Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Coping with Sunday's Windstorm

I hope you've survived the unbelievable windstorm we had Sunday afternoon! I'm enclosed some tips for coping with disasters. See you soon!
Coping with Natural Disasters
These events create a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety for those directly and indirectly affected. In the days and weeks following the disaster, you may begin to have some of these common reactions:
Common Reactions
Disbelief and shock
Fear and anxiety about the future
Disorientation; difficulty making decisions or concentrating
Apathy and emotional numbing
Nightmares and reoccurring thoughts about the event
Irritability and anger
Sadness and depression
Feeling powerless
Changes in eating patterns; loss of appetite or overeating
Crying for “no apparent reason”
Headaches, back pains and stomach problems
Difficulty sleeping or falling asleep
Increased use of alcohol and drugs
Tips for Coping
It is ‘normal’ to have difficulty managing your feelings after major traumatic events. However, if you don’t deal with the stress, it can be harmful to your mental and physical health. Here are some tips for coping in these difficult times:
Talk about it. By talking with others about the event, you can relieve stress and realize that others share your feelings.
Spend time with friends and family. They can help you through this tough time. If your family lives outside the area, stay in touch by phone. If you have any children, encourage them to share their concerns and feelings about the disaster with you.
Take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest and exercise, and eat properly. If you smoke or drink coffee, try to limit your intake, since nicotine and caffeine can also add to your stress.
Limit exposure to images of the disaster. Watching or reading news about the event over and over again will only increase your stress.
Find time for activities you enjoy. Read a book, go for a walk, catch a movie or do something else you find enjoyable. These healthy activities can help you get your mind off the disaster and keep the stress in check.
Take one thing at a time. For people under stress, an ordinary workload can sometimes seem unbearable. Pick one urgent task and work on it. Once you accomplish that task, choose the next one. “Checking off” tasks will give you a sense of accomplishment and make things feel less overwhelming.
Do something positive. Give blood, prepare “care packages” for people who have lost relatives or their homes or jobs, or volunteer in a rebuilding effort. Helping other people can give you a sense of purpose in a situation that feels ‘out of your control.’
Avoid drugs and excessive drinking. Drugs and alcohol may temporarily seem to remove stress, but in the long run they generally create additional problems that compound the stress you were already feeling.
Ask for help when you need it. If your feelings do not go away or are so intense that they interfere with your ability to function in daily life, talk with a trusted relative, friend, doctor or spiritual advisor about getting help. Make an appointment with a mental health professional to discuss how well you are coping with the recent events. You could also join a support group. Don’t try to cope alone. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Therapy for the Soul

Life can be tough. One of the best things we can do is cling to those we love and let them know how much they mean to us. Family and friends are more important than any amount of money in the world. Give yourself and your mental health and boost and watch this little video...http://www.bettertobless.com/movie3.html
And have a wonderful week! Hope to see you!

Monday, September 1, 2008

Choose Your thoughts carefully!

Hello Everyone! Hope you've had a good Labor Day holiday and ready to go back to school/work tomorrow! I've had a wonderful, restful day and gotten some good planning done for my own Fall semester in the School of Life! Just wanted to share this good piece with you on the importance of your thoughts!

"Thinking is one of the daily aspects of linear living. Everything you participate with right down to the brand of toothpaste you use is a thought process. It's something you do automatically without understanding the grandness of what is occurring. Every time you think of something it manifests itself into your daily routine. All occurrences and experience in linear are a result of your thoughts. Often we are asked to define what will occur with one's life. A more informative answer would be for us to ask the questioner what their thoughts include. Are they positive? Negative? Or are they a jumble of randomness with no direction? We find that the more troubled the individual is the more scrambled is their thought process. Our advice is to understand how important thinking is. If you are currently dissatisfied with your life for any reason take the time to examine your thoughts. If you are truthful with yourself you will be able to see the process that has brought you to where you are now. How do you change it? Start by carefully examining what you think about but more importantly how you think. Consider it. Your thought creates your reality. Would it not be a comfort to change those things that are unsuitable for you? It is within your power. Thoughts are the most powerful tool in the universe and they are right there in your head."