Showing posts with label Mental Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mental Health. Show all posts

Friday, January 14, 2011

Relieve Stress by doing this

We all have this favorite expression when it comes to being stressed out, and I wouldn't bother naming all of them since it may also vary in different languages. But when it comes down to it, I think that it is how we work or even relax, for that matter that triggers stress. Ever been stressed even when you're well relaxed and bored? I know I have.

Since Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. is unavoidable in life, it is important to find ways to decrease and prevent stressful incidents and decrease negative reactions to stress. Here are some of the things that can be done by just remembering it, since life is basically a routine to follow like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. You can do a few of them in a longer span of time, but as they say-- every minute counts.

Managing time

Time management skills can allow you more time with your family and friends and possibly increase your performance and productivity. This will help reduce your stress.

To improve your time management:

· Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and scheduling time for yourself.
· Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family, and leisure time.
· Prioritize your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency. Redirect your time to those activities that are important and meaningful to you.
· Manage your commitments by not over- or undercommitting. Don't commit to what is not important to you.
· Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines.
· Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe and what your life is like.
Build healthy coping strategies

It is important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording the stressful event, your reaction, and how you cope in a stress journal. With this information, you can work to change unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones-those that help you focus on the positive and what you can change or control in your life.

Lifestyle

Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level. They may not cause stress directly, but they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief from stress. Try to:

· Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations.
· Have a sense of purpose in life.
· Get enough sleep, since your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping.
· Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress.
· Get moderate exercise throughout the week.
· Limit your consumption of alcohol.
· Don't smoke.

Social support

Social support is a major factor in how we experience stress. Social support is the positive support you receive from family, friends, and the community. It is the knowledge that you are cared for, loved, esteemed, and valued. More and more research indicates a strong relationship between social support and better mental and physical health.

Changing thinking

When an event triggers negative thoughts, you may experience fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, guilt, and a sense of worthlessness or powerlessness. These emotions trigger the body's stress, just as an actual threat does. Dealing with your negative thoughts and how you see things can help reduce stress.

· Thought-stopping helps you stop a negative thought to help eliminate stress.
· Disproving irrational thoughts helps you to avoid exaggerating the negative thought, anticipating the worst, and interpreting an event incorrectly.
· Problem solving helps you identify all aspects of a stressful event and find ways to deal with it.
· Changing your communication style helps you communicate in a way that makes your views known without making others feel put down, hostile, or intimidated. This reduces the stress that comes from poor communication. Use the assertiveness ladder to improve your communication style.

Even writers like me can get stressed even though we're just using our hands to do the talking, but having to sit for 7 or 8 hours is already stressful enough and have our own way to relieve stress. Whether you're the mail guy, the CEO, or probably the average working parent, stress is one unwanted visitor you would love to boot out of your homes, especially your life.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Bipolar Depression

A lot of people knows about depression, but do you actually know about this one kind called the Manic? The manic depression or also known as the Bipolar depression is actually considered as one of the the most terrible type of depression that people usually suffer from.

According to researchers and therapists, any one who is suffering from Manic depression may have those what we called manic 'periods' wherein they have this sudden outbursts of euphoric and elevated mood swings that may actually go through this for as long as not just a day, it can actually go on for as long as one week, even longer than that.

Characterized by sudden and extreme changes in their mood, Manic depression is said to be called as such because manic = mania refers to the 'ups' while depression refers to the 'downs'.

Doctors actually have diagnosed mood swings as a common symptom of depression.

When it comes to the so-called 'low' or 'down' periods, as its name suggests can actually bring someone who is suffering from Manic depression may experience very similar symptoms to those who are suffering from actual depression. People who are suffering from Manic depression may actually experience episodes showing a depressed state of mind - a feeling of worthlessness and being unloved may start to corrupt the individual's mind. consistently for more than a week can officially be diagnosed as someone who is suffering from Manic depression.

Although positive results for a Manic depressive patient can still be achieved from natural alternatives, a proper and a more lasting relief from Manic depressive symptoms can still be best acquired through seeing cognitive behavior therapists. Contrary to some beliefs, when it comes to psychiatric treatments, psychiatrists, preferably cognitive behavior therapists are still the best ones to consult for Manic depression, as well as the ones who'll most probably be able to cure Manic depression.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Foods that will make you feel Happy

Happiness of a person is something that you can't easily buy. but you can easily get it out of simple and ordinary things. And you don't need to force, use any therapy,medication and or exercises just to change the mood of somebody.

Based on research studies, There are certain foods that can switch those angry heads and cool it down. They showed the best mood-boosting ways from different foods are the following:

1. Popcorn for happiness hormone - Carbohydrates that can be found in popcorn can enhance the production of serotonin, Its a neurotransmitter that prevents that angry mood, depression, insomnia, food cravings and sensitivity to illness. Carbohydrates from popcorn is complex that boosts the mood of people to be happy and alert. again, Popcorn is okay when you don't eat too much of it.

2. Walnuts is twice more effective than antidepressants- Consumption of walnuts is good because it has mood-lifting magic. It is a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and natural compounds called uridine. Both of these act as antidepressant-like effects that are proven effective.

3. Chocolates for stress and depression- Chocolates contains 300 natural health-boosting compounds, like stimulants that boosts happiness and alertness. Those concentration are usually found in dark chocolates, That's why it's better to choose chocolates whenever you feel depressed. Just be careful not to eat to much or it will hello to your belly.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The Students Learning Disability

No one ever said school was a breeze. Almost all of us experience different challenges at school, but some have mental and physical limitations that make coping more difficult. These are called learning disabilities. Learning disabilities interfere and affect our ability as a students to read, write and speak, or compute mathematical problems. Sometimes these can even hamper students social skills. But having a learning disability should not prevent students from pursuing their dreams. Moreover, it does not mean that a student with a learning disability is stupid! The genius Albert Einstein was once diagnose with a learning disorder, but it does not affect him, look at the mark he made for himself in history. A learning disability simply means that your brain functions differently from the rest.

Learning Disability = Language Learning Disorder. When a student have a hard time associating words with pictures and actions.A student find it hard to grasp abstract concepts and complex ideas.

Here are symptoms of Language learning disorder,
  • Its difficult for a student to follow directions.
  • A student say certain words with ease, but if they use it in a sentence, the words get slurred.
  • A student easily retains memories of past experiences, but not lessons learned in class.
  • A student cannot rephrase a statements that need clarification. Explaining things seems hard for him.
  • A student find it hard to understand what the person is telling. It has to be repeated several times before the meaning dawns on him.
Here's what you can do about it,
  • Stick to one language when conversing with people.
  • Inform your teachers and friends about your condition so they accommodate you with the following:
  1. When giving instructions, they must be repeated to you in exactly the same way it was rephrased the first time.
  2. Sit in front of class and stay away from your "more active" classmates.
  • Study or review for an exam alone.
  • Highlighting your notes or certain phrases in your book will help you a great deal.
  • When reading, do it segment by segment. Read one sentence carefully and make sure you understand it before you proceed to the next.
Learning Disability = Attention Deficit Disorder. When a student are over active, easily distracted, and very impulsive. It is more commonly known as ADD. Another term is ADHD - ADD compounded by hyperactivity.

Learning Disability = Attention deficit disorder,
  • A student enjoys day dreaming in class and fail to listen to important pointers. A student are branded as the " student who never pays attention in class" but he/she just can't help it.
  • A student find it hard to control your emotions. You have sudden outbursts when confronted by slightly frustrating task.
  • A student easily distracted and have difficulty filtering information.
  • A student is very restless. When someone ask him a question, he/she answer right away without waiting for the other to finish from talking. You can't keep still and prefer to roam around the corridors than sit through hour-long class discussion.
Here's what you can do about it,
  • Always sit in front of the class so it's easier to focus on the teacher. Take down notes diligently and maintain eye contact with your teacher during class.
  • Stay away from your more active and talkative classmates during lecture and exams, so you can pay more attention to your tasks at hand.
  • It is more beneficial for you to study alone than in groups, or hire a tutor to help you figure out the more difficult concepts in school.
  • It is good to put structure in your day. Set up a definite schedule for you to follow. Use a planner to write down guidelines that will motivate and direct you to finish assignments for the day.
  • You can ask your close friends to give you social feedback to keep your behavior in check.

Learning Disability = Dyspraxia. When a student experience difficulty in motor planning. A student have a hard time coordinating appropriate body movements in a given task.

Here are symptoms of Dyspraxia,
  • Always break the tip of a lead pencil
  • A students actions are very uncoordinated that they often break things and are branded as clumsy or a klutz.
  • A student sometimes get confused as to which hand ti use for a certain activity.
  • A student experience great difficulty during movement activities, like in PE classes. A student find it hard o follow directions.
Here's what you can do about it,
  • Expose yourself to simple, repetitive gross motor activities like climbing, simple aerobics, dancing, swimming, jumping (use a jump rope). These activities give you sensations that will help you become more aware of your different body parts.
  • Inform your teachers about your condition. You can ask for one on one (with classmate or teacher) sessions away from the rest of the class during PE. Or, your art/home economics teacher might be able to set aside a few minutes to monitor your performance.
Learning Disability = Dyslexia. When a student have trouble reading and understanding written words. Also, writing and spelling them out.

Here are symptoms of Dyslexia,
  • A student sometimes reverse words and letters (p to q, b to d) and jumble pronunciations.
  • A student must read the same material over and over again before he/she can grasp the meaning.
  • A student need to point out words for he/she to follow what he/she is reading.
Here's what you can do about it,
  • Inform your teacher about your condition, so they may accommodate you with the following:
  1. Instead of copying notes from the blackboard, ask for a hand out of the lesson so you can focus on listening during lecture time.
  2. If possible, request for oral exams instead of talking the usual written exams.
  3. Tape classroom discussions/ lectures, transcribe or listen to the tapes when you get home
  • Highlight or underline important notes.
  • Summarize, recite what you have learned to yourself or to a teacher or classmate who can validate your learning's.
Learning Disability = Dysgraphia, When a student have difficulty coordinating his arm and hand movements, particularly in writing. A student can be doing well with other fine motor activities, but continue to experience problems in others.

Here are symptoms of Dysgraphia,
  • A student have difficulty in spelling and writing composition.
  • When forming letters, what may come as automatic hand motions for others does not for a student who suffers from dysgraphia, thus a student end up with a nearly illegible handwriting.
Here's what you can do about it,
  • Inform your teacher about your condition, so she may give in to these possible request:
  1. Instead of lugging around a binder or a notebook for note-taking in class, bring a laptop.
  2. Record classroom lectures.
  3. Ask a copy of the lesson.
  4. If possible go for oral exams.

If you display a symptoms of learning disability, seek help. Ask your parents to schedule an appointment with a psychologist so he or she can diagnose your disorder. You might be asked to take some tests to determine if there is a need for special education classes. Take action don't just sit there and forever be scolded for not paying attention in class. Don't allow other classmates and teachers to label you as a slow learner. Prove them wrong, school is not just aplace wherein we can strengthen our skills. It also a place wherein we learn from our weaknesses and find ways to deal with them.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Fight Depression with Natural Remedies and Methods

Depression is a fairly frequent psychiatric problem, which is characterized by a signs including depressed mood and other emotional problems, losing your temper, constipation, irritability, inappropriate crying, and the decreased ability to get any pleasure in just about anything. Depression torments between 7% and 19% of the people in the world. Major depression causes more than 60% of suicides every year, due mainly to the fact that only about a third of depressed people get medical attention.

Although the exact cause of depression is still unknown, there are many known natural remedies for depressive disorders. The most important natural remedy that can take care of your depression is diet, which actually plays a huge role in the dopamine levels in the brain. A diet that limits sweets, doughnuts, sweet chocolate, cake and other foods packed with sugar can actually diminish the incidence of depressed moods, since sugar laden sweets are able to temporarily increase mood by increasing blood sugar levels. But, once the glucose level drops, outlooks tend to drop farther than before and cause those disposed to depression to enter depressive periods. By avoiding peaks in blood sugar levels, major depressive moods can actually be prevented. Avoiding coffee and other drinks like 180, Dr Pepper, Diet Dr Pepper as well as dart and Worlds best coffee espressos that are high in caffeine can also be beneficial. The same goes for any alcoholic beverages. Caffeine and alcohol can both worsen mood, by providing temporary elation that is usually followed by depression. Those with depression should focus on consuming foods that are able to trigger serotonin production, such as foods rich in B vitamins and magnesium. Nuts, green vegetables, and some varieties of fish can be beneficial, since they can actually trigger a good mood without being followed by a state of depression.

St. John's Wort has been used in various countries for treating mild depression. Although it has not been proven useful for treating severe depression cases, it has been shown to actually increase synaptic levels of biogenic amines, such as nor epinephrine. Various studies have been performed, and have shown that St. John's Wort has actually been as effective as various prescription medications for depression. When used by patients diagnosed with mild depression, it can relieve many of the symptoms, included but not limited to extreme mood changes, loss of appetite, insomnia, and negative feelings. Exercise is one of the most helpful natural remedies for depression, because it can lessen some of the symptoms of depression while keeping the body in tone. Exercise has been shown to improve overall mood, increase energy, and reduce the effects of sleep loss in depressed people. Exercise has been effective in treating mild to moderate depression, but may take longer than prescription medications to show results.

Seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression that only occurs during certain parts of the year, has been shown to be effectively treated by exposure to artificial and natural sunlight. It is used as an alternative to prescription depression medications, and works by regulating the body clock. Exposure to artificial and natural sunlight can actually trigger chemical changes in the brain, such as melatonin and serotonin production which can increase sleeping patterns.

Depression is a irritating medical condition, but mild cases can easily be improved with the help of natural depression remedies. Prescription medication have well known risk factors, but using natural methods can improve the medical condition without any similar problems. Changing routine activities such as diet, exercise, and even social activities can help to improve depression periods decreasing your depressed mood and other emotional problems and muscle aches and headaches, making those diagnosed with depression able to live a happy and normal life.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Child OCD checklist



I your child at risk of OCD? Use the following checklist to find out if your child is at risk of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

  • Does your child have great difficulty discarding things even when they have no pratical value?
  • Does performing a certain ritual feel like an urgent necessity of life to your child?
  • Does your child repeatedly perform certain routine to prevent bad things from happening?
  • Do recurrent intrusive thoughts cause your child discomfort or anxiety?
  • Does your child do things over and over (such as get up and down from chair, count, tap)?
  • Does an exterme need for order and cleanliness force your child to tidy things/ bathe/ shower/ wash his or her hand excessively?

Some of the repetitive things that children with OCD do include:

  • Tapping or counting repeatedly
  • Worrying about germs from other people
  • Checking things mant times (such as locks on doors)
  • Repeatedly washing their hands

If your child loses more than an hour a day to any of the above and if the need for such repitive behavior causes marked distress or significantly interferes with normal routines, relationships or social functioning, you may consult your family doctor.

It has to have lots famous people given, which happen, OCD and some from them unfortunately died. These famous people are not fair actors and actress in addition, author, composer, poet and artist. With their whole fame and wealth they did not become an exception the obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Here some are some lists of famous people that have Obsessive-Compulsive disorder.

  • Howie Mandel
  • Leonardo DiCaprio
  • Dr. Samuel Johnson
  • Donald Trump
  • Cameron Diaz
  • Jim Eisenreich
  • Albert Einstein
  • Ian Puleston-Davies
  • David Beckham
  • Rose McGowan
  • Dan Ackroyd
  • Aaron Bagnola
  • Fred Durst
  • David Beckham
  • Tim Howard
  • Charlie Sheen
  • Howard Hughes
  • Joey Ramone
  • Marc Summers
  • Michael Jackson

The obsessions are persistent, intrusive, and cause with the person much distress and of faintness; constraints, therefore, are carried out in order to reduce these impatient, guilty or ashamed feelings. The compulsive actions usually have as consequence a direction of provisional relief-until so that the ritual is concluded, naturally, and the obsessing thoughts still start in another malicious cycle of concern.




Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Are you aware of Autism?

When they are given the diagnosis of autism, parents are very fearful. Studies reveal that there are basically different levels of autism. Autistic children can be divided into three categories; low, medium or high functioning levels of autism. (LFA, MFA, and HFA). Results of IQ testing will determine the severity of the condition. Autism is a development disorder which originates in brain development.

There is an entire array of symptoms, not just one, with Autism. There are issues with socialization, communication deficits, minimal areas of interest, and typically behavior that repeats consistently.

Presently, there is no cure for autism. Doctors, with their advanced research have helped improve functioning capacity of autistic people. Some people with autism can function quite normally while others with severe autism probably will need constant assistance.

People often think that a child who have autism, just wants to be left alone, but that is not the case. It is not that autism children dislike being around people; it is that they find it difficult to interact with other people.

Repetitive behavior is usually a characteristic of people who have autism. They will move aimlessly and exhibit behaviors such as rocking, head rolling, or hand flapping. There is a possibility of them behaving in an obsessive manner, for example firmly requesting that objects should always be positioned in the same place.

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People with autism detest changes. They have to know events that would take place at a specific time, and as they get aged, even on a specific day. They dislike any change in menus. They aren't appreciative of any rearrangement of their furniture.

Self-inflicted injuries are not uncommon to autism children, and in fact, a little less than one-third of these children are familiar with this kind of behavior. There is a segment of children with autism called autistic savants, and they are so-called because they exhibit extremely high levels of dexterity in some area of life or study.

Autism signs and symptoms checklist:

  • Problems relating to others can be noticed by a lack of holding eye contact with anyone.
  • Repetitive motions like rocking, hand actions, or patterned manipulation of toys.
  • Child shows preference for being alone most of the time. Does not interact with peers.
  • Tantrums resulting from very small changes in routine.

Signs that vary from child to child,

  • Speech problems range from severe to barely noticeable. Some speak quite well.
  • Unusual reaction to stimulus. The reaction can be too severe or there may be no reaction at all.
  • Lack of interest in most things that children like to explore and notice.
  • Unusual speaking patterns like repeating the same words over and over.
  • Unable to toilet train, or regression after training was successful.


Friday, February 27, 2009

Dealing with Stress in everyday life


Many people deal with stress almost everyday.Some factors that may contribute to stress includes social experiences and financial matters, medical problems, lack of social support, and family problems. The sources of stress can be internal or external. Social and financial problems are common triggers of prolong stress leading to medical problem if left uncontrolled.

Anything that provoke stress are called stressors. Our body responds to stressors by activating the nervous system and specific hormones. It signals the adrenal glands to produce more of the hormones and release them into the bloodstream. These hormones speed up heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and metabolism. Blood vessels open wider to let more blood flow to large muscle groups, putting our muscles on alert. Pupils dilate to improve vision. The liver releases some of its stored glucose to increase our body's energy. And perspiration is produced to cool our body. All of these physical changes prepare us to react quickly and effectively to handle the pressure of the moment.

This natural reaction is known as the stress response. Working properly, our body's stress response enhances our ability to perform well under pressure. But the stress response can cause problem when it overreacts or fails to turn off and reset itself properly. This results in harmful effects on our body.

It is important to know that everyone reacts to stress differently and can withstand different levels of stress. Only you can assess your level of tolerance to stressful situations.


Stress usually first affects the inner emotions and hence our feelings. These emotional states can then begin to affect a person's outward appearance. As the stress level increases, or if it lasts over a longer period of time, a person may begin to feel more severe emotional or physical effects. In most cases, these symptoms are very minor and don't last very long. If they become more severe or increase in frequency and severity, you may need to seek medical help.
Individuals suffering from stress overload will likely display one or more of the following signs listed below.

Depression
or Sadness
Drinking too much, smoking, overeating, or doing drugs
Problem falling asleep
Allergic reactions, such as eczema or asthma
Physical symptoms, such as stomach problems, headaches, or even chest pain
Irritability and moodiness
A feeling of being constantly pressured, hassled, and hurried
Anxiety or panic attacks

The most helpful method for us to deal with stress is to learn how to manage the stress that comes along with any new challenge, good or bad. Here are some ways to keep stress under control:

Solve your problems, break problems into manageable and achievable parts.
Share your thoughts with others, build strong relationships and develop a support system
Be positive in your thinking and outlook
Treat your body well, exercise regularly and fun
Learn to manage time and anger
Learn to relax (breathing exercise, listen to soothing music, etc)
Rest well and have sufficient sleep
Be realistic, accept that no one is perfect and set appropriate goals / limits for yourself
Take control of your busy schedule

You should call your doctor when you are unable to identify the source of your stress or anxiety and if the condition continues or comes and goes. You should immediately seek help should you have any of the following symptoms:

Headaches unlike your usual headaches
Fluttering or rapid heart beats
Chest pain or discomfort
Thoughts about harming others
Thoughts about harming yourself
Any other condition that you feel may result in serious harm if not treated immediately.


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