Alarming Information Regarding Depression from World Health
Organization…

=========================================================

By Gwynne Curry

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a report
stating that the number of people who experience depression
is doubling every ten years and that by 2020 it will be the
most pervasive illness in the world and the second leading
cause of death. WHO also states that depression currently
ranks second only to heart disease as the leading cause of
disabilities associated with illness.

Unfortunately, depression will touch almost every single
person during their lifetimes. They will either experience
it themselves or know someone who has. Those who do
experience depression may suffer its hideous effects for
decades or even for a lifetime. 

Why is depression currently so pervasive? Furthermore, why
is the number of people who will experience it projected to
increase at such a rapid rate? But, most importantly, is
there a method for overcoming it?

Gwynne Curry, who suffered with depression for 30+ years,
reveals a proven method for overcoming depression in her
ebook “You Can Heal Your Depression Now! No Expensive
Therapy… No Dangerous Antidepressants…”

This ebook explains the one and only cause of depression.
Armed with this important knowledge, you (or anyone) will be
able to use the information in her book to formulate your
own action plan based on your preferences and your unique
life-style for overcoming depression. You’ll be feeling
better in less than 30 days.

*********************
For complete details

Click here ==>: 10 Biggest Myths Associated With Depression

*********************

More from tollieschmidt

• Depression Free Method Program Review
• Treatments For Teen Anorexia and Eating Disorders Creating Dreams From Depression
• Teen Depression and The Scary Truth

Stress. Depression. Anxiety. They’re powerful words that conjure up all kinds
of images and prejudices in our minds. People who suffer from these illnesses
find it hard to cope with life. They can feel deeply unhappy, they can find no
joy in anything life has to offer, and of course, their levels of self-esteem,
confidence and self-respect plummet.

Let’s look at a major factor with all of these problems and then I’ll show you a
brilliant anxiety, depression and stress management technique you can use as
soon as you’ve read this article.

First, we’ll look at how anxiety, depression and stress affect the way sufferers
value the self. Of all of the destructive patterns of behavior these problems
cause, the way a sufferer talks to the self is the fuel that maintains anxiety,
depression and stress.

I have experienced depression from two sides. For 5 years, a series of traumatic
events triggered a personal nightmare I believed would never end. One of these
events came when my lover was diagnosed with depression. At this time, I too
had entered into the spiral of anxiety and depression. Both of these experiences
have given me an insight into how sufferers destroy any value of the self.

Let me give a couple of examples. With my partner, if I’d arranged an evening out
with friends, she’d say:

“No, I won’t come, you go without me. I never have anything interesting to say. I
just bore people. They’ll find me an effort to be with. I’ll stay here.”

If I made a mistake, I’d say to myself:

“I’m useless. I’m no good at anything. Everything I do I get wrong.”

This self-deprecation then spreads into other areas of life. You begin to criticize
the way you look, the decisions you make or don’t make, and you focus solely on
the downside of life. Each time a little bit of self-worth, a little bit of self-respect
and a little bit of self-confidence are eroded. Eventually, they are lost completely.
When I reached my lowest point, having lost everything and everyone I loved,
I’d say to myself:

“If I died tomorrow, no one would know and no one would care.”

So, what helped me to come out of the fog of anxiety and depression?

Well, the reason I thought I’d become depressed was because of a series of
traumatic events occurring at the same time. I was wrong. The root cause of my
depression lay in the ways I reacted to them. One of the ways I’d reacted was to
blame myself for events I couldn’t control. The more I blamed myself, the more I
beat myself up. The more I beat myself up, the more my self-esteem decreased.

The phrases I have used to briefly illustrate self- deprecating phrases we
continually use against the self are mild. I’m sure you realize that many sufferers
use much stronger phrases than I’ve given here. The point is that these phrases
would be totally unacceptable to say to others. You wouldn’t tell a person that they
were boring, an effort to be with and that everyone found their company dull and it
would be better for everyone else if they kept away from people.

Agreed?

Yet, if I say to people:

“Pay yourself compliments. Accentuate your good in all areas of your life. Write
down your good points, your triumphs, your achievements. Remind yourself as
often as possible about all the good you have done.”

They look at me like I’m an alien and say they’d feel stupid. Or uncomfortable. Or
even embarrassed.

Yet they don’t feel any of these emotions when they talk to themselves using
emotionally charged, self-deprecating phrases! And like rust upon metal, these
phrases gradually erode our self-esteem and our confidence.

OK, here’s a brilliant anxiety, depression and stress management technique you
can use right now to help you find relief. I’d like you to inscribe what you are about
to read into your mind over and over again until it is permanently etched there:

It is NEVER acceptable to talk to myself in a way I know is inappropriate and even
offensive if I spoke in the same way to others.

It’s just one sentence but my word is it a very powerful anxiety, depression and
stress management technique and I urge you to use it starting right now.

Time for me to sign off, but before I do, here’s a phrase I say to myself every single
day without fail. Please use it, it is very powerful:

“If you put yourself down, down is where you will stay.”

Click Here Now to get started right away on kicking stress, depression and anxiety out of your life forever so you can enjoy a brighter, happier future!

More from tollieschmidt

• How To "sneak" More Vitamins/Antioxidants Into Dinner | "The Dreamer"
• You don’t Catch Depression You Create It
• 5 Teen Self Help Steps For Depression, Anxiety & Stress Relief

Depression Free Method
REVIEW

John Micheals, a former tragic sufferer of depression gives you the tools he has learned and studied from many psychologists. This program will show you a fascinating technique that empowers you to take over your life once again, to live with passion and happiness and eliminate your depression forever.

Product Benefits:

• Learning to cope with depression is not the goal here. Eliminating it is.
• Founded on cognitive science and psychology that has been highly tested to work.
• A simply profound technique that is so powerful.
• An instant depression cure; forever depression relief..
• Gain the clarity of mind and leave behind the negitive self-talk.
• As a previous depression sufferer, John has done countless research amongst the best psychologists in the field.
• Through his tremendous experience, he wants to share with you what he has found.
• Become Depression FREE Today!

Easy to incorporate into your life to effectively deliver the end result. It is a revolutionary approach that has turned many people’s life right side up. So simple to execute and works quickly.

Includes:

• Depression Free Method Audio CD
• Homeopathic Remedies for Depression ebook
• Insomnia Relief Methods ebook

The method has had years of research and success which makes it so note worthy. It is up to you to make the move for curing your depression, nobody else can do it for you. Take a step in the right direction by trying the Depression Free Method.

Cure Depression Now!

More from tollieschmidt

• Happy New Year 2010 The Year of Dreams
• Teen Depression Expressed Through Poetry
• Healthy Organic Grilled Beef Burger Recipe

Sometimes people seem to have a hard time understanding my personality. As driven and passionate as I am about all aspects of my life, I can come across as basically an adult “Peter Pan”. I make a lot of jokes, I don’t let things bother me, I seem to be sometimes childish because I act like a kid, or am running around playing pretend with them. So, with all that’s on my plate people think I would be irresponsible, I don’t act like a serious adult, and I’d say your pretty much right.

Because, the reality of my life is it is a fairytale for the most part. However, I do deal with many kids who have very serious problems, and conditions, also inner demons. I don’t share many of these stories with many people, because like most individuals they don’t want to hear about it, or it is to depressing for them. They don’t understand why, I would gladly be involved with strangers in their darkest time. It all boils down to my firm belief in loving all, and all people matter.

Today, I was asked to speak with a young boy who attempted suicide. As I’m sure you can imagine it wasn’t a pleasant story. I heard his stories of personal hell and torment. I sat there with my heart in a knot because I could feel his pain, and I saw a lifeless boy lying there ready to try taking his life again. So, why do I act the way I do? Easy because dealing with these issues are as much reality as I am willing to bear. It also allows me to share a moment and then create a new situation for them to create in their lives. Show them a new dream of what life can be when they exit their self imposed hell and allow for their new reality to take shape.

My dream is I never have to see another life snuffed out because of a moment of unmeasurable pain and torment. I hope you read the following and use some of the information. If nothing else, please, please, ask for help. Do not take your own life, it’s permanent and is NOT a solution.

Suicide is Forever

If you are feeling suicidal right now and you want someone to talk to, call 911 in the United States. Stay on the phone with them until someone comes to you.

Always remember that there are phone numbers you can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from anywhere in the United States.

Every 100 minutes another teenager will commit suicide.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people between the ages of 14 and 25 in the United States.

The following statistics were taken from a recent survey of college and high school students by the CDC:

Twenty-seven percent of high school students said they had “thought seriously” about killing themselves during the past year. Eight percent said they had actually tried to kill themselves.

Ten percent of U.S. college students admitted serious thoughts about suicide. Seven percent had a suicide plan.

More than 30,000 Americans commit suicide each year, and 5,000 of these people are teenagers.

Although one of every eight teenagers suffers with depression, the diagnosis is often missed, as depressive symptoms are often mistaken for the typical “ups and downs” of teenage life. Even in societies where suicide is illegal or taboo, people still kill themselves.

Most suicides occur in the home between the hours of 3 p.m. and midnight. There are 30 to 50 times as many attempted suicides as completed suicides. Four times as many males complete suicide than females, but female teens attempt suicide twice as frequently as male teenagers.

Statistics also show that kids from high-income families kill themselves as often as those from poor or middle-class families.

For every teenage suicide, there are more than 100 unsuccessful attempts. ”Copycat” suicides spread the tragedy even further.

People who talk about suicide often commit suicide. All talk about suicide should be taken seriously. People often have opposing feelings about whether or not they want to die, so there is always hope that they can change their minds if they receive professional help.

Many who attempt suicide are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Be aware of this signal. Many attempts are impulsive acts, so be aware of the following warning signs.

If you suspect a friend is contemplating suicide, take the initiative and just ask him, “Are you thinking about killing or harming yourself?” and “How are you going to kill yourself?” This will often get him to talk about it. Be straight with him; get right to the subject. Tell an adult, a teacher, a guidance counselor or his parents about your concern for your friend’s safety.

There is a suicide hotline phone number in almost every phone book and on the Internet. In the U.S., call the Suicide & Crisis Hotline at (800) 999-9999. The Suicide National Hotline in the U.S. is (800) 273-8255. Your friend may initially get angry with you, but it may save her life.

Some people who are suicidal are very good at hiding their emotional pain. That is why it is okay to just come out and ask if you think someone is hurting on the inside. Very often ,those people are appearing cheerful and popular on the outside to mask their pain and suicidal thoughts on the inside. See the “Survivor’s Story.”

Your concern and intervention may be all that are needed to get the person to vent his feelings and change his mind. If someone exhibits self-destructive behavior, this is often a warning sign that he is seriously considering suicide, not just trying to get attention, as was once thought.

Remember, just because a suicidal person may get professional help and overcome her suicidal feelings, this in itself does not mean those feelings will not return, especially when she is confronted once again by the stress and the problems that caused her to consider suicide in the first place.

Often, teens think they are immortal. Remind anyone who is talking about killing himself that suicide is very permanent, and that you care if he is here with you in this world.

The numbers are disturbing to many adults, yet they only partially convey the tragedy of teen and young-adult suicide. Each and every victim leaves behind a void in the hearts of her friends and her school, and an ongoing ache in the hearts of her families and loved ones. I know; I am one of them.

Some warning signs of suicide are:

depression

anger or hostility

inability to feel pleasure

feeling hopeless

isolation or withdrawal

insomnia

sleeping too much

loss of appetite

preoccupation with death

giving things away that were once valued

ending significant relationships or commitments (breaking up)

sudden uplift in mood after depression

sudden change in behavior or disruptive behavior

promiscuity (being very sexually active)

severe outbursts of temper

excessive substance use

absence from school or work

inability to carry out normal tasks of daily life

inability to laugh

Some Types of Suicidal Behaviors

About 60 percent of teen suicides are committed by a hand gun. Teen girls attempt suicide far more often than guys (about nine times more), but guys are about four times more likely to succeed. Why is this different?

Male teens tend to use more deadly methods, like guns or hanging themselves. Girls most often attempt suicide by overdosing with medication or through some form of self-injury. Suicide deaths can occur from pills, medications and other harmful substances, especially if these substances are mixed.

Sometimes a depressed person plans an act of suicide in advance. (Often the planning of an act gives the person some feeling of control.) Most often however, suicide attempts are “impulsive acts.”

These acts occur during a time when the person is feeling overwhelmingly upset. A situation like a breakup, an unintended pregnancy, the death of a sibling, a fight with a parent or boyfriend or girlfriend, being harmed by abuse or rape, or being victimized in any way can cause a young person to feel desperately upset.

“Coming out” for homosexual teens can also lead to suicide attempts if that person is no longer accepted by his family or friends.

In situations such as these, teens may fear humiliation, rejection, social isolation or another consequence they think they can’t handle. Suicide attempts occur under conditions like this because in desperation and confusion, some teens see no other way out.

Risk Factors For Teenage Suicide:

Previous Attempts–Teens who attempt suicide remain vulnerable for several years, especially for the first 3 months following an attempt. These people may become very clever about hiding their true feelings. Keep in contact with them.

Personal Failure–High standards (the teen’s or the parents’) that are not met, even after only one setback, may set off a downward spiral ending in suicide.

Recent Loss–Death of close friends or family, divorce, or breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend may leave a teenager so lost and alone that suicide seems the only option.

Substance Abuse–Some teens abuse drugs or alcohol to self-medicate overwhelming depression. A combination of depression, substance abuse and lowered impulse control can end in a suicide attempt. This is often a fatal combination.

Family Handguns–A gun in the house may make it easy for a troubled teen to commit suicide; children of law-enforcement officers have a much higher rate of suicide because of the accessibility of guns. If you think your son or friend is in danger of harming himself, please have someone remove that gun from the home!

Family Violence–Violence in the home teaches youths that the way to resolve conflict is through violence.

Lack of Communication–The inability to discuss angry or uncomfortable feelings within the family can lead to suicide. Anger turned inward often leads to depression.

Remember, if someone you know says, “I want to kill myself” or “I’m going to commit suicide,” take the statements seriously and immediately seek the help of a trusted adult, such as a teacher, nurse, parent or counselor.

Experts feel it’s OK to ask a depressed teen if she is thinking about suicide. Asking this question provides assurance that somebody cares, and might give the young person the opportunity to talk about her problems. Also, take the time to learn more about depression. You might just save a life. The death of a young person is always a tragedy.

People with schizophrenia have a higher rate of suicide than the general population. Approximately 10 percent of people with schizophrenia (especially young adult males) commit suicide. Unfortunately, the prediction of suicide in people with schizophrenia can be especially difficult.

Teens with generalized anxiety disorders may also be at greater risk for suicide attempts.

Talking About Suicide—One “Survivor’s Story”

“Suicide is a subject often taboo to mention, and one that’s likely to get a mixture of reactions from people. It’s not something I tell most people I meet. In the past, I’ve overdosed four times and ended up in the hospital having my stomach pumped. I have tried the toaster and the boom box in the bath tub, it doesn’t work; I don’t recommend it. It’s not worth getting hospitalized for a psychiatric reason. A psychiatric institution is kind of like prison, although I have never been in prison. They tell you when you can eat and where you have to be when. You have no privacy. If I wanted to shave (I am a guy), I had to have someone with me, to make sure I wouldn’t hurt myself. If I wanted to use my acne cleanser pads, the nurse had to give them to me and watch me use them because they have alcohol in them and some people would try to suck on them, just to get their ‘fix’ of alcohol. Shoelaces are not allowed until they think you are no longer a danger to yourself. So no shoe laces in anyone’s sneakers or shoes. You have to go to group therapy, even when you don’t want to. It is very regimented.

For a long time, I’ve lived with the comfortable ‘emergency exit’ trap door in my mind, marked with ‘Well, if things get too bad, I can always kill myself.’ At a particularly low point a couple of years ago, I fantasized daily about hanging myself. It was the final way out. The knowledge that I didn’t have to put up with the daily grind and pain of my life if I didn’t choose to was sort of a comfort.

I’m not going to advocate anything to you here one way or the other. I have no right to do that. Nor does anyone else have the right to give such directives to another person. I am just talking about my own experience, because maybe someone will read this who feels suicidal sometimes.

If you’re feeling suicidal, and don’t want to feel that way–you know that the feelings are due to the pain, isolation, healing or whatever you’re going through, and you want some pointers and things to hold on to, to help to pull you out of your despair–then I suggest you go to a support group and hear what they have to say. You will realize when you are with other people who have been very depressed that you are not alone with your feelings.

As for me right now? Well, I see a shrink and am in group therapy now. I like the people in the group and their attitudes. But I’m also still here, alive, taking antidepressants, with no definite plans to kill myself at the moment. I have a partner, who is a very large part of the reason why I want to stay alive–I really don’t want her to feel the pain of my death. But that doesn’t mean that the emergency exit has been sealed up. I just try to live my life one day at a time, and I often find that I do get pleasure out of life, from simple things. And I am glad to still be alive.”

–Jerry, age 19–California, U.S.A.–2000–

Update from Jerry–Age 21–Sept. 2002:

“I’m still here on this planet. I’ve got a new job that I like; I still see my shrink–without him, I think I’d be lost or dead. I am on medication, which does help me a lot (it works for me; not pushing it on anyone else). I’m glad to be able to tell you that being a teen is so difficult at times, I was very close to death at one point, but I’m really happy to still be alive. Sure, I have my moments of ‘darkness’ and doubts about myself and my future, and then they pass, thanks to some unknown force. Good luck on your journey. If you are feeling really down, call a friend; just keep trying something.”

More from tollieschmidt

• The New Bulimic Diet For Today’s Teen
• Teen Relationships-How Much Does Chemistry Count?
• From Pain To Power: Suicide Part Three; Empowerment

By: Tollie Schmidt

Why do some people generate fabulous results, while others just scrape by? Why aren’t we all empowered, happy, wealthy, healthy, and successful?

The truth is that even in the information age, information is not enough. If all we needed were ideas and positive thinking, then we all would have had ponies when we were kids and we would all be living our “dream life” now. Action is what unites every great success. Action is what produces results. Knowledge is only potential power until it comes into the hands of someone who knows how to get himself to take effective action. In fact, the literal definition of the word “power” is “the ability to act.”

What we do in life is determined by how we communicate to ourselves. In the modern world, the quality of life is the quality of communication. What we picture and say to ourselves, how we move and use the muscles of our bodies and our facial expressions will determine how much of what we know we will use.

Often we get caught in the mental trap of seeing enormously successful people and thinking they are where they are because they have some special gift. Yet a closer look shows that the greatest gift that extraordinarily successful people have over the average person is their ability to get themselves to take action. It’s a “gift” that any of us can develop within ourselves. After all, other people had the same knowledge Steve Jobs did. People other than Ted Turner could have figured out that cable had enormous economic potential. But Turner and Jobs were able to take action, and by doing so, they changed the way many of us experience the world.

We all produce two forms of communication from which the experience of our lives is fashioned. First, we conduct internal communications: those things we picture, say, and feel within ourselves. Second, we experience external communications: words, tonalities, facial expressions, body postures, and physical actions to communicate with the world. Every communication we make is an action, a cause set in motion. And all communication we make is an action, a cause set in motion. And all communications have some kind of effect on ourselves and on others.

Communication is power. Those who have mastered its effective use can change their own experience of the world and the world’s experience of them. All behavior and feelings find their original roots in some form of communication. Those who affect the thoughts, feelings, and actions of the majority of us are those who know how to use this tool of power. Think of the people who have changed the world – John F. Kennedy, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi. In a much grimmer vein, think of Hitler. What these men all had in common was that they were master communicators. They were able to take their vision, whether it was to transport people into space or to create a hate-filled Third Reich, and communicate it to others with such congruency that they influenced the way the masses thought and acted. Through their communication power, they changed the world.

Remember, all experiences in your life and how they effect your present and future are all determined by how you personal perceived them. Powerful men and women dream, envision and create. They do not blame, play victim, or make excuses. Take this challenge, if you truly want to make a powerful change in your life I urge you to challenge yourself with the following quote as I have personally been applying in my own life.

“Excuses are tools of the Ignorant, I will NOT use them!”

Lately, I have been asked to speak and work with alot of guys and some girls on their confidence. Honestly, help them communicate with girls, attract others, their entire physiology. I have been working with a new program which has not been out on the market long at all, called The Adonis Effect. This program is geared for guys, and honestly it is powerful for all the guys out there. It’s more than confidence, Weight Loss, Fitness, or even how to attract girls, it is TRUTH! I’m not gonna keep talking about it because a International Launch of the program is coming soon.

Here’s my promise, if you really want to feel absolute power, vitality and physical strength, create attraction for all those around you then this is 100% the program for you. The price is an amazing pre-sale price for the next couple weeks. Also, you don’t like it, don’t even try it, or make excuses, then no questions asked, you’ll receive a full refund for 90 days. So, it’s up to you, excuses? or GREATNESS? Learn about the Adonis Effect NOW!

More from tollieschmidt

• The Power Of Appreciation
• The Power Of Feeling Good
• Return Of The High Gravity Male

Immediate Depression Relief

“8-Years Depression Sufferer Dismisses His Psychiatrist (Who He Visits Every Single Week) By Curing His Depression Permanently Without Expensive Medication!” (And Challenges You To Do The Same!)

Hint: It’s not another wonder drug, not a miracle patch or a new intrusive surgery procedure.

Does Any Of These Experiences Sound Familiar To You?

• Do you find yourself suffering from a persistent empty feeling over a long period of time?
• Have you struggled with guilt and worthlessness that will not stop?
• Do you ever fear the past and have constant bleak thoughts about the future?
• Do you ever feel nervous and afraid you might lose control or go insane?
• Do you feel utter hopelessness and believe that everything you do will turn into a failure?
• Thinking about cutting yourself and believe that it will relieve the stress and pressure?
• Have a difficult time making decisions and feeling irritated over the slightest things?
• Loss of interest in activities that used to bring joy, including sex?

Do You Feel Any Of The Following Physical Symptoms?

• Loss of appetite and weight loss or vice versa
• Can’t sleep much or sleeping excessively
• Undefined aches and pains all over your body?
• Obsessive worries and unwanted thoughts
• Not feeling connected to what is going on around you
• Overwhelming fear that the depression will push you over the edge?
• Gastrointestinal upsets and headaches?

These and other similar uncomfortable sensations are all too common but the truth is you do not have to ever suffer from another bout of depression again.

Let me explain why

Most of the people I deal with have been struggling with depression for many years and have usually exhausted themselves looking for a solution in every book, course, or treatment program out there. By the time they get to me, they are very skeptical (as is natural) and have little faith in ever getting rid of their condition.

Who Else Wants To Be Free From Depression Without The Use of Medication?

The technique I teach has been developed by me Dan Micheals, a former sufferer of all too frequent bouts of depression. I developed a completely natural approach to eliminating 100% of depression symptoms and experiences. This may seem very hard to believe for someone who may have had this condition for some time but believe me the new information is now available to be free from depression. I will reveal the whole technique to you.

You will be amazed at how such a simple technique known as the Depression Free Method™ could be so powerful in restoring you back to your former care free self. I am not only talking about eliminating depression but also getting your general depression level right back down to zero without the use of any medication or alternative therapies. This technique is based on advanced psychology made simple for everyone to apply.

Your depression Will Vanish.
Your Happiness Will Soar
And The Results Last A Lifetime.

Best of all…

It does not rely on outdated depression techniques such as relaxation, positive affirmations, or distraction.

It takes seconds to implement wherever you are, -at home, at work or out socializing with friends.

This technique is not NLP or hypnosis. It is an advanced cognitive technique born from traditional psychology that everyone can apply regardless of how long the depression has been present.

You will not be asked to follow a time consuming 30 step program that will bring only minor improvements.

You let me put the technique to work for you and with pure joy you will feel calm restored to your life. After suffering from 8 years of debilitating depression, I have successfully developed and refined this technique over the past 10 years and chances are you will not have come across anything like it before.

Everyone of the testimonials found here is legitimate and written by people just like you. Regardless of how your depression manifests you will find a testimonial that matches your depression story.

If you will let me I will tell you something extremely important about depression. This is crucial if you are to seriously begin on the road to full recovery

OK, here goes..

This Is The Key To Being Depression Free…

You Must Learn The Real Cause Of Depression, Accept That You Are Suffering From It And Act Instantly Or You Will Never Experience Complete Freedom From Depression

-There is only one real cause for depression which is backed by scientific studies. (To Be Discussed Shortly)

-Self-denial and inaction continues the wave cycle of depression in motion.

-Prolonged periods of sadness and similar symptoms progress into full-blown depression.

This Is Where Your Problem Lies

There is one key factor that makes the difference between those who fully eliminate depression from their lives and those who do not. The key ingredient is not medication, lifestyle changes, or relaxation exercises. It is when the individual learn all about the main cause for depression, fully accept the condition that he/she is in and swiftly act upon it..

This may seem like a simplified and obvious observation but give it careful consideration. The one thing that has you searching for a solution to depression this very moment is because you have already assumed that the cause of your depression is due to traumatic experiences or awful events and therefore want to find a solution to forget about it and move on. Or you may have done some research and accord your depression to low serotonin levels with other neuro-chemicals in your brain to blame.

You will now discover the real cause or your depression with these discussions below.

Assumption 1: Depression is a medical disease caused by neurochemicals

As past studies indicated, depression is not a disease. The physical symptoms are just that, symptoms and not causes.

Depression can feel like a physical disorder because you feel lethargic all the time, body aches and pain, change in sleep patterns and so on. But remember, all these physical symptoms are caused by depression and not the other way around.

Important to note is the fact that there is a reduction in neurotransmitters (monoamines such as serotonin and norepinephrine) in many cases of depressed people. However, low serotonin levels are a symptoms of depression, not a cause. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that if you give up your pleasure giving activities and engage in pessimistic thinking, the lower your serotonin levels.

Assumption 2: Depression is in your genes

Depression is learned, not genetic. This is because depression has much to do with styles of thinking, behaviors and interpersonal relationships rather than DNA, and therefore abundant opportunities for people to learn the depressive styles of their family. In this sense, they are more likely to become depressed, but not by the cause of their genes, but rather their inclination to learn what they see and follow.

Assumption 3: Depression is caused by traumatic events and bad experiences

If something terrible things were to happen to you or your loved ones around you, of course it is perfectly natural to feel sad, angry, hurt or in shock. Often traumatic events can be linked to the onset of depression, but this does not mean they cause it. This is clear as we’re all aware of people enduring the most horrible circumstances imaginable without becoming clinically depressed.

So What Is The Main Cause For Depression?

Depression relies how we explain things to ourselves. It’s about how we respond and make sense of events. Specifically, it is our thoughts that manifest into physical symptoms as well as empowered all the negative neuron signals through our brain. That does NOT mean that people who become depressed are to be blamed, it simply manage to give us the important insight on how to stop depression for good.

The first time a person experiences depression it can feel like their world is falling down around them. Nowhere feels safe as the depression becomes like a stalker lurking in the background. They avoid all situations that might make them more depressed (in fact giving up all activities including pleasurable ones) and succumb to medications with harmful side effects. I am sure you will agree neither of the above is a satisfactory solution.

What my program (Depression Free Method™) does is give people the ability to immediately stop their self-denial and procrastination and provide them with the tool to change their destructive way of thinking. It is very simple yet amazingly effective.

Here is how it works:

After a person experiences depression for the first time, the experience can be so impacting that it leaves a strong imprint on the persons psyche. This mental imprint generates a cycle or loop of depression (see diagram) whereby the person develops an unhealthy inclination towards depression. People can spend anywhere from months to years caught in this repetitive cycle of depression.

Depression Free Method teaches a technique that now allows that person to break the cycle of depression and return to normal everyday living.

The really unique element of the technique, is that there is no need for you to regress into your past as you already discovered the real main cause for your depression, therefore focusing all your energy and mental power to stop it fast and permanently. All that is needed is your willingness to break out of the depression cycle. Are you ready to try this right now ?

In the end you must:

Break This Cycle Of Depression With A Tool That Will Allow You To Be Depression Free For Life

That Has Been The Solution For The
Thousands Of People I have Taught So Far

Learn What That Tool Is Here

More from tollieschmidt

• The Power Of Appreciation
• Teen Depression and The Scary Truth
• Return Of The High Gravity Male

When a person feels depressed, something needs attention. Too much stress can make it hard to cope, and important feelings may be suppressed or turned inside. A major loss or grief requires time and emotional support for real recovery—and even a buildup of minor stresses (disappointments, setbacks, trouble in relationships, or work-related problems) can contribute to depression. Dietary deficiencies, allergies and sensitivities, hormonal imbalances, or biochemical conditions may also be involved. A person going through a period of mild sadness or depression may find relief through homeopathy. The guidance of an experienced homeopath is often valuable, to choose a remedy that fits the situation best. Any person with deep, long-lasting, or recurring depression should seek the care of a licensed mental health professional.

Read the rest of this entry »

More from tollieschmidt

• Herbs For Teen Depression: Are Herbs For Teen Depression An Option
• Antioxidants For Sports & Fitness
• Teen Depression and The Scary Truth

You can rest assured, that those who have hurt you had absolutely no idea of what they were doing and what was really going on.

It never occurred to them that you’d become even more magnificent.

That they’d be invoking your sympathy, adding to your compassion, and increasing your “sparkles.”

And it will still be eons before they can grasp that you actually welcomed them into your life and played their little games for some of these very reasons

Read the rest of this entry »

More from tollieschmidt

• 5 Steps To Create A Dream-Infused Life Today
• Teen Anorexia and Body Image Living Outside The Mirror Illusion
• Tollie International Dream-Infused New Projects To Empower Teens

The “Ana” Chronicles a 5 part series is ready to film. Our new project is something special, a new challenge, a new adventure, a new amazing opportunity to grow and serve. I have had the honor of traveling all over and meeting extraordinary young friends, some who were trapped in darkness, others who already achieved greatness. Through there stories, their struggles and triumphs the “Ana” Chronicles, script was written. The reason the opportunities opened up for this amazing film series is simple, the world is ready to Dream!

You will follow a beautiful young Ana, as she is trapped in a self-inflicted hell of darkness and lies, caught in the “illusion” of beauty, and image. You feel her pain, you will experience a darkness so many struggle with yet, are only seen as a statistic. However, as Ana struggles she becomes stronger, she starts to unravel the truth, and see through the “illusion”. Once a broken, and trapped girl, Ana grows strong, she chooses to become great, she frees herself and begins to dream. However, through her amazing transformation a unstoppable force breaks through, and Ana’s Journey has only begun. Because, once the “illusion” falls, once the lies bear no weight, her true adventure and journey begins, the “Journey of a Dreamer”.

During this 5 part series we will invite all of you ready to begin a new journey, ready to allow yourself to dream and back you up! We will offer free workbooks, tools, and exercises to enable you to mentally envision your new life. My new book will also, be released during the “Ana” Chronicles. Live events, like have never been seen, experienced or fealt. Taking my love of entertainment, art, music, pyro-technics, and infusing them into a demonstration of the power of dreams.

Read the rest of this entry »

More from tollieschmidt

• The REAL Secret To Love, Passion, YOUR Dreams…
• Way to Go Miley Cyrus!
• Pro-Ana Viewpoint Ed or Diet?

I received an email from former Elite International model, Nicole Clark the other day. She shared with me her amazing new project and documentary, “Cover Girl Culture“. I am highly recomending you take a look at Nicole’s site and view the film’s trailers. I also encourage you to take a stand and share this with others. Nicole’s work struck a chord with me, because her terminology she uses and how she views the overall picture of “body image” is so similar to my views and ideas. Im gonna keep this short, because I hope you visit her site and see for yourself. Also, share some thoughts from other friends who are backing this project. I will say, the reason the “illusion” of the perfect body, and the cause of so many eating disorders, depression, and obesity are starting to shift and be exposed is because of one reason, “The world is ready to dream again”! Let the mojo flow and the human spirit take flight to new heights!

What is the Cover Girl Culture?

Cover Girl Culture: Awakening the Media Generation is a feature length documentary. From posing in pages of magazines to exposing magazines comes documentary filmmaker Nicole Clark. A former Elite International fashion model turned champion for young girls and their self-esteem, Nicole gets in the face of the media and advertisers calling for responsible media for our youth! We must act now to save an endangered species – empowered young women and girls!

Cover Girl Culture explores how the worlds of fashion, modeling, advertising and celebrity impact our teens and young women. Who sets today’s standards for beauty and how are these standards affecting individuals and society? Who is responsible? Are there ways this can be changed? If so, who can/will change it?

Shocking interviews with fashion editors from major NY magazines. Intimate interviews with top agents, designers, models, advertisers and many more. An important issue addressed is the sexualization of young girls in the media/advertising. Most importantly it focuses on SOLUTIONS. (this film took 4 yrs to complete)

Who is Nicole Clark?

Nicole Clark is a former Elite International Model, author and film maker who has been writing and creating material to empower children and teens for several years. She is the Director of Cover Girl Culture, Cover Girl Culture: Awakening the Media Generation, a feature length documentary film that explores how the worlds of fashion, modeling, advertising and celebrity are impacting the lives and damaging the self-esteeming of teens and young women.

Nicole also is the author of two acclaimed children’s books that teach emotional intelligence “The Oceans of Emotions” and “Adventures In Dreamtime
“. (Chosen by Mental Health Resources). She is currently in production on her second documentary, “Taking ME out of Media”, which follows three average American teenage girls through self-esteem workshops and body image classes to see what it takes to help them unplug from the media bombardment (the pressure to be skinny and sexy at 12) and plug into something greater – themselves.

Advocates

Ally Sheedy

‘I met Nicole when we were both at the Women’s International Film Festival. I am thrilled with her work on this documentary and came on board as an associate producer. I am also working on her next documentary, ‘Taking Me out of Media’.

I feel CGC is a very important and educational film. I have a 14 year old daughter and am concerned about the effects of the images in the media on her developing sense of herself. Being an actress, I have been in the eye of the storm on this issue dealing with the pressures to conform to these images. I have spent a lot of my life trying to look like the impossible images put out there in order to work in Hollywood. And then in fighting against these same dictates because they are so harmful to the girls in the audiences as well as to my own sense of ethics and self-esteem.

I identify with Nicole because she has also been an “insider” in the modeling world and has also rejected furthering these images. I believe CGC can teach young women to take a more objective look at what they are being taught to think about themselves by the media and, perhaps for the first time, to question it’.

Mariel Hemingway

“Cover Girl Culture is a hugely important piece for young girls everywhere. It addresses the very core of most women’s obsession. It helps us understand why it is so imperative to guide our girls towards a healthy appreciation for the unique and beautiful aspects of themselves as individuals, not as cookie-cutter cut outs of someone they are not and never should be. Believing in yourself for a young girl has a profound impact on their future.
This documentary helps girls know they are not alone in their feelings of inadequacy based on the media’s focus and most importantly that they are beautiful because they are uniquely themselves”.

More from tollieschmidt

• Nicole Clark Cover Girl Culture Interview Video
• The Power of Massage & Aromatherapy and The Love and Feelings Created
• Beautiful Words-Teen Women Empowerment and Choice

It is not a coincidence that the same people who doubt or fail to recognize the existence of their Spirit, are also the same people who dismiss intuition as being nothing more than superstition or the byproduct of an overactive imagination. For intuition is the language of the Spirit. Intuition is a knowing without the benefit of reason or prior experience. It is direct knowing, or knowledge from the very core of your being.

The Spiritual region of the mind is the intuitive region of the mind. Intuition is a higher faculty than that of intellect or reason. With intuition you simply know. With the intellect, you must gather information through personal experience, put the pieces of that information together, then draw conclusions about that assembled information. You intellectually rediscover what you intuitively already know. Intuition is “a feeling about something which we can’t explain on the basis of anything we’ve learned.” Intuition is expressed in the form of feeling. It is feeling which distinguishes communication from your Spirit in contrast to your other mental dialogue and impressions.

In their book, Ask and it is Given, Esther and Jerry Hicks describe what they refer to as the Emotional Guidance System. They explain that the significance of your emotions extends far beyond your mere temperament. By simply being aware of your emotions, at any given moment, you may ascertain your degree of alignment with your Spirit. Whenever you give your attention to a thought, you excite an emotion. The more positive and joyful this emotion feels, the more the thought you are giving your attention to is in alignment with what your Spirit knows to be Real and in your best interest. When your emotion feels distressing, it is an indication that the thought you are giving your attention to is misaligned with what your Spirit knows to be Real and in your best interest.

“Your emotions – simply, purely, and only – are about your relationship with your Source (your Spirit). And since your emotions tell you everything that you would ever need to know about your relationship with your Source, we often refer to your emotions as your Emotional Guidance System…

Your emotions indicate the degree of your alignment with Source. Although you can never achieve such a complete misalignment with Source that you disconnect from it altogether, the thoughts that you choose to give your attention to do give you a substantial range in alignment or misalignment with the Non-Physical Energy that is

truly who you are. And so, with time and practice, you will come to know, in every moment, your degree of alignment with who you really are, when you are in full allowance of the Energy of your Source, you thrive, and to the degree that you do not allow this alignment, you do not thrive.

You are empowered Beings; you are utterly free to create, and when you know that, and are focused upon things that are in vibrational harmony with that, you feel absolute joy. But when you think thoughts that are contrary to that truth, you feel the opposite emotions of disempowerment and bondage. And all emotions fall somewhere within the range, from joy to disempowerment.” – from Esther and Jerry Hicks Ask and It Is Given.

So “you see, you do not necessarily (always) have conscious recognition of the thoughts or intentions of your inner or broader perspective (your Spiritual perspective) – but you do have communication. All physical Beings have communication from their Inner Being in the form of emotion, and so whenever your emotion is positive, you can know that you are in harmony with your inner intentions.” – from Esther and Jerry Hicks The Law of Attraction
.

Aside from this general communication through our Emotional Guidance System, actual conscious awareness of our Spirit’s insights occurs more frequently than many of us presently recognize. The next time you get this inexplicable feeling about something, an enigmatic urge AND thought about something which you can’t explain but if even for a moment you just know is right and true, don’t be so dismissive of it. That’s your Spirit prompted inner voice communicating with you, providing you with guidance from its on-high perspective – from its perspective of simply knowing.

Usually when most of us experience these intuitive thought-feelings, our rational faculties kick in so fast we hardly have time to process these messages from our Spirit. Our rationality very promptly reminds us that the thought-feeling we just experienced was based on nothing concrete or logical, and therefore the message or prompting it incited should be dismissed. And that’s exactly what most of us too often do – we dismiss these insights offered by our Spirit. A great many of us choose to solely be guided by the knowledge we have acquired through our direct experiences because this knowledge is grounded in data which we can trace. Many of us feel more comfortable with this kind of knowing; a knowing which basically amounts to supposition or drawing conclusions about things based on the information we have readily available. Simply knowing something, without that knowing being grounded in information we obtained through our experience probably seems too fantastic to be real. But it is real. In fact, it’s more real than that knowing which is based on intellect or reason. Following a feeling which you can’t explain is not irrational, but denying yourself the benefit of being guided by your Spirit is. You may, at first, feel apprehensive about yielding to your “gut,” but you can train your rational faculties to accept your Spirit prompted intuitive insights. The more you allow yourself to be guided by intuition, despite the protests of your rational faculties, the more evidence of your intuition’s authenticity will be made apparent to you. And your rationality will eventually come around to accepting that there are some things that You just simply know which is based on nothing that you know. For this knowing is simply another facet of your divine heritage.

Do not make the mistake, however, of confusing your Spirit prompted inner-voice with you simply wanting something to be true, because there is a definite distinction between intuition and mere wishful thinking. Talking yourself into a belief, or knowing by convincing, is not the same thing as intuition. This type of “inner-voice” comes from your ego, not your Spirit. Always keep in mind that it is the feeling of simply knowing something to be right or true, without coercion and without direct knowledge obtained through your experience, which distinguishes communication from the Spirit. The hunches you feel is your Spirit speaking to you. The gut feelings you get is your Spirit speaking to you. The flashes of insight which illuminate your imagination and leave you feeling awed is your Spirit speaking to you.

Do you remember that inner-voice you heard which urged you not to get involved with that nightmare of a boyfriend or girlfriend you had (or possibly still have)? You heard that inner-voice. You felt the knowing that accompanied that inner-voice. But then your rationality kicked in and told you to ignore it, that that urging was based on nothing. Just look at him (or her). Your rationality told you that that smile they just gave you was what was real. That that charm he was enamoring you with was what was real. That your wanting to get to know him better was what was real. This was the information you got directly from your experience. This was the information which your reason concluded was concrete, and so you did exactly what your rationality encouraged you to do. You ignored the intuitive inner-voice that you’d initially heard which warned you not to go there with that person because your rationality told you that your intuition was based on nothing “substantial.” So you went ahead and went there anyway and had to learn the hard way, through direct experience, that your initial “feeling” was right. Through hindsight you may now realize that your intuition was based on more substance than you gave it credit for at the time. We’ve all done this – if not with a boyfriend or girlfriend, perhaps with a job or career choice, something we purchased, a vacation choice… Somewhere in our lives we’ve all made this mistake (often repeatedly), where we’ve ignored our Spirit prompted inner-voice.

This communication can come in the form of words, accompanied by that knowing feeling we just spoke of. Or sometimes a vision and / or memories are triggered in your imagination; kind of like having a waking dream. It is different from a daydream, where you consciously direct what is happening in your mind’s eye. In this “waking dream” your Spirit directs the vision. Your Spirit blends certain memories you have and impressions you’ve assumed, and constructs a symbolic scenario which it then passes before your conscious awareness through the faculty of your imagination in order to prompt your conscious mind to see something which isn’t readily apparent to it yet. This “waking dream” is also accompanied by a feeling of knowing. It is this feeling which signifies that the imagery in your mind’s eye is from your Spirit. The only difference between seeing your intuitive insights in your imagination and “hearing” your Spirit articulate the words is that with the former, your Spirit shows you what it wants you to know, and with the latter your Spirit simply tells you what it wants you to know. So how do we become more adept at identifying our Spirit’s “voice?” There are questions you can ask yourself to help you determine if the inner-voice you are “hearing” or the mental picture you are seeing is truly of an intuitive nature, prompted by your Spirit, or if it’s your ego simply talking to itself. Ask yourself:

• Can the “feeling” I experienced really not be explained by reason or something within my conscious or subconscious frame of reference?
• Did my inner-voice urge an explicit course of action or answer a specific question which I had been asking? For authentic intuition always either urges a specific action, or provides broader insight to a puzzle you’d been trying to find the solution to. Your Spirit prompted inner-voice will never offer you idle information. There is always something immediately useful about the information it imparts to you. When it urges action, you may not (consciously) understand the purpose of the action being encouraged, but that’s part of what brands it as intuition (it falls outside the realm of your reason). It is a test of faith.
• Was the “feeling” I experience loving in quality? For authentic intuition will never prompt you to cause yourself or others any harm.
• Did this inner-voice seem to originate from my head or from my gut? When it feels like you’re in your head it’s because you are. You’re using your rational facilities, not your intuitive faculties, when you are in your head. Gut feelings come from your intuition, which is your Spirit’s voice.

Look for that feeling, that sensation of resonance; that tingle or inexplicable sensation of just knowing something is true. It’s usually accompanied by a sensation of excitement or immediacy. This sensation is very different from the sensation of yearning or wishful thinking, in wanting something to be true, or the “me” ego asking and answering its own question. Whenever I have received authentic intuitive insight, it was always an insight that stayed with me as being true. My understanding of that truth always changes in the sense that my comprehension of it gains greater depth or clarity and detail, but the truth itself never changes, it is merely my conscious understanding of it which evolves.

More from tollieschmidt

• Dreams and Greatness: Exploring Heart-Consciousness Part 3 It’s In Your Blood
• Teen Weight Loss and Diet Empowerment Outsmart Your Stomach
• Greatness From Within Your Subconscious Mind

A strong support network can help ground you emotionally, and provide you with ideas for problem-solving. But people with mental health problems often have a hard time reaching out, in no small part because they may be part of families with poor communication skills. Fortunately, there are many resources for creating a support network to provide the assistance you need.

Your Support Network: Reaching Out to Friends and Family

“Mental illness is very isolating. There is a lot of stigma. You can be isolated from your family, from your friends, from your employer,” says Eileen Ryan, co-director of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance chapter in New Orleans. Ryan has been coordinating bi-monthly support groups in the New Orleans area since 2001.

“If you don’t have people close to you, you might go off the deep end, but if people close to you can ask if you have been sleeping, if you have been taking your meds, if they can talk to you in that window of rationality, it can be lifesaving. That’s the Catch-22 of mental illness — you might not know when it’s going bad,” says Ryan.

A formal support network can serve this purpose as well. A study of 120 people with bipolar disorder compared structured support groups to informal support groups and found that those in the structured groups with trained leaders were less likely to have a return of severe symptoms. This is probably because the group leader was able to identify early signs of recurrence and provide help. People in the structured groups were also more likely to keep taking their prescribed medications.

This study also found that when caregivers and family members learn about helping patients and coping with mental health concerns in a support group setting, they are better able to prevent mental health crises. Patients whose spouse or other primary caregiver joined a support group were less likely to have a recurrence of severe manic symptoms.

Reaching out to loved ones may be difficult for you. You may feel that people will think less of you if they know you have a mental illness; you may be embarrassed by something you did or said to them before you were diagnosed; or, you may anticipate a negative, critical, or overly emotional response. Start by asking for just two things they can do to help you:

• To let you know if they see signs that your mental illness is returning.
• To join a support group to learn about living with mental illness.

Your Support Network: Seeking Support Online

For some people, online support is very helpful. There are a number of reasons for going online to get support, such as having a mental health concern that you don’t want to discuss with family and friends. A survey of 85 people who were members of online support groups for trichotillomania (TTM), or chronic hair pulling, revealed that close to one third had never told their family about their disorder, but that they found information about symptoms and treatments, as well as the friendships they formed through the TTM support groups, very helpful.

Your Support Network: Learning to Communicate

People with mental illness and their families may need to learn new communication habits. Studies show that people who live in families where communication is often hostile, critical, or overly emotional are at higher risk of experiencing a relapse of their mental illness. Finding ways to break the “attack-counter attack” mode of communication is essential before you can reasonably ask for help.

You and your family may need to practice:

• Diplomatically making requests for change
• Rationally evaluating the pros and cons of a suggestion
• Giving both praise and constructive criticism
• Active listening

If your family needs help learning these skills, or is unwilling to practice healthier communication, speak with a mental health professional about how to deal with the situation.

Your Support Network: How Much Information Is Too Much?

Ryan notes that the guidelines for sharing in a group focus on confidentiality, openness, and the use of “I-statements,” which means talking about what you are going through solely from your own perspective. These rules should guide conversation with anyone about your mental health status.

It may take some time to learn the boundaries of sharing information with others and asking for help. Participation in support groups can help you identify when your requests to family and friends are excessive, notes Ryan, who says group members often have practical tips to offer about how to handle these situations as they arise.

More from tollieschmidt

• 5 Signs of Common Mental Health Conditions
• Family Style Health Tips
• Creating Your Dreams and The Number One Question To Ask Yourself Today

Everyone has good days and bad days — even good years and bad years — but you should be concerned when the signs of depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or bipolar disorder make it difficult to carry out the tasks of everyday life. Challenging emotions can arise in any situation, from work to relationships, and you want to act before they seriously interfere with your ability to function.

Mental Health: 5 Signs of Clinical Depression

“You determine clinical depression by two measures. One is by time and one is by severity — impact on function. When you have severe symptoms that last at least two weeks and are interfering with fundamental basic functions, it falls into the realm of clinical depression,” explains psychiatrist Jill RachBeisel, MD, associate professor of psychiatry of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.

There are many symptoms of depression, but most common among people with clinical depression are changes in:

1. Appetite. “In clinical depression you lose your appetite completely, and you stop eating, or you eat very little,” says Dr. RachBeisel.
2. Sleep. When clinical depression sets in, you may have consistent, severe insomnia and be unable to sleep well almost every night.
3. Concentration. “Someone might find themselves unable to maintain focus on simple activities like watching a TV program or reading a newspaper article,” says RachBeisel. You may not be able to focus on a recipe for dinner or tasks at work.
4. Energy level. “With severe clinical depression your energy is so low you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning or carrying through your basic activities of daily living. People find themselves lying in bed and staying in pajamas all day long,” RachBeisel explains.
5. Interest in activities that one would normally enjoy. This may mean that you no longer care about shaving or styling your hair, for example, or about bigger issues, like caring for your children.

At its most severe, clinical depression can lead to suicide. Having thoughts like “My family would be better off without me” is a warning sign.

Mental Health: 5 Signs of Anxiety

“We all should have a little anxiety on board because when you think about it, what makes you really perform well is you get a little anxious,” says RachBeisel. These, however, are signs that you may need help with your anxiety level:

1. You can’t follow a conversation or complete a basic task.
2. You can’t do what other people do; for example, a fear of crossing bridges prevents you from seeing the other side of town.
3. You find yourself avoiding family gatherings or office parties due to social anxiety.
4. You worry that in a crowded room people are looking at you or talking about you.
5. You may avoid projects that require public speaking or presenting your work.

Mental Health: 5 Signs of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder is on the extreme end of the anxiety spectrum.

“People with OCD are so anxious, they have intrusive thoughts that are irrational, and they can’t get the thoughts out of their head. So what they do is develop behaviors to cope with the anxiety,” says RachBeisel. These behaviors or rituals may be so time-consuming that you can’t get to work (or anywhere) on time, and may even prevent you from working. For example, you may:

1. Wash your hands 20 to 30 times a day.
2. Count 15 cars before you can park.
3. Spend hours checking the door and window locks before going to bed.
4. Spend hours bathing.
5. Repeat work tasks multiple times to make sure they are perfect.

Mental Health: 5 Signs of Bipolar Disorder

“A person with bipolar disorder is someone who has severe mood swings,” says RachBeisel. During the depressed phase, the signs of clinical depression appear, but people with bipolar disorder also experience a manic phase during which they may have a lot of energy and positive feelings about themselves. Signs of mania are:

1. Mood swings. Examples are elevated mood or extreme irritability.
2. Fast speech. “You can’t get a word in edgewise and you have to ask them to slow down,” says RachBeisel.
3. No need for sleep. People with pipolar disorder may stay up all night for many days cleaning, painting walls, or doing laundry.
4. Overextended. An overly high estimation of themselves leads to commitments they can’t possibly keep, such as taking on jobs they don’t have the skills to do.
5. Excessive behaviors. Charging tens of thousands of dollars or having sex with casual acquaintances are just two examples.

Mental Health: How to Get Help

If you suspect that you have signs of one of these mental health illnesses, RachBeisel advises that you:

1. Call your primary care doctor and ask for a referral so you can get evaluated by a specialist.
2. Call a local suicide hotline if you are experiencing severe symptoms.
3. Contact your local health department for a list of mental health services.

By knowing the signs of these common mental health conditions, you’ll be better equipped to recognize when you, or someone you love, may need professional help.

More from tollieschmidt

• Building Your Mental Health Support Network
• Signs Of Teen Anorexia
• Family Style Health Tips