The Differences Between Men and Women in Their Expression of Depressed Feelings

Depression is a serious condition that impacts every aspect of a person's life. Depression is individualistic and is not the same for men and women. There are many factors that contribute to depression from sexual hormones to social pressures to how one responds to stress. Overall, depression is twice as common in women as compared to men. According to the National Mental Health Association one in eight women will experience clinical depression during their lifetime.
 
Common complaints of major depression include: feeling depressed; loss of interest or pleasure in activities they use to enjoy; feelings of guilt, hopelessness and worthlessness; suicidal thoughts or recurrent thoughts of death; sleep disturbances (sleep more or less); appetite and weight changes; difficulty concentrating; and, lack of energy and fatigue. Women, also, have a higher incidence of thyroid problems, and hypothyroidism can cause depression.
 
Women and men tend to cope with depression differently. Women ruminate. This includes crying to relieve emotional tension, trying to figure out why they are depressed, and talking to their friends about their depression. However rumination has been found to maintain depression and even make it worse. Women tend to talk and talk about their feelings to others until the anger and depression is drained off or they seek out professional help.
 
Men tend to bottle up their feelings. They distract themselves from their feelings of depression by keeping busy. They are raised with such social myths as , "big boys do not cry" or "do not show your feelings as the other kids will think you are a sissy."   

Men tend to let the angry and depressed feelings build over a long period of time until they either explode like Mt. Vesuvius or take some dramatic action to get rid of their feelings of anger/depression. Male depression is far more likely to be deadly, as seen in the recent headlines that sadly demonstrate this point in the recent case of the man in Virginia who killed his wife and one son before killing himself.
 
A major factor in the differences between how men and women express their depression is the way they are socialized in their roles. Most women in our country have been raised to be other-oriented. Throughout life, women advise their daughters to be good children, good wives, and good mothers. Such value-laden advice essentially says, "Your worth comes from what you do in relation to other people, and not from whom you are as a unique individual." This value is very different from one that says, "Create and pursue your own independent dreams, even if it means not marrying or having children."   

The cultural value for women is "Be-other-oriented and conform to expectations of others" in the traditional female acculturation, is it any wonder that women are diagnosed as depressed nearly twice as often as men. The typical man in this culture is raised to achievement-oriented, having been taught from childhood that worth is determined by accomplishment. It should be no surprise that men have high professional expectations and strives to achieve them, even at the risk of his family relationships. 

For as long as circumstances permit him to achieve, he can earn great rewards in the form of approval, financial success, professional status and so forth.   If this man is somehow blocked from achieving, the central focus of his life is lost. The significant point here is: our values can create rigidities in people that make them a candidate for depression if those values are challenged in some way.
 
Another impediment to men seeking help for depression is the strong stigma that men attach to professional care of any kind. Again, our roles in society are, also, a factor. Women are responsible for caring for a sick child or spouse more often than men. When they take time off from work, co-workers tend to understand, and forgive the imposition.  On the other hand, one study found that "male workers who took some time off were rated as less performing than those who did not."
 
Women tend to internalize emotional pain, saying to themselves that they must have done something to cause the problem, while men, tend to externalize emotional pain. They are more inclined to see others as obstacles that prevent them from reaching their goals and feel victimized. Men discharge their distress through action.   Hence the statistics, which show that women attempt suicide more often than men, yet males, actually kill themselves at a rate three to four times higher than females.
 
Women process their experiences with their friends, and are much more likely to tell a physician how they feel and cooperate in the prescribed treatment. As a result, women get better treatment for their depression. Admitting to being depressed is the ultimate shame for many men because depression carries, to many, a double stain--the stigma of mental illness and also the stigma of 'feminine' emotionality. Many men treat their depression with alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant. For someone who is all ready depressed, alcohol greatly enhances the depth of the depression. Several studies have shown that alcohol impairs the senses and clouds judgment, predisposing a person to impulsive suicide. Impairment from alcohol also masks inhibitions and allows people who have planned suicide the opportunity to initiate the act.
 
In conclusion, as a society, we must admit and accept the reality, and the normality of male depression.  We need to work harder to give men the same helping hand that many women get simply because women are more willing to acknowledge their depression and seek out professional help.

A Free and Simple Test for pH, a Potential Health Tester

It is estimated that 80% of all deaths in the United States can be delayed and you have the power to
DO IT! The leading killers to the American population are heart disease, diabetes, and obesity is all avoidable. These health problems and other serious health conditions including; allergies, depression, poor digestion, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, anxiety and many more have a direct link to our diets and nutritional intake. By measuring your saliva pH at home you can quickly and easily gauge the nutritional stress your body is under and determine if additional nutritional support is needed. Americans are slowly killing themselves with fast food and prolonged nutritional depletion, but there is hope. By improving our diets and taking nutritional supplements we can reverse the effects of degenerative diseases. A saliva pH test may simple be the answer to the health care crisis America is facing.
Saliva pH is controlled by your diet and the amount of vitamins and minerals you have in your body. Lower saliva pH is a good indicator for the need of vitamin and mineral supplements. Saliva pH over 7.0 is a good indicator that you are taking in enough vitamins and minerals. This simple test is a good general way to measure the amount of vitamins and minerals you need. The benefits of saliva pH testing are that it is simple, inexpensive and the patient control over monitoring their path back to good health. Saliva pH has been used by physicians for decades as a general indicator of your body's health. Recent research has linked low saliva pH to poor nutrition and has been found to be an indicator in several leading diseases. Saliva pH is usually measured from 5-9, the lower your score the more acidic and the more likely to have health problems. Your ideal saliva pH level should be between 7.0-7.4, this is either 1st thing in the morning or an hour after any food or fluid intake. The good news is that you can monitor and improve your health without costly medications or doctors visits. You can improve your saliva pH by improving the foods you eat and the nutritional supplements you take.
To increase your saliva pH levels you need to know what foods to eat and which foods to avoid. The body recognizes foods as either acid , neutral or alkaline based. High protein foods like meats, fish, beans and chicken tend to make the body more acidic. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are more alkaline in nature and will help raise your saliva pH level. The worst foods in the American diet; coffee, soda, alcohol, sugar, saccharine, processed flour and fried foods are the most acid forming foods available.
This easy to do and safe test clearly shows how the American lifestyle has lead us straight into a national health care crisis.
Here is what today's leading physicians and researchers have to say about pH testing:

Specific foods balance acid, alkaline levels, stemming aging process and illness

Cosmetic Surgery Times; 7/1/2003; Carraway, Jim

According to Dr. Vince Giampapa, in "Quantum Longevity," acid-producing foods block antioxidant enzymes and reduce our ability to digest food into micronutrients. To maintain a good antioxidant balance, patients need a slightly alkaline pH. In general, acid-producing foods are as follows: sugar, flour, commercial cereals, fish, chicken, eggs, meat. Alkaline-producing foods ate fruits, vegetables, legumes, and soy products.

The effectiveness of a dental/dietitian team in the assessment of bulimic dental health.

Journal of the American Dietetic Association; 8/1/1990

; Wampold, Richard L.
This research article reported that bulimic patients were shown to have lower saliva pH. The lower pH found was associated with the lack of nutrients and with a higher incidence of dental erosion and cavities.

Nasal mucociliary clearance and nasal and oral pH in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes.

Ear, Nose and Throat Journal

; 8/1/1999; Kurt, Aynur, et al.
.... we did find that nasal mucociliary clearance and oral pH levels in the diabetic patients were significantly different from those of healthy subjects.

Correlative Urinalysis, Dr. M.T. Morter,

Saliva pH gives an indication of the intracellular environment and is the most accurate indicator of overall health and the condition of the alkaline reserve... Saliva pH should be consistently 6.8 pH or higher.
The following is a list of common foods and how they affect the body's acid / alkaline balance.
Saliva pH readings should never be below 6.1...
While list concerning Alkaline and Acid based foods vary by researcher, but the basics are the same. Acid based foods are high protein foods like meats, fish and chicken. Alkaline foods are whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Like all healthy diets fast foods, fried foods, processed foods, sugar, etc, are all acid forming foods and should be avoided. The list below will help you decide on the foods that are best for you. You do not need to avoid acid foods, but use less of them as compared to the alkaline foods.
Remember, while fruits like lemons and oranges are acidic they are alkaline based and or good for you.
This list was taken from Dr. Mortar's book, Correlative Urinalysis.
ALKILINE FOODS                     ACID ASH FOODS
Raw spinach                                 scallops
Beet greens                                 oysters
Molasses                                     dried lentils
Celery                                          sausage
Dried figs                                    sardines
Carrots                                        oatmeal
Dried beans                                corned beef
Chard leaves                               lobster
Watercress                                 peanuts
Sauerkraut                                  haddock
Lettuce                                       soda crackers
Green lima                                 beans codfish
Dried Lima beans                      pasta
Rhubarb                                      peanut butter
Cabbage                                     chicken
Broccoli                                    pike
Brussels sprouts                       brown rice
Green soy beans                       whole wheat flower
Cucumbers                                white flour
Parsnips                                     salmon
Radishes                                    beef
Rutabagas                                  turkey
Dried peas                                 barley
Additional lists of alkaline and acid based foods can be found on numerous websites.
Along with changing your diet to improve your saliva pH levels nutritional supplements are important. Saliva pH measure is based on the foods you eat and the availabity vitamins and minerals in your system. An acid saliva pH is a good indicator of the need for nutritional supplements. I recommend a multivitamin with minerals, a green product and digestive enzymes for extremely low saliva pH.
If you would like a free test kit to measure your saliva pH please email Dr. Zodkoy @ szo9935741@aol.com

Always Stay Alert For Manic Depression Symptoms

The fist step in treating any illness such as manic depression is the ability to detect the problem, usually through the appearance of certain symptoms associated with an affliction and then making sure that the person suffering from the condition acknowledges and understands that they indeed have a problem and convincing them to seek help.

Unfortunately those who suffer from panic attacks and anxiety which are normal symptoms of depression in many cases will not recognize or admit early enough that there is a problem. The longer the conditions go untreated the greater is the potential for permanent damage.

Because of the tendency of this condition to go undetected medical professionals usually depend on the appearance of symptoms that traditionally indicate the presence of the condition. This detection is complicated because many of the symptoms are not readily detected.

However it is very helpful for non-medical persons to be able to notice when a family member or friend is suffering from these conditions so they can convince the victim to seek professional help early. Some of the symptoms normally associated with the affliction are listed here.

* Increased energy which many times will cause restlessness and sleep loss.
* Anxiety and or panic attacks.
* Euphoric mood swings.
* Lack of good judgment.
* Abnormal spending sprees or hording.
* Extreme irritability.
* Unusual speech behavior as the result of racing or rapid thoughts.
* Aggressive or intrusive behavior.
* Increased sex drive.
* Easily distracted.
* Denial of his or her condition or unusual behavior.

Of course non-medical persons need to be extremely careful in determining if any conditions actually indicate the presence of manic depression but being aware of the potential could help to get a victim to professional care more quickly.

Parents of teenage children need to be especially aware of any indication of the presence of these conditions because the affliction can have devastating effects on that age group. Eating disorders, school troubles and in today's culture substance abuse are all very possible.

Teens will additionally suffer from listlessness, self-pity and hopelessness. Of course some of these conditions in very mild form may be present in any teens development years but when they persist or become acute they must be diagnosed and treated early.

So it would appear that the proper course of action would be to first familiarize oneself with the traditional symptoms and then stay alert for anything that would indicate a problem in yourself or family members or friends.

The best treatment for any ailment is always early detection and early introduction of professional treatment. Although detecting and then seeking help for manic depression symptoms can be difficult, early action usually always has a happy ending.?

Aspergers Syndrome - Shedding Light on Aspergers Syndrome - Depression Traits

Aspergers syndrome, if left untreated, can be a major cause of depression as a consequence of anxiety and loneliness, two emotions Asperger autism sufferers may experience.

Asperger's syndrome is exhibited in a higher ratio of males to females. Sufferers displaying aspergers syndrome depression traits may do so in response to a growing awareness of their disability and an ongoing clinical inability to cope with the social, occupational and emotional impairment symptomatic of Aspergers disorder.

Children and adults with Aspergers disorder alike can experience social dislocation by virtue of a restrictive preoccupation with one or a series of interests and the intense focus attributed to their topic.

Whilst there is no 'cure' for Aspergers syndrome in the sense of eliminating it's presence, there are interventionist approaches aimed at treating the underlying cause which are prevention driven, or rehabilitational. There are also more traditional methods to treat the side effects of Aspergers syndrome which can accompany the condition, such as depression. Such interventions can include psychotherapy to assist in the processing of feelings caused by an awareness or perception of a self held social disability, behavioral modification, parent education for children with Aspergers, or medication which may include the proscription of anti-depressants.

With children who have Aspergers syndrome, the teaching of problem solving skills, and the learned ability to interpret body language and recognise when their emotions are being triggered by external stimuli is important.

The maintenance of good health and fitness can also act as a deterrent to symptomatic depression, lack of energy and stress.

Depression Test - Is There A Reliable One?

Each year, millions of people are affected by depression at one point or even several points during their lives, often with detrimental effects. Depression is a psychological disorder that is so common in our lives that it has been named the common cold of mental illness. According to estimates from the National Institute of Mental Health, about 10% of the U.S. population is suffering from a certain depression disorder at any particular time. Taking a depression test is a sure way of not only getting to know whether you are suffering from depression, but also dealing with the condition.

Surprisingly, as much as the rate of people getting affected by depression is high, the cure rate for the psychological disorder is similarly high. There are various effective interventions to help affected people regain control of their lives. However, the tragic news is that a very significant number of individuals who are suffering from the condition are not aware that they are suffering from depression.

In fact majority of the affected people do not go for diagnosis as well as seek diagnosis. In addition, most people do not know where to begin, and a self-test is one of the simple ways you can get a depression diagnosis for the condition without going to your doctor. A depression test is an effective tool which may be used to help in determining if you have symptoms of depression, and eventually seek help. However, it is important to take note of the fact that only a qualified and licensed mental health professional is able to undertake a depression diagnosis.

There are several types of depression, and the psychological disorder is classified in several ways, and there are several tests that are conducted to diagnose each type. Most tests for depression are designed to diagnose cases such as major depression, dysthymia or otherwise known as chronic depression, bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, and cyclothymia or otherwise known as mild bipolar disorder, as well as SAD or seasonal affective disorder.

Each one of these depressive disorders presents a variety of symptoms and each one of them represents a specific diagnostic procedure. In order for you to gain a more in-depth insight into each of the different types of depression, you need to take one test and examine the results. It is also worthwhile to note that there are other varieties of depression do not have a particular test for diagnosing the condition.

To sum it up, it is a widely-known fact that at a certain moment in our lives, every person gets to a point where they feel that they are depressed or in the dumps. However, if you feel that life is constantly making you feel that you are down, and the lows make you feel as if you cannot function normally, then you may be suffering from a certain form of depression. In order to establish whether the emotional slumps you are experiencing are serious, you need to take a depression test. The test is not only designed to establish whether you are currently suffering from depression, but also designed to determine if you may be at risk of experiencing depression.

Depression Linked to Obesity

One of the many detrimental side effects of being overweight or obese is a dramatic rise in clinical depression. Researchers aren't sure whether depression leads to obesity or if excess body weight results in the mood altering behavior diagnosed as depression, but the impact on the lives of those afflicted can be devastating. The reciprocal relationship between these two conditions can increase the risk of suicide and many potentially lethal diseases as well.

Nearly 25% of Obese People Diagnosed With Depression

There's no mistaking the link between obesity and depression, as 23.2% of those individuals falling into the obese range indicate they have been diagnosed with clinical depression. This is according to a Gallup-Heathway's Well-Being Index poll of more than 250,000 respondents. The rate of depression was 14.9% for those considered overweight and 14.3% for normal weight people. An analysis found that obesity creates negative feelings of stress, worry, anger and sadness.

Depression Increases with Weight

Information from the Gallup study revealed that the depth of depression increased in a linear fashion to the Body Mass Index (BMI) of the individual. Both overweight and obese people tend to have lower self esteem and body dissatisfaction because of the Western ideal that being thin is more beautiful and desirable. These feelings foster the internal conflict caused by excess weight in many people which is psychologically manifested as depression.

Taking Small Steps to Improve Body Image

It can be difficult to improve the perception of the person you see every day in the mirror but taking small steps toward this goals can have an immediate and lasting effect on your outlook. Begin by setting your sight on an immediate weight loss goal, such as 5 or 10 pounds. It's much easier to feel better about yourself when you successfully complete small steps on your way to a final destination. As you pass each benchmark, be sure to reward yourself with something special to reinforce your progress.

Improving Diet to Affect Depression

Some people are particularly sensitive to the effects of a high sugar diet which help to promote mood instability and depression. Elimination of sugar and refined carbohydrates not only boosts mood, but is a powerful trigger to release body fat from storage. Slowly cut sugary foods from your diet and be sure to eliminate sweetened beverages and fruit juice which are a significant source of nutrition-less calories. Slowly back sugar out of your diet over the course a month to avoid sugar withdrawal which some people experience.

Natural Support for Depression

Targeted nutritional supplements have been shown to be effective in improving the symptoms associated with depression. As with any natural agent, supplements should be used in combination with diet, exercise and therapeutic support to improve self esteem. The Omega-3 fatty acid DHA, St. John's Wart, Gingko Biloba and SAMe are all helpful in improving mood, a necessary step toward your successful weight loss goal.

It's not surprising that obesity and depression are closely linked. People tend to pre-judge others based on body weight before intelligence and personality. Lowered self esteem and increased stress are cofactors which contribute to the relationship between obesity and clinical depression. You can begin to take small steps to improve mood which will ultimately lead to improved body image and healthy weight loss.

Depression Symptoms and Treatment

Depression Description

Now a days many people are experiencing a common health problem Depression and many other disorders caused by it in their daily lives. Most of the people do not know the cause of disorder they face till they get diagnosed and find it as the depression symptoms. We can assume around 3 out of 10 people will experience this problem in their lives at some point. The causes of this disorder is still a question to many doctors even today, just what they can suggest is to observe all the symptoms and get the treatment for the disorder before it causes severe problems in your daily life. Depression disorder causes severe stress and anxiety and makes life horrible. It makes people lose their mental ability and makes them think in a complete negative way. The negative thoughts start eating away your brain and slowly cause major problems and leads to personality disorders. Most of the people never concern about these negative thoughts because they are not aware of the symptoms of depression which are carrying them towards the serious mental illness (Schizophrenia).

Causes of Depression

Mentally disturbed due to some kind of physical or emotional abuse can cause depression in life. This may result from many causes like conflicts in the family, friends etc or any sudden death or loss of loved ones may cause grief which later turns into depression. One important thing about this disorder is, this passes genetically from one generation to another and has the highest risk of getting the disorder. Some kind of serious illness also sometimes causes depression. Excessive pressure on mind it may be a parental pressure or work pressure can cause this.

Most common types of depression observed these days are childhood depression, teenage depression, adult depression, clinical depression, reactive depression, chronic depression, mental depression, postpartum depression, bipolar disorder and neurotic depression, psychotic or psychological depression and has many other names basing on the seriousness of the disorder. Almost all these have the same symptoms except the root cause differs in each case.

Depression signs and symptoms

The child, teenage and adult depression symptoms are almost the same except the behavioral aspects differ in those ages. Children are not able to express what they are feeling; the most common signs of depressed children will be sadness, fearful appearance, shyness, irritability. Sometimes some physical symptoms which cannot be explained can also be observed like headache, stomach ache, wetting the bed, unable to sleep and getting nightmares. The teen and adult symptoms has to be considered very seriously as they may create severe consequences in their lives leading them towards drug addiction, attempting suicide etc. These adolescents suffer from serious panic disorder, eating disorders and have the tendency towards violence and suicide and try to be isolated from others.

Clinical depression (major depressive disorder) symptoms can be explained as these people loses their energy levels at the work place and feels low esteemed and loses interest on things gradually making them isolated from all the enjoyments and pleasures they used to have before. All the other types also come under this clinical depression.

Chronic Depression (Dysthymia) is less severe from the other types. People suffering with dysthymia act not so abnormal but they just feel consistently unhappy compared to others.

Postpartum depression is only seen in women mostly after giving birth to their baby and less slightly in men. These symptoms are seen from first few months after the baby born to some months even up to a year. The symptoms include sadness, changes in eating and sleeping timetables, anxiety and irritability in the new mother or father.

Whether the depression disorder may be major or mild disorders both have almost the same symptoms but the grievance of the disorder varies. Most commonly seen depression symptoms can be noted as getting isolated from the outside world, feeling sad, getting irritated and short-tempered, changes in eating and sleeping timetables, getting nightmares, trying to indulge in cruel and violent activities, feeling hopeless and helpless, and the most important thing NEGATIVE THINKING "The King for all sorrows".

Depression Treatment

This depression can be treated in two popular ways through medication and psychotherapy counseling. Although the later gives the best results without any side effects depending on the patients conditions.

There are a number of antidepressants available in the market to cure all kinds of disorders but the best way to treat depression is through counseling by a psychiatrist. Besides the treatment everyone should always be positive minded and should control their stress and anger through anger management and stress management. Try always to get rid of the pills which cause the main disease and follow natural treatment for depression and live a joyful life!