Trying to Connect Depression and Foreclosure Notice
Millions of foreclosure notices are dumped into a household each year. So from a sunny disposition in life, a foreclose notice might suddenly put you in a gloomy situation. Sadly, researchers say that these notices are the reason of many serious health problems experienced by people these days. A study shows that people who fall behind their payment would experience greater risk for depression and other health problems.
Why A Foreclosure Notice can lead to Depression
A study tries to look at the 2006 and 2008 data to see whether delinquent payment can affect the general health, including psychological health of a person. This research includes about 2,500 Americans as respondents who are over 50 years old. They were asked to talk about their income and whether they have fallen short in paying for their debts.
Among these people, 22 percent experienced symptoms of depression. On the other hand, 3 percent experienced depression despite being able to keep up with their house payment. This shows that financial burden can lead to psychological suffering. However, the problem can go deeper as researchers say that most people will have to worry about getting enough food on the table as they deal with financing their mortgage problems. Some of them may even forego medical assistance because they can no longer keep up with their financial obligations.
People who are falling behind their bill are likely to lessen their food, medical, and other expenses to save cash. Although all these efforts are necessary but they may lead to increased stress. Also, poor nutrition can create worries to the body.
If you are dealing with this kind of problem right now, you may think that putting yourself at the least of your priority might be the best thing to do. However, this will not work. If you continue to ignore your needs, you can find yourself in a deeper rot in the long run. So pay your debts but do not let go of yourself.
Omega 3 For Depression
Omega 3 plays an important part in cutting signs of clinical depression. This finding is proven especially among the elders. It is interesting to realize that neural cellular walls are made from Omega 3 fats. As per The Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging, daily consumption of Omega 3 can significantly lessen the effects of depression among elder women.
Depressed elder women who take at least 2.5 grams Omega 3 fats experience great reduction on the symptoms of depression. In a recent study, scientist determined that long chain fat is due to dramatic improvement in the outlook of a person. The intake of this vitamin can also significantly improve the quality of life.
It is common for adults to use drugs classified under anti-depressants. Problem is that these anti-depressants can lead to several side effects that include weight gain, blurred vision, anxiety, headache, and sleep deprivation. These side effects can worsen the symptoms of depression experienced by a person. So to opt for a safer choice, many studies recommend the use of Omega 3 supplementation to cut back the symptoms by as much as 50 percent, without allowing sufferers to deal with the devastating effects of prescription drugs.
In a study published in the Nature Neuroscience, it shows the importance of Omega 3 fats among pregnant women. Because of the great decline of this essential fat from the diet of a woman during and after pregnancy, clinical depression cases can go up. Researchers confirm that the lack of Omega 3 fats inside the body will lead to neuronal communications, which is important in neurotransmissions. The imbalance in dietary fat will lead to increased anxiety and depression.
The common reason behind the low Omega 3 fatty acid in the body is the low fat diet followed by most. This healthy fat is important for the proper development of the brain especially from infancy to adulthood. So make it a habit to take Omega 3, who knows if you can finally keep depression at bay!
How Not to Use Antidepressant Drugs
If everyone takes two prescription drugs each day, the pharmaceutical industry will become very rich. This could be the reason why we are forced to believe that we need to take up something, whether we are sick or not, to live a happy life. As of the present, one out of ten Americans is taking antidepressant drugs. Eventually, this number will continue to increase and people will be popping pills every day.
In a recent study, experts found that the use of antidepressant drugs jump as much as 400% over the year 2005 to 2008. This study also revealed that women are those who commonly take the drug compared to men.
The sad thing is that we could write here thousands of words to prove that antidepressant pills are not helping at all. Some of their scary effects are psychosis, diabetes, and the detachment from what is real. But instead of looking at the bad effects of these pills, this article will focus more on what you can do to stay away from popping the pills each day.
Kick Depression out of your Life
In reality, depression is not something that could mess up with your life without your consent. As always, you are still the captain of your own ship, you will still govern what happen in your life. So here are some tips to keep you back on track:
- Take a Nature Stroll
There is a calming effect in nature that reverses the signs of depression. Exposure to sunlight will never fail to kick off depression out your life. Spending some time near nature will give your body with enough negative ions coming from plants and trees that can prevent depression. Touch the earth with your bare hands, feel the drops of rain, and hear the sounds of nature because all of these are sensory medicine that can work to reverse your problem.
If you take some time to recognize what is common among the depressed, you will realize that most of them live and work indoors. So their depression could be because they are disconnected from the beauty of the real world.
- Get Moving
A regular physical workout will help improve your depression. In fact, exercise is a kind of antidepressant drug that you could avail for free. It is normal for a person to feel good after exercising and this positive feeling can last for even 24 hours!
Your exercise routine does not need to be something crazy because walking for 45 minutes a day can create a huge difference in your life.
- Indulge with Omega-3 oils and start consuming organic plant.
Depression could be because of a lack of nutritional component. Many depressed people eat processed dead foods. Most of them would consume too much white flour, sugar, pasteurized dairy, breads, and other awfully depressing foods! You can reverse all of the symptoms of depression by eating foods rich with omega 3 fatty acids like flax seeds, salmon, chia seeds, and many more.
- Look what’s good in your life
Stop complaining about what you are not and start accepting the person that you are. Have a purpose in your life and be less complaining. Reading self-help books can make a difference too. Just smile and be happy, they are not too hard to do.
SAMe as Treatment for Depression
Could antidepressant drugs causing us more trouble than help? In an interesting study, SAMe dietary supplement (S-adenosylmethionine) was proven more effective compared to prescription antidepressants in terms of relieving the symptoms of depression, including severe forms of depression.
A study was conducted wherein one group can either take SAMe and prescription antidepressant drugs. The other group will focus on the use of SAMe and antidepressant and the last group will only consume antidepressants. Both studies show favorable result on the use of SAMe.
In a study that lasts for 4 weeks at University of California, 17 students became the respondents. All of them are suffering from severe form of depression. They were divided into groups who must either take 1600 mg of SAMe and the other will have to take prescription antidepressants. The study shows that 62 percent of those taking SAMe experienced bigger relief from their problem, while the remaining 50 percent experience other type of favorable response.
In another study, the researchers picked 73 adults who were not responding to the use of prescription drugs. All of them were asked to continue taking antidepressants. Nevertheless, 39 of them were asked to take SAMe while the other 34 have to take placebo. After 6 weeks, 36 percent of patients who have to use SAMe along with antidepressant drugs show lesser symptoms of depression. On the other hand, only 18 percent of those who must take placebo together with antidepressant drugs show any progress.
All of these studies show the benefits of using natural options in treating signs of depression. This finding is very helpful especially since other studies say that most antidepressant drugs do not actually work on most patients.
SAMe is a kind of natural chemical found in the liver, and this is a metabolite of amino acid L-methionine. This said chemical is all over the body, particularly on the brain, liver, and the adrenal glands. It helps uphold the health of the cell membranes and it stabilizes neurotransmitters within the brain. It even works to remove toxins out the body.
Exercise and Depression
Can exercise eliminate the signs of depression? We have come to believe that exercise works like a powerful pill that can erase many problems of the body, from emotional to physical worries. Interestingly, new findings show that exercising can eliminate the signs of depression among people who are already taking some sort of medication.
Madhukar Trivedi, M.D., who is a professor at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center says that even people who are in medication can still show signs of depression. After all, treatment often leads to improvement and never remission.
In this study conducted to see the relationship between people who take exercise to cure depression, 28 percent of the respondents were asked to work on a stationary bike or a treadmill for about 45 minutes for 4 times a week. These same people experience lesser symptoms of depression. On the other hand, the other group of respondents were asked to exercise for 2 to 3 times each week for about 30 minutes , 16 percent of them experience that their symptoms disappeared. Therefore, exercising is as effective as taking additional medication in treating depression.
This study is especially true among men. This further realized that men experience low remission rate if they exercise a little, but a high rate occurs if they exercise more.
The researchers said that they are uncertain about why depressed men need to exercise more but one thing is sure, it is the fact that a workout will definitely affect the hormone. During an exercise, the body releases serotonin, which can reduce the symptoms of depression. Also, the researcher guess that this could be due to the feeling of accomplishment felt after exercising.
So if you have been feeling low lately, you can sign up for an exercise program to boost serotonin inside your body. For sure, you will feel more confident and less depressed after doing so.
Know The People Who Can Help Your Depression
Suffering from depression is not resolved by taking over-the-counter drugs or just by exercising. When the problem is severe, you have no choice but to go through psychological diagnostic examination. A professional should be able to help you find the perfect treatment possible.
But in case the patient needs urgent attention perhaps because of some suicidal tendencies, a drive to the emergency room should be the wisest thing to do. If the patient shows much suicide gesture, call 911 for help. Sometimes, the patient might not recognize that she needs help hence people around should take concern.
To better understand the people and the places that a depressed should seek for treatment, we have provided some list here. Also, you can check the yellow pages for possible help under categories like social services, health, mental health, suicide prevention, physicians, hospitals, etc.
When to Seek for Help
- Family doctors
- Health maintenance organizations
- Mental health specialists like psychologists, psychiatrists, pastoral, social workers, or mental health counselors
- Psychiatric departments of hospitals and outpatient clinics
- Community health centers specializing in mental health
- Hospital affiliated community support group
- State hospital outpatient clinic
- Medical or university-affiliated programs
- Family service and social agencies
- 10. State hospital outpatient clinics
- Private clinics
- Local medical and/or psychiatric societies
- Employee assistance programs
The Many Myths about Depression
We have seen many people’s downfall because of depression. We have become witness to how this medical problem can mess up one’s life. But despite the many cases of depression all over the world, some of us have been left ignorant about what this medical condition is all about. So to shed life to the long-time question of what depression is and what it is not, we have made a collection of the most common myths about depression:
- One of the famous myths is the belief that depression is rather a weakness and not an illness.
- Another myth is thinking that if you ignore your feelings, depression will just go out the window.
- It is wrong to think that if sufferers try hard enough to battle depression then they will be able to successful rule over it.
- The depressed are not crazy.
- Believing that depression is not really true is wrong.
- Do not think that intelligent people do not get depressed because it is a fair game where everyone is at risk.
- It is wrong to think that those with developmental disabilities are not capable of feeling depressed.
- Thinking that men and children are immune to depression is funny.
- It is not right to say that those who think about committing suicide are nothing but attention cravers.
- It is wrong to think that some race or ethnic group does not suffer from it.
- It is not true that depression looks like irritability.
- People suffering from depression will not have to suffer from other mental or mental problem. This is wrong.
- It is not right to think that psychiatric medications are only for treating depression.
- It is wrong to say that psychiatric medications are nothing but addictive compounds.
- Do not think that your only help to get out of the rot of depression is medication.
- Do not think that children and teens should not be given antidepressant medications. With doctor’s advice, they can certainly do so.
Depression in the Future
What is the future for depression? While life could be in a constant worrisome condition right now, the future for depression is actually bright. Since many people now recognized the problem of depression, physicians and alternative medicine are more skilled in looking for good remedies.
The Future of Depression
Now, we have come to recognize that vitamins and nutritional supplements like folate, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 can alleviate the signs of depression. Another addition to alternative medicine is St. John’s wort, which is good for people suffering from mild to moderate depression. However, St. John’s wort is not a remedy against complications.
Pharmacogenetics is now looking into the probability that genes could be responsible for depression. Hence, some genes can be turned off to prevent depression from taking place especially in the latter years of life. In the attempt to study genes, science becomes more skilled in matching certain patients to certain kind of treatments. This will allow us to recognize those patients that can do well with a certain kind of medication and treatment.
Science tries to learn the interaction between the chemical messenger in the brain and the possibility of depression. Now, there is the new neurochemicals that is being studied nowadays, like the neuropeptides. This study will birth possible new drugs that are more potent but with less side effects.
The relationship between maternal stress and the developing fetus is now being studied. As of now, we know that maternal stress can greatly affect the risk of the fetus to suffer from depression once they have grown into adults.
Studies are now being conducted about looking for the best treatment for depression. This is especially helpful among adolescents and the children, the minorities, and people who are economically depressed. After all, these people always get inadequate treatment for their mental health.
Indeed, the future of depression is promising. Science expects that they will be able to fight off this problem in the near future. So let us wait and see.
Types Of Depression
Depression is not something you feel every day. It is only diagnosed after studying a person’s behavior and by carefully evaluating his or her state of mind. Sadly, many people are left unaware about the various types of depression. Different kinds of depression may take place through various symptoms.
Types of Depression Based On Symptoms
Agitated Depression. This is characterized by a person in an agitated state, both physically and mentally. He might feel irritable and restless. This kind of depression provides a symptom, which is highly different from other types of depression.
Anxiety Depression. The most common symptom of this depression is being panicky. A person may also fear social gatherings. Other symptoms of this kind of depression are stress disorders.
Atypical Depression. Most common symptom is unusual weight gain and increased in appetite. Other symptoms include the heavy feeling in the limbs, sleepiness, and the fear for rejection.
Bipolar Depression. Otherwise known as manic depression, this is characterized by extreme variations on one’s mood.
Catatonic Depression. This is when a person becomes insensitive of the environment. Symptoms are similar to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder like repetitive actions.
Chronic Depression. This is also known as Dysthymia or Dysthymic Depression. A person may feel depressed for almost 2 years. He might have a change in his eating and sleeping pattern. A person may feel fatigue, hopelessness, and low self-esteem.
Clinical Depression. This is also known as Major Depression or sometimes Major Disruptive Disorder. This is when a person starts to have disturbed sleep and may feel worthless. This can also lead a person to harbor some suicidal tendencies.
Cyclothymia. The symptoms include milder version of manic depression. A person may suffer from constant irritability that is why they may fail in building good social relationships.
Double Depression. The symptoms are highly the same with Dysthymia.
Dysthymic Disorder. Some of the most common symptoms are irregular eating pattern, irregular sleeping pattern, fatigue, and low self-esteem.
Endogenous Depression. A person may always feel confused and depressed while there are no reasons to feel that way.
Existential Depression. This is when a person experiences chronic fatigue. A person may show a general lack of interest.
Melancholic Depression. A person may not show delight. There is the feeling of guilt and the desire for excessive movement.
Medication Induced Depression. As the name implies, this depression results from prescription drugs such as analgesics, steroids, antibiotics, stimulants, and sedatives. Also, antifungal medicines and those that control the heart can create some kind of depression.
Neurotic Depression. This is when self-pity, guilt, embarrassment, or shame is constant.
Post Partum Depression. This is after pregnancy. Symptoms include grief, crying, and irritability.
Psychotic Depression. This includes hallucinations, hearing of voices, and the state of delusion.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This is induced by the season. This can only occur on certain time of the year.
Situational Depression. Also known as Reactive Depression or Adjustment Disorder, the symptoms include insomnia, change in appetite, worrying, withdrawal, and the strong feeling pain.
Substance Induced Depression. This is induced by an overuse of medication. This
also happens from the overuse of alcohol.
Unipolar Disorder. This is when a person may always feel sad. The symptoms can go on for months.
Light Therapy For Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal affective disorder happens to many people, and it can last for months once not treated. It is only when early summer or late springs crop in that this kind of depression vanishes.
Light Therapy For SAD
Most of the symptoms experienced from seasonal affective disorder are highly similar to other symptoms of depressive illnesses. Some of these symptoms are overall feeling of sadness, social withdrawal, and the loss of motivation. The two most common symptoms felt by almost all who are suffering from SAD is the need to sleep and eat a lot.
For sufferers of SAD, they may find it hard to get out their cozy bed. They may be hitting the snooze button of their alarm clock before they have the guts to stand up. This can highly affect their normal routines that they may become chronically late for work.
They may crave for food high in carbohydrates to boost their energy and to perk up their mood. However, these effects are nothing but short lived because after an hour or two, a person may start wanting to eat again. This will of course lead to weight gain in the end.
What is interesting is that we can do something to treat SAD. This includes light therapy, a kind of treatment that is especially helpful for people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder. This treatment makes use of a light box that gives about 10,000 lux for about 15 to 30 minutes. This is especially helpful during those dark winter months.
The great thing about light therapy is the fact that it is all natural which is why it creates no side effects. A person simply takes the benefit of the treatment without worrying about possible consequences like how we usually felt after taking a medicine.
Now, speaking of medicine, people with SAD can take medication during severe cases of depression. When the effects of are risky, it is best to consult a doctor to gain medical advice. Most people find relief from the use of antidepressants. The only problem is that these drugs will take weeks before they can show a good effect in a person. Therefore, it is best to discuss this issue with a health care practitioner to find the best treatment.
If you know that you frequently suffer from SAD during winter seasons, it is best to plan a course of action. You can prevent the problem before it takes place. Talk with your health care practitioner about how you can combine medications with light therapy. Or if your case is not that dangerous, better do a light therapy right ahead.
