SelfHelpMe.Net

Fat Around the Middle May Be Linked to Mental Health

British researchers have found that psychological disorders like anxiety and depression may increase fat around the middle. What’s more, those of us who suffer ongoing bouts of these all-to-common mental health problems are particularly at risk. Anxiety is reported to affect an estimated 13% of those in the U.S., with teens and even kids affected.

Depression is a part of life for more than 20 million Americans, often striking women more than men, but like anxiety can be common in the young as well. And while experts believe that common mental disorders like these might increase the risks of obesity, evidence to support the idea has been inconclusive – some studies finding a link, while others reported no association.

With rates of obesity and both these common mental disorders on the rise (recent reports suggest two times as many have anxiety/depression than experts expected), understanding any association will be helpful.

So, this is why this work, completed over 19 years, has been so helpful, and has given experts the opportunity to look at repeat measurements of both physical and mental characteristics – a rare thing for researchers.

Appearing in the October 7, 2009 issue of BMJ, the research involved the analysis of data from a series of medical screenings conducted on just over 4,300 British civil servants, office workers based in London who ranged in age from 35 to 55 years old.

Subjects participated in a total of four screenings during the study period, each involved measurements of height and weight used to calculate a BMI, as well as a standardized assessment of mental health that came from responses to a self-administered, 30 item general health questionnaire.

This particular mental health-screening tool has shown high reliability in the past, and is regularly used in many population-based studies. The classifications of obesity and overweight used for this particular study came from the World health Organization’s definitions – a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 is considered overweight, a BMI of 30.0 or over is considered obese.

The researchers found that anyone with one of the common mental health disorders at all three of the earlier screenings was two times more likely to be obese at the forth and final screening compared to the subjects that hadn’t reported any anxiety or depression symptoms at earlier screenings.

Adjustments were made for age, sex and body mass index at the start of the study in 1985. The study authors made a point to note that those who had more incidences of one of the common mental health conditions had the highest risk of weight gain and obesity.

Why is this? The team speculates that anxiety and depression are often associated with eating disorders, both over and under eating. Lack of physical activity is more common in this population, and many drug treatments (tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) used for these mental health conditions have side effects that include added weight.

The study firmly disputes the idea that fat around the middle leads to anxiety or depression in those with no pre-existing symptoms of such problems. The researchers hope that further research confirms the link between anxiety, depression and obesity as this could well lead to improved treatments, perhaps even solid preventive efforts.

Election 2010: Implications for Federal Addiction and Mental Health Policy

I am sure that most of us have had our fill of pundits offering opinions about why the elections went the way that they did, and what this means about the mood of the American people.  You will not find any of that in this short piece. Instead, I will focus on what might the election mean for our community in terms of policy and funding.

I must begin this process with the acknowledgement that I do not own a crystal ball, and my ability to predict the future is cloudy at best. Therefore, I will confine myself to areas that have greater certainty than others

Discretionary Spending Will Not Grow

Government agencies have already submitted Federal Fiscal Year 2012 budget figures to the Office of Management and Budget. Earlier this year, the President issued guidance to all federal agencies requested that each non security agency submit a budget request five percent below the discretionary total provided for that agency for FY 2012 than in the FY 2011 Budget.

It is safe to assume that discretionary programs in the Department of Health and Human Services, Justice, and Education will likely remain level or shrink.

The Increase in Federal Medicaid Payments Will Not Be Extended

In light of revenue shortfalls in almost all of the States, the federal government provided a temporary increase in the Federal share of Medicaid spending that was scheduled to end on December 31, 2010 and was extended until June 30, 2011, albeit at a reduced rate.

The combination of concern over federal spending, combined with changes in Congressional composition would suggest that chances of extending this federal support to states is unlikely to be extended again.

It will be Difficult to Repeal Healthcare Reform

The political realities of repealing a law make this scenario very unlikely, principally because of President Obama’s veto power. Another complication is that some parts of health care reform already in effect are pretty popular. Among them are provisions forcing insurers to cover children with pre-existing conditions and allowing parents to keep kids up to age 26 on their policies. That’s why congressional veterans predict that any potential rollbacks would be more piecemeal rather than a full-scale discard.

While we will likely see many proposals related to changing the healthcare reform law, most concerning to the addiction and mental health community will be efforts to scale back, or delay the Medicaid expansion scheduled for 2014. We have already discussed that federal discretionary funding will not be growing, and that additional federal Medicaid assistance is unlikely. The consequences of these actions is to put further pressure on STATE and COUNTY appropriations, further eroding addiction and mental health funding, especially for indigent populations.

There will also be efforts to take money away from funded programs, and the new Prevention and Wellness Fund is already seen as the prime target to steal from.

Be sure to continue monitoring these updates as the 112th Congress unfolds. Your continued advocacy will be essential as we move forward.

Mental Health – It’s Not One Thing To Be Scared Of
Mental health could be a loaded phrase that includes a lot of stigma hooked up to it. People are often frightened that they can be labelled as mentally unwell and mental health problems are usually discussed in whispers if they are spoken regarding at all.
But physical health, the counterpart of mental health may be a perfectly acceptable term. Individuals are ready to talk brazenly regarding their physical health problems – generally in too much graphic detail.
Therefore why the matter with mental health? When all it’s merely a description of a health drawback that’s related to the mind and every one the things it controls – emotions, cognition and behaviour. However as a result of thoughts are not one thing you’ll see they are more difficult to explain.
Our understanding of the mind is in its infancy. People have been ready to point out how the body works for lots of years but they haven’t been ready to point out the workings of the mind, only the results of thoughts.
We tend to have an accepted norm of behaviour that is what helps us to perform as a society but when folks react outside of that accepted norm it challenges us and alters our own normal or expected behaviour.
Just as in physical health there are levels of mental health problems. If you’re physically unwell then you’ll have a abdomen ache or a sprained wrist which are just short term problems that are seemingly to only affect you for a short amount of your time and once they need gone are unlikely to own any future impact on you.
By the same token, if you’re mentally unwell then you could be suffering with anxiety over a happening that you are nervous concerning or you’ll have ongoing depression. Both issues are affecting your mind so they’re both mental health issues.
I hope that helps to place it into context. Mental illness doesn’t need to be restricted to only the a lot of extreme cases of mental disturbance.
You would not expect to set your own broken leg and whilst you’ll tend to treat your own cold symptoms, you are still hoping on your own expertise and recommendation that alternative individuals have given you. You will be in a position to deal with some emotional issues on your own, like short term stress or confidence. You’ll have colleagues or friends who will offer you recommendation on how they’ve controlled similar issues. However if something has been niggling away in your mind for a whereas then go and see an knowledgeable within the mind just as you’d see an skilled in physical illness. You’ll be able to learn new skills or use techniques that you do not have access to yourself that can lose the niggle and facilitate your to get pleasure from life more.
Your mind will a heap of hard work thus there are doubtless to be times that it does not operate on high form. Thinking you have got to measure with anxiety, low confidence, an unwanted habit or unwanted behaviour is like thinking you’ve got to measure with cataracts or broken bones. In most cases those are treatable and vastly improve your life. It’s the identical together with your mind. Most mental issues are treatable and once more can vastly improve your life.

Good Mental Health May Not Be What You Think

Most people seem to have some knowledge of what mental illness is, but there is a great deal of confusion about what constitutes mental health. However, when I Googled “mental health,” I was hit with a barrage of gobbledygook. I won’t repeat any of that here.

A fundamental part of good mental health is living as much as possible in the present, rather than reliving past events or worrying about future events. Everyone has a history, some good, and some bad. You can’t change what happened, so the better you get at living in the present, the more mentally healthy you will be.

Everyone has stories, but the trick is to not confuse your story with who you are. You are not your story. Nelson Mandela has an amazing story of the horrors of 30 years of hard labor in prison. However he did not confuse that story with who he was. He never let that story become his identity.

You may have some conceptualization of who you are, such as, “I am an impatient, Type A decision-maker.” This is the way you experience yourself, but you are not the experience itself.

So don’t get too attached to it, or it may interfere with some of your other life roles such as lover, parent or teacher.

Like everyone else, you have thoughts and emotions, good and bad, but you are not those thoughts and emotions. Our medicalized society has preached that if you have bad thoughts or very unpleasant emotions, there is something wrong with you. The result is that you may spend a great deal of time and effort trying to control your thoughts or emotions, that is, trying to fix yourself.

The control may take the form of suppressing, avoiding, trying to forget, or just plain denying.

Let me ask you, have any of your attempts to control worked long-term? …I rest my case.

The trick is to be the observer of your thoughts and emotions, never confusing them with who you are as a person. Learn to accept them, and when you can do that, you’ll find that they provide useful data for your choices: more about that below.

What do you value in life? What is your purpose? The key to mental health is your commitment to making choices consistent with your values, at the same time simply accepting your past, your stories, your emotions and your thoughts as you stay present with your commitment. This takes psychological flexibility.

Mental health is more about this quality of psychological flexibility than about happiness. However, as you make your choices which reflect your values, your level of happiness is often an excellent source of feedback on the quality of your choices.

Mental Health First Aid in the USA After One Year

Launching a new program is a bit like eating an elephant. Even though you’ve got a great vision and a huge goal, you still have to tackle it one bite at a time.

That’s the approach that has taken with launching Mental Health First Aid in the United States. We envision Mental Health First Aid becoming as commonplace as CPR and First Aid within the next fifteen years. Some may call that an elephant, but the results of our first program year demonstrate that the challenge is immensely doable especially with a few extra-large bites.

Since its launch last year, more than 300 instructors have been certified in Mental Health First Aid, a program that builds mental health literacy and teaches non-clinicians basic skills in how to help someone experiencing a mental health problem or crisis. A Mental Health First Aider learns to provide assistance until the problem resolves or until other appropriate help is engaged.

It’s evident that Mental Health First Aid is the right program coming at the right time.

When we began this initiative, we were hoping to certify about twenty organizations to introduce Mental Health First Aid in their communities. As of this summer, the end of our official pilot year, we had nearly one hundred fifty organizations offering the program.

The growth of the program has not surprised many of the National Council’s board leaders, who were among the first to adopt Mental Health First Aid. “The multiple wins of the program were obvious from the start,” says Dr. Carl Clark, first vice chair of the National Council Board and CEO of the Mental Health Center of Denver, one of the initial pilot sites. “We can enhance community resilience, offer potential partners an easy-to-understand service, broaden our focus beyond serious mental illness, and further secure our role as community problem solvers.”

Don Miskowiec of North Central Behavioral Health Systems agrees. “Even though we’re dealing with devastating and demanding budget cuts here in Illinois, we are committed to Mental Health First Aid. If anything, it’s even more necessary in our current environment.” After participating in the initial training, Miskowiec’s center added six additional instructors to his team for 2009.

The program focuses on three key elements: recognizing warning signs, increasing skills to help individuals reach out to those with mental health challenges, and understanding how professional and self-help supports can help.

From hospitals and the workplace to college campuses and the general public, Mental Health First Aid addresses not only stigma, but also the real desire to help someone who is struggling. Mental Health First Aid makes it okay to reach out. So often people want to help, but we’re not sure what to do and don’t want to risk doing the ‘wrong’ thing. Mental Health First Aid teaches participants that it’s okay not to have all the answers and increases their comfort level.

To date, the National Council has partnered with the Australian founders as well as the state governments in Maryland and Missouri to ensure that we have a clear, evidence-based and unified Mental Health First Aid curriculum in the United States. In addition, the National Council has created and refined the instructor training program, tracked community engagement, and partnered with the University of Maryland and SAMHSA to evaluate the fidelity of the U.S. program to that of the Australian original. And, the National Council provides ongoing support to MHFA program sites and instructors through individual consultation, a technical assistance website and an instructors listserve. This spring, the national MHFA E-News monthly newsletter was launched to provide updates, share successes, and keep the momentum going.

It’s important that we continue our relationship with the instructors. We’re identifying new ways to share learnings and outcomes from across the country and connecting to common needs, such as supplemental programs and standardized evaluation tools.

Recognizing that the popularity of Mental Health First Aid also increases the need for significant support, capacity and branding, I must emphasize that the National Council is in this for the long haul. The pilot’s success is both fulfilling and a little intimidating. Perhaps a bit like eating an elephant.

Mental Health Survey Explains Booming Psychotropic Drug Sales

A study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Association (SAMHA) has revealed some startling statistics on the state of Americans’ mental health. The survey of 67,000 adults across the nation found mental illness is more common than diabetes, cancer or heart disease, with 1 in 5 of them experiencing some form of mental illness in the past year.  Mental illness is the leading cause of adult disability in North America.

Mental illness is defined as any condition or disease affecting the brain that influences thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.  These changes in thinking and mood often impact the way a person relates to others and to his or her surroundings. Women, the unemployed and young adults are the most prone to mental illness, although it affects people of all backgrounds. The most widespread forms of mental illness include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.  Other common mental illnesses include obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, and personality disorders such as borderline personality or antisocial personality.

Many mental health experts include addiction on this list.

Mental illnesses are caused by a variety of interrelated factors including:

1) genetics – a tendency towards mental illness tends to run in families

2) biology – such as imbalances in brain chemicals called neurotransmitters

3) psychological trauma – such as serious abuse and/or neglect

4) life stressors – such as a serious loss or illness or a dysfunctional family life.

Mental illnesses are not indications of character weakness or personal failure any more than cancer or diabetes are, and those affected can not simply “pull up their socks” and talk themselves out of it. Unfortunately, a lack of knowledge about and the social stigma attached to mental illness keep many sufferers from getting the help they need. Less than 40% of people identified with mental illness received mental health services.

Encouragingly, great strides have been taken in the mental health field, both in the psychotropic medication and in psychotherapy. Roughly 8 in 10 people with mental illness are now able to function normally with appropriate treatment. The history books are full of people who became famous and successful despite mental illness, including Vincent Van Gogh, Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, Abraham Lincoln, Florence Nightingale, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Kurt Cobain.

Perhaps not surprisingly given the SAMHA statistics, antipsychotic medications (used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and non-psychotic disorders such as Tourette syndrome, anxiety and autism) are the top-selling class of medications in the US.  Depression medication is also a top-seller, particularly the newer SSRI antidepressants, or serotonin specific reuptake inhibitors.

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are common with a number of mental illnesses. Alarmingly, almost 8½ million of those SAMHA surveyed had contemplated suicide, over 2 million had made suicide plans, and 1 million had made actual suicide attempts. If you or someone close to you has signs or symptoms of a mental illness, see your doctor or a mental health professional.  Mental illness is treatable, but if left untreated, may get worse over time.

The Benefits Of Weight Loss Retreats In Boosting Mental Health
Not only can weight loss retreats have an important effect on your weight and calorie intake, but they are also vital in boosting your mental health. It has been proven that regular physical exercise keeps your brain more alive as you age, your thinking skills become sharper and depression is reduced. According to the Journal of Mental Health Promotion (2004), There is also growing research evidence of links between physical activity and mental health benefits, including mood elevation, better cognitive functioning and improved self-perception, self-esteem and self-efficacy. This can only be enhanced by being in an environment designed to nourish your body and spirit, a retreat made purely for your health.

Increased physical activity is said to help relieve depression and anxiety, which can be a by-product of severe weight gain. It can also relieve stress and help you sleep better. In Foxs 1999 study, it was found that exercise was as effective as psychotherapeutic interventions in the treatment of depression. This is extremely important when thinking about going on a weight loss retreat. There is a great benefit in being in a place where experts can monitor both your physical and mental wellbeing. Indeed, some retreats include such mind boosting activities as yoga, tai- chi, journaling and hypnotherapy. Gentle physical exercise has an important impact on your spiritual wellbeing.

So how does exercise boost our mental health? Endorphins (or happy chemicals) are produced in the brain, and research has showed increased activity in the brains frontal lobe during exercise, with higher levels of serotonin and dopamine. This makes us feel happier and calmer. So exercising at a weight loss retreat can make you feel more centred and alive. Add to this a relaxing evening in the spa, delicious food and a calm environment and you have the recipe for vitality!

Strengthening the Public Mental Health Addictions Safety Net

Much needs to be done to ensure that national healthcare reform and parity live up to their promise for persons with mental illness and addiction disorders, Congressmen and advocates pointed out during a recent policy briefing on mental health.

There is an unfortunate dual crisis of increased demand and service reduction. Coverage expansion under healthcare reform will result in 1.5 million new patients entering the public safety net for mental health and addictions treatment, which already struggles to care for 8 million+ children and adults. Approximately 2.5 million people with serious mental disorders, individuals with major addiction disorders and homeless persons will remain uninsured, relying on services delivered by the safety net. The economic recession has resulted in over billion in cuts to public mental health services -with more cuts on the horizon – leading to the elimination of services for the uninsured.
Another public health emergency was highlighted during the policy briefing: Persons with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression die, on average, at the age of 53 -the highest death rate among any population served by any agency of the United States Public Health Service.

Co-occurring chronic illnesses -asthma, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and cardio-pulmonary conditions -and lack of access to primary care and specialty medicine is a critical factor in these tragic outcomes.

The time has come for parity between community behavioral health and other parts of America’s safety net including public hospitals and Community Health Centers. All of us (including Congress and regulators) must pay attention to three issues critical to the success of parity and healthcare reform:

Passage of HR 5636, the Community Mental Health and Addiction Safety Net Equity Act, that offers a new definition for Federally Qualified Behavioral Health Centers and identifies core services, creates nationwide cost based reimbursement, and establishes clearly-defined national accountability and reporting requirements.

Regulations to ensure that the healthcare reform’s new Medicaid Health Home State Option requires mandatory subcontracts with behavioral health; and that behavioral health organizations serve as medical homes for people with serious mental illnesses and addictions to advance this population’s overall health and improve life expectancy.

Passage of the HR 5040, the Health Information Technology Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act, to support the use of technology to create treatment transparency, eliminate errors and better coordinate care to improve the health outcomes of persons with serious mental illness.

Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), said there were four keys to a successful implementation of healthcare reform for people with mental and addiction disorders -a vigorous outreach and enrollment program by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; regulations that ensure parity in Medicaid state exchanges and parity in Medicare managed care plans, inclusion of intensive community based services and residential addiction services in the mandatory minimum benefits package offered through the new state exchanges, and inclusion of community mental health centers in every medical home funded via the law’s Health Home State Option.

Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), pressed for passage of legislation that would extend federal health information technology incentives to behavioral health services. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), would make behavioral and mental health providers eligible for federal grants to acquire electronic health records that are interoperable, integrated, intelligent and easy to use. But bills improving access to mental health services “only matter if we make sure we integrate care together,” Murphy said. “Mental health services are not stand-alone and that is something we need to continue to educate the community around.”

First Steps to Starting a Mental Health Private Practice

Are you thinking about starting your own mental health practice?  Maybe you are newly licensed, or have worked for other institutions and groups for awhile.  From my own experience I can attest that owning your own practice is a wonderful adventure that gives you professional and personal rewards far beyond working for others to earn a pay check.  But starting a practice is not for everyone.  Starting up can take a good deal of effort and faith in yourself and your skills, both as a mental health professional and as a business person.  Here is a list of questions to ask yourself before embarking on starting your own private practice.

1. Am I “business minded”?  Do I look at my work as a service I provide for a fee?  If you answer “no” to these questions, you are not ready to start your own practice.  A private practice is a business that exists to earn a profit.  You are a highly skilled therapist and the service you offer is very necessary and needed by many, many people.

However, at the end of the day you are providing a service for a fee like a lawyer, an accountant, or financial planner.  To be successful, you will need to think as a therapist AND as a business person.

2.  Am I comfortable wearing many hats and multi-tasking?  Can I do my clinical work and focus on business demands at the same time?  To run a successful practice you will need to do two things: 1) spend time building and running your business and 2) seeing clients in your office.

3.  Do I like to be my own boss and in control of how I spend my time?  Am I a self starter?  Owning your own practice can be very liberating in how you spend your time.

You can work on your schedule and create a work/family balance that you might not otherwise be able to achieve working for somebody else.  You do, however, need to be self-motivated and a self-starter because no one is going to hold you accountable to be at work, or to seeing a certain number of clients a week.

4.  What is my comfort level with risk?  Starting your own practice means you are in charge of how profitable you and your business are at any given time.

5.  Can I delegate?  Entrepreneurial practice building requires multi-tasking, but does not mean you should schedule your own appointments or do your own bookeeping.

6.  Am I comfortable with the concept of marketing?  Many mental health professionals have the notion that marketing is “not done,” in our profession.  However, smart marketing is not only fair and ethical, it is mandatory to be a successful practice owner.

7.  Am I open to learning new ways of thinking, doing and delivering my expertise?  Running a small business requires flexibility in thought and action.  For example when managed care changes rates, policies or requirements, how will you handle this?  As a practice owner you need to be able to change with the business realities that impact your bottom line.

8. Am I open to learning new things and making the occasional mistake?  Most of us received no business training in our post-graduate studies.  We need to learn business strategies and steps from the ground up.  Like learning anything new, we make mistakes.  In order to be successful, you must be open to learning, accepting the occasional mistake, learning from it and moving on.

If you answered “YES” to most of the questions above, you are ready to start your journey in building or expanding your private practice.  To learn more, please visit www.bizsavvytherapist.com.

Weaving Mental Health First Aid into Workplace Wellness

Every month Anne LaFleur sends employees in her office a quiz about various wellness topics. When the topic was depression, she received twice as many responses as usual from co-workers.

When LaFleur, vice president of human resources at a credit union in Pawtucket, RI, took a Mental Health First Aid course in February, she quickly understood the reason for the high level of interest in mental health issues. The training also helped her identify people in her office who may be suffering a mental health problem and taught her how to provide help and refer people to self-help and professional resources. “The training made me realize that mental health issues are very common, yet one of the least talked about problems,” LaFleur says.

More than one in four people suffer from a diagnosable mental health problem in any given year.

Mental illness likely costs businesses more than billion a year, billion of it in lost productivity. The statistics point to the significant need to incorporate mental health into burgeoning employee wellness programs, which have received a shot in the arm with the passage of federal healthcare reform legislation.

Mental Health First Aid has proved to be an ideal program to promote improved mental health in workplaces across the country.

LaFleur is one of more than 6,000 people certified in Mental Health First Aid since the training was introduced in the United States two years ago by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare along with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

Those who participate in the 12-hour Mental Health First Aid course learn a five-step process to assess a situation, select and implement appropriate interventions and help a person developing signs and symptoms of mental illness or in crisis receive appropriate care. Participants also learn about the risk factors and warning signs of specific illnesses such as anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addiction.

Evaluations show that the evidence-based Mental Health First Aid program saves lives, expands people’s knowledge of mental illnesses and their treatments, and reduces the stigma associated with mental illness by helping people understand and accept mental illness as a medical condition. One trial of 301randomized participants found that those who took the training had greater confidence in providing help to others, greater likelihood of advising people to seek professional help, and decreased stigmatizing attitudes.

Unexpectedly, the study also found that Mental Health First Aid improved the mental health of the participants themselves.

“By understanding the signs and symptoms of depression, I learned to recognize this in myself,” says Kellie-Ann Heenan, director of human resources at a company in Lincoln, RI.

Heenan, who had the training in February, has an adopted son from Russia who suffers from a number of emotional issues.

“The tools I learned made it easier to connect with him and better understand where he’s coming from,” she says. “In the end, the training improved my own mental health.”

LaFleur has also applied the lessons she learned in the course to her home life.

“My kids are in their 20s and they go through the typical ups and downs,” says LaFleur, “I use my Mental Health First Aid training to see how my kids are feeling.” LaFleur says she was surprised by the range of mental health issues covered in the course.

“We looked at how to deal with both crisis and non-crisis situations, and it made us very aware of the terminology we use that may not be socially correct,” she says, noting that describing co-workers as “crazy” or a “nut case” may be hurtful to people going through an emotionally trying time.

The training proved to be particularly helpful to Lynn Corwin last January when two fellow employees walked into her office in a panic. They told Corwin, director of human resources at the organization, that a co-worker was extremely upset about the recent earthquake in Haiti. The distressed young woman had a close friend in Haiti and had been unable to contact the person for five days. Fearing the worst, the woman was having difficulty managing her emotions, let alone being able to work.

While the two workers had no idea how to deal with the situation, Corwin sprung into action.

“I used what I learned in the course to calm the woman down and talk with her about how she’s feeling,” says Corwin. “I explained to her that it was OK to be upset, and to not be embarrassed about it.”

“The training left me with a greater sense of confidence about how to deal with a variety of people issues that come up in every office,” concludes Heenan. “There’s such a stigma around mental health and people don’t want to talk about it, so having the information gives me confidence that I’ll be able to handle these types of situations when they arise.”

Earthquake Children’s Mental Health And Psychological Intervention – Earthquake, Psychological –
Earthquake Children’s mental health and psychological intervention

- The average child for disaster

West China Hospital of Sichuan University Mental Health Center

Professor Guo Lanting An earthquake caused serious psychological trauma on children, including:

1, after the earthquake process 2, witnessed the scene of life to death after the earthquake affected areas, housing collapse to collapse scene

3, sudden loss of loved ones, friends,

4, family housing and school buildings damaged, a sudden loss of familiar environment and learning environment

5, the face of strangers, and unstable living environment

6, his disability Two earthquakes often occur after the children’s psychological reactions and physiological responses

1. Fear, panic; irritability 2. Grief, crying 3. Emotional numbness, dull 4. Alienate anyone 5. Worry about no one to take care of themselves, love themselves

6. Do not want to separate with the adults, do not want to be alone, always need to accompany their loved ones, worried about leaving their loved ones will never return

7. Especially timid, afraid of strangers

8. Easy temper 9. Do not believe that their loved ones had left, that they will return

10. Feel that they are children abandoned by their parents died, and even they will feel angry

11. Feel that their loved ones death is caused because of their well-behaved

12. Imitate the behavior of their loved ones died

13. Childish behavior: finger sucking, back

14. Abnormal behavior, such as special good, especially naughty, pretending to be strong

15. As if nothing happened, like, with no sorrow

16. Fear of future disaster 17. Fear and disaster-related natural phenomena

18. Sick: poor appetite, difficulty breathing, headache, abdominal Tong, general weakness,

19. Sleep problems: nightmares, sudden crying at night, difficulty falling asleep

3, children and adolescents most in need of psychological support are:

Sense of security, family members or trusted adults around them, and assured them:

1, things have passed, now it is safe

2, we will protect you 3, we will not leave you

Emotional response to the children to express your own emotions and feelings

1, we know that when you are afraid of the earthquake

2, we understand your lost loved ones, loss of school, students are very sad after

3, we also have these feelings, but also very scared, very sad

Let children know that everyone has these feelings, these reactions are normal

4, parents and friends can provide specific psychological support to children is:

Provide a sense of security and emotional resonance

1. Spend more time with their children, before going to sleep with him and tell stories

2. To leave the child to the child that a good time before departure, when it came back to do what, to the child that you’ll come back and let him rest assured, as late

3. Do not show too much fear, anxiety, and let the children think that you are backing him

4. To introduce a child around adults, arranged around the kids, and the establishment of temporary schools

5. As far as possible to provide children ages books, stationery or toys

6. For younger children or children of the same sex and their bodies can be stroking, hugging, kissing;

On older adolescents use warm handshake, Paijian, hugging, eye contact to give them a sense of security and emotional resonance

7. As far as possible honest answer to every problem child

Appropriate, measured to guide young children to express their own feelings and emotions

8. Encourage your child to describe his experience of disaster at the time,

9. By indirect means the death of their loved ones and children to discuss issues such as: small pet to first discuss the death of their loved ones died in the mood before

10. With a child feel about his loss of family members, can be speech, drawing, toys, etc. Let the child express his inner grief, sorrow

11. Give them a chance of losing relatives and friends have in mind, older children can point to their participation in the funeral of their loved ones

12. Can be with their children and family with memories of the past, the scene reminded them, “They loved you, you love them”

5, how to answer children’s questions?

1, will no longer earthquake?

Can not tell him no, tell them there will be a small aftershocks, and to teach children simple safety Tips shock. Let him know that if another earthquake, how would you do, how should he do. The best way is to take the kids to do with the shock simulation exercise, to understand the project.

Let’s Treat Mental Health As Physical Health

Mental wellbeing and dependency issues touch everyone. This year, one in four Americans will go through a diagnosable mental illness — disorders including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and addiction. Unfortunately, just one in three of those people will seek out the therapy and support that they need, risking their physical well being and quality of life.

May is Mental Health Month, a special yearly commemoration that started more than 60 years back to raise understanding of mental health issues and mental wellness for all. It’s an ideal time for us to reflect on how far we have come since the first Mental Health Month was celebrated and look toward tomorrow.

Without a doubt, mental health care treatment has changed drastically in the last six decades. Where a mental health disorder was once a hopeless predicament — a source of shame that ensured institutionalization — individuals today can access effective treatments and programs which allow them to get their life back.

We now have unprecedented tools to diagnose and address even extreme mental disorders.

Socially, we have come a long way as well. Legislators are certainly more aware of how mental disorder affects our communities, and the important need for robust funding and infrastructure in mental health care. More and more, we’re seeing public figures coming forward to examine their private and familial challenges with many mental health and dependency problems. These kinds of accounts inspire optimism and promote early involvement and therapy.

We now have improved mental healthcare considerably, but we continue to have work to accomplish to see that those who require help and guidance have it.

Neglected mental health problems cost our nation in excess of 0 billion per year.

Data shows that mental health conditions are accountable for more disability benefits than chronic illnesses like arthritis and diabetes. Two-thirds of all visits to family medical professionals result from stress-related signs and symptoms. High levels of stress have been discovered to predict heart disease, our planet’s primary reason for death, more frequently than high cholesterol levels, smoking cigarettes or even obesity. Those with depressive disorders have a propensity to acquire diabetes compared to those without symptoms of depression. Serious mental illnesses can reduce a person’s life expectancy by up to 25 years.

With these staggering statistics in mind, we have to ask: Why do two-thirds of people in need of mental health support and therapy never look for help? We would certainly never leave a shattered arm or leg unattended or permit a family member to suffer with unmanaged diabetes. Precisely what is keeping us from caring for our mental health in the same manner that we deal with our physical health?

The resolution to these questions is grounded with our perceptions concerning mental health. Many in our modern society stick to long-held opinions that mental health and dependency conditions are caused by socioeconomic status, character defects, terrible parenting, growing up or aging. Other individuals mistakenly think that those who have psychological health and addiction disorders can never recuperate.

We can correct these misperceptions.

Numerous communities are wonderful supporters of mental well being providers and many people are supporters for their friends and family members who are working towards recuperation in their lives. Let’s take the opportunity that Mental Health Month provides to talk publicly and frankly regarding mental health. Together, we can narrow the gap in between those who need proper care and those who receive it.

Overcome Your Own Fears – Mental Health

I am going to refer to fear as a disease throughout this article…just so you know what I am referring to. Fear, this disease, if you allow it to, can break you down mentally, emotionally and even physically. It will trap you, hold you captive and enslave you. I say enslave because we allow this disease to control us and tell us what we can and can not do.

If you allow fear to control you, then everyday you are losing a constant battle with yourself. You choose not to take risks or chances anymore to pursue new things because this disease is crippling you and making you fear the possible outcome of trying something new. You miss out on new experiences and new opportunities that you could have pursued, but you let fear make that decision for you and you choose not to take a chance. This disease will take away your ability to make decisions and manipulate and control, every aspect of your life when given the opportunity.

We all have fears whether we admit to them or not, whether we know it or not.

Some face their fears and overcome them, some allow their fears to force them to pick a different path and live in a way they think is safe or more cautious and others allow their fears to manipulate and control their lives completely. We all can overcome our fears, but the first step is to face that fear. And that’s easier said than done of course, but once you take that first step then it becomes that much easier and you start to feel this powerful energy flow through you and you don’t know where it came from. Then you start to control your disease and not let it control you. Once you experience that power and being in control then it starts to become a want, a need or a desire to continuously face your fears, overcome them and achieve good or great things in your life.

Like I said earlier, facing your fears is easier said than done, but it can be done! This is coming from someone who is facing fears left and right, everyday.

Do I still try to avoid them…Hell Yes! Do I let them get the best of me…sometimes. But I keep pushing myself to face those fears and the way to do that is how you approach your fear. You already know how to approach your own fear, you’re just too afraid to approach it because you’re afraid of what might happen if you do face it. The first thing to approaching a fear is your mindset, if you keep telling yourself, I can’t do it, I can’t do it, then you have just talked yourself out of doing whatever it is you set out to do.

We have heard this before, but I believe this 100% and that is that little voice in your head that tells you what you can and cannot do and we listen to it and believe what it is telling us. You have to turn that voice off and tell it to shut up! I use my own words of encouragement and motivation that I try to tell myself everyday to keep me focused and determined. I also take deep breaths, as simple or as corny as that may sound, it does help. I tell myself, what am I going to do, stop breathing and pass out because I’m afraid? And please forgive me if you take offense to that because I know that happens to people all the time and again, this is easier said than done. Depending on where you are at with your fears, it may be easy to start and it may not. I stumble through my words when I talk and sometimes my voice gets low when I am nervous or afraid, but I have to continue on like it’s no big deal.

I have heard before that people move out of fear, if I am afraid of being broke all my life then that might force me to change or improve my financial situation. If my marriage is in jeopardy and I don’t want to lose my spouse then that might force me to change something about me or figure out how to improve my relationship with my spouse. We have to learn how to use fear and make it work for us and not against us because there will always be something that intimidates us or that we’re afraid of. I think the best way to face your fears is to focus on what drives you everyday because you’re not dead, you’re still alive and breathing, you’re reading this article looking for a solution. When you find or tap into what you’re passionate about, what makes you get out of bed every morning and continue to live life, then I think you can conquer fear and nothing will stop you.

Mental Health – Panic Attacks (Panic Disorders) Symptoms
The first step is to first admit your condition to yourself. Once you’ve done that take the next step and admit that you need help. Overcoming panic attacks isn’t easy and doing it alone is even more difficult.

If you suffer from panic attacks constantly, sometimes it’s easier to pretend that you’re suffering from some kind of physical illness. The symptoms from panic attack can sometimes feel like physical illness, and it can be difficult to know exact what is the matter. That is why it is important always to seek proper medical advice before trying something new.

This are some of the panic symptoms: a violently pounding heart, difficulty breathing, feeling a lack of oxygen, mind numbing terror, dizziness, trembling, lots of sweating, shaking, choking, chest pains, sudden chills. And there are a lot other panic attack symptoms.

There are many methods to get help for panic and anxiety attack in the marked, and trying any of these methods unsupervised can be very dangerous and can even lead to greater problems than overcoming panic attacks alone. So remember to be safe if you’re starting a new treatment method – get proper medical supervision.

I hope you have professional available, and the choice of confiding in your doctor or even a therapist. Remember that these professionals are non-judgmental and their only goal is to help you with your panic attack symptoms. And if none of these options appeal to you, you can always try a method alone, although you’ll find it to be generally the more difficult.

There is no shame to suffer from panic attack symptoms or anxiety, and there is no shame have to lean on people when you need them most so don’t let that or pride hold you back if you’re overcoming panic attacks on your own steam. If you don´t know anyone you can turn to, there are many groups for panic attack suffers. You can find information about on the internet, or I am sure your doctor can help you to find a group near where you live.

Remember overcoming panic attacks isn’t easy whether you’re doing it on your own or if you have the support of friends and family. The only sure way to overcoming panic attacks is to at least try, and eventually through trial and error and your own strength of mind you can find the right path for you. It is with small steps you can go the longest road. If you are running you will get to tired before you are at the end. Be patient, get started. You don´t have to suffer from panic attack symptoms forever.

Mental Health, Wisdom and Goodness – Dream Revelations

The human being inherits a wild conscience in the biggest part of his brain, as was discovered through research made into the unknown region of the human psyche through dream interpretation according to the scientific method, and this is why his reactions are so violent.

Many people attacked and offended Charles Darwin when he declared that the human being is an animal, and that the primates are our relatives. Today this truth is accepted, but it was not deeply understood yet.

Man is still too proud of himself and his accomplishments, even though the world he created is pure hell.

Poverty, one of the worst human sufferings, still obliges him to forget his moral principles, completely ruining the human race.

Violence is everywhere.

Wars, crimes, terrorism, torture, craziness and despair have destroyed the planet and our civilizations during our entire history up until today.

Immorality, prostitution, rape and sexual abuse of children have disgusted us for years, but they continue happening everyday.

And what is our attitude before so many horrors?

We have shown only indifference, laziness, cowardice, futility, hypocrisy and stupidity facing them during millennia.

Fortunately though, the scientific method of dream interpretation is not only a mirror of the tragic reality, but a bridge that unites the idiot human being with the wisdom and the sanctity of the unconscious mind, which is a perfect human conscience that lives trying to save us from craziness and terrorism, with the warnings and lessons it sends us in dreams.

Thanks to dream revelations, today we know that only goodness can save humanity from all the horrors it faces everyday, because only goodness can give us the indispensable wisdom we need.

Piety, forgiveness, compassion, sensitivity, comprehension, generosity and sincerity are the only antidotes against selfishness and absurdity.

But we are so far from them that we cannot believe that the entire human race could be characterized by goodness and wisdom some day…

Fortunately again, the guidance of the unconscious mind in our own dreams will make this miracle happen in time, now that the dream language has been completely deciphered and simplified.

Now everyone can easily learn it and start being transformed, by developing their intelligence to its fullest.

Now the spirit will finally tame the animal.

Now the human being will finally recognize his incapacity to attain balance, and obey his natural doctor, until he learns how to be humble and generous, without making the mistakes of selfishness and hate.

Humanity will finally discover real mental health and happiness that last forever, which will finally put an end to our absurdity and misery.

Exercise Your Way to Mental Health

The human body is an amazing thing and the balance that is inside of the human body is even more amazing. At birth, our bodies are perfectly balanced and we come out without any real trouble in most cases. Because of the environment that we live in, both socially and physically, our body soon begins to experience imbalances in some form or another. Some of these imbalances may show up in the form of depression and that can be extremely difficult for you to get rid of. As a matter of fact, unless you are able to restore the balance within your body it is unlikely that you are ever going to be able to overcome it for the long term.

One of the things that many of us are lacking in our lives is exercise. Exercise not only helps us to maintain our weight but it also helps us to maintain our mental health in a number of different ways. Here are several types of exercise that you can do which can help you to overcome depression to a certain extent and in many cases may be able to lift your mood.

The first thing that you need to understand about exercise is the fact that whenever you do exercise regularly you are releasing chemicals into your body that are known as endorphins.

Endorphins have a mood lifting effect on the body, similar to the way that your mood is lifted whenever you eat chocolate. Some people actually get hooked on exercise because of the endorphins that are released into their body. If you are able to release these chemicals into your body regularly through exercise, you may be able to lift your mood and to a certain extent.

Another reason why exercise may be beneficial to depressed individuals is because of the time that it gives them.

Taking long walks not only is a great way of staying in shape, it can also free up your mind to meditate and to think on positive things. Along with the release of endorphins into the body, you may also be able to lift yourself mentally to a certain extent, simply by having the time to relax while you’re exercising.

The best thing that you can do for yourself is to exercise regularly for a month in order to find out what it can do for you. During the first couple of weeks it may be difficult but the benefits that you will receive, both mentally and physically will be well worth the effort.

Male Breast Reduction Improves Mental Health
Male breast reduction surgery can help a man with his physical appearance as well as improve his mental wellbeing. Female-like breasts on a male’s chest can cause embarrassment, shame, anxiety and depression. The scientific name for this condition is gynecomastia, a word that comes from the Greek language and is a combination of “gyne” and “mastos” which mean women and breasts.

Many wonder why this condition occurs in certain men and not others. There are various causes for gynecomastia, including one’s gene pool, the onset of puberty, obesity/excess fatty deposits which have landed in the chest region, the use of steroids, tumors, side effects of certain medications, imbalance of hormones and the use of cannabis products.

The emotional issues that arise when a male is stricken with gynecomastia can range from awkward to devastating. A man can begin to doubt his manhood, develop a poor self image, and become ashamed of his body.

He will likely be the target of locker room ridicule, name calling, and even become embarrassed to remove his shirt in front of others. This problem can hamper his social life and undermine his dating confidence.

Shame can be toxic to a person’s physical and emotional health. Anxiety and depression can result, creating an unfortunate atmosphere spilling into one’s life. A profound sadness, inability to sleep, and poor concentration are all possible ramifications that can occur.

There are different ways to achieve male breast reduction. If a man is overweight, a low fat diet and an exercise regime, including aerobics and muscle building, may cure the malady.

If this condition has occurred during puberty, time alone may cause the chest region to flatten out into a mature male appearance. During adolescence, hormones shift as the body is growing rapidly into adulthood. Once the hormones stabilize, this problem often disappears.

If drugs, illegal or given by prescription, are the culprit for the appearance of “man boobs” then discontinuing their use may reverse the problem. If the medication is necessary for one’s health, the person’s physician may be able to prescribe an alternative that has fewer side effects.

There are also surgical methods to alleviate gynecomastia. The technique known as liposuction is one possibility. Liposuction is a procedure performed by a cosmetic surgeon using a medical device called a cannula to suction away excess fatty deposits. A cannula is a slender tube that is inserted into the chest through tiny incisions.

Through this tube, the fat is vacuumed away. Another method is by surgically removing redundant skin and tissue then suturing the region closed. Sometimes both of these methods are combined. Once the male breast reduction has been completed, a compression garment will be worn to aid in the recovery process. As the chest region heals, the man’s emotional health usually improves, as well.

With male breast reduction, men with proportionately larger chest region can get rid of unwanted fat and tissues beneath breasts to get flatter and firmer ‘manly chest’. Know more about the procedure at http://guidetoplasticsurgery.com

Your Mental Health and Natural Insomnia Cures

You work yourself to the bone each day you go to the office. You come home, looking forward to winding down and finally getting the rest your body has been begging you for all day. But no matter how hard you try to drift off to sleep or what you do to make your bedroom more conducive for sleeping, you simply can’t get any shut-eye. Does this mean you’re doomed to greeting every morning of your life tired, cranky, and desperate for sleep?

Today, most people are so tired they don’t even realize that fatigue is a chronic problem. This is unfortunate because chronic fatigue can lead to all kinds of health problems, including mental disorders.

Fact of the matter is, almost every person can benefit from the use of natural insomnia cures. Aside from helping deliver a restful period of sleep, you may also find that it will improve your mental outlook.

This includes reducing the tendency toward paranoia, as well as anxiety, panic, and depression. For example, if you try natural insomnia cures in the form of herbs, you may find that it can help you focus your attention more easily during the day.

Consider a situation where you are having anxiety attacks. Each time something triggers an anxiety response, it takes a physical toll on your body. While you are trying to deal with the emotional burden, you may neglect to get enough rest. Inevitably, this cycle will also include insomnia and poor quality of sleep. On the other hand, when you make use of natural insomnia cures, you can start undoing all of that damage. Typically, even small and gradual improvements in your outlook will serve to reduce your stress levels, and also make it easier for you to solve the underlying causes of your stress.

Mental Health and Improving Your Personal Life.

Your mental health is an amazing part of what makes you as a person. Personal development is a way of life that effects your mind, actions, and how you treat others around you. It plays a vital role on your over-all well being and the relationships around you. Often times, we get so caught up in the physical aspects of what’s on the outside and forget to take care of the inside. Exercising our brain consciously and subconsciously is an important factor when improving one’s life and creating a healthy state of mind as we age. When a person is depressed, stressed, tired, and frustrated it effects everything we do as well as the people closest to us. I remember someone telling me in a depressed state, that she couldn’t even watch television because she didn’t want to watch the living. When I get down, I often think of that comment and it reminds me of a place I don’t ever want to  be.

Isolating yourself for others could turn into something very dangerous and unfortunately help will only start with one person. YOU! Although there is a laundry list of books and professional help, also recommended, but if this article gives you a jump start to just get you slightly motivated to move forward, then moving an inch is greater than lying still.

Depression and anxiety will use every good power that you have against you. Keep in mind that the most talented individual wouldn’t get anywhere without persistence. Persistence and determination are the first steps to controlling your thoughts and feelings. Many medications can trigger depression, make sure to consult with your doctor to see if this has any effects on the way you are feeling.

Studies indicate that the most common reason for depression is the lack of interests and activities. When improving your personal life, interests and activities are vital in mental health, self esteem and happiness. Although this does not help much when fighting boredom, or other problems but you can best improve your mental health by practicing many of them until you do well. When you are depressed it easy to forget all of the things we liked to do. Motivation can help us overcome trying something new or remembering exactly what made us happy. Asking friends and family to help motivate me is a tool that I use when I’m in the need of a little push. Reward yourself when accomplishing tasks, such as getting the laundry done before watching your favorite television show.

Negative thinking also plays a major role in depression. The happiest of people experience the same pain, suffering and sorrows, just like a person depressed. To accept troubles gracefully and keeping a positive attitude is where you’ll find how some people cope with things on a different level. Ask yourself, are your expectations realistic? Accepting a situation for what it is can eliminate your negative feelings. Taking action for your own negative ways of thinking and turning those thoughts positive means that you are motivating yourself to change. Tackle what is bothering you, and take a bad situation and turn it into something good. A little humor helps my situation from time to time, meaning laughter does a great deal for our mind and body. Try not to constantly worry about being happy. Developing interests, activities, friendships and learning how to cope with the emotional pain will conquer your personal problems and further solve your thinking habits.  Doing this will get you on the road of happiness, as long as you put forth the effort.

Mental Health and Improving Your Personal Life

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Mental Health – How to Read Mind?
Part of Brain Fitness is being able to read the emotions of other people. The better you are at this, the better you will be at interacting with people, either socially or in business. Like any skill, you can improve this social aspect of your emotional intelligence.

Most of the time we don’t even think about interpreting the intentions of others. We just do it naturally by reading their facial expressions and gestures to know when they are happy, angry or troubled. There’s actually a test you can take called, Reading the Mind in the Eye, to see how skillful you are at reading other’s emotions. You can access the entire test on several websites by searching for ‘Reading the Mind in the Eye’.

A new paper revisits the role of a specific hormone in improving your ability to ‘read minds’ of other people – to understand their feelings and intentions without them needing to speak. The hormone, called oxytocin, has a well-established role in love and bonding. For example, oxytocin increases in both the baby and the mother during breastfeeding and contributes to the emotional bond between mother and child.

The new research study gave volunteers a squirt of oxytocin or a placebo, through a nasal spray and then asked them to take a test the ‘Reading the Mind in the Eye’ test, that measures social intelligence. The test uses images of eyes to determine how well participants gage the emotions by only looking at eyes.

It turned out that oxytocin significantly improved people’s performance on the test. This is fascinating because it means that a hormone is partially responsible for our social skills and our ability to naturally produce this hormone influences our skill at any moment.

So the big question is, are there things that you can do to boost your levels of oxytocin and improve your ability to read other peoples emotions? I tried to find scientific articles that addressed this but could not find studies that asked this question directly. Still, it is known that oxytocin is associated with love and caring behavior so it’s feasible that deliberately trying to feel that emotion might boost your oxytocin levels and improve your skills.

If you’re a fan of the movie ‘the Secret’, which I partially am (although I think it’s a bit over-the top) – you know that many proponents of the self-development world tout the need to feel grateful for what you have. I speculate that purposefully reflecting on what you are grateful for may actually increase oxytocin in your brain. This in turn would improve your social skills and improve your odds of creating beneficial relationships that could help you reach your goals in life.

This actually goes back to the concept of EPIQ performance that I introduced earlier (standing for Emotional, Physical and Intellectual Quotient). The more you can control your own emotions and place yourself into specific emotional states on demand, the more you actually control the manufacturing of specific hormones in your brain and the more you can influence skills that those hormones control. It all comes back to working on your Brain Fitness in the end.