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Therapists Explain 5 Ways to Recover from a Traumatic Experience

May 17, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Many people live through a traumatic experience but escape relatively unscathed over time. However, others develop mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result.

You might connect PTSD with soldiers returning from war. And that can be the case. But some people develop the condition from being the victim of a violent crime, witnessing an accident, or even the loss of a loved one. We will delve into several of the reasons why people develop PTSD.

What the Experts Say About Coping with a Traumatic Experience

“There are real neurobiological consequences of trauma that are associated with PTSD,” said Dr. Farris Tuma, who runs the NIH traumatic stress research program, according to the National Institutes of Health.

When you’re in danger, your body responds in a fight-or-flight mode that can help you get out of dangerous situations. However, if you were exposed to a stressful or dangerous situation for an elongated time, you may have chronic problems. These include trouble sleeping, flashbacks, and anxiety.

If your symptoms last more than one month, your doctor might diagnose you with post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.

The Definition of a Traumatic Experience

What is a traumatic event? A traumatic experience or development is an alarming and distressing time in one’s life that brings about a strong emotional response. At first, shock sets in, but future issues may be flashbacks and severe emotions or even headaches.

While many may associate PTSD with soldiers and veterans, trauma and its related symptoms can occur among many different people throughout their lifetimes.

Anyone who has been through physical or sexual abuse are likely to suffer from trauma-associated symptoms. Many people may have PTSD who have been through a natural disaster such as an earthquake or a hurricane. Also, post-traumatic stress is frequent among those who’ve been in severe car crashes or other accidents.

“Most people associate post-traumatic stress symptoms with veterans and combat situations,” explained Dr. Amit Etkin, an NIH-funded mental health expert at Stanford University. “However, all sorts of trauma happen during one’s life that can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder like symptoms.”

The AURORA Study: The Biology Behind a Traumatic Event

Scientists believe it would be helpful to figure out what puts people at risk of post-traumatic stress disorder. Dr. Samuel McLean, a trauma expert at the University of North Carolina, and his team have been attempting to uncover how the brain reacts to stress and trauma.

The AURORA study looked at depression, physical pain, post-traumatic stress, and post-concussion syndrome among those who faced a traumatic experience. These researchers pursued 5,000 trauma survivors for one year to better understand their mental and physical problems.

“We’re enrolling people who visit trauma centers immediately after trauma because evidence suggests that a lot of the important biological changes that lead to persistent symptoms happen in the early aftermath of the trauma,” McLean stated.

The researchers are:

looking at life history before the trauma,
collecting genetic and biological data
conducting brain scans to see any changes in the brain,
and recording post-traumatic symptoms.

Also, smartwatches and mobile apps are being used to assess the survivors’ bodily responses to trauma. This data may help scientists better understand how people’s moods, sleep patterns, and activities change due to trauma.

“Our goal is that there will be a time when trauma survivors come in for care and receive screening and interventions to prevent PTSD, just in the same way that they would be screened with X-rays to set broken bones,” clarified McLean.

The AURORA study followed a large number of survivors and conducted tests ranging from self-reports to digital phenotyping, neuroimaging, and genomic analyses. This testing began in the first stages after a traumatic experience and continued for one year.

5 Ways to Recover from a Traumatic Experience

While scientists continue to uncover the biology behind trauma, there are some steps that survivors can take to recover from a traumatic experience. Five ways to recover from trauma include:

Talking with friends and family as a coping strategy;
Attending a support group and/or talking with a mental health professional;
Utilizing self-help apps, books, or websites such as those created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs;
Considering noninvasive brain stimulation if you don’t respond to treatment;
Undertaking music therapy as a potential solution.

Let’s move on to look at each of these more closely. Read on.

Can you erase an emotional trauma from your brain? Read to learn the answer.

1 – Talking with Loved Ones to Work Through a Traumatic Experience

You’ll find that you need a good coping strategy to overcome traumatic experiences. Many turn to negative forms of coping, such as drinking alcohol or even taking drugs. However, talking to your friends, family, and significant others can help you overcome some of the memories and emotions associated with your trauma.

You’ll want to seek support from your friends and family or those who have gone through similar situations. Those who can relate and be there for you will help you feel less alone. Asking your family for support is vital. While your loved ones may not know what to say, you may find it freeing to talk about what happened.

You’ll also need to take time to recover. Understand that it may take weeks or months to overcome your trauma or tragedy. Talking it over with others or spending time with close ones can help you heal. Take things slowly and let yourself feel those emotions, even if you cry.

2 – Attend a Support Group or Talk with a Mental Health Professional

Usually, talking with family and friends can help you overcome trauma.However, if it continues, you should find a mental health professional. When should you seek professional advice? Seek therapy when:

You’re feeling overwhelmed by sadness and anxiety.
You cannot sleep and have nightmares.
Your life isn’t returning to normal after six weeks.
You refrain from spending time with others.
Your work is suffering.
You are using alcohol or drugs to cope with your feelings.

When learning to cope better and recover from your traumatic experiences, you’ll benefit from speaking with a mental health professional. Talking with others in a support group may also help you. You’ll want to make an appointment with a therapist who is trained in trauma-focused therapy when experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms.

“For those who start therapy and go through it, a large percentage of those will get better and will get some relief,” explained Dr. Farris Tuma of the NIH.

Post-traumatic stress disorder can have a variety of different symptoms among people, so some treatments may not work for you while others may do the trick. It’s essential to try out various therapies to see which type of treatment works best for you.

3 – Utilize Self-Help Apps, Books, or Websites

If you’re a veteran or soldier suffering from trauma, you’ll benefit from using the tools, mobile apps, and self-help website that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs created. There are apps for mindfulness, and one called a PTSD coach to provide you more guidance.

There are countless self-help books for helping survivors recover from their trauma. One book with many positive recommendations is called Healing from Trauma: A Survivor’s Guide to Understanding Your Symptoms and Reclaiming Your Life. It is written by Jasmin Lee Cori, and it seems to have helped many people.

With the assistance of self-help books and apps, you may be able to get your life back on track, especially if you are uncomfortable with talking with a therapist. You’ll also want to get into a routine. Don’t forget to eat and have healthy, balanced meals. You can even start taking part in some simple and gentle exercises.

Your routine should involve spending time with others doing things besides focusing on your trauma. For example, go out to dinner with friends or see a movie with your significant other.

4 – Noninvasive Brain Stimulation for Those Not Responding to Treatment

Medical professionals have utilized noninvasive brain stimulation to help both veterans and others suffering from the post-traumatic stress disorder. This process is only used when the patients are not responding to any other treatments.

In 2014, researchers from Los Angeles, California, used deep brain stimulation to help veterans overcome their post-traumatic stress symptoms. The clinical trial found a 30 percent reduction in the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) total score after undergoing deep brain stimulation.

The research uncovered in the pilot trial can help other scientists create studies that can better determine the advantages of deep brain stimulation for soldiers, veterans, and others facing treatment-refractory PTSD.

5 – Music Therapy May Could Be Your Solution

Many people also benefit from music therapy. You’ll find that music therapy is currently being utilized to help people from a variety of backgrounds. This includes those suffering from depression and also those on the autism spectrum.

Music therapy may include making music, moving to the beat of a song, singing, or listening to music. This can help with physical rehabilitation, teach coping methods for stress, motivate people, and decrease pain.

Final Thoughts on Overcoming a Traumatic Experience

If you’ve been through a traumatic experience, you may want to try talking to a therapist or support group. Or you may benefit from trying out music therapy and a self-help book.

Whichever of these five strategies you choose, there are clearly proven ways to help trauma survivors overcome, recover, and heal from their tragedy.

Text Neck Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

May 17, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Text neck syndrome can cause pain from constantly craning your neck to see the screen. Since many people seem to be attached to their smartphones, this syndrome has become increasingly common. The more time you spend looking down at your phone or other mobile devices, the more text neck symptom will impact you.

Talking on the phone doesn’t seem to cause the issue, but frequently bending your neck to text or play a game can. Your smartphone is a way to call friends and family, do research, take a picture, and do countless other things. For some people, staring at the phone happens more frequently than anything else.

However, text neck syndrome can even happen to people that aren’t constantly on their phones. Anytime you lower your head to look at your smartphone, you increase the risk of developing text neck syndrome.

When you overuse your neck or overextend it for frequent extended periods, it leads to pain. With the fast-paced world we live in, it seems that constantly communicating via text or other messaging and social media apps is hard to resist. If you have this problem, you must implement a lifestyle change before it becomes a chronic condition.

What is Text Neck Syndrome?

Text neck syndrome is not an official medical diagnosis. Instead, it is a term used to explain repetitive stress injury from looking down at a mobile device.

Your neck contains a complex section of your upper spine, the cervical spine. The cervical spine has seven spinal vertebrae and 26 muscles that support your head and allow a range of motion. While it can move up and down or side to side, it isn’t designed to stay extended.

Since the average head weighs ten to twelve pounds, your spine and muscles come equipped to balance it. Your neck works like a spring to suspend your head over things you’re doing, extending the neck and resulting in poor posture. The further your neck extends downward, the more the unnatural strain and force affect your body.

When you keep your head lowered to read texts or scroll social media, the pressure can increase to sixty pounds. This excess pressure leads to severe neck pain, and the issue is becoming more widespread as people spend more time on devices.

Text Neck Symptoms

The symptoms of text neck are painful and uncomfortable. If you notice that you have any, avoid looking down and start making a lifestyle change. The symptoms include:

Pain in the upper back, neck, or shoulders
Intense stabbing sensation
Forward head posture with rounded shoulders
Reduced mobility in the neck, upper back, or shoulders
Headache
Increased pain when the neck flexes forward
Tingling, numbness, or weakness in the neck or shoulder area
Balance issues
Jaw pain
Painful muscle spasms
Tightness across the shoulders

In more severe cases, you might experience:

Early-onset arthritis
Spinal degeneration
Muscle weakness
Disc compression
Loss of lung capacity
Abnormal curvature or rounding of the upper back, or a flattening of thoracic kyphosis

Text Neck Syndrome Causes

There are not many causes of text neck syndrome, but there are a few, including:

Frequently looking down at a mobile device for extended periods of time
A strained muscle in the back or side of your neck due to overstretching of muscle fibers and tendons
Hanging your head forward, increasing the force on your neck
Stressed muscles, joints, and ligaments from being overworked

How is Text Neck Syndrome Treated?

If you see a doctor for the pain from text neck, they will ask a series of questions and examine before suggesting treatment options. The doctor will ask about your medical history, family health history, exercise and diet habits, medications, and symptoms. Then, they will do a physical exam to check for anything unusual.

Treatment options might include these.

Exercises: Exercise can help alleviate neck pain and reduce forward head posture. It addresses and reverses muscle imbalances, restoring a better-aligned posture. Choose low-impact exercise if you aren’t already experienced or comfortable, and then work your way into more intense activities.
Stretches: Muscle imbalances typically develop from text neck, but stretches can alleviate the pain. Your deep cervical flexor muscles elongate while the muscles at the back of your neck toward the base of your head shorten. Plus, the upper back muscles elongate, and the chest muscles shorten.
Being Mindful of Postural Habits: When using a mobile device, being mindful of your posture can help reverse the damage. Make it a habit to check your neck position as you use your mobile devices.
Cut Back on Mobile Device Use: You can still use your smartphone and other devices with moderation. Consider cutting back on the amount of time you spend on them, though. Cutting back will promote healing and ease the neck pain associated with text neck.
See a Chiropractor: A chiropractor can manually adjust your spine, easing neck pain and treating misalignment from excess pressure. They can also recommend things you can do at home to promote correct alignment and take care of your body.
Practice Meditation: Meditation promotes relaxation of tired and aching muscles. It helps you relax each muscle group as you work through the body, focusing on the painful areas.
Physical Therapy: A physical therapist can design a program specific to your needs. The program will include stretches and exercises to reverse the condition and alleviate neck pain. Your doctor might recommend a program to promote mobilization, stretch tight muscles, encourage strengthening, and retrain posture.
Treating Nerve Pain: Text neck syndrome can cause degeneration and compression of nerves in the neck. When this happens, nerve pain occurs, requiring treatment for nerve pain to alleviate text neck.
Ice or Heat Packs: Try rotating ice and heat packs when you experience pain from text neck. It can ease the pain while reducing inflammation.
Get a Professional Massage: A professional massage therapist can pinpoint the areas with tense or overworked muscles. As the masseuse applies pressure and massages the surrounding areas, the text neck symptoms will ease. Sometimes, they’ll massage spots that seem unrelated but turn out to be effective for your discomfort.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture involves tiny needles being places just below the surface of your skin. You must visit a professional for this treatment method, as they know the correct places to put the needles. They place them at pressure points throughout the body that helps with pain and other issues.

Text Neck Syndrome Prevention

Since most people use a smartphone, text neck syndrome should be a concern. Luckily, there are things you can do to prevent it, including:

Lift Your Phone Higher: Move your smartphone or other devices closer to eye level. When you do this, you won’t have to tilt your head forward, preventing excess pressure. If you keep it low for privacy purposes, try turning down the brightness so that it’s harder for others to see when you hold it up higher.
Take Frequent Breaks from Your Device: Spending time away from your phone or any other type of head-forward posture can prevent text neck syndrome. You might find it helpful to set the alarm or automatic reminders to take breaks after so long. Another way to have more breaks is to set specific times to use your phone and avoiding it any other time.
Practice Good Posture: Practicing good posture requires standing straight with your chin tucked in and shoulders pulled back. This keeps the body aligned in its natural position and prevents the pain of text neck. Good posture also supports the health of your bones, joints, and muscles.
Arch and Stretch: Arch your neck and upper back once in a while to ease muscle pain. Anytime you feel tension settling in, do this backward arch to help prevent further issues. Stretching can help rebalance your body and your neck movements, providing better posture and less pain.
Exercise Regularly: Regular exercise is beneficial all around, but it can also help handle excess stress. When your back and neck are strong and flexible, the additional pressure from looking down won’t be as detrimental. Find exercises that target these areas, such as yoga or Tai Chi.
Roll Your Neck and Shoulders: When you roll your neck and shoulders, it relieves built-up tension. Anytime you feel a little tense, do this before it gets worse and progresses.
Avoid Repetitions of Movements Like Swiping or Typing: If your body is already in an unnatural position, high repetitions of these movements can cause pain. You’ll be using the same muscle repeatedly without switching positions or resting.

Final Thoughts on Text Neck Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

As text neck syndrome becomes more common, recognizing the symptoms and causes can help you. When you know what causes it, you can work on preventing the syndrome and neck pain. If you think you already have text neck, getting a professional diagnosis can help.

A medical professional can help you come up with a treatment plan. They will recommend a few options, giving you the best information to decide. Additionally, they can help you find ways to prevent it from reoccurring in the future.

Knowing the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment options for text neck syndrome can be life-changing. Many people don’t realize how detrimental looking down at a smartphone can be. Help yourself stay healthy and feel good by making a few simple lifestyle changes when it comes to your phone.

Science Reveals Anger and Irritability Linked to Depression

May 17, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Do you ever feel angry, and you don’t know why? Do you find that you are irritable and snapping at people even when you don’t mean it? Also, have you become so grouchy and cranky that you can’t even stand yourself sometimes?

Your irritable nature may be caused by depression. It sounds odd to say that a depressed person is angry, but it makes perfect sense. While you may think that someone who is sad wants to close themselves off from the world and cry in silence, it’s not always that simple.

Research shows that many people become quite irritable when they are depressed. Since being clinically and circumstantially depressed is vastly different, it stands to reason that someone who is still functioning and going to work each day could be quick to lash out at someone. Not everyone isolates, though when you’re boiling angry and even hostile towards others, giving yourself a time out, maybe what you need.

Anger is the Easiest Emotion to Show

Let’s talk about anger. If someone takes your parking space at the supermarket after you’ve waited for it for several minutes, then you wouldn’t break down into tears. Rather, you would probably honk your horn, use an obscene gesture, or yell at them. You want this person to know how mad they have made you.

People often use their grouchy side to express themselves because it’s very natural. A grown man isn’t going to cry over that parking spot, but he would get mad and let the person know that he is mad. The same can be said about despair. It’s quite easy to let someone know when they tick you off, but you’re not going to let them see you cry.

Using Rage to Motivate

Over time, you’ve naturally learned how easy it is to express yourself when you’re upset. Some people feel that their rage helps them stay in control of a situation. For instance, if you manage 20 employees at work, you will find that you need to have effective methods to keep them in line.

How many managers have you seen who motivate others through their harsh words or actions? A boss may come in and slam something across the office because there was an error in a shipment. That person has learned to motivate others to react based on their actions.

If the boss would have spoken in an even tone, then maybe they wouldn’t have been able to build fear and encourage employees to change. It’s not an effective management style, yet it’s used every day. The knee-jerk reaction produces the desired effect.

What that manager failed to say is that their job is on the line, and they’re going to get in trouble. They may be experiencing despair because corporate big shots are breathing down their neck. There are usually reasons for people’s rage.

Symptoms of Depression

When you become depressed, you have several feelings inside that make going through the daily grind almost impossible. While each person is different, some of the most common things one will experience include the following:

•Loss of Interest in Things You Once Loved
•Feelings of Hopelessness or Helplessness
•Suicidal Ideations
•Sleeping Too Much or Too Little
•Isolation
•Unable to Function as You Once Did
•Missing Appointments and Forgetting Things
•Calling off Work Frequently
•Personal Hygiene Suffers
•Drastic Changes in Your Eating Habits
•Moodiness and Irritability

When you feel horrible, then you aren’t going to be all sunshine and smiles. Rather, you’re ready to bite someone’s head off at the first sign of a problem. Is it possible that you are experiencing hopelessness and not even aware?

Clinical Versus Acute Depression

A person who is clinically depressed is someone that has been feeling down for a while. They may have been dealing with the symptoms of this common mental illness for six weeks or more.

However, a person who is experiencing acute depression can have a period of blues that is based on circumstances. If you’ve recently lost a loved one, had a relationship end, got fired from a job, or had your hours cut at work, then it’s reasonable to experience the blues.

Everyone will experience periods in their life when they will be down and out. Thankfully, most learn to cope and pull themselves out of this situation. Consequently, when you cannot shake the feelings of angst, and it continues for longer than a few weeks, then it’s classified as clinical.

Realize that people who are experiencing acute varieties can still function. You may be able to go to work, do the grocery shopping, and have your house clean from top to bottom. Your angst is causing you difficulty, but you continue everyday activities.

Unfortunately, when people are clinically depressed, they are unable to keep going at all. They have a complete shut-down of their system and need professional intervention. Left untreated, those affected can spiral deeper into mental illness or commit suicide.

Doctors Often Prescribe Drugs to Treat Depression (but not so fast, there’s more work to do)

Although depression is one of the most prevalent mental illnesses in America, you can find treatment. If you notice one or more signs and symptoms, then it’s time to talk to your healthcare professional. You needn’t battle despair on your own.

Unfortunately, unhappiness and other mental illnesses still carry a stigma in our society. As in the past, mentally ill patients are often viewed as weak, attention mongers, and those lacking in religious faith. Because of common misconceptions and fear, depressed people may be hesitant to seek treatment.

If you are diagnosed with chronic hopelessness, your healthcare provider may suggest an antidepressant. The good news is that patients have more options with better drugs than decades ago. Medical science continues to make advancements in the understanding and treatment of depression.

Your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant that best fits your needs. Usually, doctors start patients at the lowest therapeutic dose and will titrate as needed. Even though most of these medications may have side effects, the benefits typically outweigh them.

However, ask your doctor also about alternative therapies. Medication can cover up your symptoms. But until you uncover and treat the root of your depressive symptoms, you will not enjoy true healing. Thus, doctors typically prescribe medication and also recommend you see a mental health professional.

Treating Depression with Therapy

Most mental health professionals agree with countless studies suggesting that those depressed are best treated with a combination of drugs and therapy. While medication may help with chemical imbalances in your brain, therapy offers coping strategies and lifestyle change suggestions.

You may be familiar with cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT. Another name for it is psychotherapy. If you are depressed, you may avoid seeing a therapist because of misconceptions. Understanding how CBT works can ease your fears and place you on the right track for treatment.

Psychologists say that we react to things in our world according to our perceptions. If you have a skewed sense of reality about a situation, your reaction may also be unbalanced. CBT seeks to challenge misperceptions, form new opinions, and ways to cope accordingly.

First, your therapist will help you sort out your feelings about situations in your life and how they may have formed. Then, your perceptions will be challenged to understand if they are true or false. You will work together to bring your perceptions into reality, and to modify your behaviors for the best.

CBT has successfully treated clinical despair in millions of people over the years. Along with prescribed medication, it continues to be a valuable tool for mental health professionals. Your primary physician can help you find a licensed therapist who specializes in CBT for mental health issues.

Other Tools to Use with Your Treatment Plan

Did you know that you can alleviate some of your depressed feelings with self-help? For centuries, Eastern practitioners have known the benefits of meditation. Countless scientific studies in East and West concur and recommend it to depressed patients. Your therapist may suggest useful ways for you to meditate at home.

You don’t need to be a guru to benefit from meditation. Find a quiet spot at home or work, close your eyes for a few minutes, and allow your thoughts to pass in and out like clouds. While your mind is at peace, focus on mindful breathing and lifting the fog of despair.

Another complementary tool that CBT professionals suggest is journaling. Be alone with your written thoughts as you discover how you created false statements and how these have affected your life. You may have a moment that will lead you to reality-based thinking and overcoming your hopelessness.

Final Thoughts on the Link Between Anger and Depression

Being depressed is a severe mental disorder that isolates people from their family, friends, and the things they used to enjoy. While some solitude is needful and healthy in your life, total withdrawal from society isn’t good for you.

If you are diagnosed with a mental illness, then surround yourself with a loving network of support. Keep people in your life who offer positive influence and nonjudgmental conversations. A friend or loved one who has also experienced depression can be a valuable supporter.

Even symptoms like unexplained anger may point to a problem with hopelessness and sadness. Be kind to yourself and seek medical treatment if you experience this and other signs and symptoms. You needn’t let misery rob you of the joy you deserve.

Therapists Explain 6 Ways To End A Sibling Rivalry

May 17, 2020 by Power of Positivity

There is nothing worse than listening to your children bicker and fight all day long. Sibling rivalry can quickly wear on your nerves. Most parents hear iconic phrases like “I’m telling on you,” and “He took my toy.” While you may want to run away and may have got in your car with the keys on occasion, there are ways to combat this behavior.

As your children bicker, it builds tension in your home, making it an unpleasant atmosphere. Thankfully, you can use these experiences to teach rather than to cause discord. Conflict resolution is a part of everyday life.

Using these disagreements, you can teach your children about how to resolve their issues without nasty tones and harsh words. For the parent, consistency is the key. You must set firm ground rules and not allow them to get away with things on the weekend that you don’t permit during the week.

How Do You Stop Sibling Fighting

The resolution for this common problem begins with you. By ensuring there are household rules, well-defined consequences, and you are fair with all the children. Then you can establish expectations. Keep in mind that it’s normal for children to argue.

However, as an adult, it’s your job to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand. You must keep your temper and your children under control. To help you implement a program in your home that allows for less arguing, here are six ways that therapists suggest ending sibling rivalry between brothers and sisters.

1. Establish Firm Ground Rules

Most households already have rules in place for arguing. However, if you don’t have these rules established, then take a few minutes to develop a list that your family can use. Call a family meeting and tell the children the importance of following these guidelines.

Consistency is essential. If you don’t give consequences when the rules aren’t followed, then they won’t see the need to obey. Make sure you are clear on your expectations as children love to push boundaries as far as you will allow them.

Remember, some days are going to be better than others, and you must rule with understanding. Kids are going to be kids, and brothers and sisters are going to argue. You are just the referee in their daily encounters.

2. Never Compare Your Children

Did you know that one of the main reasons why sibling rivalry exists is because parents compare children? When one child is doing well, it’s easy to brag about them as you are proud of their accomplishments. However, while the child making the right decisions does deserve praise, there are other children than are feeling insufficient.

Never compare two children against each other; instead, make sure to make a point of good qualities of all. Try to find something to praise each child daily, even if it’s just for helping to bring in the groceries. Remember, that negativity will feed negativity. If you want your children to be positive, then you must set the example.

It’s essential that all your children feel loved and wanted by you. The older your kids get, the harder it is to connect and show your love. It’s easy when they are young and will allow you to hold and cuddle them, but those tactics don’t work on teenagers.

Don’t fall into the trap of comparing your children’s attitudes, behaviors, grades, or general demeanor. When you praise one over the other, you are setting your household up for sibling rivalry. Sadly, most sibling rivalry doesn’t end when children reach adulthood.

3. Treat All Children Fairly

Another thing that parents often do without realizing it is that they play favorites. It’s easy to love and be close to that child that is doing well and seems to have it together. However, the tides will turn. It seems children rotate, and one does well for a while, then the other one takes a walk on the wild side.

You must create a trust system among your offspring. One of the biggest causes of rivalry is when one child feels that they are not the favorite. They will vie for your attention and use behaviors, both good and bad, to get it.

You must be fair to all your kids and ensure that the rules are not made for one. The difficulty is that each child has unique needs, and your discipline style must vary. While you may use different tactics, you must ensure that all parties get a fair punishment.

4. Rule with Regularity

In parenting, stability is everything. If your children know your weak spots, then they will use them to their advantage. You cannot bend, adjust, or change the rules for any child. To set a good example for your kids, you want them to learn the fine art of being consistent.

Now, on the other hand, parents must remember if you don’t want your home full of sibling rivalry, then you cannot argue with their mom or dad in front of them. Sure, you will have disagreements, but you need to take them to a private room. So if you want your children to learn to get along with each other, then you must learn to do the same.

If the rules say you must make your bed in the morning, then they must receive a consequence when the bed is not made. Thus, if you don’t punish when a rule is broken, then they will break them time and again. Plus, your child will quickly learn you don’t stick with your word, which is a dangerous position to be in a parent.

5. Allow Them Some Space to Work it Out

Part of being an effective parent is giving your kids the tools to work through conflicts. If your children start to argue, then you don’t always have to step in to assist. Sometimes, you need to lay down your referee whistle and let them figure it out.

You can encourage them to use their words and take turns talking about the issues, but don’t be so quick to jump in with punishments. Teach them to identify the problem, and you must give them the tools to resolve it. However, just because you don’t step in doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be close by.

Things can take a drastic turn at a moment’s notice, and you may need to get that whistle out and put on your referee cap. When parents teach appropriate conflict resolution, then children learn to have respect for one another.

6. Teach Teamwork in Daily Life

One of the best ways to combat sibling rivalry is to teach teamwork in daily life. Rather than making activities about competition, why not teach them to work together? A team is always stronger than one individual. One of the best exercises to teach teambuilding is relay races.

Make the game where the children are against the adults, and you will teach them the importance of working together. You have many opportunities around your home to teach teamwork. Simple tasks such as mowing the grass, folding the laundry, or doing homework, are all examples of when it’s better to have more hands helping.

Final Thoughts: Sibling Rivalry is Normal

Raising children is not for the faint of heart. They can be very taxing and take you to the brink of emotional despair. However, while there are so many difficulties in this significant job, they are the best gift you could ever ask for in life.

Remember, you’re not the only parent struggling with the arguing and constant bickering. When you have both boys and girls in the home, it can be an all-out war zone. You must find useful tools to resolve their conflicts.

Another thing that you can do for your children is to make them feel special. It’s so hard to carve out time each day with all the items on your to-do list, but you should give each child 10-15 minutes of your undivided attention.

Let them talk to you about what’s bothering them and make them feel that their voice is heard. Make sure you put down the cell phone and turn off the television. Give your ear to them and allow them to vocalize their feelings.

As parents, it’s easy to think that your children don’t have issues. After all, they don’t have to go to work each day and provide for your household. However, you cannot diminish the problems in their little world.

An argument with a friend at school can be just as much of a catastrophic event in their world as you are being exhausted from working so many hours. If you want to tame sibling fights or arguments, then you must first listen to them. Lastly, you must set a good example for them to follow.

20 Quotes to Motivate You to Live Your Best Life

May 16, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Your ultimate goal in life should be to live your best life. This idea sounds simple enough, but it’s not something you can do by sitting passively. These quotes to motivate you can start you down the right path.

You have to get moving and take the necessary steps to make your life what you want. Sometimes you may need a little motivation to get going.

When you find yourself needing motivation, reading quotes to motivate you to live your best life can help.

Quotes to Motivate You to Live Your Best Life

1. “If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.” – Bruce Lee

Over-thinking things can hinder your ability to get them done. You’ll start thinking of all the things that can go wrong, making it more challenging to motivate yourself.

2. “Small daily improvements over time lead to stunning results.” – Robin Sharma

You don’t have to make extreme changes right away. Instead, work on improving yourself a little at a time can lead to significant results in the end.

3. “Experience can only be gained by doing not by thinking or dreaming.” – Byron Pulsifer

Once you’ve decided you want to do something, you must act on it. You can’t waste time thinking about it or dreaming.

4. “The only person you should strive to be better than, is the person you were yesterday.” – Matty Mullins

You can only live your best if you strive to be better each day. Don’t compare yourself to others because the only person you need to be better than is yourself. Always spend time improving and learning, and you’ll reach all of your goals.

5. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr., in P.S. I Love You

You don’t want to look back on your life and be disappointed in your life. Brown explains it perfectly in this quote. Get moving and do all the things you’ve ever dreamed of doing.

6. “One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning, and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don’t throw it away.” – Stephen Hawking

Go through life–loving, enjoying, and fulfilling your purpose. By doing these things, you’ll find yourself happier, and your life will be on track for reaching your dreams.

7. “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Don’t avoid trying something new because of the fear of failure. You may not always get things right the first time, but you can try a different way next time. The only thing that you must do is to try something.

8. “Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy and create some new ones.” – Unknown

You can’t sit back and complain about your life. If it isn’t going the way you want it to, you must act to make it better.

9. “Poor is the man whose future depends on the opinions and permission of others. Remember this, if you are afraid of criticism, you will die doing nothing!” – Andy Andrews

Don’t let the fear of criticism stop you from doing what you want to do. This is your life to live, and, as Andrews explains, you shouldn’t look for the opinions of anyone else.

10. “Forgiving yourself means that you give up on your hope that the past will be different. When we forgive, the slave we free is ourselves.” – Unknown

This situation is one of the few times that giving up hope is acceptable. In this instance, you cannot change the past, so there is no use hoping for something different. When you accept that, you can free yourself and begin moving forward.

11. “Do not wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it.” – Unknown

Not many people are lucky enough to have opportunities and experiences fall into their lap. If you want to get something done, you have to go after it.

12. “Success seems to be connected to action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” – Conrad Hilton

If you don’t do something, you’ll never succeed. You can’t sit around and expect everything to happen for you. Get started, make mistakes, and try again until you get the results you desire.

13. “For all of the most important things, the timing always sucks. Waiting for a good time to quit your job? The stars will never align, and the traffic lights of life will never all be green at the same time. The universe doesn’t conspire against you, but it doesn’t go out of its way to line up the pins either. Conditions are never perfect. “Someday” is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you. Pro and con lists are just as bad. If it’s important to you, and you want to do it “eventually,” just do it and correct course along the way.” – Timothy Ferriss

There is no such thing as the perfect time. No matter the situation, you just have to get started to reach your goals. Nothing will ever be perfect, so by getting started now, you’ll get there sooner.

14. “There is an amazing power getting to know your inner self and learning how to use it and not fight with the world. If you know what makes you happy, your personality, interests, and capabilities, just use them, and everything else flows beautifully.” – Juhi Chawla

When you learn about yourself and begin to understand who you are, life will get better. You’ll figure out all of the details about yourself that allows everything else to come naturally.

15. “After all, this is how you learned how to walk. You didn’t just jump up from your crib one day and waltz gracefully across the room. You stumbled and fell on your face and got up and tried again. At what age are you suddenly expected to know everything and never make any more mistakes? If you can love and respect yourself in failure, worlds of adventure and new experiences will open up before you, and your fears will vanish.” – Dr. David Burns, Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

By trying over and over again until you get it right, you’re allowing yourself to be successful. Mistakes happen, but you have to try each time anew. Only then will your life be what you want it to be.

16. “Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Continue to learn. Appreciate your friends. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.” – Mary Anne Roadacher-Hershey

Take care of yourself, do essential and new things, enjoy your life, laugh, and avoid regretting your past. Furthermore, always continue learning, appreciate those you love and who love you, and do things that you enjoy. If you can do all of these things, you’ll live your best life.

17. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking down your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” – Mark Twain

This quote to motivate you comes from one of the greatest American minds, Mark Twain. He reveals a basic truth. You can’t reach your dreams if you never get started. So, the sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll reach your goals. Do this by setting small goals and getting started on the first one right away.

Don’t stop there, though. Once the first small task is done, do the next one without waiting or thinking about it. Keep that pattern going until the ultimate goal is reached.

18. “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” – J.K. Rowling

If you spend your time dreaming about what you want your future to look like, you’re holding yourself back. You can’t just think about it. You have to go for it. The only way to reach your dreams is to get started.

19. “Don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.” – Louis E. Boone

If you fear failure to the point that you don’t do anything new, you’ll never get to where you want to be. You’ll end up regretting all of the things you missed out on. Don’t let this happen to you.

20. “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” – Vince Lombardi

Your life will be better if you commit yourself to do your best. It doesn’t matter what you’re working towards in life, but if you commit yourself, you’ll reach your goals.

Final Thoughts on Quotes to Motivate You to Live Your Best Life

It’s up to you to make your dreams and goals happen. These quotes to motivate you to live your best life may help you get started.

Don’t wait to start working toward the life you want. If you start now, you’ll get there much quicker.

Doctors Explain 10 Ways Stress Can Affect Your Health

May 16, 2020 by Power of Positivity

It’s hard not to feel stressed out with all the things that are happening around us. Climate change, an ongoing pandemic, political upheaval The list goes on and on. And it should come as no surprise that with all this stress comes plenty of medical concerns!

But this all has to be just in the mind, right? How exactly does stress affect our health?

Here’s how doctors explain ten ways stress can affect your health.

1. Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems

Stress often is a signal for our body to work harder to escape whatever scary thing is coming after us. Unfortunately, it can also cause plenty of health problems if this emergency mode goes on for too long.

· Elevated Blood Pressure

It’s a thing – the American Heart Association agrees that stress is yet another thing to add to the list of factors for increased risk of high blood pressure.

· Stroke and Heart Attack Risk

When we get stressed, it triggers our brains to make the adrenal glands release stress-related hormones – specifically, adrenaline and cortisol. Both work to increase blood pressure and heart rate. Great if you need to run from something, but harmful in the long term as the heart struggles to keep up. Repeated fluctuations in blood pressure can increase one’s risk of a heart attack or a stroke.

· Respiratory Issues

If you’ve already got asthma, you may have noticed it’s been getting harder to breathe. While chronic stress and anxiety don’t cause asthma, it can worsen preexisting respiratory problems – just like any other strong emotional response.

2. Reduced Exercise

Ever noticed how much your gym routine slips when you’re stressed out? Notice that by the time you’re home, all you want to do is plop down in front of the screen and laze out? There’s a good reason for that.

According to doctors, your exhaustion isn’t just your imagination. Indeed, stress can have a massive impact on how much energy you have. This feeling can make it harder to do exercise when you’re home, even if it’ll help with stress relief.

3. Central Nervous System and Hormones

When you are stressed, your brain puts your central nervous system into a state of panic. This process kickstarts adrenaline and cortisol production in the adrenal glands, which in turn, revs up your heart rate and oxygen intake, so your major organs are all prepped and ready to go.

Great for emergencies, but your body isn’t meant to handle this for long and will quickly start breaking down. Additionally, scientific studies have proven that the hormones released delay the healing process, making it harder to heal from wounds.

With how prolonged stress can cause all sorts of health issues, this might be one of the few instances where positive thinking might help you recover faster!

4. Metabolism

Thanks to evolution, our bodies are hardwired to store fat when stressed. The idea is that in times of emergency, our bodies will at least maintain some kind of food storage on us. Unfortunately, that’s not so helpful in today’s world, where we don’t exactly need to survive a famine.

Thanks to all that cortisol in your bloodstream, your body will opt to hold onto fat instead of burning it for energy. This process can develop excess belly fat and general central body fat – all of which link to all sorts of health problems, such as increased cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Put this together with the unhealthy habits that are likely to develop during a stressful period, and you’ll quickly find yourself at growing risk for a variety of health issues.

5. Digestive System

Ever noticed that when you’re nervous, you can feel too sick to eat? Or when you’re super anxious, it seems to be affecting your gut? As it turns out, that isn’t just your imagination.

· Digestion

When you’re stressed, it can cause your intestines to spasm – something that is highly disruptive to healthy digestion. This activity can lead to all sorts of digestive problems like bloating, upset stomach, and even diarrhea.

· Acid Reflux

Chronic stress, especially if it’s sudden and acute, can raise your stomach’s acid levels. This can lead to acid reflux and cause all sorts of problems with your stomach.

· Type 2 Diabetes

If you find yourself stress-eating, you may want to stop. Stress eating can increase blood sugar levels, which can eventually lead to insulin resistance. Keep that up, and you might find yourself facing type 2 diabetes shortly afterward.

6. Mental Health

Our mental health strongly intertwines with our physical health. So it should come as no surprise that when stress affects our brain, it’ll also affect our ability to maintain positive thinking in times of crisis. After all, how can we take care of our bodies if our brains aren’t healthy and happy?

· Moodiness

Stress has very tangible effects on the brain, often affecting the levels of mood-related neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. This, in turn, affects our moods and can cause things such as concentration problems and extreme emotions.

· Addiction

Research, unfortunately, has shown positive links between stress and addiction. Doesn’t matter if you’re starting one, maintaining one, or relapsing – if you’re stressed, the risk of you engaging with addictive behavior goes up.

· Symptoms of Depression

If you are at risk of developing a mood disorder, stress might just be what kicks it off. If you already have one, such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, or a panic disorder, stress will make it worse.

· Dementia

Think your midlife crisis was bad enough? Turns out, a study has found that women who have high levels of midlife stress have a higher chance of developing dementia too.

7. Reproductive System

The last thing most people would think of is to have sexual intercourse when they’re stressed. As it turns out, stress can affect more than just your mood for intimacy. Indeed, it can also affect your reproductive organs.

· It Messes With Your Menstrual Cycle

With how stress can already affect your hormones, it should come as no surprise that it can also play havoc with your menstrual cycle and regular flow.

· It Can Cause Unexpected Pregnancies

Depending on who you ask, this can be both a positive or a negative. Stress can suppress and delay one’s ovulation period. This means a person may only start ovulating after they have been relieved of their stress, likely without their knowledge. This can make it easier to garner an unexpected pregnancy.

· It Can Cause A Lack Of Fertility

If it can affect your hormonal cycle, you can bet it’ll change your fertility as well. Studies have shown that the more stress a person has to endure, the more likely they will have infertility – even after taking other factors into account.

· It Can Mess Up Functionality

Stress may cause performance issues, such as erectile dysfunction. While in the short term, you may get a brief testosterone boost from it, long-term stress can cause one’s testosterone levels to drop and affect one’s sperm productions as well.

· It Makes Cold Sores More Common

Cold sores a regular occurrence in your life? Watch out – stress can make cold sore outbreaks more common.

· It Can Lower Libido

Chronic stress affecting your sex drive should be apparent. The last thing you’ll want to do is get busy and intimate when you’re being overwhelmed.

8. Immune System

Chronic stress can negatively impact your physical health – and your immune system is no exception to the rule.

· Illness Risk

Because of how chronic stress affects every significant component of overall health (such as diet, exercise, and sleep), it can lead to a weakened immune system. Ergo, more chances of you falling sick.

· Triggering Health Issues

The last thing you need when stressed is your illnesses to reactivate. Unfortunately, research has found that chronic stress can cause outbreaks of diseases like shingles, which usually is repressed by the immune system after apparent recovery.

· Delaying Illness

This might come in wild contrast to everything else you’ve read so far, but stress can also temporarily suppress potential illnesses. Hormones like adrenaline keep you operational during a stressful event, but you might crash and fall sick afterward when it wears off.

9. Sleep Patterns

Have you noticed just how hard it is to fall asleep when you’re stressed? And when you finally do, it’s like you never get any rest? It turns out. It isn’t just your imagination – stress does affect your sleep.

According to doctors, stress creates or worsens preexisting anxiety. And unfortunately, anxiety and sleep problems tend to bounce off each other. So the more stressed you get, the more anxious you become – and that just makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.

10. Muscular System

It’s a popular image that the more stressed you are, the stiffer your muscles get. As it turns out, it isn’t all that far off from the truth. When you’re stressed, your body tenses up its muscles in preparation for a fight, this can make it pretty difficult to relax, especially when you don’t get a chance to let go of that tension.

All that tension can lead to pain, as tight muscles lock into position. You may find yourself suffering from all sorts of shoulder pains, back pains, and body aches – and a result, find yourself skipping exercise and reaching for the painkiller instead.

As tempting an idea it is, you really shouldn’t do it. Committing to doing exercise kills two birds with one stone, letting you reduce stress in addition to relaxing tense muscles. At least do some stretches!

Final Thoughts On Some Ways Stress Can Affect Your Health

It’s easy to dismiss stress as something that is just entirely mental. Unfortunately, it has authentic effects on our physical health – and in the long term, can create all sorts of problems. And with everything that is going on in the world presently, it can be hard to avoid getting stressed one way or another.

Thankfully, there are plenty of things we can do to help reduce our stress. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with exercise and good food should form the crucial cornerstone of our stress management. Learning how to manage and organize your work will also go a long way to reducing stress as well!

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