Saturday, December 28, 2013

"Well" Connected--The Costs and Benefits of Facebook, Twitter, Apps and Email

Hi.

You are reading this post and, already, may have spent a minute (or an hour) looking at a screen.

Many of us love being well-connected to our friends and loved ones, as well as people we hardly know via the Internet. Our computers and mobile devices allow us to stay in touch, stay amused, and stay informed through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, text or email.

Our problem is that we may be getting addicted to those pings, buzzes and ringtones without even knowing it.

One U.S. survey estimates that, as a nation, we spend about 121 billion minutes on social media every  month. (Nielsen, "The state of media: social media report 2012)

Other research cites that  Americans (ages 18 to 64) self-report spending  an average of more than 3 hours a day on social media sites. (Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange, https://www.ipsos-na.com/news-polls/pressrelease.aspx?id=5954)

Here's a lovely short summary of some of the pros and cons of social media as it impacts our mental health.
 
 http://www.ivillage.ca/health/womens-health/10-good-and-bad-ways-social-media-affects-your-mental-health 

After you read it, why not shut down your computer, phone or tablet for a half hour and relax with a walk outside, a quiet meditation or an in-person chat.

You can think of it as a mini-vacation for your eyes and fingers.

Best wishes for the year to come. Please take very good care.
 


Monday, April 15, 2013

"Finding Emo"--Part Two: Am I Moody?

We all have our ups and downs.

However, for some people mood swings can be a routinely troublesome occurrence.

A person can start the morning as calm as can be only to drop into a very low mood by the end of the day.
Alternately, one could be quite bogged down and sad upon awakening only to find by day's end that one's energy has been turbo-charged!

Anyone with questions about moodiness will find that a competent mental health clinician (psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker) can help clarify your situation.

The clinician should ask you about your emotions, moods and worries in a very detailed way.
An assessment should include
--your medical and "emotional" history as a child, teen and grownup
--your family's medical and "emotional" history
--a review of the ways you handle your moods
--a discussion of your goals and desired outcomes

It is extremely helpful to have a day-by-day diary of your moods and worries for at least two weeks time (while a month-long record is even better!).
Getting information about your moods that is collected in real time (rather than distantly remembered) can show you and your therapist your ups and down in a more accurate way.

Mood charts are available for free from a number of sources.
I recommend the ones that can be downloaded and printed from a PDF form rather than via a mobile phone "app".  Unfortunately, most of the smartphone apps for mood tracking require that you register your personal information such as name and email address. For better or worse, smartphones are hackable and can get lost. Having your mood data away from prying eyes on the Internet is a safer step.

My favorite mood chart comes from Dr. Gary Sachs at Massachusetts General Hospital.
(http://psychres.washington.edu/clinicaltools/moodchart_inst.pdf)
He created this chart for his own research and has generously made it available to the public.
Be sure to read the directions as it allows you to create a very detailed daily picture of your ups and downs, anxiety, and irritability as well as daily events, medication, therapy and usage of drugs and alcohol that may impact your emotions.

Additional mood tracking PDFs are noted below to help you capture the truest pattern of your moods and worries. 

http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/calendaranxforweb.pdf
http://echopen.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/daily-mood-chart-for-mood-tracking_pdf.pdf
http://echopen.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/mood-disorder-managent-chart-jpg.jpg
http://www.cqaimh.org/pdf/tool_edu_moodchart.pdf

Remember--while these charts are available for anyone's use, it is highly advised that these charts be used while seeking professional counseling. 

Getting guidance from an experienced mental health clinician is the surest way to get off an emotional "seesaw"and back on steady ground.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Whatever Makes You Happy?

Welcome to 2013 and best wishes for one and all.  
Lots of folks are making New Year's resolutions for changing behavior and attitudes to arrive at better outcomes.  Before you do, let me suggest an article by Alina Tugend from the June 30. 2012 edition of  The New York Times, "Redefining Success and Celebrating the Unremarkable."  It's essential reading for any of us contemplating  the end goals we "need" to meet to be content.
Until next time, take good care.