Tag Archives: self care

Non-Prescritption Drugs and Mental Illness

Posted on by

write into the light facebook

I wrote in my last post about how I was going to wean off of caffeine and nicotine. So far, I have significantly reduced my caffeine intake. I am down to a half a cup of tea per day. Not bad! Very excited that I haven’t triggered any migraines as well.

I have been cigarette free for 4 days now. Using the gum and smokeless device, so not completely nicotine free yet, but feel so much “cleaner” than when I smoked the real things (due to the taste, smell, etc.)

Feeling calm and encouraged. More to come…

In the meantime, I invite you to Like Write into the Light on Facebook…it is a whole nother world over there.

Mental Illness and Non-Prescription Drugs

Posted on by

I’ve suffered severe multiple migraine pains this week, knowing that stress, a milk allergy and hormones are to blame. As I reflected on this I started to wonder to what degree other outside factors, such as nicotine and caffeine, are affecting the way I feel physically, mentally and emotionally throughout the day.

cigarettes

I find myself feeling sick after my morning coffee and cigarette. I experience flu-like symptoms everyday starting around three o’clock and lasting through dinner. I’m trying to lose weight and believe the light-headedness and fatigue, achiness and depression are the results of low blood sugar levels during this time of the day.  I also suspect that caffeine withdrawal is at work here.

coffee

I really want to be caffeine and nicotine free so that I can be more mindful of my body and mind’s sensations without the influence of these drugs (and more so, their unpleasant withdrawal effects.)

So, wish me luck as I wean myself off. I pray that the migraines stay away.

Have you ever been addicted to nicotine, caffeine, alcohol or other drugs and were able to quit? How did it affect your mental illness? Or if you are still using, what effects (negative and/or positive) do they have on your moods?

If this is your first or second time here, I invite you to subscribe to this blog and to Like Write into the Light on Facebook.

Video Post on DBT Distress Tolerance Skills of Self-Soothe Five Senses

Posted on by

Hi, guys. Here is a very short video post on the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Distress Tolerance skill (developed by Marsha Linehan) called Self-Soothe through Five Senses.

After watching the video, let me know what you do to soothe your senses by leaving a comment below. Thanks, and I hope you have a soothing day!

10 Simple Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

Posted on by

bluesIf you are like me then winter is not your friend. The cold, dreary days tend to drag on, as cabin fever sets in and depression, boredom, lack of motivation and lethargy begin to choke the life out of me.

I came across this entertaining, well-written article on Psych Central by author, Therese J. Borchard. Borchard lists these suggestions to help you battle the winter blues.

1.  Be of service to others

I started cooking new-to-us, healthy recipes as my husband and I committed to losing weight before bathing suit season arrives. I feel like I am doing something extra special for my family as I spend an hour or more each night chopping, dicing, and slicing fresh fruits and vegetables, and preparing scrumptious home-cooked meals. The weekly planning and execution of such dishes (compared to a box meal or popping a pizza in the oven) alone helps to battle my boredom as well.

2.  Join a gym

I did this – Yeah!!! The problem?  I never went! A gym is a great idea for some, but not for me. Because of my anxiety, I have a hard enough time getting out of the house for essentials like doctor’s appointments. I am more successful with a mile walk around the neighborhood where I can take my time and hide behind my sunglasses rather than going to the gym and risk having to interact with anyone.

3.  Use a light lamp

I do this, and it helps a lot. After 45 minutes in front of my light, I feel energized and ready to get off the couch and do something productive (like make those dinners.) I use my light twice a day, once in the morning and once in the late afternoon. It really does work.

4.  Wear bright colors

I am an earthy kind of girl, wearing lots of browns, blacks, and greens.  Neutral colors fill my closets, so I have not tried this suggestion out, but it makes sense that bright colors could lift your mood.

This morning, I walked into a new doctor’s office and the walls were painted a dreamcicle, creamy orange, and adorned with bright impressionist paintings.  It was a breath of fresh air.  I literally felt calmer and happier as I sat there, surrounded by these bright, yet soft, colors.

5.  Force yourself outside

I step outside when I let the dogs out, mainly to have a cigarette, but hey at least I am getting out!  I also go for walks outdoors.

6.  Hang out with friends

This is a tricky area for me.  I meet with a small group of women once a week and overall, it helps my mood.  Having face-time with close friends definitely enhances my emotional well-being, but too much of it drains me physically and mentally.  Migraines often follow visits that last too long.  My limit for any type of social situation is about two hours.

7.  Head south

We have always taken our family vacations during the summer months when the kids are out of school.  Last year, however, I convinced my husband to head south during the month of December specifically for this reason – to battle my seasonal depression.  It worked…for that month anyway.

We will probably do it again next year, but will shoot for January or February instead.  The December trip was great, don’t get me wrong, but I think my depression really takes a nose dive after the holidays, so a trip in January would be more ideal.

8.  Learn something new or start a home project

This winter I have been editing our home videos.  I even splurged and bought a software program to add fun effects to them.  It takes me several hours to do a ten minute video, but the results are very cool and satisfying.

Creative projects like video editing, painting, and photography keep my mind off the bleak weather conditions.  When my hands are idle, my mind wanders and that is never a good thing for me.

9.  Limit sugar intake

Sugar-crashes and weight gain….’nuf said.

10.  Take Omega-3′s

My suggestion on this is to talk to your doctor.  I take them, but I don’t feel they make a huge difference (if any at all) on my emotional health.

What do you do to battle the winter blues?  Share your tips in the comments.  Also, while you’re here, I invite you to subscribe to this blog.  Thanks and have a blue-free day.

The Princess, the Pea and the Holidays

Posted on by
Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

The holidays bring with them extra family, travel, food (usually the not-so-healthy kind), money-spending, crowds, and stress. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard enough time managing my stress on a “normal” day.

I require a low stimulating, non-demanding environment in order to remain relatively sane. I call it the “Princess and the Pea syndrome.” If you recall the children’s story written by Hans Christian Andersen, there was a princess sleeping on a dozen or so soft mattresses, and the only way to know if she was a true princess was to test her physical sensitivity by placing a pea under the bottom mattress to see if she felt it while trying to sleep.

If you are like me and the princess, then keep reading as I share the ways in which I limit stimuli to my hypersensitive system, thereby managing my holiday stress:

Family Events:

Show up late. Leave early. Tell them you have diarrhea. Who’s going to try guilting you into staying if you say you have diarrhea? Ha ha! Just kidding – don’t lie.

What I say is that I am not feeling well, which is true if my body and mind have reached their limits. Fatigue, tension in my neck and shoulders, headaches, and chills or sweating are all signs that I am beginning to experience anxiety and it is time for me to scadaddle.

Travel:

If in the car or airport for any length of time, make sure you have ways to block out extraneous sensory input, which to me is anything beyond someone honking their horn at you for weaving into their lane, or at the airport, the attendant calling for finally boarding on your flight.

Some ways I block out extra stimuli when traveling include listening to relaxing music through earphones. Sometimes I leave the ear buds in even when there is no music playing because strangers or even my kids are less likely to make small talk or bother me if they think I am listening to something.

Bring sunglasses! I don’t have a problem just shutting my eyes no matter where I am – in the airport, a restaurant, or on someone’s couch. Closing my eyes, even if just for a minute or two, really keeps me from becoming visually overstimulated.

Food:

Eat a carrot for every cookie you inhale. Do I do this? No. But it’s a good idea, right?

Shopping crowds:

Online, baby! Unless your lap is overpopulated.

I hope some of these suggestions help you manage your holiday stress this week. What do you do to decrease stress during the holidays?  Please share in the comment section below.

Thanks,
Wil

P.S. December 31, 2012 is the deadline for submissions to Turtle Way‘s next issue. Turtle Way is Write into the Light’s online mental health journal. See submission guidelines here.

How to Manage Anxiety Using DBT Skills

Posted on by

I am experiencing extreme anxiety right now. It started yesterday in anticipation of my first DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) group session, and now, I am reeling from the after-effects of the stress of being in this new situation. I also had to drive a good distance to get there last night, in the dark, both of which increased my anxiety.

I learned all the DBT skills on a one-to-one basis with my therapist over the past year and a half, but felt that I needed to start going to the group to stay focused on continued use of the skills.

The DBT skills, developed by Marsha Linehan, are categorized into four topics:

1. Mindfulness
2. Emotional Regulation
3. Distress Tolerance
4. Interpersonal Effectiveness

Right now I am having a hard time regulating my anxiety, so I got out my DBT notebook and took the following actions:

Spent about 10 minutes in quiet mindfulness, focusing on my heart in a meditative kind of way in order to get out the racing thoughts in my head; paid attention to the physical sensations of my body to identify the emotion I am experiencing. Sensations I noticed included tense muscles, racing heart, shallow, rapid breathing, and nervous tics such as tapping my foot or finger.

I also took note of my urges which included, to run away, to numb with drugs or alcohol, to sleep as an escape, to stuff or ignore my feelings by compulsively cleaning the house – all things that I know from experience only make matters worse, so I refrained from doing any of them, and instead started writing this blog post – started “writing into the light.”

I am now looking at a DBT handout on how to stay out of “emotion mind” which suggests six ways to reduce vulnerability to negative emotions:

1. Treat physical illness: I did take an anti-anxiety pill before I started writing this and that is helping. I will pick up a prescription I need from the pharmacy even though I don’t want to leave the house.

2. Balance eating: I binged last night on Fritos. Today, I will try to eat healthier and drink lots of water.

3. Avoid mood altering drugs: Haven’t had any of those in over eight years.

4. Balance Sleep: Sleep was rough last night because when I am anxious I have strong, disturbing dreams, and I awake in the morning feeling unrested with tense muscles and a headache. Some things are just out of my control.

5. Get exercise: I will take a walk.

6. Build mastery: I will work on a creative project.

I will also call my husband and a trusted friend to talk about my struggles today. And maybe I’ll take a hot bath to relax my muscles.

When was the last time you experienced anxiety? What do you think caused it? How did you handle it? What positive coping skills did you use or could have used?

Writing Moment by Moment #23 and #24

Posted on by

#23 – A beautiful person gave me permission to accept help without feeling guilty and to take extra-special care of myself because I am “going through a healing period” which I need not minimize.  A weight lifted from me in that moment.

 

#24 – I think that I finally get what “mindfulness” means versus distraction.  Here’s a fun fact:

“Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density…in brain regions involved in learning and memory processes, emotion regulation, self-referential processing, and perspective taking.”  ~Psychiatry Res. 2011 Jan 30;191(1):36-43. Epub  2010 Nov 10

Now, to practice it…

What moment are you grateful for today?  I had three wonderful “in the moment” moments today – the above two and a third which I posted here.

For more on “Writing Moment by Moment” click here.

Writing to Prepare for the Holidays

Posted on by

Last week was glorious! (being pain-free will do that, I suppose) How to have such wonderful days regardless of the pain levels – that is the current puzzle of my journey in the thralls of mental illness.

Today, I am recuperating from a knock-down, drag-out migraine which means tomorrow is basically wasted as well. The day after, I am always still too exhausted to function.

I fought with my thoughts all weekend. They (my thoughts) wanted to think about my friend who committed suicide this summer. I, on the other hand, did not want to sit with the grief that comes along with those thoughts.

It is possible that my migraine today is a result of ignoring those thoughts all weekend (in an attempt to avoid the subsequent emotions.) When will I ever learn? Is that really the cause? I don’t know.

Either way, I am sure it is not healthy to ignore or refuse to experience such difficult emotions. However, my instincts often win out over my knowledge. Why? FEAR! Fear of what?

I am not going to die from grieving, although sometimes it may feel that way. Furthermore, I always feel better when I tell someone about it and they walked through it with me.

Ah, therein lies the problem: telling someone about it and letting them walk through it with me. Such a choice does not come easily for me and definitely, not naturally.

My natural response is to ignore, deny, stuff, repress, and run away from painful emotions because as a child I had no one around to walk through them with me, and as a child, I believed I would die from them.

I now know this won’t happen but like I already said, knowing often takes a back seat to those ingrained primal instincts that were established so early on in my life so that I could survive. Will they ever subside, and if so, when?

In reality, I have only been working on changing my natural response to difficult emotions for the past five years. The thirty something years before that, I knew no other way. I suppose I should cut myself a little slack. It takes a long time to unlearn something that I have been doing for eight-five percent of my life.

I may be writing daily this week to prepare for the Holiday weekend. Many triggers are beginning to present themselves and I really do not want to ignore them. The migraines just aren’t worth it.

What happens to you when you ignore your feelings?

Codependent No More – Book Review

Posted on by
Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself
Melody Beattie, author of Codependent No More, How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring For Yourself, defines a “codependent” as:

one who has let another person’s behavior affect him or her, and who is obsessed with controlling that person’s behavior

She details specific examples from her personal experiences and those of others to connect with her readers and offers practical solutions to those whose lives are affected by a loved one’s negative, often destructive behaviors.

The dominant theme across Beattie’s solutions is a therapeutic tool called detachment, which she describes as a separation of ourselves from a person or a problem in a loving way.  To disengage mentally, emotionally, and sometimes physically from unhealthy people, from problems we cannot solve or ones that are not our responsibility to solve.  She goes on to say:

Detachment is based on the premises that each person is responsible for himself, that we can’t solve problems that aren’t ours to solve and that worrying doesn’t help.  We adopt a policy of keeping our hands off other people’s responsibilities and tend to our own instead.  If people have created some disasters for themselves, we allow them to face their own proverbial music.

Sounds like a tall order for a world that has its nose in everyone else’s business or a country, whose attitude is often one of pass the buck, point the finger at the other guy, and cover up or, worse, buy a way out of facing the consequences of one’s own actions.

So, does this mean we are to stop caring, helping, and loving?  Is this a barbaric, every-man-for-himself type of detachment?  Beattie says not:

(Detaching) means we learn to love, care, and be involved without going crazy.  We stop creating all this chaos in our minds and environments.  When we are not anxiously and compulsively thrashing about, we become able to make good decisions about how to love people, and how to solve our problems.  We become free to care and to love in ways that help others and don’t hurt ourselves.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? 
I thought so and my next thought was, “Where do I sign up?” 
Or better yet, “Where do I get a prescription for this detachment stuff?”
If only it was that easy…

Have you read this book?  If so, what did you think about it?