Pebble in the Road - Alcohol and Serotonin

This is a transcript of  my pebble in the road about using alcohol to help manage your anxiety.

I'm not here to judge or wave the finger at you. There are a lot of people who use booze to relax with or as a reward after a hard day.

But you are not one of them. Because you might be using liquor to handle your anxiety symptoms.

Let me give you two good reasons to consider alternatives.

One, alcohol dehydrates your brain. Your brain wants water. Doesn't really care if it is warm or cold but your brain really wants water. 

So drinking alcohol does the opposite. 

And no, the ice cubes do not count.

The second reason to consider an alternative to booze is that it messes with your hormones. And what is the hormone we want to nurture and propagate? Serotonin.

And if that wasn't enough. Continue drinking they way you do  might increase the level and severity of your symptoms.

There are alternatives to drinking it up and living it down the next day. I really encourage you to seek those out. In the Serotonin episode, I mention some of the ways to boost serotonin in your brain and body. 

There are many alternatives to knocking back a few. Especially if you are using alcohol to try to appear normal or not freak the hell out. 

Resources Mentioned: 

Verywell Mind has a post on The Risks of Using Alcohol to Relieve Anxiety. 

ADAA.org post Social Anxiety Disorder and Alcohol Abuse.

2012 Anxiety and Alcohol Use Disorder, Comorbidity and Treatment Considerations. Retrieved from Pub Med.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Show 259 What is Serotonin?

I was reading an article that said I should eat pineapple to increase my serotonin level. I also seen other articles about kiwis, avocados and other foods.

In those articles you might find something about serotonin ability to calm you down. 

Or to help with anxiety. Or depression.

This one got me a little twitchy. Because the article mentioned the pineapple should be inside of a sugar cake of delight.

This is like a person pointing to the ice cubes inside an alcoholic drink. And trying to convince themselves they are hydrating with water.  

This is the short version:

Which brings up the hackles in me about so-called superfoods.

The special formulas. And buzzwords on parade.

I think what ticked me off was the implication that the implication of a fruit inside of a sugar based cake becomes a healthy alternative.

In this episode, a look at what is serotonin and what it does to the mind and body. 

This is the longer version:

Resources Mentioned: 

San Diego Union Tribune article about men ignoring their mental health issues.

The Dana Foundation is a non-profit that provides information about the brain and brain health for kids and adults. Has a good explanation of Neurotransmitters. 

The Hormone Health Network is a website connected to The Endocrine Society, the world’s largest organization of endocrinologists, representing more than 18,000 physicians and scientists. 

Endocrinologists look at the things that effect hormones and glands. Not only do they have a page about Serotonin, but they also have a page about the relationship between hormones and stress.

They also have a little something about  dark chocolate. 1 oz. a day will help mood, A1C levels, stress reduction and heart health. 

The National Health Service in the UK has a post on how to get Vitamin D for those living in the United Kingdom. It is different than what folks in the US need to consider.

From Harvard Health: Serotonin The Natural Mood Booster. The have a series on the feel good hormones.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Neuroscientifically Challenged Video on Serotonin

Each one teach one. Working on a post about Serotonin and I saw this video. 

For some people it is not simple. For others people, there will be grousing that something was left out or it didn't go into detail about how all the ways it affects the body and the brain.

It is two-minute video. It is in the title.  Always baffles me about people that see and don't read.

Marc Dingman, PhD is the creator of Neuroscientifically Challenged and has a website full of information.  Also has a book called Your Brain, Explained.

Does prove one human trait. You have a concept or idea. You do the work, figure out how to communicate your idea and the share it with the world.

Most will appreciate it. Others will have valid constructive criticism.

Some will hate it. And that is okay. Not everything presented is going to resonate with you. Feel the same way about okra. I understand the value of the vegetable. Can't stand the sight of it.

But there are a special few that just have to get the shives out and poke.

A lot of them can be found on social media. It is best to ignore them and carry on.

 

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Show 258 - All or Nothing Thinking

This episode was inspired by my real life experiences. Of which I have a bunch of them. 

So, so many of them. One of the things that I've learned it to not to be dragged down into a spiral.

I still have negative thoughts but I don't have to hug and kiss up on them. 97.4% of the time, it is just a thought. It isn't a measurement of my worth. 

I am still in the remembering that thinking error are not me stage.

There are all kinds of thinking errors that can affect you mood or ways of your thinking existence. The overall name is Cognitive Distortion witch can involve about 15 different types of jacked up thinking. 

 

The one I want to talk about today is All of Nothing Thinking. Also known as black or white thinking.

No matter what you call it, it is thinking in extreme. Usually involves reinforcing that you have failed. That you aren't worthy or that once again, you did not perform with absolute perfection.

Which is probably not true. Or just a little bit true. Or it can be true in one situation but shouldn't define your entire reason for being.

In this episode, a look at resources that can help you deal with  on eof the cognitive disorders called All or Nothing Thinking.

Resources Mentioned: 

App That Attack:

University of California at San Diego (UCSD) playlist of meditation recordings.

Resources for All or Nothing Thinking:

Psychology Today post on How to Break the Painful Habit of  All or Nothing Thinking

Mental Health America has a worksheet on stopping stupid thoughts.

Tati Garcia has a podcast for high functioning anxiety folks. She is a licensed therapists and has an episode on All Or Nothing Thinking Is Ruining Your Life. 

Tati also has a free master class on her site Let Go Of Overthinking & Self-Doubt.

Disclaimer: 

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Show 257 - Using Meditation Beads for Grounding Practice

Grounding is a way to help you calm down. To get a grip on whatever caused your symptoms flare up. Meditation beads could be a way for you to have a tactile or touch means of centering yourself.

You can use it to remember an affirmation, incorporate it into your breathing practice, or to remember that you are not defined by a random thought. You are a person in the here and now.

There are all sorts of meditation bracelets in the marketplace. There always has been. 

The Catholic rosary, Mala beads, Reiki meditation bracelets. 

Some people call them worry beads. You name it and somebody, somewhere has a beaded bracelet with a specific meaning attached to it. 

In this episode, a look at some of the ways a beaded bracelet could help you with meditation or symptom control.

Resources Mentioned: 

Helpguide.org has a page on Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief where they explain about the different grounding techniques. There is also a link on that page to a recording to help you practice deep breathing meditation.

Positive Psychology.com has an post about what is grounding and some of the techniques used to help center yourself.

The music for this episode, Waterside Harmony from Purple Planet Music

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.