sweet dreams replied: "Depression can be a tough thing to beat, but it is possible. I do agree in unusually severe cases, medicine may be required. However, if you are suffering the depression blues due to the economy, job loss, family problems etc, you can easily improve your mood and outlook on life without turning to chemical substances. Temporary depression is much easier to control than an on going chemical imbalance within the brain. Temporary depression can be managed through diet, excersize, and keeping oneself busy with activities and friends. A person is more likely to become depressed when they allow themselves to focus on what is wrong in their lives instead of focusing on what is right. In addition, many people may not realize that if you drink large amounts of caffiene it can actually work in reverse and make you depressed. Yes, caffiene is a stimulant in small doses. In high doses caffiene can actually drain you of energy and throw your whole nervous system out of wack. Caffiene is even worse when combined with high doses of sugar. Try to stay away from soda and large amounts of coffee and tea. Depression is a really hard thing to overcome, because you may feel like you just don't have the energy to get up and get on the road to feeling better. Just remember, the first few days are the hardest. If you can jump that hurdle, you're home free. Light therapy is considered one of the most effective treatments for depression. We often become depressed in the winter due to lack of sufficient sunlight. Make an effort to spend some time outside each day. If it is too cold, make an attempt to keep your curtains wide open. Start with music. This are great if you just don't have the motivation to get up off the couch; it is a very passive method of treatment for depression. Choose upbeat music, and hopefully, the chemical in your brain called dopamine will hopefully encourage you to get up and dance. And you should - you have every reason to be happy. Try art. You don't have to be a Picasso or Van Gogh. In a low point in my life, I chose my favorite famous painting and replicated it. It was somehow very therapeutic to recreationally do something that our forefathers did to survive. Buy paints (or crayons, whatever you want) and have fun. Get outside. There's something about nature that can set your body back to the way it should feel. Take a hike, go camping, go swimming in a lake, look for nice rocks at the beach, or just listen to the waves crash. Whatever gives you peace, do it. Enlist friends to join you in some of these activities. Studies have shown that people with more people to talk to are more likely to beat depression, or less likely to suffer from it in the first place."

Annabelle replied: "Excess mucous isn't related to stress and anxiety. If you had something serious, your blood test and other tests would have indicated it...so I think you should relax that it ISN'T SERIOUS. You can get a sore throat from too much mucous, especially if you have a postnasal drip. Mucous is somewhat caustic and can irritate your throat. It can also irritate your stomach and headaches can be upsetting to your stomach too. If you had a sinus infection, you would be blowing out lots of green mucous. You probably do suffer from sinusitis. You probably should inquire about some Flonase and an antihistamine like Allegra to dry things up. I am not sure about the joint pain or rib pain, but if it is NOT constant, that is good. If it is once in awhile then I doubt it is a serious condition. Your headaches could be caused by the sinusitis and/or the anxiety. Hopefully the Prozac will help in this area. If you feel you need to see your doctor again then you should just call and go in for another appointment and talk to him about the sinuses."