How To Overcome Depression

An article which I received today in my email about overcoming depression. Depression may be a horrible thing in life as mentioned in the article, but it is something that can be cured like a normal illness. It is very important to have a positive outlook if you are feeling depressive. This article mentioned a way to overcome depression by involving yourself in something which is of interest to you and I think it is a method very much worth giving it a try.

Depression is a horrible thing in life, it can make you feel as though there is nothing in the world for you to be happy about, it can affect many aspects of your daily life and just make you feel absolutely horrible in general.

Although you may not think it, depression is actually a very common problem for many people around the world, it is something that a lot of people suffer from, it may not be as clear as you would think when someone is depressed and that makes it hard to recognize it sometimes.

In this article, I will share some thoughts on how to overcome depression and start getting on the right track to change things for the better.

One of the good things a person can do when they are depressed, in my opinion, is to identify what the things are in life that they are passionate about or interested in.

Now, these don't have to be things that are actually in your life at the moment or things that you think of "activities", these can be anything that you have an interest in, for example, do you wish you were an expert in fitness training, do you like reading about ancient history a lot, are you interested in business concepts, just think of the things that you are interested in and make a list of them.

Now, it's pretty obvious that if you were doing more of the things that you are interested in and enjoyed doing / studying then you would enjoy life more, for example, if you are interested in learning martial arts, if you were training right now in martial arts then you would be a little happier.

This is a very simple concept yet it can be very effective for making your life more enjoyable, simply do the things you enjoy doing more often.

When you are working towards goals that you actually want to achieve, it can make things much easier to deal with, follow your passions and interests.

This is not a "be all, end all" method for beating depression, it is simply a little way you can start to make your life more enjoyable and start working towards doing the things you like in life, it doesn't have to be some great big goal that will change the world or something like that, just little things that you enjoy doing.

So, if you like playing sports a lot then make a bit more time for sports, if you like learning about self-improvement then start reading more self-improvement books.

The main point is to start doing more of the things you enjoy in life.

One of the most important things you can do if you are feeling depressed is to get in touch with a doctor and tell them about your situation and how you are feeling, they are there to help you and it could be the best thing you do.

Get yourself an appointment with a doctor and just talk to them about it, they will tell you what they think the best course of action to take is.

Remember that you can change things, you can make your life better.

Read also: Methods For Beating Depression

Ease Depression

Anxiety: A Lifelong Challenge

There are many people that suffer from one form or another of anxiety. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a recognized authority on various mental health issues, about 17 to 20% of the American population may suffer some type of anxiety disorder. Given the current state of the country, society and the world at large, this is not surprising.

GAD, or generalized anxiety disorder, is like being in a chronic or continued state of worry and anxiety. This can be a specific as a mother's concern for her child who walks to school everyday. Or as general as being constantly worried about anything or everything you need to do during the day. Understand we are not talking about general concern about safety crossing the street.

In the example above of the mother being worried about her child, someone with an anxiety disorder may not even be able to consider allowing their child to walk to school. The idea of their son or daughter walking along a public sidewalk and possibly even crossing a street is just too terrifying to bear. This type of behavior can also have long-term consequences that can negatively impact the child.

Understand that there are varying degrees of almost any mental illness. While most people suffering from generalized anxiety disorder are able to continue to function, some are paralyzed by the fear of making any decision.

I have a relative who has refused to seek treatment for years and has continued to spiral down into a morass of mental disorders. While many in the family considered her mental state and decision making ability simply "quirky", in hindsight, there were many signs of mental illness. These unfortunately were ignored because although there were both mental and physical symptoms, she was still able to function and continue on in her daily life.

While her family members continued to dismiss her many symptoms as personality traits, she developed ever more serious symptoms. As years went by the family was required to modify their personal interactions to placate the situation and keep her in a somewhat safe place. This in turn allowed the spiral to continue and the symptoms to worsen. While at first this family member suffered with GAD, over the years her condition worsened to where she now shows signs of depression, obsessive-compulsive characteristics, paranoia and panic.

She is now almost unable to make any decision at all. And lives in a constant state of anxiety and worry about the possibility of making a mistake or wrong decision. In attempting to work through a decision-making scenario, she will consistently develop situations where all answers are potentially wrong and therefore put herself in a state of constant and continued worry.

She appears to be developing signs of paranoia and now demonstrates a lack of trust toward everyone. Her days are filled with emotional anxiety while picking and pulling at her hair and eyebrows. Fitful sleep comes only from emotional exhaustion.

The moral of the story is that everyone should understand the basics symptoms of the most common mental disorders. Although only a qualified professional can accurately diagnose mental illness, we should be able to recognize the symptoms if only to encourage people we know to get help. If you or a loved one may be suffering from anxiety or depression, you owe it to yourself to understand the symptoms and get help as soon as possible.

About the Author: Abigail Franks writes on a variety of subjects which include depression and anxiety. Visit her site for more information on depression and anxiety disorders

11 Symptoms Of Depression and How To Recognize Them

As what the author said, depression is a medical illness and it is important to recognize that and seek help. There is nothing to be ashamed of. It is like having a flu or cold. However, left untreated, depression can lead to suicide. Recently I watched a true life account on TV of a man who killed his son and committed suicide after that because of depression. It is sad to know such a thing happened as it was not only a tragedy to the person suffering from depression but also to people close to the person. I will like to wish everyone great health always.

Everyone feels "blue" at times. Life is full of highs and lows. But people with depression feel sad all of the time. Depression is a real medical illness. Left untreated, it can lead to other mental illnesses or even suicide. Real clinical depression is not something you can just shake off. You can't talk yourself into feeling better. It can interfere with your daily activities and can hurt the ones close to you. The first step in getting better is to recognize the symptoms and admit that you might have depression. Some people may have only a few of the following symptoms while some may have many.

Persistent sad mood or feeling empty.
Feelings of hopelessness.
Feelings of guilt or worthlessness.
Loss of interest in favorite hobbies or things you once enjoyed
Loss of interest in sex.
Decreased energy.
Sleep disturbances, either sleeping too much or too little.
Inability to concentrate.
Overeating or not being able to eat.
Restlessness or irritability.
Thoughts of suicide.

Depression may also cause a wide variety of physical symptoms. People with depression often experience digestive disorders such as constipation, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Depressed people may also get frequent headaches and experience back pain. Anxiety attacks may also coincide with depression.

Women experience depression twice as often as men. Hormones can play a huge role in depression. Menstrual cycle changes, pregnancy, post-partum period, miscarriage and menopause all can be contributing factors to depression. Women have additional responsibilities at work and at home and are usually the care giver for the children and sometimes aging parents. These stressors can lead to depression.

Men that are depressed often try to mask it with alcohol or drugs. They rarely admit to being depressed. Often times they will work excessively long hours to hide it. The rate of suicide in depressed men is four times that of women. Men often become angry, irritable and discouraged. They are less likely to seek help and are often harder to diagnose.

There are three major types of depression:

Major Depression.

This is a disabling depression that has a combination of the symptoms listed above. It interferes with one's ability to eat, sleep, work or enjoy pleasurable activities.

Dysthymia.

This is a less severe type of depression. It is not disabling, but generally keeps one from functioning well or feeling good. People with dysthymia will probably have a least one major depressive episode in their lives.

Bi-Polar Disorder.

It is sometimes referred to as manic-depressive disorder. It is characterized by severe high and severe lows. The cycles may happen rapidly or come on gradually. Left untreated it can worsen to a psychotic state.

If you experience any of the above symptoms and they last for longer than a couple of weeks you should seek medical treatment. There is no shame in admitting that you may have depression. It doesn't mean you are crazy or weak. People of all ages, race and gender can suffer from depression. With the right interventions, you can enjoy your life once again.

About the Author: Jean Morgan is the publisher of Beat Depression Today an informative ebook and self help package for anyone suffering from this illness. It is available from Beat Depression Today Jean also has a blog at How I Beat Depression