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Coping

Suffering from depression makes coping with depression difficult. Talk therapy and support groups help identify stress that contributes to depression. Relieving stress on a daily basis is an important part of coping with depression. Ongoing attention to triggers can also help prevent episodes of depression.

Avoiding Stress Increases Cravings for Addicts

by Lisa Watson on July 4, 2010
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When someone is trying to kick an addictive habit, cravings are the biggest barrier to recovery. According to a recent study out of Penn State, those cravings can actually multiply and cause a relapse if an addict ignores stress, say behavioral scientists. Fifty-five college students in active recovery from substance abuse participated in the study. The students used Palm Pilots to describe their daily cravings in a digital journal. They also recorded negative social experiences, such as hostility, insensitivity, and ridicule, along with the coping strategies they used. A statistical …

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Maximize The Power of Affirmations

by Kevin Mathews on June 17, 2010
Hurray we did it!

We all talk to ourselves from time to time, especially when facing a challenge.  Reciting self-affirmations can help us focus our thoughts and persevere.  New research shows that it is not only what you say, but how you say it that impacts your ultimate success. A team of professors from the University of Illinois and University of Southern Mississippi decided to look at how the ways of phrasing self-motivation impact the outcome.  They hoped to determine whether asking a question of oneself would be more helpful than making an assertion …

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Workout To Reduce Cellular Aging

by Lisa Watson on June 17, 2010
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Did you know that regular workouts actually reduce cellular aging caused by stress? A new study has found that even a moderate amount of exercise protects telomeres, or the strips of DNA that cover the ends of our chromosomes. During stress, telomeres shrink and cause our cells to age. This aging can lead to health problems like diabetes and heart disease. Dr. Eli Puterman of the University of California in San Francisco led the study, which appears in the online journal PLoS ONE. He and his colleagues found that just …

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Meditate Your Way to Less Pain

by Kevin Mathews on June 17, 2010
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Not only does meditation improve your mental health, it may also reduce the physical sensation of pain.  New research demonstrates that people who regularly meditate have more control over the pain they experience. While meditation has previously been demonstrated to have positive benefits, researchers at the University of Manchester acknowledge that many people have attributed these results to the placebo effect.  However, these same researchers hypothesized that since meditation requires “focusing on the internal feeling of breathing and other body sensations” perhaps this power could be utilized to dull one’s …

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Dogs Help With Depression

by Kevin Mathews on June 12, 2010
Woman playing with dog.

According to the nearly 40% of households in the United States own at least one dog.  There is a reason for all of this puppy love: our four-legged friends just may serve as a natural antidepressant.  Dog owners, especially single adults and women, are less likely to experience feelings of depression thanks to their relationships with their canines. Although general pet ownership has previously been proven psychologically advantageous, Krista Marie Clark Cline of the University of Missouri-Columbia wanted to determine whether dogs specifically are the source of similar benefits. While …

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EMDR – A Treatment For PTSD

by So-Mai Brown, M.A. on June 1, 2010
So-Mai Brown

The ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have shed light on the unfortunate reality of war’s effect on the mind. Studies have shown that upon returning from battle the number of soldiers afflicted by post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly referred to by its acronym PTSD, is steadily increasing. For those struggling with trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, EMDR may be an effective treatment to reduce the distressing affect and memories, allowing for a fuller life. More and more clinicians are being trained in EMDR and if you are suffering from a …

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Can Exercise Conquer Depression in Older Adults?

by Lisa Watson on May 21, 2010
Senior couple on cycle ride

Growing old involves a variety of life stressors that can result in depression, but getting active may be the answer. A study led by Dr. Holly Blake at the University of Nottingham found that both aerobic exercise and resistance training could improve mood in older people with depression. Symptoms of depression in older people are often overlooked and untreated. Increased fatigue, irritability, and confusion caused by depression may appear to be a “normal” response to the challenges of aging. However, depression is never a normal part of life at any …

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Anger Management & Depression

by Kathy Sinsheimer on May 18, 2010

Arguments are a normal part of being in relationships. Even though arguing is normal, it can be unpleasant. You may have a tendency to withdraw while others may enter into the fray with too much aggression. If you haven’t avoided the argument, and you are depressed, you may find that your depression makes your arguing more complicated. For some, depression has an undercurrent of low grade anger. Your anger can erupt unexpectedly and be the source of an argument. If your depression leads to your being hot headed, it will …

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How Love Helps Chronic Pain

by Kevin Mathews on May 14, 2010
Couple making a heart of their hands

For many people who suffer from chronic pain, depression is an unfortunate consequence.  However, recent research shows that people in comforting relationships are more likely to avoid depression.  In spite of the physical pain some people feel, support at home can help alleviate the additional burden of emotional pain. Researchers in Australia tracked 99 people who received treatment at one of two pain clinics.  The majority of these subjects suffered from pain in their lower backs or limbs.  Both before and after their treatment, participants filled out surveys by answering questions …

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