Alternative Treatments For Mental Health

Alternative Treatments For Mental Health

Considering all of the prescription medications for mental health issues, it seems like they would be the first line of defense against mental health problems. However, while many of these medications can help, there is some speculation that they may not be as helpful as once believed. With a number of uncomfortable side effects as well as concerns about an increased risk of suicide, more mental health clients are looking for alternative treatments for mental health. By taking the natural route, they hope to avoid the dangerous side effects while still getting the help they need.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the alternative therapies that are getting a lot of attention for mental health. In this practice, your body is regarded as a system of energetic pathways. When one of these pathways is disrupted, it can cause mental health problems. When the acupuncturist identifies the blocked pathway, however, and then inserts a needle into the area, they can help to improve the energy movement, reducing the mental health symptoms. Though this was once dismissed as a false science, more studies are showing that these needle treatments do work - and they can work in the long term. You can find acupuncture practitioners in nearly every city by heading to your local phone book.

Exercise and Diet

While this may not be considered alternative, most people wouldn't think that lifestyle changes could contribute to their mental health. But it's true. Since your body is comprised of a vast number of systems that require the proper nutrition and blood flow in order to work properly, it stands to reason that taking on healthy habits will allow you to also improve the mental health of your body. Nerve cells that are well-nourished may be better able to stay balanced. An attempt to add thirty minutes of exercise to every day and eating a healthier diet is a great start.

meditation

Used for centuries, the practice of meditation is still considered a great way to calm the mind and often still any mental health disorders. By sitting in a comfortable position and simply trying to clear the thoughts from your mind, people have noticed they feel more centered and serene. A person does not have to sit in a lotus position or even chant in order for this practice to work. Take about ten minutes a day to sit in a quiet place in your home (wearing headphones to drown out noises if you can't find peace and quiet) and simply let any thoughts that enter into the mind out again. Whenever you begin to think about something, just let it go and focus on your breathing. In time, you will have fewer and fewer thoughts, helping to relax your body as well as your mental issues.

Prayer

When you believe in something greater than yourself, research is shows that you might have a smaller chance of mental health issues. There seems to be something about recognizing the idea that you aren't in control of everything, so when you give that control to someone or something else through prayer, you can begin to find balance in life. By simply sitting down and praying each day, you can begin to establish your place in the world.

Journaling

You might also find that writing down your feelings is a good way to decompress after a stressful day. Some people also find writing down bad feelings and then burning up the pages is quite cathartic. By keeping a journal of your thoughts, you can begin to see patterns in your mental health and thus begin to make changes in your life to prevent low moods from taking over.

By: Craig Elliott

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Mental Health Care

Mental Health Care
By Mary Rose

Mental Health Care is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. There are various facets to mental illness. The most heard and common are Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, dementia etc.These generally stem out of depression. Let us try and analyze how and why depression sets in.

Depression is one of most common mental illness and can be cured by timely mental health care. It can include both emotional and physical symptoms. Both types are controlled by chemicals called neurotransmitters. Depression does have other symptoms which we usually associate with emotional distress; such as unexplained aches and pains, or digestive problems.

The first step in Mental Health care is to find out how and why these illness occur.Everyone feels down at times, but long-term or severe symptoms may indicate a mood disorder, such as major depression which is also called clinical depression. Dysthymia is a less severe form. Bipolar disorder which was formerly known as manic depression involves alternating episodes of depression and mania. Postpartum depression occurs within a year of childbirth.

Although emotional symptoms have traditionally been used to detect depression, research shows that physical symptoms are also very common and should not be overlooked. The body has nerve pathways that determine how it handles pain sensations and emotions.

The spinal cord is the central 'street' along which the messages go back and forth to the organs, nerves and cells. These messages are relayed by neurotransmitters in the brain, and regulate emotions and sensitivity to pain. However when these neurotransmitters go out of balance, a person can become depressed and is more likely to feel pain or other physical symptoms.

The next step in mental health care is to find out the ways of checking whether an individual is under Depression. The following is the checklist: Is the individual in an irritable mood much of the time? Has he/she lost interest or the pleasure in life? Is the person experiencing constant feeling of excessive guilt? Is there a reduced level of concentration and significant weight gain or weight loss when he/she is not actually dieting?

The other symptoms which can be related to depression are:Unexplained lack of sleep, excessive sleepiness and fatigue. Excessive restlessness or complete listlessness,Recurrent thoughts of suicide,Difficulty in managing diabetes or other chronic illness,Aches or pains that don't improve,Digestive problems, headaches, backaches, chest pain or occasional dizziness and Family history of depression.

The mental health care for the above discussed is to consult a doctor if one manifests five or more of the above symptoms.

Depression and related mental ailments is a biological illness. It needs attention as much as any other illness. Patients need support and patience from friends and family members, while counseling and medication can be treatment options. Medication should be taken as directed by a doctor and may be continued for weeks or months to prevent recurrences.

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Tips To Recover From Your Mental Health

Tips To Recover From Your Mental Health

Most of us suffer from mental health problems, though in varying degrees. Although mental ill-health affects so many people, there is still no proper definition as to what mental health problems are and what methods are needed to recover. It is reported that at least 1 in 10 young people and around 1 in 4 adults experience mental health problem at some time in their lives. Mental health can mean a wide range of symptoms and disorders - like depression, anxiety, self-harm, violent tendencies, schizophrenia and various types of mania. The mental health problems can develop at any time in one’s life and each person’s experience can be unique and can last from several weeks to even a lifetime.

People suffering from mental ill-health will think, feel or behave abnormally. This can be confusing not only for them but can affect their relationships, their work or education, and their social life. Having a mental health problem can create difficulties for all family members, friends, and the people they interact with. Mental health problems are usually caused by a variety of factors including breakdown in a relationship, death of a family member or a close friend, bullying, abuse, divorce, separation from parents or loved ones, stress born of a person’s current situation. Mental health can happen suddenly without prior indications or get built up over time.

When people first begin to experience mental health difficulties they may not be able to fathom what is happening. In several instances, people tend to deny that anything is wrong with them or even suppress information. Their reasons for doing this could be embarrassment, a sense of shame or fear of other people’s reactions. There is no denying the fact that mental health results in social stigma. Please remember that there is a lot of support available to help people recover from mental health problems - in terms of counseling, therapy, medication and treatment in hospital. Different treatments are recommended for different types of mental illnesses. With the right support, the majority of people with mental health problems will surely recover.

Mental health saps your energy, hope, ambition and drive, sometimes making it difficult to do even the normal day-to-day activities. Although overcoming depression may not be quick or easy, it certainly is not impossible. Feeling completely better may take time, but you can get there if you make positive choices for yourself each day and draw on the support of your loved ones. Recovering from depression calls for positive action but taking action when you’re depressed is hard. Some simple things you need to do are physical exercise, eating right food and rating regularly, sleeping at least for six hours, going out for walks in open areas, interacting with loved ones, avoiding loneliness, refusing to think negatively etc. . You probably already know that these things will help you overcome depression but following these rules are not easy when you are depressed. This is the Catch-22 situation of depression recovery. The symptoms of depression such as fatigue, despondency, incoherent thinking, and low self-esteem make it difficult to take the necessary steps to recovery. A realistic recovery plan therefore involves taking responsibility for the choices and changes you do have control over and avoiding the things you cannot control.

All forms of mental illnesses are treatable if the patient receives competent professional care. Psychologists are among the licensed and highly trained mental health providers with years of experience studying depression and helping patients recover from it. Unfortunately, there is some social stigma associated with seeking help for emotional and mental health problems as feelings of depression often are viewed as a sign of weakness rather than as a signal that something is out of balance. Persons suffering from mental health who do not seek help suffer needlessly. Unexpressed feelings and concerns accompanied by a sense of isolation can worsen mental health. The importance of obtaining timely professional health care is the need of the only answer for mental maladies.

By: Sharon Samraj

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Teen Mental Health

Teen Mental Health
by Wouter Van Dyck

Mental disorders that are noticed during childhood or a person’s adolescence are usually seen to last in that person even after the person has turned into an adult.

Researches say that mental syndromes developed during childhood seem to affect the person’s attitude and lifestyle harmfully in the later stages of his life.

This includes physical ailments like asthma or allergies, persistent pain, headaches or migraine, epilepsy and even heart disorders. In some children vision and hearing problems have also been noticed who have underdone some sort of mental health disorders.

Among the adolescent range these mental disorders have been found in the range of depression, substance and anxiety disorders, or personality syndromes in the categories of paranoia or schizophrenia.

Children who have been subjected to stress at earlier ages have been seen to show the symptoms of this condition.

Although parents might not be able to understand the reasons behind their children’s stress, there are a lot of ways in which a child can be subjected to stress. Most of the stress is observed in children from external agents like friends, school and family.

But it may even include serious issues like child abuse, or discrimination or may be, even self generated stress. This stress or anxiety can even be observed in kids as old as two years to kids who are in the pre-school level leaving their parents for the sake of their education.

In recent years, there have been several studies and researches regarding mental health issues in which people with health disorders in their childhood had been compared with people who were in good mental health.

The research was based on the questioning of the volunteering participants, in which they were asked questions about their lifestyle, their physical and psychological health condition, their relationships and about their everyday home and office chores.

The research results have shown that the participants that had past records of ill-health were in worse physical health in their adulthoods compared to the ones who had not gone through any of the mental health disorders.

The ones with mental disorders were also investigated to have had relationship problems and personality disorders in their adulthood in greater number of occasions than the ones that haven’t undergone these syndromes.

Some of the reported problems that the adults with health disorders faced were poor psychological conditions together with problems with their communities and insecurity of their lives and homes.

These patients have been observed to suffer more in all the aspects of their lives than the ones who were mentally healthy.

With the improvement in technology and medicine together with the growing concern of people towards teen mental disorders, we can rescue the future or our present world by treating these adolescents at early stages by recognising the symptoms and the signs.

With early diagnosis and good care, these children can overcome these mind barriers and start living their lives happily, being fruitful to the society and themselves.

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Teen-Mental-Health&id=543969

How Does Physical Health Affect Mental Health?

How Does Physical Health Affect Mental Health?
By Dr. Jennifer Baxt, DMFT


Believe it or not, physical health can have a large influence on a person's mental health. In fact, it is found that people who are more active and more physically fit tend to be happier people overall. While this may not be true for everyone, good physical health can certainly increase the chances of better mental health. Does this mean that better physical health can cure depression? Not necessarily.

There are many different types of depression and different people suffer depression for different reasons. Some depression is genetic, some is caused by a traumatic event and for others there does not to be any specific cause for the individual to be suffering from depression.

Good physical health is just another way for someone to lesson the chances of falling into a depression. For some, more exercise can actually help them with their depression because it gets them more active and allows less time for dwelling on things that bother the person. In fact, some have deemed exercise as a natural antidepressant.

Viewing exercise as a natural antidepressant, one has to wonder how this would affect the mind. Apparently, studies have shown that exercising increases activity in the hippocampus and the frontal lobes, releases endorphins in the body, as well as possibly increases the production of certain types of neurotransmitters that improve a person's mood.

Studies and research is still being done to further the understanding of how exercising and improving an individual's physical health can positively influence the state of their mental health. Besides looking at exercise as a natural antidepressant and looking at other reasons why being more fit can actually improve a person's outlook on their selves, one has to think about the many other benefits of exercising that can make a person happier overall. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress after a long day and difficult day.

It also helps get the body into better physical condition that can make a person look and feel more attractive. It will also help to reduce chances of developing diseases, such as any number of heart problems, cancers or diabetes, which can have a negative impact on an individual's mental health.

The more one thinks about it, the more they realize that the physical state of their body can have an incredibly large impact on their mental state. A person who is not in good physical condition have a tendency to feel more self-conscious of their selves or even have less confidence in their selves. This example clearly shows how a person's physical health can impact either positively or negatively on a person's mental health. While exercise is a great way to try and improve mood, confidence and avoid depression, anyone experiencing depression should still contact a therapist.

Online therapy is available for anyone who needs to talk to someone who can help them work through their depression. Exercise is a decent treatment for some, but an online therapist can also greatly increase the chances of an individual getting rid of their depression. Many people with depression who have seriously wanted to improve their lives and get out of their depression have consulted an online therapist. Online counseling is so effective that most people who consult an online counselor or therapist are successfully.

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Does-Physical-Health-Affect-Mental-Health?&id=1439770

A Quick Guide To Mental Health Care

A Quick Guide To Mental Health Care
By Wade Robins

More and more people are afflicted with mental health issues today. The incidence of mental problems has risen gradually over the last decade as a direct result of the lives we lead. Everyone in society is stressed, rushing around constantly and has no time at all to relax.

Depression can set in as a result of this or of a dissolved marriage, a death in the family, after giving birth and for a huge variety of other reasons. People tend to work through depression as best they can because they do not want to have it on their record as a result of the stigma. That could actually harm their chances of getting employment in the future. However, as society is beginning to get more clued up about depression, it is essential that everybody have provisions for mental health care.

Depression is just one of the mental illnesses that people can actually suffer from but it is in fact the most common. It is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and this can result in mood swings, low self-esteem and self-harm.

However, people generally tend to hide it very well so that, when they do get treatment, the ailment has already gone on to the point that the individual sufferer has gone as low as they can possibly go. It is at this point that they actually need mental health care treatment. It is only mental health care treatment that can save them from themselves and restore them to health at this point.

It is not only mental health care treatment that is required at this stage because someone who suffers from depression cannot drag him or herself out of it on their own. They need a good support network and friends and family who understand what they are going through. They often need someone on the outside to show them a degree of understanding too so they know that they are not going mad and are in fact perfectly normal.

Mental health care workers are perfect for this role. Whilst some individuals turn their noses up at mental health care workers, it is not fair to consider them as individuals that cannot help. The profession is needed now more than ever so a certain degree of understanding is required on the part of the sufferer too.

Mental health care may also incorporate the need for anti-depressants or other similar medication. Some individuals may be able to resolve their mental health problems without the need for medication, but others will not.

However, you should only take something for depression when a mental health care professional prescribes them. It is an illness and is rarely made up because of the stigma attached. As a result, society should have a little more understanding

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Quick-Guide-To-Mental-Health-Care&id=670925

How to Keep Your Mental Health for Sure

How to Keep Your Mental Health for Sure
By Christina Sponias

Many people believe that our dreams are only a representation of what happened to us during the day or a disorganized collection of images without any purpose.

However, recent discoveries in biology, neurology and psychiatry, which are related to psychology and the interpretation of dreams, have revealed to us that the interpretation of our own dreams helps us prevent and cure depression, neurosis and worse mental illnesses, because the wise unconscious mind that produces our dreams is the same one that creates the behavioral programs which exist in all animals.

These programs allow wild animals to survive in their dangerous environment even when they are still young, since they have many natural enemies. Even before learning how to defend themselves, they already "know what to do" when they see an enemy or when they are hungry and they have to pursue and attack their prey: These behaviors are instinctive.

The organization of the behavioral programs and the organization which exists in dreams is the same.

As a matter of fact, everything in the nature of our planet is very well organized, exactly because there is a superior brain that organizes everything, otherwise we would live in a chaotic condition.

This superior brain sends us many dreams in order to protect our mental health from the attacks of the wild side of our conscience. The wild side provokes paranoia, dementia, hallucinations and various other disturbances to the human conscience, which in turn becomes totally absurd and unable to control the person's behavior.

The unconscious mind has a saintly character and its wisdom is beyond any doubt. Its guidance is always correct and it can cure any disease, mental or physical, if the dreamer precisely follows the directions they receive in their own dreams.

If you want to acquire mental health, and live peacefully and happily for life, you must first of all eliminate the wild and violent part of your brain and psyche.

You cannot kill it of course, because this is a live part of you. This is the animal that exists inside you, even though you ignore its existence. The anti-conscience, your primitive conscience that didn't pass through the process of consciousness that your human conscience passed through, is an active part of your personality.

This is your wild side, and your human side has to tame it, otherwise the anti-conscience will always bother you and the worse, it will always try to destroy your humanity through craziness.

Your dreams provide you psychotherapy and counselling, exactly because you need them very much! Alone, you'll never be able to tame the beast and reach wisdom, while with the help of the unconscious mind in your dreams, you are going to easily see all the points that have to be improved and corrected, instead of wasting your time searching in the wrong direction and doing the wrong things.

I see from the dreams that people send me to interpret, and from their biographies, that they are too immature.

For example, a young lady who was very sad, told me in her first message that she wanted to die. Later she told me that she was thinking about having a baby. Perhaps it would help her feel needed - she imagined that she would feel better by feeling needed because she was feeling despised by everyone.

What do you think about her idea?

I think that she really needs a psychologist. Fortunately she can find one, the best one, interpreting her own dreams.

If a person has suicidal thoughts a baby would be a disaster in their lives. Only those that don't have kids may imagine that a child can help someone ready to die have courage to live... The baby needs too much care, support and caution in the beginning. Then it makes too much noise, it requires too much attention, etc. and it is the mother, especially, who is always responsible for it.

Even a woman, happily married, feels tired with a new baby, and sad with the alterations in her own body. Post partum depression is very common.

So, if a person is not emotionally strong, the responsibility for another life can only provoke despair.

The joy and the happiness of having a child is not enough to help the depressed mother forget her pain in her constant preoccupation and occupation with the baby.

People make many mistakes in their judgments and their thoughts are quite immature. Everyone needs the guidance of the unconscious mind, exactly because everyone can easily lose their human conscience.

The various deceptions in a person's life only help the anti-conscience destroy the human conscience through craziness.

This is why everyone must care about their dreams and respect the wise guidance they receive from the superior unconscious mind.

Many times we cannot see obvious mistakes and many times the small mistakes cause very big wounds.

This is why the wisest decision you can make today, after learning how important your dreams are and how dangerous the wild side of your conscience is, is exactly to care about your dreams and take notes, interpreting them with the unique scientific method that exactly translates their meaning, so that you may preserve your mental health for sure

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Keep-Your-Mental-Health-for-Sure&id=1161362

How a Mental Health Disorder Can Affect Your Life

How a Mental Health Disorder Can Affect Your Life
By Ian J Spencer

There are many different types of mental health disorders in this world. Mental disorders do not discriminate, they do not care what color of skin you have, how much money you make, where you live, what religion you practice, whether you are young or old, male or female. The impact these mental health disorders can have on your life can be severe. This is why it is important that you pay attention to any symptoms that you have of mental disorders and seek appropriate treatment for them.

Everyone at some point or another will experience anxiety, especially in the face of life changing events. It is also normal to occasional feel down in the dumps. However, when these feelings fill your days and inhibit your ability to function and perform normal daily activities well, it is time for you to seek help from a medical professional. Below is list of some of the most common types of mental disorders faced by people today.

Panic Attacks

A person that is experiencing a panic attack can be overwhelmed with fear and panic. Depending on the severity of the attack, some people may experience heart palpitations, increased breathing, feeling as if they were going to die, that they are all alone and a sense of helplessness. Panic attacks impact your life greatly because they can inhibit the way you function and enjoy life. When you feel that you are going to suffer from a panic attack soon, stop doing everything and take a break instead. You do not want to trigger an attack and put your health at unnecessary risk.

Phobias

These are anxiety disorders that are associated with an extreme fear of an object, a place or a situation. This fear goes above and beyond what is considered as "normal." When it comes to phobias, there are hundreds of different types of them. They range from fear of leaving the house to the fear of bugs, to the fear of heights and everything else in between. A person that suffers from a phobia will do everything they can to avoid the thing or situation. When they do encounter their fear, they will experience intense anxiety which can lead to panic attacks and all the other symptoms associated with a panic attack.

Depression

It is important to note that depression is more than a period of feeling down, feeling sad and discontented with life. Depression takes place when these feelings last for more than two or three weeks. With depression, there is a loss of enjoyment and happiness. You will feel sad, lethargic, have difficulties sleeping, make changes in your diet, and even contemplate death and suicide.

OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

This is another mental health disorder that falls under anxiety disorders. Basically, this is an obsessive or irrational thought that leads to ritualistic behaviors or compulsions. Such as a person who has an obsession with cleanliness will spend an enormous amount of time cleaning and disinfecting. They may even wear gloves, insist that you put on footies over your shoes prior to entering their homes, that if they even let you in. Other examples include constantly checking and rechecking doors to see if they are closed and locked.

As you cans see, suffering from a mental health disorder can affect your life dramatically. This is why you need to be able to identify the problems that you are suffering from and find ways to effectively manage and control them.

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?How-a-Mental-Health-Disorder-Can-Affect-Your-Life&id=1353318

Love and Mental Health

Love and Mental Health
By Christina Sponias

Love matters are the first ones that provoke various abnormalities to your conscience and to your behavior.

If you desire to keep your mental health and the person you love near you for life, you have to pay attention to many details you are not considering now.

The details you have to pay attention to are so many that without guidance, you are not going to discover them.

The personality of each person is an entire world. Besides all the characteristics of each one's psychological type, there are many characteristics that are the result of the imitation of other people's behavior and several other factors that determine the person's reactions, which are simply inherited and belong to the cognitive mechanism of the human being, who follows behavior patterns like all animals.

Living with company is not easy.

Sharing your life with someone else is a very delicate question that demands caution and preparation.

If you make a mistake, or many mistakes, you'll easily lose your mental health, because love plays the most important role in your life and when you are in love you are like a blind slave of the person that imprisons your heart.

Therefore you agree to do the most absurd things in order to posses the person you desire, to keep them near you even if they don't want to, to block their freedom, to make them love you too, to force various situations to your favor and many things more, only because you desperately need to be near this person and keep them near you as long as you live.

You don't pay attention to any details and you don't even want to think logically, because you prefer to fly, involved in the magical feeling that the strong passion brings you when you think about them.

However, when everything goes wrong, you lose the floor under your feet.

You cannot accept to stay far from the person you desire so much, you cannot accept their refusal or the problems that don't depend on their will and impede you both to be together.

You can even kill someone if your crazy love will dominate you completely, and you'll believe that this is "the only solution" you have if you want to posses them and live with them forever.

Depression, craziness, despair and suicide attempts will complete your path if you follow this crazy feeling, without paying attention to anything else and without respecting anyone.

This is why love and mental health are strictly connected and if you want to keep both, you have to be serious!

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Love-and-Mental-Health&id=1435932

Mental Health - What is a Panic Disorder

Mental Health - What is a Panic Disorder
By Connie Limon

Panic disorder is an illness characterized by sudden attacks of terror. These episodes are usually accompanied by:

• A pounding heart

• Sweatiness

• Weakness

• Faintness

• Dizziness

During the attack, people may flush or feel chilled. Hands may tingle or feel numb. Nausea, chest pain or smothering sensations may also be present.

Panic attacks usually create a sense of unreality or a fear of something awful about to happen and even fear of losing control. Another symptom of panic disorder may be fear of one's own unexplained physical symptoms.

People who experience panic attacks sometimes think they are having an heart attack, losing their minds, or just about to die. There is no clue as to when or where an attack will occur. Between episodes many people worry intensely and dread the next attack. They can occur at any time. Panic attacks also occur during sleep. An attack usually is at its worst within about 10 minutes; however, some symptoms may last much longer.

Panic disorder affects about 6 million American adults. It is twice as common in women as in men. They often begin in late adolescence or early adulthood. Not everyone who experiences "panic attacks" will develop the actual disorder. It is common for many people to have just one episode and never have another. The chance of developing panic attacks appears to be inherited.

Full-blown, repeated panic attacks can become very disabling to those experiencing them. Treatment should begin before the person begins to avoid places or situations where they have occurred. People who have repeated attacks in an elevator, for example, may develop a fear of elevators that would affect the choice of a job or place to live causing unnecessary restrictions upon the person.

Some people's lives become so restricted by panic disorder that they avoid normal activities like grocery shopping or driving a car. Approximately one-third become housebound or unable to confront a feared situation only when accompanied by a spouse or other trusted person. This progressed condition is called "agoraphobia," or fear of open spaces. Early treatment of panic disorder can often prevent agoraphobia.

It is common for people to go from doctor to doctor for years and be in emergency rooms repeatedly before someone correctly diagnoses the condition. This is very unfortunate. Panic disorder is one of the most treatable of all the anxiety disorders. It often responds to certain kinds of medicines or certain kinds of cognitive psychotherapy that helps change thinking patterns that lead to fear and anxiety.

This disorder is often accompanied by other serious problems such as:

• Depression

• Drug abuse

• Or alcoholism

All the above conditions need to be treated separately. Symptoms of depression include:

• Feelings of sadness or hopelessness

• Changes in appetite or sleep patterns

• Low energy

• Difficulty concentrating

Depression can be effectively treated with antidepressants, certain types of psychotherapy or a combination of both.

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Mental-Health---What-is-a-Panic-Disorder?&id=904322

Mental Health - Treatment of Anxiety Disorders

Mental Health - Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
By Connie Limon

Most often anxiety disorders are treated with:

• Medication

• Specific types of psychotherapy

• A combination of medication and psychotherapy

Type of treatment depends on the problem and the person's preference.

What is the first step toward treatment?

• A careful diagnostic evaluation to determine if the symptoms are caused by an anxiety disorder or a physical problem

What happens if an anxiety disorder is diagnosed?

• The type of disorder or the combination of disorders present must be identified

• Any coexisting conditions such as depression or substance abuse must be identified

What happens if a coexisting condition is identified?

• If alcoholism, depression or other coexisting condition is identified, these conditions are often addressed first and attempts to bring them under control precede treatment for the anxiety disorder or disorders identified.

If you are a person who has already received treatment for an anxiety disorder, you should tell your current doctor about the treatment in detail. Tell your doctor:

• Names of medication you have used

• Dosage of medication used at the beginning of treatment

• Was the dosage increased or decreased while under treatment?

• Did any side effects occur?

• Did the treatment help you become less anxious

• If you received psychotherapy, describe the type of therapy, how often you attended sessions and whether or not the therapy was useful

It is not uncommon for people to feel as though they have failed at treatment or that the treatment did not work for them. The facts, however, may be that treatment was not given for an adequate length of time or was administered incorrectly. It is also common for people to try several different treatments or combinations of treatment before finding one that works for them.

What is the role of medication?

• It is important to realize that medication does not cure anxiety disorders

• Medication can keep them under control while receiving psychotherapy

• Medication must be prescribed by physicians and usually psychiatrists

What is the role of psychotherapy?

• Psychotherapy is often offered by the psychiatrists prescribing the medicine

• Psychotherapy is also offered by a team of psychologists, social workers, or counselors who specifically provide the service with or without the psychiatrist who prescribed medicine

What types of medicines are used for anxiety disorders?

• Antidepressants

• Anti-anxiety drugs

• Beta-blockers

What is the prognosis for people with anxiety disorders?

• With proper treatment, many people can lead normal, fulfilling lives

Source: National Institute of Mental Health

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All health concerns should be addressed by a qualified health care professional

soure : http://ezinearticles.com/?Mental-Health----Treatment-of-Anxiety-Disorders&id=914160

Yoga For Mental Health, Mind and Body

Yoga For Mental Health, Mind and Body
By Mike D Paul

Yoga is a system of mental and physical exercises which were originally developed in India over thousands of years.

Yoga comes in many forms specifically designed to suit different types of people. As a result, some forms of yoga have gained significant popularity outside India, particularly in the West during the past century.

Today there are many different styles with many different goals. Yoga is not a religion. It doesn't require that you fast or abstain.

The Basics.

Yoga is basically the practice of stretching for one hour. Stretching should only take five minutes, other peoples would rather spend the extra fifty- five minutes playing in an actual sport or spending time with their families and friends. Yoga is not just physical fitness training. It is an authentic holistic tradition inclusive of contemplation and meditation. Yoga injuries are unheard of. The meditation techniques are a comprehensive combination of concentration, sublimation and ideation.

Reduce Stress and Anxiety.

Yoga is an effective method to reduce stress and anxiety. See how to get started. Yoga is a union of the organ systems in the body with the consciousness in the mind. Philosophically, yoga produces a union of body, mind, and energy (or soul or spirit) to bring about a state of equanimity (calmness). Yoga is most effective in dealing with psychosomatic problems. If practiced diligently on a long-term basis it can have a significant effect on a person's health both on a preventive basis and to control and cure existing problems.

Benefits of Yoga.

Yoga has tons of benefits. It can improve flexibility, strength, balance, and stamina. Yoga is all about breathing correctly about integrating that breath into your being. Conscious Yoga doesn't call for you to force or strain your never or sinew. Yoga Slackers are a group of yoga practitioners who practice their asanas not on a mat, but suspended on a piece of 1" flat, stretchy tubular webbing (like rock climbers use) tensioned between two anchor points above the ground.

A Great help for Expectant Mother.

Yoga is an excellent way to "train" for the marathon of labor and motherhood. Practicing Yoga in pregnancy helps to strengthen and stretch muscles, release tension and maintain good posture. Yoga is more than just a form of exercise, but part of a well-rounded philosophy that dates back over 5,000 years. The practice of Yoga can help you to live a healthy, integrated life. Yoga can help liberate your true nature. Please don't use yoga to suppress it.

Is Yoga a Religion?

Yoga is not a religion, it fits with any lifestyle, and in fact yoga is one of the most valuable tools you can learn! It will improve your lifestyle! Yoga is not a competitive sport. Yoga, including postures, breathing exercises and meditation is the science of positive mental health. Practice Yoga regularly and it will strip away the obstacles that separate you from your source. Yoga practice can be invaluable in this process, as it can alleviate tension from and clear energy blocks in the body and mind. So speak to a teacher about developing a practice to suit your needs.

Hands on Process.

Yoga teaching is, to a large degree, a hands-on process. A gentle guiding touch can definitely help you fine-tune your practice. Yoga is a way of life, an art of righteous living or an integrated system for the benefit of the body, mind and inner spirit. This art originated, was perfected and practiced in India thousands of years ago. Yoga, Meditation, and other stress reducing wellness practices are critically important in today's world. By making these healing arts easily accessible, people will attain greater health, balance, and harmony in their lives.

Yoga for Kids.

Yoga for kids is an excellent way for a child to exercise and has many other benefits for a child's health. Not every type of yoga can be used as yoga for children though. Yoga is an ancient science of personal self -development that has evolved into an integrated lifestyle program. The practice of Hatha Yoga will release the physical tensions and stress so that you feel energized calm and peaceful.

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?YOGA-For-Mental-Health,-Mind-and-Body&id=1414549

Mental Health and Your Dreams

Mental Health and Your Dreams
By Christina Sponias

The scientific method of dream interpretation discovered by Carl Jung is complicated and obscure. Jung's explanations are not accurate and he gives many examples of literary works and his personal indifferent opinion about what he examines in the human psyche, which distorts the meaning of his own discovery.

Of course, he couldn't do more. He is a big hero and his discoveries were pioneering in the field of psychotherapy. His work was tremendous!

He discovered the following:

1- Dream symbols appear in everyone's dreams. Also, symbols appear in many religious and artistic manifestations in the entire history of humanity and in all the civilizations, symbols that he designated as archetypes.

2- The dreamer who starts analyzing his or her dreams follows a certain path. The images one sees and the adventures one will have are known: everyone passes through the same experiences when examining the content of one's psychical sphere through dream interpretation until each one reaches a certain place that marks the end of the trip.

3- When an author's writing is inspired by the unconscious that produces the dreams, we can interpret literary works just as we interpret dreams and be informed about many ignored aspects of reality.

I found Jung's work ready and I precisely followed his steps, until I was near the end of the journey within my psyche through dream interpretation, but I had to continue, without accepting ignorance as he did.

The unconscious encouraged me to continue through my dream in which everyone reached the other side of a river after stepping on my feet and not directly on the rocks on which I stood. The rocks were in the middle of the river and they could be used as a bridge to the other side, but nobody would go to the other side by stepping directly on the rocks, but only over my feet. I was in the middle of the river, giving my hand to everyone who stepped on my feet to reach the other side that was near the place where I stood.

The interpretation of this dream revealed that I would help everyone have the courage to face the other side of the river, where their anti-conscience exists. This conscience is a part of everyone, although they ignore its content. The rocks represent the indubitable truth. My feet represent my beliefs, my convictions and my moral values. So, everyone would face the anti-conscience based on my beliefs and not directly based on the truth.

The truth is too ugly and depressing. The human being is very far from mental health: humans are in fact monsters, since the anti-conscience is inherent in the biggest part of our psychic spheres.

I delayed presenting my work to the public by 19 years because I was working on the solution all this while. The unconscious is a doctor that can cure everyone through dreams; however, I had to discover the meaning of many dream symbols and understand how to dominate the monster before I could teach you and cure your problems. I also had to cure many people with several different problems in difficult life conditions, by urgently interpreting their dreams because they could not waste any time, so that I could give you practical solutions and be totally different than my mentor in my explanations.

My work is very clear, well defined, simple and precise because I continued Jung's research and I saw what exists in the depths of the psyche.

This way, you can avoid all the dangers that await you in your life since the anti-conscience is constantly trying to destroy your human side through craziness. You can develop your conscience until you become a genius, and stay far from depression, craziness and suicidal thoughts.

You'll preserve your mental health forever, help others because you will be wise and sensitive, everything in your life will be favorable to you and you happiness will be genuine!

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Mental-Health-and-Your-Dreams&id=901459