Cognitive Therapy of Depression

Depression is a serious mental disorder not to be confused with “normal” bad or depressed mood experienced by everyone sometimes. If a depression sufferer does not realise that he is depressed his life may be virtual hell without any obvious exit scenario. Many such patients drag along for years without treatment that could easily alleviate their depression. Therefore, it is very important to know the symptoms of depression and to be able to read the signs of depression when they occur. An early realisation that one experiences the symptoms of depression can in the most extreme cases virtually save lives, and even in light cases of depression often guarantee proper treatment of the disorder and a reversion to a good and joyful life. So what are the signs of depression most commonly seen?

One of the common signs of depression is a general loss of energy leading to persistent lethargy and to a lack of interest in most daily activities or even ones that one previously liked, such as hobbies. This goes often also hand in hand with social withdrawal. Another symptom of depression, probably the one most often associated with this mental disorder, is a deep and prolonged sadness, commonly without any apparent cause, which may even lead to unexplainable crying spells. Feelings of worthlessness and guilt without a rational cause are also usual signs of depression. The depressed patient also suffers from a profound pessimism about his own future and the future of his social network and often even the world in general. This is often coupled with a total indifference towards almost anything and anyone. Indecisiveness and an inability to concentrate properly on tasks at hand are also symptoms of depression that occur regularly. The depressed patient may have problems to fall asleep and to keep sleeping without waking up in the middle of the night, leading to permanent sleepiness during the day. Interestingly there are also cases where the patient sleeps more than usual. Another, though relatively minor, symptom of depression is loss of appetite. Among the most serious signs of depression is obsessive thinking of disease and death, and even suicidal thoughts, which in the worst case may lead to suicide attempts. Anxiety is also often associated with depression as is a general irritability and agitation. Besides those more well-known signs and symptoms of depression organic diseases are often associated with depression. Patients suffering from unexplainable organ pains are sadly often treated purely for the organic disease, while the underlying cause may well be depression or another mental disorder.

Concluding it must be pointed out that one does not necessarily need to experience all symptoms of depression to be regarded depressed. Also, the intensity of the symptoms of depression may vary over time and from patient to patient, also depending on the kind of depression she has. In any case, if you or anyone you know shows all or more of the signs of depression listed above it is definitely advised to take action sooner rather than later. To get a proper diagnosis of the condition the first way should lead to a medical practitioner who will also be able to verify the symptoms of depression and to advise on the best treatment for the specific depression case. Always keep in mind: Depression is a disease that affects millions of people worldwide, but there are many highly effective ways available to treat it once it is properly diagnosed.

We are all concerned about the health of our children from the moment that they emerge into the world, but an overlooked aspect of their health could turn out to be one of the biggest factors. A child’s mental health, and, later in life, an adolescent’s mental health, have huge effects on the way that our children and teens live. Problems like depression can affect the quality of life for your adolescent, and can even affect their physical health.

If you think that your adolescent may be depressed, look for the signs described in this article. If they exhibit several of the signs, consult with your pediatrician to see if they think that your teenager might be suffering from depression. Adolescent depression can cause symptoms such as:Irregular sleep – Sometimes teenagers are just on a different sleep schedule than their parents. It is perfectly normal for a teen to stay up late at night and to want to sleep in well into the next day. This is not an attitude problem, but a rewiring of their brains that drives them to these “abnormal” hours. They will return to “normal” as time goes on. What is not normal is a teen that sleeps all the time, going to bed early, sleeping late, and retiring for naps. It is also not normal for an adolescent to suffer from insomnia. While these could be symptoms of other problems, they can also be signs of depression. Lack of energy – Despite all that extra sleep, does your adolescent still seem fatigued or tired much of the time? Low energy and lots of sleep could be signs of a problem with the thyroid, it could be something else entirely, or it could be an example of a symptom of depression. Loss of interest – It might be hard to tell if your child has become disinterested in things that used to interest them if they are not open with you, but it pays to pay close attention. If your adolescent is no longer interested in things like keeping in contact with their friends or in playing the latest video games, whatever he or she used to be excited about, then it could be cause for concern. Change of appetite – Is your always-hungry teen suddenly disinterested in food? Is your teenager suddenly and uncharacteristically eating all the time (particularly “comfort foods” or sweets)? These could both be signs of depression, and should be watched carefully. They could also indicate problems like an eating disorder, and so should be taken seriously no matter what the circumstances. Irritability – While it can be hard to tell if your teen is irritable in general or just snappy with you as an authority figure, it is good to note that excessive irritability may be a sign of depression. A bleak outlook – If your child is suddenly talking in the negative or talking about suicide, chalking it up to “mood swings” can be a mistake that can have deadly consequences. This may be one of the most overlooked of the depression signs in adolescents because many parents feel that it is normal to be pessimistic in the teenage years. This is also often paired with self-loathing, which may manifest in a variety of ways including verbally (”I’m such a loser” or “No one likes me, anyway”), self-abuse like cutting, or talk of suicide.

You should never treat these symptoms in your adolescents as a bid for attention. While one or two of the symptoms may be symptomatic of other problems or just of being a teenager, they could also be symptoms of depression. If you see any number of these symptoms in your adolescent, it is imperative that you get into contact with their pediatrician as soon as possible.

While you may be able to talk to your teen about the depression, it really depends on your relationship with your adolescent and how you think that they will respond to your line of questioning. You should never accuse if you see warning signs of depression in your adolescent, but should talk gently with them to find out if they are willing to share their problems.

Depression in adolescents is a serious problem, but with close attention on your part and the intervention of a pediatrician with the right therapies or medications, you can effectively eliminate the immediate dangers of this terrible disease. Diagnosis and intervention can be the tools that help you save your adolescent from the dangers and pitfalls of this illness, and your awareness is what will get them there.

Depression is an issue that affects millions of individuals around the world. This is a common occurrence that may result due to a number of reasons throughout an individual’s life. While depression may be mild, in many instances, it can be quite severe. It results when an individual not only feels “sad”, but also feels a sense of hopelessness and helplessness that can last for a short time, or continue for years.
In some cases, this mental condition can actually impair an individual’s overall ability to function in their day to day lives, and can result in that individual feeling as if taking their life is the only way to escape the emotions of despair that are experienced. There are several signs of depression to look out for. Here, I will share them with you.
Depression Signs to Watch For
It is essential that you learn to carefully monitor the signs of depression. Many serious situations are likely to occur if an individual suffers from severe depression and experiences symptoms that should have been recognized as potentially dangerous.
These situations may include an individual becoming homicidal and/or suicidal, indulging in drug abuse, resorting to alcohol abuse, and even the development of other types of mental illnesses developing. While it is true that the potentially dangerous signs of depression will vary by individual, the following represents some common signs to look for:
1.One of the first symptoms that something is seriously wrong is when a person suffers from depression and often feels as if they have nothing to live for. They may feel as if everything is hopeless. Individuals who fall into these emotions often may experience thoughts of suicide. In other cases, many do not place priority on the fact that there are consequences to their actions. This is when many will turn to pills, drugs, alcohol, and other types of behaviors that are considered to be dangerous.
2.The next symptom that is potentially dangerous when it comes to signs of depression to watch for includes behavior that is aggressive. This aggression may be towards others, animals, or even themselves. However, if this sign does become evident, it is absolutely necessary to ensure that help is sought. In many cases, the individual that is depressed simply does not recognize this sign in themselves because of the wide range of emotions that are experienced.
3.If you start to notice that an individual seems apathetic and does not care about the health of their body and similar issues, it may be time to recognize the depression as serious. These individuals may abuse drugs and alcohol, and may even indulge in serious problems like self mutilation and similar behaviors. If these signs are evident, it is time for help.
Overcoming Depression
There are many effective means of managing and overcoming depression. One of the most important things that anyone can do when it comes to this mood disorder is to develop a support system. It is important to have one or more people to talk to when you need it. In addition to this, there are medications that can help moderate chemicals such as serotonin in the body that are responsible for depression. It is also possible to receive counseling and behavior modification assistance. If you have depression, be sure to discuss your treatment options with your doctor.

Teenage depression hits 5% of children and adolescents, as reported by experts. Teenage depression is serious and needs to be addressed when symptoms start to show. Unfortunately, it sometimes goes unnoticed and untreated because of a lack of understanding about the condition.

Adults may sometimes tend to attribute it to hormones or dismiss it as a case of the usual teenage mood swings and rebellious behavior; but if ignored or left untreated, teenage depression could result in a lasting state of depression and, in many cases, suicide. Cases of teenage depression are on the rise; and now more than ever, it’s important to fully understand what it is all about.

Teenage Depression Signs

It’s very important to be able to spot behavioral warning signs. Note that some mood changes are more extreme than most, and that one shouldn’t immediately jump to conclusions when trying to deal with a teenager’s emotions. Being observant and having the ability to differentiate between mood swings and negatively, destructive behavior is a key element in dealing with teenage depression.

What are the symptoms that indicate that a teenager is experiencing depression? A few telltale signs of this condition include:

• long periods of irritability

• feelings of hopelessness

• loss of pleasure in one’s normal routine and activities

• constant feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy

• deteriorating performance in school

• social isolation

• excessive crying and feelings of sadness

• physical and/or verbal aggression

• suicidal thoughts

Depressed teenagers may also exhibit destructive behavior and use activities such as alcohol and drug abuse, as well as self-injury, as an outlet for their feelings.

Teenage Depression Causes

As mentioned earlier, peer pressure and parental expectations play a large part in a teenager’s feelings of self-worth and behavior. Once he feels that he is unable to keep up with all the expectations and live up to other people’s standards, this will cause him to doubt himself.

Young people also place a high premium on being accepted. When a teenager fails to fit in, this contributes to stronger feeling of inadequacy. After all, for many young people, being alone, different, and unpopular is a terrible thing.

Family problems can also give rise to teenage depression. Young people may harbor feelings of guilt and start questioning themselves, wondering if they somehow contributed to the problems, especially if they’re also the constant targets for criticism. They will start thinking that their presence at home is unnecessary and that everyone’s life will be better if they disappeared.

Performance in school is another trigger for teenage depression. With academics becoming more difficult at this age, teenagers may not be able to keep up with schoolwork as well as they used to, and would therefore experience failures from time to time.

Frustration with schoolwork, fear of disappointing parents, and dismay at one’s self can all lead to feelings of worthlessness. In Japan, for example, there was a time when suicide among students was on the rise, especially among those who performed poorly in school.

Teenage Depression Treatments

Clearly, teenage depression is not a joke and certainly not just the dramatic whimpering of young people. It’s a major problem that deserves the fullest attention of one’s friends and family.

That’s why it’s very important to be very supportive and attentive. Rather than being impatient with the young person’s behavior, parents in particular should pay careful attention and take the time to really understand what their children are going through. It would be a great help if they are able to convey to their child that he is loved and that he is a promising individual with lots of potential. Young people need encouragement and support to get through this difficult time in their lives.

Family and friends of a depressed teenager can also get help from counseling services and organizations that specifically deal with teenage depression. Some may also choose to enlist the help of professionals.

Coping with the issue of teenage depression is a daunting task for many, but the results are worthwhile once the teenager is able to overcome it. It will take a lot of time and effort for everyone involved and the important thing to do is to work hard and do everything possible to ensure that your child will find satisfaction and fulfillment in his teenage years.

There are various forms of depression, each having its own cause and effects. Every individual has exhibited signs of depression in various points of their lives. Depression is the result of the mind processing events, examining the situation and negatively responding to it by feeling sorry for one’s self. There are tons of ways which one can cure himself of depression, and here are the top 3 cures for depression exposed!
Most of the symptoms of depression are easy to recognize. There is pessimism and despondency involved when one suffers from depression. Sometimes guilt, worthlessness and loss of concentration, memory or decisiveness may prevail. Suicidal thoughts may also be part of the process. In such cases, immediate help is mandatory. Restlessness and irritability may also be signs of depression. There are also physical signs of depression. Headaches, backaches, stomach problems and chronic pain that do not go away unless treated may actually be the result of depression. Sometimes, hyperactivity and almost manic behaviors are subtle indications of depression.
Short-term depression, as a result of a personal loss, such as death of a loved one or loss of a desired work position, responds well to physical activity. This is one of the top ways of curing normal depression. Clinical depression may respond well to this technique but also require additional therapeutic intervention. Why does physical activity help depression? Let’s expose the truth behind this secret.
Depression may be the result of chemical or alcohol dependence. It may also include phobias, which are irrational fears. They could make one dizzy when standing at the edge of a low balcony, have one refuse to touch door ways and public areas with bare hands because of they are afraid of germs or dictate how many steps one can take to the count of five. Phobias and irrational fears make one feel out of control and thus cause the individual to feel weak and insignificant. Depression and phobias are interlinked, as developing one usually triggers the other.
Although scientists are not able to pinpoint the exact reasons why physical exercises can help one relief depression, research has shown that conducting physical activities regularly can help one reduce stress, anxiety and depression at the same time. Some believe that it increases the amount of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters that occur in the brain. Others believe that it is strictly due to the production of endorphins, the feel good hormones and decreases cortisol, the stress hormone simultaneously. Still there are others who feel that it releases the muscle’s tension and gives one a better night’s sleep. All psychologists understand that the feeling exercising gives is one of accomplishment and satisfaction. These alone, combat depression, although only for a short period.
A second cure for depression is that of cognitive therapy, which examines the depression and feelings of self doubt and worthlessness. The theory behind this therapy is that when light is shed on the emotions and thoughts of the individual, a true understanding of the reasons behind the depression is known. Most of the times, irrational beliefs disappear once verbalized and examined. This is one of the most effective forms of therapy to date.
Of course, major depressions could take place due to a chemical imbalance in the brain. This therefore leads s us to the third cure for depression, which requires the intervention of doctors for complete stabilization. Major depressions may require doctors prescribing long term medication accompanied with therapy and counseling sessions. Depending on the severity of the situation, doctors will diagnose the patient and prescribe accordingly.
If you believe that you suffer from depression, then try changing your diet, getting exercise and make sure that you get sufficient sleep each night. These short-term cures for depression may be all you need to feel happy and joyful again.

Everyone knows what depression feels like. Everyone feels the blues at times. Sadness, disappointment, and fatigue are natural parts of life. There is a correlation between the blues and clinical depression, but the difference is like the difference between the sniffles and pneumonia.

Depressive disorders are whole person illnesses; they concern the body, feelings, thoughts, and behavior. The depression itself can make us feel as if it’s hopeless to try to find help. The excellent news is that 80 to 90 percent of people with depression can be treated successfully, but the bad news is that only one sufferer in three seeks treatment. More bad news is that almost half the American public see depression as a character defect, rather than an illness or emotional disorder. In addition, only half of all cases of depression are correctly diagnosed, and only half of those get satisfactory treatment.

We tend to confuse depression, sadness, and grief. But the opposite of depression is not happiness, but vitality – the ability to experience a full range of emotion, including happiness, excitement, sadness, and grief. Depression is not an emotion itself. It’s not sadness or grief, it’s an illness. When we feel at our worst, sad, self-absorbed, and helpless, we are experiencing what people with depression experience, but they don’t recover from those moods without help.

The trademark of depression is a unrelenting sad or empty mood, sometimes experienced as tension or anxiety. Life shortage of pleasure. People with minor depressions may go through the motions of eating, sex, work, or play, but the activities appear shallow; people with more severe depression withdraw from these activities, feeling too drained, tense, or hostile to contribute. There is often a nagging fatigue, a sense of being powerless to focus, a feeling of being ineffective.

People with depression usually experience a lowered self-esteem. In a depression, you may feel that you are a helpless victim of fate, but also feel that you don’t deserve any better. Feelings of guilt, dishonor, and misery are common.

There are often a host of physical symptoms, of which sleep disturbances are key. People may have difficulty falling asleep or may get up early without feeling refreshed. Others may sleep excessively, again without feeling rested. Appetite may increase or decrease. There may be difficulty in sexual functioning. There may be harassing aches and pains that don’t respond to medical treatment. But there are physical illnesses that cause symptoms like depression – Lyme depression, diabetes, thyroid conditions, anemia – and depressions can cause physical symptoms like other diseases.

If you are feeling depressed, it is important to be sure that an underlying health problem does not exist, and you should see your physician for a checkup. At the same time, if you know you have a health problem and are feeling depressed, don’t imagine you will feel better once the health problem is under control.

There is a sequential process in the recognition of depression. First is a stage of confused pain in which the sufferer knows he suffers, but doesn’t know why. People often blame circumstances. Adolescents blame their home lives, married people blame their spouses, and employees blame their bosses. But there is acknowledgment that the pain is not ordinary.

The second stage is recognition that something is definatley amiss. It may be that external circumstances have changed but the pain keeps on going, or it may be a gradual recognition that the suffering is so dangerous that circumstances can’t be blamed. This is a painful recognition that often takes years. It is an acknowledgment of a damaged self. But because of the nature of depression, the self-blame and guilt that are manifestations of the disease, this acceptance does not always lead to searching for help.

People then may move to the third stage, a crisis that habitually leads to professional intervention and diagnosis. It is often a suicide attempt or psychiatric hospitalization. The diagnosis often supplies hope, that treatment or a cure is possible, and explanation, a way to understand what has only been confusion before. The fact is that this is a diagnosis of a mental illness, with all the shame and stigma that that entails.

The fourth stage involves acceptance of an illness identity. Depression comes to be seen as an outside agent invading the self, rather than as a manifestation of the self.

It is essential that anyone suffering from depression gets good help from a competent, qualified professional. If the warning signs are obvious, always seek a professional diagnosis. Going to a health professional with your troubles could prove, at worse, embarrassing, if the problem is really just a seasonal case of the blues that can be dealt with without medical intervention, but the potential cost of failing to diagnose a serious case of depression should far outweigh any concern about potential embarrassment.

Lots of people undergo from depression, and it’s not something that anyone need be embarrassed of. This is an essential starting point for those who are in need of treatment. Depression should be treated like any other physical illness, and like other physical illnesses it can often be fixed with prescription drugs. Having said that, it can also often be dealt with without drugs, through psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy unfortunately also has a stigma surrounding to it in the minds of various people, but it is nothing more than a method of counselling where the depressed person is given an occasion to discuss about life and the way they feel. The very procedure of being able to talk about pain and unhappiness in a non-judgemental atmosphere can have an extremely healing effect, especially for those who are suffering mild or moderate cases of depression. Severely depressed persons do not typically benefit from psychotherapy and counselling to the same extent. Severe depression generally requires supplementing counselling with other depression treatments. Even so, counselling is not only a good starting point in the process, but a professional counsellor will generally be the best person to provide advice as to the need for further treatment.

Severe depression needs medication and sometimes hospitalisation. Even then, it can frequently take some time to get treatment right, as there are a collection of antidepressant drugs available on the market and some of them can have risky side-effects.

Part of the reason for the popularity of antidepressants such as Prozac or Zoloft is that they usually have few and far between side-effects, apart from a regular decrease of libido, and hence are relatively safe to prescribe. However such drugs do not work at all for some people who may require ‘tricyclics’ such as Vivactil, Norpramin or Pamelor. The problem with tricyclics is that it can cause problems for those already suffering with heart disease, and getting the precise dosage right is far more complex than with Prozac or Zoloft. People certainly have been known to gravely overdose on tricyclics.

These issues highlight the need for antidepressant medication to be administered by a trained psychiatrist and not by a general practitioner. A good psychiatrist will also be the best person to decide if the subject requires hospilisation.

For those who need to be hospitalized, electric shock therapy (ECT) is another form of treatment that has proven very advantageous to some people. This is generally only used with people who have rare and acute symptoms of depression and who have become manic. ECT is normally only considered for those who have not been successful on antidepresasnt medication and when all other methods of treatment have failed to make the symptoms of the depression less serious.

ECT involves electrical stimulation that causes the brain to seizure in order to ease the depression. While this sounds awful, this treatment should not be connected with the torturous forms of shock therapy often portrayed in the cinema. Today, patients who are given ECT you are also given muscle relaxants so as to get rid of all discomfort and pain. ECT is generally used in conjunction with both antidepressant medication and counselling. Sometimes the ECT will allow a person to become free of a depressive episode after which they will be able to keep up their equilibrium through the use of normal antidepressants.

Dealing successfully with depression can evidently be very tough, and the cost (financially as well as physically) can be high, but these costs generally pale in comparison to the toll taken by depression that is left untreated.

Let me say at the outset – depresssion is nothing to be ashamed of or to feel guilty about. It afflicts millions of people. It can be a chemical imbalance or a mental disfunction. Most importantly, it can be treated successfully.

How can you know when someone is suffering from depression or a manic disorder? You may not realize that each and every kind of symptom of depression are actually not hidden or mysterious. They are plain to see if one knows what to look for. At the same time it is actually quite easy to overlook such symptoms and not be able to help yourself or others who are suffering from depression. One can be too close to the forest to see the trees, so to speak.

There are actually many symptoms of depression. Some are not seen or felt every single day which makes them more difficult to identify. Also, since symptoms of depression actually vary, the time of their “attacks” varies as well.

Here are 10 of the most common symptoms of depression:

1) Prolonged period of sadness or not feeling “up to it”. This is always that feeling of “not in the mood”. This person would rather mope around the house and feel sorry for themselves.

2) A feeling of hopelessness, perennial pessimisism, speaking of feeling sorry for one’s self. This is coupled with actually feeling like he/she has nothing to look forward to in his or her life. As for being the perennial pessimist, those who show this symptom of depression are usually very negative about things, again, the feeling of hopelessness comes in to mind.

3) Guilt-driven and loss of self-worth. Feeling overwhelming guilt over something can actually make you very sad and make you feel like you do not deserve to be happy. Thus, the loss of self-worth. If you feel you are not worthy of being happy or enjoying yourself, that’s a clear tell-tale symptom of depression. Add to this a feeling that things simply will not go your way reinforces a feeling of being a victim of circumstances.

4) Has lost taking pleasure in simple things in life, a spirit of adventure, or hobbies, anything one used to enjoy doing. This is especially true when you begin shunning activities that involve family or friends and become reclusive.

5) Fatigue, always feeling tired or run down physically or mentally. People suffering from depression, having lost whatever interest in life that they may have had before are actually depleted of physical energy. Moping around, not eating properly, not getting enough restful sleep, all lead a depressed person on a path to not just a mental illness but to physical illnedd as well.

6) Having trouble concentrating, having bad memory and is indecisive. A person who is suffering from depression easily gives away this tell-tale symptom of depression. Wherein one’s lack of interest in the outside world, or in just about anything for that matter, can lead to an inability to keep track of things, not be able to remember things that happened, or recent conversations. Lack of interest actually makes depressed people very inattentive and their living quarters quite disorganized and messy.

7) Sleep and eating disorders: Lacking enough sleep, sleeping too much, waking up at wee hours of the morning, appetite lossor eating too much. Watch for sudden weight loss or weight gain.
Being suicidal, talking about death, about wanting to die, are clear indications of depression.

9) Being restless and irritable, physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive disorders, and various body pains.

10) Finally, and perhaps the most common warning sign that takes in the 9 already mentioned is when those people closest to you continually ask – “Are you O.K.?”. This means they see behavior that you are not seeing because you are too close to the forest to see the trees.

Call your physician and make an appointment soon!

Yours for success!

Jim DeSantis

P.S. – Please forward this article to someone who may benefit from it.