Stress Management Queries 101: September 2008

Symptoms of Depression and What not to Ignore

Today statistics claim that about one in four adult Americans has some form of depression or another. However one in four adults do not see a doctor to treat the Symptoms of Depression . Far too many ignore the symptoms and the signs and unfortunately in some cases this can lead to tragic consequences. Why is it then that so many ignore even the most obvious signs of depression when help is just a doctor's appointment away?If we explore this a little bit further we can see if some of these things are why people may be ignoring the signs of depession and how you can stop that.

Gender Stigma

Even in our modern, enlightened times men are still sometimes expected to be a particular way when it comes to emotions. They are often told to "buck up" and that it's just not very masculine to worry about your emotions and feelings. This means that many men ignore the Symptoms of Depression because they're afraid of what other men might think. If they are having a hard time coping with feelings of sadness, guilt, low self-esteem, a lack of confidence, and fear, they are usually prone to just swallow these feelings and ignore them. Unfortunately these signs of depression can become very severe and interfere with a man's performance at work, his relationships at home, and with every other part of his life.

Social Stigma

Men and women may assume that if they admit to any signs of depression then they will face social stigma from those around them. This stigma might include anyone at work that comes into contact with their insurance information or friends and family that may hear about their treatment.People tend to think that depression is a weakness of the mind and its something that they personally can control and they also think that other people think that way as well. They may have been raised in a home where signs of depression in others were mocked and ridiculed, or were told that psychiatrists were all "quacks" and that anyone that was depressed simply needed to snap out of it.

Afraid of Treatment

Some also ignore the signs of depression for the same reason they ignore the signs of other healthy problems - they're afraid of what the doctor will tell them.We seem to reason with ourselves that if we ignore a problem it will eventually just go away.Groups of people sharing their childhood history as a therapy option sometimes scares people suffering with depression away from thinking they have the disease.

Whatever the reasons, it's never a good idea to ignore the signs of depression. If left unchecked depression can lead to even more serious problems with one's physical health and personal relationships. Some have even lost their jobs because of the unchecked symptoms. So if you think you have any signs of depression then it's important to talk to your doctor right away.

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How to Live with Depression

Its odd that of people who are diagnosed with depression, more and more of them are diagnosed with clinical depression. Whether it's because doctors are quicker to diagnosis the condition or are becoming more accurate in their diagnosis, or if there is some other reason for the rising numbers of this condition, some believe that up to one in four adults in the U.S. suffer from clinical depression. It's important to remember that there is a difference between other types of sadness such as grief over someone's death or the loss of something else in your life and actual clinical depression, but if you have gotten a diagnosis from a health care professional how can you then deal with this condition?

For one thing it's important to remember that you don't want to give in to the disease no matter how tempting it may be.If someone you know spends all day in bed and has lost the sense of responsibility and caring for oneself and not caring about anything, its possible they may have clinical depression. While these thoughts can be very overwhelming at times, it's a mistake to give in to them. Staying in bed or isolating oneself is only going to make the condition much worse and probably affect those around you. Clinical Depression is much like other conditions or diseases wherein the patient needs to do all they can to work around it rather than give in to it. A person with a broken leg may be tempted to just sit in a chair and never go out anymore, but this won't help them heal and can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. The same with your condition - staying in and isolating oneself only makes it worse. It's also noted that activities like regular exercise, volunteer work, and connecting with friends and family do not actually cure depression but they can help to make you feel better about yourself overall. It's very difficult to force yourself to go out and exercise when you feel as you just want to sleep, or to connect with your family when you feel awful about yourself, but sometimes the things we need to force ourselves to do are often the best things for us.

Another reason it's important to face your Clinical Depression head-on is because this condition often affects friends, family, and your own career. If you stay in bed all day how will this affect your children or your spouse? If you allow yourself to get overwhelmed at work, how will this affect your job performance? It's been said that you don't need to wait until you feel motivated to actually follow through with something, and of course clinical depression often takes away a patient's motivation for anything. But rather than waiting until you "feel like" going to work or you "want" to give your kids attention, it's best to do those things anyway with or without motivation.

Your doctor really knows best in this situation and you should take extra precautions to follow his instructions carefully.Stopping your meds without the permission of your doctor is very serious and can prodcuc tragic results.

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Figuring out the Symptoms of Depression

Being human means that you are going to have bad days and every now and then you are going to feel depressed. But while these things usually go away after some time or can be addressed appropriately, it's important to understand clinical Depression Symptoms so that one can get proper treatment in time. Left unchecked, severe cases of depression can lead to neglect of one's responsibilities, family, career, personal care, and even to suicidal thoughts and tendencies. So what are some common clinical depression symptoms that you need to consider?

First, remember that while everyone gets depressed from time to time, true clinical depression symptoms are chronic and long-lasting. This is more than just having a bad day; true clinical depression lasts for weeks, months, and even one's entire lifetime. Some persons that have a form of depression may find their mood is hypersensitive to weather such as winter, but most with depression feel sad and depressed all the time. Also, while a sad mood can be alleviated by engaging in an enjoyable hobby or even by getting a good night's sleep, true clinical depression is constant and not so easily fixed. A person who has little or no interest in hobbies or other activities that once made them happy should consider if these are depression symptoms. Additionally, sadness or melancholy that is brought on by outside factors, such as a job loss or marital problems, can go away if those problems are fixed. But with clinical depression symptoms, simply removing negative outside factors is not enough to fix the condition or alleviate the symptoms. It's easy to think that a person is depressed because they have a stressful job but someone with true clinical depression is going to feel this way no matter what their job or family life or anything else.

Other Depression Symptoms include a general lack of interest in anything, including one's family, career, and even enjoyable activities and hobbies. This isn't to say that someone with depression symptoms doesn't care about their family or is irresponsible; they simply lack the natural motivation to become involved that other people do.A lot of times you will see a lack of emotion and involvement in their work or families and friends lives. In severe clinical depression symptoms a person may even neglect their own personal care and hygiene. They just simply fail to find enjoyment in anything, including things that once interested them, and so they no longer feel motivated to become involved in those activities.

When any of these depression symptoms become severe or begin to interfere with a person's everyday activities, family life, and especially with their health overall, then it's time for medical intervention. A doctor can recommend not only prescription drugs but also courses of therapy to help a person think more clearly. So if you suspect that you have depression symptoms, especially if they're severe, talk to your doctor at once.

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The Many Causes of Depression

It's true that physical problems including the way the brain regulates "feel good" chemicals is one of the leading Depression Symptoms .Clinical depression is really when your brain is not working right and its release of chemicals is off balance. These chemicals are necessary for a happy mood and when the body doesn't get them, a person will feel sadness no matter what. However, there are other causes of depression that some people may not understand or expect. Let's cover some of them here.

Chemical imbalances are the major causes of depression but depression can be brought on by outside factors as well. For example, some people suffer from what is called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. This is when they have depression during the winter months or when there is much less sunlight outside. Most people prefer a sunny day over a dark and drizzly one, but those with SAD are more sensitive to this situation.Its a lot of darkness and a extreme lack of fresh air that really seem to cause depression in their case. Many of these patients are advised to replace their standard light bulbs with those that mimic outside lights and to be outside as much as possible, even if it's dark and dreary.Sometimes just a quick breath of fresh air and getting outside for a while can really help with depression.

It's also thought that one can learn Depression Symptoms and negative thinking which in turn will lead to clinical depression. It's as if a person is teaching themselves to be depressed and the body will eventually learn to be that way automatically. You might compare it to someone that purposely walks with a limp - they will eventually have a real one! These causes of depression might be pessimistic thinking, a lack of self-esteem, trauma survived such as child abuse, crime, or natural disaster, or severe problems such as job loss, financial setback, poor health, or divorce. A person thinks about these things in a negative and depressive way and soon those thoughts become automatic.Remember that just having a bad day or having minor fluxuations in your mood does not mean you are depressed.

There are probably numerous other causes of depression. Scientists and doctors are learning new things about this condition every single day. As other examples, extreme anxiety can lead a person to depression as the body just shuts down to that heightened state of awareness. Teenagers who have been victims of bullying are often prone to depression. Those who have family members with depression have an increased chance of being diagnosed with it themselves. But with all the causes of depression, doctors are also working hard to find more effective treatment options as well, so don't hesitate to consult with his or her if you think you have clinical depression.

Adolescent Depression: A Growing Dillema

Our children will one day be the leaders, it is therefore imperative that we take a good look at the current realities of modern adolescent depression and make massive efforts to prevent its growth and proliferation amongst our youth.

The pressures of modern living are also having a detrimental effect on our adolescent youth. Take a look at the following statistics and be amazed.

Figures never lie and they are perhaps the best means to highlight certain facts and when they are brought to the notice of the general public leave a lasting impression. It is important to gain the attention of all who want to learn about what the statistics are saying. There are no doubts that statistics are nothing more and nothing less than concrete concepts that have the power to sway even the most skeptical of minds, and it will even show the young generation the true picture with respect to adolescent depression.

Twenty Percent Of Teenagers Are Sufferers

The first thing that will make you sit up and take notice about statistics pertaining to adolescent depression is the news that nearly a fifth of the teenage population in the US has experienced a form of clinical depression, even before having gained full adulthood.

Not only that, but there are about ten to fifteen percents of teenagers that have shown symptoms of adolescent depression and another five percent of the teenage population will have suffered from significant depression.

Secondly, another alarming aspect to adolescent depression is the fact that there is not much social acceptance when it concerns teenagers with such a condition, and what’s worse is the fact that as many as eight percent of teenagers will have experienced the re-occurrence of depression at least once a year. This is alarming because only a mere five percent of the national population suffer from depression.

When a person suffers a bout of adolescent depression it will generally last for about eight months and teenagers are also at risk that the subsequent attack of adolescent depression will strike them within a mere two years and the chances of this happening are about twenty to forty percent, and there is also a seventy percent chance that they will experience another attack of adolescent depression before they have even reached full adulthood.

Thirdly, another feature of adolescent depression is that quite a few teenagers will suffer from attacks of seasonal depression. This form of depression is most likely to strike during the wintertime, it is also found in places where the altitude is on the high side. Even the weather can play a significant part in the onset of seasonal depression, which means that teenagers also need to be aware of these external effects on the state of mind..

Fourthly, other figures related to adolescent depression reveal that dysthymia or a mild form of depression that lasts for a long time will affect about two percent of teenagers and a like percentage of teenagers are also likely to suffer from bipolar depression when they grow older. In fact, it is thought that as many as fifteen percent of teenagers that have suffered from major depression will later on be at risk of developing bipolar depression.

Thus, it is safe to say that adolescent depression will affect teenagers no matter their social background, income level, gender as well as race or even their achievements and that adolescent depression is very common mental health problem affecting teenagers in the US.

When do I know if I have Major Depression

Everyone gets depressed from time to time. And considering the very frightening times we're living in, it's no wonder that more and more people are feeling increased anxiety and what can be called depression. Of course losing your job and facing home foreclosure or just wondering if it's going to happen to you next can make anyone depressed!Have a combination of feelings of anxiousness and being afraid really cannot be called Major Depression as there is usually more to this than those two emotions.

Major Depression is a condition caused when the brain does not properly regulate the production of certain chemicals that are necessary for a good or healthy mood. Outside factors can influence how the brain releases and regulates these chemicals, but in major depression these chemicals are very rarely released and are not released in adequate amounts.

Symptoms of Major Depression

There are many different types of depression, from postpartum depression which of course occurs after a woman has had a baby, as well as bipolar disorder which is marked by wild mood swings of euphoria to near suicidal thoughts, and many other types in between.Being a very severe form of Depression, Major Depression is usually found is someone with extremely low and down moods all of the time. A person with this condition may not necessarily be suicidal but struggles every day just with getting out of bed, and not just on the worst of Mondays but also when they even have something fun and enjoyable planned. Patients with major depression often see no point to any activity, even hobbies they once enjoyed.A lot of times people just disengage with their lives and tend to have no feelings and almost walk around as a zombie. Very often things they would have once taken care of now are ignored, and this might include their own personal care and hygiene.

Coping With Major Depression

It can be very difficult to deal with depression in any form, and the condition often brings with it other emotional distresses such as guilt, panic and anxiety. Others in the family may also be less than supportive, thinking that the patient should just snap out of it and pull themselves together. These things don't make coping with major depression any easier. It's important to recognize the condition as a disease and not something the patient has chosen or enjoys.Its important to remember that this is a disease that has real symptoms but you really don't want to make excuses in your ever day life and hide behind the disease so you don't have to take on normal daily responsibilities."

Some form of medication is also recommended when it comes to major depression. While many shy away from taking medication, remember that it's important to treat this condition as the disease it is. There are also many new options on the market today that are less harsh than choices in the past and that have far fewer side effects than before.

Some Quick Tips for Dealing With Depression

Many people find it overwhelming when Dealing with Depression . This is a condition that affects not only your mental and emotional health but that can take a toll on a patient physically as well.Headaches, sleeping all hours of the day, chronic fatigue, not being able to sleep at all, and tremors are just some of the things that can go along with depression. And while there are some simple things that can help one dealing with depression, the general lack of interest that accompanies this condition usually makes one avoid these treatments in the first place.

But if you're not quite ready to throw in the towel and are looking for some tips when it comes to dealing with depression, we can help. There are many things that a person can do every single day, not necessarily to cure this disease, but to help one manage it and cope with it as well.

The first thing to remember when Coping with Depression is that you may not make it go away. If you keep waking up feeling lethargic and uninterested, this doesn't mean you're failing in your attempts at dealing with depression; this is just part of the disease. It certainly doesn't mean you're necessarily doing anything wrong or should give up quite yet.

Also, bear in mind that you don't want to give in to some of your overwhelming thoughts and feelings when dealing with depression. A general lack of interest for many depression patients means that they sometimes don't even want to get out bed in the morning, much less do they want to spend time with the kids or involve themselves in their old hobbies and interests. Consequently their career, marriage, family life, and friends suffer. Having the strength to do the things you know you need to do even when you just cannot muster up the interest may be one of the most difficult parts of dealing with depression. But keep in mind that this condition affects other people, not just the patient, and this can help to keep one going. Remember that if you stay in bed your children will be neglected, as will your marriage and other family members.Sometimes its best to think about all of those people and friends around you that need you when you start to think about getting help.

Taking care of yourself physically is imperative when dealing with depression. Regular exercise and eating right isn't necessarily going to cure your condition, but if you're sedentary and have a poor diet this will only make things worse. Get out of bed at a decent hour even if you don't feel like it and don't allow yourself to indulge in junk food or sugary snacks, even if they temporarily make you feel better. If your blood sugar spikes or you gain weight, this will only add to your depression.

Really your doctor has a lot of other options for treating depression that you should discuss with him or her. He or she may have other suggestions for you personally.

Postpartum Depression - Is it Real?

There has been much debate over the subject of Postpartum Depression these days, no small part of which are comments made by some that not only can this condition be treated by "vitamins and exercise" but by the fact that some even debate whether the condition actually exists in the first place. If you're a new mom and think that you are experiencing postpartum depression but are afraid of talking to anyone because of what they might say, please keep reading.

The first thing to remember about any case of depression is that there are new facts being learned about it every single day. The more scientists are able to understand about how the body and the brain work together, the more accurate they are in medical diagnoses. Many doctors agree that postpartum depression does exist and is the result of a wide combination of factors. A new mother is facing a surge of female hormones that often trigger emotional episodes, including depression. Many of her body's systems are also maladjusted, and this includes some of the chemicals in the brain that regulate mood. On top of all of these things, postpartum depression may also be caused or aggravated by her lack of sleep from having to get up and take care of the baby several times during the night.Really if you combine all of these things you can see how this can really have an effect on a new mom's health and emotions!

It's thought that some cases of Postpartum Depression are more likely to strike women who are already prone to depression or who have had this condition even before becoming pregnant.The harder time a woman has keeping weight off in her normal lifestyle before her pregnancy then the harder the time she will probably have taking the pregnancy weight off. Having a condition before pregnancy would logically make one more prone to having it after pregnancy, and postpartum depression is no different.

There are also some who believe that many cases of postpartum depression are brought on by several emotional factors, not just physical ones.Sometimes young mothers get hit with the reality that motherhood is very hard and its not a constant state of one happy moment after another. This disappointment can reach the point of depression. Or some who experience postpartum depression have expected the child to solve problems in their life, such as bringing them closer to their spouse, or making up for a lack of self-esteem, and so on. When these things don't happen just automatically with the arrival of the baby, the mother feels angry, guilty, let down, and so on. This too can progress to the point of postpartum depression.

Doctors today are becoming more responsive to the condition and are more aware and alert to what it means and what may legitimately cause it.Your doctor will have plenty of resourses to help you work through this as well as suggestions for support groups with other women whom you can talk with.

Strategies To Cope With Depression

Here are a few tips on how to cope with depression in a relationship.

Depression is a universal phenomenon and quite possibly there is no one on the face of earth who has not gone through the course of depression at least once in his or her lifetime. When someone is in a love relationship, the chances of suffering from depression become higher.

It is very important to know different strategies for coping with depression, otherwise the depressed person may end up making fatal decisions in their life. This article focuses on discussing different strategies in the format of tips with the purpose of educating the readers to cope with episodes of depression in their life.

Build Your Knowledge about Depression

The first and most important thing for coping with depression is to understandall the necessary details about depression, its causes and effects, symptoms and treatments. For that purpose, you may consult with doctors specializing in mental health or you may depend on mental health journals. Apart from that, there are huge resources available on the net which can offer you plenty of information for depression and different strategies for coping with depression.

Learn How To Discern the Difference between Myth and Reality

The next important step for coping with depression is of course to increase your knowledge about the significant differences among myths and reality concerning depression and its different aspects. Many people believe that depression is not a treatable disease; hence there is no question of any specific possible treatments. Some people simply lable it as an experience of ordinary sadness; however, the fact is totally different. In fact, depression is a complex process and if not encountered at early stages, it may get out of hand and even cost lives..

Value Yourself and Your Unique Presence

Sometimes when we are in a relationship, we simply forget to value our own existence and unique identity by putting our family members first, which results in suffering from inevitable depression from identity confusion and identity distortion. You should respect yourself and know how to value your own decision and actions in a rational fashion. Set some time aside for yourself, give yourself a reward as an appreciation of your efforts, While coping with depression, you should first look at yourself from a dignified perspective.

Watch Out the Warning Signs

The behavior of a depressed individual is not the actual behavior. The common behaviors are withdrawn, shy, sullen and angry. Before coping with stress, try to identify the warning signs of depression in you and your partner. Most commonly, a depressed person experiences sudden outbursts of anger. In fact, they actually show their anger to themselves and their own mental state, although seemingly appear towards environment.

Seek Help and Treatment

Depression is a real disease and it is absolutely treatable. Similar to other illnesses, depression may get worse day by day if proper treatment has not been administered on time. There are various self-help groups around the world, who offer their unconditional support to the depressed individuals and help them coping with depression. If you are experiencing episodes of depression, it is better that you should visit these self-help groups. Additionally, you may also consult with doctors and mental health practitioners for possible treatments.

Taking A Look At The Phases Of Crisis Intervention

interventionist

People react in many different ways to a crisis situation. Sometimes, the crisis sets off a cataclysmic series of unanticipated, inexplicable consequences, such as depression, over-eating, under-eating, changes in behavior, sleeplessness, anxiety, the inability to develop strong relationships with others, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, angry outbursts or some other dysfunction. To heal, a crisis intervention is needed. Intervention programs and techniques vary widely. Some people choose to attend one-on-one therapy, while others find strength in group therapy. Resources like self-empowerment seminars, joining organizations to actively take control, or medical intervention services are also accessible.

There are many situations when a crisis intervention is recommended, such as surviving suicide, rape, abuse, surviving a kidnapping, runaways, military discharge, or following the death of a loved one. These intervention services are available not only for the victims but for the loved ones as well. The support net is critical for a person's recovery, although many of us weren't born simply knowing the right things to say or do. An intervention program such as this is helpful in creating that strong foundation of family and friends that will ultimately provide the long-term therapy for the recovering victim.

Dr. David Springer PHD called runaways the "Huck Finn Crisis," meaning that it is often a reaction to problems, rather than a lust for thrill-seeking that drives adolescents to run away from home. It can be extremely painful for family members to have no idea where their child has gone, but it can also be difficult for the runaway teen to come to terms with the emotional problems that prompted the runaway. In some cases, family therapy is needed if the child comes from a broken home. In other cases, drug treatment or a medical intervention may be necessary. Three phases of treatment for runaways are: crisis intervention, assessment and long-term care. The intervention is designed to provide travel assistance to runaways, information, family intervention, counseling sessions, shelter referrals and relays messages between parents and children.

Many victims resist crisis intervention because they fear the unknown or are suffering terrible anxiety. Generally, seeking help is more difficult as more time elapses. The sooner intervention services are sought, the better! Victims can get all the tools they need to overcome the flood of negative emotions they are confronting. Things like coping skills and self esteem building techniques can be lifesavers. Over time, one-on-one counseling will help the victim purge negative misconceptions and feelings of guilt, helplessness or resentment. In its place, they will learn self worth and to set goals, as well as gaining a sense of purpose, spirituality and happiness.

Does Child Depression Exisit and How Does it Happen?

Today there are more and more cases of Depression being reported by doctors and physicians. Whether it's because doctors are becoming more skilled at diagnosing the problem or if there are more cases to report, the bottom line is that any concerned parent should be concerned about the causes of depression in children in order to treat it properly.

Bullying Causes Depression in Children

Bullying has been in the news a lot lately, especially when it happens over the internet. There have always been bullies as long as there have been humans, but for some reason today bullying has reached a point where it is no longer teasing or taking a child's lunch money but has become downright physically dangerous. And with the internet making it so easy for someone to bully another child in front of a large audience, it's no wonder that it's causing more cases of depression in children.

There are a few reasons why bullying would cause Depression .The struggles at school with a group of kids who don't like you and always pick on you can be very painful for children. But on top of that children often feel helpless and trapped where they are. An adult can take action against someone that threatens them but children often just don't know what to do. They may hesitate to approach their parents for fear of being reprimanded or because they're afraid this might make the situation worse. This feeling of helplessness and frustration can also contribute to depression in children when bullying is involved.

Stress and Expectations

Children today are under tremendous amounts of pressure. They may not fully understand the economic system of the world but they seem to be aware of how frightened their parents are for their own jobs and financial health. This puts tremendous stress on them to excel in school when it comes to academics. Being overwhelmed can cause depression in children because they often don't know how to handle that stress and don't know how to put those things in perspective. Parents too can be somewhat guilty in this regard if they have high expectations for their children either for academics or athletics.Children who have parents who are very pushy and extremely forceful often can be depressed because when they fail they take the failure much harder than other children.

Treating Depression in Children

Talking to your family doctor or pediatrician is important if your child has depression.Its good to explore your treatment options because medications are only one of the many treatment options available. He or she can explain things a parent can do to be supportive of their child and things that can be said or done to help them get through this.Whether the child has loving and supportive parents is a big factor in how the child deals with the depression.

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