Although general pet ownership has previously been proven psychologically advantageous, Krista Marie Clark Cline of the University of Missouri-Columbia wanted to determine whether dogs specifically are the source of similar benefits. While having a secure job, a happy marriage, and good relationships with family members are still considered the three most crucial factors toward a person being depression-free, a dog may also help.

Her study utilized the CES-D depression scale, a standard, to determine the subjects’ state of well being.  In addition, she asked her subjects 200 questions about their life, health, and social interactions.  Factors such as their age, race, education, and marital status were taken into account when assessing the data.

This study’s main finding is that dogs do not add to their owners depression, meaning that there is no downside to possessing a pooch.  The data also revealed that single adults and women are less likely to suffer from depression if they own a dog.  The same is not true for men and married couples because men tend to form less emotional attachments to their pets, and married individuals seek more support from their partner rather than their canine.  Evidently, it might be time to change the old saying from “A dog is a man’s best friend” to “a woman’s best friend.”

Dog ownership offers both mental and physical perks.  Socially, dogs provide unconditional affection and can increase a person’s social networking by attracting new friends who are fellow dog owners or adorers.  Because exercise, particularly outdoor exercise, is found to improve mental health, it also makes sense that people with dogs are more likely to get this essential physical activity by regularly taking their dogs for a walk.

Get out of the doghouse by getting a dog for your house.  Consider adopting a shelter animal so that you can provide a needy dog with as much happiness as it will supply for you.

A recently published systematic review of telepsychiatry showed that remote teleconferencing technology produces the same treatment results as face-to-face therapy.  The review also found that self-help internet programs could also help treat depressive symptoms when other traditional methods are not available.

Telepsychiatry is the use of information and communication technology in health care to provide psychiatric treatment to patients at a distance from the source of care.  The study’s hypothesis is based on 620 references obtained from the systematic search of key terms, such as, telepsychiatry, telepsychiatric, telemental, “mental disorders“, videoconference, videophone, teleconsultation, or televideo. Several of the studies showed no difference between those who used telepsychiatry vs. face-to-face contact.

The other significant benefit to telepsychiatry is the capability to control disease and prevent relapses with consistent regularly scheduled treatments. The review suggests because of the simplicity offered by the remote telconferencing technology, patients are more motivated to follow-up with doctors.

The published systematic review is only the first step in researching the benefits of telemedicine.  Researchers need to perform additional studies that include complete economic evaluations, in-depth descriptions of the intervention process, cost calculations, and verification of treatment results over a sufficiently long period of time.

The future may not be as far away as you think.  The latest technological advances now bring medical professionals to your very own living room. Help may be literally a mouse click away.

A recent study, led by Jutta Mata of Stanford University, further proved that it is indeed the BDNF genotype produced when exercising which helps ease depressive symptoms. The study included 82 girls aged 10-16 who were genotyped for BDNF through their saliva.  They were then assessed for depression (all of the girls scored in a healthy range and were not depressed) and level of physical activity through questionnaires.  According to the results, higher physical activity was associated with lower depression scores in girls with an increased genetic risk for depression.  In contrast, exercise had an insignificant impact on lowering depression levels for girls with an already low risk of depression. According to the researchers this research further demonstrates that exercise has an even stronger benefits for depressed people. Furthermore, the researchers concluded the study proved “that physical activity is particularly beneficial for girls at higher genetic risk for depression.” The researchers think future research is needed, replicating this test, but with more girls and a more diverse population.

Whether you are an adolescent girl or not, it means you may be able to sweat your blues away. Don’t feel as if you need a sweaty, intense workout to help reduce anxiety and depression. Just thirty minutes a day of moderate exercise can make a difference (and help brain cells survive longer). On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to mood disturbance, and put you at risk for development of other health problems such as diabetes which can cause depression.

Finally, physical activity isn’t a replacement for other treatments of depression, but it could be a good way to complement your regimen. It’s important to talk with your doctor about the type of exercise that works best for you.

Interestingly enough, outdoor effects were first noticed indoors at a lab.  Scientists had their subjects look at images while running on a treadmill.  According to the research, “An 8.7% decrease in blood pressure was reported after exercising whilst viewing rural pleasant pictures compared with a 1.9% decrease when faced with a blank screen and a 3.3% increase in blood pressure after viewing urban unpleasant pictures.”

If merely looking at outdoor scenes is beneficial, surely being outside was even that much better.  This inference was put to the test by studying walkers.  People walked for equal amounts of time both outdoors and inside of a shopping mall.  The walkers reported better self-esteem and less feelings of depression after walking outside, specifically “92% of participants felt less depressed; 86% less tense; 81% less angry; 80% less fatigued; 79% less confused and 56% more vigorous.”

The positive effects of green exercise include:

• long-term effects such as burning calories and lowering blood pressure
• overall improvement of psychological happiness
• development of social interaction and fulfillment

Ultimately the researchers are hoping that this body of research will help implement “green care” therapeutic programs. Eco-oriented therapy, using the great outdoors, could be used as part of a treatment strategy to help people struggling with obesity, depression, or other types of problems. Plus, the researchers believe, when people participate in outdoor activities, they are more likely to care about the environment. Ultimately, engaging in nature may help “green exercisers” make more eco-friendly choices in their daily lives.

In the meantime, you can use their findings to improve your own life.  Use part of your lunch break to take a walk outside.  Don’t restrict all of your exercise time to being indoors at the gym. Bike, hike, kayak, or  find an outdoor volunteer.  Before you know it, you will feel healthier, both mentally and physically.

So-Mai Brown

Now that the recession is lifting and the job market is opening up, people are starting to get more job opportunities. The interview process is emotionally taxing, particularly in today’s economic climate. An extended period of unemployment can create financial burdens and other turmoils. These various pressures can make the interview process scarier, because more seems to be at stake.

First, being nervous for an interview is normal and can actually be helpful. Mild levels of anxiety can sometimes help motivate us to prepare for important situations. However, sometimes our nerves can feel overwhelming and often have us thinking unrealistically about the future.

Anxiety is a physical response to external and internal stimuli that can influence our thinking and vice versa. When we get nervous, our parasympathetic system is engaged and releases hormones into our blood stream that prepare us for an emergency. In this day and age, there usually isn’t one (e.g. a large mammal chasing you for dinner), but our body and minds still respond the same way, often bringing us many worries. What if I freeze up or my mind goes blank? What if I don’t know the answer to a question and I don’t get the job? What if they think I’m stupid? Our minds can imagine the worst scenarios and when we’re anxious we forget these fantasies are often just that, fantasies.

Here are some tips to help you reduce your anxiety and help you feel confident about your interview.

• Remember, anxiety is normal. You can do a great job even if you feel nervous, it might even help you prepare and give you a little energy.
• You may want to try doing some deep breathing before the interview. This can be done while you’re on the bus, in the parking lot in your car, or while you’re waiting to be called into your interview. It may be helpful to practice before the day of the interview so you feel comfortable breathing this way. Sit up straight and slowly pull your breath down into your belly and count from two to five, whatever feels most comfortable. Exhale slowly, taking an extra count or two to finish. A few minutes of deep breathing can relax the body and mind.
• Question the validity of your worries. What are the chances of your mind going blank or freezing up? Do you have to answer every question perfectly to be a great candidate for the position? Can you think of some times when you felt intelligent and capable?
• Prepare your outfit the day before the interview, and have a back up wardrobe plan in case you happen to spill coffee or get a run in your stockings. Make sure your car has gas the night before, and you know the route to take to get to the interview office. Being prepared can help you feel more confident and taking care of these small things can prevent extra stress from arising on the day of your interview.

No one is one hundred percent qualified for a job, and no matter who the company hires the new employee will have to be trained. The truth is, sometimes the interviewer is harsh and throws a curveball question that you may not be prepared for, but it’s important to remember that you don’t have to answer every question perfectly. Plus, this is a two way interview. You are a valuable resource and you are interviewing the company in many ways. Does this company fit your lifestyle?

Remember you don’t have to be perfect to be a great candidate for the job.

Sincerely,

So-Mai Brown M.F.T.I #58368 *Under the Supervision of Catherine Auman, M.F.T

Many self-help groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, are based around the “helper therapy” principle. People within the group sponsor and coach new members in the program to provide support, comfort and guidance. Why? Helpers who become mentors have less of a chance of relapsing themselves.

Furthermore, volunteering boosts your mood.  MRI tests prove that people that volunteer get a “helper’s” high. “Doing good” does good for your brain too.

When it comes to volunteering, remember to pick something that fits you and your lifestyle.

Here are some ideas:

• Want to start walking, but can’t find the motivation? Contact your local animal shelter and become a dog walker. These pups are cooped up in a tiny space just itching for exercise. It would make their day to have a special long walk with a human friend
• If you like to play cards, maybe you could volunteer to start a poker game at a local nursing home. Don’t be fooled, there are some card sharks with years of experience under their belt looking to win.
• If you like photography, painting, dancing, or writing but haven’t found the time to work on your hobbies. Put your passion for the arts to good use by finding an after school program and become an art mentor.

For other ideas, check out Volunteer Match or One Brick, these websites help match volunteers with various organizations looking for helping hands.

Volunteering will not cure your depression, but it may help alleviate your symptoms. By focusing your energy and time helping someone else, you may be helping yourself.

We’ve all been there to some extent. We’re excited about something – maybe a wedding, a birthday party, or a vacation – so excited in fact we over-plan, over-obsess and drown ourselves in the anxiety of anticipation.  Our minds mistakingly think if we play through the worst possible scenario in our mind, we would be better prepared to handle the disappointment. The reality is we ruin the days leading up to the event.

How do you stop this spiral of negative thinking when you are so nervous about an upcoming event?
1. For starters, if you are nervous about an event, it’s a great idea to find a friend to help you plan the event. Having a friend take on some of the responsibility will allow you to give up your “control” both mentally and physically.   Another reason asking for help is a good idea, is because friends can also help you emotionally. My patient, for example,  could use her party planning friend’s perspective to moderate her own negative view.

2. Another idea is to focus on the positive. Think of all the parties or events that were similar to whatever you are planning that went right. Picture all the fun you had, and try and hold those images in your mind.

3. Also if you are planning for a big event, it’s ok to tell your friends (guests) you are nervous. That way your friends will know to give you extra encouragement the day of the event.

Remember, a day may seem “big” but ultimately our lives are made up of a series of days.

* All clients referred to in this column and newsletter are fictitious.

UCLA’s Andrew Christensen, lead author of the study, provided one year of regular therapy sessions to 134 consistently unhappy married couples in their 30s and 40s. In the longest, most comprehensive assessment of its kind, follow-up sessions were held every six months for five years after stopping therapy.

Couples received one of two kinds of therapy, either behavioral couples therapy or integrative behavioral couples therapy.  Traditional behavioral couples therapy, focuses on improved communication between partners and helps couples learn to work together to reach solutions. The second, Integrative behavioral therapy, is similar but also teaches partners to understand, accept, and react to problems from an emotional level too.

The good news is that it IS possible to rebuild a broken relationship. After the therapy ended, about two-thirds of the couples overall showed notable clinical improvement. During the first two years of follow-up treatment, the integrative therapy approach was shown to be more effective than traditional therapy. However, the difference between the treatments became less important as the years passed.

Five years after treatment ended, about half the couples were significantly improved from where they were at the beginning of treatment, about a quarter were separated or divorced, and about a quarter were unchanged.

If both partners are willing to commit to working towards change, this study proves that therapy does help. The best news is that the communication tools learned in therapy have long-term positive results.

If you want help finding a therapist there are various resources online.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on helping us understand how irrational (and sometimes unconscious) thoughts can lead to negative feelings and behaviors. Long known to be an effective treatment for both panic disorder and depression, CBT can be difficult for some patients to obtain because of limited access or resources.

With internet-based CBT therapy, the patient undergoes an online self-help program and has contact with a therapist by mail. Psychologist and doctoral student Jan Bergström and colleagues developed the program in Stockholm. They then ran a randomized clinical trial of 104 patients with panic disorder. The effectiveness of online CBT was compared with group CBT at a regular healthcare service. It was discovered that both treatments worked very well; there were no differences in results immediately after treatment or at a six-month follow-up. For patients with depression, the internet-based treatment was found to be most effective if administered as early as possible. In patients with severe depression, the online therapy was less effective.

The findings will soon be presented in a doctoral thesis by Bergström at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. Similar research proved that therapy via teleconference may also be effective for treatment of phobias, depression, and anxiety.

Panic disorder and depression often go hand in hand, because many people develop depression in reaction to their anxiety disorder. By seeking treatment early on, people can work toward freeing themselves of these very distressing symptoms. Online therapy is relatively new, but if it could prove to be a fantastic alternative for people that live in remote areas or who may not have sought treatment otherwise. The key with online therapy, and any mental health therapy, is to check and make sure that the therapist is board certified.