Depression Symptoms

Hanging around those of us that suffer from depression or bipolar disorder could drive saints crazy. Spouses, significant others and loved ones all know this, but for everyone else out there: mental illness is not contagious! Let me repeat this. It is not like a common cold or the flu; you cannot catch it from constant contact from one of us so-called crazy people.Now my husband of 30+ years may tell you that I drive him nuts, but what long term relationship doesn’t have that? He does get somewhat depressed when I go through a cycle of depression and that is normal as well. Who wouldn’t be depressed when someone you love is depressed and you are watching them go through this cycle and you may feel helpless? This does not mean that they are depressed. It is two completely different things.

One can feel depressed without being depressed and you have to know the signs and symptoms to know the difference. Being informed as to what causes depression is also as important in understanding this complex and difficult mental disorder.

Depression can be caused by the following:

• Genetic - biochemical imbalance in brain
• Heredity
• Medical Conditions - stroke, cancer, etc.
• Situational - divorce, death, job loss, etc
• Medication - side effects
• Substance Abuse - alcohol, drugs
• Diet Deficiencies - some vitamins and minerals can contribute to depression

Also certain people are more at risk than others:

• Females
• Advanced Age
• Lower Socioeconomic Status
• Chronic (long term) Medical Conditions
• Underlying Emotional or Personality Disorders
• Lack of Social Support
• Living Alone

In order to have a doctors’ diagnosis of clinical depression (also called ‘major’ depression), you have to have at least five of the following symptoms, including number 1 or number 2, for at least two weeks:

1. Depressed mood (feeling sad or low)
2. Loss of interest or pleasure (in activities you normally enjoy)
3. Significant appetite or weight loss or gain
4. Insomnia or hypersomnia (sleeping too little or too much)
5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation (being restless and jittery, or alternatively, slower than usual)
6. Fatigue or loss of energy
7. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
8. Impaired thinking or concentration; indecisiveness
9. Suicidal thoughts/thoughts of death.

From the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders, 4th ed. (DSM-IV)What is different about true depression is that these feelings will last for at least months rather than days. In addition to feeling “blue” all of the time, many other symptoms may occur though not everybody may have any or all of them.

• Losing interest in sex
• Being unable to gain pleasure from activities that normally would be pleasurable
• Losing interest in normal activities, hobbies and everyday life
• Feeling tired all of the time and having no energy
• Difficulty sleeping or waking early in the morning (though some feel that they can’t get out of bed and ‘face the world’)
• Having a poor appetite, no interest in food and losing weight (though some people overeat and put on weight - ‘comfort eating’)
• Finding it difficult to concentrate and think straight
• Feeling restless, tense and anxious
• Being irritable
• Losing self-confidence
• Avoiding other people

Whew, that’s a lot of stuff to remember and watch for now isn’t it? And it’s pretty scary. Very scary since most of us at one time or another can fall into just about any of these categories especially in this day and age with times as tough as they are and everyone wants to give you a magic pill for what ails you.

Just keep in mind that depression isn’t catching, and just because you have the “blues” doesn’t mean you are depressed. But if you have any of the signs and symptoms for longer than a few months, please, see a doctor just to be sure.

For some people, panic and anxiety attacks seems to take over their lives, and they may suffer from a variety of these attacks at any time of the day or night. It is possible to stop panic attack symptoms from occurring but there are some things that need to be done and identified before this is the case.

For example, what is really at the root of your panic attacks? Do you have any family history of individuals who also suffered in the way that you are suffering? This is often the case but medical science is unaware of why exactly this is.

If you are dealing with panic and anxiety attacks, you don’t need to feel as if you’re alone. This seems to be an increasing condition in today’s society for reasons that are really not known. As a matter of fact, there are several different things which may be causing these panic and anxiety attacks that you are dealing with. Knowing what is at the root of the problem may actually help you to overcome it, at least to the point where you’re able to deal with it effectively and live your life again.

Of course, identifying panic and anxiety attack symptoms as they are occurring is one of the important parts of overcoming the problem as well. Typically, the panic attack symptoms only tend to compound the anxiety that we are actually feeling. Especially when we wake up in the middle of a panic attack can this be a difficult thing. By the time we are fully awake and realize what is happening, it can be too late for us to calm ourselves in any way.

I find that the best way to deal with panic and anxiety attacks is to actually ride them out instead of trying to struggle my way through them. If you can stay on top of them and ride on that curve, you will notice that they tend to end faster and you are less worn as a result.

Although not a permanent panic and anxiety attack treatment, it can help you whenever you are dealing with one and need immediate assistance.

Do you think you might be having anxiety attacks? Are you concerned that your anxiety might be getting the best of you? Here are some of the physical symptoms of anxiety attacks.

We all feel anxious, worried, or stressed in different situations and from time to time. Everybody experiences feelings of nervousness before a big game or a big test. In fact, public speaking makes almost everybody feel anxious.

Now if you are experiencing anxiety on a regular basis and it is very overwhelming, then you might be having anxiety attacks and you are not alone. There are literally millions of people in the United States that have felt the same way you feel. There is help and anxiety is very treatable. Here are some of the physical symptoms to watch for if you think you are experiencing anxiety attacks.

- Increased Sweating

- Light headed or dizziness

- A choking feeling or difficulty swallowing

- Hot flushes or chills on your skin

- Fatigue or headaches

- Palpitations or a rapid heartbeat

- Feeling of loneliness

- Feeling like you don’t even exist

- Internal trembling or shaking

- Loss of breath or shortness of breath

- Nausea, bloating, indigestion

- The feeling that you have lost control

- Lack of sleep or insomnia

There are also many emotional feelings that can be associated with anxiety.

- Confusion

- Avoidance

- Insecurity or the lack of self-esteem

- Restlessness or the feeling that you are on the edge

- Nervousness, jittery

- Constantly feeling uneasy

If any of these physical symptoms of anxiety attacks or emotional symptoms describes how you feel on a pretty regular basis, then there is a good possibility that you are suffering from anxiety. There are many cures for anxiety attacks and you can get medication from your doctor or find a natural cure by searching online.

Whether you are in a high powered job, moving house, trying to get out of debt, managing to look after the kids whilst staying sane and having a life, day to day living can at times get very stressful. what then tends to happen is we start to feel run down and to top it all off we are then more prone to a virus or cold. Also our skin starts to tell everyone how we are feeling whether it is those tell tale spots or even worse eczema that we thought was long gone flares up once again. When we are feeling and looking this stressed and run down it makes it all the harder to perk ourselves up and get on with things. Instead we stay down and a situation that wasn’t that bad starts to get worse and our confidence start to go down.

Stress can quite simply be summed up as the pressure of having too much to handle. Stress can come from any situation or thought and what is stressful for one person may not be for another. There are many symptoms of stress including: Clammy hands, skin rash, sleep problems, alcohol abuse and depression to name just a few.

There are different types of stress. One is acute stress also named short-term stress. Acute stress can be caused by anything that for a short instance throws you off balance. This could be an instance of bad driving by another person or not being able to find your keys. These feelings of stress may be intense but will go away after a short while. Another type of stress is chronic stress also named long-term stress. This type of stress builds up over a period of time and does not go away. Chronic stress can often leave you feeling mentally and physically drained and run down. This type of stress can be caused by caring for an elderly relative or pressures of work.

You may be surprised to hear that not all stress is bad. Yes constant stress in your life can harm your health and relationships. Some stress can help you deal with change or even get through a challenging situation. Avoiding the negative effects of stress can be avoided by learning how to deal with stress better.

Once you have recognized stress what can you do? Firstly accepting that there will be times when you are going to be stressed will get you through those times a lot easier. To help you deal with the more severe stress then taking these few simple steps will help. Eating a well balanced healthy diet, exercising regularly, using relaxation techniques, spend time with people close to you and getting enough sleep.

Finally, learn how to step back and take a few deep breaths. Just by taking on board a healthier lifestyle and relaxing your body and mind can help you bounce back from stress just that bit easier. If you are suffering from virus or colds because your body is run down, because of stress or even the daily challenges of life then there are oral supplements such as aloeride available to buy that you can take.

In today’s stressful day and age, many people suffer from severe anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, many of these individuals begin a routine of strong anti-anxiety medications in a search to cure their problems. However, often times anxiety can be dramatically lessened with the use of natural herbs. In this brief article, I’m going to go over a few of the reasons why you should consider trying natural herbs to cure your anxiety, before resorting to expensive and potentially harmful drugs.

So what herbs actually help with anxiety? There are several in fact. The more popular herbal supplements used to treat anxiety are St. John’s Wort and Kava.

St. John’s Wort helps in reducing stress and feelings of depression. You can find St. John’s Wart at any drug or grocery store, although I would recommend purchasing it online as you’ll typically find it cheaper on the Internet.

The second popular herb used in treating anxiety, Kava Kava, has a soothing effect on the body and has been shown to improve sleep. Even though Kava Kava has a calming effect on the body, it isn’t too strong to take during the day in smaller doses.

For many who suffer from anxiety disorders, the thought of taking more medication actually produces more of the anxiety that these medications are supposed to help. So they turn to natural remedies, and find relief from anxiety in herbs.

Hopefully this article has given you a couple all-natural alternatives to the anti-anxiety medications normally prescribed by doctors. These herbal supplements offer a much cheaper, natural way to treat anxiety and have show impressive results in doing so. If you or someone you know is being put on expensive prescription drugs to treat anxiety, give these herbal remedies a try first. You might just be surprised at the results!

Symptoms are your bodies way of telling you that something has to change.

A few months back, one of my clients was having a really hard time. He was having an anxiety attack and depression. He was desperate for help.

We worked together for quite a while. I adjusted him and I did some emotional work in an attempt to give him some relief. My patients were starting to back up, so I had him go for a walk and come back. I knew we had more to do.

When he came back, we sat down to have a chat. I told him about when I had anxiety attacks.

Here is my story in a nutshell.

Many years ago, I was having anxiety attacks and they were getting progressively worse. I remember driving in the car with my family and having crazy thoughts of dying, my car rolling, my wife being killed and my dogs getting lost on the freeways. After dinner every night I would need to go for a walk to calm my feelings of impending death. It was bad. I had pain and pressure in my chest that I just knew was my heart failing.

I had been checked out by a medical doctor. I was getting regular adjustments. I was taking all kinds of supplements. Nothing was working to alleviate my symptoms.

One night after dinner and my walk, it kept getting worse. I walked some more. I tried to focus on something else. Nothing calmed it. I woke up my wife, Barbara, and had her call 911.

The fire department came with the paramedics. I remember sitting on the edge of the fire truck with the sticky pads stuck to my chest as they ran the EKG. I remember the fear I was under. Mostly, however, I remember Barbara standing with a neighbor’s arm around her as she watched me and cried.

That was my bottom.

I made a decision. Something had to change.

I started by assessing my bad habits, the toxins that I kept putting into my body, and right then elected to quit them. I started an exercise program, began daily affirmations and addressed other areas of my lifestyle. My anxiety went away and never came back.

I asked my patient, “Are there any toxins in your life that you know you should let go of?” He said, “Yes” and committed to quit.

He then asked me, “Can you please do something about this anxiety I am feeling now?”

I asked him, “If I waved a magic wand and took this pain you are feeling away right now, would you quit?”

He said, “No.”

He quit drinking that night and now, he looks great. His anxiety is gone. He has a new outlook on life.

Our symptoms are our body’s way of getting our attention. Numbing these messages out or ignoring them can lead to more serious consequences.

Listen to your body. It will save your life.

Both panic disorder and agoraphobia are sub-types of anxiety disorder. The typical onset of these disorders is marked during childhood or adolescence, however, in some cases it may come into notice during adulthood. Although both of these conditions are categorized under the heading of anxiety disorder, the causes of these two conditions are entirely different.

Causes

As estimated by National Institute of Medical Health (NIMH), more than 4 million individuals in the United States are suffering from panic disorder. Although researchers are putting much effort, they have not come into a single conclusion regarding the exact cause of this problem. In fact, they shed light on a wide array of factors that may contribute to the development of the problem, including genetic, psychological, physiological and environmental factors.

Many clinical evidences show that panic disorder runs through families, which means, if any or both of the parents are suffering from it, there is high possibility that the offspring will be diagnosed as such. In fact, it is also seen that individuals may experience this illness if their parents are suffering from depression or any other sorts of anxiety disorder.

Moreover, twin studies have shown there is a strong likelihood of genetic inheritance for developing this disorder. In addition, biological malfunction or biological imbalance may cause further development. 5-HTT, a particular gene, is responsible for forming the regulation of serotonin, a factor supposed to influence the development of panic disorder.

Environmental factors such as stress may also trigger an attack. Stressful life events such as divorce, separation, recent loss, major life transitions may contribute to the development. Childhood experience may also lead anxiety to erupt. Many individuals with panic disorder in adult phase reported about child abuse during their childhood.

Causes of Agoraphobia

The term agoraphobia was coined from the Greek meaning ‘fear of the marketplace’. This disorder is described as an anxiety that a victim experiences about situations, where escape is not possible. An individual suffering from agoraphobia may reveal some typical behavior patterns: (1) deliberate avoidance of stressful situations, (2) looking for company in such situations, (3) strongly unwilling to stay inside the car, airplane, crowded room.

The exact causes triggering agoraphobia are still unknown to the researchers. However, they put forward few hypotheses to determine the causes behind the development of agoraphobia. One of them is of course childhood experience. It is seen that if an individual with child abuse experience is at higher risk for developing agoraphobia later in life. Some theorists also contend the cause of agoraphobia as a learned behavior. Genetic makeup and chemical imbalance also add up to the development of agoraphobia.

Sudden changes in the life like getting married, illness, divorce, and work problems can cause worries serving as triggers of stress, but even happy moments can sometimes cause such emotional problems. Our inbuilt abilities of coping up with the applied techniques most of the time are good enough to make us feel adjusted to the new environment with ease in a short period. However, if unable, the adjustment disorder gives a serious emotional jolt of the maladjustment with a new environment.

There comes a feel of insecurity, worry, helplessness and even pushing to a reckless state of mind. It is a stress related illness influencing the behavior and thoughts. Males and females of any age are susceptible to adjustment disorder. However, among the adults women are more prone to adjustment stress than men. The disorder may have its initiation in a new environment, a new place, a new school, or a newly imposed relationship.

A diagnosed case of illness and continuance of medical therapy increases the risk of stress disorder of the type. A profession oriented frequent move in the early life may be another cause of adjustment disorder with likelihood of increase in difficulty of quick adjusting.

Under pervasion of this disorder the patients are not able to cope up with their daily routine, feeling sad and depressed most of the time. The mind is not able to take to the unknown rules and regulations, standards, procedures, and behavioral interactions.

Various forms of the disorder are:

• Adjustment disorder with depressed mood;

• Adjustment disorder with anxiety;

• Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood;

• Adjustment disorder with disturbance of conduct;

• Adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct;

• Adjustment disorder unspecified.

This enfeebling disorder does not continue for over 6 months to be completely out of the stressful moments like reckless driving or inordinate behavior or defying rules identifying to the stressful life. However, the youngsters may take longer time to return to normalcy. Many individuals, instead of irrational and aggressive behavior, resort to withdrawing themselves socially as long as the problem continues. Yet, many others do not expose any symptoms of emotional turmoil but begin to suffer physically from illness.

Characteristically the symptoms linked with an individual with adjustment disorder may mostly be a depressed mood and crying spells, nervousness and worry. People with adjustment disorder would obviously have a mixture of anxiety and depression and thereby getting infused to carry unsocial acts, skip school or turn towards unlawful deeds and having conduct problems. Researchers have suggested seven subtypes of adjustment disorders with embittered mood. These are characterized by strong feeling of injustice and thought of revenge against exposure to the negative experience.