What Depression Looks Like.

I've written before in this blog about different issues and ailments that a certain percentage of the population has to contend with. Depression is just one of these issues. Sometimes, though, it's hard to spot. Here's a list of the most common symptoms, followed by a list of not-so-commonly known ones:

Common Depression Symptoms:

• fatigue and decreased energy
• feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
• feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
• loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
• overeating or appetite loss
• persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
• thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts

Not-so-Commonly Known Symptoms:

• difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
• insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
• irritability, restlessness
• persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment                               http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/detecting-depression

This last symptoms is one that took even me by surprise (as I have personal knowledge of what depression looks like, in all it's ill-fated glory). The idea that a psychological ailment can manifest itself as pain in the body is something that I've intuitively known for years. I've been a casual student of the school of thought that we cannot escape negative cognitions. Our thoughts do not go away simply because we ignore them. But to think that they can show back up in our body is amazing and a little off-putting at the same time.

The main point I'm trying to get across here is this: Depression is a real thing. If you or someone who is close to you is dealing with the above symptoms, it would behoove you to get him/her/yourself a doctor's appointment and a referral to a mental health professional. The hype and stigma surrounding mental illness is a tragedy, but no one should let it become their own personal tragedy. Help is available. There are plenty of medications and types of therapy that can and do treat depression symptoms. Getting out of bed and doing normal every day tasks shouldn't be difficult -- take advantage of the help that is attainable to us. You're worth it.

It's easier to keep smoking than we thought...

Once upon a time, there was an ex-smoker. He went to a movie. He saw someone smoke. He smoked. The end.

Well, not really. I heard of a study done many years ago that said that if you go to a movie and sit and watch the entire thing (not including potty breaks, of course) that your brain is actually tricked into thinking that you're actually there with the actors, in the same situation.

Ever wonder why you come out of a movie sad (if it's a drama), on edge (if it's an action film), angry (if there's a lot of violence), or giddy (if it's a comedy)??? This is why. So, it's no surprise to me that the following study showed that smokers who see other smokers smoke, even in a film, will be more likely to light up the next time. [Click on the blog title for the whole article]

It doesn't seem fair, but there's been a study done on it. Here's an excerpt:

In this study, researchers led by senior investigator Todd Heatherton, PhD, and graduate student Dylan Wagner of Dartmouth College set out to determine whether the parts of the brain that control that routine gesture could be triggered by simply seeing someone else smoke. The authors found that seeing this familiar action -- even when embedded in a Hollywood movie -- evoked the same brain responses as planning to actually make that movement. These results may provide additional insight for people trying to overcome nicotine addiction, a condition that leads to one in five U.S. deaths each year.

 Think about it next time you follow someone outside to chat and they light up a cigarette. I'm not sure what the implications are for non-smokers, but beware. It's an interesting, yet scary, phenomenon. 

Cognitive differences between men and women

Just in case you were wondering, men are from another planet. Just kidding. We do think differently, however. Click on the post title and you'll discover what I did:

• Men tend to be better at things like mathmatics 
• Women tend to be better at things like language.

So, women: When someone tells you that women talk too much, tell them it's the way we're wired -- literally. There's a deficit in word-usage between men and women of several thousand words. See this article on "Sex Linked Lexical Budgets." It talks about how women use 20,000 words a day, while men use 7,000. You do the math. Given this information, it's no wonder why men think women talk too much, but just remember: We're wired that way.