Depression: Can Dolphins Relieve Depression Symptoms?

Depression: Can Dolphins Relieve Depression Symptoms?
By Hector Milla

There are various treatments for depression but this one can be not only original, but also effective. Swimming with dolphins can be an effective therapy for depression according to a research carried out in Honduras. It was known that these animals had healing properties for other diseases but not alleviating depression.

Under support of biophilia theory, which shows how human health and wellbeing are dependent on our relationships with the natural environment, the research showed that swimming with dolphins is an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression.

According to the British Medical Journal a randomised controlled study of animal facilitated therapy with dolphins in the treatment of depression.

The study was performed in Honduras with 30 patients diagnosed with mild or moderate depression. 50 per cent of them were assigned to the experimental group and the other 50 per cent to the control group.

Patients of the experimental group swam and snorkelled in the water with dolphins for one hour a day during a two-week period. Meanwhile, partients of the control group exercised the same water activities, but without dolphins, in order to control the influence of water and the natural setting.

Antidepressant drugs or psychotherapy were discontinued for all patients at least four weeks before the research and they were also not allowed to take drugs during the study. The average severity of the depressive symptoms was more reduced in the experimental group than in the control group.

The experts that led the study stated that effects caused by the animals were significantly greater than those of just the natural setting. They also explained that the emotions raised by the interaction with dolphins may explain the mammals healing properties.

Participants from both groups reported lasting improvement and did not require treatment even three months after the study. Which This suggests that in patients with mild or moderate depression, using drugs or conventional psychotherapy may not be necessary when biophilic treatment with animals is used, they conclude.

Article written by Hector Milla, editor of MyDepressionSymptoms.com; visit for Depression Symptoms Information at http://www.mydepressionsymptoms.com, or you may read their last article Mifepristone and Psychotic Depression at http://www.mydepressionsymptoms.com/1/mifepristone-and-psychotic-depression.html

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Bad Habits Can Lead To Stress Related Depression

Bad Habits Can Lead To Stress Related Depression
By Christopher Ruane

When a person has bad habits, you can bet that this person will have stress throughout their lifetime. For example, if a person smokes cigarettes it increases the vitals functioning capabilities, which gradually affects the heart, lungs, and other vital organs.

An autopsy will tell if a person smoked or not when the person is internally evaluated. If the person was, a smoker it will show on the bodys organs and the persons lungs will be black. Now we know that a persons internal organs are pinkish and when black is current then problems occurred in the persons life.

When a person has problems, stress is obviously overwhelming. Likewise, if a person drinks heavily it affects the central nervous system and reduces a persons ability to cope with stress. Heavy drinkers put their self in harms way by destroying the body and potential going to jail in the future.

As you can see, bad habits can cause stress and will cause stress. When a person is born, they are often healthy and if this person avoids bad habits that cause harm then the persons life will be rewarding. If you are free of chemicals and substances that can cause you harm you will have the ability to make good decisions that offers you a successful future.

Eating too much is also a bad habit that needs modified. If a person overeats regularly and avoiding exercise then this person is subject to obesity, heart failure, strokes, diabetes and so forth. We see this causes problems and problems are one of the elements that cause our stress to increase. One of the obvious bad habits that create potential dangers is stress itself.

When a person is lacking the ability to manage his or her life and becomes stress every time an expectation presents itself then this bad habit too can cause harm to the body. Coping means we have the ability to manage our lives successfully without creating stressors that cause our stress to increase.

Minimizing stressors can help us to live a more productive lifestyle and provide us hope when times are hard to deal with. It is never easy to eliminate a bad habit since it is obviously a ritual, but it is possible to work toward reducing and finally eliminating the habits that cause us stress.

If you are use to smoking a cigarette after each meal then tell your self that today you are going to drink water instead of smoking after a meal. If you drink coffee and it opens your smoking cravings up, then start drinking orange juice, milk or some other healthy beverage. If you are a heavy drinker, tell your self every day that you are worth saving.

Sit down and review with your self the many problems you are facing and if some are less severe than others are. If you are often late paying your bills then you know that this is a problem, so you will need to learn and practice paying your bills on time. When you do not pay your bills on time, late charges occur or shut-off notices following.

As you can see, we all cause many of our own problems, which initiate stress. Sitting down and evaluating our situation and decisions can help bring forth rewards by seeing the problems we created and learning how to eliminate the problems in our lives. For example if you are often late for work then you know you have a bad habit that can cost you your job.

You may think that losing your job is not a problem, since someone else will hire you, but loosing your job is not the only problem in the picture. If you continue to adhere to your behaviors by being late for work, you are going to get a bad repetition with businesses.

Business owners talk amongst other owners. Now you can permanent displacement is potential, poverty, potential crime, and so forth. We are adding to the list of problems by ignoring or not accepting that our bad habits are the leading cause of uncontrolled stress. Our decisions are at the top of the list that determines if our stress is overwhelming or not. When behaviors cause stress, it is time to make some changes.

For more related information visit: http://www.DepressionSymptomsTreatment.com - a site that offers advice for avoiding, coping with depression. Get professional knowledge on dealing with symptoms, drug side effects and improving your life!

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What's Causing My Depression and Fatigue?

What's Causing My Depression and Fatigue?
By Paul Shearstone

Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Depression are absolutely systemic in our society today. Recent studies done by the AMA and CMA purport one in four people in North America are suffering from some form of chronic fatigue or depression and its expected eight out of ten of us will experience similar afflictions in our lifetime. But numbers like these dont speak to the cause and only tell half the story.

In June of this year, my new book entitled, Until Youve Walked the Path hit the bookstores. In it, I chronicle my own real life battle and recovery from CFS [Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I am pleased to say that from the responses Ive received, the book has touched many people in a positive way, both those suffering from the disease, as well as caregivers, looking for new ways to aid the afflicted.

In conversations about CFS, the one question I am asked the most is, Whats causing My [their chronic depression and fatigue? Followed by, Is it just stress?

Ill admit I am not a doctor and have no medical training, however, I have done a fair bit of research over the last decade and I am a real CFS Survivor. That said, it is my belief there are three fundamental Camps if you will, that can cause depression or fatigue and it is absolutely essential to determine what camp you are in to expedite speedy recovery.

Camp #1: CFIDS [Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome

CFIDS is the new acronym for most immune dysfunctional disorders which covers a broad base of causes and outcomes. More specifically, the factors that can bring on CFS are viral. In my case I was diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr Virus [EBV. Another common virus known to cause CFS is the ME Virus [Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. An outcome associated with CFS sufferers is Fibromyalgia; an excruciatingly painful disease that effects all the muscles and joints in the body.

I could go on but the important point to understand is that most of what causes Real Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is most often viral. These viruses attack the immune system causing acute un-wellness, fatigue and depression. Stress is another immune-weakening phenomenon and is often a major cause for CFS. On the other hand, motivators like post viral infection as it was in my case is known to be much of the cause because of the damaging consequences it can affect to an otherwise healthy immune system. One outcome is Depression and Fatigue.

Camp #2: Mood Disorders

Mood disorders are perhaps easier for most people to understand. Not the diseases themselves but rather the fact that there are commonly known diseases like: By-Polar, Manic-Depression and Schizophrenia, to name but three. We all know they can cause behavioral often unpredictable -changes in those afflicted. Another outcome is Depression and Fatigue.

Camp #3: Substance Abuse

Whether its drugs or alcohol, [prescribed or otherwise, many people fall victim to their affects that over time, can clearly evolve into conditions of un-wellness.

Stress-relief is often the reason for those who use drugs and alcohol on a regular basis and one need not be addicted to experience many of the health deteriorations that ultimately come about. Another outcome, of course, is Depression and Fatigue.

By now you may be seeing a bit of an assertion I am making in this article which now compels me to make two important points:

1.Depression and Fatigue can be outcomes from many different motivators.

2.It is critical for sufferers to seek out immediate professional help in determining precisely what is causing their fatigue and depression.

I have seen too many people needlessly wither away with diseases like these, never getting the right help. Many of them try to hide their problem and shrink into the shadows because its not a glamorous disease and for the most part, is still a little misunderstood even by many in the medical field.

My advice is to find the right medical specialist who deals specifically with whats causing your fatigue and depression. Understand that no doctor can be a specialist at everything and that the medicine, treatment and care for someone with Schizophrenia would be entirely different from whats required to treat someone with substance abuse or a viral infection. The specialist would be just as different.

Its also vitally important for those afflicted and caregivers alike to know that there is a short window of opportunity in getting diseases like these under control. That is to say, from my observation and experience, the longer one goes without proper diagnosis and treatment, the harder it is and less likely it is, recovery can be achieved.

Chronic Depression and Fatigues is not something one chooses to have and treatments like Suck it up soldier! or love deprivation do not work. Ignoring it works even less.

The Bottom Line:

Whats causing Your Depression and Fatigue could be many things. You need to align yourself with the right specialist, the right medication and the right treatment As Soon As Possible!

The good news? You can recover from it and you can triumph over it! I am living proof.

About The Author

Paul Shearstone is President of The CFIDS Foundation of Canada Inc. He is an International Keynote Speaker, Author, Writer, Motivation, Corporate Ethics, Sales, Time & Stress Management Specialist.

Paul enlightens and challenges audiences as he informs motivates and entertains.

To comment on this article or to book Paul for your next successful event we invite to contact Paul Shearstone directly @ 416-728-5556 or 1-866-855-4590 www.success150.com or paul@success150.com.

For more information and how to order Pauls new book, Until Youve Walked the Path please visit www.paulshearstone.ca

Every day millions of people struggle valiantly with the pain of CFIDS and Depression... the very real physical pain and the excruciating psychic pain of the soul. Paul gives both voice and face to their pain. More importantly, he gives expression to their courage, resilience, and valour. By his account of his own remarkable journey, he gives hope to the millions of others who are still on theirs.

Karen Liberman

Executive Director

Mood Disorders Association of Ontario

paul@paulshearstone.ca

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