Most of us would probably answer yes to that question, although there really isn’t any definitive physiological connection between psychological stress (fear) and premature aging. If you’re looking for a definition of fear, it’s anxiety that’s attached to a specific thing or a specific event or action. The dictionary defines it as an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. Anxiety is a disproportionate and usually prolonged feeling of fear. Most people with anxiety realise how disproportionate it is. In any event, both fear and anxiety cause stress. It’s important to remember that the effects of life generally and specific stressful events are determined by the reaction and meaning given to the circumstances. Not the stressor itself. We all know research has shown that stress affects us physically. From our own experience, we all know that…
Top 7 Simplest Ways to Look After Your Mental Health – Save Yourself a Therapy
Meditation & MindfulnessMeditation is a way to help train your mind to focus on something positive. By focusing on a single object, such as breathing or chanting a mantra, meditation helps bring awareness to the present moment. When you meditate regularly, you’ll notice you become calmer, more patient, and happier. ExerciseExercise is a great way to relieve stress, boost mood, and improve sleep quality. Not only does exercise release endorphins (the body’s natural painkillers), but it also boosts serotonin levels, which makes us feel good! JournalingJournaling can be done either manually or digitally. You can write down thoughts and feelings, or even draw pictures to express yourself. Writing about your emotions and experiences can be helpful in understanding them and how they affect you. YogaYoga is a great practice to relax your body and clear your mind. Try doing yoga…
Birth Trauma Can Have Surprising Effects on Your Mental *and* Physical Health
Read More at Well+Good [[{“value”:” I hated being pregnant. With endless food aversions, a heightened sense of smell that made everything and everyone stink, an unremitting metallic taste in my mouth, 24/7 nausea, and relentless acid reflux (just to name a few symptoms), I was living in a perpetual hell for close to nine months. While my pregnancy journey wasn’t what I’d hoped for, I set my sights on the birth, hoping it would be a redemptive experience. Don’t get me wrong, I knew birth could be unpredictable—I’d taken childbirth education classes and researched birth outcomes ad nauseam (I’m a health journalist, after all)—but still, I was optimistic. I’d assembled an amazing medical team—a caring, affirming midwife practice and a compassionate doula—so I felt confident that my birth preferences would be honored and respected. My ideal scenario was an unmedicated…
How to Best Nourish Your Mind: Nutrition and Mental Health in Women Over 60
Read More at Sixty and Me [[{“value”:” It’s no secret that what we eat has a direct impact on our overall health and well-being throughout our lives. Healthy choices help our bodies to function well, and also help us to fight disease. What is less well known? What we eat becomes even more important as we age. And our dietary habits impact not only our physical health, but our mental health, too. In fact, proper nutrition in our 60s and beyond can help us to maintain brain health and mental well-being as well as cognitive function, mood, and emotional wellness. Let’s talk more about the vital role nutrition plays in mental health and wellness for women over 60. Nutrition and Mental Health: The Gut-Brain Connection Research has shown that there is a strong link between the gut and the brain,…
A Pet’s Influence on Your Mental Health Knows No Bounds, According to a Neuropsychologist
Read More at Well+Good If you have or have ever had an animal take residence in your home, you might agree that their mere presence is a joy unto itself. They can make a good day better and a bad day good again, and in times of loneliness, stress, or anxiety, pets can also serve as in-house therapy animals. Among people who’ve been lucky to love a nonhuman companion, a pet’s influence on mental health is clear. ‘The pet effect:’ a pet’s influence on mental health In an interview with Well+Good, Karen Sullivan, PsyD, ABBP, a board-certified neuropsychologist and the founder of I Care For Your Brain, confirms the positive link between pets and mental health. She calls it the “pet effect.” Having a pet can increase a person’s self-esteem and mood, says Dr. Sullivan, adding that they can also…
6 Types of Narcissists—And the One You Really Need To Avoid, According to Mental Health Experts
Read More at Well+Good The term “narcissist” is much like the term “anti-social”—which is to say, it’s often haphazardly misused. While many people associate narcissism with anyone who regularly talks about themself, narcissism goes beyond situational instances of dominating attention, like, say, your friend who monopolizes dinner conversation to talk about their romantic relationship or awful boss or workout goal. These may be narcissistic tendencies, but both narcissism and the clinical condition narcissistic personality disorder are characterized by a constant inflated sense of self-importance—something that can show up differently in different types of narcissists. To be clear, psychologists differentiate between narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder, with the former showing up in varying degrees and frequencies in a person who likely can understand some of the consequences of their self-absorbed actions, and the latter showing up consistently and severely in a…
How To Stay Mentally Sharp As You Age, According to a Psychiatrist and a Neurologist
Read More at Well+Good It was once long believed—by the average person and by brain health experts—that each person had a finite number of brain cells, which decreased over time. Lose enough and it can lead to neurological damage or diseases, including dementia. It’s a school of thought that could cause someone to obsess over every soccer ball they’d ever head-butted or night they had one too many alcoholic drinks. But this line of thinking isn’t exactly true based on what researchers have learned about brain health over the past decade. A wealth of scientific studies are connecting certain food and lifestyle habits with neurogenesis, the process by which new neurons grow in the brain. It’s a topic psychiatrist Drew Ramsey, MD talks about in his book, Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety ($22), and means that we can actively…