NDSD

October 8th is National Depression Screening Day. This is a good opportunity to seek medical advice, learn more and reach out. According to MentalHealthAmerica.net Clinical depression is a common medical illness affecting more than 19 million American adults each year. Like screenings for other illnesses, depression screenings should be a routine part of healthcare. Learn more on this site (http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/national-depression-screening-day).

Just remember that even though you are feeling down you can always turn things around. Cheesy, I know but so very true. Listen and sing along to your favorite song today, over and over again. Smile at others and they will smile back at you. Your life has meaning. You may not change the world in a day but you can make a difference in someone's life today.

Happy Blogging!

Ways to De-stress at work

Every day is a new challenge. Days can be stressful and overwhelming. For those of you that have to get up and put on that smile and go to work today, this one is for you!!

Ways to De-stress at work.

·         Go for a walk. Going for a short 10 min walk can help you clear your mind and stretch your muscles.

·         Vent. Vent to someone at work about what has been on your mind. If you are not close with those that you work with then take a walk and call a friend or family member.

·         Keep faking that smile, I know that this can be hard but it is very important to day.

·         Plan your next day off. Sometimes you just need a little R&R to get you through the next month.

·         Go grab a tea or coffee. This may give you just enough of a boost to get you through the day!

·         Most importantly don’t give up! Just make it through today then live for tomorrow

Marijuana and depression

Marijuana. Here is a topic that is being brought up more and more. Does Marijuana help with depression? Many people who experience depression often treat it with prescription antidepressants. However, antidepressants themselves raise some concerns. So the question remains, does cannabis help when your depressed.

According to the Colorado pot guide (https://www.coloradopotguide.com/colorado-marijuana-blog/2015/march/16/cannabis-as-a-treatment-for-depression/) Cannabis has been shown to improve depressive symptoms by stimulating the endocannabinoid system and increase neurogenesis, similar to the way many anti-depressants do but without the required daily regimen. Cannabis also has more mild side effects compared to many popular anti-depressants (including, trouble sleeping, fatigue and sexual dysfunction; not to mention potential birth defects if taken during pregnancy).

As long as the strain is correct and the dosage is accurate, marijuana can be a very effective treatment for stress, depression and anxiety by allowing the person to either focus on the situation objectively or by offering peace of mind enough to forget it for a while. In other words, Bob Marley was right; "When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself". This can be hugely beneficial to those suffering from depression, and can be used in a hurry (by smoking for vaping the product) or be maintained throughout the day (with patches or edibles) the way one might take an antidepressant. Best of all, withdraw symptoms are comparatively minor and include irritability, problems with focus, and difficulty eating and sleeping.

Alight so it seems okay but do you really know of anyone who has suffered from anxiety and depression that uses Marijuana to help. You do now! After doing the research and talking to doctors about my husband’s heart condition we decided to try it. It helped my husband get off of a few daily prescriptions that were harmful to his body (Zanex, Ambien etc.). I decided to try it for myself. It genuinely has helped and now I can’t help but spread the word. There are no harmful side effects and I’m a overall happier person.

More to come on this topic and more. Please feel free to leave questions and comments. I would love to hear from you!

It's all in your head

The most common response to depression that I hear is that it is all in your head. This is true to a degree. 

Depression is a serious condition. It’s also, unfortunately, a common one. The World Health Organization characterizes depression as one of the most disabling disorders in the world, affecting roughly one in five women and one in ten men at some point in their lifetime. It is estimated that 21% of women and 12% of men in the U.S will experience an episode of depression at some point in their lifetime.

Although scientists agree that depression is a brain disorder, the debate continues about exact causes. Many factors may contribute to the onset of depression, including genetic characteristics, changes in hormone levels, certain medical illnesses, stress, grief, or substance abuse. Any of these factors alone or in combination can bring about the specific changes in brain chemistry that lead to the many symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder and related conditions.

This being said please check out my last post about keeping you happy through it all.