Tips That Could Help Mitigate Our Depression Or Anxiety

By Silvia Carter

If you're suffering from a serious condition such as chronic anxiety or depression, you should see a doctor for professional help. However, if you're just feeling a bit down and you're looking for something to improve your mood, here are a few simple ways to do just that.

Religious Services: A study has shown that attending religious services can have a positive effect on mood. Those who entered the services feeling low came out in a better mood, and the effect was even more pronounced in people who attended services regularly. The study didn't compare the different types of services; all services were found to have the same positive effects on mood.

Looking at Photos: Crack open all those family photo albums you have and take a trip back to the old days - it'll make you feel better to bring back all those great memories. Many of us also have hours of home movies that can have the same effect.

Be Thankful: A simple "thank you" can put a smile on another person's face, which in turn makes us feel better as well. It also helps us to see how we're helped every day by the people around us.

Organize Your Space: Messy and cluttered spaces make it difficult to concentrate on what really matters, whether it's at home or at work. Straighten out your spaces and you'll feel more comfortable and less stressed in those areas.

Get Out in the Sun: Most of us have heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. This condition affects us during the winter months when there's little sunlight and our moods deteriorate as a result. Get as much sun as you can if you find that your moods are affected by the winter months. There are also some forms of light therapy that can be helpful if used correctly.

Getting Some Exercise: You might groan when reading the word, but exercise really does help improve your mood. Exercising causes the release of endorphins, which are the brain chemicals that cause "runner's high."

Drink Some Herbal Tea: More than just a way to warm up on a cold night, a cup of chamomile tea can also impart mood-enhancing benefits that relax your nerves. Try adding some lavender, jasmine, or passionflower for a little extra something to help you relax.

About the Author:

Besides happiness, the writer additionally frequently publishes information on folding shelf brackets and decorative shelf brackets.

Herbs for Depression - Herbal Remedies Natural Antidepressants

Depression can be stated as the sad state of mind that arises from regular worries, stress, tension and anxieties from different spheres of life. Though these are the basic causes, but other causes like pregnancy, failure in examination, serious disease or some accidental events in the family may lead to depression in some persons.

Consequences of depression can not be overlooked as the depressed person loses all interest in his life that may lead to some suicidal attempts and become totally an insane or schizophrenic person.

People suffering from depression cut off all the interaction with the outside world even with the nearest ones. Lacks of appetite or high appetite, low self esteem, sleeplessness, weakness, fatigue are the symptoms that follow depression.

Herbal remedies for depression

Antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed drugs to treat persons suffering from depression. But these drugs are not without side effects which sometimes lead to secondary level of medication. Herbs offered by Mother Nature are very effective in treating depression as they cure the roots of depression rather than the symptoms. Side effects are also observed in herbal treatments but not that of significant value. Still it is better to consult practitioners before going for herbal treatments.

1. St John’s wort, also known as Hypericum perforatum is a well known herb to treat depression and anxiety. It is inexpensive and is easily available and also acts as good sedative lessening the sleeplessness caused by depression.

2. Basil is a common growing Asian herb with lots of medicinal properties and that also helps in stress reduction and lifts the mood.

3. Passion flower acts as a tranquilizer and calms down the nerves by reducing anxiety and insomnia. This herb acts gently and can be given the preference compared to the other herbs.

4. Gingko biloba helps in reducing the depression especially in the elders, whose blood circulation in the brain is reduced. It acts as a good anti depressant and an anti oxidant by increasing the blood flow in the brain and at the same time increasing the memory.

5. Borage leaf juice is another natural anti depressant that effectively treats depression. Being rich in Potassium it stimulates the glandular system and reduces the feeling of sadness, melancholy and pensiveness.

6. Lemon balm due to its soothing qualities is used to treat depression like mental disorders. It calms down the shattered nerves and helps in overcoming depression.

7. Rosemary, if used in sleeping pillows and baths has an excellent effect in alleviating depression as it rejuvenates and infuses a feel good factor in the depressive person.

Apart from minimum side effects the herbal treatments are also very cost effective. Some herbal treatments may demand much more time but weighing the pros and cons the patience pays off at the end.

Read information about Holy Basil Benefits in stress reduction and lifting mood. Also find about Ashwagandha Benefits to reduce stress and anxiety. Know about Aloe Vera Benefits, Cream Supplement.

Feeling Depressed? By Jan Nissl, RN, BS

 

Life is full of changes. Everyday events and our reactions to them sometimes interfere with our sense of well-being and peace of mind. It is common to get the blues or become sad when disappointed. Symptoms of depression are the most common medical problems seen by health professionals. It is estimated that feelings of depression will affect about one-third of all adults in Canada at some time in their lives.

Most people experience feelings of sadness over such losses as divorce or separation, the death of a friend or loved one, or a job change or layoff. These feelings are an expected reaction to a "triggering event," and most people get over them in time.

Several factors increase your risk of developing feelings of depression, such as:

• Female sex. Women are twice as likely as men to experience feelings of depression. Hormonal changes may play a role in these feelings, which may be more evident during pregnancy, especially shortly after the birth of a baby (postpartum depression) or shortly before or during menopause. Some women experience feelings of sadness or depression shortly before the start of menstruation (premenstrual syndrome, or PMS).
• Age older than 60. Feelings of depression in this age group are frequently overlooked because the symptoms are similar to other diseases and problems experienced by older adults. Adults in this age group are more likely to experience social isolation. Feelings of sadness may accompany other life events, such as retirement, death of a spouse or child, or declining physical abilities.
• Personal or family history. You are more likely to experience feelings of depression if you have a history of previous depression, an anxiety disorder, or another mental illness. You are also 2 to 3 times more likely to experience feelings of depression if one or both of your parents were diagnosed with depression.
• Medical problems—such as cancer, kidney disease, heart disease, or Parkinson's disease—or alcohol or substance abuse or withdrawal.
• Stressful life events, such as changing jobs, the loss of a job, or children leaving home.
• Lack of family or social support.

Symptoms of depression that may indicate a need for treatment vary from person to person. If you experience feelings of sadness or loss of interest in pleasurable activities plus 4 or more of the following symptoms for 2 weeks or longer, you may be depressed.

• Changes in appetite or weight
• Restlessness or decreased activity that is noticed by others
• Feeling tired or sleepy all of the time
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping more than usual
• Inability to concentrate or make decisions
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Preoccupation with death or recurrent thoughts of suicide

People who feel depressed may also have physical symptoms, such as body aches or stomach problems.
Because "mood swings" and other emotional changes are considered a normal part of growing up, depression in children and teens often goes unrecognized. Children and teens do develop depression, and it can affect a child's quality of life. If prolonged or severe depression is left untreated, it can lead to serious outcomes, including suicide attempts and even completed suicide. If you are thinking about suicide, talk to someone about your feelings. If you are not able to talk with your health professional immediately, call your local suicide hotline or this suicide hotline (Canada and U.S.) 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255.

Two Easy Steps to End The Sadness

Depression is a virus that has quietly invaded your mind. It crept in like a cancer and little by little has taken away your life as you were meant to live it.


The mind is a very powerful creating instrument and a lot like a child. If left unattended, it will run wild and make decisions that may be harmful. If not given proper guidance, the mind will learn to operate on survival  instinct and reactions alone. With no tender loving care and a little discipline, it will rebel.


The brain wires and rewires itself according to our very own thoughts and feelings.
Our thinking causes feelings, and feelings directly affect our brain. I won’t go into the long details, but feel free to check Wikipedia's Chemical Synapse if you wish.

In layman’s terms, depression has been brought to you by your brain, by the continuous accumulation of negative thoughts and feelings over many years. The seed of depression may have been planted when you were very young, or could be the result of a traumatic event. Either way, your brain has wired itself negatively and you are left with a chemical imbalance which can cause sadness, depression, feelings of worthlessness and many other mental and physical ailments.

Here is a video explaining brain function as it pertains to depression.

Being able to rise up, and live a happy life free of depression is not a one time, snap your finger and you are cured type of occurrence. It’s a new way of life; a journey in which you have a golden opportunity to discover who you really are; to figure out exactly what it is you like and what you don’t like.

If you want to overpower depression you should think of it as an enemy. Sometimes the enemy disguises itself as a friend, but the on the first opportunity it will bring you to your knees. You have to get mad! You have to be fed up! You have to get angry enough to take action against it. You have to be determined to take your life back. The intensity of your desire to live a happy life will be the fuel that will sustain you.

So the first thing you need to do is to simply make a decision. Decide right now, deep in your heart that you are taking back your life. You have had enough suffering and you now want nothing more then to just feel better. Decide to embark on a new life, one baby step at a time and promise to never give up on your own happiness. Know that you will win this battle, making depression a distant memory.

After you have gotten mad enough at the monster inside your head, and your mind is made up to live a truly happy life, the next thing you must do is to begin to be your own best friend. Becoming your own best friend is a very empowering process. To be your own best friend should be as natural as breathing, but somehow is not.


Think about this. What if you had to live the rest of your life attached to a clone of yourself? There was no way to escape the never ending chatter. What if everything your clone said, you believed? And the more you believed it, the more the clone would talk about what you believed.

Imagine that person talking negatively in your ear all day, every day. Saying things like ‘forget that! Don’t even try it! You know you can’t do that! Don’t be crazy. You’re not talented enough. Stop wasting your time. Get a real job. Life is about suffering, deal with it!’ How do you suppose it would affect your life?

Flip the coin now. Think of how you might feel if this clone loved you unconditionally. What would be possible for you, if all you heard all day was nothing but loving and encouraging words? Wouldn’t it be better to hear things like, ‘You should try that! It might be fun! You are beautiful and perfect, just as you are. Enjoy the journey of life, what can we learn today? You are amazing, I Love you.’ How would this affect you?

I’m sure you see my point. You are with your thoughts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You have the choice to keep talking down to yourself, or you can start lifting yourself up.
It’s time. Step up, turn the tables and YOU take charge.

Start to notice how your inner voice talks to you. Pay attention and lead it in a more positive direction. Replace negative thoughts with more reassuring ones and you will begin to feel better and better.

Be persistent in training your mind to join your side. It will resist the change. Becoming your own best friend is like having your own personal loving life coach, cheering you on at all times. There is no replacement for having a dedicated support system helping, guiding, and comforting you along the way.

Self Coaching Tips that Can Increase Confidence

Image via Wikipedia

Positive feelings of self worth are your most valuable asset. Although invisible, the power of confidence is undeniable. Looking at the causes of low self esteem can lead you to deeper understanding of yourself and improve your self worth.


If you suffer from low self worth, or have poor self confidence, then it will be very difficult to find the peace you are seeking.





Some questions you might ask to determine if you, or someone you love is suffering from low self worth are:



• Do I have an eating disorder? This is western society’s current epidemic; everyone thinks that they are overweight, even those who are not.



• Are you experiencing relationship troubles? Do you have affairs, intimacy problems, or commitment issues?



• Am I suffering from any physical ailments? Chronic illness or pain is a major stress in the lives of many.



• Do I use drugs and/or alcohol to hide from my feelings?



• Maybe I work way too much. This steals time from a very important social life.



• A lot of people’s money goes to the mall; shopaholics are everywhere. Is this a problem for me?



• Why do I smoke? Besides being highly addictive, some people hide behind this habit.



• Am I dependent on others to keep me occupied or from feeling bored?



All of these issues are deeply rooted within our culture. They have become so common that they may be considered normal. Everyone you know uses at least one of these outlets to avoid their real issues.



Your self worth is directly impacted by how you perceive yourself and how you react to those feelings. When you are too critical of your self, you only hurt your self esteem and you’ll find it hard to feel happy and content.



The majority of our problems stem from childhood. Children deeply desire approval from their parents. They want to feel unconditional love at all times. If your upbringing included abandonment, then your self worth has most likely taken a direct hit.



Were you expected to be perfect all the time? Were your parents impatient with your mistakes? If so, you may avoid taking risks now, even healthy ones, in fear of failure or to fall short or what you think is expected of you. You may decide not even to try anything new because your scared you won’t be able to do it perfectly. This only causes regret and adds to your misery.



Having a ‘drill sergeant’ for a parent, one who was constantly pushing, preaching or yelling at you, would also cause painful memories and low self esteem. Growing up with angry parents is very harmful to anybody’s self worth. The child may become timid or nervous around others, or even worse, they may grow up with their own anger issues and act out violently towards others.



Maybe you were neglected by your parents. Not getting the proper time and attention as children can reek havoc on our happiness.



Another problem that’s fairly common is the contradictory or mixed messages you got from your parents. Maybe you were told to follow your dreams, but when you shared them, you were given countless reasons why that would be impossible, and to stop daydreaming. Many mothers say to their daughters, “That boy is teasing to you because he likes you.” What??? This leads girls (women) to believe that it’s ok to be in an abusive relationship. After all, he’s being mean because he ‘cares’ about me.



Conflicting beliefs continually work against each other at the sub conscious level. These hidden beliefs can be very difficult to overcome, mainly because you probably aren’t even aware of most of them. You may want to believe one thing, but your mind is secretly telling you something else.



People with low self-esteem have a vicious inner critic who robs them of their confidence. Low self esteem makes it hard to cope with life and difficult for you to make decisions. Having low self esteem may cause you to be afraid of taking risks or challenges, which you interpret as further proof that you are undeserving or a failure. Since you are in the habit of being so critical of yourself, you become extra critical of others too. This only allows more negativity to creep into your life.



Being mindful or paying attention to your thoughts and feelings is key to self discovery and being confident; as long as it’s done in a non-judgmental way. You need to show compassion and accept yourself just as you are. If you hate yourself all day, everyday, you’re causing toxic energy to become a part of you and every area of your life. Talking down to yourself will keep you connected with feelings of unworthiness. If you keep shoving salt in your wounds, they will never have a chance to heal.



Try to remember the happiest moment of your childhood. Imagine yourself as that child once again. Be nurturing and love that child as you would your own baby or someone else you truly care about. Coach yourself by saying things that make you feel better. Treat your emotions as your child and guide them away from danger.



Intentionally talk to yourself (I mean only in your mind of course) in a way that you wished to be talked to when you were young. Tell yourself you are proud of you! Celebrate that great idea you had. Believe you are a special person and know you have the right to be happy. Congratulate and take pride in yourself often. When you do a good job, make sure you know you did a good job. Mistakes will be made, you are human after all. Understand you make mistakes for the purpose of learning and growing; the next time you will do things differently.



Be sure to cultivate feelings of accepting yourself just the way you are. Don’t beat yourself up if you break down and cry; simply remind yourself that tears are cleansing to your soul. Release all tension during your cry. Let it all out, and then let it go. Remember its okay to have lots of differing feelings, that’s normal. And always, always apologize to yourself when you realize you have swayed off course. Saying sorry to you is a healthy way to overcome any feelings of guilt that you may be harboring.

Be observant and you will learn much about yourself. What makes you who you are? What is it that makes you tick? Realize that you are not the problem, but your old, out dated mind programs are to blame. Like all programs, this one can be tweaked for the better as well. Adding more positive thought patterns to your running program has been proven to help increase your self worth and aids you in overcoming habitual, self destructive thinking.

Using The Law Of Vibration To Manifest Your Vision

Science and Metaphysics agree. The essence of all things is

vibration. Science reveals that everything in the manifest

universe is ultimately composed of packets of energy; quantized

units vibrating at specific frequencies. Esoteric wisdom reveals

that in the beginning, all things were created through sound

(i.e. vibration); whether it be the 'OM' of Eastern mysticism or

the 'Word'/Logos of Western spirituality.



Our thoughts, feelings and actions also have their own particular

rates of vibration. These vibrations will set up resonance with

whatever possesses identical frequency. In other words, your

thoughts are inseparably connected to the rest of the universe.



This is why it is so essential to be a close observer of

yourself. As you think, feel and act, so you create the primary

vibration of your being. This fundamental vibration then creates

resonance with identical vibration frequencies in the universe.

The result is an attraction of circumstances, people, challenges

and opportunities in exact vibrational resonance with your own

dominant vibration frequency.



This principle lies at the heart of visualization techniques,

affirmations and the whole personal development movement. When

you visualize and repeat affirmations, you are helping to tune

your very being to a specific vibrational frequency on the inner

planes. Once that task is achieved, your mind comes into

vibrational resonance with the object of your desires. Being now

of the same frequency, this object (or goal) is inevitably

attracted into your life.



However, for such methods to work, it does imply that you have

changed your core vibration. This is very often the problem AND

explanation as to why such techniques seem to fail for so many

people. Over the course of many years, your inner conditioning is

created from the habitual thoughts, feelings and actions

that you engage in. This forms your self-image and creates the

level of self-esteem you feel. It shapes the way you

conceptualize the world you live in, as well as the way you

respond to it. It is how you interpret your life experiences.



If a person simply mouths affirmations or writes goals out,

without having touched the deep bedrock of their long-term

conditioning, such activities will not have much effect. This is

because the dominant vibration has not changed. You cannot go

against what your self-image, and your predominant conditioning,

say you are.



Thought is where it all begins. As your conscious mind dwells

habitually on thoughts of a certain quality, these become firmly

imbedded within the subconscious mind. They become the dominant

vibration. This dominant vibration sets up a resonance with other

similar vibrations and draws them into your life. This is easier

to understand if you consider that from the metaphysical view,

the whole universe IS MIND.



Hence, to draw what you wish into your life, you should begin

with the mind, and make it your primary focus. Most people do

things the other way around, and come up with practical

techniques to generate their desires, and then go out and try

them. However, when these methods are not in tune with your

dominant vibration, then you will have great difficulty making

the desired results come to pass. You will also feel most

uncomfortable if they do. You have trained your mind in a certain

way, you have set the thermostat at a certain level, and now you

are trying to exceed the limits you have set upon yourself by

sheer force.



The trap most people fall into is that they condition their

future with expectations from their past. It's like driving with

your eyes fixed on the rear view mirror the whole time. You

cannot see where you are going because you are too busy looking

back on past history. Is it any wonder that, for most people, the

future DOES closely resemble the past?!



The problem is that, by focusing continually on what you have

become as a result of past conditioning, you guarantee that you

draw this same dominant vibration into the future. This is also

why your desired future can seem so far away from you. It is

vibrating at an alien frequency and hence, in a real sense, it IS

very far away.



Instead, you have to first change the dominant vibration within.

Once your dominant vibration is in harmony with what you seek,

the latter must literally be 'attracted' to you without excessive

striving! It will seem easy in comparison to what came before. In

a very real sense, you have to become what you seek on the inside

before you can ever have it in physical reality.



There are several ways to gradually change the dominant vibration

of your inner being, and begin to resonantly attract what you

seek. One important thing to do is to have a clear vision of your

life as you want it to be; completely independent of the

circumstances of your present or past. Lack of absolute clarity

about their desired future could well be the number one reason

why people fail in life.





You are creating something new from the universal intelligence,

and drawing it into your reality. You do NOT have to base this

upon the past, your perceived weaknesses, or anything else that

derives from your limited self-image.



A good way to gain clarity is to write down in detail the

attainment of what you seek. What would it look like? How would

you feel if you achieved it? What difference would it make to

your life? It may take you days, or even weeks, to create this

vision, but it is time well spent.



By creating a vision of your desired state and putting energy

into it regularly, you use mind power to shape the very stuff of

creation. You create this imagined 'reality' in your mind to the

point where your subconscious actually believes it to be physical

reality and goes about making it so. It will attract the

circumstances, the people, and the opportunities you need to

bring about the vision you have created.



If you are doubtful about this, consider for a moment that you

are doing this anyway. The only difference is that you may be

unaware you are doing it. If so, your overall vibration is

incoherent, and hence your results fluctuate wildly. By becoming

conscious, you take conscious control of the creative process and

can learn to manifest at will.



Another way to change your vibration rate is to act 'as if'. If

you had already attained what you seek, how would you think and

act? Well, start thinking and acting that way right now. Again,

this helps to impress the dominant vibration you choose upon your

subconscious mind. Again, you have been doing this all your life

anyway. Simply take conscious deliberate control of the process

from now on. For instance, Cary Grant is known to have said:



'I acted like Cary Grant for so long, I became him.'



Taking time to meditate regularly on the truth that all is

vibration, seeing this reality in all is myriad guises, will also

help reinforce it upon your mind - both conscious and

subconscious. You will begin to believe it, and what you believe

is what you act upon.



The reason most people achieve very little in comparison to what

they are capable of is because they have no vision for the future

whatsoever. Focused, single-minded concentration upon a vision

you seek to create is what will actually cause it to happen. You

have to read your description every day (preferably twice or

more), and then vividly imagine it. Begin to live that reality

now in your mind's eye, and you make its future manifestation all

the more rapid. Do not even worry about how it will happen. Just

do your part and let the universe, through the law of vibration,

do the rest.





Copyright 2002, Asoka Selvarajah. All Rights Reserved.

What will you give up to be happy?

I just had to share this with you.  It's a must read for anyone who desires to experience more happiness in their life.

Wishing You The Best Life You Can Imagine!


How Being Right Stops You From Being Happier







.

reBlog from thedepressiontrap: The Depression Trap

I found this fascinating quote today:

Do our thoughts cause our feelings or do our feelings cause our thoughts? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is based on the theory that feelings are caused by thoughts. This seems to make a lot of sense. If we spend all our time thinking that our life is awful, we are useless and nothing is ever going to get better then it’s not surprising that we end up feeling sad, hopeless and despairing. Equally if we think we will succeed, recognize all the positive things in our life and think that things will improve this may help us to feel happy, optimistic and positive. The Depression Trap, Jul 2008

You should read the whole article.