Essential Oils for Anxiety and Depression

Everyone experiences feelings of sadness and stress that can be overwhelming from time to time. Luckily there are plenty of natural mood boosters that act as a therapeutic way to ease some of your tension and help you feel more relaxed. Some studies show that the use of certain essential oils can be helpful in promoting a healthier mood for people with mild symptoms.

Essential oils cannot work to cure depression or eliminate other mental health issues, but they can act as a nice mood lifter and people can benefit from them as a complement to other types of therapy. Research indicates that essential oils may help relieve some of the physical symptoms associated with depression by improving sleep, relaxation and enhancing the mental state. Used in combination with massage therapy, essential oils can also help reduce symptoms of pain.

There are several studies involving essential oils but much of the evidence tied to their effectiveness is based on personal accounts. One study proved that patients who received an aromatherapy massage with essential oils reported less pain and depression than those who received massage alone.

Another study provided powerful evidence that essential oils can help reduce feelings of worry and anxiety. The study selected elementary school teachers under a lot of stress and used a 10 minute long inhalation of the essential oil bergamot. The teachers showed reduced blood pressure and heart rate as well as more balanced nervous activity.

Types of Essential Oils

Bergamot is well-known for its use in calming feelings of depression and anxiety. It is a very popular oil because it is very stimulating and can create a feeling of joy and freshness by improving blood circulation. Bergamot can be combined with other types of oils to have a more powerful effect on improving your mood.

One of the most well-known essential oils used for relaxation is lavender, which is made from a purple flower with many beneficial properties. Lavender can be used in many forms including tea and essential oils to help promote healthy sleep and a more balanced mood. A small study showed that patients with depression showed improvement after receiving 60 drops of lavender tincture per day.

Roman chamomile is another essential oil that helps to battle depression and anxiety. Most people are familiar with chamomile tea which you can drink to help you sleep and relax. Chamomile is one of the best medicinal herbs to fight stress because of its soothing qualities.

Another essential oil that is often used to fight depression is ylang ylang which is known to have immediate positive effects on a person’s mood. Research shows that this herb can help release negative emotions such as anger, low self-esteem and jealousy. It can also help reduce heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate to promote a feeling of calm.

How Oils Change Your Mood

The main reason that essential oils can affect your mood has to do with the way our sense of smell is linked to our brain. Smells can serve as emotional triggers as they are carried directly to your brain and interact with the limbic system. This system evaluates sensory stimuli including scent and registers either pleasure, pain, danger or safety.

The limbic system is sometimes referred to as the “emotional brain” because it is directly to connected to the parts of the brain that control your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels and hormonal balance. When people experience stress they often have an increased heart rate and rapid breathing which creates tension in the mind and body.

When you inhale essential oils they interact positively with the limbic system and help create physiological changes that affect your mood. By improving your heart rate, blood pressure and breathing the smell of the oil can allow you to feel more relaxed and less anxious. Inhaling a blend of oils directly from the bottle or through a diffuser for several minutes can have an immediate effect on your mood.

Using Essential Oils

In addition to using a diffuser you can also add essential oils to your bath for relaxation or apply them directly to the skin. Applying essential oils topically to the skin can help reduce pain and allow you to absorb the properties of the herb. Massage and heat can help enhance the absorption of the oil.

If you have mild symptoms of depression or anxiety, then incorporating essential oils into your daily life can help improve your mood. The oils should be used as a complement to regular treatment through a therapist if you have more severe symptoms or have been diagnosed with a mental illness. You can incorporate essential oils into other relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga or meditation to increase the effects and get the best results.

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Can Sober People Take Antidepressants?

People who make the choice to quit abusing substances may feel hesitant to be put on any type of medication. Part of recovery is making the decision to avoid any type of “mind-altering” substance that changes your mood and affects your emotional state. Medication like antidepressants can seem like a grey area because they are provided by a psychologist but they also are taken to alter your mood, something that sober people make great efforts to avoid.

For many people in the recovery community, antidepressants and other types of medication still carry a stigma with them. Sober people may see antidepressants as just another chemical meant to provide you with an escape from your natural emotional state. Some members of 12 step groups may feel that medication of any kind is detrimental to reaching full recovery.

The prevailing attitude that medication is dangerous can be accurate for many types of prescription drugs such opioids or sleeping medications which can be habit forming and cause addiction. However, although antidepressants do act as a mood altering drug they are rarely abused and typically don’t lead to addiction. These kinds of pills can actually be life-saving for people that struggle with severe depression and suicidal thoughts.

Coping with a Dual Diagnosis

The idea that people should avoid antidepressants because they are in recovery is misleading and can be dangerous for someone that has been given a dual diagnosis. Someone who has been self-medicating their depression or anxiety with alcohol or other drugs with find it especially difficult to become sober. The symptoms of their mental illness are likely to intensify to an overwhelming point once they take away their substance abuse.

Some people in the recovery community may not realize that there is a difference between the type of sadness and emptiness that a person generally feels when quitting an addiction and the experience of someone with a legitimate mental illness. Someone with suicidal thoughts or a person who has attempted suicide in the past may need extra help to get through their recovery. A history of mental illness can make quitting an addiction very painful and may require specialized support and care.

If someone is diagnosed with a mental illness like depression or anxiety when they decide to quit their addiction, they will benefit most from a dual diagnosis facility for their treatment. Dual diagnosis programs treat both issues simultaneously and can provide the right kind of medication to improve mental health symptoms. Patients given medication can be monitored to see how they react to antidepressants and whether they should be used short term or long term.

Antidepressants vs. Other Medications

The stigma surrounding antidepressants in some parts of the recovery community may be founded on a misunderstanding of the way the medication works. Prescription pills like opioids or benzodiazepines are the types of medications that should be avoided in recovery because they have addictive properties. With those addictive drugs, users feel the effects very soon after taking it and can experience a sense of euphoria followed by the feeling of “coming down” when the effects wear off.

On the other hand, antidepressants can alter the mood but the effects of the medication take weeks or even months to start working. This type of medication does not offer an immediate “high”, in fact users rarely if ever feel the kind of euphoria that one would experience with opioids. Instead they feel more emotionally stable without the extreme highs and lows that usually go along with drug use.

In many cases, antidepressants are helpful to temporarily cushion the blow of getting off drugs or alcohol for people with a dual diagnosis. Patients do not necessarily have to continue taking antidepressants indefinitely and it is their choice whether they want to use them to help their situation. Some may prefer not to use the medication and simply rely on traditional types of therapy to improve their symptoms.

It is important to realize that people in recovery need to at least have the option to take antidepressants to help them get back on their feet especially if they have a mental illness. The medication may be a type of mood altering substance but it works very differently than addictive medication and is rarely abused. People in recovery should feel secure and safe about taking pills for the benefit of their mental health.

Whether a person decides to use medication or not, it is always important that they spend plenty of time in individual and group therapy to combat their depression and their issues with addiction. Therapy is the place where many of these problems are resolved and patients can eventually wean themselves off of antidepressants. No matter what the situation, it is important to reserve judgement if someone needs medication in their recovery and try to reduce the stigma surrounding antidepressants.

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What a Luxury Rehab is Really Like

People dealing with addiction come from all walks of life and have different needs and preferences when it comes to treatment. Those who are used to a certain lifestyle might not feel comfortable in a clinical type of setting. Luxury rehab is made for people who want high-end amenities so that they won’t feel deprived or depressed in the wrong atmosphere.

Going to luxury rehab means having extra comforts and excellent service in the same way you might if you were staying in an expensive hotel. People in luxury rehab are able to experience a more resort-like setting for the duration of their treatment rather than the feeling of living in a hospital or clinic as they recover. A luxury setting can have very different options than a more general rehab center in terms of activities, food and therapy.

An inpatient program at a luxury rehab can have very effective types of individual and group therapy but they also have more of a vacation atmosphere which may be preferable for some people. The luxury inpatient program is meant to act as a kind of retreat where people are able to get away from the stress of their lives and take time out to focus on quitting their addiction. People who choose luxury rehab often lead upper class lifestyles that they don’t want to leave behind in order to get treatment.

One thing that people often prefer about luxury rehab centers is that they are usually located in beautiful and serene settings that are somewhat isolated such as the beach, mountains or desert . This gives people a sense of being away from stress and spending some therapeutic time in nature. It also provides a feeling of privacy for people who want to remain anonymous throughout their treatment.

Luxury Amenities

What sets apart luxury rehabs from other types of treatment and typically make it more expensive are the amenities. Luxury facilities often have private hotel-style rooms with comfortable beds, personal bathrooms and sometimes even room service. Many non-luxury rehab centers require people to share rooms and bathrooms with others in the treatment program.

Luxury rehabs often have much better meals than what is offered in a typical rehab which may not be the best quality. Food in luxury rehab is usually gourmet quality and prepared by skilled chefs to provide the best nutrition and cater to each patient’s specific dietary needs. In some programs patients can even order room service as they would in a resort setting.

Most rehabs offer some type of exercise such as a gym or fitness center, but luxury rehab can have more elaborate options such as tennis courts, beach volleyball courts and some may even offer a golf course. Patients can stay active with various sports and because of the remote location of these rehabs there may also be scenic hiking trails nearby. High end rehab centers may also offer fitness classes such as yoga, pilates or spinning.

Luxury rehabs may also offer alternative types of therapeutic options such as acupuncture, reiki (energy clearance), and meditation. These types of therapies may not be available at more general rehab centers and they can be a helpful addition in terms of providing healing and relaxation for patients. Some rehabs can offer unusual types of treatment such as equine therapy, allowing them to work with and care for a horse during their stay.

Treatment Options at Luxury Rehab

While they may be known for their amenities, luxury rehabs also tend to offer highly credentialed and respected psychologists and counselors who can provide the best type of care. Individual therapy is an important part of any rehab experience and luxury facilities tend to have the best and most experienced therapists that can inspire and motivate patients. One on one counseling sessions with patients can be where most of the work in rehab is done no matter what type of facility it is.

Group therapy is also a crucial element in rehab no matter what type of facility you are staying in. People in luxury rehab can have the benefit of knowing that they will be in group therapy with others who might have similar experiences and similar lifestyles. Although everyone in rehab has a different story, specialized rehab centers allow patients to connect with people that may have more in common with.

Many luxury centers also incorporate twelve step meetings into their program which is a great way for patients to have an ongoing support system that they can continue attending. It is recommended that people continue 12 step meetings even after they have completed their rehab program so that they can stay connected to their recovery goals.

People usually choose luxury rehab because they can afford better quality in terms of amenities and the types of services and activities for recovery. Even though luxury rehab may be more comfortable and relaxing, it can still be very effective for addiction treatment.

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Admitting You’re a Functioning Alcoholic

Recognizing your own issues with addiction is always hard but it can be especially complicated when you are very functional with your substance abuse. People who are high-functioning alcoholics often don’t show many of the signs normally associated with addiction because they have learned to handle their drinking in ways that makes it seem like it hardly affects them.

When someone is a functioning alcoholic, their friends and family may not be aware of the full extent of their drinking behavior. Functioning alcoholics can become very good at compartmentalizing their life and keeping their substance abuse separate from everything else. These types of alcoholics on the surface may seem like they have it all together, but eventually alcohol abuse will lead to negative consequences.

If you think you might be a functioning alcoholic your symptoms may differ from the usual list that characterizes a normal alcoholic. The average alcoholic usually realizes they need help when they hit rock bottom but a functioning addict may never reach that point. They might never lose their job, ruin a relationship or get in trouble with the police.

However, even high functioning alcoholics are not immune to the many physical and mental health problems associated with excessive drinking. Alcohol abuse can take its toll over time and cause problems with the liver, brain and heart. Drinking can also cause issues with depression, anxiety and other mental health problems that can interfere with your well-being.

Looking for Signs of Addiction

If you are wondering if your drinking is a problem you may have to look for less obvious signs to recognize your own addiction. As a functioning alcoholic it is much easier to stay in deep denial because your life isn’t falling apart around you as one might expect. You might even have a great job, make plenty of money and have lots of friends that don’t see you as an addict or ask you to quit drinking.

As a functioning alcohol however, you might still feel dependent on drinking to get through the day. If you drink in the morning or when you’re alone on a regular basis then you might have a problem. You also might end up getting drunk even when you don’t intend to or be unable to stop yourself from drinking.

Heavy drinkers and especially alcoholics tend to get “blackout” drunk meaning that they do things that they don’t remember or have no idea what happened while they drank. Even functioning alcoholics may make efforts to hide from their friends and family how much they actually drink. They may hide bottles of alcohol or lie about going to the bar in an effort to conceal their behavior.

Although most people can’t recognize a functioning alcoholic, there may still be some cases where someone asks about your drinking. If you find that you deny drinking even when you have or quickly get angry when someone confronts you about your alcohol consumption then this may be a sign of addiction.

Getting Help for a Drinking Problem

As a functioning alcoholic it can be difficult to admit to yourself and to others that you are suffering from an addiction. You may worry about the stigma associated with alcoholism and not want to tarnish your reputation at work or among friends. It can feel especially shameful to admit that you have a problem when people around you were completely unaware.

However, in order to recover from addiction it is important to go through the first step of admitting that you are an alcoholic. It helps you to acknowledge the fact that this problem is something that you can’t control and is a disease that you need help with. Sometimes being vulnerable and reaching out for help is the best way to start changing your behavior and getting started in recovery.

Once you are able to admit that you are a functioning alcoholic, the next step is to find a treatment plan that will work best for you. It is important to understand that even though you function well in your drinking, you still need treatment and cannot quit safely on your own.

Often functioning alcoholics can benefit from options like outpatient programs because it allows them to work and continue their normal life without having to take time away to stay at a facility. Since a functioning alcoholic usually has no problem with staying on track with work and responsibilities at home, outpatient can be a good fit for them.

Throughout treatment and even after completing a program it is a good idea to stay involved in support groups such as AA. Functioning alcoholics need a space where they can talk to others about their drinking and be more honest and open with other people instead of hiding their behavior. AA meetings are a safe place to discuss addiction and hear other people’s stories to learn more about how to cope with recovery.

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Are Sleep Aid Remedies Addicting?

People that struggle with falling asleep know how much stress it can cause if they don’t find a solution. Insomnia is a serious issue that can affect your life in more ways than one. People who don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis often have health issues and a number of other symptoms that can accompany their insomnia.

Some people might find that prescription sleeping pills can help them get over their sleep issues and provide relief from the myriad of problems that have developed because of their insomnia. However, typically these type of pills are meant to be a short-term solution. Long-term use of sleeping pills in many cases can lead to dependency although people with chronic insomnia may feel that they need to continue using their medication indefinitely.

Habit-Forming Medication

Many insomnia sufferers may wrongly assume that they can’t get addicted to sleeping pills and that using them on a regular basis is completely safe. The problem with prescription sleep medications such as Ambien, Lunesta or Sonata is that they can be psychologically habit forming. In many cases if the pill successfully induces sleep but if the patient’s medication is suddenly stopped for any reason then they will often display signs of dependency.

Anyone trying to stick with short term use of sleeping pills may find it difficult to get off their medication and will need to try to wean themselves off gradually. Suddenly quitting sleeping pills can give you an overwhelming desire to take them again and experience certain withdrawal symptoms that make it difficult to quit. People that are struggling with a sleeping pill addiction may show certain signs such as:

• Having several failed attempts to quit
• Getting intense cravings for sleeping pills
• Doctor shopping to get more prescription refills
• Continuing to take pills in spite of negative consequences
• Showing signs of memory loss from the medication

Sleeping Pill Abuse and Dependency

When someone develops an addiction to sleeping pills they may be abusing the medication and taking much higher doses than is recommended by the doctor. This could be because they have developed a tolerance and still have trouble falling asleep on their usual dose. They may also get addicted to relaxed feeling they experience when they take pills like Ambien and begin to abuse them.

People who abuse sleeping pills may take them at times when they are not using them specifically to help them sleep. This type of abuse can cause people to behave differently and and can impair their ability to function normally. Some signs of sleeping pill abuse include:

• Slurred speech
• Uncoordinated movements
• Inability to focus or pay attention
• Stumbling or walking with an unsteady gait
• Issues with memory loss
• Unusual states of euphoria

If someone you know has been taking sleeping pills to help with their sleep issues but they seem to have unusual behavior during the day then they might be abusing their prescription. There are a lot of dangers associated with taking high doses of sleeping pills. Abuse of sleep medication can lead to issues such as depressed breathing and even seizures in some cases.

People who abuse sleeping pills can also experience side effects like dizziness, dry mouth, lightheadedness and fatigue. Using sleeping pills over a long period of time can intensify these symptoms. In some cases their dependency can cause issues like symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Anyone who has been abusing sleeping medication and is showing signs of addiction needs to get treatment and recovery help. Abusers need to go through detox so that they can rid themselves of their chemical dependency and then cope with their psychological dependence on the medication as well. Former addicts may end up suffering from rebound insomnia but it can be managed with professional medical treatment.

Avoiding Addiction for People with Insomnia

For those who struggle with sleep issues but want to prevent themselves from getting addicted it is best to limit prescription use and keep it as a short term solution. What many people don’t realize about their sleep issues is that there is often an underlying problem causing their insomnia which is treatable. Once you discover what causes your insomnia you can limit and eventually do away with medication.

What can often cause insomnia are issues such as built up stress, depression and anxiety, poor diet, lack of exercise and even over consumption of caffeine or alcohol. It is important to try different options such as eating healthier, getting more exercise and natural sunlight exposure, as well as using relaxation techniques to avoid becoming dependent on medication. Often changing your lifestyle is the most effective way to improve your ability to sleep.

Sleeping pills can be effective but only for a certain period of time. Natural sleep remedies and solutions can provide more consistent results and prevent any issues of abuse or dependency.

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