Mental Health and Psychotherapy
Nearly each day, I read another professional study or chapter about the relationship between how we live our lives and chronic illness such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and a variety of autoimmune disease. There is clear and consistent scientific evidence that changes in our day to day behavior—small, realistic changes—improve our health, reduce the severity of some disease and, for some, may even reverse a variety of chronic conditions. One of the most persistent findings is that sleep deprivation damages our immune system and leaves us vulnerable to illness. And fortunately, the amount of sleep we give ourselves IS something we can influence. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/311494.php
Some challenges that couples experience are far more common than we realize. Differing sleep cycles can challenge a relationship, and may trigger deeply meaningful issues between partners. While it’s essential to understand and work with the emotional and symbolic effects of sleep differences, this newly emerging understanding of sleep patterns can also reduce the friction and pave the way for people to approach the matter with realistic expectations and acceptance. Op-Ed Columnist: Germany on the Brink Source: The Lark-Owl Scale: When Couples’ Sleep Patterns Diverge – The New York Times
If you are trying to achieve a goal, the more often that you monitor your progress, the greater the likelihood that you will succeed, according to research. Your chances of success are even more likely if you report your progress publicly or physically record it. I think this applies to many goals and life changes. There are times, however, when it’s counterproductive. Unless you’re a professional finance professional or a very skilled day trader, following your investment values hour by hour, or day to day, is not going to pay rewards. In fact it may do harm to your portfolio and to your mental health. Similarly, if shame is involved, frequent monitoring to say nothing of publishing progress can do harm. That’s often the case with weight loss and more so if one feels acute distress about his/her body. A long term strategy with specific objectives and more than one measure will serve you better. Source: Frequently monitoring progress toward goals increases chance of success: Publicly reporting or recording progress has an even greater effect, study says — ScienceDaily
Most of us know when some part of our body is inflamed. But we aren’t as aware of internal or biological system inflammation. And our western diet and lifestyle places many of us at risk for exactly this condition. Turns out, there are mental health consequences such as symptoms we associate with depression. Source: Inflammation linked to weakened reward circuits in depression: Brain imaging shows distinctive aspects of high-inflammation depression — ScienceDaily
Turns out that exercise has direct impact on the brain. Have a look— http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/mental-conditioning/Break-a-Sweat-Exercise-and-the-brain.html?utm_source=dispatch&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=MRlink5&utm_campaign=12102013
This interesting editorial on The Healthcare Blog offers not only a window into the world of medicine and the current practice of medicine, but also a valuable point of view that can inform the choices we make and how we communicate our wishes. http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2012/08/06/how-doctors-die/ Many people will find the National Hospice Association’s website of great value, including the resources they make available to help individuals communicate what medical care they wish and what they do not want provided. htttp://www.nhpco.org. State-specific advanced care planning templates are available free of charge at http://www.caringinfo.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3289
Clients who have endured early-life traumatic experiences, domestic violence and other dehumanizing events have taught me the importance of genuine forgiveness. I’m not referring to the “turn the other cheek” variety, though that has its place in our oftentimes brutal world. I’ve seen the continued harm resulting from people who hold themselves responsible for the violating, violent, abusive deeds of others. While this assumption of blame is itself a coping mechanism, a way that people survive by assuming some degree of psychological control or preserving a fantasy image of loved ones who perpetrate harm, in the end, it wrecks havoc emotionally and perpetuates the harm already done. Self blame makes one feel more inadequate and defective; it sustains shame. This short item on self forgiveness is a worthy read for those healing from paralytic harm and those of us fortunate to have safe childhoods and loving, protective families. http://positivepsychologynews.com/news/sherri-fisher/2010080512884
Research indicates that happiness is not acquired by amassing possessions. Whatever the amount available—using one’s resources to enrich our “lived experience” and sharing those adventures with others goes much further! http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-norton-happiness-spending-20130519,0,3517116.story
My work in a primary care setting has enabled me to increase the amount of behavioral medicine work within my practice. Collaborating with medical professionals caring for people with chronic illness necessitates my paying even greater attention to medical research and health related media items. It’s notable when the exportation of US culture impacts the health of citizens in other countries, and we regularly see health decline over time as people become more enculturated. Adaptation to Western lifestyle is linked with negative effects on health among immigrants. We’d hope it the other way around—a higher standard of living, access to medical care and plentiful food could improve health. This NY Times article merits a few minutes of your time. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/health/the-health-toll-of-immigration.html?hp
There’s a great deal of conversation about the impact of social media on relationships. There certainly are generational differences in how youth, young adults and mid-life/later-life people use social media, and also how we perceive it. Frequently, I hear disparaging remarks of youths’ relationship to their technology and it’s role in their social lives. Though the full impact of our advancing technology is never easy to understand without the benefit of some hindsight, it’s my impression that its challenges are offset by many gains. Human interaction takes many forms, and not surprisingly, our face to face interactions continue to be an important aspect of both friendships and relationships. Here, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) researchers Boleslaw Szymanski, director of SCNARC and the Claire and Roland Schmitt Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at Rensselaer, discuss what technology shows us about whom we choose as friends. I find it particularly interesting that sophisticated mathematics and computer science demonstrates the resilience of our relationships in a tech-driven world, and also how mathematic models can help us launch social programs, create change, respond to crises and even foster new friendships. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121206141325.htm
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