5 Yoga Poses to Try When Anxiety Hits

Panic attacks from anxiety are nothing new and nothing to be ashamed of. The annoying time when your body preps for fight or flight can be nerve-racking, especially when your brain knows that there’s no real danger.

Some symptoms of panic attack include pain or tightness in chest, a sense of impending danger, trembling, dizziness and nausea, shortness of breath, heart pounding, and sweating

But the good news is, yoga can help you with some of these uncomfortable physical symptoms. A great place to start is with simple yoga poses. You can do these almost anywhere:

Channel-Cleaning Breath (Nadhi Shodhana)

This pose is more prep than posing, because it has you focus on getting oxygen to the brain, before you start your yoga session. “However, this breathing technique can help you get into a calm state, so that you can focus on yoga, instead of worrying about anything and succumbing to anxiety.”

Breathe while sitting in a chair or cross-legged on the floor. 

Take 2-3 deep breaths in through your nose, and exhale through your mouth.

Then, use your right thumb to close your right nostril. Inhale through your left nostril. 

Then, open right nostril, closing left one (with your ring finger). 

Exhale through your right nostril, inhale, and switch sides. 

Repeat for several breaths.

Cat Pose (Marjaryasana)

Cat on the left, cow on the right.

This pose works well with the Cow Pose (which we’ll discuss in the next section). Both poses stretch your spine and your abdominal muscles.

Start in a tabletop position with your knees below the hips, and your hands below the shoulders. 

Keep head and neck neutral.

Keep staring at the floor.

Exhaling, round your spine, but keep shoulders and hips in position as much as possible.

Release your neck, but don’t tuck your chin to your chest. 

Inhaling, return to the starting position.

Repeat, or move on to the Cow Pose.

Speaking of…

Cow Pose (Bitilasana)

Like the Cat Pose, the Cow Pose focuses on the spine and the abdominal muscles.

Start in a tabletop position with knees directly below hips, and hands below shoulders. 

Keep head and neck neutral, and your gaze on the floor.

Inhaling, lift chest and sitz bones toward the ceiling, while your belly sinks toward the floor.

Exhaling, return to the neutral starting position, or do Cat Pose.

Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

This pose requires you to get extra support under the hips and pelvis if you have tight hamstrings. When doing this pose, sit with your legs straight in front of you, and the right side of your body pressed against a wall or headboard. As you turn your back to lie on the floor, exhale. Then, raise your legs up the wall until they point toward the ceiling. If you can’t press against the wall, at least try to get as close to the wall as possible, creating a slight arch through your torso to your shoulders.

This pose should be done anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, while taking deep, slow breaths.

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Finally, the Child’s Pose is an easy yoga pose to execute. To do this:

Kneel on the floor, with your big toes touching. 

Open your knees to the width of your hips. 

Sit on your heels.

Exhaling, bring your torso down between your thighs. 

Lengthen the back of your neck to stretch your spine.

Your hands and arms should rest at your sides (or next to your torso). 

Relax your shoulders, and let gravity pull them toward the floor. 

Stay in this pose for 30 seconds (or for as long as you’d like).

Conclusion

Yoga can train your body and your mind, as you focus on the moment. This kind of focus can help with stress, anxiety, and depression. You can start with these 5 poses – take your time on them – and, more importantly, breathe.

Kristin Herman lives in Phoenix, Arizona. She’s is a writer and editor at  UK Writings,  Academized, and Boom Essays. As a marketing writer, she blogs about the latest trends in digital advertising. In her spare time, she practice yoga and meditation, and she spends time with her two dogs.

What is Ecotherapy?

Photo by Lukasz Szmigiel

Learn more about this approach to mental health that’s skyrocketed in popularity over the last few months

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a number of layoffs and furloughs across industries, as well as a number of other stress-inducing difficulties. While it hasn’t been an easy road for most, it has brought new, unique forms of therapy and self-care to the forefront of the public’s attention.

Like many during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have discovered the incredible effects of nature when it comes to dealing with mental health. Simply taking an hour to walk through a forest or along a beach helps me clear my mind and recharge in a totally unique way. I know I’m not alone, as many news articles have highlighted this growing urge to connect with the wilderness. Hiking, birdwatching, and a range of other outdoor activities are all surging in popularity during this challenging period. 

As it turns out, this type of “green treatment” actually has its own scientific name: ecotherapy. Simply put, ecotherapy involves connecting with nature and recognizing the positive impact that nature can have on one’s psychological and emotional wellbeing. This approach to mental health is skyrocketing in popularity over the last few months, and it’s easy to see why. With so many people feeling isolated and disconnected from friends, family, and ‘normal’ life, a sense of mutual connection to our ecosystem can have incredible benefits.

What is Ecotherapy?

First pioneered by Theodore Roszak in the early 1990s, ecotherapy suggests that exposure to nature is essential to human healing and growth. The idea that getting outdoors and experiencing the sea or mountain air can improve mental health may seem logical – obvious, even. But beyond the psychological benefits, ecotherapy also improves physical health, especially in regards to healing from wounds and surgeries. Studies have shown that when hospital patients are recovering in rooms decorated with flowers and other plants, they heal much more quickly.

However, the clinical application of ecotherapy doesn’t simply mean going for a walk along the beach or hiking through the mountains. Ecotherapy is a very specific form of mental health treatment that is most often directed by a trained therapist. 

To find out how you can apply ecotherapy techniques to your life, or to get a better sense of what you can expect in this type of treatment, review the latest trends in ecotherapy as shared below: 

Walk and talk

One of the earliest and most successful forms of ecotherapy is a technique called “walk and talk.” This therapist-led form of ecotherapy has been used by mental health professionals treating young adults and teens for decades. As the name suggests, it involves moving a typical therapy session to the wilderness, to be conducted while walking along a path or a trail. When young adults are able to unwind and relax in nature, they can escape some of the environmental triggers that may be present in a more urban environment.

Bring Ecotherapy into your Home

Although the “walk and talk” approach is well established, it might not be easily accessible for those who are practicing social distancing. Today, many people are getting help from mental health specialists through virtual connections and telehealth sessions. Fortunately, many of these specialists can still engage in ecotherapy with their patients while at home. Decorating your home with houseplants and “bringing nature to you” can be an effective way to experience the benefits of ecotherapy without leaving your home.

Outdoor Meditation

The scientific community generally agrees that meditation can be an incredibly powerful way to deal with stress and mental health issues. Bringing your meditation practice outdoors activates your senses and deepens your connection with the natural world. In fact, the Japanese have been engaging in something called “shinrin-yoku” since ancient times. Shinrin-yoku roughly translates to “forest bathing,” and it has been linked to lower blood pressure and decreased stress hormones. 

Community Gardening

A number of mental health initiatives in recent years have focused on collaborative, social ecotherapy activities, such as community gardening. In addition to simply walking through nature and experiencing an empty beach or a quiet forest, gardening gives you the satisfaction of actively creating something. When you bring other people into the mix, you have the chance to work together on a group project and experience the literal fruits of your labor.

Dedicated Ecotherapy Parks

As ecotherapy becomes more popular throughout the world, more cities are investing in dedicated ecotherapy parks. For example, government councils in the suburbs outside Melbourne, Australia, are in the process of creating the Romsey Ecotherapy Park, which will include a sensory therapeutic space and an arts center to provide a range of ecotherapy activities. While therapists can make use of this park through guided sessions, residents can come and enjoy the space on their own.

Ecotherapy: Finding Connection in Nature

Sometimes, I feel like there’s something missing in my life. That “missing link” isn’t always clear, but the calming effect of nature never fails to help me move forward. A deep breath of cool mountain air or a face full of sea breeze may not provide me with all the answers, but it gives me the sense of calm and renewed perspective I need to handle all of life’s challenges. If you’re looking for a new way to get your bearings in this uncertain world, ecotherapy may be the answer. 

Elliot Figueira is an experienced analyst and journalist with a passion for technology and innovation. Elliot enjoys having the opportunity to research new inventions and developments over the course of his workdays. Outside of writing, Elliot enjoys acting, science-fiction literature, and cultivating various types of cacti.

Can Food Allergies Exacerbate Anxiety?

Photo by Anna Pelzer

There is a lot of talk recently about how what you eat affects your mental health. Is what you are putting in your body really causing mental health symptoms? Well, according to the latest research, yes, anxiety can be affected by food intolerances. Not only do sufferers have to manage having people around them minimizing their symptoms and living in fear of exposure to an allergen, but the recent discovery of how the gut and the brain interact is cause for concern too.

The stress caused by food allergies

Suffering from a food allergy is a constant source of stress. Family and friends do not always believe the seriousness of the allergy or intolerance, forgetting to look at food labels or purposefully exposing the sufferer to the allergen. Going out to eat or ordering a takeaway is no longer a source of joy, you must ask how your food is being prepared. You become that difficult customer that servers and chefs roll their eyes at and your family stares at their feet, trying not to feel embarrassed. Your life is in a constant state of hyperawareness around food and food safety which can spiral into Generalized Anxiety. The best way to keep the stress down is really advocating for yourself or your child. Have an allergy back up plan if food is accidentally contaminated. Make sure you always have your medication with you, especially at restaurants, school, work, and family and friend’s houses. Do not let people minimize the issue and practice saying “No, thank you, I am allergic”.

IgE and IgG food allergies

Type 1 or IgE allergies are the most talked about allergies, as they carry the most severe symptoms. “They affect 2-5% of the population, mostly children, and are the most severe and come on suddenly,” says Virginia Browning, a nutrition blogger at Writinity and Last Minute Writing. Symptoms of Type 1 allergies include hives, stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and if severe enough, anaphylaxis, where your tongue and throat swell, and breathing is stopped. Without immediate medical attention, you can suffocate. In the U.S. alone, roughly 30,000 people experience anaphylaxis, with around 150 deaths per year.

Testing for these allergies includes a skin scratch test or a blood test or both.

Type 3 or IgG food allergies work a bit differently. When you eat a trigger food, the symptoms do not show up for several days, making it highly unlikely the sufferer will even link it to the food they ate several days previously. These Type 3 delayed food reactions have been linked to over 100 different allergic symptoms. There have been over 150 different medical diseases linked to Type 3 allergies, including anxiety, depression, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and ADHD to name a few. IgG testing is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test or ELIZA, which analyses IgG Food Antibody Profile levels of IgG antibodies for commonly offending foods. This can cost up to several hundred dollars but the investment in your health is well worth it.

You are what you eat

“There have been many links to how gut health is connected to brain health and vice versa as the gut-brain connection is bi-directional. 90% of the body’s Serotonin, your happy hormone, is produced in the gut. In addition to that, 90% of the fibers in your main nerve, the vagus, carries information from your digestive system to your brain meaning if your gut is unhappy, chances are you will be miserable too” says Keith Null, a mental health writer at  Draft Beyond and  Researchpapersuk. A quarter of people will experience depression, which has anxiety as one of its symptoms. Around 45% of people will have food intolerance. Managing your stress levels and cutting out problematic foods help keep your gut happy.

It is important to understand how gut health and mental health are related. A large percentage of the population has some sort of food allergy or intolerance. This, in turn, wreaks havoc on the digestive system and studies show that this is having a knock-on effect on our mental health. Managing stress levels, taking probiotics, and eliminating your problem foods will lead to a healthier digestive track and a happier you overall.

Have you had experiences with food allergies and anxiety? Share your experience in the comments below.

Ashley Halsey is from Jackson, Mississippi. She’s a writer at  Oxford Writing Service and  Gum Essays and has been involved in many different projects and events around the country.  When she is not looking after her two children, she enjoys reading, traveling, and attending business training courses.

How Should I Handle the Holidays As A People-Pleaser?

Photo by Kelly Sikkema

Prioritizing self-care during a stressful time of year 

Fall and winter holidays such as Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas are just around the corner. For some, this time of the year is joyful, filled with family gatherings. But for others, it’s a period of sadness, loneliness, depression and anxiety. Where does that stress come from and what’s the right way to address it?

I’d like to share what I came to discover through my own reflections, discoveries and experiences (both personal and as a Peer Specialist). I used to wonder: “How can someone not feel good when fall comes with golden leaves and pumpkin-themed coffee drinks?” Let me share how I answer that question with you.  

I feel S.A.D.

Have you ever felt tired and depressed when the long bright days of summer become cold, windy and rainy? When I first heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder - SAD (or seasonal depression), a light went on in my head. It suddenly made sense! I thought I was just viscerally hating late fall like many of us do. It turns out that each year, I’m experiencing SAD. It’s a real thing. But seriously, did I really need to add another medical diagnosis to my list? I guess not but it did help me better understand what was going on with me. Now that I’m aware, I can take steps to prevent and manage symptoms:

1. Maximize my daily exposure to light (sunlight or light therapy, open all window shades). For me this is huge. I’m like a plant, I need water and light.

2. Get my body moving regularly (daily if possible). I haven’t used the word “exercise” on purpose. Some people can’t and won’t do 30 minutes of medium to high intensity daily activities. So, things like walking the dog, cleaning the yard, washing the car, doing yoga in the living room work. If you can, go outside. Fresh air does miracles! As my friend Mike once said: “there is no bad weather, only bad outerwear”.

3. Avoid overeating and excessive (or regular) alcohol drinking. I know, that’s a tough one. I’m not a heavy drinker, but I try to avoid drinking every day during Holidays. First, my meds don’t mix too well with alcohol. Second, alcohol is a downer, so it is not good to fight depression. A couple years ago, my wife and I started to do a “dry” January (no alcohol at all). It kind of cleanse our bodies and seems to clear our minds. I also like the feeling of self-control and self-care it provides.

4. Remind myself to take my medication. It’s easy to forget when our routine derails during the Holidays.

5. Manage work-related stress, fatigue and frustration. Fall is often a busy period at work; pushing to meet yearly objectives, preparing plans and budget for the new year, performance evaluations, etc. Finding a work-life-fun balance, getting enough sleep, prioritizing and breathing or meditating do help. I highly recommend using the 4 Quadrants Check-In to balance our days and life. It’s an effective, quick and easy eye-opening tool. Is my time, energy and needs fulfillment spread evenly among all quadrants?

6. Stay connected every day. Especially if feeling depressed, I make sure to text, videoconference or call a friend or family member to catch up and share how I feel. I can attend a local/online peer support group as well. There are many available during the day and on evenings. Lastly, if no one is around, I go to my local coffee shop (when there’s no pandemic) or other public places like parks, gym, shopping mall just to see human beings. I also talk to my dogs but that could be a topic on it’s own for a future column.

The high cost of people-pleasing

“Stress, anxiety and depression are caused when we are living to please others” – Paul Coelho, lyricist and author of The Alchemist

I love this quote. Not only because I’m a people-pleaser (in recovery) but also because I did experience it first-hand. I’m an independent person and still I have always put other people first, even before my own needs and wants. For me, it feels great to help and give back. There’s no problem with that. The issue is when I overdo it without any self-consideration. When a loved one would ask for a favor, without even thinking, I would say: “Yes!” No matter if I wanted to do it, had the time or the energy to do it, or I had other conflicting commitments. At one point in my life, the cost of people-pleasing hit me hard. I was feeling unhappy and frustrated mainly at myself, so I decided to stop. Of course, the guilt kicked in at first and it was hard (and it still is) to break my old pattern. However, I quickly realized how free, happy and satisfied I was suddenly feeling. Was I being selfish? Maybe, but where does one’s selfishness start and end when self-care is concerned? I took a step back and asked myself: “Who is the most important person in my life? The answer came quickly: me! If I’m not happy, healthy and practicing self-care, how can I be of any help to others without letting myself down? Just like in airplanes, I had to learn to put my oxygen mask first.

So, that’s where people-pleasing contributes to Holiday anxiety. When I moved to the US, I realized how much Thanksgiving is a huge holiday. Bigger than Christmas. People take the whole week off to shop for groceries, cook, decorate and prepare the house for family coming from all over the country. Through my co-workers and local friends, I saw how much stress and anxiety that whole celebration put on the hosts and guests. My wife and I embraced the tradition and on a smaller scale, I felt too that urge to make everything perfect for everyone. I get a little stressed out when hosting people. I could relate to how my mother felt when all my family would gather at their house for the Christmas dinner and night. I listed below different stressors we may not be fully aware of when the Holiday season comes:

1. Preparing: The reach for perfection, the anticipation increasing our stress level

2. Hosting: All the pleasing, being everywhere at once, spinning, smiling is tiring

3. Deciding: To go or not to go, that’s a big one for me being away from family

4. Traveling: Especially when long distance driving or taking airplanes is involved

5. Interacting: There can be tension between family members or on-site drama

6. Acting: It can be hard to be our best self when we have end of year exhaustion

7. Leaving: Hosts wanting you to stay longer and feeling sad you are leaving

I think that using tools like box breathing (slow abdominal inhale, hold, exhale, hold – each step for 4 seconds – repeat as many sequences for 5 minutes) or writing down what I am grateful for, especially around Thanksgiving, are very useful during stressful times. The former calms my body and mind, the latter redirects my focus on the positive aspects in my life. To reduce my mother’s stress while hosting Holiday events, we would remind ourselves that what’s most important is the quality time we spend together. Not if the napkins truly match with the candles or if the turkey is perfectly tanned.

Stress and anxiety can lead to depression

How? By getting discouraged in front of what seems to be a giant task like hosting for the whole family, by telling ourselves that it’s never good enough (for all the perfectionists like me out there), by wanting to please everyone while forgetting about our own needs and limits. Those are just a few examples of the negative effect of high stress that often turns into anxiety and leads to depression. At one point, it feels heavy on the mind and body. Once the adrenaline rush is passed, fatigue and difficulty managing our emotions hit us. 

On top of that, for some people, we must add experiencing SAD and end of year exhaustion. That’s a lot going on! No wonder why we hear so many people say they feel more tired after the Holidays!

On a personal note, I have to share that the Christmas Holiday brings me a feeling of guilt for being away from my family (by choice), for not meeting others’ expectations. During this period, I emotionally juggle between pleasing others or doing self-care, which makes me sad and feel depressed at times. I get so tired when the year-end comes that I just want to take a break, take care of myself, be alone with my wife and fully recharge. 

Loneliness and past trauma

I’m so grateful to spend the holidays with my wife as well as staying in touch with my family and close friends. Still, I keep thinking about people who are alone, especially during that time of the year. The constant exposure to advertising of joyful family gathering can trigger the feeling of sadness and depression. With the current pandemic, things will also be different, and it might be harder to join in-person social events. However, there are a number of local peer support groups and blogs as well as mental health non-profit organizations that will maintain their online meetings. Peer-run warmlines will also remain available 24/7 to access someone to talk to if needed.

Holidays can be more complicated for those living with present or past trauma involving family. That time of year can re-open old scars for people who have lost family members, who no longer have their parents or aren’t close to their family. As a husband and peer specialist, I offer my love and support by being with the person, actively listening and empathizing with their pain. Sometimes there is no solution. Just being with someone in silence and caring is enough.

For more detailed ways to manage your mental wellness through the Holidays, check out this coping guide by NAMI.

Happy Holidays!

With fall and early winter bringing challenges like SAD, the before-during-after Holidays and end of year exhaustion, it is normal that we are experiencing increased feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. As best as we can, we can make our way through by being mindful of what is going on with us, choosing how we want to manage our emotions and thoughts, coping with our symptoms with free simple tools and taking care of ourselves first. I wish you all happy and calm Holidays! 

Tell me, how do you manage your mental well-being through this time of the year?

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Pat G Massicotte was born and raised in Quebec City. He spent many years in the medical/pharma industry in marketing before moving to Boston where he experienced serious mental health challenges that almost took his life. His recovery journey took him on a career shift and he became a Certified Peer Specialist in mental health. He used his presentation and training development skills to lead education committees, run peer support groups and mindfulness meditation sessions including workplaces.

More recently, Pat has pursued his dream to move to California where he joined the California Association for Mental Health Peer-Run Organizations (CAMHPRO) to take care of communications and to facilitate state advocacy workgroups and peer education webinars.

Pat is a change agent passionate about mental health education. His ultimate goal is to humanize healthcare, break the stigma, raise awareness through voicing the Peer Values, the trauma-informed model and that recovery is real, so is hope.

What is non-suicidal self-harm?

Photo by Tim Mossholder

Non-suicidal self-harm means inflicting damage to your own body without the intention of suicide (and not consistent with cultural norms). Here are some facts about these behaviors, mental health first aid, and strategies which can help).

The most common methods of non-suicidal self-harm are cutting (70%) or scratching, deliberately hitting the body on a hard surface, punching, hitting or slapping one’s self, and biting or burning. Burning or self-battery are more common in men than women.

Non-suicidal self-harm is common in adolescents and young adults. The lifetime rates in these groups are 15 to 20 %, with the onset typically at 13 to 14 years of age. Occurrence is highest in individuals with mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, or those who struggle to regulate their emotions or those who are highly self-critical. About 6 per cent of adults report non-suicidal self-harm.

Some of the reasons behind self-harm

The reasons for these self-harm behaviors are reported to be to:

• manage painful or overwhelming feelings

• punish oneself

• communicate with others, or

• for other reasons (e.g. feeling emotionally numb).

Remember that most men feel ashamed of the behaviours and are not seeking attention. They are at a higher risk of suicide. In fact, it has been found that 10 per cent of people who had injured themselves in the past four weeks had made a suicide attempt in the last year, and 60 per cent had thoughts of suicide.10  

Mental health first aid

Don’t assume that those who self-harm are suicidal, and don’t presume they are not. The only way to know is to ask them.

If you suspect someone is self-harming, then discuss it with them if you feel able to, in a private place. You might say something like, ‘Sometimes when people are in a lot of emotional pain, they injure themselves on purpose. Is that how your injury happened?’

Reaching out for help

If you interrupt someone who is injuring themselves, be calm and intervene in a supportive and non-judgmental way. Tell them you are concerned and ask if you can provide support. Organize medical help if needed. When talking with them express empathy, listen to them, validate their feelings or concerns, give support and reassurance that there is help available, don’t promise to keep the behavior a secret, and encourage them to seek professional help (from a doctor or mental health professional), and assist them to do so if they ask you.

KEY POINT: If the self-harm is severe, interfering with functioning, or if the person has injured their eyes, genitals, or expressed a desire to die, contact the emergency services immediately.

Instead of self-harm, consider these ideas

• Talk to someone (e.g. family, friend, helpline).

• Delay (the urge to self-harm will pass).

• Wait 5 minutes, then wait another 5 minutes more.

• Count from 1 to 100 or do some breathing exercises (see Chapter 3).

• Make the environment safe (e.g. make sure sharp objects are removed).

• Go to a different spot in the house or change your environment (e.g. go for a walk).

• Use a distraction (e.g. watch a film, play video games, do some exercise, or make a self-harm distraction box with things to concentrate on).

• Do something like holding a piece of ice or touch different textures around you.

• Have a cry.

• Write in a journal.

• If you need to see blood, then draw on the skin with a red pen.

• If you feel the need to punish yourself, then instead look for a way to forgive or be kind to yourself.

• If you feel overwhelmed and need to express anger, then punch a pillow or a punching bag.

• Avoid any activities that harm you or cause pain. In this way the brain will stop associating physical pain with relief or feeling good.11, 12

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Dr Cate Howell is a GP, therapist, educator and author in Australia. She had a year 2000 Churchill Fellowship and completed a PhD on depression. In 2012 Cate was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for services to mental health. Cate currently works as a General Practitioner with Defence, and also has a private practice focusing on mental health and various teaching activities. Cate has a passion for sharing practical information about mental health through writing, and she has authored five books on mental health and counseling. She loves spending time with her family and friends, walking her dog, reading and swimming. 

I've Started Writing Poetry to Handle My Chronic Pain and Anxiety

Photo by Karim MANJRA

It’s helping, too.

I’ve been focusing a lot more inward lately, writing poetry to help with my chronic pain and anxiety. I thought I'd share a few with you, to see if it helps. Here are 8 of my latest poems. I would love to hear what you think of them—please comment below!

------

Living with chronic pain

is like driving a car

with the check engine light on

forever.
------

Tomorrow you can be what you want

Today you are enough as you are

Tomorrow you can thrive

Today, my friend, you just survive.

------

Some days you just get through

Don't be bitter about them

For they are the ones that get you to live.

-----

The difference between

a good decision

and a bad one

is a few deep breaths.

----

Winter's pain do remember

in every summer

Summer's joy do treasure

in every winter.

--------

a drizzle for you

a hurricane for me

you don't even notice

while i crumble to pieces

------

nothing to do

nowhere to go

you are here

this is everything

--------

When hope seeps out

Hold on to your will

Renuka Dhinakaran is a burned out international lawyer & mother with Fibromyalgia and anxiety. After a near-death experience, she took a step back from her law practice and is now trying to re-discover her identity.

She writes on her blog about living with these conditions. Poetry helps her process her pain and anxiety. Renuka lives in The Hague, Netherlands.

How Pandemic Stress Affects Your Body

Photo by JOSHUA COLEMAN

Stress can cause a range of medical issues, but knowing that can change everything.

By now, almost everyone has experienced some form of stress or anxiety as a result of the pandemic.

Dubbed the “coronavirus blues” by some, this is a serious mental health concern with very physical consequences. Aside from the potential for self-harming behavior, mental stress can impact our bodies more than we may realize. Even if we act responsibly and avoid self-destructive behavior, our bodies have a tendency to attack themselves when faced with severe levels of stress and anxiety. 

When you understand how stress can manifest physically, it becomes easier to address these concerns and pursue a healthier lifestyle – both in terms of your body and your mind. While the mental anguish of stress is certainly worth prioritizing, its physical effects should not be underestimated either. As doctors and mental health professionals around the world are beginning to discover, extreme levels of pandemic-related stress can impact virtually every organ in the body. 

The link between the mind and body

The brain and the body live in a harmonious relationship. Fail to engage in regular exercise or eat a balanced diet and you may experience mental health problems. The equation also works in reverse. When the brain is subjected to high levels of stress and anxiety, the body begins to suffer. 

Scientists have had a pretty firm grasp on this relationship for many years, and research has unveiled a link between stress and physical ailments like high blood pressure and heart disease. We also know that stress can cause digestive issues like heartburn, constipation, and cramps. Stress can even reduce our sex drive, causing infertility or erectile dysfunction. One study even discovered that stress can slow down our ability to heal from wounds. 

The pandemic stress paradox

The interesting thing about stress is that it can imitate or even cause a range of very real medical issues. In a post-COVID world, a lowered immune system caused by stress can be a serious concern – especially among at-risk segments of the population. This becomes a bit of a paradox when you consider the fact that pandemic stress is often caused by fear of the coronavirus. In other words, fear of the virus can become so extreme that it actually increases our chances of contracting it. 

A compromised immune system due to stress can also make you vulnerable to a range of other issues. One study found that cases of the autoimmune disease lupus had risen by 12% since the emergence of COVID-19. Many people who contract the coronavirus are completely asymptomatic. For these individuals, the effects of a lowered immune system caused by stress may actually be more threatening than the virus itself.

What’s even more interesting is the tendency for people to manifest coronavirus symptoms purely as a result of stress. Some of COVID-19's most notable early symptoms include shortness of breath, low energy, digestive issues, and headaches. Ironically enough, chronic stress can cause these exact same symptoms. The confusion and anxiety caused by this paradox are enough to drive some people to serious desperation. By worrying about the disease, these individuals may experience lowered immune function or symptoms that mimic the virus. What we’re left with is a vicious circle of stress-induced physical ailments that, in turn, create even more anxiety and distress as we worry about our health.

The science behind the mind-body connection

Hormones are the key link between the mind and the body. Stress causes the brain to release special hormones into the bloodstream, and these hormones are then transported to every vital organ in the body. Two locations in the hypothalamus region are responsible for the production of hormones in the brain. 

When we become stressed, our brains send hormones like cortisol, adrenaline, or epinephrine to the pituitary gland. From there, these hormones are released into the bloodstream, causing a "fight or flight” response in our body. Suddenly, vital functions such as digestion and reproduction are disrupted as our body prepares for some type of imminent threat. One of the most basic physical changes that takes place is increased inflammation throughout the body. 

Common pandemic stress complaints

Over the last few months, doctors have noticed a number of trends among people complaining of pandemic stress. Although many come forward with mental health issues like depression, suicidal thoughts, low energy, and substance abuse issues, others are dealing with more physical problems. That’s not to say that mental health issues are any less important than physical ailments - a general feeling that something is wrong can be just as serious as a compromised immune system. 

With that said, here are some of the most common physical issues associated with pandemic stress:

• Skin issues like rashes, eczema, and acne

• Hair loss

• Cracked teeth from grinding at night

• Cervical discharge

• Breast tenderness

The value of self-care

The physical effects of pandemic stress only underline the importance of self-care. During this period of isolation and anxiety, it’s important to do everything we can to relax and reduce stress as much as possible. Try meditation or a new hobby that helps you calm down. Exercise and maintain your social connections as much and as virtually as possible. Above all else, speak to a mental health professional if you believe that pandemic stress is becoming too much to handle. 

Elliot Figueira is an experienced analyst and journalist with a passion for technology and innovation. Elliot enjoys having the opportunity to research new inventions and developments over the course of his workdays.

In Elliot’s mind, one of the best things about writing for a living is the chance to learn new things every single day.

Outside of writing, Elliot enjoys acting, science-fiction literature, and cultivating various types of cacti.

How I Learned to Compose Music To Help With Anxiety

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Claude Debussy once said that music begins when language ends. Being a great and unique composer who created many amazingly colorful pieces of music, Debussy understood that music is an element of itself that is not bound by linguistic barriers nor can it be locked into a box with a definition of it.

Music breaches physical and metaphysical realms and because of that it can be used to complete voids inside oneself and give deeper connection to one’s emotionality and subconscious which in turn can help a person live happy, peaceful and more fulfilling and complete life. Music can be a tool in therapy, especially in anxiety, depression and panic disorders.

A few words on relaxation

New studies on sleep show that people suffering from anxiety and depression dream up to three times more than people without those disorders.

As you probably know anxiety and depression makes us overthink. Negative rumination and introspection produces stress hormones that flood our bodies. These thoughts are usually not resolved during the day and we are locked inside the cycle of worry.

After the day is over and we head over to sleep our brain tries to make sense out of all that and resolve that emotional arousal during REM phase – the phase where dreaming occurs.

When we dream, we again become emotionally aroused and so if there is too much arousal during the day your brain is unable to catch up and then you wake up exhausted, your serotonin levels are depleted and then you start ruminating. And the circle begins again.

With that in mind it’s easy to conclude that we need to break that mad circle as often as possible. Here comes relaxation (amongst other things like physical exercise and therapy for example). 

The idea is simple – we need to relax as often and as deeply as we can to help our brain deal with all that tension and the more we consciously relax during the day the more “buffer” our brain has to resolve left over bad emotions and flush out all of that negativity away so we can reach deep sleep phase (that happens after REM)  where biological recovery happens. (Read more about over-dreaming.)

As mentioned at the beginning music goes beyond words as it affects us directly on many levels of our existence and therefore is the perfect tool to facilitate relaxation.

About me

The author in his studio

My name is Matt and I have been struggling with anxiety and depression my whole life. I’ve made a great progress throughout the years and am able to live stable and happy life now.

There were many things that helped me including therapy, people and medication but today I want to focus on less mainstream method of dealing with those disorders hinted above which is therapeutic music as a tool for relaxation.

You see I am a musician myself and music plays a huge part in my life. I went to music school as a kid and studied classical piano and theory. After that I graduated from college majoring in film music and audio engineering. I always liked to listen to music but I also loved to compose and create myself.

During my darkest times (without yet knowing the power of relaxation) I remember browsing YouTube and stumbling upon videos featuring relaxing music and I was instantly hooked. Every time I was getting worse, I would lay down, put my headphones on and try to relax to that music and it was amazing what that have done to me.

Later I discovered the study of over-dreaming and breaking the circle of worry and everything made sense.

The only problem I encountered during that time was that not all of that music had the same effect on me and there was only a handful of videos geared specifically to help relief anxiety and/or depression symptoms.

There is an abundance of relaxing music on YouTube but almost all of it tries to be a jack of all trades.

Let me explain. If you search for the term “relaxing music” you will see titles like “relaxing music for anxiety, sleep, yoga, focus” etc. and that is the problem – something that is created for sleep or focus won’t necessarily work for a panic attack.

Music composition that tries to relieve anxiety needs to be tailored to anxiety, music to help you sleep needs to be tailored to sleep etc.  Doing a mishmash simply won’t work because it uses too much or too little of specific stimuli (melody, frequency tempo, key etc.) that work for one thing but not the other.

To simplify that even more think If we would only have one genre of music – that would be devastating. Different genres and music forms evoke different emotions and thoughts and put us in different states of mind - and going deeper now - different sounds, instruments, melodies, harmonies etc. have different effect on our brain as well.

Having said that one needs to look for music that is specifically geared toward ex. panic attack relief or prevention.

Being a musician with professional background I quickly discovered what elements work for a given condition and so after exploring the world of relaxing music for a while I made a promise to myself that once I get better I will start composing therapeutic music myself to help other people struggling with those terrible disorders that can steal everything from you.

I suffered enough myself and thought that if my music can help somebody then that is worth my time and effort to create something.

After I got really better I kind of forgot about that idea. I got a new great job and picked up mountain biking again. One day doing some spring cleaning inside my laptop I found my old folder named “D” (depression) in which I stored all of the helpful resources including music therapy research and the idea of creating therapeutic music came back to me again and I decided that it is time to do something about it and after a while there I was in front of my audio workstation with a trusty piano on the side diving into the depths of plethora of musical resources I gathered throughout the years and started putting things together - testing and improving, experimenting and confirming or getting rid of faulty elements.

After I established a good workflow, I looked at YouTube again, created a profile and uploaded my first composition. And The Gateway Productions was born – first (to the best of my knowledge) YouTube channel with therapeutic music geared specifically towards anxiety and depression. 

The process

As the time passed by, I added more videos and categorized them. The main content is created towards relieving anxiety but I also upload videos for stress relief and general relaxation. Each music video is geared specifically towards each condition and uses only proven musical methods that include:

1)  Choosing correct key – different musical keys evoke different emotional states. The first scholarly notion of that was introduced by German composer and theorist John Mattheson and then rediscovered and translated by Rita Steblin in her book A History of Key Characteristics in the 18th and Early 19th Centuries in 1983.

2) Choosing the right scale – two main scales widely used in all music would be Major and Minor but venturing into other scales like Lydian or Phrygian can bring interesting results when implemented in music. For example, in film music when we see something magnificent, out of this world or victorious we can often hear the use of Lydian scale that evokes that emotion of excitement in us.

3) Choosing melody or lack of it – yes, melody is like a violinist playing solo with accompaniment of orchestra – almost everyone will pay attention to the soloist no matter how intricate the orchestral accompaniment is. The soloist leads and so does the melody focusing our attention on it and so for example, if you’re looking for music for sleep it should not really include any melody as it will keep waking you up as your brain will try to make sense of it.

Also, it is important to consider between repeating the melody or creating constant new melody throughout the piece as our brain makes associations and looks for patterns and will recognize the repetitiveness which can work good in certain situations and bad in other.

4) Instrumentation – this is an endless territory as nowadays (besides physical instruments) we have access to millions upon millions of different sounds that can be created using synthesizers. The key point here is that if someone is trying to compose a peaceful music for let’s say stress relief, he should look for instruments or sounds that are not distracting and calm in timbre or use correct articulation and dynamics for that instrument as to get the desired docile effect.

5) Tempo – this is generally a simple one as slower tempos tend to calm us down and faster tempos stimulate us for doing something active. However, tempo can be changed for ex. to help slow our heart rate by modulating from faster to slower.

6) Mixing the music – I will not go deep here as mixing is the art of itself and I spent 4 years in college barely scratching the surface of that beautiful art. Let me just say that by using audio tools like equalizers and compressors (just to name couple) audio engineer is able to shape the sound to desired effect, accentuating or attenuating certain frequencies, shaping dynamics of the sound and placing the music in 3D space so the listener can be surrounded by it, feeling like the music is hugging him.

Let me just add that sometimes music can be well written but if the mixing is poor the outcome will be poor as well.

7) Mastering – I will not go deep here either as this is yet another bottomless field of music making and even after audio college I don’t feel qualified enough to write something about it besides that it is the final step in music production when mastering engineer (with extraterrestrial diamond ears) makes final adjustments to the song bringing it to the commercial level. I spent countless hours training my ears in mastering studio just to barely understand the bulk of this beautiful and somewhat magical art. Being an audio engineer makes you learn till you die as there is so much aspects to it.

These are just a few of key aspects of making good therapeutic music that can help you relax and affect your brain in a specific way so to bring you relief in your struggles.

There are also other more unorthodox methods in music like detuning the instruments to 432hZ, including “cosmic theta waves” or binaural beats but these elements were not tested to the full extent as of now and are not proven to do anything positive for us. 

Beside as you could read above there is already plenty to take into consideration when creating therapeutic music and so I personally decided to stick with that.

Maybe in the future with the advance of knowledge I will explore those unorthodox methods more but as of right now I see good results with what I am doing.

A few last words

Hard at work

If you’ve made it to here – thank you. I am extremely excited and grateful to be able to share my story and project with you who reads it.

If you find that interesting please head over to my channel and subscribe as I upload new music videos regularly.

If it is not too much to ask, I would also encourage you to like, comment and share my content as this greatly helps my channel grow and reach more people in need.

The YouTube algorithm is weird. I need people like you to help me put the word out so more people can find The Gateway Productions and benefit from tailored music therapy.

Music has helped and is helping me, maybe it will do wonders for you too. Who knows? Give it a try and remember to never give up!