Fears: What Are They, How Do They Develop, Are They Rational?

- Fear is the sensation of “expectation with alarm.” It is the emotion we experience when our autonomic nervous system releases adrenaline, energizing us for “fight or flight.” In this sense fear functions as an absolutely necessary wake-up call motivating us to be hyper-alert, particularly when facing imminent danger. This hyper-alertness enables us to adopt a call-to-action to adequately protect ourselves from anticipated harm.

- Fear develops because most often we identify with it through our negative personal experiences. As a result, it does not logically follow that the way we react to fear is always appropriate. It becomes the worrier in our head that interprets a situation to mean the worst will happen. Then once we become frightened into believing the worst, automatically we begin the process of scanning our world for evidence to support our limiting beliefs. We are then examining fear in an un-empowered way.

- Most fears are irrational. The majority of what we fear is a product of our own personal, negative self-programming. This in turn, makes us feel helpless and fuels the desire to run away.

So how do you get past your fear of something? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Notice it. When you’re afraid, simply step back and acknowledge it. Don’t try to analyze, understand, assess or figure it out – just notice; that’s all. Stepping back helps you gain perspective and serves as a temporary respite from the concerns associated with the fear. Put another way, you’re able to give yourself some emotional space.
2. Distinguish what is real from what is imagined. Most fear is associated with future “what-ifs” and past “could’ve- beens,” but some of it is legitimately in the present. For example, if you were to say something silly at a business meeting and it embarrasses you, that is real. Concluding, however, that you will never be taken seriously by your colleagues again and that you will lose your job is likely imaginary.
3. Ask questions. What is this fear really about? If it came true, what would that mean? What is this fear keeping me from doing? What other questions do these questions raise? If queries such as these seem useless to you, remember this: poor logic lies at the root of practically all fear.
4. Professional assistance. If fear is immobilizing you, or in some other way interfering with your activities of daily living, the services of a trained therapist or counselor may be worth considering. Phobias respond quite favorably to intervention strategies tailored to your specific needs.

We all struggle with fear because of its association with the way we human beings are wired. The challenge is to understand and change the way we respond to it. The next time you’re experiencing fear, don’t F orget E verything A nd R un, decide instead to F ace E verything A nd R emain.

Depression in Older Men

- Six million men suffer from depression each year. Older men with depression tend to live in an “emotional vacuum” by socially isolating themselves and comforting their depression through the use of alcohol. Older men who have never married and men that have lost their spouses are most vulnerable.

- Evidence indicates that testosterone may play a role in male depression, particularly in late-life – a condition referred to as “andropause.” Men with the lowest levels of testosterone are more than three times likely to suffer from depression than those with the highest levels, according to research. A study at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts tested 54 men with symptoms of depression and found that 43 percent of them had low testosterone levels. These men used a testosterone gel for eight weeks and reported a significant improvement in mood, sleep, appetite and libido.

- In general, as men age, they become less emotionally expressive, so older men with depression tend to “tough it out” in silence and are the least interested in seeking help.

- Research is beginning to support the idea of a “male-based depression,” in that men often act out their depression through expressions of anger and abuse of others.

- Depression in older men is often masked by physical illness such as heart disease, stroke or cancer, as well as by prescription medications with depressive side effects such as beta blockers and anti-parkinson’s agents.

Three Common Reasons People Give for NOT Seeking Treatment for Depression

1.  One reason people give for not seeking treatment for depression is that this is the type of thing one just rides out. They believe they will just “snap out” of the depression or that they can “will” it away. They convince themselves that their depression will disappear if they read just one more self-help book on the subject. They read these books but don’t change a single thought or behavior.

2. Depressed people avoid treatment for fear of having to undergo a probing examination of their psychological pain. Their excuse is that they will have to share this pain with someone they don’t know very well or even at all, rendering treatment all the more unbearable.

3. Another reason people give for not pursuing treatment for depression is the shame factor. Unless someone is going through a divorce, dealing with a death or experiencing some other major trauma, our society unfortunately continues to view depression as a sign of personal weakness. People therefore forego seeking help out of sheer embarrassment for even having these depressed feelings.

Antidepressant Efficacy and the Benefit/Risks of Combining Them with Herbal Medicines

- All antidepressants, irrespective of category or class, have similar efficacy, however most of them have different side effects. With antidepressants, no one-size-fits-all, therefore it makes sense for many clients to choose their own initial antidepressant based on what side effects they are willing to tolerate.

- Fifty percent of depressed patients respond to antidepressants; only 43 percent attain sustained recovery from depression via their use. Being well-educated, female, employed, married, and white with no co-morbid conditions are the most salient predictors of a positive response to antidepressants. Co-occurring anxiety, substance abuse, physical illness and a poor quality of life are the key predictors of a poor response.

- The major benefit of taking complimentary therapies, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Bach Flower Remedies, St. John’s Wort and SAM-e is that these preparations can potentially enhance the actions of a prescription antidepressant, which for whatever reason, is not producing the desired outcomes. Herbal medicines with evidence of antidepressant properties can help “kick-start” the actions of traditional antidepressants. The risks of herbal medicines include poorly established guidelines for proper dosing, drug-drug interactions in patients using multiple prescription medications and an exacerbation of side effects of the prescribed antidepressant.