1. 1 in 10 affected: Understanding Personality Disorders

    April 26, 2013

    personality disorders

    Image Credit: Alexis Tejeda

    It is estimated that 10% of the population have some form of personality disorder (PD) (source: BBC Health). Does this figure surprise you? Alarm you? If so, you are not alone. In fact, our shocking lack of general awareness has led mental health charity Mind to describe PD as ‘one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized diagnoses in mental health.

    These long-held misconceptions mean that, for people living with a diagnosis, the world can feel like a lonely place.

    Given the fact that PDs are so common, why do most of us know so little about them? And how can we begin to break down the walls that leave people with PD feeling isolated?

    This article explains what we mean by the term ‘personality disorder’ and offers practical advice about helping others and helping yourself, both at home and in the workplace.

    What are personality disorders?

    The term ‘personality disorder’ does not just refer to one condition. Mind explains that psychologists tend to categorize personality disorders under three general sub-headings:

    • Suspicious (paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal, antisocial)
    • Emotional and Impulsive (borderline, histrionic, narcissistic)
    • Anxious (avoidant, dependent, obsessive compulsive)

    People in the first category tend to be wary of others and unwilling to form close relationships. People in this category are often diagnosed with schizophrenia. People in the second category tend to be prone to mood swings and often display unpredictable behaviour. People in the third category tend to feel as though they need complete control over every aspect of their lives, which can lead to obsessive behaviour.

    Aren’t people with personality disorders dangerous?

    Frightening stories in the press have certainly not helped this myth. While it is true that Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD) is common amongst people with a criminal conviction, clinical psychologists proved that most people with a PD are neither violent nor dangerous. Because PDs can lead to feelings of depression and low self-worth, often the individual is more likely to harm themselves than to harm others.

    Conditions such as ASPD are at the more serious end of the spectrum. Most people with a PD experience symptoms that are somewhere in between.

    What are the causes?

    There is some evidence to suggest that personality disorders are genetic. It is also thought that experiencing abuse or trauma, particularly at a young age, can be a triggering factor.

    Whatever the causes, treatment options such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) offered by clinical psychologists or psychotherapist tend to focus on how to deal with the symptoms in the present, rather than looking into the past. CBT is one of many modern treatment options that some people find very effective.

    Helping others

    Some people misunderstand the symptoms of a personality disorder and assume that the sufferer is simply being melodramatic or exaggerating their problems. When family or friends offer advice, the person’s condition means that they only hear the negatives and may even feel as though others are turning against them. At the heart of their condition is the desire to be loved and accepted, but often, they do not know how to ask.

    To help a loved one who has been diagnosed with a personality disorder, do not judge or criticize them. Often this ‘tough love’ approach can make them feel hurt and ashamed. Instead, remind them of the things you love about their personality, as well as their strengths and abilities. Equip yourself with information about their condition and offer to go with them to see a mental health professional who will be able to explain the different treatment approaches. Encourage them to do activities that bring out their best qualities, for example joining a club or interest group, which will help to build their self-esteem. If unsure how to deal with certain situations, speak to their counselling psychologists or psychotherapist.

    Helping yourself

    The good news is that the government finally recognizes the need for improved treatment of PD, and today a wide range of treatment options are available. Whichever treatment is prescribed, it will usually involve group and individual psychotherapy, encouragement to continue with the programme, education and planning for crisis. Psychological treatments can be offered as an in- or out-patient at a hospital or day centre. Above all, the relationship of trust between you and your social worker, psychologist, therapist or psychiatrist is the key to progress.

    Some people also find that their condition improves as they get older, as the experiences they gather help them to deal with life’s ups and downs.

    Personality Disorders in the Workplace

    Many people with a personality disorder have an ordinary career. In fact, in 2005, psychologists from the University of Surrey found that a large proportion of highly successful business executives studied had histrionic, narcissistic or obsessive personality disorders.

    Unfortunately, personality disorders can sometimes cause problems in the workplace. In these cases, the individual’s condition means that they are less effective at handling the pressures and social politics of the working environment.

    In this situation, the employer should deal sensitively and tactfully with specific problems and complaints without being accusatory or judgmental. The focus should be on reinforcing appropriate workplace conduct and goal-setting.

    If you feel that your personality disorder has led to discrimination in the workplace or any other situation, mental health solicitors can provide you with the legal support you need and deserve.

    The 10% ratio means that it is more than likely that someone you know – a friend, colleague or acquaintance – is affected by a personality disorder. Educating ourselves is the best way to understand and help individuals with one of these conditions and, eventually, defeat the stigma that surrounds them.

    For more information, visit mental health charity Mind.org.uk.

    Category Mental Health | Tags: ,,,,,,,, | Comments Off on 1 in 10 affected: Understanding Personality Disorders

  2. Anxiety Crushes your Potential

    March 27, 2013

    anxious women

    Image Credit: Phoney Nickle

    by Steven Hill

    According to mental health professionals, anxiety is the feeling of fear about doing something. In the context of work this may be related to a meeting, presentation or new and difficult task you have been assigned. Everyone has a certain level of anxiety at all times, with symptoms ranging from dry throat and sweating to panic attacks, shaking and fainting. The problem with this condition is that many people will simply assume you have shyness or perhaps you don’t have anything worthwhile to contribute. Often those with anxiety are very creative people with astute intelligence that could add more value if they were in a more comfortable environment. If you suffer from anxiety you have probably defaulted to the hide and ignore strategy, whereby you simply avoid any situations that cause your anxiety to flare up and hide when in large groups even if you have the answers or some value to add to the debate. This is unfortunately the worst thing you can do as it will only heighten your anxiety and cause it to worsen into other non-affected areas of your life. It will also harm how you are seen by your employer and often leads to poor feedback and lower chances of workplace bonuses and promotion. Anxiety is like an illness that if not activated can spread to widen the areas you are anxious about and can be so far removed from the original trigger you don’t even recall when you first felt nervous.

    How to beat Anxiety

    Psychologists recommend the best way to tackle anxiety is to slowly work towards beating it by exposing yourself to situations that challenges you to deal with your symptoms. Do not throw yourself in at the deep end and arrange a presentation to hundreds of colleagues as this will likely end badly and set you back in your recovery. Small meetings and adhoc conversations are a good place to start, build this up to larger and larger situations and set yourself a target each week of contributions in situations that would make you usually uncomfortable. The contributions don’t have to be long speeches and can take form of questions or simple suggestions but it all goes along the lines of cognitive behavioural therapy. You are effectively training your brain to respond differently to these situations. This does take a lot of time and conscious effort, well after all if you added up the time you have spent worrying and panicking, then consider you are unwinding a ball of wool, you can see the scale of the task. Do not give up whilst doing this, but if you do not manage one task then this is not something you should think about again, over analysis of things is a side effect of anxiety that can lead to you being defeatist and giving up too readily.

    Clear your Mind

    Clearing your mind of thoughts is a good place to start with your training and meditation can be excellent for this. Try sitting in a quiet room and clearing your mind, often this proves difficult for beginners so perhaps going to a beach and watching the ocean to give you something to focus on may help. Once you have meditation techniques you can use these to avoid worry and panic. Distraction techniques often help as well, giving yourself tasks to do that will take your mind away from worry will help to minimise the time your brain has to conjure up any negative scenarios that may occur. As an example if you were sitting in your front room watching TV you may suddenly begin to think of the meeting you have the next day at work and how this is likely to be a disaster, you may consider ways you can make excuses to not attend like phoning in sick or saying you have another meeting to attend. As you are thinking you hear a loud crash outside and you rush to the window, you see a car has crashed and people are injured, you rush outside and help until the authorities arrive. Once the accident is dealt with you return to your lounge and sit down, then suddenly your brain will return to thinking about the meeting. If you first realise that it is unnecessary and secondly that you are actually inflicting this condition on yourself then you will begin to identify when your brain starts to steer to negativity and either block this out using meditation or distract yourself with other activities.

    Why worry about the Past?

    There is an ancient Chinese proverb that may help. A Monk is walking alone in the woods, looking around at the beauty of the trees and wildlife when suddenly a tiger appears, he begins to run in fear and the tiger swiftly chases after him. He fails to notice a cliff in front and falls straight over the edge just managing to grasp a thorny bush to save him from the fall. He looks down and sees at the bottom there is another tiger waiting for him to fall. As his grip begins to fail and the cut on his hand begins to throb as the thorns dig deeper he notices a solitary berry on the bush. He picks the berry and eats it, to his amazement this is the best tasting fruit he has ever had. The meaning of this is that you cannot worry about the past, the tiger who chased you, or the future, the tiger lying in wait at the bottom, you have to live in the present which may occasionally cause you pain but also can bear the most glorious fruit.

    Category Mental Health | Tags: ,,,,,, | Comments Off on Anxiety Crushes your Potential

  3. Natural Ways To Beat Anxiety

    March 13, 2013

    anxiety

    Image Credit: Meredith Farmer

    Once upon a time anxiety was considered a state of being not a medical condition. Today there are a myriad of ways to combat anxiety, from cognitive psychotherapy to physical activities to medical interventions such as pharmaceutical medicines.

    Anxiety may be situational, internal or a result of a chemical imbalance. While for some, medication is the most appropriate solution, other people may try to avoid prescription medicines and find other ways to cope with their anxiety.

    Different types of anxiety require different approaches. Following below are some suggestions for things people try when looking to manage normal anxiety. Only you and your psychologist or psychiatrist can work out the right approach for you – don’t be afraid to ask for help from mental-health professionals.

    –          Is something in particular worrying you? Is it within your power to change it? If not, let it go. Worrying won’t help.

    If it is within your power to influence the outcome then get busy: take action to resolve it, face it, fix it, do what it is that needs to be done to get it out of your mind.

    –          Improve your diet. A lack of certain nutrients has been associated with anxiety, for example, a lack of magnesium and some amino acids and a deficiency in omega 3 fatty acids (found in fish oil, flaxseeds, walnuts and  avocados).

    –          Observe yourself: see if a possible food sensitivity maybe triggering your anxiety. If you have panic attacks start to notice what you ate the night before, the morning of, for lunch that day etc. to see if there is a pattern to the types of foods you eat that may be correlated to the anxiety. Caffeine can be a trigger too so steer clear. Avoid sugar, excessive stimulants (such as cigarettes or energy drinks), and food additives.

    –          Lower the stress hormones in the body by doing daily exercise. A gentle walk, an easy bike ride, or a proper workout: do what’s right for your current fitness level and then build up over time. Exercise that gets the heart pumping is one of the best ways of beating stress and fighting a chemical upset within the body, mind, brain.

    –          Focus on your breath, and slowly breathe in and out to the count of three. Close your eyes if you need to, and count again. Repeat for as long as necessary till the wave of anxiety has passed – which it will.

    –          Start your day with oats. Oats contain B vitamins (the “happy” vitamin) and minerals that can help induce a feeling of calm. Go easy on the sugar though – use fruit and a little honey or yogurt instead. Grated apple can give you a sweetness boost if you really need it.

    –          Drink herbal tea, such as chamomile, or try herbal supplements such as Valerian, St. John’s Wort, Magnolia, Sacred Basil and Withania.

    –          Allow yourself time out and spend it looking after yourself in some way. For example, do a weekly yoga class, have a massage, learn to meditate. These activities will help to take your mind of things and can also stimulate the release of feel-good hormones in the body. You will also feel proud of yourself for taking positive action.

    –          Eat small meals every two to three hours to help combat low blood sugar, which can be a trigger for anxiety. Choose high protein, low sugar foods such as tinned fish; a handful of almonds, cashews, walnuts or brazil nuts; cheese and crackers; a glass of milk or tub of unsweetened yogurt. Toasted pitta bread with homous, a carrot, dolmades (rice-stuffed vine leaves) or sushi can also be good snacks.

    –          Avoid conflict and drama. If you already have an internal battle raging then the last thing you need is to find yourself in an external environment full of conflict. Choose to walk away when trouble arises and avoid the stress and additional anxiety that becoming involved may produce. Better that for now you learn to take care of you.

    –          Find someone to talk to. It may be a friend or psychologist or psychotherapist. It’s better if they are a little bit removed from your everyday life so they have a more independent view of your situation and are not also experiencing some of the impacts of your stress. Of course, an understanding and supportive partner or family member can be a great help too.

    There are a number of remedies available at health food stores as well. Chinese herbal medicines can be helpful for some people, as are various Western herbs. Essential oils, Bach flower remedies, crystal essences and herbal sprays may also help. Reducing your exposure to chemicals, for example, tooth paste, shampoo and washing powders, may also help settle your system down  and help you focus better on managing your stress and anxiety.

    Category Health Tips, Mental Health | Tags: ,,,,,, | Comments Off on Natural Ways To Beat Anxiety

  4. Four Easy Steps To Put A Tourniquet On Your Teen’s Depression

    March 5, 2013

    Depression and sadness

    Image Credit: Mike Bailey-Gates

    by Jennifer Mathis

    Seeing Depression as a Serious Injury

    Without broken bones, a high fever, or profuse bleeding, it can be difficult to determine how severe your teen’s depression really is. Depression stripped of any scientific or medical terminology is, put simply, a severe brain injury.

    It’s not like your teen face planted in a skateboard stunt; it’s not that kind of brain injury. It is usually a slow, relentless assault on your child’s psyche, which drains vital hormones from their brain. It may be their love life’s gone bad, or lack of friends, or being the victim of bullies, or even their reaction to your divorce, or contentions at home that rob their brain of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

    How important are these hormones? Well, imagine trying to drive your brand new car while it is dangerously low on oil, anti-freeze, transmission fluid, and brake fluid. Everything looks fine. It may even have that new-car smell, but it doesn’t seem to work right. Maybe your car just has a bad attitude.

    Similarly, when your teen is low on serotonin, it is difficult for them to feel happy or good about anything. Low norepinephrine robs your child of motivation to achieve or even get out of bed, and low dopamine can affect your teen’s grasp of reality.

    When your child is in this weakened condition, dealing with ordinary problems and stress can feel overwhelming and further tax their body’s remaining supply of these vital hormones, sending them into a full clinical depression.

    When your teen is grappling with depression they won’t appear to be broken, injured, or in pain. In reality, they are bleeding to death in front of your eyes. Hopefully you will see it in time.

    Does depression sound serious to you yet? If you are convinced, here are the four steps you need to take now for your teen.

    Step 1 – See Your Doctor

    Yes, you will need to see a doctor. Depression is a medical condition. It isn’t a “bad attitude.”

    Under most insurance plans, your teen will need to see your primary care physician first. Be sure you attend this visit. Most primary care physicians know when a condition requires a mental health specialist. He or she will most likely recommend a good child psychologist or psychiatrist, depending on the severity of your teen’s condition.

    Step 2 – See the Psychologist

    Based on your doctor’s recommendation, a health care professional which has the proper training and experience to deal with your child’s condition will be able to help determine the underlying causes and ongoing circumstances that exacerbate your child’s depression.

    He or she will also know the proper treatment such as psychotherapy. Severe depression usually requires both a psychotherapy provided by a licensed child psychologist or psychotherapist as well as medication prescribed by a psychiatrist.

    Step 3 – Follow Your Doctor’s Treatment

    The Internet isn’t a good repository of medical information, mainly because much of it is inflammatory, misguided, or trying to sell something. You will surely find several sites that disagree with your doctor. Paying attention to this misinformation is a bad strategy.

    Those who foster a non-medical approach don’t have a vested interest in your child’s welfare. They are most likely trying to sell you an herbal, vitamin concoction that is the equivalent of a band-aid on a broken leg.

    Depression, like any other serious injury, can’t just be walked off, it needs medical intervention. The psychotherapy and medication your doctor prescribed will help your teen to heal.

    Step 4 – Provide a Healing Environment

    Even though medication for depression exists, it isn’t like aspirin for a headache. It only helps your child to cope enough to follow strategies and regimens that allow for gradual healing.

    Based on this reality, it is impractical to think that your teen could heal in the very environment that helped create the problem in the first place. The competitive, negative, and often toxic atmosphere of school can nullify the effects of their medication and therapy.

    Many parents have found the success they are looking for in boarding schools specifically created as places of healing. Severe depression often requires this type of intensive care for the psyche, allowing your teen to learn to deal with life and achieve academically without the negative stimuli that could reopen wounds and prevent proper healing.

    As in cases of severe bleeding, doctors will eventually remove a tourniquet in order to repair tissue and allow the patient to fully recover. Similarly, drastic measures to save your teen from depression can eventually lead to full integration of your teen back into your life as well as society.

    If you like this article please share and save a life.

    Category Health Tips, Mental Health | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,, | Comments Off on Four Easy Steps To Put A Tourniquet On Your Teen’s Depression

Newer Entries