Our goal is to help you and your family find solutions to those little ups and downs in life that tend to keep all of us from being as successful as possible. We hope you find this issue of Health Tips for Success to be useful in some small way, as you and your loved ones travel life’s different paths. All articles are derived from published materials, educational sources and years of experience for each author. Of course, in times of need, no e-newsletter should ever take the place of your family doctor or professional counselor. If you have comments or questions, please drop me a line at drfrank@drhuggiebear.com.

Why do I refer to depression as the cracked mirror of life?  It’s because most people who are depressed see only the bad things in their life.  They tell me when they look in the mirror; they see themselves as worthless, ugly, or hopeless.  It’s hard for a person to see the good things in life while looking through black lens glasses.  Just to get an idea of what a depressed person has to deal with on a near daily basis, let’s look at the signs and symptoms of depression.

• Feeling or complaining of feeling tired or not having energy a lot
• Feeling blue, down in the dumps, sad or like crying for no reason
• Sleeping too much, having problems sleeping, or early awakening
• Feeling irritable or restless with or without mood swings
• No longer enjoying things that normally are fun or exciting
• Gaining or losing weight because your appetite has changed
• Just can’t seem to concentrate or focus and possible memory problems
• Hard time making even simple decisions about things in life
• Feeling like you’re in slow motion or can’t get things done
• Feeling worthless or having thoughts of guilt, death or suicide

So now that you know a little about depression, what can you do to help yourself or someone you know who is depressed? The good news is “depression is treatable and can be cured”!  The first step in treatment is of course admitting that you are depressed, just like an alcoholic must admit alcohol addiction before he can be adequately treated.  The second step is to ask for help.  I have yet to meet a patient who was able to treat his or her own depression successfully.  The cure for depression always seems to include counseling, support from a close friend or family member, and the help of a doctor. The third step usually involves taking medications such as antidepressants.  Since depression occurs as the result of a deficiency in brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, these chemicals must be replaced or increased in concentration in order to help depression go away.  These chemicals are responsible for making you energetic, happy, able to think clearly, and giving you the relaxation required for social interaction with others.

The final step in getting rid of depression involves learning to change ourselves so we are more resistant to the ups and downs in life.  Life skills needed to protect us from “the blues” include learning to deal with small frustrations, becoming better organized, training ourselves to be more positive about what we do, and developing a rest and recreation schedule that allows us time for mental rest and exercise. For a more detailed discussion of this important aspect of life that affects about 55% of the population, see “Depression The Roller Coaster Of Life” on our website at http://www.drhuggiebear.com. Let’s work together to help you and your loved ones experience a great life, without the pains of depression.

Dr. Frank

Your first goal in learning effective communication must be to become a good listener.  I told him bluntly, “you need to keep silent long enough to digest what others are saying to you and avoid cutting them off until they are finished.” If you learn to listen and try to understand what is being said to you, both with words and body language, you will be greatly rewarded with more effective communication skills and happier, more productive family and workers.

Allison’s articles will deal with ways for teachers to maximize their valuable teaching skills while dealing with usual classroom problems.  Her goal is to help teachers find practical solutions to those age-old dilemmas: too much material, too many kids, behavior problems, and not enough time. 

While walking between buildings to go to church service, a Sunday school teacher asked her four and five year olds, “Why are we supposed to be quiet in church?” A very bright four and one-half year old quipped excitedly, “Because people are sleeping!”