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Anxiety By admin 0 Comments

Too often we hear phrases like –“it’s no big deal,” “just do it,” or “you can get over it,” to name a few.  While those words are often uttered by well-meaning people, it’s time for those who suffer silently to stand up and be counted.  Ok, maybe being counted isn’t that important –but as someone who advocates for people with mental health issues, perhaps this is my time.

We hear about all sorts of medical ailments and their impact on a person or a collective of people close to those who suffer. For example, heart-attacks being a silent killer, and Alzheimer’s being a slow painful goodbye to mention a couple of the big ones.  But what happens to the people who are suffering silently with feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness? Those who are trying to keep things together as they agonize over these major key factors in depression.  What about those whom are crippled by debilitating anxiety and are without a partner or other means to support them, Somehow, they must find a way to get up, get going, and function in spite of the discomfort they experience on a constant basis.  For those of you who believe that mental health issues and seeking treatment no longer comes with a stigma, let me provide you with the facts.

To date, there are approximately 40 million people in the US age 18 and older suffering from anxiety disorders and only 36.9% are seeking treatment.

Let that really sink in. Now, people don’t seek help for multiple reasons. For many, they suffer alone, fearful their employers, family or friends will find out and think less positively about them. It can also make the person suffering extremely embarrassed to be brought in to see someone, while parents, spouse or sibling explains what’s “wrong” with the person.

So, for those that do not seem to be bothered by feelings of uneasiness, discomfort, panic, extreme sadness, fear of things you can’t control, or have never experienced the difficulty it may take to just get through the day, here are some helpful tips for helping those in your lives who are suffering.

1.ENCOURAGE THE GOOD – DON’T HARP ON THE BAD.

Do not point out what the person is not doing (like grooming themselves, eating, being friendly, or finding joy in life).  Instead tap into what that person loves and encourage their effort to do something positive.  Perhaps bring over a food you know is their favorite, some music you know they like, or go with them for a walk. Let them talk to you without the pressure of feeling that they need to.

 2.  ENCOURAGE THEM TO ENGAGE

Find something lighthearted to discuss and focus on. Something you think may calm them and make them feel comfortable, and safe.

3.  BRING YOUR PET FOR A VISIT

If the person in question love pets, bring yours for a visit.  Animals sense tough times and can oftentimes ease tension and sadness. Grab your furry friend and bring them over for a cuddle session.

4. PICK THEM UP (IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE)

Offer to pick them up and bring them to your home for a meal and quiet evening. If they decline offer to bring dinner to them and spend the afternoon or evening. Show them that you’re showing up for them, one way or another. The best pick-me-ups are times well spent with good people.

5. JUST. LISTEN.

If your friend starts to talk with you about things going on in their lives – listen and don’t offer advice unless asked. This is a good time to suggest professional help, especially if you do not have an answer that you believe can be helpful.

6. DID WE MENTION LISTEN? ALSO, ENCOURAGE.

If your friend is fearful of engaging in certain activities DO NOT dismiss their fears by saying they should, “get over it,” or by giving them factual statistical information. When someone is dealing with an irrational fear, your attempt to soothe them by educating them on why (YOU feel) they are being ridiculous may enrage them and push them away from you…not soothe them.

7. THE SOCIAL ANXIETY STRUGGLE IS R-E-A-L.

Anxiety affects 15 million adults or 6.8% of the U.S. population.   And, only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.  While it may be difficult to relate to; especially if you are an outgoing person, be aware that 36% of people with social anxiety disorder report-experiencing symptoms for 10 or more years before seeking treatment.  While you may find it easy to talk to strangers, go into new situations without knowing anyone, or readily go places alone, there are many that struggle just going to the grocery store.

8. JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T “SEE IT” DOESN’T MEAN IT’S NOT THERE

Because you do not see someone crying, shaking, or “freaking out” doesn’ mean that they are not having a hard time.  People who suffer from anxiety especially chronic/long-standing have had to learn two things —

One, to cope with it the best they can, and two, to hide it from those around them. Panic disorders affect 6 million adults or 2.7% of the US population.  And, women are twice as likely to be affected as men.

9. BE AWARE & RESPECTFUL

People who suffer anxiety and depression often have feelings of guilt, shame, and embarrassment. Those who are in the throws of anxiety typically prefer to keep it to themselves. It’s rare they’d announce it to you, nor would they particularly want you to tell others. That is one of the reasons they do not seek help. If they do decide to share that information with you, respect their privacy, and be supportive and secretive with that information.

10. ANXIETY & DEPRESSION

Oftentimes depression accompanies anxiety.  Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide.  Almost 75% of people with mental heath issues remain untreated in developing countries with almost 1 million people taking their lives each year.  1 in 13 globally suffer from anxiety.

Bottom-line is this.  Just because you can’t see it, and certainly because you don’t feel it, does not mean that it does not exist in another person.  Do not try to convince them that what they are feeling is not real.  Instead, try offering support, reassurance and understanding.  And if rappelling down a mountain, jumping out of a plane, or running with the bulls is not something they are interested in, perhaps you can see a movie or grab a cup of coffee with them instead.

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Anger Anxiety Couples Therapy Relationships Self-improvement Stress Therapy Uncategorized By admin 0 Comments

2 + 2

2+2 = 4 may not always be the best way to solve the problem.

Have you ever wondered what mental health has to do with relationships?  People in their interactions with others often talk about their partner and what they have done wrong, what drives them bananas about their partners, or just why something isn’t working in their personal relationships. We all have a tendency to point the finger at the other person when questioned about why the relationship might not be working.  And while the adage says “it takes two”, the truth is, oftentimes there are more than two people present than just the couple.  Let me explain.

When relationships are formed with new partners, it is inevitable that the person does not come to the other with a blank slate.  There are previous partners, prior experiences and interactions, not to mention the history that is carried from families of origin and early childhood experiences.  And while physical chemistry plays an important role, we tend to be drawn to people who are somewhat familiar in their demeanor, mannerisms and overall presentation.   The beginning of a new romance is typically the fun and exciting part; but, what happens after the initial attraction diminishes and a sense of discomfort arises?  And why when the chemistry was so strong, does the feeling of overall well-being not continue?  Don’t most of us want to ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after?  It is not unusual for old relationships, previous experiences and preconceived belief systems to invade the current relationships we are in.  These previous experiences can sometimes wreak havoc with the way we interact and respond and some of the decisions that we make while with our new partner.

If you are beginning to have conflict in your relationship or are questioning the things that may or not be happening in the relationship you are in, you may want to consider asking the following questions:

 

  • Are you stuck in a pattern of choosing similar people each time in spite of looking for the opposite of your previous relationship?
  • If you missed the initial warning signs (and sometimes they are hard to see) when do you decide that you are in the wrong relationship and need to get out?
  • What attracted you to the person you are involved with?
  • Did the physical attraction change or the dynamics of the interactions change?
  • What are your expectations? Have they been met and/or have they changed?
  • What are you prepared to give to the relationship and what are you hoping to receive in return?:
  • Are you disappointed; and, how do you express that disappointment to your partner?
  • Can you identify the difference between being suffocated, and controlled?
  • Are you involved with someone who is physically present but emotionally unavailable?
  • Are you reluctant to leave your current relationship out of fear of missing the person you are with from fear of being alone and without a significant other?

Are you having difficulty answering these questions or responding affirmatively to many of the questions asked? Seeking professional advice can help you process your answers and guide you onto the path that you believe is the best for you to follow.  Having an objective opinion, gaining insight into your behaviors and looking at things rationally can benefit you greatly.  We are here to help and look forward to working with you. Call us, we can help you.

 

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Turning negatives into positives

Through the years, songwriters have written about how important it is to avoid negative thinking and focus on the positive. As emulated in popular songs from previous times such as: “Accentuate the Positive”, ”Sunny Side of the Street”, and “Put on a Happy Face”, to more recent songs such as: Pharell Williams’ “Happy”, and Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off”, no one appears immune to having negative thoughts and experiencing feelings of the blues. The question of nature vs. nurture can be debated as to why some people always tend to go to a negative thought first; however, it is more important to focus on ways to become a more positive thinker than it is to figure out why. And for those that will argue that negative thinking has been a part of their life for as long as they can remember, please know that the more you practice positive thinking the more habitual and natural it will become. Here are some tips to help in becoming a more positive thinker:

  • Start by writing down the recurring negative thoughts you have.
  • Challenge those thoughts with at least one positive statement, Make the effort to add to this list even if you do not believe it will happen or apply to you.
  • Visualize positive things replacing the “not so positive thoughts you are having”.
  • Be mindful of your thoughts before you act on them. Try to act on the positive thought you are having. Some people think negatively as a way of avoiding disappointment, believing if they do not have positive expectations they will not be let down. Others may be in a frame of mind where they have to search for positives, and unless someone prods them they can’t think of any positives. Focus! Focus! Focus!
  • Try to step outside of yourself and act as if you were going to be making these choices for people you care about. Would you still be focusing on the “what ifs”, the “I cant’s” and the “never will happen to me” syndrome?
  • Do some yoga, meditation and/or some physical exercise. Endorphins are real and need to be released. Releasing these endorphins WILL make you feel better.
  • Make a play list of every positive song you can think of or research positive songs and put them on your playlist to listen to when you start feeling negative.

Remember that practice makes perfect. Just like brushing your teeth becomes second nature, so will going to a positive place with your thoughts. If you find that all your effort is not making a difference, it may be time to think about getting more professional assistance. Medication may also be an option. It may help get you past the depression you may be experiencing as a result of long-term negative thinking.

We feel what we think and we act as we feel. No one likes to be negative all the time. A professional can help.

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Early childhood depression alters brain development @MNT_psychology

The brains of children who suffer clinical depression as preschoolers develop abnormally, compared with the brains of preschoolers unaffected by the disorder, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Their gray matter – tissue that connects brain cells and carries signals between those cells and is involved in seeing, hearing, memory, decision-making and emotion – is lower in volume and thinner in the cortex, a part of the brain important in the processing of emotions. The new study is published Dec. 16 in JAMA Psychiatry. “What is noteworthy about these findings is that we are able to see how a life experience – such as an episode of depression – can change the brain’s anatomy,” said first author Joan L. Luby, MD, whose research established that children as young as 3 can experience depression. “Traditionally, we have thought about the brain as an organ that develops in a predetermined way, but our research is showing that actual experience – including negative moods, exposure to poverty, and a lack of parental support and nurturing – have a material impact on brain growth and development.” The findings may help explain why children and others who are depressed have difficulty regulating their moods and emotions. The research builds on earlier work by Luby’s group that detailed other differences in the brains of depressed children. Luby, the Samuel and
Mae S. Ludwig Professor of Child Psychiatry, and her team studied 193 children, 90 of whom had been
diagnosed with depression as preschoolers. They performed clinical evaluations on the children several times as they aged. The researchers also conducted MRI scans at three points in time as each child got older. The first scans were performed when the kids were ages 6 to 8, and the final scans were taken when they were ages 12 to 15. A total of 116 children in the study received all three brain scans. “If we had only scanned them at one age or stage, we wouldn’t know whether these effects simply were present from birth or reflected an actual change in brain development,” said co-investigator Deanna M. Barch, PhD, head of Washington University’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in Arts & Sciences. “By scanning them multiple times, we were able to see that the changes reflect an actual difference in brain maturation that emerges over the course of development.” The gray matter is made up mainly of neurons, along with axons that extend from brain cells to carry signals. The gray matter processes information, and as children get older, they develop more of it. Beginning around puberty, the amount of gray matter begins to decline as communication between neurons gets more efficient and redundant processes are eliminated. “Gray matter development follows an inverted Ushaped
curve,” Luby said. “As children develop normally, they get more and more gray matter until puberty,
but then a process called pruning begins, and unnecessary cells die off. But our study showed a much steeper drop-off, possibly due to pruning, in the kids who had been depressed than in healthy children.”

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Holidays

Holidays can be joyous festive occasions; but they aren’t necessarily so for everyone. While you are enjoying yours, be mindful of those whose lives have been touched by tremendous loss, grief and loneliness. Holiday time reminds some of just how much they miss the people who are not in their lives or how little they may have, instead of focusing on the things that are present.

There are extremes, those who have no worries, and share their joy and generosity and then those who ‘just get by.” However, what about all those that fall between the two; and, while they are functioning in the workplace and community they may be alone, unhappy and searching.

Here are some things to consider:

1. If you find that you will be alone for the holiday, seek out an activity that falls on the day you celebrate. Visit someone in a nursing home, volunteer at a local shelter, go to a service of some type, or visit a park, beach or even a coffee shop. There are always other people around that will provide you some conversation, a smile or a pleasant interaction.
2. Holiday time is also a good time to think about reaching out to those you have lost contact with from your past to consider rebuilding a hurt friendship.
3. If someone has experienced a recent loss, send a card and include a special thought for a difficult time. If you all celebrate together, it’s okay to talk about the loved one as doing so may bring you closer. Sometimes making a favorite meal or treat that person loved, singing a favorite song or playing their favorite music can be comforting as well.
4. Do something that gets you out of the house even if it is for a brief period of time. It may be to walk around the block, sitting in a chair outside or talking to a neighbor.
5. Think about what changes you need or want to make in your life. Reach out to someone close to discuss this. If there is no one, think about finding someone who can be objective and offer guidance.
6. Remember holidays pass and whatever the stress, distress or upset you may be experiencing, it should dissipate once the holidays pass.
7. If holidays are always stressful, this may be a good time to think about how you want it to be different next year. Make a commitment to make changes.
8. If you are alone, know that there are others just like you. There are many support groups, organizations and other resources that can help. One of the greatest holiday gifts you can give is that of friendship and support to others. Helping others can sometimes be as meaningful to us as it is to others.
9. Writing and setting New Year goals can help catapult you forward to the next year.
10. Stay focused on the positives in your life, the positives you want to have happen and most importantly the positives you can make happen.

Best wishes and Happy New Year to all.