Depression and anxiety can do more than just to give you feelings of guiltiness, sadness or unhappiness. They can create unstable emotions, gloom or torpidity in you. This book is written straight from my personal experiences. I discovered that depression and anxiety can rob you, your child or your loved one of your happiness, health, sleep, energy, memory, vitality, concentration, ability to work, play or love, and in chronic cases, your willing to live! Unfortunately depression and anxiety are devastating illnesses that affect millions of Americans and other people around the world. Yet, they can be defeated. I promise you that, by the time you finished reading this book, you will no longer be confused about depression and anxiety. You will know the myths, the facts and the sure ways to fight and defeat them using natural programs and medication.

1. How to Overcome
Depression & Anxiety
Live Healthily and Happily
By
A. J. Wright

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5. Table of Contents
Introduction
What is Depression?
What is Anxiety?
Causes of Depression
Depression Myths and Facts
Types of Depression, Symptoms, Warning Signs and Effects
Depression in Teens
Natural Cure and Programs for Destroying Depression
Using Medication to Treat Depression
Anti-depressants
How Long Does it Take Anti-depressants to Work?
Psychological Treatments
Anti-depressant Myths and Facts
Conclusion
Understanding Anxiety
Anxiety in Children and Young people
6 Shocking Facts You Might Not Know about Anxiety
Causes of Anxiety
Management of Anxiety
Destructive Anxiety Disorders and Symptoms
Conclusion

6. Introduction
What is depression?
Depression, also called Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), is more than just a feeling of
guiltiness, sadness or unhappiness. It is a systematic problem that results in unstable emotions,
gloom or torpidity. From my personal researches and experiences, I discovered that if you have
depression it can rob you of your sleep, your energy, your memory, vitality, concentration, your
ability to work, play or love, and in chronic cases, it can rob you of your willing to live! It is a
devastating illness that affects many Americans and millions of other people around the world.
Yet, it can be defeated and I promise you that, if you continue reading this book, you will no
longer be confused about depression. You will know the myths, the facts and the sure ways to
fight and cure depression using natural programs and medication.

7. What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling or state of worry and nervousness, usually accompanied by compulsive
behaviors or panic attacks which may affect your state of mind or cause mental disorders. If
you suffer from anxiety then know from this minute on that it can be controlled so that you can
live a better life and prosper. In the second half of this book, I discuss in detail about anxiety
disorders, its symptoms, how it affects people, including children, how it relates to depression
and finally how to deal with it and destroy it permanently.
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8. Causes of Depression
Many people think that depression comes only when bad things happen in our lives, for
example, an exam failure, a marriage breakup or death of a loved person. Depression is a lot
more than merely having a terrible incidence, a tragic accident or thought. Even though all of
us, at one time or another, encounter bad and good times in our lives and feel frustrated for a
period of time (especially after a genuine dissatisfaction or misfortune), depression may not be
initiated by one specific negative event or occasion. Delayed instances of pity, melancholy, or
absence of enthusiasm for something we typically appreciate are some of the ways depression
manifests in our lives. Hereditary and other natural factors can cause depression. Finally,
depression can occur suddenly, even when everything in our lives seems to going the way we
want.
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9. Depression Myths and Facts
Depression will go away on its own
Although for a few individuals depression may fade away slowly by itself without treatment or
medication, this is not usually the situation for most people! If not treated, depression in most
people can proceed for a very long period of time (months or even years), leading to suicide or
sudden death. From my research, I discovered that depression can lead someone to the edge of
suicide. I found out that depression is one of the major causes of death among the youth,
typically 18 to 25 years old. This is the most important reason why a depression patient should
seek treatment. Happily however, a large number of people affected by depression respond to
treatment and their conditions improve.
I am not affected by depression
You might be wrong! According to a research study conducted in 2004 by the American College
Health Association, about fifty percent of all the students reported feeling so badly depressed
at one point or another that they experienced difficulty working. Fifteen percent of them met
the criteria for clinical depression. The result of this study leads me to the conclusion that
somebody you care for, if not yourself, could face depression threat sometime in school or in
their adulthood.
To me, depression is not really a medical problem or illness
You are wrong! It is really a medical problem and is very genuine. It is as real as a coronary
disease or diabetes and can affect your life just as these diseases. The medical experts have
identified depression as an ailment and accepted its seriousness. It has connection with
hereditary qualities, your environment and your brain chemicals. It has been diagnosed in
disabled people and has connection with many ailments like headache, diabetes, coronary
diseases and much more! It can result in physical or emotional complications and make life
extremely difficult for its patients.
I am a strong and positive-thinking person. So I can escape depression

10. Neither you nor anybody else decided to be depressed in the first case so you cannot escape it
with your strength or because you think positively, just as much as nobody decides to have a
terrible health condition like a coronary disease or diabetes. Having depression has nothing to
do with sluggishness or who you are. Rather, depression has to do with your wellbeing arising
from the changes in the chemistry of your brain structure as a result of natural and ecological
factors.
I don’t like talking about depression. It makes things worse for me
It is obvious that some people are hesitant or simply don’t like to talk about their depression. If
you happen to be one of such people you must know that carrying away your thoughts from
everybody is like preparing yourself for self-destruction. Don’t let that happen to you! You must
confront the issue. Now that you are reading this book, get ready to talk and share the tons of
advice and help in it with a friend or loved one suffering depression. Remember that many
people who have depression are belittled or ridiculed in the society so they need your strong
and decent attention. Convince them to chat with you and listen to them non-judgmentally. If
however you are feeling reluctant to discuss your challenges with a loved one or a relative of
yours, consider other important individuals like your colleague or your spiritual leader who is
ready to listen to you.
Depression is not so common
Unfortunately depression is typical among Americans and is also found in people from other
parts of the world. It is a condition that is affecting a large proportion of the American
population. According to research studies carried out by depression specialists, approximately
every one in ten individuals will have at least one depression episode in their lifetime.
People with depression can get well quickly if they want to
The large majority of people having depression would be more than happy to feel better very
quickly if they can. Unfortunately getting better cannot work magically for depression even if
the patient makes an attempt. Many renowned and well-to-do people have had depression one

11. time or the other in their lives.
Depression is found only in women in the age bracket of 20 to 30
I’m sorry to disagree with you. Depression can attack anyone of any age, although it is more
commonly found in women. Anyone - young, elderly, men or women - can have depression.
Even if I have depression, there are no effective treatments
People who have depression can be treated successfully. In the later chapter of this book where
I discuss treatment, I give details of various treatment methods like counseling, psychotherapy,
prescription and a combination of these. These medications have been proven to be very
effective.
Even if you treat depression it will return, so you have it for life!
There are several individuals who can endure bouts of depression. For some individuals, the
depression specialist has to commence treatment to fight the symptoms, typically in eight to
twelve weeks, and then moves on to support treatment for additional six to twenty-four
months. If the patient proceeds with treatment after they start to feel better, the possibility of
returning is largely reduced.
Prescriptions for treating depression are very addictive
No. If you have depression and you take the medications recommended in this book, you will
not be addicted or form a habit. Once you are done with treatment the medications can be
decreased or halted.
Nobody can help me. I’m alone with my depression
I have written this book to help people like you. The treatments recommended in this book are
very effective. There are other patients who are stressed as a result of the shame of metal
health issues resulting from depression. Fortunately there are healthcare experts waiting to
help you. Make your appointment and discuss with them. They will find out how best to treat

12. your specific form of depression.
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13. Types of Depression, Symptoms, Warning Signs and Effects
There are different types of depression. I want to you to understand the different types and
how they overlap so I will explain each of them in detail one after the other:
1. Major Depression - This is commonly called Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) by doctors.
Patients of this type of depression feel depression almost every time and every day of the week.
Below are some of the symptoms, warning signs and effects the patients might have:
 Loss of pleasure or interest or in their activities
 Weight gain or weight loss
 Finding it difficult to sleep or feeling like going to sleep during the day
 They feel like they are slowed down or sped up
 Feeling very tired and having no energy
 Feeling guilty or worthless
 Finding it difficult to concentrate or make decisions
 Having suicide thoughts
2. Mild, Chronic Depression (Dysthymia) - This is a less severe form of major depression. The
symptoms can linger for years, usually 2 years or more. Patients of Dysthymia can also
experience intervals of major depression and that is why this type of depression. Depression
experts cannot say precisely the cause of this type of depression but they say genes are a major
role. Other causes may be abnormal brain nerve functioning (the nerves that regulate your
moods), major life stresses, chronic illnesses and medication, relationship problems, work
problems and so on may also raise the chances of having dysthymia, especially in those people
who are biologically predisposed to developing depression.
Dysthymia symptoms, warning signs and effects are nearly the same as those of major
depression except that they are fewer in number and less in intensity. The patients may have
the following:
 Depressed mood or sadness almost every hour of the day or nearly every day

14.  No longer finding enjoyment in things they once found pleasurable
 Experiencing significant change in weight (loss or gain of over 5 percent in less than 30
days) or change in appetite
 Sleeping excessively or experiencing insomnia nearly every day
 Noticeably feeling restless or rundown physically
 Feeling fatigue or having no energy nearly every day
 Feeling very hopeless or worthless, or feeling excessively guilty nearly every day
 Finding it difficult to concentrate or make decisions
 Frequently having suicide or death thoughts, plans or attempts of suicide
Is Dysthymia Commonly found in the United States?
According to a report published by the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 2 percent of
adult Americans have developed dysthymia. Although it is not as disabling as MDD, dysthymia
can hinder the patients from feeling their best and performing optimally. Dysthymia can
commence in adulthood or even childhood and it seems to be more prevalent in women.
3. Atypical Depression - When you have this type of depression you develop a mood that can
temporarily be improved by positive events. Symptoms, warning signs and effects of Atypical
depression are listed below. The patients may have the following:
 Increase in appetite
 Sleeping more frequently than before
 Feeling heavy in their arm or leg or both
 Too sensitive to criticism
4. Postpartum Depression
This is a type of major depression that usually occurs to women weeks or months after
childbirth.
Postpartum Depression symptoms, warning signs and effects

15.  Sadness
 Hopelessness
 Feeling excessively guilty
5. Bipolar/Manic Depression
 Bipolar or Maniac depression is a major affective or mood disorder. It is usually
accompanied by hypomanic episodes, that is, changes from somebody’s normal mood
with high energy states. Bipolar depression is a serious health condition. It is
accompanied by depressive episodes and can be harder and more devastating to treat
even in people who never experienced hypomania.
Bipolar Depression symptoms, warning signs and effects
 Frequent sleeplessness, sometimes lasting for days
 Hallucinations
 Psychosis
 Grandiose delusions, also known as paranoid rage.
 In serious cases, inability work or live a normal life
Causes of Bipolar Depression
The exact causes of bipolar depression are unknown. What we known is that it is connected
with dysregulation of brain functioning. Occasionally it possesses a genetic component. In other
words, it can affect families. It is a complex depression that probably arises from a combination
of both genetic and non-genetic factors. It is associated with mood episodes, and there are
periods of energy elation and normal mood in between these episodes. The seriousness of this
mood swing can go from just mild to very extreme. It can also occur gradually or all of a sudden
in just a matter of days or weeks. Depression experts call this mood swing cycling. We have a
rapid cycling when we get four or more mood episodes in a year. Don’t confuse rapid cycling
with mood changes that occur frequently from one moment to another in people having this
bipolar depression or some other conditions like borderline-personality dysfunction.
Bipolar depression usually occurs to people within the age bracket of 15 to 24 and can persist

16. through their lifetime. It is rare to diagnose bipolar depression mania in young children or even
in adults who are over 65 years of age.
Because of its remissions and relapses, bipolar depression possesses a high rate of reoccurrence
if it is not properly treated. Patients having severe hypomanic are usually hospitalized to
restrain them from risky behaviors. Patients who are experiencing severe depression too may
need to be hospitalized to restrain them from putting their suicidal thoughts into action or to
help them control their psychotic symptoms (hallucinations, delusions and disorganized
thinking.
About 90 percent of people who have severe hypomanic has one or more psychiatric
hospitalization. 2 out of every 3 of them will have 2 or more hospitalizations in their lifetime.
6. Seasonal Depression
This depression is also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It is a kind of mood
disorder that happens to someone around the same time of every year. If you think the months
of winter make you ill more than they ought to do, you might be experiencing seasonal
depression or SAD.
There is another form of seasonal depression called Summer Depression. Generally, summer
depression starts in early summer or late spring and ends in fall.
Causes of Seasonal Depression
Although the exact causes of Seasonal Depression are unknown, some depression experts think
that it is caused by certain hormones produced deep down in the brain that trigger changes
which are related to our attitudes at some times of year. These experts have reasons to believe
that SAD may be connected with such hormonal changes. A theory explains that because we
have less sunlight in winter and fall the brain produces less serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical
linking brain pathways and they help us regulate our moods. When the pathways of nerve cells
in the brain that are responsible for the regulation of our moods do not function as they should,
depression feelings will result, in addition to fatigue symptoms and weight gain. Usually, SAD
begins in young adults and is more common to women than men. There are some patients of
SAD who have mild symptoms and are easily irritated or annoyed. There are others who have
symptoms that are worse than these, interfering with their work and relationships. Because of
the relationship of SAD with lack of sufficient daylight in winter time, SAD is not often found in
countries that have tropical weather, that is, countries that have plenty of sunshine.
Seasonal Depression symptoms, warning signs and effects

17. In winter, people who have SAD show most of the normal warning signs of depression, such as:
Having little energy
Having trouble concentrating
Experiencing fatigue
Having greater appetite
Prefer to be alone
In need of more sleep
Gaining weight
In summer, people who have SAD show the following warning signs of depression:
Less appetite
Trouble sleeping
Weight loss
7. Psychotic Depression
Psychotic depression is a smaller form of Major Depression that occurs to someone when they
experience a form of psychosis which is a severe depressive illness.
Psychotic Depression symptoms, warning signs and effects
Psychosis could come to you in the form of hallucinations, like hearing a strange voice that says
you are worthless or useless, or delusions, like acute feelings of worthlessness, feelings of
sinfulness, feelings of failure, or some other reality break. Psychotic depression has been
observed to affect about 1 out of every 4 hospitalized people who are having depression.
Is Psychotic Depression the same as Major or Clinical Non-psychotic Depression?
No. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, someone who is psychotic is not in
touch with reality. Patients of psychosis may hear strange voices or they may possess illogical or
strange ideas. For instance, they usually think that other people are hearing their thoughts or
that other people are trying to hurt them or do them harm. They might also think that they are
possessed by the devil or wanted by the police for crimes they have not really committed.
People who have psychotic depression can get very angry for no reason at all. They like to
spend many hours alone in bed or like sleeping during the day and keeping awake at night.
Someone who has psychotic depression may not care about their appearance by not caring to
take their bath or change their clothes. It may be very hard to have conversations with such a
person because perhaps they rarely talk or they say meaningless things.
People having other mental ailments, for example, schizophrenia, also have psychosis.

18. However, people having psychotic depression usually have hallucinations or delusions which
are consistent with depression themes, like failure or worthlessness, whereas schizophrenia’s
psychotic symptoms are more often implausible or bizarre and have nothing whatsoever to do
with mood state like thinking that strangers are running after them for just no reason other
than to attack them. People having psychotic depression may also be ashamed of their own
thoughts and strive to hide them, or may also feel humiliated. This explains why this variety of
depression seems very hard to diagnose.
However, diagnosis of psychotic depression is very important. Its method of treatment is
different from that of non-psychotic depression. Also, if you have one psychotic depression
episode, you have a higher chance of having bipolar depression with reoccurring episodes of
psychotic depression or mania, or even suicide.

19. Depression in Teens
It is not uncommon for teenagers to feel unhappy occasionally but when the unhappiness
continues for over 2 weeks, and the teen also shows some of the other symptoms of depression
mentioned above, then we can say he or she is suffering from teen or adolescent depression.
According to a research study, an estimate of 1 of every 33 children and 1 of every 8
adolescents are affected by teen depression. Find out if your teen suffers from this type of
depression and follow the recommended treatment discussed in this book or seek help from a
depression expert.
If you have an unhappy or irritable teenager, have you ever wondered why he or she is like
that? He or she might really be having teen depression! At times, most of our teens feel
unhappy of course. But when the effect of hormone havoc is added to the several other
changes taking place in their lives, we can easily understand why teens’ moods swing very
often. Yet researches have shown that 1 out of every 8 teenagers has adolescent depression.
Fortunately, depression and its associated tons of problems can be treated. Therefore if you
notice your teenager’s unhappiness is lasting over 2 weeks and he or she also shows other
depression symptoms mentioned earlier, please follow the recommended treatment discussed
in this book or seek help from a depression expert.
Why do teenagers get adolescent depression?
There are various reasons why your teenager might have adolescent depression. For example,
he or she can develop feelings of inadequacy or worthlessness over his or her grades.
Performance in school, social status with their peers, their sexual orientation, or even family life
can have a serious effect on the feelings of a teenager. Sometimes, environmental stress can be
the cause of adolescent depression. Well, whatever might be the cause, when family, friends or
something that a teenager often enjoys is unable to make any improvement in his or her
unhappiness or isolation, we can conclude that the teen has adolescent depression.
Adolescent Depression symptoms, warning signs and effects
Very often, you will notice a change in the behavior or thinking of children having adolescent
depression. They may be unmotivated and often become withdrawn, lock themselves up in
their bedrooms after school and stay there for several hours.
Kids having adolescent depression enjoy excessive sleep, have eating habit changes, and may
even show criminal behaviors like shoplifting or DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol). I
list below some more symptoms, warning signs and effects of adolescent depression. Please
note that teens may not show all the listed:

20.  Loss of memory
 Lack of enthusiasm or emotion
 Feelings of pains, such as stomach aches, headaches, fatigue or lower back pain
 Difficulty in concentrating
 Difficulty in decision making
 Inappropriate or excessive guilt
 Irresponsibility, bad behaviors, forgetting of obligations, getting late for classes, skipping
of school
 Very little or no interest in food leading to weight loss
 Compulsive overeating leading to rapid weight gain
 Preoccupied with ideas of death or dying
 Rebellion
 Anxiety, sadness, or a hopelessness feeling
 Staying up late into the night or sleeping during the day
 Sharp drop in school grades
 Use of drug or alcohol
 Promiscuous sexual activity
 Withdrawn from peers or friends
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21. Natural Cure and Programs for Destroying Depression
If you have depression you can feel vulnerable but you are certainly not. In this book, I discuss
natural treatments first before discussing treatments with prescription drugs because from my
research I discovered that there is a lot you can do yourself to battle different types of
depression. Change of behavior, change of physical activity, change in your way of life, and
even change in your way of thinking or mindset are all common but effective natural cures for
destroying depression. If you follow the following simple tips, you will help yourself feel better
starting this very moment:
1. Set a schedule or a routine for yourself
First don’t be discouraged. Here is a simple solution: you need to get in a routine. If depression
has removed structure from your life, setting a daily structured schedule will help you get back
on track and take each day smoothly into the next.
2. Set daily objectives
People who have depression often feel like they are unable to finish any task. This fact usually
worsens your feelings about yourself. This must be reverted. Set for yourself some every day
objectives. Start with a simple task and create an objective, like something you know you can
easily succeed at. For example, prepare a dish every other day. As you start getting better, try
to add some more difficult everyday objectives. So set daily objectives for yourself starting
today!
3. Do Exercise
Participating in physical activities helps us to temporarily increase the amount of endorphins in
our body, the chemicals that make us to feel good. Likewise, it can help people having
depression on the long term. If you do exercise consistently, it will urge your mind to rebuild
itself in good and positive ways. Now you might ask, how much exercise do you really need?
You do not have to do marathons. Merely walking a few times a week can help you. If you do
exercise effectively, you stand to enjoy one of the most encouraging and regular depression
medications. It helps you to be rapidly and positively disposed. The reason for this is that
exercise has great influence on the same framework of neurotransmitters that medication also
has.
In a recent survey, some accessible controlled trials were made in individuals who were
diagnosed with depression. Exercise was compared with (1) no treatment and (2) some other
sort of secured treatment. The result of the survey proved that exercise really helps to relieve
depression side effects. Although the degree and the sort of exercise to be done has not be
provided, a number of studies, as far back as 1981, supports the fact that using exercise as an

22. important aspect of depression treatment really helps mild to moderate depression. Many
specialists’ recommendation is that doing thirty to sixty minutes of moderate exercise daily will
help to uplift your state of mind.
4. Good eating habits can help
There is no magical food for easing depression. It's a lot better, however, to watch the food you
eat. If depression is likely to make you overeat, it is better to control what you eat so you can
feel better. Although there is no definite food, it has been confirmed that diets having high
content of omega-3 unsaturated fats, such as fish and salmon and folic acid, such as avocado
and spinach can help you ease your depression.
5. Get sufficient sleep
You may be unable to get enough sleep because of your depression. Unfortunately, having
insufficient sleep can worsen your depression. How can you get out of this vicious circle? Start
by making some changes to the way you live your life. Go to sleep and wake up about the same
times very consistently. Restrain yourself from napping. Remove all distraction and diversions
from your room. no TV and no PC. It is just a matter of time. You will soon notice an
improvement in your sleep habits.
6. Tackle your obligations
If you are really ready to tackle your depression, do not draw back from life or try to surrender
your obligations at work home or at home. Include yourself in and have a day to day obligation
to help yourself. This can help provide a natural treatment for your depression. Obligations
keep you busy and give you a feeling or sense of achievement. If you are unable to participate
in full-time college program or job, this is fine. You can consider a part-time program or job. If
you are still unable to manage any of those, look for volunteer work.
7. Beat negative thoughts
While battling your depression, you will discover that most of the work to be done is mental,
and this involves making changes to the way you think. Whenever you are discouraged, it is
easy to jump to extremely bad or negative conclusions. The next time you have a negative
thought in your head, immediately apply rationale as a characteristic treatment for your
depression. For example, if you feel there is nobody that likes you, you must confirm this
genuinely. Here is another example: If you feel you are the most useless per on this planet, you
must find out if this is really true! Beating negative thoughts takes time and practice but is very
achievable. With time you will know how to defeat such negative thoughts and destroy them
before they take control of you.

23. 8. Ask your specialist before taking medication and supplements
There is a growing number of medications and supplements people use to treat depression.
Some common supplements are folic corrosive, fish oil, and SAMe, also known as S-adenosy-L-
methionine. I provide detail of medications and supplements you can use in later in this
chapter. However, more research is needed for us to confirm the use of the above mentioned
supplements. Ask your specialist before you start taking any supplement, especially if you are
already taking some other prescriptions.
9. Look for something new to do
Depression can really get you stuck. Look for something new for you to do. For example, you
can visit a museum or park. You can also visit the library and look for a book to read. You can
also attend a foreign language class. When you try some new things, certain chemical changes
will take place in your brain. Trying something new will help you modify the dopamine levels of
your mind. Dopamine helps the brain to learn, have delight and satisfaction.
10. Try to have some real good times
To quickly alleviate your depression, set a few minutes aside for certain things you really
appreciate. Do not believe the thought that there is nothing fun in anything you do any longer.
That kind of believe is simply pointing to the fact that you have depression. You must continue
trying whatever happens. Even though it may sound contradictory, you must work at having
fun! Plan and try to enjoy those things you used to appreciate in the past, even if they possibly
feel like a daunting task. Continue to go to the movies, go out to have dinner with your friends,
and so on. Depression destroys your ability to discover the thrills in your life. Now that you
have discovered the truth in this book, you must relearn and rebuild how to do it. It is just a
matter of time before fun things come back to make you feel enjoyable even more than before.
My conclusion of this chapter is simple: Try one or more of the above 10 natural programs and
cure for destroying depression and you will see a difference in your life!
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24. Using Medication to Treat Depression
As can be said of many things in life, the treatment of depression and its effectiveness depend
on the individuals we are trying to treat. For this reason, the medical industry largely agrees
that medication and psychological treatment are the best treatment for depression. Whatever
might be the cause of your particular depression, both medication and psychological
treatments can help you relieve your main symptoms.
That is why the best thing for you to do if you have depression is to work together with your
doctor or your mental health expert, to get the treatment that is best for you. The reason why I
said this is that even though there are people who respond very well to psychological
treatments, there are many other people who respond even better to medications. I have seen
some people who got better with only some of the 10 natural programs discussed above, or
with some kind of "talking" (psychological) treatment, and I equally know some other people
(including me), who require both medication and psychological treatment.
Here is an important word of caution:
I am not advising every person who is having depression to use medication for treatment.
What I am now going to share with you are my personal experiences and research results on
the use of medication for treating depression, which I have used to treat my own depression.
Before I go into discussing the effectiveness of the medication for treating depression, it is
better for you to first see an outline of exactly the medications that are used for treating
depression. The most common ones for treating people having depression are anti-
depressants.

25. Anti-depressants
What exactly are anti-depressants? They are a class of medications that are purposely produced
and designed to alleviate or relieve the symptoms of depression.
Types of Anti-depressants
There are various types of anti-depressants in the market. Every type, class or family helps to
relieve depression in its own way. Within each class, each drug works slightly differently. Each
class has side-effects and common warnings, and several of each drug have additional warnings
and side-effects of their own.
Now let us look more closely at each class of anti-depressants, beginning with the one a lot of
people have been talking about.
1. SSRI
SSRI is an abbreviation for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. SSRI drug works by inhibiting
or preventing your neurotransmitter serotonin from re-absorption by your nerve cell that
released it, and by so doing, forcing the serotonin to continue working actively.
Examples of SSRI's are Fluoxetine and Sertraline (I use this one to manage my own depression).
2. SNRI and SSNRI
These 2 medical terms are very synonymous. SNRI is an abbreviation for serotonin
norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, while SSNRI is an abbreviation for selective serotonin
norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, but there is really not any considerable difference.
Examples of SNRI’s are duloxetine and venlafaxine. I managed my depression with venlafaxine
for three years before I noticed it no longer worked for me.
Of course, we have other family or classes of anti-depressant drugs, but those two mentioned
above are the ones I have tried. I can mention more but I am trying to not to go too technical in
my discussion on anti-depressants.
It is unfortunate that you cannot one particular anti-depressant that works for everyone! Only
by trial and error you can find an anti-depressant that works very well for you, or by trying the
ones prescribed for you by your psychiatrist or doctor. It is also through trial and error that you
can determine the correct dosage of the drug. In my own case, my psychiatrist recommended
starting with a small dosage every time he placed me on a particular anti-depressant and then
asked me to increase it according to my need over time.

26. Do not forget that medications generally have side effects, so the ones prescribed here are not
excluded. I had luck with both sertraline and venlafaxine in that the side-effects I experienced
were just minor nausea and headache.
Those side-effects I mentioned lasted me only a few days, so they can be ignored when
compared to the numerous positive benefits I got from those anti-depressants.
If you are having depression, It is very important your psychiatrist or doctor monitor your anti-
depressant medication so that both of you will know if you are taking the correct dosage and if
it is working well for you.

27. How Long Does it Take Anti-depressants to Work?
Anti-depressant medications, as already discussed above, help you alleviate the symptoms of
depression. Please read the chapter Types of Depression, Symptoms, Warning Signs and Effects
for details. People having depression usually have an imbalance in some natural chemicals in
their brains. So what anti-depressant medications do is help their brains to restore this usual
chemical balance and in so doing alleviate the symptoms.
One question people often ask me is, "How long does it take anti-depressants to work?"
From my personal experience, it took me 2 to 3 weeks to see substantial improvements. From
my personal researches however, I discovered it can take some people as many as 6 weeks
after taking your first dose of anti-depressant medication before you will notice substantial
improvements. Yet for some other people, it can take even up to 8 to 10 weeks before they
begin to feel better. They however received the maximum benefit after taking the medications
for over 6 months.
In general, Anti-depressant drugs have good tolerance and are very effective. From my
research, about 71 percent of people having major depression begin to feel better after taking
the first type of anti-depressant medication their doctors prescribed for them.
Before I began taking my anti-depressant medications, my depression got worse each day.
Although I was already taking some therapy before then, I experienced no appreciable
improvement in the symptoms of my depression. The only time I had a break-through in my
depression was when I began taking anti-depressant medications.

28. Psychological Treatments
Psychological treatments are often used by psychiatrists and psychologists because of their
effectiveness in helping someone having depression to get relieve and recover it. I must let you
know that the psychological treatment I received really helped me to treating my depression
because I am now living a very joyful and happy life.
What Are the Available Psychological Treatments and How Do They Work?
1. CBT
A very effective one of these psychological treatments is called CBT, which is an abbreviation
for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. It is a program that is structured in such a way as to recognize
how people’s feelings are affected by that the way they think. CBT helps people having
depression to think rationally about mutual difficulties, thereby helping them to change the
patterns of their thoughts and their reactions to certain situations. You can think of CBT as "My
feelings are affected by my thoughts."
Like some of the examples I gave above, people having depression may think negatively about
their future, environment, other people and even themselves like these:
"I'm a failure.”
"If I died nobody would miss me."
"This world is a scary and cruel place."
"I’ve got nothing and I live for nothing.”
“My life will never get any better."
When you think negatively it will not help you recover and will make you more vulnerable to
depression very quickly. It is very important for you to recognize any negative or unhelpful
thoughts in your mind, remove and replace them with enthusiastic, realistic and rational
thoughts. This explains why I love CBT. It has the power to provide people experiencing
depression the tools they need to challenge their negative thoughts.
2. IPT
IPT is an abbreviation for Interpersonal Therapy and is used to treat people who are easily
upset by criticism or other people's reactions or comments. They may even feel criticized where
there is no any intention of criticism. In this regard, how IPT can help is that it will help you seek
for different ways you can get along with other people such as friends and families, especially in
social gatherings.

29. 3. Family Therapy
The use of Family therapy is also effective helps treating people having depression because the
members of their family and their close friends have the opportunity to learn and recognize
depression. This will make them to accept it as a real medical ailment that they should help to
treat. If you have depression your bosom friends and family members should give you their
understanding and support. This is a very important aspect of Family therapy for treating
depression.
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30. Anti-depressant Myths and Facts
Anti-depressants are very addictive
No. Anti-depressants are not like nicotine, alcohol, or tranquillizers. They do not require
frequent increases of dosage to maintain any effect. Furthermore they do not make their users
to crave them. Although not addictive, people who are using certain classes of anti-depressants
like SNRIs and SSRIs do experience some withdrawal effects which can occasionally last for a
few months. There are also a number of withdrawal indicators like stomach upset, anxiety, flu-
like symptoms, dizziness and strange dreams. Antidepressants are also known to possess some
potential mild and severe side effects, which I strongly suggest should be discussed with
depression experts or medical professionals before the beginning of treatment. However I
want to assure you that anti-depressants are certainly not addictive.
Anti-depressants are the panacea for treating depression
No. They are not any kind of magical happy pills! The reason is that the mood improvement
effects they produce can take many weeks to notice. Anti-depressants are not like
methamphetamines because they do not result in euphoria. In actual fact, only about two-
thirds of people having depression usually respond to any particular anti-depressant, and there
is a limitation on the mood improvement they produce.
Anti-depressants are only a quick fix. They do not really treat depression
After establishing the fact that anti-depressants can take up to weeks to produce effects, so we
cannot classify them as a “quick fix.” Although they can help you lift your mood a little bit, they
are far more effective when combined with therapy to check any fundamental environmental
issues that contribute to depression. Other potentially therapies you can combine with anti-
depressants are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (discussed above), light therapy and herbal
remedies (though you must plan this carefully with your doctor).
People who use Anti-depressants gain weight
This is only partially true. There are some people who gain weight because they are taking anti-
depressants. Although I have seen people who gain weight after they start taking anti-
depressants, this is not necessarily caused by the anti-depressant. For example, if you take an
anti-depressant, the added medication can produce an improvement in your appetite, which
you may have lost because of your depression, and this now causes you to gain weight. There
are some other people that may even lose their weight because their emotional eating has
dropped when they start taking an anti-depressant. Weight gain or weight loss side effect
actually depends on the individual and the anti-depressant prescribed for them. If you are
concerned about your weight, please discuss it beforehand with your doctor or medical

31. professional.
Once you are on antidepressants, you are always on them
How long it takes to treat someone’s depression entirely depends on the type of depression
they are having. Many people who are on antidepressants stop the treatment after 6 months,
whereas people who have experienced many major depressive episodes require a longer time
for treatment. If you commence an antidepressant plan and begin to experience a positive
mood change, I will not be surprised if you wonder if you can feel good after stopping your
treatment. Doctors normally recommend that depression patients should stay on their anti-
depressant for a minimum of 6 to 12 months. Beyond that time window, it is a personal choice
to stop treatment, and it is also very important to consider the other factors that were
responsible for the depression before the patient continues to depend on their newly
medicated feelings of recovery. As a result of potential side effects from anti-depressant
withdrawal, it’s crucial to not just stop taking antidepressants abruptly. Instead, reduce the
dosage slowly with the help of your doctor. Although an antidepressant may have helped you
recover from a depressive episode, you do not always need it to feel normal.
Antidepressants reduce sex drive
It is true that there are some antidepressants that possibly have sexual side effects. But they do
not normally cause lack of sexual drive. What is more common to them is they cause inability to
achieve an orgasm. However, if you are depressed, your libido can be demolished, so the
introduction of an anti-depressant can sometimes really help you improve your sex life.
It is dangerous to combine Anti-depressants with other medications
I strongly advise you to discuss any other medication you are taking with your doctor or
pharmacist first. Drugs generally can interact with each another. However, anti-depressants
that are commonly prescribed, such as SSRIs, have rarely been known to interact or cause
problems with other drugs. The only exception is the risk of increase in blood pressure when
you take SSRIs with MAO inhibitors. Generally, SSRIs are safe to combine with nearly all other
medicines. Again, always ensure you consult your doctor or pharmacist to be sure.

32. Conclusion
If you are having depression you may need to use an anti-depressant to treat it, and you should
consult your doctor. The earlier you treat that depression, the greater your chance of
recovering quickly. If the first anti-depressant you tried did not work, do not be discouraged.
Just try another anti-depressant. Doing that could really make the difference you are expecting
and your depression could be cured. Once you start taking an anti-depressant, your mood
should be monitored closely by your doctor or psychiatrist.
In addition to taking anti-depressants, I strongly recommend that you see a psychiatrist or
psychologists for CBT. This combination worked very well for me for the past 15 years. That is
why I have continued with both the CBT and the anti-depressants to make sure that the good
quality of life I live today is maintained.
I have discussed several depression treatments in this book though my list is not complete. You
can search for more. So if you have depression, do not give up! Do not let depression destroy
you. It is not you, it only lives in you and it can be removed!
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33. Understanding Anxiety
As long as we continue to suffer, strive or struggle as each day passes, we must experience
anxiety. Anxiety can be defined as a mental tension which manifests itself in irritability, worry,
uneasiness or apprehension. You can get anxiety as a result of uncertainty about your future or
some impending events, or because you are unable to control your environment, state of your
mind or affairs. Anxiety is a human being’s natural emotional response because of his endeavor
to live and survive comfortably. Anxiety is your constant reminder that you have appalling
frailty and an utter impotence to master your own destiny.
Although anxiety is closely related to fear, they are not mere synonymous words. You can
define fear as both the emotional and psychological response to your sense of being in danger.
This means that you are using fear basically as your survival mechanism to promote your self-
preservation. However, anxiety is the warning signal of your increasing survival impotence. You
can describe anxiety simply as "fear spread out thin."
How Anxiety Can Affect You
Anxiety can affect and cost you extremely much because its effects are intense and far-
reaching. We can put these effects into 3 fundamental categories: the physical, the social and
the psycho-emotional. Let us take them one after the other.
Physical
Anxiety can produce a series of physiological discomforts. We can label a particular
manifestation of anxiety under what we call psychosomatic symptoms, like palpitations of your
heart, an upset of your stomach, a headache, a muscle cramp, or various kinds of body aches
and pains. Chronic or sustained anxiety can put you in a deteriorating physical health condition.
There are other long-term effects which are classified under functional and organic illnesses,
such as dyspepsia and heart disease.
Social
Anxiety can also strain your social relationships and retard your interpersonal development. If
you are an extremely anxious person, you may have the tendency to avoid your social contacts,
even your familiar friends, because you want to reduce your anxiety level. Social contacts have
the tendency to produce feelings of uneasiness, suspicion and uncertainty, and your natural
reaction to all these will make you alienated or socially withdrawn. That is why extremely
anxious people learn to avoid people and live alone.
Psycho-emotional
Anxiety may also lead you to psycho-emotional disorders which can be serious. At first, anxiety

34. reduces your performance by restricting your reasoning abilities, making you dull or limiting
your imaginative thinking, and causing you general discouragement. Feelings of disorientation
and depression may then ensue. Personality maladjustments are the eventuality.

35. Anxiety in Children and Young people
All young people and children get anxious from time to time as they grow up because it is a
normal part of their development, and they must develop the skills they need to survive face
challenges in their own world. Furthermore, they have different levels of stress they can cope
with. Some young people are of course more anxious than other people, and respond more
quickly to stress and worries.
If you think that your child or a younger one’s anxiety is affecting their everyday life,
development, relationship or schooling, you need to learn how to tackle it.
How does anxiety affect young people and children?
Anxiety in your child can make him or her show any of the following reactions:
 Feeling sick, shaky, dizzy and faint or developing stomach cramps
 Fast breathing or difficulty in breathing
 Fast heart beats (palpitations), tense muscles or sweating
 Feeling like he or she might die
Although the above mentioned reactions make your child feel uncomfortable, they alert and
make him or her respond more quickly to danger. However, when anxiety happens often, or at
the wrong time, children’s thoughts and behavior can be affected in negative ways. Some of
these are:
 Frequent feeling of panic, fear, embarrassment or shame
 Lack of confidence to try something new thing, face a challenge or even behave normal
 Difficulty in concentrating, eating or sleeping
 Anger outbursts, that is, they get very angry rapidly, and loses control
 Having negative thoughts or worries in their head, such as thinking something bad will
happen every time
 They can say or do certain things that can affect them
Some Problems anxiety in children can cause
1. If your child or young one is too anxious it can affect your whole family. Here is a good
example: You (the parent) and your other siblings may often be worried about upsetting your
anxious child and so may decide to cancel or change appointments, routines or some activities
so as to accommodate the child’s anxiety.
2. Anxious children may not want to go to public places, or they find it difficult to see their

36. friends, meet new people or participate in outdoor activities. This can reduce their
development and affect their relationships.
3. Anxiety can reduce the performance of children and young people at college or school or
even prevent them from attending altogether. This will have a negative effect on their learning
and future opportunities.
4. Anxiety in children often makes the parents of the children themselves become very anxious,
for example, while trying to protect their children from a stressful situation.
5. Anxiety in children can have many other unpredictable and negative long-term effects on the
children
Common Causes of children’s anxiety
1. Separation and new environments
Many children pass through changes in their homes, such as family separation, moving to a new
house, going to a new school or changing schools, having a family member who is dead or ill,
usually between 1 to 3 years of age. This can create anxiety in the children, especially if they are
attending a nursery school. This will make them to worry that a bad thing will happen to them
or their parents, resulting in the feeling of insecurity which may in turn result in the feeling of
not wanting to go out or try something new.
2. Fear and Phobias
Of course it is normal for your child to pass through stages of being scared of certain things,
animals or people like the dark, water, dogs, monsters or ghosts. These can make them get very
upset and behave irrational because of fear. However, many children with time grow out of
such fears as they grow up. If the child fails to grow out of these fears, they may become unable
to cope with their daily life. This will make them to have phobias and eventually anxieties.
3. Social situations
Some children may develop anxiety from social situations. This can happen if they feel nervous,
are afraid of being in a group, or afraid of certain friends in the group. Some children may find it
difficult to talk to their peers or people they are unfamiliar with in a social setting. They can also
be affected by self-consciousness or by the fear that other children will judge them negatively.

37. 6 Shocking Facts You Might Not Know about Anxiety
Below is a list of interesting facts about anxiety that you might not know:
1. Forms of anxiety like worry, fear, pains or muscle aches can rapidly shallow your breathing,
increase your heart palpitations, cause you fatigue or headaches. These are some of the most
common complaints often heard by doctors. But anxiety can do even worse, like worsen or
provoke alcoholism, make you over-eat, cause bowel irritation, premenstrual problem, and
several other medical ailments.
2. The number of women suffering from anxiety is more than twice the number of men. This
reason for this, according to experts, is either that, women are somewhat more likely to have
anxiety, or that men are more likely to pretend they are not afraid.
3. According to a research study, more than 65 million people living in the united States
experience some anxiety symptoms; 30 million of them have a full-blown anxiety disorder.
4. 1 out of every 2 people living in the United States will have mild to moderate anxiety for at
least 2 weeks in their lifetime; 1 out of every 4 people will suffer from an anxiety disorder.
5. It was discovered from a recent poll that more than 25 percent of the United States
workforce is suffering from chronic stress and anxiety.
6. A research study has shown that a lot more people are suffering from anxiety than people
suffering from other mental health ailments, and that less than 25 percent of them will be able
to receive adequate help. These 25 percent will suffer unnecessarily from a curable and
treatable anxiety condition.

38. Causes of Anxiety
The psycho-dynamics of anxiety must first be understood before going to the causes. Some
psychologists have described anxiety in general as an indirect and vague feeling that has no
specific source or a fundamental cause. You may want to challenge this claim but the cause of
anxiety the cause may be misunderstood or hidden.
Let us look at the specific tenuous mental states to which anxiety is related. There are 3 of them
basically and is from them that emotional disturbances such as anxiety are derived.
1. Guilt
Guilt naturally is the creator of psychic tension. It is the sense of personal wrongdoing that
makes one deserve punishment. Guilt may be true, false, real, imaginary, moral or
psychological. In either case, the psychic experience and tension are similar. When someone
steals something, they may have a sense of guilt. However, imaginary or false guilt is the result
of someone’s failure to meet the judgment or expectations of other people. Let us look at an
example. Your child's peers may subject him to ridicule simply because he has not performed
well in their sport's team, although your child has put in his best. This makes him feel like he he
has failed or disappointed his friends. Therefore he feels guilty. This kind of guilt is unjustified
because, morally, he should not be blamed for this offense. Some other secondary mental
states that are often attributed to guilt are discouragement, depression, loneliness, despair,
insecurity and so on.
2. Egoism
This is another major tenuous mental state that may cause anxiety. If you suffer from egoism
you are preoccupied with yourself and with your personal needs. Please note that anger is a
common trait of an egoistic state of mind. There are 2 fundamental dimensions of egoism:
superiority (or arrogance) and inferiority (or inadequacy). An arrogant person is compelled to
obsessively strive to get personal attention and the praise or applause of others. His pride,
exaggerated love of himself and his constant need for self-recognition usually make him
judgmental, insensitive, and even merciless. We can see various examples in show business and
professional sports. Jealousy, hostility, hatred, resentment, bitterness, and envy are some of
the secondary mental states of arrogance or a superior disposition.
Inferiority or inadequacy, however, seems to be the more prevalent of the 2 dimensions in
people who suffer from anxiety. Inferior disposition compels someone to be socially withdrawn
from people or to feel intimidated around them. He may feel unloved, not worthy of personal
recognition or even lack self-respect. He may also view himself as a total failure.

39. 3. Fear
This is third major tenuous mental state. However, it is not all fear that is malignant. We all
need instinctive fear for our physical survival. Morbid fear is very harmful and can be
recognized in a person who slavishly preoccupied with his own well-being and personal safety.
A person, who has immoderate concern over maintaining or securing an admirable public
image, reputation, material possession, good health and so on for himself, may produce morbid
fear. Therefore, morbid fear in a person usually arises from his placing an exaggerated
importance or value to such things like those that I just mentioned. Consequently, because his
perception is overly distorted, the threat of damage or loss of those things may paralyze or
even incapacitate him. For fear, the secondary mental states are insecurity, depression, panic,
suspicion, and so on. Fear is also an important component of phobia, hysteria and paranoia.

40. Management of Anxiety
Different schools of thought have been used to manage anxiety. Some therapists recommend
some form of behavior modification like thought-stopping, relaxation training, modeling, and
behavior rehearsal. Only some of these techniques have been proven to be helpful while
behavior modification obviously has deficiency.
10 simple tips to manage your anxiety
Whenever you feel anxious, use one or more of these strategies to help you cope with your
anxiety:
1. Taking a time-out
Spend a few hours practicing yoga, listening to music or meditating. Apply a massage and other
relaxation techniques. Step back from stress will help to clear your head.
2. Eating a well-balanced meal
Avoid skipping your meals. Take healthy and energy-boosting snacks when you have the need.
3. Reducing caffeine and alcohol can help
Doing this will help to prevent anxiety aggravation and panic attack triggering.
4. Getting sufficient sleep
When you are stressed, you body needs additional rest and sleep.
5. Exercising every day
Doing this will help you feel and look healthy maintain your health.
6. Doing your best
Stop trying or striving to be perfect. Perfection is not possible.
7. Accepting and welcoming humor
Welcome and enjoy humor. A good laugh will go a long way to help prevent anxiety.
8. Maintaining a positive attitude
Strive to eliminate negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
9. Getting involved and active in yourcommunity
Find a way to be active in your community. You can volunteer, create a support network, etc.
These will help you a break away from everyday stress.

41. 10. Seeking help from a therapist or a physician
Talk to a therapist, a physician, friends or family about your feelings. Let them know you need
their help.
I have listed above some simple tips that some people have found helpful. However, here is the
best and simple management of anxiety that I have found to be most helpful:
When you first wake up each morning, just take out a few minutes to meditate for peace and
tranquility, and not negative events that may not even come to reality, you will create a new
life for yourself - a life filled with optimism. Fear, uncertainty and anxiousness will vanish.
When you create peace and tranquility in your life, and not the one filled with chaos and fear,
anxiety will have no entry points in your body because tranquility and anxiety cannot live in the
same space simultaneously.
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42. Destructive Anxiety Disorders and Symptoms
I have listed and explained below the top 5 types of destructive anxiety disorders and
symptoms that affect millions of people in the U.S and other parts of the world. You should
know about them because they can directly impact your life or those of your loved ones
negatively and can be very destructive.
1. Anxiety Attacks: This type makes you feel suddenly like you are about to die, go crazy, pass
out, or even lose control. This type of disorder is often called PD (an abbreviation for Panic
Disorder).
2. Compulsions: This type gives you an urge to carry out certain rituals like repeatedly washing
things, counting things in a particular way, praying, or repeating certain words silently. This type
of destructive disorder is called OCD (meaning Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
3. Appearance Concerns: When you are attacked by this type, you feel very convinced that
something is grotesque or abnormal about your appearance, although other people cannot see
it. This one is called BDD (Body Dysmorphic Disorder).
4. Obsession: An attack of this type gives you some upsetting thoughts you cannot get rid of,
for example, fear of losing control and doing harm to others, confession of a crime you did not
commit, contamination by germs or dirt. This type is also called OCD (Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder).
5. Chronic Worrying: This particular type makes you constantly worry about your work, health,
family, finances or school. It is also called GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder).
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43. Conclusion
From my research I have discovered that anxiety is connected with a myriad of mental and
physical conditions. Some of them can be very fatal. Also, some studies have shown that there
is some anxiety that is normal because it helps to protect you and me from real harm and
danger, and also stimulate change and growth. To keep your anxiety from developing into a full
blown anxiety disorder attack, make use of the techniques I mentioned above. Also take part in
activities like regular exercise, golf, yoga, and most importantly meditation. These are most of
the things that have provided me an excellent health and a relaxed mind, speaking from my
personal experience!
A. J. Wright
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