Self-Therapy For People Who ENJOY Learning About Themselves

A QUICK MENTAL HEALTH TEST

Ask Yourself If You Believe Any Of These Three Statements:

1. The world is a scary place.

2. I am only alive to please other people.

3. I cannot change.

If you find that you do believe any of these statements, ask yourself how strongly you believe each of them. If you believe all three statements 100%, the theory I believe in says that you are extremely disturbed! If you only believe these things "sometimes," or you only believe them "slightly," you are pretty normal - but you'll do a lot better in life if you never believe them. HOW DO THESE BELIEFS HURT US? These three beliefs are deemed "most crazy" because they create hurtfulness, helplessness, and hopelessness. HURTFULNESS Believing that the world is a scary place makes you live in fear and can even make you dangerous.

HELPLESSNESS

Believing that you are only alive to please others makes you completely dependent on them.

HOPELESSNESS

Believing that you cannot change makes the rest of your life meaningless. BUT DON'T WE ALL BELIEVE THESE THINGS?

No, We Do Not!

It IS true that most of the people we actually know DO share our beliefs about these things! But that's because these beliefs are so important to us that we actually "screen" people into and out of our lives based on whether they agree with us about these things or not! THE WORLD IS *NOT* A SCARY PLACE! Many scary things happen in the world. Many places are scary, particularly at certain times of the day or night.

But OUR world either Is Not or Should Not Be scary! OUR world consists of the actual places we go during our average day or week. It includes the actual places we live, work, shop, and travel to and from each day. If OUR world really IS scary, we need to protect ourselves better! If OUR world is NOT actually scary, we need to stop believing that it is! OUR BIOLOGY, OUR NATURE, DEMANDS THAT WE KEEP OURSELVES SAFE! YOU ARE MAINLY ALIVE TO PLEASE YOURSELF!

Being "pleasing" to other people is a good thing. No doubt about it. But the most important person we have to please is ourselves - and we do not HAVE TO please ANYONE else. Thinking that we "have to" please others is a way of setting up a terrible degree of dependence between ourselves and those other people. This Dependence Is Oppressive To Us And To The People We Depend On So Much. OUR BIOLOGY, OUR NATURE, DEMANDS THAT WE PURSUE OUR OWN JOYS FIRST. YOU CAN CHANGE! We are changing all the time.

When we are emotionally healthy we DIRECT our change toward the goals we select. When we are emotionally unhealthy we change almost HAPHAZARDLY. Even undirected and "haphazard" change is mostly good for us. But whether change is good or bad, it is ALWAYS happening in EVERY area of our lives. OUR BIOLOGY, OUR NATURE, DEMANDS THAT WE CHANGE CONSTANTLY.

HOW TO USE THIS INFORMATION

Whenever something happens in your life that tends to make you believe one of these things:

1. Catch yourself in the "crazy" thought!

2. Decide NOT to "explain" what just happened by using this simplistic, childlike belief.

3. Look for some OTHER explanation for what just happened. (It will always be much more complex and therefore much more accurate - usually something only an adult could understand well.)

4. TEST your new explanation in some way.

5. Give yourself a lot of credit for being willing to learn and improve!

next: How Are You Spending Your Life?

Self-Therapy For People Who ENJOY Learning About Themselves

Many ways to learn and enjoy!

AS ADVICE ON HOW TO HELP YOURSELF

Read every article here at least once. If you find yourself EITHER very interested in a topic OR wanting to run away from it, read that article at least once each day for a few days.

AS A "SELF-THERAPY TRAINING PROGRAM"

For those who really want to "dive in."

Follow the advice under "applied self help" AND read every other article critically(meaning both "closely" and "to see if I agree with it"). Correspond with me about differences of opinion.  (What I learn from you will help me, and it will eventually help all who visit this web site.)

AS A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PROFESSIONALS

If your work puts you in the role of "advisor" in any sense, you might want to use these pages as part of your professional training or the training you offer for others. Therapists, counselors, sponsors, ministers, and supervisors of all types can benefit. Correspond with me for help to apply this material to your specific concerns.

ANY WAY YOU WANT TO!

Many people have selected certain topics, shown them to the important people in their lives, and invited "open discussions." Some people have made copies of certain articles and distributed them in therapy groups, church groups, at AA meetings, etc. (Ethically, you should always make sure my name and credentials are shown.)

If it HELPS you or someone you care about, it's a good idea!

(If you use this material as part of a profit making endeavor, however, you will need to make an agreement with me before you begin. See "Practice Building" information.)

ABOUT THE TOPICS

My goal is to put as much useful information into these topics as possible. Each topic is written under the assumption that the person reading it really needs to learn about the topic right now!

From this assumption a style has evolved which is insightful, rather blunt, and sometimes provocative. Most topics include a listing of easy-to-use "things to do" designed to show readers how to make specific improvements in their lives.

TWO BASIC ASSUMPTIONS

1. That most people in our culture now are well-educated and rather sophisticated when it comes to figuring out what they need psychologically and socially.
2. That the average person does not need to be diagnosed and treated by a therapist in order to receive real, significant help and minimizing daily problems and maximizing daily opportunities.

"DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY"

Some people are under the false assumption that in order to feel and do better in their lives they need to learn something complicated, difficult, or "brand new."

If you are one of these people, you are missing the point of this endeavor.

The real advantage of the self-therapy training program does not come either from its simplicity or from its complexity. The real advantage comes from having the right information in the right hands at the right time!

Each topic is written using a conversational style with sometimes "unusual" punctuation and formatting - all designed to enhance immediate understanding! (When you are trying to teach, making something unnecessarily complicated is precisely what you do not want to do!)

next: The Biggies: Article Table of Contents

Overview of color therapy as an alternative treatment for depression and whether color therapy works in treating depression.

What is Color Therapy?

Some people believe that their mood is affected by the colors of rooms, clothes and other objects in the surroundings.

How does Color Therapy work?

It is not known how color might affect mood.

Is Color Therapy effective?

Some research has been carried out showing that the color of a room affects mood in normal people. However, there has been no research on how color affects people who are depressed.

Are there any disadvantages to Color Therapy?

Although it is possible to choose the colors in your home, it may be difficult to have any say in the color of your workplace.

Where do you get Color Therapy?

Books on the use of color for health and well-being are available in most bookshops and on the Internet. There are also color therapy workshops available, usually run by alternative health practitioners. It is probably best to try out rooms that other people have painted before deciding to re-paint your own.

Recommendation

Given the lack of evidence on color therapy for depression, it cannot be recommended.

Key references

Kwallek N, Lewis CM, Lin-Hsiao JWD, Woodson H. Effects of nine monochromatic office interior colors on clerical tasks and mood. Color Research and Application 1996; 21: 448-458.

back to: Alternative Treatments for Depression

Common symptoms of bipolar disorder in children and factors that play into a diagnosis of childhood bipolar disorder.

Healthy children often have moments when they have difficulty staying still, controlling their impulses, or dealing with frustration. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV) still requires that, for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, adult criteria must be met. There are as yet no separate criteria for diagnosing children.

Some behaviors by a child, however, should raise a red flag:

• destructive rages that continue past the age of four
• talk of wanting to die or kill themselves
• trying to jump out of a moving car

To illustrate how difficult it is to use the DSM-IV to diagnose children, the manual says that a hypomanic episode requires a "distinct period of persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood lasting throughout at least four days." Yet upwards of 70 percent of children with the illness have mood and energy shifts several times a day.

Since the DSM-IV is not scheduled for revision in the immediate future, experts often use some DSM-IV criteria as well as other measures. For example, a Washington University team of researchers uses a structured diagnostic interview called Wash U KIDDE-SADS, which is more sensitive to the rapid-cycling periods commonly observed in children with bipolar disorder.

In their book The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder, Demitri and Janice Papolos note the symptoms of bipolar disorder common in children:

Very Common

• Separation Anxiety
• Rages and Explosive Temper Tantrums (lasting up to several hours)
• Marked Irritability
• Oppositional Behavior
• Frequent Mood Swings
• Distractibility
• Hyperactivity
• Impulsivity
• Restlessness/ Fidgetiness
• Silliness, Goofiness, Giddiness
• Racing Thoughts
• Aggressive Behavior
• Grandiosity
• Carbohydrate Cravings
• Risk-Taking Behaviors
• Depressed Mood
• Lethargy
• Low Self-Esteem
• Difficulty Getting Up in the Morning
• Social Anxiety
• Oversensitivity to Emotional or Environmental Triggers

Common

• Bed-Wetting (especially in boys)
• Night Terrors
• Rapid or Pressured Speech
• Obsessional Behavior
• Excessive Daydreaming
• Compulsive Behavior
• Motor & Vocal Tics
• Learning Disabilities
• Poor Short-Term Memory
• Lack of Organization
• Fascination with Gore or Morbid Topics
• Hypersexuality
• Manipulative Behavior
• Bossiness
• Lying
• Suicidal Thoughts
• Destruction of Property
• Paranoia
• Hallucinations & Delusions

Less Common

• Migraine Headaches
• Bingeing
• Self-Mutilating Behaviors
• Cruelty to Animals

How does bipolar disorder differ from other conditions?

Even when a child's behavior is unquestionably not normal, correct diagnosis remains challenging. Bipolar disorder is often accompanied by symptoms of other psychiatric disorders. In some children, proper treatment for the bipolar disorder clears up the troublesome symptoms thought to indicate another diagnosis. In other children, bipolar disorder may explain only part of a more complicated case that includes neurological, developmental, and other components.

Diagnoses that mask or sometimes occur along with bipolar disorder include:

• depression
• conduct disorder (CD)
• oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD)
• attention-deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD)
• panic disorder
• generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
• obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Tourette's syndrome (TS)
• intermittent explosive disorder
• reactive attachment disorder (RAD)

In adolescents, bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed as:

• borderline personality disorder
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• schizophrenia

Read more about bipolar symptoms in children here

Screening test for parents to see if their child has symptoms of bipolar disorder.

The need for prompt and proper diagnosis

Tragically, after symptoms first appear in children, years often pass before treatment begins, if ever. Meanwhile, the disorder worsens and the child's functioning at home, school, and in the community is progressively more impaired.

The importance of proper diagnosis cannot be overstated. The results of untreated or improperly treated bipolar disorder can include:

• an unnecessary increase in symptomatic behaviors leading to removal from school, placement in a residential treatment center, hospitalization in a psychiatric hospital, or incarceration in the juvenile justice system
• the development of personality disorders such as narcissistic, antisocial, and borderline personality
• a worsening of the disorder due to incorrect medications
• drug abuse, accidents, and suicide.

It is important to remember that a diagnosis is not a scientific fact. It is a considered opinion based upon:

• the behavior of the child over time
• what is known of the child's family history
• the child's response to medications
• his or her developmental stage
• the current state of scientific knowledge
• the training and experience of the doctor making the diagnosis

These factors (and the diagnosis) can change as more information becomes available. Competent professionals can disagree on which diagnosis fits an individual best. Diagnosis is important, however, because it guides treatment decisions and allows the family to put a name to the condition that affects their child. Diagnosis can provide answers to some questions but raises others that are unanswerable given the current state of scientific knowledge.

Sources:

• American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th Ed. Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.
• Papolos DF, Papolos J: The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder, 3rd ed. New York, NY, Broadway Books, 2006.

next: Bipolar Symptoms in Children Mimic Other Psychiatric Disorders
~ bipolar disorder library
~ all bipolar disorder articles

HAPPY PEOPLE HAVE something in common. It's not money and it's not fame. According to researchers David G. Myers, professor of psychology at Hope College, and Ed Diener, professor of psychology at the University of Illinois, happy people are healthier and share the following four traits:

1. They like themselves.
2. They have a high degree of personal control.
3. They are optimistic.
4. They are extroverts.

The good news is that none of these are fixed - each can be cultivated. If you are weak in any of these four traits, you can become happier by strengthening it.

1. Like yourself more by doing better. Improve your ethics - when you stop fudging on something, you stop beating yourself up for fudging. Increase your ability - when you are more skilled at something, you admire yourself more, both for your new ability and for the perseverance it took to attain it. Treat people better - because we're social animals, when we help others like themselves more, it comes around and helps us like ourselves more too
2. Gain more control of your time by directly seeking it. This includes reading time-management books and applying what you learn. But keep this in mind: No matter how good you are, if you keep increasing the number of pans in the fire, at some point you'll start to lose control. Decrease the number of pans until you have good control. With practice you may be able to increase that number. But maintain control in the meantime.
3. Be more optimistic by studying Martin Seligman's work and the attitude section of this book. In his book Learned Optimism, Seligman outlines the three key areas where a change will make a difference and shows you exactly how to make those changes.
4. Become more extroverted by studying and practicing the classic How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and the people section of this book. It helps to begin with the supposition that introversion is simply a lack of ability to deal with people. Then, remedy that lack. Carnegie's book is still on the bookshelves after all these years because it's the best collection of information about how to deal with people that has ever been written.

No matter how happy or unhappy you are now, you can make your life a happier one, and you can do it one small step at a time.

To become happier:
Strengthen your integrity, get better control of your time, become more optimistic, and practice good human relations.

A simple change in perspective can make you feel better and can also make you more effective at dealing with the situation. Here's one way to change your perspective.
Adventure

What if maximizing your full potential was bad for you?
Be All You Can Be

This is a simple technique for reducing a little of the stress you feel day to day. Its biggest advantage is you can use it while you work.
Rx to Relax

Why are some people interested in life and others bored?
Find out here.
Interest is Life

Self-esteem should be intimately tied to integrity.
If it isn't, the self-esteem is a farce.
How to Like Yourself More

Why do people in general (and you in particular) not feel happier than our grandparents felt when they had far fewer possessions and conveniences than we now have?
We've Been Duped

next: A Slave to His Destiny

Self-Therapy For People Who ENJOY Learning About Themselves

Which is most important, sex or cuddling? If that's the choice, it's cuddling.

But really it is touch - in all its forms - that makes or breaks relationships.

WANTING A NEW PARTNER

In order to find a new partner you must first be certain that you are available!

Many people complain long and loud about how hard it is to find a partner but will admit that they are not absolutely sure ("down deep") that they even want one.

When they finally get to the point that they are sure, they usually find a new partner within months.

So do whatever it takes to make up your mind about this extremely important question.

GUILT OR RESPONSIBILITY

"You hurt my feelings" aims to arouse guilt and leads to more hurt feelings especially for the accuser.

"I'm angry about what you did" aims to assign responsibility and leads to real problem solving for both people.

COMPETITION VS. COOPERATION

"I want to go bowling," says one.
"I want to watch TV," says the other.

In most relationships the communication stops there and both people try to "win" while trying to make the other person "lose."

These are called competitive relationships. They are based on the all-American ideal of winning and losing!

In a healthy relationship it goes like this:
"I want to go bowling."
"I want to watch TV."
"How can we both get what we want tonight?"

These are cooperative relationships. Both people win and nobody loses. (But it might be un-American!)

WE NEED A PRIMARY RELATIONSHIP?

It is definitely possible to be happy without a primary, sexual relationship. It just isn't easy.

It takes an immense amount of hard work to get enough attention and love from friends alone.

WHO'S PROBLEM IS IT?

"I feel sad and blue today and I don't know why...." This is a manipulative statement (except in therapy). It begs your partner to help you to solve your problem.

And, since the partner can't possibly know you as well as you know yourself, it usually leads to an argument and mutual feelings of being misunderstood.

"I feel sad and blue today and I don't know why, but I'm working on it...." This is an intimate statement which can bring people together. The responsibility for solving the problem remains where it belongs, on the person who is feeling bad. And your partner can feel free to be supportive and loving without feeling responsible for your problem.

SEX ROLE BIGOTRY

When someone says something about "men" or "women" during a disagreement, they would accomplish more if they'd just stop the discussion completely and focus on their own childhood beliefs.

Our bigoted ideas of men and women are well established by age ten.

Our general beliefs about each sex are irrelevant to any discussion of real-life problems we are having today with this particular man or this particular woman.

HEALTHY ARGUING

If you really want to have a clear, productive argument insist that you and your partner "stick to the video camera"!

This means, talk about what you want and don't want from each other in such a clear way that a video camera would be able to "see" what you are talking about.

EXAMPLE:
Instead of saying "You don't love me" or "I want you to love me" tell your partner the actual behaviors you want to see more of from them.

Don't ask to be "loved" (which is too general) when you can ask for a warm hug with a smile (which will help you to get the feeling of love that you want).

HAPPINESS FROM A RELATIONSHIP

The most important relationship in your life is the one you have with yourself!

Happiness comes from treating yourself well, not from finding someone else to do it for you.

Enjoy Your Changes!

Everything here is designed to help you do just that!

next: Living with Alcoholics

The birth of my daughter, Micaela, fifteen years ago changed the way I viewed parenting. Years of training had led me to believe that children were malleable, ready for parents to shape into social, satisfied human beings. The occasion of Micaela's birth was particularly joyous. It had taken two years for Hildy to become pregnant, and we (mostly my wife) had suffered through the usual pain and indignities of infertility, with doctor's visits, a laparoscopy, daily basal temperature taking, sperm counts, etc. Time was running out. Hildy was in her late thirties, and with every month that passed, and every menstrual period, our chances of success lessened. But suddenly our mysterious failures became an inexplicable success—and nine months later Ronny Marcus, Hildy's obstetrician and research colleague, was holding the newborn in Boston's Beth Israel Hospital, joking about placentas in his South African lilt, while I videotaped the magical, daybreak scene.

In the middle of this sleep-deprived giddiness, Micaela, whose eyes had been wandering lazily around the hospital room, suddenly looked towards me and smiled. Not the full smile of a three month old—the muscles of her mouth did not seem to permit this. Instead, it was the most rudimentary of smiles, the widening of the mouth and the slight spreading of the lips, but a smile just the same. Ronny, of course, noticed too.

That precocious smile resulted in the closest thing to an epiphany that I have ever experienced. There was far more "person" inside Micaela, even at 30 minutes of age, than I ever would have imagined. It was as if she said "By the way, I'm here, happy--and my own self." The notion that I was going to "build" her suddenly seemed far-fetched. She was, in large part, already there. I was no more going to be able to change her essence than she was mine. And even if I could, why would I want to?

The notion that babies arrive as blank slates, popular over the last few decades, has been damaging. In our efforts to "build" children from scratch, we have neglected the fact that much of our children, perhaps even 50%, is wired in by Mother Nature. To parent, without considering who our children are and what is built in, predisposes our children to the condition I call "voicelessness," where a child's essence is neither seen nor heard. Parents do matter, but it is more accurate and healthy to look at the parent-child relationship as a dance. Can you recognize, attend, value, and respond to your particular partner's moves? Can your partner respond to your moves? Do both parties feel good about themselves as dance partners—in terms of their individual skills and their interaction?

Sometimes this is not possible. There are children who are difficult and inattentive by nature—no parent could dance well with them. Parents must not blame themselves for these situations. But there are also parents who feel they must control the dance, dragging their partner with them, neglecting their partner's moves entirely, or forcing their partner to only make moves that reflect well on them. Automatically, their child feels like a lousy dancer.

A child who feels they are a lousy dancer has low self-esteem. Their moves are not worth seeing, and they have absolutely no control over what occurs on the dance floor. They merely take up space, and often wonder what point this serves. "What is the purpose of my life? Why don't you send me back and find someone you like better?" they ask. Some spend a lifetime trying to perfect the right moves so the dance will work. Others become so self-conscious, they can barely lift a foot, turn a hip, or swing an arm. They never understand that the cause of their paralysis is not their own inability but the unresponsiveness of their partner. Still other children focus entirely on themselves and, out of self-protection, neglect the moves of everyone around them--such is the genesis of narcissism. In all cases, the door to anxiety and depression springs wide open—the sense of being a lousy dancers lasts a lifetime, and, for reasons I will explain in future essays, often dramatically affects relationship choices.

There is no one way to dance--or to parent--because there are no generic children. Every child is different, and deserves to be seen, heard, and responded to in their own unique way. In the article "Giving Your Child Voice," I suggest a method of doing this.

Micaela (even at 15) is a wonderful person, but I did not make her this way. She and I danced well (Hildy is also a terrific dancer--even better than I), and through these dances Micaela learned about the special qualities that were always her potential. To inoculate your child against depression and to build self-esteem, it is most important you continuously discover who your particular child is and learn to dance with him or her. Sometimes you will lead, and sometimes you will follow. This is fine. It is not just what you do as a parent that matters, it is what both of you do.

About the author: Dr. Grossman is a clinical psychologist and author of the Voicelessness and Emotional Survival web site.

next: Do Parents Matter?

FDA warns consumers not to purchase or consume Actra-Rx, also known as Yilishen, for treatment of erectile dysfunction.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns consumers not to purchase or consume Actra-Rx (also known as Yilishen), a product promoted as a "dietary supplement" for treating erectile dysfunction and enhancing sexual performance for men.

The product is labeled as all natural and sold over the Internet. In fact, the supplement contains prescription-strength quantities of sildenafil. Sildenafil is the ingredient in Viagra, a prescription drug product approved in the United States for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil may pose serious health risks for some users.

Sildenafil can interact with certain prescription drugs containing nitrates (such as nitroglycerin, which is used to treat chest pain). If taken with a drug containing nitrates, Actra-Rx may cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates.

Advice to Consumers Consumers who may have purchased Actra-RX or Yilishen should immediately stop taking it as either can be dangerous to their health and even life-threatening.

Anyone experiencing erectile dysfunction should speak to their health care providers before purchasing a product to treat that condition.

Source: FDA

For More Information

View the FDA safety alert on the FDA Web site at
www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/answer/2004/ans01322.html.

next: What is Ayurvedic Medicine?

Can chocolate relieve the symptoms of depression? Will chocolate boost your mood? Read this.

What is it?

Many people report using chocolate as comfort food or to boost their mood.

How does it work?

There are several ways in which chocolate could boost mood:

• Chocolate contains carbohydrates. Eating food high in carbohydrates but low in protein can boost the level of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is thought to be in short supply in the brains of depressed people. However, some scientists believe that the protein content of chocolate may prevent it from boosting serotonin.
• Chocolate contains small amounts of various drugs that might affect mood, including phenylethylamine (which affects the level of certain chemical messengers in the brain), caffeine and theobromine (which are stimulants), and other drugs which affect the brain in a similar way to cannabis. However, the dose of these drugs in chocolate is fairly low.
• The pleasant taste and texture of chocolate is believed to bring about the release of endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals in the brain which act like opiates to increase pleasure and reduce pain.

Is it effective?

The effect of chocolate on people who are clinically depressed has not been tested. However, it has been found not to improve the mood of normal people. Although chocolate provided these people with short-term pleasure, it also led to feelings of guilt afterwards.

Are there any disadvantages?

Chocolate is high in saturated fats which can increase the risk of heart and other disease.

Where do you get it?

Chocolate is readily available in various forms. However, one study found that brown chocolate satisfied craving better than white chocolate or cocoa powder.

Recommendation

There is no evidence to support chocolate as a treatment for depression.

Key references

Bruinsma K, Taren DL. Chocolate: food or drug? Journal of the American Dietetic Association 1999; 99: 1249-1256.

Macdiarmid JI, Hetherington MM. Mood modulation by food: an exploration of affect and cravings in 'chocolate addicts'. British Journal of Clinical Psychology 1995; 34: 129-138.

back to: Alternative Treatments for Depression

Will cutting caffeine from your diet improve depression symptoms? Read more about caffeine avoidance and depression.

What is Caffeine Avoidance?

Caffeine is a stimulant drug found in coffee, tea and cola drinks. Cutting out caffeine from the diet has been proposed to help depression in some cases.

How does Caffeine Avoidance work?

Some people are thought to have a sensitivity to caffeine which produces depression. Caffeine is also thought to increase anxiety in people who are very anxious and have panic attacks. Because depression and anxiety often occur together, cutting out caffeine may help by lowering associated anxiety.

Is Caffeine Avoidance effective?

One small study has been carried out on patients whose depression was thought to be due to dietary factors. The researchers asked half of these patients to cut out caffeine and sugar from the diet and the other half to cut out red meat and artificial sweeteners. Depressed people who cut out caffeine and sugar showed more improvement.

Are there any disadvantages?

Suddenly giving up caffeine can produce withdrawal effects, such as headaches and feeling less alert.

Where do you get it?

Cutting down on coffee, tea and cola is a simple treatment people can do by themselves.

Recommendation

Avoiding caffeine may be helpful for the small minority of people who show a particular sensitivity to it.

Key references

Christensen L, Burrows R. Dietary treatment of depression. Behavior Therapy 1990; 21: 183-193.

Lee MA, Flegel P, Greden JF, Cameron OG. Anxiogenic effects of caffeine on panic and depressed patients. American Journal of Psychiatry 1988; 145: 632-635.

back to: Alternative Treatments for Depression