Rescued & Restored Recovery LLC

06/19/2023

Good read on Depression Symptoms and Warning Signs

Are you depressed? Here are some of the signs of depression to look for—and how they can vary according to your age, gender, and other factors.
Take the quiz

• What is depression?
• Signs and symptoms
• Am I depressed?
• Depression vs. anxiety
• Is it depression or bipolar disorder (manic depression)?
• Other conditions that can mimic the symptoms of depression
• Depression and su***de risk
• How depression symptoms vary with gender and age
• Next step
What is depression?
Feeling down from time to time is a normal part of life, but when emotions such as hopelessness and despair take hold and just won't go away, you may have depression. More than just sadness in response to life's struggles and setbacks, depression changes how you think, feel, and function in daily activities. It can interfere with your ability to work, study, eat, sleep, and enjoy life. Just trying to get through the day can be overwhelming.
While some people describe depression as “living in a black hole” or having a feeling of impending doom, others feel lifeless, empty, and apathetic. Men in particular can feel angry and restless. However you experience the problem, left untreated it can become a serious health condition. But it's important to remember that feelings of helplessness and hopelessness are symptoms of depression—not the reality of your situation.
No matter how hopeless you feel, you can get better. By recognizing the different symptoms of depression, you can take the first steps to feeling better and overcoming the problem.
Signs and symptoms
Depression varies from person to person, but there are some common signs and symptoms. It's important to remember that these symptoms can be part of life's normal lows. But the more symptoms you have, the stronger they are, and the longer they've lasted—the more likely it is that you're dealing with depression.
10 common depression symptoms
1. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. A bleak outlook—nothing will ever get better and there's nothing you can do to improve your situation.
2. Loss of interest in daily activities. You don't care anymore about former hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or s*x. You've lost your ability to feel joy and pleasure.
3. Appetite or weight changes. Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month.
4. Sleep changes. Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping.
5. Anger or irritability. Feeling agitated, restless, or even violent. Your tolerance level is low, your temper short, and everything and everyone gets on your nerves.
6. Loss of energy. Feeling fatigued, sluggish, and physically drained. Your whole body may feel heavy, and even small tasks are exhausting or take longer to complete.
7. Self-loathing. Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. You harshly criticize yourself for perceived faults and mistakes.
8. Reckless behavior. You engage in escapist behavior such as substance abuse, compulsive gambling, reckless driving, or dangerous sports.
9. Concentration problems. Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.
10. Unexplained aches and pains. An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain.
Am I depressed?
Depression vs. anxiety
While anxiety and depression are different conditions, they stem from the same biological vulnerability so often go hand-in-hand. Anxiety can both appear as a symptom of depression or it can trigger depression in the first place. In fact, studies suggest that over 40 percent of people with major depression also suffer with an anxiety disorder.
Some of the symptoms between the two conditions can also look very similar, making it difficult to distinguish between the conditions. Irritability, anger, unexplained aches and pains, and changes in energy, focus, and sleeping patterns can occur in both depression and anxiety. Even the persistent dark, negative thoughts commonly associated with depression can look a lot like the endless worry of anxiety.
[Read: Anxiety Disorders and Anxiety Attacks]
However, there are also some marked differences. While the symptoms of both depression and anxiety can look very different in different people, the following may help to distinguish between the conditions:
• In depression without anxiety, you’re likely to feel sluggish and lifeless with little motivation to do anything. With anxiety, you’re more likely to feel tense and jittery with a racing mind.
• In depression without anxiety, you may feel hopeless and helpless about what you see as an inevitably bleak future. With anxiety, you’re more likely to worry over and over about what the future holds, feeling frightened and nervous but thinking that your worry may hold the key to easing those fears.
If you recognize symptoms of anxiety co-occurring with your depression, it’s important to seek treatment for both conditions. Since they’re so closely related, a lot of the self-help and treatment options that work for anxiety will also help manage symptoms of depression.
Is it depression or bipolar disorder (manic depression)?
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, involves serious shifts in moods, energy, thinking, and behavior. Because it looks so similar to depression when in the low phase, it is often overlooked and misdiagnosed. This can be a serious problem as taking antidepressants for bipolar disorder can actually make the condition worse.
[Read: Bipolar Disorder Signs and Symptoms]
If you've ever gone through phases where you experienced excessive feelings of euphoria, a decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, and impulsive behavior, consider getting evaluated for bipolar disorder.
Other conditions that can mimic the symptoms of depression
Anxiety and bipolar disorder aren’t the only conditions that can be mistaken for depression. Just as depression can be triggered by other health problems, there are also mental and medical conditions that can mimic the symptoms of depression. These include:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Symptoms such as restlessness, trouble concentrating and staying focused, irritability, and a loss of motivation can occur in both depression and ADHD. Even if your ADHD symptoms weren’t recognized in childhood, that doesn’t mean they’re not impacting you as an adult.
Chronic fatigue syndrome or long COVID. Persistent fatigue, changes to your sleep patterns, and difficulty focusing could also point to chronic fatigue syndrome (myalgic encephalomyelitis) or long-haul COVID, where the effects of COVID-19 linger even when you’re no longer testing positive for the virus. While there is still a lot that medical professionals don’t fully understand about these conditions, there are still things you can do to ease symptoms and improve how you feel.
Parkinson’s disease. The lack of energy, slow movements, and changes to mood and memory that often accompany Parkinson’s disease can look a lot like depression symptoms in older adults.
Fibromyalgia. The widespread musculoskeletal pain of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is often accompanied by sleep, fatigue, and mood changes that can be mistaken for depression. Other sources of chronic pain can also leave you feeling hopeless and exhausted.
Other physical conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, anemia, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), and vitamin D deficiency can also trigger depression-like symptoms. Blood tests and other screening methods from a healthcare professional can help identify if these conditions are causing your symptoms.
Depression and su***de risk
Depression is a major risk factor for su***de. Deep despair and hopelessness can make su***de feel like the only way to escape the pain. If you have a loved one with depression, take any suicidal talk or behavior seriously and watch for the warning signs:
• Talking about killing or harming one's self.
• Expressing strong feelings of hopelessness or being trapped.
• An unusual preoccupation with death or dying.
• Acting recklessly, as if they have a death wish (e.g. speeding through red lights).
• Calling or visiting people to say goodbye.
• Getting affairs in order (giving away prized possessions, tying up loose ends).
• Saying things like “Everyone would be better off without me,” or “I want out.”
• A sudden switch from being extremely down to acting calm and happy.
If you think a friend or family member is considering su***de, express your concern and seek help immediately. Talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save a life.
If you are feeling suicidal…
When you're feeling suicidal, your problems don't seem temporary—they seem overwhelming and permanent. But with time, you will feel better, especially if you get help. There are many people who want to support you during this difficult time, so please reach out!
Read Are You Feeling Suicidal?, call 988 in the U.S., or visit IASP or Su***de.org to find a helpline in your country.
How depression symptoms vary with gender and age
Depression often varies according to age and gender, with symptoms differing between men and women, or young people and older adults.
Men
Depressed men are less likely to acknowledge feelings of self-loathing and hopelessness. Instead, they tend to complain about fatigue, irritability, sleep problems, and loss of interest in work and hobbies. They're also more likely to experience symptoms such as anger, aggression, reckless behavior, and substance abuse.
Women
Women are more likely to experience symptoms such as pronounced feelings of guilt, excessive sleeping, overeating, and weight gain. Depression in women is also impacted by hormonal factors during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. In fact, postpartum depression affects up to one in seven women following childbirth.
Teens
Irritability, anger, and agitation are often the most noticeable symptoms in depressed teens—not sadness. They may also complain of headaches, stomachaches, or other physical pains.
Older adults
Older adults tend to complain more about the physical rather than the emotional signs and symptoms: things like fatigue, unexplained aches and pains, and memory problems. They may also neglect their personal appearance and stop taking critical medications for their health.
Next step
In addition to age and gender, depression symptoms can also vary according to the type or severity of your depression. Understanding the type of depression you’re dealing with can help to find the most effective ways to overcome the problem and start to feel better again. Read: Depression Types and Causes.
Depression support and su***de prevention help
Depression support
• In the U.S.
Find DBSA Chapters/Support Groups or call the NAMI Helpline for support and referrals at 1-800-950-6264
• UK
Find Depression support groups in-person and online or call the Mind Infoline at 0300 123 3393
• Australia
Call the SANE Help Centre at 1800 18 7263
• Canada
Call Mood Disorders Society of Canada at 613-921-5565
• India
Call the Vandrevala Foundation Helpline (India) at 1860 2662 345 or 1800 2333 330
Su***de prevention help
• In the U.S.
Call 988 Su***de and Crisis Lifeline at 988
• UK and Ireland
Call Samaritans UK at 116 123
• Australia
Call Lifeline Australia at 13 11 14
• Other countries
Visit IASP or Su***de.org to find a helpline near you

04/14/2022

Would it not be easier and cleaner to hide behind a “no tears” sign?

Praised for holding back tears, kids learn to ignore and hide painful emotions.

10/02/2021

Self-talk is your internal dialogue. It’s influenced by your subconscious mind, and it reveals your thoughts, beliefs, questions, and ideas.

Self-talk can be both negative and positive. It can be encouraging, and it can be distressing. Much of your self-talk depends on your personality. If you’re an optimist, your self-talk may be more hopeful and positive. The opposite is generally true if you tend to be a pessimist.

Positive thinking and optimism can be effective stress management tools. Indeed, having a more positive outlook on life can provide you with some health benefits. For example, one 2010 study shows optimists have a better quality of life.

If you believe your self-talk is too negative, or if you want to emphasize positive self-talk, you can learn to shift that inner dialogue. It can help you be a more positive person, and it may improve your health.

Why is it good for you?

Self-talk can enhance your performance and general well-being. For example, research shows self-talk can help athletes with performance. It may help them with endurance or to power through a set of heavy weights.

Furthermore, positive self-talk and a more optimistic outlook can have other health benefits, including:

increased vitality
greater life satisfaction
improved immune function
reduced pain
better cardiovascular health
better physical well-being
reduced risk for death
less stress and distress
It’s not clear why optimists and individuals with more positive self-talk experience these benefits. However, research suggests people with positive self-talk may have mental skills that allow them to solve problems, think differently, and be more efficient at coping with hardships or challenges. This can reduce the harmful effects of stress and anxiety.

How does it work?

Before you can learn to practice more self-talk, you must first identify negative thinking. This type of thinking and self-talk generally falls into four categories:

Personalizing. You blame yourself for everything.
Magnifying. You focus on the negative aspects of a situation, ignoring any and all of the positive.
Catastrophizing. You expect the worst, and you rarely let logic or reason persuade you otherwise.
Polarizing. You see the world in black and white, or good and bad. There’s nothing in between and no middle ground for processing and categorizing life events.
When you begin to recognize your types of negative thinking, you can work to turn them into positive thinking. This task requires practice and time and doesn’t develop overnight. The good news is that is can be done. A 2012 study shows even small children can learn to correct negative self-talk.

What are some examples?

These scenarios are examples of when and how you can turn negative self-talk into positive self-talk. Again, it takes practice. Recognizing some of your own negative self-talk in these scenarios may help you develop skills to flip the thought when it occurs.

Negative: I’ll disappoint everyone if I change my mind.

Positive: I have the power to change my mind. Others will understand.

Negative: I failed and embarrassed myself.

Positive: I’m proud of myself for even trying. That took courage.

Negative: I’m overweight and out of shape. I might as well not bother.

Positive: I am capable and strong, and I want to get healthier for me.

Negative: I let everyone on my team down when I didn’t score.

Positive: Sports are a team event. We win and lose together.

Negative: I’ve never done this before and I’ll be bad at it.

Positive: This is a wonderful opportunity for me to learn from others and grow.

Negative: There’s just no way this will work.

Positive: I can and will give it my all to make it work.

How do I use this on a daily basis?

Positive self-talk takes practice if it’s not your natural instinct. If you’re generally more pessimistic, you can learn to shift your inner dialogue to be more encouraging and uplifting.

However, forming a new habit takes time and effort. Over time, your thoughts can shift. Positive self-talk can become your norm. These tips can help:

Identify negative self-talk traps. Certain scenarios may increase your self-doubt and lead to more negative self-talk. Work events, for example, may be particularly hard. Pinpointing when you experience the most negative self-talk can help you anticipate and prepare.
Check in with your feelings. Stop during events or bad days and evaluate your self-talk. Is it becoming negative? How can you turn it around?
Find the humor. Laughter can help relieve stress and tension. When you need a boost for positive self-talk, find ways to laugh, such as watching funny animal videos or a comedian.
Surround yourself with positive people. Whether or not you notice it, you can absorb the outlook and emotions of people around you. This includes negative and positive, so choose positive people when you can.
Give yourself positive affirmations. Sometimes, seeing positive words or inspiring images can be enough to redirect your thoughts. Post small reminders in your office, in your home, and anywhere you spend a significant amount of time

08/27/2021

Swinging wildly between euphoria and depression. Psychotic breaks. That’s how many people view bipolar disorder.

But the reality is quite different, says psychiatrist Amit Anand, MD. Here, he upends common misconceptions about the brain disorder:

Myth 1: Bipolar disorder is a severe mental illness

“Many people believe that those with bipolar disorder are out of control and psychotic,” says Dr. Anand. “But we have learned over the last few decades that milder forms of bipolar disorder are much more common.”

The two main types of bipolar illness are bipolar I and bipolar II. Beyond that, bipolar illness takes many forms.

In bipolar I, episodes of mania and depression can be quite severe.
In bipolar II, depression may be severe, but the highs are much milder, do not truly impair function and may even make people more productive.
In a much larger group of people, very mild or very few symptoms of mania occur for short periods of time — not enough to warrant a diagnosis. Some of these individuals are quite successful.
“Thus, most people with bipolar disorder live in the community and may never be admitted to a psychiatric hospital,” says Dr. Anand.

Myth 2: Mood swings always mean bipolar disorder

“Mood swings happen for many different reasons, including the weather, the menstrual cycle, common medications like steroids, and substance use,” says Dr. Anand.

Moodiness can also occur with medical illnesses such as hormone disorders, autoimmune diseases and neurological problems.

And mood swings occur with other brain illnesses, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and certain personality disorders.

What sets bipolar disorder apart? “The illness represents a change from the usual self,” explains Dr. Anand. “Also, depression lasts for several weeks at a time, and mania lasts for several days at a time. We look for a season of summer — not one hot day.”

Myth 3: Depression and mania are cyclical

People often assume that in bipolar disorder, periods of mania alternate regularly with periods of depression.

“In bipolar disorder, mood is more often chaotic, with random combinations of symptoms,” says Dr. Anand. “It is not cyclical.”

This helps fuel the turmoil that often unravels relationships with family, friends and coworkers — even in mild cases of bipolar disorder.

That is why treatment is so important.

Myth 4: Bipolar disorder is difficult to treat

“We have very, very effective treatments for bipolar illness,” says Dr. Anand. “Patients generally respond well to mood-stabilizing drugs, sometimes combined with antidepressants and/or drugs for mania.”

Psychotherapy is always recommended, he says, and offers many benefits by:

Providing insight into the illness. “When people with bipolar disorder are depressed, they’re aware that they are in pain,” he says. “But when they are manic and feel very, very good, they don’t see a problem.”
Teaching stress management strategies. Learning to manage stress, which can trigger mania and depression, is vital in bipolar disorder.
Helping with problem-solving. People with bipolar disorder can learn how to deal better with family problems and work difficulties.
Educating people about self-care. “When you have bipolar disorder, maintaining regular daily routines is critical,” says Dr. Anand. “But many people don’t sleep or eat at the right times, which causes more mood problems and creates a vicious cycle.”
Where to get help

If you suspect that you or someone you love may have bipolar disorder, get a full evaluation from a psychiatrist.

“Too often, bipolar disorder is not diagnosed, or it is mistaken for another problem,” says Dr. Anand. “Get one good diagnostic evaluation. Then, know that some very effective treatments can help you lead a normal life, like anyone else.”

08/25/2021

The amount of power that you choose to give someone else over the way that you feel is always your choice. Choose wisely 😊

03/27/2020

Worth the read.

I’m not sure exactly who, but someone needs to hear/read this today. Let’s break the stigma and work together to heal! Keep them close, read/practice them often, Reach out when needed.
ED Affirmations.

1. My worth as a person is not diminished in any way by my body size or my eating patterns.

2. I will love myself no matter what my eating patterns are.

3. I will judge my days not by what or how much I eat, but by the accomplishments I have made and the love I have given.

4. My life is a gift, and I will not let my enjoyment of it be diminished by feeling guilty over my body size or how much I eat.

5. I am finished blaming others, situations, and myself for the way I eat. I will take action minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, and day-by-day until I can eat normally again.

6. My eating disorder is a temporary condition in my life.

7. There is a normal eater within me. I will let her/him take over my life more and more each day as I am ready.

8. I can imagine a life without having an eating disorder.

9. When I feel stressed, I will close my eyes and picture how my all-powerful, normal eater would handle the situation.

10. I believe I will be a normal eater again. I know I will be a normal eater again!

I love you all fb peeps. Please break the silence. Beat the stigma. Reach out! 💯 ❤️

01/08/2020

Don’t you give up! You are stronger than you know 💪🏻 💯

11/20/2019

Worth the read 😯

11/15/2019

Addiction is a powerful condition that has a serious effect on an addict and their family. It can be hard to understand what addiction is, and how it is affecting a loved one.
Having a loved one who is suffering from addiction can be overwhelming. It can be challenging to support them while they are in recovery. Fortunately, there are many methods to help a recovering addict while also maintaining your own mental health.
Treatment and recovery for addiction is a grueling process. It takes years and sometimes even a lifetime to learn how to cope with the symptoms of addiction.
Addiction recovery can cause addicts to feel alone. Many people who have never suffered from addiction can find it challenging to understand the addict’s position. This often makes the recovering addict feel isolated and lonely.
In order to support an addict, you need to learn the proper steps, and how to understand their struggle. If you are supporting an addict in recovery, follow the steps below to learn how you can support them.
Learn How to Empathize
Empathy is an important skill to develop when supporting an addict in recovery. It is the ability to understand what a person is going through, even if you haven’t gone through it yourself.
People who are supporting an addict in recovery often become frustrated. They do not understand why the addict is acting the way they are acting. An addict suffers from unique struggles that people without a history of addiction cannot relate to on a personal level. That is why empathy is important to have when supporting an addict in recovery.
Empathizing with the struggles to achieve and maintain sobriety will help to:
• Promote patience
• Understand the recovering addict’s perspective
• Recognize how hard the addict is trying
• Anticipate the challenges that the addict faces while maintaining sobriety
Learn the Difference Between Empathy and Enabling
Empathy is important, but it should not lead to leniency. Sometimes people will become too understanding or accommodating to an addict in recovery. While you may mean well, too much leniency can be detrimental to their recovery.
Enabling is the act of encouraging unhealthy behavior. Unhealthy behaviors are encouraged when you tolerate things that should not be tolerated. Some examples that can cause enabling include:
• Making excuses for the recovering addict
• Ignoring, denying or tolerating lies from the recovering addict
• Giving money to the recovering addict
• Taking on the addict’s responsibilities so they can ‘focus on their recovery’
• Giving too many ‘second chances’ for poor behavior patterns
• Putting too much responsibility on yourself
• Overcompensating for the addict’s struggles
Enabling can prevent a recovering addict’s growth and prevent them from being self-sufficient. It can even cause relapse or reverting into old, unhealthy patterns. The best way to avoid enabling is holding the recovering addict accountable for their actions. Be sure to not make excuses for them, or be lenient with them when they are acting inappropriately.
Establish Boundaries
To prevent enabling, it is also important to establish boundaries. Establish firm boundaries to prevent yourself from enabling the recovering addict.
Addicts tend to develop manipulative behaviors to support their addiction. Even when sober, recovering addicts will continue to engage in these manipulative behaviors. Often times, they do not even if they don’t realize they are being manipulative.
Be sure to establish and stick to firm boundaries. Establishing realistic expectations for behavior is also important. A ‘heart to heart’ conversation with the recovering addict about boundaries is a great way to make sure everyone is on the same page.
In this conversation, you can include:
• What behaviors from the past you will not tolerate now
• What behaviors you expect to see from the recovering addict
• What you will and will not do and help within return for them respecting these boundaries
• What will you do in response to these boundaries being violated
The most important part of establishing boundaries is sticking to them. If at any point you become lenient with your boundaries, they will lose credibility, and the recovering addict will no longer respect them.
Get Support for Yourself
Supporting an addict in recovery is a challenge at any capacity. Whatever support you are providing to someone who is suffering from addiction, it will take a toll on you. Whether it is financially, emotionally, mentally or physically, it takes a lot of effort to support an addict in recovery.
A great way to make sure you take care of yourself while supporting someone in recovery is to seek professional counseling. Many counselors are trained to support people who are struggling with addiction in families. They are able to not only provide emotional support but also resources and education to help your efforts be as easy on you as possible.

11/12/2019

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/mom-shares-late-daughters-poem-he**in-addiction-210729832.html?soc_src=community&soc_trk=fb

It was a parent's worst nightmare for Brian and Bridget Farrell when their daughter Delaney, 23, OD'ed from he**in and died recently.