• You may well be too despondent to care when you are down or too carefree to believe it when your are elated.
• After a while, you may realize that you are subject to extreme swings of mood. You may even be able to predict them and be able to take appropriate medical or other action.
• You may notice that you sometimes feel both elated and depressed at the same time However odd this may seem, it is a very clear indication of manic depression, especially if the feeling lasts for a day or two.
• You will certainly notice the mood swings from elation to depression.
• You must watch that “taking the strain” for the person doesn’t produce stress problems in yourself.
• You should look after the administration of any drugs, since the person will forget when he or she is elated and will be uncaring when feeling depressed.

The mania of manic depression will most certainly need psychiatric treatment, though hospitalization will only occur in extreme cases. Drugs will generally also be used, both to help lift any depression and to reduce the intensity of the manic episodes. In some cases, the moods are treated separately, using tricyclic anti-depressants or monomine oxidase inhibitors to control the depressive swings, and sedatives and tranquillizers to control episodes of mania.

Lithium carbonate has also been found to be beneficial because it stabilizes the ups and downs of the manic-depressive cycle. Different drugs have to be tried for suitability.

There is still much to be learned about manic depression, and it may be better to speak of treatment rather than cure. However, many people with the manic depression condition have learned to watch for early signs of moods swings and take appropriate medical action. In this way, they may be able to learn to cope successfully with the condition and lead a reasonably normal life.

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Manic depression is a severe mental disturbance. The condition is referred to as manic-depressive psychosis, regardless of whether the full swing between mania and depression is shown.

Manic depression is an affective psychosis: that is, the patient becomes carried away by his or her emotions, either from habit, or in an effort to conceal anxiety and shyness. Manic depressives are often reserved, inward looking, emotionally sensitive personalities, even though during the manic phase their behaviour takes on a very extrovert form. In some cases there may be a religious element in the condition.

One possible cause is a defect in the hormonal mechanisms that control the balance of our emotions. Two chemicals present in the brain influence mood: a low level of one, serotonin, may produce mood instabilities in general, while an imbalance of the second chemical, norepinephrine, determines the direction of the mood swing, a low level being associated with depression and a high level producing mania.

Normally, manic depression arises without any causal stress, but it is possible that external factors such as outside tension, abnormal patterns of upbringing or unconventional attitudes may actually stimulate the brain to produce the chemicals which give rise to the mood swings.

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Massage method 1 - Effleurage : Stroking lengthways up the back, chest and limbs, with a light to moderate pressure exerted by the whole of the hand. The effect is to warm the tissues, reassure the person who is being massaged and tone the circulation. This massage method is especially valuable for redistributing accumulations of fluid in the limbs and abdomen and for encouraging the pores in the skin to open to allow proper elimination.

Massage method 2 - Petrissage : A firmer stroke with moderate to deep pressure, and most of the contact made through the heel of the palm, one hand reinforcing the other.

Kneading : manipulation, directed especially at stiff, contracted areas. This massage method can be done with the thumbs only, or between thumb and fingers, with a gesture like kneading dough. When the skin and subcutaneous tissues- those just under the skin- are picked up, pulled away from the body and rolled between the thumb and fingers, the action is known as skin rolling. This massage method is especially useful for joints such as the wrists, ankles and elbows and helps to remove possible accumulations of waste products.

Massage method 3 - Friction : A series of deep, often circular motions, using thumbs, knuckles or fingertips. Pressure is concentrated on a small area through repeated strokes and is as deep as necessary without causing pain. Relaxation of tense muscles marks the time to move on to another area : prolonging massage at the same point would re-stimulate the muscle.

Massage at home : With the comfort at home, massage basically requires towels, a pillow, oil, talcum powder and a fairly hard surface to lie on : the floor is suitable with firm cushions or a mattress), provided that the person massaging can work comfortable in a kneeling position. The session should last about 20 minutes. Start on the back, since most tense muscles are there, and it is the easiest part of the body on which to work.

Article excerpted from : Doctor’s Answers 41

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With the help of anger and stress management training it is possible to learn skills that will make you assertive without being overly aggressive or giving vent to angry outbursts that are a sign of lack of sufficient confidence in being able to properly communicate your concerns as well as irritations. Without anger and stress management training you would not be able to learn to open your heart’s and mind’s valves so as to let out pent-up anger and tensed up thoughts. This lack of release of anger and stress can lead to doing things the wrong way – often with disastrous consequences.

After going through anger and stress management training it is possible to learn to behave with self assurance and to also achieve success in dealing with the reasons as well as causes that lead you to become angry and you can after learning how, control your anger and stress at the time that you start becoming angry or stressed out. Other benefits of undergoing anger and stress management training include creating models of proper behavior as well as achieving the right mental balance so that you are able to understand what makes others tick. This in turn leads to achieving success in resolving conflicts well before things get out of hand and turn too ugly.

It is possible to get anger and stress management training in your home and you can also get it by attending seminars. The public anger and stress management training courses can always be arranged without needing to give much notice and they usually involve being instructed in small groups. Seminars on the other hand will offer training that is generally suited for meeting specific purposes such as to aid in business dealings or to help you learn to work in a team.

It is of course a good idea to first enquire what the basics of stress management training are so that you know beforehand what kind of training you are going to get. The right tools will help you achieve desired results and so will suit you though these must go beyond simply providing you with simple though helpful tips.

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Don’t react to stress, but respond to the tell tale signs! We have a barometer built in our body, it constantly monitors our physical, emotional and spiritual functions. It send warning signs for any crisis detected so we may take action to handle the crisis. More often than not, we often disregard the warning signs or ignore the known consequences while abusing it at high risk.

Balance your 3-S management

In our daily life and work, we need to balance our 3S management to transform stressful energy into motivational power.

SELF MANAGEMENT - time and energies distributed for personal, family and work.

SATISFACTION MANAGEMENT - values, goals, expectations, aspirations and inspirations

SUCCESS MANAGEMENT - definition, level of success and price to pay for success.

Exercise your choices

When one is having choices, one is having freedom and freedom is one of the key to reduces stress. Also, if one is having alternatives at workplace, they help to manage work stress better. We must exercise our choices to create balance in life and work. Many people would rather not make any choices for themselves, mainly because they are afraid to take responsibility for their choices made. It is easier for them to follow what they are told to do, to avoid responsibility. When we feel that we don’t have choices in life or alternatives at workplace, we are destined to have stress. Remember, choices and alternatives give us the mastery ofour life and work.

Change to master change

It is a must for us to change so we can master the change, The intrinsic change must precipitate the extrinsic change. It is of a higher quality change from inside for facing the change from the outside. When the extrinsic change is imposed and force for the intrinsic change, it is often met with resistance. Conversely, changing from the inside will make it easier to take on the change for the outside. Always keep in mind that change is growth and new opportunity!

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Massage, which has the action to relax and to stimulate, can be adapted to produce the desired over all effects. Poor blood circulation and aggravated stress could cause over-contraction of muscles which reduce the flow of blood to hands and feet. In such a case, massage would be designed to relax the tissues, producing an overall relaxation with a sedative effect, and as stress was removed the circulation would respond to increase tone and speed up a sluggish metabolism.

The healing effects of massage is to make the superficial tissues of the body relax or return to normal, so that they stop stressing the spinal cord with abnormal nerve signals. This relieves pain and tension and prevents them from establishing a ” vicious circle” of reflexes, in which, for example, persistent stress and hunching of the shoulders can create headache and nausea, which in turn give rise to more stress.

There are some conditions which could be made worse by the use of massage, and others in which it could be actively dangerous. Acute inflammatory conditions due to bacterial infection, recent sprains or wounds, and states due to contagious diseases should not be massaged. Circulatory problems such as severe varicose veins should be referred to a doctor, and anyone with a heart condition should seek medical advice before receiving massage. It should be avoided in the case of internal diseases such as ulcers and hernias, in any illness needing complete bed rest, and finally, in skin conditions, because it can cause them to spread.

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Overbreathing often occurs in stressful situations. Patients might go to their doctors with a variety of symptoms, and it can prove very difficult for the doctor to diagnose overbreathing as the cause. It is a rare condition in the very young and elderly and is most commonly see in young women between 15 - 30 years.

Normally, an adult breathes in and out about 15 - 20 times a minute when he or she is resting. Breathing rate will increase naturally under stressful conditions and with some lung disorders. However, some people hyperventilate with stress and experience strange symptoms which can be very worrying.

The symptoms caused by hyperventilation are the result of breathing out too much carbon dioxide gas. Increased breathing reduces the carbon dioxide in the tissues, causing narrowing of the blood vessels in the brain and reducing the blood flow.

Faintness, visual disturbances, nausea, cramps, unsteadiness, headache, shortness of breath, palpitations, hot flushes, cold sweats and tingling sensations are the symptoms experienced in overbreathing.

Treatment

The quickest way to cure overbreathing is to breathe in and out of a paper bag, taking in the air and carbon dioxide that has just been breathed out. This increases the carbon dioxide level in the blood and the symptoms of overbreathing may disappear. Mild tranquillizers may also help to control anxiety.

If the symptoms of overbreathing persist, long-term psychiatric treatment is necessary. Avoiding stressful situations could also help in easing the overbreathing symptoms.

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After the effort of work, it is tempting for weekends to be set aside for passive entertainment. Though watching television is  a good way for stress relaxation, it does not give us exercise or the stimulation we need. Therefore it is best to integrate television into a diverse stress relaxation leisure schedule. one which combines being active and sociable with the stimulation of varied experience.

People who work hard or who have difficulty relaxing should try special stress relaxation techniques like yoga or transcendental meditation. This can be learned at evening or weekend classes and practised at home.

Every stress relaxation and leisure program should include some regular exercise to keep the body in peak condition. Choose something you find enjoyable, or else your enthusiasm will soon flag, and which can be done with other people. Running, swimming, cycling or playing tennis, etc, are all recommended.

As well as taking regular exercise, there is an enormous variety of other sports you can participate in by joining a club or taking a course in such activities as horse-riding, canoeing or archery. And there are many associations you can join for countryside activities like climbing, rambling and bicycling.

Mental stimulation

One of the best uses to which we can put our leisure is to stimulate our minds. Some people do this through reading, others through taking evening courses in subjects like literature, history, philosophy or art.

Outdoor leisure activities are particularly important for housewives who tend to spend a lot of time at home. Although a wife and mother’s job is stressful, it will not make her fit or give her the necessary metal stimulation. For this reason housewives should ensure that they take time off from their duties to relax, to engage in sports or keep-fit classes, and to pursue their own interests and social life.

How will you be able to tell whether yor leisure activities have had the desired effects? You will feel relaxed, look fit and be full of energy to return to work.

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Breathing Exercises

One of the best ways to include stress management classroom activities in the classroom is to have students perform relaxation techniques to show them the benefits of the actions. This way, the students learn through doing and can physically experience what some of these activities are like. Thus, when thinking up stress management classroom activities, you should think about everything from having the space for such activities to sound issues.

For example, one of the best stress management classroom activities you can do is to organize the group in a circle and have them scream at the same time. This shows the students the benefits of finding an outlet for their stress. If you do this kind of activity, take the time to go outside so that you don’t disturb other classes or teachers.

Yoga and breathing exercises are great stress management classroom activities. If you show the students how to relax, they will understand what they may need to do when they are feeling overwhelmed or like the world is against them. Thus, lead your students through such stress management classroom activities as yoga poses meant to relax a person’s muscles and show them how to steady their breathing so they can cope with intense emotions.

Talk About Stress

Since a lot of stress occurs when folks are around other people, it helps to divide your classroom into small groups so they can talk about stress. For example, one of the most effective stress management classroom activities is to divide the classroom up and have each group come up with a list of stressors (i.e. things that commonly cause stress) and ways that a person could deal with the stress both in the moment and later on. This gets students talking about their lives, their personalities, and what stresses them out, and it can prove to not only teach them about stress in general but how they themselves deal with intense emotions. Follow this activity by explaining the benefits of talking to other people when stressed and how it helps to analyze one’s coping mechanisms to figure out the best ways to personally deal with the phenomenon.

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