ARP 352 - Breathing Necklaces or Buyer Beware

In this episode a look at breathing necklaces, which are supposed to help you control your breathing. These things irk me. It isn't that they don't have a purpose. But you don't need them.

It is ok to want one or have it around your neck as a touchpoint or you really do understand how to use them. That is what I wanted to communicate in the recording.

I had to cut a lot of stuff out of the episode. I was going on and on about anxiety gizmo advertorials in traditional and on-line magazines.  

Somebody told them about affiliate links and the blurring of editorial and advertising content. 
Some of them did not get the memo on the correct way to do this.

A lot of blurring and smudging going on.


If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

National Health Service has a page on breathing exercises for stress.

From Harvard Health Publishing, Relaxation techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress response.

From Mindful Magazine and their website, an audio recording of a 12-minute 4--7-8 breathing practice. 

Every Mind Matters - NHS 2 minute-ish Breathing Practice

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.

ARP 350 When An Attack Sneaks Up on You

There is a spectrum of decisions between I can and I can't. Part of our healing journey is to understand the concept of acceptance. 

A video popped up called "A Panic Attack Ended My Winter Backpacking Trip" from the Miranda Goes Outside!! YouTube channel. 

I absolutely wanted to view that video. Spent a chunk of it nodding in agreement.

Not to mention that I learned a little bit about not sleeping under a tree if there is snow.

I felt validated in that there is actual video proof of the experience in real life. Sometimes you can move past it. Sometimes you can't.

So I wanted to address that aspect of that experience with a few resources to help folks understand some of the concepts about acceptance and self-care. 

I'm not going camping anytime soon. I need plumbing and an assurance of no bear contact.  I like bears.

I respect bears. Don't need to see one in the wild.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

On the Positive Psychology website there is a explainer on What is Self-Acceptance? Please be aware that the site is designed for behavioral health folks, but it is easy for most people to read. There is a lot of text on the page, I'd read it a section at a time.

Psychology Today 2018 blog post on how to practice acceptance 

If you lean toward a stoic point of view, there is The Philosophy of Everything blog page on the philosophy of acceptance.

The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, by Christopher Germer, PhD. The publisher is The Guilford Press and you can find the book at almost any off and on-line book vendor. The link is to the vendor's publisher's web site.

Dr. Germer has his own website where he has a page on meditations on self-compassion. You can download the mp3 file to your device or listen to it on the website.

Mindful.org page on self-compassion and writing a love letter to yourself.  

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.

ARP 346 - Breathing Practice Using Fidget Spinners

In January, you often hear about the aspirational pledges. No shopping. No drinking alcohol. 

Go vegan or as close to it as you can get. My year round goal is to get folks at a basic level to take time to breath. Slow it down. Chill as in being quiet. Not as in ice baths. 

Me in a former incarnation; "Nuts to you, I breath all of the time. I still have symptoms."

Future me: "Yeah, you dope. You also drink six cans of Coke or Dr. Pepper a day. Your diet is atrocious (but very tasty) and your rocking at best five hours of sleep a night.

Fortunately, former me studied at the school of hard knocks that the body need clean fuel, time to regenerate and making time on the daily to slow it down and practice breathing. And yes, give up the carbonation with the caffeine chaser.

So in this episode, if you happen to have a fidget spinner or fidget ring then dig it out and try this breathing practice. If you don't have one, no worries you can do it with a pebble, pen or pencil or small palm sized object.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

SAMSHA Disaster Distress Hotline is 1–800–985–5990 for voice or text calls. You can also access the Incidents of Mass Violence page to learn more about it, the symptoms and other resources. 

Mindful.org has a beginners guide to understanding and using meditation. For some people, meditation is a vital part of the treatment process. Please understand there are multiple ways to meditate. There is a text and audio version on the site.

Hands on Meditation YouTube channel with a beginners practice cycle. 

If you are truly pressed for time, there is Dr. All Mattu 40 seconds of a breathing practice.

There is a short 2:30-ish beginners practice from Hand’s On Meditation. 

Cleveland Clinic page on How to do the 4-7-8 Breathing exercise. It goes into more detail on the why it works and some variations to improve the effects of the practice. 

National Institute of Mental Health PDF on I'm So Stressed Out Fact Sheet. 

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.

ARP 328 Breathing and Humming Resources for Anxiety

I'm on the summer slow down vibe, but there are lots of interesting ways to handle and reduce symptoms.

One of those ways is combining a breathing practice with humming. To be clear, I'm talking about the sound that humans make with their mouths. Usually involves the sound "hum".

Take the human body, the Vagus nerve and an open mind and you just might have an additional tool to tell the body to relax, there isn't a danger or problem.

Might work for you.

Might not. 

I do know that it is a free, no risk, non-toxic option to try.

This is a quick introduction to the topic and a few resources to get you started.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

There is a post on Verywell Health on Breathing Exercises for Anxiety.

If you need visual help in practice breathing there is the Breathe Easy app for iOS and Android.

Mayo Clinic Connect post on Humming Your Way to Relaxation.

Katie Morton explanation video on 5 Easy Ways to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve.

Video on Humming for Vagus Nerve Stimulation  from Buteyko Clinic

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 324 - Dealing With Symptoms

It has been a while since I’ve mentioned this; the focus on the podcast is for folks that have been medically diagnosed with an anxiety condition or disorder. 

However, all are welcome. The over-stressed, the somewhat anxious or those that are up against it and don’t know what to do.

Everybody has anxiety. That is normal and necessary. We need it for our personal safety and awareness that there is a possible problem or danger. Anxiety’s job is to bring awareness. Not a good thing or a bad thing. 

For some of us, our anxiety alert system is out of whack. Our brain is on constant high alert. There are symptoms that are hard to control. That is the topic of this episode. How do you deal with your symptoms?

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

National Institute of Mental Health definition page on Anxiety Disorders. They also have downloadable booklets on:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder 
• Panic Disorders 
• Social Anxiety Disorder 
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) FAQ page on Anxiety, the types of anxiety, treatment options and additional resources.

American Lung Association video on Pursed Lip Breathing technique.

Very Well Mind page on 9 Breathing Exercises to Calm Anxiety.

Harvard Health Page on Foods Linked to Better Brain Power.

ARP 216 has examples of books about the brain/gut connection aka nutrition.

Five Minute Meditation Practice via Greater Good in Action/UC Berkeley

UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) meditations exercises in different languages.

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.

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ARP Pebble in the Road - Meditative Crafting

This episode is not for everybody. Some of you will be highly dismissive. That is okay. Different strokes for different folks.  

Knitting provides an object of focus for our practice. We can practice focusing our attention and letting go of distractions.

The point is, doing something analog or tactile can help you relax. Or meditate or route you and keep you in the present tense. In this pebble in the Road a quick look at crafting as a gateway to meditation.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

Meditation 101 and Mindfulness Exercises Guided Meditations & Mindfulness Talks 

Color Yourself to Mindfulness Book by Melissa Launay published by CICO Press distributed by Simon and Schuster Publishing.

Marshall at Wristwatch Revival on YouTube

Becky at Knit Om on Knitting as Meditation

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 311 Kindness Grounding Practice

In this episode, a pebble in the road. A look at a kindness inspired grounding practice you could do when you need to tame your internal little hater.

Sometimes people come to the podcast intentionally. They see the album cover or up on a social media site and check it out.

Or they might see a post on a social media place and happen to see the name of the show.

Some entrepreneurial site owners will post a link to their blog or podcast, having nothing to do with anxiety or mental health.

And then there are the entrepreneurial vendors that offer alternative forms of self-gratification, aficionados of the anal canal of prostate joy or climatically cliffs of everlasting delight. 

I am under no illusion that providers who have goods, services and products for sale have honorable or dishonorable intentions. Most of it is just juicing for keyword or putting on that wolf coat.

Many times it is probably a quick get off the site link or trying to look legit. I have no control over that and Google is doing what they can, when they can.

That being said, I welcome all who find themselves on the road and decide to check out some of the information. Because lack of nookie can make you anxious. 

I might mention it at least once a year.

Really, the focus of the podcast and blog is to provide information about handling the life interfering type of anxiety conditions and disorders.

99.94% of you are welcomed. 

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

From 2022 Psychology Today article on Grounding Techniques. An opportunity to learn about what grounding is and some of the different types of re-centering yourself to the present time.

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 308 Mindfulness Meditation 2022

When I'm looking for viable resources, I can tell when I find a traditional approach to treatment.

Listed are two options listed, medication and therapy. Sometime they will mention others as a lifestyle choice. That is slowly changing. I am seeing more traditional sites including mindfulness and meditation. 

There is increasing medical documentation that mindfulness and meditation work. 

Medical scientists are still trying to quantify how it works. But they aren't kicking up a fuss about it anymore. 

Another force for change is the entrepreneurial health app providers.  They offer meditation as a treatment option, for users and for large corporations. 

Many are targeting corporations. The pitch is "we can provide meditation as a services and it won't cost you (corporations) as much as dealing with traditional providers." 

And in-between the entrepreneurs and traditionally medicine is you, me and the rest of the gang. 

Truth is, there are people that will be thrilled with an app that actual helps them. They are practicing and benefiting from meditation via an app.

There are other people that need an in-person experience. Some will get that through a faith based provider. Other people will seek out secular choices from non-profits, university offerings and commercial or virtual retreats.

No matter which way you choice to go; know what you are getting into and see if the app or training course meets your expectations. 

As I mention in the episode, there is no consensus about what those two words mean across disciplines, faith systems and from the medical and behavioral health professionals.

Some people use mindfulness for meditation or meditation for mindfulness.

I had to cobble out a definition that works for me but I do mention the other definitions in the show.

One definition of mindfulness is that it is a practice of paying full attention, being aware of what you are doing and grounding yourself in the moment. 

The website Very Well Minds definition of meditation: 

"can be defined as a set of techniques that are intended to encourage a heightened state of awareness and focused attention. Meditation is also a consciousness-changing technique shown to have many benefits on psychological well-being"

In this episode, a look at mindfulness and meditation in 2022.

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

App and Audio Resources:

ASICS Runkeeper app for those that want to run as they meditate.

Australian podcaster Rachel Kable has an episode on How to Train Your Brain and Worry Less, might be good for the generalized anxiety folks. 

NPR Life Tool Kit has an interview with Jon Kabbt-Zinn. In addition to the text interview is a recording of the conversation where he defines mindfulness as awareness. 

10 Percent Happier with Dan Harris - there is also an app for accessing more content.

Text Resources: 

American Psychological Association page on Mindfulness Meditation.

The Blissful Mind has a page on Mindfulness 101: Everything You Need to Know About Mindfulness.

 

The National Center for Integrative and Complementary Health page on Meditation and Mindfulness, What you need to know. 

Update 2024 - Mindful.org Getting Started page on Mindfulness.  Scroll down to see the text.

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 286 Using Time to Mange Anxiety Symptoms

Anxiety symptoms are pesky. We spend a lot of time trying to deal with them. 

In addition to our daily task duties and responsibilities. 

In this episode, I want to share a few tips that can restore a sense of stability and calm. 

I don't want to turn anyone into a time robot. 

There are some evil time technological oppressors that are rising in the workforce or the corporate marketplace. 

Those buggers are trying to find ways to micro manage folks working from home. This episode is about using time to help you get things done.

What I am talking about is finding the shift necessary to make you existence calmer or more relaxed.

These are concepts, not instructions. 

It is how to eat the elephant of work you have to do in smaller pieces of time. Work on a task for five minutes a day, five days a week is 25 minutes a week. This could be much better than trying to crunch it the last day that it is due.

It is about reframing time to match your needs.

Resources Mentioned: 

Bearable, an app that helps you to track not only your symptoms, but food, activity, and sleep patterns. You get a visible display on how you are doing.  Runs on Android and iOs

Unf*ck Your Habitat: You’re Better than Your Mess by Rachel Hoffman. Sure, buy the book but you can get a lot of good info at her website.

Jim Donovan's Rhythmic Stress Relief: Stopwatch Tap Technique Bone easy to do and will help you to bring your anxiety down a notch or two.

From Very Well Mind, Find More Time in a Busy Schedule for Less Stress. The word "no" is very important.

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 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.

Show 243 Climb the Mountain

I truly don't know what to say. There needs to be some healing infusions and I don't have any.

But I can say many of us are trying not to be overwhelmed or discouraged by hate based carbon units.

It is hard. 

But we can do it.

Our ancestors taught us that and we have to hold on waiting for our time to make changes.

Not to wait on them. Make them.

In this episode, a few words about why the podcast exist and in App that Attack, a few words on Apollo Neuro.

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.

Resources Mentioned: 

Apollo Neuro wearable device for stress and mood adjustment.

Jon Kabat-Zin meditation app for iPhone and iPad.

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 240 - Cracking the Egg

You can find ways to deal with your symptoms. For some of us, there is medication. 

It isn't for everybody. 

Or you may choose to use a coping skill or relaxation technique. 

It isn't for everybody. 

What is important to know is that you have choices on how you want to handle your symptoms. 

In this episode, a look at some of my process and a few resources to check and hopefully use to make yourself more comfortable.

You don't have to suffer. 

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.

Resources Mentioned: 

BetterUp Coaching website provide a matching service for people that are looking for support in their personal or professional goals. It is not a therapy site but some folks do not read beneath the headlines. 

Harvard Health Publishing has a post on Progressive Muscle Relaxation and other exercise based relaxation tips. 

For those that prefer audio, there is a progressive muscle relaxation at Helpguide.org

Mindful.org post on 10 minute gratitude practice to shift, notice and re-wire the brain.

Dental Fear Central - excellent site for those of us that get the shakes when a dentist says open wide.

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.

Episode 238 Walking Out the Door

So, I’m going to lay out a more realistic approach or tips to help folks deciding to walk out the door. I got my sources. I got some real-life experience and not much more than that. 

There are folks on Twitter who are struggling on how to make the right decision for them. As it often happens, there are jerk faces who will pop in and state that you gotta man-up and stop being what they perceive to be weak. 

Or they will share that they never put on a mask. They never stopped living their lives. To that I say, Ok. Good for you.

But your experience is not mine. I and others made an informed choice based on the information we had at the time and the rising number of people dying. Some of those people we knew and loved.

In this episode, a look at a few tips on how to prepare for re-entry. Those of us that have pre-existing conditions are going to find it a bit hard. Not impossible. Just hard.

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.

Resources Mentioned: 

CNet Health and Wellness has a post on Jump rope workout: How to get a full body workout and have fun. Those of you that have issues with your knees or hips might want to consult your doctor before engaging in exercise.

There is a Beginner Jump Rope tutorial that explains how to use the jump rope to exercise. 

Tiny Buddha post on 50 Things You Can Control Right Now.

From Psychology Today and post on How to Cope With “Re-Entry Anxiety

ADAA.org 10 Tips to Manage Re-Entry Anxiety Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic

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 230 Symptom Control for Newbies

This episode is for people that post questions on answer boards and get questionable responses. Or no response at all. Mainly because the questions gets asked so many times. This is a journey of stop, go, fail and try again. 

I hear you. Your symptoms of anxiety are interfering with your life. You don’t want mumbo-jumbo, you want answers. What specifically, can you do?

For some, you will not be able to hear or understand what I have to say. Others will flat out not like it. And there will be a few that are willing to take notes and hit the ground running. 

Do the best you can but this is a time of learning. A time of starting the healing process. 

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.

Resources Mentioned: 

From Verywell Health 10 Easy Breathing Exercises for Anxiety

From Therapy in a Nutshell, video on Rewiring the Anxious Brain - Neuroplasticity and the Anxiety Cycle

Dr. Jo is a doctor of physical therapy. She has a video about the box breathing technique to Relieve Stress & Anxiety with Simple Breathing Techniques

From ADAA.org, treatment information tips for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

HelpGuide.org focuses more on non-medication related treatment and resources.

U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has information on a variety of mental health conditions, including the anxious ones.

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 227 Quick Look at the CalmiGo Smart Calming Companion

In this episode, a look at a device that might help you with symptom management and up your pattern breathing skills. 

For those of you reluctant to take medication or are looking for other ways to handle your symptoms, this could be an option.

I want to make sure that folks know about a new talk show series from Taraj P. Henson called Peace of Mind. 

It is a talk show about mental health issues concerning the Black/African American community. It streams on Facebook Watch on Monday and Wednesdays 9am Pacific and 12 noon Eastern time.

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.

Resources Mentioned: 

CNBC.com post about Tony Hsieh, loneliness and some ideas about what to do about it.

New series from Taraj P. Henson called Peace of Mind. It is a series about mental health issues concerning the Black/African American community. It streams on Facebook Watch on Monday and Wednesdays 9am Pacific and 12 noon Eastern time.

Official website of the CalmiGo Smart Calming Companion

This is the tutorial video for the CalmiGo product.

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.

For Me and Those that Come After

I'm putting this here because I probably should not mention it in the podcast again. 

And I think it should be viewed by people who are starting to be aware that there is more to treatment or reconstructing your life than a set finite list of rules and where they come from.

Rules are important, especially in health care. You gotta wash you hands in order not to spread germs from one person to another. This has been proven true by science and data. 

But sometimes a healing can happen via a song. An image. Or a cartoon.

I never want to be so old that I can't be open to inspiration, creativity or learning because of the form of the content. 

Not my style. Never has been.

Never will be.

This is a clip from the animated series, called Steven Universe. It explains the concept of what is a negative thought and how to deal with it.

20 million people have watched this clip. It is resonating with all kinds of folks. Maybe it will with you. Maybe it won't. I'm just plunking this here, just in case.

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.

Mask Anxiety or How to Wear the Mask

There was a news story about people putting on the masks. People mentioned symptoms about heart palpitations, can't breathe and feeling disorientated. Those are some of the symptoms of an anxiety or panic attack. 

You might have to go through a process to be comfortable wearing a mask. There are a lot of things you can do. In this episode, a look at some of the things you can do to make peace with the mask, if you want to. 

What am I talking about? Well, some of the things that cause problems is the fabric of the mask, or how it feels on your skin. It could be too light or to heavy a fabric. 

Or you have feelings that you can't quite express but you don't like it. And that is ok to acknowledge that. Well, maybe not on Twitter. But it is also ok to find ways of making it work for you. 

As I mentioned in the podcast, I'm not looking to help anybody not wear the mask. This is an adult decision. The reasons have been presented by other sources for and against. 

But if you want to wear one and are having symptoms when you try, then it might be something to do with anxiety with the mask or other issues. That is what this episode is about, to provide sources to make it easier for you to do.

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.

Resources Mentioned: 

University of Wisconsin's UW Health  post on Masks Can Cause Anxiety for Some, But There is Help. Toward the bottom of the page are videos with Maura Grasshoff on how to deal with mask anxiety.

From The Mighty, What to Do If You Can't Wear a Face Mask.

From BPHope, and post by Julie A. Fast on How I’m Handling Panic and Anxiety from Wearing a Face Mask in Public.

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 203 - Emotional Self-Care Tips

I feel like I am between a wall and a hard place. I want to describe options that you have when it comes to treating the diagnosed version of an anxiety condition or disorder. 

I really don’t want to tell folks what to do with two exceptions, don’t give up and don’t kill yourself. 

But this is a bad week in a string of bad weeks. We need some re-enforcement. So here are some emotional self care tips to hold us as we intentionally move forward.

 

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.

Resources Mentioned: 

Jo Burgess from Life Sorted suggest monitoring your internal dialogue in a post called Simple ways to practice emotional self-care and transform your life. 

A Compassionate Guide to Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic Part 1: Understanding Why We Are so Anxious Right Now

School Library Journal has #BreakTheStigma: 14 Nonfiction Mental Health Books for Children, Tweens, and Teens 

There is also a collection of 25 books via A Mighty Girl on helping our younger beings understand what is going on and how to deal with it. 

Marquita Herald, of Emotionally Resilient Living post on Why You Deserve to Make Emotional Self-Care a Priority. One of those tips is to understand that it is ok not to be ok.

Steven Jacob post about how he embraced Self-Care Is Not a Luxury: How I Learned This as a Brown Guy

Jane Taylor's Habits for Well being post on 22 Ways to Practice Emotional Self-Care and Letting Go 

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 202 Symptom Care and Frozen Orange Juice

We don't just talk the talk about these parts, this is a living on-going learning process about how to exist in this time with an anxiety disorder. 

In this episode, how I headed off a panic attack with a can of frozen orange juice. And more to the point, adjust your symptoms management to the situation.

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.

Resources Mentioned: 

https://www.kpbs.org/news/2020/may/13/act-now-to-get-ahead-of-a-mental-health-crisis/

From the Psych Hub website there are two videos of interest, the first being a video explaining what compassion fatigue is and some of the things folks can do to handle it. 

There is another video about what is anxiety, the types of anxiety and the availability of treatment. These videos introduce the concepts and give you initial information.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Association (SAMHSA) also has a fact sheet on compassion fatigue.

How to Find Balance During this Stressful Time is an article by Dominique Apollon about creating a safe, caring environment for yourself.

SAMHSA Fact Sheet on Sheltering in Place, what to expect and ways to cope with being inside for long periods of time.

Simple Habit is a meditation and mindfulness app that you can download via Google Play or Apple Apps Store. You can visit the website to get a sense of the kind of content and does it fit your needs.

Psychology Today has a post about 10 Simple Tactics to Manage Anxiety and Panic Attacks. One of those tactics is to remember that 

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 200 Oxidative Stress and Better Food Choices

Perhaps there is a better way for both of us to have what we want, occasionally, and eat better 90 percent of the time. We gotta pay attention to both mental and body systems.

We have to focused on taking care of the brain and brain functions. One of the ways we do that is by making better food and nutritional choices. So in this episode, a really simplistic definition of oxidative stress and some of the foods and supplements that can keep the free radicals in our bodies from gunking up the works.






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.

Resources Mentioned: 

The Cleveland Clinic has a page on 7 Tricks to Manage Anxiety.

Author Veronica Roth has an opinion piece in the New York Times about going off her anti-depressant medication under stay at home orders

The Breethe (double ee) app is available via the Apple and Google app stores. There is also a Breethe YouTube channel that answers some questions about meditation,

Vitamins and Mineral Fact Sheet from the International Food Information Council Foundation.

National Institute of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements

• Vitamin B6 Fact Sheet
• Vitamin C Fact Sheet
• Vitamin E Fact Sheet
• Lycopene via the International Food Information Council Foundation

Dr. Uma Haidoo's article at Harvard Health on Nutritional Strategies to Ease Anxiety. 

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.