Important Aspects Of Mental Health Las Vegas NV Residents May Want To Know

By Tara Daniels

Mental health refers to a level of social, emotional and psychological well being. It is a state of well being in which a person is aware of their own abilities, is able to handle daily work stresses and is able to work productively, making a contribution to the society. There are different types of psychological health problems including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. These are some of the facts about mental health Las Vegas NV residents may find educative.

It has been established through research that more than half of the general population is affected by one form of mental illness or the other. Areas that have been hardest hit include interpersonal relationships, self-esteem and economic productivity. Psychological health maintenance is integral to the wellbeing of the whole body. Stress is a major factor in the development of antisocial behavior. When managed properly, such behaviors are avoided.

Three researchers: Sweeney, WItmer and Myers came up with a model that can be used to illustrate wellness. The model divides life tasks into two categories: major and minor. Five major and twelve minor tasks are listed. The major tasks are the most important and include, among others, love, friendship, spirituality, work and leisure and self-direction. The researchers say that these are the activities on which life is centered and pursuance of the same will help protect against these illnesses.

Several factors are thought to bear the greatest influence on the mental wellbeing in any given society. These include the availability of social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists among others. Such professionals have been found to greatly help in the reduction of suicide rates. Medical therapy is another important resource that should be made available in plenty. Some important services that policy makers need to have in mind include the availability of education and health insurance for affected persons.

There are different forms of therapy for mental health depending on a given illness. Activity therapy involves actively engaging individuals in certain tasks such as walking, crafting and so on. It is also called occupational or recreational therapy. Expressive management which engages people in art, music and dance can also be a form of activity therapy.

Alternative medicine has provided solutions for some conditions. In most cases, this field is considered when the other fields have failed. The treatments that have been considered under this category include hypnotherapy and yoga among others. There have been variable rates of success with these treatments. Pastoral counselling may be tried in some circumstances.

Meditation cannot be overlooked in facilitating mental health awareness. There are three basic types of meditation-concentration, mindfulness and compassion for other people. It enhances the ability to identify emotional patterns in both themselves and others. This is an easier way of promoting good relationships as problems are better resolved.

Nutrition is of great importance when health is considered from any angle. It has been shown through research that deficiency of vital nutrients such as folic acid and vitamin B12 may lead to depression. The amino acid tryptophan is needed to raise the levels of a neurotransmitter known as serotonin which has been found to be in low levels in depressed persons. If they wish to have more information on mental health Las Vegas NV residents should see a qualified psychiatrist.

About the Author:

In order to become familiarized with issues associated with mental health Las Vegas NV patients should first review the information here at www.promisingfutureslv.com. For clear and practical advice, don't hesitate to check out this homepage on http://www.promisingfutureslv.com.

Tune into Healthy Place Mental Health Radio Show for an interview on OCD

I was honored to be asked to be a guest on Healthy Place's Mental Health Radio Show, this coming Wednesday, October 27th, 2010 at 8:30 pm Eastern Standard Time, to talk about my experience with having OCD and doing Exposure Therapy. Click Here to Listen.

It's also an Exposure for me to do the show, since it involves being on the telephone for 15 minutes! But I'm excited to share what has helped me in hopes that it will help others with OCD, particularly health anxiety, perfectionism and indecision.

I didn't know about Healthy Place Radio, and was interested to read their blurb:

. . .HealthyPlace is a privately held company started by people who are committed to the idea of reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and who feel that making authoritative mental health information available to the general public is a key part of achieving that goal. We are based in San Antonio, Texas. Our revenues are generated through the sale of advertising on the HealthyPlace website. HealthyPlace is not owned or directed by companies that sell any products or medications. None of the articles are written or influenced by companies advertising on our website. All advertisements and sponsorships are clearly identified and labeled. (you can read our editorial and advertising policies)

So be sure to tune in! The show should also be archived so you can listen to it after as well.

Related Post:
My Experience with Exposure Therapy on Healthy Place Radio

Choosing A Mental Health Psychiatrist Brick NJ

By Ina Hunt

If individuals have been suffering from sadness for a large portion of their lives, they will want to find a professional who can help them put their demons behind them. When looking for a mental health psychiatrist Brick NJ residents should be able to find someone who is both skilled and experienced. By attending sessions once per week, individuals can regain their happiness.

Depression and anxiety are suffered by significant portions of the population. These conditions, which can be quite bad, will only grow worse through time. Depression can isolate people from their loved ones and make the unwilling to go to work or attend school. Professionals will be able to identify the root of the problem and get people back on the track to a healthy existence.

Psychosis is a whole different animal altogether. If people are suffering from delusions or hallucinations, they will need to be seen by a professional as soon as possible. Experts can examine their delusions and develop a treatment plan. Paranoid delusions can be hard to overcome and may require some cutting-edge therapeutic techniques.

During the first session, the professional will generally probe into the psyche of their patients. They will usually ask them a series of questions that is designed to lead to a diagnosis. Anxiety sufferers, for example, will be very different than depression sufferers. The goal is to identify the disease so that an effective treatment plan can be developed in the weeks and months down the road.

Patients will also be encouraged to dig into their past. If they were abused as children, for example, then this is likely affecting their lives in the present. When men and women can come face to face with their past, they will be more likely to overcome it. The goal of any session is to deal with past problems so that people can finally move forward in life.

While cognitive therapy is certainly a good idea, some problems can only be eliminated with medication. Mental illness, in fact, often comes about due to chemical imbalances within the brain. Individuals may simply need to take a pill once a day to feel better. Their brains will begin producing the chemicals that had been missing for so many years. Severe depression often responds to a combination of therapy and medication.

Support from family and friends will be critical. If people feel that they are alone in the world, they will be more likely to suffer a relapse. Loved ones might offer to take them to their sessions during the first few weeks. When mental illnesses are recognizes as diseases and not as weaknesses, people will be more likely to get the help they surely deserve.

In the end, a good psychiatrist can solve a lot of problems. When individuals can get treated for their ailments right away, they should feel healthier. As they go through life, they can head in for another session if they continue to experience problems. Professionals will be happy to devise a plan of action for better health.

About the Author:

Read more about Finding A Mental Health Psychiatrist Brick NJ.

SOS for Mental Distress

by Beth

Fire Rescue by Norman Rockwell*

My latest episode of mental distress started last spring. In spite of eight hours of sleep a night and eating healthy 90% of the time, I felt tired, irritated, and mentally fogged. My digestion was off and I was experiencing road “irritation” (thankfully, many degrees away from road “rage”). I just wanted my days to be over so I could plop on the sofa, do jigsaw puzzles on my iPad, and "check out."

I needed to change something. To help me find out what and why, I turned to the koshas (or kosa). This model, a multi-dimensional view of the human being at all levels, has its roots in the Taittirya Upanishad and predates the Yoga Sutras by 1000 years (see Working with the Witness). The levels (or bodies) are: 

• Physical Body (anamayakosha)
• Breath-Energy Body (pranamayakosha)
• Mental-Emotional Body (manomayakosha)
• Wisdom-Witness Body (vijnyanamayakosha)
• Bliss Body (anandamayakosha) 

In Light On Life: The Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace and Ultimate Freedom, B. K. S. Iyengar refers to the kosha model as “layers of an onion or the Russian dolls, where one is nested within the other.” Clearly, my onion needed some serious peeling! My first step was to assess myself at all levels, kosha by kosha. Using my Wisdom-Witness body, I found discomfort and imbalances at all levels: 

Physical Body: Episodes of acid reflux and constipation resulting from poor digestion.

Breath-Energy Body: My breathing, at times, was shallow and I felt drained.

Mental-Emotional Body: My thoughts and feelings were moving between states of irritation, impatience, and a feeling of failure.

Bliss Body: I felt generally disconnected and out of sorts. 

What to do? Certainly I could turn to my yoga practice. The importance of using yoga to balance and integrate the koshas is implicit in Iyengar’s words:  

“It is essential for the follower of the yoga journey to understand the need for integration and balance in the kosa. For example, the mental and intellectual bodies (manomaya and vijnanamaya kosa) must function effectively in order for us to observe, analyze and reflect what is happening in the physical and energetic bodies (anamaya and pranamaya kosa) and make adjustments.” 

An adjustment was SO needed. Yes, Legs Up the Wall pose would calm my mind, but I also needed to get to the root of the distress so I could figure out what needed to change. I turned to what I call SOS! 

SOS is the international distress signal and also the acronym for “Stop, Observe, Surrender,” another name for a deeper dive into the koshas. It’s an anywhere, anytime, on or off the mat yoga technique.

Stop: Slow down, pause, and create space to breathe and simply be. This is reminiscent of the mindfulness phrase, “Don’t just do something, sit there.”

Observe: Use the Witness-Wisdom body to: 

1. Notice, sense, and feel all the connection points between your physical body and any surface your body touches. Examine each point. Become aware of texture, pressure, shape, boundaries, and sensation (anamayakosha).
2. Take a moment or two to follow the breath in and out of your body, noticing all four parts of the breath: the inhalation, the slight pause before the exhalation, the exhalation, and the slight pause before the inhalation (pranamayakosha).
3.  Check in with your mind and notice the flow and content of thoughts and the prevalent feeling state/s or emotions (manomayakosha).  

Surrender: This can be the hardest part. To release control, rest, and wait, simply wait for what comes. When an answer comes, and it always does—even if it’s not what we are expecting or hoping for—right action can follow (anandamayakosha). 

I practice this mostly off the mat several times a day when I need to. Great opportunities to do this occur while standing in checkout lines, sitting and waiting for appointments, or lying in bed after lights out and before sleep. After a few days of practice, the answer floated up from my subconscious. Turns out it was my current work and volunteer schedule. It was feeling heavy, mundane, obligatory, and repetitive. I’m sure I knew this at some level but was in denial since dealing with the issue would most likely mean saying no to something I’d happily said yes to and disappointing others, which as a recovering perfectionist (see Yoga Therapy for Perfectionism) is difficult for me to do. The SOS practice helped soften the denial, and open my conscious mind to accept this reality. 

Right action meant simplifying and re-aligning my schedule. Once I accepted that, the irritation, tiredness, and mental fog lifted, and I’ve been able to enjoy my daily journey while in the process of re-organizing my schedule. And my koshas? They are feeling pretty balanced right now. 

Physical Body: Sleep is easy and restful, appetite is good, digestion is balanced, and elimination is regular. My massage therapist noted after my last session, “You must be doing something right. The knots in your back are gone.”

Breath-Energy Body: My breathing is slow, deep, and easy.

Mental-Emotional Body: The mind is calm and peaceful. I see my life working for good.

Wisdom-Witness Body: With the new awareness, I can release the need to distract myself. I still do my jigsaw puzzles but for fun and not as a “check out” activity.

Bliss Body: I feel joy and a sense of being connected and content.

Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook ° Join this site with Google Friend Connect