Search Results for: blog dealing with depression

Depression: It’s More Than Being Sad

Depression is a clinical disorder in which the brain no longer produces the proper amount of serotonin. This can happen for a number of reasons and can last for invariable amounts of time. For some reason there often is a stigma associated with depression. I even once had a boy I was dating tell me there was no such thing. Another man I know told me to “build a bridge and get over it.” For someone suffering from depression these comments were both hurtful and completely untrue. I was dealing with something I literally had no control over. Hard as … Continue reading →

Dealing with Your Triggers

In my last blog I talked about knowing your triggers…the things that cause you to slip from making healthy food choices or staying consistent with exercise. I mentioned that sadness is my trigger for eating the wrong things and stress for failing to exercise. Hopefully you have taken the time to really consider what it is that triggers your lack of consistency. It can be the biggest detriment to living a healthy, fit lifestyle. Recognizing those triggers is just the first step. You now have to do something with that knowledge. You should come up with some helpful ways to … Continue reading →

Living Alone and Depression

Studies show that people who live alone are more prone to depression and other mental health issues than people who don’t. This, of course, includes all of us single mothers. No we don’t live along, we have plenty of company, but can you really work on your budget with a six year old? Or talk about how your boss treated you, or health worries you have, or really, anything significant? No, we can’t, our children are not our peers and should not be burdened with our worries. So we internalize a lot of it and that can lead to depression. … Continue reading →

Addiction and Depression

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Those of us who work in the mental health field are not surprised when research articles are published “proving” things we already believe are true. Sometimes I read through articles and think, ‘Duh, that’s obvious”. I realized today, though, that it may not be obvious to everyone. Sometimes I forget that my knowledge base came from 8 years of school and 10 years of practice – something my husband likes to remind me of when I am spouting off numbers. It hit home when I was speaking to my daughter about the research on marriage happiness – what seemed obvious … Continue reading →

Dealing with the Diagnosis of Your Child

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My daughter was only a delicate six-day-old baby when the pediatrician’s office called and asked my husband and me to come to the office at 6 o’clock on a Friday night. He told us, frankly, that she had cystic fibrosis and followed it up with a “but people with CF are living into their 30s now”, as if those words could comfort us. At the time, I didn’t know what CF was, let alone that half of those who have it don’t live to be 37. Almost immediately, the normal baby blues turned into a deep depression. And for the … Continue reading →

Christians and Depression

Christians should never suffer depression. That’s a common attitude from some people and it is decidedly wrong. People who claim Christians should never suffer depression have failed to understand a basic truth, that it is not something the person chooses to do. It is not showing a lack of faith or that they are lacking in their spiritual life. Depression is quite simply a medical condition like asthma or any other sickness. We don’t tell the person who has asthma it is because they don’t have enough faith or they are lacking in their spiritual life or if they prayed … Continue reading →

Depression- part 2

Yesterday we looked at dealing with depression and what you can do if your spouse is suffering from depression. Here are some more thoughts on the subject. Don’t be afraid to get professional help. Too often people can be embarrassed or made to feel they should be able to deal with things. This is especially true in Christian circles. There seems to be an idea that Christians should never suffer depression because they are Christian. That is not recognizing that depression is a medical condition, an illness that needs treating. So find a psychologist who can help you. If you … Continue reading →

Dealing with Depression

Depression is a serious problem in society. It is the most common of all metal health problems, yet it is one that is not talked about nearly as often as it should be. Statistics tell us one in five people will suffer from depression at some stage in their lives. You or your spouse or someone in your family could be a likely candidate for depression. So what can you do if your spouse or someone in your family suffers from depression? Firstly, you and your spouse or the person who has depression need to realize that depression in an … Continue reading →

Depression in the Elderly (2)

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As we discussed in the previous article dealing with depression in the elderly, depression can hit at any age. For all the symptoms of depression in the elderly, see the link below So what can trigger depression in the elderly? Life changing events, such as the death of a loved one, particularly a spouse of many years, is a common trigger for older people to become depressed. Other factors moving out of the family home of long standing, inability to socialize due to disability, a physical illness, even deafness can be a trigger for depression due to lack of meaningful … Continue reading →

Stress, Weight Gain and Depression in Adoptive Parents

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“At least you don’t have to deal with the ‘maternity forty’!” chirped a colleague while I waiting for my third child’s arrival from Korea. Adoptive parents frequently hear comments like, “Oh, you’re doing it the easy way”. Now, having had a difficult pregnancy myself, I’m inclined to agree that MY adoption process wasn’t as difficult as my pregnancy. But I was blessed to have had the choice both to conceive and to adopt. Remember that many adoptive parents have been dealing with the grief of infertility. They often feel that their dreams of a family are at the mercy of … Continue reading →