People whose moods swing wildly from intense elation to severe depression may be suffering from a condition known as manic depression. Drugs and psychiatric care will help stabilize the condition.

Manic depression is a severe mental disturbance. The condition is referred to as manic-depressive psychosis, regardless of whether the full swing between mania and depression is shown.

Manic depression is an affective psychosis: that is, the patient becomes carried away by his or her emotions, either from habit, or in an effort to conceal anxiety and shyness. Manic depressives are often reserved, inward looking, emotionally sensitive personalities, even though during the manic phase their behaviour takes on a very extrovert form. In some cases there may be a religious element in the condition.

One possible cause is a defect in the hormonal mechanisms that control the balance of our emotions. Two chemicals present in the brain influence mood: a low level of one, serotonin, may produce mood instabilities in general, while an imbalance of the second chemical, norepinephrine, determines the direction of the mood swing, a low level being associated with depression and a high level producing mania.

Normally, manic depression arises without any causal stress, but it is possible that external factors such as outside tension, abnormal patterns of upbringing or unconventional attitudes may actually stimulate the brain to produce the chemicals which give rise to the mood swings.

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Before you can effectively manage stress, you must become aware of the amount and types of stressors in your daily life. One way of developing the awareness is to assess the frequency and amount of stress in your daily routine, and then trace the stress to its source. Below is a list of quick, easy ways of measuring stress in your daily life which can be easily used any time and anywhere.

Check muscle stress by “scanning” your body

When you scan, you are actually checking different muscles in your body as if you could x-ray each part and look for stress. This shall start at the top of your head and work your way down. Check your head, then move to your neck and shoulders and check for stiffness or pain, next your arms, chest and stomach. Scan your upper legs, calves and your feet and toes.

Check hand temperature

Place your hand on the side of your neck just above your collar. If your hand is noticeably cooler than your neck, yor hand temperature indicates that your body is probably stressed.

Check for nervous sweating

Many people perspire when they are stressed. This is an involuntary stress response that is caused by the secretion of certain stress hormones which is called adrenalin. This is yet another simple indicator that your body is responding to some stressor.

Check for a rapid pulse rate

At rest most people will have a pulse rate of 60 -70 bpm, if your pulse rate is higher than 75 bpm, it may indicate that your body is responding to a stressor.

Check for rapid, shallow breathing

When people are relaxed, they breathe slowly and deeply with relaxed stomach muscles. When people are stressed, they often tighten their stomach muscles and breathe through their chests. Since the chest is not as expandable as the stomach, one will exhibit rapid, shallow, chest breathing. One technique for managing stress is to learn to breathe in a more relaxed fashion. Relax the stomach and breathe in slowly, filling the stomach first and then the chest. Relax again as you exhale and repeat.

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