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Mindful Meditation - how I do it and what it does for me.
2007-03-24 02:00:00
Meditation is a very personal thing. There is only one rule in meditation: there is no right way. Generally, when one starts to meditate a critical inner voice tells you that you are doing it wrong, that it's not "working" or that nothing is happening. This is quite common and that's why many people start meditating and then give up almost immediately. Everyone, not just those prone to anxiety and panic, can get something from meditation, or learn something about themselves. For that reason I have decided to post a short description of how I meditate. Before I do that I want to say that I have tried various forms of meditation normally with the goal of "curing" anxiety. Also, I learnt mainly from various books and CD's and not from great masters, although if you have one available this might better! I want to make this clear now because how I meditate may not be how they meditate, and no doubt you will develop your own practice. Firstly let me say something about posture. Most o...
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Fear of Flying Courses - a personal experience part II
2007-03-15 21:32:00
Hi! This is the second part of Chris's experience of Virgin Atlantic's Flying Without Fear course, which he attended last year. The article follows on directly from part one, which was posted yesterday. Please follow this link to it and start reading from the beginning if you haven't done so already. *** Two Kinds of Fear There are, broadly speaking, two kinds of fearful fliers. Type 1: They are scared of the plane crashing, that don't feel that it is rational or reasonable for human kind to fly, and they worry that turbulence can break a plane apart and send it plummeting to the ground. These people are scared of terrorism, hijacking, structural failure and severe weather.  All of their fears are unfounded as long as they stick to commercial passenger jets which either start or terminate in Europe, North America, Japan or Australia. Because of safety standards the chances of anything terrible happening on these flights is too miniscule to worry about. Type 2: T...
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Fear of Flying courses - a Personal Experience
2007-03-15 21:30:00
Many of you will have seen various fear of flying courses advertised by airlines and on the Internet. In the UK the most popular ones are: Virgin Atlantic's "Flying Without Fear " British Airways linked "Aviatours" Flybe's "FlyingFear" According to their web site, all of these courses follow roughly the same format: An explanation of how flying works from a pilot An explanation of turbulence A discussion calming fears of safety and crashing A buffet lunch A relaxation seminar from an expert or a psychologist A question and answer session A flight Each of these courses cost between £180-250 approximately. I think most people with a severe fear of flying would agree that £250 is a small price to pay to overcome your fears. After all, most of these courses advertise 95% success rate, so it is a good investment. Chris from Somerset (in the southwestern UK for those of you who aren't from round here) has written to me with an appraisal of the Virgin Atlantic "Flying Without ...
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Fear of Flying Courses - a personal experience part III
2007-03-15 21:29:00
Hi This is the 3rd and final part of Chris's experience on Virgin Atlantic's Flying Without Fear course. If you have missed parts One and Two please follow these links to go back and read them now. --- After lunch we were introduced to the Psychotherapist David Landau. He is the regular psychotherapist for these courses and also runs a private practice in West London. He gave a talk about fear, negative thoughts, and the like. He also said that we weren't phobic, just scared. He said: "If you're willing to fly but simply scared then you do not have a phobia. You wouldn't be here if you did." I beg to differ, the course info on their web site says: "We have helped people with all levels of fears from mild anxiety to full-blown panic attacks and vomiting at the mere mention of aircraft." If that doesn't describe phobic people I'm a Dutchman. This left a slightly unpleasant taste in my mouth. I felt like the website blurb had somewhat misled me. He took us thro...
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Links for 2007-03-14 [del.icio.us]
2007-03-15 06:00:00
BBC NEWS | Health | Stressful event kills brain cells
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Links for 2007-03-09 [del.icio.us]
2007-03-10 07:00:00
BBC NEWS | Health | Mental health reform 'unproven'
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Depression linked to low birth weight
2007-03-07 22:50:00
In the ongoing search to understand the causes of depression a US study has reported some interesting findings. After studying data over a number of years from a 1400 children they found a significant link between birth weight and depression. Their findings showed that girls who were underweight at birth (in this case weighing less than 2.5kg) were at a much higher risk of developing depression in later life. The statistics were quite startling: Underweight baby girls were more than four times as likely to suffer from depression. It should be stressed that the study failed to find a link between the birth weight of boys and depression in later life. In previous studies it has been mooted that depression, or its causes, may lie dormant from birth and become awakened later in life under stressful or emotionally painful circumstances. For more on beating Depression Click Here. Interestingly, no evidence was found to suggest that low birth weight is linked to mental health i...
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Links for 2007-03-06 [del.icio.us]
2007-03-07 07:00:00
BBC NEWS | Health | 'Depression link' to small babies
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Guided Imagery Meditation
2007-03-07 00:54:00
I have had a great deal of success using basic kinds of healing meditations. I have used them in both a mental and physical context. For physical relief it seems they can be useful in a whole range of areas from aching joints to a blocked-up nose. But, perhaps more usefully, they have helped me with anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. It seems that by focusing in on the actual part of the body (often head or stomach) where the emotion is actually being felt, you can actually relieve, move or deal with that emotion. Click her for the Panic Away Programme. I wouldn't say this is a miracle cure, but it is a great help! And it is very easy to learn and can easily be practised in a short space of time. I also think it is great to include these with for example the Sedona Method, which helps one to release negative emotions. del.icio.us tags: mediation, guided, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, sedona
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Childhood Stress may cause permanent physical damage to brain
2007-03-05 17:54:00
New research by Stanford University has found that the hippocampus seems smaller and "withered" in children who suffered severe physical or emotional stress in their youth. The suggestion is that this less active hippocampus leaves children less able to deal with stress and at a higher risk of suffering from anxiety. A physical cause of anxiety has far reaching consequences for the cure vs manage debate. Those who believe that anxiety disorders, panic attacks and phobias have largely emotional causes are able to hold out much more hope for a complete recovery than those that believe anxiety is a physical/chemical/genetic phenomena we have to live with just like hair colour. Assuming that the hippocampus can not be revitalized, this research suggests that people who suffer from disorders caused by childhood stress may only ever be able to manage their symptoms, as opposed to finding true release.  It should be stressed that the subjects in the Stanford research had acq...
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Cognitive Therapy vs Psychoanalysis
2007-03-04 14:50:00
If you speak to a doctor about anxiety or panic attacks two things will come to that doctor's mind: drug therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy. These techniques work like magic - for some people. There has always been a significant group of people for whom these techniques were ineffective. Some could not tolerate the side effects of the drugs or the drugs didn't work. For some CBT let them take a step forward, but then they would immediately take two steps back. Perhaps CBT and Drug therapy, both symptomatic treatments, failed to touch any of their underlying causes. CBT - A Great Therapy CBT has become a fashionable therapy for anxiety, phobias and panic because it is relatively cheap, quick, and easy. It is a good therapy, it has helped many millions of people, and it has an important role to play in the fight against all manner of mental health issues. But remember, it is not a cure-all, and it is not the only weapon in the psychologist's armory. ...
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Links for 2007-03-03 [del.icio.us]
2007-03-04 07:00:00
In Rigorous Test, Talk Therapy Works for Panic Disorder - New York Times
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Sick - The UK mental health service needs help
2007-03-03 02:11:00
Yet more shortcomings of the way people with mental health are treated in the UK have come to light. This is a sick system which is failing. The whole attitude and ethos behind the treatment of anxiety, depression, self-harming, eating disorders and other non-physical based issues is damaging, out-dated, and sometimes cruel. At the moment the system only really works when people are assertive and proactive in seeking the correct treatment. The problem with this is that people who say self-harm necessarily have low self-esteem, and do not believe their case is worth fighting for. What is needed is the diametric opposite, for the system to help those people who are unable or unwilling to see that they are worth it. In a recent report by the BBC, a women told of her history of self-harm and low self-esteem which was ignored by teachers and medical professionals alike. What really came through in the report was a complete lack of understanding, recognition, and caring by thos...
More About: Health , Mental , Service , Mental Health , Menta

Pregnancy depression 'is missed'
2007-03-01 20:49:00
While post natal / post partum depression is widely recognized (if poorly dealt with) condition, depression during pregnancy is proving to be a much larger problem than society or healthcare professionals had previously thought. It does seem that like almost always minor mental health problems are being overlooked. Depression , anxiety, stress and eating disorders are obviously highly undesirable during pregnancy, and not without their dangers from both mother and child. So why has this problem been seemingly ignored for so long? Often, pregnant women don't want to take too much medicine, particularly some types of anti-depressants. At time of writing there seems to be a gray area over the use of some anti-depressants during pregnancy. If people are coming off depression medication, particularly if they are coming off quickly, they need to be under proper supervision from healthcare professionals, and receiving counseling if necessary. It might be that the patients themselves h...
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Perfectionists IBS link
2007-02-28 22:15:00
Researchers from Southampton university have found a link between stress and IBS.For a long time many people who suffer from IBS (and many self-styled nutritionists) have suspected that the symptoms are caused, exacerbated, or lead to stress.The study found that those people who were anxious about their symptoms or who were generally stressed in terms of pushing themselves at work were more likely to suffer from IBS.There could well be 3 million people in the UK with IBS, many of whom contracted it after a gut infection.The type of person who does suffer from IBS is likely to be "driven", carrying on regardless until they were forced to rest.Dr Rona Moss-Morris commented that "These people were not hypochondriacs. But they did have a negative attitude towards their symptoms."She added: "These are people who have high expectations of always doing the right thing - and going off work goes against their beliefs."It is thought that CBT might help bring anxious and perfectionist thinking...
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Links for 2007-02-27 [del.icio.us]
2007-02-28 07:00:00
BBC NEWS | Health | Early man 'couldn't stomach milk'
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Depression and Suicide in Girls
2007-02-27 20:05:00
A recent report has highlighted the level of depression and suicide in girls. 6000 young people called Childline last year, some of them were as young as five. This shows that there is a real problem of childhood depression in the UK. Organizations like Childline can provide immediate support and help, especially in emergencies, but what children really need is access to proper mental health care, and of course community or familial support. In recent years the concept of "the family" has more or less fallen by the wayside. And I don't say that in the same way as the Christian right. I don't mean that children need married middle class parents for everything to be fine. I just mean children need parenting. And good parenting can come from a single parent, a divorced parent, a married couple, a co-habiting couple, a mixed race couple or a homosexual couple. There is no demographic that can be 100% ruled out of good parenting. Good parenting means caring, and at the moment too...
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Simulator helps to conquers post traumatic-stress after quake
2007-02-25 12:07:00
Post traumatic stress affects millions each year after disasters such as the Asian Tsunami and the War on Iraq. In recent years there have been many treatments, including EMDR and Drug Therapy. Now, virtual reality technology is being used to allow people to relive traumas after the event in controlled circumstances. It is hypothesized that post traumatic stress arises when the brain is unable to process the horrors that it is seeing at the time, and that these traumatic images resurface as anxiety, depression, aggression or delusion at some point in the future when the trauma has passed. (Contrast this with the more immediate but temporary Acute Stress Reaction) As the sufferer relives the trauma they can have the time and support available to process the sounds and images correctly, so that although the memory is intact, it is no longer so intrusive into their lives. Overall, modern treatments are often successful and the prognosis for Post Traumatic stress disorder...
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Celexa and Nightmares/strange dreams
2007-02-21 01:36:00
Just a little extra personal experienced of celexa (citalopram) that came my way. It was reported that after slowly dropping from a standard 20mg dose to a 10mg dose strange things happened during sleep. These consisted of: Very vivid and frightening nightmares of the type that leave you in a strange mood all day Very vivid dreams which are odd but not necessarily unpleasant Feeling very sleepy even after a long nights sleep Difficulty getting to sleep despite being too tired to do anything else Needing stimulants like coffee to keep you going in the day All of these tend to effect each other as a vicious circle. Like all side effects of Citalopram however, sleep disturbances are temporary (It should always be remembered that in a tiny amount of cases people suffer long term effects of SSRI medication). I think it's always best to taper slowly! Other Interesting Articles: Celexa / Citalopram Withdrawing from Citalopram Celexa and weight gain del.icio.us tags: celexa, drea...
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Mental Health Bill Defeated
2007-02-19 21:55:00
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has suffered a humiliating defeat over his plans to detain people with "mental illnesses" indefinitely. Many amendments were made to the bill which many campaigners considered to be draconian, and lacking in forethought. It was indeed likely that the new rules would have deterred people from seeking help, thus making the public less safe. This whole debacle has been one big vote winning exercise where the actual needs of society and patients have taken a back row. At Anxiety 2 Calm we welcome today's events. Here is the BBC article on the matter: Ministers lose mental health vote The government has suffered three defeats in the House of Lords over plans to detain mental health patients who have not committed an offence. The Menta l Health Bill would allow people with severe personality disorders to be confined if judged a threat to themselves or others. Peers voted that treatment could only be given if it is likely to help. They also voted to remove...
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Just say "No"!
2007-02-18 17:28:00
Oftentimes, it is thought, anxiety and stress can in part be due to a lack of control. Anxiety and panicky feelings often tend to appear when life runs away with us. Most people like things there own way. Some people are more pushy about it than others. I, for one, generally sense what others want and therefore don't push them into doing things with me or for me that they don't want to do. Not everyone is like that. Many people are so narrow minded and focused on their own lives that don't notice what other people want, and assume that everyone one wants the same as them. Another group of people just want everyone else to do what they want them to do. They will sense when people are not very good at saying no and use that to their advantage. All of this takes control away from us. Getting control back. Everyone has their own problems and I would urge people not to judge those who are self-centred, narrow minded, or who use friends to their own ends. I don't think ther...

Hypnosis may help anxious teens
2007-01-05 14:02:02
Interesting article from the BBC about self-hypnosis. Seems the BBC is taking mental health seriously this year! My personal opinion on self-hypnosis, like all hypnosis, is that it can be used to help you to relax and maybe meet some minor targets, but it rarely makes major inroads into anxiety. I base this opinion on personal experience and on what I have been told by others. Of course many people out there insist that Hypnotherapy or self-hypnosis is a wonder cure. Most of these people seem to me to be either hypnotherapists themselves or part of the Power Therapy backslapping brigade, that likes to "big up" anything or anyone that will reciprocate to their own designer therapy that is currently making them a millionaire. There are of course well documented exceptions, people managing to have surgery with nothing but self-hypnosis for an anesthetic. But these are rare. In this article obviously the hypnotherapist is much more convinced than the medical professional. ...
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The BBC on Homesickness
2007-01-04 14:02:01
Hi,  I included this from the BBC as homesickness is relavent to many who have travel anxieties and issues based in attachment. Which I believe may be behind a great deal of phobias and agoraphobia. It may also be helpful to those who are worried about passing on anxiety issues to their offspring. Here's the link. Home sickness should not be an automatic experience for children staying in unfamiliar surroundings, say psychologists. In the journal Pediatrics they suggest simple steps, including the offer of counselling, could prevent it. US surveys suggest 90% children staying at summer camps get homesick - 20% severely so. Youth camps are not common in the UK, but experts say children staying long term in hospital could also benefit. Dr Christopher Thurber, a staff psychologist at Phillips Exeter Academy, a boarding school in New Hampshire, said: "For over 100 years, camps and schools have patted homesick children on the back, tried to ke...
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Phobias 'to be cured on the web'
2007-01-04 14:02:01
I came across this on the BBC and I thought I?d share it with you. Basically, it is the idea to make virtual reality software available to phobics over the internet, so they can be exposed to things which cause them anxiety. Certainly flight simulators have been useful for some people with a fear of flying, at least as a precursor to exposure. My only issue with this is that the expert quoted here, Prof, David Alexander, says that to treat a phobia you have to expose yourself to what you fear. I would take some issue with that statement. Yes, you do have to face your fears gradually. But sometimes, when we have several or complex phobias like agoraphobia, what we see as a simple phobia is our own unconscious attempt to protect us from something we dread, so a more analytical approach can be useful to get to the bottom of things. Ultimately, if you suffer from many anxieties and phobias you might find that as you understand yourself and your motivations mo...
More About: The Web , Bias , Cure , Phobias , Phobia

Women drinkers 'depression link'
2007-01-04 14:02:01
I wanted to show you this from the BBC. It is interesting that there is a link between binge drinking and depression, but remember that alcoholism can be triggered by depression and anxiety as well as aggravating it. When tackling addictions it can be worthwhile look for the cause of the addictive behaviour, answering the question: why do I want to use this substance to alter my mind state? Here?s the article: The link between binge drinking and depression is stronger in women than men, a study suggests. US and Canadian researchers quizzed 6,009 men and 8,054 women about alcohol intake and their history of depression. They found women who were binge drinkers were more likely to be clinically depressed than men. But moderate drinking was not likely to increase the risk in either sex, the journal, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, reported. The study measured alcohol intake for the previ...
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Anxiety 2 Calm - Anti-Anxiety New Year's Resolutions. Happy
2006-12-31 19:58:02
A very Happy New Year wherever you are! From emails I can tell that 2006 has been a successful year for some and of course a struggle for others. Either way, we all made it through as ever and this coming year will be full of opportunities to come out of ourselves and achieve what we want. I thought of a few good resolutions that might be worth considering in order to be calmer and happier in 2007 an onwards. 1. Decide to give yourself the time you need to recover. Take pressure off yourself and make sure others stop pressing you as well. 2. Give up wasting money on Instant Cures from "gurus".  3. Consider from where it is best to seek help. If you think you need psychotherapy but are worried that it takes two years remind yourself that if you had started this time last year you would be half way through! 4. Make sure your doctor is fully understanding and sympathetic to your situation. If s/he is not then they must change or you must find another doctor. Nei...
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Kava Kava for anxiety
2006-12-28 07:56:02
Hi I have recently come across questions regarding kava kava and valerian. They are both famous for the relaxing, calming properties and have been muted as fantastic alternatives to conventional tranquilizers such as valium and xanax. There have also been detractors. Certainly in the UK it is quite hard to fins Kava Kava as many healthfood shops stopped selling it due to somewhat dubious health scares. In truth it has been used for so long and so frequently by Pacific Island communities that it is hard to believe that it is highly toxic. It is not uncommon for alternative medicinal products to get black...
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Depression versus Anxiety
2006-12-28 07:56:02
Depression is the reaction to having lost something that was considered important. The roots lie in the past. For example, you can lose someone you love deeply and that can produce depression. On the other hand, if you lost ten cents and that was all the money you had in the world, that can equally produce depression. Anxiety , on the other hand, is a fear of the future, whether known or unknown. For example, awakening in the morning and feeling fear in the pit of your stomach and yet having no idea why. Or, it could be a feeling of fear prior to making a speech to a small group of family members at a dinner party. E...
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Anxiety, guilt and finding the help and support you need
2006-12-25 07:55:01
A lot of people who suffer from anxiety experience feelings of guilt and somehow think that this means they are weak. This guilt is brought about by the realisation that someone who at one time could do things so easily, now struggles to get through the day. They may be in a relationship, or have children, and feel guilty that they can no longer do the things they once could with their partner or children. They may even fight their way through the day, putting on an act to prove to themselves that this thing will not get the better of them, only to go to bed at night more tired and anxious than ever. Anxiety can affect people from every profession, even doctors, the very people we first go to for help, so let me stress that you have nothing to feel guilty about. Some partners may be very understanding about how you feel, but some may not. They may put pressure on you to ?pull yourself together? and the constant strain of trying to cope can tire you further, your partner?s lack ...
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Cannabis 'affecting young minds'
2006-12-11 07:45:02
An interesting BBC articles about the effects of Cann abis use on future mental health. Regular "recreational" drug use is inadvisable for people with panic disorder, anxiety and depression. Half of young people using cannabis suffer side effects such as paranoia and blackouts, a UK survey suggests. More than 80% of the 727 young people in their teens and early 20s polled by Young Mind s had tried the drug - the vast majority before they were 18. The charity is calling for urgent research on the effects of cannabis on the developing teenage brain. It is releasing guidance for young people and professionals on the effects cannabis may have on mental health. 'Vulnerable brains' Barbara Herts, YoungMinds chief executive, said: "Many young people are experimenting with cannabis from a young age. "We are extremely concerned that there is still very little known about the effects of cannabis on the developing teenage brain and it is crucial that mor...
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