Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Do "I" make me look Fat?
Poor self-esteem is an issue that we, as humans deal with everyday of our lives. Some of us struggle more (of course) and some that seem to be totally in love with themselves...are secretly overcompensating for their insecurities. I think that its quite possible that everyone has a flaw that they focus on that will never measure up to other people's standards.
There are 3 types of low self-esteem victims:
The Impostor: acts happy and successful, but is really terrified of failure. Lives with the constant fear that she or he will be "found out." Needs continuous successes to maintain the mask of positive self-esteem, which may lead to problems with perfectionism, procrastination, competition, and burn-out.
The Rebel: acts like the opinions or good will of others - especially people who are important or powerful - don't matter. Lives with constant anger about not feeling "good enough." Continuously needs to prove that others' judgments and criticisms don't hurt, which may lead to problems like blaming others excessively, breaking rules or laws, or fighting authority.
The Loser: acts helpless and unable to cope with the world and waits for someone to come to the rescue. Uses self-pity or indifference as a shield against fear of taking responsibility for changing his or her life. Looks constantly to others for guidance, which can lead to such problems as lacking assertiveness skills, under-achievement, and excessive reliance on others in relationships.
Here are some tips on how to combat low self esteem:
There are 3 types of low self-esteem victims:
The Impostor: acts happy and successful, but is really terrified of failure. Lives with the constant fear that she or he will be "found out." Needs continuous successes to maintain the mask of positive self-esteem, which may lead to problems with perfectionism, procrastination, competition, and burn-out.
The Rebel: acts like the opinions or good will of others - especially people who are important or powerful - don't matter. Lives with constant anger about not feeling "good enough." Continuously needs to prove that others' judgments and criticisms don't hurt, which may lead to problems like blaming others excessively, breaking rules or laws, or fighting authority.
The Loser: acts helpless and unable to cope with the world and waits for someone to come to the rescue. Uses self-pity or indifference as a shield against fear of taking responsibility for changing his or her life. Looks constantly to others for guidance, which can lead to such problems as lacking assertiveness skills, under-achievement, and excessive reliance on others in relationships.
Here are some tips on how to combat low self esteem:
- Ask friends to tell you what they like about you or think you do well.
- Ask someone who cares about you to just listen to you "vent" for a little while without trying to "fix" things.
- Ask for a hug.
- Ask someone who loves you to remind you that they do.
- Talk to a Therapist or Counselor Sometimes low self-esteem can feel so painful or difficult to overcome that the professional help of a therapist or counselor is needed.
Talking to a counselor is a good way to learn more about your self-esteem issues and begin to improve your self-esteem.
Still Curious??? Go to http://www.utexas.edu/student/cmhc/booklets/selfesteem/selfest.html#anchor967912
Dealing With Traumatic Events
It's everywhere in the news...
everytime you pick up the paper, turn on your radio, or switch the television on...there are traumatic events that cannot be explained.
Plane Crashes
Car Accidents
Murders
Suicides
Shootings
Hate Crimes
We may think that we have become numb to all of the possible threats and dangers in life, and because we are still in college in an (lets face it) ideal environment, we think that we are invincible. But what happens when something bad happens? What happens when it is your school that falls victim to mass shootings? Your friend who kills himself? Your mom who overdoses on prescription pain pills?
What then?
I guess instead of asking why these things happen, its best to just find a solution that works.
How do we deal with such pain, helplessness, and horror?
If you are struggling with events that happened last week or traumatic events that you went through as a child...there are some things that you can do to deal.
everytime you pick up the paper, turn on your radio, or switch the television on...there are traumatic events that cannot be explained.
Plane Crashes
Car Accidents
Murders
Suicides
Shootings
Hate Crimes
We may think that we have become numb to all of the possible threats and dangers in life, and because we are still in college in an (lets face it) ideal environment, we think that we are invincible. But what happens when something bad happens? What happens when it is your school that falls victim to mass shootings? Your friend who kills himself? Your mom who overdoses on prescription pain pills?
What then?
I guess instead of asking why these things happen, its best to just find a solution that works.
How do we deal with such pain, helplessness, and horror?
If you are struggling with events that happened last week or traumatic events that you went through as a child...there are some things that you can do to deal.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
- Breathe – slow and deep abdominal breathing.
- Maintain regular exercise.
- Moderate intake of fats, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and smoking.
- Keep a regular sleep schedule as much as possible.
- Schedule your time and meet as many of your usual commitments and activities as possible.
- Take time to be alone in order to listen to yourself.
- Don’t withdraw for an extended period of time.
- Avoid overextending yourself in your work or in new commitments.
- Be aware of your feelings and talk about them with others.
- Transfer the energy of anger into productive activities within your community.
- Ask others directly for what you need and want.
- Help others.
- Pray, meditate, spend time in nature, or do whatever suits your belief system and allows you to connect with something larger than yourself.
Just remember that it is normal to grieve, question, and have strong feelings. Embracing them and understanding them is what's important.
More Questions about dealing with Traumatic Events? Visit http://ccvillage.buffalo.edu/vpc.html
Thursday, March 6, 2008
David Hasselhoff [oh my!]
David Hasselhoff may be the 'coolest thing since sliced bread' but he can be taught a thing or too about Alcoholism. I am roughly using him as an example of just how silly it looks for a person to be beligerently drunk. He may claim to not being an alcoholic. I dont want to jump to conclusions.
Here are some facts that helped me to better understand Alcoholism, a disease that seems to be overtaking America. For example, alcoholism starts with an addiction which is a chronic relapsing brain disease. Brain imaging technologies actually show that addiction severely alters brain areas critical to decision-making, learning and memory, and behavior control, which may help to explain the compulsive and destructive behaviors of addiction. This makes drinking almost impossible to stop once its gotten to the point of addiction.
Here's a checklist...
The American Psychiatric Association says that a person is dependent if their pattern of substance use leads to clinically significant impairment or distress shown by three or more of the following in a 12-month period:
1. Tolerance as defined by any of the following:
a need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect
markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance
2. Withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following:
the characteristic withdrawal symptom of the substance
the same or a closely related substance is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms
3. The substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended (loss of control)
4. There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use (loss of control)
5. A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance, use the substance or recover from its effects (preoccupation)
6. Important social, occupational or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use (continuation despite adverse consequences)
7. The substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance (adverse consequences)
::::::::::::FoR YoUr EnJoYmEnT:::::::::::::::
David Hasselhoff VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH3JAp7vMuo
The FUNNIER Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUWkySpoEC8&feature=related
***All of my information was derived from the amazing website that deals with mental struggles such as alcoholism....check it out at http://ccvillage.buffalo.edu/vpc.html.
and the signs of Alcoholism from http://www.hbo.com/addiction/understanding_addiction/19_when_is_someone_addicted.html
Here are some facts that helped me to better understand Alcoholism, a disease that seems to be overtaking America. For example, alcoholism starts with an addiction which is a chronic relapsing brain disease. Brain imaging technologies actually show that addiction severely alters brain areas critical to decision-making, learning and memory, and behavior control, which may help to explain the compulsive and destructive behaviors of addiction. This makes drinking almost impossible to stop once its gotten to the point of addiction.
Here's a checklist...
The American Psychiatric Association says that a person is dependent if their pattern of substance use leads to clinically significant impairment or distress shown by three or more of the following in a 12-month period:
1. Tolerance as defined by any of the following:
a need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect
markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance
2. Withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following:
the characteristic withdrawal symptom of the substance
the same or a closely related substance is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms
3. The substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended (loss of control)
4. There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use (loss of control)
5. A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance, use the substance or recover from its effects (preoccupation)
6. Important social, occupational or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use (continuation despite adverse consequences)
7. The substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance (adverse consequences)
::::::::::::FoR YoUr EnJoYmEnT:::::::::::::::
David Hasselhoff VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH3JAp7vMuo
The FUNNIER Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUWkySpoEC8&feature=related
***All of my information was derived from the amazing website that deals with mental struggles such as alcoholism....check it out at http://ccvillage.buffalo.edu/vpc.html.
and the signs of Alcoholism from http://www.hbo.com/addiction/understanding_addiction/19_when_is_someone_addicted.html
The Need to Fight
The Need to Fight
Domestic violence is an age old epidemic that is runs rampant, even today. I know the picture to the left is a man abusing a woman but it is actually common for it to be the other way around. Men get abused too!
In some households children and the elderly are hurt, as well.
The reason why I chose this topic especially is because throughout my life, I have been physically, emotionally and verbally abused. It's hard to share, but maybe someone would read my words and they'll be inspired to question the way that they are treated.
The emotional/psychological abuse that I went through went something like this: my great-grandma fills the table with fried southern dishes and calorie slam-packed desserts and forces us to eat...until we (my sister and I) are about to pop. Then she backs away from the table and gets out her scale and measuring tape and precedes to measure my waistline at age 8 and my sister's at age 11. After telling us we are too big for our age, she makes us get on a scale. Shaking her head in dissapproval, she writes our weights down on an index card, used for just that occasion.
My physical abuse was actually from my grandmother whom I lived with for years and have just recently (November) moved away from. She and the rest of my family think that its okay to hit others who are younger than you, and weaker. From a very early age, I was spanked, and popped...all of the usual types of punishment until beatings would get worse and verbal abuse was at its highest. I was hit with switches, sticks, flyswatters, books, shoes, hands, and eventually fists. I would be constantly slapped or pinched for 'backtalking' and told that I 'deserved it' and "if you irritate someone enough, then they'll react".
The worst situations have happened in the past 2 years when i was punched in the face at least 4 times while driving....yeah i know that sounds funny.
but I'm being dead serious.
punching isnt cool!
Okay so i guess I'll get down to the point:
The root of physically hurting, calling names, picking on, criticizing, and screaming at a person is to belittle them and to make them submissive to a higher/authoratative power. First, this power breaks down his/her victims self-esteem, makes them start beleiving that they not worth alot, then the physical abuse begins....the goal of it all???? To control another human being. To feel the power, and the rush of excitement.
Some Information:
Why Does It Happen?
If you're one of the thousands of people living in an abusive situation, it can help to understand why some people abuse — and to realize that the violence is not your fault. Sometimes abusers manipulate the people they are abusing by telling them they did something wrong or "asked for it" in some way. But that's not true.
There is no single reason why people abuse others. But some factors seem to make it more likely that a person may become abusive.
Growing up in an abusive family is one factor. Other people become abusive because they're not able to manage their feelings properly. For example, someone who is unable to control anger or can't cope with stressful personal situations (like the loss of a job or marriage problems) may lash out at others inappropriately. Alcohol or drug use also can make it difficult for some people to control their actions.
Certain types of personality disorders or mental illness might also interfere with a person's ability to relate to others in healthy ways or cause people to have problems with aggression or self-control. Of course, not everyone with a personality disorder or mental illness becomes abusive.
Fortunately, abuse can always be corrected. Everyone can learn how to stop.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Extreme Behavior: Bipolar Disorder
What's cool for Britney is cool for us right?
Since the beautiful, young bombshell hit the public eye in 1999 with her international hit "Hit Me Baby One More Time", many people have wanted to actually hit Britney Spears. What started out as a normal, sweet 17 year old American teen, soon turned into the nightmare that we know today.
Just open your newspaper or go to yahoo.com, it wont be long before you see her name plastered all over the pages, she's everywhere. As her behavior becomes more and more erratic, the singer gets more and more attention. She thrives off of it, desperately.
GET HELP
Britney Spears was hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center for a psychiatric hold early lastThursday morning, after being transported by ambulance from her Studio City home around 1 a.m. An LAPD source tells PEOPLE: "Spears was escorted by police and is on her way to get help."
I think I have an answer for the first question, but not a clue about the second.
She's bipolar, or at least claiming to be.
What is Bipolar Disorder?
It's a 'disease' that's also known as manic depression or manic-depressive illness— and involves dramatic shifts in mood from the highs of mania to the lows of major depression.
According to helpguide.org some signs of the 'condition' include:
- Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity
- Euphoric mood
- Extreme irritability
- Decreased need for sleep
- More talkative than usual
- Racing thoughts
- Distractibility
- Increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation
- Risky behavior
- Impaired judgment
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/bipolar_disorder_symptoms_treatment.htm
The question remains, however, about whether or not Britney, or other normal people who are under constant, stress actually have a "medical condition" or is it a side effect of the lives that they live?
With Americans becoming more fast paced everyday, and focused on physical, and mental perfection, one has to wonder if the pressure to acheive (and the inevitable failures) of today's society are a cause of these such 'conditions'. Are we only exhibiting natural behaviors that would arise after being under such trememdous stress? Isnt that how we are biologically designed to operate under stress? The Fight or Flight theory sure sounds familiar right about now...
And while looking at the list, I can definitely identify with many of the symptoms, but what college age student with the weight of the world on their shoulders wouldn't?
Think about it.
Britney, I feel for you.
A link to an awesome article from The Times "How We Get Labeled":
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1004091-1,00.html
In case you've been living under a rock for about 8 years, here's some background on Britney Spears: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britney_Spears
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
