Stress has always been a part of our existence. To some, stress is always caused by events like death of a loved one or a failed relationship, a catastrophic event or a traumatic experience; but it’s more than that. What causes stress is a combination of different things.
Stress is our body’s reaction to an apparent danger or difficulty. The signs of stress may go unnoticed first but as these signs pile-up, they begin to show symptoms that are detrimental to our health and affect one’s quality of life and a person with severe stress and depression is already on a brink of a greater peril.
What causes stress? Stress can be caused by positive events in our lives like a wedding or the arrival of a baby. These events require plenty of preparation and the anticipation of these events can cause stress. It can also originate from frequent events like the daily hassles of traffic or dealing with our bosses and clients. Occasional events like exams or submission of reports can also be causes of stress. Negative events are major culprits in the occurrence of stress – death of a loved one, losing a job, accidents and natural disasters like earthquakes are contributory factors.
The signs of stress can come in the form of inability to sleep, lack of appetite (or its polar opposite of eating too much), exhaustion, high blood pressure and even backaches, muscle pain, nausea, diarrhea, migraine, headaches and palpitations. Psychological signs may include anxiety, anger, uneasiness, unhappiness, irritability, pessimism and even nightmares. Because of its great impact, stress can lead to more serious problems like drug addiction, alcohol addiction and even depression.
Pathological sadness is one by-product of negative events. Stress and depression is a combination that SHOULD NOT go out of hand. It is normal to experience stress because it has become a staple of daily living; sadness is also a constant presence in our lives but an unsuccessful management of these two leads to serious trouble. Depression can be influenced by genetic predisposition, meaning that this illness can be inherited, which is not a good thing at all because if depression runs in the family, an individual who is experiencing a stressful (or traumatic) event is more likely to develop clinical depression.
A clinically depressed person may start believing that he is worthless, one whom nobody loves or treasures, he may also feel exhausted and agitated, may begin losing sleep, and may show physical symptoms. Depression can also lead to suicide due to the constant sadness that is no longer reasonable by anyone’s standards. This is a possibility that we should keep in mind when someone that we know may be experiencing stress and depression.
Combating stress and depression is not always difficult, even the simplest things can help in mitigating these two. Some tips include:
So now that you know this, never let yourself be a slave to stress and depression again. Ever.
Anxiety can be a minor or major issue for people of all ages. No matter how slight or severe the case is, it is still important to understand anxiety to be able to deal with it more effectively. Anxiety attack symptoms in women widely varies and, most of the time, these symptoms are attributed with other illnesses and are not treated immediately. If you have a history of anxiety attacks, it is best that you inform you doctor as soon as possible. If you are not yet sure, here is a short article to help you learn more about the anxiety attack symptoms in women.
Like what was stated above, the symptoms of anxiety attacks vary widely not only in women but also for both genders. However, there are two categories that best characterizes these symptoms: physical symptoms and psychological symptoms. Before going through the symptoms, you must remember that an individual experiencing anxiety attack does not need to experience all of the stated symptoms to be able to say that he or she has experienced anxiety attack. Feeling one symptom is enough as long as you are sure that it is caused by anxiety.
Anxiety attacks happen when a person did not handle anxiety well. Everyone experiences anxiety but each person deal with it differently. People who succumb to anxiety may experience panic attack. Here are the different anxiety symptoms in women for both body and mind:
- Increased in heart rate and palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Pain in the abdominal and chest area
- Indigestion
- Perspiration and shivers
- Nausea
- Pain in the muscles
- Numbness on extremities
- Dizziness and headaches
- Increase in blood pressure
- Fatigue and insomnia
- Sudden change in appetite
- Anticipates failure in everything
- Helplessness
- Increased and irrational fear
- Detachment with self and other people
- Inability to focus on anything
- Constant worrying
- Always tense and tends to be aggressive and irritable
The severity of both the physical and psychological symptoms can vary from slight to extreme. This depends on the person’s frame of mind, the gravity of the situation, and the person’s level of stress. There are other symptoms of anxiety attacks but the ones mentioned above are the most common indications of the disorder.
Anxiety attacks should never be taken for granted no matter how minor it is. Anxiety attacks develop over time and the more that a person is put to stress, the more he is prone to contract this disorder. People’s mind works in different ways that is why it is difficult to develop a more defined list of anxiety attack symptoms. However, the fact still remains that everyone can be a victim of this syndrome.
Keeping a healthy body and sound mind will lessen the chances of picking up this disorder. Do not forget to de-stress occasionally and practice on thinking positive things. Opening up to other people works wonders as well. Healthy relationships will help you get through tough times more easily.
Depression symptoms in men are hard to observe. Typically, the physical symptoms for men and women are the same. The main difference between the two genders is the way they react to the symptoms. Since men do not have the social freedom women have to express discomfort, they tend to repress their symptoms.
The Big Three
People who are depressed are sometimes unaware that they are suffering from depression. That is why it is important to know the signs of depression, especially among men. The three most common signs of depressions in men are pain, risk taking, and anger.
Sometimes, when men are depressed, physical problems show up. The person might have constant headaches and stomach pains. Also, feeling pain on some parts of the body might be a sign of depression. You would know that these body pains are due to depression since they don’t respond to normal treatments.
Men who are depressed tend to start taking risks. This may be in the form of dangerous sports, alcoholism, reckless driving, and compulsive gambling.
Anger is also one of the three common depression symptoms in men. They tend to have short temper and get easily angry and upset by criticism. Sometimes, this could lead them to resort to violence.
More Signs to Watch Out For
One of the depression symptoms is that men tend to blame others if anything goes wrong. They would not admit their mistakes and point the responsibility of accepting the mistake to someone else.
Men also feel suspicious towards other people. They guard themselves because they don’t trust other people and their motives.
Being terrified to talk about weaknesses and doubts is also one of the depression symptoms in men. Since they tend to show a strong self image, having to talk about weaknesses to others could cause them to withdraw.
Constantly wondering if they are loved enough by people around them is one of the depression symptoms in men. People who are depressed tend to find comfort from other people. Men who are depressed would then seek the comfort they are looking for from other people’s love. However, no matter how people show their love and care, a depressed man might not seem to feel that the comfort he’s received is enough.
They believe that of the world treats them better, they would be able to solve their problems. A depressed man thinks that if his spouse, friends, parents, and co-workers would treat him fairly enough and give him the support he needs, he would be able to solve his problems.
They tend to have relationship problems with other people because they are too compulsive and sometimes get misunderstood. This is due to the ways they have in coping with depression.
Some other depression symptoms in men include: being restless and agitated, being a compulsive time keeper, sleeps too little, needs to have control at all costs, gets frustrated is not praised enough or if their efforts are not fairly recognized and given credit, get too terrified to fail. Men who are depressed want to be on top so as not to feel insecure.
Although women are more likely to suffer depression than men, men who suffer depression are more likely to commit suicide. Since their suicide attempts are more violent than women, they are more likely to succeed. That is why it is necessary to treat and watch out for depression symptoms in men.
Depression and insomnia are two related things. Depressed people are more likely to suffer from sleeping problems. About 80% of depressed people suffer from insomnia. Insomnia, on the other hand, is not just a depression symptom; it could be the cause of the depression itself. Suffering from sleeping disorders could lead to depression. Depression is actually the second step to insomnia. It is the one that disturbs the brain functioning ability.
Depression is a life-threatening disorder that is triggered by a lot of factors. These could be stress, genetic glitches, hormones, medical conditions, medication, and many more. Its onset is predicted by insomnia.
Insomnia is a sleeping problem that involves difficulty in sleeping. This could be waking up frequently, or waking up too early, and sometimes not being able to sleep at all. People who experience insomnia get frustrated easily and suffer anxiety. To be able to compensate with the loss of sleep, they take behavioural steps. This, in turn, changes the pattern of sleep of the person.
The Link
People who have insomnia have greater risk of developing anxiety disorders or depression than those who do not have any sleeping disorders. About 15% of the cases of depression and insomnia have been treated by focusing on the insomnia first. The treatment of insomnia often aids patients overcome depression more rapidly. These are the cases where the depressed people sleep excessively.
The majority of people who suffer from depression, however, do not sleep well. That leads doctors to conclude that depression and insomnia are very much likely to be found together.
Causes and Effects
Disordered sleep could actually bring on depression. That is why depression is actually only secondary to insomnia. Insomnia disrupts the brain which causes stress. Suffering from insomnia makes more people prone and more vulnerable to depression.
Subsequent sleep deprivation and sleeping disorders could have a considerable impact on your health—both physical and emotional. These could cause you to have a short temper, and resort to aggression.
Insomnia could cause fatigue and irritability. It could also lead to the loss of concentration and interest in activities. Insomnia is could be caused by a lots of things such as worry, anxiety, work shifts, excessive sleep, medicine side effects, and heart and lung problems.
Treatment Options
For those who suffer from excessive sleep, depression could be treated by treating insomnia first. To treat insomnia, you should avoid alcohol or caffeine before sleeping. You should have a fixed schedule when it comes to sleeping. Use relaxations techniques to make you feel better.
Don’t let anything that could disturb your sleep get in the way. Stay away from your computer and television; these things should be placed outside of your bedroom. Try to listen to music and take a bath. Aerobic exercises before sleeping could help depressed people sleep. As much as possible, avoid stressful situations before going to bed.
Insomnia and depression could also be treated through therapy and oil treatment. You could also take antidepressants in order to sleep. There are also a lot of treatment options available. Seek medical help in order to treat these successfully.
Depression and insomnia are partners in crime when it comes to making people suffer. Treatment is very much recommended as soon as possible.
There are a lot of ways in coping with depression. People who suffer from depression could be treated if they make the effort to help their selves and go out of their way to seek help from other people too. Since men typically deny being depressed, it might be difficult to treat. Men less likely seek medical help that is why they are not usually detected easily.
Recognizing the Problem
The first step for overcoming depression is getting a person to admit that he/she is depressed. It is difficult to treat the problem is the person himself/herself is not actually aware that he/she has a problem.
Men are less likely to admit that they are depressed since they don’t open up their problems to other people easily and might regard it as weakness. That is why it is important for people to assess themselves and know when they need help. Recognizing your weakness is the first step in helping yourself.
Have a Healthy Diet
Having a healthy diet helps in coping with depression. Depressed people tend to overeat or eat nothing at all to cope with depression. This unhealthy eating habit could worsen the depression symptoms. People who overeat might lose their confidence even more in the long run, and those who do not eat would not be able to think straight and make decisions wisely. That is why a healthy diet is necessary.
Get a Regular Exercise
Having a regular exercise could help lessen depression. Such exercise could even be in the form of brisk walking. This is much better than taking antidepressants.
Taking regular exercises not only help in with depression, it also helps in lessening the bad effects depression has caused into your body such as bad eating habits.
Exercise Spirituality
Improving your spirituality could help you in coping with depression. Having a better spiritual life could give you stronger support system in order to feel better about yourself and the way you treat and see others. Improved spirituality could renew your way of thinking.
This could also yoga and meditation.
Clear Communication
It is best to have clear communication with other people. Since the way people communicate show how they feel, being able to talk your feelings out with other people could help in coping with depression.
Having someone to talk out your problems with and understand you help in coping with depression since depressed people primarily need comfort and support.
Get Support from your Social Family
People who are depressed need to have a social support system with them. Since men severely damage their support systems and women tend to withdraw from others when depressed, the people around them should take extra effort to bridge the gap.
Seek Medical Help
Once a person knows that he or she is depressed, he or she needs to seek medical help. Opening up to these experts would help since they know how to help you and they understand your needs and feelings.
Help Yourself
Reading books that aid in coping with depression could help. The only real people who can help you are really yourselves. So take the extra effort to know how to help you.
Those who are strong enough to know that they need help are the ones who have the capacity to be successful in coping with depression.
The symptoms of depression and anxiety disorder are slightly but not quite similar. However, in order for you to know what kind of treatments to apply, it is advisable to know the conditions’ respective symptoms.
Among the symptoms of depression and anxiety disorder that are the same are:
These may appear to be normal behaviors or human response but try examining the subject carefully. Has she or he been acting like this ever since or just lately? Further observations can be done to establish your theory. Whether he or she is suffering from any of the two conditions will be determined if you know the other notable symptoms:
Depression:
Anxiety Disorder
Knowing these symptoms of anxiety will help you draw an initial assessment of the possible condition that the subject has. The first thing to do if you think that the person suffering from either depression or anxiety needs medication is to take him or her to a doctor who can give you the exact diagnosis and the right medications to take. The doctor will also suggest the appropriate therapies.
The symptoms of depression and anxiety may lead to more serious condition if left unattended. Often, these symptoms are taken for granted as just a phase that one goes through after an unfortunate experience in someone’s life and letting it pass will be the best options. Leaving the person to deal with the problem independently is a good approach but the families and friends should also watch over him or her in order to prevent the condition to develop.
The signs of these conditions and the treatments are best taken to the specialist as healing should not be left in time’s hands alone. Loved ones should consider helping the person to help him or herself get over the problem. Anxiety disorder though would require a thorough medication because the condition can be hereditary. Gathering more information about the symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as the causes and treatments will help the person achieve complete healing.
Depression is a mood disorder that affects one’s behavior and feelings towards life, characterized by anger, sadness, frustration, worthlessness, guilt, anxiety and irritability. People who are depressed commonly have low self-esteem and they lose interest in activities that were once delightful, so are abrupt bursts of anger, trouble concentrating, difficulty in remembering details and inability to make decisions, they often have thoughts of suicide and are unable to sleep or restless, pain or digestive problems that does not yield to medications, drastic change in appetite that causes weight loss or gain, loss of energy and fatigue.
Why do people get depressed? What causes depression? Depression is in connection with changes in neurotransmitters, these are substances in the brain responsible for the communication of nerve cells known as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine which can be affected by genetics, drug or alcohol abuse, hypothyroidism, certain medications, changes in hormones or circumstances in the society. Some types of depression are inherited such as with bipolar disorder but it does not mean that everyone in the family is likely to acquire the illness, additional factors like a stressful event in life triggers an episode of depression. Hence, a painful divorce, loss of a loved one, illness or pain, mental, emotional or physical abuse and social isolation are among the factors that could cause depression. It is a result of a combination of genetic, environmental, psychological and biochemical factors. Depressive illnesses have been indicated as brain disorders, research shown that depressed people have brains that look different compared to those who are not depressed and the part of the brain that regulates mood, sleep, thinking and behavior shows up to be functioning abnormally and the neurotransmitters in the brain come out as imbalanced.
Women are more prone to depression than men and this is linked to life cycle of women as well as biological and psychosocial factors that are unique to women. Women are in more danger to depression after giving birth due to change in hormones and physical appearance plus caring for a baby can be very overwhelming, in addition, sexual or physical abuse, stress of home and work responsibilities, poverty and personality traits contribute to the frequency and severity of depression in women. Men on the other hand responds to depression differently compared to women; men experiences fatigue, disturbance of sleep, lack of interest on activities that used to be pleasurable and irritability and they are more likely to submit to drugs and alcohol, gets frustrated and discouraged, irritable and angry, even abusive. Children are also at risk of depression, research shows that childhood depression recurs and carry on to adulthood especially when left untreated since depression in children is difficult to diagnose as they present themselves as usual mood swings like refusal to go to school, pretending to be sick or clinging to a parent which can be mistakenly viewed as a normal part of children’s developmental stage. Depression is a highly curable disorder mostly by medication and psychotherapy.
Research says that an average of 10-20% of women who have recently given birth suffer from postpartum depression, a childbirth disorder that lasts for months. This kind of depression often prevents mothers from taking on their responsibilities as mothers. Women with this pregnancy depression might experience intense sorrow, worthlessness, too much tearfulness, lack of energy, inability to sleep, poor concentration, problems in appetite, and suicidal thoughts. All these emotions and mood disturbances produce fear among mothers that they might harm their child and themselves. They also feel guilty for having unwanted negative feelings toward their child.
However, if the symptoms of depression persist only for a few days, then there is nothing to worry about. It is normal, almost expected, that some mothers might experience a sudden unexplainable sorrow right after feeling happy about their delivery. About 80% of women go through these mood changing episodes. Mothers might feel irritable, sad, drained, tearful, and moody. This state of heightened extreme emotions, termed as the “baby blues”, can occur to women during the first few days of childbirth.
Mood swings among women are often said to be caused by hormonal changes. In the same way that women are sensitive and irritable before and during their menstrual periods due to the change in hormones, women who have just delivered their babies may feel depressed. The amount of estrogen and progesterone undergoes a tremendous increase during pregnancy. Upon the delivery of the child, normally within 24 hours, the level of the said two female hormones drastically drops, returning to their normal level before the pregnancy. This rapid change in the amount or level of hormones triggers depression among women.
After months of pregnancy, the indescribable joy of both the anticipating mother and father who have waited long to touch the hands of their little angel is certain. But in the case of first time mothers who go through postpartum depression, childbirth can often bring about more guilt and sadness than joy. If not given an immediate attention, postpartum thoughts might result in damage to both the mother and her child.
To overcome this disorder, mothers should keep in mind that they are not going crazy, as some might fear of, and they are not going to suffer from the said depression for long. If they are determined enough, mothers can help themselves in coping with their condition.
Keeping a journal will help mothers deal with depression since it gives them an opportunity to let out all their negative thoughts, emotions and anxieties. Aside from understanding themselves better, rereading their journal will make mothers appreciate how much better they feel each passing day.
Assistance from friends and family in taking care of the newborn will ease out the burden of mothers. It also helps to have someone listen to their frustrations and fears of responsibilities.
For breastfeeding mothers, antidepressants are not advisable since any medicine taken in by mothers will go down to their breast milk. So in the end, it is still best to consult the doctor if a mother suspects that she is suffering from postpartum depression.
Here is a website that give you all the list of emotions that can help you to deal with postpartum depression and other symptoms.
Unlike the usual sadness and “feeling down” moments, clinical depression requires more attention that we thought it needs. Everyone knows depression brings about negative thoughts and feelings to the person suffering from it, and this negativity will eventually affect how he or she lives life. Interfering with the daily activities of an individual, this illness can cause severe harm if not taken seriously.
People who go through this might say that they seem to be “not themselves” lately. There is a noticeable change in their eating habits (either they easily lose their appetite or they overeat) and complain about sleep problems. Family and friends may offer them advices and “cheering up” talks, but any of these attempts to make them feel better will not work at all. This depression is not something that will just go away at will.
Lasting for weeks, months, or even years, this depression might lead to suicidal attempts among the victims. A person who is engulfed by this condition is not necessarily weak in personality though, and therefore no amount of convincing power can make them feel better. It needs medical attention.
Below are the common symptoms of clinical depression.
Depending on the duration of episodes and severity, clinical depression has three main types (although there are more than we possibly could distinguish). The symptoms above are common to almost all kinds of depression.
Major depression
From all the categories of depression, this is the most severe. People suffering from this disorder experience intense depression symptoms. Major depression may occur once due to a traumatic event or life crisis. A person may respond to treatment and never return but some people go through a recurrent major depression. These individuals may recover from an episode of depression, live several years without it, and then suddenly suffer from the same major depression symptoms triggered by another trauma.
Dysthmia
Less severe than a major depression, dysthmia involves chronic depression symptoms that may last for months or years. Although the level of intensity is low, this depression still can keep a person from functioning well.
Bipolar Disorder
A person with this condition experiences alternate episodes of manic elation and depression. Mania includes racing thoughts, fast talking, increased energy, irritability, feeling of superiority, and impulsive behaviors. During the depression cycle, the person might feel too much sorrow and the total opposite of the elation episodes.
Treatments for clinical depressions should be given as early as the first signs reveal themselves. General cures include medications, acupuncture, electro-convulsive therapy, and taking in of herbal supplements. Psychotherapy is the most recommended treatment for a serious clinical depression; in psychotherapy, the patient’s childhood will be explored as an attempt to resolve his or her internal psychological conflicts.
The definition of depression is:
“Mental illness characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in issues that when had been pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep, appetite, and mental processes are a popular accompaniment.”
Clinical depression, that is certainly far beyond just the preferred meaning of “being depressed”, it may perhaps be diagnosed by a well being care professional after the situation described above, can last for at least a couple weeks straight.
How can you know the symptoms of depression?
The following information is from Mood Disorders Association of Ontario, Canada. These are signs and symptoms of clinical depression contain, so be aware that aren’t limited to:
1. Loss of interest in things that enjoyed and used to
get pleasure from
2. Feeling sad, blue, or down just all of the time
3. Thoughts of continuous restlessness
4. Feelings of being worthless
5. Dangerous modifications in appetite, which could
result in fast weight loss or rapid weight gain
6. Lethargy
7. Emotions of anxiety.
8. Trouble falling asleep or insomnia; sometimes sleeping an excessive amount of hours be careful more than 9 hours a night on a regular basis is a symptom of depression
Easy methods to conquer depression?
Here I will discuss five recommendations
1. Begin your day in a positive way. 1 of
the very most effective methods to do this is to
get up and do some kind of physical exercise–yoga,
or going hiking, running, or bicycling out of doors.
2. Make the habit of getting good hours of
sleep, eat in a well-balanced way, and get physical
exercise at some point a minimum of four days a
week.
3. Start off creating your self-esteem. Don’t
forget low self-esteem is a symptom of
depression. If you have scars from your past that
create harmful thoughts about your self, talk
to close friends, a priest, or a counsellor about
them. There is no reason for anybody to feel
inadequate.
4. Find out to manage anxiety. Having
stress can burn you out. It could be tricky, but get
away from the points which are stressing you out for
a whilst, or confront the challenges causing
the stress–don’t just passively accept it.
5. Be sure to see your family physician to
figure out should you could have to talk to a psychiatrist.
We need to prevent drugs for depression if we
possibly can, however they may well be crucial
in certain situations.
A number of natural cures for depression
Whilst there are actually times when pharmaceuticals are the most beneficial answer for depression, they’re incredibly over-prescribed, and they generally have uncomfortable side effects that nobody wants. It is greatest to attempt to cure depression via other means very first; for these other means are most usually the best response to depression.
Herbal medicine: As an example, the herb St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is often a well-known stress-reducer, and this can result in a remedy for depression. Other herbs that actually work like this consist of Valerian and ginseng. Look for someone who practices homeopathy for assistance.
Bach Flower Remedies. Named after Edward Bach, a highly respected English doctor, homeopath, pathologist, and bacteriologist who came to distrust the isolationism of orthodox medicine, Bach Flower Remedies are medicines utilised to balance negative mental states and emotions.
Aromatherapy. This is an “alternative” treatment that uses the scents released from highly concentrated necessary oils which are extracted from plants to treat symptoms and assist inside the healing procedure for a wide range of disorders and illnesses. Consult an experienced practitioner.
Massage. Massage is being prescribed additional and even more for anxiety relief and for nervous system health in general, even in the workplace. Higher levels of health are connected with lower risks of becoming depressed.
Vitamins. Nutritional vitamins, specifically The B complex vitamins, support to improve well being and vitality level, that stop the risk of becoming depressed.
Conclusions
For anyone who is concerned that you may perhaps be battling for chronic depression, don’t substitute this strategies for medical suggestions. Take into account every one of them, but also talk to a doctor.
Carla Valencia