Human is a source of several kinds of positive and negative emotions. Anger is a type of negative emotion that has a destructive disposition and always causes damage and make troubles. Anger roots from the emotional part of the brain which is evolutionally possessed in common with animals and works spontaneously as a reflex. Our brain has a developed part which can help us how to manage the anger and this is the resource which the therapist uses for the training of angry client. In fact, achieving this cognition and practicing the skills are the key tools for anger management which develops through cognitive therapy.
Stress is a body and mind reaction
Stress Management
Stress is a common complaint nowadays. Some assume this as a part of the modern and fast pacing lifestyle and others notice it as a consequence of rapid changes in the personal and social situation of people. It consists of several signs but usually felt with anxiety, headache, irritability, insomnia, heart-pounding, loss of appetite or interest in enjoyable activities.
How does it come up?
Stress is a natural result of any significant change in people’s life situations. When we live routinely, our body and mind status is in a balanced state and work regularly. Any sudden change in our life situation like disease, loss, financial issue, even an achievement or marriage will disarrange the psychological and physiological equilibrium which in turn triggers releasing of stress hormones like cortisol. We usually feel the extra amount of cortisol in blood steam by headache, tension, heart-racing and lack of concentration.
What do we do at sessions?
I see my stressful clients who present with diverse symptoms. I train them on how to recognize the physical and psychological signs of stress. They are also instructed to contribute to CBT mindfulness practices to help themselves for better adjustment which would result in a low cortisol level.
A good Relationship make the life more Happy!
Couple Relationship
We are always in a relationship so, we can’t live without that. The relationship is part of our existence according to Gestalt psychology.
The only thing we need is learning how to make an effective and constructive context of a relationship which helps our development and happiness. This will not happen unless we learn skills of communication along with the psychology of love and respect. The skill of communication and proficiency of negotiation in addition to other basic life skills are the competence we are going to achieve through the couple therapy sessions.
People become disturbed when they make a want or desire into an absolute demand on the universe. When people are disturbed, they think that what they want must be, and they fail to distinguish between what one wants and the fact that the universe has no obligation to provide it.
OCD is a real problem!
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
The people with OCD suffer from repetitive and intrusive kinds of thoughts or images and repeated mental acts or behavior in response to them. Obsessions are irresistible, annoying, and pushy thoughts or images which result in a huge amount of anxiety. compulsions are repetitive and obligatory mental acts or behaviors which are done in response to the obsessions. Although the compulsions’ object is calming down the produced anxiety, as such they create additional anxiety and distress. people can have either obsession or compulsion; however, they present together in most of the cases.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder(BDD), Hoarding Disorder(HD), Trichotillomania(TTM), and excoriation disorders( skin-picking) are classified in this group of disorders by DSM5 and ICD10.
OCD were assumed to be rare in the past, because as author of comprehensive textbook of psychiatry elaborates “Individuals with OCD are characteristically aware that their compulsions are excessive, and in the past they may not only have been too embarrassed to seek professional help but also unlikely to have received efficacious intervention—factors that may have led to early authors describing OCD asa rare condition”. However, its prevalence is 2.3 percent of the population
Addiction can come from different things!
Addiction
Addiction or dependency is the expected outcome of frequent substance use. People use different kinds of substances around the world. It is estimated 164 million of the world population had alcohol and drug use disorder in 2016. Negative health impact in addition to the mental health correlation put the addiction on the top priority of treatment policies.
I usually start with a brief assessment for discovering the factors that affect the addiction particularly depression and anxiety. I apply the techniques of CBT and mindfulness to support my clients on this journey
Anxiety disorders are very common!
Anxiety Disorders
This includes a variety of disorders which present with common symptoms of anxiety. This category consists of Generalized Anxiety disorder (GAD), Phobias, Panic disorder, and agoraphobia.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are no longer included in the anxiety disorder category according to DSM5. They are classified in obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, and trauma and stress-related disorders respectively despite presenting with anxiety as a major symptom.
Common Symptoms
Apprehension and worries about future misfortune, feeling on edge, difficulty in concentration, restlessness. Motor tension: feeling the urge to move and fidgety, trembling, tension headache, muscle tension and inability to relax. Autonomic over-activity: lightheadedness, sweating, heart racing, difficulty in breathing due to a tens chest, butterfly in the stomach and upset, dizziness, and dry mouth.
Although anxiety is a normal mind reaction to unexpected events, severe in intensity and long-lasting anxiety which impacts your social and personal function should be considered as a disorder.
Phobia
Phobia is a common presenting symptom so that it is the most common psychiatric disorder in women and second most common in men over 25 according to American Psychiatrist Association. There are several types of Phobia which are classified into three categories of social phobia, specific phobia, and agoraphobia. Frequently, people tend to not revealing their phobia due to embarrassment which often ends up to more adverse consequences and impacts their lives seriously. People with social phobia feel intense fear and anxiety when they are supposed to attend a social event. Agoraphobia causes people’s fear when they are about to be in a public and crowded situation.
I usually apply CBT and methods of behavior therapy like systematic desensitization for the treatment of phobias.
Depression is a serious ailment, don’t ignore it!
Depression
According to WHO, 264 million people(3.4%) suffer from depression around the world and depression is one of the most prevalent serious mental health disorders. It is common people assume sadness equal to depression, but it is not true. Even though, the long-lasting gloom is one of the depression’s criteria; however, sadness can be a normal emotional reaction of mind to the unwanted external situation such as loss.
Symptoms
If you found yourself feeling down in addition to at least 5 of the following symptoms for more than 2 weeks, you should take it seriously and seek help:
• hopeless
• helpless
• worthless
• loss of interest to pleasurable activities
• low self-esteem
• feeling the loss of energy and easy fatigability
• sleep problem
• decreased sexual desire
• decrease or increase in appetite
• decrease or increase weight
• lack of concentration and easy distractibility
• thought of death
• suicidal thoughts or attempts
• disturbance in social functioning