The face of New Depression
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Post-traumatic stress disorder can impact not only the sufferer but also the people around him. It can cause a great deal of anxiety and stress to people coping with the disorder. Surely, dealing with this disorder is not a walk in the park. The burden can be too much for those who are tasked in caring people suffering from the diseases. In fact there are reports about symptoms of anxiety showing up on the caregivers. To cope with the challenges of taking care of a person with PTSD, here are some steps that you take to make things easier.

Understand
We have to understand that the PTSD is not about you. It is about the fear. It is about the anxiety. It is about the pain the sufferer feels. Your friend is worried about the situation and it never involved you. That is why when you are staring down at the obnoxious behavior exhibited by the sufferer always think that it is part of the game that you choose to play. PTSD is a disease, a disorder that you need to treat like any other disease. Once you accepted this situation you will be able to take care of your suffering friend better. Just don’t take things personally because it is not personal.

Limits
Under no circumstances condone any misbehavior. Never tolerate any abuse of any kind. There is no standard definition where the limit starts and where it ends—you have to trust your gut feel on this. If he or she gets violent and leave, the friend suffers. If you stay and roll with the punches, you will suffer.

Stress
People caring with people with PTSD can suffer from a lot of stress and could be one of the causes of anxiety. Some of the causes of anxiety include financial stress, crisis management and even loss of interest in doing simple things. The last thing a sufferer would need at this point is the caregiver falling by the wayside due to stress. The tremendous strain can be a telling blow to give up on the person suffering from PTSD. That is why caregivers need to find ways to lower their stress levels so they can be effective in providing care for the sufferers.

Knowledge
Learn more about PTSD and pay attention on what the doctors have to say about your ward’s condition. If you must, take down notes on how to effectively deal with the situation. During your free time, be more productive by researching on the new treatments and new programs that can help sufferers of PTSD on the Internet or reading it up in newspapers or magazines. This will enable you to deal better with the ward and handle the situation.

Listen
They may talk about it and it may sound boring but they need someone to listen about their fears and anxiety. Remember that they are living in constant fear and anxiety that is not there. The last thing that they don’t need is for a person that is not available to listen to what they have to say. Listen do not patronize and always allay their fears. The fears sting but if it is the only way to get rid of the poison then it may worth the while.

Fun
Well, this is easier said than done—but it is worth the shot. Let’s face it. A person that is impacted with PTSD is stuck within his or her fears. Humor may be the key that would unlock things and make living better. Try to watch a funny movie or play fun board games. Remind him or her that the PTSD does not mean the end of the world and there are lots of things to look forward to. Try to entice him or her to take a new hobby and try to make it fun, light and interesting. Maybe it will make them forget about their fears.

A person with PTSD may feel imprisoned and it is your task to unleash him or her from self-bondage. Feelings can be tangled and it could complicate things between caregiver and sufferer. Knowing how to deal with the disorder will spell success in the end.

About the Author:
Ryan Rivera considers writing as his passion and specializes on anxiety and stress related articles such as symptoms of anxiety, treatment for depression and treatment for panic attacks. He can be contacted through his Calm Clinic Google+ account.



Fooling others may have become a normal yet frowned upon action depending on the gravity of the deception, but psychological studies have shown that people are more likely to deceive themselves than others and it actually does have some beneficial effects to the person’s psyche. Self-deception can vary greatly from simple confidence boosting claims to outright lies, but the latter can have detrimental effects on a person’s life, career and relationship. However, the health advantages of a little self-deception comes in the form of lifting stress, boosting relationships, and they even make people emotionally tougher against the harsher aspects of reality. Years of cognitive study have given psychologists the proof that self-deception has always been a normal action done by the human mind, either consciously or subconsciously.

A noted psychologist has pointed out that these self-appointed lies can help the human mind cope with some of the tougher aspects of their lives. An example of this is that some people have been able to detach from emotional impact of the inevitability of death in order to remove the fear concerning the eventual end of a life. By blocking some of the darker aspects of life with white lies, the mind has effectively made a barrier. Without this, some people may be encased in fear that would prevent them from functioning properly and rationally. The human mind has developed the need to keep any troubling thoughts out of the conscious mind naturally, but lying to oneself with regards to career, money and, relationships can have dire consequences depending on the level of deception.

It has been an important facet of the human mind to use these little self-deceptions in order to make some of the more difficult choices of life easier to deal with. However, the negative effects stem from the fact that self-deception and anxiety can both reinforce each other. People try to keep some secrets from themselves because by acknowledging them is the same as accepting them as the truth, and depending on the weight of these said truths it can cause some psychological problems that can break the mind from the inside.

There are no personality types that have been shown to depend on self-deception on a regular basis, everyone is susceptible to this trait and while it can have some advantages, relying on it too much can only cause more problems in the future. There are no shortcuts when it comes to solving personal problems. Facing these fears and insecurities are the only way to alleviate the stress they give to the mind. Accepting one’s shortcomings and mistake is the best way to remove these shackles that keep the mind from ascending. There is no easy way when dealing with troubles of the mind, but people can still hold on to the positive parts of their personalities in order to conquer these troubles.

Creating walls of self-deception are just temporary remedies for doubts and fears. In the long run, shoving these anxieties in the dark will only feed them and allow them to come back stronger in the future.

Serena Bjork is one of the more experienced board-certified psychologists in California. She is known for her unique approach in conducting her psychiatric therapies, which are akin to the practices of a famous psychologist Klein Von Reiche.
Depression
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Many people believe that an individual is composed of two primary aspects: the physical side, and the emotional side. In order for a person to become holistically fit, these two things should sync together. If one veers out of the ordinary, the entire individual may suffer the consequences.



For instance, if a man is addicted to smoking, drinking or the use of illegal drugs, it would surely result in something not beneficial for that individual’s entire personality. On the other hand, sadness is also something that could affect the function and activities of a particular person. But what if both aspects are affected or damaged? That happens during depression.

Depression is a low state of mood that can happen to anyone and can result in various physical, emotional and mental issues. Most of the time, people who are suffering from this condition fail to function properly whether they are at home or work. Below are five common causes of depression among people today:

1. Negative and sudden life events –

When a person encounters a sudden life event such as a tragedy, death in the family, accident, etc., there will be a crucial stage which he should overcome. If he is unable to accept reality and move one, he might enter the depression stage.

2. Medication or clinical therapy –

  Extensive medication is also a common cause of depression. The prolonged stay in a hospital apart from people you know would lead to misconceptions and confusion.

3. Mental illness –

There are some people who get into such situation due to pressures in life which could lead to mental disorders.

4. Low feeling of self-worth –

A low self-esteem is always a factor during the stages of depression.

5. Hopelessness – 

 When a person loses hope, he loses everything. He is not able to do anything and would just depend on other people to survive.

These are just some of the causes which result in depression or any condition similar to it. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to keep such issues from getting worse. In fact, if you make your preparations you can even prevent depression effectively.

First, you should always maintain a positive attitude when looking at things and aspects in life. If you always think that you have failed and that circumstances do not favor you, you are slowly on your way to the early stages of depression.

Next, you should surround yourself with positive people. Aside from being positive yourself, make sure talk to optimistic and inspiring individuals. This way you would not get any pessimistic ideas and thoughts. This will greatly help keep you from any sign of depression.

Do what you think is good for you and the people around you. However, you should not depend your decisions on what they say or tell you. If you follow them and you fail, you will have a reason to regret what you did, which is one of the paths toward depression. It may sound cheesy, but you should always follow your heart.

Depression is a serious matter which could get even worse if not addressed right away. Some people do not realize that they are depressed until it all burst out and leave them in shambles. Make it a habit to conduct a self-checkup. That way you would be less prone to factors which lead to depression.


About the author: 

This guest post article is written for Dr.Sam Von Reiche - one of the expert New Jersey psychologists and life coach offering treatment and diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) /Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/Impulsivity (ADHD), Depression and Bipolar Disorder among others.


Diazepam 5 mg Zepose Cipla, Valium 10 mg. Blue Pill. Bipolar monopolarity of Thanatos. Cycling with Cyclothymia. ADHD. Recycling in God.
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My brother, an administrator in a public school, firmly believes that medication has taken the place of discipline in our education system. He notes that in previous years children would pass through the office doors on their way to the principal’s office for disciplinary action. Nowadays he sees them pass through the office doors on their way for medication. He fully believes there are children that benefit from ADHD treatment. But from his perspective, he sees too many children being diagnosed with it.


Are Parents to Blame?


He isn’t the only one feeling that way. Many feel that the problem isn’t with the children; it is with the parents, viewed by many as preferring a pill over proper discipline. At the first sign of any behavior resembling hyperactivity, they make an appointment with the doctor. 



ADHD is such a prevalent diagnosis anymore that many parents feel pressured into having little Timmy checked out. Perhaps their reasoning stems from experience. His outbursts in the supermarket checkout line are drawing too much attention and he doesn’t respond to their discipline, so what choice do they have. Or his teacher mentions in a parent teacher conference that his disruptive behavior in class should be looked into. However, the problem may not be that simple.

Are Doctors to Blame?


A recent research study conducted by researchers at Germany’s Ruhr-Universitat Bochum and University of Basel found that adolescent psychotherapists and psychiatrists tended to diagnose patients on factors other than recognized diagnostic criteria. The participants were provided with one of four case vignettes, and then asked to give a diagnosis and recommend a therapy protocol.



In three of the four cases, the symptoms provided did not meet ADHD criteria. The fourth case was the only one to fulfill ADHD standards based on the valid diagnostic criteria. In addition, the gender of the child varied, creating a total of eight case vignettes. When two identical cases of different genders were compared, the results showed that the therapists diagnosed the male case with ADHD more frequently than they did the identical female case. 

What the Study Found


In the study, many of the adolescent psychotherapists and psychiatrists based their decisions on heuristics and unclear rules of thumb. In other words, they went with their gut feelings rather than adhere to proper diagnostic criteria. 



The study found that therapists made their diagnosis on prototypical symptoms which included restlessness, impulsiveness, and lack of concentration. In the identical cases, a boy exhibiting these symptoms was diagnosed with ADHD, whereas a girl was typically not. 


The gender of the therapist also played a role in the diagnosis. Female therapists gave markedly fewer diagnoses for ADHD than did their male counterparts.

Root of the Problem


In recent decades diagnoses of ADHD have skyrocketed. Also noteworthy is that the dosage of medicine has increased over time. All of the adversity surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD can be traced back to a lack of research into the diagnostic parameters surrounding ADHD. As such many therapists rely on intuition and past experience, rather than adhere to the established guidelines for proper diagnosis.





About the author:
Vance Hobbes is a freelance writer and former medical researcher. Hobbes writes about many facets of the medical field, and works with CompHealth. When he's not writing the day away, he spends his free time tending to his prizewinning garden and attending any basketball game he can find.


Hyperventilating young girl breathes into paper bag
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Panic attacks are immensely stressful events, and those that have panic attacks often feel they're in the process of something far more dangerous – like a heart attack. If you are working with someone that is having a panic attack, the sooner you can calm them down the less severe their panic attack will be.

Panic attacks generally peak at about ten minutes in and then start a slow decline that can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Because of this, waiting out the panic attack is possible, but there are strategies you can use to reduce the severity of the panic attack while it's occurring.

Strategies to Reduce Panic Attack Severity


Reducing the severity of a panic attack is valuable from a treatment perspective, because the more severe a panic attack is, the more the person will fear future attacks. Since fear of panic attacks can create panic attacks, the more every panic attack is kept under control the better. Some strategies to help those with panic attacks include:
  •         Get Them to Talk

Panic attacks are worse when the person is "in their own head" and focusing too much on their symptoms and the attack. Panic attacks tend to be at their most severe when someone is trying to fix them on their own while letting their mind wander to all of the worst case scenarios. If you can get them to talk, it can help them stay in reality and give them the right kind of distraction for reducing their panic attack severity.

  •          Count Breathing – Help Breathing

Most of the severe symptoms of panic attacks come from hyperventilation, because during a panic attack the person tries too hard to breathe in oxygen – either breathing too quickly or breathing in too much air without holding it. This reduces carbon dioxide levels in the body because you're breathing out CO2 faster than your body needs to. Without carbon dioxide, your entire body works harder.

This is what causes chest pains, lightheadedness, and interestingly the feeling as though you're not getting enough oxygen. Unfortunately, this causes the person to breathe in faster and try to get deeper breaths rather than slow their breathing to regain CO2.

That's why you can coach them to slow down their breathing. Have them breathe in for about 5 seconds, hold for 2 or 3 seconds, and breathe out for 7 seconds. Count for them to make sure that they're breathing slower in order to prevent the symptoms of hyperventilation from getting worse.

  •          Walking

Some people find that walking provides great relief from anxiety symptoms. See if you can get them moving or walking around. It's unclear why walking has benefits, but it likely gets blood flowing and improve breathing patterns in a way that individuals are not doing on their own with anxiety. Some people with panic attacks experience severe dizziness, so walking isn't always possible, but some type of movement may be beneficial.

Helping Someone Overcome Panic Attacks

Panic attacks will always be stressful events, and once the attack comes it's hard to turn it off completely. But there are strategies that you can complete that will help the person with the panic attack cope with it better.

The most important thing to do, however, is not tell them how to feel or do anything that makes them feel embarrassed. The more they open up and share without worrying about whether they'll be judged, the more they'll feel that someone is taking care of them, and that makes recovering from panic attacks much better.

About the Author: Ryan Rivera had severe panic attacks himself, and speaks from experience about what he needed to overcome them. He writes about panic attacks at www.calmclinic.com.