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If you experience depressive symptoms and feel sad all the time, you’re probably suffering from what doctors call a “unipolar” disorder. But some older people develop another type of depression called “bipolar” disorder or manic depression, in which their low moods alternate with episodes of mania or exaggerated elation. Although the disorder tends to show up earlier in life.

Here are the warning signs of mania. (Mania can also occur on its own, unaccompanied by periods of depressed mood.)

Unlike other types of depression, manic episodes tend to develop suddenly, within a period of days or weeks.

The person seems to be in an unusually cheerful or “high” mood all the time, although there may also be periods of suspicion or irritability that can lead to violent outbursts.

There’s often extreme physical and mental restlessness the person seems to be rushing around constantly from place to place, project to project, thought to thought.

Speech is unusually loud and rapid, and it’s difficult for someone else to stop or interrupt the flow of conversation.

The person spends much less time sleeping or resting.

There’s often a lack of judgment, which can lead to involvement in high-risk activities such as gambling, shopping sprees, new business ventures or investments, and sexual promiscuity.

The person may show signs of grandiosity or inflated self-esteem, imagining himself to be someone famous. Sometimes this can progress to actual hallucinations or delusions.

Manic episodes can be extremely debilitating for the sufferer and upsetting for family members who must cope with their relative’s frantic activity. In extreme cases the person must be hospitalized to protect him self and others. If you or someone you know seems to be suffering from manic depression or mania alone, it’s important to get treatment right away.

Your doctor will want to rule out delirium and eliminate the presence of an underlying physical illness such as a thyroid disorder. She will also examine whether the behavior might be a side effect of certain medications for example, some tranquilizers, ulcer drugs, antidepressants, anti-Parkinson drugs and amphetamines can cause manic symptoms, as can alcohol and cocaine.

Treatment for manic depression involves medication in the form of lithium salts, which can stabilize moods in about half of all sufferers. Because lithium usually takes about two weeks to become effective, you may also be given a short course of antipsychotic medications such as haloperidol, or other drugs such as carbamazepine and valproic acid, which can stabilize your moods.

Since lithium can be toxic in excess, you will probably need to have regular blood tests. Common side effects include thirst, frequent urination, nausea, diarrhea and weight gain. Here’s some advice to remember should you or someone you know be diagnosed with manic depression.

Most researchers now believe that manic depression is a hereditary disease involving an imbalance in brain chemistry. This means that the symptoms aren’t under your control, and you shouldn’t blame yourself for your behavior.

It’s absolutely vital that you continue taking your lithium, since you can easily suffer a relapse. If side effects are a problem, let your doctor know.

About the author:
It’s easy to blame certain symptoms on anxiety when they’re actually caused by illness. So you should know about proper anxiety medication that could help you cure from it, also some natural herbal supplements might be quite helpful in recovering fast.

While medication is extremely important in the successful treatment of depression, supportive psychotherapy may also be helpful.

It’s not uncommon for older people who are depressed to resist the idea of psychotherapy. You may not “believe in” psychotherapy as a way to resolve your problems. You may feel uncomfortable about discussing such personal, private matters with a stranger. Or, if you’re extremely depressed, you may simply find it difficult to summon up enough energy to see a therapist. But psychotherapy, which involves regular sessions of talking and listening to a therapist over a period of months, is extremely useful in treating depression for a number of reasons. It can help you identify negative patterns that may be contributing to or aggravating

your depression. For example, you may tend to put down your own accomplishments while at the same time you exaggerate how happy and successful other people are. You will be encouraged to understand these patterns in relation to your life experiences, including your childhood and your relationship with your family. This can relieve guilt and also help you start thinking more realistically and positively . Psychotherapy can help you resolve current conflicts and issues that may be contributing to your depression. For example, you may be having family or financial problems, or perhaps you’re experiencing stress due to retirement, chronic illness or the death of a spouse.

Finally, psychotherapy can help you deal with the negative emotional consequences of depressive illness. If you’ve been depressed, it’s not uncommon to feel a sense of guilt and worthlessness. You may feel that you’ve let other people down by becoming ill, and you may worry that your life will never be the same. Just talking about these feelings with a supportive, knowledgeable therapist can be a great relief. Psychotherapy can take many forms and occur in a variety of settings. In some cases, a spouse or other family members may be encouraged to attend with you. It’s important that you find a therapist with whom you feel comfortable, or else therapy won’t be effective. Your therapist should be someone who is experienced in treating older people and who is sensitive to issues that are more likely to arise later in life.

Just as you may have to try more than one antidepressant drug before finding the one that works for you, you may also have to try more than one type of therapy or therapist. You must also be patient when it comes to psychotherapy. The process of self-discovery and change is usually slow.

Many depressed people notice that psychotherapy “begins to work” at around the same time as their antidepressant medication starts to kick in. As you start to feel better physically and emotionally, you will find yourself taking a more active role in your psychotherapy.

About the author:
Tips and tricks for depression and anxiety relief. Also learn about some anxiety medication for better and fast recovery.

Equities rebound, led by technology firms

The mainland benchmark stock index rose from its biggest slump in seven weeks as airlines advanced after returning to profit and technology companies climbed on a government pledge to open up the industry.
Air China Ltd, the nation’s largest international carrier, jumped 7.2 percent to 10.62 yuan. Shanghai East-China Computer Co surged by the daily 10 percent limit to 17.52 yuan after the government said it will remove regulatory barriers preventing Internet, telecommunications and broadcasters from providing each other’s services. Jiangxi Copper Co, China’s biggest producer of the metal, gained 1.2 percent to 38.47 yuan on higher commodity prices.
The Shanghai Composite Index rose 42.89, or 1.35 percent, to close at 3215.55. The gauge lost 3.1 percent on Wednesday after the central bank unexpectedly raised the proportion of deposits that banks must set aside as reserves.
The CSI 300 Index, measuring exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen, gained 1.4 percent to 3469.05.
“Investments in industries related to high technologies are what the government encourages and will become an important driver for the economy,” said Zhang Ling, who helps oversee about $7.21 billion at ICBC Credit Suisse Asset Management Co. “The market is likely to remain volatile on concerns about further tightening.”
Hang Seng falls
Most Hong Kong stocks fell, led by developers, as China’s property prices rose at the fastest pace in 18 months in December, heightening concerns the government will rein in speculation.
China Overseas Land and Investment Ltd dropped 2.3 percent. Guangzhou R&F Properties Co declined 2.5 percent.
Shares gained earlier on increasing signs of global economic recovery. COSCO Pacific Ltd, Asia’s third-biggest container-terminal operator, advanced 3.9 percent.
The Hang Seng Index slid 0.15 percent to close at 21716.95, after gaining as much as 1.1 percent. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 1 percent to 12363.37.

Regulator ironing out nitty-gritties

China will soon clarify the rules and regulations on qualified foreign institutional investors (QFIIs) trading stock index futures in China, the country’s top securities regulator said yesterday.

Shang Fulin
“The regulator will work on the policies and regulations on securities companies, mutual funds and QFIIs in order to guarantee the smooth launch of index futures,” said Shang Fulin, chairman of China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) at a national conference on securities and futures supervision that ended yesterday.
CSRC will also enhance supervision on securities firms that provide brokerage services for index futures trading and improve the country’s cross-market supervision regime, Shang said.
Foreign institutions may be allowed to trade index futures using a portion of their QFII quota, but details on trading requirements are still unknown.
Analysts say opening the stock derivative market to foreign institutional investors would allow them to hedge stock-index futures against falls in the stock market as a better way to protect their profits.
Some foreign investors have already started preparing for the new business sector in China. Ke Shifeng, director of UK-based Martin Currie’s subsidiary in China, said $1 billion or 10 percent of the total QFII quota would likely be granted to foreign investors to put into the index derivatives market.
China’s securities regulator approved 94 foreign institutions, including Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Deutsche Bank AG and Goldman Sachs Group Inc, as of the end of 2009, to invest in the country’s bond and stock markets. The nation’s currency regulator, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, has granted a total quota of $30 billion to QFIIs.
At yesterday’s conference Shang also said that the regulator would introduce margin trading and short selling pilot programs at the appropriate time.
Last week the regulator announced plans to allow trading of index futures, margin trading and short selling in an attempt to improve the country’s capital markets with more investment options.
The new financial tools will help ease the volatility in the equity market and allow Chinese investors to profit from price declines for the first time.
Shang pointed out that the government’s economic stimulus plan has helped the market maintain safe and stable operations, but the international financial environment is still difficult and China needs to prepare for more complicated situations in the future.

China sets threshold for individuals to trade index futures

Any individual who wants to trade stock index futures must have 500,000 yuan (73,206 U.S. dollars) in minimum to open an account, said the Shanghai-based China Financial Futures Exchange (CFFE) on Friday.
Besides funds, an individual investor must pass an exam and has certain records on futures trade to participate in the investment, a CFFE spokesman said.
The Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission also issued draft regulations on requirements for stocks index futures investors Friday to solicit public opinions.
Compared with stocks and bonds, stock index futures are of higher risks and thus dealers must have enough special knowledge, funds and capacities to stand risks, said a spokesperson for the commission.
The regulations aimed to protect investors, especially small ones, the spokesperson said.
China’s securities regulator on Jan. 12 approved the CFFE to undertake stock index futures trade.
The State Council on Jan. 8 approved “in principle” the launch of stock index futures.
Stock index futures are an agreement to buy or sell an index at a preset value on an agreed date. Index futures would give investors a mechanism to profit from declines in stock prices, allowing them to hedge risks and helping ease fluctuations in the market.

Chinese shares rise for 2nd day on property developer, financial stock gains

Chinese equities edged up on Friday, rising for the second day, led by real estate developers and financial stocks.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.27 percent, or 8.6 points, to close at 3,224.15 points.
The Shenzhen Component Index gained 0.46 percent, or 60.18 points, to close at 13,264.37 points.
Combined turnover totaled 258.9 billion yuan (37.9 billion U.S. dollars), shrinking from 287.01 billion yuan on the previous trading day.
Gainers outnumbered losers by 541 to 310 in Shanghai and 494 to307 in Shenzhen.

Tech shares up on policy tweak

‘Internet of Things’ technology was developed to identify items in a company supply chain. [CFP]
 
Chinese investors are always fascinated by market concepts and their latest favorite seems to be companies involved in developing networks that could get every “thing” connected.
Last week, shares of electronics firms rocketed on expectations that the development of a new “Internet of Things” technology would revolutionize businesses in the country.
The technology, also called “sensor networks” or “Machine-to-Machine Internet”, refers to a network of all objects from daily life such as clothes, yogurt and books with radio tags that could be interconnected, identified and managed by computers.
Although the technology itself is not new, the market buzz started last Monday when the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) approved the establishment of a sensor network standards working group under the China National Information Technology Standardization Technical Committee.
The working group brings together institutions involved in research and application of sensor networks, including SAC and China Mobile, the world’s largest telecom carrier, to expand standardization in the field and to participate in international standardization efforts.

That move resulted in shares of Invengo Information Technology, one of China’s largest vendors of wireless RFID readers, surging by 57 percent last week. Fujian Newland Computer, which provides services in areas such as data identification, electronic payment and expressway information system, also rose 51 percent during the period.
But both companies issued statements saying that the “Internet of Things” technology was at an early stage and would not greatly impact the companies’ business in the near future.
Other Chinese listed companies involved with the “Internet of Things” technology include Xiamen Xinde, Datang Telecom, Eastcompeace and Inspur Software.
“Investors are betting that the involvement of China Mobile may boost the market,” said Duan Yingsheng, an analyst from Ping An Securities. “But, I don’t think the technology will bring in significant business benefits for the related companies in the foreseeable future.”
Duan said the “Internet of Things” technology was not comparable in significance to the emergence of the Internet in late 1990s, which gave birth to hundreds of technology firms such as Google and Amazon that completely changed the world we lived in.
He said Chinese investors’ fervor for electronic companies shares last week was due to the liquidity overhang in China’s stock market.
The concept of the “Internet of Things” could be traced back to 1999 when a research center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed the technology for identifying items in the supply chain of companies.
Many have since hoped that the technology could be widely used in daily life, such as connecting refrigerators online so that when you run out of milk, it would order milk online, debit the bill to your bank account and arrange home delivery automatically.

China issues 30 bln yuan bond to finance railway expansion

China’s Ministry of Railways (MOR) has begun to raise 30 billion yuan (4.41 billion U.S. dollars) to support railway construction through floating the first batch of bonds this year on the inter-bank bond market.
The bond issue comprised 20 billion yuan of 10-year bonds and 10 billion yuan of 15-year bonds, with a bidding yield rate range of 4.8 percent to 5 percent, said the MOR Tuesday.
Proceeds would be used to construct 32 new rail lines including a passenger line linking the two northeastern cities of Dalian and Harbin, which will boast a speed of 350 kilometers an hour, said the MOR.
Six securities brokerages, including Citics Securities, will underwrite the bonds sale.
Last year, State planner National Development and Reform Commission gave the green light to the MOR to issue 100 billion yuan of bonds, mainly to facilitate construction of 43 railway construction projects and locomotive purchases.
China plans to extend its rail network to 100,000 km by 2020 from 76,600 km in 2006, at an estimated 2 trillion yuan cost.

China Enterprises Index up 0.75% — Sept. 22

Hang Seng China Enterprises Index on Hong Kong Stock Exchange went up 93.21 points, or 0.75 percent, to close Tuesday’s trading at 12,511.55.
The H-shares index, initiated in August 1994 and readjusted on Sept. 7, 2009, tracks the overall performance of 44 major Chinese mainland state-owned enterprises listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Hang Seng China H-Financials Index moved up 164.72 points, or 0. 97 percent, to close at 17,154.49.
The H-Financials Index, initiated on Nov. 27, 2006, readjusted on Sept. 10, 2007, tracks the performance of nine major banks and insurers of the Chinese mainland.
Hang Seng Mainland Composite Index went up 29.16 points, or 0. 75 percent, to close at 3,924.23.
Introduced on Oct. 3, 2001 with the latest readjustment effective on March 9, 2009, Hang Seng Mainland Composite Index gauges the performance of 132 Hong Kong-listed companies with principal places of business in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.
Hang Seng China-Affiliated Corporations Index moved up 55.03 points, or 1.37 percent, to close at 4,072.01.
The index tracks the performance of 34 locally listed companies with a significant equity interest held by entities in the Chinese mainland.

Hong Kong stocks close 1.06% higher

Hong Kong stocks Tuesday opened84 points higher and their gains continued to expand before closing at the day-high of 21,701.14.
The benchmark index rose 228.29 points, or 1.06 percent, to end Tuesday’s session. Turnover shrank to 49.95 billion HK dollars (6.45 billion U.S. dollars) from Monday’s 57.50 billion HK dollars (7. 43 billion U.S. dollars).
China Enterprises Index went up 93.21 points, or 0.75 percent, to close at 12,511.55 points.
The properties sub-index became the biggest gainers among the four major stock categories, ending 1.47 percent higher, followed by the commerce and industry, 1.24 percent up. The finance edged up 0.86 percent and utilities rose 1.16 percent.
Blue-chips closed up in general. Banking giant HSBC Holdings ended 0.88 percent up to close at 91.75 HK dollars. Heavyweight China Mobile, by far the largest mobile carrier in the mainland, surged 2.42 percent to 80.3 HK dollars. HKEx, the sole exchange operator in Hong Kong, rose 1.29 percent, to 149.5 HK dollars.
Local properties also gained. Cheung Kong, the flagship of Hong Kong’s richest man Li Ka-shing, went up 1.71 percent to 100.8 HK dollars. SHK Properties surge 2.12 percent to 115.5 HK dollars. Henderson Land rose 2.81 percent to 51.3 HK dollars.
Mainland-based commercial lenders mostly closed up. Bank of China edged up 0.93 percent to at 4.33 HK dollars. ICBC rose 1.49 percent to 6.11 HK dollars. CCB moved down 0.46 percent to 6.46 HK dollars.
Chinese insurance shares generally finished higher. China Life moved up 1.98 percent to 36.15 HK dollars. Ping An edged up 0.23 percent to 65.1 HK dollars. PICC P&C gain 1.05 percent to 5.77 HK dollars.
As for energy shares, PetroChina rose 1.4 percent to 9.38 HK dollars, off-shore oil producer CNOOC gained 0.93 percent to 10.84HK dollars, while Sinopec Corp moved up 0.59 percent to 6.83 HK dollars. (7.8 HK dollars = 1 U.S. dollar)