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Fighting Depression

What is Depression

If you’ve been diagnosed with depression, you may wonder why it had to happen to you. The fact is that anyone can get depression. The first step in fighting depression is to understand what it is, how it affects you, and what causes it.

Symptoms of Depression

• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
• You feel exhausted a lot of the time with no energy
• You feel as if even the smallest tasks are sometimes impossible
• You spend a lot of time thinking about what has gone wrong, what will go wrong or what is wrong about yourself as a person. You may also feel guilty sometimes about being critical of others (or even thinking critically about them)
• Loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities
• You feel a burden to others
• You sometimes feel that life isn’t worth living
• You feel you have no confidence
• You have difficulty sleeping or wake up very early in the morning and can’t sleep again

Physical Symptoms of Depression include:

• Changes in weight – either significant loss or gain in weight
• Restlessness fatigue
• Physical aches and pains, sometimes with the fear that you are seriously ill

Some more Severe Symptoms of Depression include:

• Thoughts about death or suicide
• Increased heart beat
• Poor concentration, memory or attention.

Ways To Fight Depression

If you feel depressed, it’s best to do something about it ? depression doesn’t just go away on its own. In addition to getting help from a doctor or therapist, here are 5 things you can do to feel better.

1. Exercise. Take a 15- to 30-minute brisk walk every day ? or dance, jog, or bike if you prefer. People who are depressed may not feel much like being active. But make yourself do it anyway (ask a friend to exercise with you if you need to be motivated). Once you get in the exercise habit, it won’t take long to notice a difference in your mood.

In addition to getting aerobic exercise, some yoga poses can help relieve feelings of depression. Try downward-facing dog or legs-up-the-wall pose (you can find these poses on yoga websites). Two other aspects of yoga ? breathing exercises and meditation ? can also help people with depression feel better.

2. Nurture yourself with good nutrition. Depression can affect appetite. One person may not feel like eating at all, but another might overeat. If depression has affected your eating, you’ll need to be extra mindful of getting the right nourishment. Proper nutrition can influence a person’s mood and energy. So eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and get regular meals (even if you don’t feel hungry, try to eat something light, like a piece of fruit, to keep you going).

3. Identify troubles, but don’t dwell on them. Try to identify any situations that have contributed to your depression. When you know what’s got you feeling blue and why, talk about it with a caring friend. Talking is a way to release the feelings and to receive some understanding. If there’s no one to tell, pouring your heart out to a journal works just as well.

Once you air out these thoughts and feelings, turn your attention to something positive. Take action to solve problems. Ask for help if you need it. Feeling connected to friends and family can help relieve depression. (It may also help them feel there’s something they can do instead of just watching you hurt.)

4. Express yourself. With depression, a person’s creativity and sense of fun may seem blocked. By exercising your imagination (painting, drawing, doodling, sewing, writing, dancing, composing music, etc.) you not only get those creative juices flowing, you also loosen up some positive emotions. Take time to play with a friend or a pet, or do something fun for yourself. Find something to laugh about ? a funny movie, perhaps. Laughter helps lighten your mood.

5. Look on the bright side. Depression affects a person’s thoughts, making everything seem dismal, negative, and hopeless. If depression has you noticing only the negative, make an effort to notice the good things in life. Try to notice one thing, then try to think of one more. Consider your strengths, gifts, or blessings. Most of all, don’t forget to be patient with yourself. Depression takes time to heal.
Visit www.hopeinlife.co.nr

Athletes And Depression

Sports play a large role in the lives of many people. Whether someone is a professional athlete or someone who is part of a local or school team, there will always be a lot of pressure. Coaches will keep pressing their athletes to go that extra mile, or to perform better than they did before. There is also the pressure of performance that many athletes place on their own shoulders, which often becomes an additional burden to bear. Most athletes are capable of bearing those burdens and handling those pressures, but others are not so lucky. Every so often, an athlete will lapse into depression, which they are susceptible to because of all the pressure and expectations they are expected to fulfill. However, it is notable that depression can often go unreported among athletes, and many would prefer not to take medication such as Prozac.

Athletes are supposed to be tougher and stronger than the average person, so depression might be interpreted as a weakness that they should not have. The expectation that athletes can and should perform better than others is a prevalent one, and likely one that most athletes place upon themselves at one point or another. That is usually a minor concern, but it can escalate if something happens that keeps them from performing as they should. Injuries, missed shots, and mistakes can all come together to make an athlete feel like he isnt doing his best, or that he is not good enough. While these cases are not as severe as possible and can usually be alleviated with a prescription of Prozac, most athletes would rather not report this weakness.

What most athletes dont realize is that allowing their depression to linger can become a worse hindrance than admitting they have a problem. Depression can cause them to lose sleep or have lower levels of energy than normal, worsening their performance. Sensibly speaking, an athlete would be better off admitting he needs doses of Prozac than he would be attempting to hide his problem.

The Position Of Suicide Terrorism In Terrorism

The transformation of the very content of the concept of security, whose formulation was based on the analysis of safety risks and forms of threats to security of the people, property and the state as a whole, began internationally after the end of the Cold War. The concept of security is becoming increasingly separated from the concept of military defense as an answer to aggression, while taking on the dominant characteristic of defense from all other forms of security threats. One of those forms of security threats, not only on a global, but on a national level as well, is known as terrorism.

Terrorism, although not having an universal, generally accepted definition, implies the use of violence or threat of using violence on civilian population, by a non-sovereign subject, aimed at the state, or several states, with the aim of achieving a political goal. Activities identified directly or indirectly as being terrorism are, at the dawn of the 21st century, threatening the security of more than half of all world nations. The most generalized classification of terrorist acts, regarding the use of force, defines two categories: non-violent and violent acts. This classification should be regarded broadly, since the two types of acts are intermingled on every level of the organizers strategically-tactical plan. Non-violent acts group includes all acts with the aim of creating conditions for executing acts of violence, and improvement of effects thereof. This group includes intelligence gathering, propaganda, lobbying, logistics, gathering of financial means, etc. Violent acts group includes all acts with the aim of causing death and destruction. One type of violent acts is a suicide attack, wherein the attacker consciously sacrifices his/her life destroying the chosen target.

Suicide attacks, by way of their specific characteristics, have attained a special status in relation to all other types of terrorist attacks. Therefore, the term suicide terrorism, as a separate category of terrorism, has entered everyday use in daily discourse and scientific analyzing. Incomplete data shows that the period from January 1993 till May 2006 saw 726 suicide attacks worldwide, with more than 11,000 killed and more than 25,000 wounded. Only in the period from July 2nd till September 30th, 2005, 73 suicide attacks were conducted, with 11.46 killed per attack.(1)

This practical, impasse situation demanded the swiftest possible discovery of signs to recognize in advance the person prepared to commit a suicide attack. The task was tackled by the scientific elite worldwide, especially scientists from Israel and Western nations, some contracted by the government, some on own initiative. Intense efforts to solve the task at hand, multiplied many times after the New York and Washington attacks on September 11th, 2001, were not fruitful. A significant addition to the knowledge was made, but profiling the suicide terrorist was discouraged by results of many scientific studies concluding that a person like that can come from a wide range of social-economic conditions.

The leaders, as very rational actors in terrorism, guide themselves with a certain political goal, and make strategies for achieving it. The strategy includes activities, ways of conducting activities, and resources enabling the achieving of the objective. According to the terrorist strategy, we must first define the position and the role of the suicide terrorism.

The previously mentioned, most general, classification of terrorism is used by most authors as the only classification. The acts are classified into two groups, violent and non-violent, and as we have mentioned before, suicide attacks belong to the first group. This classification is not at all satisfactory when determining the position and the role of suicide terrorism in terrorism. Robert Pape, professor at the University of Chicago, Department of Political Sciences, made a more specific classification. According to Pape, terrorism can be classified into: demonstrative, destructive and suicide terrorism.

Demonstrative terrorism, Pape explains, is directed mainly at gaining publicity, for any or all of three reasons: to recruit more activists, to gain attention to grievances from softliners on the other side, and to gain attention from third parties who might exert pressure on the other side. In these cases, terrorists often avoid doing serious harm so as not to undermine sympathy for the political cause. Destructive terrorists seek to inflict real harm on members of the target audience at the risk of losing sympathy for their cause. Suicide terrorism is the most aggressive form of terrorism, pursuing coercion even at the expense of losing support among the terrorists own community. In practice, suicide terrorists often seek simply to kill the largest number of people. Maximizing the number of enemy killed, alienates those in the target audience who might be sympathetic to the terrorists cause, while the act of suicide creates a debate and often loss of support among moderate segments of the terrorists community, even if also attracting support among radical elements. (2)

This classification was criticized by the Indian scientist R. Ramasubramanian, of the New Delhi Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, as not being clear enough. He argues that the Suicide terrorism cannot be compared with demonstrative and destructive terrorism. It can be argued that the suicide terrorism is merely an instrument or modus operandi, compared to demonstrative or destructive terrorism, which are mostly objectives. Suicide terrorism as an instrument, seeks both objectives to some extent, often aiming at enemy targets and, in some cases, mobilizing support for the terrorists cause.(3) As a proof for this, he mentions the 9/11 suicide attack which inflicted many civilian casualties, and whose main objective was considered to be demonstrating the vulnerability of the US to terrorists.

Terrorist organizations, by the nature of their position, confront a certain nation, and no matter what their strength might be, in military, economic and intelligence matters they are always in the inferior position compared to the other side. Even when there is a sponsorship from some state, there exists a hesitation to use the full extent of the power. The support of the sponsoring state must remain secret, or at least improvable, in face of the international community. Otherwise, it would not be terrorism, but aggression. On its way from starting the fight till victory, the objective of a terrorist organization is to focus the attention of the international community on its own problem, and ensure the support of its own as large a portion as possible. This cannot be achieved if the acts do not have the publicity, and therefore do not reach the third party, here having the most important role. To gain publicity, the terrorists must direct their strategy and tactics towards prioritized demonstrating. This can be a demonstration of own existence and activity proving that the problem and idea are alive, or still alive; or a demonstration of determination, power, devotion, etc. The terrorism itself is demonstrative, and its violent actions can be classified into:

1) Extortionist, non-lethal;

2) Extortionist-destructive, which can be murderous, and suicide-oriented; and

3) Destructive, which can be murderous, suicide-oriented and suicide.

Extortionist non-lethal terrorist actions were present at the onset of creation of what we today call modern terrorism. Since the international community was unaccustomed and oversensitized to using terrorism as a means of achieving objectives, terrorists feared that civilian bloodshed would do irreparable damage to their organization. Therefore they practiced actions without serious intent to cause death. Those actions included setting up false bombs in places important for the enemy, or false reports of bombs in airborne airplanes. By using the threat of activating the supposedly set up and effective bomb, they were trying to extort their objective from the enemy. The result was mainly a short-lived unrest, and such actions are seldom used today because of their ineffectiveness although they certainly exist as a category.

Extortionist-destructive actions manifest the intention of the terrorists to have their demands fulfilled, or have their target destroyed. Murderous actions are distinguished by the fact that the planned circumstances provide a considerable measure of safety for the perpetrators. Suicide-oriented actions contain the following plan: entering executing the mission exiting. Executing the mission and ensuring the organizers safety is more important than the life of an individual perpetrator, and he/she enters the mission knowing that, ready for the great probability of not returning.

Destructive actions, besides spreading fear, do not include any other objective except the destroying of the chosen target. Murderous actions include destroying enemy objects and men by any means available. Suicide-oriented actions are aimed towards deep penetration and reaching vital enemy targets and obtaining maximum damage or destruction. Unlike these, suicide actions do not include the third part of the entering executing the mission exiting plan. The mission accomplishment is ensured by the perpetrator bringing the means of destruction to the right place and activating it at the moment he/she estimates it will achieve the largest possible degree of destruction. Considering that the right place and time are prerequisites for the success of the mission, life of the perpetrator is considered expendable. Therefore, in suicide-oriented actions life of the perpetrator is secondary, and in suicide actions it is expendable. The organization of the attack is built on those premises.

Murderous, suicide-oriented and suicide actions, besides being dissimilar in the tactical sense, also differ on the scale of hurting the opponent. In contemporary terrorist activity, the objective of the action and the corresponding way of perpetrating the attack often do not conform to this tactical classification. The reason for that is the extremely large psychological effect produced by the suicide attack (moral supremacy over the opponent, inducing fear in large numbers of people). Therefore, the suicide attack always has the vantage point in comparison to other means of achieving the same objective. As we can see, suicide attacks are just one of the ways to cause destruction.

The problem of defining suicide terrorism is analogue to the problem of defining terrorism. From a small number of broad definitions, we would like to select those that describe it most adequately. Rohan Gunaratna, expert on the problem of terrorism, states his definition of suicide terrorism as readiness to sacrifice one’s life in the process of destroying or attempting to destroy a target to advance a political goal the aim of the psychologically and physically war-trained terrorist is to die while destroying the enemy target. (4) The first part of this definition, besides accentuating the organizational character, does not differentiate between suicide-oriented and suicide terrorism. The non-existence of this distinction is a weakness that disregards tactical-technical diversity, and differences in time, space, objective, and finally, psychological-motivational differences of perpetrators. All mentioned factors influence the understanding of the problem, and consequently, inadequate prevention and defense. The second part of the definition excludes a big percentage of perpetrators, which cannot be classified as psychologically and physically war-trained terrorists.

Yoram Schweitzer, a world-renowned expert on the problem of terrorism, states that the suicide terrorism is a politically-motivated violent attack perpetrated by a self-conscious individual (or individuals) who actively and consciously causes his own death by blowing himself up along with the chosen target. (5) Schweitzers definition concentrates on the individual, and like the one before, does not address the problem of differentiating between suicide-oriented and suicide actions. Moreover, this partiality is found in the means of the attack. By definition it has to be of such type that it blows up the individual and the target. Granted, most suicide actions are perpetrated using some sort of explosive, but in the theoretical sense other possibilities cannot be excluded.(6)

Suicide-oriented terrorism is a violent attack on a chosen target with a primary aim of extorting concession by the attacked side, or destruction, with the perpetrator having the intention and plans to survive; but if the attack gets interrupted or obstructed he can decide to destroy himself only, or himself and the target.

Suicide terrorism is an attack where the perpetrator causes death or largest possible degree of damage to the chosen target, ensuring the extent of that by non-existence of intent to survive the action. (7)

(1) The source: The National Counter Terrorism Committee, Beograd.

(2) Pape, R. (August 2003). The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism. American Political Science Review, Vol. 97, No.3, pgs. 3-4.

(3) Ramasubramanian, R. (2004) Suicide Terrorism in Sri Lanka. New Delhi, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, pg. 3.

(4) Gunaratna, R. (2000). Suicide Terrorism: A Global Threat. Jane’s Intelligence Review, October 20, 2000.

Available at: URL: http://www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/usscole/jir001020_1_n.shtml

(5) Schweitzer, Y. (2000). Suicide Terrorism: Development and Characteristic. A lecture delivered in the International Conference on Countering Suicide Terrorism at International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), Herzeliya, Israel, Feb. 21, 2000.

(6) Hebrew terrorist Baruch Goldstein entered Ibrahims mosque in Hebron on February 25, 1994 during the prayers and fired 119 gunshots into the people. 29 people got killed, and around 150 got wounded. After the initial shock, the first cool-headed men led the assembled people, beating the attacker to death. Available at: URL: http://www.mm.cp.ba/printert123.html

Muhammad Nidal, a member of Hammas Izzadin el-Kassam Brigade, entered the military academy in Israel and fired an AK-47 rifle for 22 minutes, throwing hand grenades as well. He killed 10, and wounded 23 Israeli military school ensigns. Israeli soldiers killed him on the spot. MEMRI TV Monitor Project, Clip No. 980, 21. 12. 2005.

The attackers knew they were going on a one-way trip. That kind of suicide attacks was used in the tactics of militant branch of the Ismaili Hashshashin (Assassins) sect, acting from 1090 1272-5.

(7) Matovic, V. (2006). Samoubilacki terorizam: Kako se postaje mucenik (Suicide terrorism: How one becomes a martyr). Beograd, NKZBPT, 2006. pgs. 30-37.

The National Counter Terrorism Committee http://www.n-c-t-c.com

Relieve Depression Naturally

Depression is a mood disorder that ranges from mild to severe. All of us have experienced a form of depression at some time in our lives. It can accompany loss, stress, unresolved anger, fear, shame, disappointment and other emotional dynamics that are a part of our life situation. Depression is experienced by children, adults, and elderly regardless of economic status, gender, or culture. Depression affects physical health, relationships, awareness, weight, memory, decision making ability, energy level, interest, and sleep. In addition to emotional experience, depression can result from diet, nutrition, and other physical biochemical origins.

In severe, special cases of depression associated with extreme mental disorder, synthetic, chemical based drugs called antidepressants are required and necessary for relief of depression. However, most of us do not fall into this category and too often these synthetic antidepressants are prescribed for us who suffer from common daily disappointments in our lives. For most common experiences of depression, antidepressants are not often necessary. Synthetic Antidepressants have been known to have some harmful side effects, prompting the FDA to recommend that manufacturers add this warning label to their products: “Antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in short-term studies in children and adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of {insert established name} or any other antidepressant in a child or adolescent must balance this risk with the clinical need. Patients who are started on therapy should be observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidalty, or unusual changes in behavior”.

This is not to suggest that ignoring the feelings of depression will make the feelings go away. Since depression can have physical biochemical origin and depression from emotional stress can cause biochemical change in the body, it would follow that common, not severe, depression would respond to clinically proven all natural remedies as vitamins, herbs, supplements, minerals, amino acids, aromatherapy, and all natural formulas designed to relieve the pain of depression. Other treatments e.g. psychotherapy, exercise, acupuncture, yoga, meditation also aid in the natural relief of depression.

Deficiencies in vitamins and minerals can trigger depression as well as depression decreasing the availability of vitamins and minerals essential for the maintaining our body’s health. These vitamins and minerals include vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin C, magnesium, calcium and trace minerals. Supplementing our bodies with these vitamins and minerals can relieve and perhaps prevent depression as well as greatly improving our health generally.

Adding amino acids to our diets can go a long way in relieving depression and promoting general health. For example, SAMe (S-Adensoyl-L-Methionine) is an amino acid that can be found in all cells of our body. It is a natural antidepressant that has additional value of protecting the liver and cardiovascular system, synthesis of natural melatonin that assists sleeping well. Phenylalanine is another amino acid that makes the neurotransmitter, i.e. substance that conducts messages to and within the brain, norepinephrine. Norepinephrine is diminished in the brains of people who are depressed. The amino acid L-Theanine naturally reduces anxiety associated with depression and is not addictive or habit forming. Another amino acid that naturally relieves depression and stimulates alertness is L-Tyrosine.

5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophane) is a naturally occurs in our bodies and helps the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Adequate amounts of serotonin is vital for a feeling and sense of emotional well being. 5-HTP can cross the blood brain barrier which makes it unique in the facilitation of serotonin. 5-HTP has gained a great reputation in the natural treatment of insomnia, depression and obesity.

For many people who suffer common depression, a effectively created herbal formula is very beneficial for the natural relief of depression. St. John’s wort (hypericum perforaturn), commonly referred to as “Nature’s Prozac”, helps naturally relieve mild or moderate depression, stress, anxiety, and tension. Gingo biloba is used as an alternative treatment for moderate depression in elderly people because depression is an early sign of cognitive decline or cerebrovascular deficiency. Valerian root has a natural calming effect for anxiety and depression. Passionflower is an efficient natural sedative for calming and sleeping well. Black Cohosh, used by early Native Americans, soothes the body and reduces spasm. These are just a few of the examples of herbs and herbal formula that treat moderate depression effectively and naturally.

Hormonal imbalance can lead to moderate depression. A common treatment is natural progesterone for women. Other natural substances help balance hormones e.g. flax oil, black cohosh, dimpro, promensil, essential fatty acids, red clover, virtex berry and many other naturally derived supplements.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils and other natural aromatic compounds from plants to effect emotional and physical health The oils are referred to as “essential” because they are the “essence” of the plant. Olfactory sense has a powerful effect on our emotional and physical health. Aromatherapy can be used to alter mood, inspire confidence, ease moderate depression, and increase energetic feeling. In some nations essential oils are used for their antiseptic qualities to treat infection. In France, many aromatherapy essential oils are perceived in a similar way as prescription drugs are in the United States. Aromatherapy comes in many forms, e.g. essential oil, mists, sticks, candles, infusions, massage creams and oils, mineral bath formulas, and absolutes.

One on the most popular aromatherapy aromas is lavender. Lavender essential oil has a calming scent which makes it an excellent tonic for the nerves and helps in treating migraines, headaches, anxiety, depression, nervous tension and emotional stress. Its refreshing aroma removes nervous exhaustion and restlessness and increases mental activity. Lavender essential oil induces sleep and hence it is often recommended for insomnia. Lavender essential oil is also an excellent remedy for various types of pains including those caused by sore muscles, tense muscles, muscular aches, rheumatism, sprains, backache and lumbago.

In summary, many of us suffer mild to moderate depression for a variety of reasons. Our experience of depression is not so severe or of long duration to justify the use of powerful synthetic prescription drugs or antidepressant drugs with their potential of hazardous, harmful physical and behavioral side effects. We have available to us, a vast variety of effective, efficient, all natural vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, aromatherapy, hormonal balancers, and other safe natural modalities for relieving mild to moderate depression.

The Wooden Bowl

The Wooden Bowl

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and
Failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.
‘We must do something about father,’ said the son. ‘I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.’

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.
Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone . Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, ‘What are you making?’ Just as sweetly, the boy responded, ‘Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.
‘ The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

On a positive note, I’ve learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things: A rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a ‘life.’

I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands.You nee d to be able to throw something back sometimes.

I’ve learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you.
But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others,
your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

I’ve learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone.

People love that human touch — holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

The Master Blogger

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