Depression Blog

Bursting into tears one moment, laughing feverishly the next, weakness, fatigue, lack of energy, and a lack of longing to enjoy activities one used to enjoy, points the finger to depression. Depression is a state of mind when life seems rustic; without anything to make one feel happy. No medicine seems to be working in one’s favor. And if it works, living life medicated is not an optimum existence.

Medicines are no less dangerous with all the side effects following such as insomnia, weight gain and weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, tension headaches and, of course, sexual side effects. Such medicated responses make one to question is the treatment worse than the disease?

Yet, despite this, if one comes to know about a secret, which could very much change, the life of a depressed person, it is worth revealing and not concealing. So how do you cure depression using ‘The Secret’? The first step to perfect health is positive thinking. According Rhonda Byrne, author of The Secret, health is thinking thoughts of precision and perfection because disease cannot exist in a perfect environment. Disease and illness are the consequence of negative thoughts. Banish the negative thoughts and you eject the disease.

When patients think and truly believe the tablet is a cure, they will receive and what they believe, and they will be cured,

suggests Bryne.

The more one believes he is going to benefit from a treatment, the more likely it is that he will experience a benefit.

Further, one must avoid talking about the disease constantly because it actually attracts more of the disease. Let it happen, let one live his life as he wants to. Think yourself to be the best, fabulous! Think that one is the creator of his own destiny. One can make life anything he wants it to be. Then one will notice the improvement in quality of life one hundred-fold.

If you or someone you know suffers from depression, The Secret can make all the difference.

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Via:Dentalplans

People with persistent smoking habit are at an increased risk of depression than those who never smoked. This fact sprang out from a study conducted by Finish researchers, in which they analyzed a database of 4000 males and 5,000 female twins whose health and health behavior were tracked for almost 15 years.

Conclusion, which loomed out of this study, unveils that persistent chronic cigarette smoking predicts depressive symptoms, however, link between smoking and depression was found more significant among males than females. However, what turns smoking effect more significant for males than females is not very clear to the researchers, as they are also finding it a tough question to answer. Perhaps this is the reason why Dr. Tellervo Korhonen of the University of Helsinki remarks about this finding:

The mechanisms underlying the association between smoking and depression are very complicated.

On the basis of these findings, one thing could certainly be said that smoking habit stirs up depression because some studies conducted earlier have also linked smoking to depression. In addition, this fact can also not be spurned away that smoking has been linked to various other health complications too, therefore, the more we stay away from smoking the better it would be.

Image credit: Mental Help

Via: UPI

If you are a yoga-freak or practice it regularly, then you can keep away depression and anxiety easily, which makes up to fifteen percent of disease in the world. Or, taking it the other round, yoga can be a good and effective remedy for ones suffering from depression and anxiety.

So, before starting a stressful day, give yourself a dose of yoga and get set to work, to see its effects. It is because; practicing yoga may elevate the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter – the brain gamma-aminobutyric levels.

Thanks to the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and McLean Hospital researchers for cracking this secret answer to depression and anxiety

Depression and anxiety disorders, associated with low brain gamma-aminobutyric levels have successfully been treated with pharmaceutical agents designed to increase the levels.

Lead author Chris Streeter, MD, an assistant professor of psychiatry and neurology at BUSM and a research associate at McLean Hospital, said

Our findings clearly demonstrate that in experienced yoga practitioners, brain GABA levels increase after a session of yoga.

So, cuing with the finding, take up yoga to help work on your symptoms associated with depression, anxiety and epilepsy.

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Chain smokers are at a higher risk of developing depression in comparison to those who never smoke, a Finnish study has suggested.

The study conducted at the Department of Public Health of the University of Helsinki claims that those who quit smoking have an elevated risk of depressive symptoms but only in the short-term and this risk declines to the level of non-smokers in the longer-term.

The research was conducted on about 4,000 male and 5,000 female twins, whose health and health behavior were followed-up through 15 years.

As the study consisted of twins it was easier to test the relation between smoking and depression by using twin pairs where the twin without depression served as a harmonized control for his/her co-twin suffering from depression.

Twins also enabled the researchers to examine the genetic influences between depression/smoking link.

Dr Tellervo Korhonen from the University of Helsinki said,

The mechanisms underlying the association between smoking and depression are very complicated. Although nicotine as such may have short term positive effects on concentration and possibly on mood, long term exposure to tobacco smoke may be one risk factor in development of depression. However, this mechanism is still relatively unknown. Thus, there is need for further research and evidence in order to make an unambiguous statement that ’smoking cigarettes cause depression’. Examination of potential shared genetic vulnerability for both tobacco dependence and depression is among the further challenges.

The study also revealed that persistent smoking remained significant amongst men folk, whereas women were more likely to give up smoking at a particular stage.

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Via:Inthenews

A pressing need to forward one’s career and earn a living, growing appetites for luxurious lifestyles, a high salt diet and factors like these have ensued in increasing health problems among the adult population in India. If doctors are to be believed, the country is on the verge of becoming the hypertension capital of the world with over 200 million suffering from high blood pressure. An estimate suggested that every fifth adult in India suffers from problems related to high blood pressure. These are alarming statistics that predict that the numbers could double by 2020. Doctors fear that the prediction could come true if preventive measures are not adopted.

It has also been noted that half of the affected population is ignorant of the fact that they are hypertensive. A serious lack of awareness has been witnessed among them. A random survey showed that 9 out of 10 people do not get their blood pressure checked on a regular basis. Most of them felt that there was no need for a check-up. Hypertension results in heart attacks, in most cases, angina and strokes. Doctors advise a change in lifestyle and diet and a regular visit to the doctor would reduce the risks to a great extent.

Via:IBN

An environmentalist or an eco-tourist would agree that there is no better alternative to depression treatment, then “ecotherapy.” But in a shocking figure, GPs have been found to have prescribed antidepressants to over 31 million people in the UK in 2006 alone, making it an all-time high.

To combat the growing trend of the depressed people’s relying solely on drugs, Mind — a leading mental health charity – advices depressed people to go for ‘Green therapy’ to tackle the growing problem effectively and easily.

But, you must be pondering on what this ‘green treatment’ might involve. It prescribes no drugs, but walking, kite-flying and gardening as a treatment for people suffering from depression. The charity argues these drugless therapies need to be recognized as a ‘clinically-valid frontline treatment’ for problems relating to mental health.

But, it does not mean that a depressed patient should stop taking drugs. What the charity wants is the need to broaden the treatment therapies by including eco-therapy in the treatment procedure.

Mind’s chief executive Paul Farmer said,

Mind sees ecotherapy as an important part of the future for mental health. It’s a credible, clinically-valid treatment option and needs to be prescribed by GPs, especially when for many people access to treatments other than antidepressants is extremely limited.

Hundreds of people have benefited from the green projects run by our local Mind associations but if prescribing ecotherapy was part of mainstream practice it could potentially help the millions of people across the country who are affected by mental distress.

So, if you are suffering from depression, go for an eco-therapy along with taking the drugs prescribed by your physician.

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Antidepressant labels should warn young adults aged 18 to 24 that the drugs may increase their risk of suicide, the Food and Drug Administration said.

The current warning states adolescents and children may suffer suicidal thoughts while taking the drug, the Food and Drug Administration wants that expanded to those 25 and younger in light of new findings, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The FDA has asked the makers of antidepressant drugs to add precautionary warnings to the prescription information for the drugs that are given to young people between 18 and 24 years of age during the first 1 to 2 months of use.

In 2005 the FDA asked drug manufacturers to add a similar warning regarding children and adolescents prescribed antidepressants.

Furthermore, the FDA stated that people currently taking antidepressants should not stop taking them, but consult their doctors if they have any concerns.

Dr. Steven Galson, the FDA’s drugs chief said:

Antidepressant medications benefit many patients, but it is important that doctors and patients are aware of the risks.

The FDA’s proposal comes after their request in December to amplify warnings on antidepressants based on a series of clinical studies.

The newspaper reported that — those studies, which focused on nearly 100,000 patients, found that increased suicidal thoughts occurred at early ages among antidepressant users while they decreased among older users.

Manufacturers of antidepressants will now have 30 days to submit their revised product labels and revised Medication Guides to FDA for review.

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Cutthroat competition, rise and fall in the business sphere are not the only threats that the world-economy is constantly grappling with but depression is also foraying into its foundation. Proving this fact further, a new study unveils that depression costs $10b a year. This conclusion is based on the facts that came out during an analysis of about 90,000 workers at 60 of the nation’s biggest firms.

Study’s fact: At a glance:

• One in 20 employees was at very high risk of a mental health disorder.

• Women were comparatively more vulnerable to mental health disorders than men.

• An unwell man costs an average of about $8500 a year.

• While unwell woman costs about $2300 in a year.

• Mental health disorder results in $9.6 million productivity loss, nationwide.

• Only 20 per cent of the employees with mental health disorders were receiving treatment.

• 5.6 per cent of men and 6 per cent of women were at very high risk of having a mental health disorder.

• People required to work more than 60 hours a week were at greatest risk.

• Those who were suffering mental illness cost their company more, about $25,000 a year.

These figures bring to light quite a gloomy picture of the mental health situation, prevailing in Australia. In addition, they also confirm the fact that Australian economy is severely being targeted by the phobia called, depression. However, it is worth mentioning that Australia is not the only country where working class is grappling with depression or other mental disorders, but there are many other countries, where depression rate, especially among the working class is fast burgeoning. And the direct implication of this depression in workplace is befalling on the productivity of the employees. According to an estimate, there are about 400 million people with disabling neuro-psychiatric condition, among which depression alone is expected to become the second highest cause of death worldwide after coronary artery disease.

Looking at the present scenario it could be asserted that countries like America, UK, Australia, and China are comparatively more vulnerable to depression, which indirectly shows that threat to the economies of these countries is comparatively greater. It is quite unfortunate that a major chunk of people, suffering from depression do not having access to drugs and treatments that are essential to restore mental health, as states a report by WHO. According to this report, only about 18% of patients with mental health disorders get correct and specific treatment. Putting more light on the worldwide situation of depression the same report estimates that annually, about 33.4 million people suffer from severe depression, which is quite a serious issue.

Looking at the rising tide of depression cases and its impact on the world economy, it could be asserted that taking hard measures to check this rise in depression is must as it will not only help ensuring our victory on the health front but on economic front too by checking the decline in the productivity of the workforce, which is being imperiled by the phobia called, depression.

Via: Border Mail

Believe it or not, if you are having symptoms of depression then it could be an indication of health-wreakening disease Parkinson’s in your life.

A new study, conducted by a team of researchers, including Miguel Hernan at the American Academy of Neurology, came out unveiling this stark fact after they examined a database of over three million people in the United Kingdom.
During the course of study, researchers identified about 1,052 people with Parkinson’s disease and matched them with 6,634 people without the disease. In addition, researchers also tried to find out whether people, taking antidepressants medications are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than people who are not taking the medications.

Finally, they concluded that people, taking antidepressants were having two times chances of developing Parkinson’s disease than those who were without antidepressants. However, they made it clear that it didn’t mean that antidepressants cause Parkinson’s disease. In the words of Hernan:

This should not be interpreted as evidence that antidepressants cause Parkinson’s disease.

This finding is quite informative, as it has tried to bring out the link between depression and Parkinson’s disease quite differently. Still, it is worth mentioning this is not for the first time when any study has come out associating depression with Parkinson’s disease because studies conducted earlier have also done the same. Here are some of those studies:

• Depression May Be Early Sign of Parkinson’s Disease

• Pessimism and Anxiety Linked to Parkinson’s

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Via: Sawf

Use of antidepressants is fast becoming a common thing, especially for the Australians with more and more people turning prone to mental health problems. A report from Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) come out exposing this darker facet the Australians’ health.

According to this report:

• The number of antidepressants prescriptions increased 2.2 per cent per year between 2000-01 and 2005-06.

• The use of antipsychotics increased just in a year about 6.8 per cent while this increase was 4.6 per cent for antidepressants.

• Where in 2000-01 doctors prescribed about 9.8 million antidepressants while this figure reached 12.3 million in 2005-06.

• Just in a single year use of antipsychotic increased from 1.3 million scripts to 1.8 million.

• More people in Tasmania and South Australia were seeking for mental health medication while the use of mental health medication was comparatively lower in the Northern Territory and the Australia Capital Territory.

• One in two Australians seeking help each year.

• About 190,000 people were treated in a hospital emergency department for a mental illness during 2004-05.

Facts, looming out of this report paint quite a gloomy picture of Australians’ mental health. However, it is worth mentioning that this is not for the first time when upsetting picture of Australians’ mental health has come to the fore, because earlier too experts have pointed that Australia’s mental health system is in distress. And if we look at this problem in wider term then we can say that the issue of worsening mental health is worrying not only the Australians but the entire globe. Following points bring out this picture very clearly:

• The mental health of New Zealanders is getting worse

• Mental health fears in China

• Mental health care system in New Orleans is growing worse

These facts indirectly show that people’s dependence on antidepressants is skyrocketing not only in Australia but also around the world. This is a harsh reality that hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by mental, behavioral, neurological and substance use disorders. Proving this stark fact further an estimate in 2002 by the World Health Organization shows that 154 million people globally suffer from depression and 25 million people from schizophrenia; 91 million people are affected by alcohol use disorders and 15 million by drug use disorders. And due to this very reason a majority of such people stoop for using these antidepressants, which is quite a bad thing because there are many side effects that antidepressants have been linked to.

Following is the list of those side effects:

• Dry mouth

• Urinary retention

• Blurred vision

• Constipation

• Sedation (can interfere with driving or operating machinery)

• Sleep disruption

• Weight gain

• Headache

• Nausea

• Gastrointestinal disturbance/diarrhea

• Abdominal pain

• Inability to achieve an erection

• Inability to achieve an orgasm (men and women)

• Loss of libido

• Agitation

• Anxiety

This shows that too much dependence on antidepressants may no doubt, help curing bad mental health but several side effects as mentioned above may also flock with it.

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Via: News