Breath in, breath out

Self care practices

I want to take a moment to talk about self care; what can you do right this moment to take better care of yourself thus influencing how you feel? For starters, eating healthy foods and sleeping enough are two practical practices which affect our physical and mental health. Many have the habit of skipping meals or gorging on the comfort foods when faced with stress which long term, can impact our health. Other practices such as exercise have a wonderful feel-good endorphin release. Some say they don't have time or gym membership to exercise so walking can be great! Speaking of walking: fresh air is NOT overrated! Go outside, sit under the sun and take ten deep, from-the-tummy breaths and assess how you feel!!! Having a rough day? What about meeting a friend and catching up! Another idea is pampering yourself: go get a massage, nails/hair done, schedule a spa day. Organizing, spring cleaning and all decluttering can bring out a sense of balance and calm. Does anyone feel music influences your mood? What about watching a funny movie? Aromatherapy works for many! It can be very relaxing to take a bath with lavender oil and bath salts! 

What do you do for self care??? 

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Here I am!!!

Where can I find a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy program in my area? Is my Therapist a Dialectic Behavioral Therapist?

Where can I find a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy program in my area???

a true DBT program includes a treatment team which at minimum has completed the ten day intensive offered by behavioral tech. The DBT program includes individual weekly DBT sessions, weekly DBT skills group, phone coaching and weekly team meetings. Without these crucial elements, DBT loses the effectiveness and in fact, Linehan institute and behavioral tech does not recognize as DBT. There is a difference between Dialectical Behavioral Therapy influenced therapy and an actual DBT therapist/program!

Having said that, you can access the behavioral tech website and search for programs  which have completed the training. The list of programs are not always up to date (for example, my team are not yet on there although we completed the training a year ago) so you can either contact specific programs or contact behavioral tech to inquire about whether the minimum requirements have been met. Important questions to consider when contacting specific programs are: 1. Has the team competed the intensive 10-day training 2. Does the team adhere to Dr. Linehan structured DBT model.

Out of respect to Dr. Linehan and her superb, dedicated, extensive research and work in the fields of psychology, please be mindful what you call DBT!!!!

7 natural ways to help reduce anxiety

Anxiety disorders affect approximately 40 million adults 18+ according to National Institute of Mental Health. Symptoms are more pronounced than acute stress and last longer (at least 6 months).

Everyone has experienced acute stress or nervousness in their life. We have all been nervous for a first date or giving a presentation at work. With anxiety, the feeling doesn't dissipate AFTER the date, first day at work, public speaking, etc etc. Anxiety feels like constantly being on edge, nervous, unable to relax, jittery. I once heard it said that depression is the belief that the bad thing already happened and anxiety is the fear of something bad about to happen. 

When people tell someone with anxiety to "snap out of it"; they can't! Anxiety symptoms aren't a matter of rising to the occasion and putting on your big boy pants to face the world...

There are 6 classifications of anxiety: panic disorder, obsessive compulsive, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, specific phobias, and post traumatic stress disorder. I will write more about the classifications in a later post.

More on Anxiety here and here. 

Treatment

Most scientifically proven method of treatment for anxiety disorder is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with or without medication. Whether or not you may benefit from anti- anxiety medication is a conversation to have with a medical doctor. However, I can say that CBT teaches the tools needed for day to day functioning. My first advice to anyone struggling with anxiety is to first see a CBT therapist. 

Other things that can help..

•  Vitamin b12 and Omega 3--There is some evidence that Vit b12 and Omega 3 can help ease mild anxiety
• Sunlight--This one is a no brainer! Sunlight produces Vitamin D which we need for our physical and mental health. Also, fresh air is just overall good for your health!
• Yoga
• Working out- Endorphins! 
• Lavender Oils--Lavender oil has been used for centuries to relax. Put a drop of lavender oil in your bath or into a candle! 
• Meditation/Deep breathing-- Deep breathing will lower your heart rate and send a message to your body to relax. A technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation suggests tightening parts of your body and then relaxing: the technique teaches you to relax on demand. 
• Chamomile Tea--Chamomile has a relaxing affect. 

Depression and treatment options

Was watching TV today and flipped past this one channel: a woman sitting on the couch, sobbing, ice cream tub on her lap and saying how depressed she feels all the time. I found that glimpse of this show, movie, commercial, whatever, interesting because it relayed how we have stereotyped depression.

I heard someone once describe taking anti depressants as a fog being lifted from all around him and suddenly he could experience life. I had permission from this individual to use this visual (otherwise would not be able to legally include in this entry). When being asked; "what's WRONG?" The answer was always "I don't know".,,

 Depression is categorized as a mood disorder. Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder include:

1.  Loss of interests or pleasure in life for at least 2 weeks.
2. Depressed mood most of the day
3. Diminished interest or pleasure in all or most activities
4. Significant weight loss or gain
5. Insomnia or Sleeping too much
6. Agitation or psychomotor retardation (very LOW energy)
7. Fatigue or loss of energy
8. Feelings worthlessness or excessive guilt
9. Diminished ability to think or concentrate; indeciseveness
10. Recurrent thoughts of death (APA, 2000, P. 356)

Dysthymic Disorder is a milder form of Major Depressive Disorder. Bipolar Disorder, I will write about in a future post but includes Depression alternating with Mania.

From what I observed, Depression sufferers describe feeling numb, empty, desensitized to life. When asked: "what is the matter", many can not pin point exactly what they are unhappy about or what they would change; it's like living in a fog! Although, some can certainly have situational depression related to a difficult situation. Depression feels like not really being all that there: you just don't feel well. In other words, nothing specific has to be wrong in order to feel symptoms of Depression.

Many Depression sufferers feel aches and pains in their body. It's similar with when your immune system is weakened and you begin feeling under the weather. The loss of interests is related to feeling hallow inside, accompanied by guilt, feelings of worthlessness, the "what is the point of it all", laying in bed all day but having insomnia.

Why I felt the image of the sobbing woman on the couch was such a stereotype is because many depressed individuals DON'T cry! Also, vocalizing feeling  and the ice cream were all attempts to cope! Depressed people don't always have the energy (psychomotor retardation aka low energy) to eat ice cream or cry to their friends! Feeling sadness would be a step up from the senseless emptiness and apathy!

Does this sound like you?

Treatment options:

• Psychotherapy specifically Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Medication

Other things that can help:

• Sunshine and fresh air- Vitamin D can do wonders for our mood! Sometimes a walk outside can help get us out of our heads.
• Yoga- a physical activity that encourages mindfulness and connects mind body!
• Exercise- It has actually been proven that exercising a few times a week has powerful affects on our mood! Endorphin's are a blessing!
• Eat healthy--Specifically omega 3 fatty acids (found in fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel) and folate (spinach, lentils). Including flax seed oil is a healthy fat as is coconut oil. Green tea, a healthy alternative to coffee, contains L-theanine which can help boost mood. Also, chamomile tea may have a calming influence on some. Foods containing tryptophan such as turkey can help. 
• Meditation-- Even 2-3 minutes of deep, belly breathing a day can do wonders! Meditation can quite the mind and help you feel more balanced. 
• Essencial Oils--Lavender oils have a relaxing affect on some. Drop a little oil into your bath for some relaxation! A little oil into a candle makes the room smell nice!
• THERAPY-- I can not stress the importance of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help work through negative thought patterns and change behaviors contributing to depression. 

Panic Attacks

Who has experienced panic attacks?

Panic attacks are actually common! How many people have almost gotten into a car crash and felt your face getting hot, palms sweat, heart race, perhaps even a fear of driving or getting into a car afterwords? Adrenalin is released during a panic attack exactly like during a good work out!

During a panic attack, the "flight or fight response" isn't actually directed at something that is life threatening. In other words, if you were held at gun point, flight or fight is appropriate! Being held at gunpoint, chased after a lion, almost falling off a bridge are examples of times when fear triggers our "fight or fight response" so we can save ourselves! However, those experiencing panic attacks "out of the blue" experience panic without actual present danger: the fear is a fear of panic itself. A panic attack is like the fire alarm going off when there isn't an actual fire.

Panic attacks feels like an overwhelming sensation of fear (panic) coming over you: you begin to sweat, hands may feel tingly, shortness of breath, trembling, feeling dizzy, lightheaded or faint, choking sensation, feeling detached from surroundings, chest pain, and feeling numb.

This is taken from Anxiety and Depression Association of American Webpage:

"Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older (18% of U.S. population).
Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only about one-third of those suffering receive treatment.
Anxiety disorders cost the U.S. more than $42 billion a year, almost one-third of the country's $148 billion total mental health bill, according to "The Economic Burden of Anxiety Disorders," a study commissioned by ADAA (The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 60(7), July 1999).
More than $22.84 billion of those costs are associated with the repeated use of health care services; people with anxiety disorders seek relief for symptoms that mimic physical illnesses.
People with an anxiety disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer from anxiety disorders.
Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events."



Good news is anxiety and panic attacks are VERY easy to treat with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy!!! If you or someone you love suffer from anxiety or panic attacks, please find a skilled CBT therapist!!! I have worked for years with individuals suffering from anxiety disorders and would be happy to answer any questions!

#ADHD

 What is ADHD?

There are three types of ADHD:
1. Hyperactive Impulse ADHD which is characterized with hyperactivity without inattentiveness
2. Inattentive ADHD (formally ADD) marked by impared concentration and attention
3. Combined ADHD which includes symptoms of both inattention and hyperactivity and Impulsivity. This is the most common type. 

• Inattention is categorized as difficulty paying attention and often details are overlooked. An individial with attention difficulty may get easily distracted, procrastinate, not finish what they started, unable to stay focused on tasks and appear disorganized. Often, I have seen individuals "trail off" in the middle of a conversation with someone.
• Hyperactivity is marked by LOTS of activity. Individuals with hyperactivity may fidgit, jump out of their seat, unable to play quitely (children), talking excessively, "the bouncing off the walls syndrome". Often times, hyperactivity is seen before age 7. 
• Impulsivity includes blurting out answers, impatience, not being able to wait turn, and interrupting at inappropriate times.  

What treatment is available?

Behavioral therapy for ADHD has several steps from behavioral modification, skills intervention  and parent child interactive therapy (pcit: ages 2-7) which helps with relational skills and communication at home. 

The behavioral modification addresses the maladaptive behaviors ie impulsive behaviors (screaming, calling out, jumping out of seat, etc) and does a great job at reining in those behaviors and teach new, appropriate behaviors. 

Skills training helps with school work and concentration and any opposition defiant behavior at home i.e. Ignoring parents. Often times, the issue with learning is with executive functioning:  their motivation to do their homework is high but they just can't start or finish. 

A  licensed child therapist with specific cbt training can work with the child. Mindfulness based therapies can also be effective in helping to bring self awareness. Acceptance skills can also help improve self esteem basically rather than beating yourself up and feeling angry, bad, that you are having a hard time in school, finding ways to accept (all the while implement changing behaviors). 

It's once a week sessions generally.

Any questions? Should I clarify or "add" (no pun intended!) anything? Please let me know!