Tip of the Day
Quit what isn't working.
Albert
Einstein did NOT say “Insanity is doing the same thing over and
over again but expecting different results.” A character in the
1983 Rita Mae Brown mystery Sudden
Death uttered the phrase. You learn
something new every day!
Whoever said it, we all
tend to forget it (over and over again).
If you suffer from
depression and repeatedly find yourself in situations that are
frustrating and depressing, analyze why. What are you doing that
isn't working?
Try to replace
behaviors that no longer serve you with new inspirations and creative
approaches.
Recent Research on Innovative Treatments
So this is fascinating, from Psychology Today online, posted December 5, 2020.
Managing COVID-19 Anxiety Without Benzodiazepines:
The promise of virtual reality, AI avatars, and applied gaming.
James Lake, MD
"In recent years VRGET protocols have been extensively investigated in controlled studies and found to be beneficial for reducing symptoms of specific phobias, generalized anxiety disorder, ADHD, depression, and PTSD (Maples-Keller et al 2017; Jerdan et al 2018; Cieślik et al 2020). In one study VRGET and conventional cognitive-behavioral therapy were found to be equally effective treatments of panic disorder and agoraphobia, however individuals who underwent VRGET required 1/3 fewer sessions to achieve the same level of symptomatic improvement (Vincelli 2003)...
"Recent findings show that individuals who use VRGET achieve significant reductions in both the level of stress and the severity of depressed mood (Shah et al 2015; Shiban et al 2016). An important recent development is the incorporation of VR technology in mindfulness training Apps which may enhance the efficacy of such Apps for stress reduction (Cikajlo et al 2017)."
Yeah, it's a lot of technical, scholarly language, but basically studies are finding that Virtual Reality can be effective in treating stress, anxiety and depression, including "COVID-19 anxiety".
This series of four articles is chock-full of interesting research and concepts including insights on the use of Kava and green tea green tea which contains the amino acid L-theanine, instead of traditionally prescribed drugs such as Xanax, Klonopin and Ativan.
And a Little More on Kava and Green Tea
Some studies show Kava has a mild effect on depression but a significant chance of causing liver damage. It's certainly not conclusive, yet, however.
Green tea, though, hasn't proven to be toxic in moderation, although regularly drinking a lot -- 8 cups a day -- may cause problems:
"Drinking large amounts of green tea might cause side effects due to the caffeine content. These side effects can range from mild to serious and include headache, nervousness, sleep problems, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, irregular heartbeat, tremor, heartburn, dizziness, ringing in the ears, convulsions, and confusion. Green tea also contains a chemical that has been linked with liver injury when used in high doses. In order to reduce the risk for liver injury, take green tea extract with food." (WebMD)
12 Books That Shine a Light on Depression from healthline.com
DISCLAIMER: I have not read all of these (though I will), and I have changed the order from the original article.
The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, Andrew Solomon - I moved this to the first spot because Solomon is perhaps the most eloquent author I've ever read.
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, David D. Burns, M.D. - This book has helped me more than any other resource.
Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, Daniel G. Amen, M.D. - another author whose breakthrough work I greatly admire.
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, John J. Ratey, MD with Eric Hagerman - Ratey co-authored Driven to Distraction, a classic ADD resource.
The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression without Drugs, Stephen Ilardi, PdD
The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness, Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, Jon Kabat-Zinn
The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time, by Alex Korb, PhD
The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking, Oliver Burkeman
Depression-Free, Naturally: 7 Weeks to Eliminating Anxiety, Despair, Fatigue, and Anger from Your Life, Joan Mathews Larson, PdD
Undoing Depression: What Therapy Doesn’t Teach You and Medication Can’t Give You, Richard O’Connor, PhD
Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, Jon Zabat-Zinn
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things, Jenny Lawson
Contact: witchhazel2020@gmail.com
CWD Daily is written by Julie Aiken, a layperson whose only authority lies in 40 years of coping with depression. Nothing in the newsletter should be taken as medical advice. Please do no self-diagnose or self-prescribe. Above all, please get help if you need it.
