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Author Topic: Depression  (Read 97325 times)
amycahill
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« Reply #45 on: November 15, 2004, 12:54:05 pm »

This isn't depression, exactly, but I have bipolar I, which includes severe depression.  In fact, I have suffered so much with depression that they didn't figure out I was bipolar for three years!  Depression and the Assembly didn't mix well.  I remember being sent to a psychiatric nurse on the sly because the doctrine was that the Assembly was supposed to meet all our needs but that it was painfully obvious it wasn't meeting mine.  The nurse didn't help me much or put me on any medication, and the whole matter was just dropped.  When I eventually was rescued (yes, rescued) from the Assembly by my Christian roommates who attended Calvary Chapel, I had lost my job because I stopped showing up and I had stopped paying all my bills, including rent.  I had stopped doing much of anything except laying in bed and watching movies on TV, and I was under discipline at my local Assembly for the sin of not showing up consistently.  My roommates just packed me up one day and sent me on a plane home to my parents in Colorado, and that probably really did save me.  I didn't get proper treatment for my illness, though, until years later when it really, really got bad.  They didn't discover I was bipolar until about 3-4 years ago when my current psychiatrist put me on therapeutic levels of a mood stabilizer and it stabilized me!  Even then, I didn't have my first major mania until August of 2003, which made me bipolar I.  I could explain more about that if anyone is interested, but this thread is about depression, so I'll stop here.
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amycahill
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« Reply #46 on: November 15, 2004, 01:18:51 pm »

First, some serious prayer for the Lord's insight and guidance.  Depression is a clinical problem, and may be clinically treated with medicine and/or therapy, but for the Christian, the solution is still always a spiritual matter.  All other considerations must be incorporated within God's ultimate purpose in redemption.

I'll somewhat disagree with you here, friend al, although I think I know what you're trying to get at.  My symptomology HAS TO be controlled by medication and IS controlled by medication.  While I am prone to dangerous impulses, I have not fallen into the black pit of depression in a long time.  Neither have I been super-manic.  I've been bits of both, had some mood swings, and they are controlled by medication.  I'm learning how to control my impulsivity through therapy.  Most of the time I am a happy person, and it's because of the meds I take that stabilize my moods.

Of course, the meds aren't the whole picture.  I live a life in peace with God, that's important, and I keep a schedule and exercise and get plenty of rest and do other things that are important for my mental health.  It's a way of life.  You don't have to suffer.  

However, I think that what you're getting at is that living with depression is the way of the cross, and that I agree with.  Sometimes you're there and you can't dig yourself out and you have to live with it, and God can use those times to refine our souls.  Is that what you meant?

TTYL
Amy
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amycahill
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« Reply #47 on: November 15, 2004, 01:31:15 pm »

Al and Eulaha,  I wanted to Thank-You for the Depr info. I have a friend that just informed me he's suffering from this and I'm not sure what to do. I'm really praying over this. Prior to his telling me this I could'nt understand the mood-swing situation and almost ended the friendship due to it being SO Stressful....to be around this person....Anymore info would be a Great Help!!! P.S> after he told me I had nothing but Compassion...but still am having trouble trying to help..Oh and Gordon your article really helped too..Thanks

If it's mood swings he's having, I might be able to help too.  Let me know.
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amycahill
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« Reply #48 on: November 15, 2004, 01:37:04 pm »

Can anyone give me information regarding your search for a counselor? A few friends have been (gently) suggesting that I seek help, but I am rather frightened. How could I even begin to explain this... phenomenon to someone who is completely uninitiated? How do you communicate that you grew up knowing little more than an extreme and fundamentally tainted belief system? That your entire frame of reference is foreign to the collective memory of your peers? That you have assimilated yourself into society through painful effort? I know that I need help interpreting and discovering what actually happened to me, but... I guess I'm just scared.

Does counselling help enough to merit the search?

If you find the right counselor, counselling can be very helpful.  And the good ones don't bite!  There is no shame in seeking help if that's what you need.  If I were you, I would investigate carefully into who's out there and then pick a counselor you think you might feel comfortable with.  Try them out.  If you don't like them after a few sessions, ditch them and try someone else out.  The point is to be able to develop a good therapeutic relationship where you're comfortable working on your issues, so if you don't click with your counselor, it's best to try to find someone else.

Good luck!
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amycahill
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« Reply #49 on: November 15, 2004, 01:41:55 pm »

There is a universe of difference between saying that God "planted" an affliction and saying that He allowed it.  However, what I am saying is that I neither know nor care which, if either, is the case.  I have known for many years that my need is desparate, and I have prayed for many years, "Lord, please do whatever it takes to get what you want in my life."

The way of the cross.  Gotcha.  I understand this theology.
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amycahill
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« Reply #50 on: November 15, 2004, 01:53:30 pm »

While I am reconciled to probably needing prescribed medicines for the rest of my life, the greatest benefit has come as a result of my spiritual reconciliation to Jesus Christ during the past year.  Medicines and counselling had made me more or less fit for day-to-day living in society, but only the love of Christ has made me truly whole.
     The depression is still with me, worse some days than others, but I cling to the confidence that He who has begun a good work in me will continue it...  My deliverance is a daily occurrence.  I don't mind it this way-- I have no reason to get cocky or to think I have (or can have) arrived.  In my case that's a good thing.

I now understand where you're coming from.  I think this was a beautiful post and it gave me hope.  Thank you.
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al Hartman
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« Reply #51 on: November 16, 2004, 07:53:49 am »



Hi Amy,

     Great to see you back here, and thanks for your contributions and your kind words.

     For the sake of those who may have tuned in late, I want to clarify the terminology "The way of the Cross."

     Jesus Christ did indeed say his disciples must take up their cross and follow Him, BUT the way of the cross that most of us may remember being taught in "assemblyspeak" is NOT the way that scripture teaches and is not what Jesus was speaking of.  I bring this up because so very many have been injured and discouraged by the assembly's wrong teaching that we are to seek negative experiences in which to rejoice that God is blessing us by bringing us to an end of ourselves.  The assembly took several spiritual truths and twisted them into that lie.

     The lie is that we should ever seek anything other than the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our personal lives.  We cannot create situations to force the working of God upon our lives.  But we can seek to know, worship, and adore our Redeemer, and allow Him to choose the ways in which He will teach and bless us.

     Our Lord will teach us through adversity, but there is no condition in which He will not ultimately teach us, if we are willing and desirous to learn from Him.  
     We should rejoice amid tribulations and trials, but can do so only if we are keeping near our Lord, trusting in His secure promises, knowing He will never fail nor abandon us.  
     We must reach an end of self-centeredness in attitude and behavior if ever Christ is to be truly Lord of our lives, but only He knows how to get us to that place.  It is not a thing we can do for, or to, ourselves, but something for which we must entreat Him in prayer, asking also for the grace to follow where He leads.

     I think you and I are on the same page in our understanding of God's use of our afflictions, but I wanted to try to make this public discussion available and clear to any who may find it applicable, regardless of the hammering of bad teaching they may have suffered in the past.

God bless,
al


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lenore
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« Reply #52 on: November 20, 2004, 10:03:49 am »

 ;)It has been awhile since I contributed to this thread.
NOVEMBER 20TH AT 12:11 AM, ARNPRIOR.

My workshop in Kingston was on October 26 to 28.
One of the speaker was Amy Long.
Here is a bit of her bio.
SHe was a very dramatic almost charsmatic speaker.
Very funny, with great body and facial expressions to make her point across.

Amy is a person who received four or five different diagnosis while in the mental health system.
She refused to be seen throught thous labels and fought to regain her voice and take charge of her healing journey. She is herself a survivor of the mental health system and personal trauma and firmly believes that the healer lies within each of us. Amy fought to regain her sense of confidence and dignity .

Amy has worked as a Psychiatric Nurse for 17 years. SHe is an Educator trainer ofr the National Empowerment Center and works part time for a supported employment program. She is one of the founders of Bridges of Hope, a supportive network for Consumers working as Providers.

Amy is a sought after speaker at conferences both natiionally and internationally and has been know to touch the lives of many, whether Survivors/Consumers or professionals. SHe challenges us to push the envelope within the system today, so as to provide an enviroment where healing can and will happen.



Amy workshop title was Patienthood to Personhood.
This workshop was one of three I attended.
This workshop was held in the Kingston City Hall, in the counsel chambers. A beautiful old building which was originally build for our parliament buildings before moving to Ottawa.

Some of the articles that I received in this package was
"People can recover from mental Illness" by Daniel Fisher.
A psychiatrist and therapist just arent enough by Amy Long
Defining Peer Support by Shery Mead
A poem called You and Me by Debbie.

See the next thread
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lenore
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« Reply #53 on: November 20, 2004, 09:26:29 pm »

November 20th at 11:35 am Arnprior

This poem was part of the package of the workshop from Patienthood to Personhood.
This writer is writing as a patient within the Mental Health System:

YOU AND ME

IF YOU'RE OVERLY EXCITED YOU'RE HAPPY
If I'm overly excited, I'm manic
IF YOU IMAGINE THE PHONE RINGING
YOU'RE STRESSED OUT
If I imagine the phone ringing I'm pychotic
IF YOU'RE C RYING AND SLEEPING ALL DAY
YOU'RE SAD AND NEED TIME OUT
If I'm crying and sleeping all day
I'm depressed and need to get up
IF YOU'RE AFRAID TO LEAVE YOUR HOUSE AT NIGHT
YOU'RE CAUTIOUS
If I'm afraid to leave my house at n ight
I'm paranoid
IF YOU SPEAK YOUR MIND AND EXPRESS YOUR OPINIONS
YOU'RE ASSERETIVE
If I speak my mind and express my  opinions
I'm aggressive
IF YOU DON'T LIKE SOMETHING AND MENTION IT
YOU'RE BEING HONEST
If I don't like something and mention it
I'm being difficult
IF YOU GET ANGRY
YOU'RE CONSIDERED UPSET
If I get angry
I'm considered dangerous
IF YOU OVER REACT TO SOMETHING
YOU'RE SENSITIVE
If I over react to something
I'm out of control
IF YOU DONT WANT TO BE AROUND OTHERS
YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF AND RELAXING
If I dont want to be around others
I'm isolating myself and avoiding
IF YOU TALK TO STRANGERS
YOU'RE BEING FRIENDLY
If I talk to strangers
I'm being inappropriate
FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE YOU'RE NOT TOLD TO TAKE
A PILL OR ARE  HOSPITALIZED,
but I am!

Author: Debbie
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lenore
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« Reply #54 on: November 22, 2004, 08:52:09 am »

LORD'S DAY NOVEMBER 21ST AT 10:51 PM ARNPRIOR

Notes from Workshop of October 27 & 28 in Kingston

IMPLEMENTING A RECOVERY CULTURE
- It is better to show a person than by words alone.
-need to instill hope
-empower a person by assisting the person to find the power from within
-giving a sense of responsibility - giving a meaningful role in life by finding a nitch.
-acknowledging that a person is physical, emotional and spiritual. Realizing that people who are in crisis will turn to there spiritual practices.
-by getting out of the victim role, - by getting out of the grateful role
-right to be treated with dignity and respect
-right to see by a worker in a timely manner, that my time is also valuable.
-workers involved the consumer in the process of their treatment-people do not heal when they are in the grateful role to the professionals.
-recovery is a graduation goal upon entering the system of mental health.
-change to the mental health system is reeducation process.

-RECOVERY INVOLVES ALL PETALS OF SUPPORT.

includes family, friends, community, RELATIONSHIPS.
-FREQUENTLY when a person enter the mental health system the petals of support slip away, including dreams of the individuals.
-as the petal of support breaks off, depression struggles is worsening by the increasing isolation, from friends, family, community.

-person enters the mental health system, the consumer is perceived through their diagnosis.
- a person cannot live and move forward unless you have dreams for the future.

DO WE BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES CAN MOVE BEYOND THEIR DIAGNOSIS?



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lenore
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« Reply #55 on: November 29, 2004, 05:48:49 am »

 :)Lord's Day November 27th 7:54 pm Arnprior:

October 27&28th  Kingston Seminar:

Workshop: Recovery Focused Practice

Goal of Recovery: To develop new life purpose and meaning as a person grows beyond the catastrophic effects of a serious mental illness:

To become unique, awesome never to be repeated human being we are called to be:
What Do I believe about Recovery?
How invested are we on Recovery?
Wellness from illness specific  on participant level of activity.
-reconcilation to a degree of acceptance
-what brings meaning with in your life
-Recovery is nuturing growth.
How do we know Recovery is possible?
-know through people's stories
-Facts - that people recover, they can get to where they want to be.

Values: Personhood:
-as a person, strength, talents, rather than inherited disease.
-how do I prove that I have value
-search for the person behind the illness

Values: Person Involvement:
-involving the person in all aspect of recovery, to what extend.
-involved that the person is at the table in their recovery.

Values: Self-determination/choice:

Values: Growth Potential:
-has to do with the hope.
-extend to see the possibility of growth
How invested are we in our own growth.


Relationship between the worker and client:
-matters is that you really care about me(client)
willing to listen to me
be there for me.
-worker must be authentic
-worker must have compassion/passion.

Connecting is a skill,
-is establishing a close bond with another person.
-attitude, knowledge, skill, forge a bond with people,

How can I establish a support with people.

It is important to have someone you can trust!!!!!!
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lenore
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« Reply #56 on: December 03, 2004, 11:29:37 am »

December 3 at 1:39 am Arnprior

  ......             (www.mooddisorder.com)

Want to know more about....
                               Suicide and Mood Disorders?
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or imminent crisis of suicide, call 911.

                         Facts about Suicide:

Thoughts of suicide are a common symptom of mood disorders.
80% of suicides are carried out by individuals suffering from a depressive illness.
50 to 80% of seniors who commit suicide have a history of major depression.
Women suffering through a depressive episode most often attempt suicide in the latter stages of the episode.
Women are 3 to 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than men but men are more likely to die by suicide.
Males attempt suicide early in the depressive episode.

                           Who at risk?

Older adults are at higher risk due to life change and transitions through loss, lifestyle changes due to physical disability, moving from independent living to assisted living and social isolation and abuse.
Warning Signs: appetite changes, lack of participation in social events, signs of abuse and neglect
Young people are at higher risk due to family and school pressures, major life changes and hormone changes, bullying and sexual orientation issues.
Warning Signs: eating disorders, deliberate self harm, withdrawal from normal activities, exceptional and extreme mood swings, perfectionistic behaviour or extreme self critical behaviour
People who have recently had a major loss or life change are at higher risk due to grief that changes to depression that lasts for several weeks.
Warning Signs: major changes in attitude, changes in eating or sleeping habits, loss of energy or loss of interest in things that were once enjoyed.

Especially vulnerable are people who are recovering from an episode of depression, or who have a history of suicide attempts, or who have just been released from hospital.

                                Warning Signs:

Unbearable feelings: depression can cause extreme feelings of hopelessness, despair and self-doubt. The more acute the feelings the higher the suicide risk.
Putting Affairs in Order: making final plans, preparing wills or life insurance or arranging for the family&welfare.
Rehearsing Suicide: seriously discussing one or more specific suicide methods, purchasing weapons, and collecting large quantities of medication or rationalizing suicide as a viable option.
Drug or alcohol abuse: intoxication may cause impulsive behaviour and make the person more likely to act on suicidal thoughts.
Isolation: cutting off friendships and social connections.
Sudden sense of calm: someone with an active mood disorder who has just passed an episode&lowest point and be on the way to recovery suddenly appears calm and settled in such a way that is not in keeping with their state of recovery.

              Getting Help if You are Feeling Suicidal

Call the doctor.
Keep in contact with trusted friends.
Make a Plan for Life and promise yourself that you will follow it when you have suicidal thoughts.
Give a copy of the life plan to your family and friends.
Learn to recognize the symptoms of suicide. Dont be ashamed. Remember feelings are not facts. Suicidal feelings are a symptom of your illness. You need help and support to get through them but you will get through them.
 
                            Depression

What you can do to help someone who is expressing thoughts of suicide:

Provide validation and offer concrete support
Call the Distress Centre or Crisis line in your area.
Express understanding and concern.
Tell the person what specific behaviours are worrying you.
Let them know that it not their fault, that they dont need to be ashamed
Let the person know that their life is important to you and to others.
Keep your role in perspective. You cant support someone by yourself. Get help.

If the person is hospitalized make regular visits or calls.
Support the person during recovery and support them in staying on track with their treatment plan
     
                             Resources

Books
Night Falls Fast, Jamison, Kay Redfield,

Suicide, Why? Wrobleski, Adina

Preventing Youth Suicide, - A Handbook for Educators & Human Service Professionals, McEvoy, Marcia L. & McEvoy Alan W.

After Suicide, Hewitt, John

Suicide Survivors; Handbook, Carlson, Trudy

The Suicide of My Son  A Story of Childhood Depression, Bolton, Iris

                           Websites

Befrienders International
http://www.suicideinfo.org

Suicide Information & Education Centre
http://www.suicideinfo.ca/
(this page has a list of Ontario Crisis Centres).

Suicide & Suicide Prevention
(at Dr. Ivan Depression Central)
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.suicide.html

Understanding Depression
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
http://www.camh.net/about_addiction_mental_health/
depression.html

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or imminent crisis of suicide, call 911.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Focus on Families - Helping Someone Who Has a Mood Disorder

It is very difficult for families and friends to help someone who has a mood disorder. You are concerned about your loved ones but often frustrated, fearful, and yes, even angry, as you attempt to deal with your loved one's condition.

We've put together a few helpful suggestions that may help you help someone receive treatment or help someone manage treatment once diagnosed. It's important to remember however, that these are just a few suggestions for you, the family member or friend.

Please seek out support for yourself (see contacts listed below) as you support your loved one.

1. It's not your fault. You did not cause your family member's illness nor will you find a cure. A mood disorder is an illness, plain and simple.

2. You are not alone. Millions of families are caring for someone with a mood disorder. You can meet them through peer support groups. MDAO has a variety of support groups just for families.

3. Your emotions and reactions are normal. You may experience a variety of emotions from compassion and understanding to frustration, anger and even rage or hatred. These feelings are to be expected and understood but they should also not get in the way of your relationship with your loved one. Try not to take your loved one's behaviour personally. Remember, it is often the illness not them that you're witnessing.

4. Take care of yourself. Set healthy boundaries and limitations on how much you will do. Make sure you take time for yourself and for pleasurable activities away from your loved one. Remember you are no good to your loved one if you get sick too.

5. Find social support. Dealing with a mood disorder in your family can be very lonely and isolating. Your friends simply cannot understand what you and your family are going through. Make sure you find sources of social support in your community. We recommend MDAO's peer support groups or one of the family focused organizations listed below.

6. Knowledge is power. Learn as much as you can about your loved one's illness and the treatment options. Don't be afraid to advocate for the best possible care on behalf of your loved one.

7. Remember that life is a marathon not a sprint. Progress is made in small steps and sometimes there appears to be no progress at all. Applaud progress and provide encouragement during the low times.

8. Remember that you are only human. Don't forget that you are not omnipotent and that you do not have the power to change the neurochemistry in your loved one's brain. You can only do the best you can.

9. Develop a crisis plan. Talk to your loved one about what will happen in the event of a crisis, under various circumstances. Put the plan in writing.

10. Never lose hope. Remember that mood disorders are treatable illnesses. They are sometimes cyclical so sometimes the going will get real tough. Sometimes you will feel overwhelmed. Just remember that the right treatment is out there. Stay optimistic for you and for your loved one. And never forget you are not alone.

                Related Resources and Sites

Recommended Reading

All Together Now: How families are affected by depression and manic depression, Health Canada, CMHA, 1999

Family Healing: Strategies for Hope and Understanding, Minuchin, Salvador & Nichols, Michael P., Touchstone, 1993

My Sister's Keeper: Learning to cope with a sibling's mental illness, Moorman, Margaret, Penguin Books, 1993

Nothing to Be Ashamed Of: Growing Up with Mental Illness in Your Family, Dinner, Sherry H., Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1989

                               Websites

CMHA Ontario Division
http://www.ontario.cmha.ca

Families for Depression Awareness
www.familyaware.org

FAME - Family Association for Mental Health Everywhere
www.fameforfamilies.com

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
www.nami.org

For Ontario NAMI Programs go to www.nami.org/family/index.html
Click Course Locations (above the title) and select Ontario&

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
http://www.DBSAlliance.org

National Family Caregivers Association
www.nfcacares.org

The Mood Disorders Association of Ontario
 
« Last Edit: December 03, 2004, 11:34:28 am by LENORE » Logged
lenore
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« Reply #57 on: January 03, 2005, 01:11:26 am »

LORD'S DAY JANUARY 2, 2005

CHRISTMAS SEASON IS COMING TO A CLOSE, OFFICIALLY JANUARY 5TH WHEN LITTLE CHRISTMAS OCCURS.

Many of you will suffer from depression, either before, during and after.

I was just exploring the information on the internet, came up with some interesting sites.
I just ask my search mode: Christmas Depression.

Here is a couple of the informations I discovered.
The following was a poem, which had pictures in between the lines. It hits home!!


Christmas Depression

Written 12-27-98

  Merry Christmas!
Fa La La La everyone sings

Happy New Year!



I don't "feel" the joy

Of the season or anything

Else for that matter.

 

I think I am getting better

And I drop back into despair.



Jingle Bells!

Sing the songs!



It just makes me sadder

Can't wait for it to be over

Don't have to be the happy face then.

I used to enjoy

Being with family.

...now just another chore.



The tears come again

Why?

Tired all the time again

Why?


We are on #5 meds

I hope this one works!

3 months for trying

one medication or another

- - - its getting old!



A quiet day

Don't have to "put on"

The "happy façade" as much

 

One more week and

Then don't have to

"pretend" everything is "ok".

Will be home again

and things will be "normal"

as normal as can be

when you are depressed.



Here I sit again

Unable to sleep

Everyone asleep

Away from home

Cannot do the things

That ease my anxiety

can I make it 6 more days?



I feel I am half way - -

Half way out

But can't get out all the way

Half way in

But don't want in

Am being dragged in.

 

I didn't get this way overnight

So I guess will have to be patient

There is not a quick fix

To Depression.





I want to enjoy things again

I want to enjoy play. . .

Or figure out what play for me is now.

I think I have "outgrown"

Things I used to enjoy

The problem is figuring out

What I have grown "into".

 

It would be so easy

If someone could tell me

But they say in therapy

"I" gotta figure that

out for myself <sigh>.



I guess this is just an

Ever evolving process.



The tears flow

Why won't they stop?

And I dont even know why?

But they say there may

NOT be a WHY for the depression.

That it is just an illness like any other.


Aren't these "hidden" illnesses fun?

ADHD

Depression

Because they are not "visible"

People are not as accepting

But I know now, they are both an illness.



I/We will make it through!



Written 12-27-98

by Diane Breedlove
 
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lenore
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« Reply #58 on: January 24, 2005, 05:07:19 am »

 :)January 23

It is winter, the sun is out and it is frigid cold, or there is no sun and it is milder temperatures. Enclosed you will find articles a type of depression that is seasonal.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Seasonal affective disorder is not yet accepted as a distinct psychological disorder. Rather, other mood disorders (major depression, bipolar depression, dysthymia) can be qualified with a "seasonal pattern specifier." What this means, is that the primary mood disorder appears to vary according to the seasons of the year. Whether this represents a distinct psychological disorder, or simply that seasonal variations in weather and sunlight can trigger a depressive or manic episode, remains to be clarified. But, for the many people who become depressed during the winter months, seasonal affective disorder provides a rational explanation, and appropriate treatment, for a chronic and debilitating psychological problem.

Features of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Features of Seasonal Affective Disorder
The primary feature of seasonal affective disorder is a pattern of depressive or manic episodes that occurs with the onset of the winter months.  As the days become shorter, and the weather colder, there is an increase in vegetative depressive symptoms. Individuals eat more, crave carbohydrates, sleep more, experience chronic fatigue and gain weight. In pronounced cases, significant social withdrawal occurs as well. Some have described the pattern as a hibernation during the winter months.

The second phase of the disorder, is the tendency for these symptoms to abate once the days become longer and warmer in the Spring. Again, the hibernation analogy works well. Finally, this pattern of seasonal depression must be present for at least two consecutive years, without any occurrences of non-seasonal depression Researchers are still trying to determine if this is a separate disorder, or simply the manifestation of recurrent major depression or another mood disorder in a cycle pattern. Is the depression caused by a decrease in sunlight, by colder weather, or by the increased isolation and stress of coping with the winter months? There is some indication that sunlight, entering through the retina, stimulates the production of chemicals in the brain that have an antidepressant effect, but many questions remain unanswered.  Because both biological and physical factors appear to play a role in most depression, it is difficult to develop an experimental study that will control for all other relevant variables to produce definitive answers. Meanwhile, those who become depressed in the winter months want to know what they can do to combat this depression.  

Demographics and Statistics
Seasonal affective disorder, occurring during the winter months, appears to vary according to latitude, age and sex.  At higher latitudes (farther North), there are more cases of seasonal affective disorder. Since sunlight decreases with higher latitude, the length of day appears to be a factor. It also tends to be colder in the winter, with harsher conditions and storms, as you travel farther North.

Younger people appear to be diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder more frequently than older people. This may be related to a tendency of younger people to look at seasonal factors as causal in their depression, or it may suggest a biological pattern related to aging.  

Women are far more likely to be diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder than men. There are many possible reasons for this.  Women with small children are more likely to be isolated during the winter months, while those with careers are not. Men are less likely than women to be home caretakers for small children. Statistics are not available regarding differential rates between working and non-working women. Also, women have higher rates of major depression as well. It is not clear whether the higher rates of seasonal affective disorder are simply part of that gender difference, rather than being evidence of another disorder.  

Treatment
Light therapy or photo therapy has been recommended for seasonal affective disorder. This is based on the assumption that decreased exposure to full spectrum light may be responsible for chemical changes that trigger depression in some people. The treatment requires the person to sit under a full spectrum light for several hours per day, throughout the winter months. As an alternative, individuals are encouraged to take walks outdoors whenever possible (depending on weather conditions). More recently, some studies have suggested that the full spectrum is not necessary, but that it does require exposure to bright light conditions for several hours per day.

In addition to the light therapy, other more traditional treatment of depression is also recommended, including both psychotherapy and antidepressant medication. Some people have found that a short winter vacation to a warmer climate helps as well. The other treatment methods are described elsewhere on this site.  

Of course, most of us feel better after a vacation. And, taking a daily walk in the winter would certainly help reverse the impact of isolation or "cabin fever" many people experience in the winter. Even the recommendation to spend several hours per day under the lights, also recommends that the person do something productive while receiving exposure, such as reading. It is not possible to evaluate independently the effects of these other factors. On the other hand, light therapy is not expensive, and does not appear to be intrusive or potentially harmful.  If the combination of traditional treatment and light therapy appears to be more helpful to some individuals, we might not need to wait for researchers to confirm the existence of seasonal factors in some depression. We can recommend the treatment while we wait for the results of the research.




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lenore
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« Reply #59 on: January 25, 2005, 07:28:31 am »

 :)January 24
According to England report January 24 is supposed to be the worse day of the year, being winter, no sun, christmas debt etc.

Well I did some more web search
Topic: WINTER DEPRESSION
I hope you find it informational.
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Winter Depression Linked With Melatonin Cycle
 
People with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) instinctively shift their melatonin levels with the seasons, paralleling the hibernation patterns of mammals.

This does not appear to be true for those who don't react to shorter days and longer nights with deepening depression.

In patients who had SAD, the duration of melatonin secretion became longer in winter and shorter in summer, just as it occurs in other mammals. That could be controlling this panoply of changes that occurs in people when they get depressed in the winter.

Seasonal affective disorder, or "winter depression," is a psychiatric disorder that strikes during winter months, when daylight hours are naturally shortened. The disorder in humans seems to mimic the behavior exhibited by hibernating animals, such as increased sleep and decreased activity.

Melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland in response to the darkness of nighttime, promotes sleep and helps regulate the body clock. Hibernation in mammals is triggered when the brain responds to the body's increase in melatonin production.

Prior research suggests that people with seasonal affective disorder are unable to use artificial light to readjust their body clock, but remain susceptible to the seasonal rhythms of shorter daylight hours during wintertime.

Healthy individuals were immune to shifts in the natural daylight, with their melatonin levels remaining stable throughout the seasons.

However, those with winter depression had a moderate decrease in the length of time they produced melatonin during the summertime.

The duration of active melatonin secretion was about 9 hours in the control group, whether in winter or summer. In the SAD group, active melatonin secretion was 9 hours in winter and 8.4 hours in summer.
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Morning light urged as treatment for winter depression
 Mental Health Focus
 
 
 
 CHICAGO (AP) -- Scientists have come up with the best evidence yet that a concentrated dose of bright light in the morning can effectively beat the winter blues.

 Sixty per cent of sufferers who received such a light treatment got much better, according to one of three reports in Wednesday's issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. Another reported similar results with 55 per cent of those studied.

 The three studies are the largest to date of light treatment and winter depression -- or seasonal affective disorder. The shorter amount of daylight in the winter makes some people depressed, scientists say.

 "If you get light in the morning you can get better," said Charmane I. Eastman, director of the biological rhythms research laboratory at Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Centre in Chicago.

 Winter depression arrives in late fall or early winter, creating fatigue, a craving for carbohydrates as well as weight gain, experts say.

 They say sufferers hate to get up, drag themselves through the day and have a hard time working productively. They tend to avoid social activities at night.

 Doctors have been using light treatment for more than a decade. After getting their diagnosis, patients sit in front of a box that generates bright light. The box often costs more than $200 US.

 In Eastman's study of 96 patients, 55 per cent got better after light treatments in the morning, 28 after light treatments in the evening and just 16 per cent with a placebo. The treatments were given for 90 minutes, six days a week.

 Michael Terman, director of the winter depression program at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Centre in New York, studied 124 patients and found that 60 per cent of those who received light treatments in the morning were much better.

 Thirty per cent of those who were treated with light in the evening improved sharply, Terman added. He also found that treatment with a machine producing high levels of negative ions in the air also had a beneficial effect.

 A third study by Dr. Al Lewy, a professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health Science University in Portland, also found sharp improvement among winter depression sufferers who received treatment with light in the morning.

 The theory that light therapy can help patients suffering from winter depression has been met with skepticism by some researchers since it first surfaced in the early 1980s.

 But outside researchers said that the three new studies should help to convince the doubters of its importance.

 "These are three excellent studies," said Dr. Norman Rosenthal, a senior researchers at the U.S. National Institute for Mental Health and the author of Winter Blues, a book on the subject.

 "If the medical community has not taken light therapy seriously, this is the time for them to really pay attention and recognize it as a highly effective treatment that could benefit millions of people," he said.
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What is Winter Depression?
Winter Depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is an illness that affects people's mood and behaviors. The symptoms of SAD usually begin to appear gradually throughout September and October and last through March or April. Research suggests that SAD may affect as many as 11 million people in the United States. Up to four times as many women suffer from SAD as men, and it tends to run in families. Geographic location also plays a role in the likelihood of the occurrence of SAD. Those who live in Canada and the northern United States are up to eight times more likely to suffer from SAD than people living in sunny areas such as Florida and Mexico.

Signs and Symptoms of Winter Depression:
Like all illnesses it is associated with specific symptoms. These symptoms are largely absent in the late spring and summer months:

Depressed Mood and Fatigue:
"I am often sad and down in the dumps...I feel empty...I sometimes feel like crying." Some people additionally experience irritability or nervousness. Depressed patients may also find that when awake, they often feel tired or slowed down.

These symptoms are accompanied by at least some of the following:

carbohydrate cravings, especially for sweets and/or starches
increased appetite and/or weight gain
oversleeping or difficulty awakening in the morning
reduced work productivity
withdrawal from social contacts
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