The Dangers Of Overprescribed ADHD Medications

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has become
the fastest growing diagnosed disorder among children under
the age of 18. Many children in countries such as the US,
New Zealand and Australia are being prescribed medications
at an alarming rate. As the FDA requires ADHD drugs to
carry warning labels, the overmedication of children with
ADHD is becoming a real concern.

Most ADHD drugs are stimulant that contain amphetamine.
Various side effects have been reported from taking these
drugs. Some of them tend to suppress feelings of any kind,
making children unhappy. Some are addictive and prone to
substance abuse. In some cases, depression can lead to
suicidal thoughts or actions.

Ritalin is a common prescription medication for ADHD in
children to help them concentrate better. The side effects
of Ritalin include headaches, stomach ache, insomnia,
dizziness, nervousness, weight loss and even cardiac
arrhythmia. The effects of long-term use are not fully
known however it has been linked to abnormal brain
development and stunted growth in small children.

Adderall is another ADHD drug that combines various
amphetamines. The common side effects of taking Adderall
include dizziness, restlessness, insomnia, headache, dry
mouth and weight loss.

The potential for addiction and abuse is the biggest cause
for alarm in ADHD medications. Children, particularly
teens, who take these medications without the supervision
of their parents and doctors are more likely to misuse and
become addicted to the drugs.

There are other types of treatment for ADHD, especially for
less severe cases. One alternative treatment is to make
dietary changes. There are specific allergy causing foods
that can trigger or add to hyperactivity such as wheat,
dairy products, sugar, soy and eggs. Avoid refined
carbohydrates and processed foods. The latter tend to
contain preservatives, coloring and artificial flavoring
which can cause further behavioral problems. A dietician
can help determine a proper diet plan for children with
ADHD.

Herbal remedies are also available to treat ADHD and are
effective for mild to moderate cases. These remedies do
not come with the side effects and possible addiction that
conventional prescription medications do. Behavior therapy
is beneficial as it teaches children to cope in various
situations. Children that understand how to react when they
are frustrated, angry or misunderstood can learn to better
control their behavior.

While there is no one treatment that works for every child,
the right combination of treatment options can keep the
symptoms of ADHD under control. Parents should be less
accepting of conventional prescription treatments and
should discuss ADHD alternative treatment options with
their doctor. ADHD children who are prescribed medications
must be monitored to prevent addiction and substance abuse.

----------------------------------------------------
Medications are the most common treatment for ADHD symptoms
in children and adult. The long term effects of ADHD
medications are still unknown but medical researchers
warned of permanent changes to brain chemistry and
behavior. Learn more about alternative treatments for ADHD
at
http://www.guidetoadhd.com/prd-adhdmed

Do you hide in the closet and then wonder why mental illness has you in a tizzy?

If you are a family member who deals with another's mental
illness, chances are your life can get very full and often
confusing. I hope this article about healthy boundaries
helps.

OK, so your life has changed. Things are a bit different
after the diagnosis of a family member's illness. It could
be a daughter with bi-polar, a husband with clinical
depression or your own sudden experiences with panic
disorder. These circumstances happen every year to millions
of Americans and family members -- the "affected others" --
need to adjust and compensate for this new situation.

Presumably, if you are an affected other, you have the
professional medical support you need to help your loved
one. But you're realizing that still things do not work as
smoothly as they did before. This is hard! Learning how to
implement boundaries and raising your personal standards
are good ways of "surviving" another's mental illness. Some
things that used to be OK in your life suddenly are just
too much. This is to be expected -- but not tolerated.
Let's consider a typical problem that most people face at
some time in their life: people who drop by your home
without notice.

Some people don't mind drop-in traffic. However, at some
point you may feel overwhelmed by this prospect since you
are now dealing with the new challenges of a family
member's mental illness. If you used to be fine with
drop-in guests but now find them overwhelming, you may want
to implement a new "boundary" to improve your life and
reduce your stress.

Without boundaries, you're constantly tiptoeing around
hoping your friend Suzy doesn't suddenly pop in to "dump"
all her woes on you. Caring for and worrying about your own
family member can be a 24/7 preoccupation – do you really
want to share the little time you may have left with Suzy,
on her timetable? Most people fall short in the department
of understanding what personal standards and boundaries
have to do with "surviving mental illness". When your life
changes after a diagnosis, it is important to review your
life and decide which activities are acceptable and which
are not. In the above example of allowing friends and
neighbors to simply stop by anytime they like, you may feel
that this is just too much, given your new circumstances.

Here are my top three reasons to install boundaries:

1. Boundaries will decrease your stress level.

2. Boundaries will allow you to take care of YOU so you
have more time to care about and for your family member who
is suffering mental illness.

3. Boundaries will set a precedent of honesty and
integrity, and free your mind for more important issues.

Here are possible options for dealing with the drop-in
traffic:

1. Do nothing. Continue to cope with an open door policy
even though you don't want uninvited guests and feel
increasingly angry that people just stop by.

2. Hide in the closet whenever someone knocks, hoping that
they'll eventually give up and miraculously disappear………
until tomorrow.

3. Develop and implement a new boundary. This may seem
like a lot of work, but the truth is the amount of energy
you spend NOT dealing with this problem is probably doing
more to complicate your already complicated life.

How do you implement a boundary?

1. Review your daily life and decide what issue is
bothering you. Then think about ways to stop the issue from
happening. In our example, the drop-in traffic is the issue.

2. Next write down what you will say to your friend and
deliver your message in a friendly, clear, but firm manner.
Your conversation may go something like this: "Suzy, I
wanted to talk to you today because I've decided something
and want to let you know what it is because it affects you.
Since Jamie's diagnosis I've really been overwhelmed with
everything. I think I'm starting to calm down but I really
need to do a few things to take care of me. I am asking all
my friends and family to call me before dropping by. I'm
hoping this will allow me to schedule my time better, have
more down time and generally feel more in control of my
schedule. Would that be OK with you?"

Of course, you will have to adjust your "message" for the
person you speak to, because, let's face it, you may not
want to ask certain people "Would that be OK with you?"!
You may need to make the statement and ask them to follow
your request.

Finally, it is important to understand that how your
message is received cannot be your worry. Some people are
bound to get upset, ask for details, and want to know
what's going on with you…..blah, blah, blah. Remember, this
new boundary is for YOU -- something to improve your life
and well-being. This is not about them. So allow them to
feel the way they do and stick to your guns. The new
freedom and energy that will result from raising your
standards and implementing a boundary will be palatable!

----------------------------------------------------
Mary Logan, MA is a personal coach who works with family
members dealing with mental illness. Mary Logan focuses on
wellness issues facing her clients as they enter a new role
of caring for a family member with mental illness. You can
sign up for her free 7-part e-course on staying well with
boundaries at http://www.ucanthrive.com

Chemotherapy - Is this the real answer to Cancer?

Before agreeing to a treatment, it is important to know
what the treatment consist of. With this in mind, I have
introduced below the main form of treatment used to treat
cancer:

Chemotherapy - Chemotherapy was developed after scientists
realised that the deadly Mustard gas used in the Second
World War to kill people - Cyclophosphamide - could kill
rapidly dividing cells such as those of cancer.
Chemotherapy will kill all rapidly dividing cells (Our T
and B cells responsible for our immune system would also be
targeted as they divide rapidly).

Let's see what reputable scientists are saying about this
drug:

* Late Dr Hardin Jones, professor at the University of
California in Berkeley concluded in 1975 after analysing
cancer survival statistics for several decades that
"patients are as well, or better off, untreated".

* Dr Charles Moertel of the Mayo clinic in Baltimore said
that the major chemotherapeutic drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)
only produces an objective response in 15 to 20% of
patients. Even then, improvements were only partial and
temporary. This very poor result is offset by the toxicity
of the drug and the disastrous emotional upsets caused by
the side effects.

* A German epidemiologist Dr Ulrich Abel studied most of
the published reports on chemotherapy and wrote to a
further 350 cancer centres and experts and stated that "the
success of most chemotherapy is appalling. There is no
evidence for its ability to extend in any appreciable way
the lives of patients suffering from the most common
organic cancer". He also commented that: "when a tumour
mass partially or temporarily disappears, those tumour
cells which remain can sometimes grow much faster
afterwards. Often, patients who do not respond to
chemotherapy survive longer than those who do".

Dr Abel also published details of survival rates for cancer
patients treated with chemotherapy as follows:

* Bladder - No statistics available

* Breast - No evidence of an increase in life expectancy

* Cervical/Uterine - No evidence of an increase in life
expectancy

* Colorectal - No increase in life expectancy

* Gastric cancer - No evidence of improvement

* Head & neck - No improvement in life expectancy (tumours
may shrink)

* Ovarian - No evidence of an increase in life expectancy

* Pancreatic - More negative than patients who were not
treated

Depending on which specific chemotherapy drug is used, side
effects include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, potential
damage to nerves and kidneys, hearing loss, seizures, bone
marrow suppression, anaemia, blindness, irreversible loss
of motor function, thrombosis, mucositis, heart problems,
destruction of bile ducts, bone tissue death, restricted
growth, infertility, lower white and red cell count,
increased risk of leukaemia (specially for women who
received chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer),
ovarian failure, early menopause, lactose malabsorption
etc..

Chemotherapy also often destroys the patient's liver and
kidneys with its harmful effects and negatively assaults
their immune system.

Mechlorethamine, one of the drugs used is so toxic that
medical staff handling it are advised to use gloves and
avoid inhaling it.

A reference for medical personnel handling chemotherapy
advises:

The potential risks involved in handling cytotoxic agents
have become a concern for health care workers. The
literature reports various symptoms such as eye, membrane,
and skin irritation, as well as dizziness, nausea and
headaches experienced by health care workers not using safe
handling precautions.

In addition, increased concerns regarding mutagenesis and
teratogenesis [deformed babies] continue to be
investigated. Many chemotherapy agents, the alkylating
agents in particular, are known to be carcinogenic [cancer
causing] in therapeutic doses.

Medical personnel handling these drugs are advised to wear
double latex gloves, mask, goggles and protective gown.
Amazingly, needles used for injecting the lethal drug is
classified as "hazardous waste" ! Incredible when we are
told that this drug will cure our Cancer.

The medical journal (Lancet 1998) stated that Irinotecan, a
new chemotherapy drug only extends survival by about 3
months but with many side effects.

Chemotherapy is also useless at helping with metastases in
the liver (Arch Med Res, 1998). It has however been shown
to increase the life of patients suffering from ovarian
cancers by a few years and that of lung cancer patients by
a few months.

Treatment of Hodgkin's disease with chemotherapy has also
shown positive results. However, girls treated this way
also have a 35% chance of developing breast cancer in later
life. All children treated this way also are 18 times more
likely to develop secondary tumours.

As Chemotherapy has been found to be (1) carcinogenic (2)
immunosuppressant (3) toxic (4) futile, why is it then that
doctors keep prescribing it?

The answer is extremely simple: they do not know what else
to do and wish to keep in line with what other doctors do.
Although most know that chemotherapy only has a very small
chance of success, they feel that unless they prescribe
something, the patient will go elsewhere and, in most cases
(for allopathic medicine), be prescribed chemotherapy. We
have to understand that this is their training.

In a survey of 79 cancer doctors conducted by McGill
University in the United States, 58 doctors stated that
they would not be part of trials on Chemotherapy drugs.
Why? Because of the ineffectiveness of Chemotherapy and its
toxicity.

----------------------------------------------------
Patrick Hamouy runs a school of Alternative Therapies with
branches in West London and Brighton (UK). He teaches Reiki
Healing, Indian Head Massage, Emotional Freedom Therapy
(EFT), Anatomy & Physiology, Oriental Diagnosis & Psychic
Development. He sees customers for consultations.in
Macrobiotic, Emotional Freedom Therapy (EFT) and Removal of
toxic products from the home environment Full information
on his web site at: http://www.therapies.com

Could This Common Vitamin Be The Secret Weapon in the Battle Against Depression?

Vitamin B12, occasionally also known as cobalamin, is one
of the most important and most intensively studied of the B
complex vitamins. This group of vitamins is known as the B
complex because of their biochemical similarity and because
of their close interaction and interdependence in the
performance of their numerous vital functions. So the B
complex vitamins are commonly found together in various
common food sources and, each being water soluble, will
also be excreted together from the body. A deficiency in
one of the complex is therefore almost always accompanied
by a corresponding deficiency in each of the others.

But all of that said, the consequences of a deficiency are
different in the case of each individual vitamin, and
deficiencies of B12 are particularly associated with
cardiovascular disease, a type of anaemia, Alzheimer's
disease and other dementias, and depression.

Vitamin B12 is required for the body's manufacture of the
essential amino acid, methionine and its associated enzyme,
methionine synthase, an inadequate supply of which may lead
to an excess of homocysteine, a naturally occuring protein
within the body, which is well known to be associated with
an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

But it is also now known that sufferers from Alzheimer's
disease are often found to have low levels of vitamin B12
in their blood as well as the raised levels of homocysteine
which are also associated with more common vascular
dementias. In fact a number of studies have suggested that
low B12 and high homocysteine levels may as much as double
the risk of Alzheimer's.

Although conventional medicine remains reluctant to accept
any causal link, it might well seem to the "intelligent
layman" who takes an interest in these matters that such a
link is more likely than not. And this is particularly so
when it is remembered that vitamin B12 deficiency leads to
a reduction in the synthesis of methionine, which is known
to be essential for the methylation reactions which are in
turn vital for the health of nerve cells and
neurotransmitters.

Research has also noted a strong associative link between
vitamin B12 deficiency and depression, that widespread and
disabling, but still poorly understood and defined
condition. In fact different studies have suggested that
up to 30% of patients with depression severe enough to
require hospital admission may be deficient in vitamin B12,
and that elderly people found to be deficient in the
vitamin are twice as likely to suffer severe depression as
those with normal blood levels.

Again the conventional "wisdom" prefers to regard these
findings as an observational association rather than
evidence of a causal link. But it has been argued that
such a link may be due to B12's acknowledged role in the
synthesis of methionine and its associated enzymes, which
are vital for the effective performance of certain
neurotransmitters whose absence is known to be a factor in
depression.

Evidently Alzheimer's disease, dementia and depression are
all conditions which become more common and more severe
with advancing age, so perhaps it should be no surprise
that deficiencies of vitamin B12 are also much more
frequent in the elderly population. In fact as many as 10
-15% of the over 60s may be severely deficient, but a far
higher proportion than this are likely to fall below the
threshold required for optimum protection against these
justifiably dreaded diseases.

However, these deficiencies are unlikely to be caused by an
inadequate dietary supply. The Recommended Dietary
Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B12 is only 2.4 mcg a day, an
amount which should be readily obtainable, except perhaps
for those following a strict vegetarian regime, given that
a single 3 oz serving of fish or red meat may provide this
quantity. For those with a taste for it, sea food may
provide a great deal more, and chicken, turkey, eggs, milk
and cheese are also useful, though less lavish, sources.

But good absorption of vitamin B12 from food is heavily
dependent on the normal stomach acid and digestive enzymes,
the quantity and effectiveness of which decreases
substantially as the body ages, and on the presence in the
stomach of a specialised protein known as Intrinsic Factor.
The correct action of Intrinsic Factor requires the
presence of adequate calcium in the body, another nutrient
in which the elderly are of course notoriously likely to be
deficient.

Absorption of B12 from supplements is much less
problematic, however, because stomach acid and digestive
enzymes are not required to release the vitamin from its
protein bindings. So this is a rare case in which even
conventional medical "wisdom" recognises the value of
supplementation, at any rate for the over 50s.

So given that relatively small amounts of these vitamins
are required by the body, and that no toxicities or adverse
side effects have been reported, there really seems no
reason to run the risk of a deficiency.

----------------------------------------------------
Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in
direct marketing and with a particular interest in health
products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/In
formation.htm

The Minefield That Is Online Weight Loss

Weight Loss Online is a minefield for anyone serious about
weight loss. There are snake oil salesmen, peddlers of
poor quality products, and of course those people out to
make a quick buck from a desperate dieter.

What many of these online weight loss "experts" rely on is
the fact that 95% of dieters will buy a diet program, open
the front cover, see it's BIG and involves work and then
give up. Really, how many diet books, exercise video's and
pieces of exercise equipment do you have around your house
... and how many of those have you actually used (and used
consistently).

There are a lot of online weight loss programs all
promising instant weight loss, rapid weight loss and lots
of other wild claims.

I can highly recommend choosing an online weight loss
program because there are some great ones out there. When
you are choosing your weight loss program, bear in mind a
few things.

What is the guarantee of the program you are looking at?
Do they offer you a 5, 7, 14, 30 day guarantee or longer?
The longer the guarantee the more chance you have to test
the program thoroughly to make sure it works. However,
check the fine print of the guarantee. Some of these
programs have a lot of weasel clauses in them designed to
make it difficult for you to return the product and get
your money back. Look for a guarantee that is completely
unconditional and you know you are safe.

If the program is purchased through Clickbank or Paypal
then you know you are safe because Clickbank has an 8 week
money back guarantee which it forces all merchants to
comply with. In fact, you can contact Clickbank direct for
your refund without involving the merchant. Paypal is also
very protective of its customers, and whilst it doesn't
force a guarantee on its merchants, it will investigate
claims about products not being as described.

EBay is another source of diet and weight loss programs.
However, this is an even bigger minefield. Whilst eBay is
an excellent marketplace, it is unfortunately frequented by
scammers and conmen selling pirated and illegal products,
particularly if you are buying supplements or physical
programs. Always check out a sellers feedback and make
sure there is a lot of positives there - and check what
they are for! A lot of sellers will buy 1c or $1 auctions
to get lots of positive feedback in order to lool better as
a seller. Make sure the positive feedback is for the
product you are buying.

Check how long they have been on eBay too. If they are a
new seller then there is more of a chance of them not being
100% honest. However, if they have been there for years
and have lots of positive feedback then you know they are
much more likely to be honest. Ebay is a fantastic
marketplace, but just like a real marketplace, you, as the
buyer, need to have your wits about you.

There are some excellent online weight loss programs that
come highly recommended, so be diligent in your selection
of one and you can find yourself getting rid of that weight
and being your ideal weight.

----------------------------------------------------
Find information of good and quality weight loss programs
like the Macro-Optimazers and the 5 day's RESET program at
http://www.facts.usana.com

Some Parts of the Brain Improve with Age

One of my recent articles gave a statistic from the sports
psychology world stating that it requires about 5 positive
comments to overcome 1 negative comment when coaching young
players. This means that negative comments carry a lot more
weight in the mind of a child than do positive comments.

Most people lack real confidence.

But this extends far beyond young athletes to most of the
population. Most people dwell on criticism or a bad
experience far more than they think about praise or
positive experiences. This all comes back to the beliefs
that you have implanted in your brain throughout your life.

If you continually tell yourself that you are no good at
something then your brain will pay a lot more attention to
the evidence to support that viewpoint than it will to
evidence that contradicts it. Your brain is always trying
to uphold your beliefs.

Since most people have limiting beliefs, they are more
focused on negative feedback than positive feedback and
that's how the whole 5 to 1 (positive to negative) ratio
gets established – 1 negative piece of feedback is as
powerful as 5 positive pieces.

Seeing the sunny side of life

I ran across a couple of papers this week in Psychological
Science and The Journal of Neuroscience showing how brain
activity that controls this, changes as we get older. Our
brain circuits that filter your positive and negative
experiences actually rewire as you age.

When we are younger, our brains allow negative information
and bad experiences to go straight to our automatic
responses. We don't think about them too much or evaluate
them before we allow them to affect us. On the other hand,
positive feedback and good experiences get some extra
processing by the 'higher functioning' part of our brains
before we allow them to effect us. The positive stuff has
to pass through a filter before we believe it but the
negative stuff doesn't.

As we age this begins to reverse. Our filters of the
negative stuff get stronger and our filters of the positive
stuff get weaker. We allow positive stuff to affect us more
easily (in a good way) and screen out some of the negative
stuff. We don't spend so much time dwelling on criticism
and accept more praise.

This is just an average description of the whole
population. Of course, there are people that are good at
filtering out the negative stuff early in their life and
others that never get good at it. There are people that
take complements and praise very well at a young age and
others that never learn how to accept it.

Speeding up the process

So the question becomes, can we do anything to accelerate
the process? Can we 'train our brains' to become better at
accepting positive stuff and better at filtering out
negative stuff without having to wait until we get to our
elder years?

I believe that you can. There are certainly things that you
can do directly to pay more attention to feedback that will
boost your confidence and dismiss other experiences that
tend to bring you down. There are also many indirect things
that you can do to support the health and maintenance of
your brain.

This comes back to performance concepts that I've discussed
before. Your brain is in a constant state of remodeling
itself. It is up to you whether the new updates you make on
a daily, weekly and yearly basis will be the same as the
old ones, or improved.

You can ensure that your new updates are physically
stronger with the basic nutrition, sleep and physical and
mental exercise needs – or not. You can also ensure that
your new updates perform better by working on your ability
to think for yourself and replacing some of your limiting
beliefs with empowering ones.

Over time, this will strengthen your filters to deal with
all your negative experiences and allow more of the
positive experiences to get through. Science shows us (as
discussed above) that our brain circuits have a natural
tendency to improve on this front as we get older, but the
speed at which you do it and the final levels that you
reach are up to you.

Focus on the good feedback and your health, and the brain
circuits that control your positive beliefs will literally
get stronger and faster. This will increase your confidence
and your ability to control your own life.

----------------------------------------------------
Master Brain Fitness techniques for you and your family.
Your Brain Fitness holds is the key to unlock your maximum
potential. Dr. Simon Evans puts together the right
ingredients in right amount to create the recipe for
success. Visit http://www.BrainFitForLife.com for FREE
Brain Fitness resources.

Radiotherapy and Surgery - Do they help in the fight against Cancer

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy uses small doses of radiation projected by
machines aimed at the sick organ(s) or radioactive
implants. The unit of measurement is the electron volt. For
deep organs, this can reach 25 million electron volts.

Radiotherapy appears to increase life expectancy for some
cancers but is plagued by a large number of side effects.
Most common is the fatigue associated with this form of
treatment. Patients who receive Radiotherapy for breast
cancer may subsequently develop lung cancer. One study of
31 patients treated this way showed that 19 of them went on
to develop lung cancer about 17 years later (Med Oncol.
1994).

A risk of fibrosis and damaged cells is also possible when
Radiation bullets are inserted in the vagina to treat
cervical cancer (Diagn Cytol 1995).

High dose of Radiotherapy used in certain difficult cancers
lower the life expectancy of the patient. Bladder problems,
incontinence, sexual malfunction, vomiting, diarrhoea and
heart problems may occur after radiation to the abdomen.

Radiotherapy to the head can cause damage to the salivary
and tear duct glands as well as to the brain. Radiotherapy
can also damage bones and make them weaker and prone to
fractures.

Edward Griffin states: "Radiology.. spreads the cancer and
weakens the patient's resistance to other diseases. Serious
and painful side effects, including heart failure. No
evidence that treated patients live any longer, on the
average, than those not treated. Statistical rate of long
term survival after metastasis is close to zero" (World
Without Cancer by Edward Griffin).

Surgery

Dr Richard Evans states: "there is no survival disadvantage
to leaving tumour cells alone and simply observing the
patient" ("Making the right choice" (Avery Publishing) by
Dr Richard Evans) A review in Med Hypoth, 1993 also claimed
that surgery does not make any difference as to the
survival of the patient.

Surgery is believed by many to cause the spreading of
cancer by puncturing the cancerous tumour and spreading its
content to surrounding cells. Surgery will also cause
trauma to the area and this in turn will cause a healing
reaction that can cause the further development of
cancerous cells (a theory offered by John Beard, professor
of embryology at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
His paper was published in 1902 in the British Medical
journal the Lancet).

It is also difficult, even for the most competent surgeon,
to remove all cancerous cells. Should some of the cancer
cells be left in the patient, they may become surrounded by
scar tissues. These scar tissues would protect the cancer
that could not then be attacked by the pancreatic enzymes
necessary to destroy the tumour.

However, surgery, if performed properly, can save the life
of patients by clearing an important blockage and buying
them time to properly fight their disease.

Statistically speaking, surgery to remove tumours located
near the main organs or reproductive system has a 10-15%
chance of helping patients to a longer life. When the
cancer has already spread, the chances of long term
survival are very poor.

The tumour itself will not kill the patient. However what
happens, is that cancerous tumours keep on growing and
takes more and more space inside the body. Eventually, it
may grow so big that it will prevent the organ it is in
from working properly. The tumour may also affect the
surrounding organ and squeezed them once again preventing
their proper functioning.

You must be completely puzzled now as to what your approach
to a serious disease should be.

Don't. The golden rule to fight any disease is very
holistic (mind/ body and spirit)

1- Sort out your emotions (mind) 2- Sort out your diet
(body) and environmental toxins 3- Re-energise your body
with treatments or good supplements (more about this later)

and don't panic. In the words of George Ohsawa: "there is
no incurable disease - only incurable people". But don't
leave it to late. Take care of your health BEFORE you are
sick.

Some of the books I read to help with the writing of this
Newsletter are:

* Cancer - why we are still dying to know the truth by
Philip Day

* Alive and Well by Philip Binzel M.D. * Health Wars by
Philip Day

* The Cancer Handbook - A What Doctors Don't Tell you
Publication

----------------------------------------------------
Patrick Hamouy runs a school of Alternative Therapies with
branches in West London and Brighton (UK). He teaches Reiki
Healing, Indian Head Massage, Emotional Freedom Therapy
(EFT), Anatomy & Physiology, Oriental Diagnosis & Psychic
Development. He sees customers for consultations.in
Macrobiotic, Emotional Freedom Therapy (EFT) and Removal of
toxic products from the home environment Full information
on his web site at: http://www.therapies.com

Best Ways To Induce Labor Naturally

Congratulations! You're pregnant and delivery is right
around the corner. I am sure that you are tired of the
day-to-day aches and complaints regarding pregnancy and
can't wait to hold you little bundle of joy in your arms.
Well, there is good news. As long as your midwife or
health care provider agrees, you can induce your labor
naturally and help speed things along.

Inducing your labor naturally is a great alternative to
using other forms of induction. Most of the natural labor
induction remedies don't cause side effects to worry about,
your baby's health won't be placed in unnecessary jeopardy,
and you won't suffer any ill consequences. Some of the best
ways to induce labor naturally are also pleasurable and
healthy. Two common ways that you can induce labor
naturally are by walking, and sexual intercourse. Some
women may feel more pressure when they walk. This is due to
the force of gravity and the baby's head descending into
the pelvic region. In fact, when many women are in labor,
their midwife or health care provider will have them walk
to increase or speed up labor. You can do this on your own,
before labor even begins.

Sexual intercourse is also known for inducing labor
naturally. When a woman experience orgasms, the body
releases hormones involved in childbirth, among other
functions. Prostaglandins are a hormone that helps ripen
the cervix and induce labor. These may be in synthetic form
through a medical prescription, but you can bypass the
medical alternative and access Prostaglandins naturally.
Semen contains Prostaglandins and when you partner
ejaculates during sexual intercourse, the Prostaglandins in
the semen will help soften and ripen the cervix, therefore
inducing labor.

When women climax their bodies release the hormone
Oxytocin. Oxytocin helps the uterus to contract and will
strengthen the intensity of your contractions. Therefore,
you can see that sexual intercourse helps stimulate or
induce labor from hormones released in both the man and the
woman. In fact, the medication known as Pitocin is used to
induce labor and strengthen contractions and it is a
synthetic form of Oxytocin.

Another method of inducing labor naturally is nipple
stimulation. Nipple stimulation also releases Oxytocin.
It's good to note, however, that nipple stimulation has to
be done correctly according to reliable instructions
because it can lead to very strong uterine contractions.

Additionally, there are many herbs that have been used for
centuries to help induce labor. Before using any herbs, you
should consult with your health care practitioner or
midwife. Some of the most popular herbs that are used to
induce labor naturally include Blue and Black Cohosh,
Evening Primrose Oil, Red Raspberry Leaf, and False Unicorn
Root. Before using any herbs, be sure to let your health
care provider know.

Evening Primrose Oil is used to stimulate Prostaglandins
and may be extremely beneficial to ripening the cervix, and
is often inserted into the vagina in a capsule form. It is
extremely important not to use any herbs for inducing labor
naturally during the early part of pregnancy, as these can
have serious consequences.

Finally, one of the safest natural labor inducing remedy is
acupressure. Acupressure for labor is among the most
studies ones and proven to be safe and effective. Because
the technique is simple, this labor acupressure could
easily be used at home.

----------------------------------------------------
Maternity Acupressure is a safe way to induce labor
naturally. If you are overdue and tired, visit
http://www.MaternityAcupressure.com , for more information
about the powerful secrets of labor acupressure on how to
start labor naturally at home, help cervix to dilate and
stimulate labor contractions.

Why Helichrysum Essential Oil Belongs In Your Medicine Chest

The essential oil of Helichrysum is relatively unknown in
the United States, though interest and experience with this
natural healing phenomenon is growing – and with very good
reason. Helichrysum is one of the most potent, dramatically
healing essential oils used in European medical
aromatherapy today. As noted by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt in
'Medical Aromatherapy: Healing With Essential Oils', the
effects of this oil are "so convincing that it has never
met with any kind of criticism." An essential oil so
useful, even those de-bunking aromatherapy do not challenge
its wonderful effects! So what is Helichrysum oil, and how
can it benefit the newcomer to aromatherapy?

There are many, many species of the Helichrysum plant; it
is crucial to find oil distilled from a particular variety
for therapeutic use. The most healing essential oil is
extracted from the small golden flowers of the Helichrysum
'italicum' species, with the 'serotinum' sub-species being
the most highly regarded. Though oils from other
Helichrysum species are available, their therapeutic
actions are not as dramatic. To make matters more
complicated, Helichrysum essential oil is also known as
'Immortelle' and 'Everlasting' – check the Latin name to be
sure of the oil's source.

The Helichrysum flower is native to the Mediterranean,
where much of the finest oil is distilled. Because of the
growing popularity of the oil, outstanding varieties are
now being produced in the United States, with laboratory
test results showing exceptionally high concentrations of
the principal active constituents – as high or higher than
even the fine European varieties. These domestically
produced oils are a great bargain compared to the imported
oils, with their high therapeutic efficacy and lower costs.
Whichever source you choose, be sure it is pure Helichrysum
italicum essential oil you use for therapeutic purposes.

So what are the wonderful healing effects of this oil?
Helichrysum has a brilliant synergy of naturally active
molecular ingredients. It is the only essential oil known
to contain regenerative 'di-ketones', chemicals which
signal living tissues to heal themselves. Other oils
contain ketone molecules, but these can be harmful in high
amounts. Helichrysum oil and its components are totally
benign and regarded as completely safe. Helichrysum also
contains curcumene molecules recently being studied for
their strong anti-inflammatory properties, and 'spasmolytic
esters' (muscle and tissue relaxants).

As Dr. Schnaubelt notes: "The pain-reducing, analgesic, and
regenerative effect is unique...Generally, Helichrysum
italicum works for all conditions in which inflamed tissue
needs to be calmed down and regenerated." The oil has a
great variety of applications due to this broad range of
action. It is regularly used for skin, muscle and
connective tissue injuries and healing with profound
results. Most simply, the essential oil may be applied
directly to larger cuts, scrapes and even surgical
incisions to speed healing (true Lavender oil works well
for small wounds – add a little Tea Tree in either case for
a stronger anti-microbial effect).

It is an excellent remedy to have available when sports
enthusiasts young and old are at play. Helichrysum is used
'neat' (undiluted) on injuries such as bruises and twists
that have just occurred to prevent further damage from
swelling and hematoma. If applied immediately, a bruise may
not even appear; if application is delayed, the oil will
still speed healing. Tendonitis may be addressed with a
blend of 1% Helichrysum, 1% Lemon Eucalyptus and 1% Yarrow
oils in a base of Comfrey cream applied regularly to the
area.

Helichrysum is included in many therapeutic blends for the
skin. It is considered anti-inflammatory, tissue
regenerating and a cicatrisant (scar reducing). To treat
scars, old and new, use 25 drops Helichrysum, 25 drops
Rosemary Verbenone and 75 drops Calophyllum (Tamanu) in
each ounce of Hazelnut oil. Apply regularly to the scar;
this formula is even used for smoothing of old keloid scars
over a period of six months. For additional support, add 75
drops of Rosehip seed oil to the blend. Helichrysum is used
in blends to reduce stretch marks after pregnancy: Use a 3%
dilution of Helichrysum oil in Hazelnut with 20% Rosehip
seed as the base and apply regularly. During pregnancy, a
low dilution blend (1% total essential oils) of Neroli and
Cypress in Hazelnut oil is recommended to prevent the marks
from occurring. Hemorrhoids may be relieved with 1%
Helichrysum and 1% German Chamomile in Sesame oil.
Allergic skin reactions and eczema may be calmed with 1%
each Helichrysum and Blue Tansy essential oils in Hazelnut
oil.

Helichrysum essential oil has been used for a great many
other conditions. Briefly, the oil is employed to ease
symptoms of neuralgia; its regenerative properties may be
helpful, and its pain-relieving action can be of great
support. Use the oil at a 1-5% dilution as a massage blend
for painful or tingling areas. One drop is placed on a
cotton ball and put in the ear each night for two weeks to
relieve tinnitus. It may offer support for other physical
conditions such as fibromyalgia and arthritis in a similar
blend - other warming oils may be added for improved
circulation (Black Pepper and Ginger are often used, in a
base of Sesame). Helichrysum acts as an anti-coagulant, and
is supportive of the veins and in cases of thrombophlebitis
(where vein degeneration has lead to clot formation). The
antispasmodic, anticatarrhal, and decongestive actions can
offer support in cases of coughs, colds and asthma. It is
further used for headaches, relief of nervous tension, and
exhaustion due to stress.

The spicy-floral aroma of Helichrysum is uplifting and
grounding, with an effect on the psyche that may help
release 'stuck' emotions. According to Gabriel Mojay's
'Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit': "Those (emotions)
that are most indicated…are enduring resentment,
half-conscious anger, bitterness of spirit, and a
stubbornly negative attitude." Helichrysum makes an
excellent addition to many aromatherapy massage blends for
this reason; the physical and psychological actions of the
oil offer synergistic support to individuals experiencing
pain. The touch of caring therapeutic massage using the
wonderful properties of Helichrysum is likely to bring
profound relief for many people.

So whether you've got energetic kids, you're active sports
enthusiast, you're healing your skin in one of many ways,
or have other muscular, nerve, joint or vascular
conditions, essential oil of the Helichrysum italicum
flower may bring welcome healing action. As a natural
health professional, you may employ Helichrysum regularly,
as it is a safe essential oil with no contraindications.

The oil is precious – the flowers only yields a small
amount, though a little goes a long way (as with most
essential oils). It is only used undiluted in acute cases;
otherwise a dilution of 3% or less is often called for.
Helichrysum is one of aromatherapy's stand-out healing
oils, coming highly recommended by many natural healers,
and deserves a place in nearly everyone's medicine chest.

----------------------------------------------------
Michelle Rae Cech, ND, M.Ir., is the wellness consultant to
an essential oil supplier in Boulder, Colorado, found
online at http://www.anandaapothecary.com

She also has a
professional practice, supporting clients through the use
of a wide variety of natural modalities including
herbology, iridology, and reflexology.

Give A Get Well Card. It's The Medicine The Doctor Ordered

Receiving a thoughtfully written get well card when you're
unwell is especially welcome. Everyone likes to be
remembered by others and getting a card during a period of
sickness can serve as emotional medicine. Pills and
potions may cure the body, but thoughts and actions feed
the mind.

It's all too easy for our spirits, in mind and body, to
become low when we aren't feeling at our best. We may let
ourselves become dejected when we're out of sorts. Getting
a card serves to remind us that whilst we may be
temporarily out of action, others are thinking of us, and
wishing us well.

The power of collective well wishes can do much to make us
feel tons better. It's accepted that when many send the
same positive message - through a thought - or written in a
tangible card, it has a positive effect on the recipient.
To be the receiver of such good wishes can only mend us all
the quicker.

The benefits of a get well card at these times are
two-fold. We may be out of the social loop for a while and
missing our friends. Routine social activities may have to
be on hold, or readjusted when we're not up to mixing. So
a card reminds us that we haven't opted out of action for
good - it's just temporary, and those who care for us are
hoping we'll soon be up and running again.

Seeing, hearing and reading these hopes helps to confirm
our place in society. It affirms our role in individual
groups and reminds us of our connections. While thoughts
themselves are beneficial, receiving a traditional paper
card is even more valuable in such times. We have the
advantage of seeing them displayed. It's a visual reminder
of the goodwill that has flowed our way.

There's also the physical bonus of being able to pick them
up and re-read them whenever we need a 'lift'. It's like a
medicine pill that can be self-administered. Being
surrounded by get well cards gives us a continual reminder
and drip-feed of others' good thoughts towards us. They
all add to our sense of well being.

Doctors know that the mind is very powerful in the stages
of recovery. Believing in our power to help to heal
ourselves - and seeing ourselves quickly well again will
speed us back into good health. Those who care about us can
play a large part in helping us to stay on track, feeling
loved and connected.

Often when we're sick we feel displaced and separate as we
can't carry on our normal routine activities. We miss
doing things at certain times. We can lose touch with
people and this can make us feel isolated or
claustrophobic. So a carefully written and given card can
do so much more than say 'hope you're soon back to health'.
It really is like intro-venous emotional medicine, feeding
our need to belong and to feel loved.

Many of us don't like any contact when we're feeling under
the weather, whilst others, depending on their illness are
able to interact in some way. Cards remind us that we are
part of a group of caring individuals who think of us in
our absence, and in our recovery process. The more cards
we receive, the greater the sense of well being. And we
know how good our own positive thoughts can be in our
personal mending process. Good wishes via thoughts, cards
and actions = positive self-medicine = quicker recovery.

Doctors may prescribe Western Medicine, but we should all
be brought up to appreciate the power of card giving.

The traditional 'visiting of the sick' was considered an
essential part of the Victorian ladies' etiquette. They
brought gifts of food - as is well known. But perhaps more
importantly they brought communication, connection and
reminders of the 'sick' person's place in their community.
Such visiting was considered expected and it was also well
received. We too, in our receiving of well wishes should
be equally accepting. We should be thankful, rather than
grateful, for the thoughts that prompted the action. How
we open, read, display and absorb these sentiments are
equally important to our getting well process.

These days cards are an all-too-easy thing to send. We may
think they are trivial and perhaps of little significance.
But spare a thought for someone you know who is sick and
how your card giving could be just the pill they need at
this moment. Spare a thought - and act on it, because the
Get Well Card really does deserve the label of emotional
medicine.

----------------------------------------------------
Geraldine Jozefiak has written extensively about choosing,
writing and sending Get Well Cards. Greeting Card Guide
gives you the latest news, trends and products to make your
greeting card selection as quick, fun and painless as
possible.
http://greetingcardguide.com

Is Ritalin Safe For Treating ADHD Children?

Ritalin is one of the most prevalent drugs used to treat
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It is
prescribed to thousands of children under the age of 18
every year. While Ritalin has been shown to help in severe
cases of ADHD, it may not be beneficial in mild cases as
its side effects may be worse than the symptoms of ADHD.
Ritalin has varying side effects on children, some of which
can be potentially harmful.

Ritalin causes stunted growth in children. A new study
conducted by the Child Development Center of the University
of California, Irvine found that children who took Ritalin
for three years were about an inch shorter and weighed 4.4
pounds less than other children in their age group. It is
not known if these children ever regain their normal
height. The long-term neurological effects of Ritalin
remain unknown.

Another possible problem with treating ADHD children with
Ritalin is the potential for addiction and abuse. Ritalin
is a stimulant and is categorized as an amphetamine. All
amphetamines carry with them a likely risk of addiction. A
study found that children who took Ritalin for more than 3
years have a greater risk of substance abuse and committing
crime.

Many adolescents and young adults snort Ritalin in a way
similar to snorting cocaine. They think that Ritalin is a
cheaper and safer alternative to cocaine. However, Ritalin
has dangerous side effects whether taken orally or inhaled.
This could be a short leap from using prescription
amphetamines such as Ritalin to using illegal street
amphetamines in the future.

Other side effects of Ritalin include headaches, stomach
upsets, reduced appetite, depression, irritability,
anxiety, increased blood pressure, sleep difficulties and
nervousness. When the side effects of taking Ritalin are
severe, they can be worse than ADHD symptoms, making them
an ineffective treatment.

Instead of treating mild to moderate cases of ADHD with
drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall, some believe that
dietary changes can help control ADHD symptoms naturally.
Many processed foods contain dyes, addictives,
preservatives and artificial flavoring that can cause
allergic reactions in people with ADHD. Avoid excessive
intake of sugar as it can cause hyperactivity. Consume
fresh and wholesome foods. Herbal remedies may also be
helpful to treat ADHD without the harmful side effects or
possibility of addiction or abuse. Behavioral therapies
have more positive and lasting benefits.

With so many side effects of Ritalin and its long-term
effects remain unknown, it is best to consider alternative
treatments for ADHD. Discuss all treatment options with
your doctor carefully to ensure that Ritalin is only the
last line of treatment for ADHD.

----------------------------------------------------
The long term effects of Ritalin is still unknown and its
benefits have been called into question many times. Besides
drug medications, there are alternative treatments for ADHD
that are safer and yet effective. Check out the all natural
and drug free treatments for ADHD at
http://www.guidetoadhd.com/prd-ritalin1

Take Vitamin B12 To Protect Your Heart

The entire complex of B vitamins is essential for health,
and they're known as the B complex for the very good reason
that they interact closely together in the performance of
all their vital functions. All the vitamins of the complex
are usually found together in food, and since all are water
soluble, they may also be excreted together from the body.
A deficiency in one of the complex is therefore usually
accompanied by a corresponding deficiency in each of the
others.

That said, there are particular deficiency characteristics
which can be identified for each B vitamin.

Vitamin B12 (sometimes known as cobalamin because of the
cobalt ion in its composition) is one of the most important
of the complex, and also one of those in which deficiencies
are most likely. These deficiencies are largely
attributable to difficulties in absorption of the vitamin,
which are a particular problem for the elderly.

Vitamin B12 is required for the body's manufacture of the
essential amino acid, methionine, and the associated
enzyme, methionine synthase. An inadequate supply of this
enzyme may lead to an excess of homocysteine, a naturally
occurring protein within the body, which has been
associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular
disease. At least 80 separate studies have noted this
association and it seems that the increase in risk is not
negligible. In fact a large study in Europe in 1997 found
that people with blood homocysteine levels in the top 20%
of the range faced a more than doubled risk of
cardiovascular disease.

Whilst elevated homocysteine levels are strongly associated
with a deficiency of vitamin B12, deficiencies of vitamins
within the B complex are seldom if ever found in isolation,
and are therefore seldom remedied by single vitamin
supplementation. It is not just vitamin B12, but vitamins
B6 and folic acid, for example, that have been found to be
associated with excess homocysteine, and which should
therefore always be taken together, preferably as part of a
supplement containing the whole B complex.

Given that elevated homocysteine levels are accepted as a
risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and that
supplementation with the vitamins mentioned above is known
to reduce homocysteine levels, you might think it only
commonsense to suppose that an adequate intake of these
vitamins, including B12, would be a protector against
cardiovascular disease. And there are many nutritionists,
of course, who strongly agree with this apparently logical
position. Perhaps surprisingly, then, conventional
medicine remains reluctant to accept it pending the outcome
of further large scale placebo trials.

Science must have its definitive answer no doubt, and it is
a quest which must be respected, but in this case, given
the relatively small amounts of these vitamins required by
the body, and the absence of any reported toxicity or
adverse side effects, it might be wondered whether from the
point of view of the seeker after health, particularly
those no longer in the first flush of youth, it is really
worth running the risk of a deficiency.

And even orthodox opinion recognises that the risk is real,
even though it is unlikely to be caused by an inadequate
dietary supply. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
for vitamin B12 is only 2.4 mcg a day, an amount which
should be readily obtainable, except perhaps for those
following a strict vegetarian regime, given that a single 3
oz serving of fish or red meat may provide this quantity.
For those with a taste for it, sea food may provide a great
deal more, and chicken, turkey, eggs, milk and cheese are
also useful, though less lavish, sources.

Deficiencies may well result, however, from problems with
the absorption of the vitamin, particularly in older
people, and it has been estimated that deficiency may
affect 10% -15% of individuals over the age of 60.

This is because good absorption of vitamin B12 from food
is heavily dependent on the normal stomach acid and
digestive enzymes, the quantity and effectiveness of which
decreases substantially as the body ages, and on the
presence in the stomach of a specialised protein known as
Intrinsic Factor. The correct action of Intrinsic Factor
requires the presence of adequate calcium in the body,
another nutrient in which the elderly, of course, are
notoriously likely to be deficient.

Absorption of B12 from supplements is much less
problematic, however, because stomach acid and digestive
enzymes are not required to release the vitamin from its
protein bindings. So this is a rare case in which even
conventional medical "wisdom" recognises the value of
supplementation, at any rate for the over 50s.

But given that sub-optimal levels of vitamin B12, if not
outright deficiencies, are commonly found even in younger
individuals, and that cardiovascular disease is a problem
which may develop insidiously and without symptoms over
many years, there would seem to be strong arguments for
supplementation even amongst the wider population.

----------------------------------------------------
Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in
direct marketing and with a particular interest in health
products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/In
formation.htm

3 Strategies for Getting Work Done for Adults with ADD

Maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's the fact that half your
office is on vacation. Maybe it's just the end-of-summer
blues. But one thing is certain; adults with Attention
Deficit Disorder (ADD) are having a lot of trouble getting
down to work!

Work requires some serious effort lately, and it's causing
a lot of stress. It's worth noting that "work" isn't
limited to your job, either. Housework and yard work are
work, too – and so is studying, if you're a student.

One of the core principles of managing your ADD is learning
how to work WITH your ADD, instead of against it. And
nowhere is this more important than at work, when the
amount and the quality of work you put in affects those
around you.

Adults with ADD often find that, whatever their work is, it
can easily become boring. Procrastination and
distractibility are common, and lead to stress and
anxiety...which, of course, doesn't help you get your work
done. This problem usually gets labeled one of "willpower."
More likely, it's a problem of working against your ADD.

As adults with ADD, our working styles often differ from
those of our peers and colleagues. Our energy levels
fluctuate pretty drastically. We get bored easily. We can
be a bit less organized, and the organizational systems we
do have might not make sense to anyone else. Plus, we can
hyperfocus. And we can procrastinate like champs.

These, and other personal traits, have to be taken into
account when you're at work. Whenever possible, try
following these guidelines:

1. Determine the times of day that your energy levels are
highest and lowest. Plan to do more complicated work when
your energy levels are highest, and save the easier work
for when your energy levels dip.

2. Use systems and strategies that work for you. Don't
compare yourself to everyone else, and don't try to conform
to someone else's methods. The systems that you use, and
the ways in which you approach your tasks, might not make
sense to anyone else but you, but they don't need to.

3. Eliminate the distractions that you can control. Shut
down email and the web when it's time to buckle down and
focus. Don't give yourself the opportunity to be
distracted. Email and the web will be there waiting for you
when the job is done.

Remember, the most successful ADDers work with their ADD,
not against it!

----------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Koretsky is the Founder and Chief Visionary
Officer of the ADD Management Group, Inc. and the author of
Odd One Out: The Maverick's Guide to Adult ADD. Jennifer
and her team work with ADD adults who are overwhelmed with
everyday life in order to help them simplify, focus, and
succeed. For free resources and information on adult ADD,
visit http://www.ADDmanagement.com/ .

Depression And Anxiety Can Appear Simultaneously

Depression and anxiety are distinct, and particularly
common, emotional disorders. In fact, depression and
anxiety are the two most common emotional disorder forms.
While depression is unique from anxiety, it is not uncommon
for depression and anxiety to overlap in persons having
emotional disorders.

When depression and anxiety appear together, either
condition can be the cause or the result of the other. A
depressed person, for example, can sometimes develop
agitation or anxiety, perhaps especially as their
depression lingers on. An anxious person can become
withdrawn or begin to feel overwhelmed by their condition,
an outlook that may bring about a depressed state. If there
is a more likely scenario for a lead in between the two
conditions, it may be anxiety leading to depression.

Depression, as its name suggests, is typically marked by a
reduced state of being. Depressed people are often, though
not always, emotionally down and physically listless. The
depressed state is not classically a state of displaced
energy, a description that matches anxiety quite well. The
depressed person who goes from a listless downcast mood to
expressing anxiety-like agitation may actually be
presenting the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Bipolar
disorder is marked by lethargic depression swinging to
agitation, but the agitation in bipolar disorder is mania,
not anxiety. Mania is a form where a person displays
irrational, often bizarre and extremely extroverted
behavior. Anxious people are typically not extroverted in
their behavior and don't outwardly behave in ways that most
people would consider extreme and strange.

People with chronic anxiety are uptight certainly, and this
uptight and upset can become an enormous drain on the
chronically anxious person. After a time of feeling
chronically anxious, a person can become physically and
emotionally run down, and depression may set in additional
to the anxiety already present. Anxious people are also
prone to withdraw, or to use alcohol or drugs to medicate
their anxiety, and both of these behaviors can lead not
only depression but to extreme depression.

As with all human conditions, emotional disorders are not
uniform but do have similarities. An anxious person need
not develop depression, while someone with depression may
go on to develop an anxious state that is not in fact
symptomatic of bipolar disorder. If there is an important
reflection to keep in mind it's that a case of depression
or anxiety does not automatically discount the possibility
of some other emotional dysfunction also being present.
Different emotional disorders can be present at the same
time.

----------------------------------------------------
Zinn Jeremiah is a freelance writer. Find help with
depression or anxiety by visiting
http://www.hubonline.biz/get-better-now.htm or
http://www.hubonline.biz/healthy-mood.htm .