Tag: depression

Depression is a challenging, multifaceted mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. While factors beyond your control can cause depression, some behaviors might unwittingly contribute to the worsening of the condition. It’s critical to understand depression isn’t a sign of weakness, but rather a medical condition, which various environmental and lifestyle factors can exacerbate.

By shedding light on these factors, you can work toward achieving relief. Here are some things that might be making your depression worse plus some tips to change them.

1. Self-Stigma

Self-stigmatization can be a huge barrier to overcoming depression and other mental health conditions. When someone with depression internalizes negative stereotypes about mental illness, they may start to see themselves as fundamentally flawed or inadequate.

This negative self-perception can erode self-esteem and self-worth, making you feel even more depressed and hopeless. In addition, self-stigma can fuel rumination and self-deprecating thoughts, intensifying feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.

Self-stigma can also create barriers to seeking treatment for depression. Delays in getting help can worsen depression, as it remains untreated and continues to affect daily life. For example, if you believe misconceptions that medication or therapy are signs of weakness, you might avoid getting the help you need. Using medicines like wellbutrin or talking to a therapist shows strength and courage, so give yourself credit for taking these steps. By recognizing depression is a treatable medical condition and not a personal failing, you can take steps toward recovery.

2. Inactivity

Depression can be a major energy drainer, making it difficult to complete basic tasks and properly care for yourself. While exercise might feel extra challenging, staying inactive will likely only worsen your symptoms and keep you feeling drained. Regular physical activity is associated with releasing neurotransmitters like endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. Inactivity can disrupt this neurochemical balance, leading to a decrease in the “feel-good” chemicals in the brain.

Inactivity also provides more opportunities to ruminate on negative thoughts, isolate, and spend too much time on passive activities. This rumination and lack of healthy stimulation could intensify symptoms and make it harder to break free from negative thought patterns. To mitigate these impacts, try incorporating some type of physical activity into your daily routine. Even small steps, such as short walks, stretching, or simple home workouts, can make a big difference in mood and overall well-being.

3. Isolation

Social support is crucial for coping with depression, and isolation deprives those struggling of this essential resource. Without a network of friends, family, or peers to turn to, individuals with depression have fewer opportunities to share their feelings and feel heard. Isolation can also lead to increased rumination, causing excessive dwelling on negative thoughts and feelings. By talking to a loved one, you can gain external perspectives and helpful distractions from the heaviness of depression.

In addition, isolation often leads to feelings of intense loneliness, which is closely linked to depression. Loneliness can exacerbate sadness and hopelessness, making it harder to break free from the grip of depression. Social connection can also serve as a form of accountability, encouraging individuals to care for themselves and engage in positive behaviors. To prevent isolation, schedule at least one or two weekly social events, like walking with a friend or grabbing dinner with family.

4. Poor Diet

The foods you eat impact both your physical and mental health. A diet lacking in essential nutrients can contribute to imbalances in the brain and body. These imbalances can affect mood-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, and deficiencies are commonly associated with depression. Unhealthy diets consisting of processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats can also lead to chronic inflammation. This is problematic, and it’s linked to the development and exacerbation of depression.

This type of unhealthy diet can also cause rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels, which can negatively affect energy and mood stability. When blood sugar levels drop, it can lead to feelings of irritability, fatigue, and worsened depressive symptoms. The best types of food for fighting depression include nuts, beans, seeds, poultry, vegetables, whole grains, probiotics, and fish. Taking advantage of grocery delivery or meal subscription services is a fantastic resource if you’re feeling too drained or overwhelmed to make a grocery trip.

5. Doomscrolling

Doomscrolling is the habit of continuously scrolling through news or social media feeds and consuming negative or distressing content. Constant exposure to alarming information can heighten feelings of anxiety, hopelessness, and sadness, intensifying depressive symptoms. The process could cause rumination, which exacerbates depression by reinforcing harmful thought patterns and making it harder to break the cycle of negative thinking.

To lessen doomscrolling, set time limits for electronics, especially before bedtime, to ensure that scrolling doesn’t interfere with sleep patterns. Adjust your social media and news feeds to prioritize positive and uplighting content while unfollowing or muting accounts that consistently share distressing or harmful information. This social media cleanse should also include accounts that simply cause you to feel down about yourself. Replace doomscrolling with activities that promote positivity and well-being, like exercise, hobbies, or spending time with loved ones.

Working Toward Brighter Days

Depression is a complex and often debilitating condition, but it’s crucial to remain hopeful that brighter days are ahead. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for managing this condition, understanding what worsens symptoms is a vital step toward recovery. Remember that you are not alone in your journey, and you can build a more hopeful future with the right strategies and support. It’s never too late to take those first steps toward healing and well-deserved happiness.

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I bet you must’ve witnessed a wide range of people struggling with anxiety and depression. Haven’t you?

Conditions linked with depression should not be taken lightly. People often avoid talking about their feelings of sorrow and anger. That’s what makes things much worse!!

Globally, between 2 and 6 percent of the population has clinical depression. Many people also resort to suicide because they feel they have nowhere to turn from this “insurmountable” problem in their minds.

Depression-related conditions are not something that can be taken lightly. In many cases, people don’t want to speak about their depression and frustrations. And that’s what makes these conditions worse!!

Moreover, this depression or stress is most likely to be found among teenagers, middle-aged, and old-aged people. So you can see that it’s already an “emerging threat” to the world.

Through this article, I’ll guide you through all the ins and outs of how you can cure depression and how light therapy can be a better remedy for this condition.

So read the complete article to get yourself “enlightened!!!”

[lwptoc]

What Makes Light Therapy an Astounding Depression Curing Treatment?

Devices that use light therapy for the treatment of depression and anxiety have been developed specifically in the past few years.

The artificial light in these gadgets is designed to mimic natural sunlight and help regulate your body’s internal clock.

Moreover, the therapy consists of sitting near the light for a few minutes at a time, and both the therapy method and time must be kept consistent.

This treatment is a must-to-take for patients with:

• SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
• Stress
• Frustration
• Sleeping issues (such as insomnia).

It usually takes between three and five days before you begin to feel the effects of the treatment. Although, in many circumstances, a full recovery will take some time, depending on the nature of your ailment.

These devices emit light that imitates the light of the sun and improves the circadian rhythm of your body. Circadian rhythm means the body’s inner clock that helps to maintain the overall body’s condition.

As mentioned earlier, the key to this is consistency. You will not see overnight results. However, if you schedule therapies for a certain period of time for a few weeks, you’ll see viable improvements. When you take the therapy regularly, you’ll be seeing changes within yourself.

Usually, it can take about 3 to 5 days to observe improvements within yourself. But if you don’t see any changes in the first week of use, you’ll see it in the second week for sure!!!

Although it might take some time to recover completely depending on the type of condition you are suffering from in many cases.

Possible Side Effects of Light Therapy

There are always going to be good sides and drawbacks to anything in this world, and we just have to accept that. However, there are little to no negative side effects to light therapy too.

So, if you have sensitive skin, eye conditions, or a history of cancer, you should always check with a doctor before proceeding with this therapy.

Further effects might include:

• Severe or mild headache
• Sleeplessness
• Weariness
• Dryness in the nasal passages and the eyes.
• Hypomania

The positive side of light therapy is it’s very safe and straightforward to use. There are no chances of severe risks during this therapy, and you can use it without any fear. But it’s always an excellent choice to seek advice from your doctor before getting yourself one as he knows the best device for your condition.

Average Therapy Time for Each Session

The standard recommendation from professionals is to take 10,000 Lux (amount of light intensity).

This is due to the fact that the level of illumination provided by this source is comparable to that of early morning sunlight.

Initiating a regimen of light therapy can take as little as 15 minutes per session. Although these sessions can last anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes, and the duration can be increased gradually.

But if you’re dealing with major depression symptoms, including seasonal affective disorder (SAD), you may require longer breaks.

You’re most likely to see progress within four to six weeks of therapy sessions.

Even though there are no signs of improvement within the first four to six weeks, you should definitely consult a doctor and tell him about your light therapy issues. The doctor might recommend changing the intensity of the therapy, or he might suggest other medications.

Although there are other treatment methods, for instance, if you are having severe issues with your condition, you can always go for sessions of a psychiatrist. And he might even prescribe you medications depending on the type of condition you have.

Other Therapy Methods to Tackle Anxiety and Depression

Here you’ll learn some simple, all-natural techniques through which you can say farewell to your anxiety and depression.

Routine

Many psychiatrists recommend setting a routine for everything you’ll be doing. Through this, you can control your depression as you are indirectly keeping yourself busy with your everyday routine. Then, there will be a time when this routine will become your habit, and the depression-related issues will be far gone.

Regular Scheduled Activity

A routine is something that many psychiatrists will recommend you establish. Depression can be managed in this way by remaining active with different and casual activities. When you stick to this schedule long enough, it can surely aid you in fighting depression.

Workout and Exercise

Working out regularly has shown to be a very effective treatment for depression. The reason for this is that engaging in physical activity provides a boost to the brain, which in turn improves mood. The positive effects will probably not be seen for some time. You will definitely notice a change, though.

Consuming a Nutritious Diet

A healthy diet is crucial to our daily functioning. Moreover, it has also been reported that regular intake of the right food will surely keep you active and away from depression. Omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods may also be helpful for people struggling with depression.

Cut Down Negative Thoughts

One of the main causes of depression is dwelling on negative thoughts. You will never be able to overcome your anxiety issues until you clear your head of these “cloudy thoughts of negativity.” When you feel these bursts of negativity, it’s best to distract yourself by reading or doing anything else productive.

Bottom Line

So, after going through this blog, you should know how red light therapy can benefit your anxiety and depression. However, to get the most out of your therapy sessions, it’s vital that you are consistent with these therapies. Along with these sessions, you can also take other natural therapy methods mentioned above.

The top Differences between Depression and Anxiety are made simple in this article

Two of the most talked-about themes in mental health are depression and anxiety. To many people, these two seem the same, but in reality, they are not despite the close symptoms exhibited by these two conditions.

In light of the challenges many people apprehend in distinguishing depression from anxiety; this article focuses on shedding more light on the two while also highlighting the differences.

Ready to learn more? Let’s get right into the details!

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety isn’t about worrying oneself temporarily about something as it goes beyond that. Though an integral part of life, an anxiety disorder can only occur when experiencing stress or worry about anything.

When a person is going through anxiety, the intensity can worsen with time, and external factors can trigger this.

From everyday interactions with people from all walks of life, you sometimes experience this disorder.

Symptoms of anxiety 

Here are some of the symptoms you get to exhibit if anxiety sets in:

Excessive Worry 

One of the first things you notice when experiencing anxiety is that you worry too much about so many things at a time.

It could be about your job, health, and family’s health and finance. When you experience this uncontrollable worry about an aspect of your life, then anxiety has kicked in, and if not taken care of as soon as possible, it may break you down totally.

Excessive Tiredness 

When you feel tired almost all the time to the point that there’s no stopping time for this unusual fatigue, then you are already under anxiety. Once you start fidgeting, then know it’s one of the signs of anxiety disorder, and you need to act rather fast.

Restlessness 

Another important symptom to know you are experiencing anxiety is restlessness. Once you get hit with this disorder, the nervous system has no sense of moderation, so you become restless.

Once this happens, a massive release of dangerous hormones such as adrenaline triggers a heightened alertness sensation.

This makes you respond almost immediately to threats, and it’s the same hypervigilance that makes you restless.

Lack of Memory 

You also tend to forget things easily when you are experiencing anxiety. People’s short-term memory to quickly respond to questions and issues is gone.

You begin to struggle remembering conversations due to your inability to process information immediately.

What is depression?

Though similar to anxiety disorder, depression affects one negatively. It makes you feel sad, hopeless and loses interest as well. Unlike anxiety, depression is a more critical issue that lasts longer for weeks and also affects your general functions as a person.

The way people experience depression differs; it follows almost the same rhyme. This affects your daily work significantly and lowers productivity. When you are depressed, it affects many aspects of your life and even your relationships with people around you.

Symptoms of depression 

Here are some of the symptoms of depression you should look out for:

Lack of interest

One of the first things you should watch out for as someone who’s experiencing depression is a lack of interest.

There’s this lack of motivation to initiate conversations with friends or anyone. You just want to be on your own and wallowing in your thoughts.

Fun-fulfilling exercises such as entering the gym, hitting the road, jogging, or going into the woods aren’t things for depressed individuals. They want to sit on that couch and soliloquize. Once you notice this, get help as soon as possible, and depression has already kicked in for you.

Moody 

Another easiest way to know a person is undergoing depression is a lack of enthusiasm. You tend to feel really down due to the thoughts going through the head.

But the sad thing about depression is that this moody state stays for a while compared to the ordinary circumstance in one’s life.

Insomnia and Hypersomnia 

Once you find it hard to sleep at night for consecutive days, then you should worry about depression grabbing you.

This is in tandem with a report that says an individual who finds it daunting to sleep for more than may have fallen into depression.

On the flip side, if you sleep abnormally at the workplace, depression may be the factor behind this act.

Increased or reduced appetite

You also want to take cognizance of the amount of food you eat. if you are someone who appreciates good food, but you notice the reduction in craving for food consecutively, then depression has already begun.

And sometimes, some people eat a lot to mask their true feelings. They consume almost all the available food in the kitchen, and you begin to wonder why? Well, the truth is, depression has set in, which needs to be addressed.

Concluding Thoughts about Differences between Depression and Anxiety

Despite the difference between anxiety disorder and depression, both disorders can come together in some cases. The good news you should know is that both conditions are treatable.

Also, there are symptoms you can use to denote whether you are experiencing depression or an anxiety disorder as stated above.

Depression and anxiety aren’t something to play with, with the symptom; you can always be proactive in visiting a counselor to help deal with the issue

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Pros and Cons of CBD Oil for Anxiety and Depression are very important to be made known.

Mental diseases have become widespread in the 21^st century, with millions of people suffering from anxiety disorders globally.

There are several treatment options available for such patients, including CBD oil. You might’ve heard of it as hash/hemp oil that’s extracted from cannabis. In marijuana, there are 80 chemicals, each of them called cannabidiol.

CBD oil is an increasingly popular alternative to addictive medications for many suffering from anxiety or depression. CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of many chemicals derived from the cannabis plant. Select cannabis strains from online retailers like Zamnesia are bred to produce a high concentration of CBD.

Some major cannabinoids – THC and CBD – can produce the sensation of pleasure or “feeling high.” Statistics show that some 11% of British people have tried this thing, whereas one-third of Americans have used it.

So, is it effective in treating one’s anxiety or depression? It seems proper to discuss the medical benefits of cannabis for treating someone’s mental disorders.

Introduction to Pros and Cons of CBD Oil for Anxiety and Depression

We don’t know exactly how consuming marijuana reduces anxiety. But it’s speculated that it can impact your brain’s CB1 reception to increase serotonin release that uplifts your mood. Studies confirm that weed relaxes people with GAD, PTSD, or social anxiety.

Similarly, depression is also linked with low serotonin levels. Cannabis affects your hippocampus, regulates emotions, and bolsters neurogenesis (creation of neurons). But these aren’t advantages/disadvantages of consuming cannabis! We’ve just explained how CBD oil’s supposed to treat people’s anxiety/depression.

Before using this oil, don’t forget to learn about its pros and cons. It’ll help you realize if marijuana’s good for you or not.

Pros of CBD Oil for Anxiety and Depression

You can check them out below;

Easy to use

It isn’t difficult to consume CBD since it’s available in different formats. You can place a few drops under your tongue with a dropper or swallow some pills before sleeping. You can find CBD oil by searching on the internet.

For instance, British people can now purchase CBD oil from any online store. They can search on the internet by typing CBD oil UK to get some good options on their screens to experience its therapeutic advantages.

A couple of drops every morning can reduce your anxiety and depression. It’s also available as oral sprays and even flavors that help patients consume it effortlessly. So, you can try using some to improve your foul mood.

Treats pain

In many patients, depression causes physical symptoms such as headaches. So, using marijuana can heal this pain and relax them physically. It’s been observed that CBD oil reduces chronic pain with no addictions detected among consumers.

Also, if you suffer from migraines or cluster headaches, a few drops of hemp oil make you feel better. Patients who have been rendered hopeless by nausea, fatigue, and digestive complications can consume this product to control episodes of depression.

Clinically tested

Several studies have shown that cannabidiols reduce anxiety disorders. Though these researches are still in their infancy, there haven’t been any conclusive experiments to establish marijuana as a proper depression-resistant product.

But enough studies are available to prove that consuming weed does show anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and neuroprotective results. However, the deficiency of conclusive data has resulted in some serious drawbacks, which we’ll mention in the next section.

Prevents inflammation

With its anti-inflammatory properties, consuming cannabis in liquid forms can help you feel better. So, patients suffering from gout, acne, arthritis, and relevant disorders can find relaxation in CBD oil.

There are published articles about how opioids are our first-line treatment options for patients with malignant diseases, thanks to their anti-inflammatory response. However, these studies are also non-conclusive. But people with anxiety and depression should still be hopeful about these drugs.

Non-psychoactive

Several websites claim that CBD isn’t psychoactive, which isn’t true at all! Both THC and CBD are true psychoactive elements found in cannabis.

But their effects on your brain are drastically different! An addict consumes weed for feeling “high,” and this sensation’s associated with THC. But CBD doesn’t make you feel elevated like that. So, consuming CBD alone isn’t poisonous and won’t make you feel “high” unless mixed with THC. Many hemp-derived CBD-based products have less than 0.3% THC.

Cons of CBD Oil for Anxiety and Depression

Non-psychoactive

Yes, we’ve repeated this heading. Since CBD oil is non-psychoactive can be a major drawback for some patients as well. Marijuana consumption isn’t uncommon in the USA.

A 2017 study shows that over 50% of American adults have tried smoking weed at least once in their lifetimes. It seems quite obvious that many patients expect CBD-based products to give them a feeling of euphoria or instant pleasure. However, 1 in 5 CBD products still has THC, which may even worsen your anxiety too!

Restricted access

It’s been three years since the British government legalized the consumption of marijuana for some children who benefit from medical cannabis.

But these products aren’t easily available in the UK. As for Americans, the legality of medical marijuana depends on your state’s regulations.

So, it’s become difficult to obtain traditionally. However, you can still order CBD oil online for therapeutic purposes. It can help you treat your anxiety and depression with this product if no shops sell weed.

Side effects

There are also certain side effects of consuming CBD oil even without any THC involved. Doctors do recommend high-quality and clinically-approved hemp-extracted products as well. But even they are accompanied by dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, and related problems.

Your mouth may go dry, or you may suffer from digestive discomfort. So, don’t rule out these side effects before consuming weed. These drawbacks shouldn’t be neglected by patients who plan to order medical cannabis online.

Not FDA-approved

Recently, MHRA has issued indications about allowing cannabidiol to treat children aged 2+ suffering from TSC.

Being the largest exporter of medical marijuana, it makes sense that legal weed has now become more acceptable to British healthcare practitioners.

FDA hasn’t approved any product that contains CBD yet! Since – as we’ve explained before – 20% of such products have THC. Also, we see that many CBD-based products today contain either too much (26%) or too little CBD (43%).

Different impact

Don’t forget that CBD oil can impact different people differently. So, it won’t necessarily treat your anxiety if it treats your friend’s depression. We haven’t properly understood why CBD helps people with anxiety and depression.

Unless further investigations are made, not everyone should be recommended the consumption of medical cannabis. However, we can suggest consulting with a doctor. They can figure out whether your body will respond positively or not.

Conclusion

In 2017, the Independent revealed that the British ranked among the “most depressed” among western and developed countries. Statistics show that over 19% of English adults aged 16+ show signs of depression.

Also, women were more vulnerable to anxiety disorders than men! So, how to control anxiety? A potential solution involves consuming CBD-based products that treat these disorders without making you feel euphoric.

They’re available in liquid formats, can treat migraines/headaches, and also prevent inflammation. But they also have several side effects. Moreover, no CBD-based product has ever been approved by the FDA. Hence, you should consult with your doctor before investing in these products.

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