For many people who have been diagnosed with a chronic illness, life becomes synonymous to negativity and hopelessness. This is because chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease or HIV/AIDS cannot be cured completely so far, and hence, take a heavy toll on such patients, even emotionally. They often lose all purpose in life. For many, it is an uphill task to deal with certain chronic ailments, due to enormous changes in lifestyle or limitations in the patient’s mobility and independence. Gradually, such patients are unable to pursue the activities they once enjoyed, which ultimately undermines their self-esteem and could lead to depression.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), depression is common in people suffering from chronic illnesses such as cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. However, the good news is that this kind of depression can be easily tackled with proper medication and care.

However, there are certain self-help strategies, which can help a person fight depression associated with a chronic physical ailment. Some of them are:

1. Staying hopeful: It is important for a person fighting a chronic illness to stay strong. One should never lose hope even in the worst of situations and bravely deal with feelings of denial, anger and grief that may arise in such situations. Staying hopeful and believing that there is still a lot that can be done can help a person get rid of the resulting depression.
2. Keeping oneself busy: Staying busy can greatly help in keeping negative thoughts at bay. This is important because isolating oneself can actually ruin the condition as well as exacerbate depression. Meeting new people, engaging in activities or joining social groups can provide the person with a strong support system and keep one occupied.
3. Maintaining a healthy diet: Nutrition plays an important role in combating any form of mental or physical illness. When fighting a chronic health condition, one must consume nutritious food to not only ward off any negative feelings since certain foods help in boosting mood and promoting positivity but also to regain or maintain physical strength that can further boost one’s mental state.
4. Being positive: Staying positive is essential for successful recovery from any form of mental illness or chronic disease. Developing a positive attitude may not be easy for a person fighting a deadly disease, however, one can try to stay upbeat by adopting certain self-help techniques such breathing exercises or yoga. This helps calm the mind and redirect one’s thoughts.
5. Setting realistic goals: Setting achievable goals and working towards them can instill positivity. Doing so boosts self-confidence and helps one deal with any physical ailment in an effective way.

Beat the blues

While antidepressants may show some unwanted side effects, treating depression is necessary for patients battling a chronic disease. If the medication is causing harm, the patients should ask their physicians to change them. The risks associated should be weighed conscientiously before the condition deteriorates.

There is no health without mental emotional health. Depression is a mental disease, triggered by a tragedy or trauma, whether it is physical, social, financial or other. The individual has been thrown out of their routine of what they anticipate, what they expect from life.

If you were to lose an arm in an accident you would have to cope, to relearn your skills, to balance your life without this one limb. And so you would not have an expectation of living life as you had, and the differences would come into play as depression. However, it is not so much what happens to you, but how you interpret what happens to you, that's the major cause of depression.

The development of depression is dependent also upon the latent genetic predisposition for depression, oftentimes is latent, not active, and does not come into play until some trauma causes it to come to the forefront of your life. Serious social and interpersonal stress can bring this on as well.

Looking at statistics and trends, it is not difficult to realize that there is no cure or effective treatment to stop this. The real tragedy is the lack of effective available treatments, with many people led to believe that depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain and the pills will do the trick.

All the drugs and natural therapies fail to heal deep mental emotional conditions because with this particular type of diseases we do not deal with physical level but with highly energetic / vibrational entities: mind and emotions. If you still believe that your mind is the brain and your emotions reside in the heart, it's your choice.

No physical remedy or herb can have a major impact on these fields, unless they are vibrational in nature as well. And these are the homeopathic remedies. They are designed and made in a special way by diluting and energizing hundreds and thousands of times, until there is nothing left from the original substance, only the energetic imprint.

Classical homeopathy works on one-on-one manner, where the homeopath is a matchmaker between the patient symptoms and the remedy characteristics. This is a difficult and laborious task and only very skilled homeopaths can do it right. However, there is another approach where one remedy fits all, used in epidemics. This is the approach we use for our homeopathic formula called SDI (Stress – Depression – Insomnia).

SDI has three main homeopathic components:

• The first one is balancing the trio: Mind – Emotions – Body
• The second, deals with respiratory system, there is a direct link between our respiratory system and our emotional equilibrium
• The third one deals with your heart which is most affected by mental emotional stress (no wonder heart diseases are number one worldwide)

SDI is also useful for those who do not have mental emotional problems as it takes you to another level of wellbeing, balance and focus. Yoga practitioners, students during exams, sportsmen before stressful events or people overloaded with responsibilities can benefit by using SDI. As one of our clients said: "It is for the first time in my life when I feel that life is worth living".

We are so confident about the new remedy that we are willing to challenge in a clinical trial every similar product on the market today. This is not marketing strategy, this is a breakthrough treatment in a field where there are not many real options to choose from.

Just about everywhere I went out on the Internet, I found these two words together and were almost companions…”depression and suicide!”

The stigma associated with mental illness in this country has to come to a halt! The discrimination; the name-calling…”nut-cake” and “crackpot” has to stop! The fear of getting fired from a job in this country, because the employee seeks mental health-care is a shame!

Stigma: (definition); shame or social disgrace

“We choose our sorrows and joys long before we experience them.” Kahil Gibron

From: Depression.com;

Depression is a serious medical condition which can lead to the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Although most people who are depressed do not kill themselves, untreated depression can increase the risk of possible suicide. Whether or not they intend to act on these thoughts. Severely depressed people often do not have the energy to harm themselves, but it is when depression lifts, and they can gain increased energy, that they may be more likely to attempt suicide!

* * *

I saw a story on the news recently, where a young man about 21 years old, and who is in college, was having problems with himself, and suicidal thoughts kept coming into his mind. He was scared, as anyone would be, so he went to get help at a local medical healthcare center. When the university officials learned about this, they expelled him from the university! This action by the university officials is a disgrace! We cannot have another Virginia Tech in this country…and young people have to get the help they need and when they need it, etc.

From: Psychology Information Online.com;

Impact of depression causes tremendous emotional pain; disrupts lives of millions of people; adversely affects the lives of families and friends; reduces work production and absenteeism; has a negative impact on the economy..costing as estimated 44 billion dollars per year!

“Depression is the inability to construct a future.” Rollo May

I have a brother named Ricky, who is an alcoholic and was spending time at the University of New Mexico Mental Health Center getting care, etc. One day, my mother and I went to visit Ricky, and as we sat in the lobby waiting to see him…we heard a lot of commotion outside. There were about six people in the group entering the Mental Health Center, including three policemen, who were pushing and shoving, and trying to bring in an elderly couple who were both about 70 years old!

Screaming and yelling and crying…the elderly couple were not easy to handle by the police, and they took the elderly couple to the back of the building someplace! My mother and I looked at each other in amazement! Why were the police bringing this elderly couple to the Mental Health Center? When the nurse came by to take us back to see Ricky, I asked her what had happened to the elderly couple.

The nurse told me, that the house of the elderly couple burned to the ground…and if that wasn’t enough…their two grandchildren perished in the fire! Could there be a catastrophe greater than this? We can all relate to this horror, because we all live in a house or apartment or mobile home, and it can happen to any of us, and in minutes, our lives would be changed for the worse! One can only imagine how the elderly couple sank into depression…and they could have been of harm to themselves or to others, and that’s why the police brought them in and to get medication!

From: American Psychological Association;

Some people with depression try to harm themselves in the mistaken belief that how they are feeling will never change. Depression is a major cause of disability in the United States and world-wide.

“Depression is nourished by a lifetime of ungrieved and unforgiving hurts.” Penelope Sweet.

But, depression is not just for the risk of suicide. It is for other risk factors and illnesses as well. For example:

From: Depression Resource Center.org;

Research over the past decade has shown that depression and heart disease are common companions, and what is worse…one can lead to the other! It appears now that depression is an important risk factor for heart disease along with high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

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During the past decade or so, I’ve been laid off from six jobs, for legitimate reasons such as companies closing; defense cuts; down-sizing, etc. I have never lost a job because I was fired or for an attitude or poor attendance. etc. But, during this awful time in my life, I probably suffered from depression and didn’t know it! After I educated myself, I could now take the necessary medications to help me cope!

“When your neighbor loses his job…it’s a recession…but when you lose YOUR job…it’s a depression! Harry Truman

In raising awareness, American’s have to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness, and everyone has to do their part! Parents have to teach their kids not to poke fun…or tease anyone for any reason…as others may be having trouble coping as well, etc. If the Golden Rule was ever applicable…it applies here…do unto others as you would have them do unto you!

Did you know that not all "Okies" migrated during the Great Depression? Some stayed and endured their hardships. These were tough, determined survivors, as described by author Samuel Hall in his novel, Daughter of the Cimarron , based on the real life experiences of the author's mother.

Claire is struggling with a difficult marriage which ends shortly into the story. She is employed in a crew of traveling door-to-door sellers in the Midwest. A romance develops between Claire and her supervisor, Elmer.

After stops and starts, and challenges, not the least of which was the onset of the Depression, Claire and Elmer marry. Making a living during such challenging times isn't easy, and they eventually leave sales for other ventures.

Adding to the challenges for Claire are her husband's parents, who seem to have a habit of inviting themselves as live-in "guests" any time Claire and Elmer's circumstances improve – or theirs fail.

Throughout her circumstances, Claire struggles with doubts and faith in God as the author draws us into a vivid landscape of the Midwest. Much of the story takes place in Ness County, Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle. In the early chapters, we experience the life of door-to-door sales, not from the point of view of the person answering the door, as we are accustomed, but from the perspective of the person knocking on the door.

As Claire and her family move on to other means of support more conducive to raising a family, the challenges of the Great Depression threaten to undermine their happiness.

Most striking was the description of the four main characters' surviving on mashed and cooked grain "acquired" from their landlord's barn. In spite of their desperate and exhausting circumstances, we see the characters – Claire especially – survive with dignity and grace.

This is not literary fiction, like a Steinbeck novel. And, although it is published by a Christian publisher, Daughter of the Cimarron is not overtly a Christian novel, but a work of realistic historical fiction written from a Christian world view. This novel lacks the rich symbolism and motifs of a novel like The Grapes of Wrath. The characters also are less vividly defined. Where the author of Daughter of the Cimarron has succeeded is in bringing the reader into the grit and perseverance of main character by giving us a real person's real history.

Another interesting feature of the novel is, it is the author's own personal back story. By showing us the world, the life and the circumstances he was born out of, Samuel Hall has shown us that perseverance is a story, sometimes exhausting, sometimes exhilarating and often entertaining.

It has been proven that alcohol causes depression. Depression is ongoing feelings of hopelessness, sadness, unhappiness, and causes a bleak outlook on life. And when you are suffering from depression you can’t be at the top of your game. It is hard to function in high gear when you are fatigued and are experiencing a general lack of interest, also caused by depression. It may also be important to point out here that depression causes anxiety. So many who suffer from depression will also have episodes of anxiety.

Since alcohol is a known depressant, it stands to reason people with depression shouldn’t drink. This applies to people suffering from manic depression as well. Studies have shown that doctors miss diagnosing correctly roughly 65% of people who are depressed.

The depression caused by alcohol actually starts with your physical body. First, alcohol lowers the serotonin and norepinephrine levels in your brain. These chemicals are the chemicals that give you your good feelings – a feeling of well being, and they help you to feel normal. The anti-depressant drugs were designed build these chemicals back up. After a long drinking career, since alcohol can take these brain chemicals down to ground zero, it can take a long time for the anti-depressants to bring these brain chemical levels back to where they need to be.

Alcohol also temporarily nullifies the effects of stress hormones. This is why after drinking you feel worse than ever, because alcohol depresses your nervous system and your brain. A study was done that followed people who were only drinking one drink a day and after these people stopped drinking for 3 months, their depression scores improved. And that is only at one drink a day, so it is easy to imagine the impact the kind of volume an alcoholic takes in every day can have.

Alcohol all but wipes out every vitamin in your system after a drinking session. A folic acid deficiency will contribute the brain aging and in older people, dementia. The folic acid deficiency also contributes to overall depression. Further, the alcohol in your system also breaks down and speeds the elimination of antioxidants in your blood. Antioxidants are critically important to our health because antioxidants fight free radicals and free radical damage causes diseases and aging. Our immune system actually creates the antioxidants which then neutralize the free radicals.

Alcohol can activate a gene that has been linked to depression and other mental issues. The result of this activation can cause not only depression, but seizures, and manic depressive episodes as well.

Although the majority of problem drinkers associate depression with their mental and emotional states, the fact is this kind of depression originates in your physical body’s response to drinking alcohol.

Depression is complex. It can linger and grow for months or even years before being detected . Studies have shown that millions of Americans will suffer some form of depressive disorder this year. Unfortunately fewer than 1/3 of these people will look for help. Often the sufferers don’t even know they’re sick. Every day stress is common in the modern world. It’s more difficult to navigate the obstacles in life. Many families are surviving week to week. Trouble in the economy has made it more difficult than ever to keep a good job. Stress leads to depressive feelings. There are many different types of depression. Some of the labels mean the same thing. There is mental, medical, clinical and manic depressive disorder. There is also the fact that it gets severe enough to allude to the final stages of the disease. Depressive disorder can result from a variety of causes. One of these is simple biology, brain chemistry issues. DNA also carries it. Those with family histories of the disorder are at risk.

Psychology Information Online provides information on the following depressive disorders:

* Major Depression – This is the most serious type, in terms of number of symptoms and severity of symptoms, but there are significant individual differences in the symptoms and severity. You do not need to feel suicidal to have a major case, and you do not need to have a history of hospitalizations either, although both of these factors are present in some people with major depressive symptoms.

* Dysthymic Disorder – This refers to a low to moderate level that persists for at least two years, and often longer. While the symptoms are not as severe as the major version, they are more enduring and resistant to treatment. Some people with dysthymia develop a major case at some time during the course of their disorder.

* Unspecified – This category is used to help researchers who are studying other specific types, and do not want their data confounded with marginal diagnoses. It includes people with a serious case, but not quite severe enough to have a diagnosis of a major form. It also includes people with chronic, moderate, which has not been present long enough for a diagnosis of a Dysthymic disorder. (You get the idea!)

* Adjustment Disorder,- This category describes that which occurs in response to a major life stressor or crisis.

* Bipolar – This type includes both high and low mood swings, as well as a variety of other significant symptoms not present in other forms of the disease.

Other Types of Depressive Categories:

* Post Partum – Major depressive episode that occurs after having a baby. Depressive symptoms usually begin within four weeks of giving birth and can vary in intensity and duration.

* Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – A type of depressive disorder which is characterized by episodes of a major case which reoccur at a specific time of the year (e.g. fall, winter). In the past two years, depressive periods occur at least two times without any episodes that occur at a different time.

* Anxiety – Not an official type (as defined by the DSM). However, anxiety often also occurs with depression. In this case, a depressed individual may also experience anxiety symptoms (e.g. panic attacks) or an anxiety disorder (e.g. PTSD, panic disorder, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder).

* Chronic – Major depressive episode that lasts for at least two years.

* Double – Someone who has Dysthymia (chronic mild) and also experiences a major depressive episode (more severe depressive symptoms lasting at least two weeks).

* Endogenous – Endogenous means from within the body. This type is defined as feeling depressed for no apparent reason.

* Situational or Reactive (also known as Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood) – Depressive symptoms developing in response to a specific stressful situation or event (e.g. job loss, relationship ending). These symptoms occur within 3 months of the stressor and lasts no longer than 6 months after the stressor (or its consequences) has ended. Depression symptoms cause significant distress or impairs usual functioning (e.g. relationships, work, school) and do not meet the criteria for major depressive disorder.

* Agitated – Kind of major depressive disorder which is characterized by agitation such as physical and emotional restlessness, irritability and insomnia, which is the opposite of many depressed individuals who have low energy and feel slowed down physically and mentally.

* Psychotic – Major depressive episode with psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations (e.g. hearing voices), delusions (false beliefs).

* Atypical (Sub-type of Major or Dysthymia) – Characterized by a temporary improvement in mood in reaction to positive events and two (or more) of the following: o significant weight gain or increase in appetite

o over sleeping

o heavy feeling in arms or legs

o long standing pattern of sensitivity to rejection

* Melancholic (Sub-type of Major Depressive Disorder) – Main features of this kind of depression include either a loss of pleasure in virtually all activities or mood does not temporarily improve in response to a positive event. Also, three (or more) of the following are present:

o Depressed mood that has a distinct quality (e.g. different from feeling depressed when grieving)

o Depressive feeling is consistently worse in the morning

o Waking up earlier than usual (at last 2 hours)

o Noticeable excessive movement or slowing down

o Significant decrease in appetite or weight loss

o Feeling excessive or inappropriate guilt

*Catatonic – (Sub-type of Major Depressive Disorder) – This type is characterized by at least two of the following:

o Loss of voluntary movement and inability to react to one’s environment

o Excessive movement (purposeless and not in response to one’s environment)

o Extreme resistance to instructions/suggestions or unable/unwilling to speak

o Odd or inappropriate voluntary movements or postures (e.g. repetitive movements, bizarre mannerisms or facial expressions)

o Involuntarily repeating someone’s words or movements in a meaningless way Treatment will differ depending on the type of depression based on its severity and various symptoms.

For example, the focus of therapy may vary or different antidepressants may be prescribed targeting certain symptoms. Common factors can lead to different types. Substance abuse can lead to depressive disorder. Both alcoholics and drug abusers can contract it. Mental disorder historically has a stigma associated with it. Prior to mental illness being recognized as a disease it was considered by many to be a personal defect. As a result treatment wasn’t applied in a way that could help the patient. Negative effects persist through all the stages of depression. Therefore treatment requires early detection.

Major depressive disorder is probably one of the most common forms. You probably know a handful of people who suffer from it. The sufferer seems to walk around with the weight of the world on his or her shoulders. He or she seems disinterested in becoming involved in regular activities and seems convinced that he or she will always be in this hopeless state. There is a lack of interest in sexual activity and in appetite and a weight loss.

TYPES

Atypical: is a variation that is slightly different from it’s major variety. The sufferer is sometimes able to experience happiness and moments of elation. Symptoms of the atypical type include fatigue, oversleeping, overeating and weight gain. People who suffer from it believe that outside events control their mood (i.e. success, attention and praise). Episodes can last for months or a sufferer may live with it forever.

Psychotic: sufferers begin to hear and see imaginary things – – sounds, voices and visuals that do not exist. These are referred to as hallucinations, which are generally more common with someone suffering from schizophrenia. The hallucinations are not “positive” like they are with a manic depressive. The sufferer imagines frightening and negative sounds and images. Dysthymia: Many people just walk around seeming depressed – – simply sad, blue or melancholic. They have been this way all of their lives. This is dysthymia – – a condition that people are not even aware of but just live with daily. They go through life feeling unimportant, dissatisfied, frightened and simply don’t enjoy their lives. Medication is beneficial for this type.

Manic: can be defined as an emotional disorder characterized by changing mood shifts can sometimes be quite rapid. People who suffer from manic depressive disorder have an extremely high rate of suicide.

Seasonal:, which medical professionals call seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is something that occurs only at a certain time of the year, usually winter. It is sometimes called “winter blues.” Although it is predictable, it can be very severe.

Cyclothymic Disorder:A milder yet more enduring type of bipolar disorder. A person’s mood alternates between a less severe mania (known as hypomania) and a less severe case.

Mood Disorder, due to a General Medical Condition caused or precipitated by a known or unknown physical medical condition such as hypothyroidism.)

Substance Induced Mood Disorder may be caused or precipitated by the use or abuse of substances such as drugs, alcohol, medications, or toxins.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):This condition affects people during specific times or seasons of the year. During the winter months individuals feel depressed and lethargic, but during other months their moods may be normal.

Postpartum:A rare form occurring in women within approximately one week to six months after giving birth to a child.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder:This is an uncommon type of depressive disorder affecting a small percentage of menstruating women. It is a cyclical condition in which women may feel depressed and irritable for one or two weeks before their menstrual period each month.

What exactly is a depressive disorder?

Depressive disorders have been with mankind since the beginning of recorded history. In the Bible, King David, as well as Job, suffered from this affliction. Hippocrates referred to it as melancholia, which literally means black bile. Black bile, along with blood, phlegm, and yellow bile were the four humors (fluids) that described the basic medical physiology theory of that time. It is also referred to as clinical depression, has been portrayed in literature and the arts for hundreds of years, but what do we mean today when we refer to a depressive disorder? In the 19th century, it was seen as an inherited weakness of temperament. In the first half of the 20th century, Freud linked the development of depressive feelings to guilt and conflict. John Cheever, the author and a modern sufferer of depressive disorder, wrote of conflict and experiences with his parents as influencing his development of the disease.

The symptoms that help a doctor identify the disorder include:

* constant feelings of sadness, irritability, or tension

* decreased interest or pleasure in usual activities or hobbies

* loss of energy, feeling tired despite lack of activity

* a change in appetite, with significant weight loss or weight gain

* a change in sleeping patterns, such as difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or sleeping too much

* restlessness or feeling slowed down

* decreased ability to make decisions or concentrate

* feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or guilt

* thoughts of suicide or death

If you are experiencing any or several of these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about whether you are suffering. From chronic illnesses such as heart disease to pain perception, sex, and sleep.

Sexual Problems – Learn how medicines can affect sexual desire and sexual performance.

Sleep Problems – Find out how this disease disturbs sleep and get some effective tips to help your sleep problems. Warning Signs

Learn more about suicide, including who is at risk, warning signs, and when to call for medical assistance.

Once the disease has progressed to a severe enough level that the illness must be treated. The calls for assistance weren’t answered and now the chance to solve the problem is fading. Medications and therapy combine for a working treatment. Also available are support groups that can help. You can also find many natural herbal medications that have been proven effective in clinical studies. The good news is that very effective treatments are available to help those who are depressed. However, only about one-third of those who are depressed actually receive treatment. This is unfortunate since upwards of 80-90% of those who do seek treatment can feel better within just a few weeks. Some believe that depression is the result of a personal weakness or character flaw. This is simply not true. Like diabetes, heart disease, or any other medical condition.

Help is out there no matter the type is affecting someone. Seek medical help if you or anyone you know shows signs. We have more great articles for you to browse, why not check them out!

Many dogs came and went throughout our career as Dog Trainers for Law Enforcement. There are a few that stand out for different reasons. Dekker is one of them.

Background

This is a story about Dekker, a Belgian Malinois we trained as a K-9 Police Officer. This story is also the reason we quit training dogs for Law Enforcement after 15 years.

During a trip to Europe to purchase dogs, we traveled to France to attend a Ring Sport Competition. It was this trip in 1985 that changed our way of thinking regarding the best candidate for a Police Dog. As we watched each dog work the obstacles and protection trials, we felt that the Belgian Malinois was superior to the German Shepherd in agility, and equal or better in all other areas.

In 1988, we acquired Anka and Dekker, two Belgian Malinois. We absolutely loved their drive and enthusiasm to work. After a few months of tracking, agility and protection training, we sold Anka to a Fish and Wildlife Officer. Feedback reports indicated Anka as being an exceptional tracker for poachers and protected her Handler perfectly. We were pleased with Anka’s placement and her Handler was more than satisfied.

We continued to work with Dekker. He was always happy to do anything we asked of him in his training lessons. He had a well-rounded life with us as part of our family. At one point, we had two litters of Bouvier des Flandres puppies totaling 22. They were a handful once the younger litter reached six weeks old, but Uncle Dekker would spend time with all of them, grabbing his long rag and teasing the puppies to chase him, latching on to the rag for a ride. He was a wonderful, well-adjusted dog.

Dekker’s Career

The day came when we received a phone call from a police department inquiring if we had another dog like Anka, as word had spread about her outstanding performance. We informed the Police Officer that we did indeed have another Belgian Malinois that would fit his requirements. Every dog we placed with a Police K-9 Unit received 2 weeks of instruction and training, which included evaluation of the bonding process because believe it or not, not all dogs like their Handlers. The first reservation we had about this K-9 Unit was that the dog was kept in a kennel at the police station instead of living in a family environment. The Handler assured us that Dekker would spend the majority of his time with him and only be in the kennel when absolutely necessary.

On the third day of Dekker’s 2 week probation as a K-9 Officer, he made a felony drug arrest. The Handler was very pleased with Dekker and we felt we had placed him where he would do the most good.

There are Police Dog Trials that K-9 Handlers can enter for prizes and recognition within the Police K-9 community. Because Dekker was so good at his job, his Handler started entering him in these competitions. Dekker was now working regular shifts as a K-9 Officer, training for competitions, attending competitions and winning. During a conversation we had with the Handler regarding Dekker’s success at yet another Police Dog Trial, we reinforced the fact that he needed “down time” to relax, play and forget training and his job. The Handler assured us that he was doing as we had suggested.

Time went by and as is normal, the phone calls from Dekker’s Handler became fewer, but eventually we received a phone call from him expressing concern that Dekker was being lazy and listless on the job. We asked if he was still competing in dog trials and the Handler gave a negative response because Dekker had lost the last few trials he had entered. Our advice was for rest, play and cut back on training sessions outside of on-duty hours.

Depression

A short time later, Dekker’s Handler called again, complaining that the dog was not performing at work and he wanted to return him for a refund. We convinced him to send Dekker back to us for evaluation and to see if we could remedy the situation.

Upon picking Dekker up at the airport, we opened his dog crate to let him out and he just sat there with his head lowered and big sad eyes. We inspected him and could see that he had lost weight, his posture was submissive, his coat was dull and he did not want to make eye contact. The word anxiety seems the best word to describe the body language of tail wagging because he was happy see us, but weaving around our legs and whining indicated he was apprehensive, worried, and had mixed feelings about what was going to happen next. We brought him home, having confidence that we could help him past this behavior which was far from his normal self.

We set out to do everything that was familiar to him; same kennel, same routines, lots of play, same dogs to play with, our loving attention, and so on. There was nothing different at our home and kennel, except Dekker. Months of coaxing and trying desperately to have just one happy moment was breaking our hearts. He moped, slunk around, no eye contact, heavy sighs, lying in the corner while the other dogs played, no interest in his surroundings, eating only enough food to keep going, and then eventually skipping days of eating. We gave him special attention, enticing food, more of our time and basically put him in our back pocket, taking him everywhere we went. We spent hours analyzing his behavior, both past and present, to try to come up with more ideas or a solution to the whole mess. We brought in other Dog Trainers to observe and evaluate him for some clue to work with. Nothing.

After 4 months we finally concluded that Dekker was not going to find his way back to what he was. His weight was alarmingly low and we couldn’t help him anymore. He was finally euthanized. That was the day we said, “That’s it, no more.” We quit training police dogs.

Conclusion

Back then, we referred to this behavior as broken, sour, or lazy. We really didn’t associate Dekker’s behavior with depression, but in hindsight that is exactly what it was. A dog so far in the dark zone that he couldn’t fight his way back to the light and happiness.

We will never know what actually happened to him during his career as a K-9 Police Officer. People tend not to reveal every detail of a spiraling situation if it is their fault, so we can’t pinpoint the cause. We can only guess that he was worked to the point of exhaustion with no rest or rewards.

Yes, there is such a thing as dog depression. Please take note of the above behaviors. We couldn’t help Dekker, but if you have a dog that you suspect is showing characteristics of depression, seek help from a professional dog psychologist.

Depression and Women

Depression is very common among women. In fact as many as one in four women are likely to develop chronic depression at least once in their lives. Women are more than twice as likely as men are to become depressed. The majority of the nearly 15 million people who become chronically depressed every year are women, and about 2/3 of them do not seek help for their depression.

Depression affects everybody differently, and the symptoms can range from mild to severe. It causes the sufferer to have feelings of helplessness and despair, sadness, and worthlessness. Many women report that while they are depressed they are much more likely to lose their appetite, have difficulty staying asleep, develop low self-esteem, become apathetic, and develop low-grade fatigue. In the most severe cases they can even become suicidal. It is most alarming that women are much more likely to attempt to kill themselves then men are who are also suffering from chronic depression.

The reason why women are much more likely to become depressed is varied. During adolescence the depression rates are about equal for boys and for girls, however around puberty we start to see a different a significant disparity in the depression rates. At puberty the rates of depression become about two to one, girl versus boy. Many experts believe that this is directly due to the hormone changes that girls start to experience. This cycle continues throughout the lifetime of a female as hormone levels continue to fluctuate through many life events: pregnancy, immediately following giving birth, menopause, and even the monthly menstrual cycles. In regards to this later there is even a disorder called, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which typically the sufferer experiences depression and mood swings the week before menstruation to the extent that it interferes with a woman’s ability to function properly in her daily life.

The National Institutes of Health lists several genetic, reproductive, and other biological factors that increase a woman’s risk of becoming depressed. These can include a family history of emotional disorders, a history of emotional disorders during the earlier reproductive years, losing a parent before the age of 10, the lack of a social support system, sexual or physical abuse as a child, ongoing psychological or social stress, and even taking certain medicines. Some women who give birth develop postpartum depression, and some women suffer from seasonal affective disorder. There are also many stress factors that women experience simply by living life that increase the likelihood of developing depression, such as losing a job, arguing with a spouse, and the stress of raising children.

Women who are experiencing signs of depression can and should seek immediate help. Depression is a medical disorder and is not something to be embarrassed by or ashamed of, and it can be treated. Women should seek the help of a mental health professional, who will determine the best form of treatment. Recognizing and acknowledging the fact that women are much more likely to suffer from depression is a very important first step to combating this disease

Depression has become very common among the adults. Depression may occur in three levels which includes; mild depression, moderate depression as well as severe depression. Research has shown that one in every four women and one in every ten men will suffer from depression at some time in their lives. There are many symptoms that are associated with depression in adult such as; loneliness, suicidal thoughts, loss of appetite, loss of sleep, low energy, persistent sadness and so on. The more severe the condition becomes, the more the symptoms that the patient will experience. In most cases, the patients will get convinced that something really bad is about to happen to them such as a fatal disease or poverty.

Recent studies have shown that about 6%-19% of the population will suffer from major depression at one time in their life. Although there is no apparent known cause for depression, many researchers tend to think that it is a biological illness. The reasoning for this is due to;The condition occurs without any apparent reason for example without any changes in lifestyle,The condition tend to run down the family tree,It can be treated with medicines alone in most cases.

Depression is a condition that must be taken very seriously. If not checked, it can have severe impacts on one’s life. It can interfere with social life, career life, family relations and can also impact negatively on your sense of self purpose and self worth.

Major causes of depression in adults

There are many factors that have been found to be possible causes of depression. Some of the causes include; alcohol abuse, change in seasons, physical/hormonal changes, traumatic events, hypothyroidism, stroke, heart attack and so on.

Common symptoms of depression in adults

-Anger and anxiety

-Withdrawing from family and friends

-Feeling of guilt and worthlessness

-Changes in eating habits as well as sleeping patterns

-Irritability,Lack of enthusiasm and motivation

-Persistent sadness

-Weight loss or weight gain

-Suicidal thoughts

Diagnosis of depression

There is no clinical test that can be conducted to determine if the patient is suffering from depression. Diagnosis is based on; the type of symptoms being experienced by the patient, for how long the patient has had the symptoms and also how the symptoms have impacted on the patient’s life. Blood tests may also be conducted but only to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms.

Treatment of depression in adults

There are different treatment options that are available for depression patients. Among them includes;

-Cognitive-behavioral therapy- This method tries to recognize what has caused depression and also helps to fight negative thoughts

-Use of antidepressants- These are medicines that brings re-establishes chemical balance in the brains. In some cases, antidepressants may be administered together with other medication such as antianxiety, anticonvulsant, mood-stabilizing or antipsychotic medications.

-Engaging in creative work of art, music or drama could help to relieve symptoms of depression

-Group therapy- it helps to fight feelings of isolation which may lead one to have feelings of loneliness.

-Other treatment options includes; St John’s wort, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), exercising and light therapy.

E-Lybra bio-resonance re-balancing can be extremely effective in managing psychological conditions. I have worked with a number of clients who have suffered from depression and related psychological disorders, and the results can be quite dramatic and surprisingly fast, in every case the client has experienced improvements in their condition.

Lindsay, a 40 year old woman, came to me suffering with long term depression which had created low self-esteem and gradually her life had become a downward spiral. The first time I ran the e-Lybra on Lindsay was after a telephone conversation, where through tears she told me of her despair. I noted down that she was suffering from more than depression and noted down all the other psychological conditions, eg financial shock, emotional stress, fear, physical shock etc. Although I had no hair sample for analysis and she had no e-capsule, the two hour session on her psychological conditions brought fast and lasting results.

I spoke to her 24 hours after her session and she sounded so much brighter and told me how she could hardly believe the improvement. The evening of the re-balancing was followed by a broken night’s sleep, though she slept late the following morning and rose with an awareness that the depression had lifted. After ten days I heard from her again and the depression had not returned and she had experienced only a couple of minor waves of anxiety. She now felt that she could manage those lesser symptoms more effectively on her own. It was wonderful to hear how she was taking steps to move her life forward and applying for a job. Although well-educated, Lindsay had not reached her full potential in the world of work due to her psychological illness. She delighted in telling me how she had put together a new CV, felt confident in herself and could at last see a light at the end of the tunnel. What was particularly noticeable to me was that the decision to move forward with her life sounded ‘effortless’. Lindsay said she felt ‘lighter’ and more energetic.

I have recently begun to run the e-Lybra healing with good results, to re-balance the adrenal glands with clients suffering from fear, anxiety and depression, particularly those who have suffered emotional trauma as children. It appears from recent research by Dr. Candace Pert (Book: Molecules of Emotion), that these individuals are more likely to suffer from the above psychological conditions and the adrenal imbalance can play a part in their continuing feelings of unhappiness.