's and down's affect your behaviour.

Balance

If bipolar represents two opposite poles (the highs and the lows) and you being pulled from one extreme to the other than the challenge is to remain in the centre. With our mood fluctuations we lose this centre point and we act out of balance. Usually drugs are used to help to restore the lost balance. If we are low we may use medication which will improve our mood and move us closer to that middle neutral point.

Acting out of mood swings

Often when we up or down we instinctively act out of this space. In other words we act depressed when feel depressed or we act manic when we feel manic. When you are manic and sleeping less, working more, socializing endlessly, listening to load music, etc., you actually feed the mania. We may go with the mood and hand ourselves over too it. The more out of control you behave the more out of control you feel.

The same is true for depression, withdrawing from life as a result of depression seems to not only perpetuate the depression but also disrupt one's life. When we hand ourselves over to depression and can't get out of the bed or perform daily function life can get out of control very quickly.

Your strength

Have you ever felt something really intensely and made a conscious decision not act on the feeling? Maybe you felt intense anger or hurt but you knew showing or acting on it would not be in your favour so you did not. We all possess this self-control or self-discipline and can develop and build on it. Rudolf Steiner referred to this as your will. In realizing you are more than your feeling you have the capacity to feel one thing, think about the feeling and then choose your action accordingly. You may not be able to control your mood swings but being aware of the shift in yourself you can develop the capacity to consciously choose your actions. There is no denying what you really feel; in fact the power to change your behaviour lies in really acknowledging what you do feel.

Creating balance

Developing the capacity to act from the centre when feeling either very high or very low takes practise and also requires the acknowledgment and belief that there is more to you than the 'bipolar'. We all have the capacity to feel something and choice not to act out of this. In order to bring yourself down from mania you could adjust your behaviour, for example consciously walk, talk and drive slower. One could also resist going shopping or partying and instead do a yoga class or take a bath and stay away from wild entertainment. The aim is to consciously choose activities that bring your mood down and thereby bringing you closer to the centre.

The same would apply to depression. Once acknowledging you are feeling depressed you would then work against the downward pull in mood. This could be accomplished by keeping active, going to gym or engaging in exercise or activities that you enjoy, trying to keep to your schedule and focusing on thing that uplift you like movies, books, friends and company. The natural tendency to go down and feel negative about everything has to be counter acted. Taking up the daily practise of gratitude and meditation can be most helpful. Generally you will feel better when you are accomplishing something and not just lying on the bed which will make one feel worse.

Benefits

Using these tools to help you to gain some awareness and control of your behaviour can affect the rest of your life positively. Friends and family can be very affected by moods swings which result in major behaviour changes. If one is able to contain these mood swings and decrease the impact they have on your life, your family, your work and on general social interaction you will feel more in control.

Bipolar is a serious illness and medication may be a life-long necessity. Using this process does not replace medication or other forms of therapy but it will help you to find ways that help you to live a balance full life. A combination of medication, therapy and life style changes may all be part of managing this illness.

Recognizing the Basic Symptoms of Depression

Depression symptoms are often overlooked. It can be highly detrimental to your physical and mental health to ignore these signs. Depression can often be dealt with if you know what you are looking for. There are treatment options such as therapy and even medications that can help to take the edge off. If you suspect that you, a friend or a loved one is suffering from depression, these are the depression symptoms to look for.

The first of the symptoms is extreme sadness or excessive crying. A person suffering from this symptom will often state that they do not know why they are upset or crying. They may even feel overwhelmed and that everything is going wrong. It may even seem to someone on the outside that they are unnecessarily upset or that they are making a big deal out of nothing at all. It is very important to not dismiss their feelings or to tell them that they are being silly because this can make the depression symptoms even worse.

People who are suffering from depression symptoms may also lose interest in things that they once loved to do. This change may be as drastic as a cheerleader who no longer loves the sport all of the sudden or as subtle as a person who once loved to read not even wanting to do that anymore. The common misconception in this area is that the once loved activity may be a group activity. In fact this symptom can also include activities that are performed alone.

Change in appetite and weight are also very common depression symptoms. These symptoms can be displayed in different ways. A person suffering from these depression symptoms can either go through excessive eating and weight gain or can go the other way with loss of appetite and losing a lot of weight. These depression symptoms in particular are very important to deal with because they can lead to very dangerous eating disorders such as bulimia, bingeing and purging as well as anorexia.

Sleeping problems are another form of depression symptoms. A depressed person may be sleeping excessively or not enough. It may feel like you just cannot get enough sleep no matter how much you sleep. It is not uncommon for a depressed person to sleep for what seems like days at a time in stretches of 12 hours or even more. Lack of sleep is also a symptom of depression. You may find it hard to sleep and may even stay awake for days despite the trying to sleep. Sleep patterns may be broken and restless leading to fatigue and irritability.

If you are feeling any of these depression symptoms talk to a friend, loved one or seek professional help. Symptoms of depression are often experienced in different combinations. The above afflictions are just a few of the symptoms of depression. Depression is a disease and there are treatments. There is no reason to feel ashamed to admit that you may need help.

Protein Needs and Senile Dementia

In addition to Alzheimer's disease, the most serious and the most common of the progressive dementias, there are a number of other diseases that may cause senile dementia, or in layman's terms, confusion that is beyond the normal for aging adults. While it is common for some minor confusion or memory problems to develop in older adults, senile dementia goes beyond what is considered to be normal. Four to five percent of Americans of both genders, over the age of 65 have some degree of mental and intellectual impairment (Source: MacLean, ed. 1993).

Besides Alzheimer's disease which is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, (behind heart disease, cancer and stroke) there are a number of curable or treatable causes for senile dementia including over medication, often seen in patients in long term care facilities, malnutrition and dehydration. Other causes that can cause the symptoms that mimic the dementia related to Alzheimer's disease include: depression, chronic alcoholism, infections, heart disease, kidney failure, thyroid disease, head injury and anemia.

Another cause can be stroke which affects at least two million American adults. Twice as many women as men are at risk or have had a stroke. Stroke is yet another common cause of confusion or mental impairment in the elderly. Another disease, Parkinson's disease may also cause some senile dementia as well. Parkinson's is thought to affect one person out of forty in the over sixty age group. It is recognized most often by tremor, rigidity and a bent posture.

No matter what the reason for the dementia, there are generally three steps to getting the person back to their best mental health: address the cause, increase the nutrition and increase the mental stimulation for the patient.

Addressing the Cause

While there are a number of conditions that can be treatable, even curable, nothing can happen if the cause is not discovered. Because there is no definitive test for Alzheimer's disease, it is most often found in the process of ruling out other diseases and conditions. Depression is one of the major causes for senile dementia and should be ruled out first. There are many causes of depression in this age group including declining physical health, loss of family members, lack of money and the need for more assistance than they are comfortable with.

Another common cause for dementia is the incidence of blood clots in the brain which may cause a condition that is sometimes called "pseudo dementia" because the symptoms tend to diminish once surgery or other treatments are started.

Improper nutrition and fluid intake, however is one of the most common causes of senile dementia and is often seen in those who are living in nursing homes or other long term care facilities. The longer that the patient is living in the nursing home, the higher the risk of developing nutrition and dehydration related impairment. Dehydration plays a role in senile dementia because it affects the electrolyte balance. Without proper nutrition, the electrolyte imbalance is likely to become even more affected and the confusion can progress even further. In addition to symptoms of confusion, an electrolyte imbalance can lead to more serious problems including irregular heart rhythms which can in turn cause heart attack.

High blood pressure, especially when it is not monitored and not controlled can also cause senile dementia and puts the person at a much higher risk for stroke. Kidney disease, which may also be affected by high blood pressure, can cause some dementia as the kidneys start failing to sufficiently filter the blood and fluid levels in the body becomes affected. Kidney disease affects the blood pressure, but blood pressure also affects the kidneys: it is important to monitor the blood pressure, especially in elderly patients who are deemed to have pre-hypertension.

It is important to remember that while some memory lapses may be normal, serious mental impairment or signs of dementia are not just the course of nature and a normal sign of aging. Any signs of deteriorating mental status should be investigated immediately.

Increasing the Nutrition

Many senior citizens live alone, on very tight budgets. They are often lonely, depressed and have a physical limitation that can prevent them from getting the food that they need. When they do have food, they are often uninterested in eating not only because of depression or illness but because of a slowing in the metabolism that may leave them with little appetite to speak of. For these people, it may become more and more difficult to find the desire to eat, just as much as finding the actual food to eat.

Tastes change as we age and foods that once were favorites may hold little appeal. The sheer act of cooking a meal may be exhausting physically as well as a reminder of the crushing loneliness that the person feels. They stop eating or in other cases may opt to only eat unhealthy snack foods once or twice a day.

A protein supplement is a perfect way for the older adult to get good nutrition into their diet so that they can stay strong and healthy both mentally and physically. The life expectancy for the average American has increased steadily in recent years, not only because of advances in medicine but in increased knowledge about the importance of good nutrition as well as physical and mental activity. There are many different types of protein supplements, however, liquid supplements might be far easier for the senior to manage and can be a faster way to get the most nutrition, including increased protein into their diet.

The best of the liquid supplements are: protein shakes, powders and the liquid protein supplement shots. Protein shakes are ready to drink and come in the common flavors that the senior will be familiar with. They boost protein intake as well as a number of additional nutrients and can get the senior at least close to a healthy calorie intake for the day.

Protein Supplement Powders

Whey protein powder is one of the best of the four types (soy, rice and egg are the other three) and comes in two types, the concentrate (30-85% protein) and the isolate (90% protein). Both are derivatives of milk, a byproduct of the making of cheese with the isolate having far less lactose and therefore better for those who might be mildly lactose intolerant.

Whey protein powder has a number of benefits for the aging adult including the ability to slow both muscle and bone loss overall. It also has a number of protective anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties that may improve the immune system and plays a role in the care of heart disease and blood pressure regulation (Source: Whey Protein Institute).

Soy protein powder also has a number of heart related benefits and has been shown to reduce the blood cholesterol that is a major risk factor in developing heart disease including heart attack and stroke.

Supplement Shots

The liquid protein supplement shot might be appealing to the senior citizen because they are small. Profect from Protica is only 2.9 fluid ounces, but has a major nutritional punch: it is 100 calories, 25 grams of protein, zero carbs, zero fats, 100% of the day's Vitamin C, 10% of the daily supply of the Vitamin B complex.

Sleep Apnea and Depression - Treating Apnea Can Alleviate Depression Symptoms

Sleep apnea and depression have been linked by many studies. Someone who has apnea is very likely to battle depression as well and treating apnea can reduce symptoms of both. A psychiatrist is not the way to go if you are experiencing depression and show signs of apnea. Their normal solution is to simply prescribe antidepressants. Instead, if you are showing signs of both sleep apnea and depression, you should seek a diagnosis and treatment for apnea first. Then if the symptoms of depression do not resolve after treatment, see a psychiatrist or other specialist for the condition that still exists. Most of the time treating underlying conditions such as apnea can resolve depression and other mental health issues.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition that is very detrimental to a person's life and well-being. It can result in death if not diagnosed and treated. Apnea develops when tissue blocks the upper airway and restricts oxygen to the body. While someone is awake, the muscles in their throat keep the airway open and make it possible to breath. These muscles relax during sleep and the tissues interrupt breathing. This happens throughout the night causing the sufferer to wake up unable to breath. They gasp and choke for air and then fall back asleep with no recollection the next morning. Attacks can happen multiple times an hour. They wake up fatigued and begin to have memory and concentration problems. Over time if the condition is not treated, they can develop depression and heart conditions. Treatment is the only option for someone with sleep apnea. Ignoring the problem can be very damaging to a person's health and allow the disorder to become fatal. Symptoms can be hard to recognize unless another family member notices them and sees a problem. Someone who snores loudly and has these occurrences needs to seek professional help for better sleep and to remain both mentally and physically healthy.

Getting Sleep Apnea Treatment and Resolving Depression

To get a proper diagnosis and the right sleep apnea treatment, you need to first see a regular doctor. Tests will be done to ensure that there are no other health conditions causing these symptoms. The next step in getting sleep apnea treatment is seeing a sleep specialist. They are specifically trained in diagnosing a sleep disorder. A polysomnogram is the most common testing method to diagnose apnea. This test is performed in a monitored environment that looks and feels like a regular bedroom. Monitors are attached to observe sleep phases, brain activity, and the body's reaction during the episodes. Someone does visual monitoring as well. The results and notes are given to the specialist and they come up with a diagnosis. Once a diagnosis has been made, you will be presented with the results and options for treatment. Controlled positive airway pressure is one such option. This treatment is done at home and involves using a machine to keep the airway open. Other treatments involve dental devices or possible surgeries. The specialist evaluating your condition can provide complete information on every treatment and help you make the best decision.

Manic Depression Symptoms

Manic depression or as it is also known Bipolar Disorder is a mental illness that causes the sufferer to have rapid shifts in mood of such a magnitude to affect an individuals normal functioning.

The symptoms of manic depression are quite wide ranging. They normally include large mood swings, ranging from an extreme high, occasionally with irritability, to an extremely low and hopeless mood and back again. In between these two poles of mood are periods of normal mood. {As a ratio, the low and depressive mood is most common at a ratio of 3 to 1 manic, or high, mood.

Manic Depression Symptoms - Manic Episode

When a person has symptoms of manic depression and they experience "mania" it is known as a manic episode.

A manic episode is usually characterized by these manic depression symptoms:

* An extreme increase of energy, increased participation in physical and mental activities or restlessness

* An extreme high or euphoria and an overly good mood.

* Heightened irritability

* Fast talking and occasionally jumping from on topic to the next as a result of ideas and thoughts racing through the individuals mind

* A reduction in concentration levels and being distracted very easily

* Not needing a lot of sleep

* Egomania and a belief in one's abilities and powers regardless of how unrealistic they may be.

* A lack of good judgment

* Spending money regardless of whether it is available to spend or not

* The abnormal behavior lasts for a long period of time

* An increase in sexual drive

* Abusing drugs, in particular alcohol, cocaine and medications to aid sleep

* Aggressive, invasive or confrontational behavior

* Denying that there is something wrong

The diagnosis of a manic episode mostly occurs in an individual when there are three or more manic depression symptoms and they are accompanied by an elevated mood. Then again, if the mood is primarily characterized by high irritability then it must be accompanied by another four symptoms. In either case, the manic depression symptoms must be noticeable for most of the day, nearly every day for at least a week.

Manic Depression Symptoms - Depressive Episode

During a depressive episode, the manic depression symptoms may include:

* Relentlessly feeling sad or empty

* High levels of anxiety

* Feeling hopeless/pessimistic, Dwelling on negative thoughts

* Feeling guilty/worthless

* A lack of motivation and/or energy and feeling like there is nothing worth making an effort for

* No interest in activities usually found pleasurable

* Low or no energy

* Feeling like you are being slowed down or fatigued

* A loss of memory and trouble concentrating on one thing at a time

* Can't make decisions

Annoyance, rage or petulance

* Having not enough or too much sleep

* Appetite change and/or weight loss/gain without any explanation

* Physical symptoms that are not caused by physical illness or injury, such as aches and pains

* Suicidal or death related thoughts, possible suicide attempts

A person in a depressive episode who is suffering with manic depression symptoms needs all the help they can get. Throughout the depressive episode, there is a greater possibility of suicide and it is strongly advised that professional help is found as soon as a person starts talking about suicide.

Battling Clinical Depression

Clinical depression is a mental condition that effects millions of people every year. Depression makes people feel extremely sad, often for no reason at all. Those suffering from it have deep feelings of sadness that they can't explain. Sometimes these symptoms get so severe that the person suffering from the illness feel suicidal. The best way to fight it is by recognizing it when it's occurring and taking the proper steps to keep it at bay.

What are the Signs?

Signs of clinical depression can be discreet, especially when the person is first suffering from the condition. At first they may just seem tired, like they've been working too much. Instead of going out with friends on the weekend, they may opt to stay in. Or, they may miss a day of work because they don't physically feel well. While alone these symptoms may just be exhaustion, cobbled together they can mean the person's depressed, especially if they seem sad and disinterested in life.

As people move deeper into depression, they have a hard time doing daily tasks. Getting out of bed becomes challenging so does the thought of finding clothes for the day. Those who are depressed can be extremely moody, disinterested in others and hard to be around. Significant weight gain or loss as well as sleep problems are also symptoms of depression.

Fighting an Extremely Tough Battle

Depression is extremely difficult to fight. It's not like a headache where you take a pill and 30 minutes later the symptoms disappear. Even when a depressed person does take medication, it can take up to six weeks before the medication starts to work. Often times doctors need to change a patient's medication several times before the prescription works correctly.

When a person has fought through depression once, they can try to temper it when the signs creep up again. For example, if you're starting to feel blue for no reason, force yourself to go out with friends. Force yourself to keep active and busy. This will help keep your mind on something else. While clinical depression is a serious illness, recognizing its onset can make it less severe.

Relieving Depression from the Inside

Everybody gets down or feels blue from time to time. It's a natural thing. But others get truly and seriously depressed - unable to cope with day-to-day life or to live their lives in anything resembling a normal fashion.

Depression comes in many forms, and affects more than 18 million American adults each year. Over a million preschoolers have currently been diagnosed as clinically depressed. 15% of most developed countries suffer from severe depression, and 30% of women suffer from depression - and 41% of those won't seek treatment. In fact, 80% of the people who are now suffering from any form of depression are not currently being treated. Many simply don't recognize the signs.

Experts report that depression will be the second biggest killer in the United States by the year 2020 and 15% of people with depression currently commit suicide each year.

While the condition of depression has received more awareness and understanding, the treatment for depression hasn't improved very much. There have been many new drugs introduced to the market place to treat depression, but he side affects are often worse or more serious than the depression! In fact, there seem to be just as many lawsuits against the makers of these drugs as there are drugs!

While everybody agrees that depression must be treated, the method of treatment has not been entirely agreed upon. Only recently has it been acknowledged that depression causes more than mental pain - it also causes physical pain. Some experts believe depression should be treated with medication. Other's lean towards therapy and counseling. Some believe that sufferers need both medication and counseling.

In spite of all of this, more and more people are suffering from depression each year. The problem is not going away - it's getting bigger and there are still no viable solutions in sight.

What many people, including health care professionals, rarely stop to consider is what is causing the depression. Instead of focusing on the cause, they only want to find relief. Unfortunately, finding the cause is often part of finding relief, especially when it comes to depression.

Some depression is caused by life events, and this type of depression usually passes untreated - because it's natural. For instance, when there is a death in the family, the surviving members of that family may experience a period of depression and grief. When one loses a job, they may be down until they find a new job. Again, this is depression that is perfectly natural and normal, as long as the feelings of depression don't linger on or become too severe.

Other types of depression are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Too much or too little production of serotonin in the brain causes one to feel depressed. People who work the graveyard shift often experience depression simply because they are not getting enough sunshine - which produces serotonin.

What many people don't realize is that toxins in the body can also cause depression. Those toxins make you not feel well - or not feel 'quite right.' You obviously aren't sick, and you have no reason to feel depressed - but you aren't sleeping well, your energy isn't what it should be, and you may even have aches and pains. No matter what you do, those feelings persist. Depression is imminent!

Antioxidants, which detoxify the body and cleanse the cells, have proven to also be natural anti-depressants - with no side effects.

Severe depression should be treated by a doctor. Even mild depression may need treatment. But consider using an antioxidant as well to see how you feel, and also get the counseling that should be recommended to see what the underlying cause of your depression is.

How to Protect Teens From Drug Abuse

Drug abuse has become one of the leading problems in today's teens. This growing problem is present, even in Colorado. In fact, according to statistics, approximately 46,000 Colorado teens have used an illicit drug within the last month. Drug abuse in teens can lead to many other problems that can extend well beyond adolescence. Studies show that teens that engage in drug usage are more likely to commit crimes, engage in casual sex, and commit suicide. They are at a high risk for vehicular accidents, contracting HIV, and drug overdose. These generally result in death. Protecting your teen is the best way to prevent drug abuse.

Family connection

Studies conducted on teens concerning the use of it, show a direct correlation between the level of connection they feel with their family and drug use. Teens who feel more connected to their families are less likely to abuse drugs. Talking to your teen and being ready to listen without judgment is the best way to ensure a healthy connection and line of communication with your teen.

Talk to your teen about their friends, about school, and about their feelings. Teens who suffer from depression are also more likely to abuse drugs. By listening to your teen, you can detect signs of depression early on.

If you suspect abuse

If you suspect that your teen is already abusing drugs, the best approach is early intervention. Early detection and intervention methods are the best way to help your teen. This starts with communication. However, this is not always easy when they are abusing drugs.

It may be necessary to perform a test to find out whether or not your teen is abusing drugs. Although drug tests can be performed at facilities, they can also be purchased and done at home. This can help the teen to feel safer and less vulnerable.

It is important to know what method of drug testing to use. Many drug tests can be easily altered. This is a barrier to detecting drug usage. The most effective forms of drug testing are hair follicle drug testing and fingernail drug testing. These can detect drug use for up to 90 days and cannot be altered.

Effective Tips For Dealing With Depression

Having an illness such as depression is a serious problem which needs immediate attention. If left untreated, depression can lead to death due to suicide. Dealing with depression can be a great challenge especially to those who are first time sufferers. Below are some tips on how to effectively deal with depression.

Get the support that you need

Having the proper support system can help you a lot in dealing with depression. Your support system plays a very important role in getting rid of your depression for good. If you don't have the proper support, you may find it hard to keep the perspective and maintain the efforts needed to beat depression. Also, loneliness and isolation can only worsen the condition. If you don't have any close family member or relatives, you can turn to your friends or join a support group for depression.

Nurture yourself

One of the best ways in dealing with depression is by taking care of yourself and by learning to love yourself. You can do this by seeking help from trusted persons, doing the things that you enjoy, and adopting healthy habits, just to mention some. When you learn to love yourself, the things you do, and the people around you, you will feel enlightened and will see that life indeed has a great meaning.

Get a lot of exercise

Exercising may not cross your mind at all when you are depressed. However, according to studies, exercising regularly of at least thirty minutes a day can help a lot in decreasing fatigue and in increasing your energy levels. Physical activity can help release endorphins and the mood-enhancing neurotransmitters that are present in the brain. It can also relieve muscle tension and reduce stress.

Have a Healthy and a Mood-Boosting Meal

According to researches, the food that you take in can have a direct impact on the way you feel. Go for mood-boosting foods such as fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and protein. Avoid refined carbs and sugar, take in B vitamins, focus on complex carbs, never to neglect your breakfast, and never skip meals. Also, eat foods that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids as they play a vital role in mood stabilization.

Know What is the Right Treatment for you

Dealing with depression means you have to choose the right treatment wisely. There are a lot of remedies for depression, such as the antidepressant medications, electroconvulsive therapy, psychotherapy, and the natural cures. The most commonly used treatments are the medications and the psychotherapy, and if these don't work, the last option is the electroconvulsive therapy. However, there has been an issue whether one should go for the antidepressant drugs over the natural remedies. For one thing, both these remedies are effective, but studies have shown that the natural remedies are safer to use since they are made from natural ingredients. Aside from that, medications can only provide temporary relief while natural remedies can provide permanent effects and can cure all types of depression.

So there you have it, these are some of the helpful ways in dealing with depression. Depression can be a serious illness but it can be treated if you only take immediate action and proper treatment.

Three Ways To Survive Grief And Move On With Life

In one way or another, everyone is bound to face grief. Anyone can lose someone dear like a relative, a close friend or a pet because death is part of life. To better understand grief, one must look at is as a multifaceted response. It affects the emotion and other areas as well. In psychology, besides the effect or emotional response, grief can also bring about social, philosophical and physical reactions.

Just say that someone in the family accidentally died. The lamenting family may show signs of strong emotions like anger and sadness. Physically, they may become dumbfounded or speechless. Inability to sleep and nausea can also be apparent. Socially, the bereaved can withdraw themselves from the crowd. Philosophical reactions on the other hand have something to do with the individual beliefs or religion of the bereaved. It can either be a religious conviction or a stronger and renewed faith.

Grieving can happen to a friend, to a big time celebrity, to your neighbor and to you. To survive grief and move on with life, here are recommended tips:

Understand The Normal Process Of Grief

Kubler-Ross named the five stages of grief. Surely, people go through serious and significant loss. However, there are times when they get stuck in one of the first four stages. Of course, life can be painful after a loss. But after the last stage, which is acceptance, one can move on with life. The five stages of grief are as follows:

First stage: Denial and Isolation; Second stage: Anger; Third Stage: Bargaining; Fourth stage: Depression; Fifth stage: Acceptance.

It is a must to learn that loss and death can affect people differently. Though it is hard, it is important to move on and to accept that death is a fact of life. To accept loss, release the pain. If there's anything that you should keep, keep the good memories.

Find Support Groups And Friends Who Can Help You

True friends will stick to you through thick and thick. Rely on true friends. Find comfort and solace in their kind words and deeds. Some will try to uplift your spirit by sending you consoling words and quotes that can inspire you and help pull you through. However be careful and keep away from people who disguised themselves as friends. They are the ones who will entice you to try drugs and alcohol. These people are bad influence. You should not run to them for comfort, instead these are the people you should get away from. Keep in mind that drugs and alcohol are not the best solutions to what is happening to you. They can only provide temporary relief and they can only delay your grieving. And you wouldn't want that.

Engage In Healthy Activities

They say that the devil's playground is found in the idler's mind. Do not just bum around the house, doing nothing. Yes, for the first days, it is understandable to withdraw yourself away from people. However it is not the end of the world. Find and engage in healthy activities that can preoccupy you like gardening at home and going to church. These activities can also help you realize that life is a gift and that everything happens for a reason. Try to find meaning and purpose in your life.

Grieving is difficult but people have survived. If you are experiencing grief at the moment and you wish to get back to life, you can. Be positive and stay strong. Hold on to your faith and consider the tips above. Remember that life is too short. Your decision today can change what will happen to you in your future.

Typical Symptoms of Depression in Men

Depression can be a serious but curable medical condition which could affect any person regardless of age group, cultural background, socioeconomic status, or even sex. Even so, major depression may go unrecognized to those who have it, their families along with friends, in addition to their own health professionals. Men, specifically, may be not likely to admit to having depressive characteristics not to mention search for advice. However, despression symptoms in men is without a doubt certainly not rare: in the United States every year, depression conditions impact an estimated seven percent of men (over than six million men).

Despression symptoms will come in variations, just like many ailments including heart problems. A few of the primary depressive disorders will be: major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness). Most likely everyone suffering from despression symptoms goes through each and every warning sign. The number of along with severity of warning signs very widely with most people as well as over a period of time.

Symptoms of depressive disorder include things like:

• Persistent gloomy, stressed, or perhaps a "empty" emotional state.

• Feelings involving hopelessness, pessimism.

• Feelings connected with guilt, worthlessness, vulnerability.

• Loss of satisfaction from hobbies and interests that were at one time relished, such as intimacy.

• Decreased vitality, exhaustion, getting "slowed down".

• Difficulty paying attention, recalling, making decisions.

• Trouble getting to sleep, early-morning waking up, as well as oversleeping.

• Appetite and/or body-weight modification.

• Thoughts connected with dying or suicide, or even suicide efforts.

• Restlessness, being easily annoyed.

• Persistent physical discomforts, such as head pain, digestive disorders, as well as long-term painfulness, that do not effectively respond to regular treatment method.

Studies as well as scientific information show that although both men and women can develop the standard symptoms of depression, they often encounter depression in different ways and experience very different means connected with dealing. Males may be far more willing to complain of tiredness, frustration, decrease of concern in the job as well as interests, and sleep trouble instead of thoughts associated with despair, worthlessness, along with increased sense of guilt.

Several experts wonder if the conventional definition of depression and the diagnostic assessments based on this sufficiently record the condition as it occurs in men. Men are more likely compared to women to admit to alcohol consumption and / or drug abuse or perhaps dependancy in their lifetime; having said that, there is controversy amongst scientists whether or not chemical use is some sort of "symptom" associated with fundamental depression that face men, or a co-occurring problem that more frequently increases in men. However, drug abuse may cover up depressive disorders, rendering it tougher to recognize depression as being a independent condition that really needs therapy.

Rather than recognizing their own emotions, asking for support, or perhaps looking for suitable care, men may turn to drinking as well as street drugs while they are feeling hopeless, and also become frustrated, disappointed, upset, moody and, occasionally, strongly violent. Many men may possibly manage depression through throwing themselves compulsively into their job, attempting to conceal their particular depression totally from themselves, loved ones, as well as good friends; a number of men may possibly respond to depression by simply engaging in foolhardy habits, taking risks, and putting themselves in dangerous situations. Four times as many men as women die by means of committing suicide in the us, despite the fact that women carry out more suicide attempts during their lives. With regard to research suggesting suicide is often connected to depression, the scary suicide pace amongst men may possibly reveal the point that men are less likely to search for therapy intended for depression. Many men having depression tend not to receive sufficient diagnosis along with therapy, which may be life saving.

Additional scientific studies are necessary to fully grasp all aspects regarding depression that face men, including exactly how men respond to tension and emotions associated with depression, steps to create them more comfortable admitting these kinds of emotions and receiving the assistance they need, and how to prepare medical professionals to better identify and treat depression in men. Family members, friends, and employee counseling experts in the workplace could also take crucial roles in discerning depressive symptoms in men along with assisting them obtain care.

Look for Support for Depression

If you find yourself developing symptoms of depression or have a friend who may be, look for support. There are numerous locations in most communities where people with depressive disorders can be identified and cared for. Assistance is available from family members physicians, mental health experts inside mental wellness treatment centers or privately owned centers, and through alternative health care professionals.

A variety of treatment options, including prescription drugs and short-term psychotherapies (i.e., "talking" therapies), have definitely proven beneficial for despression symptoms: greater than 80 % of individuals having a depressive condition improve having proper therapy. Not only can treatment lessen the degree of despression symptoms, but it really could also lessen the duration of the occurrence and could help alleviate problems with further bouts of depression.

There are also many self help treatments such as stress reduction therapies, hypnosis, products and books to help individuals provide ways to reduce so of the catalyst of depression and stress in your life.

Physical Symptoms of Depression

Depression is often called "mental illness" and most of us know about the emotional symptoms of depression. However, clinical depression frequently causes physical symptoms as well. In fact, a lot of people with depression feel pain or other physical indications, which include:

Headaches. These are somewhat widespread physical symptoms of depression in people. If one already suffers from migraine headaches, these become worse when they are depressed.

Muscle aches and joint pain. This is one of the physical symptoms of depression which is aggravated with depression; chronic pains become worse with depression.

Back pain. People suffering from back pain gets it more often when they are depressed.

Chest pain. Apparently, it is very essential that one experiencing chest pain should be checked by a specialist immediately because it can be a sign of a serious heart problem. However, chest pain is also one of the physical symptoms of depression.

Sleeping problems. Several people suffering from depression can no longer sleep well; they either wake up too early or have trouble sleeping when they go to bed. Others have excessive sleeping.

Digestive problems. One of the common physical symptoms of depression are feeling queasy or nauseous, including having diarrhea or becoming chronically constipated.

Exhaustion and fatigue. The feeling of being tired or worn out no matter how much sleep one does is one of the physical symptoms of depression. Even getting out of bed may seem very difficult if not impossible to do.

Change in appetite or weight. Weight and appetite are also affected with depression. Some people lose appetite and weight, but for some they find cravings for certain foods like chocolates and carbohydrates, therefore they gain more weight.

Dizziness or lightheadedness. Depressed people may experience being lightheaded or dizzy when they wake up in the morning or during the day.

A lot of people who have depression never get help because they are not aware that their physical symptoms may be caused by depression, and a lot of doctors miss the symptoms as well. The physical symptoms of depression are not "all in your head", it can cause real changes in the body that can result to a lot of physical problems.

Some cases of depression require treating it with therapy or medicine or both, which will also resolve the physical symptoms. Just make sure to inform the health care provider about any physical symptoms, and don't assume that it will go away on its own. It may need additional treatment; the doctor may recommend antianxiety medications for insomnia that will help in relaxation and better sleep. Other treatments can also help with the painful physical symptoms of depression such as focused therapy that can teach ways to cope better with the pain.

Different Types of Depression - Knowing the Type of Depression Can Save Your Life

Different types of depression. Depression can come in several different forms. Which type a person has depends on that person's life experiences. Whatever the form a person suffers from, one thing is for certain, they need treatment. They should get attention from a train professional who can determine what type of depression they are suffering with and the proper course of treatment. We will discuss the three main types of depression in this article.

First we will talk about Emotional Depression. Emotional depression affects a person for shorter periods of time due to emotional loss or emotional stress. This type can be brought on by a traumatic event in their life such as: the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, breaking up with their spouse or significant other among other emotional draining events. This is best treated with the emotional support of family and friends. Emotional depression, unless very severe, hardly ever requires therapy or medication.

Next we will discuss Classic Depression. This affects a person for long periods of time. This type of depression has no obvious cause. People suffering from classic depression will often experience: extreme mood changes, changes in their eating habits, no energy, and stops enjoying doing the things they use to love to do. This type of depression will affect their ability to interact normally in their work place, with their friends and their family. This type of depression is best treated with medication, therapy or a combination of medication and therapy.

Bi-polar Disorder Depression is the last type we will go over. This type of depression is generally associated with people suffering from Bi-polar Disorder. Bi-polar disorder depression can set in before or after a person experiences a 'manic' phase of this disorder. This can also set in after a person has not had an episode in a long time. Anti-depressant medications along with mood stabilizers are the recommended course of treatment for people suffering from this type of depression. People suffering with this type of disorder can only manage and learn to live with their condition. Sadly bi-polar depression is not curable.

Emotional depression, classic depression and bi-polar depression can affect anybody regardless of their age. Although there have been countless studies of depressed people there has not been determined a particular cause or event to trigger it. One thing is for certain, regardless of which type someone is suffering from, if left untreated, they will only get worse and never live a normal, healthy and happy life.

Irregular Sleep Patterns Can Trigger Manic Depression

For a long time, it's been well recognized among bipolar researchers that mania and depression can affect sleep patterns. When a bipolar sufferer is experiencing acute mania, he may be too manic to sleep. Conversely, when he is going through a depressive episode, he may sleep too much and literally not feel like getting out of bed.

What many researchers have discovered as well is that the manic/depressive cycle works both ways. In other words, a lack of sleep can potentially trigger manic episodes. Studies are showing that up to 60 percent of bipolar suffers who have gone through a manic attack experience some sort of disruption in their normal sleep cycle prior to having the attack.

We all have had experiences when at the most inconvenient time possible, we were interrupted by life. Social rhythm disruptions, or SRDs, are life events that disrupt our established routines such as a sleep pattern. In normal people, i.e., those not suffering from bipolar disorder, this is not a big deal. We shrug it off and eventually return to our regular patterns. In bipolar patients, however, a social rhythm disruptions in their sleep pattern can directly trigger a manic attack.

This is why many health care professionals advise that their bipolar patients write up a sleep schedule for themselves and keep to it. This means going to bed at the same time each night and getting up at the same time each morning - even on weekends. Keeping to this schedule will keep "social rhythm disruptions" to a minimum and lessen the chances of a manic attack. As a general rule, following a sleep schedule also means not taking a nap when you've had a hard time sleeping the previous night. Taking a nap would simple be another form of social rhythm disruption and would not help in the long term.

Lack of enough sleep will make anyone irritable and cranky. Most of us, however, will simply be able to fall asleep the next night and "catch up on our sleep" and be perfectly fine the next day. Bipolar people can not always do this. They may be unable to go to sleep thus triggering a manic attack the next morning. The manic attack will lessen their desire to sleep and they will not sleep much the next night either. It is a frustrating and potentially deadly cycle.

It can be difficult for a bipolar person to keep to a sleep schedule without the help of family members. Including family members in the treatment discussions with the health care giver is good for everyone. It helps the family members to understand how critically important it is that the bipolar sufferer keeps to a regular sleeping routine. It helps the bipolar person by giving him emotional support and making him feel less abnormal.

Strong family support is especially important when the bipolar sufferer is a teenager who, in many; cases, is already going through a stressful period in his life at a time when peer pressure tends to make outcasts of those that don't appear to be normal. But even in adult cases of bipolar disease, the support of a loving family cannot be over estimated.

Depression And Anxiety Sufferers: How Difficult Do You Find It To Meet New People And Date?

Impaired relationships and social interactions are just two of the consequences of chronic depression or always being in a state of depression. Depression can be very stressful and emotionally draining, to say the least. It makes you want to just curl in your private area and withdraw from social obligations. Sometimes the feeling of depression can be so intense to make you want to breakup with your partner.

If you acknowledge the fact that you are depressed and that your depression is what impairs your relationship with others, then the best thing you must do is to get treatment. Don't think you can handle it all on your own because depression is not as easy as it sounds. Clinical depression or chronic depression requires expertise that can only be given who trained for that.

A possible treatment option for you is group therapy. It delivers treatment in a group setting. It allows you to be with other people, sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings, among others. You may not like it at first, but soon you'll realize that all of you in the group have at least one or several things in common, and so it becomes easier to adapt to each other as you progress with your treatment. Not only that, being in a group therapy allows you to establish friendships with other individuals in the group, and that's a great start if you are dreaming of meeting new people and begin dating again.

If you have anxiety problems as well, your doctor may also prescribe medications to control them. When on medications, however, make sure you do not take more than what has been prescribed. Sometimes, depressed individuals tend to think that downing several pills at the same time will end their depression quickly. Well, that is quite true, only that, you may be in a far worse state than before when that happens.

It is always a difficult time for anyone to go through a state of depression. Along with group therapy and medications, employing the following self-help strategies can help pull you out of your misery and perhaps even put a smile on your face:

• Exercise early in the morning. Train your mind to wake up at 5 in the morning to exercise. Exercise helps to balance hormones and brain chemicals that are responsible in causing depression. But go easy on yourself. You don't have to do anything strenuous, at least not yet when it has been a while since you exercise. In order for you not to easily lose motivation, start with some deep breathing exercises and a few rounds of brisk walking around the neighborhood.


• Get more sun. One study has it that many people who are depressed also happen to have low levels of Vitamin D, a vitamin that is activated by the sun. So make sure to catch some rays as soon as the sun is already up.


• Think happy thoughts. Sounds easier said than done? Well, not exactly, when you have your high school yearbook all spread out before you! Poring over old photographs and letters brings back so many endearing memories you cannot help but smile through your grief.


• Have a change of environment. Take a brief vacation to relieve yourself of anything that bugs you. A change of environment almost always works many wonders. Choose a place where you think you can experience a lot of fun.


• Volunteer your services. Knowing that there is something you can do for another will build your confidence.


• Spend time with children. Being around children will keep your worries away.

Depression in Retirement

There are many stresses in life that may lead to depression, and growing old can be a key one. One very important for those suffering from depression is to know that it is not normal, and rarely will they come through it without professional help.

In older people, one trigger for depression is difficulty in the transition from a productive working life to retirement. For others, the loss of a spouse can progress from grief to depression, and being the sole caregiver to someone with an illness or disability is responsible.

As we age we experience many disappointments: the death or illness of friends and family, loss of mobility, uncertain financial security, medical bills and so on. These events can lead to depression.

Most people can overcome these obstacles, but for others they may be more significant and, especially if they are compounded, they may seem insurmountable. While a 'sadness' may pass following an event, depression is very deep-seated, and can leave you feeling down, unable to make decisions, with a general feeling of malaise. It affects you both physically and mentally.

Clinical depression is a psychological problem that should not be ignored, but treated as soon as possible with counseling or psychotherapy.

While most older people are content with their lives, as many as three percent of over-65s experience clinical depression. On the bright side however, around 80 percent of them can be successfully treated with psychotherapy. For some medication gives excellent results.

There are several types of clinical depression:

1. Dysthmyia - a type of depression that may persist for a long time before diagnosis.

2. Reactive depression - which occurs after a major loss or in response to a serious life event.

3. Major depression - this serious form of the illness renders the sufferer almost incapable of carrying on everyday life. A person may experience this once in their life, or it may recur. Counseling and medication are often used in combination in this instance.

4. Bipolar - this often referred to as manic-depressive illness and manifests itself as severe mood swings, alternating from extreme highs to lows. Bipolar disorder usually first appears when a person is in their twenties but may not be diagnosed until as late as their fifties.

Some symptoms of depression

If you suspect the following symptoms of yourself or a loved one, you should consult a health professional with your concerns and request an evaluation.

· Loss of pleasure in previously enjoyed activities

· A persistent sad or anxious mood

· Loss of energy

· Sleeping and eating problems

· Uncharacteristic feeling of pessimism

· Feelings of helplessness, worthlessness or guilt

· Unpredictable and excessive crying

· Fractiousness and irritability

· Excessive grief that extends beyond three months

· Extremely 'low' periods followed by excessive 'highs'

· Racing thoughts and fat speech

· Decreased need for sleep

Getting help

The most difficult part of getting help for sufferers is the person themselves. People with depression often believe that it will go away in time, that they can manage it, or that they are too old to change. Others believe there is a stigma attached to having what is essentially a mental illness.

The truth is that it is highly treatable problem and dramatic improvements can be seen in a matter of weeks. Antidepressant medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two are the usual methods of treatment, depending on the severity and nature of the illness.

Family doctors, clinics and family medical centers can provide diagnosis and treatment for depression, but a consultation with a psychologist should also form part of the treatment process.

Do remember that feeling depressed, especially in your retirement, is not normal and that any pessimistic or 'empty' feelings that persist for more than a few weeks should be investigated by a health professional.

Women and Depression - Learn the Shocking Truth About the Role of Hormones

Women have nearly double the risk of suffering from depression, in comparison to men. Hormones are thought to be the main reason for this large disparity between women and men. In fact, it's been shown that in the twenty-four months surrounding a women's final menstrual period (menses) the risk of onset of depression is fourteen times higher than for the thirty-one years prior.

Deficiencies of progesterone and/or estrogen hormones (or large fluctuations of these hormones) prior to menopause, as well as during pregnancy, after childbirth and throughout a menstrual cycle, may be the cause depression in many women. Let's now discuss progesterone and estrogen, their function in the body, deficiency symptoms and how these hormones are involved in depression.

Progesterone
Progesterone is a female sex hormone that is produced in the ovaries of ovulating women and in the placenta during pregnancy. Its major role is to prepare and maintain the uterus for pregnancy. Progesterone is a key player in the regulation of the menstrual cycle, being low in the first half of the menstrual cycle, and peaking around week three. Progesterone levels during pregnancy rise even further, being twenty times higher than normal levels. It is thought that the feelings of serenity and calmness during pregnancy may be due to the elevated levels of this hormone. Progesterone is known to activate one of the calming chemicals in the brain.

A progesterone deficiency is most frequently experienced as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) type symptoms one or two weeks prior to a menstruation (i.e. bleeding.)

Physical progesterone deficiency symptoms include:

• water retention


• breast tenderness


• acne


• headaches


• irregular bleeding


• heavy painful bleeding


• miscarriage


• endometriosis


• fibroids

In addition to these physical symptoms, many women feel irritable, anxious, nervous, and depressed during the week before their period. Then when they get their period they have that 'ah-ha' moment as they realize that the reason they were having such a bad week, and feeling so terrible and irritable, was due to their hormones - rather than their life.

It is not uncommon to see a progesterone deficiency in young women; some experience problems with their menstrual periods as soon as they get them. They may experience heavy periods, acne, and headaches. Progesterone deficiency symptoms are also commonly experienced by women in the 5 years prior to menopause - those in the peri-menopausal stages (usually age 45-50 but can be as early as 35 years old).

Estrogen
Estrogen is one of the main female sex hormones. It's secreted from the ovaries and is needed for the development of the female reproductive system. Estrogen also regulates the menstrual cycle, plays a role in pregnancy, and is involved in the appearance of female secondary sexual characteristics (for example, breasts.) Less recognized functions of estrogen include its role in fluid and electrolyte balance, bone growth, mood, and memory.

During both peri-menopause and menopause, women can experience symptoms of estrogen deficiency.

Estrogen deficiency symptoms include:

• hot flashes


• irregular periods


• depression


• vaginal dryness


• osteoporosis (bone loss)


• poor memory

Many women who suffer from depression don't recognise the connection between their hormones and their depression. You may benefit from tracking your mood versus your menstrual cycle. Record whether your depression and/or anxiety is worse one week prior to menstruation, or during your menstruation.

Hormonal medications have been found in scientific studies to be effective in treating anxiety and depression. Is it possible that a simple hormonal imbalance is the cause of your depression, and hormone medications the key to healing your depression?

Bipolar and Depression - The Facts You Need To Know

It 's sometimes difficult to distinguish between bipolar and depression. Both illnesses display similar symptoms, but there are major differences between bipolar and depression that you need to look out for. Read on to find out the main differences between bipolar and depression and their symptoms.

• 1) How do I recognise the differences? The types of bipolar and depression... Postnatal: this is a very serious from of depression some women may experience after child birth. SAD: Seasonal Affective Disorder is caused by the lack of exposure to sunlight in the winter months. Chronic/Clinical: this is a ongoing depression that is commonly caused by chemical imbalances in the brain and traumatic childhood events. Reactive: this is caused by a particular stressful event, common causes are death, divorce, serious illness etc. Bipolar: sufferers experience extreme and intense mood swings, feeling really happy one moment and utterly depressed the next. The main differences between bipolar and depression are... Bipolar = felling intense highs and low moods. Depression = no experience of the extreme highs that bipolar suffers do, but instead experiences extended periods of lows.
  


• 2) What help is on offer? The first thing you need to do if you think you may be suffering from either bipolar or depression, is to get some professional help. Depression is relativity easy to diagnose, but bipolar is often misdiagnosed and goes unnoticed. A great way to help a doctor or psychiatrist with their diagnosis or treatment plan is to keep a journal of your moods. A journal will also go along way to help you workout a pattern to the way you feel, help you identify the triggers and give you a better understanding of you illness.
  


• 3) What options do you have? Bipolar and depression both need to be treated. This doesn't necessarily mean having to take antidepressant pills, some of the best results are often seen by using talking cures such Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and counselling. Suffers who use these treatments often remark that talking to someone about their problems can feels like a weigh has been lifted and improves their outlook and mood. Building a support group from your family and friends is a great way to deal with bipolar and depression. You have to be honest with them about your condition and tell them that you will need their help to get you through the low times. Knowing that there are people there for you and looking out for you will make your condition easier to deal with.

Remember... don't try and go it alone. There are now so many options and treatments available for Bipolar and Depression that you should have no trouble leading a happy normal life. If you would like even more information on treatments available for bipolar and depression click on the links below.

What You Should Know About Depression Medications

Are you depressed? If so, don't feel alone. It happens to millions of Americans and others around the world. The thing that really stinks about depression is that, with all of our technology and medical "know how", we still haven't come up with a sure fire cure for depression. There's a reason behind this too. Read on.

The biggest issue that doctor's are having with finding a cure are that there are several different types of depression to deal with and of these, some have their own unique symptoms that must be dealt with. This is why some doctor's will give you more than one medication to try to help you. You could be suffering from a few different symptoms and they would have to give you a different medicine for each individual symptom. Example, you could be suffering from depression, anxiety and insomnia (loss of sleep). In this case, the doctor might give you an antidepressant drug like Zoloft, something to help your anxiety symptoms like Busbar and possibly Trazadone in order to help you sleep. This is all hypothetical, but comes from personal experience.

The only problem with antidepressant medications is that, in many instances, they only relieve the symptoms of depression about 70% of the time and of that, only partially. There are some people that must "try" several different medicines before they either find something that helps or choose to try something completely different, such as professional therapy. The problem with these medicines is that it takes three to four weeks for them to get fully integrated into your system. Only after this time has passed will you know if they are helping you, not helping you or making things worse. After this time frame has passed you may choose to try another medication and the process begins all over again. Whatever you do, never stop taking your medications without consulting your doctor first. This can be extremely dangerous in some cases.

Another issue with antidepressants are the side effects. These are always such a joy to deal with. Nervousness, diarrhea, constipation, insomnia, fatigue and more. Isn't it ironic that some of the side effects are things that you may have gone to the doctor to get help for in the first place?

There are other types of depression that are very serious such as Clinical depression or Manic (Bipolar) depression. People that suffer from these forms of depression suffer from an entire array of symptoms such as mood swings, sometimes violent, inability to have or maintain healthy relationships with friends or family, suicidal thoughts and more. Manic depressives have also been known to perform self mutilation, cutting themselves all over their arms and legs. Not deep enough to be life threatening normally, but enough to leave terrible scarring and cause themselves awful pain.

Depression is a terrible disorder that has become more and more common in this day and age. If you or some one you know suffer from symptoms of depression for more than two weeks, you need to seek medical help and find out what your options are. Good luck.

Residential Treatment For Women Suffering From Depression and Anxiety During Menopause

Today, there are numerous communities that offer residential treatment for women suffering from depression and anxiety during menopause. They provide quality care and counsel on women's journey to independent living especially during the so called "midlife crisis". They have specialized programs for women that will assist them in developing skills to help free themselves from feelings of dependency, low self-esteem and limited personal resources. Some of these communities also help women provide medications services and depression and anxiety management instruction during menopause.

There are millions of women all over the world who have been an alcoholic or drug dependent and have ruined their lives because of depression and anxiety. The services that these communities are offering will help to develop the psychological, behavioral and life skills needed for building a satisfying, alcohol and drug free lifestyle. They treat women and help them recognize that addiction is a disease and that abstinence is the best way to manage the condition. Most of these residential treatment for women suffering from depression and anxiety during menopause are delivered by a team of professionals including nurses, physicians, counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists. They also assure a comfortable, ordered home life, benefits of structured treatment and a carefully guided transition into new ways of being.

Residential treatment for women suffering from depression and anxiety during menopause is an ideal way to help them benefit from the consistent support of treatment while working toward creating a more independent and self-reliant lifestyle. This treatment integrates a number of evidence-based practices and other skills-based approaches that provides patients with optimal tools for recovery. An important aspect of residential treatment for women suffering from depression and anxiety during menopause is to encourage these women to develop supportive relationships with their family and among themselves.

The centers are designed for women under menopause. They help them create a healthy relationships and let them realize that there are people who care for them. Despite the differences in treatment programs, client profiles, follow up intervals, data collection methods and other factors, residential treatment for women suffering from depression and anxiety during menopause are believed to be an effective way of helping these women to regain their lives even after menopause.

Craving Carbs? You Could Be Depressed - Isochronic Tones Help

Do you crave carbohydrates-- cookies, candy, ice cream, macaroni and cheese with mashed potatoes?

Do you think it's possible that you may be depressed?

Besides the usual signs of sadness and hopelessness, craving carbohydrates can be a very big sign that you are experiencing depression and that you probably aren't releasing enough serotonin, a feel-good hormone that regulates your mood, appetite, sleep, memory and learning, temperature and your moods.

Serotonin is what gives you that "satisfied" feeling from food.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is formed from tryptophan and is stored primarily within the gastro-intestinal tract, the platelets, and the central nervous system. When you are stressed out, transmission of serotonin is decreased, which directly affects your emotional state, causing you to feel blue. When you feel blue, the brain will call for the release of serotonin.

Carbohydrates will cause the brain to release serotonin, temporarily elevating your mood and making you feel better, emotionally. Unfortunately, this pleasant feeling doesn't last long because your sugar levels will drop like a rock from the overconsumption of carbohydrates, and when it does, your level of serotonin also falls off the cliff.

This begins the perpetual cycle of craving carbohydrates.

If you are craving high fat, high sugar foods, you're probably low on serotonin and could be experiencing depression.

A safe and natural way to release serotonin and take away carbohydrate cravings, is to change the dominant brainwave frequency in the brain. Research has shown that when the alpha brainwave frequency is stimulated in the brain, serotonin is released, promoting a sense of well-being and balance, chemically and hormonally.

Isochronic tones are a form of brainwave entrainment that uses equal intensity tones that pulse on and off at different speeds, causing the brain to synchronize to the speeds of the tones, and, depending on the pattern, can help to achieve many different altered states of mind. There has been much research indicating that isochronic tones are especially effective at relieving depression by stimulating the release of serotonin in the brain.

Signs You Have A Carbohydrate Addiction

• Craving something high in sugar, high in fat, when you are emotional, whether good or bad.

• Craving carbohydrates when you have to face something unpleasant.

• Use food to self-medicate because it makes you feel better in the moment.

• Eating at night-- this is when carbohydrate addiction is at its strongest.

• You go to great lengths (like drive in a blizzard to get fries and gravy) for a carbohydrate-rich food.

• You don't eat breakfast and then eat lots of carbohydrates as the day goes on.

The universal carbohydrate craving times are between 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. and, after consuming some, makes you feel better in about twenty minutes. This is a standard with all of us, whether we are depressed, craving, or not.

Signs that you may have a food addiction that are linked to depression, and that you need to do something about it is, if your mood stays low and the carbohydrates aren't helping anymore.

Increasing serotonin in your body will help substantially with depression and cravings... and your waist line.

An easy way to change your brainwave frequency from the stressed out beta wave to the relaxation wave of alpha is through the use of an isochronic tone recording targeted specifically for food addition. Brainwave entrainment is a clinically proven technology that introduces specific sound pulses to the brain with the intention of altering its state of consciousness. When the brain hears this external pulse, it mimics the stimulus, and changes its frequency to match.

What used to take years of dedicated practice, can now be achieved with brainwave entrainment, over a much shorter period of time. When inducing an alpha state, which releases serotonin, results can be felt immediately, and with repeated use, will become a natural default for your consciousness. New neural pathways will form and the old "programming" in your brain will atrophy from lack of use.

If you'd like to try something that doesn't require taking medication, changing your brainwaves to release serotonin, could stop your cravings in their tracks.

Raising serotonin levels equals a sense of well-being and happiness, and a lower BMI.

History of Clinical Depression

There are several things you inherit from your parents the color of your hair and eyes, your skin tone, even your height. You inherit these traits because you have genes and these genes make up your DNA. Unfortunately, you also inherit predisposition to certain diseases and even mental illness. Researches have recently shown that depression could actually be inherited. It simply means that if someone in your family is suffering from clinical depression, then there is a very high probability that you too could become depressed.

Years ago, scientists did not really know where depression came from. The environment was always identified as the primary suspect as the cause of depression in general, but more recent studies show a strong evidence that clinical depression such as depressive disorder, manic depression and dysthymia is actually caused by chemical imbalances, the predisposition to which is inherited.

The results of recent studies show that if you do have a parent, an uncle, a brother or a sister who is suffering or has suffered from clinical depression, you have 1.5 to 3 times more chances of developing the same condition than someone who does not have such a condition within the family.

Recent researches have not really been successful in trying to narrow down the research to specify which gene actually causes clinical depression. Different studies have yielded different results. It was hypothesized that the gene may be different from one family to other, but this has never been proven to date.

So there is no actual conclusion as to which gene is the culprit that causes clinical depression. But there is very little debate about the fact that clinical depression is hereditary. It is nothing to be ashamed of in fact, depression is so common that it affects more than 19 million Americans each year. However, less than half of the people suffering from this mental illness acknowledge it and seek treatment. If you or someone in your family may be experiencing depression, consult a psychiatrist immediately.