Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder - Hints About Self Diagnoses

You can suffer from bipolar disorder your entire life and you'd never know it. As a matter of fact, a lot of people who lived in the past had no clue that the condition existed so they never got it diagnosed and treated. You should know that a good number of bipolar disorder patients end up committing suicide when the syndrome got a hold of them. Sincerely, if there is even a mild chance that you can have the disease, you want to get it diagnosed in a hurry. Even if you cannot drag yourself to a shrink just yet, you should at least begin with a self-diagnosis.

Self-diagnosing for bipolar disorder is not an easy thing to achieve, especially since you are not usually able to catch yourself before you slip either into a manic or depressive episode. However, it is not an impossible thing to do. You do have your 'normal' spells during which you are neither suffering from mania or depression. Those are the times you should look forward to catching first.

Men often catch a mania first before other symptoms of bipolar disorder set in. For women, the first phase of bipolar disorder that they suffer from is the depressive phase. As such, you should be able to know which you should expect to happen to you first. It will help also if you recruit your closest friend to take a closer look at you while it is on.

When manic, you may suddenly begin to find yourself irritable and short with your friends. All of a sudden, for no reason at all, you may find that you are speaking too rapidly about one thing and then about another, never able to settle long enough on any one thing. When in the manic phase of bipolar disorder, you feel too self-important and capable of doing anything at all, your energy is so much that you are not able to settle down or sleep. You may feel like you want to head out to Vegas or just take flight trips all over the country, wasting money unreasonably.

Top 10 Signs of Early Pregnancy

Early signs of pregnancy vary from woman to woman and even pregnancy to pregnancy. If you're particularly tuned in to your body's rhythms, you may begin to suspect you're pregnant soon after conception.

Are You Pregnant?

Most women won't experience any early signs of pregnancy until the fertilized egg implants into the uterine wall, on average six to twelve days after ovulation. Other women may notice no signs of pregnancy until a delayed or missed menstrual cycle, one of the most pronounced and significant symptoms of pregnancy.

Whether you're trying to get pregnant, or trying not to, it's important to understand indicators of pregnancy because each symptom may be related to something other than pregnancy.

Below is a list of some of the most common first signs of pregnancy - some of which may occur before a home pregnancy test can be used - letting you know that you may be on your way to becoming a mother. You may experience all, some, or none of these signs that you could be prego:

Food Cravings

Admittedly it's a clich矇, but food cravings sometimes can be early signs of pregnancy. Don't rely on a hankering for pickles and ice cream as a sure symptom of pregnancy - it may be all in your head, or even a sign that your body is deficient in certain nutrients - however, if cravings are accompanied by some of the other symptoms on this list, it could mean that you might be eating for two.

What else it could mean: Poor diet, nutritional deficiency, stress, depression, or impending menstruation.

Darkening of Your Areolas

If the skin around your nipples darkens, you may be pregnant, though this may also mark a hormonal imbalance unrelated to pregnancy or be a leftover effect from a previous pregnancy.

What else it could mean: Hormonal imbalance unrelated to pregnancy or may be a leftover effect from a previous pregnancy.

Light Bleeding or Cramping

Implantation bleeding can be one of the earliest signs of pregnancy when, about six to twelve days after conception, the embryo burrows into the uterine wall. As a result of this, some women will experience implantation spotting - a slight staining of a pink or brown color - as well as some cramping.

You might mistake implantation bleeding for a very light period, as spotting can occur around the time you expect your period.

What else it could mean: Actual menstruation, altered menstruation, changes in birth control pill, infection, or abrasion from intercourse.

Frequent Urination

Once the embryo implants and begins producing the pregnancy-sustaining hormone secreted by the embryo soon after conception (usually around six to eight weeks after conception) you may find yourself running to the bathroom more often.

What else it could mean: Urinary tract infection, diabetes, increasing liquid intake, or taking excessive diuretics.

Fatigue

Feeling drowsy? No, make that absolutely wiped. High levels of the hormone progesterone experienced during pregnancy can make you feel as if you've run a marathon when all you've done is put in a normal day's work. This hallmark of early pregnancy can appear as soon as the first week after conception (before a positive pregnancy test can be performed), but don't necessarily assume you're pregnant just because you're feeling exhausted.

What else it could mean: Stress, exhaustion, depression, common cold or flu, or other illnesses can also leave you feeling drained.

Tender, Swollen Breasts

If you're pregnant, your breasts will probably become fuller and increasingly tender to the touch, similar to the way they may feel before your period, but more pronounced. These changes may begin as early as one to two weeks after conception.

What else it could mean: Hormonal imbalance, birth control pills, impending menstruation (PMS) can also cause your breasts to swell and become more sensitive.

Nausea

As early as a couple of days following conception, you may begin feeling nauseated and queasy; it will often show up between two to eight weeks after conception. Despite the common name of this well-known sign of pregnancy (morning sickness) it doesn't only kick in during the morning hours: pregnancy-related nausea can be present any time of day or night.

If you're lucky, morning sickness won't hit you until a few weeks after conception, and some women are lucky enough to escape it altogether.

What else it could mean: Food poisoning, stress, or other stomach disorders can also cause you to feel queasy.

Backaches and Headaches

Lower backaches and headaches may appear as early signs of pregnancy as a result of the sudden rise of hormones.

What else it could mean: Impending menstruation, stress, back problems, and physical or mental strains, dehydration, caffeine withdrawal, eye strain.

A Missed or Different Period

When you become pregnant, your next period should be missed, and a missing period is often one of the first signs of pregnancy experienced by women. Many women experience bleeding while they are pregnant, but usually the bleeding will be shorter or lighter than a normal period. If you have been sexually active, are late and usually experience clockwork visits from Aunt Flo, it's worth trying a pregnancy test.

What else it could mean: Excessive weight gain/loss, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, tension, stress, stopping birth control pill, or breast-feeding.

A Positive Pregnancy Test

A positive pregnancy test is the most definitive sign that you're in the family way. Home (urine) pregnancy tests are available at most drug stores; there are early home pregnancy tests such as E.P.T Digital Early Pregnancy Tests, which can give results as early as five days before a missed period, as well as traditional home pregnancy tests which recommend waiting to test until at least the first date of a missed period to ensure that adequate amounts of pregnancy hormone.

Dangers of Synthetic Marijuana Abuse

JWH-018 is an analgesic chemical, often described as a pain-killer from the naphthoylindole family, which acts on the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. In animals, it produces effects very similar to those of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive chemical in marijuana. The substance is commonly known as 'Spice', 'K2 drug' and 'Synthetic Marijuana'.

Now-a-days it is emerging as a popular drug of choice for teens even as it poisons them. Medical director of Rocky Mountain Poison Center and director of Surveillance for the American Association of Poison Control Centers said that these products weren't designed for human consumption. He also termed it as a designer drug similar to Marijuana. It is not Marijuana, although it acts similarly in the user.

Dangerous effects:
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) currently lists JWH-018 as "Drugs and Chemicals of Concern". A study 'Journal Of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology' has shown that JWH-018 can cause various health problems. Some of the dangerous effects of JWH-018 are:

Short term memory loss
JWH-018 contains synthetic chemicals that mimic THC by acting on the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. It affects the functions of the brain resulting in Central Nervous System (CNS) depression and memory loss. Since JWH-018 binds itself to CB1 receptors dominantly found in the brain, you can notice symptoms of alterations in the control of emotions, motivation, judgment, learning and memory.

Extreme sedation that may lead to coma
Smoking higher doses of JWH-018 might be quite dangerous. It acts similar to Cannabis and provides relaxing and sedative effects. Reported scarier and harmful effects of the substance includes extreme sedation that may lead to coma.

Euphoria
JWH-018 abuse effects are said to be similar to Marijuana effects. It is a chemical compound that acts on cannabinoid receptors in the brain, the areas that THC in Marijuana bond with to produce feelings of euphoria.

Paranoia
JWH-018 is also said to produce similar effects to that of THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. This substance is often associated with clear cerebral effects, people also report Cannabis-like side effects such as paranoia.

Anxiety
Though JWH-018 acts like Marijuana, many people, mostly teenagers are showing up with symptoms which don't match up with marijuana effects. Some of the symptoms include increased agitation and elevated blood pressure and increased heart rates. It is said to increase the anxiety levels.

Confusion and vomiting
Some of the side effects of this drug, also called as 'fake weed' include slight confusion and vomiting.

Shocking brain effects
JWH-018 mimics the mechanism of THC found in Marijuana, thus affecting the functions of the brain. JWH-018 creates shocking brain effects which impair the control of emotions, motivation, judgment, memory and learning.

Life-threatening hallucinations
JWH-018 and many of its substitutes are full agonists and users may experience far more intense effects compared to smoking Marijuana. A professor of toxicology at Saint Louis University observed that smoking the fake weed (JWH-018) causes severe, potentially life-threatening hallucinations.

Seizures
When overdosed, Cannabinoid receptor full agonists may pose serious threat to the user. JWH-018 may cause intense anxiety, agitation, and even seizures or convulsions. Users can be effected by seizures and other reactions to the substance.

Effects in the cardiovascular system
JWH-018 seriously effects the cardiovascular system of the user. It increases heart rate and blood pressure. The effects of JWH-018 on the throat and lungs may be serious. It can make your throat burn and your lungs ache even hours after you smoke it.

Cognitive and psychological effects
Regular use of JWH-018 has many potent psychological and cognitive effects including short-term memory loss, extreme sedation, euphoria, paranoia, anxiety, confusion and difficulty in learning.

Physical effects
JWH-018 may pose a serious threat to the body of the user. It is said to produce the same Cannabis effects and some of its main physical symptoms are: bloodshot eyes and droopy eyelids (noted only in some users), drowsiness, tachycardia (increased heart rate), respiratory suppression etc.

There are no standard consequences of prolonged JWH-018 use in humans as of now. More research is certainly coming up but until then caution is advised and its use is discouraged. Its use is considered illegal in many countries across the world. Remember, anytime you consume an unregulated drug or a drug with unknown effects, you are taking a risk.

Depression Counseling

Almost all of us went through downcast feeling of blue moods at some point of our lives. Much of them are outcome of normal disappointments and stresses in life, significant loss, or illnesses. However, if the symptoms of depression, such as unhappiness, feeling or worthlessness, hopelessness, negative thoughts of causing harm to yourself or to other people, and many others, persist for a period of more than two weeks, your condition becomes a more serious ailment.

If you think you are suffering from depression, you should see a doctor immediately. Only doctors are the ones who can diagnose depression and can give you appropriate treatment. Yes, depression is treatable, but it doesn't mean you can take this problem lightly. The importance of getting immediate treatment for your depression is to prevent life-threatening situation. When this depressive condition remains untreated, it can cost your life besides interference of your day-to-day activities.

There are several ways in treating depression, like anti-depressants, depression counseling, keeping healthy eating habit, and exercise. With anti-depressants being the first choice of treating depression, they should not be enough if you want to speed up your recovery. Depression counseling is one of the effective treatments of depressive condition on top of medications, together with the other options; your recovery is just around the corner.

Depressive patients who find it hard to shake away the uncontrollable symptoms of many types of depression usually attend depression counseling. Although, depression counseling of those who suffer can be as varied as the symptoms themselves. One of the worst things that can be done to those who are suffering depression symptoms is to cause them to be branded mentally ill without having thoroughly gotten to the causes of the problem first.

An incorrect diagnose can cause pain and severe moodiness for the rest of a depressive person's life and may cause them to function unnaturally no matter how better he or she may have become. This is why depression counseling is very important in order to help depressive patients. Also, there are physical reasons that some people may experience a temporary onset of depressive symptoms that may not be addressed by depression counseling. Extreme mood swings and moods that do not pass even when in favorable event, sadness that cannot be pointed to any life circumstances, and psychological depression counseling that is less effective, is a sign that a depressive condition is a result of physical imbalance.

There are many sufferers who need help but are too tired or don't care to try finding help by going to depression counseling or finding medical help, but because of the severity of the condition, many are starting to pay attention. With the support and encouragement of spouses, family members, and friends, hesitant depressive people have a greater chance of recovering and living their lives fruitfully.

Clinical Depression Runs in the Family - How Do You Deal With It?

I recognized that something was wrong about the time I was 20 years old. At the time I was serving as a missionary for my church in Europe in the country of Hungary. I was speaking fluent Hungarian and doing something that I dreamed of most of my life. My religion and missionary experiences are for another article. Right now I want to focus on my struggle with clinical depression, a disease that affects a large amount of people. My goal is to give a little bit of hope to somebody out there that they can know that, first, they are not alone, and second, there is a way to beat it.

My Family Struggles With Depression

One of the toughest things I had to deal with growing up is the fact that so many people are ignorant when it comes to understanding clinical depression. It is commonplace to believe that people with manic depression belong in the looney-bin. They believe that depression equals handicap or incapability. Fortunately, I was exposed to depression at a young age. So I guess my perspective comes from a different angle then most.

My mother has clinical depression, and has had it all of her adult life. She copes well with it 99% of the time and has a lapse every now and again. She explained to me that having clinical depression is like being sick, or having a disease. It doesn't mean you have brain damage, or that you are just experiencing the consequences of bad choices. It is a chemical imbalance that can cause one to experience high bouts of anxiety and stress even over little things, loss of enjoyment in things that usually bring joy, an overall feeling of a lack of purpose to life, and can lead some people to thoughts of suicide.

My grandfather also lived with clinical depression. He grew up in a time where people were really ignorant to psychological disorders. So, those poor people who had to deal with the disorder usually dealt with it privately and didn't look outward for help.

The Best Way To Beat Depression Is To Be Open With Loved Ones and Specialists

I, too, have clinical depression. Like I stated at the beginning of this article, I came to the realization when I was about 20 years old. It was a very difficult time of my life. I was on the other side of the world serving an LDS mission (again, something I was very excited about and really enjoyed). It was a tough experience learning Hungarian and the responsibility I felt of teaching the people we met with. Most people that face clinical depression have it manifest during a really high-stress experience.

After months of trying to beat depression on my own I finally surrendered and asked for help. I spoke to my leader, who was very understanding and helpful, and he got me in contact with a specialist. It was a relief to talk with the specialist and come to an understanding that I wasn't crazy! Instead, I came to realize that I wasn't alone and that I didn't have to fight my battle with depression by myself.

Over the years I have come to realize that there are so many people around us that are willing to help give you encouragement, support, and love. It is how I am winning my battle with depression everyday. And so can you!

Talking About Depression

In many ways, our society has allowed many people to believe that they can not communicate their feelings to others. Sometimes, we think that no one will understand. We think that what we are feeling is simply not important, not validated, or just wrong. If it was any of these things, we wouldn't feel this way. These feelings can be symptoms of depression. To work through this episode of depression, you will need to find a way to talk it out.

It is always important to consult a doctor if you feel that you are depressed. Talking to a doctor about your situation can help you know what is really going on inside your head. In many cases, the only way to work through depression is with therapy and medications. It is always beneficial, though, to talk to others about how you are feeling. If you have a trusted friend or family member, that is not going to judge you, then you should take the time to inform them of how you are feeling.

By finding a way to talk about your feelings, people will come to understand your feelings. They will be able to help you, support you, and love you through your ordeal. It is not easy, but it is one of the best ways to get through your depression. If you would like more information on depression, the causes and how to avoid it, go to websites like http://www.avoiddepression.com and learn what is happening to you or your loved one. By talking about your depression, you will get through it.

Depression In The Workplace

In Australia alone, more than one million people experience depression, anxiety or disorders through substance abuse each year. One in five people suffer from depression and this is carried into the workplace. Did you know that depression is second only to heart-related illness in Australia?

Around 80% of depression sufferers indicated that they were functionally impaired because of depression. 27% reported serious difficulties at work as well as at home. Only 29% of depression sufferers in Australia sought professional mental assistance and of those with severe depression about 39% sought assistance of any kind.

Depression costs 200 million lost workdays each year and $17 to $44 billion in Australia alone. It is one of the most common of all mental health problems.

Research shows that rates of depression vary by occupation and industry type. Among full-time workers aged 18 to 64 years, the highest rates of workers experiencing a major depressive episode in the past year were found in the personal care and service occupations (10.8%) and the food preparation and serving related occupations (10.3%). Oddly those occupations that experienced the lowest rate of depression were engineering, architecture and surveying (4.3%); life, physical and social science (4.4%); installation, maintenance and repair (4.4%).

In three months alone, depressed employees miss 4.8 workdays and suffer 11.5 days of decreased productivity. In a well functioning workplace, the organisation protects and supports mental health and encourages employees to seek help for depression and anxiety for the benefit of the individual as well as the organisation.

What is Depression

Depression is characterised by changes in thinking, mood or behaviour and can affect anyone. Some of the factors affecting depression include genetics, physiology, psychology, gender and the environment. However, in the workforce, it is more complex and is not properly understood. What is understood is that both work and non-work factors cause depression in workplaces.

Several job stressors can contribute to depression in the workplace. These include high job demands, low job control and lack of social support at work. There is a need to understand organisational practices so as to decrease job stress and aspects of roles and their structures that contribute to poor mental health, enabling interventions to be developed to target these risk factors in the workplace. Workplaces have a significant impact on the mental health of staff through job design and workplace culture.

Depression is a real medical and social problem and its effects stretch across the boundaries of work and recreation. The World Health Organisation and the World Bank rank depression as the fourth leading cause of death and disability. It is the leading cause of non-fatal disability. By 2020, given the rising rate among young people, the lack of preventative programs and poor access to treatments, it will be second only to cardiovascular disease.

Many employers realise the importance of staff retention and motivation in creating a harmonious work environment, but in today's climate it is also important to monitor the well being of staff. Depression and anxiety now accounts for approximately one third of all claims for income protection insurance and almost 50% of associated costs.

A lack of awareness and understanding in the workplace leads to difficult situations which may arise from prolonged absence or excessive sick-leave. With the correct awareness and support in place to remove the stigma associated with depression, the expense from both a financial and emotional perspective can potentially be avoided

Depression is more than just a low mood - it's a serious illness. While we all feel sad, moody or low from time to time, some people experience these feelings intensely, for long periods of time and often without reason. People with depression find it hard to function every day and may be reluctant to participate in activities they once enjoyed.

Are there different types of depression?

Different types of depression often have slightly different symptoms and may require different treatments. The five main types of depression are listed below.

* Major depression - a depressed mood that lasts for at least two weeks. This may also be referred to as clinical depression or unipolar depression.

* Psychotic depression - a depressed mood which includes symptoms of psychosis. Psychosis involves seeing or hearing things that are not there (hallucinations), feeling everyone is against you (paranoia) and having delusions.

* Dysthymia - a less severe depressed mood that lasts for years.

* Mixed depression and anxiety - a combination of symptoms of depression and anxiety.

* Bipolar disorder - (formerly known as manic depressive illness) - involves periods of feeling low (depressed) and high (manic).

Is Depression Common?

Yes. In Australia alone, one million adults and 100,000 young people live with depression each year. On average, one in six people will experience depression in their lifetime - one in five females and one in eight males.

What are the Signs and Symptoms?

Although no two people will experience this illness in exactly the same way, there are common signs of depression. In the workplace, a person with depression will start to exhibit any number of the following signs:

Personal changes

* Irritability/hostility
* Withdrawal from, or extreme dependence, on others
* Hopelessness/despair
* Slowness of speech
* Chronic fatigue
* Alcohol/drug abuse

Workplace changes

* Difficulty in making decisions
* Decreased productivity
* Inability to concentrate
* Decline in dependability
* Unusual increase in errors in work
* Being prone to accidents
* Frequent tardiness, increased "sick" days
* Lack of enthusiasm for work

Someone who has been experiencing several of these signs for more than a few weeks should seek help.

It's important to note that you can't always identify the cause of depression nor change troubling circumstances. The most important thing is to recognise the depression and to seek help. Remember, the sooner you get treatment, the greater the chance of a faster recovery.

Workplaces that have better communication and that allow their employees greater flexibility and control have fewer instances of depression.

The Advice, Conciliation, and Arbitration Scheme (Acas) of the UK advises that the way in which jobs are structured has significant impact on the levels of stress and depression in the workforce. Acas suggests a number of measures that all businesses should consider. Employees should be:

* able to see how their output makes a valuable contribution to the organisation.
* given as much variety in the tasks they do, the speed they take to complete the work, their work styles and the place in which they work if possible.
* given regular performance feedback as uncertainty of performance is a major stress factor.
* given ownership of their responsibilities.
* given learning and problem solving opportunities.

All types of people suffer from depression and it is important to note that though it is debilitating, it is not unconquerable. According to Sally Burton, chief executive of UK charity the Shaw Trust "Avoiding recruiting or supporting employees with mental health conditions isn't an option, supporting your workforce is, and will pay dividends in terms of increasing productivity, improving performance and retention, garnering talent and shaping future leaders, helping you to retain a competitive edge."

In 2010 the Shaw Trust carried out a survey investigating attitudes to mental health problems in the workplace. Their findings showed that 42% of employers still underestimated the prevalence of mental health problems in their organisation. On the other hand, 90% of managers stated that they would be happy discussing mental health issues with an employee. This is good as it shows that changes in the workplace could be the key to reversing the epidemic of depressive illness.