Depression is characterized by a state of low mood and loss of interest in activities that can affect a person’s thoughts, behavior, feelings and sense of well-being. Depressed people experience anxiety, hopelessness, worries, helplessness, worthlessness, guilt, hurt and restlessness. They may also experience loss of appetite or overeating, have problems concentrating, remembering details, or making decisions, and may contemplate or attempt suicide. Insomnia, excessive sleeping, fatigue, loss of energy, or aches, pains, or digestive problems that are resistant to treatment may also be present. 

People experience some form of depressive episodes at some point but when such symptoms interferes significantly with everyday functioning, it becomes a problem to be addressed my a medical or psychiatric practitioner. Major depressive episodes, bipolar disorder and some other psychiatric illnesses have depression as a symptom. 

Depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain. Brain-imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have shown that the brains of people who have depression look different than those of people without depression. The parts of the brain involved in mood, thinking, sleep, appetite, and behavior appear different. But these images do not reveal why the depression has occurred.  The diagram below shows the difference in brain wave patterns of normal and depressive brain using the electroencephalogram (EEG)

Some types of depression tend to run in families. However, depression can occur in people without family histories of depression too. Scientists are studying certain genes that may make some people more prone to depression. Some genetics research indicates that risk for depression results from the influence of several genes acting together with environmental or other factors. In addition, trauma, loss of a loved one, a difficult relationship, or any stressful situation may trigger a depressive episode. Other depressive episodes may occur with or without an obvious trigger.

If you identify with several of the following signs and symptoms, and they just won’t go away, you may be suffering from clinical depression.

• you can’t sleep or you sleep too much
• you can’t concentrate or find that previously easy tasks are now difficult
• you feel hopeless and helpless
• you can’t control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try
• you have lost your appetite or you can’t stop eating
• you are much more irritable, short-tempered, or aggressive than usual
• you’re consuming more alcohol than normal or engaging in other reckless behavior
• you have thoughts that life is not worth living (seek help immediately if this is the case)

excerpt from www.helpguide.org

Before resorting to the psychiatrist, psychologists can help proffer solutions that are non-invasive and long lasting. 

Neurofeeedback, Biofeedback and Audio-Visual Entrainment are tools which can be used to combat depressive symptoms. 

Asperger’s syndrome is a type of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). Individuals with Asperger’s syndrome usually have average intelligence and near normal language development but have severely impaired social skills. Although it is quite similar to autism in some ways, individuals with Asperger’s syndrome are capable of functioning much better than those with autism. Symptoms often vary among individuals with this disorder due to its wide variety of symptoms.

Some characteristics of individuals with Asperger’s syndrome include:

• Difficulty with social interaction especially with their peers
• Over sensitivity to the something in the environment such as noise or light,
• Coordination difficulties
• Inability to empathize
• Unusual facial expressions and awkward postures
• Exceptionally talented in particular areas such as mathematics or music. They are often referred to as professors.
• Limited range of interest
• Engagement in obsessive routines
• Usually fascinated with certain objects

The management of Asperger’s syndrome is usually aimed at improving functioning and reducing undesirable behaviours through behaviour modification therapy, special education, social skills therapy and Neurofeedback therapy.

Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease that affects the airways. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction. Some common symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.

The inner walls of an asthmatic person’s airways are swollen or inflamed. This swelling or inflammation makes the airways extremely sensitive to irritations and increases your susceptibility to an allergic reaction.

As inflammation causes the airways to become narrower, less air can pass through them, both to and from the lungs. Symptoms of the narrowing include wheezing (a hissing sound while breathing),

chest tightness, breathing problems, and coughing.

During an asthma attack, one experiences the following

• The muscles around your airways tighten up, narrowing the airway.
• Less air is able to flow through the airway.
• Inflammation of the airways increases, further narrowing the airway.

• More mucus is produced in the airways, undermining the flow of air even more

Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback can help in reducing asthmatic symptoms by increasing the amount of air that passes through the airways Read more on how Biofeedback can help asthmatic patients by clicking, here

Reduce you asthmatic symptoms instantly by trying our Quick Calm Technique

A research by Lehrer, Vaschillo, Vaschillo , Lu , Scardella, Siddique and Habib (2004), proved the efficacy of HRV Biofeedback in alleviating asthma symptoms in 94 asthmatic patients. The participants were grouped into four:

1. a full protocol (ie, HRV biofeedback and abdominal breathing through pursed lips and prolonged exhalation);
2. HRV biofeedback alone;
3. placebo EEG biofeedback; and
4. a waiting list control.

Their results showed that compared to the last 2 groups, the first two were prescribed less medications and showed a significant inprovement in the severity of the condition. Overall the research proved the use of this technique as an adjunct to asthma treatment.

Lehrer PM, Vaschillo E, Vaschillo B, Lu SE, Scardella A, Siddique M, Habib RH.(2004). Biofeedback Treatment for Asthma. Department of Psychiatry, New York. Retrieved on September 13, 2013 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15302717