Counseling Mom » Sadness

Does depression and Sadness can reduce the defenses in the organism and make us weaker to illnesses?

Mom — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 18:07:03 +0000

Question by Ashtor: Does depression and Sadness can reduce the defenses in the organism and make us weaker to illnesses?
I have noticed that when i have my depressive moment i get sick more often especially flu and also that it takes longer to heal from an illness is this normal or is just coincidence? Does really depression reduces your defenses? I heard about it once.

Best answer:

Answer by Best Answer Provider
Depression is very dangerous. Yes, it may impact health badly.

Try seeking help of experts or call art of living helpline/hopeline. Do some yoga/meditation course and also concentrate on gaining positivity.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Sadness vs. Depression (Mental Health Guru)

Mom — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 07:48:02 +0000

Everyone experiences sadness, loneliness and grief. But when depression symptoms don’t go away, the emotional toll can be devastating! mental.healthguru.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Fans express sadness, hope for DJK

Mom — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 02:21:02 +0000

Fans express sadness, hope for DJK
First off, thank you for your responses to yesterday’s blog. I got to talk to several of you, and could tell you had sincere concerns for DJK – and took this hard as Iowa football fans. Here are some the letters we received: The situation is so sad. I feel especially sad for his parents. [...]
Read more on The Iowa City Press-Citizen

Depression and how to overcome the sadness

Mom — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:58:02 +0000

functioning and overcoming depression. What is depression and when do you know when you should get help. The total person and how do we deal with it. Dr. David Cooper Sr. Pastor Mount Paran Church www.mountparan.com

Experiencing True Sadness and Using Anger Work to Overcome Depression

Mom — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:05:02 +0000

by D.C.Atty

Experiencing True Sadness and Using Anger Work to Overcome Depression

Do you find yourself suffering from depression? Usually depression results from some sort of trauma that has not been fully addressed. There are only two emotions that can help you overcome it. One is sadness and the other is anger. Sadness and Anger heal; depression does not. Sadness can be a very effective vehicle for healing. The only problem with sadness is that it is such a short leap from there to depression. Depression can keep a person stuck in the same place for years without any progress. Unfortunately, many people find the difference between sadness and depression obscure at best, and they often vacillate between the two. I encourage you to be very careful of depression because this is a thought disorder and it has an addictive quality. Depression actually prevents a person from getting better and can be a defense against real feelings. True sadness is when you reflect on the negative event, cry, and grieve over what happened. Afterward you feel a little bit better. Each time you feel sadness, you are one step closer to being well. Real sadness heals. Depression, on the other hand, is when you get into a downward spiral of negative thinking. It is wallowing in feelings of hopelessness. Depression only hurts and destroys. After an episode of depression you do not feel any better. It does not cleanse you. In fact you are likely to feel worse because of decisions you made while you were depressed. It usually starts by dwelling on the event, but soon goes beyond sadness about what happened and begins to color your attitude in a broader sense. Depression is characterized by negative self-talk including guilt-laden and hopeless messages. For example you may tell yourself X happened because ?I?m so stupid? or keep repeating inside your head, ?It?s all my fault.? Whether it is or not, that is not going to heal you.

You may even start assigning significance to the event beyond the appropriate scope. For example telling yourself ?I will never be happy again? or ?I don?t deserve to be happy? because of the failure of a particular relationship or effort to reach a goal. Or maybe your self-talk takes a less personal tone such as ??The world sucks!? ?People are cruel!? ?You can?t trust anyone!? ?Life is meaningless? or ?I want to die!?? An example of healthier self-talk would be: ?Oh! this hurts so badly! I really messed up. I hate it when I mess up.? Then try to do some ?Anger Work.? Beneath depression lies anger, so if you can get in touch with that feeling, you will more likely heal. Positive self-talk can sound like this: ?I am going to make really sure this doesn?t happen again because I don?t like the way this feels.? If your pain is caused by something out of your control, then you can tell yourself, ?This too shall pass, and I will survive somehow, and someday things will look better again.? In the mean time do Anger Work to keep from falling into depression. Let me give a couple of examples to illustrate the difference between sadness and depression.

An example of healing sadness: When I was younger, I purchased a beautiful Himalayan kitten from a man who was advertising them in the local newspaper. Because the owner did not have any registration papers, he was inexpensive and I was thankful. I named my kitten Tibet and we quickly fell in love. The first night when he came home he had so many fleas that I had to give him three baths in order to kill them. Tibet was so traumatized that he spent the whole night sleeping on my neck to feel safe. I had a major exam coming up the next day and could not sleep a wink! We became great buddies and spent immeasurable amounts of time together studying. Tibet would always sit on my book or papers as I worked. For two years he was a member of my family. He and I even had a special song: we would dance to it ever time we heard it on the radio. Then one day I came home and Tibet was walking very strangely. It was clear that he was not feeling well. I rushed him to the vet, but he died that evening from feline leukemia. He had contracted the disease before he ever came home with me. I was both very sad and very angry. I thought about Tibet often during the day, and whenever our song came on the radio, I cried during the entire song. Slowly, I began to heal. Because of my intense love for Tibet, two years passed before I was finished grieving and could think of him without crying. I never forgot Tibet, but I did heal.

An example of depression: A patient of mine named Kim had lost her six month old baby, Kyle, to S.I.D.S. It had been four years since Kyle died and Kim could not get over the loss because she blamed herself. She kept telling herself that if she had only checked on Kyle instead of talking on the phone with her friend, he wouldn?t have died. Kim thought that the rest of her life would be filled with nothing but misery because of Kyle’s death. Her feelings of guilt drove her to depression and she saw no means of healing. Instead of being sad and grieving over the death of Kyle, she blamed herself over and over for his death. She had developed the habit of calling herself ?murderer? and ?killer? every time she made even a small mistake, like forgetting to water the plants. This anger turned inward left her depressed. She was punishing herself with abusive self-talk, and was beginning to entertain thoughts of suicide. She was caught in a vicious cycle of depression that was driving her further and further away from life and from her husband. That is when her husband intervened and brought Kim to my office. When Kim came to me, I helped her realize that her self-hatred was only fueling her depression and in no way healing her from her loss. Together we decided that her self-hatred and verbal abuse, which she was often not even aware of because the self-talk had become so automatic, needed to stop. She agreed to feel angry at God for taking her baby and stop blaming herself. She did Anger Work over her loss. She also visited Kyle?s grave and talked to him about how much she missed him. This, of course, brought tears of sadness, which helped Kim feel better, unlike her depression, which had only made her feel worse. Slowly Kim healed from the loss of Kyle and was able to forgive herself and God for his death. Now Kim and her husband have two more children and she is happy. She still thinks of Kyle from time to time, as I encouraged her to do after she finished therapy, but her depression is gone and her sadness only lasts while she is thinking of Kyle.

I repeat that I recommend Anger Work over sadness, for the bulk of your healing work. Certain situations like Kim?s lend themselves more to sadness than others. In these circumstances, part of the healing process is letting the tears flow. However, if the sadness starts to become overwhelming, it is time to get angry again. Anger work empowers you to stay out of depression.

Dr. Robert Puff is a Newport Beach psychologist and international business consultant who has given over a thousand media interviews. At his web-site, all of Dr. Puff’s writings are free, as e-books and unabridged audio recordings. If you would like to read or listen to his free numerous selections of how to handle fear, manage anger, reduce stress, go to =>
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Depression and how to overcome the sadness

Mom — Sat, 29 May 2010 11:52:26 +0000

DiscoverLifeRadio asked:

Depression – The Facts

Mom — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:45:35 +0000

Liam Edmenson asked:

About two thirds of the population who encounters depression do not do anything about it. People should not be ashamed of this, there are a lot of factors that contributes to depression. Depression is usually described as a physically caused disease and it may be called depression when you go overboard the said “normal period” of depress. You should treat depression as a serious illness not just a sign of weakness. There are a lot of possible causes for depression. Here are the following:

* Chemical imbalances
* Hormonal Changes
* Daily activities in Life
* Medications

You must know that Depression can be treated. The best way to deal with this is be informed. You could start by knowing the cold hard facts that is relevant to Depression. Read on and know more!

* Depression affects all races, gender or ages. It is not choosy on who to be with, anyone could be a candidate of depression even YOU!

* The first thing you need to is to identify the cause of your depression whether it is a loss of a love one, school or even work. By doing so, you can start taking up the proper steps and measure on how to treat this.

* Remember that you are not alone. Share something to your closest friends and family. You need not endure this journey alone. Get a support system.

* There are about 60-80% of people who experiences depression can seek treatment. It is treatable just with the proper measures.

* It could be genetically passed on. If you have a history of depression in your family then it is possible you may inherit it.

* Women are more prone to depression than men.

* Enjoy yourself. As much as possible engaged in fun activities that would help you lift up your feelings and emotions. Be very happy!

No matter what state of depression you are in, you could always make a change and start treating it. Do not feel that you are alone because you are not. Always think positive, and praise yourself. Do things that will make you feel better and happy! Wash away that sadness and bring on the sunshine in your life!

Depression Relief

Mom — Wed, 12 May 2010 02:44:55 +0000

Tian Yu asked:

Many people in depression are likely to ignore this kind of mental state and leave it untreated. Actually, no matter what is the intensity of depression it needs treatment. Early treatment can keep depression from getting worse or lasting a long time. There are various treatments to cure depression.

You can listen to some music that you like to relax yourself. It doesn’t have to be anything specific, just something you enjoy. Most people think that certain types of music, such as classical music and light music, work better than others, but you should experiment and see what is right for you. When you are in depression, you can pick up one piece and enjoy the wonderful melody, which may gift you a state of peace.

Take some time out for yourself, relax and read a book, do something you want to do. By doing so, you may forget the sadness temporarily and avoid depression.

Talking through your feelings may also be helpful. You can talk to a friend or relative who you trust, and they may help you with your problems and give your some suggestion to avoid depression. So, when you feel depressed, do not keep it to yourself, but talk it out.

You can try psychotherapy. Well-trained professional will involve your treatment of depression and help you with their expertise. Do not downgrade the talk between you and the therapist. Through so called talk therapy, the therapists can discern your mental illness and behavioral problems and give you effective treatments.

You must stick to the treatment. You should make sure that you should take medicines if prescribed, attend therapy sessions and follow the proper healthcare provider.

In fact, those with depression need constant support. They may feel alone and isolated when in the state of depression. This can be draining, especially if it lasts for long periods of time. Therefore, giving consistent support and understanding are critical. These tips will lift you up when you are down, but don’t just use them when you are sad. Try and practice them everyday, make them a habit. You will be surprised at how these simple tips will keep the rainy days away.

Low Self Esteem – How Psychologically Abusive Relationships Impact Our Self Perception

Mom — Sun, 09 May 2010 15:16:09 +0000

Shannon E Cook asked:

Low self esteem is an affliction that impacts a large number of people at some point in their lives.

Identifying Depression

Mom — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:39:43 +0000

David B. Smith asked:

Everyone knows what depression feels like. Everyone feels the blues at times. Sadness, discontent, and fatigue are natural parts of life. There is a relation between the blues and clinical depression, but the difference is like the difference between the sniffles and pneumonia.

Depressive disorders are whole person illnesses; they touch the body, feelings, thoughts, and behavior. The depression itself can make us feel as if it’s of no use to search for help. The nice news is that 80 to 90 percent of people with depression can be treated successfully, but the bad news is that only one sufferer in three seeks treatment. More bad news is that not quite half the American public perceives depression as a character flaw, rather than an illness or emotional disorder. In addition, only half of all cases of depression are exactly diagnosed, and only half of those get adequate treatment.

We tend to muddle depression, sadness, and grief. But the opposite of depression is not happiness, but vitality – the power to experience a full range of emotion, including happiness, excitement, sadness, and grief. Depression is not an emotion itself. It’s not sadness or grief, it’s an illness. When we feel at our worst, sad, self-absorbed, and helpless, we are experiencing what people with depression experience, but they don’t recover from those moods without help.

The trademark of depression is a insistent sad or empty mood, sometimes experienced as tension or anxiety. Life is with out pleasure. People with slight depressions may go through the motions of eating, sex, work, or play, but the activities seem like pointless; people with more severe depression withdraw from these activities, feeling too worn-out, tense, or hostile to take part. There is often a nagging fatigue, a sense of being incapable of focusing, a feeling of being inefficient.

People with depression generally feel a lowered self-esteem. In a depression, you may feel that you are a defenseless victim of fate, but also feel that you don’t deserve any better. Feelings of guilt, shame, and hopelessness are common.

There are often a host of physical symptoms, of which sleep disturbances are key. People may have trouble falling asleep or may wake up early without feeling refreshed. Others may sleep excessively, again without feeling rested. Appetite may increase or decrease. There may be difficulty in sexual functioning. There may be harassing aches and pains that don’t act in response to medical treatment. But there are physical illnesses that cause symptoms like depression – Lyme depression, diabetes, thyroid conditions, anemia – and depressions can cause physical symptoms like other diseases.

If you are feeling depressed, it is important to be sure that an underlying health problem does not exist, and you should see your physician for a checkup. At the same time, if you know you have a health problem and are feeling depressed, don’t presume you will feel better once the health problem is under control.

There is a sequential process in the recognition of depression. First is a stage of confused pain in which the sufferer knows he suffers, but doesn’t know why. People often blame circumstances. Adolescents blame their home lives, married people blame their spouses, and employees blame their bosses. But there is recognition that the pain is not ordinary.

The second stage is recognition that something is definatley amiss. It may be that external circumstances have changed but the pain is on going, or it may be a slow recognition that the suffering is so dangerous that circumstances can’t be blamed. This is a painful recognition that often takes years. It is an acknowledgment of a damaged self. But because of the nature of depression, the self-blame and guilt that are manifestations of the disease, this acceptance does not always lead to seeking help.

People then may move to the third stage, a crisis that frequently leads to professional intervention and diagnosis. It is often a ******* attempt or psychiatric hospitalization. The diagnosis often provides hope, that treatment or a cure is possible, and explanation, a way to understand what has only been confusion before. The fact is that this is a diagnosis of a mental illness, with all the shame and stigma that that entails.

The fourth stage involves acceptance of an illness identity. Depression comes to be seen as an outside agent invading the self, rather than as a manifestation of the self.

It is essential that anyone suffering from depression gets good help from a competent, qualified professional. If the warning signs are clear, always seek a professional diagnosis. Going to a health professional with your problems could prove, at worse, embarrassing, if the problem is really just a seasonal case of the blues that can be treated with without medical intervention, but the potential cost of failing to diagnose a serious case of depression should far outweigh any concern about conceivable embarrassment.