Depression
Depression is a real disease.  Most of us when we hear someone say they are depressed assume the are talking about a current state of being unhappy about a particular situation.  We also hear so much about depression that often the pain of suffering from it is minimized.  But depression is a very real and painful disease.  Many people who suffer from depression will find themselves in an office of a counselor.  But many people are too depressed to do anything.  The pain of depression may be sharp and intense or dull and diffuse.  It affects people in different ways.  It has been suggested by some researchers, such as Dr. Daniel Amen that we are not talking about one disease but actually several. Now that we have the technology of brain imaging we can see the effects of depression and how it affects certain areas of the brain.

Symptoms of Depression

• Sleep troubles - sleeping too little (insomnia) and/or sleeping too much (hypersomnia)

• Eating troubles - eating too much or eating too little (lack of appetite)

• Distraction and difficulty concentrating

• Feelings of depression

• Feeling of hopelessness, worthlessness, and despair

• Suicidal feelings

• Obsessive thinking (over thinking)

• Feelings of paralysis (can't do anything)

• Avoidance of people and Isolation

• Morbid thinking (thinking about death, not related to suicide)

• Slowness of movement

• Fatigue

• Irritability (especially in children)

Depression can manifest itself many different ways.  Some people can be very anxious and nervous in the depression.  Some studies indicate at least 75% of the people who are depressed are also anxious.  Other people may be so down, they are immobile.  They move slowly.  They don't feel anxious, they feel just depressed. 

Dr. Daniel Amen (www.brainplace.com) has researched using SPECT scan imaging people who suffer from depression and anxiety.  He has identified 7 types of depression and anxiety.  Some of these types have already been identified, but what is interesting is that we now can see what it happening or not happening in the brain.  We can see before and after scans of people whether they are using medication, herbal supplements or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). 

Treatment for Depression

The good news is that there are many things you can do to improve you emotional state.  The more successful treatments involve a number of interventions. 

Taking care of the body includes proper nutrition, exercise and sleep.  It is not be accident that sleep troubles and eating troubles are two major symptoms in depression. 

--to be continued-- thank you for your patience

Sleep

Nutrition

• Multivitamin

• 5HTP

• St. John's Wort

• Valerian

Diet

Carbohydrates and Proteins

L-Lysine

L-Tryptophan

L-Phenylalanine

Exercise

Increases blood flow to the brain and release endorphins.  Promotes good sleep cycles, thus helping with serotonin balance.

Light Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

Changing ways of relating

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder - National Institute of Mental Health