Taking Manic Depression Seriously
Manic depression or Bipolar Disorder is actually considered as one of the worst type of depression that people can suffer from.
Characterized by sudden and extreme changes of mood, Manic depression is called such because manic = mania refers to the 'ups' while depression refers to 'downs' - in a cycle of mood changes that can persist for long periods of time. Many people actually experience very erratic changes, and so-called 'mood swings' may not just be caused by PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) or stress. Doctors actually have diagnosed mood swings as a common symptom of depression.
Often, when these so-called mood swings have progressed for an extended time, ranging from feeling simple 'annoyance' (even by very minor, simple things such as not getting a favorite ice cream flavor), this may not be just a sign of brattiness! If getting 'irked' means you'll cuss and swear at ice cream vendors, friends and family, throwing absurd tantrums - this behavior can be a sign of the onset of Manic depression.
'Manic' - 'ups' - are the times when a person suffering from Manic depression experiences overly 'high' periods. This means feelings of heightened energy, sudden outbursts of euphoric mood, extreme irritability, racing thoughts, and - unfortunately - agressive behavior, too (not always - but almost always!).
According to therapists, someone suffering from Manic depression may have Manic 'periods' whereby the sudden outbursts of euphoria and elevated mood can go on and on for more than a day - in fact, more than a week and beyond! Imagine how STRESSED the physical body of a person would be if their 'up' period were to last even one day! Some people go through this 'up' behavior and feeling for over a week. This is terribly taxing on the physical body.
When it comes to the so-called 'low' or 'down' periods, these can actually bring someone who is suffering from Manic depression very similar symptoms as those who are suffering from actual depression. People who have Manic depression may actually experience episodes of depression where they feel worthless, unloved, and they may start to experience very severe irrational, corrupt thinking. Varied symptoms like, guilt, extreme sadness, anxiety (including panic or anxiety attacks), feelings of not belonging, extreme pessimism and obvious loss for pleasure can all surface. Sometimes in combinations and almost all at once! According to therapists, an individual who is depressed consistently for more than a week can officially be diagnosed as someone who is suffering from Manic depression.
In spite of being one of the most common, yet severe types of depressive disorders, Manic depression, can actually be treated. Quite successfully too! If an individual with Manic depression identifies their symptoms with the help of a professional, follows proper procedures outlined by a good therapist, maintains proper taking of prescribed medications of the correct dosage, then Manic depression need not be unmanageable at all.
Also, individuals who are suffering from Manic depression should ensure that they are able to visit their therapists on a regular basis. This is helpful for allowing the individual to release pent up emotions with someone who can effectively interpret and understand what kinds of emotional and mental processes are going on. Here, though helpful family and friends are of extreme importance, the assistance of a professional is likely best (even if there is a therapist in the family) because the 'venting' can remain with and fall on the shoulders of an objective person, the therapist. This can help alleviate 'responsibilities' of family members and friends who might 'take on too much' responsibility, out of love and concern for the person diagnosed with Manic depression. In this, family and friends can be more stress-free and well-prepared for times when their loved one might need their understanding outside of regular therapy.
Although positive results for a Manic depressive patient can still be achieved from natural alternatives, a more lasting relief from Manic depressive symptoms can often be acquired through Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Contrary to some beliefs, long-held, about psychiatric treatments being the ultimate answer (or the only one) for dealing with Manic Depression, cognitive behavior therapists are actually some of the best professionals to consult for this illness.
Showing posts with label depression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label depression. Show all posts
Friday, June 1, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
A Common Condition - Depression
"Depression" is quite common - common enough that it is often a term used in an off-hand manner to serve someone who is dramatically trying to indicate that are disappointed or quite suddenly sad about something.
Real Depression can come on as a sudden sadness, as well - but it isn't anything to deal off-handedly because symptoms of depression can make the sufferer feel a range of emotions from a hovering sadness to an intense despair!
There is no perfect guideline to establish all the signs of depression - and those who suffer from recurring bouts of depression will often have different symptoms at different times. Depression can sometimes be as frustrating for Professionals to treat as it is for individuals to experience!
People who may be suffering from depression or manic disorders actually exhibit or show each and every kind of symptom of depression that doctors can identify. At times, certain symptoms can be mistaken for other things or not seen at all until the depressed person is unable to help himself or herself.
If someone is concerned that they may be suffering from depression, it is best not to wait until one experiences all, most, or particular symptoms that they have heard of before they decide to get help. If someone is able to seek professional help before symptoms escalate or become more numerous, that person has a better chance of learning about how to take better care of their mind, emotions, mental state, and environment - in order to alleviate 'attacks.'
Some common examples of symptoms:
Loss of Pleasure Or Interest - former hobbies, social activites and even sex seems uninteresting.
Depressed mood - feeling hopeless, empty, discouraged, or just plain sad.
Sleep changes - insomnia or hypersomnia (oversleeping).
Weight or appetite changes - a significant gain or loss of more than 5% of body weight in a short time (1 month).
Fatigue or loss of energy - not being able to do things or do things as quickly as you used to, feeling physically drained...even small tasks are exhausting.
Psychomotor agitation or retardation - anxious, 'keyed-up,' can't sit still, sluggish, lack of responsiveness, slow body movements and slowed speech.
Self-Loathing - harsh criticism of self, of perceived faults and mistakes - strong feelings of worthlessness and guilt.
Problems with concentration - mind 'wanders' often, difficulty making relatively simple decisions, "can't think straight." General inability to focus.
Irritability - easily annoyed, and frustrated by little things - 'grouchy.' Angry outbursts.
Aches and pains - Depression can cause or exacerbate many physical symptoms, including headaches, backaches, diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain, any 'old injuries or old injury areas,'and aching joints.
Often, depressed people will show signs of distorted thinking - thinks will look bleak and they'll talk very negatively about themselves, their abilities, their situations, and especially about the future. They'll feel helpless and hopeless and obsess further about all of these negative thoughts. Often they start to believe that the only way to escape their 'useless' future is to consider suicide.
Anyone talking of or hinting of 'suicide' - or of harming himself, herself or others - no matter what other signs of depression are or are not present - SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
Kinds of Depression in special groups...
Teens - as a general group, children, women as a general group, men as a general group and the elderly as a general group - will all require a certain amount of unique help with depression, according to their group. Depression must be treated carefully, according to the individual or else treatment can do more harm than good.
For instance - a teen with depression may be hard to identify - rather, the depression symptoms may be hard to identify, and we mustn't be looking for only 'average' or 'general' depression symptoms when we're concerned about a teenager. Teens (and younger children) often display ACTIVITY where we would expect an adult with depression to be inactive, mopey, and oversleep a lot. Instead, teens can be very active in showing their depression, raising their voices during uncalled for situations, acting hostile and overly grumpy and they might easily and frequently lose their temper.
Due to the difficulties people have in distinguishing 'depression' from short-term emotional setbacks, people should become more aware of the symptoms and - more importantly - learn to seek help if symptoms are apparent in themselves or loved ones. People will often minimize their symptoms, and, consequently, 'push on through' life's difficulties, forgetting that it is as important to take care of onesself in life as it is to work, earn money, care for family and friends, and even play!
With depression - or other mental illnesses - if the presence of it is suspected, seek professional help - find out for sure if you are blowing your situation out of proportion. A professional will be able to help you decide on this matter. It's definitely better, with depression, to be safe rather than sorry.
Real Depression can come on as a sudden sadness, as well - but it isn't anything to deal off-handedly because symptoms of depression can make the sufferer feel a range of emotions from a hovering sadness to an intense despair!
There is no perfect guideline to establish all the signs of depression - and those who suffer from recurring bouts of depression will often have different symptoms at different times. Depression can sometimes be as frustrating for Professionals to treat as it is for individuals to experience!
People who may be suffering from depression or manic disorders actually exhibit or show each and every kind of symptom of depression that doctors can identify. At times, certain symptoms can be mistaken for other things or not seen at all until the depressed person is unable to help himself or herself.
If someone is concerned that they may be suffering from depression, it is best not to wait until one experiences all, most, or particular symptoms that they have heard of before they decide to get help. If someone is able to seek professional help before symptoms escalate or become more numerous, that person has a better chance of learning about how to take better care of their mind, emotions, mental state, and environment - in order to alleviate 'attacks.'
Some common examples of symptoms:
Loss of Pleasure Or Interest - former hobbies, social activites and even sex seems uninteresting.
Depressed mood - feeling hopeless, empty, discouraged, or just plain sad.
Sleep changes - insomnia or hypersomnia (oversleeping).
Weight or appetite changes - a significant gain or loss of more than 5% of body weight in a short time (1 month).
Fatigue or loss of energy - not being able to do things or do things as quickly as you used to, feeling physically drained...even small tasks are exhausting.
Psychomotor agitation or retardation - anxious, 'keyed-up,' can't sit still, sluggish, lack of responsiveness, slow body movements and slowed speech.
Self-Loathing - harsh criticism of self, of perceived faults and mistakes - strong feelings of worthlessness and guilt.
Problems with concentration - mind 'wanders' often, difficulty making relatively simple decisions, "can't think straight." General inability to focus.
Irritability - easily annoyed, and frustrated by little things - 'grouchy.' Angry outbursts.
Aches and pains - Depression can cause or exacerbate many physical symptoms, including headaches, backaches, diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain, any 'old injuries or old injury areas,'and aching joints.
Often, depressed people will show signs of distorted thinking - thinks will look bleak and they'll talk very negatively about themselves, their abilities, their situations, and especially about the future. They'll feel helpless and hopeless and obsess further about all of these negative thoughts. Often they start to believe that the only way to escape their 'useless' future is to consider suicide.
Anyone talking of or hinting of 'suicide' - or of harming himself, herself or others - no matter what other signs of depression are or are not present - SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
Kinds of Depression in special groups...
Teens - as a general group, children, women as a general group, men as a general group and the elderly as a general group - will all require a certain amount of unique help with depression, according to their group. Depression must be treated carefully, according to the individual or else treatment can do more harm than good.
For instance - a teen with depression may be hard to identify - rather, the depression symptoms may be hard to identify, and we mustn't be looking for only 'average' or 'general' depression symptoms when we're concerned about a teenager. Teens (and younger children) often display ACTIVITY where we would expect an adult with depression to be inactive, mopey, and oversleep a lot. Instead, teens can be very active in showing their depression, raising their voices during uncalled for situations, acting hostile and overly grumpy and they might easily and frequently lose their temper.
Due to the difficulties people have in distinguishing 'depression' from short-term emotional setbacks, people should become more aware of the symptoms and - more importantly - learn to seek help if symptoms are apparent in themselves or loved ones. People will often minimize their symptoms, and, consequently, 'push on through' life's difficulties, forgetting that it is as important to take care of onesself in life as it is to work, earn money, care for family and friends, and even play!
With depression - or other mental illnesses - if the presence of it is suspected, seek professional help - find out for sure if you are blowing your situation out of proportion. A professional will be able to help you decide on this matter. It's definitely better, with depression, to be safe rather than sorry.
Treatment For Depression - Finding It
Finding the right Depression Treatment
Depression or prolonged sadness is very common in the United States. Almost 10 percent of the American population suffers from this illness, however, not all of will be treated properly and have their depression symptoms alleviated. Ill-effects of Depression will continue to be a burden to some people. As an illness, depression may seem more simple to treat than it actually is. In reality, it takes more than a little cheering up to actually cure or manage depression.
Often, prepeat visits to a cognitive behavior therapist (CBT care) are in order for those who suffer with depression of various kinds (yes, there are several kinds of Depression, not just one type). In many cases, depression must be treated with a combination treatment of behavior adjustments paired with prescribed medications.
Unfortunately, often the medications for depression are expensive, however, a person who doesn't sustain their medication intake will often suffer very miserably for having interrupted the medication benefits of their treatment.
It is often best to treat depression and deal with it head on. Utilizing various treatments will offer the person suffering with symptoms - the greatest degree of relief from symptoms. These might include attention to diet and exercise, utilizing meditation for relaxation and other more natural treatments along with medication. This is not to say that a person should take on more than they are able to mentally or emotionally handle during 'low' times - however, the person should learn to acquire a large and diverse number of tools to deal with this tricky illness.
Depression can easily get in the way of an individual’s daily activities, and his or her usual zest for life can quickly dissipate due to overwhelming depressed feelings. In place of a sunny disposition, those who suffer depression might display marked periods of low self-esteem, irritability and grumpiness, and finally - isolation to the point where one is truly quite separated from the 'normal' functions of the living world - and the person may care less about living anymore.
A depressed individual in this state needs much more than 'a good cheering up.' His or her behavior can also drastically affect loved ones who care about the depressed person. Since others will be affected by a single individual, it is best for friends and loved ones to support the one who is not well - as much as possible. This may mean that friends and family make concerted efforts to learn about depression, how it affects their loved one, and even - how it affects the family and community as a whole. Family and friends may even have to learn healthy ways to go outside the depression situation and make time for themselves away from the depressed person. If nobody ever takes a break from the situation then a high-stress situation, bad for all, can result.
Depression treatment actually starts, for the suffering person - with admission that there is a problem - that he or she is under sway of a serious illness. By being honest with his or herself, it will be a lot easier for others to help and for the individual to feel like he or she can actually receive the help. It's not just a 'bad mood' or a 'moody time' - Depression can be a potentially life-threatening illness if it is ignored too long! Once consensus is firmly established between the depressed person and those involved in his or her immediate vicinity, and once professional treatment is sought out, then the depressed individual has a much higher chance of managing illness, reducing symptoms, and returning to a more healthy existence.
From various medications (like Zoloft antidepressant for depression and anxiety treatment) to all sorts of psychotherapies, once a person acknowledges their sickness, there are an abundance of sources with which to fight depression. Everyone concerned will do well to keep an open mind where treatment is concerned - and feel positive about exploring as many health options as is possible. As well, others should be involved in a helpful way with another person's 'recovery' and management of mental illness, particularly if or when drugs are introduced. During the initial stages of medication treatment, the individual will need others to help monitor how the medication is working so that safe dosages can be realized and so that the person does, in fact, get the right medicine for their condition.
Psychotherapy, a popular type of depression treatment actually includes short-term therapy sessions and usually extends about ten to twenty weeks, depending on progress of the individual. This type of depression treatment actually helps individuals by slowly making them aware of - and able to more freely express their feelings and get closer to the roots of their mood problems. Healthy verbal exchanges between the psychotherapist, behavior adjustments and such - will often result in the depressed client learning how to take part in discussing what they formerly may have been too embarrassed about or too afraid, for some reason, to share. Sometimes the recipient of treatment will learn a great deal about how they react to life's situations - and the goal is for the person to learn to manage situations without turning experiences into something that will feed their sadness, frustration, depression, etc. Psychotherapy can often teach someone suffering mental illness - to deal with depression in a very pro-active, unafraid, empowering way!
Various medications that are available for depression treatment are actually great for helping the depression patient to regulate his or her mood swings, to actually help him or her sleep better and as well as be more pleasant towards others. When used with the type of - or a similar type of empowering mental health treatment, medications can be relatively safe and offer both the depressed person and their family base - a great deal of relief from the often debilitating illness of Depression.
Depression or prolonged sadness is very common in the United States. Almost 10 percent of the American population suffers from this illness, however, not all of will be treated properly and have their depression symptoms alleviated. Ill-effects of Depression will continue to be a burden to some people. As an illness, depression may seem more simple to treat than it actually is. In reality, it takes more than a little cheering up to actually cure or manage depression.
Often, prepeat visits to a cognitive behavior therapist (CBT care) are in order for those who suffer with depression of various kinds (yes, there are several kinds of Depression, not just one type). In many cases, depression must be treated with a combination treatment of behavior adjustments paired with prescribed medications.
Unfortunately, often the medications for depression are expensive, however, a person who doesn't sustain their medication intake will often suffer very miserably for having interrupted the medication benefits of their treatment.
It is often best to treat depression and deal with it head on. Utilizing various treatments will offer the person suffering with symptoms - the greatest degree of relief from symptoms. These might include attention to diet and exercise, utilizing meditation for relaxation and other more natural treatments along with medication. This is not to say that a person should take on more than they are able to mentally or emotionally handle during 'low' times - however, the person should learn to acquire a large and diverse number of tools to deal with this tricky illness.
Depression can easily get in the way of an individual’s daily activities, and his or her usual zest for life can quickly dissipate due to overwhelming depressed feelings. In place of a sunny disposition, those who suffer depression might display marked periods of low self-esteem, irritability and grumpiness, and finally - isolation to the point where one is truly quite separated from the 'normal' functions of the living world - and the person may care less about living anymore.
A depressed individual in this state needs much more than 'a good cheering up.' His or her behavior can also drastically affect loved ones who care about the depressed person. Since others will be affected by a single individual, it is best for friends and loved ones to support the one who is not well - as much as possible. This may mean that friends and family make concerted efforts to learn about depression, how it affects their loved one, and even - how it affects the family and community as a whole. Family and friends may even have to learn healthy ways to go outside the depression situation and make time for themselves away from the depressed person. If nobody ever takes a break from the situation then a high-stress situation, bad for all, can result.
Depression treatment actually starts, for the suffering person - with admission that there is a problem - that he or she is under sway of a serious illness. By being honest with his or herself, it will be a lot easier for others to help and for the individual to feel like he or she can actually receive the help. It's not just a 'bad mood' or a 'moody time' - Depression can be a potentially life-threatening illness if it is ignored too long! Once consensus is firmly established between the depressed person and those involved in his or her immediate vicinity, and once professional treatment is sought out, then the depressed individual has a much higher chance of managing illness, reducing symptoms, and returning to a more healthy existence.
From various medications (like Zoloft antidepressant for depression and anxiety treatment) to all sorts of psychotherapies, once a person acknowledges their sickness, there are an abundance of sources with which to fight depression. Everyone concerned will do well to keep an open mind where treatment is concerned - and feel positive about exploring as many health options as is possible. As well, others should be involved in a helpful way with another person's 'recovery' and management of mental illness, particularly if or when drugs are introduced. During the initial stages of medication treatment, the individual will need others to help monitor how the medication is working so that safe dosages can be realized and so that the person does, in fact, get the right medicine for their condition.
Psychotherapy, a popular type of depression treatment actually includes short-term therapy sessions and usually extends about ten to twenty weeks, depending on progress of the individual. This type of depression treatment actually helps individuals by slowly making them aware of - and able to more freely express their feelings and get closer to the roots of their mood problems. Healthy verbal exchanges between the psychotherapist, behavior adjustments and such - will often result in the depressed client learning how to take part in discussing what they formerly may have been too embarrassed about or too afraid, for some reason, to share. Sometimes the recipient of treatment will learn a great deal about how they react to life's situations - and the goal is for the person to learn to manage situations without turning experiences into something that will feed their sadness, frustration, depression, etc. Psychotherapy can often teach someone suffering mental illness - to deal with depression in a very pro-active, unafraid, empowering way!
Various medications that are available for depression treatment are actually great for helping the depression patient to regulate his or her mood swings, to actually help him or her sleep better and as well as be more pleasant towards others. When used with the type of - or a similar type of empowering mental health treatment, medications can be relatively safe and offer both the depressed person and their family base - a great deal of relief from the often debilitating illness of Depression.
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