Treating Depression And Battling The Demons Depression Can Bring

Oh what a tough condition depression is to tackle.

It can be very hard to treat depression because there are so many variables.

First of all you must recognize that there is even an issue to address and then you must be willing to get professional help to help treat the condition.

Then not only must you recognize the problem, and seek treatment but you must be willing to stick with the treatment for the long term. Treating depression is not a quick solution.

One of the ways in which you may treat depression is with an antidepressant medication. This group of medications works on the neurotransmitters, known as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, which have an affect on your feelings of happiness, well being and overall emotion.

Another treatment for depression typically used in conjunction with medication is counseling.

This method is aimed at getting to the root of the cause of depression so that it too can be dealt with in hopes of a long term solution to depression.

The challenge of treating depression with counseling is that many times you may decide that medications are enough for you and that talking with a complete stranger about what is bothering you is simply just out of the question.

Easy to understand but those who deal with treating depression with both medication and counseling are thought to have a higher success rate.

Counseling can help to give you alternatives for managing your feelings and suggestions for managing stressful situations.

Finally depression that is not being well controlled with outpatient methods may require hospitalization. This typically occurs in the most serious circumstances, and generally happens after there have been warning signs that you are deteriorating and that you might make a choice to harm yourself or those around you.

Hospitalization to deal with depression may also happen when you are suffering with drug or alcohol induced psychosis that is impeding logical thinking.

The good news is that when you seek treatment for depression and you stick with the program most people will experience a high success rate with the treatment of depression. The outcome of a good treatment plan for attacking depression results in a healthier and happier life.

Success at the treatment of depression depends on the overall involvement you have in your care.

Most often you will find that medication alone will not successfully and completely treat depression, but rather a combination of medications and counseling in which you are an active participant can have a better success rate at treating depression in the long run.

Sticking with the plan even when you begin to fill better is also very important since stopping counseling or your medication as soon as you being to feel better is a mistake and can cause a more serious relapse.

Overall, when you choose to actively participate, then successfully treating depression can be achieved. Antidepressants are often for short term use only while a longer run of counseling can help to really address the root of the depressive episode.

Submitted By: Jeff Foster

Published At: www.Isnare.com

Think How Clinical Depression Affects the World

Clinical depression has over the years been a menace to many people around the world. This type of depression is a serious medical illness that affects how you feel, how you think and the way you act, negatively. The condition can not be wished away by the patient since it is not a personal weakness. For this reason, clinically depressed people lack the ability to pull themselves together so as to come out of this situation hence making the patients finding it hard to ask for help.

Unlike the other types of depressions, clinical depression has the ability to come in different forms. At times, it may begin suddenly while at other times, it may begin by slowly building up over a period of weeks, months or even years. Both these forms depend on the actual cause of the depression. These causes may include biological factors such as a chemical imbalance that you were born with or a combination of environmental, genetic and psychological factors that may be in place.

Symptoms of clinical depression are usually categorized into three different groups namely; the physical group, behavioral/attitude group and the emotional group. The physical group comprises of insomnia (sleep disturbances), headaches, stomachaches, decreased energy, digestive problems and fatigue. On the part of behavior, we have symptoms such as the patient having a difficult time in concentrating, remembering things or making decisions. The patient may also start neglecting his responsibilities and even stop caring about his personal appearance. When we come to the emotional group,the patient may not only feel sad or withdrawn like in the other types of depressions but he or she may start having suicidal thoughts, feel very agitated, hopeless, helpless, worthless or sometimes guilty of outcomes that were not necessarily there fault. Having mentioned the symptoms of clinical depression, it should be understood that they vary in their number, severity and the duration they may take to stay with the patient again depending on the type of clinical depression the patient may be having at that moment.

The most commonly known types of clinical depression are, the major depression, Dysthymia depression and the manic depression. In the major clinical depression, a combination of several clinical depression symptoms occur and interfere with your ability to work, sleep properly, eat well and enjoy activities that you used to enjoy. However, these episodes may only take place once, twice, thrice or just a few more times in a lifetime.

Dysthymia clinical depression unlike the other two clinical depressions, is considered to be a less intense type that involves long-term, chronic symptoms that appear to be less harmful to the patient but at the same time prevent one from functioning properly. For this reason, the patient is prevented from feeling good and at the same time, he or she cannot enjoy living.

When we come to manic clinical depression (also known as bipolar disorder),we see that episodes of depression alternate with episodes of increased activities and relations :-referred to as manic. During the depressive episodes, the patient feels worthless, helpless and extremely sad that he or she may always be seen to cry with no major reason in place. On the other hand, when manic episodes occur, the patient is usually seen to be overly excited regarding small matters, have an increased spending urge and sometimes sleeps for less hours. On rare occasions though, the patent may experience both manic and depressive episodes concurrently. When this occurs, the patient may be seen to be having symptoms from both sides and a good example of this situation is,the patient may be having a hopeless mood while at the same time have an aggressive behavior.With a proper diagnosis, clinical depression can be treated and the patient therefore be allowed to enjoy life.

Article Source : www.articlesbase.com

The True Way Of Overcoming Clinical Depression

Clinical depression is a form of illness that affects us just like any other illness. It can't be cured simply by willing it, nor can it be cured by positive thoughts alone. Whilst creating and maintaining a positive attitude and outlook towards life is a crucial step in overcoming depression, it alone will not suffice.

Overcoming clinical depression involves a number of different factors, which must all be used in conjunction with one another. Of course one can take medication to help manage their clinical depression, but this won't serve as any long term cure. The true way of overcoming clinical depression involves changing the fundamental outlook you have towards life. This includes changing your general thought patterns, the attitude you have towards others and the way you analyze situations.

It's important to realise that the way you perceive yourself, and the way others perceive you, are often two completely different things. In fact, if you are suffering from clinical depression, you can almost be certain that they're two different things.

Someone with clinical depression is usually quicker to judge themselves, give themselves negative feedback, or believe that others think that they're somehow 'weird' or 'outside of the group'. In actual fact, these thought patterns are entirely incorrect, and need to be changed to realistic thought patterns.

Think for a moment, when was the last time you met a person that seemed like such an outsider that no one wanted to talk to them, such a weird person that they were hopeless at everything? Perhaps you can't think of anyone like this. That's because very few people, if any, are hopeless at everything. All of us have certain qualities, and if one group of people doesn't appreciate our qualities, then another group certainly will.

Did you know that we naturally get on well with 25% of people we meet? These 25% of people we can easily establish rapport with, make friends with, and usually have a lot in common with. If you find that the people around you are constantly judging you, or are looking down upon you as a laughing stock, then odds are you're associating yourself with the wrong crowd of people.

Overcoming clinical depression could be as simple as needing a change in your lifestyle. A different job, perhaps moving to a different location, even finding new friends. If you're not finding the 25% of people that you should naturally be getting on well with in your current lifestyle, then change it!

Introverted people get on well with other introverts, just like extroverted people get on well with fellow extroverts. If you're introverted, and your occupation is full of many extroverts, then it's no wonder you're feeling depressed! Change your environment. Find friends or an occupation that has fellow introverts, or vice versa depending upon your personality type.

Once you surround yourself with other like minded individuals that you get on well with, you won't feel that other people are judging you as much, which will lead to you experiencing less anxiety, less stress, and ultimately, less depression.

So to sum up, overcoming clinical depression isn't about forcing yourself to think positively. It's about changing your environment so that you can naturally develop positive thought patterns, without having to make much of a conscious effort. When you associate yourself with people you get on well with, and have a job that you enjoy, you'll begin to think of situations in a more positive and realistic manner, you'll find that your feelings of worthlessness, anxiety, stress, anger and lack of self esteem, will begin to vanish.

Whilst medication may help fight depression by allowing you to instantly achieve a relaxed state of mind, if you want to start overcoming clinical depression naturally, then start creating a more positive environment for yourself. Change your lifestyle, and your thought patterns will change too.

Don't worry about the odd person or two you can't get on well with, because there are plenty of other people out there that will respect you, and view you in high regard. In fact, they probably already exist in your life right now, you just need to realise who they are.

Article Source : www.articlesbase.com

The Symptoms and Causes of Clinical Depression in Adults

Clinical or major depression – sometimes referred to as major depressive disorder or severe depressive disorder, is the most common mental disorder in the world. It affects 16% of the human population and is the leading cause of disability in America as well as in other countries. The World Health Organization expects that in 2020, clinical depression will become the second leading cause of disability in the whole world (next to heart disease).

Clinical depression is characterized by severe sadness and melancholy for a prolonged period of time. It can affect a man or woman's mental and behavioral attitude as well as his or her ability to carry out normal, everyday things.

So, what are the symptoms of clinical depression in adults?

1) Severe periods of sadness that could last for hours, days, and even weeks.

2) A decrease or loss in interest in the usual activities that he or she usually finds interesting

3) Appetite change (can be both loss and/or gain). The result is a ballooning up or down in weight.

4) Guilt over things that are relatively beyond their control such as getting sick.

5) A general feeling of worthlessness.

6) Lack of concentration on tasks and the inability to think logically including evidence of indecisiveness on things both significant and less so.

7) Exhaustion during physical activities including exercise, work, and even walking.

8) Irritability and a short temper

9) Periods of sobbing for seemingly no apparent reason.

10) Lack of self-confidence

11) Low self-esteem

12) Negative perception of the future or loss of hope over everything

13) Occasional feeling of anxiety.

14) Suicidal tendencies

15) Irregular sleeping patters that include hypersomnia or excessive sleeping, loss of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and insomnia or lack of sleep. This can be coupled with a difficulty in getting back to sleep. This in turn is naturally not good for a person's health or day to day existence.

What are the causes?

1) Medical conditions – Illnesses or traumatic experiences that are far too difficult to handle can cause depression. This might be cardiovascular disease, hypothyroidism, hepatitis, and major injuries.

2) Life experiences – Depression can be triggered by poverty, prolonged unemployment, career frustrations, multiple personal failures, gambling addiction, financial problems, loss of family members (spouse, child or relatives), a breakup within a committed relationship and other events that can trigger severe sadness.

3) Early life experiences – Childhood trauma like rejection or abandonment, chronic illness, neglect, death of loved one, sexual abuse, incest, psychological trauma, and other accidents that may not appear to be harmful during the early years but which can manifest later in life.

4) Psychological conditions – Lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem can trigger depression.

5) Physical conditions – Weight issues and physical deformities or disabilities can cause an adult to become depressed.

6) Living with a depressed person – Acquiring negative energy from someone who is depressed can increase the chances of depression. It's true – negative "vibes" can have a damaging effect!

7) Heredity – It is believed that there are depressive genes. If the parents have these kinds of genes, the offspring is likely to become depressed as well.

8) Postnatal depression or postpartum depression – mood changes after giving birth. This is often seen within 3 months after the delivery and would last for a number of months.

9) SAD or Seasonal affective disorder – Some people experience depression during winter when daytime is short. The Seasonal affective disorder can be countered with phototherapy.

It seems then that there are a number of causes for depression, the majority of which are not the sufferer's fault. This then reveals depression as the most cruel of illnesses. It's important for us to remember that only we, in the end, can control what goes on inside our minds. That is our last defense against this condition.

Article Source : www.articlesbase.com

The Silent Killer - Clinical Depression

Depression is a common response to health problems and is an often "underdiagnosed" problem in the patient population. People may become depressed because of injury or illness; may be suffering from an earlier loss that is compounded by a new health problem; or they may seek health care for somatic complaints that are bodily manifestations of depression.

Clinical depression is differentiated from daily emotions or sentiments of sadness by its gravity and extent. Most people occasionally feel down or depressed, but these feelings are short-lived and do not result in impaired functioning.

Clinically depressed people usually have had signs of a depressed mood or a decreased interest in pleasurable activities for at least a 2-week period.

An evident impairment in occupational, social, and total daily functioning occurs in some people. Others function appropriately in their interactions with the outside world by exerting great effort and forcing themselves to mask their distress.

Sometimes, they are successful at concealing their depression for months or years and astonish family members and others when they finally succumb to the problem.

Many people experience clinical depression but seek treatment for somatic complaints. The leading somatic complaints of patients struggling with depression are backache, headache, fatigue, abdominal pain, anxiety, malaise, and reduced desire or problems with sexual functioning.

These sensations are frequently manifestations of depressions. The depression is undiagnosed about half of the time and masquerades as physical health problems.

People with depression also exhibit poor functioning and high rates of absenteeism from work and school.

Specific symptoms of clinical depression are:

1. Feelings of sadness
2. Fatigue
3. Feelings of worthlessness
4. Guilt
5. Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

Changes in appetite, sleep disturbance, weight gain or loss, and psychomotor retardation or disturbance are also common. Often, patients have recurrent thoughts about death or suicide, or have made suicide attempts.

A diagnosis of clinical depression is made when a person presents with at least five of nine diagnostic criteria for depression. One of the first two symptoms present most of the time.

1. Depressed mood
2. Loss of pleasure or interest
3. Weight gain or loss
4. Sleeping difficulties
5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation
6. Fatigue
7. Feeling worthless
8. Inability to concentrate
9. Thoughts of suicide or death

Unfortunately, only one of three depressed people is properly diagnosed and appropriately treated.

In the United States, about 15% of severely depressed people commit suicide, and two-thirds of patients who have committed suicide had been sent by health care practitioners during the month before their death.

When patients make statements that are self-deprecating, convinced that things are hopeless and will not improve, and express feelings of failure, they may be at risk for suicide. Risk factors for suicide include the following:

1. Gender

Women make more attempts. Men are more successful.

2. Family history of suicide

Statistical reports show that nearly 80% of people who have committed suicide have family history of suicide.

3. Dysfunctional family

Family members have experienced cumulative multiple losses and posses limited coping skills.

4. Substance abuse

A person who abuses substances has an inability to make healthy decisions and to solve problems effectively.

5. Severe anxiety

Research studies indicate a reduction in distress when anxiety and depression are treated with psycho-educational programs, the establishment of support systems, and counseling.

Explaining to patients that clinical depression is a medical illness and not a sign of personal weakness, and that effective treatment will allow them to feel better and stay emotionally healthy, is an important aspect of care.

Article Source :www.artclesbase.com

Successful Treatments for Clinical Depression are Available

There is a wide variety of labels placed on depression disorders. Depression is a condition that affects the way a person reasons out issues, interacts with his external environment, performs at the workplace, and views his relationship with other people.

Thanks to modern techniques, people suffering from depression can be successfully treated and relieved of the symptoms with professional diagnosis and timely treatment. When symptoms are evident one should seek assistance as soon as possible. A professional can then suggest the appropriate treatment required to alleviate the condition.

Treatments that are Available For Clinical Depression?

Several avenues of treatment are available today. Learning as much as possible about the cause and treatment will help sustain your ability to see the treatment through and achieve total relief now and in the future. It may be found that a combination of treatments is required to achieve relief from the symptoms as quickly as possible.

Proper diagnosis may reveal that successful treatment may need to combine allopathic treatment with alternative medicines or natural remedies. Careful and qualified observation throughout the treatment process will indicate the path of treatment required for each particular individual.

It is always wise to consult with your personal doctor when seeking treatment and follow advice from him. Your actual treatment will most likely be supervised by a specialist in mental disorders but your medical doctor should be fully aware of the condition as well.

Clinical depression is a very serious mental disorder which can lead to fatal results due to a variety of reasons. Professional assistance is definitely indicated. Learn as much as possible about the various treatment options and consults with experts. It is important to act quickly and seek a program that will target your individual needs.

Clinical depression treatments basically fall into two basic types of treatment. The first type would be described best as medically approved treatments, The second avenue of treatment might be classified as alternative medicine and cures.

The types of Medically Approved Treatment

Medication and psychotherapy requires the use of prescribed drugs that will control the most severe symptoms. In combination, there would be mental therapy treatments. These sessions will serve to reveal the causes of mentally stressing conditions. The cause of the mentally stressing condition must be revealed, rationalized and relieved.

Once revealed, a professional can then suggest a proper course of action to deal with the issues that have been nagging at your brain and contributing to the stressing condition.

ECT or the electro-convulsive therapy can best be described as a treatment that utilizes electric shock therapy. This may seem a bit medieval and sounds like a disturbing course of treatment. In fact the process had become very refined and scientific. The professionals administering this treatment precisely understand every region of the brain and will know in advance the areas that need and will be affected by electrical stimulation.

Trans Cranial Magnetic Stimulation is a clinical depression treatment that may only be in the infancy stage at this point. It is showing positive results when conducted in the presence of persistent mental disorders that are proving difficult to treat by more conventional methods.

This technique to treat mental disorders makes use of a mild electro-magnetic current passing through the brain to stimulate the certain brain cells. Understanding which brain cells require stimulation and the action resulting from that stimulation is the key to using this method effectively.

The Second Broad Treatment Group

Some people will experience relief from mental stress and depression through the practice of Yoga. This simply incorporates a course of physical and mental exercises which help to relax both body and mind. The meditation that yoga prescribes in combination with a number of predefined postures (asanas) have proven to be very effective in reversing clinical depression in many people.

This is not really anything new. Several eastern cultures have successfully made use of yoga to treat a wide range of medical and physical conditions over hundreds of years.

Although in many instances they would not be the first choice of professional psychiatric practitioners, there is available a multitude of herbal and home remedies.

Similarly to the practice of Yoga, many old cultures incorporate the use of herbs to treat a wide range of medical and physical conditions. In fact it has been clearly shown that many herbs act as natural anti-depressants and have been shown to provide mental stimulation. For these reasons many herbalists will suggest the use of these herbs to reverse the effects of and eliminate clinical depression completely.

Article Source : www.articlesbase.com

Severe Clinical Depression Treatments Facts

Clinical Depression is a serious illness marked by deep sadness, melancholia, and/or despair that disrupts the daily living of an individual. Severe depression includes Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) and Schizophrenia among other mental illnesses. Both of these can cause serious difficulties with daily living, working, and relationships.

There are many treatment options available for Severe Depression. There are pharmaceutical treatments, medical procedures, medications, and psychotherapy. In the cases of severe Depression, more than one treatment is used at the same time.

Medications are used in treating severe depression. They fall into particular classes
SSRIs - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors treats a deficiency of Serotonin in the brain.

MAOIs - monomine oxidase inhibitors blocks the monomine enzyme that breaks down neurotransmitters (Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine).

SNRIs - Selective Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors works on Neuroepinephrine and 5H-T. These are the most common classes of antidepressants.

Electroconvulsive Therapy is also known as Shock Therapy. The patient is given both a general anesthetic and a muscle relaxer. When this procedure is done right a seizure will result - the relaxant is used to prevent this. Electrodes are put on the scalp and very controlled electric pulses are given and this causes brief seizure activity in the brain. The patient’s muscles are relaxed so only mild movement of the hands and feet occur. The patient wakes up a few minutes later and remembers nothing about the procedure or events surrounding it. They may be confused after the treatment. This procedure is usually prescribed to be repeated either in one month or in three months.

Vagal Nerve Stimulation is a procedure wherein a pacemaker type piece of equipment is placed in the chest. A pulse is delivered along the nerve that goes from the neck to the brain that is believed to control depression. Some relief has been noted with this procedure.

Herbal treatments are used for depression at all levels. In supplement form, they can be very beneficial. Specific herbs are blended in a particular formula believed to effect mood. To get the maximum benefit’s the supplement should be of pharmaceutical grade. To be sure that you are getting what the label says you are, the metabolic pathway of each ingredient is studied at the molecular level and the interactions of the ingredients are evaluated.

These are but a few of the available severe Clinical Depression treatments currently being used. Research and new treatments are being discovered all of the time. Newer drugs with lower doses are coming out that will have better tolerance and fewer side effects. Depression is a serious illness but it is not without hope. There are so many resources and support systems that are available now. Consult with your doctor and together you can determine which treatment(s) will meet your needs.

By John Gibb

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Recognizing If You Have Depression

Millions of people suffer from Depression each year. Depression is made up of different emotions, most people get feelings of loss, frustration, sadness, and disappointment, just to name a few. Someone who has depression doesn't have a lot of interest in life and has a hard time focusing on tasks at hand. Sometimes they may not want to get out of bed and they don't want to partake in normal daily activities like going to work or participating in a hobby of theirs.

Two main categories of depression are situational and clinical. Clinical depression symptoms are having thoughts of suicide, uncontrollable negative thoughts, very easily becomes irritated or angry, feelings of hopelessness, sleeping to much or not at all, and loss of appetite, or overeating. Situational depression is pretty normal feelings of sadness that occur when someone goes though a major loss, or the not so lucky things that just happen in life that nothing can change. So you can see here that there is a huge difference between the two.

Every case of depression is going to vary from case to case, every person is different . Some people who have depression say that they don't feel sad, they feel worthless, blank, empty, almost like the living dead just lifeless. They are incapable of feeling happiness and enjoying anything.

Suicide is a major factor in Depression. Many people that are depressed end up committing or attempting to commit suicide. Depressed people think that sometimes it's the only way to end the pain and get rid of the feelings they are experiencing. Suicide is a symptom of severe clinical depression and you can not take it seriously enough if someone you know is talking about suicide. There are many hotlines available for help you or someone you know wants to hurt themselves. Most often suicidal persons will give a clue or warning to theirs feelings and theirs intentions. So if you notice any signs that someone you know might be suicidal speak up! Helping them cope with there depression or even just showing that you care may just save their lives.

Some other types of depression involve Dysthymia, maniac depression, postpartum depression, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Dysthymia's symptoms are not as strong as major clinical depression, however, the may last as long as 2 years or more. It has small ups and downs to it. For a few days you may be mildly depressed and then the next few days you may feel better and happier. However, the may last as long as 2 years or more. It has small ups and downs to it. For a few days you may be mildly depressed and then the next few days you may feel better and happier. Maniac depression is another name for bipolar.

A Person with maniac depression usually will have the same symptoms as someone who has severe clinical depression except they have other major mood swings that can last days to weeks and can switch in a matter of days or hours even. Postpartum depression is a very normal depression that happens after a woman has given childbirth. New mothers tend to be very sleep deprived, going through a major lifestyle change and that might be a major cause of it. It can happen up to a year after child birth and sometimes it can get so extreme that a mother may want to hurt her new child or want to ignore and neglect it. Seasonal affective disorder happens in the winter months when the weather is cloudy and gloomy. It is a very normal depression as well.

Depression can actually be very hard to treat. Sometimes, what seems like symptoms of depression are often the same symptoms of something else. It can be hard to tell if the depression is situational or if it really is clinical. In a situational case the treatment can be as easy as changing the situation, but with clinical depression it can be a number of things. Things like a childhood trauma, a social problem loneliness, substance abuse, genetics, a health problems that is very troublesome or a more recent traumatic happening.

But no matter how depressed one person should get, there is always a way to recover. There is so many different treatments and therapies for depression patients the amount of help is endless. There a prescription medications to help, hotlines, therapies, and lots of natural ways to overcome depression. Alternative health supplements some safe and natural products that will help with depression and changing ones mood. The best way to overcome depression is to use a couple methods of treatment together. Talk to a professional to see whether making a life style change would be the answer or try taking a natural herbal supplement. Which ever method may be right for you the first step is to ask for help and know that it is out there and its everywhere.

By Steve A Johnson

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Putting the Breaks on Clinical Depression

Unlike the occasional feelings of gloominess that you can willfully snap out of, clinical depression is something that would not go away as easily. Try as you might, factors involving chemical imbalances in your brain are at play, contributing to the tenacity of this serious medical ailment. Hence, people who are diagnosed with clinical depression are forced to make necessary changes in their lives. Despite the fact that it cannot be cured overnight, there are several helpful things you can do on your own to help support your prescribed medication and therapy. Read on to find out what they are.

• Although your brain chemicals are confirmed to contribute to your depression, there are also other causal aspects of your life that helped bring it about. Staying away from these would be of great help to your condition.

• Try to identify the instances or aspects of your life that depresses you. Although at this stage making such a move would be very difficult for you, chronicling your day-to-day circumstances along with your personal thoughts and feelings would be most beneficial. Doing so would help you get better in touch with your inner self and allow you to evaluate your situation and condition in the long run.

• Surround yourself with happy or spiritually uplifting things. Listen to cheerful or delightful music, read self-help or spiritually motivating books, and watch good movies that are either funny or have happy endings. Immersing yourself in the goodness of life through the following mediums helps prevent you from sliding down further.

• Try redecorating your room or rearranging your furniture. Having a change of space without having to change addresses is very doable. Moreover, the physical exercise you get from moving things about would help alleviate your condition by raising your energy level even for just a short while. Once you become totally immersed in this activity, your mind will definitely benefit from the diversion.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Clinical Depression, and Teenage Girls: A Recent Study

Several research projects in recent years have looked into the impact of ADHD on the lives of teen females. MRI studies show that the teen brain is rapidly maturing, but is not fully mature until the early twenties in women, and perhaps the early thirties in men. Long-term studies on behavior and emotional health show that females with ADHD may struggle through the teen years. And other studies report that depression is common among teens with ADHD, and is so common among teen students that the use of medications for ADHD, antidepressants, anti-psychotics, and even sleep medications, is up sharply with teen females.

While many children and teens with ADHD also suffer from some degree of sadness, discouragement, or frustration, as many as 25% are clinically depressed. Children and teens with ADHD are as much as 300% more likely to also suffer from clinical depression than are children or teens without ADHD.

The co-morbid depression do not seem to be associated with the ADHD symptoms such as inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, or academic problems. These problems might result in a young person being discouraged, sad, or frustrated, but probably not clinically depressed.

Rather, the depression seems to be most associated with social awkwardness or interpersonal difficulties that are sometimes a part of having ADHD. The lack of friendships, the sense of loneliness, or the sense of being a social outcast are most likely behind the depression. And these feelings are, of course, much stronger in the teenage years.

In females who were diagnosed with ADHD, and were followed by long-term studies through the years, it was observed that as they moved from childhood to adolescence their outward symptoms of ADHD, such as hyperactivity and impulsivity, seemed to lessen.

We do want to note that most females with ADHD do not have the symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity. Most females with ADHD are inattentive, distracted, disorganized, or space cadets, which is why females are so under-diagnosed for ADHD. Young women tend to just sit in the classroom, get distracted, and do poorly on the tests. But they don’t cause trouble in the classroom so they often do not get the attention that might lead to a diagnosis and useful treatment.

But for those females were did have the symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity, and had been diagnosed as children, their outward symptoms tended to decrease as they reached the teenage years.

However, as these females reached the teenage years, it was observed that their performance in school continued to be a problem, and that the academic gap between them and their peers without ADHD continued to widen with each passing year.

These researchers also noted that, while some females with ADHD actually out-grew it as they reached their teenage years, for the most part the females not only continued to suffer from their ADHD, but many began to get into serious trouble. Both behavioral and emotional problems began to emerge in many of these females, and the need for specialized treatment grew.

By: Douglas Cowan
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

How to Recognize Clinical Depression

At some point, everyone experiences temporary bouts of sadness or unhappiness. This is perfectly normal and for most people these feelings are typically short lived with no lasting effects. In some cases, however, these feelings of sadness or unhappiness cultivate into a serious, psychiatric illness called clinical depression, which can be debilitating and dangerous if left untreated.

Clinical depression can affect anyone regardless of race, gender, age, religion or income status. It does appear that it affects more women than men although this may be due to the fact that women are more likely to seek treatment than men. There are many different causes for it. A person can inherit it. It can be caused by traumatic life events such as the death of a loved one, a messy divorce, or serious financial difficulties. Being consistently angry, having poor self-esteem, or having feelings of complete hopelessness can be major contributing factors. A combination of any of the above can also trigger a clinically depressed state.

The symptoms of clinical depression range from mild to very severe. They can affect the way a person thinks and acts or they can appear in the form of debilitating physical disorders or illnesses. One person may suffer from a lack of concentration, fatigue, loss of appetite, and/or insomnia. Another person could be inflicted with suicidal thoughts or tendencies. Each person is different although in many cases there are uncontrollable feelings of guilt, anxiety, or sadness. Clinical depression can also lead to other serious problems such as alcoholism or eating disorders.

Treating clinical depression can be a challenge, depending on the underlying cause of it. Most physicians are quick to write a prescription for anti-depressant prescription drugs that can have some very serious side effects. Often times, cognitive therapy is very helpful in overcoming this illness. It teaches an individual how to approach challenging situations from a different angle. Interpersonal therapy is also beneficial because it helps the patient change negative behaviors that may be causing the depression. Many are turning to alternative therapies, such as exercise, vitamins, and herbal remedies as research has shown that it can also be beneficial in the treatment of clinical depression.

If you think you may be suffering from clinical depression, contact a medical professional immediately. It is a real illness that can be treated. Left untreated, it can become very serious, if not deadly. Also, don't assume that you have clinical depression and don't try to treat it yourself. Before trying any form of treatment you should have a confirmed diagnosis from a medical professional.

Article Source : www.articlesbase.com

How To Identify And Treat Clinical Depression

Whether it is you or someone you love, knowing the facts about clinical depression symptoms can save lives. Today, more than 1/3 of people will face some type of depression episode in their lives. This number continues to grow. For those that are feeling this right now, knowing the signs of depression can ultimately help relief to finally come.

Once clinical depression symptoms are evident, the proper anxiety and depression treatment can be administered, and soon, life can get back to normal. Those that are left without treatment will find themselves struggling and their condition can get worse. In many cases, clinical depression symptoms can lead to thoughts of suicide and even attempts at suicide. In that case, then, depression can be deadly.

Here are some of the clinical depression symptoms that you should be aware of.

· Saddened mood, unexplained unhappiness. · Loss of enthusiasm. · Unexplained crying. · A feeling of not wanting to do the things that you loved to do. · Problems concentrating, feelings of being unable to focus on even simpler tasks. · The feeling of being in slow motion. · Fatigue, even if you sleep, you feel tired and worn out. Loss of energy goes right along with this. · Insomnia can also prevail. You may tend to wake up very early or you may find yourself oversleeping and still not feeling as though you slept at all. · Restlessness, feelings of needing to do things right now. · Feelings of no hope, hopelessness, being pessimistic · Anxiety is something that many with depression face. The two conditions go hand in hand, sometimes, while in others they are separate conditions. · Unexplained weight loss, or unexplained weight gain · Irritability, unfounded feelings of being angry, upset or frustrated

If you feel that you have some or all of these clinical depression symptoms, you should seek out the help of a professional. As we mentioned, the worst symptom of them all is the thoughts of suicide or even attempts at it. If you are in this place, or have a loved one in this place, it is essential that anxiety and depression treatment be sought as soon as possible. This is an indication that depression is severe. Often, depression medicines will be needed to pull out of this type of situation.

These clinical depression symptoms can present themselves in various degrees of severity. For some, they may come and go. For others, there is just no way to shake them. Because depression is a life long illness, it is essential that anxiety and depression treatment be sought to lessen the frequencies of these symptoms. Additionally, with the right depression anxiety medications, or alternative treatments for depression, the clinical depression symptoms that are evident are not as harsh and can be eliminated all together.

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How To Treat Your Clinical Depression?

Feeling depressed is a normal part of being human. These feelings usually disappear after a few hours or even a few days. There are times though, when depression gets out of hand and lasts for months, it’s this that is known as a depression disorder. These various types of depression are called Clinical depression. With Clinical depression the condition needs to be treated as soon as possible.

In Clinical depression some sort of treatment is needed to help control the symptoms or to prevent the depression from turning life threatening. There are three main types of Clinical depression. They are Unipolar or Major depression, Bipolar or Manic depression and Chronic or Dysthymia depression.

Each of these depression disorders can affect their sufferer differently. In general people who suffer from Major Clinical depression will have recurrent attacks. The severe depressed state can last from a few hours to a few months. These people will tend to feel absolutely worthless and feel a loss of motivation. Feelings of complete hopelessness and in many cases suicidal feelings may also be present.

For the sufferers of Bipolar Clinical depression they experience the same symptoms as Major Clinical depression. In addition their moods will swing towards a high euphoric state of mania. Then they will experience feelings of extreme low. While the sufferers are in the high mood they can exist for long periods of time with almost no food and no sleep.

These individuals will feel that they can accomplish anything and they will also feel invincible. These people sometimes believe that they have a personal communication link to God and their own personal celebrities. The other pattern of Bipolar Clinical depression is that these individuals have a very high thinking and speech process.

While sufferers of Chronic Clinical depression will not experience any of these symptoms they will suffer a prolonged feeling of being sad and depressed. They will experience no sense of personal satisfaction from their various day to day tasks. There maybe occasions when their depressed state could cause them to feel suicidal.

Any of these forms of depression are in their own way debilitating to the sufferer. However for any depression to be classified as a disorder it must last for quite a while without disappearing. While Chronic Clinical depression is not always life threatening, both Major Clinical depression and Bipolar Clinical depression need to be taken seriously and treated as soon as possible. Your doctor or physician can prescribe medication should you need to be treated for any of the forms of Clinical depression.

Submitted By: Devid Wolley

Published At: www.Isnare.com

History of Clinical Depression

There are several things you inherit from your parents the color of your hair and eyes, your skin tone, even your height. You inherit these traits because you have genes and these genes make up your DNA. Unfortunately, you also inherit predisposition to certain diseases and even mental illness. Researches have recently shown that depression could actually be inherited. It simply means that if someone in your family is suffering from clinical depression, then there is a very high probability that you too could become depressed.

Years ago, scientists did not really know where depression came from. The environment was always identified as the primary suspect as the cause of depression in general, but more recent studies show a strong evidence that clinical depression such as depressive disorder, manic depression and dysthymia is actually caused by chemical imbalances, the predisposition to which is inherited.

The results of recent studies show that if you do have a parent, an uncle, a brother or a sister who is suffering or has suffered from clinical depression, you have 1.5 to 3 times more chances of developing the same condition than someone who does not have such a condition within the family.

Recent researches have not really been successful in trying to narrow down the research to specify which gene actually causes clinical depression. Different studies have yielded different results. It was hypothesized that the gene may be different from one family to other, but this has never been proven to date.

So there is no actual conclusion as to which gene is the culprit that causes clinical depression. But there is very little debate about the fact that clinical depression is hereditary. It is nothing to be ashamed of in fact, depression is so common that it affects more than 19 million Americans each year. However, less than half of the people suffering from this mental illness acknowledge it and seek treatment. If you or someone in your family may be experiencing depression, consult a psychiatrist immediately.

By Kristy Annely

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Getting To Understand Clinical Depression Medications

Often, we need to turn to depression anxiety medications for help from this life devastating condition. The first thing to note is that help is possible and some medications offered can provide the relief that seems so distant right now. There are several options that can be helpful when it comes to depression medicines yet it is important to note that your doctor will help you to select the appropriate one.

Your anxiety and depression treatment will be centered on several things. It will first be analyzed through depression tests done by your doctor. From there, the doctor will take such things as your symptoms, your overall severity as well as any other physical or psychological conditions you may be suffering from. Once this is done, the prescription of depression anxiety medications will happen.

What Anti Depression Drug Will I Get?

While we can not tell you specifically what will be prescribed to you, we can talk a bit about the various options that are available to treat your conditions. Your doctor will determine which depression, anxiety medications are right for your individual case.

· Diazepam: This medication is generally used to treat anxiety and for those that experience seizures. It is able to help control agitating factors which may be causing you discomfort. Additionally, it is used to help people to handle the symptoms of withdrawal from drugs and alcohol.

· Zoloft: This is a common depression/anxiety medication. It is used to treat many conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic attacks and others. It may take some time for your doctor to get your dosage right, but once this happens, many see results. Most side effects are minor but in some can be severe.

· Xanax: This medication is mainly used to treat anxiety, but it is important to note that some medications, like this one can be habit forming. Some side effects from Xanax can be considered serious so it is essential that you follow your doctor's recommended dosage here.

· Prozac: Prozac has had much claim to fame for its help in treating depression. Today, the medication can be used to treat depression in many forms, even some of the most severe. This too is a serious medication that must be taken as prescribed.

Anxiety and depression treatment is needed for most people that suffer from this condition. There are many other medications on the market that are less severe, directed at handling specific situations and those that are subtle and mild to the body. If you feel that you have clinical depression symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about depression, anxiety medications that can lift the cloud and get life back to where you want it to be.

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Depression or Clinical Depression?

The following paragraphs summarize the work of
Depression experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of Depression. Heed their advice to avoid any Depression surprises.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

It's one thing to be depressed. It is something
altogether different to be suffering from clinical depression. How do you know whether your depression is "common" or clinical?

Well, it is "normal" to feel sad or down from time to time. People say that it is "normal" even though feeling down or sad is not your "normal"
state -- but it really is normal as far as mental
health goes. This type of depression is usually an effect of a cause. For example, if a loved one dies, you feel sad. If a beloved pet dies, you feel sad. If a relationship fails, there is sadness.

It is when depression -- or that sad feeling -- lingers that it becomes abnormal, and treatment should be sought. It is also not normal for there to be no apparent cause of the depression. Even if there is a cause for the depression, it is not normal for the depression to linger on and on. Then, it has become clinical depression.

Some people see it like this: Being sad is a state of mind that will pass, and usually has an apparent cause. Being clinically depressed is a physical illness,which requires treatment, just like any other illness would.

There are still those people who really don't
understand clinical depression. They think that you should be able to "get over it" or "snap out of it" without realizing that you really can't. In fact, it is important for you to realize that they just don't understand clinical depression -- otherwise, if you believe that you should just be able to "getover it," this can only serve to make the depression worse.

Sadness lasts for a short period of time. Clinical depression, on the other hand, can last for weeks, months, or even years. When a person is down or feeling blue, they can still function in their everyday lives. People who are clinically depressed cannot.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing--the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

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Depression And Clinical Depression

Today we know a lot more about depression, this disease is one of the common and dangerous mental conditions we can encounter in all societies and in all cultures, it is in fact, an across the board human situation which, in the last few years, significant achievements have been made.

The understanding of depression and the recognition that it was, in fact, a serious mental condition, has brought about many opinions and researchers to try and discover more about the causes for depression and the ways to try and combat it. the modern ago, with psychoanalysis science and psychological research has discovered much about the human mind and spirit, and one of the most significant processes were the discovery of mental conditions that do not constitute a state of permanent mental disorder, these diseases were actually more like viruses, almost anyone had the unfortunate statistical chance of “catching” it, and everyone needed to know more about it so they could try and avoid it.

Clinical depression is a serious medical condition that affects millions of people throughout the world. Also known as major depression disorder, clinical depression is experienced by various types of people in many different walks of life. Although most people experience a few terms of sadness throughout their lives, clinical depression is more than just a case of the “blues”, it is much more like a crashing force that does not let the person suffering from it to function properly, and sometimes even not function at all.

It is estimated that clinical depression affects about sixteen percent of the world population. Imagine people suffering form depression 200 years ago, even 500 years ago, without proper understanding of this condition, many people throughout history have been outcastes and rejected from society just because of a case of depression.

According to most studies, the average onset of a typical case occurs in the late 20s. Gender also plays a role; nearly twice as many females as males report or receive treatment for depression, though this difference seems to shrink after women reach the age of fifty, when most females have gone through menopause. Depression is currently the leading cause of disability in the United States and is expected to become the second leading cause of disability worldwide in the next twenty years or so.

If you have ever seen a person that suffers from depression you are surely aware of the dangers or having this condition, life, with all its wonderful attributes is covered, and all that remains to a person with depression is the empty feeling of sadness, something this person can not just “snap out of”, even for a second, depression is a very serious thing, and we should all try to and know more about it.

There are many different signs and symptoms of depression. Some of these may include an overwhelming feeling of loss, anxiety, or pessimism, a rapid gain or loss in weight, disturbances in sleep patterns, fatigue, self-harm, and suicidal tendencies. It is advised that if you, or anyone you know, is experiencing these symptoms or symptoms similar to these, you should contact a mental health professional or support group. They may be able to help.

Submitted By: John Furnem

Published At: www.Isnare.com

Could There be a Relationship Between the Imbalance in the Iron Status and Clinical Depression?

Discussing Body Iron is difficult and no single indicator or combination of indicators is ideal for the assessment of iron status in all clinical circumstances.

Each indicator may be affected by a variety of conditions including infection, inflammation. Liver disease and malignancy, and these factors must be considered in interpreting laboratory investigations.

Iron is very important for sustaining good health. Iron deficiencies can cause fatigue and make us more susceptible to viruses, cancer and a variety of degenerative conditions.

Likewise, iron excess or alteration in the iron-binding capability resulting in free, unbound iron carries the potential for causing or aggravating all diseases, infections, cancers and toxicities.

Therefore is it necessary that we do not only strive to both acquire adequate amounts of iron and rid ourselves of excess iron, and that every effort is made to bind and properly escort iron from the moment it enters the body until it exits. In addition, binding and escorting iron is particular important during the detoxification process.Otherwise, the many benefits iron provide are easily overshadowed by its toxicity.

Iron is essential to life, because of its unique ability to serve as both an electron donor and acceptor. But iron can also be potentially toxic. Iron's ability to donate and accept electrons means that if iron is free within the cell, it can catalyze the conversion of hydrogen peroxide into free radicals. And free radicals can cause damage to a wide variety of cellular structures, and ultimately kill the cell.

To prevent that kind of damage, all life forms that use iron bind the iron atoms to proteins. That allows the cells to use the benefits of iron, but also limit its ability to do harm.

Many proteins are enzymes that catalyze biochemical reactions, and are vital to metabolism.

The words protein, polypeptide, and peptide are a little ambiguous and can overlap in meaning.

Protein is generally used to refer to the complete biological molecule in a stable conformation, whereas peptide is generally reserved for a short amino acid oligomers often lacking a stable 3-dimensional structure. However, the boundary between the two is ill-defined and usually lies near 20-30 residues.

Polypeptide can refer to any single linear chain of amino acids, usually regardless of length, but often implies an absence of a defined conformation

The iron withholding mechanism occurs naturally at the onset of every healthy, acute inflammatory response. Given full recognition to the natural defence mechanism of iron withholding allows health professionals to be far more effective when building immunity, treating people for cancer, iron deficiency, inflammation, excessive tiredness, memory decline or depression.

The risk in amplified when laboratory testing is inadequate; typical of many insurance driven health plans. Similarly, there is risk in supplementing iron where the decision to supplement is based solely on a low serum iron reading.

To give an example, when in the chemistry it shows up that a person has low serum iron, an elevated to high Transferrin Iron Binding Capacity and a low Transferrin Saturation, this is an indicator that there is free iron. It also indicates that there is a Copper Deficiency.

Cerruloplasmin is a specialized copper-rich protein that enters the Ferritin molecule to free iron, so it can be attached to transferrin.

This is a pretty good marker, when it gets elevated, of a copper deficiency. Remember that the Cerruloplasmin is the copper bound protein or protein bound copper is the compound that pulls the iron out of the ferritin cage, puts it out on to the transferrin leash and attaches it to the leash.

If the Cerruloplasmin are not there then of course you can have a lot of transferrin in the serum without the iron molecules being attached to the leash.

Each one of these transferrins has two hooks on them so you can put two irons on each leash but if the copper is not there, if you are deficient and can't make the Cerruloplasmin, what happens Transferrin Iron Binding Capacity rises because you don't have iron actually attached to enough of the transferrins.

When there is free iron, this also indicates that the iron is not bound to the protein. One of the consequences of the depleted amino acids pool is that this has an impact on the neurotransmitters.

Therefore it could be helpful to access the iron status as discussed and the amino acid pool.

The diagnosis of Clinical Depression could be dealt with an additional different protocol, which might lead to better outcomes.

By identifying the markers for disturbed iron status and assisting you in developing a comprehensive strategy for achieving a healthy iron status your risk of all disease and toxicity and infection are lessened.

In addition to accurately measuring iron levels, strategies for restoring iron balance need to take into account many factors.

1. Maintaining a healthy intestinal mucosa

2. Sustaining adequate protein levels

3. Sustaining and aerobic versus anaerobic metabolism

4. Achieving a state of alkalinity versus acid stress

5. Maintaining a healthy cytochrome P450 system to rid the body of organic solvents and other toxins that may hinder protein-iron binding

6. Establishing a diet rich in whole eggs and cultured dairy for individuals with a tendency towards free iron, iron overload.

7. Recommending a phlebotomy program for those confirmed with iron overload.

Transferrin, lactoferrin, lactoglobin and ovotransferrin are iron-binding proteins.

Transferrin, the only commonly measured iron-binding protein that is synthesized by the body, is readily taken up by receptors of both healthy cells and cancer cells.

Lactoferrin and lactoglobin, derived from dairy foods, plus ovotransferrin (conalbumin) from eggs binds tightly to free iron

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