Archive for the ‘Depression’ Category

Many times you may think because someone is beautiful or successful or talented that they don’t have any problems. It may seem like you are the only one who can feel so down in the dumps that you can’t even get the energy to get out of bed or smile at your child. Those feelings of isolation, comparison and even resentment are not part of your personality they are a side effect of depression.

Ashley Judd has shared the same experiences you have as someone who has suffered a depressive episode. Her depression turned into a love affair with sleep and an obsession to keep things clean. She was able to put on a mask that she exhibited to the world that  presented her  as a totally together woman. Have any of you had to do that?

Last February Ashley checked herself into a treatment program in Texas after a her sisters (Naomi Judd) food addiction counselor approached her. Ashley shared in Glamour magazine (July 2010) that at that moment she felt for the first time someone was validating the emotional pain that she felt. After completing treatment Ashley has been publicly vocal about her depression and her recovery in order to help others take steps to overcome their own obstacles.

Kudos!

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Richard Davidson, Ph.D., was posed an interesting question and subsequent challenge by the revered Dalai Lama when he made the observation that our Western culture put all of energy on studying imbalances of the mind like alzheimers, depression and anxiety instead of studying the componenets of a healthy mind and trying to mimic those characteristics.

And thats exactly the work that’s being done at the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin under the direction of Dr. Davidson. The mission statement of the Center is “to scientifically determine how healthy qualities of the mind develop and to investigate interventions to cultivate those qualities in children and adults.”

This is exactly the perspective we have to take if we are going to cure depression and anxiety.

Kudos to Dr. Richardson and the Dalai Lama.

In May 2010, the Dalai Lama traveled to Wisconsin for the grand opening of the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin, where some of Dr. Davidson’s research will be conducted. Dr. Davidson had been inspired by his holiness the Dalai Lama many years ago when the Dalai Lama posed an interesting question of him. The Dalai Lama had noticed that our Western culture put a lot of emphasis on studying diseases of the mind, like anxiety and depression. The Dalai Lama asked Dr. Davidson what does our Western science say about a healthy mind, and what are the characteristics of a person with a healthy mind. Dr. Davidson didn’t have an answer.

I Can Do It

Do you need a little motivation to jump start your emotional energy out of a funk of depression? Sometimes events in our lives leave us feeling a little down. Our mood swings from feeling like life is good to life could be better. Here are five tips to help you remedy a minor depression.

1. Own a pet. It is amazing how far a little unconditional love goes to making you feel better about life. Pets need you. Pets rely on you. Taking care of something keeps you from wallowing in self pity.
2. Work Out. Did you know something as simple as walking for 30 minutes each day can help relieve stress and anxiety? Increasing your cardio fitness does wonders to improve your mood.
3. Sleep. A lack of sleep may actually be one of the triggers to feeling the funk of depression.  Try to get to bed around the same time each night. Create a night time routine that prepares your body for relaxation. Make your bedroom environment a calm place for you to be in.
4. Volunteer. Making a commitment to helping others really puts your life in perspective. Keeping yourself active in the community also keeps you engaged socially. Being around other people shifts your focus from yourself. Volunteering with others opens up resources for you to discover new problem solving skills.
5. Acknowledge the Source. Is there a particular reason you are feeling depressed? Perhaps your work is creating a lot of stress in your life. Perhaps you are in a relationship that is making you feel anxious. Evaluating a situation, removing yourself from it, if only temporarily, and finding a solution will often times lead to improving your mood. If the solution seems greater than you can handle please seek help.

Remember, everyone feels a little depressed every once in awhile. The feeling is part of life. These five tips are meant to inspire you to lift that funk of a minor depression. If you feel your level of depression inhibits your ability to function in life, please seek medical advice.