Cognitive Therapy of Depression

Eating chocolate is one of the world’s most popular passions. The typical Swiss eats more than 21 pounds of this chocolate each year. Even the average Belgian or Brit downs some 16 pounds annually. In the United States, consumption weighs in at roughly 11.5 pounds per year. The earliest record of chocolate was over fifteen hundred years ago in the Central American rain forests, where the tropical mix of high rainfall combined with high year round temperatures and humidity provide the ideal climate for cultivation of the plant from which chocolate is derived, the Cacao Tree.

The Cacao Tree was worshiped by the Mayan civilization of Central America and Southern Mexico, who believed it to be of divine origin, Cacao is actually a Mayan word meaning “God Food”, hence the tree’s modern generic Latin name “Theobrama Cacao” meaning ‘Food of the Gods’. Cacao was corrupted into the more familiar “Cocoa” by the early European explorers. The Maya brewed a spicy, bitter sweet drink by roasting and pounding the seeds of the Cacao tree (cocoa beans) with maize and Capsicum (Chilli) peppers and letting the mixture ferment. This drink was reserved for use in ceremonies as well as for drinking by the wealthy and religious elite, they also ate a Cacao porridge.

Chocolate is full of mood-enhancing chemicals. To start with, it is loaded with sugar, which is a carbohydrate and triggers the release of seratonin. Chocolate also contains fat, which in itself provides a feeling of satisfaction since it answers the urge for calories. Chocolate is also said to have the same mood-enhancing chemical that is found in marijuana, although in much smaller quantities. To test the theory that chocolate enhances mood, a study was conducted at the University of Pennsylvania. Students who felt the urge to eat chocolate were given either milk chocolate, white chocolate (which contains no cocoa, just cocoa butter and flavoring), and pills containing stimulants found in chocolate.

Researchers say the findings were predictable. The pill didn’t do the trick, but both the white and milk chocolates did satisfy the students. The results suggest that it is not some secret chemical ingredient in chocolate that provides the euphoria, but the sensory experience such as the taste, the smoothness and the aroma. While some may be using chocolate as an energy booster, a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry has found a link between chocolate cravings and personality. Results suggest certain personality types are not only more likely to crave chocolate, but it may also improve their mood.

Researchers from the Black Dog Institute correlated results from an online survey completed by nearly 3,000 people. Of the respondents, 54 percent reported food cravings during bouts with depression, of which 45 percent specifically wanted chocolate, and 61 percent of these said chocolate improved their mood and reduce stress. It’s believed substances in chocolate called endorphin and opioid, may be responsible for the mood enhancing effect. These compounds may make one feel more relaxed, thereby reducing stress and anxiety and improving mood.

Chocolates can also play a major role in a number of disorders, including bulimia, binge eating, and obesity. There’s some hints that chocolate may possess natural analgesic properties. Studies indicate that eating high-fat, chocolate foods can trigger the brain’s production of natural opiates. During the study, it showed that when a physician used a drug to block the brain’s opiate receptors, a binge-eater’s desire for sweet, fatty foods such as chocolate, dropped down. Still, there are questions left unanswered on the experiment, such as: Does the body simply desire anything sweet and fatty, or men naturally feel some special craving for chocolates?

The potential health benefit of chocolate is a popular area of study. Previous research has shown dark chocolate may be good for cardiovascular health and some scientists recommend them for reducing heart disease risk. The down-side is, of course, the calories. Chocolate is full of fat and sugar. While small amounts can be beneficial to your health, larger quantities are not so good. When using chocolate, even as medicine, moderation is the key.

When we think of children at risk what comes to mind is drug abuse. Children can be at risk for emotional problems, depression, anxiety, learning disabilities, social problems, school drop-out, sexual acting out and high risk behaviors. How do we know? Children often lack the verbal skills to tell us how they feel. They keep their emotions hidden and seem introverted, shy or withdrawn. On the other hand, they act out, become hyperactive, impulsive and angry.

Children experiencing academic difficulties at school are at risk. Their self-esteem is affected; they are constantly challenged and cannot keep up with the demands of the school. These problems can be caused by a learning disability, a metabolic problem, ADD/ADHD, processing issues or emotional problems such as depression and anxiety. Depending on the child’s temperament they might persevere in school and keep trying to succeed or they may abandon the effort and simply quit. Either way, finding out the underlying causes through a consultation with a professional will help avoid future issues. A professional child psychologist that is able to provide therapy, diagnosis and treatment. This psychologist should specialize in children and understands how depression, anxiety and learning problems are different in children and adults.

Children are at risk when there is a sudden change in their behavior. If your child was an outspoken, self-secured and confident child who all of a sudden becomes angry, withdrawn and insecure, you should be concerned. He might be experiencing problems in school, be the victim of bullying, social ridicule, bad company, or changes in the home. Have there been any recent loses, changes, divorces or upsets in the child’s life? Talking to them about the change, their worries and providing reassurance might be enough. Sometimes they will resist parental intervention. Again, seeking professional help is recommended.

Finally, there’s the risk for sex and drug abuse. Teenagers experiment and many times they are too young to realize the consequences of their behavior. Talking to them about sex and drugs, keeping open communication with them, knowing where your children are and who they are spending time with is crucial. This is when they will request privacy and “trust.” The privacy and the trust must only go so far.

In short, our children can be at risk academically, emotionally or behaviorally. They can show red flags early on and we can deny their existence. This can increase their chances of depression or anxiety, decrease their academic performance and increase the risk of teenage pregnancy, drugs or diseases. When in doubt, contact a professional. Intervention early on may prevent the problem for snowballing out of control.

With anxiety-related problems (including depression as such a problem), we watch ourselves in everything we do and it’s not difficult to appreciate how this self-absorption can lead us to believe that we are the only one with such a problem. This, in itself, strengthens the ‘what’s wrong with me’ beliefs, yet nothing could be further from the truth.

Millions of people worldwide experience these problems; it is estimated that in America alone over thirty million people suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. The most common one is Social Anxiety Disorder (or Social Phobia), closely followed by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Around one in thirty to fifty people suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and one in ten are reported to have a specific phobia. This doesn’t include vast numbers of people who have depression or those living anxious lives ruled by shyness or stress.

Many people feel they are working below their potential and are frustrated, more people are unhealthy and overweight than ever before, greater numbers of teenagers are depressed and problems involving anxiety and stress account for the majority of visits to doctor’s surgeries. In a world of better education, food, hygiene and healthcare, emotionally, society is crumbling

The unique pressures in modern society no doubt play a part in the tension and stress found in these problems, but anxiety problems are nothing new; they are part of the human condition and the following quotation, from over three hundred years ago, sums them up aptly: 

‘The mind is it’s own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven’  – John Milton (1608–1674)

For centuries, writers, poets and artists have tried to convey the inner turmoil and conflict that is often associated with existence.

The world we live in personally is dictated by what goes on in our mind, irrespective of what external reality seems to be. Nowhere can this be seen more profoundly than in the case of Anorexia Nervosa. How can a painfully thin girl look in the mirror and see herself as fat? Even to the extent of pointing out which areas of her body are too fat? Anxiety problems are reality to us … but how do we get like this? 

Vast resources, in the form of research, therapy and medication, have been used in an attempt to resolve these problems, with, on the whole, a spectacular lack of success. Problems are defined, named, classified, listed, ordered, placed in categories, placed in sub-categories in an attempt to understand and control them – strangely enough, exactly the same attempts to gain control are found in most forms of OCD. And while some argue that benefits of this system include a more accurate diagnosis and subsequent better treatment (which is debatable given such a lack of success) others argue that it is inaccurate, misleading and overlooks the bigger picture.

When we look at the backgrounds of large numbers of people with anxiety and depression problems, they are often strikingly similar in various ways.  Negative life experiences and subsequent feelings involving self worth and insecurity occur across the board with such regularity and are so similar that its hard to see how they cannot possibly play a major role in these problems.

Ranging from acute shyness and stress to anxiety disorders and depression, each problem is unique to the individual. Expressions of social phobia vary from person to person just as those of agoraphobia vary from panic disorder and GAD varies from OCD. However, as unique to the individual these problems are and as different to each other they are, these problems develop for similar reasons and strengthen in a similar way. They do so in a manner that reflects the way our mind and body works. Every human being on the planet (indeed, every animal) is built in such a way as to develop an anxiety disorder given the right (or wrong) set of negative life experiences.

Anxiety disorders (and severe depression) develop from our life experiences (bad ones) and how they affect us. At their heart lies neither illness nor disease and not even disorder for these problems aren’t irrational, they develop for a good reason – for our survival. They are self-destructive behaviours that we learn, behaviours that reflect our inner-self trying to protect us. Behaviours that, in trying to help us survive, actually cause us harm for they never ‘touch’ the real problem. Once we understand how we learn these behaviours and why, there is a real cure. 

In the US alone, some reports estimates that approximately 20% of the population suffer from depression. Not all of those who suffer from depression seek help. Some are experiencing mild depression, whether over a matter of a few weeks, several months or years, they consider the way they feel to be simply ‘down’ or generally unhappy with their present ‘lot’.
If you feel that I have just described how you have been feeling, please, seek help from your doctor or health physician. Mildly depression can be very hard to diagnose and it is often accounts from patients that lead to diagnosis. Once diagnosed, your doctor may consider treating your depression with anti-depressant/ anti-anxiety drugs. With so many of these kinds of drugs available (more than 20 on the market) it can be very difficult for doctors to find a drug or combination of drugs that will work effectively in relieving the symptoms of depression. “Not every antidepressant is going to work well for each individual,” says Dr. Andrew Leuchter a Psychiatrist at UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles.
For those that are severely depressed and have sought help a new study may be able, in the future, to help predict which drugs would best suit their needs. Figures suggest that approximately only 30% of patients will respond to the first drug they try.
Now however, there has been a breakthrough in being able to predict which medication will best suit a patient. Doctors are now able to discover which drugs a patient will respond to best right from the start. “The challenge we face is trying to get patients on the right medicine quickly and get them to stay with the medicine long enough to get well,” says Dr. Leuchter.
This newly applied technology may be the answer. It is a ten minute test that measures brain wave activity. Clinical trials involved testing a patient before and after starting new treatment. “If they show the right signal, we can say with a pretty good degree of certainty, you know, that is the right medication,” says Dr. Leuchter. The test is able to indicate with an 85% accuracy whether patients will respond to a drug within one week of taking it.
Doctor Leucher is hoping that the FDA will approve the test for use within four years. The tests one advantage is that it is very inexpensive and easy to administer. Tests on the technology are continuing at ten difference sites around the US.

Depression is experienced by a lot of us. Sometimes it’s situational (job lay off), sometimes it’s related to past issues (e.g. childhood) and for others it’s hereditary.

When you have situational depression something unexpected has happened over which you feel you have no control, i.e. death of a loved one or a cancer diagnosis. Usually over a reasonable period of time these feelings become manageable as you adjust to the situation.

Past issues are more complicated and often subtle. Even though they affect your life dramatically they are often ignored. You may have disregarded them and manage, for example, through denial or by abusing substances.

Hereditary depression means you have inherited it from family members. Because depression is biochemical this can happen to some members in a family. You may have experienced feeling “blue” off and on for years without understanding why you couldn’t just “snap out of it.” Some families don’t admit to depression and some have turned to addictive behaviors, i.e. overeating, alcohol or work as coping tools.

If you’ve had a lengthy situational depression, a past issue depression where the strong emotions increase with no relief or are experiencing a depression which has interfered with your daily functioning repeatedly for years, then it’s probably time to seek outside help.

It doesn’t matter the cause as symptoms are the same. They include lack of motivation and/or energy, significant weight loss or gain, lack of interest in pleasurable activities, more or less sleep, difficulty concentrating, increased feelings of worthlessness or guilt, lowered self esteem, hopelessness, or in extreme cases, suicidal thinking.

Some people find that seeing a therapist and receiving medication relieves their distress. Others will do one or the other. When you choose to work with a therapist you can select from a variety of approaches. Working with a therapist whom you feel understands you, listens, offers a new perspective and helps you develop new skills in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect is part of what makes your outcome successful. The other part is your being honest and opening to new possibilities.

The first step in change is to act. Now may be the time.

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If your depression is severe, and if drug treatment and psychotherapy don’t seem to be working, your doctor may suggest electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The treatment, which involves delivering a brief electrical current to the brain, is seen as a life-saving therapy for those whose depressions are so severe that they stop eating or contemplate suicide. Unfortunately, many people are intimidated by the idea of ECT, once popularly known as “shock therapy.” This is partly due to the gruesome images portrayed in movies, and partly because in the past, ECT was sometimes used inappropriately for example, on people with personality disorders rather than depression.

If you have to undergo ECT, you should know exactly what will happen. The procedure is done in hospital or at a special clinic, sometimes on an out-patient basis, and usually involves a total of six to twelve sessions, two or three times per week. You will be given a muscle relaxant and a short-acting anesthetic prior to treatment. While you’re unconscious, a quick, painless burst of electricity is delivered via electrodes attached to your head. You may feel some what groggy afterward, so you should always have someone accompany you. You may experience a brief period of mental confusion or memory loss after several treatments, but this is usually temporary. Some people who have undergone ECT have reported more profound and long-lasting memory loss. However, doctors say it’s not clear whether this is related to the treatment or the underlying depression it self.

Dysthymia

A diagnosis of dysthymia may be made if you experience a chronically depressed or low mood most of the time for at least two years, and if you also suffer from two or more of the following symptoms.

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Poor appetite or overeating.

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Inability to sleep or oversleeping;

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Low energy or fatigue.

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Low self-esteem.

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Poor concentration or trouble making decisions.

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Feelings of hopelessness.

This mood disorder tends to show up early in life, but it’s not uncommon for it to begin in the later years. Many older people who experience major depression may also suffer from underlying dysthymia.

People with dysthymia often appear resigned to their situation, saying “That’s just how I am” or ‘Tve always been this way.” Older adults who suffer from this disorder may not mention the problem to their doctors unless asked. Like other types of depressive illness, dysthymia seems to run in families, and it’s also more common in people with a family history of major depression. Dysthymia may respond to treatment with antidepressant medication and psychotherapy.

Depression seems to be a very modern problem with increasing numbers of people affected by it, doctors now know there are various forms, each with its own individual characteristics. For someone who hasn’t suffered from the clinical form it must be a difficult condition to understand, although we can all become depressed about situations on occasion. People who are depressed require specialized medical help with their condition and should seek it at an early stage, you need to be making the right decisions to get through the problems facing you and find out the cause and then deal with it.
Feeling low and angry at life affects all of us occasionally in particular when something awful has happened,usually these feelings subside after a short while and are not considered symptoms of depression. Having a personal problem is one cause and it is easy for family life or any personal relationship to give rise to such problems, some people feel they are unable to act to correct whatever the problem is, but that is the key element in beating the condition. If you just try to ignore it and do not take any action, seek help or treatment, you may end up with more problems, dealing with the issues as early as possible will save someone from making themselves ill, physically and mentally.
Another common cause is found in the workplace and problems can arise in the relationships with co-workers, it is not uncommon for this condition to result in panic attacks, so outside help is often needed to end the situation. Often, the person who is having work problems will end up unhappy and even have periods of sick leave as they become less able to perform their work duties, when they become so unhappy they cannot face even going to work a professional must intervene to end the mental conflict. There are times where a person has been prescribed medication for an illness, for example, and a side effect caused by the chemicals in the medication is depression; where side-effects have created these feelings where no real problem exists.
In these circumstances the person’s doctor should be made aware of any changes in mood so appropriate action can be taken. One of the biggest problems is where the symptoms of depression do not seem to have any cause that can be discovered, this type of situation makes resolving the issues all the more difficult. The problem can arise when the person cannot see that a certain situation or event for instance, as the cause, if they cannot associate the cause with their condition then the way forward is made very hard.
Bipolar or manic depression is notoriously difficult to diagnose and owing to the many types of the condition, owing to the type of symptoms displayed by this condition, some people wait up to five years to have a correct diagnosis made. Whatever the cause, getting help is the most important thing but the sufferer should be willing to take up responsibility and get the necessary help. There is no point letting this condition run your life unless you enjoy the distress it causes you and those around you, a full recovery is possible providing you take the appropriate steps.

When someone you love has been diagnosed with manic depression the first reaction can actually be one of relief. You finally know what is wrong, and there is a name for it. There is also help and medication to stabilize the extremes of the illness. That relief is often quickly followed by fear. That is completely normal, and allowing yourself to acknowledge that you are afraid of what issues and hardships dealing with this illness will cause and the impact it will have on your family will help you sort out the things you need to do to make it a smoother and more effective transition to caring for your loved one.
Manic Depression is not something your family member can simply get over. It is important to realize that the problems they are experiencing are caused by an illness, not by any decision made by them. You have probably become quite aware of their extremes in mood and now that you know what is causing it, you can use a clear head to remain calm during times of crisis and help talk them down, or up as the need arises.
There are practical needs that you can use to assist your family member with in learning how to control the affects of the illness. Helping them remember to take their medicines at the appropriate times is one of the biggest things that you and your family member will have to become accustomed to. It can be a great help to make a chart showing exactly when to take the prescribed medicines. Gentle reminders with the assurance that you are not trying to control them, but instead, just trying to help them make sure they continue with their recovery can be helpful in making sure this vital area is covered.
When they need someone to talk to, be there. That is probably one of the most helpful things you can do to provide support for your family member dealing with manic depression. You do not have to have the answers to their problems. You just need to be a willing listener who will provide an understanding ear without judging them for their feelings or problems.
Make sure that daily tasks are broken down into manageable projects. This will provide your loved one with a feeling of accomplishment and a sense of independence. You will be able to help them adjust to their lives and continue being productive.
Another very important role you can play in supporting your loved one through impending crisis, is to be a first alert to on-coming trouble. It is sometimes difficult for the patient dealing with manic depression to recognize the early signs of either side of the mood swings. If you see them becoming hyper, talking rapidly, having scattered thoughts, or being unable to concentrate on any one thing, or doing other excessive things like shopping, or eating excessively, Alert them gently to the beginnings of a problem they should seek the advice of their psychiatrist on. Perhaps an adjustment to their medications will be necessary.
Conversely if you see the opposite side of manic depression manifesting itself in the inability to get out of bed, the feeling of being overwhelmed by even simple projects, feeling exhausted, and even saying things like “you would be better off without me” or other signs of severe depression it is also time to alert your loved one to the need for help. Never ignore the signs of depression as they can escalate rapidly to dangerous levels.
You and your family can live happy, well-adjusted lives once you get past the initial shock and fear of their diagnosis. Learning how to best handle the swings and crisis of both sides of the manic depressive coin will give you the security of a long, and happy life.

There are various side effects of taking the medications of depression because these medications eliminate the effects of depression rather than the reasons of depression. If the depression is mild, then natural remedies should be given the first priority as they are safe and free from any side effects. The natural remedies for curing depression are meditation and natural supplements. The various advantages of natural remedies are as follows: Helps the individual to cope up with stress and anxiety. Increase the ability to handle stress. The mind is focused and feels enthusiastic. They are cheaper than other medications. They do not have any side effects. Certain considerations have to be followed before the medication of depression for selecting the right treatment for depression. Some of these considerations are as follows: The side effects of all the medications have to be evaluated before prescription and the best suitable treatment should be followed. If the person is a child or an old person, then he may require less dose of medication as compared to the younger person. The practitioner should keep a check on the progress of the person after starting the treatment. The person should inform the practitioner about all his previous medications and whether he is still continuing with those medications. The person should also provide information about the addiction to any drugs. The side effects that the medication is to have on the person. The practitioner should prescribe the medication after examining whether the person is suffering from any other ailment or not.

Natures remedies plays an important role in the diagnosis of depression . Natural herbal supplements doses differs from person to person

Depression therapy is one of the treatments for this condition. Therapy equips you to fight the illness from several angles. It provides you with skills and insights that can help prevent the recurrence of the condition. There are three most common types of therapy that are used to treat this illness. They are cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy and psychodynamic therapy.Therapy can teach you some practical techniques on how you can re frame negative thinking and work through the root cause of your problem. It can also empower you with behavioral skills that can help in combating the condition. Therapy helps you to understand why you feel a certain way. It also helps you to understand the triggers of your situation. Through therapy, you will understand what you need to do to stay healthy.Depression therapy helps you to understand what might be contributing to your situation and the changes you need to make to overcome the problem. Some of the themes that therapy can focus on are relationships, setting health boundaries as well as handling life’s problems. Taking a look at your relationships as well as building better relationships can help reduce isolation. Isolation is a risk factor for depression. Improving the current relationships and building a network of support can help to prevent this condition.When you are stressed and overwhelmed, talking to a therapist can provide you with positive ways that you can use to handle life’s challenges and problems. If depression therapy becomes difficult, don’t give up. You have to move forward and therefore giving up will mean that you go back to your old and less effective ways. It is important that you honestly discuss your feelings with a therapist.