1. How to Beat Depression… with Diet

    August 24, 2013

    beat depression

    Depression is a common problem though its severity and symptoms do vary. Unlike occasional sadness that we all feel from time to time, depression is a chronic issue that claims around 850,000 lives each year. There are different types of depression including:

    Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – A disorder that only affects people at certain times of he year, most notably around the winter months with a kind of ‘cabin fever,’ where you may find yourself feeling more sad than normal.

     

    Postpartum Depression – A type of depression that occurs within women that have recently given birth. This form of depression can be a result of powerful emotions that can lead to psychotic episodes.

     

    Bipolar Disorder – This affects 3 out of every 100 adults and can occur when the chemicals in your brain are not balanced.

     

    How to spot the signs of depression?

     

    There are ways to spot if you or a loved one are depressed, here are a few of the telltale signs:

     

    • Constantly feeling sad, irritable or tense
    • Lack of interest in the usual hobbies
    • A lack of energy
    • Changes in appetite, with either weight loss or gain
    • A change in sleeping patterns
    • A lack of concentration
    • Feelings of worthlessness
    • Thoughts of suicide and death

     

    If you experience any of these thoughts for an extended period of time then it is important that you  talk to clinical psychologist or psychotherapist, if left untreated depression gets much worse. Remember that depression is not always just a state of mind, often there are other factors too including hormone or chemical imbalances. I know that there is a social stigma surrounding depression and that it may feel easier to bottle up your feelings but this will not help in the long run.

     

    Could your diet help?

     

    Although depression is not always caused by one issue your diet can help you to take a step in the right direction. A lack of certain vitamins, nutrients and fatty acids can contribute to depression so it is important that you try to eat a healthy balanced diet, while avoiding any unnatural and processed food choices.

    Here are a few food options that could help to improve your mood:

     

    An omelet

    Eggs contain important B vitamins that have been shown to help lessen the severity of depression. Vitamins B-6 and B-12 are particularly important as they can improve neural function, meaning your moods can be improved.

    Eggs also contain protein so can help keep you full for longer and can stabilize blood sugar levels meaning you wont experience those sugar highs and lows associated with high sugar foods.

     

    Nuts and seeds

    Both nuts and seeds contain magnesium that can naturally increase your production of serotonin, a chemical that helps you to feel good. They are the perfect alternative to traditional snacks as long as you stick to the unsalted and unsweetened versions.

     

    Cold water fish

    Cold water fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel are full of omega-3 fatty acids that can help increase the amount of grey matter in your brain. These fatty acids are an essential material for our brain. Those with severe depression have been noted as having less grey matter than others. Again fish is a good source of protein, so the usual benefits of protein can be experienced. It is unlikely that you can enough enough fish to get sufficient amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, you will likely need to take supplements as well. In case of depression you need supplements with high EPA-to-DHA ratio.

     

    Ancient grains

    Grains such as quinoa and barley are less likely to be processed and refined with sugar so will not be digested as quickly as those refined with wheat flour and sugar. This will stop any blood sugar spikes and subsequent drop that can result in fatigue, food cravings and mood swings.

     

    Green tea

    In most green tea varieties you will find the amino acid L-theanine that has been shown in EEG tests to stimulate alpha brain waves, which can help to improve your focus and have a calming effect on your body.

     

    In conclusion

     

    Depression is a serious condition and if you suffer from it then you should speak to a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, or psychotherapist. A healthy diet can help, but it can only supplement psychotherapy.

     

    Author Bio: Jac Jenkins is a stay at home Mom passionate about health and fitness. She writes about diets such as the Fasting Diet at her own blog.

    Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/abstrato/418493178

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  2. 5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Mental Outlook

    August 20, 2013

    Improve Your Mental Outlook
    When we think of ways to improve our overall wellness we tend to think of big projects that tackle big issues head on. That kind of thinking is far to often a symptom of the problem, not a path to a cure. A healthy physical and mental outlook is based on a landscape we exist in, not a destination to achieve. I’ve come up with a short list of simple activities you can add to your routine that, over time, will alleviate stress and tension and help you build wells of positive mental and physical energy to rely on.

    Do Something With Your Own Hands

    For most of us hand eye coordination and dexterity are useful only in the context of operating our digital devices: computers, tablets, mobiles. Your hands aren’t made just for accessing more data and downloading your brain into an overheated frenzy. When is the last time you shaped wet clay, carved a piece of wood, kneaded dough? The interplay between hands and mind that only occurs from doing small jobs like this satisfies your mind and relaxes your body. Whether it’s making a birdhouse, preparing a meal to share, or just giving a tired friend a thorough back rub you will gain mental energy by performing simple tasks with your hands.

    Do Low Impact Exercise

    Our culture is geared to celebrate high impact exercise. TV Infomercials compete against each other to claim their program is harder, sweatier, and more extreme. Sometimes training for a marathon or getting buff is just what you want and need, but these high impact programs can be extremely stressful and require imposing aggressive forms of self discipline to complete. They are a great way to get ripped, but not always a great way to become more relaxed and happy. Take a slow, relaxing evening walk, or slow bike ride on a quiet road. If you have a place to swim find time to just splash around a little. No laps, no grind, no constant focus on goals and improvement. You’ll be surprised at how much improvement you get from less stressful forms of exercise, and the relaxation you gain will in turn help make you physically more fit.

    Perform Manual Labor

    Most of us spend our lives trying to find ways to eliminate manual labor from the equation. The problem is, sometimes we are too successful and we cut ourselves off from any form of work that isn’t intellectually focused. Working with your mind is great, but frequently involves long processes with difficult to measure results. When is the last time you cut your own grass, or picked up trash from a public space, or planted a garden? You don’t need to break your back, just find something simple that fits into your time schedule and work at it. Unlike massive work projects that can bog you down for months without verifiable results when you mow a lawn or weed a garden you have the immediate satisfaction of seeing a job well done. This can be a great way to build positive relationships too: do you know any elderly people who could use help maintaining their yard? A space that could be improved for local children to play in? And besides, who would turn down a basket of fresh picked vegetables from your garden?

    Play a Musical Instrument

    Before the invention of TV and Radio almost everyone in the US and Europe played a musical instrument for entertainment. We have gotten away from that, and now rely on unsatisfying time filler activities instead. There are parts of your mind and spirit that are atrophying away when you don’t express them, and actually making music, however simply, is a world apart from passively listening. You can buy beginners instruments fairly cheaply, and free lessons are available all over the net. Pick up a guitar, or recorder, or small bongo drum and dedicate some time into learning the basics. You will get to the point of playing along with favorite songs before you know it, and you will find that you always feel a little happier and more positive after a half hour of making music.

    Write Something

    Writing is one of the most popular forms of personal expression there is. There are lot’s of free blogger sites on the web, pick one and open a blog. Write in it at least weekly. Here’s the catch: most people will tell you writing is all about expressing yourself, or releasing inner thoughts and feelings, and you should just write whatever you want and let the muse take you where it will. That may help you and if you enjoy this please continue in your way. I recommend a little different approach though. Write with a little self discipline. Make sure that everything you write has enough of a plan to include two basic things: a format where you have a clear beginning, middle and end is one. A simple message, or point you are making is the other. Using this approach will force you to do one simple thing every time you write: organize your thoughts. Organizing your thoughts is difficult, and it takes practice, and the goal of writing like this often is to give you that practice. If you think of the people you know who are the calmest, happiest individuals who exude a sense of peace around them they will all tend to have very organized thoughts. No jumbled up nervous tension from them, just simplicity and peace. Using writing to practice this mental sorting and indexing of thoughts will give you a tool you can use to build an island of mental peace around yourself at all times.

    Image Credit: Mark Sebastian – www.flickr.com/photos/markjsebastian/4686167305

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  3. How to overcome midlife depression?

    August 11, 2013

    midlife depression

    by Emma Brown

    Aging is one of the most dreaded realities of human life, which makes each one of us cringe and whine with unease. It is a bitter truth that can be evaded by no one in the world and needs to be handled with care. Though aging is an ineluctable process that hits people after a certain age, midlife depression can wreck havoc in lives of most people during their prime years.

    Ideally, aging should be accompanied with the realization of many beautiful facts of life that make you feel content and happy from inside. In reality however, aging brings about a totally different picture in front of us.

    Often during our midlife, we face situations where we easily feel depressed and are unable to handle extreme pressures. Midlife crisis can hit anybody and can be one of the most painful things to handle. A major reason for this midlife crisis is the hormonal imbalance faced by most people during this time. Additionally, your changing appearances and slow metabolism along with lower levels of endurance can worsen the problem and make you more whiny!

    Symptoms:

    Some of the major symptoms of midlife depression often go overlooked, so it is imperative to be well-acquainted with these in advance. Some common symptoms of this depressing phase include:

    • Sadness, emptiness, and anxiety.
    • Sleeping disorder, waking up very early, facing problem to sleep, or excessive sleep.
    • Isolation, losing interest, social withdrawal from meet friends, parties etcetera.
    • Fatigue
    • Loss of self worth, feeling guilty unnecessarily, feeling helpless and hopeless.
    • Losing interest in hobbies and other pastimes.
    • Loss of appetite and weight.
    • Excessive intake of alcohol and drugs
    • Fixation on death, suicidal attempts
    • Body aches and pain that do not go way even after treatment.
    • Crying too often or too much.

    This is kind of chronic depression is recurrent and persistent. Chronic depression has impact on both the physical and mental health of an older adult and may worsen due to many new factors. Aging causes changes in body that increase risks of depression. Reduced concentration of foliate in blood and nervous system may contribute to depression, impairment and dementia. Researchers suspect that mid-life depression and Alzheimer’s disease are also closely related.

    Causes can be many, but ultimately depression has very alarming physical effect on elder people. Mortality rate in elderly people having depression issues is more than those who don’t. It is evident and is noticed several times that people suffering from cardiovascular diseases and other illnesses along with depression take more time to recover than the rest.

    How to tackle midlife depression?

    The loving care and assistance of a loved one often reduces the pain of midlife crisis. Due to increased complications in human lives, basic aging problems have evolved from skin aging concerns to health, physiological and psychological woes as well. Now a days, an effective anti-wrinkle cream alone is not sufficient to deal with this complicated problem. We need advanced solutions and proper medical care to deal with depressing midlife problems.

    It is strongly recommended to deal with midlife crisis as a medical condition and take requisite steps to relieve yourself or your loved ones from this taxing situation. Here’s a brief lowdown on different ways to deal with midlife crisis:

    • Feel beautiful about yourself: Midlife often hits your confidence really bad, and makes you feel awful about yourself. It is time to find more ways to look good and feel good about yourself. You can always take out time for treating yourself to good clothes, cosmetics and other aesthetics. You can workout and feel better, by toning your body.
    • Pursue your hobbies: Retirement or midlife means no desinence of youth, but a new beginning. It is indicative of finding a new way of life by seeking solace in something you love to do. You can finally look out and encourage others to pursue their favorite hobbies and do things they love. Many people have discovered newer talents and honed their skills during the testing midlife period.
    • Be more health-centered: Midlife is accompanied by many health disorders that need attention. It is better to place importance on health issues and develop some healthful new habits. Try adopting some of the following:

    1. Healthy eating– You would have tried almost every delicacy in the world by now, so its time to resort to some ideal eating habits. Your old ‘hamburgers and cheese’ habits should now be replaced by ‘Green tea and fresh fruits’.

    2. Quit smoking- Research has shown that people who smoke often end up aging early. Prolonged smoking and binge drinking can result in health issues, which is not advisable during this age.

    3. Exercise- If you’ve been procrastinating exercise for quite a long time, its time to stop now! Regular exercise is essential for good health and well-being. Try to take out time for fitness and exercise regularly.

    • Socialize: Find time to spend with people you love and stay happy. It will surely help you evade most midlife problems. A smile is all it takes to deal with some of the most complicated problems of human life. Smile, socialize and stylize your wardrobe to stay happy and bid adieu to all your aging-related worries.
    • Take proper advice from your family doctors or established medical practitioners who have expertize in dealing with midlife crisis. They can help you ascertain whether the depression is triggered by some health problems, or due to any other factor. You may have to take medications or change the old ones if required. Medical practitioners can assess the extremity of the condition and accordingly take further steps. There are specialized professional psychiatrists called geriatric psychiatrists who treat people afflicted with such psychological problems during midlife.
    • If its not you but someone else who needs care, give them proper time and heal them with loving words and proper care.  If you think something is bothering them, make it a point to gently ask them and devise different ways to make them happy.

    There is no greater miracle than positive thinking and strong will. When these two combine with the right intention, you can observe some of the most beautiful miracles in the world. Use these tools to your advantage and make anyone feel at peace. Happiness is after all, an outcome of good intentions of making others happy.

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  4. Five Depression Self Help Strategies

    May 30, 2013

    depression self help

    by Dr. Ralph Bieg

    There are a number of effective depression self help strategies. These strategies can be especially beneficial when used in combination with psychotherapy.

    1) Monitor your self talk (and learn to talk back). No big surprise – depressed people think a lot of negative thoughts. They put themselves down, are critical of others, expect the worse, overgeneralize, and lack hope for a brighter future.  These self-defeating thoughts lead to self-defeating behaviour (Like not even applying for a job that you are qualified for, because you’ve convinced yourself they won’t hire you.)

    When you experience a negative emotion, that negative feeling was preceded and caused by a negative thought.  So if you’re feeling, depressed, anxious, hopeless, guilty, etc. – STOP – and examine your thoughts. You can train yourself to recognize negative thoughts, challenge them, reframe them, put them in perspective, replace them with something neutral (or better yet, positive), or just reject them. Read a good article on how to challenge negative talk by Ben Martin, PSY.D. here. Another useful therapeutic approach is to alleviate negative thoughts using repetition. This approach is described in the article “Handling Negative Thoughts by Repetition” by Tali Shenfield, PSY.D – read it here.

    You can also be affected by other’s negativity. Avoid, or at least limit contact with, the complainers and “Debbie Downers” who see the world as out to get them and their glass as half empty. As much as possible, hang out with happy, optimistic people who see the best in and encourage you.

    2) Keep a gratitude journal, a simple notebook in which you write down at least five things you are grateful for each day, even if it is as inconsequential as your first morning cup of hot coffee. As Christine Kane explained so well in her online article Gratitude Journals and Why They Work, “This is not about living in denial or being phony. What it is about is refining your focus. In other words, I encourage the sensitive and bright people in the world to refocus their sensitivity so that they are sensitive to the joy and the good things in their lives, and not just to how bad and painful things feel to them.”

    3) Take a natural remedy – Consult with a alternative health practitioner or natural health store about natural remedies such as 5-HTP, SAMe, and St. John’s wort:

    • 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) is an amino acid that occurs naturally in the body. The body uses the amino acid tryptophan to make 5-HTP, which it then turns into the neurotransmitter serotonin. Unlike serotonin, 5-HTP can cross the blood/brain barrier, accessing the brain from the bloodstream.

    It is also a precursor of the “sleep hormone” melatonin. Serotonin plays a role in mood, appetite, and sleep, and 5-HTP is sold over the counter in many countries as a dietary supplement to treat depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, binge eating and fibromyalgia.

    5-HTP is sourced from the seeds of the West African shrub griffonia simplicifolia. Do NOT take 5-HTP if you are taking a prescription anti-depressant. Both 5-HTP and antidepressants increase the levels of serotonin in the body. Too much serotonin can result in a dangerous condition called serotonin syndrome.

    • SAMe (S-adenosyl methionine) is another naturally occurring substance found throughout the body, and in high concentrations in the brain. It too can cross the blood/brain barrier, and affects the metabolism of neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine. It also influences hormones.

    While clinical studies have shown that SAMe is effective in alleviating depression, scientists aren’t sure why. It’s speculated that it facilitates synthesis of the same neurotransmitters that anti-depressants act on. It has long been used as a prescription depression medication in Europe.

    According to an editorial by Dr. J. Craig Nelson in the American Journal of Psychiatry, “Low levels of SAMe have been reported in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of severely depressed patients. Oral and parenteral administration of SAMe result in a rise in CSF SAMe concentrations, indicating the compound crosses the blood-brain barrier. An increase in SAMe levels has been positively correlated with improvement in depression. SAMe concentrations also appear to rise in patients who respond to other antidepressants such as desipramine. SAMe is produced in the one-carbon cycle involving folate, homocysteine, and vitamin B12, and abnormalities of each of these compounds has been associated with depression. ”

    “In short, the hypothesis is that abnormalities in the one-carbon cycle may result in low concentrations of SAMe that in turn may limit the synthesis of brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. This may directly contribute to depressive symptoms or interfere with or limit the action of other antidepressants. Administration of SAMe may ameliorate these deficiencies or augment antidepressants and facilitate neurotransmission.”

    Whatever the mechanism, SAMe works to alleviate depression faster than prescription drugs and other alternative therapies, sometimes within a week.

    • St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum) was one of the earliest popular natural remedies for depression, and is the most studied. It has consistently been shown to work as well as, or better than, prescription antidepressants for mild to moderate depression. The plant may prevent nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing some chemical messengers involved in mood, including dopamine and serotonin. St John’s Wort is a stimulant, and may not be the best choice of natural antidepressant for those who experience anxiety.

    Taking St. John’s wort can weaken many prescription medicines, including antidepressants, birth control pills, and some HIV, cancer and heart medications, so make sure your health care provider is aware of every natural remedy and prescription medication that you are taking.

     

    4) Light therapy – If your depression typically occurs in the late fall and winter, it may be seasonal effective disorder (SAD), linked to a lack of sunshine. SAD may respond to a light therapy box, also known as a light box, bright light therapy box or a phototherapy box. Light therapy boxes mimic outdoor light.

    According to the Mayo Clinic, researchers believe this type of light causes a chemical change in the brain that lifts your mood, and eases other symptoms of SAD. Most people use light boxes for at least 30 minutes every morning.

    5) Emotional freedom techniques, or EFT, is described by founder Gary Craig as “an emotional version of acupuncture, except we don’t use needles. Instead, we use a simple two-pronged process wherein we (1) mentally ‘tune in’ to specific issues while (2) stimulating certain meridian points on the body by tapping on them with our fingertips. Properly done, EFT appears to balance disturbances in the meridian system and thus often reduces the conventional therapy procedures from months or years down to minutes or hours.”

    While the fastest results are likely achieved with a trained therapist, EFT can be learned and practiced on one’s own. Craig has released his work into the public domain, and free tutorials can be downloaded from his website, www.emofree.com.

    While serious and long lasting depression should always be reported to and evaluated by your doctor or a mental health professional, mild or moderate depression will likely respond to a combination of these depression self-help techniques. They can also be used along with therapy and/or prescription medication (but don’t take the natural remedies along with anti-depressants) for more serious and deep-seated depression.

    Consistent use of self help methods like positive self talk, a gratitude journal and Emotional Freedom Techniques will result in lasting change in how you think about and experience life, lessening your chances of experiencing future depression.

    Finally, But first, don’t ignore these obvious and often repeated basic self-help advice for depression, including:

    • Getting enough sleep.
    • Eating a healthy diet (lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grains).
    • Meditating, or practicing relaxation.
    • Avoiding “self medicating” with alcohol, recreational drugs, and/or food.
    • Exercising – even if it’s just a couple of 10-minute walks a day.

    With this foundation, you will have much more success in your fight with depression.

    Image Credit: Daniel Horacio Agostini 

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  5. How To Deal With Depression Associated With Eating Disorders.

    May 23, 2013

    Eating disorder and depression

    by Jared Friedman

    Millions of men and women struggle with eating disorders everyday. When a person’s relationship with food and his or her body has gotten out of control, and the individual can no longer maintain a healthy body weight, depression can be a very real part of the equation.

    Lisa Lilenfeld, PhD, an associate professor of clinical psychology at Argosy University in Arlington, Virginia who specializes in eating disorders, states that, “Being severely underweight and malnourished, which is common in anorexia, can cause physiological changes that are known to negatively affect mood states.”

    Eating Disorder Emotional Trauma 

    Ira M. Sacker, MD, an eating disorders specialist at Langone Medical Center at New York University and author of the book, Regaining Your Self: Understanding and Conquering the Eating Disorder Identity, adds that, “People who develop eating disorders feel as people that they’re not good enough. They become obsessed with perfectionism. That perfectionism begins to focus on what they eat. But underlying it is depression and anxiety. Often, these patients have suffered a lot of emotional trauma.”

    Many professionals in the mental health field believe that symptoms of depression can lead a person to eating disorder behaviors, and eating disorder behaviors can cause someone to experience symptoms of depression. These aspects of the two disorders makes the combination difficult to treat. However, there are ways to deal with depression associated with eating disorders

    Depression And Eating Disorders

    Depression in people with eating disorders typically has its own unique features, and therefore needs to be treated individually, case by case, especially when depression is a part of the person’s story. Dual diagnosis treatment is available. Various mental health rehab facilities specialize in the concurrent treatment of the symptoms of two diagnosed disorders. While you, or your loved one, is receiving guided asssistance for an eating disorder, the symptoms of depression are also being treated.

    With a persoanlized treatment plan for each client, these dual diagnosis programs focus on the unique set of needs presented when one person suffers from an eating disorder and depression.

    Identify The Disorders 

    The first step is to identify the two co-occurring disorders. The following symptoms can help guide you toward what eating disorder you, or someone you love, is dealing with, and whether or not depression is also present.

    The three main categories of eating disorders are:

    Anorexia nervosa:

    • Identified by weight loss generally due to an excessive need to diet and exercise.
    • Starvation, marked by an extremely unhealthy body weight, is a sure sign of anorexia.
    • The inability to ever feel thin enough, and the continuation of seeing oneself as overweight even when at an unhealthily low body weight, signals anorexia.

    Bulimia nervosa:

    • Signaled by a person’s repeated cycle of binging, or extreme overeating, followed by purging, or self-induced vomiting to ride the system of everything just eaten.
    • Behaviors, such as over-exercising, are used to compensate for overeating.
    • Feelings of guilt and loss of control over eating also signal bulimia

    Binge eating disorder:

    • Characterized by regular episodes of binge overeating and feelings of loss of control about eating.
    • An inability to not eat large amounts of food, even when the person does not want to eat that much.

    Once you have determined which category of eating disorder is most appropriate for your behaviors, is depression also a part of your pain? 

    According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the most common symptoms of depression are:

    • Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
    • Fatigue and decreased energy
    • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
    • Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
    • Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
    • Irritability, restlessness
    • Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
    • Overeating or appetite loss
    • Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment
    • Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” feelings
    • Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts


    If you feel that both diagnoses apply to you, contact a local treatment center for an assessment. You don’t have to live like this any longer. Help yourself, or a loved one, start on the road to recovery from an eating disorder and depression.

    Image Credit: Eidur Kappler

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  6. Six Tips for Depression Self Help

    May 21, 2013

    depression self-help

    We all get depressed at some point in our lives. We also know how difficult it is to do our tasks when we’re feeling down. Even simple things like cleaning the house, taking a shower, eating, or getting out of bed can be mentally and physically taxing even for strong-willed individuals. Most people deal with depression in a negative way, some will find ways to escape, some will blame other people for their woes, while others wouldn’t even acknowledge their woes. The easy way out of depression is to run to psychiatrist and ask for medication. Healthier option is to go to psychologist or therapist and sign up for psychotherapy e.g.  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.  But what about depression self help? Can you pull yourself out of depression without medication?

    Motivation is the key to get back to living your life and feeling better when you are feeling helpless. I know that this can be the last thing on your mind when you’re down, but there are some tricks you can do to get your groove back. Here are six ways to stay motivated during the bad times:

    Don’t be too hard on yourself

    It will take time before you feel like your old self again. You need to be patient before you can get things back under control. Changes don’t happen overnight, don’t feel bad if you commit mistakes or fall short of your goals. In many cases, you are your number one critic, so be more forgiving. Give yourself a pat on the back even for simple accomplishments.

    Write your plans on paper

    In order to get out of your funk, you need to remind yourself that everything will be alright. Get back on track by writing your plan down. When you put everything down on a piece of paper, you are indirectly reassuring your subconscious mind that you’ll do something about your situation, helping you overcome your depression. Be detailed about your plans and include a time table so you can track your progress easily.

    Be realistic

    Don’t go overboard when writing down your goals. Setting lofty goals is one way to set yourself up for failure, leading to more frustration and depression. Start with simple changes you know you can achieve and work your way up from there. Achieving your goals gives you a sense of accomplishment which you can build on. Being realistic is like taking baby steps towards achieving your goals.

    Get up and start moving

    When you’re feeling bad, it seems like staying in bed all day is all you can do. Being sedentary will only sink you further down into depression. Don’t make any excuses and just start an exercise routine. If you have been inactive for too long, you can start by walking around your neighborhood for thirty minutes each day. You’ll find that exercise builds on itself, so you can increase intensity over time. Staying active will not only help get you in shape, but is also an excellent way to make you feel good. It promotes the release of endorphins, a neurotransmitter that elevates mood and reduces anxiety.

    Find someone to talk to

    We naturally withdraw from the outside world when we’re depressed. Being alone isn’t the best or the easiest way to deal with your dilemma. Go out of your way and seek help from family and friends. There are lots of people who are always willing to lend a helping hand during your time of need. Finding inspiration in others can help get you back on your feet. If you are having problems with seeing other people face to face, you can always start with e-mails and phone calls; the important thing is you are talking to someone. You can also try calling help lines if you don’t know anyone to talk to about your problem.

    Start working on a project

    Working on something unrelated to your problems is a great way to get your mind of things that bother you the most. This could be your best therapy. Work on something that interests you to help keep your mind off of depression and give yourself a treat when you’re done. You can learn how to play an instrument, a new language, or anything that gets your creative juice flowing.  Try different things and practice whatever works as your personal depression self help.

    Getting out of depression may be challenging, but with a little planning and progress you can find that silver lining once again. Just hang in there and know that you are bigger than your problems; you’ll be back to your old self sooner than you think. The sun will be shining again.

    This article was prepared by Simon Bukai who owns and operates Vista Health Solutions, a health insurance marketplace. Vista Health Solutions provides helpful advice and valuable insight to consumers looking for the best health insurance solution.

     Image Credit: Julien

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  7. 5 Ways To Fight Off Winter Depression

    April 23, 2013

    winter depression

    Image Credit: Marina

    by Nancy Woo

     

    With winter in full swing, and for approximately 5% of the U.S. population, so too is winter depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The acronym is ironically appropriate, as seasonal affective disorder can drastically shift a person’s mood, appetite and energy levels during certain times of the year, usually winter. Symptoms may include becoming uncharacteristically lethargic, fatigued, depressed, anxious, withdrawn, irritable or hopeless. You may sleep more, care less about work, relationships or health, experience decreased sex drive, isolate yourself from friends and family, and crave carbohydrates and gain weight. Though seasonal mood changes can occur during the summer, SAD is generally used to describe the period beginning in late autumn and ending in early spring; during this time, sufferers experience an extreme form of “winter blues.” SAD is a subtype of major depressive disorder.

    So, you’ve noticed yourself getting more depressed during the winter. Some theories attribute SAD to the lack of light available during winter months, especially in northern regions. Women tend to be more prone to SAD, and some hypothesize it is to curb reproductive urges during the hibernation period. Whatever the cause of major winter blues, it can really drain the color from life for a significant portion of the year. The good news is that after becoming aware of the condition, you can definitely take steps to alleviate symptoms.

    Here are 5 ways to fight off those ugly winter blues:

    1. Light therapy

    Because the winter has shorter days and less sunlight, most theories pinpoint this lack of light as a major cause of SAD. Investing in some sort of light therapy can be very helpful in keeping mood levels stable. Light boxes that intentionally mimic the sun’s UV rays are available in some specialty stores and online. Using this light for 30 minutes a day, preferably in the morning to mimic sunrise, has been shown to stabilize mood in 3-4 weeks when started in early autumn. Talk to a health professional before beginning light therapy.

    2. Take Vitamin D Supplements

    With a lack of sunlight also goes a lack of vitamin D, a very important mineral used to produce seratonin, the “happy” hormone. Sunlight naturally carries vitamin D, which we absorb through the skin, so losing that regular amount may account for depressed mood. Drinking a lot of milk rich in vitamin D and taking vitamin D supplements during the winter can help offset the environmental change.

    3. Exercise

    For all types of depressive disorders, exercise has been proven over and over again to be one of the most important factors to recovery. Exercising regularly releases important neurotransmitters such as seratonin and dopamine, those hormones responsible for feelings of happiness and joy. Exercise is a wonderful stress reducer; keeping the body healthy directly translates to keeping the mind healthy, too. The only obstacle to overcome during the winter is finding the motivation to go out and actually do it, but keep in mind how much better you will feel with regular exercise, and have the strength of willpower to brave the elements and get your body moving. Moderate to strenuous exercise 3-4 times per week is recommended.

    4. Counseling and/or Support Groups

    Coming down with a case of the winter blues, which may include losing interest in normal activities and feeling suddenly hopeless and tired all the time, can be extremely confusing and disorienting. SAD can compound other depressive factors, too, so seeking therapy from a psychologist can do wonders to help sift through the reasons behind the mood changes, and help provide concrete behavioral changes that can improve quality of life. For any type of depression, simply talking about the feelings can start to relieve the misery, and a psychologist can provide valuable insight on your mind. If you can’t afford psychotherapy, find a support group near you, or confide in a close friend who will understand. Isolating yourself is one of the worst things to do when suffering from depression, seasonal or not, so get yourself out there and don’t be afraid that other people will judge you; you may be surprised to find how many sympathizers there are, as long as you are actively seeking solutions.

    5.  Consider Antidepressants

    If seasonal affective disorder has taken over your life and you’ve tried all over methods of relief, it may be time to consider taking prescribed medication to manage symptoms. Of course, you will need to discuss this option with your healthcare professional before making any decisions, but it may be worth trying if you feel suicidal or seriously impacted in your day to day life and nothing else has worked. A pharmacy technician can fill your doctor’s prescription for you. Sometimes chemicals in the brain are simply out of order, and medicine can help rebalance them.

     

    Other general ways of combating the symptoms of SAD include maintaining (even if you don’t feel like it) a healthy lifestyle, including a nutritious diet and good sleep habits. Stay social! Oftentimes, hanging out with friends and family can serve to lift your mood, even if at first you feel like you’d rather curl up in bed and go to sleep. Staying active and doing your normal activities even when depressed can help you feel better; going through the motions often leads to eventually feeling normal again. Do the things that you know make you happy, and appreciate the little positive moments in life rather than dwelling on the bad ones. The key to beating the winter blues is to first acknowledge your seasonal shift in mood, and then commit yourself to taking action to stay healthy and mentally stable even during the dark times!

    Nancy Woo is a writer from southern California who is fascinated by how the brain works. You can follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/fancifulnance.

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