Leslie Glass's Blog, page 370

What Is All Or Nothing Thinking

My go-to response is almost always a snap judgement. Yes or No. Now or Never. All or nothing thinking seems innocent enough, but this pattern has caused me and my family great harm.

What Is All Or Nothing Thinking?

A person who is stuck in all or nothing thinking ONLY sees two choices. The hundreds of in-between choices simply do not occur as viable options. Some examples of all or nothing thinking are:

Eat NO cookies OR the WHOLE bag
My spouse and I will NEVER argue. We will live happily ever after OR get a divorce.
I’m either an ALWAYS patient Mom OR an abusive terror.
NEVER, do I ever drink OR I am an alcoholic.
I follow my budget to the penny OR max out the credit card for the month.
I have to be perfect (which is impossible) OR I’m doomed to Hell.

Who Thinks Like This?

All or nothing thinking is common among people who are depressed. Creative people, persons who have PTSD, and many with autism are also likely to struggle with this constrictive thought pattern.

Interestingly, this type of thinking triggers one our body’s most primal instincts: fight or flight. The body responds to stress, leading to anxiety and sensory overload. When emotions fall, exhaustion takes over. The thought process is self-perpetuating. The body is either on high alert or too tired to function.

Writer and psychotherapist John Tsilimparis, featured on A&E’s Obsessed, explains,

This type of thinking colors all of our experiences and pressures us to live in the irrational realm of extremes.

Identifying The Problem

If we want to see the world in colorful choices, we first have to realize we are living in black and white extremes. Tsilimparis tells us to ask ourselves: Am I…

Thinking in terms of extremes?
Reacting emotionally when things don’t look right?
Judging myself as strong or weak? Smart or stupid?
Over-monitoring my decisions as right or wrong? Good or bad?
Looking for too much certainty in a world full of uncertainty?

Ways To Think In Gray

Psychotherapist Renee van der Vloodt has three in the moment, physiological ways to interrupt this thought pattern:

Change your breathing. Breathe in for 7 counts and breathe out for 11. This interrupts the physical stress reaction in your body.
Do a body scan. Where are you holding tension? Lower back? Jaws? Shoulders? Even 15 seconds is enough to distract your body from the emotional pull.
Park your mood. Use your thinking against itself. Park ALL of your all or nothing thinking in a time out.

To make a lasting change, Tsilimparis says we must sit with the anxiety. When we identify an all or nothing thought, he recommends we take five minutes to respond differently by:

Locating the balanced gray area of any stressful situation
Giving up the need to be right
Accepting all circumstances are neutral
Being more reflective than reactive
Accepting the subtle balance and varying degrees of life
Accepting that I cannot have certainty about most things right now

Recovery teaches me to first become aware. For years, I didn’t realize how often I succumbed to these rigid choices. Now that I know how to spot my all or nothing thinking, I can accept that I’m not the problem. My thinking is. I don’t have judge myself as either:

Right or wrong
Good or bad
Strong or weak
Smart or stupid
A success or a failure

Finally, I can take action. Along with the tools listed above, I am going to challenge myself to brainstorm other options that fall somewhere in between my initial extreme choices.

All or nothing thinking might be a sign of depression. Find counselors and psychotherapists near you at Recovery Guidance. 

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What Is Mental Health

We often hear and read about mental illness, but do we really know what mental health means, especially good mental health? The World Health Organization defines mental health as:

A state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her [or their] own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his [their] community.

Similarly, the American Psychiatric Association relates that:

Mental health is the foundation for thinking, communication, learning, resilience and self-esteem. Mental health is also key to relationships, personal and emotional well-being and contributing to the community or society.

5 Areas To Consider

We believe that good mental health includes these 5 areas: physical health, social/relational health, emotional health, intellectual health, and spiritual health, for they weave in and out of each other to form a healthy human being who continues to grow, heal, and evolve.

Characteristics Of Healthy People

Good mental health is layered through the above areas of physical, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual health. More specifically, the characteristics below signs of good mental health. This is a long list, and of course not every person with good mental health has every single one of these characteristics. No one is perfect. For example, can have good mental health without being totally confident. Or you can make impulsive decisions (we all do). But the characteristics below are indicators of good mental health.

Understanding and meeting their full, human potential
Feeling good about themselves/self confidence
Ability to cope with all types of stressors/self control
Ability to make healthy choices without impulsivity
Having positive relationships with others such as friends and coworkers
If in a primary relationship, is committed to the other and to the relationship itself
Are productive through work, schooling, child rearing, or volunteering
Has a balance between emotions and the intellect
Are open and honest to self and others
Trustworthy
Embrace compassion and are loving
Accepting of differences
Are flexible and can “go with the flow”
Have the ability and strength to deal with own problems
Able to laugh at self
Able to grieve over losses
Can look outside themselves to the value of the greater community
May embrace a sense of spirituality including others, nature, Earth, and cosmos

Other Influences

Mental health is influenced by other things such as brain chemistry and genetics, environment, and our own life experiences. A positive family history of mental illness is likely to lead to another family member who also has issues. Likewise, if one grows up in a abusive family system, they may have various mental illnesses caused by such abuse such as PTSD.

Mental Illness Diagnosis Is Part Of Life Healing Is Possible

But even if you have been diagnosed with a mental illness, this doesn’t need to translate into “I am mentally ill” for having a mental illness, or any physical illness, is simply a part of life. And while there may be complications and the need for psychiatric medications and/or counseling, one can still lead a life of positive mental health for it is in the healing that we find the progress. Recovery is a process of:

Learning
Healing
Acceptance
Aompassion
Love
Respect
Spirituality
Gratitude

Focusing on these positives carry us a long way on our journeys into our own selves, our highest selves. While we may fall short at times, these characteristics set the basis for mental health well-being.

 

 

 

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Simple Tips For Improved Mental Health

In recovery, I’ve learned to be pretty vigilant when it comes to my mental health. I’m quick to squash stinking thinking, I don’t let myself sulk for very long, and when I’m blue, I have a list of small activities I can do that really do help.

The good news about living in today’s world is there are so many amazing tools available to us if we are willing to look for them and give them a shot. Sometimes it takes practice to make something stick, but from my experience, if you take ten minutes every day for 30 days and do any one of these things, you will see some improvement in your mood, or general health and well-being.

One. Get outside and into nature if you can.

Even if you live in New York City, find a park or go to the closest river. Being outside in the fresh air, especially now that Spring has sprung,  can really help if you’re feeling stressed, or sad. Maybe try walking to work, if that’s possible, or taking a walk on your lunch break while listening to some soothing music.

Two. Put down your technology.

We’ve all heard about the studies coming out saying that technology is addictive, and can cause depression and loneliness. Social media has created a FOMO monster in many of us, I’m afraid. So, put down your phone and turn off your computer and focus on the world around you whenever possible.

Three. Try ten minutes of meditation.

Someone who used to mentor me insisted at one point in time that I set a timer and meditate every single morning with a guided meditation off Youtube. It actually took me two months of practice before I felt the need to do it every day, but I’m a particularly slow learner. All the great leaders meditate, it does great things when done properly. Try it.

Four. Any exercise ritual, including simply walking for 10-20 minutes.

Exercise helps raise endorphins. That’s a fact. I also know people who struggle with anxiety who exercise every morning because they believe the rhythmic breathing helps set them straight for the day. Whatever it is, when you want to get out of your head, get into your body!!

Five. Self-care.

Everybody’s talking about it for a reason. Whether you’re into mani-pedis and massages, or learning new things and growing your recovery, take time to do the things you love, and that makes you happy.

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Mom’s Wish

Mom’s wish was too hard for me to fulfill on my first Mother’s Day without her.  On her special day she wanted another mom to get the gift she loved. Here’s why it took me time to honor her, her way.

January 2014 mom was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. But mom was tough, at 16 months old she contracted polio and the doctors told her parents that she would never walk. But she didn’t know that she wasn’t supposed to be able to walk … so she played baseball, drove a standard shift car, and she danced.

By May of 2014, mom had completed what would be her first round of chemo … it left her weak and but a fraction of what she weighed before, but mom was tough. She was determined to go out for our traditional Mother’s Day brunch. Underlying its importance this year was the pressure that this one would be our last.

I brought her a bouquet of all her favorites – babies breath and greenery were scattered between lilies and tulips – and this year there was also a single red rose. The day was almost more somber than it was joyous as we set out to the restaurant for brunch. The booth behind ours was occupied by an older woman with an enormous hat and it sparked a memory mom had about hats and her “generation.” It was as if the mood lifted by seeing that hat, and we were once again just a mom, dad and daughter celebrating at Mother’s Day brunch.

Shortly afterward, the hostess approached the woman with the hat to let her know that her granddaughter had called to say that she couldn’t make it –  that something had come up.  It only took mom a moment to scoot herself up from our booth and invite the lady to sit with us, the look in her eyes told me that this decision was not up for review.

While it took me a minute to get over my own selfishness at wanting this day to be about our family, mom was already making room for the hat lady next to her. We had a wonderful time at brunch that year, it was filled with laughter and memories, and it was shared with a mom who needed it. Mom was so generous of spirit.

Later in the afternoon, mom pulled me aside to ask a favor of me. She started by saying how much she loved the lilies and tulips in the bouquets she received over the years, then she asked me not to lay a bouquet of flowers at her grave next Mother’s Day … but to gift them to a mother who reminded me of her. In that way, she explained, another mother could be honored on their special day.

Mom didn’t make it to the next Mother’s Day and the bouquet of lilies and tulips sat at her grave, because in my grief I could not see in another woman the spirit of my mom. Not because there weren’t amazing women in my life, but I couldn’t see it because I wasn’t looking.

In the years that followed, however, I have been able to abide by mom’s wishes and gift her bouquet to another mother. Now I’m looking for the goodness and willing to share my mom with others. In giving to someone else, it has opened a more gracious heart in me … well played, mom. Happy Mother’s Day.

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10 Subtle Signs Of Bipolar Disorder

From Tammy Worth @ Health: Unsure what qualifies as bipolar symptoms? Here are 10 signs that mood problems may not be due to a quirky or difficult personality, but actually bipolar disorder.

Bipolar Symptoms

When it comes to mental illness, there are plenty of stereotypes. But in reality, mood disorders can be hard to pinpoint—particularly in people with bipolar disorder symptoms.

“Chalking it up to moodiness or trouble at work or tiredness is pretty common,” says Carrie Bearden, PhD, an associate professor in residence of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and psychology at the David Geffen School of Medical at UCLA. “The disorder varies in severity.”

Here are 10 signs that mood problems may be due to more than a quirky or difficult personality.

1. Great Mood

Bipolar disorder is characterized by up-and-down episodes of mania and depression. During a manic phase, some patients can have a total break from reality.

But hypomania, which is also a symptom of the disorder, is a high-energy state in which a person feels exuberant but hasn’t lost his or her grip on reality.

“Hypomania can be a pretty enjoyable state, really,” Dr. Bearden says. A person’s mood can be elevated, they may have a lot of energy and creativity, and they may experience euphoria. This is the “up” side of bipolar disorder that some people with the condition actually enjoy—while it lasts.

2. Inability To Complete Tasks

Having a house full of half-completed projects is a hallmark of bipolar disorder. People who can harness their energy when they are in a hypomanic phase can be really productive.

Those who can’t often go from task to task, planning grand, unrealistic projects that are never finished before moving on to something else.

“They can be quite distractible and may start a million things and never finish them,” says Don Malone, MD, the director of the Center for Behavioral Health and chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Cleveland Clinic, in Ohio.

3. Depression

A person who is in a bipolar depressive state is going to look just like someone who has regular depression. “They have the same problems with energy, appetite, sleep, and focus as others who have ‘plain old depression,'” Dr. Malone says.

Unfortunately, typical antidepressants alone don’t work well in patients who are bipolar. They can even make people cycle more frequently, worsening their condition, or send someone into a break-with-reality episode.

“Antidepressants can be downright dangerous in people with bipolar because they can send them into mania,” he says.

4. Irritability

Some people with this condition suffer from “mixed mania,” where they experience symptoms of mania and depression at the same time. During this state, they are often extremely irritable.

Everyone has bad days, which is one reason this kind of bipolarity is much harder to recognize.

“We are all irritable or moody sometimes,” Dr. Bearden says. “But in people with bipolar disorder it often becomes so severe that it interferes with their relationships—especially if the person is saying, ‘I don’t know why I’m so irritable…I can’t control it.'”

5. Rapid Speech

Some people are naturally talkative; we all know a motormouth or Chatty Cathy. But “pressured speech” is one of the most common symptoms of bipolar disorder.

This kind of speech occurs when someone is really not in a two-way conversation, Dr. Bearden says. The person will talk rapidly and if you try to speak, they will likely just talk over you.

They will also sometimes jump around to different topics. “What’s kind of a red flag is when it is atypical for the person to talk like this,” doing it only when they are in a manic cycle but not at other times, she says.

6. Trouble At Work

People with this disorder often have difficulty in the workplace because so many of their symptoms can interfere with their ability to show up for work, do their job, and interact productively with others.

In addition to having problems completing tasks, they may have difficulty sleeping, irritability, and an inflated ego during a manic phase, and depression at other times, which causes excessive sleeping and additional mood problems.

A lot of the workplace problems can be interpersonal ones, Dr. Malone says.

7. Alcohol Or Drug Abuse

About 50% of people with bipolar disorder also have a substance abuse problem, particularly alcohol use, Dr. Bearden says.

Many people will drink when they are in a manic phase to slow themselves down, and use alcohol to improve their mood when they are depressed.

8. Erratic Behavior

When they are in a manic phase, people with bipolar disorder can have an inflated self-esteem.

“They feel grandiose and don’t consider consequences; everything sounds good to them,” Dr. Malone says.

Two of the most common types of behavior that can result from this are spending sprees and unusual sexual behavior. “I have had a number of patients who have had affairs who never would have done that if they weren’t in a manic episode…during this episode they exhibited behavior that is not consistent with what they would do normally,” he says.

9. Sleep Problems

People with this condition often have sleep problems. During a depression phase, they may sleep too much, and feel tired all the time.

During a manic phase, they may not sleep enough—but still never feel tired.

Even with just a few hours of sleep each night, they may feel great and have lots of energy.

Dr. Bearden says staying on a regular sleep schedule is one of the first things she recommends for bipolar patients.

10. Flight Of Ideas

This symptom may be something that is hard to recognize, but it occurs frequently when someone is in a manic phase. People feel like their mind is racing and that they can’t control or slow down their thoughts.

This flight of ideas sometimes occurs with pressured speech.

People with bipolar may not recognize or admit that their mind is racing out of control, says Dr. Bearden.

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12 Types Of Depression: What You Need To Know

From Karen Pallarito @ Health: There’s more than one kind of depression. Here, experts explain major depression, seasonal affective disorder, postpartum depression, and more.

Under the big tent of depression there are many shades of gray. Depression can be mild or severe. It can be short-lived or chronic. Special circumstances, like the birth of a baby or the changing of the seasons, can trigger depressive symptoms.

Understanding the type of depression a person is experiencing helps doctors determine treatment. And for people who are diagnosed with depression, having information about their specific disorder can be helpful. “Folks seem comforted in knowing what’s going on for them,” says Sarah Noble, DO, a psychiatrist with the Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia. “At least they have an answer for why they’re experiencing what they’re experiencing.”

Here’s what you should know about the different types of depression. If you suspect you or a loved one has one of these, get evaluated by a mental health professional. They can help you figure out a diagnosis–and the best course of treatment.

1. Major Depressive Disorder

In a given year, more than 16 million Americans (a majority of them women) experience this very common type of depression, also known as major depression or clinical depression. Under diagnostic criteria published by the American Psychiatric Association, people must have at least five symptoms persisting for two weeks or longer to be diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Those symptoms can include feelings of sadness, emptiness, worthlessness, hopelessness, and guilt; loss of energy, appetite, or interest in enjoyable activities; changes in sleep habits; and thoughts of death and suicide. Most cases are highly treatable.

Major depressive disorder has two subtypes: “atypical depression” and “melancholic depression.” People who fall into the former category tend to sleep and eat a lot. They are emotionally reactive and very anxious, Dr. Noble explains. Those in the latter category have trouble sleeping and tend to ruminate over guilt-ridden thoughts, she says. Young adults tend to present with atypical depression, and the melancholic type is seen more often in seniors.

2. Treatment-Resistant Depression

Sometimes people with major depressive disorder don’t readily respond to treatment. Even after trying one antidepressant and then another–and maybe a third or fourth–their depression stubbornly hangs on. “Maybe it’s genetic, maybe it’s environmental,” Dr. Noble says. “Their depression is just tenacious.”

Helping people overcome treatment-resistant depression begins with a thorough workup to ensure a proper diagnosis and identify other psychiatric and medical causes of their symptoms. Patients are counseled on proper dosage and duration of treatment. If a medicine isn’t working, doctors will try switching to a similar drug or one from a different class. Patients may benefit from adding a second antidepressant from a different class and perhaps another type of medicine, such as an antipsychotic.

3. Subsyndromal depression

A person who has depressive symptoms but doesn’t quite check all the boxes for a diagnosis of major depression may be deemed “subsyndromal.” Maybe she has three or four symptoms, not five, or maybe she’s been depressed for a week, not two, Dr. Noble explains.

“Rather than look at symptoms, I usually look at functionality,” she says. Is the patient able to go to work and take care of day-to-day responsibilities? If the person is struggling, they may still benefit from treatment, including with medication, she says.

4. Persistent depressive disorder

People with persistent depressive disorder (PDD) have a low, dark, or sad mood on most days and at least two additional symptoms of depression lasting two years or more. In children and teens, PDD (also called dysthymia) may be diagnosed if symptoms of irritability or depression persist for a year or more. “It may wax and wane in intensity, but generally it’s a low level of depression,” Dr. Noble explains.

To be diagnosed with this type of depression, people must also have two of the following: sleep problems (too much or too little); low energy or fatigue; low self-esteem; poor appetite or overeating; poor concentration or difficulty making decisions; and feelings of hopelessness.

Usually PDD requires treatment with a combination of medication and psychotherapy.

5. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Up to 10% of women of childbearing age experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This severe form of PMS can trigger depression, sadness, anxiety, or irritability, as well as other extreme symptoms, in the week before a woman’s period.

“It can be really uncomfortable, disabling, and interfere with a woman’s day-to-day life,” says Dorothy Sit, MD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

 Scientists believe these women may have an abnormal sensitivity to hormonal changes during their menstrual cycle. Taking antidepressants, specifically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, in the two weeks before their period or throughout the month can be very effective, Dr. Sit says. Certain types of contraception may help too. Researchers at the University of California San Diego are exploring the use of light therapy to improve sleep quality and mood in women with PMDD.
6. Bipolar Depression

Wide swings in mood and energy, from elation to hopelessness, are the signature of bipolar depression, also called bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness. To be diagnosed with this form of depression, a person must have experienced at least one bout of mania. Bipolar usually shows up in young adulthood. While women and men are diagnosed in equal numbers, studies point to possible gender differences: Men appear to have more manic behavior; women tend toward depressive symptoms. Bipolar usually worsens without treatment but can be managed with mood stabilizers, antipsychotic medicines, and talk therapy.

While further research is needed, a recent study by Dr. Sit and colleagues suggests light therapy may be a potential treatment for bipolar depression too. Compared with dim placebo light, daily exposure to bright light at midday may reduce symptoms of depression and improve functioning in people with bipolar disorder, the study found.

7. Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder

Screaming and temper tantrums can be features of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), a type of depression diagnosed in children who struggle with regulating their emotions. Other symptoms include an irritable or angry mood most of the day nearly every day and trouble getting along in school, at home, or with their peers.

“These are the kids with strong emotional outbursts,” Dr. Noble says. “They’re just not able to contain their emotions,” so they “act out and act on” their feelings.

Currently, DMDD is treated using medications, psychotherapy, and parent training on how to effectively deal with a child’s irritable behavior.

8. Postpartum (Or Perinatal) Depression

The birth of a baby brings enormous joy but can sometimes lead to postpartum depression (PPD), a type that affects one in four women and one in eight men. In women, postpartum depression is likely triggered by shifts in hormones, fatigue, and other factors. In men, it’s environmental, brought on by shifting roles and lifestyle changes that come with parenting.

Postpartum depression can begin any time in the first year following a child’s birth, although it usually appears soon after the new arrival. Intense feelings of sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion become overwhelming and can interfere with daily life. It can provoke thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby.

Compared to the “baby blues”–which is a mild, short-lived, and extremely common condition causing anxiety and depressive symptoms in the immediate wake of a baby’s birth–PPD usually requires treatment with antidepressants and/or talk therapy.

9. Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a recurring type of depression (also known as seasonal depression) that usually strikes in the fall or winter. Along with a change in mood, SAD sufferers tend to have low energy. They may overeat, oversleep, crave carbs, gain weight, or withdraw from social interaction.

Women and younger adults are at higher risk of developing SAD. It can also run in families. SAD is diagnosed after at least two years of recurring, seasonal symptoms. While the exact cause is unclear, research suggests it may be related to an imbalance of the brain chemical serotonin. An overabundance of the sleep hormone melatonin and insufficient levels of vitamin D may also play a role.

SAD is typically treated with a daily dose of light therapy and sometimes medication.

10. Substance-Induced Mood Disorder

Using or abusing sedating drugs can change your mood. Symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and loss of interest in pleasurable activities, typically appear shortly after taking or abusing a substance or during withdrawal.

Substances that can lead to this type of depression include alcohol (if you drink too much), opioid painkillers, and benzodiazepines (which act on the central nervous system).

To diagnose someone with a substance-induced mood disorder, doctors must rule out other potential causes of depression, and the depression must be severe enough to interfere with daily activities.

11. Psychotic depression

People with psychotic depression have severe depression accompanied by psychosis, which is defined as losing touch with reality. Symptoms of psychosis typically include hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t really there) and delusions (false beliefs about what’s happening)

One of Dr. Noble’s patients, two years after beginning treatment, confessed that she had a year during which she would not eat anything her father cooked because she thought he was poisoning her. The woman was otherwise lucid; she simply suffered from psychotic depression that had not been fully treated.

Doctors usually prescribe antidepressants and antipsychotic medicines together to treat psychotic depression.

12. Depression Due To An Illness

Coping with a serious chronic disease, like heart disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and HIV/AIDS, can be depressing in and of itself.

Adding insult to injury, there’s now evidence that disease-related inflammation may also play a role in the onset of depression. Inflammation causes the release of certain chemicals by the immune system that cross into the brain, leading to brain changes that can trigger or worsen depression in certain people, Dr. Noble explains. Antidepressants may help prolong their life and improve their ability to function, she says, and therapy can help many patients cope with mental and physical illnesses.

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Walmart Limits Opioid Prescriptions To 7 Day Supply

From Nicole Darrah @ Fox News: Walmart announced Monday the retail giant will begin to restrict opioid prescriptions to help stem the deadly drug epidemic. Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies are set to limit customers’ opioid prescriptions to a seven-day supply, with up to a 50 morphine milligram equivalent maximum per day, the company said in a news release.

The new rules align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines which suggest “three days or less will often be sufficient” for those prescribed the painkillers, and “more than seven days will rarely be needed.

Walmart will follow state laws for those which require opioid prescriptions to be filled for less than seven days.

According to the CDC, an estimated 115 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Opioids, including prescriptions and heroin, killed 42,000 people in the U.S. in 2016 — the highest on record.

Additionally, by January 2020, Walmart pharmacies will require e-prescriptions for controlled substances, as they have “proven to be less prone to errors, they cannot be altered or copied and are electronically trackable.”

“We are taking action in the fight against the nation’s opioid epidemic,” Marybeth Hays, executive vice president of U.S. Walmart’s Consumables, Health & Wellness, said. “We are proud to implement these policies and initiatives as we work to create solutions that address this critical issue facing the patients and communities we serve.”

The updated pharmacy guidelines come four months after Walmart said it would give customers who were filling opioid prescriptions a packet of powder to dispose of excess medication.

Fox News’ Kaitlyn Schallhorn contributed to this report.

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Increase Your Happiness & Energy With One Easy Move

From Barbara Brody @ Health: You’ve heard that sitting too much is bad for your health, mainly because the lack of movement translates to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions. To add insult to injury, it turns out that spending your day hunched over a computer also has major ramifications for your mental wellbeing.

The issue: Poor posture can put you in a lousy mood and make you feel more stressed and depressed.

“We’re a very forward-leaning society—we drive forward, lean forward, slouch over our desks all day,” says William Smith, an exercise physiologist in Morristown, New Jersey and co-author of Exercises for Perfect Posture. You probably spend a lot of time craning your neck over your smartphone, too.

No evidence proves that poor posture directly causes serious problems like clinical depression and anxiety. But a number of studies have suggested that it may exacerbate the symptoms of these disorders. Even if your mental health is generally solid, there are good reasons to think that you’d be happier—and healthier—if you simply sat and stood up straighter.

Here are three ways improving your posture can improve your emotional health, and exactly how to do it so you begin scoring the benefits.

You’ll Feel Happier And More Energetic

“Over time, sustained slumped-forward posture creates unnecessary stress and strains your spine,” says Steven D’Ambroso, a physical therapist with Professional Physical Therapy in New York. “That can make you feel heavy and achy, which leads to being tired and irritable.”

This isn’t just a theory; research has actually verified the connection between poor posture and fatigue, especially in people who have depression. One study, published last year in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, found that patients with mild to moderate depression felt more alert after simply keeping their back and shoulders upright while sitting. They also reported less anxiety.

Another study, published in the journal Biofeedback, came to a similar conclusion: Participants who slouched while walking felt more depressed. When they shifted to a more upright position, their outlook and energy levels increased.

You’ll Get A Confidence Boost

When you want to project a confident and comfortable persona (like on a job interview or first date) your stance is key. “If you carry yourself in a certain way”—shoulders back, abdomen in, spine aligned—”it exudes confidence and an affable demeanor,” says Smith. The converse is also true: Just picture a sullen teenager whose slouchy posture instantly conveys a sense of apathy.

Maintaining good posture won’t only make you look more confident; research shows that you’ll actually feel better about yourself. A study in Health Psychology found that people who feel stressed can kick their negative mood and even boost their self-esteem by sitting upright. Other research found that good posture was associated with better body image among people with depression.

You’ll Be Less Guarded

When you’re slumped forward, you’re literally guarding yourself. That may very well mean that you don’t feel open to new relationships or ideas, or perhaps that you’re actively trying to hide something. “So much of how we communicate is non-verbal, and I’ve noticed that if someone has a slouched posture or altered gait, it often indicates that there’s something they’re not willing to talk about or tell you,” says Smith. “There’s a lot to be said for just standing up, pulling your shoulders back, and saying ‘I’m going to face the day.’”

How To Perfect Your Posture

For starters, pay attention to how you’re sitting and standing, and remember to engage your core as much as possible. If you have a desk job, make sure your computer, keyboard, and chair are ergonomically adjusted, says D’Ambroso. “I recommend getting up every 45 minutes to an hour to walk around, reposition your spine and improve circulation,” he adds.

Some simple moves can strengthen the muscles that help keep you upright. D’Ambroso likes scapula squeezes: Pull your arms back and pinch your shoulder blades whenever you feel the need to reposition yourself. He also suggests doing 5-10 press-ups (on elbows) every hour or two if possible, which promotes a gentle stretch in your lower spine. Any exercises that improve mobility in your hips and stability in your shoulder girdle are also useful, adds Smith. Try planks, back extensions (the “Superwoman” move) or overhead squats against a wall. And don’t forget about other mood-boosting activities, like meditation and mindfulness. “These practices are taking off now because people know they need to center themselves,” says Smith. “Good posture is just a piece of that.”

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What Can We Do About Addiction To Social Media?

From Psychology Today:

The use of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tinder has become the cornerstone of modern communication and connection as it allows users to create a sense of belonging and redefine their way of being. Despite the many positive benefits and impacts of these sites, the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal has reignited discussions about the place of social media and social networking sites in our lives.

From a mental health perspective, concerns have been raised about the negative impact of excessive use of social networking sites on the health and wellbeing of users, especially that of young people, who are enthusiastic users of this technology. Back in 2011, Dr. Daria Kuss and I were the first academics to systematically review the scientific literature on excessive social media use. Although there were few studies at the time, we did find that for a small minority of individuals there was a significant detrimental effect on many aspects of their life, including their real life relationships and academic achievement among those still in education. We argued that such signs are indicative of addiction.

Over the past five years there has been a proliferation of studies assessing how excessive social media use can impact negatively on health. In a recent paper Dr. Kuss and I again reviewed the latest research on the topic and showed that social media use for a minority of individuals is associated with a number of psychological problems, including anxiety, depression, loneliness, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and addiction. Because social media is most frequently accessed via smartphones, their usage is intimately intertwined and their mobile nature contributes to excessive checking habits, which often derives from what is commonly labelled as the ‘fear of missing out’ (FOMO).

The good news is that very few people are genuinely addicted to social media. However, many people’s social media use is habitual and it can start to spill over into other areas of their lives and be problematic and dangerous, such as checking social media while driving. Other behaviors may be annoying rather than dangerous, but may be indicative of problematic social media use, such as checking social media while eating out with friends or constantly checking your smartphone while watching a movie at the cinema. Others may snub social contact with their loved ones or friends and prefer to check out social media on their smartphone instead (so-called ‘phubbing’).

If you want to check whether you may be at risk of developing an addiction to social media, ask yourselves these six simple questions:

Do you spend a lot of time thinking about social media or planning to use social media?

Do you feel urges to use social media more and more?

Do you use social media to forget about personal problems?

Do you often try to reduce your use of social media without success?

Do you become restless or troubled if you are unable to use social media?

Do you use social media so much that it has had a negative impact on your job or studies?

If the answer to all six of these questions is “yes,” then you may have or be developing an addiction to using social media. We say “may” because the only way this can be confirmed is through a diagnosis from a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist.

If you answered “yes” to a few of these questions, it is more likely that you are a habitual social media user and that what you should do is engage in ‘digital detox’ strategies that simply allow you to reduce the amount of time spent on social media. This can include simple steps, such as turning off sound notifications and only allowing yourself to check your smartphone every 30 minutes or once an hour. Other simple steps include having periods in the day where there is self-imposed non-screen time (such as during meal times) and leaving your smartphone in a separate room from where you sleep (just so you don’t get the urge to check social media before bedtime, during the night, and when you wake up).

At a societal level, steps need to be taken by governments or organizations to help minimize and (in some cases) prohibit the use of mobile devices. Some such steps are in place in many countries, such as the banning of smartphone use while driving. Given the loss of productivity in both the workplace and educational settings, employers, schools, and colleges need policies in place to ensure that individuals are focused on what they should be doing. Many schools ban the use of smartphones in the classroom. Prohibition in other contexts such as workplace settings may also be justified if it is practical to do so. Some restaurants are now providing discounts on food bills if customers refrain from using their smartphones during their meal. These positive reinforcement strategies may well be the way forward in trying to decrease time spent on smartphones checking social media.

Digital literacy and awareness of the effects of excessive social media use need to be embedded with work and educational settings. More controversially, social media operators (such as Facebook) could start using their behavioral data to identify excessive users and provide strategies to limit time spent on their products. This is already being used in the online gambling industry and could easily be applied by social networking sites.

For the small number of individuals that are genuinely addicted to social media use, treatment is warranted. However, the goal of treatment for this type of addiction (unlike many other addictions) should be controlled use rather than total abstinence, as it is not feasible to stop someone from using devices that have Internet access (i.e., their smartphone). The most successful type of treatment for online addictions appears to be cognitive behavioral therapy(which is a talk therapy designed to help people change the way they think and behave), although there are relatively few published studies examining its efficacy in relation to internet addictions. Other more specific ways of how to treat individuals with excessive and addictive Internet use, including social media use, have also been outlined elsewhere.

When it comes to solving the problem of reducing individuals’ use of social media there is no magic bullet. While individuals are ultimately responsible for their own social media use, policymakers, social media operators, employers, and educational establishments all need to play their part in reducing excessive social media use.

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How Does Alcohol Affect Your Sleep?

From Medical News Today:

A new study assesses the effect of alcohol consumption on the restorative quality of sleep. The findings might make you want to change your drinking — and implicitly, your sleeping — habits.

The negative health consequences of alcohol are numerous. From more alarming outcomes such as cancer to more “cosmetic” inconveniences such as premature signs of aging, alcoholic beverages seem to hide a range of toxic effects that can slowly take a toll on our health.

Most of us probably think that unless someone has alcohol dependency or drinks heavily, they’re out of alcohol’s negative reach. But more and more studies are pointing to a different conclusion.

A recent study reported by Medical News Today, for example, suggested that just one drink can shorten our lifespan. The jury’s still out on whether drinking in moderation is good for you, but some studies have suggested that even light drinkers are at risk of cancer due to their alcohol intake.

A new study, carried out by Finnish-based researchers, adds to these dire prospects. Julia Pietilä, a researcher at the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering at Tampere University of Technology in Finland, is the first author of the paper, which was published in the journal JMIR Mental Health.

Studying alcohol and sleep quality

The fact that the study used real-life information makes it unique. Pietilä and colleagues examined data from 4,098 men and women aged between 18 and 65, whose heart rate variability (HRV) was recorded in uncontrolled, real-world conditions using a special device.

As the authors write, “The association between acute alcohol intake and physiological changes has not yet been studied in noncontrolled real-world settings.”

The scientists had access to sleep HRV recordings from a minimum of 2 nights: one where the participants had consumed alcohol and one where they hadn’t.

HRV measures the variations in time between heartbeats, variations which are regulated by the autonomic nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system comprises the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The former controls the fight-or-flight response, whereas the latter is responsible for the “rest-and-digest” state.

Therefore, HRV measurements enabled the researchers to assess the quality of the participants’ restful state. The scientists examined the participants’ first 3 hours of sleep after drinking alcohol.

Alcohol intake was broken down into “low,” “moderate,” and “high,” — categories that were calculated based on the participants’ body weight.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans define moderate drinking as up to one drink per day for women, and up to two daily drinks for men.

Even low, moderate drinking impairs sleep

The study revealed that alcohol reduced the restorative quality of sleep. Specifically, a low alcohol intake decreased the physiological recovery that sleep normally provides by 9.3 percent.

Even as little as one drink was shown to impair sleep quality. Moderate alcohol consumption lowered restorative sleep quality by 24 percent, and high alcohol intake by as much as 39.2 percent.

These results were similar for men and women, and alcohol consumption affected sedentary and active people alike.

Interestingly, the harmful effects of alcohol were more pronounced among young people compared with seniors.

Study co-author Tero Myllymäki, a professor in the department of Sports Technology and Exercise Physiology at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, comments on the findings, saying “When you’re physically active, or younger, it’s easy, natural even, to feel like you’re invincible.”

“However, the evidence shows that despite being young and active you’re still susceptible to the negative effects of alcohol on recovery when you are asleep.”

“It’s hard to overstate the importance of sleep, in terms of both quality and quantity,” adds Myllymäki.

“While we may not always be able to add hours to our sleep time, with insight into how our behaviors influence the restorative quality of our sleep we can learn to sleep more efficiently. A small change, as long as it’s the right one, can have a big impact.”

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