Fighting Depression with Exercise

Depression is a fire breathing monster that can consume your life and those around you.

However, there are tools and strategies that you can use to fight depression, even in cases of treatment-resistant depression where medication cannot help.

In addition, any person who has been diagnosed with or believes that they have depression should make Hashi Mashi their first stop before the pharmacy to fill anti-depressant prescriptions.

There are lifestyle changes that you can make to help cope with depression before ingesting drugs that have many warning labels written all over them.

Do you want to take the chance of the known negative side effects of anti-depressants?

Do you want to take the chance of suicidal ideation, divorce, family estrangement, insomnia, career loss?

Before you take drugs, try real food and exercise to fight depression.

Of course, if the lifestyle changes suggested on Hashi Mashi and written about in detail in Zehhu: Crossing the Bridge from Depression to Life do not help, then it is time to consider medication as a last resort.

As always, speak with your Doctor about any and all treatment modifications.

8 Easy Sigecaps Depression Mnemonic Screening Questions

By Rich Hashimashi, CPT 1 Comment - Last Updated September 20, 2018

What is the Meaning of Sigecaps?

In the beginning, physicians once used the abbreviation “sig” to mean directions on prescriptions. Energy capsules or “e” caps was the original name of antidepressants according to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. This is how sigecaps and depression became linked together.

Medical doctors and professionals use sigecaps questions to diagnose depression.

How to Use the Sigecaps Depression Mnemonic

The S of Sigecaps stands for Sleep.

The first sigecaps question to screen for depression is regarding sleep:

Have you noticed an increase of sleep during the day?

Or are you sleeping less at night?

Ask about sleep habits because excessive daytime sleep and/or insufficient nighttime sleep are both indicators of depression.

I Stands for Interest Loss

Next, the I of sigecaps stands for loss of interest in daily activities.

Therefore, the next sigecaps question is:

Have you experienced a loss of interest in activities that you once found enjoyable?

This is because a loss of interest in such activities is a sign of depression.

G is for a Question about Guilt

The G of sigecaps is the third question:

Are you feeling guilty or unworthy?

Do you have low self esteem and sense of worthlessness?

Depressed individuals struggle with guilt.

E Stands for Energy

The E stands for energy and is the fourth question of sigecaps screening.

Do you feel fatigued?

Do you feel a lack of energy?

A common symptom of depression is fatigue, and a lack of energy.

Some people characterize the lack of energy as feeling “burnt out”.

They all boil down to the same problem, lack of energy.

C is to Assess Concentration

Next is the C of sigecaps.

The C represents concentration.

Do you have difficulty concentrating?

Reduced concentration is a hallmark of depression. Especially together with other depression symptoms.

A is for Appetite

The A in the old sig e caps acronym stands for appetite. Have you lost your appetite?

Have you lost enjoyment in food, or, are you bingeing on food? A loss or increase of appetite is another of the classic signs of depression.

P Stands for Psychomotor Agitation or Retardation

Are you feeling more anxious and cannot sit still? Or, are you more lethargic and very slow in your movements?

Increased agitation or much slower movements are signs of depression.

S Stands for Suicidal Ideation

The S of the sig e caps stands for suicidal ideation. Are you preoccupied with thoughts of death? Do you have a plan to commit suicide?

Suicidal ideation is the most urgent sign of depression and requires immediate treatment.

The Traditional Sigecaps

Unless you’re a medical student/practitioner, you probably never heard of sigecaps ( which is also written as sig.e.caps or sig e caps ). The traditional sigecaps depression mnemonic is in use now for close to a hundred years.

If you are treating individuals with depression, there is a new way you can use the sigecaps depression mnemonic.

This method is based on my own experiences dealing with treatment-resistant depression.

It is worth your time to consider alternative methods of treating depression for yourself or your patients.

Read about 8 New Ways to Use the Sigecaps Depression Mnemonic here.

Dreams and Nightmares Can Change Your Life for the Better

By Rich Hashimashi, CPT - Last Updated August 2, 2018

dreams and nightmares keanu reeves in the matrix credit riverofgrues.com — Keanu Reeves in *The Matrix* – Image Copyright Warner Bros. Credit: riverofgrues.com

Can Dreams or Nightmares Change Your Life?

Dreams and nightmares are an ordinary part of life. And for most of us, scary dreams and nightmares can haunt us and not feel too great. If you are interested in dreams and nightmares, it could be because you cannot forget this one dream or nightmare that is haunting you.

A nightmare can be very disturbing, sometimes debilitating, especially if you no longer want to sleep. I experienced such dreams and nightmares for almost 10 years straight. They terrified me and left me not wanting to sleep, cause I never wanted to sleep and dream it again. I would never imagine that a nightmare could have a positive result, but it did. Here is the rest of the story.

Just One of the Negative Side Effects of Antidepressant Drugs

I had been on a slew of antidepressants for depression. Throughout my life, the reasons for depression have varied. Except for one.

There was always a new reason.

I had my share of cocktails made up out of Zoloft, Prozac, Effexor and more. I experienced side effects such as massive sweating at night to losing feeling in my lower legs. I also suffered from insomnia, I am not sure if that was caused by the meds or by nightmares I had. From the year 2000 on, I had the same recurring nightmare.

I was walking around in a house, I’d see my children that I wanted to speak with, and they did not see me, no matter how much I waved to them. In every dream, I had no way to speak, I could not speak, I do not know why. At the end of the dream I’d see a man standing in front of me in an elevator. A futuristic feature of this elevator is that it could move up, down and sideways, like the rook on a chessboard. But, I could not tell whether it was moving at all, it felt like it was not moving, but I was not sure. The man in front of me was wearing some type of uniform and appeared to be the person who operated the elevator.

Despite the modern capabilities of this elevator, it seemed very ancient, like one of those factory type elevators with gates that always play a prominent role in James Bond and Mission Impossible movies.

The elevator operator was a bit rotund, older than me; grayer hair and I wanted to ask him to get the elevator moving. Sometimes I thought that the man in the elevator was me years in the future. But, before I could ask him, he seemed to sense that I wanted to speak with him, so he turned around.

The Image from those Dreams and Nightmares that Never Left Me

That was the point that I would wake up screaming because when the elevator operator, who resembled me in the future, turned around, he had no mouth!

I woke up sweating, screaming and flailing my arms, but none of the words were coherent. I struggled in this dream to speak but I could not move my mouth at all. In every dream like this for close to a decade, I just sounded like Frankenstein when he realized that he was set on fire by the local mob. After this dream, I would sink deeper into depression.

A intense sadness that I could not shake.

The Same Dream With A Different Ending

About 10 years after after I had the first dream of the man in the elevator with no mouth, I had it again, in 2010. This was not new, because I had this nightmare many times during those years. However, this time was different. The frightening ending was no different, he turned around, and sure enough, he had no mouth. But, this time, when I woke up, I shot up to a sitting position on my bed as soon as I awoke and I was violently screaming a word that sounded like ‘zehhu’.

I was coming out of the same nightmare that I had seen for ten years, except this time, I woke and sat up at the same time and I screamed the word ‘zehhu’ at the top of my lungs, as loud as I ever screamed before.

I immediately knew that it meant enough! no more! I have had enough! I have to stop descending deeper and deeper into depression! The best visual I can think of to describe how I felt coming out of that nightmare is Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes dramatically protesting “NO” to the shock of the animal handler who was abusing him.

Everyone in the movie and the audience is stunned.

He is an ape and should not have the power of speech. So, when he screamed NO, it is just shocking! Similarly, I never had the power of speech in those elevator man with no mouth dreams and nightmares. But, this time, after almost a decade, I woke up to a sitting position screaming ‘zehhu’.

What that meant to me was that I cannot keep descending into depression. I was already fighting suicidal ideation. With more depression, it is not a big leap to really wanting to act on suicidal thoughts. There has to be a boundary. I think crying out zehhu was a primal scream, a subconscious message to myself, enough! Stop the intense sadness, do something to take care of myself, anything, start being productive.

No matter how many mistakes I have made, how much longer do I keep beating myself up over them?

Can I Say ‘Zehhu’ in Real Life and Act On It?

I never really thought about saying enough. In depression, I feel like I have been imprisoned and have no appeal and no exit out of my jail cell. Did I do something that deserves life imprisonment and isolation in depression? I felt that I did not hold the key for me to get out of jail. My memories, my losses, my failures, my dna, and anything else that contributes to depression, they held the key.

But this dream of Zehhu made me feel that I do have a key.

I have a say in this matter. Depression is not a physical prison, it is a mental prison. Perhaps, this zehhu is a key, and I started to forcefully tell myself zehhu, I have had enough, I want to be productive, I want to be heard, I want to speak. Once I started shouting zehhu out loud and to myself, that was enough to stop the downward spiral. I had been sliding down deeper for years.

I understood that if I did not stop, I had no boundary stopping me from going over a virtual or real cliff.

Dreams and Nightmares Can Change Your Life

This one word Zehhu helped me cross the bridge from depression to life. This one dream helped me climb out of the grip of suicidal ideation and helped me focus on being more productive. I think if I had used any word, in any language that meant to me means ‘That’s it, I have had enough! the results could be the same. I am still a work in progress, but these dreams and nightmares did change my life, for the better.

Shortly after that Zehhu dream in 2010, I started to take more action to get fitter and get stronger. That led me to the vineyards of Wolffer’s Estate in Long Island, NY, where I found the answer to my multiyear question of how to deal with depression without meds. Because the antidepressants were killing me. The lessons that I learned from nature that day helped me lose 75 pounds in 6 months, and create a ‘prescription’ to improve mental and physical health with a ‘fitness prescription’ and not drugs. First recover your health, and then build up your muscles, your strength, which is why the prescription is called: HM FIT RX™.

The formula is:

Eat Real Food

Get Good Sleep

Drink Enough Water

Take a Complete Rest at least One Day a Week

Do Deadlifts

Do Squats

Do Pushups and/or Bench Press

Start Moving Every Day – Walk and/or run/do the elliptical/swim/jump rope for at least 30 minutes a day

Think Good Thoughts

Speak the Words that You Want Your Life to Resemble

For 10 years I interpreted my elevator man with no mouth dreams and nightmares to the negative. That resulted in negative thoughts, self-flagellation and more depression. I got lucky because that one dream in 2010 when I woke up screaming Zehhu was the shock I needed to see the positive, that I could speak and I could declare to myself to be more productive and improve myself, my situation.

Dreams and nightmares can change your life. But, you must make sure to interpret all your dreams and nightmares to the positive, because how your dreams and nightmares turn out will follow your interpretation. Never interpret dreams and nightmares to the negative, only to the positive. Are you having the same dreams and nightmares and wondering what they mean? Please comment and share.

5 Depression and Obesity Links You Need To Know

By Rich Hashimashi, CPT - Last Updated April 30, 2018

how-to-stop-depression — Sorrowing Old Man Oil Painting by Vincent Van Gogh 1890, France — Current Location Kröller-Müller Museum Otterlo Netherlands

What You Need to Know About Depression and Obesity

Some people might wonder why I focus on both depression and obesity.

The simplest answer is because those have been my two most mortal enemies.

Depression and obesity have plagued me from an early age.

I have spent most of my life battling the consequences of both.

The more complex answer is something that I have always believed in but never had much evidence to prove that depression and obesity is scientifically linked.

If you are suffering from depression, there is a good chance that you are also overweight or will become overweight.

Depression and Obesity Have An Unusual Marriage

One partner gets the public eye and the other is hidden from the masses as much as possible.

Obesity is celebrated when a person can overcome it like on just about any major media outlet that you can think of, people are given a hero’s welcomes when they get rid of their excess fat.

I applaud that as well because we all know that not only is that person lighter and more disease resistant, so are the people around them happier.

We all feel better around healthy people.

Depression though on the other hand is rarely discussed and certainly I cannot think of many celebrated recoveries from depression that are extolled in the media.

Depression and Obesity are Joined at the Hip – If Not at the Waist

If you struggle with depression or obesity, focus on the most powerful habits to lose weight.

This will help you fight depression.

Because you can literally kill two birds with one stone.

We have to take the scourge of obesity and depression seriously.

Not only for mental health, but for physical health as well.

Depression and Obesity Complications are Inextricably Linked. Discover the Most Powerful Exercises to Fight Depression and Obesity Today. Infographic Credit © 2006 www.ObesityModel.com

Watch this Ted Talk by Rob Knight who drills deep down into our body to discover the unthinkable connections between microbes and our health:

Link between depression, abdominal obesity confirmed by new study

A new study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) confirms the relationship between depression and abdominal obesity, which has been linked to an increased risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease.

“We found that in a sample of young adults during a 15-year period, those who started out reporting high levels of depression gained weight at a faster rate than others in the study, but starting out overweight did not lead to changes in depression,” said UAB Assistant Professor of Sociology Belinda Needham, Ph.D.. The study appears in the June issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
“Our study is important because if you are interested in controlling obesity, and ultimately eliminating the risk of obesity-related diseases, then it makes sense to treat people’s depression,” said Needham, who teaches in the UAB Department of Sociology and Social Work. “It’s another reason to take depression seriously and not to think about it just in terms of mental health, but to also think about the physical consequences of mental health problems.”
CARDIA study scientists weighed and measured the waist circumference and BMI of study participants. The waist circumference was measured to the nearest half centimeter. CARDIA researchers also asked study participants in years five, 10, 15 and 20 to rank their own level of depression.
“Looking at the CARDIA sample data, we found that everyone, as a whole, gained weight during the 15-year period of time that we examined,” said Needham. “However, the people who started out reporting high levels of depression increased in abdominal obesity and BMI at a faster rate than those who reported fewer symptoms of depression at year five. In year five, the waist circumference of the high-depression group was about 1.6 centimeters greater than those who reported low depression. By year 20, the waist circumference of the high-depression group was about 2.6 centimeters higher than those who reported lower levels of depression.
“In contrast, a high initial BMI and waist circumference did not influence the rate of change in symptoms of depression over time,” she said.

5 Depression and Obesity Links You Need to Know

1. The hormone which links the two is cortisol, a stress hormone that is elevated when there are higher levels of abdominal obesity.

2. This study shows that higher levels of abdominal obesity is directly related to higher levels of depression.

3. Get the right habits to deal with either depression or obesity and you will likely manage the other much more effectively.

4. Needham examined data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, a longitudinal study of 5,115 men and women ages 18-30 that aimed to identify the precursors of cardiovascular disease.

Needham studied the data to test whether body mass index (BMI) — weight divided by the square of one’s height — and waist circumference were associated with increases in depression or whether depression was associated with changes in BMI and waist circumference during a period of time.

5. Needham said there have been reports showing that cortisol, a stress hormone, is related to depression and abdominal obesity.

“So, there is reason to suspect that people who are depressed would have higher levels of abdominal obesity versus other parts of the body because of elevated cortisol,” she said.

Conclusion

Depression is not usually an illness which is thought to be easily preventable, but obesity sure is.

If you learn the most powerful habits and exercises to lose weight, you will also be learning the best habits and exercises to fight depression.

A person who is dealing with depression and obesity is under incredible stress and unfortunate risk.

If you yourself are or you know someone who is, please help them by referring them to resources who can help, this is the reason that hashimashi.com exists, to help people deal with depression and obesity.

I cannot remember whether I was first aware of my depression or my obesity, but both were from an early age.

As a kid I was called chunky, husky, chubby and fat.

I was also called smiley because I never smiled.

Few people suspected that children could have depression.

My mom lamented the fact that she did not know why I was so unhappy as a kid.

I knew one thing though.

When I worked out, I felt some relief from my depression demons.

After joining the corporate world, my depression and obesity kept creeping up.

Until they both hit alarming levels.

After divorce, I found myself at 275 pounds.

On a slew of antidepressants with terrible side effects.

Stumbling On a Way to Treat Depression and Obesity

In a new york city deli at midnight, I stumbled upon a cure for obesity while searching for depression help.

I hope this plan will be useful to you or someone that you love.

Believe me, if you can help someone who is suffering from either depression or obesity, you are a hero, even if that person is yourself.

My own waist circumference was near 50 inches before I began to practice the benefits of deadlifts, squats, pushups, presses and real food.

After only ten months of this practice, what I call the Hashi Mashi plan, my waist was 31 inches and I was definitely feeling better in my mind as well.

The study above gives us scientific data for something which we have always felt to be true.

How many times have you heard of the phrase “fat and depressed”?

Now we know why, because they really are connected by the same stress hormone called cortisol.

More studies are needed to determine the underlying causes for weight gain among those who reported being depressed, Needham said.

We can do our own survey here.

Please leave a comment if you are fighting both depression and obesity and when you became aware of both as an issue in your life.

Or if you know someone who is, please tell us the story anonymously of course and how you or they have been dealing with the depression and obesity and has it been successful.

Here are a few articles to help deal with depression:

How to Help Depression and Obesity

11 Tips for Treating Depression

Got Depression and Obesity? Have you tried Deadlifts and Squats?

What do you think the best way is to treat depression and obesity?

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of Alabama at Birmingham. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

B. L. Needham, E. S. Epel, N. E. Adler, C. Kiefe. Trajectories of Change in Obesity and Symptoms of Depression: The CARDIA Study. American Journal of Public Health, 2010; 100 (6): 1040 DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.172809

Cite This Page:

University of Alabama at Birmingham. “Link between depression, abdominal obesity confirmed by new study.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 14 June 2010.

Depression Statistics – Urgent Wake Up Call for the USA

By Rich Hashimashi, CPT - Last Updated September 5, 2018

According to new depression statistics, India suffers the most years of life lost due to disability or death caused by depression and anxiety. (Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)

Depression statistics show that the United States has failed in the area of mental health.

Depression has cut short the lives of many Americans.

How can the U.S. be among the most depressed countries in the world?

Don’t we have the latest and greatest anti-depressants designed to relieve depression?

Are we not the most technologically advanced?

Aren’t our living standards and access to food, medicine and entertainment sufficient to snuff out depression?

Only 40 percent of people in the U.S. who are struggling with a mental health crisis receive mental health care.

And there are only 13 psychiatrists per 100,000 people in the U.S.

Is the answer more psychiatrists?

Clearly, the answer is no.

The U.S. will keep getting the same sad results we see in these depression statistics.

As long as we continue to rely on antidepressants and psychiatrists to heal mental illness.

U.S. Among Most Depressed Countries in the World

Mental health issues cut the most years off of life in Asia and the U.S.

By Deidre McPhillips | Data Reporter Sept. 14, 2016, at 10:05 a.m

The U.S. is one of the most depressed countries in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

In terms of quality years of life lost due to disability or death, the U.S. ranked third for depressive disorders.

India, China and the U.S. are the countries most affected by anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

What Percentage Receive Medical Care?

About one in five adults in the U.S. experiences some form of mental illness each year.

This is according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

But, only 41 percent of those affected received mental health care or services in the past year.

In August, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton released a plan to reform the mental health system in the U.S.

A favorable step for advocates who have cited issues such as an insufficient number of providers.

And the expensive costs of medication.

Closing the gap between mental health patients and providers is a global issue.

“In 2014, 45 percent of the world’s population had less than one psychiatrist to serve 100,000 people,” according to WHO.

Psychiatric Care Availability

Asia has an especially low concentration of psychiatrists.

Perhaps the cause of the region’s high overall burden of mental illness.

Europe has the highest, led by Monaco, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Each of the aforementioned countries, with between 20 and 40 psychiatrists per 100,000 people.

The U.S. and Canada have about 13 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, according to the World Health Organization.

According to WHO, here are the countries with the greatest burden of disease for mental and behavioral disorders.

Specifically, in terms of most years of life lost due to disability or death adjusted for population size.

Here are the 2016 worldwide depression statistics:

Overall	Depression	Anxiety	Alcohol & Drug Use
China	India	India	China
India	China	China	India
U.S.	U.S.	U.S.	U.S.
Russia	Indonesia	Brazil	Russia
Brazil	Brazil	Indonesia	Brazil
Indonesia	Russia	Pakistan	U.K.
Pakistan	Pakistan	Bangladesh	Germany
Bangladesh	Bangladesh	Nigeria	Mexico
Nigeria	Nigeria	Turkey	Japan
Germany	Iran	Iran	France

The Good News about World Depression Statistics

The good news about mental health is that there are other options and alternative treatments for depression.

If you lose a tooth, there is no way to grow it back.

But, if you are struggling with depression, there are other ways to manage your depression.

Your physical health and thinking patterns can both affect your mental health.

With better quality food and exercise, we can improve the health of our physical brain, our cells, our body.

You can change your thoughts, despite the negative thinking which is rampant around the world.

But, we can practice thinking better and more productive thoughts.

We can choose to think thoughts that empower us instead of tearing ourselves down.

Improving our physical health and thought patterns is an effective way to tackle these alarming depression statistics.

You can find an excellent system to manage depression here.

Please share how you manage depression in your life.

Goldberg’s Depression Test

By Rich Hashimashi, CPT - Last Updated September 15, 2017

Goldberg’s Depression Test Developer, Dr. Ivan K. Goldberg

Goldberg’s Depression Test was developed by Dr. Ivan K. Goldberg of New York, a world renowned Psychiatrist who specialized in psycho-pharmacology and depression.

Goldberg’s Depression Test is a simple, self-administered test that you can use to assess your risk factor for depression and if you should seek professional medical treatment.

About Dr. Ivan K. Goldberg

Dr. Ivan K. Goldberg attended Johns Hopkins University and New York University College of Medicine.He was founder of PsyCom.net in 1986, and a psychiatrist and a clinical psychopharmacologist in private practice in New York City.Dr. Goldberg also served on the staff of the National Institute of Mental Health and the Departments of Psychiatry of the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, and Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons.In short, Dr. Ivan Goldberg was a treasure house of information and practical knowledge in the field of mental health and depression.Goldberg’s depression test is a series of 18 questions to help you gauge your depression risk factor.If you find that you might be experiencing depression, please seek out professional medical help.

You can also browse psycom.net

which is a treasure trove of information which exists as the amazing legacy of Dr. Ivan Goldberg.

Goldberg’s depression test is just 18 questions, but psycom.net has over 30 years of mental health advocacy and a host of articles geared to steer a person suffering with depression in the right direction.

Take Goldberg’s Depression Test Now

When answering the following questions think back over the last two weeks and assess your feelings during this time frame.

Decide to which extent the individual statements apply to how you’re feeling.

Goldberg’s Depression Test is NOT a Diagnosis

While we are all grateful that Dr. Ivan created Goldberg’s depression test, it is important to remember that Goldberg’s depression test is a tool for self-assessment.

Goldberg’s depression test is not a diagnosis of depression.

You need to see a doctor face to face for a diagnosis of depression or any other illness.

If you suspect you suffer from depression, please contact your doctor immediately.

Why Goldberg’s Depression Test is So Critical

Check out the following infographic on depression and you can see why Goldberg’s depression test is so critical.

Depression is a worldwide epidemic and the illnesses and diseases related to depression make it urgent to treat depression as soon as possible.

Goldberg’s depression test will begin below after the Infographic.

Another useful test mostly used by professionals is the medical mnemonic sigecaps depression which you can read about over here.

Goldberg's-depression-test-infographic — Depression Facts Infographic – Credit aboutdepressionfacts.com – This is Why Goldberg’s Depression Test is Critical and Useful

Goldberg’s Depression Test Instructions

There are 18 questions on Goldberg’s Depression Test.

For each question, take a moment and note if you have been feeling this symptom at all and if yes, to what extent over the last two weeks.

If you do not have the symptom at all, then make no selection and your score for this question will be 0.

If you do feel some level of the symptom described by the question, then select one of the choices below the question where:

1 point means that you have experienced this symptom Just a little
2 points means that you have experienced this symptom Somewhat
3 points means that you have experienced this symptom Moderately
4 points means that you have experienced this symptom Quite a lot
5 points means that you have experienced this symptom Very much

Good Luck!

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