• `It's not easy to fight with the thoughts that keep you chained to depression'

  Sarah is a 20-year-old student with a history of depression as a teenager. "I used to cry a lot and felt awful, especially at this time of the year," she recalls. p
  

• Changing the patterns that cause burnout

  The revelation by the Tanaiste, Mary Harney, that she suffered from "burnout" during the summer months is yet another example of the stress of working life. She told Marion Finucane on RTE radio: "In the beginning of summer, I was suffering from burnout. It was a question of so many things coming together." p
  

• Lifelines

  Energy drinks: Driver sleepiness is believed to cause at least 10 per cent of all road accidents. New research from Loughborough University in Leicestershire, England has found that when sleepy drivers drink between 250 ml and 500 ml of a functional energy drink (Red Bull was the tested drink), sleep-related incidents were practically eliminated for the following 90 minutes. p
  

• Depression's return journey

  "Recovery from depression is a journey rather than a destination. . . Recovery does not mean the absence of feeling vulnerable. It means discovering a new strength in ourselves which accepts our vulnerabilities without being crushed by them. Someone who has truly recovered from depression is someone who carries with them a greater awareness of how weak they are, but also a realisation that their true self is not defined by their fragility." p
  

• Importing the peaceful touch

  `The letters used to jump up and down in front of my eyes. After the therapy, they simply weren't hopping any more." This simple yet startling description comes from a 25-year-old woman who had suffered from a form of dyslexia for years before she finally found help from her massage therapist. New research in Sweden has found that massage combined with co-ordination exercises can bring about great improvements in children who suffer from dyslexia, behavioural and emotional problems and poor concentration. Cranial osteopaths are reporting similar success stories with such children and with others who have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. In some cases, the children's quality of life improves significantly, enabling them to feel better about themselves and thus tackle their problems. Complementary therapists in these two fields are now gaining recognition for their work with children in Ireland. Massage therapist Katie Losty has recently returned to Ireland, after six years working in Sweden. "The majority of children who have been found to have dyslexia also have mobility problems. Swedish research has found that many of them skipped the crawling stage of their development," explains Losty. While in Sweden, Losty studied with Ann Chatrine Jonsson at the Axelsons Gymnastic Institute, Stockholm (the oldest and most renowned complementary medicine centre in Sweden). After 20 years working as a remedial teacher, Jonsson initiated a programme of massage and dyslexia training. In this programme, co-ordination exercises are incorporated into a treatment plan for each individual child alongside massage therapy. Now working from the Sandycove Health Clinic in Co Dublin, Losty uses co-ordination exercises such as jumping, eye movements, finger tapping and pen movements. Many of these exercises have already been incorporated into other exercise programmes for children with learning difficulties. However, the unique aspect here is the addition of the massage therapy. "I've been amazed at how young children will settle down for a massage. I use aromatherapy oils in some cases to help them stay calm and I teach them abdominal breathing to keep them grounded," she says. Using techniques she learned in Sweden, Losty works with acupressure points on the body, particularly those under the eyes - which are believed to improve visual acuity. She also includes a facial massage in the treatment. "In Sweden, this combined use of co-ordination exercises - which the children must practice daily at home - and massage is well known in educational circles. Massage is introduced to schoolchildren in Sweden as the peaceful touch. There, they have found that when children learn to massage each other's backs, it has helped to reduce violence and aggression in schools." p
  

• Me and My Stress

  Main causes of stress p
  

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