Is My Dog Depressed?

Despite having fur and four legs, pet owners often treat their dogs as if they were human. Just like humans, our furry companions have good times and bad times. Dogs, just like humans, can get depressed. Unfortunately, unlike humans, dogs are unable to get over the blues on their own.

Signs that your dog may be depressed are similar to the signs you may see in your human companions. Dogs can get lethargic, lose their appetite for food or water, stop playing, and in drastic cases, can lose a significant amount of weight. Because pets cannot speak for themselves, it's important for pet owners to pay attention to these signs.

The reasons that your dog may get depressed are as varied as the reasons that humans get the blues. Like humans, pets grieve the loss of a loved one, such as a child going off to college or a loved one passing away. Sometimes changes in lifestyle, such as moving to a new home, or other sudden changes in their environment, can have a dramatic effect on your pet. It's also possible that your dog has a chemical imbalance that requires a veterinarian's care.

There are ways to ease your dog's sadness, provided that there are no physical ailments that are the cause of the depression. Doing simple activities, such as engaging and playing with your dog more or offering your pet a new toy or treat, can sometimes liven up your depressed pet. If your dog has lost a companion, such as another pet, you might consider replacing the companion or take your pet to a dog park to try and make new friends. Consider putting your pet in doggie-daycare, if you work during the day. This will ensure that your pet is not alone and will also enable your dog to make other canine friends, that could help pull them out of their depression.

Be patient with your dog. Just like our moody human companions, it may take more than a playful afternoon to get your furry companion to liven up. Time, patience and persistence may be key to turning your dog's depression around.

If you have tried interacting with your pet and your dog still seems depressed, then it's a good idea to take your pet to the veterinarian to be sure there are no other ailments that are causing your dog's blue mood. If the veterinarian rules out physical ailments, but your dog is still depressed, it's possible that your pet may be prescribed an anti-depressant to correct a possible chemical imbalance, much like the solution for severe depression in humans.

If your dog gets depressed, there is no need to be alarmed. No matter the reason for your furry companions sadness, your dog needs you, more than ever, to see them through this trying time. Giving your pet lots of attention, loving care, and patience could be all your dog needs to overcome depression.

The Role of Companionship and How Instinct Clouds Judgment

So you've been married for a while. A long while. Or you've been dating so long that it seems like you're married. Or you're just thinking about embarking on a lifelong course with that special someone, but the longevity of the whole enterprise is daunting. You are committing to be with this one person, and this person only.

At this time I have some advice for teens dealing with breakups. Coping with a relationship that has ended is always very difficult and how to handle a relationship breakup can become upsetting at the very least. We have had many letters delivered to our offices asking please help me get over this breakup, and help me let go of ex, we have always given a high priority to the subject of relationship breakup and how to cope with a relationships.

There are two types of breaking up survival, they are the difficult relationship breakup where the signs of a breaking up are easy to spot, and the warning signs of a breakup come thick and fast.Surviving the breakup of a new or short term relationship will come easier than long term relationship breakup. We have always advised the best ways to get over a breakup and healing a broken heart from love, is to take the best advice for teens dealing with breakups, this advise can be found at Magick Of Making Up.

The advise given is highly charged and has helped many young lovers with overcoming a breakup, there is great advice on breaking up, and why it happens, also advice on how to get my ex girlfriend back or advice on how to get your ex boyfriend back, advice on how to get your ex back, has been tried and tested over many years.All advise for broken relationships will fill you with hope, and help you with coping painful breakup.

We have found that over the years dealing with breakup pain issues and that moving on after a breakup, the healing after breakup and many questions on how to survive a break up. There are many articles in magazines giving free breakup advice these are fine the younger teens who have ten crushes a day! But for the more mature teenagers and young adult relationship break up, get more intense over time.

Surviving relationship loss when one has been in a relationship for many months or years is harder and the recovering from a breakup is much more difficult and the healing heartbreak.How to deal with a breakup can and will always be the most time consuming, energy sapping, endeavor if you let it rule your life. It is always better if possible to recognize the signs of breakup and the saving a relationship question is easier to remedy.

There have been many books written on the subject, remedy for a broken heart, and teen breakup poems these we find pretty pathetic, the breakup poetry, it is stated by the authors, helps to sooth the well-being and aid the breakup recovery, we find that the only person helped here is the authors and their bank balance.

Breakup poems will only make you feel worse, by there nature they are self defeating and will make one feel more depressed. This is the same also with the empowering breakup songs that are delivered through the radio over and over again, while your listening to this rubbish you are not out there getting ex girlfriend back or getting ex boyfriend back, getting back together should be your number one priority.

Breakup recovery will take as long as you let it, the getting over a relationship and mending broken heart, still occupies every second of your day, the thought why men dump women and why women dump men will never be answered due to the complex human interaction.Stages of breaking up can be very different from one couple to another. Many couples will go through the phase that is not uncommon the dreaded rebound relationships, these we find are not healthy and rarely prosper, and so if you can steer clear of these do so.

Over the many years helping ailing relationships we have studied many breakup letters sent to us from break up advice centers these we have found must baffling the breakup quotes are not rational which tells us that love can be a un-rational endeavor. Most letters ask for advice for a broken heart, these Samples of break up letters all end stating what is the best way to get your ex back.

There is always the dreaded quote my best friend in rebound relationship with ex and its tearing me apart. Please give advice for broken hearted ex-lover, the only advice on getting your boyfriend back or girlfriend back is to remember the Breaking up don'ts, which are when breaking up with your boyfriend or girlfriend is can positive thinking get my boyfriend back, yes it can never let this fact leave your thoughts.

Always be on guard against can a rebound relationship feel like love not very often it is usually a means of dealing with broken heart or dealing with being dumped and can be very dangerous.If your dealing with a relationship breakup one night stands are not the best answer. Going on line to meet people is the best way in avoiding rebound relationships, the next question is are online relationships healthy of course they are you do not have to meet face to face, plus you have the best of two worlds, are online relationships cheating, no certainly not, are online relationships good yes because if you have a low esteem after breaking up with someone what's better than getting revenge on your ex in an unconventional way, and receiving a few nice compliments as well.

Coping with a relationship break up can be done in many different ways the chemistry in relationships differs from person to person so can be difficult to predict the outcome and advice heal broken heart can be time consuming as we try to help couples all over the world.The advice for broken hearted lovers is usually given as fast as possible.

A few people ask for advice on ending a relationship this is a question we try to steer clear of and would rather help than hinder. We do offer advise on the best ways to get over a breakup, also the best ways to get your wife back, this is a question that is cropping up more often just lately, the question and advice of marriage breakups always keeps our feet on the ground and makes our job a little more tearful, some of the ending a relationship letter have at times had our office staff in tears, it is always a shame when break-up-letters start to flood in, usually October and November are the worst months.

The boyfriend and girlfriend breakup question is always at the top of our list thankfully, the boyfriend break up letter is one of the most amazing letters on the planet and we are still amazed with the boyfriend breakup excuses, the best one to date is "I'm going to be a test pilot for the space shuttle so I can not see you any more".

Our files are full of best way to get girlfriend back which is nice, we do have a few letters each month asking the best way to breakup with girlfriend these we find are very final, it is possible over time to change this individuals mind, the secrets how to do this can be found at Magick Of Making Up, sometimes even we do fail and our advise is after a breakup moving on, the question boyfriend breakups will always be with us and many of the best people in this field will never work it out.

Coping after a breakup can at times take one or to different turns, the aspect of coping with a broken heart, and coping with a broken relationship are the main down side of a falling out, it is your gain if you can mend a broken relationship then the other mend a broken heart will come next, it sounds very easy and is if you stick to the golden rules, find free advice on getting my ex back there are many book reviews on get back your ex now these will give you the inspiration and cut out the guess work, the boyfriend girlfriend breakups are dealt with in a very calming way.

To find out more go to Magick Of Making Up the emotional stages of a relationship breakup are one of the main focal points in the magic of making up. Easing the pain of a breakup is 90% of the battle won, and our new secret system can alleviate the stress that breaking up survival can bring. Breaking up with a boyfriend or breaking up with a married man can turn a normal level headed person into a nail biting hair pulling over stressed person.

Breaking up with your boyfriend or breaking up with my girlfriend is all covered in our new book, the boyfriend broke up with me question is answered in full, sensible breaking up advice is given in depth and that endless fraise boyfriend wants to take a break, all these most personal items are dealt with in minuet detail. The chapters best way to get your ex back are very revealing to say the least.

We deal with the falling in love signs, those subtle little changes that we all get when falling in love, these are all explained in our new book Magick Of Making Up we all suffer depression after a breakup our book will help you over come the depression after a break up, with a lot of difficult relationship breakup happening nowadays, we can help most people sort this out and hopefully give you more chances of getting back with ex and dealing with emotions which will surface when your ex wants to get back together.

It is very much more difficult to get an ex wife back than it is to get back with ex husband, getting back together with your ex husband can at times raise the question will I trust him again?Breaking up staying friends this is always best if there are children in the relationship, it has its problems when your partner has left to be with a lover, the breakup advice given on this subject is the best you can get.

After the break up and get back together has started to ware off more advise is given to keep and help for a troubled relationship and dealing with unrequited love, couples will at times forget the depictions of unrequited love these thoughts lay very deep in our psyche and should be nurtured at all times night and day.

After a short breakup the mind starts to play tricks and coping with jealousy is quite difficult, especially if your partner has made new friends, coping with stress that this will cause is a must, the fraise does love help you live longer is asked to our staff all the time and the question is yes, we look at it this way humans and most animals are designed to live in pairs and love between two people is life giving.

The horrible breakup depression can only hinder your outlook on life and so shorten it, so you must at all times guard against broken relationship grief this grief is all consuming and will have you searching for a cure for break up pain this search is not good and will have you entering into unhealthy relationships. Broken relationship help is only a click away go to Magick Of Making Up for more help.

Surviving marriage breakup is most peoples number one priority, it can be as hard as you make it, or as easy as you make it. Like most problems it can be solved quickly with a bit of mind power. The coping with a relationship breakup issue can and always will be with us in some shape or form, it is how we deal with it mentally.

Ending a bad relationship or just ending a relationship will always make one feel depressed for a short while but if it is at all possible ending a relationship gracefully is more desirable, dealing with a bad breakup can cost many thousands of dollars in legal fees, so if coping with relationship breakups is not for you try to go the easy way by fixing a broken relationship.

Fixing breakups whether its fixing bad relationship or finding our how to cure broken heart it is always easier to speak to your partner, and in the long run its cheaper.Coping with breakup of marriage all questions on marriage and the husband-wife relationship expert question answer how do i get my ex-wife back are available, more information available at Magick Of Making Up, check it out by clicking the link below.

What Constitutes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to teach a person new skills on how to solve problems concerning dysfunctional emotions, behaviors, and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic approach. This title is used in many ways to differentiate behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, and therapy that is based on both behavioral and cognitive therapies. There is empirical evidence that shows that cognitive behavioral therapy is quite effective in treating several conditions, including personality, anxiety, mood, eating, substance abuse, and psychotic disorders. Treatment is often manualized, as specific psychological orders are treated with specific technique-driven brief, direct, and time-limited treatments.

Cognitive behavioral therapy can be used both with individuals and in groups. The techniques are often adapted for self-help sessions as well. It is up to the individual clinician or researcher on whether he/she is more cognitive oriented, more behavioral oriented, or a combination of both, as all three methods are used today. Cognitive behavioral therapy was born out of a combination of behavioral therapy and cognitive therapy. These two therapies have many differences, but found common ground on focusing on the "here and now" and on alleviating symptoms.

Evaluating cognitive behavioral therapy has led to many believing that it is more effective over psychodynamic treatments and other methods. The United Kingdom advocates the use of cognitive behavioral therapy over other methods for many mental health difficulties, including post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia nervosa, clinical depression, and the neurological condition chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. The precursors of cognitive behavioral therapy base their roots in various ancient philosophical traditions, especially Stoicism. The modern roots of CBT can be traced to the development of behavioral therapy in the 1920s, the development of cognitive therapy in the 1960s, and the subsequent merging of the two therapies. The first behavioral therapeutic approaches were published in 1924 by Mary Cover Jones, whose work dealt with the unlearning of fears in children.

The early behavioral approaches worked well with many of the neurotic disorders, but not so much with depression. Behavioral therapy was also losing in popularity due to the "cognitive revolution." This eventually led to cognitive therapy being founded by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s. The first form of cognitive behavioral therapy was developed by Arnold A. Lazarus during the time period of the late 1950s through the 1970s. During the 1980s and 1990s, cognitive and behavioral therapies were combined by work done by David M. Clark in the United Kingdom and David H. Barlow in the United States. Cognitive behavioral therapy includes the following systems: cognitive therapy, rational emotive behavior therapy, and multimodal therapy. One of the greatest challenges is defining exactly what a cognitive-behavioral therapy is. The particular therapeutic techniques vary within the different approaches of CBT depending upon what kind of problem issues are being dealt with, but the techniques usually center around the following:

• Keeping a diary of significant events and associated feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.


• Questioning and testing cognitions, evaluations, assumptions, and beliefs that might be unrealistic and unhelpful.


• Gradually facing activities that may have been avoided.


• Trying out new ways of behaving and reacting.

In addition, distraction techniques, mindfulness, and relaxation are also commonly used in cognitive behavioral therapy. Mood-stabilizing medications are also often combined with therapies to treat conditions like bipolar disorder. The NICE guidelines within the British NHS recognize cognitive behavioral therapy's application in treating schizophrenia in combination with medication and therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy usually takes time for patients to effectively implement it into their lives. It usually takes concentrated effort for them to replace a dysfunctional cognitive-affective-behavioral process or habit with a more reasonable and adaptive one, even when they recognize when and where their mental processes go awry. Cognitive behavioral therapy is applied to many different situations, including the following conditions:

• Anxiety disorders (obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia or social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder)


• Mood disorders (clinical depression, major depressive disorder, psychiatric symptoms)


• Insomnia (including being more effective than the drug Zopiclone)


• Severe mental disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression)


• Children and adolescents (major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms)


• Stuttering (to help them overcome anxiety, avoidance behaviors, and negative thoughts about themselves)

Cognitive behavioral therapy involves teaching a person new skills to overcome dysfunctional emotions, behaviors, and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic approach. There is empirical evidence showing that cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in treating many conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, and negative thoughts about oneself). With the vast amount of success shown by the use of this therapy, it is one of the most important tools that researchers and therapists have to treat mental disorders today.

Depression - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Depression is the lack of energy and disposition to continue your battle in life, the absence of hope, and the sadness without end that turns your life in martyrdom.

External reasons responsible for its appearance can be many, like:

1. Betrayal

2. Deceptions in love

3. Financial losses

4. Existential problems

5. Diseases

6. Misfortunes

However, what really causes depression is the existence of a wild conscience in the human psyche, which is very violent, primitive and cruel. It keeps trying to destroy the human side of the human conscience through craziness, causing various problems in the person's life.

Therefore, the internal reason for the manifestation of depression is the sadness that the person feels because they start realising that there is too much absurdity in the human mind and in the human world.

It is first of all a warning that indicates that they are near neurosis and worse mental illnesses.

If they don't treat their depression immediately, the anti-conscience (wild conscience) will manage to completely destroy the human side of their conscience through craziness, and control their behavior.

Depression is also the comprehension of the depth of human absurdity, depending on each one's experiences of life, and the notion that human cruelty has no limits, when they become victims of other people's selfishness and evil.

The absolutely safe and unique depression treatment that guarantees the cure of patients who precisely follow the directions they receive, is dream therapy according to the scientific method.

The wise unconscious mind that produces our dreams is constantly trying to save our human conscience from the attacks of the anti-conscience, that keeps trying to destroy it.

If you precisely follow the unconscious' guidance, you will be able to verify in practice the unconscious' wisdom, since you will come to understand why you behave the way you do and what you must do in order to completely develop the human side of your conscience, becoming more intelligent and self-confident.

You will also come to understand how other people think, feel and sense, being able to analyse their psychical world, the same way that you analyse your own.

This way you will have answers for all your questions. You will understand why someone reacted in a certain way and not in another, why your plans failed, why your suppositions were wrong, why things could not be the way you were expecting them to be in the situation you were in, and so on.

This knowledge completely eliminates your revolt. You stop crying about being a victim of other people's cruelty and you stop complaining because nothing is as you wish it was, understanding that the objective reality in which you live is totally different from what you had imagined.

Then you start developing your personality, and all your hidden capacities finally have the chance to come to the conscious surface. This means that they start helping you make wiser decisions and easily solve your problems, while before they were immersed in the wild side of your conscience, without being of any use to you.

Your depression immediately disappears, as well as the danger of neurosis, since you eliminate your worst enemy (anti-conscience) by transforming it into a positive part of your human side, and since you become so intelligent and so full of good disposition and energy, you suddenly discover many magical solutions for all the unbearable problems of your daily life.

A Story About Candida Die Off Symptoms - Difficulties at Work and Depression

My friend shares her experience to me, and this article is about her. I hope you can get the positive value from this experience. Today is a rough one, die-off symptoms run rampant and she is having difficulties in the work realm as well. And she is afraid she is just making mountains of molehills anyway. But the fact remains, that she has received her final warning at the workplace: the quality of her work must approve or she will be terminated!

Now, how does a woman who speaks six languages, graduated in the top her class and got accepted (and dropped out of) to a top 20 law school become unable to keep a simple customer service job answering telephones?

She has been diagnosed with depression, and used that and a traumatic childhood as excuses for her poor success. She is barely able to function, and fall on the couch after a day of sitting down in the office. She cries a lot, and feels like she is caught up in a nightmare with no way out. Even the smallest of an obstacle makes her want to crawl up in a ball in her desperation.

Her loving and supportive boyfriend is at his wits end when she shared his understanding "all will be okay" to pieces demanding him to explain how it will be accomplished. The good thing is that these darkest moments only last a brief while, but she would rather not have them at all. Her home that was previously perfect is a mess and she just does not have the energy to get it straightened out.

She has been sugar (carbs) free and on an anti-yeast supplement for 5 days now, and all she can do is to hope these feelings are related to candida, that she is not crazy, and that all this agony will correct itself once those pesky little creatures leave her body.

As long as she can remember, she has had a sweet tooth. Her mother used to hide sweets and pastries from her, but she would find them anyway, she finally stopped baking and buying sweets altogether and put her on a "carrots and fruit for snacks" diet. There has been times when she has been fairly healthy (sugar-free) but that was accomplished due to wanting to be thin. Her sugar and carbs cravings have been horrible, but they subsided fairly soon after she stopped eating sugar containing foods.

How to Prevent and Treat Depression Naturally

Depression is a condition that affects millions of people, and can be quite debilitating. Everyone has episodes of sadness and feeling down from time to time, but depression goes beyond this. Those who have prolonged episodes of hopelessness, feeling alone, low self-esteem or lack of interest may be suffering from clinical depression, which must be treated. Here are a few ways to treat - or prevent - depression.

What Causes Depression?

There are a few theories about what exactly causes one to become depressed. The main theory suggests that there is an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the individual, such as epinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric. Many medications or anti-depressants out there have been formulated to correct this imbalance.

Other theories state that depression is a direct symptom of a devastating event, such as the loss of a loved one, serious financial distress, or divorce. This aggression is then turned inward by the person, causing them to become depressed. Other theories even suggest that depression can be caused by a pattern of helplessness as a learned behaviour, or from lowered/elevated activity in certain parts of the brain.

Natural Ways to Treat and Prevent Depression

Besides pharmaceutical medications, there are a few things that you can do naturally to lessen depression. They may work for some, and may not work for others. They are worth giving a try.

Increase Omega-3 Consumption
Omega-3's are an essential component of the nerve cells and brain's membranes. These can increase brain and nerve function by ensuring that neurotransmitters are functioning properly. The best source of omega-3's are from fish, in particular wild deep-water fish like salmon and cod. They can also be found in abundance in flax seeds and walnuts.

Decrease Your Refined Sugar and Simple Carbohydrate Intake
Refined sugar has many negative effects on the body - including on the brain. Simple sugars elevate the blood sugar levels quickly, which then fall rapidly soon after. This has many negative effects, such as lethargy, irritability, anxiety and depression. Limiting your intake of these substances can help alleviate feelings of depression.

Increase Exercise
Exercise has been known to stimulate the release of natural endorphins, which naturally affects your mood. Since exercise also keeps your body in shape, it can also have an indirect affect on your mood when you're healthy and fit.

Take Supplements and Eat Vegetables
Many vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals, which many depressed people are lacking. Vitamins such as B6, B12, folic acid and iron have positive effects on neurotransmitters in the body. If you find it difficult to get these nutrients from food, then take supplements to ensure you are getting enough of these vitamins.

Lower Your Consumption of Alcohol
Alcohol is nothing more than a toxin for your body. It acts as a brain depressant, which increases cortisol in your body. Lowering your alcohol consumption can have a positive effect on your mood in the long run.

There are many ways to help treat and prevent depression. Medications and therapy are all very helpful and useful in this department. You can also help to combat the effects of depression with simple dietary and exercise changes as well. In combination with other types of therapy and treatment, depression can be beat.

Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Problems

Millions of Americans suffer from thyroid problems. Some are aware of the problem and some are not. The reason for this is that many people, including physicians, consider that the signs and symptoms that you are experiencing could be caused by something else, when actually it is the thyroid causing the symptoms. They will consider that you must be depressed, just getting old, going through menopause, over-stressed, or that you are just dreaming up the problems. Well, you are not just dreaming.

I would like to give you some of the most common signs and symptoms of thyroid problems. If you find that you have experienced a good amount of these signs, then you need to contact your physician and get checked. If your physician is not willing to perform the test, then find another physician. Finding out and correcting a thyroid problem can drastically improve your quality of life. It is typically as easy as a simple blood test to find out if you have a problem.

Signs and Symptoms of an overactive thyroid include...

• Weight loss


• Anxiety/panic attacks


• Rapid pulse


• High blood pressure


• Sensitivity to heat


• Increased sweating


• Increased appetite


• Diarrhea


• Muscle weakness


• Insomnia

Signs and Symptoms of an underactive thyroid include...

• Obesity/Weight Gain


• Digestive problems/constipation


• Abdominal swelling


• Low body temperature/feeling cold


• Tired or weak feeling


• Difficulty concentrating


• Slow pulse/low blood pressure


• Skin changes


• Loss of hair


• Brittle nails


• Voice becomes more hoarse


• Menstrual changes


• Muscle and joint pain


• Depression


• Low Sex Drive


• Eye/Vision problems


• Dizziness


• Sleep apnea/Snoring

If you are concerned that you may have a thyroid problem, do yourself a favor and get yourself checked out. One of the biggest risk factors for thyroid problems is a family history of thyroid disease. Ask your relatives if they are aware of any history of this. Knowing this information would be very helpful to your physician. A family history is not the only risk factor for thyroid problems, though. Pituitary and hypothalamic disorders, family history of autoimmune or endocrine diseases, aging, menopause, certain side effects of drugs, iodine imbalances, alcohol during pregnancy, and many other things are risk factors for thyroid problems.

If you are not feeling like yourself and you haven't felt good for a length of time, take an inventory of what doesn't feel right. Take this information to your physician as well as information on any risk factors that apply to you. If your physician is hesitant to perform the test still, then consider finding another doctor. Your health is too important to ignore the signs and symptoms of thyroid problems.

CBT Therapy Is Proven The Best Depression Treatment And Anxiety Therapy

Anxiety and depression appear to be disturbingly common around the world. Some mental health experts are calling depression the plague of the 21st century, and for good reason. This condition affects millions of people all over the globe, and its effects can be devastating. Depression and anxiety can affect every aspect of a person's life, psychologically, socially, and physically, leading to inactivity, isolation, failed relationships, job loss, poor health, and even suicide. A number of drugs are being prescribed to millions of depressive patients, but evaluation of these drugs has resulted in mixed opinions among healthcare experts. While some neurologists, psychiatrists and psychologists believe that depression can be cured through the proper medication, others believe that drugs are no substitute for face-to-face depression treatment with a clinical therapist. Anxiety problems seem to be related to depression, and the various intellectual camps that weigh in on the issue of drugs for depression seem to have similar attitudes towards anxiety therapy. The basic debate is one of which type of therapy works the fastest and most consistently for anxiety and depression. The potential negative side-effects of some drugs for these conditions is incontrovertible, indicating clear theoretical advantages to drug-free therapies. The key is effectiveness; do drug-free therapies actually work?

Ample evidence shows that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT therapy), a drug-free form of therapy, provides the most reliable results for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Through this form of therapy, the therapist examines the unique experiences and thought patterns of each client, co-evaluating the predominant thought patterns in the patient's mind. The Creative Imagination of the human mind is, generally speaking, a beautiful and powerful thing. However, it also has the potential to fabricate patterns of thinking that do not serve the thinker. The mind can develop thoughts and beliefs that are damaging, self-destructive, and dysfunctional. The American writer Mark Twain addressed this tendency in one of his many famous quotes: "I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened." Depression and anxiety, many therapists believe, are the result pervasive unhelpful thought processes which over time increasingly focuses the mind on the creation of negative experiences rather than positive ones.

One of the main objectives of CBT therapy is to help the patient examine his or her negative thought patterns, and to evaluate them in terms of their logic and potential benefits. Various therapists approach this process in different ways, but the goal is to help the patient to identify negative, destructive thought patterns, and begin to move toward thoughts that are predominantly logical, positive, and productive.

This type of cutting-edge therapy has the potential to revolutionize the state of mental health around the world. However, accessibility has been the major problem thus far. Many people around the world who would greatly benefit from CBT do not have access to it due to physical distance or financial constraints. Fortunately, a solution has been created. Some therapists have created inexpensive programs for those who suffer with stress, anxiety and depression to begin to help themselves with materials they can use in the privacy of their own homes. An innovative group in Britain has even created a website for members to access a wide variety of materials (articles, videos, etc.) to help them to deal with their problems effectively. These breakthroughs are truly inspiring because they may lead to millions of cures across the globe, among people who would not have had access to CBT otherwise. Perhaps stress, anxiety, and depressive disorders will one day be in the category of Polio, a horrible disease that was effectively wiped out through dedicated research and tireless innovation.

Understanding Depression - Signs of Depression

Typical symptoms of depression are:

· Constant feelings of pessimism and hopelessness
· Sad or Anxious Moods which persist for days
· Constant feelings of being incapable and of worthlessness
· Major difficulty in concentrating and remembering
· Complete loss of interest in hobbies and activities previously enjoyed
· Low levels of energy; sense of fatigue
· Extreme scenarios of sleep - either very little sleep or oversleeping
· Decrease in appetite leading to weight loss
· Increase in eating leading to weight gain
· Entertaining thoughts of suicide

It is not easy for people with depression to shake off their feelings of sadness and misery. They have to be treated with medication and therapy to help them overcome these overwhelming feelings. I know what it feels like since I have been dealing with depression for most of my adult life. This is generally the first of the many signs of depression.

Depression is a very complex emotional problem and it has not been easy finding the exact causes of it. However, with the help of years of research, it is being argued that the following factors could have a role to play in a person succumbing to depression.

Genetic Factors

It has been found that depression is often inherited. This has led to more research into genetics and what role that has to play in the transmitting of any depression from generation to generation. This however is not uniformly true, adding to the complexity of the problem. Researchers therefore conclude that it is more likely that a person may suffer from depression if any other family member is already suffering from it. However, even if there have been no instances of depression in the family, it does not mean that you will not suffer from it.

Psychological Predisposition

Some persons may be more vulnerable to depression than others. Scientists think that if people already have a certain predisposition for negativity, for instance, like persons who have very low self-esteem, a constantly pessimistic outlook or a persistently negative attitude, those people may be more likely than others to suffer from depression. Also, some are more likely to feel overwhelmed by situations of stress and anxiety, which may also lead to depression.

Physical Factors

Many doctors have noticed a correlation between physical illness and depression. Those that suffer from a heart attack or stroke, Parkinson's disease, and other hormonal disorders seem to be more likely to exhibit signs of depression. The recovery from a physical illness is often hindered by depression, and often the depression remains even after the physical ailment is resolved.

Environmental Stresses

There is not believed to be any direct link between negative events occurring in one's life and the occurrence of depression in a person. However, there is general agreement that certain environmental factors and circumstances will play a role in how the person responds emotionally to the negative events. Death, divorce, loss of a job, financial insecurity all can potentially cause depression in a person.

It is very important to stress how deeply depression can impact a person's life.

Every positive feeling is dampened, being replaced by negative thoughts. The person can no longer feel happy or content or enthusiastic even about the most positive developments in his life. Continuing to do normal routine work becomes difficult and the person finds it extremely tough to get through even one day's work. Most of the times, the person does not even realize that he is going through these extreme phases and it is up to the family and friends to try and recognize depression in their loved one.

In my case were my friends who had noticed some of the noticeable signs of depression.

With effort and help you can overcome many of the signs of depression, it is not a "walk on the park" but doable.

You deserve a better life, so please seek help for your depression.

Symptoms of Atypical Depression

Depression has many forms and one of them is called atypical depression. It is similar in some ways but differs in many as well. It can still completely interfere with a person's life but in different ways. For example, atypical depression symptoms include overeating versus not feeling hungry and hypersomnia instead of insomnia. If you have this condition you will most likely still feel lonely, sad and withdrawn. Atypical depression can interfere and destroy a persons life just like regular depression can and it should be treated as soon a possible. People with this condition describe themselves as feeling paralyzed and numb all over.

If you have atypical depression your arms and legs may feel extremely heavy and tired all the time. A person with atypical depression can feel better and their mood can improve when something good happens, but it doesn't usually last for very long. This is called mood reactivity. For instance, they can go out to a movie or a restaurant and have a great time and everything seems fine. However, when they are home or alone they will feel depressed again. It is believed that atypical depression usually begins affecting a person early in their life as opposed to the typical form of depression.

It is considered a chronic syndrome and can begin when a person reaches their teenage years. It is also believed that it can cause more functional impairment than you will find in people with other types of depression. Atypical depression can completely interfere with a person's social and professional life. It makes them feel useless and they avoid interacting with others because they are afraid of saying or doing something wrong that will get them negative attention. This condition tends to affect more women than it does men with about seventy percent of all cases reported being women. A person that suffers from atypical depression is more likely to have other disorders such as avoidant personality disorders, social phobias and panic attacks.

If you or someone you know may be suffering from atypical depression then make arrangements to see your doctor as soon a possible. When talking to your doctor you need to tell him or her all of your symptoms so you can be diagnosed correctly. For example, if you leave out the part about wanting to sleep all the time or that you stay hungry then he may believe you have a different form of depression. The same treatments can be used for different types of depression, but some things may be done differently so it is important to know which type you have. Receiving the right treatment is the key to having a normal happy life so you can enjoy all the things that you were meant to enjoy in life.

Does Your Teen Suffer From Depression?

There are several types of depression that are diagnosed by health care providers. Types of depression are determined by the duration of the symptoms and the severity of the symptoms. Depression in teens may look different than depression in adults, so it may be harder to discover. There appears to be a common thread in the disorders with teens. Teenagers are generally hiding their emotions and feelings and so they express these emotions through behavior. When your teenagers behavior has changed from communicative to no communication, from respectful to disrespect, from normal opposition to loss of judgment from being OK with the family to little or no involvement, a drastic change in clothing, friends, grades and/or attendance these are all signs of a disorder. Discovering which disorder it is can be the tricky part.

Some symptoms of depression are:

Sad or low mood, sleeping more or less than usual, eating more or less than usual, loss of interest in normal activities, irritability, aggression and hostility can also be signs of depression.

Some flags or warning signs for parents to look for: anger outbursts and explosiveness, running away, substance or alcohol abuse, isolating from family and friends, withdrawn, anxious or nervous, lack of eye contact, wearing dark clothing or a change in clothing style, hair in the face, hygiene is deteriorating, hyper-sensitive.

Some of the behaviors you may see are: self harming like cutting or burning skin, suicidal thoughts, threats, or attempts, new group of peers or maybe losing friends, school performance is declining or trouble even going to school, spending an abundant amount of time in their room; using internet or texting, easily angered and defensiveness, running away, staying out or not coming home, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, disengaged in activities they use to do.

Types of medication to ask your Dr. about: Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Effexor, Luvox, Prozac are among a few of the anti-depressant medications available. Generally medication will ease the symptoms but they will not cure the issue. Talk to your health care provider to see which medication will work the best.

When do you intervene and what does the intervention process look like: parents need to begin intervening when you begin to notice grades falling, or your child isolating and avoiding family and friends. When they don't make eye contact or the eye contact has changed from how they were making eye contact. If they have changed their appearance like clothing or hair covering their face and eyes, or you notice a change in hygiene. If there is any changes in sleeping and eating patterns. If they are more defensive than normal or their anger has turned into tantrums. Interventions from parents can be anything from sitting down and talking one on one in a very clam manner. Letting your child know you are worried about them and ask them to tell you what is going on so you can help them is the best approach. If this is unsuccessful you may need to do something more severe like; getting them to a outdoor program for 45 - 60 days, or a short term residential program where they can learn to cope with their problems. Parents' may also try going to the family doctor to see if they will talk to them or a therapist, the most important thing is to get them talking.

What will insurance pay for: You will need to check with your health insurance for coverage but most insurance have some type of mental health benefit and drug and alcohol benefit. Insurances are very picky about what they cover. Generally, they will cover for Depression or a Mood Disorder. They will give so much percent to Individual Therapy and Group Therapy on an outpatient basis. If your teenager needs long term treatment you will need to jump through the hoops of your insurance carrier for them to help pay for a residential facility. They like to see that you have tried outpatient therapy first before jumping right into long term treatment. Insurance companies will not pay for an outdoor or wilderness program. There are instances where you can submit to your insurance the individual and group therapy your teenager receives in the wilderness/outdoor program you can also submit the same for a residential stay.

Who can you go to for help: Some schools and school counselors may be able to provide information to help your teen. You may also go to your local community mental health center, or your religions clergy. You may also find a family therapist or counselor that specializes in teens.

Feeling Depressed?

Introduction

Many people confuse melancholia with depression. Melancholia takes the form of being down and feeling de-motivated or experiencing that "blah" kind of feeling. But as long as these feelings dissipate after a few days and don't cripple your lifestyle, this melancholia is perfectly normal. So the keyword here is "duration." Many people sing the blues on certain days of the month. That doesn't mean they're depressed.

Depression, on the other hand, is worlds away from melancholia. Depression is a persistent feeling that can linger for two to three years if not treated. When depression is severe, your doctor will most likely want to prescribe medication.

Signs of Depression

How do you know if you're depressed? One common symptom of depression is constant crying for no reason at all. The feeling is one of helplessness; the feeling that life isn't worth living. A more serious sign of depression are suicidal thoughts.

Other symptoms of depression are:

• Thoughts that are sad or negative and won't go away


• Desire to end one's life


• Sleeplessness (some depressed persons sleep too much or stay in bed all day)


• Abandonment of activities that once were a source of joy and pleasure (this loss of interest is long-term)


• Lack of interest to nurture or maintain social relationships


• Loss of appetite


• Problems concentrating or performing mental and physical tasks


• Lethargy


• Uncontrolled sobbing

Causes of Depression

A number of factors or life situations can cause or trigger depression. Sometimes, a chemical imbalance in the brain could make someone depressed in which case the doctor will prescribe medication that will balance the brain's chemical and electrical activities.

Other causes of depression include:

• Personal or professional problems that overwhelm a person making that person unable to cope or to seek solutions (for example, marital discord or employer-employee issues, being bypassed for a promotion)


• Financial situation - this becomes even more pronounced during economic downturns where downsizing and layoffs are the norm rather than the exception;


• Loss of job


• Death or divorce


• Lack of success


• Being a victim of financial fraud that wipes out lifetime savings

There may be other causes which aren't purely circumstantial in nature. Sometimes, people who have a low opinion of themselves or are overly critical are vulnerable to feelings of depression. People who have an abnormal amount of responsibility or who take in extraordinary workload and can't say no tend to be susceptible to depression. People with little or no support systems also tend to be depressed because the lack of friends and family forces them to cope on their own, thus adding to their mental burden.

People with a family history of depression or suicide could also be depressed but it certainly doesn't mean just because one has a parent who was diagnosed with depression that he or she will automatically be diagnosed with depression.

For women, the empty nest syndrome or the menopausal stage can provoke feelings of depression. For men, it could be the realization that their sex drive has diminished or that they're no longer needed in the work force.

Yet another cause could be side effects from specific medications one is taking for specific conditions, which aren't necessarily related to depression itself.

Depression can be Treated Naturally

People who take medication for depression sometimes complain that their medication causes other health problems to develop and so tend to favor natural remedies.

Fortunately for us and our loved ones, depression can be treated using alternative medicine. Natural treatments in the form of dietary supplements are available in the market today.

If you are taking prescription medication, speak to your doctor about the possibility of substituting your medicine with more natural treatments. Only your doctor can make that decision. Depending on the severity of your depression, he may agree to complement your medical protocol with natural supplements.

When looking for natural supplements, look for homeopathic formulas that are developed in the USA. While dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA, the manufacturers who market these supplements are subject to strict laboratory requirements. You may also want to look for supplements that will boost serotonin levels and provide you with extra energy.

Can Cognitive Behaviour Therapy - CBT, Really Help?

In southern Spain, the Marbella / Puerto Banus area was synonymous with cosmetic surgery and private dentistry, available only to those who could afford to pay the price, but now many Brits are joining the celebrities and flying to Malaga, in order to visit a clinic offering free, initial sessions in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. The British-run clinic in Fuengirola (between Malaga and Marbella) was used to seeing Brits flying over for stopping smoking therapy, but now they are arriving with a whole shopping list of problems.

It is estimated that currently one in six adults in the UK are suffering from mental health problems - a sad indictment of today's fast-paced, high-stress society. But there is a way to combat the fallout, in the form of CBT, a science-based, short-term psychological talk therapy, which can provide an almost instant solution.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is structured, goal-focused and time-limited. In fact it is so rapid, effective and cost-efficient that the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) now recommends CBT as the treatment of choice for a wide range of psychological problems, in particular stress, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, fears, phobias, eating disorders and other personality disorders, such as OCD and hypochondria.

CBT is most commonly thought of as a treatment for clinical depression, eating disorders, and obsessive compulsive disorders and is often beneficial for more common "life" problems such as stress. Occasionally people find that worry and self-esteem problems grow to such a level that even performing simple tasks such as giving a presentation at work or even going to the shops can affect their physical health and cause them mental distress.

What is CBT?

CBT tends to deal with the 'here and now' - how your current thoughts and behaviours are affecting you now. It recognises that events in your past have shaped the way that you currently think and behave, in particular, thought patterns and behaviours learned in childhood. However, CBT does not dwell on the past, but aims to find solutions to changing your current thoughts and behaviours so that you can function better in the future.

The therapy is based on the simple idea that the way we think directly affects our behaviour, so when we have irrational or distorted thoughts and perceptions, our behaviour and reaction to situations or events will also be irrational. During CBT sessions the therapist breaks down problems into small sections, which can be quite easily dealt with one at a time. A specific situation or event is the starting point; then the person's immediate, flawed thoughts about that situation are examined. These erroneous, often negative, thoughts lead the person to have certain emotions and physical feelings, which in turn prompts them to react and behave in a negative, unhelpful way. A trained CBT therapist aims to change the patient's thought patterns by demonstrating how when their initial thoughts are correct, realistic and rational, then their emotions and resulting behaviour are also much more helpful, rational and positive.

How effective is CBT?

Clinical trials suggest that CBT has been successful in addressing various emotional problems. For example, research studies have shown that a course of CBT is just as effective as medication in treating depression and certain anxiety disorders. It is also possible that, longer term, the effects of CBT will continue to protect the client from further illness. People who finish medication may be at greater risk of relapse compared to CBT clients, who have learned principles and strategies to sustain their recovery, so, for example, problems such as depression or anxiety are less likely to recur in the future. There is also good research evidence to show that CBT can help to improve symptoms of some physical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Bipolar Disorder and Manic Depression - Noticing the Signs Can Do You a Whole World of Good

Changes in energy level might be the best way to characterize bipolar disorder in a sufferer. Also called manic-depressive illness, the condition takes you to two extremes of the same bleak rainbow. On the one side, all the excitement that you are feeling when manic causes you to be bustling and beside yourself; and on the other side of the same coin, your sadness can leave you powerless beyond understanding. This is not too difficult to observe, but it might take some patience to witness it all. You need to take note of this by all means.

Depression changes one's energy level, and so does excitement, whether or not the impulses are pointless. Sometimes bipolar disorder might be difficult to tell in a person because when they are depressed they could feel restless and agitated the same as when they suffer from mania.

So, all the fidgety movements and pacing could point in either direction, and unless you have more information you might not be able to conclude that it is bipolar disorder that they suffer from.

Most folks feel sluggish and inactive when they are depressed, and they characterize their obsession or mania with extensive activity, which does not seem to head in any direction. That's when they suffer from manic-depressive infirmity. If you are a very observant person, you might be able to observe these changes in their persons before too long so that you can get them help; the sufferer is not likely to be able to notice it themselves.

Bipolar I Disorder Vs Bipolar II Disorder - The Difference

You may have been told you have bipolar disorder, but you may not have been told which type you have - bipolar I or bipolar II. Even if you have, you may be wondering what the difference is between the two types.

The first thing you need to know is that there IS a difference.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association, it is broken down as follows:

BIPOLAR I:

Single Manic Episode
The patient has had just one Manic Episode and no Major Depressive Episodes.

Most Recent Episode (MRE) Manic
The patient has had at least one Major Depressive, Manic or a Mixed Episode.

MRE Hypomanic
The patient has previously had one or more Manic or Mixed Episodes (ME).
The symptoms cause clinically important distress or impair work, social or personal functioning.

MRE Mixed
The patient's most recent episode is of mixed mania and depression.
The survivor has had at least one Major Depressive, Mixed or Manic Episodes.

MRE Depressed
The patient has had at least one previous Manic or Mixed Episode.

MRE Unspecified
Other than duration, the patient currently or recently meets criteria for Major Depressive, Manic, Mixed, or Hypomanic episode.
The patient has had at least one previous Manic or Mixed Episode.
These symptoms cause clinically important distress or impair work, social or personal functioning.

BIPOLAR II:

The patient has had at least one Major Depressive Episode.
Or has had at least one Hypomanic Episode.
There have been no Manic or Mixed Episodes.
These symptoms cause clinically important distress or impair work, social or personal functioning.
Specify Current or Most Recent Episode: Hypomanic. Depressed.

The difference between bipolar I and bipolar II, then, is that in bipolar II there is NO manic or mixed episodes; whereas, in every case of bipolar I, there IS mania involved.

Always Tired, fatigued, Anxiety filled? Maybe you need a Depression Test

Depression has become one of the most widely increased diagnosed disorders in this country over the past few years. Things like the falling economy causing a decrease in personal finances, in addition to life's daily stresses and worries have caused many Americans to become depressed.

You may have seen the recently advertised television commercials offering depression testing. Depression not only saddens an individual's state of mind, but also causes symptoms like fatigue, anxiety and loss of motivation, even in the simplest of daily activities. People who are depressed are not temporarily moody or sad. The condition is unfortunately, long-term and negatively affects the way a person feels, thinks and behaves.

Depression is a genuine medical condition that can be treated, but the help has to be sought out. That in itself can often times be a difficult task for someone experiencing this ailment. A Depression Test is important because depression is a disease that requires attention and medical treatment. If it is not treated, it can last for months, and in some cases, even years.

If you have been feeling out-of-sorts for an extended amount of time, you might consider taking a depression test. There are several ways you can do this. If you don't feel up to a doctor visit, go online. Visit a website that can offer you a simple questionnaire to decide whether or not you might be clinically depressed. There is a wonderful website called lexapro.com that offers a very good depression test which is in the form of a simple questionnaire. You will also find answers there to any questions you might have about the way you are feeling. Another good web resource is depression.com. Please keep in mind that if your depression test results lead you to believe that you are in fact suffering from depression, you must make an appointment to see a physician and get treatment.

If you are, or know someone who is suffering from depression, seek help. There is nothing to be ashamed. You shouldn't have to live in sadness so don't continue to let life pass you by. You are valuable part of this world and you deserve to experience the same happiness as everyone else around you.

Lithium Is Important for Everyone

Lithium is a trace metal that belongs to the family of alkali chemical elements. This is about using low dose over the counter lithium aspartate and lithium oratate. These are natural forms found at the health food store.

Can everyone tell the side effects of lithium lack?

Most clients describe to me a "flat line blah" feeling in their brain. They become easily angered when things don't go their way. They find it tough to enjoy or get excited over anything. Even when life is good they cannot figure out why they are not happy.

Is Lithium only for someone that has manic depression or bipolar issues?

The effects of Lithium are necessary for everyone. It is usually found in drinking water, yet some areas are extremely deficient. The effects of Lithium are not just for Bipolar or manic depressive issues. Sometimes the natural vitamin form of Lithium aspartate or oratate works where high dose prescriptions have given a bad reaction.

Lithium dosage explained:

Those utilizing low dose lithium aspartate or oratate feel that they are not depressed but lack pizazz in their lives. They see color but not its' vibrant attraction. They have a great life but don't really enjoy it. To me, that signals a trace mineral deficiency of Lithium that helps mild depression symptoms.

Over the counter natural lithium aspartate or oratate forms do not usually exceed a total of 20 mg. per day and are used for those that have had bad reactions to an anti-depressant, post natal depression symptoms and very low doses for the Blah Feeling and lack of enthusiasm towards life.

Therapeutic prescription lithium dosages can range around 300 to 2700 mg per day. They are used for manic depression and Bipolar and often cause a lithium toxicity level.

The higher intake amounts of Lithium, may want to check iodine levels as it helps the spreading of iodine evenly throughout the body. Keeping tabs on your Thyroid function is always a good thing especially when working on an Anti-Aging Program. Make sure you work with someone knowledgeable in the use of supplements or a Board Certified Anti-Aging, Regenerative and Functional Medicine MD.

What are the effects of Lithium in low doses?

Recent research has shown that low doses of Lithium preserves and renews our Brain Cells. Lithium aspartate and oratate are generally marketed as a dietary supplement. Low lithium dosages are used to help conditions such as:

• Stress


• Depression


• Alcohol Use


• ADD/ADHD


• Aggression


• PTSD


• Memory Problems


• Mood Swings


• Gout

Lithium dosage may increase brain function when taken on a daily basis. Lithium Aspartate can also be used as a natural treatment to help Thyroid problems. Lithium may sometimes be used as a parallel to any medication prescribed for anxiety, mood or depression. It protects against unwanted lithium toxicity effects and brain cell death.

The working hypothesis that researchers think is reasonable is that Lithium is turning on some of the Brain's growth signaling pathways and reversing some of the damage. Lithium is capable of increasing gray matter in the brain by 3% in just over 4 weeks of use (this from a Study at Wayne State University).

The need for small amounts may put back the vibrancy in colors and allow you to enjoy the life you have made for yourself. It is known to work rather quickly even in such low doses. If you feel you have more serious problems, consult your physician.

Depression Quiz - Great Way to Help Determine If You Suffer From Depression

If you want to learn more about depression, or if you want to ascertain whether you are suffering from it, then you can use a depression quiz.  It helps us to ascertain whether we are suffering from this disease in the first place or not, and once the fact has been established, and it is found that depression is present, then the depression quiz also helps us ascertain the exact type and symptoms experienced.

Depression Quiz does not help to gauge the depth of the disease that a person may be experiencing. However, it is very helpful for diagnosis also for judging the state of mind of the person. If you show your doctor the result of the quiz, he/she will be able to know the present state of your mind, assess the disease's depth and prescribe the measures needed to combat it. Therefore, a depression quiz serves more as an awareness generation tool, which helps you familiarize yourself with the most important facts and some of the main symptoms of this disease.

Depression Quiz is a somewhat like a set of questionnaires. The answer to the questions gives you an idea whether you are suffering from mild, severe, acute or chronic depression. In fact, you can even assess whether you are actually suffering from the disease, by undertaking this kind of quiz. You can use a checklist of the disease's symptoms and put a 'tick' mark across the specific symptom which you experience or simply say "Yes" to the question you feel rightly explains the way you feel. If you have answered 'YES' to at least three of the questions then you may be suffering from acute depression.

Though elderly people and women are more susceptible, this disease can affect any one. Teenage depression is very common in present world. Signs of teenage depression include -

• Loss of interest in day to day activities


• Poor concentration with school work as well as with other things


• Changes in the eating and sleeping habits


• Irritability, anger, restlessness and hostility


• Withdrawing from society


• Thoughts of death or suicide

Usually, the depressed feelings get washed away as the relevance or magnitude of the problem which triggered the disease fades away. But if it persists for more than four weeks it may be an indication of clinical depression and may call for medical intervention.

Signs of clinical depression include:

• Feeling tired and fatigued


• Unable to cope with life anymore


• Insomnia


• Social phobia


• Constantly feeling irritable


• Loose perspective; not realizing that what one is experiencing is abnormal


• Thoughts of suicide and often feeling that death is the only solution for freedom from the shackles of life

If a person feels he/ she is suffering from this disease, then he/she can take a depression quiz. The result of the quiz should not be taken as a diagnosis, it actually pin points the state of our mind or mood. If you feel that you or your loved ones are suffering from this disease do not hesitate to take this quiz and show the results to your doctor.

By keeping this information in mind, you can begin to see why a depression quiz can be so helpful in getting a proper diagnosis. Just by doing a little more research, you should have a greater understanding of this disease and also give you a little more peace of mind.

Are You Clinically Depressed? Or Your Thyroid Putting You Out Of Sync?

You never really know, do you? Symptoms of depression are almost the same as those of your thyroid acting abnormally. You lose interest in anything, and everything happening around you. You just want to withdraw into yourself, not bother about the world around you. We've all been there, haven't we?

But how can you know if you're going to jump back to normal one of these days? You might be thinking one fine day you'll just snap out of it, but what's the guarantee of that happening anytime soon? Instead of pining away, wallowing in your misery, try to find if this phase is temporary, or do you need extra help to get out of it.

The first thing you need to do is ask yourself what is depressing you so much - anything related to relationships, work, family, etc.

If you can find what is troubling you, maybe you can speak to your spouse, partner, or friend to help you troubleshoot your issues.

If you can't seem to find anything particularly wrong with your life, then maybe it's just a little break you need. Pack up your bags right now, and go explore a new place - New York, Paris, even that quaint little hill station on the outskirts of your town is beckoning you.

Once you get back home from your little vacation, and settle back into your old routine, re-ponder on your state. Are you still feeling depressed? Or you don't even remember the last time you felt anything less than ecstatic?

If you're still going through bouts of depression, consider consulting with a physician. Most probably you'll have to take some blood tests to confirm your thyroid and hormone levels are working fine. If not, you'll be prescribed the right medications to help you correct whatever is physiologically wrong with your body.

Now keep in mind that your treatment might take a while. You might not have a miraculous recovery overnight, maybe not even for a few weeks. But with proper medication, you're bound to break out of your self-imposed isolation. At this stage, it's important to have your spouse, partner, family, or friends to support you emotionally. At least one person should be your pain buddy, with whom you can share your thoughts and feelings.

Don't worry! The road to happiness and satisfaction might be long, but it's definitely not impossible. Start right away to get out of depression.

The Best Natural Depression Remedy - How to Pick an Effective Natural Treatment

When choosing a treatment, you want the best natural depression remedy out there, so that you can find something that works the first time. In this article, you'll learn what to look for in a good treatment and some other things that you can do to lift your mood and get your life back.

With all the supplements and treatments on the market, how do you find the best depression remedy? This is an essential step because people who choose an ineffective treatment, may give up and go back to prescription drugs. Make no mistake: natural remedies are effective, but some are better than others. Before you learn exactly what to look for, know that overall, these supplements are better than drugs because they have few if any side effects and no worries about long term implications.

Natural remedies have been used to alleviate depression since man started using medicinal plants to heal himself. Herbs that have stood the test of time are St. John's Wort and Passion Flower. Better still, these herbs have also been proven effective in clinical trials. But choosing a supplement with these ingredients is not enough. For the best natural depression remedy, look for a company that offers a one-year return policy. This is a company that believes in their product because they know it works.

Once the supplement kicks in and you can feel your mood starting to change, you will have more energy and motivation. Use this to make small changes that will support your use of the best depression remedy, making it even more effective.

The first change is diet. Whatever you do, do not completely revamp your diet. Instead, make small changes over time. If you've been eating a lot of junk food, make simple substitutions. For instance, if you are used to eating ice cream every night, instead have a cup of mixed berries with fresh whipped cream. Instead of eating chips, eat celery sticks with sea salt. Try to mimic the taste and texture in your substitutions.

The next step is to add exercise. Exercise will boost the action of the best depression remedy by boosting the production of feel-good chemicals in the brain. Exercise rejuvenates you and makes you feel better in your body. The one rule about choosing an exercise is to make it fun. Start by dancing around the house to music that you enjoy, going for a brisk walk or taking a bike ride. While engaging in the activity, make sure to pay attention to how good it feels to move and be alive.

Now that you know what to look for in the best natural depression remedy on the market, take action now, while you're inspired to change your life.

How Can You Make Depression Symptoms Better At Home?

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.

Bipolar Disorder Checklist - I Think I Might Be Bipolar

Bipolar disorder can be a challenging thing to spot, because it contains both depressive and manic symptoms. This article will explore common symptoms to help those that think they may have it learn more.

Bipolar disorder consists of both manic and depressive states. Please note, you could have one most of the time, and experience the other only occasionally, and you would still be considered to have Bipolar.

A manic or state of mania typically consists of:

An elevated mood
Decreased need for sleep
Sudden weight loss
Impulsive
Reckless
Poor concentration

Reading over those symptoms, you may think to yourself, everyone experiences those at one time or another and you are right. To be considered a clinical manic state, the symptoms need to be more severe.

A depressed state typically consists of:

A depressed mood
Sleeping too much
Loss of interest
Decreased motivation
No desire to be social

This general overview of the symptoms is certainly not extensive, and is only meant to give you an idea of what to look for. Again I want to stress that in order to meet a clinical depressed state, you need to be experiencing this to a degree that it is having a negative impairment on your life. For example, a depressed state could hold you back from getting to work. Another example would be if it would start to impact your marriage, or the relationships of those around you in a negative fashion.

If you feel that you might be bipolar, and have seen symptoms that have been having a negative impact on your life, I would encourage you to seek professional help. Bipolar disorder is very treatable, there is hope!

Dealing With the Dysthymic Depressed

Depression is one of the world's worst illnesses and it affects millions of people around the globe. There are different types of depression and each requires medical attention.

Dysthymia pronounced dis-thi-me-a is a mood disorder characterized by chronic mildly depressed or irritable moods, often accompanied by other symptoms such as eating and sleeping disturbances, fatigue, and poor self-esteem. It is also called a dysthymia disorder.

According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) an American Psychiatric Association publication which describes the standard criteria for different types of psychiatric disorders.

Their symptoms do not occur for more than two months at a time. This type of depression is persistent but exhibits less severe depressive symptoms than Major Depression.

Dysthymia is a kind of depression that affects a person who is in a near constant depressed mood for at least two years and accompanied by an increased or decreased appetite. Many depressions are the result of unfulfilled desires in life, of crippling fears that holds a person back from accomplishing anything worthwhile in life.

In this particular type of depression, dysthymia makes the despondent person either have difficulty sleeping, or their sleep patterns are increased. When the person sleeps too much they become fatigued, sluggish and suffer from low energy.

When a person suffers from dysthymia, procrastination sets in when it comes to daily tasks being completed, if started at all. They will have difficulty concentrating on what they are doing. Making decisions on a daily basis becomes a tiresome and frustrating chore and as a result nothing gets completed because they cannot make up their minds.

They may feel that their life is hopeless and useless because their self-esteem is at an all time low. Guilt may set in because of their inability to function, and because tasks didn't get done.

The consequences of dysthymia can be grave if left untreated and can include severe functional impairment, increased morbidity from physical disease, and increased risk of suicide.

Rarely do we live our lives alone, taking care of our mental health will affect not just us, but our family and friends. Mental health and physical health go hand in hand, strive for a healthy and balanced diet in your life and keeping a healthy weight goes a long way to helping your depression but out. When it comes to mental health, living life to its fullest potential should be our number one goal.

If you or a loved one is exhibiting symptoms such as these, encourage them to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Depression and Nutrition: A Holistic View

According to a report from the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 18.8 million Americans over the age of 18 suffer from major depression. There was nearly 190 million prescriptions dispensed in the United States last year for depression.

Depression encompasses a broad range of experiences from normal passive sadness, known as the blues, to a recurrent debilitating illness known as major depressive disorder. Depression is by far the most common psychiatric disorder as well as the most treatable. Each year more than 100 million people worldwide become depressed and by the year 2020 depression will be ranked as the number one debilitating disease. It is important to realize that diet and nutrition play a vital role.

Diet and nutrition can contribute to depression and the treatment of depression. Most Americans do not eat ideal diets. Most people tend to consume considerable amounts of processed foods and empty calories such as sugar and white flour, neglecting to eat from the major food groups.

Nutritional substances such as herbs may be useful not because the body does necessarily require them, but because they exhibit pharmacological mechanisms that can suppress the symptoms of depression.

One of the most common biochemical findings of nutrition and depression is a high cortisol level. Cortisol has many functions including its ability to "rewire" the brain, and breaking down lean mass. For instance, when your blood sugar drops, your cortisol level goes up and your serotonin level goes down. The brain is quite sensitive and can detect very small in blood sugar. That means your mood and emotions can change with every meal.

The over use of carbohydrates can cause depression. In fact, one of the primary symptoms of carbohydrate intolerance is depression. Stress may exacerbate carbohydrate intolerance and many people may be subconsciously self-medicating when they crave carbohydrates. Researchers are now finding that a diet that contains lower carbohydrates can help prevent and aid depression.

One of the more exciting researchers happening with depression is the use of omega-3 fatty acids. Researchers are now suggesting that omega-3 fatty acids not only can help relieve depression, it can prevent it as well. The brain is 20% fat and these fatty substances carry out very important functions. The sheaths which surround the brain cells contain essential fatty acids that are directly involved in nerve receptor formation and nerve transmission. Alterations in membrane fluidity impact behavior, mood, and mental function. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fatty fish like salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel.

Fiber is essential in keeping the digestive system working, and because there is such a high correlation between digestive and mental disturbances, it is important to have a diet with high fiber to help with stress and depression.

As important as fiber is, water is equally essential as it helps absorb the fiber and assists the central nervous system. Our entire nervous system is electrical; it runs better when you are adequately hydrated.

Many experts see depression as a biochemical imbalance. Since we get most of our nutrients from food, and food is a chemical, a good protocol for depression is to eat a well balanced diet. A state of good mental wellness naturally beings with the food we eat.

The Risks Involved When Bipolar Disorder is Left Untreated

It is estimated that eight percent of individuals who experience the symptoms of bipolar disorder do not seek professional medical help for as long as up to ten years after first experiencing these symptoms.

It is also estimated that as many as sixty percent of individuals who suffer from this mental illness are either not treated at all, not properly treated, or misdiagnosed with another form of mental illness. A bipolar disorder left untreated can be devastating for the individual as well as their loved ones and can even be fatal.

Substance Abuse in Individuals with an Untreated Bipolar Disorder

It is estimated that at some point in their lifetime, sixty percent of individuals with manic depression have abused alcohol or drugs as an escape from the emotional mood swings that occur with this disorder. The most common substances which are abused among bipolar disorder patients are alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana.

When the mental illness is left untreated, most of these individuals end up with a serious problem of addiction to these substances which are also known to trigger or make the symptoms of a manic depression much worse.

The Effects of Untreated Symptoms in Bipolar Disorder

People with bipolar disorder who are left untreated or do not take their medications are susceptible to excessive mood swings of "highs" and "lows" which can create chaos in their life. When these individuals become in a state of "mania" they may go on tremendous shopping sprees, act out aggressively to the point of violence, and partake in promiscuous sexual behaviors.

During their stages of depression they have great sadness, become antisocial, do poorly in school, often miss work, or can not hold down a job. These depressions can also lead to suicidal thoughts and it is estimated that fifteen to twenty percent of individuals with a bipolar disorder who are not treated will commit suicide.

Tests For Manic Depression In The Real World

Manic depression or manic-depressive illness is also known as bipolar disorder, a medical condition characterized by shifting moods, energy levels, and functional abilities of the afflicted person. With the mood and energy swings reaching the severe levels, tests for manic depression are increasingly becoming more complex.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness or simply manic depression is a condition characterized by recurring bouts of significant, severe mood and energy disturbances. The range of the spectrum is from those lows of debilitating depression to those highs of uncontrollable mania, thus the bipolar or extreme poles of the condition. Bipolar disorder sufferers are almost always in a mixed range of depression episodes that occur in cycles.

Precisely a cyclic illness, bipolar disorder or manic depression occurs regularly from the elevated or manic level to the lowest depressed level. It begins to manifest itself from childhood and may continue on to young adulthood and even adulthood if not treated.

The state of mania is characterized by the elevated irritability state of the sufferer's mood. The manic depressive may experience a surge of energy and will have difficulty in falling asleep. Attentiveness may be affected and the manic-depressive is distracted easily. The manic-depressive may have delusions of grandeur. The manic-depressive may even in the extreme get psychotic or detach himself from reality.

What Tests Are There For Manic Depression?

Manic depression being a mental illness is not measurable or diagnosable physiologically, that is through blood tests, MRIs, or brain scans. Tests for manic depression are more focused on the disorder's symptoms, the genetic and family history of the sufferer, the course and duration of the illness.

Clinical studies on manic depression or bipolar disorder abound. These include tests for manic depression presence or occurrence in the subjects. Tests for manic depression include scientific evaluation and investigation into the causes and treatments of this illness.

Research studies on mental health, such as those sponsored or conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health, provide relevant information on the types of medication, the combination of medication and therapies, the benefits of psychotherapy or behavioral intervention in manic depression, the diagnosis and the diagnosis' reliability, and preventive measures.

The National Institute of Mental Health introduced recently tests for manic depression and other behavioral disorders through real-world studies, so called for several underlying reasons. These tests provide different treatments and different combinations of treatments and target large numbers of mental disorder sufferers living in diverse area settings. The real-world aspect comes in such real-world issues like family life, work patterns and attitudes, even social relations and functions.

More recently, the National Institute of Mental Health initiated and implemented the STEP-BD or Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder. This test for manic depression or bipolar disorder solicited participants for this largest-ever study based on "real-world" scenarios on the different treatment schemes for bipolar disorder. This and other clinical studies on bipolar disorder are proving that tests for manic depression will shed more light on better medication and therapy regimens for patients.

What To Do If You Were Tested "Positive?"

Bipolar disorder is a serious form of mood disorder. Its symptoms of shifting moods from one end of the spectrum to the other end make the person suffering from it very unpredictable.

Today, the patient may be extremely happy as though the world has been too good for him. Then the next day he falls into a crying episode, displaying melancholy and gloominess, and dislikes to socialize even with members of the family.

These erratic changes in behavior makes a manic depressive person a high risk for suicide. He can harm himself and he can harm the people around him, even those that he loves.

If you are tested "positive" from bipolar disorder, seek help immediately. You need to know how to manage and control your impulses and urges, which a manic depressive has a hard time controlling, such as excessive gambling, promiscuous sexual behavior or shop lifting.

Thus if you suspect you or a family member is manic depressive, don't hesitate to take the test for manic depression.

Dealing With Bereavement As a Family - How Families Can Help Each Other Cope

When a friend or family member dies, the loss can be very difficult to handle. Some people might go into a deep depression, others might become really angry, and some might even turn to destructive behavior like drugs and alcohol addiction to numb the pain that they must be feeling. How people react to such a devastating loss depends on the individual. Also, depending on the relationship of the person who passed away to the family, there might be some changes in the family dynamic as well, especially if this person was an immediate family people. Whatever effects the loss may have, dealing with bereavement as a family is vital.

If the person who passed away had a big role in the family structure, then there are going to be a lot of changes in the family dynamic. Specifically, family people will see a shift in their roles and responsibilities, relationships may change, and the communication between family members and the support that family members offered each other might unfortunately suffer as a result. All of these changes can disrupt the grieving process, and dealing with bereavement as a family becomes even more important in these kinds of situations.

Because the way the family operates may be breaking down as a direct result of the loss, dealing with bereavement as a family may be able to restore the stability of the household and resolve any tension that might linger. Therefore, families can and should help each other cope with grief. However, it may be a challenge because individual members may each respond to the loss differently, which may cause tension among family members if each is unable to tolerate the way that the others express their grief. Therefore, it is very important to understand that each family member is going to express their grief their own way and to be accepting of these differences.

Once that is done, then the family members should be able to support each other fully without passing any judgment. They should be able to talk with each other about their feelings openly and to provide each other with the support and understanding that is needed in these kinds of situations. Professional counseling may also be able to facilitate the process of dealing with bereavement as a family. Family members should encourage each other daily to express whatever they are feeling in order to deal with the loss and death successfully.

5 Steps to Ease Your Depression After Divorce

Beating depression that comes with a divorce is tough, but certainly not impossible. The end of a relationship as important as marriage has a shattering effect on the person who faces it. If you or a close friend has divorced and is having problems coping with it, it may mean that he or she is depressed. If the mourning or grieving continues even after the divorce has been over and done with for months on end, the concerned person may need treatment. Here are 5 steps of treating depression naturally during divorce.

Step #1

It is important that you let off the steam. It is natural that you are going to feel hurt, betrayed and powerless after a divorce. Find an outlet where you can let off steam safely. Remember its okay to cry. Why not buy a punching bag and hit it when you feel angry and frustrated. You can scream into a pillow. When you make a concerted effort to let go of the anger, you will be actually taking a step forward to treating your depression. With time you will find the negative emotions starting to fade.

Step #2

Practice living well. It may sound odd but depressed people often don't want to get out of bed even if it is take a shower. Make sure you do and also change your clothes everyday. Neglecting to take care of one self is one of the most common symptoms of depression. Get adequate sleep at night but don't spend the entire day in bed brooding. Exercising everyday is a natural depression cure. Get some sunshine and fresh air and see your blues disappearing.

Step #3

Don't start bad habits to get over your divorce. It will not only worsen your depressive symptoms, it will also be bad for you in the long run. Starting to smoke, drink and do drugs is the worst thing that could happen to anyone after a divorce. Instead take up a new hobby which you have been never been able to indulge in because your ex did not approve of it. Spend time with friends and family who love and support you.

Step #4

Another way of fighting depression and anxiety is to eat well. Changing dietary habits by choosing tea instead of coffee, brown bread over white bread, chicken and fish over red meat, and eating lots of green vegetables is a natural cure for depression. Drink at least 8 glasses of water everyday. If you think it is necessary, take an herbal supplement everyday.

Step #5

A change of scenery may sound superfluous but is a wonderful way of treating depression. Why not buy new curtains for your home and paint your bedroom in a color which you love but your ex detested? You can also move the furniture around to let in natural sunlight. The therapeutic effect of these small things is going to be tremendous.

Beat depression during divorce using these 5 simple steps and see the change in you!

How to Differentiate Between Different Types of Depression

As is usually the case with the majority mental health conditions, depression is also divided into many subclasses. These types of depressive illnesses are usually distinguished from each other by analyzing their variations as it relates to how their indicators are shown. Sufferers of specific forms of depressive illnesses typically show different symptoms characteristics with regard to their seriousness, length as well as other conspicuous properties.

Despite this the disparity of the symptoms are usually not that big. Moreover, for most forms of depression there are actually more similarities than differences a fact that often demands that only skilled persons perform diagnosis. It is crucial to be aware that and though there are lots of similarities in warning signs, treatment often produces better outcome when it is specific and targeted towards the complications related to an individual category.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), a publication of the American Psychiatric Association is a very handy resource that contains information regarding the various forms of depression or other psychological ailments.

The most common types of depression are:
1. Major or Clinical Depression (Major Depressive Disorder) - The major characteristics of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) include low mood, lack of interest in most activities, nervousness, appetite and sleeping problems, unceasing lethargy, diminished mental capabilities, irritability, mysterious bodily aches and pains, powerful guilt as well as low self-esteem. A person is said to be suffering from clinical depression if these symptoms continue for a period of more than two weeks.

2. Dysthymic Disorder (Dysthymia) - Dysthymia is a type of depression which shares the majority of its symptoms with clinical depression. The main dissimilarity between the two is that the symptoms of dysthymia are mostly not as severe as those of major depression. Besides that, the symptoms of dysthymic disorder tend to last for prolonged durations of time which can span from a period of a few years to a lifetime. An individual is said to be suffering from dysthymia when the above mentioned symptoms persist for over two years.

3. Manic Depression or Bipolar Disorder (Also Manic Depressive Disorder) - Bipolar depression also has a lot of the low mood and energy symptoms like those of major depression. The only difference is that apart from patients experiencing bouts of depression they also undergo durations of exceptionally high mood, energy and activity levels.

4. Post-Partum Depression - Post-partum depression ordinarily affects parents who have just received a child. Signs of this ailment include intense and prolonged feeling of desolation, hopelessness, incessant tiredness and so on. On the other hand these symptoms are not experienced in the same way between different patients, for some patients it may last longer or be more intense than in others.

5. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - This is a type of depression that affects certain people during certain periods or seasons in the year. Signs of SAD include lousy mood, constant exhaustion, sleep and eating habit changes. This tends to happen mostly during the beginning of winter. Symptoms of this type of depression tends to fade off once the season ends.

6. Reactive Depression (Or Situational Depression) - This usually happens when a person experiences low mood after undergoing a difficult or unpleasant experience. Examples of such disturbing experiences include financial difficulties, death of a loved one and natural disasters. Persons who are affected with this type of depression are more capable of recovering quickly from the condition even without treatment as compared to other types of depression.

Less common types of depression include; Melancholic Depression, Psychotic Depression, Catatonic Depression and Atypical Depression. The types and severity of the symptoms for each of these forms of depression vary from patient to patient and are not easy to diagnose. To ensure that diagnosis (and therefore treatment) is correct, mental health professionals should be always consulted.