Depression: Escape Your Mental Prison

There is an illness all around me in modern society that seems to be spreading like the Black Plague once did in Europe so long ago. It's called depression, have you heard of it? Has it affected you? The more I look, the more I see it in so many people in my life, including myself. Depression sucks. It's a real drag, and I mean real drag. It is different from the feelings of unhappiness that all humans have to deal with in their lives. It is being in a solitary prison where you are the only one who can see the walls; you are the jailor, the guard, and the prisoner all rolled into one. Sounds like fun huh? Well, we better become more aware of it because there are certain aspects of contemporary life that are causing more and more souls to lock themselves up, some believing that they have no hope of ever finding the key out.

If you look up depression on the Internet through a Google search query you will find a lot of different ways and means to manage or treat the problem. There are Eastern and Western approaches, psychological and spiritual; today there are 15,400,000 links about the subject. It seems to be on everybody's mind and yet we don't give it the general social awareness that we do for other illnesses. This is probably because there are so many stigmas around faults with the human mind. Broken bones and cancer we can understand or at least think we do; but we touch on a soft spot when we find a problem with that infinitely complex, helpful, magical device we call the brain.

Recently I went to a public talk by a world famous Psychologist named Dorothy Rowe who was selling her new book, 'Depression: The way out of your prison". I'm not going to tell you that she has all the answers, but I did like the different approach that she took to the illness. She's not against modern medication, but she feels that it can be only part of the solution. Of course there are types of intense clinical depression that need certain chemicals to rebalance the brain to a 'normal' working order, but for all depression she feels that the focus could be shifted from a management to a prevention paradigm.

Dr Rowe focuses on the assertion that depression comes when one's structure of interpreting the world around you has been affected by some deeply negative occurrences (usually in one's youth). Her theory suggests that if a certain event happens to one hundred people, they will all probably interpret the experience in an individual, different way; the perceived 'reality' having been a resulting construct from one's life experiences. For example: Let's say you get fired from your job. Just about everyone is going to feel a general unhappiness and grieve over the subsequent period. However, many people have built positive, optimistic ways of seeing life and will just go on and feel as though the layoff was another necessary step or a momentary setback on the way to their life's goals and dreams. "Whatever doesn't kill me, makes me stronger." is a common sentiment from this type of personality.

However, a person who is prone to perceiving the world around them as threatening and dangerous (maybe their parents never gave them positive affirmations as a child, or even put them down emotionally) may believe that the loss of this job is a relative 'destruction' of their world, their safety, their confidence. This is where the illness of depression can dig its sharp teeth in. This is a pretty mellow analogy; in reality some people have gone through hellish childhoods filled with abuse, neglect and addiction. When this type of person then has to deal with the loss of a loved one or relationship break-up, you can imagine that they would be much more prone to perceiving the experience as deeply negative. Dr. Rowe believes that these constructed structures of perceiving what happens to you can be altered, thus giving rise to a new way of seeing reality. The main idea is based around the idea that we must learn to change the ways in which we see ourselves.

If we can learn to accept ourselves with all our faults and imperfections, and realize that if we are doing our best to be a loving and giving person everyday, then we can see ourselves as being worthy, and that all is well. Then if someone else treats us badly, ignores us, or says we aren't good enough, we can know and acknowledge that they are the person with the problem and that we don't necessarily need their affirmation or acceptance. We can then wait for positive people to come into our lives, as like attracts like. Soon enough we will find that there is a group of people that will stand by our side and support us when things get bad because we do the same for ourselves and for them.

One of the most powerful insights I had from this experience was the sheer number of people in the room for Dr. Rowe's speech. Each and every one had been or known someone close who had been depressed at one time in their life, thinking that they were completely alone in the world. When you see a big group of people together whom have all felt alone, you might just see into the true paradox of reality? If everyone who got depressed realized that it is a common occurrence, and connected to others in similar cases, it definitely could be a step towards healing. Could the Internet take a leading role in this process?

Is It OK For Pain Management Doctors To Fire Patients Using Medical Marijuana?

When a patient sees a pain management doctor, the patient may receive narcotic medications. Especially if the person has a chronic pain issue and there is no surgical answer, opiates may be part of the plan for a long time.

There are significant potential side effects with opiate medications. This may include constipation, depression, sedation, euphoria, dizziness, fatigue, anxiousness, clammy skin, confusion, respiratory depression, and a slew of others.

One of the biggest issues seen is tolerance and/or addiction with opiates. Tolerance is when the patient's chronic pain condition doesn't change, but the same amount of pain medication doesn't quite provide adequate pain relief any longer.

One of the newer options in 16 states plus the District of Columbia is medicinal marijuana. Treatment with marijuana may offer substantial relief that may decrease the need for high doses of opiates or in some cases provide relief where opiates do not work well.

For instance, opiate medications are not a great choice for peripheral neuropathies. They just don't modulate the pain well, whereas, medical marijuana works very well for these issues.

Medical marijuana does not preclude the need for interventional pain management. With a disc herniation or a focal problem where a pain management injection would help, medical marijuana is not the answer.

When patients are on chronic pain medications with a pain doctor, typically a pain contract is signed. The "contract" usually states that while a patient is under his or her care, the patient will not use illicit drugs.

Unfortunately, marijuana is still federally illegal despite the fact it is now legal in 16 states. And most pain doctors perform drug screening on their patients. So if a patient is under a contract, gets tested, and turns up positive for THC (the active component of marijuana), is it appropriate for the pain doctor to terminate the patient?

It's a simple answer as to whether or not the pain doctor has the right to terminate the patient, but not a simple answer as to whether it's appropriate. If the pain agreement states that the doctor has the right to terminate a patient if the drug test turns up positive for narcotics not being prescribed, then that is difficult to refute. If the patient is given the opportunity to rectify their termination by ceasing the marijuana use and re-testing in a few weeks, once again that is the doctor's prerogative.

Ethically, the situation is not so simple. Patients deserve effective pain management, and there is a big push in American not to undertreat. Medical marijuana has shown effectiveness in a number of chronic pain conditions and numerous other conditions such as severe nausea/vomiting and cancer.

Having marijuana continue to be federally illegal and placed into the illicit category puts pain doctors in a very difficult situation. If they test patients for THC and then don't terminate patients who test positive, is it showing bias with regard to other illicit substances?

Some pain doctors do not view marijuana as an illicit substance due to its medicinal value, therefore, they do not test for it with screening. If a patient discloses the use of marijuana to the doctor, the issue becomes the same.

The point here is there really is no clear cut right and wrong answer for the pain doctor to follow. Guidelines need to be individualized. Hopefully once federal views on marijuana change then these ethical issues will become moot.

9 Signs Emotional Intimacy is Suffering in a Marriage

Marriage quickly deteriorates into a boring, cold, and lonely existence for one or both mates when the couple loses emotional intimacy in the marriage. Emotional connectedness of couples has diminished so greatly today, husbands and/or wives become unhappy in the marriage. Then, the marriage can grow silent, angry, or resentful. This is where extramarital affairs can begin or when divorces occur. When emotional connectedness, also known as emotional intimacy, deteriorates the consequences are detrimental on the marriage.

Generally, couples lacking healthy emotional intimacy do not understand the problem, but they do realize something is wrong in their marriage. Incidentally, their love seems to be breaking down. In addition, it is apparent the marriage has lost its spark and desires. Often times, it is one spouse that is lacking emotional intimacy while the other spouse is happy with their marital relationship and communication the way it is.

The perfectly content spouse does not feel there is anything wrong in the marriage while their mate suffers silently. Then, if the marriage blows up, the content spouse does not have a clue what went wrong. Sadly, the emotionally neglected spouse continually hurts because their emotional intimacy needs are not being met by their mate. This is hard to explain to a mate that does not require the same degree of emotional intimacy or does not recognize their marriage is troubled.

It seems, husbands and wives have become detached emotionally as "one" unit because of the abundant amount responsibilities, financial obligations, or fulfilling their own agendas. From this breakdown in emotional intimacy, desires eventually fade, love dies, and dead, boring, loveless marriage evolve. It is when emotional intimacy is absent that resentments develop, anger progresses, and loneliness sets in. Depression and low self-esteem are also very common in an unhappy marriage.

Over time, emotional intimacy plummets when each spouse's responsibilities take precedence over their mate's needs and their marital bliss. Couples are no longer on the same page working to keep their intimacy exciting. Instead they are moving in opposite directions and doing their own thing. Legitimate or not, unfortunately, this moving in opposite directions creates barriers between the couple. Sadly, then the couple grows apart.

Even though husbands and wives are living under the same roof, sleeping in the same bed, and carrying out their marriage commitment, boredom and loss of desire usually takes over their entire feelings of attraction for each other. Needlessly, the neglected emotional intimacy in the marriage has damaged the couple's ability to maintain intimacy at all levels. At this point, it seems, all the marriage is doing is existing on a daily basis. Unfortunately, when emotional intimacy is neglected or cannot be recognized as troubled, the couple grows dissatisfied and miserable in the marriage. Often times this happen to the relationship before the couple realizes what is going on. Regardless, one or both of the spouses may start looking for alternatives to bring happiness to their life.

Maybe you have heard a close friend or family member confess...I feel all alone in my marriage. What this person is saying is I am hurting, I feel lonely, I feel depressed, I feel angry, I feel resentment toward my spouse. This is only a small list of feelings that may occur if emotionally intimacy is lacking in a marriage.

One example of damaged emotional intimacy is a spouse who is, or seems, emotionally absent. For instance, when you speak to your spouse and they do not hear you, much less, respond, a mate will feel neglected and insignificant. A spouse repeatedly being self-absorbed in personal responsibilities, interests, and hobbies may creates deaf ears and demonstrates lack of interest. Even though the self-absorbed spouse is not intentionally trying to hurt their mate, damage is being done. From the repeated damage, the communicating spouse is left feeling unheard and feeling unimportant. Generally, an emotionally neglected spouse will grow into a silent, hurting mate. Then, the barriers between the couple will grow greater and chances are the hurting mate will withdraw. Then, day by day the couple will grow further apart.

Another example quit shocking and seemingly trivial that falls into "suffering emotional intimacy" is neglecting to carry the trash out for your mate. You may wonder how trash detail is neglecting emotional intimacy, but it is especially if the task is a high priority to your mate. Regardless, how ridiculous or petty you may view this task, it can weight heavy upon your spouse emotions. They may interrupt you as lacking involvement, uninterested, not sharing responsibilities, or uncaring. If this task is highly important to your mate and you do not help with the chore, anger and resentment can manifest. Then, each time you neglect trash detail, this anger and resentment quickly resurfaces. From the repressed anger and resentments emotional disconnectedness may occur and cause severe damage over time.

Once a couple becomes emotionally disconnected, their sex life will quickly feel the ill affects too. It is virtually impossible to come together sexually when there is diminished emotional intimacy in the marriage. Couples grow into sexless marriages, or virtually sexless marriages from damaged emotional intimacy. It is nearly impossible to keep sexual desires and excitement alive when emotionally intimacy is not met first. You have to get the emotional intimacy side correctly balanced to reap the sexual intimacy side of the equation in a marriage.

9 Signs Emotional Intimacy is suffering in a marriage:

1. Couples have stopped talking and sharing their daily events and happenings. Communication has decreased and silence has developed.

2. Couples have stopped touching and feeling each other with genuine desire. Little to no intimate interaction is happening between the couple to keep passion alive.

3. Husbands and wives have stopped kissing with intensity. Giving spouse's quick pecks has taken over kissing with passion, love and feelings.

4. Couples desire and fire for each other has deteriorated. Instead couples grow into disconnected, loveless marriage from dead sexual interest.

5. Spouses are not listening to their mate. When a spouse is not listening, sighs of frustration, depression and body language will certainly become present from the lacking spouse. These few signs are evidence of unhappiness and emotionally hurting.

6. Husbands and wives feel their own responsibilities are greater then their mates responsibilities. As a result, one spouse is left feeling unappreciated.

7. Husband and wives are meeting independently to attend the same functions instead of taking an extra few minutes to meet in their driveway and ride together as a couple.

8. Husbands and wives are not having a set down dinner together as a family unit. Instead couples are grabbing dinner on the run or eating in front of the television where staying connected is impossible.

9. Husbands and wives are emotionally damaging their marital relationship by cussing and calling their mate vulgar names. As a result, husbands and/or wives are experiencing anger, unhappiness, low self-esteem, or depression from this form of damaging behaviors.

These are just a few examples of emotional intimacy breakdown in a marriage, but the list goes on and on. It is the stressors of money, bills, working, and child rearing that quickly deteriorates the connectedness between a man and wife. When emotional intimacy diminishes, marriages become cold, distant, and sexual desire decrease.

Without a healthy bond of emotional intimacy among husbands and wives, the marriage may grow into a constant state of misery and unhappiness. Until spouses understand how important it is to stay emotionally connected, and then work to pamper each others emotions, unhappiness will remain, divorces will occur, extramarital affair will continue, and loveless, dead marriages will exist.

When emotional intimacy is suffering in a marriage, sexual desires will fade and spontaneity will certainly die. Then, a couple's sexual encounters will become distant, cold, and carried out in a hurry up fashion. Sexual intercourse carried out in such a fashion is not making love with passion for your mate. This is simply carrying sex out as a chore instead exchanging love and desire for each other.

Arousing passion and sexual desire will die for each other when you do not put extra work into keeping your emotional intimacy alive and well. Sexual Intimacy feeds off the Emotional Intimacy in the relationship. Today, if you start correcting the emotional intimacy side of your relationship, your entire marital relationship will improve. Then, your sexual relationship will certainly come alive as well.

You have the ability to rediscover the desire and passion for each other that was once burning if you take the first step to make a difference. However, you can not work on the emotional intimacy for a day and expect lasting change, you must work each and everyday from this day forward. You must feed your relationship every day so it does not starve.

Why remain in a loveless or sexless marriage, when a few changes, can save your marriage and renew desire for each other. Then you can live your life out together in happiness and sexual satisfaction.

Fight Depression - 8 Ways To Overcome Low Moods

Whether it's the lack of mental energy and stamina, self-loathing, or sitting around the house vegetating, most depressed people find themselves falling into a hopeless rut. The good news is that with practice and discipline, depressive symptoms can often be diminished in just weeks by taking a few simple steps. By following these eight lifestyle adjustments, you can soon be on a path towards recovery:

Reclaim The 'Old You.'

When a person becomes depressed, they tend to fall into a new routine of thoughts and habits, different than during 'more joyful' times in their life. In order to exit your funk, this pattern of lifestyle and thoughts must be altered. Getting back to the 'old you' is difficult while in a state of depression, but it should be tried. Every attempt should be made to start enjoying and experiencing the life you once knew.

To better remind yourself of happier times, start making (and constantly updating) a list of things you once enjoyed doing and save them to a computer or handheld device. When practicing this exercise, many people are surprised how lengthy this list can become. Then print & post them somewhere that they'll be seen every day (for example, next to the refrigerator handle). Read this list each time you see it. By doing so, you are subconsciously invigorating your pattern of thinking. As often as you can, force yourself to take part in one of these activities, until everything on the list has been checked off. This exercise can help reclaim the 'old you.'
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Take On New Challenges.

Breaking out of a rut means incorporating new thoughts, ideas, habits and ways into your life. Start listening to a new radio station, take on a new hobby, start going to a different supermarket etc... the possibilities are endless. 99% of the thoughts we have today, we will carry over into tomorrow. Why not replace the old, stale, negative and repetitious thoughts with new positive ones. Slowly, over the course of weeks and months, you'll naturally infiltrate your brain with healthy new thoughts and slowly rid yourself of the same old negative thought patterns.

Listen To A Life Coach.

Listen or watch recordings or shows from great life coaches such as Wayne Dyer, or Anthony Robbins. If you're willing to be a little more alternative, ayurvedic mind-body guru Deepak Chopra may work wonders for you. All of these professional speakers will help you find meaning in life, assist you to seek forgiveness in others, and help boost your self-worthiness. Dyer and Chopra can frequently be seen on PBS television shows teaching spirituality and life motivation. Anthony Robbins is seen less on public TV, but like Chopra and Dyer, has penned many books and videotaped many lectures. He also participates in many live lectures throughout North America.

Stay Busy.

It is natural for many depressed individuals to lay around and sulk all day. Staying busy is a great way to keep your mind occupied and away from negative self-absorbing thinking. Lying around feeling sorry for yourself will not solve anything.

Instead, go outside and do some simple yard work (weather permitting), start a garden, take walks around the block, start a diary -- whatever you can think of. At the end of the day, you will feel better about yourself and maybe start looking forward to what the next day brings, rather than loathing about yesterday's problems.

Stop Being So Self-absorbed.

Begin to focus your attention on other people. Self-loathing only helps to remind yourself of how miserable you are. By focusing more on others (or even your pet) you'll naturally feel more 'open' and not as 'closed in.' And best of all you'll naturally get more love in return (there literally is truth to the saying "if you give, you shall receive").

By keeping your depression a secret (or not wanting to talk about it), it not only hurts yourself but it's also not fair to loved ones or others in your life who may be confused by your behavior.

Talking about your feelings is extremely therapeutic and is also a good step towards recovery. In addition, you'll be surprised how understanding others are, and how willing they'll be to help you overcome depression. Another good way is to join a discussion group or other online forum where you can anonymously discuss depression with other sufferers.

Lift The Bodily Stagnation.

Get the blood flowing throughout your brain and body. Yes, I'm talking about the dreaded "e" word, exercise! Consider exercising on a regular basis (or at least 3 times per week, at least 15 minutes per session).

Exercise is well documented to decrease bodily stress as it helps the body produce natural chemicals which may promote overall well-being. In addition to creating pure adrenalin, exercising helps the body naturally create mood enhancing chemicals such as serotonin or norepinephrine.

Aerobic exercises such as jogging or brisk walks appear to work well, as do strenuous activities such as weight lifting. Studies show simple long walks may be nearly as effective. If you have joint pain, swimming has great physical (and mental) benefits. As always consult with your physician before beginning a serious exercise program.

Don't Be Afraid To Cry.

Many depressed people already cry a lot, but surprisingly some depressed patients get very stoic, impassive and unemotional. For these people, crying can be a great release emotionally and physically. Some people call the effect of crying as 'an orgasm of the emotions.'

But how does such a "stoic" person tap into his/her emotions? Confronting your thoughts "head-on" is one way -- impassive people frequently avoid delving too deep into their "issues." Instead many pretend these issues don't exist and then become cynical with thoughts such as "it just doesn't matter" or "it'll do no good, what's the point?"

Start writing your thoughts down on paper, one-by-one, as they enter your brain, or start a daily diary. Read and review these thoughts every day. By visually seeing what you wrote down, you may find clarity and solutions to your problems that you otherwise could not do.

Learn More About Depression.

Education is knowledge and knowing everything there is to know about depression is a great starting point. Do free research on the internet, visit a library or go buy a good book on depression. The more you know about depression, the more you may understand that having this condition is NOT a life sentence. Millions of people in America alone suffer from this disease right now, and many more millions have also completely cured themselves. You're not stuck with depression forever.

Other factors to consider include better, more regular and consistent diet and nutrition, and taking the proper herbal and vitamin supplements to combat depression. For long-term relief consider taking 1,000 to 3,000 mg. of the herb St. John's Wort (allow 4-8 weeks to see results). Taking 5-htp as needed can help lift your mood within minutes.

Defeating depression does not occur overnight. The causes for your depression may be deeply rooted within your soul. Using your willpower and all of the advice above (on a daily basis) can speed your healing process significantly.

Depression Linked to Food Choices - Choosing Healthier Foods to Take Away Your Blues

Have you ever ate a really nutritious meal and felt uplifted, as if the meal took away your blues? The body is intelligent and will give you signs when it is not fed properly - depression being one of those signs.

The reason you feel better when you eat the right foods is that you are getting the proper balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. You are aiding the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that send messages between the nerves and brain. For example, the chemical messenger serotonin is capable of elevating mood and self-esteem.

Someone who is depressed will often become locked into a destructive eating cycle, yet as soon as their body receives a good balance of foods, they will feel much better. The best way to break this cycle is to avoid unhealthy food and eat plenty of fresh fruit. Fruit contains sugar, so it satisfies cravings for sweets, and the body absorbs sugar so slowly that the gradual rise in your blood-sugar levels encourages a more consistent production of endorphins. This means the more fruit you eat, the longer you will feel happier.

Depression & Allergies

Food allergies can trigger depression. Allergies to food can upset levels of hormones and other key chemicals in the brain, resulting in symptoms of depression. The most common foods associated with allergies are cow's milk, chocolate, wheat-gluten, oranges, eggs, peanuts and sugar. Dietary exclusion of the offending foods can help minimize depression and increase energy levels.

Planning a Diet for Depression

Omega-3 fatty acids have a strong anti-depression effect and are primarily found in salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines, flaxseed and walnuts. Spinach and kale contain omega 3 oils. Fatty acids are essential for the brain to function properly. Eating meals regularly can help minimize mood swings that are the result of low blood sugar levels. Try eating smaller meals and a healthy snack in between. This is also a great tip for weight loss.

Drink 1/2 ounces of water per pound of body weight m-i-n-i-m-u-m in a 24-hour period. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you need a minimum of 75 ounces of water daily.

Take vitamins during breakfast, especially B vitamins which are directly linked to the nervous system and mental function. Many minerals are linked to helping depression, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and selenium.

Complex carbohydrates like brown rice are actually the best route to a healthy blood sugar level and stable mood.

Boost your serotonin with amino acids. Serotonin is made in the body and brain from an amino acid 5-Hydroxy Tryptophan (5-HTP), which in turn in made from another amino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan is in many protein rich foods such as meat, turkey, fish, beans and eggs. Balance your blood sugar. Refined sugar and refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, rice and most processed foods) is linked with depression. They supply little nutrients and use up the mood enhancing B vitamins.

Stay away from caffeine, sugar and alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant and will worsen your mood. Paying attention to what you eat is the first crucial step in fighting depression. Reversing nutritional deficiencies will remove stress on the hormone system and help prevent mood swings.

Bring your body back to it's natural balance through healthy food choices.

Bipolar II Disorder - Four Signs You May Be Bipolar

Are you or someone you love suffering from bipolar disorder? Maybe you aren't sure of the signs and symptoms of manic depression, and don't know how to identify this illness. Millions of Americans currently suffer from bipolar disorder, and this number is growing every year as the stigma of mental illness begins to crumble. Here are three simple signs of this illness.

Depression

While everyone feels a little down sometimes, those with bipolar disorder have persistent feelings of sadness or guilt. These feelings will persist, even if they aren't realistic. For example, a person suffering from bipolar may be upset that they dropped an item, even if it was not a big deal.

Racing Thoughts

Do you have a hard time concentrating on one thing at a time? Do you quickly lose interest in one project and start many new ones? Especially in a state of hypomania, ideas may be flying around in your head, leaving you with the feeling that you can't accomplish everything. Unfortunately, many of these projects are grandiose and will never end up being completed.

Hypersexuality

While all of us have sexual feelings, in hypomania these feelings become exaggerated. They may cause a bipolar individual to cheat on their spouse, seek out prostitutes, or have anonymous unprotected sex with many anonymous partners. With hypomania, sexual satisfaction cannot be achieved, so one will become sexually frustrated, no matter how many times they achieve orgasm.

Lack of Energy

Everyone feels tired now and again, but in bipolar II, these feelings impair your daily life. You may have a hard time making it to work on time or feel like sleeping on the job. Playing with the kids or pursuing your hobbies can become uninteresting and taxing, eventually leading you to give up all of these activities, to the detriment of your well being and that of those around you.

Diagnosing Depression

Accurately diagnosing depression can be complicated since many psychological, emotional and even some physical disorders can overlap with or mimic the real symptoms of depression. If you suspect that you are struggling with real depression, the first best thing to do is to set up an appointment with your family doctor to undergo a complete physical. This will rule out any obvious physical issues that could be attributing to the problems that you may be having.

Many physical concerns can cause depression such as vitamin deficiencies, thyroid when these problems are managed or resolved, depression will dissipate. Also, there are some medications that can cause depression so if you have other health problems that are being treated with medication, your doctor will also consider the possibility that your medication may be causing a side effect of depression.

Diagnosing Depression

Sometimes after adjusting medications, depression that is related only to the use of the medicine, will entirely disappear. At this point, after ruling out any obvious health problems that can cause depression, he or she will ask some basic questions that are generally used in diagnosing depression such as:

• What type of symptoms are you experiencing?


• How long have you had these symptoms?


• Are the symptoms mild or severe?


• Is this the first time you've experienced these symptoms?


• Have you ever been diagnose with depression before?


• Why type of treatment were you given?


• Do you have any family members who have been treated for depression?


• How were they treated?


• Do you drink alcohol or use drugs?


• Do you think about suicide or dying?

If your doctor believes that you meet the criteria for a depressive disorder based on these types of questions, your doctor will refer you to a mental health professional or private counseling agency or organization that specializes in helping those who may have a depressive disorder. He or she may also offer a low dose antidepressant or anti anxiety medication to help temporarily relieve depressive symptoms until you are able to secure further help.

General Signs of Depression

If you are not sure whether or not you are depressed, below are some general signs that point to depression:

• Extreme fatigue


• Unusual weight changes


• Disturbed sleep


• Feeling worthless


• Thoughts about death


• Non specific physical aches and pains


• Feeling extremely empty or sad most of the time


• Unable to feel happy or enjoy anything


• Lack of concentration or restlessness

If you experience these conditions everyday for at least two weeks, this may indicate that you are suffering from some form of depression. Diagnosing depression early is important, so be sure to make an appointment with your doctor for an evaluation right away.