Are you clinically Depressed, or "Bipolar", have Generalized Anxiety or struggling with the results of trauma (PTSD)? TAKE A FREE ANONYMOUS "DIAGNOSTIC" TEST & GET IMMEDIATE RESULTS Go to http://http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/welcome.asp Enter password: BOLTON
At the end of each anonymous screening you will receive an immediate result that can be printed and taken to a clinician for further evaluation. A screening test is not a substitute for a complete evaluation but it can help you learn if your symptoms are consistent with depression, bipolar disorder, an anxiety disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder and how to access help. The online screening is completely anonymous. We do not collect any unique identifying information such as name, email address or IP address. Neither SMH nor the Dr. Bolton can view your individual results.
Depression/Depletion
Many people suffer from depression at one point in their life. It is inevitable, the feeling of hopelessness, sorrow, or being alone. These are all common emotions associated with depression. For a select few, depression can be hard to overcome, and this is where depression becomes a disorder that requires active treatment. Those 'selected few' account for over 100 million people worldwide and result in 75% of all psychiatric hospitalizations (Gotlib & Hammen, 1992).
Yet the question remains, why did these people become depressed? How did they become depressed? One of the answers that lead to the cause of depression would be a person's interpersonal relationship with their surroundings and the people around them. There are many interpersonal instances that can have the ability to lead to the onset of depression, such as the family environment, the socialization setting, and the discrimination against gender in certain cultures and instances.
Depression is one of the most prevalent psychological disorders. Depression can be caused by several factors, including interpersonal relationships. Interpersonal relationships are the relationship between individuals and the reactions and emotions of each individual expressed directly and discreetly to each other. Common interpersonal relationships include (a) within the family, such as between the parents and between parents and children; (b) the social environment where differences in ethnicity and social class come into play; and (c) interactions between genders across age groups for both females and males.
Quick Tips For Taking Action Against The "Blues" 1.Take a Hike: It’s well established that exercise lifts the spirits. Scientists tell us that 20 minutes of brisk walking or other aerobic activity actually alters brain chemistry, releasing special chemicals called endorphins into our system that give us a lift. Remember that one definition of depression is "immobilization." It only makes sense that one way to cure it is to "get moving."
2. Ask Yourself This: "What would I be doing right now if I were not feeling depressed?" Picture this activity in your mind, then do it. Suppose your answer was, "I’d probably be with people." Then go somewhere others are. You may argue, "But when I’m depressed, I don’t feel like doing anything!" True enough. But this inactivity becomes a dangerous cycle. Force yourself to do something, anything.
3. Get Mad: One of the most common causes of depression is resentment turned inside. Next time you’re down in the dumps, try to feel the grumpiness you feel inside. If you’re really honest with yourself, you’ll find that you’re angry with some situation or person. You may feel trapped, unfairly treated or stuck in a relationship which is beyond your control. Try to "put a face" on your anger. Picture the person whom you feel has hurt you. Allow yourself to feel the anger you have been trying to deny.
The next step is to express this anger in a way that won’t do harm to yourself or to others. Consider writing a "mad letter" to this person. Really let go on paper. A few days later, re-read your mad letter. You may want to tone it down a bit, then send it. You might set up a time to talk to the person directly. If the person is not available or is no longer living, you can still picture that person sitting across from you while you say what’s on your mind. Even if you never send the letter or directly tell the other person, the very process of putting it in writing helps.
4. Watch What You Put In Your Mouth:When we’re sad, it’s hard to resist medicating ourselves with food, alcohol or other drugs. Unfortunately, the high (whether from cake or alcohol) is temporary and leaves us feeling lower than when we started. Remember that "it’s not really what you eat, it’s what’s eating you." Don’t medicate, communicate.
Name That Feeling - You'll Feel Better Below is an article that explains the effectiveness of talking about our feelings:
By Julie Steenhuysen, Thu Jun 21, 12:31 AM ET (2007) CHICAGO (Reuters) - Putting feelings into words makes sadness and anger less intense, U.S. brain researchers said on Wednesday, in a finding that explains why talking to a therapist -- or even a sympathetic bartender -- often makes people feel better. They said talking about negative feelings activates a part of the brain responsible for impulse control. "This region of the brain seems to be involved in putting on the brakes," said University of California, Los Angeles researcher Matthew Lieberman, whose study appears in the journal Psychological Science. He and colleagues scanned the brains of 30 people -- 18 women and 12 men between 18 and 36 -- who were shown pictures of faces expressing strong emotions. They were asked to categorize the feelings in words like sad or angry, or to choose between two gender-specific names like "Sally or Harry" that matched the face. What they found is that when people attached a word like angry to an angry-looking face, the response in the amygdala portion of the brain that handles fear, panic and other strong emotions decreased. "This seems to dampen down the response in these basic emotional circuits in the brain -- in this case the amygdala," Lieberman said in a telephone interview. What lights up instead is the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, part of the brain that controls impulses. "This is the only region of the entire brain that is more active when you choose an emotion word for the picture than when you choose a name for the picture," he said. He said the same region of the brain has been found in prior studies to play a role in motor control. "If you are driving along and you see a yellow light, you have to inhibit one response in order to step on the brake," he said. "This same region helps to inhibit emotional responses as well." The researchers did not find significant differences along gender lines, but Lieberman said prior studies have hinted at some differences in the benefits men and women derive from talking about their feelings. "Women may do more of this spontaneously, but when men are instructed to do it, they may get more benefit from it," he said. The results may alter the traditional view of why talking about feelings helps. "I think we all believe that by talking about our feelings, we reach deep new insights, and that understanding is what transforms us," he said. "What we see is something that at first blush is far more trivial. By simply putting the name to an emotion, the person doesn't feel like they've come to any new insight. And yet we see this dampening response anyway." Lieberman said while there likely are benefits to gaining enhanced understanding, talking about feelings may do something more basic. "It's not just the deep thoughts," he said. "It's something about the way we are built."
