It’s not the weather, it’s your lifestyle

Winter time is a difficult time for many people. It’s cold, dark, and gloomy. No wonder winter is associated with high incidence of depression.

Currently available data indicate that depressed individuals have a 50% higher risk for cardiovascular disease than those without psychological problems. Guidelines issued by American Heart Association (AHA) and endorsed by the American Psychiatric Association recommend that cardiac patients be routinely screened for depression. In addition, treatment of depression is commonly addressed during cardiac rehabilitation. In related previous posts, depression among heart patients were shown to be best tackled with a combination of psychotherapy and physical exercise.

But - we cannot blame the weather for everything. Researchers at the University of College London report that the wrong lifestyle leads to psychological distress, which in turn result in increased risk for cardiovascular disorders. In addition, the findings of the current study “suggest that treating psychological stress on its own might not be the best approach to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.”

The study used data from the Scottish Health Survey (SHS) which followed up 6576 adults aged 30 years and above fo7 seven years (on the average). The researchers measured psychological distress as well as behavioral and pathophysiological risk factors. The measurements were based on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), an assessment tool which basically looked at general levels of happiness, depression and anxiety, and sleep disturbances.

The results showed that

“…behavioral factors, including smoking, physical activity, and alcohol consumption, accounted for 65% of the relationship between psychological distress and cardiovascular disease risk. An additional 19% of the association was explained by pathophysiological risk factors, such as hypertension and C-reactive protein (CRP).”

The role of smoking and physical activity seems especially significant. People who were stressed of psychologically distressed tended to be smokers who little or no exercise at all. “These two factors alone explain well over 50% of the association between distress and cardiovascular risk.” Surprisingly, alcohol explained only a small part of the psychological distress - cardiovascular risk link.

The study results indicate the association between psychological distress and cardiovascular risk can be largely explained by behaviour and lifestyle factors, in this case, cigarette smoking and physical activity.

If your goal is to treat mental illness for the purposes of reducing cardiovascular risk, you need to take a fairly broad approach and not just look at the psychological components,” lead investigator Dr Mark Hamer (University College London, UK) told heartwire. “You need to also look at the behavioral risk factors as well, with a particular emphasis on physical activity and smoking cessation.”

Now that we are about to enter the New Year, maybe it’s time to reflect on our lifestyle. Is there anything we can change for the better? For better mental and physical health?

               

Alzheimer’s Mirrors and Anxiety

A disturbing phenomenon sometimes occurs in a person in mid-stage Alzheimer’s. It is totally frustrating to the caregiver who doesn’t understand what’s happening, and it is terrifying to the person with Alzheimer’s. Often, the patient or loved one will seem to get upset or even hysterical for no reason at all, but there is always a reason, and in many cases, the culprit is the mirror. Yes, the mirror.

To fully explain how a mirror can alarm your loved one, let’s go back to the basics. By now, you already know that Alzheimer’s disease attacks the short-term memory and gradually erodes every memory, one memory at a time. So what happens when an 85 year old woman (who doesn’t remember ever being 85) looks into the mirror and sees an image of a woman who is not the 25 year old she thinks she is? She is virtually looking at a stranger, and she is terrified. She may even think there is a stranger in the house. Could this be happening in your house?

Observe where your loved one is when the behavior begins. Is there a mirror nearby? There are so many situations over which you, the caregiver, have no control. However, you can control how many mirrors are available in the house. Just imagine how you would feel if you looked into the mirror and discovered that you had aged 60 years overnight. This could be happening to your loved one every day.

Sometimes, your loved one may make friends with the person in the mirror. This is not as disturbing; however, you might discover missing food in the most unusual places because they are saving food for their friend in the mirror.

As a side note, the mirror could play a major role in a loved one’s refusal to shower. After all, who wants to undress in front of a stranger?

If you find that the mirror is, indeed, causing the behavior, then limit, or better yet, eliminate access to mirrors. Alzheimer’s disease is a cruel, insidious disease that can make life unbearable for both the one who has it, and for the caregiver. Remember, for every behavior, there is a trigger. If the mirror is the trigger, and you remove the mirror, then you’ve not only eliminated the behavior, you have done a great service for your loved one.

More information about [www.alzheimersfamilyhelp.com/articles.html]Alzheimer’s Caregiver Help can be found at [www.alzheimersfamilyhelp.com/]www.AlzheimersFamilyHelp.com

Brenda Dapkus Co Owner of Alzheimer’s Family Help. We provide caregivers with tips and solutions to behaviors common to Alzheimer’s.

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Physical Causes of Anxiety

By Joanne King

If you experience Anxiety & Panic Attacks it may very well be a “secondary” condition to another physical illness.

Of course, the only way to know for sure is to be as open and honest with your doctor about your symptoms and your lifestyle as possible (even if it is embarrassing).

There are so many things that can contribute or have caused your anxiety disorder and panic attacks that the list is just incredibly long.

Here are just a few possible physical causes of anxiety disorder and panic attacks:

* Low potassium levels
* High potassium levels
* Diabetes
* Depression
* Cigarette smoking
* Alcohol consumption
* Recreational Drugs
* Medications (including the one’s that are prescribed for anxiety & panic)
* Cancer
* Aids
* Malnutrition
* Kidney Disease
* Work place stress
* Marriage breakdown
* Witnessing or being a part of a traumatic event
* Dehydration
* Asthma
* Heart conditions

If your anxiety & panic attacks have become a disorder then you’re not only going to have to treat the primary cause (which could be anything from the list above and more), but also treat the anxiety & panic disorder as you have developed a new response to fear and stress.

Note: Never self diagnose. Make sure you visit your local GP first. All material provided is for informational or educational purposes only. No content is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition.

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an Anxiety Disorder

If you have been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, you may be wondering just what it is and where it came from. Obsessive compulsive disorder, otherwise known as OCD, is defined by the APA as “A mental disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions, repetitive, purposeful acts performed according to certain rules or in a ritualized manner.” Although the cause of OCD is technically unknown, obsessive compulsive disorder has been known to be onset by stress and is defined as an anxiety disorder. It is a condition that can affect anyone, no matter their age, sex or social status. In fact, according to recent studies, OCD is a leading cause of disability and affects approximately 5 million people just in the United States alone.

OCD, like other anxiety disorders such as bipolar disorder, is very complicated. There are numerous symptoms and not every person has all of the symptoms. Generally speaking, obsessive compulsive disorder manifests itself as the presence of persistent and even obsessive ideas, thoughts, and images or in extreme cases, impulses and irrational behaviors. People with OCD many times become isolated because their state of mind is apparent even without talking. It is not uncommon for people with OCD to be very depressed because they are at a constant war with themselves. They are forever repeating the same thoughts over and over in their head and when they are unable to stop thinking these thoughts; they spend all of their time trying to get their minds on something else. For this reason, people with OCD tendencies don’t always make the best of friends.

Preoccupy Yourself With Other Things

Where some people get into trouble is that they spend so much time trying to curb their obsessive thinking that they get into compulsive irrational behaviors, which takes their mind off the compulsive thoughts. Unfortunately, it is really a vicious cycle that never ends. It has been studied however, that people with OCD can benefit greatly from learning a new skill. Learning something new such as music, yoga, or anything that takes a lot of concentration, can greatly reduce or even temporarily eliminate the obsessive thought pattern. If you or someone you love suffers from OCD, the best thing you can do is keep their mind preoccupied on something meaningful or at the least productive.

Many people think that perfectionism is the same as OCD. Being a perfectionist can make you exhibit some of the same behaviors as someone with OCD, however when you are strictly a perfectionist, you can control your behavior. Wanting everything the best it can be is one thing, maximizing your potential is a great trait of someone who is defined as a perfectionist. However, people that suffer from OCD tendencies take perfectionism to a whole new level. Breaking down because something has been moved or touched by an outsider, numbering your socks or labeling them left and right is way over the top. These are not uncommon behaviors for people with OCD; it is however, not something a perfectionist would relate to.

               

Anxiety Attacks, Real And Present Displays Of Fear

By M. Jedediah

Anxiety attacks, also known as panic attacks, can strike at any time, usually with no warning. An attack can even come while you are sleeping, or seemingly completely at rest. One in 60 people with no other mental disorders will experience a panic attack each year in America.

To fully describe a panic attack to someone who has never experienced one is as difficult as a sufferer simply deciding not to have any more. Once you have suffered through one however, you will never doubt their existence or seriousness again.

Anxiety attacks are unexpected episodes of intense terror or fear. These attacks burst from within, unannounced and certainly unwelcome, and although the extreme level of fear is generally irrational, the perceived danger seems very real, and presents itself physically as though a tragedy of historical proportions were imminent.

A person experiencing an anxiety attack will often feel as if they are about to pass out, or even that they are dying. Attempting to reason with someone who is in the midst of a panic attack will prove fruitless, and may even intensify the perception of dread, since now the sufferer will add you not believing them to their fears.

If you or someone you love suffers from these sudden and intense anxiety attacks, you must prepare for the next one. Sadly, the overwhelming fear of the next attack can itself be the catapult towards one. Anxiety, when it is persistent, and the accompanying fears are all-consuming, is best dealt with by a mental health expert.

Begin with your primary care physician, and be honest about the level of fear you are experiencing, the frequency of the attacks, and the impact the attacks are having on your daily life. You will then be referred to an expert well studied in your symptoms, and able to prescribe help, be it in medication form, talk therapy, or a combination of these and other methods of treating this very real disorder.

It will prove invaluable to a sufferer of this debilitating disorder to keep a journal and especially to write in it as soon as possible after an attack, describing the thoughts, emotions and physical ailments associated with the gripping fear. This record will also be a very practical tool in your therapy and recovery, as you are able to look at the attacks you have come through and realize no harm came to you during them, other than what the attack itself caused.

To witness a panic attack, without knowing what it is, can itself be a very unsettling experience. You may feel helpless, wanting to be of assistance, and having no idea how to proceed. The person may be hyper ventilating, complaining of not being able to breathe, or think they are having a heart attack, even complaining of chest pain. Many a trip to the emergency room with these symptoms has ended with the diagnoses of an anxiety attack.

Some people who have experienced an attack in a certain place or during a certain activity may begin to associate the attacks with that situation and become irrational afraid of being in that place again. This then is an anxiety attack linked to a phobia.

If this type of panic disorder is left untreated, it could quickly escalate to the degree where the sufferer is unable to even step out of their own front door to retrieve the newspaper or mail. Thankfully, much has been learned about these debilitating attacks in the past decade, and advances in treatment are ongoing.

For more information on anxiety try visiting www.BestAnxietyRelief.com a website that specializes in providing anxiety related tips, advice and resources to include information on anxiety attack

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=M._Jedediah

               

Disturbing Facts on Anxiety Attacks

By Jeanette Pollock

The most intriguing truth about anxiety attack that once it is triggered, the entirety of the person’s life may be changed…forever.

Anxiety attacks cause one of the most complex and fastest effects that may occur in human body. This condition is experienced with an overwhelming sensation of uncontrollable dread, which may somewhat border around the terrible experiences of being seriously ill, or the expectance of death or getting awfully nuts.

It’s effects do not stop there. Drastic changes will occur in the body’s major organs more specifically the heart, the lungs, intestines, kidneys, stomach, eyes, bladder and the largest muscle groups.

All these combined may not even be accomplished by the serious injuries induced in the body or the most violent poison that may enter to it.

These reactions will then send a message to the brain to release a cascade of hormones and stimulants which is the main fact why when under an anxiety attack, the person feels mixed sensations that are characterized mainly by the impulses to get out, hide and flee.

Because of an overwhelming “imagined threat”, the immediate response is to take oneself away from being hopeless and trapped. It really doesn’t count if the threat is real (though the rational mind is conscious that it there are no genuine threats yet it seem not able to do something against his sensations).

Panic may be the result of a trauma towards an accident, a crime or the likes. However, the medical community is certain that stress may be one root cause why people develop anxiety attacks. Other resources assert that childhood experiences may reveal the link.

People who are most susceptible to developing anxiety attacks are those who are overly perfectionists, reclusive, socially avoidant, excessively anxious and unreasonably fearful. Heredity may play some vital roles though.

As we have noted earlier, once the attack commences it will linger on until some effective cure is found. What keeps it worse is the constant fear of the anticipated attacks. As a defense mechanism, people will try to devise means to restrain from doing activities or involving themselves into instances and places which may bring back memories of the attack or which they expect that anxiety attack is most likely to occur. In effect, sufferers will enclose themselves into comfort zones where they are fairly secured.

Although many cases are recorded in medical history, varying levels of the medical community still often confuse the condition with other ailments and disorders that are somehow closely intertwined with anxiety attacks. This is primarily because anxiety attacks imitate symptoms of other conditions, which for many years have caused too much misdiagnosis.

In some cases, anxiety attacks mimic a condition completely like with cases of hypoglycemia, hyperventilation syndrome, complex partial seizures along with others. In some instances, it follows the symptoms of disease like asthma, vertigo, angina, hypertension, hiatal hernia but only in parts.

Nearly all anxiety attack sufferers believe that they are seriously ill. Thus, they are noted to go from one physician to another only to find that their case is not thoroughly understood even by the experts themselves which they typically confuse with panic.

1/3 of American adults desperately needs rescue from this death-threatening condition. When will it be rendered? No one knows exactly. But rest assured that even at this very moment, people are working towards searching an efficient treatment of the disorder.

Jeanette Pollock is a freelance author and website owner of AnxietyDomain.com. Visit Jeanette’s website to learn more about anxiety attacks!

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What Is Social Anxiety?

By M. Jedediah

Who among us has never been in a large group of people and felt timid, nervous, and even downright terrified? Feelings such as these can happen from time to time, especially if we are a generally shy person. But when feelings of fear and panic are present in all situations such as these, you may be exhibiting signs of social anxiety – persistent and severe heightened fear and panic in social situations. When these feelings take over and begin to impact the way in which you socialize and engage in personal relationships, it is thought that treatment can significantly benefit the way in which we manage these overwhelming feelings.

Social anxiety is defined as feelings of fear or panic in anticipation of social situations – or while participating in social situations. These psychological feelings that people are judging you or you are under a microscope can lead to physical symptoms that may include increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, sweating, shaking, headache, and diarrhea, among others. While social anxiety is considered an occurrence, social anxiety disorder falls within the umbrella of anxiety disorder that encapsulates everything from generalized anxiety disorder to obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias.

A diagnosis of social anxiety disorder is generally made when there is ongoing and persistent feelings of panic and apprehension associated with commonplace social situations; daily life is thwarted by these feelings of anxiety and the sufferer sees the ramifications in their relationships – familial, platonic, and romantic. People who experience this type of anxiety feel as if their every move is being watched and they are convinced that they will humiliate themselves in a room full of people. Often the fear is so palpable that all social interaction is avoided in order to avoid the feeling.

In fact, for anyone who has ever experienced stage fright while performing in front of a group of people, the feelings associated with social anxiety are much the same thing. Those who suffer from this type of anxiety feel in a constant state of stage fright whenever they are in social situations – as if they are expected to perform.

Not surprisingly, those who suffer with this anxiety – and are not aware of the magnitude or definition of what they are managing - will often attempt to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs during social engagements. Such substances often have the ability to lower inhibitions enough that sufferers can mange their social time without feeling incapacitated. But this is hardly the safe or effective way to treat anxiety.

Treating this anxiety can be done in a number of ways. Cognitive-behavioral therapy with a licensed and reputable therapist teaches the patient how to rewire their thoughts and change their behaviors associated with the source of anxiety. Often there is a certain amount of exposure therapy wherein the patient is introduced to sources of anxiety – but in a controlled and safe environment. The hope is that continued exposure with positive outcomes will eventually desensitize the patient from this type of anxiety.

Medication is also available that treats a wide variety of anxiety. Your doctor is best in the position to determine what medication may work for you and will monitor your progress. In most cases, a combination of therapy and medication works most successfully in treating social anxiety.

For more information on anxiety try visiting www.BestAnxietyRelief.com a website that specializes in providing anxiety related tips, advice and resources to include information on social anxiety.

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Getting Anxious Over Anxiety Depression?

By Barry McDonald

A lot of people who are exerting too much of their brain power usually exhaust not only their physical strength when engaging in various multi-tasking activities, they also tend to over extend their brains up to the point when it plainly needs some good old time for relaxation. A lot of busy people who seem to cannot fathom the idea of relaxing and taking time of from work, as well as their worries, tend to actually start having nervous breakdowns, anxiety depression and all sorts of mental illnesses that can cause a person’s sanity to go haywire, fortunately, if you’re one of those poor unfortunate ones who are unable to distress and is constantly worried and fussing over things, there are actually available cures and various treatments for treating anxiety depression.

Anxiety depression is actually characterized by all sorts of irregularities and erratic behavior from the person who is suffering from it, this is usuallu due to certain stress triggers that may tend to easily cause a person undue jitters and stress. Also, a lot of people who tend to get easily nervous over stressful activities are actually prone to having anxiety depression, its just a matter of being strong-willed when it comes to facing difficult and stress-prone activities. It may be pretty hard to overcome at first, but trying to be calm and cool in times of extreme pressure is what’ll actually save your mental health from going totally downward spiral.

When it comes to effectively curing one’s self from a mental illness, one must keep in mind that you have to be actually honest with yourself and assess what kind of depression or mental illness you actually have, go to reputable psychiatrist to get yourself diagnosed correctly as well as be able to get the right depression treatment for yourself. Here are the various types of depression:

Manic or Bipolar depression - characterized by sudden and extreme changes in one’s mood wherein one minute he or she is in an elevated state of euphoria while the next minute (day or week) he or she is feeling to be in a personal hell.

Postpartum depression - characterized by a prolonged sadness and a feeling of emptiness by a new mother wherein physical stress during child birth, an uncertain sense of responsibility towards the new born baby can be just some of the possible factors why some new mother go through this.

Dysthimia - characterized by a slight similarity with depression, although this time, it’s been proven to be a lot less severe, but of course with any case, should be treated immediately.

Cyclothemia - characterized by a slight similarity with Manic or Bipolar depression wherein the individual suffering from this mental illness may occasionally suffer from severe changes in one’s moods.

Seasonal Affective Disorder - characterized by falling in a rut only during specific seasons (i.e. Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall) studies however, prove that more people actually fall in to a rut more during the Winter and Fall seasons and lastly, Mood swings, wherein a person’s mood may shift from happy to sad to angry in just a short time.

But the type of depression that has actually been proven to be quite common among people is anxiety depression, which is actually characterized by the state of being overly anxious about things. Anxiety, a supposedly normal behavior that’ll actually help a person adjust more to a certain stressful activity like first date jitters or a grueling exam the following day. Anxiety actually helps you get psyched up towards facing certain “difficult situations”; anxiety therefore is actually a good thing. Anxiety depression however, is simply the opposite, not to be easily dismissed as a “case of the nerves”; Anxiety depression is in actuality an illness that can be caused from the biological makeup of an individual, or in other words, a hereditary illness.

Also, there are actually various types of Anxiety depression, each having its own unique characteristics. Take for example Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD, this kind of Anxiety depression is a lot more complicated than the average Anxiety depression, in spite of possibly being a day-to-day habit for those who suffer this kind of Anxiety depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder actually makes the individual quite more paranoid than usual, anxiety attacks are more frequent, even absurd at times. They can even be anxious even when there’s no apparent reason that calls for them to behave in such a way. People suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder actually shows a lot of symptoms, from lack of sleep, to being unable to relax, getting tired easily, cannot concentrate on what they’re doing and even suffering from depression. This kind of Anxiety depression is still curable; just a little work will actually do the trick.

Consult a reputable cognitive behavior therapist who’ll help give the individual the therapy that he or she needs to help him or her loosen up, also prescribed medicines are sort of a must to help these individuals battle anxiety attacks, help them calm down and relax.

Feel Happier, Get Back Your Passion for Life and Boost Your Energy Levels 100% by Conquering Stress, Depression and Anxiety in Only 90 Days - Many Clients Report Noticeable Results in Just SEVEN DAYS…Visit www.scienceofbreath.be/depressionhelp.html for details.

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Teen Eating Disorder And Anxiety Depression Causes

By Robin J. Derry

Body image confusion running amuck? A seemingly “perfectionist” orientation to the smallest details? When does this apparent detail-and-goal orientation by your child “cross the danger line” into obsessive compulsive behavior and accompanying teen eating disorder?

Eating disorders, and their deeper complex of potential causes, constitute the greatest mortality risk of our present crop of diagnosed and labeled psychiatric illnesses. An eating disorder in teen family members is utterly serious, and potentially life-threatening unless parents can orchestrate an intervention combining counseling therapy and some mix of anxiety medicine or anxiety herb remedies.

What Parents Need To Watch For - Early Sign Of Teen Anorexia. Anxiety depression symptoms evolve subtly, and combined with children’s natural penchant for “secretiveness”, are virtually impossible to initially detect.

* Physical Signs. However, what you look for in your child are physical signs such as below-average weight for her age group and body size.

* Eating Habits. Your son or daughter may have a history of battling you over meals and food types. However, when their growing perfectionist and thin-body obsession is applied to foods, you’ll hardly know what to do. Suddenly, all sorts of foods are “banned” by your child as she focuses narrowly on new-found foods that are “better for me”. Parents, go at you own peril because you’re at the outset of a rapidly expanding food phobia, and an underlying swirl of mental confusion, anxiety, fear, low self esteem and more.

* Speaking Patterns - Black And White Reality Markers. A hallmark mental sign of teen eating disorder is the growing demarcation applied to many ideas, where your child is cut-and-dried in her judgments. Increasingly strong convictions and a deterministic attitude allow her to judge everything in good-versus-bad terms. She’ll also obsess about having “the wrong body shape”…” I’m getting fat” even while she’s below weight.

* Medical Risk Issues And Symptoms Of Teen Anorexia. Look for an increase in headaches, reduction or absence of regular monthly menstruation, cold insensitivity, bowel irregularity and constipation, dizziness and overall fatigue. She’s wasting away, and can’t stop herself.

Teen Anorexia - Cause Of Teen Depression. Self esteem and body image reflect leading edge aspects of the mind-body duality that can easily bump off the rails in the teen years leading to many forms of anxiety depression behavior. No surprise that young kids would be vulnerable to feelings of inadequacy, doubts, plus succumb to pressure from peers as to how they should look and act and whether they’re attractive enough. Throw in the cascade of puberty hormones, perceived pressure to perform at school, uncertainty about future goals and adult life and you have an explosive mix.

Intervention Strategies For Parents To Know About. You need to act smart, and carefully in order to put a brake on a dangerous teen eating disorder. In most eating disorder cases including teen anorexia family dynamics and “family history” point to the need for 3rd party outside professional guidance, along with some form of chemistry intervention.

* Natural Anxiety Herb Remedies - Negligible Side Effects. Mood-altering synapse-disrupting chemicals are strong stuff and should be administered to teens with a light hand, on a fully qualified basis. For hundreds of years, and even supported by modern clinical research, herbs such as St. John’s Wort have been shown to be as effective in triggering positive mood shift as well known brand drugs such as Valium…however without any side effects. Other anxiety herb remedies include rhodiola, ginseng and south pacific kava.

Other supporting nutrients that trigger the brain’s secretion of serotonin and its mellowing “feel good” properties include zinc, selenium and members of the B vitamin complex including B6 and B12, along with Vitamins D and C.

* Anxiety Disorder Medications. Millions of Americans ingest stimulants, amphetamines, mild tranquilizers, so-called anti depressants, even anti convulsants in order to address the potentially underlying causes of teen eating disorder and the associated phobias, obsessive compulsive behavior, and fears and anxiety. Parents beware that many of these same palliatives pose risks to your teen: addiction, withdrawal difficulties, confusion, rebound anxiety panic attacks, physical discomfort including muscle cramping, blurred vision, diarrhea, and more.

Look into additional info regarding teen eating disorder, and natural options for managing your child’s brain health and moods while promoting natural rest and life cycles.

Natural Nutrients To Treat Eating Disorder: www.wise4living.com/hfvit-dir/

Melatonin: www.wise4living.com/hfvit-brain/melatonin-sleep.htm

Author Robin Derry is publisher for www.wise4living.com/ a specialty information site that gives solutions to health, household, sport, travel and legal needs.

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Shyness And Self-Esteem

By Ron Steiner

While not all shy people have low self-esteem, shyness is usually seen as a symptom of fear or lack of self-confidence. When you’re shy, it usually means that you’re self-conscious and maybe even worried about what other people think about you. Occasional shyness is normal, but when it becomes a habit, it can be detrimental to your progress in life, work, and love.

Because of the connection between shyness and self-esteem, building your self-esteem step by step can help you overcome your shyness. There are several things you can do to boost your self-esteem, whether you’re suffering from depression or you’re just having a bad day.

Make an inventory of things that you like about yourself. Do this as often as necessary. You can write anything - from simple things such as your ability to whistle, or more complex things such as your strength of character. It doesn’t mean that you should ignore your weaknesses and pretend that they don’t exist, you just have to accept yourself for who you are. Don’t include things such as financial success, the admiration of your peers, or the way you look. After all, self-esteem is about how you view yourself - these external factors don’t matter. When you gauge your strengths, you’ll be able to see how unique and valuable you are.

Find something that you’re good at, and work on it. If you have the talent for cooking, why not work on some new and original dishes? Activities involving art, such as painting and writing, can definitely give your mind a feeling of freedom and accomplishment. Even bird watching can improve your mood greatly. Whatever your talents are, make sure that you get to “practice” them once a week, so that your mind will be given a chance to refresh itself after a stressful week of work.

Only recall good, happy, and exciting memories. Whenever you’re sitting down to think, make sure that you actively call out happy memories. This is because when you start thinking negatively, an entire swarm of negative feelings and memories will come right at you. Don’t waste your time with negativity. Think only of the good things you experienced, the great people you encountered, and even funny jokes you heard.

Volunteer your time to the community or work with outreach programs. Being in a team that helps others allows you to think beyond yourself. Keep yourself busy by interacting with other people and learning from them. You’ll find that most people are very much like you - they all want to be surrounded by their loved ones, they have their own fears, and they also deal with feelings of inadequacy. When you realize that other people are just like you, you’ll see that there’s nothing to fear in social situations.

By conquering any feelings of low self-esteem, you will realize that you are deserving of love, admiration, and respect. When you realize this, you will also be able to conquer your shyness during social situations.

About the Author: Ron Steiner writes for www.DrDating.com. Visit www.drdating.com for dating advice, dating site reviews and love advice. Plus a FREE 7 Day eCourse.

               

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