Emails From Parents Who Have Tried "PC Tattletale"

“You might be surprised at what you find out is not what you expected. Thanks so much.”

“You can see everything that happen on pc and give the mother the opportunity to speak with children (or block) if necessary. This software just give me more peace of mind. I also think this software is affordable - especially with the fact that you can monitor 2 pc's!”

“There is simply no time for naivety in our society. With all of the temptations placed upon our kid's via the internet, we can't just assume that they're not succumbing to that temptation. We must put our children 1st, at all cost... and if they lose a little privacy as part of that cost, so be it!”

==> Click Here To Try This Parental Control Software  

“The latest information about FaceBook, MySpace, etc in addition to the publicity about chat rooms and unmonitored IM among children and others who pose as children made my wife and me decide we need to monitor much more closely. PC Tattletale had everything we wanted. We need to mandate accountability in our children and they need to know that the internet is not a private site--that everything they do and say is monitored by someone, and it might as well be their moms and dads catching them before something wrong happens. It is easy to use and monitors our children's every move. This will let us keep our children safe, teach them important lessons so they don't fall, and also let them learn that honesty and morality are always better than sneaking around accompanied by borderline behavior.”

“The installation and interface were very smooth and easy to use and geared more towards home/family use rather than office/employer/employee like comparable software. The single license for two computers was an awesome bonus. Especially compared to some other software in this category. When I accidentally downloaded and installed an older version of the software, I was notified by you and informed that I had the wrong version. The notification also included the links I needed to get the correct one and instructions necessary to remove and reinstall the software.”

“Thanks pc tattletale for saving my child from going down the right path. Had I not downloaded your software I would never have know the extent of his friend’s illegal activity. Thanks for helping me be a better mother.”

==> Click Here To Try This Parental Control Software  

“PC Tattletale keeps you informed on what your children deal with at school and helps you to understand situations and also provides material to discuss with them. I love being able to easily read their emails and chatting. It has brought up situations to discuss with our child regarding the use of bad language, the issues dealt with at school with friends, etc. I love it. Also, it is very easy to use.”

“PC Tattletale just makes me feel more at ease knowing that I can see everything that goes on MySpace is very popular among teens and the more I go through the many teens that display drugs and tell all I wonder where all the parents are. I have found a lot of information concerning my child’s friends and plans, so I think every mother should have a copy on the computer and find out what their child is doing.”

“PC Tattletale is the best parental control I have ever seen; with the added benefit that it also records activity so I can see where my children are going and what they are doing. If I don't watch my children and correct them when they are wrong then they will think that their actions have no consequences.”

“PC Tattletale has helped me to understand how my child is using the computer and the extent of their relationships online. I learned something very unexpected. It helped me to understand how my child thinks while doing homework. I was able to see how many times during the course of doing homework they got distracted by instant messages, music videos and web surfing. No wonder very little homework was getting done!”

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“PC Tattletale has helped me keep an eye on where he goes and I can also check people's MySpace sites by following where he has been.”

“PC Tattletale has enabled me to give them more freedom on the web and teaches them to use their good judgment in selecting what they do online. They know they will be held accountable for their actions, and if they get into something they shouldn't then PC tattletale is there as a safety net to allow me to protect them from something that might harm them.”

“My wife and I felt like we were in the dark with our child's life and the people that she hung around. We caught her lying about things she was doing and places she was going. So now since she basically lives on the computer, we know exactly what's going on at all times. PC Tattletale is the only way you're going to know what is going on all of the time. It's amazing all of the small details that get left out when talking to your child directly. It has helped build a trust. Our child knows that in order to use the computer, she has to have it monitored which has helped tremendously.”

==> Click Here To Try This Parental Control Software  

“My child does not know about the PC Tattletale program. Seeing where she goes, and says online helps me with "stories" and the "hypothetical scenarios" to teach her the importance of not abusing the internet or accessing inappropriate web sites.”

“It is good to see what the children are up to and if they are listening to the rules of the computer use and respecting your request. I like that I can see everything that is going on and what is being said in the chats and emails. My husband had a very ugly divorce and his ex is very bitter and with held access to his children for over 5-years, now that the child has come to live with us we need to be able to monitor what is going on, because the child did not come without many issues.”

“It has helped me keep an eye on where he goes and I can also check MySpace sites by following where he has been. It just makes me feel more at ease knowing that I can see everything that goes on.”

“It gives you a sense of security in knowing that you are taking care of your children while they are online. I loved the fact that it was so simple to use. I can't believe that it kept track of all the information.”

==> Click Here To Try This Parental Control Software  

“I was concerned about my 15 y.o. child and who he was spending time with and what they were like. Turns out that many of them are dealing drugs and committing crimes. If I had not downloaded PC Tattletale I never would have known what my sons and his friends were up to. He has since stopped hanging with these children who now have all been arrested on several occasions. My child is now spending his spare time in an organized sport that he is really enjoying while his ex friends are spending time reporting to a probation officer.”

“I was a computer consultant starting in 1997, and was going to many homes in the Atlanta area, and saw how many children were just given free rein on the 'net, simply because moms and dads were unaware of HOW to see or monitor what they were doing. I saw horrible stuff that parents had no idea about. Already, I've told at least 20 or so people about PC Tattletale PC monitoring software in about 2 years.”

“I tried many different programs and they either didn't work or were very difficult to install. PC Tattletale was extremely easy to install and worked right away. PC Tattletale has given me peace of mind. I no longer have to worry if there is something or someone trying to hurt my children.”

==> Click Here To Try This Parental Control Software  

“I told my children I was putting tattletale on our computer. Knowing that I am monitoring has worked well. Before PC Tattletale I found them on sites I didn't approve of occasionally, but with PC Tattletale they stay away from those sites. PC tattletale has made me feel much more comfortable with my children being online. I don't feel like they are going to be the targets of the many bad things that I know can happen on the net.”

“I purchased this software just in time. The insight the documentation provided allowed me to know what was going on and reference it thru possible other methods of access. I turned my child's attitude around just in time before she could have back strongly influenced by the wrong crowd of people. PC Tattletale offered great insight into what my child was thinking and feeling - rather than what she was telling me.”

“I like using the PC Tattletale because I feel more at ease knowing that I will be seeing whatever my child sees and I will be able to help him should he need help. The scary part is that I have learned that there are a lot more predators than I first realized!’

==> Click Here To Try This Parental Control Software  

“I have not been able to find another program that has all of the features this one has. My favorite is the screen recording, but I use them all. We've told our child over and over that the 16-yr-old girl talking to him on the internet may very well be a 50-yr-old man, looking for little boys who are gullible enough to believe him. With this program, there may still be a chance for someone to contact him once, but with me checking the recordings every day, I can end it before something bad happens.”

“I consider monitoring my kid's activities on the computer to have saved one of my children lives or from being abducted. My 2nd oldest child, when she was 13, (She turned 14 in April) had a chat with someone in a kid's chat room. He wrote to her that he was around 16 years old and in High School. He also lied about his location. After a while he wrote her a personal e-mail with things that a 13 year old shouldn't have read but made it sound like he wanted to be her boyfriend, etc. After doing some research on the computer myself, I found out this guy was 32 years old and lived in the same city as us! I was in shock and I admit, Upset!”

“I bought the program, for the concern of my grandchild, aged 13 & 15. When at my house, they spend a lot of time on myspace.com, and other questionable web sites, which greatly concern me. For my own peace of mind, (with my child consent), I decided to purchase this program, to monitor them. I think it's a wonderful program, and I’m thrilled to be able to know who they are chatting with and who they are emailing. My child and I are quite happy with the results.”

==> Click Here To Try This Parental Control Software 

“I believe in the adage "trust, yet verify" and that is exactly what this software allows me to do. I feel better knowing that as of yet my child relationships with older teens are above board. They are not trying to persuade her to do things that I feel are inappropriate. I know that if an inappropriate situation should arise, I will be able to protect my child from her own naivety.”

“I believe even the most trusted teenager needs to be monitored. A mother should always be one step ahead of their child/children. It makes it a lot easy to tackle a situation, than a problem.”

“I am one of the computer experts in my Church and I have received many inquiries regarding how to monitor child activities. I did some research and selected your product because it looked like it would do what others in my Church are looking for. It does and I am now recommending it to others. I also am considering holding some educational sessions to help them install and use your software effectively. The screen captures feature has given me great insight into usage of the family PC. We home school and this feature has helped us to discover and correct times when some of our children were "playing games" during school time instead of actively doing their school work.”

“Being a single mother, it gives me an extra set of eyes to protect my children. I know there are a lot of moms and dads that would be surprised what their children are doing. I was and I'm glad I was able to put a stop to it by using PC Tattletale.”

==> Click Here To Try This Parental Control Software  

“Although I have good children, I know they are susceptible to influences from others and sometimes don't use good judgment in what the post on the internet. This way I can keep an eye on everything to make sure they are safe and not getting involved in anything questionable.”

“After learning hearing so much about the chat rooms, my space, FaceBook and other sites children frequent today I became concerned with my child on the computer for hours at a time. Purchasing PC Tattletale put my mind at ease. I now know who my child chats with, what they say and of course the web sites he visits.”

‘I like the fact that it is hidden and only I can access it and see all that goes on the computer and Internet It’s a great program!’

‘I feel that there is too much pornography on the internet, and way too easy to access. I therefore decided to try out your product to ensure all kinds of unsuited material would be inaccessible from our personal computer. The program was good at preventing the material reaching our PC too.”

‘I always wanted to know what my child did online - but I felt it was an invasion of his space. But after a Dr. Phil show where he said I had an obligation to know so I bought the program and boy am I glad I did!’

‘As moms and dads we have the right to know exactly what our children are doing on the internet. It's nothing different than getting to know their friends and find out what they are doing. The internet is great but also can be very dangerous, and PC Tattletale has helped me understand my child's way of thinking and also be on the watch out mode for friends that I don't want her hanging out with.”

‘As a parent it is our responsibility to teach our children about internet safety. But, I do also understand that some children don't realize the true consequences of the harm that can happen when they talk to strangers or view harmful material online. By using this monitoring software I am able to see if my children are at risk to any predators online. I looked into several other programs and so far PC Tattletale has the best features.”

==> Click Here To Try This Parental Control Software  

PC Tattletale: Parental Control and Internet Monitoring Tool

PC Tattletale offers a complete Internet Monitoring and Parental Control Software solution, that's unmatched in the industry. PC Tattletale Parental control software contains all the PC monitoring tools you'll need to keep your youngster safe - in a single easy to use software suite!

Your purchase of one (1) PC Tattletale registration key lets you use the software on TWO computers at NO extra charge! Also, they give you a 7 day FREE trial.

Check out these features:

1. Advanced Keystroke Logger - Records all keystrokes including passwords, "hidden characters" and true keystrokes too - including MySpace.Com and FaceBook.Com account passwords.

2. Email Monitoring - PC Tattletale captures both in AND outbound mail, records Outlook and Outlook Express, AOL Email, Eudora, SMTP/POP3 Email, MS Exchange Email, Hotmail, Yahoo Email, MSN System Email and Google Gmail. PC Tattletale can even send you copies of your youngster's emails in REAL TIME so you'll know what's going on even if you're at the office!

3. PC Tattletale captures the name of each software program that your youngster used, when that program was started and how long the program was active.

4. PC Tattletale makes it easy to keep tabs on what your youngster is doing on MySpace.com and other social networking web sites. Using the powerful screen capture and key stroke recording technology, PC Tattletale makes it easy for you to see exactly what they post on their MySpace.com account, what their password is, what they are say when they use My Space to chat, instant message and much more!

5. PC Tattletale solves the problem of helping you stay on top of what your youngster does when you're not there to watch over their shoulder. And it gives you the tools to invisibly monitor your youngster and help keep them safe on the Internet.

6. Powerful Chat Recorder - Records all chat sessions and Instant messages - Captures both sides of ANY Chat conversation or Instant Message, including: Facebook, AOL Chat Rooms and Instant Messenger, AOL Triton ICQ Chats, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, AIM, Trillain chat, MySpace.com, and many more.

7. Screen Shots Captures - PC Tattletale's "DVD like" controls and playback makes it as simple as clicking the “PLAY” button to watch EVERYTHING your youngster did when they were online! PC Tattletale even separates the screen captures by user and date. This means you can focus only on the youngster you want to watch. You save time by zeroing in on suspicious activity. Works with Internet Explorer and Fire Fox too!

8. The special "Stealth Technology" -- Once installed PC Tattletale will not appear in the Windows Start Menu, Desktop, Task Manager, Program Files Folders, or even the Add/Remove programs menu because PC Tattletale is TOTALLY invisible to the user.

9. URL Specific Web Filtering and keyword blocking -- Specify any web site that you want blocked. If your youngster tries to go to a web site that contains that keyword, PC Tattletale displays a "404 Page not found error," leaving them wondering why they can't get into blocked site.

The company guarantees that if PC Tattletale Parental Control and PC Monitoring Software doesn't give you a window into your child's/teen’s online world, and the peace of mind to know exactly what they see, where they go and who they talk to, then they will issue you a complete 100% refund!

I have used this software since 2006. I highly recommend it! This is like having a trusted babysitter watching over your child's shoulder and reporting to you - in real time - exactly what's he or she is doing online!

You've got absolutely nothing to lose to try it!!

Mark Hutten, M.A.

Click here for a free trial ==> www.pctattletail.com

Dysthymia: Help for Depressed Parents

Dysthymia and Resolving Conflict

Conflict and disagreements are inevitable in relationships. Two people can’t possibly have the same needs, opinions, and expectations at all times. However, that needn’t be a bad thing! Resolving conflict in healthy, constructive ways can strengthen trust between people. When conflict isn’t perceived as threatening or punishing, it fosters freedom, creativity, and safety in relationships.

The ability to manage conflicts in a positive, trust-building way is the fifth key skill of emotional intelligence. Successfully resolving differences is supported by the previous four skills of emotional intelligence. Once you know how to manage stress, stay emotionally present and aware, communicate nonverbally, and use humor and play, you’ll be better equipped to handle emotionally-charged situations and catch and defuse many issues before they escalate.

Tips for resolving conflict in a trust-building way:

• Choose your arguments. Arguments take time and energy, especially if you want to resolve them in a positive way. Consider what is worth arguing about and what is not.
• End conflicts that can't be resolved. It takes two people to keep an argument going. You can choose to disengage from a conflict, even if you still disagree.
• Forgive. If you continue to be hurt or mistreated, protect yourself. But someone else’s hurtful behavior is in the past, remember that conflict resolution involves giving up the urge to punish.
• Stay focused in the present. When we are not holding on to old hurts and resentments, we can recognize the reality of a current situation and view it as a new opportunity for resolving old feelings about conflicts.


 Dysthymia and the Use of Humor and Play

Humor, laughter, and play are natural antidotes to life’s difficulties. They lighten our burdens and help us keep things in perspective. A good hearty laugh reduces stress, elevates mood, and brings our nervous system back into balance.

The ability to deal with challenges using humor and play is the fourth skill of emotional intelligence. Playful communication broadens our emotional intelligence and helps us:

• Become more creative. When we loosen up, we free ourselves of rigid ways of thinking and being, allowing us to get creative and see things in new ways.
• Simultaneously relax and energize ourselves. Playful communication relieves fatigue and relaxes our bodies, which allows us to recharge and accomplish more.
• Smooth over differences. Using gentle humor often helps us say things that might be otherwise difficult to express without creating a flap.
• Take hardships in stride. By allowing us to view our frustrations and disappointments from new perspectives, laughter and play enable us to survive annoyances, hard times, and setbacks.


Dysthymia and Nonverbal Communication

Being a good communicator requires more than just verbal skills. Oftentimes, what we say is less important than how we say it or the other nonverbal signals we send out. In order to hold the attention of others and build connection and trust, we need to be aware of and in control of our nonverbal cues. We also need to be able to accurately read and respond to the nonverbal cues that other people send us.

Nonverbal communication is another skill of emotional intelligence. This wordless form of communication is emotionally driven. It asks the questions: “Are you listening?” and “Do you understand and care?” Answers to these questions are expressed in the way we listen, look, move, and react. Our nonverbal messages will produce a sense of interest, trust, excitement, and desire for connection–or they will generate fear, confusion, distrust, and disinterest.

Part of improving nonverbal communication involves paying attention to:

• Eye contact
• Facial expression
• Posture and gesture
• Timing and pace
• Tone of voice
• Touch


Dysthymia and Emotions

Another key skill of emotional intelligence is having a moment-to-moment awareness of your feelings and how they influence your thoughts and actions. Emotional awareness is the key to understanding yourself and others.

Many people are disconnected from their feelings–especially strong core feelings such as anger, sadness, fear, and joy. But although we can distort, deny, or numb our feelings, we can’t eliminate them. They’re still there, whether we’re aware of them or not. Unfortunately, without emotional awareness, we are unable to fully understand our own motivations and needs, or to communicate effectively with others.

What kind of a relationship do you have with your feelings?

• Are your feelings accompanied by physical sensations that you experience in places like your stomach or chest?
• Can you experience intense feelings that are strong enough to capture both your attention and that of others?
• Do you experience discrete feelings, such as anger, sadness, fear, joy, each of which is evident in subtle facial expressions?
• Do you experience feelings that flow, encountering one emotion after another as your experiences change from moment to moment?
• Do you pay attention to your feelings? Do they factor into your decision making?

If any of these experiences are unfamiliar, your feelings may be turned down or turned off. In order to be emotionally healthy and emotionally intelligent, you must reconnect to your core feelings, accept them, and become comfortable with them.


Dysthymia and Reducing Anxiety

Develop your anxiety busting skills by working through the following three steps:

• Discover the anxiety busting techniques that work for you – The best way to reduce anxiety quickly is through the senses: through sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. But each person responds differently to sensory input, so you need to find things that are soothing to you.

• Identify your anxiety response – Everyone reacts differently to anxiety. Do you tend to space out and get depressed? Become angry and agitated? Freeze with anxiety? The best way to quickly calm yourself depends on your specific anxiety response.

• Realize when you’re anxious – The first step to reducing anxiety is recognizing what anxiety feels like. Many of us spend so much time in an unbalanced state that we’ve forgotten what it feels like to be calm and relaxed.


Dysthymia and Negative Thinking

Dysthymia puts a negative spin on everything, including the way you see yourself, the situations you encounter, and your expectations for the future.

But you can’t break out of this pessimistic mind frame by “just thinking positive.” Happy thoughts or wishful thinking won’t cut it. Rather, the trick is to replace negative thoughts with more balanced thoughts.

Ways to challenge negative thinking:

• Keep a “negative thought log”. Whenever you experience a negative thought, jot down the thought and what triggered it in a notebook. Review your log when you’re in a good mood. Consider if the negativity was truly warranted. For a second opinion, you can also ask a friend or therapist to go over your log with you.
• Replace negatives with positives. Review your negative thought log. Then, for each negative thought, write down something positive. For instance, “My boss hates me. She gave me this difficult report to complete” could be replaced with, “My boss must have a lot of faith in me to give me so much responsibility.”
• Socialize with positive people. Notice how people who always look on the bright side deal with challenges, even minor ones, like not being able to find a parking space. Then consider how you would react in the same situation. Even if you have to pretend, try to adopt their optimism and persistence in the face of difficulty.
• Think outside yourself. Ask yourself if you’d say what you’re thinking about yourself to someone else. If not, stop being so hard on yourself. Think about less harsh statements that offer more realistic descriptions.


Dysthymia and Eating Healthy

What you eat has a direct impact on the way you feel. Aim for a balanced diet of protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables.

• Boost your B vitamins. Deficiencies in B vitamins such as folic acid and B-12 can trigger dysthymia. To get more, take a B-complex vitamin supplement or eat more citrus fruit, leafy greens, beans, chicken, and eggs.
• Consider taking a chromium supplement – Some dysthymia studies show that chromium picolinate reduces carbohydrate cravings, eases mood swings, and boosts energy. Supplementing with chromium picolinate is especially effective for people who tend to overeat and oversleep when depressed. Aim for 600 mcg per day.
• Don’t neglect breakfast. A solid breakfast provides energy for the day.
• Don’t skip meals. Going too long between meals can make you feel irritable and tired, so aim to eat something at least every 3-4 hours.
• Focus on complex carbohydrates. Foods such as baked potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain breads, and bananas can boost serotonin levels without a crash.
• Minimize sugar and refined carbs. You may crave sugary snacks, baked goods, or comfort foods such as pasta or french fries. But these “feel-good” foods quickly lead to a crash in mood and energy.
• Practice mindful eating. Slow down and pay attention to the full experience of eating. Enjoy the taste of your food.


Dysthymia and Regular Exercise

When you’re depressed, exercising may be the last thing you feel like doing. But exercise is a powerful tool for dealing with dysthymia. In fact, studies show that regular exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication at increasing energy levels and decreasing feelings of fatigue.

Scientists haven’t figured out exactly why exercise is such a potent antidepressant, but evidence suggests that physical activity increases mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain, raises endorphins, reduces stress, and relieves muscle tension – all things that can have a positive effect on dysthymia.

To get the most benefit, aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day. But you can start small. Short 10-minute bursts of activity can have a positive effect on your mood. Here are a few easy ways to get moving:

• Pair up with an exercise partner
• Park your car in the farthest spot in the lot
• Take the stairs rather than the elevator
• Take your dog for a walk
• Walk while you’re talking on the phone

As a next step, try incorporating walks or some other enjoyable, easy form of exercise into your daily routine. The key is to pick an activity you enjoy, so you’re more likely to keep up with it.


Develop a Dysthymia-Recovery Toolbox

Come up with a list of things that you can do for a quick mood boost. Include any strategies, activities, or skills that have helped in the past. The more “tools” for coping with dysthymia, the better. Try and implement a few of these ideas each day, even if you’re feeling good.

1. Do something spontaneous.
2. List what you like about yourself.
3. Listen to music.
4. Play with a pet.
5. Read a good book.
6. Spend some time in nature.
7. Take a long, hot bath.
8. Take care of a few small tasks.
9. Watch a funny movie or TV show.
10. Write in your journal.


Dysthymia and Taking Care of Yourself 


In order to overcome dysthymia, you have to nurture yourself. This includes making time for things you enjoy, asking for help from others, setting limits on what you’re able to do, adopting healthy habits, and scheduling fun activities into your day.

Do things you enjoy (or used to)—

While you can’t force yourself to have fun or experience pleasure, you can choose to do things that you used to enjoy. Pick up a former hobby or a sport you used to like. Express yourself creatively through music, art, or writing. Go out with friends. Take a day trip to a museum, the mountains, or the ballpark.

Push yourself to do things, even when you don’t feel like it. You might be surprised at how much better you feel once you’re out in the world. Even if your dysthymia doesn’t lift immediately, you’ll gradually feel more upbeat and energetic as you make time for fun activities.

Adopt healthy lifestyle habits—

• Practice relaxation techniques. A daily relaxation practice can help relieve symptoms of dysthymia, reduce stress, and boost feelings of joy and well-being. Try yoga, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation.
• Expose yourself to a little sunlight every day. Lack of sunlight can make dysthymia worse. Make sure you’re getting enough. Take a short walk outdoors, have your coffee outside, enjoy an al fresco meal, people-watch on a park bench, or sit out in the garden.
• Aim for 8 hours of sleep. Dysthymia typically involves sleep problems. Whether you’re sleeping too little or too much, your mood suffers. Get on a better sleep schedule by learning healthy sleep habits.

Fight dysthymia by managing stress—

Not only does stress prolong and worsen dysthymia, but it can also trigger it. In order to get over dysthymia and stay well, it’s essential to learn how to minimize and cope with stress.

• Go easy on yourself. Many depressed people are perfectionists, holding themselves to impossibly high standards and then beating themselves up when they fail to meet them. Battle this source of self-imposed stress by challenging your negative ways of thinking.
• Identify your stressors. Figure out all the things in your life that are stressing you out. Examples include: work overload, unsupportive relationships, substance abuse, taking on too much, or health problems. Once you’ve identified your stressors, you can make a plan to avoid them or minimize their impact.
• Plan ahead. If you know your stress triggers and limits, you will be able to identify and avoid many landmines. If you sense trouble ahead, protect yourself by dipping into your wellness toolbox and saying “no” to added responsibility.


Dysthymia and Cultivating Supportive Relationships

Getting the support you need plays a big role in lifting the fog of dysthymia and keeping it away. On your own, it can be difficult to maintain perspective and sustain the effort required to beat dysthymia. But the very nature of dysthymia makes it difficult to reach out for help. However, isolation and loneliness make dysthymia even worse, so maintaining your close relationships and social activities are important.

The thought of reaching out to even close family members and friends can seem overwhelming. You may feel ashamed, too exhausted to talk, or guilty for neglecting the relationship. Remind yourself that this is the dysthymia talking. You loved ones care about you and want to help.

• Join a support group for dysthymia. Being with others who are dealing with dysthymia can go a long way in reducing your sense of isolation. You can also encourage each other, give and receive advice on how to cope, and share your experiences.

• Try to keep up with social activities even if you don’t feel like it. When you’re depressed, it feels more comfortable to retreat into your shell. But being around other people will make you feel less depressed.

• Turn to trusted friends and family members. Share what you’re going through with the people you love and trust. Ask for the help and support you need. You may have retreated from your most treasured relationships, but they can get you through this tough time.