May, 2021 | depression hurts us

Need to vent? Turn to real-life support, not social media

Post author:admin
Post published:May 3, 2021
Post category:POSTS

Social media may make it easier for people to engage online, but I does not provide certain benefits of real-life human interactions, says a Michigan State University researcher.

“Problematic social media use has been associated with depression, anxiety and social isolation, and having a good social support system helps insulate people from negative mental health,” said Dar Meshi, an assistant professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at MSU. “We wanted to compare the differences between real-life support and support provided over social media to see if the support provided over social media could have beneficial effects.”

The research was published online April 29 in the journal Addictive Behaviors.

While social media support did not negatively impact mental health, it did not positively affect it either.

“Only real-life social support was linked to better overall mental health,” Meshi said. “Typical interactions over social media are limited. We theorize that they don’t allow for more substantial connection, which may be needed to provide the type of support that protects against negative mental health.”

Meshi and Morgan Ellithorpe, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Delaware and a co-author of this paper, conducted a survey of 403 university students to identify how problematic their social media use was and their degree of social support in real-life and on social media.

By also using the PROMIS, or Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement Information System, scales for measuring depression, anxiety, and social isolation, the researchers could see how the students’ social media use and social support related to their mental health.

Problematic social media use is not a recognized addictive disorder, but there are similarities in the symptoms of someone with a substance use disorder and a person displaying excessive social media use. Examples include preoccupation with social media and signs of withdrawal, such as irritability when prevented from using social media.

“It appears that the more excessive one’s social media use is, the less social support that person gets in real life, which leads to poor mental health,” Ellithorpe said.

Meshi and Ellithorpe encourage people who are using too much social media to reach out to people in real life for social support.

Story Source:

Materials provided by Michigan State University. Original written by Emilie Lorditch. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Scientific Health Benefits Of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Post author:admin
Post published:May 3, 2021
Post category:POSTS

Mind is a muscle, the more we exercise it, the stronger it gets – what a wonderful way to explain mindfulness, right? Mindfulness is the state of being aware of the present. One of the techniques that help in stress and anxiety reduction, mindfulness has many benefits.

In this article, however, we’ll be exploring what mindfulness-based stress reduction technique is and how can it benefit our minds and bodies.

Let’s begin by learning what exactly does MBSR or Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction involves.

What Is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Technique?

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

MBSR therapy is a technique that combines mindfulness meditation and yoga to address our inner self – thoughts, feelings, and actions – to reduce stress and induce feelings of calm and relaxation.

Developed in the 1970s by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, MBSR is an eight-week program designed to teach mindfulness meditation and yoga. With MBSR mindfulness meditation, you learn how to cultivate self-awareness in the present moment, and by increasing your awareness, you learn how to reduce your stress, emotional reaction, and increase calm.

Also Read: Self Awareness: Meaning, Types, Traits, Activities For Adults & Kids, And More

Mindfulness stress reduction therapy can help people struggling with issues such as:

Benefits Of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR):

Benefits Of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

There are some scientifically proven benefits of MBSR that you should consider:

Mindfulness-based stress reduction technique can help in:

1. Relieving Chronic Pain

In a study published in 2010, it was found that practicing mindfulness-based stress reduction can help in relieving chronic pain and better mental and emotional well-being. Regular MBSR therapy can also help in reducing migraines, headaches, and can also improve the health of people with arthritis.

Also Read: How To Release Emotions Stuck In Your Body & Relieve Pain

2. Reducing Stress

If you practice mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques, you have a better chance of reducing anxiety and stress. MBSR therapy can also help in increasing empathy. Mindfulness stress reduction has also been proven to decrease symptoms of depression in youths.

Also, Read Types Of Empathy You Need To Know

3. Improving Sleep

There have been some research studies that suggest that mindfulness stress reduction can help reduce excessive worrying that is one of the most common causes of sleep problems. However, there is more research to be done regarding the link between sleep and MBSR therapy.

Also Read: Relax Yourself: Here’re Natural Home Remedies For Good Sleep

4. Preventing Depression Relapse

Another mental health benefit of mindfulness-based stress reduction is that it can help prevent you from a depression relapse. MBSR focuses on reframing negative thought patterns, so practicing it can prevent negative thoughts from developing.

Also Read: Well-Being Therapy: A Resort For Relapsing Depression?

5. Improving Cognitive Health

Practicing mindfulness stress reduction can improve your cognitive health. MBSR therapy can help improve speech fluency, boost mood, improve visual coding, and boost memory.

Also Read: RAIN- Mindfulness Tool to Deal With Your Overwhelming Emotions

Common MBSR Exercises

Common MBSR Exercises

Some of the most common and popular MBSR exercises are:

According to Dr.Kabat-Zinn, there are seven attributes of MBSR therapy:

Non-Judgment: assuming the mind as an impartial witness
Patience: allowing yourself to have time and space to experience everything
Mindset: a mind that is willing to experience everything for the first time
Trust: trusting yourself and your experiences
Non-Striving:practicing simply being and abstaining from the sense of trying to get somewhere
Acceptance: seeing or taking things as they are or as they come
Letting Go: releasing control and letting ourselves experience the moment

Final Thoughts

Experiencing stress

Experiencing stress in our daily lives is a common occurrence and more often than not it can feel overwhelming with no way to escape. While there are other ways to relieve stress, mindfulness is one of the most beneficial of all.

MBSR therapy is an eight-week program developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn and it primarily focuses on mindfulness meditation combined with yoga to help reduce stress, induce relaxation, improve focus, along with other benefits.

I hope this article helped you understand what is mindfulness-based stress management and the benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy.

“Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.” – Buddha

If you’re considering MBSR therapy, then it is recommended that you reach out to a qualified professional for further consultation. If you have a health issue then please consult your physician before practicing MBSR.

If you’d like to connect with us, you can write to us at info@calmsage.com or follow us on our social media pages.

Things To Remember When You Hit Rock Bottom In Your Life

Post author:admin
Post published:May 2, 2021
Post category:POSTS

It is almost impossible to find a person who hasn’t hit rock bottom in their whole life, be it emotionally, physically, mentally, or financially. But let’s face it; hitting rock bottom is a challenge for each of us to break the monotony as well as remove massive roadblocks. But what is hitting rock bottom and why it is also considered as a transition for each and every human being? Let’s explore!

Hitting Rock Bottom

In general, terms, hitting rock bottom is an event in life or phase when someone reaches the lowest point in their life. Here, a person believes that things cannot get any worse and they have fallen apart. The damage is so great that nothing is left anymore for destruction.

Although this concept is different for every individual. For example, it’s losing all the money and assets for someone whereas breaking up with their lifelong partner or getting diagnosed with a terminal disease for others.

Signs That You Have Hit Rock Bottom

Normal activity may need a long preparation
You consume extra unhealthy meals to comfort yourself
Social isolation
Losing interest in things that you liked before
Lost in thoughts
You seem in bad mood and hate the world

It is true that the person finds himself in a dark and hopeless situation. But there is a silver lining from here! You can revive yourself once again and rejoice in your life to rise up and become better once again. How? Here are some tips to find what to do when you hit rock bottom.

What To Do When You Hit Rock Bottom?

1. Let Yourself Feel The Pain

“The pain you feel today is the strength you feel tomorrow.”

Each one of us tries to avoid the pain and usually indulges in distractions or getting on with other things. But you have to let this pain pass through you in any form like disappointment, grief, frustration, or crying. If we allow ourselves to stand in this inconsolable heat, it will only lead to a stronger mind and the strongest heart.

2. Take Some Time Back To Reflect

“Time spent in self-reflection is never wasted-it is an intimate date with yourself.”

Hitting the rock bottom gives you a chance to understand yourself on a deeper level, believe it or not. When you take time for yourself, you would be able to find how much are you affected, how to help yourself, how to lighten up the heavy heart and finally make yourself stronger in the outside world. Remember, all the lessons that you learn in your hardest time or after hitting rock bottom goes with you for life.

3. Show Faith & Self-Compassion

“Having compassion starts and ends with having compassion for all those unwanted parts of ourselves, all those imperfections that we don’t want to look at.”

‘Everything will fall into place and you have faith in it’, is a positive statement to keep yourself calm in distress. Believe in something bigger than yourself, be it God, energy, fate or destiny and surrender to the situation. However, you also need to pick yourself up from here by showing compassion by practicing self-care activities. It can include taking a hot shower, writing journals, getting a hot pedicure at home, and reading a motivational book.

4. Find Yourself Once Again

“Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.”

Finding yourself is similar to finding your home to build back life after hitting rock bottom. It is not necessary that only one particular activity needs to be done to realize your potential but this is the time to explore every edge of yours. For the same, spend time in nature, take a dip in the pool, listen to music, meditate and open up to connect across time and every space.

5. Gel With Right People

“Good company on a journey makes the way seem shorter.”

When you are wondering what to do when you have hit rock bottom, we advise you to be around your loving friends and family members. They definitely want to encourage you with their words, believe in you, and support you in typical conditions. In the meantime, you need to keep a safe distance from toxic people or those who have negative thoughts inside them.

6. Take Responsibility For Your Actions

“It’s only when you take responsibility for your life, you discover how powerful you truly are.”

Often we think that life is happening to us and we mistakenly take it as self-pity. Although you don’t need to give up control of your life completely. Even though surrendering is good, take small steps and decisions and you will find yourself in a new world.

7. Ask For Help

“Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help and brave enough to ask for it.”

A counselor or therapist could help you in giving a direction of life if you are stuck in one place. Considering confusions and cloudiness in your thoughts, it is always good to talk it out with a professional and get their help. If you wish us to help you, connect with us by emailing at info@calmsage.com.

Conclusion

You are not alone if you are hitting rock bottom and do not know how to come up. Trust in yourself and trust what is coming forth. While trying to swim back to the top, keep embracing and learning the new methods which will stick with you all time along.

Depression And Insomnia: What Is It & How To Treat Depression Insomnia

Post author:admin
Post published:May 1, 2021
Post category:POSTS

Feeling depressed? Have trouble sleeping? You are not alone.

Depression and insomnia, more often than not, go hand-in-hand. This close relationship between depression and insomnia is complicated and until recently, insomnia was seen as just another symptom of depression.

But what makes depression insomnia different from regular insomnia? Understanding more about the connection between depression and insomnia can help you get the proper treatment for your condition.

Depression And Insomnia

It easy to see how depression and insomnia might be connected. When a person face difficulty sleeping, they become anxious and stressed about not getting enough sleep. This stress and anxiety of losing sleep might develop into depression with sleep problems.

Insomnia is more or less a warning sign of depression. But it is more than that. A depressed person with insomnia is more prone to recurring depression than those who deal with depression without insomnia. So while insomnia may be a warning sign of depression, it can also cause continuous depression.

People like to use insomnia casually when they face trouble getting sleep for a night or two. There are two types of insomnia that you need to know about:

Acute insomnia: Causes poor sleep for several nights and weeks
Chronic insomnia: Causes poor sleep or no sleep for several weeks or months

With insomnia, you not only experience nights of no sleep but it can also accompany daytime sleepiness, irritability, trouble focusing, clumsiness, among other things.

Insomnia can be caused by:

Understanding the exact reason for your insomnia can help you narrow down your treatment options. In the case of depression insomnia, it is likely it is your depression causing insomnia or that the cause of your insomnia is depression.

What Is Depression Insomnia?

Depression Insomnia

Depression insomnia is not like regular insomnia because the cause of insomnia is nothing other than depression. As I’ve stated before, depression can be a major cause of insomnia in many people. While depression and insomnia might go hand in hand, depression can cause insomnia and vice versa.

Depression insomnia can be caused by:

Note:Women are more prone to depression and sleep problems than men.

How To Treat Depression Insomnia?

Treat Depression Insomnia

Depression and insomnia, both, can be treated with the help of psychotherapy, medications, and making lifestyle changes. While the treatments are similar for depression and insomnia, there are some differences that you must know.

For example; in depression, the therapy focuses on changing or reframing your thoughts and behaviors. In insomnia, therapy focuses on the root cause of your sleeplessness. If in any case, depression and insomnia are present, a therapist will focus on depression sleep problems.

Making healthy lifestyle changes can also help in treating depression and insomnia. For example; getting sunlight can help boost mood and adjust your internal clock as well. Exercising can release endorphins and can make you feel tired, just enough to get some rest.

While there are medications available to help treat insomnia, depression, and depression insomnia, many therapists recommend therapy before they prescribe medications to counter the conditions.

Treating Depression Insomnia

Depression insomnia is not a chronic condition and does not have to last forever. With the right treatment and self-help, you can learn to heal from depression and insomnia.

To heal from depression sleep problems, you can try:

Changing your bedtime routine: Maintaining a normal bedtime routine can help you counter both, depression and insomnia. Having a routine will prepare your body and mind for rest.
Disconnecting digitally: Activities such as staying on social media before bedtime can make it harder for your mind to get into a restful mindset. Avoid using your phone or any digital devices an hour before bedtime. Not doing so might amp up your mind and will make it harder for you to fall asleep.
Avoid beverages before bed: While drinking water, milk, or other beverages before bedtime are common, they can disrupt your sleep in the middle of the night. Avoid drinking anything before bed, especially caffeine and alcoholic beverages.
No exercising before bedtime: Exercising can indeed help you get into a restful mindset but exercising before bedtime is not recommended. Give at least three to four hours between exercise and bedtime. It will give your mind to come down from the endorphin high to get a restful night’s sleep.

Final Thoughts

The first step is to identify the symptoms of depression and insomnia and know if your depression is causing your insomnia or vice versa. Therapy and making some lifestyle changes can help you manage your depression and insomnia, and can also help treat depression insomnia.

I hope this article helped you understand the connection between depression and insomnia, what is depression insomnia, and how to treat depression insomnia.

For more content, visit our website or write to us at info@calmsage.com.

Take care and stay safe.

When Is The Best Time To Quit Smoking

Post author:admin
Post published:May 1, 2021
Post category:POSTS

Are you a regular smoker? Then you must have asked yourself this question, “When is the best time to quit smoking” and must have ended up with smoking even a lot of cigarettes in a day! Well, the answer to your question is, “Right Now!” If you’ve already made up your mind to quit smoking, you can do it easily, don’t panic, and trust my words!

Right now, you may feel like I am talking in an impractical way. Let me tell you, you are likely to be successful in this plan if you are really willing to quit it, and additionally, you don’t want to face the consequences of smoking-related physical and mental issues.

Read this article to know “when is the right time to quit smoking” and prepare yourself mentally and physically. So, let’s get started.

Reasons for Quitting Smoking:

how to quit smoking

When trying to plan to quit smoking it is better to remind yourself that why do you want to quit smoking? Defining reasons is definitely going to help you in the first place. Talking about reasons, there are plenty of major reasons to quit smoking wherein the major reasons are smoking-related diseases and smoking-related cancers.

I bet, every time you think about this reason it is going to help you. Or some of the reasons may hide behind the costs. We cannot deny the fact that regular smoking is kind of expensive and we could do a lot from the saved money.

Also Read: Quit Your Addictions Now! Using Self-Isolation to Start De-Addiction

You can also think about what you are going to do from the saved money. Additionally, it’s not always about the money, we also tend to buy unnecessary things whenever we run to a store to buy packs of cigarettes.

Additionally, how about the aging effects that smoking gives to us… wrinkling that often leads to scary diseases. Or, how smoking affects us mentally and socially…it becomes hard for regular smokers to travel by flight, feeling of extreme hotness and coldness after smoking outside?

Additionally, it also affects our relationships…continuous complaining and always being a point of contention?

I think it’s high time to stand up for yourself and quit smoking for a better tomorrow.

Picking a Date to Quit

Our life is busy and we have reasons to not quit smoking every day. And for us, there is never going to be a perfect day for quitting smoking. I know this is the biggest hurdle when really trying hard to quit smoking.

So, let’s decide on a date, a perfect way to end this positively. The Habit Loop is going to help you throughout the process. It’s just you have to pick a day, make the right choice, consider all your schedules, and start planning for the right day.

Dates and Events to Avoid and Choose

While you’re deciding your right date to quit smoking, let me make it easy for you. There are certain days that are worse and better for quitting smoking. Remember, do not plan to quit smoking when you are going through something, or extraordinary stress is the part of your life. Especially, when you’re experiencing a recent loss or unusual pressure, consider giving yourself time to plan to quit smoking.

Smoking cessation can also lead to stress, therefore, try not to pick your right date between these days:

Pick any date that is meaningful to you. Or maybe you can choose any day which is special for you or have a special meaning for you. This will also help in remembering the special moment when you converted into a non-smoker. For most people, quitting smoking or use of tobacco is an emotional part, therefore, try to pick data with significant meaning and which will serve as a motivation to you. Dates to quit smoking can be:

Birthday
New Year
World No Tobacco Day
The Great American Smokeout
Independence day
Anniversary or Birthdate of loved one

See, any which way you are going to quit smoking, so as per me, why not today! The sooner, the better. Every time you take smoke remind yourself that you’re causing harm to yourself. If still, you want to pick the right date you can take the reference of this article.

Preparing Yourself for Quitting Smoking

danger of smoking

Once you have picked the date, stick to it, throw away your stock, refill your pocket with light munchies or candies that may help you bring down the craving. Keep planning for your success and keep nicotine-free products with you. Throughout the process, you can help your craving by journaling down your feelings or you can reward yourself with small gifts or treats.

I hope this helps. If it’s not helping you and you’re totally craving for having a smoke then consider talking to a professional about your cravings and your addiction. To connect with a mental health provider online from BetterHelp, click here.

I hope this blog helps you with “when is the best time to quit smoking”? Comment down and share your experiences while trying to quit smoking. For more such content, follow Calm Sage on all social media platforms.

Thanks for reading.

More power to you!