Anxiety isn't necessarily a problem, it is a primitive protective mechanism after all. However when it becomes persistent and interferes with daily life, it's called an anxiety disorder and it can affect about one in 20 people!
Anxiety: It's a feeling of dread or apprehension accompanied by a tightness in the chest and physical symptoms like sweating, trembling and rapid heartbeat. It's often caused by some change in our lives over which we feel we have no control. It might be a new date, an exam or a work performance review... or it could be something more serious like ill health.
Sometimes simply the passage of time helps but for others the anxiety persists and becomes much greater – even overwhelming – and quite out of proportion to the situation. It can make normal, daily activities difficult or impossible. This is when anxiety becomes a disorder.
One of the intriguing aspects of the problem is that there can be large variations in individuals' responses to stressful events. Some people survive a traumatic event without getting any anxiety, while others are almost incapacitated by seemingly trivial events. There's no one cause, however researchers have identified the following risk factors -
Genetic predisposition
Anxiety disorders tend to run in families
Personal characteristics
Researchers believe that people who have low self-esteem and poor coping skills may be prone to anxiety disorders
Biochemistry
It's theorised that some people who are prone to anxiety may have too many or too few neurotransmitters in the brain, however this is poorly understood.
There are several different manifestations of anxiety disorders including
* Generalised Anxiety Disorder - fears and apprehension about minor things;
* Phobias - a fear of specific situations eg heights, closed spaces, water, dogs, snakes or spiders;
* Agoraphobia - This is a fear of public places, especially crowds;
* OCD - constant unwanted thoughts 'controlled' by performing elaborate rituals like washing hands or checking things over and over;
* PTSD - frightening thoughts and memories following a traumatic event.
Treatment
Many people consider anxiety disorders are not 'real' health problems or that they are best dealt with by 'soldiering on'. Only about a third of people with anxiety disorders seek treatment. Fortunately, there are a range of effective treatments available. Some work well for some types of anxiety disorders and not for others.
Sometimes more than one therapy is needed. The treatment is most successful if it's tailored to the individual and, for the majority of anxiety disorders, psychological techniques offer the most successful forms of treatment.
The main types of psychological treatment are relaxation techniques, structured problem solving, graded exposure, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and EMDR.
Drugs are not as effective as psychological treatments. They do reduce anxiety, but only while being taken - when the medication is stopped, the symptoms return - and drugs can impair performance and cause dependence.
What help? Of course you can have treatment as a private patient. However currently in Australia psychological services can attract a partial rebate from Medicare. You will need a referral from your GP for this - usually for five treatments followed by a review with your GP.
Want more information? http://www.mentalhealth.asn.au/ada/
Resource: ABC Health & Wellbeing; Published 07/06/2005, Author Peter Lavelle
http://www.abc.net.au/health/library/stories/2005/06/07/1828950.htm
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
The Age of Aquarius ... the beginning?
“When the moon is in the seventh house
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars.
This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius…”
So goes the song in the musical “Hair”.
Tomorrow (14 Feb 09), the Moon is in the 'seventh house' and Jupiter aligns with Mars!
Just a bit of hippie, new age nonsense? Or should it be taken seriously as a visionary prophecy? Let’s take a look at the significance of astrology in events of spiritual importance.
Western astrological thought indicates that we have just gone out of the Piscean Age and entered the Aquarian Age. Each Cosmic Age lasts about 2,000 years and has its own atmosphere and world view due to the influence of the prevailing zodiac sign on all of the planets during their transit, as well as their configurations and the relationships between them.
Dan Costian (PhD), author of “Bible Enlightened”, relates how in each Cosmic Age a new avatar or incarnation of the Divine took birth on the earth in human form in order to reveal another aspect of spirituality to human beings. In the Age of Gemini (c6000 – c4000BC) this divine incarnation was Rama, in the Age of Taurus (c4000 – c2000BC) it was Krishna, and in the Age of Aries (c2000 – 1BC) it was Abraham, Moses, Zarathustra, Confucius, Lao-Tse and Socrates. In essence, the planets ‘set the scene’ by providing the atmosphere or mood of the time to harmonise with and to reflect the message of the incarnation of the divine of that Age.
The Age of Pisces extended from about 1AD to about the year 2000. The avatar or incarnation of the divine in this Age was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The early Christians used the symbol of the fish, the sign of Pisces, in order to recognise each other. The birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem had been foretold by the prophets and was heralded by a star in the East, which guided the Three Wise Men to the baby in the stable.
So what can we expect the Age of Aquarius to be like? Eccentricity, originality, independent thought, love of innovation and contempt for tradition are all strong traits of Aquarius so we can expect that there will be a shake up of the old order and a questioning of all ideas about society, religion and relationships. This will lead to a search for new ways of being. Under the influence of Aquarius people will not accept what others tell them and like to learn through their own experimentation and experience.
Aquarius encourages the progress of humanitarian and social causes so the Aquarian Age is one where pure love and altruism prevail. People work selflessly for the good of the whole, without exploiting or manipulating others.
Unity and integration are themes of the Aquarian Age. We can look forward to a truly multicultural world where individual differences are valued and respected while at the same time we are able to work co-operatively for the good of everyone. The sign opposite Aquarius is Leo which has an ennobling and enriching influence
Originality and innovation are qualities of Aquarius so we can expect inventiveness and creativity in all spheres of life.
The truth is another important aspect of Aquarius. All falseness and corruption should disappear. The appearance or exterior will be less important while the essence will be of utmost importance.
We can look forward to an end to ‘blind faith’ in religion and to a time when the mystical knowledge that has been hidden and kept secret will be revealed.
And on 16 September 1983 in the USA Shri Mataji said:
“Now very interesting it is to see that this Kundalini is the one which is called as the Kumbha – in Sanskrit language, means the Aquarius. We call it Aquarius, as one of the signs, and is the same as Kumbha in Sanskrit language. So it is the Age of Aquarius, is the Age of the Kundalini. Secondly is the Age of the Kundalini which will nourish, which is the Mother within you, which will rise, will give you the completeness of it, and which will connect you with your Spirit which ultimately gives you the enlightenment by which you become collectively conscious.”
Returning to the song ‘Age of Aquarius’
“Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind’s true liberation
Aquarius
Aquarius”
It would seem that these lyrics written by James Rado and Gerome Ragni in 1967 for ‘Hair’ were in fact prophetic and have proved to be good predictors of what was, and is still, to come.
Resource: originally posted by Kay Alford from Lyneham (Canberra) on 14/05/2008 at
http://www.theword.ezyzine.com/ThreadView.aspx?tid=4444
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars.
This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius…”
So goes the song in the musical “Hair”.
Tomorrow (14 Feb 09), the Moon is in the 'seventh house' and Jupiter aligns with Mars!
Just a bit of hippie, new age nonsense? Or should it be taken seriously as a visionary prophecy? Let’s take a look at the significance of astrology in events of spiritual importance.
Western astrological thought indicates that we have just gone out of the Piscean Age and entered the Aquarian Age. Each Cosmic Age lasts about 2,000 years and has its own atmosphere and world view due to the influence of the prevailing zodiac sign on all of the planets during their transit, as well as their configurations and the relationships between them.
Dan Costian (PhD), author of “Bible Enlightened”, relates how in each Cosmic Age a new avatar or incarnation of the Divine took birth on the earth in human form in order to reveal another aspect of spirituality to human beings. In the Age of Gemini (c6000 – c4000BC) this divine incarnation was Rama, in the Age of Taurus (c4000 – c2000BC) it was Krishna, and in the Age of Aries (c2000 – 1BC) it was Abraham, Moses, Zarathustra, Confucius, Lao-Tse and Socrates. In essence, the planets ‘set the scene’ by providing the atmosphere or mood of the time to harmonise with and to reflect the message of the incarnation of the divine of that Age.
The Age of Pisces extended from about 1AD to about the year 2000. The avatar or incarnation of the divine in this Age was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The early Christians used the symbol of the fish, the sign of Pisces, in order to recognise each other. The birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem had been foretold by the prophets and was heralded by a star in the East, which guided the Three Wise Men to the baby in the stable.
So what can we expect the Age of Aquarius to be like? Eccentricity, originality, independent thought, love of innovation and contempt for tradition are all strong traits of Aquarius so we can expect that there will be a shake up of the old order and a questioning of all ideas about society, religion and relationships. This will lead to a search for new ways of being. Under the influence of Aquarius people will not accept what others tell them and like to learn through their own experimentation and experience.
Aquarius encourages the progress of humanitarian and social causes so the Aquarian Age is one where pure love and altruism prevail. People work selflessly for the good of the whole, without exploiting or manipulating others.
Unity and integration are themes of the Aquarian Age. We can look forward to a truly multicultural world where individual differences are valued and respected while at the same time we are able to work co-operatively for the good of everyone. The sign opposite Aquarius is Leo which has an ennobling and enriching influence
Originality and innovation are qualities of Aquarius so we can expect inventiveness and creativity in all spheres of life.
The truth is another important aspect of Aquarius. All falseness and corruption should disappear. The appearance or exterior will be less important while the essence will be of utmost importance.
We can look forward to an end to ‘blind faith’ in religion and to a time when the mystical knowledge that has been hidden and kept secret will be revealed.
And on 16 September 1983 in the USA Shri Mataji said:
“Now very interesting it is to see that this Kundalini is the one which is called as the Kumbha – in Sanskrit language, means the Aquarius. We call it Aquarius, as one of the signs, and is the same as Kumbha in Sanskrit language. So it is the Age of Aquarius, is the Age of the Kundalini. Secondly is the Age of the Kundalini which will nourish, which is the Mother within you, which will rise, will give you the completeness of it, and which will connect you with your Spirit which ultimately gives you the enlightenment by which you become collectively conscious.”
Returning to the song ‘Age of Aquarius’
“Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind’s true liberation
Aquarius
Aquarius”
It would seem that these lyrics written by James Rado and Gerome Ragni in 1967 for ‘Hair’ were in fact prophetic and have proved to be good predictors of what was, and is still, to come.
Resource: originally posted by Kay Alford from Lyneham (Canberra) on 14/05/2008 at
http://www.theword.ezyzine.com/ThreadView.aspx?tid=4444
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Is It Safe To Order From Overseas Pharmacies?
A growing number of consumers are engaging in the potentially risky practice of purchasing medications and supplements from unregulated websites that ship from foreign countries.
The (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautions about this practice, especially about ordering prescription drugs without a valid prescription. Many drugs that are available from overseas pharmacies should be monitored by a health professional for effectiveness and for potential adverse events, FDA officials have said.
There are several different types of internet pharmacy portals, and some of them do follow safe medication practices. In the best-case scenario, a valid, legal prescription from a licensed prescriber is transmitted to the internet pharmacy, which then fills the prescription and mails it to the patient.
In countries that do require valid prescriptions, physicians may approve the orders without knowing anything about you (the patient). In this case, you don't know anything about the physician's qualifications either.
In contrast, legitimate prescriptions may be transmitted to pharmacies overseas yet may be filled with counterfeit, expired drugs, illegally diverted, or adulterated drugs. Even worse, you can order prescription medications online without first acquiring a legitimate prescription, as this gives access to potentially toxic or addictive medications without the oversight of a healthcare provider.
The dangers of bypassing a licensed prescriber and obtaining medications overseas are myriad. Perhaps the most troubling is the lack of a valid prescription, because you may be self-diagnosing and self-treating. Purchased medications may be addictive, be potentially toxic, or require special monitoring. There is often no assurance that the dosage is correct, nor is there screening for drug-drug or drug-disease interactions.
Additionally, some overseas internet sites sell drugs that have not (for very good reasons) been locally approved. Other concerns about drugs obtained overseas include inadequate or inaccurate labeling, inappropriate packaging and questionable storage and handling.
Online pharmacies are subject only to the laws and regulations of the countries where they are based. For example, in Canada and Australia, a valid prescription must be supplied before the medication is dispensed. However, in Mexico, many prescription drugs are sold over the counter and can be ordered over the Internet without a prescription.
So - Stay safe: consult your health professional and buy local.
Resource: Darrell T. Hulisz, RPh, PharmD
Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals, Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio.
Posted on 1/2/09 on
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/585137?src=mp&spon=17&uac=82196DX
The (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautions about this practice, especially about ordering prescription drugs without a valid prescription. Many drugs that are available from overseas pharmacies should be monitored by a health professional for effectiveness and for potential adverse events, FDA officials have said.
There are several different types of internet pharmacy portals, and some of them do follow safe medication practices. In the best-case scenario, a valid, legal prescription from a licensed prescriber is transmitted to the internet pharmacy, which then fills the prescription and mails it to the patient.
In countries that do require valid prescriptions, physicians may approve the orders without knowing anything about you (the patient). In this case, you don't know anything about the physician's qualifications either.
In contrast, legitimate prescriptions may be transmitted to pharmacies overseas yet may be filled with counterfeit, expired drugs, illegally diverted, or adulterated drugs. Even worse, you can order prescription medications online without first acquiring a legitimate prescription, as this gives access to potentially toxic or addictive medications without the oversight of a healthcare provider.
The dangers of bypassing a licensed prescriber and obtaining medications overseas are myriad. Perhaps the most troubling is the lack of a valid prescription, because you may be self-diagnosing and self-treating. Purchased medications may be addictive, be potentially toxic, or require special monitoring. There is often no assurance that the dosage is correct, nor is there screening for drug-drug or drug-disease interactions.
Additionally, some overseas internet sites sell drugs that have not (for very good reasons) been locally approved. Other concerns about drugs obtained overseas include inadequate or inaccurate labeling, inappropriate packaging and questionable storage and handling.
Online pharmacies are subject only to the laws and regulations of the countries where they are based. For example, in Canada and Australia, a valid prescription must be supplied before the medication is dispensed. However, in Mexico, many prescription drugs are sold over the counter and can be ordered over the Internet without a prescription.
So - Stay safe: consult your health professional and buy local.
Resource: Darrell T. Hulisz, RPh, PharmD
Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals, Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio.
Posted on 1/2/09 on
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/585137?src=mp&spon=17&uac=82196DX
Seven Habits (to Break) of Highly Effective People
During these tough financial times, many people feel they have to push themselves to unhealthy levels in order to succeed. But high-pressure jobs and long hours take a real toll on their immediate and future health. Whether running for president, moving up the corporate ladder, or juggling the family's activities, success may come at a hefty cost.
The 7 worst habits of these workaholics include:
Forgeting to relax: Some stress can be good because it keeps you alert and motivated; too much stress, however, will take its toll on your body.
Eating on the go: Beware of frozen meals, fast and processed foods that can be high in sodium, calories, and fat. The digestive system also works better when you are relaxed - so take 20 minutes, away from work/phone to enjoy a meal.
Putting off sleep for work: Lack of sleep can cause irritability, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, poor judgment, and obesity.
Not making time for exercise: Humans were not designed to sit at desks for 8+ hours a day. Exercise has been shown to reduce the risk for nearly every major disease and to help fight anxiety and depression.
Working when sick: Three common-sense reasons to stay home -
i) avoid spreading the infection,
ii) you'll be less productive, and
iii) you need rest to get better.
Drinking (too much): Moderate alcohol consumption has some proven health benefits, but excessive drinking can lead to alcoholism, liver disease, and some forms of cancer. Aim for four alcohol-free days a week - and don't binge on the others!
Skipping medical checkups: Depending on age, family history and lifestyle, a comprehensive medical checkup and special screenings is recommended every 1 to 5 years. It will only take between 15-60 minutes of your time - how much is your life worth?
Eventually, something's going to give: If you are burning the candle at both ends, the candle will melt in the middle and the flame burn out faster! Work at maintaining a healthy balance of work, rest and play and you will be happier and healthier overall.
Resource: Dr George Griffing, Professor of Medicine at St. Louis University and Editor in Chief of Internal Medicine for eMedicine. Posted 16/1/09 at
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/586037?src=mp&spon=17&uac=82196DX
The 7 worst habits of these workaholics include:
Forgeting to relax: Some stress can be good because it keeps you alert and motivated; too much stress, however, will take its toll on your body.
Eating on the go: Beware of frozen meals, fast and processed foods that can be high in sodium, calories, and fat. The digestive system also works better when you are relaxed - so take 20 minutes, away from work/phone to enjoy a meal.
Putting off sleep for work: Lack of sleep can cause irritability, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, poor judgment, and obesity.
Not making time for exercise: Humans were not designed to sit at desks for 8+ hours a day. Exercise has been shown to reduce the risk for nearly every major disease and to help fight anxiety and depression.
Working when sick: Three common-sense reasons to stay home -
i) avoid spreading the infection,
ii) you'll be less productive, and
iii) you need rest to get better.
Drinking (too much): Moderate alcohol consumption has some proven health benefits, but excessive drinking can lead to alcoholism, liver disease, and some forms of cancer. Aim for four alcohol-free days a week - and don't binge on the others!
Skipping medical checkups: Depending on age, family history and lifestyle, a comprehensive medical checkup and special screenings is recommended every 1 to 5 years. It will only take between 15-60 minutes of your time - how much is your life worth?
Eventually, something's going to give: If you are burning the candle at both ends, the candle will melt in the middle and the flame burn out faster! Work at maintaining a healthy balance of work, rest and play and you will be happier and healthier overall.
Resource: Dr George Griffing, Professor of Medicine at St. Louis University and Editor in Chief of Internal Medicine for eMedicine. Posted 16/1/09 at
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/586037?src=mp&spon=17&uac=82196DX
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