Can Acupuncture Replace Prescription Anti Depression Drugs?

I recently read an article while waiting at the doctors office entitled; "Can acupuncture replace prescription anti depression drugs?" For some people it seems the answer is yes.

In 2002 the World Health Organization released their findings on acupuncture and depression and stated that acupuncture for the treatment of depression was one of the most beneficial of treatments and was in fact more effective in some depressive patients than drugs. Several studies were cited.

The drugs I am speaking of are drugs that carry names like Xanax, Alprazolam, Valium.  They are known as Benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are medications which are sedatives and muscle relaxants and as such are often used as anti-anxiety drugs.

Another group of anti anxiety drugs with names like bastioned, isoprene and gepirone. These drugs are known as Azapirones.  They work on serotonergic neurotransmission and are not know to be addictive. Some of the known side effects are rare but may include confusion, headaches, nervousness, vertigo, increased depression, heart palpitations, dry mouth, and joint and muscle pains.

We all know that drugs have side affects which in some cases are worse than the problem the drugs ares suppose to help which makes acupuncture an inviting alternative. But will it work?

Studies

Sometime in 1998 the National Institutes of Health conducted a 16 week study in relation to Acupuncture for the Treatment of Depression. The study which was supported by the NIH's office of Alternative Medicine was conducted at the University of Arizona under the direction of John Allen PhD, and with the co-operation of Acupuncturist Rosa Schyner.

The test was performed using two treatment procedures, one using targeted and specific acupuncture points used in Acupuncture for the Treatment of Depression and a series of unrelated dummy points with no known purpose.

This study group was split in three groups with only one receiving the Anti-Depression Acupuncture Treatment, the second group was given the mock treatment and a final third group received no treatment and put on a waiting list.

Results

The results were published in the September 1998 issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the American Psychological Society, as "Efficacy of Acupuncture In The Treatment of Major Depression in Women".

As a direct result of the Anti-Depression Acupuncture Treatment the first group experienced a 43 percent reduction in their symptoms. When compared to the small 22 percent reduction experienced by the dummy group-- this percentage can be attributed to a natural placebo effect, this is an excellent indication of the benefits of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Depression. After treatment more than half no longer met the criteria for clinical depression.

Depression - How Long Does It Last And Steps To Treat It

Depression varies in severity from light to harsh. There can be fleeting bouts of sorrow or continuous depression in a person. Clinical depression is the term for excessive and continual sort of depression. It is additionally recognized as major depressive disorder.

Some of the common symptoms of depression are:

Little, if any, interest in ordinary daily activities,

Decrease in interest in actions that one used to cherish formerly,

Prolonged feelings of pessimism,

Trouble in concentrating,

Exhaustion and fatigue

When Will the Agony End?

If it is left untreated, depression could last for many months. It might last even up to a whole year. In the course of depression, the patient will certainly feel as if this condition will not go away. Great news is that in most cases it might go away by itself.

Nevertheless, we also need to make an effort to emerge out of our clinical-depression by engaging in healthy behaviors. If we isolate our-selves, avert company of other people, do not keep ourselves involved in beneficial work then we may struggle to emerge out of depression so effortlessly.

Physical exercise, meeting people and keeping yourself busy are a few of the main steps you can take to deal with clinical depression.

Self Help - Treating Depression Yourself

First off you should obtain a good understanding of what is depression. Next, you have to make some genuine attempts to tackle depression.

Control your sleep habits. Retire to bed early during the night and get out of bed early. Try to get up prior to 8 AM in the mornings and go to sleep by 10 or 11 PM during the night.

Have fixed rest timings. You may find it hard at first, yet continue to persist with this. Shortly it can become a habit. Right after getting up, get outside for some time in order to expose yourself to the early morning sunshine and inhale fresh air.

Make a plan to keep your brain occupied. An empty mind is a devil's workshop and it will continue going over doubts and harmful thoughts. Engage in some beneficial work.

Lastly mix with others. Have a great time and revel in the company of others. Do not keep to yourself. You may wish to remain alone in the event of being depressed, but overcome this urge.

Talk to a Psychiatrist About Your Depression

Perhaps one of the most intimidating experiences is when it comes time to talk to a psychiatrist about your symptoms. Psychiatrists are, by their nature, looking for pharmacological cures to your problems. Things that may seem significant to you will be ignored by the doctor. It does not mean that he or she is trying to minimalize your symptoms, but that they are looking for more general trends. What's important is to remember that your therapist and your psychiatrist serve different purposes. A therapist is the one who wants to talk about your day to day issues, who wants to check on your mood from day to day. This is where the smaller issues will be discussed. A psychiatrist is going to want to talk about the overall picture.

It is important to make sure that the psychiatrist gets the overall picture. It's possible that your situation that day might color your perception of your symptoms. One method is to discuss with your therapist everything that your psychiatrist should be told. Another, related idea is to make a list of symptoms. It would allow you to keep yourself on track, to make sure that what you need to convey is told. In order for the psychiatrist to best treat you, he or she needs to see exactly what is going on, with as unbiased a view as possible.

Your psychiatrist is another person that you need to trust. Although they might seem cold at times, or disinterested, trust that they are trying to help you. If you don't trust your doctors, you won't be able to get better.

Anxiety Neurosis and Chronic Depression - Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Anxiety neurosis, also known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), is characterized by excessive, exaggerated anxiety and worry about everyday life events, to the extent that it interferes with daily functioning, including work, school, social activities and relationships. Symptoms of GAD include excessive worry and tension, an unrealistic view of problems, restlessness, lack of sleep, concentration and energy, and frequent urination. Environmental and genetic factors, and a disturbed brain chemistry are believed to be the causative factors for this condition.

Chronic depression, also known as Dysthymia, is a less severe form of depression which lasts for a long period of time, sometimes for years together. A dysfunction of the brain neurotransmitters, major stress, chronic illness, medications, and work or relationship problems may increase the chances for chronic depression. The symptoms are the same as those for major depression but not as intense, and include the following: persistent feelings of sadness, helplessness and hopelessness; lack of sleep, appetite and energy; loss of interest and concentration; persistent somatic complaints; and thoughts of death or suicide.

Anxiety disorders can be treated by using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, in which an individual learns to recognize and change thought patterns and behaviors that lead to troublesome feelings. This condition can also be treated using Ayurvedic herbal medicines like Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi), Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), Shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis), Sarpagandha (Raulwofia serpentina), Khurasani Ova (Hyoscyamus niger), Sutshekhar Rasa, Suvarna Sutshekhar Rasa, Kamdudha Rasa, Praval Bhasma and Mukta Bhasma.

Individuals with chronic depression usually benefit from psychotherapy, which helps affected persons to develop appropriate coping skills to deal with everyday life, and to increase compliance to medication and healthy lifestyle habits. Herbal medicines useful in this condition are: Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna), Vacha (Acorus calamus), Jyotishmati (Celastrus panniculatus), Vishwa (Zinziber officinalis), Tagar (Valeriana wallichi), Laghu Sutshekhar Rasa, Laxmi Vilas Rasa, Arogya Vardhini Rasa, and Makardhwaja Rasa.

In both the conditions, the response to medication is excellent; however, medicines need to be continued long-term in order to get good benefit and to prevent relapse. In addition, other alternatives like relaxation techniques, yogic asanas, and pranayam (controlled breathing), are also beneficial.

Do I Have Parkinson's? Article 2: Differential Diagnosis and the Neurologist

As was discussed in the 1st article of this three-part series, neurologists who face a patient with possible Parkinson's have no definitive test: no scans, no blood tests or spinal taps with which to base their diagnosis. Parkinson's disease is what is referred to as a "clinical diagnosis." This means that the decision as to whether or not a patient truly has Parkinson's requires an extensive face to face interaction with a neurologist. That meeting usually involves a thorough history-taking or interview, and a comprehensive physical examination. Although very often videotaping or other aids are used, the diagnosis totally depends on the clinical acumen of the neurologist as he/she investigates what the patient presents in word and on exam.

To sum up the approach very briefly, while interviewing and examining the patient, the neurologist creates a running list of possibilities in his/her head. This list is called the "differential diagnosis," often referred to a just the "differential." A good neurologist much like a good detective, keeps adjusting, refining the differential as if it were a list of suspects. He/she redirects the line of questioning and the focus of the physical exam based on ruling in and ruling out suspects.

Each of the findings helps the neurologist to continuously reshuffle and re-prioritize the differential. As the list narrows to just a few possibilities, he/she will ask further questions and refine the examination. Then the patient is sent for tests that might rule out other possibilities. For instance, patients get a brain CT or MRI not to diagnose Parkinson's but to rule out larger structural causes that might mimic Parkinson's symptoms like a brain tumor or even multiple sclerosis. Often an electrical stimulation and measurement of nerve response in an affected limb called an EMG (electromyogram) is done to rule out local nerve injury as another cause.

If everything points to Parkinson's the patient is given a trial of a drug that either replaces or mimics dopamine. If the patient shows improvement then everyone can be pretty certain it's Parkinson's

The point is that there is no single protocol or textbook pathway to making the diagnosis. Though the neurologist follows a formal structure to cover all the so-called bases, the specifics of that path highly depend upon the findings along the way, which guide each next step within that structure.

Early Parkinson's can be difficult to diagnose because it presents differently in every patient, and often with symptoms that can easily be dismissed as minor like a small persistent twitching, sleepiness, a minor tremor, and even depression or anxiety attacks.

A typical story everyone has either experienced or heard of is that one or two of the ten common early warning symptoms (Part 1) show up and on that first visit to a neurologist the twitching pinky finger (in Michael J. Fox's case) or in my own, new-onset depression, either get dismissed or symptomatically treated. I was given an antidepressant and when a tremor developed it was dismissed as a side effect of the antidepressant. It was not until I was completely unable to play piano and had inordinate difficulty writing, both from severe slowing in my right hand, that I was then fully worked up.

In either case, mine or Mr. Fox's, nobody made a mistake or missed anything important. It's just that for instance any one or two of the ten warning signs can be interpreted as due to other causes, and usually is.

Review of early symptoms:

1. Tremor or shaking greater on one side


2. Small handwriting


3. Loss of smell


4. Trouble sleeping


5. Trouble/stiffness in moving or walking


6. Constipation


7. Soft or Low Voice


8. Loss of facial expression, "masked facies"


9. Dizziness and fainting


10. Stooping or hunching over

I have added two more to this list:

1. EDS (excessive daytime sleepiness) or fatigue


2. New-onset psychiatric disorder (usually depression or anxiety attacks)

Once PD is suspected, a host of other diseases and conditions need to be considered and ruled out. That's where the so called "differential diagnosis" list comes in. Each differential list is slightly different depending on what the patient presents to the neurologist and in admiration to neurology as a specialty, these lists can initially be quite large. Ruling out all the other causes on the list before PD reaches the top requires a solid working knowledge of each list item and how it is diagnosed.

Other lab tests and scans are used to rule out other causes but ultimately, Parkinson's disease is a clinical diagnosis with the most essential "test" being that first old-fashioned face to face discussion with, and physical exam by a seasoned neurologist.

Example:

A 42 year old woman, a cello player in the local symphony, presents to the neurologist complaining of tremor in her right hand and difficulty manipulating the bow while playing. Sadly she has been politely asked to "take a break" from her job with the symphony until she gets adequately evaluated. She has also become quite depressed over the incident. She says the tremor actually goes away when she's playing but it feels like the bow is "caught on something" and so she cannot sweep it across the strings as swiftly.

Here's a sample starting differential diagnosis for someone presenting with a persistent tremor of the right hand. Although the fact that the tremor occurs at rest and goes away with movement, and especially combined with the fact that it occurs only on the right side elevates PD to #1 on the list.

Sample differential diagnosis list for Parkinson's (remember that the neurologist must have extensive working knowledge of how each of these presents):

1. Parkinson's Disease


2. Essential tremor (a nonspecific tremor of unknown cause and which does not get worse)


3. Brain Tumor: she will have to have a CT scan or MRI scan of the brain


4. Damage to the nerves in the arm in the affected side by trauma or multiple sclerosis(MS). She will likely undergo EMG nerve evaluation of the right arm.


5. Other degenerative neurologic diseases, a long sub-list, details of which I shall skip:
   
   • Benign familial tremor
   
   
   • Dominant SCA (Spinal Cerebellar ataxia)
   
   
   • Cerebellar ataxia
   
   
   • Olivopontocerebellar degeneration
   
   
   • Familial Basal ganglion calcification (Fahr's syndrome)
   
   
   • Alzheimer's syndrome
   
   
   • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
   
   
   • Dementia, Lewy-body type
   
   
   • Parkinsonism-dementia complex
   
   
   • Progressive supranuclear palsy
   
   
   • Cerebellar degeneration, subacute
   
   
   • Shy-Drager syndrome
   
   
   • Striatonigral degeneration
   
   
   • Corticobasal Degeneration syndromes
   
   
   • Frontotemporal dementia
   
   
6. Lesions of the basal ganglia where the brain controls movement by stroke/hemorrhage


7. Lyme disease


8. Drugs (her primary doctor put her on nortriptyline for depression)


• Antipsychotic medications
  
• Antidepressants


• Lithium


• Amphetamines


• Cocaine


• MPTP (a byproduct of bad practices in making Ecstasy that can induce a parkinson's like syndrome after a single dose)


9. Alcohol or narcotic withdrawal


10. Alcoholic brain degeneration

After performing a directed interview and examination, her neurologist utilized his own fund of knowledge and experience, and did not think she showed features of any of the other degenerative diseases listed.

On physical exam and observation he noticed that she would swing her right arm less when walking down the hallway. She even slightly dragged her right foot.

He had her copy some sentences out of a medical text. It took her a long time and the writing was very small.

When he held her arm and moved it at the wrist and elbow he could feel a ratcheting rather than smooth passive movement (known as "cogwheeling", a classic PD sign).

She denied any drug history and rarely consumes alcohol.

She's from San Diego where Lyme-carrying deer ticks don't flourish.

An MRI scan of her brain was normal so there's no brain tumor or evidence or stroke/hemorrhage, and no defects suggestive of MS. Parkinson's generally yields a very normal brain scan. Some research techniques that use radioactive dopamine-like compounds can reveal a defect however they are not generally available, and unnecessary as we see here that the diagnosis can be adequately made without it.

Her EMG nerve exam showed normal nerve function in the affected arm.

Finally, and extremely important in establishing Parkinson's as her diagnosis, he placed her on a drug that mimics dopamine and examined her a week later. She showed almost none of the previous findings on that second visit after a week on the drug.

At that point the neurologist was certain it was PD and gently broke the news to her.

Genius Is Eternal Patience

Thomas Edison said, Genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. In other words, work must accompany inspiration.

"Genius is Eternal Patience." This is one of Michelangelo's famous quotes.

I have in mind a very talented six year old pianist, Hannah Lee, who is a student of a friend of mine, Marlita Weiss. When I heard her perform at World Piano Cup in Cincinnati, Ohio, I was amazed by her technique and her abilities at the piano. I later found out that she has been practicing the piano for an hour a day since the age of four!

Years ago, I heard famous pianist Ruth Slynzinska perform all the Chopin Preludes in Chicago, Illinois. Someone complimented her on her natural technique. She graciously smiled and talked about the six hours a day she practices to develop it.

Bill Gates and his friend spent five to six hours daily after school in a computer lab working with computer programming and developing a business plan.

Both Ms. Slynzinska and Mr. Gates no doubt patiently put their ten thousand hours of work into developing their natural talents.

Genius is indeed eternal patience. We can dream all we want. to make those dreams come true, we have to work.

In a study written up in the Jul/Aug issue of the Journal of College Student Development, success in college can be attained by involvement in extracurricular activities, positive connections with friends, and persistent application of study habits. Students who achieve are spurred on to further success with each academic success. In other, words, hard work breeds success which breeds more success.

Dear readers, please feel free to share your experiences with hard work and accomplishments. Dreams can never be achieved without work.

How Can I Beat Insomnia?

Question:

I have always suffered from sleep problems and am constantly tired. Sometimes I can't get to sleep, other times I wake in the early hours. I don't drink coffee and I keep bed times relaxed and regular. What can I do to improve my sleep pattern?

Answer:

Recent article in the Archives of Women's Mental Health journal suggests that insomnia is an overlooked epidemic among women. One person in five takes some kind of remedy for sleep problems, and the number of sufferers is undoubtedly increasing. If anyone has more than three nights of disturbed sleep a week something needs to be done about it complications from lack of sleep include fatigue, headache, irritability, anxiety, poor skin quality and reduced daytime performance. Researchers at Harvard Medical School are currently reviewing evidence suggesting that sleep is vial for memory and brain function, and many scientists believe that insomnia can lead to an increase in chronic disease.

The term insomnia embraces any disturbance of the sleep-wake cycle. Other sleep disorders include nightmares, sleepwalking and bed-wetting.

The causes of sleep problems are many and wide-ranging. Caffeine, alcohol, smoking and dehydration are common factors. Environmental factors, such as electrical gadgets and geopathic stress (which can occur where there are overhead power lines, electrical cables in a congested city and underground rivers, for example), may be involved. A lack of fresh air and an overheated bedroom can cause problems. Your body's air-conditioning system switches off during sleep, so you may become too hot, and your heart and breathing rates could increase. Aches and pains, arthritis, fibromyalgia, menopause, restless-legs syndrome, sleep apnoea, ME/chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis and cancer can all lead to insomnia.

The mind is a powerful disturber of peaceful nights. Stress, anxiety, bereavement and other emotional upsets can stop you dropping off and/or cause frequent waking between 3am and 4am. This early waking is due to the nervous system being hypersensitive to the production of daytime hormones (cortisol and adrenalin) at around this time, replacing the night-time hormones (melatonin and serotonin).

Insomnia can also accompany psychological disorders, such as schizophrenia, manic depression or paranoia.

In my experience, most people with insomnia have reversed day-night cycles. They toss and turn, their minds fully alert worrying about not being able to sleep. How much sleep you need is individual. Some people can feel refreshed after just a few hours. you need to adjust to your own rhythm: if you sleep less at night take a nap during the day. Even a few minutes of sleep or meditation can refresh the brain.

Here are my suggestions:

* Avoid food and drink that agitates the mind: caffeinated drinks, such as coffee and cola: more than one unit of alcohol daily, salty crisps and snacks, and anything containing monosodium glutamate (MSG).

* Eat your evening med early, by 8pm if you want to go to sleep at 1pm. Avoid rich, heavy food, such as curries, cream sauces, fried foods, lots of bread, mushrooms, citrus
fruit juices, fizzy water and beer. These cause a build-up of gas in the abdomen and need at least four hours to digest.

* Don't eat sweets at night as sugar activates the brain.

* After your meal, go for a gentle ten-minute walk

* Establish a pattern of winding down and preparing for bed at a similar time. Try not to stay up too late (beyond 10pm), as the body and brain become overtired and need much more sleep to feel restored.

* Don't have too hot a bath before bed as it may increase your heart rate and agitate the mind.

* Take one Calm Down capsule at bedtime for one month.

* Drink two glasses of still, room temperature water before going to bed, and go to the lavatory just before you sleep.

* If you wake in the night, sip some water and suck two tablets of the homoeopathic remedy nux vomica 30, then two tablets of belladonna 30. Do this for one month.

* Remove electrical gadgets (TV, music systems and computers) from the bedroom because electromagnetic waves alert the brain. Some researchers recommend positioning your bed, head away from power sources.

* Keep your bedroom window slightly open, if possible.

* Listen to a relaxation CD, or try chanting. This helps you to and body to calm down.

* Massage your neck and jaw - or ask your partner to do this for you - for ten minutes before going to sleep to help relieve tension by increasing blood flow to the brain.

Clinical Depression Symptoms And Treatments - A Review

Super sad? Melancholic even? In deep despair? Chances are, your clinical depression has come and has been elevated to such a level that it becomes burdensome and disruptive to your social functioning or even your mundane daily life activities. Clinical depression is more serious than the usual feelings of being depressed that you sometimes encounter. You should understand clinical depression symptoms for your fast recovery.

What are the symptoms of clinical depression?

The constant mood of being depressed and even anhedonia are the primary clinical depression symptoms. These two when combined with other symptoms are sufficient to warrant a closer look. Those other manifestations may come in the form of overwhelming feelings of despair and loneliness, fear, or emotional vacuum or emptiness.

A disappearance of the interest and enthusiasm for activities, even daily tasks, that used to be cursory and routine yet pleasurable enough, is another symptom of clinical depression. Appetite loss or change, when resulting in either loss or gain in weight, need to be looked at also.

If there is insomnia, disturbed or irregular sleep patterns, hypersomnia, then there must be some form or type of clinical depression or the other. Swings will go from agitation to lethargy. Guilt-feelings, hopelessness, pessimism, lack of self-esteem and intense feelings of worthlessness, isolation and anxiety all add up to one alarming clinical depression state. Inability to focus or to be attentive is another symptom, especially when this affects decision making, cognition, even memory.

Suicidal tendencies ranging from ideation or imagination of dying to actual suicide attempts or planning for supposed suicides are severe manifestations. At this stage, a lot of attention is really necessary for the patient.

There are still other symptoms that need to be taken account in evaluation and diagnosis. Self-loathing is worrisome enough, as is the plunge of one's self-esteem. Sometimes even personal hygiene is sacrificed because of the lethargic depression. Other depressed persons are averse or overly sensitive to noise. Still others suffer from abnormal pains, fear of going crazy, loss of perception of time, uncontrollable crying or sobbing, and other behavioral changes: aggression, hyperactivity, irritability, panic, excessive irrational fear, even procrastination may be indications of underlying clinical depression.

Other clinically depressed adolescents or adults may use or abuse drugs and alcohol when left on their own to fend for their own depression. Destructive behavior for teens may set in, like self-harm tendencies and eating disorders. Milder symptoms, but also possible severe symptoms later, may simply be a lost appetite, a little irritability, nightmares during sleep, learning disability or problem memorizing, and other behavioral changes like social panic, isolation, aggression, or even withdrawal from social circles.

With all those worrisome symptoms, it's a wonder anybody ever eases out of his or her depression. Good news is, there are a number of treatment modes readily available to treat clinical depression.

Treatments available for you

Clinical depression must be treated. This is a high-risk mental disorder in that a person afflicted with it has the urge to harm self and even those he loves. Before a person with clinical depression gets violent and unstoppable, he must seek professional help.

First and foremost a person with clinical depression can not cope on his own. He needs medications to clear his minds of negative and worrying thoughts.

A few weeks after the medication has taken effect and suicidal thoughts have been erased from his mind, he must submit himself to psychotherapy and group therapy to know the root cause of depression. Talk therapy is the only way that a depressed person can blurt out the cause of his depression. In fact, often he doesn't know how he came about his current situation. Talk therapy will unearth these repressed emotions hidden in the subconscious

With continued therapy, both medications and talk therapy, a person with major depression can get well soon. Remember, when clinical depression symptoms strike, immediately seek for professional help to avoid any untoward incidents from happening.

Sad Love Quotes Will Help Your Heartbreak

People all over the world are living with heartbreak after the love has ended. You might feel very sad and lonely in this situation. However this is no reason to get in to a clinical depression, heartbreak quotes will help you to understand and deal with your recent problems.

As you might guess by now, sad love quotes imply that they are very morbid, however this is not the case in most of those quotes, in fact they can really lift up your mood and after a time might also help you to be more optimistic in life. Being optimistic is very important when we are in a heartbreak situation, while it is not always easy to be happy and positive when our feelings go bad it can be done. Take a little step every day to try to change your mind for positive thinking.

Heartbreak quotes are the little steps that might help you in being more positive. Let's take a look at this sad love quote: "The hardest thing to do is watch the one you love, love someone else." Although this quote is about love that can not be fulfilling because it is not mutual for one side of the relationship, it is possible to the other person. Therefore you should look at this on a brighter light: you will have the chance to find your special person even if this relationship is not working.

Life is all about opportunities; some times people are stuck because they just use to keep doing the same thing over and over again. This is what keeps them away to find new adventure on life. It is really hard to change your past and then trying to change your personality, but once you achieved it, even on a small scale it will help you to get the life you want. So the next time your love has turned sad, try to be more optimistic by reading heartbreak quotes.

3 Signs Your Spouse is Depressed and What You Can Do to Help

Along with the many good times in marriage, there are also some tough times. Sometimes these times cause people to become depressed. When your marriage is in trouble already, depression makes it even harder. A lot of people, married or not, are depressed. Depression doesn't have to hurt your marriage. Here are three signs (in no particular order) that your spouse may be suffering from depression, and things that you can do to help them.

1. Tiredness

Many depressed people suffer from fatigue. Constantly tired. Even if they don't do anything to make a person tired, they are exhausted. Instead of getting mad at your spouse, or thinking they are just lazy, talk to them about it. Tell them that you are worried about them.

2. Sadness

Depressed people seem sad a lot. That's because they are. They are sad, or feel hopeless or that they aren't good enough for anyone to love them. This sadness can sometimes be so severe that the depressed person thinks that no one will miss them if they die. This is extreme depression, which not too many people have, but it still exists - in more people than you can imagine.

If your spouse is withdrawn, has no desire to do anything or see anyone, doesn't do things that they used to do, or anything else along these lines, then they are probably depressed. You can try to help them by introducing them to something new. Try to get them to go and see a movie with you, or even for a walk.

3. Anger

Some people experience anger with depression. Sometimes that anger is so strong they may think about actually hurting someone. There is usually no reason for that anger, but their mind just isn't thinking right. A depressed person could be fine one minute, and extremely angry the next.

If your spouse is like this, you can still help them. Don't try to calm them down if they are in a state of pure anger, it will just make matters worse. Instead, give them time to cool off, and then talk to them. Tell them that you are worried about them. They are acting like a completely different person, and that they are scaring you.

A truly depressed person doesn't see any of these differences in themselves. That's why a lot of depressed people don't seek help - they don't know something's wrong.

Tell your spouse that you are very worried about them. Get them to see a doctor, to see what is wrong. If they say no, then you could tell them that YOU need to see a doctor, and that you would like them to go with you.

It used to be that you had to go to a therapist of some kind to treat depression. Now, so many people are depressed, that your regular family doctor can prescribe medicine that will help beat depression.

Above all else, please don't think that you did anything to cause this. Nor did your spouse, or kids if you have them. Depression happens. Anyone can suffer from it, at one time or another.

What is important right now is that you know the signs, and do whatever you can to help your spouse.

Declined For Life Insurance? Not A Bad Place To Start!

I won't pretend that being declined for insurance doesn't carry a sting. A common thought that comes with the decline is, "Do they think I'm about to die, or what?"

Some perspective might help and maybe a little insight into how life insurance companies decide what will drive approvals and declines. It's important to know that not all companies work from the same guidelines. What drives one company screaming into the dark is exactly what another company is looking for to balance out their risk pool. A case that doesn't even get to the underwriter's desk at one company because, for instance, bipolar disorder was mentioned on the application, will not even slow down at another company as they work diligently toward approval.

A decline is not so much a statement about your health or mortality as it is a statement about that particular company's marketing philosophy and their personal risk tolerance. Before your application every came through the door, and the agent you're using should know this, the company they chose may well have a policy of automatically declining things like type 1 diabetes or a history of breast cancer.

I've said it many times, but it bears repeating....the wrong agent taking your business to the wrong company will end with bad results almost every time. Which begs the question, how do you know if you are partnering with the wrong agent and how do you know if they are steering you to the wrong company? The task of making sure you're in the right hands, while it seems daunting because you're not in the business, is really pretty easy.

You understand your medical or mental situation from having talked to the doctor, sometimes for years. When you talk to an agent you should get the feeling that they also understand the variables of your impairment. The questions they ask should seem relevant and if they ask a question that you don't know the answer to, they should be able to fully explain why the question is important and why the answer plays a key role in underwriting. First clue that you've run into the wrong agent is if they don't ask enough questions. They have to know what will drive an underwriter's decision. It's their job.

Beware the agent that shoots from the hip with quotes on serious impairments. Most agents can get away with that on less significant history such as hypertension, high cholesterol or family history, but if you have a more serious history of say, heart disease, cancer, diabetes or depression, the agent shouldn't provide quotes until they have presented, informally, all of your information to their underwriter (if they work for only one company) or all of the underwriters they work with if they are independent agents.

A sample email that I send out to multiple companies might go something like this. "Proposed insured born 3/14/53, 5'10, 175, non smoker. Diagnosed 10 years ago with type 2 diabetes. Has full blood workups quarterly. Most recent labs showed A1c 5.6 and all kidney functions normal. There are no collateral health issues. Good family history. Takes Janumet and Actose and preventably takes Propanolol and Simvastatin. Last blood pressure was 117/76 and most recent cholesterol was 142 with HDL 50. Looking for $500,000 term."

I will generally send that email to the companies that I know have the best underwriting philosophy on type 2 diabetes. On average I will get 10 to 15 answers back telling me what rate class to expect on approval if all the facts are accurate. I provide quotes to the client from the best 1 or 2 companies. I always double check the email with the client before sending it to make sure it is accurate and nothing has been left out. When an application goes in the email from the underwriter is attached to the application. This ensures that it will get back to the same underwriter that previewed it and also makes it virtually impossible for them to change their minds unless they find some important information that wasn't divulged to me and therefore wasn't provided on the quote request.

Your agent should be willing to shop your case in this fashion, willing to show you the outgoing email and also the responses from underwriters and be able to explain why they picked the company they did. With that process in play you can be comfortable that you have an agent that has been there, done that and has every intention of winning your business by providing the best possible outcome.

Bottom line. Almost every client we serve has been declined. That's why they come to us. Occasionally a decline is legitimate, but I don't drop that bomb and just leave them. I let them know why it isn't currently insurable and what it will take for them to be insurable and I set a followup to check in with them and see if they have done what it takes to warrant another look at it. Sometimes we will simply shop it every 6 months to a year just to see if an underwriter has changed their stance or possible a company has hired a new underwriter that will open some doors. Don't give up!

Mental Disorders List - The Most Common Mental Conditions Explained

This may come as a surprise, but mental health experts claim that one in four people suffer from a mental illness each year. As much as five percent of the population is afflicted with a serious, long-term mental illness. Here is a mental disorders list with the most common conditions explained.

Anxiety Disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an umbrella term used to describe a number of different anxiety problems such as phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder and anxiety attacks. Anxiety refers to feelings of tension and worry that get so out of hand they make it hard to function normally.

Chronic Depression. Depressive disorders are extremely common. These are marked by sadness, low self-esteem, loss of meaning in life, lack of pleasure in things you enjoy, and suicidal thoughts. Depression often occurs along with other mental illnesses such as anxiety disorder, addiction, or psychosis.

Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar disorder is one of the most common mood disorders. It's marked by dramatic swings from manic to depressed. These moods are much stronger than the regular ups and downs all of us experience. Manic or depressive episodes can last anywhere from a few minutes to weeks at a time. People with bipolar are likely to make bad decisions that can hurt themselves or others when at these extremes.

Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is an extreme mental condition that often makes it hard for the sufferer to enjoy a normal life. It's marked by delusions, paranoia and hallucinations. Schizoaffective disorder is a combination of schizophrenia and mood disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder. Most schizophrenia sufferers can enjoy a fairly regular life as long as they're on the proper medication and seeking therapy.

Dementia. Dementia is a loss of cognitive functioning that occurs as you get older. It's more extreme than the usual loss of functioning that comes with old age. Dementia actually isn't a disease but a way to describe symptoms where memory, language, attention span, problem solving abilities and other mental functions are impaired.

Eating Disorders. Eating disorders are a form of mental illness and they're much more common than most people realize. Many people with eating disorders can maintain the appearance of being healthy. Eating disorders are caused by distorted body image, usually where the person perceives themselves as overweight even though they aren't.

Addiction. Addiction is an extremely common form of mental illness. There are two types of addictions - addictions to substances and addictions to certain behaviors or activities. While alcohol, prescription drug and illegal drug addictions are the most common, gambling addiction, sex addiction, and food addiction are also quite widespread. In all addictions, the addictive substance or behavior triggers pleasure chemicals in the brain. The addict becomes dependent on the drug or activity and can't feel pleasure without it.

All of the above mental disorders are treatable and treatment has high success rates. If you suffer from a mental illness, it's important to realize that you're not alone. The sooner you seek help, the sooner you can receive treatment and get back to optimal health.

Suicide and Depression - What to Look For and Treatment Options

Suicide is a word that most people speak in hushed tones, if they speak of it at all. There is an expression that if a person talks about suicide than they will not attempt it. People should not ignore anyone who mentions suicidal thoughts. Instead, the person who may be suicidal should be steered toward the help he or she desperately needs. A mental health professional is very capable of handling the situation.

Factors as to why a person has become suicidal can include clinical depression, drug or alcohol abuse, and a family history of depression/suicide. A person could also have someone that he or she cared about die by suicide (family/friend or celebrity) and that could trigger the thoughts. Suicide deaths are split up between the age groups.

Women are more likely to seek help for depression and suicidal thoughts whereas men are the ones who are more likely to commit suicide. There are uncertainties as to why this is. Men may be less likely to seek help from a professional before it is too late. Men are also the ones most likely to choose firearms to perform the task. Firearms are deadly no matter what. No one with a history of severe depression should have access to guns period.

Depression and suicide are thought to connect. Depression may not always lead to suicidal thoughts but the chance is always there. This is why it is imperative to get someone to a mental health professional when depression is noted. Many anti-depressants are on the market that will help a person to feel better. Unfortunately there can be many side effects. Through trial and error the doctor can find the one that works though.

Many of those who are depressed do not realize that they are. For this reason, it may be up to friends or family to take note and push an individual towards help. Notation should be made that depression is a treatable illness. This fact should be reiterated to patients so they understand this. Any medications need to be taken continuously as instructed by the doctor or a relapse can occur. Reading and researching has been found to be a great help to patients who suffer from suicidal thoughts as well as depression. Many good books can be found online or in the library.

If any of the following symptoms of depression are noticed, seek help as soon as humanly possible.

o A constant sadness
o No pleasure in anything
o Crying, feeling hopeless or constant negativity
o A decrease in energy levels
o Lack of concentration or ability to make decisions
o Sleep patterns that are disturbed (too much or too little sleep)
o Change in appetite and/or weight

Only a token few are listed. Every individual is different. This article was written as a guideline in what to look for and how to prevent depression and suicide.

Where Are The Emerging Growth Opportunities?

This is the fourth article in the Riding the Recession series. It aims to provide you with some food for thought regarding potential emerging market segments and opportunities, as we approach the new year facing a market that is less robust than it was 12 months ago.

Before we get into that, I'd like to make a point about 'less robust' markets and opportunities that can come out of them, even back in the Great Depression of the 1930s.

It was during the '30s that Australia's commercial airline industry really took off (pardon the pun) after the growth in the airline industry resulting from World War I. The commercial industry started with the transportation of mail and then developed into passenger flights. During this time the fledgling industry was dominated by a small number of determined entrepreneurs, who were able to raise the funding they needed to back their respective airlines. There was plenty of funding available during a time when the world was gripped by a fierce depression.

Point 2, on the other side of the world in New York. What happened in New York in the '30s? It was during this time that New York's architectural design and construction focused on display of great wealth and the goal of erecting the tallest building. These buildings were all built in the 1930s and reflect the commercial success of their namesakes and the industries they grew (prior to the '30s): Rockefeller Plaza, Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, General Electric Tower, Lincoln Building, RCA Building, Time & Life Building, and Waldorf Astoria Hotel, amongst many others.

Here are a couple of quotes from a book by Samuel Fuller called 'New York in the 1930s', just to set the scene:

"Manhattan may have had bread lines during the Depression years, but it rivaled Paris when it came to restaurants, good times and entertainment in general. Above all, there were the nightclubs on Upper Broadway, where you could hear groups like the Chick Webb Band, Benny Goodman and his musicians, and a skinny newcomer named Frank Sinatra. There was The Big Apple, a Harlem nightclub on Seventh Avenue where Billie Holiday sang in 1936, and of course the famous Cotton Club,"

"Black Harlem created a whole new industry out of entertainment that catered mainly to the white population of Manhattan. The atmosphere of Harlem was like ancient Rome; it was a neighborhood that lived by night, and was reputed to have over one hundred nightclubs...."

My point is: there's always plenty of money and funding for all sorts of ventures, technology is a catalyst for development and growth of new segments, and new industries or market segments arise when market conditions change, such as the entertainment industry in NYC in the '30s.

What are the trends driving our economy today, where there cold be new opportunities for all sorts of businesses?

• Global climate initiatives
  
  • Generate growth in the engineering sector & Government related infrastructure projects
  
  
  • Specialist consulting firms can grow in this space through advising on related issues (and that provides very broad scope)
  
  
  • Suppliers of water saving, electricity saving products
  
  
  • Suppliers of water-resistant landscaping and garden services


• Organic products and produce
  
  • Food growers
  
  
  • Skin care; bath, body, beauty product producers
  
  
  • Baby products
  
  
  • Contract manufacturer opportunities


• Pet industry - Still growing at a huge rate both here and overseas and covers a multitude grooming products, accessories, special foods and supplements, toys....


• Consulting in specialist areas
  
  • Sales consulting and services related to more effective selling activities
  
  
  • Business advice and consulting that focuses on smarter & more efficient practices


• Technology
  
  • Consulting to achieve efficiencies and replace headcount/manual operations
  
  
  • Products and services that do the same


• Aged Care services
  
  • Accommodation
  
  
  • Home help
  
  
  • Medical/nursing support services
  
  
  • Specialist medical practitioners

This is just to start you thinking. Look at your existing market with new questions:

• What has changed in my market?


• Will my revenue and growth come from the same market or a new one?


• Do I need to reposition my business (refer last newsletter for more...)


• How do I match my skills and experience to new market niches?

Once you start brainstorming, especially if you do it with other people, you'll generate plenty of ideas to kick start your strategic planning for the next year!

Being Single: Does That Mean We Have to Be So Desperate?

I am a follower of pop culture to some extent, though I prefer watching documentaries, the history channel and foreign movies on Netflix. I am not ashamed to admit that I watch a few reality shows for light-hearted entertainment. A common theme of reality shows nowadays is the desperate single girl.

Watching some of these shows, especially those that purport to show women what they're doing wrong in relationships, makes my skin crawl. I think to myself, these women look like they've packed their brains up and sent them away for vacation.

What about what men are doing wrong in relationships?

Women Are Powerful
This unfortunately is representative of the desperation of a lot of young women today in real life. They want men more than men want them. That is why I believe a major power shift has happened between men and women over the past five to 10 or so years.

Whereas before men had a little bit of an edge over women when it came to relationships, money and other issues, now they have a huge edge in many cases.

But women have always had the real power. We hold it together better than men when faced with tough situations. After divorce, women are more likely to keep pushing on while men give up or take it to the point of committing suicide in staggering numbers to the tune of 8 times more than women (source: "Men After Divorce: In Touch With Feelings" by Bill Ritter, ABC News). A lot of men simply can't cope with being alone.

Women hold families together. We are powerful beings.

But because women today act so desperate and irrational when it comes to men, men now think that they have all the power. They happily quote ridiculous stats "10 women for every 1 man" (even though that makes absolutely no sense in the world of statistics) and use that to wield power over women.

I've Been There
I'm no different, I've been there. I dated someone for close to a year who treated me like a princess, talking marriage and children. Then he flipped "the switch."

Flipping the switch is for lack of a better term a "mindscrew" that some guys use to try to gain power over women. The guy treats you with respect, regard, caring, all that, then you do one minor thing that he doesn't like and you're suddenly less than dirt.

I was brought to the brink of major depression and I'm almost ashamed to say it was 98% due to this man. Every day I woke up feeling miserable and thinking "so what's the point." I almost allowed myself to sink into the abyss over a MAN. How could I allow this to happen to myself?

Thanks to prayers I managed to pull myself out of the pits on my own. I honestly don't know how it happened -- it just did. One day I woke up, laughed and said "No more Jay! This is silly." Then I started a new fun project and forgot about the bums from my past.

One good thing did happen as a result of these experiences with men: I learned a major life lesson: do not take men that seriously. It also inspired me to write. Now I'm hoping to inspire young women who are in the same position right now (depressed, feeling unwanted, feeling unworthy) that I was in almost a year ago.

The "Go Get Your Man" Movement
Back in the day, women may have still been subservient to the men in their lives, but they had more respect for themselves. Because of this, men had no choice but to line up at a woman's door to court her properly.

Nowadays, women willingly chase after men.

Years ago, I remember it clear as day, there was a movement (mostly from men) telling women that it is okay to be aggressive and go after the man you want. I always said that was a bad idea - men should court women. Traditional courting is the reason why many of us are here today!

And now we have the end result of that movement.

I also think popular media, music and sappy Hollywood love movies are partially to blame. Actresses and singers pine over men and cry because they're single. They chase after men.

In what universe is this acceptable behavior for a woman? The MSM (mainstream media) basically tells women: "you need a man to exist, so give chase." Meanwhile to men, no matter their qualities: "you can exist just fine without a woman and they're so desperate for you, so just sit back, kick up your feet and let one come to you."

Time for a Wakeup Call
To be clear, despite my bad experiences with them I definitely do not hate men. I just think that they, as well as women, need a wakeup call. I want to help empower women to gain back a better position and attitude when it comes to men.

Four Things You Must Understand To Get SSI For Depression

Nearly three million Americans filed application for SSI benefits in 2009 and many of them will receive their SSI for depression. Depression falls under the category of a mental illness and mental illnesses, if properly diagnosed and documented, do qualify for benefits. But there are four qualifications that you must meet.

In order to receive SSI you must have depression that is "medically determinable".

This simply means that you have been medically evaluated by competent doctors who use acceptable testing to determine the true nature of your illness. This means that there is a diagnosis and a prognosis concerning your future ability to function in daily life and most importantly, your ability to function at work. A doctor has performed tests, prescribed medicines, referred you to specialists and made a real and protracted attempt to remedy your situation.

Your depression must meet a durational test.

Duration means that this particular mental illness must meet the same standard as a physical illness or accident which means that you must have experienced debilitating depression for at least a year. This requirement alone makes it a very wise decision to seek medical treatment for your depression. Far too many Americans do not recognize depression as being a legitimate disability worthy disease and neglect taking care of their situation. Are you depressed? Get to the doctor and start an electronic record of your condition.

There must be documentation of the severity of your depression

There are millions of Americans who do not treat their depression and they are totally functional. The same is true of many folks who do treat their depression and are not effected negatively by their condition. They are regular in their work attendance and performance and they suffer no strains in their relationships because of their condition. But there are multitudes of unfortunate souls who despite every effort to treat their condition they are just not functional in the areas mentioned. These inabilities should be documented thoroughly. By now you should understand that "documentation" is one of the most important concepts when trying to get SSI for depression.

Finally, you must have a diagnosis from a licensed psychiatrist.

Most sufferers will initially seek the help of their family doctor or internal medicine practitioner. However, if you feel like your condition may force you to apply for SSI or SSDI then you should seek the treatment and advice of a psychiatrist. These gifted physicians can give you specialized treatment and they are the only ones that the SSA will accept an official diagnosis from.

Is There a Link Between Depression and OCD?

Depression is a mental disorder that puts you in the state of sadness and blues. It is one of the most common diseases that human beings suffer from. People from all over the world suffer from depression every year. It affects all ages, even children are not spared. It can be severe to mild. It is a treatable disease; the treatment of depression depends upon the types of depression one is suffering from. The cause of depression is still unknown, but there are some beliefs that it happens due to chemical imbalances in the brain. Approximately 80% of the depressed people get fully recovered by following the proper treatment method. If not treated or ignored it might put you in huge trouble.

OCD (Obsessive compulsive disorder) is an anxiety disorder. It generally causes unnecessary obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors repeatedly. OCD affects your daily routines. Obsessions and compulsions do not make any sense and people that suffer from OCD do realize it. OCD is not as common as depression. It affects both men and women equally. It generally affects people of the age group 18 to 55. The exact cause of OCD is still not known, but much like depression it has something to do with chemical imbalances in the brain. It is a treatable disease; patents usually get fully recovered from OCD.

OCD symptoms involving obsessions are:

1. Unnecessary thoughts of contamination or dirt by touching any object or shaking hands with people.

2. Repeated thoughts of guilt.

3. Hair loss or baldness, people suffering from obsessions often fund pulling their hairs as a result of which hair loss or baldness occurs.

4. Extreme level of stress when things are not symmetrical.

5. Sufferers avoid shaking hands with people; they feel they will get dirty.

OCD symptoms involving Compulsions:

1. They wash their hands continuously until the skin of their hands turn raw.

2. They also exhibit the signs of extreme worry or fear; they keep on checking the doors to make sure the doors are properly locked.

3. Sufferers repeatedly go to the kitchen and makes sure that stove is off properly.

4. Sufferers exhibit unusual ways to go about simplest things in life. They make life confusing for themselves.

The treatment of OCD should be taken in the administration of the specialist. Various treatment methods are available for the treatment of OCD such as, medication, psychotherapies and the combination of medication and therapy methods.

OCD and depression has a link between each other. The biggest link between OCD and depression is that, people suffering from depression has strong chances to suffer from OCD as well and vice -versa. Person suffering from OCD also exhibits so many symptoms that are associated with depression and those symptoms are: Inability to make decisions, feelings of guilt, anxiety, low self esteem and tiredness. Another thing that establishes link between depression and OCD is the treatment method. Treatment methods used for OCD and depression are almost same. This is due to the strong relationship between the symptoms of depression and OCD.

Depression Fighting Supplements - 4 Top Natural Diets That Remove Depression Symptoms

Depression is a fact of life. No single person can claim that he or she has never become depressed throughout their lives. There may be a few occasions in your life when you feel depression and that is completely normal. It may be the time when you did something wrong and you really regret it so you feel depression or it may be that you are planning to do something or achieve something but still was not able to get it or it may simply be because of too much work that is why you are feeling depressed. Most of the times, it is entirely because of our disappointments and failures in life that we feel depressed and that is because we did not expect that to happen and we are too much expecting of the other way around. That is why we are going to discuss about depression fighting supplements to help you get over this feeling.

Depression fighting supplements can be one of your most valuable assets in life especially if you are one of those few people who really have a mood problem. Even though it is normal that we have our mood swings from time to time, other people tend to be depressed for most of the time and that is not normal. There are identified psychological problems pertaining to depression and this is where depression fighting supplements can be of great help.

We have listed below our 4 top natural supplements that remove symptoms of depression to help you:

1. Acai Berry Supplements - This amazing natural supplement comes from the wonderful acai berry fruit and really helps in our mood swings especially depression.
2. SamE tablets - This brings in positive energy to enhance one's moods hence another effective depression fighting supplement.
3. Fish oils are also said to fight depression so make sure to have this during your episodes of depression.
4. Lastly, the natural depression fighting supplement in our list is Maca which is a native herb from South America and found to uplift mood and promote happy mental activity.

The Dangers of Bipolar Depression

Bipolar disorder is also known as a Manic Depressant. Basically the same symptoms occur with very minor variations. In either case the afflicted is in an extreme case of mood swings and this can become quite dangerous to them. Read on to find out the signs.

There are two common types of this disorder there is the mania and the suppressed mania. The mania is a extreme mood swing which can go either ecstatic or major depressive. The mild mania takes the same directions, but it is not as drastic in range.

This disorder originates in the brain and is named appropriately because the persons moods can swing in either direction. You can either be overly energetic or you can be extremely down and depressed.

What to look for on the upside

• Hyperactive - out of control


• Excessive drinking or use of drugs


• Lack of concentration


• Poor sleep


• Can't control temper

What to look for on the downside

• Sadness


• Fatigue


• Eating problems


• Weight loss/gain


• Lost self-esteem


• Anti-social


• Can't enjoy things


• Thoughts of suicide

As you can see the chemical imbalance that occurs takes a person to extremes in both directions. Either causes damage both physically and mentally.

The risk of drug or alcohol abuse is common. The search for some kind of control by the afflicted causes them to use these things frequently. This of course exacerbates the problem even worse.

Maintaining a quiet environment, resting and diet adjustments are the start to regaining some normality, but that's just the start. There are other steps you must take to get your life back to normal.

In today's world there are many ways to throw your systems out of whack. Stress, foods, water, etc, etc... Cleaning your body of toxins is one of the very first steps to take.

How to Find Relief From Menopause and Depression

For some women who have gone their entire life with no symptoms of depression, it can be a real shock to be in menopause and depression suddenly comes on like a fog. The feelings of despair and frustration can come and go in waves.

On top of that, there is the pain and feelings of guilt that often accompany depression, which only compounds matters. There is a silver lining though! You most certainly can find out how to feel whole, balanced and happy again!

Many women find great success in using a holistic health provider to guide them. This type of depression, known as sub-clinical, is the result of a hormonal imbalance, which is the result of menopause.

It is common knowledge that the hormonal balance in a woman's body is changed during menopause. As a consequence, you might experience any number of the symptoms of menopause: night sweats, hot flashes, mood swings, insomnia, and depression.

Many women are advised to take anti-depressants, such as Prozac, Praxil and Effexor. While this is certainly advisable in the case of clinical depression, it could be a good idea to find our first if your feelings are the result of a hormonal imbalance.

You can quickly find out a lot by taking a free test to determine if you do have a hormonal imbalance, and, if so, to what degree. A good holistic health care provider will also have a similar test you can take.

Clinical depression

This is a serious condition that requires medical attention and possibly anti-depressants. Clinical depression is typically associated with intense feeling of sadness that have no apparent cause. A common cause could be a child leaving home, fatigue from overwork, stress at work, relationship problems, etc.

When the feelings just have no apparent reason, and just will not go away in time, you need to seek medical attention. Once things are normalized, you can begin to approach your overall health from a holistic perspective.

Sub clinical depression

This is caused by the normal trauma of life, such as relationship stress, exhaustion from overwork, stress at home, etc. Sub clinical depression will generally respond quite well to restoring your hormonal balance.

Conclusion

The human body is an amazing creation that is always seeking a state of balance, known as homeostasis. This balance is naturally disturbed during menopause and a holistic approach to health can help you.

Once you learn to read your own personal menopause symptoms, you will know just what to do in order to restore that balance. You will feel happy and whole once again, and menopause and depression will be brought under control.

Signs That Someone You Love Is Depressed

Depression is something that many people face throughout their lives. There are many causes and even more ways in which it can effect an individual. No matter what type of depression someone has, though, they need to seek treatment for it. As someone looking into their world, you may not notice it right away. But, there are some signs and symptoms that can tell you to start paying attention a little better.

Here are some things to watch for in those that you love. If you see any of these things happening to your loved one, encourage them to seek help from a professional to safeguard their health.

o A withdrawal from any activities that they would normally participate in. This usually happens over time and can be something that becomes more and more frequent. Also, a withdrawal from the social scene that they are commonly part of is also a key factor.

o A sudden loss of weight, a loss of appetite, moody behavior and sudden change in life outlook can all be signs of depression especially when they worsen over time.

o Unhappy thoughts and feelings that come through in their everyday life. Not only with withdrawal but often with anger and crying as well.

o You can notice it in the way that they dress and care for their belongings and their feelings for others.

The most noticeable sign that someone is dealing with depression is simply a change in who they are and what they do throughout the course of a few months, weeks or even longer. They will pull back from the things that they enjoy and do and will become more out of the loop.

In any of these cases it is important for you, as their loved one, to help them to seek the help that they need. Depression often times can be treated and it will improve as long as help is sought in a timely fashion.

How to Encourage Someone Who Is Depressed

Countless people experience some kind of depression and after a short period of time, they are able to get over those feelings and thoughts and move on. However, there are those who go through what is known as clinical depression and the negative feelings they experience seem to take much longer to get through. Anyone in contact with a depressed individual may feel at a loss on how to handle their situation.

Learning how to encourage someone who is depressed should begin with realizing that they are not just in some sort of funk or bad mood that they can simply snap out of anytime they want. What they are experiencing can often feel as if they have lost all hope and that their future is bleak. Depression can even lead to feelings of self-hate and might even lead one to entertain thoughts of self-mutilation or suicide. Family and friends who distance themselves from depression sufferers do not help alleviate those negative feelings so forms of encouragement and a reassuring presence are important.

Taking the time to actually get together with the person who is depressed and be the ear that is willing to listen to them and that shoulder need to lean on. More often than not, people going through depression feel as if no one cares and no one has the time or patience to listen to them. Giving advice is important but listening to someone's woes and anxieties is just as vital. It is essential to know how to encourage someone who is depressed and provide them with the support system they need.

One of the best things someone wanting to help a friend or family member experiencing clinical depression is to arm themselves with the right kind of knowledge and information. Reading through books, doing some research on the internet and/or asking people who have undergone depression on how they were able to cope. Going to a professional who can give advice on how to encourage someone who is depressed may also be extremely helpful. All these can help one be better prepared to provide support for someone diagnosed with depression but do not try to play the part of a professional therapist.

Handing the reins over to someone who is better prepared and suited to give medical advice to a depressed individual begins with encouraging them to either find a professional or continue seeing the one they already have. If there are any support groups in the area then help them get the necessary information and give them the confidence to join and participate so that they will see that they are not alone and that others have suffered and are suffering through depression as well. The most important thing is to be there for them every step of the way.

SAD in Alaska: Thinking Outside the Box

In today's high-tech society, it's easy to forget the unbreakable biological bonds between human beings and the natural world. Failing to tend to these connections may cause problems. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a case in point.

A big part of the United States, especially Alaska, may be afflicted with SAD throughout the winter months. "Over 25 percent of the populations in mid to higher latitudes suffer from what is called Seasonal Disorder or SAD," claims Dr. Michael Terman of the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University. He goes on to say, "In fact one in every five persons who lives in Alaska may be affected by SAD." This alarming statistic, from a report by The Alaska Journal of Commerce, is supported by the Alaska Mental Health Association which estimates that 20 percent of Alaska population suffers from the disorder. The prevalence of SAD in Alaska is not surprising giving the lack of sunlight, short days, and low temperatures that tend to significantly limit sunlight exposure.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is often referred to as seasonal depression or the winter blues. Individuals tend to experience the symptoms each year around the same time usually during the fall or winter. SAD has many of the signs of depression. The American Medial Association and the American Psychiatric Association attribute the following possible symptoms to SAD: feeling sad, extreme fatigue, low energy levels, difficulty concentrating, carbohydrate or sugar carvings, weight gain, difficulty waking up, sleep disturbance, social isolation, reduced productivity, and irritability.

Many SAD symptoms are the same for depression. This makes it difficult to assess the difference. Consequently, it's important to seek diagnosis and treatment from a reputable physician. That being said, there is some interesting information that everyone can learn from this disorder. This includes exploring the possibility of elevating one's overall wellbeing with natural lighting.

Lesson 1: The Absence of Natural Light Can Significantly Disrupt Biological Functions

In 1980 the National institute of Mental Health conducted a study that revealed that high-intensity light affects the natural release of melatonin by the pineal gland in the brain. This evidence proved to the scientific world that sunlight does in fact impact human biological functions.

Causes for Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms are not completely known. However, one theory suggests sunlight is necessary for our biological clock. Getting sufficient sunlight may contribute to the proper regulation of hormones, sleep, and moods. Without proper sunlight "signals", biological clocks might not work correctly. Another SAD theory proposes that sunlight has a role in how brain chemicals transmit information between nerves called neurotransmitters (serotonin). The theory suggests that chemicals are released when sunlight hits the retina in our eyes.

In short, when day light is shortened or absent, biological chemical processes can get knocked off kilter. Conversely, when exposed to similar lighting, such as full spectrum natural lighting, balance can be reestablished. If you are feeling "out of sorts" it might just be a matter of getting more natural lighting.

Lesson 2: Natural Light Plays a Vital Role in Overall Health and Wellbeing

The most common and effective treatment for SAD is light therapy, sometimes called phototherapy. This form of therapy usually involves sitting near a light box that emits a bright light, at a close distance, for at least 30 minutes. In general, studies indicate that most patients show some improvement within 2-4 days and realize full benefits within 2 to 4 weeks. If sitting near a light box can have these results, imagine the results of replacing traditional lighting with full spectrum lighting!

Lesson 3: Don't Just Depend on Natural Light from a Box

Why not think outside the box? Full spectrum lighting, such as OttLite technology, mimics sunlight but is not as intense or bright as what is used for most SAD light therapy boxes. However, sufficient evidence suggests that full spectrum light lamps and bulbs do have related benefits. Dr. John Ott pioneered the research and worked for the company that developed the first light therapy units with physicians at John Hopkins School of Medicine to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder. From this has come a unique product line of natural lighting systems that offer great benefits. OttLites help people see better and more clearly with less strain. Also, OttLites carries a line of lamps and bulbs that even allows for growing plants indoors without a drop of sunlight, try that with a SAD light therapy box!

Lesson 4: You Do Not Need SAD to Experience the Benefits of Natural Lighting

For those people living in mid to high latitudes, including Alaska, using OttLite as part of your home lighting system is a sensible idea regardless if someone has been diagnosed with SAD or not. Research suggests that many people unknowingly suffer symptoms from a lack of exposure to natural lighting. In some cases, people have been very surprised by the difference natural lighting can make to their overall sense of wellbeing. Don't believe it, try it for yourself!

Debt Consolidation Quote - Important Things to Know

Economists agree that the current recession is deeper and seems more entrenched than almost any economic downturn since the Great Depression. The recession's recovery not only has been slow, there are disagreements that any recovery is in progress. The toll on American residents and their finances has been severe, leading many to struggle for ways to manage debts that have grown bigger and bigger. Many are getting a debt consolidation quote as a possible solution. Various lending groups provide these kinds of debt consolidation loans. The federal government is deep in red ink and individual citizens are swimming in debt due to the inflated interest on many credit cards, borrowing to survive during periods of unemployment and the money spent on education to try and change career paths. Bankruptcy is one option but not always the best one and the federal bankruptcy laws were tightened in recent years. Debt consolidation may allow struggling Americans to weather the current economic crisis.

Advantages of Consolidation

Fortunately, many individuals struggling with debt are not really as bad off as they think. Their debts are potentially very manageable with just a little knowledge and advice from the right sources. Many individuals continue the same monthly bill-juggling struggle without realizing all their options, or make the wrong choices based on lack of information. One important piece of misinformation is the assumption that debt management agencies charge a fortune for their services, just adding to the debt pile without doing much to solve it. In fact, most debt management companies charge no fee for quotes and information on their debt management plans. Obtaining these quotes is quite simple-a debt consolidation online quote is just a few computer clicks away. No appointments or travel needed and the information is usually available online immediately, providing detailed information regarding programs that can start relieving your debt burden. Starting out online is also a smart move, because you can shop various companies and compare their debt management plans. You can get a good idea of what the costs and potential truly are. With some research you will find options and ideas you had not imagined before.

These debt consolidation quotes can be the first step in not only getting payments and debts in order, but can start the important task of repairing your credit rating and improving your credit worthiness. Using the right credit-debt consolidation loan to avoid bankruptcy will prevent additional adverse reports from appearing on your credit history report. This will help enormously when your finances are finally back under control. You can eventually have good credit and can make other financial moves, like replacing your rent payment with a tax-deductible mortgage payment.

Finding a Debt Consolidation Quote

The depth and breadth of the debt crisis for so many Americans has generated a growth in the number of different entities offering debt consolidation loan quotes or debt management plans. There are lenders who specialize in these loans but many other organizations have stepped in to try and help some of the desperate people they serve, such as religious organizations or other groups you may belong to. Counselors from these groups can help you learn what you are doing wrong, and show how just some smart moves can suddenly make that mountain of debt a very scalable hill. You will better understand your situation--debts versus income--and make any tough decisions necessary to ensure they balance. They can also help you find many ways to save money you might not have been aware of.

Selecting the Best Quote and Plan

There are as many debt consolidation plans as there are companies. There are varied plans offered by each company, providing a wide selection of plans to choose from. This selection can be bewildering, but if you look carefully and consider a few important features of each plan you can choose the right one for you.

Interest Rate Options

The only debt consolidation loan or plan worth considering is one that significantly reduces the interest rate currently being charged on debts. Unless the interest rate is lower, reducing payments and paying off debts faster are problematic. You also need to find out not only exactly what the debt consolidation payment will be but the length of the payment terms--the monthly payment times the number of payments gives a true picture of the total amount of debt being created in the consolidation loan. The company may have unexpected fees that impact the total amount of the debt, the size of the payment or the length of the repayment period.

One of the greatest advantages of using debt consolidation quote providers is their experience dealing with your creditors. Many debtors do not realize how valuable consolidation quote companies can be when dealing with creditors. They usually have developed working relationships with lenders and can help with getting them to agree to lower interest rates, so that the debt can be paid off more quickly at a lower monthly payment.

One good way to judge the professionalism and efficiency of a company is how they treat you as a potential customer. If they provide top-notch customer service, are courteous and prompt in all their dealings, and provide solid answers to your questions, then that probably is how they run their entire operation.

Clutter and Hoarding - Hoarding, Clutter and Depression

Sleepless nights, overeating, and sadness - these are some of the symptoms that a person with depression may experience. Unfortunately, many clutterers and hoarders may have similar symptoms. Life seems so difficult and stressful - what's the hope of making anything better? This article describes five common symptoms of depression and how they relate to cluttering and hoarding. You will also learn about hypnotherapy that can help you release feelings of depression so you can clear the clutter out of your life.

Sleep problems: One significant symptom of depression is a change in a person's sleeping patterns. Someone with feelings of depression usually has problems with too much sleep or insomnia. The sensation of inadequate rest can make a clutterer feel too exhausted to start even small decluttering tasks.

Eating problems: People with feelings of depression often have unbalanced eating habits. They may have a reduced appetite or may overeat. This can dramatically affect a clutterer's energy level and ability to think clearly.

Lack of energy: Feelings of depression are often linked with a lack of energy. They have low motivation, may not be getting restful sleep, and have trouble getting started. Someone facing a mountain of clutter will likely feel too fatigued to make much progress.

Negative/hopeless mood: A more obvious sign of depression is a negative, sad, anxious or even consistently angry mood. Negative emotions often rise from an abundance of negative thoughts and beliefs. A hopeless depressed mood can make even small tasks seem pointless and difficult.

Negative thoughts: Clutterers are often highly critical of themselves, telling themselves how they "should" do things and why they "can't" make it better. This can cause emotional paralysis and significant embarrassment.

If you are feeling some or all of these symptoms, this is a good time to reach out to someone you trust, who is gentle and supportive. You may be affected by depression, which is not something to deal with alone.

Also, consider getting help from one or more professionals. Your medical practitioner can help you improve your general health. Also, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and hypnotherapy have been documented by researchers as being highly effective treatments for depression. A skilled hypnotherapist is someone you can trust to help you release your negative emotions and clear out depression. It's especially helpful to work with professionals who are specialists in clutter and hoarding.

Does Effy Have Psychotic Depression?

In Freddie's "Skins" episode, the fifth of season four, we see him fight hard to save the love of his life. Effy, the most complex and mysterious character of "Skins," is revealed to have some kind of mental illness. The show hints at psychotic depression, Freddie researches it, but it is not confirmed.

The episode starts with Effy and Freddie all loved up, yet we see that Effy is still troubled. When Freddie asks if it's because she's coming down from her high, she replies saying "this is me happy."

According to healthyplace.com, about a quarter of those who are treated for depression in the hospital have psychotic depression. Those who suffer from the illness have depressive symptoms, hallucinations and "irrational thoughts and fears," otherwise known as delusions.

It also states that "risk of bipolar depression, recurring episodes of psychotic depression and suicide are increased after its onset."

Some symptoms listed on the site are anxiety, agitation and insomnia.

There are obvious signs of these symptoms, as well as unusual behaviour throughout the episode and even further back at the beginning of the series.

In the first season, little Effy Stonem is mute until her brother gets hit by a bus. In the following season we see her struggle to depict emotion in her art project for school. This carries into season three when Effy begs to sleep with Freddie so that she could "feel something."

Now in season four, we continue to see Effy drown in drugs in alcohol in attempt to cope with her depression. She confides in Freddie at the park, telling him about her hallucinations and her fear that "they" are coming after her.

"They know now and they're hungry because for as long as I know they've been chasing me and now they're ready. Now they're strong enough to break through and I can't fight them. I used to be able to when I was strong but you've made me weak. And now I can't."

Things get worse when Effy and Freddie get lost in a parade, causing Effy's anxiety to increase.

When Effy is found on the bathroom floor with slit wrists, it is clear that the diagnosis is correct.

Of course this is all too familiar for Freddie, who lost his mom to depression when she committed suicide.

I thought Luke Pasqualino did a good job showing hysteria as Freddie discovers Effy's wrist in a pool of blood, but the real star of the episode was Kaya Scodelario, who did an amazing job portraying Effy's unease and paranoia.

I'm not sure how Effy's condition will be written out in her episode, but I do know that Scodelario won't have any problem displaying her character's emotions to a Freffy-hungry (Freddie and Effy) audience.

3 Effective Ways to Deal With Depression

Depression is not something that can be seen under a microscope, but it is very real. Most people aren't aware of the symptoms and have learned to function in society with it. There are different levels of depression and it's very important that you know which affects you. Depression can affect you socially, mentally, physically and psychologically. If not identified with and handled, it can ultimately be an overwhelming weight on life.

Everyone deals with depression differently but there are 3 effective ways to help you get through it.

1. One of the first ways to deal with this is to identify the symptoms of depression. Depression is not always easily identifiable because a lot of people learn to hide their feelings. Isolation is a symptom of depression. Naturally, there may be times when you want to be alone and is OK. But when you get to a point where you cut people off from communications, this is an indication that you could be suffering from depression. Changes in diet and appetite are also symptoms of depression. Other indications are are changes in attitude, low self-esteem and a feeling of unworthiness.

Everyone has bad days and a lot of people simply believe that when they don't feel good or when they feel down about something, the issue is minor and will eventually work itself out. This is true in some cases, but not all. It's possible to function in society in a depressed state but this is unhealthy. The problem is, others can identify that something is not right with you and they would rather you not be around. Not because they don't like you as a person, but because your depression brings a sadness to the environment and can be felt by others. One day at a time, slowly engage yourself around positive influences to help boost your self-esteem. This will take time and effort on your part, but this can be achieved.

2. Next, admitting that you are depressed will put you on your way to a cure. No one wants to admit depression because it is often seen as weak. Most of us feel like we have the mental capability to successfully deal with our own problems. The twist to this idea is, admittance is a sign of courage and strength. You will realize that once you admit to someone that you have a problem, they will most likely be there to encourage you and help guide you. They will respect the fact that you came forward asked for help. Outsiders often can tell when someone is depressed. It is the depressed person that is the last to know.

3. After identifying symptoms and admitting you have a problem, asking for help is the execution for a cure. You will find that you are not the only person in this state of mind and that there are people that do care. If you make the first step, there will be someone, somewhere that will take the next. People enjoy helping others, but their support is not effective if you don't ask.

If you suffer from depression and have alienated yourself from society, get the help that you need and begin to slowly engaging yourself with others. It may not be easy to join back in with everyone all at once. This will take time. The best thing to do is to take things one day at a time, identify yourself with individuals that have compassion and that can understand what you may be going through. They may not be able to solve your problem but having a support system close to you will help you to believe that you will get through. Communication and support is key.

What Are The Types of Depression?

Almost everyone experiences some form of depression. Simply put, depression elicits feelings of sadness, worthless, and hopelessness. Depressed individuals are often found to have negative views of things around them. Feelings of guilt may also come with depression.

In many cases, depression requires no medical treatment. Individuals feel sad for one reason or another, but the feeling normally goes away after a few days. In some cases, the feeling of sadness can become severe such that it already interferes with one's health and state of mind. Depression of this form has to be properly managed to eliminate or reduce health risks and suicidal tendencies.

Types of Depression

There are at least 10 different types of depression that you need to be aware of:

Major Depression. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, major depression is the type whereby the affected individual is in a state of gloom for most of the day lasting for a couple of weeks at the very least. Common to individuals with this disorder are the following signs and symptoms:

• Lack of interest in doing daily tasks.


• Loss of appetite or overeating


• Weight loss or weight gain


• Insomnia or oversleeping


• Fatigue or lack of energy


• Loss of focus and concentration


• Inability to make decisions


• Suicidal thoughts

Dysthymia. Dysthymia or dysthmic disorder is depression of the chronic type. Individuals with dysthymia are said to be in and out of depression for a period of two years, accompanied by the following signs and symptoms:

• Feelings of hopelessness


• Eating problems (decreased or increased appetite)


• Lack of energy


• Low self-esteem


• Loss of focus and concentration


• Inability to make decisions

Manic Depression (Manic-Depressive Disorder or Bipolar Disorder). Individuals with Manic Depression have manic episodes in one instance and may or may not have depressed episodes. Manic-depressive individuals appear to be highly irritable for a week or so. Their self-esteem is so great that they may feel as if they are the most important people in the world. Individuals with this disorder:

• Have an inflating ego.


• Are hyperactive they may not have the time to sleep anymore.


• Talk nonstop.


• Get distracted easily.


• Have an increased interest in social and work activities.


• Are engaged in risky habits, such as irresponsible sex and shopping beyond one's limits

Seasonal Affective Disorder. Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is major depression that occurs during a specific season, such as fall or winter, for instance.

Post Partum Depression. It typically occurs within a month after giving birth.

Atypical Depression. This type is similar to a major depressive disorder or dysthymia but which comes with a temporary improvement in one's mood after experiencing something nice and beautiful.

Endogenous Depression. It occurs with no apparent reason. One simply feels "out of it".

Situational Depression. This type is brought about by circumstances such as death of a loved one, loss of job or broken relationship. It does not last for more than 6 months.

Psychotic Depression. This kind is major depression than comes with hallucinations and delusions. When somebody who is diagnosed with major depression appears to hear voices, you can be almost certain that person is entering the state of psychotic stage.

Catatonic Depression. It is a subtype of Major Depression characterized by lack of or inappropriate and bizarre voluntary movements. Catatonics meaninglessly repeat movements or words.

Treatment Options

Treatment options will vary greatly depending on the type of depression to be treated. A combination of psychotherapy and medications is usually recommended, and in more severe cases, ECT or shock therapy may be necessary. Treatment will also involve controlling the signs and symptoms to prevent them from posing major health risks.

Depression and Anti Depressants - Do The Drugs Really Work?

If you're suffering from depression you may think about taking some medication to help you cope. Before you decide if this is the right option for you there are a few things you need to know first about Depression and antidepressants. Read on to find out more...

• Depression and Anti Depressants fact 1 The facts: Before you think about taking any form of antidepressant, there are a few thing you need to know. Antidepressants are not a cure, and recent tests now suggest that drugs may not even work. Many of the drugs available have side effects that can have a major affect on your life. A common side effects is increased appetite and weight gain. Antidepressants may also effect your libido, resulting in a loss of sex drive. This commonly affects relationships and can add to the strain already caused by depression.
  
  
  
  


• Depression and Anti Depressants fact 2 - Popular drugs and how they work: Type 1: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI's) more commonly known as Prozac or Seroxat. These are the most widely distributed drugs and work by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain by not allowing it to be reused, which diminishes depressed feelings. Type 2: Tricyclics more commonly know as Tryptizol. These are the second most common type of antidepressants and work in a very similar way. They are not recommended for those with heart or liver problems. Type 3: Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MOAIs) more commonly know as Nardil and Marplan. These were some of the first antidepressants develop and have been available since the 1950's. They are now less widely used because of the side effects they cause such as high blood pressure.
  
  
  
  


• Depression and Anti Depressants fact 3 Questions to ask your doctor: If your doctor prescribes antidepressants, be sure you ask the following questions - Are there any side effects associated with this drug? Will I become addicted to this drug? How long will I have to take them? Will they work straight away?
  
  
  
  


• Depression and Anti Depressants fact 4 coming off medication: It can be difficult to stop taking antidepressants, the first thing you need to do is consult your doctor. You may think it's the right time, but your doctor may not. If you and your doctor decide it is the right time then be sure to do it slowly and gradually reduce your dosage. Never ever go cold turkey - you could wind up back at square one.
  
  
  
  


• Depression and Anti Depressants fact 5 the natural approach: Two of the best natural ways to improve your mood are exercise and sunshine. Take some gentle exercise in the sun each day. Go for a walk, ride your bike or do some gardening, it will all help.

For more information on depression and anti depressants click on the links below.

Men Suffer From Depression Too

Most research shows that women are much more likely than men to suffer from depression, but that doesn't mean that men never have the problem. Depression in men is often overlooked due to the fact that men are very reluctant to let their true emotions show, they think it will make seem like a wimp, rather than the tough guy they think they should be. For the same reason, fewer men suffering from depression will seek treatment. If all of the men who suffer from depression were to step forward, chances are there wouldn't be a lot of difference in the statistics when compared with the number of women who also have depression.

It can be extremely difficult to get most men to talk about their lives and their feelings, and most physicians are aware of that fact, and shy away from any touchy subjects as much as possible. Men often think they should tough their problems out on their own, rather than seek professional treatment. They hold their emotions and feelings inside until they can no longer cope with them, causing even more and more problems for themselves.

Oftentimes, the symptoms of depression that men experience are quite different than those reported by most women sufferers. Depression symptoms experienced by men may seem like any other health complaint, including general muscle and joint pain, extreme fatigue and less energy, insomnia, and appetite changes. Men will often express their feeling through violent emotions, such as anger and physical outbursts. They will often begin to drown their sorrows and problems with alcohol or drugs, rather than admit they have a problem and seek treatment. Due to the symptoms they usually suffer from, men often don't even think about the fact that they may be depressed. They know there is a problem, but they can't say just what it is. If they do talk to a physician, who treats them for depression, they are often shocked to find out that all of their symptoms disappear.

In some scientific research, the link between depression and the hormone testosterone has been questioned. We do know that as men get older, they have less and less testosterone in their system, a common finding in men who are older than fifty years of age. It also seems that the problem may be worsened with excessive alcohol consumption, extreme stress, and being moderately overweight, or obese.

Many doctors who have a male patient that comes in with symptoms which may indicate depression will immediately order a test to determine the level of testosterone in his body. The doctor may also test other hormone levels in the body, and if they come back irregular, he may first try treating the problem with some hormone supplements. If the patient seems to be suffering from deep depression, chances are the problem is not related to hormonal changes, and the physician will probably go ahead and prescribe an antidepressant medication, along with a referral to a mental health professional for therapy.

Treating men with testosterone supplements sounds like an easy fix for depression sufferers around the world, but unfortunately, the supplements can only be taken safely for a short period of time. Testosterone supplements taken on a regular basis have been known to cause prostate problems, including cancer, cardiac disease, liver malfunction, hair loss, or severe headaches. Supplements may also decrease the body's ability to create testosterone on its own, leading to even more problems once the supplement has to be discontinued.
Before taking testosterone supplements, you should be thoroughly evaluated by your physician, and do some research to make sure that you feel the benefits outweigh the risks. Talk to your doctor, and together you can come to the best decision for you.

For men, depression is usually triggered by problems or demotions on the job, loss of physical ability due to health issues, etc. When seeking treatment for depression, men should remember that they are showing incredible strength just by coming forward and admitting that they need help. Men are much more likely to commit suicide if they ignore their depression and fail to seek treatment. So, take steps now to get the help you need, before you make a mistake with your life that cannot be changed.