Depression

PTSD Treatment for Combat Veterans by Colin Harrison

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

2eea8-remembrance-1

PTSD is a major problem for veterans today and is going to become a bigger problem over time. That’ s not speculation it’ s a fact, based on the enormous number of troops that have been in combat in recent years.

In fact , more than 2 . 0 million American and coalition troops have served in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003, with thousands deployed multiple times. Recent surveys found that 20% of soldiers who served in Afghanistan now suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression.

However , alarming these figures may be, it’ s comforting to know that diagnosis for PTSD is getting better and numerous treatments are available. So what treatments are available for suffers of PTSD?

Medication

One of the most common symptoms of PTSD is difficulty sleeping, which can be a major problem and have a disruptive effect on one’ s ability to concentrate and focus. A drug called Prazosin is often prescribed for nightmares and has been used for a long time in the treament of hypertension.

Anxiety and depression is another common issue and many drugs are available to treat this symptom. The one thing to consider with any medication is that side-effects are often associated with their use and dependency can also become an issue. Working closely with your doctor should help you find the right medications and manage any side-effects that are experienced. Ideally, medication will help out in the short-term and provide a route into more sustainable and natural treatments.

Psychotherapy

A number of forms of therapy are available for suffers of PTSD, and whilst in the past many people have been reticent to consider ‘ seeing a shrink’, therapy is one of the most effective ways to tackle the condition.

It’ s possible to enter into a one-on-one or a group therapy programme. Group therapy has benefited many people facing challenging mental or physical situations and the power of connecting with people who have been through similar experiences should not be underestimated.

Some types of therapy used in PTSD treatment include:

Cognitive therapy. Talking about self-destructive thoughts and what causes this can help you develop strategies to change these notions.

Exposure therapy. This is a behavioral therapy technique to help you face up to the things that you find upsetting so you can learn to deal with it.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). This seems like an unusual approach, but combining Exposure Therapy with a programme of guided eye movements can help sufferers deal with traumatic memories. This is because there is a strong connection between eye movement and the function of the memory.

A combination of these approaches will likely be the best route, and working with your healthcare professional should allow you to find the best approach for you. Just remember that there’ s no need to deal with the symptoms of PTSD on your own and effective treatment can have a massive difference on the quality of your life.

Once a Warrior–Always a Warrior: Navigating the Transition from Combat to Home–Including Combat Stress, PTSD, and mTBI

BUY NOW

 Shock Waves: A Practical Guide to Living with a Loved One’s PTSD

BUY NOW

 Mind-Body Workbook for PTSD: A 10-Week Program for Healing After Trauma

BUY NOW

Music’s Healing Power — The Perfect Therapy

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

girl-with-headphones-subliminals

Music’s Healing Power — The Perfect Therapy

You’re about to be wheeled in for surgery. You’re very nervous, and nothing anyone says is going to make you feel better. Finally, someone turns on some incredibly soothing music. You finally feel the peace wash over you and you know everything is going to be okay. Is it just a feeling, or does music actually have any
influence over your health?

The evidence is stacked up strongly in favor of music’s healing
power! A positive link has been found for those suffering from things like autism, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Tourette’s.

Why Does Music Have a Healing Effect?

There are neuroscientists who are working to discover exactly why music
has healing powers. After all, it’s pretty amazing that it can stimulate certain areas of the brain, speed healing, and decrease anxiety and increase optimism.

There are different components to music that can have an effect. Pitch, harmony, frequency, melody, and rhythm all effect the brain in different ways. We know that some of the brain locations are involved in helping to heal and soothe the body as well.

The brain can be taught and stimulated to perform better — and it seems that music is the
perfect vehicle to do that.

Musical Therapy

There are around 5,000 registered musical therapists in the United States. Their services are used to soothe people, stimulate recovery, and more. As we now know from scientific evidence, music has an actual physical effect on the body as well.

What Can Music Heal?

Music can be beneficial in just about every circumstance. However, scientists are looking into some specific uses where it has been found to be particularly effective.

Those who have had strokes often have trouble with their speech. It’s thought that the act of
singing or chanting can increase their fluency! It also has a strong effect on optimism and a positive outcome in
recovery overall.

In fact, the same effect has been seen with those who stutter. Music and singing can completely take the stutter away for a time. This is a great relief and a definite boost for someone who is tired of stuttering.

Parkinson’s disease affects movement. The rhythm of music can be a great help because it can stimulate the brain to allow more movement. It can help a person with Parkinson’s disease to move smoothly and vibrantly!

Memory is one of the biggest areas of study for music’s healing power. Research in the area of Alzheimer’s disease has been particularly promising. While it doesn’t take away or lessen the disease, it can help to stimulate memories for the patient.

It’s apparent that music has a special place in both our hearts and our minds, since even those who have nearly completely lost touch with reality can recognize and sing songs they have loved throughout their life.

Music has also been tested to be an amazing de-stressor. You’ve probably seen its effects yourself! You can come home and pop in your favorite CD at the end of the day and the worries that troubled you during the work hours instantly melt away.

The Science Behind Music’s Healing Power

However, there is science behind this and its healing power. Dr. Mike Miller of the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, set out to study this.

He used high-tech imaging to measure blood vessel size while listening to music. What he found was that the lining of the blood vessel relaxed and opened up. It also produced chemicals that help protect the heart.

There is a catch here. It has to be music the person enjoys! If they do not, the vessels close up. This is a stress response — the opposite of what we want.

Music can heal indirectly as well. You see, stress can have terrible effects on the body and mind long term. It can cause the blood vessels to become rigid, which does not allow the blood to flow freely. Arteries can harden as well. Blood pressure can rise overall. All of this is a recipe for heart attack and stroke!

Stress has a negative effect on the immune system as well. People who are stressed tend to get sick far more often. Those who are stressed often experience fertility and performance issues. Stress can even lead to anxiety and depression. It’s an all-around bad mixture for the body!

That’s why we see such positive effects from calm music. Music can make you feel great! When your mood improves, the stress gets chased away. It follows, then, that listening to music consistently can improve your health because it eliminates the factor of stress and its effects on the body and mind.

Hospitals Recognize Music’s Healing Power

Many hospitals and doctors are starting to recognize the wonderful healing effect music can have. They know that it can reduce stress and anxiety. It can help improve the recovery period — and it’s incredibly cost effective.

You can try this as well! There are so many ways you can integrate music into your daily life. Whether you have a condition you feel could be helped by music or not, music can positively affect your mood and overall health.

Researchers do note that you should change up the music you listen to. That way, it is kept fresh and alive, and the effects remain strong. You are now in a great position because you know that music can be so beneficial. If you should ever need surgery or to overcome an illness, you’ll be well aware of the amazing
benefits music can hold for you.

It’s a great thing that music’s healing power is not only being studied, but utilized. We’ve used music to heal since the beginning of time — it’s part of who we are. We will come to learn much, much more as scientists dedicate their time to this important area of study. Even more important, however, is that you make
music therapy a part of your everyday life.

Share it with those you love! If you know someone who is stressed or healing, the chances are high they could use some healing power. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to the wonderful effects music can have on your body.

Click here to listen
to some healing music for FREE in the amazing Sound Transformation Kit

  • Enhance your learning, ESP and mind power by tuning in to our planet’s
    rejuvenating frequency of 7.83 Hz in the Schumann Resonance mini mix – mixed with beautiful modern classical
    music
  • Scientific studies have also shown that this frequency can help relieve stress,
    accelerate healing and strengthen your immune system
  • Become more tolerant, optimistic and healthy by balancing your
    heart chakra with exquisite enhanced heart chakra relaxation music
  • Discover revolutionary ways of improving your life …by pre-programming your
    dreams
  • Learn all the secrets of the full technique – use it to build self confidence,
    improve your overall health, reduce your stress
  • …plus much more…

Click here to download your FREE Sound Transformation Kit

Subliminal Messages: How Do They Work?

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

 

Post 5

You’ve probably heard of subliminal messages. There are lots of urban myths about how companies and advertisers use these kinds of messages to persuade customers to act in certain ways. The truth is, however, that subliminal messages won’t make you do or feel anything you’re not already inclined to do or feel. And, ironically, that’s what makes them such effective and powerful self-development tools.

 

The word “subliminal” is made up of two parts: sub, which means under or below (as in submarine) and liminal, which means threshold (as in the word limit). These kinds of messages are therefore presented “below the threshold” of your conscious mind. So even though you aren’t aware of the information, your subconscious mind picks it up and locks it away in your brain.

 

You Can Literally Change Your Mind

 Download your free subliminal MP3s now at www.subliminalguru.net

Here’s the thing – your subconscious mind is where the real power lies. Everything you think and believe is stored away in there. If you want to make real changes in your life, you have to be able to make changes at the subconscious level.

 

Imagine your subconscious mind is like a robot you’ve built. The first thing you do is program it to work in a certain way. Unlike any sci-fi movies you may have seen, this robot is incapable of doing anything it hasn’t been programmed to do.

 

Your subconscious mind works just like that. Over the years you’ve been “programmed” by the things you’ve seen, the things you’ve heard, and the things you’ve done. Your thoughts and beliefs are embedded in there, and they get fed out to your conscious mind, making you think you’re deciding all this stuff consciously… but you’re not.

 

That’s why so many people find it hard to quit smoking using their willpower alone, or to find the motivation to exercise more, or to lose weight. It’s almost impossible to make any real changes that have a significant impact on your waking or conscious life, unless you first make those changes at a subconscious level.

 

Sublimely Effective

 

With subliminal technology, your subconscious mind gets bombarded with positive messages that can literally change the way you think. They bypass the conscious mind completely, below the threshold, so that this logical mind doesn’t get in the way. The more your subconscious mind is exposed to these new ideas, the easier it is for you to alter your behavior, and that gives you the chance to change your programming from the inside out.

 

Subliminal messages are presented in the form of audio or visual stimuli – background sounds or flashing images – that you aren’t even aware of. They sneak into your subconscious mind and start working to change your attitudes, making it easy to break bad habits and develop new, positive ones, and giving you that extra push you need to take your life in a whole new direction.

 

You might have enormous willpower and determination, but on their own they simply aren’t enough. That’s why so many people give up on their New Year’s resolutions after a month or two… because deep down they haven’t actually changed anything. To do that, you need to get at your subconscious mind and input the new programming that will help you change your beliefs – and ultimately allow you to reach your goal.

 

Download your free subliminal MP3s now at www.subliminalguru.net

Surround Yourself in Transformation

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

By

You can throw perfume, or you can throw manure. No matter your choice, whatever you throw at someone else, remains stuck on you first!

Realize, you are who you associate with. Real Eyes, will see you can only give away what you already have. Real lies, will whisper in your ear if, “I just give it one more good try, this time things will be different.”

Pick your friends, family, and business associates wisely. They are throwing perfume or manure at you, equally as often as you throw one or the other at them.

This is good news. Why? Because if you want to be more happy, peaceful, or achieve any new goal, you will attain the result more quickly if you surround yourself with people who already have what you are seeking.

Like any new language you want to master fluently, you have to practice it regularly to make it your own. Surrounding yourself in transformation is like throwing the fragrance on yourself, the pleasant fragrance you want to magnify.

Lets take an example.

Identify what it is you want to achieve. Now write the desire down on three separate pieces of paper.

Tape the first note on something you will listen to which will teach you about how to achieve this goal. It could be a download you will listen to when you are exercising, a cd you will listen to as you are driving to and from work, or a disk you can play in the background while you are paying bills or catching up on your email’s. No shame in multi-tasking here!

The next note will go on something you will watch, which will educate you on achieving your goal. Perhaps a television show, a seminar on your computer, or DVD you will rent from a master in your topic of choice. This shouldn’t take more than one hour to complete. You want the task to be enjoyable, not exhaustive.

Last, but not least, place the third note on your bathroom mirror where you will see it every morning and evening as you brush your teeth. This message will remind you to associate with people who have what you want. Looking at them, will help you see yourself more clearly. If you don’t already have a friend who has what you want, think of new places where you can meet these types of people, and go there. Your library, gym, woman’s advocate center, adult education class, the opportunities are endless. We all need more good mentors at every age.

When you surround yourself in the visual, auditory, and physical presence of the transformation you are trying to achieve, you will automatically without much effort, become those things you are focusing upon.

Change is not difficult, all laws of nature indicate change is inevitable. Night and day, rain and sunshine, winter and summer. Everything is changing. Just check how many candles you have lit on your birthday cake to easily validate that!

“Eau de U” – available where all unique one-of-a-kind successful people are found regularly!

Deb Scott is the author of the new motivational book, “The Sky Is Green and The Grass Is Blue – turning your upside down world right side up!” The lessons and insights that Deb shares with readers is a measure of her true understanding and commitment in helping others learn how to be happy. Deb is a true inspiration as she uses her methods on forgiveness in overcoming life’s trials and tribulations. Now you can too.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deb_Scott

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4139119

How to Use Binaural Beats for Maximum Effectiveness

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

There are no hard and fast rules on how to use binaural beats. However, at Ennora, we do have a recommended code of conduct that will help you get the best from the experience. The reality is that you can use binaural beats anywhere, as long as you have headphones. That said, it seems somewhat pointless trying to relax the brain while driving in rush hour traffic. Remember, using binaural beats is essentially meditation, and to achieve the best from meditation you must put the mind in a neutral state. The mind should be free of distraction and stress.

Settle into a Mindful State

Before listening to your recording, try and settle into a mindful state. Find an isolated space, ideally in a neutral environment that isn’t usually associated with stress or high-energy activity. Your environment should be free of disturbances, so be sure to turn off your phone, and let those likely to disturb you know that you won’t be available for the duration.

Sitting among nature is ideal, for example in the park, by a lake or in a spacious field. If this isn’t possible, then try your conservatory, your garden or a room in the house that makes you feel warm and content. Be in the moment, be present, be spacious and let go. If you find this difficult, close your eyes and concentrate on the rise and fall of your breath for a few minutes before starting.

Take up Your Binaural Position

If you can sit in the traditional mediation position then do so (Lotus Position). If you find this uncomfortable or are yet to master sitting cross-legged then lie down or sit on a comfortable seat. If at home, use your couch or bed. Whatever you do ensure you are comfortable. Don’t sit slouched over or with your head to one side. Sit or lie straight with your head perfectly centered.

Use Quality Headphones

It really is worth investing in some good headphones to get the most out of your recordings. We personally recommend closed back headphones for optimum binaural beats listening. If you don’t know the difference between the two let me explain.

Closed headphones have a closed, or sealed, cup. Open headphones are open behind the driver. Basically this means that closed headphones will keep you from hearing outside sounds and also keep people around you from hearing your headphones – this is referred to as “leaking.” Cheaper closed headphones with a sealed cup will have reflections and resonances, however, higher end models from the likes of Bose, Sennheiser, and Sony deal with those issues very well.

Setting the Volume

You don’t want to give yourself earache, but at the same time you don’t want the recording to be too low. Have it loud enough so that you can’t be disturbed by outside noise like passing traffic or people talking within the vicinity of your meditation area.

So there you have it, the perfect way to use binaural beats. Remember though, as long as you have headphones and you are in a relaxed position, you will feel some positive effect. This means you can use binaural beats on the bus, in the back of a car on a long journey, on the train or even just going for a stroll.

http://www.ennora.website

Top Ten Reasons to Go Subliminal

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

Top Ten Reasons to Go Subliminal

Before listing actual reasons, let us review and understand this complex title! For a number of reasons, many people have never explored or shown any interest in personal subliminal audio. And many never will. But many will also never go for hypnosis or other therapies either, even if they could benefit from them. A significant portion of the population could truly benefit from the use of direct, inexpensive subliminal recordings if they understood a little about the process- and the mechanics, if you will, of modern subliminal recordings.

Subliminal Perceptions or Something else?

Here’s how it works, try keep an open mind here because it really is true; part of the recording you are playing is an INAUDIBLE voice, speaking the message over and over. These silent messages are recorded on a special frequency that cannot be heard consciously, but that the subconscious can hear and understand. Knowing this, content writers target the subconscious with spoken phrases which are actually short, positive affirmations that work together to form the new, desired thought processes. The other part, or track, is the music or ocean waves or other recorded sound that you can easily hear. The idea is to present a carefully composed message that the unconscious mind, in its infinite wisdom, will accept and eventually adopt as its own philosophy! When teamed up with the conscious mind of a determined individual, the subliminal recording provides another layer of persuasion to help chip away at the stubborn behavior or negative thinking.

 

An effective producer will embed positive statements nearly exclusively, because most often the subconscious does not recognize a negative term such as ‘I will not.’ Many subliminal audio creators have studied NLP, or Neuro-linguistic Programming, for the purpose of aiding in their attempts to speak to the human subconscious in its own “language.” Of course some people are more receptive than others, and some are more resistant. It is important for the person to consciously want to accept the new ideal, as well. Keep in mind that everyone is different; plus, no one is conducting an in depth study concerning the vocabulary of each person’s subconscious mind! So the makers of personal subliminal recordings do the best they can, hoping for great results. And often, consumers get them! Some people are very sensitive to subliminal recordings. We see this in the wide range of feedback received from individuals. On to the list!

 

Reasons:

10. Subliminal audio can help you quit a destructive behavior such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol, or worse. Not magic, it is a tool designed to help the person who has already decided to change.

9. You can improve your life! Subliminal recordings can actually help you achieve your goals through the power of suggestion.

8. Subliminal recordings can help a person relax and sleep better. These are very important components of health, happiness and success!

7. You can use subliminal audio to help build and maintain a healthy diet – and like it!

6. Subliminal recordings help people take their chosen skill to the next level. For example; you may want to improve your skills in a sport, hobby or career choice such as sales.

5. Study habits and time management: Subliminal recordings are widely used for improvement in these areas because almost everybody has difficulty with them. The same holds true for fear of public speaking!

4. Battling our fears and phobias: Crippling fears are deeply rooted in our subconscious minds and can be reduced or eliminated by the changing of our thinking. Thinking is what subliminal recordings can change!

3. Personal subliminal recordings are inexpensive and very easy to use; just plug and play, and forget it. Your subconscious will get the message. Hypnosis or therapy sessions are much more expensive.

2. Getting over depression, a life-changing event or tragedy is very difficult. For self-helpers, subliminal recordings are often instrumental in getting their lives back on track.

1. A stubbornly positive attitude can alter your body chemistry and help you to become healthy, happy and successful! Subliminal recordings can help you to build this positive thinking habit.

As you can see, there are many reasons to use personal subliminal recordings. Some people like to take their recordings to the next level and compose their own “custom” scripts. One can also obtain a recording of a particular subliminal track only, known as a “Silent” subliminal CD or .mp3 download. Silent tracks may be played in conjunction with other types of audio, radio, TV, or nothing at all. Downloads are widely available for those who prefer digital files to the CD. But be careful, these files are very large and should not be downloaded from a hand held device, phone or tablet. A computer with a high quality connection to the internet is still required, based on contemporary connections and capabilities. So use your desktop machine to receive the audio file; save it, and then you can copy the file over to your smartphone or tablet.

Please remember that the use of subliminal audio for personal improvement is not an exact science; no one can claim 100% positive results in every user; always seek professional, medical help for a serious condition; do not drive or operate machinery while listening to ocean waves or other soothing nature sounds audio, or any recording with content that is relaxing in nature because you could become drowsy; don’t use subliminal audio on someone without their knowledge, it is a matter of ethics. It would rarely have any effect- you cannot force a person to modify their thinking or behavior against their will. The ultimate purpose of subliminal recordings is to improve our life experience through intentional planning and achieve or maintain personal excellence. Consider the incredible power of determination, once it has been established. In our business, we work on creating various flavors of determination for our customers. Thank you for your interest. This is a free article provided by Sprudio.website, a top producer of personal subliminal recordings on the internet since 2005.

Relieve Depression Naturally by Jennifer Kays

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

Depression is a mood disorder that ranges from mild to severe. All of us have experienced a form of depression at some time in our lives. It can accompany loss, stress, unresolved anger, fear, shame, disappointment and other emotional dynamics that are a part of our life situation. Depression is experienced by children, adults, and elderly regardless of economic status, gender, or culture. Depression affects physical health, relationships, awareness, weight, memory, decision making ability, energy level, interest, and sleep. In addition to emotional experience, depression can result from diet, nutrition, and other physical biochemical origins.

In severe, special cases of depression associated with extreme mental disorder, synthetic, chemical based drugs called antidepressants are required and necessary for relief of depression. However, most of us do not fall into this category and too often these synthetic antidepressants are prescribed for us who suffer from common daily disappointments in our lives. For most common experiences of depression, antidepressants are not often necessary. Synthetic Antidepressants have been known to have some harmful side effects, prompting the FDA to recommend that manufacturers add this warning label to their products: “Antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in short-term studies in children and adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of {insert established name} or any other antidepressant in a child or adolescent must balance this risk with the clinical need. Patients who are started on therapy should be observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidalty, or unusual changes in behavior”.

This is not to suggest that ignoring the feelings of depression will make the feelings go away. Since depression can have physical biochemical origin and depression from emotional stress can cause biochemical change in the body, it would follow that common, not severe, depression would respond to clinically proven all natural remedies as vitamins, herbs, supplements, minerals, amino acids, aromatherapy, and all natural formulas designed to relieve the pain of depression. Other treatments e.g. psychotherapy, exercise, acupuncture, yoga, meditation also aid in the natural relief of depression.

Deficiencies in vitamins and minerals can trigger depression as well as depression decreasing the availability of vitamins and minerals essential for the maintaining our body’s health. These vitamins and minerals include vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin C, magnesium, calcium and trace minerals. Supplementing our bodies with these vitamins and minerals can relieve and perhaps prevent depression as well as greatly improving our health generally.

Adding amino acids to our diets can go a long way in relieving depression and promoting general health. For example, SAMe (S-Adensoyl-L-Methionine) is an amino acid that can be found in all cells of our body. It is a natural antidepressant that has additional value of protecting the liver and cardiovascular system, synthesis of natural melatonin that assists sleeping well. Phenylalanine is another amino acid that makes the neurotransmitter, i.e. substance that conducts messages to and within the brain, norepinephrine. Norepinephrine is diminished in the brains of people who are depressed. The amino acid L-Theanine naturally reduces anxiety associated with depression and is not addictive or habit forming. Another amino acid that naturally relieves depression and stimulates alertness is L-Tyrosine.

5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophane) is a naturally occurs in our bodies and helps the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Adequate amounts of serotonin is vital for a feeling and sense of emotional well being. 5-HTP can cross the blood brain barrier which makes it unique in the facilitation of serotonin. 5-HTP has gained a great reputation in the natural treatment of insomnia, depression and obesity.

For many people who suffer common depression, a effectively created herbal formula is very beneficial for the natural relief of depression. St. John’s wort (hypericum perforaturn), commonly referred to as “Nature’s Prozac”, helps naturally relieve mild or moderate depression, stress, anxiety, and tension. Gingo biloba is used as an alternative treatment for moderate depression in elderly people because depression is an early sign of cognitive decline or cerebrovascular deficiency. Valerian root has a natural calming effect for anxiety and depression. Passionflower is an efficient natural sedative for calming and sleeping well. Black Cohosh, used by early Native Americans, soothes the body and reduces spasm. These are just a few of the examples of herbs and herbal formula that treat moderate depression effectively and naturally.

Hormonal imbalance can lead to moderate depression. A common treatment is natural progesterone for women. Other natural substances help balance hormones e.g. flax oil, black cohosh, dimpro, promensil, essential fatty acids, red clover, virtex berry and many other naturally derived supplements.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils and other natural aromatic compounds from plants to effect emotional and physical health The oils are referred to as “essential” because they are the “essence” of the plant. Olfactory sense has a powerful effect on our emotional and physical health. Aromatherapy can be used to alter mood, inspire confidence, ease moderate depression, and increase energetic feeling. In some nations essential oils are used for their antiseptic qualities to treat infection. In France, many aromatherapy essential oils are perceived in a similar way as prescription drugs are in the United States. Aromatherapy comes in many forms, e.g. essential oil, mists, sticks, candles, infusions, massage creams and oils, mineral bath formulas, and absolutes.

One on the most popular aromatherapy aromas is lavender. Lavender essential oil has a calming scent which makes it an excellent tonic for the nerves and helps in treating migraines, headaches, anxiety, depression, nervous tension and emotional stress. Its refreshing aroma removes nervous exhaustion and restlessness and increases mental activity. Lavender essential oil induces sleep and hence it is often recommended for insomnia. Lavender essential oil is also an excellent remedy for various types of pains including those caused by sore muscles, tense muscles, muscular aches, rheumatism, sprains, backache and lumbago.

In summary, many of us suffer mild to moderate depression for a variety of reasons. Our experience of depression is not so severe or of long duration to justify the use of powerful synthetic prescription drugs or antidepressant drugs with their potential of hazardous, harmful physical and behavioral side effects. We have available to us, a vast variety of effective, efficient, all natural vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, aromatherapy, hormonal balancers, and other safe natural modalities for relieving mild to moderate depression.

The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression without Drugs

BUY NOW

 Undoing Depression: What Therapy Doesn’t Teach You and Medication Can’t Give You

BUY NOW

 You Can Cure Your Depression

BUY NOW

Depression Test – Do I Have Depression?

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

 

It’s not the easiest thing in the world to diagnose, after all, we all feel down from time to time. Especially after we suffer a loss of some kind. So what makes the difference between having ‘the blues’ and having depression? In this article we’ll explore the line between these two mood states.
Although it can be difficult to differentiate, the one main difference between these two mood states is that depression lasts longer and can lead to a significant loss of interest in life activities that the person used to find interesting or enjoyable. Symptoms can also include (but are not limited to):
Excessive fatigue, sadness and crying for no reason, pain in the body, trouble sleeping, excessive negative thought patterns, a feeling of pessimism, avoidance of physical activity or exercise, overeating or under-eating and weight gain/loss, excessive anger, moodiness, frustration and sometimes thoughts of self harm or planning to self harm.
This article includes a short, simple depression test below:
Place a number 1-4 next to the questions 1 – 18. Here is the key:

1 = Not at all
2 = Some of the time
3 = Most of the time
4 = All of the time
  1. I do things more slowly than usual.
  2. My future seems completely hopeless.
  3. It is difficult for me to concentrate on reading or other activities.
  4. All of the pleasure and joy has disappeared from my life.
  5. I have great difficulty in making decisions.
  6. I’ve lost interest in activities/things that used to be important to me.
  7. I feel sad.
  8. I feel agitated and can’t sit still.
  9. I feel fatigued.
  10. I have to use much effort to even do simple things.
  11. I feel that I am a bad person and I deserve to be punished. I feel guilty.
  12. I feel as though I am a failure
  13. My vitality is gone.
  14. I have trouble sleeping.
  15. I think about how to kill myself.
  16. I feel as though I am trapped.
  17. Even when good things happen to me I feel depressed.
  18. I have lost or gained weight for no obvious reason.

Now add up the numbers. The higher the score the more likely it is that you may be suffering from depression.
Another depression test is that old faithful; you intuition or ‘gut feeling’. In other words if you really suspect that you might have depression and you have felt this way of some time then it is more possible.
Many doctors will tell you that depression is an illness that must be treated with medication, although there are a number of other viewpoints on this. Personally when I went through depression I was reluctant to take medication and sought out alternative, natural methods. These worked well for me and has worked for countless others also. Whether or not you try medication or more natural methods is of course completely your call.
Once you have completed a depression test and found that you might be suffering you may wish to speak to a therapist, psychologist or counselor for some further assistance and treatment options.
One fresh approach that has been getting great results is called the ‘mindfulness and acceptance approach.’ Having been through depression myself, I am a strong believer in this and have based my website and educational products on these techniques.
Whatever path you choose, it’s good to bear in mind that things are never hopeless. Thousands upon thousands have recovered from even deep depression and therein lies the proof that it is very possible to overcome.
For further information about how to overcome depression click here: Depression Test

Stop investing in others before you get a return on yourself….

Invest in yourself ten-fold….

Fix yourself by investing in knowledge….

Get rid of the psychic vampires in your life….

To learn more Click Here

[Video] Periodic Depression Interferes with Life

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

I get depressed sporadically and it interferes with my life and I want to fix it. I’ve always had emotional problems my whole life. Anxiety, depression, difficulty coping with life, codependency, low self-esteem; and I have been trying SO HARD to “just be happy” like everyone tells me to do, but I just can’t do it. I TRY. And I don’t want to take meds, and I don’t know how much a therapist is but I don’t have a lot of money.
All this interferes with my enjoyment in life, I just cant seem to enjoy it and am constantly telling myself negative things and worrying about everything. I am also having relationship problems and I am just feeling so nuts all the time that I know I’m not in the right mind to try to fix that either.
HELP What do I do?? I know this isn’t a therapeutic thing, but I just need to know where to look for a therapist, or if there are any books or good self help things I can find on the internet (I’ve tried that though, I dunno maybe I have never found the right thing) please tell me.

A: Reaching out in this forum is a good first step for getting help. It sounds like you’ve been trying very hard to feel different than you feel and it’s not enough. It’s a good time to seek professional help. There are no-cost or low-cost therapy options available in many communities. Watch my video response for additional resources and more detailed answer to your question…


Take good care of yourself!
Julie Hanks, LCSW

Photo
Julie Hanks, LCSW has over 20 years in the mental health field providing outpatient psychotherapy services to children, adolescents, adults, couples and multi-problem families with complex mental health and relationship problems. Find out more at WasatchFamilyTherapy.com. Follow Julie on Twitter & Facebook. Visit Julie’s new blog for therapists Private Practice Toolbox

[Video] I’m Not Depressed Or Anxious But I Prefer Being Alone By Julie Hanks, LCSW

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

I know there have been several questions on this site regarding preferences for solitude, but most of these questions have come from people with diagnosed disorders such as depression, social phobias, PTSD, etc., and the answers provided have been framed in the context of the relevant disorder. My concern is that, despite being depression and anxiety-free, I am becoming increasingly rigid in terms of my willingness to spend time with others, and it is affecting my relationships negatively. I’ve always been a bit of a loner and required a certain amount of time alone, but I’ve also always had plenty of friends and a pretty normal dating/relationship history. However, over the course of the past year or so I have started to really prioritize solitude over spending time with friends, family, and romantic partners to the point of avoidance. It’s not that I’ve become apathetic towards these people or that I’ve stopped liking them. In fact, I still have a strong desire for affection, friendship, and intimacy, but only in VERY limited quantities, and anything beyond that feels like an obligation. To give you an example of what I’m talking about, my girlfriend lives about 100 miles away, so spending a whole lot of time together during the week is not really feasible. Because of this she would really like to drive to my place after work on Friday, spend the weekend with me, and leave Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately I can’t even begin to fathom spending that much time with someone -even someone I love- and so I always have to come up with an excuse for why she would need to leave Saturday morning or afternoon. And to be honest, by Saturday I’m literally counting the minutes until she leaves so I can be alone. I don’t want to be this way. It’s not fair to the people in my life, and I feel like I shouldn’t be in a relationship, even though I am very much in love. Any insight into my problem would be greatly appreciated!

A: Thanks for your excellent question. I wish I had some additional information from you. I’m curious if any event or loss happened in the past year or so that might have precipitated this preference toward being alone? I’m also wondering what happens inside of your body when you are with someone for too long. What are the cues that you need alone time? Watch the video response below to hear additional suggestions…
Take good care of yourself!
Julie Hanks, LCSW

Julie Hanks, LCSW has over 20 years in the mental health field providing outpatient psychotherapy services to children, adolescents, adults, couples and multi-problem families with complex mental health and relationship problems. Find out more at WasatchFamilyTherapy.com. Follow Julie on Twitter & Facebook. Visit Julie’s new blog for therapists Private Practice Toolbox