Hobbies That Will Make You More Intelligent

Following on from https://healnowtherapyhypnosis.blogspot.com/2018/12/9-types-of-intelligence-infographic.html, Alison Courses recently put together a list of eight hobbies that will make you smarter. https://alison.com/messages/1466/8-hobbies-that-make-you-smarter-according-to-science- I have summarised the article below, while also adding in my own thoughts.

1. Photography. Altering various components in order to capture the right picture aids problem solving and sensory awareness. Editing photos can also be a challenging pass time that connects several different aspects of intellect and creativity.

2. Gardening. Soil bacteria releases serotonin in the brain, boosting positive feelings and learning. It is also good exercise (see below) while often requiring research and creativity in design.

3. Learning Music. Our brains constantly look for patterns to overcome problems, something which music learning aids us in doing. Learning music also takes high levels of both concentration and memory, while making your own music stimulates creativity.

4. Reading Literature. Gains intellectual and emotional stability through 'deep reading'.

5. Language Learning. Improves leadership, problem solving and planning skills that enhance creativity and intelligence.

6. Exercise Regularly. Stimulates proteins in the body that boost memory, learning, concentration and understanding.

7. Quizzes. Improve both subject specific knowledge and brain activity.

8. Meditation. Brain waves of monks in meditation shown to reach 'deeply compassionate state' where they could control brain activity.

To add to their list I suggest the following:

9. Arts and Crafts Like photography only perhaps involving even more aspects of intelligence. Arts use spatial, sensory and motor skills in mixing colour and shape to design and create. Painting, drawing, sculpting, making or computerised design requires a lot of brain power!

10. Puzzles. A bit like quizzes above. Crosswords, Sudoku, anagrams etc. Stimulate brain function through problem solving in logical, linguistic, maths, language and other subject specific themes.

11. Cooking. It takes a combination of several intelligence 'ingredients' to cook well, often while multi-tasking. From researching different recipes or specific diets, to mixing aspects of taste, colour, smells and textures in order to design unique creations, cooking uses tablespoons of creative grey matter, as well as elements of spatial, naturalist and intra-personal intelligence. 

12. Video Games. Many people on the street will tell you video games are making children less intelligent. I don't necessarily agree. If used in the correct way, in proportional amounts, I am an avid believer that interactive tech, such as video games, can be more intellectually stimulating than reading a book. They are more multifaceted, including reading, looking at pictures, videos, sounds and touch, while they can also be very social as games now link people all across the globe interactively. Like books, there are video games now about every subject matter you can think of, so potentially you can find video games that concentrate on any type of intelligence.

13. Travel. Is travel a hobby? Debatable. But travel means you encounter new places, people, language and scenarios plus experiencing the logistics of successfully moving yourself, your belongings and possibly your group around. You will learn intra-personal, interpersonal, linguistic and spatial skills in particular.

14. Sports. I would be tempted to group this with 'exercise'. Sports give you all the benefits of exercise while in addition including several cognitive and social challenges in playing competitively and/or in teams. Learning and teaching new techniques, adjusting training, tactics and strategy to aid performance, multi-tasking... there is a lot of cognition in sports. Lots of major sportspeople are labelled 'dumb' in the media, but I would say at least in some aspects of the spectrum top sports stars are off the scale in areas such as spatial and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

Have I missed anything from the list? Which hobbies do you think are best for boosting intelligence?


See also https://healnowtherapyhypnosis.blogspot.com/2013/08/25-ways-to-make-yourself-more.html

https://www.betterhelp.com/online-therapy/

Adolescent Online Counselling

The Problem

Being young can be incredibly challenging. Adolescents can have all the problems an adult might experience with the added bonus of the raging emotional turmoil of teenage hormones, plus a very volatile social environment where in-group/out-group themes can feel like everything. At that age you don't know its normal to feel up and down and its likely you don't really understand why you feel the way you do.

On the extreme end of the spectrum, Japan has seen a thirty year high in youth suicide https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-46096626  while there have been recent similarly concerning findings in the UK https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/sep/04/suicide-rate-rises-among-young-people-in-england-and-wales

Adolescents can feel angry, depressed, scared, lonely, frustrated and very much in need to talk to someone - but talking to someone they know could be the very last thing they would want to do for a variety of reasons. They can feel embarrassed or ashamed to own up to their problems, too emotionally insecure to put such trust in someone close to them. Teens can readily feel the pressure of expectation from family, friends and school, networks that should exist to help them can end up having an opposite, negative effect.

How Can Counselling Help?

Counselling and advice services can provide help to teens by supporting them in a confidential, non-judgemental and near anonymous format. Services can take the form of face-to-face counselling, phone calls or online through webchat, email or forums.

Counselling is the most common form of talking therapy and can help young people deal with their issues and the impact they have been making upon their mental wellbeing. The counsellor will help explore the individual's problems and symptoms, and will aim to develop coping strategies to use in future scenarios.

Counselling can address a wide range of problems from anxiety, depression, bullying, relationships and self-harm, but is not recommended for more serious mental conditions which require more specialised treatment plans.

Different Types of Counselling

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/parents-guide-to-support-a-z/parents-guide-to-support-counselling-services/ names these different types of counselling:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
The approach of CBT is about thinking more positively about life, looking at  how you can get stuck in patterns of behaviour and ways of changing these rather than dwelling on past events. There are typically six or 12 weekly sessions and the therapist sets goals with the young person, often with ‘homework’ to do in between.

Mindfulness
Mindfulness is often combined with CBT and helps a young person to focus on difficult thoughts and feeling, rather than avoiding them, so that the fear of them gradually lessens. Therapists can also include meditation, yoga and breathing exercises.

Psychotherapy
This is a more long-term therapy and involves talking about the effects of past events and can be more helpful with long-term problems such as depression or eating disorders. NHS psychotherapists work in clinics or hospitals; some private psychotherapists work from home.

Family Therapy
The whole family works with the family therapist to try and understand the problems they are all having. It can help improve communications between family members and issues such as children’s behavioural problems, disability, family breakdown, addiction and domestic violence.

Online Counselling

The modern adolescent is very much at home with using technology in the form of smart phones/social media to communicate. With this in mind https://www.teencounseling.com/ has developed a system whereby teens receive counselling over their smart phones in webchat style forums, ideal for individuals who struggle to open up in a face to face environment.

9 Types of Intelligence Infographic

We often hear references to different types of intelligence, how x person has a y type of intelligence and how that relates to their personality. This info-graphic courtesy of https://blog.adioma.com/9-types-of-intelligence-infographic/ really makes a wonderful succinct summary of the different intelligence types.

Where would you place yourself?

Top 10 Hypnosis Trends 2019

Like any good form of therapy Hypnotherapy must adapt with the field in order to both survive and thrive. https://hypnosistrainingacademy.com/hypnosis-trends-2017/ have produced an excellent article naming the top 10 hypnosis trends for 2017. As we approach 2019, this article aims to analyse these trends and perhaps predict which direction future trends may lead us.

1. Traditional Treatments are Evolving. The article talks about virtual gastric band vs surgery, and the emergence of vaping and its potential problems.

My previous article Vaping vs Smoking discusses some of the latest thoughts on vaping as it is currently a very hot topic with the great number of people taking up e-cigs and other alternatives to smoking without solid long-term research to say that it is completely safe. I think its a very good bet to say that stop-vaping services will be sought after increasingly in the years to come, and its something I get asked about regularly in my clinics at the moment.

At present there is no official stop vaping service in the UK, while typically stop smoking aids and medications are designed only for burning tobacco products, despite vaping being a highly addictive and potentially harmful habit taken up by a huge number of people. A stop vaping hypnotic service could therefore be a very useful service for the present and future. 

2. Mental Health Services. It is noted that although public/media perception to mental health has recently shifted to something acceptable for open discussion, public funding has continued to be cut. The most recent UK budget has set aside increased funds for mental health services however, presumably as it makes perfect sense to treat problems early before they become more serious. CBT is being used with greater frequency to treat common issues such as anxiety and depression for this reason. 

We know that self-hypnosis techniques alone can greatly aid anxiety and personal well being. Will preventative services further latch on to the effects of hypnotherapy in the future? It very much depends on how research develops but I think it is an excellent idea worth exploring further.

3. Links with conventional Medicine. Studies indicate that hypnosis can be used for various medical purposes, such as pain management, recovery from surgery, childbirth and IBS. With medical services continuing to be stretched, costs forever increasing and demand from patients not wanting medication based treatment, hypnosis can reasonably expect to play an increasing role in more wide ranging treatment plans of the future.

4. Healthy Diets. Obesity continues to rise in both adults and children, despite the healthy food craze that seems to sweep back and forth perpetually. As a result of this the author suggests there is a trend toward hypnosis to promote healthy eating.

Looking at future trends I would expand upon this to say hypnotherapy can play a role in improving healthy lifestyles in general; to include eating, activity/exercise and social habits.

I have commented before on the potential problem of social media and the screen time both adults and children now seem bound to in both work and leisure. Sedentary lifestyles, eating more processed foods coinciding with decreased 'real' social interactions can only lead to more physical/mental health issues in the future.

Society must find an answer to correcting our negative lifestyle patterns. If hypnosis can aid us eating well, getting regular good exercise and interacting socially then perhaps that answer is right in front of us.

5. Closing The Gap Between The 4 Streams of Hypnotists. The four branches are listed in the article as; the world of research and academia, hypnotists with healthcare qualifications, laymen hypnotists and stage and entertainment hypnotists. The Hypnosis Training Academy says that in the past hypnosis was considered something 'mystical', whereas nowadays for various reasons there is more acceptance and understanding of the practice which has lead to cohesion of sorts.

The author claims the gap between laymen hypnotists and hypnotists with healthcare qualifications is closing, partly due to the increase of training courses available on a widening range of topics. Similarly techniques used in entertainment such as 'hypnotic mind reading' have been taken up in hypnotherapy sessions, while well known celebrities such as Paul Mckenna who started in entertainment have switched to offer therapeutic services.

6. Advances In Research Related To Changes In The Brain. The author cites the recent study of Dr Spiegel which demonstrates how the brain alters under hypnosis, proving that hypnosis has a very real empirical effect upon the brain, and also begins to show how the subconscious mind can be manipulated under hypnosis to make changes to aspects of body such as secretions/blood flow.

As scientific research hopefully continues to demonstrate the potential of Hypnotherapy, this can only strengthen its position within society and open more and more people to the idea of hypnosis as an alternative treatment option. 

7. Change Of Emphasis From Power To Empower. The Hypnosis Training Academy say there has been a shift between the image of a hypnotist being in control of their subject to working cooperatively toward a shared goal, empowering positive change.

I would say this is not a very recent change but something that has happened over a longer period of time, and certainly hope that hypnotherapy remains an empowering experience in the future!

8. Hypnotists Are Becoming More Business-Minded. The article states that this is due to the growth of hypnotherapy the industry has had to evolve. Increased demand for hypnotherapy means there are now more hypnotists in the field, so there is a need to promote services to stand out and succeed as a business.

Also there are now more regulatory bodies which aim to set standards of hypnotherapy such as training, CPD and insurance, all with a view to make hypnotherapy more professional practice and move away from those 'mystical beginnings'.

9. Hypnosis As A Career In Later Life. As the population lives longer they are needing to work longer too. The author states that projected stats for 2022 are that 31.9% of people aged between 65 and 74 will still be working, an increase of 58% since 2002.

Due to the work having little physical demands and having the flexibility to be self employed, the article states that more people are turning to hypnotherapy as a second career choice or a career in later life.

With the population being statistically older, perhaps a future trend of hypnosis need best consider the treatment/lifestyle needs of the aged also. What will the requirements be for older people still needing to work, or longer years spent in retirement? Could hypnosis be used to improve the lives and well being of older people? Again, I firmly believe there is great potential for development here.

10. Hypnosis For Students And Its Impact On Future Generations. The Hypnosis Research Academy links research demonstrating the benefits for meditation in schools, and claim that the known benefits of hypnosis in stress reduction, behavioural issues and information retention mean that it could be a highly useful tool for future generations of students.

If all children learnt self hypnosis - what kind of effect would that have upon them growing up? The effect upon society could be massive.

Supplementary suggestions to the list...

To add to this list for future trends I feel it would be unwise to ignore the role of technology. Increased screen time can be disadvantageous as previously stated, but tech can also open doors if used in the right way. Advances to the internet and smart phones mean we can be connected to anyone across the globe without limit or financial restraint, and not just by voice conversation, but with face to face via video link.

I have conducted hypnosis successfully using these methods, and although I prefer real time patient interaction telephone consultations certainly suit some clientele. They are cost effective, remove the problem of getting to appointments, the geography divide of patient/therapist, and also remove the waiting room experience. Due to phobias and other medical issues there are a range of reasons why a patients/therapist might not want to have real time interaction - so I can only reflect upon them positively as a flexible and highly useful option for therapy.

There is 'smart' technology emerging everywhere around us at the moment from phones to watches and car seats, all linked by apps that can help us understand the way our body and mind works. A question we have to ask ourselves is how best do we use this technology to actually improve ourselves? How can hypnotherapy be used in conjunction to achieve this?

If you feel there is something missing from the list then please leave a comment to the article.

How Common Are Mental Health Problems?

How common are mental health problems? The short answer; extremely common, although it is rather difficult to quantify.

Much like physical health, mental health is complex and can be described upon a wide spectrum of 'seriousness'. A common cold is a physical illness but is it a health problem? Are issues such as mild depression/anxiety/loneliness etc therefore mental health problems?

It is a relative question of coping. If mental health issues are adversely affecting your life then, much like a physical issue, they can be considered a problem that should be addressed.

The trouble is that many of us wont think twice before seeking out a doctor for a physical ailment such as a stomach ache, but will struggle on with mental conditions without seeking help or even admitting to a problem. Ignoring such matters can make them much worse in time causing all kinds of related health problems, both to the individual and those close to them.

For these reasons there has been a recent drive in awareness of mental health issues, with the general purpose of letting the population know that mental health problems are common, that they are treatable and it is certainly acceptable to talk about them. Last week the UK government committed an extra 2 billion GBP to mental health service , we also have mental health awareness week while even the Royal Family have got in on the act. Only time will tell how effective such strategies will be, but I think the results will be hugely positive for society.

So how common are mental health issues?

In the UK a large scale study was conducted in 2016, the results of which are summarised by Mind UK, who also state that 1 in 4 adults will experience a mental health issue each year. It is worth mentioning that the study is far from perfect as it only covered those adults living in private housing, so critically does not include those vulnerable groups where mental health problems are known to be prevalent, such as the homeless, those in hospital or prison. For this reason the following stats can be considered lower than the true figure of the general populous.

What the study says

Generalised anxiety disorder: 5.9%
Depression: 3.3%
Phobias: 2.4%
OCD: 1.3%
Panic disorder: 0.6 in 100 people
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): 4.4%
Mixed anxiety and depression: 7.8%

Psychotic disorder: 0.7%
Bipolar disorder: 2.0%
Antisocial personality disorder: 3.3%
Borderline personality disorder: 2.4%

Suicidal thoughts: 20.6%
Suicide attempts: 6.7%
Self-harm: 7.3%

Mind UK report that 1 in 8 of adults in the UK with mental health problems are being treated, with medication serving as the most common form of treatment.

If we say there are roughly 50 million adults in the UK, even a 8% prevalence of mixed anxiety and depression would suggest there are 4 million adults in the UK with the mental health issue, and one could assume there are many more under the age of 18. It is also interesting to consider what is causing the 20% of suicidal thoughts.

Applying these figures to a worldwide population it is quite staggering to think how many people around the world are suffering with mental health problems that are going untreated.

It is my opinion that medication can only go some way in fully treating a mental condition and can merely paper over the cracks in many cases. Drugs can make you feel better of course, but can they alone solve the underlying causes of mental health problems? Locating and understanding the root of mental issues is a key proponent of talking therapies, along with finding life solutions and coping mechanisms applicable to the individual's life.

Overcoming Speech Anxiety

What is Speech Anxiety?

Speech anxiety, aka Glossophobia, is a common fear, up there with spiders, heights and snakes in terms of worldwide popularity. Glossophobia.com report that 75% of the population have a form of speech anxiety and;

...statistically, far more of us claim that we would prefer death to giving a speech; even comedian Jerry Seinfeld used to joke that at a funeral, most people would rather be lying in the casket than delivering the eulogy.

Thoughtco.com define speech anxiety as:

Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is the fear experienced by a person when delivering (or preparing to deliver) a speech to an audience. Public speaking anxiety is sometimes referred to as stage fright or communication apprehension.

What does Speech Anxiety feel like?

I began to develop a speaking stutter when performing class readings in secondary school (possibly induced by the anxiety of the occurring squeaky voice of teenage boys), while I attempted to overcome shyness in social situations by drinking far too much alcohol to have the courage to approach, particularly, women. I recently massively stressed over giving a best man's speech for months preceding the event... so I can certainly empathise with this phobia! Though I'm not sure I would opt for Seinfeld's casket instead, it would certainly be tempting!

Experiencing speech anxiety feels horrible. Increased heart rate, sweats, feeling of blood rushing to your head and face, slurred speech, shaking/trembling, nausea/vomiting, dizziness, muscular tension. It is the classic fight/flight response.

When I was at school my flight response was essentially to feign illness so I did not have to do the class presentation. To some this means avoiding taking job interviews/presentations that have the knock on effect of impairing career development. To others it is avoiding social events where new friends/connections could be made.

Glossophobia can therefore have a massive negative impact on life quality; but does it necessarily need to be that way?   

What causes Speech Anxiety?

Healthline.com report that:

Many people who have a strong fear of public speaking fear being judged, embarrassed, or rejected. They may have had an unpleasant experience, like having given a report in class that didn’t go well. Or they’re been asked to perform on the spot with no preparation.

Though social phobias often run in families, the science behind this isn’t understood. A 2002 study reported that breeding mice that show less fear and anxiety resulted in offspring with less anxiety. But more research is needed to assess whether social phobias are hereditary.

Testing conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health found that the brains of people with social anxiety have a heightened response when negative comments were read to them. The affected areas were those responsible for self-evaluation and emotional processing. This heightened response wasn’t seen in people without the disorder.

How to overcome Speech Anxiety?

First it is essential to identify the underlying causes of your anxiety, and from uncovering the root of your problem you can then focus upon it. Is it self esteem/confidence? Is it comparing yourself to others and thus unfairly judging yourself? Is it feeling the eyes of the room upon you? Was it a horrendous previous experience that has affected you in particular? Do you generally feel under-prepared in speaking situations?

Learn Better Breathing Habits

When people start to experience anxiety, they tend to have shallow breathing. This can just add to anxiety and increases your heart rate. If you want to overcome anxiety, it can help to learn deep breathing habits. Practice breathing in through your nose while making sure that you are expanding your lungs from top to bottom. That means that your diaphragm should move as well while you breathe. Once you have breathed in, hold it in for a few seconds, and then slowly exhale it out through the partially open mouth. Once you have completed your exhale, start again.This can help to calm your nerves and settle your body.

Practice Visualisation

When we experience anxiety about something, we tend to focus on the negative repeatedly. We circle through it in our heads over and over again thinking about all the things that were afraid of regarding the situation. You can overcome this by practising positive visualisation. Practice thinking about yourself speaking in front of a group and doing a great job. If you have a specific speech or presentation that you will be giving soon, visualise yourself giving that over and over again. This can help you build your confidence and feel more comfortable with the task at hand.

Join A Group To Practice Your Skills

If you are in a position where you're going to need to be speaking in front of people on a regular basis, it can help to join a group that helps you practice your skills. Toastmasters International is one such group that helps you do this. You can work on developing your skills with peers that are doing the same. There is no fear of judgement.

Be Prepared

There are many ways that you can prepare for a speech to overcome speech anxiety. Start by making sure you are familiar with the material you're going to be speaking about. Then, practice it. Make sure you are familiar with the location where you are going to speak and make sure you know how to get there. Find out where to go once you arrive, and then make sure you're not rushing before you have to speak.

Practice Self-Care

Practising self-care can go a long way in helping you overcome speech anxiety. Start by exercising on a regular basis. Exercise helps to cut anxiety and boost your mood and confidence. If you have to give a big presentation or speech, make sure that you exercise the morning of.

Make sure that you eat foods that are healthy for you and will help to calm your body. Avoid having caffeine or sweets the day of your presentation. Avoid the morning cup of coffee, the soda, or the sugary muffin from Starbucks. Instead try to eat things like whole grains, fruit cups, and stay well hydrated. Make sure you use the restroom before your presentation since you will be drinking more water.

Make sure you dress your best and wear something that you are comfortable wearing. This will help you to feel more confident when you get in front of a group. Don't wear clothes that you feel like you will need to keep pulling at, readjusting, or be concerned about in any way.

Change Your Focus

When we suffer from speech anxiety, we are focused on ourselves. One way to improve this is to change your focus from yourself to your audience. While you are talking, focus on the friendly faces in the crowd. Instead of worrying about how you look, how your voice sounds, or if you're going to get your words right, focus on delivering valuable information to the audience. Think about how the information that you're giving them is going to help them and improve their lives. Keeping the focus on your audience removes your focus from yourself which can help ease anxiety.

Talk To A Counsellor

If you experience strong anxiety when you need to speak in front of other people, it can help to talk to a licensed therapist. They can work with you to help get to the root of the problem and then address it in a way that helps you to overcome it. Better Help has professionals that are ready and waiting to help you overcome your speech anxiety. It's an affordable and convenient option for you to use.

I feel I (at least mainly) overcame my glossophobia through slowly building my self confidence in social speaking situations. My recent best man's speech went very well, and I felt so relieved/overjoyed in completing it I now feel a new confidence to do another one (though from the content of the speech I am not so certain I will ever be asked again). For me preparation is essential before any presentation, going over the material so well that you know it, and visualise yourself performing. I would not say I am a natural public speaker and most like never will be, but it is not something I waste precious time and energy stressing over. 

How Hypnotherapy Can Help With Addiction

How Hypnotherapy Can Help With Addiction

Addiction is a mental health crisis that can ruin people’s lives. When you’re addicted to something, it’s hard to come off of it, or try to deal with the withdrawal symptoms once you quit. Whether you’re addicted to alcohol, food, the Internet, or anything else, seeking help is a good way to prove to yourself that you’re willing to make a change.

There are many ways to treat addiction. Some turn to counseling, where a therapist will guide you through dealing with your problems through therapeutic techniques. Others may turn to rehabilitation programs and/or take prescribed medication to manage the symptoms of withdrawal. Another way to treat addiction is through hypnotherapy.

What is Hypnotherapy?

You probably have this stereotypical picture in your head when you think of hypnotherapy – a hypnotist waving something shiny in front of your eyes, saying that you’re getting sleepy. Of course, there’s much more to it than that. Hypnotherapy involves trying to change a person as they are, while they are in an unconscious state. The goal is to put the client into an uninterrupted trance, which can make them hyper-aware and able to express memories and secrets they otherwise wouldn’t share or recall in their conscious state. However, being under hypnosis can make a person more susceptible to suggestion.

Hypnosis commands can either be direct orders or suggestions. Some people respond well and listen to direct orders – for example, if you’re trying to quit drinking alcohol, a hypnotist telling you to stop drinking could make you do just that, after hearing the command. However, not everyone likes to be told what to do. In these cases, the hypnotist may make suggestions while their clients are under hypnosis. They may say, “You should consider drinking less,” and explain reasons as to why, instead of just giving the hypnosis command “Stop drinking.”

Hypnotherapy and Treating Addiction

Hypnotherapy can be used to treat addiction, addictive behaviors, and withdrawal symptoms as well. By opening yourself up to suggestion, a hypnotist can make suggestions or orders for you to help treat your addiction. It’s not magic or instantaneous – you won’t be cured suddenly, but it may help to increase your chances of quitting and not relapsing.

Hypnotherapy is also good for relieving pain and anxiety. These are just a few side effects of withdrawal. Sometimes, the experience of withdrawal is so overwhelming and uncomfortable that it makes people return to their addiction. By making the withdrawal process easier to cope with, you increase your chances of a full recovery.

Is it Effective?

While many studies on hypnotherapy’s efficacy in treating addiction have been inconclusive, there are others that have said that hypnotherapy may help to relieve pain and anxiety, which are symptoms of withdrawal. When recovering from addiction, you should definitely examine and consider all possible options – researching what works best for you, or perhaps employing multiple techniques can increase your chances of making a recovery. Hypnotherapy can work well when used in conjunction with other treatments as well.

Finding a Hypnotherapist Near You

If you’re considering hypnotherapy, take some time to research patients’ reviews and the hypnotherapists themselves. As with any profession, some are great at their job – they can help even the most stubborn of people change their behaviors and habits through hypnotherapy. Others may have more difficulty with their clients, may not be suggestive at all, are more direct in their commands, or may employ techniques that you feel may not be the right fit for you. Read the reviews and choose one that you may be comfortable with. If it might not be the right therapeutic relationship for you, don’t give up on working on conquering your addiction – ask your hypnotherapist if they might be able to refer you to another colleague, or another type of therapist.

Addiction is hard to conquer, but by trying out different types of therapy, you’re taking one more step toward recovery. Try hypnotherapy (or any other type of therapy) and see what it can do for you. Every effort made towards addiction recovery counts!

by Marie Miguel

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with Better Help. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.

Studies Find 4 Major Personality Types

Personally I am not a big fan of personality types as I believe personality to be too open, changing and complex to be accurately classified in any simple context. Neither do I feel comfortable placing people into subsections, especially based on personality test questions that are, at best, ambiguous.

We are constantly told not to judge books by their covers and never to have prejudice based on superficial details - yet these tests are forcing us to make judgements of personality based upon answers to a handful of closed questions, often ticking a box that most applies to us rather than an accurate answer.

Similarly I do not like being placed into a certain bin. If I am told I am an introvert is that not self-fulfilling prophecy? While if I want to be seen as introverted or feel I am a certain personality type (as I imagine everyone does in some way) then surely the test cannot remain truly objective? Human thoughts/behaviours can only fairly be judged in context which tick box type questions cannot reasonably achieve.

Our personalities can change at time of day, throughout our lifespans, in different company, moods etc, so how you answer the questions at one moment could be completely different to sometime next week.

Perhaps in the future there will be highly intelligent computer software that could make more accurate and valuable assessments of personality, but until then we must make do with what we have.

Regardless of the above it is certainly fascinating to study personality types, while the potential uses of analysing and matching our personalities to different careers, partners, interests is an exciting prospect.

www.nature.com documents a new study that tested hundreds of people by use of questionnaire. The data came back lumping results into four key groups, and thus concludes that there are four main personality types; reserved, role models, average and self-centred.

https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/four-new-personality-types?rebelltitem=5#rebelltitem5 summarises these as the following:

'Average: Average people are high in neuroticism and extraversion, while low in openness. "I would expect that the typical person would be in this cluster," says Gerlach. Females are more likely than males to fall into the Average type.
Reserved: The Reserved type is emotionally stable, but not open or neurotic. They are not particularly extraverted but are somewhat agreeable and conscientious.
Role Models: Role Models score low in neuroticism and high in all the other traits. The likelihood that someone is a role model increases dramatically with age. "These are people who are dependable and open to new ideas," Amaral says. "These are good people to be in charge of things. In fact, life is easier if you have more dealings with role models." Women are more likely than men are likely to be role models.
Self-Centered: Self-Centered people score very high in extraversion and below average in openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. "These are people you don't want to hang out with," according to Revelle. There is a very dramatic decrease in the number of self-centered types as people age in both with women and men.'

More discussion on this topic

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2018/09/17/scientists-identify-four-personality-types/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.6ba2f87821aa

What is Asperger Syndrome?

The name Asperger Syndrome (AS) comes from the Austrian Child Psychologist Hans Asperger, who wrote a 1944 study detailing the first definition of the syndrome. AS is now classified as part of the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is thought to be a milder form of Autism.

From http://www.asperger-syndrome.me.uk/history.html

'In four boys, he (Asperger) identified a pattern of behaviour and abilities that he called "autistic psychopathy", meaning autism (self) and psychopathy (personality disease). The pattern included "a lack of empathy, little ability to form friendships, one-sided conversation, intense absorption in a special interest, and clumsy movements." Asperger called children with AS "little professors" because of their ability to talk about their favourite subject in great detail.'

  https://www.autism.org.uk/about/what-is/asperger.aspx# explain that AS is not a disease but rather a personality type that one is born with and has indefinitely. Those with AS 'see, hear and feel the world differently to other people' and can find everyday life 'overwhelming'. A complexity in describing and diagnosing AS is that it can affect people differently and is often mixed with other mental health problems meaning two people with AS can have apparently completely different problems.

'The characteristics of Asperger syndrome vary from one person to another, but in order for a diagnosis to be made, a person will usually be assessed as having had persistent difficulties with social communication and social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests since early childhood, to the extent that these “limit and impair everyday functioning”.'

As of September 2018 the causes of AS remain unclear despite major studies aiming to determine several hypotheses, such as the MMR vaccination being a potential cause. AS is thought to be genetic.

There is no perfect treatment for AS and rather a body of different coping strategies to aid the core symptoms of low level communication skills, obsessive/repetitive routines and physical clumsiness, with the accepted view being the earlier intervention the better in children.

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/all-disorders/asperger-syndrome-information-page

'An effective treatment program builds on the child’s interests, offers a predictable schedule, teaches tasks as a series of simple steps, actively engages the child’s attention in highly structured activities, and provides regular reinforcement of behaviour.  It may include social skills training, cognitive behavioural therapy, medication for co-existing conditions, and other measures.'

Children and adults can function normally with AS if treated effectively, though social/communicative situations may persist in being challenging scenarios. For this reason it is suggested that those with AS receive continuing support to maintain independent lifestyles.

Free Online Therapy

In my line of work I frequently come across people who claim they would love to take up therapy of some kind, but don't have the time or the money to pursue such action.

'What could be more important than improving psychological health?' I hear you say, but it's not that simple. Families, bills, addictions, debts, education costs - and probably a host of other things all come before taking a roll of the dice upon a therapy that may or may not work. Perhaps the mental block of 'I cannot be cured anyway' is the most telling factor; of course a self-defeating prophecy.

Theoretically then, in a society where therapy was completely free and flexible, accessible at any time; what would it change?

Would it attract droves of people into therapy? Would more severe mental health conditions be averted if they were caught and treated at an early stage? Would millions be saved in industry through less sick days being taken and hence loss of personnel?

The real life experiment is well underway in the UK, with those exact same goals in mind.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/health/england-mental-health-treatment-therapy.html

I think its a brilliant idea, although still far from the 'utopia' of perfect therapy. There are still teething problems such as waiting times, while technology can certainly be used for the better in future practice. All the same its a huge step in the right direction for mental health. Just making mental health issues an acceptable and approachable subject is a big step, as bottling things up inside is never a good recipe for long term health.

If you don't live in the UK or a country providing such service, what then? Free online therapies can be found, mainly in the form of forums/chat rooms focused on different mental health themes. Seeing a therapist in person is rare to find, as therapists will expect to be paid for their time other than in exceptional circumstances. The online community is different however and the links below are just the tip of the iceberg of what can be found.

http://www.healthfulchat.org/mental-health-chat-rooms.html
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/online-safety-and-support/finding-support/#.W3kvQuhKjIU
https://mashable.com/2014/05/01/get-help-anonymously/?europe=true#d1Ox.ouQ2mqP
https://freeonlinetherapy.org/free-online-therapy-guide/

Sharing feelings is therapeutic. Friends and family who listen can be wonderful therapists. Paying huge sums for a highly qualified therapist does not guarantee they are the best person for you. An issue with free therapies can be people working unlicensed/untrained - so always check the validity of any organisation/individual before proceeding.

The Social Problems of Social Media

The MSN 'Loneliness Campaign' in the UK recently ran an interesting article about the social media paradox; essentially that social media sets out to be 'social' but actually leads to increased loneliness due to users spending more time in the virtual word of screens and smartphones as oppose to 'real' face to face interactions with friends. The above links provide the full articles.

Personally speaking I have certainly dabbled with social media, but since becoming a father I found I could no longer justify the time I was spending mindlessly surfing through pictures of dinner plates, taken by people I barely know. Thus the Twitter and Facebook addiction went four years ago, and I have no intention of going back!

Another thing I don't like about social media, and the internet in general, that is not mentioned in the article, is the general nasty attitude you find everywhere, like looking under rocks for worms (no offence to the worm intended there). From forums, youtube comments or live chat formats almost across the board - one and all seem to fall foul of argumentative, aggressive and abusive dialect between users. Why is that? https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-psychology-of-internet-rage-2018051713852 comments on several themes.

I have heard the term 'keyboard warrior' be used to describe those whom fall into such category; the idea that sitting anonymously behind a keyboard people will say things they would never dare to in a face to face situation. Perhaps the anonymity aspect is key here, and of course that there is absolutely no consequence to actions. You can call someone any range of names then log off in full knowledge you could never be caught or traced.

Maybe its something linked to the reasons we can become animals behind the wheel, cursing streams of abuse in the safety of our vehicle that we (most of us at least) would not do in a pedestrian situation. https://www.osv.ltd.uk/road-rage/ says that there is limited ways to express our feelings to other road users in a car which then leads to frustrated gestures that can quickly escalate into rage... can the same be said of non-verbal communications in social media?

In previous years I have gotten into trivial arguments with people online which I admit got me quite annoyed. I wasted precious moments of my life thinking of clever ways to win a petty debate, one that had no end until one party gave up and 'walked away.' Such scenarios are easy to find online, as are torrents of abuse. It cant all just be bored teenagers can it?

Is such phenomena a healthy release valve of inner frustrations? Or do they foster negative personality disorders and consequently make them worse?

One study https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/health/posting-lots-of-photos-on-instagram-could-be-a-sign-of-depression-a3606616.html find the link between what photos are posted on social media and depression. I'm sure we all know someone who goes to great pains to illustrate their lives as overly happy, adventurous, exciting places through the photos they continue to post, only to meet them in person and think quite the opposite. Is it over simplified to think that some people use such photo posting techniques to compensate for feeling of inadequacy? I don't think it is.

Like medicines, martial arts and a plethora of other things, I suppose the internet is a wonderful tool when used correctly but when used incorrectly then it can be something negative, in worst cases dangerous. I chose to use social media sparingly and not rely on virtual relationships as I value face to face interactions as healthier and more enjoyable.

What Therapist?

There is a lot of jargon amidst the world of psychology, so this article aims to clarify some of the key terms and common misunderstandings.

What is a therapist? The word therapist is defined by dictionary.com as 'a person skilled in a particular kind of therapy'.

So a therapist is non-specific, broad term that can apply to a number of different fields. You can have massage therapists, psychotherapists, sports therapists and so on.

Essentially a psychologist has earned a degree in psychology, enabling them to diagnose disorders in patients through focusing on thoughts, behaviours, feelings and emotions. Examples of psychologists include Animal, Child, Educational, Forensic Psychologists (there are many different types!)

My recent post outlining psychiatrists and what they do can be found here https://healnowtherapyhypnosis.blogspot.com/2018/06/what-is-psychiatry.html. Psychiatrists are medically trained which means they are doctors who can also prescribe medications.

A psychotherapist is someone who carries out psychological talking therapies. Often they can be referred to as a 'therapist' or 'counsellor' which can lead to some of the misunderstandings in terminology. Examples of psychotherapy include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychotherapy or Humanistic therapy (there are many different types!) with the therapist trained in their specialised field.

I hope this helps!

Neurokinex Neurological Activity Based Rehabilitation

This week I paid a visit to Neurokinex Gatwick UK. Please follow the link to their web page to find out more about the unique work they are doing. 

Chosen as the first international NeuroRecovery Community Fitness and Wellness Affiliate of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Neurokinex provide pioneering neurological activity based rehabilitation for various forms of paralysis, which includes the recent 'Neurokinex-Kids', a unique program especially for the rehabilitation of children. 

Neurokinex rehabilitation focuses upon spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, transverse myelitis, multiple sclerosis and other such conditions that result in neuromuscular impairment.

Unlike more traditional approaches the Neurokinex rehabilitation and wellbeing programmes target the entire nervous and musculoskeletal systems rather than only the functional areas of the body. The programmes consist of a variety of weight-bearing activities, balance and stand training, gait and locomotor training, electrical stimulation, upper and lower body ergometry, vibration therapy and strength training. Task-specific exercises are carefully devised incorporating activities with skilled trainers and specialised rehabilitative equipment.

Many clients had been told they would never be able to perform certain physical activities again, such as being able to roll over or even regain use of their legs. Through using state of the art equipment brought over from the USA the brilliant staff at Neurokinex have achieved results far beyond expectations.

Hypnotherapy and How it Can Affect Your Psychological Well-Being

Hypnotherapy and How it Can Affect Your Psychological Well-Being
We all want to achieve peace of mind, and we can try to achieve this through therapy. A good therapist is able to help you feel better about yourself, teach you how to cope with difficulties you’re facing or struggling through, and/or they may help you to make a plan to achieve your goals.

There are many types of therapy out there, as people cope in different mannerisms. One form of therapy may change one client’s life, while it may be less effective to another. In this post, we’ll look at hypnotherapy, one of the more unique forms of therapy out there.

What is the Difference Between Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy?
When you think of hypnosis, you may imagine it as it’s all-too-often portrayed in media: a hypnotist putting their patient to sleep by waving a pocket watch in front of their eyes. Once the patient is asleep, they hypnotist is able to guide and control them in their trance-like state. For example, the hypnotist may tell the patient that when they wake up, they will be transformed into a chicken. Then, at the hypnotist’s prompting, the patient wakes up and clucks and starts flapping their arms.

This example is of course an exaggeration of how hypnosis works. Hypnosis is the main tool that is used in hypnotherapy. Hypnosis as it relates to hypnotherapy does involve a hypnotherapist guiding a patient into a relaxed and focused state. Once they are in the state, they may be more open to suggestion and less inhibited. For example, if the patient comes in to learn how to control their anger, the therapist may suggest anger management techniques and how to utilize them when they are in this state. The idea is that when they ‘wake up’ from this state, they will be more prone to listening to the suggestions made regarding their anger management, and will be more able to act upon those techniques.

With all that said, what can hypnotherapy do for you? Is it all that it’s cracked up to be? Can it really change your psychological well-being?

What Hypnotherapy Can Treat
Here is a small list of conditions that hypnotherapy may be able to treat.
* Fears – If you want to conquer a fear (or two) that you may have, a hypnotherapist may help you learn to calm yourself in that situation through visualization. For example, a hypnotherapist may teach you to visualize walking down a staircase to one of your favorite calm and tranquil places, and taking in the sights around you. Whenever you are faced with your fear, you can recall this visualization to help you get through your fear – perhaps if you are afraid of flying, when you are waiting for takeoff, you can work through this visualization.
* Pain – a hypnotherapist may tell you that you are less sensitive to your pain than you realize, and this can help reduce your feelings of pain.
* Insomnia – in addition to instituting a healthy sleep-hygiene routine, hypnotherapy can decrease insomnia and other sleep-related disorders, including nightmares, night terrors, and sleepwalking.
* Addiction – hypnotherapy makes the practitioner more receptive to behavior modification suggestions, so you may be able to relieve some of the symptoms of withdrawal without having to resort to medication.
* Emotional issues – the simple relaxation that you may feel when undergoing hypnotherapy mya help alleviate feelings of sadness, depression, anxiety, or anger.

Hypnotherapy’s effectiveness is different for everyone, but there are patients that have been able to increase their well-being and live a better life, with the help of their therapist.

Finding a Hypnotherapist Near You
If you are interested in hypnotherapy and if it could work for you, do your due diligence in researching therapists that specialize in this type of therapy. Find someone that is properly trained, and is also licensed and credentialed. Who knows – this may be the technique that works for you and changes your life!

By Marie Miguel

Biography

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with Better Help. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.

What is Psychiatry?

What is Psychiatry?
According to the American Psychiatric Association, psychiatry is a field of medicine which diagnoses, treats and prevents a wide wide range of psychological disorders. 

What is a psychiatrist?
Psychiatrists must be medically qualified doctors who have specialised in psychiatry, which is different from most other mental health professionals. Psychiatrists can therefore prescribe medications as well as using psychological treatments. (NHS)

What conditions does psychiatry diagnose and treat? 
A non-exhaustive list via NHS

• anxiety 
• phobias 
• obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 
• personality disorders 
• schizophrenia and paranoia
• depression and bipolar disorder
• eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia
• sleep disorders, such as insomnia
• addictions, such as drug or alcohol misuse

Diagnosis

Due to their medical expertise, psychiatrists are able to perform both psychological and medical assessments to provide detailed analysis of a condition. Psychiatrists understand the intricate link between physical and psychological illness and take time to evaluate family history of illness to get a very complete understanding of patient issues in order to develop treatment plans. 

Treatment
Psychiatry takes form in a wide ranging variety of treatments. Different therapies can be combined with medications depending upon the individual needs of the patient as per the diagnosis.  

Depending on the severity of the condition psychiatry can take a couple of sessions, or be an ongoing process of treatment that can take several years. One of the biggest criticisms aimed at psychiatry in the past has been that treatment can potentially go on indefinitely, which can obviously be very expensive and time consuming for both the patient and medical services. 

Examples of treatments include psychotherapy , psycho-social interventions or Electroconvulsive Therapy ECT. 

Examples of medications include; antidepressants (depression, panic disorder, PTSD, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder and eating disorders), sntipsychotic medications (delusions/hallucinations, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder), sedatives and anxiolytics (anxiety, insomnia). The general idea of medications is to attempt to correct chemical imbalances in the brain that are considered to be the cause of psychological dysfunction.

Couples Therapy: Addiction

Addiction is a worldwide epidemic. Sugars, nicotine, gambling, pornography; we humans appear to have something ingrained within our nature that makes us become compulsive, and once the habit becomes set it is incredibly difficult to move away from it. Add chemical addiction to a behavioural habit and you have a recipe for a life-threatening condition.  

The addicted individual must genuinely want to make a change. It’s a cliche we have all heard, but one very true and the first step toward making any kind of change. How one fosters that motivation is the million-dollar question. Encouragement, education, doctor’s warnings, bodily dysfunction, scientific facts, threats - each have varying levels of success. Many will just take time to process all the information until they find a point in their life where they just feel ready to change, or sometimes they sadly never will.

Hypnotherapy can’t work without motivation, and neither will prescribed medications.

With couple’s therapy in addiction it is much the same thing. There needs to be motivation to work, but if both people buy into the idea of being free from addiction then the added support that brings through companionship in the journey can be priceless. You want to be free from addiction for yourself and so your partner can be free and healthy too. Often doing something for someone else’s benefit has an even stronger motivating force.

In an ideal world couples will support one another and promote positive change, although sadly this is not always the case and is why professional help is often sought.  

Partners can negatively affect us. Imagine you are trying not to eat biscuits while your partner consumes them in front of you night and day, leaves packets around the house and talks about them non-stop. The routine of consuming sugars is triggered within you constantly by the numerous sensual and visual cues making it all the harder to escape from.

Jealous partners who can’t quit themselves try to make themselves feel better by dragging their other half down with them. At heart we like to share in our addictions, its part of the disease.

A non-addicted partner can also have a negative influence while trying to be positive. Maintaining standards that are too high or having an attitude that does not aid a progressive environment is common. Frustration in progress can manifest with comments like; ‘You will never quit!’ which can leads to self-fulfilling prophecy. Incredulous reactions; ‘I can’t believe your still drinking after what happened to your father!’ ‘You’ve just had a heart attack!’ We hear ‘No’ and our subconscious minds rebel.

That said being perfectly supportive often isn’t enough either – so what is the right approach truly?

The NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851021/ report that couples therapy statistically works better than individual therapy. This does not surprise me, but it is fascinating nonetheless. From personal experience I have seen favourable results from couple’s therapy in the smoking cessation clinic I run, but why does this happen?

We are social creatures after all, so when we do things together they become more powerful experiences. The reflective period post session becomes greater due to the interactive nature of being able to share upon what transgressed. Perhaps witnessed therapy becomes sessions we cannot escape the truth of.    

The NCBI report talks about addiction being not an individual problem but a family one, where our social interactions reinforce addictive behaviours. Thus by having Behavioural Couples Therapy the problem is being targeted at its root in hope to making the lasting changes we aim for.

Online vs Face to Face Therapy

Technology has expanded to such extent that many of us now communicate and interact more through modes of technology than we do via traditional means of person to person contact.

The Smartphone and the wide availability of the internet allows us the freedom to not only talk over a phone line but also to video chat, instant text message, email and even have group meetings and company trainings wherever we are and at any time. These platforms allow people from across the globe to connect in real time and high definition for such low costs it feels free of charge and in many ways without limitations.

Is it any surprise then that we are seeing a shift in health care toward online services?

In the UK there has been a huge push toward online mental health care services. The IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) is one clear example of this, where therapeutic services are being offered both in person as well as online to increase the number of patients that can be treated especially for low intensity conditions such as mild depression/anxiety.

In my current role as stop smoking adviser I treat patients face to face as well as through using phone clinics, text message and email services. In this format I have seen first-hand the benefits online services bring.

Many patients are unable to make a physical clinic appointment due to disability/illness or working/childcare commitments but are able to attend a telephone/text consultation. The other side of the coin is this also works for therapists in the same way, who can work from home at their convenience and can therefore offer more flexible clinic times perhaps outside regular working hours. If you live somewhere remote, or are stationed abroad and don’t speak the local language well enough – how else would you receive therapy but through online services?

Clients have reported to me that they feel very comfortable in their own home sat in their own armchair without the stress of traveling to an appointment and the awkward waiting room experience. Those with social anxiety can also readily be affected by such factors and prefer the experience of online communications.

Many of my patients openly admit to being ‘secret smokers’, and don’t like the thought of being caught out by being seen attending a smoking cessation session and therefore find online interactions more private and less intrusive. The anonymity of an online therapy may also produce more open interactions as inhibitions can be reduced, thus leading to more accurate and successful outcomes.     

I have also come across various individuals who are far more able to express themselves using the written word, where they have time and space to consider questions and responses, something that is not always possible in conversation during a given weekly time slot. With a text/email service information can be read and re-read an infinite number of times, for the patient to reply at their convenience without pressure.

Online services also opens the patient to a world of options and choices, including more affordable or even free services they would not be able to receive through attending traditional therapy.

To summarise telephone/online therapy is convenient, comfortable, unobtrusive and flexible while offering choice. It is economic also if you factor in the lack of travel costs and the logistics of a therapist potentially seeing a higher quantity of patients.

But do we lose any ingredients from traditional face to face therapy? The University of Wolverhampton UK lists some of the disadvantages.

For crisis situations where a patient is in emergency need of guidance then a physical presence is ideal, especially if a patient represents a risk to themselves or others. Severe mental health problems that require hospital staff and treatment also cannot be easily aided online. If a patient is already isolated from face to face interactions a traditional therapist is also preferential.

Online security is another factor to consider, particularly bearing in mind how often we read about identity fraud and online grooming etc. If we walk into a hospital we can feel a trust and confidence toward the professional we are speaking to; but is that the same in an online scenario? I would always encourage checks to be made and reviews to be read of any therapeutic service online or face to face. Make sure the service you are signing up to is credible.

Some individuals prefer face to face therapy. They like non-verbal, visual communication. Many, especially amongst the elder generation, do not have smart phones or the confidence in the internet and feel more comfortable using traditional means of therapy. A certain level of technological competency (and literacy when using text) is required, unless you have someone with you who might assist on your behalf.

As good as technology is, we still get bad reception at times, lines that crackle or batteries that run flat; which obviously can be frustrating and can lead to misunderstandings or even increase levels of stress that would not happen face to face.

If I currently see a patient in my clinic whose first language is not English I can use language line or visual cues to aid communication which perhaps would not be so easy over the phone/online.

I work with therapists who are adamant that traditional face to face therapies work better through the development of therapeutic rapport. Although I see their point of view, I don’t believe face to face interactions are the only way to build rapport and is more a case of personal preference. After all, don’t people make friends all over the world through communicating solely through instant messaging?

If you are someone at ease with communicating through technology and are open minded enough to try something new then I see no reason why you cannot interact exactly as effectively online as face to face, and if there is any negative difference in quality this is more than offset by all the advantages listed in this article.

All things considered I feel that if used in the right way the advantages of online therapy certainly outweigh the disadvantages. Looking to the future I believe it is a trend we are going to see a lot more of, not only in healthcare but in education, the work place and society in general. I am optimistic this can have a positive effect on global mental health trends, as the flexibility and convenience of modern techniques can enable a higher volume of patients to be treated both efficiently and effectively, with therapist and patient brought together without limitations.

How Nightmares Can Affect Addiction

How Nightmares Can Affect Addiction

We’ve all had nightmares before. Sometimes, the nightmare is nonsensical, such as being chased by a monster or falling forever. Other times, it’s more grounded in reality. We have a nightmare we lost a relative, or we have a nightmare about losing our jobs. For kids, nightmares are terrifying. For adults, most of us wake up, realize it was just a dream, and move on with our days.

However, if you have an addiction, nightmares can affect it greatly. First, let’s look at what causes nightmares in the first place.

The Causes of Nightmares

Nightmares can happen anytime, but there are circumstances that can make them more likely. If you’re stressed, you may have a nightmare. Grieving over a loved one can lead to nightmares. If you have a fever, this can cause some strange dreams. Eating before bed can increase your likelihood of having a nightmare as well.

Then there is withdrawal. If you’ve been addicted to something, and you try to get off it, nightmares can happen. This can happen regardless of the drug. Sleeping pills, cigarettes, alcohol, and hard drugs can all lead to nightmares.

Drug Dreams

Drug dreams, also known as narcotic nightmares, are when you have nightmares about relapsing, or anything else related to the drug itself. If you’re recovering from alcohol addiction, you may have a dream about drinking alcohol. Perhaps the dream will be positive, or be about you going into a drunken rage. Whatever the case, drug dreams can be dangerous.

Sure, it’s just a nightmare. You didn’t actually consume anything. However, a drug dream can make you want to have the experience again. This can lead to relapse, and you don’t want that.

Analyzing the Dreams

With that said, a drug dream can be an interesting look into your mind. Your dream may contain secrets that need to be looked at critically, such as triggers. In the dream, what caused you to want to take that sip or use that drug? Where was the setting? By looking at these circumstances, you can try to avoid possible triggers into relapse and keep yourself clean.

Write down your dreams and look at them later. Sometimes, the dream will fade fast, so as you wake up, write it down and look at it later. Also, if you’re stumped about the meaning of these dreams you can talk about your dreams to a therapist who can figure out why it is you’re having these dreams, and what you can learn from them.

Since the dawn of humankind, we’ve tried analyzing our dreams to find meaning in them. Sometimes, there is no meaning. But for drug dreams, there usually is a secret your mind is trying to tell you.

Preventing Drug Dreams

They will go away on their own as the drugs leave your body. In the meantime, you can reduce your chances of drug dreams by:

• Working out. Exercise can help calm the body and prevent you from having nightmares.
• Try relieving any sources of stress you may have. Too much stress can lead to nightmares.
• Relax before you rest. Dedicate an hour to unwinding. Take a hot bath, read a book, or do whatever it is that calms you down.
• Don’t eat too close to bedtime. This can stimulate your mind and lead to nightmares.

Of course, there’s always a chance you may still have a nightmare even if you do all these things, but it can reduce your chances.

By conquering your nightmares, you’ll take one step closer to achieving sobriety. Don’t give into your nightmares.

By Marie Miguel

What are dreams? What do they mean?

Hypnotherapy to stop nightmares

More links to dream articles

Marie Miguel Biography

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health-related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with Better Help. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.