ARP 347 - Ottawa Personal Decision Guide

There are a lot of decisions that you have to make when you are seeking treatment.

Hopefully you find a good doctor or a mental health professional to guide you though the process. Those are aspirational goals by the way. You might run into a doc that just wants to give you medication and then report back in four weeks. 

Or you can't find or afford a provider in your area. I would suggest that you take some time and work on a decision guide as to what you want and don't want concerning your treatment. 

This can mean getting a physical and diagnostic test to rule out another cause for your symptoms.

Or reviewing therapists to figure out the behavioral treatment options. Do you want short term or an extended treatment process? In person or virtual care?

A decision guide can help you plan out what you want and need to navigate the process.

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.

Resource Mentioned: 

The Ottawa Personal Decision Guide can help you organize your thoughts about a decision you need to make about your treatment options.

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 345 Ideophobia or Fear of Ideas

With all of the book banning in the United States, a person could make a case that some sections of the country has ideophobia or the fear of ideas. 

Might also be bibliophobia. 

In this episode, a quick look at the definition of Ideophobia.

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: 

Mind.org.uk Causes of Phobias self-help guide.

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/phobias/causes-of-phobias/ 

Mental Health America has an information page about phobias, the types of phobias and the treatment option of cognitive behavioral therapy.

From the UK National Health Service, a self-help guide to phobias, what they are and what you can do about them. 

ADAA has on-line communities where you can communicate with other people that have your experience share their stories, experiences and there are mental health professionals that post helpful resources.

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 344 Diabetes and Anxiety Resources

If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and anxiety or depression, you have to deal with both conditions at the same time.

It is a challenge but not impossible. There are resources and options to help you deal with treatment. 

This is just a quick mention of some of those resources that could be of assistance to you or someone you know.

P.S. I had some kind of glitchy thing happen and I slapped some music to try to cover it up. I need to go to remedial audio school. 

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: 

American Diabetes Association Behavioral Health Toolkits for folks with Diabetes who might be experiencing anxiety.

American Diabetes Association Mental Health Directory

U.S. Centers for Disease Control page on 10 Tips for Coping with Diabetes Distress and Diabetes and Mental Health 

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 343 Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families and Anxiety

In this episode, a look at adult people that grew up in an addictive or dysfunctional family. Because if you did, there is a good chance you might have an anxiety condition or a related mental health problem.

How do you get to be an adult child of a dysfunctional family. There are many pathways. 

Many are raised in an abusive or addictive family. Others are raised in a generational trauma system. 

Some people are raised by adults who do not have a clue about how to be a parent because they were never taught or exposed to a healthy, stable or loving environment.

It isn't about poverty or wealth. Education is not a guarantee of being a good parent. Nor religion or faith. Or the lack of it. 

It helps, but if you have taking a glance at the news, a Utah woman with a social media following pled guilty to committed serious crimes against two of her children.  

In 2034 they will become members of Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families.


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: 

Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper conversation with Dr. Uma Naidoo about her new book on the gut, brain food connection and nutritional psychiatry On that page you can find a link to the book at Bookshop.org or by visiting the doctor's website.

U.S. Center for Disease Control page about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) with definitions and additional resources. 

Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation post on Adult Children of Alcoholics information page.

Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families World Service where you can get more information about how it works, resources and virtual and real world meeting community fellowship experiences.

Therapy Dave has a article about ACDFs and an information sheet that list some of the core beliefs dysfunctional behavior that can happen in adulthood.

Kati Morton is a licensed therapist that has a YouTube channel. She has an episode about 10 Effects of Growing Up with an Alcoholic or Addict Parent

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 342 Adverse Childhood Experiences aka ACEs

I did an episode about ACEs a long time ago. It was okay but I know a bit more now. 

At the time I said something to the effect, "Childhood isn't easy even in the best of families, but what if your family of origin contributed to your current condition? I'm not saying that it has, but what if it did?"

That part was ok but listening to it now I did not fully define it or give examples. 

When you know better, you do better. This is probably a three part series about childhood events that might have contributed to an anxiety condition. 

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: 

The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) has Fast Facts: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences

ACEs Awareness is a California project to screen children for indicators of ACE events. There is a Healthy Way to Manage Stress pdf handout that offers suggestions on how to manage stress, such as be kind to yourself, set goals and start small. 

Therapist Erik Bohlin handout list of Symptoms from Dysfunctional Families.

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 341 Sour Candy and Symptom Management

So in this episode I wanted to put a bit more context as to why sucking sour candy could work to stop panic attacks. Or not. Or not for the long term.

Here is how it started. I have news feeds for anxiety. This story popped up.

Delish is a food recipe and kitchen gadget website. I've seen videos on YouTube. I was confused when I saw the story about sour candy and panic attacks.

It didn't match their usual beat. Sometime that can lead to good stuff. Like a fishing website that reviews a movie about Vets, fishing and PTSD. 

It isn't an instant reject for me unless it is one of those way past NC-17 websites, but my radar is on high alert. 

Publisher these days they need to draw people to the website. Delish saw a fit with their mission. They did have a series called Suck It Up. They would ask celebrities questions and if they refused to answer they would have to eat an increasing strong sour candy. 

So this was in the Delish wheelhouse. Kinda. They got the story from Tik Tok.

USA Today did a story with more info from mental health professionals. That is how Delish found out about it.

As far as our neck of the woods is concern, this could be thought of as a form of grounding or interrupting the signals that generated the panic attack. 

There are a lot of them. It is not treatment.

Nope. Not at all. 

But it might give you time to breath, get out of the room or recalibrate.

So in this episode I wanted to put a bit more context as to why it could work and how there are limits to how effective it can be. 

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: 

Anxiety and Stress Disorders and a guide on Stress Management from Harvard Health Publications. 

Tips to Manage Your Stress and Anxiety from ADAA.org

The company that produces Warheads is called Impact Confections. You can get an idea of some of their candy products. This is not an endorsement, there are other companies that have sour and extreme sour candies and drinks.

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.