Encouragement Words

More than once in our lives we will face a situation where only the best encouragement words can lift us up from a major depression or disappointment. It is all in the process called life. Don't despair help is one the way.

Often times there is no need to quit or give up whatever you are doing. Be it starting a business, building a relationship or trying to get over some pain. No one was born to be a failure, no one was born to lose but we fail and lose daily because we allow our negative side to take control. If you really put your mind into it you can make it through guaranteed.

Sometimes we get discouraged because of a minor glitch that is guaranteed to be over by day break. Allow yourself to be patient and wait for another day. Avoid making decisions when you feel discouraged because you might make a wrong one.

The web is one good place to look for words of encouragement to help you cope with every situation you might be going through. You can find poems, quotes, letters, cards, inspirational words and even verses free online.

There are websites and forums that are simply there to help you through every situation you go through - Make you feel inspired, motivated and ready to face the rest of your life. However, if the web is not your favorite place to get these encouragement words, then call up an friend or a mentor. Pour out your heart to them and you may feel energized afterwards. For those who keep a diary, writing down your feeling might help revive your spirit and feel encouraged.

There are more sites that have the best life encouragement words to help you face the next day with confidence. You can also join some motivational groups that you can online in order to share your experiences and also get motivated by listening to other people's stories. Sometimes it takes hearing what others have been through before we can appreciate our own situations and draw out some strength from them.

Melatonin Receptor-Based Antidepressant Therapy in USA?

Self-medication is not the best way of dealing with a severe form of depression. Various psychoactive natural compounds are typically used in this potentially harmful practice. These compounds range from alcohol to over-the-counter products including the hormone melatonin. Hormonal therapies are best suited for the replacement of pathologically low or missing levels of endogenous hormones; using insulin to treat diabetes is a good example. It's difficult to make a simple and convincing case for the use of melatonin replacement therapy - too many miracle cures have already been associated with melatonin. Possibly the best use of this hormone would be to regulate sleep patterns or to prevent jet lag. But could melatonin be therapeutic for conditions such as severe depression? No clinical data are available to conclusively support the use of melatonin in antidepressant therapy. However, clinical results suggest that melatonin receptors may be involved.

A search for clinical trials with melatonin in the U.S. Government-sponsored database called ClinicalTrials.gov on June 7, 2011 revealed 128 studies. Most of these trials have been designed to explore the effects of melatonin supplementation on sleep. None of them investigated melatonin supplementation in the treatment of depression. One study measured melatonin levels in the blood of patients with major depressive disorder, and a couple of studies investigated the effects of light therapy in depression and measured melatonin levels in treated subjects. This is in a stark contrast to the number of clinical trials with a drug that stimulates melatonin receptors, a target considered to be specific for the cellular actions of melatonin. The compound in case, agomelatine, has been approved in Europe for treatment of depression and is now being investigated in the U.S.

How would melatonin receptors work to alleviate symptoms of severe depression? Imagine for a moment you've just won a huge Mega Millions jackpot and you've bought yourself a mansion. It's a huge castle with lots of doors, each with at least one lock and some with several. These locks are the melatonin receptors. There are two main types of these receptors, MT1 and MT2. You've also got the master key, melatonin, which opens both types of locks. To the in-laws who poured in to visit as soon as they'd heard of your fortune you only give keys to certain locks, the MT1 or the MT2, so you can keep some privacy. For the special room in which you keep your most valued possessions, you have an additional layer of security, a door equipped not only with both MT1 and MT2 locks, but also with an unusual lock, the serotonin receptor called 5-HT2C. To open this door, the 5-HT2C lock must be locked at the same time you are using the master key to unlock the MT1 and MT2 locks. Quite a task!

Apparently, you can do the same to your brain 5-HT2C, MT1, and MT2 receptors by taking agomelatine, a drug that acts simultaneously on the MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors (as their agonist) and on the 5-HT2C serotonin receptors (as their antagonist). Scientists believed that this simultaneous manipulation of brain melatonin and 5-HT2C serotonin receptors reduces the symptoms of major depression. According to this concept, using melatonin only would not produce the same effect.

In their article The Pattern of Melatonin Receptor Expression in the Brain may Influence Antidepressant Treatment, Dr. Eric Hirsch-Rodriguez and colleagues from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago described how the presence of melatonin receptors such as MT1 and MT2 in different brain areas changes over time and can be affected by illness and drug treatment. For example, prolonged treatment with classical antidepressants changes the content of the MT1 and MT receptors. These investigators suggested that melatonin or drugs based on melatonin would produce antidepressant effects only if an optimal amount and brain distribution of melatonin receptors are available for drug action and that clinical trials with such drugs would need to take into consideration the characterization of patients' melatonin receptors.

Agomelatine, the first melatonin receptor-based antidepressant, is currently being clinically evaluated for approval for use in U.S. On June 7, 2011, ClinicalTrials.gov listed 9 clinical trials (one has been withdrawn) with agomelatine. Seven of these trials are investigating the use of agomelatine in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Their outcome along with the experience from the ongoing use of agomelatine in Europe may decide the future of melatonin receptor-based therapy on health improvement for U.S. patients with major depression.

Mannequin Depression

"Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else." -- Margaret Mead

Lately I've noticed that my meds need tweaking. I'm feeling lethargic during the day and am having trouble sleeping at night. I will be seeing my psychiatrist soon and we can address this. She is very in tune with my psyche and always has ideas for adjustment. She is always open to suggestions from me as well.

I love this about my psychiatrist. Over the course of my treatment, I probably have seen about a dozen therapists and psychiatrists. Of this number, I would say that probably for of them really tried to see me as a unique person with unique needs. Now, this is not meant to suggest that most all psychiatrists are this way. I can only base my opinions on my own personal experience. But I've learned over the years that, to get the best treatment, you must find a therapist or psychiatrist who knows the truth that everyone is indeed unique and is willing to put in the time and effort to get to know you in a deeply personal way.

The quote at this article's beginning has a kind of humorous bent to it. But Margaret Mead was a renowned cultural anthropologist and she meant this in a serious way. Each one of us is unique and, yes, this applies to everyone. This is especially true of the combination of brain make-up and personality. Psychiatrists, more than anyone, should know this truth.

What I'm trying to say is that psychiatric treatment is like no other. Take the example of an orthodontist. With a child's crooked teeth, it's easy to apply some braces (the same braces he places on most all his other patients). With respect to someone with a blockage in coronary arteries, there are basic procedures that apply to most everyone. In my opinion, physicians treating patients for these issues can see us all as mannequins -- only the skin, hair and eye color is different. Generally speaking, what works for one works for all.

It's just not the case with psychiatric problems. My friend, if your therapist or psychiatrist sees himself or herself as treating what I call "mannequin depression," you have the wrong caregiver. And, listen, it is up to you to figure out whether your psychiatrist is among those in this category. They are out there, and, in my opinion, being treated by one with this mentality is a complete waste of your time. With this type treatment, you will most assuredly not get better. You don't have even a shred of a chance, really.

Please do yourself a favor. Take a long, hard look at your therapist or psychiatrist. If you fee he or she is not taking the time to get to really know you and your needs, then let him or her go and find someone who will. You must also educate yourself regarding drug and other treatment options. Most physicians, for reasons not entirely clear to me, will want to prescribe only the latest available medications. Granted, many times these are just what you may need. But many times, an older medication will be more effective for you. (Please don't misunderstand me here. As a patient, you indeed must realize that you are the patient and not the physician. Sometimes, there will be very good reasons for not attempting something you suggest. But the physician should at least take the time to explore in good faith any option you suggest.) If you are getting a blank stare while you are discussing your ideas, please, go elsewhere.

I wish you all luck. I have learned this lesson the hard way -- over ten years of working with psychiatrists. Again, while this is simply my opinion, I feel strongly that I know what I'm talking about here. When it comes to your psyche, you are truly unique with truly unique needs. You can trust me on this one.

Copyright 2011. True Self Enterprises, Inc.

Depression Symptom Uncovered - Are You Hard To Love?

Has anyone ever accused you of being hard to love? What in the world does that mean? You know that depression puts a real damper on your emotions and you don't feel very lovable at a time when you probably need to be loved the most. But how does a person determine if they might be pushing others away as a coping strategy? The following partial list, a sort of mini depression test, that will help you decide:

1. You criticize your family members in front of others.


2. It is hard for you to accept loving actions from others.


3. You back away from hugs or appropriate public displays of affection. You rarely ask for a hug or a kiss.


4. You make fun of or are sarcastic to loved ones.


5. You always have to be right and you tend to know it all.


6. You take everything personally except responsibility.


7. You can be emotionally abusive to loved ones.


8. You can be dishonest and untrustworthy.


9. You don't fight in a fair manner and manipulate others with your helplessness.


10. You refuse to seek help and ignore ongoing problems.

If you can relate to 3 or more of the above statements you could be hard to love.

It is abundantly clear from the above list that most people would be leery of hanging around someone like this for any length of time and would eventually stop offering their hearts and minds. Children could learn to act this way from a parent's example. This will only deepen signs of depression and anxiety and further convince you that you are not lovable.

Being hard to love is fixable. It will require a commitment on your part but you can learn to be a loveable person who will welcome love. You are responsible for your own happiness and learning skills to change yourself is possible. Take tiny steps at first and keep building on them. Reach out and give someone a sincere compliment. Hold your sweetie's hand next time you are out in public and watch what happens. Become a good role model for you kids.

Depression has many facets and some of them are hard to uncover. You have probably heard that depression is just anger turned inward. From the above list it is easy to understand how that might work. In order for you to resist being hard to love you will need to learn to love yourself. It is possible and you are so worth it.

I'm hopeful for you.

Thyroid Problems in Dogs

Our dog Lucky was slowly becoming different than our other dogs. She was over weight even though she ate less than the other dogs and really didn't seem to care that much about food. She was also very depressed acting. We could just see it in her eyes. She seemed very sad. Lucky did not like to play like the other dogs did. She pretty much just sat on the porch and watched the other dogs while they played.

We took her to the vet, and he decided to do a blood test on her to see if her thyroid was producing enough thyroid hormone. The thyroid hormone is what regulates metabolism. Her test showed she was only borderline low. But the vet gave us some thyroid pills anyway and told us to give her half a dose each day for a month.
The results are detailed below.

Here are some symptoms which might indicate your dog has a thyroid problem:

Very lazy acting and not wanting to play -Lucky had this symptom

Weight gain with no added interest in food - Lucky definitely had this symptom

Dry skin - Lucky's coat was dry and very coarse feeling compared to our other dogs

Hair loss (especially in the tail area) - Lucky had a large bald spot on the top of her tail

Bacteria infections - She did not have this symptom

Problems with the cold - Well, all of our dogs seem to dislike the cold

A slow pulse rate - We never checked her for that

Strange behavior or compulsions - Lucky was (and still is) our dog with the strangest behavior

Aggression - Yes, Lucky is the one dog of our four we don't trust around very tiny children without close supervision

Depression - Yes, Lucky was for sure depressed.

Most dogs who are affected are in the mid to large sized breed category. Lucky is a mid sized dog. It is also hereditary. But in this case Katie is her mom, and Katie is the happiest, most perfect dog there could be. We also know who Lucky's dad was. He too was a very happy dog. So with lucky it must have skipped a generation.

It can happen to both male and female dogs. But it happens to spayed females more than unspayed females. And Lucky was spayed. And the problem did not start happening until after that. However, a low thyroid problem doesn't start happening usually until a dog is over 4 years old. Lucky was spayed about one year old and we started noticing a change in her about a year later.

After we had given Lucky the pills for a month, we started seeing a behavior change. She actually WANTED to play once in a while! As we kept giving them to her she started losing some weight too. The vet said we might try stopping them for a while and see how it goes. Apparently, sometimes the pills do some kind of a jump start on things and they keep going correctly. He was right...for a while anyway. She did continue to improve and lose weight without the pills. However, after about 6 months, we see the old, depressed Lucky coming back. So we have started to give the pills again to her.

As near as we can tell from researching the subject on the Internet and talking with our Vet, there are few side effects associated with thyroid pills. So we will probably continue now giving them to her on a regular basis.

Please write to us if you have any questions about this or if you would like to share your story.

Bipolar Disorder - A Simple Description of a Very Complicated Mental Disorder

Bipolar disorder is considered one of the most complicated mental disorders of them all. As the name suggests it can affect you at both ends of the mental health spectrum. This diversity of symptoms creates any number of problems. Bipolar disorder, because of the two extremes, can be very difficult to diagnose. Often, the health professional is only consulted about one of these extremes. The diagnosis is then based on inaccurate (incomplete) information. Treatment prescribed for depression can flip you into hypomania or even into a full manic episode.

Bipolar symptoms are often similar to the symptoms of other mental disorders. This does not only include unipolar mania or unipolar depression. A number of symptoms for a high or a low can also be symptoms of a mental disorder totally unrelated to bipolar disorder. In fact bipolar disorder is not a mental disorder at all. Rather, it is a spectrum of mood disorders. Each one has a separate set of criteria for the appropriate diagnosis to apply.

One basic constant is a fluctuation of moods between high and low. Generally there is a cycle or pattern each person follows within their particular category of bipolar disorder. It is this pattern which leads to the specific diagnosis of the disorder. Most people cycle from high to low. Having completed their cycle there is often a period where no bipolar symptoms, or episodes, are present. This period can vary in length from hours to months or even years.

There are two major factors which lead to a specific diagnosis of bipolar disorder. One is the extent of the highs and the lows. The second is the rate of the cycling between the highs and the lows. A correct diagnosis is very important in ensuring that a successful treatment can be prescribed. The first thing an accurate diagnosis achieves is providing information as to what the next stage of the cycling is likely to be. This greatly enhances the chance of a successful treatment being prescribed.

A diagnosis of bipolar type 1, (often considered the most severe bipolar diagnosis) indicates cycling between extreme mania and deep depression. Next in line is bipolar type 2. Here the high is a hypomanic episode. This is a level short of a full manic episode. It then leads onto a depression. This depression can be very severe and long-lasting. Another possible diagnosis is cycothymaic's disorder. Here the highs and lows are not particularly severe. This can lead difficulties in diagnosing it.

It is not unusual for a person with cycothymaic's disorder not to seek treatment. They simply do not realize that they are different. They assume that their experience of mood-swing is no different from anyone else. This can result in them going through life experiencing mood-swing somewhat greater than they need to.

As I mentioned earlier the second factor relevant in diagnosing bipolar disorder is the rate of cycling between highs and lows. If a person afflicted with the disorder completes four cycles in a year the diagnosis is rapid cycling bipolar disorder. Some people cycle considerably more than this. The diagnosis then becomes extremely rapidly cycling bipolar disorder.

I hope that this rather simplistic explanation of bipolar disorder serves to illustrate exactly how complicated bipolar disorder really is. If a health professional is to correctly diagnose which mood disorder applies excellent communication is needed between both parties. The advantage of a correct diagnosis is that a successful treatment can be prescribed much easier and more often.

Depression: 5 Remedies To Lift Your Spirits

9.5% of the population, or 18 million people a year suffer from clinical depression.* That is just the reported cases, the non-reported cases puts the total much higher. Chances are you've had your fair share of depressed times. The important question is: how do I get rid of depression? Your second question will undoubtedly be, "will I need to take any pills?" Now don't get me wrong, there are times depression has to be handled with medication. But in a world of go-go-go, most people don't have the time and/or money to go to the doctor for depression that will probably pass before your appointment day has arrived. Here are 5 ways to combat depression before it becomes to be too much to handle.

1. Find The Source of the Depression

It sounds simple and a bit patronizing, I know. However, most people who are depressed really have no idea why they are depressed. Other than the really big times of sorrow in your life (death, divorce, illness), it's not always clear to you why you are depressed. It could be any number of things that don't seem too bad one by one. But if you add a few of them together at the right time, then poof! You feel awful and you're not really sure why. So the first thing to do is find out why you are depressed. Even though you are not actively combating depression on this step, it is essential to getting happier.

2. Find What Makes You Happy

Again, it sounds simple but think for a moment. What makes you happy? Don't confuse laughing with happy, something that may make you chuckle isn't enough to lift your depression. Maybe you love Classical Music but with work, kids, pets, and whatever else you have going on; you don't get to listen to Classical Music all that often. Whatever makes you happy is what you should do when depressed. When you are involved in this enjoyable activity don't think about anything else. You will not enjoy your music and get over your depression if all you can think about is that promotion you didn't get, or that break-up. Concentrate on your enjoyable activity and nothing else. If you spend a prolonged period of time being happy, the bumps in the road will not seem that big. Obviously this may take some planning on your part to get the free time you need if you have children or pets.

3. Talk About How You Feel

If you are a private person you will be surprised how good it feels to vent. Sometimes all we need to get out of the depression rut is to have someone you can talk to about whatever may be bothering you. Notice I didn't say advice... sometimes all you need is to get everything off your chest. I find it easier to relax and feel better if I just say what I have to say without waiting for advice I may not agree with anyway. It could be family, friends, or a religious leader. Sometimes it may be better to vent to a total stranger. Cab drivers are perfect for this type of venting. They are being paid for their time and have nothing else better to do while they drive to your destination, and you will probably never see them again anyway. The point is: it's better out than in.

4. Exercise

This one is actually true. Exercise helps produce endorphins, Which are neurochemicals in the brain that make us feel better. There are lots of studies that have proven that exercise is good for battling depression and good for overall mental health. As always if you don't workout regularly, consult a doctor before you start a rigorous exercise plan. Just walking for 20-30 minutes a day can be enough to battle the depression monster. In this case a healthy body and a happy mind go hand in hand.

5. Talk To Your Doctor

Notice I didn't say, "go get pills". If you have tried to get through it on your own and you still have no luck then talk to you doctor. Before he prescribes medicine he can give you some other ideas on diet and lifestyle that will help ease your depression. Some cases will call for medication but remember its not a life long illness. You may be on medicine for only a few weeks or so.

If you are one of the 18 million Americans who battles depression take heart in the fact you are not alone.* In addition to the tips I've given there is a link to the National Institute of Mental Health with more options on how to deal with depression: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/getting-help-locate-services/index.shtml. There are many tips on fighting depression, but for them to work you have to try them.

* = Info from source

Source: http://www.nimh.nih.gov