How to Get Rid of Stess Causing Depression.

How Stress Effects Us

Stress can effect our bodies in many ways. It is something we can not escape . It is the nature of the beast. We can not live without stress . There is good and bad stress. Good stress tends to effect us in either a negative or good way. It is more about how we react to stress that effects us. There are things we can do to help stress to be a positive thing rather than negative.

Symptoms of stress on your body

• Headache
• Muscle tension or pain
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Change in sex drive
• Stomach upset
• Sleep problems

Changes in your mood

• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Lack of motivation or focus
• Irritability or anger
• Sadness or depression

Changes In Your Behavior

• Overeating or under eating
• Angry outbursts
• Abusive behaviors
• Tobacco use
• Not wanting to get out with your friends often leading to a disease called Agoraphobia or fear of the market place.
• Over use of pain killers or other addictive drugs
• fatigue
• guilt
• inability to finish projects
• Lack of interest in things you once enjoyed.

Stress cam be acute, an unexpected house guest, a sick child or they may be chronic, a difficult job, a barking dog, caring for a sick relative, a stressful marriage, a problem with one of your children

Too many people have a negative attitude about getting help when stress leads to depression. I have known many friends that have lost a loved one through suicide because they felt they could do it themselves. They felt seeking help somehow made them weak and they could control their negative thoughts. This is all adding to their stress.

Don't let people that say you should not take medication influence your decisions. Depression can and often is a chemical imbalance of either serotonin or dopamine. These are two of the important brain chemicals we need in balance to function. Our brain is an organ too. There is so much about the brain we don't understand that it has been labeled a weakness to get help when it is not working correctly. This would be like not taking insulin when your pancreas are not secreting the correct amount of insulin. They can both be killers.

Don't ever take yourself off an antidepressant without the help of your doctor and avoid self-help chemicals like St. John's wort. This is a drug even if it is labeled natural. There are many interactions with this supplement that can cause severe and even lasting damage.

As you try to cope with depression and stress take time for yourself. Try to learn not to be a people pleaser. Do things because you really want to and not because you are afraid of someone might think if you say no. More often than not you are probably making the correct decision and someone that really has the time will step in.

Too often we are led by guilt. Guilt can be an ugly thing. It can effect our moods and even our physical health. Let go of yesterday and live for today. Try to live in the present as much as possible.

As stress factors increase in our life we often lose sleep leading us down a vicious road to even clinical depression.

Things you can do to alieve the stress cycle

• avoid negative people that bring on anger, sadness and even guilt
• try to set a regular sleep pattern, turn off computers, TV before bed and instead take a warm bath, spend some special time with children or spouse, read. (I find that reading always leads me to sleepiness) There is an old wifes' tale with some truth that the sleep before midnight is more restful!!!!!
• Try to get out and see your close friends or even just make a phone call
• Start small. Set some goals for yourself. If a cluttered house is causing stress. Do one thing in the morning and one in the afternoon that will help you to feel better about your home.
• Turn off the tv during the day, especially if noise is causing stress. Instead turn on some music you enjoy.
• Don't live in the future. This is one of the biggest causes of stress. Everything will get done whether you worry or not. Don't obsess about Thanksgiving Dinner for instance, Try to focus on what you enjoy about the holidays.
• Only decorate as much as you want. Don't try to keep up with the neighbors.
• Turn off your phone during the day if telemarketers are driving you crazy.
• Delegate to someone else things that stress you, like paying the bills.
• It's sometimes difficult to make yourself do it but try to get a massage at least once a month.
• Take some things off your to do list.
• If your child won't nap have him read books or watch a tv program you are comfortable with while you relax
• Take time for yourself. Start small at first. Put on some makeup after your shower. You will feel better about yourself.