HANDLING EMOTIONS

Theories about emotions reach back at least to the time of the ancient Greek philosophers; and, still there is no simple explanation of an emotion.  However, it is considered a complex psycho physiological experience of an individual’s state of mind involving the interaction of one’s biochemical (internal) and environmental (external) influences.  Given this explanation, we can readily see what a challenge it is for us to maintain a healthy outlook in life.  After all, we do have happy or unhappy situations that provide us with strong feelings--emotions.

    In 1884, William James, a psychologist, presented the theory that a changed situation leads to a changed bodily state.   He said, “The perception of bodily changes, as they occur, IS the emotion.”  He further stated that “we feel sad because we cry, angry because we strike, and tremble because we fear.”  He even did experiments by manipulating the body state and a desired emotion was induced.
    The field of neuroscience (the study of the nervous system) has emerged in the 21^st century where psychology has made advances in helping to understand the mind body relationship entailing emotions.  Dr. Richard J. Davidson, professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is a pioneer in brain research for more than thirty years.  In his recent book, The Emotional Life of Your Brain, Penguin Books, 2012, he introduces Emotional Styles for helping us learn how to deal with our emotions.
    Richardson claims that each person has unique emotional styles, which consist of six distinct components: Resilience, Outlook, Self-Awareness, Social Intuition, Attention and Sensitivity to Context.  We utilize each of these components depending upon how we react to the experiences we have in our life.   Some people have the ability to recover rapidly from negative emotions while others may linger in a sad or depressed mood.   Some people may experience joyful feelings that are fleeting or hold on to them for longer periods.
    What makes his research interesting is that he has, through brain imaging, been able to show that there is an interrelation between the pre-frontal cortex ( mainly the center of higher order cognitive thinking and the amygdala ( part of the limbic system that plays an important role in negative emotions of distress, feeling anxious or threatened ).  He discovered that the more connections between these two sections of the brain the
better we are able to manage our emotions.   Fewer connections make it more difficult for one to recover rapidly, thus people linger longer in the negative emotion.  Formerly, neuroscientists considered emotions mainly associated with the amygdala.
    His eye blinking experiments with subjects revealed that people with greater activation on the left side of the prefrontal cortex recovered much more quickly from the strongest feelings of disgust, anger and fear elicited from stimulating images.
    Psychologists offer ways for regulating emotions.  For it is now known that the brain has neuroplasticity, the ability to change its structure and function.  A “mere” thought can change the brain’s function.

Some suggestions for controlling emotions

1.    Find out what triggers the emotion.

2.    Be mindful of your inner emotions at the moment.
3.    Describe what you are feeling in a non-judgmental way.
4.    Practice responding to emotions in new and constructive ways.

 We can learn to handle our emotions.

 

 

 

     

 

HAVE A NOSH?

 

    Eating, in addition to being a need for survival, is probably one of the most popular and enjoyable activities in our life.   It also seems that three meals a day is not enough to satisfy us.  So, we resort to a “nosh” now and then.  The word itself has an interesting origin:   from the Yiddish meaning to nibble on, eat sweets or from the Middle High German naschen to eat between meals.  Nevertheless, to nosh is really not a need.  After all, most of us have three meals a day.  But, you see, eating is so much fun that we take advantage of it to try and satisfy ourselves. 

     There is a saying:   “Some people eat to live and some live to eat”.  Most likely, those who eat to live probably don’t face the problem of overweight.  Oh, yes, there are all kinds of dieting programs such as Jenny Craig, The Atkins Diet, Nutrisystems or Weight Watchers.  There is much more to consider when life conditions are examined.
     Once we get past the concept that eating is a necessity for survival why are there so many people having problems with food?   These problems are so prevalent that they are referred to clinically as eating disorders.  They are usually identified as having abnormal eating habits that may involve inadequate or excessive food intake resulting in harm to an individual’s physical and mental health.
     There are classic cases of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa (AN), characterized by individuals who do not maintain a healthy body weight with an obsessive fear of gaining weight.   Some of these people suffer from this condition unconsciously.  Unfortunately, the risk of losing one’s life is greatly increased with this disease.  Bulimia nervosa (BN) is characterized by recurrent eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as purging (self-induced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives or diuretics).   Sometimes fasting and over exercise may be used as a method of purging following a binge.   Binge Eating Disorder (BED) or ‘compulsive overeating’ is a type of eating disorder that is binge eating without any compensatory behavior.  It is more common than bulimia or anorexia.  This disorder can develop in a range of ages.
     We often associate eating disorders with younger people;   but, it is interesting to note that the elderly also experience these problems.   Seniors develop symptoms like younger persons in an attempt to feel in control.  Cultural idealization of thinness and youthfulness has contributed to eating disorders particularly among the young.  However, seniors frequently feeling the effects of their bodies failing, and loss of autonomy to loved ones turn to their diet as one of the things that they can control.   When they are depressed and lonely, they may find themselves denying food or even losing themselves in overeating.  
     Dieting is not always the solution to weight loss or gain.  Obviously, the social aspects of life can play a big part in how one eats.  It is true that one cannot always control the social life one has.  However, fundamentally, self discipline can be significant in how we address food.  As the philosopher once said, “Take everything in moderation”.

A nosh once in a while is okay but regularly eating between meals is not good. 

                                                   Think about  it!  

 

 

 

 

 

EYES

Focus on what’s clear

They see things far and near

Always giving an important view

              Searching for something that’s always new

       Seeking to broaden your visions

               To news that affords you better decisions

        Providing you choices to help you find satisfaction

     And avoiding annoying distractions

THE NURSE

         

 

She has the skill

Few people can fulfill

She administers aid

With a firm style
Bringing confidence
For those needing care
No one wants a needle in the arm
Yet directly and safely
Inserting with no harm
An intravenous injection
With such perfection
One is at ease
Feeling no pain
On the road to health again
With more years of life to gain