Understanding Depression and Menopause

As women approach midlife and menopause one of the things to be on the lookout for is depression. While menopause is not thought to be a cause of depression the two can occur at the same time. What is believed to be a cause of depression is changes in estrogen levels which occur during menopause. It is known that women are affected by depression over twice as much as men and that a family history of depression can factor into this as well.

The symptoms of depression and menopause are very similar and include sleep disorders, hot flashes,fatigue, anxiety, and irritability. Many women associate these symptoms with the changes that menopause bring, but they may be a sign of depression that needs to be understood and dealt with. There is no reason women need to suffer from depression duing menopause. It is important that they accept the physical changes happening to their bodies during this time and work with their doctor to mitigate the symptoms of menopause, but it is alaso important that they realize that depression and menopause can be mutually exclusive and both can be dealt with.

As women approach menopause their menstrual cycles begin to change and start to become unpredictable. This unpredictability of their monthly cycle is a sign of erratic ovulation. Erratic ovulation causes unpredictable releases of the hormones estrogen and progetserone leading to mood swings, forgetfulness, hot flashes and all the other symptoms associated with menopause.

Most women going through menopause feel that they are loosing control of their bodies when in fact it is just their natural reaction to the aging process. This feeling of loss of control can lead to symptoms of depression. As the symptoms of both menopause and depression worsen they start to feel that their is nothing they can do and a feeling of hoplessness falls over them. This feeling of hopelessness is a major part of depression and left untreated can lead to severe depression.

Untreated depression is a major health risk. Researchers have found that depression is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and in some cases it can lead to bone deterioration increasing the likely hood of osteoporosis and broken bones.

The treatment for dperession and menopause can follow a two pronged approach. It is important to treat not only the depression with antidepressant medications and counseling but also to treat the symptoms of menopause as well. Menopause can be treated with hormone replacement therapy where synthetic forms of estrogen and progesterone are used to even out the woman's hormone levels.

If you are a woman approaching midlife and menopause be aware that depression can be a very real side affect of the changes that will happen to you. If start to see the symptoms of depression it is best to talk to your doctor about what treatment options may work best for you.

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When Do You See A Doctor If You Have (Or You Think You Have) Depression?

If you have depression, or at least you think you have one, you must realize that you should not diagnose yourself. You need to have a healthcare practitioner that is skilled to give you a correct assessment and professional diagnosis of your condition.

There is absolutely no reason to feel shy or embarrassed when talking to a healthcare provider regarding any symptoms of your condition. There are many healthcare professionals that are very understanding of your problem. After all, they were trained to study and treat depression.

If you have symptoms like these, do not hesitate consulting a medical practitioner. Before getting any actual help or treatment for depression, you must need to first have a diagnosis that is correct.

You see, these symptoms are also symptomatic of other problems. For example, weight loss, fatigue and sleeping patterns may not be caused by depression, but by some medical problem. Other symptoms like losing interest in activities that you previously enjoyed or problems with attention or memory may not be related to depression at all but may be indicative of a undiagnosed medical condition.

You need to consult a doctor so that you can make sure that the symptoms you are experiencing are actually a result of your depression and from there, you can start what the best treatment for you individual case. The doctor might ask you to answer questions to fully assess and help determine if you actually have depression and possibly conduct tests to determine that your symptoms are a result of some other health issue.

Depression is a medical condition that is real. Remember that having depression is not something that you want to have. You probably would not think less of someone who has influenza or is suffering from heart disease. In the same manner, you must not be ashamed or feel guilty that you suffer from depression.

Depression will not go away by "toughing it out" or "being strong.” Being weak in your will does not instantly cause you to be depressed. Most cases of depression can't simply go away just by trying to cheer up. You can't simply make it go away by doing exercises, taking vitamins or going on a vacation. Treating your depression requires professional help - you can't do it alone. Like any other serious illnesses, depression needs professional treatment from a healthcare practitioner. When you are suffering from depression, you need to ask for help to make the problem go away.

Your feelings might change when treatment comes along. You should be pleased to know that depression has proved to be one of the most easily treated conditions.

When you are seeking treatment for your depression, what type of healthcare professional should you see?

Although there are some issues raised on what treatment is the best for depression problems (whether it is drugs, therapy, or if it is a mixture of both), there is actually a type of healthcare professional that is highly qualified to help you recover from depression and various mood disorders that use medications or drugs: a psychiatrist.

Psychologists, in fairness, are also highly qualified to cure depression problems, but they are not medical professionals and as such, cannot prescribe medications. You should realize that psychologists specialize in therapy, especially talk therapy. If you do not know if you need drugs or medications, it might prove best to start your treatment of depression under a psychiatrist's care.

If you think you might also have a good chance of eliminating depression through talk therapy, many psychiatrists can also be good in this, although there are some that may refer you to more experienced therapists. More on this in an upcoming article.

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Young Adults and Mental Illness-what are the Warning Signs?

Mental illness is not just an affliction that you are born with; mental illnesses can develop over time, whether as something that was predestined to occur or as an illness that develops over time. While some mental illnesses are certainly not generally found in young people, like Alzheimer's disease, others such as depression can strike as early as childhood and mental illnesses like ADHD, though over diagnosed, does affect many children and adults. 

Young adults can suffer from a wide range of mental illnesses, and are more commonly afflicted for the first time than any other age group because of their rapidly developing brains and the many new circumstances to which they are exposed to during their late teens and early twenties. Young adults are not necessarily particularly vulnerable; however, whatever mental illnesses they were possibly born with are more likely to come out of dormancy at this point in their lives. 

Schizophrenia is one mental illness that often strikes for the first time in young adults. Individuals may suffer moodiness or paranoia, which can both be potentially recognized by a loved one and reported to the individual's physician. Other warning signs might include the young adult hearing voices or seeing things that are not there. Schizophrenic individuals may also experience apathy or lack of emotions and might become worse at social functions. They may also begin to have trouble concentrating or following directions and completing tasks, and their memories might suffer. Schizophrenic patients also almost always begin feeling depressed before their symptoms degenerate. 

Depression is another mental illness that is very common in young adults. It is characterized by feelings of extreme helplessness, hopelessness, and is not nearly the same thing as "feeling blue" or being "down". Depression is a serious mental condition that affects millions of Americans, and can cause suicidal thoughts as well as over, or under-eating, over, or under-sleeping, and a change in moods. Depression is not something that people can just "get over" or "snap out of", and may in fact require medication or therapy or a combination of both before the individual begins to see a lifting of their symptoms. The symptoms of depression can come and go, and are similar but slightly different from the symptoms of bipolar disorder. 

Bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic depression, can be managed with medication. It is characterized with intense manic or "high" periods in which the individual becomes overly enthusiastic or optimistic and may begin tasks or plans that are not feasible. These high periods are followed by crashes and intense "lows", which can involve sleeping all day, feeling hopeless, suicide attempts, and other symptoms shared with depression. 

ADHD is more of a disorder than a disease as it does not often seriously impair a young adult's ability to function normally in society, however it is possible for a young adult to have ADHD that does affect their ability to hold a job or otherwise function individually. This disorder often involves an inability to focus, being easily distracted, and similar kinds of symptoms. It may be made apparent in forgetfulness that is almost chronic or in an inability to hold still, and also with a hyper-focus on certain activities. 

The diagnosis of a mental illness should be left to medical professionals; however it is often up to the family and loved ones of the affected young adult to recognize the symptoms before the individual can get treatment. Many mentally ill individuals do not know that they are suffering, or do not wish for various reasons related to their illness to seek treatment on their own. 

People who love anyone affected by the above mentioned mental illnesses and by other mental illnesses should make a list of the specific symptoms that they see so that they can present these symptoms to a mental health specialist. Symptoms that you should look out for include changes in sleeping and eating patters, weight gain or loss, changes in personality, an inability to function normally, paranoia, aggression, and other unusual behavior. Even a feeling that something is "off" with a loved one might warrant extra attention or even investigation to help them get help with their mental illness. 

No matter what symptoms are displayed, no diagnosis can be made until the individual who is suffering is taken to a doctor. A person taken to the hospital by police is likely to be treated and released quickly without enough attention paid to their actual needs. It is up to the family and loved ones of young adults affected by mental illness to get them help.

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Can a Neurotransmitter imbalance be causing your mood problems??

Neurotransmitters are powerful chemicals that regulate numerous physical and emotional processes such as cognitive and mental performance, emotional states and pain response. Virtually all functions in life are controlled by neurotransmitters.                                                  

Interactions between neurotransmitters, hormones, and the brain chemicals have a profound influence on overall health and well-being. When our concentration and focus is good, we feel more directed, motivated, and vibrant. Unfortunately, if neurotransmitter levels are inadequate these energizing and motivating signals are absent and we feel more stressed, sluggish, and out-of-control.                                                                                                              

Disrupted communication between the brain and the body can have serious effects to ones health both physically and mentally. Depression, anxiety and other mood disorders are thought to be directly related to imbalances with neurotransmitters.Some of the more common neurotransmitters that regulate mood are Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine.       

Serotonin imbalance is one of the most common contributors to mood problems. Some feel it is a virtual epidemic in the United States. Serotonin is key to our feelings of happiness and very important for our emotions because it helps defend against both anxiety and depression. You may have a shortage of serotonin if you have a sad depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks, low energy, migraines, sleeping problems, obsession or compulsions, feel tense and irritable, crave sweets, and have a reduced interest in sex. Additionally, your hormones and Estrogen levels can affect serotonin levels and this may explain why some women have pre-menstrual and menopausal mood problems. Moreover, stress can greatly reduce your serotonin supplies.                                           

Dopamine and Norepinephrine are responsible for motivation, energy, interest, and drive. They are associated with positive stress states such as being in love, exercising, listening to music, and sex. These neurotransmitters are the one’s that make you feel good. When we don’t have enough of them we don’t feel alive, we have difficulty initiating or completing tasks, poor concentration, no energy, and lack of motivation. Low neurotransmitter levels drive us to use drugs (self medicate) or alcohol, smoke cigarettes, gamble, and overeat. For many years, it has been known in medicine that low levels of these neurotransmitters can cause many diseases and illnesses. A neurotransmitter imbalance can cause Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, irritable bowel, hormone dysfunction, eating disorders, Fibromyalgia, obsessions, compulsions, adrenal dysfunction, chronic pain, migraine headaches, and even early death.

 

What causes neurotransmitter dysfunction?

• Prolonged periods of stress can deplete neurotransmitters levels. Our fast paced, fast food society greatly contributes to these imbalances.

• Poor Diet. Neurotransmitters are made in the body from proteins. Also required are certain vitamins and minerals called “cofactors” If your nutrition is poor and you do not take in enough protein, vitamins, or minerals to build the neurotransmitters, a neurotransmitter imbalance develops. We really do think and feel what we eat.

• Genetic factors, faulty metabolism, and digestive issues can impair absorption and breakdown of our food which reduces are ability to build neurotransmitters.

• Toxic substances like heavy metals, pesticides, drug use, and some prescription drugs can cause permanent damage to the nerves that make neurotransmitters. 

• Certain drugs and substances such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, NutraSweet, antidepressants, and some cholesterol lowering medications deplete neurotransmitter levels leading to neurotransmitter imbalances.

• Hormone  changes cause neurotransmitter imbalances

Testing is now available to detect Neurotransmitter Imbalances.

Basing a treatment on symptoms alone (traditional medicine) will not provide the information needed to address the underlying imbalance. A visit to a doctor or practitioners office for depression involves telling them how you have been feeling emotionally. The typical depressed person leaves the office with a prescription for an antidepressant without ever having any conclusive laboratory evidence of what is causing their symptoms. New sophisticated equipment and tests are now available to evaluate neurotransmitter imbalances using a urine or blood sample. This provides a neurotransmitter baseline assessment and is useful in determining the root causes for diseases and illnesses such as those mentioned above. Laboratory analysis can now provide precise information on neurotransmitter deficiencies or overloads, as well as detect hormonal and nutrient co-factor imbalances which influence neurotransmitter production. Individuals require individual solutions. Testing helps to determine exactly which neurotransmitters are out of balance and helps to determine which therapies are needed for an individualized treatment plan.  It also helps in monitoring the effectiveness of an individual’s treatment.            

Treatment                

Nutrient therapies greatly increase the levels of neurotransmitters that a person has been found to be deficient in. Studies have shown that it is both safe and effective. These nutrients will cross the blood brain barrier into the brain where they will be synthesized into neurotransmitters and this will raise the number of neurotransmitter molecules needed by the brain. They are prescribed according to the results of laboratory testing giving the imbalanced person a more individualized plan of treatment.  

Prescription drugs such as antidepressants do not increase the overall number of neurotransmitter molecules in your brain, they merely move them around or stop the breakdown. If your levels are too low to start with, medication may work initially, then “poop out” or not work from the beginning. There is also the issue of side-effects and more recently the FDA warning that SSRI antidepressants could cause suicidal thoughts in some children, teens and adults. 

There are specialized nutrient formulas which help antidepressant medications work more effectively. Under the supervision of a trained practitioner these treatments may be used in addition to the persons existing medication to boost their effectiveness or to target another neurotransmitter that is also causing symptoms. Many antidepressant or anti-anxiety medications just target one neurotransmitter but many mental health disorders involve multiple neurotransmitters.

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Bring An End To Depression

  Everybody gets the blues once in a while. It’s normal to feel sad on a rainy day, get sentimental over a lost love, or feel so terribly lonely during really low moments of your life. 

But once depression gets out of hand, it can wreak havoc on your mental state and drive you to such emotional lows - to the point that you might seriously choose ending your life. So if you think you’re experiencing extreme emotional lows, then you’d better do something about it. 

What are the signs of depression?

1. Feeling sad without any apparent reason.

2. Getting mad at anything, everything, anyone, and everyone around you.

3. Thinking that your life is getting nowhere.

4. Feeling that whatever you do is not enough.

5. Feeling that you’re not good enough for anything.

6. Always feeling tired.

7. Feeling that there is no more hope for whatever troubles you.

8. Feeling that you don’t deserve to live in this world anymore. 

These are some of the most common symptoms of depression. Recognizing these telltale signs can help lead you to take action before it becomes more serious. Knowing the root cause of these symptoms further boosts the chance of recovery. 

Whatever the reason behind depression, it is always related to your state of mind, environment, and/or present circumstance. You may feel low if you are facing issues on work, marriage, or your financial status. The process of resolving these issues, however important, will inevitably result in stress and/or body aches. Emotional pain coupled with physical ills can really affect the way you view your life.

 

Another cause of depression is bad experiences: the death of someone important, loss of something significant, or similar unpleasant experiences that would haunt you for a long time. This could mean a humiliating event at your workplace or school, traumatic environment at home, etc. 

The best way to treat depression is to think positively. Thinking negatively about an already gloomy situation would only aggravate your mental state. It’s not the end of the world, and there’s a solution to every problem, yours included. Moping and sulking about it won’t do any good. 

Unfortunately, not all people see it that way. This is when depression starts to settle in. You think you’re the unluckiest person alive. No one is there when you need help the most. It’s better to die than suffer all the injustice being delivered to you. 

Going to a psychiatrist to ask for help is one step toward finding the cure for depression. Various drugs can help you cope. However, these medications treat not the actual cause of depression, but only the symptoms. Complete recovery rests solely on your ability to have a positive outlook in life. Admittedly, this is easier said than done, so going to a psychiatrist doesn’t immediately mean that you’re going to ask medication for your depression. You could also ask your psychiatrist for help in developing a positive outlook and in controlling your depressive mood swings. 

Depression is a serious matter. It causes emotional and mental breakdown, and it can result to suicide if left untreated. This is why depression should be diagnosed immediately. It is not a disorder that is easy to cure; but always remember: you’re not alone in the world. Even if you live your life as a recluse, there’s at least one person out there who cares for you and would be devastated if you allow yourself to lose the battle. You’re a strong person. You’re not alone. Keep your loved ones close to you and you will feel invincible.

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Beating Depression By Action

Depression can come on us at any time of the year. Sometimes, holidays are the worst times for those that feel this down-in-the-dumps fear and worry and things just seem to happen to make us feel gloomy and sad. Note that this feeling happens to all of us at one time or another. How to recognize the feeling and know what to do about it is the purpose of this article. 

No one can or should ignore this feeling. It is universal and the blues are very much ingrained in our world. Music and movies are legendary in handling this subject. If the feeling is too overwhelming, then sometimes professional help is the desired action. We will just talk here about the funk of depression, the knotted thinking that nothing is right and it will only get worse. The following things are suggested to help: 

1. Laughing is the best medicine is an old adage, but so true. It is amazing how when you are depressed, just laughing about something and releasing the stress, can make you feel better. If you are having trouble finding something to laugh about, maybe you can find some people to keep close that cheer you up, that you can call when you feel bad, those who you know will let you apply the "strength in numbers" theory. Invite a few good friends over just to talk and have an appetizer and you will see how much better you feel afterwards. 

2. Listening to music is another key to overcoming depression. If you can just relax and let the type of music you love drift over you and enter your senses, you will find that you calm down and feel better. Even as babies in the womb, we respond to music. Maybe you will find you want to get up and dance and there is nothing wrong with that - even without a partner! Just move to the beat and let all your stress flow out of your fingertips and toes. 

3. Do some work and you will find you feel less depressed. There is something about a clean bathroom, living room, or kitchen that gives most women a sense of pride and order and joy. Men sometimes enjoy doing some of the same work and experiencing the same attitudes. The point is you just need to get out and do something that moves your body. Maybe you can shoot hoops in the driveway, ride a bicycle through the neighborhood and say "HI" to a few of your neighbors. There is something to be said for just watching a sunset and realizing how mighty the world is and how we are just one part of it. That sometimes seems to put our troubles more in perspective. 

4. While we are on that thought, why not try prayer when you feel depressed? Try helping out someone less fortunate. Think of hospital patients and know that they most likely have things worse than you. Yet, you see happier children and adults in some of the worst settings in the hospital. Count your blessings. Hug someone or maybe go through some old pictures of happy times with your family. 

Doing productive activities will always perk you up. Think positively about your life and the things you have been given and do not dwell on the problems. Take your dog for a walk and relish in the animal's unending enjoyment at seeing you and being with you. Sometimes simple undemanding love is all we need to overcome the blue feeling. 

The last suggestion may sound unusual, but here it is. EAT ICE CREAM! Yes, just swirling that cold stuff around on your tongue and all the different flavors can make you feel good! The idea is to eat something that you totally enjoy and see how hard it is to be depressed when you have your favorite food and are enjoying it. The world just seems a little better! 

Of course, all the suggestions given above may not apply to everyone. But give them a try and who knows...maybe they can help just a little. Keep this list handy and the next time you are feeling a little down, find something that triggers the best response to get you to feel happy again. Be aware that when depression creeps in, you need to take action and beat the depression back to the corner where it belongs. 

We all have more important things to do in life than feel blue and depressed. Keep this thought in-mind and may your life be filled with joy.

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Anxiety

 Anxiety can be defined as emotions which are typically negative in nature. It will often consist of fear and worry, and some organisms may even experience physical signs such as nausea or chest pains. Anxiety is a complex emotion, and is composed of a number of different elments. Some of these elements are somatic or cognitive, and the body will prepare itself to deal with an external threat. The heart rate speeds up, and the blood pressure is increased. The various muscles in the body will also receive elevated levels of blood. At the same time, the functions of the digestive system will slow down. 

People who have anxiety will generally have a sense of dread. A number of voluntary and involuntary processes will take place in the body, and the goal of these processes is to get the organism away from the source that is causing it to have anxiety. Anxiety is an important emotion, and is designed to increase the survival rate of organisms. In humans it appears that anxiety comes from the hippocampus and amygdala, two regions of the brain. When a person senses bad odors or tastes, there will be a large amount of blood flow which will be present in the amygdala. The evidence also shows that medium levels of anxiety will be present in this situation as well.

Based on these studies, it appears that anxiety is designed to keep humans and other organisms from eating food or objects that may be harmful to their well being. While anxiety is normal, a person that has excessive amounts of it may have what is called an anxiety disorder. In extreme cases, people with anxiety disorders may have strong cases where they are terrorized. Anxiety disorders are broken down into phobias, panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorders, and obsessive compulsive disorders. Someone who is suffering from a phobia will have an abnormal amount of fear of a specific object or situation. People who have phobias tend to have extensive imaginations, and realize that their fear is often irrational.

When a person suffers from a panic disorder, they will have extreme panic attacks, and may have dizziness or breathing problems. These attacks will typically reach their height in about 10 minutes. Generalized anxiety disorders are common, and effect a much larger portion of the population. It is prevalent in both men and woman, and is characterized by long periods of anxiety that are not related to any specific object or situation. With the obsessive compulsive disorder, the individual with have an obsession or compulsion when it comes to specific types of behavior. People who suffer from this disorder will see the need to do something obsessively in order to reduce their anxiety.

Many people who have this disorder need to be extremely clean, and are afraid of germs. To reduce their anxiety, they will wash their hands numerous times in a single day. There are two primary methods that are used to help those who are suffering from anxiety, and this is either therapy or prescription medicaitons.

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Affordable Non-Drug solution to Depression

 Up until recently, there were four choices for persons with Depression.  These were:

1.  Do nothing, suffer and hope it'll get better with time.  This is the sad choice of many, and it doesn't work.  They most often get worse.

2.  Put them on one of the huge advertised array of drugs, and then put them on other drugs hoping to solve the side effects as they show up.  This is known as the drug “side effect chain”.  (My ex-wife once ended up taking six different drugs in this way, and the end effect was that she got worse instead of better - a not uncommon result)

   

  3.  Pay exorbitant amounts of money for EEG Biofeedback (Neurofeedback) training.  This has been the best solution up to now.  The overall success rate (with good and bad clinicians) is considered to be about 85%.  But, the cost of 60 (recommended) half hour sessions with a "professional" at $4500 to over $10,000 is above the ability of most mid and low income families.

4.  Try various allergy clinics to try to find the allergy/sensitivity responsible, and also do all the various tests for mineral toxicity (mercury, copper, arsenic, cadmium, etc.  This is also pretty expensive, with the very best system (End Point Titration) costing upwards of $10,000.  (For more info on EPT, see www.Alternate-Health.com/allergy.html).

Now, there's another choice.  I invented a new method of changing brain wave amplitude (up or down) that is similar to EEG BF, but is inexpensive enough to give mid and low income families a choice besides expensive and dangerous drugs.  It's audio messaging used mostly during sleep.  Instead of changing behavior as is "usual" with this technique, it does the same thing that EEG biofeedback (Neurofeedback) does, i.e. it raises the SMR brain wave (12-14 cycles per second - Hz), while lowering the Theta brain wave (4-8 Hz) at the same time.  

For those who aren't familiar with EEG BF, this is the most effective brain training mechanism that best solves this particular brain problem.  (It also solves ADHD, insomnia, IBS, epilepsy, and even many cases of schizophrenia.  There is substantial proof of this effectiveness of EEG BF, and a summary of professional papers can be found at:  

<http://ADHD-biofeedback.com/proof.html> ).  

In my former practice as an Orthomolecular Psychologist, I had used auditory messaging with good success, and in 2004, I realized that it should be possible to use this technique to do the same thing that was done by the expensive EEG BF units and a computer.  Instead of going thru the conscious mind of the "trainee" to affect the unconscious, why not go directly to the unconscious mind?  

After more than two years, three clinical trials, and extensive testing utilizing volunteers who paid for the right to participate, I proved the following:

1.  The Bate Auditory Brainwave Training (Patent Pending) Is very similar to EEG BF and accomplishes the same “basic brain training” with these following minor differences:

a.  It compares with one night sleep being almost equivalent to one half hour session.  9-10 weeks of sleep showed approximately the same improvement in ADHD diagnosed persons as 60 half hour sessions in a clinic.  (Yes, it takes a long time to be effective, with either method - there really isn't any “magic pill”, in spite of what the drug companies say in their ads.

b. There is more possibility of a Hawthorne Effect in this training than in EEG BF training.  For more info on this Effect see:  <http://www.Subliminals-Training.com/hawthorne.html> .

In the last test, this possible effect was discussed beforehand and warned about, and while it occurred in a few cases, it did not deter any of the volunteers, as it had done in earlier testing.  (This is NOT a dangerous "side effect" such as can be caused by all drugs!  It can cause minor discomfort in a few individuals for only a day or so at worst.)     

c.  Motivation is no longer a huge factor as it is in EEG BF.  Both the parents 

and the child have to motivated to continue long weeks of training, and if the training is                               stopped before an end point, some, or most, of the gain is lost.  

2.  This system costs under $200, and that is a one-time fee only.  It can be used for as long as it takes.  (With Autistic children, it can take up to 200 EEG BF sessions).  The system is composed of two basic CD's.  The first is the actual Audio Training program, playable on any CD player, boom box, etc.  The second CD is a computer disk that has several other programs useful as adjuncts to this training.  This includes a free allergy/sensitivity test, a free bottle of amino acid supplement that has a calming effect, and several articles on alternate health therapies that have been shown to be of help for all types of brain problems.

3.  There is also a year's full money back guarantee of success.  If any person tries this for at least 60 days, and then states that there has been no significant improvement they will receive a full rebate including shipping and handling (which is included in the price).

Now, even the low and mid income families have a choice that doesn't force them to do nothing or to try and/or use dangerous drugs.  

Phil Bate PhD - Retired Orthomolecular Psychologist

Inventor and Patent Pending Holder for

Brain Wave Amplitude Changing via Auditory Training

http://Subliminals-Training.com

http://BateAudio.com

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Ideas helped to survive depression

 

1. I am not alone. Millions of people are struggling with depression.
2. I have to be positive. Whatever the worst situation comes, I will be positive.
3. I don't have any expectation from myself. I do what I love.
4. God’s and my parents blessings are always with me.
5. I will not lose hope till my last breath.
6. I must avoid negative thinking, maintain routine, avoid distraction and take care my health.
7. Remind myself it's okay not to be perfect.
8. At the end of the day everything will be OK.
9. Life is beautiful and it's full of fun.
10. I forget the past and future, I live in the moment and live in the breath.
11. Life is 1% what you experience and 99% how you respond it.
12. Remind me everyday that how successful people have overcome the all hurdles of depression.
13. Losing in the rat race of life, getting poor CGPA, fired from a job, rejected by someone is not the worst thing. The worst thing is that deciding to leave life for that reason.
14. Life has two rules: #1 Never quit #2. Always remember rule # 1.

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How do I get out of depression?

 How do you know that you are depressed? and how do you see that someone else is depressed so that you can help if you can: Depression shows up in many ways, you would mostly isolate yourself and tend to live alone. Or you would neglect yourself and could go for many days without bathing, and you would most likely loose interest in many activities that you were interested in before and sadly others who are depressed ends up killing themselves because they feel like there is no need to live anymore.

This is how I felt at some point in my life, life was not going according to plan, all my friends were becoming successful, they had nice cars, they lived in nice places and they seemed to be happy but my life was the opposite. I just could not get my life in order; my life was falling apart. I was approaching 30 years without any glimpse of hope and I thought I have already failed.

I was contemplating suicide at some point but I didn’t have the courage to do so

“Thanks God”. I was wishing that the world would just open up just like an earthquake and swallow me whole and get it over with. I could not take the suffering anymore.

I have tried many forms of escape from my struggles but they did not work long term, I used drugs for the temporary relieve from my emotional pain but as soon as the “HIGH” from the drugs wears off the emotional and physical pain from the withdrawals was getting worse.

I have used medication such as anti-depressants and they worked, unfortunately the most effective ones were too expensive for me and they also had their own side effects to deal with, for me this route was unsustainable since I was earning very little and could not afford the constant doctors consultation fees and costs of medication from month to month. From this my depression about money became worse. The constant worry about money became a habit, constantly thinking about poverty and didn’t know how I will get out of this; all of this made my depression worse and worse.

But how is this depression formed? I wondered, am I born to suffer? Why does it seem to be me alone going through this and what is the purpose of life and why was I born in the first place if I am here to suffer. Little did I know that asking myself these questions was the beginning of my awareness of the suffering that I was inflicting to myself.

I came across meditation on YouTube and I was instantly interested. Without meditation there was no way I could be able to answer these questions I had about myself and about my life.

I found a meditation place in 2015 Meditation in Pretoria South Africa that is mainly about discarding in my mind. I joined and started meditating diligently. In my journey of meditation, I came to realize that my mind constantly generates many thoughts throughout the day, I started to become aware of the thoughts I think, some of the thoughts were pleasant and contains memories of the good times I had in the past, unfortunately some of the thoughts I had were distractive and were contributing towards my depression.

I became aware of the thoughts I continuously thought such as ‘’ I am worthless’’, ‘’life is difficult’’, ‘’I will never make it in life’’ and so on. many of the thoughts I had about my self were definitely contributing towards the way I felt about myself, they contributed towards my low self esteem and lack of confidence, I could not think positive about anything and I constantly felt inferior and envied people who had more than me. Through meditation I became aware that I was my own worst enemy, with all those thoughts that I had there was no way I could have created anything positive in my life, I was doomed to failure.

As I observed those thoughts come and go non-judgmentally one by one, they began to become less important and I did not take them seriously and they lost their ability to torment me and I began to be free from them. My depression sort of disappeared as if it never existed. My mind expanded a little bit, bit by bit and I could be able to solve some of the challenges I had in my life. As of today, I can be able to let go of even the most difficult emotions I have without any emotional turmoil THANKS TO MEDITATION.

I hope this can be helpful and help you towards Depression free Life. Thank you.

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डिप्रेशन क्या होता है? जानिए इसके लक्षण और इलाज

 

एक चुप्पी जो अंदर ही अंदर तोड़ देती है

मुंबई के एक बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपनी में काम करने वाला राहुल शर्मा, जो दिखने में बिल्कुल सामान्य था — हंसमुख, मेहनती और परिवार के लिए समर्पित। लेकिन एक दिन अचानक उसने ऑफिस जाना बंद कर दिया। दोस्तों के फोन कॉल्स का जवाब नहीं, परिवार से दूरी, और कमरे में अंधेरे में घंटों बैठे रहना — ये सब उसके व्यवहार में आने लगे।

उसकी मां को लगा कि शायद राहुल थक गया है। लेकिन असल में राहुल एक ऐसे दुश्मन से लड़ रहा था, जो नजर नहीं आता — "डिप्रेशन"।

डिप्रेशन क्या है? 

डिप्रेशन यानी अवसाद, एक मानसिक स्थिति है जिसमें व्यक्ति निराशा, दुख, और जीवन में रुचि की कमी महसूस करता है। यह एक सामान्य “मूड स्विंग” नहीं है, बल्कि एक दीर्घकालिक मानसिक स्थिति है जो व्यक्ति के सोचने, महसूस करने और व्यवहार करने के तरीके को प्रभावित करती है।

WHO के अनुसार, दुनिया भर में लगभग 28 करोड़ लोग डिप्रेशन से ग्रस्त हैं। भारत में यह आंकड़ा तेजी से बढ़ रहा है, खासकर शहरी युवाओं में।

डिप्रेशन के प्रकार 

1. मेजर डिप्रेसिव डिसऑर्डर (MDD) – गंभीर अवसाद

2.पर्सिस्टेंट डिप्रेसिव डिसऑर्डर (Dysthymia) – लंबे समय तक हल्का डिप्रेशन

3.बाइपोलर डिप्रेशन – मूड का अत्यधिक उतार-चढ़ाव

4.सीजनल अफेक्टिव डिसऑर्डर (SAD) – मौसम के अनुसार डिप्रेशन

5.पोस्टपार्टम डिप्रेशन – प्रसव के बाद महिलाओं में

राहुल को मेजर डिप्रेशन हुआ था — जिसमें व्यक्ति को हर चीज में निराशा और खालीपन महसूस होता है।

डिप्रेशन के लक्षण 

राहुल के केस में ये लक्षण देखने को मिले:

1. लगातार उदासी और खालीपन

हर सुबह उठने का मन न करना, कुछ भी अच्छा न लगना।

2. नींद की समस्या

या तो बहुत ज्यादा सोना या बिल्कुल भी नींद न आना।

3. भूख में बदलाव

कभी भूख बिल्कुल खत्म हो जाना, कभी ज़रूरत से ज़्यादा खाना।

4. ऊर्जा की कमी और थकावट

हर काम में आलस्य और थकान।

5. दूसरों से दूरी बनाना

दोस्तों, परिवार और सहकर्मियों से दूर हो जाना।

6. नकारात्मक विचार

“मैं किसी लायक नहीं हूं”, “मुझे जीने का हक नहीं”, “सबकुछ खत्म कर देना चाहिए” जैसी बातें सोचना।

7. आत्महत्या की सोच

डिप्रेशन का सबसे खतरनाक पहलू।

अगर ये लक्षण 2 हफ्ते से ज्यादा बने रहें, तो इसे सामान्य उदासी नहीं, डिप्रेशन माना जाता है।

डिप्रेशन के कारण 

 1. जैविक कारण (Biological Causes)

मस्तिष्क के केमिकल्स में असंतुलन।

 2. मानसिक कारण (Psychological)

बचपन की ट्रॉमा, कम आत्म-सम्मान।

 3. सामाजिक कारण (Social)

ब्रेकअप, नौकरी छूटना, अकेलापन, वित्तीय समस्या।

 4. अनुवांशिकता (Genetics)

अगर परिवार में किसी को रहा हो तो संभावना अधिक होती है।

 5. दवाओं या शराब का सेवन

लंबे समय तक शराब, ड्रग्स या कुछ दवाएं भी डिप्रेशन का कारण बनती हैं।

राहुल के मामले में वर्कप्रेशर, अकेलापन और थकान मुख्य कारण थे।

डिप्रेशन का इलाज 

 1. मनोचिकित्सा (Psychotherapy / Talk Therapy)

एक प्रशिक्षित थैरेपिस्ट से बात करना, जिसे CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) कहा जाता है।

राहुल ने थैरेपी शुरू की और वहां अपने दिल की बात बिना जजमेंट के रखी।

2. औषधि चिकित्सा (Medications)

डॉक्टर द्वारा दी गई एंटी-डिप्रेसेंट दवाएं मस्तिष्क में सेरोटोनिन बढ़ाकर मूड को नियंत्रित करती हैं।

राहुल को भी कुछ महीनों तक दवा लेनी पड़ी।

3. योग और ध्यान

हर दिन 15 मिनट ध्यान और प्राणायाम से मानसिक संतुलन बढ़ता है।

राहुल ने ध्यान को अपनी दिनचर्या में शामिल किया।

4. स्वस्थ जीवनशैली

सही भोजन, व्यायाम, और नींद से डिप्रेशन में काफी मदद मिलती है।

5. समर्थन नेटवर्क

परिवार, दोस्त और समाज का साथ मिलना बहुत जरूरी है।

आप कैसे मदद कर सकते हैं? 

उनकी बात सुनिए — बिना राय दिए।

जज न करें — यह उनकी गलती नहीं है।

साथ समय बिताएं — अकेलापन ना महसूस होने दें।

प्रोफेशनल मदद लेने के लिए प्रेरित करें।

आत्महत्या के लक्षण दिखें तो तुरंत हेल्पलाइन से संपर्क करें।

हेल्पलाइन नंबर 

iCall (TISS): 9152987821

Vandrevala Foundation: 1860 266 2345 / 9999 666 555

AASRA: 91-22-27546669 / 27546667

डिप्रेशन से उबरना संभव है 

राहुल अब हर सुबह 6 बजे उठता है, पार्क में दौड़ता है, योग करता है और नई नौकरी में खुश है। उसने डिप्रेशन से हार नहीं मानी — क्योंकि उसने समय रहते मदद ली।

डिप्रेशन कोई कमजोरी नहीं है, यह एक इलाज योग्य बीमारी है।

डिप्रेशन एक आम लेकिन गंभीर मानसिक स्थिति है।

लक्षणों की पहचान करके समय रहते इलाज बहुत जरूरी है।

थैरेपी, दवाएं, ध्यान और परिवार का साथ — सब मिलकर इसे ठीक कर सकते हैं।

यह जरूरी नहीं कि आप अकेले लड़ें। मदद मांगना कमजोरी नहीं, समझदारी है।

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