Health and LifeStyle

Archive for the ‘Depression’ Category

Bouts of depression is a common phenomenon. Even very happy persons and great saints have to pass through the tides of depression. Static state of anything thing or emotion can be very boring in life. If there is no night how can you enjoy the day? If there is no sorrow in life how can you enjoy fun? So these things are as interrelated as hope and depression. Depression becomes a problem when the period of depression is so long that it starts damaging us physically and mentally. Therefore it is necessary to learn to ride over depression successfully.

If an innocent person is kept in the prison for long he may become emotionally shattered. But if he learns to live there he may be able to come out in a very healthy and enlightened state even after ten or twenty years. See the example of Nelson Mandella and scores of others prisoners who spent the golden years of their life in jail but nothing could break them. In the similar way depression can never break you if you learn to manage it well.

1. BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE

Whenever you are depressed you must make yourself physically active to use the excess energy of your mind. Feeling of depression releases a negative energy in your mind that weakens your enthusiasm and hope regarding life and work. It also weakens the immune system of your body making it a breeding ground of many diseases. This energy can best be used by some vigorous physical exercise. Do the exercise you like. You may play music or your favourite songs along with it.

2. GO SOMEWHERE

Another way to use the negative energy and divert your mind is to wander aimlessly any where. Sit in any local bus or train and go to any direction. Roam in the markets. Sit in any restaurant and eat or drink anything you want. Don’t return to home till you are absolutely tired. Be sure that your wallet contains some money.

3. TALK TO A CLOSE FRIEND

Discuss your problems to a close friend. Whatever is there in your heart try to bring it out. Sharing a problem to a close friend loses the intensity of negative force. Good friends are able to bring you out of depression. They understand your psychology and your problems. They may come up with some good ideas to help you face your depression in a positive way.

4. EXPRESS WHAT IS THERE IN YOUR MIND

Switch on your computer, create a personal file with a password and start writing your feelings. Express the actual feeling, don’t hide anything. With a friend you have to be cautious sometimes so that you don’t annoy him even unintentionally. But you can pour out your whole heart to the computer and it will never get angry or tired. When you are able to shed away some of your repressed feelings you will feel somewhat relieved.

5. DEPRESSION MAY BE BENEFICIAL

Never think that every wave of depression is harmful. Sometimes it is the beginning of a big idea or creation. Your mind is busy in finding or creating something new and marvellous. When that period passes the depression starts melting. Your mind starts creating something fantastic which brings new zest and hope. So have confidence that something much better will happen after the tide of depression.

What is music? All sounds are comprised of sound waves. What distinguishes music from other sound waves is the manner in which the sound waves vibrate and decrease from loud to soft. Dropping a metal pan on the floor presents jarring, erratic vibrations. Striking a note on a piano chord presents a softer more uniform and smooth transition from loud to soft. Obviously, a musical note is going to be much more pleasant to the ear.

There’s an old adage about how “music sooths the savage beast.” Not only is this true, it is actually an understatement. Music plays such a profound part of our lives, that we will barely scratch the surface here, but let’s give it an overview.

All of us grew up with certain songs or instrumentals that strike a chord that reverberates through our entire being. For example, when I hear “A Summer Place,” it immediately carries me back to summer months in the fifties. The experience is so profound that I can remember the feel of the sun on my face, the smell of hot dogs cooked over an open fire and the laughter of friends and family.

There is a theory that certain notes or chords resonate with a vibration that is particularly harmonious to specific people. Have you ever heard a song that gave you “goose bumps?” If so, then you give validation to this theory. When this occurs, the music has a profound affect on the subconscious. Add intense emotion to the equation and you have one powerful, indelible, blueprint on your subconscious that will follow you the rest of your life.

For example, let’s say that you receive news of the death of a loved one while a specific piece of music is playing on the radio. That particular music may have a lasting impression. Years later, for no apparent reason, you may find yourself immediately thrown into a state of depression upon hearing that same tune. The same can be true of “positive” feelings as described in the story above.

The subliminal effect of music is a proven fact. How often do you find yourself humming a fragment of a tune that you can’t identify only to discover that it’s a new “commercial” message you heard on your television. The advertising industry pays huge amounts of money to conduct research into why and how music works on the subconscious mind. This is also the reason why you see the recent trend by large companies to reconstitute classics originally performed by some of the greats of stage and screen.

What does depression feel like? For most people it’s being unable to deal with something bad that happens. It could be something as serious as the death of a loved one or something less serious – whatever it might be, it is the fact that we are unable to cope that is depression.

Even though depression is now known to have serious effects if it persists for a long length of time, the actual causes of depression are not well defined. It is possible that depression occurs due to a number of reasons which combine to give that feeling of helplessness and inability to cope. These reasons, can involve both internal and external factors.

Symptoms of depression include:

• Loss of interest in normal daily activities
• Feeling sad or down
• Feeling hopeless
• Crying spells for no apparent reason
• Problems sleeping
• Trouble focusing or concentrating
• Difficulty making decisions
• Unintentional weight gain or loss
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Being easily annoyed
• Feeling fatigued or weak
• Feeling worthless
• Loss of interest in sex
• Thoughts of suicide or suicidal behavior
• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

Depression symptoms can vary greatly because different people experience depression in different ways. A 25-year-old man with depression may not have the same symptoms as a 70-year-old man, for instance. For some people, depression symptoms are so severe that it’s obvious something isn’t right. Others may feel generally miserable or unhappy without really knowing why.

Although people may be identified within the vulnerable groups that fact alone does not ensure that someone will develop a depressive episode. It has to be recognised that everyone has the susceptibility of developing depression from time to time.

It’s not known specifically what causes depression. As with many mental illnesses, it’s thought that a variety of biochemical, genetic and environmental factors may cause depression:

• Biochemical. Some evidence from high-tech imaging studies indicates that people with depression have physical changes in their brains. The significance of these changes is still uncertain but may eventually help pinpoint causes. The naturally occurring brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which are linked to mood, also may play a role in depression. Hormonal imbalances also could be a culprit.
• Genes. Some studies show that depression is more common in people whose biological family members also have the condition. It is considered that it is the family and their behavior that has a predisposition towards depression. There are numerous studies and research that has shown family members who are affected by depression have a genetic makeup that is very different from family members who are unaffected by depression.
• Environment. Environment is also thought to play a causal role in some way. Environmental causes are situations in your life that are difficult to cope with, such as the loss of a loved one, financial problems and high stress.

Depression is one of the most common health conditions in the world. Depression isn’t a weakness, nor is it something that you can simply “snap out of.” Depression, formally called major depression, major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a medical illness that involves the mind and body. Or called too a mood disorder, which makes us feel hopeless or sad over an extended period of time. Not only our life is affected by this mood disorder but the people around us too. It affects how you think and behave and can cause a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may not be able to go about your usual daily activities, and depression may make you feel as if life just isn’t worth living anymore.

A lot of people have Depression, especially those who had to face unexpected events or turns in their life. Depression creates significant impact in our life. People are affected differently by depression. Some people find it easy to deal with depression but others feel down for an indefinite period. Your daily activities won’t be affected if you are only suffering from mild depression but you should talk to your doctor to prevent it from getting worse.
Medical attention is needed by those persons suffering severe depression because they can become incapable of communicating or doing daily activities, and the worst case scenario is suicide. A lot of people who suffer from depression do not seek medical help because they think it is a sign of character flaw or weakness, and these people think that they can resolve it on their own.
But they are wrong; by confining it, the depression will only get worse. Facing the problem is the most effective way to address the problem with depression. And seeking medical help is not bad; it is even an advantage on your part.

Most health professionals today consider depression a chronic illness that requires long-term treatment, much like diabetes or high blood pressure. Although some people experience only one episode of depression, most have repeated episodes of depression symptoms throughout their life.

Effective diagnosis and treatment can help reduce even severe depression symptoms. And with effective treatment, most people with depression feel better, often within weeks, and can return to the daily activities they previously enjoyed.