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<title>Stress Information and Resources | Stress Relief | Stress Symptoms</title>
<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/article.xml</link>
<description><![CDATA[Stress Articles and Information  - Useful Articles related to Stress: College Stress, Stress Test, Stress Symptoms and Alopecia Hair loss and much more.]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:54:53 +0100</pubDate>
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<language>en</language><item>
	<title>The Catch 22 of Alopecia</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress/The-Catch-22-of-Alopecia.html</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:54:53 +0100</pubDate>
<category>Stress</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress/The-Catch-22-of-Alopecia.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[The Catch 22 of alopecia.Stress is known to cause alopecia. Yet alopecia itself is very stressful, so it is not uncommon to see people caught in a catch 22 whereby the very stress of their hair loss itself makes the situation worse. Alopecia often starts off as a single patch that can then go in one of four directions: Either the patch remains contained, reverses back to normal hair, spreads slowly or spreads rampantly. At one extreme you could end up with not a single hair anywhere on the scalp or body and at the other end of the spectrum the hair could return back to normal, so it is clearly stressful. In a way it would be far easier to handle mentally if someone could be told upfront: sorry bad news I am afraid, this is going to progress to 30% scalp loss. You would then expect to see further loss and that loss would be less stressful. It's the fact that you do not know where the loss will end up that keeps the mind in a negative loop. Every hair that falls is evidence that the situation is getting worse and that in itself is stressful and the very stress can actually make the situation worse.&nbsp;&nbsp;Similarly there seems to be no set rules of how alopecia spreads: We have seen examples where a patch on the scalp or eyebrow has progressed to the entire body. In other cases it has stubbornly remainly contained&nbsp;&nbsp;for many years. It is all about prospective really: If you have a stubborn patch that does't seem to go away it can be very stressful. Yet to someone that has lost every hair on their body, they would love just one little patch to deal with ! One needs to follow a path that is pro-active when dealing with alopecia.The mind has the ability to quieten down once your brain knows that you are taking the best possible action you can, even if the results are not due for a number of months. We also feel that it is important to know what the best and worse case scenarios are, so that you are prepared to take action in either event. A problem with our overworked medical system is that often you have to wait a number of months to meet a top dermatologist. Not only is such a wait stressful, it may actually allow the alopecia to get worse. Accordingly we suggest that you start with our Natural Alopecia Treatment in the interim. Not only does this lower the stress, in many instances the problem has cleared up before your appointment comes around. One of the problems of the web is that the people who tend to &quot;hang out &quot; in alopecia discussion forums are the very people that have not been able to solve their own problem -&nbsp;&nbsp;hence it would be easy to conclude that nothing can actually be done. Those people that have solved their problem tend to go about their everyday business and never bother to look into alopecia discussion forums. It follows that very few of the postings are from happy encouraging people ! We therefore decided to set up a forum with a difference: We invited people to let us follow their progress as they treat their alopecia and share with others their thoughts and fears. Then by inviting other people who we know have been successful in similar situations we can all learn what to expect. More importantly it is a proactive site where we examine only what works rather than what doesn't. http://www.Grow-New-Hair.co.ukA very good example is that in cases of Alopecia Totalis or Alopecia Universalis, the scalp is usually slower to respond to treatment than say the brows or body hair. However if you know this and see body hair or the brows returning before the scalp, it tells you that you are on track. Let's be frank, there are a great number of products that are peddled on the web for alopecia which haven't got the slightest chance of ever working.There is nothing more stressful than patiently trying a product only to find that a year later you have no results and a smaller bank balance. Accordingly we advise long standing cases to opt for just our eyebrow treatment first as it is relatively inexpensive and yet can yield faster results than a scalp treatment. Calosol Eyebrow TreatmentThere are those that hold the view that you should accept your lot and not build your hopes up. Progress is never made with such a mind set. Imagine if we all said &quot; if man were meant to fly, we would have wings&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;-&nbsp;&nbsp;what a different place the world would be today without air travel.]]></description>
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	<title>How to Live With a Depressed Loved One</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Living-with-a-depressed-one/How-to-Live-With-a-Depressed-Loved-One.html</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 12 Oct 2006 19:46:07 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Living with a depressed one</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Living-with-a-depressed-one/How-to-Live-With-a-Depressed-Loved-One.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[What do I know about living with a depressed loved one?...in a word...plenty!  For over six years my life was ruled by my wife's severe and debilitating depression, as was her life. If you live with someone who suffers from depression or anxiety, I don't have to explain to you what life can be like!  Sharon's depression cost us everything, including our home, our savings, our investments and my own health. We tried for years to find something that would help her because traditional medical intervention had very limited benefit for her, and non-traditional approaches drained us of our financial well being.  We tried just about every single avenue that we could think of with almost no results...but then, with the help of a few key people who came into our lives, we were finally able to sift through all the information we had gathered and find some answers.  We consulted countless &quot;experts&quot;, each with their own field of specialization. Although not one of them was really able to offer much in the way or results, we did find that each avenue we explored did hold a small piece of the puzzle. So, we sifted through the information that we gathered over years of research and we found what we consider to be the truth.  It was like sifting through thousands of jigsaw puzzle pieces, all from different puzzles, and trying to find the pieces that fit together to complete the proper picture...and we did it!  As we implemented what we learned for Sharon's healing, I found that by implementing the same information for my own bennifit had a tremendous impact on my ability to live with Sharon's depression, which put me in a better position to help her heal.  What we discovered through this mountain of research is that there are what we call, &quot;The Four Dimensions of Healing&quot;. Understanding these four dimensions as they apply to someone who is struggling with depression in the family, I believe, is critically important in helping you make it through the really tough times with your loved one's depression.  Clearly, in the space available in this article I can not go into enough detail to solve your family depression issues, but I can point you into the right direction so that you know what you need to do next in order to start making real changes in your life.  The for dimensions of healing are:  1. The Physical Dimension: When living with a depressed love one it is important to understand what depression really is on a physical level. Study what areas of the brain cause depression, study what neuro-transmitters are, what anti-depressants do and how they work. In addition, it is important to understand what is happening to your own physiology when you are dealing with the severe stress that depression causes in the family. Learn what stress is, what chemicals in your body cause stress and what affect those chemicals have on other systems in your body.  Once you have a better understanding of the physical dimension, you will be in a much better position to make decisions in terms of medications, diet and exercise. You will better understand why one thing works for you while another does not. Until you understand the physical dimension, you are shooting in the dark and at the mercy of your doctor's text books...and they are not always right!  2. The Spiritual Dimension: Understanding the difference between spirituality and religion is important. This helps you identify and clarify your own spiritual position and health. It is even more important to understand the role of spirituality in the healing process. Without this understanding, you are missing a huge step in the healing process and you are making it so much harder on yourself than it really has to be to cope with the stress.  Do some research on the importance and the role of spirituality in healing. Even if you are not religious, an understanding of the spiritual dimension of healing will play a pivotal role in living with a depressed loved one.  3. The Dimension of the Mind: When dealing with depression or anxiety, or with any other illness for that matter, understanding the role and the power of the subconscious mind is absolutely key in making changes in your life. The subconscious mind controls 99 percent of your life without you even knowing about it. Understanding its power and its functions give you the power to change unconscious beliefs which ultimately change your behavior, the way you respond to life's challenges, and the way you feel.  Don't ignore this most powerful dimension, it allows you to change your life at will!  4. The Dimension of Natural Law: probably the most overlooked area of healing is the dimension of natural law. Understanding how the universe around you works and what your role is in it can give you more power over illness and stress than most people could ever imagine. Study the universal laws such as the law of vibration and attraction, the law of perpetual transmutation of energy, the law of polarity and others.  You don't have to be a quantum physicist to understand the basics and to be able to apply those principles to make changes in your life. Learn the basics of quantum theory and open your mind to it's possibilities.  Once we had a more clear understanding of these four dimensions of healing, both Sharon and I were able to make the right decisions for ourselves regarding her illnesses. Sharon was able to make the right decisions to help her make some real progress in her healing and I was able to make the right decisions to help me survive the devastating affects depression on the family.  Everything you need to understand the four dimensions of healing is available to you on line. Take the time to learn about them and you will change your live...we certainly did!]]></description>
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	<title>Indian Head Massage - For Stress Relief</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress-Management/Indian-Head-Massage---For-Stress-Relief.html</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 Sep 2006 03:23:13 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Stress Management</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress-Management/Indian-Head-Massage---For-Stress-Relief.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[Indian head massage or &lsquo;Champi&rsquo; stems from the Indian tradition of using oils to massage and groom the hair to encourage the growth of lustrous locks.
Used on the neck shoulders, scalp and face to stimulate or relax the body, Indian head massage can provide relief for headaches, eye strain, joint and muscle tension.
It can help to relieve built up tension, relieve stress and promote relaxation and clear thinking.
How Indian Head Massage Works
Massage is an excellent treatment to relieve stress and tension in the body as a whole. Massaging the head, neck and shoulders can be particularly beneficial as this is where we carry most of our tension.
Working on the areas that are most tense, Indian head massage uses gentle caresses mainly to the scalp and face, providing almost immediate relief, having a strong effect on the three higher chakras of the seven - mind, body and spirit.
A Chakra &lsquo;wheel&rsquo; or &lsquo;disk&rsquo; is the centre of vital energy. Balancing the top three chakras allows the rest to vibrate in balance, resulting in good health and well being.
The Benefits of Indian Head Massage
Indian head massage can benefit you in a number of ways. As well as easing areas affected by mental and emotional stress such as headache, insomnia and depression, it is also beneficial for:-
&bull; increasing oxygen and glucose supply to the brain
&bull; improving circulation of cerebrospinal fluid
&bull; dissipating toxins accumulated in the head
&bull; relieving muscle tension and stimulating blood circulation
&bull; boosting the immune system
&bull; stimulating scalp and hair growth
&bull; restoring joint movement
&bull; stretching and mobilizing the tissues of the neck and shoulders
&bull; rebalancing vital energy flow.
What to Expect During an Indian Head Massage Session?
Indian Head Massage is carried out with you sitting in a comfortable chair.
No clothing is removed although loose comfortable clothing is best. Oil may or may not be used &ndash; if used you may want to remove your upper garment in order to avoid staining from the oil used.
As the roots of the hair are connected to the nerve fibres, the oils calm the nervous system as well as nourishing the hair.
Some therapists may start treatment at the scalp and face before moving to the shoulders and upper back, others begin with a deep kneading and probing of the neck and shoulder muscles before working with the scalp, squeezing rubbing, gently tapping and prodding.
Your hair is briskly tousled before being gently combed, ears are pressed and tugged and pressure points are gently worked on.
The last area to be worked on is the face.
Gentle stroking and working on acupressure points helps relieve any sinus pressure, stimulates circulation and increases alertness.
There are several important acupressure points in the head and if carried out professionally, as with a reflexology massage an Indian head massage should feel just like a full body massage.
You should remain at rest for at least 20 minutes after receiving an Indian head
Is Indian Head Massage Safe For Everyone?
Indian head massage is relatively safe but should be avoided by people with degenerative spinal disorders such as osteoporosis and arthritis.
If in doubt you should consult your physician before seeking treatment.
Booking a Indian Head Massage Treatment
With so many benefits to be gained from massage, if you haven&rsquo;t tried an Indian head massage, now is definitely the time to get one.
It can be carried out almost anywhere and therapists are happy to come to you.
]]></description>
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	<title>Curing the Stress Anxiety Phobias Fear and Pain of Spiritual Syphilis</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Spirituality-and-Stress/Curing-the-Stress-Anxiety-Phobias-Fear-and-Pain-of-Spiritual-Syphilis.html</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 26 Aug 2006 06:05:37 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Spirituality and Stress</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Spirituality-and-Stress/Curing-the-Stress-Anxiety-Phobias-Fear-and-Pain-of-Spiritual-Syphilis.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[Curing the Stress Anxiety Phobias Fear and Pain of Spiritual Syphilis
Many of us suffer from stress, anxiety, phobias, attention deficit disorder, ADD, fear and physical and emotional pain. We are the fast food generation and we like our remedies fast and easy. We are on the verge of driving up to the burger drive through window and asking for Prozac to go. We have turned over control of our ailments to mainstream doctors and huge pharmaceutical companies. Unfortunately these medications often only mask the symptoms of our illness and they often come with side effects even worse than the disease from which we are suffering. A good idea is to take the best from mainstream medicine and alternative medicine.

A person is made up of a body, mind and several spirits. God of Mount Sinai who handed Moses the 10 commandments aka God the Father, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, Allah (God of Mount Sinai in Arabic), Adonai, Elohim (God of Mount Sinai in Hebrew) told King David in the Old Testament, which is the Holy Scripture of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, &ldquo;You are all Gods, Children of God.&rdquo; (Psalm 82:6). The Jewish born Rabbi Yeshua aka Joshua aka Jesus Christ, the awaited Messiah of Christianity and Islam also said &ldquo;You are all Gods.&rdquo; (John 10:34). In the New Testament, the Holy Scripture of Christianity and Islam, Jesus was very busy casting demons out of people, healing them.
A human body is therefore a container for a holy white light God spirit and dark cloud evil spirits. The evil spirits can manifest as dark clouds, soot, snakes, or part snake part vicious growling lion darting around your body very quickly. The Greek Mythologists saw these alien creatures which live inside of each and every one of us and they named it the Chimera. In the book of Revelations John named it the Beast, part snake, part goat part lion. In the movie Independence Day it was asked what it wanted. It answered &ldquo;Die!&rdquo; It wants to destroy and harm the body it lives in and every other person.

M. Scott Peck M.D. is a psychiatrist who sold 5 million copies of a book called &ldquo;The Road Less Traveled.&rdquo; In order to understand pathological abusive liars one must read his Bible on the subject &ldquo;People of the Lie.&rdquo; He also wrote detailed accounts of exorcisms he performed and videotaped in his latest book &ldquo;Glimpses of the Devil.&rdquo; Dr. Peck says that although psychiatrists do not believe in Devils and Demons they have categorized the people badly affected by demons in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatry of the American Medical Association under Narcissistic Personality Disorder. According to Doctor Peck these possessed &ldquo;people of the lie&rdquo; suffer from incredible fear and anxiety and they cannot be successfully treated by psychiatry.

The big question is, &ldquo;Are we born with these evil spirits, or do they just attack us and live inside of and attached to our bodies or do we invite them in?&rdquo; The answer is all three. They often attack the holiest people. Just prior to Mother Teresa&rsquo;s death she had an exorcism.
According to the laws of nature, if a virgin woman only has sex with a virgin man her husband during her lifetime she will be free from sexually transmitted diseases. On the other hand if she has unprotected sex with multiple partners she is likely to catch all sorts of sexually transmitted diseases. You cannot break the laws of nature but if you do it will break your back.

A person&rsquo;s aura and biofield is visible to human beings with Kirlian photography. Your aura is a field of energy which comes from your skin to 3 inches away from your entire body. A dark cloud aura surrounding and inside a body is a group of negative energies aka negative entities aka demons aka discarnate souls. When many schizophrenic people hear voices it is these spirits they are hearing. In most of us these negative entities cause stress, anxiety, phobias, fear and physical and emotional pain. When we mix our auras sexually, physically with the auras of multiple partners we pick up the negative entities in their auras and infect ourselves with for lack of a better term lets call it &ldquo;Spiritual Syphilis.&rdquo; On a world scale this causes warmongering. God carved in stone or telepathed to Moses &ldquo;Do Not Murder&rdquo; and &ldquo;Do Not Commit Adultery.&rdquo;

The question we are concerned with is, &ldquo;How do we cleanse ourselves of an overabundance of evil spirits causing all of these negative physical and emotional problems?&rdquo; The answer is that many people have had wonderful results from visiting Spiritual Healers, Faith Healers, Energy Healers, Doctors of Vibrational Medicine, Therapeutic Touch Practitioners, Reiki Healers and Exorcists. Acupuncture (without batteries) can correct your energy fields and now technology has invented homeopathic imprinter machines.

Here is something helpful that you can do on your own. Buy some inexpensive crystals and put them on your window ledge for a month for the moon to cleanse them. Hold a few in each hand. Lie in your bed, close your eyes and meditate. Count down from 20 to 1 saying to yourself &ldquo;20 means deep inner peace and quiet, my body, my mind, my soul and my nerves are very relaxed.&rdquo; &ldquo;19 means &hellip;..&rdquo;. Now think to yourself, &ldquo;In the name of the Lord God of Israel, God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, Allah, Elohim, Adonai, Buddha, Chinese Gods, Indian Gods, (any and all names of God) at my right hand Michael the protection of God, at my left hand Gabriel the power of God, behind me Raphael the healing Angel of God, before me Uriel the light of God, and above my head Shekinat El, the presence of God, (or any name of your God), please remove the curse from me, please fill me with your Holy White Light, your Holy Spirit, and cast Satan out of me and off of me and away from me, I love you God.&rdquo; Keep repeating this and also think &ldquo;Satan, Demons, I rebuke you, I renounce you, I command you in the name of God come out of me, get off of me, get away from me!&rdquo; Also think, &ldquo;Blessed be the glory of God from His Heavenly abode&rdquo;, &ldquo;Hear O Israel the Lord our God the Lord is One&rdquo; and the Lord&rsquo;s Prayer. Pray to each angel individually and to God and ask for the help of every angel in the universe. Do this as often as you like. This is how we cure and eliminate the root of the problems from which we all suffer.]]></description>
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	<title>The power of music-Music therapy for stress</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress-Management/The-power-of-music-Music-therapy-for-stress.html</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Aug 2006 17:18:40 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Stress Management</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress-Management/The-power-of-music-Music-therapy-for-stress.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[Although Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart may have passed away mysteriously his legacy still lives on in his music and the buzzword &ldquo;Mozart Effect&rdquo; referring to an increase in brain development when listening to Mozart&rsquo;s music. 
It has always been known that sound environment has a good outcome on the feeling of well being on people on various age groups. Unfortunately very little scientific work has been carried out to investigate behaviour changes in relative to use of music. However in recent years there has been growing interest in the therapeutic use of music for stress relief. Several properly conducted scientific experiments have concluded that good music can affect the neurochemical transmissions leading to positive outcome on the brain at all periods. Currently one experiment is being conducted to figure out if classical music such as of Mozart can affect stress levels, heart rate, motor activity, mood and vital signs in premature babies. This will be done by using a monitoring device and video camera to indicate the reactions of the infants to effect of music. Interestingly premature newborns that are being exposed to music have reduced symptoms of stress and gain weight faster. Another study showed that when music is being played in the background it can relieve stress in a hospital setting; as music reduces anxiety and stress in patients undergoing surgery. Amazingly Mozart's K448 sonata has been found to decrease epileptic attacks in humans and rats listening to it are able to go through a maze faster than those that were left in silence. Concomitantly, playing classical music to children initiates positive physiological effects, low heart rate, low breathing rate, and lower levels of the cortisol, the stress hormone. In sports psychology, music has been used to aid runners and baseball players during their warm-ups, to enhance performance by increasing focus and reducing stress. Most probably all classical music in general could trigger the Mozart Effect.
Good soothing music has no side-effects and is highly good for people leading to reduced anxiety and stress levels. It also induces increased memory, reduces emotional stress, depression, anxiety, agitation and promotes good immune system, decreases cortisol levels and increase well-being. Above all it can be applied everyday and is virtually free. Health professionals can teach patients about the power of music so that it can lead to decrease in negative mood, stress and depression, and promote feelings of well being and relaxation. It is important we develop and investigate the power of such non traditional and non-pharmacological therapeutic modalities taking into consideration its ease and practicality in daily practice. ]]></description>
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	<title>Stress Relief</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress/Stress-Relief.html</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 26 Jul 2006 13:35:50 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Stress</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress/Stress-Relief.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[Stress Relief - Identifying Stress
&nbsp;
Stress relief basic tips. In order to fight stress and decrease stress level in your life you must first identify it and make sure you know your plan to overcome stress, including short terms targets and long term goals.
&nbsp;
The &ldquo;fight or flight&rdquo; theory &ndash; when faced with increasing stress, a person has two ways to confront the problem, the first is to distance himself from the situation, thus solving the immediate need for stress relief (but not necessarily solving the problem, since people need to return to some places) the second is dealing with the problems, solving or eliminating them and simply fighting the stress away. These are the two options you have when dealing with increasing stress, in many cases it is recommended to stay and fight, and in others you can simply cut yourself away from the stressful situation.
&nbsp;
One example is a failing marriage, day after day of fights and arguments, insults and acquisitions, inevitably creates an ongoing stressful life, while most people will feel the need to &ldquo;flight&rdquo; from the situation right away most choose to stay and fight, only after all attempts to solve the problems and reach a better relationship fail they will choose to end the marriage. On some cases, however, people forget that they have the option of distancing themselves from the situation, and are determined to solve a potentially unsolvable problem, sometimes leading to years and years of constant stress and inability to advance.
&nbsp;
Try and be as honest as you can with yourself while reading this next few lines, almost everyone suffers from stress at some points in their lives, and you are no exception, it is only when this symptoms are continues and prolonged that you should start to move into solving them.
&nbsp;
Stress has real, clear physical symptoms, some people think that a mental, mind problem will express itself exclusively in the mind, it is not so. There are many &ldquo;real&rdquo; physical symptoms that accompany increased stress, if you think about it for a minute, you will understand that it is very easy to spot a stress person when you see one.
&nbsp;
Stress may cause sleep problems, lack of sleep, inability to sleep, or oversleeping are all potential indicators of stress. Back or neck pain and stiffness are also indications of stress, as well as back pain. Headaches have been found to be related to stress, to the point you can hear someone saying that he has a &ldquo;stress headache&rdquo;, try and think of the kind of headaches you get and when you get them, some of them may be related to stress.
&nbsp;
The digestion system also suffers the effects of stress, including heartburn and gas, stomach pain and cramps, constipation and diarrhea. Hair loss has also been found to be related to increased stress. Skin problems may also indicate stress, in some cases causing them and in others making them worst, disease like psoriasis and eczema tend to significantly turn bad under stress.
&nbsp;
Everyone reacts differently to stress, some people get into a semi depressive mood and stop eating and loss weight, others get into a bulimic state and eat their stress away thus gaining weight. Stress is also a main reason for chronic fatigue.
&nbsp;
As a main reason for heart disease and heart attacks, stress has a strong connection with all of the expressions of heart pain, high blood pressure, palpitations (heart beats fast) or irregular heart beat, pain in the chest, pressure on the chest, inability to breath, sweaty palms, cold or hot waves.
&nbsp;
On the emotional side, stress has even clearer symptoms. It is surprising to find out that a lot of people ignore these emotional warning signals, or get used to them without questioning the reasons behind them. If you feel that you are experiencing a few of these symptoms, you might suffer increasing stress. On the other hand a lot of these emotional symptoms are stress related and sometime not directly linked to stress.
&nbsp;
It is not difficult to identify signs of emotional stress, an increased sense of nervousness or anxiety, symptoms of depression (moods swings, anti social feelings), an &ldquo;edgy&rdquo; feeling, anger and frustration, lack of concentration and memory problems and a tendency to over react to situations.
&nbsp;
All these things listed about are symptoms of stress, there may be more symptoms, but we think we got most of them, now the question is what to do if you feel that while going over this list you have a lot of stress symptoms&hellip; the answer is first try and identify the source of your stress in your efforts for stress relief.
&nbsp;
Stress Relief Advice
&nbsp;
Stress is a killer, it is a known fact that stress is one of the reasons for heart attacks and many other lethal stress related disease. The bad thing about stress is that it will not only ultimately kill you, it is killing you while its doing it.
&nbsp;
Stress makes a person narrow his perspective, feel lost, lose proportion and the sense of the real things in life, some people get into a chain reaction in which stress is just the cause of more stress, eventually leading these people to seek mental health help.
&nbsp;
I am assuming that you are a normal (what is normal, right?) person, that does not currently have or had any kind of mental disease, that you are reading this article for one simple reason, you start to feel that stress is overcoming you, that something has changed as a result of increased stress, and you want out. You want your life back, you sense of control and to shake this feeling of urgency around each and every issue in you life.
&nbsp;
How can I understand what you are going through? Went through? The answer is simple, I went through a severe mental breakdown as a result of continues stress. It took months for me to go down, and months for me to get back up, but once I got up (about 15 years ago) I have been studying and learning everything I can about stress, including talking to people like you. Identifying stress is the first step to fighting it, and reducing it.
&nbsp;
When I first realized that my life seemed to have no breaks, no pause and that daily activities simply followed each other as if magically linked one to the other, driving to work connected to work, driving back home connected with the tasks I had at home (that connected with the tasks for work I left for home). There was no real joy, no fun and most importantly&hellip; no life.
&nbsp;
No one needs to be an expert on mental health to know that he is experiencing stress, when it hits its very clear. The biggest problem is that we humans get used to it, and we learn to live with it, baring it on our heads, our shoulders, our hearts. While stress gets rooted into our bodies we become bitter, angry, impatient and generally not pleasant to be with or around. Not a big surprise ha?, of course, you can probably remember a time you knew someone that was so stress it made you feel stress, you also probably avoided seeing this person&hellip;
&nbsp;
Assuming stress just showed up at your door a few weeks or months ago, what can you do to try and do battle with it? Is it at all possible to beat stress, and to return to a normal life, with normal stress levels that go up and down &ndash; normally (in contrast to continuously).
&nbsp;
YOU CAN. That&rsquo;s the first thing I got to say. Almost anyone can, and there is no reason you cant. What am I talking about? Beating stress. Getting your life back, enjoying and living, every single moment of every single day.
&nbsp;
Here are a few things that helped me a lot, I know some of them sound old fashioned or simply old, but they worked for me, and they might just work for you.
&nbsp;
Take a hobby, start something you always wanted, it can be working in the garden (amazing) or learning how to ski dive (even more amazing), working out is good, running or swimming, in fact almost any kind of regular physical activity is good. I highly recommend golf, its ability to drive your attention from everything else and make you focus on a small white ball for a few hours, with spending a (relatively) long time out doors, is great. If you carry your golf bag and walk the course (walk not slowly wander around) you will also get into shape.
&nbsp;
Physical exercise &ndash; once a day, for 20 to 45 min, do something, in the house out of the house, doesn&rsquo;t matter, just do something. Yoga is great, because almost everyone can practice it, and eventually you will perform the positions in synchronization with your breathing, which is almost the best way to relax and regulate your breath.
&nbsp;
Relax &ndash; take a break. Do I need to explain? Just take a break, if it&rsquo;s a short break you can use it to relax, close your eyes and imagine a nice place you can spend a few imaginary moments at, if you are not good at imagining things, try and meditate for a few minutes, clear your mind of thought and try to get your subconscious to shut up.
&nbsp;
Deal with problems and break them into smaller pieces &ndash; just like cleaning a big room, break your problems into smaller problems and decide which ones you do not want to deal with right now and which are the ones you are going to solve, do not leave the other problems for an unknown date to be solved &ndash; commit yourself to a time and day you will address these other issues.
&nbsp;
I wish you all the best, and good luck in beating stress and starting gaining control over your life. When you get into these stressful moods again, try and think of how an nervous, stressed person looks like, and what is his chances of solving his problems, take a long breath, and plan your victory.
&nbsp;
Yoga For Stress Relief
&nbsp;
Yoga is a science. That is something to grasp. Yoga is a science, and not a vague, dreamy drifting or imagining. While it is true the west has been familiar with the practice of yoga for a relatively short time, yoga is not a new discipline , and it has been studied and practiced in many countries during the last century. Yoga is an applied science, a systematized collection of laws applied to bring about a definite end.
&nbsp;
It takes up the laws of psychology, applicable to the unfolding of the whole consciousness of man on every plane, in every world, and applies those rationally in a particular case. This rational application of the laws of unfolding consciousness acts exactly on the same principles that you see applied around you every day in other departments of science. Yoga uses many of the techniques that are used in more modern and lately developed psychological or even medial physical exercise disciplines.
&nbsp;
As one ages he learns that by looking at the world around you, how enormously the intelligence of man, co-operating with nature, may quicken &quot;natural&quot; processes, and the working of intelligence is as &quot;natural&quot; as anything else. The yoga way not only combines this feeling of &ldquo;cosmos&rdquo; but also works beneath the surface to strengthen the unity of man with the universe. We make this distinction, and practically it is a real one, between &quot;rational&quot; and &quot;natural&quot; growth, because human intelligence can guide the working of natural laws; and when we come to deal with Yoga, we are in the same department of applied science as, let us say, is the scientific farmer or gardener, when he applies the natural laws of selection to breeding. The farmer or gardener cannot transcend the laws of nature, nor can he work against them. He has no other laws of nature to work with save universal laws by which nature is evolving forms around us, and yet he does in a few years what nature takes, perhaps, hundreds of thousands of years to do.
&nbsp;
This can b done by applying human intelligence to choose the laws that serve him and to neutralize the laws that have a negative effect on the goal of the farmer. The farmer brings the divine intelligence in man to utilize the divine powers in nature that are working for general rather than for particular ends.
&nbsp;
Yoga is something that can make a real change in peoples lives, we have seen this many times, from the physical practice of yoga to the philosophical implications, through the knowledge of the science of yoga, all that is yoga combines into a bigger, complete discipline that is beneficial for humanity. For some calling yoga is a way to allow this to pass as a acceptable means of physical development, for others it seems like it contradicts the very spiritual nature of yoga, the different faces of yoga, as its different uses sometime creates the illusion of one single use.]]></description>
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	<title>Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Rape, and Sexual Abuse</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Posttraumatic-Stress-Disorder/Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder--Rape--and-Sexual-Abuse.html</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 26 Jul 2006 13:26:27 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Posttraumatic Stress Disorder</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Posttraumatic-Stress-Disorder/Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder--Rape--and-Sexual-Abuse.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[The estimated risk for rape survivors developing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is 49%. The risk for those beaten or experiencing physical assault is 31.9%, whilst the risk for others who experienced sexual assault is 23.7%. Given these figures, it is no wonder women are more likely to develop PTSD than men, as they are statistically significantly more likely to experience sexual assault.
Post traumatic stress disorder is characterized by intense fear, a sense of helplessness, or horror. It can affect all areas of a person's life, their emotions, mental wellbeing, and physical health. And symptoms are generally worse in situations, like rape and abuse, where the trauma was deliberately initiated against those involved.
A person with post traumatic stress disorder may re-live the traumatic events, having flashbacks or other reminders and images that intrude on their waking hours, or in dreams and nightmares. These reminders may also trigger physical symptoms, such as heart palpitations or chills. Or emotional problems, like anxiety, depression, and dread.
People with post traumatic stress disorder may avoid any reminders of the trauma, whether that is people associated with the experience, or places, or even thoughts of the trauma. They can distance themselves from family and friends, and withdraw from everyday activities and things they used to enjoy.
Relationship problems are common for survivors of rape and sexual abuse. Some survivors avoid intimacy, others avoid sex, and some avoid both, and create patterns in their lives where those coping mechanisms are maintained. But sufferers of PTSD who did not experience any sexual abuse can also have problems in their relationships, or in social situations.
Another characteristic of post traumatic stress disorder is being on guard all the time, and suddenly feeling anger or irritability. There can be problems with sleeping and concentrating, and sufferers may be startled easily. Self destructive behaviours, such as gambling, risky sex, drug use, alcohol abuse, or other problems like dangerous driving, may be present. Depression, disassociation, or other mental health problems can develop.
Not all of these characteristics may be present in PTSD, and the degree to which one experiences them may vary also. And PTSD may not develop until months or years after the trauma. Particularly in relation to abuse in childhood, symptoms of PTSD can pass, then reappear later in life. This can make it difficult to recognize when PTSD is occurring, as survivors may not associate their current feeling and behaviours with pas events.
Each time symptoms appear, however, they provide an opportunity for healing. Post traumatic stress disorder can be treated, using a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
Whilst medications were not thought to help in the treatment of PTSD in the past, they have been found to be beneficial now, probably due to newer ones being available. The SSRI's (selective serotonin uptake inhibitors) zoloft and paxil are both approved by the FDA for treating PTSD. And newer antidepressants like effexor and serzone are also beneficial, and tend to be used when the patient does not tolerate paxil and zoloft, or those medications aren't effective.
There are 3 types of psychotherapy that can be used to treat PTSD. These are exposure management, cognitive therapy, and anxiety management. A combination of all 3 may be used, or one individually. Each person is different in what they will respond to.
In exposure therapy, patients confront, in a safe therapeutic environment, the situations, people, and memories associated with the trauma. People with PTSD usually avoid this very thing, but by working through the trauma in this way, exposure therapy is actually very effective at healing PTSD.
Cognitive therapy helps in the process of understanding how our thoughts affect our feelings, and provides ways of shifting negative thinking. Negative thinking can perpetuate a mental prison where joy and interconnectedness is no longer felt. Changing those dynamics can provide a new framework with which to process the trauma, and allow healing to occur.
In anxiety management, skills are learnt that help one cope better with the symptoms and triggers of post traumatic stress disorder. They can help reduce the intensity of the symptoms, though they need to be practised to be effective. Anxiety management techniques can be very helpful in controlling anxiety whilst doing exposure therapy. Some techniques used include relaxation, breathing techniques, assertiveness training, and positive thinking and self talk.
References:
1. ptsdalliance.org/about_what.html
2. ptsd.factsforhealth.org/whatmeds.html
3. nimh.nih.gov/publicat/anxiety.cfm]]></description>
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<item>
	<title>Signs Of Depression</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Depression-Series/Signs-Of-Depression.html</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 26 Jul 2006 13:17:19 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Depression Series</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Depression-Series/Signs-Of-Depression.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[When it comes to treating depression, the best course of action is a treatment program that is initiated before a depressive illness becomes too severe. Therefore, it is important for a person to understand and appreciate the telltale signs of depression.

When a discussion turns to the signs of depression, many people slough off the talk, concluding that they do not have to worry about the signs of depression let alone the disease of depression. In point of fact, a majority of people will experience at least one major depressive episode at least once in their lifetimes. Therefore, it is important for everyone to understand at least on a basic level the signs of depression.
One of the major signs of depression is a sudden lack of energy. A depressed person will find his or her self feeling lethargic nearly all of the time. Coupled with the feeling of lethargy as one of the signs of depression, a person afflicted with depression will find his or her sleeping habits distorted.
As signs of depression go, the distortion of sleeping habits of a person who is depressed can take to divergent forms. On the one hand, a person may find his or her self sleeping far more than had historically been normal in his or her life. On the other hand, a person afflicted with depression may find his or her self having a hard time to sleep. (Lack of sleep can further aggravate a depressive illness. While sleeping more than normal can impact a person&rsquo;s life on a number of levels, it will not necessarily directly aggravate a depressive disease. However, as has been mentioned, being unable to sleep in a sound and appropriate manner will accelerate the symptoms of a depressive illness significantly.)
Another of the signs of depression is a change in appetite. As with sleep patterns, the signs of depression associated with appetite can take two very divergent forms. On the one hand, there are people who are suffering from depression who reduce their intake of food markedly. At the other end of the spectrum, one of the signs of depression can be overeating, particularly when a person is not actually hungry.
&nbsp;One of the signs of depression is a growing lack of attention to personal hygiene and grooming. A person who is depressed loses interest in his or her personal presentation. In addition, these people sometimes feel that they simply lack the energy to work their way through their typical hygienic and grooming routines.
The signs of depression also include a person losing interest in activities and pastimes that he or she once enjoyed. One of the signs of depression related to loss of interested in pastimes and activities is isolation. A depressed person oftentimes will isolate his or her self from friends and family members for extended periods of time.
One of the signs of depression includes disorganization. A person who is depressed may seem scattered and absentminded. That person may also become less than diligent in the management of his or her finances.]]></description>
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<item>
	<title>The Fallout From Mental Health Stigma</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Mental-Health/The-Fallout-From-Mental-Health-Stigma.html</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:43:37 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Mental Health</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Mental-Health/The-Fallout-From-Mental-Health-Stigma.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[What is Stigma?
Stigma is the use of stereotypes and labels when describing someone, and it is often attached to people who suffer from mental health issues. We don't fully understand how the brain works yet, but one thing we DO know is that it is an organ. Yet our society doesn't readily accept brain disorders the way we accept other organ disorders. Why is this so?
Stigma is a harsh reality for people who have mental health problems, because it prevents them from enjoying a normal and productive life. So many people today feel uncomfortable about mental health issues, despite the fact that there is growing evidence that more and more people are developing these problems. In fact, many people are so uncomfortable with the stigma that they would rather suffer in silence than get help they need.
Here are a few of the most common misconceptions about mental health problems:
Mentally ill people have a weak character
Mentally ill people are potentially dangerous.
People with mental illness should just &quot;snap out of it&quot;
Mentally ill people are violent
The media has only further fuelled our distorted beliefs about mental health issues. Frequently, characters on television and in the movies that have a mental illness are depicted as dangerous, unpredictable and violent.
What Are the Effects of Stigma?
If you became ill you would go to a doctor. Once you got better, you would expect to get on with life as usual. 
But it's not that easy for people who suffer from mental illness. Often, they can suffer from persistent rejections and exclusions by ill-informed members of the community.&nbsp; Some people have been denied loans, health insurance and jobs because of their history of mental health issues. Consequently, these people lose their self confidence and may develop further anxiety or depression, on top of the issues they are already facing.
I witnessed this first hand many years ago, when my brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The majority of his friends deserted him; they weren't able to comprehend or cope with his altered personality and erratic behaviour. Within months he went from being a popular, vivacious and outgoing young man to a shattered, isolated loner. Over the following months, I watched my brother sink deeper into debilitating depression, which ultimately became so unbearable that he took his own life.
What Can We Do?
All of us have times when we feel depressed, anxious or angry. We might even have a series of bad days, where we think that nothing will ever go right for us and the world is against us. For a mentally ill person, these feelings do not go away.So the answer lies in education and understanding. If you know someone who seems very emotional, down or upset, then lead by example; show compassion and understanding, and encourage them to seek help. And if you're suffering silently yourself, take comfort in the fact that you're not alone and that there is hope.]]></description>
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<item>
	<title>St Johns Wort and Depression</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Depression-Series/St-Johns-Wort-and-Depression.html</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jul 2006 21:34:03 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Depression Series</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Depression-Series/St-Johns-Wort-and-Depression.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[The bright yellow flower of the St Johns Wort (hypericum perforatum) with it's ray-like petals, represents the power of the sun that forces away the darkness. This already points to the anti-depressant effects of the St Johns Wort which are highly respected, even in conventional medicine.
St. John's Wort, a perennial plant, has been used for hundreds of years to treat depression, unrest and anxiety disorders as well as nerve pain. For a long time, doctors and herbalists alike have known about its use as a sedative, but also as treatment for wounds, burns, insect bites, stomach ulcers and more. It is still used widely today and it's effectiveness has been proven to a point where some insurance companies are now covering the treatment.
It is not a powerful drug -- when used to treat depression -- in the sense of bringing a quick recovery, but shows excellent long term results in many patients. The herb assists body and soul in the healing process and helps to build a solid foundation for a complete recovery.
St John's Wort was tested in a double-blind study of 105 male and female patients in the 20 to 64 year age group, suffering from mild to moderate depression. They were divided into two groups and monitored over a period of four weeks. One group were given 300mg of St Johns Wort extract three times daily, and the other received a placebo. All of the patients had psychiatric evaluations before the start of the study and after four weeks of treatment. The results revealed that, 67% of the St Johns Wort group had responded positively to the treatment without any adverse side effects whereas only 28% of the placebo group showed any signs of improvement.
St Johns Wort is available as tea (flowers and leaves), liquid extracts and pills or capsules. It is normally taken thrice daily and it will take one week or more to notice any improvement in the condition. Treatment can be continued for long periods of time as the herb does not normally produce any side effects. But St Johns Wort can interact strongly with other medication e.g. cancer and HIV drugs, contraceptive pills and others. So it is vitally important to consult a medical specialist first before starting a course of treatment.
One effect of St Johns Wort is, that it makes the skin more sensitive to light. It is therefore important to keep out of the sun as much as possible while using the herb.
There is growing evidence to suggest that St. Johns Wort is a safe and effective, natural remedy for the treatment of mild to medium depression.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is presented for information purposes only. The material is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. It cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mireille_Gautschi]]></description>
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	<title>Anti Depressant Pills And Anxiety And Panic Attacks</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Depression-Series/Anti-Depressant-Pills-And-Anxiety-And-Panic-Attacks.html</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jul 2006 21:30:44 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Depression Series</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Depression-Series/Anti-Depressant-Pills-And-Anxiety-And-Panic-Attacks.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[In today's fast-paced world, do most of the people find 24 hours a day enough to accomplish the tasks that they wanted to? More often than not, they may find that they do not have enough time. This lack of time, load and pressure of work creates anxiety and produces panic situations. The result is mind full of tensions and worries. All these factors combined cause loss of sleep, loss of health and other kinds of mental and physical illnesses.
All these things combined drive a person to the use of anti-depressants and other medications. Anti-depressants have been quite popular in treating stress related diseases in the past and to an extent even now. Taking pills is a commonly observed scene across the world now. Nevertheless, is it the correct way out? Is there any other alternative to it?
Millions of people across the globe have been taking ant-depressants for years and are if not completely then at least partially satisfied. However, anti-depressants take at least a few weeks to act on our body and a significant number of people taking these drugs are not very satisfied.
The biggest problem with the general physicians is that they have very little training in the field of anxiety and panic situations treatments. Thus, it does not become difficult only for the patient but also the doctor to prescribe drugs under such circumstances.
The point here is that it is not difficult to deal with cases of high cholesterol or blood pressure or high blood sugar etc. the doctor can prescribe any particular treatment for any of these diseases because there are established standards. You can take a few pills and it will come under control. However, unlike all these depression and anxiety is a very complicated illness. It cannot be analysed in a matter of a few hours and tests. The treatment for such illnesses can go on for up to a few months or years and even the medication goes on for an equally long time. Treatment could be very clearly inferred from here, since the results for this kind of illness are not instantaneous.
The important thing in dealing with such cases is the knowledge of the physician. The physician dealing with such kinds of cases must be well informed of the past and all the other related events in connection with the patient. He must also be well informed of the past illnesses and medication prescribed. It is the responsibility of the doctor that he must not make the patient entirely dependant on drugs. He should also encourage the patient to undergo psychotherapy as the main course of recovery and drugs should be used as a secondary curing agent.
Latest trends have proven that when psychotherapy and drugs are used together, they have a far more beneficial result than with pills alone. In addition, in most of the cases of mild attack only psychotherapy should be prescribed. This would also help in keeping the patient away from otherwise almost addictive anti-anxiety, anti-panic drugs.
Panic and anxiety lead to depression at a later stage and are the most common causes of suicides. Most of the teenage suicide cases have been largely due to the factors. As such, we do not see suicides as an innate part of depression but it is the end result in many a cases.
Conclusion
But at the end of the day it is up to you to decide whether you want to take these anti-depressant and anti-anxiety pills or not, but you must weigh the pros and cons of these medicines before taking any further steps. You must consult not just your doctor but also your parents, your friends, your spouse before making a final decision. Above all, you must be totally convinced of your state before going in for any kind of therapy.
&nbsp;Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joshua_Poon]]></description>
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	<title>Common Symptoms of Clinical Depression</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Depression-Series/Common-Symptoms-of-Clinical-Depression.html</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jul 2006 21:18:33 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Depression Series</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Depression-Series/Common-Symptoms-of-Clinical-Depression.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[Clinical Depression is a catch all phrase for any number of depressive disorders. The symptoms of clinical depression affect everyone who suffers from it in different ways. Depression affects people across all age ranges, genders, ethnicities, cultures and religions. According to the American Psychiatric Association over 17 million men and women in the U.S. suffer from some form of clinical depression every year.  Clinical depression is very different then the normal &ldquo;blue&rdquo; moods most people go through during their lives. Most people react to major let downs and traumatic experiences in their lives such as breakups of relationships or deaths of family or friends the same way. They have a period of mourning or just feeling in the dumps but after a few days to a week they start to return to their normal selves.  Clinical depression sufferers do not snap out of their depressed moods. They can spend weeks, months and even years trapped in their malaise. It is the length of the feelings and symptoms that will confirm a diagnosis of clinical depression but many people who suffer from this illness do not seek the help they need. They may not even realize that they are indeed suffering from a form of depression because their current condition has slowly manifested itself over a long period of time.  The common symptoms of clinical depression can be broken up into three categories. Any combination of these symptoms that last for more than a two week period of time signifies that someone is suffering with depression.  1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Physical Symptoms:  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sleep problems &ndash; either insomnia or oversleeping and not having normal sleep patterns.  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lack of energy and chronic fatigue  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Appetite changes leading to weight gain or loss.  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Headaches, digestive problems, back pain and other physical symptoms for which there is no medical illness.  2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Behavioral Symptoms:  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Loosing interest in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyable. Withdrawing from social functions and obligations.  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Memory loss, inability to concentrate and make good decisions.  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lack of concern over personal appearance, responsibilities and work.  3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Emotional Symptoms:  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness and guilt.  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Continual feelings of sadness or not feeling whole.  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Constant crying and weeping.  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Irritable feelings including anxiousness and agitation.  &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feeling like suicide or death is an alternative to living.  If any combination of these symptoms last for more than two weeks then a diagnosis of clinical depression will in most cases be made. Only by seeking out and receiving the proper treatment, either through medication, therapy, or a combination of the two, will the sufferer of clinical depression be able to start the road to recovery.  Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Bicknell]]></description>
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	<title>Stress and the Developing Brain</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Women-and-Stress/Stress-and-the-Developing-Brain.html</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 18 Jun 2006 04:52:10 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Women and Stress</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Women-and-Stress/Stress-and-the-Developing-Brain.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[It is well known that the early months and years of life are critical for brain development. But the question remains: just how do early influences act on the brain to promote or challenge the developmental process? Research has suggested that many both positive and negative experiences, chronic stressors, and various other environmental factors may affect a young child's developing brain. And now, studies involving animals are revealing in greater detail how this may occur.

One important line of research has focused on brain systems that control stress hormones&mdash;cortisol, for example.1,2 Cortisol and other stress hormones play an important role in emergencies: they help our bodies make energy available to enable effective responses, temporarily suppress the immune response, and sharpen attention. However, a number of studies conducted in people with depression indicate that excess cortisol released over a long time span may have many negative consequences for health.3,4,5 Excess cortisol may cause shrinking of the hippocampus, a brain structure required for the formation of certain types of memory.
In experiments with animals, scientists have shown that a well-defined period of early postnatal development may be an important determinant of the capacity to handle stress throughout life.2 In one set of studies, rat pups were removed each day from their mothers for a period as brief as 15 minutes and then returned. The natural maternal response of intensively licking and grooming the returned pup was shown to alter the brain chemistry of the pup in a positive way, making the animal less reactive to stressful stimuli. While these pups are able to mount an appropriate stress response in the face of threat, their response does not become excessive or inappropriate. Rat mothers who spontaneously lick and groom their pups with the same intensity even without human handling of the pups also produce pups that have a similarly stable reaction, including an appropriate stress hormone response.6
Striking differences were seen in rat pups removed from their mothers for periods of 3 hours a day, a model of neglect compared to pups that were not separated. After 3 hours, the mother rats tended to ignore the pups, at least initially, upon their return. In sharp contrast to those pups that were greeted attentively by their mothers after a short absence, the &quot;neglected&quot; pups were shown to have a more profound and excessive stress response in subsequent tests. This response appeared to last into adulthood.7,8
The implications of these animal studies are worrisome. However, research is in progress to determine the extent to which the hypersensitive or dysregulated stress response of &quot;neglected&quot; rat pups can be reversed if, for example, foster mothers are provided who will groom the pups more intensely, or if the animals are raised in an &quot;enriched&quot; environment following their separation. An enriched setting may include, for example, a diverse and varied diet, a running wheel, mazes, and changes of toys.
Animal investigators are well aware of another kind of long-term change, again rooted in the first days of life. Laboratory rats are often raised in shoebox cages with few sources of stimulation. Scientists have compared these animals to rats raised in an enriched environment and found that the &quot;privileged&quot; rats consistently have a thicker cerebral cortex and denser networks of nerve cells than the &quot;deprived&quot; rats.9,10
Another study recently reported that infant monkeys raised by mothers who experienced unpredictable conditions in obtaining food showed markedly high levels of cortiocotropin releasing factor (CRF) in their cerebrospinal fluid and, as adults, abnormally low levels of cerebrospinal fluid cortisol.11 This is a pattern often seen in humans with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.5 The distressed monkey mothers, uncertain about finding food, behaved inconsistently and sometimes neglectfully toward their offspring. The affected young monkeys were abnormally anxious when confronted with separations or new environments. They were also less social and more subordinate as adult animals.
It is far too early to draw firm conclusions from these animal studies about the extent to which early life experience produces a long-lived or permanent set point for stress responses, or influences the development of the cerebral cortex in humans. However, animal models that show the interactive effect of stress and brain development deserve serious consideration and continued study.
References
1McEwen BS. Allostasis and allostatic load: implications for neuropsychopharmacology. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2000; 22(2): 108-24.
2Liu D, Diorio J, Tannenbaum B, Caldji C, Francis D, Freedman A, Sharma S, Pearson D, Plotsky PM, Meaney MJ. Maternal care, hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal responses to stress. Science, 1997; 277(5332): 1659-62.
3Sheline YI, Sanghavi M, Mintun MA, Gado MH. Depression duration but not age predicts hippocampal volume loss in medically healthy women with recurrent major depression. Journal of Neuroscience, 1999; 19(12): 5034-43.
4Brown ES, Rush AJ, McEwen BS. Hippocampal remodeling and damage by corticosteroids: implications for mood disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology, 1999; 21(4): 474-84.
5Heim C, Newport DJ, Heit S, Graham YP, Wilcox M, Bonsall R, Miller AH, Nemeroff CB. Pituitary-adrenal and autonomic responses to stress in women after sexual and physical abuse in childhood. Journal of the American Medical Association, 2000; 284(5): 592-7.
6Francis D, Diorio J, Liu D, Meaney MJ. Nongenomic transmission across generations of maternal behavior and stress responses in the rat. Science, 1999; 286(5442): 1155-8.
7Plotsky PM, Meaney MJ. Early, postnatal experience alters hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) mRNA, median eminence CRF content and stress-induced release in adult rats. Brain Research. Molecular Brain Research, 1993; 18(3): 195-200.
8Ladd CO, Huot RL, Thrivikraman KV, Nemeroff CB, Meaney MJ, Plotsky PM. Long-term behavioral and neuroendocrine adaptations to adverse early experience. Progress in Brain Research, 2000; 122: 81-103.
9Jones TA, Klintsova AY, Kilman VL, Sirevaag AM, Greenough WT. Induction of multiple synapses by experience in the visual cortex of adult rats. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 1997; 68(1): 13-20. 
10Green EJ, Greenough WT, Schlumpf BE. Effects of complex or isolated environments on cortical dendrites of middle-aged rats. Brain Research, 1983; 264(2): 233-40.
11Coplan JD, Andrews MW, Rosenblum LA, Owens MJ, Friedman S, Gorman JM, Nemeroff CB. Persistent elevations of cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of corticotropin-releasing factor in adult nonhuman primates exposed to early-life stressors: implications for the pathophysiology of mood and anxiety disorders. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences  USA, 1996; 93(4): 1619-23.
]]></description>
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	<title>Body and Mind-Sex and Stress</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Women-and-Stress/Body-and-Mind-Sex-and-Stress.html</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jun 2006 11:34:24 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Women and Stress</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Women-and-Stress/Body-and-Mind-Sex-and-Stress.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[
Have you ever wondered that the role of testosterone in enhancing libido and enhancing erections in men cannot be its only role? There are many other roles and biological effects of testosterone other than its known presence in bodily fluids. It has been blamed for excess hair loss (medical name-Androgenetic alopecia) although the molecular steps of hair loss in men and women are not fully understood. 
&nbsp;
This hormone is secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females, although men produce more of it. Various kinds of mental behavior are not only subject to influence by environment and genetics but also day-to-day hormonal changes. For example, stress can also inhibit testosterone synthesis and hence lead to decreased levels of it secretion. Levels of sex hormones and the system of stress also affect women in the longer periods such as in menstrual period, pregnancy, and menopause and during the use of oral contraceptives. In depressed women, body levels of estrogen are lower and levels of androgens increased, while the testosterone levels are reduced in depressed men. 
&nbsp;
Some goods news has recently emerged. Recent studies have shown that to keep stress at bay you should frequently engage in penetrative penal-vaginal sex. Unfortunately many people from all walks of life find that under stress, they do not have the desire to have sex and even creates undesirable side effects such as sexual dysfunction.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;
A brilliant study (Biological Psychology, volume 71, page 214) showed that sex but more preferably intercourse is much more effective in combating stress then other sexual activity such as masturbation. As intercourse is more linked with less blood pressure and less stress this cause&rsquo;s better psychological and physiological function. Also orgasms for women during penile-vaginal intercourse are better for physiological behavior but not so much for orgasm during other sexual activities. As some of us are nervous about speaking in public or stage fright as it&rsquo;s commonly called, they are being recommended to have sex (not on the stage of course) for the stress calming effect.
&nbsp;
It is thought that when a couple makes love the neurotransmitter oxytocin released relaxes the body and decreases blood pressure hence also preventing stress. Oxytocin is secreted by the brain and other organs including the ovaries and testes. It is present in higher levels in women than in men. It is believed that oxytocin is significantly decreased during the stress and infusion of the hormone relieves stress in animal models. This suggests a role in regulating some physiological responses to stress.
&nbsp;
In the light of such elegant studies and lack of public stress programmes such as screening by government agencies aimed at improving recognition, treatment, and reducing stress and depression primary; prevention has become necessary. As stress and depression has become a common disorder with serious many unwanted side effects both in men and women, penetrative penal-vaginal sex could be a primary stress prevention strategy. 
&nbsp;]]></description>
</item>
<item>
	<title>Depression and Trauma</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Depression-Series/Depression-and-Trauma.html</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:49:57 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Depression Series</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Depression-Series/Depression-and-Trauma.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[Depression is a common problem in which severe and long lasting feelings of sadness or other problems get in the way of a person's ability to function. In any given year, as many as 18.8 million American adults - 9.5% of the adult population - experience some type of depression. Unlike a blue mood that comes and goes, depression is a persistent problem that affects the way a person eats and sleeps, thinks about things, and feels about him- or herself.
What are the Symptoms of Depression?
&nbsp;The symptoms of depression can vary quite a bit, but most people who experience depression feel down or sad more days than not, or find that things in their life no longer seem enjoyable or interesting. Additionally, people with depression may notice changes in their sleeping, eating, concentration, or feelings about themselves, and may find themselves feeling hopeless. These symptoms typically last for at least 2 weeks without letting up.
What Causes Depression?
Depression has many causes. Difficulty coping with painful experiences or losses contributes to depression. People returning from a war zone often experience painful memories, feelings of guilt, or regret about their war experiences, or have a tough time readjusting back to normal life. Trouble coping with these feelings and experiences can lead to depression. Some types of depression run in families, and depression is often associated with chemical imbalances and other changes in the brain.
How is Depression Treated?
There are many treatment options for depression. An evaluation should be done by a healthcare professional to help determine which type of treatment is best for an individual. Typically, milder forms of depression are treated by psychotherapy, and more severe depression is treated with medications or a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Your doctor can help you determine which treatment is best for you.
&nbsp;Psychotherapy
There are a number of types of psychotherapy (or talk therapy) that are used to treat depression. These treatments may involve just a few sessions, or may last 10-20 weeks or longer. Psychotherapy treatments tend to focus on helping patients learn about their problems and resolve them, through working with a therapist and learning new patterns of behavior to help decrease depression. Two of the main types of psychotherapy for depression are interpersonal therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Interpersonal therapy focuses on the patient&rsquo;s relationships with other people, and how these relationships may cause and maintain depression. Cognitive-behavioral treatments help patients change negative styles of thinking and acting that can lead to depression
Medication
In addition to psychotherapy, there are several types of antidepressant medications used to treat depression. These include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclics, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). The newer medications for treating depression, such as the SSRIs, generally have fewer side effects than older types of medications. A healthcare provider may try more than one type of medication, or may increase the dosage, to find a treatment that works. Improvements in symptoms of depression typically occur after the medication is taken regularly for 3 to 4 weeks, although in some medications it may take as long as 8 weeks for the full effect to occur.
Antidepressant medications are typically safe and effective. They help patients feel less depressed and generally do not make people feel &ldquo;drugged&rdquo; or different during their daily lives. The side effects of depression medications vary depending on the medication, and can include dry mouth, constipation, bladder problems, sexual problems, blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, nausea, nervousness, or insomnia. Because of side effects or because they begin feeling better, patients are often tempted to stop taking their medication too soon. Some medications must be stopped slowly to give your body time to readjust to not having the medication. Never stop taking an antidepressant without consulting your doctor.
What Can I Do about Feelings of Depression?
Depression can make a person feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, hopeless, and sad. These feelings can make you feel as though you are never going to feel better, or that you should just give up. It is important to realize that these negative thoughts and feelings are part of depression, and often fade as treatment begins working. In the meantime, here is a 
list of things to try to improve your mood:
Talk with your doctor or healthcare provider
&nbsp;Talk with family and friends, and let them help you
&nbsp;Participate in activities that make you feel better, or that you used to enjoy before you 
began feeling depressed
&nbsp;Set realistic goals for yourself
&nbsp;Engage in mild exercise
Try to be with others and get support from them
&nbsp;Break up goals and tasks into smaller, more reachable ones]]></description>
</item>
<item>
	<title>Treatment of PTSD</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Posttraumatic-Stress-Disorder/Treatment-of-PTSD.html</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:36:55 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Posttraumatic Stress Disorder</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Posttraumatic-Stress-Disorder/Treatment-of-PTSD.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[Treatment of PTSD
  
A National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet
  
This fact sheet describes elements common to many treatment modalities for PTSD, including education, exposure, exploration of feelings and beliefs, and coping-skills training. Additionally, the most common treatment modalities are discussed, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy, EMDR, group treatment, and psychodynamic treatment. 
  
Common Components of PTSD Treatment
  
Treatment for PTSD typically begins with a detailed evaluation and the development of a treatment plan that meets the unique needs of the survivor. Generally, PTSD-specific treatment is begun only after the survivor has been safely removed from a crisis situation. If a survivor is still being exposed to trauma (such as ongoing domestic or community violence, abuse, or homelessness), is severely depressed or suicidal, is experiencing extreme panic or disorganized thinking, or is in need of drug or alcohol detoxification, it is important to address these crisis problems as a part of the first phase of treatment. 
  

    It is important that the      first phase of treatment include educating trauma survivors and their      families about how persons get PTSD, how PTSD affects survivors and their      loved ones, and other problems that commonly come along with PTSD      symptoms. Understanding that PTSD is a medically recognized anxiety      disorder that occurs in normal individuals under extremely stressful      conditions is essential for effective treatment. 
    Exposure to the event via      imagery allows the survivor to re-experience the event in a safe,      controlled environment, while also carefully examining his or her      reactions and beliefs in relation to that event.
    One aspect of the first      treatment phase is to have the survivor examine and resolve strong feelings      such as anger, shame, or guilt, which are common among survivors of      trauma.
    Another step in the first      phase is to teach the survivor to cope with posttraumatic memories,      reminders, reactions, and feelings without becoming overwhelmed or      emotionally numb. Trauma memories usually do not go away entirely as a      result of therapy but become manageable with the mastery of new coping      skills. 

  
Therapeutic Approaches Commonly Used to Treat PTSD: 
  
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) involves working with cognitions to change emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Exposure therapy is one form of CBT that is unique to trauma treatment.&nbsp; It uses careful, repeated, detailed imagining of the trauma (exposure) in a safe, controlled context to help the survivor face and gain control of the fear and distress that was overwhelming during the trauma. In some cases, trauma memories or reminders can be confronted all at once (&quot;flooding&quot;). For other individuals or traumas, it is preferable to work up to the most severe trauma gradually by using relaxation techniques and by starting with less upsetting life stresses or by taking the trauma one piece at a time (&quot;desensitization&quot;). 
  
Along with exposure, CBT for trauma includes:
  
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; learning skills for coping with anxiety (such as breathing retraining or biofeedback) and negative thoughts (&quot;cognitive restructuring&quot;), 
  
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; managing anger, 
  
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; preparing for stress reactions (&quot;stress inoculation&quot;), 
  
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; handling future trauma symptoms, 
  
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; addressing urges to use alcohol or drugs when trauma symptoms occur (&quot;relapse prevention&quot;), and 
  
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; communicating and relating effectively with people (social skills or marital therapy). 
  
&nbsp;
  
&nbsp;Pharmacotherapy (medication) can reduce the anxiety, depression, and insomnia often experienced with PTSD, and in some cases, it may help relieve the distress and emotional numbness caused by trauma memories. Several kinds of antidepressant drugs have contributed to patient improvement in most (but not all) clinical trials, and some other classes of drugs have shown promise. At this time, no particular drug has emerged as a definitive treatment for PTSD.&nbsp; However, medication is clearly useful for symptom relief, which makes it possible for survivors to participate in psychotherapy. 
  
&nbsp;
  
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a relatively new treatment for traumatic memories that involves elements of exposure therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with techniques (eye movements, hand taps, sounds) that create an alternation of attention back and forth across the person's midline. While the theory and research are still evolving for this form of treatment, there is some evidence that the therapeutic element unique to EMDR, attentional alternation, may facilitate the accessing and processing of traumatic material.
  
&nbsp;
  
Group treatment is often an ideal therapeutic setting because trauma survivors are able to share traumatic material within the safety, cohesion, and empathy provided by other survivors. As group members achieve greater understanding and resolution of their trauma, they often feel more confident and able to trust. As they discuss and share how they cope with trauma-related shame, guilt, rage, fear, doubt, and self-condemnation, they prepare themselves to focus on the present rather than the past. Telling one's story (the &quot;trauma narrative&quot;) and directly facing the grief, anxiety, and guilt related to trauma enables many survivors to cope with their symptoms, memories, and other aspects of their lives. 
  
&nbsp;
  
Brief psychodynamic psychotherapy focuses on the emotional conflicts caused by the traumatic event, particularly as they relate to early life experiences. Through the retelling of the traumatic event to a calm, empathic, compassionate, and nonjudgmental therapist, the survivor achieves a greater sense of self-esteem, develops effective ways of thinking and coping, and learns to deal more successfully with intense emotions. The therapist helps the survivor identify current life situations that set off traumatic memories and worsen PTSD symptoms. 
  
&nbsp;
  
Psychiatric disorders that commonly co-occur with PTSD
  
&nbsp;
  
Psychiatric disorders that commonly co-occur with PTSD include depression, alcohol/substance abuse, panic disorder, and other anxiety disorders. Although crises that threaten the safety of the survivor or others must be addressed first, the best treatment results are achieved when both PTSD and the other disorder(s) are treated together rather than one after the other. This is especially true for PTSD and alcohol/substance abuse. 
  
&nbsp;
  
Complex PTSD 
  
&nbsp;
  
Complex PTSD (sometimes called &quot;Disorder of Extreme Stress&quot;) is found among individuals who have been exposed to prolonged traumatic circumstances, especially during childhood, such as childhood sexual abuse. Developmental research is revealing that many brain and hormonal changes may occur as a result of early, prolonged trauma, and these changes contribute to difficulties with memory, learning, and regulating impulses and emotions. Combined with a disruptive, abusive home environment that does not foster healthy interaction, these brain and hormonal changes may contribute to severe behavioral difficulties (such as impulsivity, aggression, sexual acting out, eating disorders, alcohol/drug abuse, and self-destructive actions), emotional regulation difficulties (such as intense rage, depression, or panic), and mental difficulties (such as extremely scattered thoughts, dissociation, and amnesia). As adults, these individuals often are diagnosed with depressive disorders, personality disorders, or dissociative disorders. Treatment often takes much longer than with regular PTSD, may progress at a much slower rate, and requires a sensitive and structured treatment program delivered by a trauma specialist. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
	<title>What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Posttraumatic-Stress-Disorder/What-is-Posttraumatic-Stress-Disorder.html</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:33:30 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Posttraumatic Stress Disorder</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Posttraumatic-Stress-Disorder/What-is-Posttraumatic-Stress-Disorder.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults like rape. Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. However, some people will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse over time. These individuals may develope PTSD. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person's daily life. 
  
PTSD is marked by clear biological changes as well as psychological symptoms. PTSD is complicated by the fact that it frequently occurs in conjunction with related disorders such as depression, substance abuse, problems of memory and cognition, and other problems of physical and mental health. The disorder is also associated with impairment of the person's ability to function in social or family life, including occupational instability, marital problems and divorces, family discord, and difficulties in parenting. 
  
Understanding PTSD
  
PTSD is not a new disorder. There are written accounts of similar symptoms that go back to ancient times, and there is clear documentation in the historical medical literature starting with the Civil War, when a PTSD-like disorder was known as &quot;Da Costa's Syndrome.&quot; There are particularly good descriptions of posttraumatic stress symptoms in the medical literature on combat veterans of World War II and on Holocaust survivors. 
  
Careful research and documentation of PTSD began in earnest after the Vietnam War. The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study estimated in 1988 that the prevalence of PTSD in that group was 15.2% at that time and that 30% had experienced the disorder at some point since returning from Vietnam. 
  
PTSD has subsequently been observed in all veteran populations that have been studied, including World War II, Korean conflict, and Persian Gulf populations, and in United Nations peacekeeping forces deployed to other war zones around the world. There are remarkably similar findings of PTSD in military veterans in other countries.  For example, Australian Vietnam veterans experience many of the same symptoms that American Vietnam veterans experience.
  
PTSD is not only a problem for veterans, however. Although there are unique cultural- and gender-based aspects of the disorder, it occurs in men and women, adults and children, Western and non-Western cultural groups, and all socioeconomic strata. A national study of American civilians conducted in 1995 estimated that the lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 5% in men and 10% in women. A revision of this study done in 2005, reports that PTSD occurs in about 8% of all Americans. 
  
How does PTSD develop?
  
Most people who are exposed to a traumatic, stressful event experience some of the symptoms of PTSD in the days and weeks following exposure. Available data suggest that about 8% of men and 20% of women go on to develop PTSD, and roughly 30% of these individuals develop a chronic form that persists throughout their lifetimes. 
  
The course of chronic PTSD usually involves periods of symptom increase followed by remission or decrease, although some individuals may experience symptoms that are unremitting and severe. Some older veterans, who report a lifetime of only mild symptoms, experience significant increases in symptoms following retirement, severe medical illness in themselves or their spouses, or reminders of their military service (such as reunions or media broadcasts of the anniversaries of war events).
  
How is PTSD assessed?
  
In recent years, a great deal of research has been aimed at developing and testing reliable assessment tools. It is generally thought that the best way to diagnose PTSD-or any psychiatric disorder, for that matter-is to combine findings from structured interviews and questionnaires with physiological assessments. A multi-method approach especially helps address concerns that some patients might be either denying or exaggerating their symptoms. 
  
How common is PTSD? 
  
An estimated 7.8 percent of Americans will experience PTSD at some point in their lives, with women (10.4%) twice as likely as men (5%) to develop PTSD. About 3.6 percent of U.S. adults aged 18 to 54 (5.2 million people) have PTSD during the course of a given year. This represents a small portion of those who have experienced at least one traumatic event; 60.7% of men and 51.2% of women reported at least one traumatic event. The traumatic events most often associated with PTSD for men are rape, combat exposure, childhood neglect, and childhood physical abuse. The most traumatic events for women are rape, sexual molestation, physical attack, being threatened with a weapon, and childhood physical abuse. 
  
About 30 percent of the men and women who have spent time in war zones experience PTSD. An additional 20 to 25 percent have had partial PTSD at some point in their lives. More than half of all male Vietnam veterans and almost half of all female Vietnam veterans have experienced &quot;clinically serious stress reaction symptoms.&quot; PTSD has also been detected among veterans of the Gulf War, with some estimates running as high as 8 percent.
  
Who is most likely to develop PTSD?
  
 1. Those who experience greater stressor magnitude and intensity, unpredictability, uncontrollability, sexual (as opposed to nonsexual) victimization, real or perceived responsibility, and betrayal
  
 2. Those with prior vulnerability factors such as genetics, early age of onset and longer-lasting childhood trauma, lack of functional social support, and concurrent stressful life events
  
 3. Those who report greater perceived threat or danger, suffering, upset, terror, and horror or fear
  
 4. Those with a social environment that produces shame, guilt, stigmatization, or self-hatred
  
What are the consequences associated with PTSD? 
  
PTSD is associated with a number of distinctive neurobiological and physiological changes. PTSD may be associated with stable neurobiological alterations in both the central and autonomic nervous systems, such as altered brainwave activity, decreased volume of the hippocampus, and abnormal activation of the amygdala. Both the hippocampus and the amygdala are involved in the processing and integration of memory. The amygdala has also been found to be involved in coordinating the body's fear response.
  
Psychophysiological alterations associated with PTSD include hyper-arousal of the sympathetic nervous system, increased sensitivity of the startle reflex, and sleep abnormalities. 
  
People with PTSD tend to have abnormal levels of key hormones involved in the body's response to stress. Thyroid function also seems to be enhanced in people with PTSD. Some studies have shown that cortisol levels in those with PTSD are lower than normal and epinephrine and norepinephrine levels are higher than normal. People with PTSD also continue to produce higher than normal levels of natural opiates after the trauma has passed. An important finding is that the neurohormonal changes seen in PTSD are distinct from, and actually opposite to, those seen in major depression.  The distinctive profile associated with PTSD is also seen in individuals who have both PTSD and depression. 
  
PTSD is associated with the increased likelihood of co-occurring psychiatric disorders. In a large-scale study, 88 percent of men and 79 percent of women with PTSD met criteria for another psychiatric disorder. The co-occurring disorders most prevalent for men with PTSD were alcohol abuse or dependence (51.9 percent), major depressive episodes (47.9 percent), conduct disorders (43.3 percent), and drug abuse and dependence (34.5 percent). The disorders most frequently comorbid with PTSD among women were major depressive disorders (48.5 percent), simple phobias (29 percent), social phobias (28.4 percent), and alcohol abuse/dependence (27.9 percent). 
  
PTSD also significantly impacts psychosocial functioning, independent of comorbid conditions. For instance, Vietnam veterans with PTSD were found to have profound and pervasive problems in their daily lives. These included problems in family and other interpersonal relationships, problems with employment, and involvement with the criminal justice system. 
  
Headaches, gastrointestinal complaints, immune system problems, dizziness, chest pain, and discomfort in other parts of the body are common in people with PTSD. Often, medical doctors treat the symptoms without being aware that they stem from PTSD.
  
How is PTSD treated?
  
PTSD is treated by a variety of forms of psychotherapy (talk therapy) and drug therapy. There is no definitive treatment,  but some treatments appear to be quite promising, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, and exposure therapy.  Exposure therapy involves having the patient repeatedly relive the frightening experience under controlled conditions to help him or her work through the trauma. Studies have also shown that medications help ease associated symptoms of depression and anxiety and help with sleep. The most widely used drug treatments for PTSD are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as Prozac and Zoloft. At present, cognitive-behavioral therapy appears to be somewhat more effective than drug therapy.  However, it would be premature to conclude that drug therapy is less effective overall since drug trials for PTSD are at a very early stage. Drug therapy appears to be highly effective for some individuals and is helpful for many more. In addition, the recent findings on the biological changes associated with PTSD have spurred new research into drugs that target these biological changes, which may lead to much increased efficacy.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
	<title>The Different Kinds of Stress</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress/The-Different-Kinds-of-Stress.html</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jun 2006 11:24:39 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Stress</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress/The-Different-Kinds-of-Stress.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[The Different Kinds of Stress
Stress management can be complicated and confusing because there are different types of stress--acute stress, episodic acute stress, and chronic stress -- each with its own characteristics, symptoms, duration, and treatment approaches. Let's look at each one. 
Acute Stress 
Acute stress is the most common form of stress. It comes from demands and pressures of the recent past and anticipated demands and pressures of the near future. Acute stress is thrilling and exciting in small doses, but too much is exhausting. A fast run down a challenging ski slope, for example, is exhilarating early in the day. That same ski run late in the day is taxing and wearing. Skiing beyond your limits can lead to falls and broken bones. By the same token, overdoing on short-term stress can lead to psychological distress, tension headaches, upset stomach, and other symptoms. 
Fortunately, acute stress symptoms are recognized by most people. It's a laundry list of what has gone awry in their lives: the auto accident that crumpled the car fender, the loss of an important contract, a deadline they're rushing to meet, their child's occasional problems at school, and so on. 
Because it is short term, acute stress doesn't have enough time to do the extensive damage associated with long-term stress. The most common symptoms are:- emotional distress--some combination of anger or irritability, anxiety, and depression, the three stress emotions;- muscular problems including tension headache, back pain, jaw pain, and the muscular tensions that lead to pulled muscles and tendon and ligament problems;- stomach, gut and bowel problems such as heartburn, acid stomach, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome;- transient over arousal leads to elevation in blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, heart palpitations, dizziness, migraine headaches, cold hands or feet, shortness of breath, and chest pain.Acute stress can crop up in anyone's life, and it is highly treatable and manageable. 
Episodic Acute Stress 
There are those, however, who suffer acute stress frequently, whose lives are so disordered that they are studies in chaos and crisis. They're always in a rush, but always late. If something can go wrong, it does. They take on too much, have too many irons in the fire, and can't organize the slew of self-inflicted demands and pressures clamoring for their attention. They seem perpetually in the clutches of acute stress. 
It is common for people with acute stress reactions to be over aroused, short-tempered, irritable, anxious, and tense. Often, they describe themselves as having &quot;a lot of nervous energy.&quot; Always in a hurry, they tend to be abrupt, and sometimes their irritability comes across as hostility. Interpersonal relationships deteriorate rapidly when others respond with real hostility. The work becomes a very stressful place for them. 
The cardiac prone, &quot;Type A&quot; personality described by cardiologists, Meter Friedman and Ray Rosenman, is similar to an extreme case of episodic acute stress. Type A's have an &quot;excessive competitive drive, aggressiveness, impatience, and a harrying sense of time urgency.&quot; In addition there is a &quot;free-floating, but well-rationalized form of hostility, and almost always a deep-seated insecurity.&quot; Such personality characteristics would seem to create frequent episodes of acute stress for the Type A individual. Friedman and Rosenman found Type A's to be much more likely to develop coronary heat disease than Type B's, who show an opposite pattern of behavior. 
Another form of episodic acute stress comes from ceaseless worry. &quot;Worry warts&quot; see disaster around every corner and pessimistically forecast catastrophe in every situation. The world is a dangerous, unrewarding, punitive place where something awful is always about to happen. These &quot;awfulizers&quot; also tend to be over aroused and tense, but are more anxious and depressed than angry and hostile. 
The symptoms of episodic acute stress are the symptoms of extended over arousal: persistent tension headaches, migraines, hypertension, chest pain, and heart disease. Treating episodic acute stress requires intervention on a number of levels, generally requiring professional help, which may take many months. 
Often, lifestyle and personality issues are so ingrained and habitual with these individuals that they see nothing wrong with the way they conduct their lives. They blame their woes on other people and external events. Frequently, they see their lifestyle, their patterns of interacting with others, and their ways of perceiving the world as part and parcel of who and what they are. 
Sufferers can be fiercely resistant to change. Only the promise of relief from pain and discomfort of their symptoms can keep them in treatment and on track in their recovery program. 
Chronic Stress 
While acute stress can be thrilling and exciting, chronic stress is not. This is the grinding stress that wears people away day after day, year after year. Chronic stress destroys bodies, minds and lives. It wreaks havoc through long-term attrition. It's the stress of poverty, of dysfunctional families, of being trapped in an unhappy marriage or in a despised job or career. It's the stress that the never-ending &quot;troubles&quot; have brought to the people of Northern Ireland, the tensions of the Middle East have brought to the Arab and Jew, and the endless ethnic rivalries that have been brought to the people of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. 
Chronic stress comes when a person never sees a way out of a miserable situation. It's the stress of unrelenting demands and pressures for seemingly interminable periods of time. With no hope, the individual gives up searching for solutions. 
Some chronic stresses stem from traumatic, early childhood experiences that become internalized and remain forever painful and present. Some experiences profoundly affect personality. A view of the world, or a belief system, is created that causes unending stress for the individual (e.g., the world is a threatening place, people will find out you are a pretender, you must be perfect at all times). When personality or deep-seated convictions and beliefs must be reformulated, recovery requires active self-examination, often with professional help. 
The worst aspect of chronic stress is that people get used to it. They forget it's there. People are immediately aware of acute stress because it is new; they ignore chronic stress because it is old, familiar, and sometimes, almost comfortable. 
Chronic stress kills through suicide, violence, heart attack, stroke, and, perhaps, even cancer. People wear down to a final, fatal breakdown. Because physical and mental resources are depleted through long-term attrition, the symptoms of chronic stress are difficult to treat and may require extended medical as well as behavioral treatment and stress management. 
&nbsp;]]></description>
</item>
<item>
	<title>Stress, immune system and age</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress/Stress--immune-system-and-age.html</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jun 2006 10:48:08 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Stress</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress/Stress--immune-system-and-age.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[As ageing is associated with immunological changes, the effects of stress and age are interlinked where a deregulation of the immune function can have a significant impact on physical health. On the other hand stess can both enhance and increase the effects of aging, with older adults often showing greater immunological impairment to stress than younger adults. Therefore a good immune response is essential to our good health. In the same way immunological alterations and disturbances can influence the progression and severity of a variety of disorders and diseases, including stress related disorders. 
&nbsp;
Also stressful experiences very early in life can alter the responsiveness of the nervous system and immune system. It is possible that prenatal or early life stress may increase the likelihood of altered immune responses to stress in late life. One such alteration to the immune system includes a decrease in the ability of white blood cells (immune cells) to carry out their key functions. One great example is temporary stress as seen in students during &ldquo;examination stress&rdquo;. This has been seen to slow down wound healing. Children of mothers who are routinely stressed during their pregnancy show decrease in immune function compared to children of undisturbed pregnancies. Similarly young children who experience abuse or neglect show abnormal cortisol levels indicative of a dysregulated stress response. Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands and involved in glucose metabolism, blood pressure regulation, maintenance of insulin release, suppression of inflammatory responses. Cortisol is elevated following several stress disorders. Several stressful experiences can cause in areas of the brain involved in memory an &ldquo;imprinting&rdquo; during fetal development and early life can alter the responsiveness of the endocrine, immune, and central nervous systems for many years. An understanding of such interlinked effects of stress and age is important to understand and to determine the mechanisms involved, so that we can develop effective interventions in early and late life.]]></description>
</item>
<item>
	<title>Is Depression Always a Medical Problem - Another View</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Diease-and-Depression/Is-Depression-Always-a-Medical-Problem---Another-View.html</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jun 2006 10:34:42 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Disease and Depression</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Diease-and-Depression/Is-Depression-Always-a-Medical-Problem---Another-View.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[Is Depression Always a Medical Problem &ndash; Another View
Advertisements for anti-depression drugs are constantly smattered across the tube today. They are accompanied with the possible advantages of taking one drug or another to relieve this common malady. By law such ads are followed with a list of contraindications (possible side effects) some which sound much worse than the depression itself.
Along with these ads is a little noticed disclaimer or shall we refer to it as a simple honest statement about depression. That statement is that the cause for common depression is not fully known. I use the word common here for an important purpose. Surely some depression is in fact caused by chemical imbalance or emotional shock of some kind. No one could argue that point.
It is said that up to twenty million Americans have some sort of depression. It seems to be a modern phenomenon in our history as a nation. There are few records of this malady prior to the early twentieth century. Depression prior to the modern era was often referred to as melancholy. Abraham Lincoln was said to suffer deep bouts of melancholy that were offset with times of joviality and levity. Perhaps a change in his attitude was his own way of making adjustments or a behavioral self medication of sorts.
Few studies conducted on depression include a side by side comparison with other countries or cultures. Some countries have virtually no sizable number of reported cases of depression. Often these are the poorest countries in the world. A lot could be deduced from this about how much money; affluence and materialism have to do with making Americans happy and well balanced.
In thirty five years of studying the Bible I have never heard one preacher or theologian worth his salt ever approach the causes for depression based on a biblical view. Not only does the Bible explain the cause of depression but it provides a complete answer to it as well. No, it is not a miracle or a divine healing it is simply a profound change in a life that pushes the depression out sometimes instantly and in some cases more slowly. First let&rsquo;s look at the cause for most general depression in people according to the Bible.
Contrary to the general consensus God doesn&rsquo;t just wink at unbelief but he is actively engaged in convicting the unbeliever to answer his call to salvation. His dogged pursuit is fired not just by the fact that they are sinners but because he loves every human being that is born in a way that is beyond our imagination. God is trying to love people into his kingdom not drag them into it. To do this he has to make them fully aware of their separation from him. It is a present pressure applied by God&rsquo;s Holy Spirit.
Jesus spoke of this matter and he said in no uncertain terms that it is one of the Holy Spirit&rsquo;s primary works while he is in the world. He said in John&rsquo;s gospel &ldquo;Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove (convict) the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.&rdquo; Jn. 16:7, 8.
Believers often say they came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and that is what finally brought them to pray and accept the salvation God is offering. Unbelievers say they&rsquo;re depressed, moody or in some inexplicable state of mind. That the conviction described by the believer and the depression felt by the unbeliever is one and the same thing is verified by the countless millions over the centuries that ceased to experience the depression soon after they yielded to God. I have seen this result countless times in the past more than three decades. This first hand experience and the scriptural support have convinced me beyond doubt that millions of people are suffering needlessly.
I would never advise anyone not to see their doctor for a complete examination of their depression. If it does happen to be a chemical imbalance or related to an emotional experience then the question is answered. If this does not answer the question then seeking God for his salvation should be the next move in their lives. In fact it should be the first move in their lives.
Speaking for myself I think living apart from Jesus&rsquo; love and having no certain hope of the future would indeed be very depressing. I&rsquo;m glad I answered that question many years ago.]]></description>
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	<title>Depression and Diabetes</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Diease-and-Depression/Depression-and-Diabetes.html</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 May 2006 18:48:45 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Disease and Depression</category>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.eStressHelp.com/Diease-and-Depression/Depression-and-Diabetes.html</guid>
	<description><![CDATA[Depression can strike anyone, but people with diabetes, a serious disorder that afflicts an estimated 16 million Americans, (1) may be at greater risk. In addition, individuals with depression may be at greater risk for developing diabetes. Treatment for depression helps people manage symptoms of both diseases, thus improving the quality of their lives.
&nbsp;Several studies suggest that diabetes doubles the risk of depression compared to those without the disorder (2). The chances of becoming depressed increase as diabetes complications worsen. Research shows that depression leads to poorer physical and mental functioning, so a person is less likely to follow a required diet or medication plan. Treating depression with psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of these treatments can improve a patient's well-being and ability to manage diabetes.
Causes underlying the association between depression and diabetes are unclear. Depression may develop because of stress but also may result from the metabolic effects of diabetes on the brain. Studies suggest that people with diabetes who have a history of depression are more likely to develop diabetic complications than those without depression. People who suffer from both diabetes and depression tend to have higher health care costs in primary care (3).
Despite the enormous advances in brain research in the past 20 years, depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated. People with diabetes, their families and friends, and even their physicians may not distinguish the symptoms of depression. However, skilled health professionals will recognize these symptoms and inquire about their duration and severity, diagnose the disorder, and suggest appropriate treatment.
Depression Facts
Depression is a serious medical condition that affects thoughts, feelings, and the ability to function in everyday life. Depression can occur at any age. NIMH-sponsored studies estimate that 6 percent of 9- to 17-year-olds in the U.S. and almost 10 percent of American adults, or about 19 million people age 18 and older, experience some form of depression every year (4,5). Although available therapies alleviate symptoms in over 80 percent of those treated, less than half of people with depression get the help they need (5,6).
Depression results from abnormal functioning of the brain. The causes of depression are currently a matter of intense research. An interaction between genetic predisposition and life history appear to determine a person's level of risk. Episodes of depression may then be triggered by stress, difficult life events, side effects of medications, or other environmental factors. Whatever its origins, depression can limit the energy needed to keep focused on treatment for other disorders, such as diabetes.
Diabetes Facts
Diabetes is a disorder that impairs the way the body uses digested food for growth and energy. Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose, a form of sugar that provides the main source of fuel for the body. After digestion, glucose passes into the bloodstream. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps glucose get into cells and converts glucose to energy. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the blood, and the body loses its main source of fuel.
In type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. This form of diabetes usually strikes children and young adults, who require daily or more frequent insulin injections or using an insulin pump for the rest of their lives. Insulin treatment, however, is not a cure, nor can it reliably prevent the long-term complications of the disease. Although scientists do not know what causes the immune system to attack the cells, they believe that both genetic factors and environmental factors are involved.
  
Type 2 diabetes is often part of a metabolic syndrome that includes obesity, high blood pressure, and high levels of blood lipids. People with type 2 diabetes first develop insulin resistance, a disorder in which muscle, fat, and liver cells do not use insulin properly. At first, the pancreas produces more insulin, but gradually its capacity to secrete insulin falters, and the timing of insulin secretion becomes abnormal. After diabetes develops, insulin production continues to decline.
  
References
1 Diabetes statistics. NIH Pub. No. 99-3892. Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, March 1999.
2 Anderson RJ, Lustman PJ, Clouse RE, et al. Prevalence of depression in adults with diabetes: a systematic review. Diabetes, 2000; 49(Suppl 1): A64.
3 Ciechanowski PS, Katon WJ, Russo JE. Depression and diabetes: impact of depressive symptoms on adherence, function, and costs. Archives of Internal Medicine, 2000; 160(21): 3278-85.
4 Regier DA, Narrow WE, Rae DS, et al. The de facto mental and addictive disorders service system. Epidemiologic Catchment Area prospective 1-year prevalence rates of disorders and services. Archives of General Psychiatry, 1993; 50(2): 85-94.
5 Shaffer D, Fisher P, Dulcan MK, et al. The NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version 2.3 (DISC-2.3): description, acceptability, prevalence rates, and performance in the MECA Study. Methods for the Epidemiology of Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders Study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1996; 35(7): 865-77.
6 National Advisory Mental Health Council. Health care reform for Americans with severe mental illnesses. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1993; 150(10): 1447-65.

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	<title>Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - What is it?</title>
	<link>http://www.eStressHelp.com/Stress/Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder--PTSD----What-is-it.html</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 May 2006 17:08:46 -0400</pubDate>
<category>Stress</category>
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	<description><![CDATA[The purpose of this article is to discuss the meaning/definition of PTSD, not the rights or wrongs of the different treatment models, and as such these notes are meant only as a guide in helping to recognise and understand the nature of stress caused by trauma.
  
Adults suffering from childhood related traumas such as physical, psychological and/or sexual abuse, can suffer quite a number of the symptoms discussed in this article. Theirs is a form of longer term PTSD and is not to be confused with the person who has suffered trauma as an adult. In such cases the term Prolonged Duress Stress Disorder (PDSD) may be more appropriate.
  
Doctors have for a long time noted that traumatic events can lead to psychological disturbance.
  
The two categories of events that can cause PTSD are man made and natural disasters. We have: assault, rape, burglary, torture, war, hostage situations, acts of terrorism; then there are earthquakes, storms, fires, floods, animal attacks, car, sea, rail and air disasters, the list goes on and on. These are the sort of events that are so removed from our everyday experience that even the healthiest of people are ill equipped to cope with them. Usually the symptoms of PTSD appear within 3 months of the trauma, but it can take up to 6 months to appear. Some times people can keep a lid on their symptoms until something triggers a reaction to an event that happened years before. On the face of it, it appears that it has taken years for the PTSD to manifested its self; in fact it has been found that the person in question has always had the defining symptoms, but has managed to hide them from the outside world.
  
Who will develop problems after trauma?
  
Research into the effects of trauma have shown that, in general, the more devastating and terrifying the trauma is, the more likely it is that a person exposed to it will develop psychiatric symptoms. Aspects of the disaster or trauma which increase the likelihood of psychiatric distress include a lack of warning about the event, injury during the trauma, death of a loved one, exposure to the grotesque (e.g., maimed bodies), darkness, experiencing the trauma alone, torture, and the possibility of recurrence. However, it should be emphasized that it is not necessary to experience torture or to see bodies and blood in order to develop psychiatric problems after trauma. Researchers are less sure, at this time, what factors protect some people from psychiatric illness following exposure to trauma. - (American Psychiatric Association)
  
A Brief History
  
For as long as wars or disasters have been occurring, people who have been involved in them have been at risk of PTSD. Many different labels have been attached to the stress symptoms/reactions depending on the traumatic events preceding the onset of a set of symptoms. These are a few of the names that have at one time or other been given to stress disorders associated with traumatic incidents.
  

    Shell-shock
    Combat/War Neurosis
    Traumatic Neurosis
    Rape trauma syndrome
    Nuclearisim
    Operational Fatigue
    Fright Neurosis
    Survivor Syndrome
    Compensation Neurosis

  
Following the Great Fire of London in 1666, Samuel Pepys reportedly suffered from nightmares and intrusive imagery.
  
During the American Civil War, a syndrome called &quot;Soldiers Heart&quot; was diagnosed, which was very similar to today's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
  
As we have gotten more understanding of how people react to traumatic events, the definition and treatment of PTSD has changed. There is an urban myth that in the First World War soldiers who showed signs of the disorder were shot. Whilst a soldier was not shot for showing signs of the disorder, it was often mistaken for a weakness in the person's psychological make up. In 1919 (Southard) this diagnosis changed to shell shock, in 1941 (Kardiner) it became 'traumatic neurosis', and in 1974 (Burgess and Holstrom) 'rape trauma syndrome'.
  
There was intense debate during the first half of the 20th century on the actual cause of these syndromes.
  
Freud, Janet, Breurer and Charcot suggested that psychological trauma caused hysterical/physical symptoms, but their views were not widely accepted. The general consensus at the time was that an event no matter how traumatic in itself was not a sufficient cause of post trauma symptoms.
  
Researchers looked mainly for organic causes. Many doubted that the symptoms were real, suggesting that they were the result of malingering for the purpose of gaining compensation after such things as road traffic accidents. This became known as 'Compensation Neurosis'. Unfortunately, this is a fact that has to be taken in to consideration when presented with a set of symptoms by someone who is going through the legal system after a traumatic incident. Such cases can distract from the genuine sufferer, tarring everyone with the same brush.
  
Eventually, the symptoms were attributed to psychological dysfunctions. It was hypothesized that those with unstable personalities, such as pre-existing unresolved neurotic conflicts, were more likely to develop chronic post trauma states. With this in mind, from before the Second World War, the United States armed forces carried out extensive psychological testing/screening of recruits, rejecting any who were thought to be psychologically unsound.
  
This view was held until the War in Vietnam was well under way. A change in the way the medical profession and researchers viewed their long standing ideas on trauma came about with the realisation that many war veterans (who had been psychologically screened) were showing signs of long term psychological trauma. This convinced researchers that, if they are exposed to horrific enough stressors, people with sound personalities can and do develop clinically significant psychological symptoms.
  
The fact that traumatic events such as rape, natural or man made disasters, and war/combat situations, give rise to a characteristic pattern of psychological symptoms, was finally given due credence.
  
It was in 1980 that the American Psychiatric Association introduced the term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as a diagnostic category into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition DSM-III. They said &quot;PTSD is induced by events generally outside the range of normal human experience; events so stressful that they can produce symptoms in almost anyone exposed to them. Normal Stress Management will have little if any effect with PTSD&quot;.
  
This was updated in 1994 and again in 1999 DSM-1111. (see Criteria below)
  
In 1992 it was added to the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases ICD-10 classification F43.1.
  
For quite some time, the focus of PTSD was on a single life-threatening event or threat to integrity. It was thought that PTSD could not be a result of &quot;normal&quot; events such as bereavement, business failure, interpersonal conflict, marital disharmony, working for the emergency services, etc. The bulk of the research on PTSD seems to have been undertaken in the USA with people who had suffered a threat to life such as combat veterans (especially from Vietnam), victims of accident, disaster, and acts of violence.
  
It is now recognized that the disorder can result from many types of shocking experiences. However, the symptoms of traumatic stress can also arise from an accumulation of small incidents rather than one major incident.
  
Examples include:
  

    Repeated involvement in dealing with serious crime, e.g. where violence has been used and especially where children are killed or injured.
    Repeated exposure to horrific scenes at accidents/disasters or fires, such as those endured by members of the emergency services (e.g. murder, bodies - burnt, mutilated, disfigured, dismembered or disembowelled, etc)
    Repeatedly having to inform people of bereavement caused by accident or violence, again particularly if children are involved.
    The sudden destruction of a home or community.
    Seeing another person who has recently been killed or is being seriously injured.
    A serious threat or perceived threat to one's own life, possible harm to children or spouse.
    Having to suffer repeated incidents such as in verbal abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse, regular intrusion and violation, both physical and psychological, as in domestic violence, stalking, harassment, bullying, etc.

  
Where the symptoms are the result of a series of events over a long period of time, the term Prolonged Duress Stress Disorder (PDSD) may be more appropriate. Whilst PDSD is not yet an official diagnosis in the World Health Organization's ICD-10, it is often used in preference to other terms such as &quot;rolling PTSD&quot; and &quot;cumulative stress&quot;.
  
In summary, PTSD is a natural emotional reaction to a deeply shocking and disturbing experience. It is a normal reaction to an abnormal situation.
  

  
There are now several recognized bodies who give a definition of PTSD. Information in this article has been obtained from several sources, including The American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases.
  
Definition
  
PTSD is classed as an anxiety disorder. A person may develop this disorder after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event, or events of an extremely overwhelming nature, during which they felt intense horror, helplessness, or fear.
  
The most prevalent features of PTSD are:
  

    Hyper-arousal causing irritability
    Constantly being on alert for danger
    Re-experiencing of the trauma in the form of intrusive emotions, nightmares and flashbacks
    Emotional numbing, where the sufferer does not respond to emotional stimulation.

  
I have included the criteria from the American Psychiatric Association to give you a more comprehensive overview of current thinking.
  
Criteria
  
American Psychiatric Association. (1994) Criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
  
The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both of the following sections A and B have been present.
  

    
    
        The person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others.
        The person's response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror. Note: In children, this may be expressed instead by disorganized or agitated behaviour.
    
    
    The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in one (or more) of the following ways:
    
        Recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, including images, thoughts, or perceptions. Note: In young children, repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the trauma are expressed.
        Recurrent distressing dreams of the event. Note: In children, there may be frightening dreams without recognizable content.
        Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring (includes a sense of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and disassociative flashback episodes, including those that occur upon awakening or when intoxicated). Note: In young children, trauma-specific re-enactment through play may occur.
        Intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symb