ues

We are all susceptible to mood swings, but when a low mood turns persistent, it's time to take notice

as easil y foster a sense of hopelessness and he lp lessness.

As we come into w inter, the weather changes with shorrer days and perhaps less sunshine during d1e day. For many people, quite often this triggers a lowering of their mood. Called seasonal mood variation, it is common in countries closer to the Arctic. For those who come from tropical countries where there is guarnnteed sunshine almost all through d1e yea r, this variation in sLmshine is quite uncomfortable. This is when it is important ll0t to let a low mood take over and allow one to insidious ly lapse into fee lings of helplessness and hopelessness, which are a hallmark of early depression, d1e persistent 'blue' mood.

Feeling sad and b lue are the milder level emotions we feel when faced w iili many everyday simations when we are disappo inted. Everyone feels sad or b lue at some time. But when it stops one from meeting d1eir normal e\7 eryday conunicments, or from being active and begin to show serious physical symptoms such as loss of weight, appetite, and sleep disorders, it is important to seek professional help.

Many of me mild symptoms of being b lue are triggered by me way we evaluate a situation. Wie have certain expectations about a way d1e situation should be and when they are not met, we can become frustrated and angry, or become sad and dejected.

Reaction to loss, be it a material dung, employment, a person or a pet, makes us sad. Sometimes this sadness continues for longer periods, making it more counterproductive to continue effective handling of future situations. le is at d1ese times tha t we need to rn.ke time to reflect on me immediate situation and begin co deal wim it wimom procrastinating for coo long Grief and bereavement fall into a different category of experience. They may take much longer to resolve depending on d1e siniation of those left behind. Even grief foUowing bereavement warrants some limiting of the time spent in grieving.

Understanding depression l'vliJd co moderate levels of depression are a pervasive malad y of our times. Depre.~sion is a response mat is located on a continuum. Beginning wim feeling sad or blue and moving on to mild, moderate and severe levels, sometimes as a reaction to a si niation and sometimes for oo known reason, me term dep ression is easily misunderstood. It is a term mac is increasingly used co describe even a br ief lowering of mood.

Statistics teU us mat the likelihood of anyone born in d1e lacer hal f of d1e twentieth century suffering from some level of depression is mree times or greater than that of meir grandparents. The age group of those Likely co suffer from any level of depression is decreas ing dramatically lr seems the cha.nee of a yo ung adult, adolescent or o lder child suffering from depression is alarmingly high.

Often depression is not something like an infection d1at comes and goes once you have treated it. The trigger may be a situation that is something quite trivial.

Evidence is now mounting mat feelings of depression a.re often triggered b y social causes, and hence need to be addressed at d1e indiv idual level. Since it is a frame of mind, lingering feelings can stay on just below the surface and mat is why it is important co become aware as early as possible, so th.at someming can be done about it. Un derstanding the early warning signs and getting them tmder control is an important aspect of early and effective management, before chis escalates to a more severe level.

What makes you feel ' blue'

Man y life and everyday events in adulthood, even so me that are p leasant, such as marriage and pregnancy, can often prove to be quite stressful. Combined w i rn fewer traditionaJ 'buffer' resources such as religion and extended families, mese events can just

It is also possible mat as a sense of isolation increases, one may look to ways of c o unter- balancing the simation by seeking to s ati s fy the need for recognition, material success and a need to be seen as 'special'. The need to achieve is overvalued, leading only to further stress when one does not achiev e When cl-us occurs at times of increased uncertainties because of economic conditions, empl oyment becomes a major soutce of stress, be it obtai1-ung a position or keeping it. The frustration of being unab le to confront me 'sys temic ' stress which is beyond one's cona:ol, further fuels a feeling of helplessness, leading to feelings of mild depression.

People who move their place of residence are particularly susceptible to man y simational stresses. The need to adapt to new environn1ents, often completely different to what their expectations were becomes onerous. One way to cope Lmder such stress i s to strive for material success, as a way of counteracting the self- doubts that arise. But hope turns ta fear when success does not follow immediately. This in turn, places enorrnom physical and emotional stress d1at can also lead ta further feelings of helplessness.

Many children of n-ugrants feel they are in a 'no man's land' in d1e clash of culmral values and beliefs The options may seem equally inappropriate, leading to cons iderable distress. Often yOLmgsters feel constrained, and a sense of increased helplessness i s q uite common. Peer pressure in adolescence and young adulthood to seek maximum monetar y and material reward for preferab l)' minimum effort, former fuels d1e stress. Increasing levels of discontentment are experienced when th.is is not achieved.

The accelerated socjal and technological changes that lead ro greater demands on one's ability, further add to d1e vuln erability. A sense of failure, hopelessness and helplessness may begin to surface, starting me spi ral o f depression ever so insidiously.

Increased awareness of early signs of persistent changes is very important i.t1 dealing effectively with any level of depression.

The age group of those likely to suffer from any level of depression is decreasing dramatically, with chances of a young adult, adolescent or older child suffering from depression becoming alarmingly high

Understanding the ear ly warning signs and getting them under control is an important aspect of early and effective management before this escalat es to a more severe level

A few timely tips can help you care for your skin better during cold weather

JBY MINNAL KHONA :iii:.

Ie's getting colder, wi th winter having arrived in full swing and cold biting winds, plus dipping temperatures can play havoc with your skin. Skin reacts immediately to changes in weather conditions, and needs maximum protection in extreme temperamres. In winter especially, if not looked after well, skin can get dry and Aaky, even i tchy. Thar's because tl1ere is l ow hwnidity in tl1e air and tl,e moisture from our skin gets dried our; i n fact, it can even wrinkle prematurely, if nor properly moisturised.

So what do you need to do to make sure your skin is kept healthy during winter? Most people know w hat needs doing, bur few foll.ow through w ith tl1is. However, i f you do follow these simp le rips, you can protect your skin from tl1e harsh effects of the winter seaso n

Don't clean your skin

Now don't take chis the wrong way, but a lot of people have a cleansing, toning and moisturising roucine. You can skip tlrnt routine at night as cleanse rs strip tl1e skin of its natural moisture, and toners can be alcoho l- based which further d r y the skin Splash you r face witl1 lukewarm water if you feel the need to clean it.

Moisturise, come what

may

No matter how busy yo u are, you must moisturise rour skin every day. Cream based ones work better in winter, for all types of skins For sensicive ski n types though, a hypoallergenic o ne works well as tl1ese are usually fragrance free.

Prevent lips from chapping

An inevitab le fall om of winter wi nds is dry, chapped Lips So always keep a chapscick or lip balm handy and rub some on your lips the moment you feel th em starting to go d ry. If you leave too long between applications, the skin can crack and b leed.

Sun protection

The winter sun may not be very harsh, and sitting in rhe park in a sunny spot feels grea t in winter. But tbat doesn't mean the sun is not harming yo ur skin, just because it seems far away from your part of the world It still has UV rays that can harm, so even in winter, p lease do use sunscreen. You can reduce ilie su n protection factor to 15+ if need be, but don't step o u t w itl1ouc it.

Wind chill

Sydney and Melbourne can get very w indy and if you work in the ciry, you often have co walk through wind tunnels, those strong gusts of air that blow between tall buildings So make sure you have lip balm on and your head covered, as the extrem e cold can make hair very dry too.

Extreme temperatures

A really hot bath can be a divine respite on a freez ing day, especially if you work outdoors a lot. Bur that is one temptacion you have to avoid for the sake of your skin. Use hot water by all means, only don't make it reall)', really hot. It might warm your skin, bur nothing strips the skin of moisrnre the way very hot water does So ensure the w ater is hot enough fo r you to feel comfortable, witl1our your skin drying out. Also, avoid getting into the warmtl1 of indoors aud running out into the freezi ng cold too often. If you are going skiing and if you r skin changes colour in tl1e extremities and is painful, see a doctor. You could be suffering from frostbite.

Vitamin supplements

A Jot of peop le are nor exposed to e n ough sunlight, so a vitamin D supp lement helps to keep immunity levels up Our body produces some amotmts of it naturally, but that is usually more so dL1ring summer. So avoid the winter colds and Aus by drinking warm water and taking Vitamin D supp lements.

If, desp ite all tl1ese precaucions, you still have scratchy skin, please consult a doctor. And mo isturise your hands and feet every night before yo u go to bed. Your skin will thank you for it.

No matter how busy you are, you must moisturise your skin every day. Cream based ones work better in winter, for all types of skins

A lot of people are not exposed to enough sunlight, so a vitamin D supplement helps to keep immunity levels up