| Have you been in a funk, not
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| | years, if untreated.
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| understanding the reason for your bad
| |
| | Does this seem like you?
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| moods and lack of energy? Are you
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| | Read the following list and put a check
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| isolating yourself from others because
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| | mark next to each symptom that you are
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| you never know how you will feel from
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| | experiencing:
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| moment to moment? Have you noticed that
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| | - I am really sad most of the time
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| friends and family members have backed
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| | - I don't enjoy doing the things I've
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| away from spending time with you? Is
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| | always enjoyed doing
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| living from day-to-day becoming more and
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| | - I have difficulty sleeping at night
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| more of a burden, with no light in sight?
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| | - I often feel fatigued
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| If you have answered yes to any of these
| |
| | - Getting up in the morning is
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| questions, you may be experiencing a
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| | challenging.
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| medical illness known as depression.
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| | - I feel better as the day goes on
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| Chronic pain and depression are two of
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| | compared to when I first awoke
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| the most common health problems that
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| | - My eating habits have changed:
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| health professionals encounter, yet only
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| | Generally, I eat more than usual or I eat
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| a small percentage of studies have
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| | less than usual
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| investigated the relationship between
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| | - I have very little, if any, sexual
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| these conditions (Currie and Wang, 2004).
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| | energy
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| There are key differences between
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| | - I am very forgetful throughout the day
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| chronic pain and acute pain. The nervous
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| | - I find it hard to focus on the simple
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| system processes chronic pain differently
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| | things of life. Even counting change has
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| that acute or "immediate" pain. Acute
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| | become challenging
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| pain occurs as a result of an incident or
| |
| | - I often feel angry
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| event, e.g. you fall down the steps and
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| | - I feel anxious, and fearful with no
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| sprain your ankle. Chronic or "long term"
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| | apparent reason
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| pain happens over time and wears on the
| |
| | - I prefer to stay alone rather than
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| individual physically, emotionally,
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| | socialize
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| mentally and spiritually, often with no
| |
| | - I feel pessimistic about life in
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| end in sight, causing the individual to
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| | general, and am not sure I want to
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| feel more and more pessimistic.
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| | continue living
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| The first step in changing pessimistic
| |
| | - I feel disappointed in myself
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| thought patterns and associated emotions
| |
| | - I feel bad (physically and
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| is to understand what you are going
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| | emotionally) most of the time
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| through when experiencing a depression.
| |
| | - I have thoughts about my death
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| The good news is you have the ability to
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| | - I think about how I might kill myself
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| make changes that will affect the way you
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| | If you checked any of these boxes, call
|
| feel and experience life on a day-to-day
| |
| | your doctor.
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| basis. Are you ready to release the
| |
| | Note: Source for list - National
|
| depression and re-experience having fun,
| |
| | Institute of Mental Health/NIMH (some
|
| laughter and pleasure with your family
| |
| | revisions)
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| and friends? Of course you are, so read
| |
| | HOW IS DEPRESSION TREATED?
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| on to begin shifting your life in an
| |
| | Medicine: Antidepressants may take
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| upward and more positive direction.
| |
| | several weeks before you begin to feel
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| WHAT IS A DEPRESSIVE DISORDER?
| |
| | better.
|
| A depressive disorder is an illness that
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| | Talk therapy: Talk therapy helps you to
|
| involves the whole person; mind, body,
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| | change the way you think, feel and behave
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| spirit and emotions. It affects the way a
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| | to support you in feeling better.
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| person perceives himself as well as his
| |
| | WHAT CAN I DO TO FEEL BETTER?
|
| perceptions of the world, resulting in
| |
| | A four step plan to enjoy life and find
|
| pessimism, hopelessness, sadness and
| |
| | fulfillment is outlined in my book, Tune
|
| often times anxiety.
| |
| | Into Love.
|
| Common Myths about depression:
| |
| | These four steps include:
|
| Depression ...
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| | 1. Create "feel good" moments
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| - is a personal weakness
| |
| | 2. Identify your desires (desires such
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| - reflects laziness or unwillingness to
| |
| | as "I want to feel better")
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| actively participate in life
| |
| | 3. Activate your intentions (intentions
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| - is a diagnosis that is untreatable and
| |
| | are strong desires coupled with strong
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| incurable
| |
| | belief that you can have what you want)
|
| These myths are unfounded and represent
| |
| | 4. Release the outcome
|
| the opposite of the truth about
| |
| | TIPS FOR DAY-TO-DAY LIVING WHILE MOVING
|
| depression.
| |
| | THROUGH A DEPRESSION
|
| WHAT IS THE PERSONAL IMPACT OF
| |
| | - Set reasonable goals for yourself
|
| DEPRESSION?
| |
| | - Set priorities; do what you can
|
| Depression...
| |
| | - Break large tasks into small ones
|
| - often causes insomnia, leading to
| |
| | - Take everything at your own pace
|
| fatigue, and agitation
| |
| | - Stay connected with others
|
| - often leads to social isolation
| |
| | - Take walks and exercise if acceptable
|
| - can lead to job dysfunction, causing
| |
| | to your physician.
|
| financial difficulties
| |
| | - Shift pessimistic thinking to hopeful
|
| - coupled with chronic back pain may
| |
| | thoughts.
|
| cause gastrointestinal distress
| |
| | WHERE CAN I GET HELP?
|
| - can create memory and concentration
| |
| | Dr. Margaret McCraw;
|
| difficulties
| |
| |
|
| - can cause a lack of interest in sexual
| |
| | Institute of Vibrational Synchronicity
|
| activity
| |
| | (IVS)
|
| ARE YOU DEPRESSED?
| |
| | 877/366-9111
|
| It is important to understand that
| |
| | Phone Consultation
|
| depression and sadness are different. The
| |
| | National Mental Health Association
|
| death of a loved one, loss of a
| |
| |
|
| relationship, termination of a job,
| |
| | 703/684-7722
|
| including retirement, will cause us to
| |
| | Information & Resources
|
| feel sad. Grief is a normal response to
| |
| | National Institute of Mental Health
|
| these situations. Individuals
| |
| |
|
| experiencing challenging times will often
| |
| | 866/615-6464
|
| remark that he or she feels depressed.
| |
| | Information & Resources
|
| However, sadness, grief and depression
| |
| | National Alliance for the Mentally
|
| are not the same. Feelings of sadness and
| |
| |
|
| grief will lessen with time while
| |
| | 800/950-6264
|
| depression can continue for months and
| |
| |
|
