Lake Country Weekend Post

By Eric Oliver Enterprise Staff OCONOMOWOC — As Christ- mas ho-ho-ho's into town, a litany of health related issues come with it. The Enterprise spoke to 3 health care experts about seasonal depres- sion, eating disorders & anxiety. Holiday depression Clinical Supervisor of FOCUS & the Adolescent Center at Rogers Memorial Hospital Rachel Leonard explained what causes holiday d e p r e s s i o n , debunked common misconceptions of what depression is & talked about how to combat it. ENTERPRISE: Why do people get depressed around the holidays? LEONARD: The holidays often bring up memories about the past & people important to us, so if there have been any losses due to death or relationships ending, this can be a particularly difficult time. People often place incredible importance on the holidays & have very high expectations, with thoughts such as "everyone should be happy over the holi- day," which can make any exist- ing symptoms of depression seem even worse. Over the holidays we often see family or friends who we may not have seen for quite some time, which often leads to questions about what we are doing in our lives. For someone with depres- sion, there may be a tendency to compare themselves to others in a very negative way, & to assume that others are thinking the worst of them. This can be even more difficult if their symptoms have led to them needing to take a leave of absence from school or work. Finally, the holidays can also bring financial stressors as well as increased triggers to use alcohol or other substances, both of which can be problematic for someone suffering from depression. ENTERPRISE: What can peo- ple do to help someone who is depressed? LEONARD: Loved ones can support someone who is depressed by listening & validating their feelings as well as encouraging them to seek help. There is still quite a bit of stigma about depression & other forms of mental illness, & many individu- als are afraid to talk about their symptoms. Being open to a depressed individual's experience, expressing empathy, & encourag- ing them to take action can be incredibly helpful. There are many treatments that have empirical support, including both psychotherapy & medication approaches. In psy- chotherapy, individuals may learn new patterns of behavior to help combat the isolation & avoidance that often maintains or worsens depression. Individuals may also be taught mindfulness strategies to help them better connect with the present moment, or they may be taught strategies to examine & challenge negative patterns of thinking. Rogers uses a treatment called behavioral activation, which works to decrease avoidance & isolation while gradually increasing engagement in activities that relate to one's values as well as pleasant activities & more rou- tine, necessary activities such as showering & maintaining one's living space. This is combined with mindfulness strategies to help combat negative patterns of thinking that are often present when someone is depressed. ENTERPRISE: What are some misconceptions about depression? LEONARD: One of the most common misconceptions is that someone should be able to "just snap out of it" or that it is a sign of weakness. Many individuals struggle with depression & it is a diagnosable condition. Just like we wouldn't expect someone to "snap out of" diabetes, we cannot expect individuals with depres- sion to do this either. There are treatments that have been devel- oped over the course of many years & individuals with depres- sion should be encouraged to seek help. Further, the individu- als with depression with whom I have worked are among the strongest people I have met. Holiday anxiety Dr. Heather Jones is the clinical supervisor of the Child & Adolescent Centers. She explained holiday anxiety & how to combat feeling anxious. ENTERPRISE: What kind of anxiety arises over the holidays? JONES: People who have expe- rienced loss or trauma associat- ed with the holidays may find these times of year particularly difficult. Also, due to the propen- sity for social gatherings at work, with family, or elsewhere, indi- viduals who suffer from social phobia or panic disorder may often find the holiday season difficult to maneuver & may resort to iso- lation & avoidance to manage the fears & discomfort that arise in response to the obligations. ENTERPRISE: What can peo- ple do to feel less anxious? JONES: As with any anxiety disorder, the best thing people can do is exposure themselves to the anxiety-provoking situation. In other words, approach, not avoid, the source of anxiety. If people have an urge to iso- late in their home all weekend or avoid a family get-together, the best response is to do the oppo- site — go to the busy mall, head over to grandma's house or attend the work holiday party & utilize healthy coping skills to accept & tolerate the anxiety that will like- ly accompany them on their way. Our brains & bodies are designed to maintain emotional equilibrium in the face of anxi- ety-producing situations; it just takes time. Two ways to manage holiday anxiety include practicing medi- tation, like yoga, before a big hol- iday party or event & using mea- sured, purposeful breathing tech- niques when anxiety spikes. ENTERPRISE: What should people not do? JONES: Avoidance of anxiety & fear as a rule tends to always make that anxiety worse. Cer- tainly other maladaptive coping skills like self-medicating with drugs or alcohol can also be prob- lematic & potentially dangerous ways of coping with anxiety. Eating disorders David Jacobi, clinical supervi- sor of the Child Center at Rogers Memorial Hospital, talked about how to spot eating disor- ders over the holi- days, & what people can do to support a person with a disorder. ENTERPRISE: Why are eating disorders revealed over the holidays? JACOBI: Multiple different types of presentations may be observed during the holidays with regard to eating disorders issues. Those with an excessive fear of weight gain or fat may significantly restrict their intake or engage in compensatory behaviors after eating including fasting, excessive exercise or even purging behaviors. There may be simple avoidance of food & family gatherings altogether. Others may feel a lack of con- trol when exposed to certain foods & overeat (binge) which can trigger the urge to engage in compensatory behaviors (vomit- ing, excessive exercise, laxative, diuretic use). Still others may binge on cer- tain foods without engaging in any compensatory behaviors. These individuals may experi- ence strong negative emotions after overeating, including feel- ings of guilt & sadness. We may also see so-called "picky eating," especially in young kids. These children may have a very limited set of food choices that can lead to significant malnutrition or even unhealthy weight loss. ENTERPRISE: How do you spot an eating disorder? JACOBI: This can be a chal- lenge. For those with anorexia there is a pattern of behaviors which can include restricting calorie intake or binging & purg- ing behaviors in response to a fundamental fear of weight gain & fat. These individuals may already appear to be under- weight given their age, sex, height & they may have a distor- tion in the way they perceive how they look. Those with bulimia may be of normal weight but may experi- ence out-of-control eating accom- panied by efforts to reduce weight gain through behaviors such as vomiting, misuse of laxa- tives, diuretics, fasting or exces- sive exercise. In binge eating disorder the individual consumes food in a similar way that is seen in bulim- ia but without any compensatory behaviors. This binging behavior is recurrent & is associated with negative feelings including embarrassment, guilt & sadness. ENTERPRISE: How can you help those affected by disorders? JACOBI: As eating disorders can lead to serious medical health issues, it's important to speak with your general physi- cian first. Specialized programs exist to treat eating disorders, including weekly outpatient meetings with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders to other, more intensive pro- grams that offer an increase in the dose of therapy. It is usually important to have a registered dietitian involved and to be monitored by a physi- cian to ensure that the individual is medically stable. ENTERPRISE: What sort of misconceptions surround eating disorders? JACOBI: Some common myths about eating disorders may be about the demographics or physical appearance of people with eating disorders. For exam- ple, many people view eating dis- orders as an issue that solely affects young Caucasian adoles- cent girls, when eating disorders actually affect all age groups, races, cultures & genders. Other people may believe that people chose to have eating disorders & are looking for attention. In reality, no one chooses to have an eating disorder & their unhealthy behavior often reaches an obsessive level. In the beginning, a person with an eating disorder may be praised for their thin- ness, but as their condition progresses, the attention gener- ally becomes more negative & unwanted. ENTERPRISE: What are some tips for parents with children who may be suffering from an eating disorder? JACOBI: If you are not sure if your child is struggling with an eating disorder, it's important to complete an evaluation with your general physician and a clinician who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders. Parents may also inadvertent- ly accommodate (enable) the behaviors associated with an eating disorder by doing things such as ignoring their child's excessive exercise, allowing them to restrict or skip meals, ignoring limited food choices, not confronting the child if they appear overly thin, encouraging avoidance of certain foods, restaurants, activities, or partici- pating in preparing the child separate meals from those eaten by the family. Because eating disorders are associated with a host of medical problems, it's best for parents to broach the topic with their kids rather than ignore or avoid it. Email: eoliver@conleynet.com Holiday season brings health issues to forefront 2 • LAKE COUNTRY POST • NOVEMBER 28, 2015 GMTODAY.COM HEALTH To place your classified ad please call: 262•542•2211 1-800-762-6219 x5005 247458001 a highway subsidiary of the Kenan Advantage Group, is now seeking Class A CDL Drivers out of Milwaukee, WI. $3,500 Sign On Bonus for qualified applicants $5,000 Sign On Bonus for qualified applicant with fuel hauling experience EOE Weekend Warrior positions with premium pay for nights & weekend! As you make decisions about your career, consider a position that fits your life with Klemm Tank Lines. 414-365-1664 Customer Retention Specialist Conley Media is looking for a talented newspaper lover to assist the Waukesha Freeman and Oconomowoc Enterprise in customer retention efforts at its Waukesha office. 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