Coping With Depression - Part 4

By Payo W Perry
One of the most debilitating aspects of depression is how it flavours all of life with a negative feeling. This goes for your opinions, your expectations and even the way you thing about yourself. It also makes it very hard to see a happy future and to find simple hope in life. Others may tell you stupid things such as "Just think positively" which is nonsense and simply doesn't work. You won't replace negative thoughts with positive ones, the trick to replace them with more balanced ones.
A good place to start may be in how you think about yourself. It's easy to be super critical but those opinions are coming from your depression and they are not reality. You need to be smarter than your depression and think outside of yourself. Be clever enough to not simply accept what your thoughts are telling you, instead, question them. A useful exercise, even if you only do it for one day, can be to catch yourself with every negative thought you have and write it down. By the end a day you could be quite shocked over how much is there. When you're finished go through those thoughts and judge if they are really valid or not.
Probably the single most powerful thing of all which you can do for yourself is to associate with more positive people. The power of someone who is a go-getter in life is potent and over time can have a real impact on how you see the world, they can show you how to view life in a totally different perspective and prove to you that it is possible to live in a very different way from what you're used to. The people you associate with can pull you down or life you up. The choice is yours.

Payo W Perry has been contributing quality articles for many years and is an expert online reviewer. Be sure to visit his website for great product reviews and specials deals on a ping golf bag. The site also contains an expert review of ping golf putters

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Coping With Depression - Part 3

By Payo W Perry
One of the most important things about depression is realizing that you have to be extra vigilant in taking care of yourself. You need to make time for things or activities you enjoy, you need to benefit from the loving help of others around you, you need to create healthy habits in your lifestyle and concentrate on generating some fun back into your days.
You obviously can't force yourself to have fun but you can choose to do things which have historically made you happy, just do them and whether or not they make you happy in this moment is actually not that important. Go for any former hobby or activity you once enjoyed and start to do it again, even if it feels like you need to gather up every ounce of energy in your body, do it. Getting out of depression is hard because to succeed you must force yourself to do things you really don't want to. This is a process which has been used by many others and honestly, it's the only way out.
One idea which can get you started is simple exercise. It's probably the last thing you want or feel like doing but that's just further proof of the point. Very reliable studies have shown that regular exercise can do as much for you as an antidepressant. It will raise your energy level and kick start your metabolism. It's such a simple step and will cost you nothing, it can be a vigorous walk around the park or a cycle ride, the main thing is just to get up and begin. You must begin somewhere, sometime, that much is certain.

Payo W Perry has been contributing quality articles for many years and is an expert online reviewer. Be sure to visit his website for great product reviews and specials deals on a ping golf bag. The site also contains an expert review of ping golf drivers

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Coping With Depression - Part 2

By Payo W Perry
It's rarely a good idea to try and beat depression on your own, the proper support from a professional advisor plus benefiting from the camaraderie of others in the same situation as yourself will tip the balance in your favour and make things easier. One this is for sure, beating depression is a long term goal and you're going to need others to help you maintain your will and the motivation to do it. Reaching out for help is hard for most to do when they suffer from depression but I assure you that the loneliness and isolation you'll feel on your own is going to be far worse.
Feeling ashamed about being depressed is normal, it's kind of like you have to admit to a weakness. It doesn't matter if you are going to tell a close friend or family members, it feels embarrassing. Just remember that your loved ones are just that... they love you, don't let your depression convince you that you should be alone. With the support of others your chances of getting past depression will double and they will help to push you out and to do the things which are going to be necessary. It's a known fact that exposure to other people helps to reduce the power depression can hold over you.
Joining a support group is probably one of the best decisions you'll make at this time. There's just something that attracts us to others who are the same, there's a comfort in numbers and if it's your first time coming out you could be very surprised and enlightened by the experience. It's going to go a long way to reducing your feeling of isolation, you'll certainly give and get encouragement in return, you'll get some expert advice on the action you should take and you'll probably make some good friends too.

Payo W Perry has been contributing quality articles for many years and is an expert online reviewer. Be sure to visit his website for great product reviews and specials deals on a ping golf bag. The site also contains an expert review of ping golf irons

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Coping With Depression - Part 1

By Payo W Perry
Depression is a condition which robs you of hope for life and the will to fight so it's little wonder that it can be so hard to take the necessary steps required to pull yourself out of it. The most important thing to realize is that depression is hard to overcome but certainly not impossible. Trying to stand toe to toe with depression and beat it through willpower rarely works, instead the right approach is to fight one little battle at a time and build your success in small steps each day. It takes time but this approach does work and it's especially good if you can call on the support of others around you.
One thing is certain about recovering from depression, it takes action. But action requires energy and when you're depressed that feels like the hardest thing in the world to do, in fact, it feels like the exact opposite of what you want to do. Finding the will to take action is a most important first step to pulling yourself out of your situation. It's kind of a vicious circle in that what can most help you is also what you least want to do.
The key to starting is to do aim for very small things, tiny goals that are achievable today. Write them down and keep a diary of your progress so you can have a written document to look back on when you need to. It's by tiny successes which are achievable each day that most people are able to succeed in pulling themselves out of depression. One thing is for sure, small things add up over time and you'll be quite surprised by the progress you're able to make with this approach. This is how others have succeeded and it's how you will succeed too.

Payo W Perry has been contributing quality articles for many years and is an expert online reviewer. Be sure to visit his website for great product reviews and specials deals on a ping golf bag. The site also contains an expert review of ping golf grips

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5 Myths That Can Make Your Depression Worse

By: Chris Green

A speedy recovery from anxiety and depression is often hampered by a number of harmful myths believed by sufferers and practitioners alike. In believing these myths, anxiety and depression are prolonged so it's absolutely vital you are aware of the following myths so you select the correct treatment and get better quickly.

You may hear fitness gurus promoting exercise as the best way to ease anxiety and depression. Although exercise is great for physical health, it cannot cure anxiety or depression. Lack of exercise has absolutely nothing to do with depression and exercising regularly will not cure you. Indeed, certain exercises - running, treadmills, biking to give just 3 examples - may even fuel depression as they allow you to brood over your problems. Exercises where you have to concentrate, such as tennis, badminton, squash, are more beneficial. Exercise can help, but you also need to treat the root cause of anxiety and depression as well. And if you perform the behaviours that cause anxiety and depression when you stop exercising, exercise won't help you conquer either of these problems.

Another common myth regarding anxiety and depression is the theory that both have their roots in past events, even going back as far as childhood. Repeatedly going over events from the past is a major part of depression, and of course, the past can be a very cruel place to live. But replaying past events is again just one of the symptoms. Therapy that solely focuses on addressing events from the past in a misguided search to attribute the cause of your depression is flawed in two ways: First, one single event from the past will not cause depression or anxiety. Yes, certain events from the past - especially abuse - can cause problems but these problems are not part of anxiety or depression and need specialist counselling. Secondly, replaying events from the past will do nothing whatsoever to help you deal with the problems and circumstances you face here and now. Instead of concentrating on the past, concentrate instead on coping with and solving, the problems and issues you are confronted with at the moment. This will help you far more than digging up the past.

Anxiety and depression are all in the mind. This is another huge myth, mainly believed by people who have never suffered from these problems. There are many other symptoms that are part of anxiety and depression: back ache, muscle cramps, exhaustion, loss of appetite or increase in appetite, sleeplessness, hyper-tension, and loss of sex drive to name but a few. Dismissing anxiety and depression as being "all in the mind" simplifies them and shows a complete lack of understanding about them. All of these symptoms combined make it so very hard for sufferers to do even the simplest of daily tasks and cause so much anguish. If anyone tells you it's "all in your mind" ignore them, they don't know what they're talking about.

For lots of people, an episode of anxiety and depression is often triggered by a traumatic event. For example, a death of a loved one, job loss, a relationship breakdown, these kinds of events. The conclusion is that traumatic events cause severe stress, leading to depression and anxiety. This is completely untrue because no event, no matter how traumatic, can ever cause anxiety or depression. This is easily demonstrated because every one of us will have to deal with traumatic events during our lives. But not every one of us will become anxious or depressed during these times. The reason why this is so lies in the way people are able to make sense of these events. The events themselves cannot cause anxiety or depression.

For people who don't suffer from depressive illnesses, they will more than likely believe that "depression is just a bad dose of the blues. You just have to snap out of it". Of course, every one of us feels the blues at some point in our lives. We may miss out on a promotion, we break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, a good friend lets us down or we feel down because things aren't going our way. Eventually, these feelings pass and we feel happy again. Depression is totally different, much more complicated than feeling the blues and it certainly isn't something you can just snap out of. If someone says this to you, ignore them, they have no idea what you're going through and don't let them get to you.

Ensure you put your knowledge into action by avoiding the above myths and choosing effective treatments for anxiety and depression.

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You can discover more
things you can do for depression and anxiety relief over on our Conquering Stress website.

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The Treatments For Anxiety Disorders in a Nutshell

By Avery Young

Anxiety disorders are a debilitating condition that interferes with a person's day to day life. When confronted with certain situations that others wouldn't be effected by they find it extremely difficult to function. But before getting treatment for an anxiety disorder you first find out if it's an actual anxiety disorder or a different medical condition.

Certain medical conditions or lifestyle choices may mimic an anxiety disorder. For example if you're having problems with your thyroid gland, asthma, or being hypoglycemic can all have effects on your anxiety. Also consuming large amounts of nicotine, alcohol, or even caffeine can mimic the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. So it's paramount that you first seek consultation from a doctor and get the necessary test to confirm that your anxiety isn't a medical condition.

Once it has been established that you don't have a medical condition then it's necessary to seek consultation from a qualified professional who deals with anxiety disorders. Usually your doctor, school counselor, or local university psychology department can refer you to qualified professionals in your area.

Usually treatment will take one of three forms, therapy, medication, or a combination of both.

Therapy usually treats anxiety through exposure therapy and cognitive therapy. Exposure takes the patient through a manageable step by step process to slowly 'expose' the patient to the situations and conditions that cause the anxiety in hopes that the patient will learn to cope by practicing in a safe environment.

Cognitive therapy takes deals with the negative thoughts that are rooted in the anxiety. It also expands the sufferer's knowledge about their own disorder helping the patient supplant the dangerous thoughts with those that don't lead to anxiety.

Medication on the other hand usually deals with the purely biological issues surrounding the patient's anxiety. Usually they are used to limit the symptoms both immediately and longer term and is found extremely helpful in allowing the patient go through the process of therapy. Typically these medications are anti-depressants like prozac, and benzodiazepines which calm the physical symptoms.

Like all prescriptions, there are possible side effects and maybe habit forming. It's important to read up on the medications before taking them and discuss any questions you may have about them with the professional who would be prescribing them.

In addition other treatments may be used to help with recovery. Such as relaxation techniques like meditation, regular exercise, and hypnosis.

Avery Young is an anxiety disorder expert. For more information on anxiety disorder treatment, visit http://www.panicattackonlineguide.com.

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How To Prevent Depression In Teens

By: Steven Ross

This article will deal with the very serious subject of depression in teens. The fact is that each year 4% of all teenagers suffer from a serious depression which will require help from a professional.

While feeling sad is a healthy feeling, prolonged sadness without recovery leads to depression. If your teen is depressed, you will most likely find they will have problems with school work, relationships with friends and family, and engage in potentially harmful actions like drug use and unprotected sex.

The fact is that depression in teens can be treated with the proper resources. Yet, most depression cases in the United States, dealing with teens, go untreated. This is terrible, because if depression goes untreated it will get worse, last longer, and be harder to reverse if treatment does take place.

Bipolar disorder and reactive depression are the two most common forms of depression in teens. Reactive disorder deals with prolonged states of sadness and feelings of unworthiness in teens. Bipolar disorder, once referred to as manic depression, is a depression where the teenager goes through extreme moods of mania and sadness, usually in a short period time.

When evaluating depression in teens, there are certain symptoms you should look for. If your teen cries, but doesn't fill the usual relief associate with crying , and is continually said, this is a critical sign.

Also, if they often express feelings of guilt, for no adequate reason, and their self-esteem is low, that is another sign. Other indicators are frequent indecision, a negative outlook on life, irregular sleep patterns, and high irritability, to name a few.

Communication with a professional or someone they trust, should be the first step the teen needs to make if there are feeling depressed. The options that are available for teens, as far as who they can go to, include their parents, a trusted member of their church, school counselor, a family doctor, and even a professional therapist.

Psychotherapy and/or medication are two methods that are most commonly used in treating depression in teens. Depression in teens is alleviated with psychotherapy by talking about how the teen feels with a trained therapist, while trying to locate the root cause of the depression. Depression can be easily corrected in most cases, because the teen is unaware of their faulty view of understanding reality, which is causing the depression.

When it is needed, as in more severe cases of depression in teens, medication will be considered an option. Medication might in fact be the first step, before progress can be made.

In conclusion, I have given you some facts to consider, relating to depression in teens. Use this information to determine the best course of action for you or your teen today, to make sure there is no unnecessary suffering being caused by depression in your life.

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About the author: Steven Ross is a huge Positive Mental Health enthusiast and can help you with all your depression questions. For Positive Mental Health advice visit his new site at DepressionandAnxietyReport.com This article is available as a unique content article with free reprint rights.

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Depression In Men -- Don't Miss These Critical Symptoms!

By: Steven Ross

Depression can be exhibited by many different symptoms. These symptoms differ from women who are depressed, compared to depression in men. The causes of depression in men will be a focus of this article, as well as some other information you should be aware of.

Because men are different than women, there are special treatments required to help depression in men. The fact of the matter is that most men in general are not open with their problems, because they feel they need to be seen as the "strong male". In addition, there is a variety of causes of depression in men related to sexual circumstances.

It is important then, because of these unique situations, that men better understand how depression impacts them. Consider the fact that only two out of 10 suicides that take place in the United States are committed by women, while the other eight are committed by men. A man in the middle of his life is three times more likely to commit suicide, and a man who is reaching the age retirement is seven times more likely.

Professional help is never sought by seven out of 10 males who suffer from depression. I'm sure that the high suicide rate among men can be contributed to this fact. But there is an 85% satisfaction report from the 30% of men who do seek professional help to get relief from their symptoms of depression.

The symptoms with which men display depression are also different than women. Typically, a woman who suffers from depression will blame herself, while a man will blame others. Also, women will try to avoid conflict at all cost, while men will actively seek to create them.

You must be aware of these distinctions between men and women. If you can understand the difference relating to depression in men compared to women, you can better evaluate your own symptoms of depression in your life.

If you are male, it is important for you to take a heightened perception of depression, because most men are not aware of when they're depressed. If you're a female who is distressed because there is a male in your life who is depressed, it is important for you to encourage them to seek help.

Depression in men can be treated with a number of different ways. Alterations in diet and exercise, as well as the ability to accept and love themselves and create a sense of purpose in life, are typically ways of achieving this goal.

There are variety of options for different forms of treatment, when dealing with depression in men. These can start with medication prescriptions in combination with psychotherapy. There are also more intensive options, such as group therapy and special depression programs available.

To sum it up, depression in men revolves around certain circumstances. Use this guide to help determine the effects of depression in men, and how it may affect you.

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About the Author:
Author Steven Ross is a long-time Positive Mental Health enthusiast and can help you with all your depression questions. For Positive Mental Health advice hurry over to his new site at DepressionandAnxietyReport.com Click here to get your own unique version of this article.

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Atypical Depression - Causes And Symptoms

By: Juliet

Atypical Depression is a subtype of Major Depression characterized by mood reactivity being able to experience improved mood in response to positive events. They'll feel deeply depressed or somewhat hopeful depending on the latest situation they are faced with. Their mood will brighten considerably when dining out with friends or enjoying a good movie. But when they are alone, their mood will slip back into the dark depths of depression. Atypical depression is a variation of depression that is slightly different from major depression. The sufferer is sometimes able to experience happiness and moments of elation. Symptoms of atypical depression include fatigue, oversleeping, overeating and weight gain. Those who suffer from atypical depression should know that they are not alone and that there is a viable support network and a number of treatment choices to aid in their struggle. Episodes of atypical depression can last for months or a sufferer may live with it forever.

In addition to the core symptoms of depression, atypical depression is defined by the ability to feel better temporarily in response to a positive life event, plus any two of the following criteria: excessive sleep, overeating, a feeling of heaviness in the limbs and a sensitivity to rejection . Despite its name, "atypical" depression is actually the most common subtype of depression up to 40% of the depressed population may be classified as having atypical depression. In addition, some research suggests that an older class of drugs, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), may be more effective in treating atypical depression than newer drugs, including tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, research continues to try to define this more clearly. Atypical depression is more common in women than in men. The exact cause of depression isn't clear. But genetics and environmental factors play a role. If you are concerned that you or someone you know has atypical depression, seek help from a mental health professional.

Causes of Atypical Depression

1. Certain medications, including those for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or irregular heartbeat.

2. Sleep disturbances.

3. Amount of exposure to light.

4. Heredity.

5. Chronic stress (such as from loss, abuse, or deprivation in early childhood).

6. Nutritional deficiencies.

7. Family history of depression.

8. History of abuse (such as mental, physical, or sexual) .

9. Current or past alcohol or drug abuse25% of people with addictions have depression.

Symptoms of Atypical Depression

1. Female sex was associated with all of the atypical symptoms except rejection sensitivity.

2. A duration of illness of greater than 3 months was positively associated with hyperphagia, leaden paralysis, and rejection sensitivity.

3. Fatigue and loss of energy.

4. Feelings of hopelessness.

5. Extreme difficulty concentrating.

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About the Author:
Juliet Cohen writes articles for health doctor. She also writes articles for depression treatment and cancer treatment.

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Nervousness - Its Causes And Cures

By: Alan B. Densky, CH

Although many people tend to use the words "stress" and "anxiety" interchangeably, they are in fact two separate conditions. Stress is a response to a stimulus, which can be external or internal. You may experience stress because you are frustrated with something (like waiting in line behind a slow person) or when you worry that you will not meet expectations (such as missing a deadline).

Anxiety, on the other hand, is a feeling of fear and nervousness or even dread. It can be caused by negative thoughts and expectations, or as a response to stress. You may feel anxious all of the time and not understand why, or your worry may be a response to something you are nervous about, like an upcoming business trip.

Abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain may cause generalized anxiety. Some studies show that anxiety can be brought on by genetics. In addition, anxiety can stem from environmental conditions, as when a child whose father or mother is often anxious learns to be an anxious person by observing the parent. But frequently, the core cause of anxiety is simply the thoughts in a person's mind!

Anxiety and stress are subjective conditions. Different people may experience stress during different situations, and different people may react to their anxiousness in extremely different ways. Symptoms of anxiety can range from the mild, such as tense muscles and sweaty hands, to the severe, such as irregular heartbeat, vomiting, and anxiety attacks.

Everyone feels some amount of anxiety from time to time. We have all felt the dry mouth and vague sense of dread before a test or public speaking engagement. But when does it become damaging to your health? Research has revealed that prolonged anxiety can make us vulnerable to sleep disorders, high blood pressure, depression, and relationship problems

For sufferers of chronic untreated anxiety, there can be negative health consequences that have yet to be explored fully. Some studies have found a link between chronic anxiety and a number of serious health conditions including heart disease, thyroid disease, arthritis, cancer, and respiratory illness. Chronically anxious people may even be more likely to suffer a fatal cardiac attack.

If you experience what seems like an overwhelmingly high amount of anxiety relative to the situation, or if you feel anxious nearly every day, you may actually have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are chronic conditions characterized by a person's inability to function normally because of constant anxiety. Anxiety disorders are serious conditions that should be treated to reduce the risk of long-term negative health effects.

Anxiety treatment has long been the subject of much debate in the medical community. Some medical professionals feel that medication is the best treatment for chronic anxiety. However, anti-anxiety medications often have side effects that are just as bad or even worse than the initial condition.

There are many natural ways to handle negative emotional reactions. Exercise is one that is often overlooked by anxious people, but it is very effective. Exercise causes your body to release endorphins, which are natural mood-boosting and pain-killing chemicals. With regular aerobic exercise, you may begin to feel a decrease in negative emotional reactions to situations that would have previously made you extremely anxious.

The best way to cope with worry and tension is to control it from the inside out. Stress management and stress relief techniques are very valuable tools in managing day-to-day stress. These techniques can teach you to relax yourself and let the tension leave your body. You make a conscious effort to slow your breathing, release the worry, and remain in a calm state of mind. Meditation is a form of tension management in which you practice mindful relaxation and deep, calm breathing.

However, if you are searching for a proactive method to relieve yourself of anxiety, hypnosis is by far the most effective treatment option. When an individual undergoes hypnosis, their reactions and emotional responses to events are changed at the core. This allows them to cope with anxiety-inducing triggers without the typical fear and nervousness.

Hypnosis is often performed by a licensed hypnotherapist in a series of regular treatments. More commonly today, hypnosis takes the form of self hypnosis

programs which are available in the form of MP3s, CDs, or DVDs for individual home usage. No special skills are required to practice self hypnosis. All you need is a device to play the hypnosis program and a quiet place where you can relax and listen.

Another very successful method of anxiety treatment is Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP. NLP is a form of therapy that can help you retrain yourself to naturally react to situations in a more positive way. You can consciously decide to stay calm instead of feeling anxious, and consequently, you always have control over your own feelings.

It is evident that it is very important to control our negative emotional responses in order to stay healthy. Learning to cope with fear and nervousness can even extend your life. To treat long-term anxiety, the best course of action is to use hypnosis to change your reactions and attitudes from within. Then, it becomes easy to use stress management techniques as needed to remain calm in everyday situations.

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Alan B. Densky, CH has been in practice over 30 years. His Neuro-VISION self hypnosis website carries a broad range of stress elimination hypnotherapy CDs, and advanced anxiety management CDs Visit his site for the Free self hypnosis blog, and download a free MP3.

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Tips For Combating Stress

By: Dimi Petrova

Stress is a natural response to any stimuli that affects our normal state of mind. While some amount of stress is normal, even beneficial, extreme or prolonged stress can be the root of many physical and emotional conditions including anxiety, depression, elevated blood pressure and eating or sleeping disorders.

Perhaps the best definition of stress comes from this unknown philosopher who once said Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven't fallen asleep yet.

And while that definition might be stretching it a bit for some, for many people it comes close to the truth, according to Alix Needham B.ED Adv Dip E Hyp NLP, who is credited with pioneering the concept of Lifestyle Management over 15 years ago.

Alix, specialist advisor on stress to the NCH, has spent an enormous amount of time studying the causes of stress and the effect that stress has on our lives. Her clients include people from all walks of life who are struggling under the physical and emotional burdens of living a stressful life.

Different situations can trigger stress in different people, and not everyone experiences the same symptoms. What makes stress even more difficult to diagnose is the fact that it shares the symptoms of many other disorders and diseases. Thats why it is important to seek medical advice first if you are experiencing any of the following physical symptoms either alone or in tandem with others:

* Trouble Sleeping
* Chronic Pain in the Back, Shoulder Or Neck
* Frequent Tension Or Migraine Headaches
* Frequent Upset Or Acid Stomach
* Heartburn, Gas, or Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
* Unexplained Cramps
* Frequent Constipation or Diarrhea
* Unexplained Weight Gain Or Loss
* Eating Disorders
* Unexplained Hair Loss
* Excessive Muscle Tension
* Unexplained Fatigue
* High Blood Pressure

* Irregular Heartbeat
* Chronic Asthma
* Frequent Shortness of Breath
* Mild or Severe Chest Pain
* Unexplained Sweaty Palms Or Hands
* Chronic Cold Hands Or Feet
* Excessive Skin Problems
* Tooth or Jaw Pain

Stress can also create a number of emotional responses including:

* Nervousness, Anxiety, Panic
* Depression or Moodiness
* Butterflies in the Stomach
* Irritability, Frustration, Unexplained Anger
* Memory Problems and Lack Of Concentration

* Difficulty Thinking Clearly
* Feeling of Being Out Of Control
* Phobias
* Overreaction to Common Situations

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, and your doctor has ruled out any medical conditions, theres a good chance that youre suffering from stress.

Stress is a common reaction to lifes problems, and an occasional bout of short-lived stress is usually nothing to be concerned about according to Alix. Everyone suffers through stressful situations throughout life. The important issue is that youre able to distinguish between temporary stress that is related to a specific occurrence or event in your life, and chronic stress which does not go away all by itself.

Chronic stress almost always leads to health-related problems as well as creating the opportunity to spiral down into depression. Stress also impacts relationships with family, friends and co-workers. Left unresolved, stress can lead to heart attack or stroke and can even result in suicide in extreme cases. More typically, many medical conditions can be brought on by stress as it has a tendency to repress our immune system leaving us more susceptible to common colds, flu and other infections.

Alix advises anyone who believes that they are suffering from stress to seek help at once. She believes that the average person can learn how to control their stress without resorting to prescription medicine or psychiatric treatment. In fact, she has a list of stress-controlling solutions on her web site that she recommends that all of her clients work thorough before thinking about scheduling an appointment to visit with her for more in-depth stress treatment.

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Hypnotherapy London, Lifestyle Management, counselling and life coaching from Alix Needham. She runs a successful practice in Central London using her unique skills and expertise to help people improve their relationships and lead more fulfilling lives. Her hands on approach has given her a prominent media profile on TV, radio, and in the national press.

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Role Of Sauna As A Major Stress Reliever

By: LesleyLyon

A sauna is a small room specially designed to experience wet or dry heat sessions. This has been derived from the Finnish. Finnish Sauna is a part of the Finnish culture. For Finnish people it is a place to spend time with family and friends and they also use sauna as a place for body and mind relaxation. They don't think sauna as a luxury, but as essential. The word sauna is a Finnish word, it refers to traditional Finnish bath and it is meant to describe a hot or moist environment. The people use sauna as a social affair, where people participate in it and temperature set will be over eighty degree centigrade. This helps them in relaxing.

The Finnish used the sauna to cleanse, revitalize or refresh body and mind on daily basis. When the Finns migrated to other places in the world, they introduced their sauna designs and health benefits to others. This helped in development of sauna and this became very popular in recent decades. Many physical education centers, gyms, private and public swimming pools have started including sauna facility. A sauna has different temperature for different seating levels. The temperature will be hotter in higher level bench and moderate in lower level bench. Keeping the sauna door open slightly even or for a few seconds will reduce the temperature and make the place cool. So the door must be closed properly.

Saunas help in stress relief. This is done in two ways, the first one is the natural relaxation experienced at the time of using sauna. The second one that it helps reduce the level of creation of chemicals in the body to keep the stress at bay.

The toxin leaves the skin through the pores while sweating. This happens when the heat is more or less but the sweating is more.

Sauna helps in reducing the body weight. As the sweating is more automatically the body weight will reduce compared to other exercises which help to burn unnecessary fat.

People with some skin problems like acne, skin irritations, scrapes, cuts etc benefits by spending time in the sauna. Due to increase in blood flow, more oxygen and nutrients help to refresh the skin.

When a person is sick or suffering from fever, his body begins to produce white blood cells to fight the sickness. Same course of action will happen; when a person spends his time in a sauna as the body temperature increases.

It provides relief to people who suffer from asthma and chronic bronchitis and also helps to improve joint mobility. It is effective for appetite loss and mild depression. It also helps to produce the hormones in men and boost the production of oestrogen in women. Thus usage of sauna benefits in many ways to all human beings.

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Read more on http://www.saunashome.info which is a comprehensive resource guide on saunas and spas. http://www.infraredspa.info is a complete online guide on infrared spa.

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Young Adults And Mental Illness-what Are The Warning Signs?

By: TiCraig Elliott

Mental illness is not just an affliction that you are born with; mental illnesses can develop over time, whether as something that was predestined to occur or as an illness that develops over time. While some mental illnesses are certainly not generally found in young people, like Alzheimer's disease, others such as depression can strike as early as childhood and mental illnesses like ADHD, though over diagnosed, does affect many children and adults.

Young adults can suffer from a wide range of mental illnesses, and are more commonly afflicted for the first time than any other age group because of their rapidly developing brains and the many new circumstances to which they are exposed to during their late teens and early twenties. Young adults are not necessarily particularly vulnerable; however, whatever mental illnesses they were possibly born with are more likely to come out of dormancy at this point in their lives.

Schizophrenia is one mental illness that often strikes for the first time in young adults. Individuals may suffer moodiness or paranoia, which can both be potentially recognized by a loved one and reported to the individual's physician. Other warning signs might include the young adult hearing voices or seeing things that are not there. Schizophrenic individuals may also experience apathy or lack of emotions and might become worse at social functions. They may also begin to have trouble concentrating or following directions and completing tasks, and their memories might suffer. Schizophrenic patients also almost always begin feeling depressed before their symptoms degenerate.

Depression is another mental illness that is very common in young adults. It is characterized by feelings of extreme helplessness, hopelessness, and is not nearly the same thing as "feeling blue" or being "down". Depression is a serious mental condition that affects millions of Americans, and can cause suicidal thoughts as well as over, or under-eating, over, or under-sleeping, and a change in moods. Depression is not something that people can just "get over" or "snap out of", and may in fact require medication or therapy or a combination of both before the individual begins to see a lifting of their symptoms. The symptoms of depression can come and go, and are similar but slightly different from the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic depression, can be managed with medication. It is characterized with intense manic or "high" periods in which the individual becomes overly enthusiastic or optimistic and may begin tasks or plans that are not feasible. These high periods are followed by crashes and intense "lows", which can involve sleeping all day, feeling hopeless, suicide attempts, and other symptoms shared with depression.

ADHD is more of a disorder than a disease as it does not often seriously impair a young adult's ability to function normally in society, however it is possible for a young adult to have ADHD that does affect their ability to hold a job or otherwise function individually. This disorder often involves an inability to focus, being easily distracted, and similar kinds of symptoms. It may be made apparent in forgetfulness that is almost chronic or in an inability to hold still, and also with a hyper-focus on certain activities.

The diagnosis of a mental illness should be left to medical professionals; however it is often up to the family and loved ones of the affected young adult to recognize the symptoms before the individual can get treatment. Many mentally ill individuals do not know that they are suffering, or do not wish for various reasons related to their illness to seek treatment on their own.

People who love anyone affected by the above mentioned mental illnesses and by other mental illnesses should make a list of the specific symptoms that they see so that they can present these symptoms to a mental health specialist. Symptoms that you should look out for include changes in sleeping and eating patters, weight gain or loss, changes in personality, an inability to function normally, paranoia, aggression, and other unusual behavior. Even a feeling that something is "off" with a loved one might warrant extra attention or even investigation to help them get help with their mental illness.

No matter what symptoms are displayed, no diagnosis can be made until the individual who is suffering is taken to a doctor. A person taken to the hospital by police is likely to be treated and released quickly without enough attention paid to their actual needs. It is up to the family and loved ones of young adults affected by mental illness to get them help.

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About Author:

Craig Elliott is a freelance writer who writes about mental health topics including Depression Treatment | Depression Anxiety

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Zanaprin Stress And Anxiety Relief For Everyday Life

By: Katy Did

Types of Personal Strain Affecting Our Population

Everyone has fears and anxieties they reach throughout the day. However, individuals who suffer from anxiety disorders feel helpless to their frantic fears and anxieties. Even if they believe that their anxiety and suffering is unwarranted they still feel trapped and insubstantial over their anxiety. Anxiety signs and symptoms are individual from person to person and can both be physical and emotional. Physical characteristics of anxiety and stress present with severe headaches, stomach pain and uneasiness, and can even be felt as persistent and horrible pains in the lower back and other areas of the body.
There are various types of anxiety, generalized, social, and panic to name a few, that people suffer from on a daily basis. Anxiety disorder numbers show that Social Anxiety Disorder is the most typical example of anxiety disorder and the least understood. Anxiety disorder statistics show that Social Anxiety disorder affects eight percent of society. Social anxiety disorder, however, can be distinguished from other common anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder, by the situations and thoughts that trigger anxiety symptoms. People with generalized anxiety are mad with worry exceedingly throughout the day about multiple occurances and situations, but the worry is not specific to social approval. Social anxiety is a problem characterized by the emotions of disgrace, disfavour and embarrassment.
Social anxiety is an discernment of fear, apprehension or concern regarding social situations and being evaluated by others. People vary in how repeatedly they experience anxiety in this way or in which kinds of situations. Social anxiety is far more intense than shyness, and can keep you from functioning in average life. People obscured with social anxiety want to interact with others, but are controlled with fear. Social anxiety disorders and social phobias take assorted shapes and forms. And the variety of social triggers for a honest social anxiety problem can be quite diverse.
Social anxiety is very common in people who also have severe mood swings. They can go through periods of time where they are very socially brave; and other periods where they feel extreme anxiety symptoms even thinking about meeting someone new. Social anxiety physical symptoms may interfere with success or completion of school, meeting new friends or relationships, and employment. Nonetheless, many individuals suffer with social phobia for many years without a diagnosis or plan. Social Anxiety involves intense, irrational fears of specific anxiety-provoking situations, and regular compulsive evasion of those situations.
Generalized anxiety usually does not control people to evade situations, and there isn't an causation of a "panic attack" involved in the prognosis, either. It's the postulation, thinking, thinking, dwelling, dwelling, ruminating, ruminating, and inability to shut the mind off that so incapacitates the existence. Generalized anxiety disorder is often accompanied by other problems, such as depression, substance abuse, and other anxiety disorders.
Generalized anxiety disorder affects persons of all ages, even children and teenagers. Anxiety disorder statistics show that girls are twice as likely as boys to experience generalized anxiety. Generalized anxiety disorder is a condition characterized by chronic anxiety, worry, and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it. Generalized anxiety physical symptoms include trembling, headaches, and irritability. Generalized anxiety is constant and can create anxiety / panic attacks during the day and night. Night time anxiety and panic attacks are especially disturbing and can often wake the innocent from deep sleep feeling particularly frightened.
people find it hard to keep fears and worried thoughts from interfering with their regular lives. Individuals often contemplate and preoccupy themselves over routine circumstances around their jobs, finances, their health as well as the health of their families. Individuals with Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) also perceive other physical symptoms during worry, such as muscle tension, trouble sleeping (falling asleep or staying asleep), difficulty concentrating, irritability, and feeling easily fatigued. Anxiety disorder numbers indicate that approximately 6% of Americans will develop criteria for GAD over the lifetime.
GAD is associated with uncommon levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that carry signals across nerve endings. GAD is about chronic, allconsuming worry over events that are unlikely to occur. They may worry about finances just because a bill arrives in the mail, or health because they saw a news report on heart attacks. GAD usually affects the body as well as the mind. Its symptoms are characteristic of sharp, exaggerated worry, restlessness, and fatigue as well as irritability, trouble concentrating, and sleeplessness.
Panic Anxiety Disorder is typically characterized by sudden and severe episodes and it is a familiar medical disorder. Panic anxiety disorder is a senseless disease that can affect anybody and at any time. When you identify yourself in undesired situations, your body's natural response will be to panic. Panic anxiety disorder is characterized by repeatitive, unprovoked attacks of fright, accompanied by physical symptoms, including chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness, and sweating. A panic attack can resemble a heart attack, and often the intense event of the duress is when you are rushed to the emergency room with chest trouble.
Panic attacks occur on in wave like formations. An event often leads into another, creating a vicious cycle of hindrance that may seem unlikely to letupout of. Panic is a sudden event of extreme anxiety. The most common anxiety physical symptoms are heart palpitations, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath and a feeling of suffocating. Panic, for example, does not respond to techniques and strategies aimed at reducing and dealing with everyday worry. Panic and phobias are ways in which anxiety can also affect people.
These types of anxiety are invalidating to many areas of life. Strikingly many of these disorders can't be treated with positive thinking or calm thoughts because they involve imbalance in the neurotransmitters in the mind. Finding aid can only begin when you decide it's time to stop letting problems and stress influence your life and regain charge and control of your mental health and wellbeing.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

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Thank you for taking time to review this information on anxiety and stress. Please include a link to our site if using any portion of this work on your site including RSS feeds. This Original Article and any variations are owned by Executive Image International c.2009 No Prescription Needed to Stop Your Stress and Anxiety

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3 Forms Of Childhood Anxiety

By: Karen Larsen

Many adults have a hard time believing that a child can experience anxiety. After all, what does a child have to worry about? He's fed, clothed, given toys to play with and generally shouldn't have a care in the world. Nevertheless, every day, millions of children across the U.S. are silently suffering from anxiety.

Anxiety disorder is a condition characterized by feelings of apprehension or extreme anxiety. It can manifest itself physically by sweating, accelerate heart rate or palpitations, hyper-ventilation, and a host of other symptoms.

Many parents think that this is just a phase and that their child will eventually grow out of it. If, however, this is a true case of anxiety disorder, ignoring it will probably only make the problem worse.

It's estimated that some sort of childhood anxiety disorder affects up to 10% of school age kids.

Probably the most common type of childhood anxiety is separation anxiety. Separation anxiety occurs when the child experiences severe anxiety when their primary caregiver, usually their mom or dad, leaves them with another person. Separation anxiety usually occurs between the ages of 12 to 28 months - but it can occur or re-occur later. If you've just moved to a new neighborhood or town or if you have recently been through a divorce, separation anxiety can be triggered in the child even if he's never experienced it before. Even though not all children experience separation anxiety, it is a normal part of growing up. If your kid is over five years old and still having episodes of separation anxiety, you may need to take him to see a counselor or psychologist.

Social anxiety is another type of anxiety that many children face, especially kids that are shy, awkward, or have some sort of speech impediment. Children can be very cruel to other kids - often unintentionally. And no kid likes to be embarrassed or made fun of. If a kid is the constant target of bullying or teasing, he may become anxious at the mere thought of interacting with other kids. Social anxiety usually begins in the teen years, but it can start in early childhood as well. About 10% of adults in the U.S. have some form of social anxiety - which includes stage fright and public speaking. There is no one size fits all cure for social phobia. Most adults that have it never get over it.

Many children suffer from generalized panic attacks. In other words, there is no explicit event or action that triggers the attack, it just happens. This kind of anxiety disorder can be the most paralyzing of all for a kid because they don't know what's causing it and have no idea how to stop it. Childhood panic attacks can have lifetime consequences if not treated. They can interfere with a child's ability to make friendships and try new experiences. If your child is experiencing panic attacks, you should take him to see a child psychiatrist. Panic attacks may be so severe that the only course of action may be prescription medicine.

When someone mentions anxiety disorder, it's rare that a picture of a child enters their mind. But many kids experience some form of anxiety every day and desperately need for some adult somewhere to acknowledge it and help them deal with it.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Karen Larsen writes articles on anxiety disorders, symptoms, treatments, including how to treat anxiety disorders in children. You can find more of her articles at www.anxietyinamerica.com .

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Treating Recurring Melancholy With Hypnosis

By: Alan B. Densky, CH

Do you worry that your case of seasonal sadness is lasting longer, or is more severe than normal? How do you know whether this is just a short-lived issue, or whether you might have an actual condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? Ought you to look for medical help? Learn about the signs of SAD, how this problem affects sufferers, and those treatments that are available.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is not just experiencing sadness after summer has gone. This condition begins in autumn, when the season moves toward winter and daylight hours are shortened. For most people, symptoms typically appear sometime during late summer or early fall. Moreover, because of the severity and consequences of SAD and other types of depression, doctors need extensive evidence of the condition before they are willing to make a definite diagnosis. Despite the fact that signs may be very serious, doctors almost never diagnose a person with SAD until after he or she demonstrates symptoms for a minimum of three winters in a row.

People who experience SAD begin to experience emotions of sadness, decreased enthusiasm, and tend to sleep for excessive periods. They also develop a craving for sugar or candy. Additionally, most people who experience SAD also have immune systems that do not function adequately. Frequently, they become ill much more easily than persons who do not have SAD.

This condition can seriously affect a person's capability of functioning at work or at school. This decreased motivation can make it difficult for a person even to get out of bed and tend to normal activities. Sufferers find it difficult to participate in social situations, or even at home. They often experience times of extreme anxiety and negativity. Sometimes, symptoms become serious and disabling enough that some sufferers even think about suicide and require hospitalization for therapy.

Not surprisingly, females appear to have a higher rate of SAD than men do. Additionally, this condition seems to get better each year when spring arrives. In fact, in March or April, symptoms usually subside or disappear completely - until autumn returns again. This remains true even in states that are frequently dismal all year long. In fact, as many as twenty percent of those who are treated for seasonal depression will eventually exhibit signs of bipolar disorder.

These sufferers primarily tend to be depressed in the winter months, but have normal moods throughout the rest of the year. In some cases, however, individuals report experiencing instances of unexpected mood elevation, which is also called mania. As with other types of depression, SAD can become very serious or even result in disability if left untreated. Additionally, many people suffer from very mild levels of depression; they may experience exhaustion, lack of motivation, and eating difficulties. Such people, however, rarely suffer instances of depressed moods or anxiety.

This type of depression is fairly uncommon in sunny regions such as Florida, Arizona, and Texas. Others, who live in states with many cloudy days, like Indiana, Michigan, or Oregon are at higher risk for developing this condition. Residents of countries such as Denmark, Germany, and Ireland also struggle with SAD.

Medical researchers have tried many different strategies to aid clients recover from this exhausting condition. They have experimented with exposing people to artificial light in an attempt to assist them to produce more serotonin and lessen depression symptoms. Researchers have also used medicines such as antidepressants, as well as supplements, like melatonin, in an attempt to relieve these symptoms of depression. Often, persons who have Seasonal Affective Disorder also seek out psychotherapists when their condition is at its worst.

Each of these therapies result in with different degrees of success. Despite this, all are much more costly and time-consuming than two more recent, innovative techniques. Hypnotherapy practitioners have perfected the art of teaching both NLP and hypnotherapy strategies for depression. Through self-hypnosis, individuals learn to talk themselves out of a depressive period and resolve their symptoms. These innovative therapies, hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming, have resulting in an astonishing amount of benefit in assisting people to recover from, and avoid future occurrences of SAD.

Summary: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of winter blues that reappears each year at almost the same time. Only persons who face this condition can decide whether they will continue battling the symptoms alone, year after year, or to seek help in resolving this condition once and for all. Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming for depression are both beneficial, innovative treatments that promise a quick escape from these feelings without spending excessive amounts of money or energy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Alan B. Densky, CH specializes in stress and depression related symptoms as an NGH certified hypnotist. He's helped thousands of clients since 1978. He offers hypnosis depression therapy CDs. Visit his Neuro-VISION hypnotherapy website for the hypnosis article library, or watch his free videos on hypnosis.

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By 2020 Depression Can Be Second Top Cause Of Death In Us

By: John Scott

Medications for depression treatment were proven not significantly harmful during pregnancy.

However you ask the question, you always get the same answer. More antidepressants than any other medication have been prescribed to Americans over the last twenty years. This is a remarkable statistic when you think of all the possible illnesses and diseases that physicians could be treating. According to the preliminary data for mortality in 2005 complied by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the top three causes of death were:

heart disease 21.9%
cancer 18.9%
stroke 4.8%

Yet, even when you go to the top fifteen listed causes, no-one dies of being depressed (although suicide is the 11th most common way of dying). So what are these prescriptions for? The most prescribed antidepressant medication in the US is Zoloft with more than 28m prescriptions written in 2006. Zoloft is one of the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). It is designed to change the level of serotonin, one of the neurotransmitters in the brain. Serotonin helps to regulate your mood. That means that a vast proportion of the pharmaceutical industry's profit comes from convincing people who are not likely to die soon that they need to buy antidepressants like Zoloft, so they can feel better. Teach them to feel dysfunctional and depend on medications for the rest of their lives.

But, of course, this is just to provoke you into thought. In his article in The New England Journal of Medicine (2006), Friedman invoked the National Comorbidity Survey as evidence that fifty percent of all serious adult psychiatric illnesses, including substance abuse, anxiety disorders and major depression, have started by the age of fourteen years, and three quarter are in place by twenty-five years. He confirms suicide as the third-leading cause of death among persons fifteen to nineteen years of age.

Thus, if we were to classify suicide as a psychiatric illness, we would get a different perspective on national mortality rates. Now, let us step back from mortality data to a better measure. Mental illnesses are increasingly relevant to the mission of disease prevention and health promotion. Chapman and Perry in their article at Prev Chronic Dis (2008) warn that, by 2020, depression will be second only to heart disease if you measure using disability-adjusted life years.

So, if you accept the reality of psychiatric illness as a disability, the need for treatment becomes obvious. Now look at the people with heart conditions or cancer. If they are also depressed, this robs them of whatever quality of life they might otherwise have enjoyed, and probably reduces their life expectancy by undermining their will to live. Morally, the state should ensure that its citizens are given the best treatment possible. Economically, the state faces an increasing burden of social security payments with a declining tax revenue. States should therefore ensure preventative and therapeutic care is available to all.

So, when you put anxiety disorders and depressive illnesses into a proper context, the need for medications such as Zoloft becomes obvious. And why is Zoloft the most prescribed of all the antidepressants? Because, the physicians who write the millions of prescriptions watch over their patients. If the medical professionals and their patients did not see a safe and effective product, the free market economy would operate and people would switch to another medication. That has not happened. Zoloft remains the trusted response to depressive illness.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

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Learn more about the information you read here on buy zoloft and by John Scott at http://www.forgetdepression.com/.

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Anxiety - Top Twelve Effects of Anxiety on Your Physical and Mental Health

By Bethany Henshaw
Everyone knows what anxiety feels like. Anxiety is a normal body reaction to stressful situations or to a threat that the mind perceives. Although the word connotes ugly images of nervousness, trembling and intense sweating, anxiety by itself is not totally bad for the body. In fact, it is a necessary reaction which allows the brain to activate our "fight or flight" response so that the body can protect itself from danger. It is what allows us to flee from an attacking stranger, or to jump from a burning house to save ourselves from fire.
Yet, anxiety can take its toll on the body and the mind, if it becomes excessive. A regular bout of anxiety where symptoms become too evident that they distract a person from doing his tasks is a serious concern. If these symptoms happen several times a day, then an anxiety disorder is already taking place in the person's mind.
An anxiety disorder should not be taken lightly. If unaddressed soon or properly, the condition may worsen and can lead to depression, especially among young adults. The most immediate effect of anxiety in a person is it causes upheavals in his personal and professional life. The symptoms can be so debilitating sometimes that a person with this kind of disorder would sometimes prefer to just stay at home, especially if the disorder is also coupled with agoraphobia which is the constant fear that an anxiety attack will happen at a public place and escape is not possible.
Here are the top 12 most common effects of anxiety on the physical, mental and emotional health of a person:
1. Hyperventilation or breathing rapidly may result during an anxiety attack which can make you feel shaky, a little dizzy or light headed
2. Tension in the muscles may result to headaches and overall discomfort.
3. An elevated blood pressure can make you uneasy and dizzy, sometimes nauseous.
4. Your digestive system will be affected and may cause diarrhea or vomiting.
5. Your sleep patterns may be affected, causing you sleepless nights which results to chronic fatigue.
6. You may have feelings of inadequacy and dependence on others. You may experience "catastrophizing" which means you may develop thoughts of impending danger or calamity which you feel is beyond your control.
7. You may feel excessive, often irrational fear which grips you sometimes in the middle of the night. You become constantly irritable and unable to concentrate.
8. You may feel frustrated easily and may have a very poor image of yourself. Your confidence level is affected. Your social skills become almost nil, as worries about your "imperfections" or " inadequacies" may stop you from building relationships.
9. You may develop other unhealthy coping mechanisms such as excessive drinking, smoking or drug abuse.
10. You may intentionally avoid experiences that otherwise would have enriched your life. You may not be able to maintain meaningful and gratifying relationships. Instead you may be drawn towards people who have the same outlook as yours or help you avoid situations that may have helped you overcome your anxiety.
11. Your self esteem maybe affected and you may develop the fear of public places (agoraphobia) which can make you unable to go beyond your comfort zones.
12. You may develop depression and if the condition remains untreated for a long time, you may start having suicidal thoughts.
If you or a person you know suffer from an anxiety disorder, do not hesitate to go to an authorized medical care giver, either a medical doctor or a psychotherapist. Do not feel that you are alone and can not go to anyone about your problem. After all, you are just one of the 40 million Americans who have been diagnosed with this condition.
You need to help yourself first, before help can come to you. Pay attention to what your body is telling you and seek help as early as possible.

Bethany Henshaw is a life coach and the author of the eBook "Anxiety Success". She has been helping many people know how to overcome a panic disorder through natural means.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bethany_Henshaw

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Facts And Speculations About Weight Gain

By: John Scott

There is one simple explanation for those extra pounds of weight. Too much food! The way the body works is very simple. If you get just enough calories for basic things like breathing, you have to burn fat to get the energy to walk around. Eat more calories than you need given your basal activity level, and your body puts on fat. Your body is actually protecting you against the next famine when you will have nothing to eat and need your fat to survive until the next sandwich comes along.

Now turn to many of the forum sites where people discuss their experience with zoloft. The general spirit of these posts is, "I weighed 120lb until I took zoloft. Now I am . . ."

A simple test rules out thyroid problems, one of the more common physical explanations for sudden weight gains and this leaves us with lack of exercise combined with overeating. . . and a side effect of zoloft. It is a natural association to make. You start taking a medication and immediately you put on five pounds with no obvious change in your diet or level of physical activity. So, let us start off by accepting that some people react to medications by putting on weight. Why? The medication may increase or decrease the basal metabolic rate. If this happens, your weight may fluctuate even though you do not change your caloric intake. In some people, the medication can cause hormonal changes and increase appetite. Increased levels of serotonin are also associated with hunger pangs which encourage you to eat more.

Now we are into the business of balancing the advantages and disadvantages of the particular medication. Let us say that zoloft has made a dramatic improvement in your emotional life. For the first time in months (or years), you do not feel (so) sad. If you have put on a few extra pounds, is that a price worth paying? Or will you get depressed again because your body has become less attractive? As a gentle warning, if your regular doctor asks you whether you want to try a different medication, zoloft causes less weight gain than the tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

Back to denying the link. After all, the SSRIs were first promoted as anti-obesity medications. Like all decisions on whether to start a medication, you are dealing with unknowables. There is no doubt that some people eat more when they are depressed. Unless you have been keeping a food diary which counts calories, it will difficult to know how your eating habits have changed as the depression increased in intensity. You may already be putting on weight when you start taking the zoloft. Now let us reverse the psychological reaction. When people start feeling less depressed, they eat less and this reduces their weight. In other words, when the depression is cured, you may return to your healthy eating habits. Separating out the effect of the medication from the reality of the number of calories you eat is very difficult. It is easy to confuse coincidence with side effect.

So how should you react if you start zoloft and gain weight? Whatever else you may do, do not stop taking it. First, start counting calories properly. Start exercising. These are most likely to stabilise your weight. Only if you do change your diet and exercise to no effect, should you talk with your doctor. If self-help has failed, see what the professional recommends.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
John Scott contributes regularly to http://www.forgetdepression.com and covers a wide range of topics including treats depression. For more information, go to http://www.forgetdepression.com.

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