Greetings!
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| Not Feeling Like Yourself? You Could Be Experiencing Symptoms of Depression |
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October is Depression Awareness Month. Take
Advantage of the Many Resources Available to Get
Your Life Back on Track.
Are you having a difficult time getting motivated? Do
you find that getting through the day and dealing with
other people can be too much to handle sometimes?
If you're not fully enjoying your life, being productive at
work, or getting the most out of your relationships, you
could be suffering from depression. People who feel
stressed, tired, irritable, or blue don't always realize
that these can be symptoms of depression.
Even mild depression can make a major
difference in the way you feel about yourself and
others, and how well you are able to function
throughout the day.
What Causes Depression?
Depression can be caused by family or work issues,
stress, medical problems, medication side effects, or
a chemical imbalance in the brain. Depression also
occurs along with many other chronic illnesses and
conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity,
eating disorders, and so on. An important first step is
to talk to your doctor about your symptoms to see if
there may be a medical condition that is causing or
contributing to the difficulties you are experiencing.
How to Get Help
Depression can be effectively treated with both
medication and psychotherapy. Your doctor may
prescribe an antidepressant medication and
recommend that you see a psychotherapist. You can
also use tools to help yourself, including an online,
interactive program such as Defeating Depression.
The program can help you identify the cause of your
depression and work on the symptoms that are most
difficult for you. When choosing a psychotherapist, be
sure to schedule an appointment and interview the
therapist to see if he or she is a good fit for you. The
Defeating Depression program teaches you how to
find a good therapist (and how to spot a bad one!) and
provides you with a list of questions to ask.
Put it in Perspective
If you are one of the millions of people who suffer from
depression each day, you may wonder if you caused
your depression or why you can't figure it out for
yourself. You didn't cause your depression, but you
can take steps to overcome it and start feeling better.
Take advantage of the help that is available. Be proud
of yourself for each step you take, and enjoy your
progress along the way.
It's your life - you deserve to enjoy it!
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| Does Someone You Care About Seem Depressed? |
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Free, Confidential Online
Help for
You
When someone you care about suffers from
depression, you may feel a range of painful emotions,
including fear, anxiety, sadness, frustration, guilt, or
anger.
Caring for Your Depressed Love One is a
free and confidential online program for family and
friends who want to learn more, obtain support, and
help someone who is suffering from depression.
This free program is available 24
hours a day, so you can use it at a time and place that
is convenient for you.
Learn More
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| Ask
Dr. B: Help - My Wife is a Pack Rat! |
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Dear Dr. B.:
My wife has been a pack rat as long as I've known
her. I've tried to be patient with her, but it seems to be
getting worse the past few years, especially since our
kids moved out of the house. She doesn't seem to
throw anything away. The list of things she saves
goes on and on - old magazines and newspapers,
empty spools of thread, pens that don't work anymore,
etc., etc. My wife admits that she's never going to use
most of the stuff she saves, but she says she can't
help it.
A few years ago, out of self-defense, I rented a cubicle
in one of those storage places, and moved a bunch of
her stuff into it. Now the house is filling up again, and
I feel like I can't breathe. I'd like to put a dumpster in
the driveway and fill it up to the top, but I know my wife
would freak out if I threw anything away. I love her
dearly, but I can't take living in this clutter. Why does
she do this? Is there anything I can do?
- Frank G.
Dear Frank;
It sounds like your wife has a serious problem with
hoarding. In the mental health field, hoarding is
considered a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder,
an anxiety-related problem. The disorder follows the
pattern you have described, in that the person hoards
things because throwing them away causes too much
anxiety.
I have found that compulsions and addictions
sometimes can become worse when an individual's
life has less structure or purpose, during retirement or
periods of unemployment, or when one's children
leave home.
Renting a storage compartment was a creative way of
addressing the problem, but as you can see, it was
only a stop-gap solution. It was only a matter of time
before your wife's hoarding filled up the space around
you again. If you moved to a larger home, she would
likely fill that up as well.
Fortunately, your wife does not have to be saddled
with this problem for the rest of her life.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been found to be
effective for symptoms of obsessive-compulsive
disorder, including compulsive hoarding. Certain
medications may also be helpful. In your wife's case,
treatment would involve "response prevention" -
learning to resist the urge to hoard, while developing
the skills to handle the anxiety she will experience if
she begins throwing things away. Response
prevention will only work if your wife buys into it, and
takes control of the situation. Consequently, filling up
a dumpster, as tempting as it may be, is not going to
solve the problem unless it is your wife who
initiates it.
You and your wife need to begin a dialogue about this
problem. It is important for you to express to her, in a
non-blaming way, how the clutter in the house is
affecting you. I am assuming from your description of
the situation that your wife knows she has a problem,
but does not know what to do about it. Let her know
that there is effective treatment out there for her
problem, and ask her what you can do to assist her in
finding help. Since you are an integral part of this
situation, it is likely that you will be involved in her
treatment as well.
Dr. Richard Bedrosian is a clinical psychologist,
founder of MySelfHelp.com, Associate
in Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts
Medical School, and author of "Treating Family of
Origin Problems: A Cognitive Approach".
Send your
questions for Dr. B. to
info@myselfhelp.com. You will remain anonymous if
your question is printed in an upcoming newsletter.
We regret that we cannot answer every question we
receive.
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| Eating Disorders Come in All Shapes and Sizes: NEDA Annual Conference This Week |
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
will hold its annual conference on October 4-6 in San
Diego.
The NEDA Conference is the only national conference
in the field especially designed to address the needs
of families, as well as provide updates for treatment
professionals and educators. This event brings
people together, fosters connections, and offers
information in a welcoming environment.
The 2007 NEDA Conference program offers two entire
tracks of sessions for family members, one for
families newer to the illness and another for families
who want advanced information and skills.
Workshops will include topics such as understanding
the causes and treatments of eating disorders, the
basics of managing a child's illness, preparing for
inpatient admission and discharge, understanding
the stages of recovery, and much more.
NEDA is dedicated to expanding public understanding
and prevention of eating disorders and promoting
access to quality treatment for those affected along
with support for their families through education,
advocacy and research.
To learn more about the NEDA and the annual
conference, go to www.NationalEatingDisorders.org
Learn More
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Improve Your Sleep: Improve Your Life |
If you suffer from sleep problems, you know how
frustrating it can be to lie in bed worrying about your
ability to sleep, or how you will feel the next day if you
don't get enough sleep. Research has confirmed that
sleep plays a major role in an individual's physical
and mental health.
A good night's sleep can improve your life in many
ways, by helping you:
- Become more productive
- Feel more alert and energetic
- Better manage your stress
- Tackle difficult projects or situations
- Improve your outlook on life
- Boost your immune system
- Prevent work- and traffic-related accidents
Here are some steps you can take to improve your
sleep:
- Cut down on caffeine, especially after 2:00 in the
afternoon.
- Limit alcohol consumption.
- Don't eat a heavy meal before bed.
- Exercise 5-6 hours before you plan to go to sleep
to decrease the time it takes you to fall asleep. Do not
exercise too close to bedtime.
- Limit or avoid naps during the day
- Work on your sleep surroundings. Make sure your
bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet.
- Maintain a consistent sleep schedule by going to
bed and getting up at the same time each day.
- Avoid discussing or thinking about stressful
issues or situations close to bedtime.
- Use relaxation techniques such as deep muscle
relaxation at bedtime.
- Use your bed for sleep and sex only. Do not watch
television or work in bed.
If after trying some of theses suggestions on your own
you feel like you need more help, consider making an
appointment with a sleep therapist who uses
cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), or try Conquer Insomnia, an
online, interactive program that also uses a CBT
approach to improving sleep. Initial research studies
have shown positive results for individuals who used
this online program.
Learn more about the Conquer Insomnia Program
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