When you next ask someone how they are and their response is "FINE", remember this stands for:
F reaked out
I nsecure
N eurotic, &
E motional
and tread carefully!
Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts
Monday, December 14, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Radical Forgiveness
As part of my journey I've just finished reading "Radical Forgiveness" by Colin C Tipping.
To quote from the book (pg 192, 2nd edition):
"It is a principal of Radical Forgiveness that if you have a limiting belief that prevents you from becoming whole or from achieving your true purposed, your Higher Self will alsways find a way to acquaint you with your limiting belief so you can heal it. It can't intervene directly because you have free will, but it can, through the Law of Attraction, bring into your life someone who will act out your belief for you, so you might see it for what it is and choose to let it go."
Example: if your limiting belief is that you are not good enough, unworthy, people with resonate that, respond accordingly and treat you as if you are not good enough, are unworthy. Not to "hurt" you (although that is certainly how most will feel) but to reflect a limitation in yourself in the attempt for you to heal.
(and from pg 207)
"This means that the whole point of creating an upset may simply lie in our soul's desire to provide an opportunity for us to feel a suppressed emotion. That being the case, simply allowing ourselves to have the feeling might allow the energy to move through us and the so-called problem to disappear."
I highly recommend its reading. For more info please go to:
www.radicalforgiveness.com
To quote from the book (pg 192, 2nd edition):
"It is a principal of Radical Forgiveness that if you have a limiting belief that prevents you from becoming whole or from achieving your true purposed, your Higher Self will alsways find a way to acquaint you with your limiting belief so you can heal it. It can't intervene directly because you have free will, but it can, through the Law of Attraction, bring into your life someone who will act out your belief for you, so you might see it for what it is and choose to let it go."
Example: if your limiting belief is that you are not good enough, unworthy, people with resonate that, respond accordingly and treat you as if you are not good enough, are unworthy. Not to "hurt" you (although that is certainly how most will feel) but to reflect a limitation in yourself in the attempt for you to heal.
(and from pg 207)
"This means that the whole point of creating an upset may simply lie in our soul's desire to provide an opportunity for us to feel a suppressed emotion. That being the case, simply allowing ourselves to have the feeling might allow the energy to move through us and the so-called problem to disappear."
I highly recommend its reading. For more info please go to:
www.radicalforgiveness.com
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Anxiety
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
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
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Pets for health
You've probably heard something about 'a pet being good for you' over the years, but not known why: many recent studies are proving it's not just from exercise.
Research has long shown that pet owners have better mental health, but what wasn’t clear was whether people of more robust health are more likely to get pets in the first place, or whether it was owning a pet that made them healthier. A German study using a sample group of 10,000 people studied over a five-year period, found that those who have a pet continuously for five years make the fewest visits to the doctor, with people who had got a pet within the study period being the next healthiest.
Physiologically, it seems the main effects of having a pet are on cardiovascular health. One study from New York State University found that hypertensive stockbrokers lowered their blood pressure readings after adopting a dog for six months – while other research found that just ten minutes in the company of a pet can significantly reduce blood pressure, as well as raise levels of the ‘bonding’ hormone, oxytocin.
Pet owners also have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels than non-pet owners, which probably contributes to their 3% reduction in heart attack mortality rate. A New York study also found that pet ownership is predictive of survival one year on from a heart attack.
Additionally research has found that children who have a pet in their first year of life are less likely to suffer from allergies or asthma.
There is undoubtedly a strong psychological component in the pet-health connection as well. American research found that pet owners cope better with adverse life events such as bereavement, while other research found that children in war-torn countries coped with their harrowing circumstances better if they owned a cat or dog. Having someone else to worry about other than yourself is probably a big part of it, as well as being able to derive comfort from the love of a pet.
British researchers also found that children frequently preferred pets to humans as providers of comfort and as confidants, and noted that owning a pet can aid development of self-esteem. Even 50% of adults confide their worries to their pets – with 48% describing them as their ‘best friend.’
There are so many benefits of owning a pet that organisations around the world are beginning to take action to convey the advantages of having a four-legged friend to a wider audience. For example, the Pets As Therapy program organises doggy visits to hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions to benefit patients and residents every week.
In Australia, animal assisted therapy is designed to improve the physical, social, emotional and/or cognitive functioning of patients, as well as provide educational and motivational effectiveness for participants - either individuals or groups. The Children's Hospital, Westmead, is the first NSW hospital to run an AAT program where children who otherwise prove challenging in physiotherapy, and therefore have difficulty reaching their rehabilitation goals, work with a pet.
An increasing number of US companies are allowing dogs to be taken to the workplace by now participating in the annual ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day’. According to the American Humane Association, firms that allow dogs to be brought to work regularly benefit from happier employees, reduced absenteeism and increased productivity.
So if you don't have a pet, looking after one could subtlely improve your health. It doesn't have to cost you a fortune either: your local animal shelter will be happy to help you find a pet to suit your lifestyle.
Resources:
http://www.realbuzz.com/en-us/Healthy_living/index?pageID=1278
http://www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au/animal_assisted_therapy.htm
http://www.adoptapet.com.au/
Research has long shown that pet owners have better mental health, but what wasn’t clear was whether people of more robust health are more likely to get pets in the first place, or whether it was owning a pet that made them healthier. A German study using a sample group of 10,000 people studied over a five-year period, found that those who have a pet continuously for five years make the fewest visits to the doctor, with people who had got a pet within the study period being the next healthiest.
Physiologically, it seems the main effects of having a pet are on cardiovascular health. One study from New York State University found that hypertensive stockbrokers lowered their blood pressure readings after adopting a dog for six months – while other research found that just ten minutes in the company of a pet can significantly reduce blood pressure, as well as raise levels of the ‘bonding’ hormone, oxytocin.
Pet owners also have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels than non-pet owners, which probably contributes to their 3% reduction in heart attack mortality rate. A New York study also found that pet ownership is predictive of survival one year on from a heart attack.
Additionally research has found that children who have a pet in their first year of life are less likely to suffer from allergies or asthma.
There is undoubtedly a strong psychological component in the pet-health connection as well. American research found that pet owners cope better with adverse life events such as bereavement, while other research found that children in war-torn countries coped with their harrowing circumstances better if they owned a cat or dog. Having someone else to worry about other than yourself is probably a big part of it, as well as being able to derive comfort from the love of a pet.
British researchers also found that children frequently preferred pets to humans as providers of comfort and as confidants, and noted that owning a pet can aid development of self-esteem. Even 50% of adults confide their worries to their pets – with 48% describing them as their ‘best friend.’
There are so many benefits of owning a pet that organisations around the world are beginning to take action to convey the advantages of having a four-legged friend to a wider audience. For example, the Pets As Therapy program organises doggy visits to hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions to benefit patients and residents every week.
In Australia, animal assisted therapy is designed to improve the physical, social, emotional and/or cognitive functioning of patients, as well as provide educational and motivational effectiveness for participants - either individuals or groups. The Children's Hospital, Westmead, is the first NSW hospital to run an AAT program where children who otherwise prove challenging in physiotherapy, and therefore have difficulty reaching their rehabilitation goals, work with a pet.
An increasing number of US companies are allowing dogs to be taken to the workplace by now participating in the annual ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day’. According to the American Humane Association, firms that allow dogs to be brought to work regularly benefit from happier employees, reduced absenteeism and increased productivity.
So if you don't have a pet, looking after one could subtlely improve your health. It doesn't have to cost you a fortune either: your local animal shelter will be happy to help you find a pet to suit your lifestyle.
Resources:
http://www.realbuzz.com/en-us/Healthy_living/index?pageID=1278
http://www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au/animal_assisted_therapy.htm
http://www.adoptapet.com.au/
Friday, October 31, 2008
Reefer Madness
Esteemed ABC science show 'Catalyst' last night aired a great myth-busting story on marijuana smoking and its link to psychosis.
In the past no-one had actually researched if cannabis causes consumption was linked to schizophrenia: it was mostly imposed morality. However, in 2004, a London study found the truth – schizophrenia rates have been rising in parallel with cannabis use.
This along with a more recent meta-analysis (review of studies) has found that "Smoking pot at any stage increases your risk of developing a psychotic illness by 40%" and the earlier you start smoking, the higher the risk.
However, research on the COMT gene has pinned it even further. Each of us gets two COMT genes, a combination of good and bad (for want of a better analogy). Get two 'bad' genes and you're in the high-risk category.... in fact you have an 11-fold increase in the possibility of psychosis.
The full story can be found at:
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2402434.htm
In the past no-one had actually researched if cannabis causes consumption was linked to schizophrenia: it was mostly imposed morality. However, in 2004, a London study found the truth – schizophrenia rates have been rising in parallel with cannabis use.
This along with a more recent meta-analysis (review of studies) has found that "Smoking pot at any stage increases your risk of developing a psychotic illness by 40%" and the earlier you start smoking, the higher the risk.
However, research on the COMT gene has pinned it even further. Each of us gets two COMT genes, a combination of good and bad (for want of a better analogy). Get two 'bad' genes and you're in the high-risk category.... in fact you have an 11-fold increase in the possibility of psychosis.
The full story can be found at:
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2402434.htm
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Know Pain, Know Gain
Okay, so I know it's a play on the "no pain, no gain" tag, but I prefer the positive edge the title gives.
I've just started reading 'The Road Less Travelled' by M. Scott Peck (1990 - yeah it's been around awhile) and in the first few chapters have come across the following gems:
PROBLEMS do not go away. They must be worked through or else they remain, forever a barrier to growth and development.
... many people simply do not take the time necessary (for many reasons other than lack of time) to solve life's intellectual, social or spiritual problems.
In attempting to avoid the pain of responsibility, millions of people daily attempt to escape from freedom. One's adult life is a series of personal choices, decisions. If you can accept this totally, you become free.
And a throw-back from the 60's, attributed to Eldridge Cleaver, "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem".
Then, finally for this post: The life of wisdom must be a life of contemplation combined with action.
Keep evolving!
I've just started reading 'The Road Less Travelled' by M. Scott Peck (1990 - yeah it's been around awhile) and in the first few chapters have come across the following gems:
PROBLEMS do not go away. They must be worked through or else they remain, forever a barrier to growth and development.
... many people simply do not take the time necessary (for many reasons other than lack of time) to solve life's intellectual, social or spiritual problems.
In attempting to avoid the pain of responsibility, millions of people daily attempt to escape from freedom. One's adult life is a series of personal choices, decisions. If you can accept this totally, you become free.
And a throw-back from the 60's, attributed to Eldridge Cleaver, "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem".
Then, finally for this post: The life of wisdom must be a life of contemplation combined with action.
Keep evolving!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
It's August
which means I've been in Lake Macquarie for one month now. Wow! Sydney feels like a lifetime ago and I've achieved quite a bit: a new approach to life (smell the roses), a new clinic, in a couple of weeks I'll be launching Pilates Matwork classes at the Caves Beachside Hotel (watch this space) and I even think I've got a crew position lined up for the new sailing season in September!
Life is good.
Another lovely piece of philosophy follows, for you to ponder and act upon:
I shall pass this way but once;
any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now.
Lert me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
Life is good.
Another lovely piece of philosophy follows, for you to ponder and act upon:
I shall pass this way but once;
any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now.
Lert me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Running Out
This is from a recent horoscope but the philosophy I think is appropriate to all...
Running out of time? Or patience? These are self-replenishing commodities.
Just as we never run out of reasons to feel agitated, irritated or annoyed, so we never run out of potential reasons to forgive, forget, be kind and be tolerant.
Life's too dull if all we ever do is act like model citizens. It's too unhappy if we let resentments or anxieties dominate our thoughts and feelings.
Life's is short: enjoy every moment.
Source: www.cainer.com
Running out of time? Or patience? These are self-replenishing commodities.
Just as we never run out of reasons to feel agitated, irritated or annoyed, so we never run out of potential reasons to forgive, forget, be kind and be tolerant.
Life's too dull if all we ever do is act like model citizens. It's too unhappy if we let resentments or anxieties dominate our thoughts and feelings.
Life's is short: enjoy every moment.
Source: www.cainer.com
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Have to thank one of those horrendous emails that circulates the world for this, but I thought it good philosophy for life:
A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience,
raised a glass of water and asked 'How heavy is this glass of water?'
Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.
The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.' He continued, 'And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. ' 'As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.'
'So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.'
So, my friend, put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while. Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply be kind to others.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have
a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late. The second
mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one
person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
Have an awesome day!
A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience,
raised a glass of water and asked 'How heavy is this glass of water?'
Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.
The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.' He continued, 'And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. ' 'As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.'
'So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.'
So, my friend, put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while. Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply be kind to others.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have
a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late. The second
mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one
person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
Have an awesome day!
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