1. Should You Take Medication for Anxiety?

    April 9, 2013

    Should You Take Medication for Anxiety?

    by Robert Davies

    Whilst we all experience a touch of anxiousness or stress from time to time, for sufferers of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, anxiety can be crippling. Anxiety can lead to sleep deprivation, fear of social engagement, incapacity at work or physical illness. Psychotherapy provided by a clinical psychologist or psychotherapist is commonly used to treat anxiety yet. in severe cases the medication may be necessary to alleviate anxiety symptoms.

    Certain medications may be useful as a way to contain and improve symptoms of anxiety. Keep in mind that medication does not cure anxiety and that it is used primarily for symptomatic treatment, i.e. to alleviate anxiety symptoms. Ideally medication should be used under the supervision of a psychiatrist or a doctor and in conjunction with counselling.

    Listed below are the types of medication that are normally used to treat severe anxiety or mild depression:

    ANTIDEPRESSANTS

    In addition to supporting sufferers of depression, anti-depressant medication was also found to be effective for the treatment of anxiety. This category of medication includes tricyclic antidepressants, MAOIs and SSRIs, which are the most popular anti-depressant commonly used in the treatment of anxiety.

    Anti-depressants typically take more than 4 weeks to start alleviating the symptoms of anxiety and they must be taken every day. They cannot be taken on an ‘as needed’ basis.

    SSRIs – Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor

    This type of medication increases the amount of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is involved with mood regulation and feelings of well-being. Low levels of this chemical in the brain can cause anxiety and depression.

    Common medications that fall under this category include Celexa, Cipramil, Lexapro, Cipralex, Prozac, Luvox, Paxil, Aropax and Zoloft.

    TRANQUILIZERS

    Tranquillizers are useful for short-term anxiety issues, such as occurs in a person who has a fear of flying. Tranquilizers can be used on a ‘as needed’ basis, for e.g., when you need to fly. Tranquilizers include barbiturates, azapirones and benzodiazepines, which is the type most commonly used for anxiety treatment.

    BENZODIAZEPINES

    Benzodiazepines start to produce an effect very fast, i.e., in about 30 minutes after the intake. The intensity of the effect will depend on the dose and also if the medication was taken on an empty stomach or not.

    These medications work by calming the nervous system. They also produce muscle relaxation.

    The following medications fall within this category: Alprazolam (Xanax), Chlordiazepoxide (Librium), Clonazepam (Klonopin), Diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan).

    BETA-BLOCKERS

    Beta-Blockers are a type of medication used mainly to treat diseases related to the heart and high-blood pressure. Beta-Blockers can alleviate symptoms of anxiety such as shaky hands, sweating and pounding heart. Because of that, it helps anxious people to concentrate better on the task being performed.

    This medication can be used as an aid for social anxiety treatment and also to help with performance anxiety.

    Beta blocker medication that is utilized for anxiety includes Propranolol (Inderal) and Atenolol (Tenormin).

    SIDE-EFFECTS

    Side effects of anxiety medication will vary from person to person and will depend upon the specific medication being taken. Listed below are some common side effects for each different category of medication:

    SSRIs

    • Dry mouth
    • Weight gain or loss
    • Suicidal thoughts
    • Restlessness
    • Aggressiveness
    • Insomnia
    • Drowsiness
    • Nausea

    Benzodiazepines

    • Dizziness
    • Drowsiness
    • Decreased alertness
    • Decreased concentration
    • Slower reaction
    • Slower thinking
    • Paradoxical reactions (aggressiveness, irritability, impulsivity, etc.)

    Beta-Blockers

    • Weakness, dizziness
    • Cold hands and feet
    • Fatigue
    • Dry mouth, eyes, and skin

    It is essential that anxiety medication is only taken with a doctor’s prescription and under supervision of a mental health professional. Consult your doctor if you think that anxiety treatment medication might assist in managing your anxiety.

    Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/xlordashx/861956277

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  2. On Depression: Getting Support when you’re Depressed

    April 7, 2013

    girl with depression

    Image Credit: Sarah G.

    by Zita Weber, Ph.D.

    When you’re depressed, it’s often difficult to face the idea of getting through the day without the support of others.   It’s sometimes also difficult to ask for that support.  But getting that support is crucial if you’re going to go on the journey of healing and finding your way out of the downward spiral.

    Many people describe their depression and their emergence from it as a time for change, an opportunity for growth and healing.  Change, however, can be confusing, sometimes chaotic and often frightening.   Because this process can be so challenging, getting the support you need is important.

    Asking for support

    Perhaps you’re concerned about asking for support.  But remember, you have to give people the chance to say ‘yes’ – so have a look at the tips below for getting the support you need:

    • ask trusted family members and friends to help with specific tasks and ongoing responsibilities
    • if you need to make decisions, ask for the opinions of your trusted support people because when in doubt, it’s good to get the opinions of others you respect in making your choices
    • if you know people who have been on the healing journey from depression, ask them about their experiences and any advice they have to offer
    • ask if a few really trusted support people are available for phone calls and chats – even if it’s into the small hours of the morning
    • if you’re finding work a little challenging, ask your manager if it’s possible to lighten your workload for a while
    • when it’s difficult making major decisions or commitments, ask that they might be deferred until later

    Joining support groups

    The idea of support groups has been around for a long time.  It’s endured because it’s a good idea.  Research evidence tells us that people often benefit by gathering with others going through similar experiences.

    Support groups are an excellent place to share experiences, information, suggestions and as the name suggests, support.  It’s often been said that perhaps the most important knowledge a person can gain from a support group is that they are not alone.  You might hear of an experience similar to yours and get the perspective of several others who may have faced the same challenges and found their way through the healing process.

    Support groups are self-selected and grow around people who care about and are committed to their own healing and sharing the experience with others.  This creates an atmosphere of camaraderie and a commitment to finding a way to create a more empowered sense of self and way of being in the world.

    Today it’s easier than ever to find support groups.  Once, people assembled physically in a place and spent time together face-to-face.  Now, it’s possible to join a support group by going online and it’s still possible to join a real-time, physical support group.  The choices have been widened as have the opportunities to meet with more people whose experiences are similar and have the commitment to helping themselves and others through constructive conversations aimed at helping each other on the journey through healing from depression.

    To read more about support and healing from depression see Losing the 21st Century Blues (http://zitaweber.com/new-releases/losing-the-21st-century-blues)

    Author Bio: Zita Weber, Ph.D. is an author and honorary academic, and has worked as a counselor and therapist with individuals, couples and families.  She has researched and written about communication, relationships, sexuality, depression and loss and grief.  More information about her work and books can be found at:  http://zitaweber.com.

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  3. Kick Teen Depression and Invite Love: How Dance Helps Depressed Teenagers

    February 26, 2013

    kick teen depression

    by Denny Dew

    A dance to raise awareness about teenage depression

    Kick Teen Depression is a group of teenagers. They think that depression in teenagers is a problem deserving much more attention. They gently ask us to get around our reluctance to care about psychological problems and to give these latter some consideration.

    They danced this call for attention last 9th of February 2013. It took place in Conshohocken. It’s a town in the state of Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

    Does it matter that they are American? No, it doesn’t because depression is a psychological problem and human psychology is the same in the USA, in the UK, in Australia and in Brazil. There is only one mankind, as too often we forget.

    Their call for attention is gentle. It’s about inviting love. We all need kindness in a world that attracts our attention so brusquely.

    We also need to listen carefully to their call because it’s about a society deteriorating fast towards an inhuman way of life.

    Why I like this event

    I like to see teens helping each other. It gives hope. Schools set teens against each other, a needlessly competitive society creates conflict. Money and power makes enemies of people who could be friends.

    Helping each other, instead, is healing. It breaks barriers and makes people happy. We all want to be happy despite all the efforts made to divide us.

    I like dance. Dance is life in a culture of death. I like life. We all do. Even if we feel suicidal we actually love life. Suicide is an extreme cry for help that deep down one would like to be heard. One would like to hear that one has a right to live no questions asked, no judgments inflicted. Man has been dancing life for thousands of years.

    I like dance because it’s a very old and powerful way to tell the story of our feelings. It reminds us that our feelings aren’t there to be dissected and judged, but to be lived.

    Dance heals depression. Let’s see how. But first let’s see how teens can help their depressed friends.

    But, can teens help?

    “There is no need of faith in the robot, since there is no life in it either.” This is Erich Fromm speaking loudly about the robotisation of modern life in his book The Art of Loving.

    Adults are deeply conditioned by the pressures of social conformity, and to them robotisation is just routine. It’s like taking coffee in the morning.

    They accept being manipulated by advertising, mass media, companies, ideologies, political parties.

    Teens have a sensibility for authentic human feelings that will be destroyed when they adopt adult insincerity. But, until then, they are still sincere and human. Robotisation happens later. The production-and-consumption machine will make robots of them and replace their true feelings with the ones required for the smooth working of the machine.

    It’s a child who shouts that the emperor has no clothes. Adults don’t dare and even if they dared, they wouldn’t see the naked emperor. They accept the absurdity of modern life as a given.

    Teens have a message and they would like to be listened to, but who really wants to listen to teens knowing that their social role is to become robots? Robots are to be programmed. They aren’t supposed to have something useful to say.

    To tell them what to do, what to learn and what to feel is easy, and there is no need of faith to do it. Just that all humanity is lost in the process.

    How dance helps

    Dance is a therapy for depression because it creates an oasis where teenagers can rest from the pressure to become well-functioning robots.

    When dancing their feelings, teens are in control. They can express themselves freely and their interpretation of rhythm and music is personal and no correction needs to be made.

    While in their daily life teens have to suffer the humiliation of character moulding, in a session of dance therapy they are allowed to live their personality without needing to fake it.

    Dance gives the opportunity to express problematic feelings like fear. When fear is depicted through a dance routine, it becomes less of a problem.

    Dance reminds depressed teens that they are human and can create. Something they can forget at other times because they are carefully and continuously prepared to be used.

    Industrialization wants to control everything, even creativity. In dance therapy depressed teens are reminded that human creativity is an animal that can’t live in captivity.

    A therapy for depression based on dance has an advantage over talking therapy because teens might associate the latter with judgments. Judgments are delivered by talking, not by dancing.

    Every therapy for depression needs a therapist who has trained himself to be non-judgmental. This is important for dance therapy too.

    Dance is a form of art. One of the main elements that are present in every form of art is a truly genuine interest.

    Modern life requires us to fake our interests and have them manipulated or simply ignored. If we have a genuine interest, it will be used by someone else for his own purposes, in which we have no say. This is very depressing. Dance reminds us that the best way to disperse the clouds of depression is to bring into our life the creative inspiration that makes us human. This is how we invite love into our lives.

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  4. What Is A Phobia?

    February 16, 2013

    phobia anxiety

    Image credit: Matt & Nicole Cummings @Flickr

    A phobia is an irrational fear, an aversion, a hatred, or acute anxiety over something, or someone, an activity or a situation; which is a trigger that releases fear in that person. These fearful feelings can be generated by anything that normally does not pose a threat to life, they are usually a response to a mental image of a previous experience encountered, where an incident generated some anxiety and the mind was unable to rationalize the situation.
    At what point does a reasonable amount of anxiety and avoidance become a phobia? Increasing anxiety over apparently safe items indicates a phobia. If the level of anxiety is high and bears no relevance to the degree of danger involved, it is a phobia.
    Many people feel slightly apprehensive when boarding an aircraft, or facing a new situation, or meeting new people, but not to the point of being panic stricken, that avoidance is the only relief.
    The greater the anxiety, the stronger the desire is to avoid what is feared, and the greater the avoidance the more disruption is caused to the person’s life.

    False Beliefs About Phobias

    Madness

    A phobia is not a serious mental illness, nor is it connected to any known physical illness. However painful and distressing your symptoms are, no matter how irrational and inexplicable your phobia and its effects may seem, no matter how dramatic and complete your loss of mental and/or physical control, these are not the first signs of insanity.
    The symptoms do not indicate a ‘nervous breakdown’. The modern view of phobias, which is accepted by the majority of specialists, is supported by a wealth of clinical and research evidence, Phobias are a result of an unfortunate but entirely normal process of learning.

    A Rare and Unique Illness

    Many phobics believe they are suffering from a rare illness, that is little known and nothing can be done, and this belief is endorsed when other people are seen to cope effortlessly with the same things that arouse a phobics’ fears. In fact phobias are very common, studies suggest one person in ten experiences such difficulties at least once in their life. Phobias have been studied for well over a hundred years and a great deal is known about them, effective treatments have been developed, mostly from the field of behavioural psychology.

    A Phobic is Weak-willed Or Stupid

    Sufferers often consider themselves ‘stupid’ or ‘weak’ because they are constantly told that by others. Non-sufferers can be irritable and impatient about the inability of a phobic to do something that most people tackle with ease. Having a phobia has nothing to do with a fault in your character, a weakness or a flaw in your personality. Some of the bravest people are those fighting to free themselves of their fears. People who tell you to ‘pull yourself together’, ‘stop being foolish’ speak with the voice of ignorance about fears and simply do not understand. The distress produced by a phobia can only be understood and appreciated by one who has experienced a phobia.

    Self control and positive thinking

    Telling yourself – or being told to exercise ‘self control’ is not the right kind of positive thinking and will not get rid of the fear. Saying ‘I am not going to feel afraid’ in a situation, without some preparation, is unrealistic positive thinking that will hinder your progress. Positive thinking has to be used in a constructive way and by using simple clear statements that :-

    •     Relate directly to any difficulties you anticipate.
    •     Are realistic about the likely outcome
    •     Must contain practical advice about how the situation can be tackled successfully.

    Example

    I know the situation will be difficult but I will be able to deal with it by concentrating on my breathing.
    The situation may make me feel tense but I shall be able to cope if I practice relaxing my muscles.
    Saying such positive statements and adding your own coping strategy will help :-

    •     I may find this difficult but I shall cope more easily if I remember to….
    •     The situation may be tricky to handle at times, but it will prove less difficult if I….
    •     I might find it slightly harder to cope, but I will keep my anxiety under control, if I study the surroundings in detail.
    •     Carrying out this task might make me nervous, but I will manage if I….

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  5. Stress, Anxiety, Depression And Other Triggers For Relapse

    February 10, 2013

    anxiety showsby Ken Selev

    In this fast paced world, how does one cope?  Some people dive deeper into work, some people bury themselves in familial responsibilities, some pick up new hobbies, others find relief in solitude, still others have life-long defense mechanisms and habits to fall back on. In some cases these may include habitual behaviors that are triggered by stress, anxiety, worry, pressure, depression, grief, and many other emotions. In some cases dealing with emotions can become too much.

    On the spectrum of addiction there are countless factors, reasons and situations that can affect the way a person sees and interacts with the world.  For the well-adjusted person that does not have any addictive tendencies they might be able to brush off a hard day, week, month or even year. In the case of someone slightly more sensitive or at the very least more affected – he or she might not be able to bounce back.  One setback could lead to another and another and all of a sudden things are looking and feeling hopeless.  Instead of seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, there is no light, no hope and nothing left to do.

    Here is where an intervention comes in. An intervention is the light at the end of the tunnel. It is hope and it can succeed where all else has failed. A professional intervention uses the expertise of someone with thousands of hours of training and experience and the power of love and compassion from family members and friends in order to help someone that feels like there is no more hope. Family interventions can end up saving someone who has lost their life to addiction. Seeing people who have loved and cared for them for their entire life can help clear an addict’s judgement that has been clouded due to their substance abuse.

    The first step is to call an intervention specialist and learn how an intervention can work for you. After this initial call you will have time to review the possibilities with friends and family and decide where, when and with whom the best possible intervention can take place. Having a solid game plan going into the intervention in conjunction with mentorship from a professionals can make a huge difference. The intervention team works as extra support and sees you all the way through from the initial phone call all the way into aftercare.

     

    Interventionsit Ken Seeley is the founder and creator of Intervention 911 a company offering family interventions, executive interventions and personal interventions

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