Curiously easily diagnosable and treatable medical problem, depression happens to at least 20 million American adults every year. As we discussed earlier, although everyone has experienced sadness and feelings of being depressed, people that are suffering from true depression have many frequent and recurring long-term symptoms, making them view life as something not worth living.

How would you know if you have a depression problem? Here are more depression symptoms. These symptoms vary in each person, although if these happen to you, it might be wise to consult a doctor.

- Sadness that is prolonged

- Crying spells that are unexplained

- Significant and abrupt changes in sleep patterns and appetite

- Anger, irritability, anxiety, worry, agitation

- Pessimism, indifference

- Energy loss

- Persistent lethargy

- Guilt feelings and unexplained sense of worthlessness

- Difficulty in concentrating and indecisiveness

- Inability in taking pleasure in interests you previously enjoy

- Social withdrawal

- Unexplained pains and aches

- Extreme fatigue when you have not done much

- Recurring and frequent thoughts of suicide or death

If you are experiencing at least five of the symptoms listed above and have begun interfering with family activities or work for more than a week, ask your doctor for a thorough checkup. This would most likely include having a comprehensive physical exam although some symptoms might be caused by other health problems that you have and a detailed clinical history. Just be honest and open on what and how you are feeling.

Do not even think of diagnosing yourself. Likewise, you cannot rely to a friend or a member of your family for diagnosis. Only a doctor that is properly trained to check illnesses is the only one that can fully determine if you are having a depression episode.

If you want, you could try self-evaluation tests available on the Internet that could help you gauge the symptoms that you have, or at least, can prepare you when you visit your doctor. Think of these tests as a way of communicating your symptoms better to a healthcare professional when you go in for a visit. Of course, online tests prove no match to an actual consultation.

For other people, depression is recurrent, which simply means that they experience depression episodes often – once or twice in a month, at least once a year, or many times throughout their lifetimes.

Do not feel embarrassed, shy, or ashamed of your depression problem. People of various ages, ethnic groups, races, and social classes get this problem. Although depression can happen at any given age, depression commonly develops in people whose ages lie between 25 and 44. If you have a depression problem, you’re not the only one. Every day, there are more than 20 million American adults that are experiencing depression problems.

Be persistent and patient and you will find the method that suits you best for determining depression.

While it is arguable that depression is not always preventable, there are many cases, when using the following ideas, will keep you in good spirits – most of the time. Unfortunately, we cannot be happy all of the time, but there is something we can do about it.

Working with a variety of clients over the years, I have seen how Yoga and exercise changed, and continue to change, them for the better. It is a well-known fact that endorphins are produced from a variety of exercise routines, including gentle Hatha Yoga.

Endorphins reduce stress and enhance good moods. Just that information alone is enough to start an exercise program, but weight control, muscle-tone, circulation, flexibility and a variety of other health benefits, should be an incentive to start a mild exercise program.

If you have been inactive, I suggest a beginner Yoga class with a very mild-mannered Yoga teacher. Without pushing this any further, lets look at other options to start, and things to avoid.

Participate in social activities, support groups, senior centers, or local church activities. The activities could be in your local mosque, temple, or shrine, as well. There is always an activity that you can find around any religious center.

You could also join a league for golf, tennis, fishing, bowling, bocce, or any other activity where people gather to share a few laughs. Take competition in stride, and dont take anything too serious.

Many social groups also function as support groups. The collective activity is good for all involved. Stay away from alcohol drinking clubs. This is not just bars, or nightclubs, but local clubs, who organize for the common good, and then, routinely get together to drink.

There is a conflict here, in that alcohol is a depressant, and if you are prone to depression, this is not a good combination. On top of that, there are plenty of health problems that accompany alcohol abuse.

Substance abuse is not a solution to depression, and you wont find a purpose in life through it. So, lets keep it simple and stay away from drinking alcohol – altogether.

If your friends and family abuse alcohol, they need counseling, and you will have to look outside your normal circles to get guidance. You need to surround yourself with positive and energetic people.
Also, dont hang around your house too much, especially in dark or unlit areas. Get outside, take a walk, go shopping, get a little sunlight, and if you are in the house all day, open the curtains during daylight hours. If you have a sunroom to relax in – thats good, too. Lack of sunlight can cause elevated levels of melatonin, which is sometimes called the sleep hormone.

Lastly, visit the self-improvement section of your local bookstore. It is a hidden treasure within itself. This is a great reason to leave the house.

Audio books are also good for traveling in your car or listening to in your sunroom. Pick out books that really captivate your imagination. If your local bookstore has CDs, you may want to pick up some relaxing music for your ride home.

Being human is not an easy task, we tend to say these days, but I think it has been that way since day 1 of mankind.

But being FEMALE, now that’s a challenge and a half. I have never been a guy, but from what I see and dont get me wrong guys, I know that you have your hands full trying to co-habitate with us females.

Seriously though lets look at men from my side of the fence..

MENS WORRIES!!

-they fear rejection from women.

-they worry about their ability to perform and satisfy women if they are gentlemen

-they worry about putting food on the table.

-they worry about women not being attracted to themyounger women in some cases

-they worry they may not survive the women’s next menstrual-cycle

-hmmmmmmmmmmm

-they might worry about prostate and colon-cancerif they are smart

-they worry about their children, if they have any

-they worry about success

Fair enough…now…FEMALE WORRIES!!

-we worry that we are not pretty enough

-we worry we are not thin enough

-we worry we are not sexy enough

-we worry we will not keep them interested in us

-we worry that they will find younger women more of a lift to their egos

-we worry that we confuse them too much

-we worry about success

-we worry about our children, if we have any

-we worry that we will have to depend on men for financial support

-we worry men will not respect us for our intelligence

-we worry about our menstrual cyclestotally out-of-our-mind-days of the month

-we worry about losing our youthful bodies the ones that men seem to totally get whiplash around

-we worry that no matter how much time and effort we put into keeping ourselves looking good, the men will not notice wallflower syndrome

-we worry about keeping it altogetherjob, house, kids, and satisfying hubby

-we worry about the ever dreaded menopauseeeeek

So that’s pretty much most of the human worries that are first to pop into my mind, whether they be yours or not, sorry, this is my article.

Now I know that not all females and males fall into most of these worries. But I think I am speaking for the norm of worries.

Also women tend to be victims of society a hell of a lot more than men, after-all is it not a “mans world”?…. Do we see half naked men all over the television?….NOT. Women have a lot more to prove these days than men also.

Men say, “its not a COMPETITION” , uhg! I have heard that so many times that I want to gag at times on that answer. Then why are we made to feel like we are in a competition? Why are there so many women with low-self-esteem? Why are there so many women with jealousy issues? Why is the cosmetic-surgery market booming? Why are there radio commercials selling cosmetic-surgery like its candy? Why is it that women can see a good looking guy and not get whiplash or have to wipe drool off their chins?

Many of the women I have listened to or read their thoughts all ask these same questions. These are not just a select few, these are many, many women from all over the world. Guys, trust me here, I am only looking for answers, I am not bashing at all.

Some females do not care about any of this stuff, never have a care or worry in the world, ever wonder why. Maybe they are so into themselves, that’s all they care about. I think if you are that detached from whats going on in the world around you that you definitely are on your own planet. Maybe that’s how we all should be, but hmmm, how would the world be with no one caring about what others think or feel?

There are so many different people in the world and I am sure some fit nothing I have said here, remember people this is just my brain trauma here, so take it with a smile and a chuckle. I am merely giving you something to think about.

I do shout out to the world though for us women that really, really care about what men think . We are working overtime to please , so wake up guys and take notice.

Dorothy Lafrinere
OwnerOperator
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email- dorothywomensselfesteem.com

Beads of sweat roll down her forehead as she rubs a very prominent muscle in her calve. Her breathing is deep and hard but steady as regains her focus to another place in order to numb the pain. She reaches into a place in her mind where she has stored an energy that only a dedicated athlete has come to know. An energy that will take her that extra distance to her finish mark.

This is a female athlete, a women that is not only strong, willful, and dedicated but has invested most of her youth andor adulthood to get to this height of excellence. This women is a competitive professional athlete. In the world of men’s sports, these women have had to climb mountains and jump very high hurtles to get even a small fraction of respect as competitive, serious athletes.

These women are exemplary in there show of positive self-esteem. A positive self-esteem has given them strength to never give up on their dream. Their dream of becoming a true world champion female in the sports world. Through their years of excruciating training they have learned a few very important positive characteristics such as

-setting goals

achieving a dream that for many become unreachable
learning to perform under pressure
understanding the meaning of a team player
learning how to earn and achieve through hard work
how to accept failure and appreciate succession.

Other very positive things come out of women making sports a big part of their lives.

females in high school do not have time to get pregnant
as little as four hours per week of physical exercise helps to reduce a teenagers risk of breast cancer by up to 60. Breast cancer effects 1out of every 8 American females.
it has also helped to reduce the amount of females suffering from osteoporosisbrittle bones.
females engaging in sports are less likely to experience depression.
Female athletes are also very much more positive in regards to their body image, again a show of positive self-esteem. They are trained early in life to respect their health and nurture their psychological well-being. These character traits are a must in achieving the limits that are needed to compete as a professional athlete. These women have to be on the top of their game, so to speak.

With that in their focus they glow with positive self-esteem and confidence. They also need all of these positive attributes to get them where they want to be in regards to their workplace. About 80 of women that are in high executive positions were athletes during certain periods of their lives. This is a good thing. Through their training and disciplined lifestyles, they have succeeded not only in sports, but also in their careers. These female athletes also made a mark in history and continue to do so, against all odds.

Unfortunately as in any thing we deal with in life, there is the reality of abuse and stereotyping. Many woman fear the label of being called a lesbian, or fear that they would come into contact with lesbians in the sports world. Sexual harassment, verbal abuse, emotional abuse and even physical abuse are also very common negative realities in the sports world. We need to shout out as loud as we can to get rulings to protect all athletes in the sports world.

To make life even more unfair, after they have trained and suffered much pain to win many championships and meet the challenges that come with being an athlete, they continue to battle nonsensical enemies such as the media. Oh yes, our great media strikes yet again. They have taken pictures of female athletes and turned them into sexual objects. Sporting them in magazines, scantily clothed as if they were posing for a pornographic magazine. They have robbed them of their achievements as serious female athletes. They have offered them up as sacrificial pieces of meat to satisfy the male appetite. They rarely if ever show the reality of the female athlete. Rarely if ever do you find a picture of a disabled athlete sporting the front of a magazine, but there you have it, even in the sports magazines they have to use sex to sell. They cannot even depend on their own merit anymore. In fact the media continually shows just how cheap they can be. They show no respect for the reality of people anymore. The media has totally blinded the world as to what a competitive female athlete is all about.

The female athlete is all about

strength
skill
power
ability to achieve a goal
pure self-discipline
desire to achieve excellence
determination to win
the drive to push against against all odds
Women of the sports world, I commend you for your courage and ability to reach your destination. You show all the women of the world today that we can do it. You show us how very important it is to have a positive self-esteem. You show us professional female athletes at their best. For that, I thank you!

“Desire is the most important factor in the success of any athlete”

Willie Shoemaker

Dorothy Lafrinere
OwnerOperator
Website-
Weblog-
Forum-
email- dorothywomensselfesteem.com