Bipolar Getting You Down? A Therapy Technique to Keep You Going

May 09, 2019 at 10:51AM Julie A. Fast
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by Christine Yu

Ease depression and anxiety through strength training (or resistance training), which includes lifting weights, doing push-ups or planks, or using elastic resistance bands.

 

Especially on a stressful day, strength training is how Sandra L. lifts her mood.

“After a session, I feel like I’ve relieved a lot of the tension, like a weight has been lifted off me,” says Sandra, 42. “Or if I’m experiencing anxiety, it kind of melts away.”

Strength training gives her the kind of endorphin rush she feels after a long run, but it doesn’t require nearly as much time to feel the effects, says the Etna, New Hampshire resident.

Also known as resistance training, strength training is often associated with bodybuilders, but you don’t have to be young or be a “gym rat” to do it. You can use free weights, weight machines, elastic resistance bands, or your own body weight (think push-ups and planks).

Not only is it good for your overall health, research suggests that it can help your mood.

A study published in June 2018 in JAMA Psychiatry is the first study that examined how resistance training specifically may help with depression. Researchers looked at previously published clinical trials to see if resistance training had an effect on the occurrence of depression and the severity of symptoms.

They found that resistance training significantly reduced depressive symptoms, particularly among individuals with mild-to-moderate depression. It didn’t matter how often participants lifted or how much weight they lifted. And it didn’t matter whether they got physically stronger.

Resistance training also appeared to help those who were not diagnosed with a mental health condition, reducing the likelihood that they would experience bouts of sadness compared to those who did not weight train.

The findings suggest that strength training may help people manage depression, in combination with other treatment like medication or therapy, says Brett Gordon, MSc, post-graduate researcher at the University of Limerick in Ireland and lead author of the study.

Anxiety was addressed in another study published in the journal Sports Medicine, also led by Gordon. Researchers found that resistance training relieved anxiety symptoms among those diagnosed with physical or mental conditions as well as those not diagnosed with a condition.

The Muscle-Mind Connection

While the new studies highlight a connection between strength training and mental health, researchers aren’t sure exactly why it can boost one’s mood or cognitive function.

“The mechanism involved is still an open question,” says Peter Hall, associate professor, School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Hall says that strength training may boost the flow of oxygen-saturated blood to certain areas of the brain. Or strength training may affect different hormones and feel-good endorphins like dopamine and serotonin.

Another possible explanation? The brain may stockpile glucose—the energy it needs to function—after it experiences a challenge like strength training. Easy access to this energy source may explain higher brain processing power after a session.

“Exercise demands attention, balance, coordination, memory, motor movement, and more. All of these are brain processes, so exercise is truly a cognitive challenge as much as it’s a physical one,” says Hall. “This may explain why resistance exercise has benefits even if it doesn’t tax the cardiovascular system as much as aerobic exercise.”

Finding Focus

When Saysha H. approaches a barbell, she’s intensely focused. She is preparing to move some heavy weights, and there is no room for error.

“Powerlifting is an extremely detail-oriented sport,” says the Brooklyn-based strength coach and musician. “You have to simplify everything and focus on one or two things. You can’t have your mind drifting when you’re trying to pick up 300 pounds.”

“Weight lifting requires deep focus in order to move the weights in a purposeful way and can be a powerful factor in being able to shift away from stress, anxiety reactions, depressive thinking, and other internal experiences,” says Justin Ross, PsyD, a Denver-based psychologist.

Sandra also likes lifting because it has a meditative quality that gets her out of her own head.

“I can turn my brain off in terms of stress and anxiety,” she says. “I have to focus on the lifts and movements to make sure I have proper form.”

Research has shown that exercise can help people regulate their emotions better and help how people react to negative situations, explains Hall from the University of Waterloo.

Mental energy and clarity is one reason why Bob D., 49, is committed to weight training. The Tulsa, Oklahoma resident hits the gym at his YMCA several times a week, typically before heading to work in the evening. It helps him feel more focused.

“If I miss a workout, it’s almost like I’m going in dragging. I feel mentally cloudy,” he says. “If I get in a good workout, even if I feel whooped [physically], I feel energized.”

Routine and Goals

Getting into a weight-training routine can build confidence and self-esteem over time, making it a powerful tool for mental health.

“You can set goals to move more weight and get stronger,” says Ross, the psychologist. “Pretty soon a five-pound dumbbell becomes a 10-pound dumbbell. When you see tangible gains, it can help with real-world self-esteem.”

“A great lift is a good 30 workouts in the making,” says Bob. “You start at point A. To get to point B, it involves a lot of average days of just showing up. It’s about meeting this expectation that you’ve set for yourself.”

Ross sees the real-world change that working with weights brings to his patients. “They experience more connection to goals and purpose,” he says.

“I never considered myself an athlete,” says Saysha, competitive powerlifter and aspiring pro strongwoman. “For me, to have this physical activity that’s very skill based, and having the satisfaction of putting a little more weight on the bar each time, it got me addicted. It’s good for people like me who are cerebral and tend to over-analyze.”

For years, Saysha worked as a highly respected personal trainer in corporate gyms. “I got disillusioned because [the corporate fitness world] focused on body image in an unhealthy way. It deeply fed into my chronic anxiety and depression,” she says.

A little over 10 years ago, she read an article that featured women who didn’t look like the typical fitness model. “There were pictures of women who looked a lot like me doing pull-ups and lifting barbells. It was really intriguing,” says Saysha.

Because trying to measure up to society’s idea of a “perfect” look can lead to a spiral of depression and anxiety, Saysha appreciates that her progress in the weight room isn’t tied to her body image or how much she weighs on the scale.

Instead, she can set very objective, athletic goals for her training, such as lifting a certain amount of weight or technically perfecting a specific exercise. “I have a vision and a purpose. I am always working towards something,” she explains.

“[Strength training is] empowering, confidence building and one of the most transformative things I’ve done,” she says.

 

*****

Getting Started

Strength training can give your mood a lift. Talk with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine, and check out these tips:

A Coach Can Help: Working one-on-one with a certified coach can be a great way to get comfortable with weight training. They can introduce you to exercises that are appropriate for your fitness, and—most importantly—make sure you are doing the exercises with correct form to avoid injury. Do your research and talk to your local gym or YMCA. Look for trainers who are certified by a reputable organization such as the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) or the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Exercise at Home: You don’t need to spend a lot of money on a fancy gym membership or trainer to reap the benefits of strength training. Resistance bands are an inexpensive (and effective!) way to work your muscles. Gallon milk jugs or full water bottles also make great weights, too. Or try exercises that use your body weight like push-ups, planks, lunges, and squats.

Stream It: Thanks to technology, you can now access all types of workouts whenever and wherever you want. From YouTube to apps to DVDs, there is an endless variety of free or low-cost strength training programs to try. Your local public library may also have videos to borrow.

Log Your Workouts: Recording your workouts can be a powerful tool. You’ll have a record of your progress—how much you can lift now compared to when you started, which can be motivating. It’s also an opportunity to note how you felt emotionally before and after a session.

Start Slowly: Especially if you are new to resistance training, start slowly to reduce your risk of injury. Start with one day a week and work up to two or three days a week. This will give your body time to recover between sessions. And you don’t need to exercise for hours at a time.  Even if it’s just 10 minutes, showing up and working your muscles is what matters when it comes to lifting your mood.

 

Printed as “Muscles & Mood”, Spring 2019

via Esperanza – Hope To Cope
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by esperanza

Doctor’s appointments are short, which makes it extremely difficult to cover everything you need. To take control of your limited time, and make sure your doctor hears all of your concerns, pre-planning is key.

 

Meeting with a clinician for the first, or even the eighth, time can feel extremely intimidating. It’s difficult to sum up your life history and mental health in a relatively short time span, especially when it seems like your provider has already set the agenda for what needs to be addressed during your visit. A bit of advance preparation can help ensure that you get the most out of your limited appointment time.

Know your goals.

Reflect ahead of time on which issues or questions you most want to address during a particular appointment. It’s completely fine to show up with a written list, or tell your clinician which topics you want to cover right at the beginning of a session. Your clinician can then allocate time accordingly. Patients often leave their most important (or embarrassing) questions for the end, which means discussion is rushed or incomplete.

If you go in with a long list, don’t be surprised if your clinician asks you to pick a few topics of focus for that day; you may need to schedule additional appointment time to cover everything adequately.

Know what information your clinician is likely to need.

For an initial evaluation, your clinician will need to obtain some basic background information. The more efficiently you can relay this information, the more time you save for the issues that are most important to you. Be prepared to answer questions about:

• Mental health treatment history
  • Medications (names and doses, how long you took them, and why they were stopped)
  • Psychotherapy (type of therapy, duration)
  • Prior psychiatric hospitalizations (when/where, how long, and what for?)
  • Any other therapies, such as ECT, TMS, and complementary/alternative medicine

• Substance use history
  • Current substances used (which ones, how much, and how often)
  • Which ones you’ve tried, and which you’ve used regularly in the past
  • Any prior treatment specifically for substance use

• Medical history
  • Current or chronic medical issues
  • Current medications (including alternative or over-the-counter treatments)
  • Allergies to medications
• Family mental health history (including substance-use disorders and suicides)

For regular appointments, it can be very helpful to track your symptoms between visits. Many people use smartphone or web-based apps to track their daily mood and other key symptoms (e.g. sleep, energy level). This way you can easily reflect on whether anything has changed significantly since the last appointment. If there have been changes, knowing the time course and identifying contributing factors (e.g. a change in medications and/or new life stressors) may help you and your clinician decide on next steps.

Ask what to expect with new treatments.

Remember to ask about:

• Common side effects
• Time course (e.g. how long should it take to work)
• The time of day you should take the medication
• What should you do if you miss a dose?
• Any red flags that should prompt you to call your clinician before the next appointment, and/or go to the emergency room

If your appointment time is limited, many of these questions can also be answered by your pharmacist.

Keep up with regular appointments even if you’re feeling better.

The times when you’re feeling better are great opportunities to focus on relapse prevention. Your clinician can help you determine which factors are contributing to your success, identify warning signs for when symptoms recur, and create a back-up plan. It’s much easier to proactively manage your mental health than to wait until a time of crisis to intervene.

Speak up if you don’t feel like your clinician is really helping.

If you feel that specific concerns are not being addressed, please feel empowered to speak up! Your clinician will likely assume that things are going just fine unless you make a point of saying otherwise. Similarly, feel free to ask questions at any point­­––you should leave appointments with an understanding of the plan and why you’re doing what you’re doing. A good clinician will also be comfortable with you obtaining a second opinion.

 

Printed as “Ask the Doctor: Making the Most of Your Appointment With Your Clinician” Spring 2019

via Esperanza – Hope To Cope
(This and our other articles are provided by some of our curated resources. We encourage readers to support them and continue to look to these sources in times of need and opportunity.)

by esperanza

Mike Bayer, life coach to the stars (and ordinary folks, too) and a regular on The Dr. Phil Show, charts out a path toward a more fulfilling life—by way of practical exercises—in his book Best Self: Be You, Only Better. His own struggles with addiction and depression sparked his passion for helping others overcome inner pain.

 

What has guided your own recovery journey?

I did not ever feel like the treatment programs looked at me from a perspective of, “Who are you? What are your values? And let’s operate your life from that point.” I feel like this is the stuff that ultimately will prevent a lot of trains from coming off the track.

Can you summarize what you mean by “Best Self”?

Your Best Self has no negative traits. Your Best Self has healthy fear, not negative fear. Your Best Self lives in faith. Your Best Self is aligned with your greatness. To me, somebody’s Best Self is their true self. Any internal suffering is not Best Self.

Knowing who you are at your best is the compass for your life. It’s not who you are at your worst. I don’t know where that’s going to lead someone.

Will someone who is highly self-critical or has self-worth issues be able to imagine their Best Self?

For some people, we can’t have a conversation about your Best Self until medication interventions or treatments are working. I say in the book, “Some of you are going to need to see a psychiatrist.”

What’s the key to get from desiring change to making it happen?

I’ve found people say they want to change, but they don’t know what their road map is. I used to be a smoker. For me to quit smoking I had to decide when I’m going to quit; how I’m going to quit; have friends around me to help me get through physical withdrawal.

If somebody gives me an address, there are directions to get to where I’m going. So [one key to change is] writing down a goal, making sure it’s measurable, connecting a time line to it, and making it a priority.

Isn’t it hard to do this work on your own?

That’s why [in the exercises in the book] we look at who’s on your team and who are your accountability partners and what are your healthy environments. I wrote it in such a way that it’s going to guide people to bring others into their life to help them on their journey.

The most neglected part of change is accountability. Whether it’s a friend, or you just say to someone, “Hey, will you hold me accountable for this?” Then you text each other throughout the week.

You mention some of your centering rituals in the book. Do you do daily affirmations?

I talk to myself in the mirror, just looking into my own eyes, probably once a day. For whatever reason, something comes out of my mouth that I need that day. I might say, “You’ve got this,” or, “Your life is good.” It keeps me believing in myself.

What other wellness rituals do you practice?

To me, it’s how I greet the day. I like listening to meditative music. I like doing gratitude lists with my coffee. And at the end of the day, I like to review and just see, do I owe any amends? Am I proud of myself?

I think it’s so important to promote when you’re proud of yourself. We should embrace that with each other. “You’re proud of yourself? That’s awesome.” It’s about how do you light up everyone else’s candles and not burn them out. . . . Life’s so much better when we’re wanting each other to win.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I think everyone has experienced, no matter who they are, a moment that they felt connected and loved life. I think sometimes it just starts by holding onto that moment as your light in the process.

 

Printed as “Back Chat: Coach Mike”, Spring 2019

via Esperanza – Hope To Cope
(This and our other articles are provided by some of our curated resources. We encourage readers to support them and continue to look to these sources in times of need and opportunity.)

by Carol L. Rickard

We just got finished taping a new episode of my wellness series for Princeton Community TV on this topic & I thought it important to discuss here.

The idea for the show came after I’d had several people recently share with me how social media, at times, could impact their lives in a negative way.

I am wondering…

How do you use social media and what impact has it had on you?

The amazing thing about social media is it can be equally as constructive as it is destructive.

The main thing comes down to – How we use it!

We came up with a list of both the positive uses and the negative uses of social media.

Check it out by clicking here.

The most critical action is…

Take control of it BEFORE it takes control of you!

Here’s some steps you can take to be successful:

1. Awareness – Start to pay attention and become aware of how it is impacting you.
2. Set Limits – I recommend setting a timer, so you don’t get lost in it!
3. Identify triggers – Either avoid them or limit the time you are around them.

Leave a comment in the box below and share if our experiences with social media have been more constructive or destructive to your health & wellness.

~ To Living Well TODAY! ~

 

 

via Esperanza – Hope To Cope
(This and our other articles are provided by some of our curated resources. We encourage readers to support them and continue to look to these sources in times of need and opportunity.)

Finding and Maintaining Hope After Being Discharged from the Hospital

May 08, 2019 at 08:49PM Laura Fisher
(This and other articles are provided by some of our curated resources. We encourage readers to support them and continue to look to these sources in times of need and opportunity.)