As I look out the window, I’m thinking how dreary it is right now. It’s pouring rain, the sky is gray, and the trees have lost most of their leaves. Sigh.

I need something to lift this blue mood I’m in! As usual, aromatherapy comes to the rescue. This article gives a brief introduction to various essential oils that are known for their mood elevation abilities. By the end of the article, you should have a better sense of where to cast your nose for help the next time you feel …

There has been a lot of talk about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) involving military troops so I thought I would write a little to inform you of what exactly it is.

PTSD occurs when someone goes through severe trauma and feels intense fear, horror or helplessness.

When a person goes through such a horrible event, they are often unable to resume their lives normally.

It often leaves them unable to deal with daily routines because they are stuck with terrible memories that they cannot shake. Another symptom is actually the very real …

We all have those days when we are not in the moodfor anything. There are many reasons for these days but usually it is nothing to warrant serious concern. Frequent mood swings can pose a problem, however, and then we need to take a deeper look into the cause.

What are mood swings? Everyone doesnt start freaking out when they have a mood change. Mood swings simply refer to a sudden change in our mood from what it previously was. If you were happy, now you …

Child anxiety, just like that of adults, is a normal, healthy emotion felt as a response to certain stimuli. But when anxiety becomes recurring, irrational and intense, it may be considered as a disorder. Episodes of anxiety attacks can disable the child from performing his daily duties in school and at home. And while it is generally safe, anxiety attacks can affect how the child lives.

Since children are more fragile, they more vulnerable to such attacks and the effects of these attacks may be more severe than to adults. …

Depression has been called the common cold of mental health especially since the release of the medication Prozac in the 1990s. At that time depression was finally recognized as a real disorder and not something that was all in someone’s head.

Have you been blue? Felt down for a day or two about a particular situation or maybe for no reason at all? I think we’ve all been there. So when does feeling blue translate to being depressed or have a major depressive episode?

Think about depression as …

* 1 1/3 oz. St. Johns Wort
* 1 oz. Lemon Balm Leaves
* 1 oz. Valerian

Use 1 tsp. of the herb mixture per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 min., strain, sweeten if necessary. Drink a cup of this tea before going to bed each night for several weeks to calm overwrought nerves, lift depression, and help you fall asleep more easily.

Anxiety disorder does not refer to one type of problem but to many such as: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder and post traumatic stress disorder.

Nobody goes through their life without dealing with feeling anxious, at least once. Things that can make one feel anxious are social problems at work, facing a difficult decision or before taking an important test.

These are all examples of typical situations and they are much different than an actual anxiety disorder. The symptoms can be so severe that …

Any illness brings in its wake worries about the cost of treatment. Long treatments obviously mean higher costs.

Clinical depression is one major disorder that requires extended treatment that is likely to last for a long time. Some related disorders like bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder require even longer treatment regimes. Treating depression is a long and arduous process and at times treatment can last a lifetime.

United States does not have a universal health care policy. Treating depression in certain cases can mean shelling out hefty sums …

Managing depression is a key requirement for all depression cases since the condition can have a significant impact on daily life and interactions with other people. Medication and therapy can help in various ways but it is essential that an individual should learn the various methods which he can utilize to control depression. Managing depression can, however, get quite difficult if you do not have a full understanding of the specific history and the cause behind the condition.

But before we move on to the specifics of managing depression, it …

Various theories agree that emotions can cause noticeable physical changes in the body. These physical changes can be perceived as body sensations. For example, fear causes an increase in heartbeat, and happiness induces an expansive feeling in the chest and a feeling of lightness. Your attitude and cognitive abilities towards life events largely determines your response and feeling. A positive mental attitude is very good insurance against temperamental mood swings and can ensure good physical and emotional health.

A negative approach to life leads to a depletion …