Holiday Stress Relief

Holidays can be a stressful time. Family get-togethers, shopping, food preparations, big meals–all can result in stress. The holidays don’t need to take a toll on your health, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
Keep an eye out for over-spending and over-commitment, and take care of yourself, says Dr. Joann Schaefer, the state’s Chief Medical Officer.
"If you are having a lot of stress at one period of time, break away, take a walk, take a breath, have a laugh, and enjoy the holidays with your family," she says.
Also, take care of yourself by getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night and keeping up your exercise schedule.
"If you can just get 10 minutes in for a walk, that’s really helpful," Dr. Schaefer says.

Depressed And Angry? It's Your Nerves

There are several types of depressive disorders: major depression, dysthymia and bipolar disorder.
Depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat and enjoy activities that were once pleasurable. A disabling episode of depression may occur only once in a lifetime, but typically occurs several times.
Dysthymia is a less severe form of depression, including chronic symptoms that do not disable, but which interfere with the operation and welfare of the individual. Many patients with dysthymia may also experience severe depression symptoms sometime during their life.
The third type of depression is manifested in bipolar disorder. This is not as common as the other depressive disorders and is characterized by cyclical changes in mood: phases of high or euphoric mood (mania) and low phases of mind (depression). These changes can be rapid or gradual. When a person is in the depressive phase he may have one or several various types of depressive disorders. When he or she is in the manic phrase, he may be hyperactive, talking excessively with lots of energy. Mania affects thinking and behavior. It can get the patient in a serious trouble.
Causes Of Depression
It's not only a biological predisposition in the case of bipolar disorder. Stress, family problems, work or study, loss of a loved one contribute triggering the disease. Problems in personal relationships, economic hardship or any stressful situation, hidden or obvious, also contribute in triggering depressive episodes.
People with low self-esteem see themselves and the world as a pessimists. With this weakness in their psychological structure, always from a traumatic childhood, they are easily overwhelmed by stress and are predisposed to depression.
Physical illnesses can also lead to mental problems. Diseases such as heart attacks and cancers can produce a depressive disorder. The ill person feels depressed and apathetic and desires to meet their own physical needs, thus prolonging the recovery period.
Depression in Women
Depression in women is almost double the proportion of men. It is because of the changes produced by the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, abortion, postpartum, premenopause and menopause. Women may have more stress because of the responsibilities of childcare, household maintenance and work. Some women have a greater burden of responsibility for being single mothers or taking care of elderly parents.
Depression in Men
The man tends to be more reluctant to admit that they have depression. Therefore, diagnosis may be more difficult to do. Depression can also affect the physical health of men, although in a different way than in women. Recent studies indicate that depression in men is associated with a higher risk of heart attacks and with a high death rate.
Depression in Children
Depression in children began to be recognized recently. The child can pretend to be physically sick, refuse to go to school, not wanting to separate from parents or express fear that a parent may die. An older child may show excessive moodiness, school problems or feel misunderstood by indiscipline.
Depression in Elderly
When an older person becomes depressed, his or her depression sometimes erroneously is considered a normal part of aging. Depression in the elderly, if not diagnosed or treated, causes unnecessary suffering for themselves and their families.
Alternatives
Introspective therapies, indicated for treating depression, are designed to help patients solve their current and past conflicts. For best results, patients may require medication along with psychotherapy or before.

Michael Savage Autism Assessment

Michael Savage spoke of autism that made national headlines. On his nationally syndicated radio show, Michael Savage claimed that autism is “[a] fraud, a racket. … I’ll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it’s a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out. That’s what autism is.”
Two of my worlds have collided – Talk radio, in which I have made my living… and autism, which has had a profound and lasting impact on my family. Please give me a minute and a half of your time and listen to Michael Savage on Autism.
For those of you who don’t follow talk radio, Michael Savage is a nationally syndicated radical host who has made his living trying to offend as many people as possible, and now autism and autistic children. He considers himself a conservative, but honestly, to call him conservative is to give real conservatives a bad name. Savage largely exists to hurt people. A protest will be held in New York today, as parents of children with autism picket WOR radio in New York and demand that Savage be pulled from the air. I sympathize with those well-intentioned folks, but I think they are making a mistake.
The Michael Savages of the talk world thrive on controversy. It is the fuel that keeps their shows alive, and the spark that prompts more listeners to tune in and see what outrageous garbage will spew from their pie holes next. If Savage is pulled from this station today, he’ll be on two new stations tomorrow.
No, this is yet another lesson that we learned in kindergarten that still applies today. If everyone just ignored Michael Savage, he would eventually go away. Or better yet – have a good chuckle at his expense. Imagine Savage walking a mile in your shoes – as the parent of an autistic child himself or someone suffering from autism.
The belly laugh that that thought produces may just get this parent through the day.

More than Half of Patients Give Up Early On Anti-depression Treatment

Despite recent research that indicates that prescriptions written for antidepressants have doubled in the past decade, a new study has found that more than half of those prescribed the medications give up on their treatment in less than six months.

Only One in Five Properly Completes Treatment

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of the 2.4 billion drugs prescribed in 2005, 118 million were for antidepressants. Depression is the fourth leading cause of disability and premature death worldwide, states the World Health Organization.
Between 2003 and 2007, researchers from the Catalan Institute of Health (ICS) and the IDIAP Jordi Gol Primary Care Research Institute followed more than 7,500 patients who were started on anti-depression treatments. Catalina Serna, co-author of the study, reports that 56% of patients stopped taking their medication during the first four months, the “acute stage of depression.” Less than 25% of the study participants continued their treatment for a full year.
Men were more likely to give up treatment early than women. 50% of men gave up their medication after only two months of therapy. The minimum period recommended for treating severe depression is six months.
Depression in itself is a risk factor for medical non-compliance. A research study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that depressed patients do not complete medical treatments because they are looking for immediate results. Side effects from anti-depressants may also be a cause of discontinuing therapy.
Patients who are considering cessation of anti-depressant medications should fully discuss symptoms, side effects and alternative therapies with their physicians. MedicalDaily offers the following lifestyle changes that may also be helpful in the management of depression:
• Cultivate supportive relationships with trusted friends and family members.
• Keep up with social activities despite the desire to isolate yourself.
• Join a support group for encouragement and coping advice.
• Maintain a healthful lifestyle including diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep.
• Minimize stressful situations.