Anger: How much anger is enough?

As humans we experience a lot of different emotions.  Most of them are necessary for survival, but some overwhelm us and affect our daily lives.  For example, have you ever seen someone sitting in traffic, angry and cursing up a storm? Or seen someone get mad over the smallest mistake?  Those are common signs of anger issues.  Some people are good at expressing their anger, while some aren't. 

The American Psychological Association breaks down a lot of information about anger, including the normal ways to express it.  They state that there are different ways to express this anger, and when or if they fail, then help is needed. 

The three ways to express anger properly are, to first be aggressive about it, second suppressing it and third to control and calm internal responses.  If the proper ways to express anger don’t work then there are always alternatives and help provided. 

The biggest problem our society faces, is that no one likes to admit that they have an issue.  We tend to see the consequences of the denial every day.  The shootings and current violence in Ferguson is a perfect example.  If we analyze it we’ll realize that violence emerges from anger that hasn't been expressed properly.  Not only that anger affects each individual, but it also affects the relationships with people that we care about. 

Now that we understand that improperly expressed anger can result in negative consequences, it would be wise for someone with anger issues to consider counseling.  The American Psychological Association states that, a psychologist or other licensed mental health professional can work with individuals to help develop a range of techniques for changing your thinking and your behavior.

Source: http://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control.aspx?item=5

Obsessive-Compulsive

By: Riddhi Patel 

"I couldn't touch any doors or counter tops in public areas. I knew it didn't make any sense, but I was terrified of getting germs that could kill me. I almost couldn't go out in public, I was so afraid. If I thought I touched anything, I would have to wash myself for hours. Sometimes I washed so much that my skin would get red and raw and I would start to bleed."

One of the most commonly misused words in today's society would have to be the word obsessed. Phrases such as, "I am so obsessed with your shoes!" and "My current obsession is Greek yogurt" completely distort the actual meaning of the word. More often than not, this word is thrown into conversations when someone describes something they simply like. However, it has a much deeper meaning than that. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it means "to have a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling."

When a person is obsessed with an idea or feeling it can indicate the presence of a mental illness known as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). If you have OCD, you have repeated, upsetting thoughts. You may do the same thing over and over again to make the thoughts go away. You feel like you are not in control of either your thoughts or your actions. The disturbing thoughts and images are called "obsessions" and the actions you repeatedly take to relieve your anxiety are called "compulsions".

"At first I was too embarrassed to get help, but a friend told me to call the doctor. I'm so glad I did."

Talking to psychiatrist, psychologist or psychotherapist helps many people with OCD. A type of psychotherapy known as cognitive behavioral therapy is particularly useful for treating OCD. It teaches different ways of thinking and reacting to certain situations that help you feel less anxious. A psychiatrist or a nurse practitioner could also prescribe medication that help you get rid of these symptoms.

"I took medicine my doctor gave me. I also worked very hard in therapy with a psychologist. I learned to cope with my fear of germs and to stop washing so much."

Anorexia and Bulimia Should Not Be Made Fun Of

 

By Pamela O'Connor

 

From the “Anna Rexia” Halloween costume in 2011 to the new controversial article “5 Reasons to Date a Girl with an Eating Disorder”, it has been shown that eating disorders are not taken as seriously as they should be. The costume itself showcases what an anorexic girl’s skeleton would look like, and was banned from stores. Unfortunately it was brought back, with the message that it would be funny to dress up as an anorexic on Halloween. Essentially, this poked fun at a serious mental disorder that can cause long term effects and sometimes even death.

Interestingly the article is attracting much more negative feedback than the costume. “5 Reasons to Date a Girl with an Eating Disorder” was posted on a website named “Return of Kings” by the author under the pseudo name Truthmosis. He/She starts the article by saying that eating disorders are luxuries designated for the white, wealthy girls. He also states that a classic eating disorder can predict a lot of traits about a woman and these traits end up being desirable to today’s American man. He also makes a side note to clear up that this article does not pertain to “fatties with no self-control”, only to girls with anorexia or bulimia, because they are considered to be the more attractive diseases.

The article then goes on to list the reasons that a man should date a girl with an eating disorder, insulting more and more women with every word. He believes that when a woman is fighting a disease such as anorexia or bulimia, she will improve her overall looks because she has become so obsessed with them. She will never be fat, and will care about her clothes and appearance in general, showing his narcissistic and superficial self in an even more obvious way. Another reason he states is that she will cost less money, meaning you can bring her to nice, expensive restaurants and only spend a minimal amount. This is because she will only order dishes such as a side salad, or whatever communal food you order, so sometimes you can even finish off her plate if you would like. This unfortunately encourages the disease, instead of trying to help the person you are dating to be happier and healthier and to value her for who she is and not only what she looks like.

                Another advantage according to Truthmosis is a girl’s low self-esteem. He considers it a good thing that she will be vulnerable and thinks too many women have a high level of confidence for no reason. He mistakenly believes these women will apologize more readily and will be modest, craving nothing more than your approval. And since this article states that eating disorders are only for the wealthy, he assumes that these girls have their own money, which will enable them to pay for things or buy you gifts. Truthmosis ends this article by saying that girls with eating disorders will also be better in bed, because according to the author, girls considered “crazy” make better partners in bed.

                Petitions have been written and people have more than shared their opinions about this outrageous article. Eating disorders, in any form, are a serious mental illnesses and affect the person as well as those around them, negatively. Nothing about their suffering is positive or fun. These diseases are not to be made fun of but are to be helped and healed. Authors like this make it harder to see the danger of these illnesses and instead turn them into a joke or dating game. It is sad that such uninformed negative opinions exist and even worse, that they give people distorted inaccurate information. Such irresponsible opinions can be taken seriously by mentally ill patients and can have a negative effect on ones struggling with this disease.

Article Source: http://www.returnofkings.com/21313/5-reasons-to-date-a-girl-with-an-eating-disorder

 

 

Mental Disorders and the Holidays: Healthy Ways to Cope with Stress, Alcoholism, Depression, and Eating Disorders This Holiday Season

By Kellie McClain

The holiday season is filled with joy and happiness, spent with loved family members, peaceful quality time, and all around humbleness, gratefulness, and best wishes for everyone. So it seems as displayed by the media and popular culture. However, this is not always the case, and if you feel this description is far from accurate in terms of your personal experience, you are not alone. The holidays bring about stress and mixed emotions for everyone, but can have an especially detrimental effect on those with preexisting mental illness.

This does not mean that there is no joy to be experienced by such individuals. There are strategies which they and their families can implement to provide a supportive, healthy environment without making an already difficult disorder even harder to handle. Below are several disorders which may be directly affected by the environments brought on by the holiday season, including tips to navigate your way to a healthy, happy holiday experience.

Depressive Disorders: With the exception of bipolar disorder, depressive disorders involve a non-subsiding state of depression accompanied by depressive thoughts that occur regardless of the situation. Depressive thoughts and moods are especially prominent during this time because of the high frequency of Seasonal Effective Disorder, a depressive disorder caused by changes in seasons, during the fall and winter seasons. This can pose as a large issue during the holidays because being around family members you haven’t seen in a while might bring about suppressed feelings or disappointing memories. It may put you in a mental state similar to where you were in past negative situations.

The most important things to keep in mind in these situations is to keep as best you can to your regular schedule, spend time with those who truly love and care for you, and focus on the present day rather than the past and consistently reminding yourself who you are now and how far you’ve come. This will build up resistance to potential feelings of increased depression and allow you get happiness and enjoyment out of holiday season.

Anxiety Disorders: It is not abnormal for holiday gatherings and preparation to bring an immense amount of stress on everyone involved, since this time of year brings a condensed amount of special occasions to plan and attend in a short period of time. Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, panic disorder, or obsessive compulsive disorder may feel specifically effected by holiday related stress.

Some ways to cope with the impending feelings of stress and anxiety include planning and executing everything in moderation and to avoid having an ideal vision of the ‘perfect holiday’ because such expectations are impossible to reach. It is important to accept that there may be issues and difficult encounters within the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. For those who experience anxiety in social situations, be sure to surround yourself with those who truly care and are sensitive to your needs. Try to put as little pressure on yourself as you can with being happy and joyous throughout each holiday experience. The less pressure you are under to find enjoyment, the more likely you are to find it naturally.

Alcoholism: Holiday gatherings bring about intense temptation for those recovering from alcohol addiction and may make it especially difficult for them to stay on track with their path to recovery. If you are a recovering alcoholic who wantst to be able to avoid relapse over the holidays and still be able to spend time with family it is crucial to focus on what the holiday gatherings are truly about and why they are important to you personally. Keep your focus away from the temptation of alcohol by always staying in conversation, take part in other things you may enjoy such as helping out around the house and catching up with distant friends and family. This will help you to get the most out of your holiday experience as well as refrain from a destructive path.

Eating Disorders: For those recovering from various eating disorders, the holidays may bring a time of anxiety, depression, and relapse of the road to recovery, rather than a time of joyous family gatherings. In order to avoid straying from the road to recovery and to prevent possible conflicts, it is highly suggested to have a set plan tailored to your specific needs and concerns that you think will best help you avoid holiday related issues in regards to your disorder. You must also place strong attention to what you value most and focus highly on relationships between those with whom you are sharing the holidays. Try viewing the holiday season in a broader context in terms of what is important to you and your family, as this helps with keeping the focus away from the disorder itself.

If feelings associated with these disorders persist to an extended amount despite the implementation of the above strategies, consulting a psychologist may be helpful in the process of coping. He or she can assist with identifying the core problems you are experiencing and developing successful plans of action from a professional perspective. Keep in mind that the holidays should be seen as a time to enhance your psychological well-being and being able to overcome such intense situations will mean a large improvement with your disorder and hope for future improvement.

SOURCES - http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-without-anxiety/201212/10-tips-surviving-the-holidays

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/12/12/addiction-and-the-holidays/

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/weightless/2012/12/4-ways-to-navigate-the-holidays-when-you-have-an-eating-disorder/

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/eating-mindfully/201212/coping-the-stresses-the-season

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/holiday-season.aspx

Teen Drug Use Can Create Bigger Problems Later On in Life

By Pamela O'Connor

It is normal for every child to want to experiment. It is a natural curiosity that everyone is aware of. However, when it comes to drug use and alcohol consumption, experimenting should be taken a lot more seriously and not seen as harmless. This “phase” can turn into a life-long issue, ruining any chance of children having successful jobs or happy marriages and families.  A report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University found that nearly half of American high school students are using addictive drugs. Many of these students continue to become more and more addicted throughout college and soon enough develop an issue that sticks with them for the rest of their lives.

The degree of risk is hard to predict, so one will not know which child will become addicted and which will not. Children are at a higher risk if they have a family history of mental illness or addiction. It is also higher if they have difficulties coping with stress or strained family ties. Some teens who party occasionally will never develop an addiction, but we will never be able to predict who will develop an addiction, and so the use of drugs and alcohol must be prevented as much as possible.

Since teens in general are unpredictable and moody, it is often difficult to identify signs of drug abuse. They may develop different sleeping habits, spend more time with their friends, or become disinterested in activities they used to love. Yes, children are always changing and what they like will change as well, but if they exhume signs of serious change or distress it may be time to take a closer look at what they are doing. 

Being passive about a drug use situation or ignoring it as “just a stage” will lead to more problems down the road. Parents must send a clear, zero-tolerance message that will let their children know that they as a parent care and love them enough to prevent addiction from ruining their lives. This requires active involvement; taking the time to get to know how they are changing and what they are doing. Your child is developing lifelong habits and goals, and if they see you take their behavior seriously, they will do the same. If your child is using drugs, your concern will help prevent the problem from continuing into adulthood. If they are not using, it will help prevent it from happening and will strengthen the bond between parent and child.  

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/where-science-meets-the-steps/201310/teen-drug-use-phase-or-growing-addict

The Effects of Childhood Abuse

Children Who Are Abused Suffer Psychological as well as Physical Effects               

                 

                Childhood abuse can lead to long lasting psychological effects as those who were abused reach adulthood. Recent studies show that childhood abuse may also strongly affect the physical health of abused children as adults as well. A University of California – Los Angeles Campus study is showing that adults who were abused as children are may suffer from issues with their physical health and a compromised regulatory system. Children who dealt with abuse have grown up to suffer from such conditions as high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome as well as other physical health issues. One of the research scientists from the study, Judith E. Carroll, says that if children have more love from their parents or guardians, they will be more protected from the affects of abuse and increased biological risk in the future. 

                The researchers in this study had approximately 756 participants who had also been part of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. They measured 18 biological markers including heart rate, cholesterol, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood sugar regulation, etc. Falling in the higher range on these measures meant they had a higher biological risk for disease. In order to measure their childhood problems and stressors, they were given a self-report scale called the Risky Families Questionnaire. Those who reported high amounts of parental warmth when younger had lower risk in adulthood and on the other end, those who reported very low parental warmth and affection rated the highest on the multisystem risk scale. The researchers believe that the stress associated with childhood abuse may alter how a person responds to stress as an adult which makes it more difficult for the physical and emotional arousal to be shut down. While the researchers in this study do not say that childhood abuse causes high risk to physical illness as an adult, they do believe that it plays a large role and should be studied further so that early interventions will be encouraged.

By: Stephanie Lopez

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130926205005.htm