Tag Archives: advice

Going Healthy, Health, Lifestyle

Depression vs. Sadness: How Not To Confuse the Two

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It’s normal to feel sad from time to time. It’s a normal human emotion that can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, sadness is meant to be temporary, which makes it very different from depression. Depression is a long-term illness that can impair the normal functioning of a person’s life. To further distinguish sadness and depression from each other, here’s more about what you should know.

Symptoms Of Sadness And Depression

Although you might feel sad from time to time, you should be able to laugh and feel comforted once those moments are over. Depression is much different from this and can make it very impossible for you to ever feel happy for a long period of time. To find out if you have depression, here are some of the most common symptoms:

● constant feelings of sadness

● irritability

● fatigue

● changes in sleeping or eating patterns

● difficulty concentrating

● loss of interest in things that used to provide pleasure

● feelings of deep, unwarranted guilt

● physical symptoms, such as headaches or body aches that do not have a specific cause

● feelings of worthlessness

● constant thoughts about death

● suicidal thoughts or actions

The DSM-5 Criteria

Mental health professionals tend to use the DSM-5 criteria to determine if a person has depression or not. There are nine potential symptoms, the severity of which can differ from person to person.

1. feeling depressed throughout each day on most or all days

2. lack of interest and enjoyment in activities you used to find pleasurable

3. lack of sleep or sleeping too much

4. lack of appetite or eating too much

5. irritability, restlessness, or agitation

6. extreme fatigue

7. unwarranted or exaggerated feelings of guilt or worthlessness

8. inability to concentrate or make decisions

9. suicidal thoughts or actions, or thinking a lot about death and dying

The Risk Factors Of Depression

Although depression occurs in both men and women of any age and any socioeconomic background, some factors come into play that increase the risk for depression.

● low self-esteem

● trauma that takes place early in childhood

● history of alcohol and/or drug abuse

● family history of mental illness

● trouble adjusting to a serious medical condition

● lack of a support system, such as friends, family, or coworkers

Medical Causes of Depression

Depression could also be a side effect of some medications that can alter a person’s mood. Some of these medications include:

● corticosteroids

● beta-blockers

● statins to treat high cholesterol

● hormonal medications

You should always speak to your doctor if you’ve been prescribed any of these medications and start to notice a change in your overall mood. Your doctor might be able to find an alternative or alter your dosage to reduce these side effects.

It is recommended that you speak to a medical professional if you start to experience sadness for longer than two weeks. If you’re having suicidal thoughts, then you should seek immediate medical help. You can start receiving professional help, such as therapy and medication, so that can get you back to feeling like yourself again.

Going Healthy, Health, Lifestyle, Tips

5 Quick Ways To Look After Your Appearance

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hand soap on bathroom sink, looks, style, fashion

Image Credit: Congerdesign from Pixabay.

How much effort do you put into looking after your appearance?  Is it something that you actively care about, or is it more of an afterthought? If it’s the second of these, it could be worth putting a little bit of time and effort into it. By taking the time to look after your appearance, you’ll see quite a few benefits.

You’ll not only look better, but feel better about yourself, making you feel more confident. Add in the mental health benefits it can offer, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do it. It wouldn’t even take much time and effort, especially when you focus on a few quick and easy strategies.

  1. Practice Good Hygiene – One of the more important parts of looking after your appearance is practicing good hygiene. It removes any dirt and grime for your body and hair, making sure you can look and smell as nice as possible. No matter what else you do, this is one of the first steps you should take.
  2. Have A Skincare Routine – A skincare routine is vital to looking after your appearance, as it’s vital to making sure your face and the rest of your body looks as amazing as it could. With a high-quality routine, your skin will even end up feeling much nicer than you would’ve thought. Put the effort into it every morning.
  3. Look After Your Teeth – When you want to look after your appearance, it’s important you don’t forget about your teeth. They play more of a role in how you look than you’d expect. It could be worth visiting a dental clinic to get everything checked out and make sure your teeth are as healthy and appealing as they should be.
  4. Don’t Forget Your Nails – While your nails often seem like a minor detail, they make a difference in how you look. If they’re uncared for, you’re not going to look as nice as you’d want, and it’s always worth putting some effort into them. Even cutting them regularly could be more than enough to help look nicer.
  5. Stay Hydrated – Good skincare doesn’t just focus on putting products on your skin. You’ll also need to stay hydrated so your skin gets everything it needs to look after itself. It also lets your body remove toxins, which would otherwise have an impact on your skin and other areas. Make sure you stay as hydrated as possible to prevent that.

You don’t have to spend hours trying to look after your appearance, and it could be much easier than you might’ve thought. By focusing on the right areas, it’ll be faster than you’d think, and you’ll still see all the benefits it has to offer.

Practicing good hygiene, not overlooking your nails, staying hydrated, and several other tips and tricks can all help with this. While they’ll take a little bit of time, it’ll be far less than you’d think, and you’ll see quite an impact on your appearance. It’ll be more than worth the time you put into it.

Lifestyle, Tips

A Step-By-Step Guide to Purchasing a Used BMW

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You already know what the brand stands for, and its strong reputation for quality and reliability is rightly influencing your decision to buy a used BMW.

When you search used BMW Phoenix, for example, you will find an impressive array of vehicles that are the epitome of what this iconic car maker stands for.

With such a wide selection of luxury cars to choose from, here are some tips on narrowing down your options and the steps to take when purchasing a used BMW.

Work out your budget

One of the first things you need to do is work out a realistic budget. Once you know how much you can afford to spend on buying a used BMW, including how much deposit you can offer and what monthly payments you can afford if you are taking out a finance deal, this will help guide you toward the models that fit your needs and meet your budget.

There are certain factors you need to account for when working out your budget. You need to remember that a sales tax might be applied to the total price. You will also have to pay interest on a car finance loan, which will add to the total cost.

Important finance tip – If you are going to apply for finance it would be a good idea to check your credit score before you fill in the forms. If your credit score is good, it might help you to negotiate a better car finance interest rate.

Find a suitable seller

It is all very well buying a used BMW from a private buyer but any potential cost saving could be wiped out if you subsequently discover that the vehicle is not in the condition you expect.

Buying your used BMW from a reputable dealer is usually a smart move. You get the assurance of a warranty if there are any issues, which is not something you get very often when you buy privately or from a car dealer that does not specialize in BMWs.

A good car dealer will want to uphold their reputation. That means you should get a certified pre-owned BMW that has been checked over thoroughly before being sold.

Compare prices

Some used BMWs will cost more than cars of a similar age. This price difference is usually influenced by things such as the condition of the vehicle, its service history, mileage, and whether there is a service history to check what work has been done.

Allowing for these key factors, it is always a good idea to check the estimated market value of a BMW model that you are interested in. You should also remember that the level of trim and the presence of additional features will also be influential when it comes to deciding what sort of price each BMW will be sold for.

Make sure you take a test drive and arrange to inspect the car at the same time. Ask your dealer as many questions as you want before agreeing to buy.

If you follow these steps you should be able to find a used BMW that ticks all the right boxes and gives you years of trouble-free motoring.