Is Depression Really a Mental Illness?

Not according to Jaime Flexman of Huffington Post UK. He writes"

"The media, bless 'em, do their best to paint any form of mental illness in a positive light. Explaining that depression, anxiety, addiction and anything related to those three are now legitimate diseases that deserve the same respect and attention as anything physical.

Well thanks but the last I heard, the brain was a part of the body, and a damn important one at that.

As long as we treat an illness of the brain as something different from the rest of the body then it will never receive the same amount of attention."

There are some other great insights in the piece, which you can read in its entirety here.

10 Tips for Happiness Backed by Science from Lifehacker

I love Lifehacker.

Their articles on, well, hacking your life to make it better have really useful and practical tips. That's why, when I found this article, I knew I had to put it up here. The tips themselves (exercise, sleep, smiling, meditation, etc.) are probably not anything you haven't heard but the perspective and research in the article is what makes them useful.

Below is an excerpt on helping others more.

One of the most counterintuitive pieces of advice I found is that to make yourself feel happier, you should help others. In fact, 100 hours per year (or two hours per week) is the optimal time we should dedicate to helping others in order to enrich our lives. If we go back to Shawn Achor’s book again, he says this about helping others:

…when researchers interviewed more than 150 people about their recent purchases, they found that money spent on activities—such as concerts and group dinners out—brought far more pleasure than material purchases like shoes, televisions, or expensive watches. Spending money on other people, called “prosocial spending,” also boosts happiness.

There you go. Sometimes we just need to live outside of ourselves for a bit. Please read the full article here.

Have a happier day.

The Onion Satirizes Depression with "Son, We'd All Like to Lie Around All Day Being Depressed"

Ah, The Onion. An American Institution. If there's one thing I've learned from my own battles with depression it's that humor can be just what is needed. Sometimes it's nice to laugh, sometimes it can save your life. This story from The Onion is funny because it focuses on a problem that many people have with those suffering from depression. Click the link, check it out, and come back and comment. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Full article here:
http://www.theonion.com/articles/son-wed-all-like-to-lie-around-all-day-being-clini,11095/?ref=auto

Comedian Rob Delany on His Own Depression and His Advice to Others Struggling

Porpoise Delaney by @jtmcgillicuddy

Today we feature a powerful piece about a person's struggle with depression from one the funniest—if not one of the most crass—comics making the rounds today, Rob Delaney.

While he's a funny guy, he takes his and other's depression seriously. Here's an excerpt:

"The sole reason I’ve written this is so that someone who is depressed or knows someone who is depressed might see it. While great strides have been made in mental health over the years, certain stigmas still exist. I strongly resisted medication at first. But after having been through depression and having had the wonderful good fortune to help a couple of people who’ve been through it, I will say that as hard as it is, IT CAN BE SURVIVED. And after the stabilization process, which can be and often is fucking terrifying, a HAPPY PRODUCTIVE LIFE is possible and statistically likely. Get help. Don’t think. Get help."

Great advice. Read the full heartfelt blog post here.

11 Refreshingly Different Tips for Managing Anxiety

Today I found a post by Therese Borchard with more (and refreshingly different) tips for managing anxiety specifically. Here's the list:


1. Recognize the reptilian brain.
2. Exaggerate your greatest fear.
3. Distract yourself.
4. Write twin letters.
5. Sweat.
6. Watch the movie.
7. Eat super mood foods.
8. Return to the breath.
9. Break the day into minutes.
10. Use visual anchors.
11. Repeat a mantra.


I can vouch for trying and seeing good results from 3, 5, 10, and especially 7. Have any of these helped you?

These are just the tips so make sure to click and read the full article here for the more helpful details.

To learn more about how to control depression and anxiety through drug-free supplements, go here.

Some Stats from the World Health Organization

I found this very informative.

• One hundred and twenty one million people suffer from depression.
• Less than 25% of those individuals have access to medicine for relief.
• In the United Stated an estimate of 14.8 to 19 million suffer from some kind of clinical depression.
• Today the estimate is 26.2%, or approximately 58 million people in this country suffer from mood disorders (up from 6% in the past).
• Woman  have more cause for depression than men.
• 65+ year olds commit suicide at a higher rate than ever before.
• Addiction problems begin with people who suffer from some type of depression.
• Men are more likely to be addicts than women.
• Drinking is a symptom of depression.
• 90% of suicides have a diagnosable mental condition.

"Really, what this all boils down to is that there is chemicals lacking in the brain. It is a fact that the stress and issues with the brain just do not get better or go away. They continue to get worse over time, if they are not addressed."

We should remember that it is not our fault and that we do not have a weakness. It is a lack of minerals in the brain.

Depression is a feeling of sadness “blue,” miserable, angry. Stress continues to work on chemicals of the brain, causing it to accelerate. Ninety-nine percent of people, at some point, feel this way. They feel agitated, difficulty concentrating, lack of energy and trouble sleeping.

People are looking for help:

• 2.5 million websites talk about post-partum depression.  
• 73 million websites talk about mood disorder vs. 63 million that talk about diets

People just like us want to feel better.

7 Tips for Fighting Anxiety

CareClinic writes:

"Anxiety is a constant struggle. You need to get it under control in order to live an enjoyable life, and that means you need to fight anxiety as best you can so that it doesn't overwhelm you and cause you to lose out on great experiences.

But you have to be careful. The truth is that the act of fighting anxiety can bring more stress. One of the biggest problems for those that have stress in the workplace is that they try to fight their anxiety every day, and it forces them to focus on their anxieties too much, creating more stress."

The full article has several tips and tools for reducing anxiety in ways that won't bring about additional stress: http://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/treatment/how-to-fight-anxiety

Inc Magazine: Be Happier

Jeff Hayden writes "Happiness--in your business life and your personal life--is often a matter of subtraction, not addition."

Here's a summary of 10 things he suggests people stop doing in order to be happier. Read the full post here.


1. Blaming.

"Taking responsibility when things go wrong instead of blaming others isn't masochistic, it's empowering--because then you focus on doing things better or smarter next time."

2. Impressing.

"Genuine relationships make you happier, and you'll only form genuine relationships when you stop trying to impress and start trying to just be yourself."

3. Clinging.

"Even if you don't succeed in earning what you want, the act of trying alone will make you feel better about yourself."

4. Interrupting.

"Interrupting isn't just rude. When you interrupt someone, what you're really saying is, 'I'm not listening to you so I can understand what you're saying; I'm listening to you so I can decide what I want to say.'"

5. Whining.

"If something is wrong, don't waste time complaining. Put that effort into making the situation better. Unless you want to whine about it forever, eventually you'll have to do that. So why waste time? Fix it now."

6. Controlling.

"Still, the only thing you really control is you. If you find yourself trying hard to control other people, you've decided that you, your goals, your dreams, or even just your opinions are more important than theirs."

7. Criticizing.

"Everyone is different: not better, not worse, just different. Appreciate the differences instead of the shortcomings and you'll see people--and yourself--in a better light."

8. Preaching.

"The higher you rise and the more you accomplish, the more likely you are to think you know everything--and to tell people everything you think you know.

When you speak with more finality than foundation, people may hear you but they don't listen. Few things are sadder and leave you feeling less happy."

9. Dwelling.

"The past is just training; it doesn't define you. Think about what went wrong, but only in terms of how you will make sure that, next time, you and the people around you will know how to make sure it goes right."

10. Fearing.


"We're all afraid ... Don't let your fears hold you back. Whatever you've been planning, whatever you've imagined, whatever you've dreamed of, get started on it today ... Today is the most precious asset you own--and is the one thing you should truly fear wasting."

What do you think are things that are helpful to stop doing?

How Do I Start a Conversation About Depression?

Your move, Depression.

Not only is it difficult to have depression, it's difficult to know what to say to people who have it. 

Even though depression doesn't carry quite the stigma it used to, there are still hurdles to overcome when you or someone you love has a mood disorder. 

This article from HealthFinder.gov mentions a few ways to get the conversation started. I've listed a few of my favorites:

Show you care.

“Let me remind you of all the great things I love about you.”

“I really like to spend time with you. Let’s take a walk or go to a movie together.”

Offer hope.

“Depression is a real illness. Many people suffer from it, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I’ve read that getting active and eating healthy can help with depression.”

Offer to help.

“You can always call on me if you need support or you just want to talk.”

What kinds of things have you done to start honestly talking about depression, anxiety, or other mood disorders?

Top 10 Influencers of the Online Depression Conversation

Bob Pearson & Adam Pedowitz write:

"We’re seeing that web platforms, blogs, forums and other social sites are facilitating open and honest conversations across numerous health and wellness categories. And in every category, a passionate, influential group of individuals is working to further that discussion and knowledge sharing ... The ultimate goal, what we’re all working toward, is facilitating better health."

Read the full article here.

So, where do you go for expertise or advice on dealing with anxiety or depression?

8 Tips for Fighting Depression

I came across this guest post for Conversation Skills Core by Tina Miller. Among the tips for fighting depression are self expression, healthy diet, and finding time to spoil yourself. Read the full article here.