Last week, I wrote exams in a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy course I've been taking. A big component of the course dealt with depression. In fact, I have a very thick text, written by Aaron T. Beck, which outlines everything there is to know about treating depression, utilizing the methods of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which, I understand, tends to work very well for resolving depression.
One of the prime times for depression to strike both men and women is during mid-life (ages 40 - 55). I remember reading Dr. Christiane Northrup's book,"The Wisdom of Menopause" many years ago (not that I was there yet, but why not prepare!) and she wrote something which has stayed with me ever since and which in my own life I have found to be true. She stated that women tend to become more introspective during their mid-life years. This can lead to women questioning, among many other things, their choice of career and their choice of life partner. Thinking too hard, evaluating and analyzing life, or 'navelgazing', if you will, can lead some people to evaluate themselves (and where they are at in their lives) too harshly. Children leaving home, aging bodies and minds, and/or losing a life partner or a parent, can prompt us to question what has or not happened in our lives. Individuals are prompted by these and other life events to see their lives in a new light as they face the fact that their lives may not have turned out as planned, or as expected, or that life dreams and goals have been quelled due to some circumstance or another.
Women spend a lot of time at this juncture analyzing how they feel, and if they use what they are thinking and feeling in order to take positive action as a result of their dissatisfaction - great - it can really be an empowering time. If, instead, they ruminate or dwell on what they think is wrong with life, and on how they feel as a result of what they are thinking and experiencing, this can very well lead to anxiety and depression.
According to American psychologist, Dr. Dan Gottlieb, "for some, these thoughts inspire change, but for others they lead to hopelessness, which can turn into depression." (1)
Stress as a factor which leads to depression and anxiety needs to be highlighted here. It is more and more common now for women to still be raising children or teenagers during the mid-life years. The stress of doing so, coupled with unbalanced hormone levels and sleep deprivation, can increase stress tremendously. When a person is tense - and when estrogen is dominant - the level of the stress hormone, cortisol, rises. When cortisol remains chronically high, it affects the balance of mood chemicals in the brain in such a way that makes a person more susceptible to depression and anxiety. It is very important for women to be able to take some time to nurture themselves during these years - any type of activity that promotes health and aids physical and mental relaxation - like a run through a beautiful park, a walk along a river, playing a few tunes on the piano, or some time spent meditating or simply breathing deeply can go a long way towards preventing acute mental and physical stress. As well, reframing thoughts in a more positive direction can also cut stress and counter depression and anxiety.
Anxiety and depression, however, are multi-faceted disorders, with genetic, chemical, physiological, auto-immune, and circumstantial factors like upbringing and other personal events, feeding into both of them. Some women tend for any number of reasons to be more vulnerable to developing either or both of these disorders.
Mid-life, though, can also be a time for enhanced expression and creativity, as new drives are awakened and time is found to develop interests that schedules would not previously allow for. This can lead to an increased self-assurance/self-confidence, and a boldness or more of a 'laissez-faire' attitude where what others think doesn't matter so much anymore. A woman may find a new self-acceptance, a certain peace about who she is with a "I am who I am and if nobody likes it, so be it" attitude. For many women, if they can get the help they need to navigate successfully through mid-life, they can thrive and achieve things they never before thought were possible. And, some women find that the best years of their life began in their fifties.
D.
(1) "Understanding Depression at Midlife", Cheryl Platzman Weinstock, October 5, 2010, www.womansday.com
About Me
- Deborah K. Hanula
- Deborah K. Hanula has a year of Journalism training from Humber College, a Political Science degree from the University of Waterloo, and a Law degree from the University of British Columbia. In addition, she has Diplomas in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Child Psychology, and Psychotherapy and Counselling as well as a Family Life Educator and Coach Certificate and Certificates in Reflexology, Assertiveness Training, and Mindfulness Meditation. She is the author of five cookbooks, primarily concerned with gluten-free and dairy-free diets, although one pertains to chocolate. As an adult, in the past she worked primarily as a lawyer, but also as a university and college lecturer, a tutor, editor, writer, counsellor, researcher and piano teacher. She enjoys a multi-faceted approach when it comes to life, work and study, in order to keep things fresh and interesting. Check out her new book: A Murder of Crows & Other Poems (2023).
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Putting the Science into Romance
Helen Fisher is a very famous anthropologist from Rutgers Univeristy who loves to give talks on the science of romance. She has carried out a number of brain scans of people who are newly in love and during the scans, she found that the ventral tegmental areas of the brain are working particularly hard. This area near the base of the brain appears to be running like a little factory, sending dopamine to higher regions in the brain. This creates craving, motivation, goal-oriented behaviour, and an acute feeling of ecstasy.
The ventral tegmental area, however, doesn't work alone. The nucleus accumbens, located slightly higher and farther forward in the brain, converts the exhilaration of a new partner into something akin to an obsession. "Thrill signals that start in the lower brain are processed in the nucleus accumbens via not just dopamine but also serotonin and, importantly, oxytocin, which is one of the chemicals that floods new mothers and creates such a fierce sense of connection to their babies." (1) (In men who become parents, the 'bonding-to-baby chemical" is vasopressin.) When oxytocin is at play between new lovers, it can create an equally strong connection between them.
And, finally, we have the caudate nuclei, a pair of shrimp-size structures on either side of the head which have a seemingly indelible memory. They are the last major stop for love signals in the brain, but are also involved in storing patterns and mundane abilities such as knowing how to ride a bicycle or knowing how to swim - motor skills which tend to stay with us for life (provided no damage occurs to these nuclei.) Apply the same principle to connecting and patterning in love and one can see how passion can turn so quickly into commitment.
Having one part of the brain "involved in processing love would be enough to make the feeling powerful. The fact that three are at work makes that powerful feeling downright consuming." (2) Perhaps we are fooling ourselves to think that we, in fact, have any choice (or free will) in the matter when it comes to who we fall in love with.
D.
(1) and (2), "The Science of Romance", Jeffrey Kluger, Time magazine special edition, "Your Brain: A User's Guide", p. 37.
The ventral tegmental area, however, doesn't work alone. The nucleus accumbens, located slightly higher and farther forward in the brain, converts the exhilaration of a new partner into something akin to an obsession. "Thrill signals that start in the lower brain are processed in the nucleus accumbens via not just dopamine but also serotonin and, importantly, oxytocin, which is one of the chemicals that floods new mothers and creates such a fierce sense of connection to their babies." (1) (In men who become parents, the 'bonding-to-baby chemical" is vasopressin.) When oxytocin is at play between new lovers, it can create an equally strong connection between them.
And, finally, we have the caudate nuclei, a pair of shrimp-size structures on either side of the head which have a seemingly indelible memory. They are the last major stop for love signals in the brain, but are also involved in storing patterns and mundane abilities such as knowing how to ride a bicycle or knowing how to swim - motor skills which tend to stay with us for life (provided no damage occurs to these nuclei.) Apply the same principle to connecting and patterning in love and one can see how passion can turn so quickly into commitment.
Having one part of the brain "involved in processing love would be enough to make the feeling powerful. The fact that three are at work makes that powerful feeling downright consuming." (2) Perhaps we are fooling ourselves to think that we, in fact, have any choice (or free will) in the matter when it comes to who we fall in love with.
D.
(1) and (2), "The Science of Romance", Jeffrey Kluger, Time magazine special edition, "Your Brain: A User's Guide", p. 37.
Endocannabinoid System and THC Mimics
The endocannabinoid system is an elaborate network of receptors and proteins that operate within the brain, heart, gut, liver, and throughout the central nervous system. The system plays a powerful role in regulating cravings, mood, pain and memory. When bound by cannabinoids, they boost appetite and mood. (1) THC which is acronym for the active ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, binds to these receptors.
Three THC knock-offs are gaining popularity on the black market and are commonly found in illicit products marketed as "Spice". The first mimic is HU-210. It has a similar chemical composition to THC, but is 100 times more powerful. The second mimic is JWH-073. It is one of the easiest to produce. CP 47,497 is the third. It is highly potent and its long-lasting psychological effects make it highly addictive. (2)
D.
(1) and (2), "Tracking the Craving Killer", Discover (November 2011), pp. 12 - 13.
Three THC knock-offs are gaining popularity on the black market and are commonly found in illicit products marketed as "Spice". The first mimic is HU-210. It has a similar chemical composition to THC, but is 100 times more powerful. The second mimic is JWH-073. It is one of the easiest to produce. CP 47,497 is the third. It is highly potent and its long-lasting psychological effects make it highly addictive. (2)
D.
(1) and (2), "Tracking the Craving Killer", Discover (November 2011), pp. 12 - 13.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Notes on Boredom
Most days there are not enough hours in the day for me to pursue everything I would like to, so I seldom suffer from boredom. I can remember as a young child, though, staring out the window come mid-August, wondering what to do with myself, wishing that school was back in session already because I was feeling bored. I was back home from vacationing with my family and had run out of ideas as to how to keep myself busy and entertained after six weeks off of school!
You may find yourself suffering from boredom when you face any one of the following situations:
- when you are prevented from engaging in a wanted activity;
- when you are forced to engage in an unwanted activity; or
- when you are unable - for no apparent reason - to maintain interest in any activity or spectacle (or, I might add, when you can't think of anything interesting or engaging to do.)
Experts can't seem to agree as to whether boredom - a feeling - is a symptom of depression, or whether boredom can lead to depression. So, I won't try to solve that question here.
It is often the case that boredom is trivialized and people suffering from it are often told to "snap out of it" or to "find something to do" (the latter being a common refrain by parents everywhere to a bored child) or "you're bored, I'll give you something to do!" (another common refrain by a parent to a child which was quickly followed by the assigning of one 'boring' chore or another).
"The first laboratory testing of boredom occurred in the late 1930’s and was then deduced to be a form of fatigue which was dissipated through the use of stimulants. In 1951 a book was published claiming that boredom was actually due to the repression of an individual’s natural drives and desires. After this date the research into boredom fell from grace and it wasn’t until 1986 that a psychologist developed the first full psychometric scale called, the "Boredom Proneness Scale (BPS)", as a method to measure boredom as an individual trait." (1)
An ongoing feeling of boredom, however, can fuel a longing for thrills to drive away boredom and may lead people to indulge in destructive, sensation-seeking activities, which include some form of risky behaviour. "A 2005 study of 92 Scottish teenagers, for example, found that boredom was among the top reasons stated for taking drugs." (2) Suffering from any degree of Attention Deficit Disorder (a disorder in which a person has trouble focusing or concentrating on a task or subject) can make an individual feel bored due to the simple fact that it is hard to maintain interest in something that he or she cannot concentrate on.
The BPS tests people to see how likely their nature is to become bored across a range of different situations. Results have indicated - to no great surprise - that some people are more prone to boredom than others. People who find themselves feeling bored, may simply need more 'healthy' excitement in their lives, whether this is a set of new friends, some new activities or interests, or just a variation of normal routine. Others may need to dig a little deeper psychologically because they suffer from an existential 'ennui' due to a feeling of lack of purpose in life. Boredom that cannot be eradicated in a healthy manner can lead to destructive behaviours like gambling, recreational drug use, smoking, partying/drinking alcohol to excess, over-eating, and risky sexual and other behaviours - especially in teenagers whose brains haven't matured to full reasoning/decision-making/judgment capacity.
(And, here's to hoping that reading "Psyche and Mind" is NOT a contributing factor to any feelings of boredom you may currently be experiencing!)
D.
(1) and (2), "Overcoming Boredom", www.totallybored.co.uk
You may find yourself suffering from boredom when you face any one of the following situations:
- when you are prevented from engaging in a wanted activity;
- when you are forced to engage in an unwanted activity; or
- when you are unable - for no apparent reason - to maintain interest in any activity or spectacle (or, I might add, when you can't think of anything interesting or engaging to do.)
Experts can't seem to agree as to whether boredom - a feeling - is a symptom of depression, or whether boredom can lead to depression. So, I won't try to solve that question here.
It is often the case that boredom is trivialized and people suffering from it are often told to "snap out of it" or to "find something to do" (the latter being a common refrain by parents everywhere to a bored child) or "you're bored, I'll give you something to do!" (another common refrain by a parent to a child which was quickly followed by the assigning of one 'boring' chore or another).
"The first laboratory testing of boredom occurred in the late 1930’s and was then deduced to be a form of fatigue which was dissipated through the use of stimulants. In 1951 a book was published claiming that boredom was actually due to the repression of an individual’s natural drives and desires. After this date the research into boredom fell from grace and it wasn’t until 1986 that a psychologist developed the first full psychometric scale called, the "Boredom Proneness Scale (BPS)", as a method to measure boredom as an individual trait." (1)
An ongoing feeling of boredom, however, can fuel a longing for thrills to drive away boredom and may lead people to indulge in destructive, sensation-seeking activities, which include some form of risky behaviour. "A 2005 study of 92 Scottish teenagers, for example, found that boredom was among the top reasons stated for taking drugs." (2) Suffering from any degree of Attention Deficit Disorder (a disorder in which a person has trouble focusing or concentrating on a task or subject) can make an individual feel bored due to the simple fact that it is hard to maintain interest in something that he or she cannot concentrate on.
The BPS tests people to see how likely their nature is to become bored across a range of different situations. Results have indicated - to no great surprise - that some people are more prone to boredom than others. People who find themselves feeling bored, may simply need more 'healthy' excitement in their lives, whether this is a set of new friends, some new activities or interests, or just a variation of normal routine. Others may need to dig a little deeper psychologically because they suffer from an existential 'ennui' due to a feeling of lack of purpose in life. Boredom that cannot be eradicated in a healthy manner can lead to destructive behaviours like gambling, recreational drug use, smoking, partying/drinking alcohol to excess, over-eating, and risky sexual and other behaviours - especially in teenagers whose brains haven't matured to full reasoning/decision-making/judgment capacity.
(And, here's to hoping that reading "Psyche and Mind" is NOT a contributing factor to any feelings of boredom you may currently be experiencing!)
D.
(1) and (2), "Overcoming Boredom", www.totallybored.co.uk
Eye Strain
If you spend long periods of time looking at a computer screen, you may find that you suffer the following effects: headaches during or after; irritated or dry eyes; blurred vision; slow refocusing when looking from screen to distant objects; difficulty seeing clearly at a distance; double vision; changes in how colours look; and/or frequent changes in eyeglasses prescription.
D.
D.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Minty Energy Boost
According to Prevention: Outsmart Diabetes, minty aromas can help people exercise longer and complete tasks faster and with more accuracy. And, supposedly, mint is a stimulating herb that evokes a primordial response to odours "we can also feel". (1) According to Pamela Dalton, a senior research scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Centre in Philadelphia, "such smells make us more vigilant, leading to greater energy". (2)
I sometimes chew spearmint gum after a meal, because I like the way it makes my teeth feel squeaky clean. I don't drink any type of mint tea, though, because it makes me cold and gives me a headache. I do put a few chopped mint leaves in my homemade turkey burgers, and many people use the leaves to garnish a drink or throw into a salad. I grow many different mint varieties in my garden, including chocolate and orange.
So, on the next dark and stormy night, or perhaps just on a day where you're feeling a little tired, try breathing in the heady aroma of mint. Brush a fresh leaf with your fingers to release the scent, breathe in a bit of mint aromatherapy, or wear a lotion fragranced with mint - "the cooling sensation it gives your skin coupled with the tingle it puts in your airways can be doubly invigorating." (3)
D.
(1), (2) and (3), Prevention: Outsmart Diabetes, "End Your Energy Shortage", Sarah Reistad-Long, p.156.
I sometimes chew spearmint gum after a meal, because I like the way it makes my teeth feel squeaky clean. I don't drink any type of mint tea, though, because it makes me cold and gives me a headache. I do put a few chopped mint leaves in my homemade turkey burgers, and many people use the leaves to garnish a drink or throw into a salad. I grow many different mint varieties in my garden, including chocolate and orange.
So, on the next dark and stormy night, or perhaps just on a day where you're feeling a little tired, try breathing in the heady aroma of mint. Brush a fresh leaf with your fingers to release the scent, breathe in a bit of mint aromatherapy, or wear a lotion fragranced with mint - "the cooling sensation it gives your skin coupled with the tingle it puts in your airways can be doubly invigorating." (3)
D.
(1), (2) and (3), Prevention: Outsmart Diabetes, "End Your Energy Shortage", Sarah Reistad-Long, p.156.
A Civil Society
Cyberbullying has been in the news a lot lately; so has sexual harassment. The former, I have never experienced; the latter, I have. In fact, when I was 20, I quit an internship with Key To Toronto magazine because my boss wouldn't take "no" for an answer. That turned out to be only the 'tip of the iceberg' of the sexual harassment yet to come during my early twenties, both at work and at university. I never dressed or acted provocatively at any of my jobs, but by the time I got to law school, and the male predators who wouldn't take "no" for an answer, I protected myself as best I could, by wearing baggy sweaters and jeans most of the time. (Didn't work and it wasn't about me or how I dressed anyhow...it was about power plays, and 'scoring', and aggression.)
Both cyberbullying and harassment - any kind of harassment - are about power. Sometimes they are about a sense of entitlement, too. (For example, I'm entitled to coerce you into sex because I hold more power than you; or, I am man, you are woman - you know - cave man stuff.) Some feel threatened by you and need to ensure that they hold the power, that's why they do it.
But, this article is not going to be about the effects of harassment and cyberbullying on those targeted; nor, is it going to address the traits/problems of the perpetrators. It's going to look at the question of how humans stay good. Until we make it clear through serious sanctions in our homes, in our organizations, in our communities, and in our societies as a whole that neither of these aggressions is acceptable and that they will not be tolerated, these types of behaviours will not cease. It's time to get beyond old ideas and notions about kids and about adults, about men and about women, and adopt a zero tolerance policy in society as a whole. After all, it is within society that our schools, workplaces, and communities operate. And, there is something else that's been seeping into articles lately - and that is language that essentially places at least some, if not all, of the blame on the target - on the victim. I don't care how different someone is, how disabled someone might be, how quiet, or small, or vulnerable, or gay, or coloured, or pale, or skinny, or overweight, or sexy, or attractive, or naive, or Jewish, or Christian, another human has no right to zero in on another simply because he or she doesn't ‘like’ them, or like what they stand for, or because they need to feel powerful and in control. Consider this: is it okay for you to attack/harass someone because you have decided that you don't like green eyes? (Yes, that's as absurd as it can get sometimes...)
Humans are wired for gentleness and for aggressiveness.. Throughout history, we have had to nurture (gentleness) and protect (aggressiveness) our young, both of which acts ensure that our species endures. Most of us have been equipped with moral programming, but this does not mean that we will always practice moral behaviour. Knowing right from wrong doesn't guarantee that we will always act accordingly. It is up to society to make it clear what is acceptable and what is not. If you live in a society where protection of vulnerable people is a value, then policies must be adopted which ensure that protection. It may be okay to be aggressive towards someone in order to protect our children, but to act aggressively just because we don't like how someone looks or acts, or because we want power and control over them, or because they threaten our psyche - well, that's not okay.
Some people don't have a moral compass, or at least, a good one that's fully operational. And, most people are very good at rationalization: at explaining to themselves and to others why their behaviour is justified. For example, "ya, but she's a slut so she deserves it" (translation: "I don't like how she acts or dresses, so heaven forbid I should have to tolerate someone who bothers me, so she deserves to be bullied"); or, "ya, but he looks like a rat" (translation: "he really bugs me because he's ugly and I don't enjoy looking at ugly people, so he deserves to be bullied!")
The human condition itself causes us to be grossly imperfect creatures. And, personality disorders/syndromes, immature brains, injured brains, sociopathic tendencies, self-centeredness, self-esteem issues, and the narrow-minded attitudes we glean from popular television shows, internet sites (like porn sites and other sites promoting hatred, persecution, or violence), and from our families, friends, and some religious teachings, fertilize the ground which foments these types of behaviours.
To truly live in a civil society, we have much more work to do. We may never achieve our full potential in that regard, but we can at least strive to go as far as we can along that developmental road. Because let's face it, people bully because they can, and people harass because they can.
D.
Both cyberbullying and harassment - any kind of harassment - are about power. Sometimes they are about a sense of entitlement, too. (For example, I'm entitled to coerce you into sex because I hold more power than you; or, I am man, you are woman - you know - cave man stuff.) Some feel threatened by you and need to ensure that they hold the power, that's why they do it.
But, this article is not going to be about the effects of harassment and cyberbullying on those targeted; nor, is it going to address the traits/problems of the perpetrators. It's going to look at the question of how humans stay good. Until we make it clear through serious sanctions in our homes, in our organizations, in our communities, and in our societies as a whole that neither of these aggressions is acceptable and that they will not be tolerated, these types of behaviours will not cease. It's time to get beyond old ideas and notions about kids and about adults, about men and about women, and adopt a zero tolerance policy in society as a whole. After all, it is within society that our schools, workplaces, and communities operate. And, there is something else that's been seeping into articles lately - and that is language that essentially places at least some, if not all, of the blame on the target - on the victim. I don't care how different someone is, how disabled someone might be, how quiet, or small, or vulnerable, or gay, or coloured, or pale, or skinny, or overweight, or sexy, or attractive, or naive, or Jewish, or Christian, another human has no right to zero in on another simply because he or she doesn't ‘like’ them, or like what they stand for, or because they need to feel powerful and in control. Consider this: is it okay for you to attack/harass someone because you have decided that you don't like green eyes? (Yes, that's as absurd as it can get sometimes...)
Humans are wired for gentleness and for aggressiveness.. Throughout history, we have had to nurture (gentleness) and protect (aggressiveness) our young, both of which acts ensure that our species endures. Most of us have been equipped with moral programming, but this does not mean that we will always practice moral behaviour. Knowing right from wrong doesn't guarantee that we will always act accordingly. It is up to society to make it clear what is acceptable and what is not. If you live in a society where protection of vulnerable people is a value, then policies must be adopted which ensure that protection. It may be okay to be aggressive towards someone in order to protect our children, but to act aggressively just because we don't like how someone looks or acts, or because we want power and control over them, or because they threaten our psyche - well, that's not okay.
Some people don't have a moral compass, or at least, a good one that's fully operational. And, most people are very good at rationalization: at explaining to themselves and to others why their behaviour is justified. For example, "ya, but she's a slut so she deserves it" (translation: "I don't like how she acts or dresses, so heaven forbid I should have to tolerate someone who bothers me, so she deserves to be bullied"); or, "ya, but he looks like a rat" (translation: "he really bugs me because he's ugly and I don't enjoy looking at ugly people, so he deserves to be bullied!")
The human condition itself causes us to be grossly imperfect creatures. And, personality disorders/syndromes, immature brains, injured brains, sociopathic tendencies, self-centeredness, self-esteem issues, and the narrow-minded attitudes we glean from popular television shows, internet sites (like porn sites and other sites promoting hatred, persecution, or violence), and from our families, friends, and some religious teachings, fertilize the ground which foments these types of behaviours.
To truly live in a civil society, we have much more work to do. We may never achieve our full potential in that regard, but we can at least strive to go as far as we can along that developmental road. Because let's face it, people bully because they can, and people harass because they can.
D.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
The HSP - the Highly Sensitive/Perceptive Person
HSP stands for highly sensitive/perceptive person. An HSP is someone whose brain and nervous system is 'wired' in a way that makes them more sensitive. This means that they are acutely aware of, attuned to, and affected by their environment, other people, and things going on within themselves. It can further be characterized as sensitivity to both internal and external stimuli, including social, emotional and physical cues: they are more emotionally and physically reactive. Because they process cues, signals and other information more thoroughly than others, they become easily overwhelmed, experience more stress, startle easily, and are keenly aware of, and affected by, changes in their environment - even subtle ones - like energy, light, noise, smell, texture and temperature.
This sensory processing sensitivity is a basic, heritable, personality trait or temperament. It is not a pathology. It has evolved as a particular survival strategy for approximately 15 to 20 percent of individuals that differs from that of the majority of other people. It is an inborn trait, noticeable at birth through observational studies of how infants respond to their environment and to other people. It has also been observed throughout the animal kingdom.
Approximately 30 percent of HSPs are extroverts; most, however, are introverts. They all tend to be introspective, have rich inner lives, depth of thought, lean toward perfectionism, and require plenty of time alone in order to relax and replenish. Social gatherings can leave them tense, exhausted, or highly aroused with difficulty falling asleep afterward. They tend to not relax well in group activities such as a yoga class or other type of exercise class. These types of classes which may promote relaxation and calmness in other people, can have the opposite effect on HSPs who relax better exercising alone. Even extroverted HSPs need time alone to replenish energy after periods of high intensity for them: after meetings, concerts, parties and social gatherings.
HSPs are easily disturbed, distressed or thrown into disarray by changes and don't enjoy living situations which lack stability. Constant upheaval (for instance, when a spouse travels frequently for business purposes) is overwhelming and upsetting. And, because the nervous system of an HSP is so easily kicked into high gear, or affected profoundly, by things such as startling or loud sounds (like a firecracker going off or a rock concert), hormonal fluctuations, stimulating foods, spices and beverages, social interactions, strong scents or smells, bright lights, or temperature changes, they may often experience difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. They may also experience physical symptoms such as digestive disturbances, food allergies and intolerances, or nervous system effects such as tension, heart arrythmias or headaches more easily from foods/beverages/circumstances that others can easily tolerate. They may have trouble tolerating medications/alternative remedies that others easily tolerate. Violent or horrific images are extremely disturbing and these images can stay with the HSP for several days, if not longer.
Being an HSP is not a psychological disorder, but can certainly lead to one as a result of life experiences and ongoing stressors. All types of anxieties, neuroses, and depressions can develop as HSPs find it harder and harder to cope in an environment that doesn't suit their needs. They may experience high levels of stress and find it hard to deal with, or cope with, situations that they find too stressful. Generally speaking, they are misunderstood by others, seen as weak and vulnerable, and as children - even as adults - may be bullied, ridiculed or made fun of. But, having a high-functioning, easily-aroused, sensitive nervous system is a physical trait which a person has no control over - and did not choose, but was born with - just like the colour of one's skin, hair or eyes.
HSPs are at higher risk of developing depression and anxiety than is the general population. HSPs tend toward loneliness and social isolation if they feel unaccepted and misunderstood, and also because they become easily stressed and require more alone time (remember most have more traits of the introvert than of the extrovert). It can be hard for them to arrange social engagements in order to maintain friendships. While they may strongly desire social interactions and relationships, they may have a hard time sustaining them as others fail to understand them and they suffer easily from fatigue, stress and exhaustion, especially as they get older. If they do not live in a stable environment, it makes it even harder for them to plan social engagements and to maintain friendships. And, if they start to lose confidence they will withdraw, becoming more isolated, lonely, depressed and anxious.
Having written all of the above, it is important to note that HSPs usually do make sensitive and caring friends - noticing the energy and emotions of others. They are conscientious, exhibit high levels of intelligence, talent, skill, focus, perception, passion, intensity, depth, compassion and empathy. They are highly creative and attuned to the environment, as well as being great lovers of the arts, often noticing subtleties and hues missed by others. They are especially attracted to professions which require high levels of creativity.
D.
This sensory processing sensitivity is a basic, heritable, personality trait or temperament. It is not a pathology. It has evolved as a particular survival strategy for approximately 15 to 20 percent of individuals that differs from that of the majority of other people. It is an inborn trait, noticeable at birth through observational studies of how infants respond to their environment and to other people. It has also been observed throughout the animal kingdom.
Approximately 30 percent of HSPs are extroverts; most, however, are introverts. They all tend to be introspective, have rich inner lives, depth of thought, lean toward perfectionism, and require plenty of time alone in order to relax and replenish. Social gatherings can leave them tense, exhausted, or highly aroused with difficulty falling asleep afterward. They tend to not relax well in group activities such as a yoga class or other type of exercise class. These types of classes which may promote relaxation and calmness in other people, can have the opposite effect on HSPs who relax better exercising alone. Even extroverted HSPs need time alone to replenish energy after periods of high intensity for them: after meetings, concerts, parties and social gatherings.
HSPs are easily disturbed, distressed or thrown into disarray by changes and don't enjoy living situations which lack stability. Constant upheaval (for instance, when a spouse travels frequently for business purposes) is overwhelming and upsetting. And, because the nervous system of an HSP is so easily kicked into high gear, or affected profoundly, by things such as startling or loud sounds (like a firecracker going off or a rock concert), hormonal fluctuations, stimulating foods, spices and beverages, social interactions, strong scents or smells, bright lights, or temperature changes, they may often experience difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. They may also experience physical symptoms such as digestive disturbances, food allergies and intolerances, or nervous system effects such as tension, heart arrythmias or headaches more easily from foods/beverages/circumstances that others can easily tolerate. They may have trouble tolerating medications/alternative remedies that others easily tolerate. Violent or horrific images are extremely disturbing and these images can stay with the HSP for several days, if not longer.
Being an HSP is not a psychological disorder, but can certainly lead to one as a result of life experiences and ongoing stressors. All types of anxieties, neuroses, and depressions can develop as HSPs find it harder and harder to cope in an environment that doesn't suit their needs. They may experience high levels of stress and find it hard to deal with, or cope with, situations that they find too stressful. Generally speaking, they are misunderstood by others, seen as weak and vulnerable, and as children - even as adults - may be bullied, ridiculed or made fun of. But, having a high-functioning, easily-aroused, sensitive nervous system is a physical trait which a person has no control over - and did not choose, but was born with - just like the colour of one's skin, hair or eyes.
Because of how their brains and nervous systems are wired, HSPs may experience life as fraught with types of difficulty and upset that other ‘average’ people have a hard time understanding or experiencing. If expected to function in an environment that doesn’t allow them to have what they need in order to grow and prosper, they will most likely deteriorate both physically and emotionally/mentally and conditions such as anxiety and depression may very well be the result. If they are repeatedly told that they are too sensitive, that they shouldn’t feel the way they do, shouldn’t need what they do, shouldn’t ask for what they need in order to be successful individuals, and told that they should be different than they are and better able to cope with all that is thrown at them, then they will deteriorate.
Western societies/cultures do not value sensitive people. HSPs tend to be highly intelligent, talented, and gifted individuals. Telling an HSP to “just get over it” or exasperatedly asking them why they are so sensitive, or laughing at them while expecting them to develop a thicker skin is damaging and futile because they can’t change their wiring. Instead, imagine the courage/fortitude it takes for them to continue living, coping and thriving. If they are treated with love and understanding as children (and also as adults) they will cope and thrive. Otherwise, their sensitivity can take a more pathological turn towards neuroses and could develop into a psychological disorder such as generalized anxiety, social anxiety, or depression.
HSPs are at higher risk of developing depression and anxiety than is the general population. HSPs tend toward loneliness and social isolation if they feel unaccepted and misunderstood, and also because they become easily stressed and require more alone time (remember most have more traits of the introvert than of the extrovert). It can be hard for them to arrange social engagements in order to maintain friendships. While they may strongly desire social interactions and relationships, they may have a hard time sustaining them as others fail to understand them and they suffer easily from fatigue, stress and exhaustion, especially as they get older. If they do not live in a stable environment, it makes it even harder for them to plan social engagements and to maintain friendships. And, if they start to lose confidence they will withdraw, becoming more isolated, lonely, depressed and anxious.
Having written all of the above, it is important to note that HSPs usually do make sensitive and caring friends - noticing the energy and emotions of others. They are conscientious, exhibit high levels of intelligence, talent, skill, focus, perception, passion, intensity, depth, compassion and empathy. They are highly creative and attuned to the environment, as well as being great lovers of the arts, often noticing subtleties and hues missed by others. They are especially attracted to professions which require high levels of creativity.
D.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Estrogen Dominance
In one of yesterday's blog posts, Women and Insomnia, I mentioned the term, "estrogen dominance".
According to Michael Lam, MD, women from ages 35 to 50, experience a 75 percent reduction in the production of progesterone while estrogen declines by only about 35 percent. By menopause, the total amount of progesterone made is extremely low, while estrogen is still present in the body at about one-half of its pre-menopause level. With only a gradual drop in estrogen and a greater drop in progesterone, there is insufficient progesterone to counteract the amount of estrogen. Estrogen dominance results.
Close to all women age 50 and older are overloaded with estrogen - even if they have not actually reached menopause yet - and at the same time are suffering from progesterone deficiency. Excessive estrogen causes a whole host of conditions, including insomnia and anxiety, both of which stress the adrenal glands. This then leads to a further reduction in progesterone output and ever more estrogen dominance. After a few years, the adrenal glands may become exhausted. This, in turn, may lead to chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalance and blood sugar imbalance.
D.
This information in this article may be found at www.drlam.com
According to Michael Lam, MD, women from ages 35 to 50, experience a 75 percent reduction in the production of progesterone while estrogen declines by only about 35 percent. By menopause, the total amount of progesterone made is extremely low, while estrogen is still present in the body at about one-half of its pre-menopause level. With only a gradual drop in estrogen and a greater drop in progesterone, there is insufficient progesterone to counteract the amount of estrogen. Estrogen dominance results.
Close to all women age 50 and older are overloaded with estrogen - even if they have not actually reached menopause yet - and at the same time are suffering from progesterone deficiency. Excessive estrogen causes a whole host of conditions, including insomnia and anxiety, both of which stress the adrenal glands. This then leads to a further reduction in progesterone output and ever more estrogen dominance. After a few years, the adrenal glands may become exhausted. This, in turn, may lead to chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalance and blood sugar imbalance.
D.
This information in this article may be found at www.drlam.com
The Tale of Epictetus
Epictetus was a Greek philosopher who began his life as a slave in the Greek-speaking Roman province of Phrygia, which is now a region in central Turkey. After being too tightly shackled, despite his assurances to his master that he wouldn't run away, Epictetus' leg broke. He had warned his master that if he kept tightening the shackles his leg would eventually break and loss of production would result. When Epictetus' leg broke, as he predicted it would, instead of showing anger and pain, or any emotional reaction whatsoever, he was very calm and accepting of the situation. His master became unnerved and asked his slave why he showed no reaction to what had happened. Epictetus explained that as the leg was irreversibly broken and he could do nothing to change what had happened, there was really no point in getting upset about it. The master was very impressed and released Epictetus, so that he could become a travelling student philosopher. He even gave him money, goods and letters of introduction to facilitate his journey. His famous idea - "it is not the things of this world that hurt us, but what we think about them" - is now widely accepted throughout mainstream psychology. (His idea has been expressed a few different ways, but they all promote the same idea: that an individual is not disturbed by events, but rather by his or her interpretation of the events, or by the meaning he or she attaches to the events.)
This is the principle upon which modern day Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is based. CBT works by focusing on the particular way in which an individual thinks and behaves in order to rectify behavioural, emotional and social problems, issues and challenges. Clients learn to more clearly delineate their automatic thoughts, to see how these thoughts may be creating negative emotions and any resulting negative or unproductive behaviours. They then work to quiet or change these negative thoughts in order to more positively view the world and their own issues, problems and challenges.
D.
This is the principle upon which modern day Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is based. CBT works by focusing on the particular way in which an individual thinks and behaves in order to rectify behavioural, emotional and social problems, issues and challenges. Clients learn to more clearly delineate their automatic thoughts, to see how these thoughts may be creating negative emotions and any resulting negative or unproductive behaviours. They then work to quiet or change these negative thoughts in order to more positively view the world and their own issues, problems and challenges.
D.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Women and Insomnia
I have a very sensitive nervous system – like 15 to 20 percent of humans. Supposedly, this highly-atttuned nervous system evolved as a survival mechanism.
During the first trimester of my one and only pregnancy, I had tremendous difficulty sleeping. Many nights, I did not sleep at all. It was a version of hell, trying to practise law, fend off anxiety, exercise, eat right, and stay healthy for myself and my child. It was psychologically distressing. I remember a friend telling me at the time that I will sleep when I’m tired enough. I couldn’t believe it! I was beyond tired! She obviously couldn’t comprehend what I was going through. The day I entered into the second trimester of pregnancy, it seemed like a switch suddenly went off and I was able to sleep normally again. What a relief!
Now, I am experiencing what I term, “extreme perimenopause”. Sleep has become elusive again. Some nights I do not sleep at all, some I sleep only a few hours. Seldom do I get seven or eight hours, let alone the average 6 hours and 41 minutes that women aged 30 – 60 get on average, according to the U.S. National Sleep Foundation which also reports that women are more likely than men to have difficulty falling, or staying, asleep. (1) In my household, this is definitely true where I am outnumbered by peacefully slumbering males, 2 to 1. And, both of these males have lifestyles which throw my circadian rhythm off balance, and which negatively impact my ability to, and quality of, sleep. (Yes, I am in a version of hell again: sleep deprivation has been used as a method of psychological torture for centuries.)
A woman’s biology can certainly affect how well she sleeps. The menstrual cycle and pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause all can affect the quality and quantity of a woman's sleep. Because fluctuating hormones affect the nervous system, the more sensitive the nervous system, the more likely a woman is to experience moderate to extreme difficulty sleeping. It is well-documented that changing levels of hormones like estrogen and progesterone have an impact on sleep. Estrogen dominance is a key component which impacts a women's sleep negatively.
Research relating to sleep deprivation has uncovered that too little sleep results in daytime sleepiness, moodiness including irritability, and an increase in mood disorders such as anxiety and depression, an increase in the number of accidents, including those caused by poor coordination/poor balance/poor attention, problems concentrating/focusing, poor memory, poor job performance, compromised immunity causing illness, weight gain due to cravings and disordered eating, feelings of dissatisfaction and boredom, isolation due to difficulty having the energy to maintain friendships or attend social functions, blurred vision, an increase in muscle tension and headaches, and an increased risk of dying early from causes such as heart attack.
When insomnia persists over a long period of time, secondary anxiety can develop in which a person becomes anxious about not sleeping well, and about all the increased risk factors for his or her health due to not sleeping well. (Just 'google' sleep deprivation if you want to really worry about not sleeping well, and you'll get an idea of all the nasty things that may befall you due to insomnia. Just to mention a few: at increased risk of heart attack, alzheimer's, depression.) It can become a 'vicious circle'.
Insomnia is the most common sleep problem in the
D.
(1) and (2) National Sleep Foundation, “Women and Sleep", www.sleepfoundation.org
Optimism vs. Pessimism
One defining feature of a person's general outlook or attitude is whether they see setbacks as temporary and limited, or as all-encompassing. According to Martin Seligman, a professor of psychotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania, "pessimists tend to believe they're to blame when bad things happen and that these bad things will persist and ruin other events in their lives." (1) Optimists, on the other hand, see setbacks as temporary.
Now, whether an individual's general disposition is primarily inherited, or whether it is primarily influenced by the attitude/outlook of their primary caregiver(s) throughout their formative years is still open for debate. It's most likely a blend of both and inherited disposition can change under influence by others and can also repel influence by others. It can be quite difficult to separate characteristics we inherit from those which are the result of environmental factors although this is an area under continued study. Traumas and other life events can go a long way towards whether any one individual tends towards optimistic thinking or pessimistic thinking. But, how that individual learned to deal with traumas and life events, or how they learned to view them, would have an influence on how their general outlook develops, perhaps as much as, or more than, living through the event or trauma itself. I think that the people closest to a developing child teach the child how to interpret life's events - what spin to put on them. Was your parent open and trusting towards other people, or suspicious and antagonistic? Was your parent generally agreeable, or basically disagreeable and bitter? Did he or she see the silver lining in clouds or just the darkness? Did they use pessimism as an attention-seeking mechanism?
Throughout life, how traumas are dealt with, and how life's day to day events are interpreted, have a great influence on whether more positive interpretive neural pathways are laid down, or more negative ones. Does life wear you down, or do you rise to most challenges? Individuals continue to be affected by experiences during their adult years and new neural pathways, whether positive or negative, continued to be forged. It is not uncommon for individuals to become more optimistic as they age, nor is it uncommon for them to become more pessimistic. The experiences we have, no matter what our age, affect both the mechanism and chemistry of the brain.* All sorts of subtle workings continue to be at play in the brain, two of which are neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, and these are influenced by a whole host of other factors such as sleep, stress, diet and illness. (It's complicated.)
No matter the mechanism, study after study seems to prove better health outcomes as people age for those with optimistic outlooks. (Whether they are more optimistic because they are healthier, or whether they are healthier because they are more optimistic requires further study.) Slowly, but surely, however, it seems that scientific studies are showing that thinking optimistically can make you mentally and physically healthier. (Perhaps being an optimist is, in itself, a sign of good mental health. Perhaps optimists look after themselves better and avoid more self-destructive behaviours.)
In Holland, researchers discovered after studying approximately 1,000 seniors, that the most optimistic among them had a 55 percent lower chance of dying from all causes and a 23 percent lower risk of cardiovascular death. A study of law students at the University of Kentucky found that students who were more optimistic than their counterparts had stronger immune systems. And, a study at the University of Pennsylvania which involved incoming freshman who participated in a series of workshops aimed at helping them cultivate a positive attitude, lowered their risk of developing depression. Other research indicates that high levels of optimism are linked to better recovery from heart transplants and heart bypass surgery, protection from stroke risk, and even delayed onset of frailty among the elderly. (2) And, another study has shown that seniors who still think of themselves as healthy despite the fact that they may have some issues with their health, have better health outcomes and stay stronger and more vital longer.
Researchers don't know exactly how optimism is a protective factor. Further study is required. What they do seem to now know is that the evidence they do have strongly suggests that pessimism is detrimental when it comes to disease development and outcomes of disease whereas optimism points towards added protection.
A 2009 study by The Social Issues Research Centre in Oxford, UK came up with what they have termed, an "optimism spectrum", which I thought might be of interest here. Some of you may find that the categories overlap. For what it's worth, here are the categories - which category describes you?:
Unabashed optimist: I am always very optimistic, whatever the circumstances
Contagious optimist: I am always optimistic, and my optimism spreads to those around me
Concrete optimist: I am optimistic, but I am realistic about the possible outcomes of events
Cautious optimist: I am optimistic, but I am careful not to be complacent about my good fortune
Situational optimist: My levels of optimism/pessimism change from situation to situation
Realist: I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but simply realistic about the good and bad things in my life
Fatalist: I accept that essentially I can't change what's going to happen to me, whether it's good or bad
Individualist: I believe that essentially I have control over what's going to happen to me, whether it's good or bad
Pessimist: I am generally pessimistic, whatever the circumstances. (3)
D.
*the changing nature of the brain throughout life is called 'neuroplasticity'. Up until a couple of decades ago, it was thought that the brain was incapable of changing during the adult years, apart from changes induced by injury or disease. (Like the old adage that you can't teach an old dog new tricks.) It has been well-documented over the last several years, however, that you CAN teach that old dog some new tricks, and that ongoing experiences and learning does, indeed, change the brain. Much is being written on this 'plastic' nature of the brain - on the ability for it to continue changing as we age, to continue laying down neural pathways and making new synaptic connections, based on what we learn and experience.
(1) and (2) Health: Total Wellness For A Better Life, October 19, 2011, Chris Wadsworth, www.newsmaxhealth.com.
(3) Optimism: A Report from the Social Issues Research Centre, February, 2009, p. 22.
Now, whether an individual's general disposition is primarily inherited, or whether it is primarily influenced by the attitude/outlook of their primary caregiver(s) throughout their formative years is still open for debate. It's most likely a blend of both and inherited disposition can change under influence by others and can also repel influence by others. It can be quite difficult to separate characteristics we inherit from those which are the result of environmental factors although this is an area under continued study. Traumas and other life events can go a long way towards whether any one individual tends towards optimistic thinking or pessimistic thinking. But, how that individual learned to deal with traumas and life events, or how they learned to view them, would have an influence on how their general outlook develops, perhaps as much as, or more than, living through the event or trauma itself. I think that the people closest to a developing child teach the child how to interpret life's events - what spin to put on them. Was your parent open and trusting towards other people, or suspicious and antagonistic? Was your parent generally agreeable, or basically disagreeable and bitter? Did he or she see the silver lining in clouds or just the darkness? Did they use pessimism as an attention-seeking mechanism?
Throughout life, how traumas are dealt with, and how life's day to day events are interpreted, have a great influence on whether more positive interpretive neural pathways are laid down, or more negative ones. Does life wear you down, or do you rise to most challenges? Individuals continue to be affected by experiences during their adult years and new neural pathways, whether positive or negative, continued to be forged. It is not uncommon for individuals to become more optimistic as they age, nor is it uncommon for them to become more pessimistic. The experiences we have, no matter what our age, affect both the mechanism and chemistry of the brain.* All sorts of subtle workings continue to be at play in the brain, two of which are neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, and these are influenced by a whole host of other factors such as sleep, stress, diet and illness. (It's complicated.)
No matter the mechanism, study after study seems to prove better health outcomes as people age for those with optimistic outlooks. (Whether they are more optimistic because they are healthier, or whether they are healthier because they are more optimistic requires further study.) Slowly, but surely, however, it seems that scientific studies are showing that thinking optimistically can make you mentally and physically healthier. (Perhaps being an optimist is, in itself, a sign of good mental health. Perhaps optimists look after themselves better and avoid more self-destructive behaviours.)
In Holland, researchers discovered after studying approximately 1,000 seniors, that the most optimistic among them had a 55 percent lower chance of dying from all causes and a 23 percent lower risk of cardiovascular death. A study of law students at the University of Kentucky found that students who were more optimistic than their counterparts had stronger immune systems. And, a study at the University of Pennsylvania which involved incoming freshman who participated in a series of workshops aimed at helping them cultivate a positive attitude, lowered their risk of developing depression. Other research indicates that high levels of optimism are linked to better recovery from heart transplants and heart bypass surgery, protection from stroke risk, and even delayed onset of frailty among the elderly. (2) And, another study has shown that seniors who still think of themselves as healthy despite the fact that they may have some issues with their health, have better health outcomes and stay stronger and more vital longer.
Researchers don't know exactly how optimism is a protective factor. Further study is required. What they do seem to now know is that the evidence they do have strongly suggests that pessimism is detrimental when it comes to disease development and outcomes of disease whereas optimism points towards added protection.
A 2009 study by The Social Issues Research Centre in Oxford, UK came up with what they have termed, an "optimism spectrum", which I thought might be of interest here. Some of you may find that the categories overlap. For what it's worth, here are the categories - which category describes you?:
Unabashed optimist: I am always very optimistic, whatever the circumstances
Contagious optimist: I am always optimistic, and my optimism spreads to those around me
Concrete optimist: I am optimistic, but I am realistic about the possible outcomes of events
Cautious optimist: I am optimistic, but I am careful not to be complacent about my good fortune
Situational optimist: My levels of optimism/pessimism change from situation to situation
Realist: I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but simply realistic about the good and bad things in my life
Fatalist: I accept that essentially I can't change what's going to happen to me, whether it's good or bad
Individualist: I believe that essentially I have control over what's going to happen to me, whether it's good or bad
Pessimist: I am generally pessimistic, whatever the circumstances. (3)
D.
*the changing nature of the brain throughout life is called 'neuroplasticity'. Up until a couple of decades ago, it was thought that the brain was incapable of changing during the adult years, apart from changes induced by injury or disease. (Like the old adage that you can't teach an old dog new tricks.) It has been well-documented over the last several years, however, that you CAN teach that old dog some new tricks, and that ongoing experiences and learning does, indeed, change the brain. Much is being written on this 'plastic' nature of the brain - on the ability for it to continue changing as we age, to continue laying down neural pathways and making new synaptic connections, based on what we learn and experience.
(1) and (2) Health: Total Wellness For A Better Life, October 19, 2011, Chris Wadsworth, www.newsmaxhealth.com.
(3) Optimism: A Report from the Social Issues Research Centre, February, 2009, p. 22.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)