bitter|betterment

Sensory overload has been found to be associated with disorders such as:

Fibromyalgia (FM)

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Autistic spectrum disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Synesthesia

Sensory overload occurs when one (or more) of the body’s senses experiences over-stimulation from the environment.

Basically it feels like everything is happening at once, and is happening too fast for you to keep up with.

Sensory overload can result from the over stimulation of any of the senses.

Hearing: Loud noise or sound from multiple sources, such as several people talking at once.

Sight: Bright lights, strobe lights, or environments with lots of movement such as crowds or frequent scene changes on TV.

Smell and Taste: Strong aromas or spicy foods.

Touch: Tactile sensations such as being touched by another person or the feel of cloth on skin.

Obviously, everyone reacts in differently to sensory overload.

Some behavioural examples are:

Irritability – “Shutting down” – Covers eyes around bright lights – Difficulty concentrating Angry outbursts – Refuses to interact and participate – Covers ears to close out sounds or voices – Jumping from task to task without completing Overexcitement – Low energy levels – Difficulty speaking – Compains about noises not effecting others High energy levels – Sleepiness/fatigue – poor eye contact – Overly sensitive to sounds/lights/touch Fidgeting and restlessness – Avoids touching/being touched – Muscle tension – Difficulty with social interactions

There are two different methods to prevent sensory overload: avoidance and setting limits:

Create a more quiet and orderly environment - keeping the noise to a minimum and reducing the sense of clutter.

Rest before big events.

Focus your attention and energy on one thing at a time.

Restrict time spent on various activities.

Select settings to avoid crowds and noise.

One may also limit interactions with specific people to help prevent sensory overload.

It is important in situations of sensory overload to calm oneself and return to a normal level.

Remove yourself from the situation.

Deep pressure against the skin combined with proprioceptive input that stimulates the receptors in the joints and ligaments often calms the nervous system.

Reducing sensory input such as eliminating distressing sounds and lowering the lights can help.

Calming, focusing music works for some.

Take an extended rest if a quick break doesn’t relieve the problem.

What if someone you know is experiencing sensory overload?

Recognize the onset of overload. If they appear to have lost abilities that they usually have, such as forgetting how to speak, this is often a sign of severe overload.

Reduce the noise level. If they are in a noisy area, offer to guide them somewhere more quiet. Give time to process questions and respond, because overload tends to slow processing. If you can control the noise level, for example by turning off music, do so.

Do not touch or crowd them. Many people in SO are hypersensitive to touch - being touched or thinking they are about to be touched can worsen the overload. If they are seated or are a small child, get down to their level instead of looming above them.

Don’t talk more than necessary. Ask if you need to in order to help, but don’t try to say something reassuring or get them talking about something else. Speech is sensory input, and can worsen overload.

If they have a jacket, they may want to put it on and put the hood up. This helps to reduce stimulation, and many people find the weight of a jacket comforting. If their jacket is not within reach, ask them if they want you to bring it. A heavy blanket can also help in a similar way.

Don’t react to aggression. Don’t take it personally. It is rare for someone who is overloaded to cause serious harm, because they don’t want to hurt you, just get out of the situation. Aggression often occurs because you tried to touched/restrained/blocked their escape.

When they have calmed down, be aware that they will often be tired and more susceptible to overload for quite awhile afterwards. It can take hours or days to fully recover from an episode of sensory overload. If you can, try to reduce stress occurring later on as well.

If they start self-injuring, you should usually not try to stop them. Restraint is likely to make their overload worse. Only intervene if they are doing something that could cause serious injury, such as hard biting or banging their head. It’s a lot better to deal with self-injury indirectly by lowering overload.

To summarise - Remember the 5 R’s

Recognise The symptoms of overload

Remove Yourself from the situation

Reduce the stimulus causing the overload

Relax Your body and calm yourself down

I don’t think most people even realize this is real and an issue. Noise can send me spiraling into a panic attack or worse, and I shut down completely for hours or longer. Living with small children makes this especially difficult. I wish more people understood that I’m not blatantly ignoring you, I’m not mad at or upset with you, I just can’t cope with everything happening around me at the time.

Having Ehlers Danlos Syndrome sometimes feels about the equivalent of being composed of jello and wet spaghetti. Nothing stays where its supposed to. Literally every single cell in the body is floppy, so fingers are definitely an issue for many of us. I can almost guarantee that for the majority of us, writing is not only slow and painful but nearly impossible at times. FIne motor skills? What even are those? An EDSer surely doesn’t have any of those. Even typing which is far easier than writing, is painful and daunting at times. But last year I joined the population of shiny zebras by getting fitted for a set of Silver Rings Splints and they are beyond magical.

For those of you who have not heard of The Silver Ring Splint Company, they are a company that custom makes finger splints that look like elegant pieces of jewelry. Don’t believe me? Well I can’t even tell you how many compliments I’ve received for them. Nobody even suspects that they might possibly be medical. But more importantly, they work amazing! I still have hand pain and finger dislocations when performing fine motor skills and writing is definitely not something I look forward to but I have saved myself thousands of painful dislocations, I can open doors easier, type faster, write longer and hold objects in my hands without looking like an alien from a sic-fi movie. With the rings on my fingers actually look like fingers rather than tentacles!

The company is also family owned and the people are so sweet and helpful!

If you are having trouble with hand pain, clumsiness and dislocations please check out this amazing company!

For some of us, the holiday season can be a hard one. That sucks, so we made something for all of us. It starts today, December 1, and it’s called 31 Days of Self-Care. It’s a list of purposeful, daily activities meant to pick yourself up, calm yourself down, and often a little bit of both. You can participate every day, some days, one day, whatever feels right. We’ll be posting daily prompts as well as reblogging some of our favorites we find in the #postitforward and #31daysofselfcare tag, so be sure to tag your posts! See the full list of prompts below.

Day…

Question! What’s your happy place? Reply here or illustrate it.

Post a link to a song that makes you feel happy. Send it to another Tumblr.

Share something on your Tumblr for someone who might be going through a tough time. It can be anything: a photo, a GIF, or advice.

Look at this cute GIF by My Whispered Colors (@mywhisperedcolors). When you’re done, look at it again. Then pass it on.

Color in this square made by Tumblr Creatr Josh LaFayette (@joshlafayette).

What does your dream world look like? Draw it, animate it, or just tell us about it.  

Create an emoji spell for self-care, happiness, positivity, or all three!

Make a list of three (or more!) things you like about yourself.

Write a Tumblr chat post where you cheer yourself up after a bad day.

Color! Here’s a square from Tumblr Creatr Geo Law (@getaloadageo). If you’d like, submit it to the Mental Health Quilt (@mentalhealthquilt) when you’re done.

Question! What’s your favorite self-care activity? Reply here or illustrate it.

2016 was a rough year. Make a list of good things that happened.

Cheer someone up today. What are some things you can do to make a friend in need feel better?

Make a list of everything you do for self-care.

Tag a Tumblr friend in a post and make a list of things you like about them.

All of a sudden—a Dementor appears! You are about to cast a Patronus Charm. What would your favorite positive memory be?

Make a list of everything you’re proud of accomplishing this year.

Share a playlist of songs you can listen to if you need cheering up.  

Spend 10 minutes looking through your Tumblr dashboard today. Send something cool to a Tumblr.

Eat your favorite food today. Wait, post a picture of it first.

Make a 2017 to-do list of positive things for yourself.

Illustrate one nice thing you’ll do for yourself today.

Make a list of things you can do for yourself when you’re feeling down.

Color! Here’s a square made by Tumblr Creatr Brian Butler (@showdrawn). Make some magic with it.

Tumblr-grams! Send this positive post by Thoka Maer (@thokamaer) to a friend on Tumblr.

Take a silly/happy/crazy GIF of yourself with the Tumblr GIF maker.

Post a video that makes you happy. Send it to a Tumblr friend.

Make a list of five positive affirmations to live by.

Draw something that makes you happy! Anything you want: a plant, a tree, a food, a person, a cat.

Today is a mental day off. Remember to drink enough water and get enough sleep tonight.  

crisis/urgent support lines and sites

hotlines/crisis lines for depression, domestic abuse, alcohol and drug abuse, teens, pregnancy, lgbt and more

mental support community - a forum where you can post that you are in a crisis right now and need peer support as soon as possible

imalive crisis chat - online one-on-one chat for if you’re in at risk of hurting yourself etc

self harm alternatives

si urges alternatives

relaxation/anxiety relief

do nothing for two minutes

interactive silk art

guided relaxation

watch a dream

100,000 stars

thisissand - create sandscapes on your screen with your mouse

calming gif

the quiet place project

the quiet place - find some quiet

the thoughts room - a super calm page to unburden yourself from bad thoughts

the comfort spot - a place for anonymous venting with out anybody judging you for who you are

the dawn room - my personal favourite, especially good for when you feel alone

know that it will be okay - when a moment is too hard for you - come here.

music and sounds

my anxiety relief playlist - on 8tracks

my positivity/recovery playlist - on 8tracks

‘stay strong’ playlists - on 8tracks

coffee shop sounds

rain sounds

calmsound - nature sounds

rainycafe

comfort food

one minute cookie in a mug

brownie in a mug

several cookie recipes

25 hot chocolate recipes

loads and loads of snacks - 533 quick and easy recipes for a range of snacks on studentrecipe

lots of different in-a-mug recipes

chocolate pudding in a mug - my personal fave (lil tip: add mini marshmallows for extra gooey yumminess)

advice and tips

how to be okay with yourself

25 resolutions

life hacks

more life hacks

a hella ton more life hacks - so many life hacks dude soon ur gonna never have a day-to-day stress again

school masterpost - school sucks so bad but hopefully this can help ease the stress

how to love yourself

how to bypass restricted wifi omg

alleviate menstrual cramps

boost your confidence

love yourself!

self help after anxiety

stop biting your nails

stop procrastinating

stop skipping breakfast

videos and movies

cure to sadness (video)

the movie blog - a blog dedicated to movie masterposts you will never be without a movie to watch again

cute roulette - THE BEST PLACE ON THE INTERNET ITS LITERALLY JUST A HUGE ROULETTE OF VIDEOS OF CUTE ANIMALS WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT FROM LIFE

random acts of kindness caught on film

disney movies

movies for angsty teens

distractions etc

rice questions - answer simple questions and donate free rice to people in poverty!!

click to give - just click a button to donate (it costs nothing) food to animals shelters, people in poverty and homeless veterans; mammograms to fight breast cancer; therapy for people on the autism spectrum; alzheimer’s and diabetes research; a book to a child; protect wildlife habitat

break something - good for anger

loads of cute games

how to make a blanket nest

learn something new - a masterpost of hobbies

exercise like a superhero

nice words

things to do when your sad

slap a bald guy with an eel - this is ridiculously entertaining

watch a dog lick your screen - it loops, so you could literally watch for hours if you want

calmingmanatee

daily puppy

how to make a comfort box

download free books

extras

emergency compliment!

lots of compliments - they even include ur name aw

huge list of bloggers who have put themselves forward as willing to listen/chat without judgement

getting anon hate?

:) tag - all the posts that i’ve tagged for making me happy

7cupsoftea - free, anonymous, confidential talks with trained listeners

get a hug

Calming songs, playlists and instrumentals:

Sing Me to Sleep

The Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Boost your Mood (peppier and happy songs)

The Driving Mixtape

Study

Summer Nights

It’s Going to be Fine

Calm & Collected

Once Upon a December - Piano (song)

Clair de Lune (song)

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (song)

Calming/distracting Websites

The Quiet Place

Rainymood.com

Calm.com

Soundrown.com - calming sounds to mix and match

A website to distract yourself

A recovery masterpost

A post of interesting things

Ungruntle yourself

Press a magic button and fix everything

Play cute games

Almost every movie your little heart desires (i suggest you use with adblocker)

How to love yourself

A website that compliments you

Crafts and activities, easy and fun DYI projects

Glitter calm jars

A list of things to do to curb anxiety

Make a blanket nest

Silky summer legs

Lots of food recipes; mostly desserts  

For bad days masterpost

Make some microwave snacks

Five minute fudge

Make a phone case

A bunch of hobbies!

Self care list!

Pretty gold-dipped feathers (for decorating or anything)

What to do when:

You’ve been triggered

You’re having an anxiety attack

You’re having a panic attack

Your face is red and puffy after crying

You just had a fight

You hate yourself

You want to avoid being stressed

You want to get over your ex

Meditation and breathing

Guided Meditations

Do Nothing for 2 Minutes

Calm Down

Meditation Tips

90 second relaxation exercise

Simple things

Pretty Tree

When You Feel You Have Lost Everything

See Some BLOOD

Press a Button to Make Everything OK

Calming Manatee

Calming Gif

Make Something!

Jump into a Sofa Fort!

Make a Comfort Box

Glitter Jar Or This One

Other Nice Things

A Page To Help You Recover!!!

Coping Skills & Distractions

The Quiet Place. Shhhhh

For When You’re Upset

The Nicest Place on the Internet

Player 2

10 Most Relaxing Online Games

Talk To Someone That Will Listen

Not Having a Good Day?

How-to Love Yourself

Ground Yourself X X  X

Mood Chart

Do Nothing For Two Minutes

Rainymood

The Comfort Spot

Weave Silk

Seed Plant Breeder

This Is Sand

C.A.L.M

Calming/Relaxing Music:

Soft Piano: x, x, x, x, x

The Sound of Waves: x

but the best thing is they have a specialty boxes, like vegan or kosher only snacks but also 

they specifically offer boxes for menstruating guys and nb folks. 

which is pretty darn cool.

All of their specialty boxes. 

Their website says it’s $16 a month plus shipping which varies. 

I want to make a clear distinction between a low affect causing emotional intelligence to be affected and having low empathy due to a PD (personality disorder) not a mood elevation/de-elevation, schizo spectrum type mental illness, or ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) This is in no way a comprehensive list or comparison but it is a basic over view of crucial distinctions.

First of all, what is empathy? 

Empathy is a genuine concern for others, the ability to take on others emotional state for yourself, and relate and feel others emotions. You can relate and understand others emotional states but simply do not share in that emotion which would be low empathy. Examples of empathy include, “I’m so happy for you!”, “That must be terrible I’m so sorry I know and feel that pain.” This can be faked but for the sake of simplicity this is what is a basic understanding of empathy is. 

 Low affect includes, but not limited to: 

Non responsive to emotional stimuli (hugs, kisses, etc. etc.) 

Blunted behavior - Low reaction to external stimuli but still wanting to exhibit said emotion. For example, needing to cry but not being able to or someone having conversation with you and not being able to emotionally respond. 

Flat Affect - No response at all to stimuli of any kind. Classic “staring at the wall” look.

“Anti-social” type behavior but isn’t antisocial in nature because the regard for others is still present after mood stabilizes (particularly, in schizoaffective patients who have ‘mood swings’)

Low Empathy display and behavior includes, but not limited to:

Pervasive pattern of non-emotional display not caused by ‘mood swings’ 

Low emotional intelligence in some cases, higher emotional awareness in others and a refusal to reciprocate, again not cause by mood shifts. 

A lack of concern or refusal of concern for others and their behaviors, or with some PDs, a hyper concern for the person’s attention but not an empathetic concern for the person themselves. 

If in regards to PDs then a pattern must be present from around 15. A conduct disorder diagnosis is not needed but it is helpful in the contextual understanding of patient’s emotional depth. 

In the context of ASD the lack of empathy is accompanied by a non understanding of other emotions as well as cognitive impairment (this is usually diagnosed early in life but can be diagnosed at any time). However, this is slightly more controversial due to the major fluctuations in patient to patient. *

A very strong prevalence of not understanding the implications of low empathy on others, once more, not caused by mood shifts. Examples of this behavior would be, “what…why are you mad?”, “What did I do this time?”, “This isn’t my fault and I don’t understand why you’re mad at me.”

* I’ve noticed this to be a more personal issue than rather a ‘one size fits all autistics’. It seems to be varied greatly in the divide between the idea of autistics having low empathy and the autistics themselves being listened to about their own emotional depth. I will admit to my own bias as I am diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) co morbid with borderline ASD. 

How will I know when my empathy is a result of a mood shift?

Simple, if you knew you had the capacity before hand and suddenly found yourself devoid of it, it is more than likely caused by a mood shift. In relation to PDs there a strong lack of it throughout adolescence and does not fluctuate due to mood. If anything, a emotional shift in someone with a PD with low empathy, can cause a more callous nature.

Why is this important?

Empathy is a very strong emotion, lack of these strong emotions effect others and your behavior. Recognizing your pattern of behavior can change your relationships, improve interpersonal skills and work on long term goals. Of course, there are differentiation between each patient and their own dealings but this is a basic understanding and is very important. 

Where can I research this topic myself?

Easy! Google is your best resource. Tip to the wise: do not use .com or Wikipedia articles as those are easily changed and massively biased. When it comes to these things, being as unbiased as you possibly can be is key for spreading helpful information. 

source(s): 

(x) A very simple “Fact Sheet” of Schizophrenia 

(x) Berkeley article on emotional capacity of schizophrenics

(x) Physiological over view of these symptoms affects

Good news: I’ve recently re-started cognitive-behavioral therapy!

A few years back, I tried CBT, but it didn’t work out for me too well. One of the reasons was that my therapist asked me to write out my thoughts on paper. Back then I wasn’t great at remembering to take the piece of paper with me, and I felt embarrassed to be taking it out at random times because people might ask me what I was doing.

When re-starting therapy, I became interested in writing down my thoughts again, but without all the hassle. Fortunately, I came across an app that I’ve found to be extremely helpful.

The app is called Thought Diary, and in this post I’ll give an example of how I personally use it. It’s discreet to use in public; I can just turn my screen brightness down a little bit and I basically just look like I’m texting someone. There’s no pressure to explain my mental health to anyone unless I choose to, which is a huge bonus.

It’s a free app, available for both iOS and Android. If you don’t have a system that this can work on, then it could be adapted for other devices (by writing down the categories in template format in a text message/note to yourself, then responding to them).

The key behind CBT is to transform your emotions by transforming the thoughts that trigger them. A lot of the times I’ll be extremely distressed by something that seems outwardly “small” - for example, my friend commenting that I’m quiet and shy as opposed to gregarious. It’s hard, initially, to understand why this would put me at a category “6″ on a 1-10 distress scale. Through writing down my feelings and exploring my negative thoughts further, I eventually discover the root of my intense pain. Instead of taking her statement at face value, my brain jumped to “I wish I had been born as a different person. I drain the energy from other peoples’ lives.” That’s a really heartbreaking belief; no wonder I felt so distressed about it! If I said those words about someone else, they’d probably feel equally distressed.

After identifying my negative thoughts, there’s a space for me to look at them more critically - where is my distress distorting reality? In what specific ways am I sabotaging my joy? Using the app, I can analyze my thoughts and challenge them which allows me to play a direct role in adjusting my thinking patterns.

The app is based on the idea that someone who is experiencing frequent negative moods is going through cognitive distortions. It provides all of the most common cognitive distortions for you, along with examples, so that you can see where you may be experiencing them in your own thoughts. There is nothing “wrong” with you if you have cognitive distortions - it definitely doesn’t mean that you’re unintelligent or that you lack self-awareness. It just means that, for one reason or another, you have negative beliefs that interfere with experiencing positive emotions. The good news is, you can definitely work to change these - writing down your thoughts and challenging them is just one method.

Alright, let’s get into this. I’ll be including a few pictures to show you the simple design of the app. This is sort of in tutorial style, because when I’m feeling really overwhelmed it helps me to look at a step-by-step process and follow along. I hope this guide will make you feel less intimidated about using this method!

When I’m in a negative mood and I have the spoons to write down my feelings, I can open it and create a new post by clicking the plus sign in the upper right corner. Once I’ve done that, it takes me to this screen:

After titling it, I can click on the Emotions screen. Unfortunately, it doesn’t allow you to enter your own emotions - I think this could be a helpful update to the app, because sometimes these generalized emotions don’t fully encapsulate my experience. One upside to this screen, however, is that it doesn’t take too much of my energy to check the boxes. If I’m feeling exhausted, it’s sometimes easier to have the app suggest broad emotions for me. In this example, I’ve selected “Anxious,” “Ashamed,” “Hopeless,” “Sad,” and “Worthless.”

Next, I can go to the Distress screen and rate that on a scale of 1 to 10. Sometimes it can be hard to determine how much distress you’re actually feeling - I tend to go with my gut and put down the first number that pops into my head. I’ve found that it’s best not to overthink this step, as the truly important part comes later on. Here I’ve selected “6″, meaning a little more than moderate distress. For me personally, this means that I’m bothered enough to feel like I might cry if I keep thinking about it. I might be short of breath. Someone else’s “moderate distress” might present differently, so it’s a good idea to decide for yourself what your physical and emotional indicators might be. Another measuring tool I use for myself: if I select “Anxious” or “Scared” in the Emotions screen, I’ll usually select a higher distress level, because I’ve found that anxiety and fear manifest more powerfully in my body than things like sadness or emptiness.

Next, I fill out the situation box. You may be tempted to put your negative thoughts in this box, but this box is best used for the most realistic view of the situation that you can muster. I try to stick to facts - that way, when I come back to it later on, I can examine the reality of the situation and remember what actually happened without the accompanying negative emotional responses.

After that’s done, I let myself fill out the negative thoughts section. This is the time I take to be honest and open with my negative feelings, without judging them. In fact, throughout the whole process, I tend to think of it as analyzing my thoughts and feelings, as opposed to judging them or forcing them to change. The purpose isn’t to beat myself up over feeling bad - it’s simply to understand why I feel that way in the first place, and to balance out my bad feelings with more realistic ones.

Here’s the situation section and the negative thought section, filled out:

(Keep in mind that I’m not actually distressed at this moment, it’s just an example. You don’t have to worry about me because this is a hypothetical situation. However, I have felt similar thoughts before, so if you can relate then please know that you’re not alone. There’s nothing wrong with being shy - if you’re shy and reading these negative thoughts distresses you, then I’d urge you to read the “Challenge” section so that you can realize that you’re worth just as much as everyone else.)

This next portion is the part that I think the app does a really good job or providing - the various cognitive distortions. I selected “Overgeneralization” because I assumed that everyone in general dislikes me, “Mind reading” because I assumed my classmates hate me, “Magnification of the negative” because of my emphasis on the ‘weakness’ of how shy I was instead of giving myself credit for the positive aspects of being soft-spoken/less-frequently-spoken, and “Should/must statements” because I said that I should have talked more. The selection process gets easier with time, and it doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect. If you need help, you can click on the “?” icon and it provides definitions for each distortion, as well examples of each. You could also google these distortions, as they’re widely known in the CBT world.

Here comes the good part - you get to respond to your previous thoughts, which usually reduces the stress. If you’re stuck and feel like you can’t be compassionate to yourself, clicking on the “examples” button will take you to a screen which suggests statements to get you started:

I chose to start off with “I should be more sympathetic towards myself.” I then added some more of my own words.

The outcome of this situation is that I feel less worried about the situation. I then asked my friend if I thought being shy was a bad thing, and she assured me that she loves me for who I am - I am gentle and she’s able to be around me even when she feels overwhelmed, because I’m never “too much to handle.” Writing in my thought diary and talking to my friend brought my distress all the way down to a 1!

Here’s the screenshot of my challenge, the outcome, and the ending distress level:

My distress didn’t go all the way down to a zero, and that’s perfectly fine. Sometimes I’ll finish writing and I’ll still feel the same exact amount of distress. This doesn’t mean I failed, it just means that this method of self-soothing won’t work every single time. I can always try again later, or try another method if need be.

I hope this post was informative for you, and helpful if recent events have triggered any negative moods. If anyone has any questions about this, then feel free to send them in and I’ll do my best to answer them!

First, know your binge. What caused it? How could you have better handled it? What alternatives are there to bingeing? What KIND of binge was it?

Subjective vs. Objective Binges

3 Tips to Eat “Normally” Again

Brain Over Binge: How I Stopped Acting on Urges

Alternatives to Bingeing

10 Strategies for Overcoming Binge Eating

Advantage/Disadvantage Chart for Unhealthy Behaviors Printout

Now if you is you DO binge… because it does happen from time to time in recovery… here are 20 reasons not to hate yourself after a binge [x].

And here are some other posts that may help you after a binge:

Binge Recovery

How to Recovery from A Food Binge: 10 Steps to Feel Better

Exams are coming up and we all know how stressful they are so I decided to spread some tips for dealing with it and looking after yourself.

Avoid unhealthy habits. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. Swap these  for water, herbal teas, or diluted fruit juices.

Indulge in physical activity. Stress is often related to the release of hormones for the “fight or flight” system. Modern stressors are rarely solved using the fight or flight response but by engaging in some physical activity you can metabolise the excess hormones and start to feel better.

Get some sleep. A lack of sleep is a significant cause of stress, so it’s important to try to get some sleep. Stress can interfere with sleep and make the situation worse. Make sure that your room is dark and quiet. Try to stay away from tablets, computers, and televisions before going to bed. Make sure that you’re comfortable in your clothes and that your room is the ideal temperature for you.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy. Try not to worry so much, often easier said than done. Sometimes you can distract your mind from worry by engaging in other activities to keep you busy. Even just smiling can lift your mood, and release tension. Do something that will make you laugh, such as watching a comedy show or going out with a friend. 

Have Realistic Expectations. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Learn to use your strengths and accept your weaknesses.  If you do set yourself unrealistic goals, you’ll become disappointed when you don’t achieve it and it can make you feel worse. 

Don’t live in the Past. Learning from past mistakes is important.  Holding onto past mistakes and letting them dominate the present is stressful.  Live life in the present. 

Learn to Say ‘No’. Don’t let people push you to exhaustion and don’t overstretch yourself.  Learn to say ‘no’ when you feel you do not have the capacity to do something as well as you would like.  Don’t feel obliged to do something just because you have been asked to do it. 

Have some me time. It’s important to spend time looking after yourself and doing the things that you enjoy. Even if this is just spending a night in and watching a film.

Organise your time. Work out what time of day is your most active and attend to difficult tasks at this time. Make a list of everything that you have to do and rank them in order of importance and urgency. Try not to do too much at once.

Exercise your mind. Stress can be caused by boredom or under-stimulation. Learn a new skill or take up a new hobby.

Be Positive and appreciate even the small accomplishments. Look for the positives in life. You think you look cute today? Hella. You did some washing up? Brilliant. You made lunch? Great.

Help Other People. Engage in some voluntary or community work. If you don’t have the time to volunteer try doing a good deed or a favour every day. 

Talk to someone. Get everything out and you’ll be able to consider your problems from a new light. Plus the person that you’re talking to might be able to offer some advice or insight into your problems. You can talk to your family, your friends, a school counselor, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a religious figure.

Keep a stress diary. Note when you feel stressed and see if anything is a consistent trigger of stress for you. Give each episode a stress rating. Over time you can compare your stress ratings and see if you are getting better or worse. If you find a trigger then you can start to deal with why it triggers you. You could consider: issues that come up regularly, and that you worry about, for example attending an appointment, one-off events that are on your mind a lot, such as taking an exam, and ongoing stressful events, like being a carer. Do what you can to minimise these stressors or reduce the amount of stress that they cause. 

See your doctor. Depending on  the severity of the stress that you’re experiencing and the kind of impact that it’s having on your life, your doctor might prescribe some medications to deal with the symptoms of your stress.

Learn how to relax:

Make yourself comfortable. Wear loose clothes, and ensure that you’re at a comfortable temperature. Lie down and relax your muscles. If you need to, use pillows and blankets to adjust your position so that you’re comfortable.

Breathe deeply and try to let your mind go blank. Let go of any worries. Relax your arms and legs. Unclench your teeth and close your eyes.

Work around your body, muscle by muscle doing the following. Clench the muscle for a few seconds and then relax completely. Repeat. Feel the muscle warm. Repeat this for each muscle, working from the bottom to the top.

After you’ve finished the exercises spend 10-15 minutes lying down and resting.

If you don’t want to lie down to relax, there is an alternative that involves standing up. While standing let your arms hang naturally at your sides. Push yourself up onto your tiptoes. Hold the position and count to five. Breathe out and slowly return to your normal standing position. Repeat 3-5 times.

12 ways to reduce stress with music. Includes tips like:

“Try waking to a familiar piece of music that eases you into the day.”

“Singing is one of the best ways to shift the vibrations of our thoughts and the very cells of our body, helping slow and regulate breathing and promote relaxation.”

“Active Listening” engages more areas of the human brain and resonates more deeply in the cells of our bodies. This makes it a more powerful process for transforming our thoughts and emotions. 

Relax through Breathing:                    

Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.

Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise.

Exhale through your mouth. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.

Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.

Body Scan Relaxation:                             

Lie on your back, legs uncrossed, arms relaxed at your sides, eyes open or closed. Focus on your breathing, allowing your stomach to rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale.     

Turn your focus to the toes of your right foot. Notice any sensations you feel while continuing to also focus on your breathing. Imagine each deep breath flowing to your toes. Remain focused on this area for one to two minutes.         

Move your focus to the sole of your right foot. Tune in to any sensations you feel in that part of your body and imagine each breath flowing from the sole of your foot. After one or two minutes, move your focus to your right ankle and repeat.

Move through each part of your body, paying attention to any area of the body that causes you pain or discomfort.   

When you reach the very top of your head, let your breath reach out beyond your body and imagine yourself hovering above yourself.        

After completing the body scan, relax. Then open your eyes slowly. Take a moment to stretch.

Extra links and ideas:

The 10 Best Yoga Poses for Stress Relief

Relaxing Yoga Poses for Beginners

20 Easy Steps to Stress Relief

Relaxation Techniques

23 Science Backed Ways to Reduce Stress

25 Destressing Techniques

Deep Breathing Exercises

Three Guided Relaxation Videos

Vent Anonymously Online

MindBody Lab – Audio  Relaxation Tracks – A selection of audio relaxation exercises from the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Centre.

Deep Breathing Exercise – Free sampling of a 7-minute deep breathing audio meditation exercise. (UT Counseling and Mental Health Centre)

Muscle Relaxation Exercise – 18-minute progressive muscle relaxation audio exercise. (UT Counseling and Mental Health Centre)

Forest Imagery Visualization  Exercise – 19-minute visualization audio exercise that guides you through forest imagery. (UT Counseling and Mental Health Centre)

Here are some tips that work very well! Also, my favorite tips are to:

email them beforehand that I would like to bring up (x subject). Email feels more removed and safer to me, and this way the pressure is off me to bring it up. I can also include in the email how I feel about talking about it, and ask the therapist to be accommodating. Example: “Hi, I want to talk about my concerns RE: eating/body image next session but I don’t quite feel comfortable talking about it. I think it would be easier if you asked more of the questions/simpler questions so there was less pressure to talk about it. Is that okay?” or “I think I need to talk about my eating issues next session. There’s a few things I’m sensitive about. Please go slowly when you ask questions just in case something comes up that gets overwhelming. Thanks.”

write it down on a notecard, in bullet points or with short sentences you can read right off the card. Even if you freeze up during the appointment, you can just hand them the card.

dr. lin gel moisturizer (7.99)- super good for acne+scars, super lightwight and perfect for summer 

tony moly i’m real sheet masks (11 masks for 11.96)- amazingggg

tony moly pureness 100 sheet masks (7 for 7.62)- double amazinggg

Helpful Links:

what is depression?

types of depression

types of bipolar disorders

psychotic depression

symptom checklist tool

what to expect: being screened for depression by a doc

common treatment options

treatment for bipolar disorders

can counselling actually help depression?

how does cognitive behavioral therapy help depression?

how to find a support group

what to expect during counseling or therapy

pros and cons of antidepressant medication

dysthymia self help

self help guide for depression

coping with depression in pregnancy

identifying barriers to recovery

17 foods to help fight depression

vitamin deficiency and depression

more depression self care

weekly self care checklist

emotion wheel

antidepressant skills workbook

beyondtheblues workbook for teens

coping with depression workbook

how to cope with overwhelming thoughts

6 self help and coping tips for depression

21 tips to keep your sh*t together when you’re depressed

Interactives:

audioentrainment 

coffee shop sounds

depression recovery quotes

disgruntle me

disney and pixar movies

dwd: dealing with depression

emergency compliments

moodgym

nature sounds

need a hug?

neonflames

nowmattersnow

orisinal: cute free games

planetarium

rainymood

student stories

weavesilk art

Free Phone Apps:

breathe2relax: android + iphone

cbt self help guide: android

meditationoasis: android + iphone

mindshift: android + iphone

operation reach out: android + iphone

optimism: iphone

I got asked in anon what BPD is and what the symptoms and features are in it (Borderline Personality Disorder/Emotional Regulation Disorder). I decided to make a post instead as this is very important for awareness and education. BPD is a chronic mental disorder caused by emotional hypersensitivity + dysregulation In BPD, neurobiological emotion and systematic reactions fire off rapidly, longer, easily, and with more intensity as they are hypersensitivity and do not regulate, balance out, or process well and the same as others. As it is a chronic disorder, it is life-long, cannot be ‘cured’ so to speak, though symptomology may be managed through treatment. BPD has been known to be an extremely complex, debilitating, condition overall.  As it is a personality disorder, this means it affects the baseline areas of one’s every day life- functioning, behavior, emotion, thought pattern, perception, and interaction (Rather than in discrete mood episodes like depressive disorders/manic-depressive disorders or an anxiety disorder, etc). Factors that contribute to the development of this disorder consist of: -A result of an overactive sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight system- easily triggered by panic, anger, anxiety, etc) -An under-active parasympathetic nervous system (The system that is responsible to regulate the fight or flight system) -Less active and smaller in volume abnormalities in the limbic system which has functions linked to: emotional reactions, memory, decision making, motivation, behavior, learning and developmental ability, thought pattern, instincts, psychotic symptoms, seizures, and senses/the way the body perceives external stimuli. -Reduced volume in frontal lobe which has functions linked to: decision making, communication responses, ability to comprehend consequences, emotional-based memories and triggers, and relations to people, events and situations. -Abnormal blood flow to parts of the brain that control emotions, resulting in one to be more reactive -Emotional reactions firing off 20% longer -And other factors (genetic factors, reinforced through trauma/environmental factors, etc). They frequently occur as a reaction to an outside stimulant.   As the reactions fire off rapidly, longer, easily, and with more intensity, this leads to a series of severe symptoms: Depression instead of sadness, humiliation instead of embarrassment, rage instead of anger, euphoric reactions instead of excitement/happiness. Particularly, main symptoms include: 1. Persistent depressive symptoms- dysphoria, hopelessness, chronic feelings of emptiness, frequent feelings of being miserable, pervasive shame, feelings of inferiority, and extreme difficulty recovering from such symptoms 2. Anxiety based symptoms: Tenseness, panic, anxiety, and nervousness, persistent worries, apprehensions, feelings of ‘falling a part or losing control, etc. 3. Anger/rage symptoms: Unbearable discomfort, extreme rage and discomfort in response to ‘minor’ slights/remarks, situations, or events, active opposition, aggression, etc. 4. Identity and sense of self based symptoms: Dysphoria (Dissatisfaction, uselessness, worthlessness), unstable/radical behavior and/or appearance changes, despising oneself, excessive self-criticism, fluctuating between and a lack of direction with goals, values, morals, opinions, aspirations, choices,  etc. 5. Real or perceived abandonment, rejection, and criticism based symptoms: Extreme reactions to such, such as lack/loss of autonomy, dependency, intense grief, humiliation, negative bias, or other reactions (anger, depression, etc) 6. Impulsive and/or reckless based symptoms: sense of urgency to engage in impulsiveness, extreme intrusive thoughts and urges for a relief of emotional turmoil, acting on the moment in response to a reaction and stimuli, acting without plan or consideration, difficulty establishing/following plans, etc; and/or a lack of care for well-being, denial of one’s limits, danger, and outcomes, and engagement in reckless behaviors such as substance abuse, reckless driving, spending, sex, etc.. 7. Thought pattern based symptoms: Splitting and idealization/devaluation (x) 8. Suicidal ideations (gestures, preoccupied and extensive thoughts, role playing, planning, etc) and self-harm (cutting, burning, bone breaking, bruising, etc) 9. People with BPD may often experience transient reactions of paranoia and dissociation… and/or of psychotic symptoms (meaning symptoms that lack reality): (can include paranoia), hallucinations, delusions, body dysmorphic figures, etc, in response to an intense emotion. 10. (As partly mentioned) they frequently and typically occur as a reaction to an outside stimulant. Emotional hypersensitivity/reactivity- reactions that are quick happening, easily aroused, intense, and can last minutes, hours, or even extreme seconds, and sometimes days, while other times, symptoms can remain more persistent (e.g. depressivity).

Then there various other symptoms and features to this very complex, and unfortunately, highly stigmatized and misunderstood disorder. Because of the complexity and various symptoms, and since the reactions affect “all” the ranges of emotions, it is often described as ‘on the borderline’ of multiple different conditions and symptoms (depression, anxiety, dissociative, etc). Here are a few indicated in research. (Note- One with the disorder may display some or most of these, but nothing is guaranteed as each person with the disorder is an individual, so don’t use these as assumptions. Some may not have the same symptoms as others, and no person with it is portrayed the same way. They are rather a guideline and have been shown through research to mental health workers). (ALSO NOTE- Others without it can obviously ‘display/relate’ to some of this from time to time once you take a look, but the reasoning, cause, severity, and pattern is different and this is a chronic disorder. Please note it’s completely different than that and that this post is just for awareness/education purposes since not many know about it- how to deal, what to expect, etc. Also note that this is not a checklist. This is condition awareness. Percentages show that 8/10 of these individuals attempt suicide, while 1/10 complete it. Stigma and assumptions don’t help, but awareness does.  11. Distorted/irregular eating patterns- (e.g. reduced food intake, impoverished diet) 12. Sleep deprivation or irregular sleeping patterns (too little, too much) 13. “Acting out”- addressing and expressing emotions by actions and behaviors, rather than words, reflections, or feelings 14. A lack of object consistency (inability to recall that people or objects are ‘still there,’ consistent, and reliable when they are not currently being physically seen/there and difficulty maintaining these feelings) 15. Attachment to people, places, or certain objects 16. Baiting 17. Unstable relationships 18. Maladaptive day dreaming  19. Extreme reactivity to surroundings, curiosity and interest   20. Voice changing 21. Nociception (pain tolerance) differences- Studies show alterations in acute pain processing in over 50% of those with BPD- they have a higher tolerance for such. The result of this comes from different systematic responses and antinociception and may be a result of long-term self harm behavior in some cases. On the other hand, they may have a lower tolerance for chronic pains. 22. Obsessive compulsive spectrum features-(e.g. perfectionism, intrusive thoughts in the thought pattern/processes, repetitive behavior as a result, repetitive speech) 23. With proper balance, self discipline/work orientation as a result of repetitive features have been observed in BPD individuals 24. Promiscuity 25. Mimicking/mirroring 26. Flashbacks 27. Nightmares   28. Difficulty processing and taking in information 29. Difficulty focusing, concentrating, and a poor attention span 30. High numbers of people with BPD have been shown to have various other physical conditions and difficulties, specifically: high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic migraines, back pain, stomach aches, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. 31. BPD rarely stands alone when it comes to having other mental disorders. At least 85% of people with BPD have a second mental disorder. 32. Feelings of fear, negativity, or rejection of authority or important figures 33. Alluring/seductive behavior 34. Extreme need for acceptance and reassurance 35. A need to prove themselves over and over, as identity may be graded on a scale of what was done that very day (with no consideration of what was done in the past) 36. Extreme apathy, boredom, dullness, and indifference 37. Flat affect- lack of emotional reactivity and inability to express/show emotions due to depression, absence of emotional response, and restriction of expressions 38. Creativity/creative thinking 39. Persistently perceiving neutrality as anger in others’ expressions, and reacting to such, is a unique feature that was found in research among BPD individuals, as opposed to those without. This includes reactions to real/perceived negative meaning in words. 40. Isolating oneself 41. Defensive reactions 42. Magical thinking (e.g. assumed correlations, interconnection, etc) 43. Fantasizing 44. Illusions- brain’s misinterpretation of a real sensory stimulus, perceiving and interpreting the sense to be different or distorted than what it really is (whereas, hallucinations are a sensory (seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, etc) perception that isn’t there at all) 45. Hypersensitivity to caffeine, alcohol, some sugars and foods. Often described as being “allergic” to such things as it causes reactions from hypersensitivity and symptoms. 46. Memory lapses- resulting from dissociation, trauma, or intense reactions, etc 47. Avoidance 48. Euphoric reactions 49. Detachment 50. Avoidance of eye contact 51. Difficulty transitioning to life aspects, such as changes to plans, environments/surroundings, arrangements, relationships, work, school, etc 52. Difficulty with awareness 53. Sensitivity and irritability to senses- light, sounds, temperatures, etc 54. Resistance 55. Difficulty completing tasks 56. “Rapid” or excessive speech 

57. Restlessness and difficulty relaxing

58. Extreme sense of security, comfort, and connection with animals/nature and inanimate objects, such as transitional objects

59. Undermining a goal, success, or relationship (quitting a good right after a promotion, dropping out of school right before graduation, etc, just to name a few examples for a better idea)

60. Often occurs with PMDD (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder) or worse reactions to menstrual cycles because of the hypersensitive and systematic changes

61. Sarcasm

62. Flight of ideas, racing thoughts, or rapid thought patterns

63. Brief remission of symptoms in response to certain events (positive reactions)

64. Disrupted or delayed life components- education, relationships, jobs, etc