Archive for the ‘Are You Down Bud? Feeling Bad’ Category

What To Do When Someone You Know Is Depressed

Thursday, January 10th, 2008

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Listen. Keep in mind that the depressed person isn’t communicating well right now, and is probably speaking slower and less clearly. Be patient and don’t interrupt.

•Take care of little tasks like feeding the cat or doing the laundry. (This suggestion applies if you don’t live with the person. If you do live with the person, you probably have to take on all the tasks).

•Along those lines, remember that the depressed person is not being lazy. Think of when you’re really sick and you can barely get out of bed to go to the bathroom. That’s how a depressive can feel all the time.

•Learn everything you can about depression. Knowledge is power and understanding.

•Take it seriously if the person talks about suicide. Call their doctor for advice on what to do.

•Make sure the depressive is keeping doctor appointments and taking his or her medication.

Ways to Help Yourself

•Take care of yourself. Depression can be “contagious.” Get out and do something for yourself alone.

•Recognize that your feelings of anger, frustration and helplessness are valid. Talk to a therapist for help in dealing with them.

•If you are in a sexual relationship with this person, don’t take it personally if they have lost interest in sex. Sexual drive is one of the first things to go when you’re depressed. Offer hugging and cuddling without an expectation of sex.

•Know when to let go. After a certain point, especially if the depressed person is not getting help or taking their medicine, there’s nothing you can do. You have to move on with your own life.

Teenagers

•What to Do When Someone You Love is Depressed

•Worst Things to Say to Someone Who is Depressed - Self-explanatory

Mailing Lists

•BPSO - Email majordomo@ipl.co.uk with the words “subscribe bpso” in the body of the message. Subject line may be left blank. This mailing list is for people who are ” in an intimate, loving, caregiving, or nurturing relationship with a bipolar individual. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, spouses, significant others, parents, children, near relatives and close friends. The important factor is that the relationship is close enough that the subscriber is significantly affected by the disorder. People whose relationships with bipolar individuals have ended are also welcome, so long as they remain concerned with the role played by the illness in that relationship.”

For legal reasons I should start each sentence with, “in my nonprofessional opinion,” or ” I have been advised that,” or “It is my understanding that….” But to do so would make the section awkward and confusing to the reader. So I have set the section up in, I hope, an easy to read format. You can mentally supply the caveats after reading this official disclaimer.

As you have read under General Description of Anxiety and Panic Attacks being a Support Person is something which you cannot take lightly. The ill person has turned to you to be his or her life-line in returning to a “normal” world. Love and sincerity play an essential role, but in addition you must understand what you are doing and why. If therefore you have not yet read the descriptions of a panic attack and agoraphobia found on this site, do so soon.

Remember, there are various schools of thought on being a support person. I am giving you what I have heard and found to be most helpful to the people with whom I have worked among on being a support person.

To help you understand why I like this approach I am going to give you a brief true story of a person I will call Anne.

Anne developed panic attacks about 12 years ago, before PA’s were more widely known and a variety of treatments became available.

For several years she looked for a diagnosis and effective help. Eventually both were forthcoming but in the interim she developed severe depression and agoraphobia to the point where she could not leave the house without tranquilizers and a caregiver.

Even then there were times she had to come home without accomplishing her goal, and the failure led to greater depression and more anxiety.

About three years ago came a change in her thought patterns. Anne realised that by setting a specific location or a specific accomplishment as a goal she was constantly setting herself up for possible failure. There is a world of difference between “I am going for a walk” and “I am going to try to go to the store.”

In the first, the goal is to go for a walk. It may be to the property line or 12 blocks and back; Anne does as much as she feels comfortable doing.

In the second case, Anne has to make it to the store or she will have failed. The same is true of any such project. Why make a big thing out of trying to drive to the store when you can be more relaxed just going for a drive and doing whatever you feel comfortable doing? Turn right. Turn left. Come home. Keep going. It doesn’t matter. Allowing yourself freedom of choice without feeling pressured or guilty is the key.

Best Wishes and Lot’s of Love,
Arthur Buchanan
Out of Darkness & Into the Light
400 Steeplechase Dr. Apt. G
Bellevue, Ohio44811

Listen To My RADIO SHOW! Wednesday @ 6:00 Eastern
Standard!

CRAZY TALK RADIO - Mental Illness and Me!
They are calling Arthur Buchanan’s methods of recovering from mental illness REVOLUTIONARY! (MEDICALCOLLEGE OF MICHIGAN) ‘Arthur Buchanan has given us a revolutionary blue print for recovery in these uncertain times, when Mental Illness at a all time high in the United States of America, yet if you follow this young mans methods, we assure you of positive results and I QUOTE ‘If these methods are followed precisely, their is no way you can’t see positive results with whatever illness you have’ -Dr. Herbert Palos Detroit, Michigan
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www.out-of-darkness.com www.biologicalhappiness.com

www.adhdandme.com www.mentalillnessandme.com

Starting Jan. 1St Me and My Dr Leland Heller, Will Have a Free
CD Out, Totally Free All You Have to Do Is Pay The Shipping
And Handling Charges.
This Is This My Drs. Leland Heller’s Website

www.biologicalunhappiness.com

The People That Have Listened To This Free CD Have Told Us
That We Should Charge $197 for This Groundbreaking CD,
You Will Never Forgive Yourself If You Pass This Up, Run Don’t
Walk To Get This Groundbreaking CD, It Will Literally Change
The Way You Look At Mental Health!!!

Jan. 1st We Will Be Offering a Free Newsletter From My
Doc. And I, We Will Answer 5 of The Most Pressing Questions
A Month and We Will List Them On The Websites, So Get Your Free CD.
Save a Life Yours!!
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Depression is a serious medical condition that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. People with a depressive illness cannot merely “pull themselves together” and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who have depression.

Depression: Free Report

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps one deal with a tense situation in the office, study harder for an exam, keep focused on an important speech. In general, it helps one cope. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder.

(Anxiety) Free Report

Go To www.out-of-darkness.com or www.biologicalhappiness.com and get your free reports!

The Invisible Disease: Depression - What You Can Do To Help Someone!

Monday, November 19th, 2007

Depression is a serious medical condition. In contrast to the normal emotional experiences of sadness, loss, or passing mood states, clinical depression is persistent and can interfere significantly with an individual’s ability to function. There are three main types of depressive disorders: major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness).

Symptoms and Types of Depression

Symptoms of depression include sad mood, loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed, change in appetite or weight, difficulty sleeping or oversleeping, physical slowing or agitation, energy loss, feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, difficulty thinking or concentrating, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. A diagnosis of major depressive disorder is made if a person has 5 or more of these symptoms and impairment in usual functioning nearly every day during the same two-week period.

Major depression often begins between ages 15 to 30 but also can appear in children. 1 Episodes typically recur. Some people have a chronic but less severe form of depression, called dysthymic disorder, which is diagnosed when depressed mood persists for at least 2 years (1 year in children) and is accompanied by at least 2 other symptoms of depression. Many people with dysthymia develop major depressive episodes.

Episodes of depression also occur in people with bipolar disorder. In this disorder, depression alternates with mania, which is characterized by abnormally and persistently elevated mood or irritability and symptoms including overly-inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, increased talkativeness, racing thoughts, distractibility, physical agitation, and excessive risk taking. Because bipolar disorder requires different treatment than major depressive disorder or dysthymia, obtaining an accurate diagnosis is extremely important.

Facts About Depression

Major depression is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and worldwide. 2 Depressive disorders affect an estimated 9.5 percent of adult Americans ages 18 and over in a given year, 3 or about 18.8 million people in 1998. 4 Nearly twice as many women (12 percent) as men (7 percent) are affected by a depressive disorder each year.

Depression can be devastating to family relationships, friendships, and the ability to work or go to school. Many people still believe that the emotional symptoms caused by depression are “not real,” and that a person should be able to shake off the symptoms. Because of these inaccurate beliefs, people with depression either may not recognize that they have a treatable disorder or may be discouraged from seeking or staying on treatment due to feelings of shame and stigma. Too often, untreated or inadequately treated depression is associated with suicide.

Treatments

Antidepressant medications are widely used, effective treatments for depression. 6 Existing antidepressants influence the functioning of certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. The newer medications, such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tend to have fewer side effects than the older drugs, which include tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

Although both generations of medications are effective in relieving depression, some people will respond to one type of drug, but not another. Other types of antidepressants are now in development.

Certain types of psychotherapy, specifically cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT), have been found helpful for depression. Research indicates that mild to moderate depression often can be treated successfully with either therapy alone; however, severe depression appears more likely to respond to a combination of psychotherapy and medication. 7 More than 80 percent of people with depressive disorders improve when they receive appropriate treatment.

In situations where medication, psychotherapy, and the combination of these interventions prove ineffective, or work too slowly to relieve severe symptoms such as psychosis (e.g., hallucinations, delusional thinking) or suicidality, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be considered. ECT is a highly effective treatment for severe depressive episodes. The possibility of long-lasting memory problems, although a concern in the past, has been significantly reduced with modern ECT techniques. However, the potential benefits and risks of ECT, and of available alternative interventions, should be carefully reviewed and discussed with individuals considering this treatment and, where appropriate, with family or friends.

One herbal supplement, hypericum or St. John’s wort, has been promoted as having antidepressant properties. Results from the first large-scale, controlled study of St. John’s wort for major depression, which was funded in part by NIMH, are expected in 2001. Note: There is evidence that St. John’s wort can reduce the effectiveness of certain medications. Use of any herbal or natural supplements should always be discussed with your doctor before they are tried.

Research Findings

Brain imaging research is revealing that in depression, neural circuits responsible for moods, thinking, sleep, appetite, and behavior fail to function properly, and that the regulation of critical neurotransmitters is impaired. 10 Genetics research, including studies of twins, indicates that genes play a role in depression. Vulnerability to depression appears to result from the influence of multiple genes acting together with environmental factors.

Other research has shown that stressful life events, particularly in the form of loss such as the death of a close family member, may trigger major depression in susceptible individuals. 12 The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the hormonal system that regulates the body’s response to stress, is overactive in many people with depression. Research findings suggest that persistent overactivation of this system may lay the groundwork for depression. 13
Studies of brain chemistry, mechanisms of action of antidepressant medications, and the cognitive distortions and disturbed interpersonal relationships commonly associated with depression, continue to inform the development of new and better treatments.

New Clinical Trials

NIMH is funding two new, large-scale, multi-site clinical trials on treatments for major depression in adults and adolescents. For more information about these studies?the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) project, and the Treatment of Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS)?and others, visit the Clinical Trials page of the NIMH Web site.

For More Information

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
Public Inquiries: (301) 443-4513
Media Inquiries: (301) 443-4536
E-mail: nimhinfo@nih.gov
Web site: www.nimh.nih.gov

Do You Feel Like A Yo-Yo

Sunday, November 4th, 2007

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

Types of Bipolar Disorder

Treatments

Bipolar Disorder in Children

Helping a friend

Support Groups

Bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) is a treatable illness marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy and behavior. It is not a character flaw or a sign of personal weakness. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression because a person’s mood can alternate between the “poles” mania (highs) and depression (lows). This change in mood or “mood swing” can last for hours, days weeks or months.

Bipolar disorder affects more than two million adult Americans. It usually begins in late adolescence (often appearing as depression during teen years) although it can start in early childhood or later in life. An equal number of men and women develop this illness (men tend to begin with a manic episode, women with a depressive episode) and it is found among all ages, races, ethnic groups and social classes. The illness tends to run in families and appears to have a genetic link. Like depression and other serious illnesses, bipolar disorder can also negatively affect spouses and partners, family members, friends and coworkers.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder differs significantly from clinical depression, although the symptoms for the depressive phase of the illness are similar. Most people who have bipolar disorder talk about experiencing “highs” and “lows” ? the highs are periods of mania, the lows periods of depression. These swings can be severe, ranging from extreme energy to deep despair. The severity of the mood swings and the way they disrupt normal life activities distinguish bipolar mood episodes from ordinary mood changes.

Symptoms of mania - the “highs” of bipolar disorder

? Increased physical and mental activity and energy

? Heightened mood, exaggerated optimism and self-confidence

? Excessive irritability, aggressive behavior

? Decreased need for sleep without experiencing fatigue

? Grandiose delusions, inflated sense of self-importance

? Racing speech, racing thoughts, flight of ideas

? Impulsiveness, poor judgment, distractibility

? Reckless behavior

? In the most severe cases, delusions and hallucinations

Symptoms of depression - the “lows” of bipolar disorder

? Prolonged sadness or unexplained crying spells

? Significant changes in appetite and sleep patterns

? Irritability, anger, worry, agitation, anxiety

? Pessimism, indifference

? Loss of energy, persistent lethargy

? Feelings of guilt, worthlessness

? Inability to concentrate, indecisiveness

? Inability to take pleasure in former interests, social withdrawal
? Unexplained aches and pains

? Recurring thoughts of death or suicide

If you or someone you know has thoughts of death or suicide, contact a medical professional, clergy member, loved one, friend or hospital emergency room or call 1-800-273-TALK or 911 immediately. You cannot diagnose yourself. Only a properly trained health professional can determine if you have bipolar disorder. Our online self-assessment can help you communicate your symptoms to your health care professional.

Many people do not seek medical attention during periods of mania because they feel manic symptoms (increased energy, heightened mood, increased sexual drive, etc.) have a positive impact on them. However, left unchecked, these behaviors can have harmful results.
When symptoms of mania are left untreated, they can lead to illegal or life-threatening situations because mania often involves impaired judgment and reckless behavior. Manic behaviors vary from person to person. All symptoms should be discussed with your doctor.

Types of Bipolar Disorder

Patterns and severity of symptoms, or episodes, of highs and lows, determine different types of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar I disorder is characterized by one or more manic episodes or mixed episodes (symptoms of both a mania and a depression occurring nearly every day for at least 1 week) and one or more major depressive episodes. Bipolar I disorder is the most severe form of the illness marked by extreme manic episodes.

Bipolar II disorder is characterized by one or more depressive episodes accompanied by at least one hypomanic episode. Hypomanic episodes have symptoms similar to manic episodes but are less severe, but must be clearly different from a person’s non-depressed mood. For some, hypomanic episodes are not severe enough to cause notable problems in social activities or work. However, for others, they can be troublesome.

Bipolar II disorder may be misdiagnosed as depression if you and your doctor don’t notice the signs of hypomania. In a recent DBSA survey, nearly seven out of ten people with bipolar disorder had been misdiagnosed at least once. Sixty percent of those people had been diagnosed with depression. How can I spot hypomania? Talk to your doctor about the possibility of hypomania if you’ve had periods of several days when your mood is especially energetic or irritable, and/or

? You feel unusually confident

? You need less sleep

? You are unusually talkative

? Your thoughts come and go faster than usual

? You are more easily distracted or have trouble concentrating

? You are more goal-directed at work, school or home

? You are more involved in pleasurable or high-risk activities, such as spending or sex

? You feel like you’re doing or saying things that are unlike your usual self

? Other people say you’re acting strangely or you’re not yourself
Cyclothymic disorder is characterized by chronic fluctuating moods involving periods of hypomania and depression. The periods of both depressive and hypomanic symptoms are shorter, less severe, and do not occur with regularity as experienced with bipolar II or I. However, these mood swings can impair social interactions and work. Many, but not all, people with cyclothymia develop a more severe form of bipolar illness.

There is also a form of the illness called bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) that does not fit in to one of the above definitions.

Because bipolar disorder is complex and can be difficult to diagnose, you should share all of your symptoms with your health care provider. If you feel your symptoms are not getting better with your current treatment and your doctor does not want to try something new, do not hesitate to see another doctor to get a second opinion.

Treatments for Bipolar Disorder

Several therapies exist for bipolar disorder and promising new treatments are currently under investigation. Because bipolar disorder can be difficult to treat, it is highly recommended that you consult a psychiatrist or a general practitioner with experience in treating this illness. Your treatment may include medications and talk therapy.

Be sure to tell your health care providers all of the symptoms you are having. Report all of the symptoms you have had in the past, even if you don’t have them at the time of your appointment. Since these illnesses can run in families, look at your family history. Tell your health care provider if any of your family members experienced severe mood swings, were diagnosed with a mood disorder, had ?nervous breakdowns? or were treated for alcohol or drug abuse. With the right diagnosis, you and your doctor have a better chance of finding a treatment that is right for you.

? Learn more about emerging technologies in the treatment of bipolar disorder by clicking here.

Bipolar Disorder in Children

Bipolar disorder is more likely to affect the children of parents who have the disorder. When one parent has bipolar disorder, the risk to each child is estimated to be 15-30%. When both parents have bipolar disorder, the risk increases to 50-75%.

Symptoms of bipolar disorder may be difficult to recognize in children, as they can be mistaken for age-appropriate emotions and behaviors of children and adolescents. Symptoms of mania and depression may appear in a variety of behaviors. When manic, children and adolescents, in contrast to adults, are more likely to be irritable and prone to destructive outbursts than to be elated or euphoric. When depressed, there may be complaints of headaches, stomach aches, tiredness, poor performance in school, poor communication and extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure.

The treatment of bipolar disorder in children is based on experience in treating adults with the illness, since very few studies have been done of the effectiveness and safety of the medications in children and adolescents. It is important to find a doctor that is well-versed in treating this illness in children and one that you work closely with throughout the course of treatment.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, up to one-third of the 3.4 million children and adolescents with depression in the United States may actually be experiencing the early onset of bipolar disorder.

Helping a Friend

One of the most important thing family and friends can do for a person with bipolar disorder is learn about the illness. Often people who are depressed or experiencing mania or mood swings do not recognize the symptoms in themselves. If you are concerned about a friend or family member, help him or her get an appropriate diagnosis and treatment. This may involve helping the person to find a doctor or therapist and make their first appointment. You may also want to offer go with the person to their first appointment for support. Encourage the individual to stay with treatment. Keep reassuring the person that, with time and help, he or she will feel better.

It is also important to offer emotional support. This involves understanding, patience, affection, and encouragement. Engage the person in conversation and listen carefully. Resist the urge to function as a therapist or try to come up with answers to the person’s concerns. Often times we just want someone to listen. Do not put down feelings expressed, but point out realities and offer hope. Invite the depressed person for walks, outings, to the movies, and other activities. Be gently insistent if your first invitation is refused.

It is often a good idea for the person with bipolar disorder to develop a plan should he or she experience severe manic or depressive symptoms. Such a plan might include contacting the person’s doctor, taking control of credit cards and car keys or increasing contact with the person until the severe episode has passed. Your plan should be shared with a trusted family member and/or friend. Keep in mind, however, that people with bipolar disorder, like all people, have good and bad days.

Being in a bad mood one day is not necessarily a sign of an upcoming severe episode. Never ignore remarks about suicide. Report them to the person’s therapist. Do not promise confidentiality if you believe someone is close to suicide. If you think immediate self-harm is possible, contact their doctor or dial 911 immediately. Make sure the person discusses these feelings with his or her doctor.

Best Wishes and Lot’s of Love,

Arthur Buchanan

Out of Darkness & Into the Light
209 Ellis Ave. Suite 1313
Bellevue, Ohio44811

567-217-1133 (Home)

Listen To My RADIO SHOW! Wednesday @ 6:00 Eastern
Standard!

CRAZY TALK RADIO - Mental Illness and Me!

They are calling Arthur Buchanan’s methods of recovering from mental illness REVOLUTIONARY! (MEDICALCOLLEGE OF MICHIGAN) ‘Arthur Buchanan has given us a revolutionary blue print for recovery in these uncertain times, when Mental Illness at a all time high in the United States of America, yet if you follow this young mans methods, we assure you of positive results and I QUOTE ‘If these methods are followed precisely, their is no way you can’t see positive results with whatever illness you have’ -Dr. Herbert Palos Detroit, Michigan

Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show!

LISTEN TODAY!

www.freesuccessaudios.com/Artlive.mp3

www.out-of-darkness.com www.biologicalhappiness.com

www.adhdandme.com www.mentalillnessandme.com

Starting Jan. 1St Me and My Dr Leland Heller, Will Have a Free
CD Out, Totally Free All You Have to Do Is Pay The Shipping
And Handling Charges.

This Is This My Drs. Leland Heller’s Website

www.biologicalunhappiness.com

The People That Have Listened To This Free CD Have Told Us
That We Should Charge $197 for This Groundbreaking CD,
You Will Never Forgive Yourself If You Pass This Up, Run Don’t
Walk To Get This Groundbreaking CD, It Will Literally Change
The Way You Look At Mental Health!!!

Jan. 1st We Will Be Offering a Free Newsletter From My
Doc. And I, We Will Answer 5 of The Most Pressing Questions
A Month and We Will List Them On The Websites, So Get Your Free CD.

Save a Life Yours!!

What to Do When Someone You Know is Depressed

Friday, November 2nd, 2007

• Take care of little tasks like feeding the cat or doing the laundry. (This suggestion applies if you don’t live with the person. If you do live with the person, you probably have to take on all the tasks).

• Along those lines, remember that the depressed person is not being lazy. Think of when you’re really sick and you can barely get out of bed to go to the bathroom. That’s how a depressive can feel all the time.

• Learn everything you can about depression. Knowledge is power and understanding.

• Take it seriously if the person talks about suicide. Call their doctor for advice on what to do.

• Make sure the depressive is keeping doctor appointments and taking his or her medication.

Ways to Help Yourself

• Take care of yourself. Depression can be “contagious.” Get out and do something for yourself alone.

• Recognize that your feelings of anger, frustration and helplessness are valid. Talk to a therapist for help in dealing with them.

• If you are in a sexual relationship with this person, don’t take it personally if they have lost interest in sex. Sexual drive is one of the first things to go when you’re depressed. Offer hugging and cuddling without an expectation of sex.

• Know when to let go. After a certain point, especially if the depressed person is not getting help or taking their medicine, there’s nothing you can do. You have to move on with your own life.

Teenagers

• What to Do When Someone You Love is Depressed

• Worst Things to Say to Someone Who is Depressed - Self-explanatory

Mailing Lists

• BPSO - Email majordomo@ipl.co.uk with the words “subscribe bpso” in the body of the message. Subject line may be left blank. This mailing list is for people who are ” in an intimate, loving, caregiving, or nurturing relationship with a bipolar individual. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, spouses, significant others, parents, children, near relatives and close friends. The important factor is that the relationship is close enough that the subscriber is significantly affected by the disorder. People whose relationships with bipolar individuals have ended are also welcome, so long as they remain concerned with the role played by the illness in that relationship.”

For legal reasons I should start each sentence with, “in my nonprofessional opinion,” or ” I have been advised that,” or “It is my understanding that….” But to do so would make the section awkward and confusing to the reader. So I have set the section up in, I hope, an easy to read format. You can mentally supply the caveats after reading this official disclaimer.

As you have read under General Description of Anxiety and Panic Attacks being a Support Person is something which you cannot take lightly. The ill person has turned to you to be his or her life-line in returning to a “normal” world. Love and sincerity play an essential role, but in addition you must understand what you are doing and why. If therefore you have not yet read the descriptions of a panic attack and agoraphobia found on this site, do so soon.
Remember, there are various schools of thought on being a support person. I am giving you what I have heard and found to be most helpful to the people with whom I have worked among on being a support person.

To help you understand why I like this approach I am going to give you a brief true story of a person I will call Anne.

Anne developed panic attacks about 12 years ago, before PA’s were more widely known and a variety of treatments became available.
For several years she looked for a diagnosis and effective help. Eventually both were forthcoming but in the interim she developed severe depression and agoraphobia to the point where she could not leave the house without tranquilizers and a caregiver.

Even then there were times she had to come home without accomplishing her goal, and the failure led to greater depression and more anxiety.
About three years ago came a change in her thought patterns. Anne realised that by setting a specific location or a specific accomplishment as a goal she was constantly setting herself up for possible failure. There is a world of difference between “I am going for a walk” and “I am going to try to go to the store.”
In the first, the goal is to go for a walk. It may be to the property line or 12 blocks and back; Anne does as much as she feels comfortable doing.

In the second case, Anne has to make it to the store or she will have failed. The same is true of any such project. Why make a big thing out of trying to drive to the store when you can be more relaxed just going for a drive and doing whatever you feel comfortable doing? Turn right. Turn left. Come home. Keep going. It doesn’t matter. Allowing yourself freedom of choice without feeling pressured or guilty is the key.

After a few weeks Anne found she was driving greater distances and eventually could set off for a specific location, knowing she had been there before while on her no-pressure drives. She can now drive virtually anywhere. Stoplights and inner lanes are still a bit of a problem, but not enough to force her to use alternate routes.

A number of authors have come to see the effectiveness of this strategy and have referred to it as “giving yourself permission.”

Best Wishes and Lot’s of Love,

Arthur Buchanan

Out of Darkness & Into the Light
209 Ellis Ave. Suite 1313
Bellevue, Ohio44811

567-217-1133 (Home)

Listen To My RADIO SHOW! Wednesday @ 6:00 Eastern
Standard!

CRAZY TALK RADIO - Mental Illness and Me!

They are calling Arthur Buchanan’s methods of recovering from mental illness REVOLUTIONARY! (MEDICALCOLLEGE OF MICHIGAN) ‘Arthur Buchanan has given us a revolutionary blue print for recovery in these uncertain times, when Mental Illness at a all time high in the United States of America, yet if you follow this young mans methods, we assure you of positive results and I QUOTE ‘If these methods are followed precisely, their is no way you can’t see positive results with whatever illness you have’ -Dr. Herbert Palos Detroit, Michigan

Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show!

LISTEN TODAY!

www.freesuccessaudios.com/Artlive.mp3

www.out-of-darkness.com www.biologicalhappiness.com

www.adhdandme.com www.mentalillnessandme.com

Starting Jan. 1St Me and My Dr Leland Heller, Will Have a Free
CD Out, Totally Free All You Have to Do Is Pay The Shipping
And Handling Charges.

This Is This My Drs. Leland Heller’s Website

www.biologicalunhappiness.com

The People That Have Listened To This Free CD Have Told Us
That We Should Charge $197 for This Groundbreaking CD,
You Will Never Forgive Yourself If You Pass This Up, Run Don’t
Walk To Get This Groundbreaking CD, It Will Literally Change
The Way You Look At Mental Health!!!

Jan. 1st We Will Be Offering a Free Newsletter From My
Doc. And I, We Will Answer 5 of The Most Pressing Questions
A Month and We Will List Them On The Websites, So Get Your Free CD.

Save a Life Yours!!

Are You Down Bud? Feeling Bad, Then Read!

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

Sometimes physical problems can cause depression. But other times, symptoms of depression are part of a more complex psychiatric problem. There are several different types of depression, including:

• Major depressive disorder
• Dysthymia
• Seasonal affective disorder
• Psychotic depression
• Bipolar depression

Major Depression

An individual with major depression, or major depressive disorder, feels a profound and constant sense of hopelessness and despair.
Major depression is marked by a combination of symptoms that interfere with the person’s ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities. Major depression may occur only once but more commonly occurs several times in a lifetime.
What Are the Symptoms of Major Depression?

Symptoms of depression include:

• Sadness
• Irritability
• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
• Withdrawal from social activities
• Inability to concentrate

Psychotic Depression

Roughly 25% of people who are admitted to the hospital for depression suffer from what is called psychotic depression. In addition to the symptoms of depression, psychotic depression includes some features of psychosis, such as hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t really there) or delusions (irrational thoughts and fears).
How Is Psychotic Depression Different Than Other Mental Disorders?
While people with other mental disorders, like schizophrenia, also experience these symptoms, those with psychotic depression are usually aware that these thoughts aren’t true. They may be ashamed or embarrassed and try to hide them, which can make diagnosing this condition difficult.

What Are the Symptoms of Psychotic Depression?

• Anxiety (fear and nervousness)
• Agitation
• Paranoia
• Insomnia (difficulty falling and staying asleep)
• Physical immobility
• Intellectual impairment
• Psychosis

Dysthymia

Dysthymia, sometimes referred to as chronic depression, is a less severe form of depression but the depression symptoms linger for a long period of time, perhaps years. Those who suffer from dysthymia are usually able to function normally, but seem consistently unhappy.
It is common for a person with dysthymia to also experience major depression at the same time - swinging into a major depressive episode and then back to a more mild state of dysthymia. This is called double depression.

Symptoms of dysthymia include:

• Difficulty sleeping
• Loss of interest or the ability to enjoy oneself
• Excessive feelings of guilt or worthlessness
• Loss of energy or fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating, thinking or making decisions
• Changes in appetite
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal depression, called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a depression that occurs each year at the same time, usually starting in fall or winter and ending in spring or early summer. It is more than just “the winter blues” or “cabin fever.” A rare form of SAD known as “summer depression,” begins in late spring or early summer and ends in fall.

What Are the Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder?
People who suffer from SAD have many of the common signs of depression: Sadness, irritability, loss of interest in their usual activities, withdrawal from social activities, and inability to concentrate. But symptoms of winter SAD may differ from symptoms of summer SAD.

Symptoms of winter SAD may include the seasonal occurrence of:
• Fatigue
• Increased need for sleep
• Decreased levels of energy
• Weight gain
• Increase in appetite
• Difficulty concentrating
• Increased desire to be alone

Symptoms of summer SAD include the seasonal occurrence of:
• Weight loss
• Trouble sleeping
• Decreased appetite

What Causes Depression?

There is not just one cause of depression. It is a complex disease that can occur as a result of a multitude of different factors, including biology, emotional and environmental influences. For some, depression occurs due to a loss of a loved one, a change in one’s life, or after being diagnosed with a serious medical disease. For others, depression just happened, possibly due to a family history of the disorder.

How Is Depression Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of depression begins