Once again I am featuring a guest writer on this blog.  I hope you will find her article helpful.  Hopefully I'll be back to writing again soon.   Susan

Depression, as most of us who have either directly experienced it or have known someone who has, can have an absolutely devastating effect for all involved. It becomes even more of a problem when two or more family members suffer from depression, simply because as someone who is depressed, you want to be around as many positive influences as possible.

The sad fact of the matter is that depression is indeed genetically passed down, and it isn't at all uncommon for immediate family members to be simultaneously affected. And so, there is no need to feel alone in the event that you are in such a position. Other than seeking help from a trusted medical professional and trying your best to balance your lifestyle with healthy eating, sleeping, and exercising patterns, there are specific steps you can take to make sure that your family dynamic remains stable and nurturing.

1. Remember that dealing with depression is a team effort.

If you in addition to one or more family members is affected by depression, you must remember that family is a source of help and support, not the opposite. Sometimes it will fall upon the people without depression to act as mediators, but this role can only go so far. Acceptance, awareness, and understanding are key components in living peacefully among a family plagued by depression.

2. Spend some time outside of the family dynamic.

Since depression can often be an overwhelming experience for a single individual, the symptoms can be exacerbated if several people living together are experiencing the same thing. It is important to spend some time apart, in the company of different social groups, in order to get different perspectives. These perspectives can go a long way in helping you bring more positive attitudes to the table when you return home to spend time with the family.

3. Shared depression isn't necessarily a bad thing.

A shared experience can sometimes be a source of empathy and commiseration. From my own experience, two of my best friends have been diagnosed with depression, and it helps a lot to be among people who understand what the other is going through. Since mental disorders are so commonly isolating, it is really difficult to explain to those who aren't suffering themselves.

These steps are in no way intended to replace advice from a medical professional. If you or any of your family members or friends display symptoms of depression, it is best to seek out a psychiatrist immediately. However, these steps can perhaps serve the purpose of giving additional support and insight. Remember—you and your family are not alone in suffering.

By-line:

The following is a post written by a guest writer.  I hope to be back writing soon.  Please enjoy her article and let her know that you did.  Her contact information is listed at the bottom of the article. 
 

Why Holiday Stress Happens and How to Prevent It

We take vacations because we need to unwind and de-stress; but more often than not, holidays today are turning out to be sources of stress rather than relievers of it. We come back to work feeling tense and nervous, not relaxed and rejuvenated as we’re supposed to. So why have vacations become the stressful experiences they are today? Why do we feel more stress after we return than before we left? The reasons are varied, but the most common among them are:

• Pending work: If you take off on a holiday with work pending, your mind is not as free as it should be when on vacation. You keep thinking of the work that must be done when you get back and you don’t enjoy your vacation as much as you should. What’s more, if the work is complicated and difficult, your mind works in overdrive thinking of the ways and methods you must adopt to tackle the task.

One way to prevent stress relating to pending work is to finish the work before you go. And if that is not possible, then learn to relax your mind and forget about the work that is waiting for you when you get back. Don’t take the office on vacation with you. You know you’re going to break your head over work when your vacation is over, so why worry over it during your holiday too?

• Too much food and too little exercise: Most of us tend to overeat during vacations, irrespective of whether we’re on a diet or not. We think that vacations are meant to eat and relax, and so they are. But when the food gets too much for your body, you begin to get lethargic and lazy. While this state of mind and body is ok as long as you’re on vacation, it is not conducive to the work environment. And when you get back to the office and have to shift gears straight into overdrive from idling, your body and mind are stressed out. You’re unable to adjust to the pace of the workplace and you start to feel the tension creep in.

To avoid stress related to food and inactivity, temper your appetite when on vacation. And if you must eat, at least ensure that you expend a little energy by taking the occasional walk or going for a swim in the pool or the ocean. And a day or two before it’s time to return, prepare your mind to get back to work so that you can ease into the hectic workplace environment with relative ease.

• Too much fun: Vacations are meant to be fun times with lots of happiness and laughter. But when you enjoy yourself too much, you find that coming back to your normal routine is a sort of letdown, and you feel a bit depressed and out of sorts for a few days. You keep thinking of your vacation and resenting your mundane life and this causes a certain amount of stress.

To get over this kind of stress, give yourself time to get back to normal. Yes, there will be a hangover of sorts when you feel out of place in your regular environment. But this passes within a day or two and you’re soon back to the daily grind with your usual flair. So enjoy your vacation, and make sure you enjoy work even more when you get back.

This post is written by Susan White, who writes on the topic of Becoming a Radiologist . She welcomes your comments at her email id: susan.white33@gmail.com.

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