Posts Tagged 'Depression'

CBT Therapy For Depression

Friday, June 18th, 2010 No Commented
Under: Depression

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a abbreviated form of psychological used in the direction of adults and children with natural depression. Its focusing is on prevalent issues and symptoms versus more traditional forms of therapy which tend to focus on a someone’s past yesteryear. The usual format is weekly therapy sessions coupled with daily praxis exercises designed to help the sufferer apply CBT skills in their home surroundings.

CBT for depression involves respective important features: identifying and correcting unfaithful thoughts associated with depressed sensitivity (cognitive restructuring), helping patients to pursue more often in gratifying activities (behavioural activation), and enhancing problem-solving skills. The first of these components, cognitive restructuring, involves cooperation between the patient and the expert to reckon and modify habitual errors in thinking that are associated with depression. Depressed patients often undergo contorted thoughts about themselves (e.g. I am stupid), their environment (e.g. My life is direful) and their prospective (e.g. There is no sensation in going forward, nothing will work out for me). Message from the patient’s current experience, bygone history, and future prospects is used to counter these distorted thoughts. In addition to self-critical thoughts, patients with depression typically cut back on activities that have the possible to be enjoyable to them, because they expect that such activities will not be worth their exertion. Regrettably this usually results in a deplorable cycle, wherein dispirited mood leads to less activity, which in turn results in further depressed mood, etc.

The second portion of CBT Therapy, behavioral activation, seeks to remediation this downward spiral by negotiating increases in potentially satisfying activities with the patient. When patients are depressed, problems in daily realistic often seem unsurmountable. In the final, the CBT therapist provides and counsel in special strategies for solving problems (e.g. breaking problems down into small steps).

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a scientifically well-established and effective treatment for depression. Over 75% of patients show noteworthy improvements.

Summary of CBT Therapy

First, remember that we cannot present Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in one web page, or in a few paragraphs. But, the marrow of cognitive therapy is the hypothesis that unreasoning thoughts and beliefs, overgeneralization of antagonistic events, a hopeless outlook on life, a tendency to focus on problems and failures, and negative self assessment, as well as other cognitive distortions, further the development of psychological problems, particularly depression. Psychologists use cognitive behavioral therapy to help you identify and understand how these cognitive distortions affect your lifetime. CBT therapy helps you to alteration, so that these issues will not conception your life.

Help Motivate People With Depression

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 No Commented
Under: Depression

Many people who suffer from mood swings and who are feeling down, often need motivation. How to help motivate these people is the aim of this article.
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A pretty typical scenario is where a partner is either subject to mood swings or is just totally withdrawn. It sometimes seems that you are living on your own and anger, resentment and loneliness will probably make you depressed as well. It seems that there is no way out. So, how can you help motivate a person like this?

These depressed people need motivation because apathy and fatigue are major symptoms. Just by suggesting a visit to a professional for help may actually seem like a daunting task to a depressed person. After all, they are locked into a vicious circle of negativity and hopelessness and have self esteem which is at an all time low. This is not helped either by physical symptoms of pains and aches, because depression can manifest itself in very dramatic physical ways. That may convince the person he or she is really ill and they will sink further into a deeper depression.

The first step to help motivate a depressed person to actually do something is to gently persuade them that have a problem. If you can do that, you can build on ways of helping by giving practical support. That means helping him or her to find a suitable therapist or doctor and of course, accompanying them on the visit.

The second step is to offer love and support 24/7. It really seems a gigantic task when you have to be the loving, cheerful and patient partner while you may be met very often with hostile silence, anger, resentment and also hopelessness. It often seems that you are the one who will need motivation, just to keep going.

The third step is to be an active partner in the sense that you will always encourage some kind of pleasant activity and support them in making certain lifestyle changes which will help motivate both of you. Looking at exercise programs and doing them together are useful ways to bond. Taking part in therapy when necessary and helping him or her stick to the treatment are all useful ways you can help.

Considerations to Make When Living With Someone With Depression

Friday, May 7th, 2010 No Commented
Under: Depression

There are several different types of depression, and not all of them can be changed by will alone. Loss of a loved one, losing a job and personal tragedies may be helped without medications, but clinical depression and bipolar disorder are real, and they are caused by chemical imbalances. These require something, be it supplement or prescription, to help bring balance back.

There is a problem with this picture. While strides have been made in changing the general attitude about depression, those who suffer from it still feel as if it is a personal failing. This is one of the things you will probably have to help with if you are living with someone with depression. You may feel helpless, but there are many other things you may be able to help with.

1) Talking it Out: When depression is caused by something that has happened, talking about it is going to be very important. It’s also not going to be easy and will probably involved a lot of Kleenex. Encourage discussion but don’t press too hard. Be prepared for many different emotions to be displayed, including anger, self doubt, loneliness and frustration. These are all natural emotions and it’s best if they are brought out in the open and discussed without judgment.

2) Seek Medical Help: As mentioned above, there are times when it will take a doctor to help resolve the issue. If you suspect there is more to the depression than grief, it may be time for a diagnosis. Without that, nothing can be done with any degree of safety. The person you are trying to help may resist the idea, and forcing them to go may be a mistake. However, if you suspect the situation has gotten to the point that someone’s life may be in danger, over rule the resistance.

3) Find out Options: Nowadays, there are many different treatment options, including some herbal remedies. If the diagnosis is mild to moderate, St. John’s Wort may be an appropriate method. Bipolar disorder and major depression should only be treated by prescriptions as they do not respond appropriately to these problems.

4) Follow Doctor’s Orders: Once the person starts to feel better, the temptation to stop taking the medications or supplements may be great. This is not a good idea, unless the doctor agrees. It is very likely that the imbalance will return, and it could be worse than before.

5) Offer Quiet, Nonjudgmental Support: Recovering is going to take time and it may not be easy, especially at first. Encourage involvement in favorite past times, but don’t push.

If you need support, there are depression support groups that may be able to help. They may have more suggestions on how you can help your loved one. Don’t be afraid to reach out.

Depressive Disorder Symptoms

Monday, May 3rd, 2010 No Commented
Under: Depression

Depressive disorder is a state of low mood and aversion to activity. A depressed person is having feelings of sadness, helplessness and hopelessness. Feeling “depressed” is often similar to feeling “sad”, but both clinical depressive disorder and non-clinical depressive disorder can also refer to a conglomeration of more than one feeling.

What are the major symptoms of the depressive disorder?

– Psychological or physiological wear out and loss of vitality

– Feelings of guilt, hopelessness, anxiety, dread, or weakness

– Reduced amount of involvement or joy in all, or almost all, daily activities mostly every day

– Altering appetite and detectable weight loss or gain

– Psychomotor agitation or deceleration almost daily

– Feelings of overwhelming sadness or fear or the apparent inability to experience emotion – trouble focusing or making decisions or a generalized retardation and obtunding of cognition including memory – unbalanced sleeping patterns such as excessive sleep or hypersomnia, insomnia, or deprivation of paradoxical sleep – continual thoughts of death, not just fear of dying, haunting suicide ideation with precise plan, or a particular plan of committing suicide or suicide attempt.

Additional clinical depression symptoms occasionally accounted for but not typically taken into account in diagnosis include:

– Lack of attention to personal hygiene

– Concern of “becoming mad”

– Diminishing self-esteem

– Alteration in perception of time

– Sensitivity to noise

– Physiological pains and achings with the impression that they may constitute signs of grave sickness

The depressive has pervasive and uninterrupted depressive thoughts and conducts. They manifest themselves in every area of life and never pass away. The patient is gloomy, dejected, pessimistic, overly serious, lacks a sense of humor, cheerless, joyless, and constantly unhappy. This dark mood is not influenced by changing circumstances.

His self-image is distorted: he appreciates himself to be un-needed, incapable, a failure. His sense of self-worth and his dignity are invariably and unrealistically low. This borders on self-disgust and self-denial. The Depressive corrects himself unnecessarily. His interior dialog (occasionally spoken) is derogatory towards himself, blaming and self-critical. Freud called this inner judge the Superego. The Depressive’s Superego is sadistic, grim, relentless, self-denigrating, and, ultimate hatefully suicidal. Dimly aware of this semi-suicidal streak, Depressives are by nature anxious and inclined towards excessive worrying and pondering.

The Depressive extends this leaning to humiliate and punish to his closest and beloved. His masochism is complemented by equally exigent sadism. He’s negativistic, passive-aggressive, discriminative, faultfinding, and correctional towards other people.

Such repeated outbursts are accompanied by feelings of remorse and guilt, frequently coupled with maudlin and flat apologies. It seems that the Depressive fails to shift perspectives, focusing almost always on the “what is”, never even giving a chance to “what could be”. He is lost in the past, wandering thru a forest of self-failures with the Superego as his only companion. Trying to cope with his failures, the depressive often chooses to view the dark side of those around him, judging and blaming like there`s no tomorrow, continuing to fail to see the beauty in the world, thus feeding his inner sadness further.

Anti Depression Foods

Monday, March 15th, 2010 No Commented
Under: Depression

Anti depression foods can be quite helpful in overcoming depression. Depression is a condition where the person feels they have no energy and cannot concentrate on any task. The depression can sometimes be described as feeling of despair. Most people suffer episodes of depression in their life.

A broken relationship, the death of a loved one and the loss of a job can be triggering situations for a depression. Like most health conditions depression has several symptoms that can be recognized easily. If the person feels sad, they lack interest in any activity, have no appetite or they are eating too much, they feel tired all the time or they are lacking sleep they might be suffering an episode of depression.

Depression can be caused by any situation that makes you feel sad. However there are certain elements in your body that might make you more vulnerable to be depressed. The lack of certain nutrients in your diet can affect your mood and make you feel depressed. Evidence shows that consuming high amounts of omega 3 have a huge anti depressant effect. This effect could be explained by the fact that fatty acids of omega 3 help in building the neuronal connections in the brain as well the neurotransmitters. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in fish oil and flax seeds supplements.

In order to increase your serotonin levels you will need to consume several amino acids. Tryptophan and 5 hydroxy tryptophan are compounds that can be found in food with high protein content. Fish, meat and beans contain a high concentration of these substances. Not consuming enough of these amino acids can increase the chance of suffering depression. Anti depression drugs sometimes can produce too much serotonin having side effects such as high blood pressure, dizziness and sometimes disorientation.

Increasing the intake of vitamins such as B vitamins can help lower the probability of depression. Levels of homocysteine which is a protein that can be found in the bloodstream cannot be too high or you might double your chances of getting depression. In order to lower the amount of homocysteine in your blood you need to consume a good amount of zinc, magnesium and vitamins of the B complex like B6, B12, B2 and B3. These nutrients in the right amount can be really helpful in preventing depressive states. As you might guess consuming lots of fruits and vegetables is not only good for the body but the mind also benefits a lot from eating correctly.

Reactive Depression

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 No Commented
Under: Depression

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a similar story.

“I lost my job… my doctor gave me anti-depressants.”

“My husband (wife) left me… my doctor gave me anti-depressants.”

“My child’s been sick… my doctor gave me something to lift my mood.”

We live in a society which has the “microwave” mentality. Everything should be fixed quickly… and there shouldn’t be any pain.

Things happen in life that are difficult. People get fired. Some become ill. Relationships end. People die early, tragically or when elderly.

Each one of these losses results in a painful emotional reaction. You have emotions that are so intense they seem to explode out of you. Common reactions are tears, screaming, pounding on the walls, eating too much, not eating at all, sleeping most of the day, not being able to sleep at all.

All of these reactions are common expressions of the deep pain and emotion within. You have to have a way to release the well of emotion within you.

Each loss begins what is known as the grief cycle. The greater the loss the more intense the grief response.

In this “microwave” society of ours, people fear most intense feelings. Laughter is fine. Screaming and yelling at a sports event is acceptable. Crying and feeling depressed for more than a few months because you lost someone of something close to you becomes uncomfortable for those around you.

When the wound is great – the loss of a partner, child, best friend, sibling, parent, even beloved pet – the more intense the emotional pain. It does not go away in a few weeks or even a few months.

When medication, prescription or self-medication through “recreational drugs” and alcohol is used, the painful feelings within have no release. They become buried deep inside sitting there, festering.

It takes a great deal of energy to keep from expressing and releasing the inner pain. Soon you hold in all feelings. Joy is muted. Happiness is overshadowed by unexpressed buried pain.

It’s as if you shoved the garbage in the closet and slammed the door tight. Eventually the smell of the forgotten and hidden rot seeps throughout the house permeating everything.

The “cure” for such loss is to express your feelings. Journal about them. Draw pictures representing what you feel inside. Write letters to loved ones who have left. Cry. Scream.

You have to address whatever is the issue, work it out and then release it. Whatever has happened changes your life. Until you adjust you hurt.

Yes, there are times medication can be helpful. Most of the time, however, they delay the healing process. They only mask the symptoms.

Seasonal Depression Disorder

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 No Commented
Under: Depression

For many people, the winter months can bring on bouts of seasonal depression disorder. You can’t change the weather or climate, but you can take some steps to alleviate those gloomy winter blues.

Also known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, winter depression can affect people in varying degrees of severity. Some individuals feel only mind symptoms of depression; for others, SAD may be extreme enough to require hospitalization.

And in a number of people, seasonal affective disorder affects not their mood, but their energy level. They are unable to successfully do the things they want to do because of lack of energy.

Well, guess what. Life is too short and precious to waste even one single day on dreariness and depression. If you are suffering from seasonal depression disorder, you might find the following tips helpful.

1. Get yourself some SAD lights. Health experts believe that exposure to additional light helps improve the moods of people suffering from the winter blues. SAD lights are devices specially designed to simulate the brightness of natural sunlight, but with no side effects.

2. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine can contribute to feelings of anxiety, tension, and gastrointestinal system problems. Alcohol can make mood swings even worse, something you don’t want if you are at risk for SAD or are already suffering from it.

3. Escape winter — literally. If you can, move away for a few weeks or months to a warmer climate where there is plenty of natural sunshine. A beach vacation somewhere with temperate weather will do wonders when it comes to eliminating your SAD symptoms.