Category Archives: Stress

The Benefits of Baking by Marla Chalnick

gratitrude, Stress, Uncategorized

dear-stress-lets-break-upPeople who bake use any excuse to heat up their ovens. They bake a cake to crown someone’s birthday, labor over cookies to celebrate a holiday, and whip up brownies because everyone loves chocolate. But it turns out that baking is about more than creating something sweet to eat. Baking, especially when it’s done for others, can be accompanied with a host of psychological benefits.

Baking is a productive form of self-expression and communication.

“Baking has the benefit of allowing people creative expression,” associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at Boston University, Donna Pincus, told HuffPost. “There’s a lot of literature for connection between creative expression and overall wellbeing. Whether it’s painting or it’s making music [or baking], there is a stress relief that people get from having some kind of an outlet and a way to express themselves.”

Stress is related to a host of mental and physical problems, and finding ways to cope with that stress is important for leading a healthy life.

Here is a stress relief that people get from having some kind of an outlet and a way to express themselves.”

Stress is related to a host of mental and physical problems, and finding ways to cope with that stress is important for leading a healthy life.

When baking for other people, baking can also be a helpful way to communicate one’s feelings. Susan Whitbourne, professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts, points to the cultural norm of bringing food to someone when a loved one has passed. Sometimes there are no words, and only food can communicate what you’re trying to say. She told HuffPost, “It can be helpful for people who have difficulty expressing their feelings in words to show thanks, appreciation or sympathy with baked goods.”

Julie Ohana, a licensed medical social worker and culinary art therapist, told HuffPost, “In many cultures, in many countries, food really is an expression of love, and it’s actually beautiful because it’s something we really all relate to. I think it could border on an unhealthy issue when it replaces communication in the traditional sense, but if it’s done along with communication, it is absolutely a positive and really wonderful thing.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brighten Your Days: Don’t Be SAD

anxiety, depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Stress

By Marla Chalnick, Ph.D., LPCsad-winter-depression

Winter means different things to different people. Aside from having to deal with ice, I look forward to the crisp temperatures with great anticipation.  Others may see winter as just the inconvenient interlude between summers. For many people, winter can be down right depressing. They may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD); a condition that is similar to depression, except it appears only in the winter months.

SAD affects roughly 6% of the adult population of the United States. Women are more affected by SAD, but there are cases of men and children who experience it as well.  SAD can begin as early as September and last until April. The most difficult months are December, January and February because SAD is directly related to the amount of light that is absorbed through the eyes.

The symptoms of SAD occur regularly each winter and may include a number of the following: sleep problems (too much or too little), lethargy (feeling fatigued and unable to carry out daily tasks), difficulty concentrating, overeating (craving carbohydrates and sweet foods), depression, anxiety, and withdrawal from friends and family. In children, symptoms include irritability, difficulty getting out of bed and school problems in the fall and winter.

Dr. Norman Rosenthal, clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University, helped discover the disorder and its treatment in the 1980’s. Dr. Rosenthal described his arrival in the United States from South Africa to complete his residency in psychiatry.

“I was born and raised in South Africa where the geographical climate is very, very pleasant, the seasons blend into one another. And then I came to New York City. I arrived in the summer, and the days were wonderfully long and I was full of energy and enthusiasm.

But then as the days got shorter, something began to happen to me, especially after the daylight savings time change occurred. Suddenly, I felt myself slowed down, less able to carry through on all the projects I picked up during the summer, reluctant to get out of bed and get going in the morning. I sort of soldiered on through the winter until the spring, when it all seemed to get better.”

Light therapy has proven to be an effective therapy in up to 85 per cent of cases of SAD. It consists of using a light box with high intensity florescent lights. Treatment consists of daily half hour to two-hour sessions of sitting in front of the light box, where you can read, eat or do other daily activities. While light therapy is generally the first line of defense, antidepressant medication maybe helpful.  Counseling or any other complementary therapy that teaches relaxation, stress management, adaptation and coping skills can also be useful.

And, if you are very fortunate, take a winter vacation to a warm, sunny place. Spending a week or two in the warm sunshine will have lasting benefits when you return to your winter climate. It’s like “recharging” your batteries. I’ve always wanted to go to Bermuda, how about you?

Winter means different things to different people. Aside from having to deal with ice, I look forward to the crisp temperatures with great anticipation.  Others may see winter as just the inconvenient interlude between summers. For many people, winter can be down right depressing. They may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD); a condition that is similar to depression, except it appears only in the winter months.

SAD affects roughly 6% of the adult population of the United States. Women are more affected by SAD, but there are cases of men and children who experience it as well.  SAD can begin as early as September and last until April. The most difficult months are December, January and February because SAD is directly related to the amount of light that is absorbed through the eyes.

The symptoms of SAD occur regularly each winter and may include a number of the following: sleep problems (too much or too little), lethargy (feeling fatigued and unable to carry out daily tasks), difficulty concentrating, overeating (craving carbohydrates and sweet foods), depression, anxiety, and withdrawal from friends and family. In children, symptoms include irritability, difficulty getting out of bed and school problems in the fall and winter.

Dr. Norman Rosenthal, clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University, helped discover the disorder and its treatment in the 1980’s. Dr. Rosenthal described his arrival in the United States from South Africa to complete his residency in psychiatry.

“I was born and raised in South Africa where the geographical climate is very, very pleasant, the seasons blend into one another. And then I came to New York City. I arrived in the summer, and the days were wonderfully long and I was full of energy and enthusiasm.

But then as the days got shorter, something began to happen to me, especially after the daylight savings time change occurred. Suddenly, I felt myself slowed down, less able to carry through on all the projects I picked up during the summer, reluctant to get out of bed and get going in the morning. I sort of soldiered on through the winter until the spring, when it all seemed to get better.”

Light therapy has proven to be an effective therapy in up to 85 per cent of cases of SAD. It consists of using a light box with high intensity florescent lights. Treatment consists of daily half hour to two-hour sessions of sitting in front of the light box, where you can read, eat or do other daily activities. While light therapy is generally the first line of defense, antidepressant medication maybe helpful.  Counseling or any other complementary therapy that teaches relaxation, stress management, adaptation and coping skills can also be useful.

And, if you are very fortunate, take a winter vacation to a warm, sunny place. Spending a week or two in the warm sunshine will have lasting benefits when you return to your winter climate. It’s like “recharging” your batteries. I’ve always wanted to go to Bermuda, how about you


 

 

Help for worrying about worrying

anxiety, depression, Stress, therapy, worry, worrying

worrying  In following up on “When to worry about worrying,” there are 3 strategies you might consider to cope with chronic worrying. It is important to understand what worrying is, since the beliefs you hold about worrying play a huge role in triggering worry. You probably feel like worries come from the outside-from people, events that are stressful or situations you’re facing. In fact, worrying is self-perpetuating. The trigger may come from the outside, but your internal dialogue keeps it going! When you’re worrying you are likely obsessing on worst case scenarios and if you are focusing on ‘what ifs’ your worrying is unproductive. If you can give up the idea that your worrying somehow helps you, you can begin to deal with your worry and anxiety.

Many people with anxiety don’t know how to calm down quickly. Some ideas for self care to create calm include:

  • Exercise, a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment
  • Get enough sleep, limit caffeine, avoid alcohol and nicotine.
  • Start eating healthy

You will also benefit from learning relaxation techniques-deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation and yoga. Be aware of what you can do for yourselves and design a self care program that works for you. Be flexible-does this mean you can never have a glass of wine? Absolutely not-everything in moderation!

If you have given self care a good shot and find you can’t seem to shake your worries and fears, you might consider seeking help from a mental health professional. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one type of therapy that is particularly helpful. CBT examines distortions in our ways of looking at ourselves and the world. It can help you identify automatic negative thoughts that contribute to your anxiety. For example, if you are the type of person who catastrophizes, always think of the worst case scenarios, you might learn to challenge this tendency through asking yourself questions such as: Has this ever happened before? What is the likelihood it will happen now?, What are some more positive outcomes that are more likely to happen? With the help of a mental health professional it is possible to change your mind set and alleviate your worry and anxiety. This might not come easy to you, but with repeated practice you can retrain your thoughts and consequently your feelings.

Finally, with the assistance of a physician it is possible to alleviate your anxiety with the use of medication. Anti-anxiety medications relieve anxiety by slowing down the central nervous system. Their relaxing effects have made them very popular. Common anti-anxiety drugs are Xanax, Klonopin, Buspar, Valium and Ativan. Your physician can advise you about the pros and cons of these and other drugs to treat your anxiety. It’s important to remember that medications alone aren’t the cure. Therapy and lifestyle changes should be incorporated into your treat plan when you’re worrying about worrying!

 

For further information, visit:

www.healthguide.org

www.americanfamilyphysician.org

www.anxeties.com

 

 

STRESS: A Weapon of Mass Destruction

depression, Stress, Uncategorized, , ,

dear-stress-lets-break-upI am a stress junkie, addicted to natural substances my body produces. Adrenaline and Cortisol are my substances of choice.  Living in a flight or fight modes takes its toll. I learned this way of being at my mother’s knee. She is unpredictable, erratic and volatile, and I became a stress junkie!

Most often when I begin a conversation with a client, the first thing my client says is: “I’m so stressed out!” or “I’m so over loaded!” It is almost a universal way of living for most of my clients. Believe me, stress takes its toll! Ever wonder what our body is doing to create the sensations we label stress?

Adrenaline is commonly known as the fight or flight hormone. It is produced by the adrenal glands in response to a message from the brain that a stressful situation has presented itself. It is responsible for immediate reactions and provides a surge of energy and focuses your attention to help you get out of a potentially dangerous situation.

Cortisol, also produced by the adrenal glands, is known as the stress hormone. It takes a bit more time to feel the effects of cortisol, minutes not seconds, in the face of stress. When you stew on a problem, your body is constantly producing elevated levels of cortisol and chronic elevated levels of cortisol can lead to serious issues. Too much cortisol can suppress the immune system, increase blood pressure, decrease libido and disturb sleep patterns resulting in chronic fatigue. These are just a few examples.  Unfortunately, our bodies require our cortisol levels to return to normal following a stressful event to replenish, but in our current high stress culture, the stress response is activated so often that the body doesn’t have time to complete that cycle.

All this is happening inside your body without your awareness while the sensation you identify is STRESS. If you continue to beat up your adrenal glands you maybe headed for a condition known as Adrenal Fatigue. I will be writing more about that in my next blog as well as de-stressing strategies.

Focus on beauty not on fear, dance with stress.

Debahish Mridha