Strange Insomnia Depression - Understanding the Link Between Insomnia and Mood Swings

Have you experienced that ever-changing mood at the office throughout the day, and finding it hard to find sleep at night? Well you should not be surprised about the connection between sleep, depression and the change in mood since these things are often inter-linked with one another. In fact some doctors are saying that problems sleeping and a form of depression are linked with each other and these things all contribute to mood disorder. According to some researches, around 80 percent of depressed people also have trouble finding a good sleep at night.

With this in mind, you can really say that a depressed person will likely develop insomnia and someone who has insomnia has a higher chance of getting depressed thus his mood may change any time, any day.

Insomnia as sign of depression

This is true they say since the insomnia is referred as a major symptom of insomnia. And in the process, the insomnia and sleeping issues that can be experienced by the person will then lead to mood swings. And we all know what mood swings can do to the lifestyle of the person and his productivity.

There are a number of studies that have been made that correlated depression and insomnia. For example there is the study of Dr. Michael Perlis about the link between insomnia and depression. In his research, he found out that insomnia is an early sign of depression in a person. The researcher added that the trouble of the person finding sleep often proceeds moments of depression by around five weeks.

By some researches, it has been found out that the trouble sleep of one person will also bring in the depression and this depression that the person will experience will serve as the switch in the whole nervous system of the person and these events can lead to many depressive episodes. The effects on people with depression are not only at the surface, since the effect goes down deep. For example, the depressed person will not only wake up at night and have interrupted sleep but the whole make up of the sleep of the depressed person will be affected as well. You need to remember that a good night sleep for someone who is healthy is well-structured. For the depressed person with sleeping issues, the sleep patterns and the make-up of the sleep is shattered.

Normal sleep for non-depressed person as opposed to abnormal sleep

For the healthy person, his sleep will be marked with four or five cycles of sleep. The person's sleep will often cycle though periods of deepening, relaxing sleep and these are marked by the slow waves in the brain. Then the person will go directly go to dream sleep and this will be marked by great brain activity and the rapid eye movements.

But for the depressed people, there is a big shift in sleep activities. The depressed person directly goes into REM sleep. And according to some researchers, this is not a good thing.

In the simplest terms, depression and insomnia can be a bad mix that needs to be attended well.

Extreme Depression

At its worst, depression can be extreme depression. Most people won't look for assistance for this condition until it's so extreme that it requires years to manage. Some kind of depression impacts more than 15 million Americans each and every year. The unhappy reality is that only 1/3rd of those struggling with this illness will ever look for health-related help. Evidently the age-old stereotypes elated to any psychological sickness leads these people to conceal their affliction and attempt to wish it away. The fact is that severe depression won't be wished absent. The situation will get worse and people afflicted won't be able to manage.

Numerous Americans are ashamed to confess they're afflicted. Extreme depression is no reflection on you as a human being. You are nonetheless a complete individual. Like coronary heart illness or cancer, depression is a sickness. Health-related help is needed. When depression reaches the extreme degree it merely indicates that all the regular signs and symptoms with the illness are magnified. The intensity kicks up numerous notches. Life turns out to be much more than challenging. The feelings of worthlessness start to totally eat you and pull you deeper into yourself. This sickness can't be prevented. However it can be addressed. It is important to detect it early.

The capability to determine the signs and symptoms related with depression is vital. There are numerous warning signals. One of the most apparent is the fact that the sufferer will start to draw in on their own. They discover it difficult to cope with these about them. They can't overcome their feelings of guilt, hopelessness and uselessness. They usually appear indignant and short-tempered. Within the worst instances those struggling from this illness might really feel that they hear voices or think they've been visited by Satan. Extreme depression sufferers frequently try suicide to end their ordeal. These impacted by this sickness require the help of these about them and therapy which will give them self-confidence.

Extreme depression is really a horrible illness. Those who endure it can't live regular lives. A total lack of control is really a horrible prospect. Hope is slim, but in therapy there is hope. The weapons of choice in the battle against depression are anti-depressants and therapy. Help teams may also assist. The route to a much better life begins with seeking help. It is very possible for sufferers to regain more control of their lives.

Neurotic Depression And The Patient

Here, perhaps, is the great advantage possessed by the general practitioner over his hospital colleagues. He knows the patient and his family and is much better equipped to appreciate such subtleties. The onset is more likely to be abrupt, with an evident relationship to some situation that is stressful for that particular patient.

The early history of the patient provides evidence of the vulnerability of his personality. In childhood, shyness, timidity and phobias may have been prominent and the stresses of daily everyday life may have proved impossible to absorb due to undue anxiety or depression. The illness is generally much more variable and responsive to environmental factors than endogenous depression. The patient can brighten up if daily life seem hopeful, but is readily tilted into gloom if circumstances become adverse. Good days and bad days are a feature of the history of depression.

The quality of the depression experienced by the neurotic patient is often more akin to normal sadness or grief than to the emotional experience of the endogenously depressed patient. It tends to be aggravated by the variation of the day and to be at its worst in the evenings. Though generally mild to moderate in degree, the depression may, in occasional patients, be severe. The mood of the patient tends to reflect self-pity rather than self-blame or guilt. Initial insomnia is the common form of sleep disturbance. Anxiety is often prominent and is associated with poor concentration and fatigue. Suicidal ideas and both attempted and successful suicide are common and certainly, the belief that the depression is 'only' neurotic should not engender any false optimism.

Throughout the world the rate of depression related suicides, or problems directly related as a result of depression is on the increase as our daily lives become more and more fast paced. A relationship between a large number of social factors and suicide has been made evident as the result of epidemiological studies. Social class, the nature of employment, geography, race and the degree of social disorganisation exert subtle influences on the individual decision to kill oneself; but through the determinants of suicide are always multiple and complex, in the majority of patients mental illness is of the utmost importance. Although depression is not the only psychiatric disorder associated with suicide, it is unquestionably the most important.

Important epidemiological differences between those who commit and those who attempt suicide have been demonstrated. Nevertheless, the similarities are more important than the differences. Both those attempting and those succeeding in suicide the same psychiatric disorders play their interacting parts. A patient showing signs of severe depression may have already entertained the idea of suicide. There need be no fear that one will put ideas into the patient's head - the ideas are there already. Naturally, there is no need to be blunt about it. The question should be put gently and sympathetically. Some such query as, "Do you sometimes feel life is not worth living?" is a useful beginning and it is seldom necessary to be more pointed.

The recognition of the protean presentations of depression is the most important way we can help to prevent suicide; and it is well to recognize that certain groups of individuals such as the elderly, those living on their own and those recently bereaved are especially at risk.

Signs Of Depression - Can You Read Them When You See Them?

Pain, a high body temperature, a running nose. All signs of physical problems and all pretty obvious. But what about feeling sad for a couple of days? Would you go and see your doctor when you feel helpless, empty, and worthless but without a scarf or a running nose to show for it? I bet you wouldn't. You kick yourself in the butt, ignore the sings and keep trying to get your act together. Why? Because we don't want to be seen as whiners or losers. But what if you'd come to the conclusion that - after yet another sleepless night - these feelings just won't go away and actually get stronger day by day? Would you kick yourself in the butt again? You should. Because you wasted valuable time just because you missed the early warning signs and symptoms of depression.

Things are different when it comes to depression. No cuts, no swellings, no blood. Depression builds up without a clear footprints. It takes a skilled eye to read the signs and symptoms of this silent killer in an early state. And that's part of why depression is the problem it is in today's society. We just don't recognize the symptoms and if we do, we are late. Sometimes too late.

What all experts agree on....
All experts and professionals agree on one thing: mental health would not be the huge problem it is today if we - being you and me - would be less ignorant and willing to learn to read the symptoms. You see, depression can be cured. In fact, most forms can be cured pretty fast and without the extensive use of drugs.

The key? Speed.

These days depression can be cured. It is often treated by a combination of therapy and drugs. If, how good and how fast the patient will recover, greatly depends on when depression is diagnosed and when proper treatment starts. Facing depression, time is not on your side. If all of today's patients would have started treatment a couple of weeks sooner, their changes of a full and speedy recovery would have increased dramatically. In fact, most of them would have shortened their illness by weeks and maybe even months.

If that doesn't convince you that learning to read the signs and symptoms of depression is essential, then this probably will: it's fair to say that some suicides could have been prevented, if the depression was recognized jus a couple of weeks earlier.

Due to the nature of the illness, it's often not the patient who's the first to come to the conclusion that he or she is suffering from depression. That's why it's important their friends, relatives, co-worker and even neighbors can read the signs of depression. They are the first to notice a change in personality on the victim. They actually see the patient withdraw from every day live. And they are the ones that can sound the alarm bells before health workers and probably even the patient is aware of any danger. Let me put it this way: once you know the signs of depression, you've become a mighty weapon in the fight against this silent killer.

Suicide - Recognizing Signs, Intervention, Comforting Family and Friends

A local woman committed suicide this week leaving behind school aged children and her parents. The community is reeling over this act and trying to make sense of it. Why did she do it? What pushes any person to take their own life, how might you be able to prevent it, and how can you be supportive to friends and family?

I don't have all the answers, but I have some. After my marriage ended, I felt devoid of hope and morbidly depressed. My unhappiness impacted the lives of my family and friends. They worried about me and my depressed state made them unhappy. Their concern for me and their worry over my mental state added to my depression. It was kind of a treadmill. I was unhappy, which made them unhappy, which made me more unhappy, which made them more unhappy, etc., etc., etc. I dreamed up ways to die that were passive, which could look like an accident - going for a long walk in winter inadequately dressed, walking into water too deep for me to swim out of (I'm not a particularly strong swimmer.) I progressed into considering slitting my wrists, overdosing on pills, hanging myself or about driving my car into a tree or culvert at high speed.

Was my life really that horrible? To this day, 10 years later, I don't know, and that's the honest truth. I know I was unhappy. My marriage was over and then I lost my job. My former boss black-listed me, making it impossible for me to find work for the next 1 1/2 years. It seemed to me that the unhappiness had no end. I needed to know it could and would have one. I was convinced that there was absolutely no hope and that death was the only viable solution. In my heart I knew I was a huge burden to those who cared about me. I really believed that if I were gone, not only would my unhappiness be over, but that it would come as a relief to those who cared about me because they would no longer have to watch me suffer. You tell yourself that taking your life is the only solution that will make everything go away and be better. If you've never been suicidal, you know nothing could be further from the truth, but when you are suicidal, this seems rational. You are deceived into believing lies.

A 55-year-old man I know suffered greatly as a boy when his grandfather committed suicide. I've never been told what led this man to take his life, but the impact is still felt three generations down the line. Today this 55-year-old man is a psychiatric nurse because he has never forgotten his grandfather's death and his career choice helps him feel he is making a difference in the world (and he is.)

When my second cousin was a young man, he came home one day to find his father dead and hanging from the rafters. He had no idea anything was bothering his father until he made that discovery. He is now in his 60's, and has still not fully dealt with what he saw, largely because he has refused to talk to anyone about it.

A co-worker of mine found her husband who had hanged himself when he was afraid that the dyslexia he'd managed to hide all his working years would come to light on account of a job transfer. He chose to end his life rather than have everyone know his "shame." Eight years later, his widow is getting on with her life, but I doubt she will ever completely recover from her husband's choice to take his life.

Here is my explanation to help understand why someone might decide to take his or her life and how to deal with those left behind. I certainly don't have all the answers, but as someone who has battled with depression and suicidal thoughts, I do have some first-hand knowledge. There's more to suicide than the death of the victim. The other victims are those who are left behind to deal with what their loved one has chosen to do. I remember being in church once and hearing the pastor talk about a member of the congregation who had just taken his life. The victim was a Christian who was involved in numerous church committees. He was a veterinarian by profession.

He had spent many years battling depression. I'm not sure if the anti-depressants he'd been taking didn't agree with him, but he made a decision to stop taking them. He put on a show of that everything was going well, but those who knew him were aware how badly he was struggling. The pastor felt much concern for him, but when he asked, the man responded that he was fine. He refused every offer to help. It ended one evening when this man went to his clinic and euthanized himself. The pastor pointed out to the congregation that his entire family was reeling with the pain of his loss and trying to come to grips with what had led this man to end his life. He encouraged the congregation to remember the family in prayer, and not to avoid contact with them. They needed church family to rally around them and support them especially at this difficult time. How wise! It is natural for us to shun and withdraw from people who are suffering from something we cannot understand and can't figure out how to "fix." The cruel truth is that you can't fix this, nor should you try. Shunning people in this kind of pain only adds to their pain and telling them you understand doesn't help either.

Unless you've had first-hand experience with suicide, don't tell them you understand. In fact, tell them you don't understand but that you'll try to support them however they need. The best thing you can do is to provide your presence. These people need you to cry with them and provide a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. Anyone can do that.

A recurring abusive situation might lead a person to believe that death is the only escape. In this case, it might not be only about escaping the abuse, but it might also be about getting even with the abuser. It might be about feeling cornered - a situation that looks as though it can have no satisfactory outcome, like having a huge and unserviceable debt. It might be a chemical imbalance in the brain, which leads to depression and makes you feel death is the only way to end the sadness. Taking your life certainly ends your unhappiness here on earth, but it's permanent, which is something you might not fully consider or even comprehend when you plan to die. You can't come back and try again and I believe this is largely what kept me from doing it. In the back of my mind was the hope that things truly could get better, and they did. Given time, many situations improve, even without intervention.

There aren't always warning signs that something is wrong. Sometimes the warning signs are so vague that even a trained professional may have trouble picking up on them. With these people, the first inkling you have that something isn't right is their death. We all have times of being down, but not all of us contemplate suicide as a way to deal with our depression, so don't assume that every person who seems depressed will consider suicide as a way out. If possible, try to intervene when you realize that someone is battling with thoughts of suicide. Let the person know that you care deeply, but be honest and tell them how selfish their decision is and how those who care will suffer if they follow through on their plan. People contemplating suicide tend to close themselves off to everyone while at the same time desperately wishing someone would listen to them, understand and help.

They withdraw completely. They often lose the ability to socialize. They have to force themselves to perform simple and routine tasks like personal hygiene or grocery shopping. The hopeless desperation they feel is difficult or even downright impossible to comprehend, never mind deal with. Find a counselor or pastor trained in dealing with depression and suicide intervention and ask for advice on how to intervene. Get that person involved. Don't keep silent. If you know friends and/or family members of the person thinking of ending their life, let them know what you know and impress on them the seriousness of the situation. Get out of your comfort zone and do whatever it takes to help. You could be saving a life.

Do not judge people who have chosen to end their life. If death has occurred, don't treat the family and loved ones left behind like lepers. They are not only dealing with the death but also with thoughts of guilt and blame because they might be thinking they could have and should have been able to prevent this. They need support. Give them your shoulder and not your mouth. Give them a comforting presence. Polish their shoes. Cut their grass. Shovel snow. Don't be passive. They are hurting, confused and looking for answers. Being supportive by being with them is vital.

To close this, I would like to thank my friends and family who rallied around me when I wanted to die. They forced me to be with them even when I didn't want to and they impressed on me that they cared. They continued to love me even when I was completely unlovable. They told me in no uncertain terms how much I would damage my family with suicide and that they would probably never get over it because suicide is a "solution" that only creates more problems for those left behind. They were blunt and told me that self-inflicted death is not noble or romantic (forget about Romeo and Juliet!), that it's permanent and that it's utterly selfish. They were brutally honest with me and in this way, they loved me to life.

Depression and Gambling Addiction

Does gambling addiction cause depression? Or... does depression cause this problem. This is a classic case of what comes first..the chicken or the egg. Having worked as a counselor for 10 years in the mid eighties to early nineties, both illnesses were always separated. I could never understand this because both are so intricately intertwined. How can you separate the two illnesses?

And... how can you really try to figure out which happens first.

Anybody with a gambling problem that has any life consequences is surely going to experience depression.

In the "winning phase"... when the gambler is still winning and in his or her glory, depression will not co-exist. However, once the addiction progresses, and the person begins losing money, going into debt, and experiencing social, emotional,and physical consequences, depression is sure to ensue.

Was the individual with a gambling affliction depressed before? Maybe they could have been depressed before the addiction.. and maybe not. The bottom line is that the person with gambling problems is sure to become severely depressed in direct relationship to the consequences of the gambling behavior.

It is hard to separate gambling and depression because gambling addiction is a lonely, isolating, demoralizing disorder. Depression has the same type of qualities.

Compulsive gambling and the stress and chaos that it causes in one's life can result in despondency, lack of sleep, hopelessnes, helplessness, loss of self esteem, sadness, and suicidal thoughts. It is very hard to separate gambling addiction and depression. This addiction is a very depressing affliction.

3 Signs Your Spouse is Depressed and What You Can Do to Help

Along with the many good times in marriage, there are also some tough times. Sometimes these times cause people to become depressed. When your marriage is in trouble already, depression makes it even harder. A lot of people, married or not, are depressed. Depression doesn't have to hurt your marriage. Here are three signs (in no particular order) that your spouse may be suffering from depression, and things that you can do to help them.

1. Tiredness

Many depressed people suffer from fatigue. Constantly tired. Even if they don't do anything to make a person tired, they are exhausted. Instead of getting mad at your spouse, or thinking they are just lazy, talk to them about it. Tell them that you are worried about them.

2. Sadness

Depressed people seem sad a lot. That's because they are. They are sad, or feel hopeless or that they aren't good enough for anyone to love them. This sadness can sometimes be so severe that the depressed person thinks that no one will miss them if they die. This is extreme depression, which not too many people have, but it still exists - in more people than you can imagine.

If your spouse is withdrawn, has no desire to do anything or see anyone, doesn't do things that they used to do, or anything else along these lines, then they are probably depressed. You can try to help them by introducing them to something new. Try to get them to go and see a movie with you, or even for a walk.

3. Anger

Some people experience anger with depression. Sometimes that anger is so strong they may think about actually hurting someone. There is usually no reason for that anger, but their mind just isn't thinking right. A depressed person could be fine one minute, and extremely angry the next.

If your spouse is like this, you can still help them. Don't try to calm them down if they are in a state of pure anger, it will just make matters worse. Instead, give them time to cool off, and then talk to them. Tell them that you are worried about them. They are acting like a completely different person, and that they are scaring you.

A truly depressed person doesn't see any of these differences in themselves. That's why a lot of depressed people don't seek help - they don't know something's wrong.

Tell your spouse that you are very worried about them. Get them to see a doctor, to see what is wrong. If they say no, then you could tell them that YOU need to see a doctor, and that you would like them to go with you.

It used to be that you had to go to a therapist of some kind to treat depression. Now, so many people are depressed, that your regular family doctor can prescribe medicine that will help beat depression.

Above all else, please don't think that you did anything to cause this. Nor did your spouse, or kids if you have them. Depression happens. Anyone can suffer from it, at one time or another.

What is important right now is that you know the signs, and do whatever you can to help your spouse.

How Omega 3 Helps Beat Depression

Feeling blue, sadness, crying, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping and low moods. All are classic signs of depression and affect millions of people worldwide. So which countries are the most depressed and what can be done to lift their general mood of gloominess? This article explains natural ways to beat the blues and how omega 3 helps depression.

It might surprise you to know that the United States tops the list of most depressed countries in the world. According to a survey conducted by researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Harvard Medical School, a staggering 9.6% of the American population have experienced major depressive order, chronic minor depression, mood and anxiety disorders, panic disorders or bipolar disorder, which is more commonly known as manic depression. Other countries that registered high rates of depression include the Ukraine, France, the Netherlands and Colombia.

In general, Asian countries recorded relatively low rates of depression. This was contributed to the fact that many people were too busy earning a living to worry about themselves and the fact that displaying signs of depression was seen as self-indulgent and a loss of face in those societies. People with depression or other mental illnesses were also shunned and kept out of sight so their condition was either unnoticed or untreated.

Two countries that really stood out for their low rates of depression were Japan and Iceland. One of the most interesting discoveries was that people living in both of those countries consumed high amounts of fish. Japan is famous for its fish-based diet, while Iceland is one of the greatest fishing nations on earth and the people there are huge fish eaters.

As the study of the Japanese and Icelandic populations unfolded, the epidemiological, biological and clinical evidence gathered suggested that a diet rich in fish appeared to protect people against depression and suicide because they were also consuming a lot of omega 3 nutrients. This correlated strongly with earlier studies of people with depression, which found a depletion of omega-3 fatty acids in their cell membranes. So how exactly does the omega 3 in fish help depression?

The two main ingredients of omega 3 are EPA eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA is considered to have the most beneficial effects, so it is important to buy omega-3 that contains more EPA than DHA. The reason that they work so well in fighting depression is because omega 3 is critical to the growth and maintenance of brain cells, especially cell membranes. This is the main reason why omega 3 helps depression.

The other important thing to remember is that our bodies do not naturally produce omega 3. It must be consumed either through the food we eat or through supplements and today the majority of highly processed Western diets are highly deficient in omega 3. In simple terms, the majority of us are not getting the omega 3 nourishment we need. So our bodies turn to omega 6 instead which produces cell membranes less able to cope with neurotransmitter traffic.

What has been significant in the United States, Europe and other Westernized countries in past two hundreds years is the dramatic rise in mental disorders and depression. For a long time this was thought to be a side effect of modern society and the highly mechanical way we all now live since the Industrial Revolution. But increasingly it is also seen as an effect of our shift in diet to more processed foods that contain little or no omega 3 nutrients.

One way to overcome this deficiency is simply to eat more fish. Unfortunately that has its drawbacks too. Many of the fish caught today have been swimming in seas contaminated by oil, mercury, PCBs and other toxins. Farm breed fish are no good either as they are fed grain, which does not contain omega 3, instead of algae which does and passes along the food chain naturally.

The other way to get the essential omega 3 nutrients your body needs is to take fish oil supplements. But be careful there too. You need pharmaceutical grade fish oil and the only one I trust myself is made by a company in New Zealand that distills it from a cold water fish called Hoki, which is probably the best source of natural omega 3 fatty acids that you will find anywhere in the world. If you would like to know more, take a look at my website for more ways that omega 3 helps fight depression.

Grief Into Depression - 'Why Can't Mom Just Snap Out of It'?

Last year, I received a call from Sharon, the adult daughter of a potential client, Bette. Her father, Burt, had passed away a little over a year ago from an extended battle with cancer and Bette had been his primary caregiver. Until his passing, Bette was mobile, energetic and rarely sick. Once Burt passed away, Bette became a 'different person' rarely leaving the house. Her sunny, upbeat disposition had turned into an apathetic approach to everything and everyone in her life.

Sharon shared that she admired her mother more than anyone she had ever met for being able to 'handle anything'. She had always met life's challenges with strength and optimism, being able to formulate a plan to overcome any obstacle put in her way. Now, she was little more than a shadow of her former self and unable to properly maintain the house, herself or any of her relationships. Sharon was concerned because she was unable to 'snap out of it' and Bette was beginning to decline physically.

Because Sharon's life was so hectic, she felt terrible that she could only get over to her mother's house a couple of times a week, and when she got there she was overwhelmed with what needed to be done, grocery shopping, cleaning out the fridge, making sure there was easily accessible meals to be prepared and questioning whether she was taking her medications as prescribed, etc. The house itself was also being neglected severely, with the bare minimum being done to keep things going.

While both Sharon and Bette would benefit from a home care worker, there were deeper issues that needed to be addressed. Bette had been the primary caregiver to her husband of 60+ years as he lost the battle with cancer. She had focused all of her energy and purpose into his care for several years. When he passed away, Bette faced a dual life transition. She had lost her life status as a caregiver and she was no longer Burt's wife of 60+ years. With his death she was faced with excruciating loneliness and loss of purpose. Her family had been there for her right after his death to help but had assumed that she was adjusting well and would be able to handle things. A year later, it was clear that what may have started out as a normal bereavement and grief period had extended beyond a healthy timeframe. At this time, she felt dependent on her family for care and this new dependence pushed her even deeper.

It is not uncommon for the 'strong and capable' family member in this situation to experience depression due to their history of being 'strong and capable'. Often, those around them and they themselves have the expectation that after a 'normal' period of time, they will 'pull themselves up by their boot straps', as they always have. Paradoxically, this is the person that is least likely to ask for help may be suffering silently. It is as if they are unable to see themselves as needing any help or being unable to ask for it. Additionally, physicians tend to overlook signs of depression with seniors and many assume that depression is a normal part of loss. Old assumptions and patterns are tough to overcome.

After speaking with Sharon, I advised her to make an appointment immediately with Bette's physician regarding her decline. She also had to have a gentle talk with her mother about the possibility of being able to see a brighter world through possible interventions of medication and counseling.

We did provide a caregiver for Bette for about 4 months. In the meantime, Bette's doctor found the right medications and she participated in support groups. After a while, Bette turned the corner and was increasingly able to care for herself and her home again. She now does her own grocery shopping enjoys making her meal and even invites others, primarily from her support group, over for meals. Now, when her family visits, they are able to enjoy her company and provide the companionship that only family can provide. They no longer are in the role of caregiver, which is only helping to restore Bette back to her old self.

Every bereavement experience is unique, but if you have a loved one that is not improving after about two months, a visit to their physician may be in order in addition to grief counseling. Counseling and/or medications can make the fog of depression lift, allowing them to slowly begin to feel pleasure and purpose again, the two reasons we ALL need to lead a satisfying life.

Helping Your Teen To Overcome Depression

Statistics on teenagers suffering from depression and other mental ailments are alarming. Various studies suggest that 1 in 4 teens suffer from some sort of mental illness. Teenage mental illness, to include depression, can have dire consequences. Teenage suicide is on the rise. It is the third leading cause of death in the age bracket of 15 to 24 years. Dealing with depression in teens is an important step in reducing these numbers in our society.

Many things can lead to depression. A teenager is just learning how to handle the pressures and emotions of an adult. Only 30% of teens suffering seek help. The others just suffer through and do their best to get through. Adults have difficulty dealing with many things, asking a teenager to deal with it on their own, is not be the best option.

Learning the signs of depression for our youth can be difficult. Depressed teenagers are often just seen as being a teen. Signs of irritability, fatigue, withdrawal and changes of eating and sleeping habits, are seen as normal signs of growing up and hormone surges. They are also signs of depression. Learning the difference in your teen's behavior may be key in getting them the help that they need.

Learning to talk to your teen may be your best investment in their mental health. Parents and adults in a teen's life struggle with this aspect. They often want to see the teen as still a child where the teen wants to be seen as an adult. Learning to bridge this gap and communicate efficiently may be a daunting task, but can be managed.

An adult should learn to offer support when conversing with a teenager. Let them know you are there for them. Ensure them that you are available to them at any time. Show them that you can listen without being judgmental. Don't try to talk them out of the way that they feel. Show them that you can understand and give them the help that they need to deal with how they are feeling.

Trust your own instincts. If you have a teenager that is showing signs of depression get them help. Trusting your own feelings and emotions may be what sets the teen on the road to better mental health. They may resist getting help at first. Be firm. Let them know you are there for them and willing to work with them, but insist that they find someone they can work with to help them through this difficult time in their life.

Often a teen will find it easier to speak with someone other than a parent. Consider a peer mentor for your teen. These are teens that are trained to work with others. They become a positive influence. Teen mentors can become a confidant and will be there for the teen that may be in trouble otherwise.

Teenage depression is a serious problem, but can be treated. Learn to recognize the symptoms and get help as soon as possible. Turn the teen in your life into a success story instead of a statistic.

General Guide to Sugar Glider Physiology, Behavior, and Interaction

The following notes cover essential points about sugar glider physiology and basic behavior patterns. Use this information to better understand why your sugar glider (SG) is behaving in a particular manner.

1. Information about the group or colony is passed around through scents. If you introduce a new sugar glider to an existing colony, it will most likely be scented by the dominant sugar glider. Either this happens, or a fight will ensue.

2. Only male suggies have scenting glands on their faces. This makes it easy to differentiate males from females. Male glider bears are keener to mark their territories than females.

3. A sugar bear that has been replaced by a more dominant member of the colony can become depressed and may begin to exhibit signs of depression.

The behavior of other sugar bears toward particular gliders in a group also has a direct bearing on how a suggie will behave in the long-term. For example, if a sugar bear is regularly bullied by older and stronger gliders, the weaker sugar bear may become depressed or may exhibit excessive aggression.

4. Fights that ensue because a new suggie has been introduced to an existing group should be prevented because adult sugar bears have been known to fight 'intruders' to the death. At the first sign of aggression, remove the newcomer and transfer the new sugar bear to a separate cage.

5. The dominant male of a group should not be removed because this will cause stress to the entire group. Stress can eventually lead to extreme symptoms like self-mutilation.

Some pet owners remove the dominant male to facilitate the entry of a new SG. This approach may or may not work, because the colony system of honey gliders is so important that other members of the group become physiologically weakened when a dominant member is forcibly removed from the group.

6. Rubbing a piece of fabric to a newcomer's body would be a better approach when introducing new gliders to an existing group. Let the old gliders bond with the smell before showing the existing group their new member. This way, the entry of the new member will have less of a negative impact on the existing group.

7. New gliders should be placed in a starter's cage for at least 21 days before being introduced to the existing colony or group. This is done to reduce the chances of spreading infection or disease.

8. If a new SG has been attacked or has not been integrated through general scenting, the sugar glider must be taken out and placed in a separate cage once again. Any attempts to re-integrate the new honey glider should be done after one or two weeks.

9. Honey bears are naturally active at night because this marsupial species is nocturnal. In the wild, honey bears hunt at night as well.

10. Behavior synchronization is sometimes observed in small groups of sugar bears. If one glider becomes alarmed, it is possible that the others will become alarmed as well.

11. When temperatures drop, a colony of honey bears will group closely together to raise or maintain their body temperatures.

12. The gestation period of sugar bear is only fifteen to seventeen days.

13. A sugar glider can reproduce any time of the year.

Depression in Men - A Problem of Denial?

Depression in men can be hard to diagnose and is often undetected both by themselves as well as their doctors. Part of the problem is the mindset of doctors, some of whom do not recognise or acknowledge, the hormonal changes occurring in men. These can begin as early as age 35, though the majority of men experience this in their 40's and 50's.

About 40% of middle aged men are depressed according to statistics. This can present serious problems if left untreated, particularly to men's overall physical well-being, leading to possible high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Mid-life depression in men has been proven to be the main cause of divorce and can also lead to suicide. The rate of men committing suicide in mid-life is three times the US national average.

From their 30's, men begin to experience a reduction in testosterone and this is known as Testosterone Defficiency Syndrome. This may or may not cause any symptoms, but, being able to recognise the warning signs that all is not right, is the first step to healing.

Symptoms can include a lack of energy and vitality, loss of sexual desire or libido and mood swings. Other warning signs that signal depression in men include the following:

1. becoming controlling

2. blaming others

3. being critical

4. creating conflict

5. being suspicious or secretive

6. becoming compulsive

7. feeling restless and unable to relax

8. getting angry

The above list of symptoms may be hard to swallow and actually believe. We are all quick to deny any "seeming" negative behaviour we do not wish to see in ourselves.

Treatment of male depression presents a challenge in that it is still only partially being accepted by doctors and men themselves. Because depression over the years has been viewed as more of a female issue, men may have difficulty accepting that they could be going through the same thing.

Often resistant to getting help, men will deny that there is anything wrong with them. Also, sexual dysfunction may be an embarrassing subject for them so they may put off discussing it, hoping things will change on their own. Denial can lead to a loss of self esteem and unexpressed grief,that can have far-reaching consequences in family life.

Depression in men, is not something to be ashamed of, but just another facet of life to journey through and it does not have to last forever. By not seeking answers, men are placing their health, that of their family and their lives in jeopardy. Is denial worth the cost?

5 Warning Signs of Depression and What to Do About Them

Something doesn't feel right.

Maybe you don't want to admit it to yourself, but you can't ignore all the signs. You get through your days okay, though some are better than others. What it really comes down to is you feel like you lost your spark, that edge that made you want to hop out of bed and take on the world and all it has to offer.

If this sounds a lot like you, you might be depressed. People tend to write off bad moods and listlessness as personal weaknesses, not serious mental health issues. And western culture, with its heavy emphasis on toughness and self-reliance, still stigmatizes people who seek treatment for their legitimate mental health issues.

Depression is often difficult to detect. The reason is because its victims suffer with it for so many years they don't know any better... they don't realize their lives could be radically different. On some days its symptoms are subtle, while on others it's easier to tell there's something seriously wrong. If you're on the fence about whether you might be depressed, here are the most common warning signs:

1. Your sleep patterns change. You might think that you only need to worry if you find yourself sleeping a lot more than you used to. This is not the case, however. Significant changes in sleep patterns - either sleeping longer or shorter than normal - are telltale signs of depression.

2. You feel tired all the time. Another thing you need to look out for is a constant lethargic feeling or hesitation to take on your day. If you find yourself having a difficult time getting out of bed in the morning, even after sleeping long hours, you could be depressed.

3. You can't focus, make decisions, or remember details. When you're awake during the day, you "go through the motions" of life. You do your best to carry on your daily routine, but it's almost like there's a big mental haze clouding up your actions.

4. You're often irritable or annoyed. The stereotypical person who is "blue" is portrayed as apathetic and unaffected, but this is an inaccurate depiction. Sometimes when people get angry a lot over minor things, the anger or frustration is just a surface emotion. Those disturbances can mask a greater issue.

5. You've lost interest in things you used to enjoy. This is a huge warning sign. If your favorite hobbies and spending time with loved ones becomes a chore, or if you find reasons to neglect them and spend time doing other things, you are probably struggling with this mental health issue. Depressed people have a hard time understanding why they can't find the joy in the simple things in life anymore. They wish they could find that "spark" again.

As you can see above, many of the warning signs of depression aren't obvious. It's easy to justify those negative feelings away as some type of weakness or sensitivity on your part. But it's critical that you don't do this. The first step to recovery is realizing you are dealing with a serious mental health issue, and it's not your fault! It has nothing to do with how tough you are or your maturity.

Once they decide to seek treatment, many people jump at the chance to take the first antidepressant their doctor prescribes for them. You should think twice before doing this because these pills are often expensive and come with dangerous side effects.

Depression is a complicated illness that hinges on a wide variety of factors. Therefore, exploring alternative methods to treat it is a wise choice. Embracing a holistic approach to fighting your illness - through dietary changes, self-help, and the incredible power of your mind, to name a few - can be an effective way to eliminate your symptoms for good.

Spot The Signs Of Depression Before It's Too Late

Today I want to discuss how to pick up on signs of depression in yourself or your loved ones.

Let's face it: civilization didn't make the life easier for us. Yes, we have showers and central heating, antibiotics and meals on wheels, but we've never been unhappier.

Clinical depression is more and more common among us, and sometimes it takes just a little bit of extra care and attention to pull someone from the brink.

So what are the obvious symptoms of depression which you should spot easily?

First of all, the symptoms will repeat nearly every day for 2 of more weeks and will show different behaviour from what you're used to.

Secondly, the changes in behaviour most likely will include:

- Feeling exhausted as soon as you wake up and contemplating if there is any point in getting up;

- Loss of appetite and consequently weight loss (sometimes the opposite - constant comfort eating and weight gain);

- Loss of interest in your life, hobbies, friends, activities and withdrawal from socializing in general;

- Feeling of sadness, irritability, mood swings, tearfulness, thoughts of death, excessive guilt and feeling worthless;

- Not being able to sleep through the night or sleeping all the time;

- Going through the day with no energy and physically feeling slowed down;

- Not being able to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions;

These are some of the very typical signs of being depressed.

There are plenty of online depression tests. Most of them consist of 10 simple questions, and if you answer yes to five or more of them you better make sure and see your doctor who can examine you further and find out if you are clinically depressed and what kind of treatment you would need.

There is absolutely no shame in admitting that you are depressed. In fact I've read recently about a new view on depression. One take on it is that it's due to the chemical imbalance of the brain and genetic factors. There is not enough serotonin in your brain and it causes depression.

But the other side says that all this is just results not causes of depression. The fact is depression is caused by our body grieving about something. Grieving is a natural response, depression is just displacing this response in time.

So, ideally clinical depression is best treated by therapy for its causes and medications for the symptoms.

What do you think about this point of view?

What to Do About Depressed Children

The scope of depression is not limited to adults or grown ups. It also affects young children. Depression can be caused by several factors that usually affect one's emotion. In severe cases medical treatment are given, other resort to counseling to alleviate the feeling of emptiness.

Depression can be a manifestation of stress, anxiety, emotional deprivation and low self esteem. Children who suffer from this emotional outbreak can develop some personality disorder if left unattended. Depression may not be a contagious disease but it affects everyone. Depressed children are children who have gone through emotional turmoil.

The significant symptoms of depressed children are the feeling of loneliness, sadness, decreased of interest in activities he one's love to do, shows boredom, low level of energy and self esteem. This unusual behavioral display should not be ignored. If you suspect a student or a child who isolate himself from his classmates or his siblings, be alarmed and find out if he manifests some signs of depression. Depression can sometimes result to self inflicted pain and to some extent suicidal tendencies.

Identifying the problem would prevent future damage. Depression should be diagnosed in its early stage. If you suspect your child to be emotionally depressed you have to seek for professional advice or help. Taking anti depressant with out the doctors order can bring more harm than alleviating the child's depression. Some depressant can be addictive and many become dependent on these drugs to get away from reality. In this case the anti depressant drug becomes a risk factor for the child or patient.

Depressed children should under go some counseling if their condition doesn't require them to take some anti depressant drug. Counseling will greatly help your child in overcoming his depression. A constant communication and support could address his needs in coping his depression. Parents can also offer some help by talking to their child and encouraging him to air out his sentiments and other pent up emotion. Suicidal tendencies in adult are common and for children this can also be true. Never ignore your child's depression. Do something about it before it goes too late.

Simple But Radical Method to Get Rid of Signs of Clinical Depression in 6 Weeks

How would it be like for you to be able to get rid of signs of clinical depression in 6 weeks time? Allow yourself to imagine to reclaim your true self, have your life back, and be happy again!

Of course, you probably already know this: When you are depressed you get caught in a downward spiral with old-habit thought patterns when something goes wrong. Even if you feel only a bit blue, that can send you into full-blown depression.

You are still on your journey to recovery, and tried everything possible...medication, visits to physicians, psychologists, and psychiatrists but everything to no avail. It takes so much to not give up!

If I told you that you can recognize signs of clinical depression, and change these thoughts and habits by following a simple but radical new approach to them, would you be interested? While reading this article word for word you will discover these simple secret methods.

To be bigger than your depression, follow these 3 easy tips to start to heal completely ( 'just coping' is not an option):

• Establish priorities so that your energies go into what will be on what's most important to you.


• Communicate as directly as possible to everyone around you. Depressed people are often poor communicators who don't get their emotional needs served. With better communication, they can experience a more supportive emotional environment.


• Take care of your self. Learn to enjoy yourself.

Just pause for a moment, and imagine hearing your loved ones saying, "Thank you, for having you back in our lives!" How wonderful is this!

NLP & Hypnosis Can Help Overcome Postpartum and Perinatal Depression

Everyone has feelings of sadness. In most cases, these occasions last for a few hours or days. Nearly one-fifth of the people in the world, however, are diagnosed with major depression, which causes depression that lasts for weeks, months, or longer. These moods result in problems performance in career, family, or interpersonal interactions, which can become severe.

Females who have signs of depression when they become pregnant may be treated for perinatal depression. This condition may develop any time after pregnancy begins, or any time thereafter, until the infant is one year old. Typically, however, those who develop this illness after the child is born are diagnosed with postpartum depression.

Perinatal depression or postpartum depression may be caused by a number of factors. These factors can be physiological. For example, women with a previous or family history of clinical depression or mental illness are more susceptible to developing perinatal depression or postpartum depression. Furthermore, alterations in hormone levels in postpartum mothers, such as decreases in estrogen and progesterone amounts, can cause this illness. Postpartum thyroid problems can cause signs of depression such as exhaustion, irritability, and hopelessness.

At times, mental depression is a result of emotional issues. Women may are fatigued and overwhelmed in learning to cope with the needs of the new infant. These issues are sometimes magnified by a lack of support from family, friends, or spouse. Money problems may also assist in causing postpartum depression.

Perinatal depression and postpartum depression often have grave consequences for both the woman and her new child. Worry and depression may prevent a woman from connecting fully with her baby or being capable of meeting her child's physiological and emotional requirements. This may worsen the mother's feelings of insignificance, guilt, and low self-worth.

The infant is also affected by the new mother's problems. Failure to bond with his or her mom may cause the baby to develop trust problems in emotional relationships throughout life. Further, infants who do not have their physiological or emotional requirements met typically do not grow and develop properly. This condition, called "failure to thrive," may be very serious or even fatal to the infant.

Perinatal depression or postpartum depression can damage everyone in the family. The spouse or significant other can feel ignored or unable to help the woman's depression symptoms. This can severely damage their partnership. Other children in the family may experience similar emotions, and develop school-related or peer problems as well.

Depression harms the whole family. Therefore, women who have perinatal depression or postpartum depression should seek depression treatment as quickly as possible. Numerous approaches can be used, such as talk therapy and medication treatments. Medicines, however, can be risky for nursing babies, and sometimes yield erratic outcomes due to the tremendous hormonal fluctuations a woman has during these hectic months. Furthermore, traditional counseling therapies can be lengthy and expensive.

Two therapies for dealing with depression that do not involve medicines and may quickly yield dramatically effective outcomes are hypnotherapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP. Traditional Hypnotherapy is most effective for clients who can be easily hypnotized or are capable of accepting ideas without needing to analyze or comprehend them. Ericksonian Hypnotherapy is very useful for persons who often overanalyze. These techniques aid individuals to relax and get rid of tension.

For clients who are more critical or analytical individuals, NLP is often more effective. With NLP, trained practitioners give people depression help by coaching them to restructure their thought processes. This strategy can, quite literally, allow a client think past the depressive mood and conquer it.

Individuals can conquer depression by developing NLP techniques such as anchoring. They learn to remember times when they felt happy and controlled their situations. Remembering the event renews these emotions. Clients are instructed to put two fingers together and remember these feelings. The unconscious mind connects the touch of the two fingers with the emotions. Hence, the finger touch becomes an "anchor."

Then, when the individual begins to feel overwhelmed, he or she sparks the anchor by touching these identical two fingers together again. This brings back emotions of self-control and results in empowerment.

Through another strategy called the Flash, individuals learn to think away harmful feelings. They program their unconscious minds to instantly substitute positive thoughts for negative ones. When negative thoughts arise, the mind instantly exchanges them for positive thoughts. After learning this technique, individuals find it nearly impossible to conjure up negative thoughts!

Summary: Perinatal depression and postpartum depression may have harmful results for a woman and her new baby. The rest of their family is also profoundly affected because of these problems. Because of the probable severity of the consequences of this condition, females with depression should seek treatment as soon as symptoms begin. Two very effective strategies that do not require medication or great outlays of time and money are hypnotherapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

Link Between ADHD and Depression

ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a mental disorder that is distinguished by poor attention, poor concentration, hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. It generally occurs in children, and can persist till adolescence and adulthood stage of human beings. It needs to be treated timely to avoid the problems that it may lead to. ADHD may cause poor concentration at school or work due to which your performance gets affected big time, your social relationships with your friends and colleagues worsen, you constantly develop feelings of inferiority etc. approximately 4 toeepiness and negative thinking. Depression has so many types each one is distinguished according t 5 percent of preschool or school going children all over the world suffer from ADHD. The exact cause of ADHD is still unknown. However, it is believed that it has something to do with genes. Go for the proper treatment once you notice the symptoms of ADHD.

Depression is a mental illness. Everybody at least once in life time suffers from it. There is no specific age group that suffers from depression. All age groups may suffer from it. The most common signs of depression are sadness, irritation, poor appetite, slo the causes, duration and severity associated with them. The exact reason of depression is still unknown. It is believed that depression is the result of chemical imbalances in human brain. Depression may become very dangerous if not operated at the right time. Various treatment methods are available all over the word to cure depression.

As a result of experimental studies it is now proved that ADHD and Depression are linked with each other. A form of depression called MDD (major depressive disorder). According to experimental results, if a person is suffering from depressive disorder called MDD then there are all the chances for the same person to suffer from ADHD. In a same way if a person is suffering from ADHD he has all the chances of suffering from MDD as well. Another fact that establishes strong connection between ADHD and depression is dysthymia (Chronic depressive disorder), the chances of dysthymia to occur in a person suffering from ADHD is even larger than the chances of MDD and vice -versa.

According to multi generation studies there is a strong genetic connection that establishes link between ADHD and Depression. Proofs indicate that the occurrence of ADHD in offspring of adults with repeated depression is higher than the common people and also the relatives of young people suffering from ADHD show higher chances of MDD.

It is believed that one of every fourth child suffering from ADHD also suffers from Depression. Conditions become very dangerous if ADHD and depression exist simultaneously. Co- occurring of ADHD and depression increase the danger, particularly if it is not treated at the right time, the risks that are associated with ADHD and depression are: Substance abuse, Suicidal tendencies, development of conduct disorders and anti social behavior etc. Make sure you consult with your family doctor or a specialist in your area so that you can seek proper treatment for ADHD and depression.

Postpartum Depression Signs - What Are the Signs of Postpartum Depression?

Postpartum depression can exhibit different signs in different women. Almost 80% of mothers can experience what are called "baby blues" or postpartum blues, but this condition is mild and lasts only a few days or weeks after you have given birth.

If you are experiencing "baby blues," you may cry for long periods of time, without any apparent reason. You may also feel particularly anxious or sad.

However, postpartum depression is different. PPD is much more severe than baby blues, and needs treatment; if you do not get treatment and you are suffering from postpartum depression, it could be dangerous both to you and your baby.

If you are suffering from postpartum depression, you could actually be feeling "high," or you could experience extreme low moods. You can suffer from extreme feelings of helplessness or fatigue. Oftentimes, postpartum depression is treated with psychotherapy in antidepressants, and these treatments are very effective.

However, if you do not treat your PPD, you can go on to suffer from postpartum psychosis; this is a severe form of postpartum depression and will need immediate medical attention. Postpartum psychosis is extremely rare, but if you have it, you can hallucinate, feel extremely paranoid, and be delusional. You could risk harming yourself or your baby, and may even go on to commit suicide.

If you are a new mother and you experience any of the following symptoms, you should seek immediate help, especially if symptoms are persistent.

These include:

* Feeling extremely anxious
* Having extreme mood swings
* Having extended bouts of crying
* Having no ability to concentrate
* Being overly irritable or sad
* Feeling shame, guilt or inadequacy persistently
* Having memory problems
* Having difficulty bonding with your baby
* Withdrawing from friends and family
* Feeling overly angry, for no apparent reason
* Having trouble sleeping
* Having urges to harm yourself or your baby, and even thoughts of suicide

If you are feeling any of these symptoms yourself, or if you see them in a loved one, it is very important to seek mental attention immediately. There are indeed hormonal factors that can contribute to depression, and these are unique to women, especially pregnant women or new mothers, so it is very important to identify any stress triggers as well.

Among the causes of PPD may be that in addition to the hormonal swings, and after giving birth, extreme fatigue and the overwhelming responsibility a new baby brings can cause significant anxiety and stress.

Many new moms may feel the need to be the "perfect mom."

Some signs are indeed easy to see, but others may not be; for example, there may be a history of depression, birth-related difficulties, hormone swings caused by giving birth, financial problems, inadequate support from family or friends, immaturity (especially if the mother or parents of the new child are particularly young), or even drug and substance abuse.

These signs cannot be ignored and should be addressed immediately.

Some mothers may indeed show signs of having "baby blues" in the beginning, but they may persist and become more severe overtime.

If the new mother experiences urges whereby she wants to harm herself and/or her child, or if she loses interest in things that used to engage her, these are things that should be noticed either by the new mother in question or by friends and family.

Treatment for postpartum depression is necessary, and it should be started as quickly as possible. If you are just experiencing normal "baby blues," for example, you should get over this in a couple of weeks. If you continue to experience depression, however, consider the fact that you or the new mother you are observing may have postpartum depression, and seek treatment immediately.

Teen Depression

Teens and Depression

Adolescence can be wonderful experience for many teenagers. During this time, teens begin taking their grades more seriously, looking forward to going to college and getting a great job. They also like to assert more independence and become more interested in the opposite sex. But for many teenagers, the transition from childhood to adulthood can be a very difficult time. Depression is often the culprit. In fact, researchers state that one out of eight teenagers suffer from depression.

Why is your teenager depressed?

Your teenager may become depressed for many reasons. Genetics could be one reason your child is depressed. Children who grow up in homes in which their parents or siblings are depressed may grow up to become depressed adults. Another reason your child may be depressed is peer pressure. Your teenager may be hanging with the wrong crowd and doing things that are dangerous and that make them feel bad in an effort to fit in --- such as smoking, drinking, and having sex. Also, they may have difficulty making friends and could be the victim of bullying and verbal abuse by their peers. Many depressed teenagers live in a bad environment, homes where their parents are not getting along, or a home where there is little money coming into the house. Boredom is also a reason why your child may be depressed. They may simply need something else to do.

Sometimes children have an inaccurate idea about people and life in general. When they get out into the real world, there can be a major gap between what they believe and reality. As a result, they feel let down on a regular basis. For example, a young girl who thought that she would go to an ivory league school and get married barely pays her way through junior college and gets pregnant by her absentee boyfriend.

Signs that your teenager is depressed includes:

• gossiping on the telephone


• over eating or under eating


• slacking on doing household chores


• masturbating or becoming promiscuous


• abusing drugs and alcohol


• bullying others


• disrespecting authority figures


• dropping out of high school


• sleeping a lot


• spending long periods of time in their room


• turning up the volume on the stereo


• allowing their appearance to suffer


• choosing not to participate in family get togethers

What to do if your child is depressed?

Talk to your child about his or her life, wants, and needs. Let them know that their opinions matter and that they are important. Play an active role in their life. Go to ball games with them. Hang out with them at the mall.Talk to them about their bodies, relationships, and about life in general. Get them involved in activities and hobbies that are healthy and that they will enjoy. If your child continues to behave as if they are depressed, it may be necessary to talk to a therapist who may recommend treatment.