Health, sanitarian » mental health http://www.sanitarian.org health Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:03:22 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 Tis The Season Not To Be Jolly http://www.sanitarian.org/89-tis-the-season-not-to-be-jolly.html http://www.sanitarian.org/89-tis-the-season-not-to-be-jolly.html#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:35:38 +0000 Sanitarian http://www.sanitarian.org/?p=89 During the months of November to February, the days start getting shorter and colder, and the nights longer and darker.  Climate changes seem to affect many people and they just can’t understand why they tend to feel gloomy and miserable.  This mood disorder is called winter depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
According to Norman E. Rosenthal, the doctor who coined the term SAD in 1984, winter depression has a sound medical basis that involves changes in the body’s mood centers brought on by shorter daylight hours and a lack of sunlight.  Most depressive illness sufferers experience a sense of utter isolation and loneliness. But the fact that many people go through the same grumpiness during this time of the year provides a sense of comfort and assurance that they are not alone.  As the cliché goes “misery loves company.”
Based on statistics of SAD Association, 500,000 people in the United Kingdom experience some form of winter depression, while doctors have estimated that 20% of the population, or almost 2 million people, are affected in Sweden by this condition.
One of the most effective and clinically proven treatment for SAD is “light therapy”, which has been shown to benefit some 80-85 percent of SAD cases.  Simple as it may sound, the treatment actually involves more than just turning on a light and sitting beside it while twiddling your thumbs as you wait for that renewed energy to “power up” your whole well-being.
The average domestic or office light emits a paltry 200-500 lux (a lux is a unit of illuminance,) whereas a minimum of 2,500 lux is required to alleviate the symptoms of SAD.  In comparison, a clear summer’s day can reach an intensity of 100,000 lux.
Based on these specs, a number of specially designed light boxes have been invented that emit precisely the right amount of illumination. Symptoms of SAD gradually subside by sitting in front of one for about 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the severity of the condition.
Light therapy may be the best treatment for SAD as far as symptoms are concerned. However, addressing the root causes of the condition may involve both anti-depressant drugs and psychotherapy treatments especially for those with severe symptoms.

Studies have shown that the incidence of SAD increases dramatically as you go 30 degrees of latitude further north or south, as the condition is virtually unheard of in the tropical countries.  A movement or vacation trip to these countries in the equator may sound impractical but can definitely improve ones mood and well-being.
Watching movies that feature warm, sunny, summery climates show demonstrable improvements in mood. Research shows that any film with clear blue cloudless skies, palm trees and an absence of snow should qualify for a movie therapy.
The same mood-enhancing effect may result by simply watching outdoor sports like cricket or golf.  However, over-exposure to snooker, darts, and indoor bowling has been found to bring on a state of depressive, trance-like catatonia that, in severe cases, culminates in complete mental health breakdown.

]]> http://www.sanitarian.org/89-tis-the-season-not-to-be-jolly.html/feed 0 5 Quick Ways To Ease Stress, Depression & Anxiety http://www.sanitarian.org/27-5-quick-ways-to-ease-stress-depression-anxiety.html http://www.sanitarian.org/27-5-quick-ways-to-ease-stress-depression-anxiety.html#comments Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:13:51 +0000 http://www.sanitarian.org/?p=27 Copyright 2006 Christopher Green

No ceremony with this article, let’s go straight into five quick ways that will help you find relief from stress, depression and anxiety.

1. Take regular breaks from the firing line. Working hard without regular breaks is a great way to build up stress and tension. Make sure you have at least one 15-minute break in the morning and one in the afternoon as well as at least 20 minutes for lunch. If possible, eat lunch away from your workstation. Equally, if you have a lot to deal with in your life right now, taking a day, or a weekend elsewhere – longer if you can – to get some breathing space will really help. Even just a day away from the firing line will enable you to get some distance from the problems and help you to gather your thoughts.

2. Regular exercise can help relieve stress, depression and anxiety. Exercise releases endorphins into your system and will give you a natural boost. It will also provide you with a break from brooding and dwelling upon problems and troubles – but only if you perform the right kind of exercises. Avoid: Exercises that allow you to brood (weight lifting, jogging, treadmills) and perform exercises that require your full concentration. Competitive sports such as squash, tennis, badminton and circuit training are all excellent examples. It is important that you do not brood when you exercise because although you will be benefiting physically, you are still stressing yourself mentally and the stress, depression and anxiety will worsen.

3. Stop beating yourself up. Self-deprecation is a huge part of stress, depression and anxiety. Each time you beat up on yourself, you will erode confidence and self-esteem. Never tell yourself you’re useless, worthless, stupid, hopeless, boring, ugly, and a loser. Never convince yourself that other people hate you, that others find you difficult to be around and that you’re better off being alone. You would never deem it acceptable to say such things to other people and you must deem it equally unacceptable to say them to yourself. These words and phrases are powerful and they will hurt you. Accept you’re not perfect and that you make mistakes – just like everybody else does – and cut yourself some slack. From this day, make a pact with me to never indulge self-deprecation ever again. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE.

4. Isolation is another problem experienced by stress, depression and anxiety sufferers. OK, there will be times when you just want your own company. During such times, you can brood over and over again on problems and events and beat yourself up for hours on end. Not good. Instead, use isolation more positively. Occupy your mind by tackling a jigsaw puzzle, a logic problem, a crossword, read a book or perform a hobby such as painting, playing a musical instrument or whatever it is you have an interest in. In this way, isolation will help you to grow instead of causing you further pain.

5. Television, radio and newspapers can all supply you with a daily hit of negativity and help lower your mood. In the main, they concentrate on the negative side of life: crime, corruption, war, scandal and natural disasters and can give you a distorted view of reality. Not to mention the amount of image manipulation they subject you to. Give yourself a break from this negative drip feed and avoid them completely for one week. You may find, like I have, that they have no place in your life after that. Trust me, you won’t miss them.

That’s five, quick tips for you to help fight stress, depression and anxiety. Please give them a try, they’ll all help to boost your mood levels very quickly indeed.

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