Male Depression and Its Symptoms

As some pessimistic philosophers say "We all are complex personalities with depressed souls". So the world is not only becoming complex day by day but also the vicious circle of depression is engulfing the minds of the people. A recent research highlighted that more than 100 million people are affected by this psychological syndrome worldwide. Well! I don't want to further depress you all with this depressing prelude, so without taking much of your precious time let us find out what are the symptoms of male depression!

As the name suggests, male depression is a mental disorder in men. It has been pointed out that out of the total suicide cases per year 80% are males. This statistics clears the picture of the gravity of this psychological stress among men. However, there are some signs that indicate whether a person is suffering from Depression. The common ones are:

1) Frequent Mood swings such as anger or sadness or violent behaviour

2) Excessive smoking or alcohol or drug abuse

3) Loss of interest in Sex as well as work

4) Over eating or loss of appetite resulting in either abnormal weight loss or weight gain.

5) Insomnia or change in sleeping patterns like waking up early in the morning and sleeping late at night or vice-a versa.

6) Isolation from friends and family

7) Irritability and frustration

8) Feeling of guilt and getting tensed without any reason

9) Feeling restlessness, hopelessness and worthlessness

10) Thoughts about committing suicide and death

11) Loss of concentration

12) Taking medication without prescription

13) Fatigue or Feeling tired all the time without any work and avoiding pleasurable activities

14) Preference to risk taking activities like extra marital affairs, driving recklessly and gambling

15) Looking 'lost' all the time or feeling low most of the time

If you observe any of the above 15 symptoms in your dear or near one, be it your husband, brother, father, friend, relative or any other male you know, then don't be late in taking an appointment with the doctor.

Is Your Child Having Drug Problems? Using the Right Family Health Care and Medical Insurance

If you notice signs of drug/substance abuse with your child, the first thing you need to do is to create a very loving and friendly environment for discussing the problem. You need to discuss your concerns with your child in a kind manner. Making a child with drug problems to speak, or preferably, say the truth is a serious task. So, you as a parent will need to be patient and exercise a great deal of wisdom. There are many reason why children abuse drugs. Below are some of the most common reasons:

Keeping Wrong Friends and Peer Pressure:

It is a statement of fact that if a child plays with a wrong company, that company can seriously and negatively affect the behavior of the child. As parents, try as much as possible to know the company your child keeps by making it OK and friendly for them to come over to the house occasionally.

Stress:

No doubt, the pressure to succeed these days is much. Also, unknowingly, parents contribute by pushing their children a little bit too far on what they believe should be achieved. As parents, you should know the strengths and weaknesses of your child, you should set reasonable goals for the child and help in achieving these goals. Also, avoid making disparaging comparisons. Such comparisons are known to crush children's self esteem which in-turn results to depression.

Behavioral Limits and Boundaries:

Some children abuse drugs and other substances simply because their parents let them run wild. It is true that children appreciate strict behavioral limits despite the protests they put up most times. These limits gives them a more feeling of security and love. Parents should learn how to make their Yes be Yes and No, No!

How can you afford the treatment charges needed for a child with drug problems and/or how can you afford the fees needed to get quality check-ups on your child periodically by a medical professional? Easy, make use of the right family health care and medical insurance protection in the state you live. This is the surest way to help you deal with the financial challenges involved in keeping your child drug free and providing treatment where necessary. Start by comparing free quotes on family health insurance now.

Effective Tips For Dealing With Depression

Having an illness such as depression is a serious problem which needs immediate attention. If left untreated, depression can lead to death due to suicide. Dealing with depression can be a great challenge especially to those who are first time sufferers. Below are some tips on how to effectively deal with depression.

Get the support that you need

Having the proper support system can help you a lot in dealing with depression. Your support system plays a very important role in getting rid of your depression for good. If you don't have the proper support, you may find it hard to keep the perspective and maintain the efforts needed to beat depression. Also, loneliness and isolation can only worsen the condition. If you don't have any close family member or relatives, you can turn to your friends or join a support group for depression.

Nurture yourself

One of the best ways in dealing with depression is by taking care of yourself and by learning to love yourself. You can do this by seeking help from trusted persons, doing the things that you enjoy, and adopting healthy habits, just to mention some. When you learn to love yourself, the things you do, and the people around you, you will feel enlightened and will see that life indeed has a great meaning.

Get a lot of exercise

Exercising may not cross your mind at all when you are depressed. However, according to studies, exercising regularly of at least thirty minutes a day can help a lot in decreasing fatigue and in increasing your energy levels. Physical activity can help release endorphins and the mood-enhancing neurotransmitters that are present in the brain. It can also relieve muscle tension and reduce stress.

Have a Healthy and a Mood-Boosting Meal

According to researches, the food that you take in can have a direct impact on the way you feel. Go for mood-boosting foods such as fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and protein. Avoid refined carbs and sugar, take in B vitamins, focus on complex carbs, never to neglect your breakfast, and never skip meals. Also, eat foods that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids as they play a vital role in mood stabilization.

Know What is the Right Treatment for you

Dealing with depression means you have to choose the right treatment wisely. There are a lot of remedies for depression, such as the antidepressant medications, electroconvulsive therapy, psychotherapy, and the natural cures. The most commonly used treatments are the medications and the psychotherapy, and if these don't work, the last option is the electroconvulsive therapy. However, there has been an issue whether one should go for the antidepressant drugs over the natural remedies. For one thing, both these remedies are effective, but studies have shown that the natural remedies are safer to use since they are made from natural ingredients. Aside from that, medications can only provide temporary relief while natural remedies can provide permanent effects and can cure all types of depression.

So there you have it, these are some of the helpful ways in dealing with depression. Depression can be a serious illness but it can be treated if you only take immediate action and proper treatment.

Am I Bipolar? - Testing Yourself for Bipolar Disorder

"Am I Bipolar?"- this is one perplexing question a person, constantly experiencing dramatic mood swings in each and every single day of his life, would like to answer. In a year, one percent of Americans with ages 18 and above suffer a manic-depressive illness called Bipolar Disorder. How does one really know if he or she suffers from Bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder, which is formerly called manic-depression, is a diagnosed psychiatric disorder that causes abnormal shifts in a person's everyday mood, liveliness, and capability to perform. The person experiencing such illness may feel very much ecstatic, then extremely bad-tempered an hour after and then back again to feeling overly ecstatic with a short span of normal mood in between both contrary tempers. "Am I Bipolar if get mood swings?" The answer is no. Since a condition such as Bipolar Disorder is seemingly different from a person experiencing the usual mood swings because in Bipolar Disorder, the symptoms are evidently severe. If such brain disorder is left untreated, it may lead to effects such as dreadful behaviors, inadequate performance in one's job/studies or worst; it may even lead to suicide.

World renowned painter, Vincent Van Gogh, who's Bipolar Disorder mysteriously made him even more creative; Hollywood actor/comedian, Ben Stiller, who was open to the public about his psychiatric condition; Action star Jean-Claude Van Damme, whose Bipolar Disorder led him to a cocaine addiction and accusations of spousal abuse and author/actor Spalding Gray, whose suicidal death on the East River was allegedly caused by his dreadful psychiatric condition. The previously mentioned public figures are just some of the popular personalities who once asked the question, "Am I Bipolar?" Unfortunately, the answer to their question was "yes". Bipolar Disorder may have numerous unpleasant effects but through the appropriate treatment, people inflicted with such disease may lead fruitful and normal lives.

Bipolar Disorder is characterized by a series of highs and lows in one's mood. These highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression. Try to check if the following statements describe your day to day mental state to aid you in answering the question, "Am I Bipolar?" :

Indications of manic episodes

· I'm a very talkative person and I can utter a lot of words in a single minute.

· I am an extremely energetic person.

· I'm a compulsive shopper.

· I don't like to sleep.

· Family and friends have been telling me that I've been acting strange lately. I'm becoming a war freak, a loud talker and a very angry person.

· I feel sluggish most of the time.

· I want to have sex all the time.

· I can't concentrate on something for a long period of time.

· I feel like I'm the king of the world and I can do whatever I wish to do.

Indications of depression episodes

· I don't get pleasure doing the things that I've always loved to do.

· I have trouble sleeping at night.

· Whenever food is served on the table, I don't feel like eating.

· I have many aches and pains from the past that just won't go away.

· I lack energy when it comes to having sex.

· I lack focus.

· I'm a very absentminded person.

· Most of the time, I feel like eating something.

· People and things around me make me angry.

· I can't figure out why I feel disappointed and scared.

· I always feel gloomy.

· I'd rather be alone than talk to people.

· It's hard for me to get out of bed.

· I feel as if my existence on earth has no meaning and nothing desirable is going to happen to me.

· I hate myself.

· I've always thought about killing myself and the ways on how to do so.

Indications of Bipolar Disorder

· The highs and lows in my mood alternately repeat as the day progresses.

· My mood swings cause me household and job problems.

If most or all of these statements best describes your everyday mood in the duration of one week or more, a checkup with your psychologist might be a good idea since there's a big probability that you might be suffering a Bipolar Disorder. Besides, early detection and consistent treatment is the best way to win the battle against this lifelong illness.

Dementia Made Worse

There are a number of underlying factors that can make someone with dementia have a sudden decline. This often frightens caregivers because they see it as "the beginning of the end." An awareness of these factors can help caregivers to seek medical intervention sooner rather than later. It is the responsibility of professionals to make sure that caregivers are aware of this information and know when to report behavioral changes to their physician..

Infection/Acute Illness

Infection/acute illness may first present itself as a change in sleep patterns, increased lethargy, differing levels of consciousness, or increased confusion or anxiety that is not normal for the person. While most people with dementia have periods of confusion, an infection such as an upper respiratory infection or urinary tract infection can make these periods of confusion last longer or vary from the usual pattern. Someone who previously recognized family members (even if they did not know their names) may become anxious because of the "strangers in the house." While some infections have signs and symptoms - lots of coughing, frequent urination, strong odor to urine - other illnesses or sudden medical changes may not be as easily diagnosed. It is important that the physician be contacted immediately so that a further decline is not experienced. If there is past history of strokes, these behavioral changes may be an indication of a beginning stroke. Do not allow the physician or their representative to dismiss the problem as part of the dementia. Be clear when explaining your observations and what is different.

Depression

Depression is often seen in people with dementia, as well as the people who care for them. When the caregiver is suffering from depression, people with dementia often respond differently because they "feel" that something is wrong even if they no longer have the cognitive ability to explain it. The following are possible signs of depression that should be reported to the physician and can plague both the person with dementia and their caregiver:

• Irritability - irritation with minor problems that previously were not bothersome


• Suicidal comments - "I wish I were dead." "It's not worth it any more."


• Lack of energy


• Excessive sleeping or inability to sleep


• Loss of appetite or excessive eating


• Inability to complete tasks that were previously completed without difficulty


• Feeling overwhelmed with regular daily activities


• Feelings of anxiety as if something bad is going to happen, even when things are going fine


• Lack of interest in activities that were previously enjoyed


• Decrease in conversation with others


• Decrease in relationships with other people who were previously close

Sundowning

Sundowning describes a condition that causes people with dementia to become more confused as dusk approaches. The exact cause of sundowning is not known. However, there are a number of factors that can make the symptoms of sundowning worse. These include caregiver exhaustion, patient exhaustion, poor lighting, increased activity as family members return home from work or school, changes in caregivers, etc. The effects of sundowning can be minimized with the following strategies:

• Encourage the person with dementia to take an afternoon nap. If this is not possible, at least reduce the amount of stimulation in the environment.


• Maintain a well-lit environment during the day to insure that there is a distinction between night and day.


• Insure that lights are placed in strategic locations that allow the person with dementia to see clearly after dark.


• Encourage the patient with dementia to go to a quiet place in the house during more hectic periods late in the afternoon before dinner. This helps to decrease anxiety related to excessive activity.


• Limit caffeine, sugar, and other stimulants.


• Schedule activities for earlier in the day when confusion is not as prevalent.


• Provide meals that are heavier with carbohydrates to encourage sound sleep at nights.

Side Effects of Medication

Sometimes the very medications that we hope will help a person with dementia cause problems rather than solve them. There are also side effects to medications that a person may be taking for medical problems other than dementia. The side effects of these medications can include increased confusion, dizziness, loss of appetite, hostility, depression, lethargy and other changes. Sometimes medications may have no impact at all unless they are taken in combination with other drugs. Many of the medications that are typically prescribed for people with dementia (sedatives, anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, anti-psychotics, anti-hypertensives, etc.) may actually worsen the effects of dementia. As with any medication, people respond differently. It is important that changes in behavior be reported to a physician immediately so that medications can be evaluated in a timely fashion.

Remember that any of these underlying factors (illness, depression, sundowning, and/or medications) can make the symptoms of dementia worse. Do not hesitate to seek medical attention.

The Universal Connection

I believe in a phenomenon I have been known to call a 'Universal connection'. Yesterday one of these destined occurrences deeply affected the mood I was in and took me from feeling pretty low and depressed to feeling a joyous epiphany. Let me tell you about what happened. You see, I don't believe in random, arbitrary coincidences. My understanding is that life is a combined relationship between humanity's freewill, and the will of a higher power who I call 'The Great Spirit". I believe in a paradoxical type of destiny that is both preordained by this higher power, but also can be altered by our own decisions that we make every moment of everyday. Opportunities and obstacles are presented and then we are to decide whether or not to take any specific action relating to the situation.

O.K. So yesterday I wasn't feeling very well; I have a history of depression and anxiety and I perceived a few events that happened to me as being quite negative. Well it just so happens that the day before I had been sent an email from my Tai Chi instructor that had some links that related to depression, as they know of my problem. I looked at one site that was about some new form of neurotechnology where listening to a certain type of C.D. is supposed to send one's mind into a deep state of meditation. I am admittedly skeptical about this sort of thing as of course money is always supposed to exchange hands. The good thing about this particular site is that they offer a free sample C.D. of which I ordered.

Anyhow, I started to peruse over the information on this site and I came across some quotes by famous people. One that struck me was by a Rabbi Hillel and as my good friend at work is very interested in Jewish culture and religion, I cut and pasted it into Messenger for him to read. As I was feeling down, I left work early and went home to read some more of a book that I've really been enjoying lately. It's called 'Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warrior' and is written by Dan Millman. It's the sequel to a book I really loved entitled, 'Way of the Peaceful Warrior'. After reading for a chapter or two I came up to Chapter 17: 'Courage of the Outcast'. The chapter began with these words:

If I am not for myself,

Who will be for me?

And if I am only for myself,

What am I?

And if not now, when?

(Hillel, Sayings of the Fathers)

This was the exact quote that I had sent to my friend earlier that day! Out of all the quotes in the world, out of all the chapters I could have read up to, out of all the days in my life; this quote came up twice in one day! I knew there must be a reason for it happening so with some help from my friend I did a little research today on the Internet. This quote has been translated from Hebrew so I have now come to see that it has been interpreted in many different ways. This is the general meaning that I have come to think that the words mean:

'If I am not for myself, who will be for me?' relates to self-esteem. It means that if you don't believe in the spiritual aspects of your Self and love yourself for your divine essence and not just your ego, then others will only see you as someone who hasn't truly formed an identity of your own. If you don't love and have faith in yourself, then others will naturally find it hard to love and have faith in you.

'And if I am only for myself, what am I?' To me this is about then spreading your love and faith to others around you. It is very important to do things that will make you feel better about your own self-esteem, but just doing things for yourself is selfish. The best way to become a strong and happy person is through the service that we can do for others. We have to realize that others are just another form of ourselves, the 'I' that is intrinsic to all forms of life in the Universe (Great Spirit), and their well-being is just as important as our own.

The last line, 'And if not now, when?' refers to action. It's all good and well to have this knowledge, but it is the act of putting it into action that is of greatest importance. Now is the only time that is truly real. The past is gone and can never be lived again, while the future has not appeared yet and for some of us (while in human form) it won't ever come. Any second could be our last, so now is the time to put our knowledge and beliefs into work by integrating them into our every movement.

I believe that these 'Universal connections' happen all around us everyday of our lives. We only have to focus our attention to see them; though sometimes they are so profound they will just jump right out and smack you in the face!

What Are the Manic Depression Symptoms You Should Look Out For

Manic depression symptoms, now better known as bipolar disorder symptoms, refers to signs a person has because of this illness. Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder is a psychological disorder that affects one's mood.

Basically it results in mood swings but they are no ordinary ones that most of us would face as part of the ups and downs of everyday life. Such mood swings can cause one to experience different degrees of mood states ranging from extreme highs to extreme lows. They are not character flaws but are the result of biological changes in the brain.

Estimated to affect approximately 1% of the adult population, this disorder comes in second after depression as one of the most common disorders. Both men and women are equally susceptible to this illness. In serious cases, sufferers may even resort to committing suicide to reduce their sufferings.

At present, there is no cure for bipolar disorder. However, it is a medical condition that can be treated and managed with medication. As such, it is important for all to recognize manic depression symptoms. That will allow proper treatment to be given so that relapses are minimized. While it is often agreed that bipolar disorder causes the patients' mood to alternate between mania and depression, it is important to recognize the signs for each.

For mania, the more common signs include reduced sleep, being more sociable, engaging in more activities and increased irritability. A milder form of mania known as hypomania can cause people to have new ideas, plans and interest, engage in more risky activities and having increased sex drive.

On the end of the spectrum, common symptoms of depression include losing interest and motivation in activities and people, having persistent worry or anxiety and having sleep disruption. Sometimes, sufferers may even have mixed symptoms as they went through experiences of mania and depression simultaneously.

The thing about manic depression symptoms is that once you are able to identify the warning signs early, you have a better chance of coming up with the appropriate strategies to reduce and even prevent a relapse.