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ARTArticleRestricting types of Eating Disorders and Brain ChemistryThe most recent evidence of the brain chemistry and mechanisms playing a role in the negative experiences associated with eating among those suffering with the restricting forms of eating disorders has explored the role of the neurotransmitter dopamine.
There are two divergent groups of brain imaging folks who believe dopamine [the "feel good" neurotransmitter] plays a role in disrupting the experience of hunger and appetite with those who restrict. Basically there are two theories on the table today.ARTArticleSigns of a Troubled RelationshipAnyone who’s been in a long term relationship will tell you there are rough periods, and most people, when they’re honest, will admit to doubts along the way. But sometimes we don’t know how to assess, “Just how bad is it?” Here’s a list of symptoms that suggest a relationship is in trouble. The ...ARTArticleSimilarities among the Eating DisordersWhat follows is a list of common traits and characteristics among all forms of eating disorders - anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, and related addictive relationships with food and weight. As alcoholism and drug dependency share more common ground than differences, so too do the different "flavors" of eating disorders.
Consider the following...ARTArticleSix Steps for Managing Job Search StressMillions of people have lost their jobs in this economy so let's talk about managing the stress of a job search. Anyone who is in this situation, or loves someone who is, might consider these six suggestions….
Step One - Do not internalize a job loss or job search into your personal identity. Whether you are a new graduate or a semi-retired person whose 401K was cut in half this year, you are not in this situation because of your personal failure. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in May, 2009 that 7.0 million people have been out of work since December 2007 in the US alone.ARTArticleStep One: What's the Big Deal About Step One?We admitted that we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable.
--"Step One, AA 12-Steps
After many years in recovery, I know that I must not forget this one principle: "I will always be an addict.
--Joe Herzanek
Whether you are a fan of twelve-step programs or not, the first step an attendee will hear offers a great deal of wisdom. The alcoholic/addict should never venture into the world without remembering the important bit of knowledge that Step One provides: Chemically dependent people will not ever be able to gain control over their substance use.ARTArticleStep One: What’s the big deal about Step One?We admitted that we were powerless over alcohol
and that our lives had become unmanageable.rn—Step One, AA 12-Steps
After many years in recovery,
I know that I must not forget
this one principle—I will
always be an addict.rn—Joe HerzanekARTArticleStress and Your BodyWhile we have all felt stress at one time or another, and we intuitively understand what stress is, a clear definition of stress is more elusive. Stress can be thought of as a perception that the demands of the situation exceed our abilities to cope.
This means that stress is an individual response.ARTArticleTeens Gone Wild: Is Someone You Know at Risk?Wild teen behavior is nothing new but in recent years the stakes have increased as young people have undertaken more risky behaviors. Whether it’s peer pressure, curiosity or other factors, young people are putting themselves at risk for addiction, overdose, suicide, health problems and legal ...ARTArticleThe "Rock Bottom" Myth - Learn How to Raise the BottomYeah, when he hits bottom he'll be ready. A user has to hit bottom before he will change. Sooner or later she will hit bottom. Then she'll be ready to get some help.
Raise the Bottom.
This whole idea of "hitting bottom" is out of date. Some people will wait years-even decades-for their friend to reach this mythical point in their alcohol and drug use. But why wait for them to "hit bottom"? Why not help them by raising their bottom? There are ways to encourage someone to reach for help much earlier.ARTArticleThe Diet Gurus--What Do They Agree On?There is always much debate surrounding the issue of diet and among the experts, there is still quite a bit of disagreement. Are starchy carbohydrates like potatoes and corn okay to eat or should we limit them? Should we follow high-protein or low-to-moderate protein eating plans? Is it wise to eat foods of animal origin like meat, fish and dairy products or stick to plant-based foods like beans and lentils? How much fat should we eat and what types? What’s the best source of Omega-3’s, plant or animal?ARTArticleThe Effect of Stress on Your Body and HealthStress affects your health and is one of the causes of long term illness. For example, have you ever wondered why you may catch a cold after the exam period or some stressful deadline at work.
This is because stress can affect your immune system. However, the consequence of lowered immune functioning is not just a greater chance of catching a cold. Lower immune functioning can also reduce you ability to allow your body to heal and increase your chances of heart disease. Stress can also make your body more susceptible to tumor growth.ARTArticleThe Four “R”s for a PROductive Relationship: Be Respectful, Real, Responsible and ResponsiveThe Stress Doc presents a four step, “Four 'R'” communicational guide for building successful “give and take” professional relationships. The Four “R”s are dramatically illustrated in his recent encounter with an ENT surgeon.
Many of us “Boomers” grew up with an alliterative academic mantra as educational foundation, that is, the Four “R”s – Reading, Writing, Rithmetic and Religion. Let’s just say I focused more on the first two “R”s and sort of made a nominal wave at the latter.ARTArticleThe Physiology of Stress and What You Can Do About ItWith increasing information and the demands of workers to provide real-time responses, it is no wonder that stress is on the rise.
Stress is an everyday part of life. While we intuitively understand what stress is, a definition of stress is more elusive. Many theories of stress suggest that stress is a perception that the demands of the situation exceed our abilities to cope with the situation.
These demands and coping abilities may be real or imagined. This means that stress is an individual response.ARTArticleThe Role of Group Therapy in Primary Addiction RehabilitationGroup therapy is complementary to, but distinct from participation in Twelve Step groups. Through the group process, growth is facilitated, isolation is reduced, and the concept of sobriety as an interpersonal experience is fostered. Indeed, group therapy is frequently considered the treatment of choice for addiction, allowing for positive peer interactions, improvement in communication skills, mutual support, confrontation of ego defenses and an overall substitution of the euphoric state of intoxication with the elation of the group.ARTArticleThe Secret to RecoveryHere’s a brief story from a few years ago. Ok, a couple of decades ago. Anyway, I was a student [intern] at a fairly renowned psychiatric hospital and the chief of the psychiatry division, a rather charismatic and bright fellow, was taking us on rounds. All of the sudden, out of nowhere comes this raging patient who parks his face right in front of the chief’s. He starts shouting, “how come you won’t tell me the secret? How come you told John and he’s better now and getting out? How come you won’t let me know the secret? What’s the secret to getting better? What’s the secret, tell me.”ARTArticleThe Seven Secrets to Stress ReliefWhat is stress? It is certainly a word that we toss around a lot and loosely. When was the last time you were “stressed out”? Was it work related? Family? Financial? Relationship? What happens to your body when you are stressed out? How do we find stress relief?
Most of us have heard the expression that “all disease is stress related”, but what does that really mean? The changes that take place in our bodies are certainly real. Our diagnosis is real. So, how does ‘stress’ contribute to DIS-EASE in the body…DIS-COMFORT?ARTArticleThe Stress Cure - Is Stress Zapping Your Memory?What is it about stress that causes us to dwell at length on negative thoughts? The answer has a lot to do with our memory. Although it's miraculous the brain - a three pound lump of neural tissue can store any memories at all. But the human memory system has some surprising quirks. Most notable, we forget things. The forgotten information is still in our brains somewhere; it's just that it's difficult for the brain to put its (metaphorical) hands on any one specific memory when it's needed. There is so much other competing information there.ARTArticleThe War on WorryWe like to go to war on things we think are wrong or bad; the war on drugs, the war on poverty, the war against crime. We need to have a war on worry because worry is wrong and bad; it underlies, and may be in part the cause of, crime, drugs and, perhaps, even poverty. What is worry?ARTArticleThe Words We Hear Can Last A Life Time!Yesterday was a day of revelation, expression and strong emotion. What started out as a conversation in regards to Depression with my dad, proved to be one of the most impressionable times. The discussion involved speaking that everyone has imperfections and depression does not mean that you are flawed or "different" than others. Everyone has something that is less than perfect in their lives.
The conversation evolved into something I never had expected. My dad had asked me if I watched the funeral of Senator Ted Kennedy. I replied," parts of it".ARTArticleTreating Eating Disorders: The First AssumptionLet’s be clear from the get go, when it comes to getting help for an eating disorder there are a couple of assumptions to consider. Let’s look at a one of these and consider if this might “ring true” for you.ARTArticleTruth or Cellulite?--the nature of perception by Johanna CourtleighPerception is a quirky thing.
Because, sometimes, lurking in the not-too-hidden recesses of our minds, is a part of us that wants to keep us in pain, shame, hopelessness. And it often it does this by lying to us. Even in the face of evidence to the contrary.
And we believe . . .
We must learn to become mindful of its stories, and question the veracity of our thinking. So we can be happy and at peace. Living in truth.
For example . . .ARTArticleWhat Causes Addiction?Alcoholism and other forms of addiction were once considered to be a problem of morality or weak will. Unfortunately, much of society still holds these archaic views despite increasingly overwhelming evidence that addiction is a complex, multifactorial disease including biological, psychological and sociological elements.
From a biological perspective, family, twin and adoption studies demonstrate that addiction has a biogenetic basis that is transmitted within families.ARTArticleWhat You Should Know About The Concept Of HappinessIf I told you that happiness and sadness are the same things in the deepest, final analysis you would probably declare me nuts. After all, everyone strives to be happy; we know that happiness feels better than sadness. There are studies that prove that we are healthier when we are happy and get ...ARTArticleWho's the Boss?
7 Ways to Take Control of Your MindAt first glance, it would seem that positive thinking and time management have nothing to do with one another. But many of us who are natural born clutters develop negative thinking patterns because we become exasperated by our challenges and frequent feelings of being overwhelmed. This negative attitude then makes it more difficult to control our feelings and move forward.ARTArticleWhy Love Awareness Is Essential For SuccessLove is one of the most misunderstood energies of our time. Most people look at the lore of love predominantly from a romantic viewpoint. However, viewing love through this narrow lens filters out the larger picture and misses the deeper meaning of love energies.
The love you have learned to experience is just a tiny aspect of a very deep, profound and powerful energy that underlies everything in this universe. This energy has the ability to supersede everything. It is the most powerful force that drives you ultimately to the achievement of the things you hold dear.ARTArticleWhy Using an Ultimatum with a Problem Drinker May Not Work…...and what you can do about it!
Bill and Betty had been dating for over a year and had made plans to meet for dinner. Bill arrived on time and waited. Betty called 30 minutes later letting him know she’d be late. There seemed so much potential for a relationship with Betty; Bill was smitten ...ARTArticleWhy Your Last Diet Failed: It's NOT Your Fault!For many people, losing weight isn’t a big problem. They simply cut out all the “fattening” foods that they are eating and drinking. Unfortunately, those are probably the foods that you love the most.
But a frustrating thing happens to 95% of all people who diet. They gain the weight back, PLUS additional punishment pounds within a few months to a couple of years! Yes, all that deprivation, working out, starvation, only to gain the weight back. The worst part is, you actually gain back additional weight over where you started.ARTArticleYou Never Lose the Ability of Choice!As long as I can remember, I have heard myself and others say the words, " I had no choice". Sure, it may feel like there are not many choices when you are stuck in a cycle of anxiety, depression or panic. With all my heart, I know that everyone has a choice even when they are stricken with these frightening and often misunderstood disorders.
One never loses the ability of making a choice. About 7 years ago now, I was stricken with the anxiety-depression monster.ARTArticle***Awaken Your Spirit, Express Your PassionsThere is a powerful vital life force energy that resides within each of us. Like a raging river, this vital energy needs a channel to flow and be fully expressed. When we allow it to move through us for example with our writing, artwork, or music…by expressing our passions, we allow the river of the divine to flow through us. When in the flow, we are in the present moment. Our spirits come alive; we feel at peace and can experience great joy and bliss.ARTArticle***Being Still and SilentRecently, I found myself feeling anxious and depressed. For several days, I attempted to analyze why I was feeling this way and what I could do to feel better. I questioned, “Would it help to go back to therapy or to get a massage? Maybe I just need to write more.” Feeling uncomfortable, I wanted a quick fix. But, what I found was that the more I resisted how I was feeling, the worse I felt.