Symptoms of Depression Series: Fatigue
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Living With It
I am a published writer who suffers from depression and MS
I have suffered from depression for as long as I can remember and I...
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Monday, May 31, 2010
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There are many symptoms of depression and we have talked about a couple of them in depth including hopelessness and feeling numb. Today we are going to talk about the symptom of fatigue. I am sure many of us have felt that weariness which leaves us lifeless and depleted. We are going to talk about what fatigue feels like, possible causes and what we can do when fatigue interferes with our day to day functioning.
What does it feel like to suffer from depression fatigue?
The thing that some people might not get about depression is that it takes such a physical toll on our body. If you read the many definitions of the word “depressed” even the meanings which are unrelated to mood use adjectives like “flattened,” “pressed down” or “lowered to sink.” These can also accurately describe the feelings of fatigue one can get from depression. When I am depressed sometimes I feel that I am being pulled low to the ground. My posture slumps. My chest feels heavy and weighted. My movements are slow and purposeless. I don’t feel like doing anything. I don’t want to go anywhere. I just want to sit and do nothing or sleep. But sleep doesn’t re-energize. It is merely a way to escape conscious thought and emotion. One wakes up tired and sometimes more depressed in the morning. The fatigue of depression makes every action, every daily chore or responsibility feel as though it takes a tremendous amount of energy that you don’t have.
Whether you are at home or at work, you wonder, “Am I going to make it through this day?” This is what the depression related fatigue feels like for me. What does it feel like for you?
What causes the depression symptom of fatigue?
Here is the tricky thing about fatigue with depression-which came first? It is well known that feeling fatigued can also make you feel depressed. And if you are depressed you may feel fatigued as a result. It is like that chicken or the egg conundrum. There are biological explanations given for the fatigue associated with depression and one relates to an enzyme called monoamine oxidase A, or MAO-A. According to the scientific literature, this enzyme destroys neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine which are all necessary to regulate both mood and energy levels. MAO-A levels are reportedly too high in persons suffering from depression and this causes the other neurotransmitters to be low. Thus, people with depression may feel abnormally tired as a result.
There is other research which shows an association between depression and fatigue. In a study published in a 2004 issue of Psychosomatic Medicine researchers found that depression sufferers were more than four times as likely to develop unexplained fatigue. And they also found that the reverse is also true that those who suffer from fatigue are nearly three times as likely to become depressed. So it is clear that one of the risk factors for having depression is that you may also suffer from fatigue.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Get-In-Shape Help For the Stressed
Get-In-Shape Help For the Stressed
Feeling stress about wearing less in the coming months because you find yourself eating more when stressed? Here are some tips for dealing with emotional eating, stress cravings and more. (Plus: how does stress affect the eating patterns of my other readers? Find out and weigh in here--so to speak.)
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9lYO
Feeling stress about wearing less in the coming months because you find yourself eating more when stressed? Here are some tips for dealing with emotional eating, stress cravings and more. (Plus: how does stress affect the eating patterns of my other readers? Find out and weigh in here--so to speak.)
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9lYO
Get Active--Here's Motivation
Get Active--Here's Motivation
National Running Day was this week, which provides some nice motivation to get moving (if the thought of wearing shorts again wasn't motivation enough). Read more on the stress relief benefits of running, share alternatives, and see what others have to say about exercise (hint: there's a poll involved!)
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9lYN
National Running Day was this week, which provides some nice motivation to get moving (if the thought of wearing shorts again wasn't motivation enough). Read more on the stress relief benefits of running, share alternatives, and see what others have to say about exercise (hint: there's a poll involved!)
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9lYN
I am anxious when driving on the freeway. What do I do?
I am anxious when driving on the freeway. What do I do? 4 Posted in Anxiety by Julie Cohen on Jun 05, 2010
"As soon as the speedometer hits 45 I begin to experience anxiety and cannot make it up to 65mph while driving on the freeway. Please let me know what I have and ways to get help?"
Road anxiety or anxiety while driving is very common. Many people feel that something about the driving experience whether it’s someone else driving or hitting a particular speed or certain curvy parts of a highway makes them feel out of control.
I would ask yourself a couple things off the bat. Are you anxious about other things besides driving? And, what are you beliefs about driving over 45 mph? Anxiety typically does not reside in a vacuum. In other words, most people worry about more than one thing. So you could worry about driving over 45 and also worry about potential medical problems. Those are two totally different fears but the same anxiety. Anxiety is like a fungus; unless it’s treated it tends to spread to other areas!
Anxiety is fueled by avoidance. Unfortunately, most anxiety and panic drives us to hide from the fear. The key to dealing with your anxiety is to face it head on. I know everyone who can relate to this article just had the hairs on the back of their necks stand up! But, to extinguish the anxiety you must walk into it rather than away from it.
I highly recommend cognitive behavioral therapy for dealing with anxiety. “Cog-B” helps to identify irrational and extinguish irrational thoughts. It also focuses of creating new rational thoughts which are the tools that will help bring a new perspective and reduce your anxiety so you can conquer your fears.
- Julie
Related Discussions on DailyStrength:
I only feel safe when my Dad drives me- other people make me very nervous. Sometimes, I can't even ride on the freeway with him driving. Posted on 09/11/07, 01:03 pm
Driving along a motorway/freeway seems to be the worse thing for me, i can normally quite happily travel around my town and even a bit further and im ok but get me on the motorway/freeway and i start freaking out. Posted on 12/28/07, 10:46 pm
How do I stop being afraid of FREEWAYS? I am so afraid of getting on the freeway. I will take the longest way I can find just to keep from getting on. Posted on 04/24/09, 01:43 pm
http://www.dailystrength.org/experts/julie-cohen/article/i-am-anxious-when-driving-on-the-freeway
"As soon as the speedometer hits 45 I begin to experience anxiety and cannot make it up to 65mph while driving on the freeway. Please let me know what I have and ways to get help?"
Road anxiety or anxiety while driving is very common. Many people feel that something about the driving experience whether it’s someone else driving or hitting a particular speed or certain curvy parts of a highway makes them feel out of control.
I would ask yourself a couple things off the bat. Are you anxious about other things besides driving? And, what are you beliefs about driving over 45 mph? Anxiety typically does not reside in a vacuum. In other words, most people worry about more than one thing. So you could worry about driving over 45 and also worry about potential medical problems. Those are two totally different fears but the same anxiety. Anxiety is like a fungus; unless it’s treated it tends to spread to other areas!
Anxiety is fueled by avoidance. Unfortunately, most anxiety and panic drives us to hide from the fear. The key to dealing with your anxiety is to face it head on. I know everyone who can relate to this article just had the hairs on the back of their necks stand up! But, to extinguish the anxiety you must walk into it rather than away from it.
I highly recommend cognitive behavioral therapy for dealing with anxiety. “Cog-B” helps to identify irrational and extinguish irrational thoughts. It also focuses of creating new rational thoughts which are the tools that will help bring a new perspective and reduce your anxiety so you can conquer your fears.
- Julie
Related Discussions on DailyStrength:
I only feel safe when my Dad drives me- other people make me very nervous. Sometimes, I can't even ride on the freeway with him driving. Posted on 09/11/07, 01:03 pm
Driving along a motorway/freeway seems to be the worse thing for me, i can normally quite happily travel around my town and even a bit further and im ok but get me on the motorway/freeway and i start freaking out. Posted on 12/28/07, 10:46 pm
How do I stop being afraid of FREEWAYS? I am so afraid of getting on the freeway. I will take the longest way I can find just to keep from getting on. Posted on 04/24/09, 01:43 pm
http://www.dailystrength.org/experts/julie-cohen/article/i-am-anxious-when-driving-on-the-freeway
Monday, June 7, 2010
What are the Causes of Borderline Personality Disorder?
What are the Causes of Borderline Personality Disorder?
What causes borderline personality disorder? Learn more about the factors that may contribute to the development of BPD, including environmental and biological factors. The contribution of childhood experiences, trauma, genetics, brain structure, and neurochemistry are covered.
http://bpd.about.com/od/causesofbpd/Causes_of_Borderline_Personality_Disorder_BPD.htm
What causes borderline personality disorder? Learn more about the factors that may contribute to the development of BPD, including environmental and biological factors. The contribution of childhood experiences, trauma, genetics, brain structure, and neurochemistry are covered.
http://bpd.about.com/od/causesofbpd/Causes_of_Borderline_Personality_Disorder_BPD.htm
Recommended Reading: Books About BPD
Recommended Reading: Books About BPD
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated October 11, 2009
A number of books on BPD have been published, some by experts in the field and some by people with the disorder. When you set out to learn more about the disorder, you may be overwhelmed by the choices. Here are a few helpful books to start with.
"Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified: An Essential Guide for Understanding and Living with BPD" by Robert O. Friedel. Marlowe and Company, 2001.
"Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder" by Marsha M. Linehan. Guilford Press, 1993.
"The Borderline Personality Disorder Survival Guide" by Alex Chapman and Kim Gratz. New Harbinger Publications, 2007.
"Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies" by Charles H. Elliott, PhD, and Laura L. Smith, PhD, For Dummies, 2009.
"Borderline Personality Disorder in Adolescents: A Complete Guide to Understanding and Coping When Your Adolescent Has BPD" by Blaise Aguirre, MD, Fair Winds Press, 2007.
"Lost in the Mirror: An Inside Look at Borderline Personality Disorder" by Richard Moskovitz. Taylor Trade Publishing, 2nd edition, 2001.
"Get Me Out of Here: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder" by Rachel Reiland. Hazelden, 2004.
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated October 11, 2009
A number of books on BPD have been published, some by experts in the field and some by people with the disorder. When you set out to learn more about the disorder, you may be overwhelmed by the choices. Here are a few helpful books to start with.
"Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified: An Essential Guide for Understanding and Living with BPD" by Robert O. Friedel. Marlowe and Company, 2001.
"Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder" by Marsha M. Linehan. Guilford Press, 1993.
"The Borderline Personality Disorder Survival Guide" by Alex Chapman and Kim Gratz. New Harbinger Publications, 2007.
"Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies" by Charles H. Elliott, PhD, and Laura L. Smith, PhD, For Dummies, 2009.
"Borderline Personality Disorder in Adolescents: A Complete Guide to Understanding and Coping When Your Adolescent Has BPD" by Blaise Aguirre, MD, Fair Winds Press, 2007.
"Lost in the Mirror: An Inside Look at Borderline Personality Disorder" by Richard Moskovitz. Taylor Trade Publishing, 2nd edition, 2001.
"Get Me Out of Here: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder" by Rachel Reiland. Hazelden, 2004.
How to Choose Self Help Books
How to Choose Self Help Books
Learn How to Find a Quality Self Help Books
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated February 02, 2009
There are hundreds of self help books available on bookstore shelves. These books promise to help you lose weight, beat depression, reduce anxiety, even recover from borderline personality disorder (BPD). Pick any problem and you will probably find at least five self help books that are designed to tackle it. And, research has shown that these books can work; for example, self help programs for depression and anxiety are associated with reduced symptoms in people who use them.
Unfortunately, these books can vary dramatically in terms of their quality. With so many books available, how do you know which to choose? Of course, reading reviews of the books can help, but it can also help to have a keen eye for the factors that make a self help book more likely to be a reliable source of information, and the factors that alert you to sources that are less trustworthy.
Choose Self Help Books: What to Look For
Below are some general guidelines to help you choose self help books. It is important to note that these are generalizations; there are some very good self help books that do not meet all of the guidelines below, and other poor quality books that on the surface appear to meet the criteria. However, these guidelines may help you narrow down your choices.
Who is the Author? First, take a look at who wrote the book. In general, quality self help books are written by people who are considered experts in the topic. Usually, these individuals are mental health professionals who hold doctoral or medical degrees, conduct research in the topic area, have experience as practitioners, and are affiliated with academic institutions. Self help books that are of less quality tend to be written by people who are not professionals.
How Broad is the Topic Area Covered? Another characteristic of lower quality self help books is that they tend to cover very broad topic areas. For example, these books may promise methods to change every area of your lifestyle for the better. If a book promises this, be cautious. Often an approach that specifically targets the problem you are having is more realistic.
Where Does the Author Get Their Information? Next, evaluate where the information in the book is coming from. Flip to the back of the book (or the end of each chapter). Are there references cited? Most good self help books cite references from the peer-reviewed scientific and professional literature. For example, a citation from the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology or the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that the author has done his or her homework; they have consulted the research literature and are delivering solid advice based on scientific studies.
What Claims Does the Author Make? Finally, it is very important to consider the claims that the author makes about their advice. As a general rule, there are no magical cures. If the author claims that in only 15 minutes a day you can be worry-free for the rest of your life, be skeptical. If a claim about the effectiveness of a program seems too good to be true, it probably is. In fact, good self help books acknowledge the limitations of self help, and provide guidance on seeking professional help.
Consult the Experts. If you are having trouble determining whether a book is of dubious quality, there are resources available to help you determine which self help book is right for you. In addition to consulting online reviews, a group of expert mental health clinicians and researchers have compiled reviews of over 1,000 self help resources by thousands of mental health clinicians:
The Authoritative Guide to Self Help Resources in Mental Health, Revised Edition, by Drs. John Norcross, John Santrock, Linda Campbell, Thomas Smith, Robert Sommer, and Edward Zuckerman. New York: Guilford Press, 2003.
Most libraries carry this guide; it is a great resource for finding good self help books for most mental health problems.
Sources:
Den Boer PCAM, Wiersma D, Van Den Bosch RJ. “Why is Self Help Neglected in the Treatment of Emotional Disorders?” A Meta-Analysis.” Psychological Medicine, 34: 959-971, 2004.
Redding RE, Herbert JD, Forman EM, Gaudiano BA. “Popular Self Help Books for Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma: How Scientifically Grounded and Useful are They?” Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 39: 537-545, 2008.
Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD
Borderline Personality Disorder Guide
Learn How to Find a Quality Self Help Books
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated February 02, 2009
There are hundreds of self help books available on bookstore shelves. These books promise to help you lose weight, beat depression, reduce anxiety, even recover from borderline personality disorder (BPD). Pick any problem and you will probably find at least five self help books that are designed to tackle it. And, research has shown that these books can work; for example, self help programs for depression and anxiety are associated with reduced symptoms in people who use them.
Unfortunately, these books can vary dramatically in terms of their quality. With so many books available, how do you know which to choose? Of course, reading reviews of the books can help, but it can also help to have a keen eye for the factors that make a self help book more likely to be a reliable source of information, and the factors that alert you to sources that are less trustworthy.
Choose Self Help Books: What to Look For
Below are some general guidelines to help you choose self help books. It is important to note that these are generalizations; there are some very good self help books that do not meet all of the guidelines below, and other poor quality books that on the surface appear to meet the criteria. However, these guidelines may help you narrow down your choices.
Who is the Author? First, take a look at who wrote the book. In general, quality self help books are written by people who are considered experts in the topic. Usually, these individuals are mental health professionals who hold doctoral or medical degrees, conduct research in the topic area, have experience as practitioners, and are affiliated with academic institutions. Self help books that are of less quality tend to be written by people who are not professionals.
How Broad is the Topic Area Covered? Another characteristic of lower quality self help books is that they tend to cover very broad topic areas. For example, these books may promise methods to change every area of your lifestyle for the better. If a book promises this, be cautious. Often an approach that specifically targets the problem you are having is more realistic.
Where Does the Author Get Their Information? Next, evaluate where the information in the book is coming from. Flip to the back of the book (or the end of each chapter). Are there references cited? Most good self help books cite references from the peer-reviewed scientific and professional literature. For example, a citation from the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology or the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that the author has done his or her homework; they have consulted the research literature and are delivering solid advice based on scientific studies.
What Claims Does the Author Make? Finally, it is very important to consider the claims that the author makes about their advice. As a general rule, there are no magical cures. If the author claims that in only 15 minutes a day you can be worry-free for the rest of your life, be skeptical. If a claim about the effectiveness of a program seems too good to be true, it probably is. In fact, good self help books acknowledge the limitations of self help, and provide guidance on seeking professional help.
Consult the Experts. If you are having trouble determining whether a book is of dubious quality, there are resources available to help you determine which self help book is right for you. In addition to consulting online reviews, a group of expert mental health clinicians and researchers have compiled reviews of over 1,000 self help resources by thousands of mental health clinicians:
The Authoritative Guide to Self Help Resources in Mental Health, Revised Edition, by Drs. John Norcross, John Santrock, Linda Campbell, Thomas Smith, Robert Sommer, and Edward Zuckerman. New York: Guilford Press, 2003.
Most libraries carry this guide; it is a great resource for finding good self help books for most mental health problems.
Sources:
Den Boer PCAM, Wiersma D, Van Den Bosch RJ. “Why is Self Help Neglected in the Treatment of Emotional Disorders?” A Meta-Analysis.” Psychological Medicine, 34: 959-971, 2004.
Redding RE, Herbert JD, Forman EM, Gaudiano BA. “Popular Self Help Books for Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma: How Scientifically Grounded and Useful are They?” Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 39: 537-545, 2008.
Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD
Borderline Personality Disorder Guide
Relapsed Went into the Hospital
So early May I had a set back and end up w/ self injury that was pretty severe so I voluntarily stayed at McLean Hospital for a few days. I saw the handwriting on the wall and new I was starting to come apart.
Good news is I am doing much better I have new outside providers and am on new meds that seem to be working pretty well knock on wood hopefully everything continues to go this way.
Good news is I am doing much better I have new outside providers and am on new meds that seem to be working pretty well knock on wood hopefully everything continues to go this way.
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