Laal

MENTAL & EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS
Although not 'Environmental Illnesses' in themselves, psychological problems, also known as affective (mood) disorders, are very common amongst sufferers of theseillnesses. Depression, anxiety and the like are devastating illnesses on their own, but when you already suffer from an Environmental Illness, with the accompanying symptoms of fatigue, flu-like feeling andcognitive dysfunction, to name a few, then life can really seem like it's not worth living. If this wasn't enough, many healthcare professionals insist on sticking to the increasingly untenableposition, that people presenting with Environmental Illnesses have psychological problems and nothing else.
 
The most common psychological problems seen in Environmental Illness sufferers are Depression,Anxiety and Insomnia, so we will look at these here.
 
Depression
 
Everyone feels depressed at some time in their life for any number of reasons. An event like the end of a relationship giveseveryone feelings of sadness and loss, but these feelings subside over time and you feel normal again. In the case of clinical depression, the feelings are generally more intense or of much longerduration, or both. Along with feelings of sadness that someone with depression experiences, it also causes a number of physical symptoms, the most obvious being fatigue. As fatigue is probably the mostprominent symptom of Environmental Illnesses as well, if you have both then the problem is magnified.
 
There are 2 main types of depression, Major Depression and Bipolar or Manic Depression.
 
Themajor symptoms of Major Depression are:
 
Loss of energy and interest
Diminished ability to enjoy oneself
Decreased -- or increased -- sleeping or appetite
Difficulty in concentrating;indecisiveness; slowed or fuzzy thinking
Exaggerated feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or anxiety
Feelings of worthlessness
Recurring thoughts about death and suicide
 
 
If you experience most of these...