Like Coals In A Fire We Need Community To Stay Vibrant And Alive
Zoë Petersen, Deseret News
A pastor noticed that an elderly parishioner had stopped attending his services. The parishioner evidently felt he was no longer noticed or loved so he simply stopped coming.
The pastor gave it some prayerful thought and paid a visit to the man on a cold and snowy day. He knocked on the door. The man opened the door, and they had a cordial greeting, but after that, neither said a word.
The man motioned for the pastor take a chair and join him by the fire. After a while, the pastor picked up the fire prod and began poking at the coals. He moved a glowing coal away from the fire. They both sat watching as the coal lost its heat and eventually stopped glowing. Several minutes went by in silence. Then, the pastor pulled the coal back to the edge of the fire where they watched it rekindle and glow again, adding heat and luster to the pile. The pastor put the prod down, tipped his hat, walked to the door and let himself out.
The following Sabbath, the man returned to the congregation. The pastor welcomed him by name and asked what brought him back. The man said, Pastor, at my home by the fire, you gave the best sermon Ive ever heard you give without saying a word.
The question is how to begin this outreach. One of the more evident answers is to do as the pastor did and not say a word just listen and be there for each other.
Dealing With The Winter Blues
For some people, the reduced daylight hours of winter lead to a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder . SAD can make you feel like a completely different person to who you are in the summer: hopeless, sad, tense, or stressed, with no interest in friends or activities you normally love. No matter how hopeless you feel, though, there are plenty of things you can do to keep your mood stable throughout the year.
If Youre Up For Exercise Consider A Walk Around The Block
On days when you feel as if you cant get out of bed, exercise may seem like the last thing youd want to do. However, exercise and physical activity can help to lower symptoms of depression and boost energy levels.
future depressive episodes.
Even when you have the feeling that youre unable to or have very little energy, see if youd be willing to do the opposite of what your mood is telling you to do, such as curling up in bed. Instead, set a small goal for yourself, such as taking a walk around the block.
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Tip : Get A Daily Dose Of Sunlight
Sunlight can help boost serotonin levels and improve your mood. Whenever possible, get outside during daylight hours and expose yourself to the sun for at least 15 minutes a day. Remove sunglasses and use sunscreen as needed.
- Take a walk on your lunch break, have your coffee outside, enjoy an al fresco meal, or spend time gardening.
- Double up on the benefits of sunlight by exercising outside. Try hiking, walking in a local park, or playing golf or tennis with a friend.
- Increase the amount of natural light in your home and workplace by opening blinds and drapes and sitting near windows.
- If you live somewhere with little winter sunshine, try using a light therapy box.
How Can I Treat Anxiety
Anxiety can be treated in a variety of ways. One common treatment option is cognitive behavioral therapy , which helps provide people with tools to cope with anxiety when it occurs.
There are also certain medications, like antidepressants and sedatives, that work to balance brain chemistry and prevent episodes of anxiety. They may even ward off the most severe symptoms.If youre looking to go a more natural route, though, there are little and big ways you can help combat anxiety.
You can make adjustments to habits, like exercise, sleep, and diet. You can also try something totally new, like aromatherapy or meditation. No matter what your lifestyle demands, theres a natural way to help reduce anxiety for everyone.
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Tip #: Learn To Laugh
It may sound silly to practice something that even small babies can do with no effort, but many adults can find it difficult to identify the last time they laughed. This is unfortunate, as the act of laughing has been shown to release endorphins into the bloodstream. These endorphins provide us with a temporary boost in mood and work to counteract the existence of stress hormones.
Forcing laughter may not sound like an appealing idea, but giving the urge to laugh a little boost can actually result in the production of genuine laughter. You dont have to commit to extreme forms of voluntary laughter, such as by joining a laughter yoga group, either. You can start out by committing to watching a funny vlog or short comedy skit a couple of times a week. Integrating laughter into your life doesnt make problems go away, but clearing up your mind through positive experiences can assist with finding new solutions.
What To Do When Youre Depressed
Depression can make everyday life very challenging. When we are depressed, we tend to make things more complicated, and often fail to take basic steps to help ourselves. Healthy lifestyle choices do wonders to help mild to moderate depression. Whether you have everyday depression or clinical, adopting these habits can begin to make a difference. The severe form of clinical depressions may require medical intervention. Dont hesitate to consult your physician if you believe medication is the right choice for you.
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Natural Ways To Fight Anxiety And Depression
June 22, 2020 | Posted at 5:39 am | by Michael
Millions of Americans suffer from both anxiety and depression. In recent years, anxiety has overtaken depression as the number one mental health concern among adults. While there are several prescriptions that you can get to help treat anxiety and depression, some people prefer a more holistic approach.
There are many things that can help in treating anxiety and depression naturally. From exercise to changes in your diet to natural remedies, let us explore some of the natural ways to reduce anxiety and depression.
Exercise
Exercise is one natural remedy that can help fight both anxiety and depression. How? Exercise releases feel good endorphins that can help fight depression. When it comes to anxiety, research suggests that just 21 minutes a day can help to induce relaxation and alleviate anxiety.
Change Your Diet
Refined sugar and carbohydrates can cause blood sugar levels to get high and then drop low in a short time frame. Low blood sugar can cause symptoms of both anxiety and depression as well as fatigue. Try to limit your intake of refined sugar and carbs. In addition, make sure that you are getting enough omega-3 oils and vitamins B6, B12, folic acid, and iron. These help to keep your neurotransmitters healthy.
Get Enough Sleep
Try Yoga
Limit or Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine
Try CBD
Try Herbal Supplements
Get a Routine
Try Meditation
Get Outside
Take a Hot Bath
Volunteering Can Be A Great Way To Do Both
Knock out a few birds with one stone spending time with other people and doing something new by volunteering and giving your time to someone or something else.
You may be used to receiving help from friends, but reaching out and providing help may actually improve your mental health more.
Bonus: People who volunteer experience physical benefits, too. This includes a
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Take Care Of Your Physical Health
There are quite a few studies, which show a strong connection between regular physical exercise and reducing the symptoms of depression. Research in the Journals of Gerontology concluded that physical exercise helped to treat both mild and severe depression, as well as improving pain symptoms in the body.
Exercising helps fight depression by influencing your body chemistry. It releases endorphins, which lead to a positive mood. It strengthens the immune system, which can help prevent depression from getting worse. It also elevates your temperature, which can help to relax the central nervous system .
Finding Ways To Fight Anxiety
All of these strategies can be effective for those that want to learn how to fight anxiety. They each address specific issues that many of those with anxiety face, and integrating them into your life is a great way to reduce the effects on anxiety on your overall satisfaction.
But fighting anxiety isn’t enough. You need to win the war. For that, you need to be ready and willing to commit to a successful treatment option that will get to the heart of what is driving the anxiety, and has been shown to reduce anxiety in those that suffer from it regularly.
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Treat Anxiety With Breathing: Its That Simple
When you are feeling stressed and anxious, you may notice some familiar but uncomfortable symptoms: your muscles tense, your breathing becomes shallow and rapid, and your heart beats more quickly. Your adrenal glands have released adrenaline into your system. This is your body preparing to respond to a danger, real or imagined, through the fight or flight response. This response is rather helpful if you have to fight off or flee from a bear in the woods. Unfortunately, the body can also overreact to everyday stressors like deadlines and family problems, producing the fight or flight response for not-so-life-threatening situations.
Dealing With Depression In The Workplace
If youre dealing with depression at work, try these tips. They are not intended as a cure, but could help provide ways to better cope if youre dealing with depression at work.
Self-care alone cannot cure depression. Small positive changes in your daily routine may help you feel better, but working with a behavioral professional is most important for long-term management of depression.
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Two Ways To Treat Fatigue In Bipolar And Depression
Ask a patient with depression how long it takes for them to feel fully awake in the morning and you are liable to get some revealing answers.
RESEARCH UPDATE
Ask a patient with depression how long it takes for them to feel fully awake in the morning and you are liable to get some revealing answers. Fatigue is common in depression, and one of the causes of that fatigue is sleep inertia. Sleep inertia is a transitional state between sleep and wakefulness. Sometimes called sleep drunkenness, it is characterized by grogginess, poor mental performance, physical slowing, and dyscoordination. Severe cases can present with disorientation and confusion.1
Most people experience sleep inertia when they awake from deep sleep, but it usually lasts a few minutes. In depression it can drag on for 4 hours. That means a quarter of the day is spent in an impaired state. Sleep inertia perpetuates depression by causing patients to stay in bed too long, disrupting circadian rhythms and furthering inactivity.
Sleep inertia is particularly common in bipolar disorder, where it is reported by 42% of patients.2 Two behavioral interventions can improve this symptom and, in doing so, may improve depression as well.
Dawn simulators have evidence in winter depression, where small controlled trials have found that they worked better than a placebo but not quite as good as a lightbox.6-8
Disclosures:
What Exactly Are High Functioning Depression And Anxiety Lets Take A Detailed Look At These Rising Mental Health Disorders
- Not everyone is lucky enough to have the benefit of positive mental health. Depression and anxiety are common conditions that can have a significant impact on everyday life.
- People who experience functional depression experience the same symptoms that people with serious depression have, but they are less severe.
- Depression may be caused by brain chemistry or physiology, hormones, or genes.
- Anxiety symptoms in men and women include nervousness, restlessness, sweating, difficulty sleeping, and gastrointestinal symptoms .
- If youre experiencing depression or anxiety, seek medical help right away to help restore the benefits of positive mental health.
- There are many lifestyle ways to improve mental health, such as exercise, lowering stress, eating well, and sleeping adequately.
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Here Are A Few More Thoughts On How To Fight Depression And Anxiety Naturally
- You can also get recommendations on local naturally-minded doctors through your local WAPF chapter.
- Many commenters have brought this up and here’s what Scott said: Im actually quite surprised that magnesium did not make this list. As someone who has suffered for years with anxiety, magnesium has helped me more than anything one thing. Citrate or malate, both work wonders. Stay away from oxide, completely worthless . Here’s the Magnesium supplement I take and you could also use these Magnesium flakes in a tub full of warm water for a calming effect. Nowadays, I am loving this homeopathic remedy and it’s what I wrote about in this post: How to stop migraines.
About Jill :
We live in Waco, TXjust moved last summer after living in Hawaii which was after we lived in South Africalots of transition in the last few years. I’m a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of Luke, who is almost 16, and Hannah, who is almost 18 and will be starting college at Baylor University in the fall. My husband, David, is the acute care and outpatient therapy manager at a hospital here in Waco. I’ve been doing well for several years nowprobably 7 or 8 years, though I find my stress tolerance level isn’t what I think it used to be. Of course I’m not as young as I used to be either!
Listen To Upbeat Music
There’s no doubt that music can have an impact on how you feel, so choosing the right music when you’re feeling down might be an effective way of lifting your mood.
Research has found people who are depressed may have a tendency to choose music that intensifies rumination, sadness, and emotion-focused coping. So while you might be tempted to turn to somber tearjerkers when you’re feeling down, consider listening to more upbeat songs to boost your mood and inspire positive feelings.
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Learn To Recognize Negative Thinking
Sometimes these thoughts can be obvious, such as times when you berate or criticize yourself. Other times, they can be more subtle. You might find yourself engaging in things like catastrophizing or all-or-nothing thinking.
Catastrophizing involves always anticipating negative outcomes. All-or-nothing thinking means that you think of things as either successes or failures with no in-between. Once you get better at recognizing these cognitive patterns, you can start working on some healthier replacements.
When To See A Doctor
While natural treatments can help with anxiety symptoms, some signs may indicate that you need to call your doctor:
- Your anxiety is chronic , and it interferes with your ability to function daily
- Your symptoms have persisted for six months or more
- Youâre experiencing physical symptoms such as rapid heart rate, difficulty sleeping, stomach issues, or chronic fatigue
- Youâre avoiding people or places
- Youâre having thoughts of self-harm or suicide
Your doctor may prescribe anti-anxiety medications or refer you to a specialist. In some cases, the natural remedies described above may be used along with more conventional treatments to help you manage your symptoms.
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Essentials For When Youre Depressed
Firstly, if youre feeling suicidal, please go straight to my page: Help with emotional problems, to find where you can turn to right now.
Secondly, there are numerous medical conditions . So, do have a health checkup if you havent had one yet.
Thirdly, check the side effects of any of your prescribed medications.
Drugs prescribed for high blood pressure, hot flushes , prostate enlargement, pain, digestive system or lung problems, epilepsy, and would you believe it depression and anxiety, are linked to depression.
The Depression Epidemic: Our Stone Age Brains
There is an undeniable connection between lifestyle and depression. A modern lifestyle is making us sick. The more modern a society, and the more removed it is from the primitive hunter-gatherer way of life, the higher its rate of depression. Our world has changed phenomenally and our lifestyles have changed along with it, but our brains have hardly changed at all. They remain remarkably similar to the ones that powered people in the Stone Age when sleep was abundant, food was nutritious, and people wandered in groups, constantly on the move in the sunshine.
Our Stone Age brains just werent designed to handle the sedentary, isolated, indoor, sleep-deprived, fast-food-laden, stressed-out pace of twenty-first-century life. -Dr Stephen Ilardi
Our brains are beautifully crafted to support Stone Age bodies that live Stone Age lives. When Stone Age brains are forced to live a modern lifestyle, the effect can be devastating. The brain and the body become depleted of the very things that have been fuelling them for thousands of years before now.
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Maintain Your Prana Levels
According to yoga and ayurveda, depression is caused when there is a decrease in ones level of prana, or life force energy. In order for the body and mind to function properly, prana must be flowing freely. When your prana or life force fluctuates, your mind is also more susceptible to a roller coaster of emotions. When prana is high, we experience joy, enthusiasm, creativity, and energy and enthusiasm to live. When it is diminished, we experience many symptoms of depression, like the loss of desire to participate in activities we used to love, loss of interest and pleasure in life, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, loss of appetite, feelings of worthlessness, poor concentration, self doubt, and an increase in anxiety.
There are many sources to increase, maintain and sustain your prana level, and these could be broadly classified into four major categories:
Learn more about Sudarshan Kriya and the Happiness Program.