How To Handle Stress As A Woman

Women are often anxious frequently, because they worry about everyone who depends on them in addition to fretting over things that are out of their control. Trying every natural or chemical way to relax the nerves of a fretful woman is usually a fruitless exercise, because it is in their nature to worry about things out of their control. It does help to read articles like the following because it helps put things into perspective a bit.

Muscle relaxation also calms the body. Sitting in a quiet place, tighten each muscle group in your body -- starting with your feet and working your way up to your head -- for a count of five, then release. Or use visual imagery: Picture a beautiful and relaxing place you've been to or seen.

— Read More At CNN

Can Couples Benefit From Counseling Early On In The Marriage?

Can couples benefit from counseling before there is any evidence that problems exist in the marriage? Absolutely, and the following article touts the benefits of this practice. Sometimes talking to a trusted third party makes it easier to open up about personal issues.

It is useful to make a slight distinction between therapy and counseling. Therapy is defined as "treatment intended to heal or relieve a disorder." Counseling, is defined as "the provision of assistance and guidance in resolving personal, social, or psychological problems and difficulties." Counseling's definition does not assume that a "disorder" must be present. Hence we refer to "pre-marital counseling" not "pre-marital therapy".

— Read More At Huffington Post

How To Tell If You Are A Victim Of Emotional Abuse

Every relationship requires a certain level of compromise, but when the other person is trying to change every aspect of your life it is time to review the situation. Of course there is a major difference between compromise and emotional abuse, but some people are unaware of that difference because they are so deeply involved in the relationship. Read below for signs of emotional abuse and how you can tell if it is time for therapy.

The abuser projects their words, attitudes or actions onto an unsuspecting victim usually because they themselves have not dealt with childhood wounds that are now causing them to harm others.

— Read More At Psychcentral

Social Teens Are Less Likely To Experience Depression

If your teenager is involved in extracurricular activities, or leads a pro-social life, you should take solace in the fact that they are less likely to become depressed. A recent study showed that adolescents who avoid risk-taking behavior or more likely to have positive attitudes. Read the case study below for more information.

Adolescence also is a time of heightened risk-taking, which may be related to young people’s increased sensitivity to rewards, said Dr. Eva Telzer, who led the research.

— Read More At Psychcentral

Marital Stress Causes Depression

After being married for any length of time, it is only natural to experience some level of turmoil. What you do to deal with turmoil is entirely up to you, but couples who wait longer to address their problems usually have a more difficult time resolving any issues. Experiencing marital discord can cause depression, according to a recent study. Read below for more information.

The findings are important, according to study leader Richard Davidson, Ph.D., a professor of psychology and psychiatry, because they could help researchers understand what makes some people more vulnerable to mental and emotional health challenges. They also might help scientists develop tools to prevent those challenges, he noted.

— Read More At Psychcentral

What Exactly Does Serotonin Do?

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter found in the pineal gland, the digestive tract, the central nervous system and blood platelets. The fact that serotonin is found in digestive tracts explains why it is usually difficult to eat when you are feeling sad. While it is widely known that serotonin affects happiness levels, experts are still unsure of how exactly the neurotransmitters work in that situation. It is only known that increased serotonin levels stave off depression. If someone is taking Zoloft or Prozac, they would be medicating with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and those increase brain levels in a positive way. Men and women have different serotonin levels, and research has shown that women are more likely to experience anxiety and depression. Serotonin levels change with the different seasons, because serotonin transporter protein is lower in the winter months. A person can have too much serotonin, and one of the causes for this is when two drugs that affect serotonin are taken at the same time, creating a dangerous and potentially life-threatening reaction. The symptoms for serotonin syndrome include agitation, restlessness, high blood pressure, hallucinations and overactive reflexes. If not properly treated these symptoms will only increase and the person will become severely ill. To treat your lack of serotonin without prescribed medication, you must contact a trusted counselor or therapist.

Conscious Uncoupling

 What is conscious uncoupling? You may have heard that term used lately if you pay attention to media news, especially with the recent reveal of Gwyneth Paltrow’s split from Chris Martin. This concept is raising alert in the divorce attorney and divorce counseling worlds, mainly because it seems like a new theory, but it has in fact been around for a while.
 Conscious uncoupling is actually a great way to confront your issues while in couples therapy, because it forces you to own your part in the disintegration of the relationship. This is important for those in partnership with children, because often divorce turns into a war, who will win determines who has custody and is owed something monetarily. Divorce recovery therapy can help avoid contempt and still remain successful in your breakup, meaning that your children and loved ones are not negatively influenced by the split.
  Even if you think that conscious uncoupling is not for you, it is still a good idea to consider counseling before heading to a divorce attorney. At the very core of this new concept –conscious uncoupling- has a great approach to relationships. Blaming your partner for any issues that you may have is not healthy for anyone involved. If you don’t work on yourself first, you will never be successful in a relationship.

Tips For Those Who Love Someone With Depression

  Depression can cause a suffocating feeling, and can make one feel as though they are completely alone and have nowhere else to go - even if they are in a relationship. These feelings can overwhelm the person suffering, but it also can be trying for the other person in the relationship. This article gives insight on how to love someone with depression.

Depression isn't a state of being, it's an affliction. Like a cold or the flu, it can come out of nowhere and hit them. Or think of it another way: your friend is in an abusive relationship with depression. Depression has cut off their ability to have other friends. Depression has crippled their social life. Depression is constantly putting them through hell, making everything more stressful, making them doubt themselves, making everything difficult. Depression has beaten them -- to the point where they will have actual physical pain. Depression has taken control of their life, to the point where it's easier to just feel nothing.

— Read More At Huffington Post

Military Members Experience PTSD For Reasons Other Than Combat

PTSD is usually the result of a traumatic event in one's life, and it can turn into a dangerous situation if not treated properly. Many members of the military experience PTSD after witnessing death and torture, and it can be difficult to reemerge into society with this condition. A new study shows that Military members don't always experience PTSD as a result of combat, the article below goes into detail.

As part of a 10-year PTSD study funded by the Department of Defense, Dr. Joseph Calabrese said he’s learned that a significant number of soldiers who have combat-related PTSD also have civilian PTSD. He said soldiers can experience trauma as children, as adults before enlisting, and between deployments.

— Read More At ABC News

How To Handle Anxiety And Panic Attacks

Do you experience anxiety or panic attacks? Do you struggle daily with your mental health? Contacting your counselor is always a good course of action, but it helps to have tips to deal on your own. The following article goes over ways to handle these conditions on a daily basis.

Since a tight feeling in your lungs is so common during panic attacks, deep breathing can interrupt that cycle. Carmichael suggests three-part breathing, which is one of the easier techniques to teach those new to yoga or meditation therapies. Also known as Dirga Pranayama, for this practice you completely fill your lungs with air, inhaling into your belly, ribcage and upper chest, and then reverse the process. It’s important, Carmichael says, to work on this when you’re relaxed so that you can rely on it in the throes of anxiety to shift your autonomic nervous system back towards a calmer state.

— Read More At DailyBeast

Exercise Helps Depression

Everyone knows the basic benefits of exercise, but it doesn't mean that everyone applies it daily. When you are feeling hopeless and sad, exercise is one of the best things that you can do, even though it may be the last thing that you want to do. The following article goes over how exercising helps those with depression.

One group of 95 adults ages 20 to 45 showed that aerobic exercise was an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression, according to a 2005 study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that exercise can help guard against the onset of depression and reduce some of depression's negative effects.

— Read More At My Suncoast

Migraine Sufferers More Likely To Experience Depression

As if suffering from migraines is not draining enough, a new report states that those who suffer from them are twice as likely at risk for depression. It was also found that migraine sufferers were much more likely to consider suicide. Read the article for more information...

Professor Esme Fuller-Thomson, Sandra Rotman Endowed Chair at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, said individuals with migraine who never marry and those who experience problems with daily activities related to their headaches were at increased risk for depression.

— Read More At Painmedicinenews.com