www.stressandanxietyfree.com http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:43:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en New Year’s Resolutions - Make It Real This Time http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/23/new-years-resolutions-make-it-real-this-time/ http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/23/new-years-resolutions-make-it-real-this-time/#comments Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:23:43 +0000 Jay Bose http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/?p=23 We are at that time of our lives when it is time to make New Year’s resolutions. If you are like most people, you probably think of this as a fad, because these resolutions are just a gimmick - something suitable just for the festive season. Some of people will just do this for giggles or just to share with friends and family in some party to attract a few cheers. Curiously within a week, all those goals that you set for yourself become a faded memory and within another week, it has disappeared from your sights. Well, my friend, if this sounds familiar to you, don’t call them New Year’s Resolutions just call them New Year’s Fantasies. You know how long fantasies last, don’t you? What return on investment on your time and effort do fantasies generate? Absolutely nothing. You remain where you are in life - your future continues to become the mirror image of your past. You continue to remain in that ever-complaining mode and in misery, knowing fully well how uncomfortable you are in your confort zone.

Let this New Year of 2009 be the turning point of your life. You’ve tried the old-fashioned way that you have learned and grown up with so far and that pattern of living has brought you where you are today. What you do today and prepare for the New Year will shape your future.

This New Year of 2009 is the Year of the Ox in the Chinese calendar. According to the Chinese tradition, people who will be born in the year 2009 will be stable and persevering, tolerant and have strong characters. The resoluteness and fearlessness of those to be born in this year of 2009 will be unprecendented and they will see their goals and resolutions to their completion. Hard work will not faze these newborns - they will just get it done and it will be done right.

Wow! Is that not amazing? Mankind today around the globe is at a defining moment. We can continue living with the old-fashioned and sub-optimal practices and go deeper into the caverns of extinction or break through those self-deprecating paradigms, acquire the knowledge to weather the storm and emerge transformed and liberated. Let this New Year of 2009 be the year that you are born again.

For the first time in your life, make a list of New Year’s Resolutions - no more fantasies please. You can make outrageous resolutions and you will see them manifesting into reality. You see, a resolution is infinitesimally more powerful than those fantasies of the past. You know why? That’s because a resolution is the evolution of a sincere thought, upgraded into heartfelt wish, enveloped with a passionate feeling and implemented with affirmative action. So far, your so-called resolutions stopped at the semi-first stage of the evolutionary process - at the thought. No wonder they did not materialize in reality.

This New Year of 2009, make it different. When you make your list with this perspective in mind you will find that the Universe begins to correspond with the nature of your song. Now, more than ever before, it is important that you take action here and now, so that the future reveals a dramatically different life for you than have experienced before. Remember that stress never helped solve any problem - it only aggravates it. This New Year of 2009, make it payback time - put the stress on stress this year and squish it to the ground. You can do it - or is there an option?

]]> http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/23/new-years-resolutions-make-it-real-this-time/feed/ Sexual orientation and Stress http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/22/sexual-orientation-and-stress/ http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/22/sexual-orientation-and-stress/#comments Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:32:38 +0000 Jay Bose http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/?p=22 Depending on where you live, your sexual orientation may be regarded as taboo and something that society may not accept. This is particularly true for homosexual people, who find themselves in embarrassing situations when the news about their homosexual orientation becomes public. They are often subjected to ridicule and at times discrimination from society and even place of work, which in turn leads to tremendous stress on their psychological health.
Often homosexuals, consciously or even unconciously proclaim their sexual orientation and in turn find themselves stigmatized for no reason at all. “Straight” people seldom proclaim that they are “Straight”, so why should homosexuals make such a big deal about their personal sexual orientation. It is a matter of personal choice and preference and everyone has a right to live their life the way they choose to do. As long as you are a noble and honest individual contributing to society, that is all that the world should care about and the individual should care about. Why draw unnecessary attention and attract stress in life when it is easy to avoid it? You are special in your own way, make that the light that shines your path - not what your sexual orientation is, unless of course there is a specific purpose for that proclaimation.

]]> http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/22/sexual-orientation-and-stress/feed/ Can Schizophrenia be Cured? http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/21/can-schizophrenia-be-cured/ http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/21/can-schizophrenia-be-cured/#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:56:44 +0000 Jay Bose http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/?p=21 Schizophrenia is one of the psychological disorders that still holds the medical commiunity hostage to find a cure. The compexity arises due to the various symptoms that patients suffer, which makes it difficult to treat them all at one time. While medications are available to address some of the symptoms to relax the nervous system, the effects are only temporary. Once the effects wear off, the patient needs to take another dose of medicine or revert back to the symptoms.
A careful analysis of the symptoms of schizophrenia reveals a stong similarity with other stress related disorders, however. For example, lack of interest in life is a classic example of major depression. Unwillingness to communicate with others and trying to become an introvert is similar to someone suffering from social anxiety disorder. Delusions and hallucinations are symptoms reported by patients of PTSD and panic attacks. There are long term remedies available without medication for these disorders. Schizophrenia patients could evaluate these remedies and consider adopting them to obtain relief. Of course there is no substitute than help from a qualified professional and it is always recommended that you do consult your physician before adopting such measures.

]]> http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/21/can-schizophrenia-be-cured/feed/ Is a Proper Diet Important for Controlling Stress? http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/20/is-a-proper-diet-important-for-controlling-stress/ http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/20/is-a-proper-diet-important-for-controlling-stress/#comments Sun, 25 May 2008 21:36:53 +0000 Jay Bose http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/?p=20 Most definitely what you eat has an impact on you psychological health just like your physiological health. Foods that act as stimulants cause more anxiety and depression than most people think. Alcohol and non-prescription drugs taken for entertainment value are the worst that one can indulge in as a remedy to drown stress related disorders in life. Smoking leads to nicotine deposits collecting in the lungs, that in turn cause the lung capacity to decrease. This means less oxygen intake, which in turn leads to oxygen starvation in the body cells. Toxins are not eliminated from the cells, which leads to disease - this in turn leads to physiological and psychological stress.

In order to lead a pschologically healthy  life, load up on Vitamins A, B and C, tryptohpan, betacarotenes, magnesium, calcium, zinc and iodine. Refrain from high saturated fat content foods and high cholesterol foods. For non-vegetarians, white meats, fish, eggs are always recommended for stress relief. Your diet should contain a good mixture of proteins, complex carbohydrates, low fat, fibers and minerals in order to not only ensure that you have removed all dietary stimulants from your life and are able to provide a solid foundation on which your psychological health can thrive and sustain through challenging times.

]]> http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/20/is-a-proper-diet-important-for-controlling-stress/feed/ Shifting Your Attitude For Anxiety And Stress Reduction http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/19/shifting-your-attitude-for-anxiety-and-stress-reduction/ http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/19/shifting-your-attitude-for-anxiety-and-stress-reduction/#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 01:22:47 +0000 Jay Bose http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/?p=19 More often than not we tend to think in the negative. We contentrate on our weaknesses, dwell on what we don’t have or what we cannot do and look at the glass as half full. This defensive attitude towards life has almost become second nature for us. The negators in our mind are so strong that we seldom take the time to rejoice in our strengths and what we already have. Physiologically this means that the brain has a lower level of serotonin (the happy hormone), while the adrenaline and cortisol levels are at a level higher than normal. If this is how we choose to shape our lives it becomes more and more difficult to adopt techniques for anxiety and stress reduction. As a matter of fact, the negative attitude can become a huge inhibitor for any therapy.

. It is very important to be aware of the physical symptoms of anxiety attacks, because they are nature’s way to communicate to you that something is amiss, so that you can take action. A shift of attitude can go a long way for managing stress in life. One must appreciate what he or she already has and feel grateful for it, realizing that there are millions in the world who may not be so blessed. This feeling of gratitude is the first step to make your shift your emotions in the positive direction. The next step is to take the negators out of your weakness and consider them to be a strength. For example, remove the negator from the statement “I don’t have money” and imagine the end result. Removing that negator will probably not bring you money in the next minute, but the shift in thinking sets you in the right direction. If you continue to think that you don’t have money and get stressed about it, you will never have what you want and will continue to remain under stress. However if you can think that you have money, your will automatically start to take steps that will help you reach the end goal. Leverage the power of the mind and you can overcome any inhibitions in life. There is no better substitute for stress related disorders than having a positive attitude in life.

]]> http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/19/shifting-your-attitude-for-anxiety-and-stress-reduction/feed/ Diet and Nutrition for Anxiety and Stress Reduction? http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/18/diet-and-nutrition-for-anxiety-and-stress-reduction/ http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/18/diet-and-nutrition-for-anxiety-and-stress-reduction/#comments Thu, 01 May 2008 20:28:57 +0000 Jay Bose http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/?p=18 Diet and nutrition is often the most overlooked factor in stress management, but it is a very important factor for effective therapy. Foods having high content of saturated fats, cholesterol, simple sugars and carbohydrates, sodium and physiological stimulants add to the symptoms of stress related disorders. Caffeine, alcohol, rarely cooked red meats, recreational drugs, tobacco based products are stimulatants for the body and nervous system and interfere with the normal functions. While caffeine can help to keep you awake, you may be ignoring a natural reaction of the body to sleep. Excessive indulgence of such stimulants will impose stress on your physiological and psychological health.

On the other hands, foods that are rich in nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, tryptophan, pantothenic acid, betacarotenes, Vitamins A,B and C, omega-3 fatty acids, monosaturated fats are very potent for yourself and are excellent augmentors for anxiety and stress reduction. In addition to promoting calmness in your body, nutrients such as magnesium help strengthen your cardiac muscles so that your body is ready for hyperactivity during stressful situations when heart rate tends to iincrease. Mixed greens, shiitake mushrooms, brocolli, squash, white meats, fish, eggs, cows milk - preferably containing less than 2% fat, lemons, oranges, apples, cherries are all excellent foods that are excellent natural anxiety cures.

]]> http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/18/diet-and-nutrition-for-anxiety-and-stress-reduction/feed/ How effective is Hypnotherapy for Stress Relief? http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/17/how-effective-is-hypnotherapy-for-stress-relief/ http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/17/how-effective-is-hypnotherapy-for-stress-relief/#comments Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:35:12 +0000 Jay Bose http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/?p=17 Thanks to Hollywood and fiction authors, the science of Hypnosis has been given a bad name. In reality, hypnosis is technique by which it is possible to bypass the inherently repelling conscious mind and access the more receptive subconscious mind. The subconscious mind has no inhibitions or restrictions that the conscious mind does. Hence if you can access the subconscious mind, it is possible to make positive suggestions through audio and visual aids that have long lasting effects to cure many physiological and psychological limitations that you may have. So hypnotherapy for stress relief is not a myth by any stretch of imagination.

Whenever we hear the word hypnosis, images of a middle aged bespectacled man with a receeding hairline, holding an oscillating pendulum in a dimly lit room comes to mind. Oh Hollywood! In reality, you do not need anyone to get into a hypnotic state. We all experience hypnosis at some time or the other and snap out of it quite automatically. The sight of a beautiful person, radiant in his or her smile can send someone into momentary hypnosis quite unknowingly. Very shortly that state of “trance” concludes and the person’s concious mind reclaims the controls.

It is possible to self-hypnotize with very litte effort as long we some environmental conditions are set and a hypnotic messasge is delivered either visually or through a recorded audio. The message bypasses the conscous mind, but the subconscious mind picks them up with ease. These messages suggestive of anxiety and stress reduction can significantly help the patient suffering from stress related disorders. Hypnotherapy or stress relief is a proven science.

]]> http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/17/how-effective-is-hypnotherapy-for-stress-relief/feed/ Rationalization for treating anxiety attacks http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/15/rationalization-for-treating-anxiety-attacks/ http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/15/rationalization-for-treating-anxiety-attacks/#comments Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:24:51 +0000 Jay Bose http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/?p=15 It is no secret that one of the main reasons why we feel anxious is because we stop to think rationally. Anxiety is a symptom of stress. It is a response of your body, triggered by your brain to indicate that you there is some abnormality in your life at the moment. When you are feeling down, all negative thoughts start to cloud your imagination. Your mind starts to put the cart before the horse and anticipates a future event in simulation mode. Your mind gets immersed in that vision and you start to feel anxious.

So how does rationalization rate among the various anxiety cures available? When you are up against a situation that could impose an anxiety attack, try to force your mind to break the situation up into its constituent parts. Then make your mind rationalize each of the component parts of the situation in an effort to find a solution. In essence you are preventing your mind from imagining a future negative outcome that may not even happen in the first place. When you force your mind to think rationally you will find that treating anxiety attacks is not a rocket science as you might have thought.

]]> http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/15/rationalization-for-treating-anxiety-attacks/feed/ Effective PTSD Treatments - are they for real? http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/14/effective-ptsd-treatments-are-they-for-real/ http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/14/effective-ptsd-treatments-are-they-for-real/#comments Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:02:17 +0000 Jay Bose http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/?p=14 Isn’t it amazing how certain unfortunate events can completely change the basic fabric of one’s life? Whatever the reason is behind the trauma, post traumatic stress disorders are a serious disorder and can cause significant impact to a the patient’s character, convictions, behavior and of course psychological and physiological health. This makes finding effective PTSD treatments a challenge, since several factors are at play.

The most compelling challenge for PTSD sufferers is to open up and candidly talk about their experience. They prefer to remain bottled up and seek solace in their solitude. Nothing can convince them to think otherwise. This makes it difficult for a psychotherapist to find a suitable solution. Medications such as anti-depressants and tranquilizers can help, but they are temporary solutions and do not have long term effects anyway. Moreover there is always as risk that the patient gets addicted to these drugs, which the usage becomes more of an abuse.

One of the more effective PTSD treatments is group therapy. In this therapy, the patient is placed in a group of people who have suffered from the same kind of trauma and the group is encouraged to discuss their experience among themselves. Since everyone in the group have been through a similar traumatic experience, they tend to relate more to the other members of the group. This is called sympathetic bonding. Patients have reported an uplift in the moods simply by being able to share their story with someone who feels the same pain, thereby releasing all that bottled up negative energy from within.

Cognitive behavior therapy is a more longer term therapy that needs the help of a psychotherapist. The core concept of this therapy is to make your thoughts (cognitive) aligned positively through behavior modification and rational thinking.

]]> http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/14/effective-ptsd-treatments-are-they-for-real/feed/ College teens suffering from social anxiety http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/13/college-teens-suffering-from-social-anxiety/ http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/13/college-teens-suffering-from-social-anxiety/#comments Sat, 19 Apr 2008 02:56:28 +0000 Jay Bose http://stressandanxietyfree.com/blog/?p=13 It is very common for college teens to suffer from social anxiety disorders, especially for those who are introverts by nature. Students living out of town in dormatories away from their families tend to feel homesick. If grades also start to drop they lose confidence in themselves, which causes their grades to drop more often. This leads to a sense of failure, inferiority complex and teenagers are often found to develop social anxiety disorders which could turn into depression.
Teens in this situation need to understand that they cannot live under the constant supervision of their parents and they have to learn to make it in the world by themselves. Parents have the responsibility to instill such ideas in their child before sending them off to college. The student must also realize that getting the opportunity to study in college is a privilege that not many people in the world can boast about. In other words it is important for them to understand that depression and socia anxiety will not help them solve any problems and their mission in life is to complete their duties that they have signed themselves up for. If the field of study is not suitable, then proper action should be taken to change over to a discipline that the student has an interest in.
Open your minds, there is more to the world than your own inhibitions. Reach out and embrace the infiniteness of the world. Believe in yourself and you will soon surprise yourself by what you can achieve in life.

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