Make Mental Health Your Priority Every Month

By Felicia Wong, M.D



As the month of May comes to an end, make a promise to yourself that personal mental wellness will remain a daily priority.  Mental Health America has been working for 100 years to promote well-being for all Americans and recently developed a resource called 10 Tools to Live Your Life Well based on extensive scientific evidence.

Each day, we face all sorts of demands and drama which can lead to insomnia, lack of concentration, problems in our relationships, and other mental health issues. 

These "10 Tools" provide proven, healthy ways to cope with stress and boost your overall well-being.  Make a commitment to follow this list and feel more relaxed, fulfilled, and focused long after Mental Heath Month is over. . .  

1) Connect with Others. People who feel connected are happier and healthier--and may even live longer.

2) Stay Positive. People who regularly focus on the positive in their lives are less upset by painful memories.

3) Get Physically Active. Exercise can help relieve insomnia and reduce depression.

4) Help Others. People who consistently help others experience less depression, greater calm, and fewer pains.

5) Get Enough Sleep. Not getting enough rest increases risks of weight gain, accidents, reduced memory, and heart problems.

6) Create Joy and Satisfaction. Positive emotions can boost your ability to bounce back from stress.

7) Eat Well. Eating healthy food and regular meals can increase your energy, lower the risk of developing certain diseases, and influence your mood.

8) Take Care of Your Spirit. People who have strong spiritual lives may be healthier and live longer. Spirituality seems to cut the stress that can contribute to disease.

9) Deal Better with Hard Times. People who can tackle problems or get support in a tough situation tend to feel less depressed.

10) Get Professional Help if You Need It. More than 80 percent of people who are treated for depression improve.

So now you know the tools. . . Today is the perfect time to start incorporating this list into your day-to-day routine.  For more information, go to http://www.liveyourlifewell.org/ . 

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Yoga Helps Heal Heart & Emotional Scars of Cancer

By Felicia Wong, M.D.

“Cancer is a very alienating and existential disease. I know of no other common disease that immediately causes so much fear, anxiety, depression, confusion, and a sense of impending disaster in a patient or his/her significant others when they hear the word “cancer” for the first time.” --- Murray Krelstein, MD, a psychiatrist and cancer survivor.

Although oncologists, family members, and friends can provide significant sources of support, adding a mental health professional to a cancer patient’s treatment team is often helpful. Talking about the emotions and worries associated with cancer can be difficult, and it is important to have a therapist who is familiar with these situations. Additionally, cancer patients and survivors often suffer from sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, fatigue, and other mood changes.

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that among patients receiving chemotherapy, over three-quarters suffer from insomnia. Those who suffer from insomnia are, in turn, more likely to suffer from fatigue and depression. For 65% of cancer survivors, insomnia continues even after the completion of chemotherapy.

Cancer is a diagnosis that affects both body and mind. So, it makes sense that cancer patients and survivors practice yoga to improve their quality of life.

While research on the use of yoga for cancer is relatively new, there have been recent studies confirming yoga’s mental health benefits. A Harvard Health Publication highlights the benefits of yoga for stress, depression, and anxiety:

- By reducing perceived anxiety, yoga appears to adjust stress response systems. This, in turn, reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and can make breathing easier.

- There is evidence that yoga practices helps increase heart rate variability, an indicator of the body's ability to respond to stress more flexibly.

Optimizing wellness after a cancer diagnosis and beyond involves a complex integration of interventions that address both the mind and the body. Ideally, a psychiatrist is part of the cancer treatment team. However, if this is not available, please ask your doctor for referrals.

For additional resources on coping with cancer:

http://www.cancersupportivecare.com/live.html

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When Divorce Happens

By Gariane Gunter, M.D. 



A recent study was published in Health Day that discusses the mental health of children of divorced parents. While I am not in the position to support or deny the findings, the topic of divorce when children are involved is often a difficult one. Every family is different, but the following are some general tips for divorcing parents that can be helpful.



1. Attempt to keep a positive attitude during the point of separation. This is often a very trying time for the family. Stick to a routine and embrace the activities your children have always enjoyed.

2. Don’t forget to nurture yourself. Going for a walk, having coffee with a friend, or reading a good book are ways to rest and regain energy. It’s normal to feel exhausted when separating; and possibly for many months to follow.

3. Encourage kids to openly discuss their feelings, positive or negative, about what's happening.

It's important for divorcing, as well as already divorced parents, to sit down with their kids and encourage them to say what they're thinking and feeling. But you'll need to keep this separate from your own feelings. Most often, children experience a sense of loss of family and may blame you, the other parent, or both of you for what is going on in their lives. You really need to be prepared to answer questions your kids might raise. They might feel guilty and imagine that they "caused" the problem. Kids and teenagers may feel angry or frightened, or worried about their future. Counselors can assist with this difficult conversation and provide a safe environment if safety is a concern.

4. Although very tempting, try not to speak negatively about your former spouse when your children are present. This issue, often called “parental alienation” can be a problem. Doing things such as putting your child in the middle, saying negative things about the other parent, and using your child as a messenger puts your child in a “no win” situation and creates lifelong relationship issues for all involved. The reasons include the following:



• The comments may confuse and frighten children.

• Many of your concerns about your former spouse are difficult for you to express. It is very important that you keep these concerns to yourself. Children just do not have the emotional maturity to withstand information/situations that adults find stressful.

• Your child’s identity and self concept is based on parental behavior. Even if it is next to impossible to say anything good about your former spouse, try to do so. If this is impossible then don’t say anything.

• Children love to eavesdrop. Telephone conversations are their favorite snooping ground. Make all effort to not discuss your divorce-related difficulties on the telephone when your children are around.

5. During the crisis point of separation try to remember that your children need you both parents more than ever. This is not a time to deny access unless a professional deems it necessary to do so for safety related reasons.

6. It is important to accept the fact that a separation involves feelings of loss for children. Try not to panic if the following behaviors occur during the first few months of separation:

• Sleep difficulties like disrupted sleep, an inability to sleep, exhaustion etc.

• Social isolation

• Anger, intolerance, grumpiness

• Avoidance of divorce related conversations

• Obsessing about the divorce

• Appetite changes

• Feelings of worthlessness

• Tears and feelings of overwhelming sadness

7. Although many children do not ask to see a counselor when their parents separate, they usually find counseling very helpful.

8. It is important to acknowledge that children are very loyal and protective of their parents. If children are placed in loyalty binds they can experience anxiety. Try to alleviate their anxiety if they decided to “pick a side.” This is a coping skill which teens in particular use. If your child engages in “picking a side” try not to feel rejected.



9. Think of yourself as a survivor not a victim. And be patient. Everyone takes different times to heal.

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On learning to worry

By R. Scott Benson, M.D.



Mardi Gras is a big celebration in my town and after the parades and the parties everyone picks up the idea of Lent and sacrifice. The best one I heard was a friend who decided to give up worrying for Lent. A good choice.



Psychiatrists have long recognized the toxic effects of excessive worry but too often pick up the mantra – “don’t worry”. Good advice, but usually it’s not enough. Research in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for obsessive compulsive disorder sent me in a different direction. Engage your worries! Give them the attention they demand! With a little discipline.







I instruct my patients –



1. Make a list of your worries. Watch for duplicates. Worries are like that. They change a little to try and sneak back into your thinking.



2. Set aside time twice a day to get out your “worry list” and read through it. Try for once in the morning, and again in the late afternoon. Think English tea time. Give each worry the time it deserves. Pay special attention to any that you can do something about today.



3. If a new worry comes up you can add it to the list. This is especially useful for those late night worries that make it hard to fall asleep.



4. If worries try to get on your mind outside of your “worry time” gently remind that worry that you already have worried about it, and it will have to wait until the next worry time.



Worriers believe that they worry about everything, all of the time. Putting order to their worries helps them reframe the problem and put it in a correct perspective.