Category: therapy

Are my worries five, ten years ago, still relevant concerns today?

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A whole range of mental health issues are acquired or maintained through the development of delusional beliefs about ourselves and our world. Even the most common mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, are rooted by ingrained, strongly held delusional beliefs about ourselves or the world. Uncontrollable worrying is extremely common. Just think: Are my worries five, ten years ago, still relevant concerns today? And will they still be our worries in five, ten years from now? So, which delusional (not reflected by reality) beliefs do we chronic worriers hold now?

1. “I’m a born worrier.” or ” I’ve got to worry, so don’t even try to change me.”

2. “If I worry about something, it’s likely to happen.”

3. “Just because something I worried about in the past didn’t happen doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future.”

4. “Worrying will prevent bad things happening.”

5. “If I’m anxious about something, it must mean it’s a threat or a problem, so I should worry about it.”

6. “I must think through all the possible things that might happen otherwise I won’t be prepared.”

7. “If I let other people know what they do makes me worry, they will change their behavior.”

8. “It is better to spend a lot of time thinking about a problem than making a snap decision.”

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woman in white dress shirt sitting on brown wooden chair

I realize it’s not simple or easy but these delusional beliefs have to be analyzed in the safety of the therapist’s office. It may not be something we look forward to but it is our goal for better mental health and positive repercussions.

3 Books About Mental Illness That I Recommend

Living with mental illness, I sometimes get asked which are the really good books to increase compassion and on what it’s truly like to struggle day-to-day. My favorite three are as follows:

madness marya hornbacher

Madness by Marya Hornbacher pulls no punches in giving you a ringside seat into the devastating illness that is bipolar disorder. The most serious form is when psychotic episodes appear which I found similar to schizophrenia. The major plus for this read is that mental distress particularly during her hospitalizations spills from the page so effortlessly.

the center cannot hold elyn saks

I found Elyn Saks’ The Center Cannot Hold after watching the author’s TED talk, which is fascinating and very informative. I have the utmost admiration for the writer who, although clearly affected by the symptoms of her illness, didn’t allow it to define her or stop her from doing what she wanted to do with her life. It’s a truly honest, heart-wrenching account.

kay redfield jamison an unquiet mind

Kay Redfield Jamison’s An Unquiet Mind is another book about bipolar and not schizophrenia but the turbulence is similar and the fact that she fought meds for so long until she finally succumbed to the realization that they are indeed truly necessary and lifechanging so that sufferers can now fully function with their assistance in our lives. Jamison is a psychologist so she writes the scientific aspects in an easy to understand, charming witty and all too human way.

Psychosocial Treatment

angelagreyI’ve been receiving psychotherapy since I was twelve plus in and out of group therapy from the age of fifteen. So why is it now that I’m being prompted to add other psychosocial treatments to the mix. I know the response: to improve socialization. However, doesn’t class work count towards psychosocial therapy?

Psychosocial treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy (changing negative thought patterns), family education, occupational therapy, group and family psychotherapy, and cognitive remediation. They are thought to help lessen schizophrenia symptoms, learn new skills, help in coping with the illness, prevent relapse, and achieve a connection with others.I already learn new skills from all the classes that I take. Regarding the compensatory learning strategies, I think the classes I’m in also aid in memory, planning, organizing, and concentration.  I think this blogging helps, too. It allows me an outlet to journal experiences each day. In that way, it will aid in preventing relapse by getting feedback from my family members in order to stay focused on being mentally healthy.

Fire Ritual for Healing

fire ritualThis class was a circle of healing using the fire element in the form of flame and ash as our focal point of intention. Our goal was to destroy that which no longer serves us, such as negative memories, and allow it to be transformed into new beginnings.It is a purification ceremony. Each person in the group was helped to form clear intent before we started. My goal was to burn the old in order to make way for the new. Others wanted to go inwards to use their DNA to connect with their ancestors, release negative energy, leave old habits behind, learning to forgive, or let go fears or limitations and grieve losses to free up space and resource of mind and body. Those connecting with their ancestors first grieved the loss of their loved one then called upon them for guiding spirit. It was to banish mental burdens in the flame and make way for balance and harmony to be created from the ashes.

We used stones, water, and nature as well to connect with our intrinsic purpose and to move ahead with purpose in being a creative participant in life as a whole. The last part of the session was in the back garden where we embraced all that grows and transforms such as plants, trees, and flowers. Our goal in the back garden was to face our fears, especially of the unknown, which for most of us involved chronic illness (mental or physical). It put us all on the same level as we shed our masking personas that we took in to the class. We ended at the water feature which symbolically cleansed us from toxicity and mental debris and restored and renewed our purified being.

Courageous Writers Circle

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In this class, we first set up our sacred space. Next we received our model cue for the day. Then as we wrote the instructor guided us through relaxation prompts to allow our creativity to come forth. Afterwards came the opportunity to share which promoted recognition of our efforts, connection with others, and understanding of different circumstances which were in our stories. Both speaker and listener interacted, even if the listener never spoke. It was truly enriching to hear about the lives of others in what they wanted to share in this courageous writers circle.

Crystal Sound Bath Therapy

crystal sound bowl bathMy latest class in sound therapy went well, as expected. I took the class for meditative effects as it makes me sit still for a half hour and helps in calming me down to a relaxed state which lessens my anxiety and counteracts the stressors in my life. Plus I don’t experience tremors (medication side effects) when I’m meditating, at least not the majority of the time. The class began with brief introductions, as it was only a half hour long activity then to an invocation to create sacred space for our activity. Only ten people were in attendance so there was plenty of room to stretch out on the floor in the sanctuary. Most brought their own mats but I had to use the center’s carpet remnants which was still comfortable.

The bowls’ harmonies were extremely calming. Sound and vibrational healing isn’t new (some believe the universe was brought into being by sound), simply not mainstream. The facilitator told us that sound healing is typically done with acoustic instruments or simply the human voice and it is beyond the human ear that our skin and bones (through every cell and atom) conduct vibrations throughout the entire body.

Frosted crystal bowls (pressurized silica sand and water) of various sizes amplify energy and transfer the sounds to our bodies with a synergistic effect that was produced through the different harmonies of the various bowls and the added use of various small musical instruments. The instructor spoke intermittently to tell us what was happening; and in doing so used a tone that harmonized well with the bowls, too.  It was an excellent exercise in mind-body healing (balance and harmony) as it was deeply relaxing, promoted self-awareness, and added some clarity to my day.

Group Meditation

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Prior to needing meditation, I never realized how many opportunities exist if you only look for them. From community college continuing education, to college walk-in silent group sessions, to the mental health non-profit opportunity I took part in today. I’ve found that meditation is necessary with my schizophrenia because it helps to control the restlessness and tremors when I relax and intentionally forces the stress out of mind and body. For me, not only is medication necessary but I don’t know where I’d be without silent group work.

Overcoming Schizophrenia

Mind-Body-Spirit

Spiritual networking, movement exercises, and peer group work are some of ways that I’m handling my schizophrenia diagnosis. In addition to spirituality and resilience group therapy, and as well as qigong and yoga, I’ve also signed up for the following classes:

The Art of Centering

Beyond Aromatherapy

Nutrition and Cancer

Crystal Singing Bowl Sound Bath

Integrative Wellness

WarmFeet Intervention

Writing from the Body

Soul Journeying and Drum Circle

The nutrition classes aren’t just for me but my family as well. My daughter was diagnosed with MALT lymphoma a few years back and is undergoing immunotherapy maintenance (Rituximab). Centering and Journeying are more spiritual in nature and WarmFeet is because I am pre-diabetic. The sound and aromatherapy is simply peaceful and relaxing while the writing is therapeutic and helps with cognitive setbacks.  I’m often socially withdrawn because of my schizophrenia and medication side effects so these classes keep me communicating with others. The others in the groups all experience different illnesses or are caregivers to someone so it helps to know how others cope with unfortunate illness or life’s setbacks.