It is normal to feel upset when things go wrong, and for a person to feel very down for a few days after suffering a series of setbacks. But most people bounce back once they have had time to think about it and get things into perspective. Depression is far more serious than just feeling down in the dumps for a while.
The most common symptoms of depression are feeling tired, not caring, having no energy, not sleeping normally, feeling sad a lot, being unable to concentrate, losing interest in life, and not having a normal appetite. Some people get so down they think about ending their lives.
There are a number of causes of depression. It can occur in people who suffer from a mental illness, it can be caused by a chemical imbalance, or it can be hereditary. However, for the majority of people who develop it depression is often part of a reaction to unpleasant events.
Such circumstances can include losing a job, the breakup of a relationship, being seriously ill or injured, being treated badly, experiencing a trauma, the death of someone close, a big financial loss, and many other triggers. Many people can go through difficult times like these without developing depression. This is called resilience. [Read more…]
Work Stress
Because the world of work is such a major part of our lives it plays a significant role in how we feel. Just as we can be in optimum physical health or knocked sideways by a health problem, we can be mentally healthy or there may be times in our lives when we struggle with mental and emotional distress. People with good mental health are able to develop and sustain personal relationships and to empathise with others. They can face and deal with problems, laugh, play and also enjoy solitude. Mentally healthy people possess self-esteem and confidence. Mental health problems, on the other hand, can limit the extent to which a person experiences life. [Read more…]
Weight Loss
We all know that being overweight is detrimental to our health in many ways, including risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. And we all desire to look slim and trim so we can go out and feel confident. Unfortunately, we are often conscious of embarrassing fat in all the wrong places. The battle of the bulge often seems futile. Weight loss programs that do wonders for the superstars just don’t have the same effect on mere mortals, and any weight loss victoriously achieved in one year just sneaks right back on the next. Add to this the fact that every adult Australian is progressively gaining weight by more than a kilo every two years and it seems that fate wants us to be fat. Why is long-term weight loss so elusive? [Read more…]