Wellness Wednesday: {Work Overload- Signs & Symptoms}

Welcome back to Wellness Wednesday, a fun mid-week look at the areas of wellness in our lives. To remind you, in talking about wellness I'm discussing the positive factors in life that help protect us from the events of life. Wellness is therefore not about the absence of the negative, but the presence of the positive. Remember that I am using the Wheel of Wellness to show the various factors of wellness in our lives.

Source

After introducing the ideas behind work & leisure and looking at an overview of the work factor, today we'll be looking in more detail at the factor of "work" in our lives.

To remind you, here's the definition of the "work" factor of wellness:

Activity that contributes to the well-being of self and others: perception of adequacy of financial resources (financial freedom), job satisfaction, feeling that one’s skills are used, perception of work overload, role conflict, role ambiguity (i.e., psychological job security), participation in decision making (i.e., feeling appreciated), satisfaction with relationships in the job setting

Today I want to look specifically at the phrase "perception of work overload". This is an important issue in our society today, as more and more individuals are being overloaded by work. Here are a few signs and symptoms that you might be headed towards work overload:

• working increasing hours that are unrealistic or are eating up your time with your family in the evenings
• unrealistic expectations beyond your job description
• pressure into working unpaid hours
• eliminating healthy behaviors from your life in order to work more hours
• consistently higher and higher levels of stress & frustration
• Anger
• Fatigue
• Dreading going to work
• Family complaining that you aren't present often, or aren't emotionally present when you're physically present
• Depression
• Stomach Pain
• Migraines

This is obviously a list of only some of the signs and symptoms of work overload, which puts a strain on your body, and will very quickly start decreasing your levels of health and wellness. 

Now it's your turn!

Do you think that you (or someone close to you) have every hit work overload? How does an overload at work influence the other factors of wellness?

Surviving The Winter Blues

Many of us notice a decrease in mood in the winter, even if we don't experience Seasonal Affective Disorder. While it can be difficult to motivate yourself or feel happy in a day, there are things that we can do to help get us through the winter blues.

• Participate In A Hobby: A hobby can be beneficial to decrease overall stress, can increase enjoyment, and give us something to look forward to. It can help increase our motivation and allow us to feel a sense of accomplishment. Each of these things is important for helping us feel better when we have the "winter blues". 
• Plan Fun Activities: Having an event to look forward to helps to perk us up a bit and can get us excited and motivated! This provides laughter, enjoyment, fun, and social support. Sometimes when we feel down, having something fun to look forward to at the end of the week can help motivate and "get you through" that week. 
• Exercise: I know, I know. I think many of us get sick of being told to move. However, there's a reason that people talk about it so much. It's healthy, impacts multiple areas of wellness, and really does help! Even getting outside and going on a walk with friends can be helpful!
• Volunteer: Getting outside of ourselves can be helpful in increasing our mood. If you have the time, find a place you can volunteer. Some places you can go for 1-2 hours one time, or you could find a place to volunteer a few hours a week! 
• Get out of the house: Walk around the mall, read at a coffee shop, hang out with friends, go to a club or religious service. The temptation when mood goes down is to isolate. Isolation is the fuel for depression, so resist the urge to lock yourself in your room for days on end. 
• Laugh! Whether it's with friends, watching a funny TV show, or looking at funny pictures online, laughter is healthy. Do it often:) 
• Light Therapy:I've talked about this before, but using a light can help increase mood. Talk to your doctor before using one, however, as it could make mania worse in those who struggle with bipolar disorder. (you can find out more about this treatment here)

These are just a few of the things that have been helpful for me over the years in getting through the gray and gloomy months of winter. For more information on the "winter blues" or seasonal affective disorder, check out the other posts from this series:

What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Treatments For Seasonal Affective Disorder

Now it's your turn!

How do you survive the winter blues? What's your favorite hobby? 

Treatments For Seasonal Affective Disorder

Continuing on with my discussion on Seasonal Affective Disorder, today I'll be talking about how to treat it. There are a number of ways to treat seasonal affective disorder. Like traditional depression, a combination of medication and therapy may be incredibly helpful.
In regards to therapy, the following steps will likely be discussed:

• REBT & Challenging Your Irrational Beliefs
• Identifying Cognitive Distortions {Part 1}
• Identifying Cognitive Distortions {Part 2}
• Challenging & Changing Cognitive Distortions

Another step that can be taken to help treat Seasonal Affective Disorder is the use of light therapy (also known as phototherapy). In this type of therapy "you sit a few feet from a specialized light therapy box so that you're exposed to bright light. Light therapy mimics outdoor light and appears to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood" (source). An important side note- the light therapy, while helpful, can increase symptoms for those who have bipolar disorder. Please talk to your doctor before purchasing a box!

In the morning while getting ready, eating breakfast, or reading, you can turn on the light and let it hit your eyes. This will mimic the sun and not only help wake you up in the morning, but will help change the levels of chemicals and hormones in your body that will regulate mood, among other things! Some insurance companies will help cover the costs of this, so talk to your doctor! For anyone living in a place with little sunlight in the winter, this can be a great asset to overall health and a feeling of wellness in life! 

As with depression, there are other lifestyle and environmental changes you can make to help aid in treating this disorder. Keep blinds open to allow for light (even if it isn't sunny outside) to fill your house. Get out and move. With depression that's generally one of the last things you want to do, but getting outside and moving can greatly help overall mood. Surrounding yourself with good social supports and not isolating is also incredibly important. 

Here are other posts from this series:
What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Now it's your turn:

Have you ever heard of light therapy before? What steps do you take in the winter to keep your mood up? 

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Following a discussion on what seasonal affective disorder is and what causes it, it's only natural to now discuss the signs and symptoms of the disorder itself.

The Mayo Clinic lists the following as symptoms of fall and winter SAD (source):

• Depression
• Hopelessness
• Anxiety
• Loss of Energy
• Heavy, "leaden" feeling in the arms or legs
• Social withdrawal
• Oversleeping
• Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
• Weight gain
• Difficulty concentrating

Of course if an individual is experiencing this symptoms year round, it's likely they are experiencing depression, and not specifically seasonal affective disorder. And, of course, we all have days that we feel at least some of these feelings. However, if you are experiencing this symptoms for more days then not for a few weeks, it is important to contact your health care provider. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact your doctor, go to the hospital, or call 911.

Now it's your turn:

After looking at this list, do you think either you or someone close to you has experienced SAD? 

Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Today I'll be continuing my discussing on Seasonal Affective Disorder. If you missed my introductory post on the definition of SAD and who it affects, you can check that post out here.

Today I'll be looking at the causes of SAD. This is a bit tricky, as the actual cause of the disorder is fairly unknown. The Mayo Clinic suggests that "it's likely, as with many mental health conditions, that genetics, age and, perhaps most importantly, your body's natural chemical makeup all play a role in developing the condition" (source). Because this disorder primarily happens in the winter, when there is a lack of sunlight, it leads people to believe that sunlight plays a big role in this disorder.

The Cleveland Clinic suggests the following: "One theory is that with decreased exposure to sunlight, the biological clock that regulates mood, sleep, and hormones is delayed, running more slowly in the winter. Another theory is that brain chemicals that transmit information between nerves, called neurotransmitters (for example, serotonin), may be altered in individuals with SAD" (source).

So, it appears that a number of contributors such as the body's natural rhythm, hormone & other chemical levels, and exposure to light all play a role in seasonal affective disorder.

Now it's your turn to share:
Any thoughts on the "winter blues"? What's one thing you do to stay happy and healthy in the winter? 

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Now that we have arrived into the depth of winter, a common complaint I hear in my office is that people are struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Because this is reasonably common, and it's the more common season to struggle with this, I thought I would do a few posts on the topic.

Today I will simply address the question "What is Seasonal Affective Disorder"?

According to the Mayo Clinic, "seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. If you're like most people with seasonal affective disorder, your symptoms start i the fall and may continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, seasonal affective disorder causes depression in the spring or early summer" (source).

While SAD can occasionally occur in the spring/summer months, it is far more likely that people will experience this in the fall and winter. SAD is also known as the "winter blues" and is a feeling of sadness and depression during those months. Approximately 5% of the population struggles with SAD, although this number varies by state (Alaska would have a much higher percentage of people diagnosed with SAD then southern states, for example). Interestingly, "women are twice to three times more likely to suffer from the winter blues than men" (psychcentral).

Now it's your turn:
Have you ever heard of or experienced the winter blues? 

Don't Use Words Too Big For The Subject

Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. 

- C.S. Lewis

If you've read this blog for very long, you know that I love talking about cognitive distortions! If you've missed some of the basic posts, you can check them out here:

Identifying Cognitive Distortions 

Identifying Cognitive Distortions {Part 2}

Challenging & Changing Cognitive Distortions 

What's The Deal With All the Catastrophizing? 

One way we can distort our thinking is by assigning words that are inappropriate for the situation. This can make us feel even more anxious, stressed, depressed, or angry. Here are some examples:

• "I'm SO ANGRY at that person!" Ok...are you really SO ANGRY, or just a little annoyed? You'll be more likely to feel more and more angry at the person if you continue to say how angry you are.
• "I'm COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED right now!" Let's step back for a minute. Are you actually completely overwhelmed, or are you a little busier and stressed then is ideal for you?

You get the idea. We often use words that are inappropriate for the situation, which can blow the situation out of proportion. Plus, when we are in a situation that is really terrible or completely overwhelming, what word will use to describe the situation. Interesting thought, isn't it? I expanded this idea a little in the post I linked above called "What's the Deal with all the catastrophizing"...I think it's worth checking out! 

I think it's incredibly easy for most of us to use inappropriate words in situations. I sure struggle with it. I grew up definitely exaggerating a lot of feelings, and I didn't realize until college how damaging and destructive this can be. It's been a many year battle to try to decrease this behavior in my life, and while I've often been successful, I still have those moments. I think that's part of being human. We may never be completely able to cut it out, but we can decrease it, and therefore make ourselves just a little healthier! 

Here's what I'd like to know:

Is it easy for you to assign an incorrect word to a feeling or a situation? 

Dealing With Grief {Part 2}

      In yesterday's post I introduced 4 healthy ways of dealing with grief and loss. Today, I will add 4 more ways to the mix. Remember that while some of these seem to only deal with grief in terms of death, grief can be a result of any sort of loss & suffering. Many of these ways I'm discussing work in helping to deal with any time of loss that you might experience.

•            Learn to identify your “grief triggers”-certain scents, songs, TV shows, places. Weather patterns, as well as birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries, can be incredibly triggering for grief and awaken past memories. Be able to identify them and plan ahead. For instance, if you know your loved one’s birthday is nearing, plan out the day with activities and support. You can't always avoid these triggers, but if you have a plan, you can deal with them without letting them overwhelm you!
•            Sometimes grief can move into depression. This can be difficult to distinguish, as there is an overlap in symptoms between these two things. If, after many weeks, there is still a consistent feeling of hopelessness/worthlessness, thoughts of suicide/wishing you had died with the person, inability to function, or feelings of guilt/blame for the loss, or feeling numb, then it may be important to talk to your healthcare provider or a counselor.
•        Work on increasing your overall wellness: Choose one of the 17 components of wellness (see the Wheel of Wellness), write SMART goals, and work on that behavior. It gives you a goal, and you’ll be healthier.
•       Engage in hobbies and activities that help you “get outside of yourself” and allow you to focus on something other then the grief for awhile.

Did you watch the wedding yesterday? Any fun plans for the weekend?

What's The Deal With All The Catastrophizing?

Remember back a few months when I did a series on challenging cognitive distortions and irrational beliefs? If not, you may want to start from the beginning and check our my 1st and 2nd posts on identifying cognitive distortions as well! One of the cognitive distortions I see frequently is catastrophizing or awfulizing. How often do you hear (or even say) something like one of the following phrases:

• That speech was HORRIBLE
• I did a terrible job on that test
• The weather is so wretched right now
• That person is just miserable to be around

Brainstorm for a moment what this sort of speech does to yourself and to those around you. Does it dump pessimism and negativity around you? Does it decrease mood? Increase stress and anxiety? Leads you to feel like a failure? Does it lead to decreased productivity?

How many things that we label some sort of awful experience, catastrophe, or something truly terrible actually are that bad? If we use these words to describe an annoying person, a poor grade on a test, a mess up on a speech, or something like a little cold or stormy weather, what words do we have to describe things like genocide, murder, abuse, or natural disasters? 

The next time you are tempted to use an extreme word, check yourself. Is it really that awful? Can you really not survive it? Try to challenge yourself in using those words, and use a softer and more accurate word (unpleasant, upsetting, rough, difficult, etc...) word to describe the situation. 

What you can do:

• Challenge Yourself in Using Extreme Words- Don't Catastrophize Situations!
• Make it a game with your friends, family, or Co-workers- Check each other when you use (or catch someone using) the extreme words, and see how can find a more accurate sentence to replace it first!

What do you think the effects of Catastrophizing or making situations more terrible then they actually are? Is this easy to do? 

Basics of the Cognitive Therapies

This will be the first post in a series based on Cognitive Therapies & dealing with Cognitive Distortions & Negative Self Talk. My goal in this post will be to familiarize you, the reader, with some general ideas behind the cognitive therapies and how each of us can distort reality.

Within The Cognitive Therapies, There Are Several General Attributes:
*Collaborative relationship between client and therapist
*Premise that psychological distress is largely a function of disturbance in cognitive processes 
*Time-limited & educational treatment focusing on specific & structured treatment problems

Why Focus On Cognitions?
* What a person thinks has a great impact on his or her feelings and behaviors
* We must be aware of how we think, feel, and behave before behavior modification can happen.

The Cognitive Triad
A pattern that triggers depression:
1. Clients hold a negative view of themselves & blame their setbacks on personal inadequacies
2. Clients have a tendency to interpret experiences in a negative manner
3. Depressed clients tend to have gloomy visions and projections about the future. They expect difficulties to continue, and they anticipate only failure in the future.

Rationale Emotive Behavior Therapy
*Albert Ellis says "People disturb themselves by the things that happen to them, and by their views, feelings, and actions."
*We have a strong tendency to escalate our desires and preferences into dogmatic "shoulds", "musts", "oughts", demands, and commands
*Internalizing these things can lead to frustration, unhealthy beliefs, depression, or anxiety

The Thankfulness Project

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

-- Epictetus

If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.

-- Rabbi Harold Kushner 

November is now upon us, and Thanksgiving Day is rapidly coming. On Thanksgiving, everyone in my family writes down two things that we're thankful for from the past year. Then, after we finish dinner, we pass the pieces of paper around and grab two of them. We then read the two items and try to guess who wrote it. It's a fun game to play while we focus on the blessings that we've had this past year. However, I always get the feeling that thankfulness should be much bigger then just one day a year. 

Focusing on your blessings and being thankful in life has been proven to increase mood and decrease stress . In a blog by CNN, they summarize findings from thankfulness research the following way: "Doctors say giving thanks, taking the time to notice positive things in your life is not only good for your psyche but it's good for your body. University of California at Davis researchers found that practicing gratitude can lower your blood pressure and make you feel less hostile. Grateful people are less angry, less negative and usually look for the cup half full. Studies by Cornell University researchers have shown that those who are thankful appear to have lower risks of developing phobias, alcoholism, even depression. They even have stronger immune systems" (http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/26/the-importance-of-being-thankful/). Sounds pretty great, right? Something so "simple" and not time consuming at all can do wonders to help you shift to a positive outlook on life, which leads to numerous health benefits. 

So, that being said, we should ask the question "So now what?" That's why I love the idea of the Thankfulness Project. Basically, all you do is come up with 5 things you're thankful for every day and write them down. This can be done on facebook, twitter, or in your own personal journal. Not only does it force you to think of positive aspects of life in the moment, but when you're feeling down and negative, you can easily go back and read a list of positive things in life. The next time you're tempted to complain about something in life, why don't you try listing a few things you're thankful for first?

Here's an example from my life: Today I'm thankful for:

*An extra hour to sleep due to Daylight Savings Time :)

*A warm place to sleep when it's cold outside

*Being able to spend last night with a group of friends

*Apple Cider-I love fall foods!

*The fact that no matter what's going on, there will always be the sunrise the next day

So, will you join me in focusing on blessings and having a thankful heart? If you're on twitter, write #ThankfulnessProject next to your list:) Good luck, and enjoy focusing on your blessings!