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You’re waiting at a redlight and the woman in the car in front
of you absentmindedly continues to twist and twirl strands of
hair with her fingers — her therapy curl.

You’ve just filled out an order form and the guy who is waiting
for someone from the warehouse to get back to him impatiently
taps his pencil on the side of the desk. Was there a musical
accompaniment? There didn’t have to be, he was tapping the
minutes away.

You’re at work and the woman in the cubicle across from you
draws tiny swirls and symbols on a piece of paper when her phone
call gets placed on hold. If all her spiraling lines could
eventually be connected they’d probably stretch the distance of
the Great Wall of China.

What do these people have in common? Habits. They each do
something automatically to help pass the time away when they
have to wait for something.

Common to Us All

Not all habits, however, are nervous ones that have been
designated to fill a void in time. Some are instant actions
based on ongoing assumptions. For instance, ever since I
switched the locations of a floor lamp and a recliner, my
husband and I have been walking toward the lamp to sit and
toward the chair to switch on the light. Then, later, when I
replaced a wall clock with a framed painting, for days we were
looking over at the painting to see what time it was. Naturally,
we knew better afterward. But for a split-second interval, our
thinking had taken a hike and habit had taken over (a trained
response to an asumption that things were as they had been
before).

All habits though, are not based on impatient time-filling or
based on things you’ve done before and memorized to do again.
Some have a complicated addictive quality to them
(over-indulgence in eating, drinking, gambling, etc.). These are
habits gone awry because other psychological/physical things are
involved.

Of course, we’re all aware of some of the more
socially-irritating habits, such as interrupting someone when
they’re talking, laughing at inappropriate times, digging ear
wax out of your ear and then not knowing what to do with it, and
other kinds of “nails on the chalkboard” things that people
around you might do. I’m sure you can vividly recall a number of
other irritations as well.

Thinking Takes a Hike

During the act of a habit, our mind is not fully engaged and,
since most of us usually follow the path of least resistance,
it’s quite easy to relinquish our thinking powers over to
routines and habits. Habits are not to be confused for reflexes
and instincts however, although reflexes and instincts certainly
play a part in developing some (and possibly most) habits.

But we’re creatures of habit. From the way we put our clothes
away (or don’t put them away), to the manner in which we speak,
habits sneak in and set up shop. An ever-increasing one is the
appearance of 4-letter words that has taken over the English
language. Language as we have known it gets taken in another
direction when those “word gems” become the bulk of the sentence
structure. Cussing is no different than any other form of
expressing feelings in order to communicate them to others. But
when that expression becomes a habit and that habit
increases…well, thank goodness for the few verbs and
adjectives that actually do make it into the conversation or
there would be no conversation at all.

Habits heed no boundaries and play no games. They can plant
themselves, take root and dare you to get rid of them. If you’ve
ever tired to break one, it quickly becomes apparent to you just
how strongly they can take hold. Technically, all regular
routines are habits, since after awhile, all routines by their
very nature become habitual. You go to bed at eleven, get up at
six and go off to work at seven-thirty so often that you don’t
even think about it anymore…you just do it. It’s that
repeating and not having to think about it that qualifies
routines as habits.

They Have Dual Personalities

Obviously, some habits are good and some are not so good. Saying
“thank you” is a good one to develop. Chewing our fingernails
down to the flesh might be one to avoid. Any habit that helps us
to be better human beings are habits to embrace. Any that would
drive those around us up the wall might be some to reconsider.
And any that would be grounds for divorce would definitely be
ones to avoid altogether.

Highly Effective

The fact that habits can be good things is evidenced in the
popularity of list-writings based on Stephen Covey’s “The 7
Habits of Highly Effective People.” Do a search online and
you’ll find everything from “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective
Teens” to “The 7 Highly Effective Habits of Brand Champions.”
So, it’s obvious that habits can be a good thing. Let them work
for you. Make them work for you! Harness the bad ones and let
the good ones help you. Who knows what you can accomplish with
the right habits assisting and strengthening you. Who knows!

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a very misunderstood illness and this is perhaps why there are so many myths about it. Perhaps the most common myth about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is that it is effectively a mental condition, and another name for depression.

But these two conditions are very different!

And when you label a condition incorrectly it can cause no end of problems when trying to diagnose and treat it. So it’s extremely important to make the distinction between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and depression - because they are completely different illnesses.

For one, depression can be a symptom of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but there are many Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers out there who do not suffer from depression at all.

Second, research has shown that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers have an abnormality in their ‘deep sleep’ brainwave patterns. In contrast, depression sufferers do not have this abnormality.

In addition, depression sufferers tend to feel tired all the time, whereas Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers’ exhaustion increases notably after mental or physical exertion.

There are also symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that are not shared by depression sufferers. Nasty flu-like symptoms, headaches, reversal of sleeping patterns, painful muscles and joints, Restless Legs Syndrome, and an increase in colds and viruses all are just a few symptoms that can play a part in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

These are just a few of the differences between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and depression!

Another myth about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is that all Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers need to do is to ‘pull themselves together’ - and they’d be cured…

… if only it were that simple!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is actually a bio-physical condition and was (finally) accepted as such by the UK government in 2001. But no cure has yet been found.

Unfortunately there are still many people out there (including some medical professionals) who still think that the condition is ‘all in the sufferer’s head’.

It is because of this misunderstanding that the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome community has fought so hard against Chronic Fatigue Syndrome being wrongly labelled as a mental illness. And it is perhaps because of this battle that depression amongst Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers has often sadly been overlooked…

Yet for many, depression can be a very real symptom of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. If you suffer from depression as a Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferer, then it’s vital that you take it very seriously and that you try to address it as soon as possible.

If you don’t deal with your depression, you are unlikely to be able to recover from any chronic illness…

…and recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is no exception.

For more about the difference between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and depression visit:

http://www.sleepydust.net/CHRONIC-FATIGUE-SYNDROME-AND-DEPRESSION.html

It is possible to recover from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. So if you do experience depression as a symptom of your Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, make it a priority to deal with it. Only that way can you get yourself on the road to recovery.

Copyright, Claire Williams, 2004-2005. All Rights Reserved.

** Publication Guidelines **

The article above may be freely reproduced provided that:

(1) you only mail to a 100% opt-in list; (2) ALL links are

LIVE hyperlinks (3) the article is published in its entirety

including the title, copyright notice, & the author’s

bio & resource box (which must be placed directly below

the article).

—–

Claire Williams is editor of sleepydust.net, a web site that helps ME / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia sufferers deal with their condition - from handling their money worries, to recovering from their illness.

For more information on depression, visit:

http://www.sleepydust.net/DEPRESSION-SYMPTOM-homepage.html

And for more about why Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is different to Depression visit:

http://www.sleepydust.net/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-is-different-to-depression.html

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Roy Horn and Siegfried Fishbacher have performed around 5,700
shows since they began at the Mirage in Las Vegas over ten years
ago. The signature of their magic show has been their white
tigers and lions.

Six shows a week, 44 weeks a year they worked with their big
cats on stage, and not once has there been an incident. In fact,
according to reports, Montecore nipped at Roy’s arm earlier in
the show before carrying him off stage and seriously injuring
him, without leaving any bite marks.

Which is more than I can say about Baby Kittee here at my own
house.

I know all about Baby Kittee’s speed and teeth. She is, to quote
the poet William Blake, “red in tooth and claw.” As I vacuum
around the house, I find wings, scales, tails and other remnants
of her nature. Her name was chosen by my granddaughter. It might
as well have been “Grownup Killer.” Cats are always one
generation away from feral; they do not permanently domesticate,
like the dog.

Now did you catch that 6 shows a week? According to Horn’s
surgeon, Dr. Derek Duke, “A contributing factor to [Roy’s]
current condition is his extraordinary will and strong physical
attributes. These are significant elements in his ability to
recover.” Indeed his “thumbs-up” signal to his partner has been
mentioned by reporters. We are told that as he was carried away,
he asked that the cat not be put down. “Please don’t shoot the
cat,” he said. “Save the cat.”

It was Roy Horn’s 59th birthday (October 23, 2003) when he was
performing on stage with the 7-year-old, 600 pound Royal white
tiger, Montecore, that the cat injured him.

Reports from the shocked observers varied, but the consensus,
now that some time has passed, is that the tiger became
fascinated with a woman’s “big hair” in the audience, even to
the point of lying down on the job, at which point Roy bopped
him to get his attention.

Roy then endeavored to stay between the cat and the woman
(what’s with the “big hair”?) and it was at this point he fell,
stage hands rushed forward, and Montecore took action. According
to the head of the Mirage (Mr. Wynne), he didn’t “drag” Roy
offstage, nor did he “attack” or “grab” him. Siegfried and other
big cat experts agree that if Montecore had meant to do the job,
he would have shaken him to break his neck, and, as Siegfried
said, “There would be no Roy.”

Instead Wynn describes it as a gentle “carry,” like a mother cat
carrying her kitten off to safety. It is entirely possible
Montecore was heading back to his cage and taking what he cared
about with him. In interviews, Roy talks continually of his
bonding with his cats. He is present at their birth, and keeps
constant company with them. We know that bonding can occur
between all mammals because of the limbic brain we share in
common. It is how we bond to our own young, and to one another,
as do dogs, cats, horses, and other mammals.

In my Emotional Intelligence courses, I use the example of “the
tiger within.” It’s how we describe those primitive brain
emotions or reactions that occur automatically, that have to do
with fear, aggression and self-preservation. Psychologists call
it the 3F reaction - fight, flight, or fornicate. And that’s
about the only decision reptiles, and lower animals ever have to
make. They react to their environment in terms of what it can do
to them or for them, they don’t bond with their young (in fact
will eat them), and they never learn anything new their entire
lifespan. You can’t train an alligator.

We retain this brain. To this we added the mammalian brain, the
limbic brain, what makes us care for our young, bond, be able to
empathize, communicate and play … and why when we look into the
eyes of one another, or another mammal, we see soul, a sentient
being. It initiates mutual caring. If that frog in the example
were actually in the boiling water calling out, would it tear at
your heart the way a baby’s cry does, or the wailing of your dog
when you leave in the morning??

To this, we evolved the neocortex, the crowning glory of the
homo sapiens. Or is it? Magnificent as it may be, it has its
limitations. The lower brain will always rule, emotions will
always take precedence, because they’re necessary for survival.
When we fear - and in today’s world our fear can be totally
symbolic (your boss yelling at you) - we get “hijacked.” We are
“flooded” with emotion which is specifically designed to shut
down our “thinking” (our ability to reason) and we act, i.e., we
act without thinking. We are constantly at risk of the tiger
within us becoming confused and primitive, like Montecore, and
doing something we would not ordinarily do.

Montecore has been performing for many years. Something went
awry, something was different, and he reverted to
self-preservation tactics, by all reports. In the fight or
flight, he decided not to attack anyone, but to get himself and
Roy to safety. If he attacked Roy, the same principle applies
and we will never really know.

Something emotional happened, and among mammals, emotions are
contagious. You know this if you’ve been in a newspaper office
the day they announced it was closing, or been around when
someone got chastised in public. Was it something with Roy, the
same thing that caused this magnificent physical specimen to
slip and fall? His birthday? Wondering, as I do, why the
fascination with the “big hair.” (How many friends of mine have
told me their cats love to lick hair-sprayed hair… or did it
look like “fur” to Montecore?) Was he overly tired and less able
to concentrate - having celebrated his birthday, or being about
to? Was he preoccupied with thoughts of the Big 6-0 on the
horizon?

When Roy fell, it was something Montecore had never seen happen
on stage before. If he was bonded with Roy, he may have feared
for Roy, who knows. But it was change - big change - that thing
that throws all of us.

Then the stage hands rushed out, more commotion … fear. One
reverts. Bad things can happen. We can hurt people we love. We
can hurt ourselves. Prey as we are to the beast within, all we
can do is be aware, and to learn to manage. This is Emotional
Intelligence. And this, Roy understood about his beloved tiger.
It wasn’t Montecore’s “fault”…nor do we routinely “blame”
animals, lacking a neocortex as they do.

However, in regards to humans, we continue to battle this out in
the courts, and in our own hearts and minds.

It is for sure we never want to hear ourselves say, “I didn’t
mean to kill her, I love her,” or “I don’t know what came over
me,” or “That wasn’t like me.” We are as capable of as serious
injury to others as Montecore is, physically, and also
emotionally, because we have words, and when we disable our
neocortex, we are left with the same equipment Montecore has.

Our prayers are for all concerned, including the show’s workers,
described as “family,” who must also cope with possibly losing
their jobs, another EQ dilemma. Because we are humans, our
brains are often at odds with one another and we suffer
conflict, guilt and shame. As one worker said in a newspaper
quote, it was awful to be worrying about herself at that time,
but she was a single mother and it was her job. Let us say the
means of preservation for herself and her children. We need to
keep learning about our emotions. As Childre and Martin say,
“The emotional frontier is truly the next frontier to conquer in
human understanding. The opportunity we face now … is to develop
our emotional potential and accelerate rather dramatically into
a new state of being.”

Photo of Roy with baby white tiger:
http://www.siegfriedandroy.com/news/images/sprint_commercial.jpg

“Look for the magic that is around you in nature, flowers, and
all the animals that share this planet with us.” Roy Horn

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Almost everyone knows that when a person wants to know something on the Internet they turn to search engines like MSN, and Google to find what they are looking for. This makes it very important for web site owners to know how to get their web sites ranked well on search engines, so that the people doing the searching can find their web site.

The first thing you should know is that the job of a search engine is to bring up the web page, that is most relevant to the search.

Search Engine Optimization isn’t rocket science!

The job of the web site owner is to make their web site more relevant than other sites. The other job they need to do is make sure the web site gets submitted to search engines. Do those two things and you are getting some attention well needed from the search engines, the reward is free targeted traffic.

I wrote an my first article titled “The plug-in Profit Home Business Review.” Now I didn’t know too much about writing articles at the time so this happened to be dumb luck. After a few weeks I did a search to find that my article got placed on the first pages of MSN, GOOGLE and Yahoo, when I searched for “plug-in profit site”( E-Commerce business). Surprised to see that the article was ranked higher than hundreds of thousands of possible sites, I looked into the reason for my article’s great success.

When you read the article you’ll see that the article is extremely related to the plug-in profit home business site. The title after all was called “The Plug-in Profit Home Business Review.” The content is all about the program and mentions the name of the program several times. To sum things up this is what made my article step in front of my competitors.

I soon applied my new found knowledge into my own web site. I built my web site around the keyword, “plug-in Profit site. I made the title of my home page “plug-in profit home business site” Now days you will see somewhere on the first pages of the search engines internet5kincome.com when a search for “plug-in profit” is done. You may even find my first article still hanging around. This proves that content is still king when it comes to search engines! I will also add the title helps out a great deal too!

I would like to tell you about a mistake that I made in my efforts, I created a link titled :”Can taking on-line serveys really make you money? Click here to find out”.

Notice the misspelled word serveys. While the rest of the world spells surveys with a “U”. I spelled this one word with an “E”.

I am embarrassed to say it, but that mistake placed my site on page 1 when a person searched for “on-line serveys” this winning mistake brought a surprising number of free traffic.

I am amazed at how many people spell surveys with an “E”! (The mistake has been corrected, but it is something you should know!)

When experimenting with search engine optimization, or SEO for short. Track your web site’s performance with a tracking service. I use opentracker.net for my web site’s tracking. This service will show you where all your visitors come from.

If a visitor was referred by a search engine, obviously the visitor did a search. The tracker will tell you what keyword the visitor searched for. That keyword is something you should know, so that you can build on it, to bring in even more traffic. You may be surprised at what you find out from the web site tracker. I was surprised that so many people spelled surveys wrong, but I would have never found out if it wasn’t for the web site tracker.

Experimenting with SEO is well worth the time. Set your sites on what people are searching for, and build your web site around those keywords, and you might find your web site on the first page.

Understand that not all search engines will rank your web site the same, try different search engines to see where your site shows up. MSN.com is one of my favorite engines to use because this site indexes web pages more often than others. This will help you to see if your experiments work a little faster that using the other top named search engines.

I hope to see your web site on the first page of the search engines real soon.

I am Michael Ditch, the owner of Internet5kincome.com web site. If you liked what you have read in my articles, or have questions about what you have read please visit my web site, where you will find many ideas and resources, on how to own and run a successful Internet home business. http://www.internet5kincome.com

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More or less everywhere in the world, children are taught to refrain from crying. I remember incidents from my own early childhood. If I fell down and then cried , my family members would distract me from crying. They would say ’see you have killed an ant’. In my innocence, I would believe what I was told and would start looking for the little creature. Of course, I could never find one. But I was distracted from crying and the activity would stop spontaneously.

In real world of grown-ups this is what we learn to do. We distract ourselves from crying over the losses that we undergo in our lives. We are told it is not good for us to cry, because ‘things cannot be undone’. Little do we realise that crying is a healing activity and it helps us move on in life.

It is a myth that crying over a loss continues forever and impedes our progress. Converse is true. Not crying over losses and deaths creates a ‘burden’ in the body that we are not consciously aware of. This burden is only experienced when it is allowed to let go. As long as one is holding on to the burden, one does not realise that it is being carried. We are so used to carry it anyway.

Our nervous system goes into stress mode when our body perceives any threat. At that time the process of crying is suspended. It is only when a person starts to relax that the crying activity occurs. Physiologically, the parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for relaxation. Crying or shedding tears, is a parasympathetic activity too. So people who are stressed out do not cry. But they are not happy either.

When someone cries over a loss, it means the nervous system is getting ‘comfortable’ or is reaching a stage of ‘accepting’ the loss. This causes a balance between the sympathetic (stress producing) and the parasympathetic (relaxation producing) parts of the nervous system. The crying that involves grief almost ALWAYS ends.

Sometimes even grown up adults can cry to seek attention. This kind of crying is usually done in a dramatic manner, is inconsistent with any loss and does not end at any stage, till the dramatist wants to stop it. In such a case, crying is not a healing activity but it is an attention seeking one.

Pradeep K Chadha is a psychiatrist who specialises in helping patients with meditation and imagery using little or no medication. He is the author of The Stress Barrier-Nature’s Way To Overcoming Stress published by Blackhall Publishing, Dublin. He is based in Dublin, Ireland. His website address is: http://www.drpkchadha.com

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Who Was Jean Piaget?

Jean Piaget was to cognitive development as Albert Einstein was to physics. In fact Einstein was afan of Piaget’s work. Jean Piaget was born in Switzerland on Aug. 9, 1896. He published his first scientific paper at the age of 10. By the age of 22 he already had a doctorate in zoology. He became interested in psychoanalysis after WWII and attended lectures given by Carl Jung. He then studied in Paris working in Alfred Binet’s child psychology lab. It was there that he first began to notice that children of the same ages answered true/false questions similarly.

He returned to Switzerland and spent many years studying and conversing with children. He realized through his conversations that when asked a question a child did not necessarily give an incorrect answer just because the answer wasn’t an adult response. They instead gave logical answers based on the knowledge that they had within them. He concluded that if adults try to teach children to quickly that it prevents them from reinventing it themselves, thus making it their own.

His career spanned nearly 75 years and he is credited with developing several new fields of science including developmental psychology, cognitive theory and what later became genetic epistemology. Without him, some of today’s modern methods would have never come about. Many of his theories are still the basis for modern child development including the “Theory of Knowledge Construction.” This theory is based upon the principle that when a child comes into contact with a new piece of information, his mind must understand it in a way that fits his current view of the world. If it doesn’t fit the mold then the child will re-construct their knowledge so they can assimilate the new information. It is much like constructing a building - you cannot start with the top, you must build the foundation first and then develop up from the base.

Four Stages of Cognitive Development in Children

Let’s take a minute to get a feel for Piaget’s 4 stages of cognitive development in children. Remember, he spent most of his life studying and interacting with children and I think his theory makes a lot of sense.

Stage I: Sensorimotor (Infancy)

Infants learn about the world around them through sensation and movement. The focus at this stage is on motor and reflex actions. They take a great interest in the faces and voices of caretakers. Parents can aid in their development by making faces, talking and singing to their little ones.

Stage II: Preoperation (Toddler & Early Childhood)

This stage’s main focus on the child’s intellectual development is language and using symbols (e.g. words and pictures). The child will act intuitively at this stage. They have active imaginations and vivid fantasies. It is not uncommon for the child to personify objects, thus giving toys and dolls human like qualities. Parents should take the time to help them learn language and promote their imaginations ,as well as pay attention to how they play with objects.

Stage III: Concrete Operation(Elementary & Early Adolescence

During this stage children start to process abstract concepts such as numbers and relationships. Before a child could only manipulate things physically. Now they begin to be able to manipulate them mentally as well. To do this they need concrete examples or they will not
understand the concept. A child’s development should focus on giving concrete examples of ideas.

Stage IV: Formal Operation (Adolescence & Early Adulthood)

This is the stage where children begin to reason logically and analytically without needing concrete examples as before. Children are now capable of hypothetical and deductive reasoning. Encouraging young people to consider multiple possibilities will help their development at this stage.

All of these stages represent areas of opportunity or risk of failure when it comes to helping your child get through the world. This task is tough enough for two parents who are normal by societies standards. Throw in a parent who suffers from a mental illness and you face a much greater challenge. This is the reason I started with the 4 stages of development - so that parents could see areas that they could reach out to their children in an appropriate way and affect them in a positive manner.

Some General Statistics

~*~Almost 1/3 of American women and 1/5 of American men provide evidence of psychiatric disorder in the past 12 months. Of these women, 65% are mothers; 52% are fathers.

~*~Women and men with mental illness are at least as likely, if not more likely, than those without psychiatric disorder to become parents.

~*~The majority of adults falling into psychiatric diagnostic categories (affective disorders,anxiety disorders, PTSD, psychotic disorders, etc.) are parents.

~*~1 in 4 American families are affected by parental mental illness.

Why Parents Don’t Seek Help

One of the biggest reasons that adults don’t seek assistance for their mental problems is due to the stigma that is still attached to having a mental illness. Unfortunately many people still do not view mental illnesses as a medical problem but as a personal flaw or weakness in the person. You still hear the mentally ill referred to as “crazy,” “loony,” “nuts,” “psycho,” or even worse terms.

One of the other reasons for not seeking treatment is that mental illness is the primary reason for custodial challenge. Some studies have reported as many as 70-80% of parents with a mental illness have lost custody of their children due to their illness (Burton, 1990). There remains a strong misconception that mentally ill parents are violent and are therefore at an increased risk for abusing their children. While this may be true for alcohol and drug abusers, it is not true for parents with psychiatric disorders getting treatment.

Still, for these reasons many people are afraid of getting the help that they need. They are afraid their symptoms may give the impression that they would be an unfit parent. If they are seen as unfit they could lose their children. Therefore families may not receive the services they need to raise healthy children. Thus a vicious cycle begins.

Warning Signs

The following is a list of symptoms that could indicate that children are not dealing well with a parent’s mental illness. Mind you, these are also signs for other causes such as trouble in school, peer pressure, sexual problems, abuse, relationship problems, substance abuse, a change in circumstances at home and a host of other issues. Still, I felt they were worth mentioning. If you notice any of these things in your children over a continual period for 3-4 weeks, please seek help for them. Never turn a blind eye and think that the problem will solve itself.

*moodiness

*bad temper or irritability
*crying a lot
*sleeping problems
*lying
*not talking to people or going out with friends
*eating more or less than usual or skipping meals
*giving up hobbies
*arguing
*feeling lazy, bored or tired
*stealing or getting into trouble
*not looking after themselves (hygiene)
*low self-esteem
*acting recklessly
*drinking alcohol or using drugs
*skipping school
*preferring to be alone

How Children are Affected - Risk or Resilience?

As seen above in Jean Piaget’s “Theory of Knowledge Construction,” children are only capable of understanding things if they have the knowledge from the preceding level of development. At each level they can be affected either adversely or positively by their interactions with their parents - regardless if the parent has a mental illness or not. The challenge here is the capability of mentally ill parents to provide what is needed at each stage. (This is where you want to go back and re-read the section on the 4 stages of cognitive development.) It is up to us as parents to provide them what is needed and as a mentally ill parent that becomes quite a challenge.

Now, research clearly indicates that parental mental illness increases the risk of the child developing emotional or behavior problems. (I’m leaving out genetics here since it is a different issue.) Children with the most serious emotional disturbances, served by systems of care across the U.S., report high rates of parental mental illness, psychiatric hospitalizations and substance abuse (Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and their Families Program, Annual Report to Congress, 1998). This report shows nothing of the relationship between the age of a child and their exposure to parental mental illness. Some feel that if children are exposed repeatedly at a young age their risk is higher. However, some studies have failed to find conclusive results regarding age or developmental stages in regards to their level of risk (Oyserman et al.; Weissman, 1989).

Stressors outside of the family detrimentally affect children of parents with a mental illness. Stressful issues that increase the likelihood of emotional or behavioral problems are minority status, low levels of education, stigma, single parenthood, social isolation and poverty (Biedel & Turner, 1997; Hammen et al., 1987; Harnish et al., 1995; Sameroff & Seifer, 1983). These types of issues are difficult at best for a child to cope with but when you add in a mentally ill parent the problem is simply compounded massively.

The gender of the child also appears to play a roll in how they react to a parent’s illness, although there is conflicting evidence in how exactly. Some studies show that girls are more adversely affected and some feel that it is boys who have a worse time coping. Studies have shown, however, that girls are more prone to develop depression and boys are more likely to exhibit conduct problems (Cummings & Davies, 1994).

It is well documented that children with greater intelligence, better social skills and stronger cognitive processes have been shown to be more resilient to their parental mental illness (Beardslee & Podorefsky, 1988; Radke-Yarrow & Sherman, 1990.) Cognitive skills such as a positive and coherent self-concept, a positive attribution style, effective coping and problem solving abilities have been associated with positive outcomes among children in general and specifically among children with depressed mothers (Beardslee & Podorefsky, 1988; Downey & Walker, 1989; Radke-Yarrow et al., 1995)

Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Terry was diagnosed with bipolar ten years ago. She lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.

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Consciousness Studies go beyond the realm of the natural sciences and the social sciences. Consciousness Studies can include a variety of disciplines: humanities, critical theory, comparative religion, functionism, mysticism, neuroscience, phenomenology (which describes intentionality as the basic structure of consciousness), philosophy and transpersonal psychology. The discipline of Consciousness Studies explores the human experience as it pertains to psychotherapeutic practice, behavior, spiritual exploration, idealism and religious tradition.

Consciousness Studies courses integrate classroom studies and seminars, and incorporate critical thinking, methodology, research skills, the nature of philosophical knowledge and its foundations, as well as theory. Consciousness Studies avails essential readings relevant to various principles of consciousness and allows one to instill acquired knowledge into the application of practices of healing, spirituality, education, and community.

Additional coursework often encompasses a broad variety of relevant and unique topics including but not limited to quantum approaches to comprehension of the human mind; modern science in relation to the mind; exploration of conscious emotions; cognitive neuroscience interfaced with emotions and consciousness; and expansive dialogues. Furthermore, in addition to classroom settings, consciousness studies are often provided through online learning programs and distance education courses.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved
K. Monteith in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

K. Monteith is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Consciousness Studies at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

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Neurotransmitters are powerful chemicals that regulate numerous physical and emotional processes such as cognitive and mental performance, emotional states and pain response. Virtually all functions in life are controlled by neurotransmitters.

Interactions between neurotransmitters, hormones, and the brain chemicals have a profound influence on overall health and well-being. When our concentration and focus is good, we feel more directed, motivated, and vibrant. Unfortunately, if neurotransmitter levels are inadequate these energizing and motivating signals are absent and we feel more stressed, sluggish, and out-of-control.

Disrupted communication between the brain and the body can have serious effects to ones health both physically and mentally. Depression, anxiety and other mood disorders are thought to be directly related to imbalances with neurotransmitters.Some of the more common neurotransmitters that regulate mood are Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine.

Serotonin imbalance is one of the most common contributors to mood problems. Some feel it is a virtual epidemic in the United States. Serotonin is key to our feelings of happiness and very important for our emotions because it helps defend against both anxiety and depression. You may have a shortage of serotonin if you have a sad depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks, low energy, migraines, sleeping problems, obsession or compulsions, feel tense and irritable, crave sweets, and have a reduced interest in sex. Additionally, your hormones and Estrogen levels can affect serotonin levels and this may explain why some women have pre-menstrual and menopausal mood problems. Moreover, stress can greatly reduce your serotonin supplies.

Dopamine and Norepinephrine are responsible for motivation, energy, interest, and drive. They are associated with positive stress states such as being in love, exercising, listening to music, and sex. These neurotransmitters are the one’s that make you feel good. When we don’t have enough of them we don’t feel alive, we have difficulty initiating or completing tasks, poor concentration, no energy, and lack of motivation. Low neurotransmitter levels drive us to use drugs (self medicate) or alcohol, smoke cigarettes, gamble, and overeat. For many years, it has been known in medicine that low levels of these neurotransmitters can cause many diseases and illnesses. A neurotransmitter imbalance can cause Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, irritable bowel, hormone dysfunction, eating disorders, Fibromyalgia, obsessions, compulsions, adrenal dysfunction, chronic pain, migraine headaches, and even early death.

What causes neurotransmitter dysfunction?
• Prolonged periods of stress can deplete neurotransmitters levels. Our fast paced, fast food society greatly contributes to these imbalances.
• Poor Diet. Neurotransmitters are made in the body from proteins. Also required are certain vitamins and minerals called “cofactors” If your nutrition is poor and you do not take in enough protein, vitamins, or minerals to build the neurotransmitters, a neurotransmitter imbalance develops. We really do think and feel what we eat.
• Genetic factors, faulty metabolism, and digestive issues can impair absorption and breakdown of our food which reduces are ability to build neurotransmitters.
• Toxic substances like heavy metals, pesticides, drug use, and some prescription drugs can cause permanent damage to the nerves that make neurotransmitters.
• Certain drugs and substances such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, NutraSweet, antidepressants, and some cholesterol lowering medications deplete neurotransmitter levels leading to neurotransmitter imbalances.
• Hormone changes cause neurotransmitter imbalances

Testing is now available to detect Neurotransmitter Imbalances.
Basing a treatment on symptoms alone (traditional medicine) will not provide the information needed to address the underlying imbalance. A visit to a doctor or practitioners office for depression involves telling them how you have been feeling emotionally. The typical depressed person leaves the office with a prescription for an antidepressant without ever having any conclusive laboratory evidence of what is causing their symptoms. New sophisticated equipment and tests are now available to evaluate neurotransmitter imbalances using a urine or blood sample. This provides a neurotransmitter baseline assessment and is useful in determining the root causes for diseases and illnesses such as those mentioned above. Laboratory analysis can now provide precise information on neurotransmitter deficiencies or overloads, as well as detect hormonal and nutrient co-factor imbalances which influence neurotransmitter production. Individuals require individual solutions. Testing helps to determine exactly which neurotransmitters are out of balance and helps to determine which therapies are needed for an individualized treatment plan. It also helps in monitoring the effectiveness of an individual’s treatment.

Treatment
Nutrient therapies greatly increase the levels of neurotransmitters that a person has been found to be deficient in. Studies have shown that it is both safe and effective. These nutrients will cross the blood brain barrier into the brain where they will be synthesized into neurotransmitters and this will raise the number of neurotransmitter molecules needed by the brain. They are prescribed according to the results of laboratory testing giving the imbalanced person a more individualized plan of treatment.

Prescription drugs such as antidepressants do not increase the overall number of neurotransmitter molecules in your brain, they merely move them around or stop the breakdown. If your levels are too low to start with, medication may work initially, then “poop out” or not work from the beginning. There is also the issue of side-effects and more recently the FDA warning that SSRI antidepressants could cause suicidal thoughts in some children, teens and adults.
There are specialized nutrient formulas which help antidepressant medications work more effectively. Under the supervision of a trained practitioner these treatments may be used in addition to the persons existing medication to boost their effectiveness or to target another neurotransmitter that is also causing symptoms. Many antidepressant or anti-anxiety medications just target one neurotransmitter but many mental health disorders involve multiple neurotransmitters.

Valerie Balandra is a board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner and holistic health practitioner. Her website Integrative Psychiatry.Net focuses on ways to identify the cause of a chemical imbalance and provides natural treatments for depression and anxiety. www.integrativepsychiatry.net

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Recently, the magazine I own and edit got a hate letter that was so full of venom and hostility, it gave me shivers. The ultra-religious lady who wrote it is young and passionate about her beliefs. She was quite critical of those who express their grief pain, because she doesn’t believe pain is necessary in grief. She evidently thinks that if we would just trust God, we would not be suffering. She is not bereaved, and it would appear that life has not yet delivered to her the kind of agony that so many of us have experienced. However, nothing is wasted if we can learn something from it, and the writer of this letter has opened my eyes to a truth I would like to explore with you, my friends.

It occurred to me that her passionate indignation may come from a place of brittleness in her soul. She seems rigid, judgmental and apparently without tenderness or mercy, and she is positive she is right. I can remember a time in my life when I was almost as sure of everything as she is now, but I hope my approach was a little softer than hers! In the passion of youth and inexperience, it is easy to be pretty cocky about convictions.

However, I can look back with deep appreciation to God for the “different me” that my life experiences have produced. My heart is a lot softer now, and my tolerance is biggermore stretched and expanded. Now, it’s easier for me to forgive, and my judgments are much gentler. I like me a lot better now than I did before I was tried and tested in the furnace of grief. But getting from “there” to “here” has been an excruciatingly painful journey. I have been tenderized!

When we tenderize meat, it can take quite a beating. We break down its fiber and completely change its original form. Sometimes we even put it through a machine that flattens it out, makes it broader and wider (and less dense) and gives it a waffle-like appearance. But because of the breaking down of its tissue, and the rearranging of its cellular structure, it is more delicious and easier to swallow. It can nurture in a much more pleasant way!

Grief is a great tenderizer. Emotionally and psychologically, grief has beaten us around and squeezed us between rollers with merciless spikes, but we can come through on the other side with tenderized understanding, compassion and wisdom.

In the scriptures of the Old Testament, wine was symbolic of joy and cleansing. Used appropriately, it made people feel good and it literally was used in the cleansing of wounds. Oil in scripture was symbolic of healing. It, too, was often used to help heal woundsin addition to its role in both cooking and lighting. These two substances, wine and oil, were used to bring into the lives of the people joy, healing, light and hope.

But before they could have oil or wine, there had to be a process that crushed the grapes and the olives to produce the new, changed forms. Sometimes one thing has to appear to be destroyed in order to bring about something different that is even more useful and nurturing.

This can be a hard and painful lesson for us. Most of us would have happily settled for olives and grapes and thicker, tougher meat. We don’t want to grow because of pain and pressure. Given a choice, I know that I wouldn’t have chosen the path of suffering, and I would have stayed in my comfortable rut of smug wisdom.

But since none of us had any real choice, we can take some comfort in knowing that our tenderizing process has been enriching to humanity. We have primarily learned to seek with more honesty, to cut through the peripheral, to serve rather than be served, to care rather than strive to be cared for, to give instead of receiving, and to love instead of castigating.

I guess I’d rather live out the time I have left hoping that just in case my daughter who is on the “other side” can see me now, she can nudge the kid next to her and say proudly, “That’s my mom!”

Good Grief Resources (http://www.goodgriefresources.com) was conceived and founded by Andrea Gambill whose 17-year-old daughter died in 1976. Almost thirty years of experience in leading grief support gropus, writing, editing, and founding a national grief-support magazine has provided valuable insights into the unique needs of the bereaved and their caregivers and wide access to many excellent resources. The primary goal of Good Grief Resources is to connect the bereaved and their caregivers with as many bereavement support resources as possible in one, efficient and easy-to-use website directory.

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