How To Recognise The Difference Between Mild Depression And a Case Of The Blues

By Andrew Tudor Jones  

Photo: michaelhyatt.com

Is feeling down or having a case of the blues the same as having mild depression? Many people may make the comment "I'm feeling depressed today" when in fact they are perhaps having a bad day and feeling a bit down. The two conditions can be related, having too many "bad days" or feeling "blue" continually can develop into mild depression but they start out as two quite different conditions. Having a bad day or feeling down is completely normal and we all suffer these days from time to time but mild depression is an actual mental health disorder requiring treatment of some type to enable us to recover our normal balanced outlook on life.
How do we tell the difference between mild depression and a case of the blues? If we have a case of the blues then these feelings are temporary and will dissipate fairly quickly, usually they don't last more than a few days or a week at most. However if we have feelings of worthlessness, intense sadness, feeling that there is no hope or that we want to cause harm to ourselves and these feelings last longer than a week then this is probably more than just feeling down and we are more than likely suffering from mild depression.
If you believe you may be suffering from mild depression then your first port of call should be a visit to your family doctor as only he or she can correctly diagnose the condition and propose a course of treatment best suited to your symptoms. Mild depression is completely treatable but should not be taken lightly as failing to seek out a diagnosis and treatment can lead to a far more serious condition which has the potential to be life threatening.
There are several ways to treat mild depression, here are 4 solutions available to you, your doctor may prescribe one or a combination of treatment depending on your symptoms and their severity.

• Medication - usually anti-depressants
• Counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Psychotherapy
• Exercise - excellent natural way to treat mild depression
• Dietary Changes - healthy eating can aid recovery

In the past anti-depressants would often be a doctors first choice of treatment and if one drug was not working effectively they would add a second drug without hesitation.
Nowadays, following years of research and study, talking therapies are thought to be as effective if not more so than medication and will frequently be offered either before or alongside a course of anti-depressants.
So if you feel you may have crossed the line from feeling blue to having mild depression then fear not, you do not have to suffer in silence, there is help available. Seek help from your doctor, eat a healthy balanced diet, get daily exercise, consider talking therapies and if necessary a course of anti-depressant medication and you will soon be back on track and feeling depression free.
© Andrew Tudor Jones

Andrew Tudor Jones is the owner of http://www.anxietydepressionselfhelp.com, a website dedicated to anyone who suffers from anxiety and depression.The website offers valuable information on these conditions as well as 2 e-books which can be downloaded for free and a Blog,updated on a regular basis with relevant information. You can connect with Andrew on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/selfhelpforanxietyanddepression.

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How Can You Make Depression Symptoms Better At Home?

By Alexa L. Ryan 

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Undergoing medical treatment is necessary in cases where depression is already at the moderate to severe stage. However while reliance to mood-altering medications along with psychotherapy is a must under the circumstances, clients can also do a lot to reduce some (if not all) symptoms of depression. There are things they can do in the comfort of their own home to make themselves feel better. Client participation is key to the success of any treatment program.
Depression Symptoms
Depression symptoms (and their severity) can vary among individuals. Common to most are the following:

• Extreme sadness
• Sleeping problems
• Eating problems
• Confusion/lack of focus

Reducing Depression Symptoms
As the aforementioned symptoms can complicate into a major mood disorder, malnutrition and anemia, taking the steps at home to reduce these symptoms is a must.
To reduce depression at home:

• Drink a glass of fresh and pure orange juice. Oranges are a great source of Vitamin C, a vitamin found to be essential in the production of serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a brain chemical that affects mood. 1 to 3 grams of Vitamin C daily helps to keep serotonin levels up. Jump start your mornings with a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice.
• Enjoy the early morning sunlight. Sunlight activates the Vitamin D that is stored in the skin. Experts have found a link between Vitamin D and depression. Accordingly, depressed individuals are found to have low levels of Vitamin D in their body. During the winter months, taking Vitamin D supplements, can help individuals overcome depression.
• Do brisk-walking exercises in the morning. Energy levels are particularly low when you are depressed. Keep them up with exercise. Brisk walking is good exercise. Make sure you are properly and comfortably dressed - it builds your confidence while making you comfortable at the same time.
• Eat small but frequent meals. Don't stress your digestive system out. Eat meals that are healthy and easy to digest. Avoid sugar, especially refined sugar, but have enough protein.
• Keep your surroundings well-lighted. Dim or dark lights can further dampen your mood, but blinking and glaring lights can make you feel agitated.
• Re-organize your stuff. Putting order in your life can reduce symptoms of depression. Rearrange your furniture, sort your clothes.
• Attend a charity event or organize one. This helps to make you realize how blessed you are.
• Be around little children. The innocence of a child never fails to put a smile on someone's lips.
• Do something childlike. Go to the park, eat ice cream on a cone, ride the ferris wheel. Doing childlike things makes it easier to smile and laugh and forget about your problems.
• Get a hobby. Engage yourself in something productive. Do a cross-stitch project, write a blog, sell stuff online. These things can help you improve your focus and determination.
• Read a book, one that will give you a good laugh. Try Sophie Kinsella's books - they are, to me, an anti-depressant.
• Drink chamomile tea after dinner. Chamomile helps with digestion. It also relaxes and helps depressed individuals sleep better.
• Take a warm bath at night. Infuse your bath water with lavender oil or salt. Doing so calms the nerves, preparing you to a restful sleep.
• Take vitamin supplements. Vitamin B complex, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients your body needs to be in sufficient amounts to prevent bouts of depression. While on vitamin supplementation, avoid consuming too much sugar, nicotine, alcohol and caffeine as these can interfere with your body's ability to absorb these vitamins.

Alexa L. Ryan is a believer of natural health and is the co-editor of NaturalVitaminsForDepression.com. She made her choice of the best fish oil brand that contains enough omega 3, lycopene and astaxanthin as part of her daily supplements and vitamins.

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Good and Bad Reasons to Take an Antidepressant

By Joseph Burgo 

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Thirty-five years ago, I received a phone call from my friend Lily about a car accident involving a mutual friend of ours, Terry. The three of us had just graduated from UCLA the week before. Terry, along with her sister, brother-in-law and niece, had gone on a trip to the Colorado River. En route, along a two-lane highway, another vehicle tried to pass them and the line of cars ahead. The driver miscalculated the distance and as a result, a semi-truck coming from the opposite direction swerved to avoid the passing car, struck our friends' car and instantly killed Terry's sister, brother-in-law and niece. Terry survived but suffered severe and irreparable brain damage.
I had given up my apartment following graduation and was briefly staying with my parents before leaving on a long trip. When I came out of my room after the call, deeply upset and in tears, my mother immediately went to her bathroom and returned with a blue, 10 mg Valium tablet which she pressed into my hand. Her response to my grief was to offer me the same medication she used to keep her own pain sedated. I hadn't thought about that incident in years, but recently, in considering some of the wrong reasons people take antidepressants, the memory came back to me.
I believe that antidepressants have their uses, especially in the short-term, but I also believe they are grossly over-prescribed by untrained physicians and medicating psychiatrists who run prescription drug mills. This criticism lays most of the blame at the feet of the medical profession, but a conversation with an old friend from Los Angeles reminded me that insistent patients are just as much a part of the problem. Many people choose to take an antidepressant in order to avoid dealing with a problem they might otherwise have to confront.
My friend -- let's call him Brian -- has worked in the film industry for more than 30 years and knows everybody. Brian told me that he is close with quite a few women who (in his opinion) are on antidepressants because their married life would be otherwise unbearable to them. They're married to wealthy, powerful men in the industry whom they don't love; divorce would mean giving up a financially privileged and superficially glamorous style of life they don't want to relinquish. So they take SSRIs... not because they're depressed but because those drugs make tolerable an emotional situation they wouldn't otherwise be able to bear. Brian says this is not an unusual Hollywood story.
A mutual friend of ours is quite candid about using an antidepressant for similar reasons. She has a child growing up with Asperger's syndrome, and the very low dosage of her medication makes life bearable. She tried getting by without the meds but found she simply couldn't cope. This friend is not struggling with depression per se but with an extremely stressful life situation. Her drugs "take the edge off," numb her out just enough so that she can manage.
Another friend of ours, after her divorce, decided to become an elementary school teacher, though many of us felt she was, by temperament, ill-suited to the profession. Despite some judicious advice, she went ahead with her career change and suffered a nervous collapse during her first year of teaching. With mostly sleepless nights and several panic attacks, she wound up in the emergency room more than once. Instead of reconsidering her career choice and trying to find something more suited to her, she opted for antidepressants instead.
Medication might be the right choice for our friend with the Asperger's syndrome child; after all, as his mother, there isn't much she can do to change her basic lot in life. But in the case of our friend who chose drugs over a career change, it seems to me she's using antidepressants to avoid confronting something dysfunctional in herself and in her life. Likewise, the Hollywood wives who take SSRIs rather than file for divorce are surely using those drugs in ways for which they were never intended.
One of the primary rationales given for using antidepressants is that they may get a depressed mind "unstuck" when psychotherapy is making slow progress; meds are seen as an adjunct to talk therapy, helpful in promoting insight and understanding for the psychotherapy client. But those Hollywood wives and our friend who made a disastrous career choice are using medication for just the opposite reason; they don't want insight so they can understand themselves better and thereby confront important choices. Instead, they're using drugs in order to avoid facing their problems.
Depression, like pain, can be the body's way of telling us that something is wrong. If we listen to our pain and our depression, we might understand what's wrong and over time, figure out what to do about it. But if we reach for the little blue pill as my mother did, numbing the pain instead of confronting it, we remain stuck and will never move forward.
While we're on the subject of antidepressants, you might have read the recent New York Times article written by Peter D. Kramer, author of the famous book Listening to Prozac, which gave an enormous public relations boost to antidepressants when it was first published in 1993. At a time when study after study is questioning the chemical imbalance theory of depression and whether SSRIs have anything other than a placebo effect, Kramer has written an article in their defense. He raises some interesting points about how drug trials are structured and carried out, but for the most part, it struck me as dishonest and self-serving. He criticizes a number of famous studies by name, but resorts to vague language like "studies have shown" when it comes to trials that have reportedly demonstrated the benefits of Prozac and other SSRIs.
From the very beginning, he seems disingenuous, or at least illogical. His initial piece of evidence is entirely anecdotal, about a friend who suffered a stroke and received some benefit from taking an SSRI. According to Kramer, an important study has shown that stroke victims who received Prozac rather than a placebo "recovered more of their mobility. Antidepressants are good at treating post-stroke depression and good at preventing it. They also help protect memory. In stroke patients, antidepressants look like a tonic for brain health."
This is specious argumentation and deceptive prose. It's clear from the quoted passage that the study demonstrated how stroke victims recovered "more of their mobility"; but are the following two sentences the author's opinion or a conclusion of that study? The statement that antidepressants are "a tonic for brain health" is quite a reach. Given that the so-called "antidepressants" are actually stimulants (like cocaine and the tricyclics before them), maybe taking Prozac minimized the damage resulting from a stroke by stimulating the brain during a critical period. That's very different from concluding that Prozac prevents and relieves post-stroke depression. Maybe those stroke victims who benefited from the stimulating effects of Prozac felt less depressed because they recovered more of their mobility.

Joseph Burgo PhD is a clinical psychologist with 30+ years experience in the mental health profession. He writes two blogs, one called 'After Psychotherapy' where he discusses psychotherapy issues such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder from a psycho-dynamic perspective; on the other blog, 'Movies and Mental Health' hosted by PsychCentral, he uses classic and contemporary films to illustrate his ideas. Dr. Burgo also offers online counseling via Skype. His forthcoming book on psychological defense mechanisms will be released by New Harbinger Publications in Spring 2013.

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What Are The Side Effects Of Antidepressants?

By N. Curtis 

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What are the side effects of antidepressants?
We typically will hear all the reasons why a person should take antidepressants. The popular belief is that they are going to stabilize your mood and help you to function better in public.
The truth of the matter is that antidepressant dangers have been well documented. Most of these drugs have been proven to be ineffective in as little as six months. In fact, this treatment has lower results than what you would find from a placebo. That means you are putting harsh chemicals in your body that alter your brain chemistry and still have little effect.
In some cases, these pills are going to cause you to become worse off in the process. Some of the most common side effects that are experienced with these pills include:
Irritability
Fatigue
Anxiety
Insomnia
Cognitive Impairment
Many of these symptoms are what the pills were prescribed to cure. In some cases, these pills can cause a person to become even more depressed!
Knowing all of this, would you really want to pump your body full of these dangerous drugs?
Some individuals who have been prescribed these antidepressants have actually ended up participating in criminal behavior. Since the chemistry of the brain is altered, they find that they do things that they normally would not do when they are off the medications.
Damage to your body can also occur when you take prescription pills. For instance, when you take these pills you are at risk of experiencing sedation. This can happen at a dangerous time and it could cause you to become seriously injured when performing a normal task.
These are health concerns that are occurring from medications that are only working on a temporary basis. This includes a short effectiveness period that couldn't outlast many of the placebos that were used in the testing trials. There is a higher risk of having an allergic reaction to the pills. This allergic reaction can cause a serious rash to spread across your body or in some cases you might experience difficulty breathing, cardiovascular problems or even death.
Some of these pills also cause a person to consider suicide as well. In fact, as a result of the increase in suicidal thoughts a patient might have on their pills, several pharmaceutical companies have issued warnings associated with their pills. Does anyone else see the irony in antidepressants causing suicides???
Sexual side effects have been reported with these drugs as well. This is the result of the changes that occur in the body. This problem can continue to worsen and can prove to be upsetting to some who take the pills. In fact, some studies have shown that the lack of ability to perform with their partner causes more anguish than the problem that was originally there.
Many of the antidepressants that you can use build up in your body as well. This means that your body becomes dependent on them. When you try to take yourself off of them, this can lead to seizures and even have fatal consequences. Because of this, doctors will slowly wean a user off the medications over time to help ensure that they don't experience these side effects. However, there may still be damage done to the chemistry of the brain.
Other antidepressant dangers may include a higher diabetes risk and damage to the immune system.
Clearly, the medications that are being used to treat patients are far more dangerous than the problems that they supposedly treat. Don't you see those commercials on tv when they mention all the side effects? It sounds like they're listing every disease known to man! It just goes on and on and on!
These pills may give you temporary relief but they will ruin your body at a later date. These antidepressant dangers should not be tolerated. There are better, safer, natural solutions to choose from.

N. Curtis has written dozens of health articles and is the author of the Amazingly Informative and Extremely Entertaining Free Special Health Report "It's Your Body, You Can Die If You Want To!" Check it out now at http://www.youcandieifyouwantto.com

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The Problem Of Burnout For Nurses And Social Workers

By: Jill Cohen

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Nurses and social workers experiences burnout when they are stressed because they take on more than they can bear either physically, psychologically or emotionally. It also varies according to individuals. Stress has been viewed as an occupational hazard. Nurses have the tendency of being anxious over decisions that need to be made, the number of patients who need to be attended to and the different responsibilities that are required in terms of the job description. Many nurses work twelve hour shifts which can be very demanding.

The term burnout was used by Freudenberger in 1974 and it refers to the type of chronic stress that people experience in the helping profession. This can apply to those working in home health care, social work, nursing as well as family members that are caregivers. Ironically, many caregivers do not take care of themselves. There is a level of exhaustion that occurs that often makes it hard to replenish one's own energy.

Sometimes this stress results from not been able to balance work, family and children. This stress could lead to sickness when it is not properly managed. People that are stressed out can also end up calling in sick often and jeapordizing their job. However, due to the level of compassion that many nurses and social workers have, they often feel guilty if they do call in sick.

If adequate attention is paid to the environment where nurses and social workers work, it would go a long way in reducing the stress such as people go through. There is often a lot of pressure for completing documentation that adds to the stress of client care.

It has also been discovered that the length of hours worked to also go a long way in making the job stressful. Nurses who work for 8hours undergo less stress than those who work for 12 hours. However, many people like the idea of having an extra day off during the week so this is a mixed situation.

Being able to do some chair yoga or meditation can be helpful during the day to reduce stress and focus inwards. This can work for many therapists that have their own offices, but for nurses can be more challenging due to lack of privacy.

Another area to look at is that many times nurses and social workers are also involved in being a caregiver in their personal lives. This can be with a parent or may be with a spouse that has physical or mental health issues. Having counseling oneself is an excellent way to help to find out about the ways one handles stress and work on new solutions.

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Recovering from Depression is Not a Problem

 by yestosuccess

 

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Are you feeling unhappy most of the time than not? Is your performance at work deteriorating day by day? Do you often find yourself avoiding other people you normally enjoy hanging around with? Are you always tired for no apparent reason? If you answered yes to all of this questions, it is very likely that you have depression.

If you want to break free out of this negative energy, then take a deep breath, relax, and read on for the next few minutes because this is the article that you have been looking for!

In this article, we are going to look at three tips to help you recover from your depression as fast as you can. First, we are going to talking about depression and its damaging effects on your life. Next, we are going to be talking about what you can do to recover your depression. Finally, we are going to finish up with the people who can help you recover from depression. After reading this article, you will be properly equipped in combating depression.

First, we are going to talking about depression and its damaging effects on your life.

Depression is a collection of feelings resulting to emotional dejection. It can be caused different factors such as lack of motivation or rejection, for example. It has various consequences on the body and the mind. You will not find a single literature telling otherwise. The most obvious effects on its body are insomnia, fatigue, weight fluctuations, and decrease in libido, and worse, cardiovascular problems. It can also take its toll on your performance at work and hinder socializing.

Next, we are going to be discussing about what you can do to recover your depression.

Do not let a problem ruin everything else in your life. It has been shown that excessive introspection is one of the primary culprits that make depression worse. Try to focus on other activities to fight of this nasty habit like working out or having a family trip.

Finally, we are going to wrap up with the people who can help you recover from depression.

Going to the psychiatrist, especially if you have a bad case of depression is greatly recommended. Milder symptoms however can benefit from seeking help from family and peers. A person suffering from depression is also encouraged to attend a success seminar, motivational seminar whenever they can to boost their mood and uplift his/her spirit.

So there you have the three required elements required to recover from depression. First, we dealt about depression and its damaging effects on your life. Second, we talked about what you can do to recover your depression. Finally, you learned about whom you can ask for help if you are depressed. Now you know about the measures to make to restore your usual vigor and break free of depression finally!

--

 

Debra Poneman, Author of Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul and Founder of Yes to Success, a top motivational speaker who provides motivational seminars, powerful and practical messages for structuring the lives and business ventures through success seminars. She is most dynamic and professional keynote speaker in San Diego.

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Depression And Suicidal Thoughts

By William Drebin  

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Depression and suicidal thoughts, they often aren't mutually exclusive. At some point in a depression, probably very early on, you're going to have thoughts of suicide.
When you're suicidal, you see things from a different perspective than a regular life loving person. You're incapable of giving much meaning to trivial as well as important matters others value so dearly. In fact, you're highly indifferent to just about anything they shove in front of you.
"What do you think about my new dress?"
"What color should we use for our bed sheet?"
"How do you think we should approach this client?"
"Should we take a mortgage for 20 or 30 years?"
You don't take into account the future. You're thinking short-term, as you probably won't be around for long anymore. It's kind of liberating in a way. Feeling suicidal can actually lead to happiness. There is always a way out, sort of like a hardline seen in The Matrix movie. This can be very motivating in a way.
A lot of people never think about death, as it frightens them beyond measure. It's often a taboo to talk about it. A regular person can't imagine someone wants to die. Therefore they jump to battle stations, hauling arguments long and wide why you shouldn't kill yourself. They're so furious about it, they'll almost kill you themselves.
One argument that I really dread is: "Committing suicide is selfish". I can relate to why people say that, I do. Especially when the depressed person has a lot of responsibilities and is most likely going to cause devastation in the hearts of his family and friends. However, isn't it equally selfish of us bystanders to demand of the suicidal person, who is suffering terribly, to stay around so we personally wouldn't get hurt? We're basically saying: "Well, too bad you're suffering, but you've got to hang in there because we don't like funerals."
When depressed, 'hanging in there' can last a long, long time. It's not like feeling a bit low today and tomorrow it will all be better. Depression can last years. It does not only affect the person in question, but also everyone he comes in contact with. Nobody likes having a depressed person around, they often avoid coming into contact with one, yet society demands he stays alive. Sometimes it's just better to let things go. Isn't there a saying: "If you love someone, set him free"?

If you still have hope, whether you're depressed or you know someone who is depressed and you want to help, it is important to know what you are dealing with. If you know nothing about your enemy, you reduce your chances of successful retaliation. Read more about how to help people with depression.

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A Close Look at Teen Depression

by gonzaga.marco

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Being young with an entire future stretched out before you, it is hard to think how anyone at the peak of his/her youth would want to commit suicide. Although we are aware that problems also beset teenagers and even children, the idea that such challenges would be too overwhelming to prompt them to waste themselves just like that is the farthest thing from our minds. However, it does happen. And it is a very sad reality that we are all forced to recognize. Teenagers are not exempted from suicide in as much the same way as depression has no particular preference for any specific age or gender. And more often than not, it is the culprit behind such tragic incidents.

Understanding the nature of teen suicide
Teen suicide is one of the grim truths tarnishing the otherwise colorful image we connotatively associate with them. Understanding the forces that would push our teens over the edge would serve as our means of preventing them from ending up with this irreversible tragic fate. Even if suicide among children hardly occurs, the likelihood increases as they mature and enter adolescence. Based on the statistics presented by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide ranks third among the most common causes of death for young people ages 15-24.

Boys succeed in committing suicide four times more than girls do. However, girls tend to contemplate on it twice more often. One of the reasons identified behind this is the means used by each group. Boys are more inclined to kill themselves with the use of firearms, whereas girls are more likely to resort to drug overdose, jumping from buildings, or cutting themselves. Of these methods, killing oneself with the use of a gun is touted as the most lethal.

Identifying teens who are at risk
For most of us, including teens, handling our daily challenges is made more bearable when we have a supportive network of family and friends as well as enjoyable activities or hobbies to keep us preoccupied. However, some teens do not view things in the same light. On the contrary, they tend to be alienated from their family and friends, thinking that they are either being taken for granted or are being ostracized. As such, these teens are in danger of committing suicide. Other contributory factors for teen suicide are as follows:

Although depression can now be cured with the help of psychotherapy and medications taken from a list of antidepressant drugs, it is still a very viable cause of death among teens if we fail to address it. Hence, it is important that we stay in tune with what is going on in our teen's life by keeping our communication lines open at all times.
Teen riddled with other mental illnesses like manic depression or bipolar disorder are at risk of suicide.
Drug and alcohol dependence among teens are also identified as probable causes.
Teens overwhelmed by distress, agitation, frustration, and other adverse depressive emotions are at risk.
Once a teen has a history of attempting suicide, he/she would always be in danger of doing it again.
Genetic factors play a significant role too. Having a family history of depression or suicide automatically places our teens at risk.
Teens who have been abused either physically or sexually are in danger of committing suicide.
Teens struggling with personal homosexual identity issues in an unsupportive environment are susceptible to suicide.
Teens who feel detached from the important people in their lives and are encumbered with loneliness can be driven to kill themselves.

--

 

Marco Gonzaga is a content writer and editor who writes for various health and lifestyle magazines. He is interested in the emerging online pharmacy industry. For more information on cheap pharmacy online, visit www.cheappharmacy.ca 

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Tips For Those Who Are Lonely and Depressed

By Bryan Sims
There is nothing that feels much worse sometimes than being lonely and depressed at the same time. Usually, loneliness tends to facilitate depression, although it's a fact that many people who are mild to moderately depressed tend to isolate themselves from others creating their own lonely situation. Sometimes it's hard to know which feeling causes the other, but there are some simple, practical steps that you can take to help you deal with some of the issues of loneliness and depression.
If you are not seriously clinically depressed, in which case you should see a doctor for help, you can make a few adjustments in your life which can help you tremendously. The most important thing is to give yourself something to look forward to that is stable and reassuring during this time of feeling lonely and depressed. One of the best ways to do that is to make a predictable schedule in your life for a whole month. Sometimes scheduling your life around some personal positives within a set amount of time can really add a lift to your life and help with the negative feelings you are experiencing. Here's where to start:
Establish a Sleep Pattern
Make a choice to go to bed before midnight every night for a whole month - Did you know that every hour of sleep before midnight is worth 2 hours of sleep after midnight? Try to establish a routine for your body by going to bed the same time and getting out of bed the same time every day, whether you feel like it or not. This will help your body and mind adjust to a positive cycle of rest and sleep.
Eat Well
Eat at least two well balanced meals a day. Even though you may eat three meals a day, make sure that two of the three are nutritionally well balanced. Breakfast and one other meal are generally the most important to receive necessary nutrients.
Exercise
Add an exercise routine to your week - Even if you've never exercised before in your life, start now! If it's just a simple 30 minute walk around the block, or at the local high school track or at the indoor mall, do it at least 4 times every week. Walk more if you feel like it.
Quit Thinking of Only Yourself
Do one random act of kindness for someone each day - Think of someone other than yourself every single day! Maybe your coworker needs some help, or maybe an elderly person needs a lift to the grocery store or perhaps your neighbor is ill and needs a dinner meal. Send a card, say "Good job!" or pat someone on the back for change. Do something, however small, that encourages someone else. At the end of the month, you will have gifted others with 30 acts of random kindness!
Start a Hobby
Choose a hobby to engage in throughout the whole month - Even if you don't really do anything, choose something. Maybe you'd like to learn Spanish or gardening. Perhaps you'd like to bowl or learn calligraphy. Take a class or join a group or join the gym. It really doesn't matter, but find something that interests you and become involved in it at least once a week for a month.
Have Dinner with Someone
Ask one person out to eat with you at least once a week - Whether it's family, a friend, a coworker or a casual acquaintance with whom you've never taken the time to get to know, ask them to eat lunch or dinner with you. This alone can help you if you're lonely and depressed.
Make these simple choices at the start of 30 days and don't deter from them. Even if you are lonely and depressed, don't allow yourself to be passive. It's only for 30 days! You will be surprised at how you feel at the end of a month of changes in your life. You will benefit from feeling better, looking better and maybe even helping someone else in the process. Many times, by helping others, we are helping ourselves!

Bryan Sims writes about various topics including health issues and product information for the online audience. Find information about the newest website at http://www.wallmountforlcdtv.net/ which helps people find super saver deals on a wall mount for lcd tv and more information about various types of wall mounts for televisions.

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Five Things You Must Consider When Overcoming Depression

By Norio Filiatrault
Have you ever suffered from depression? Is your family member or friend suffering from this condition?
Depression is a normal state for everyone. It is normal that we have our ups and downs in life, but when this persists for an unusually long time, it becomes problematic.
Now the question is how to get rid of it.
If you have depression, you know it's not a matter of just snapping out of it. It's much more complicated than that. One might say it is just an automatic feeling that come on. Another might say it is really just their nature and there is nothing they can do.
Depression is a habit that you created from many different factors and generally divided into two categories:
Body (Sensations, change in body functions) Mind (Thought patterns, beliefs, Imagination)
So now let's get into the:
Five Things You Must Consider When Overcoming Depression
Self Image
Attitude
Belief
Emotions
Habits
1. Self-image
Most of people with depression will have a poor self-image:
Do you think you are a person who is unworthy? Are you a loser? Do you believe you can't change? Are you a sad person by nature? Do you feel sorry for yourself?
These above ideas are really just ideas (mostly dragged on from the past) and they only serve your negative energy and strengthen it.
You must take note and write down what negative image you have about yourself and why you have them. Is it logical to think you are really that person? Are you being hard on yourself? Do you like to play victim? Is it scary to change your current situation?
These are all the questions you must ask yourself in order to identify your negative Self-images. Once you do this, you are more aware of your tendency and it will become easier later to alter your self-image to something better.
2. Attitude
How is your attitude in life? Is every situation working out the way you want it to? Do your actions bring you your desired outcomes or no? Are you repeating the same approach everyday and yet hoping for a change?
It's strange, but attitude is energy, and energy is contagious. You get what you emit. Changing attitude may be one of the hardest things to do, but just think this:
If you were the person or thing that is dealing with yourself, would you feel good? If your answer is no, then you're probably not doing the right thing. If you meet a person who is whining nonstop and feeling sorry for themselves, how would you feel? And especially if that person is by conventional standards comfortably living, than you may think he or she is self-centred. You may feel you are being neglected; and this is true. Lots of the negative attitude is really coming from the person being too self-conscious and thinking about themselves obsessively.
Try to treat every situation like the way you want to be treated. You will be amazed by the difference it will make on your days. After all, you create your own world right? Right!
3. Belief
Be careful of what you believe; this includes self-image and also anything other than yourself. when you ill-conceive something, you create a bad pattern or idea in your mind which can be a trigger for depression.
For example, in the case of human relationship, let's suppose your friend asked you " How much do you know about fashion?" One may think two possible ways:
"Oh is he asking me this question as a means of insult? Is my clothes really that bad today? Oh no..."
or,
"Nice, I love fashion and I'm gonna answer 'I know about fashion somewhat and I love fashion'"
Now this is just a rough example, but you get the picture. People with the former idea may be referred to as having Paranoia; a type of victimized thought at an extreme case.
This is very common in everyday life where people misinterpret comments or situations. Maybe the person asked this question because he wanted to become friends if both shared the same interest.
So be careful before jumping to conclusions. Take a step back and think logically. Do you really have to react in such way that is negative?
4. Emotions
This is probably where a lot of people get stuck. Human beings are bound by emotions. If we get compliments we feel good generally. If we are commented negatively we feel bad. With depression, this emotional response becomes mixed up. Even in good situations we may feel down. It is a habit that is formed over time.
So how do you overcome it?
It is hard no doubt, but you must challenge yourself. I would suggest you first work on your beliefs and self-image so you can think and act logically with ease. Then practice managing your emotions so your mind finally is able to connect to it and find the balance again. It took me a while to do this, but the only way to cure is by gaining experience and working on it from the conscious level and turn it into the subconscious level. Remember, the more good results you get, the more you will have confidence in all that you do.
5. Habits
This is just really to conclude the above mentioned four elements.
Self Image
Attitude
Belief
Emotions
These are all habits that were formed somehow at some point in your life (unless you have had it since you were born, in this case it's more of a genetic or brain damage problem. Consult your doctor)
Habits are very hard to change, but is worth working on in the long run. Make small goals for yourself everyday and work on them. Remember, it's baby steps that count!
Conclusion
Like all challenges in life, all of the mentioned ideas above will need effort put into them and measured constantly. It may be hard to imagine yourself getting out of the depressed state, but again that's where people get stuck. Of course it is not always easy days when working to improve yourself, but by succeeding( and you will by working on improving everyday) the pay off will be enormous.
Any ideas or comments? We'd love to hear them so please comment below. Also if you think someone you might know may benefit from this post, please let them know.

How To End Depression Team writes articles on how to change the mindset in order to effectively tackle depression and shares their expertise in order to make a difference in depression treatment.
For more info please visit the site: http://howtoenddepression.blogspot.com/

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Winning the Battle Against Major Depression

By Sean Young Q Mendez
Damaging feelings of unhappiness, worry and frustration are experienced by everybody alive. We feel disappointment right after a failure or sorrow after a separation or a loss.
Depression symptoms are a feeling that can occupy each one at some point in time. To be able to manage and overcome depressive disorders you will need to first recognize the causes of depression symptoms and overcome these unhealthy emotion or thoughts.
These damaging feelings are regular and do not affect significantly our ability to meet our daily obligations. You may even say that it is also useful to the extent that they help us to much better comprehend some of our weaknesses.
When the grief instead of decreasing by time it becomes much more intense and lasts much more than two weeks, and hinders the regular activities of our life such as work, diet, sleep and our close relations, then it is likely that we suffer from depressive disorders and we need the support of a specialist to deal with it.
Sorrow can train us so that we can face adversity that might occur later in life in a dynamic way. The self-knowledge arising from the bad experiences helps us to make the effort to change ourselves in order to avoid future damaging consequences of immature behavior.
The primary defining characteristic of depression symptoms is not the presence of negative feelings, but the intensity of the severity and the length of time involved.
To comprehend major depression all the much more, let us discover out the diverse symptoms that a person can experience when he or she has depressive disorders. Here are they:
1. Reduction of interest or pleasure in all or nearly all actions
2. Sometimes thoughts about death and suicide
3. Stress, anxiety, indecision
4. Loss of energy and exhaustion
5. A lot more or less appetite for food
6. Moodiness, for the most part of a day practically each day
7. Trends isolation, social withdrawal
8. Frustration, indifference
9. A lot more or much less sleep
10. Continuing grief
11. Loss of interest in the search for erotic partner or for sex.
12. Concerns and pessimism for the future.
13. Feelings of guilt

Learn where you can get help for depression and live a happy life! Visit www.curedepressionnatural.com

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Conflicts and Depression

By David Smith Junior
Conflict is a very dangerous thing in our life. It can destroy our nervous system and change our attitude to life. As a result, it can cause depression. It is so bad when you have a conflict with your close friends or relatives. Why do people not understand each other? Why is it so difficult to find compromise? Very often everyone does it best to change the situation.
Once two my close friends could not understand each other for a long time. Their conflict had continued for five months until one of them left the country on vacation. After his return they have not seen each other. I tried to find out reasons of their conflict. As a result, I explored that they are absolutely different people who have different life meanings and goals. Moreover, they tried to change each other. Everyone considered that he is right. From my point of view, they made the right decision to stop communicating because each of them has different ways to happiness.
From my own experience, it is very difficult to recognize that your close friends are not as close as you want. It is so pity when people cannot understand and do not trust each other. Every action of a person, with whom your have a conflict, is perceived as the worst one. People who hate each other cannot be objective.
They do not want to accept his or her opinion and try to spoil life of each other. However, they do not understand that revenge destroys first of all their own life because they start to spend all their time and attempts in order to find methods how spoil life of another person. The best method to have revenge is to be happy. Try to use all your efforts to achieve success because it can help you forget about hurt and start new life.

http://jobless.freeofworry.org/depression/conflicts-depression
For more information about me and my struggle with depression, please, go to http://jobless.freeofworry.org.

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Loneliness and Depression - Breaking a Devastating Cycle

By Kriti Arora
If loneliness and depression are engulfing your life and threatening to make you redundant, you need to do something about it. These are emotions a lot of people go through but which can be cured only if something is done about them. This article provides tips as to how you can beat loneliness and depression and break this devastating cycle.

• It is important for you to believe, to believe in god or a greater being. That is the first step to cure loneliness. When you are overcome with feelings that no one cares about you or loves you, believe that god does surely. Spend time praying to him, if not with folded hands, then at least by having a conversation with him.
• Believe in yourself and the power within you. The reason why most people are lonely is not that they have few friends, but because they don't know their own worth.
• All your loneliness and depression is going to go away if you make sure that you are surrounded by people who love you. Make sure you spend at least some time everyday with friends and family and make that time a happy one. Seek out new friends as well.
• One of the most effective ways of treating loneliness and depression is by understanding that there are people in this world who are a lot less fortunate than you are and by helping them. Doing volunteer work at a charity organization, your local hospital or orphanage will give you a sense of being good and help you deal with your own demons.
• Behave, act and dress in a way that shows you are important. Start respecting yourself and you will not only be getting rid of your loneliness and depression soon, you will also be a happier person.

Do you want to know - How to Treat Depression Naturally? I have just completed my brand new guide. "101 Ways to Beat Depression".
Read it for free here: Beat Depression Naturally

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Key Ways to Prevent Occurrences of Teenage Depression

By Kinjal S Shah
You have always been amazed at the energy level of your child who used to be bubbling with joy but the early years of teenage have just reversed the trend and suddenly you find your teen withdrawn, moody, irritable and violent. You will be surprised to know that a number of teens go through a depressed phase in their lives and some come out of it unscathed while others need help to look back at life in a positive manner. In certain extreme cases of depression you might need to put your teen on medication.
Depression in teens could manifest itself through different channels. It could lead to problems at school and home, drug abuse, violent behaviour, eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia and suicidal tendencies. So how can you as a parent help your teen get out of this troubled phase?
Below are some of tips to deal with these behavioural issues.
As a parent it is very important that you don't start playing the blame game. You will only end up going in circles if you indulge in it. So how does one start the topic? First and foremost you need to talk with your teen in a non-judgmental way. There are chances that your teen may refuse to talk with you or if they do talk deny that they are depressed.
You need to be patient, persistent and loving while communicating. You can let them know the specific signs you have noticed that point to depressed state of mind. If they continue to deny it you can directly name the symptoms like violent behaviour and eating disorders. Do not be critical or sarcastic while mentioning these signs.
Most teenagers in their depressed state have low self esteem and self confidence is at its lowest. They don't feel good about their appearance, bodies, clothes and just about every other aspect of life. As a parent it is very important that you communicate in a way, which restores self-confidence, and self-esteem and they start believing in their abilities once again.
Encourage your teen to open up and offer support in an unconditional way. Do not start lecturing about right and wrong and tell them that you are there for them and willing to provide any sort of help they require. You might be tempted to ask a lot of questions but hold on to them as you might end up scaring.
The initial attempts may be met with resistance and they might deny any sort of wrong doing as far as drugs and violent behaviour is concerned. You will need to explain to them that there are disastrous consequences to drug abuse and violence in a gentle but direct way.
You will need to acknowledge the pain that they are going through even though it might appear silly and irrational to you. As an adult we tend to see things differently but you need to look at their problems through their perspective in order to provide long lasting solutions.
Accept the fact that it will take time and enormous amount of love and understanding to help you teen overcome this phase of life.

In the book "Solving Teenage Problems", the causes and symptoms of teenage behaviour problems have been described in detail. The book also gives different tips to deal with teenage behavioural issues. Finally the book provides different models to prepare for better relationship with your teenager.
The author is a successful marketing executive in a large consumer good company and a mother of two boys. She has had a rough ride in the past two years and has successfully saved her family from the brink of disaster by working on her parenting techniques. She has recently built a website http://www.newparentingstyle.com and also written a book "Solving Teenage Problems", which can be accessed on http://www.teenageproblems.newparentingstyle.com.

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Weight Loss and Depression - The Missing Link

By Paul Guenther
Weight loss and depression are linked in many different ways. Getting into shape by eating healthier and by exercising will enable you to succeed with weight loss, while also improving the symptoms associated with depression or by making them disappear entirely. Take a look at all of the many powerful ways in which weight loss and depression are linked so you can be motivated to get on track.
One of the first and most important ways in which weight loss and depression are linked is in terms of how you feel about yourself. Often times depression can be caused or worsened by a negative self perception or low self esteem. This can be turned around however by starting to take care of your body and by improving the way you look and feel.
When you start exercising and eating healthier, you'll drop some pounds, increase your muscle tone and ultimately get much closer to the ideal body that you'd like to have. You'll certainly notice the difference in the mirror, and other people will take notice of how great you look as well. All of this will help you feel better about yourself while boosting your confidence and overall making you become a happier and more fulfilled person.
That's not to say that all you care about is how you physically look. Of course we have many other worries and other areas of ourselves that we would like to improve upon. However this is something that is not only easily in your control to change, but it's also a way that is readily visible to the world. Looking better will make you feel better about yourself, and it can change the way you interact with others and even how they view you.
Another important way that losing weight can help to combat depression is through the release of hormones in your body. Exercising releases certain hormones that can make you feel better, make you more motivated and energetic, decrease your stress and anxiety and much more. Hormones control a great deal of our emotions and our daily state of mind, and exercising is one great way to help the balance of hormones be positive and in your favor.
With the right hormones being released, your depression can be dramatically reduced. If you've ever heard about people having a runner's high it is related to this profound effect. Added to the increase in self confidence and self esteem described above, these hormones can really help to decrease the symptoms of depression quickly and easily.
Of course, this has just been a basic overview of the many ways in which losing weight can help you out in terms of battling depression. Weight loss with exercise will help to release the proper hormones in your body. Additionally, by exercising and eating right you will gain confidence as you look better and feel better, and you'll become much happier on a day to day level. For all of these reasons and more, getting into shape and improving your lifestyle by ridding yourself of depression will always be linked.

Paul Guenther is a Website Analyst for Weight Loss Secrets Magazine. Learn more by reading our Health Supplements Blog, and get some of the best Weight Loss tips out there.

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Things That Can Trigger Depression

By Angela Linton

Depression is more than just a felling of sadness. It is a state of mind that holds you captive and prevent you from enjoying your day to day living. Yes, it prevents you from carrying out your daily duties.
This is a serious mental illness can be triggered by several things and some of them are:
A Major Illness or Injury
A major illness such as cancer and a serious injury, such as the lost of an arm etc. can trigger it.
Life Changes
Many of us are not too crazy about a change in our lifestyle, unless it is a change for the better and when a not so welcoming change takes place, we can slip. Changes such as being laid off from ones job and finding it difficult to get another one, divorce and retirement.
Grief
Grief is a part of life that we are all touched with from time to time. It may be because a loved one has died or someone we know is grieving because a loved of theirs has died.
After a period in time, we are expected to move on beyond this period of deep sadness, although we will still miss our loved one. However, this is not always the case for everyone and, there are a few reasons this could be and one such reason can be because the person died unexpectedly.
Therefore, if the mourner is not moving on, to the point of comfort, he/she may slip down the road of depression
Long Term Stress
If you are in a stressful environment on a daily basic and you do not have a constructive way of dealing with it, it will work against you. A highly stressful environment may be, caring for a loved one who need your attention every second of the day, working as a customer care representative and especially at this point in time, investing other people money.
It does not matter what you are doing, as long as you are in a stressful environment and if you do not have a good way of dealing with it, it can "bring about" this mental illness.
Alcohol and Drugs
For many years, we have been told that drinking too much alcohol can damage our body organs and it can also affects the way in which we see things and overall, the way in which we function.
Although it has become legalized in may Countries and Provinces, the danger that it holds has not changed.
Legal as well as illegal drugs can also trigger this illness. Therefore, before you take any prescribed and over the counter drugs, always learn about their side effects. As for the illegal ones, you know the answer to that and that is, say no to it.
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Three Kinds of Depression

The concept of depression is broad and encompasses a number of different phenomena. The term is used in the vernacular to refer to a simple "blue? mood. In a medical sense it can label anything from a long-lingering feeling of hollowness to a critical situation ending in a suicide.

The simple "down mood? or "bad hair day? really isn?t depression at all. It?s merely the experience of normal human emotions in response to external and internal factors. Every case of being sad or lonely is not an example of depression. Low feelings are normal and even healthy. Depression refers to more severe cases where those negative feelings take hold and have a more serious or lasting influence on one?s well-being or ability to function.

There are three types of depression, all of which share that similarity. One is known as dysthymia. Dysthymia is a chronic, low-grade depression that lasts over a long period of time. This type of depression is "sneaky? and may not be spotted easily. Its long-lasting nature allows one to "adjust? to its symptoms somewhat, making a depressed mood seem like the normal every day nature of things.

Dysthymia sufferers have the overall quality of their lives undermined by depression, often without realizing it. They may think they are simply dour people or that life is inevitably something less than enjoyable.

Those with dysthymia are able to function with a high degree of normalcy, but are constantly nagged by feelings of sadness, despair, loneliness and related emotions.

Situational depression can have more severe symptoms. This is the form of depression that rears its head in direct response to external circumstances. Any number of traumas or trying events can trigger a bout of situational depression. The death of a loved one, or the loss of a job, for instance, may produce intense and temporarily debilitating depressive symptoms.

The key to differentiating situation depression from its clinical counterpart is the temporary nature of the symptomology and the fact that it can often be traced back to a specific cause. One should note that traumatic events can also herald the onset of clinical depression, however.

Those suffering from situational depression may find life very difficult for a period of time. They may feel agitated or nervous, have disruptions in sleeping habits, or experience other common depressive symptoms. However, the problem usually passes as the individual learns to cope with the problems that triggered the episode.

Clinical depression is more severe. If one experiences symptoms that interfere with regular functioning for a period longer than two weeks in length, they may be suffering from clinical depression. Clinical depression can last indefinitely and can be quite devastating.

The hallmark of clinical depression is the inability to enjoy almost any aspect of life. In some cases, the sufferer may even begin to consider suicide as an alternative to continuing on in their depressed state. Symptoms can run the gamut from a vague sense of unease to utter and complete hopelessness.

Interventions are usually required for one to overcome clinical depression. These can involve the use of psychotherapy, prescription antidepressants and other strategies aimed at solving the problem. Those who do not seek treatment for this condition may find the problem literally fatal in the long run. Fortunately, these methods can often be successful in helping one overcome the dreaded symptoms of clinical depression.

Depression is a growing problem, and as the epidemic continues to grow, it only makes sense for all of us to gain a better understanding of the disease. The World Health Organization posits that by the year 2020 depression will be second most devastating disease facing humanity, second only to heart disease in its impact. Depression touches the lives of most everyone and all of us should develop a stronger appreciation of what separates depression from simply having a "lousy week.?

Although the term "depression? may encompass many things in popular use, in a strict sense it refers to one of the three variations mentioned in this article. Dysthymia, situational depression and clinical depression represent the three primary types of depression. They share a great deal in common, but can be differentiated from one another by the severity of their symptoms and their longevity.

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About the Author:
john savage is a former health education official and has taken a keen interest in health matters. He has a Blog which shows a way to conquer depression, stress and anxiety. Go To:- http://BeatYourDepression.blogspot.com

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Digging Your Way Out of Depression

By Jamie Hayden
Depression is a very common illness that can affect anyone regardless of their age, race, status or gender. Many factors can cause a person to become depressed such as genetics, life events, social and family environment and medical conditions. Depression can be a life threatening condition and shouldn't be taken lightly. Severely depressed individuals can sometimes develop suicidal thoughts and professional help must be sought out immediately in these cases. If however, you find yourself mildly depressed or sad, here are a few helpful tips to help you dig yourself out of it.
1. Develop a Hobby. Depression is often accompanied by feelings of low self-worth; a great way of combating this is to develop a healthy hobby. Hobbies can be altruistic, pleasurable and constructive and can help you achieve a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction helping to raise your self-esteem.
2. Maintain a Positive Attitude. Hard as it may seem, always try to look at the optimistic side of things. When we're depressed we tend to focus on the negative and anticipate failure. It may comfort you to know that the brain cannot maintain two conflicting thoughts at the same time, so when you're feeling blue, try to think of something pleasant that gives you joy - go for a walk, do something you enjoy and you'll soon find your mood changing.
3. Evaluate your Life. External factors such as a failing relationship or job dissatisfaction can sometimes cause you to be depressed. For example if you're in a bad relationship with an abusive partner it's time to stop and evaluate your situation. Ask yourself if this situation can change for the better, be realistic in your expectations and if you feel your circumstances won't change then it may be time to get out. The same applies with a job you may be unhappy in. Try to work on any problems you may have in your personal or professional life and resolve them with the help and support of friends and family.
4. Build a Support Group. Many times when we're depressed we tend to isolate ourselves from others, this is counterproductive. Try to make new friends, re-establish contact with members of your family, surrounding yourself with others can be a very effective antidote or cure for depression.
5. Create Balance in Your Life. Balance is vital in life, if you feel overwhelmed with the pace of your life it's time to step back and take a look at how you spend your time. Setting aside some time for exercise is very beneficial in preventing and curing feelings of depression. Regular exercise can improve your mood and alleviate negative feelings while making you healthier and fit. Try to choose an activity you enjoy that makes you feel good.

Jamie likes to write on an assortment of subjects and has been doing so for numerous years. His newest web page is http://sonicaretoothbrushes.org which supplies folks with information on the Sonicare Advance toothbrush.

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Why Everyone Should Care about Depression

Often, we think of medical issues as being "the other guy's concern." Why, for instance, would we bother spending our time thinking about arthritis if we feel comfortable and limber? Why would we stew over tuberculosis when we are able to breathe freely and clearly?

The logic behind this line of thinking is understandable. If it doesn't affect us, there doesn't seem to be a compelling reason to care a great deal about the problem. Sure, we want to have some knowledge about preventing the onset of some diseases and disorders, but we are not apt to spend a great deal of time considering or researching maladies for which we lack a diagnosis.

There are exceptions to this rule, however, and one of the most notable is the matter of depression. Depression is an illness about which we all should care and to which we should all pay close attention.

What makes depression unique among all of the other illnesses and diseases? There are at least three very good reasons for even the most mentally healthy among us to keep up to date about depression.

The significance of the three reasons outlined in this article is amplified by one fact: there is a depression epidemic underway. The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has projected that by the year 2020, depression will be the world's second most dangerous and devastating disease, second only to heart disease.

The rate of increase in depression diagnoses among children is increasing at a frightening clip-every year sees at least an additional twenty percent increase in the incidence of depression among young people.

Some estimates assert that nearly a quarter of all people will some day suffer from depression. To make matters even worse, none of these trends are abating. Depression continues to grow at an alarming rate with no end in sight to the problem.

The sheer magnitude of the depression problem may be impressive in and of itself, but it also amplifies the need for all of us to track and understand the disease. This is true for three primary reasons.

The first justification for concern is the near certainty that depression will touch each of our lives in a very direct way. The statistics recounted above make it almost impossible to avoid having a loved one, friend or close associate who suffers from depression. Depression is an illness that will enter all of our lives indirectly, at the very least. Whether it is a spouse, parent or best friend, you will someday encounter the devastating impact of depression upon someone you know well.

Secondly, the increasing prevalence of depression increases the likelihood that you may eventually experience the problem. Although depression is more likely among those with a family history of the problem, it does strike others unexpectedly, too. And, contrary to widely held beliefs, it does not require a certain trigger or dramatic event to develop.

Depression is unbiased and indiscriminate. It impacts people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, races and gender. Working with the assumption that depression does impact twenty-five percent of the population, ask yourself a simple question: "Is there any other disease you would ignore if you knew you had a one in four chance of contracting it?" The answer is obvious. We even make sure to immunize ourselves against far less likely maladies.

Finally, even if one was somehow able to escape dealing with a depressed acquaintance and was able to avoid contracting the disorder themselves, they are still sure to feel its impact. Depression is a huge drain on the economy, costing literally tens of billions of dollars annually due to medical treatment costs, work absenteeism and an overall drop in productivity. From the viewpoint of civics alone, one should have an interest in the disease and its treatment.

It's easy to ignore many medical conditions-especially if one is healthy. Depression, however, should never be ignored. This growing epidemic affects all of us and warrants a high level of attention.

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About the Author:
john savage is a former health education officer and has made a careful study of depression, stress & anxiety. To read how you can conquer depression, stress and anxiety go to my blog - http://BeatYourDepression.blogspot.com

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Depression and the Mother and Child Relationship

By Keith Merrill
Recent studies indicate that, every year, approximately 15 million Americans suffer extended periods of clinical depression. Of that number, there is a subset for whom clinical depression is a lifelong struggle. It has also been documented that women are twice as likely to suffer from this debilitating disease as men. A significant number of new mothers suffer from postpartum depression. The vast majority of those recover after a brief period of time. However, some women are life-long sufferers for whom a "cure" has been elusive. What are the effects on the children who grow up with mothers who suffer from prolonged periods of depression? How well known are those effects? I can only speak from my own personal experience as a son of a severely depressed mother, combined with casual observations of other cases.
The importance of a strong mother/child bond is well documented and virtually indisputable. The first few years of that relationship are extremely critical in laying the emotional and psychological foundations from which the child will develop. Many studies have indicated that the first two years of life is the critical stage that largely dictates who and what we will become in later life. A mother who suffers from clinical depression may be unable to provide the child with the intimacy that is necessary to facilitate a healthy mother/child bond. In many cases, the mother understands what is required of her but is incapable of responding due to one, or a combination of, the following:
• Lack of desire
• Lack of energy
• Feelings of inadequacy
• Inability to give anything beyond the superficial
The sense of detachment that results from a poor mother/child bond can last a lifetime. Trying to enhance a bond that was never fully developed is extremely difficult. Given the fact that extreme depression can often be accompanied by other personality disorders (e.g., Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder,) the parent/child roles can become reversed, with the child being forced to assume the emotional role of the parent. This role-reversal can deprive the child of many of the elements of a normal childhood and can create a festering resentment towards the mother. This can gradually devolve into a love/hate relationship that neither mother nor child are able to extricate themselves from.
During early adolescence these children find that their activities are, almost without exception, centered around the homes and families of others. Their home is seldom the gathering place for friends and family. Their ability to form friendships may not be impaired, but in many cases those friendships may lack significant depth or trust. Many of these children also exhibit a heightened need for control. They strive for control and structure in their relationships and environment. If unchecked, these issues can impair their ability to function effectively in those circumstances and environments that lack the level of structure and control that they need.
Perhaps the most tragic consequence of this particular mother/child dynamic is that, over time, the child loses the ability to see his or her mother as a real person who, despite all her problems, shares most of the common traits with all of us frail humans. After years of living inside the combustible relationship, we lose sight of the fact that at one time she had her own set of dreams. We forget that in spite of all the drama and manipulation that much of her pain was/is real.
We forget that she is our Mother...
Keith Merrill

Keith Merrill is a Freelance Writer offering a wide variety of professional, high-quality, freelance writing services. Please visit his website at http://keithedwardmerrill.com

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