Understanding Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome, is a long-term condition which causes pain all over the body.

Fibromyalgia causes widespread pain and extreme tiredness. People with fibromyalgia may also have:

• difficulty sleeping
• headaches 
• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• muscle stiffness 

Read more information about the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

 

 What causes fibromyalgia?

 

The exact causes are not known, but there are certain changes in the way the body functions which have been noticed in people with fibromyalgia, including:

• disturbed pain messages
• low levels of hormones
• sleep problems

However, it is not clear what causes these changes in the first place and how they lead to fibromyalgia.

Read more about the causes of fibromyalgia. 

Who is affected?

It is estimated that fibromyalgia affects nearly 1 in 20 people worldwide. In England and Wales, there could be up to 1.76 million adults with the condition.

Anyone can develop fibromyalgia, although it affects more women than men. In most cases, fibromyalgia develops between 30 and 60 years of age, but it can occur in people of any age, including children and the elderly.

Fibromyalgia can be a difficult condition to diagnose because there is no specific test and the symptoms can be similar to those of other conditions. Diagnosis is usually based on your symptoms and tests to rule out other conditions.

Read more information about diagnosing fibromyalgia.

 

How is fibromyalgia treated?

 

There is currently no cure for fibromyalgia. Symptoms are usually permanent, although they can vary in severity. However, there are a number of treatments that may ease symptoms and make the condition easier to live with. Treatment tends to be a combination of:

• medicines – such as antidepressants and painkillers
• talking therapies – such as counselling
• lifestyle changes – such as better sleeping habits and relaxation

In particular, exercise has been found to have a number of important benefits for people with fibromyalgia, including helping to reduce pain. 

Read more information about treating fibromyalgia and advice on self-help for fibromyalgia.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to help relieve pain and other symptoms, and to help a person cope with the symptoms.

The first type of treatment may involve:

• Physical therapy
• Exercise and fitness program
• Stress-relief methods, including light massage and relaxation techniques
• swimming, sitting or exercising in a heated pool or warm water
• an individually tailored exercise programme (see Fibromyalgia - self-help for more information)
• relaxation techniques (see Fibromyalgia - self-help for more information)  

If these treatments do not work, your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant or muscle relaxant. The goal of medication is to improve sleep and pain tolerance. Medicine should be used along with exercise and behavior therapy. Duloxetine (Cymbalta), pregabalin (Lyrica), and milnacipran (Savella) are medications that are approved specifically for treating fibromyalgia.

However, many other drugs are also used to treat the condition, including:

• Anti-seizure drugs
• Other antidepressants
• Muscle relaxants
• Pain relievers
• Sleeping aids

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an important part of treatment. This therapy helps you learn how to:

• Deal with negative thoughts
• Keep a diary of pain and symptoms
• Recognize what makes your symptoms worse
• Seek out enjoyable activities
• Set limits 

Psychotherapy - a talking therapy that helps you understand and deal with your thoughts   
 and feelings 

Hypnotherapy - Suggestions of pain relief given under hypnosis were even more effective at decreasing pain sensation and the amount of stimulation of pain areas in the brain. All this goes to show that your ability to affect the outcome of your illness should not be underrated. In fact, a large part of the Art of Medicine is working with you to mobilize your own internal healing abilities.

That medicine has derisively called your ability to affect healing the "placebo effect," suggesting that only the doctor has the power to help you—and that anything you do on your own shows you are crazy—shows how aggressively the medical establishment works to disempower you. But you do have the ability to often heal yourself given good information. As it is said "Knowledge is Power!" 

Physiotherapy - techniques such as massage are used to improve physical problems,    
                          such as muscle stiffness or weakness 

Psychological support - any kind of counselling or support group that helps you deal with the issues caused by fibromyalgia  

Support groups may also be helpful.

Other recommendations include:

• Eat a well-balanced diet
• Avoid caffeine
• Practice good sleep routines to improve quality of sleep (See: Sleeping difficulty)
• Acupressure and acunpuncture

Severe cases of fibromyalgia may require a referral to a pain clinic.

Expectations (prognosis)

Fibromyalgia is a long-term disorder. Sometimes, the symptoms improve. Other times, the pain may get worse and continue for months or years.

Calling your health care provider Call your health-care provider if you have symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Myofascial Release Therapy is a treatment option that many people are not aware of. It is a hands-on type of therapy that is particularly effective for fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, and can be quite helpful for many other types of chronic pain as well.

What It Is
 
To understand what Myofascial Release Therapy is, it's important to know what fascia is.  Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds, supports and stabilizes every muscle, bone, organ, nerve, blood vessel and cell in the body.  It forms a continuous web from head to toe.  Think of a piece of raw chicken.  Between the skin and the meat you'll find a layer of thin white tissue – that is the fascia.  

The fascia is normally fluid and moves easily, but when there is an injury, the fascia constricts to protect the injured area.  Usually when the injury heals, the fascia relaxes and goes back to its normal state.  However, sometimes it can get bound up and create a three-dimensional pull or drag throughout the whole body.  

Therefore, a fascial strain in one area of the body can cause pain in multiple other areas.  This often happens with a chronic pain disorder like fibromyalgia.  Although the original restriction may have begun in one part of the body, the pull from that one restriction can cause connected tissues to become constricted, eventually spreading throughout the body.  



How It Works

Myofascial Release Therapy applies very gentle sustained pressure to various parts of the body in order  to release the fascia so it can once again move fluidly.  A Myofascial Release Therapy session will often begin with what is called tractioning.   The therapist may lift your legs slightly by your heels, holding them with a sustained gentle pull for several minutes.  This is generally felt into the low back, and when held long enough, will cause the fascia to  begin to release all the way into the shoulders and neck.  A similar type of traction may then be applied to your neck and shoulders as well.  Because fascia is three-dimensional, the effects of Myofascial Release Therapy techniques will usually be felt wherever the fascia is most constricted.  

Following the tractioning, the therapist will begin gently moving the skin back and forth on various parts of the body (i.e., back, shoulders, hips) to identify the fascial restrictions.  When a restriction is located, a cross-hand technique of gentle manipulation is applied to release it.  Since fascia is layered and must be released in layers, this cross-hand release technique is used to release restrictions in progressive layers.  

When the fascia has been restricted for a long time, as is usually the case with fibromyalgia patients, it may take several weekly therapy sessions before the fascia holds the release long term.  

Source:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/complementary-medicine/200810/hypnosis-and-fibromyalgia

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Fibromyalgia/Pages/Introduction.aspx

http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/fibromyalgia-8169-1.html?ic=506048

http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/fibromyalgia-285944-5.html 

Talking Therapies, what are they?

Talking therapies can help you work out how to deal with negative thoughts and feelings and make positive changes. 

They can help people who are feeling distressed by difficult events in their lives as well as people with a mental health problem. 

This information is for anyone who wants to know more about different types of talking therapy or hear the experiences of people who have used them. It advises how to find a therapist who is right for you and suggests where to look for more information. 

The information mainly uses the words 'talking therapy' and 'therapist', although the words that other people use may be different.

 Talking about your thoughts and feelings can help you deal with times when you feel troubled about something. If you turn a worry over and over in your mind, the worry can grow.
But talking about it can help you work out what is really bothering you and explore what you could do about it.
Talking is an important part of our relationships. It can strengthen your ties with other people and help you stay in good mental health. And being listened to helps you feel that other people care about you and what you have to say. 

What are talking therapies?

We often find it helpful to talk problems through with a friend or family member, but sometimes friends and family cannot help us and we need to talk to a professional therapist. 

Talking therapies involve talking to someone who is trained to help you deal with your negative feelings. They can help anyone who is experiencing distress. You do not have to be told by a doctor that you have a mental health problem to be offered or benefit from a talking therapy. 

Talking therapies give people the chance to explore their thoughts and feelings and the effect they have on their behaviour and mood. Describing what’s going on in your head and how that makes you feel can help you notice any patterns which it may be helpful to change. 

It can help you work out where your negative feelings and ideas come from and why they are there.
Understanding all this can help people make positive changes by thinking or acting differently. 

Talking therapies can help people to take greater control of their lives and improve their confidence.
Talking therapies may also be referred to as:

• talking treatments
• counselling
• psychological therapies or treatments
• psychotherapies

The various terms used to describe talking therapies often mean different things to different people.
Some people use them to describe the level of training of the professional delivering the therapy. But sometimes there is no link between a therapist’s training and the name of the therapy they offer.

What kinds of talking therapy are there?

Different talking therapies are called a confusing mix of names and some therapies have several names. Don’t let the jargon put you off! Behind every technical term is a way of working with people that is designed to help. 

Therapies are usually divided into several broad types. But even therapists who offer the same kind of therapy will have a slightly different way of working from each other because all therapists have a personal style as well. 

Some therapists train in more than one kind of therapy. They may decide to combine a few approaches if that will help you best. 

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)  recommends certain therapies for certain problems, but other therapies might work for you just as well.

• Cognitive behavioural therapies (CBT)
• Dialectic behaviour therapy (DBT)
• Psychodynamic therapies
• Humanistic therapies
• Other kinds of talking therapy
• Support and information

Cognitive behavioural therapies (CBT)

How do they work?
By looking at how we can react differently to our thoughts and feelings (for example, challenging negative thoughts) and how changing the way we behave can help us feel better (for example trying new activities). 

What are they based on?
They are based on scientific methods. 

What form do they take?
Sessions are clearly structured. The therapist directs the conversation. They are focused on current problems and practical solutions.
 
How long do they take?
Treatment is usually short-term and for a set length of time (between six and 24 one-hour sessions).
 

What are they helpful for?
A range of problems including depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, managing long-term illnesses, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress and schizophrenia. NICE recommends CBT for all these.
 
Who will they suit?
People who want a therapy that works towards solutions, with clear goals and using practical techniques.

What are some of the variations?
Cognitive therapy, behaviour therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, rational emotive behaviour therapy.
"CBT was amazing – it was so simple. My diagnosis is bi-polar disorder and I had very low self-esteem and lack of confidence in my future. I had about 15 sessions over a year. The psychologist showed me how to notice what I was thinking and then how I felt afterwards, and to realise you can choose your own thoughts. I thought they were just random thoughts there to make my life a misery. But I learnt that at any time I could stop and say: 'Why am I thinking that?'"
"I had a CBT therapist but I think she probably used lots of different things - in fact it didn’t feel like she was 'using' anything - it felt like a natural process rather than anything very medical or clinical."

Dialectic behaviour therapy (DBT)

DBT combines some of the methods of CBT with meditation techniques. It involves individual therapy and group therapy. NICE recommends DBT for persistent binge eating disorder and people with personality disorders who self-harm.

Psychodynamic therapies

How do they work?
By exploring how your personality and early life experiences influence your current thoughts, feelings, relationships and behaviour. Once you have this extra understanding, you can practise more helpful ways of dealing with difficult situations. 

What are they based on?
Originally the ideas of the neurologist and psychotherapist Sigmund Freud, with many changes over the last 100 years.
 
What form do they take?
The therapist works with you to understand your thoughts, feelings, relationships, behaviour, dreams and fantasies.
 
How long do they take?
Usually between several months and several years, although shorter-term versions are available.
 
Where are they practised?
Often privately, and in some charities. They are available on the NHS in some areas.
 
What are they helpful for?
Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, long-term physical health problems, eating disorders and addictions. NICE recommends psychodynamic therapy for people experiencing depression alongside other complex illnesses.
 
Who will they suit?
People interested in self-exploration who are willing to devote lots of time and energy to it.
 
What are some of the variations?
Psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, analytical psychology, Jungian or Freudian analysis, focal psychodynamic therapy (NICE recommends this for treating anorexia nervosa). 

"I was quite severely depressed as a teenager. I tried various antidepressants and some CBT-based stuff, but nothing was helping. Finally, my GP suggested that I try psychotherapy at my local mental health unit. 

"At first I was sceptical. I couldn’t see how sitting in a room with a stranger was going to help. I was quite a nightmare, trying to prove to my therapist and myself that the therapy would fail. But with psychodynamic therapy, the therapist is prepared to sit and wait out that part with you. She started helping me link the way I was thinking, feeling and behaving to what might have gone on when I was younger and that really made sense."

Humanistic therapies

How do they work?
By taking a whole-person approach to your problem, using a range of theories and practices to help you develop. 

Where did they come from?
They were developed to offer an alternative to psychodynamic and behavioural therapies, focused on developing your full potential.
 
What form do they take?
These therapies explore your relationship with different parts of yourself (such as your body, mind, emotions, behaviour and spirituality) and other people (for example family, friends, society or culture) and support you to grow and live life to the full.
 
How long do they take?
Therapy can be short or long-term depending on the issues you need to cover, but usually at least several months.
 
Where are they practised?
Therapists working for the NHS or charities and private therapists offer these therapies.
 
What are they helpful for?
Humanistic therapies tend to treat specific problems – such as depression, anxiety or addiction - as chances for you to develop and grow. Therapists work with any issue causing difficulties in your life.
 
Who will they suit?
They will suit people interested in exploring their lives and looking at their problems from a wide range of angles.
 
What are some of the variations?
Person-centred counselling (NICE recommends this for children and young people with mild depression and sometimes for people with schizophrenia), transpersonal psychology, body psychotherapy, gestalt therapy, psychosynthesis, integrative psychotherapy, existential psychotherapy, transactional analysis, psychodrama and personal construct therapy. 

"I was referred to a unit that deals with people who turn to alcohol because of psychological problems. I was in a state of constant panic and had been drinking to keep those feelings at bay. There wasn’t a set formula to the sessions. We’d just go and get a cup of coffee and I’d talk about what was bothering me. With person-centred counselling the therapist steers you through finding out more about yourself and developing confidence."

Other kinds of talking therapy

Group therapies
In groups led by a facilitator (someone who helps to introduce members of the group to each other and who helps the conversation to flow), people find solutions together and learn from each other. NICE recommends group therapy for people with obsessive compulsive disorder and for children and young people with mild depression.

"In group therapy you don’t just talk about yourself, you’re listening to other people - that takes the burden off your problems. You realise you’re not the only one."
 
Couples, relationship or family therapies
Couples or families work with a therapist to sort out difficulties in their relationships. NICE recommends family therapy for anorexia nervosa, depression in children and families of people with schizophrenia. NICE recommends 'couples therapy' if partners have tried individual therapy and this has not helped.
 
Interpersonal therapy
This explores how to link mood with the way you relate to the people close to you. NICE recommends this for people with eating disorders and various forms of depression.

Mindfulness-based therapies
A therapy that combines talking therapies with meditation. It helps people reduce stress, switch off from difficult thoughts and feelings and make changes. NICE recommends this treatment to prevent people who have had depression from experiencing the same problems again. Other versions of this treatment include mindfulness based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. See our Be Mindful website for more information.
 
Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
A way of stimulating the brain through eye movements which seems to make distressing memories feel less intense. It is used for a range of traumas, including past sexual, physical or emotional abuse, accidents and injuries, phobias, addictions and fear of performing in public. NICE recommends for post-traumatic stress disorder.
 
Life coaching This uses empowering, motivational methods to help you reach goals or make changes.
 
Arts therapies
These therapies encourage you to express how you feel through art (painting, drawing, music, theatre or dance). Art can help you work out how to tackle difficulties, release emotions and understand yourself better.
 
Telephone counselling
This offers an easy way of talking to a therapist if you do not want to meet a face-to-face counsellor or if you can’t find one. It is sometimes provided by employers and charities. Online or e-mail counselling is another option.
 
Computerised cognitive behavioural therapy
No talking required! You work through a series of exercises on your computer screen and learn self-help techniques for managing problems in your life. NICE recommends 'Beating the Blues' for mild to moderate depression, and 'FearFighter' for panic and phobia.
 
Bibliotherapy
Health professionals 'prescribe' self-help books which you can borrow from your local library. They will usually offer you these alongside other treatment. NICE recommend these for anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, and sometimes for depression.

What is it like to have a talking therapy and when can it be helpful?

The length of a therapy varies depending on what type it is and on your individual needs. Some people have just a few sessions. Other people see a therapist a few times a week for several years.
A course of CBT, for instance, is usually between six and 24 sessions, with each session following a structured agenda. 

In contrast, a client receiving counselling is encouraged to talk freely and the course of therapy may be extended depending on the client's progress.
Talking therapies are not therapies that are 'done' to you by someone else. You play an active part in the therapy. That can be empowering at a time when you may feel you have lost control over part of your life.
If you are determined to get the most from the therapy, it is more likely to work.
Talking therapies require you to be completely honest with yourself and that can be difficult. It may mean facing up to your fears, recalling distressing memories or talking about intimate topics and private thoughts and feelings.
There may be tasks to do between sessions, such as trying out new ways of behaving or keeping a diary. It may be a while until you feel the results, but you get out what you put in.

When can talking therapies be helpful?

Talking therapies can be helpful in many different situations.
They can help people with depression, anxiety, eating disorders or addictions and are often used alongside drugs your doctor prescribes.
They can also help people with problems such as schizophrenia or bi-polar disorder.
Talking therapies can also help people deal with difficult life events such as bereavement, relationship issues, problems at work or physical illness.
They can help people with a long-term physical condition, such as diabetes, who are at high risk of depression. Talking therapies can help them manage their condition more effectively and reduce its burden on them and their family.
A very wide range of people can benefit from talking therapies, but no one type of therapy works for everyone. Different kinds of therapy work well for different people.
  
"What I found really good was being able to talk about what was happening and have someone who was listening - she was really good at giving me space, listening to what had happened and discussing what might have caused it - not in a deep way but trying to help me piece the whole picture together."
 
A good therapist concentrates on you – what you think is important in your life, what you want to achieve, what steps you could take to get there. They shouldn’t tell you what to do. Your therapist may be highly trained and very experienced, but you are the expert on you. 

It's worth taking time to build a trusting relationship with your therapist. Remember therapy is a two-way process. If you have any questions, ask them. If you are worried that you could become dependent on them, say so. A good therapist will help you deal with your worries and work out how you will manage when the therapy comes to an end. 

- by Mental Health Foundation
source: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-a-z/T/talking-therapies/

Overcoming Fear

Oh well, it is only words... really?

by Costa Alecrim

A bruised body will often heal faster than a bruised mind. The next time you’re tempted to say something hurtful to someone just because you’re angry, you may want to consider the saying: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me"

Well, let’s consider for a moment the following…

“Once upon a time, there was a boy who had a very bad temper. His father noted it and gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy drove 40 nails into the fence. As time went by, he learned to control his temper so the number of nails hammered gradually reduced too, as he found out it was easier to keep his temper than to hammer those nails to the fence...

However, there was one day when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all, so he told his father about it. The father was pleased, and to further teach his son a lesson he suggested that the boy should pull out one nail for each day. That way he would be able to keep his temper. The days passed and the kid was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and showed him the fence and said “you have done very well son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar… just like this one.

The kid then understood how powerful his words were. He looked up at his father and said “I hope you can forgive me, Father, for the holes I have put in you”.

Okay, okay, we don’t know the full circumstances that led the boy to behave that way… As I used to say, there are always two sides to every story: the boy might have learned those behaviours at home by watching his parents… or he might have been a victim of bullying, so he was in pain… and potentially frustrated… or maybe he might have been scared... or threatened...  loads of 'maybes', I know…

All these elements put together, might have resulted in the kid's aggressive behaviour towards his father…maybe ...

Every day, when we watch the news, most of the stories are based on incidents which might have been, to a certain extent, fueled by anger, frustration and aggression. How do we recognise them? They come in many shape and forms. I just could name a few of them:

-         Assaults (verbal and physical)...

-         Gossips...

-         Rebellious (anti social behaviour, refusal to talk)

-         Bullying…

I think that our worst enemies, are always the ones we cannot see... the invisible ones... the ones we cannot prove, such as gossips and bullying, for instance. The latter has always had its place in society and like my parents and I, there are thousands and thousands of people who have also been bullied somewhere, somehow… by somebody, of course! It can take place anywhere: school, home, club, work.

Bullying causes harm, alarm and distress... not to mention fear! It affects our conditions of worth, our self-esteem and confidence, and so on. Some people can just easily ‘brush it off’ the comments and simply get on with life… but others not so easily. As our story says “The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar” . 

Bullying leaves deep marks on us: some victims may develop anxiety… others PTSD… but others might not be so lucky: they may take their own lives!  It deeply saddens me to see in the news cases such as the 15-year old Jadin Bell, who was in hospital in Portland, Oregon, as he tried to take his own life for being bullied…

So please remember: a bruised body will often heal faster than a bruised mind. The next time you’re tempted to say something hurtful to someone just because you’re angry, you may want to consider the saying: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me"

 Costa is Hypnotherapist, Psychotherapist and writer
 www.hypnotherapyinbuxton.co.uk www.hypnotherapyinnewmills.co.uk


Read more on Work Place behaviours 
                  

It's Friday at last...

... and let's renew our energies!

Ok, energy is all around us, it permeates all things and is our life source. It is as important as any other single body system because involves all of them (despite not being able to measure energy). Our energy levels are often affected by the busy lives that we lead. We sometimes feel tired or exhausted and can’t quite put our fingers on the reasons why...

... or we sometimes don’t have the motivation to make the changes that we desperately want: be that in our relationships, losing weight, going to the gym, changing our jobs, following our passions, or simply giving ourselves permission to stop, relax and feel rejuvenated again.

In life, we are presented with many different challenges and some of them are fun, exciting and make us feel alive! We wake in the morning with an excitement (not always.. I know... I know) and curiosity at the what the day will potentially bring us. Other challenges may feel like cumbersome obstacles in our lives, where decision making can be a somewhat difficult process! This can, in turn, stop us from embracing situations fully, making us feel sluggish and can keep us stuck in unhealthy patterns which don’t allow us to move forward.

Now, it may be how we approach these challenges that makes all the difference... How do you view your current challenges?

Why not trying new ways of breathing? Yes that's right! Some people are much more concerned with the next door neighbour who has bought a brand new car (given that he has been unemployed for 6 months) that they forget to live their own lives... they forget even how to breath (good job it is done for us!).

Breathe deeply.. yes that's right... many people usually breathe shallow breaths, from their chests and are actually somewhat oxygen deprived. So here you go: breathing using your diaphragm and abdominal muscles promotes relaxation and reduces tension.

Drink water... lot of it! Our bodies are nearly 80%  water... our bodies need it to work optimally. If we become ill somehow, water is a vital part of our recovery as well as remove unwanted and unnecessary materials by excreting them along with the water.

Develop and welcome new friendships (yes I know, we can't get on with everyone). At any moment in time, each and every one of us has the opportunity to bond with others as friends. We all need these emotional connection. It requires a give-and-take of trust to make relationships work, but it is well worth the effort. But hey! You might want to ask me "And IF that doesn't or isn't working?" Well, consider the costs and rewards of it? What are you getting out of it? Is it worth? Think about it..

Today is yesterday's tomorrow and today is tomorrow's yesterday.. think positively in the present tense and feel its effects... allow the power of your own positive thoughts spreading... helping to balance and heal you mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. This balance empowers you, making you able to achieve your dreams and keeping us healthy too. Stay in the now, as the past is over and, although it is good to have dreams, fear about the future are futile. 

Like the past, it can't be undone... but what you CAN do is to forgive yourself and others, by trying to make the right choice and making a little effort to move on in life. Sometimes what seems to be good, is bad and what seems to be bad, is good... it all depends on our perception. I once told the tale to one of my clients:

Once upon a time a farmer sent his son with a horse to graze upon the mountainside... He fell asleep and when he woke the horse was gone. He came back without it and the neighbours said "Oh what bad luck" the farmer then said "Maybe"
 
The very next day the farmer sent his son back to the mountain to seek his runaway... He found the horse and seven other wild ones and took them all home and the neighbours said "Oh what good luck" and the farmer said "Maybe"
 
The very next day the farmer sent his son to the wild horses that needed to be tamed... The first one he climbed on threw him down on the ground and as a result he broke his arm and the neighbours said "Oh what bad luck" then the farmer said"Maybe"

The very next day war was declared and the army men came through the countryside looking for soldiers but they couldn't take anyone... with a broken arm! The neighbours then said "Oh what good luck" and the farmer said "Maybe"

Life is what you make of it! The power to succeed or fail is yours alone and you alone have the responsibility to shape your life and make decisions. Nothing and no one can deny you greatness once you understand this.

Finally, I would like you to consider your free will and no one can cheat you out of ultimate success but you. More powerful then all the success slogans ever written is the realization that everyone has but one boss. That boss is you.

Above all: let's thank God, keep an open mind and feel grateful for our lives: it is the most precious asset you can have at any time!

I wish all my readers and followers a good Friday and would also like to invite you to consider what I have suggested so far.

Till next time...

Mental Health Statistics - you are not alone!

Mental Health affects us all. How we think and feel about ourselves and our lives impacts on our behaviour and how we cope in tough times.

It affects our ability to make the most of the opportunities that come our way and play a full part amongst our family, workplace, community and friends. It’s also closely linked with our physical health.

Whether we call it well-being, emotional welfare or mental health, it’s key to living a fulfilling life.

 

The facts and figures around Mental Health in the UK are alarming. 

• 1 in 4 people will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year

• Mixed anxiety and depression is the most common mental disorder in Britain

• Women are more likely to have been treated for a mental health problem than men

• About 10% of children have a mental health problem at any one time

• Depression affects 1 in 5 older people

• Suicides rates show that British men are three times as likely to die by suicide than British women

• Self-harm statistics for the UK show one of the highest rates in Europe: 400 per 100,000 population

• Only 1 in 10 prisoners has no mental disorder

  
 For further information go to: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-statistics/

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The types of therapy

Talking therapy is a broad term. It covers all the psychological therapies that involve a person talking to a therapist about their problems.

You may have heard of counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or psychotherapy. These are all different types of talking therapy, but they share some common features.  
For some problems and conditions, one type of talking treatment may be better than another. Different talking treatments also suit different people. A particular one may be best for you and your situation.
To help you decide which one would be most suitable for you, talk to your GP about the types of talking therapy on offer (let them know if you prefer a particular one). Below is a brief explanation of each talking treatment and how they can help.

Counselling

Having counselling is probably the best-known talking therapy and the one most readily available at your GP surgery.
Counselling on the NHS usually consists of 6 to 12 sessions, each an hour long. You talk in confidence to a counsellor about how you feel about yourself and your situation. The counsellor supports you and offers practical advice.
Counselling is ideal for people who are basically healthy but need help coping with a current crisis, such as:

• anger
• relationship issues
• bereavement
• redundancy
• infertility
• the onset of a serious illness

Read more about counselling.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

The aim of CBT is help you think less negatively, so that instead of feeling hopeless and depressed, you cope better with and even start to enjoy the situations you face.
In CBT, you set goals with your therapist and carry out tasks between sessions. A course typically involves between 6 and 15 sessions, which last about an hour each.
Like counselling, CBT deals with current situations more than events in your past or childhood.
There has been a lot of research done on CBT and it’s been shown to work for a variety of mental health problems. However, this doesn't mean that it's better than other therapies, but simply that others may not have been studied as much.
In particular, CBT can help:

• depression
• anxiety
• panic attacks
• phobias
• obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• some eating disorders, especially bulimia

CBT is available on the NHS for people with depression or any other mental health problem that it has been shown to help. There are also self-help books and computer courses which use the concepts of CBT to help you overcome common problems like depression. Read more about self-help therapies.
Find out more about cognitive behavioural therapy.

Psychotherapy

Unlike counselling and CBT, psychotherapy involves talking more about your past to help you overcome problems you’re having in the present. It tends to last longer than CBT and counselling. Sessions are an hour long and can continue for a year or more.
There are different types of psychotherapy, but they all aim to help you understand more about yourself, improve your relationships and get more out of life. Psychotherapy can be especially useful in helping people with long-term or recurring problems to find the cause of their difficulties.
There's some evidence that psychotherapy can help depression and some eating disorders.
NHS psychotherapists normally work in a hospital or clinic, where you'll see them as an outpatient. Private psychotherapists often work from home.

Family therapy

This may be offered when the whole family is in difficulty.
In family therapy, a therapist (or pair of therapists) meets the whole family. The therapist explores their views and relationships to understand the problems the family is having. It helps family members communicate better with each other.
Sessions are between 45 minutes and an hour-and-a-half long, and usually take place several weeks apart.
Family therapy is useful for any family in which a child, young person or adult (a parent or a grandparent) has a serious problem that’s affecting the rest of the family. Many types of cases are seen by family therapists, including:

• child and adolescent behavioural problems
• mental health conditions, illness and disability in the family
• separation, divorce and step-family life
• domestic violence
• drug or alcohol addiction

Couples therapy

Couples therapy can help when a relationship is in crisis (after an affair, for example). Both partners talk in confidence to a counsellor to explore what has gone wrong in the relationship and how to change things for the better. It can help couples learn more about each other's needs and communicate better.
Ideally, both partners should attend the weekly hour-long sessions, but they can still help if just one person attends.

Group therapy

In group therapy, up to around 12 people meet, together with a therapist. It’s a useful way for people who share a common problem to get support and advice from each other. It can help you realise you’re not alone in your experiences, which is itself beneficial.
Some people prefer to be part of a group or find that it suits them better than individual therapy.

source: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/types-of-therapy.aspx

Inner self: Let's be kind to ourselves?

It’s bad enough feeling stressed, anxious or depressed. But what worsens those feelings of pain is that we can’t just accept what it going on inside our minds. We have to criticize ourselves for being afraid, angry, jealous and so on. That’s what really brings us down: the inner critic.


But that’s usually not the end of the story. We start to feel that we should’ve known they weren’t happy; that it’s something we did wrong, and it’s solely our responsibility. We should’ve done this to prevent their leaving, and that to find a quick replacement.

We come down hard on ourselves and cannot possibly forgive that we can’t read other people’s minds, or potentially made a mistake. It’s unacceptable that we’re human, and humans can’t always know.

What’s needed in order to silence the self-critical voices in out head is unconditional positive regard.  We need to look at ourselves with unconditional positive regard and say to ourselves “Don’t worry so much”... or “what I did or said at that time was right, so I will accept my reality and now just move on” simple... Nobody is perfect!!

The same way we don't like when people are critical towards us, let's not accept too mcuh criticism from ourselves towards ourselves... If we can leave ourselves alone, our whole self-image will improve. We cut out stress and fear, we sleep better, have better relationships and so on.


If you are a forgiving person, start with yourself. Give yourself a break. You’ll feel better in no time.

Multiple Personality Disorder: 'Hide and Seek' the film

So what do you think?

 It is about a girl who seemingly does dark things with the help of her imaginary friend Charlie…Hide and Seek is a 2005 American thriller film starring Robert De Niro, Famke Janssen and Dakota Fanning. 

It is not made clear till the end of the movie however, that David Callaway (Robert De Niro) is Charlie, a man suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder (and not Emily whose mother had just died was a far more likely candidate to develop a Mental Disorder of this type). David Callaway developed this disorder when suffered a trauma: Callawat caught his wife betraying him and as a result he killed her.

Have you also noticed his second personality trait? Ok, we have seen a few ones so far, but what about his Schizoid side? 

David Callaway is a deeply disturbed type of person whose fear of involvement with others is so extreme that he withdraws into himself and attempts to do without human relationships as far as possible. These are the people we call schizoid. Schizoid people come to the attention of psychotherapist in a variety of ways. They are often pressed into seeking help by those who are near enough to them to realise that there is something wrong, because they have little faith in the ability of others to understand or help them. If self referred, the client will complain of not being able to make relationships, especially with the opposite sex; or of being quite unable to concentrate on work or complete work; or of what he is likely to call depression.

Have you also noticed his second personality trait? Ok, we have seen a few ones so far, but what Schizoid types? 

David Callaway is a deeply disturbed type of person whose fear of involvement with others is so extreme that he withdraws into himself and attempts to do without human relationships as far as possible. These are the people we call schizoid. Schizoid people come to the attention of psychotherapist in a variety of ways.

 They are often pressed into seeking help by those who are near enough to them to realise that there is something wrong, because they have little faith in the ability of others to understand or help them. If self referred, the client will complain of not being able to make relationships, especially with the opposite sex; or of being quite unable to concentrate on work or complete work; or of what he is likely to call depression. 

more to follow in the next article...

Narcissism: be or not to be...

We all have personality traits and our own ways of dealing with the universe however it all becomes a problem when they become maladaptive and interfere with our ability to function socially and occupationally... It is difficult to pinpoint our personalities: some may be depressive, some obsessive compulsive, some schizoid, some histrionic and others narcissistic…

Narcissism is a normal part of child hood development and let’s agree: the child is the centre of attention, love, hope (from the parents). It is a defence mechanism used in any normal upbringing, where the child will have unconditional and constant positive attention from the mother; the child will be supported and praised, no matter how small their achievements are. Don’t get me wrong, it is all good as it helps to boost the self-esteem. However, some children may be constantly praised for more than they should be, regardless how small their achievements are. However, too much of anything is not good… Up to this point, Narcissism is healthy, however, many children grow up and go into adulthood still thinking and feeling they are still the focus of attention and expecting the same treatment from others hence becoming maladaptive behaviour.

Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by people who display grandiosity, envy and an inability to have empathy (put themselves in another person's shoes).

For instance, let’s take a look at the character Patrick Bateman from the American Psycho movie. He suffered from Narcissistic Personality Disorder and it was ALL about him! He craved and needed constant attention… positive attention to be more correct. He needed affirmation that he was the most beautiful, most intelligent man at work, socially and in love.

Patrick is all about creating appearances, but not necessarily physical ones, that gain admiration. It involves manipulating others with a well-honed subtlety that matches his absolute callousness. He beats people up, exaggerates situations, lie with no sense of shame and hurl threats upon anyone who criticizes him, all to make himself feel like an autocrat, but he only do things when he thinks he'll get away with them.

Envy is another element of this trait. So, if one possesses something materially or psychologically that a person with narcissistic personality disorder doesn't have, they will become envious. Now, you're not going to hear them say, "Oh, I'm so jealous of you." What you'll actually see, the manifestation of that envy, will be a devaluation, "Oh well, that's because she's a brown-noser; that's why she got that promotion." So, anytime they feel that envy coming up, they will immediately have to devalue it.

Like most of people with this trait, they may seek revenge if you don't agree with them and may lash out on people in a moment of rage…or even kill you if you stand between them and their objective. 

Like Patrick, there is Brian Blackwell and Diane Downs who also suffered from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. 

We don’t know very much about Downs’ childhood other than she had been allegedly sexually abused by her dad. Narcissistic personality disorder might be developed as the result of neglect or abuse and trauma inflicted by parents or other authority figures during childhood. The disorder becomes more evident by early adulthood. Downs’ narcissism and need to be the focus of attention was evident in the film “Small Sacrifices”. On 19th May 1983 she shot her 3 children in attempt to get rid of them as they posed an obstacle between her and her boyfriend.

Brian Blackwell also killed his parents on 25^th July 2004 in Liverpool, England, as his parents challenged Brian’s intention to go to America. Brian was also excessively pampered (his mum would still bathe and dress him at the age of 17) by his parents who also needed for him to be talented and special, maybe to maintain their own self-esteem. His fantasy life he created had collapsed and Brian could not accept this: he WAS going on holiday and intended to spend a large amount of money and because his parents wouldn’t allow this, it caused an outburst of rage which resulted in his parents’ death.

The above examples are extreme cases of NPD, however they may help us understand their mindset. Like other Personality Disorders, the person must be seen by a Doctor or Psychologist for a proper diagnosis.

In my view Psychotherapy may help, however keeping them in treatment can be an issue and rather challenging as they may devalue the therapist because of the envy involved in this situation.

What do you think?

Costa Alecrim - Dip Hyp

MetaMind Therapies

Multiple Personality Disorder & "The Ward"

I was speaking to another colleague about Multiple Personality Disorder when he mentioned the film "The Ward" which I had watched years ago, however as I couldn't recall it properly. So I decided to watch it again as well as state my point of view.

It goes like this...

Alice Hudson was abducted when she was only 11 years from home address on 03rd September 1958 and was left chained up in an abandoned farmhouse for nearly 2 months.

Trapped in the darkness under horrid conditions she starved, was sick and sexually abused hence her only escape was into delusion. In order to survive after that, her psyche “fractured” hence developing Multiple Personality Disorder and creating different personalities which were represented in the film by: 

Emily – The Id;

Iris – The Artist;

Sarah – The Seductress;

Tammy – The Aggressor;

Zoey – The Infant and the last one…

Kristen – The Protector, the survivor, the intelligent.

Each personality (including her own) took a piece of her nightmare and repressed them by locking them away from her, for her own protection. However as they became more dominant, they completely overwhelmed Alice’s own personality making her stressed, confused and suffocated (that’s how Alice’s own personality died).

Alice (represented by Kristen) managed to escape and burn down the farmhouse where she was kept, after which being taken to North Bend Psychiatric Hospital.

Looking from a different perspective, in this case, through C. Jung’s view point, we can clearly see the different archetypes which are the contents of her collective unconscious (it connects people of different cultures at the deeper level of dreams, ritual, religion and mythology). A kind of knowledge we are all born with, a reservoir of our past experiences from which everything is drawn and made

The archetypes, which have no form of its own, but organizes our existence functioning like a psychological DNA of the mind. It allow us to express certain types of characters, patterns that are common, myths containing same stories and dreams which Jung felt were all common to all cultures as he concluded when setting out travelling in search of other psychological discoveries within other cultures such as in Africa, New Mexico, England and Switzerland where archetypes such as mythology and ritual defined the role of the individual’s lives. For instance, by using symbolism or archetypes to represent their collective unconscious, the Navarro people use archetype in their artefacts as well as in rituals to cure their patients, where they choose the most suitable archetype, which will pass on the power to him or her. Similarly, in Jungian therapy the client has to produce the symbolism if there are no dreams for instance.

Now going back to the film…

Through experimental techniques, Dr. Stringer explains that up to 1966, the treatments were working until "Kristen" turned up as he had been successful in unlocking her repressed memories and isolating her different identities by singling them out one by one, by the usage of hypnotherapy, and eliminating one by one through hypnotherapy itself, ECT and medication. 

Explanation: Over time, Alice's own personality became so overwhelmed by that of the others that she became lost… As the other personalities become dominant and ended up killing Alice (personality), then the ghost “appears” to stop them from rebelling… the ghost image represents the treatment…

 As the first personality, Tammy, is killed, her subconscious realises that it is starting to loose the “battle” as it is loosing the defences, at which point it fabricates Kristen in order to protect Alice (the person) from the previous trauma and the other personalities (and possibly to replace Tammy too), as they were being killed one by one as a result of the treatment which was represented by Alice’s ghost, as mentioned previously (another archetype – possibly The Shadow), a type of disfigured zombie.

When all the personalities had been exterminated, Dr Stringer confronts Kristen during a psychotherapy session (the last personality to be eliminated) and explains who she truly is after which there is a fight between Alice’s ghost and Kristen (in her psyche). As a symbol of success of the therapy, the ghost throws herself and "Kristen" out of the window, reawakening Alice to her real “Self”.

Alice's parents then collect her from the hospital to take her home. As Alice is gathering her belongings, Alice takes one last look around her room. However when she opens the cabinet, Kristen suddenly jumps out of it and attacks her…