Welcome to Depression Guide
Seasonal Depression Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
You may also listen to this article by using the following controls.
Depression Test
from:Sometimes it can be difficult distinguishing between the normal emotional ups and downs that people experience as part of life and depression. But when you begin to suspect that you should feel much better than you do about yourself and your world, taking a depression test can provide important direction.
Depression does not have one form. It can take many different forms in terms of symptoms, and no two people are alike. But there are certain symptoms that frequently occur and can serve as measures of your emotional status. If nothing else, taking a depression test can help you decide if you need to see a doctor. Another benefit of utilizing a depression test as a barometer of your emotional state is that if you are experiencing depression, it may be hard for you to define your symptoms.
The depression test is merely a checklist of symptoms you identify as being applicable to your situation. It can be amazing how many people are actually unaware they have a mild case of depression or don’t realize how much their life has changed due to depression. There are so many manifestations of depression that it’s impossible to list them all.
The depression test can be used by the person who suspects they are experiencing depression or by family or friends who aren’t sure how to recognize depression in someone they love. It’s important to identify depression as early as possible, because depression will get worse. The general rule of thumb is to consider if you have experienced several of any of the following symptoms for longer than 2 weeks.
• Thoughts your life is spiraling out of control
• Believing your life is unimportant
• Convinced no one would miss you if you were to die
• Can’t make any decisions – even small ones
• Don’t anticipate anything at all as being enjoyable
• Feeling ashamed all the time
• Experiencing frequent and unexplained crying
• Can’t enjoy being with friends or attending events
• Stopped exercising
• Giving up things once enjoyed
• Avoiding people whenever possible
• Feeling alone all the time
• Doesn’t enjoy being with family anymore
• Feeling like no one understands you
• Losing appetite
• Unable to sleep or sleeping too much
• Having no energy
The depression test can include many more symptoms, but this gives you a good idea of the kinds of things you would take into consideration. As you can tell from the list, depression affects a lot more than just your emotions. It can affect your body and your relationships too.
Once you take the depression test, the next step is to begin tracking the mood changes. By creating a mood diary, there’s now something very tangible and quite convincing to show a doctor or therapist. It also provides you a clear picture of what’s happening and that can be very therapeutic in itself.
Seasonal Depression Specific links
Blinkx Video Search
- World's largest video search engine. Over 26 million hours of video.
-- http://www.blinkx.com/
Ripe Tv!
- Hottest Video portal on the internet. Every Kind of Video - Supermodels, Martial arts, Cool shows, Pick Miss Ripe and More
-- http://www.ripetv.com/
Free Online Kids Games
- Hundreds of fun free online games for kids.
-- http://www.alfy.com/
Comedy: Farewell George W. Bush
- Farewell Dubya: As we bid adieu to the 43rd President of the United States,here's a look back at the humor he inspired.
-- http://www.atom.com/
Burly Sports: Patriots Winning Moves.
- Drunk fan videos, hilarious sports recaps, and sports spoofs...
-- http://www.heavy.com/
Seasonal Depression News
Depression blog (Mayo Clinic)
Less daylight during the fall and winter causes depression in some people. Other factors contributing to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) may include genetics and age. We know that neurochemicals are involved in the regulation of our mood and functioning.
Read more...Ark. unemployment jumps half a percentage point (AP via Yahoo! Finance)
Arkansas' unemployment rate jumped by half a percentage point in October, an increase unseen in more than a quarter century as the national economic slowdown finally reached the state.
Read more...Reduced sunlight, colder weather can lead to seasonal depression (Central Michigan Life)
Fewer hours of sunlight and lower temperatures can cause more than coughs. If students notice themselves lacking energy and becoming fatigued as the weather becomes colder and the days shorten, they may have Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as seasonal depression.
Read more...Shedding light on dark season: SAD countermeasures include extra time with the sun (Wilton Bulletin)
With the dark days of a waning fall and approaching winter, everyone may feel a little down from time to time.
Read more...Business hopes for boom, braces for bust (The Martha's Vineyard Times)
Economists who have studied the Vineyard’s uncommon economic soup of tourism, construction, real estate, and services for wealthy seasonal residents say the Island enjoys a buffer against the more dire forecasts, but they agree that the economic turmoil coursing through national and world markets is already having a significant impact here.
Read more...