Health Guides

t was only the other day that I learnt that the first recorded use of contraception was in 2000BC by the Egyptians. I can’t say why I learned the fact, just as I can’t fathom out why I still know the words to "Maxwell’s Silver Hammer" thirty years or so after its release. These things seep into the brain and stick like chewing gum to a sock there to annoy one for all time. But try to remember to take the cake out of the oven or to pick up your sunglasses off the chemist’s counter… not a hope in hell.

It was not the fact that the Egyptians used contraceptives that turned my head, clever people to a man those Egyptians. No, it was what they used that made the fact stick.

Crocodile dung.

At this point on the learning curve the mind goes into overdrive. Who first discovered that crocodile dung made a good contraceptive. And how did they use it?

"Hey Cleo, that blasted crocodile has crapped in our bed again. Hmmm I wonder….".

The importance of dung as a contraceptive was not lost on the Aztecs either. It is a little known fact that Aztec emperor Montezuma had a nephew, Cuitlahac, whose name meant

"Plenty of excrement." Naming the poor, hapless lad in this way obviously served as a handy reminder for Cuitlahac’s father to lard on the crocodile dung in future encounters.

The gathering of crocodile dung must have been quite an adventure. There is a fair chance that crocodile dung was not available over the counter at Boots in tablet form, nor was it a question of nipping into the pub toilets and buying it in packets of three from a machine.

"Did you get them Tut?"

"Yer."

"Hope you got the flavoured ones. What flavour did you get?"

"Crocodile."

Images of rampant young Egyptian men swim through the mind, feverishly searching the banks of the Nile their loincloths outrageously tented by their ardour. "Here crockie, crockie." Imaging the panic if the young man should actually find the crocodile and then realises that, as with all animals, crocodiles go to the toilet after they have eaten. Perhaps it was this thought alone that served as the contraceptive.

"Not now Nephatiti, I’ve got a headache."

It must have crossed randy young minds that perhaps it was not only crocodile dung that would serve as a contraceptive. Many experiments with other types of dung must have taken place.

"What a fine family you have."

"Yes, this is our eldest ‘Elephant crap is useless’ and over here we have the twins ‘Never use camel’ and ‘that bloody camel dung is rubbish’. And this little one is our youngest, ‘Hey-ho, back to the crocodile shit’."

It has to be said that the whole notion of using crocodile dung is so fraught with improbability that I suspect that it was a ruse put about by Egyptian fathers to deter young courtiers. My suspicion is that the fathers would only grant permission for young lads to take out their daughters with the proviso that they had a lump of crocodile dung in their wallets in case they became overcome by passion. So warned the young men would wade out into the river either to become crocodile crap themselves or to realise that crocodiles only do their toilet after they have eaten. Either way the young lady would not be bothered further by the young man who would simply take himself downtown to find a young lady whose father was either not so discerning or had not heard the one about the crocodile dung.

Today, of course, ardent young men do not have to suffer the indignation of their ancient Egyptian counterparts. All that is required these days is to slip into the toilets at the local pub and feed the slim machine on the wall a couple of pound coins. Of course the draw will fail to slide open and no amount of turning the knob will cause the packet to drop. Kicking and banging the machine is not an option as this will only serve to bring attention to oneself. The result then is the same. Neither the ancient Egyptian nor the modern young man has managed to get the requisite contraception. And, if the young lady in question is sensible, this means that neither young man is going to get his proverbial end away and will have to put up with a quick hand shandy back in his own pit.

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder ten years ago (after an initial diagnosis of major depressive disorder and a subsequent manic episode). It didn’t come as a shock; in fact, it came as a relief – finally an explanation to my strange behaviors, extreme mood swings and anger outbursts. Along with the diagnosis came a slew of new medications, therapy, and teaching my family how to deal with the “new” me; the me that soon found out everything she could on bipolar disorder and how to best deal with it. Today an abundance of information exists on bipolar disorder. When I was first diagnosed only a few books existed and I had no internet access, or so I thought. I have since found out that you can go to nearly any public library and have an instant connection to the web.

One of the first books that helped me handle my new found situation has since been changed, but a new version of it is still available and is very useful. It’s called How to Live Without Depression and Manic Depression, by Mary Ellen Copeland. It’s a workbook actually and is worth every cent (last I checked it ran about $20.00). I promise, I do not get paid to recommend this book, I do so because it is like no other book like it on the market today. It not only helped me identify some of the feelings I was experiencing by offering long check lists of emotions, it assisted in getting me into a routine (this can be vital when first diagnosed and when you find yourself in overwhelming situations), and aided my family and friends by allowing them to peak into my life. Overall it helped me understand my life as a person suffering from a mental illness – an invaluable insight. Okay, enough on the book.

From this point on I will address bipolar disorder specifically, but many of the things I’ve done to cope can be applied to many other illnesses. Women today face a multitude of issues that can be affected by bipolar disorder. A career, husbands or boyfriends, children, maintaining a home, illnesses, death and PMS are just a few major areas that can be involved. It is difficult enough to maintain the delicate balance that we call life when you don’t have a debilitating illness, but add bipolar disorder to the mix and potential disaster is around every corner.

First let me address the issue of family and friends. I have a tough rule, but it hasn’t let me down yet…if you cannot be supportive of me as I deal with my illness then I won’t have you in my life. This is hard for some people to grasp, but believe me; you don’t want people around you who are going to drag you down. You have enough on your plate just dealing with the illness. People who don’t wish to at least try to understand, people who will tell you your illness is in your head, and people who don’t wish to be supportive will all make your life 100 times harder in the long run. A mental illness needs to be treated like any other medical illness. If you had cancer, people wouldn’t try and tell you it’s all in your head – well the same applies here. The decision to cut out certain people from your life is the most difficult one you have to make, but you must look out for your own livelihood because no one else will. Of course, you have a duty to do everything in your power to help your family and friends understand your illness. Give them books, websites, even pamphlets from your doctor’s office to try and make them an ally because you want as many people on your side as possible. Give them some time to soak it all in, just as you need to give yourself time.

Navigating the career world can be tough even when you don’t have a mental illness, but add that illness in on top of that and you have a recipe for disaster. I have found that the biggest problem facing the workforce today is stress. How do you handle it when you have a mental illness as well? The first thing I did when I became too stressed was to go to my boss and explain the situation. This can be scary since not every boss is going to understand. But you have rights under laws that protect you from discrimination (check your local mental health organization to find out exactly what they are in your area). If you absolutely cannot go to your boss you have a couple of options. The most obvious one is: seek out a new job. The less obvious is to try different coping skills that can help you manage the stress. Many good books exist on the topic and some colleges even offer classes in stress management.

Another problematic area for many women is maintaining the family home. Unfortunately, even in today’s progressive times, keeping the house falls mainly on the shoulders of the woman. This, of course, is something that can be changed. Sit down with your family and explain that you’re not in this alone; you’re in it together. Everyone must pitch in and do their part. Come up with a list of chores that everyone can partake in. Agree upon who will do what around the house to help you. If you don’t ask for help, you’ll never get it. If they refuse to help, then resolve that a perfect home is something you might not achieve and realize that it’s okay. Not everyone has an immaculate house – sometimes it’s just not that important.

PMS. This is a sentence all in itself. A woman with a mental illness must realize that most woman deal with PMS. It’s usually just a bit more emotional for someone who suffers from a mood disorder like depression or bipolar. I suggest keeping a log of your cycle and your moods that go along with it. By keeping a log, you can identify when the onset of PMS should begin (if you have a regular cycle at least). Knowing this information will help not only you, but also those around you. You will realize that possibly your moodiness can be attributed to PMS and not an instability in yourself. Simply realizing this is a hormonal influence should help you cope better. If you have an extreme case of PMS, talk to your doctor about it – they can provide you with alternatives.

The last item I want to discuss is an illness or death of a loved one. Everyone is affected differently when it comes to a severe illness or death of a family member or close friend. The grieving process is a set of five stages: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. The stages don’t always flow in that exact order and often you will experience some of the stages several times before arriving at acceptance. Don’t beat yourself up for being angry or depressed over the situation. These are perfectly acceptable feelings to have when dealing with grief. Give yourself extra time to sort through your emotions. Seek comfort with whomever you find can offer you guidance. It may take a little longer, but eventually you will feel better. In extreme cases, if you feel you are not moving past the grief, I recommend seeking counseling.

To wrap this up I simply want to mention that a woman with any sort of mental illness needs all of the support and understanding she can find. She needs to know as much about her illness as possible, and needs to know what warning signs to look for so she can identify the onset of an episode of depression or mania. I wish the best for every woman out there suffering from any sort of mental illness. As my favorite psychiatrist used to say…be gentle with yourself.

Snoring is often considered a comical problem but a serious snoring problem can be a sign of a more serious condition. A snoring problem can worsen and become a case of sleep apnea which is a serious condition that has a number of bad effects on one’s health.

Anyone who snores regularly should check with their doctor to find out if it is a symptom of sleep apnea. Apnea is treatable, but if it’s left unchecked it can cause serious health problems.

If you think you might be suffering from sleep apnea, there are several questions you should ask. Do you snore regularly? If so, you are more likely dealing with sleep apnea than if you only snore occasionally.

Does your snoring wake your partner at night? If so, it’s a sign that the snoring is quite loud which again can be a symptom of sleep apnea.

Do you wake up choking and gasping for air in the middle of the night? This is one of the main indicators of sleep apnea, because apnea is caused by a blockage of airflow to the extent that you stop breathing for a period of 10 seconds or longer. You may not realize this is happening yourself, either - it is often noticed first by your partner.

Do you wake up in the morning with a headache or sore throat? This is another symptom of sleep apnea - headaches can be caused by a lack of oxygen due to the stoppages in breathing in the night and a sore throat is often caused by serious snoring.

If these symptoms sound familiar, you should check with your doctor to get their professional advice. If they determine that sleep apnea is in fact a possibility, they will usually send you for a polysomnography test.

This is an overnight sleep study where your sleep patterns are monitored so a complete diagnosis can be made. Things such as your heart rate, eye movements and breathing patterns will be monitored for irregularities.

Sleep apnea can lead to more serious problems such as an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, so it’s important that it is diagnosed as early as possible.

One of the most common psychological problems affecting nearly everyone either through personal experience or through a family member is depression. In America over 17 million adults experience a period of clinical depression each year. This illness interferes with everyday normal functioning and often causes problems with work, social and family life. The pain it causes isn’t just suffered by the person with the disorder but also by their nearest and dearest. Not only can the life of the depressed person be destroyed so can the lives of those within the family.

Depression causes tremendous emotional pain and disrupts the lives of millions (directly and indirectly). It also has an impact on work productivity and absenteeism and has a negative impact on the economy, costing an estimated $44 billion each year.

Depression affects the social behavior and the sense of physical well being. It is a psychological condition that changes how a person thinks, feels and behaves. Everybody has felt sad at one time or another but that is not depression nor is the tiredness felt through working too hard or the feelings of discouragement felt when faced with serious problems. Once the stress has been adjusted to, these feelings usually pass within a few days or weeks. But these feelings could be depression if they linger, intensify and begin to interfere with work, school or family responsibilities.

Anyone can be affected by depression and once correctly identified, most people diagnosed with depression can be successfully treated. Unfortunately because many symptoms of depression mimic physical illness such as appetite and sleep disturbances depression is not always diagnosed.

For depression to be successfully treated it first has to be correctly diagnosed.

Almost two thirds of depressed people do not get proper treatment. There are many reasons for this one of which is the symptoms are just not recognized as signs of depression and therefore go un-noticed. Another reason is that because depressed people are often tired they are seen as weak or lazy. Social stigma is another reason that depression goes untreated. It is seen as a ‘mental’ health problem. And sometimes people are so disabled by the illness that they are unable to reach out for help. Sometimes symptoms are mis-diagnosed as physical problems and then other times the individual symptoms are treated rather than the under lying cause.

The fact that so many people either are mis-diagnosed or never seek medical help is really unfortunate as those that do get help and treatment almost 80% with depression make significant improvements in their mood and life adjustment.

There are several types of depression the most serious type being major depression. This is because of the number of symptoms and the severity of those symptoms.

Dysthymic disorder refers to a low level of depression that lasts for at least two years.

The depression caused in response to a major life stress or crisis is known as Adjustment Disorder with Depression.

Bipolar depression includes high and low mood swings and has a variety of other symptoms not present in other depressions.

Drugs to raise brain levels of serotonin are far more effective in treating depression than just psychotherapy and talking, because depression is associated with low brain levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin.

Depression is a condition lasting at least two weeks in which sadness prevents people from functioning up to their capacity. They lose enjoyment and interest in usual activities, are sad and cannot express warm emotions towards other people, sleep all the time or barely at all, are exhausted, lose their ability to concentrate or think clearly, have feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, feel that life is hopeless, and they eat less or more than usual. Insomnia in young men is associated with a marked increased risk for depression that persists for at least 30 years afterwards.

Doctors treat depression with antidepressants, and the most used and effective antidepressants are Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft. They raise brain levels of a specific chemical called serotonin that helps to make people feel good. A once a week dose of Prozac can often control depression, but high brain levels of serotonin often reduce sexual desire.

On the other hand, Wellbrutin does not raise brain levels of serotonin significantly, does not reduce sexual desire and may even increase desire. Patients who need to stay on the serotonin-uptake-inhibitor antidepressants, but want to maintain interest in making love can take the shorter-acting Paxil or Zoloft safely four days a week from Monday to Thursday and not take them from Friday to Sunday. Taking Prozac intermittently does not prevent loss of libido because it is a long-acting antidepressant.

When a single drug fails to alleviate depression, two or more drugs taken together are far more effective than larger doses of a single drug. Buproprion (brand name Wellbruton) combined with Prozac, Paxil or Zoloft, appears to relieve depression more effectively than the single drugs. However, patients on the combination regimen still have a high incidence of decreased sexual desire, insomnia, tiredness and tremor.

Antidepressants that raise brain serotonin levels are used for other effects. Sibutramine is used to suppress hunger and treat overweight. They may be the drugs of choice to treat premenstrual syndrome or attention deficit disorder. They can be given safely to people with heart disease. Check with your doctor.