UNDER EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

As reported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), everyone experiences

sadness at times. But depression is something more. Depression is extreme sadness or
despair that lasts more than days. It interferes with the activities of daily life and can
even cause physical pain. Fortunately, depression is highly treatable. Depression, also
known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is one of the most common
mental disorders in the United States. In 2014, an estimated 15.7 million adults in the
U.S. — about 6.7 percent of all U.S. adults — had at least one major depressive
episode. Depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, psychological,
social and environmental factors. People who have a family history of depression, and
people with serious chronic diseases such as heart disease or cancer, are at an
increased risk of depression. Major life changes, trauma and stress can also bring about
an episode of depression, although some episodes of depression begin without any
obvious external cause. Depression is common in adolescents. In 2014, an estimated
2.8 million children age 12-17 in the U.S. (more than 11 percent) had at least one major
depressive episode.

Adolescents are often moody. But if the child is extremely irritable, has ongoing
problems with motivation, or has persistent sadness that lasts two weeks or more, it's a
good idea to have them evaluated for depression. While antidepressant medications
can be effective for children and adolescents, they can have side effects in young
people, including an increased risk of suicidal thoughts. For that reason, many parents
and healthcare providers prefer to try treating children with psychotherapy first. Both
CBT and IPT are effective treatments for young people with depression. Studies also
show that a combination of antidepressant medication and cognitive behavior therapy is
highly effective in treating youth depression.The good news is that most kids recover
from depression. Still, research shows that people who have depression as children are
at a higher risk of having a recurrence later in adolescence or adulthood. Both CBT and
IPT can help kids recognize the signs of a depressive episode, so that they can monitor
their symptoms and get help quickly if they experience a recurrence. (Dr. Mufson,
2016).

Wrath, fury, rage, whatever they call it, anger is a powerful emotion. Unfortunately, it is
often an unhelpful one.
Anger is a natural human experience, and sometimes there are valid reasons to get
mad like feeling hurt by something someone said or did or experiencing frustration over
a situation at work or home. But uncontrolled anger can be problematic for their
personal and health relationship. Anger can take different forms. Some people feel
angry much of the time, or can’t stop dwelling on an event that made them mad. Others
get angry less often, but when they do it comes out as explosive bouts of rage.
Whatever shape it takes, uncontrolled anger can negatively affect physical health and
emotional wellbeing. Research shows that anger and hostility can increase people's
chances of developing coronary heart disease, and lead to worse outcomes in people
who already have heart disease. Anger can also lead to stress-related problems
including insomnia, digestive problems and headaches. Anger can also contribute to
violent and risky behaviors, including drug and alcohol use. And on top of all that, anger
can significantly damage relationships with family, friends and colleagues. . (Dr. Novaco
& DiGiuseppe 2016).

Everyone worries or feels nervous from time to time. Anxiety is a normal human
reaction to stressful situations. But for people with anxiety disorders, those fears and
worries are not temporary. Their anxiety persists, and can even get worse over time.
Anxiety disorders can severely impair a person's ability to function at work, school and
in social situations. Anxiety can also interfere with a person's relationships with family
members and friends. Fortunately, though, there are effective treatments for anxiety. In
some cases, medications have a role in treating anxiety disorders. Yet research shows
behavioral treatment, alone or in combination with medication, is a highly effective
treatment for most people with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are common in
both adults and children. About 18 percent of U.S. adults and 25 percent of
adolescents age 13 to 18 will experience anxiety. About 4 percent of adults, and nearly
6 percent of teens, have anxiety disorders classified as severe. Though many types of
anxiety disorders exist, research suggests that most are driven by similar underlying
processes. People with anxiety disorders tend to become easily overwhelmed by their
emotions, and they tend to have particularly negative reactions to those unpleasant
feelings and situations. Often, people try to cope with those negative reactions by
avoiding situations or experiences that make them anxious. Unfortunately, avoidance
can backfire and actually feed the anxiety. (Dr. Bufka, 2016).
Websites:
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/wellness/index.aspx
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/anxiety.aspx
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/controlling-anger.aspx
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/depression.aspx
retrieved: 1 19 2018

titles:
Health & Emotional Wellness
Understanding Anxiety
Understanding anger
Overcoming depression:
How psychologists help with depressive disorders