SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder:

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a debilitating, mood disorder with a predictable pattern of recurrence during the fall and winter. Experts estimate that as many as 10 million North Americans may experience SAD. Initial symptoms may include feelings of lethargy, trouble waking and getting up or cravings for heavy or carbohydrate-rich foods.

These initial symptoms often lead to a mild mood disorder for a few weeks and then may progress to chronic low mood, inability to do work, loss of pleasure in usual activities, etc. Symptoms are often most acute in January and February. The severity of symptoms, are the indicator experts use to differentiate mild winter blues from more acute SAD. With both conditions, as days become longer, symptoms tend to clear up usually by early May.

Anyone can experience SAD cycles, even thought they may not occur every year. Women of childbearing age appear to be the most vulnerable, but SAD may occur from childhood through to old age, and men can be just as strongly affected as women.

Bright light therapy is simple to administer and effective for many SAD sufferers when using a well-designed bright light therapy system on a regular daily schedule. Bright light may be "dosed" by changing the intensity level, exposure duration and/or the time of day when it is used. Generally, the recommended starting dose is 10,000 LUX for 30 minutes in the morning soon after waking. Dosage is then adjusted (increased or decreased) to suit the specific needs of the user.

One large study of SAD patients undergoing bright light therapy, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, found significant clinical improvement in about 80% of cases when bright light was scheduled at the optimum early hour. If the bright light was scheduled later, the response rate dropped to about 40%.

To determine the optimum treatment time for bright light therapy, the Automated Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire provided by CET (Center for Environmental Therapeutics), is an excellent guide. It may be used in consultation with your physician to prepare an appropriate bright light therapy treatment schedule for your individual condition.

PostSecrets.

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard.

Mental health matters. Imagine a world without the stigma.

Words like ‘crazy, ‘nutcase’, ’lunatic’, ‘psycho’, and ‘cuckoo’ belittle and contribute to the stigma that already surrounds people with mental health problems. Questioning what you hear using the STOP acronym is one way to keep the stigma around mental disorders in check. Ask yourself, does what I’m hearing:

                  Stereotype people with mental disorders?

       Trivialize or belittle the person with the disorder or the illness itself?

       Offend the person with a mental disorder by insulting them?

       Patronize the person treating them with mental disorders as if they 

                  aren’t as good as others.

                   

44 percent of Canadians say they've coped with a mental health problem, lets raise awareness together!

Did you know that depression has such a stigma attached to it that 7 in 10 people would find it difficult to discuss the condition with their doctor?

MYTH: All people who have depression appear to be sad. Depression comes in many other ways some people have chronic anger, worry, panic or anxiety & many hide their feelings of despair and smile to mask their pain. 

Why Mental Illness Awareness Week?

Do we really need to make people aware of mental illness? For too long, people with mental illnesses have been in the shadows. Too few know about the burden of mental illness on our society, and too few sufferers seek help when they need it. Ignoring the problem does not make it better – it actually makes it worse for those suffering, and ultimately it throws a shadow over society’s ability to take care of its own.

Mental Illness Awareness Week seeks to raise awareness of the level of mental illness; to reduce negative stigma about mental illness amongst the general population and health care professionals; to promote the positive effects of best practice in prevention, diagnosis and medical treatment; and to better inform and educate us about the issues surrounding mental illnesses.

The theme is "Face Mental Illness" - and it represents many important issues. First and foremost, it puts a human face on mental illness by featuring the stories of people living with mental illness. It also represents the incredibly wide spectrum of those touched by mental illness - families, researchers, teachers and all manner of practitioners including physicians, psychiatric nurses, counsellors, and psychologists. Moreover, it encourages all of us - including our governments - to face and address the issues.

The Imagine Run, just held in Niverville MB (Saturday September 24), does just that – puts a human face to the problem. When a runner proudly displays a sign “Survivor of Depression”, it encourages others to step forward from the shadows. If it encourages just one more person to get help, it is worth it!

One in five Canadians will experience mental illness during his/her lifetime. It's crucial that we educate Canadians about the nature of mental illness and reduce the stigma associated with the disease. You don't have to wait until it effects you or your loved ones before you get involved.

A number of myths have led to misunderstandings about mental illness, preventing many people from seeking and getting help when they need it. The wrong understanding of the use of medication for mental illness, and the (societal/church/family/individual) resistance to taking medication, is one of the ‘myths’ that will be cleared up at the Paraklesis Counselling “Gos-Pill Truth about Prozac and You” seminar. Questions about anxiety, depression, counselling, and medication will be answered by looking at the history of mental illness. People suffering from mental illness and those supporting them will gain an understanding how antidepressants work, when medication is indicated and when not, why compliance is important, when you can stop taking the medication, how to deal with the side effects, and how relapse can be prevented.

All of us can make a difference for the nearly 6 million Canadians affected by mental illnesses – you can be a change mediator in your immediate circle – you can influence and change perceptions!

Mental Illness Awareness Week brings us some fundamental messages:

1. Reach out. Don't be afraid to ask for help or to ask how you can help. This is a message for the family as well as for the person who is suffering alone and for all of us who know someone in trouble
2. Get help early. Early intervention and treatment reduce long-term disability from mental illness
3. Hang in there. Be compliant with treatment plans – keep on track by continuing counselling (don’t stop or change treatment without consulting with a mental health professional)
4. Talk about it (especially to a mental health care worker/counsellor/therapist)
5. Share your stories to help others understand (don’t be put off by their apathy or ‘rejection’)
6. Share the care. Treatment and support of people with mental illness involve many types of caregivers; each has an important role to play - you can make a difference for others
7. Respect differences. People with mental illnesses and their families are as diverse as the general population. Don't generalize and be respectful
8. Stay hope-focused. While there are few total “cures” for severe mental illnesses, improved treatments and community-support offer increased hope for recovery from its symptoms and a better quality of life.

Stay Strong

I know it's not easy when life takes away
All the things that you've learned and the things that you know
To replace them with heartache and pain and sorrow

I know all too well how easy it is to give up the fight
When the downs take hold with no end in sight
And the pain will go on through the night til' tomorrow

But soon things will change, the ups will return
You'll rearrange very fast when you learn
The smiles remind you that good times always do follow 


-Kirsty Richards

Imagine Run 2011

Imagine a world where we could personally talk about schizophrenia, depression, addictions, suicide or phobias in an atmosphere as relaxed as talking about hip-replacements or tennis elbow. It's important to get the topics out of the closet because Mental Health really Matters!

Imagine is a group of caring individuals who are committed to raising public awareness and removing the stigma that surrounds mental health issues & suicide.


On September 24, 2011 we will be holding the 4th annual 2011 Imagine Run. The event consists of a half marathon, 10K run/walk and this year we have added a 5K run/walk. The run takes place in Hespler Park, Niverville. 


Join us for Family Fun Day/Bands on Route/Park, Balloonist, Petting Zoo, BBQ, Party Bouncers & Children's Games.

To Register or for more information visit www.imaginementalhealth.com

Your Questions on Depression Answered

This article features commonly asked questions on Depression and how you can overcome it.


I think I'm depressed, where can I get help?
Talk to your primary or family physician. He or she will be able to review the signs and symptoms of depression with you, as well as rule out a possible physical cause for your symptoms. Following diagnosis, your physician can then initiate antidepressant therapy or refer you to a psychiatrist and/or threrapist or an EAP (employee assistance program) if you have one, for appropriate evaluation and treatment. Another route is to consult with your clergy, local hospital, community mental health center or telephone hotlines in your area for a referral for an appropriate evaluation.

It seems that more people are depressed nowadays than in the past. Is the rate of depression increasing?
Depression is common. That having been said, it is also important to point out that this is a seemingly simple question that requires a very complicated answer. While research documents an increase in the number of cases of depression reported and the number prescriptions for antidepressants, it is unclear whether this results from either a true increase in depression due to the stresses of modern life or from increased awareness and recognition of depression as a treatable medical illness. In any event, it is clear that major depression is common.

What is the difference between grief and depression?
Grief is a natural reaction to the loss of an important relationship. As human beings, our bonds to each other develop early (virtually at birth), are strong and often influence major decisions in our life. When we lose a significant relationship in our lives, it is natural for us to feel sadness or other depressive symptoms, such as loss of appetite and disturbed sleep. In fact, about 30 percent of people who have lost a significant other will continue to have these symptoms two months after the loss. These symptoms, however, usually lessen within six months.

Although both conditions may have depressed mood, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance and decreased energy, people with depression usually experience a sense of worthlessness, guilt and/or low self-esteem that is not common in normal grief reactions. For some, a grief reaction can develop into a major depression. For example, about 15 percent of grieving individuals will develop major depression after one year of a loss.

When is being depressed a normal reaction and when is it truly major depression?
All of us have days when we feel "depressed." Usually, these feelings are temporary, and we can have a great day tomorrow. Even when we have a bad day, we can still find enjoyment in things. These occasional bad days are part of life and not depression. Remember, a diagnosis of depression requires that you have these symptoms every day, or nearly every day, for a period of two weeks.

Sometimes, these feelings may persist for several days or even a week. This is common following the break-up of a relationship or other unpleasant event. Still, while you may have some of the symptoms of depression, it is unlikely that you have major depression unless a number of the symptoms are present and impair daily functioning. Even if you do not have major depression, you may have an adjustment disorder that would benefit from professional help. A trained professional can differentiate between a period of the blues and clinical depression.

How do most people react when they are diagnosed with depression?
For some people, a definitive diagnosis is a relief: "At last I know what I have," is their reaction, even if it comes months or years after the onset of symptoms. For others, however, the diagnosis comes as a terrible shock. Many people are ashamed of having a mental illness. Both reactions are quite normal.

Even when a definitive diagnosis is made and accepted, there may be additional concerns about the unknowns of the disorder: its course and outcome, worries about work, effects on family and frustrations about physical and emotional limitations. It is not unusual for these concerns to be expressed as anger, which may further deepen the depression. What is important is to know that depression is treatable and carries a good prognosis. Whatever your reaction, you are not alone, as depression is a common and very treatable problem.

What can I expect regarding other people's reaction?
A person suffering from fatigue and weakness, two symptoms of depression that can occur without obvious signs of physical disability, may look fine. Family members and friends may unsuspectingly expect more from the depressed person than he/she is capable of doing. Those symptoms may, then, be seen as character defects. Fatigue, for example, is frequently interpreted as laziness, or lack of initiative; depressed mood is sometimes seen as self-pity. These reactions may lead patients to begin to doubt their own self-worth. It is important to discuss this issue with your therapist and identify ways of handling this. It is important to remember that millions of people are disabled from a chronic injury or disorder and are living life to the fullest if they get proper treatment.

Visit www.imaginementalhealth.com for more resources and information on mental health disorders

Exercise & Depression

Time and time again we hear about the importance of regular exercise for our bodies. But not only does such exercise help our bodies — it does wonders for our minds as well. The latest finding comes from two researchers who found that simple exercise can be helpful with some people’s depressive mood:

The researchers based their finding on an analysis of dozens of population-based studies, clinical studies and meta-analytic reviews related to exercise and mental health, including the authors’ meta-analysis of exercise interventions for mental health and studies on reducing anxiety sensitivity with exercise.

The researchers’ review demonstrated the efficacy of exercise programs in reducing depression and anxiety.

And this is good news, since not everyone can afford psychotherapy or medications, and most people who have depression never seek out treatment for it anyways. If they do, it’s most often through their primary care physician, and they are most often just prescribed an antidepressant and then call it a day.

Exercise is easy and free. Take a walk around your neighborhood every day. Ride a bike. Jog around the park or around the town. Do a few dozen push-ups and/or sit-ups in your apartment. You can’t beat it for the convenience factor, the price, and the ease of actual doing factor.

Research shows it works — something about exercise seems to help us out of the depressive mood that infiltrates our brains. Exercise appears to affect, like an antidepressant, particular neurotransmitter systems in the brain, and it helps patients with depression re-establish positive behaviors. For patients with anxiety disorders, exercise reduces their fears of fear and related bodily sensations such as a racing heart and rapid breathing.

Something to think about next time you forgo the walk outside, the playing ball with your friends or children, or don’t feel like getting off the couch. Our minds and bodies — they are the same and work together in conjunction with one another.

Source: Psych Central