not feel guilty about spending time doing what you enjoy.!® Do not repress or deny your emotions — This only compounds stress. Admit your feelings and accept them. Keeping strong feelings bottled up only causes them to resurface later as illness. Don’t be afraid to ery.!$ Do not take life too seriously — Learn to Chapter 29 + The Nervous System. body. Depression can be a problem at any stage of life from childhood, adolescence, adulthood to old age. It has been found that women are more likely to experience depression than men. Aetiology In general, there are three major groups of depre: sion, with similar symptoms in each group: of 1. Reactive: Depression may occur in reaction to laugh some outside (exogenous) adverse life situ- + Have a positive image of yourself. Find work ation, usually a loss of a person by death, or ahobby which gives a feeling of satisfaction divorce, financial reversal, loss of an estab- or accomplishment. 8 lished role etc. Anger and its repression are Physical activity can clear the mind and keep frequently associated with the situation, which airées ainded Control, Some people And in turn produces a feeling of guilt. The symp- running or walking beneficial; others prefer to tome’ sence from tilt sadness armel, play team sports. Any type of exercise will be irritability. worry Jack of concentration and ideal, as long as it is done regularly.!5=° discouragement - * If you feel you cannot handle the stresses in 2 Malor affective disorders are classified as: your life consider secking outside help. It may + Major depressive episode: A period of be worth consulting a qualified counsellor or mood depression that occurs relatively sitter practisionedlwho'snay be ableta help you independent of the client’s life situation or handle your problems and teach you effective events. Complaints vary widely but most stress management techniques !3 frequently include loss of interest and enjoyment in living, withdrawal from activ- ities and feelings of guilt. Symptoms also Depression include inability to concentrate, feelings of ben —~ worthlessness, somatic complaints, chronic Useful Oils ) fatigue and loss of sexual drive. + basil bergemot *Roman chamomile “clary sage Physiological symptoms reported may + cypress « frankineense « geranium | include insomnia, anorexia with weight + jasmine absolute + lavender» lemon « mandarin loss and constipation. Occasionally severe + sweet marjoram may chang melissa neroli | agitation and psychotic, paranoid thinking * peppermint « pine + rose absolute or otto | are present. Ser er ay * Manic episode: A mood change chara Definition Depression is one of the most common human experiences. We may all experience it at some stage of our life or through those of our family and friends. We tend to think of depression as a natural response to the ‘ups’ and ‘downs’ of life. We are usually able to attribute depression to something specific, such as a death in the family, the loss of a job, a failure in love, feeling trapped or unproduc- tive in one’s life, or coping with a life-threatening or debilitating physical discase. depression as there is often social s vo sig Many people will tend to deny that they have igma attached or not coping with life, of ‘mental illnes: When the cause is not obvious, we often identify basic attitudes or personality traits that may help to explain the depression reaction. We might decide He has had a tough childhood and he’s never got over it or She has had a string of bad luck It is important to acknowledge depression as a very real illness that affects the entire mind and terised by elation with hyperactivity, over- involvement in life activities, low irrita- bility threshold, flight of ideas, easily distracted and little need for sleep. The over-enthusiastic quality of the mood and the expansive behaviour initially attracts others, but the irritability, mood ressive behaviour and grandi- osity usually lead to marked interpersonal difficulties. Activities may occur that are later regretted — for example, excessive spending. resignation from a job, a hasty marriage, or exhibitionistic behaviour. Manic episodes usually occur earlier in life (ceens or early adult life) than major depressive episodes.?3 swiny 3. Secondary to illness and drugs: Any illness, severe or mild, can cause significant de- pression. Conditions such as rheumatoid arthri- tis, multiple sclerosis and chronic heart disease are likely to be associated with depression as are all other chronic illnesses. The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy + 485