Myth Busting: What Causes Mental Breakdown?
Are you one of over 40 million people suffering a personal nightmare caused by stress, depression and anxiety? These illnesses are the modern plague and they ruin lives. And year in, year out, more and more people are affected. I came out of a nightmare 5-year period of anxiety and depression and I did it without taking any drugs. What frustrated me is that despite advances in understanding as to why people become stressed, depressed and anxious, sufferers are still told numerous myths about what causes their illness. This raises an important issue: How can people rid themselves of the pain of these illnesses if they don't know what is at the root cause? Surely, if progress is to be made, understanding must come first? Well in this article, I'm going to bust the myths and reveal what, EXACTLY, is at the root of these illnesses! The first myth I want to bust is that a period of serious illness can cause you to become depressed.
This could be anything from a nasty virus which confines you to bed for a month or something far more serious such as loss of a limb, cancers, injury, heart attack to name but a few. None of these illnesses can cause depression, anxiety or stress. It's very easily proven. Because millions of people suffer from serious illnesses each and every year but only around 20% of them will develop mental illness. If illnesses cause mental breakdown, EVERYONE who becomes seriously ill will enter into an episode of depression, anxiety or stress.
They don't. Why?Similarly, we can assign the same explanation to traumatic experience. This could be death of a loved one, loss of a job, divorce or moving house for example. Again, every single one of us will experience traumatic times such as these in our lifetime. Yet not everybody enters into a mental illness, even amongst people who have suffered extreme trauma.
So we can discount traumatic experience as being at the root cause. Next on my bust-list is genetics. This is another frequently given reason as to why people suffer from stress, depression or anxiety. But it's completely untrue. There is no proven link between genetics and these illnesses.
In fact, rather than genetics, learned behavior from family members who suffer themselves is the only real link to a family-inherited disposition to stressful illness. I've saved the most widely accepted myth until last and I'll bet my bottom dollar this is the myth you are not just familiar with but believe to be at the cause of your illness. This is the reason given by the medical community and which has spawned a $12 billion drugs industry to combat it. The myth I'm referring to is of course depletion in neurotransmitters ? the so-called "chemical imbalance".Neurotransmitters are "happy chemicals" which help to regulate our moods. So, if levels are low, we feel low.
To boost these levels, powerful antidepressant drugs are prescribed to sufferers. Sure, they boost levels. But let's ask a question:Are low levels of neurotransmitters a cause or a symptom?Well, every single human being on this earth right now will experience many occasions in their lives when things go wrong, when bad things happen, when times are trying ? in short, times when they won't be their usual happy selves.Now, during these times, their levels of "happy chemicals" will drop, and life will seem a bit of an effort. So, does this mean that everybody on the planet will descend into an episode of stress, depression or anxiety? Of course not!And do we just wake up one day and feel depressed because the levels of neurotransmitters has "dipped below the critical level?". No.
Because that would mean we'd wake up one day and feel great because the level has risen above the critical point. You know this just doesn't happen, even after taking antidepressants.What's interesting to note is that when we are in an episode of mental turmoil, we also experience physical pain, we cannot sleep or we sleep too much and the feeling of overwhelming exhaustion is also present. But if a chemical imbalance in our brain is at the root, how come you experience physical pain in your legs, arms, and more commonly, your back? You can see that this is too simple an explanation. This is borne out by the fact that 70% of people who take antidepressants will descend into second and even third episodes of mental breakdown if they stop taking the drugs. This is because antidepressants treat ONE of the SYMPTOMS of mental illness ? depleted levels of neurotransmitters.It's nearly time for me to say adios, but before I do, I will reveal what, EXACTLY, is at the root cause of mental breakdown.
It is all down to flawed modes of thinking. Because the only difference between people who experience an episode of mental illness and those who don't is all down to flawed perceptions, assessments, explanations and habits performed by sufferersThe following example will describe this more clearly:Two people suffer the death of a parent. One is absolutely distraught and finds it very difficult to cope and descends into a depressive episode. The other, although sad at the loss, is coping and doesn't descend into depression. The only difference lies IN THE WAY THEY MAKE SENSE OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEM.
The actual event has no meaning by itself. The meanings only lie within the minds of the individuals affected. To beat mental illnesses such as anxiety, stress and depression, what's needed is to learn the powerful and effective mental skills ? modes of thinking ? used by people who don't become stressed, depressed or anxious no matter what happens to them and which stop these illnesses dead in their tracks. Once you learn them, you will rid yourself of the pain once and for all.Something a bottle of prozac will never achieve..
Chris Green is the author of the new book ?Conquering Stress?, a special program which will show you how to conquer stressful illnesses such as depression, anxiety, panic and worry permanently and without taking powerful drugs. You can learn more about this new book and purchase it at www.conqueringstress.comAuthor Lee Geiger Delivers a Page Turning Time Travel Story in 'Dr. Wasserman’s Time Chamber: Countdown to Armageddon'
Oak Harbor, WA (ContentDesk) July 7, 2006 -- Physicist Carl Miller is racing through time to prevent a nuclear nightmare. He uses a long forgotten machine of his mentor, Dr. Alred H. Wasserman, and pinpoints Civil War-era Gettysburg as the futures turning point.In Author Geigers reality bender, the South won the Civil War, which lead to the existence of the United States and the Confederate States of America greatly altering the course of human history and this countrys modern dealings with foreign powers.In addition to characteristics of the popular time travel genre drama, are romantic as well as psychological plotlines, as Miller finds love in the 1860s and battles alcoholism and depression in the modern world.Book Statistics Dr. Wassermans Time Chamber: Countdown to Armageddon Author: Lee GeigerPublisher: The Empty CanoeISBN(s): 0976999544Retail price(s): $34.99 U.S.
(Hardcover)Page count: 348Publication date: February, 2006Language: EnglishAvailability: www.Amazon...
Author Lee Geiger Delivers a Page Turning Time Travel Story in 'Dr. Wasserman’s Time Chamber: Countdown to Armageddon'
Depression > Author Lee Geiger Delivers a Page Turning Time Travel Story in 'Dr. Wasserman’s Time Chamber: Countdown to Armageddon'
How To Eradicate Depression
This article is all about beating depression. I am a person who suffered from long bouts of depression, however after deciding to change my whole outlook on life, I now have a much happier, successful and stress-free life. I will explain how I went about achieving this new life.
As I grew older and especially when I was in my early twenties, I used to always compare my life with other people I knew, for example my friends. It seemed to me that my life was so much more of a struggle than what their's was and that most of these people had so much more going for them and so much more to look forward to than I did.
I was not happy at the hand of cards I had been dealt and would regularly be down in the dumps, feeling sorry for myself. I had a number of issues in my life which had a major impact on my self-confidence and self-esteem, which would also lead me into depression.
This issues including a weight problem, a stutter, a bald patch on my head and...
How To Eradicate Depression
Depression > How To Eradicate Depression
The 2 Most Important Questions You Need To Ask If You Suffer With Sleeplessness Or Insomnia
If you are one of the 32 million adults in the UK who suffers with sleeplessness or insomnia then you must ask yourself these 3 questions and then read on to find out which treatment will help you.
2 Critical Questions About Your Insomnia:
1) What type of insomnia do you suffer with?
Insomnia and sleeplessness can be either transient (temporary) or chronic, read below and decide which type you have:
Transient:- Usually lasts less than 4 weeks and is often caused by stress, a brief illness, travelling or temporary pain.
Chronic:- You will have suffered for more than one month and maybe several months or even years. Chronic insomnia can be caused by long term illness, chronic pain, depression and old age.
2) What treatments are available for sleeplessness and insomnia? Essentially there are 6 common treatments for insomnia and sleeplessness; some have proven more beneficial than others. If you have...
Depression > The 2 Most Important Questions You Need To Ask If You Suffer With Sleeplessness Or Insomnia
3 Words That Relieve Stress, Depression & Anxiety
Copyright 2006 Christopher Green
One of the most common flawed modes of behavior performed by every sufferer who enters into a harrowing episode of stress, depression or anxiety concerns the words they use to describe situations and events they are confronted with. In using powerful, emotive words, sufferers will trigger the fear response and the more they use such words, the worse their suffering gets.
Powerful, emotive words are part of everybody's vocabulary. Sometimes, we use powerful words when we lose our temper or we become angry and frustrated. In this state, we give vent to our feelings and the emotions within us have an outlet.
This is fine. For most people, once their emotions have been expressed, they return to their usual selves and life carries on as normal.
But it doesn't work like this if you are prone to stress, depression or anxiety.
In these states, sufferers will react negatively to every event they...
Depression > 3 Words That Relieve Stress, Depression & Anxiety
Pfizer Health Solutions And Gateway Community Health Center Launch Diabetes Health Education Program
Laredo, TX (ContentDesk) October 09, 2003?? In an effort to improve health outcomes among Hispanic patients with diabetes, Pfizer Health Solutions and the Pfizer Foundation, in partnership with Gateway Community Health Center, today launched Amigos en Salud, a comprehensive health education program designed to reach out to Hispanics with diabetes and other commonly occurring medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease and depression. The launch event took place from 10 a.m. at the South Clinic located at 2007 South Zapata Hwy. Amigos en Salud, translated as "Friends in Health", focuses on Hispanic cultural perceptions central to successful diabetes management. As part of this initiative, bilingual health promoters also called promotores work with healthcare practitioners at the South Clinic to provide individual and group health education and support to diabetic patients.
In addition, the promotores work with patients to develop and implement culturally relevant behavior...
Pfizer Health Solutions And Gateway Community Health Center Launch Diabetes Health Education Program
Depression > Pfizer Health Solutions And Gateway Community Health Center Launch Diabetes Health Education Program
"Joy, No Matter What" - Make 3 Simple Choices to Access Your Inner Joy by Carolyn Hobbs
"Over the years, I saw that our own beliefs, fears, and habitual reactions to life limit our joy much more than any spouse, boss, or devastating life experience.
I started teaching my clients to carry two questions with them in their daily lives:
?Am I feeling joy now?
If not, how am I holding my joy away?'
I walked into each therapy session and workshop with the goal of helping people reconnect with the essential joy in their core.
Over time, my three-step approach evolved:
1) say yes to what is; 2) witness your thoughts, feelings, and reactions; and 3) respond differently, with kindness and compassion.
By seeing our old habits clearly and by taking full responsibility for how we respond, we become able to hold all of life's gifts in joy."???????????????~ Carolyn Hobbs"Joy, No Matter What" (Conari Press, March 2005) shows that joy is not something "out there," only available to a select few born with emotional silver spoons...
Depression > "Joy, No Matter What" - Make 3 Simple Choices to Access Your Inner Joy by Carolyn Hobbs
Depression
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