Living in constant fear is not healthy for our minds, and it is not healthy for our bodies. The old adage is true – face your fears to overcome them. As difficult as it may be, a truly effective way to reduce anxiety is to expose ourselves to what we fear. When we do this, the fear subsides and we feel more agency over our lives.
Read MoreA fervent debate has developed in our country on whether schools should re-open. In deciding whether to send your child back to school, I feel it is important to weigh mental health issues in the overall assessment. Some school systems are offering the choice of in-person or online classes, and parents may be faced with a tough decision. In this article, my intent is to consider the ramifications on mental health of children. I understand there are countervailing issues, and that there are wide discrepancies between individuals regarding their ability to engage in or tolerate perceived and real risk. I also respect that there are mental health considerations for parents, teachers, administrators, and the community at large.
Read MoreApplications providing resources for mental health improvement have become more prevalent in recent years. Technology allows for excellent assistance in processing and changing our internal lives. Armed with a pair of noise-canceling headphones, an iPhone and a pen, I sought to find the best application available which people can use as a tool in their quest for stronger mental health. After extensive exploration and testing of apps online, I concluded that Headspace is clearly the best. I should note that I am not being compensated by the makers of this app. My praise for Headspace is genuine, and I find it to be a stellar tool for anyone wanting to improve their mental and emotional health.
Read MoreThe concept of reframing describes one process of changing these thoughts. Reframing involves uncovering the thought behind the negative emotion. Once the thought has been uncovered, it can then be analyzed and adjusted. The great thing about reframing is you can start the process at home with nothing more than pen and paper. This makes it an excellent technique for battling anxiety while under lockdown.
We will walk you through each step of the reframing process. Each step will then be followed by an example to help you get an idea of how reframing looks in action. The example we use is geared specifically towards reframing anxiety about Covid-19, but reframing can be used to combat many other kinds of anxiety and negative emotion as well.
Big change is hard. When our lives experience sudden rapid change, our usual coping mechanisms frequently become disrupted. We tend to go through our lives in a relative homeostatic balance of routine.
When COVID-19 landed in the news and expert epidemiologists convinced leaders around the world to start engaging in restrictive measures to slow its spread, it happened extremely fast. Suddenly, our daily lives were turned upside down. Our normal routines became impossible and great feelings of uncertainty spread quickly like a virus itself.
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