#it's about the effects of constantly being threatened and attacked and on edge fighting adults who want you dead

[autisticrosewilson]

On the whole child hero/sidekick thing, it's so interesting to me that Superman didn't really give Kon-El his superhero identity, he gave him his civilian identity. Clark did not make Kon a hero.

Also with characters like Bart Allen, who was raised in gaming VR such that he said he prioritized taking out enemies over just saving civilians because enemies are worth more points. Again, he is given a 'normal' life in his solo by the heroes. Which he didn't have before. And (most) people respected his right to quit being a hero (although some didn't) when it got too much for him.

It doesn't have to be as abusive as Robin is often portrayed. It can actually feel on occasion like the hero is helping the kid as opposed to the kid helping the hero.

Yeah but even in those situations it's the responsibility of the adult to take one look at this child and determine that being in the line of fire like that isn't okay, that it's damaging, and to put a stop to it.

Kon was practically a newborn with the brain of a sixteen year old. Have you ever met a sixteen year old. Super Powered or not that's the kind of thing that a responsible adult that hasn't been brainrotted by their own pursuit of heroism puts their foot down about.

[incorrect-pokespe-quotes]

Let’s Talk About Norman

I’m going to start off by telling you all something you probably already know: Norman is abusive. I try not to use super strong language on this blog because calling someone abusive / toxic is a pretty big deal, but Norman is an abuser, full stop. Aside from the obvious physical violence though, there’s a lot of emotional trauma he causes Ruby through his actions— this post is mostly going to be talking about Norman’s emotional abuse and how it affects Ruby’s psyche and actions throughout the arc instead of just “oh he punched his son down some stairs” because I think it goes way deeper than that. With that out of the way, the rest of the post is below the cut!

PHYSICAL VIOLENCE

I can’t talk about Ruby and Norman without mentioning this— it’s the most clear cut evidence of his abuse on-panel. He punches his son down the stairs, engages in a high stakes fight with him, and puts him in mortal danger (which Ruby has to save himself from). What I’m concerned with isn’t the actual incidence of violence itself, but rather the emotional baggage that comes with it.

The interesting thing about the Big Fight scene to me is that Norman instigates the conflict. Norman lures Ruby into a “dark and scary building” in the rain and away from others, appears behind him, threatens him, and throws him against a wall. The only thing Ruby had done in that moment is ask his dad how / why he had found him— Norman was the instigator of violence. It is Ruby’s reaction to this immediately violent start that segues into the next Big Thing about their relationship.

ENVIRONMENT OF FEAR

It is obvious from the minute Norman appears on panel that he is intimidating. Multiple characters throughout the arc mention that they are scared of / intimidated by him, but none are more obvious than Ruby. In fact until we reach the scene at the Weather Institute, Norman hasn’t been shown in a positive light at all from Ruby’s perspective. Ruby continuously mentions fear about his father: he imagines his father grabbing him, looking angrily at him, and generally seems to be afraid of him. Ruby expresses worry and concern about the consequences of his father’s anger— and that’s ALL he thinks about. Ruby mentions explicitly that he has seen “Norman’s Dark Side” and tries to hide as soon as he appears. He even shivers at the mere mention of Norman. Ruby’s entire motivation is his fear of his dad, which is bad, obviously. 

Every thought about Norman that Ruby has up until the Weather Institute about Norman express fear and stress Norman’s emotional distance. Whether or not Ruby and Norman love each other is not of importance here, what is important is that Ruby has constant worry and anxiety about how Norman will react. His entire motivation at the beginning of the arc is centered around doing things behind Norman’s back and giving him definitive proof of Ruby’s accomplishments— Ruby is so nervous around Norman that he considers communicating to be a risk. This is typical abuse victim behavior and it continues through the arcs. Living under the constant threat of (often violent) punishment has taught Ruby that disagreements and communication in general are dangerous and can spiral into violence very, very quickly— he displays this same fear time and time again.

Quick Aside: As everyone here probably knows, the main conflict in the oras arc is centered around Ruby’s unwillingness to tell Sapphire what is going on for fear of how she will react. Ruby’s hiding of his memory of their confession in the Emerald arc is the same— Ruby refuses to communicate because he is afraid of how Sapphire will react. His main emotional flaw is the fact that he is driven by fear; Norman has shown him there are consequences to communication and Ruby carries this lesson throughout his entire life. He is a victim of abuse and this hampers his ability to communicate and be emotionally vulnerable. He is so caught up in the idea of consequences that he is more than willing to lie or omit the truth to avoid the consequences of talking to people about stressful topics. This is not to say that Ruby’s actions are excusable— he’s still a dick with communication issues, but whether or not Kusaka intended it, Norman’s abuse and its consequences define Ruby’s emotional arc.

ANGER ISSUES

I can’t really talk about the environment of fear that Norman created without talking about his anger issues. He crushes a phone, shoves people out of the way, knocks multiple Pokemon out at once, and otherwise acts aggressively in various situations throughout the arc without any real Reason. As if these hints weren’t enough, we actually get confirmation through Ruby’s mother that Norman “does this often”— and judging by Birch’s reaction, these displays of destructive anger aren’t normal in in-universe. Whether or not there is a violent / strict parenting style within the universe doesn’t matter, because Norman is shown to be uncharacteristically aggressive in comparison to other adults in the series. Judging by Ruby’s reaction at the Weather Institute, he implies that his type of violence towards him isn’t uncommon; he seems almost resigned to it.

To wrap up this section: Norman’s aggressiveness is atypical even in-universe, he is shown to be unable and unwilling to curb his violent anger, and this creates an environment of fear among his family that permanently impacts Ruby’s ability to communicate effectively with others.

PART 2

DISCLAIMER: This is where things get… dicey. Everything I’ve mentioned previously is rooted in the actual drawings and actions of the characters or overarching themes / problems. This next part however focuses on dialogue. It is almost impossible to truly understand the tone of each line without being a fluent Japanese speaker (which I am not) so instead I’m going to use Viz and CY to the best of my ability for this section. I’m not going to extrapolate this to Kusaka’s intentions, since without the original work that’s nearly impossible, but I can at least talk about the way these come off in English.

EMOTIONAL ABUSE

Admittedly, Viz is the worst about this. They constantly hype Norman up and excuse his behavior, outright censoring some of the physical and emotional abuse. Viz absolutely mangling the tone of RS, however, is a post for another time.

Because Norman actually speaks to Ruby at length a grand total of twice times in the RS arc, we can break down his actions into these two instances: the first is at the weather institute and the second is as he’s dying.

Rather than go based on overall theme, this scene is best done line by line (this is using the CY version due to limited censorship compared to Viz). 

Scene 1: Volume 17, Chapters 208-210

(Norman is dangling Ruby off the roof of a building by his collar. There are sharp rocks at the bottom)

Ruby: Re… release me…! Norman: Insolent brat!! Is that how you talk to your father?!

To start, Norman uses tone policing and deflection. He focuses on the fact that Ruby is “talking back” to him and making demands of his father, which doesn’t acknowledge Ruby’s request or the fact that Ruby is being dangling over the roof of a building. Also note that this is the first time the words are bolded and that they stay this way throughout the fight— Norman verbally escalates the fight. Norman is abusing his position of power over Ruby in order to excuse his actions and pass the blame back to his son.

Ruby: I don’t care how furious you are with me… I’m ready for it!

(Norman decks Ruby down a flight of stairs)

Norman: Why did you run away from home?!

Note once again that Norman is implied to start raising his voice first even when Ruby isn’t. There’s another deflection here: Norman changes the subject rather than actively respond to anything Ruby says.

Norman: Well? Say something! You’d better voice your complaints right now!!

(Ruby has a conversation with the Swimmer, who advises him to apologize to avoid his father’s rage and “just go home” which… fuck you Swimmer Jack. I’m skipping that part of the dialogue bc it isn’t that important).

(While Ruby is debating what to do, Norman’s Slaking lifts the stairs that Ruby is on and tries to fling him into next Tuesday).

Ruby is physically prevented from escaping by being dangled above Norman. I shouldn’t have to tell why physically preventing someone from leaving an argument is a bad thing.

(Ruby decides to fight Norman)

Note that Norman is physically and emotionally forcing Ruby into two possible options: Fight or be obedient. He is preventing Ruby from running and deflecting Ruby’s attempts to explain himself. He then shifts the blame to Ruby *again*, attacking Ruby and his pokemon with full force and implying it was Ruby who instigated the conflict in the first place.

Norman: … so you wish to fight me? … Iron Tail and Hyper Beam… I was the one who taught you those attacks. There’s nothing about your attacks and strategies I don’t know about. You’re just wasting your time! Give up!

Here, Norman does two things: he stresses Ruby’s dependence on him and his power over Ruby. It’s a typical “your success is dependent on me” and a “there is no option except obedience” rhetoric, and is likewise typical of abusers. Norman is stressing the things Norman has gifted to Ruby (battling knowledge) and using whatever he can to force Ruby to do what he wants— he’s exerting his control.

(Ruby turns the tide of the battle, so Norman likewise switches tactics by attacking Ruby himself and attempting to hit him with a staircase. Ruby falls down the stairs and is dangling over a pit of spikes when Norman stands on the edge, blocking Ruby’s only escape route).

Norman: Now will you come quietly? Stop being so stubborn

Not only is Norman forcing his son to choose between obedience and Literal Death, he also shifts the blame again. He excuses his own actions by claiming it is Ruby’s stubbornness that forced him into this position. He deflects the whole “putting my 11 year old in harm’s way” by claiming Ruby’s own resistance to Norman’s violence is the trigger for the violence itself. It doesn’t make sense, but it’s victim-blaming nonetheless and sadly, it works

(Flashback time: Norman admits he was going to give Ruby permission to participate in contests and gets emo about it. They fall, but Norman catches Ruby. This doesn’t matter though, because they both end up falling and Ruby uses his running shoes to save them both).

Ruby: (thinking) Ru- running shoes… my birthday present from dad… saved both… our lives

Ruby displays pretty typical abuse victim behavior here, focusing not on Norman’s 3 threats to literally kill him but instead on the One Good Thing Norman did. He doesn’t mention that it was Ruby himself who saved them both or that Norman was the one who put them in danger in the first place— he’s in total denial about the severity of everything that happened.

(At this point, Norman looms above Ruby with an angry expression and a raised pokeball. Bystanders panic because it appears that Norman is going to attack Ruby who, by the way, is unconscious on the ground, but Norman gets a surprise call from Winona and turns away after realizing that Winona can see him).

“I only stopped attacking my son when I realized people were watching”… alright fuck off then Norman

Norman: HEY!! Idiot son! You disobeyed your parents, then you ran away from home. I’ve had enough! Just do what you want! In return, you’d better accomplish your goals!! A man should complete what he has set out to do… … before he can return home!!

Hoo boy. Norman never apologizes, deflects all the blame onto Ruby, insults him twice, and then tries to save face with Winona and the people around him by giving Ruby permission to do contests— which he was apparently planning to do all along. He emphasizes the things Ruby did in response to Norman’s actions (Ruby ran away from home because he knew his dad would be unsupportive and gets violent during disagreements, so in essence Norman is to blame for backing him into a corner). Norman twists the narrative in order to make Ruby the instigator in every case, justifying Norman’s responses as reactions to Ruby’s problematic behavior

Swimmer Jack: Isn’t that a wonderful father? Ruby: Thank you… father.

Ok first of all Jack is a dumbass, so jot that down. Second of all, while it’s unintentional, Ruby is being gaslit to hell and back. It is only after Norman’s omission of all the abusive behavior and bystanders’ affirmation of Norman’s love that Ruby starts to think positively towards his father. The threat Ruby used to think was so large has been downplayed and outright denied by the people around him, so Ruby’s prior fear of Norman diminishes. Ruby’s fear of Norman and the violence Norman took against him is denied, downplayed, and ignored, so Ruby begins to doubt his own animosity towards his father. Thanks Swimmer Jack you unintentionally gaslit an 11 year old.

SCENE 2: (this one is much shorter, thank god)

(Norman, while he is dying, explains the whole deal with how he was ordered to search for Rayquaza yada yada. Throughout the exchange, Ruby gets increasingly upset).

Ruby: (thinking) barred from the test and forced to search for Rayquaza… It must be some kind of punishment! What could Dad have done to warrant such… why was he made responsible… ?!

Ruby: … … but… come to think of it, dad is not someone who makes mistakes easily… something’s not right!

Slight aside, Ruby has been so convinced of his father’s power by others that he is unwilling to even CONSIDER that his dad fucked up, which… wow!

Ruby: That day… Dad must have taken the rap for someone else… and… (flashbacks to Salamence Incident) that person… was….

Ruby: (out loud) … me?! That person who set Rayquaza free… was it me…?!

Norman: Yes.

And then he dies!

(Technically he says “oh I did all that out of love” (paraphrased) and then dies but it’s just a continuation of the previous thing).

Norman, before dying, does not say “I’m proud of you” or “I’m sorry for everything” or anything remotely comforting, instead he says “hey Ruby, you’re responsible for my death and all your childhood trauma alongside your friend’s. Peace.” (this is paraphrased).

Even on his actual deathbed, Norman places the blame on Ruby for Norman’s own actions. He makes Ruby feel guilty for Norman leaving, Norman hiding information from him, and Ruby’s tumultuous childhood.

CONCLUSION

None of this is to say that Norman doesn’t love Ruby or that Ruby doesn’t love him back— I’m fairly positive the two of them love each other dearly and want the best for each other. However, Norman is a child abuser who reacts violently, instigates violence, and then turns around and denies said violence. He creates a culture of fear among his family, gives Ruby some serious communication issues, and the narrative takes his side. Norman is a child abuser in canon and has a very VERY profound effect on Ruby which has emotional ramifications throughout Ruby’s entire character arc all the way until oras.

TLDR: Normans sucks man

[mckinlily]

Voltron Foster Care AU

That time when you get so mad about Voltron’s failed found family trope that you build an AU based entirely around the idea of the Paladins finding each other and fighting to be a family.

It starts with Anthony and Honerva Zarkon.

Anthony Zarkon--from here on out simply Zarkon--is the mayor of a major city in Arizona with political aspirations and a horde of inherited wealth.

Honvera is a surgeon with an intense interest the limitations of the human body. She has ideas for enhancement and human modification that’s she’s desperate to try out.

Problem is that Honvera’s experiments are such that no sane human being (and here “sane” means “legally able to consent”) would agree to them. 

Honvera isn’t about to let something little like ethics to stop her. She starts thinking about how to get around this pesky “do no harm” rule and realizes that children present an interesting opportunity. 

Now typically children run into the same problem as anyone else--absolutely no parent is going to consent to this, so that’s mostly a no go. But if the children are legally Honvera’s... Then things get interesting.

Of course, Honvera would never touch a hair on her precious baby Lotor’s head (and he’ll be reaching eighteen soon anyway). But there are other options. 

And this is when Honvera hits on foster care.

It’s an ingenious idea that accomplishes two things.

 First, it looks good for Zarkon’s political career, taking in these poor, underprivileged kids and giving them a home. 

And second, it gives Honvera free rein as their legal guardian to completely circumvent consent and experiment as she pleases.

Enter Takashi Shirogane, a nine-year-old with a chronic muscular disease that might be able to be treated with physical therapy and the right drugs or might be indicative of something much worse. The state hasn’t had the resources to figure it out yet.

In swoops Honvera with her MD and impressive credentials, claiming that Takashi’s condition is almost certainly terminal but she has access to experimental treatments that could save his life. And the Zarkons are a good family with strong standing in the community it--it seems like the perfect match.

Honvera certainly thinks so. Takashi’s pre-existing condition gives her license to throw around any treatment or diagnosis with no questions asked.

In fact, Honvera thinks it works so well, that the Zarkons take in four more foster children.

Shiro tries to fight against any more children being placed with the Zarkons, but he’s nine and he’s not able to articulate “misdiagnosis” and “excessive invasive operations”. All he knows how to say is that procedures scare him, and his social worker tells him “it’s for your own good, honey. Dr. Honvera is helping you.”

By the time Keith, Hunk, Lance, and Pidge (aged 5-6) arrive, Shiro knows two things: 

1) The social workers aren’t going to believe him.

2) If anyone is going to actually raise these kids, it’s not going to be the Zarkons.

Naturally, Shiro decides these kids are his responsibility.

For the next five years, they survive by working together and coming up with increasingly creative ways of fighting back/rebelling.

They each have a role in the “surviving the fosters” act:

Keith and Pidge both become very sneaky and very good at getting into things they shouldn’t. 

Hunk keeps track food, first aid, and other essentials, making sure they have stashes the Zarkons won’t find.

Lance is a distraction extraordinaire.

And Shiro keeps track of all of them, organizes their escapes and raids on the kitchen, helps with the homework (because good grades are essential to Zarkon’s image), and does everything he can give them a glimpse at a normal childhood. 

The kids know that any problem that they have from “I broke a frame and Zarkon’s going to kill me” to bullies at school, they can bring it to Shiro and he’ll fix it.

Shiro doesn't actually know how to fix any of it. Mostly he just takes the fall for it and doesn’t let them see when it hurts him.

Honvera experiments on all of them, but Shiro is still her favorite. He’s in and out of surgery a lot.

During recovery, the roles flip, and the others are the ones taking care of Shiro 

Honvera is fascinated by surprisingly positive effects of this amateur caregiving.

(She is also fascinated by how the best way to guarantee compliance from the others is to threaten to hurt Shiro. And how Shiro is the same but more so with regard to the others.)

Honvera’s experiments escalate throughout the years they’re with the Zarkons, cumulating in removing Shiro’s right arm just before he turns 15 and replacing it with a prosthetic of her own design.

To Honvera’s credit, it is an incredible feat of engineering. To very much not Honvera’s credit, Shiro did not require a prosthetic until she sawed his right arm off.

Still, it’s not until Shiro suspects that Lotor has creepy intentions for Lance that he realizes his found-siblings aren’t safe in the Zarkon house anymore and he can’t protect them there.

Once again, Shiro goes to his social worker, but this time he refuses to back down until they take him seriously.

The Zarkons’ have too much social standing to face legal action, but Shiro and his now-siblings get out and the Zarkons are banned from fostering more children.

This is good, but no family is prepared for five foster kids, especially four pre-teens and one teenager, all at least a bit damaged and deeply suspicious of authority. Shiro is the first to be separated, but eventually they all end up in different homes. 

It takes a year for them to find each other again, by which time they’ve all experienced their own little traumas on their own.

Shiro had actually hoped in a different home, his siblings would be looked after better than he could.

(Even if he misses being around them more than he can hardly stand).

But when Shiro finds them again--or more accurately, they find him--he’s forced to realize that, No. No one is taking care of his siblings at all.

And once again, Shiro decides if not a single freaking actual adult is going to do their job and raise his siblings, he’ll do it HIMSELF. 

For two years, they keep in touch over messaging apps, library computers, and their own specifically developed code, and Shiro darts around the state rescuing them from the ridiculous to scary situations they find themselves in.

Meanwhile, Shiro is doing everything he can to establish himself as a stable, responsible party to the establishment. As soon as he turns eighteen, he starts fighting for his siblings and he doesn’t stop until he has custody of every single one of them.

So we come to the ‘now’ of the story:

Shiro and his siblings move out of state as soon as they can. They have had enough of the state of Arizona screwing them over, thank you very much.

Shiro is starting college partly because he actually wants to attend and prove he can do it. And mostly because he knows if he doesn’t, none of his sibling will be they can either and that’s unacceptable.

But, despite finally having his family all together like they’ve wanted ever since they got separated, things aren’t all rosy

They’re all traumatized, both from their time in the Zarkon household and just from growing up in the system. This manifests in a myriad of ways. From Keith starting fights and Lance’s risky behavior to Hunk’s anxiety attacks and Pidge’s massive issues with authority.

Shiro in particular is convinced that if he is ever seen as less than “perfect”, the state will take them all away again. 

None of this is helped by Shiro’s definite and seemingly worsening PTSD.

In short, they’re a mess and constantly teetering on the edge of disaster.

But Shiro’s determined to keep them together. They’re family. They didn’t survive this long to fail now. Just because the rest of the world has given up on them, doesn’t mean Shiro will.

Shiro will do whatever it takes to make sure they make it.

Whatever.

It.

Takes.

[fitabouts]

Anxiety: Information, Signs, symptoms, types & treatment

Everyone has a feeling of anxiety at some point in their lives, whether it is about preparing for a job interview, the possibility of meeting a partner's family for the first time, or the possibility of parenthood. When we associate stress with changes in our mental state, perhaps experienced as anxiety or apprehension, and physical symptoms such as heart rate and adrenaline, we also understand that it only temporarily gives us Is likely to affect until the source of our concern has passed. We have learned to face it. Stress, therefore, is a category of emotions that does a positive function of alerting us to the things we may need to worry about: things that are potentially harmful. More importantly, these feelings help us to evaluate potential threats and respond appropriately, perhaps by sharpening our reflexes or focusing our attention. We all experience anxiety; It is a natural human condition and an important part of our life. Anxiety helps us identify and react to danger in 'fight or flight' mode. This can motivate us to meet tough challenges. The 'right' amount of anxiety can help us perform better and encourage action and creativity.

When you are anxious, what happens to your body?

Anxiety can create many sensations in your body as it develops for danger. These sensations are called "alarm responses", which occur when the body's natural alarm system (the "fight-flight-freeze" response) is activated. Rapid heartbeat and rapid breathing;Rapid heartbeat and rapid breathing;Sweating;Nausea and stomach upset;Dizziness or lightheaded;Tight or painful chest;Numbness and tingling sensations;A false (Unreality) or bright vision;Heavy legs;Suffocating sensations;Hot and cold flashes. Flight-Flight-Freeze:-Our body's flight-flight-freeze response can be activated when there is a real threat, such as the arrival of a black bear while hiking in the forest. In this case, you can flee (eg, running away from the bear), freeze (eg, hold steady until the bear passes), or fight (eg, waving and waving your arms to look big and scary). But this reaction can also occur when something looks dangerous but does not actually occur, such as being interviewed for a job. For example, you may feel jealous, sideways, or uncomfortable. You can fight people (fight) or have a hard time thinking clearly (freeze). These feelings may be enough to make you want to avoid doing an interview (flight). Many people stop doing or going for things that make them feel anxious.

How does anxiety work?

Anxiety not only affects your body but also affects your thoughts and behaviors. Therefore, anxiety has three parts: physical symptoms (how our body reacts), thoughts (what we say to ourselves), and behavior (what we do, or our actions). Learning to recognize these signs of anxiety can help you become less afraid of it.

How to Identify anxiety disorders?

Identify psychological symptoms:-frequent or excessive worry, poor concentration, specific fears or phobias e.g. fear of dying or fear of losing control.Identify physical symptoms:-Fatigue, irritability, sleepiness, general discomfort, muscle tension, stomach upset, sweating and difficulty in breathing.Identify behavior change:-Includes procrastination, avoidance, difficulty making decisions, and social withdrawal.

What are the symptoms?

While there are many types of anxiety disorders, there are some common signs and symptoms. Feeling:-Most of the time, very worried or scared;Tension and edge;Nervous or scared;Coward;Irritable, excited;You're worried you're crazy;Isolated from your body;Feeling that you may vomit.Thinking:-'Everything is going wrong';I can die ';'I can't handle the way I feel';But I can't pay attention to my concerns;'I don't want to go out today';'I can't calm myself down'.Experience:-Sleep problems (no sleep, wake up often);Pounding heart;To sweat;'Pins and Needles';Stomach ache, flatulence;Dizziness;Twigs, shaking focusing on problems;Excessive thirst. When these constantly take repetitive thoughts and feelings, we may feel overwhelmed, lose sleep, feel exhausted, and begin to avoid social situations. Some of these symptoms may also be signs and symptoms of other medical conditions, so it is best to always see your GP so that they can examine them properly.

When does anxiety become a problem?

Anxiety is a problem when your body reacts as if there is a danger when there is no real danger. It is a very sensitive smoke alarm system in your body.Anxiety problems are common. One in four adults will have anxiety disease in their lifetime.

What are the types of anxiety disorders?

Mental health disorders including:-Generalized anxiety disorder;Social phobia;Specific fear;Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD);Panic disorder;Separation anxiety disorder;Agoraphobia;Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Other types of disorders include:-Substance/drug-induced anxiety disorder;Anxiety disorder due to a medical condition. It is important to seek help to manage severe anxiety. There are many effective remedies for anxiety, and you may feel better. 1. Panic Disorder (without AGORAPHOBIA) A panic attack suddenly appears (such as shaking, sweating, heart pulsation), which is followed by another panic attack for at least a month. Agoraphobia can occur by panic attacks when someone persists or ends - with marked distress - specific states. Such as living outside the house alone, getting crowded or standing in a row. 2. Specific phobia A specific phobia includes a "fear and persistent fear of clearly understood, marked objects or situations". There are five subtypes of specific phobias: Animal types:- such as fear of mice or spiders;Natural environmental types:- such as fear of storm or elevation;Blood-injection-injury types:- such as fear of seeing blood or receiving injections;Situational types:- such as fear of public transport, elevators or enclosed spaces;Other types:- such as fear of choking or vomiting. 3. Social phobia A social phobia includes "a marked and persistent fear of social or performance situations that may be lead to embarrassment". Fear may be associated with most social situations related to public performance or social interaction, such as attending small groups, meeting strangers, dating, or playing sports. 4. Obsessive-compulsive disorder This includes recurrent inclinations or passions that are too severe to induce significant loss seal distress or time-consuming. Passion calls or "intrusive" thoughts, urges or pictures that come to mind repeatedly on the surface, such as concerns about contamination (eg, touching the door handle) or doubting (eg, am I Can I close the door?). Compulsions are behaviors or "rituals" that a person tries to reduce or suppress their obsessive thoughts (eg, washing hands, checking). 5. Acute stress disorder This can happen after someone experiences, witnesses or is confronted with an incident or situations that are real or threatened with death or terrible injury or threat to the physical integrity of themselves or others. The disorder occurs within a month of the traumatic event. Distracting memories of a traumatic event creates an emotional response and creates a sense of relief to the event. 6. Post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD involves the development of symptomatic symptoms after exposure to extreme traumatic stress. A person's response to the event must have intense fear, helplessness, or panic. Symptoms usually begin within three months of trauma, although there may be a delay of months or years before symptoms appear. The traumatic experience repeatedly relies upon through intrusive memories, disturbing dreams, and flashbacks. 7. Generalized anxiety disorder GAD includes extreme anxiety and anxieties, having more days than most events, for a period of at least six months, about multiple events or activities. GAD's specialty is "difficulty controlling anxiety".

Treatment for Anxiety disorders

Many psychological treatments - such as relaxation exercise, meditation, biofeedback and stress management - can benefit from anxiety disorders. Many people with anxiety disorders also benefit from supportive counseling or couple or family therapy. However, experts agree that the most effective form of treatment for anxiety disorders is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Medications have also been shown to be effective, and many people receive CBT and medication in combination. 1. cognitive-behavioral therapy CBT is a brief, problem-focused approach to treatment based on the cognitive and behavioral aspects of anxiety disorders. Typically, CBT consists of 12-15 weekly 1 hour sessions. In the initial sessions, the person with the anxiety disorder works with the therapist to understand the person's problems. An individual's symptoms of anxiety are assessed within a cognitive-behavioral framework, and the goals and functions of therapy are established. As therapy progresses, a person with an anxiety disorder is assigned behavioral and cognitive functions to learn skills to reduce anxiety symptoms. As symptoms improve, the physician also focuses on underlying issues that may pose a risk for "relapse", which is used to describe the withdrawal of symptoms. 2. Medication Research has shown that people with anxiety disorders often benefit from medications affecting various neurotransmitters, especially serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA. Medications can help decrease symptoms of anxiety, especially when mixed with CBT. 3. Antidepressants Antidepressants are the first medication commonly prescribed for the treatment of anxiety disorders. These drugs are safe, effective, and non-narcotic, and have not been shown to have any long-term effects. The disadvantage of antidepressants is that they usually have side effects. For most people, the side effects are mild and short-lived, an easy trade-off for the benefits of the drug. For others, the side effects may be more distressing. People often experience the side effects of an antidepressant in the first few weeks of treatment, before undergoing its benefits. For best results, antidepressants should be taken regularly, usually once or twice each day. These and all medicines should only be taken as prescribed. Taking more or less than the prescribed dose can prevent the medicines from working, and some symptoms may worsen. 4. Benzodiazepines Benzodiazepines are a group of drugs that increase the activity of the GABA neurotransmitter system. BZDS reduces anxiety and excessive excitement and makes people feel calm and calm. They also cause drowsiness, which makes it easier to fall asleep and sleep at night. BZDS is often used to treat generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The advantage of BZDS is that it can rapidly relieve and control anxiety. BZDS most generally used to treat anxiety disorders are clonazepam (Rivotril), alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan). Common side effects:- drowsiness, fainting, dizziness and loss of balance; The effects are most severe when BZDS is combined with alcohol or with other sedatives. 5. Herbal Therapies Over the years, many herbs have some effect on mood and mental health. Although many plants may contain active ingredients that may be somewhat effective in relieving various symptoms, their effectiveness has not been formally tested. The herbal industry is unregulated, meaning that the quality and effectiveness of herbal products are not consistent. Opposing effects are possible, as are toxic interactions by additional drugs. If you are counting herbal medicines, you should discuss this with your doctor and review the medicines that you are already taking. Some herbal products have remedial effects and are believed to reduce symptoms of anxiety. Read the full article

[talabib]

How To Leave Your Worries In The Past

Are you constantly battling bouts of anxiety and worry? Do you do things such as wonder incessantly whether you locked the front door? Maybe you break out in a cold sweat worrying about whether you really sent off the right documents to the new client – or whether you sent something totally inappropriate.

Such worrying is normal, but it’s also avoidable. The truth is, your brain has different gears, just like a bike – and each gear is well suited to certain activities and pretty unsuited for others. The trouble arises when you use the wrong gear on the wrong activity.

Modern humans are stuck with a surplus of negative thinking and stress chemicals.

You lay awake in bed, unable to sleep because your mind is racing with worry after worry after worry. Sound familiar?

First of all, much of your incessant worrying is due to an overabundance of stress-related chemicals in your body. It used to be that we humans had a need for these chemicals. Back in the days of saber-toothed tigers, we lived in a world full of life-threatening dangers and fight-or-flight situations. And, though such daily threats have all but disappeared in the modern world, these instincts are still with us. As a result, your mind has a negativity bias: it constantly seeks to recognize threats around you.

The biochemicals related to this state of worry and stress can only be alleviated by engaging in vigorous activity. But since we’re no longer being chased by wild animals, or chasing them down for meat, these stress chemicals stay built up in our bodies and keep us in a state of constant worry.

Most of us have grown used to it. It feels normal to be chronically stressed. And, disturbingly, the more stressed out your brain is on a regular basis, the more likely it becomes that this state will be the normal setting for your brain in the future.

This is due to your brain’s neural pathways, which are created by your everyday thinking habits. These neural pathways also affect how you see the world around you, and determine whether you see opportunities waiting around every corner, or dangers and difficulty.

So the more you base your thoughts on stress and worry, the more likely you’ll be to act defensively and distrustfully. But hope is not lost. It’s in your power to reduce your worries and put yourself on a more positive track.

We have five different brainwave frequencies that correspond to different states of being.

If you’re familiar with cats, you know that they’re often volatile; they can be gently resting one second and bouncing off the walls the next. Well, our thoughts are rather catlike. The shift from peaceful to stressful can occur in the blink of an eye.

The brain is made up of billions of nerve cells called neurons that use electric pulses to communicate with each other. Depending on what you’re thinking, feeling or doing, these pulses create brainwaves of different frequencies.

So, to better understand your brain, you should know that it can switch between five different frequencies, depending on what you’re doing. The five brainwave frequencies can be measured in hertz, or cycles per second. These waves are called delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma.

Delta is the slowest of the brainwave frequencies, ranging from 0 to 4 hertz. It occurs in deep sleep and is extremely useful for growth and regeneration.

Theta is the frequency of deep relaxation. It is measured at 4 to 7 hertz, and is often reached in the moments after we wake up from the deep sleep of the delta frequency.

The alpha frequency is measured at 8 to 12 hertz. It is a conscious and calm state that allows you to regain energy. In this state, you might be lying on the couch with a good book and without any fears or worries.

The beta frequency is a bright and attentive state, measured at 12 to 35 hertz. It’s good for the kind of focused attention you need for getting some work done.

Last but not least is the gamma frequency, at 35 to 70 hertz, which is where the sought-after state of flow exists, characterized by a blissful sense of peace. It’s the state that Buddhist monks are very familiar with through expert meditation.

Ideally, you want to avoid spending too much time in one brainwave frequency. But this is what happens with a worried mind, which is usually stuck in beta mode – constantly alert. If you’ve ever been on vacation but been unable to relax and enjoy yourself, it’s due to your brain being unable to downshift out of beta mode.

To quickly calm your mind, engage your peripheral vision or take a walk.

The key to cultivating a worry-free mind is to redirect your focus away from the things that trigger worry and stress.

Once you learn how to deliberately shift your focus, and get into the habit of doing so, you’ll be changing your brain wave activity. Change that and you can change your feelings, thoughts and perspective. That’s why knowing how to shift your frequency from beta to alpha is the best way to burst your worry bubble once and for all.

Now, one of the best ways to refocus your attention is to use your peripheral vision. This is the area of your vision that exists off to the sides of whatever you’re directly focusing on. This takes some practice, so start by keeping your eyes locked straight ahead, but rather than noticing what’s directly in front of you, take notice of what’s to the left or right edges of your vision.

You’ll find that, when trying to use your peripheral vision, it’s rather difficult to entertain a negative thought. Why? Because you’ve shifted your attention. So the next time you’re stuck, engage your peripheral vision and get yourself unstuck.

Another effective technique is to simply go for a walk. When upset or caught in a cycle of stress, the human mind’s capacity for rational thinking becomes faulty. Studies show that, when caught up in such a cycle, a person’s blood will flow to the right side of the brain, away from the left hemisphere where rational thinking takes place.

Going for a walk is what’s known as a bilateral activity; it engages both hemispheres of the brain and can kick your rational thinking back into gear. This increases the chance that you’ll abandon the irrational doom-and-gloom thinking.

So the next time you’re worried about a meeting or presentation, get yourself outside and look around. Notice the scenery, architecture and nature that surrounds you. This will reduce your anxieties and can even put you into an alpha frequency.

Future thinking can improve your outlook on life by changing the way you question the future.

We often place people in one of two categories. There are the pessimists, who see a glass as being half empty, and the optimists, who see the same glass as being half full. But a better personality test is to ask someone how they feel about the future. Are they excited and eager to see what happens in the next five years, or are they filled with dread?

It’s only natural to have some concern about the future, but when someone’s really pessimistic, they’re actually increasing the chances of being miserable. When you spend all your time worrying, you’re blocking any chance of happiness, not to mention wasting energy that could be used to make a brighter future.

For example Marina was moving to Paris for a job. Prior to this, Marina had spent her entire life in Houston, so this was a big change that put her in a constant state of worry. She was especially stressed about recent terrorist attacks and fearful that her relationship with her boyfriend would fall apart. Any excitement she may have once felt was now drowned in worry.

However familiar this may sound, there is a method to break free of these unwanted thoughts, and it’s called future thinking.

Future thinking is about looking forward with positivity and seeing opportunity rather than problems. Not only will this help rid you of worry; it can lead to a lot more happiness and success in life.

The key to future thinking is taking your “what if” worries and confronting them with “can do” solutions.

Marina was stuck with questions like “Why can’t I enjoy this?” and “What if I’m in the wrong place at the wrong time?” But when she applied future thinking, the questions began to point the way to a solution.

Instead of “What if we break up?” the question became “What steps can I take to make our long-distance relationship work?” With the right frame of mind, Marina could once again see the opportunities Paris had in store.

Memories can have a negative impact on your present and future.

If you think about it, you can probably come up with at least one decision that you regret. But, for some, regretful choices and actions can be so overwhelming that they trigger a deep depression.

Unfortunately, past events often have far more power over us than we’d like. All of our memories have an emotion that goes with them – usually whatever emotion we were feeling at the time. But if we keep thinking about a certain memory, we can get stuck in that emotion, which is particularly bad if it was a traumatic or sad event.

When we get hung up on a past regret, it also prevents the mind from focusing on creating new and better emotions in the present or recognizing opportunities for a better future.

Gabriella’s problem is related to this. Her problem was that she had trouble saying no and sticking up for herself. As a result, she often took on too many responsibilities, many of which belonged to other people.

For Gabriella, this habit went back to childhood. She was the oldest sibling in a broken home with many financial struggles, and she often had to cook for and take care of her siblings.

Gabriella regularly felt that if she didn’t take responsibility, things would fall apart, a feeling that stayed with her as an adult. And so Gabriella didn’t protest when her siblings expected her to take care of their elderly mother, and she never kicked up a fuss when she was severely underpaid at work – she simply added another job to her busy schedule.

Ultimately, the only thing Gabriella couldn’t take care of was her own well-being. Gabriella was stuck in a cycle of thinking that began in childhood – a cycle that became so routine that her mind began regarding being exploited as a normal, everyday part of life.

By asking the right questions, we can identify the sources of our worries.

When life gets you stuck in a bad pattern, what you need is neuro-repatterning. This technique first makes you aware of what triggers your negative emotional responses, and then empowers you to regain control over your reactions.

In other words, it allows you to change your thoughts, feelings and behaviors when certain situations or memories present themselves.

There are four steps to neuro-repatterning, the first of which is to identify the precise trigger by asking yourself probing questions, such as: “Is it certain people that make me worried or fearful? Or is it a specific type of place?”

Acknowledging your fear and becoming curious about it is the first step toward overcoming your worried state of mind.

The second step is to get closer to your feelings. Do this by asking questions such as, “Is there a physical discomfort associated with my worries? Where in my body do I feel this pain? Is it a familiar feeling?” Narrowing things down like this will help you get closer to a solution.

For Gabriella, she felt her worry in her stomach, and she would feel it whenever she went to visit her mom. Noticing this helped her realize that her problems are related to her family.

The third step is to ask yourself, “What do I need to do to rid myself of this feeling?” This question could help Gabriella, too. It could start with something as simple as Gabriella treating herself to a day at a spa.

Finally, there are four feelings that you can keep in mind to refocus your mind and reduce worry: curiosity, lust, care and play.

So it’s good to have a hobby that sparks your curiosity, such as food and exploring new recipes. Having a loved one is of course a fine way of keeping both your lust engaged and someone to care for. And finally, things like sports, a regular card game or spending time with a young one can keep your sense of play engaged.

With meditation you can synchronize your brain in alpha frequency and thereby sustain a clear, worry-free mind.

When you’re overcome with worry, you want to be ready with the steps you can take to start calming yourself down and feeling better.

The best way to do this is to synchronize at least part of your brain down to the alpha frequency. Ideally, with enough practice, you can reach a whole brain state. When this is achieved, a clear mind will be your new normal, and worries will be an infrequent and controllable part of life.

The ability to synchronize the human brain to alpha was first demonstrated in the 1960s by the head of the Princeton Biofeedback Centre, Les Fehmi. He used a biofeedback technique, which electronically monitors parts of the brain to keep track of their frequencies.

Fehmi found that when multiple parts of the brain were in synch and running at the same frequency, they could communicate with each other in harmony. This state is characterized by clear thinking, better understanding of the world around you and less anxiety and worry.

Sounds wonderful, right? So what’s the secret? Simple: using meditation to clear the mind completely.

Meditation is a way of getting rid of the clutter that causes a brain to function poorly. It also helps bring the brain down from the frantic beta state and into the calm and cool alpha state, which is where you can chill out and live worry-free.

In the 1970s, Anna Wise of the Evolving Institute, and pioneering biophysicist C. Maxwell Cade, found that meditation led to an increased amount of alpha frequency in the brain. They also found that their subjects, all advanced meditation practitioners, had more alpha in everyday life as well. Naturally, these people were a rather calm and happy bunch.

So if you want more control over your mind and a stress-free life, start a regular meditation practice and start working toward a whole brain state. With a little patience, you’ll be on your way to minimizing worry once and for all!

It’s completely natural to worry from time to time. But it’s a problem when your life is controlled by fears and anxieties. Fortunately, there are ways we can calm our mind and get some relief. The brain is very capable of falling into patterns that constantly promote stressful thoughts. But we can add new patterns to our daily routine, and, before long, change the negative into a positive.

[talabib]

How To Leave Your Worries In The Past.

Are you constantly battling bouts of anxiety and worry? Do you do things such as wonder incessantly whether you locked the front door? Maybe you break out in a cold sweat worrying about whether you really sent off the right documents to the new client – or whether you sent something totally inappropriate.

Such worrying is normal, but it’s also avoidable. The truth is, your brain has different gears, just like a bike – and each gear is well suited to certain activities and pretty unsuited for others. The trouble arises when you use the wrong gear on the wrong activity.

Modern humans are stuck with a surplus of negative thinking and stress chemicals.

You lay awake in bed, unable to sleep because your mind is racing with worry after worry after worry. Sound familiar?

First of all, much of your incessant worrying is due to an overabundance of stress-related chemicals in your body. It used to be that we humans had a need for these chemicals. Back in the days of saber-toothed tigers, we lived in a world full of life-threatening dangers and fight-or-flight situations. And, though such daily threats have all but disappeared in the modern world, these instincts are still with us. As a result, your mind has a negativity bias: it constantly seeks to recognize threats around you.

The biochemicals related to this state of worry and stress can only be alleviated by engaging in vigorous activity. But since we’re no longer being chased by wild animals, or chasing them down for meat, these stress chemicals stay built up in our bodies and keep us in a state of constant worry.

Most of us have grown used to it. It feels normal to be chronically stressed. And, disturbingly, the more stressed out your brain is on a regular basis, the more likely it becomes that this state will be the normal setting for your brain in the future.

This is due to your brain’s neural pathways, which are created by your everyday thinking habits. These neural pathways also affect how you see the world around you, and determine whether you see opportunities waiting around every corner, or dangers and difficulty.

So the more you base your thoughts on stress and worry, the more likely you’ll be to act defensively and distrustfully. But hope is not lost. It’s in your power to reduce your worries and put yourself on a more positive track.

We have five different brainwave frequencies that correspond to different states of being.

If you’re familiar with cats, you know that they’re often volatile; they can be gently resting one second and bouncing off the walls the next. Well, our thoughts are rather catlike. The shift from peaceful to stressful can occur in the blink of an eye.

The brain is made up of billions of nerve cells called neurons that use electric pulses to communicate with each other. Depending on what you’re thinking, feeling or doing, these pulses create brainwaves of different frequencies.

So, to better understand your brain, you should know that it can switch between five different frequencies, depending on what you’re doing. The five brainwave frequencies can be measured in hertz, or cycles per second. These waves are called delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma.

Delta is the slowest of the brainwave frequencies, ranging from 0 to 4 hertz. It occurs in deep sleep and is extremely useful for growth and regeneration.

Theta is the frequency of deep relaxation. It is measured at 4 to 7 hertz, and is often reached in the moments after we wake up from the deep sleep of the delta frequency.

The alpha frequency is measured at 8 to 12 hertz. It is a conscious and calm state that allows you to regain energy. In this state, you might be lying on the couch with a good book and without any fears or worries.

The beta frequency is a bright and attentive state, measured at 12 to 35 hertz. It’s good for the kind of focused attention you need for getting some work done.

Last but not least is the gamma frequency, at 35 to 70 hertz, which is where the sought-after state of flow exists, characterized by a blissful sense of peace. It’s the state that Buddhist monks are very familiar with through expert meditation.

Ideally, you want to avoid spending too much time in one brainwave frequency. But this is what happens with a worried mind, which is usually stuck in beta mode – constantly alert. If you’ve ever been on vacation but been unable to relax and enjoy yourself, it’s due to your brain being unable to downshift out of beta mode.

To quickly calm your mind, engage your peripheral vision or take a walk.

The key to cultivating a worry-free mind is to redirect your focus away from the things that trigger worry and stress.

Once you learn how to deliberately shift your focus, and get into the habit of doing so, you’ll be changing your brain wave activity. Change that and you can change your feelings, thoughts and perspective. That’s why knowing how to shift your frequency from beta to alpha is the best way to burst your worry bubble once and for all.

Now, one of the best ways to refocus your attention is to use your peripheral vision. This is the area of your vision that exists off to the sides of whatever you’re directly focusing on. This takes some practice, so start by keeping your eyes locked straight ahead, but rather than noticing what’s directly in front of you, take notice of what’s to the left or right edges of your vision.

You’ll find that, when trying to use your peripheral vision, it’s rather difficult to entertain a negative thought. Why? Because you’ve shifted your attention. So the next time you’re stuck, engage your peripheral vision and get yourself unstuck.

Another effective technique is to simply go for a walk. When upset or caught in a cycle of stress, the human mind’s capacity for rational thinking becomes faulty. Studies show that, when caught up in such a cycle, a person’s blood will flow to the right side of the brain, away from the left hemisphere where rational thinking takes place.

Going for a walk is what’s known as a bilateral activity; it engages both hemispheres of the brain and can kick your rational thinking back into gear. This increases the chance that you’ll abandon the irrational doom-and-gloom thinking.

So the next time you’re worried about a meeting or presentation, get yourself outside and look around. Notice the scenery, architecture and nature that surrounds you. This will reduce your anxieties and can even put you into an alpha frequency.

Future thinking can improve your outlook on life by changing the way you question the future.

We often place people in one of two categories. There are the pessimists, who see a glass as being half empty, and the optimists, who see the same glass as being half full. But a better personality test is to ask someone how they feel about the future. Are they excited and eager to see what happens in the next five years, or are they filled with dread?

It’s only natural to have some concern about the future, but when someone’s really pessimistic, they’re actually increasing the chances of being miserable. When you spend all your time worrying, you’re blocking any chance of happiness, not to mention wasting energy that could be used to make a brighter future.

For example Marina was moving to Paris for a job. Prior to this, Marina had spent her entire life in Houston, so this was a big change that put her in a constant state of worry. She was especially stressed about recent terrorist attacks and fearful that her relationship with her boyfriend would fall apart. Any excitement she may have once felt was now drowned in worry.

However familiar this may sound, there is a method to break free of these unwanted thoughts, and it’s called future thinking.

Future thinking is about looking forward with positivity and seeing opportunity rather than problems. Not only will this help rid you of worry; it can lead to a lot more happiness and success in life.

The key to future thinking is taking your “what if” worries and confronting them with “can do” solutions.

Marina was stuck with questions like “Why can’t I enjoy this?” and “What if I’m in the wrong place at the wrong time?” But when she applied future thinking, the questions began to point the way to a solution.

Instead of “What if we break up?” the question became “What steps can I take to make our long-distance relationship work?” With the right frame of mind, Marina could once again see the opportunities Paris had in store.

Memories can have a negative impact on your present and future.

If you think about it, you can probably come up with at least one decision that you regret. But, for some, regretful choices and actions can be so overwhelming that they trigger a deep depression.

Unfortunately, past events often have far more power over us than we’d like. All of our memories have an emotion that goes with them – usually whatever emotion we were feeling at the time. But if we keep thinking about a certain memory, we can get stuck in that emotion, which is particularly bad if it was a traumatic or sad event.

When we get hung up on a past regret, it also prevents the mind from focusing on creating new and better emotions in the present or recognizing opportunities for a better future.

Gabriella’s problem is related to this. Her problem was that she had trouble saying no and sticking up for herself. As a result, she often took on too many responsibilities, many of which belonged to other people.

For Gabriella, this habit went back to childhood. She was the oldest sibling in a broken home with many financial struggles, and she often had to cook for and take care of her siblings.

Gabriella regularly felt that if she didn’t take responsibility, things would fall apart, a feeling that stayed with her as an adult. And so Gabriella didn’t protest when her siblings expected her to take care of their elderly mother, and she never kicked up a fuss when she was severely underpaid at work – she simply added another job to her busy schedule.

Ultimately, the only thing Gabriella couldn’t take care of was her own well-being. Gabriella was stuck in a cycle of thinking that began in childhood – a cycle that became so routine that her mind began regarding being exploited as a normal, everyday part of life.

By asking the right questions, we can identify the sources of our worries.

When life gets you stuck in a bad pattern, what you need is neuro-repatterning. This technique first makes you aware of what triggers your negative emotional responses, and then empowers you to regain control over your reactions.

In other words, it allows you to change your thoughts, feelings and behaviors when certain situations or memories present themselves.

There are four steps to neuro-repatterning, the first of which is to identify the precise trigger by asking yourself probing questions, such as: “Is it certain people that make me worried or fearful? Or is it a specific type of place?”

Acknowledging your fear and becoming curious about it is the first step toward overcoming your worried state of mind.

The second step is to get closer to your feelings. Do this by asking questions such as, “Is there a physical discomfort associated with my worries? Where in my body do I feel this pain? Is it a familiar feeling?” Narrowing things down like this will help you get closer to a solution.

For Gabriella, she felt her worry in her stomach, and she would feel it whenever she went to visit her mom. Noticing this helped her realize that her problems are related to her family.

The third step is to ask yourself, “What do I need to do to rid myself of this feeling?” This question could help Gabriella, too. It could start with something as simple as Gabriella treating herself to a day at a spa.

Finally, there are four feelings that you can keep in mind to refocus your mind and reduce worry: curiosity, lust, care and play.

So it’s good to have a hobby that sparks your curiosity, such as food and exploring new recipes. Having a loved one is of course a fine way of keeping both your lust engaged and someone to care for. And finally, things like sports, a regular card game or spending time with a young one can keep your sense of play engaged.

With meditation you can synchronize your brain in alpha frequency and thereby sustain a clear, worry-free mind.

When you’re overcome with worry, you want to be ready with the steps you can take to start calming yourself down and feeling better.

The best way to do this is to synchronize at least part of your brain down to the alpha frequency. Ideally, with enough practice, you can reach a whole brain state. When this is achieved, a clear mind will be your new normal, and worries will be an infrequent and controllable part of life.

The ability to synchronize the human brain to alpha was first demonstrated in the 1960s by the head of the Princeton Biofeedback Centre, Les Fehmi. He used a biofeedback technique, which electronically monitors parts of the brain to keep track of their frequencies.

Fehmi found that when multiple parts of the brain were in synch and running at the same frequency, they could communicate with each other in harmony. This state is characterized by clear thinking, better understanding of the world around you and less anxiety and worry.

Sounds wonderful, right? So what’s the secret? Simple: using meditation to clear the mind completely.

Meditation is a way of getting rid of the clutter that causes a brain to function poorly. It also helps bring the brain down from the frantic beta state and into the calm and cool alpha state, which is where you can chill out and live worry-free.

In the 1970s, Anna Wise of the Evolving Institute, and pioneering biophysicist C. Maxwell Cade, found that meditation led to an increased amount of alpha frequency in the brain. They also found that their subjects, all advanced meditation practitioners, had more alpha in everyday life as well. Naturally, these people were a rather calm and happy bunch.

So if you want more control over your mind and a stress-free life, start a regular meditation practice and start working toward a whole brain state. With a little patience, you’ll be on your way to minimizing worry once and for all!

It’s completely natural to worry from time to time. But it’s a problem when your life is controlled by fears and anxieties. Fortunately, there are ways we can calm our mind and get some relief. The brain is very capable of falling into patterns that constantly promote stressful thoughts. But we can add new patterns to our daily routine, and, before long, change the negative into a positive.