With today’s fast-paced world, many people wind up feeling stressed and stretched thin. Even finding good ways to handle stress can take time and be stressful. Fortunately, this article offers a variety of simple tips and strategies for managing your stress levels.

Use scents to relieve stress. Several different scents including basil, anise, and lavender have calming effects. Using a small vial, mix rock salt and add a few drops of whatever oil you have chosen. Take the lid off the vial and inhale deeply whenever your stress level begins to rise.

A professional massage is a great way to take some of the stress away. A byproduct of stress can be wound, tense muscles that do not loosen with conventional methods. A massage will work out the tenseness, as well as leaving you rested and reinvigorated.

Write about the stress you are experiencing. There may be situations in your life that are causing stress to increase, but you can’t discuss them with anyone. However, by writing them down you are effectively getting them off your chest, and that may help to lower your stress levels. You can read this journal later and assess how you handled the things that cause you stress. It can help you find ways to tackle things in the future.

You should discover your main causes of stress, and find out methods of eliminating or reducing them as much as you can. A good example of this is creating some distance between you and a friend that constantly stresses you out. If you eliminate some places where stress is happening in your life it will help your health.

Drink some herbal tea to help relieve your stress symptoms. There are a number of teas which help reduce stress, including chamomile and kava kava. Leaving it to steep in hot water for ten minutes will produce a strong tea. A cup of tea is especially effective at the beginning or end of a stressful day.

One of the best ways to reduce stress is to live a healthy lifestyle. Nutritional support, exercise and ample rest will help your body ward off stress and work at peak capacity. Additionally, by taking better care of yourself you will start to increase your self-esteem, making it easier for you to relax during previously stressful situations.

Breathing deeply is a great way to calm you and reduce stress. During periods of stress, our breathing can become fast and shallow. Breathing slowly deeply reduces stress and curbs tension. Try to incorporate breathing exercises into your daily stress relief routine.

Learn how to say no when you are overwhelmed by stress and your own responsibilities. Although it may be difficult to resist lending a hand, putting too much weight on your shoulders can easily lead to excess stress.

Use visual escapism to control feelings of stress. Many studies have shown that utilizing calming visual imagery can significantly reduce stress levels. Even if you do not have access to pictures, just imagining a sunny beach where you can lay back and listen to the gentle sounds of waves crashing ashore while you soak up the sunshine or the invigorating and soothing feel of a steamy bath can make a huge difference is successfully envisioning stress leaving your body. Closing your eyes and imagining something peaceful for a moment will help you become less stressed.

One way to cope with stress is to use self-hypnosis. Self-hypnosis has been helpful for many people as a way to relax and work through stressful issues, like troublesome coworkers or persistent noise.

Limbic System

One simple, yet very effective, way to beat stress is to smile more often. When you smile, the muscles used stimulate the limbic system, also known as the emotional center of the brain. Simply smiling will work to tilt the limbic system into a calmer state, and that is an excellent way to lower stress.

Not only is stress a hassle, but it can also have negative effects on your health. When faced with too much stress, your body cannot continue to function properly and effectively. If you use your time to take the advice you have learned in this location, you will have more time to relax and get rid of the burdens the world has placed onto you.

Sometimes, the incident that occurred in your past tends to hold you back in your everyday life. Talk to your therapist about using EMDR Therapy as an alternative to your regular therapy to boost your personal development.

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Originally posted 2021-04-10 02:08:07.

Food for thought  –  Wise words

PTSD and all different kinds of mental/trauma healing not only comes from therapy, medications EMDR and much more.  It takes more than just the therapy to get your life back, and that is “YOU”.

You need to take part in your own treatment and recovery.

1.    Take time to work – It is the price of success
2.    Take time to think – It is the source of power.
3.    Take time to play – It is the secret of youth
4.    Take time to read – It is the foundation of knowledge
5.    Take time to Worship – It is the highway of reverence and washes the dust of earth from our eyes.
6.    Take time to help and enjoy friends – It is the source of happiness.
7.    Take time to love – It is the one sacrament of living
8.    Take time to Dream – It hitches the soul to the stars.
9.    Take time Laugh – It is the singing that helps with life’s loads.
10.  Take time for Beauty – It is everywhere in nature.
11.  Take time for health – It is true wealth and treasure of life
12.  Take time to plan – It is the secret of being able to have time to take time for the first eleven things.

“When someone loves you, the way they talk about you is different. You feel safe and comfortable.”
― Jess C. Scott, The Intern

“I demolish my bridges behind me…then there is no choice but to move forward”
― Fridtjof Nansen

“When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this – you haven’t.”
― Thomas A. Edison

“But just because you bury something, that doesn’t mean it stops existing.”
― Jenny Han, We’ll Always Have Summer

“Make your lives a masterpiece, you only get one canvas.”
― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

It is always wise to look ahead,
but difficult to look further than you can see.
– Winston Churchill

Word of Advice
Listen to music every time, don’t be an enemy of yourself! Exercise yourself, it brings out the best in you.  Always remember to plan, cause people don’t plan to fail, but they fail to Plan.  Always plan to succeed! Speculation, anticipation, and fear of the unknown only bring you “$0.00” ROI.

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CEO Crewlane Technologies

Free SEO Tools  EMDR  Alternative Trauma Workout   EMDR Side Effects  General Health Topics

Originally posted 2021-04-09 13:54:50.

Drug and Alcohol Recovery

The History and Abuse Of Alcohol

Throughout recorded history, there has always been alcohol in of some variety.  When you are sitting on a Friday night with your vodka and coke or Pernod and lemonade, does it ever cross your mind how exactly the drink came about? Below is a history of some of the more popular drinks that are enjoyed today such as vodka, gin, Pernod, and cachaca.

Pernod is an aniseed-based spirit that has been enjoyed in France for approximately 200 years as an aperitif and a zesty cooking ingredient. During the Babylonian era, aniseed drinks were known as elixirs with unique qualities to cure a variety of stomach and digestive disorders. It has long been recognized that when you combine wormwood and aniseed plants it contains certain healing powers and has been known to have mood-altering effects.

Cachaca is made from raw sugar cane and the major difference is that the lighter rums are more commonly made from whats known as molasses, (A thick syrup produced in refining raw sugar and ranging from light to dark brown in color) this is a by-product from boiling the cane juice to extract as much sugar as possible. It is made from fresh sugarcane juice that is fermented and distilled.

Pernod

Cachaca is Brazils national spirit and the key ingredient in the classic cocktail caipirinha, the history of Cachaca goes back nearly 5 centuries when plantation owners began serving Cachaca to their slaves after seeing that it increased their vigor. Over the next lot of years better Cachacas were being distilled and soon people started drinking it in colonial Brazil while having dinner at home. Shortly after this slavery was banned in 1888 when Brazil was declared a modern Republic.

The first confirmed date for the production of gin is the early 17th century in Holland, although claims have been made that it was produced prior to this in Italy. No journals or record to back it up.  In Holland, it was produced as a medicine and sold in chemist shops to treat stomach complaints, gout, and gallstones. To make it more palatable, the Dutch started to flavor it with juniper, which has medicinal properties of its own.

As with other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed effectively

British troops fighting in the Low Countries during the Thirty Years’ War, were given ‘Dutch Courage’ during the long campaigns in the damp weather through the warming properties of gin. Eventually, they started bringing it back home with them, where already it was often sold in chemists’ shops. Distillation was taking place in a small way in England, but it began on a greater scale, though the quality was often very dubious. The new drink became a firm favorite with the poor.

In 1730 London had over 7,000 shops that sold only spirits. Abuse of alcohol by the poor became a major problem, which was tackled by introducing The Gin Act at midnight on 29 September 1739, making gin prohibitively expensive. The Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole and Dr. Samuel Johnson were among those who opposed the Act since they considered it could not be enforced against the will of the common people. They were right.

Riots broke out and the law was widely and openly broken, the Gin Act was finally repealed in 1742 and a new policy was introduced with the help of distillers: reasonably high prices, reasonable excise duties and licensed retailers under the supervision of magistrates. In essence, this is the situation which exists today. Since then many companies established themselves as well-to-do manufacturers and the gin became the drink of high quality.

Vodka is a drink which originated in Eastern Europe. The name stemming from the Russian word ‘voda’ meaning water. The first documented production of vodka in Russia was the end of the 9th century, but the first known distillery at Khylnovsk was about two hundred years later as reported in the Vyatka Chronicle of 1174. Poland lays claims to having distilled vodka even earlier in the 8th century, but as this was a distillation of wine it might be more appropriate to consider it a crude brandy. The first identifiable Polish vodkas appeared in the 11th century when they were called ‘Gorz-Alka’ originally used as medicines.

During the Middle Ages, distilled liquor was used mainly for medicinal purposes, as well as being an ingredient in the production of gunpowder. In the 14th century a British Ambassador to Moscow first described vodka as the Russian national drink and in the mid 16th century it was established as the national drink in Poland and Finland.

Since early production methods were crude, vodka often contained impurities, so to mask these the distillers flavored their spirits with fruit, herbs or spices. The mid 15th century saw the first appearance of pot distillation in Russia. Prior to that, seasoning, aging and freezing were all used to remove impurities, around this time (1450) vodka started to be produced in large quantities and the first recorded exports of Russian vodka were to Sweden in 1505. Polish ‘woda’ exports started a century later, from major production centers in Posnan and Krakow.

Types produced included: acorn, anisette, birch, calamus root, calendula, cherry, chicory, dill, ginger hazelnut, horseradish, juniper, lemon, mastic, mint, mountain ash, oak, pepper, peppermint, raspberry, sage, sorrel, wort and water melon.

In the 18th century, a professor in St. Petersburg discovered a method of purifying alcohol using charcoal filtration. Felt and river sand had already been used for some time in Russia for filtration.

The spread of awareness of vodka continued throughout the 19th century, helped by the presence in many part drunkenness of Europe and Russian soldiers involved in the Napoleonic Wars. Increasing popularity led to escalating demand and to meet this demand, lower grade products were produced based largely on distilled potato mash.

After the Russian Revolution, the Bolsheviks confiscated all private distilleries in Moscow. As a result, a number of Russian vodka-makers emigrated, taking their skills and recipes with them. One such exile revived his brand in Paris, using the French version of his family name – Smirnoff. Thence, having met a Russian migrant from the USA, they set up the first vodka distillery there in 1934. This was subsequently sold to a US drinks company. From this small start, vodka began in the 1940s to achieve its wide popularity in the Western World.

Following the Russian Revolution in 1917, a number of Russian refugees took their skills and their love of vodka to many parts of the world.

In the 1930s one such exile emigrated from Russia via France to the United States bringing with him the formula to one of the leading Russian makes of vodka.

Through his dealings with another Russian immigrant, the first vodka distillery in the U.S. was set up in the 1930s. Although not particularly successful at first, this enterprise was sold on again to an entrepreneur who eventually made a hit in the 1950s with a vodka-based cocktail – the Moscow Mule. Vodka did not see a great boom in popularity in the West until the 1960s and 1970s when many more brands were launched in the USA and the UK.

The timing coincided with the cultural revolution in these countries – the ‘swinging 60s.’ With a more affluent younger generation and a generally more relaxed lifestyle and the emphasis on adventure and experimentation – vodka’s mixability led to its huge and ever rising popularity.

Vodka cocktails are almost as numerous as those of gin and are seen in the same exclusive circles and stylish bars the world over.  Now let’s talk about the addiction to these wonderful cocktails.

Intervention Of Drug And Alcohol Recovery

Sometimes life gets tough and we need to make some hard decisions to better ourselves. We seek solace through materials that can be harmful to us. No matter your age, or when you experience an addiction, can be costly for the person suffering from it as well as their families. In times like these, it%u2019s imperative to get professional help to nip the problem in the bud.

Addiction is a tough issue to confront. Even when you know that you%u2019re dealing with an alcohol addiction, it%u2019s not something you want to reflect on or talk about. It%u2019s certainly not something you want to muster up the energy to fight. More than 15 million Americans have some sort of alcohol use disorder, though just 1 percent receives the help they need.

In 2014, 30,700 Americans died from alcohol-induced causes. This figure includes both alcohol poisoning and cirrhosis, which is primarily brought on by excessive alcohol consumption. In that same year, there were 9.4 alcohol-induced deaths per 100,000 people % u2013 a 37 percent increase from 2002.

Treatment of Drug And Alcohol Addiction

Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based GuideAlcohol AddictionNaltrexoneNaltrexone blocks opioid receptors that are involved in the rewarding effects of drinking and the craving for alcohol. It has been shown to reduce relapse to problem drinking in some patients. An extended release version, Vivitrol%u2014administered once a month by injection%u2014is also FDA-approved for treating alcoholism and may offer benefits regarding compliance.

Acamprosate

Acamprosate (Campral) acts on the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate neurotransmitter systems and is thought to reduce symptoms of protracted withdrawal, such as insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, and dysphoria. Acamprosate has been shown to help dependent drinkers maintain abstinence for several weeks to months, and it may be more effective in patients with severe dependence.

Disulfiram

Disulfiram (Antabuse) interferes with degradation of alcohol, resulting in the accumulation of acetaldehyde, which, in turn, produces a very unpleasant reaction that includes flushing, nausea, and palpitations if a person drinks alcohol. The utility and effectiveness of disulfiram are considered limited because compliance is generally poor. However, among patients who are highly motivated, disulfiram can be effective, and some patients use it episodically for high-risk situations, such as social occasions where alcohol is present. It can also be administered in a monitored fashion, such as in a clinic or by a spouse, improving its efficacy.

Topiramate

Topiramate is thought to work by increasing inhibitory (GABA) neurotransmission and reducing stimulatory (glutamate) neurotransmission, although its precise mechanism of action is not known. Although topiramate has not yet received FDA approval for treating alcohol addiction, it is sometimes used off-label for this purpose. Topiramate has been shown in studies to significantly improve multiple drinking outcomes, compared with a placebo.

Combined With Behavioral Treatment

While a number of behavioral treatments have been shown to be effective in the treatment of alcohol addiction, it does not appear that an additive effect exists between behavioral treatments and pharmacotherapy. Studies have shown that just getting help is one of the most important factors in treating alcohol addiction; the precise type of treatment received is not as important.

Learn more about drug and alcohol addiction.

Originally posted 2021-04-09 01:41:14.

What-is-EMDR

How Does EMDR Work

EMDR Therapy for PTSD

What Are the Risks? – EMDR Side Effects

What is EMDR

EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a fairly new, nontraditional type of psychotherapy. It’s growing in popularity, particularly for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD often occurs after experiences such as military combat, physical assault, rape, or car accidents.

Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., an American psychologist, developed Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy as a breakthrough therapy with the special capacity to overcome the often devastating effects of psychological trauma in the late 1980s. An ever-growing community of therapists soon saw directly its power to transform lives.

At the same time, controlled research studies consistently demonstrated its efficacy and effectiveness. For many therapists who took up this therapy, EMDR felt like a “gift” to themselves and their clients, and they were eager to “pay it forward” by spreading the word to colleagues.

Therapist directed lateral eye movements are the most commonly used external stimulus but a variety of other stimuli including hand-tapping and audio stimulation is often used (Shapiro, 1991). Shapiro (1995, 2001) hypothesizes that EMDR therapy facilitates the accessing of the traumatic memory network, so that information processing is enhanced, with new associations forged between the traumatic memory and more adaptive memories or information. These new associations are thought to result in complete information processing, new learning, elimination of emotional distress, and development of cognitive insights.

How Does EMDR Work?

In a study, 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions. There has been so much research on EMDR therapy that it is now recognized as an effective form of treatment for trauma and other disturbing experiences by organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization and the Department of Defense.

Photo Credit – http://brainworldmagazine.com/how-emdr-therapy-opens-a-window-to-the-brain/

Given the worldwide recognition as an effective treatment of trauma, you can easily see how EMDR therapy would be effective in treating the “every day” memories that are the reason people have low self-esteem, feelings of powerlessness, and all the myriad problems that bring them in for therapy. Over 100,000 clinicians throughout the world use the therapy.  Millions of people have been treated successfully over the past 25 years.  

EMDR therapy combines different elements to maximize treatment effects. A full description of the theory, sequence of treatment, and research on protocols and active mechanisms can be found in F. Shapiro (2001) Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures, 2nd Edition

There are 8 phases involved.  You can read more about EMDR Principles and the phases here.

EMDR Therapy for PTSD

EMDR is a psychotherapy for PTSD. EMDR can help you process upsetting memories, thoughts, and feelings related to the trauma. By processing these experiences, you can get relief from PTSD symptoms.

After trauma, people with PTSD often have trouble making sense of what happened to them. EMDR helps you process the trauma, which can allow you to start to heal. In EMDR, you will pay attention to a back-and-forth movement or sound while you think about the upsetting memory long enough for it to become less distressing. Although EMDR is an effective treatment for PTSD, there is disagreement about it works.

Some research shows that the back and forth movement is an important part of treatment, but other research shows the opposite.

During the first stage, you will learn about physical and emotional reactions to trauma. You and your provider will discuss how ready you are to focus on your trauma memories in therapy. To prepare, you will learn some new coping skills. Next, you will identify the “target”, or the upsetting memory you want to focus on–including any negative thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations related to the memory.

You will hold the memory in your mind while also paying attention to a back-and-forth movement or sound (like your provider’s moving finger, a flashing light, or a tone that beeps in one ear at a time) until your distress goes down. This will last for about 30 seconds at a time, and then you will talk about what the exercise was like for you. Eventually, you will focus on a positive belief and feeling while you hold the memory in your mind. Towards the end of treatment, your provider will re-assess your symptoms to see if you need to process other targets.

What Are the Risks? – EMDR Side Effects

You may feel uncomfortable when focusing on trauma-related memories or beliefs. These feelings are usually brief and people tend to feel better as they keep doing EMDR.

• Most people who complete EMDR find that the benefits outweigh any initial discomfort.
• EMDR is an individual therapy. You will meet one-to-one with your provider for each session.
• In most cases, you will not be asked to talk about the details of your trauma out loud. But you will be asked to think about your trauma in session.

EMDR does not require you to complete homework or practice assignments between sessions.

About 1-3 months of weekly 50-90 minute sessions. But, many people start to notice improvement after a few sessions. And the benefits of EMDR can last long after your final session with your provider.

Originally posted 2021-04-08 13:29:35.

By Wilfried Busse  |   Submitted On February 26, 2013

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Wilfried_Busse/1506484
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7524236

Originally posted 2021-04-08 01:16:29.

By Teresa Allen

Why EMDR?

EMDR is a type of psychotherapy which helps people recover from difficult memories, especially traumatic ones. Many people in recovery from addictions have difficult memories in their past–memories that led up to their addiction or memories that resulted from using and drinking. About 60 percent of people in recovery have experienced serious trauma in their lives. Some of these old memories lead to repeated relapses.

Starting from the symptoms or complaints from your life today, an EMDR therapist will help you identify the memories that are contributing to your current difficulties. By following a procedure developed by Francine Shapiro, the therapist helps you resolve the current issue by reprocessing the old memory. That’s where the long name comes from-eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. When the technique was first used it involved eye movements; nowadays clients can choose the type of bilateral stimulation they like best.

It is always best to develop a solid recovery program with lots of support before beginning any depth psychotherapy while in early recovery. But some issues can be tackled sooner than was once believed. Sometimes people in recovery get stuck or relapse because these old wounds have not been addressed. The therapist will help you determine at what point in your recovery it is best to begin EMDR work.

EMDR Therapy Facilitates Natural Healing

Just as the human body has a built-in process for healing threats to its physical health, we also have a natural healing process for mental health after we have experienced a shock or emotional trauma. Our mind continually makes connections for us that are geared toward health and survival. In the 1980s, it was discovered that bilateral stimulation–alternately stimulating the right and left side of the brain accelerates the natural process of return to mental health.

Theory of EMDR Therapy

Memories of traumatic experiences get stored in frozen memory networks. They can’t link to other more adaptive memory networks. The natural healing process gets sidetracked. With EMDR therapy, it is possible for traumatic memories to be “unstuck” and to link up with more adaptive, healthy memories. The precise way EMDR therapy works is not yet understood, but it has been studied widely and found to be a very effective therapy for processing traumatic memories.

Lighting up the Traumatic Memory Network

After history taking and preparation, the therapist asks you to identify the images, emotions, self-beliefs, and bodily sensations linked to the difficult memory. This activates, or lights up, the frozen traumatic memory network and prepares it to link with healthier, more adaptive memories, associations, and thoughts. Remembering the associations connected to the shock or trauma can be painful, but you are supported in the session and given tools to manage the feelings as they occur. These involve safe place exercises and positive internal resources you can use to self-soothe. This gives you a way to deactivate the old traumatic memory network when you need or want to and to slow down the pace of the processing when you want to.

Managing the “Lit Up” State

The therapist helps you experience a balance between activation and safety that is just right for processing the difficult memory. In this “zone” the thoughts, emotions, images, feelings and body sensations of the memory are activated, but you are not so engulfed in the memory to be unaware that “That was then and this is now” and that you are safely in the present moment in your therapist’s office. While you are in that middle-place of one foot in the past and one foot in the therapist’s office, the therapist begins left-right stimulation. There are various types of left-right stimulation and the therapist and you together decide which is best for you. Whatever type you choose, the EMDR processing makes it possible to connect to more health-producing thoughts, images, and associations. You just notice your thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and emotions as they occur while experiencing the left-right stimulation. Always remember to not censor anything. This free association process brings up a variety of sensations, feelings, and thoughts as your mind works through the memory. After each set of left-right stimulus, the therapist checks in to see what you are experiencing.

Letting Whatever Happens Happen

EMDR therapy may bring up seemingly unrelated associations. You just let whatever is happening happen. Every so often you report briefly on what you are experiencing when the therapist checks in. It is important not to censor anything! You may experience painful or difficult sensations, but it is best to stay with the sensations with the support of your therapist. Moving through the wave can be deeply healing. It makes it possible for the mind to link up more adaptive memory networks to the old, frozen traumatic memories. The therapist monitors the process as it unfolds, looking for signs that it is on target. Sometimes things change and sometimes they don’t. The therapist is there to assist when things get sidetracked. If things are not progressing, the therapist changes techniques or adds information to facilitate the natural healing process at work.

The Body Remembers!

You will pay special attention to physical sensations during EMDR therapy. Focusing on body sensations provides an entryway to the old stuck memories. You are asked to be aware of and report on physical sensations during the session. Releasing these physical sensations is often the key to healing trauma. Whatever issue or challenge you are working with in therapy, it probably has a past, present, and future element. EMDR therapy is used to work with all three aspects of an issue. The therapist helps you target the issue from these three perspectives.

The Work Continues

The natural healing process will likely continue between therapy sessions. You may also have insights, dreams, or thoughts and feelings related to the work you did. It is very important to use your support system between sessions. Go to meetings, talk with a friend or sponsor, and find ways to get extra support. You may also want to talk to your therapist between sessions. After a session you may feel tired and need some down time. If possible, plan your EMDR session when you have time to relax after the session. You are asked to keep notes between sessions and to use self-soothing techniques to manage feelings between sessions.

EMDRIA.ORG

EMDR is a relatively new (over twenty years old) type of psychotherapy that has been found to be faster and more effective than talk therapy alone for some people. It is a useful tool for resolving blocks and old negative beliefs that get in the way of recovery from drugs and alcohol. To learn more, go to the EMDR International Association website at www.emdria.org or contact the author, Teresa Allen MFT, at txallen@aol.com.

Teresa Allen is in private practice as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Oakland, California. She also works with persons recovering from addictions at New Bridge Foundation in Berkeley, California. Teresa has worked with people in recovery since 1998. She is a Full Member of EMDRIA and has been using EMDR since 2005 in her private therapy practice.

Learn more about her practice at http://www.teresaallenmft.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Originally posted 2021-04-07 13:01:16.

     Stress – There are many types of stress, including family stress, financial stress, and job stress. You will not be able to avoid all sources of stress. How do you develop successful strategies when stress is threatening to overwhelm you? The following article is designed to answer that and many other questions about controlling the stress in your life. Try your hardest to maintain a healthy stress level. Elevated stress can result in health problems such as depression, ulcers, insomnia, stroke, muscle aches as well as heart attacks. Be sure to get an ample amount of high-quality sleep to reduce your levels of stress and avoid the risk of getting sick.

     Sniff your way stress-free. Certain plants, such as lavender, peppermint, thyme, basil, anise, bay, rose, and eucalyptus has a soothing aroma. In a small container, you can add some popular scented oils and a bit of rock salt to create your own aromatherapy. When you breathe in your own favorite relaxing scent you might find that you are better able to calm down. Sometimes, just having a good conversation with someone you trust can be the best way to beat stress. When you can purge the feelings of anxiety you have, you can find great relief. Enjoy a cup of coffee or a phone conversation with a family member or close friend that you can trust.

     Hobbies and video games can be relaxing, but if you are frustrated you should stop playing. Understand that you are supposed to be clearing your mind and feeling calm, rather than replacing your stress with frustration. Try purchasing some spearmint oil to help reduce stress. When you are feeling a bit overburdened, just place a small bit on your temples as well as your neck. You will be amazed how much relief you can find from simple remedies like this. If you are a teenager or twentysomething, playing video games like Final Fantasy can relieve stress. When you are in the midst of the game, you can strategize and forget about the stress you are feeling. Either play with a friend or play alone to better your mood.

     During times of stress, pay attention to what parts of your body are tense. The areas most often affected are the lower back, shoulders, fingers, and teeth. When you see where you place your tension, make it a habit to stretch these areas as soon as you begin feeling stressed. This habit makes it much easier to lower your guard and fully relax. Crafts or arts can be useful to help relieve stress. The brain is free to explore creatively without worrying about performance standards and profitability when it indulges in activities like sculpting, painting, carving, or drawing. If you are busy, you might be having racing thoughts. It’s very important that you slow yourself down, take a breath, and put things into proper perspective. Avoid rushing things throughout the day to keep your stress level down.

     Try doing someone else a favor if you are stressed. You can get a present for your significant other, or you can give your child their favorite meal. Putting your focus on another person is an excellent method of distracting yourself from stress, and seeing the ones you love smile back at you is an incredible way to make yourself feel better when you have a bad day. When you visit a beauty store again, buy lotions or shampoos that smell really good to you. The aroma of lavender is believed to have a calming effect, and other scents can make you feel good about yourself when you smell them and can make you feel much better about your day. Candles and body spray with lavender can also be used for relaxation.

Citrus Fruit to Rid Stress

     If you experience stress while traveling, grab a citrus fruit or juice made from citrus fruit. Citrus fruits contain vitamin C, which can ward off coughs and colds, and help you to avoid the stress caused by sickness. Smiling more can beat stress and is often forgotten about. When you smile, your emotional center or limbic system is stimulated. You naturally become calmer when you smile. This automatically lowers your stress. Sleeping is essential to a healthy body. Being tired can negatively affect your ability to handle the day-to-day up and downs of life. You need to get the right amount of sleep if you hope to be alert during the day and to make sure your body functions well.

     Remove yourself from the situation. Think about things that calm you and confirm your abilities incorrectly handling any situation. Doing this will allow you to succeed in removing yourself from this situation. Staying organized can help you gain control over the stress in your daily life. Perhaps your stress comes from procrastinating or simply forgetting about what you need to do. By keeping things neat and well-organized, you will have more control over your life. This can significantly reduce stress. If you are feeling stressed, try giving yourself a little treat like a favorite dessert. Only do this if your self-control is such that you will not overeat. Take the time to savor each bite as you hold it in your mouth. If you do this occasionally, it can help you with stress.

     A good method for coping with stress is to repeatedly squeeze a rubber ball. The act of making a fist and then letting it go can help you to release stress from your body. This helps your muscles relax from a tense state. Keep one stress ball in your car and one in your desk at work and use them on frustration. It is important to develop healthy coping mechanisms to help you better deal with stress. Self-talk involves choosing or composing a new sentence, thought or even sound, like a mantra that you will think or say instead of your habitual stressful thought. Employ this coping mechanism when you are feeling under stress. If you can switch gears and start thinking positively, then you can see through and ultimately work through your stress.

     As was stated at the beginning of the article, many aspects of life can cause stress, and many of these things are things that you cannot avoid. However, there are ways to reduce the effects. Follow the advice given here to improve the quality of your life by reducing the effects of stress. Sometimes, the incident that occurred in your past tends to hold you back in your everyday life. Talk to your therapist about using EMDR Therapy as an alternative to your regular therapy to boost your personal development.

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Originally posted 2021-04-07 00:51:59.

By Rachel Evans

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This is a technique that is supposed to be useful in helping people overcome things like anxiety, many phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol or drug abuse, schizophrenia, learning and eating disorders and disabilities, and other personality or mental problems a person may have.

Autism and EMDR Treatments

At a very basic level, this therapy is done by waving a stick, often lit, in front of the eyes of a patient. The eyes must follow the stick. It is moved in patterns up and down and back and forth. Some wonder if autism and EMDR might have a favorable outcome as well.

This therapy was invented by a therapist by the name of Francine Shapiro. It should be noted that though she received her doctorate, the school she attended was never accredited and no longer exists. However, that does not mean that this does not work.

It seems that no one is sure how this therapy works, but some believe it might work much like the theories behind acupuncture. It is believed that EMDR might release brain energy blockages that have been causing any of the aforementioned problems a person might be experiencing. Much like the chi of the body must be running in balance and unblocked in acupuncture, the same theory is said to be true for the brain and it functions as well.

When this type of therapy is employed to help those that have gone through a traumatic experience, it is said to be useful in eliminating the stress and depression associated with the memories. For example, someone who has gone off to war and has anxiety related to what happened to him or her while there might benefit from EMDR. The therapist will have the patient recall the event in as much detail as possible while having the patient do the eye movements associated with the therapy. This can help people who have been in fires, been through rape, or any other type of trauma that might cause lifelong and severe anxiety and stress.

Continue reading to discover the link between EMDR and autism and to sign up for the free newsletter below

How then, would this work for those who have autism? It’s not a treatment that can cure autism by any means, but it may help with specific things that are a problem for an autistic child. A big part of autism is anxiety, especially with socialization. However, other things can bring on anxiety that might be more troubling for a child with autism than for a child who does not have it. They may be scared of things that another child can rationalize. EMDR may help reduce anxiety with these children in relation to an event or a thing.

This treatment has its fair share of discreditors, but there are others who state that it works well and recommend this treatment for anxiety and traumatic experiences. The results of autism and EMDR treatment will differ from child to child, but because it is non-invasive and rather simple, it might be something worth trying when a child seems to have the paralyzing fear that is affecting their life and schedule. Try to find a practitioner who has experience in dealing with autism.

By Rachel Evans. Sign up for a free newsletter for more information on autism. In the newsletter, you’ll find out more about the signs and symptoms of autism.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/608785

Originally posted 2021-04-06 12:38:16.

EMDR therapy involves focusing on three periods of time: yesteryear, present, and future.  The focus is offered to past disturbing memories and related events. Also, it’s given to current situations that induce distress, and to developing the relevant skills and attitudes necessary for positive future actions. With EMDR therapy, these items are addressed having an eight-phase treatment approach.

     EMDR Therapy Phase 1:

The first phase can be a history-taking session(s). The therapist assesses the client’s readiness and develops a therapy plan. Client and therapist identify possible targets for EMDR processing. These include distressing memories and current situations that cause emotional distress. Other targets might include related incidents previously. Emphasis is positioned about the progression of specific skills and behaviors that will be needed by the client later on situations.

EMDR Therapy

Initial EMDR processing could be given to childhood events rather than to adult-onset stressors or the identified critical incident in the event the client had a problematic childhood. Clients generally gain insight into their situations, the emotional distress resolves and they learn to change their behaviors. The length of treatment depends on a number of traumas and the age of PTSD onset. Generally, individuals with single event adult onset trauma could be successfully treated in less than 5 hours. Multiple trauma victims might require a lengthier treatment time.

EMDR Therapy Phase 2:

During the next phase of treatment, the therapist helps to ensure that the customer has lots of different ways of handling emotional distress. The therapist may teach the client a variety of imagery and stress reduction techniques the customer may use during and between sessions. An objective of EMDR treatment therapy is to make a rapid and effective change while the client maintains equilibrium during and between sessions.

EMDR Therapy Phases 3-6:

In phases 3 to 6, a target is identified and processed using EMDR therapy procedures. These involve the customer identifying three things:
1. The vivid visual image associated with the memory
2. A negative belief about self
3. Related emotions and the entire body sensations.

Furthermore, your client identifies a good belief. The therapist helps the customer rate the positive belief along with the power of the negative emotions. Next, the client is made to target the image, negative thought, and the entire body sensations while simultaneously engaging in EMDR processing using sets of bilateral stimulation. These sets might include eye movements, taps, or tones. The type and period of these sets differ for each and every client. At this time, the EMDR client is expected to just notice whatever spontaneously happens.

After each pair of stimulation, the clinician instructs your client to permit his/her mind to go blank and to notice whatever thought, feeling, image, memory, or sensation one thinks of. Depending upon the client’s report, the clinician will select the next focus of attention. These repeated sets with directed focused attention occur numerous times throughout the session. If the client becomes distressed or has difficulty in progressing, the therapist follows established procedures to assist the client in getting back on track.

If the client reports no distress related to the targeted memory, (s)he could be required to think of the preferred positive thought was identified at the beginning of the session. At this time, your client may adjust the positive belief if needed, after which focus on it throughout the next set of distressing events.

EMDR Therapy Phase 7:

In phase seven, closure, the therapist asks the customer to keep a log during the week. The log should document any related material which could arise. It serves to remind the client of the self-calming activities that were mastered in phase two.

EMDR Therapy Phase 8:

The next session begins with phase eight. Phase eight consists of examining the progress made to date. The EMDR treatment processes all related historical events, current incidents that elicit distress, and future events that will need different responses

Originally posted 2021-04-06 00:28:32.

Depression is a serious health condition affecting millions of people. In fact, clinical depression can lead to anxiety, insomnia, eating disorders and suicidal tendencies. Fortunately, there is some valuable information you can use to soothe your depression. If you would like to learn more about the options available to you, please keep reading.

If you have a feeling of depression, it is vital that you speak to someone who can help. Talking to people about how you feel, whether you speak to a friend, relative or medical professional, can be helpful.

Face the issues you have in your life, rather than hiding from them. Proceed with small incremental steps so you don’t become overwhelmed, and tackle issues on an individual basis. You can get a handle on your depression and lessen its effects by taking this one step at a time approach.

You need to know that you’re not crazy. Depression is an actual illness and should be approached with as much respect as other diseases. Your body knows something is wrong, and depression can be a chemical imbalance or unresolved emotions. Listen to your body and get it the help it needs.

Treatment Options

You need to seek help from a professional if you are suffering from clinical depression or even routine sadness. A professional can give you an accurate diagnosis, and inform you of any treatment options that are available. They can also tell you exactly what form of depression you have, which can make finding effective treatment options a lot easier.

If you have been diagnosed with clinical depression, you cannot expect it to be cured overnight. This is something that you may have to deal with for years to come. Since this is happening to you, the below article will offer you some comfort and teach you how to deal with these problems.

Symptoms of depression

Take time to write in a journal if you are suffering from a depression. Allowing yourself to express your feelings, instead of repressing them is very healthy. Also, when you have symptoms that are bothering you, and you write these down, you may notice a pattern that may be causing you problems.

Even something as simple and fresh flowers can brighten your home and mood. Flowers, by their very nature, have evolved to be pleasing to many species, including humans. Take advantage of this, and try to have fresh flowers.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol and other drugs when depressed. When someone is dealing with depression, it can seem like alcohol or drugs may help, but it actually does more harm than good. Most times, this desire to drown feelings with drugs or drink will lead to dependency.

When it comes to depression, it is important to know that no matter what is wrong, you are not alone. This is essential to understand because everything seems much more difficult if you feel alone. Many people have the same issue, and there are always people that can help you.

Don’t avoid eating if you’re feeling depressed. Lots of times, sufferers of depression don’t consume any food because they’re too depressed to. Your body needs nutrients to survive; therefore, even if you do not feel like eating, you should try to eat a healthy snack.

Try to stay positive, no matter what is going on. Remaining positive puts you in the best position to discover a solution to whatever problems come along.

Try going green if you have depression. Many of the foods people eat in modern society are toxic to body and mind. The chemicals in these toxic ingredients can slow you down physically and even alter your brain chemistry. To avoid these toxins, buy organic. Most supermarkets offer organic products now.

Consider keeping a journal. It can help you monitor which events tend to set off your depressive moods. The more you can recognize when depression is going to strike, the more you can do to counteract it.

Negative Thoughts

Try your best to always stay positive. Of course, your negative thoughts tend to race when you’re depressed, so this will be a challenge. Try to keep track of negative thoughts and actions into words. Just getting out what you are thinking could make negative thoughts go away.

Try new experiences to keep life interesting. The feeling of being in the rut can strengthen your depression and cause a vicious cycle. The negativity begins to feed on itself and you begin to think that is all there is. Going outdoors and experiencing something new helps you to differentiate between your perceptions of reality and reality itself.

Battling depression can be made easier when you have sufficient, quality sleep under your belt. Restlessness and insomnia typically accompany depression, so aim to get 8 hours of sleep each night. Being active throughout the day will make you more likely to sleep well at night.

Focus on doing healthy things for yourself each day. Maintain your therapy sessions and participate in the activities that are suggested by your therapist. List the things that you want to talk to your therapist about. Your list should help keep you focused, and ensure that you’re talking about what you need to talk about rather than allowing your therapist to dictate the direction your session takes.

You should consider finding a support group that can help you manage your depression. If you talk to other people that are depressed, you will get some tips that you didn’t know and perhaps help them as well!

Don’t allow the more serious conditions to take hold if you suffer from depression. Before you fall victim to things like eating disorders and suicidal thoughts, use the tips you’ve read here to rise above the depression and to once again experience the joy of living. Take depression seriously, and work to defeat it.

Originally posted 2021-04-05 12:21:32.