It is a common question amongst bipolar sufferers and their loved ones. What are non medication treatments for depression in bipolar? Are there any? Well loved belief is that bipolar disorder can only be controlled by a lifetime regime of strong medication.

The answer to the question is a resounding yes. Several non-medication approaches have now been shown to be of benefit when added to the conventional medications for depression in bipolar. Mood stabilizer tactics and therapies are now emerging and being slowly embraced by some mental health practitioners. Regulating daily schedules and patterns of sleep, using light therapy and implementing regular exercise programs are now included as treatments for some bipolar patients.

Non Medication Treatments for depression in bipolar

· Maintaining a regular daily schedule. One approach that is crucial for some patients with bipolar disorder is to maintain a regular daily schedule, especially regular patterns of sleep. One such therapy is organized around the daily schedule thought, in particular having a regular time to go to sleep, and a regular time to wake up and get out of bed.

· Light Therapy. A recent study published in Canada showed that approximately 100 patients with winter affective depression were randomly assigned to Prozac or a standard light box. There was equal improvement in both groups, with the light box marginally quicker in lowering depression scores. This means that the light therapy is as excellent as the standard antidepressant approach, but has fewer side effects and less overall risk.

If you're not familiar with light therapy, basically one sits in front of a box the size of a small suitcase (smaller ones now available) which emits a lot of light, for about 30 minutes to start, and as small as 15 minutes or less later to stay well through the winter.

· Regular Exercise. The data showing that exercise can really treat depression has been pretty excellent for a long while. It is well documented that depression can cause brain shrinkage, and that effective treatments can stop and at least partially reverse that shrinkage. A recent study by a research team at the University of Illinois compared people with an average age of 67 who were physically active to those who were less active.

The results showed that the active elders had better mental skills and memory, and even that their brains were more active as well. They then did the crucial follow-up test: they divided a group of elders into two groups, one which participated in an aerobic exercise program, and one which did not. They have found that the group which exercised increased their brain size compared to the sedentary control group, in the brain regions which are known to shrink when people have mood problems. . Extrapolating just slightly from these results, we now have preliminary evidence that exercise, like other effective antidepressants, can reverse brain shrinkage.

Although it may be hard for a depressed person to reckon about exercising, even a regular walk can have the desired effect. Most people, but depressed, can still walk. Walking has the absolute best record for simple access. The Harvard Bipolar Program leader, Dr. Sachs, says "here's your exercise program: go to the door, look at your watch. Walk 7.5 minutes in any direction, then turn around and walk home. Do that 5 days a week at least." And that's it.

· Specialised Psychotherapies For Bipolar. In April 2007 a major research program published their results showing that when the three psychotherapies listed below were added to mood stabilizer treatment for bipolar patients experiencing significant depression, the patients recovered more quickly and more were likely to stay well.

• Bipolar-specific cognitive behavioral therapy
• Interpersonal therapy with social rhythm therapy
• Family-focused therapy (for patients with family who could join in treatment)

The problem is finding a therapist who can provide one of these treatments. Currently, these psychotherapies are primarily found in large treatment programs that have adopted one or more of the new methods. For those interested in sourcing a sympathetic therapist, the internet is a excellent place to start.

There is no doubt that the non medication treatments for depression in bipolar are making a difference to the quality of life for some bipolar sufferers. They are able to wean off high doses of antidepressants, and also benefit from the positive side effects of excellent sleep patterns, exercise and light therapy.

About The Author: Jean Littman is married to a bipolar sufferer, and is co-owner of BipolarClues.com which provides quality tools and resources for non medication treatments for bipolar disorder.

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a kind of mood disorder where people feel it hard to lead normal mental health and one experiences depressive symptom during winters or some other seasons as well year after year. If you feel some kind of mood swing, depressions, feeling unlikely to work, socialize, and don’t feel to get up in the morning; you may be suffering from SAD. There are different types of treatments available for SAD but SAD Lamps prove to be the most effective kind of treatment for it. SAD light therapy proves better than antidepressant medications, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and carefully timed supplementation of the hormone melatonin.

Take help of SAD lamps to get rid of this disorder and bring back the happiness to your life. Excellent quality SAD lights emit the similar wavelengths, UV radiation and heat of sunlight using LED items, lasers, fluorescent lamps, dichroic lamps and other such bright lamps. The SAD lights are also called light box. The light is administered in your room or office for a specific period of time. Such exposures to SAD lamps allow your body to produce those things which are essential to beat the winter blues. You feel refreshing and don’t hesitate to jump out of bed at right time.

Thus for all these reasons you must use SAD lamps. It sounds a perfect therapy for such winter seasonal disorder. You can get rid of all symptoms and sufferings in few days if you use Seasonal Affective Disorder. Some people have reported to get over the symptoms in 2-5 days using such luminous sources.

If you’re not aware of the impact of insomnia in teenagers, you might want to take a second look. No wonder why you can’t keep your teens from watching the late night show, or why they still looked tired in the morning after going to bed early. Sleeplessness or problems sleeping among teenagers may not appear serious at first, but insomnia in teenagers is very much a reality. In fact, insomnia in teenagers is very common.

In a study particularly among US teens, more than 90% reported having problems sleeping at least twice per week within the past year. For some, insomnia seemed chronic and recurrent, beginning from the age of 11.

And because of school the next day, teens still need to get up early despite lack of sleep. This sleep deprivation can cause irritability, moodiness, and difficulty learning and concentrating, thus affecting teenagers’ school performance. An even more serious effect of insomnia is that it can be a prelude to depression or anxiety disorder. Studies also show that young people (16-29 years ancient) are most prone to auto accidents as a result of falling asleep behind the wheel.

Causes of Insomnia in Teenagers

At the onset of puberty, a person’s body clock changes. Before adolescence, this clock directs the person to naturally fall asleep around 8 or 9 pm. For teens, though, this time is delayed two hours or later.

Moreover, as this age is usually the time of exploration and discovery among teens, this is when they start drinking, smoking, and staying out late with their friends. They may also start drinking coffee to stay alert during the day. These habits, though, can cause or aggravate insomnia in teenagers and may give rise to other sleep disorders.Stress in school, like peer pressure, school performance, and relationship with teachers can also contribute to insomnia.

Some cases of insomnia, though, can start as early as childhood and continue up to the teenage years. Insomnia in children usually occurs when the child has become dependent on a person or condition that he/she associates with sleep – for example, a parent. Without that, these children have a hard time sleeping.

Treatment of Insomnia in Teenagers

Below are some treatments for insomnia in teenagers. Though these may be done on your own, it is still best to seek advice from a doctor or qualified medical practitioner.

Light Therapy. Expose your teens to bright light in the mornings. This will help their body feel that it is time to wake up. A device called a light box can be used for this purpose.
On the other hand, keeping the bedroom dark or in subdued light can signal to the body that it is time to sleep.
Chronotherapy. Delay bedtime by two or three hours progressively every night for several succeeding nights. For example, if your teen usually sleeps at midnight, you can make him/her stay up until 2 or 3 am and get up at 10 or 11 am. The next night, he/she will sleep at 6 am and wake up at 2 pm, and so on. Continue with this until you reach the desired bedtime. This may be best to do towards the end of the summer break.
Medications with melatonin. Melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone, can help. Let your teen take it five hours before the desired bedtime. Taking this, though, should be more of a last resort as this can have side effects. It is best to take this under a doctor’s supervision.
Apart from these treatments, you can do the following to help your teens sleep better:
Encourage them to exercise during the day, but not within three hours before bedtime. Regular exercise can help establish healthy sleep patterns.
Discourage them to do homework or anything mentally stimulating one hour before bedtime.
Decrease caffeine in their diet.
Remove distractions from their bedroom, like the telephone or TV.
If they are worried about the things to do the next day, let them make a list to eliminate anxiety for the moment.
Though insomnia in teenagers can be serious, it is treatable. With you and your teens working together, they can sleep better and be healthier.

Self-help expert Michael Lee has prepared an incredible FREE course revealing secret tips to cure insomnia and delight in energizing deep sleep at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/sleep-secret.htm

Depression occurring in pregnant women have many causes. For examples: changes of hormonal and physical state during pregnancy. Besides that, weakness of womb, morning sickness and other problems can be an initiator of depression.

Why it is so vital to keep pregnant women from depression? Tiffani Field, Ph. D from the University of Miami Medical School answered this question. Based on research she had been doing for 20 years, she found children born by mothers who experience depression during pregnancy would have higher level of stress hormones, brain activity that was sensitive to depression, showed small expression and experienced other symptoms.

The most perilous event would be happened when symptoms of depression in children were not handled immediately. They will be hard to learn walking, weight less and not responsive to the other people. If not controlled, children would have depression in the future.

Depressed mother and children should get professional help. Consultation of pediatrician and child psychologist is the best way to overcome it. Other therapies, such as: massage, also proved that it was excellent for depression. Although that, it should be under supervision of a doctor or health care expert.

What the vital thing is that recovery must be aimed to mother and baby. They must work together to overcome depression. Besides that, a husband also had to play an vital role in the healing of mother or children who were closest to it.

Pregnant women should get the support as much as possible from their husband. Support of husband could be shown in various ways, such as: giving peace to his wife, helping her work or even just giving a light massage if his wife felt sore.

Hopefully, a pregnant woman could get through her pregnancy with pleasure and away from depression with the totality support of her husband.

According to the National Institute for Mental Health, approximately 10 percent of Americans currently suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (also known as SAD) and related disorders.

SAD is a disorder characterized by drastic mood swings and depression that occur during the winter months; especially in the colder, Northern climates where outdoor activity is diminished and the amount of natural sunlight is lessened by the shorter days.

What are the common symptoms?
SAD sufferers have the following symptoms that occur during the fall/winter months and diminish in the spring:
- Depression
- Increased appetite
- Weight gain
- Inability to concentrate
- Depressed energy and interest
- Excessive sleeping

What to do if you reckon you have SAD
If you have any of these symptoms, especially during the winter months or during dark, dreary days, please see your doctor immediately. The truth is SAD is a very treatable ailment.

How is SAD treated?
In 1980, Dr. Alfred Lewry learned that bright light blocks the release of melatonin and helps relieve seasonal depression. Light therapy, also known as Phototherapy is the most common treatment and usually involves sitting in front of a light box for approximately 30 minutes each day. Consult a physician before starting any light therapy.

Nicole Niemiec is founder of Healthy-Insights.com - a site containing reliable health information for improving your quality of life.

Seasonal Affect Disorder is a kind of winter depression also popularly called Winter Blues. It is a kind of mood disorder which anyone can be victim of it. The US National Library of Medicine notes that some people during winter often tend to experience a serious kind of mood swing. They tend to sleep more and find small energy to work. They crave for sweets and starchy items and also at times feel depressed. The symptoms at times can be severe but the usually clear up. If you too are suffering from any such symptom during winter, you are probably getting least exposure to sunlight. In such case you need SAD lights.

One of the best treatments to overcome SAD is to use SAD light Therapy. Though there are medications and other treatment options for people, one should go for SAD lights. The lamps or lights for SAD have proved themselves as the most effective tool to beat the Winter Blues. All you need to do is just expose yourself before such light from the source for 30 minutes everyday and feel all refreshed. All your symptoms like fatigue, lack of energy, sleepiness and others will go away.

For buying SAD lights you don’t have to burn a hole in your pocket. You can find SAD lamps that come for $50 or less. It is simple to get quality made, reputed brand, highly rated and reviewed SAD lights in that price. Exposure to SAD lights where you work or at home works magical to deal with this disorder. Some people get results of SAD lights in just two days and start feeling fresh and confident again.

The lights for SAD are manufactured in such a way that they emit similar radiations, UV lights and wavelength of sunlight. Studies have found that due to shorter days and less exposure to sunlight makes the symptoms. Therefore if you can get similar sunlight properties from SAD lamps it can fill the absence and keep you energized always.

http://www.cure-your-depres... Merri Ellen's demo on her seasonal affective disorder light therapy box which she likes for light therapy for sad. Depression and light are connected.

May be you are quite aware of the term ‘Cyber bullying’. The reason is Cyber bullying quite commonly happens in your everyday lives. It is really a new form of bullying others using your Cyber Space.

Do not you reckon it is horrible? Talking about bullying innocent people with your kids is just similar as talking about sex with them. As parents it should be our prime responsibility to get more engrossed in our children’s future. Therefore we should be aware about Cyber Safety.

To make this process simpler, check the set of instructions and get to know how you can help your kids from staying away from such criminal offences.

Instructions

Step 1

Know what Cyber Bullying exactly is? This often takes place through instant messaging Email, through the Cyber chat rooms and certain other electronic gadgets that includes cell phones of camera. These cyber bullies continue their process of bullying others by forwarding and spreading certain hurtful images which may or may not include messages. These technologies are used for harassing the victims of the bullies.

Step 2

We should take care that our kids should freely reach school and feel safe. Being parents we should have an active role in our youngsters’ lives. We should make their future secure by discussing with them about the possibilities of getting harassed by the Cyber Bullies. We should be aware of the facts that what are going on in their personal lives.

Step 3

If you are seeing your child spending a lot of time on the Internet, you should monitor the topics on what they are busy with. You should also restrict their time of using the Internet and also limit their access of websites by installing certain cyber safe softwares. Whatever may be your operating system, the only thing you do is to check the installation processes of a Cyber Safety software and stop your child from accessing the risky sites.

Step 4

While browsing the Internet, if you find your child being entrapped by a Cyber Bully, try to contact the people. But if such bullying process continues after informing them try to take legal aid.

Step 5

The top signs which shows whether your child gets bullied include:

· Kids making excuses for not going to school.
· They can show you sign of getting bullied by their erratic behavior. They may remain sad or frustrated at times even when nothing has happened.
· Often it is seen that kids could not share everything with their parents but they can share it with their friends. But if they stop sharing with their closest pals you should give attention towards your children.
· Sometimes your child’s belongings gets stolen.

Step 6

Being a parent if you are required to receive further advices you can contact the local school PTA. If your state does not have laws for these troubles you can contact your local senator and wait to view the procedures with which your kids’ life can get safe.

Cyber Bullying majorly happens through Email. Just regularly monitor your kids Email box and keep them away from this. Pleased Emailing.

It's that time of year again. Time to place the outdoor toys away, dig the scarves and parkas out of the depths of your closet and place the storm windows down. Winter. It seems to come to a climax at Christmastime, as emotions swell in anticipation of family gatherings and a warm, hearty fireside meal with all the trimmings. The kids are euphoric as they open gift after gift and everyone eats their weight in cookies and treats. Then New Year's follows to top off the festivities with one last burst of excitement, and it's over. We hunker in to our claustrophobic houses like hibernating bears and wait longingly for spring.

Many people dread those excruciatingly long winter months when outdoor activity is anything but appealing, gaining weight is par for the course and many succumb to seasonal affective disorder. The lack of sunlight reduces our serotonin levels, depressing our mood and leaving us feel unmotivated. The kids feel it, too. Staying cooped up in the house makes them restless and ornery. They watch more TV, gobble up snackfood at twice the normal rate, spend hours playing brain-numbing video games and seem always to be fighting amongst each other. They constantly complain they're bored and after a few weeks of the same you're so exasperated you could tear your hair out.

Don't panic: there are ways you can retain your sanity and keep the kids pleased in the winter without risking frostbite. Consider making a visit to a nearby indoor children's play centre. Kids need a chance to romp around in the wintertime, and when the weather outside doesn't allow for outdoor play they need a place indoors where they can run around and burn off all that post-holiday energy. You don't want them running marathons around the house, climbing on top of the furniture or sledding down the stairs, so make the afternoon into a fun outing. A change of scene is refreshing, and for once they'll stop complaining of how terribly bored they are. Physical activity is essential in the winter, just as much for kids as it is for adults, in order to avoid weight gain and maintain excellent overall health. In fact, keeping physically fit is also a powerful tool for improving mood and self-esteem. And don't forget that exercise helps children sleep more soundly. Even if your child isn't overweight, exercise is vital to their physical and mental health.

At an indoor children's play centre it's simple to supervise your kids as they play, and you can rest simple that they're in a safe, contained environment where they'll never run out of sight. Unlike at home, they'll have a chance to meet and interact with other children and use equipment they wouldn't otherwise have access to. Climbing nets, sliding down slides and jumping in ball ponds is their thought of a excellent time, and it's right that pleased kids make pleased parents. So the next time the kids come to you whining that they're bored out of their minds, buckle them into the car and take them to a place where they can really have fun.

i'm terribly affected by the darkness of winter and work during the daylight hours so i cant go outside, i am thinking of getting one of these SAD lamps, but i dont know who sells them or how much they run/