Holistic Therapy for Couples - Creating Balance In Your Life And Relationship

By Stephen Daniels

Many couples who are experiencing trouble in their relationships wisely opt to see a counselor for help. However, many may not realize that there are differences between holistic counseling and traditional counseling. These differences can really come into play when trying to work out issues in a relationship.

Traditional counseling typically focuses primarily on the issues the couple brings to the session to discuss, whether they are subjects of frequent arguments, one partner's hurt feelings, or intimacy issues. Working on these surface issues can be helpful, but this approach acts more as a band-aid to cover only visible wounds while ignoring the imbalance between the partners that could be causing the wounds.

Individual disagreements and communication problems within a couple may be symptoms of a much bigger issue - one that will never be addressed by traditional counseling. Often, when two people need of therapy, both the individuals and the couple as a unit are out of balance and need a more holistic approach to help them heal themselves and their relationship.

Holistic Counseling is completely centered on assisting partners in reclaiming that balance and wellness for themselves and for the relationship. A balanced partnership is one founded upon feelings of love, trust, intimacy, and joy. The right holistic therapy will focus on increasing these aspects of the bond.

The holistic approach is excellent for people who feel like their relationship is out of balance, particularly if they suspect that their arguments are a symptom of a bigger problem. Relationships that don't have enough joy, intimacy, or positive communication can benefit from this method. Through holistic therapy, partners can explore these issues and discover new ways of thinking about their bond with one another.

Holistic therapy may particularly appeal to people who find a traditional therapist's approach off-putting. Some participants in typical therapy sessions feel like they are being involved in a moderated debate; others even think their partner and the therapist are ganging up on them.

Another big plus of holistic counseling is that it is far less likely than traditional counseling to result in medication being given to one or both parties. Antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and sleeping pills are often prescribed by traditional counselors. Sometimes, these drugs serve only to increase relationship issues problems. They can cause sexual problems or even change an individual's personality to some degree. This can cause yet another rift in an already fragile partnership. While drugs are not inappropriate for every case, many modern practitioners use medication as a first line of defense rather than a final resort. There is no doubt that swallowing a pill is easier than changing a couple's worldview or the way that they work with one another.

Holistic therapy should not be viewed as a quick fix to relationship problems. However, it will reach down to the roots of the bond to improve the couple as a whole as well as both individuals. It is an approach designed for partners who desire true balance in their lives, both together and separately. - 30309

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How To Treat Anxiety Naturally And Effectively

By Alexandrie Earlsmith

The number of individuals suffering from anxiety has been on a steady incline over the last twenty years. Whatever has caused your worries you will want to learn how to treat anxiety naturally and efficiently without the need for prescription medications that may cause over problems.

There are many issues that can bring on this mental turmoil; it may be mild or very severe. There can be times when the degree of the worry becomes so intense that it is hard living a regular life.

1. Diet: The human body is a very sensitive machine. You may have heard the phrase "we are what we eat", and this is actually true. If you have a diet high in junk food and fats then you will have a lot more toxins and waste products floating around your biological systems. This can in turn lead to greater levels of anxiety. You should limit the amount of alcohol and caffeine that you consume as well as eradicating any tobacco products that you may be using.

2. Exercise: Every time we do any exercise our body will produce endorphins. This substance will in turn lead to a feeling of wellness and happiness for many hours even after the workout has finished.

3. Relaxation: You may often have problems trying to forget about the stressful events that have happened in your day. If it feels like you are constantly suffering from anxiety then you should try out a calming technique such as yoga or meditation. Through either of these practices you will learn methods to calm the mind and keep negative thoughts locked away.

4. Herbs: Today there is a wide array of herbal supplements that you can pick up from any health food store which are known to reduce the symptoms of anxiety. Whenever you feel the tension rise you should make yourself a cup of chamomile tea. The properties of chamomile can quickly reduce the levels of anxiety that are present in any individual. Make sure you check out any potential side effects before using herbs.

5. Hypnosis: Of late, hypnotherapy has become a popular method for curing anxiety once and for all. It is a completely safe method that will work on the subliminal mind to prevent negative emotions from coming to the fore. Most cities and towns in the country will now have alternative health centres in which treatments such as hypnotherapy are conducted by trained professionals. - 30309

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Stop Panic Attacks And General Anxiety Fast

By Adam Champagne

I have been a panic and anxiety sufferer for many years now. In my opinion, it is one of the worst mental conditions to have. You feel trapped in your own body, always worrying about the next time a panic attack will hit you.

When I first started getting panic attacks I didn't know what they were. I scoured the internet looking for any diagnosis I could find. The one thing that initially helped me the most was knowing that other people had the same condition I had. I wasn't alone! This discovery made me realize that I wasn't a freak and other people were dealing with the exact same problem that I was.

Discovering this fact was very comforting, but it alone was not enough. I needed a way to break the cycle. I started reading a lot of books about panic and anxiety disorders and they all seem to have some fundamental principles in common.

The first thing is that you need to assess your situation. Ask yourself "what am I afraid of?" I was constantly afraid of having another panic attack. Then ask yourself "why am I afraid of it?" I was afraid because I thought that I would have a heart attack as a result of the panic attack.

Next, you need to ask yourself "what is the worst that could happen?" I thought I could die, that is all I thought about which ended up bringing on more panic attacks and put me in a constant state of anxiety.

Now that you've identified what the worst thing that could happen is you must prepare for the worst. I started doing research about panic attacks and anxiety disorders and I quickly found that people do not die from panic attacks. It just doesn't happen. This fact alone decreased my anxiety greatly.

It doesn't matter what triggers your panic attacks, 99% of the time that thing you are afraid of will not happen. Even if it does it usually isn't that bad, your just making it out to be in your head. It's a vicious cycle and the good news is that you can break this cycle!

There are a great many resources online to help you with panic attacks. The best thing I did was join a program that guided me through the process of getting rid of my panic attacks for good. It took me by the hand and guided me the whole way. I am glad to say that I am now panic free! - 30309

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About Chronic Tension Headaches

By Rose Williams

There is a fairly good chance that someone you know has had some type of headache recently, just because there are so many different sorts of headaches around. These sorts of headache may be the result of dehydration, missed meals, migraines or other kinds of headache like a tension headache or even a chronic tension headache.

A tension headache can feel like a tight elastic band wrapped tightly around your head, however, the pain from a tension headache goes away after a short time. But imagine having to suffer from a tension headache every day - for weeks on end. This kind of tension headache is classified as a chronic tension headache because the symptoms may be experienced at least 15 days a month for a period of several months.

In the case of chronic tension headaches, the symptoms of the headaches are quite similar to those of tension headaches, except that the pain never actually seems to go away. People who have experienced chronic tension headaches, say that the pain is as if they were wearing a pressure band around their heads. Other people have described severe chronic tension headache pain as a hooded cape that drapes down onto their shoulders.

In the case of both tension headaches and chronic tension headaches, the pain can be felt either in the forehead region, in the sides of the head or sometimes even at the rear of the head. At its usual strength the chronic tension headache is a dull, aching pain, although sometimes the pain is like a tourniquet. Generally the pain is mild to moderately severe.

The severity of the pain varies with the general physical state of the individual concerned and it can also vary with the different kinds headaches. A lot of people start to experience chronic tension headaches as soon as they awake in the morning, whereas others say that their chronic tension headaches do not start until the early hours of the morning.

Normal tension headaches are more common than chronic tension headaches, however twice as many women as men suffer from chronic tension headaches. The duration and the severity of the pain is about the same as the normal variety in this sort of headache, however the pain from the chronic tension headache is almost a daily occurrence and is also continuous.

Those who suffer from chronic tension headaches are thought to be more prone to anxiety and depression than non-sufferers of chronic tension headaches. It is also well-documented that chronic tension headaches are more common during or after heightened periods of stress and anxiety. Furthermore, anyone who has mood disorders like depression or anxiety should have these conditions treated before getting their chronic tension headache attended to.

Those who suffer from chronic tension headaches can lead normal and fulfilling lives with the proper medication and treatment. Over time, they may understand what the triggers of their headaches are and how avoiding these triggers can prevent the onset of a bout of chronic tension headaches. - 30309

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How To Manage Stress

By Gabriel Lozen

Dealing with stress daily is certainly difficult. In addition, it is unavoidable so people have no choice but to deal with it daily. However, stress can be reduced or can simply be managed. There are many ways of dealing with stress but many people are not aware of these methods. A person not able to cope up with the daily stress is more likely to acquire long-term adverse emotional and mental effects. This is the reason why experts on this field of study suggest that people must learn about self-help stress management.

Stress shows symptoms as your body reacts to it. The most common signs of stress are:

-Headaches

-Muscle pains

-Dizziness

-Nausea

-Profuse sweating

-Irregular bowel movement

-Palpitation

-Involuntary shaking of the body

Experiencing the symptoms mentioned above are signs that a person is under stress. Experiencing the symptoms can lead to irritability. In the end, a person suffering from the symptoms may begin to develop other serious illnesses such as asthma, hearth ailments and insomnia. Other people may form bad habits such as excessive drinking and smoking. In these cases, self-help stress management will play an important role in aiding a person to cope up with his problem.

There are simple steps to follow in stress management. Mastering each step will enable a person to deal with stress with ease at any situation. Moreover, self-help stress management will help reduce the risk of developing bad habits, serious mental, emotional and physical ailments.

1. Problems are triggers of stress. Learning how to face a problem is the start of managing stress. Identify the problem and learn to accept it. Afterwards, find ways on how to solve the problem. You can get a lot of help from the people around you like friends, family members or even professionals in the field of stress management.

2. Identify the things that may stress you and avoid them. If the thing that triggers your stress is away from you, you will less likely feel stressed.

3. Sharing your feelings to others will help reduce the stress. However, you should also learn how to take charge of your own feelings related to the things that bring you stress.

4. Always think positively for negative thoughts will just add up to your stress.

5.Give yourself enough sleep or rest and take on a healthy diet.

6.Try to form a hobby to divert your mind into something enjoyable. - 30309

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Overcoming the Great Difficulties That Come With It - Loving Someone With OCD

By Veronica Carrillo

Are you having a hard time loving someone with OCD? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can affect different kinds of people in numerous ways, but you don't have to be the one who's experiencing the problem directly to have difficulties of your own with it. When someone you care about shows signs of unusual behavior, it can frequently lead to causing trouble within the relationship. Most times this can get worse since no one actually understands what is happening.

Bad thoughts have an easier time manifesting in our minds while something we care about appears to be off. We become fearful that the trouble has something to do with ourselves, or even begin to have wrong ideas about the other person. You may question whether or not their actions are made with the point of annoying you, to make a plain statement, or any amount of other reasons. If you wish to know for sure what is happening, and to save your relationship before it becomes worse, you ought to do both of you a favor and simply chat.

One of the most noticeable problem and almost everyone has this involves forgetting names. This is to say the recent memories are affected however, it is surprising to note that short-term and remote memories are not usually affected. Proof that with aging the brain stores information differently. Also age-related decline of memory does not indicate lessened intelligence or inability to learn. The brain simply needs more time to process new information. Aging itself does not cause memory loss except in cases where there is a disease characterized by decline in brain function. Other causes of memory decline are psychological problems, head trauma, side effects of certain medications, substance abuse, and some infections.

No matter how absurd these feelings may sound to you, they are real, and caused by thoughts and fears that need to be addressed. You may find that the person feels a need to perform rituals, or takes up strange habits when doing something simple that you do normally. Loving someone with OCD can be a challenge, but you can be a big help in their efforts to defeat the problem, through caring and support. There are treatments out there that you should discuss together, and find out which is right for that person.

o Inability to handle finances or finish simple tasks. o Asking the same questions over and over. o Disorientation regarding time, people, places, or events. o Confusion in getting to a place you frequent such as the office. o Problems and difficulties in making even simple decisions. o Unable to follow simple directions like cooking a new recipe. o Forgetting how to do things you have done a gazillion times. o Repetition words or phrases in the same conversation. o Not paying attention to personal hygiene. o Constant irritability and incontinence.

The ultimate goal of bipolar treatment is to prevent or decrease both the frequency and intensity of depressive and manic episodes. It is an on-going process, but with proper treatment plans and medications, it is possible for the most severe bipolar patients to lead a fulfilling, healthy life. - 30309

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Alternative Medicine Can Help You Manage the Symptoms of Depression

By Sean Davids

While there are a number of anti-depressants currently on the market that can alleviate the symptoms of depression, there are pros and cons involved in taking them. While the right type and dosage of a prescription medication can sometimes meet with success for a patient, others may experience side effects that outweigh the benefits. For these reasons, many people choose to try alternative forms of treatment for managing their depression. Here are some of the ways in which you can do this.

A lack of certain vitamins can be a contributing factor to depression. For instance, Vitamin B9 (also known as Folic Acid) is very important for the proper functioning of the brain and therefore plays a significant role in one's mental and emotional health. It also aids in the production of DNA and RNA and is especially crucial during high growth periods, like infancy, adolescence, and pregnancy. Folic acid also helps form red blood cells. A folic acid deficiency can result in (among other things) mental sluggishness and depression.

All the members of Vitamin B family are responsible for breaking down of carbohydrates and proteins. Vitamin B6 (also known as Pyridoxine) also helps to regulate enzymes, healthy skin and digestion system, production of blood cells and antibodies. It also maintains the hormonal balance in women, as well as being very important in regulating mood and behavior. A deficiency of Pyridoxine can lead to irritation and anxiety, insomnia and nervousness. Vitamin B6 supplements have been used to help women cope with post menopause depression and anxiety.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) does not recognize depression as a specific illness but instead tries to treat the specific symptoms that are unique to the individual. A variety of techniques are used to restore imbalances found in the body, such as Chinese herbs, tui-na massage, exercise and acupuncture.

In a double blind randomized study of the effectiveness of acupuncture for treatment depression, 34 depressed female patients were assigned to one of three treatment groups for eight weeks. The first group received acupuncture treatment specifically tailored to their symptoms. The second group received a general acupuncture treatment that was not specific to depression, and the third group was placed on a waiting list for acupuncture treatment, but received none. The study found that those in the tailored acupuncture treatment experienced a more significant reduction in symptoms, compared to those in the non-specific treatment. In addition, more than half of the participants no longer met the accepted diagnostic criteria for depression after the study.

There are also a number of herbal remedies for treating depression. For example, ginko biloba is a natural ingredient that improves circulation in the brain, which often in turn improves memory and also eases some symptoms of depression. It can be taken along with other natural ingredients such as St. John's Wort as an overall mood enhancer.

While licorice has been known for a long time to be an effective herbal treatment for colds, recently recorded data have shown impressive results in the treatment of depression. Licorice is a natural anti-depressant which contains eight monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Licorice can be taken either as a capsule or drunk as a tea. However, if taken in too large a dose or over a lengthy period, there may be side effects like increased blood pressure, headaches and lethargy. Licorice should be supplemented with potassium capsules and increased water intake to offset the side effects, and should only be used on the advice of a licensed practitioner.

These are just some of the alternative forms of treatment that can be helpful in alleviating many of the symptoms of depression. As with anything, everyone will react to them in different ways. It is important to allow a trial period in order to feel the effects of the natural medications, as some will take several weeks to take effect. Always be sure to seek a doctor's advice before you decide to stop taking a prescription medication, and avoid combining prescription medications with natural medications on your own. - 30309

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