InMindOut Blog

We’ve all done it before. At the beginning of the year we set a goal to accomplish and we somehow lose focus throughout the year about what we promised ourselves to do. Personal growth is one of those things that tends to take a back seat to everything else that we find ourselves trying to take care of. But how do we really help ourselves grow? What does it take for us to really put some time towards our own continued development and renewal?

1. Motivation: This is one of the most crucial steps that all of us can ever face or try to overcome. Many of us tend to lose sight of the overall goal because we tend to focus on the challenge itself. In order for us to really grow, we have to be willing to keep walking the road we are on no matter how hard it gets.

2. Desire to improve: We all have things in our lives that we are not satisfied with. For some it could be how they budget money. For others, it could be about how they interact with others. The desire to see these things change and improve is an essential component when we are seeking personal growth. If we don’t have the overall desire to improve, then there is often no point in seeking change.

3. Willingness to change: This is a step that most people tend to struggle with. This step often requires that we may have to change a comfortable approach to situations or change how we think about a situation. With any change there comes a certain level of resistance, mainly because we aren’t sure about trying something that we are not too familiar with. This might mean that a willingness to be uncomfortable for a time in order to accomplish the greater goal.

4. Open mind and desire to learn: Having an open mind to the challenges or to the new skill that you may learn is an essential component to personal growth. If we aren’t willing to learn what we need to learn in order to grow, then we will never get there. We also must be willing to go into whatever challenging season that we have coming our way with eyes open to see what there is to learn.

Personal growth is never easy, but it can be an exciting time for each and every one of us. The rewards of growing and learning something new about ourselves and how we relate to the world around us are something that can never ever be fully replaced.

 One of the most common questions that I get asked during an initial intake session, is “why are you asking about my diet.” For most of us, this question is only asked in most medical settings, and most are somewhat offended or perplexed about the question. The way I attempt to explain this to my client’s is by using the term “balance.” Recent studies show that a combination of physical, mental, and emotional health is needed to be and stay balanced. Dr. Gabriella Cora, a board-certified psychiatrist states that “we tend to separate our brain from the rest of our body, but good health means good health from a holistic perspective – from head to toe.”

The Science Behind Food and Mood

In a nutshell, the connection between diet and our emotions comes from the close relationship between our brain and gastrointestinal tract, which is also referred to as the “second brain.”

How does this work you ask? Well, our GI tract houses billions of bacteria that impact the creation of neurotransmitters, which are chemical substances that constantly carry messages from our gut to our brain. Common examples of these are dopamine and serotonin, which are both known to regulate our moods.

Therefore, eating healthy foods and establishing a proper diet promotes the growth and production of good bacteria, which in turn affects neurotransmitter production. When production of neurotransmitters is working correctly, our brain is better able to receive these positive messages more effectively, which reflect more positive emotions.

It is important to also know that a diet high in fat and constant consumption of junk food can cause inflammation that can hinder the production of neurotransmitters. When you stick to a diet of health food, you’re setting yourself up for fewer mood fluctuations, an overall happier outlook, and an improved ability to focus, according to Dr. Gabriella Cora, Psychiatrist.

Tips to Establish a Healthy Diet

• Establish a healthy eating plan
• Set realistic goals
• Pace yourself
• Seek support (dietician or nutritionist)
• Drink water
• Exercise
• Watch sugar intake
• Don’t skip breakfast
• Incorporate fruits and veggies

It is important to remember that it may take time to feel the mood changes once a better diet has been set into motion and how many changes are implemented. With time, eating healthy, exercising, and taking medication properly can assist in overcoming some mood disorders and help in lessoning the effects of others.

Resources:

https://www.aetna.com/health-guide/food-affects-mental-health.html#:~:text=When%20you%20stick%20to%20a,symptoms%20of%20depression%20and%20anxiety.

https://www.mhanational.org/healthy-diet-eating-mental-health-mind

https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/7-ways-get-your-diet-off-good-start#1

              It’s February, Valentine’s day is just around the corner. It’s the time of year where everyone takes the time to think of their special someone or to think of their family members. This is the time of year where everyone thinks about their loved ones and takes the time to appreciate who they are…or at least that’s the overall idea. With the spread of COVID-19 and the statewide shut downs, this February might be a little less like the loving picture that we would love to portray. But this pandemic does not have to make our break our Valentine’s Day at all. In fact, this might be the chance to explore how your family or your loved ones have changed in the last year, and what might be some new strengths that you or your family members have developed over this year. A great way to explore that is by creating a family or spousal gratitude jar.

Gratitude jars are really simple to make. All you need is a glass or plastic jar, some craft items such as stickers, glitter, glue, or stick on gems, and finally some paper that you can cut into strips. First, the jar is decorated by the whole family or by both spouses. Everyone has to participate in this part in order to make the jar truly their own. Next, cut the paper into strips long enough for people to write down something about a family member or spouse that they are grateful for. After someone writes down what they are grateful for on the paper strip, it is put inside the jar for later. At the end of the week, the family sits down and reads the strips that have been put inside the jar throughout the week.

In a time where there is so much negativity around us, maybe something we can do in our own families is rejoice over the good things that they bring to our lives as well as the good things that we bring to them.

Author: Joshua Banja

Most of us have probably heard the old saying that “the pen is mightier than the sword,” but little do people know how the pen’s might can be used to improve our mental well-being.

Journaling, diary keeping, letter writing, or whatever you choose to call it, is an ancient written tradition that dates to at least a millennia ago (Purcell, 2014). Several important figures have kept journals throughout history. Such as the likes of Leonard Da Vinci, Albert Einstein, and Anne Frank (d’Estries, 2016). And the practice has had such a long run in human history for a good reason. Science backs up that journaling provide several health benefits to a person’s mental health (Purcell, 2014). Some of which are:

If you feel out of touch with your thoughts or emotions, journal. It can help sort out your mind (Purcell, 2014).

If you feel stressed out, journal. Writing out your thoughts and feelings can help you blow off some steam caused by your feelings (Purcell, 2014).

If you feel stuck trying to work out a problem, journal. It can help you see the problem in a different light that can help you figure out a solution (Purcell, 2014).

If you are in a disagreement with somebody, journal. Writing about the misunderstanding can help understand their point of view better, so you can come up with a sensible resolution to the conflict (Purcell, 2014).

If you do not know yourself well, journal. Routine journaling will help you learn more about who you are; furthermore, why certain situations and people cause you to respond in a certain way (Purcell, 2014).

Are you sold yet on the idea of journaling? If so, here some prompts to get you started:

1. If I could talk to my teenage self, the one thing I would say is…

2. The two moments I’ll never forget in my life are… Describe them in great detail, and what makes them so unforgettable.

3. Make a list of 30 things that make you smile.

4. When I’m in pain — physical or emotional — the kindest thing I can do for myself is…

5. Make a list of the people in your life who genuinely support you, and who you can genuinely trust. (Then make time to hang out with them.)

6. I really wish others knew this about me…

7. Using 10 words, describe yourself.

8. Make a list of everything you’d like to say no to.

9. Make a list of everything you’d like to say yes to.

10. Write the words you need to hear. (Tartakovsky, 2018)

 

References

d’Estries, M. (2016). 8 famous visionaries who kept a journal. From the Grapevine. Retried on October 27, 2020, from https://www.fromthegrapevine.com/lifestyle/famous-people-who-kept-journal-albert-einstein-marie-curie-mark-twain-charles-darwin

Purcell, M. (2020). The health benefits of journaling. Psych Central.Retrieved on October 27, 2020, fromhttps://psychcentral.com/lib/the-health-benefits-of-journaling/

Tartakovsky, M. (2018). 30 Journaling Prompts for Self-Reflection and Self-Discovery. Psych Central. Retrieved on October 27, 2020, from https://psychcentral.com/blog/30-journaling-prompts-for-self-reflection-and-self-discovery

The teen years can be difficult for any family to go through. The constant mood changes as well as the physical changes pose all sort of challenges for everyone to navigate and come out on the other side as a healthy, well adjusted adult. This can especially be difficult for families where one of the members is constantly struggling with suicide ideation. Parents can be at a loss when their child tells them that they don’t want to be alive. There can be all sorts of unanswered questions that come: Why my child? What did I do wrong as a parent? Is there something that I missed? Many emotions can circle in the mind of a parent when they hear their child tell them about their suicidal ideation. It is important, however, to remember what your role is as a parent in order to help support and protect your child. Here are some steps that could help provide support to your child who is struggling with suicidal ideation:

1.   Check your emotions when your child discloses suicidal ideation to you. Many teens and children who struggle with suicidal ideation tend to hide their thoughts and feelings from their parents due to the basic idea that no one will understand how they feel or they might get into trouble. While you as a parent may not understand where your child is coming from, it is important to keep in mind that getting angry and upset with them about this is not going to help. If fact, getting upset might prompt them to do more irrational things because they have been triggered.
   
   
2.   Take every suicidal threat seriously. If your child discloses to you that they have been thinking about suicide, they have a plan, and they have an intention of carrying out that plan, then they must be taken to a medical facility immediately. If your child discloses to you that they have been self harming, but do not intend to kill themselves, it is important anything that they can use to hurt themselves is removed from the environment completely.
   
   
3.   Take notice of different changes of behavior. Your knowledge as a parent is essential when it comes to keeping your children safe. If your child has lost interest in things that they would usually enjoy, they are isolating themselves, giving away things that are precious to them, self harming, or finding objects around the house that they could use to kill themselves, it is time to intervene. If your child has a history of depression, then it is even more important that you keep an eye on their behaviors.
   
   
4. Make the environment completely safe. If your child discloses a suicide plan, it is important that you remove any item that is dangerous from the home. This could mean removing knifes, cables, or pills that could prove lethal. If your child has been released from a mental health hospital and has been given a safety plan, it is important that you follow through with the plan completely.
   
   
5. Get your child involved in therapy services if they have disclosed suicidal ideation to you. This is especially important for teens that have a mental health disorder such as depression. Therapy helps a teenager or child learn how to cope with difficult circumstances as well as understand how to combat suicidal ideation.
   
   
6. Surround your child with a healthy support system. Many teens and children who struggle with suicidal ideation, often express that they feel like there is no one out there who understands what is going on. Some teenagers have often been the victim of vicious bullying from their peers, which exacerbates suicidal ideation. An important piece to recovery from suicidal ideation is to make sure that your teenager or child has an outlet where they can feel loved and accepted by their peers. This can be in the form of mental health support groups, sports teams, or even church groups.
   
   
7. Provide a safe environment for your child to be open and honest about their feelings. Many times teenagers and children will hide their feelings due to different reactions from parents and teachers. As parents, it is essential that you allow your children to feel what they feel and encourage them to share it with you. If your child shares anything with you, it is important to treat it with a great amount of care and compassion. Keep in mind that if your child is disclosing what they are feeling or thinking, they are placing a very deep and personal matter in your hands. Thanking them for telling you what is on their minds, and accepting what they give you with kindness and compassion will send a very loud and loving message of support.

As parents, helping your child cope with suicidal ideation can be a very frightening task. The most important message that you can ever send your child who is struggling is that they are loved and wanted by you and by several people around them. Being willing to listen to your child’s pain as well as providing them with outlets, can help them recover and grow stronger in their own way.

Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. According to firstsiteguide.com, recent studies have shown that 7 in 10 young adults experience cyberbullying before they hit the age of 18, and cyberbullying is the use of any type of harassing, threatening, and demeaning language with the intent to cause emotional and psychological harm. The most common types of online bullying are posting mean comments, starting online rumors, make sexual remarks, sharing screenshots of other’s posted content; and are most often posted to make fun of a person’s appearance, intelligence, race, or sexuality.

Adolescents that have reported being cyberbullied also report experiencing low self-esteem, low self-worth, social anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Recent studies also show that more adolescent suicides are connected to teens being bullied online.

With the internet already dubbed as a dangerous and influential platform, most people are shocked to find out that not only are teens more prevalent to being bullied online, but that 35% of them participate in cyber self-harm aka self-trolling. In other words, teens are anonymously bullying and trolling themselves online.

According to goodtherapy.org, this new trend also known as digital self-harm, is more common among males than females. Multiple studies also show that most males do it for attention while females participate in it to cope with depression and psychological pain.

In addition, sites like cybersmile.org and firstsiteguide.com report that, researchers believe that most teens who practice this trend are doing it for the following reasons:

• A cry for help
• To gain popularity
• Buildup their self-esteem by triggering compliments
• To get attention
• To test friendships
• To regulate emotion
• To punish oneself
• To gain a sense of control
• To combat dissociation
• Boredom

The concept of Cyber Self-Harm is relatively new to most people; but is a growing issue among adolescents. Any form of self-harm that is not treated can ultimately become a habit. According to whatis.com ways that parents can help and support their child if they suspect this is occurring is too:

• Maintain open communication
• Monitor online usage on all social media platforms regularly
• Avoid judgement and listen with an open mind
• Build a positive support system
• Consult a professional if deemed necessary

It is important to also understand that most parents will want to blame technology for their child’s behavior. However, technology and social media platforms are merely a tool for expressing the behavior.