Archive for the ‘Depression’ Category

Natural Cures For Depression Problem

September 8th, 2011 admin

Introduction to depression:
Depression is a state of mind which is characterized by a negative sense of inadequacy and a visual lack of activity. It is a mental state in which the effecting person experiences sad feelings of gloom and downturn in mood, which may be relatively transitory and may be due to something complex. The common behavior includes feelings of sadness, despair, low self-esteem, low self-reproach and discouragement. It is one of the most upcoming troubles in the present world. We can refer this as ‘common cold’ of the mental disorders. This shows how common it is in mental disease. Almost all the people are affected by depression in their hectic scheduled life indirectly or directly at least once in their life. There is a confusion surrounding many other types of depressions like seasonal affective disorders, maniac depression, dysthymia, biological depression etc. one can say that the depression is nothing but a set of feelings, which follows the perfect pattern of the event right from the desired happenings to the idea or project getting flopped.

Depression is most common psychiatric problem nowadays. Depression can occur at any stage of the life, from childhood to the old age. This can result in plenty of different factors, which may lead to chemical changes in the brain. Inherited predisposition, chronic stress, biological changes, aging, trauma, isolation of social matters etc are most common trigger factors for the depression. In women, menstruation plays an important role in depression.

Definition of depression:
This disorder is known as vishaada in Ayurveda. It can be defined as the illness that involves body, thoughts, mood that affects the dietary habit, behavior and sleep pattern. It is not a condition that can be avoided and it is a sign of individual weakness. The people with depression go vain and can’t merely pull themselves together and get better in their routine work schedule. If depression is left untreated, it can last long up to days, weeks, months or sometimes even years. Appropriate treatment can help many of the people.

Types of depression- There are many types of depression but broadly they can be classified as below:

Psychotic depression- People who suffer from this type of depression start seeing and hearing those sounds, voices and things which are imaginary or don’t exist. One can refer this as hallucination. These symptoms are more common with a person having schizophrenia. Hallucinations are not positive and give bad impact on others. This type of depression brings imagination of negative and frightening images and sounds.

Atypical depression- In this, a person sometimes feels happiness and moments of elation. But it is never for a long period. Symptoms of atypical depression include overeating and sleeping, weight gain and fatigue. Person with this type of depression believes that outside events control his or her mood. These outside events can include praise, success and attention. The episodes of this type of depression can vary from a person to person. This can be up to several weeks, months or even a year.

Dysthymia- It is quite common that many people who just walk around seem depressed. They are at sea all the time and remain sad, blue or melancholic. If you as them, they have been in this situation since years. This is the condition in which, there are people who are not aware of this but they just live with the depression as daily routine. For them, it is a part of life. They generally go through life feeling dissatisfied, unimportant, waste and dissatisfied. It is quite tough for them to enjoy the life and never find life as in interesting mood.

Maniac depression- This type of depression falls under emotional disorder indicating lots of changing in mood. This can also vary in depression to mania and quietly rapid. This is dangerous condition as people with this type of depression are susceptible o commit suicide. For them, life is a mystery and will remain unsolved till the die. The strong desire of their love, exams, test is always in their mind.

Bipolar depression- Bipolar depression includes both; low and high mood swings. This type of depression may have variety or set of symptoms that may not be present in other types of depression.

Treatment of depression:
There are lot many anti-depressant pills are available. Ayurveda believes this to be mental disorder and there are internal as well as external therapies for depression.

Some Ayurvedic herbs like Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Mandookparni, Shatavari, Guduchi, Aamlaki, Vacha, Shankhapushpi are considered to be best drugs that can treat mental disorders. Ayurvedic therapy like Panchkarma is practiced to treat mental disorders since years and have great positive effects. Some massage on head with medicated oils is beneficial for treating mental disorders.

One of the most important treatments for depression is Yoga and meditation. Along with this, mental counseling is the best way to treat depression.

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Depression – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Options

September 14th, 2010 admin

Depression is a complex of psychological and physical symptoms. Low mood level or sadness is often the most prominent symptom. The common property of these symptoms is a decreased activity level in parts of the brain.

 

THE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

Depression may give one or more of these symptoms:

-Low mood level or sadness.

-Lack of joy or interest in activities that were joyful before.

-Pessimism.

-Feel of guilt of something without any substantial reason to feel so.

-Inferiority thoughts.

-Irritability.

-Slowness in the thought process.

-Slowness in interpreting sensorial stimuli.

-Slowness of digestion or other internal physical processes, and symptoms caused by this slowness, for example inflated stomach, constipation or difficulties by urination.

-Slow physical reactions.

Depression can be a mild disease that only causes some annoyance in the daily life, but can also get very serious and make a person totally unable to work and unable to participate in social life. By depression of some severity, there is also a greater risk of suicide.

Depression can occur in all age classes. In teenager’s lack of interest in school work, withdrawal from social life and difficult mood can be signs of depression.

 

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES THAT PRODUCE THE SYMPTOMS

By depression there is a decreased amount of neurotransmitters in parts of the central nervous system, mainly deficiency of serotonin, but also to some extend of noradrenalin, acetylcholine, dopamine or gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA), or the nerve cells do not react properly by stimulation from neurotransmitters. A neurotransmitter is a signal substance that transmits the nerve signal through the junctions between two nerve cells.

Serotonin and noradrenalin cause nerve cells to send impulses along to other nerve cells, and thus increase the activity in the brain. Deficiency of these substances causes slowness in parts of the brain, and that again causes the depressive symptoms.

The role of GABA is the opposite, namely to slow down some nerve impulses, mainly those causing anxiety and panic response. Lack of GABA causes higher anxiety and easier panic response. Yet, lack of this transmitter also seems to cause depressive symptoms. This is because a too high activity in some brain processes may slow down other processes.

There are many causes and subtypes of depression with different physiological mechanisms involved.

 

TYPES OF DEPRESSION

Depression is often divided into subtypes according to exhibited symptoms.

1. Mono-polar depression and dysthymic disorder  

By mono-polar depression there are pure depressive symptoms. Mild cases of mono-polar disorder that do not affect a person’s ability to work and to participate in social activities are often called dysthymic disorder.

 

 

2. Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disease) and cyclothymic disorder

In this condition there are periods with symptoms of depression – the depressive phase, alternating with periods of elevated mood level with increased mental and physical activity – the manic phase. In the manic phase, the affected person also sleeps poorly and has concentration difficulties. A mild form of this disease is called cyclothymic disorder.

 

3. Manic disorder

This condition is characterized by abnormally elevated mood, by unrealistic optimism, by lack of sleep and by hyperactive behaviour. Many psychiatrists think that this disorder is simply the same disease as bipolar disorder where the depressive face has not yet occurred.

 

4. Depression with mainly physical symptoms

Sometimes the physical symptoms of depression are alone or dominant, as for example: Digestive problems, constipation, difficulties with urination, slow response to sensorial stimuli or slow physical reactions.

 

CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

Two or more factors can have an effect simultaneously to cause depression. Depression can be an independent disease, or a part of other disease. Depression is also divided into different subtypes according to cause.

1. Reactive depression

This disease is simply a result from psychological stress, physical struggle or mental straining without proper rest or sleep over a long time period. The straining will simply wear out the nervous system or deplete the organism from nutrient necessary for the nervous system to work properly.

 

2. Endogenous depression

When there has not been any period of stress, straining or lack of rest that can explain the condition, the condition is often called endogenous depression. Inheritance is thought to be a part of the cause.

 

3. Depression by physical disease

Depression or depressive symptoms may be a symptom of physical disease. This is perhaps the most common cause of depression.

Diseases often associated with depression are: Heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, hypertension or Cushing’s syndrome.

Mononucleosis or flu may trigger depression that continues after the infection has gone.

By lack of thyroid hormones, hypothyroidism, the metabolism in the whole body is slowed down, including the production of neurotransmitters in the brain. Therefore depression is an important symptom of hypothyroidism.

 

4. Depressive symptoms as a consequence of unsound lifestyle

A general unsound lifestyle with too less exercise, too high consunsume of alcohol, coffee or tea, too less of important nutrient and too much of sugar and fat may give depressive symptoms, as well as physical problems.

 

5. Postnatal depression

Women will often have a period of depression after pregnancy and birth of the baby Pregnancy and berth is physically and mentally exhausting, and may drain the body for nutrient. This in turn can cause depressive symptoms

.

6. Seasonal affective disorder

Depression can occur in cold and dark periods of the year and go away in warm and light periods. Light stimulates brain activity, and lack of light is a causative factor. 

 

TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION

Serious or prolonged depression is often treated with anti-depressive medication. Medicines used against depression generally increase the level of neurotransmitters like serotonin in the central nervous system, or they mimic the neurotransmitters.

 

The medications mostly used today increase the serotonin concentration by decreasing the removal of serotonin from the space around nerve cells. Examples of this medication type are: Fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), escitalopram (Lexapro, Celexa), sentraline (zoloft).

 

By bipolar disorder in the manic face, heavy tranquilizers (neuroleptica) are used to stop the manic symptoms. By bipolar disorder, lithium salts are sometimes used to stabilize the condition, and prevent new outbreak of depressive or manic faces.

 

Psychotherapy is sometimes used by depression, usually in combination with medication.

 

Sometimes serious depression is treated by applying electric shock through the head, electroconvulsive therapy. The shock induces epileptic eruption of nerve signals through the brain and this gives cramps throughout the body. The cramps are alleviated or stopped by applying anaesthesia before the electroshock. This form of treatment is controversial, since it can cause memory loss and is suspected of causing brain damage. The possibility of brain damage is however denied by most psychiatrists.

 

By seasonal depression, light therapy maybe useful.

 

Adjustment of lifestyle should always be considered by depression or depressive symptoms. Lifestyle measures can sometimes be enough to cure depressive symptoms before a serious depression develop. Lifestyle adjustments can be:

- To slow down a stressful life with too much work or activities.

- Enough rest and sleep.

- A good diet with enough of necessary nutrients.

- Some physical exercise.

- Meditation.

- Supplement of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, lecithin, amino acids and essential fatty acids.

- Stimulants like coffee or tea may help against depressive feelings in moderate amount. However, if you are a heavy user of these stimulants, you should cut down on your consumption.

There exist nutritional products in the marked to help against depressive symptoms. These contain ingredients that the brain uses as building blocks for neurotransmitters, for example amino acids and lecithin. They also often contain vitamins and minerals that the brain uses as tools to produce neurotransmitters, especially vitamin B6.

Supplements may further contain herbal extracts that trigger higher brain activity much like anti-depressive medications, but may have fewer side effects.

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Alcohol Depression: The bottle may be increasing the Depression.

July 16th, 2010 admin

Alcohol depression is very grave and should not be one’s state of living, however just how one can overcome this form of depression could be quite challenging as two factors are being addressed here: a substance abuse and an emotional disturbance.

Dealing with depression means at the moment you may not be feeling too good. What with low energy, poor sleep and a general feeling of helplessness, naturally finding a solution out of being depressed is a much expected step. Sadly, most people turn to either legal (e.g. Zoloft) and illegal (e.g. marijuana) drugs or the use of drinking alcoholic beverages in a quest to ease the pain, however, research has shown that both illegal drugs and alcohol are marked depressants. (in spite of the buzz they may temporarily give) and speaking of depression drugs from recent studies, these substances just may not be worth the side-effects.

Now on the subject of alcohol use and depressive illnesses; this is actually the worst possible strategy for dealing with depression. Depressed moods can be a direct outcome of substance abuse. Conversely, use of alcohol by people with a depressive disorder may increase the severity of their depression symptoms and thus should be avoided.

Alcohol depression is quite rampant these days as up to 40 per cent of people who drink alcohol heavily have symptoms that resemble depression. However, when these same people are not drinking heavily, only 5 per cent of men and 10 per cent of woman have symptoms meeting the need to be diagnosed for depression.

Even though when used sparingly, alcohol may briefly produce a pleasant and relaxed state of the mind, depression resulting from alcohol is not uncommon. This starts off like anything else, slowly but picking up intensity with time. When alcohol is used sparingly, it may for a while lift the moods; however, when used to treat a depressive illness, tolerance to the effects of it may lead a patient of depression to drink more alcohol in search for a positive effect. This is where the problems begin, one drinks more and more and before you know it, alcohol- being a noted depressant-starts to cause depressive tendencies in the mind.

Alcohol Depression: Effects and Consequences

Now we all know alcohol confuses judgment and makes one more impulsive to take risks, moreover it causes a loss of inhibition and increases aggressive behavior and violent acts even towards one own self. Consequently, when used as a means to curb depression, this should be a particular concern as studies have shown depression can lead to suicide. Generally, a much higher incidence of suicide, both completed and attempted, is associated with alcohol depression.

Moreover, alcohol depression leads to complicated social disorders such as absenteeism, sickness and under-performance. Inevitably, marital problems often arise because of an alcohol problem, add this to the depression problems at hand, it is not surprising that many marriages have suffered due to this particular depressive illness.

In regards to health, alcohol depression can cause a lot of physical problems. These may arise in the liver in the form of hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver failure. Stomach Ulcers, sexual dysfunction and irregular heartbeat are other factors as well. Now these are just symptoms that result from excessive alcohol use, add to this the effects of depression on the body…needless to say, this particular form of depressive illness is a very serious and grave one. Here are the symptoms of this particular kind of emotional disorder.

Alcohol Depression: Symptoms indicating its presence

There are a number of pointers that should lead one to consider if one has an alcohol depression problem. In no particular order, they include:

1. Using alcohol to try to escape from one’s worries and trouble.
2. Drinking too much alcohol everyday.
3. Using alcohol to induce sleep.
4. Drinking this excessive alcohol alone.
5. Feeling an immense guilt about one’s excessive drinking

Thankfully, as with all things there is hope, however one has to have the desire to change.
Enumerated are some helpful tips for this emotional disorder resulting from excessive drinking.

Alcohol Depression: Helpful solutions.

Depressive symptoms resulting from alcohol might indeed be quite difficult to curb, However, as with anything, the more one works at it, the better the chances of success.
It always helps to know the cause of one’s reckless desire to drink in the first place. These may be marital, financial or even spiritual problems. Therefore these issues should be addressed by competent counseling, reading self-help books and even a good old talk with one’s creator.

Moreover, a simple fast or restricted diet on a seasonal juicy fruit can aid to detoxify the body of alcoholic tendencies. Now this may sound very unconventional, but according to Professor Arnold Ehret, this method has been used successfully to aiding many an alcoholic to give up excessive drinking. Dr. Stanley Burroughs also attested to this in his writings known as the Master Cleanser. Of course 60% of the battle may perhaps be the patient’s desire for change in the first place.

In addition, physical exercise, besides occupying one’s time, also goes a long way to first aiding in detoxifying the body and helping with alcohol depression as this method exercises the motor centers of the brain, making the blood flow away from the emotional activity center; consequently one becomes more receptive to positive thoughts. Yoga is highly recommended as a choice for exercise here as several benefits lay in its use as an alternative depression treatment. From the intense relaxation and stress relief that arises from its use, to the increase of alpha and theta waves in the right portion of the brain ( a noted characteristic of optimistic people), yoga as a means of coping with alcohol depression, though admittedly may be unconventional, is indeed a wise choice.

One major step in overcoming alcohol depression is the desire for change. Consequently if a relative or loved one expresses the need for help, it is advised to immediately lend a helping hand and walk them through the steps to redemption. If however one is alone in these struggles, well, the internet in constantly making the world a smaller place or help may just be a phone call away…as long as one makes the move, the spiritual forces that are ever inherent in our own minds will guide one to the right path for success. The tips provided thus far can definitely help as well.

Alcohol depression need not be one’s state of living, with the drug-free methods of a positive thinking, and even diet and proper exercise, its symptoms, causes and effects can definitely be overcome.

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Affordable Non-Drug solution to Depression

June 10th, 2010 admin

Up until recently, there were four choices for persons with Depression.  These were:

1.  Do nothing, suffer and hope it’ll get better with time.  This is the sad choice of many, and it doesn’t work.  They most often get worse.

2.  Put them on one of the huge advertised array of drugs, and then put them on other drugs hoping to solve the side effects as they show up.  This is known as the drug “side effect chain”.  (My ex-wife once ended up taking six different drugs in this way, and the end effect was that she got worse instead of better – a not uncommon result)

3.  Pay exorbitant amounts of money for EEG Biofeedback (Neurofeedback) training.  This has been the best solution up to now.  The overall success rate (with good and bad clinicians) is considered to be about 85%.  But, the cost of 60 (recommended) half hour sessions with a “professional” at $4500 to over $10,000 is above the ability of most mid and low income families.

4.  Try various allergy clinics to try to find the allergy/sensitivity responsible, and also do all the various tests for mineral toxicity (mercury, copper, arsenic, cadmium, etc.  This is also pretty expensive, with the very best system (End Point Titration) costing upwards of $10,000.  (For more info on EPT, see www.Alternate-Health.com/allergy.html).

Now, there’s another choice.  I invented a new method of changing brain wave amplitude (up or down) that is similar to EEG BF, but is inexpensive enough to give mid and low income families a choice besides expensive and dangerous drugs.  It’s audio messaging used mostly during sleep.  Instead of changing behavior as is “usual” with this technique, it does the same thing that EEG biofeedback (Neurofeedback) does, i.e. it raises the SMR brain wave (12-14 cycles per second – Hz), while lowering the Theta brain wave (4-8 Hz) at the same time.

For those who aren’t familiar with EEG BF, this is the most effective brain training mechanism that best solves this particular brain problem.  (It also solves ADHD, insomnia, IBS, epilepsy, and even many cases of schizophrenia.  There is substantial proof of this effectiveness of EEG BF, and a summary of professional papers can be found at:
<http://ADHD-biofeedback.com/proof.html> ).

In my former practice as an Orthomolecular Psychologist, I had used auditory messaging with good success, and in 2004, I realized that it should be possible to use this technique to do the same thing that was done by the expensive EEG BF units and a computer.  Instead of going thru the conscious mind of the “trainee” to affect the unconscious, why not go directly to the unconscious mind?

After more than two years, three clinical trials, and extensive testing utilizing volunteers who paid for the right to participate, I proved the following:

1.  The Bate Auditory Brainwave Training (Patent Pending) Is very similar to EEG BF and accomplishes the same “basic brain training” with these following minor differences:

a.  It compares with one night sleep being almost equivalent to one half hour session.  9-10 weeks of sleep showed approximately the same improvement in ADHD diagnosed persons as 60 half hour sessions in a clinic.  (Yes, it takes a long time to be effective, with either method – there really isn’t any “magic pill”, in spite of what the drug companies say in their ads.

b. There is more possibility of a Hawthorne Effect in this training than in EEG BF training.  For more info on this Effect see:  <http://www.Subliminals-Training.com/hawthorne.html> .

In the last test, this possible effect was discussed beforehand and warned about, and while it occurred in a few cases, it did not deter any of the volunteers, as it had done in earlier testing.  (This is NOT a dangerous “side effect” such as can be caused by all drugs!  It can cause minor discomfort in a few individuals for only a day or so at worst.)

c.  Motivation is no longer a huge factor as it is in EEG BF.  Both the parents
and the child have to motivated to continue long weeks of training, and if the training is                               stopped before an end point, some, or most, of the gain is lost.

2.  This system costs under $200, and that is a one-time fee only.  It can be used for as long as it takes.  (With Autistic children, it can take up to 200 EEG BF sessions).  The system is composed of two basic CD’s.  The first is the actual Audio Training program, playable on any CD player, boom box, etc.  The second CD is a computer disk that has several other programs useful as adjuncts to this training.  This includes a free allergy/sensitivity test, a free bottle of amino acid supplement that has a calming effect, and several articles on alternate health therapies that have been shown to be of help for all types of brain problems.

3.  There is also a year’s full money back guarantee of success.  If any person tries this for at least 60 days, and then states that there has been no significant improvement they will receive a full rebate including shipping and handling (which is included in the price).

Now, even the low and mid income families have a choice that doesn’t force them to do nothing or to try and/or use dangerous drugs.

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Acknowledge Your Depression

May 5th, 2010 admin

Depression is an illness and needs to be acknowledged as such. It is not a reason to be ashamed. The reason so many people fail to seek help for their depression is that they are ashamed. Unfortunately, this is one of the feelings associated with depression anyway and makes the illness difficult to acknowledge.

If you are constantly feeling particularly low, well-meaning friends might tell you to “snap out of it” or even start to get irritated by your mood. Your depression will feed off this negativity and you start to wonder why you can’t just “snap out of it”. You then start to feel that there’s something wrong with you because it should be so easy and it’s just “not right” that you feel so bad all the time. Well, it’s not right and there is something wrong with you. You have a medical condition and you deserve treatment in the same way as any other patient. If you had a cold for six months would you ignore it and hope it would pass? No, you would dose yourself up with anything you could find and maybe see a doctor to find out if there’s an underlying reason for it to last so long.

Depression is sadness that lasts too long. Everyone is sad at some point in their lives but depression is more than that. It is a feeling that you can’t bring yourself up from the bottom. In the end you give up trying. People start to avoid you. You feel worse. You need to find external help to treat the problem in the same way as you would if you had a long-lasting cold. You could try herbal remedies – there are some in your pharmacy – or you could see your doctor. There may be an underlying physical cause for your depression.

If your doctor cannot help you they may refer you for counselling. Don’t be embarrassed to go for counselling but do make sure you are comfortable with your counsellor. If not, try another one. Counselling should not be discounted because you don’t feel comfortable with your first choice of practitioner. In everyday life you will naturally find that you get on with some people and clash with others. You cannot afford to have a personality clash with your counsellor. On the other hand you must be sure that it is a personality clash and not just that you don’t agree with what they are saying. A general rule is to go with your instincts. If you like the person and seemed to get on well in the first couple of sessions then stick with it because they might just have touched on the root cause of your problem.

In some cases, acknowledging depression may be difficult because you have lived with it so long that you don’t know whether it is depression or not. If you have grown up with depression it is possible not to realise that you are actually depressed because you have no concept of how normal people should feel. You may feel angry all the time or you may feel like going to the middle of an empty field and simply screaming. You may feel anxious, have trouble sleeping or even sleep too much. You may think that your family would be better off without you (and actually believe that to be true) and may have considered running away or suicide. You may worry about death all the time (yours or someone else’s) and not let yourself be happy just in case…… (or even “I must enjoy this now in case………..”). If you are feeling any or all of the above then you need to consider talking to someone. Even if it is just a friend or family member to start with, they may be able to advise you and encourage you to seek professional help.

Once you have acknowledged that you have depression please remember that it is a medical condition and can be cured. You don’t have to feel this way for ever. Nobody actually thinks of you the way you think they do. Talk to someone. Seek and accept help and you will find that there is a different way of seeing life.

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