Comments on: Caring for Someone with Depression http://www.findingoptimism.com/blog/carers/caring-for-someone-with-depression/ A Positive Approach to Mental Health Sun, 05 Sep 2010 01:45:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Adam http://www.findingoptimism.com/blog/carers/caring-for-someone-with-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-1973 Adam Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:48:54 +0000 http://www.findingoptimism.com/?p=162#comment-1973 Josie, I, on the other hand find it interesting that in Europe - not just UK - anxiety and depression are not treated as illness and just "mood changes". That's wrong. I met depressed Europeans that were unable to get better for 5+ years but after moving to USA they improved within a year thanks to meds+therapy. I don't like meds, but certain illnesses can't be healed without them. And severe depression and anxiety are a real illnesses: certain chemicals in your brain are out-of-balance and that can't be cured by therapy alone. I tried everything from exercise, yoga, meditation, dieting, maintaining diary, talking, light therapy to hiking. biking, hobbies and I was progressively getting worse, if it wasn't for medications I would eventually expire, I'm afraid. Of course meds alone are not the answer either. They have to be dosed responsibly and minimally and they have to be custom-picked for a given person by a trained psychiatrist not an internist, which unfortunately happens in USA: they're quick to prescribe Lexapro and Ambien. Meds have to be combined with behavioral therapy, self-observation and both mental and physical exercise. Of course, proper diagnosis and observation is required: periodic, non-accute, and non-chronic depression and anxiety can be treated, particularly in early stages, by behavioral therapy and self-observation. Depression related to sudden catastrophic life events, for instance, (post-traumatic, post-surgery) even if person has no history of any mental disorders can't often be treated without meds. The same goes for chronic depression: if a person wasn't able to snap out of it for years, they may not be able to do so without medications. In Europe, particularly Eastern countries, depression and anxiety is often not even recognized properly or even not taken seriously yet, there is no awareness. People are often labeled "weird", "bad" or "crazy". And a person seeing psychiatrist often ends up being "crazy" too. Therefore, people are refraining from seeing one in fears of being rejected and ridiculed by their friends. It's like cold versus flu, they may have similar symptoms: one will usually recover from a cold without medications, but flu may require drugs or a person of weaker health may die from common flu. Anyway, I'm really glad I found this program and I wish I found it sooner, During my therapy my doctor gave me homework that involved tracking daily patterns of sleep and behavior and I still take notes and this app will help organize it all:) Thanks! Adam Josie, I, on the other hand find it interesting that in Europe – not just UK – anxiety and depression are not treated as illness and just “mood changes”. That’s wrong. I met depressed Europeans that were unable to get better for 5+ years but after moving to USA they improved within a year thanks to meds+therapy. I don’t like meds, but certain illnesses can’t be healed without them.

And severe depression and anxiety are a real illnesses: certain chemicals in your brain are out-of-balance and that can’t be cured by therapy alone. I tried everything from exercise, yoga, meditation, dieting, maintaining diary, talking, light therapy to hiking. biking, hobbies and I was progressively getting worse, if it wasn’t for medications I would eventually expire, I’m afraid. Of course meds alone are not the answer either. They have to be dosed responsibly and minimally and they have to be custom-picked for a given person by a trained psychiatrist not an internist, which unfortunately happens in USA: they’re quick to prescribe Lexapro and Ambien. Meds have to be combined with behavioral therapy, self-observation and both mental and physical exercise. Of course, proper diagnosis and observation is required: periodic, non-accute, and non-chronic depression and anxiety can be treated, particularly in early stages, by behavioral therapy and self-observation. Depression related to sudden catastrophic life events, for instance, (post-traumatic, post-surgery) even if person has no history of any mental disorders can’t often be treated without meds. The same goes for chronic depression: if a person wasn’t able to snap out of it for years, they may not be able to do so without medications. In Europe, particularly Eastern countries, depression and anxiety is often not even recognized properly or even not taken seriously yet, there is no awareness. People are often labeled “weird”, “bad” or “crazy”. And a person seeing psychiatrist often ends up being “crazy” too. Therefore, people are refraining from seeing one in fears of being rejected and ridiculed by their friends.

It’s like cold versus flu, they may have similar symptoms: one will usually recover from a cold without medications, but flu may require drugs or a person of weaker health may die from common flu.

Anyway, I’m really glad I found this program and I wish I found it sooner, During my therapy my doctor gave me homework that involved tracking daily patterns of sleep and behavior and I still take notes and this app will help organize it all:)

Thanks!

Adam

]]> By: Depressed Man http://www.findingoptimism.com/blog/carers/caring-for-someone-with-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-1964 Depressed Man Thu, 25 Sep 2008 02:41:34 +0000 http://www.findingoptimism.com/?p=162#comment-1964 In response to the previous comment, diet has helped me a lot in treating my depression. Avoiding the high GI foods and staying on healthy nutrient rich, antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables has seen my energy levels soar. And as we all know, the more energy you have, the less depression can affect your life. In response to the previous comment, diet has helped me a lot in treating my depression. Avoiding the high GI foods and staying on healthy nutrient rich, antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables has seen my energy levels soar. And as we all know, the more energy you have, the less depression can affect your life.

]]> By: Kellen http://www.findingoptimism.com/blog/carers/caring-for-someone-with-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-1963 Kellen Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:17:46 +0000 http://www.findingoptimism.com/?p=162#comment-1963 This is an excellent article. I would only add diet. So many folks with depression try to use sugar, simple carbs and caffeine to lift their mood and energy levels. But what goes up must come down and they end up with a crash when these foods/chemicals wear off. A healthy diet of complex carbs and quality proteins will provide the body with the chemciials it needs to make more Serotonin and lift the mood naturally without those sugar/caffeine rushes - or the crashes that follow. This is an excellent article. I would only add diet. So many folks with depression try to use sugar, simple carbs and caffeine to lift their mood and energy levels. But what goes up must come down and they end up with a crash when these foods/chemicals wear off. A healthy diet of complex carbs and quality proteins will provide the body with the chemciials it needs to make more Serotonin and lift the mood naturally without those sugar/caffeine rushes – or the crashes that follow.

]]> By: phd in yogurtry http://www.findingoptimism.com/blog/carers/caring-for-someone-with-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-1961 phd in yogurtry Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:51:34 +0000 http://www.findingoptimism.com/?p=162#comment-1961 Educating oneself in order to understand - that is a biggie. Understand and empathize rather than blame. Great list. Educating oneself in order to understand – that is a biggie. Understand and empathize rather than blame. Great list.

]]> By: Josie http://www.findingoptimism.com/blog/carers/caring-for-someone-with-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-1952 Josie Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:55:19 +0000 http://www.findingoptimism.com/?p=162#comment-1952 The thing that i find interesting about this blog is the US view of mental illness (particularly depression) is much more medicalised and illness-based than it is in the UK (where i'm from). Here it's discouraged to view depression as an illness, but more of a life-stage or an emotion. Psychiatric professionals avoid labels at all costs - "Major depressive disorder" is referred to as "low mood" or "sadness" predominantly, and the label of illness is challenged. I see there's things wrong and right with both points of view, but i wonder with the US view - does it make a sense of hopelessness and helplessness? "I have an illness therefore there's nothing i can do about it and you have to attend to my every need!". It's better than feeling guilty for not "pulling yourself together", but sometimes i worry that it's almost taken too seriously. The thing that i find interesting about this blog is the US view of mental illness (particularly depression) is much more medicalised and illness-based than it is in the UK (where i’m from). Here it’s discouraged to view depression as an illness, but more of a life-stage or an emotion. Psychiatric professionals avoid labels at all costs – “Major depressive disorder” is referred to as “low mood” or “sadness” predominantly, and the label of illness is challenged.
I see there’s things wrong and right with both points of view, but i wonder with the US view – does it make a sense of hopelessness and helplessness? “I have an illness therefore there’s nothing i can do about it and you have to attend to my every need!”. It’s better than feeling guilty for not “pulling yourself together”, but sometimes i worry that it’s almost taken too seriously.

]]> By: ellen http://www.findingoptimism.com/blog/carers/caring-for-someone-with-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-1948 ellen Sun, 14 Sep 2008 04:30:51 +0000 http://www.findingoptimism.com/?p=162#comment-1948 what a breath of fresh air to read your suggestions....thanks what a breath of fresh air to read your suggestions….thanks

]]> By: Joylene http://www.findingoptimism.com/blog/carers/caring-for-someone-with-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-1944 Joylene Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:08:20 +0000 http://www.findingoptimism.com/?p=162#comment-1944 an awesome and helpful article.... thanks! an awesome and helpful article…. thanks!

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