1. Acknowledge stress is good
Make stress your friend! Based on the body’s natural “fight or flight” response, that burst of energy will enhance your performance at the right moment. I’ve yet to see a top sportsman totally relaxed before a big competition. Use stress wisely to push yourself that little bit harder when it counts most.
2. Avoid stress sneezers
Stressed people sneeze stress germs indiscriminately and before you know it, you are infected too!
Protect yourself by recognising stress in others and limiting your contact with them. Or if you’ve got the inclination, play stress doctor and teach them how to better manage themselves.
3. Learn from the best
When people around are losing their head, who keeps calm? What are they doing differently? What is their attitude? What language do they use? Are they trained and experienced?
Figure it out from afar or sit them down for a chat. Learn from the best stress managers and copy what they do.
4. Practice socially acceptable heavy breathing
You can trick your body into relaxing by using heavy breathing. Breathe in slowly for a count of 7 then breathe out for a count of 11. Repeat the 7-11 breathing until your heart rate slows down, your sweaty palms dry off and things start to feel more normal.
5. Give stressy thoughts the red light
It is possible to tangle yourself up in a stress knot all by yourself. “If this happens, then that might happen and then we’re all up the creek!” Most of these things never happen, so why waste all that energy worrying needlessly?
Give stress thought-trains the red light and stop them in their tracks. Okay so it might go wrong – how likely is that, and what can you do to prevent it?
6. Know your trigger points and hot spots
Presentations, interviews, meetings, giving difficult feedback, tight deadlines……. My heart rate is cranking up just writing these down!
Make your own list of stress trigger points or hot spots. Be specific. Is it only presentations to a certain audience that get you worked up? Does one project cause more stress than another? Did you drink too much coffee?
Knowing what causes you stress is powerful information, as you can take action to make it less stressful. Do you need to learn some new skills? Do you need extra resources? Do you need to switch to de-caf?
7. Burn the candle at one end
Lack of sleep, poor diet and no exercise wreaks havoc on our body and mind. Kind of obvious, but worth mentioning as it’s often ignored as a stress management technique. Listen to your mother and don’t burn the candle at both ends!
And those are the best stress management techniques I know! Learn them, use them and teach them, and be a great stress manager.
By Lyndsay Swinton
Owner, Management for the Rest of Us
www.mftrou.com
Friday, December 17, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Personal Development
You need to change in three areas of your life. Those three areas are – Physically, Spiritually and mentally.
First: physically. Start by standing up straight. Don’t slouch. When you slouch you look old, you look like life has beaten you down. You don’t have much attitude when you slouch. I noticed one day while walking past a mirror that I slouched, didn’t even know it. I looked like I had been beaten down. I didn’t look like anyone that people could take seriously. I didn’t look like anyone that people would want to listen to or believe in. I just looked like a poor, unsuccessful man. So I immediately held my shoulders back and stood taller. Suddenly, I was five-foot eight, not five-foot seven. That extra inch did wonders for my attitude. People began to notice a change in me. I was walking taller, I was more confident, I had a better attitude, just from holding my shoulders back instead on down. Try it, it’s amazing. Look like someone who has accomplished something because you have. You have accomplished a lot, look like it, walk like it; speak like it.
Next, turn those corners of your mouth upward – smile. A smile will go a long way, believe me. People like to be around those who smile. Do you want to hang around someone who frowns all the time? Of course you don’t. Smile, and mean it. Don’t smile because you think it’s good, smile because you know it’s good, because you want to, because you want people to like you and approach you. Smile because you’re having a good day, and believe me, any day you wake up above the ground is a good day. We don’t smile enough, have you noticed that? We need to smile more. Turn to the person next to you right now, smile and say, “Hello,” or as I say, “Howdy.”
Get a regular exercise plan, don’t diet. Diets don’t work. If you want to maintain a healthy weight and stay fit, just eat right and walk more. It’s that simple. It’s a life style it’s not a two or three month thing, it’s a life style. I work out at the senior center. It’s free, and they have everything the gym that I was paying $300 a year to be a member of has. I work out every day if I can. And I’m starting to watch what I eat and when I eat. I used to eat right up until bed time. That’s not good. That’s not how you lose weight. Beenie Weenies and a large Pepsi are not a healthy dinner. Watch what you eat. Something else I’ve started doing, when I go to the mall, I park my car at the end of the parking lot just so I can walk farther. I don’t understand these people who will spend $500 on an exercise machine, and then spend $1000 on a riding lawn mower. If you get out and push the mower you will get in shape. If you get hot, take a break, drink some water. Sit in the shade for a while. It won’t kill you. You’re walking, you’re burning calories; you’re losing weight. You will feel so much better about yourself when you lose that spare tire around your waist or those massive thighs that are preventing you from getting into those sexy jeans that you wish you could get into and I would love to see you in. Get a friend to exercise with you. It’s easier to stick to a plan if you have someone else doing it with you. Treat your body like your car. You want the best gas and oil for your car so it will run better. Well, you want to run better too, don’t you? Why would you take better care of your car than yourself? Treat yourself like your car and maybe you’ll outlive your car. In the neighborhood I live in we have our mail boxes at the entrance which is less than a quarter mile away. My neighbor gets in his car and drives to the mail box. If he would just walk that quarter mile every day he’d be in shape. He says he doesn’t have enough time to work out. “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done.” You have as many hours as everyone else – 24. I have never heard of anyone who has 25-hours in a day. How you manage those 24-hours is important. You need to learn time management. It’s not difficult, just keep a schedule and stick to it. Write down everything you need to do tomorrow today. And then do it. And give each thing a certain amount of time and stick to it. It’s simple. It’s not rocket science. The ones who are most important to the company are the ones who manage their time well. They are the ones who make $500 an hour, not $5.00 an hour. So get in shape. Take care of yourself.
Next, improve yourself spiritually. Now when I say spiritually I don’t mean you need to go to church every Sunday, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m raising my children in church. But what I mean is come to the realization that there is a power that is greater than you or me, and by the way, contrary to popular belief, his name is not OBAMA. But there is a greater force that controls our every move. You can call it what you want, God, Christ, Buddha, Jehovah, you can call it George, but you need to get in touch with it. You need to learn to meditate. It’s gets you closer to that higher power. And meditation is really easy. First, find a place where you can be free from noise of your children, or work or whatever else could prevent you from being peaceful. Sit in a comfortable position either on a cushion on the floor or in a chair. You don’t have to sit with your feet over your head or stand on one foot, that’s yoga. I don’t teach yoga. Sit in a comfortable chair if you like, just remember to sit up straight. You can close your eyes or leave them open, it’s up to you. And you may want to stretch before you meditate. Now, relax all your muscles. Relax your tongue which is usually stuck to the roof of your mouth. Relax every muscle in your body. Now comes the hard part – stop thinking. It’s a lot harder than it sounds. Your mind is constantly running, it’s hard to turn it off. Concentrate on your breathing. Breathe in for a count of seven and breathe out for a count of eleven. You want all the bad air out of your lungs before you let the new air in. So, in seven - out eleven. And if you start having a thought, make yourself aware that you’re having a thought and stop. Start concentrating on all the little aches and pains your body is having, begin listening to all the sounds around you. I live on a lake so I like to sit on the deck at sunset and meditate while the sun sets over the water. I listen to the birds, the crickets, the rippling water, it so peaceful, so relaxing, so good for my mind, my soul, my spirit. If you do this for just 30-minutes a day you will feel so much better. And all the time I hear people say, “But BC, I don’t have enough time to meditate. You don’t know what kind of day I have. There just aren’t enough hours in the day for meditation.” And I have to remind them again, they have just as many hours in a day as everyone else – 24. You really need to manage your time.
So there are the first two places to improve yourself; physically and spiritually. Next is mentally. You need to improve your mind. You don’t stop learning just because you’ve graduated high school or four years of college. That’s only the beginning. You have so much more to learn after that. Read lots of books, they’re free from the library. Listen to tapes and CDs and cassettes of people who can help you. Some people who’ve helped me by way of CDs and tapes: Jim Rohn, Andy Andrews, and Larry Winget. None of these names probably mean anything to you, but they are great speakers. Keep a journal and write down things that you read, hear and see. I keep a journal with me at all times. When I hear something that’s profound, I write it down. Like the other night, my girlfriend and I went with another couple to eat Chinese food. When we read our fortunate cookie, my girlfriend’s read, “You’re due for something great to happen.” My friends read, “When the moon is full you will find success.” I opened my fortune cookie and it read, “Never chase a hungry dog into a dead-end ally.” I don’t know what that means, but I wrote it down. It may come in handy some day.
Here’s something I wrote down that Jim Rohn said. He said, “Don’t worry about making your job better. Worry about making yourself better. If you make your job better you’ll get a paycheck but if you make yourself better you’ll get rich.” That’s profound. You may want to write that one down yourself. If you make your job better you’ll get a paycheck but if you make yourself better you’ll get rich.” That’s good advice. That’s the kind of advice that will change your life. I know it changed mine. Making yourself better instead of your job is how you go from $6.00 an hour to $600 an hour. Powerful words from a powerful man.
Follow these three principles and you will live a healthier, happier and longer life. -BC
First: physically. Start by standing up straight. Don’t slouch. When you slouch you look old, you look like life has beaten you down. You don’t have much attitude when you slouch. I noticed one day while walking past a mirror that I slouched, didn’t even know it. I looked like I had been beaten down. I didn’t look like anyone that people could take seriously. I didn’t look like anyone that people would want to listen to or believe in. I just looked like a poor, unsuccessful man. So I immediately held my shoulders back and stood taller. Suddenly, I was five-foot eight, not five-foot seven. That extra inch did wonders for my attitude. People began to notice a change in me. I was walking taller, I was more confident, I had a better attitude, just from holding my shoulders back instead on down. Try it, it’s amazing. Look like someone who has accomplished something because you have. You have accomplished a lot, look like it, walk like it; speak like it.
Next, turn those corners of your mouth upward – smile. A smile will go a long way, believe me. People like to be around those who smile. Do you want to hang around someone who frowns all the time? Of course you don’t. Smile, and mean it. Don’t smile because you think it’s good, smile because you know it’s good, because you want to, because you want people to like you and approach you. Smile because you’re having a good day, and believe me, any day you wake up above the ground is a good day. We don’t smile enough, have you noticed that? We need to smile more. Turn to the person next to you right now, smile and say, “Hello,” or as I say, “Howdy.”
Get a regular exercise plan, don’t diet. Diets don’t work. If you want to maintain a healthy weight and stay fit, just eat right and walk more. It’s that simple. It’s a life style it’s not a two or three month thing, it’s a life style. I work out at the senior center. It’s free, and they have everything the gym that I was paying $300 a year to be a member of has. I work out every day if I can. And I’m starting to watch what I eat and when I eat. I used to eat right up until bed time. That’s not good. That’s not how you lose weight. Beenie Weenies and a large Pepsi are not a healthy dinner. Watch what you eat. Something else I’ve started doing, when I go to the mall, I park my car at the end of the parking lot just so I can walk farther. I don’t understand these people who will spend $500 on an exercise machine, and then spend $1000 on a riding lawn mower. If you get out and push the mower you will get in shape. If you get hot, take a break, drink some water. Sit in the shade for a while. It won’t kill you. You’re walking, you’re burning calories; you’re losing weight. You will feel so much better about yourself when you lose that spare tire around your waist or those massive thighs that are preventing you from getting into those sexy jeans that you wish you could get into and I would love to see you in. Get a friend to exercise with you. It’s easier to stick to a plan if you have someone else doing it with you. Treat your body like your car. You want the best gas and oil for your car so it will run better. Well, you want to run better too, don’t you? Why would you take better care of your car than yourself? Treat yourself like your car and maybe you’ll outlive your car. In the neighborhood I live in we have our mail boxes at the entrance which is less than a quarter mile away. My neighbor gets in his car and drives to the mail box. If he would just walk that quarter mile every day he’d be in shape. He says he doesn’t have enough time to work out. “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done.” You have as many hours as everyone else – 24. I have never heard of anyone who has 25-hours in a day. How you manage those 24-hours is important. You need to learn time management. It’s not difficult, just keep a schedule and stick to it. Write down everything you need to do tomorrow today. And then do it. And give each thing a certain amount of time and stick to it. It’s simple. It’s not rocket science. The ones who are most important to the company are the ones who manage their time well. They are the ones who make $500 an hour, not $5.00 an hour. So get in shape. Take care of yourself.
Next, improve yourself spiritually. Now when I say spiritually I don’t mean you need to go to church every Sunday, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m raising my children in church. But what I mean is come to the realization that there is a power that is greater than you or me, and by the way, contrary to popular belief, his name is not OBAMA. But there is a greater force that controls our every move. You can call it what you want, God, Christ, Buddha, Jehovah, you can call it George, but you need to get in touch with it. You need to learn to meditate. It’s gets you closer to that higher power. And meditation is really easy. First, find a place where you can be free from noise of your children, or work or whatever else could prevent you from being peaceful. Sit in a comfortable position either on a cushion on the floor or in a chair. You don’t have to sit with your feet over your head or stand on one foot, that’s yoga. I don’t teach yoga. Sit in a comfortable chair if you like, just remember to sit up straight. You can close your eyes or leave them open, it’s up to you. And you may want to stretch before you meditate. Now, relax all your muscles. Relax your tongue which is usually stuck to the roof of your mouth. Relax every muscle in your body. Now comes the hard part – stop thinking. It’s a lot harder than it sounds. Your mind is constantly running, it’s hard to turn it off. Concentrate on your breathing. Breathe in for a count of seven and breathe out for a count of eleven. You want all the bad air out of your lungs before you let the new air in. So, in seven - out eleven. And if you start having a thought, make yourself aware that you’re having a thought and stop. Start concentrating on all the little aches and pains your body is having, begin listening to all the sounds around you. I live on a lake so I like to sit on the deck at sunset and meditate while the sun sets over the water. I listen to the birds, the crickets, the rippling water, it so peaceful, so relaxing, so good for my mind, my soul, my spirit. If you do this for just 30-minutes a day you will feel so much better. And all the time I hear people say, “But BC, I don’t have enough time to meditate. You don’t know what kind of day I have. There just aren’t enough hours in the day for meditation.” And I have to remind them again, they have just as many hours in a day as everyone else – 24. You really need to manage your time.
So there are the first two places to improve yourself; physically and spiritually. Next is mentally. You need to improve your mind. You don’t stop learning just because you’ve graduated high school or four years of college. That’s only the beginning. You have so much more to learn after that. Read lots of books, they’re free from the library. Listen to tapes and CDs and cassettes of people who can help you. Some people who’ve helped me by way of CDs and tapes: Jim Rohn, Andy Andrews, and Larry Winget. None of these names probably mean anything to you, but they are great speakers. Keep a journal and write down things that you read, hear and see. I keep a journal with me at all times. When I hear something that’s profound, I write it down. Like the other night, my girlfriend and I went with another couple to eat Chinese food. When we read our fortunate cookie, my girlfriend’s read, “You’re due for something great to happen.” My friends read, “When the moon is full you will find success.” I opened my fortune cookie and it read, “Never chase a hungry dog into a dead-end ally.” I don’t know what that means, but I wrote it down. It may come in handy some day.
Here’s something I wrote down that Jim Rohn said. He said, “Don’t worry about making your job better. Worry about making yourself better. If you make your job better you’ll get a paycheck but if you make yourself better you’ll get rich.” That’s profound. You may want to write that one down yourself. If you make your job better you’ll get a paycheck but if you make yourself better you’ll get rich.” That’s good advice. That’s the kind of advice that will change your life. I know it changed mine. Making yourself better instead of your job is how you go from $6.00 an hour to $600 an hour. Powerful words from a powerful man.
Follow these three principles and you will live a healthier, happier and longer life. -BC
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Laughter & The Brain
The doctors found that A.K. always laughed when they stimulated a small 2 cm by 2 cm area on her left superior frontal gyrus (part of the frontal lobe of the brain). This brain area is part of the supplementary motor area. Unlike laughter that happens after brain damage, the laughter that was produced by electrical stimulation in A.K. also had a sense of "merriment or mirth". Also, A.K. did NOT have the type of epilepsy with gelastic seizures. Each time her brain was stimulated, A.K. laughed and said that something was funny. The thing that she said caused her to laugh was different each time. A.K. laughed first, then made up a story that was funny to her. Most people first know what is funny, then they laugh.
The authors of the paper believe that the area of the brain that caused laughter in A.K. is part of a larger circuit involving several different brain areas. Different parts of the circuit may be important for:
1. the emotions produced by a funny situation (emotional part of humor)
2. the "getting it" part of a joke (cognitive, thinking part of humor)
3. moving the muscles of the face to smile (motor part of humor).
Everyone smiles and laughs. Even monkeys and apes have some facial expressions that are similar to human smiles. It is possible that smiling, laughing and tickling are used to create bonds between babies and parents. When a parent tickles a baby and the baby responds with a smile or laugh, the parent laughs and smiles too. In this way, the baby and parent get to know one another and the baby learns all about laughter by watching and responding to a parent. What a happy way to learn.
The physiological study of laughter has its own name: "gelotology." Research has shown that laughing is more than just a person's voice and movement. Laughter requires the coordination of many muscles throughout the body. Laughter also:
1. increases blood pressure
2. increases heart rate
3. changes breathing
4. reduces levels of certain neurochemicals (catecholamines, hormones).
5. provides a boost to the immune system.
Can laughter improve health? It may be a good way for people to relax because muscle tension is reduced after laughing. There are some cases when a good deep laugh may help people with respiratory problems by clearing mucus and aiding ventiliation. Perhaps laughing can also help cardiac patients by giving the heart a bit of a workout. Some hospitals even have their own "Humor Rooms," "Comedy Carts," and clown kids in attempts to speed a patient's recovery and boost morale.
However, laughter is NOT ALWAYS good medicine. There are a few cases when laughing actually CAUSED a heart attack or a stroke. Also, immediately after abdominal surgery, people should not laugh too hard because they could tear out their stitches accidentally. Care should also be used in patients with broken ribs. So, try not to be too funny around these people.
How laughter affects the nervous system and rest of the body is not completely understood. A new area of neuroscience called Psychoneuroimmunology" studies the interactions between the brain and the immune system. The field of psychoneuroimmunology combines the methods and techniques of psychology, neuroscience and immunology. Psychoneuroimmunological experiments usually focus on how stress affects the nervous system and disease states. Laughter has been shown to cause changes in the autonomic nervous system and also to alter stress hormone and neurotransmitter levels. For example, 60 min. of watching a video with the comedian "Gallagher" caused reductions in the levels of:
1. cortisol
2. growth hormone
3. catecholamines
Further research into how a positive attitude affects a person's health need to be done. This will give a whole new meaning to the phrase:
Off Shore Oil Drilling
Before you get excited about frilling off the coast of your state as we are in North Carolina, please take this into consideration. There is no law that states that the oil that’s drilled will be used for Americans only and it probably won’t. There is no guarantee that the state will get anything from the drilling except maybe an oil spill somewhere down the line. Oil companies and politicians are close friends, they have it all worked out and they worked it out to be in favor of the oil companies, not the country or the costal state where they’re going to build. Every politician in every costal state is saying the same thing, “I’m for drilling off my coast because it’s going to help my state.” That’s a lie. It’s not going to help anyone but the oil companies and the politicians and that’s it. The state and the country will probably never see a drop of oil or any tax money or any jobs created. All it will see is oil on their coast which will hurt wildlife and tourism and the oil companies won’t have to pay a dime. You will pay for the cleanup. Think about that before you vote for a politician who wants the oil companies to drill off their coast – like all the politicians in North Carolina want. They’re pulling the wool over our eyes while the oil companies are probably lining their pockets with green. Wake up America. If a politician says it’s a good idea, is it really a good idea for you and me, or is it a good idea for them and the oil companies? I can almost say with confidence that it’s not good for you and me or the country. I’m voting for the one who is for alternative fuel.
The authors of the paper believe that the area of the brain that caused laughter in A.K. is part of a larger circuit involving several different brain areas. Different parts of the circuit may be important for:
1. the emotions produced by a funny situation (emotional part of humor)
2. the "getting it" part of a joke (cognitive, thinking part of humor)
3. moving the muscles of the face to smile (motor part of humor).
Everyone smiles and laughs. Even monkeys and apes have some facial expressions that are similar to human smiles. It is possible that smiling, laughing and tickling are used to create bonds between babies and parents. When a parent tickles a baby and the baby responds with a smile or laugh, the parent laughs and smiles too. In this way, the baby and parent get to know one another and the baby learns all about laughter by watching and responding to a parent. What a happy way to learn.
The physiological study of laughter has its own name: "gelotology." Research has shown that laughing is more than just a person's voice and movement. Laughter requires the coordination of many muscles throughout the body. Laughter also:
1. increases blood pressure
2. increases heart rate
3. changes breathing
4. reduces levels of certain neurochemicals (catecholamines, hormones).
5. provides a boost to the immune system.
Can laughter improve health? It may be a good way for people to relax because muscle tension is reduced after laughing. There are some cases when a good deep laugh may help people with respiratory problems by clearing mucus and aiding ventiliation. Perhaps laughing can also help cardiac patients by giving the heart a bit of a workout. Some hospitals even have their own "Humor Rooms," "Comedy Carts," and clown kids in attempts to speed a patient's recovery and boost morale.
However, laughter is NOT ALWAYS good medicine. There are a few cases when laughing actually CAUSED a heart attack or a stroke. Also, immediately after abdominal surgery, people should not laugh too hard because they could tear out their stitches accidentally. Care should also be used in patients with broken ribs. So, try not to be too funny around these people.
How laughter affects the nervous system and rest of the body is not completely understood. A new area of neuroscience called Psychoneuroimmunology" studies the interactions between the brain and the immune system. The field of psychoneuroimmunology combines the methods and techniques of psychology, neuroscience and immunology. Psychoneuroimmunological experiments usually focus on how stress affects the nervous system and disease states. Laughter has been shown to cause changes in the autonomic nervous system and also to alter stress hormone and neurotransmitter levels. For example, 60 min. of watching a video with the comedian "Gallagher" caused reductions in the levels of:
1. cortisol
2. growth hormone
3. catecholamines
Further research into how a positive attitude affects a person's health need to be done. This will give a whole new meaning to the phrase:
Off Shore Oil Drilling
Before you get excited about frilling off the coast of your state as we are in North Carolina, please take this into consideration. There is no law that states that the oil that’s drilled will be used for Americans only and it probably won’t. There is no guarantee that the state will get anything from the drilling except maybe an oil spill somewhere down the line. Oil companies and politicians are close friends, they have it all worked out and they worked it out to be in favor of the oil companies, not the country or the costal state where they’re going to build. Every politician in every costal state is saying the same thing, “I’m for drilling off my coast because it’s going to help my state.” That’s a lie. It’s not going to help anyone but the oil companies and the politicians and that’s it. The state and the country will probably never see a drop of oil or any tax money or any jobs created. All it will see is oil on their coast which will hurt wildlife and tourism and the oil companies won’t have to pay a dime. You will pay for the cleanup. Think about that before you vote for a politician who wants the oil companies to drill off their coast – like all the politicians in North Carolina want. They’re pulling the wool over our eyes while the oil companies are probably lining their pockets with green. Wake up America. If a politician says it’s a good idea, is it really a good idea for you and me, or is it a good idea for them and the oil companies? I can almost say with confidence that it’s not good for you and me or the country. I’m voting for the one who is for alternative fuel.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
When Stress Comes Home
Practically every day, disturbing news stories come out of Iraq, so many of them are about explosions, often roadside bombings. We hear about the major casualties, but there are many other terrifying events that don�t get reported here at home. Unless you are there, you really can�t imagine the sense of ever-present danger. At any moment, an explosion could kill or maim you, your friends, or the Iraqi people around you.
I enjoy my drive to and from work most days, but I can�t imagine what it would be like if I had to worry continuously whether every object in the vicinity is a hidden bomb. A new report from the Army surgeon general�s office states that 30 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq suffer symptoms of stress-related mental health problems for at least a few months. In an ABC News story about the difficulties faced by returning soldiers, a young woman talked about her intense anxiety while driving back in the U.S. Each time she drove her car, she would instinctively scan the roadside, constantly on the lookout for anything unusual. Although her behavior was irrational, something inside her was still anticipating an explosion at any moment.
The soldiers with stress-related problems experienced symptoms such as anxiety, depression, nightmares, anger, and an inability to concentrate. About 4 to 5 percent had symptoms severe enough to be described as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). �Shell shock� and �war neurosis� are old terms for what now is called PTSD. According to the psychiatric definition, PTSD occurs after someone has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, such as combat or a disaster. The event is persistently re-experienced in dreams or intrusive thoughts or images. There is emotional numbing and avoidance of anything associated with the trauma. Finally, there is increased arousal that might include difficulty sleeping, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and an exaggerated startle response.
The good news is that the Army is planning routine screening of soldiers returning from combat zones with a mental health checkup. In a pilot program, all members of returning units will be interviewed to check for stress-related symptoms, and the Army will make sure mental health treatment is available for everyone who needs it. A primary goal of the program is to erase the stigma soldiers may feel about the mental health symptoms they may experience after returning from stressful deployments
Taken from http://www.regsourceplus.com
I enjoy my drive to and from work most days, but I can�t imagine what it would be like if I had to worry continuously whether every object in the vicinity is a hidden bomb. A new report from the Army surgeon general�s office states that 30 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq suffer symptoms of stress-related mental health problems for at least a few months. In an ABC News story about the difficulties faced by returning soldiers, a young woman talked about her intense anxiety while driving back in the U.S. Each time she drove her car, she would instinctively scan the roadside, constantly on the lookout for anything unusual. Although her behavior was irrational, something inside her was still anticipating an explosion at any moment.
The soldiers with stress-related problems experienced symptoms such as anxiety, depression, nightmares, anger, and an inability to concentrate. About 4 to 5 percent had symptoms severe enough to be described as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). �Shell shock� and �war neurosis� are old terms for what now is called PTSD. According to the psychiatric definition, PTSD occurs after someone has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, such as combat or a disaster. The event is persistently re-experienced in dreams or intrusive thoughts or images. There is emotional numbing and avoidance of anything associated with the trauma. Finally, there is increased arousal that might include difficulty sleeping, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and an exaggerated startle response.
The good news is that the Army is planning routine screening of soldiers returning from combat zones with a mental health checkup. In a pilot program, all members of returning units will be interviewed to check for stress-related symptoms, and the Army will make sure mental health treatment is available for everyone who needs it. A primary goal of the program is to erase the stigma soldiers may feel about the mental health symptoms they may experience after returning from stressful deployments
Taken from http://www.regsourceplus.com
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Myths About Depression
Depression Myths
By Jordan Lite
Wondering how to tell the difference between depression and the blues? Worried that drugs taken to treat the condition will turn you into another person entirely?
There are many myths about depression, which will affect an estimated 32 to 35 million Americans at some point in their lives, according to a 2003 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Read on for eight common misconceptions and what's really true about this disabling condition.
Myth: Depression affects only women.
Fact: Depression can affect anyone.
Depression is nearly twice as common in women as in men, but men still get depressed -- especially as they get older -- and may feel a loss from career changes or the death of a spouse, says Dr. David Sommers, a scientific review officer at the National Institute of Mental Health.
"It is true that depression is more common in women than in men and that women are more likely to seek help than men, but men have trouble with their vulnerability and are more likely to use counterproductive coping strategies," such as alcohol, than to ask for help, Duckworth says.
Depression in guys can also look different than it does in women: Men are more likely to feel tired and irritable and lose interest in work or hobbies, while women tend to feel guilty, sad or worthless, according to the NIMH.
Myth: Depression is an adult problem.
Fact: Children can get depressed, too.
"Depression can happen across the lifespan," Duckworth says.
Some 8 percent of kids ages 12 to 17 suffer a depressive episode, according to the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. But depression can look different in children and teens than it does in adults.
"Teens and children are more likely to show people rather than tell them they're depressed," Duckworth says. "Most adults can identify that they feel down, sad, and not every kid is able to articulate that."
A depressed kid may frequent the school nurse, complaining of bellyaches and headaches, he says, while depressed teens may be irritable and angry.
Myth: Depression isn't a medical problem; you could get over it if you wanted to.
Fact: Depression is a medical problem that can require help to overcome.
"This is a treatable condition and not a right-wrong fault issue. But that is a common misconception," Duckworth says. "Being sad, grieving a loss -- these are not clinical syndromes, but when you have a collection of symptoms that continue for weeks and are associated with sleep problems, negative thoughts, thoughts of suicide -- that's different from being down in the dumps."
The key distinction is how long and how severly you feel this way and whether your ability to function at home and work are affected.
Myth: Depression is a normal part of being a teenager.
Fact: Adolescent moodiness is not the same thing as teen depression.
"I don't consider depression a natural outcome of being a teenager," Duckworth says. "However, being a teenager can be a risky business."
Be on the lookout for how long a teen's symptoms last and how severe they are. Irritability, anger, falling grades, trouble at school, time alone and drug and alcohol use can be signs of more than just the blues.
"Many teens have conflict with their parents and struggle with their identity, but normal adolescents don't talk about killing themselves or losing interest in their friends," Duckworth says.
Myth: Depression is all in your genes.
Fact: Depression runs in families, but genes are not determining factors.
Family history does influence the likelihood of developing depression. Children whose parents experienced depression are three times as likely to suffer depression, anxiety and addiction as those whose parents have never been depressed, according to a 2006 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry. And research on identical twins (who share the same DNA) raised in separate families has shown that if one develops depression, the other is likely to, which points to a significant hereditary role, Sommers says.
"I wouldn't be fatalistic, but if you have an increased risk, be mindful of that," Duckworth says.
If depression runs in your family, find out what treatment benefited your loved ones. It may help you, too, he says.
Myth: Antidepressants will change my personality.
Fact: Antidepressants won't change one's personality.
Modern antidepressants are used to increase the circulation of serotonin and norephinephrine in the brain. The drugs can make you feel better, but they don't alter the traits that make you you, Sommers says.
"There's some concern about emotional numbing -- that by diminishing the bad feelings, [the drugs will] diminish the good ones; there's no real good evidence of it," he says.
Adds Duckworth: "Medicines don't help with persistent negative thoughts, but they may help with sleep, appetite, energy -- the biological pieces to the puzzle."
Myth: Antidepressants help everyone.
Fact: At best, 60 percent of people get better with antidepressants.
Psychiatric meds might improve certain symptoms of depression, but they're not going to affect life circumstances or counterproductive thinking. The STAR*D trial, a large federally funded study, found that just 40 percent of people improve with the first antidepressant they try, a number that goes up to 60 percent once you count the people who try more than one. More recently, a January report in JAMA found that people with mild depression weren't helped any more with an antidepressant than they were with a placebo, so if your depression isn't severe, you may want to consider exercise and psychotherapy first.
"There's some evidence that the combination of medication and psychotherapy is better than either one alone," Sommers says. And, he adds, the effects of psychotherapy seem to be more durable than drugs.
Myth: Women with postpartum depression are bad mothers who kill their children.
Fact: Postpartum depression isn't a character flaw, and psychosis is rare.
An estimated 9 to 16 percent of American women suffer from postpartum depression, or depression following childbirth, according to NAMI. Signs include feelings of guilt, anxiety and fear that make it difficult to function. It's rare -- between one to four in every 1,000 births -- that a mom suffers postpartum psychosis, the condition Andrea Yates' lawyers argued caused her to drown her five children. In those cases, women may have delusions, confusion, rapid mood swings and thoughts of hurting themselves or their child, according to NAMI.
"It's a reversible condition," Duckworth says.
But how quickly a woman is treated and the effects on her baby depend on her support net. Babies of postpartum moms can be at extra risk of language and behavior problems, as well as experience difficulty bonding with their mothers, the association says.
By Jordan Lite
Wondering how to tell the difference between depression and the blues? Worried that drugs taken to treat the condition will turn you into another person entirely?
There are many myths about depression, which will affect an estimated 32 to 35 million Americans at some point in their lives, according to a 2003 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Read on for eight common misconceptions and what's really true about this disabling condition.
Myth: Depression affects only women.
Fact: Depression can affect anyone.
Depression is nearly twice as common in women as in men, but men still get depressed -- especially as they get older -- and may feel a loss from career changes or the death of a spouse, says Dr. David Sommers, a scientific review officer at the National Institute of Mental Health.
"It is true that depression is more common in women than in men and that women are more likely to seek help than men, but men have trouble with their vulnerability and are more likely to use counterproductive coping strategies," such as alcohol, than to ask for help, Duckworth says.
Depression in guys can also look different than it does in women: Men are more likely to feel tired and irritable and lose interest in work or hobbies, while women tend to feel guilty, sad or worthless, according to the NIMH.
Myth: Depression is an adult problem.
Fact: Children can get depressed, too.
"Depression can happen across the lifespan," Duckworth says.
Some 8 percent of kids ages 12 to 17 suffer a depressive episode, according to the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. But depression can look different in children and teens than it does in adults.
"Teens and children are more likely to show people rather than tell them they're depressed," Duckworth says. "Most adults can identify that they feel down, sad, and not every kid is able to articulate that."
A depressed kid may frequent the school nurse, complaining of bellyaches and headaches, he says, while depressed teens may be irritable and angry.
Myth: Depression isn't a medical problem; you could get over it if you wanted to.
Fact: Depression is a medical problem that can require help to overcome.
"This is a treatable condition and not a right-wrong fault issue. But that is a common misconception," Duckworth says. "Being sad, grieving a loss -- these are not clinical syndromes, but when you have a collection of symptoms that continue for weeks and are associated with sleep problems, negative thoughts, thoughts of suicide -- that's different from being down in the dumps."
The key distinction is how long and how severly you feel this way and whether your ability to function at home and work are affected.
Myth: Depression is a normal part of being a teenager.
Fact: Adolescent moodiness is not the same thing as teen depression.
"I don't consider depression a natural outcome of being a teenager," Duckworth says. "However, being a teenager can be a risky business."
Be on the lookout for how long a teen's symptoms last and how severe they are. Irritability, anger, falling grades, trouble at school, time alone and drug and alcohol use can be signs of more than just the blues.
"Many teens have conflict with their parents and struggle with their identity, but normal adolescents don't talk about killing themselves or losing interest in their friends," Duckworth says.
Myth: Depression is all in your genes.
Fact: Depression runs in families, but genes are not determining factors.
Family history does influence the likelihood of developing depression. Children whose parents experienced depression are three times as likely to suffer depression, anxiety and addiction as those whose parents have never been depressed, according to a 2006 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry. And research on identical twins (who share the same DNA) raised in separate families has shown that if one develops depression, the other is likely to, which points to a significant hereditary role, Sommers says.
"I wouldn't be fatalistic, but if you have an increased risk, be mindful of that," Duckworth says.
If depression runs in your family, find out what treatment benefited your loved ones. It may help you, too, he says.
Myth: Antidepressants will change my personality.
Fact: Antidepressants won't change one's personality.
Modern antidepressants are used to increase the circulation of serotonin and norephinephrine in the brain. The drugs can make you feel better, but they don't alter the traits that make you you, Sommers says.
"There's some concern about emotional numbing -- that by diminishing the bad feelings, [the drugs will] diminish the good ones; there's no real good evidence of it," he says.
Adds Duckworth: "Medicines don't help with persistent negative thoughts, but they may help with sleep, appetite, energy -- the biological pieces to the puzzle."
Myth: Antidepressants help everyone.
Fact: At best, 60 percent of people get better with antidepressants.
Psychiatric meds might improve certain symptoms of depression, but they're not going to affect life circumstances or counterproductive thinking. The STAR*D trial, a large federally funded study, found that just 40 percent of people improve with the first antidepressant they try, a number that goes up to 60 percent once you count the people who try more than one. More recently, a January report in JAMA found that people with mild depression weren't helped any more with an antidepressant than they were with a placebo, so if your depression isn't severe, you may want to consider exercise and psychotherapy first.
"There's some evidence that the combination of medication and psychotherapy is better than either one alone," Sommers says. And, he adds, the effects of psychotherapy seem to be more durable than drugs.
Myth: Women with postpartum depression are bad mothers who kill their children.
Fact: Postpartum depression isn't a character flaw, and psychosis is rare.
An estimated 9 to 16 percent of American women suffer from postpartum depression, or depression following childbirth, according to NAMI. Signs include feelings of guilt, anxiety and fear that make it difficult to function. It's rare -- between one to four in every 1,000 births -- that a mom suffers postpartum psychosis, the condition Andrea Yates' lawyers argued caused her to drown her five children. In those cases, women may have delusions, confusion, rapid mood swings and thoughts of hurting themselves or their child, according to NAMI.
"It's a reversible condition," Duckworth says.
But how quickly a woman is treated and the effects on her baby depend on her support net. Babies of postpartum moms can be at extra risk of language and behavior problems, as well as experience difficulty bonding with their mothers, the association says.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Old People & Weed
Weed Making Inroads Among Retirees
Tom Barlow, AOL
Although California has a huge population of residents carrying prescriptions for medical marijuana, the social stigma attached to the drug has led the elderly to be very hesitant about adopting it as a palliative for age-related problems such as loss of appetite, nausea and chronic pain.
Now a luxury retirement community in Orange County, Laguna Woods Village, whose residents have discovered pot's benefits, has made weed easier to obtain by establishing its own pot collective.
The community set up its collective because, although there are thousands of clinics in the state selling marijuana, none were convenient to the residents, some of whom have very limited mobility.
For the greatest generation, taught to believe that marijuana was as addictive and deadly as drugs such as heroin, the reality has come as a pleasant surprise to many. NPR reports on the epiphany of a 73-year-old Leisure World resident and synchronized swimmer who found it effective in countering her nausea.
The fact that the retirees are receiving recommendations to try pot for their ills from their peers leads me to believe that the use of it on the West Coast has reached a critical mass. We could well see demand for legalization, at least for medical reasons, swell among the retiree community across the country.
As a boomer, I expect that when our generation retires, many may choose to pull out the E-Z wides, fire up a blunt, order a pizza, and crank up Dark Side of the Moon once again, and not just for medical reasons.
A national columnist (name escapes me) recently wrote a tongue-in-cheek column in which he offered to voluntarily give up his driver's license on his 80th birthday in return for the right to all the drugs he wants.
Medical or recreational, is there a good reason why those who have worked a lifetime should be denied the opportunity to spend their golden years in a haze if they so choose?
Old people, what are you gonna do with them?
Tom Barlow, AOL
Although California has a huge population of residents carrying prescriptions for medical marijuana, the social stigma attached to the drug has led the elderly to be very hesitant about adopting it as a palliative for age-related problems such as loss of appetite, nausea and chronic pain.
Now a luxury retirement community in Orange County, Laguna Woods Village, whose residents have discovered pot's benefits, has made weed easier to obtain by establishing its own pot collective.
The community set up its collective because, although there are thousands of clinics in the state selling marijuana, none were convenient to the residents, some of whom have very limited mobility.
For the greatest generation, taught to believe that marijuana was as addictive and deadly as drugs such as heroin, the reality has come as a pleasant surprise to many. NPR reports on the epiphany of a 73-year-old Leisure World resident and synchronized swimmer who found it effective in countering her nausea.
The fact that the retirees are receiving recommendations to try pot for their ills from their peers leads me to believe that the use of it on the West Coast has reached a critical mass. We could well see demand for legalization, at least for medical reasons, swell among the retiree community across the country.
As a boomer, I expect that when our generation retires, many may choose to pull out the E-Z wides, fire up a blunt, order a pizza, and crank up Dark Side of the Moon once again, and not just for medical reasons.
A national columnist (name escapes me) recently wrote a tongue-in-cheek column in which he offered to voluntarily give up his driver's license on his 80th birthday in return for the right to all the drugs he wants.
Medical or recreational, is there a good reason why those who have worked a lifetime should be denied the opportunity to spend their golden years in a haze if they so choose?
Old people, what are you gonna do with them?
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Can Stress Be Good for Your Career? By Liz Lynch
In the new book The Right Fight: How Great Leaders Use Healthy Conflict to Drive Performance, Innovation, and Value, authors Saj-Nicole Joni and Damon Beyer state that contrary to popular belief, happy employees aren't necessarily the most driven or best employees, and that tension, channeled properly, can create breakthrough performance. Joni and Beyer cite a range of case studies from Campbell Soup, GE, Dove and Microsoft to demonstrate how a certain amount of struggle and stress energizes organizations and individuals.
Looking for a job, or even trying to keep one in this uncertain economy can also put a great deal of stress on individuals, but learning how to direct it in productive ways may actually improve your results.
Here are key principles from The Right Fight that you can apply to your own career advancement to help turn any stress and tension you're feeling into a winning outcome:
1. Focus on the future, not the past. One of the questions I get all the time from job seekers is how to answer the question "What do you do?" which always comes up in networking situations. I tell them not to get bogged down in the details of what happened but instead, be able to clearly articulate where they want to go from here. On the job as well, getting caught up in the blame game is just a waste of energy.
2. Pursue a noble purpose. Your most immediate career desire may be for a steady paycheck to pay your bills. While that goal is certainly important, it's not tremendously inspiring. I don't know anyone who jumps out of bed in the morning excited to pay bills, even when money isn't an issue. Challenging yourself to find a deeper purpose in your work will keep you motivated on a daily basis, and especially when the going gets tough.
3. Structure formally, but work informally. This is where relationships come in. Tapping into your contacts for ideas, feedback and information can help you solve problems more quickly, get answers and uncover new opportunities.
4. Turn pain into gain. Just as athletes improve their performance through intense training, investing time in your own personal development can make you a stronger player in the organization. Stretch your skills into new areas and acquire new knowledge to keep yourself relevant.
Looking for a job, or even trying to keep one in this uncertain economy can also put a great deal of stress on individuals, but learning how to direct it in productive ways may actually improve your results.
Here are key principles from The Right Fight that you can apply to your own career advancement to help turn any stress and tension you're feeling into a winning outcome:
1. Focus on the future, not the past. One of the questions I get all the time from job seekers is how to answer the question "What do you do?" which always comes up in networking situations. I tell them not to get bogged down in the details of what happened but instead, be able to clearly articulate where they want to go from here. On the job as well, getting caught up in the blame game is just a waste of energy.
2. Pursue a noble purpose. Your most immediate career desire may be for a steady paycheck to pay your bills. While that goal is certainly important, it's not tremendously inspiring. I don't know anyone who jumps out of bed in the morning excited to pay bills, even when money isn't an issue. Challenging yourself to find a deeper purpose in your work will keep you motivated on a daily basis, and especially when the going gets tough.
3. Structure formally, but work informally. This is where relationships come in. Tapping into your contacts for ideas, feedback and information can help you solve problems more quickly, get answers and uncover new opportunities.
4. Turn pain into gain. Just as athletes improve their performance through intense training, investing time in your own personal development can make you a stronger player in the organization. Stretch your skills into new areas and acquire new knowledge to keep yourself relevant.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Funny Line & Bottom Line Intersect
The funny line and the bottom line intersect!
In a survey of 737 CEO’s, over 98% of them indicated they would much rather hire somebody with a good sense of humor than somebody without one. You can take your job seriously… and yourself lightly.
2 Jest for the health of it! Laughter enhances respiration and circulation, oxygenates the blood, suppresses the stress-related hormones in the brain, and activates the immune system. Indeed, laughter is the jest medicine.
3 Humor as an antidote to stress: Humor can help us move from a “grim and bear it” mentality to a “grin and share it” orientation. By using humor, you can prevent a “hardening of the attitudes,” which can help you add years to your life and life to your years.
4 “A smile is the shortest distance between
two people,” according to Victor Borge. Humor can be a magnet to attract people, to build positive working relationships, and to improve morale and teamwork.
5 The HAHA-AHA connection: There definitely is a connection between humor and creativity. Humor can jump-start your creativity and give you the energy to think (and laugh) outside the box.
6 The laughing-learning link: Humor can be a powerful (and delightful) way to capture and maintain attention and free up tension… which means that retention increases.
7 Your Resilience Quotient: Norman Cousins’ best-selling book, Anatomy of an Illness, certainly opened up many people’s eyes to the notion that “S/He who laughs lasts.” With humor, you can build resilience and get more smileage out of your life and work.
8 Humor as a saving (and amusing) grace for
the planet: As our world gets proverbially smaller all the time, humor could help build important bridges between countries and cultures. As Erma Bombeck once said, “When humor goes, there goes civilization!”
Adapted from LAUGHING MATTERS magazine published by The HUMOR Project, Inc. Copyright © 2008 The HUMOR Project, Inc.
In a survey of 737 CEO’s, over 98% of them indicated they would much rather hire somebody with a good sense of humor than somebody without one. You can take your job seriously… and yourself lightly.
2 Jest for the health of it! Laughter enhances respiration and circulation, oxygenates the blood, suppresses the stress-related hormones in the brain, and activates the immune system. Indeed, laughter is the jest medicine.
3 Humor as an antidote to stress: Humor can help us move from a “grim and bear it” mentality to a “grin and share it” orientation. By using humor, you can prevent a “hardening of the attitudes,” which can help you add years to your life and life to your years.
4 “A smile is the shortest distance between
two people,” according to Victor Borge. Humor can be a magnet to attract people, to build positive working relationships, and to improve morale and teamwork.
5 The HAHA-AHA connection: There definitely is a connection between humor and creativity. Humor can jump-start your creativity and give you the energy to think (and laugh) outside the box.
6 The laughing-learning link: Humor can be a powerful (and delightful) way to capture and maintain attention and free up tension… which means that retention increases.
7 Your Resilience Quotient: Norman Cousins’ best-selling book, Anatomy of an Illness, certainly opened up many people’s eyes to the notion that “S/He who laughs lasts.” With humor, you can build resilience and get more smileage out of your life and work.
8 Humor as a saving (and amusing) grace for
the planet: As our world gets proverbially smaller all the time, humor could help build important bridges between countries and cultures. As Erma Bombeck once said, “When humor goes, there goes civilization!”
Adapted from LAUGHING MATTERS magazine published by The HUMOR Project, Inc. Copyright © 2008 The HUMOR Project, Inc.
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