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Nomophobia: How Fear of Being Without Your Phone Harms Health (& What to Do About It)

The AHA! Team — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 05:10:19 +0000

Kissairis Munoz via Dr. Axe – In today’s hyper-connected world, many people experience anxiety when they are without their smartphones. This condition, known as nomophobia, has become increasingly common. What exactly is nomophobia, and how can you recognize and address it? Does the “ding” of your phone have you dropping whatever you’re doing to see who “liked” your latest Facebook status? Are you answering work emails before rubbing the sleep from your eyes? Does a low battery icon leave you quivering in fear? You, my friend, are likely suffering from nomophobia. Thankfully, there are ways to treat this condition to help address your smartphone addiction. What Is Nomophobia? Nomophobia, short for “no-mobile-phone phobia,” is the fear of being without a mobile phone or being unable to use it. The term originated from a 2008 study commissioned by the U.K. Post Office to examine the anxieties mobile phone users experience. The study found that nearly 53 percent of mobile phone users in the U.K. tend to feel anxious when they “lose their mobile phone, run out of battery or credit, or have no network coverage.” More simply put, nomophobia is having a smartphone addiction, and it’s a “first world problem” that’s showing no signs of slowing down, regardless of age. While it might sound silly — can you really be addicted to a handheld device? — the implications are real. About half of U.S. adults are checking their phones at least several times an hour, with 11 percent tapping their screens awake every few minutes. No space is safe from the rush of a new tweet, either. Almost one in 10 Americans has admitted to using her phone during sex, and among young adults ages 18 to 34, the number is even higher: One in five has engaged with his smartphone when being intimate. Is it a surprise, then, that 12 percent think that smartphones are detrimental to relationships? When you combine nomophobia with cars, things get even scarier. Among American adult drivers, more than 27 percent have sent or read texts while driving. Among young adults, that number shoots up to 34 percent. What’s the harm in interacting with your phone at a red light or when traffic is heavy? Consider the fact that text messaging while driving makes a crash 23 times more likely. Yikes. Symptoms While there is no set criteria to diagnose this condition, experts believe nomophobia is a smartphone addiction and/or dependence. Recognizing the signs of nomophobia is the first step toward addressing it. Common symptoms include: Panic or anxiety when separated from your phone Checking your phone repeatedly without receiving notifications Doomscrolling Avoiding places or situations where phone use is restricted Feeling uneasy when your phone is out of sight Excessive time spent on your phone, impacting daily life Respiratory alterations Trembling Perspiration Agitation Disorientation Tachycardia Inability to turn off your smartphone Taking the phone everywhere Fear of being without phone access (no internet connection or cell signal) Fear of not being able to use phone in case of emergency Stressing about neglecting your online persona Socially isolating and skipping activities to spend more time on your smartphone Increased heart rate According to research, some signs that someone may have nomophobia can include the fear of: Feeling disconnected Not have immediate access to information Giving up the convenience of your mobile device Not being able to contact and communicate with others Causes Several factors contribute to the development of nomophobia: Social connectivity: Fear of missing out (FOMO) on social interactions and updates. Dependence on technology: Increasing reliance on smartphones for various daily tasks. Instant gratification: The immediate access to information and entertainment that phones provide. Psychological factors: Underlying anxiety disorders or personality traits. Other possible causes that research has unearthed include: obsessive thoughts and compulsive smartphone behaviors extremely large number of hours using a smartphone each day social discomfort and feelings of inferiority Damage Nomophobia Does Even for those of us who don’t text and drive, nomophobia has serious consequences. It can have several adverse effects on an individual’s well-being, such as: Mental health: Increased anxiety, depression, stress and feelings of loneliness. Physical health: Poor posture, eye strain and sleep disturbances due to excessive phone use. Social interactions: Reduced face-to-face communication and weakened relationships. Productivity: Decreased focus and productivity at work or school due to constant phone checking. Furthermore, research on nomophobia in adolescents and young adults published in 2021 in Frontier in Psychiatry concluded that “excessive smartphone use is associated with psychiatric, cognitive, emotional, medical and brain changes that should be considered by health and education professionals.” The authors revealed that “excessive smartphone use is associated with difficulties in cognitive-emotion regulation, impulsivity, impaired cognitive function, addiction to social networking, shyness and low self-esteem. Medical problems include sleep problems, reduced physical fitness, unhealthy eating habits, pain and migraines, reduced cognitive control and changes in the brain’s gray matter volume.” Here’s more on the negative effects of smartphone addiction: 1. You’re wasting time While many of us are convinced that multitasking allows us to get more done, multitasking doesn’t really work. Not only are our brains unequipped to handle two dissimilar tasks at once, but trying to accomplish several things at once ends up wasting more time than saving any. Think about it: How well do you retain information when someone’s talking to you as you’re scrolling through emails or watching the latest cat video your friend posted? Even if your body is in a room, it’s easy to miss important information when your brain is somewhere else completely. Plus, let’s face it: No one likes talking to someone who’s “listening” with her face buried in a screen. 2. You’re more anxious Not having your phone around can increase anxiety. One British study found that 51 percent of participants suffer “extreme tech anxiety” when separated from their smartphones. Some of that stems from feeling that, if we’re apart from our phones, we won’t be included when friends make plans or won’t know what the latest Facebook meme is. Even our bodies are starting to recognize when our phones aren’t around. A University of Missouri study discovered that iPhone users who parted with their devices during situations that require a significant amount of attention, like taking a test or completing a work assignment, could result in poorer performance. That’s because, when participants were separated from their phones and then asked to complete simple word search puzzles, their heart rates and blood pressure increased — as did their feelings of anxiety and unpleasantness. 3. You’re not sleeping as well “Check email one last time, make sure no friends posted anything interesting, one last glance of Instagram … oh wait, a new work email came in. Darn it, that afternoon meeting got pushed up. Did I prep enough for it? Should I review things one more time? Wait, it’s late already. I guess I’ll just think about it for the next half-hour while I toss and turn trying to fall asleep.” Sound familiar? Being inundated with stimulating information right before bed often means you can’t sleep well, particularly when we’re presented with situations beyond our control. And most of us are sleeping with our phones. In almost every age group, at least 40 percent of Americans sleep with their phones within reach. For those 25 to 29 years old, the number’s even higher: Almost 80 percent are snuggling up to their devices. The danger isn’t only that each beep overnight has the potential to wake us up. Smartphones also emit a blue light, signaling to the brain that it’s time to wake up. Blue lights suppress melatonin, the hormone that dictates our sleep rhythms. Yes, the struggle to sleep with your phone is real. 4. Your children are picking up your naughty habits “Do as I say, not as I do” is all too real when it comes to smartphone time. Even as parents ask children and teens to lay off Snapchat or put their phones down during dinner, they’re checking calendars, answering texts or indulging in one last game of Candy Crush. It stands to reason then that in almost every study of smartphone use, young adults have the highest usage rates. Children are learning that always being connected is normal — and missing out on the importance of human-to-human interaction. Are You Addicted to Your Smartphone? If any of these apply to you, all signs point to a smartphone addiction: You reach for your smartphone upon waking up and right before bed. It’s not uncommon for you to catch up on emails or the latest in the news while you’re eating. When your phone is out of reach, low on battery or (gasp) completely turned off, you feel anxious or stressed out. Being out of cell phone signal makes you feel like you might be missing something. You live for that next Instagrammable moment. Pavlov’s dogs have nothing on you: When you hear that familiar text sound, you perk up. You’ve checked your phone at least once while reading this article! Treatment Addressing nomophobia involves a combination of strategies: Digital detox: Gradually reducing the amount of time spent on your phone. Setting boundaries: Establishing phone-free zones or times, such as during meals or before bed. Mindfulness practices: Engaging in activities that promote relaxation and reduce anxiety, such as meditation or yoga. Professional help: Seeking therapy or counseling to address underlying anxiety or dependence issues. Behavioral therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy, exposure therapy, systematic desensitization, aversion therapy and hypnotherapy are often used to help treat phobias. Medications: Certain medications can help in severe cases. Support groups: Realizing you aren’t alone and talking with others can help. Self-care: Do things to improve your mental and physical well-being, such as progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, calming activities, ecotherapy and getting outdoors, etc. In addition, follow these steps to enjoy a life that’s complemented, not ruled, by your smartphone: 1. Turn off your cell phone at least an hour before bed Give your brain a chance to unwind and commit to turning off your phone an hour before bedtime. That means off, not just on silent. Those vibrations and blinking lights are still harmful, as is knowing that you’re just one reach away from seeing the latest. Remember, nomophobia never sleeps, and neither will you. No wonder so many of us are always tired, huh? If you have a legitimate reason for keeping your phone on — your daughter is out with friends or your parents are elderly and you don’t have a landline — turn your phone on “do not disturb,” and place your phone on the other side of the room. In this mode, your phone will silence all notifications but allow you to enable exceptions, such as a phone call from a specific number. Remember: Seeing how many “likes” your last Instagram post received is not a legitimate reason. “But I use my phone as my alarm clock,” you say. “I need it nearby!” To that I respond … 2. Stop shacking up with your phone Get a real alarm clock. (Yes, you can still find these Stone Age relics.) Not only will this allow you to turn off your phone completely overnight (again, unless you need to stay on alert for a family member and don’t have a landline), but instead of waking up with the temptation to see what you missed overnight, you can spend the first moments of the morning stretching, thinking about what’s on schedule for the day or basically doing anything other than checking your phone. For extra credit, I challenge you not to turn your phone on again until your morning routine is finished: You’ve exercised, showered, dressed, eaten breakfast, maybe even read the paper (remember that pastime!) and pushed the kids out the door. 3. Set certain times to check your phone Do you really need to look at every single email the second it’s received? Save your sanity and simultaneously help your productivity by designating certain times to glance at...

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How Minimalism Can Improve Your Mental Health

AHA Publisher — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 08:00:43 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #437) and blog, I talk to bestselling author and founder of Becoming Minimalist Joshua Becker about his new book Things That Matter, overcoming distractions to pursue a more meaningful life, how to focus on what really matters in your life, practical ways to let go of distractions, the mental health benefits of minimalism, and so much more! Joshua has made it his life’s work to help people live their lives with fewer regrets and teach them how to pursue the things that really matter to them. In Things That Matter, he helps us identify the obstacles (such as fear, technology, money, possessions, and the opinions of others) that keep us from living well, and then he provides practical ideas for letting go of those distractions today so that we can focus on what matters most in our lives. He uses practical exercises and questions, insights from a nationwide survey, and success stories to give us the motivation we need to: Identify the pursuits that matter most to us Align our dreams with our daily priorities Recognize how money and possessions keep us from happiness Become aware of how others’ opinions of us influence our choices Embrace what we are truly passionate about instead of planning the next escape Figure out what to do with all of those emails, notifications, and pings Let go of past mistakes and debilitating habits Overcoming distractions and focusing on what matters the most to us is a battle worth fighting. These distractions include deeper issues that hold us back, like: 1. Letting the lesser crowd out the greater. We all only get one life, and we have limited resources in the one life we have, including limited money, time, energy, focus and so on. When we start pursuing more and more things, often the most important things get pushed aside, and it is easier to get distracted by things that matter less, such as browsing a new social media platform, feeling like you need to make more money for a fancier home or car, or the need to buy “more, more, more” to be happy, which is simply not the case. The most fulfilling things in life often cannot be bought, such as making time to play with our children or spend time with a loved one. 2.Visual noise. Every physical possession around us can be a distraction, which is why practicing minimalism can be so beneficial for us mentally: there is just less “stuff” to distract us from what really matters. 3.Fear. The most important things we do in life often require bravery, which means working on overcoming the fears we have that can distract us and hold us back. 4. Past mistakes. Many people feel that their past mistakes hold them back and are preventing them from living the life they want to in the present. There are no easy ways or quick fixes for dealing with the past, as I have talked about on this podcast, but this process must begin with awareness: finding the courage to face what happened to us instead of suppressing it. 5. The pursuit of happiness. There are two pursuits that come naturally to us as human beings: the pursuit of self (survival) and the pursuit of happiness. However, when we confuse the pursuit of happiness and the pursuit of self, we can become distracted from what truly matters, which can affect our inner peace and wellbeing. When we pursue happiness in places that seem like they will make us happy and they don’t, we can get lost trying the next best thing instead of pursuing things that actually make us happy, such as building a community and serving others. 6.The distraction of applause. We can easily get distracted by wanting people to think we are doing well and accomplishing great things.Of course, there is nothing inherently wrong with wanting praise; however, when we pursue this as a means of finding fulfillment, we can become distracted from what really matters in life—we steal energy and time from things that are more important. For more overcoming distractions and focusing on what matters, listen to my podcast episode with Joshua (episode #437), and check out his amazing new book Things That Matter. To read the original article click here.

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Green Eyeglasses Reduce Pain-Related Anxiety in Fibromyalgia Patients, Study Shows

AHA Publisher — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 07:00:52 +0000

American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) via Newswise – NEW ORLEANS — Wearing special green eyeglasses for several hours a day reduces pain-related anxiety and may help decrease the need for opioids to manage severe pain in fibromyalgia patients and possibly others who experience chronic pain, according to a study being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2022 annual meeting. “Our research found that certain wavelengths of green light stimulate the pathways in the brain that help manage pain,” said Padma Gulur, M.D., lead author of the study and executive vice chair of Duke Anesthesiology and Duke Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. “There is an urgent need for additional treatments to reduce the use of opioids among patients with fibromyalgia and other types of chronic pain, and green eyeglasses could provide an easy-to-use, non-drug option.” Few alternatives to opioids — especially non-drug options — exist for patients with severe and chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, which causes pain all over the body. Fibromyalgia affects about 4 million U.S. adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pain and anxiety share similar biological mechanisms. Additionally, fear of pain exacerbates anxiety, often leading to increased opioid use, said Dr. Gulur. The researchers studied 34 fibromyalgia patients who were randomized to wear various shades of eyeglasses four hours a day for two weeks: 10 patients wore blue eyeglasses, 12 wore clear eyeglasses and 12 wore green eyeglasses. Patients who wore green eyeglasses were four times more likely to have reduced anxiety than those in the other groups, which saw no reduction in anxiety. “We found that although their pain scores remained the same, those who wore the green eyeglasses used fewer opioids, demonstrating that their pain was adequately controlled,” said Dr. Gulur. “We would recommend the green eyeglasses treatment for those with fibromyalgia and are studying patients with other chronic pain conditions to determine if it would be beneficial.” The eyeglasses are specially formulated to filter a specific wavelength on the green light spectrum, said Dr. Gulur. She noted that most patients who wore the green eyeglasses reported feeling better and asked to keep wearing them. To read the original article click here.

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Healing Trauma: Research Links PTSD, Emotion Regulation and Quality of Life

AHA Publisher — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 07:00:28 +0000

Binghamton University via EurekAlert – We often talk about the coronavirus pandemic in terms of health or economic impacts: the numbers of cases and deaths, the persistence of long-haul COVID, lost jobs and toilet paper shortages. But there is another crisis, too… [t]he pandemic is a type of mass trauma, explained Binghamton University doctoral candidate in psychology Craig Polizzi. And trauma can and does give rise to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and potentially problematic behaviors and a lower quality of life. Recent research from Polizzi, fellow graduate student Damla Aksen and Distinguished Professor of Psychology Steven Jay Lynn provides insight into the impact PTSD has on emotional regulation and quality of life, and points to ways to improve both. Their article, “Quality of Life, Emotion Regulation Dissociation: Evaluating Unique Relations in an Undergraduate Sample and Probable PTSD Subsample,” was published in a recent issue of the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy. Their research fills some of the gaps left by previous studies into PTSD, emotion regulation and quality of life. Previous studies mainly focused on older adults and individuals with medical problems, and tested emotion regulation strategies or difficulties separately; they also didn’t account for important variables that may explain the relation between emotion regulation and quality of life. Polizzi, Aksen and Lynn instead take a more comprehensive approach and include such critical variables as dissociation, neuroticism and PTSD symptoms in addition to dimensions of emotion regulation. Using questionnaires and personal narratives, the researchers identified participating college students who potentially met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. The traumatic events these students experienced ranged from physical or sexual assault to car accidents, abuse, severe illness and witnessing suffering. The researchers then used a series of self-report surveys to measure difficulties in emotional regulation, positive and negative coping strategies and dissociative experiences with the participants. It’s eye-opening to see how much trauma college students — and the U.S. population in general — are exposed to, Polizzi acknowledged. “The positive side to these statistics, though, is how remarkably resilient people can be following traumatic events, especially during this pandemic,” he said. What Is Quality of Life? “Quality of life” isn’t an amorphous concept, although researchers can have different definitions, including improved function related to physical health and psychological well-being. It can actually be measured in many ways, such as through self-report surveys, physician ratings or direct observation, Polizzi explained. In the study, the researchers relied on a broad definition informed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which defines quality of life as healthy functioning across mental processing, life activities, physical mobility, participating in society, self-care and social skills. In particular, they administered a questionnaire, the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule, based on the organization’s definition of this concept. Closely associated with quality of life is emotion regulation, or the ability to alter your emotional state to better cope with the situation at hand. People with enhanced emotion regulation tend to have greater psychological health, whereas problems in this area are associated with psychological difficulties, Polizzi explained. During and following traumatic events, many people dissociate — or distance themselves from their emotions, body, mind and even personal identity — to escape overwhelming feelings such as shame, fear and anger. People who experience dissociation may lose focus, forget people and events, have out-of-body experiences or extreme daydreaming, and feel a sense of unreality and detachment from their immediate surroundings. While some researchers have argued that dissociation is an emotion regulation strategy, it typically has negative effects, including interfering with emotional awareness, sense of self, social bonds and engagement in daily activities. In fact, it was surprising how strongly dissociation was related to quality of life, Polizzi acknowledged. Rather than just a part of other unhealthy emotion regulation strategies, it appears to play a disruptive role in daily activities and everyday behaviors. Overall, their research suggests that decreased emotion regulation is related to a lower quality of life, although not necessarily a sole cause. People may experience a lowered quality of life for many reasons, one of which could be the inability to effectively regulate their emotions; conversely, the lack of psychological resources — for example, from stress, pain or physical health issues — could also limit a person’s ability to emotionally regulate. “These variables could exist in a vicious cycle, in which lack of emotion regulation contributes to lowering quality of life, which in turn reduces emotion regulation skills,” said Polizzi, adding that further research is needed to confirm this idea. On the plus side, emotion regulation is something that people can learn. “Many techniques used in psychological treatments are designed to help individuals enhance their emotion regulation. For example, learning to accept and re-interpret emotions in realistic ways rather than avoiding emotions and blaming them on others can improve people’s psychological functioning and their quality of life,” Polizzi said. Three Main Symptoms In their research, Polizzi, Aksen and Lynn provide information that could refine the current evidence-based practices for treating PTSD by focusing on a trio of symptoms that have a strong impact on an individual’s quality of life: namely, dissociation, impulsivity and blaming others. Used as a coping strategy for negative emotions, impulsive behaviors can lead to physical injury, substance abuse and other health concerns, while dissociation may make it even more difficult for people with PTSD to be emotionally engaged, cope with stress, set goals and have a healthy sense of self. Individuals with PTSD also tend to mistrust others, which could lead to blame in interpersonal interactions and the further erosion of social bonds. That doesn’t mean, however, that trauma is a one-way street to a diminished life. Many individuals can learn how to successfully cope with such experiences, and treatment can lead to a greatly improved quality of life. For those diagnosed with PTSD, focusing on these three factors would be especially helpful during the later phases of treatment, when the individual has improved their coping skills and stability, Polizzi said. If the pandemic’s aftermath has you feeling not quite yourself, it might be helpful to take an honest look at how you’re really feeling and the strategies — good and bad — that you’re using to cope. “People experiencing increased psychological stress during this pandemic may look to improve their quality of life by focusing on ways to enhance their emotion regulation skills via reducing dissociation, impulsivity and blaming others, such as increasing emotional engagement, planning goal-directed behaviors and fostering compassion toward others, respectively,” Polizzi said. To read the original article click here.

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How to Break the Cycles of Worry & Fear to Heal Your Mind with Dr. Jud Brewer

AHA Publisher — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 07:00:29 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #273) and blog, I talk to psychiatrist, professor and author Dr. Judson Brewer about on how anxiety drives our lives, what we can do to break the habit loops that keep us anxious, techniques to uproot anxiety at its source and manage our triggers, and more! Starting in the 80s, research started coming out that anxiety could be driven in a habitual way. Dr. Jud has built on this research, showing people how to overcome anxiety in their own life through the way they change and deal with negative behaviors. He discusses this in detail in his amazing new book, Unwinding Anxiety, which stemmed out of his own experiences with anxiety in residency, and how he helps his patients with anxiety and breaking bad habits. Dr. Jud’s process is based on 3 steps: learning how the mind works, learning about the reward system in the brain, and finding “bigger and better offers” to change the habit in question. Why are these steps important? We learn behaviors through trigger and result; this repeated process builds habits. When we learn how this works, we can start to learn how to use our own minds to our own advantage. We can map out all our habit loops that we have developed to cope, which is the first step to dealing with anxiety in our lives! As Dr. Jud points out, if we don’t know how our minds work, we can’t possible work with them. Our brains are driven by how rewarding/valued a behavior is. We set how rewarding a behavior is and then “forget” it, which allows us to still behave in this way while learning other things. However, we can keep doing this automatically, even if the behavior is no longer rewarding to us now, and can end up stuck in toxic habit loops. This is why we have to stop and observe our own thoughts and behaviors. We can’t force ourselves to break habits unless we become aware of them and their value to us in the “now”. We need to ask ourselves questions like, “Is this habit still serving me? Is this habit serving my health? How useful is this habit to me really?”. This kind of curious awareness is key. Becoming aware of a habit we want to change helps us reduce the value or reward associated with that habit, which makes changing our behavior a lot easier! Indeed, without self-regulated awareness, we cannot move forward in life. But awareness alone is not enough! It needs to be followed by directed and intentional action. When we see that a habit is not serving us or helping us get to where we want to be in life (based on our own reward hierarchy), then we can look for what Dr. Jud calls “a bigger, better offer” (BBO), or a new habit loop that feels better and actually helps us move forward and live our best life. This helps us realize that we often use bad habits as a coping mechanism to suppress feelings of anxiety; as a result, we can end up hiding our anxiety in a negative behavior. When we recognize this, we can start finding something that opens us up to growth in a curious, kind and non-judgmental way; we no longer let our anxiety shut us down to change and transformation. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Leaf click here.

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Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess Chapter One: What Happens When We Don’t Use Our Minds Correctly

AHA Publisher — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 08:00:41 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – Sometimes it feels like we live in a world characterized by fear. People are fearful about their health, the economy, their jobs, the future, corruption, crime, and their feelings of powerlessness. The cost of this fear is toxic thoughts, toxic stress, anxiety, and depression, which in turn increase our vulnerability to disease. The end result of this fear, anxiety, and illness cycle, if we don’t manage it with our minds, is a society dependent on external factors such as painkillers, medications, wellness fads, and skyrocketing health costs to fix us. But what if there was another way? What if the answer lay inside of you? What if you held the key? Most people understand the need to live a healthy lifestyle, even if they don’t fully understand the impact of their lifestyle choices on disease processes. What many people don’t recognize is the need for proper mind-management and how it both supports and sustains a healthy lifestyle. When our thinking is toxic, it can mess up the stress response, which then starts working against us instead of for us. This, in turn, can make us more vulnerable to disease, which is why many researchers now believe that toxic stress is responsible for up to approximately 90 percent of illness, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Only 5–10 percent of disease is said to come from genetic factors alone. Why? When an individual is in a toxic thinking state, the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and homocysteine can significantly affect the immune system, cardiovascular system, and neurological system.  In fact, excessive stress hormones are so  effective at compromising the immune system that physicians therapeutically provide  recipients of organ transplants with stress  hormones to prevent their immune system from rejecting the foreign implant. Despite a more widespread understanding of the importance of healthy  lifestyle choices, and many incredible resources out there on making good lifestyle choices, many people lack the necessary  mind-management skills they need to apply this knowledge to everyday life. This  isn’t a one-off thing. Mind-management is a skill that needs to be learned; used all day long, every day; and constantly upgraded as we grow from childhood into adulthood. For every new experience, we need a new set of mind-management tools! Now, before you start panicking and thinking that it’s impossible, stop, breathe, and read on. I don’t want you to get stuck thinking it’s hopeless, that you have caused all your own problems, and that you cannot change. This will only make you feel worse about yourself, and it really isn’t the case. You can’t blame yourself for something you didn’t know—but you can empower yourself and shift into change mode when you learn how to manage your thinking. This is a skill that needs to be learned and constantly upgraded—I do this daily, and will continue to do so until I pass on from this world. Most of what I share in this book hasn’t been taught to you before because it’s an area that isn’t well understood. We’re only beginning to understand mind and consciousness, which is exciting. If we’ve come this far without good mind-management skills, imagine where we can go when we’ve learned how to control our thinking! To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Leaf click here.

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Protecting your Mental Health During a Pandemic

AHA Publisher — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 08:00:14 +0000

Chloe Bennett, B.Sc. via News-Medical Net – During times of global pandemic, understandably anxiety and distress may be increased due to both primary factors such as fear of the virus itself or due to secondary factors such as those associated with having to isolate from others. However, there are multiple ways to both protect and improve mental health during such times. Maintain Your Routine Daily routines can play an important role in protecting mental health. Either maintaining existing routines or creating a new one is recommended and should feature: going to sleep and waking up at similar times each day, exercising regularly, putting aside specific times to work and relax, eating healthy, regular meals, and maintaining personal hygiene. Adhering to such factors can increase purpose and motivation and improve overall mood and wellbeing. Reach Out As a growing number of people worldwide are being urged to remain at home and limit their physical contact with others, feelings of isolation may be on the rise. To prevent this isolation from adversely affecting your mental health, it is crucial to reach out to others. Use technology to your advantage and try to communicate with your family members and friends who you are unable to see face to face through video calls or group chat. Feeling more connected and having the opportunity to discuss any potential worries and positive experiences with others is essential during times of crisis. For those with limited social networks, there are a variety of helplines or online groups that you can connect with to gain similar support. It is also essential to be self-aware and avoid burnout caused by over-committing to the number of virtual social interactions. Do Something for You One way to improve your mental health is to keep busy. If you are self-isolating, learning a new skill can be a great way to improve your mental wellbeing by increasing your sense of purpose and boosting self-esteem. Whether it is baking, cooking, signing up for an online course, or learning a new language, using your time to take up something of interest to you can keep the mind active and focused, while filling up your day. Ask for Help If you have an existing mental health condition that has been exacerbated by COVD-19, or, perhaps, you are developing new anxiety or depressive symptoms, it is important to ask for professional help. A lot of medical providers such a doctor’s surgeries are operating in revised ways during the pandemic, such as through video or telephone consultations. Therefore, those requiring emotional support can still get the help they need. Stay Active Taking part in regular exercise has been found to improve not only physical health but also mental health too. Research has shown regular physical activity to reduce anxiety and depression across all age groups and can be beneficial in reducing age-related cognitive decline. Whether you are limited to indoor activities only or have a garden or outdoor area that you can use, there are multiple ways to remain active and safe during the pandemic. Workouts and exercises such as yoga, stretching, or high-intensity interval training can be found online that require minimal equipment or time. These can be completed both indoors and outdoors. Alternatively, walking, jogging or biking can be a great way to boost endorphins and improve mood. Limit Social Media Use Due to an increased amount of time spent at home, individuals may be spending an increased amount of time on social media sites, including those releasing the news. While the use of such sites may be beneficial in remaining connected with others and informed, it may also worsen mental health. Overexposure to information relating to the pandemics can result in increased anxiety and distress. For example, a cross-sectional study conducted amongst Chinese citizens during the COVID-19 outbreak revealed that more than 80% of participants were frequently exposed to social media. Furthermore, anxiety amongst the sample was positively correlated with frequent social media use. Based on this evidence, to avoid detriments to mental health, it is recommended to reduce your intake of pandemic-related information by only seeking it out a maximum of once or twice a day from trusted sources. Practice Mindfulness Mindfulness is the practice of observing what it is occurring both inside and outside of ourselves, moment by moment. It has been found that using mindfulness practices to increase our attention to our thoughts, feelings, sensations, and the external environment in the present moment can improve mental wellbeing. A variety of techniques can be employed, and multiple mobile applications can be downloaded that takes the participant through guided exercises. Such techniques can be used during periods of crisis. However, they can be more beneficial if used routinely, for example, when waking up or before going to sleep. The technique has also been credited for its ability to help identify early signs of anxiety and stress, enabling individuals to cope with them better. A study investigating the impact of daily mindfulness practice during the COVID-19 pandemic amongst the residents of Wuhan, China, found that those who practiced it developed reduced levels of anxiety and less impacted sleep compared to those in the control conditions. Based on this, mindfulness may be useful in assisting people in coping with anxiety-evoking pandemics. References and Further Reading NHS (2019). 5 steps to mental wellbeing. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/improve-mental-wellbeing/ Fiorillo, A., & Gorwood, P. (2020). The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and implications for clinical practice. European Psychiatry, 63(1). Doi: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.35 World Health Organization. Looking after our mental health. who.int/news-room/campaigns/connecting-the-world-to-combat Coronavirus/healthyathome/healthyathome—mental-health?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIruvE8ILA6QIVDO7tCh1rhQvdEAAYASAAEgI-efD_BwE Gao, J., Zheng, P., Jia, Y., Chen, H., Mao, Y., Chen, S., … & Dai, J. (2020). Mental health problems and social media exposure during COVID-19 outbreak. Plos one, 15(4), e0231924. Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231924 NHS (2018). Mindfulness. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mindfulness/ Zheng, M., Yao, J., & Narayanan, J. (2020). Mindfulness Buffers the Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak Information on Sleep Duration. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/wuh94 To read the original article click here.

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How to Begin Finding the Root Issue of Your Anxiety & Depression + Everything You Need to Know About Tapering Off Medication

AHA Publisher — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 07:00:30 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – Human mental health is infinitely complex. We all battle in different ways, we all struggle, and we all need to learn how to cope, process, feel and experience life’s ups and downs. The fundamental way we do this is by listening to the signals our brain and body send us, like anxiety and depression, and by getting to the root of what these mental and physical symptoms are telling us about the imbalance in our life. In this podcast (episode #208) and blog, I speak with holistic board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist and yoga teacher Dr. Ellen Vora about how it is possible to learn to understand and manage our mental health by embracing these signals and listening to what they have to say, how facing the root of our fears and anxiety helps us find true healing, what a functional medicine approach to mental health looks like, why the current system of mental healthcare needs to change, the relationship between psychotropic medication, withdrawal and mental health, and more! As Ellen points out, progress in mental healthcare is always about the why: understanding the root cause(s) of why things are out of balance and why we experience what we experience. If you are a mental healthcare professional, you have to show up as a beginner with each new patient or client. Never walk into a room thinking you know what is going on or how to fix the issue. Be an infinite learner—even if you are just someone listening to a loved one describe their struggles. Show up with generous deep listening and become comfortable with the fact that you may not know what the problem is and that you have a lot to learn. Mental health is about people’s unique narratives, not just their biology, and this cannot be learned in classroom textbooks. Indeed, mental health is all about taking a good look at our internal lives. As a culture, we have become emotion-phobic. We try to suppress our feelings or apologize when we express what we are dealing with and cry, but we really need to let our emotions flow, not hide them. No emotion has ever successfully been pushed away. Resistance is a dance against our feelings. Issues like depression and anxiety are often symptoms of unprocessed thoughts and issues, which change the way we feel, mentally and physically. As the saying goes, what we resist, persists! Only when we surrender and feel what we are feeling can we resolve it. Our feelings are trying to tell us something we need to hear—we need to let down our guard and listen. Anxiety, depression and other types of mental distress are not diseases. They are symptoms telling us something is out of balance, and we need to explore this “why” and find the root cause(s). Unfortunately, our current system of mental healthcare tends to focus on reducing or suppressing these feelings and their biological repercussions, to the detriment of getting to the root of the issues. If you are very symptomatic, psychiatric medication may narrow the range of affect, which some people may find helpful for a certain period of time. However, these medications are not a cure; they are a bridge that may help you get to a place where you can heal. (For more on this read my blog on chemical imbalances in the brain, read the book Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker, and check out the Mad In America website). However, for many people, psychotropic drugs do not meet their mental health needs and have many unwanted side-effects. These people often find it incredibly difficult to stop taking them, and need help during the withdrawal process, which can be challenging. Withdrawal from psychiatric medication is what Ellen calls a “silent epidemic”. There is no one system in place to help people withdraw from these medications, and professionals are often not taught how to support their patients or the best way to help them withdraw. In fact, not a lot is known or published about the best way to taper off psychotropic medications, while many professionals tend to deny the validity of people’s struggles when they are in withdrawal, often confusing this process with “relapse”, which further distorts the situation and can make the person’s mental distress more chronic and acute. But going through a withdrawal does not mean you are broken or helpless. These drugs change your brain, but the good news is that you can change it back! If you decide to withdraw from a psychotropic drug, you want to do it gradually with the help of a medical professional, so your brain and body can learn to compensate and adapt over time. You also want to support this process by changing your lifestyle and including helpful practices like a good diet, regular exercise, mindfulness and meditation, yoga, breath work, acupuncture, appropriate supplementation and so on. Why? Withdrawal needs to be paired with targeted action to calm down the nervous system and keep it at a comfortable baseline so that the withdrawal process will be more bearable and less symptomatic. Also, keep in mind that the actual pace will be unique to the individual and will take time. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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How to Keep the Elderly Safe and Happy in a Pandemic

AHA Publisher — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 07:00:41 +0000

Nicky Blackburn via Israel21c – Should the elderly stay home during the Covid crisis, how do we know if they are depressed, what can we do to raise their spirits? We asked four experts for their advice. It’s a tough time everywhere in the world right now, as the numbers suffering from Covid-19 continue to rise. And hardest hit of all are the elderly. Asked to shelter in place for months already, some are now being told they must continue to stay put indefinitely, while others are being told it’s fine to go out, even while pandemic numbers rise. As part of a new series, Ask the Experts, we invited readers to send in questions they might have about how to keep elderly friends and relatives healthy and safe during corona, and asked four professionals in the gerontology field to answer them. The experts are Prof. Efraim Jaul, the Director of Geriatrics at Herzog Medical Center; Yonit Zabari, Director of the Department of Social Work at Herzog Medical Center; Dr. Amnon Raviv, a professional medical clown and college instructor; and Dvora Corn, a Jerusalem-based family and marital therapist specializing in aging, illness and end-of-life issues. She is cofounder of Gisha L’chaim – Life’s Door, helping people cope with death and loss. Find out what they said below. Question: In many places around the world we seem to be going into a second wave of corona, but some governments are keeping everything open. What should elderly people do in this case? Is it better for old people to just stay at home until this crisis is finally over? Prof. Efraim Jaul and Yonit Zabari “It is important for older people to go out. Loneliness and staying indoors can be more problematic than corona, causing depression and other issues. One should be careful when outdoors — wear a mask, do not stay in closed areas, keep two meters (6 feet) apart, and meet with friends in open areas.” Dr. Amnon Raviv “This is an open question. It is clear now that old people are at risk. Staying at home for long periods of time can be depressing, so if you decide to do this, I recommend you meet your loved ones not only through virtual platforms but also for real. Keep 10 meters’ (approx. 30 feet) distance (from your balcony, for example) and you can meet safely and share your feelings with the family. This is extremely important for your mental wellbeing.” Dvora Corn “The question of how elderly people, or any individual in what has been identified as high risk groups, ought to behave during this health pandemic is complex and highly personal. As with many choices, decision making may be based on a risk-benefit equation which takes into consideration not only physical health but other factors which influence quality of life. “In this corona time, which is fraught with so many unknowns, the capacity to plan is further challenged by the reality that we have no clear end-point and as such one may be challenged to sustain plans or may want to reconsider choices as time progresses. “As a guideline to assist in these challenging times, it is often helpful to begin with an examination of values that one senses are core elements of that person’s meaningful existence. For instance, in asking oneself the question ‘What makes my life worthwhile?’ or even ‘What makes a day a good one for me?’ we begin to understand those unique activities without which one’s life becomes less satisfying or even, tragically, unbearable. “As such, one may opt to run the risk of serious illness and even death, if they deem that a life without these elements (e.g. family connection, or other social interactions, time in nature) is not a ‘life worth living.’ While this may seem harsh or even irresponsible behavior, as a society we owe this right to every human being– to choose how he or she wants to live. “The question, if at all possible, should be posed to the individual elderly person to engage in an honest reflection. It is never too early to engage in ‘The Conversation,’ examining core values and sharing choices on how to live, especially in the face of potential illness. Many tools to assist in this process exist and some can be found on www.lifesdoor.org.” Question: Is there anything old people can do to improve their chances of survival if they do catch corona? Prof. Efraim Jaul and Yonit Zabari “Eating properly is very important. Drink a lot of liquids; eat fresh fruit and vegetables; meals should be light but ensure to include protein, for example eggs.” Dr. Amnon Raviv “Like any other life-threatening disease you would be able to fight the disease better if your spirit is high. Using lots of humor, lifting the spirit with playing and singing good music, dancing (even in your bed if you don’t have much energy), meeting with your beloved ones to share good memories or singing together.” Question: I’ve heard that vitamin D helps you fight corona. What level of vitamin D should we be taking every day? Are there other vitamins or food supplements that might help? Prof. Efraim Jaul and Yonit Zabari “Assuming one is eating healthy as outlined above, Vitamin D 4000 units is recommended on a daily basis. Vitamin D is known to keep bones healthy and reduces depression. If one is not eating a healthy and balanced diet, Vitamin B and B complex vitamin are recommended as well.” Dr. Amnon Raviv “Your physician probably would be able to answer this question, but I can add to the list other very important vitamins you should have: vitamins L, E & H (love, empathy & humor). It would be great if you could have a big quantity of those, as they would strengthen your immune system as well.” Question: How can my family and I lift the spirits of an elderly family member, who is isolated in a nursing home? He can only see his family through a window, which makes him happy, but at the same time frustrated and sad that he cannot physically be in the same room as us. With the lockdown continuing on in California, it is very challenging for him (and us too). Prof. Efraim Jaul and Yonit Zabari “Meeting with the elderly in an outdoor area (e.g. garden) is very important and should be implemented where possible and as much as possible. Communication must be more than just through a window. We encourage use of tablets, as well as frequent phone calls during the day.” Dr. Amnon Raviv “It is very important to do something together. After sharing how you feel and finding out how everyone is, it is highly recommended to do something enjoyable together. For example, if you have good memories from a vacation that you had in the past, try together to remember every funny detail. You can sing songs that you like together or you can tell jokes to each other. The emphasis is on doing enjoyable things and less on discussing negative feelings.” Dvora Corn “We know that the frustration of social distancing may be hard on both the elderly as well as their family members. Further, many older people with cognitive impairment find the technological alternatives such as Zoom to be anxiety producing and overstimulating. Living with these restrictions challenges us to find new and creative solutions. “We have found that setting goals and engaging in activities that are meaningful to both parties– even if they are not done in the same space — provides a sense of connection. This may include doing a ‘book club’ and setting times to share thoughts about the books, or doing creative arts and showing one another how each is progressing in such projects. “The benefit of these sorts of activities, beyond being engaged in a pleasurable task, is that they carry us forward and allow us to plan for interactions with family members which are content based (‘Show me the scarf you are knitting’ or ‘How is your orchid plant doing?’). “These corona times have actually opened up new or dormant vistas for engagement and sharing. While none of us chose to live through a pandemic, we can find deeper meaning and connection, despite the physical space between us.” Question: I’m worried that my parent/grandparent is suffering from loneliness, but they put on a brave face when I ask them about it. How can we tell if an elder may need professional counseling or other forms of help, and what can I say to help? Prof. Efraim Jaul and Yonit Zabari “Try to determine if they are following a daily routine, i.e. sleeping well, eating healthy and balanced meals, and if they have an appetite. These are all indicators for depression. Frequent phone calls and use of video calls are important. Encourage them to go out for a short walk outdoors.” Dr. Amnon Raviv “You can say how much you love them and show them how much you care for them. Everybody will feel less lonely if they feel loved. The virus makes everybody feel lonely, especially elderly people, and it is our privilege, but also obligation, to take care of them. If you feel that they need professional counseling ask them first what would help them, and then see how, and in what way, you can assist with professional counseling.” Dvora Corn “Loneliness has been a growing problem in the Western world over the past decade. The challenges of corona have exacerbated the demographic trends in the increased number of elderly (what has been termed the ‘Gray Tsunami’), with social isolation being the cause of many serious health problems ranging from depression to malnutrition and cognitive decline. “While we want to support an older person’s need to feel a sense of dignity and autonomy, as concerned family members we want to monitor and take action if we see early signs of these sequelae. In such situations, an assessment by a professional who understands the needs of the elderly would be advised.” Question: My family of three in NY has been home since March 2 and is scrupulous about social distancing. My husband and I work from home, my son attended school on Zoom, and we only have grocery deliveries. We have mostly avoided being in public, except for occasional walks. My father is age 86 and lives an hour from my house. Come the fall, when my son restarts high school in person, I am afraid for our family to be around his grandfather. Is there any safe way to see him? Prof. Efraim Jaul and Yonit Zabari “We are always faced with risks and have to make decisions. Your father should not be alone. We would encourage you to visit but keep in mind the following: Do not stay in a closed area, the visit must be outdoors, everyone should wear a mask. Everyone should maintain social distancing, especially your teenaged son. If outdoors is not available, ensure that the indoor area is well ventilated and windows are kept open.” Dr. Amnon Raviv “It is hard not to celebrate the Jewish [holidays] together. What we should keep in mind is that hundreds of laboratories around the world are working to produce a vaccine to the pandemic. The estimated time for having the vaccine is around a year from now, so we should encourage ourselves and our family to be patient. Soon enough we would be able to celebrate the Jewish chagim together again. In the meantime, try to stay safe and celebrate together on Zoom.” Question: I live in a different country from my parents, who are in their 80s. Flights now seem to be resuming, even though corona isn’t over. Is it safe for me to fly there and stay with them in their home or should I stay in a hotel? Prof. Efraim Jaul and Yonit Zabari “Currently it would be preferable to travel by car only. We are concerned about traveling by...

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