Archive for Depression
How to Solve 9 Sleep Problems
Posted by: | CommentsSleep is Fundamental
If you’ve ever gone without sleep for several nights in a row, you know how necessary and fundamental it is. But the problem is more complicated than just going without sleep. Some people can’t fall asleep, others can’t stay asleep, others have an irregular sleep schedule, and for various reasons. Here is an article that gives tips for nine different sleep problems:
Most of us have experienced those maddening midnight moments when, no matter how tired we are, we either can’t fall asleep, can’t stay asleep or our sleep is of such poor quality it feels as if we were awake. For anyone who has tossed and turned at night, here’s some expert advice for solving nine sleep problems.
The Night Waker
Her challenge: After a stressful breakup two years ago, Meredith Crowell, 40, a single real estate property manager and yoga instructor from Boulder, Colorado, would wake up in the middle of the night filled with sadness and anxiety. But even after she felt better emotionally, the sleep troubles continued. Although she typically falls asleep easily around 10:30 p.m., she is wide awake three or four hours later. She falls back into a fitful sleep, then gets up around 6 a.m. to begin her day. “I never wake feeling well rested, because it feels like I don’t get more than about four hours of truly deep sleep,” she says. To no avail, Meredith has tried myriad remedies — warm baths, hot milk, a glass of wine before bed, no food before bed, relaxation techniques, and prescription and homeopathic medicines. She took a prescription medication, but that didn’t give her more than four hours of sleep. She even tried taking the medication when she woke in the middle of the night, but that left her too groggy in the morning. Expert advice: “The good news is that Meredith’s insomnia seems to…(click here to read entire article)
Anda Jines MS LCPC offers mental health counseling services in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, in Tinley Park (60477); near Orland Park, Oak Forest, Palos Heights, Mokena, and Frankfort.
Depression and Health
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s a Two Way Street
It is no surprise to most people that being sick can be depressing. Indeed, illness related pain, limitations, relationship stress, and thoughts about our own mortality can trigger difficult emotions for anyone; but for those who are predisposed to depression, can trigger a full episode of clinical depression.
I have recently come across several articles discussing the other side of the coin as well. Depression can have a negative impact on your health. Behaviorally, depressed people tend to take worse care of themselves, but it doesn’t stop there. There also appear to be internal physical changes that put depressed people at higher risk of health problems. In my work, I have also seen depression negatively impact people’s perspective on spirituality, their willpower, and their willingness to persevere.
Depression is Often Overlooked in the Course of Treating a Physical Illness
The negative impact of depression on health is a serious concern, and an important reason to make sure that depression does not get overlooked in people’s medical treatment. Not everyone develops depressive symptoms when they get sick, and not everyone who is depressed will get sick as a result. But if you suspect that depressive symptoms may be putting you at risk, or complicating your (or a loved one’s) ability to cope with an illness, then you may want to see a counselor for an evaluation.
Here are a few articles to help you further explore this topic:
Depression and Your Health – Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Depression clearly has a harmful effect on physical health, although the biological reasons for the link between body and mind are unclear. Whatever the reasons, over the past 20 years, it has become evident that depression after a heart attack is much more than an “understandable emotional reaction” to a stressful, life-changing event — it is profoundly dangerous, raising a person’s chances of having a second, fatal heart attack.
More recently, researchers have studied the flip side of the equation — the question of whether someone with depression is at increased risk for developing coronary heart disease (CHD) down the line. Indeed, prospective studies show that people who had no CHD but were depressed when the studies began were more likely to develop or die of heart disease. Depression also aggravates chronic illnesses such as… (click here to read entire article)
Depression ‘cuts cancer survival’ – BBC News
Depression can damage a cancer patient’s chances of survival, a review of research suggests. The University of British Columbia team said the finding emphasized the need to screen cancer patients carefully for signs of psychological distress. The study, a review of 26 separate studies including 9,417 patients, features in the journal Cancer. It found death rates were up to… (click here to read entire article)
Depression a Big Factor in Poor Health – WebMD
Depression has a greater impact on overall health than arthritis, diabetes, angina, and asthma, but it all too often goes unrecognized and untreated, a report from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests.
Based on interviews with almost 250,000 people living in 60 countries, WHO researchers found depression to be a greater predictor of poor health in patients with these chronic conditions than having one or more chronic medical conditions without depression.
People who had arthritis, diabetes, angina, or asthma were more likely to suffer from depression than people without these conditions.
And consistent across different countries and cultures, people with depression plus one or more of the chronic diseases included in the study had the worst overall health scores.
The findings, which appear in the Sept. 8 issue of The Lancet, illustrate the urgency of identifying and treating depression in patients with other chronic health problems and in the population as a whole, the WHO researchers conclude.
“We have to recognize…” (click here to read entire article)
Anda Jines MS LCPC offers mental health counseling services in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, in Tinley Park (60477); near Orland Park, Oak Forest, Palos Heights, Mokena, and Frankfort.
Procrastination
Posted by: | CommentsThose of you who follow my bolg may have noticed that I’ve slowed down a bit on my posts lately. I don’t know about you, but it is my experience that motivation fluctuates. Priorities fluctuate and shift and vie for first place, and there is always something that ends up going undone… at least for the time being. But I’m glad to have found my way back to posting an article today. And what better topic to post about than procrastination!
Motivation Fluctuates
To some extent, fluctuations in motivation and priorities are just a normal and expected part of life. It is important to have flexibility in your goals, tasks and timing. Being overly rigid and perfectionistic is unrealistic and creates unnecessary stress. Priorities and motivation have to shift as circumstances change, as you grow and learn, and as deadlines come and go.
There are even times when your lack of motivation can be a useful signal that what you are doing is not right for you, or that you need to find a new approach to what you are doing. This can help precipitate necessary changes in activities, strategies or even career.
What is Procrastination?
However, there are times when these normal fluctuations cross the line into procrastination. I know I’m procrastinating when my delay in doing a task causes me to fall short of my own standards or expectations, or when it leads to negative consequences. Unfortunately, this can be difficult to recognize when the consequences are long term… like with health related behaviors.
In my work, I often hear about procrastination on chores, paperwork, bills, communication, medical appointments, job hunting, exercise, etc. The key dynamic going on here is people trying to enjoy (or survive) life in the short run, at the expense of their quality of life in the long run.
People actually get quite creative in weaving avoidance out of many mundane day to day activities, as this video shows.
“…Procrastination is watching this video about procrastination.” Unfortunately, people usually don’t enjoy the procrastination process itself, and can be quite miserable in their endless cycles of avoidance behaviors. The misery and despair of feeling stuck in procrastination can further undermine their motivation! For some people, procrastination can become a way of life.
Overcoming Procrastination
The question is not whether you ever procrastinate (I believe all of us do), but rather how you handle it when you do. Some people, when they catch themselves procrastinating, respond by making the avoided task a priority, and by making a plan to get back on track. But how? I’d like to share a few strategies that work best for me, and then give you links to more ideas.
1) Picture Positive Outcomes
Research shows that thinking of the advantages of doing something is much more motivating than focusing on the disadvantages of not doing it. So go ahead and imagine the positive outcomes of your dreaded task. What will you get out of it? How will you feel once it is done? How will this help you in the long run? What will you be able to enjoy because of accomplishing your task? Picture these things in detail, and tap into the positive emotions that this triggers.
2) Be Organized
A calendar, to-do list and reminders can do a lot to keep you on task. It is helpful to rate the importance/urgency of your to-do tasks, and to be specific in your scheduling of tasks. Updating your to-do list daily is key. Being organized also helps you to develop a plan to move towards a long term goal, to be realistic about how much time you have, and to be mindful of your balance between chores and fun.
3) Mindfulness
When practicing mindfulness meditation, the initial task is to catch yourself getting distracted (over and over again), and to bring your attention back to your anchor (over and over again). This is to be done gently, through patient observation, without judgment or guilt about getting distracted. This process, when practiced regularly, improves your ability to focus. The same principle applies to activities. When you catch yourself being distracted, you gently bring yourself back to task, without berating yourself for your distraction. You do this over and over again.
4) Radical Acceptance
The DBT principles of radical acceptance also apply here: a) connect with the willingness within yourself, b) turn your mind toward acceptance, and c) choose to radically accept the situation or task you are faced with. At first, you may have to do this many times in one minute, but with practice it becomes easier. Remember that non-acceptance of painful reality creates an unnecessary layer of suffering on top of the natural pain. Chronic non-acceptance is the same as perpetually fighting with the reality of what is; and makes dealing with that reality much harder.
5) Make It Enjoyable!
Try to make your dreaded task fun! Use your sense of humor, be exaggerated, be creative, make a game of it, picture yourself enjoying it and accomplishing it, think positive and play some good energizing music while you’re at it. Pantomime kicking that procrastination gremlin out of your house. Picture yourself as a superhero who can do anything! Put on a goofy “doing hat,” and tell yourself you have to be productive while wearing it. Set a timer and race against it. Pretend that you are in an opera about yourself, or a dance performance. And don’t forget reward yourself for your efforts.
Or, if you prefer a more relaxed approach, then do your task in slow motion (but do it). Mindfully observe yourself as you get out the things you need, orient yourself to where you left off, and start on the next task. Play soothing music in the background. Breathe slowly and deeply, and know that with each breath you are closer to accomplishing your task for the day. Relax into the process and just take things one small step at a time, knowing that you are doing exactly what you need to be doing.
Additional Tips from Cyberspace
Here’s a video to get you started. Think of this song as being about breaking free of the procrastination gremlin. (Can you think of other songs that motivate you?)
Check out these links for more tips on overcoming procrastination:
10 Techniques to Successfully Overcome Procrastination
overcoming-procrastination.info (look in the left-hand margin first)
Prestiq: A New SNRI for Depression
Posted by: | CommentsNew Antidepressant Medication
Prestiq is a new alternative available for the treatment of depression. It is an SNRI, or a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. SNRIs help keep more of these two neurotransmitters in the synapses between neurons. To learn more about SNRIs, click here.
Dr. Swartz answers questions about Prestiq
Dr. Karen L. Swartz, Director of the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center, answers a reader’s question about the therapeutic benefits of Prestiq, a new antidepressant: I am currently on Effexor (venlafaxine), which has a similar generic name, so I’m wondering how Pristiq differs from Effexor and other SNRIs? Chester, VT
Dr. Swartz: Pristiq (desvenlafaxine succinate) is an antidepressant in the serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibtor (SNRI) class of drugs. Pristiq is indeed very closely related to Effexor… (to read entire article about Prestiq, click here.)
Anda Jines MS LCPC offers mental health counseling services in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, in Tinley Park (60477); near Orland Park, Oak Forest, Palos Heights, Mokena, and Frankfort.
Depression
Posted by: | CommentsDepression is One of the Most Common Mental Health Problems I Have Seen
Whether on college campus, in a community mental health center, or in private practice, depression has been one of the most common mental health problems I have encountered in my work. It is often combined with other mental health problems like anxiety, with substance abuse, or with difficulties in one’s past or current circumstances.
Counseling is Important in Overcoming Depression
Treatments for depression include medications and talk therapy. Both have been shown to be effective, but the most powerful is a combination of both. Medication can reduce the severity of the symptoms, and get you to a place where you have the motivation to deal with day-to-day life, and the ability to fully engage in counseling.
Counseling can help you to examine your thinking, behaviors, past experiences, circumstances and relationship patterns which may be contributing to, and perpetuating, your depression. Through counseling I help people identify specific patterns that are causing problems, and I give people the emotional and strategic support needed to change these patterns.
I believe that chemical imbalances are an aspect of depression, and that by treating the chemical imbalance, symptoms can be reduced. However, I also believe that life experiences, thinking and behaviors can affect the brain’s chemistry. In other words, the root cause of depression is not necessarily just chemical. It is my job to help people identify their personal root causes of their depression, and to help them address these core issues.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Is a Great Resource for Information about Depression
One important part of healing your depression is to educate yourself about it. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is a great resource for information about depression, anxiety, and many other topics related to mental health. They have many pages on each topic, including discussions of types of depression, symptoms and treatment, as well as videos.
Depression is a serious medical illness; it’s not something that you have made up in your head. It’s more than just feeling “down in the dumps” or “blue” for a few days. It’s feeling “down” and “low” and “hopeless” for weeks at a time… (click here to continue reading about depression and to see a video about depression)
Anda Jines MS LCPC offers mental health counseling services in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, in Tinley Park (60477); near Orland Park, Oak Forest, Palos Heights, Mokena, and Frankfort.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Posted by: | CommentsChicago Walk Raised Money for Suicide Prevention
Opening Ceremony
Participants in Chicago’s Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk for suicide prevention, succeeded in raising over two million dollars last weekend! This year’s walk was unique in that it was dedicated to America’s soldiers, and to preventing suicide among those in uniform.
Good Turnout
I attended the opening ceremony, which included heartfelt testimonials from a variety of people who had been affected by suicide. I then joined the walkers on a short stretch along the lake shore heading north. When the last of us were coming around the Shed Aquarium, the wide column of
The line of walkers stretched as far as the eye could see.
walkers extend forward as far as the eye could see toward Navy Peer. This was just the first leg of their 18 mile, night-long journey. It is estimated that 1500 walkers participated in this year’s event, which ended with a closing ceremony at sunrise.
Behind the Scenes
I also volunteered on Monday morning to help the crew organize and pack up all their supplies. It was great to meet a few of the organizers and see how much work goes into such events behind the scenes. In addition to all the walkers, there were about 500 crew members and volunteers that helped make this event happen.
Volunteer, massage therapist Andrea Hughes, packing supply bins after the event.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
This event was organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The AFSP was founded in 1987, due to concern about the alarming rise in suicide over the previous four decades.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is the leading national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy, and to reaching out to people with mental disorders and those impacted by suicide.
To fully achieve its mission, AFSP engages in the following Five Core Strategies… (click here to read more about AFSP’s mission, activities and history)
Anda Jines MS LCPC offers mental health counseling services in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, in Tinley Park (60477); near Oak Forest, Orland Park, Mokena, and Frankfort.
Chicago Suicide Prevention Walk
Posted by: | CommentsSuicide Prevention Walk in Chicago this Weekend
This weekend, the city of Chicago will host an 18-mile walk, from sunset to sunrise, to raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention, education, research programs, and to support those whose lives have been impacted by suicide loss.
The Plan
“Out of the Darkness Overnight,” organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will start with an opening ceremony on Saturday, June 27th at 7pm, at Soldier Field. Walkers will be cheered on by crew and spectators along their route, and the walk will end with the sunrise, back at Soldier Field with a closing ceremony at about 5am.
How You Can Participate
Many walkers, crew members and volunteers have devoted long hours to this important event, but others can also participate meaningfully by attending the opening ceremony (which is free of charge and open to the public), by cheering walkers on along their route, or by attending the sunrise closing ceremony (again free of charge and open to the public).
How I plan to Participate
I just found out about this event today, and seeing that they needed volunteers for Monday after the event, I’ve decided to go ahead an volunteer. I also plan on being a spectator on Saturday night. I look forward to a moving opening ceremony and to cheering the walkers on. I would encourage anyone reading this to also attend, and to consider volunteering.
About the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and About Suicide
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is the leading national non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research and education, and to reaching out to people with mood disorders and those affected by suicide. The AFSP writes:
Close to one million people make a suicide attempt each year, and every 16 minutes someone dies by suicide int he US. More than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have an underlying mental illness, most often depression. More than 24 million people suffer from depression or another mood disorder each year. Suicide affects people of all age groups and socio-economic backgrounds. It is the fourth leading cause of death among adults 18-65, the third leading cause of death among teens and young adults, and individuals ages 65 and older account for 16 percent of all suicide deaths.
Local Newspaper Story
Here is a link to our local newspaper (the Southtown Star) story about this event.
Anda Jines MS LCPC offers mental health counseling services in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, in Tinley Park (60477); near Oak Forest, Orland Park, Mokena, and Frankfort.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Posted by: | CommentsTis the time of year when northerners, like those of us in the Chicago area, pine for the spring, and celebrate days when temperatures reach as high as the 30s. The cold becomes everyone’s favorite small talk topic, and becomes a factor in many day to day activities. For most of us it is an annoyance and inconvenience, but for some, it is much more than that. Here is some information on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), from one of my favorite sources for health information, WebMD.
Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression that affects a person during the same season each year. If you get depressed in the winter but feel much better in spring and summer, you may have SAD.
Anyone can get SAD, but it is more common in…
