Are you looking forward to the upcoming week? Do you get the sensation of being younger than your age? Do you possess a sense of direction? If this is the case, you may already be reducing your risk of degenerative illnesses and maybe adding years to your life.
Your outlook—a feeling of optimism and purpose—seems to be predictive of health outcomes," says Dr Laura Kubzansky, a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health professor of social and behavioural sciences. Dr Kubzansky has conducted research on the health consequences of various types of psychological well-being. She discovered that emotional vitality—characterized by optimism, participation in life, and the capacity to deal with life's challenges in a balanced manner—is related to a much lower risk of heart attack and stroke.
Emotional vitality's advantages
Dr Kubzansky and her colleagues evaluated data on emotional vitality and health outcomes from the Nationwide Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a long-running national study that includes both personal interviews and medical examinations.
In 2007, she and her colleagues found that among 6,025 individuals, those with high levels of emotional vitality at the start had considerably reduced risks of cardiovascular illness 15 years afterwards. They found in 2015 that higher emotional liveliness was related to a reduced risk of stroke in 6,019 people followed for an average of 16 years.
Dysthymia is the term for this condition, which frequently remains undetected and hence undiagnosed and untreated.
Every everyone, at some time in their life, will experience depression. You may be lacking in energy, having difficulty sleeping, or simply feeling lousy. The sensation frequently passes, or it comes and goes, but does not appear to be a cause for alarm. However, if these blue sensations persist, they may be a sign of dysthymia or low-grade depression. While dysthymia is a less severe form of depression, it should be taken carefully.
It is difficult to Diagnosis
Dysthymia can manifest itself in brief bouts separated by significant time intervals. You may have dysthymia if your gloomy mood is present on a greater number of days than not, lasts more than two years without an interruption of at least two months, and is accompanied by some of the following symptoms:
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental illness that is defined by difficulties with social interaction and communication, as well as by restricted and repetitive behavioural patterns. It is a prevalent disease, affecting around one in every 54 children. ASD is often diagnosed by a specialist in the field, such as a developmental paediatrician, child neurologist, or psychiatrist. The diagnostic procedure frequently entails prolonged clinical evaluations or multiple-hour-long standardized testing batteries. As a result, wait periods for ASD evaluations can be rather lengthy.
While symptoms of ASD can manifest as early as 18 months and diagnosis is reliable by age 2, many children do not get an ASD diagnosis until much later in life, resulting in treatment delays during a key developmental time. A prompt diagnosis is critical because it enables suitable early intensive intervention services to be provided, which are more successful when initiated during the early developmental stage. The complicated referral and evaluation procedure exacerbate healthcare disparities, with the greatest delays in diagnosis occurring in children who are nonwhite, female, rural, or of poor socioeconomic level.
A new diagnostic instrument has been authorized.
To address these issues, a research team has been creating technologies that make ASD evaluations more easy and accessible. Recently, the FDA authorized a novel gadget for this purpose. This diagnostic assistance device is designed to be used in primary care settings in conjunction with a clinical evaluation to aid in the establishment of an ASD diagnosis in children ages 18 months to 5 years who exhibit possible ASD symptoms. The device's purpose is to focus on the most critical components of an autism evaluation and condense them into a much shorter form.
The death of a loved one can have a lasting effect on one's mental and emotional health for months, if not years. The following information will assist you in navigating the grief process.
Regrettable as it is, grief is a part of existence. Almost everyone will face the loss of a loved one at some point, whether it is a family, a friend, a spouse, or a cherished pet. The resulting mental and physical anguish can be severe.
"Grief is a natural process that the vast majority of people must go through," Dr David H. explains. Rosmarin, head of McLean Hospital's Spirituality and Mental Health Program. "Everyone grieves differently and at a different rate, and the process is critical to healing."
Different types of grieving
Sadness, hopelessness, melancholy, wrath, apathy, and guilt are all symptoms of grief. Prolonged grieving can also result in other difficulties, such as memory problems, discomfort and tiredness, and compulsive behaviour, such as getting preoccupied with trivial stuff.
There are several types of grief (some experts place the number as high as 16). However, according to Dr Rosmarin, the majority of people confront one of three scenarios: regular, disenfranchised, or complex. Grieving: A natural process that aids in healing
The distinctions between them are frequently subtle. They frequently appear as how individuals initially react to loss, the depth of their grieving, and the endurance of their mourning. "Each of these three possesses a distinct level of difficulty," Dr Rosmarin adds. "Natural is challenging, disenfranchised is somewhat more challenging, and complicated is the most challenging."
Here is a breakdown of each.
Normal. This is the most frequent kind of grieving, often known as simple grief. Grief often lasts from six months and two to three years.
Disenfranchised. This kind is not often recognized or socially acceptable. It might happen as a result of the death of a pet, a distant acquaintance, or even a stranger. "People believe they lack the right to mourn or that it should be reduced," Dr Rosmarin explains. "By imposing this sort of limitation and timeline on grieving, it might lengthen and exacerbate the process."
Complicated. In many instances, individuals struggle to accept their loss. They withdraw from friends and family and suffer from sadness, loneliness, and paralysis. This complicates healing, and they frequently require the assistance of a therapist. Complicated grief without counselling might continue for several years.
Diverse causes of grief
Grief does not have to be associated with loss. It may occur when someone you care about experiences a lasting setback, such as dementia, stroke, or cancer. Grief may also be triggered by the loss of a relationship, a move to a new location, or any other type of personal separation.
Appropriate mourning
When it comes to sadness, the adage "time cures all wounds" is partially accurate. It may be a quick and rather easy operation for individuals. For others, the trip is lengthy and difficult. Even after the mourning phase has passed, the sentiments may resurface on anniversaries, birthdays, or other occasions that evoke recollections of the individual.
There is only so much we can do to help people manage their grief, according to Dr Rosmarin. "The most effective approach to cope with loss is to seek ways to make the mourning and healing processes less difficult." The following are some possibilities.
Acknowledge your sadness. Allow yourself to mourn. "Do not confine it within and hope it goes gone," Dr Rosmarin advises. "Focusing solely on external pressures rather than internal feelings and repressing emotions exacerbates the grief process and makes it more difficult to go through."
Preserve keepsakes. Keeping mementoes of a person is a perfectly natural and healthy behaviour. "It's a method to maintain that relationship link and his or her memory as you grieve," Dr Rosmarin explains.
Accept the individual's community. Make contact with that person's social network – relatives, friends, neighbours, and coworkers — even if you are unfamiliar with them. "Gathering information about the individual from others and exchanging tales aids everyone in the process," Dr Rosmarin explains. "Plus, anyone may take on the role of a listener, which is really useful for those in grief."
Consult with others who have experienced loss. You might know someone who has suffered a similar loss. Inquire as to how they grieved. "Listening to another person's viewpoint might provide insight into how to handle one's own sadness," Dr Rosmarin explains.
Investigate spirituality. Spirituality, in all of its manifestations, maybe a potent healer. "Contemplating the natural progression of life and death may be extremely transformational," Dr Rosmarin explains. "It may even help you accept the loss more readily if you embrace your own mortality."
Sources: Health.Harvard.
You are concerned about your nutrition. You work out regularly and make an effort to sleep well each night. However, you may have overlooked one critical component of a healthy body and mind: a vibrant social life.
How does social interaction affect your brain?
Research increasingly demonstrates, are critical for brain health strong and social relationships. Social interaction can boost attention and memory while also assisting in the strengthening of brain networks. You may be smiling and talking, but your brain is hard at work. This increase in brain effort eventually pays off.
According to scientists, individuals with strong social relationships are less likely to develop cognitive decline than individuals who spend most of their time alone. Indeed, one major study with over 12,000 participants found that when people are lonely, their chance of developing dementia increases by as much as 40%.
Are you feeling disoriented? Three strategies for re-engaging
It can be challenging to maintain social connections as we age. Friendships may ebb and flow throughout time, and family members are frequently preoccupied with their own lives. Additionally, the epidemic has made it increasingly difficult to meet individuals in person. Therefore, how do you re-engage?
Three-pointers to get you started are included below.
Rekindle long-forgotten friendships.
Reconnecting with excellent friends with whom you've lost touch over the years is one of the simplest methods to discover satisfying partnerships. Because you have a common background, it's frequently easier to begin up where you left off. Social networking may be a simple method to reconnect with individuals from your past and re-establish a connection that has lapsed. Alternatively, scan your address book and contact individuals by phone or email.
Nine things that make a group chat active.
1. Learn to appreciate the posts of others, even if they are not your friends.
It gives them a sense of importance and encourages them to think about something more positive.
*2. In a group conversation, never run someone down on the platform.
You will drive them away and they will never express their objective viewpoints on topics.
*3. If you notice something from a member that you don't like, send them a private message.
Don't make a public assault on him/her on the platform.
*4. Never degrade or speak in a derogatory manner to members.
Deep breathing might help you relax and change your perspective.
Instead of snuggling up with Netflix, go watch a movie in the theatre (though this can help sometimes, too). Instead of concentrating on your unpleasant day, it will help you to disengage and immerse yourself in the imaginary narrative.
Write down the events or situations that brought you down to gain some perspective on how little or significant these difficulties are in the grand scheme of things.
Make a phone call to the individual who always reminds you why you're great. Make a plan with someone who lives nearby if it's someone you know.
To raise your mood, read some inspiring quotations.
Supporting a middle schooler who has been bullied
Your heart begins to sink. Perhaps you recall how middle school can be a struggle for relationships in a variety of ways. You might feel protective and want to contact your friend's parents to give them a piece of your mind, but try to avoid that urge. Being present for your kid right now is one of the finest ways to assist them. How do you go about doing it, and what other options do you have? Three suggestions are provided below.
Do gadgets to help you sleep better work?
What are the best devices to help sleep?
Sound machines and "white noise" generators
These are small devices that can be kept at your bedside. They play sounds from nature such as rain, forest breeze, birds, waterfall city noises. These devices help especially when you have environmental noises disturbing your sleep. The goal is to block out the noise that is disrupting your sleep.
Earbuds for sleep
These earphones are specifically designed for sleeping and are not intended for listening to music. They are soft enough to be used as a sleeping surface on your side. Set on specific frequencies they are used to cancel noise. Reducing noise is a great way to help you get a better night's sleep," says Dr Epsten.
The cost is around $100.
1. Make an effort to listen with empathy. When someone speaks to you, practice paying close attention and taking the time to understand what they're saying.
2. Keep the focus on the other person while they're talking to you about a problem; don't turn it into a discussion about a problem you're having.
3. Maintain your composure. Keep calm during arguments to ensure that they are productive rather than damaging. If you can't keep your cool right now, take a step back and ask to resume the subject when you're in a better mood.
4. HALT. Keep the acronym HALT in mind. Ask yourself if you're hungry, angry (furious), lonely, or tired (weary) when you're upset about something. If this is the case, "pause" to meet those needs before returning to the problem.
5. Interact with people in person. Social media can sometimes exacerbate a tense relationship. On the internet, people may engage in more hostile confrontations than they do in person. Reducing time spent online fosters face-to-face, phone-to-phone, or video-to-video contact, which is frequently less contentious than words uttered from behind a keyboard, such as in text messages.
Positive relationships can improve one's health; but, when it comes to dysfunctional relationships, the opposite is typically true. Chronic emotional stress may increase your chance of developing a variety of health problems.
A partner, a family member, a friend, or a professional colleague might all be in a stressful relationship.
While your connections with others may appear to be beyond your control but there are always certain warning indications that you are in a toxic relationship. These include the following:
After interactions, you may feel exhausted or depleted.
Ruminating on the relationship's bad aspects
Feeling as if your relationship is unbalanced as if one partner provides or takes more than the other
You have the impression that the other person does not value or respect you.
Examine the relationship's tendencies throughout time. Is it fair to say that there has been more take than give? Is it a tense situation? "It's a red signal to take a closer look if you identify such indicators in yourself.
Positive psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on positive thinking and approach. Positive Psychology has been related to improved health, a longer lifespan, and a higher sense of well-being.
Positive thought has a lot of power. Positive emotions have been related to improved health, a longer lifespan, and a higher sense of well-being. Chronic anger, anxiety, and animosity, on the other hand, raise the risk of heart disease.
Being joyful comes naturally and effortlessly to some individuals. Others will have to put forth the effort. What steps may one take to become happier? This is where positive psychology enters the picture. This relatively young topic of study has been looking at how people and institutions may aid in the pursuit of greater happiness and purpose. It has discovered a number of paths to happiness:
You probably already know that maintaining good heart health necessitates a healthy diet, regular exercise, and the management of well-known heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure. But did you realize that your brain also has an impact on your heart's health?
Researchers have increasingly discovered correlations between poor mental health and an increased risk of heart disease in recent years. This isn't unexpected, given how mental illnesses may impact your behaviour. If you're sad, for example, you're less inclined to exercise regularly or to consume excessive amounts of alcohol.
Furthermore, some mental health difficulties and mental health illnesses can cause physical changes in the body, which can increase cardiac risk in a variety of ways.
If you have poor vision or reduced vision due to diseases such as nearsightedness, cataracts, glaucoma, or macular degeneration, you are well aware of the difficulties that this situation presents. These can range from mild (needing spectacles to read or drive) to severe (losing your independence or being unable to properly see a loved one's face). As a result, it's no surprise that more severe visual impairment is linked to a higher incidence of depression in persons of all ages. This type of stimulation generates neural changes over time, and those changes have a greater influence on behaviour than we previously realized.
Accessibility features and specific vision rehabilitation programs are widely accessible and can assist you in dealing with stressful situations and learning to adjust activities to get through each day.
Even modest measures, such as the ones listed below, might make life easier when you suffer visual loss.
Certain functions on a computer or smartphone can be quite handy.
You may use your computer or phone to magnify fonts, zoom in on a photo, or have your papers read to you.
However, setting up such features may need some technical expertise — or at the very least the patience to search up methods to activate the features and work your way through them. Your computer, for example, may include an accessibility function that reads aloud highlighted text.
Make a list of discussion starters.
You may prevent unpleasant situations by having a few icebreakers on hand. Make a list of different settings to memorize, such as parties, work, or dating, and jot down different conversation starters for each one. Getting prepared allows you to get off to a solid start and reduces the chances of being caught off guard or running into dead ends.
Pose open-ended inquiries.
Longer replies are elicited by open-ended inquiries. Instead of asking yes or no questions, which can lead to short replies and awkward silences, use open-ended questions to keep the discussion moving.
Active listening is a skill that may be learned.
Show that you're paying attention to the other individual. Give your complete attention to the other person's remarks instead of worrying about what you're going to say. There are a variety of active listening methods, but you might start by restating or summarizing what they're saying, identifying and supporting their feelings.
Give accolades to others.
Complimenting people demonstrates your friendliness and likability. By expressing gratitude for your discussion partner, you help to create a more positive environment, which enhances communication flow. Giving particular praises, which show that you're truly getting to know the other person and that your compliment is sincere, is even better.
Remember the names of the individuals you meet.
This may appear to be excessively basic, yet it has the potential to make people feel unique. People love being remembered, and if you don't have to ask them to repeat their names, they'll be happier and more receptive to developing a relationship with you. They're not simply another face in the throng to you, but someone you'd like to learn more about.
Anyone can advise you to do what makes you happy, but we all know it isn't always that easy. The pressure to live up to society's expectations, the dread of failure, and all the "what ifs" you can imagine. These are just a handful of the reasons we can deviate from the life path that brings us true happiness. The objective is to have a job that makes you enthusiastic to go to work every day. If you wake up each day dreading the following eight hours, you have a problem, to begin with. The first step is to figure out what makes you happy and passionate, then follow your heart.
The road that makes us happy is typically not the simplest, but it is the most rewarding in the long run. When you work in a field you enjoy, it inspires you in ways you never imagined. You get a sense of security, as though this is where you belong and what you were intended to do. Rather than regretting the past, you look forward to the future. You can reflect on your choices and feel empowered by them.
It's hard to imagine that individuals spend their entire lives at jobs they despise when bliss is so close at hand. This encourages me to always follow my heart and to encourage others to do so as well.
If there's one thing that keeps proving itself, it's that life is brief and we should never take anything for granted. So, why spend your entire day, every day, doing something that makes you unhappy? We must constantly remind ourselves that passion is what gives us a sense of purpose in this life. The fear isn't worth not taking the chance, and your own opinion is the only one that matters. So go for it, follow your heart, and remember that happiness is the most important thing.
Although everyone's road to happiness is unique, data shows that these ten keys have a constant positive influence on people's happiness and well-being.
Mindfully live your life.
All we have to do now is take attention. Learning to be more attentive and aware may improve our well-being in all aspects of life, including our commute to work, how we eat, and how we interact with others.
Make things better for others.
Our pleasure is dependent on our ability to care for others. Helping other people in the right way bring about a happier and healthier life. Giving strengthens interpersonal bonds and contributes to the creation of a happy society for everybody.
Continue to discover new stuff.
Learning has a good impact on our well-being in a variety of ways. It keeps us inquisitive and engaged by exposing us to fresh ideas. It also offers us a sense of achievement and aids in the development of our self-esteem and resilience. Learning new skills can be accomplished in a variety of ways, not only through formal education. We can teach a buddy a new skill, join a group, learn to sing, or learn to play a new instrument.
Participate in a larger project.
People who have a sense of purpose and meaning in their life are happier, feel more in control, and get more out of their work. They are also less stressed, anxious, and depressed.
Have a set of objectives to aim for.
Our happiness must have a positive outlook on the future. We all need objectives to keep us motivated, and these goals must be both hard and attainable. When we attempt the unattainable, we add unneeded stress to our lives. When we set ambitious but realistic objectives for ourselves, we gain a sense of achievement and satisfaction when we achieve them.
Make friends with others.
A good relationship can make you happy. Having a wide range of social connections can add to one's happiness. Close relationships with family and friends offer us love, significance, and support, as well as boosting our self-esteem. A sense of belonging is created through larger networks. As a result, we're taking steps to deepen our bonds and create new ones.
Look for strategies to recover.
In our lives, we have all experienced stress, loss, failure, or tragedy. However, how we respond to them has a significant influence on our happiness. We frequently have little control over what occurs to us, but we do have control over how we react to it. It's not always simple in practice, but one of the most encouraging results from recent research is that resilience can be learned like many other life skills.
Be confident in your skin.
Everyone has flaws so never rate yourself low. However, we frequently compare our insides to the outsides of others. It's much difficult to be happy when we focus on our defects - what we don't have rather than what we do have. Accept yourself and be open to improving yourself. It also aids us in a significant way.
Take good care of yourself.
Our bodies and minds are intertwined. When we are happy we are more active, and it is also excellent for our physical health. It quickly lifts our spirits and might even help us get out of a funk. We don't all have to run marathons; there are easy things we can all do each day to increase our physical activity. Unplugging from electronics, stepping outside, and getting adequate sleep can all help us feel better.
Keep an eye out for what's excellent.
Positive feelings such as pleasure, appreciation, happiness, inspiration, and pride are not just enjoyable at the moment they occur. According to a new study, having them regularly generates an 'upward spiral,' which helps us develop our resources. So, while we must be honest about life's ups and downs, it is beneficial to concentrate on the positive elements of any circumstance - the glass is half full rather than half empty.
Do you have an elementary school-aged child? If that's the case, you might recognize this. Your child opens the front door, hangs up a backpack, and sobs as he or she tells you about a bully among their classmates, fellow campers, or after-school program peers. Your heart begins to sink, and your inner protective parent-bear prepares for revenge. "How could they!" you may exclaim. You might even start making plans.
Instead, take a moment to remember that your child requires your immediate attention. Three crucial suggestions to assist you in supporting your children are included below.
Validation comes first.
Begin with validation before moving on to the next step. Validation accepts a child's emotional experience without agreeing or disagreeing with it. Validating your child's feelings demonstrates that you are listening to them. It helps to lessen the severity of your child's distress while also allowing for more communication.
Although your heart may ache and you may feel compelled to attempt to make the pain go away, it's critical to give the message that emotions are beneficial rather than harmful. Despite their excellent intentions, they provide the message that your child's feelings are unimportant or should not be addressed.
I write a lot about mental health, yet we overlook one important part of mental health: forgiveness, as well as the time of forgiveness.
In this post, we'll look at the importance of forgiveness and how it relates to healing. We also look at why it's crucial to practice forgiveness toward ourselves and others.
It is impossible to overestimate the significance of forgiveness. Forgiveness is essential to our spiritual, emotional, and mental well-being, as well as the basis for long-term healthy relationships. Negative life events can become encoded in memory if they are significant enough, and we often have physical reactions to recalling the terrible experience.
What Is the Importance of Forgiveness?
Forgiveness is beneficial to your health. Negative emotions deplete your vitality and harm your body, mind, and spirit. Anger, worry, despair, and excessive stress all hurt your body. These can result in high blood pressure, a racing heart, and a sense of being out of control.
Forgiveness sets you free. It enables you to reclaim your power. You can now redirect the energy and emotion you've spent in a person or situation to someone or something that will help you grow and improve your emotional, psychological, and physical health. You are no longer tethered to a creature that drains your energy and kills you. And by freeing yourself, you may be able to see this person/situation in a new light.
You can progress on your spiritual path by forgiving others. Compassion is aided by forgiveness. As part of the human experience, you can relate to others. You care about others as much as you care about yourself.