Feeling Down? Saddle Up

Depression can be debilitating. It can come out of no where and kick you from behind. Knocking you down for the count. Some people can't even manage to get out of bed when they are depressed. Have you suffered from depression before? Most people have been plagued with depression at some point in their life. New research is showing that horses can help lift your mood and get you on the road to recovery.

People with depression often have trouble focusing on the present instead of past/future events. Interestingly, being in the presence of a horse can help with this. Horses are prey animals and their survival depends on reading body language of the herd for potential dangers. When you interact with a horse you join their herd. Quickly they will begin reading your body language. So, if you are agitated, distracted or aggressive the horse will pick up this behavior and mirror it back to you. Instant feedback from the horse will guide your mood and behavior very quickly. A simple thirty minute connection with a horse can change your mood for hours.

This instant connection and having the horse accept you into it's herd can also alleviate many other symptoms of depression such as feeling lonely, isolated and misunderstood. You won't have the exhausting task of explaining anything to anyone or acting in a way you don't feel. Horses accept you for who you are as long as you are calm, peaceful and mindful. This can be comforting to a depression sufferer when it seems impossible to even smile. In addition, being accepted for who you are encourages healing. Horses have an ability to break through emotional walls and melt away facades, leaving you with a feeling of a whole new you!

Just being on the ground and grooming a horse has all of these positive effects but riding is an even better way to battle depression. Riding is physically strenuous for the core of your body. This physical activity wakes your body and will encourage it to release feel good endorphins after the exertion. Not only will you be releasing endorphins and getting fit, you will also be able to connect with nature.

Winston Churchill said, "there is something about the inside of a horse that is good for the inside of man". This quote couldn't be any more accurate. If you suffer from depression, this may be an option for you. Check out local horseback riding stables and take advantage of the positive effects horses can offer.

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Signs and Symptoms of Depression You Should Know About

Depression can be a very debilitating disorder, and is commonly overlooked as something minor. There are many aspects of life that depression affects, including social life, work life and well-being. Many people try to tell someone dealing with depression to just snap out of it, or force your way to do something. However, things just aren't that simple when you're dealing with clinical depression. At some point in time in everybody's life they will experience depression, but clinical depression is much different, and it is something that stays with you throughout your life. For people who don't have clinical depression it can be hard to understand exactly what the person is going through.

The following are some common signs and symptoms of depression:

Changes in your thinking: often times someone who is dealing with depression will find that their thinking patterns have changed. You may also find that it is harder for you to concentrate or focus on anything. Decision-making can often times become more difficult simply because you don't care anymore.

Changes in your feelings: when you're in the midst of depression your feelings will often change, you may notice that the biggest change would be in the way of feeling very sad all the time. You may also notice that things that once used to bring you pleasure have stopped doing so.

Changes in your behaviors: you may also notice changes in your behaviors during periods of depression. One of the major changes you may notice is that you start to seclude yourself more often. Entering into a state of seclusion for long periods of times can be very damaging to both your mental and emotional health. You may also notice changes in your appetite whether it be eating more or eating less, as well as a change in your sleep which could be sleeping more or sleeping less. You might also notice a decrease in personal hygiene and a decrease in your sexual drive.

Changes in physical well-being: you might start to notice that you are having a problem with chronic fatigue even though you're getting more sleep than usual. You may also find that you lay awake and are not able to fall asleep at all. There are also times that you may feel physical pains, such as stomach pains, and aches and pains in your neck, shoulders and back.

These are only a few symptoms that someone with depression may be experiencing, there are many more signs and symptoms that you can go in-depth with that are not mentioned here. If you are having any of these signs or symptoms that are lasting for more than two weeks it is advisable to seek out professional help. If you know someone who is experiencing these symptoms it may be in the person's best interests that you recommend the person seek out professional help. This is just a general overview of symptoms of depression there is so much more to learn and understand about depression.

For more information on depression visit my blog Life With Depression

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Post-Partum Depression And How To Recognise It

Postpartum Depression is a depressive disorder experienced by some women following childbirth. It is not fully known what causes this disorder, postpartum depression can affect any woman not just those who are predisposed to depressive disorders and just because a woman suffers depression after childbirth does not mean she will go on to have a depressive illness later in life. There are different types or stages of postpartum depression ranging from the mild baby blues feeling to the more serious disorder of psychosis. It is rare for a woman to suffer psychosis with research showing that less than 2 women out of a thousand have this diagnosis.

Symptoms of postpartum depression are similar to other depressive disorders and can also include symptoms of anxiety and panic. In some sufferers the depression will lift within a couple of months of giving birth whilst in others it may remain longer term and require treatment. Postpartum depression can be effectively treated with therapy such as counselling or one of the newer talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy, more severe cases will respond to an anti-depressive medication. A combination of therapy and medication may also be used. The first port of call for a woman suffering this disorder should be their family doctor who will if necessary refer then on to a specialist in this type of disorder such as a psychologist or a psychiatrist.

Here are some of the symptoms to look out for if you feel you or someone you know may be suffering from postpartum depression:

· Feelings of sadness and being tearful

· Unable to concentrate on normal activities

· Feeling tense or anxious most of the time

· Feeling irritable or short tempered

· Feeling uncomfortable being alone with the baby

· Extreme worry and fear maybe leading to panic episodes

· Palpitations, dizziness and feeling short of breath - probably panic relate

· Repetitive behaviour similar to that experienced by sufferers of obsessive compulsive disorder

Some more serious symptoms which would require immediate help would be:
HallucinationsThoughts of self harm or harming the babyDelirium

It is important to remember that you are not alone and that many mothers go through this, it is not something to feel guilty about or something you feel you must try and hide from your partner or family and friends. You will need their support during this time and they will be understanding of your situation.

© Andrew Tudor Jones

Andrew Tudor Jones is the owner of Self Help For Anxiety, a website dedicated to helping people who suffer from anxiety and depression. The website offers valuable information on these conditions as well as 2 e-books which can be downloaded for free and a Blog,updated on a regular basis with relevant information. You can connect with Andrew on Facebook.

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