Menopause anxiety and depression changes a woman's life, physically and emotionally. They go through hot flashes, mood swings and anger and restless nights to name a few.
Even though it's natural and happens to every woman, these changes cannot be easy. It's unfair to make jokes or put women down for this.
Menopause, anxiety and depression, (especially depression) can cause women to contemplate suicide. Is this anything to tease someone over?
Is this a laughing matter? Before making a joke, next time, take a moment to think.
Menopause often leads to anxiety and depression. This can affect a woman's sex drive. Depression is also more common in women than in men. Studies indicate a higher depression rate in menopausal women.
Women may also go through generalized anxiety in later life. Again, unfortunately, it affects women more than it does men.
How You Can Start Feeling Better
Exercise stimulates endorphins and boosts serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that sends messages from one nerve cell to another. This allows different parts of your brain to communicate with each other.
Low levels of serotonin can cause depression and anxiety. Indeed, serotonin is very likely the culprit of many anxiety disorders. It can cause sleep problems. You get the idea.
Studies show that alternate medication has excellent benefits. Peritol is an excellent product that works fast, is effective and makes you feel better in a couple of weeks.
Try incorporating soy into your diet. Soy contains isoflavones, a kind of plant estrogen which can be used as hormone replacement therapy. Soy is high in Asian diet. This is probably why Asian women are less troubled by women's issues then western women.
SAMe (pronounced Sammy), is a product that is apparently great for helping with your depression. There has been quite a lot of media attention about this herbal supplement.
Please don't suffer menopause anxiety and depression without doing anything about it. These are now things that require medical attention. Use the available help and start feeling better about yourself and life in general.
Giri Anantha's website is called Panic And Agoraphobia. It includes helpful advice on how to start feeling better using alternative methods. For more help on this topic, visit http://www.panic-and-agoraphobia.com
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Friday, September 7, 2007
Social Phobia And Depression
Social anxiety disorder or social phobia and depression should be treated as soon as you know you have it. Even social phobia on its own should be looked into as soon as possible.
This is because it could lead to other disorders or mental health problems such as panic attacks or agoraphobia. Going through social anxiety can be disturbing as you sometimes wish you could be 'like other people'. This may lead to depression.
Social Anxiety Can Lead To Severe Problems
Social phobia can start in childhood. Children may appear to be extremely 'shy'. As they grow older, they may tend to avoid social situations or endure it with great difficulty.
Fear, embarrassment and humiliation are constantly in their mind. It is an incredibly uncomfortable feeling. It can lead to panic attacks. And if it did, especially in front of others, they may decide to avoid situations.
Things get worse as this can lead to agoraphobia which is very debilitating. All of this can cause not just them, but ANYONE, depression. This causes problems as far as relationships and employment is concerned.
It could also lead to alcohol or drug abuse.
Women experience depression twice as much. This could be a hormonal thing. Some research indicates that social phobia and depression may be caused by a part of the brain called the amygdala. The amygdala is thought to control our fear responses.
It is very important to deal with social anxiety quickly because of the possibility of low self-esteem and depression. This can cause a person to withdraw to the point of isolation, feel angry and brood.
Treatment And Changing Thoughts
Treatment is generally quite effective and the outcome is good. Most people can live normal lives. Cognitive behavioral therapy and medication work well.
Depending on how bad the situation is, a quicker-acting but temporary medication may be prescribed to give some relief. This will give you some 'breathing space' so that CBT or a slower-acting but longer term medication has a chance to start working.
Patients can also learn how their thoughts, especially before, had no factual basis. Changing thoughts is an important part of therapy, as is exposure therapy.
This won't be fun. But take things slowly. You will be exposed to anxiety-provoking situations and will slowly learn to overcome them. It's your journey to recovery.
Believe how strong this has ironically made you. Your determination will make you succeed.
Best Anxiety Treatments
The best anxiety treatments are the ones that work for YOU. There are some that are generally better, but again, each person is different. It's important to realize this, otherwise you may feel upset.
Try not to be, though. A generally effective treatment may work for 99 out of 100 people. You may be that 100th person. Don't fret. There's always something that will work for you. It's frustrating to find it, but you will.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Medication
This has generally been found to be the best treatment for anxiety. Depending on each case, you could be treated with either, or both. It's been used effectively for countless people.
CBT helps to change both your thoughts and actions. This is a great way to treat anxiety, especially in the long run. Your doctor may also suggest taking medication to get the full benefit in helping you recover.
There are so many drugs that are used to treat anxiety. Generally, antidepressants and/or benzodiazepines are prescribed. If it doesn't work or has bad side effects, tell your doctor so that you can try something else.
It's also a good idea to keep your own personal record of what works and what doesn't. This way, if you change doctors or treatment, you know what you've tried or what didn't work.
Alternative Therapies
There are many people who don't like using drugs. Drugs can produce nasty side effects and may not be good for you in the long run, so this is understandable.
Many of these people have used other forms of treatment successfully. Again, sometimes something might not work for you. Be patient, (it's hard, but do try!) and you'll find one that you're happy with.
Here are some options that might be worth your while exploring:
- hypnosis
- meditation
- Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
- herbal remedies
- vitamin supplements
- abdominal breathing
- group therapy
There are other options as well. Thousands of people have been helped by EFT. Seredyn is a natural product that seems to work for many. One of the best and most popular natural treatments is called PureCalm.
Many people swear by PureCalm and are extremely happy with the results. If you try ANY products, this should be one not to overlook.
It's difficult to say which are the best anxiety treatments, but there are definitely many that will work. If it doesn't, you'll need to find something that does. It's frustrating because you have to wait.
The most important thing to remember is to keep your chin up. Don't take it personally or feel there is no hope. There is hope. Always. Please be patient and you'll start feeling better.
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