What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

 https://www.verywellmind.com/ptsd-in-the-dsm-5-2797324

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder involving extreme distress and disruption of daily living that happens in relation to exposure of a traumatic event.1 About 6% of the U.S. population will experience PTSD during their lives.2

To be diagnosed with PTSD, a mental health professional would reference the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and evaluate whether or not the patient meets the criteria. The criteria in the fifth edition are somewhat different than the criteria in the fourth edition.

PTSD Symptoms

The DSM-5 outlines PTSD symptoms into four categories:

• Intrusion symptoms
• Avoidance of thoughts and behaviors
• Negative changes in thoughts and mood
• Changes in arousal and reactivity

These symptoms are associated with a traumatic event. Each of the four categories includes a group of related symptoms.

Intrusion

These symptoms are related to intrusive thoughts and memories of the traumatic event.

• Reoccurring, involuntary, and intrusive upsetting memories of the event
• Repeated upsetting dreams related to the event
• Dissociation (for example, flashbacks, feeling as though the event is happening again)3
• Strong and persistent distress to cues connected to the event that are either inside or outside of the body
• Strong bodily reactions (for example, increased heart rate) when reminded of the event

Avoidance

People with PTSD may avoid people, places, conversations, activities, objects, or situations that bring up memories of the event. They may also avoid thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations that recall the event.

Negative Changes in Thoughts and Mood

People with PTSD may experience a pervasive negative emotional state (for example, shame, anger, or fear). Other symptoms in this category include:

• Inability to remember an important aspect of the event
• Persistent and elevated negative evaluations about oneself, others, or the world (for example, "I am unlovable," or, "The world is an evil place")
• Elevated self-blame or blame of others about the cause or consequence of the event4
• Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
• Feeling detached from others
• Inability to experience positive emotions (for example, happiness, love, joy)

Changes in Arousal and Reactivity

People with PTSD often feel constantly "on guard" or like danger is lurking around every corner (or hypervigilance). Similar symptoms include:

• Difficulty concentrating
  
• Heightened startle response
• Impulsive or self-destructive behavior5
• Irritability or aggressive behavior
• Problems sleeping

 Coping With Symptoms After a Traumatic Experience

Diagnosis

The first criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD listed in the DSM-5 is exposure to one or more traumatic event(s), which is defined as one that involved death or threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence.

Experiencing the event could be direct, but it doesn't have to be. Exposure could also occur in the following ways, according to the DSM-5:

• Witnessing it as it occurred to someone else
• Learning about an event where a close friend or relative experienced an actual or threatened violent or accidental death
• Having repeated exposure to distressing details of an event, such as a police officer repeatedly hearing details about child sexual abuse

Once the exposure has occurred, PTSD symptoms are evaluated for a diagnosis.

DSM-5 PTSD Diagnosis

In order to be diagnosed with PTSD according to the DSM-5, the following criteria should be met:

• Exposure to the traumatic event
• One (or more) intrusion symptom(s)
• One (or more) symptom(s) of avoidance
• Two (or more) symptoms of negative changes in feelings and mood
• Two (or more) symptoms of changes in arousal or reactivity

These symptoms also:

• Must last for longer than one month
• Must bring about considerable distress and/or interfere greatly with a number of different areas of your life
• Can't be due to a medical condition or some form of substance use

Changes in the DSM-5

The biggest change in the DSM-5 is removing PTSD from the category of anxiety disorders and putting it in a classification called "Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders."4

Other key changes include:

• More clearly defining what kind of events are considered traumatic
• Adding different types of exposure to the event
• Increasing the number of symptom groups from three to four by separating avoidance symptoms into their own group
• Changing the wording of some of the symptoms
• Adding a new set of criteria for children aged 6 or younger
• Eliminating the acute and chronic phases
• Introducing a new specifier called dissociative features3

Causes

PTSD is caused by exposure to trauma. However, it's not clear why some people develop PTSD after traumatic events while others do not. There are some risk factors that can make someone more likely to develop it than others. For example, genetics may play a role. It's also more common in women than men.6

Other risk factors include:

• A lack of social support following the event
• An experience of past trauma
• History of mental illness
• History of substance use7

 How Traumatic Events Cause PTSD

Types

There are different types of PTSD, including:

• Complex PTSD: Characterized by a series of traumatic events occurring over time and typically earlier in life.8 Notably, complex PTSD is not listed in the DSM-5.
• Delayed expression: Before the DSM-5, this type of PTSD was referred to as "delayed onset." It occurs when someone is diagnosed at least six months after the traumatic event took place.
• Dissociative: In addition to meeting criteria for a PTSD diagnosis, this subtype—classified specifically as "with dissociative symptoms"—requires symptoms of either depersonalization or derealization.

Acute stress disorder is related to PTSD. While it shares some symptoms, a PTSD diagnosis requires symptoms are present for more than a month, whereas someone with acute stress disorder could experience symptoms for just three days to one month.

Acute and chronic PTSD are no longer used in the DSM-5. Acute referred to PTSD symptoms lasting less than three months and chronic referred to symptoms lasting more than three months.9

Treatment

Treatment for PTSD can involve medication, psychotherapy, or both. Consult a mental health professional to find the best treatment for you.

Medication

Antidepressants, or more specifically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are typically considered the first-line medication option to treat PTSD. These can help someone with PTSD with mood, anxiety, eating, and sleep.10

Zoloft (sertraline) and Paxil (paroxetine) are FDA-approved to treat PTSD.11 Others that have been shown to be effective for PTSD include Prozac (fluoxetine) as well as Effexor XR (venlafaxine), which is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI).12 In addition, there are other medications that may be used to treat PTSD. Be sure to discuss your options with your healthcare provider.

 How to Get Treated for Your PTSD and Depression

Psychotherapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of talk therapy that has been found to be effective for treating the symptoms of PTSD.13 CBT may help manage your symptoms by working to change your beliefs and behaviors. Other types of psychotherapy that may be used for PTSD include:

• Cognitive processing therapy (CPT)
• Exposure therapy14
• Group therapy
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)15

Coping

PTSD gets in the way of everyday life, and it's important to take good care of yourself to manage it. These ways to cope are known to be effective.

• Mindfulness practice16
• Support groups and supportive relationships with loved ones17
• Abstinence from drugs and alcohol
• Exercise

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Children

 

https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=post-traumatic-stress-disorder-in-children-90-P02579

What is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem. It can affect people of all ages. A child with PTSD keeps having scary thoughts and memories of a past event. He or she finds the event terrifying, either physically or emotionally.

The symptoms of PTSD may start soon after a stressful event. Or they may not happen for 6 months or longer. Some children with PTSD have long-term effects. They may feel emotionally numb for a very long time. PTSD in children often becomes a long-term (chronic) problem.

PTSD may be accompanied by:

• Depression

• Substance abuse

• Anxiety

What causes PTSD in a child?

A traumatic event that triggers PTSD may be:

• Something that happened to the child

• Something that happened to someone close to the child

• Something the child saw

A child or teen may suffer from PTSD after one of these traumatic events:

• Bad accidents, such as car or train wrecks

• Invasive medical procedures, especially for children younger than age 6

• Animal bites

• Natural disasters, such as floods or earthquakes

• Manmade tragedies, such as bombings

• Violent personal attacks, such as a mugging, rape, torture, or kidnapping

• Physical abuse

• Sexual assault

• Sexual abuse

• Emotional abuse or bullying

• Neglect

Which children are at risk for PTSD?

A child’s risk for PTSD is often affected by:

• How close the child was to the traumatic event

• How bad the event was

• How long the event lasted

• If the event happened more than once

• How well the child is able to recover quickly from difficult things (resiliency)

• How well the child copes

• How supportive a child’s family and community are after the event

What are the symptoms of PTSD in a child?

Children and teens with PTSD feel a lot of emotional and physical distress when exposed to situations that remind them of the traumatic event. Some may relive the trauma over and over again. They may have nightmares and disturbing memories during the day. They may also:

• Have problems sleeping

• Feel depressed or grouchy

• Feel nervous, jittery, or alert and watchful (on guard)

• Lose interest in things they used to enjoy. They may seem detached or numb and are not responsive.

• Have trouble feeling affectionate

• Be more aggressive than before, even violent

• Stay away from certain places or situations that bring back memories

• Have flashbacks. These can be images, sounds, smells, or feelings. The child may believe the event is happening again.

• Lose touch with reality

• Reenact an event for seconds or hours or, in rare cases, days

• Have problems in school

• Have trouble focusing

• Worry about dying at a young age

• Act younger than their age, such as thumb-sucking or bedwetting

• Have physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomachaches

How is PTSD diagnosed in a child?

Not every child or teen who goes through a trauma gets PTSD. PTSD is diagnosed only if symptoms keep happening for more than 1 month and are negatively affecting the child’s life and how he or she functions. For those with PTSD, symptoms most often start within 3 months after the traumatic event. But they can also start months or years later.

A child psychiatrist or mental health expert can diagnose PTSD. He or she will do a mental health evaluation.  

How is PTSD treated in a child?

Treatment will depend on your child’s symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is.

PTSD can be treated. Early diagnosis and treatment is very important. It can ease symptoms and enhance your child’s normal development. It can also improve your child’s quality of life.

Treatment may include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy. A child learns skills to handle his or her anxiety and to master the situation that led to the PTSD.

• Medicines for depression or anxiety. These may help some children feel calmer.

Recovery from PTSD varies. Some children recover within 6 months. Others have symptoms that last much longer. Recovery depends on the child’s inner strengths, coping skills, and ability to bounce back. It is also affected by the level of family support. Parents play a vital role in treatment.

How can I help prevent PTSD in my child?

These measures may help prevent PTSD in children:

• Teach children that it is OK to say no to someone who tries to touch his or her body or make him or her feel uncomfortable.

• Encourage prevention programs in your community or local school system.

How can I help my child live with PTSD?

As a parent, you play a key role in your child’s treatment. Here are things you can do to help:

• Admit that the event happened. Pretending everything is normal won't help your child.

• Be supportive and get counseling for children and teens who have seen or gone through a traumatic event. A child or teen may at first not want counseling. But it may be needed months or even years after the traumatic event.

• Keep all appointments with your child's healthcare provider.

• Talk with your child’s healthcare provider about other providers who will be included in your child’s care. Your child may get care from a team that may include counselors, therapists, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Your child’s care team will depend on his or her needs and how serious the PTSD is.

• Tell others about your child’s PTSD. Work with your child’s healthcare provider and school to create a treatment plan.

• Reach out for support from local community services. Being in touch with other parents who have a child with PTSD may be helpful.

• Take all symptoms of depression and suicide very seriously. Get treatment right away. Suicide is a health emergency.

When should I call my child’s healthcare provider?

Call your healthcare provider right away if your child:

• Feels extreme depression, fear, anxiety, or anger toward him or herself or others

• Feels out of control

• Hears voices that others don’t hear

• Sees things that others don’t see

• Can’t sleep or eat for 3 days in a row

• Shows behavior that concerns friends, family, or teachers, and others express concern about this behavior and ask you to get help

PTSD increases risk for other mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thinking.

Call 911 if your child has suicidal thoughts, a suicide plan, and the means to carry out the plan.

Key points about posttraumatic stress disorder in children

• PTSD is a mental health problem. A child with PTSD has constant, scary thoughts and memories of a past event.

• A traumatic event, such as a car crash, natural disaster, or physical abuse, can cause PTSD.

• Children with PTSD may relive the trauma over and over again. They may have nightmares or flashbacks.

• PTSD is diagnosed only if symptoms keep occurring for more than 1 month and are negatively affecting the child’s life.

• A child with PTSD may need therapy and medicine. They are at higher risk for other mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts

• Call 911 if your child has suicidal thoughts, a suicide plan, and the means to carry out the plan.

Trauma Treatment Planning for Clinicians

 

https://www.therapistaid.com/therapy-article/trauma-treatment-planning-for-clinicians

 Laura Strom

"I can't go on like this!" A client recently spoke these words to me when referring to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The impact of PTSD on quality of life cannot be underestimated.
My former supervisor, Victor Carrion, MD, Director of the Stanford Early Life Stress Research Program, says PTSD is a disorder of fear extinction and it feeds on avoidance. I was his intern for two years, and later was hired to be one of two therapists in a 3 year clinical research trial of a cutting edge, short-term treatment for youth suffering posttraumatic symptoms.

We tested Stanford Cue Centered Treatment, a 15-18 session intervention with youth, ages 8-17, meeting with them in their schools. We had outstanding results, with participants having a 65% drop in posttraumatic symptoms very quickly, along with a 50+% decrease in depression and anxiety.

Categories of PTSD Symptoms

• Hyper-Arousal: An unpleasant sensation where the person feels hyper-aware of every stimuli. Aware of every tiny sound, the person is hyper-vigilant, startles easily, and often feels irritable and angry. It is difficult to concentrate. Hyper-arousal symptoms are a crescendo from mild anxiety all the way up to a full-fledged fight or flight reaction, or a panic attack that sends someone to the emergency room.
• Intrusive Recollection: Unpleasant thoughts related to the trauma. Sometimes there are nightmares or recurring bad dreams. Flashbacks are a serious form of intrusive thoughts that make a person feel as if they are right back in the middle of the trauma once again.
• Avoidance / Numbing: The person avoids situations, thoughts, and feelings that remind them of the trauma. This can make a person's world much smaller as they work to avoid all traumatic cues. A great deal of energy is used trying not to think about it. Emotional affect is flattened. There may be a sense that the future is fore-shortened.

All of these symptoms sap a person's energy. It is bad enough that they either witnessed or experienced trauma, and now they are having a host of unpleasant symptoms.

As clinicians it is our job to bring immediate relief. As a Stanford-trained trauma therapist, we began immediately by doing a thorough intake and assessment. Dr. Carrion says that the greatest mistake clinicians make is not asking about trauma, or if they do, they do not ask in enough detail.

When we ask a client to tell us about the trauma in great detail, (i.e., "What did you see? Was there blood? How much and where was it? Could you see inside the bullet hole? What could you hear/smell?") we do two things. First, we demonstrate our faith in the client; s/he is strong enough to survive telling us about this trauma. Sometimes this may be the first time the trauma is being discussed. Second, by discussing the trauma, we begin to reactivate the body's fear extinction mechanism. Retelling the details of a trauma acts as a form of exposure.

As the client survives the memory of the trauma in a safe environment with a caring clinician, they begin the process of desensitization. By asking for all the details, we show the client we can handle it, even the really, terrible stuff they have never told anybody.

The bad news about PTSD is it does not go away over time if left untreated, and instead gets worse. The good news is it responds very well to treatment.

In my own private practice, when clients seek me out for trauma treatment, I focus first on educating the client about PTSD symptoms, and giving them tools for body mastery. In the first two sessions after the intake, we solely focus on tools that give them relief from posttraumatic symptoms.

Using Aureen Wagner's "Feelings Thermometer" with both adults and children, I coach clients to rate their feelings on a scale of 1-10 (1 = Life is a piece of cake, 10 = Out of control! Ballistic!). I explain the anatomy of the flight or flight reaction, and why long, slow deep breathing in which the exhale is twice as long as the inhale is essential to stop the reaction in its tracks. This type of breathing calms many people, in addition to stopping the ratcheting up of the body's fear reaction. However, some people still continue to feel anxious. Next, I teach progressive muscle relaxation, which helps almost everyone.

Finally, we do guided imagery. Usually, by the time all three are done, the person's "temperature" is back to a 1 or 2. This demonstration is powerful as they realize they can achieve body mastery over their anxiety and fight or flight reactions. I instruct them to practice all three every day in the coming week, and that we will discuss their progress, particularly how they handle traumatic cues. I remind them that anytime they notice their temperature is a 5, they should do something to bring it down.

During the nest session, I ask how they did with managing their symptoms throughout the week. Were they able to remember the tools? How high did their temperature get? Often both of us are delighted at the progress they have made towards achieving body mastery. We continue practicing, and add some cognitive tools such as thought insertion and reality testing for catastrophizing.

Once a person with PTSD learns body mastery so that they can calm their body on command, we are ready to explore the trauma narrative. Body mastery is essential to help them tolerate the anxiety of telling their story in full detail. The person I mentioned at the beginning of the article had a steep decline in post-traumatic symptoms within three sessions thanks to the techniques I have outlined.

After the intake, education and body mastery are the first big keys to curing PTSD. When we use the strategy outlined above, clients receive immediate relief from symptoms and they begin to develop hope--the greatest gift I can give.

Easy-to-use examples of these tools and more information on trauma treatment are on my website. To learn more about Stanford Cue Centered Treatment, and to sign up for online training, please visit the Stanford Early Life Stress Research Program website.

Very good self help book - The emotionally absent mother

 I accidentally found this book- The emotionally absent mother at amazon website as I was looking for good resources for emotional abuse cases. No regret of buying this book. 

1. "Emotional neglect and abuse, is rather slow work, which is often heartbreaking. The work takes gentleness and patience: gnetleness because we are dealing with incredibly tender young places inside our clients, and patience because rebuilding one's foundation is a long term work" pg.  213.

2. "Not everyone has the resources, commitment, or inclination to do psychotherapy." 

My reflective thoughts about the existential therapy

 

2021 Asian Regional Conference on Covid-19 and the Givens of Existence

draft 

will update more here when I am free. 

Friendship and bonding are more important to us during covid period. What is the meaning of the work, especially the relationship with our clients, it is not about the counselling skills, is about who we are. 

Cooking: Eggplant Recipe

I watched the Ready Steay Cook program this afternoon and learnt recipe on how to cook eggplant with two methods http://readysteadycook.ten.com.au/7843.htm


1. Sweet and sour eggplant recipe
Ingredients:
1 eggplant, large dice
1 red onion, diced
1 red chili, finely sliced
1 green chili, finely sliced
2 cm ginger, peeled, grated
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 lime, juiced
2 Tbs balsamic
1 Tbs Ayam fish sauce
1 Tbs Ayam palm sugar
1 green capsicum, seeded, sliced

Method:
1 Heat an oiled wok over a high heat, cook the eggplant for 2-4 minutes. Add the onion, chili, ginger and cook a further 2-4 minutes.
2 Combine the white balsamic, sugar, lime juice, balsamic, fish sauce and palm sugar. Add to the work and cook and reduce. Add the capsicum and cook 1-2 minutes.
3 Spoon into a bowl to serve.


2. Steamed eggplant recipe
Ingredients:
1 eggpplant
fish sauce
balsamic vinegar
fried onion
sugar- not sure which type, brown sugar should be fine

Method:
1.Steam the eggplant
2. Fry the onion
3.Cook the sauce- fish sauce, vinegar, brown sugar
3. Place the eggplant on the plate, sprinkle onion and few spoons of the cooked sauce to serve.


I would like to share my favourite recipe of eggplant as well; found it from internet:

3.Grilled eggplant with honey and balsamic vinegar

1. Marinate the eggplant with garlic powder, honey and balsamic vinegar plus a little salt and white pepper.
2. Grill the eggplant untill it cooked and ready for serve.

Adele - Someone Like You- Meaningful song

Adele - Someone Like You - BRIT Awards 2011

This is a beautiful song, I got it from fb link. Perhaps I can recommend it to my client =P

I heard, that your settled down.
That you, found a girl and your married now.
I heard that your dreams came true.
Guess she gave you things, I didn't give to you.

Old friend, why are you so shy?
It ain't like you to hold back or hide from the lie.

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited.
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it.
I'd hoped you'd see my face & that you'd be reminded,
That for me, it isn't over.

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you.
I wish nothing but the best, for you too.
Don't forget me, I beg, I remember you said:-
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead"
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead, yeah.

You'd know, how the time flies.
Only yesterday, was the time of our lives.
We were born and raised in a summery haze.
Bound by the surprise of our glory days.

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited,
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it.
I'd hoped you'd see my face & that you'd be reminded,
That for me, it isn't over yet.

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you.
I wish nothing but the best for you too.
Don't forget me, I beg, I remember you said:-
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead", yay.

Nothing compares, no worries or cares.
Regret's and mistakes they're memories made.
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you.
I wish nothing but the best for you too.
Don't forget me, I beg, I remembered you said:-
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead"

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you.
I wish nothing but the best for you too.
Don't forget me, I beg, I remembered you said:-
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead"
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead, yay yeh yeah

Adele Someone Like You lyrics found on http://www.directlyrics.com/adele-someone-like-you-lyrics.html

Life Lesson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvalKH68vZ8&NR=1&feature=fvwp


I love this learning english series on youtube. The text below are copied from the link about sad/happiness. How true it is. It is easier to grow up as a mature adult through hardship but not when you are laying in a cosy bed..

It would be fair to say that we all go through times when things seem bad. People can sometimes let you down. People have the ability to say things that make you unhappy. Events and circumstances may come along and destroy your plans for future.

As poet Stephen Spender once wrote: "You must live through the time when everything hurts. "

Life comes with no guarantees or promises.

The sunny days of contentment can only be truely appreciated through the dark gloomy nights of despair.

For without sadness, we would never really know what it is like to be truely happy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Richard Rohr's talk- his list of five promises that define true adulthood is what he says gives a person the ability to live in the world as a grown up.

Five things Every adult should know......
1. Life is hard.
2.You are not that important.
3. Your life is not about you.
4. You're not in control.
5.You are going to die.

I Believe in You- IL Divo & Celine Dion

A meaningful song (English/French song). I received this song few years ago from my friend. It was highly recommended by her as a nice song. I did not think so at that moment, only now I understand the meaning of the lyrics.


Lonely, the path you have chosen
A restless road, no turning back
One day you will find your light again
Don't you know
Don't let go be strong
Follow your heart
Let your love lead through the darkness
Back to a place you once knew
I believe, I believe, I believe in you
Follow your dreams
Be yourself, an angel of kindness
There's nothing that you cannot do
I believe, I believe, I believe in you

Tout seulTu t'en iras tout seulCœur ouvertA l'universPoursuis ta quêteSans regarder derrièreN'attends pasQue le jourSe lèveSuis ton étoileVa jusqu'où ton rêve t'emporteUn jour tu le toucherasSi tu crois, si tu crois, si tu croisEn toiSuis ta lumièreN'éteins pas la flamme que tu portesAu fonds de toi souviens-toiQue je crois, que je crois, que je croisEn toi

Someday I'll find you
Someday you'll find me too
And when I hold you close
I know that it's true
Follow your heart
Let your love lead through the darkness
Back to a place you once knew
I believe, I believe, I believe in you
Follow your dreams
Be yourself an angel of kindness
There's nothing that you cannot do
I believe, I believe, I believe in you
I believe, I believe, I believe in you (x2)

Mood swings of bipolar patients can be predicted, study shows

Mood swings of bipolar patients can be predicted, study shows

Currently Iam writing a report about a patient who is having bipolar symptoms. He has job, family related stress and is having an episode of depression. Again, google is my best friend for helping me to come out with better ideas to write assignment =)
==================================================

ScienceDaily (Apr. 19, 2011) — The future mood swings of people with bipolar disorder can be predicted by their current thoughts and behaviour, a study published April 19, 2011 has found.

---

Psychologists from the Universities of Manchester and Lancaster say their findings are important because they mean talking therapies, like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), could prove effective treatments for the condition.

People with bipolar are prone to extreme mood swings that take them from great emotional highs to the pits of depression; the cause of these mood swings is often put down to the patients' genes and biology rather than their own thoughts and actions.

For this latest study -- published in the American Psychological Association journal Psychological Assessment -- the researchers followed 50 people with bipolar disorder for a month. The team found that the patients' thinking and behaviour predicted their future mood swings even when their medical history had been accounted for.

"Individuals who believed extreme things about their moods -- for example that their moods were completely out of their own control or that they had to keep active all the time to prevent becoming a failure -- developed more mood problems in a month's time," said study lead Dr Warren Mansell, in Manchester's School of Psychological Sciences.

"In contrast, people with bipolar disorder who could let their moods pass as a normal reaction to stress or knew they could manage their mood, faired well a month later. These findings are encouraging for talking therapies -- such as CBT -- that aim to help patients to talk about their moods and change their thinking about them."

A new form of CBT, known as TEAMS (Think Effectively About Mood Swings), is being developed by Dr Mansell and colleagues, at The University of Manchester. It aims to improve on previous therapies by focusing on current problems, like depression, anxiety and irritability, and helping patients to set goals for their life as a whole.

The aim of this new approach is to encourage patients to accept and manage a range of normal emotions -- like joy, anger and fear -- and a controlled trial is about to start following a successful case series of the TEAMS approach.

How to embrace laughter, & Quick Tips for Reframing

How to embrace laughter.

http://www.theemotionmachine.com/the-psychology-of-laughter

Here are some suggestions of things you can do to embrace laughter:

• Learn to laugh at yourself. Seriously, laughing at your mistakes allows you to take them less seriously and not get so hung up on the little things.
• Learn to crack jokes about stressful situations rather than complaining.
• Keep stuff around you that lightens the mood. A toy on your desk or a funny poster in your room can become a daily reminder to not be so serious all of the time.
• Make games out of things and be more playful, especially with children or pets who appreciate the attention.
• Watch a funny movie or TV show.
• Find one or two comics to follow on a daily basis. Read them during your morning coffee or on the train to work.

Quick Tips for Reframing

http://www.theemotionmachine.com/quick-tips-for-reframing

Reframing is to look at a situation or experience from another perspective so that we can learn something new or think and feel better about a past event. Some ways we can reframe include:

Turning a negative into a positive.

If something bad or painful happens in our lives, we can often reframe that experience as something that made us a stronger or smarter person in the end. Failures can be seen as learning experiences. Psychologists are also now identifying something known as “post traumatic growth,” where those who go through trauma end up more resilient and optimistic. Being able to find the good in the bad is a key characteristic for any healthy mind.

Broadening your perspective.

In the moment, a bad experience can feel like the end of the world. But when you look back on it after a week, month, year, or even decade, the event often loses a lot of its affect. How many of you can look back on an experience you once thought was really terrible, and now it seems like nothing? Sometimes we wonder why we ever got so upset in the first place. Imagine yourself 20 years down the road, will you care as much about those same things that are troubling you now? When we broaden our perspective, things don’t often seem as important as we like to make them out to be.

The “things could be worse” perspective.

No matter how bad things are for you, there is almost always an alternative situation that is even worse. Imagining how things can be worse can help us be more grateful toward the things we do have, and not necessarily focus on just the things we lost. This attitude works especially well for aspects of life that are outside of our control. Maybe your house burned down and you lost everything, that is an awful situation, but you can reframe it and think “at least I still have my friends and family.” Maybe you are currently going through some financial troubles, but does it really compare to the lives of those in poor third world countries? Imagining how things can be worse is a great way to change your perspective and be more thankful for what you have.

You can read more about this kind of reframe (from the perspective of Stoicism) here.

Empathic perspective-taking.

Empathic perspective-taking is a type of reframe where we imagine ourselves experiencing a situation from another person’s perspective. By stepping into someone else’s shoes we can get a better idea of their intentions and why they acted the way they did. This can be a very useful skill for understanding why people sometimes do things that hurt us (intentional or not), and we can better learn to forgive by letting go of resentment, grudges, and other negative feelings we hold against others.

JUST FOR TODAY!

10 little thoughts from Dale Carnegie’s book: How to stop worrying and start living:

1. Just for today I will be happy. This assumes that what Abraham Lincoln said is true, that “most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Happiness is from within; it is not a matter of externals.

2. Just for today I will try to adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my family, my business, and my luck as they come and fit myself to them.

3. Just for today I will take care of my body. I will exercise it, care for it, nourish it, not abuse it nor neglect it, so that it will be a perfect machine for my bidding.

4. Just for today I will try to strengthen my mind. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.

5. Just for today I will exercise my soul : I will do somebody a good turn and not get found out.

6. Just for today I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress as becomingly as possible, talk low, act courteously, be liberal with praise, criticise not at all, nor find fault with anything and not try to regulate nor improve anyone.

7. Just for today I will try to live through this day only, not to tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do things for twelve hours that would appall me if I had to keep them up for a lifetime.

8. Just for today I will have a programme. I will write down what I expect to do every hour. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. It will eliminate two pests, hurry and indecision.

9. Just for today I will have a quiet half-hour all by myself and relax. In this half-hour sometimes I will think of God, so as to get a little more perspective into my life.

10. Just for today I will be unafraid, especially I will not be afraid to be happy, to enjoy what is beautiful, to love, and to believe that those I love, love me.

If we want to develop a mental attitude that will bring us peace and happiness, here is Rule 1: Think and act cheerfully, and you will feel cheerful.

I don't want to miss a thing-lyrics

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
While you're far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Where every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure

Don't want to close my eyes
I don't want to fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing

Lying close to you feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're seeing
Then I kiss your eyes
And thank God we're together
I just want to stay with you in this moment forever
Forever and ever

I don't want to close my eyes
I don't want to fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing

I don't want to miss one smile
I don't want to miss one kiss
I just want to be with you
Right here with you, just like this
I just want to hold you close
Feel your heart so close to mine
And just stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time Yeah yeah yeah

I don't want to close my eyes
I don't want to fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing

I Don't want to close my eyes
I don't want to fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing

Don't want to close my eyes
I don't want to fall asleep
And I don't want to miss a thing

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/a/aerosmith/#share

How do you use the word being in english grammar? Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_use_the_word_being_in_english_grammar#ixzz1MHe1GGEH

The word being has several forms: am, is, was, were, be, being, been. In general the word is used to mean that something is currently in a particular state. For example, I might say that "You are being annoying" or that "It is raining outside. I will give some examples below of the different uses:

am (about oneself): I am at home. I am friendly. I am a person.

is: (about an object other than oneself): She is friendly. It is snowing outside. Pizza is a tasty food.

was: (past form of am and is). I was walking home. She was friendly but now she is mean.

were: (plural of was): They were walking to the store.

to be: (this is the non-conjugated form of the verb, it means to exist or to be in a certain state) To be good at archery, one must practice a lot. You should be good, and you will receive a treat.

being: (this indicates that something is in the on-going, present state of existing or having a given property) You are being silly. Being good at something takes work.

been (indicates that something has been ongoing in the past and up through the present): The stock prices have been plummeting for the past week. The Mets have really been on a bad streak lately.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_use_the_word_being_in_english_grammar#ixzz1MHdV4VDR

How to reset hibernate mode in Vista

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/re-enable-hibernate-option-in-windows-vista/

I often have to reset this hibernate option for my precious laptop as I accidentally delete everything to boost up the memory (I dislike the slow speed..., which is distrupting my work). So I have decided to copy into my blog instead, although this piece of technical knowledge has nothing to do with psychology/life.. just to make myself convenient, instead of searching google again =)

An alternative method with more steps was suggested by Shane in the comments. If the above doesn’t fix your problem, you can use these steps.

• Go to the command prompt icon in the Start menu under Accessories and right click the icon: click “Run as administrator”.
• Paste: “powercfg.exe /hibernate on” and hit Enter and also paste “powercfg -h on” and hit enter just to be safe.
• Open Control Panel and type in “Hibernate” in the Search.
• Click “Turn hibernation on or off”
• Click “Change advance power settings”
• Scroll to and expand the “Sleep” option.
• Select “Off” to the “Allow hybrid sleep” option.
• Scroll to and expand the “Power buttons and lid” option.
• Select “Hibernate” for the “Sleep button action” option. 10. Select “Hibernate” for the “Start menu power button” option.