In Light of Mental Health Awareness Month, Depression Author Asks, 'Are Self-Help Books Prolonging Your Depression?'
Kennebunkport, ME (ContentDesk via ContentDesk Direct) April 6, 2006 -- In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month (May), Bob Olson, the author of Win The Battle, is teaching depression sufferers why self-help books may be prolonging their suffering.
Olson warns, The problem with self-help books is that authors fail to make the distinction between NORMAL and CLINICAL depression when claiming that their self-help methods will allow readers to overcome their depression. Since the treatment for normal and clinical depression is different, understanding this distinction is critical for the 20 million people who suffer with depression and their 100 million supporting loved ones. Olson suffered with periodic, clinical depression most of his life without realizing it. He experienced about 3 depressive episodes per year, each lasting 2 to 3 months in duration. Since his clinical depression resulted from a chemical imbalance in his brain -- a brain disorder that is actually biological, not psychological -- he needed medication to re-balance those brain chemicals and eliminate his depressive symptoms. The day he found a medication that lifted his depression, all of Olsons symptoms disappeared and have not returned for over 11 years.Before the age of 27, Olson sought help for his depression from self-help books -- not doctors.
All these books touted techniques for overcoming depression, yet none taught the difference between normal and clinical depression. In essence, Olson was misled by these books because of their claims to provide a solution to depression without explaining that they only offer a solution to one type of depression: normal depression. Olson is sure he would have sought help from a doctor months or years sooner if he had known there was a difference.Bob Olson is an author, lecturer and mental health advocate on the subjects of clinical depression and bipolar disorder.Contact:Bob Olson(207) 967-2201http://www.howtobeatdepression.com.
Living with Depression
Depression is a psychological, biological and environmental problem that has affected millions of people, both directly and indirectly. People suffering with depression often have difficulty functioning normally, and frequently experience problems in their everyday lives as a result. The emotional toll of depression can shatter families; result in a loss of employment and in some occasions end in suicide. While there is no cure for depression, treatment options are available that can help sufferers of depression lead normal, happy lives.
Depression changes the way in which a person is able to think, feel and view the world around them.
These changes produce adverse effects on behavior directed towards others and towards one's self. If a person experiences feelings of sadness or malaise which continue over a long period of time, it is likely that he or she suffers from some form of depression. Recognizing the symptoms of depression is the first step toward recovery....
Living with Depression
Depression > Living with Depression
Do Natural Stress, Anxiety and Depression Supplements Really Work?
Unfortunately, millions of Americans currently suffer from the debilitating effects of stress, anxiety, and depression. In the pharmaceutical industry, anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants are among the best-selling medications on the market. The everyday stressors faced by Americans have simply become too much for many to bear, and reasonably so. In recent years, taking an anti-anxiety medication or antidepressant has become as common as taking a multivitamin. However, the side effects and long-term effects of such medications were for the most part unknown until recently.
In the past year, some of the drastic negative effects of such medications have come to light, much to the horror of patients and physicians alike. Anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants have been linked to addiction, severe withdrawal, weight gain, vertigo, and even suicide and death. To treat the symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, without negative health implications, many are now...
Do Natural Stress, Anxiety and Depression Supplements Really Work?
Depression > Do Natural Stress, Anxiety and Depression Supplements Really Work?
3 Words That Relieve Stress, Depression & Anxiety
Copyright 2006 Christopher Green
One of the most common flawed modes of behavior performed by every sufferer who enters into a harrowing episode of stress, depression or anxiety concerns the words they use to describe situations and events they are confronted with. In using powerful, emotive words, sufferers will trigger the fear response and the more they use such words, the worse their suffering gets.
Powerful, emotive words are part of everybody's vocabulary. Sometimes, we use powerful words when we lose our temper or we become angry and frustrated. In this state, we give vent to our feelings and the emotions within us have an outlet.
This is fine. For most people, once their emotions have been expressed, they return to their usual selves and life carries on as normal.
But it doesn't work like this if you are prone to stress, depression or anxiety.
In these states, sufferers will react negatively to every event they...
Depression > 3 Words That Relieve Stress, Depression & Anxiety
Faith and Depression
Publishing Guidelines: You have permission to publish thisarticle electronically or in print, free of charge, as longas the resource box is included with a live link to my site.A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.***********************************************************Title: Faith Healing and Depression?Author: E-mail: mailto:editor@overcoming-depression.comCopyright: by Web Address: http://www.Overcoming-Depression.comWord Count: 948Category: DEPRESSIONDon't worry, I'm not going to get in the pulpit but I willchallenge you to take an objective look at what faith maybe able to do for your depression. In doing so, we'll belooking at many people who use faith in different ways.Did you know that someone who practices healing touch, suchas Reiki, which is simply prayer by channeling God's loveand healing energy, can help a hospital patient's woundheal up to 5 times faster?Were you aware that the great majority of happily marriedcouples, couples married 50 years and...
Faith and Depression
Depression > Faith and Depression
Anxiety Depression
Anxiety and Depression are basically two forms of behavioral disorders. These disorders are common in men and women feeling alienated from the social world around them. Anxiety is a form of mental disorder caused by emotional disturbance, though Depression is a form of a psychological problem caused due to chemical imbalance in the brain. Anxiety, Depression and other forms of phobias are described as psychological phenomenon in our medical science. Anxiety and Depression are two forms of behavioral imbalances with different set of symptoms.
Feeling of hopelessness, negativity, lack of concentration, feeling of guilt and decrease in energy are some common symptoms of Depression. While, tension about day to day works, dizziness, nausea, difficulty in breathing and light headedness are few common symptoms of Anxiety. Anxiety and Depression are not something without treatment. These problems can be coped up with proper medication and control over diet. Lots of therapies can be brought...
Anxiety Depression
Depression > Anxiety Depression
Overcome Your Winter Depression
In North America, it is estimated that 50 to 60 percent of the population is affected by winter depression. There is a broad spectrum of symptoms that arise, from a change in sleep patterns and weight gain, to overwhelming suicidal thoughts and the unfortunate results. This means about half of the people you know are depressed in the wintertime!
Wintertime depression is most common north and south of the equator. People who live near the equator have a very low incidence of winter depression.
The reason for this is they live where there are enough daylight hours to avoid triggering the hormone imbalance that causes depression.
What matters is the length of the day (daylight hours), not the weather.
Depression in the winter is called "Seasonal Affective Disorder."
People who live in northern climates suffer because of the seasonally shortened days. Just as trees lose their leaves when the days shorten, people lose their happiness....
Depression > Overcome Your Winter Depression
The Economics of Generators: Why Now is a Great Time to Buy an Emergency Generator
Thinking about getting an emergency generator before the next power outage hits? You might be surprised that now is the best time to buy an emergency generator in more than a year. According to Jon Hoch, founder of Electric Generators Direct.com (http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com), an online generator superstore, emergency generator prices are influenced by the simple economics of supply and demand. "The best time to buy...
Depression In Light of Mental Health Awareness Month, Depression Author Asks, 'Are Self-Help Books Prolonging Your Depression?'
Depression > The Economics of Generators: Why Now is a Great Time to Buy an Emergency Generator
Payday Loans: Opportunity Or A Trap?
Payday loans offer you the opportunity to get the money that you need from your next paycheck today. This emergency opportunity to get money is not one that should be considered for regular expenses but for those times when something just comes up. Instead of being late on payments or not being able to get your car repaired, you can use a payday loan to cover your needs until your next paycheck arrives.
The good point about payday loans is that they are easy to get and offer the...
Depression > Payday Loans: Opportunity Or A Trap?
Cosmetic Chin Surgery The Final Facial Touch
When either cosmetic or plastic surgery are mentioned to us, our thoughts run immediately to breast implants or liposuction, but there are many other procedures available that although they might not receive the same attention of their more obvious counterparts can have a huge impact upon both the appearance and the self confidence of a patient. One of these unsung heroes is cosmetic chin surgery, which can exert a profound effect that belies the ease with which it can be performed. Cosmetic chin...
Depression
Depression > Cosmetic Chin Surgery The Final Facial Touch