Category: <span>Mental Health</span>

Mental Health Stress Therapy By blsedits 0 Comments

Intro into Mental Health Awareness Month

Written by: Katie Heaberlin, Office Manager

When the world becomes too much and life seems to be spinning all around you, thoughts swarming in your head and you feel overwhelmed and worn down, it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It can be hard to decipher one thought from another and soon you’re drowning in infinite things where you just can’t see an end in sight…. this is part of mental health. Many of us will often push these feelings back and keep taking on more, using the excuse “if I keep my mind occupied and keep busy, I will be ok”. But in reality, this affects your mental health even more. Knowing yourself and recognizing the signs before these feelings come to light are just one of the many ways you can improve your mental health. Mental health affects more than just your mind; it affects your body, your mood, and sometimes interferes with your daily activities and routines. Life is hard and it’s rough at times; but the most important thing you can do is to prioritize your needs and talk about it. Being open about how you are feeling and acknowledging those feelings doesn’t mean you’re crazy; it means you’re human. We all have a purpose; it’s ok to seek help when that purpose is clouded, and you need a little support in navigating through this maze called life. There is always someone who is willing to listen, even if it is yourself. Our mind and body are always finding ways to let us know something isn’t quite right. Listen to those signs, know when it’s time to pause, don’t allow yourself to reach the point of breaking. There is light at the end of every tunnel, sometimes it just takes one thought, one day, one step at a time to help us get there.

Mental Health Therapy By blsedits 0 Comments

Improve Your Mental Health With Art Therapy

Written by: Amanda Parparian, Art Therapist

When I was in graduate school, a near constant companion of mine was my knitting.  I found that the rhythm of the needles and the feel of the yarn helped me to focus.  One of my professors called it cognitive anchoring, something to keep my hands busy, something that could become automatic, and allow my brain to better focus.

I have also found that knitting has a positive impact on my anxiety, it keeps me from unraveling.

Seeing these benefits of knitting myself, I’ve become interested in learning more about why knitting and other fiber arts (such as sewing, weaving, crocheting, embroidery, and quilting) are good for you and your wellbeing.

Fiber arts are tactile, they have a strong sense of touch, and often when creating with them the focus is on integration and coming together.  They can explore powerful metaphors and stories.  Fiber arts have been found to benefit self-esteem, provide social support, and self-efficacy.

Knit for Peace is an initiative of the Charities Advisory Trust in the United Kingdom, which did a literature review on the health benefits of knitting, and then surveyed 1,000 knitters.  They found that the positive physical and mental health benefits of knitting included:

  • lowering blood pressure,
  • reducing depression and anxiety,
  • slowing the onset of dementia,
  • is a form of meditation,
  • distracts from chronic pain,
  • provides an opportunity for creativity,
  • increases sense of wellbeing, reduces loneliness and isolation, and
  • increases sense of usefulness and inclusion in society.

Dr. Cassandra Dominick did her dissertation on “Knitting as a Therapeutic Group Technique with 4th Grade Elementary School Students” and she stated “[knitting] can untangle our stressed minds as we unravel balls of yarn and turn them into wearable objects.”  She also discussed how the process of knitting and motions required can help with focus and allow for holding attention longer.

The structure of knitting with the rhythmic and repetitive nature is similar to meditation.  While sitting comfortably, physically holding the textile yarn, counting, repetitive motions with a cadence, the same alpha-wave patterns can be found as when meditating.

Not convinced? Why not try it yourself? If you need help getting started, I’d love to teach you knitting as a therapeutic tool for stress relief and mindfulness.

Mental Health Self Care By blsedits 0 Comments

The Positive Benefits to a Positive Body/Mind Connection

Written by: Jennifer Beaupied, MSW, LCSW, Qualified Supervisor CSW

Our bodies are amazing machines and so it is vital to having a balanced body/mind relationship as the key to that positive connection. The reasoning for this stems from the idea that a person’s physical condition(s) can affect a person’s mental health status and that a person’s mental health status then intern can affect a person’s physical health. The decision to make healthy and positive choices and being mindful in our daily routines is an effective way to ensure a positive body mind connection. The ways an individual handles stress, types of coping mechanisms, emotional support system, daily routine and cognitive processing of people and interactions all play a pivotal role in how you process your emotional response.

When we are stressed, our body releases the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. These stress hormones are supposed to give us an adrenaline rush so we can get out of dangerous situations quickly. However, you can still feel stressed even if there’s no “danger”. Releasing these hormones too frequently can have negative effects on the body. Such as a weakened immune response, digestive problems, concentration issues, or even our bodies healing more slowly. While the connection between stress and health is easy to understand, it’s harder to imagine that the way we think and what we believe (positive or negative thoughts) can affect our health as well. Negative thinking patterns—assuming the worst, jumping to conclusions, and self-criticism—can make it more difficult to deal with health problems.  A negative inner voice can have serious health consequences, and those types of thought patterns are difficult to break. That’s where the mind-body therapies come in to help. Individuals with mental health issues have a greater risk of physical illnesses. Similarly, people with chronic medical conditions are more likely to experience mental health problems than people who are physically healthy. When chronic medical conditions and mental illnesses occur at the same time, care becomes more complex.

The good news is that through effective mental health treatments (including CBT, Mindfulness, positive lifestyle behavior changes, meditation/ guided imagery, relaxation techniques and affirmations)  patients can make a positive change in their overall well-being. Mental health is essential to our overall well-being. Our mental health and many forms of mental illness are the result of a complex interaction of genetics, environment, and experiences in our lives, Stress is a normal part of life that we all feel from time to time. It can come in response to an illness or trauma, a significant change in life circumstances like changing jobs, or in response to the overwhelming pressures of daily events and responsibilities. How you respond to stress, and the changes in your body that result from it, can have a big impact on your overall well-being. For example, if you respond to stress or a depressed mood by increasing your alcohol consumption or tobacco use, eating more junk foods, or experiencing sleep problems more health complications could arise. On the other hand, healthy lifestyle changes can improve your mental health. The quality and number of your relationships and social connections can also impact your immune system function, inflammation in the body, and the progression of chronic conditions. In addition to your social relationships, symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety can be significantly relieved by changes in “positive” health-related attitudes and behaviors. Even a small positive healthy change in diet, physical activity, and sleep can go a long way toward improving mental and physical health. You can reduce your stress and improve your health by making even small changes. You are what you eat and therefore, food can help or hurt your body, your brain, and your mental health. Try to eat a diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and fish and highly processed foods like refined sugars and flour, which are associated with obesity and inflammation. Get up and move by increasing your physical activity. Even a little, can improve mood, digestion, and sleep cycles. Never underestimate the power of quality sleep. Sleep helps the body cleanse itself and restores energy at the most basic cellular level. Since many mental disorders interfere with sleep, getting professional help to improve sleep may be an effective way of improving your health as well. Stay connected to people who provide positive emotional and other support. People who are positive in your life can have a beneficial impact on your overall well being. Work on ways to manage stress and try to advocate and encourage yourself to be the best version you can be every day.

“If you think your Body and mind are two, that is wrong; if you think that they are one, that is also wrong. Our body and mind are both two and one”. Shunryu Suzuki

Mental Health Stress Support By Danielle Shelton 0 Comments

Keeping Centered in Challenging Times

Photo by Ester Marie Doysabas on UnsplashAs the Corona Virus keeps more and more of our clients close to home, it’s a good time to review the stress management strategies in your toolbox.

Get Outside: Taking care of your “marvelous machine” strengthens your immune system and can have a huge positive psychological benefit. Keeping “social distance” in mind, outside time, can renew the spirit and give you some natural Vitamin D.

Fuel: Stick with your meal plans and follow the advice of your BLS therapist. It’s easy to fall into bad habits when cabin fever sets in. The right fuel can be a huge contributor to your emotional well-being and can protect you from illness, too.

Control Your Social Media Intake: With the free time forced upon us by unexpected time at home, it will be easy to focus on the frenetic and often un-substantiated information that flies at us on Twitter and Facebook. Seek out trusted resources, like the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. Vette everything you see and hear. Bad advice is just as contagious as COVID19. Don’t feed the trolls by getting into on-line debates. Use websites like Snopes.com to double check what may seem like conventional wisdom. It’s often not so.

Focus on Your Breath: Research has shown that “breath-focused attention” can actually lower your stress and anxiety levels. The mindful exercise of simply focusing on the mindful process of inhaling and exhaling is a simple, powerful tool to bring you back into the moment. The breath is the foundation of meditation, another skill that can help you stay centered. Consider exploring a meditation practice, if it’s not already part of your tool box.

Consult a Professional: At Better Living Solutions, our licensed, accredited therapists can help you create a personalized game plan to manage anxiety and stress. Contact us to learn more.

“This, too, shall pass.” As frightening as the current situation can be, remember that all things are impermanent. Whatever today’s challenge may be will float into memory tomorrow. Do your best to live in the present moment, but never lose faith that you will prevail. The world’s greatest achievers share this paradox in common: They are able to deal with the unpleasantness that may exist in the now, but keep the faith that the ultimate outcome will make them stronger, more confident human beings.

We become what we think about. In every season of your life, think productive thoughts, focus on the opportunities that lie at the center of every challenge, and have faith that you can make the toughest moments in your life the defining moments.

Did You Know: That Better Living Solutions therapists can meet with you in person or “virtually” in your home? Being homebound doesn’t have to get in the way of healing. Call Better Living Solutions for information about how we humanize technology to provide individualized care, wherever you may be.

Mental Health Support By Danielle Shelton 0 Comments

Supporting Loved Ones With an Eating Disorder

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is, “How can I support a loved one with an eating disorder?” Our Certified Eating Disorder Specialists have come up with 10 tips to give you the tools you need:

     1. Take part in non-food focused activities.

While special meals are what we often associate with special occasions, there is a lot more to family gatherings than food! Spotlight customs that are not food focused like game nights, movie nights, driving around to look at lights, or other outdoor activities!

   2.  Revisit enjoyable traditions!

Think about some traditions that you’ve had in the past that were enjoyable for everyone and participate in them again! This is a great way to remind everyone of good times together and distract from food-focused traditions.

     3. Create new traditions.

This can be a fun family activity! Have everyone come up with traditions and try all of them! Families we know volunteer, decorations crafts, ice skating, silly family photos, attending a performance, and more! Invent your own creative traditions and share them with us on instagram using the hashtag #BetterLivingTraditions!

     4. Be mindful of potential triggers.

Being aware of what might be a potential trigger for your loved one can aid in reducing stress. For example, if your loved one is triggered by decorating cookies, you can focus on other artistry instead! It’s possible to get the same family enjoyment without creating stress for your loved one.

5. Avoid the role of “food police.”

Unless your loved one’s treatment team has asked you to keep track of meal plans and accountability, it’s best to avoid monitoring and portioning food. Trying to take over this role can induce more anxiety and actually make things more difficult.

6. Decide on a code word to prompt a check in or a change in mood.

An effective tool is to agree on a “code word” that your loved can use in times of distress. When they would like to check in with someone or if they feel a shift or change in mood, feelings, or actions, they can use this code word to alert you.

      7. Look for resources throughout your community.

Be aware of support groups and other resources in your area in the case that your loved one may need some extra support. The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness is an organization that provides free support groups for those struggling with an eating disorder. Find a list of their local groups here:

 8. Ask if there is anything you can do to help them through a difficult situation.

Being open and honest with your loved one can be crucial for managing stress. Asking them what you can do that will make mealtimes and family times easier is a great way to start an honest conversation about how you can help them on their road to recovery.

 9. Be respectful of their recovery process.

Respect that each person’s recovery process is different. Some people progress through recovery quicker than others, some require different interventions, and some find different techniques more useful than others. These differences don’t mean that there is failure. These differences are common, and recovery and treatment are processes that are individualized for every person.

10. Accept and validate their feelings – offer support and words of encouragement.

Support, validation, and encouragement are important aspects of recovery. At the most basic level, offering empathy instead of advice will help in validating the difficult feelings that they may encounter and can encourage them to keep pushing through!

 

For more information about eating disorders, visit the National Eating Disorder Association official website or our website at www.blscounseling.net.

 

We are also pleased to announce that Better Living Solutions Recovery Center is now accredited with the Joint Commission! For more information, read our full press release here.