Some people call it the ‘pits’ and some people call it the ‘blues’ and some just call it ‘feeling down in the dumps’. But whatever you may call it, being depressed is a terrible feeling.

The most common types of depression are:

Major Depression, which is characterized by a sad mood, sleep disorders, and a decreased or absent appetite. Often when a person is in a major depression, the person feels a complete lack of drive and motivation and the sufferer lacks the desire to do anything in life. Some people are completely disabled by depression, and some even consider suicide.

Dysthymia: This is a less severe type of long term depression that typically does not completely disable the individual. But it prevents the person from feeling motivated and functioning at optimum levels. Sometimes people who are suffering with Dysthymia also suffer from Major Depression, and when this occurs it is called double-depression.

Manic Depression is also called Bipolar Disorder. This type of depression is not as common as Dysthymia or major depression. It involves cycles of a manic state, alternated with a depressed state. This is often a long term recurring disorder. Sometimes the mood swings occur suddenly. But generally speaking, they tend to be gradual.

There are many variations of depression; the types described here are only three of the most common.

Some of the symptoms of depression include:

Sadness; anxiety; pessimism; insomnia and other sleep disorders; feelings of worthlessness; guilt; restlessness; pain; fatigue; weight loss; headaches; and thoughts of suicide.

Sources of Depression:

As previously stated, there are several types of depression: Major Depression; Manic Depression; and Dysthymia being three of the more common forms.

Many types of depression are hereditary. Living in a stressful environment can lead to depression. A traumatic experience such as a serious loss, relationship problems, or financial trouble can also lead to depression.

Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression as men are, but scientists do not know why.

If you suffer from depression, you will want to seek the advice of your physician. He may prescribe medication for you. But keep in mind that every medication has side effects.

Wouldn’t it be phenomenal if you could regulate and eliminate your depression just by having certain thoughts? I know that this sounds too good to be true, but very often, various types of depression are caused by thinking negative thoughts.

Don’t believe me? Then try it out! It’s really quite basic and simple. Just imagine something that you feel is very troubling or sad. Go ahead, think about it right now! Then come back to this article.

Okay, so what happened? If you really focused and visualized the sad situation, you began to feel sad and a little depressed. And the longer you allow yourself to remain in that thought pattern, the sadder you will feel. As you stay in sad thoughts and keep feeling sadder, you lead yourself into a gradually intensifying depression.

The good news is that if you focus on a happy thought, then you will displace that sadness and depression and have happy feelings instead.

Listen closely now, because here are the keys to eliminating your depression: Our persistent thoughts spring forth from the unconscious mind. These are the thoughts that we find ourselves automatically thinking about during the day.

If the persistent thoughts that keep recurring in your mind are about your problems or sad experiences, then you raise your levels of anxiety, stress, and depression.

But here is the ‘Light at the end of the tunnel’: Since hypnosis can be used to alter our unconscious thoughts, NLP and self hypnosis stress management CDs will rapidly alter the way that you think, feel, and behave. The interesting thing is that the exact same techniques that work for stress management also work just as well for eliminating depression!

Now I’m going to tell you exactly how and why it is going to happen. Hypnosis is a natural state of mind. Specifically, it is the Alpha state of consciousness. We go through the Alpha state as we are falling asleep at night. And we go through it again as we wake up in the morning. We also enter the Alpha state when we are daydreaming and imagining.

The unconscious mind is the seat of our emotions, and it is like a computer; the input controls the output! Hypnosis therapy is a wonderful tool for reaching directly into the unconscious mind and reprogramming it to automatically divert you away from negative thoughts, and promote positive thinking. It’s a tool that allows you to bypass the consciousness to create positive expectations, which will in turn generate positive feelings. You can overcome depression by using hypnosis therapy.



Thanks to Alan B. Densky, CH for contributing this article to our Depression blog:

Test For Manic Depression

Learn how to differentiate between types of depression, signs, causes and treatment. This is the first step toward understanding depression, getting the appropriate treatment and taking that step.

Alcohol Depression

As the name implies, alcohol depression is the lows that follow periods of excessive drinking. Guilt, remorse, and shame play a huge part in this type of depression, and nothing short of a long period of sobriety can begin the alleviate it. With alcohol depression, the normal hangover is much more than not feeling well.

Anxiety Depression

Anxiety depression oftentimes is indicated by profuse sweating, shaky hands and voice. Persons suffering from anxiety disorder are generally pessimistic, always expecting the worse. They also tend to go through long periods of time where they are afraid to leave their homes or participate in social activities.

Bipolar Depression

This type of depression was formerly called manic depression. Bipolar depression occurs in cycles, hence the ‘bi’ in its name. Persons who are bipolar have changing periods of great sadness and immense joy.

Clinical Depression

This is when the depression reaches the stage where the person needs some sort of treatment. Clinical depression is a diagnosis and the result of the patient taking a depression quiz administered by a professional.

Major Depression

This type of depression is the most extreme. Almost all the symptoms of depression are exhibited. Major depression can occur suddenly or over time after a series of less intense depressive episodes. This is believed to be one of the most common types of depression.

Menopause and Depression

For many women, this period of change can be very stressful. Factors such as marital problems, empty nest (children leaving home) and loss of their reproductive abilities are all linked to women and menopause.

Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression affects about ten percent of new mothers. Although this type of depression follows the birth of a baby it does not mean that the woman hates or does not want her child. This type of depression results from a hormonal imbalance.

Pregnancy Depression

Although pregnancy is normally a period of great joy, about ten percent (10%) of pregnant women experience prolong periods of great sadness. Although hormones are a factor in pregnancy depression it is not the lone cause.

Psychotic depression

Persons who suffer from psychotic depression report hearing voices, seeing things and people that no one else can. At this stage, the person needs immediate medical attention.

Reactive Depression

This type of depression is normally a reaction to some specific trigger. In many instances this type of depression is short-term.

Seasonal Depression

Also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), seasonal depression is most common during the winter months when the days are darker. This is believed to be linked to lessening of sunlight leading to some people becoming sad. Most sufferers of SAD see their mood lighten and they become happier as spring arrives.

Severe Depression / Chronic Depression

This type of depression is also known as dysthymia.

Chronic depressions main feature is the fact that it lasts over a long period of time, from a few months to years. Persons who suffer from severe depression can appear to function normally for a long period of time although they tend to be perpetually sad.



Thanks to Jonathan Sapling for contributing this article to our Depression blog:

Anxiety Depression Disorder

Can you answer Queen of Confusion’s question about Depression?:

My boyfriend has severe depression, as well as anxiety disorders. Lately it’s been pretty bad. He’s already on a variety of medications. They lessen the severity, but like I said, it’s still pretty bad. What are some other ways he can bring his depression and anxiety under control? I don’t mean taking herbal remedies or anything like that. I mean something like exercising, which his doctor recommended.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.

Beck Depression Inventory Scale

Many drugs such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs are highly effective and have the capacity to reduce and to control the depression or anxieties. These antidepressants provide temporary relief faster. The antidepressants are normally used to tone down the conditions like anxiety disorders, eating disorders and chronic pain.

It is true that the antidepressants take more time to reduce the symptoms but the therapy and dose must be taken as per the guidelines given by the doctor. The antidepressants like benzodiazepines and anti-psychotics help to manage the depression. Seventy per cent of people find benefits from antidepressants.

Antidepressants help reduce symptoms of the depression or anxiety. However, the complete cure cannot be ascertained. Antidepressants are taken to boost up the mood of the person and to increase the efficiency of psychotherapy. Various antidepressants are available that help to reduce several psychological disorders.

The most widely used antidepressant is Prozac and it is one of the most beneficial antidepressant with greater effectiveness in reducing depression. Antidepressants such as Sertraline, Escitalopram, Fluoxetine, Venlafaxine, Citalopram, Paroxetine, and Trazodone are commonly used in US. They modify moods and even affect on individual’s behavior. The dose of antidepressants should be continued for at least two weeks for therapeutic effect.

Insomnia and hypersomnia are the conditions that can cause loss of interests in daily activities. This condition affects person’s status in social, professional and other important areas. Unfavorable life events also lead to depression whereas antidepressants help to tone down and bring about the change in human behavior or modify the mood of a person. Obviously, antidepressant if not taken according to a doctor’s consultation may also affect adversely.

Advantageous antidepressants

Tricyclics also reduce depression that has lasted longer. Depressed patients are devoid of serotonin, norepinephrine in the brain of a person. Antidepressants help to boost the supply of these chemicals. The patients then are able to get back to a normal state. Tricyclics also block monoamine oxidase and thus act on the central nervous system

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are antidepressants which are used in the treatment of depressive disorders. These antidepressants contain drugs like citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline, fluoxetine, and paroxetine because of their safeties even after overdose. Studies have shown that antidepressants work better in children and teenagers. Sertraline brings improvements in youths. Bupropion is a better antidepressant for children and has been used in the treatment of attention deficit disorder.

Benefits

Antidepressants are utilized in the treatment of various psychological disorders amongst children, youths and aged people. Antidepressants have their own importance according to their dose and diagnosis. These antidepressants need to be taken under the instruction provided by the doctor.



Thanks to Paul Hata for contributing this article to our Depression blog:

Alternative Depression Treatment

As we come to the end of a second decade where SSRI antidepressant drugs have been the ‘first line’ of treatment in depression, anxiety and a host of other ailments, more and more patient horror stories are coming to light from long-term antidepressant use.  I have outlined in previous articles how ssri and similar variants mimic the pharmacological actions of drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana and alcohol. 

All of them effect serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, the primary “mood” neurotransmitters, in similar ways.  But ironically, the ‘slower onset’, but longer half life man made antidepressants present more dangers in some ways than the ‘street’ variants that typically have stronger onset and shorter halflifes.  By staying in your system ‘round the clock’, the chemical ‘denial’ and hallucinogenic and awareness suppressing properties of SSRI medications prevent the user from ever becoming ‘lucid’ as occurs when a street drug wears off.  In layman’s terms we think of ‘coming down’ from street drugs or alcohol as a ‘hangover’ or a ‘crash’.  But what that really means is that the drug is exiting the system and your natural neurotransmitter balance is reasserting yourself so that you see reality clearly. 

The reason so many sometimes bizarre, strange and sometimes tragic horror stories are happening with long term antidepressant use is because the patient never has a chance to become lucid.  Patients are put on these medications sometimes for years and once you are on them, you lose the ability to use proper judgment if you start to do or act in ways you would not otherwise approve of if you were off the drugs and in your ‘right mind’.  Just some of the reported experiences that people on antidepressants have gone through include the following:

A woman who had always been a conservative, faithful mother and wife found herself shortly after being put on antidepressants to become involved in numerous sexual dalliances with neighbors and co-workers.  Over a series of months she became a greater and greater ‘risk taker’ and finally was caught and threatened with divorce by her husband.  Even with the destruction of her marriage and her family she continued to display lapses in judgment and ‘didn’t care’ that she was ruining everything she had built over many years with her husband and children.  Then, after over a year on antidepressants she was taken off by her doctor and proceeded to have an emotional meltdown when she became ‘lucid’ and her guilt and normal emotions returned to her after being slowly removed from the antidepressants. 

She went back to her ‘before’ antidepressants conservatism and now was racked with guilt and confusion as to how she could ever have acted and done the things she did while on them.  This experience mirrors what many have found when put on antidepressants, some of which have ended in absolute tragedy.  There have been numerous reports that many of the ‘child killers’ such as the columbine duo and others had their ‘inhibitions’ drugged away and their ‘guilt’ chemically removed by being on antidepressants. 

Without these human emotions, the natural anger or hostility that might usually have caused them to be reflective and think about the causes of the bad feelings were instead unleashed in violent ways, killing their classmates.  Few know that the killers in Columbine were on multiple antidepressant SSRI medications WHILE they went on their rampage.  One has to wonder if they had not been on them and had had their natural emotional intact if such a tragedy would have occurred.  There are many more horror stories of what the long term effects of antidepressants can do.  Be sure to check out www.sedatednation.com to read more about the dangers of SSRI’s and learn how to deal with depression and anxiety without drugs.



Thanks to Robert Levin for contributing this article to our Depression blog:

Signs And Symptoms Of Depression