Archive for the ‘Depression’ Category

Depression in itself is something difficult to deal with, especially if the person hasn’t yet been treated for it. Suicidal thoughts can often be a result of depression, especially in cases where there is still no treatment in place.

Some newly data collected in a recent study has reported 3% of people receiving treatment for depression on an outpatient basis will actually die from suicide. This doesn’t mean however that the suicidal thoughts aren’t still there. Any therapy which is aimed at helping a person’s depressive state can also help the patient regain enough feeling of self control to put the suicidal urges at bay.

Being depressed causes a person to narrow their personal view of the world around them. Everything in reality can end up seeming distorted. Any negative aspect in their lives becomes constantly reinforced, while the positive is either discounted or seemingly irrelevant.

This is where the suicidal thoughts normally come into play. With this unrelenting sadness causing pain to the depressed person, sometimes they feel the only way to escape it to get away from it permanently. The opinion that death is the only solution often enters the depressed person’s mind.

The most important step to take if you notice any suicidal tendencies surrounding those you care for is to make sure they seek medical help. If this person is already being treated for depression, they should consult with their physician or therapist as quickly as possible. The situation may be changed by an increased dose of their current antidepressant, or perhaps a change in prescriptions.

It has been well documented that some antidepressants will have adverse effects on some people. Any suicidal thoughts could mean the medication prescribed just simply isn’t having the desired effect. There are many more options out there, and your physician is well equipped to try something else.

If you are experiencing any type of suicidal thoughts yourself, please share how you feel with someone else. Suicide is not the answer to any problem, and discussing your feelings canhelp you find a better solution.

Dealing with one of the many depression disorders can often bring forth another task which is hard to cope with. That extra issue just happens to be a weight problem, and can either be a loss or gain of weight. In the majority of people the issue is weight gain, but there are still those who deal with unexplained weight loss during this time.

No matter which of the two scenarios you’re personally dealing with, the first step recommended is to speak to your physician about your depression as well as any weight issues.
Here are some ideas on how to best approach this situation.

* Get help for the depression. Putting priority on depression treatment will make dealing with weight issues more successful in the long-run.

* Set small goals. Any task is difficult when you suffer from depression. Adjust your goals by making them smaller and they will become more achievable.

* Increase your physical activity. Many people have a difficult time getting themselves to exercise. For the depressed person, the task can be monumental. However, exercise and general activity helps alleviate depression and minimizing weight gain. However, it’s better to take things slow and manageable rather than quitting too soon out of frustration.

* Eat nutritiously. Your body can be your friend during tough times if it’s treated right. Eating colorful, nutritious foods will give the body what it needs to help fight the depression and prevent improper eating habits.

* Work on your self-esteem. As a rule, people with depressive disorders have either feelings of inadequacy or low self-esteem. By working on these issues, it becomes easier to handle the necessary tasks of proper nutrition and exercise required to avoid weight issues in the first place.

* Ask your physician if your medication could be the culprit in your weight issues. Some antidepressants are known for causing weight gain.

While there are still many unknown elements about the relationship of weight issues and mental health, it’s evident that any connection is an important public health issue.

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is not an easy thing. Mourning and grieving are natural processes a person will go through in order to cope with the reality of a major loss. Mourning the loss of a loved one is a very personal affair which may last many months, or even years.

Grieving is the outward expression of your loss. Your grief is likely to be expressed physically, emotionally, and psychologically. For instance, crying is a physical expression, while depression is a psychological expression.

Grief that is complicated by adjustment disorders (especially depressed and anxious mood or disturbed emotions and behavior), major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder are all issues which can arise as a result of grief or loss. Complicated grief can be identified by the length of time of the symptoms, the manner they affect normal function, or by the intensity of the symptoms (for example, intense suicidal thoughts or acts).

Complicated grief may also appear as a complete absence of grief and mourning, or the inability to experience normal grief reactions, delayed grief, conflicted grief, or chronic grief. Factors contributing to the chances one may experience complicated grief include the suddenness of the death, the gender of the person in mourning, and the relationship to the deceased.

Grief reactions that turn into major depression should be treated with both drug and psychological therapy. One who avoids any reminders of the person who died, who constantly thinks or dreams about the person who died, and who gets scared and panics easily at any reminders of the person who died may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Depressive illness, not to be confused with situational depression caused by the loved one’s death, occurs in 17%-27% of survivors during the first year after a death. Symptoms of depression typically begin after one to two months of bereavement, last for several months after the loss, and are constant. The help of a mental-health professional is needed.

Nothing feels lonelier than being diagnosed with an illness. Hearing the words, “You have depression” can be the loneliest of all. Strike back by creating a supportive network.

What is a support network? Support comes in many forms. The basic premise here is to offer something that you have to help someone else. A person suffering from depression can use a lot of support. Some suggestions include:

* Support groups
* Friends network
* Church membership
* Therapist
* Family

These are in no special order. Your first line of support will probably be your family. They are the ones who love you the best and will want to do whatever they can to help you recover. Talking to them about your feelings and also studying up on depression together strengthens your bond over this condition.
Your doctor may advice you to seek additional help by talking to someone like a therapist. A therapy professional in psychotherapy will tell you that part of your success hinges on the relationship that you forge with them. You both trust each other to tell the truth about depression in your sessions.

Local support groups are places where others like you can meet and discuss issues on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basis. Simply knowing that you are not alone is like a weight being lifted from your shoulders. You don’t have to deal with it alone. In support groups, you have an outlet with no repercussions.

Your local church can also be a strong support in your life. Your faith can help you to deal with a number of things. Besides, a church is a welcoming community that shares their lives through their faith.

Friends are often underestimated. When the chips are down, the good ones come through. Call on your friends for a chat, a cup of coffee, dinner or to see a movie. They can ask you to venture out but also be strong enough to ask them for help when you need it.

Support is often the difference between hopefulness and helplessness. Create a support structure that works for you.

Mental health professionals tend to approach their subject from one of two quite different perspectives. Some regard mental health problems as a biological disorder or malfunction. This is the approach that is emphasized within medical models of illness, and by psychiatrists. Psychologists are more likely to look at the psychosocial and cognitive factors. So where does that leave the ‘chemical imbalance’ theory of depression?

Mind: Body Relationships and Chemical Imbalance

We are beginning to understand the ways in which the mind and body are interdependent. The consensus today is that stress and emotions can induce the biochemical changes that can be measured in depressive illness. More rarely it can work the other way round, with physical illness resulting in depressed mood.

Often it is hard to separate the two. Stress or poor diet causes us to become run down and renders us more vulnerable to physical illness. Physical illness is itself frequently a cause of stress, and so a feedback situation arises. Most experts agree that depressive illness is a two-way street.

Various diseases and conditions are thought to trigger depression in certain individuals. Depression is associated with various diseases of the nervous system and the endocrine system, for example. It can also be triggered by infections, such as glandular fever.

What Chemicals Are Implicated in Depressive Illness?

Whichever approach is adopted, there is no doubt that biochemistry is a very real factor in depressive illness and that drug treatments that alter body chemistry can be effective. Attention has focussed on hormones and neurotransmitters called monoamines.

The best-known neurotransmitter linked to depression is serotonin. Low serotonin levels are linked to depressed mood, poor appetite and sleep and other bodily functions. The stress hormone norepinephrine is another. Drugs that prevent re-uptake of these neurotransmitters increase their levels in the body and are fundamental to medical management of depression, usually together with psychological therapies.

An alteration in brain chemistry is involved in depression. Returning that imbalance to normal plays an important role in treatment.