Depression can be financial draining. Not only does it affect your career and your earning potential, but trialing dozens of supplements and medications, and visiting various health practitioners and support groups can be expensive. There is definitely a need for low-cost or free self help techniques for depression.
To help you on this journey, let us consider a useful free method which can be used to look for one of the physical causes of depression in females. Physical causes of depression are often overlooked. They can also be easily treated when diagnosed properly, so it's such a shame that they aren't ruled out in more people that are suffering from depression.
Hormones, Your Menstrual Cycle and Depression
For females it has been shown that imbalances in hormones can be a contributing factor to depression. Not only can the fluctuating levels of hormones prior to menopause cause depression, but so can hormonal changes during and after pregnancy, as well as during a female's menstrual cycle.
Severe Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Depression
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), is a dramatic form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and affects between 3-8% of women. PMDD is a condition associated with severe emotional and physical problems that are linked closely to the menstrual cycle. Symptoms occur 1-2 weeks before a menstrual bleed (menstruation) is due, and ends when menstruation begins or shortly thereafter. Both PMDD and PMS share symptoms in common that include depression, anxiety, tension, irritability and moodiness, but PMDD is much more severe.
The Free Self Help Technique To Uncover the Cause of Your Depression
Because so many women aren't even aware of the impact that hormones and their menstrual cycle have on their thoughts and feelings, tracking mood changes (and physical changes) as it relates to their menstrual cycle, is one of the best things a woman can do for herself. It can help tell you whether hormone imbalances are causing your depression, and the good thing is that this technique is completely free.
This technique helps to identify whether there is a hormonal cause for those days 'when everything's wrong, but there's no real reason.' Understanding the hormonal mood connection at least lets you appreciate from a logical perspective why you're not feeling yourself on certain days or weeks of the month. It takes some of the 'blame' off of you, and also identifies what type of therapy will help resolve those feelings (i.e. treatments for hormonal imbalances).
Tracking Your Mood and Your Menstrual Cycle
Here are some general guidelines for tracking your mood versus your menstrual cycle:
- Record your general mood every day for at least 6 weeks including two menstrual bleeds. Note which days your depression, irritability or anxiety is at its worst. Record on what days you have your menstrual bleed (period).
- Look at the diary and think about the following questions:a) Are your moods worse during the 1-2 weeks before your menstrual bleed is due? Explanation: This may indicate that a progesterone deficiency is contributing to your depression. b) Are your moods worse during your menstrual bleed? Explanation: This may indicate an estrogen deficiency is contributing to your depression.
The Good News
The good news is that once you've highlighted that your menstrual cycle and your hormones are affecting your mood then there are supplements, herbs and natural hormones that can help balance your hormone levels. Many studies have shown that through balancing the estrogen and progesterone hormones that your anxiety, depression and anger can be resolved.
So what are you waiting for? Get out your pen and paper today, and start recording your mood and menstrual information. It really is a powerful free self help depression technique, so go for it, and discover the real cause of your depression.
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