Therapy Stew

Everything You Wanted To Know About Psychology But Were Afraid To Ask

Therapy Stew

Archives for Depression

Dealing With Trauma

Posted by  on Sunday, November 11th 2012     

Emotional and psychological trauma can be caused by single-blow, one-time events, such as a horrible accident, a natural disaster, or a violent attack. Trauma can also stem from ongoing, relentless stress, such as living in a crime-ridden neighborhood or struggling with cancer. It is very normal for people to experience many emotional and physical aftershocks or stress reactions following a traumatic event. Sometimes these aftershocks appear almost immediately after the event but sometimes it may take a few hours, days or even weeks before any type of negative stress reactions appear. Individual responses may include intense fear, shame, helplessness, or horror. Depending on the severity of the event, the signs and symptoms of trauma may last a few days, several weeks or months, or even longer.

When bad things happen, it can take a while to get over the physical and emotional pain and feel safe again. The way someone deals with trauma depends on his or her own history and prior experiences.The most common reaction include shock and denial. Someone in shock may feel stunned, dazed or numb. They may find it easier to cut off from your feelings and from what is going on around you. When a person is in denial, they are unable to accept what happened so they behave as though it didn’t. It may take several hours, days or weeks before the denial gradually fades and other feelings and thoughts take place.

What happens next?

People react differently to trauma and it may take different amounts of time to come to terms with what has happened. Even so, you may be surprised by the strength of your feelings. It is normal to experience a mix of feelings. You may feel:

  • Frightened that the same thing will happen again, or that you might lose control of your feelings and break down.
  • Helpless that something really bad happened and you could do nothing about it. You feel helpless, vulnerable and overwhelmed.
  • Angry about what has happened and with whoever was responsible.
  • Guilty that you have survived when others have suffered or died. You may feel that you could have done something to prevent it.
  • Sad particularly if people were injured or killed, especially someone you knew.
  • Ashamed or embarrassed that you have these strong feelings you can’t control, especially if you need others to support you.
  • Relieved that the danger is over and that the danger has gone.
  • Hopeful that your life will return to normal. People can start to feel more positive about things quite soon after a trauma.

What Can You Do for Yourself?

There are many ways you can help yourself deal with a traumatic event. Some are healthy and some are not. It is important to try to take each day at a time and to do what you know is right for you. Everyone has their own way of coping with trauma. These are some general suggestions about what can help.

  • Recognise that you have been through a distressing experience and give yourself permission to experience your reactions to it. Don’t be angry with yourself for being upset. Remind yourself that you are not abnormal and that you can and are coping.
  • Don’t  use alcohol or other drugs to cope and avoid making any major decisions or big life changes.
  • Do not try to block out thoughts of what has happened. Gradually confronting what has happened will assist in coming to terms with the traumatic experience. It may help to share your feelings and experiences with others when opportunities arise. Although this may be really hard at times, talking to people you trust is helpful in dealing with trauma.
  • Allow yourself time to rest if you are feeling tired, and remember that regular exercise is important. Let your friends and family know what you need. Help them to help you by letting them know when you are tired, need time out, or need a chance to talk or just be with someone.
  • Make time to practise relaxation. You can use a formal technique such as progressive muscle relaxation or just make time to absorb yourself in a relaxing activity such as gardening or listening to music. This will help your body and nervous system to settle and readjust.
  • It’s not unusual for the trauma to stir up other memories or feelings from a past unrelated stressful occurrence, or even childhood experiences, If you need help dealing with the memories, that’s ok.
  • Express your feelings as they arise. Whether you discuss them with someone else or write them down in a diary, expressing feelings in some way often helps the healing process.

When bad things happen, it can take a while to get over the pain and feel safe again. But with the right treatment, self-help strategies, and support, you can speed your recovery. Whether the traumatic event happened years ago or yesterday, you can heal and move on.

 

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
category: Anxiety, blog, Depression, General, Stress
tags: , ,

Can Nutrition Help Fight Depression?

Posted by  on Tuesday, October 16th 2012     

Guest Post by Dr. Bradley Jabour:

Depression is a widespread condition that can cause people to lose interest in their everyday activities. Depression can lead to feelings of sadness, worthlessness, the inability to find enjoyment in any activity, or even bring about suicidal thoughts. This often debilitating disease can be effectively treated with various methods, including therapy and medications. However, recent studies have found that nutrition may play a large part in the both cause and cure of depression.

The Role of Food in Depression

When people feel sad, down or depressed, it’s not uncommon for people to turn to food as a way of making themselves feel better. When people seek out food for comfort, it usually takes the forms of junk food or foods high in sugar content. Even though you seek out junk food when you’re depressed, the effect that these processed and high-sugar foods have on your body can actually worsen your depression.

Foods that Cause Your Body Stress

High sugar foods create stress on your body. As your liver processes the sugar, it uses what it can for energy and stores the rest as fat. If there are large amounts of sugar, the liver works twice as hard, giving the body that lazy and lethargic feeling, like you just don’t have enough energy to do anything. As your body becomes stressed, you may start to feel ill or unwell. This unpleasant feeling will only cause you to feel more depressed.

Processed foods have the same effect on your liver. However, the large amounts of chemical based products in these foods can place undue stress on all of your organs. As the liver is unable to process these chemicals, the body becomes damaged. The damage can cause depression and aches and pains. Most people report feeling physical pain with their depression, poor eating habits are what is most likely contributing to this fact.

Relying on caffeine or alcohol to deal with the depression can also harm your body. Caffeine will increase your cortisol levels, causing you to feel stress, while alcohol is a depressive and will enhance the sad feelings.

On the other side of the issue, many people opt to avoid food when they are depressed. This is also the wrong way to deal with depression because the malnutrition caused by lack of food can enhance the depressive mood as well as cause physical problems.

Foods That Help Fight Depression

Foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, like walnuts, Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, salad greens and some fish, are very good for fighting depression. Many studies that have been done in recent years which show that the brain needs Omega-3 to function properly. Omega-3 has been shown to increase the receptive powers of the brain on dopamine and serotonin levels, which help to balance out these hormones.

Well balanced diets that include all the food groups are best for people suffering from depression. An Australian study found, however, that people eating excessive amounts of fried foods often suffer from higher depression rates. In addition, while sugar has been shown to elevate mood, people often go overboard. Sugar can be quickly abused and cause more damage to the body than good. Substituting sugar and processed sugar products with a sweet fruit will bring about the same results without damaging the liver.

Studies have also shown that taking a multivitamin can help fight the onset of depression. A recent study conducted in the United Kingdom has shown that many people with depression suffer from vitamin deficiencies. The most common deficiencies were: Selenium, B6, B12, Magnesium and Manganese. And while a well-balanced diet should provide enough of these vitamins and minerals, a multi-vitamin can help when food is not enough.

We all get sad from time to time, usually in response to stressful or  traumatic life situations. A painful divorce, the  loss of a job or personal problems can trigger lack of appetite, insomnia, and feelings of deep  sadness. If your sadness last longer than a few weeks, or if it occurs  outside the context of a major life change, you may have what’s known as a “major  depressive disorder.” While food alone is not a cure for depression, it can go a long way when coupled with medication and therapy.

Bradley A. Jabour M.D. has more than 20 years experience in academic and clinical research and is a nationally recognized Neuroradiologist. Dr. Jabour speaks at colleges and Universities around  the globe and has received several national honors, including a  Certificate of Merit from The Radiological Society of North America  (RSNA). Jabour lives in Santa Monica where he practices as Chief of  Neuroradiology at the depression treatment center, Smart Brain and Health.

Related articles

Enhanced by Zemanta
category: blog, Depression, General, Stress
tags: , , ,

One Bereaved Mother’s Experience with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Posted by  on Thursday, July 12th 2012     
cora's story

Kristine and Cora

I remember my doctors’ warning me it could happen.

“It’s like you’ve been to war,” my obstetrician told me.

She was warning me that post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms could pop up in my life. At the time I didn’t think I felt any. I felt like I was inside a snow globe and someone had violently shook my entire world. I couldn’t make sense of anything.

One moment I’d been nursing my infant daughter Cora and the next I looked down and she wasn’t breathing. She was dead. I’d had a completely normal pregnancy and delivery. She’d passed all of the hospital tests. I had no clue what happened to her.

I walked around completely dazed for the next two days, her blood still on my mouth from when I tried to give her CPR. The coroner called with a preliminary cause, congenital heart defects.

Despite all those warnings that I might experience PTSD from my health care providers, I still thought it was something that happened to people who had gone through war.

Then the nightmares started, and they haven’t stopped. I relive that night in detail, or experience another loved one dying in a dream.

I find that I don’t want to leave the house much anymore. I avoid talking to people on the phone as well.

Sometimes it’s better and then sometimes it’s almost unbearable.

I’ve since met other mothers that lost their children that also have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. I’ve found their understanding and support to be a crucial means of coping.

I didn’t go to war, but my baby died in my arms, suddenly and unexpectedly. It was a trauma like none other, and one that I will always carry with me.

Kristine Brite McCormick is mom to Cora. She lives in Indianapolis with her husband and two dogs. She’s an advocate for congenital heart disease and grieving mothers. She blogs at http://www.corasstory.org.

Enhanced by Zemanta
category: Children, Depression, General, In My Own Words
tags: , , ,

When The Baby Blues Are Something More

Posted by  on Tuesday, April 17th 2012     

mother holding her childHaving a baby is one of the most exciting experiences in a woman’s life. It can also be terrifying, exhausting, confusing and frustrating. After giving birth, many women feel tired and overwhelmed by the multitude of emotions that they may be experiencing. A woman may feel frightened by the responsibility of taking care of another person; she may feel alone, isolated and even angry or incompetent. At times, instead of feeling love and awe toward her new baby, she may feel resentful or inadequate.

While these feelings may cause anxiety for both the new mother and for those around her, these feelings are very common.  However, while almost 80 percent of new moms experience the “baby blues” after giving birth, if they last more than two weeks and if they affect her ability to take care of herself and her infant, it may be that the “baby blues” have progressed into postpartum depression.

What Is Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is a form of clinical depression that a mother can experience within the first few weeks, months or even up to a year after your baby is born. Postpartum depression is more common than many people think, affecting 12-16% of mothers. This number is even higher in teenage mothers. And it isn’t only first time moms that can experience postpartum depression; studies have shown that it can also affect women who have had children as well as adoptive mothers. In fact, it some studies have shown that it can even affect dads/partners too!

What Are the Symptoms?

In the beginning, symptoms of postpartum depression can look like the normal baby blues. In fact, they often share the same symptoms: mood swings, crying, irritability and insomnia. The difference between the baby blues and postpartum depression, however, is both the intensity and the duration of the symptoms. Postpartum depression usually sets in soon after childbirth and develops gradually over a period of several months. But postpartum depression can also come on suddenly, and in some women, the first signs don’t appear until months after they’ve given birth. Symptoms include:

  • Irritability
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Excessive anxiety or worry
  • Crying or tearfulness
  • Anger
  • Negative feelings such as sadness, hopelessness, helplessness or guilt
  • Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
  • Difficulty sleeping or returning to sleep
  • Fatigue or exhaustion
  • Changes in appetite
  • Headaches or body aches

What Can I Do?

  • Get Help:  Tell your doctor if you are having symptoms or you are not sure.  Your doctor can refer you to a counselor or psychologist who can help with psychotherapy or medication, if it’s needed.
  • Get Your Rest: Sleep is one of the most important remedies for improving your mood. Sleep when the baby sleeps – even if it’s during the day. If your having difficulty falling asleep because of anxiety, tell your doctor. Communicate your needs with your partner, family and friends to help you get more sleep at night and during the day.
  • Exercise: As soon as your doctor say it’s OK, start walking – alone or with the baby. Any aerobic exercise will help you sleep and reduce your anxiety.  Take it easy and slowly increase your distance each week until you are walking or moving for about an hour a day.
  • Seek support:  Caring for an infant can be extremely isolating. But you’re not alone. There are other moms who understand what you are going through, who share some of your worries and questions, and who have lots of ideas.  Ask your friends, family, clergy or community centers about groups for new moms. Seek out friends who have had babies, get out of the house and go to the park. There’s also a whole community of moms online who discuss postpartum depression and provide support to each other.
  • Ask for help: It’s hard to do it all alone. Ask for help from family and friends in order to make time for yourself for least an hour or two several times a week.  Having your own time will help you re-group and center yourself so you can then focus on your baby. Keep in mind that it’s hard to care for others when you are running on empty.
  • Keep your expectations in check.  Caring for a newborn can be challenging and is extremely time consuming.  Set reasonable goals each day and do your best to let go of the small stuff.

Usually, the best defense against postpartum depression is a good offence. Taking care of yourself is the best way to ensure that you are able to take care of your child. However, if you are still struggling, even with the help of family and friends, it may be time to seek professional help.

 

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
category: blog, Depression, General, Parenting
tags: , , , ,

Depression: When The Blues Won’t Go Away

Posted by  on Tuesday, January 31st 2012     

We all go through ups and down in our lives, times when we feel blue and empty.  Feeling sad from time to time is normal but when the feelings of emptiness don’t go away, it could be more than just the blues. But how do you distinguish the “normal” sad feelings from depression?

When Sadness Turns Into Depression

Since the beginning of time, people have experienced depression. Today, it is a problem affecting 10% of adults and 8% of teen and even 2% of children. Depression makes it hard to enjoy the things in life that, at one time, you did enjoy. Pastimes, friends, work and social gatherings don’t interest you anymore and it may, at times, be difficult to go about the regular routine of your day.  Depression makes you feel hopeless, tired, irritable and overwhelmed.  Ordinary sadness and feeling “down” becomes an illness, or clinical depression, when the feelings described above begin to interfere with your everyday life. They affect your work, your home life, your relationships and your social life.  Depression can affect the way you think and behave. Signs to look for include:

  • Feeling worthless, helpless or hopeless
  • Sleeping more or less than usual
  • Eating more or less than usual
  • Having difficulty concentrating or making decisions
  • Loss of interest in taking part in activities
  • Decreased sex drive
  • Avoiding other people
  • Irritability or anger
  • Overwhelming feelings of sadness or grief
  • Feeling unreasonably guilty
  • Loss of energy, feeling very tired
  • Unexplained aches and pains
  • Feelings of low self-esteem
  • Reckless behavior
  • Thoughts of death or suicide

Risk Factors For Depression

There are many different causes of depression and several factors may play a role in the onset. Such factors include family history, psychological or emotional issues, hormonal issues, illnesses and chemical imbalances in the brain.  It is important to note that different types of depression may have different triggers. For example, season affective disorder is usually brought on by the weather and postpartum depression occurs after the birth of a child.  It is also important to note that depression in children and adolescents may look different from depression in adults.

How Long Will It Last?

Unfortunately, once a person has had a bout with clinical depression, he or she is more likely to suffer from depression again. Five to ten percent of people who experience depression also experience states of exaggerated happiness or elation called mania. The occurrence of both depression and mania at different times is called bipolar affective disorder, while repeated experiences of depression alone is termed unipolar affective disorder.

What Can I Do?

If even the thought of tackling your depression seems overwhelming, don’t panic. The feeling helplessness and hopelessness are symptoms of the depression and not the reality of your situation. The key to recovering from depression is to ask for help. Having a strong support system in place will speed your recovery. Isolation fuels depression, so reach out to others, even when you feel like being alone. Let your family and friends know what you’re going through and how they can support you.

Effective treatment for depression often includes some form of therapy. Therapy can give you the tools to treat depression. What you learn in therapy can give you the skills and insight to prevent depression from coming back. Some types of therapy teach you practical techniques on how to reframe negative thinking and employ behavioral skills in combating depression. Therapy can also help you work through the underlying causes of your depression, helping you understand why you feel a certain way, what triggers your depression, and what you can do to stay healthy.

Sometimes, a doctor may prescribe medication to help with the depressive symptoms.  It is important to note that while medication can help relieve the symptoms of depression in some people, it isn’t a cure on its own. Learning the facts about antidepressants and weighing the benefits against the risks can help you make an informed and personal decision about whether medication is right for you.

Healthy Lifestyle Changes May Prevent Depression

family-huggingWe are all susceptible to feelings of sadness. However, if are able to make some positive lifestyle changes, it may be that we can prevent the feelings of sadness from developing into depression.  By cultivating supportive relationships, maintaining healthy sleep and eating patterns, practicing relaxation and managing your stress, you are better able to beat the blues and maintain a positive outlook on life.

category: blog, Depression