Is Migraine a Chronic Illness?

I’ve suffered from migraines for as long as I can remember. There were times I’d come home from elementary school, go straight to bed, sleep until 7pm, wake up for 30 minutes, eat some pudding and go back to bed. The next morning I would have a “leftover headache,” a general achey gross feeling that lingered until I got moving for the day.

I am 34 now. To say that my migraines have gotten worse since those early days would be an understatement. They are much worse and MUCH MUCH more frequent than when I was a child. I’ve been told countless times that I would grow out of them, or that it is just a stage in my life, or that I should eat more bananas, or maybe I should change my diet or go see (fill-in-the-blank).

I have NOT grown out of them and judging from my family history, there is a good chance I won’t. It’s OK. I’ve come to accept that, this is just part of who I am. This isn’t resignation but it is a sort of acceptance, radical acceptance as they say in the psychology world. It’s accepting something for what it is, moving forward and coping, because not accepting it tends to make it worse, I become angry and frustrated. It isn’t giving up on trying to learn more about them or hoping for a change, but it does mean being able to accept the migraine and MOVE ON with my day.

I’ve tried so many different things to try and get relief but I also get so much unsolicited advice, so I thought I would go over what I do do to fight my headaches.

Things I’ve Explored to Help with Migraines

1. Message therapy

2. Chiropractor

3. Acupucture

4. Physiotherapy

5. Excercise

6. Prophylatic Medication (I have had some success with Gabapentin)

7. Botox (not for my wrinkles!)

8. Nerve block

9. Medication for acute migraine attacks

10. Dietary Modification (I don’t eat gluten)

11. Hormone manipulation (birth control pills to regulate the hormone levels)

I’ve done all these things and yet I still suffer ALOT! Yesterday was my first headache free day for about a month and a half. I recently changed my medications around and it was NOT working well, so I have really suffered.

I’m not one to complain, although I’m sure my family is as tired of my headaches as I am and although I speak of acceptance, the anger, bitterness and frustration certainly mounts at times. Yesterday when I was headache free I had more patience, and energy for my kids then I normally do. It made me realize how much my headaches affect me. People are often amazed at how much pain I live in on a daily basis. I try not to let it affect me, I try and push through, or “sit in the pain”, as I’ve called it. Obviously there are days where I can’t push through, those days are the ones where the migraine kicks my ass! I HATE those days, because it’s yet another lost day!

I’m sitting right now, with yet another headache and a head cold, I feel gross, I feel exhausted, but I’m thankful. I’m thankful I had a day like yesterday, pain-free, light, clear, because I know I’ll get it again. The pain-free days are the days I hold onto when I’m dealing with a long stretch of migraines, they are the light at the end of tunnel.

Do I have a chronic illness? Yes. Do I like that? Obviously no! Does it define me? Hell no! Sometimes I wonder if it should though. Should I live my life in a way that allows me to accept my chronic migraines into my daily life? I don’t know, sometimes I think so, but what would that really accomplish? I have a career, I’m currently doing my Master’s of Nursing to become a Nurse Practitioner. My migraine friend is always with me, but it doesn’t stop me, it might slow me down somedays, but it doesn’t stop me.

I am having a hard time posting this blog to be honest. Not that I keep my headaches a secret but because as much as I say I’ve accepted it, writing about it makes it more real, makes it public. But whatever right? Maybe this will inspire someone else to push through!

So…..it is what it is! It’s part of me, it’s made me stronger.

Do you have migraines or another chronic illness? How has it affected you? Comment below!

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This essay was originally published in the Beautiful Voyager Medium publication.

What Chronic Illness is Like for a Nurse

Pamela Fellbaum, cozying up.

I don’t love talking about chronic illness, especially when I’m referring to myself. I balk at the notion I belong to that category. Over the years, however, I’ve come to accept that about myself.

I’m currently finishing up a two year full time Nurse Practitioner program. This has easily been the hardest two years of my life. I’ve appropriately taken on the word “PERSISTENCE” as my motto as I feel that although I have worked my way through the program it has taken more persistence then I ever thought possible.

For example: I suffered a significant concussion in the first two months of my program that limited my ability to read (try reading endless articles and writing scholarly papers feeling dizzy and nauseous and knowing medically that you were probably doing more damage by not resting your brain). This past January I was in a car accident where a pedestrian was struck and I was the first on scene. Luckily the young man was ok, but to say it wasn’t traumatic would be an understatement. Then on top of all of this is the chronic pain of my migraines. It’s hard to explain really, and probably even harder for someone to understand, but I pretty much function on a daily basis with some form of a headache, sometime mind numbing pain, other times just a general feeling of pressure! To make matters worse stress will frequently increase the pain and severity of my headaches! (and its been stressful!)

Mine is the orange truck…..I wasn’t hurt…but it was a crazy mess!!!

So…..yes, I’ve had some challenges, but I’m not writing this to ask for sympathy or a “good job”, I’m writing this because I’ve recently realized that there may be a purpose behind my struggles, behind my pain.

I’ve seen many patients that are dealing with chronic pain. I can see the mental pain when they realize this problem isn’t going away. As their practitioner, I don’t want to tell them that there is a cure, or that they may become pain free — perhaps it may happen for some, but it isn’t often the goal.

So I have sat back in my chair and listened as they tear up. They speak about the things they have given up and the stress that it causes their family. But as they speak, I have realized something — they are grieving, and THAT I could relate too.

When I label their pain as grief I can see the stress float away. There is a realization that it is ok to feel the way they feel, and that maybe, just maybe, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I wouldn’t have come to this conclusion without my personal struggles, and that being able to relate to my patients is a gift I’ve been given. Is my pain a curse on me? or a punishment for something I’ve done?? Well I’ve considered this, but in the end I reject those ideas and instead embrace the reality that my pain eases others, the empathy I possess gives others hope.

This gives my pain purpose, and this purpose gives ME hope which allows me to embrace it and move forward.

What about you? Do you experience chronic pain? How do you get through it?

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Pamela is a nurse practitioner in Canada. This essay originally appeared on the Beautiful Voyager Medium publication. Read Pamela’s essay What I've Learned By Chronicling Pain. Want to share your own story? Here’s how.

How I Faced My Travel Fears And Explored the World

Gilad at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

I wanted to interview travel writer Gilad because I love that he focuses helping nervous would-be travelers realize that travel is for everyone. Gilad has hypochondriasis, OCD and moderate anxiety, but as you’ll see, it hasn’t stopped him. - Meredith

1. When did you first start working on your site? What prompted it?

I started working on Anxious & Abroad a few months ago because I wanted to fill a gap in the online travel community. Before my first trip, I did extensive, admittedly ridiculous research to find out everything I needed to know about where I was going (which happened to be Southeast Asia).  

Gilad in Dalat, Vietnam

What turned out happening was that the questions I really had about travel had more to do with my concerns and fears about it than the actual destination I was going to. I wanted to know what I needed to pack, how to effectively plan a trip, what sorts of things I would need to be prepared for, as a guy who struggles with anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I needed to hear from someone in my position that they had done it, that they shared my same concerns, and that they didn’t die in a Cambodian prison. And instead, all I was finding were these picture-perfect instagram nomads who seemed to have nothing in common with how I felt. 

 So in the end, I saw my site as an opportunity to add to both the travel and mental health communities as a way to show people that the fears they have about travel are manageable and worth pushing past. Before my first trip, I never saw myself as the type of person who backpacks. I had a mental image of what a “backpacker” looks like, and I just didn’t fit that mold. But since then, I realized that it couldn’t be more false, and I wanted to show other people that they don’t have to subscribe to this notion of the carefree nomad -- that they can (and do) fit into the travel community exactly the way they are. 

Gilad in Saba, Vietnam

2. What has been the hardest thing about connecting with others on the topic of anxiety?

Honestly, my biggest obstacle has been myself -- my blind confidence that I’d be rejected for talking about it. Before talking about my anxiety, I was so concerned about being judged or looked down upon for what I considered my emotional shortcomings. But I was pleasantly surprised by how many people in my life not only welcomed the conversation, but had deeply related to it themselves. 

I think a lot more people struggle with mental health than we think. Our anxiety wants us to think that we’re the only ones in the world who deals with these things, but the reality is that everyone has something they’re going through, and we can frequently find a common ground by talking about it. We just need to be brave and share our stories.  

GIlad with travel buddies in Minca, Columbia.

I also think that we live in a really, really remarkable time when empathy and mental health awareness are in vogue and not nearly as taboo as they used to be. 

3. What have you learned about travel? How has it changed over time?

 If I’ve learned anything about travel, it’s that it’s not nearly as scary as we think it is. I used to be convinced that if I went abroad I’d: 

• Get lost

• Get kidnapped

• Get sick

• Get into trouble

• Get murdered

• Get sold into sex slavery by a drug cartel and go to prison for having drugs in my butt 

 And now, after 4 years of travel to over 20 countries (some of them solo), I’ve noticed that the things we worry about are often so blown up in our heads that the reality is so much simpler. I’ve been welcomed by locals, I’ve taken buses alone, I’ve tried sketchy foods and I’ve lived to tell the tale. The only real solution to things that are blown out of proportion is using experience to put them back in proportion. I really believe that.

Don’t be afraid to travel, you guys. In all honesty (and you can take it from me, a guy who catastrophizes everything under the sun) travel does not have to be intimidating, scary, or lonely. You can do it. I did it, and you can too.  

Looking out on Peru.

4. What do you wish other people knew about anxiety and travel?

I don’t know if other people share this same insecurity as me, but I genuinely thought that travel wasn't for me -- that somehow, because I didn’t fit that “backpacker” image that instagram was selling me, that I couldn’t backpack. I didn’t look like them so I didn’t think I’d think like them. Shared dorms, strangers, no cell service -- it all felt so impenetrable for a Type-A person.  

But once I started traveling, that feeling so quickly dissipated. Shared dorms were nicer and cleaner than expected; hostel strangers turned out to be super friendly; no cell service turned out to be a really freeing feeling. 

I want people to know that they are the type of person who travels. There is no one type of person who can do it and one who can’t. You just have to be open enough to push yourself past your comfortable boundaries.

Rainbow Mountain (ed note: I had never heard of this place, but now want to go).

5. If you could take a trip with one person, living or dead, who would it be?

Ooh...this is a good question...I’d think I’d have to say Steve Irwin. I’m a big nature buff...I leave big cities as soon as I can when I travel. Steve was my hero for most of my childhood, and it would be such a treat to hike, trek and dive with that guy. I feel like he’d just randomly pick stuff up and put it in my face, like “here, check out this fatally poisonous snake!” Hell...I’d even get some matching short shorts so we could be twins.

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If you have questions about travel and anxiety, ask them here! Gilad would be happy to answer and share travel tips, too.

The Small Habits That Helped My Social Anxiety

By Marc Kraft

Growing up, I was always on the shy side. I tended to let my actions speak louder than my words. Sometimes it was a good thing, although strong communication with others is important trait in our society today.

By the time I reached college, that shyness transformed into social anxiety. Even though I have a great network of friends and enjoy spending time with them, I would have intense panic attacks and get extremely nervous in certain situations.

This anxiety has sent me down the path of testing to options to reduce my anxiety and panic attacks. I’ve tried nearly everything under the sun to gain control of my mental state. While most approaches didn’t work for me, there are a handful of habits that have made a meaningful impact on my life.

Meditation

Meditation is now a critical part of my daily routine. It’s the first thing I do in the morning. Even before checking email or scrolling through Instagram. This helps me start the day with a clear mind.

Meditation is like going to the gym for your brain. While it may feel like a waste of time at first, it’s important for training your brain to improve concentration, focus, and have greater control of your thought patterns.

Supplements

This can be a controversial subject and it’s important to discuss any changes with a trained medical health professional. With that in mind, I’ve had great success taking ashwagandha and a multivitamin in the morning, and magnesium glycinate in the evening,   

While this combo may not work for everyone, I had positive results after taking these supplements within the first few weeks. It’s also important to note that supplements are not all created equal. Do your research on the products you purchase before opting to put them in your body.

Working Out

You’ve likely heard how beneficial exercise can be for your mental health. This approach is an easy one to skip because it takes some serious will-power to get your butt off the couch! But I’m telling you, it’s worth it!

Consistently going to the gym has done wonders for my mental health. My anxiety kicks in the most in the mornings which is when I try to get my exercising in (2-3 times per week).

Take a Bath

Taking a bath is an easy way to trigger instant relaxation. I use this a ritual when I’m feeling extra anxious or in prep for stressful events.

Add in some epsom salt (Magnesium Sulfate) to take your bath-time to the next level. This is another great way to get your magnesium levels up if you aren’t getting enough magnesium in your diet and are not a big fan of supplements.   

Limit Caffeine

My body is sensitive to caffeine. If I have more than one cup of regular coffee in a day, it leads to some nasty anxiety symptoms. Since I love the act of drinking coffee, I often mix regular coffee with decaf so I can enjoy a few cups of coffee with lower caffeine content.  

In Closing

With these habits, I’ve been able to shift my anxiety to levels that I am comfortable with and the panic attacks are less frequent. Also, when they do occur they are less pronounced and pass faster.

I hope some of these tips work as well for you as they did for me. Remember it’s all about testing to see what works best for your body and your particular state.

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Marc Kraft is the creator of Mindful Searching, a site dedicated to providing accurate information around mental health and wellness. Marc has improved his brain health through self-experimentation over the last 9 years. Curiosity is his driving force.

What I've Learned By Chronicling Pain

Finding beauty while struggling with migraines.

I’ve written a few posts about my struggles with chronic pain — specifically chronic migraines. As I get older, the consequences of dealing with almost daily pain begin to become more and more obvious. For the first time in my life I’ve consciously made choices about my work life that take my migraines into consideration. In the past I’ve been determined not to let my pain impact my choices but it’s becoming too difficult to ignore that anymore. I found that if I don’t get a rest day every few days that my tolerance for my pain decreases. This has a negative impact on my mood and my ability to deal with stress. I found I was less patient with my kids and just felt like I was pushing through a day to get through it rather then living it.

I recently met with a new neurologist who put me on a new injectable medication — the first prophylactic medication made specifically for migraines.

Since starting this new medication and eliminating the hormone I’ve noticed a huge difference. I’ve found that I have days where I haven’t needed ANY break-through headache medication like Tylenol or a triptan. I think it has been YEARS since I’ve made it through a day without needing some kind of pain management.

This is obviously great news on my pain journey, but what I am going to say next might sound a bit backwards — so please hang in there as I write. It’s made me sad to see how happy, patient and energetic I’ve been. Certainly NOT because I am more happy, patient or energetic, but I’m sad because it has shown me the impact that my chronic pain has had on me and how therefore it has impacted my family. It makes me sad to think that I’ve wasted days just trying to “get through them” and not really trying to live in them.

As you’ve probably read in the past, my determination and resilience to ride through my pain is admirable, but I am starting to question what my life would have looked like without all that pain. This is obviously not a question worth asking as I can’t change the past and certainly never asked to suffer in pain almost daily.

I am however grateful I’ve been given the break in my pain for now. I try and live it day by day as my past has certainly shown me that my pain free days are much fewer than my painful days. There’s a small part of me that hopes for a pain free future but the realistic side is 100% aware that that is unlikely. I have found purpose in my pain in the past and will again. I will enjoy what I’ve been given for now.

If you liked what you read, please give me a clap or send me a note!

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Pamela is a nurse practitioner in Canada. This essay originally appeared on the Beautiful Voyager Medium publication. Want to share your own story? Here’s how.

The Link Between Chronic Pain and Depression

By Steven Booth, Founder and CEO, Elevation Behavioral Health

 In my role as the owner of a residential mental health program I have witnessed firsthand the debilitating effects of chronic pain-related depression in clients. Visibly hurting, both physically and psychologically, these individuals are desperate for relief from the suffering.

It isn’t hard to understand how suffering from chronic pain might lead to depression. Chronic pain, the persistent physical pain that lasts three months or longer, is exhausting to the brain and the body. Pain places a tremendous burden on one’s energy reserves, wearing the person down over time. Is it any wonder that one of the symptoms of chronic pain is depression?

Chronic pain and depression appear to be intrinsically linked through brain functioning. According to an article published in Neural Plasticity, “The Link Between Depression and Chronic Pain: Neural Mechanisms in the Brain,” the authors conclude that both depression and chronic pain share common brain regions that are involved in mood regulation. In addition, they conclude that there are, “overlaps in the pain and depression-induced neuroplasticity changes and neurobiological mechanism changes.”

Indeed, chronic pain and depression can set up a vicious cycle, with each condition worsening the symptoms of the other. The result can be debilitating pain-induced depression that severely impairs daily functioning. Unfortunately, many who relay their symptoms of physical pain and discomfort with their physician do not mention their depression symptoms. Doctors are beginning to be more proactive in asking pointed questions of their patients regarding potential coexisting depression. 

Treatment for a chronic pain patient with co-occurring depression should reflect both conditions. This will translate to the pain management program combined with psychiatric support, as well as other therapies or activities that will help alleviate suffering.

The Connection Between Chronic Pain and Depression

 Chronic pain refers to the physical pain that results from an injury, a degenerative condition, or a disease that persists for more than three months. It is estimated that nearly half the population is living with chronic pain. Living with pain on a daily basis is disheartening and can result in other symptoms such as sleep problems, fatigue, and physical weakness. Chronic pain can also lead to depression as its limitations to fully enjoying life begin to accrue.

Individuals struggling with both comorbid depression and pain may suffer major impairment in daily functioning, only deepening the depressive disorder. Disruptions in relationships and work performance due to the coexisting disorders can lead to serious consequences. In fact, among those with both chronic abdominal pain and depression there is a 2 to 3 times higher likelihood of suicide ideation or suicide attempts.  

Symptoms of Depression

While it may seem natural to focus primarily on the chronic pain and assume that any symptoms experienced are directly related to the pain, in many cases a co-occurring depressive disorder is the cause for many of the symptoms. By understanding what the symptoms of depression look like, individuals being treated for chronic pain are better prepared to identify them as attributable to depression and can then obtain necessary treatment for the depressive disorder. 

The DSM-5 has identified nine basic symptoms of major depressive disorder. While it must be taken into considerations that some medications cause depressive symptoms, as do some illnesses, it is helpful to consider the diagnostic criteria for depression. When five or more of these symptoms occur over a two-week period, it is pointing to a co-occurring depression diagnosis: 

1. Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report or observation made by others. 

2. Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities more of the day, nearly every day.

3. Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.

4. Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day.

5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day.

6. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.

7. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day.

8. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day.

9. Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.

Management of Co-Occurring Chronic Pain and Depression

Once a clinical diagnosis of depression is arrived at, it is essential for the individual to begin treatment for the depression in tandem with the pain management. Many doctors will refer the individual to a psychotherapist or a psychiatrist where the mental health disorder can be effectively managed.

To treat the depression, outpatient mental health services are usually the initial course of treatment. With the goal of improving overall quality of life, the prescribing doctor will likely include a combination strategy of psychotherapy and antidepressants. The most effective psychotherapy for depression patients is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), where negative thought patterns are challenged and reframed into more productive, positive self-messaging. CBT teaches patients how to shift out of negative territory when triggering thoughts occur, employing the newly acquired coping skills. 

For those patients whose depression is spiraling, particularly those who have increasing thoughts about death or suicide, a residential depression program is appropriate. This higher level of care provides a more intensive approach to treating the depression within a safe, supportive, and healing environment. During the stay, patients focus on learning new helpful coping strategies and practice these skills. Psychotherapy is provided daily, with both individual and group therapy sessions. In addition to the conventional psychotherapies, holistic therapies are often integrated into a residential mental health program.

Holistic Therapies that Benefit Both Chronic Pain and Depression

There are multiple holistic or experiential activities that address the mind-body-spirit connection. Many of these are of eastern origin; some are even ancient. Other holistic methods have become popular in the past decade as a natural way to enhance the treatment effects of traditional therapy. Some holistic activities that help improve the symptoms of depression include:

●      Mindfulness. Our minds can take us to dark places if we let them. Mindfulness helps teach individuals how to focus on the present moment, to acknowledge the emotions, and offer a sense of control.

●      Regular exercise. Something as simple as a 20-minute daily walk can produce endorphins and increase serotonin levels, improving mood, sleep quality, and energy level.

●      Yoga. Yoga utilizes purposeful poses that can increase strength and flexibility while calming the mind.

●      Improve sleep. Sleep quality can greatly impact mood, one way or another. By committing to better pre-bedtime habits, such as no caffeine after mid-afternoon, avoiding heavy meals, and eliminating screen time one hour before bed, can improve mood, concentration, and cognitive functioning.

About the Author

My name is Steven Booth, the CEO and Founder of Elevation Behavioral Health in Agoura Hills, CA. I’ve earned my B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara in Economics. Before helping to co-found Elevation Behavioral Health I worked in both private and public accounting. Like many others, I have seen firsthand the destruction that addiction can inflict on family and friends. I have also witnessed the extraordinary changes that can be made when addicts receive the necessary treatment. My passion is providing outstanding mental health care through Elevation Behavioral Health. 

What Are "Integrated Interventions" in Mental Healthcare?

Photo by Vadim Bogulov

A mental health industry professional shares his perspective.

New lingo pops up in the mental health industry, so it’s useful to learn more about what terms mean as you search for approaches that will work for you. I’ve worked in in the mental health industry for just three years, and even in that short time, here have been developments and changes that have happened. The biggest change I’ve seen is the growth and sophistication of a holistic approach to psychological well-being.

When people ask, “what are integrated interventions?” this is what I tell them: Integrated interventions in mental health care include 3 essential elements.

1. Medication

2. Psychotherapy

3. Alternative treatments

I also always try to debunk the common misconception that ‘integrated interventions’ or ‘alternative treatments’ are against the medication. It’s not true! Integrated interventions actually mean a holistic approach to mental health care. They include medications, psychotherapy, alternative treatments, and cutting-edge technologies for improving the quality of mental health care.

Let’s talk about each and every element in detail so that we can understand what integrated interventions in mental health care actually imply.

Medication

Undoubtedly, medications have a big role to play in mental health treatment. Medications are a must for patients with chronic mental illness symptoms. They help to alleviate the symptoms and prevent relapse of a mental health disorder like:

• Panic disorder

• Anxiety disorder

• Post-traumatic stress disorder

• Schizophrenia

• Bipolar disorder

• Depression

• OCD

• ADHD

• Insomnia

• Dementia

• Psychosis

The most common types of medicines used for mental health treatments are:

Antidepressants: These are usually used for patients suffering from depression, anxiety disorders, and other behavioral issues. They help to alleviate the symptoms like hopelessness, sadness, lack of concentration, lethargy, and lack of interest in any kind of activity. Antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can help to cut down depression symptoms between 30% and 60%. They may also lead to a complete recovery of the patients.

Antipsychotic medications: These medicines are usually used for schizophrenic patients. They can also be used to treat people with bipolar disorder.

Mood-stabilizing medications: These medicines are best for people with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorders are usually characterized by alternative episodes of mania and depression. Mood-stabilizers help to combat mood fluctuations. Sometimes, they are used with antidepressants to reduce the symptoms of depression.

Anti-anxiety medications: These medicines are used for curing panic disorder or anxiety disorder. They help to reduce anxiety, aggression and sleep disorders. Some medicines give short-term relief whereas others give long-term relief. Sometimes, psychiatrists don’t prescribe fast-acting anti-anxiety medicines to avoid causing dependency. Sometimes, patients become addicted to these medicines. Psychiatrists try to avoid that.

To get the best results out of medications, people must make informed choices. They need to take the right dosage and the right type of medications. For instance, if a patient with anxiety disorder takes medicines that have been developed for schizophrenic patients, then that would create a huge problem. The wrong medicines would destroy the mental balance of the patient.

Psychotherapy

Is medication the best way to promote mental health recovery? Urgh! No.

Many psychiatrists and psychologists say that the most effective way to cure mental illness is to use psychotherapy along with medications. Some of the most popular psychotherapies include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Play Therapy

• Talk Therapy

• Exposure Therapy

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy

• Somatic Therapy

• Narrative Therapy

• Interpersonal Therapy

• Psychoanalytic

• Psychodynamic

• Parent-child-interaction Therapy

• Solution-focused brief Therapy

Alternative treatments

While a combination of medicines and psychotherapy are an effective way to help people suffering from mental problems, some individuals are using alternative methods of treatments. In 2007, people spent almost $33.9 billion on alternative methods of treatment.

If you think that alternative treatments are anti-medical, you’re dead wrong. They are just a few natural ways to treat people suffering from depression, anxiety disorders, and other types of psychiatric disorders. Some people resort to alternative methods of treatments just to avoid the side-effects of medications. But that is a wrong concept. An individual can feel better only when medications, psychotherapy, and alternative methods of treatments are used simultaneously. An experienced psychiatrist is the best person to suggest how to use all the 3 elements judiciously.

Alternative methods of treatments for anxiety

• Yoga

• Kava

• Biofeedback

Layering alternative methods on top of more traditional approaches can open up new areas of anxiety relief.

Alternative methods of treatments for depression

• Magnesium supplements

• Hypnosis

• Acupunture

Alternative methods of treatments for personality disorder

• Homeopathy

• Ayurveda

• Reflexology

A few other alternative methods of treatments include music therapy, wilderness therapy, and nutrition therapy.

Alternative methods of treatments are a great solution for mental health patients. However, these treatments should always be used along with the clinical treatment as prescribed by psychiatrists. When both are used together, they give incredible results.

Caution:

Alternative methods of treatment shouldn’t be used without consulting a psychiatrist. Most of these remedies come from plants and animals. But that doesn’t mean that they are absolutely safe. They have some bad side-effects, and that can clash with medications. Just think what will happen to your body if you take anti-depressants and marijuana simultaneously? Your mental health will be in terrible condition. If someone asks you to try alternative treatments, talk to your psychiatrist first.

Buyer beware when it comes to plant-based alternative medicines.

There is yet another thing that you have to keep in mind. Most of these herbal products are not under FDA oversight. So there is no guarantee that the amount of active ingredients is the same in all the products, even if the brand is the same. Some products may have USP-DSVP (U.S. Pharmacopeia Dietary Supplement Verification Program) mark. Those products can be safe. Now the choice is yours.

What integrated interventions can tell you in your own therapist search?

Integrated interventions can tell you a lot about a potential health provider. For instance, it can tell you how the potential mental health provider will treat your psychiatric disorders. Like I said before, integrated interventions are a ‘holistic’ symbiosis of medication, psychotherapy, and alternative treatments. So, you can find out the treatment orientation of a psychiatrist/therapist.

Technology is a big part of ‘integrated interventions’. Some mental health providers who have expertise in treating psychiatric disorders through an integrative approach to psychological well-being use technologies to track your mental health progress. For instance, a face tracking software can tell if you’re sad, angry, happy or surprised. Likewise, there are tools to track a patient’s anxiety level across time and help the psychiatrist/therapist to make a proper diagnosis. You can learn about these things in your own therapist search.

Conclusion

Apart from medication, psychotherapy, and alternative methods of treatment, the integrated interventions in mental health care also take into account another important element, and that is cutting-edge technologies. You can use medications, psychotherapies, and alternative methods of treatment as much as you want. But how can you be sure that your mental health condition has improved? How can you track your progress across medications and across time? Nowadays, good mental health clinics are using technologies so that people can detect an oncoming mental health episode. This helps both patients and psychiatrists to take preventive measures and avoid another depressive episode in the near future.

My point of view

Integrated interventions can help to re-instill happiness in the lives of patients. They can help to drive away negative forces and heal all the self-inflicted wounds that disrupt one’s behavior. Also, it’s extremely important to track one’s mental health progress because without that it’s difficult to make a proper diagnosis. Just like doctors measure blood pressure and then prescribe medicines, psychiatrists should also think about the treatment orientation after checking the anxiety level.

Medication can help to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and other mental disorders. But psychotherapy and alternative treatments can help to bring tranquility in a patient’s life when used together with medication.

The biggest problem in behavioral health treatment is that doctors don’t know technology and tech-guys don’t understand medicines. Integrated interventions help to solve this problem. 

How I Avoid Panic Attacks When Talking to Strangers

Advice from One Overthinker to Another

Have you ever found yourself stuck in an airport and needing a pen, but the thought of talking to a stranger would falsely persuade you that you don’t need it? In these situations doubts tend to take over and drag people into the state of discomfort, shyness or even a shame for considering the idea of asking. In order to avoid or even getting rid of social anxiety, it is good to always have a complete protocol of actions for this unexpected, unwanted but very possible and almost inevitable scenario of our everyday life. Here are lessons I learned from my own experiences. Use the advice if you find yourself in a similar situation!

Don’t Make a Face of a Cat from Shrek

Sure, it can work if it’s a kind stranger. But if it is a bossy character who likes to be flattered by others, your chances of getting what you want may dramatically decrease. Simply because this person is extremely likely to start to feel a certain level of disrespect towards you, for applying this insincere technique. If you want to do things this way, you risk to become disliked even if you received the item after all. It is important to remember, that if you are classified as someone who tries to outsmart an individual in this primitive way, the process of begging for a material item will turn into a begging for a rejection.

Humor is the Best Weapon

Before you start a conversation with a complete stranger, you got to look for ways to make that person smile and laugh afterwards. Let’s say you run out of the internet and you need someone’s 3g. The person is using a phone a few feet away from you. Don’t approach from behind. S/he has to see you first, at least with peripheral vision. If the stranger wears earplugs – wave to make an eye contact.

Let’s compare your further actions to the process of building a house of cards. Yes, you can construct it fast. But if you allow yourself a bit of clumsiness you increase an additional risks. That is why it is a good idea to take your time. But you may not always have it. So let’s break down both scenarios: when you do have some extra seconds and when you don’t.

Scenario A: In the Hurry

Every responsible hiker has a first-aid kit in the bag. Yes, it cannot save from everything. But it will make that traveler more likely to get to the point B than the one who doesn’t have these things. That is why you should be guided by the same principle and have your go-to phrase for an emergency. It’s like always carrying a little bit of glue so that you could make the process of building the house of cards easier.

It has to be your original line. But if you don’t want to exercise your creative muscle you can use this one: “You see the internet is like a water in a desert. I’m not ‘thirsty’. I’m ‘dehydrated’. Could you please save my life by giving me a ‘drink’?”.

This phrase cannot be universal, as it may not always apply to the object you need. But only if you don’t think outside of the box. If you’re armed with a good phrase for an “internet need”, you may still use it when you need a pen. You just say that you know only how to persuasively to ask for internet. Use that line that has no connection to the item you need and finish it with “...so can I have your pen for a minute?”.

There’s an alternative method that you can use. But it requires you to have a specific skill. If you’re good at speed tongue-twisters, you can apply it in pretty much any situation. You can patter a long detailed and super informative explanation of why you need it.

Example: “Hi. Due to cosmic but yet not enough high speed of technological progress, the surface of the Earth still has not been fully covered with free internet. Since currently, I’m not at the space-time where my device can detect it, would you mind if I ask you to please share your 3g with me?”

If you manage to clearly(!) ramble it in about 4 seconds it will crack up most of the people. Whichever method you’re going to use, consider that your decision should be based not only on your time, but on that person’s “index of a hurry” as well. If you can tell it is high – you know what to do. If it is low – apply the following strategy.

Scenario B: Easy does it

Going back to the house of card analogy, this option is like eliminating such factors as unnecessary wind and wobbliness of the table. And by the way, it doesn’t mean, that you should get rid of the phrase that was mentioned in previous scenario. This tempo should make your speech only a little bit slower. Don’t overdo with time. But also remember that you’re not in the hurry. So speed of energized yet relaxed telemarketer should do it.

Before starting a conversation, pay attention to everything that surrounds you. You can notice things that can inspire you to make a good joke. But if you don’t see any of the hints, you can build upon the phrase that was mentioned previously.

If you have plenty of time, by no means, don’t try to become friends in order to get the item. Even the kindest people may help you out with disgust if you give them a reason to suspect that your friendliness is just a trick.

Prepare to Offer Something in Return

If you made that stranger smile and you still don’t have what you need, you may receive a classical question “what’s in there for me?.” Your answer should be simple and preferably with notes of humor. Like “I will make you laugh even harder the next time” or “I won’t bother you with that question if we swap lives right now and you will need the same thing from me”

And if you do like that person you can go further. And hit back with: “you won’t have to worry about splitting a bill for our dinner. I’ll apply the same strategy of asking on the owner of the restaurant as I successfully did it on you.”

How I Use It

Once, when I needed a conference pass I was waiting for someone with badge card to exit the building where the event took its place. It was dedicated to hematology (branch of science about blood and its diseases). When I finally saw that person with badge leaving the territory of the building, I already had a plan with two objectives:

• Offer something in return

• Made that person smile

I came up with the opening line I’ve made specifically for that interaction while I was waiting. I’ve said the following:

“Hi! I really want to get to this conference. Could you please give me your badge card? In return I promise to donate you my blood if you get wounded”

Of course I received the pass because I got lucky with the person. But I also was able to use my luck by combining the two elements: humor and willingness to give something in return.

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About the Author

Zack Hargorve is a blogger and an editor of bookwormhub community. One of his missions is to notice interesting, unusual phenomenons and tendencies in the world of music and communication, and reporting it to a diverse scope of audience.