Brain Diet Let me start with a question: what is more important than that grey matter between your ears? We all know the answer to that question and that is why I am going to show you a Brain Diet that will dramatically improve your ability to learn, your memory and your congition in general. What you eat and drink (and a few lifestyle changes) can actually rebuild your brain no matter what your age. Remember: your brain and memory are what determines your personality, your intelligence, your ability to function in your career and relationships and even your sexuality. And how many of you reading this want to end up like Uncle Harold, talking to himself in some home where he can't remember what happened 30 seconds ago? You need your brain. Here's the good news: cience has proven that you can actually jump start your memory, cognition and mental faculties in middle age and beyond. Let me put it another way: forget all the stupid memory books and memory tricks and get on the Brain Diet. Green Tea. d
Creating “lower thirds” with Vegas Pro 8 by Gary Rebholz We've all seen the flashy graphics that news organizations, documentarians, and many other video editors use to create titling and graphics that overlay an interview or some other piece of video. As you may know, the industry generally refers to these graphics as lower thirds even if these graphics don't actually occupy a complete third of the video screen, or even though they may not actually occupy the lower area of the screen at all. Regardless of where the editor actually places these graphics, they provide a great value to identifying the speaker in the video or imparting other information. The possible approaches to creating these graphics are virtually unlimited. We're going to use a number of tools to create our lower third, but the Vegas Pro 8 media generators play the starring role. Without a lower third to give us the information, we don't know who this guy is! Let's start with the obvious—we'll first add the guy's name. Now let's add the text itself.
The Roller Coaster Relationship With An Alcoholic/Addict: When Do You Get Off the Ride? | Carole Bennett, MA Not soon enough and never! Relationships are difficult; whether it is the ongoing give and take of two people sharing their lives, understanding and communicating with our children or just getting along with co-workers and friends. Add to the mix a silent partner like drugs or alcohol, and the difficulty factor increases substantially. So what or where or when is our breaking point? For everyone it's different. I have compiled what I call The Pyramid of Change; 6 phases of the alcoholic/addict from the beginnings of irresponsible behavior to full blown wreckage. Do you find yourself in phase 1 or 2...or way beyond? Phase 1 - Regardless of what stage you are in a relationship, or whether you've started to become aware of your child's unfamiliar behavioral patterns, something tells you that things are just not right. Next week I will discuss phases 3 - 6. On another note: a very big and grateful thank you for all the comments on my last blog regarding Al-anon.
Does the Alcoholic/Addict Bring Out the Worst in You? | Carole Bennett, MA If there is one thing that my clients have reported through my years of counseling is the common thread or hue and cry that they don't like whom they have become, what they have turned into since dealing with their loved one's addiction issues. They have trouble recognizing themselves and are convinced that there is a wicked witch sprouting out of every orifice. Rest easy -- this witch has not been lying dormant and isn't really who you are, but what you might have become as desperation and frustration has taken over your senses of all normalcy. So what are some of the reasons that we have gone from the caring, respectful and kind person that we know we are and all of our friends can attest to? • Frustration -- Nothing is more exasperating than when the alcoholic/addict refuses to accept his addictive situation fully. • Poor communication -- Communication is almost non-existent. Was I being punished, or tested, or what? Need help with substance abuse or mental health issues?
Emotion RegulationT In DBT, we use Emotion Regulation skills in order to change our emotions or situations. But sometimes it's not appropriate or we're not able to change the situation or our emotions, then we should use Distress Tolerance skills. Emotions are normal and everyone experiences them. Sometimes, particularly when we have had persistent distressing experiences during our lives, we can emotionally react more often to situations (that others may not find distressing) where we feel threatened. Learning Emotion Regulation skills will help us learn to effectively manage and change the way we feel and cope with situations. Emotions, thoughts and what we do or feel an urge to do (behaviours) are all linked and become vicious cycles. When we experience really strong negative emotions, it’s easy to get caught up into the old pattern of using unhelpful and damaging coping strategies such as using substances, self-harming or unhealthy eating habits. PL treat Physical iLness E Eat healthily S Sleep well
4 Allies and Too Anxious Beat 1 Shade of Gray This is a guest post by Spencer Koffman, who is currently writing The Weaving Web (a book about Big History). I grew up a highly sensitive boy in a loud, chaotic family. I was flooded with anxiety and depression. I coped by retreating into my room and shutting the door. By the time I was a teenager, I had already quit little league, guitar lessons, and many other social activities. If I ventured outside my bedroom, my danger alarms would shriek, so I took solace in the quietude of my safe space. This was the beginning of the dictatorship in my psyche. Anxiety and depression were a menacing duo. The twin powers of anxiety and depression had won. I gave up, but even that wasn’t a choice. Many years have passed. Like any good story about battling an evil villain, I encountered a few allies along the way. Anxiety and depression were powerful bullies. The next ally I met was Curiosity. Curiosity introduced me to my third ally, The Big Picture. So, Curiosity started working overtime.
Emotional Regulation and HSPs If we HSPs have a problem, we all agree it is overstimulation. But I realize that emotion and empathy, the E in DOES (Depth of Processing, Overstimulation, Emotionally responsive/Empathy, and Sensitive to Subtle), while not at all an inherent problem, can be an even bigger issue for HSPs, “for better and for worse.” I have written often about emotion, but perhaps not enough. We feel so intensely. It is part of why we process everything very deeply—we are more motivated to think about things by our stronger feelings of curiosity, fear, joy, anger, or whatever. But this intensity can be overwhelming, especially when we have negative feelings. What is emotional regulation? Can we be more skillful at it? On the other hand, many HSPs learned wonderful emotional regulation as children from their parents. HSPs Tend to Fail to Use Certain Strategies Why We Might Have Trouble with these Five This is Not Your Fault, but There Are Things You Can Do Emotion Regulation for Me and You Rest, Rest, Rest
Difference between Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder | Bipolar Beat Recently on our Facebook Page, Vicky posted the following: I was diagnosed bipolar II at the age of 20 but because bipolar type II is so similar to borderline personality disorder its difficult. I have had two diagnoses of bipolar type II and one of BPD. What exactly is the difference between bipolar II disorder and borderline personality disorder? Some time ago, we did a two part series on the differences in diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder, starting with “Borderline Personality and Bipolar Disorder Differences Part I: Diagnosis.” Because this question continues to arise, I think it important to revisit this topic, focusing on the differences that should be considered in making these diagnoses. How and When the Mood Symptoms Develop Bipolar disorder, including bipolar II, is a condition in which emotional and behavioral patterns emerge that are different from the person’s typical or baseline self. Timing and Pattern of Mood Symptoms
huffingtonpost What Makes a Highly Sensitive Person? My mom called me her “flapper” when I was a baby. Whenever I got excited, I would flap my arms, like I was young chick taking off for flight … in front of a hawk. I still do that, to some extent, but I manage to keep the arm movements to a minimum extension. I am easily excitable, a “highly sensitive person,” as defined by Elaine Aron in her bestseller, The Highly Sensitive Person. Are you easily overwhelmed by such things as bright lights, strong smells, coarse fabrics, or sirens nearby? This is not a terrible curse. We highly sensitive people have gifts and aptitudes unavailable to the person who is oblivious to the fly that just landed on his eggs and that girl who doesn’t wonder if there is some symbolic meaning in the leaf that has just fallen from the oak tree in front of her. I once interviewed Douglas Eby, a writer and researcher, and the creator of the Talent Development Resources series of sites, on the “perks” of being highly sensitive. Sensory detail.
16 Habits Of Highly Sensitive People Do you feel like you reflect on things more than everyone else? Do you find yourself worrying about how other people feel? Do you prefer quieter, less chaotic environments? If the above sound true to you, you may be highly sensitive. While recent interest in introversion — driven largely by high-profile publications on the subject, including Susan Cain’s book “Quiet,” — has brought more awareness to personality traits that value less stimulation and higher sensitivity, Aron notes that highly sensitive people still tend to be considered the “minority.” But “minority” doesn’t mean bad — in fact, being highly sensitive carries a multitude of positive characteristics. 1. One of the hallmark characteristics of highly sensitive people is the ability to feel more deeply than their less-sensitive peers. 2. People who are highly sensitive will react more in a situation. 3. Depending on the culture, sensitivity can be perceived as an asset or a negative trait, Zeff explains. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Comfort Zone - May 2007 - A Meditation for HSPs on Criticism, the Killer As a therapist and an HSP, I am often coming up with things that make me say, "Oh, that is really the basic problem we all have (HSPs and non)." I'm writing a book about one of those, the distortions we make about love and power, in particular seeing things through a lens of power when love is what is there. Another That's It is the role of shame in all of our lives--how we humans will do almost ANYTHING to avoid that feeling of "I'm a bad person." My latest That's It is related to shame, and has been bubbling in the back of my mind for a long time. Everyone feels it. The reaction to criticism is probably tripled in HSPs. In this article, however, I want to assume the criticism is at least partly true. The Problem is Everywhere We all want to be open to criticism and improve ourselves. What are some other examples when we have to bear valid criticism besides psychotherapy? He exploded: "Me dominating you? Oops. Getting "All Defensive" How nice it would be to accept criticism gracefully.
Abandonment | Abandonment Support | Abandonment Issues | Abandonment Therapy | Susan Anderson © Susan Anderson May 11, 2013 Click here to return to Recent Articles. I’ve received thousands of letters from people telling me how abandonment trauma has wrecked their lives. Anxiety overwhelms them when they attempt a new relationship. They hate their anxiety, hyper-sensitivity, and neediness for the way it’s ruined their lives. Can you identify with any of this? There are millions of abandonment survivors in our very midst who have run out of hope and feel condemned to loneliness and helplessness forever. But if you were to meet a roomful of these people (you’d meet many at an abandonment workshop), you would see there is nothing wrong with them. You would also see that each of them is capable of turning their lives around. There is no magic bullet for the abandonment syndrome – just a lot of work to change your patterns. Indeed many of you have been stuck in your past because you haven’t had enough in your current life to pull you into the present and out of your head.
Fear of Abandonment Issues and Therapy Treatment Abandonment fears typically stem from a loss in childhood, such as the loss of a parent through death or divorce, but they can also result from inadequate physical or emotional care. In adulthood, these early-childhood experiences result in fear of being abandoned by the significant people in one’s life. While some degree of abandonment fear may be a normal part of being human, when the fear of abandonment is severe, frequent, and impossible to comfort, it can cause significant impairment, particularly with regard to developing healthy relationships. Psychological Issues Associated with Abandonment A person who has experienced abandonment is likely to encounter long-term psychological challenges, based primarily on the fear that abandonment will recur. For example, a child who was physically abandoned by a parent or caregiver may struggle with mood swings or anger throughout life, and these behaviors may alienate potential intimate partners and friends. Abandonment and Trauma Case Example