Ignite your potential
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! These are five things that I plan to do today.
Help cook
Thanksgiving is usually an extra great feast at my house. I am not a great cook like parents, I usually like to help out and learn a couple of tricks and secrets from the family recipe.
Watch movies
Like the rest of the holidays, I value taking it easy. Usually pretty funny comedies or good family movies come out around this time.
If phobias begin to interfere with your ability for a normal life or if you are experiencing a lot of anxiety, or if you avoiding situations that matter, there are ways to help. The following is a list of different types of treatments for phobias.
This is where you are exposed in a safe and controlled way to the object or situation you fear. It involves gradual encounters with the fear-producing object, first in the imagination and then in reality. For example, if you have are arachnophobic, you would first imagine seeing a spider, then view photos of spiders, and finally look at a spider in real life. As you become desensitized to your fear, you no longer react with uncontrollable panic when confronted by it.
Participant Modeling
In participant modeling, the therapist models healthy ways of interacting with the object you fear. In the case of a arachnophobia, you would watch while a therapist handles a spider in a relaxed state and without fear. Then you would be encouraged to do the same.
The famous celebrities are not immune to having phobias, and in fact, suffer them just as much as other Americans do.
Hydrophobics (fear of water)
Natalie Wood
She was a famous actress, well known for her roles in Westside Story and Rebel without a Cause. She died drowning in the water from an apparent boating accident, which raised questions.
Other actresses include Carmen Electra and Michelle Pfeiffer
Arachnophobic (fear of spiders)
Andre Agassi
He is a renown Tennis star who won 4 grand slam titles.
Aviophobic (fear of flying)
Recently I finished reading Stephanie Meyer’s 1st book, Twilight and was immediately hooked. Although fiction, she incorporated many of the ideals within a relationship. These themes are easy to relate to and may apply to all relationships. Please be advised that there are SPOILERS!
Forbidden love, overcoming barriers and differences
Edward Cullen and Bella Swan are not meant to be in love. They must overcome barriers between the life of a vampire and a life of a ordinary girl living in Forks.
It is hard to imagine that over 35,000 acres of land have been burned from Santa Barbara to Anaheim, within the last couple of days. We cannot underestimate the emotional strain it can have on people affected. The loss of property and precious artifacts is devastating. It is normal for feelings of nervousness, depression, anxiety to arise from such a catastrophe.
These are some ways to relieve some of the emotional symptoms victims may be feeling:
Talk about feelings with family, friends and neighbors. Friends and family be of great support. Also it can be therapeutic providing and receiving support from neighbors, who are in the same situation.
A specific phobia is an intense fear of something that is generally considered harmless. If you are exposed to the thing you’re afraid of, you become overwhelmed with extreme feelings of anxiety, fear, and even panic. This experience is so unpleasant that you will go to great lengths to avoid the object or situation you fear. The American Psychiatric Association reports that each year, 7.8% of American adults suffer from a phobia.
Signs and symptoms of phobia
Shortness of breath or smothering sensation
Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
Chest pain or discomfort
Set boundaries on your worries
Worry is a natural part of life, but it can be your whole life if it is allowed. It helps to pick a place and time to do your worrying. Spend 30 minutes thinking about your concerns and mostly about what you can do about them. Then let go of the worry and work towards your solution. Also balance your worry with hobbies and fun activities.
Relaxation techniques
These may include muscle relaxation, yoga, or deep breathing. Muscle relaxation is simple. Start from your feet or your head and work your way though the body. Start by choosing a specific muscle and holding it tight for a few seconds. Then relax the muscle. Repeat this pattern.
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
Freud developed and taught psychoanalysis, which is a form of psychotherapy. During the time when he wrote his famous papers on anxiety neurosis, Sigmund Freud suffered from Panic Disorder. He had symptoms of an Anxiety Disorder and was concerned about his anxiety spells.
Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
He is a renown physicist and mathematician and genius, known for such achievements as discovering the law of physics, law of gravity and co-inventing calculus. He had a nervous breakdown in 1677, and again in 1693. He underwent a period of severe emotional disturbances including loss of appetite, loss of concentration and extreme sensitivity.
Anxiety affects our emotional well being, our behaviors and can also have physical symptoms. It is a natural part of human evolution and has an important role. It allows us to fear danger and respond appropriately When one feels anxious, there may be a variety of symptoms:
Tense muscles
Trembling
Churning stomach
Nausea
Diarrhea
Headache
Backache
Heart palpitations
Numbness or “pins and needles” in arms, hands or legs
Sweating/flushing
There are also different types of anxiety
Tuesday’s blog was about why laughter is the best medicine and today’s will be on what to do to incorporate laughter into your day. Here are 7 ways that have worked for me.
Collect funny items
Having silly photos or comic strips often reminds me to see the light side of things. It also helps to create a pleasant environment. I also learn jokes, which leads me to the next point.
Learn a few jokes
You can also get a joke book and memorize some. It is fun to share with friends and family.
