Coping with Depression and Stress

I am no psychologist, but I have suffered from depression and stress for as long as I can remember. I therefore present the following framework based upon my first-hand experience, observation and reflection in the hope it may in some way be of help to my fellow sufferers.

Depression is something that will inevitably be your close companion throughout the journey of life. It cannot be beaten or banished, but it can be managed and controlled through knowledge and understanding. There is no reason why those of us with depression cannot live fulfilling and successful lives. (more…)

Why Mindfulness?

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. Viktor E. Frankl

Mindfulness, at essence, means being focused on the present. Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), defines it as: “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally"

There has, in recent years, been a surge of interest in the practice of mindfulness as being therapeutic for mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, as well a valuable contributor to general wellbeing.

This post considers the origins of mindfulness, its potential benefits, and how it may be incorporated into busy modern life. (more…)

Yoga and Heartfulness Meditation to Help You Beat Depression

by Manmohan Singh

Neurologically speaking, depression is an outcome of decrease in two neurotransmitters decisive for a healthy functioning of the mind-body. These are - serotonin and norepinephrine. If the chemical imbalance in your brain gets critical with serotonin and norepinephrine hitting the lows, there is going to be a deep sense of engulfing sadness.

On close examination, there is a variety of biological, psychological, as well as sociological contributing factors in relation to an individual, found interwoven in the onset of depression. Any of these factors can cause or continue the bout of typical behavioral change towards—apathy, hopelessness, mood swings, sleep disorder, or social isolation.

While you cannot make an instant alteration in your external situation to shoo away depression, engineering of your inner self to immunize against these factors is always possible. Meditation and yoga provide an important solution in this very regard revealing clearly how integrally the body and mind are connected, especially in relation to the heart which is situated vulnerably and comes under attack quite easily during emotional stress. (more…)

Rapid, Side-effect Free Ways to Reduce Depression

Yes, There are Rapid, Side-effect Free Ways to Reduce Depression.

By: Dr. Scott Terry​, clinical psychologist​;​ David Shapiro, M.A. Founding President of Alliance for PTSD Recovery​

For Michael Phelps, depression is both a problem that many athletes face and also a personal challenge. Despite being the world’s most decorated swimmer and the Olympian with the most medals of all time, with 28 Olympic medals (23 gold), he has faced depression over and over. (more…)

Loneliness – How to Overcome this Elderly Vulnerability

by Daisy Anderson

"I need a break from the loneliness that is totally consuming me" - Anonymous

Aged people are especially susceptible to social isolation and loneliness, which can have serious implications on their physical as well as mental health. Hundreds of thousands of seniors are reportedly lonely and cut off from society, with over 5 million older people admitting television as their main source of company. (more…)

Understanding Stress, Anxiety and Depression

The Modern Epidemic

Despite modern life offering unprecedented technological benefits, and medical science being able to cure or alleviate many more physical ailments than ever before, somehow "happiness" seems more elusive than ever for a growing number.

Stress, anxiety and depression are a modern epidemic affecting literally millions. The effects of these debilitating conditions are made even worse by the stigma they carry.

If you're unfortunate enough to suffer a physical problem friends, family, colleagues invariably rally around with offers of help. If you're unfortunate enough to suffer a mental problem those same people frequently keep their distance as though you're highly contagious or somehow responsible for your suffering. (more…)

Dealing with Guilt and Regret

Too often we are dogged by the dark clouds of guilt and regret. Regret is the feeling of wishing we had (or not) done something in the past different than we actually did. Guilt is feeling bad, or even disliking ourselves, over some past act or omission that caused unjustified hurt.

Dealing with Regret

Time, as we perceive it, is linear. What is done is done and can never be undone. The most powerful man on the planet cannot change by one iota what happened a fraction of a second ago. Given that, stop worrying about the past. You’re only wasting precious energy that ought to be channeled into now.

We all experience feelings of regret at some time in our lives. Since we don’t always (ie never) perform perfectly, after any event there will be feelings that we could have done better. (more…)