Human psychology

Strategies to cope with family stress:   Figuring out what stress management tools work best for you can be a process. While there is no perfect way to manage stress, here are some tips that may work for you and your family: Know your own stress cues.  For example, when you’re stressed, do you become forgetful, short tempered, clumsy or something else? Think about what gets your attention the most. Observe your kids and other family members for signs of stress and ask them to do the same for you. Sometimes other people notice our stress cues before we do. Take time to do something that is meaningful, relaxing and fun to you and your family.  Read a book, sit on the porch and enjoy the scenery, enjoy coffee with a friend, or have a family movie or game night. Practice deep breathing or mindfulness.  When you start to become anxious and extremely stressed, try sitting and breathing for a minute or so. It helps if you actually say in your mind, “I am breathing in, ...

  What is stress? Stress is a feeling of strain or pressure. While we commonly think of stress as too much mental or emotional pressure, physical stress is also important. Stress can affect how you feel, think and behave as well as how your body works. Everyone needs a certain amount of stress or pressure to live well - it's what helps to motivate you throughout the day. However, stress becomes a problem when you either begin to feel too much, or not enough. While a lack of stress often means your body is under-stimulated, too much intense stress  causes your body to release stress hormones over a long period. This increases the risk of a range of physical health problems including: Headaches A low immune system Stomach upsets Health problems such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. When left untreated, stress can even increase the risk of having a stroke or heart attack. Often, stress leads to people feeling distrustful, angry, anxious and fearful, which i...

How to Cope With Anxiety and Depression Anxiety and depression often go hand in hand. Here’s what you need to know if they strike simultaneously. Do you sometimes worry so much that it interferes with your everyday activities? Or feel so blue that it completely clouds your outlook? Do you often experience these or similar feelings together? You’re not the only one. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) , anxiety disorders — which include  generalized anxiety disorder ,  panic disorder , and  social anxiety disorder  — are the most common mental health problem among U.S. adults, affecting 18.1 percent of the population each year. And mood disorders — which include  major depressive disorder ,  bipolar disorder , and  seasonal affective disorder  — are the leading cause of disability. Moreover, the incidence of developing depression in addition to an anxiety disorder or vice versa is high. Many people with major depre...

  Mental health assessments Wherever you go for help, you'll get a detailed assessment. The purpose of an assessment is to build up an accurate picture of your needs. Different professionals and agencies provide a range of services, which means your initial assessment may involve one or more professionals. You may be seen by a nurse, social worker, psychologist, specialist pharmacist, psychiatrist, or a combination of these and other professionals. During an assessment, the following points will be considered (where relevant): your mental health symptoms and experiences your feelings, thoughts and actions your physical health and wellbeing your housing and financial circumstances your employment and training needs your social and family relationships your culture and ethnic background your gender and sexuality your use of drugs or alcohol past experiences, especially of similar problems issues relevant to your or others' safety whether there's anyone who depends on you, suc...

  Therapeutic and Non-Therapeutic Communication Effective Communication : (1) Appropriate (2) Simple (3) Adaptive (4) Concise (5) Credible Therapeutic Technique 1. Offering Self making self-available and showing interest and concern. “I will walk with you” 2. Active listening paying close attention to what the patient is saying by observing both verbal and non-verbal cues. Maintaining eye contact and making verbal remarks to clarify and encourage further communication. 3. Exploring “Tell me more about your son” 4. Giving broad openings What do you want to talk about today? 5. Silence Planned absence of verbal remarks to allow patient and nurse to think over what is being discussed and to say more. 6. Stating the observed verbalizing what is observed in the patient to, for validation and to encourage discussion “You sound angry” 7. Encouraging comparisons ·   asking to describe similarities and differences among feelings, behaviors, and events. ·   “Can you tell me what ma...