TREATING DEPRESSION

HERE is an article reiterating what I already knew after working as a psychiatric nurse: Antidepressants are NOT effective in treating depression.

Antidepressants have been shown in several studies to have equal efficacy to a placebo, meaning that it is more the idea of the antidepressant helping people rather than the pill itself. Perhaps short-term, in a crisis, adding an antidepressant to an overall treatment plan may yield some benefits, but for long-term treatment, I have seen antidepressants cause more harm than good. ECT (electro-convulsive therapy) is still by far a better treatment than medication.

The main flaw in antidepressants is the pill itself: it isn't really effective. Why, you may be asking? Because no matter how much you alter brain chemistry, if you do not alter the way you react to negative emotions and life events you will never free yourself from the grips of depression. Not to mention the side effects many antidepressants have on your sex life...

It is the way we interpret our world that has the biggest effect on mood and as far as altering your responses, therapy with someone OTHER THAN a psychiatrist (ie: a psychologist, a social worker, an MFT, etc.) is the most effective since psychiatrists tend to push medication rather than treating the underlying issues. DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) are some of the treatment approaches that I have seen work best, and neither one comes in a pill.

And that is where the second half of the problem arises: we as consumers crave a quick fix. We want to just take a pill and be better. The prospect of instant gratification is intoxicating! Unfortunately, battling depression takes hard work and time, just like effective treatment of high blood pressure takes a commitment to long-term behavioral changes. We are only lying to ourselves and setting ourselves up for more disappointment (and deeper depression) when we pin our hopes on a pill.

The upside of pills as treatment in the field of psychiatry? It's a quick way to treat a patient and get them out the door while covering your ass legally. You have concrete proof that you did something to treat the person without wasting the time treating them (doctors are pressured to see as many patients as possible, since reimbursement to the hospital and payment to the doctor increase with each additional patient cared for). Psychiatrists and NP's are the only mental health professionals who are licensed to prescribe medication, making those who are trained instead solely in actual therapy/psychology much better long-term therapists.

It takes hard work, but if you (sometimes with the aid of a friend or family member) can just drag yourself to see a therapist consistently, there is still hope in the treatment of depression. :)

2010 NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS (AND HOW TO RUN A MARATHON)

Here at SexyHealthyHappy, 2010 has been dubbed "the year of 'no more excuses'"! So much of life and living is mentality and mindset, so let this year be the year that we all focus on changing ours.

If you have a dream, 2010 is the year to stop reminding yourself of all the reasons why you "can't" and just start doing! Each of us is literally capable of anything, we just need to start believing it. This year it's time to take the plunge!

*So you always wanted to write a book, "but there's no way I'll ever get published". POPPYCOCK! How do you know until you try? If we are so afraid of failure that we never act, our lives will forever be filled with regret and what-if's. Don't think, just put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard); you can worry about the future of your book once you're finished writing it!

*So you always wanted to change careers, "but the instability of leaving my current, miserable job could ruin me financially". HOGWASH! If you stay in a field that doesn't make you happy just for the money, in time you'll ruin yourself emotionally. Nothing meaningful is ever accomplished by "playing it safe"; believe in yourself and start pursuing your dream career! True happiness is living the life you love, so stop settling for the life you can "live with". A huge paycheck will never hold a candle to true happiness :)

*So, like Li, you've always wanted to run a marathon, "but I'll never find the time or drive to train for it". HOOEY! If you can breathe and walk, you can get off the couch and start running! Your body can do more than you ever imagined, just give it a try. Stop viewing those 26.2 miles as insurmountable and start walking/running them, one step at a time. Life is short and fragile, so get your ass up and run toward your dreams!

You get the point! Regardless of your dream, start reaching for it! Perfection isn't the goal, self fulfillment is. Do your absolute best and pull out all the stops; it's knowing that you did everything you could to realize your own happiness that is the ultimate reward. Don't get discouraged and don't lose sight of the prize. It's yours to have if you believe it is.

MARATHON TRAINING
You've thought about it for years, dreamed of the triumphant crossing of the finish line, but how to get from now to 26.2 miles can be confusing and overwhelming. Not any more! Check out this training plan for your "how-to" guide from week to week. The show NOVA on PBS did a special where they took a bunch of couch potatoes and trained them for the Boston Marathon in 9 months!! The specialists created the above training plan for them, and almost all of them finished the marathon! If you are already a runner, just pick up the plan from the week where your long run is one you can already accomplish (ie: I will be starting the week with a Sunday run of 8 miles, meaning my training plan will take a little over 3 months). Good luck! Now get out there and start pounding the pavement!

FUN WAYS TO BURN OFF HOLIDAY CALORIES

HERE is an article with 4 fun and easy ways to burn off some extra calories around the Holidays!

But beware: studies show that exercise is NOT the key to losing weight, DIET is. Exercise is still an important tool to obtaining overall health and wellness, but no amount of activity will "make up" for the calories that you eat.

In other words: if you eat a whole pie, don't think that a vigorous run is going to "fix" your binge. It's more important to focus on eating in moderation, exchanging the whole pie for a thin slice, and staying active. The exercise-eating combo can boost total weight loss and help you maintain, but diet is still the key to slimming success!

With this in mind, remember not to be too hard on yourself. No one is perfect! We all have days when the pull of a pistachio gelato pint is too great to resist. It's most important to FORGIVE yourself, focus on your accomplishments, and live in the present; treating each moment like an opportunity to start anew or focus your resolve.

On days when I can't, or am too lazy to, workout, I give myself a pat on the back for dancing during commercials while watching my favorite TV shows. If I over-indulge at dinner, I applaud myself for NOT getting mad/depressed and for staying hopeful. The cumulative impact of your overall activity and eating are more important than your few-and-far-between slip ups. This holiday season, remember to step back, breathe, and focus on the big picture.

Here is a summary of the article's small and fun activities that can help you stay active and positive:

1) Hanging Holiday Lights (90 calories per hour)

2) Ice Skating (484 calories per hour)

3) Shopping (249 calories per hour)

4) Sledding (121 calories per 15 MINUTES!)

WORLDLY WISDOM

HERE is a great article titled "10 Truths I Wish I'd Known Sooner".

As we get older, we tend to become more introspective as we examine our behaviors, our lives, our views of the world, people in our lives, and our surroundings. When you dip your foot into the truths of yourself and your life, you tend to do 1 of two things:

1) dive in! learn from past mistakes and change who you are for the better (with some back peddling along the way), accepting opportunity for growth as it arises, or
2) step back, turn around, an dig in your heels; scared or unable to face the truth, you seek to follow your current path blindly (hence people who still get trashed playing beer pong at 36 while the kids are sleeping).

Regardless of age or which path you choose, you can always learn and grow. The article above is written by a woman who has clearly taken the leap into the unknown and, through time and grace, has detailed 10 truths that resonate throughout the ages.

A summary of the 10 lessons (directly listed from the article):

1. Events reveal people’s characters; they don’t determine them.

2. Lying, by omission or commission, is a bad idea.

3. Sex always give [sic] you an answer, although not necessarily the one you want.

4. Most talents are transferable.

5. Fashion fades; style is eternal.

6. You can’t fake love.

7. Mean doesn’t go away.

8. No one’s perfect.

9. Ask for help.

10. Keep your eye on the prize and your hand on the plow.

I plan on sending this article to all the women in my life, including Mom and Grandma :)