Mindfulness


As you go about your day to day life, how often are you really paying attention to just exactly what is in front of you?
For example, when you’re having a conversation, are you really listening to what the other person is saying?
Or is your mind drifting off, worrying about something totally unrelated? When you’re walking down the street, are you paying attention to the scenery and sounds around you? Or is your mind elsewhere?

And are your eyes glued to your mobile phone? Are you constantly engaging in disturbing thoughts that are unrelated to what’s in front of you?

When you are in the car are youu paying attention to the roads? Or are you angry at the traffic?
Agonising that you’re late?

These constant chattering of worries in our minds makes it hard to concentrate or be fully present in what we’re doing, they also contribute to feelings of stress.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is being Here and Now.

Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment without judgement.

It is being aware of how we are feeling, what’s happening in our mind, body & around us at any given moment.

Mindfulness is not allowing ourselves to get caught up in our thoughts.

The goal of mindfulness practice is training our attention through regular practice to become more aware of and less reactive and judgemental towards our thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations in day to day life.

Practice

Time: 5 minutes

And the best part is, anyone can practice mindfulness anywhere, at any time. And it costs nothing to bring your attention back to the present moment. So why don’t we give it a go?
Because the best way to understand mindfulness is to experience it.

No matter where you are, just start paying attention to your body.

Are you lying down? Or sitting up?

Start to notice how you are breathing. Is it short and shallow, being held in the chest?

Gently adjust your posture either to be lying down on your back or sitting up comfortably in a chair, legs uncrossed with both feet resting on the floor.

Close ur eyes.

Start by bringing awareness to your breathing.
Our breath is a fundamental anchor to the here and now.

Notice the rising of ur abdomen with each breath in &how it falls with each breath out.

Stay connected to ur breath and in doing so, bring ur awareness to the rest of your body.

Feel the points of contact between your body, and a chair, or the floor.

Bring awareness to ur feet.

Then slowly shift your attention up through your body.

The front of your legs, the back of your legs. Your belly, around your back, Your chest and your shoulders, are you holding tension there?

Now, Relax the shoulders down and let it go.

Then finally, move your awareness up to your face, letting go of any unnecessary tension in your jaw and relaxing the muscles around your eyes, and in your forehead.

If you notice your attention wandering or if you become caught up in a stream of thought, that’s okay.
Simply bring your attention back to the next breath and continue.

As you come towards the end of the practice, start to reactivate your body by moving your fingers and toes.

And when you are ready, slowly open your eyes.

How are you feeling now?
How many times did your thoughts travel the universe and back?

Mindfulness is a way of training our attention towards opening ourselves up to whatever life puts in front of us.
It is simple but not easy and takes practice.
So don’t feel bad if u found it difficult the first time.

Keep Practicing…..10 minutes without losing concentration šŸ¤©šŸ¤©

Covid-19 and how it may affect young people.

Covid-19 anxiety, it is normal and expected. However, We try to remind people with severe version of it that their object of fear (getting infected, isolation, death) is irrational and may not even happen.

  • Lockdown, restrictions, unemployment, isolation has led to Anxiety, loneliness, patients being unable to access health care and this may worsen their health conditions
  • Bereavement due to Covid-19 complications. Many people lost their loved ones and are griefing.
  • Increased domestic violence as couples who are having a hard time staying together are forced to share and remain in the same space due quarantine. Children are not speared too.
  • Ab/use of substance as coping mechanism for anxiety, depression or loneliness.
  • Addiction to or over use phone, game or social media.
  • Sleep pattern altered (this is worse for people with bipolar or schizophrenia).
  • Worsened OCD,those with compulsive hand washing and other hygiene related OCD are at risk.
  • Isolation, unemployment and bereavement will increase depression which is the chief cause of SUICIDE

Finally, our government and their policies are not youth friendly…..this group (youth) that makes up the bulk of the population will bear the bruntšŸ’”

Anger

Anger can be defined as a feeling of annoyance, displeasure or antagonism towards someone or thing you feel has offended you.

Anger is a normal, a healthy emotion but it’s important to deal with it in a positive way.

Anger is a secondary emotion.
So whatā€™s underneath it?

Disappointment, frustration, sadness, dismissal, loneliness, fear….

Explore the root emotion under the ā€œangerā€.
Once you know that root emotion, Good resolution comes.

ALCOHOL USE DISORDER(AUD)

ALCOHOL USE DISORDER(AUD)

Also called:
Alcoholism,
Alcohol dependence,
Alcohol addiction,
Is a chronic disease characterised by uncontrolled drinking & preoccupation with alcohol.
It is also an inability to control drinking due to both physical and emotional dependence on alcohol.

There are 11 symptoms currently in use for diagnosing an alcohol use disorder culled from DSM5

1)Have there been times when you ended up drinking more, or longer, than you intended?

2)More than once wanted to cut down or stop drinking, or tried to, but couldnā€™t?

3)Spent a lot of time drinking? Or being sick or getting over other after effects?

4)Wanted a drink so badly you couldnā€™t think of anything else?

5)Found that drinking or being sick from drinking often interfered with taking care of ur home or family, school or job?

6) Continued to drink even though it was causing trouble with your family or friends?

7) Given up or cut back on activities that were important or interesting to you, or gave you pleasure, in order to drink?

8) More than once gotten into situations while or after drinking that increased your chances of getting hurt (such as driving, swimming, using machinery, walking in a dangerous area, or having unsafe sex)?

9)Continued to drink even though it makes you feel depressed or anxious or adding to another health problem? Or after having had a memory blackout?

10)Had to drink much more than you once did to get the effect u want? Or found that your usual number of drinks had much less effect than before?

11)Found that when the effects of alcohol were wearing off, you had withdrawal symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, shakiness, restlessness, nausea, sweating, a racing heart, or a seizure? Or sensed things that were not there?

Answering to the affirmative (yes) to at least two (2) of these symptoms indicates an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).

The severity of an AUD is defined as follows:

Mild: The presence of 2 to 3 symptoms from the list.
Moderate: The presence of 4 to 5 symptoms from the list.
Severe: The presence of 6 or more symptoms from the list.

Treatment:
Treatment involves counselling & therapy by a healthcare professional,
A medical detoxification programme are offered in a hospital or clinic.
Medications are available that reduce the desire to drink.

Seek help today…….

Regardsā¤ļø

The Church and Psychiatry

*THE CHURCH AND PSYCHIATRY*

Many people have one or more beefs with the church.
Some donā€™t agree with paying tithe, some baptism, order of worship or other stuffs. Whatever be the case, let me tell you roles church play in psychiatry.

The church has tuned people up psychologically, for instance, you see and hear a sick person repeating or claiming ā€˜I am strong’ or ā€˜I am well’ (thereā€™s this saying, you are what you say) after the Priest or Pastor. Study shows that repeating these phrase over time has a way of turning the neurotransmitters in a correct direction- cognitive reversal.

The Church has done greatly in helping people fulfill their need to belong, thereby promoting self esteem or self actualization (Maslow, 1971).
The Church gave people something to believe in, instead of believing in Nothing.

Morals that church teaches, to a very large extent has helped people leave/avoid some health risky behaviours.

Confession is psychoanalysis which is without absolution of sin. Many slide out of depression after asking for forgiveness of sins. Many obtain faith to do things that dared them, things that gave them phobia.

Some non medical or not responsive to medical treatment cases, the Church has cured some successfully. That does not mean you should not seek medical interventions when need be.

Church is a psychosocial construct, if you are confused about its practices or beliefs, seek clarification. Do not mock it.

Suicide

Every 40 seconds, someone loses their lives to suicide. Almost 800,000 people die yearly from suicide.
Like addiction, suicide is a symptom of an underlying problem. Those who attempt suicide do so to escape from painful reality. Most people who commit suicide do not really want to die. They just want to end the pain. People who commit suicide are not in the right frame of mind to think logically or rationally.Suicide is a symptom of mental health challenges or a result of untreated mental illness. Mental health challenges varies, from bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, conversion disorder and a host of others………people suffering from MH disorder may want to take their life. Studies has shown that clinical depression is a chief cause of suicide. History of prolonged medical ailment can also result to MH disorder that may push one to commit suicide. For instance, there’s been reported cases of people attempting suicide for being HIV positive.
No one is immune against MD disorder but some factors like biological (genetic), environmental and social factors can trigger it.
I defined suicide as a cry that was not heard. Even when life seems worthless, no one really want to end it. Suicide is highly preventable.
Here are some Tips
1. Do not worry excessively about things you can not change. Remember you can not control how people act towards you but you can control how you respond to them.
2. Don’t create unrealistic or unreasonable expectations. “Expectations not met weakens the heart”.
3. Think positively, use positive affirmations like “yes I can”, “I am fine”, “I can do it”, “All will be well”.
4. Do not seek validation from other people. This is a major threat to Mental health, excepting commendations, appreciation, love, empathy (which is ideal) from people you meet may not always be obtainable. People disappoint, learn to manage disappointment well.
5. Self care is very important…take care of yourself, take a break when need be, eat well, sleep well and exercise.

If your mental health is disturbed, all the dimensions of your health will suffer.
#HappyMentalHealthday.
Suicide is not an option
Do you feel life is worthless?
Let’s talk. 08027182805
At #SoundMindRepublic We Care!

Cognitive distortion

Pic culled from mindmotivations.com

I will be addressing cognitive distortion which simply means abnormal thought pattern by explaining Inner Critic and Core beliefs (CB).

Inner Critic
what does this mean? It means that voice in the head that always talks one down, beats one up, makes one doubt him/her self. It is that voice that tells you how inadequate or inefficient you are. How ugly, unacceptable, foolish you are. That is your inner critic. The voice that always criticise you. It tells you “don’t to it”, when you try, it tells you, it tells you “you can’t get it right”
Get hold of your inner critic, command it to shut up! Tell it you are in charge and better than what it says of you. Then go ahead and be incharge my replacing it with positive words, do you, even if you fail keep trying. You are the best. I, Iloputaife Oluchi, i’m the best-est.

A core belief
A core belief simply means how we see ourselves and the world around us. CB affects how we relate with/to people, it also affects how we react to situations. CB can be negative or positive but we concentrate on negative CBs cos it’s a major factor in cognitive distortion. CBs are usually as a result of early childhood experiences e.g neglect, trauma etc.
Let us illustrate using Bugy whose CB about himself is that he is useless.
Bagy (Bugy’s friend): Hey Bugy let us play ball?
Bugy: No I can’t, ask someone else.
To identify CB, one has to explore his/her thoughts, emotions, Behaviours then write them down. And consciously eliminate the unhealthy ones.
#SoundMindRepublic

#goingtothebasicofmentaldisorders

DM if you need a therapist.