Posted by: Uticopa in hearing voices on
Dec 01, 2008
It is time that society at large recognises that hearing voices in the head is a human variation rather than a symptom of illness. As a step in the right direction, mental health professionals are urged to attend the first international congress of its kind, specifically organised to develop awareness of this variation.
The First International Hearing Voices Congress is to be held in Maastricht in Holland from 17 - 18th September 2009. It is planned that it should be both inclusive and participative, bringing people together from around the world - in fact, all who are concerned with hearing voices - in order to exchange ideas and information.
The Congress is being held to develop groundbreaking work in the field in order to empower and help sufferers in their recovery. It is hoped to change the way society as a whole perceives the experience of hearing voices. In this way, the social stigma and many misunderstandings about hearing voices can be reduced.
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Nov 25, 2008
At the age of thirty-five I was working at a residential home in Liverpool. Although I had worked there for several years, I had begun to feel that my life was like ground hog day. Every day seemed the same: no change, same old routine. My life was just so boring. I knew, deep down, that something was missing from my life but I didn’t know exactly what it was. Problems started to get worse.
Eventually I gave up my job and tried a different career in the hope that things might improve. But all I could get was a job working in a supermarket stacking shelves and unloading lorries. It soon became clear that this was no better. Some senior staff thought that I was over-qualified for the job I was doing and should be doing something else.
It was when I began to work nights that I felt strange. The dull and boring feelings set in again but this time with a vengeance. I was beginning to feel worse. I was being bullied by senior male staff and getting bad dreams in the day; these were recurrent and very real. They seemed always to involve people from my past, particularly two men who had raped me as a teenager. Over the months the dreams got worse and I was beginning to get suicidal ideas. I contemplated killing myself by cutting my wrists.
Posted by: Uticopa in therapy, self help, depression on
Nov 25, 2008
Rising unemployment, negative-equity, house repossessions...is it any wonder many of us are feeling depressed and unable to cope? According to Mind, the mental health charity, as many as one person in five can expect to suffer from a mental health problem during their lives. With today's global financial meltdown, this figure can be expected to rise still further. So, what can be done?
First, you need to assess whether you are merely down in the dumps or actually suffering the classic signs of full-blown depression. Certainly, if you've been feeling blue for longer than a few weeks, you should contact your GP. If you feel that you would like to talk to a therapist who can help, you may want to consider contacting registered specialists through our site.
There are things you can do to improve your outlook on life: see below for everyday ways to help and remember, you're not alone. As many as nine per cent of the population suffer from mild to moderate depression at any one time.
Posted by: Uticopa in therapy, talking cure on
Nov 11, 2008
When you walk through a storm,
Hold your head up high,
And don't be afraid of the dark,
At the end of the storm is a golden sky.
And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown,
Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone.
You'll never walk alone
Rogers and Hammerstein
As the Liverpool anthem says ‘..hold your head up high..and you'll never walk alone.' That's as true today as when Rogers and Hammerstein first penned it. But what if you are so depressed that you need professional help?
Talk therapy is everyday language for psychotherapy. No matter what you call it, it is here to stay. It's a way for people with a mental disorder to understand their illness, and then deal with the stress, unhealthy thoughts and behaviour that so often go with it.
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Nov 05, 2008
Mind-body connections: Is there a link between depression and diabetes?
Studies have shown that there may be a definite link between depression and diabetes.
It was found that people suffering from both diabetes and depression were more likely to be older, female and from ethnic minorities. Also included in the risk group were those who didn't exercise, were overweight or obese, and those who had a history of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Additionally at risk were those who were poorer, less educated, and the unmarried. They also had the highest death rates; people without diabetes and depression had the lowest.
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Nov 05, 2008
For many years insomnia was viewed as a symptom of depression, but this is no longer the case. Insomnia is now known to be a major risk factor for depression – a complete about-turn to our understanding.
What is insomnia?
Insomnia refers to sleep difficulties and this can take many different forms such as:
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Nov 05, 2008
Diagnosing depression in the elderly
Before being diagnosed with depression, elderly adults should be screened for common health issues that can affect mood. These include:
• Hormonal imbalances
• Thyroid problems
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Other nutritional deficiencies
• Electrolyte imbalances or dehydration
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Nov 05, 2008
A new study has found that genetics not only has a major role in depression, but it actually plays a bigger role in depression for women than it does for men. Researchers often study identical twins raised apart because this is the best way to find out whether a disorder is caused primarily by genes or environmental factors. Some recent studies, when analysed together, found that genetic factors accounted for 42% of depression in women, against only 29% for men.
Certainly, most of us have noticed in everyday life that women tend to have more mood swings than men. In the past this has always been put down to the fact that women have different types of brain activity than men. Men’s brains have two distinct sides, favouring concentration on one particular topic at a time. Maybe this is why women have found that it’s not a good idea to interrupt a man when he is concentrating hard on a project. Conversely, women’s brains tend to be more interweaved, continual cross-referencing happening all the time. Maybe this occurred over the centuries due to a woman’s role in needing to ‘rock the baby and stir the custard at the same time’!
But, what have genes to do with depression anyway? Depression is caused by sad events in your life, isn’t it?
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Nov 02, 2008
Famous personalities who have struggled against depression include Winston Churchill, Princess Diana, Jim Carrey, Leo Tolstoy, Harrison Ford and Boris Yeltsin.
All exhibited similar traits. They were intelligent, articulate individuals, raised in ‘normal’ families and benefiting from the love and support of those around them. None were reclusive hermits, many held firm religious convictions, yet they all still suffered from the seriousness of clinical depression.
Just consider the suffering of Princess Diana, for example. Despite the fact that she cried out her troubles out loud on our television screens and in our daily newspapers, did anyone really listen? Despite the fact that she desperately wanted others to love her – as evidenced by her immense charity work around the world – her depression manifested itself in many ways, including bulimia.
Posted by: Uticopa in Untagged on
Nov 02, 2008
In today’s competitive society there has been an increasing incidence of what is termed Existential Depression in school-children – something which can lead to thoughts of suicide.
Existential Depression is particularly common among gifted children. The most common reasons given for such children wanting to end their lives were: feelings of personal worthlessness, feelings of isolation and loneliness, pressure to achieve, and fear of failure. The most common time for teens to commit suicide is the 'after-school' period but many teens mask their feelings for fear of ridicule amongst their peers.
What depressive symptoms and disorders are linked to adolescent suicide?
