You Are a Genius at Vision - You Are a Vision Virtuoso - Just Open Your Eyes

Your creativity puts you in the company of geniuses. Your creativity is so effortless that you are unaware of the complexity of your actions, yet it far outstrips the ability of the nimblest supercomputers. To unleash your superpowers all you need to do is open your eyes. This is not the fantasy of a deranged person but the reasoned conclusion of researchers in the field of cognitive science. What you see when you open your eyes is not a mindless process of stimulus and response as was the understanding of behaviorists for so many years, but a sophisticated cognitive process that constructs the reality before you, the complexities of which we are just beginning to unravel. Your eyes are not a camera that unthinkingly records the scene before it when you click a button. In a fraction of a second your visual intelligence can decode scenes of subtlety and complexity. You can look at a person and in a blink of the eye form an impression not only of his outward appearance, but also of his character and personality. You can gaze at a painting by a master and be moved in wordless, inexpressible wonder. You can drive a car at 88 ft per second (60 miles an hour) and guide it with precision so as not to endanger your life or that of another. All of this we take for granted although it is of utmost complexity.

You are a vision virtuoso. This most likely has not always been evident to you nor has it always been appreciated by others. An early researcher at MIT so undervalued vision that he assigned it as a summer research project to a grad student as a preliminary exercize for a more challenging incursion into human and artificial intelligence. Now, several decades later and counting, literally thousands of researchers have built careers around the study of vision. Two of them (Hubel and Wiesel) won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1981 for their discoveries of vision development.

We are all familiar with vision illusions which seemingly trick our eyes into seeing things that are impossible. (See link at bottom for vision illusions) This suggests that vision fabricates, but that sometimes it fabricates without tethering itself to reality. Perhaps when our eyes are presented with an image that is ambiguous it is forced to come up with an interpretation that is the most likely under the circumstances. But our vision is governed by consistent principles. And this is the nature of visual intelligence, to construct, and to construct by means of elegant principles.

Without exception, everything you see you formulate with your visual intelligence - motion, shape, position, color, shading, texture, identity - and out of those elements you create the entire visual scene and its meaning. In 1851 the German physicist and physiologist Herman von Helmholtz revolutionalized the field of ophthalmology with his version of the ophthalmoscope. (Unbeknownst to Helmholzt, Charles Babbage invented the first ophthalmoscope 4 years earlier and gave it to a physician for testing, but it was soon misplaced and forgotten. Modern ophthalmoscopes are used during every eye examination by optometrists and ophthalmologists and are used to examine the retina and structures at the back of the eye.) But Helmholtz's endeavors were increasingly focused (pun intended) on the physiology of the senses and culminated in theories on color vision, depth perception and motion perception.

Helmholtz wrote, "The psychic activities that lead us to infer that there in front of us at a certain place there is a certain object of a certain character, are generally not conscious activities, but unconscious ones. In their result they are equivalent to a conclusion,... it may be permissible to speak of the psychic acts of ordinary perception as unconscious conclusions, thereby making a distinction of some sort between them and the common so-called conscious conclusions."

An eye-opening fact about vision is that children are skilled at vision before they are even able to walk. Before their first birthday they see a three dimensional world and can navigate through it quite adeptly, can recognize objects and grasp them skillfully with their hands. They are not taught how to see. Their parents do not sit down with them, after they have breast-fed or had their bottle, and explain to them how to determine shape, size, color and movement and how to use their two eyes together to judge depth. Indeed, the parents do not know how they do so themselves. And yet, every normal child, without being taught, creates a visual world similar to every other child - and solves the fundamental challenge of vision. The fundamental challenge of vision is that the image formed in the eye is subject to countless possible interpretations.

The fact that this is possible is because the principles of vision are a genetically determined part of the cognitive structure of the child. So children universally learn complex vision rules not because they are smart, not because they are taught, not because they are useful to them, but because they can't help it. It is their nature.

But occasionally there are roadblocks that interfere with normal vision development. Just as speech sometimes develops abnormally and requires the expertise of a speech-language therapist some children have a delayed or abnormal development of their vision skills which can interfere with their ability to do well in school or to excel in sports.

Specialists in vision therapy for children with delayed or abnormal development of visual skills are called developmental (or behavioral) optometrists. They are concerned with how well the child's vision functions. They are also specialists in the field of lazy, crossed or wandering eyes.

Five vision skills that can be improved by visual therapy are:

1. Binocularity - the ability to use the two eyes together efficiently and comfortably. It is essential for normal stereopsis (3-D vision)
2. Oculomotility- smooth and efficient eye tracking, essential for hand-eye coordination and skill at sports. ("Keep your eyes on the ball")
3. Accommodation/Convergence - the ability to refocus your eyes from far-to-near and near-to-far. It is critical for efficient reading.
4. Vision Perception - the skills needed to understand the world that you are "seeing" as described in the text above.
5. Visual-Motor integration - vision is integral to our movement. Without good vision, movement is impeded. Without good movement, vision is impeded. The two are conjoined.

Some symptoms that are the result of poor visual skills:

1. Headaches while reading or writing
2. Words run together or blur when reading
3. Loses place when reading
4. Reads below grade level
5. Head tilts or closes eye when reading
6. Difficulty understanding what is read
7. Hard to write in a straight line
8. Holds book very close
9. Burning, itching, watery eyes
10. Daydreams
11. Doesn't finish tasks on time

Click here for a link to vision illusions

Dr. David Littlefield

www.littlefieldoptometry.com

Dr. David Littlefield is a 4th generation optometrist in Leawood, KS in the Kansas City metropolitan area. He is interested in the development of vision and in enhancing the vision skills of children and adults.

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The Case of the Defective Hunting Rifle Scope and an Unexpected DevelopmentThe Case of the Defective Hunting Rifle Scope and an Unexpected Development

Mark loved to hunt every fall. He would get up early, brave the elements, and he and his buddies would go hunting as soon as deer season began.

But this season he noticed that his scope no longer worked. It must have become damaged over the winter and he would need a new one. His buddies had a successful hunt, but he came home empty- handed. But at least they all had a good time with their camaraderie and good natured fun. He couldn't wait until he got a new sighting scope and then installed it on his rifle and eagerly went hunting the next weekend. Much to his surprise he still was unable to see well out of his scope. Finally it dawned on him. Maybe it was his eye that was the problem and not the scope.

He made an appointment with me to have his eyes examined. He had been a childhood friend of mine, but it had been more than 30 years since I had seen him socially and I had never seen him professionally. In fact he had never had his eyes examined, other than for his driver's license, and he had never had trouble getting his license. (Incidentally, the drivers' license test is not an "eye examination"; it is merely a screening test checking the most basic of visual abilities.)

When he was in his early 40's he could no longer see very well at near, but "magnifying glasses" from Walmart worked just fine. His wife urged him to get his eyes examined, but he reasoned, "why should I get my eyes examined when I have no trouble with my eyes and I just need my magnifiers to see small print?"

Mark's reasoning is typical, but wrong. It would be like waiting until you had a heart attack before you saw a doctor "because your heart was beating just fine." The fact that we have two eyes is a blessing as well as a curse. In Mark's case his vision was deteriorating in his right eye, the eye that he used while sighting through the hunting scope. But in normal conditions he was relying upon the vision of his left eye and not aware of the poor vision of his right eye. This happens more often than you would think.

I often see people who are seeing poorly out of one eye but who are totally unaware of it until their eye examination. But even more frightening, I often see individuals that have normal visual acuity, that is they still have 20/20 vision, but a comprehensive eye exam reveals that they have an eye condition that needs treatment immediately - or at least preventative measures - to enable them to retain their vision. Just as your doctor might say, "your coronary arteries are 80% blocked and you need coronary bypass surgery" or "you need to take medication that will help you avoid a heart attack" eye doctors also recommend measures to help you preserve your vision. (I'm not talking about a new, stronger pair of eyeglasses.)

Mark's problem turned out to be macular degeneration in both eyes, but much more advanced in the right than in the left. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in older adults (60 an older) and seems to be increasing exponentially. The macula is the most central part of the retina (the part of the retina that images focus most sharply upon) and is essential for normal, 20/20 vision. A person with macular degeneration will eventually notice that when he looks directly at an object it is blurry, but peripheral vision still remains normal. This is terribly disabling because it will eventually prevent one from driving or reading or recognizing faces.

The macula is vulnerable to damage because bright light is focused upon it, and for the same reason that sunlight can damage skin it can damage the macula. The macula is highly metabolically active which means it generates many free radicals in the process of seeing which makes it more susceptible to damage than most other tissues of the body.

We can't stay indoors at all times to protect our eyes and we certainly can't stop using our eyes so what can we do to prevent damage? There are several ways of helping prevent damage to our eyes from macular degeneration.

The first way is akin to using sunscreen to protect your skin. A hat should be worn when outdoors to shade your eyes and a quality pair of sunglasses with UV protection. Sunglasses should be worn year round, not just in the summer, and even on hazy days. The UV radiation from the sun generates free radicals that damage the DNA of the cells in the retina and the macula. (Incidentally, UV radiation also increases the incidence of cataracts.)

The second way of protecting your eyes from macular degeneration is by eating kale and sardines several times a week. If you ate kale (or green, leafy vegetables like kale and spinach) and sardines (or cold water fatty fish like sardines and salmon and herring) you would have plenty of nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin and the omega 3 oils EPA and DHA in your normal diet. But, you probably don't, do you? Fortunately, there are supplements that will give you these essential nutrients that help protect your eyes from macular degeneration. Many people take supplements that include lutein and omega 3, but at far lower doses than is necessary.

The omega 3 oils are concentrated more in your eye and brain than in any other organs of your body because they are so critical to their proper functioning. Lutein and zeaxanthin are called macular pigments because they absorb harmful UV rays, preventing them from damaging the fragile cells of the macula. They are about 1000 times more concentrated in the macula than any other part of the body and also act as antioxidants, neutralizing the harmful by-products of metabolism.

We took photographs of Mark's retinas which showed multiple drusen. The first signs of degeneration are called drusen and are fatty deposits that accumulate between the retinal pigment epithelium and the retina. The number and size of the drusen help us determine the severity of the macular degeneration. We also did a test called OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) that gives us a view of the retinal and macula in cross section. The OCT is an amazing instrument that allows us to image the retina and the thin macula (only 1/100th of an inch thick) to a detail of a 5,000th of an inch and visualize the many layers of the retina to determine the extent of damage. This is important information because it enables us to differentiate between wet macular degeneration, which can be treated, and dry macular degeneration which cannot. It is also useful to see changes in the retina caused by diabetes, the other major cause of blindness up to the age of 60, and other diseases of the retina.

I sent Mark to a retinal specialist (who treats diseased of the retina and the vitreous) who decided that treatment would not be beneficial. A treatment that has proven successful for wet macular degeneration - although it cannot restore totally normal vision - is called Lucentis (or Avastin). It is injected into the eye and helps control the bleeding that is the hallmark of wet macular degeneration. This treatment usually has to be done multiple times in order to control neo-vascularization - the growth of new, fragile blood vessels in the retina that tend to bleed.

Most people take their vision for granted, the most precious of all senses. Surveys show that, next to life itself, the loss of vision is the most to be feared. Yet, sadly, many people like Mark pay little attention to their vision until it is too late. At the very least, lutein, zeaxanthin and omega 3 fish oils can be thought of as a good insurance policy. And if you smoke, we now know that it is a major contributor to macular degeneration.

www.littlefieldoptometry

Dr. David Littlefield is a 4th generation optometrist that practices in Leawood, KS in the Kansas City metropolitan area. He is especially interested in helping prevent the development of eye diseases by taking a nutritional and preventative approach. Macular degeneration can be largely prevented - or at least slowed down in its debilitating effects - by proper eyewear (sunglasses) and hats that shade the face and eyes and by nutrients including lutein, zeaxanthin, and the omega 3 oils. But prevention must start early, before the disease causes an obvious loss of vision. As the saying goes, "close the barn doors before the horses escape."

http://www.littlefieldoptometry.com

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Cataract Surgery: An Ideal Option to Improve Eyesight

A cataract is nothing but a layer that develops on the crystalline lens of your eyes making it difficult for you to see. It is important that you get yourself treated immediately so as to cure yourself of this insecurity and eventually regain your vision. With the help of many inventions of technology, in the present day, there are different surgeries available. Cataract surgery is one of them wherein the cataracts are fairly treated. This surgery is a good value for the money you spend as eventually you will get your vision back and can lead a normal lifestyle.

If you have a bad vision, cataract surgery is the ideal option. As you age, cataracts tend to grow in one eye or at times both the eyes. These are cloudy layers which can be found on the lens of your eyes and this blurs your vision. It is imperative that you catch the initial signs of cataract such as hazy visions, sensitivity to sunlight, incapacity to differentiate colors, bad night vision, etc. These symptoms are quite dangerous to your eyes if not treated on time and can eventually lead you to blindness. If you think that you are suffering from these difficulties, then you may be required to undergo laser eye surgery.

You can browse the internet to find many professionals who are experts in this field. However, it is important that you undergo a medical test to find out whether you are the right candidate for the surgical process. You will have to fix an appointment with the professional to undergo these tests which will decide your candidacy for the cataract surgery. Undergoing this surgery can help to correct your vision by getting rid of the cataract from the eye. A skilled ophthalmologist can treat you during the laser eye surgery with the use of an optical laser.

The professional ophthalmologist will insert an intraocular lens as it will help to improve your eyesight. The time taken for the surgery for completion is one day and you will recover in a short span of time as well. You will be required to use eye drops for a few days after the eye correction surgery so as to combat bacterial infection. The ophthalmologist will advise you to take a few days off from your busy schedule and give preference to curing your eyesight. You can be assured that by following all the guidelines, you will not suffer from any side-effects and you can regain vision.

After undergoing the cataract surgery, you will be able to see clearly after two to three days. It is important that you take some precautions so that the cataracts do not appear again. Other than this type of surgery, you can also opt for LASIK or advanced PRK. The type of surgery you need to undergo will be recommended by the professional. You can face the surgery without having any apprehensions as they are safe. These surgeries are definitely a boon for you as there will be no more inconveniences. Choose the services of a professional ophthalmologist and you will not be disappointed.

Toby M Madras is the author of this article on Advanced Prk. Find more information on Laser Eye Correction here.

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Prevention and Cure for Dark Under Eye Circles

There is nothing more that can change your look than having tired looking, gloomy eyes. If you always find yourself flinching whenever you look in the mirror because of your zombie-look due to the dark circles under your eyes, then it's time to take action. Unless Halloween is just around the corner and you are planning to sport that look, then there is no excuse for you to let those dark circles stay.

There are different causes of dark under eye circles. One is genetics. Dark circles are very common among families with fair skin. Genetics is a very formidable enemy but it is not something you cannot find a way around with. Since this is a problem you've been born with, the best treatment for you is the use of eye cream products. An eye cream for dark circles is laden with ingredients that can help change the pigmentation of your skin.

Another reason for dark under eye circles is accumulated blood which leaked through the fragile capillaries around our eye area. Again, one way to treat this problem is to use an eye cream. This time though, it is best to look for an eye cream that can help dissolve the clotted blood on the area and not change the pigmentation of the skin.

Then again, prevention is always better than cure so it is wise to adapt healthy habits to prevent the development of this problem or to stop it from getting severe. One tip is to develop a good sleeping habit. Having eight hours of sleep every night is important because it gives our eyes and the skin around it to rest. Because the capillaries around our eyes are very sensitive, overexerting our eyes like staying up for long hours at night or reading when there is not enough light can cause the capillaries to burst and blood to leak and clot under our eye area.

You can also take vitamin K which helps in repairing damaged blood vessels and encourages circulation of blood. In addition to this, this vitamin also helps in reducing the possibilities of having eye puffiness. Vitamin K is often found on fruits like avocados, kiwis, and leafy green vegetables.

You should also add foods rich in vitamin A in your diet which also helps in repairing damaged skin tissues. Foods like liver, carrots, green vegetables, mangoes, cantaloupe, peaches, and pumpkins are examples.

Mark A. Robbins is a health and beauty expert. He has authored several books which have been used as reference in some schools. One of the most loved chapters in one of his books is about eye cream products.

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What Are the Symptoms to Be Watched for to Determine If You Are Suffering From Depression?

"I'm depressed." Does this statement sound familiar to you?

The word "depressed" became the generic term used by people in the society referring to their feelings when they are upset or sad. However, the symptoms of depression are more serious than merely feeling blue. In fact, depression can intensely impair the daily functions of an individual affecting the physical, emotional and mental aspect of the person. Worst of all, depression is indeed fatal.

The following questions may serve as guide to determine whether you are really suffering from depression. An affirmative answer to every question is equivalent to one positive symptom of depression.

Have you unintentionally lose or gain at least 5% of your weight?

A depressed individual may experience alteration in his/her eating pattern. The person may immensely lose appetite. Thus, a sudden decrease in his/her body weight would be evident. Otherwise, a depressed person may overeat as well. Overeating becomes his/her coping mechanism towards stressful situations.

Are you experiencing insomnia or hypersomnia?

Difficulty of sleeping or insomnia is one of the symptoms of depression. Usually, a depressed person over thinks about the stressful situation or event, keeping him/her awake throughout sleeping hours. On the other hand, depression might also make the person over sleep during waking hours. This serves as the person's escape from facing the distress he/she is experiencing.

Are you always feeling tired or fatigued?

People suffering from depression always feel tired or fatigued in any activities including those which they previously enjoy. They have lack of motivation or energy to socialize and even perform their favourite leisure pursuit.

Are you feeling worthless or excessively guilty about something?

Depressed persons generally feel that they are insignificant to others. They feel worthless and useless. They feel guilty about all the misfortunes in life they are experiencing. They keep on blaming themselves for everything.

Are you having difficulty concentrating, making decisions or remembering details?

Depression usually makes a person preoccupied with the distressing situation. As a result, the person would experience impairment in decision-making and remembering details. In like manner, a depressed person loses focus on whatever he/she does.

Are you having suicidal thoughts?

Having suicidal thoughts is the most dangerous aspect of depression. If this symptom would not be cleared out from the system of the depressed person, there is a very high percentage that the person might end up committing suicide.

If your answer is yes to at least more than one of the questions above, you might really be experiencing depression. To top it all, you must be suffering from the symptoms about two weeks or more to confirm that you are really depressed.

However, the most authorized person to diagnose depression are professionals on the medical field or mental health experts. Therefore, depression is not an illness anyone can just claim any moment when someone is experiencing the symptoms discussed earlier. On the other hand, every person troubled by the aforementioned symptoms must really seek for medical attention. Besides, there is nothing erroneous with being cautious about one's health.

For more information on Different Types of Diseases, Symptoms and Diagnoses, Please visit: Depression Medication and Symptoms of Depression.

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Depression And Anxiety Suffered For The First Time In Middle-Age Where There Is No External Reason

John could not fathom what was wrong. He and his wife were comfortably well off and had got the house as they wanted it. He had always been a confident person. Outwardly in their lives nothing much had changed.

But, now for the first time he was getting low moods and experiencing unease with no obvious reasons. These feelings were sapping his self-esteem. He found himself voicing self-doubt and uncertainty about where he was going in life; questioning his lifestyle, his career and even his marriage. He felt he had been drifting along no longer with any sense of direction. He had lost touch with the ambitions that he had once had.

Life may have become less hectic. But this had meant there had been opportunity for him to hear his inner self telling him things he did not want to hear; that being pre-occupied with paying the mortgage, keeping senior managers happy and cutting the lawn at home plus all the other work he had done on the house, was not really what life is truly about. He needed to let go of the old and do things differently.

The process of self-discovery is not uncommon especially in middle age when there is less pre-occupation with the normal hurdles of early adulthood. Anyone might also become exposed to their own complacency, noticing an attitude of smugness and self-satisfaction that previously lay hidden, appreciating the mixed motives often behind what they do. They start to notice a real self lurking within the persona they had been living.

John started to see that some of the things he had done had stemmed from a self-centred orientation whilst in his own eyes he had been acting in a worthwhile way. He was beginning to grasp the extent he had been living in a fool's paradise. No wonder his confidence was reducing and sense of contentment becoming elusive.

I believe the inner crisis is there for a reason. It is prompting an honest self-appraisal of what we are deep down.

"Count your rectitude as foolishness, know your cleverness to be stupidity"
(Lao Tse Tao Teb King, xiv. Taoist tradition)

Despite a spiritual awakening, we can resist new insight and turn back to the darkness that once enveloped us. Often the outward appearance of everything we encounter continues to seduce us. This can show in smug self-justification of established patterns of behaviour as if a radical response to the inner crisis were not needed.

We might find ourselves thinking, `No matter what the current economic climate, I'm too astute and knowledgeable a person to go under.' Or `No matter what my weakness for sexual excitement might be I'm too good and worthy a provider, and family carer to be rejected by my partner.'

But, if instead we were honest with ourselves, would we no longer need to make up excuses? If we are genuine with others is it not less draining than constantly trying to hide our true selves from them?

My belief is that only by an authentic relationship with others, with whatever notion of God we hold, and with ourselves, can we hope to stop self-deception.
In line with this spiritual philosophy, those of us with a deep trust in a higher truth about life and the provision of a spiritual destiny, are never likely to lose hope, whatever in life threatens us. The spirit of truth and love lives on. However, such faith does lead to consequences. For there can be no new birth without some pain - there is no letting go of former things without some pain of loss.

"I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
(John 3:3)

Copyright 2011 Stephen Russell-Lacy

As a clinical psychologist, Stephen Russell-Lacy has specialised in cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy, working for many years with adults suffering distress and disturbance.

He edits Spiritual Questions a free eZine that explores links between spiritual philosophy and the comments and questions of spiritual seekers. At Spiritual Questions you can share your views and find out more about making sense of life.

His book Heart, Head and Hands draws links between the psycho-spiritual teachings of the eighteenth century spiritual philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg and current ideas in therapy and psychology.

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Treatment For Depression - How To Detect And Remedy Your Depression

Any man, woman, or child may feel down occasionally, but an unhappy mood that lasts for many days may indicate depression. Specifically, a generalized feeling of unhappiness or apathy that lasts for a minimum of two successive weeks and that is accompanied by disrupted daily activities likely indicates a major depressive episode. Unlike purely physical ailments, depression may be viewed as a negative or embarrassing trait, but being depressed should not be equated with having a weak personality. This is a highly treatable condition, and treatment for depression may be tailored to help you manage your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

While there is much debate in the medical community as to what causes depression, changes in brain structure and chemical action are widely considered as primary causes. Why people have so many diverse reactions to such brain alterations, however, may be due to many things, such as:

• Traumatic events
• Substance abuse
• Seasonal changes
• Medications
• Hormonal changes

Losing a job or a spouse and the stress that often results from these traumatic events may trigger changes in the brain and therefore depressive episodes. Alternatively, depression may be linked to prescribed or even natural medications, alcohol or drug abuse, or the hormonal changes associated with pregnancy or menopause. Some people are strongly affected by the lack of sunlight during winter months, and may experience depression during this time of the year as well.

Major depression profoundly affects daily life, and the symptoms may be emotional or physical. A general lack of interest in ordinarily pleasurable or routine activities often results, and this cycle may lead to feeling guilty and unworthy of the positive aspects of life. Decreased energy, reduced appetite, physical ailments, and sleeping excessively may all be indicators of depression.

Diagnosing depression accurately greatly depends upon obtaining a thorough account from the patient. Any pertinent medical history, such as having a sibling or parent who has similar issues should be communicated as well. Women are much more likely to be diagnosed as being depressed, but men and children experiencing depressive episodes may also benefit from one or a combination of the following treatment options:

• Pharmaceuticals
• Talk therapy
• Exercise
• Light therapy
• Herbal supplements
• Pet therapy
• Surgical procedures
• Brain stimulation
• Social support

There are many antidepressant drugs that may positively influence brain chemicals, including norepinephrine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are intimately linked to sleep and cognitive functioning as well as to feelings of depression, and the right prescription drug may play a large role in combating depressing feelings. Accordingly, the right drug or combination of prescription drugs along with talk therapy often curtails moderate or mild cases of depression. Such interpersonal therapy may help depressed individuals overcome feelings of loneliness, understand and rebuild relationships, and give them a new-found reason for reconnecting with others. While some patients continue with longer term therapy, several months of talk therapy may be sufficient for others.

Physical activity is often another valid avenue for dealing with moderate or mild depression, as exercise typically results in a release in endorphins in the brain. Accordingly, these released endorphins increase the threshold for pain and improve mood as well. Engaging in twenty to thirty minutes of exercise a few days a week may increase energy levels, reduce stressful feelings, improve sleep habits, and raise self-esteem in depressed patients. Light therapy may produce similar effects for those suffering from seasonal depression as well.

Although often considered less reliable than the aforementioned treatments, herbal supplements such as St. John's Wort may help curtail mild cases of depression. The unconditional love and companionship that pets often provide, however, often gives depressed individuals a beneficial and positive focus. While more risky, certain surgical procedures such as brain implants and treatments including vagus nerve and skull stimulation may be indicated for patients with depression levels that are particularly resistant to other forms of treatment. Perhaps the best way to ensure good mental health is to stay connected to the positive influences around you, as a lack of social support is a major component of depression. Working with competent medical professionals, finding the right combination of therapy, and keeping a positive outlook helps the majority of patients effectively work through their depression.

Depression is a condition that affects millions and finding the right treatment for depression is crucial. You can find out all the necessary information about depression on our site: http://treatmentfordepression.cc.

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