Coping with the Ups and Downs of the Holiday Season

Ideally, the holiday season should be a time for good cheer. But for many, it is also a time for loneliness, sadness, anxiety, depression, and family conflict. Frequently people feel a profound sense of relief once the holidays are over. It's a bit ironic that we should look forward to the end of this season, when it could be a time for celebration, thanksgiving, and family reunion. Here are eight things you can do to make this a better holiday season for you and those around you:

1. De-commercialize your Holidays

For many families the "real" meaning of the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc...) gets buried in hi-tech presents, credit card debt, shopping at malls, football games and parties with lots of unhealthy food.

Many years ago my wife and I read an article by environmentalist Bill McKibben called The $100 Christmas. The theme of the article was to de-commercialize the holidays by taking the emphasis off of buying lots of gifts and redirecting energy towards family, spending time with friends and rediscovering the meaning of the holidays. McKibben suggested spending no more than $100 on gifts. So we started making apple sauce and wreaths from wild grapevines. We spent more time walking on quiet, snowy roads and less time navigating crowded malls. I learned to play a few Christmas Carols on the piano and we sang them while being warmed by the fire in our wood stove. My wife baked cookies sweetened with Vermont maple syrup. We continued this approach for the next few holiday seasons, making slight adaptations each year. Each Christmas Day we walked around the woods and left bird seed for the birds. The money we saved on gifts was given to charity and we didn't have any horrifying credit card statements to review in January (what a terrible way to start the new year).

Now that we have two daughters, we have been tugged back in the direction of more shopping and rushing around.  But those years of simple holidays left their mark and we still make sure there's time for holiday concerts, sledding and piano playing. So try rethinking your holidays this year. Throw out some of your old traditions, if they are no longer working for you, and start some new ones that give more meaning and spirit to your celebration.

2. Keep Your Sugar Intake Low

Don't underestimate the role of two essential holiday villians when it comes to depression, fatigue and irritability - alcohol and sugar. Both are drugs and wreak havoc with your blood sugar system, according to Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D., author of Potatoes Not Prozac. You might get a quick "lift" from some Christmas cookies with green icing. But it may not be long before you find yourself craving a cup of coffee or a piece of pie just to help you feel a bit more alert. Whatever goes up must come down - and that's particularly true of your blood sugar. And as your blood sugar levels crash so does your energy level and your spirits.

Psychiatrist William Philpott, M.D. tells of a woman who was hospitalized because she was depressed and suicidal. He did a six-hour glucose tolerance test for hypoglycemia. "One hour after giving her glucose, I checked on her. Her blood sugar was high - 180 - and her mood had drastically changed to euphoria. Two hours later, her blood sugar had dropped to 40, and her mood had dropped right down with it. There she was in the depths of depression again." If you struggle with depression and fatigue during the holidays, this is the time to just say no to holiday treats and champagne refills. Substitute healthy treats and try drinks like sparkling apple cider or egg nog instead of liquor.

3. Get outside and exercise

Exercise can play an important role in lifting your spirits and fighting off depression; in fact, it can be as effective as medication with less side effects.

As an extra bonus, you can get some natural sunlight while outside, which also helps to fight depression during winter months. If you can't get outside much, find a gym or exercise class or do some yoga at home.  The holidays can be a busy time for many of us. Make sure you continue to set aside some time to get your body and mind moving in a healthy direction.

4. Stop trying to control your family members

Many of us use the holidays as a time for reconnecting with our families including those family members who would be doing so much better if they would just take our advice about how to fix their lives.

Of course, they haven't in the past, but this might just be the time they're ready to listen to us and "see the light." As an alternative, why not leave our teacher/counselor hat in the closet and just concentrate on being a loving son/sister/cousin/parent. We can play this role quite well without ever giving advice. And if someone else is trying to fix your life, well, just listen, thank them for their concern, and perhaps ask them if they'd like to go outside and help feed the birds.

5. Write a few personal holiday cards

If you send out a mass mailing of holiday cards with a message that is just as appropriate for your cousin as for the Duke of Edinburgh, consider a change of strategy. Forget efficiency and quantity and just write a handful of cards with a personal message and either a photo or a drawing by your five year old. If you don’t have a five year old, try using crayons and draw something yourself. The basic idea is to connect with people you want to connect with in a real and personal way.

I have several friends who write beautiful, lengthy messages in their cards. They have so much to say, they have to use the back of the card and write in a circular style to navigate around the copyright imprint. One of my friends nearly always includes a clipping of some article from a magazine she thinks I’ll like to read. She’s usually right. Fewer cards. Fewer stamps. Fewer dead trees. More heartfelt communication.

6. Do something for others - not just your own family

Some of my most memorable and rewarding holiday experiences occurred when I stepped outside of my own needs and problems and did something helpful for others. On several Thanksgivings I served meals at a homeless shelter. And I spent many Christmas mornings helping kids in a children's hospital open gifts. Five years ago, I spent Christmas day with my about-to-be-adopted daughter in Vietnam. In retrospect, I got much more from these experiences than I gave. They were often the high point of my holidays and helped me get some perspective on my own difficulties and struggles. This holiday season will be challenging for lots of families who have been hit with layoffs and lower income.  What could be more in line with the holiday spirit than to help a neighbor, or friend, or even a perfect stranger?

7. Reflect on your Good Fortune

For many years I have used the time around Thanksgiving as a way of reflecting on my life, particularly my good fortune. Each year I conduct a 30 day self-reflection program that establishes a daily exercise in self-reflection for the entire month of November. One of the exercises involves making a list of 50 things about my life for which I am most grateful. This process helps me to notice how the world is supporting me so I don't just take these things for granted and inspires me to give something back in return.

8. Focus on the present

Much of our emotional suffering occurs because our attention either jumps to the future (worries about what will happen) or drifts to the past (sadness about what already happened). If we can develop more skill at keeping our attention present we are more likely to become fully absorbed in what we are doing in the present moment. We may be helping to cook some squash for dinner, or playing with our niece in the snow. The present moment is our real life. Think about it – how much of our emotional suffering comes from worrying about the future or complaining about the past. Both are uncontrollable. If we fail to pay attention in the present, we are more likely to struggle with psychological problems while our real life passes us by.

Finally, don't expect to feel happy, grateful and joyful throughout the holidays. It's not natural. What is natural is the ebb and flow of feelings from one moment to the next. When those inevitable moments of depression, fatigue or anxiety present themselves, don't let them paralyze you or throw you off course. Just take them along on your walk or let them accompany you while you bake some bread. They'll move on, just as sure as winter will turn into spring.

Source: http://www.todoinstitute.org/holidaydepression.html

The Key to Overcoming Panic Attacks

The surest path to overcoming panic attacks is to train yourself to respond to panic in accepting and calming ways.
This article will show you a specific, simple, and powerful set of tips for overcoming panic attacks. This material comes from my Panic Attacks Workbook.

As you read the steps described below, think about how they compare to what you usually do during a panic attack. The Panic Trick tells us that your gut instinct of how to respond to a panic attack will likely be to do something that makes the problem worse rather than better. The path to overcoming panic attacks requires responses that are quite different from what you usually do. If you keep doing the same thing, you'll probably keep getting the same result. If you seek anxiety relief, you need to look for different methods.
You can use these five steps to guide your responses during a panic attack. The regular use of this approach will go a long way towards your goal of overcoming panic attacks. I have adapted them, with some modifications of my own, from Anxiety Disorders and Phobias: A Cognitive Perspective, an excellent professional text by Beck, Greenberg, and Emery.

The Five Steps of AWARE

The five steps to overcoming panic attacks are:
Acknowledge & Accept
Wait & Watch (and maybe, Work)
Actions (to make myself more comfortable)
Repeat
End
Let's take a look at what each step entails.

Acknowledge & Accept

All progress starts here. This is the most important single step to overcoming panic attacks.

Acknowledge

Here I acknowledge the present reality, that I'm afraid and starting to panic. I won't try to ignore it, or pretend it's not there. I won't struggle to distract myself, tell myself to "stop thinking about it!", or snap any rubber bands on my wrist.
I'm acknowledging simply that I am afraid, not that I am in danger. The thought that I am in danger is just another symptom of panic, not an important or useful thought.

Accept

Here I accept the fact that I'm afraid at this moment. I don't fight the feeling; ask God to take it away; blame myself, or anybody else. I accept, as best I can, that I'm afraid in the same way I would accept a headache. I don't like headaches, but I don't bang my head against the wall in an effort to get rid of them, because that makes them worse. Overcoming panic attacks begins with working with, not against, my panic and anxiety symptoms.

How Can I Accept a Panic Attack?

What makes a panic attack acceptable (not desirable, but acceptable) is that, while it feels awful and fills me with dread, it isn't dangerous. It won't kill me or make me crazy. Someone pointing a gun at me, that's not acceptable. I might get hurt or killed. If someone points a gun at me, I have to do whatever I can to change that: run, hide, fight, yell, bribe, or beg, because the consequence of being shot is so terrible that I must try to avoid it.
On the other hand - a policeman giving me a ticket, even if I don't deserve it, I can live with that, and can hopefully keep my temper in check so I don't make things worse for myself.
Accepting the symptoms, not resisting, is a powerful step to overcoming panic attacks.

What Can a Panic Attack Do to Me?

It makes me feel afraid, that's what a panic attack does. And, if I'm having a panic attack, I'm already there! I'm already experiencing the worst that will happen. I just need to ride it out. That's the surest path to overcoming panic attacks.
Why should I accept a panic attack? Because the more I resist panic, the worse it gets. The more I develop the habit of acceptance, the more progress I make toward my goal of overcoming panic attacks.
That's Acknowledge & Accept. How does that compare to what you usually do during a panic attack?

Wait & Watch (and maybe, Work)

Wait

What I mean by "Wait" is this: don't just do something, stand there. It's similar to the suggestion "count to ten before you get mad".
One of the hallmarks of a panic attack is that it temporarily robs you of your ability to think, remember, and concentrate. This step will buy you a little time to regain those abilities before you take any action.
When you react before you have a chance to think straight, what do you do? If you're like most people, you probably flee, or struggle. You do things that actually make it worse. This is what people mean when they say things like "I know I'm doing it to myself" and the harder I try, the worse it gets.
Jumping into action too quickly is a big obstacle to overcoming panic attacks.
So, even though you have a powerful urge to leave, postpone that decision for a little bit. Don't tell yourself you CAN'T leave - keep that option open so you don't feel trapped - but put off the decision about whether or not to leave. Stay in the situation. You don't need to run away to get relief. Let relief come to you.

Watch

Use the occasion to observe how the panic works, and how you respond to it. The best way to do this is to fill out a panic diary. The diary is a questionnaire which helps you notice important aspects of a panic attack, so you can respond more effectively over time. Feel free to download and reproduce it for your own personal use. You can also download a set of instructions.
My patients often report that just filling out a diary helps them to calm down. How does this work? It's not that they're distracted from the subject of panic, because the diary questions are all about panic. It helps you get a little distance from your emotions. It works because, while you complete a diary, you're in the role of an observer, rather than feeling like a victim.
The best way to use the diary is to fill it out during the attack, rather than after. If you're in a situation where writing is impractical, perhaps while driving a car, you can: use a digital recorder; have your support person read the questions to you and record your answers; or pull over for a few minutes to write.

What About "Work"?

If you're in a relatively passive situation during the panic attack - a passenger in a vehicle, getting your hair cut, or waiting in a waiting room - "Wait & Watch" is all you need. If you're in a more active role - driving a car or giving a presentation - then you also need to attend to the "Work" of conducting that activity. Do "Wait & Watch", but also remain engaged in your task.
That's "Wait & Watch (and maybe, Work)". How does that compare to what you usually do during a panic attack?

Actions (to make myself more comfortable)

At this point, you've already gone through the two most important steps to overcoming panic attacks.
These steps, and all the steps necessary to overcome panic disorder and phobia, are covered in much more detail in my Panic Attacks Workbook.

What's Your Job During an Attack?

It's not your job to bring the panic attack to an end; that will happen no matter what you do.
Your job now is to see if you can make yourself a little more comfortable, while you wait for the attack to end.
Here are a few techniques that my patients have found particularly useful in overcoming panic attacks.

Belly Breathing

Regardless of what else you do, do belly breathing. It's also known as diaphragmatic breathing, but I think "belly breathing" is more descriptive. Many people think they know how to do deep breathing, but don't do it correctly, so they don't get good results. A good belly breathing technique is a very powerful tool in the work of overcoming panic attacks!

How to Talk to Yourself

Talk to yourself (silently!) about what is happening, and what you need to do. One question my patients find very helpful is this: is it Danger or Discomfort? Some of the other responses my patients like include the following:
1. Fine, let's have an attack! It's a good chance to practice my coping techniques.
2. Answer your "what if...?" fears by saying "So what? I'll get afraid, then calm down again."
3. It's okay to be afraid.

Get Involved in the Present

People don't panic in the present. People panic when they imagine something bad happening to them in the future or in the past. This is why your panic attacks are almost always accompanied by some "what if...?" thought.  The reason you say "what if...?" is because what you fear is not actually happening!
Get back into the activity you were engaged in prior to the attack, and become involved with the people and objects around you. If you're in a store, resume shopping, reading labels, comparing prices, asking questions, etc. It will move you closer to your goal of overcoming panic attacks when you bring your focus and energy back to the present environment. By this I mean, work with what is around you.

Work with Your Body

Identify, and relax, the parts of your body that get most tense during a panic attack. This typically involves first tensing, and then relaxing, the muscles of your jaw, neck, shoulders, back and legs. Do not allow yourself to stand rigid, muscles tensed, and holding your breath. That just makes you feel worse! If you feel like you "can't move a muscle", start with just one finger!
That's "Actions (to make myself more comfortable)". How does that compare with what you usually do during a panic attack?

Repeat

This step is here because you might start feeling better, then feel another wave of panic. Your first reaction might then be to think "Oh No, it didn't work!". The Repeat step is here to remind you that it's OK if that happens. Just take it from the top again. It's not unusual or dangerous. You may go through several cycles, and you just need to repeat the AWARE steps again, as often as you need.
How does that compare with what you usually do?

End

This is here to remind you that your panic attack will end; that all panic attacks end; that they end regardless of how you respond; that it's not your job to make the attack end; and that your only job is to make yourself as comfortable as possible while waiting for the attack to end.
Have these statements been true for you? Don't take my word for it. Review your own history of panic attacks and see.
And maybe the next time you panic, when you notice yourself thinking, once again, "Will this ever end?", you'll find yourself answering, "YES!"

Overcoming Panic Attacks

Want a copy of my Panic Attacks Workbook? It'll take you through the steps, from A to Z, of how to handle panic attacks in ways that lead them to fade away, as well as how to overcome the phobias and avoidance that usually accompany panic.

Source: http://www.anxietycoach.com/overcoming-panic-attacks.html

Anxiety & Depression

Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health concerns in our society. They are often experienced as a complex set of emotional and functional challenges.
The science of mind-body medicine helps us understand the ongoing connection between the mind and body and see how anxiety and depression may be triggered by a variety of factors. These can include nutritional, psychological, physical, emotional, environmental, social, and spiritual factors, as well as genetic tendencies or brain disease. While we often hear about a biochemical cause, meaning that certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters are out of balance, it is not clear if the level of neurotransmitters is the actual cause of anxiety and depression, or simply a symptom that a person is anxious or depressed.
Anxiety and depression are not the same, but they often occur together. It is not uncommon for people with depression to experience anxiety and people with anxiety to become depressed. There is also overlap in some of the treatments, so it is beneficial to learn about both conditions.

Depression

Depression is a common disorder, affecting over 350 million people worldwide. It is a disabling condition that adversely affects a person's family, work, or school life; sleeping and eating habits; and general health. In the United States, the incidence of depression has increased every year in the past century, and now, according to the Centers for Disease Control, one out of ten people report experiencing a depressive episode.
Depression is typically characterized by low energy and mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Symptoms include:

• Sleep disorders (too much or too little)
• Shifts in appetite and weight (too much or too little)
• Irritability or anxiety
• Chronic physical symptoms, including pain, gastrointestinal disturbances, headaches, etc.
• Loss of energy and fatigue
• Feelings of persistent sadness, guilt, hopelessness, or loss of self-worth
• Thinking difficulties, such as memory loss, challenges concentrating or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Some more facts about depression:

• Women are 70% more likely than men to experience depression in their lifetime.
• Men and women experience depression differently—while women tend to experience sadness and guilt, men often feel restless or angry and are more likely to turn to alcohol and drugs to cope.
• Only 50% of people actively seek conventional treatment for depression, although a majority of people do find some relief through treatment.
• Depression causes unnecessary suffering and is a risk factor for suicide.
• Women and adults between the ages of 45 and 64 are most likely to meet the criteria for major depression; however, over 3% of youth ages 13-18 have also experienced a debilitating depressive episode.

Please share your thoughts so we can improve this website!

Anxiety

Anxiety may be a normal reaction to stress, and it can serve as a prompt to deal with difficult situations. However, when anxiety becomes excessive, it may fall under the classification of an anxiety disorder. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that almost one out of five people suffer from an anxiety disorder, making it the most common mental disorder in the United States.
Anxiety disorder is characterized by emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms that create an unpleasant feeling that is typically described as uneasiness, fear, or worry. The worry is frequently accompanied by physical symptoms, especially fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, and hot flashes. Emotional symptoms include fear, racing thoughts, and a feeling of impending doom. People suffering from anxiety often withdraw and seek to avoid people or certain places.
While generalized anxiety disorder is the most common, there are other anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Using an Integrated Approach

The recommendations in this article take an integrative mental health approach, which incorporates health-promoting lifestyle changes; evidence-based integrative therapies and healing practices; and mainstream interventions, including psychosocial therapies and the judicious use of medication. We cover each of these areas in detail--click the links or see the menu on the left at the top of this page.
The relatively new field of integrative mental health is a holistic model that provides a useful perspective on brain health and the treatment of depression and anxiety. Integrative mental health looks at the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual health of the individual and uses evidence-based treatments from both traditional healing systems and modern scientific practices. For more information, see The International Network of Integrative Mental Health.

Optimizing Brain Health

While depression and anxiety are usually categorized as mental illnesses, we find it more useful to think of them as disruptions in brain health, which is directly related to the physical makeup and mechanisms of the brain, as well as emotional and relational issues.
This perspective highlights the need to take care of the brain, which, like other organs in the body, is impacted by our lifestyle. As such, what we eat, how we move, and the quality of our sleep impact the functioning of our brain. In addition, how we handle stress and other emotions, the quality of our relationships, and our sense of purpose all play a role in brain/mental health.
A new concept of the brain is emerging. Instead of being a static organ that doesn’t change after adolescence, the brain is now seen as having a lifelong dynamic ability to change in response to its environment. Neuroplasticity is the term used to explain the brain’s ability to change (from small cellular changes to complete remapping) in response to new learning, experience, or injury. This new understanding underlines the importance of paying attention to our brain health and development. The brain as an organ (like the heart) needs to experience a “brain-healthy” lifestyle that includes the lifestyle guidelines in this website.

Working with Your Provider Team

When suffering from moderate to severe symptoms of depression or anxiety, it is critical to have a working relationship with a provider, or team of providers, who can help you choose your treatment approach and evaluate its effectiveness. An integrative approach includes psychosocial therapies and the judicious use of medication, as well as evidence-based complementary therapies and health-promoting lifestyle changes. The providers may include a primary care physician, nurse practitioner, psychotherapist, or other professional who is philosophically aligned with you, as well as integrative therapy providers.
If you are taking any oral natural supplements in combination with conventional prescription medications, it is critical for both the prescriber and the pharmacist to be aware which supplements you are taking.
If there are any thoughts of or plans for suicide, a conventional therapist, psychiatrist, or physician must be involved immediately, even if that necessitates the use of emergency medicine services. If someone doesn’t willingly request help, the family or other supportive members of that person’s social sphere may need to intervene and engage services. The risk for suicide often increases after early improvement induced by either medications or supplements, as the individual finds more energy and a sense of self-control. Support during this time of treatment is critical.

Suggestions to Begin

Ways to start to take care of your brain (and the rest of your body).
1)      Breathe………..slow exhalation helps relax the body
2)      Move your body
3)      Spend time in nature
4)      Get regular, replenishing sleep
5)      Spend time with supportive friends/family
6)      Accept imperfection
7)      Eat real/functional foods and drink lots of water
8)      Meditate (sitting or moving) or take regular time for self-awareness practice
9)      Practice forgiveness
10)    Practice gratitude daily

Source:  http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/conditions/anxiety-depression

These eight tips will help you stay positive in the face of adversity.

Stressful times call for positive thinking. Maintaining a positive attitude can mean the difference between triumphing over difficult circumstances and succumbing to them.

The benefits of positive thinking are well known and worth considering. However, it’s not always easy to stay positive when when fear and uncertainty enter our lives.

Maintaining a positive outlook will help you survive hard times if and when they happen.

1. Knowing Yourself

Knowing yourself is the first step toward maintaining a positive attitude. Are you thinking positively? Or has your thinking become negative? Are you wishing you could maintain a more positive attitude? Are your thoughts harmonious? Or are you always in the middle of uproar and drama?

Perhaps it’s time to stop and take a personal inventory. Peace on a personal level is possible, but it must be cultivated.

2. The Law of Attraction

A powerful universal law operates anywhere and everywhere on this planet. It is called the Law of Attraction, and it means this:

Whatever you concentrate on, pay attention to, focus on or dwell on is drawn to you, for better or worse. If you spend your time thinking on negative or fearful things, your problems will enlarge. On the other hand, if your thoughts are positive, hopeful and constructive, you will draw positive things into your experience.

How much control do you have over this phenomenon? A lot! One key to maintaining a positive attitude is to concentrate on being positive.

3. Positive Self-Talk

The best place to start is with yourself. Try as best you can to follow these principal guidelines:
-Be conscious of how you refer to yourself and your life. Substitute positive statements for doubtful or negative ones.

-Affirm your worthiness with positive statements, such as, “I am healthy, I am strong, I am able to do everything I set my mind to. Abundance and contentment are mine.”

-Whenever a thought rises up that seems negative, substitute it with a peaceful, loving one.

With practice, you will feel your life changing. You’ll gradually recognize yourself as a vital part of God’s plan, a worthy person able to do and be far beyond what you’ve ever dreamed.

4. Positive Associations

One of the most important factors in maintaining a positive attitude is associating with positive people. Who do you hang out with? As you become increasingly able to maintain a positive attitude and thoughts, you may find yourself gravitating toward more positive people and avoiding folks who complain, blame and dramatize. This is a good sign!

5. How to Let Grace and Abundance Flow Through You

Your natural state as a human being is one of peace and grace, but the world has imposed its busyness and troubles on us all.

Relax and take frequent breaks throughout the day to concentrate on your breathing, read inspirational writings, or just count your blessings.

Realize that peace and abundance are all around you. Open your heart to receive it. Your days will start to go better.

6. Some Techniques to Correcting Course Mid-Stream

Maintaining a positive attitude is easier said than done- at least at first. It gets easier in time, and until it does, you will find negative thoughts, fears, resentments and momentary confusion popping up to invade your mind space.

Catch these thoughts mid-stream. Honor them as being mistaken, and let them go. Resume a neutral or positive frame of mind. The following techniques may help, but keep in mind that they take practice. The part of you that is habitually negative, angry, discouraged will resist these techniques at first. Do them anyway!

1. Focus on Your Breath

Conscious breathing brings you in tune and plugged into the present. Fear and negative thought cannot exist in the now. Breath in and out rhythmically, focusing on the rise and fall of your diaphragm. With practice, this can be a powerful tool for resuming and holding yourself in a positive, peaceful state.

2. Focus on the Word Love

Negativity flees when Love is on the scene. Breathing in love and breathing out love will keep you focused and centered. If you find yourself slipping into negativity, just return to Love.

3. Meditate for Several Short Periods Each Day

Sit or lie quietly, eyes closed with hands folded or held comfortably at your sides. Let all tension go and just “be” where you are. If thoughts creep in, let them go and resume an attitude of peace and quiet. You may enjoy using a guided meditation tape when you’re learning. In time you will look forward to these quiet times and miss them when they are skipped.

7. The Benefits of Maintaining a Positive Attitude

What can maintaining a positive attitude do for you? Let us have a look:

First of all, the Law of Attraction will begin working for you in a more positive way. You will attract more positive people, events and situations in your life.

Second, you will be more relaxed and operate from the peace within. Your response to life will come from a saner and less stressfull place, with better outcomes. Your health will likely reflect your positive mental outlook. People will ask you if you’re doing something different, and you’ll be able to say, “Yes!”.

Lastly, your heart will open toward others with compassion and understanding. People will be attracted to you for the wisdom and comfort they sense in your presence. You’ll find yourself being more willing to do the right thing, say the right thing, at the right time.

8. Keeping a Positive Attitude Leads to a Positive Future

Cultivating positive thought patterns takes practice, but you’ve got lots of time, and life gives you lots of opportunities to see things in a better light. If you make a decision deep in your heart to think more positively, practice the techniques outlined above about how to maintain a positive attitude, and study the teachings of those who taught peace and harmony as a way of life, you will eventually find yourself walking in peace the better part of each day. There is no better way to live.

Source:http://www.warriorforum.com/mind-warriors/547616-these-eight-tips-will-help-you-stay-positive-face-adversity.html 

Depression: A revolution in treatment?

It's not very often we get to talk about a revolution in understanding and treating depression and yet now doctors are talking about "one of the strongest discoveries in psychiatry for the last 20 years".

It is based around the idea that some people are being betrayed by their fiercest protector. That their immune system is altering their brain.
The illness exacts a heavy toll on 350 million people around the world, among them Hayley Mason, from Cambridgeshire:
"My depression gets so bad that I can't leave the bed, I can't leave the bedroom, I can't go downstairs and be with my partner and his kids.
The 30-year-old added: "I can't have the TV on, I can't have noise and light, I have suicidal thoughts, I have self-harmed, I can't leave the house, I can't drive.
"And just generally I am completely confined to my own home and everything else just feels too much."
Anti-depressant drugs and psychological treatments, like cognitive behavioural therapy, help the majority of people.
But many don't respond to existing therapies and so some scientists are now exploring a new frontier - whether the immune system could be causing depression.
"I think we have to be quite radical," says Prof Ed Bullmore, the head of psychiatry at the University of Cambridge.

 He's at the forefront of this new approach: "Recent history is telling us if we want to make therapeutic breakthroughs in an area which remains incredibly important in terms of disability and suffering then we've got to think differently."
The focus is on an errant immune system causing inflammation in the body and altering mood.
And Prof Bullmore argues that's something we can all relate to, if we just think back to the last time we had a cold or flu.
He said: "Depression and inflammation often go hand in hand, if you have flu, the immune system reacts to that, you become inflamed and very often people find that their mood changes too.
"Their behaviour changes, they may become less sociable, more sleepy, more withdrawn.
"They may begin to have some of the negative ways of thinking that are characteristic of depression and all of that follows an infection."
It is a subtle and yet significant shift in thinking. The argument is we don't just feel sorry for ourselves when we are sick, but that the chemicals involved in inflammation are directly affecting our mood.


Inflammation is part of the immune system's response to danger. It is a hugely complicated process to prepare our body to fight off hostile forces.
If inflammation is too low then an infection can get out of hand. If it is too high, it causes damage.
And for some reason, about one-third of depressed patients have consistently high levels of inflammation. Hayley is one of them: "I do have raised inflammation markers, I think normal is under 0.7 and mine is 40, it's coming up regularly in blood tests."
There is now a patchwork quilt of evidence suggesting inflammation is more than something you simply find in some depressed patients, but is actually the cause of their disease. That the immune system can alter the workings of the brain.

Joint pain

To explore this revolutionary new idea in depression, we visited an arthritis clinic at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
It is perhaps an unexpected location, but it was in clinics like this that doctors noticed something unusual.

Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the immune system attacking the joints. And when patients were given precise anti-inflammatory drugs that calmed down specific parts of the immune response, their mood improved.
Prof Iain McInnes, a consultant rheumatologist, said: "When we give these therapies we see a fairly rapid increase in a sense of well-being, mood state improving quite remarkably often disproportionately given the amount of inflammation we can see in their joints and their skin."
It suggests the patients were not simply feeling happier as they were in less pain, but that something more profound was going on.
Prof McInnes added: "We scanned the brains of people with rheumatoid arthritis, we then gave them a very specific immune targeted therapy and then we imaged them again afterwards.
"What we are starting to see when we give anti-inflammatory medicines is quite remarkable changes in the neuro-chemical circuitry in the brain.
"The brain pathways involved in mediating depression were favourably changed in people who were given immune interventions."
One possible explanation is that inflammatory chemicals enter the brain. There they interrupt the production of serotonin - a key neurotransmitter that's linked to mood.
 
To hear more we visited Carmine Pariante's laboratory at King's College London. The professor of biological psychiatry has been piecing together the evidence on inflammation and depression for 20 years.
He told the BBC: "Nearly 30% to 40% of depressed patients have high levels of inflammation and in these people we think it is part of the causal process.
"The evidence supporting this idea is that high levels of inflammation are present even if someone is not depressed, but is at risk of becoming depressed.
"We know from studies that if you have high levels of inflammation today you're at higher risk of becoming depressed over the next weeks or months even if you are perfectly well."
He's shown that not only are depressed patients more likely to have high levels of inflammation, but those with an overactive immune system are also less likely to respond to anti-depressants.
This is a big deal because a third of patients don't get any benefit from drug treatments.

 But there's something confusing here. The immune system responds to infection and that doesn't seem to fit the usual story of depression.
Take Jennifer Streeting, a trainee midwife in London, who traces her mental health problems back to when she was 14.
"My nana passed away and my mum had breast cancer and if you ask my therapist now she puts it down to grief and not really dealing with that at the time, I think there was just a lot going on."
Prof Pariante argues it is actually these awful moments in our lives that change our immune system, priming it to increase the risk of depression years later.
He said: "We think the immune system is the key mechanism by which early life events produce this long-term effect.
"We have some data showing adult individuals who have a history of early life trauma, even if they have never been depressed, have an activated immune system so they are in a state of risk."
The hope is that drugs targeting the immune system will provide much needed treatments for patients, particularly for those like Jennifer who seem to have tried them all.
"I had sertraline, I had Prozac, there was another one, I got started on citalopram, I was put on duloxetine, mirtazapine as well. I was on three at one point."
She is now on a combination of drugs that seem to be working for her, but it has been a long journey.
"It is totally trial and error," said Prof Pariante.

He added: "We are not able to predict right from the beginning whether someone will respond.
"We think by measuring inflammation in the blood we'll actually be able to identify individuals that do require more complex, intensive antidepressant treatment, maybe a combination of an antidepressant and and anti-inflammatory."
Most of us have common anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen at home, but doctors warn against experimenting at home, while clinical trials are taking place to prove whether this will work in patients.
The world's largest medical research charity, the Wellcome Trust, has brought together universities and the pharmaceutical industry.
The aim is to consolidate the evidence to accelerate the field; ultimately they want to find a new treatment for depression and develop a test to identify those who will benefit.
Cambridge University's Prof Bullmore is leading the consortium. But we interviewed him at his other employer, GlaxoSmithKline.
The company's immuno-inflammation laboratory is where scientists are developing new molecules which they hope will become effective medicines for inflammatory disorders.
That process will take more than a decade, but Prof Bullmore says there may already be a drug out there.
"One of the exciting things about immunopsychiatry is that because of the success of immunology in other areas of medicine there are already many drugs that are far beyond this stage of development.
"They may already be licensed or in late-stage clinical trials so the timeline from start of work on that project to delivering a medicine that might make a difference to patients could be much shorter."

Progress

Raiding the cupboards is already showing signs of success. Those early clues in arthritis mean the anti-inflammatory drug sirukumab is now being trialled in depressed patients.
So are drugs targeting the immune system about to transform the treatment of depression?
Prof Bullmore argues: "I don't think they are going to be a panacea, I don't think we're talking about a scenario in future where every patient with symptoms of depression is going to be offered an anti-inflammatory drug.
"I don't think that makes sense and frankly that sort of blockbuster one-size-fits-all approach to development of drugs for psychiatry has not been helpful to us in the past.
"We have to take a more personalised or stratified approach, not everyone that is depressed is depressed for the same reason."
That will require a blood test to identify which patients will benefit from immune-based therapies.

Depression is a disease that affects hundreds of millions of people. Even if anti-inflammatories help just a small proportion of them - that would still be a huge number of patients. But if immunotherapy becomes a success, its biggest impact may be on the way we think about the disease, making people less likely to believe sufferers should just "pull themselves together".
"I hate that phrase, if I could I would," says Jennifer.
She adds: "Just as if someone had diabetes and their insulin levels weren't working correctly, you wouldn't say, 'Oh snap out of it, stop having a hypo.'"
Hayley feels the same: "If there was a way to say depression was a physical problem I think it would make a massive difference, I think people would treat depression as something that is not made up and going on in the head.
"It would be seen as a genuine condition, it would validate a lot of people's feelings."
Prof Pariante concludes: "It is groundbreaking because, for the first time, we are demonstrating that depression is not only a disorder of the mind, in fact it is not even only a disorder of the brain, it is a disorder of the whole body."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37166293

How Should Psychology Define Happiness?

There’s no doubt that happiness research is at the top of the charts in psychology-related studies of well-being. From measures of a population’s psychological health to indications of moment-to-moment variations in people’s daily moods, research tries to pinpoint the factors that will give us joy.
However, this focus may be taking us away from a true understanding of psychological well-being. Happiness research has a definite down side in its emphasis on those feelings of joy and elation. In a New York Times op-ed piece fittingly called Happiness and its Discontents, St. Louis Philosophy professor Daniel Haybron challenged what he saw as an over-reliance on simple happiness scales to index people’s psychological health.
Psychological researchers have, for years, distinguished between “life satisfaction,” or the overall assessment of your feelings and attitudes about your life at a particular point in time, from “subjective well-being,” which captures the actual feelings of happiness you have at the moment.  The aptly-labeled phrase paradox of well-being describes a puzzling finding, long known about in the field of psychology and aging, that older people express higher levels of subjective well-being despite the fact that, objectively, their life circumstances are less positive than are those of younger but often, unhappier, people.
According to a 2009 Pew Research Center report, “Growing Old in America: Expectations vs. Reality,” older adults are much happier than they ought to be. The survey results reported here compared the expectations of growing older by people 64 years and younger with the reality of aging as expressed by those 65 and older. Rather than being bogged down by such problems as memory loss, not being able to drive, having a serious illness, not being sexually active, and feeling sad or depressed, older adults felt pretty good about their lives. They felt they had more time for hobbies and interests, family, and volunteer work, and regarded themselves as well-respected, financially secure, and less stressed. Across all age groups, about one-third rate themselves as “very happy,” which is pretty steady from ages 18 and up. The age groups who rate themselves as happiest are the people in their 20s, but there isn’t a tremendous fall-off after that even until ages 75 and older.
Again, though, we have to ask about the difference between “happiness” and other forms of well-being. To be happy means that you feel positive emotions but, as we know, emotions are fleeting states. If I ask you right this second to say how happy you are, would this be a fair estimate of how much well-being you have? For example, maybe at the moment, you’re a little tired, worried about whether one of your family members or loved ones is okay, or just a bit frazzled after a long commute in heavy traffic or bad weather. Being truly honest, you might say “3” out of a 10-point scale. However, if I asked you to rate your satisfaction with your overall state in life, you’d stand back and from this big-picture point of view, and may very well give yourself a far higher 9 out of 10.
It’s also possible that you would rate yourself as both unhappy (at the moment) and not all that satisfied. Perhaps you’re undergoing some pretty negative experiences at the moment, lowering your felt happiness right now, and you’re also feeling dissatisfied because your life isn’t going where you’d like it to go. You’re not getting that job you wanted, you’re not in a close relationship, or you’ve lost touch with your favorite relatives and friends. However, perhaps your mood and dissatisfaction are at their worst right now because you’ve decided to give up the comforts of home to find work in a new location, to serve a charitable cause, or to join the military. You’ve made this decision because you’re seeking to give your life a higher purpose.  At the moment, you’re not happy or even satisfied, but you feel that you’re working toward fulfilling important life goals.
Happiness doesn’t equal life satisfaction, or even feelings of fulfillment.  What’s more, much of the happiness research reporting on, for example, the relationship between income and “happiness” asks people how happy they are, but not how unhappy they are as well. This bias in the question wording can result in failure to detect true sources of pain and discontent in people’s lives. Just as a physician needs to ask “where it feels ok” in addition to where it doesn’t, psychologists need to give people a chance to provide a description of their complete emotional state, even if it is only their feelings at the moment.

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Because of this inherent bias in “happiness” ratings, psychologists David Watson, Lee Clark, and Auke Tellegen designed the “PANAS,” or Positive and Negative Affect Schedule” (1988), which has since been expanded and translated into many languages. It’s much more complex than the usual happiness indexes, which in their simplest form, consist of a single item, or perhaps as many as three or five. In addition to the PANAS, Bradburn’s Affect Balance Scale (ABS; Bradburn, 1969) includes 10 questions with 5 assessing positive and 5 assessing negative emotional states.  What matters is not only how happy you are, but what the ratio is of pleasure to displeasure in your life.
Returning to the question of how it is that older adults manage to feel pretty good about themselves and their lives, it’s possible that the paradox of well-being reflects some sort of survival effect. The older adults who are alive now are the ones who, obviously, are not dead. Perhaps these are the ones who are in better health, both physical and psychological, and are of a different breed than their deceased counterparts. Perhaps these individuals were always inclined to view the world in a positive way, and the fact that they are the ones left standing at the end of life reflects their particular optimistic bias.
To understand the possible contributors to subjective well-being means that you need to drill pretty far down into the data, more so than often is evident from the reports we read in the news about which country makes it to the top of the happiness charts. It’s also important to realize that, all other things being equal, claims that money can’t buy you happiness fail to recognize that there are real benefits to having, if not higher income, then higher levels of education and freedom from discrimination on the basis of race, gender, and class. Although money and status cannot guarantee happiness,  they can help to resolve many of the real-life challenges that people at the lower end of the income spectrum experience (Deacon, 2008).
At the end of the day, what’s going to matter more for your long-term feelings of well-being will not be how happy you were on a given Monday or Friday, but whether you see yourself as making a difference in improving the well-being of others. Focus on what you’re doing with your life, and your feelings of well-being will eventually fall into place.

Source:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201405/how-should-psychology-define-happiness

Identifying and confronting depression and oppression in our lives

Depression is the state where a person has persistent feelings of hopelessness or dejection, lack of energy, inability to sleep and sometimes suicidal tendencies. Clinical depression is a very serious problem which necessitates professional treatment. Through medication and therapy, most people suffering from clinical depression can resume a normal life.
Until recently, anyone diagnosed with depression was immediately classified as either a mental nut job or a “whiner” or “wimp”. Because of these stereotypes, people with depression tend to get even more depressed. Without help, a depressed person will withdraw from society and become a recluse or find a way to end his/her life.
There are many things in our society that are not only bad but downright hurtful. The tag attached to people suffering clinical depression is one of the worst things that society has ever come up with. To blame a person suffering clinical depression (a disease just like arthritis, heart disease or cancer) as either a hypochondriac or a weakling is the predominant reason for the spike in suicides.
When a person feels dejected, continually sad, like a social outcast or misfit; they descend the ugly ladder into one of the most tormenting versions of personal hell there is. Of all the feelings a person goes through in this life, the feelings of hopelessness and rejection are the most tormenting and disastrous.
I can think of nothing Christians do that is worse than condemning someone suffering depression because of a tragic event that took place or because they have a disease. When a preacher beats people over the head with the Bible and tells them there is no excuse for being depressed, it only serves to drive a person deeper into depression. When an individual believer sharply rebukes another believer because they are depressed, it only serves to drive that believer into a state that is dangerous and spiritually sick.
There are, of course, times when a person is just feeling sorry for himself and they need a swift kick in the rear to wake them up and get moving again. Clinical depression does not fit this description. There is a HUGE difference between a temporary pity party and a state of mind brought on by chemical imbalances within the body or something wrong with any number of different organs or bodily functions.
It seems that any Christian who admits to going to see a Psychologist or other mental health professional is immediately judged as insane and guilty of gross unbelief. Somehow it is fine for a Christian to see a medical doctor but not a doctor specializing in mental or emotional disorders. I think this is very wrong and has prevented many individuals from receiving the help they desperately need.
Having said all this, I believe most of us do NOT suffer from clinical depression but rather the reaction to bad things happening to our bodies, families, finances, relationships etc. When we are forced to endure a string of bad things we tend to get depressed. When we must become the most austere people on earth and live on snow and grass because of no money, we tend to get depressed. When relationships go sour, the car breaks down, a loved one passes away and we get diagnosed with cancer, all in one day, we tend to get depressed.
Simple depression can many times be helped by someone manifesting the love of God. Simple comfort and exhortation from the Word of God can lift a person out of a temporary down time. Many times a person just needs to spend some quality time with the Lord or go have fun to break the back of simple depression. Sometimes a person needs to sit with a qualified Christian counselor to isolate the problem and take steps to correct it.
Depression usually is the consequence of oppression. Oppression is a heaviness or downward pressure brought on by gloominess, negatives, lack of results, loneliness etc. The biggest cause of oppression is sickness. Long term sickness of any kind is oppressive and that oppression almost always leads to depression.
Satan is the author of oppression and he uses it constantly to hinder and beat down Christians. Oppression is the opposite of inspiration and enthusiasm. Oppression thwarts the ability of a believer to recognize God working in them to do and to will of His good pleasure. Oppression drags us down to the level of the enemy instead of raising us up to the exalted position we have in Christ Jesus.
The Word and power of God can and does break the back of oppression when spoken and manifested in love. Prayer can and does lift the suffocating blanket of oppression. Action many times knocks oppression flat on its back. If these things are not done, oppression slowly drags a person into the dark night of depression.
Oppression is on the outside and is caused by everything from the weather to the day’s headlines. The biggest source of oppression is legalistic religion. Whenever and wherever legalistic religion reigns, oppression will overspread the area as a heavy blanket. Oppression is like carrying a heavy burden on one’s back. Oppression hangs over a person like a giant anvil ready to drop on them whenever they sin. Religious oppression is ugly, wicked and lends itself to depressed people robbed of a reason for living and resigned to a life of woe.
Religious oppression inevitably leads to depression. This is why religiously oppressed people manifest hopelessness, dejection and gloom. Certainly the enemy succeeded in making a mockery of the joy we have in Christ by oppressing God’s people under a yoke of laws and regulations that are impossible to keep. In my travels, many of the most oppressed areas I have seen are filled with depressed people living in the so called “Bible Belt”.
God has called us to liberty and not the bondage associated with religious oppression. God has called us to walk in the freedom Christ won for us on the cross and not to spend our lives carrying that cross on our shoulders. God has called us to walk in His power, grace and joy. God wants us to enjoy all He has given to us while we share to GOOD NEWS of the gospel of Jesus Christ with others.
Breaking free from religious oppression is the single greatest thing that a believer can do to overcome depression. We have not been called to walk in fear of going to hell but rather to walk in the exuberance of those absolutely called to an eternal life with God in the heavenlies. We have not been given a tablet of stone to record all of our sins but rather a glorious Word of God filled with exceeding great and precious promises.
We, of all people on earth, have no right to ever feel hopeless or helpless. We have been given a bright and glorious hope and the promise that God is with us and fighting for us. We must renew our minds to believe what God has said in His Word and categorically reject the lies this world and religion attempt to place upon us.
If you suffer from clinical depression please seek professional help. If you suffer from depression brought on by oppression, FIGHT. That is right, FIGHT for yourself, your family, your future. Never give in to the relentless pressure of negativity but rather claim the promises God has given to us. God is able and willing to lift oppression and break apart depression. With God’s help, we can lay claim to the promise that “the joy of the Lord is our strength”!

Source:https://mercyman53.com/tag/religious-oppression/ 

Former British Army chief says that Irish soldiers are being given a drug that may cause depression

Irish soldiers are being given a drug that has potentially harmful side effects such as severe anxiety, depression and aggressive outbursts according to the former head of the British Army, Lord Richard Dannatt.

The drug in question is an anti-malarial drug called Lariam, which is still available to members of the Irish Defence Forces from international wholesalers, despite the fact that it was taken off the Irish market in July. The drug was first prescribed to Irish soldiers in 2001 during a peacekeeping mission in Eirtrea, where malaria is a common disease.

The drug has caused controversy over the past number of years, with many soldiers and former soldiers complaining about the after effects of using it. Lord Dannatt has outlined how his son Bertie took two dosages during the 90s, which left him extremely depressed.

"Because Bertie had that effect, whenever I’ve needed anti-malarial drugs, I’ve said, ‘I’ll take anything, but I’m not taking Lariam," said Lord Dannatt.

While Lariam is an extremely effective drug when it comes to preventing malaria, there have been questions raised over its use in recent years. The British and Irish armies have other drugs available to defend themselves against the disease, but Lariam remains the most effective. 

Source:  http://www.kildarenow.com/news/former-british-army-chief-says-that-irish-soldiers-are-being-given-a-drug-that-may-cause-depression/114940

The leading cause of police death: Post-traumatic stress disorder

When you’re a police officer, a traffic stop can mean a routine exchange  — or it can mean an attack on your or your partner’s life.
Being first on the scene, whether for gruesome murders, suicides, plane crashes or car accidents, is all in a day’s work for police officers. But for many, there’s a limit to how much tragedy they can take.
The tipping point for many cops — whether it comes as they witness their first or hundredth incident — can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
PTSD among military veterans has been better documented in recent years. But the same is not always true for police. Some 216,000 officers suffer from PTSD or some other form of emotional stress says Ron Clark, a retired Connecticut state trooper who now runs Badge of Life, a group that studies PTSD among police. In many cases, the disease can force officers toward destructive behavior or into retirement. It can also turn deadly. More than 1,400 officers have taken their own lives in the past decade, with PTSD as a leading contributing factor, according to Badge of Life.
“No department in the United States has ever recognized that an officer died from PTSD. Not one. Not one department. That's inconceivable,” Clark said. “You can't send a person into harm's way, and not support them. You can't do that. You can't. [But] they've done it,” Clark said.

 But many police officers with PTSD aren’t even aware they have a problem; they remain on the street, doing their job, often without help or support. It’s part of many departments’ cultures to “just deal” with what happens on the job, says Mike, a former New York cop whose PTSD didn’t emerge until after he left the force. (Mike asked America Tonight not to use his last name, citing safety concerns.)

He abused drugs and alcohol, looking for an escape from the haunting memories of responding to tragic emergencies. The images pile up and play like a slideshow in his mind, he says: Being first on the scene of an accident that killed a mother, her toddler and an unborn child; taking an accident report after a 90-year-old man was hit and killed by a car as he crossed the street to his mailbox.
 “In my mind I was just living my life. But it was affecting my family big time,” Mike said.

He was eventually arrested, accused of impersonating a police officer after putting on his old drug enforcement jacked and parking in front of someone’s house as if he were on a stakeout.
“I was mentally unstable,” he says.
He says there aren’t many voices suggesting that the depression, anger, confusion and helplessness that follow a traumatic event can be the result of trauma from the job. Officers can also be reluctant to pursue treatment, for fear of losing work benefits or being seen as a weak link on the police force. There’s often little protection from the department if officers come forward with injuries no one can see.
“We know there's, there's a cumulative traumas. There's, there's cops out there that still wake up with nightmares and everything. We could fill a stadium with officers that are probably retired with PTSD,” Clark said.
The consequences of not dealing with the disease can be explosive, to the officer, the officer’s family and potentially, people on the street.
“There's a risk to society. Because these police officers are, are highly stressed out. And now you're probably off the chart [with] flashbacks coming.”
Department suicides among those with PTSD are also reported at twice the rate of officers killed directly in the line of duty.
There’s a growing movement among some law enforcement organizations, police psychologists and police departments to better address PTSD and make changes to protect the health and wellness of officers. America Tonight traveled across the country to talk to police officers struggling with PTSD — and struggling to get the help they need.
Triggers are everywhere, Mike says. “It's impossible to take that magic pill and get all this out of your head.”

Source: http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2015/11/9/the-leading-cause-of-police-death-post-traumatic-stress-disorder.html

Depression and low mood

Alcohol, recreational drugs and depression

Alcohol and recreational drugs are ‘mood-altering substances’, in other words they have an effect on the mood and state of mind of anyone using them (in addition to other effects on the central nervous system). Their effect can be particularly heightened for people who have depression or experience low moods, and depression and anxiety can be made worse by consuming large quantities of alcohol.
In some instances, drinking alcohol may counteract the benefits of antidepressant medication or it can be unsafe to take the two together. Alcohol can also make people more likely to act impulsively, and there is a known link between alcohol use and suicide. Here young people talk about their experiences of alcohol and depression and also talk about recreational drug use.

Drinking alcohol
Young people we spoke with talked about their views and experiences of drinking alcohol and its effects on their moods and depression. Most of them said they did drink alcohol although a few said they only drank very little and very rarely. Some didn’t like the taste of alcohol, couldn’t afford to buy it or just generally weren’t keen on drinking and the drinking culture. One man who was training to be a doctor said he wouldn’t drink alcohol because he knows “how much damage it can do”. Another woman had stopped drinking because alcohol could trigger and enhance her anxiety attacks.

Many people felt that drinking alcohol was an important part of their lifestyle and went hand in hand with school, college or university culture. Some felt sometimes unspoken pressure to join their friends by drinking alcohol, or had thought it was ‘cool’ because their older friends were drinking. Mostly people said they drank alcohol because it was “a good laugh”, “fun” and a social thing to do in the park, pub or club with their mates.

Many hoped that drinking would lift their moods or help them “escape” feeling depressed. They described drinking to “cheer” themselves up, to “take mind off” worries and problems. One woman said she drank every night to help her sleep while another one described how she drank so she “didn’t have to think about how I felt”.

Effects of alcohol on mood and depression
Generally, people said they were fine as long as they stuck to what they felt was their “safe limit” or drank “moderately”. Drinking “too much” made depression much worse. They pointed out that initially a couple of drinks made them feel better but after a few more, they felt a lot worse. One woman described alcohol as “a natural downer” so she’d stopped drinking. Some said going out and drinking lifted their moods and they were fine “when drinking” but that they felt “million times worse” the next day.

A few people felt that hangovers heightened their feelings of depression and anxiety and a couple said they suffered from a moral hangover after a big night out. One woman described how drinking affected her moods;
 

“(I was) absolutely miserable and miserable about being miserable”.

Some people found it difficult to drink “moderately” as they said that after they “hit a point” it was hard to stop. Drinking “too much” made some feel “stupid” and “do silly things”. They would mix drink and drugs, pass out or get “in trouble”. For some there was also a link between drinking and aggression. Some people described how they got angry much more easily when drunk and ended up in fights or arguing with people. Many young people also said that when they were drunk they were more likely to self-harm and feel suicidal. See also our section on ‘Depression, self-harming and suicidal thoughts’.

 

Source: http://www.healthtalk.org/young-peoples-experiences/depression-and-low-mood/alcohol-recreational-drugs-and-depression

Depression

For people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) depression is a common and often disabling symptom, affecting up to 60 percent of people with the disease.
While everyone feels sad from time to time — and while people with PD may experience grief in reaction to a PD diagnosis — depression is different. Sadness is temporary, but depression is persistent, lasting for weeks or longer.
Not only that, depression is a part of PD itself, resulting from changes in the chemistry of the brain. Specifically, PD causes changes in areas of the brain that produce dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin — chemicals that are involved in regulating mood, energy, motivation, appetite and sleep.
A person may experience depression at any time in the course of PD, even before diagnosis. In addition, the symptoms of depression may come and go throughout the course of the disease.
It’s important to know that depression can intensify both the motor and cognitive symptoms of PD. Researchers have found that people with PD who experience depression begin PD medications for motor symptoms earlier and that treating depression can actually improve both quality of life and movement.
Depression, while common in PD, is often overlooked and undertreated. It is important to be aware of its symptoms, so that if you experience it, it can be treated effectively.

Symptoms

The following are common ways that people with PD experience depression:

• Persistent sadness (lasting for weeks or longer)
• Crying
• Loss of interest in usual activities and hobbies
• Decreased attention to self care (hygiene, medical/health needs, etc.)
• Feelings of guilt, self-criticism and worthlessness
• Increased fatigue and lack of energy; getting out of bed in the morning is a struggle
• Change in appetite/eating habits (either poor appetite or over-eating)
• Loss of motivation
• Complaints of aches and pains
• Feelings of being a burden to loved ones
• Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
• Ruminations about disability, death and dying
• Sleep difficulties (too little or too much)
• Many people with PD experience depression on its own, others are diagnosed with anxiety — feelings of constant worry — along with it. 
• Similarly, the symptoms of depression can overlap with symptoms of apathy.

Therapies

How can you ease depression in PD? First, share your concerns with your doctor. Many movement disorders specialists now include questions about depression in their exams. If your doctor does not, raise the topic. He or she may recommend medical or nonmedical coping strategies, including the following:

• With your doctor, evaluate your PD medications. People with PD who experience uncontrolled “on-off” periods and freezing episodes are more prone to depression so it is important to talk with a doctor to ensure your PD is being treated optimally—both motor and nonmotor symptoms.
• Many commonly-prescribed antidepressants are effective for people with PD. Different drugs work in different ways, and the approach needs to be tailored to the individual. If you or your loved one is currently taking an antidepressant that does not appear to be helping, ask your doctor if a different one may work better. Be aware that some medications for depression may interact with PD medications.
• Consider psychological counseling, in particular an approach called cognitive behavioral therapy. This therapy helps people recognize and change patterns of thought and behavior to ease depression and anxiety.
• Be aware of anxiety, and ensure it is treated, since it is so often diagnosed alongside depression.
• Exercise — walking, yoga, gardening or any exercise that appeals to you can help to ease symptoms of depression.

Tips for Coping with Depression

• Educate yourself about PD and its symptoms, including depression.
• Ask for help — it takes courage, but it also puts you in control of finding a way to feel better and overcome feelings of helplessness.
• Keep an open mind — depression is not a personal failing or a sign of weakness, it is a chemical imbalance in the brain.
• Plan short-term goals that you can achieve on a daily basis — plan to walk, do a chore or talk to a friend. Small accomplishments contribute to a feeling of self-worth.
• Maintain social ties — plan to connect with a friend once a week, or take on volunteer work.
• Plan something to look forward to. Think about things you can do to enhance your quality of life, and plan how to achieve them in small, do-able steps.
• If you have stopped or cut back on leisure activities because of PD, try to resume one that you enjoyed or find a new one.
• Connect with the PD community. Compare notes on coping with depression with members of a PD support group.

Source:  http://www.pdf.org/depression_pd

Will Depression Last Forever?

Treating depression can be frustrating, especially given the trial and error often involved with finding the right medication and the right therapist. Getting to a good place in your therapy may take months or even years, during which time you might ask yourself, “Will this feeling ever go away?”
If it does go away — which is the goal of treatment — you might naturally start to worry that the symptoms will come back. According to Mental Health America, more than 21 million children and adults battle depression every year, fewer than a third of whom receive adequate treatment. Consequently, many people risk a depression relapse.

Dan Collins, 49, a senior director of media relations in Baltimore, knows all too well what depression feels like — the first and second time around. Collins experienced his first depressive episode at age 16 and then had a depression relapse more than a decade later, at age 28.

“I had a very deep feeling of hopelessness, like there was nothing I could do to fix my situation,” Collins says. “I also had a high degree of anxiety, almost panic sometimes, that made concentration on anything nearly impossible. I couldn’t find a therapist fast enough, someone to ‘please stop the pain,’ and I drove from bookstore to bookstore, trying to get my hands on every book I could find on the topic of how to treat depression.”
Howard Belkin, MD, JD, an assistant professor at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and a psychiatrist at the Birmingham Counseling Center in Royal Oak, Mich., says that Collins’ experience is fairly common. “Sometimes even with excellent expert treatment, depression can return and become chronic,” he says.

Compounding this is the fact that relapses seem to feed on themselves. Experts say it’s likely that at least 60 percent of those who've had a depressive episode will have a second, 70 percent of those who have had two episodes will have a third, and 90 percent of those who have had three will have a fourth.

Why Depression Relapse Happens

There is no single answer to explain relapses, says Michael Brodsky, MD, a psychiatrist and medical director of Bridges to Recovery, a mental health facility with multiple locations in California. “For some, the life stressors that triggered the initial depression become intensified and re-trigger a depression,” he explains. “For others, no treatment or inadequate treatment prevents the depressive syndrome from ever really resolving. Instead, more serious depression symptoms become dormant before a different stressor causes them to flare up.”
Some research suggests there may even be a biological predisposition to recurrent depression. And other evidence indicates that people may relapse because they discontinue depression treatment prematurely. “Often, patients begin to feel a little better and stop therapy or medication before they are completely well,” says Dr. Belkin.

Potential Triggers for Depression Relapse

Each person also has personal relapse triggers, some of which you can control and some you can't. These may be interpersonal or family stress, financial problems, job loss, and other real-world issues. “The stress of our fast-paced modern world certainly has an impact,” says Thomas Gazda, MD, a psychiatrist with Banner Behavioral Health in Scottsdale, Ariz. What is pleasurable to one person, he says, can be a trigger for depression in someone else: “For some, the holidays are stressful, and for others, they are enjoyable and relaxing.”
One common trigger for depression relapse is a dangerous love entanglement. It’s a phenomenon that engulfs people who become depressed within a high-conflict intimate relationship, says Dr. Brodsky. “They receive depression treatment and recover, then stop their treatment and return to the relationship, only to become depressed again in a matter of months.”

Being aware of and avoiding such situations or triggers that set off depression symptoms are steps you need to take whether you’re going through depression treatment or have recently recovered.

Signs of a Depression Relapse

Expect all-too-familiar feelings — signs of depression relapse are similar to symptoms of the initial onset of depression. “The earliest sign is often a change in sleep patterns,” Dr. Gazda says.
Sadness, irritability and anger, problems with appetite, feelings of guilt, lack of energy, and feelings of hopelessness are also potential signs. “And, of course, suicidal feelings are signs of serious illness,” Belkin adds.

Avoiding the Return of Depression

To prevent a depression relapse, continue to follow your doctor’s advice. “Go to therapy sessions, talk with family members, take prescribed medication, and avoid alcohol and drugs,” Belkin says.
It’s also important to keep busy with productive activities and be around other people, strategies that have worked well for Collins. “I have continued the sport of fencing, which I first started at age 23," Collins says. "Making friends and getting exercise are great for mental health. And last year I decided to audition for roles in a community theater production and got cast as Jimmy Tomorrow in Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh.”
Renew your commitment to positive lifestyle habits — get restorative sleep, engage in meditation or other stress-reducing techniques, and eat a diet that includes all colors of the rainbow, says Gazda, who notes that relapsing more than three times may mean maintenance therapy for life is a must.
Most important in the prevention of depression relapse is to stay aware of its very real possibility, not as a source of anxiety but as a proactive step for well-being. If you sense depression symptoms returning, get help immediately.

Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com/depression/will-depression-last-forever.aspx

What are anxiety disorders?

We all experience occasional feelings of anxiety, worry and fear. These can be normal responses to certain situations. For example, you might worry about an upcoming interview for a job, or that you are able to pay a bill on time. If you are in a difficult or dangerous situation, these feelings can give you an awareness of the risks and what you need to do.
If you have an anxiety disorder, these feelings are more noticeable and difficult to live with. They can make you feel as though things are worse than they actually are. This can lead to you worrying all or most of the time and can affect your day to day life.
Symptoms of anxiety include:

• feelings of dread, panic or ‘impending doom’,
• feeling on edge or irritable,
• heightened alertness,
• difficulties sleeping,
• changes in appetite,
• difficulties concentrating,
• depersonalisation, and
• wanting to escape from the situation you are in.

You might also experience physical symptoms, which can include:

• sweating,
• heavy and fast breathing,
• hot flushes or blushing,
• dry mouth,
• shaking,
• hair loss,
• fast heartbeat,
• dizziness and fainting

What are the different types of anxiety disorder and how are they diagnosed?

There are different types of anxiety disorders. The following sections go into more detail for each condition.

• Agoraphobia
• Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)
• Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
• Hair pulling (Trichotillomania)
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Panic disorder (panic attacks)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Skin picking
• Social anxiety disorder
• Toilet-related anxiety

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder where you have an intense fear of certain situations, including:

• leaving your home,
• being in public spaces,
• using public transport, and
• being in crowded spaces
• You might find that these situations make you feel distressed, panicked and anxious. You may avoid some situations altogether. This can affect your day-to-day life.

Agoraphobia can make it difficult to make an appointment with your GP to talk about your symptoms. You might not feel able to leave your house or go to the GP surgery. You can arrange a telephone appointment if you have symptoms of agoraphobia. A GP will make a diagnosis by asking you questions about your symptoms. You may need further assessment from a psychiatrist for to get a formal diagnosis.

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)

If you have body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), you will worry a lot about how you look or a particular part of your body. Although other people may not notice or see it the same way, it will make you feel distressed. You may think you have an odd body shape compared to other people or that a scar makes you look unattractive. BDD is not the same as being vain or self-obsessed.
BDD can make you do things that take up a lot of time.

• Staring at your face or body in the mirror
• Comparing your features with other people’s
• Covering yourself excessively with makeup
• Considering plastic surgery when you do not need it

BDD can lead to depression. Some people with BDD have suicidal thoughts or feelings.
If you think you have BDD, you should speak to your GP. If they feel you have BDD, then they should discuss treatment options with you. The GP may arrange for a mental health worker who is experienced in BDD to help you.

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

If you have generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), you feel anxious a lot of the time. This may feel out of your control. You might feel ‘on edge’ and alert to your surroundings.
This can affect your day-to-day life. You might find that it affects your ability to work, travel places or even leave the house. You might also get tired easily or have trouble sleeping or concentrating. You might experience physical symptoms, including :

• muscle tension,
• headaches,
• sweating,
• nausea,
• ‘butterflies’ in your stomach, and
• a fear of fainting.

It is common to have other conditions such as depression or other anxiety disorders if you have GAD.
GAD can be difficult to diagnose because it does not have some of the obvious symptoms of other anxiety disorders. Your doctor is likely to say you have GAD if you have felt anxious for most days over six months.

Hair pulling (Trichotillomania)

Hair pulling is a condition where you feel the urge to pull out your hair. This can be from your scalp or other places such as your arms, eyelashes, legs or pubic area. You will find it difficult to stop yourself doing this. It is linked to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
You might experience a build-up of tension, which you can relieve by pulling out the strand of hair. You might not even be aware that you’re doing it.
It can be difficult to stop, which can lead to hair loss. This in turn can make you feel guilty, embarrassed and affect how you feel about yourself or how your friends and family see you.
Your GP will look at the following to diagnose your condition:

• You repeatedly pull your hair out, causing noticeable hair loss
• You feel increasing tension before you pull your hair out
• You feel relief or pleasure when you have pulled your hair out
• There are no underlying illnesses, such as a skin condition, causing you to pull your hair out
• Pulling your hair out affects your everyday life or causes you distress
• If you are concerned about your appearance, you could arrange a wig from the NHS.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

An obsession is an unwelcome thought or image that repeatedly enters your mind and is largely out of your control. These can be difficult to ignore. You may not want these thoughts and they can be disturbing, which can make you feel distressed and anxious.
Compulsions are things you think about or do repeatedly to relieve the anxiety from your obsessive thoughts.
You might believe that you or someone close to you might come to harm if you do not do these things. You may realise that your thinking and behaviour is not logical but still find it very difficult to stop.
There are different types of OCD, which include:

• Contamination
• Checking
• Intrusive thoughts
• Hoarding

When you first see a healthcare professional like a GP about your symptoms, he or she will ask you about them. This helps them to find out if you have OCD, how severe your symptoms are and what treatment will be best for you.

Panic disorder (panic attacks)

A panic attack makes you feel anxious and frightened. It happens suddenly and feels intense. You also have physical symptoms. These can include the following.

• An overwhelming sense of dread or fear
• Chest pain and/or a sensation that your heart is beating irregularly
• Feeling that you might be dying or having a heart attack
• Sweating and hot flushes or chills and shivering
• A dry mouth, shortness of breath or choking sensation
• Nausea, dizziness and feeling faint
• Numbness, pins and needles or a tingling sensation in your fingers
• A need to go to the toilet
• A churning stomach
• Ringing in your ears

It can be common for people having panic attacks to experience a sense of detachment from who they are. This is known as depersonalisation. It is thought that this may be the mind’s way of dealing with the intense sensations associated with panic attacks.
For some people, certain situations cause panic attacks. For example, if someone has a fear of small spaces and has to board a plane, they may have a panic attack then.
Panic attacks can be linked to variety of different anxiety disorders. Panic disorder is where you have regular panic attacks and there is no particular trigger. This can make you worry about when you might have another attack. If this happens, you may get a diagnosis of panic disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

You can develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) if you experience a traumatic or frightening event. It can develop shortly after the event, or sometimes months or years later. Types of situations that can cause PTSD include:

• being a victim of serious violent crime or sexual assault,
• being subjected to prolonged sexual abuse, violence or severe neglect,
• witnessing a death or a violent attack on someone else,
• being involved in military combat,
• situations working for the emergency services,
• surviving a severe accident, such as a road traffic accident,
• being held hostage, and
• experiencing natural disasters, such as an earthquake.

PTSD causes feelings of intense fear, helplessness and horror. You can have panic attacks, nightmares and flashbacks (seeing images or visions of the past event in your mind).
You may find it very difficult to relax. This can lead to problems with sleep, concentration and anger management.
People with PTSD often avoid places, people, conversations or experiences which remind them of the trauma. This can become very isolating and can lead to emotional numbing.
To get a diagnosis of PTSD, you will usually have to show symptoms for more than a month. You may feel less able to socialise, work or carry out everyday activities.

Skin-picking

Skin-picking is a condition where you will repetitively pick at your skin. This can cause damage to your skin, including bleeding, bruising and sometimes permanent marks. You will usually pick the skin on your face, but might also pick other areas of the body. You will find it difficult to stop yourself doing it.
It seems that skin-picking can relieve tension and stress. However, often the relief is short-lived, and you will feel the urge to continue picking. You may not be aware that you are doing it.
Because skin-picking leaves visible marks, you might go to lengths to hide these using makeup or clothing.
Your GP may arrange for you to see a specialist mental health doctor like a psychiatrist for diagnosis.

Social anxiety disorder

Social anxiety disorder (sometimes known as social phobia), means you will have an intense fear or dread of social or performance situations.
Some common situations where you may experience anxiety are:

• Speaking in public or in groups
• Meeting new people or strangers
• Dating
• Eating or drinking in public

You will be worried that you will do something or act in a way that is embarrassing or humiliating.
You might feel very aware of the physical signs of your anxiety. This can include sweating, a fast heartbeat, a shaky voice and blushing. You may worry that others will notice this or judge you. As a result you might find that you try to avoid such situations completely. You might realise that your fears are excessive, but will find it difficult to control them.
Your GP will ask you questions about your symptoms, and might ask you to fill out a questionnaire. This will help them find out what how anxious you feel in social situations.
If you feel that it would be difficult to visit your GP, you can ask for a telephone appointment.

Toilet anxiety

This is a fear of using toilets in either your own home, someone else’s home or in public spaces. This can lead to difficulty and embarrassment when needing to use the toilet.
You may:

• fear that other people can hear you using the toilet,
• worry about the cleanliness of the toilet, or
• worry about being able to use the toilet at all.

Anxiety UK runs a special project on toilet anxiety. You can find their contact details at the end of this section.

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), stomach aches and sickness.

Source:  https://www.rethink.org/diagnosis-treatment/conditions/anxiety-disorders