Change

We hear a lot about change these days. Changes in politics and changes in the economy are suddenly upon us. Some of these changes are likely to bring on even more change in the coming months as their effects spread down to families and individuals. And although change is sometimes a good thing, change is almost always experienced as stress.

In the 1970's, a list of common stressors was developed to help measure the relationship between stress and illness.

Change can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, sleep problems, substance abuse and over time is associated with a great number of other health related problems. The stress of change also often leads to people returning to old, unhealthy habits or behaviors as they struggle to cope. Denial, procrastination, anger, blaming or just shutting down are some common ways people try to deal with change but as you can probably guess, these typically only make things worse.

If you are struggling with change, that's great! Change is a fact of life and the struggle only shows you're human. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the change it may be time to talk to someone about healthier ways of adapting to the change. Eventually you can learn to not only cope better with change but to actually get excited about the possibility of change in your life!

Healthy living to you! Dr. B.

Election Stress

Many of my patients are reporting an increase in the symptoms of anxiety as election day nears. In the "old, old days" entire towns would have to gather around the town crier to hear the news about who had been elected...sometimes getting the word only days or even weeks after the elections had been held.

These days its more likely you're simultaneously listening to the television and scanning the dozens of major blog sites focusing on the election, frantically trying to predict what your favorite candidate's electoral college tally is based on the latest polling results from MSNBC.

While the outcome of this election is certainly important, some folks just don't know when to stop and begin to develop symptoms of what could be called "election hysteria". If you notice yourself checking the news or blogs first thing in the morning and last thing before you go to sleep, increased restlessness, lack of appetite or increased junk food binges, decreased patience, increased frustration, and a tendency to move all conversations into a discussion about the election, you may be letting this get out of hand.

To better cope with all of this uncertainty try limiting yourself to only a few websites visits or a few minutes a day of listening to the news. Get outside and enjoy a walk in the woods or go to a movie. Make an effort not to talk about the election. Just exercise a little personal discipline and focus on something else.

Extreme anxiety about the outcome of an election is similar to any other type of anxiety in that it often involves a belief that the world is a dangerous place and you lack the resources to cope. The best way to cope is usually by replacing impotent worry with action. Don't be just a passive observer of the political scene, get involved in local political or community organizations and turn concern into action.

After all, no matter how the election turns out, someone is likely to be disappointed and getting and staying active in something you believe in is also a great way to help protect against the next thing that often happens to people after an election is over...the post-election blues, even if your candidate is the winner. Healthy living! Dr. B.

The Changing Seasons and Feeling SAD

It's Fall again, the leaves are changing, the days are getting shorter and we're getting close to turning back our clocks. This has been the longest period of Daylight Saving Time in history, and its been something of a blessing to have a few extra weeks of lengthened daylight time in which to move around. But when the change over to regular time happens this weekend many people will start to notice an old familiar feeling returning...depression. Mood swings are sometimes linked to changes in the season and the depression that often starts this time of year even has its own name...Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

The symptoms of SAD are very similar to other types of depression:

1. Feeling sad or depressed
2. Lack of energy
3. Feeling more tired or less well-rested than normal
4. Weight gain (often accompanied with cravings for sweets or other carbohydrates)

People living in more Northerly latitudes of the country seem to suffer somewhat more as do some ethnic groups. Younger persons and women also seem to be at a greater risk of developing SAD.

The good news is that SAD is treatable. A combination of psychotherapy and light therapy and in severe cases possibly antidepressant medication can be very effective at reducing the symptoms of SAD.

So don't feel you "just have to live with" your Fall/Winter blues, you may be suffering from SAD and there's something that can be done about it besides just waiting to feel better again in the Spring!

April is IBS Awareness Month

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a very serious condition affecting many millions of people in this country. Symptoms include abdominal pain or discomfort, feeling bloated, diarrhea or constipation, and sometimes nausea. It's known by several names such as, spastic colon, colitis, nervous stomach or irritable colon. But no matter what you call it, it spells trouble and in severe cases can literally change the way you live your life.

Left untreated IBS often leaves people feeling extremely anxious, depressed, and out of control. It can interfere with work, family time, social events and even people's love life and the uncertainty of whether there will be a restroom available when they need it can make even the most active and outgoing person feel frightened, alone and desperate.

Standard medical treatments are often ineffective or only seem to make the situation feel worse and so many people eventually turn to complementary or alternative medicine for help. One particularly promising alternative treatment for IBS is clinical hypnosis. With several studies showing success rates of between 70 - 95%, hypnosis can offer real and lasting relief from the suffering caused by IBS.

So why continue to suffer when relief may be possible? I've been using a standardized and proven hypnotic protocol for many years now with the great majority of my patients reporting significant and long-lasting relief from IBS symptoms. For more information about IBS I recommend you visit the website for the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. For more information about the use of clinical hypnosis in treating IBS you should also visit the IBS Hypnosis website or just contact me or call (847) 331-4600 to discuss your case with me and to learn how clinical hypnosis might be helpful for you. Don't continue to suffer in silence, let this April be the beginning of your new life without IBS! Healthy living to you! Dr. B.

Mental Spring Cleaning

Spring at last? It's the end of March and this has been a very long winter. Everyone seems to agree that it's time for a change in the seasons and even the birds seem a little annoyed with the recent return to snowy weather here in Chicago. Spring is supposed to be a time of renewed energy, healthy change, and new beginnings. But if you're finding it just a bit harder to shake off this winter's doldrums you might be in need of some mental spring cleaning. Here are a few suggestions to help you clean out those mental cobwebs.

1. Take a breath- deep, relaxed breathing is a wonderful way to improve mental alertness. Try breathing in through your nose to a count of 4, holding your breath to a count of 7, and exhaling out your mouth to a count of 8. The 4-7-8 breathing exercise can help you find the relaxed, alert frame of mind needed to approach difficult situations in a new way. Even a few of these special breaths can be powerfully relaxing. Take it slow and if you start to feel at all light-headed its time to stop.
   
2. Move your body- exercise, even in modest amounts, can be as effective as prescription drugs in dealing with depression. Exercise improves both muscle tone and mental tone. Start out slow and be sure to talk to your physician first if you haven't been active for awhile.
3. Get organized- easier said than done? Well then at least start with a plan, and then plan to break that down into smaller steps. The trouble with most plans is they're too ambitious or ambigous. You don't change your life in just one step. Start small, like something that you can do in under a minute, and then move on to the next step. If you can't get something important done then try breaking that into even smaller steps. I like to use the Kaizen method of approaching change and will talk more about this in a future post.
4. Watch your diet- We are what we eat...and drink. I'll have more to say about this in a future post as well, but for now just try to pay attention to what you are putting into your body.
5. Get better sleep- not necessarily more sleep, but better sleep. The earlier start to Daylight Saving Time this year seems to have left many people feeling particularly sleep deprived. Sleep shouldn't be thought of as a luxury or just something you have to do between busy days. It's a vitally important part of healthy living and many people (up to a third of all adults) are suffering greatly and probably needlessly from a lack of restorative sleep. I'd strongly recommend the National Sleep Foundation's website where you can learn all about the importance of sleep hygeine and how to improve your sleep.
6. Seek help- if you find yourself stuck in life, unhappy, anxious or unable to get a handle on what's bothering you it may be time for a little help. Therapy can be a great way of finding a new beginning. Happy Spring and healthy living to you! Dr. B.