Beat Your Depression

Depression-Depression-Depression- Depression

It is generally known that there are basically four types of depression. These are:-

1. Topography – A hollow or sunken part e.g. a pit.
2. Weather – A low barometric pressure surrounded by higher pressures.
3. Economy – A decline in business activity accompanied by unemployment and lowering of income. [This can often give rise to the type of depression described in 4.]
4. Personal – A lowering of vitality or functional activity or the state of being below par in physical or mental vitality.

The medical profession further catagorizes item 4 into into a number of groups and sub-groups that you can read about in the book Understanding and Curing Depression.

When people suffer from depression [4.], amongst other things, they often say that they feel lost, in a fog, overwhelmed, anxious, or at the bottom of a pit.

The good thing about this is that if you are at the bottom of a pit the only direction left to go is up and out of the pit. 🙂

If you manage to find yourself at the bottom of a pit because you lost your way in the darkness or in a fog, or you were overwhelmed and pushed over the side, or slid to the bottom as a result of slippery or crumbling sides, do not give up hope. You should be able to manage to walk or climb out of the pit, especially when the dust settles, or the fog lifts and you can see better.

Should the sides still be slippery or crumbling then you may occasionally slip back a little, or even right to the botttom again. However, as you are now aware of the problem, you can take more care and preventative action, or even take a different route. You can even call for help. Quite often help is closer than you think.

Help could take the form of the end of a rope thrown to you, or a ladder lowered to you. However, you will still have to do some work yourself. This includes, tying the rope around your waist and climbing the sides with the rope to steady you, or you may have to climb the ladder with, or without the security of a rope around your waist.

If you managed to injure yourself during your descent to the bottom of the pit and could not contribute to your rescue, help may be needed in the form of a rescue team to recover you.

We can use the information above as a parable for overcoming depression. Then the pit would be the depression, and the feelings of being lost, in a fog, overwhelmed etc would be the symptons associated with depression. The rope and ladder would be the counseling to assist you, and the physical act of climbing out yourself would be what YOU do to help yourself to recover and prevent problems in the future. Should the situation be dire enough for you need a rescue team, this may equate to the need for you to take a trip to hospital. Hopefully, this will not be required.

I liken the need for counseling to receiving a laceration to the forearm, hand, or hip as a result of a nail protruding from something that you pass by frequently. You will probably need to disinfect the wound and place a dressing, such as a bandage on it to protect the wound whilst the body repairs itself. You may even need a suture or two if the wound is large. Then you would need to take action to prevent similar problems in the future. This could involve hammering the nail flush with it’s surrounds or removing it altogether.

If you treat only the wound and not the cause of the wound you can expect more problems. I recommend undertaking counseling for depression and working on yourself to prevent problems in future. This is what I did to assist in my recovery from depression.

I shall be discussing ways and means of beating your depression, without the need to resort to taking anti-depressants, in future posts. I have found from experience, discussions with other sufferers, and in-depth reading to determine what causes the imbalance of chemicals that medical practitioners say causes depression, that it is quite possible that anti-depressant medication can cause more problems than they remedy. This will be discussed in much more detail in future posts and in great depth in my book when it is completed.

When you were at the bottom of the pit you may have experienced some anxiety. This is often related to depression and is a combination of fear and worry. Should you find yourself being anxious, try to remember that FEAR is an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real, and worry is like being in a rocking chair – it gives you something to do but gets you nowhere.

You can learn more about how to cure anxiety and panic attacks here. This gives solutions, other than medication, to cure anxiety and panic attacks and much of this can be applied to beating depression as they are all closely associated.

It appears that many people are having trouble understanding or accepting Rule #6 in the article” Ten Rules for Being Human,” posted on September 12th, 2007. Viz:-

6. “There” is no better a place than “here.” When your “there” has become a “here”, you will simply obtain another “there” that will again look better than “here.”

Perhaps if I share a little of the book entitled, “The Precious Present,” by Spencer Johnson M.D. this could assist to enlighten those people as to what I believe is the essence of Rule # 6. You will just have to replace “here” with “the present” and “there” with “the future.”

You may recall that Spencer Johnson M.D. also co-authored the best selling book entitled, “The One Minute Manager,” which was so popular that it was translated into seven languages.

Apparently, The Precious Present is a reflection of Dr Johnson’s life. He had a happy childhood and a remarkable career with many accomplishments, including earning a degree in psychology; an M.D. from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; training at the Harvard Medical School; and membership of national societies in philosophy and psychology. He also authored many books and had over a million copies of his books in print before his fortieth birthday. However, despite these achievements, he was unhappy as he felt that there was something missing from his life. [This seems to be a common trait in many people who suffer from depression.]

He finally discovered the secret of personal happiness after years of study, traveling, and searching his own mind. Dr Spencer Johnson shares this secret in parable form in The Precious Present. Here is an excerpt:-

“Pain is simply the difference between what is and what I want it to be.

When I feel guilty over my imperfect past, or I am anxious over my unknown future, I do not live in the present. I experience pain. I make myself ill. And I am unhappy.

My past was the present. And now my future will be the present. The present moment is the only reality I ever experience.

As long as I stay in the present, I am happy forever: because forever is always the present.”

From my experience, understanding each of the ten rules for being human can be truly beneficial to people who want to break the shackles of depression. However, I believe that living in the present is THE most important.

The Precious Present is one of the books that has assisted me to overcome my depression by re-adjusting my mindset. Another great book that goes into more depth about the value of the present moment is, “The Power of NOW” by Eckhart Tolle.

ADDENDUM

My wife was unaware that I had made this post last Thursday and she came home from work tonight [Monday] with a quote that she had written down from an email that she had received from a man who was retiring from the work force. When I read the quote I began to wonder if this was a coincidence or not. Here it is:-

“Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift.
That is why it is called The Present.”

Symptoms are the things that a person feels. For example a person may feel pain from a burn or may feel dejected because of a bad experience.

Signs are what others observe. Examples of these are when one person observes another person exhibiting the signs of apparently being in pain for some reason, or when they notice that somebody is not being their usually bright self with a positive outlook on life.

If you feel that you may be suffering from depression then you will need to check out your feelings as well as your actions.

If you are concerned that a loved one may be depressed, you will need to observe their behavior and make judgments about how they may be feeling. It may even be advisable to ask the person how they are feeling. However, you may get a vague response and even a sharp retort. Your ability to use tact may be put to the test.

Before we proceed, we need to realize that short term feelings of “the blues” are quite common and do not necessarily constitute a state of depression. Things such as, the death of a loved one, a failed relationship, the loss of a job, or the disappointment of missing out on a promotion, etc., can make us feel sad for quite a while. However, time tends to heal most wounds and we generally pick ourselves up and get on with life again. It is when a reasonable amount of time has passed, and the condition has not improved, that we need to consider the possibility of depression.

Let us look at the symptoms of depression:-

• Low self esteem.
• Inability to sleep well at night. Managing to get to sleep well but often waking in the early hours and unable to return to sleep.
• Oversleeping or wanting to sleep during the day.
• Constant feelings of fatigue.
• Being unable to enjoy life as well as you used to. [Chronic low grade depression].
• Not being able to function to the best of your capabilities.

The symptoms mentioned above are typical of the depression condition known as dysthymia, or as the ancient Greeks called it, ill humor. It usually has a slow onset and persists for two years or more.

With more severe cases of depression [clinical, or major, depression] some of the following symptoms will also be noted:-

• Change of mood from being ill humored at the beginning of the day to being much better at the end of the day.
• A change in appetite. Appetite may decrease and result in weight loss in many cases, especially in older people. In other cases binge eating may occur and weight may increase.
• A lack of interest in hobbies and other interests. You just cannot be bothered doing what you used to enjoy in the past.
• A loss of libido. Sexual activities diminish or cease.
• Feeling sad or crying for no apparent reason.
• Having feelings of shame, guilt and/or worthlessness.
• Feeling vulnerable or anxious.
• Feeling overwhelmed, or that you are lost in a fog or in a deep chasm.
• Inability to make decisions or to concentrate on a subject.
• Becoming withdrawn from society, including family and friends. Wanting to be alone and then often feeling rejected when you are left alone.
• Being easily agitated and angry.
• Failing to look after yourself [appearances, hygiene, well being etc.].
• Considering, or causing, self harm. This can culminate in suicide in severe cases. Statistics suggest that 80% of suicides relate to people who were suffering from depression.

The above sets of conditions are known as unipolar conditions.

When a person experiences extreme mood swings from being “on top of the world” to being “down in the dumps” this is known as bipolar condition and was previously called “manic depression”.

Depression can be cured, and because suicide is a real possibility you need to seek help very soon if you are suffering from it. Talk to somebody about your feelings because a problem shared is a problem halved. I am sure that you will find a sympathetic ear without too much trouble.

Make sure that one such person is a doctor. One factor associated with depression is often an imbalance of chemicals within the body. Doctors can provide quick relief with the modern medications that are available nowadays. More on this, and causes of the imbalance, will be in future articles.

If you have a loved one whom you consider to be in need of help, you will have to use a lot of tact and discretion when broaching the subject. Perhaps drawing their attention to this article may be useful.

The first step to recovery is to acknowledge that help is needed and that it is readily available. Remember that when a person has reached the bottom of a pit the only direction left to go is up.

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Check out the Recommended Resources section for more detailed information.

According to Australian Government statistics, “Everyone will, at some time in their life, be affected by depression; either their own, or someone else in their family.”

Statistics for depression in Australia are comparable with those of the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

15% of the population of most developed countries suffers from severe depression.

Depression disorders affect 9.5% of the population aged 18 and older in any given year. This includes major disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder.

Pre-schoolers are the fastest growing market for anti-depressants. At least 4% of pre-schoolers are clinically depressed.

The rate of increase of depression among children is an outstanding 23% per year.

30% of women are depressed. Men’s figures were thought to be half of that of women but new estimates are higher.

54% of people believe that depression is a sign of weakness. This is despite the fact that many famous people, including Abraham Lincoln and Sir Winston Churchill, were known to suffer from depression. [Sign up for the free mini-course about famous people and their depression.]

41% of women are too embarrassed to seek help.

80% of depressed people are currently not having any treatment.

15% of depressed people commit suicide.

Depression will be the second largest killer, after heart disease, by 2020.

Studies show that depression is a contributory factor to fatal coronary disease.

What effect does this disorder have upon our productivity as well as our working, social, and family environment?  It must be HUGE!

What can we do to help ourselves and our love ones to overcome the misery of depression and lead a happy and contented life?  There are some very useful resources that have helped me, listed in the sidebar.  Plus we could start off with some “healthy hugs”.

HEALTHY HUGS

Did you know that some people consider hugs to be the ultimate anti-depressant? The good thing is that it is hard to give a hug without getting one back. 🙂

Learn how to overcome and cure depression here.

Hi! I am John and part of the beatyourdepression.com team

WELCOME TO THE FIRST ISSUE OF BEAT YOUR DEPRESSION!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

First of all, I’d like to thank you all for visiting this site and I hope that you can gain some valuable insights, or share some with other visitors.

You may be suffering from depression personally, think that you may be suffering from depression, or have a friend or relative that may be suffering from depression and you are trying to understand how you can help them or yourself. In any case I’m going to do my best to provide you with the most informative articles, facts, and tips in each issue of Beat Your Depression.

Why would I do this, you may ask?

The answer is that I, too, have had this affliction for most of my life and know how debilitating it can be, especially if others do not understand the problems that you are facing.

The good thing is that I finally realized that I was,indeed, suffering from depression and took steps to control it. Until then, I thought that I was just a moody person who could sometimes be the life of the party, and on other occasions a pain in the butt. Often I had so many negative thoughts that tended to snow ball that I would think that life was pointless and hopeless, and I can understand how some people would wish to harm themselves.

The bad thing is that it was not until I was in my early sixties that I finally realized my problem, even though I can remember times in my early teens when, for no apparent reason, I felt depressed or glum.

When I finally realized that my condition was causing awkward problems for friends and family, especially for my long-suffering wife, I decided to seek advice from my medical practitioner. She provided me with some basic information about depression, in the form of pamphlets, took some blood tests that showed that I was low in a particular chemical and a vitamin, and put me on a course of pills and a series of injections of vitamins to counter my fatigue and lack of motivation.

I am pleased to say that I had a remarkable turn around in my life and quickly regained a zest for living. However, I attributed much of this to the fact that, at the time, I was also reading various self help books and listening to certain relaxation/self hypnosis audios.

In fact, I was so pleased that I wanted to cease the medication as I felt that I was cured. This alarmed my doctor, and probably my wife, and so I agreed to continue taking the minimum dosage of medication until I was weaned from it after the recommended nine months. I did not wish to cause my lovely wife any more grief.

I have had several more bouts of depression since then but now I can recognize it and generally nip it in the bud without the need for medication. It is not always easy though and this is one reason for establishing this blog. I believe that I may be able to contribute to others overcoming their depression or understanding how to assist their loved ones, who may be suffering.

In later posts I will share with you some of my thoughts that most literature on the subject either fails to address, or brushes over.

I may even record and share with you a two verse ditty that I sing to myself in front of the mirror in the mornings to prepare me for the coming day. It is something that I learnt about fifty five years ago.

So my memory is not too bad.

Nobody is immune and there should be no stigma attached to this condition as many famous people also suffered from depression in one of the several forms. Abraham Lincoln called his sad spells, “the shadow of madness” and Winston Churchill referred to his depression as, “the black dog.” [Learn more about some of these famous people here]

I welcome anybody to use this blog to share their experiences, insights, or knowledge so that we all may benefit and enjoy life to the full as we deserve.

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I contribute my speedy recovery to reading self-help books such as Overcoming and Curing Depression and a package entitled Total Success Library, containing eight e-books, a ten minute audio MP3 that I copied to a CD and listen to frequently, and a software package that streams positive affirmations across my computer screen in accordance with Dr Anthony’s Power of Intention e-book. This package represents true value-for-money and I have no hesitation about referring it to anybody.  It assisted me to revive my sense of humor that staved off depression on many occasions.

Welcome to the first post of beatyourdepression.com . Depression plays a major part of the lives of many people and if it is not understood and controlled, then it can cause stressful lives to yourself, friends and family.

The first thing that we suggest you do is get an idea of some of the well known people who have suffered from depression. There is a 5 part mini ecourse available at the top right hand side of the blog. This gives a good lead into the ebook “Understanding and Curing Depression”.

Feel free to make comments on these blog entries. We would love to hear about your depression related stories.