Thursday, February 25, 2010

Beware of depression screening tools, consult a doctor

As you have seen online, there are many, many online screening tools for depression and not all are equally reliable. One was found recently on WebMd - sponsored by a pharmaceutical company - that was incredibly misleading. If you think you may have depression, feel free to test out the free screening tools but don't jump to any conclusions - talk to your doctor!

Read more about what happened on WebMD.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

ADHD and Depression

http://www.russellbarkley.org/adhd-facts.htm#prevalence

I found this article to be quite helpful on ADHD (also ADD) and depression. I actually was not diagnosed with ADD until I was in my late 30's- how this diagnosis was missed I do not fully understand other than we simply just don't know a lot about the brain. And quite frankly, there are debates over whether or not diagnosing / labeling the patient is important and some therapists I have seen do not agree that it is a good thing.

I guess I both hate and love the fact that we diagnose - hate it because it 'labels' us and there is so much about the brain we don't know - how can we really correctly understand how individuals specific brains malfunction and love it because it gives us a name / a start at treatment and a focus on how to get better.

Back to ADD / ADHD, it can be quite disabling if not caught early as when we can't focus it freaks us out! How can we accomplish anything? So with constant failure and inability to focus we fail / beat ourselves up more / people put us down and the cycle continues. It is easy to understand how this can lead to a cycle of depression.

I strongly suggest if you are in your late teens / early 20's and have attention / impulsive / addiction issues that you check out ADHD / ADD and see if it 'fits'. Talk to your doctors. Get help and learn ways that you can help yourself cope / get help.

Depression and PMS

Hormones play a significant role in our moods, and the fluctuation of these hormones can cause remarked shifts. I did not understand how profound this was for me until I was in my late 30's, and had I known earlier I think it would have saved me a lot of grief.

I'm not quite sure how to explain it, but about a week before my period i get agitated, restless, upset, and NOTHING anyone says to me that is super close to me is right. Nothing. It is a change in my complete perception of reality, and it amazes me every month.

I do a number of things to help this - and you can look online and try different options / see what works best for you. They could include therapy, meditation, exercise, medications, diuretic pills, vitamins, and more. I say read about it and explore - find out what works for you.

The BEST advice I never got but wish I did - is write down when your period is every month regardless of if you think you have PMS or not and ride the wave. Watch yourself, your brain, your thoughts. See if you notice any different during the time leading up to your menstrual cycle.

I have strong feelings of suicide during this time - for whatever reason everything gets terrible terrible terrible. I am not talking about this stinks, I am talking about a feeling deep in the pit of my stomach of dread that everything is wrong. My faith and hope seem to fly right out the window.

But now instead of reacting to those thoughts (ok, I am certainly not perfect) I experience them. Deeply. Feel these terrible feelings and try to stay away from any addictive / destructive behaviors during this time. I focus on just getting through it and caring for myself along the way - and while I haven't really been able to get rid of the feelings I HAVE learned how to ride them out.

I wonder what my life would be like without them - I mean, it s a week out of the month! It is disabling at times. But I stop myself from thinking this and try to do something to get that energy out (i.e. write and exercise and paint) and by the time the period starts I wonder why again did I put myself through that mental misery - of course the world will not end.

There is always hope and this too, shall pass.

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder