What Makes A Depressed Person Want To Push You Away And Be Alone?
Depression causes a variety of reactions. The reactions may or may not be intended, real or imagined. With depression, certain chemicals in the brain become unstable, causing people to think rather irrationally. Many times, the sad feelings are so intense that for a lot of people, the only way to cope with them is to retreat themselves away from others or push their loved ones away.
Possible Reasons Why Depressed Persons Push Their Loved Ones Away
There could be several reasons why depressed individuals feel the need to push their loved ones away, among them:
- Depressed individuals are hopeless beyond hope that they feel nobody else can help them.
- There is a tendency to feel threatened or overwhelmed by the presence of loved ones.
- Depressed individuals love their family and loved ones so much that they would not want to drag them into the “mess” they feel they are in.
- In worse cases, severe depression can make people delusional and paranoid that they may see their loved ones as “enemies”.
While the tendency to push loved ones away is real, it does not mean that it is okay. If you are at the other end, allowing your loved one to push you away because he or she is suffering from depression will only bring more harm than good to both of you. Keep in mind that your “significant other” is at a very low point at the moment, and even though he or she may not realize it, your loved one actually needs your love and support.
Reversing Depression
Let your loved one know that you are not the type of person who will leave her in the dark nor are you someone who will just take no for an answer.
So here are some things you can try to do to reverse depression and make your loved one feel better:
- Stay with him/her while giving him/her space at the same time. Give him/her time to sort his/her emotions, but don’t let him/her mope. You don’t necessarily have to say anything. Just be there to hold his/her hand and to offer your shoulder when he/she needs to lean on to someone.
- Take your loved one somewhere fun. A park with a playground and children playing is a nice place to spend a cool afternoon. Watching kids play and hearing them laugh is very good to the senses. Who knows, you might actually get your loved one to smile.
- Get your loved one to eat ice cream. Who doesn’t love the thought of ice cream, especially on a sunny day? There’s something about ice cream that takes us back to the time when we were little kids, a time when we didn’t have a care in the world, a time when we didn’t have time to be sad.
- Watch DVDs. Spend all afternoon just watching light and funny flicks. As much as possible, have the lights on. Being in dark places will not do anything to lift the mood of your loved one.
- Keep in mind that depression should never last for more than a few days. If none of the above helps to reduce your loved one’s feeling of sadness and if your loved one is already exhibiting signs and symptoms that affect his/her health (not sleeping very well or sleeping too much, not eating or overeating, having palpitations and panic attacks ), do the next best thing – get your loved one to see a counselor or a therapist.
Untreated depression can progress into something much worse and you really don’t want that to happen. Even severe depression has good chances of getting healed completely if treatment has begun early on.
Most Depression Is Diet Related
It seems strange to think that depression is diet related. But it has been estimated that 90% of chronically depressed people are deficient in proper nutrition.
Depression is a serious and debilitating illness which can break families apart. It can cause problems at work and often leads to suicide. The trend is, alarmingly, on the rise.
Depletion of the neurotransmitter called norepinephrine can result in loss of alertness, a poor memory and clinical depression.
The medical solution is to prescribe anti-depressants. These not only take time to work, but are toxic in nature. They do not deal with the cause of depression. Side effects can be extremely unpleasant. And one of them compounds the depression, making it worse.
There are as many causes of depression as there are people with it, so this is a complicated area to venture into. Everyone needs a different solution, to match their individual needs. And the best way to resolve the cause of your depression, on an individual basis, is through homeopathic treatment.
However, there is also something you can do yourself. Dr Abram Hoffer and Dr Andrew Saul (author of Fire Your Doctor) have discovered that depression can be significantly improved, if not cured, by increasing your nutrient intake.
It has been said that the west has never been do well fed but so poorly nourished. Not only do most people lack the knowledge of good nutrition, the modern farming methods are focused on quantity rather than quality. However, there are ways around this.
The production of norepinephrine can be increased dramatically by increasing your levels of vitamin C and the vitamin B complex. However, before you rush out and buy these vitamins as supplements, you need to be aware of problems they can cause.
The majority of nutrient supplements on the market today are isolated and synthetic. They are made in a laboratory. They can give you a short term favourable result, but can be harmful in the long term. Your body does nor recognise nutrients in isolation as it has been designed to get all its nutrition from the perfect balance of healthy food.
All nutrients are co-dependent on a complex array of other nutrients. So your best source of perfect nutrition is to eat healthy foods. With 90% of depression diet related, discover the way to cure it, along with any other ailments, with healthy eating.
By the way, all medical drugs upset the absorption of nutrients, further compounding your depression.
How to Cope With Holiday Stress and Depression
The stress of the holidays triggers sadness and depression for many people. This time of year is especially difficult because there’s an expectation of feeling merry and generous. People compare their emotions to what they assume others are experiencing or what they’re supposed to feel and then think that they alone fall short. They judge themselves and feel like an outsider.
There are a host of things that add to stress and difficult emotions during the holidays.
- Finances. Not enough money or the fear of not having enough to buy gifts leads to sadness and guilt. The stress of financial hardship during this economic downturn is often compounded by shame. When you can’t afford to celebrate is can feel devastating.
- Stress. The stress of shopping and planning family dinners when you’re already overworked and tired.
- Loneliness. A whopping 43 percent of Americans are single, and 27 percent of Americans live alone. When others are with their families, it can be very painful for those who are alone. Seventeen percent of singles are over 65, when health, age, and mobility can make it more difficult to enjoy yourself.
- Grief. Missing a deceased loved one who won’t be joining you. Seniors have more reasons to grieve.
- Estrangement. When you’re not speaking to a relative, family get togethers can usher in feelings of sadness, guilt, resentment, or inner conflict about whether to communicate.
- Divorce. If you’re newly divorced, the holidays may remind you of happier times and accentuate your grief. It’s especially difficult for adult children of divorce who have to balance seeing two sets of parents. The stress is multiplied for married children who have three or even four sets of parents to visit.
- Pleasing. Trying to please all of your relatives – deciding what to get, whom to see, and what to do – can make you feel guilty and not enough, which leads to depression.
- SAD. Many people experience the blues during gloomy weather due to decreased sunlight, called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Much of the planning, shopping, and cooking is done by women, so they carry the greater burden in preparing for family gatherings. Women are at greater risk for depression. than men. They’re twice as likely to experience depression. After heart disease, depression is the most debilitating illness for women, while it’s tenth for men.
Some measures you can take to cope the holiday blues include:
- Make plans in advance, so you know how and with whom your holidays will be spent. Uncertainty and putting off decision-making add enormous stress.
- Shop early and allow time to wrap and mail packages to avoid the shopping crunch.
- Ask for help from your family and children. Women tend to think they have to do everything, when a team effort can be more fun.
- Don’t allow perfectionism to wear you down. Remember it’s being together and goodwill that matters.
- Make time to rest and rejuvenate even amidst the pressure of getting things done. This will give you more energy.
- Shame prevents people from being open about gift-giving when they can’t afford it. Instead of struggling to buy a gift, let your loved ones know how much you care and would like to, but can’t afford it. That intimate moment will relieve your stress and nourish you both.
- Spend time alone to reflect and grieve, if necessary. Pushing down feelings leads to depression. Let yourself feel. Then do something nice for yourself and socialize.
- Don’t isolate. Reach out to others who also may be lonely. If you don’t have someone to be with, volunteer to help those in need. It can be very uplifting and gratifying.
The signs of depression are feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and/or guilt, crying, loss of interest in usual activities, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, social withdrawal, and changes in sleep, weight, or appetite. If these symptoms are severe or continue for a few weeks, more than the holidays may be the cause. Seek professional help.
Depression Medication – Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Going on medication of any kind is a big step. Many people still see their doctor as an authority figure who should not be questioned. Consulting with your doctor or health professional on depression medication is especially difficult due to the stigma related to mental illness and the inherent vulnerability stemming from the subject matter. Below is a list of essential questions to ask your doctor before going on medication. Many people find it useful to print out the list and carry it with them. I would suggest writing down the answers. The amount of information given in a short consultation is hard to remember. If your doctor is unwilling or unable to answer the following questions I would suggest a second opinion. New drugs may be less familiar to them but there are many different ways they can access the information to answer your questions during your consultation. It’s a two way street, for doctors to make appropriate recommendations about medication they need all the facts about your symptoms and past medical history.
*What are the reasons for choosing this medication over other alternatives?
*What will the medication do?
*What are the side effects?
*How long will the side effects last?
*How long before it works?
*What is involved in coming off the drug?
*What are the other options?
*Are they any precautions? (e.g. other medications or previous illness)
It’s important to be aware that medication may give relief but the psychological and lifestyle factors that are contributing to depression still need to be addressed Medication may give you the motivation to attend to the problems that are holding you back from recovery. Remember it is your choice. You have the right to consult another doctor. To explore natural therapies. To change medication if after giving it a trial it’s not right for you
If you are still not sure do more research ask your pharmacist, naturopath, find reputable sources of information on the internet or ask your doctor for any written material they may have on the drug. Discuss it with trusted friends, you will be surprised once you start the conversation how many people have tried different medications at different times in their life. Their experience though individual and dependent on their particular situation is still valuable information to help you decide what is right for you. It may take some trial and error and some patience but if you find something that helps you get your life back on track then its worth it.
How to Combat Postpartum Depression
Do you think you have postpartum depression? Don’t worry because there is nothing wrong with you. Postpartum depression affects most mothers, especially new moms. It is also commonly known as “baby blues” and it is caused by the sudden changes in your hormones. Most women experience the symptoms of postpartum depression for about a week; however, it can also last longer in some women.
Before you learn about how to combat postpartum blues, it is very helpful for you to learn how to identify its symptoms. These symptoms are quite similar to that of normal depression; however, they do not last very long. Usually mothers with post partum depression often are irritable which is why they can get easy angry and upset by even the smallest things. Exhaustion is also very common. Also, they also tend to pull away from their baby. They may even try to ignore their responsibilities as a mother and have someone else take care of their baby. One reason for this is that they get anxious about how well they can do their responsibilities and they are afraid that they will just harm their baby. This can even resort to panic attacks.
Other symptoms for postpartum depression include changes in appetite, sleep pattern disturbances, low libido, and fatigue. A confirmatory sign is an unexplainable constant feeling of sadness or guilt.
If you do have postpartum blues, there are several ways to combat it, so don’t worry.
- The first thing to do is to take care of yourself and you should start with getting enough rest and sleep. Lack of quality rest can lead to irritability and fatigue.
- Another way to combat postpartum depression is to express your feelings. It will help give you peace of mind and help lessen the stress and anxiety you feel. Talking to someone about may seem very basic, but it really does help. Sometimes all you really need is someone to be there for you. Try talking to someone you can easily relate with, or someone that has also been through the baby blues.
- If you have a therapist, then you can talk to him as well. While medications are also available for treating postpartum depression, most physicians will tell you that regular counselling is still the most effective treatment for helping women cope with their depression.
- If counselling doesn’t work, antidepressants are prescribed to help new mothers overcome postpartum depression. Other doctors also prescribe psychotherapy such as the Emotional Freedom Technique which uses both psychology and acupuncture.
If you are pregnant and are worried about postpartum depression, don’t be. There are several ways of combating it. Another good thing is that not all pregnancies will result to it. Not all mothers will experience it, and even if you get it when you deliver your first baby, it doesn’t mean that you will also experience it on your next pregnancy. Postpartum depression is easily treatable, so get treated as early as you can. Don’t wait until it gets out of control before you start doing something about it.
The Brain, Use It or Lose It
This old, but true saying applies to our body the same way. Centuries ago, during a more unsanitary time, our gallbladder had a major role in fighting germs and food breakdown. Now, due to proper cooking of foods, the gallbladder has become unused, unneeded, and has deteriorated in size and function.
The human body is very adaptable and has the potential to adapt according to our environment given enough time. Modern times, especially since the industrial revolution, have created something that the human body has found itself incapable of adapting to. The demands of a faster paced society, deadlines, and a state of always being in a hurry have destroyed our body’s harmony. Your body and brain has been programmed to run at a faster speed than was intended. We don’t take time to properly rest and give the brain time to properly reflect on activities before the next has started. To make things worse, we rely on modern conveniences and have become less physically active.
The brain in ways is a super computer controlling and regulating every aspect of our body. Our body is loaded with safety programs, just like a computer. The presence or lack of a hormone tells the brain to turn on or off something else. What happens to your computer if the firewall gets turned off? It becomes vulnerable to attacks. The brain is no different; it has its own firewall called serotonin (natural shield). Serotonin, at normal levels, creates a natural shield that protects us from falling apart and is produced during exercise. While indulging ourselves with all the modern conveniences and becoming less active we have been training our brains to produce less and less serotonin.
As we replace our serotonin, we are in fact building up mental/spiritual roadblocks. These roadblocks affect our ability to think clearly and allow for fear and doubt to control our decisions and actions.
The absence of, or low serotonin levels have disarmed our firewall making our brains very vulnerable to depression, stress, and anxiety. To further complicate the problem, we as a society have begun relying on antidepressants to replace the role of our serotonin.
As we slowly replace our serotonin with pharmaceuticals we send the message to our brain that we need less and less so the brain produces less. This in turn causes us to require larger doses or stronger pharmaceuticals to make us feel better.
As our brains slowly stop producing serotonin, and has been replaced with pharmaceuticals there comes a point where the brain forgets how to make its own serotonin.
Have we reached a point where some may say they don’t need it? We have food processing companies so we don’t need our gallbladder. We have pharmaceutical companies so we don’t need serotonin.
Therapeutic levels of serotonin can be rebuilt through a carefully planned fitness approach such as the W.A.R. (worry, adrenaline, rest) method from Building The Temple Therapeutic Fitness program.
The solution is within our lifestyle changes. Exercise and being active produces serotonin. Medications for mood stabilization should only be used for short periods of time to avoid dependency. Usage during the period of exercising to build up serotonin levels is ideal, but should be stopped when a therapeutic serotonin level has been achieved. This should only be done under the supervision of a physician.
Are Anti-Depression Lights Really Effective Against Depression?
Are you one of those people who become depressed as the winter months approach and we have less daylight hours to look forward to? If so, you may be suffering from SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Essentially, this is a condition in which prolonged exposure to an environment with few hours of light leads to feelings of depression. However, SAD is a specialized form of depression. Many who show no signs of depression during the spring and summer months when the number of sunlight hours is at its peak, suddenly find themselves feeling depressed as winter approaches.
But, the really interesting thing about this type of depression is the discovery of one of the most effective treatments that researchers have discovered to combat it – light therapy. The theory behind light therapy is simple. It is that the moods of a certain percentage of the population is inordinately affected by the amount of daylight that they receive each day. This phenomenon of light having an impact on mood has been firmly established during multiple research studies since the nineteen eighties.
The reason for this is found in a hormone called melatonin. Most people know melatonin as the hormone that helps to regulate the sleep cycle. When it gets dark, the body naturally produces more of this hormone which helps the person sleep better. However, melatonin can also directly affect mood. And, in certain people, when the levels of this hormone in the body rise over a certain threshold – it causes them to become depressed. Many people experience this as “cabin fever”. Others refer to it as winter depression. And the effect on the body is real.
Studies seem to show that sunlight cause melatonin in the body to be produced at a lower rate. So, as spring rolls around, and the person is receiving more sunlight, his melatonin reserves are reduced and the depression seems to magically go away.
Having proven the connection between daylight and depression, the next step, of course, was to see if the effect of natural daylight could be simulated to produce the same effect. And, much to the researchers delight, it could be. It was found that if a patient spent a certain amount of time in the presence of the anti-depression lights, the body was fooled into slowing its production of melatonin and the depression disappeared.
This is a godsend for those suffering from SAD and looking for a natural way to treat their depression. Even though it is natural, however, it is best to receive this treatment from a medical professional who can work with you to determine the precise levels of light that you need to help control your moods.
Depression, Stress, Anxiety, And Our Inability to Cope
Once considered a taboo subject, now is being discussed more openly due to television talk shows. We have devised several methods to combat this disease of modern times. Barriers are being broken down and more people are openly seeking medical health.
Family physicians have taken the first line of defense by prescribing mild antidepressants all the way to Zanax. These prescriptions are usually written after other stress related health problems have been identified. Psychiatrists and counselors only enter the scene after the family physician has had little or no progress.
Either way treatment focuses on medication, lying on the couch, or both. In a way this is much like taking antacids for a stomach ulcer. It knocks down the acid, but the pain and problems go on.
To properly treat this epidemic proportion health problem of our time, we first need to understand where it originates from. There are many credible Psychiatrists and counselors capable of helping you with identifying your stress or worry triggers.
Identifying these triggers as some would have you believe is your goal, so as to control them. Knowing your stress/worry triggers serve no other point than to assist you with avoiding them.
Common sense tells me that if I have chest pain, I need to have my heart checked. Depression, stress, and anxiety being from the mind lets me know to look at the brain. The Problem here is no one wants to admit to a problem in the brain. It is one of those things that society looks at differently.
Keep in mind there are many different types of problems with the brain. There is a huge difference between an organic problem in the brain and a chemical imbalance. Serotonin is the brains natural shield; it literally is the magic chemical that holds our mind together. Some of us have limited amounts of serotonin while others have an abundance. Also among those with limited and abundant amounts of serotonin have different life experiences that help develop their coping skills.
Low serotonin levels in the brain set the environment for depression, stress, or anxiety to occur. With a lowered serotonin level even a person with a variety of life experiences to pull from could become susceptible.
Serotonin is produced within the brain as a result of physical exercise. Although any kind of exercise will produce serotonin, aerobic is slightly preferred because of the increased blood flow to the brain.
When you suffer from depression, stress, or anxiety it can be difficult to see the path to good health, or even how to make it through some life issues. The hardest part could be realizing the path you are on. You have to exercise long enough to train your brain to produce adequate levels of serotonin to stabilize your brains natural shield. The stabilization process could take as long as three months of physical activity at a frequency of three times per week. The alternative is to stay on your present course and rely on pharmaceutical treatment.
The down side to pharmaceutical treatments is with time they require higher doses or adjusting to stronger pharmaceuticals. As the body becomes more reliable on pharmaceuticals the body becomes more reliant upon them due to producing less, and less serotonin.
Choosing the appropriate type of exercise program is just as important as choosing to exercise in itself. The W.A.R. (worry, adrenaline, rest) method of Building Thee Temple Therapeutic Fitness is the only fitness program to offer such an approach.
Physical exercise is not offering the only reasonable solution but can also improve your overall health. It would be wise to discuss the use of mood stabilizing pharmaceuticals during the serotonin stabilization process with your physician.
Fight Depression With Folic Acid Pills
Being unhappy can lead to a variety of other problems. People’s performance at work is affected. Their family life doesn’t go too well. If this mind disease is not treated in time, it could really endanger a person’s life. Being around a depressed person too is not very pleasant. Mood swing is a symptom of a person falling into depression. This is usually caused due to a deficiency in folic acid. Folic acid is just another name for Vitamin B complex. This is found in a variety of food items, and a deficiency in such a vitamin juts means that you are not eating food that is rich in this acid. As you may have heard a million times before, a deficiency in even a single nutrient in the body causes the body to fail to function at its best. Vitamins are just a tiny part of the list of nutrients that body needs. Every nutrient deficiency has a different effect on the body and a deficiency in folic acid causes depression and mood swings. To take care of this, a simple way is to consume appropriate supplements.
Determining the nutritional needs of your body
A person can best judge when he is lacking a particular nutrient. He need not necessarily know which one it is, but he will know that there is something wrong. A deficiency causes the body to be functional improperly. There are very symptoms for a deficiency of the various minerals and vitamins. Minerals and vitamins are essential even for the slightest movements you make in a day, and you will be well aware that they are lacking in your body when parts of it fails to function properly. You need to constantly keep a check on the nutritional needs of your body. This way, you can avoid health problems as well. In case you are not aware or familiar with the symptoms, you could also visit a doctor or a physician about the same. They are the best people to help you and guide you through the process.
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Finding a suitable multivitamin
Usually, the best vitamin supplements are the ones that have all the essential nutrients that are required by the body. However, in case such as a person suffering from depression, it is best that he or she looks for a product that has a rich quantity of folic acid. These are usually available in pills. Pills are actually the best for of supplements. You can carry them around without the fear of them breaking or spilling. You could also take them at your convenience. An important point you must keep in mind is that if you are suffering from depression and under any prescribes medication; consult your doctor first before taking folic acid products to improve your condition. This could have a negative reaction on your health. Apart from that, buy products only from sources you can rely and are sure about. This why, you can rest assured that you are not being provided with goods that are of poor quality. Poor quality products can cause more damage.
Folic acid supplements need to be taken only in controlled dosage. Don’t overdo it. Of course, the natural intake of vitamin B through appropriate food is the best way of staying away from deficiency. However, yes, there are people who do not have the time or resources to meet such requirements. So, product rich in folic acid is the ideal substitution. These pills also enhance the functioning of your brain. Pills that are made from herbal extracts are the best as they are in the most natural form. A folic acid pill a day keeps depression away!
Natural Treatment for Depression
Depression is an insidious mental illness that leaves its sufferers without energy or emotion. Often, people who are depressed will not even be aware of the change in their attitudes, emotions and behaviors. They are only aware of an increasing apathy and lack of pleasure in life.
In addition to the emotional impact, there are a number of common symptoms in depression. These symptoms include loss of appetite, sleep problems (both difficulty falling asleep and sleeping excessively), lack of interest in regular hobbies and pastimes, and difficulty concentrating.
What many people do not realize is that depression is a destructive illness. It destroys lives, friendships and families. People who are unfamiliar with depression may blame the victim for his or her illness. Even those who understand that depression is truly an illness, may eventually stop trying to interact with someone who is depressed, because they feel like there is nothing they can do.
This can leave a depressed person in an even worse position, with no support from family or friends, often feeling as if it is their fault, and at the same time convinced there is nothing they can do about it.
And that is probably the worst thing about depression. It destroys the hope and belief that it is possible to get better.
Luckily, it is definitely possible to get better. There are a number of treatments for depression that can help. Something that a depressed person can do to help themselves is to discover homeopathy, which is a natural treatment for ill health, including depression.
Homeopathy has many benefits for people suffering from depression. Unlike traditional medications for depression, it has no side effects; and it begins to work almost immediately.
This natural treatment for depression can be used at home or a professional homeopath can help develop a plan for a more in depth healing. Plus, because it doesn’t have any dangerous side effects, it can be taken as long as necessary and stopped whenever it is no longer needed.
The holistic nature of homeopathy means that it can address both mental/emotional and physical causes of depression, allowing healing to be complete.
Depression is not something anyone should have to live with. If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, consider a natural treatment for depression with homeopathy to help heal and recover the life they love.
Oh – and a nice bonus! Using homeopathy as a natural treatment for depression is very economical. Homeopathy is a cost effective treatment that returns great results without a huge expense.