Personally, I enjoy staying busy.  By focusing on an activity or project, it boosts my mood by giving me a sense of accomplishment and increases my cognitive abilities because I am using my mind to problem solve. Also by keeping my body active, my brain releases dopamine which is the neurotransmitter for pleasure and helps me stay in a good mood.

Now, there is a difference between staying busy and things being hectic. If everything is happening at once this can be counterproductive and cause anxiety, but a steady stream of things to do can help with maintaining a positive attitude. Also, at the end of the day with both mind and body exhausted, its easier to get a good night’s sleep.

If you are physically limited I would recommend finding a hobby that won’t take too much out of you like puzzles or knitting. Keeping your mind busy is an excellent way to relax and can be therapeutic. Boredom, on the other hand,  may cause a person to over process on stressors and can increase anxiety or depression.  

So try to stay active and you will be amazed at what it can do for your mood and outlook.

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Every day we loose water several ways: it is blown off in normal breathing, sweat from anxiety or temperature regulation, and the kidneys and bowels absorb water to remove waste. A super easy way to tell hydration status is to check the color of urine: the darker the color the more dehydrated, the lighter the color the more hydrated. The amount of water a person drinks should be according to what they need. The more time spent in the sun or doing outdoor activities, the more water our bodies need.

I lead our “Ask a Nurse” group at the Oasis Clubhouse and as a fun learning topic we chose water, did you know that most folks can drink 8oz, 1 cup of water, in less than 8 swallows! I challenge you to measure out 8 oz of water and see how many swallows it takes you! I challenge all of you to increase your water consumption and see how you mentally benefit from this. I think you will be pleasantly surprised!!

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How well do I know my neighbors, and why would this matter?  Knowing your neighbors does matter.  Some of us older folks remember growing up in a neighborhood where we knew everyone on the block, for several blocks, and they all knew us.  A neighbor would not hesitate to remind me to pick up the Popsicle wrapper I threw on the street and to dispose of it properly.  The neighbor might have invited me into her house to dispose of the wrapper, or might have come to the door with a trash can.  If I behaved badly while in my neighborhood, my parents knew about it before I returned home and my bad behavior was addressed.  In the neighborhood, we all just naturally knew each other and watched out for each other.  It made for a healthy community, instilled long rooted connections, and shaped me as a child.  I knew what was right and what was wrong not only from my parents, but also from other wonderful neighbors.  There was an agreed upon neighborhood culture of how to behave and how to treat each other that was reassuring as a kid.

Those days are gone in most parts of our country.  We have neighbors who are home less often due to both parents working two jobs.  People move more often and may only be in a neighborhood for a year before a job change brings them somewhere else.  We become wary of people we do not know and that often reinforces our inclination to not start a conversation with our neighbors.  Our own lives are very busy, and knowing neighbors takes precious time.  Many of us barely know our neighbors; much less speak to them on any regular basis.

Given the realities of the busy world we live in today, it takes effort to know your neighbors.  It does not happen as easily as it used to, yet it still is just as important.  Knowing your neighbors helps to create a healthy community.  Health communities look out for each other and can provide emotional resources to us individually.   We humans require connections with other people and when we do not have them, our individual emotional health suffers.  Healthy neighborhoods and communities provide protective factors and are less likely to have bad things happen.  When was the last time you said hello to a neighbor?  How about asked about a neighbor’s day and really listened to their tale?  When was the last time you brought a plate of food to an ill neighbor or brought a little something to help pick up a neighbor’s spirits?  Help to cultivate an emotionally healthy neighborhood.  Reach out and connect.

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What I’ve come to witness more and more is the misery we create for ourselves as we label parts of the dual relationship as “good” and “bad.”  When we believe that being happy is “good” and feeling sad is “bad,” we have set up a relationship with our emotions that is filled with judgment.  This leads to trying to avoid feeling sad at all costs, which can lead to unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol and drug use, over or under eating, self-harm and all the other many behaviors that harm us physically and emotionally.

What to do?!

By creating awareness of the thoughts we have…listening to that voice inside of our head that creates our inner dialogue…we can begin to challenge those thoughts.  For example, I catch a thought saying, “I’m so tired of always feeling sad.  Nothing will change.”  I ask it, “Are you 100% true?”  I realize that I‘m not feeling sad 100% of every day.  I enjoyed a conversation with a friend, my hot morning shower, and eating the delicious orange I had for a snack.  I realize that things are constantly changing and what I’m paying more attention to is the sadness.  The very fact that I’m telling myself “I can’t feel sad because that is bad” is giving attention to feeling sad.

If realizing that “sad” and “happy” are just emotions and it is MY reaction and judgment to those emotions that creates my misery, what would happen if I just sit with those emotions and watch them move through my body and mind without judgment but with curiosity.  Try it…

The post Duality and Judgment Affect our Emotions appeared first on Colorado West Mental Health.

What is admirable is the strength and resilience of the people of Boston and surrounding areas.  Resilience means:

1. The capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress
2. An ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change

Most research shows that resilience is “the result of individuals being able to interact with their environments and the processes that either promote well-being or protect them against the overwhelming influence of risk factors”.  This can involve individual coping strategies, and may be helped along by good families, schools, communities, and social policies that make resilience more likely to occur.  So what it is about the people of Boston that might make them resilient?  Surely Boston has diverse/different areas of rich and poor, race and religion; surely there are differences in family supports, schools, and coping styles.  So what might have helped them be resilient during this tragedy?

The one common element that stands out is their attitude.  Repeatedly we heard the people of Boston state this horror would not get them down.  We heard them state hope for the victims, hope for capturing the perpetrators, and hope for the city.  We heard the cry of “Boston Strong” and statements about “look for the helpers”.  The attitude they conveyed was one of strength….and it was infective to the entire community; indeed to everyone watching.

The one thing we can control in life is our attitude; and attitude is the most important element to resilience.  Life brings all of us difficult and even tragic events and experiences.  We have a choice about our attitude which guides how we deal with what eve life brings us.  Let’s all learn from our friends in Boston and be mindful of the one thing we can control—our attitude.

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Food is everywhere in our lives; on the TV, radio, and the internet. We live in a culture that is “on the go” and fast food has become the normal dinner routine for many American families. Finding time to prepare nutritious food and spend time together is a battle long fought by most families. I have often heard the expression from colleges that our culture is “over fed and under nourished”.

The human body must have a source of proteins, vitamins, minerals and water that the body can use efficiently and effectively. Serving size has gained attention and it is well known that portions are 2-3 times what a recommended serving should be. Yet we must also focus on the quality of the food that we eat; thus allowing maximum benefit to our bodies. Food and water (hydration status) effects our mood, energy levels, and quality and amount of sleep we get.

When taking medications our bodies need available proteins and fats to transport and utilize medications. If the body is in a malnourished state the ability for the body to maximize the full potential of the medication is drastically decreased, thus the person continues to feel no benefit from the medication.

On the other hand some medications interact with certain foods, either lowering or increasing the amount of medication in the body. This can result in side effects or a less than desirable response from the medication. It is important to ask your doctor, nurse or healthcare professional about potential food interactions with all of your medications, herbal remedies and supplements.

Tips and more information about fast family meals and what our bodies’ needs are can be found all over the internet. Local book stores, nutrition centers, sports centers and doctor’s offices can also provide valuable resources to help you better understand food’s role in our life; and get you to the best source of information for your specific needs.

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Are these thoughts 100% true???

We tend to get stuck in negative thought patterns that create these uncomfortable emotions which settle in and storm over us like a tornado.  Catching one of these thoughts means you can look at it and examine it.  Is this the only way to see and react to this situation?  You wake up in the morning and feel down, but you have a group to go to. What do you do?

If you think, “I always feel like this, it’s never going to change, so why bother,” you will most likely not go to the group.

If you think, “I’m feeling down.  I know if I stay in bed nothing will change.  I usually feel a little better after group,” you will probably decide to go.

When you pay attention to your thoughts, you create awareness.  With that awareness, you can take a step back and take a look at a situation from a different perspective, ask questions and discover how to respond in a way that benefits you, rather than go with your initial reaction.  The more you practice this, the less often your emotions will become overwhelming and make you feel out of control.

For another look at this, read about the 5 blind men and the elephant: www.k4care.net

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By looking inward and trying on new things, I mean paying attention to our emotional outlook and not just our outward appearance.  Some simple ways to improve emotional health are to daily take a few minutes and appreciate the good in life.  Research has shown that even people who live in war torn and impoverish countries can find something to be appreciative or grateful for on any given day.  And when people appreciate things in their life, it increases our emotional wellbeing.

Research on happiness shows that a full 40% of how happy we feel is within our control.  50% of how happy we are comes from our genetic disposition, and believe it or not, only 10% of our happiness comes from bad life circumstances.  So no matter if you are very poor, in a bad relationship, work for a lousy boss, or live in a third world war torn country, a full 40% is under our control!

Take time to be appreciative during each day.  Take time to be grateful for something at the end of each day.  Savor the good times life brings all of us; recall them and re-experience them with zest.  Laugh and laugh often!  Be nice to others.  These are all techniques that will result in improved emotional health and wellbeing.  Enjoy the new looks!

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The most important thing is to REMAIN CALM. If you’re anxious or freaking out it’s only going to make the person in the crisis more uneasy and can worsen the situation.

Next is to ask open ended questions and let them vent. By doing this, you’re allowing the person to verbalize what’s going on with them and this can help lower their anxiety. Also, while letting them vent and vocalize their frustrations it can deescalate them and get all of the unwanted emotions and energy off their chest.

Then, when they or you feel that they are in a stable place give them options as to what they or you can do next; when someone is in a mental crisis they don’t feel that they have a lot of control at that point so by giving back some control they will feel a lot better.

When giving the options make sure you explain what the results of each options might be, reasoning behind each option, that you’re comfortable with each option given so no matter what they choose you are ok with it and that you follow through. Make sure you never guarantee anything unless you are absolutely sure you can deliver.

Hopefully, these tips help if you ever find yourself interacting with someone in a mental crisis. For further information or advice, feel free to consult your local crisis center.

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