Depression Hurts!

I suffered from the classic version of depression . I started with bouts of it when I was seventeen, but it wasn?t until my late thirties or early forties that it got so bad that I had to seek help. Over the years doctors prescribed Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, and Wellbutrin.

I got a little relief, but the pills made me so tired all I could do was lay around and then I put on weight, which made me more depressed. So I decided to try a natural approach.

Here are the steps to recover from depression - these are the same steps that I have used:

1) I can?t stress this one enough. Drink WATER, WATER, WATER, and more WATER! Drink approximately half your weight in water in ounces each day. (ex: If you weigh 150 pounds you need to drink 75 ounces of water a day). Your water should be bottled or filtered water.

If you are a soda drinker, cut back, better yet, quit drinking that STUFF! If you are a soda drinker, start using soda as a special treat. When I was growing up in the mountains of West Virginia. We only made it to the grocery store a couple times a month, but when we did go we were allowed to get a bottle of coke. What a treat, and that?s the way it should be. It has no nutritional value and only makes you fat.

Do not and I repeat do not drink diet soda! I have done research on the artificial sweeteners that they use and have found information that artificial sweeteners can cause brain tumors. Soda is a tough one for me, because I love Cocoa Cola, so if I do drink a soda I drink regular. If you are a coffee drinker, drink your one cup in the morning to get you going then no more the rest of the day.

2) Use a natural anti-depressant. I have used prescription anti-depressants and as I said before, I did get a little relief from my symptoms but I gained thirty pounds on the prescription drugs, which made me more depressed because of the weight gain. I gained more weight than when I was pregnant. There are a lot of side effects to consider when you take prescription drugs. I do not want to have to worry about the side effects on top of my illness.

Make sure the ingredients are herbs for depression. I've tried a lot and some work, some don't. Unfortunately I have found there is no magic pill. It's pretty much trial and error, as everyone's body chemistry differs. I take them still and my husband says I'm a whole lot nicer to be around and I have a lot more energy. My spurts of anger and mood swings have all but vanished. Something that my husband is very happy to see gone! He'll even remind me to take them, less I forget!!

3) Use good Multi Vitamin Supplements. Don?t buy these at department stores,but instead buy them from a store that specializes in natural vitamin supplements or online from a reputable company. I buy mine from the company in the above link but there are a lot of good online companies. Just make sure they're natural and have been tested.

4) Other vitamins and supplements that you need are a good fish oil supplement that has your Omega Oils. You can also buy a Flax seed oil that has the omega?s in it.

5) Eat a good healthy diet. I will tell you here to start using as many natural and organic products as possible. All of the chemicals that they put in our food are making us sick. Try to buy meat that is organic or has not been injected with hormones and chemicals. We women are already having to deal with our own unbalanced hormones. We do not need the ones that they give to the cows and other animals in our system making things worse.

Try to get vegetables and fruits that are organic. If you can?t afford organic, buy a fruit and vegetable wash that removes the wax and chemicals from the produce. Try to eat the deep colored fruits and vegetables they have more of the good nutrients in them.

6) Exercise. This is a hard one. When you are depressed, the last thing you have is energy to exercise, but you need to exercise to get your energy back. A catch 22. Start out slowly, even if it is only a ten minute walk or ten minutes on your treadmill. Something is better than nothing.

7) If you are a woman and are near menopause, use a Natural Progesterone Cream. I am 44 and use one. There are a lot of god ones out there but make sure it's natural and not synthetic. I have noticed that my mood swings have subsided and no more hot flashes, but it does take about three months of using the cream to get results.

When you suffer from depression, it is a tremendous battle, but it is one worth fighting. My family had to put up with so much during my severe bouts of it. Depression hurts your relationships. I would get mean and say hurtful things, then cry all the time. I would spend weeks in bed at a time. On my good days I work, read, and do research about depression. I hope that my information will help you. It may take some time, but you will get a handle on it and if you treat it with natural products, a healthy diet, pure water, and exercise, you will be able to keep a handle on it.

Remember, if depression hurts you depression hurts everyone around you!

So please seek depression treatment and help

Diana is a Natural Health Consultant, Weight Loss Specialist, Personal Trainer, Mental Skills Training Specialist and author of the Natural Health and Herbal Remedies website. She has gone thru depression, pms, perimenopause, weight loss issues, anxiety attacks, and more but has learned how to control them through natural approaches.

The Invisible Disease: Depression

Introduction

Depression is a serious medical condition. In contrast to the normal emotional experiences of sadness, loss, or passing mood states, clinical depression is persistent and can interfere significantly with an individual's ability to function. There are three main types of depressive disorders: major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness).

Symptoms and Types of Depression

Symptoms of depression include sad mood, loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed, change in appetite or weight, difficulty sleeping or oversleeping, physical slowing or agitation, energy loss, feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, difficulty thinking or concentrating, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. A diagnosis of major depressive disorder is made if a person has 5 or more of these symptoms and impairment in usual functioning nearly every day during the same two-week period. Major depression often begins between ages 15 to 30 but also can appear in children. 1 Episodes typically recur.

Some people have a chronic but less severe form of depression, called dysthymic disorder, which is diagnosed when depressed mood persists for at least 2 years (1 year in children) and is accompanied by at least 2 other symptoms of depression. Many people with dysthymia develop major depressive episodes.

Episodes of depression also occur in people with bipolar disorder. In this disorder, depression alternates with mania, which is characterized by abnormally and persistently elevated mood or irritability and symptoms including overly-inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, increased talkativeness, racing thoughts, distractibility, physical agitation, and excessive risk taking. Because bipolar disorder requires different treatment than major depressive disorder or dysthymia, obtaining an accurate diagnosis is extremely important.

Facts About Depression

Major depression is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and worldwide. 2 Depressive disorders affect an estimated 9.5 percent of adult Americans ages 18 and over in a given year, 3 or about 18.8 million people in 1998. Nearly twice as many women (12 percent) as men (7 percent) are affected by a depressive disorder each year.

Depression can be devastating to family relationships, friendships, and the ability to work or go to school. Many people still believe that the emotional symptoms caused by depression are not real, and that a person should be able to shake off the symptoms. Because of these inaccurate beliefs, people with depression either may not recognize that they have a treatable disorder or may be discouraged from seeking or staying on treatment due to feelings of shame and stigma. Too often, untreated or inadequately treated depression is associated with suicide.

Treatments

Antidepressant medications are widely used, effective treatments for depression. Existing antidepressants influence the functioning of certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. The newer medications, such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tend to have fewer side effects than the older drugs, which include tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Although both generations of medications are effective in relieving depression, some people will respond to one type of drug, but not another. Other types of antidepressants are now in development.

Certain types of psychotherapy, specifically cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT), have been found helpful for depression. Research indicates that mild to moderate depression often can be treated successfully with either therapy alone; however, severe depression appears more likely to respond to a combination of psychotherapy and medication. 7 More than 80 percent of people with depressive disorders improve when they receive appropriate treatment.

In situations where medication, psychotherapy, and the combination of these interventions prove ineffective, or work too slowly to relieve severe symptoms such as psychosis (e.g., hallucinations, delusional thinking) or suicidality, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be considered. ECT is a highly effective treatment for severe depressive episodes.

The possibility of long-lasting memory problems, although a concern in the past, has been significantly reduced with modern ECT techniques. However, the potential benefits and risks of ECT, and of available alternative interventions, should be carefully reviewed and discussed with individuals considering this treatment and, where appropriate, with family or friends.

One herbal supplement, hypericum or St. John's wort, has been promoted as having antidepressant properties. Results from the first large-scale, controlled study of St. John's wort for major depression, which was funded in part by NIMH, are expected in 2001. Note: There is evidence that St. John's wort can reduce the effectiveness of certain medications. Use of any herbal or natural supplements should always be discussed with your doctor before they are tried.

Research Findings

Brain imaging research is revealing that in depression, neural circuits responsible for moods, thinking, sleep, appetite, and behavior fail to function properly, and that the regulation of critical neurotransmitters is impaired. Genetics research, including studies of twins, indicates that genes play a role in depression. Vulnerability to depression appears to result from the influence of multiple genes acting together with environmental factors.

Other research has shown that stressful life events, particularly in the form of loss such as the death of a close family member, may trigger major depression in susceptible individuals. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the hormonal system that regulates the body's response to stress, is overactive in many people with depression. Research findings suggest that persistent overactivation of this system may lay the groundwork for depression.

Studies of brain chemistry, mechanisms of action of antidepressant medications, and the cognitive distortions and disturbed interpersonal relationships commonly associated with depression, continue to inform the development of new and better treatments.

New Clinical Trials

NIMH is funding two new, large-scale, multi-site clinical trials on treatments for major depression in adults and adolescents. For more information about these studies?the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) project, and the Treatment of Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS)?and others, visit the Clinical Trials page of the NIMH Web site.

For More Information

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Office of Communications and Public Liaison

Public Inquiries: (301) 443-4513

Media Inquiries: (301) 443-4536

E-mail: nimhinfo@nih.gov

Web site: http://www.nimh.nih.gov

About The Author
Arthur Buchanan
President/CEO
Out of Darkness & Into the Light

43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012
Huron Ohio, 44839
www.out-of-darkness.com
www.adhdandme.com
www.biologicalhappiness.com
567-219-0994 (cell)

Don't Lose Sleep Over Insomnia You're Not the Only One and there is a Better Way!

Do you know an estimated 30-50% of the general population is suffering from insomnia? Although insomnia is noticed in all age groups, older adults especially women are more prone for this condition.

Insomnia is not a disease, but it is a symptom. Difficulty in maintaining or initiating sleep or both is termed as insomnia. Most of us have experienced insomnia at least one time or another in our lifetime. Many of us don?t know about the medical and behavioral options available to treat insomnia.

Causes of Insomnia

Causes of Insomnia include psychological problems and physiological conditions. The common psychological problems for insomnia are depression, stress, and anxiety, whereas physiological reasons vary from sleep-wake imbalance, circadian rhythm disorders, to a variety of medical situations.

A pineal gland secretion called melatonin found to be reduced, as you get older. The main function of the melatonin is to help your body regulate your sleep-wake cycles. Low melatonin level also may also lead to insomnia.

Symptoms of insomnia

People suffering from insomnia usually complain of difficulty falling asleep. Mental illness and depression are noticed in the individuals of insomnia. Other symptoms include irritability and impaired social interaction, impaired motor coordination, difficulty in memory, and poor focus and concentration.

Most of us don?t know when to contact our physician for this condition. It is high time to get into your doctor?s clinic if it interferes with your daytime activities such as impaired motor concentration or lasts longer than four weeks.

As we discussed earlier, Insomnia may be a symptom of another psychological or medical problem that requires immediate attention.

Diagnosis of Insomnia

Diagnosis is mainly based on your medical history. The physician will subject you to undergo different tests to rule out physiological illness.

The common tests used to diagnosis insomnia are overnight sleep test (Polysomnogram), a 2-week dairy of your sleep-wake periods, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Actigraphy.

Treatment of insomnia

If you?re suffering from insomnia of medical illness, your treatment will be focused on your underlying condition.

Alternative therapy for insomnia includes limiting time in bed to regular sleep hours, controlling stimulation (evening exercise or caffeine ingestion), and using relaxation therapy.

For the treatment of insomnia medications directed toward a specific sleep-disrupting reason may also be taken into account. Even you can seek the medical advice for short-term use (2-3 weeks) of sleeping pills for chronic insomnia.

Although sedative-hypnotic drugs find no cure for insomnia, it relieves the symptoms of insomnia for short duration. There are certain drugs used for individuals who wake up after initially falling asleep.

Following your doctor?s advice might help you to relieve from the symptom of insomnia as early as possible. Don?t lose your hope if you have not achieved desired results from a single medication because you will have more than one option for treating this condition. You may be required to provide your doctor feedback after you have followed a treatment regimen.

Prevention

You can prevent the occurrence of insomnia by limiting the naps less than 15 minutes during day time, adopting relaxing activity such as reading or listening to soothing music, and avoiding large meals.

Reducing the use of stimulants including nicotine and caffeine, avoiding strenuous exercise before bedtime and excessive fluid intake.

Prognosis

Prognosis from insomnia solely depends on the type of insomnia you are suffering from. Your prognosis is grave if you are suffering from coexisting medical conditions of chronic pain syndromes and heart failure. Insomnia of jet lag will generally clear up within few days on its own.

Charlotte Alice is a professional author for Free SEO Friendly Directory and webmaster for Xsitepro Sites