Tools For Healthier Lives

You absolutely must go to the Mayo Clinic website.
To use a popular cliché, it's a gold mine of information that will most certainly push you to take some kind of action, big or small.

Start by watching this 15-minute video (give or take a minute) on Art therapy for stress management. If you've never practiced art therapy before, you can't imagine how beneficial it can be to your mental and physical being. I took nine months of art therapy for sexual abuse a few years ago, and I can honestly say it was miraculous. And FUN, too.

So get your crayons and paper ready...you are about to doodle your way to total relaxation.

Once you've finished creating your masterpiece, check out the rest of the site. My other favourites are:

Coping with stress

Excerpt:

* Keep a stress journal. For one week, note which events and situations cause a negative physical, mental or emotional response. Record the day and time. Give a brief description of the situation. Where were you? Who was involved? What seemed to cause the stress? Also, describe your reaction. What were your physical symptoms? How did you feel? What did you say or do? Finally, on a scale of 1 (not very intense) to 5 (very intense), rate the intensity of your stress.

* Make a list of all the demands on your time and energy for one week. Some examples may include your job, volunteer work, driving kids to after-school activities or caring for an elderly parent. Then, on a scale of 1 (not very intense) to 5 (very intense), rate the intensity of stress that each demand causes.

Sit down and look at your stress recordings. Look closely at the events that you ranked as very stressful. Select one of them to work on using problem-solving techniques.

Overcoming denial

Excerpt:

So how can you make sure denial over something upsetting in your life isn't hurting you? It may be hard to see that you're in denial, especially if it's become extreme or long-term. If you feel stuck or if someone you trust suggests that you're in denial, try these strategies:

* Honestly ask yourself what you fear.
* Think about the potential negative consequences of not taking action.
* Allow yourself to express your fears and emotions.
* Try to identify the irrational beliefs about your situation.
* Journal about your experience.
* Open up to a trusted confidante.
* Find a support group.

Diseases and conditions

In this section, you'll find an elaborate list of conditions, from A to Z, with a sympton checker as well as a first-aid guide.

I bookmarked this site for future references.
It's a keeper!

Be well...be happy!

Anxiety Attack -- How To Manage

This is an absolutely beautiful video. Please take the time to listen past the introduction, because the meditation-relaxation audio that follows is so worth it. I wish I would have had something like this to listen to way back when...

Anxiety Relief Through Acupressure

A Safe Place To Feel Terrible

I just finished reading Come Here, by Richard Berendzen and Laura Palmer.

And I'm totally shaken by the experience.

Richard Berendzen graduated from Harvard in 1969 with a master's degree in astronomy and an interdisciplinary PhD, and became an assistant professor in physics and astronomy at Boston University. After seven years of teaching in Boston, he moved to Washington where he was offered the job of professor of physics and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the American University. This was in 1974. By 1979, at age forty-one, he was elected university president, to take office in January of 1980.

Dr. Richard Berendzen had it all.
Including a loving wife, and two darling daughters.

But Richard also had a dark secret, one that decades of intense studying and workaholism had repressed to the farthest corner of his mind. Not until he was in his early fifties did the secret return to haunt him. Overwhelmed by a flood of forbidden memories, Dr. Berendzen -- the eminent astronomer and academician who had transformed American University from a party school into a first-rate university -- suddenly began making suggestive phone calls, which were traced to his office. Forced to resign his post, he entered the renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

What was Richard's dark secret?

He had been sexually abused by his mother.

The first time it happened, he was eight years old. On a Sunday afternoon, he ran inside to get a drink of water and was summoned by his mother to enter her room -- the "middle room," as he always refers to it. "Come here," she said. By these two simple words, the terror was unleashed.

Reading about Richard's slow and tortuous recovery process made me relive some of the feelings I had experienced following my own abuse and voyage back to a happy life. Here are chosen passages that particularly struck home:

The next few days became a blur, as I slid into clinical depression. No horror, no hell can equal it. Beyond any physical pain I'd ever known, this agony permeated all of me. I wanted only to stay in my room with the lights off, drapes drawn, and door shut. I wanted to close in on myself, just as a dying star becomes a black hole.
...
And what should I do with my recurring thought of suicide? The alternative to suicide is the will to live. That requires a purpose.
...
They also gave me a booklet on depressive illnesses. I checked off every symptom: loss of appetite, feeling irritable, trouble coping, lack of interest in personal appearance, poor sleep, inability to concentrate, nausea, headaches, feeling hopeless, self-blame, uncontrollable crying, apathy. If it had been a lottery ticket, I would have won with a clean sweep.
...
Rage briefly cut through my depression, which then closed over me as a trap door seals in darkness. There was no escape. I felt frustrated that something existed inside me that I couldn't see and wouldn't show on a CAT scan or X ray. There wasn't a pill to cure it or a shot to ameliorate its effects. It was with me wherever I went; talking in group didn't help, and speaking privately with my doctors still left me in the same place -- depressed and scared by my utter absence of a will to live. My insides felt rotted. My Spartan room was lonely beyond belief. I cared about no one and no one cared about me. Did I feel sorry for myself? You bet. My misery was exacerbated by the inescapable fact that I had brought this on myself. It was all my fault.
...
This is the frustrating aspect of the illness. You can neither control nor escape it. No one can tell you how long it will last or what makes it end. Once it settles over you, it's like smog. The wind may move it, sometimes the Sun pops through, but then, without sound or warning, the depression closes back again. The totality of my circumstance overwhelmed me. Everything I had been, I wasn't any longer. I used to think I had value as a teacher, educator, astronomer, and administrator. Now that was over. When life had no value, it felt hopeless, and hopelessness is kindling for suicide. I hadn't picked a day or a time, but suicide still haunted me. The metaphor that kept coming back was of free-fall. I could see myself falling, falling, falling to the center of the Earth. I thought I had found hell. But would the fall ever end? I kept waiting to hit bottom. How far down could I fall? Each time I thought I was there, I found another level lower. If I could just hit bottom, I might be able to begin the long climb out of the hole.
...
I didn't understand it then and wouldn't for many more months, but ultimately the difference between depression and nondepression, the difference between giving up and going on, is hope. Love is not enough. You have to have hope. I knew my family loved me. Still I had no hope.

Without giving away the punch, let's just say that Richard finally got an "Ah Ha" moment where he decided to "let go." He figured that he had already hit bottom. And that maybe there was no bottom after all. He felt a rush of tranquility. Having relinquished control, he felt more centered and stable. He began to cherish life, to focus not on what he had lost, but on what he still had.

According to some estimates, 60 percent of child abuse victims don't remember the abuse until years later. The trauma resurfaces when many of them are married or in relationships. The trauma can overwhelm the survivor and the partner. It's important to seek professional help at once. Because healing requires words. There is no way around a tragedy or trauma. The only way over is through, and the way you get through is by talking. Friends and family may help, but therapists are essential for anyone who has been profoundly traumatized.

Here are more excerpts...all about hope and healing.

Out of the rotten bleakness of the past year, I finally, tentatively, and hesitantly let myself hope. Healing, which at first seemed like a maze with quick turns and countless barriers, now became a long uphill road.
...
I began to understand how much work is involved in healing -- conscious, deliberate, and demanding work. And its path is not a straight line. It's more like connected dots -- some forward, some not.

Healing is a gift, undoubtedly so. Through healing we mend a broken heart, a shattered spirit, a crushed soul. Although time is the ultimate balm, healing takes more than just time. It takes determination, effort, and support. It takes willingness to fail and to try again. It takes personal resolve and other people's help. It can be frustrating and infuriating. In the end, it can bring satisfaction and peace.
...
I now believe that ways exist to transform almost any pain. Pain is part of life. The great metaphor still holds: Through the pain of childbirth comes life. And throughout life, we all will encounter pain again. Our challenge, then, is not to dread it, but to deal with it, to learn from it. Do we succumb? Turn bitter? Give up? Or do we find ways to overcome it and learn from it? "The mind is seldom quickened to very vigorous operations," Samuel Johnson noted, "except by pain."

I did not set out to transform my pain; I first had to deal with survival. Then, as I realized that I could survive, I knew that living would be worthwhile only if it had meaning and purpose. All this was incremental, but now I see that ultimately healing is about transformation and redemption.

Following his therapy and recovery, Dr. Richard Berendzen faced many more challenges before he resumed his career. To read more about this man's victory over adversity, you can purchase Come Here -- A Man Overcomes the Tragic Aftermath of Childhood Sexual Abuse at Amazon.com

"My strength lies solely
in my tenacity."
- Louis Pasteur

The Practice Of Mindfulness...Your Path To True Happiness

In his book -- Why Is The Buddha Smiling? -- Mark Magill explains how you can eliminate sources of distraction in order to tune in to only that which is truly meaningful.

Through a series of practical exercises, guided meditations, ancient parables, and everyday scenarios, he helps you to face down the daily meanderings of your mind -- not by ignoring the distractions, but by observing them from a place of stillness...the Buddhist place of peace.

If you follow his plan to achieve mindfulness, you will increase your "center of gravity" and discover a life that is much more fulfilling. And in the process, you will eventually understand why the Buddha is smiling.

Here now is an excerpt from Mark Magill's enlightening book, Why Is The Buddha Smiling? -- Mindfulness as a Means of Bringing Calm and Insight to Your Life:

DAILY PRACTICE

We could benefit by a lesson from the bees. They make small but repeated efforts, day in and day out over the course of a summer. Drop by drop, they bring in the nectar of a season's worth of flowers and refine it to its essence. By working steadily, they gain a hive full of honey by the fall.

Patient, steady effort, a little each day, will lead to results. The results we are after may vary from person to person. It depends on your application and your ultimate goal. But the practice of mindfulness will reduce the power of the negative emotions. It will bring greater attention. It will bring you closer to the truth.

If you are fortunate enough to have found a path and a teacher, then you probably have some form of practice. Mindfulness is only one of the tools we use along the way. Its aim is to help us train our minds and turn them toward a positive direction.

These are some suggestions for how you can use this practice in the course of each day.

appreciation

Each day when you awake, you can appreciate the fact that you are alive, that you have one more day to work toward your benefit and that of others. You can remind yourself that this life is rare and precious and you'd like to make the best use of it while you have the opportunity.

meditation

Take a little time before you begin your day to find a quiet moment.

• Sit quietly and steady your mind.
• Come back to yourself.
• Follow your breath.
• Sense yourself in your body. Feel the weight of it.
• Find the stillness you can return to during the day.

Ten minutes is fine, twenty is okay. If you're fortunate to have more time and the desire to use it in this manner, wonderful.

motivation

You can begin your day as you sit by setting your motivation. How to you want to live your life? What do you wish to accomplish? These are your motivations. You may have objectives in the world, to achieve success or provide for your family. You can also have inner goals, to help yourself and others, to become more compassionate, to become more mindful.

intention

You can look ahead to the outer events of your day and set your intention for your inner work. What do you want to pay attention to? What do you wish to consider?

• If you want to develop your attention, you can decide that you will pause each half hour to come back to your self and remember your breath or the sensation of your feet on the floor.
• If you are subject to anger, you can decide you want to try to see the moments when it first arises.
• If you are subject to pride, you might decide to catch those moments when you are advertising yourself again.

recollection

We drift all the time, startled to find our thoughts have carried us a million miles away. As you go through the day, you can use the day's activities as a reminder to bring your attention back to the moment. Any simple act will do. Each time you sit down or stand up; each time you hear a car door slam; each time you think about your next meal. As you start out your day, you can set these "alarm clocks" in your mind to bring you back to your intention.

The author goes on, explaining point by point -- from attention to medication and recognition --, and ends this part of his teachings with the following points:

reflection

As your day draws to a close, take a few quiet moments to reflect on how you spent it. If you can sit still and be silent for a few minutes, all the better.

• Review your day. Did you make good use of your precious time? Did you honor the intentions you set for yourself in the morning?
• Review your thoughts, your speech, and your actions during the day. Did you contribute something positive? If you did, then you can rejoice. Did you cause harm for yourself or others? If so, you can apply the four "Rs": Recognition, Regret, Resolution, and Reparation.
• Take stock of yourself. In Tibetan monasteries, the monks place a handful of white and black pebbles before them. They review their day's actions. For each positive act, they select a white pebble. For each negative act, they choose a black one. At the end, they take a tally. Was this day an improvement over the last?

dedication

Before you turn in, you can dedicate your good work. You have had yet one more day of this precious life. You would like your positive efforts to be of some help and use, both for yourself and others.

You can buy Why Is The Buddha Smiling? at Amazon.com

Women And Childhood Sexual Abuse

Having experienced sexual abuse when I was a child, I'm always drawn to whatever deals with the subject. Here's a book that recently made its way to my attention, "Stolen Tomorrows -- Understanding And Treating Women's Childhood Sexual Abuse."

The author, Steven Levenkron, is a psychotherapist whose works include "Cutting" and "The Anatomy of Anorexia." Together with his wife, cotherapist, and coauthor, Abby Levenkron, he continues to gather facts and inspiration from the many patients he sees in his New York office.

Here's a summary of the case histories Steven Levenkron writes about in his book:

Cassie

Then: Cassie was a seven-year-old compliant daughter. Her mother was a full-time housewife, and her father, a general surgeon, was a pillar of the community. From ages seven to eleven, Cassie was raped at night in her bed by her father.

Now: Cassie is a fifty-two-year-old mother and wife who spent dozens of years cheating on her husband while raising their daughter. She came to me for help dealing with her behavioral problems, which had led to neglecting her daughter. Cassie always has a terrified look on her face.

Olivia

Then: Olivia was a shy, five-year-old girl learning penmanship in the first grade, living with her mother and stepfather, a wealthy businessman. He nightly molested her while telling her it was good for her. This went on for five years.

Now: She is married, thirty-two, and incapable of being sexually aroused. Her husband is divorcing her. They have no children.

Adrienne

Then: Adrienne was a happy five-year-old until her uncle began molesting her, under water, while swimming at the southern beach where both families lived. In all her childhood photos she is frowning.

Now: Adrienne, at twenty, dates boys who exploit her, drinks to excess, and uses combinations of drugs to attempt to sleep at night. She was raped as a teen, has had anorexia for two years, dropped out of college, and is generally depressed. (Anorexia nervosa, often simply called anorexia, is an eating disorder in which the person drastically restricts her food intake, becoming dangerously thin out of a distorted fear of becoming fat. Untreated, the person may die of starvation.)

Audrey

Then: Audrey remembers first being molested on a changing table when she was an infant and later, as a child aged five to eight, by her father. She remembers being aroused and experiencing what she later learned was an orgasm. She felt a peculiar attachment to her father that she did not understand.

Now: Audrey dropped out of high school when she was sixteen. She had no girl friends and turned to boys for friendship and sex. She went through a period of anorexia nervosa. She came to treatment at age twenty-four. She uses cocaine and marijuana, and drinks alcohol to excess, sometimes in combination. She cannot keep a regular job and frequently becomes verbally and physically enraged at others.

Jen

Then: Jen represents an unusual case in that what she experienced was not intentionally perpetrated abuse. She was diagnosed as suffering from urinary reflux, which causes urine to back up to the kidneys, leading to frequent kidney infections. Unchecked this would eventually damage her kidneys, requiring surgery. In an attempt to avoid surgery, the urologist catheterized Jen from ages seven to eleven, on a monthly basis for several hours. She found this treatment embarrassing, terrifying, and painful -- in short, she experienced it as sexual assault. At eleven, Jen had to undergo the deferred surgery anyway.

Now: At nineteen, Jen cuts herself and dresses seductively. In her relationships with men, she is dependent and they treat her sadistically. She is a compulsive shopper, and despite the unlimited financial resources of her family, she also shoplifts, for which she has been arrested once. She dissociates (losing conscious awareness of her surroundings) for hours at a time, suffers from derealization (feeling unable to be present in the moment or current situation), and blacks out. She crashed the family car during one such episode. Her feelings about people change mercurially from liking them to disliking them.

June

Then: From five to twelve years of age, June was molested by her brother. In addition, he drilled holes in her bathroom wall to spy on her. The molestation was done in a seductive manner, and she experienced arousal during these episodes. At other times he would physically abuse her, tie her up, and hit her. Her brother's treatment of her was inconsistent: he would praise her when she brought home good grades.

Now: June came to treatment for anorexia at age twenty-seven. She explained she is only attracted to abusive men, some of whom exploit her financially. She is in the process of divorcing her husband. Kind men do not arouse her sexually. At our second session she tells me she fears I will become bored with her, will dislike her, will decide not to treat her, and will abuse her. (Despite her fears, she stays in treatment continuously for seven years.)

It boggles my mind how many of the different reactions to abuse listed above I've lived through and was plagued with over the years. Though I haven't been in a relationship since I've undergone therapies and finally healed my soul, one thing I know for sure is that I won't go back to anything less than a comfortable, loving, tender, full of fun and laughs, spiritual connection with a mate. And if the Universe has other plans...if I should remain single for the rest of my life...at least I LOVE MYSELF and have regained the self-esteem I was born with.

AMEN to that, Sisters!

P.S.: You'll find "Stolen Tomorrows" at Amazon.com.

Managing Panic Attacks -- You Can Do It!

Rate Your Anxiety Level

According to the McKinley Health Center, you can manage your panic attacks by rating your anxiety level. Doing this exercise regularly will help you understand and manage your symptoms.

Here are the common signs and symptoms:

• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness, unsteadiness, or faintness
• Trembling or shaking
• A feeling of choking
• Sweating
• Nausea and abdominal distress
• Blurry vision
• Depersonalization, or a feeling of unreality - as if you are "not all there"
• Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
• Hot and cold flashes
• Chest pain and discomfort
• Fears of losing control or even death

Coping techniques include deep breathing:

• Practice slow, gentle breathing on a regular basis, even when you are not feeling anxious. This will help you when you really do need to implement this practice.
• Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose, expanding your diaphragm. A good tip is your stomach should rise and then fall as you exhale through your mouth.
• When you exhale, use positive self-talk. Tell yourself, "I am relaxed and calm."
• After a few moments, your symptoms may not be as severe as they originally were. This is because you have lowered your anxiety level and are beginning to relax.
• Practice this style of breathing two or three times per day.
• Breathing properly can be one of the most important factors in managing the symptoms of anxiety.

For more information on how to rate your anxiety, consult Anxiety and Panic: What You Need to Know

Also, check out the Self-rating Anxiety Scale and answer 20 questions related to the frequency of various symptoms.

Manage Your Stress

Elisabeth Scott's take on breathing and how it can help you overcome anxiety is another site to visit if you are willing to take the time and make the necessary efforts to free yourself from panic attacks.

A life coach, writer, wife, mother, pianist, and Mensa member, Elisabeth is also a karate enthusiast. She says that all it takes are a few minutes, a quiet place, and a willing mind to get yourself on the road to freedom. Here's her simple karate breathing meditation:

1. Sit in a comfortable position. While most martial artists use the ‘seiza’ (“say zah”) position, with legs beneath the buttocks with knees directly in front, many people find this position to be uncomfortable. If this is the case, you may also sit cross-legged ('anza') or in another position that’s more comfortable for you.
2. Close your eyes, but keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed, head up, your eyes (behind your lids) focused ahead.
3. Take a deep, cleansing breath, expanding your belly and keeping your shoulders relaxed, and hold it in for the count of six. Exhale, and repeat twice more. Then breathe normally, and focus your attention on your breathing. As you breathe, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, still expanding your belly rathern than moving your shoulders up and down.
4. If your thoughts drift toward the stresses of the day ahead or of the day behind you, gently refocus on your breathing and remain in the present moment. Feel the air move in, and feel the air move out. That’s it.
5. Continue this for as little or as long as you like, and you should notice that your body is more relaxed and your mind is more centered. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Be sure to read her tips concerning the karate meditation.

Nap! Nap!

"Imagine yourself in a perfect world. Your mood is positive. Your brain is operating at maximum efficiency. Your body feels healthy, energetic and agile. You have enough time to complete all the tasks at hand and still enjoy the company of family and friends. Every one of your goals is attainable."

These are the opening words to "Take a Nap! Change Your Life" written by Sara C. Mednick. Don't they make you drool? Don't you wish you could beam yourself up and live in this perfect world?

Well, according to Ms. Mednick, Ph.D., Utopia is but a nap away from becoming reality.

After conducting a series of studies at Harvard (2002-2003), the author and her colleagues proved that certain kinds of naps can produce improvements previously observed only after a full night of sleep. In other words, they could create "designer naps" that would allow students, mothers, the elderly and nine-to-fivers to tailor their own regimens to suit their individual needs.

If you're thinking, "Give me one good reason why I should nap," here's an excerpt from the book that is sure to answer your question.

Napping will allow you to:

1. Increase your alertness. This is, for many, the most important benefit. Whether you're on the road, observing market trends, diagnosing patients or interacting with clients, staying alert is the most important determinant of your efficiency. NASA studies have conclusively demonstrated that alertness increases by as much as 100 percent after a brief nap, even in well-rested subjects.

2. Speed up your motor performance. While most people think of motor learning in terms of an ability to play guitar chords, improve a swim stroke or perform a plié, you don't have to be a musician, athlete or dancer to benefit from faster motor performance. All of us engage in tasks that involve coordination, whether we're typing at a keyboard, operating machinery, changing a tire or bagging groceries. A Harvard study demonstrated that the speed of a learned motor performance is the same in nappers as in those who have had a full night of sleep.

3. Improve your accuracy. Making mistakes costs time, money, energy and sometimes even people's lives. While greater speed usually involves sacrificing accuracy, napping offers a valuable exemption from this general rule. So whether you shoot baskets or firearms, play sonatas or golf, cut diamonds or hair, a nap helps you get it right.

4. Make better decisions. What are you going to eat for lunch? Should you ask for a raise or wait awhile? What stock should you buy? Or should you sell? Every day, all day, we make decisions -- both trivial and huge. Of course, some decisions are so significant that lives can hang in the balance. Airplane takeoffs and landings require high-precision timing and the ability to read, monitor and react to a wide variety of controls. Pilots who are allowed to nap in the cockpit commit fewer judgment errors on takeoff and landings than those who aren't.

5. Improve your perception. Think how much you depend on your eyes, your ears and, to a lesser extent, your taste, touch and smell. Without the ability to fine-tune your sensory/perceptual systems, you wouldn't be able to hone in on the important environmental messages and filter out the mass of distracting sensory information that bombards all of us on a regular basis. Research shows that a nap can be as effective as a night of sleep in improvement of perceptual skills. Driving, cooking, appreciating music or art, reading, proofreading, quality control and even bird-watching are all enhanced after a nap.

6. Fatten your bottom line. Fatigue-related accidents cost U.S. industry over $150 million a year. Businesses that allow their employees to nap have shown decreases in errors and increases in productivity. According to the Shiftwork Practices survey issued in 2004 by Circadian Technologies, workmen's comp costs are highest where employees report the most fatigue, and claims at facilities that ban napping are four times higher than those that allow it. Judged by this standard, naps are a bargain.

7. Preserve your youthful looks. Nothing ages you like fatigue. Adding a nap to your regimen will improve skin and tissue regeneration and keeps you looking younger longer. Napping is truly beauty sleep.

8. Improve your sex life. Sleep deprivation dampens sex drive and sexual function. Napping reverses those effects. So nap now and your partner will love you more later.

9. Lose weight. Studies show that sleepy people reach for high-fat, sugar-rich foods more than people who are rested. Take a nap and not only can you resist those potato chips and cheesecake, but you'll be producing more growth hormone that reduces body fat.

The author goes on, listing eleven other reasons why we should nap -- from reducing heart attacks and strokes to reducing stress, boosting creativity, helping your memory, and alleviating migraines, ulcers, and other problems with psychological components.

If you want to learn more about designing your personal nap regimen, you can find Sara C. Mednick's excellent book, "Take a Nap! Change Your Life -- The Scientific Plan to Make You Smarter, Healthier, More Productive, " at Amazon.com.

Deal With Stress...Before it Deals You Out!

Finding ways to relax - any time, any place - is finding the Holy Grail of Happiness. That's why applying relaxation techniques in the workplace can be just what the doctor ordered. We all know how easily we can be sucked into Job Hell, so make it a habit to stop at least every other hour...and BREATHE.


I took a quick look around and found a site that offers a step by step guide to relax at your desk.

The article is - amazingly - titled How To Relax at Your Desk,
and if you can get your sweaty, trembling hand to click HERE,
you'll instantly find relief.


Now see how much better you feel...
Sweeeeeeeeeet!


Hugs,
Mudd
xoxo

Eating Disorder? Get Help!

If you’ve already faced the fact that you have an eating disorder, or if you find you might be falling into an eating pattern that just might be detrimental to your health, then maybe it’s time for you to seek help.

Caringonline could be the place to start.

Right off the bat, you’ll find a short video
on anorexia.

And if you want to delve even deeper into the complex world of anorexia, bulimia, binge and compulsive overeating, there's a Questionnaires link that will connect you to several health tests, surveys, and evaluations.

Here are a few of the other topics you’ll find on Caringonline:

• Body Image - How you see yourself
  
• Cutting, Self-Mutilation - And eating disorders
• Osteoporosis - Eating Disorders and Osteoporosis
• Physiology - How eating disorders affect the body

So please, stop kidding yourself.
Because you're hurting yourself.

Get help NOW!

Big hugs,
Mudd
xoxo

I'm Back!

Hello Dear Friends,

Well, it's been a long time, hasn't it?
Oh yeah...

But you know what, it's good to take a break now and then. Personally, the last months away from this little cyberhome have made me realize how much I really want and need to share my views and experiences here.

So let's get the ball rolling!

Lots of love and a very special reunion hug,
Mudd
xoxo

TREASURE MAPS

Hello Sweet People!

Last summer, I spoke of Shakti Gawain's superb book Living in The Light, A Guide to Personal and Planetary Transformation (re: August 26 and 27, 2006). While working through Walking in this World in my Diarrhea of Love blog, and ever since doing the collage called for in Week Three, I've been thinking about Shakti's Treasure Maps.

In Creative Visualization, Use The Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life, Shakti teaches the art of using mental imagery and affirmations to produce positive changes in your life. It's filled with meditations, exercises, and techniques that can help you use the power of your imagination in order to

• change negative habit patterns
  
• improve self-esteem
  
• reach career goals
  
• increase prosperity
  
• develop creativity
  
• increase vitality
  
• improve your health
  
• experience deep relaxation
  
• and much more
  

The mind's the limit...not the sky. And this book shows you how to expand your mind and reach way beyond what you thought your limits were.

TREASURE MAPS are one of the fun ways of doing this. Here's an excerpt taken from Shakti's book that explains this very powerful technique:

A treasure map is an actual, physical picture of your desired reality. It is valuable because it forms an especially clear, sharp image which can then attract and focus energy into your goal. It works along the same lines as a blueprint for a building.

You can make a treasure map by drawing or painting it, or by making a collage using pictures and words cut from magazines, books or cards, photographs, drawings, and so on. Don't worry if you're not artistically accomplished. Simple, childlike treasure maps are just as effective as great works of art!

Basically the treasure map should show you in your ideal scene, with your goal fully realized.

Here are some guidelines that will help you make the most effective treasure maps:

1. Create a treasure map for a single goal or area of your life, so that you can be sure to include all the elements without getting too complicated. This enables the mind to focus on it more clearly and easily than if you include all your goals on one treasure map. You might want to do one treasure map for your relationships, one for your job, one for your spiritual growth, and so on.

2. You can make it any size that's convenient for you. You may want to keep it in your notebook, hang it on your wall, or carry it in your pocket or purse. I usually make mine on light cardboard, which holds up better than paper.

3. Be sure to put yourself in the picture. For a very realistic effect, use a photograph of yourself. Otherwise draw yourself in. Show yourself being, doing, or having your desired objective -- traveling around the world, wearing your new clothes, or being the proud author of your new book.

4. Show the situation in its ideal, complete form, as if it already exists. You don't need to indicate how it's going to come about. This is the finished product. Don't show anything negative or undesirable.

5. Use lots of colour in your treasure map to increase the power on your consciousness.

6. Show yourself in a real setting: make it look believable to yourself.

7. Include some symbol of the infinite which has meaning and power for you. It could be an "om" sign, a cross, Christ, Buddha, a sun radiating light, or anything that represents universal intelligence or God. This is an acknowledgment and a reminder that everything comes from the infinite source.

8. Put affirmations on your treasure map. "Here I am driving my new hybrid gas and electric car."

Be sure to also include the cosmic affirmation:

This, or something better, now manifests for me in totally satisfying and harmonious ways, for the highest good of all concerned.

The process of creating your treasure map is a powerful step toward manifesting your goal. Now just spend a few minutes each day quietly looking at it, and every once in a while throughout the day give it a thought. That is all that's necessary.

SOME SAMPLE IDEAS FOR TREASURE MAPS
taken from Shakti Gawain's book, CREATIVE VISUALIZATION

Health

Show yourself radiantly healthy, active, beautiful, participating in whatever activities would indicate perfect health.

Weight or Physical Condition

Show yourself with your perfect body, feeling wonderful about yourself (cut a picture from a magazine that looks like you would look in your perfect condition, and paste a photo of your head on the body!). You can make statements with balloons around them coming out of your mouth like in cartoons, to indicate how you are feeling, such as, "I feel wonderful and look fantastic now that I weigh 125 pounds, and am in great physical condition."

Self-Image and Beauty

Show yourself as you want to feel about yourself...beautiful, relaxed, enjoying life, warm and loving. Include words and symbols that represent these qualities to you.

Relationships

Put photos of yourself and your friend, lover, husband, wife, family member, or co-worker in your treasure map, with pictures, symbols, and affirmations showing that you are happy, loving, communicating, enjoying a deep, wonderful sexual relationship, or whatever is appropriate and desirable for that relationship. If you are looking for a new relationship, find pictures and words that represent qualities you desire in the person and the relationship; show yourself with the ideal person for you.

Job or Career

Show yourself doing what you really want to do, with interesting, agreeable co-workers, earning plenty of money (be specific about how much you want), in the location you desire, and any other pertinent details.

Creativity

Use symbols, colours, and pictures that indicate your creativity is really opening up. Show yourself doing and manifesting creative, beautiful, interesting things and feeling great about them.

Family and Friends

Show members of your family or friends in totally harmonious, loving relationships with you and each other.

Travel

Show yourself wherever you want to be, with plenty of time and money to enjoy your location.

And so on.
You get the idea.
HAVE FUN!

A reminder that you can purchase Shakti's books at Amazon.com.
or buy them directly on her website.

technorati tags:affirmations, visualization, creativity, goals, healing

DESCANSOS

Clarissa Pinkola Estés is a Jungian analyst and cantadora,
a collector and teller of stories.

In her bestselling book, Women Who Run With The Wolves, Estés uses nineteen folk tales to empower and enlighten women. She attempts to reconnect us with the Wild Woman hidden somewhere deep within each of us.

The Wild Woman is not wild in the sense of being crazy, angry or out-of-control, she is wild because she has not lost her connection to life, death and rebirth--or, to put it more simply, nature.

Estes' book will show you where you have lost touch with your heart, your guts, your creativity, your wildness--your life! The stories she presents, and her insightful analysis of those stories, will gently lead you back to yourself.

Here, now, is an excerpt from Women Who Run With The Wolves:

I would like to introduce you to the concept of Descansos. If you ever traveled in Old Mexico, New Mexico, southern Colorado, Arizona, or parts of the South, you've seen little white crosses by the roadway. These are descansos, resting places. You'll also find them on the edges of cliffs along particularly scenic but dangerous roads in Greece, Italy, and other Mediterranean countries. Sometimes crosses are clustered in twos or threes or fives. People's names are inscribed upon them -- Jesus Mendez, Arturo Beunofuentes, Jeannie Abeyta. Sometimes the names are spelled out in nails, sometimes they are painted on or carved into the wood.

Descansos are symbols that mark a death. Right there, right on that spot, someone's journey in life halted unexpectedly. There has been a car accident, or someone was walking along the road and died of heat exhaustion, or a fight took place there. Something happened there that altered that person's life and the lives of other persons forever.

Women have died a thousand deaths before they are twenty years old. They've gone in this direction or that, and have been cut off. They have hopes and dreams that have been cut off also. Anyone who says otherwise is still asleep. All that is grist for the mill of descansos.

While all these things deepen individuation, differentiation, growing up and growing out, blossoming, becoming awake and aware and conscious, they are also profound tragedies and have to be grieved as such.

To make descansos means taking a look at your life and marking where the small deaths, las muertes chicitas, and the big deaths, las muertes grandotas, have taken place. I like to make a time-line of a woman's life on a big long sheet of white butcher paper, and to mark with a cross the places along the graph, starting with her infancy all the way to the present where parts and pieces of her self and her life have died.

We mark where there were roads not taken, paths that were cut off, ambushes, betrayals and deaths. I put a little cross along the time-line at the places that should have been mourned, or still need to be mourned. And then I write in the backgroung "forgotten" for those things that the woman senses but have not yet surfaced. I also write "forgiven" over those things the woman has for the most part released.

I encourage you to make descansos, to sit down with a time-line of your life and say "Where are the crosses? Where are the places that must be remembered, must be blessed?" In all are meanings that you've brought forward into your life today. They must be remembered, but they must be forgotten at the same time. It takes time. And patience.

Descansos is a conscious practice that takes pity on and gives honour to the orphaned dead of your psyche, laying them to rest at last.

Be gentle with yourself and make the descansos, the resting places for the aspects of yourself that were on their way to somewhere, but never arrived. Descansos mark the death sites, the dark times, but they are also love notes to your suffering. They are transformative. There is a lot to be said for pinning things to the earth so they don't follow us around. There is a lot to be said for laying them to rest.

You can buy Women Who Run With The Wolves at Amazon.com.

TOXIC SHAME

Rummaging through my boxes of documents yesterday, I was surprised and delighted to find this book, which I call a classic: HOMECOMING - Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child.

The author, John Bradshaw, was my very first Personal Development Guru. Back when HOMECOMING came out -- in 1990 -- he was already referred to as "America's Leading Personal Growth Expert." The creator and host of four nationally broadcast PBS television series based on his best-selling books, Mr. Bradshaw introduced the concept of the "Wounded Inner Child", and familiarized us with the term "dysfunctional family."

His works include, among others, Family Secrets: The Path to Self-Acceptance and Reunion, The Family: A New Way of Creating Solid Self-Esteem, Creating Love: The Next Great Stage of Growth, and Healing the Shame that Binds You: Recovery Classics Edition.

You can view a wide selection of his books at Amazon.com.

For John Bradshaw's schedule of lectures and workshops, visit the Center for Creative Growth.

Here now is what I find a very touching excerpt from HOMECOMING. It ends a chapter dealing with the spiritual wound caused by sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. I hope it resonates with you also.

MY NAME IS TOXIC SHAME

I was there at your conception
In the epinephrine of your mother's shame
You felt me in the fluid of your mother's womb
I came upon you before you could speak
Before you understood
Before you had any way of knowing
I came upon you when you were learning to walk
When you were unprotected and exposed
When you were vulnerable and needy
Before you had any bounderies
MY NAME IS TOXIC SHAME

I came upon you when you were magical
Before you could know I was there
I severed your soul
I pierced you to the core
I brought you feelings of being flawed and defective
I brought you feelings of distrust, ugliness, stupidity, doubt,
worhtlessness, inferiority, and unworthiness
I made you feel different
I told you there was something wrong with you
I soiled your Godlikeness
MY NAME IS TOXIC SHAME

I existed before conscience
Before guilt
Before morality
I am the master emotion
I am the internal voice that whispers words of condemnation
I am the internal shudder that courses through you without any mental preparation
MY NAME IS TOXIC SHAME

I live in secrecy
In the deep moist banks of darkness, depression, and despair
Always I sneak up on you I catch you off guard I come through the back door
Uninvited unwanted
The first to arrive
I was there at the beginning of time
With Father Adam, Mother Eve
Brother Cain
I was at the Tower of Babel the Slaughter of the Innocents
MY NAME IS TOXIC SHAME

I come from "shameless" caretakers, abandonment, ridicule, abuse, neglect -- perfectionistic systems
I am empowered by the shocking intensity of a parent's rage
The cruel remarks of siblings
The jeering humiliation of other children
The awkward reflection of the mirrors
The touch that feels icky and frightening
The slap, the pinch, the jerk that ruptures trust
I am intensified by
A racist, sexist culture
The righteous condemnation of religious bigots
The fears and pressures of schooling
The hypocrisy of politicians
The multigenerational shame of dysfunctional family systems
MY NAME IS TOXIC SHAME

I bring a pain that is chronic
A pain that will not go away
I am the hunter that stalks you night and day
Every day everywhere
I have no boundaries
You try to hide from me
But you cannot
Because I live inside of you
I make you feel hopeless
Like there is no way out
MY NAME IS TOXIC SHAME

My pain is so unbearable that you must pass me on to others
through control, perfectionism, contempt, criticism, blame,
envy, judgment, power, and rage
My pain is so intense
You must cover me up with addictions, rigid roles, reenactment,
and unconscious ego defenses
My pain is so intense
That you must numb out and no longer feel me
I convinced you that I am gone -- that I do not exist -- you
experience absence and emptiness
MY NAME IS TOXIC SHAME

I am the core of co-dependency
I am spiritual bankruptcy
The logic of absurdity
The repetition compulsion
I am crime, violence, incest, rape
I am the voracious hole that fuels all addictions
I am insatiability and lust
I am Ahaverus the Wandering Jew, Wagner's Flying Dutchman,
Dostoyevski's underground man, Kierkegaard's seducer,
Goethe's Faust
I twist who you are into what you do and have
I murder your soul and you pass me on for generations
MY NAME IS TOXIC SHAME

Winter Blues

They call it SAD.

And indeed it can be...very sad.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is recognized today as a distinct form of depression. It is a proven fact that changes in the weather and the seasons alter our brain chemistry and can affect how we feel, how we sleep, what we eat, and how well we cope with the everyday demands of our careers and relationships.

Some people feel as though they have entered a period of hibernation: overeating, oversleeping, and withdrawing from the world. Others lose their appetites and find themselves restless and agitated.

In its milder forms, we call SAD the "winter blues."
In its most severe forms, it can render one
virtually dysfunctional.

Millions of people feel the effects of SAD, but four
times as many women than men are likely to be
afflicted by it. Adults between the ages of twenty
and forty are the most susceptible.

Are you SAD?

Take this test to find out.

WHEN THE SEASONS CHANGE:

1. Do you find you have less energy than usual?

2. Do you feel less productive or creative?

3. Do you feel sad, down, or depressed?

4. Do you feel less enthusiastic about the future
or enjoy your life less?

5. Do you need more sleep than usual?

6. Do you feel you have no control over your
appetite or your weight?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you may be one of the many men and women who suffer from seasonal affective disorder.

But do not despair, there is hope in the air!

A pioneer in the field of seasonal studies, Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal has written Seasons of the Mind, Why You Get The Winter Blues & What You Can Do About It. Dr. Rosenthal describes his remarkable "light therapy" and offers inspiring case histories of its success with hundreds of SAD patients. He explains how to assess your own level of SAD, when to seek medical advice, and how to secure your own light therapy.

Also included are alternative treatments, a diet plan to curb cravings unique to SAD sufferers, advice for family and friends of SAD individuals, and practical tips and professional advice on living with SAD.

Here is an excerpt:

MORE LIGHT

The benefit of increasing environmental light can be obtained not only from formal therapy in front of a light box, but whenever your environment is brighter. Some people have several light boxes in the house, which gives them more exposure without the feeling of being trapped in one location. It is not critical for the extra light to come from special boxes. Enhancing light levels at home or in the workplace may be helpful, even if this is accomplished by installing more lights on the ceiling or placing more lamps in the room.

Modifications of the home to increase indoor light levels may be as simple as trimming hedges around the windows or low-lying branches of trees near the house, or as elaborate as constructing skylights. Using bright colors and surfaces can also be effective. Dark wood paneling can be replaced with light-colored wallpaper. Splashes of yellow and orange on curtains and cushions seem to be popular with some people, while others choose white or off-white carpeting and furnishings. SAD patients buying new homes should pay attention to the size of the windows and the directions that the rooms face.

Exposure to natural light can be both enjoyable and therapeutic. This applies to lunchtime walks on sunny winter days or sunlight reflected from snow. Some people have chosen to work the evening shift, which allows them to enjoy as much outdoor sunshine as possible.

Once you pay attention to the amount and quality of your environmental light, you will come up with all kinds of ways to enhance it, which will help you feel more comfortable and cheerful.

Available at Amazon.com

Also from the same author, Winter Blues.

Revised and udated, available at Amazon.com

Mood Therapy

"In clear, simple language, FEELING GOOD, The New Mood Therapy, outlines a drug-free cure for anxiety, guilt, pessimism, procrastination, low self-esteem, and other "black holes" of depression."

What an introduction! After reading David D. Burns' book, I must say it does contain a treasure of information and tips to help you discover how to:

• Recognize what causes your mood swings
• Nip negative feelings in the bud
• Deal with guilt
• Handle hostility and criticism
• Overcome love and approval addiction
• Beat "do-nothingism" ( LOVE that term!)
• Defuse anger
• Overcome perfectionism
• Cope with stress
• Avoid downward spiral of depression
• Build self-esteem
• Feel good every day

Here's a good excerpt -- and food for thought...

Ten Things You Should Know About Your Anger

1. The events of this world don't make you angry. Your "hot thoughts" create your anger. Even when a genuinely negative event occurs, it is the meaning you attach to it that determines your emotional response.

The idea that you are responsible for your anger is ultimately to your advantage because it gives you the opportunity to achieve control and make a free choice about how you want to feel. If it weren't for this, you would be helpless to control your emotions; they would be irreversibly bound up with every external event of this world, most of which are ultimately out of your control.

2. Most of the time your anger will not help you. It will immobilize you, and you will become frozen in your hostility to no productive purpose. You will feel better if you place your emphasis on the active search for creative solutions. What can you do to correct the difficulty or at least reduce the chance that you'll get burned in the same way in the future? This attitude will eliminate to a certain extent the helplessness and frustration that eat you up when you feel you can't deal with a situation effectively.

If no solution is possible because the provocation is totally beyond your control, you will only make your self miserable with your resentment, so why not get rid of it? It's difficult if not impossible to feel anger and joy simultaneously. If you think your angry feelings are especially precious and important, then think about one of the happiest moments of your life. Now ask yourself, How many minutes of that period of peace or jubilation would I be willing to trade in for feeling frustration and irritation instead?

3. The thoughts that generate anger more often than not will contain distortions. Correcting these distortions will reduce your anger.

4. Ultimately your anger is caused by your belief that someone is acting unfairly or some event is unjust. The intensity of the anger will increase in proportion to the severity of the maliciousness perceived and if the act is seen as intentional.

5. If you learn to see the world through other people's eyes, you will often be surprised to realize their actions are not unfair from their point of view. The unfairness in these cases turns out to be an illusion that exists only in your mind! If you are willing to let go of the unrealistic notion that your concepts of truth, justice, and fairness are shared by everyone, much of your resentment and frustration will vanish.

6. Other people usually do not feel they deserve your punishment. Therefore, your retaliation is unlikely to help you achieve any positive goals in your interactions with them. Your rage will often just cause further deterioration and polarization, and will function as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Even if you temporarily get what you want, any short-term gains from such hostile manipulation will often be more than counterbalanced by a long-term resentment and retaliation from the people you are coercing. No one likes to be controlled or forced. This is why a positive reward system works better.

7. A great deal of your anger involves your defense against loss of self-esteem when people criticize you, disagree with you, or fail to behave as you want them to. Such anger is always inappropriate because only your own negative distorted thoughts can cause you to lose self-esteem. When you blame the other guy for your feelings of worthlessness, you are always fooling yourself.

8. Frustration results from unmet expectations. Since the event that disappointed you was a part of "reality," it was "realistic." Thus, your frustration always results from your unrealistic expectation. You have the right to try to influence reality to bring it more in line with your expectations, but this is not always practical, especially when these expectations represent ideals that don't correspond to everyone else's concept of human nature. The simplest solution would be to change your expectations.

For example, some unrealistic expectations that lead to frustration include:

a. If I want something (love, happiness, a promotion, etc.), I deserve it.

b. If I work hard at something, I should be successful.

c. Other people should try to measure up to my standards and believe in my concept of "fairness."

d. I should be able to solve any problems quickly and easily.

e. If I'm a good wife, my husband is bound to love me.

f. People should think and act the way I do.

g. If I'm nice to someone, they should reciprocate.

9. It is just childish pouting to insist you have the right to be angry. Of course you do! Anger is legally permitted in the United States. The crucial issue is -- is it to your advantage to feel angry? Will you or the world really benefit from your rage?

10. You rarely need your anger in order to be human. It is not true that you will be an unfeeling robot without it. In fact, when you rid yourself of that sour irritability, you will feel greater zest, joy, peace, and productivity. You will experience liberation and enlightenment.

You can buy the book at Barnes & Noble.

There's even a Feeling Good Handbook.

Here's how Barnes and Noble describes it: Filled with charts, quizzes, weekly self-assessment tests, and a daily mood log, The Feeling Good Handbook actively engages its readers in their own recovery. With a new section on the latest prescription drugs for treating depression and anxiety disorders, The Feeling Good Handbook is an indispensable guide to help change thinking, control mood swings, deal with disasters, and feel better about yourself and those around you.

So next time you feel anger coming on,
think about Feeling Good instead!

Love you,
Mudd
xoxox

Pity Parties

In her book -- I'D RATHER LAUGH, How to Be Happy Even When Life Has Other Plans for You -- Linda Richman teaches us that the human spirit is always capable of laughter, even after great sorrow.

Wayne W. Dyer: "Linda Richman's life proves what wise people have always known -- that every person can create and sustain joy. She also shows, beautifully and with a heart and soul filled with love, that the search for meaning starts and ends with you."

The following excerpt is taken from Chapter 6:

How to Throw a Pity Party

"People think that because I have endured a lot of pain I will have a great deal to say on the subject, including a few words of magic healing.

They're out of luck.

Here's all I know about pain: Nobody wants any, and everybody gets some. That's all anybody knows about pain right there in one little sentence.

You sure don't want any, am I correct? And no wonder! Pain hurts.

...

People ask me, "When the pain gets too hard to bear, how do you fight it?"

"I don't," I say.

"You don't?"

"I give in," I tell them.

"You what?"

"I give in," I say.

If I wake up and feel down and sad and depressed, I explain, I cancel everything for the next day or so. I don't take a shower, and I don't wash my hair. I don't even leave my bed except when nature requires me to. I grab two bags of potato chips, I pull the covers over my head, and I lie there feeling sorry for myself. I weep. I curse. I suffer -- not just a little. A lot. I suffer as much as is humanly possible. I suffer more in two days than most people do in a year. I do everything I can to make myself feel as bad and sad as possible.

Nobody throws a pity party like I do.

"And then what happens?" they ask.

"On the third day," I tell them, "I get up."

"You get up?"

On the third day, I say, whether I want to or not, I get out of bed, I take a shower, I wash my hair, I put on makeup and get the hell out of the house. That's the key to the whole thing. That's my brilliant solution. You allow yourself to behave like an insane person for exactly two days. Two days is healthy. Two days is healing.

Three days is dangerous.

Two days is a beneficial method of dealing with your pain so you can get over it a little. Three days is a running start on the road to agoraphobia -- take it from someone who's been there and done that. So on the third day, like Jesus Christ, you get up, get dressed, get going.

"Huh!" they say. Sometimes their mouths hang open a little.

It sounds like the worst advice any sad person has ever gotten, doesn't it? It sounds like a good excuse to let your troubles turn you into a zombie. But it has the opposite effect. Rather than spend every day feeling halfway undone by sadness and depression, rather than go through life always feeling gloomy and preoccupied by loss, I pack most of my suffering into just a few days. Those pity parties have an amazingly positive influence on the rest of my life. I always leave those parties feeling great.

The idea for pity parties came to me from something I learned during the therapy that cured my agoraphobia. The shrinks told us that if we wanted to conquer our fears, we had to flood our emotions with them. Instead of protecting ourselves from anxiety -- which is a natural impulse, isn't it? -- we had to practically bathe in it. Because you can't live in extreme terror all the time. Your mind just can't operate that way.

I use the same general principle at my pity parties. There are certain days of the year when I really feel the sadness and pain of losing Jordan (1) most sharply. On those days, I don't try to fight it. I don't tell myself to be brave and strong and responsible. I just give in. I bathe my brain in pity.

But you really have to do it right. You have to suffer like nobody ever suffered. A few sniffles and some staring out the window won't do it. You've got to drop the bomb on yourself. You've got to scorch the earth."

(1) Jordon is Linda's son who was killed in an auto accident at age 29.

Want to read some more? Go to Excerpts.

To buy the book, go to Amazon.com.

It's even out in DVD, as a 60-minute program.

Buy it from Video Universe -- here's what they say about it:

Linda Richman, Summa cum Laude graduate of the School of Hard Knocks, and inspiration for the SNL sketch "Coffee Talk" (she's Mike Myer's mother-in-law), hosts this program designed to help those experiencing personal harships. Ms. Richman shares her own experiences, and in doing so, she offers valuable advice on how to weather stress, life altering transitions, and loss, aided by her distinct and empowering sense of humor. Originally a PBS special, this version included footage that never aired with the original program.

Lots of love and laughs,
Mudd
xoxox

technorati tags:depression, anxiety, agoraphobia, loss, healing

Trouble Sleeping? -- Schedule Some Worry Time!

Hello Beautiful Souls!

Here's an interesting read: No More Sleepless Nights,
Conquer Insomnia with: A Natural, Drug-Free Program,
A Sleep-Log Self-Exam, Stress-Reduction Techniques,
Improved Diet, Exercise, and Environment

by Peter Hauri, PhD, Director of the Mayo Clinic Insomnia Program,
and Shirley Linde, PhD.

And now for a favourite excerpt of mine...

WORRY TIME

If you're the kind of insomniac who lies in bed with thoughts buzzing through your head, and you can't stop them, or you find yourself worrying about finances or your job or feel that you are losing control, Worry Time might be the solution for you.

Here's how Worry Time works: Sometime during the evening, long before you go to bed, schedule a half hour to do the work of worry so you don't have to do it in bed. To do your worrying, go into a quiet room and tell your family not to bother you, not even for telephone calls. Take 30 or 40 blank 3- by 5-inch file cards and a pencil with you. Just sit and relax.

Pretty soon, if you're a worrier or concerned about losing control, worries will start buzzing around. As they come, write each one down on one of the cards. They don't have to be important worries; they can be dumb worries or little worries. No matter, whatever bothersome thought comes into your head, it gets a separate card. You'll find that this helps immediately, because anything written down doesn't buzz in your head so much. Sit there and do that for perhaps 15 or 20 minutes -- until you can't come up with any more worries.

Sometime, you may just sit there and the worries don't come. For half an hour, there is no worry buzzing around in your mind. That's okay -- you've simply used this time to relax. So don't sit there and worry that you might not have any worries!

The second step is to make categories of the worries. This establishes some order into the chaos and starts putting the worries under your control.

You might have one batch of worries about your finances, another batch about your relationships, and another about how you aren't any good -- whatever. But don't make too many categories; usually, from three to seven is about right. If you have a category for each worry, then you haven't done anything.

Some people classify their worries by content, others by how important the worry is -- there are little worries, big worries, stupid worries, etc. It doesn't matter how you classify them, as long as the categories suit your situation.

Once you have them in groups, think about each group carefully and see what you can do with the worries in that group. At the bottom of each card, write down what seems to be the best solution. For example, if a worry is that tomorrow you have too much to do, that card should contain a possible outline of your schedule for the next day. If a worry is that you are going to forget important telephone calls tomorrow, write down all the calls that you have to make and use that card for your calls tomorrow morning. If a worry is that you have only $200 left in the bank and you have $800 worth of bills to pay, decide right then which bills to pay and which bills not to pay, who you have to call to explain, perhaps to make partial payment, and just how you're going to manage the problem.

The trick is that the solution has to be written down, not just kept in your head. If it is written down, it helps you let the worry go. It is a written contract with yourself to carry out the solutions. The next day, you do the things on your cards.

Of course, there are some worries that you have absolutely no control over. You simply can't do anything about them. In that case, write down, "I will not deal with this worry today" or "This worry is out of my control" or "I will deal with that in three weeks when so-and-so comes to town."

Sometimes, there may be a person who is causing you distress, but your conclusion is that you cannot change that person's personality. You might think of what you could say to them the next time you see them, or you could write down, "I have done everything I can; the ball is in the other person's court, and now I have to wait until it comes back."

The goal is to face each worry squarely and decide what or whether you are going to do something about it -- so that, at the end of your session, you have each worry processed in some way. Put the cards away to look at in the morning. You have done your work of worrying. And if worries now come to you in the middle of the night, you can say, "I dealt with that last night, the solution is settled. Go away."

Sometimes, though rarely, there will be worries that don't come during Worry Time, but come later on. It's not a bad idea to have a card near your bed -- then you can put that worry onto its card to be dealt with the next evening. Sometimes, a solution doesn't work and a worry comes back night after night. In that case, perhaps your solution wasn't right. Think it through again, or perhaps see a counselor.

The main idea is to have your worries thought about before you go to bed and when you are still thinking clearly -- so you don't make mountains out of molehills in the middle of the night when the stupidest little worries can drive you crazy. Now you can say, "It's okay, not to worry, I know what to do."

Worrying about problems in the middle of the night not only can enlarge the problem, but you can't do anything about it then. There are a lot of worries that you can't deal with at three o'clock in the morning that can be dealt with at eight in the evening. For example, if your worry is that you forgot your mother's birthday, you can call. If your worry is that "I'm not getting along with my son too well," if he is still up doing his homework, maybe you can go in and talk to him.

Schedule a Worry Time every night or every other night for a week, maybe two. If it helps, continue doing it. If it doesn't work, give it up. Some people choose not to do Worry Time regularly, but only when their problems become hectic and bothersome.

A variation on Worry Time that works well is called The Worst Possible Scenario. When you get to the analysis of the cards and the various alternatives, ask yourself, "What is the worst thing that can happen?" Then ask yourself whether you could stand it. No matter how serious the situation, you can use this technique to put things in perspective: "If I stand up for this principle at my job, what is the worst thing that could happen? Probably, that my boss would fire me." Can you handle that, and is the principle worth that consequence? If it is, then go for it. If you would not be able to handle it or it isn't worth getting fired, make a different decision. In either case, you no longer have to worry about it.

It usually turns out that the worries are not really that bad once you face them. What you are worrying about may not even happen -- but if they do, you are ready.

You can order this book on Amazon.com.

There's even a No More Sleepless Nights Workbook!

So check them out and stop counting sheep!

Big Yawns,
Mudd
xoxox

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

technorati tags:insomnia, sleep disorder, books, techniques

Life After Trauma

Hello Friends!

Well, I'm finally back from a nice long break.
So let's get right down to business...

Here are a few excerpts from Life After Trauma - A Workbook for Healing

by Dena Rosenbloom, PhD,

and Mary Beth Williams, PhD

Trauma can turn your world upside down -- afterward, nothing may look safe or familiar.

This supportive workbook helps survivors of all types of trauma rebuild their lives. Filled with comforting activities, relaxation techniques, and self-evaluation questionnaires, the book explains how and why trauma can throw you for a loop and guides you toward developing inner resources for coping, self-understanding, and self-care.

Step-by-step chapters help you to reclaim a basic sense of safety, self-worth, and control; enchance your capacity to trust and be close to others; protect yourself from overwhelming memories; and heal from trauma-related reactions that may be disturbing your day-to-day life.

Written by experts in treating trauma and based on extensive research, the workbook can be used on its own or in conjunction with therapy.

TEN EFFECTIVE WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS

1. Be Flexible, Think Flexibly

Leftover fear from trauma can restrict your creativity and narrow your range of options. From where you stand, you may only be able to see one course of action. But if you shift your position, your view changes. Thinking flexibly means being able to see things from new or different perspectives rather than from the same old one. When you do this, new thoughts and choices become visible that were hard to see before. Being able to talk with others can be a big help in thinking more flexibly.

2. Learn All You Can About What Is Going To Happen

Fear and stress make it more difficult to think flexibly, but gathering as much information as you can -- in advance -- can help you stay flexible and see your full range of choices. You may fear something will happen, but how do the facts of the current situation match your emotions? What can you learn about the situation? The more you know in advance, the more choices you can have, and the more you can feel in control.

3. Plan Ahead

When you have gathered information about something that might happen, you can begin to consider, in advance, what you can do to prepare. Perhaps there are ways to make it easier for you. When you plan ahead, you plan when you can still think clearly and flexibly, before the highest level of stress. What will you need at those moments of peak stress? What might help you? How can you have these people or things handy? You can create a plan of action to make things easier for you and as safe as possible.

4. Avoid Impulsive Changes

Impulsive change can put you at risk. Respect your needs for safety. Try to think things through before you act. This gives you a better sense of control and power in the situation and can help you keep your risk low.

5. Try Not To Change Too Many Things At Once

You have the power to change many things about yourself, your behavior, and your reactions to others. Using this power most effectively means knowing its limitations. Changes, even good ones, create stress. The more changes, the more stress, and therefore, the harder it is to stay flexible. Changing too many things at once can overload you and make everything harder. You can end up feeling out of control. You can feel more in control by not changing too many things at once.

6. Pay Attention To Your Feelings And Reactions

You need to value and respect yourself enough to listen to how you feel. Paying attention to yourself gives you basic, crucial information. It is part of how you learn what is happening inside you. It is how you know whether or not you are changing too much, going too fast, or taking too many risks. Paying attention to yourself can give you the information and evidence that you need to plan ahead for next time.

7. Talk To Others Who Have Survived Similar Changes Or Experiences

Trauma can result in powerful, uncomfortable feelings of being crazy, separate, and different from others. It is even more powerful in a comforting way to realize you are not alone. After not knowing whom to talk to or how to put your experiences into words, it can be tremendously healing to learn there are others who understand and can share what you have been through. Talking to others who have had similar experiences also helps you get back in touch with yourself, and accept yourself.

8. Seek Support From People Who Can Listen, Offer Feedback,
Or Help In Other Ways

Everyone needs help sometime for something. When you can begin to count on others for help, it takes a great load off your shoulders. Finding people you can trust for even small, low-risk, practical things is a start. Finding people who will listen and accept you for who you are is one of the greatest supports of all.

9. Allow Yourself To Grieve Losses

Trauma and change bring loss. Although uncomfortable and at times even unbearable, the pain of loss can be one way to acknowledge and respect what you value. Pain confirms that what was lost was important to you and mattered. Respecting your feelings means that you have value, you matter, and continue to matter, even through loss.

10. Take Your Time

Healing from trauma can mean rebuilding your life. You need time to do this safely and solidly. Take the time. If you listen to your feelings and reactions, and respect what they tell you, you will move as fast as you can. Remember that you cannot control everything. If you try to go faster than your own limits allow, it will slow you down in the end.

The above ways of coping work for any stress, not just trauma. They are valuable tools for the rest of your life. We recognize that nothing erases trauma's tragedy and pain, but the experience as a whole can also include the silver linings of positive change and personal growth.

If you would like to purchase this book, go to Amazon.com by clicking here.

Have a stress-free day!

Love always,
Mudd
xoxox

P.S.: Questions or not, I would love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

technorati tags:stress, trauma, anxiety, healing

More Help For Parents

As I browsed around, searching for more information, I came across this FREE pdf document, also entitled Helping Your Teenager Deal With Stress.
You can read it here.

You'll need Adobe Reader to be able to access this document.
You can download it for free here.

Finally, for information on helping your preschooler and your school-age child deal with stress, click here.

technorati tags:stress, teenager, preschool, school-age

Stress And Your Teenager

Good Day Sweet People!

Demanding schedules, changing responsibilities, questions of identity, noise pollution, poor diets, too little exercise, fear of the future, drugs and alcohol, job stress... So-called "adult" problems are also the lot of teenagers all over the world.

As a matter of fact, long before teenagers reach their twentieth birthday, they have enough pressures to last a lifetime.

As a parent, you are undergoing a great deal of stress yourself. Here's a book that offers many useful insights and practical exercises to help you -- and your adolescent -- through the turbulent teenage years -- Helping Your Teenager Deal With Stress, A Survival Guide For Parents And Children.

The author, Bettie B. Youngs, Ph.D., Ed.D., is an internationally known educational consultant and author of more than a dozen books on raising happy, healthy and successful young people. Dr. Youngs is a noted expert on the effects of stress and self-esteem on children’s health and achievement.

I've chosen for you the following excerpt from her book:

THE SELF-ESTEEM PROFILE

Is your teenager easily hurt by criticism? Here's a profile to help you and your teenager examine her self-esteem. Have her answer yes or no to the following questions, then read the scoring profile below. One thing to keep in mind is that most teenagers feel bad about themselves from time to time. Therefore, in answering these questions your teenager should think about how she feels most of the time.

• Do you accept constructive criticism?
• Are you at ease meeting new people?
• Are you honest and open about your feelings?
• Do you value your closest relationships.
• Are you able to laugh at (and learn from) your own mistakes?
• Do you notice and accept changes in yourself as they occur?
• Do you look for and tackle new challenges?
• Are you confident about your physical appearence?
• Do you give yourself credit when credit is due?
• Are you happy for others when they succeed?

If your teenager answered most of these questions yes, she probably has a healthy opinion of herself. Whatever the level of your child's self-esteem now, you can help her take positive steps to improve it.

• Are you very shy or overly aggressive?
• Do you try to hide your feelings from others?
• Do you fear close relationships?
• Do you try to blame your mistakes on others?
• Do you find excuses for refusing to change?
• Do you continually wish you could change your physical appearance?
• Are you too modest about personal successes?
• Are you glad when others fail?

If your teenager answered yes to most of these questions, her self-esteem could probably use improvement. Here's how you can help your teenager personally care for her self-concept.

Acceptance

Help your adolescent identify and accept strengths and weaknesses. Everyone has both.

Encouragement

Take a "can-do" attitude. Help your adolescent set a reasonable timetable for personal goals, and offer encouragement along the way.

Praise

Praise your adolescent for, and encourage her to take pride in, her achievements, both great and small. Experiences are personal. We must each enjoy our own.

Time

Teach your child the importance of taking time out regularly to be alone with personal thoughts and feelings, and of getting involved in activities she can enjoy by herself (for example, crafts, reading, or individual sports). She must learn to enjoy her own company.

Trust

Encourage your adolescent to pay attention to her thoughts and feelings, to act on what she thinks is right. Doing what makes her feel happy and fulfilled will be a rewarding experience.

Respect

Help your adolescent value herself and not try to be someone else. Help her explore and appreciate her own special talents.

Love

Your adolescent must come to love herself. This is done by accepting and learning from mistakes and not overreacting to errors, and by accepting her successes and failures as those who love her do.

You can buy Helping Your Teenager Deal With Stress (also available as an audio-cassette) at AllBookstores.com by clicking here.

Good Luck!

Hugs and lots of love,
Mudd
xoxo

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

technorati tags:stress, help, teenagers, self-esteem

Quiet! -- Please...

To quiet your mind, focus on your breathing...

As you breathe in,
say slowly to yourself
"I am"

and as you breathe out,
say slowly to yourself
"calm."

When your mind feels calm
you may focus only on your breathing,
with no thoughts at all.

technorati tags:quiet, mind, breathe, calm

The Zaky Touch

This is just too cute...

The Zaky is an ergonomic infant pillow designed by a mom to mimic the size, weight, touch, and feel of her hand and forearm to help her baby with comfort, support, protection, and development.

The Zaky can help calm your baby and help your baby sleep better through the night.

To see and read more about it, go to the Pregnancy Store here.

I wish I had giant hands and arms to cradle me.
Now there's an idea...

MuddHugs
xoxoxoxo

Mind Power

Hi All!

Here's a book that's been captivating my attention for the past two days...

In Make Your Mind Work For You -- New Mind-Power Techniques To Improve Memory, Beat Procrastination, Increase Energy, And More!, Joan Minninger, Ph. D., and Eleanor Dugan offer different techniques to help you develop an experienced mind -- one that makes the right decisions and leads you to take the right actions. You learn to solve problems, store and recall information, control anxieties, and experience more pleasure and satisfaction in everyday life. You also learn how to prioritize so that you achieve not only efficiency but also success.

Naturally, the book excerpt I chose to share with you has to do with depression. Here, then, are the strategies that our authors suggest for dealing with this unfortunate and much too common affliction.

Withdraw

Don't deal with difficult issues when you are depressed. Set aside a few minutes to sit and really focus on how horrible you feel. Imagine your toes, your knees, your hips all deep in blue, soggy drepression. Then see your body, your arms, your neck cold and wet. Finally the blues totally engulf you, closing over your head. Savor the immersion in this quivery blue environment (choose another colour if you really like blue). After a few minutes (if you can sustain your mood that long), notice how hard it is to keep up this intensity. Let the depression slide away in reverse order. Or maybe it changes colour, taking on a warm glow. You are now ready for one of the following steps.

Share

Mention to someone supportive that you have had a rotten day. Don't dwell on it, just get it out. Then go on to lighter topics. (Bartenders and therapists are good listeners, but friends and relatives are cheaper and often just as good.)

Pretend

Put on a brightly coloured outfit, dance, tell jokes, sing, jump up and down. Put on a false face of merriment. Often it turns the tide. A study at the University of California at San Francisco, discussed in Approaches to Emotion: A Book of Readings, edited by Klaus Scherer and Paul Ekman, showed that you can call up different emotions by changing your expression. Psychologist Paul Ekman asked people to make faces, raising and lowering eyebrows and lips. People consistently experienced emotions that matched their facial image. So, when your heart is aching, a happy face can cheer you up. If it doesn't, at the very least you'll be able to come up with some wonderfully ironic poetic images for your autobiography.

Reward yourself

No need to indulge yourself with a 1,000-calorie sundae or a $5,000 wardrobe, unless you can afford them. But you might consider a movie or sauna, some bubble bath, a bunch of daisies, a new box of paper clips, a few extra minutes at coffee break or in the shower or with the morning paper.

Do a kindness

Plan something nice for someone else. This is usually the last thing on your mind. That's why it is invaluable. Getting your Knowing Mind to notice and pay attention to someone else is a good way to start the rebellion that ends depression.

Do something physical

Run, jog, walk. Deliberately drop a file folder or handful of rubber bands and then pick up all the pieces one at a time, bending from the waist. Rearrange your possessions. (Leave other people's alone!) Even if you're in traction or a wheelchair, there are still parts of your body you can exercise. Roll your eyes, make faces, wiggle your ears and anything else that will move.

Plan

Even if you're so low you could walk on stilts under a dachshund, focus on doing one thing later today that is pleasurable. Arrange to meet a friend. Phone someone interesting. Have something special for dinner. Get your Organizing Mind to construct lists of potential pleasures.

Write it down

One of the valuable things about keeping a diary is learning that nothing is permanent. Some people think whatever they write is carved in stone. I help my writing classes realize that just the opposite is true. Sorrow, pain, happiness, elation -- all come and go. When you are depressed, you feel as though you have always been depressed and will remain that way forever. But nothing is forever, even depression.

Very interesting book. You can even get the Audio CD version (Your Coach in a Box) on Amazon.com by clicking here.

Big hugs and lots of kisses,
Mudd
xoxo

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

More Shakti

Dear Friends,

I'm still learning so much from Shakti Gawain's book, Living in The Light, that I just had to share more of my favourite passages with you.

In the chapter entitled The World as Our Mirror, Shakti reminds us that the physical world is our creation. That we each create our very own version of the world, our particular reality, our unique life experience. And just as an artist looks at his latest creation to see what works well and what doesn't, we can look at the ongoing masterwork of our lives to appreciate who we are and to recognize what we still need to learn.

She tells us to see the external world as a giant mirror which reflects both our spirits and our forms clearly and accurately. Viewed in this way, the external world can teach us about hidden aspects of ourselves that we can't see directly.

The Mirror Process is based on two premises:

1. I assume that everything in my life is my reflection, my creation; there are no accidents or events that are unrelated to me. If I see or feel something, if it has any impact on me, then my being has attracted or created it to show me something. If it didn't mirror some part of myself, I wouldn't even be able to see it. All the people in my life are reflections of the various characters and feelings that live inside of me.

2. I try never to put myself down for the reflections I see. I know that nothing is negative. Everything is a gift that brings me to self awareness; after all, I'm here to learn. If I was already perfect I wouldn't be here. Why should I get angry at myself when I see things I've been unconscious of? It would be like a first grader getting frustrated because he wasn't in college yet. I try to maintain a compassionate attitude toward myself and my learning process. To the extent that I can do this, the learning process becomes fun and really quite interesting.

I am learning to view my life as a fascinating and adventurous movie. All the characters in it are parts of me played out on the big screen so that I can clearly see them. Once I see them and recognize their various feelings and voices inside myself, it is easy to choose which characters to keep and expand, and which ones to let go of or transform.

If the movie portrays problems, hassles, or struggles, I know I must check inside to find out where I'm not being true to myself. I also know that when I'm trusting and being myself as fully as possible, everything in my life reflects this by falling into place easily, often miraculously.

The author goes on to say that in being true to yourself, you will feel more alive. But you may also feel uncomfortable. This is because you are risking change. As you undergo certain changes, you may experience intense emotions. She encourages you to allow these emotions to express themselves, to let the feelings come up and flush through you -- they are being cleaned out and healed by the light.

External feedback is also a great mirror: your doubts and fears will often be reflected in the reactions of those around you. If your friends and family question or judge the changes in you, recognize that they are simply mirroring the doubting, fearful voices in you, such as, "What if I'm doing the wrong thing? Can I really trust this process?"

Respond to such feedback from others in whatever way you feel is appropriate: reassure them, ignore them, argue with them, whatever. The important thing is to recognize that you are really dealing with your inner fears. Affirm that you are learning to trust yourself more and more. You will be amazed to see how others immediately mirror your increasing self-trust and confidence by responding to you with trust and confidence.

Remember:

If you judge and criticize, others will judge and criticize you.

If you hurt yourself, others will hurt you.

If you lie to yourself, others will lie to you.

If you are irresponsible to yourself, others will be irresponsible in relation to you.

If you blame yourself, others will blame you.

If you do violence to yourself emotionally, others will do violence to you emotionally, or even physically.

If you don't listen to your feelings, no one will listen to your feelings.

If you love yourself, others will love you.

If you respect yourself, others will respect you.

If you trust yourself, others will trust you.

If you are honest with yourself, others will be honest with you.

If you are gentle and compassionate with yourself, others will treat you with compassion.

If you appreciate yourself, others will appreciate you.

If you honour yourself, others will honour you.

If you enjoy yourself, others will enjoy you.

All in all...start creating your masterpiece!

Hugs and Loads of Love,
Mudd
xoxo

If you want to know more about Shakti and how to purchase her books, go to her website by clicking here.

Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Love Your Body

Hello Beautiful Souls!

Sorry I was away for so long. I've been celebrating my birthday since August 16 -- bathing in the love of family and friends, eating out, having fun, enjoying every bit of what life has to offer. I thought of you many times, trying not to feel guilty about not posting. I must say I'm happy to be back, and hope I'm not only older, but wiser as well.

To continue on our journey, I'd like to share with you yet another book, one that is bringing me much comfort these days: Living in The Light, A Guide to Personal and Planetary Transformation, by Shakti Gawain.

In it, there's a chapter entitled Your Perfect Body where the author tells us to appreciate our body, to focus on what we like about ourselves. She says that the more willing we are to do this, the easier it will become. That our body will respond to this appreciation and grow increasingly beautiful.

For me, my body is still a preoccupation, and this bothers me. I'd like to think I'm past being concerned with the physical -- but no. I've heard that it's common for people who have been sexually abused to think they are ugly, to not like their body. Well, that's exactly how I've felt most of my life. Even if I've worked hard to break away from this negative belief, there are times when I find myself struggling with the way I look. So I've been following a few of Shakti Gawain's suggestions, and already I feel a better connexion with my body. Here are a few of my favourite exercises for you to try out.

Ritual For Loving Your Body

Stand naked in front of a full-length mirror. Send positive thoughts to every part of your body. Even if you don't like your body or don't approve of certain parts of your body, look for something of beauty in every part of yourself. Realize that your body has been serving you for years. Thank your body for its service. Realize it has only been following your directions.

For example, you might say to yourself, "You have beautiful, thick, shiny hair." Then look in the mirror at your hair and see its beauty, its shine and glow. Even if it isn't shining and glowing as much as you like, continue to see it and appreciate yourself as you are, saying, "I love the way you look. You have beautiful hands. You have strong, healthy legs. You have clear skin. You have shining eyes."

Run through each part of your body in this way and really send it love and appreciation. Find a way to appreciate every part of yourself. And thank your body for being with you for however many years, following your desires and serving you. It has been doing for you what you have asked of it. If you like, you can play music that you love, and use candles or flowers while performing this ritual. Do this ritual once or twice a day for at least a week. This ritual shows your body how much you appreciate and respect it. Your body has been criticized, judged, and rejected by you for years. It will respond quickly to love and energy. You will feel lighter and more energized. You will start looking more beautiful. The lines in your face will relax. You will start to glow with strength and health. You will be amazed at the results of loving your body.

Visualization Exercises

1. Whenever you think of your body, see it the way you want it to be. Know that your body is perfect and affirm this. Take a few minutes during the day to close your eyes and visualize your body at the weight, size, and strength you desire. See your body as energized and powerful. See and feel energy moving through you.
2. Use a picture from a magazine to help you visualize your perfect body. Choose a picture of a body that looks the way you would look in great shape, cut it out, and paste it on the wall. Place it where you'll look at it daily. See the picture as your body. You can even paste a picture of your face on the picture so it's your face with your perfect body.

Meditation

Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths and relax your body. With each exhalation, let go of what you don't want or need; see any tension, frustration, or tiredness leave your body. As you inhale, take in everything you want or desire: relaxation, serenity, strength, prosperity, and joy.

From this relaxed, rejuvenated place, see your body before you. Imagine your body looking exactly the way you want it to be. Observe it in as much detail as possible. You are now your perfect weight, size, and shape. Your body is energized, strong, and powerful. When you look at your face and body, you see your beauty. You look exactly the way you want to look. You feel the way you want to feel.

You can feel what it is like to have a body that supports your spirit. Your spirit says "do this" and your body, in all its perfection, is there to match your inner wisdom.

You are beauty, strength, and energy.

Big Hugs,
Mudd
xoxo

To purchase Living in The Light, go to Amazon.com by clicking here.

Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Guilty or Not Guilty?

Hi Friends!

Now here's a fun book to browse through.

Who Are You? 101 Ways of Seeing Yourself is designed to help you find out more about yourself. It contains 101 mirrors of self-discovery in which you can recognize your dominant behavior, your body type, how you feel and act, how you think and approach your spirituality.

The author, Malcolm Godwin, has drawn "tests" from ancient and modern techniques from both the East and the West, and these "tests" are divided into four sections -- the body, the emotions, the intellect, and the spirit. Each assessment takes no more than a few minutes to complete, and is accompanied by a brief description of the history and principles behind the method or technique.

Definitily a great way to understand how others see you...
and how you see yourself.

Some of the tests you'll find in the book:

• Are you left-brain or right brain dominant?
• How well do you cope with emotional stress?
• How do you think? -- Verbally? Analytically? Spatially?
• What does your palm tell about your personality?
• What type are you spiritually? -- Prayerful? Philosopher Sage? Devotee?

Here's an excerpt taken from the chapter on Feeling Types:

Do You Plead Guilty or Not Guilty?

The propensity to feel guilty or anxious about our behavior is a character trait that is commonly found today. Most of us are uneasy about certain aspects of our personalities. Often we blame ourselves even when our behavior hardly merits any punishment whatsoever. A certain level of guilt is, of course, necessary for some awareness of conscience. Indeed, its complete absence would be symptomatic of the extremes of psychopathy. Excessive self-abasement or recrimination, on the other hand, reveal an equally neurotic and unbalanced attitude.

Assessment

Do you:

1. feel you have spent much of your life doing things you don't really enjoy?
2. hate your present job?
3. feel bad if you let other people down?
4. worry about other people's opinion of you or your actions?
5. avoid doing things that might upset your friends?
6. find it difficult to sleep until noon on weekends, even when there is nothing urgent to do?
7. spend time in a shop trying on clothes and then feel bad if you leave without buying anything?
8. send birthday cards to people you don't really like?
9. feel upset if someone unexpectedly found you doing something intimate and private?
10. dress in clothes that will please others?
11. feel bad when you think of times you have been rude or thoughtless?
12. find yourself apologizing for something that is not really your fault?
13. say sorry when someone steps on your foot?
14. feel you have let down your parents by not living up to their expectations?
15. agree with the concept of original sin -- that you are born a sinner who must be redeemed?
16. feel that we all need some social or religious control over our natural instincts?
17. feel that Roman Catholics are right to have regular confessions of their sins?
18. sense a general disapproval from others about your person or behavior?
19. feel that you should be punished for past sins?
20. often pray for forgiveness?

Key:

Answer "yes" to 16 or more of the questions and you can be sure that at some time someone has programmed both you and your emotional center to feel guilty.

A score of 4 - 6 would suggest a healthy conscience.

A score of under 3 suggests you are either enlightened or a psychopath!

For more ways to learn who you are, check out the book at Amazon.com by clicking here.

Big hugs,
Mudd
xoxo

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Health Anxiety

Anxiety creates all kinds of weird impressions. For years, I thought I was afflicted with a whole bunch of ailments and life-threatening diseases. I was sure I had all the symptoms, but I probably created them all because of how I worried so much about dying.

Here's a book I would have loved to read during that period: It's Not All in Your Head, by Gordon J.G. Asmundson, PhD, and Steven Taylor, PhD.

In it, the authors explain that like other forms of anxiety, health anxiety involves changes in thoughts, physiology, and behavior. Also like other forms of anxiety, health anxiety can range from mild to severe. Mild health anxiety can be temporary and can sometimes be a signal to follow up on some bodily change or sensation by seeking advice from a doctor. But it can also be excessive and preoccupying. When health anxiety is out of proportion to the risk of disease and persists even though there is no evidence of disease, mental health professionals often refer to it as a health anxiety disorder. Like the other anxiety disorders, it has an impact on all aspects of health. The trick, of course, lies in figuring out what is out of proportion and inappropriately persistent. That is, how much is too much?

The Whiteley Index

Over the years, a number of tests have been developed to assist researchers and doctors in evaluating patients for health anxiety. The authors have found that the Whiteley Index is particularly useful for self-assessment. Here are the questions asked:

Answer YES or NO.

1. Do you often worry about the possibility that you have got a serious illness?
2. Are you bothered by many pains and aches?
3. Do you find that you are often aware of various things happening in your body?
4. Do you worry a lot about your health?
5. Do you often have the symptoms of very serious illness?
6. If a disease is brought to your attention (through the radio, television, newspapers, or someone you know), do you worry about getting it yourself?
7. If you feel ill and someone tells you that you are looking better, do you become annoyed?
8. Do you find that you are bothered by many different symptoms?
9. Is it easy for you to forget about yourself, and think about all sorts of other things?
10. Is it hard for you to believe the doctor when he or she tells you there is nothing for you to worry about?
11. Do you get the feeling that people are not taking your illness seriously enough?
12. Do you think that you worry about your health more than most people?
13. Do you think there is something seriously wrong with your body?
14. Are you afraid of illness?

Give yourself a point for every YES response to all questions except number 9, for which you get a point if you answered NO.

This should produce a score between 0 and 14. Higher scores indicate higher levels of health anxiety. A score of 8 or more usually indicates a high probability of a health anxiety disorder.

If you scored 8 or higher, try getting your hands on this book. It will provide you with the building blocks for learning strategies that will help you change the way you think about and respond to the bodily sensations that you are now interpreting as disease related. You'll learn the relationship between health anxiety and other mental health conditions, including the anxiety disorders and depression, which often co-occur with excessive health anxiety, as well as methods you can use to self-assess anxiety and mood disorders.

You can purchase It's Not All in Your Head at Amazon.com by clicking here.

Big hugs,
Mudd
xoxo

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Let's Relax

I just came across this very interesting website called Mind.

In the Mind Guide To Relaxation, they talk about the link between stress and relaxation, what may be wrong with the way we relax, and how to introduce more relaxation into our everyday life.

Here's a glimpse of what you can find on their site:

Regular practice
You need to have deep relaxation practices daily, or even twice a day, at the beginning. When learning any new skill, such as how to drive a car, ride a bicycle, play an instrument or perform a dance routine, you need to concentrate on each movement, at first. With regular practice and repetition, the skills become second nature and you do them automatically. It's the same with learning to be more relaxed in day-to-day living.

• If possible, plan to set aside a specific time for your regular practice. (Once you start appreciating how enjoyable relaxation is, you will look forward to it as a period of peace and pleasure).
• If you can, choose a quiet place to practise relaxation. It's easier to learn if you are not interrupted by loud sounds, the telephone or people coming in. When you become really good at relaxation, you will be able to 'switch off' even in noisy, busy environments.
• It's impossible to relax if you are cold, so make sure you are comfortably warm.
• Avoid practising relaxation when you are hungry or just after eating a meal.
• If you use a tape or CD player on remote, have the handset close by so that you can operate it without difficulty.
• Sometimes, young children enjoy relaxing with a parent, doing the exercises and then snuggling up to enjoy the peace and stillness.

Don't worry about whether you're doing everything correctly. Never try, just do! And enjoy the feeling!

Effective positions for relaxation

• Ensure table is close and arms are not stretched out • Alternatively, kneel beside a bed
	• Support under head, neck and knees • Head should be level, not tilted back or pushed forward
• Knees high enough to reduce tension in tummy • Legs on chair sideways • Support right up to behind knees • Good for relieving lower backache
	• 'Old' recovery position • Support under head and knees • Good if pregnant
• Support under pelvis • Good if overweight or with large/ heavy bust
	• Back fully supported by chair • Chin and thighs parallel to the floor • Feet and ha

For more information, go the the Mind website by clicking here.

And now, RELAX!

Hugs,
Mudd
xoxo

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Date Rape

It's happened to me more than once.

I thought for many years that it was my fault. That I had it coming to me because of the way I dressed, the way I acted, the way I drank.

But I know better now.

And I want all young people to know that date rape is RAPE, period.

In The Truth About Rape -- a book intended for teenagers -- the authors make this clear. They point out that when most people think of rape, they think of stranger rape, where the victim is stalked, followed, and attacked by someone he or she did not know.

But more than 80 percent of all reported rapes are committed by an acquaintance and can occur at home or away from home. Usually, the victim trusts the assailant.

Similar to acquaintance rape are date rape and partner rape. More than 60 percent of acquaintance rapes take place during a date. In most cases, an accused rapist, abuser, or defendant never admits he or she has committed an act against someone or even that he or she committed a crime. Assailants may also deny ever physically or sexually hurting anyone. When a sexual assault is reported and the abuser identified, abusers may admit that they did it but try to make it sound as if the victim consented or "wanted it." The abuser might say that the victim "deserved it."

The authors go on to say that beliefs about rape vary according to the type of rape that occurred. Most people would not consider the victim to blame if the rape was perpetrated by a stranger. However, if the rapist is known to the victim, the woman is more likely to be blamed.

Some people believe that when someone is sexually assaulted or raped, the man or the woman somehow "asked for it" by dressing in revealing clothing, flirting, or showing signs of encouragement.

Here are some of the myths and misinformation about date rape:

• "Maybe" means "yes."
• If a woman has previously been sexually active, she will probably be willing to have sex with other men.
• If a woman agrees to any sexual contact, including kissing or fondling, she has agreed to "go all the way."
• If a woman has had sex with a man once, she will be willing to have sex again.
• Buying dinner or gifts entitles a man to have sex with his date.
• Date rape is the result of miscommunication.
• Rape happens only when a stranger forces a woman to have sexual intercourse.
• Rape occurs only when there is physical violence or a physical struggle.

PREVENTING DATE RAPE

Psychologists and other counselors suggest that individuals take special precautions at parties and other gatherings. Those precautions include:

• Watching while a beverage is poured or accepting drinks only from bottles or cans that partygoers have opened for themselves.
• Never leaving a beverage unattended.
• Avoiding alcohol or drugs while on a date.
• Calling a friend if feeling sick or dizzy after drinking and, if necessary, calling 911.

Some experts suggest that women:

• Meet in public places on the first few dates with someone they don't know well.
• Do not go to a date's car or home or to their own home if they will be alone there.
• Plan to take public transportation home or arrange to have someone they know pick them up after a date.
• Set sexual limits and make their dates aware of those limits.
• Clearly communicate their expectations to their dates.
• Stay sober. It is easier to be in control of a stiuation when one is not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Trust their instincts. If a woman feels uneasy or threatened in a situation, she should get away as quickly as possible. There is no need to explain or find an excuse to leave if one feels uncomfortable.

If you or someone you know is a victim of a date rape, psychologists and other health-care professionals suggest the following:

• Go to a friend's place. If there is no one to go to, call someone you can talk to, no matter how late it is.
• Get medical attention. Do not shower, bathe, or change your clothing first. Go to a hospital or health center to be examined and treated for possible venereal disease. There may also be internal injuries. If you decide to press charges, physical specimens collected soon after the rape may be valuable evidence.
• Report the attack even if you do not plan to file charges. Someone who has raped once is likely to rape again. If you turn the rapist in, you may save someone else from being attacked.
• Get help and support. You have been through a trauma and need help to deal with the situation and your feelings. People who seek counselling get over their experiences faster and with fewer lasting effects than those who do not get help.

It's a sad world when one cannot go out on a date without having to worry about being raped. Especially when you're out with someone you've known for weeks, months, years even.

But better to be safe than sorry.

So be careful.
Tell your kids, your friends.
Share this information.

And be well, my friends!

Love always,
Mudd
xoxo

To buy The Truth About Rape by Judith Harper, Kathryn Hilgenkamp, Laura Kittross, and Mark J. Kittleson, Ph. D., go to Amazon.com by clicking here.

P.S.: Questions or not, I would love to hear from you.
Please email me at anxietybuster@gmail.com
or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Zen Story

Two monks were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was falling. Coming around the bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection.

"Come on, girl," said the first monk. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.

The second monk did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself. "We monks don't go near females," he said. "It is dangerous. Why did you do that?"

"I left the girl there," the first monk said. "Are you still carrying her?"

Just Be Yourself

Overpowered? Overextended? Overworked?

Here's another interesting little book:
Simplify Your Life, 100 Ways To Slow Down And
Enjoy The Things That Really Matter.

In way number 73, the author -- Elaine St. James -- has these words for us:

Have you ever stopped to think about how much energy you spend -- and how much you complicate your life -- by pretending to be someone other than who you are? We all do it. It's part of being human, and it was also a big part of the fast-paced life-style of the 1980s.

A good exercise is to sit down and go through all the major areas of your life and decide how each would be different if the only person you had to impress was you. Would you have a different career? What kind of house would you live in? Would you drive a different car? How would you dress? How would you spend your spare time? Would you be married to the person you're married to? Would you have the same friends?

Often we assume various layers of pretense not so much out of our own needs, but because of someone else's. How often are we untrue to ourselves because of the pressures of our family, the demands of our mate, the entreaties of our children? If your life-style reflects someone else's idea of how your life should be, take a few moments to imagine how much simpler it would be if you dropped the pretense and learned to just be yourself.

Throughout the book, Elaine's short texts cover everything from reducing the clutter in your life, to cutting your laundering chore in half, to building a simple wardrobe, to cleaning up your relationships. She will help you simplify your household, your life-style, your job, your health, and your personal life.

If you think your life is too complex, if you crave simplicity,
check out her book at Amazon.com by clicking here.

Let's get back to the essentials and enjoy life's every precious moment!

Love always,
Mudd
x0x0

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

An Ancient Oracle

On January 1, 1991, my good friend Michael was slowly dying in a hospital room, and I stopped by to wish him a Happy New Year and to continue our conversations on death, karma and rebirth.

I remember that day vividly because I was feeling down in the dumps for reasons that don't matter any more but at the time, they were choking me out of my every breath.

So though Michael's life was being eaten away by lymph node cancer, he was the one to lift my spirit on that cold and gloomy afternoon. That's when he gave me the gift of ancient wisdom...

Out from under the sheets, he pulled a small, worn-out, burgundy satin pouch and a frayed little blue book. He handed me the pouch and told me to reach inside and play around with the 25 flat stones till one of them felt good in my hand, till I knew this was the one I was drawn to. When I became ready to pick one, I took it out and noticed the sign, carved into the stone and painted a rich, dark brown.

Upon seeing the sign I had chosen, Michael thumbed through his book, stopped at the corresponding page, and gave it to me to read. I was amazed at how appropriate the message was for what I was living at the moment. The words were soothing, encouraging, reassuring.

The next day, I purchased The Book Of Runes, by Ralph Blum, and still treasure it along with the stones -- mine rest in a dark blue velvet pouch. For years, they have given me guidance and have filled my soul with wisdom, love, and light.

In the preface to the book, Dr. Martin D. Rayner, Professor of Physiology at the University of Hawaii School of Medicine, points out how the Runes are healing and merciful. He encourages us to play with the possibility that they can provide "a mirror for the magic of our Knowing Selves," a means of communication with the knowledge of our subconscious minds. He asks you to remember that you are consulting an Oracle rather than having your fortune told. An Oracle does not give you instruction as to what to do next, nor does it predict future events. An Oracle points your attention towards those hidden fears and motivations that will shape your future by their unfelt presence within each present moment. Once seen and recognized, these elements become absorbed into the realm of choice. Oracles do not absolve you of the responsibility for selecting your future, but rather direct your attention towards those inner choices that may be the most important elements in determining that future.

So now, after lighting a candle and a stick of amber-sandal incense, not knowing who you are or what you're going through at the moment, I picked a Rune for you. Here is the message it carries:

Algiz

Protection
Sedge or Rushes
An Elk

Control of the emotions is at issue here. During times of transition, shifts in life course and accelerated self-change, it is important not to collapse yourself into your emotions -- the highs as well as the lows. New opportunities and challenges are typical of this Rune. And with them will come trespasses and unwanted influences.

Algiz serves as a mirror for the Spiritual Warrior, the one whose battle is always with the self. The protection of the Warrior is like the warning rustle of the sedge grass or like the curved horns of the elk, for both serve to keep open space around you. Remain mindful that timely action and correct conduct are the only true protection. If you find yourself feeling pain, observe the pain, stay with it. Don't try to pull down the veil and escape from life by denying what is happening. You will progress; knowing that is your protection.

All my love,
Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

To purchase The Book Of Runes, go to Amazon.com by clicking here.

The Healing Stages

One of the books that helped me along the path to recovery is
The Courage To Heal - A Guide For Women Survivors
Of Child Sexual Abuse, by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis.

The authors explain that healing is not a random process, that there are recognizable stages that all survivors pass through. They provide you with a map of those stages, enabling you to see where you are, what you've done already, and what's yet to come.

They also specify that healing is not a linear process. A common analogy for the healing process is that it's like a spiral. You go through the same stages again and again. But traveling up the spiral, you pass through them at a different level, with a different perspective. You might spend a year or two dealing intensely with your abuse. Then, you might take a break and focus more on the present. A year or so later, changes in your life -- a new relationship, the birth of a child, graduation from school, or simply an inner urge -- may stir up more unresolved memories and feelings, and you may focus in on it again, embarking on a second or a third or a fourth round of discovery. With each new cycle, your capacity to feel, to remember, to make lasting changes, is strengthened.

Here now are The Stages as presented by Ellen and Laura. Please note that although most of these stages are necessary for every survivor, a few of them -- the emergency stage, remembering the abuse, confronting your family, and forgiveness -- are not applicable for
every woman.

The Decision To Heal

Once you recognize the effects of sexual abuse in your life, you need to make an active commitment to heal. Deep healing happens only when you choose it and are willing to change yourself.

The Emergency Stage

Beginning to deal with memories and suppressed feelings can throw your life into utter turmoil. Remember, this is only a stage. It won't last forever.

Remembering

Many survivors suppress all memories of what happened to them as children. Those who do not forget the actual incidents often forget how it felt at the time. Remembering is the process of getting back both memory and feeling.

Believing It Happened

Survivors often doubt their own perceptions. Coming to believe that the abuse really happened, and that it really hurt you, is a vital part of the healing process.

Breaking Silence

Most adult survivors kept the abuse a secret in childhood. Telling another human being about what happened to you is a powerful healing force that can dispel the shame of being a victim.

Understanding That It Wasn't Your Fault

Children usually believe the abuse is their fault. Adult survivors must place the blame where it belongs -- directly on the shoulders of the abusers.

Making Contact With The Child Within

Many survivors have lost touch with their own vulnerability. Getting in touch with the child within can help you feel compassion for yourself, more anger at your abuser, and greater intimacy with others.

Trusting Yourself

The best guide for healing is your own inner voice. Learning to trust your own perceptions, feelings, and intuitions forms a new basis for action in the world.

Grieving And Mourning

As children being abused, and later as adults struggling to survive, most survivors haven't felt their losses. Grieving is a way to honor your pain, let go, and move into the present.

Anger - The Backbone Of Healing

Anger is a powerful and liberating force. Whether you need to get in touch with it or have always had plenty to spare, directing your rage squarely at your abuser, and at those who didn't protect you, is pivotal to healing.

Disclosures And Confrontations

Directly confronting your abuser and/or your family is not for every survivor, but it can be a dramatic, cleansing tool.

Forgiveness?

Forgiveness of the abuser is not an essential part of the healing process, although it tends to be the one most recommended. The only essential forgiveness is for yourself.

Spirituality

Having a sense of a power greater than yourself can be a real asset in the healing process. Spirituality is a uniquely personal experience. You might find it through traditional religion, meditation, nature, or your support group.

Resolution And Moving On

As you move through these stages again and again, you will reach a point of integration. Your feelings and perspectives will stabilize. You will come to terms with your abuser and other family members. While you won't erase your history, you will make deep and lasting changes in your life. Having gained awareness, compassion, and power through healing, you will have the opportunity to work toward a better world.

Do I hear "Amen?"

Yeah...Amen!

Hugs and Healing Light,

Mudd
xoxo

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Crippled Soul

I was sexually abused when I was 3, 4, 5 years old. He was my father's co-worker and friend. He "did it" to me while my father was out supposedly buying cigarettes, but I know now that Dad was out drinking and "doing it" with prostitutes.

For a good part of my life, I blocked the memory of these events. Well, not completely, because I had recurrent dreams, felt sick at my stomach, had this disgusting taste in my mouth, and spent years feeling ugly, stupid, unworthy of love.

Of course, I didn’t “choose” to be this way. I didn’t understand what was going on with me. I tried my best to get out of this rut. I went to school, worked hard, had friends, went to partys, started to work, got married, had children… But there was always this haunting inside of me that just wouldn’t go away. I read books, meditated, prayed, went all out in trying to find a “cure” for this “thing” that was controlling my mind, destroying my life, and affecting those around me, family, friends, my beautiful children.

I escaped into art – writing, drawing, music – thinking that expressing myself would solve the problem. There were many wonderful days, months, when all was sunshiny and bright. But soon, the gloom would envelop me and drag me down into depths that grew darker and colder as the years went by.

I’d put on a happy face, do my best to be strong, to hide my depression, because I didn't want to scare everybody away with my heavy disposition. I helped others with their problems, thinking this would make mine go away. I did volunteer work with troubled teens and sick, elderly people. I spread as much love as I could.

But the haunting continued.

So much so that I contemplated suicide many times. I understand a mother who kills her children and then kills herself because I’ve thought of that. I used to judge these women, but now I don’t. Please understand that I don’t say this is okay, no way! But I’ve lived the “lure” of such a pull. That’s exactly what suicide becomes: a lure. It pulls you, it’s like an enchanting trance. You’re so tired, exhausted with all the fighting to get up every morning and do the most ridiculous little things that have become huge mountains, you suffer such a non-physical pain, you’re so frustrated that you can’t tear at it, that you are pulled, hypnotized by the lure of suicide.

Ten years ago, I was completely down, diagnosed as bipolar (manic-drepressive), suffering from panic and anxiety attacks which eventually developed into agoraphobia. I still associated good times with drinking, but I wasn't drinking that much because I knew it wasn't the solution to my problems. Still, the association was there.

I smoked a lot of pot. Not all the time, but for periods of 1 to 3 months, I would smoke every day, dreaming my life away. Then I'd stop for months because I'd get fed up with myself and too tired to get out of my rut.

I was broke, had no social life, was afraid that it would be almost impossible for me to regain confidence and move on with whatever I wanted to achieve. Did not have any trust in finding any help from professionals.

I felt old and ugly.

I hated my body. Always had, in some way. Though I'd never been fat, I'd always felt fat. So I'd binge on chips and chocolate for a day or two, and then go for weeks without eating much. Over and over and over again, binge, starve, binge, starve.

I slept most of the day, stayed up at night.
Reading, watching television,
dreaming of a better life.
Crying a lot.

Going out of my mind.
Living with the thought of dying.

Six years ago, fed up and finally facing my sexual abuse issues, I did the "do or die" thing and went looking for help. For the third time in fifteen years.

I got an appointment at a mental health clinic, trembled through it, and was scheduled to see a psychologist.

From June 2003 to June 2005, I went through one-on-one therapy
with a psychologist, group therapy for panic and anxiety, and
group art therapy for sexual abuse.

Since then, no more depression,
no more panic attacks.

I’m grateful that I finally got to understand what had happened to me and how this affected my life. I’m grateful that I had the strength to go on living, believing that there was an answer. I’m grateful that I finally found therapists that were warm, loving people, not just “professionals”. I’m grateful that I can now love myself, and that I can trust not only myself, but others too.

These days, I take one step at a time.

Baby steps...

I do my best to not compare myself to others, to not put pressure on myself. I believe that each step will build momentum, that the momentum will grow, and that I will attain my goals.

I'm grateful for where I'm at, conscious that I'm not perfect...and that I don't have to be.

And I'm determined to have FUN, no matter what!

To all the crippled souls out there, never cease to look for help.
Trust that you will find it. Believe the Universe
will not abandon you.

Look up and smile...
Stand up and walk...
You are crippled no more!

All my love,
Mudd
xoxo

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from youl. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

To Sweat Or Not To Sweat

In keeping with today's lesson, I'm reminded of a book
my son introduced to me last year.

Written by Richard Carlson, Ph.D., Don't Sweat The Small Stuff...and it's all small stuff shows you how to keep from letting the little things in life drive you crazy. How to put things in perspective.

Here's a most appropriate excerpt for what happened to me today:

Make Peace With Imperfection

I've yet to meet an absolute perfectionist whose life was filled with inner peace. The need for perfection and the desire for inner tranquility conflict with each other. Whenever we are attached to having something a certain way, better than it already is, we are, almost by definition, engaged in a losing battle. Rather than being content and grateful for what we have, we are focused on what's wrong with something and our need to fix it. When we are zeroed in on what's wrong, it implies that we are dissatisfied, discontent.

Whether it's related to ourselves -- a scratch on the car, an imperfect accomplishment, a few pounds we would like to lose -- or someone else's "imperfections" -- the way someone looks, behaves, or lives their life -- the very act of focusing on imperfection pulls us away from our goal of being kind and gentle. This strategy has nothing to do with ceasing to do your very best but with being overly attached and focused on what's wrong with life. It's about realizing that while there's always a better way to do something, this doesn't mean that you can't enjoy and appreciate the way things already are.

The solution here is to catch yourself when you fall into your habit of insisting that things should be other than they are. Remind yourself that life is okay the way it is, right now. In the absence of your judgment, everything would be fine. As you begin to eliminate your need for perfection in all areas of your life, you'll begin to discover the perfection in life itself.

For more of Richard's wisdom, visit his website by clicking here.

Hugs always,
Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Life Lessons

I didn't know it at the time, but there's a lesson
to be learned from my previous post.

You see, prior to posting "Inspiration Corner," I was feeling guilty that I hadn't written anything yesterday, and I was a bit upset that I wasn't in that great of a writing mood today, either. But instead of beating myself up, instead of putting major strain on myself for not being Mizz Perfect Blogger, I opted to post a simple quote. It was better than nothing, I thought, and my conscience would be soothed till my inspiration came back.

Well, that's exactly what happened: I made it short and sweet, pressed the publish button, and lo and behold, I felt at peace with myself, as well as with you the readers, and the shroud of anxiety that had begun to envelop me was gently removed. I was relieved.

And now, just a few hours later, I'm back to my chatty self again. How quickly moods change! That's why it's important not to let yourself go when the doldrums roll in. Go with the gloom, I say, and do the best you can. Even if it's doing the laundry or sorting the mail, washing your hair or tidying up your closet, just MOVE! As long as you do one little thing, no matter how insignificant it may seem, you'll feel much better. You'll take the pressure out of everyday life.

Baby steps... always remember
that it's all about baby steps.

Be light. Be happy. Be well, my friends.

Hugs,
Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.
xoxo

Inspiration Corner

Hello!

I admit, there are days when not knowing what to write can cause anxiety. I care for you, I want to provide you with interesting information, but sometimes I wish I could just be silent, look in your eyes and see your soul, reach out and touch your hand.

So here's my way of reaching out to you today: this beautiful quote I found on my screensaver this morning.

If a little dreaming is dangerous,
the cure for it is not to dream less
but to dream more, to dream all the time.
- Marcel Proust

I've been receiving inspirational words every morning for over four years. If you're interested, you can download PaperQuote screensavers by clicking here.

Pleasant dreams to all...

Mudd
xoxo

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Game Time

Hello!

Family life can be pretty rock and roll. The frantic pace involves the
juggling of career responsibilities, carting children to day care and
soccer practice, homework and housework. With all this going on,
there's not much time left for families to "connect", to slow down
and have fun.

If you only find connection through sitting in front of the television set, then you're missing out on quality time with your children. Nowadays, you can barely even do that, because the kids are either surfing the Web or spending hours playing video games.

Some families have committed to a regular "Game Night" where they all get together and play a good ol' board game. This way, you get to actually talk to each other -- developing communication skills is important --, and many families notice how these activities help them become reacquainted with one another.

One place you really should be playing games is when you're on a car trip. Because long rides can become boring and cause stress to both children and parents. If you want to stave off the inevitable "Are we there yet?", then try the following travel game that is both fun and educational.

What If

All you need for "What If" is some imagination and maybe a map. Some of the best games you'll ever play with your kids are games that involve creativity and imagination.

In this game, you pose a "what if" scenario to your child or children, and they have to describe the conditions and possibilities.

For example: Ask the kids, "What if the car trip we're taking was actually in a covered wagon?" The questions the kids should consider answering are things like:

• How long would the trip take?
  
• How many times would you have to stop to feed and water the horses?
  
• What would you eat?
  
• How much water would you need to bring?
  

You can look at the map with the children and try to imagine what the country looked like with single lane dirt roads. What kind of obstacles would you encounter on these roads?

A map is an excellent prop for this game. Use some of your historical knowledge to liven up the discussion. If you have time before the trip, study up on the history a little bit and offer information to the children to liven up their imaginations. You can even bring along a couple of books on the topic. If someone else is driving, you can always look at the pictures in the book with the children and talk about what life in the "olden days" was like. If you are the only one driving, brush up on the geography before the trip with the kids, circle highlights on the map, and have the kids spot them as you continue the journey.

You can even set up an even more imaginative scenario: What would the trip be like if you did it a thousand years from now? Would you be traveling to other planets? What kind of vehicle would you be traveling in? What kind of fuel would it take? What would you be eating and drinking? What obstacles could you encounter?

Kids will love this game. There's no history lesson to teach, just a lot of creative energy to indulge.

For more games, get The Complete Idiot's Guide To Family Games, by Amy Wall.

Bon Voyage!

Mudd
xoxo

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Julia's Basic Tools: FREE PDF Download

Hi!

I just took a stroll on
Julia Cameron's

website and found a free PDF download.

It's called The Basic Tools, and you can download
the 16-page document if you click here.

You'll get to learn all about Morning Pages
and maybe get as addicted to them as I am.

I also discovered there's a Forum on her site.
Go check it out...click here.

That's all for today's Bonbons folks...
Stay tuned for some games and hopefully
a philosophical nugget or two.

Lots of hugs,
Mudd
xoxo

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link in the sidebar.

Deep Thoughts Time

I just love Jack Handey's Deep Thoughts.

You may be familiar with this popular Saturday Night Live feature.
I find Jack's humour so deliciously absurd that I intend to make
Deep Thoughts a regular highlight on Anxiety Buster Bonbons.

So here's today's selection.
If you don't find it funny,
then fake it!

The memories of my family outings are still a source of strength to me.
I remember we'd all pile into the car - I forget what kind it was -
and drive and drive. I'm not sure where we'd go, but I think there were
some trees there. The smell of something was strong in the air as we
played whatever sport we played. I remember a bigger, older guy
we called "Dad." We'd eat some stuff, or not, and then I think we
went home. I guess some things never leave you.

Don't Let The Bed Bugs Bite

In her article, Yoga For A Good Night's Sleep, Sally Eauclaire Osborne's message is clear: If falling asleep is a problem for you, then stress is the likely culprit.

We all know how important it is to get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation depresses the immune system, increases irritability, and slows reaction time, thus increasing the likelihood of car crashes and other accidents. But how much sleep does one need in order to function properly? Most say it should be between seven and nine hours.

I was surprised to learn how traditional societies have different sleep customs than ours. Apparently, it's quite common for people in non-industrialized societies to go to bed early, sleep for a few hours, and then wake up in the middle of the night to record dreams, meditate, contemplate, make art, or make love. They then go back to bed for a few more hours of rest.

Another way of going about it is to spend less time sleeping at night, and compensate by napping during the day. This was a popular pattern with Thomas Jefferson and Winston Churchill.

So, what do you do if you can't fall asleep, and you're not the type to spend the night sculpting...or you don't have a significant other to make love to?

Sally's answer is to have an active yoga routine during the day.

If you want to wind down, try calming poses such as lying with your feet up the wall. Deep belly breathing is also recommended.

Here's a pose I practice many times a day. If I'm waiting for the water to boil for my mint tea, or if I've been sitting at the computer for too long, I take a few minutes to do the Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana).

One of the many benefits of this pose is that it calms the brain. It also reduces fatigue and anxiety, and helps relieve stress, headaches, and insomnia.

But be careful if you have a back problem or injury. Remember: You should always seek professional advice before starting any fitness program.

Pleasant dreams!

Mudd

For Susan's article, click here

For more details on the Uttanasana pose, click here

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

A Mammoth A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

Tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors were
much better at eliminating stress and anxiety than
we are in our modern times.

When confronted with a pack of charging mammoths,
the stress and anxiety created by this dreadful occurrence
lead to a pattern of physical reactions: their muscles
tensed, their breathing became rapid and shallow, and the
stimulation of the adrenal glands which pour adrenaline into
the system got them to fight or flight. In the case of the charging
mammoths, I presume they fled.




In addition to the regular fight and flight exercises, the
lifestyle in vogue during the Pleistocene epoch procured
our lucky ancestors with an increased amount of daily physical
activities that continually regulated the build up of stress.
Hunting for your food with nothing but a club is a great
stress reliever.

Nowadays, however, we live in a world which doesn't allow for
as much running and fighting. So we are stuck with the same
pattern of physical reactions whenever something dreadful or
annoying occurs -- tense muscles, rapid and shallow breathing,
adrenaline rush -- but we deal with it by mostly fleeing. Only not
with our legs: with food, and alcohol, and drugs.

The more we do this, the more we feel trapped, as if things
are happening to us and we can't protect ourselves, or we
don't know how to improve our situation.

We have no release.

This is were exercise seems to change all of that. Once people
begin and stick to even a modest exercise program, they start
to feel a sense of taking control over their life.

Exercise helps us absorb and burn off the excess adrenaline
that can lead to symptoms such as sweating and shakiness.
In addition to this, exercise promotes the production of pituitary
gland secretions known as endorphines. And endorphines
are natural anti-depressants that can safely and powerfully
promote a sense of well being. At no cost...and with no side-effects.

So think about that the next time you feel stressed and anxious.

Take care!

Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

The Anti-Anxiety Diet

Now that you know what not to eat,
assuming you have read my previous post,
let's see what foods you should choose in
order to stay calm, even when the going
gets tough.

The following menus were taken from an article
written by Sue Gilbert, Eat for Wellness: Anti-Anxiety Diet.
This article can be found, along with plenty of other
useful information, by clicking here.

BREAKFAST

option one

whole-wheat English muffin topped
with natural peanut butter
calcium-fortified orange juice
chamomille tea
multivitamin and mineral supplement

option two

whole wheat banana soy muffin with
added raisins and walnuts
(raisins are high in B6, and walnuts in omega-3)
1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese
decaf coffee
multivitamin and mineral supplement

option three

oatmeal with bananas
calcium-fortified orange juice
St. John's Wort tea


LUNCH

option one

whole-wheat pita pizza topped with
low-fat cheese, tomato sauce and
fresh-sliced veggies
fresh orange sections
soda water with lime

option two

pita pocket sandwich filled with turkey,
tomatoes, lettuce and sprouts
fruit salad with banana, pineapple
and oranges
skim milk

option three

three bean salad on greens
whole-wheat tortilla
chamomille tea


DINNER

option one

quick turkey tetrazzini
mixed green salad
pot of peppermint tea

option two

pork tenderloin roast
1/2 acorn squash with butter and
brown sugar
banana bread pudding
spring water with lemon

option three

thai tofu stir-fry
brown basmati rice
fruit salad
decaf green tea


SNACKS (choose two a day)

mixed dried fruit and nuts
6 ounces fat free yogurt topped with
fresh berries and chopped walnuts
whole-wheat crackers with almond butter
small corn tortilla filled with hummus and sprouts


HEALTHY DO'S AND DON'TS

Do:

Take a multivitamin supplement that includes
B and B6. Even undetectable malnutrition can
lead to feelings of anxiety.

Exercise daily. The endorphins produced make
you feel relaxed, plus exercise reduces muscle
tension and blood pressure.

Drink plenty of water or other fluids like herb tea.

Don't:

Consume alcohol. Sure, a glass of wine before
a big date takes the edge off, but the calming
effect of alcohol is short-lived. Once it has
worn off, there is a likelihood that your level
of anxiety will actually increase.

Consume caffeine, which can be found in tea,
coffee, may sodas, chocolate, and some
energy/sports drinks and foods.

You can find all the recipes on iVillage
if you click here and follow the links.

Pleasant eating!

Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Feeding The Monster

Nice to see you again!


Now, here's a little story for you...


When I was bored or stressed out,
or just plain fed up with life,
I used to go on eating binges.

I would go out and buy a bag of
pop corn, a bag of barbecue chips,
a bag of hickory sticks, a medium-
sized bottle of Coke, a Caramilk bar,
and a box or two of Smarties.

I'd come home, pull out the big
yellow plastic bowl from under
the kitchen counter, and empty
the contents of the bags, taking
care not to mix the popcorn with
the chips and the hickory sticks.
I wanted the bowl to be well
organized, easy to navigate
through, and agreable to the
eye: barbecue chips on the right,
hickory sticks on the left, and
the beautiful golden popcorn
in the middle.

I would then grab another bowl,
a small glass one, out of the
cupboard over the kitchen sink,
and break the Caramilk bar into
little squares which I carefully
piled up on one side of the bowl.
I'd then spill the Smarties on the
other side, making sure the red
ones were all at the bottom.
I liked to eat them last.

Depending on my mood, I'd either
choose a tall glass or a mug, and
I'd fill it to the rim with ice cold
Coke. Mouth watering, I'd carry
my lot of goodies to the living room
where I plopped my sad self down
on the sofa for an evening of sitcoms
and maybe a movie if I had rented one.

So for the next two and a half hours
it took me to eat my assortment of junk,
I felt exhilirated. But once the bowls were
empty, I felt guilty as hell. Guilty, and very,
very nauseous.

I had fed The Monster.
The anxiety was back,
stronger than ever.

In my next installment, you'll learn
how a proper diet can flush the
anxiety out of your system.

Be good,
Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

The Big Laugh...And How To Catch It - Part 2

Pre-school-aged kids can laugh up to 400 times a day.
And from what I can see, for no apparent reason.

But by the time kids reach adulthood, the average
goes down to a mere 17 times a day, give or take
a chuckle.

So what can we do to raise our Giggle Level,
and maybe get rosier cheeks and regular
bowel movement?

Funny T.V. shows and movies come to mind.

You can make a night of it and invite a friend
to the theatre. Laughter is contagious, so you'll
surely end up laughing twice as hard with a whole
audience in stitches around you.

Then again, you can rent a video or a DVD,
and laugh all you want in your underwear!

Try looking around you for some of the best
humour there is: everyday life. Laugh at your
frustrations. You know the old saying: "One day,
we'll look back at this and laugh." Then why not
laugh at it right away and save on ulcer medication?

Develop a happy-go-lucky attitude. Start
acting less uptight when things get stressful.
Instead of putting on a rigid, angry, frustrated
façade when nothing's working "right", switch to
acting let's say, a bit silly. You'll quickly see a
lowering of your blood pressure and a heightening
of your fun factor.

I swear to Peanuts!

And if you really, really can't find any reason
to laugh, then fake it. Fake laughter fools your
mind into believing everything's fine. The more
you practice, the better you'll get at it.

On your mark...
Get set...

LAUGH!

Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

The Big Laugh...And How To Catch It - Part 1

Just like hugs, laughs are a must if you want
to enjoy a healthy, happy life.

It's been researched and proven that laughter
strengthens the immune system, reduces food
cravings, and in some cases, it increases your
threshold for pain.

Well...not if you laugh too hard.

Then again, the benefits you'll get from a good,
long belly laugh are certainly worth a little
pain in the gut.

Because apart from reducing your level of stress
hormones--cortisol, epinephrine, adrenaline,
dopamine, etc,--a roaring laugh increases the
level of health-enhancing hormones such as
endorphins and neurotransmitters.

PLUS, if you can hold that laugh just a wee bit more,
you'll get a BONUS increase in antibody-producing
cells as well as a total enhancement of the effectiveness
of your T cells.

FREE!

And for those of you looking to improve your looks,
a good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts
the abs, and even works out the shoulders, leaving
muscles more relaxed.

BONUS NUMBER TWO: Laughter provides a good
workout for the heart.

So, my friends, I leave you with these Words of Wisdom:

Crack Yourself Up!

Lots of laughs,
Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Happy Days Are Here Again

Every day is a happy day once you learn to relax.

Yoga is, of course, a definite path to total OMness.

Why not try this very simple posture, and see
what it can do for you...

The Child Pose (Bala-asana ) Instructions:

1		Sit on your knees with your feet together and buttocks resting on your heels. Separate your knees about the width of your hips. Place your hands on your thighs, palms down. (This is the vajra-asana or Thunderbolt Pose).
2		Inhale deeply, then exhale as you bring your chest between your knees while swinging your arms forward.
3		Rest your forehead on the floor, if possible, and then bring your arms around to your sides until the hands are resting on either side of your feet, palms up.
4		Breathe gently through your nostrils as you hold the posture. Hold for about one to two minutes. Then return to an upright kneeling position with your back straight and your hands on your thighs.
5		Repeat the posture at least one more time.

Learn more at Santosha Shop: click here

Yours in total bliss,
Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Time To Relax

Hi!

How about taking a few minutes to relax?

We all know we need it...
but we tend to put it off.

Not today!

If you really want to tackle your anxiety problems,
then commit to spending at least 15 minutes a day
doing simple techniques that will change the way
you feel AND the way you think.

Once you feel more relaxed, you'll start thinking
differently. A relaxed state opens the mind to
positive outcomes.

I say we all start NOW!

• Loosen your clothing and get comfortable.
  
  

• Tighten the muscles in your toes. Hold for a count of 10. Relax and enjoy the sensation of release from tension.
  
  

• Flex the muscles in your feet. Hold for a count of 10. Relax.
  
  

• Move slowly up through your body-- legs, abdomen, back, neck, face-- contracting and relaxing muscles as you go.
  
  

• Breathe deeply and slowly.

Let's decide to do this simple routine
for the next 3 days.

That's the only commitment I ask of you: 3 days.

If you can do this for 3 days, you'll be on your way
to a brand new life.

Baby steps...

Baby steps lead to momentum.
Momentum leads to success!

Hugs,
Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Hugs And More Hugs

Have YOU had your hugs today?

Scientific research has shown
that every human being needs:

• four hugs per day merely to survive
• eight hugs per day to maintain oneself at a strong emotional level
• twelve hugs per day to grow

Now that's a whole lotta hugs!

And I'm ready to bet my Daisy that you and I
aren't even getting the required number of hugs
to survive, let alone GROW.

So what can we do about it?

Because we should be getting our
Daily Dozen Hug Drug...

When you stop and think that hugs help
the body's immunity system, keep you
healthier, cure depression, reduce stress,
induce sleep, are invigorating and
rejuvenating...why would you go another
day without them?

If there's no way you can get them from
your partener, friends, or family, then
start giving them away yourself.
Once you give a hug, you get a hug.

Or you can always hug a tree.
And even hug yourself!

Hugs,
Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Morning Pages

Hi!

Do you know Julia Cameron?

She's a talented novelist, playwright, songwriter and poet
whose bestselling works on the creative process have
touched people all over the world.

In The Artist's Way,
Julia introduces a daily practice that has changed
my life for the better: Morning Pages.

Now, you don't need to be a struggling artist to benefit
from this practice. Anyone can do it.

The Morning Pages are three pages of longhand writing.
You do them every morning, right after you wake up.
And don't worry, they are strickly stream-of-consciousness:
not meant to be art...or even writing, for that matter. You
simply let your hand move across the page, and you write
down whatever comes to mind.

I've found this practice to be very liberating. Whatever bothers
me or worries me or causes me to have fear, I can deal with all
of it in my Morning Pages.

It's a fantastic release for tension, anger, frustrations, petty
annoyances...all the crippling feelings that build up inside of you
and create anxiety. Once you spill them on your pages,
you feel relieved, exorcised.

So give it a try.
It's worth it!

And who knows...
It might stir the Artist in you,
the Inner Child who wants
to play.

Find more about Julia Cameron: click here

Hugs,
Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

How Much Anxiety Is Too Much Anxiety?

The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA)
has put together some great screening tools that will help
you better understand what you may be dealing with.


On their website, which can be found by clicking here,
you'll be able to take the following tests:

• Anxiety disorders in adolescents: a self-test
• Anxiety disorders in children: a test for parents
• Anxiety disorders self-test for family members
• OCD self-test
• Panic disorder self-test
• Phobia self-test
• Post-traumatic stress disorder self-test
• Social phobia self-test

As the people at ADAA so rightly say, anxiety is a real and
serious health problem that responds to treatment. And the
first step towards a complete recovery is to seek help.

If you suspect that you might suffer from one or more of the
anxiety disorders listed above, go to the ADAA link I've
provided and complete the appropriate tests. Once on their
site, you only have to click on the "yes" or "no" boxes next
to each question, print out the test, and show the results to
your health care professional.

Because I'm here to give you helpful hints, loads of love,
and maybe even a laugh or two. But please make sure
you seek professional help....if only to reassure yourself
that you're not COMPLETELY CRAZY!

Big hugs,
Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.

Been There...Done That

Hello!

How insulting is it for you to be
trapped in the mesh of anxiety?

I know...I've been there.

In the weeks and months to come,
I will share with you my secrets.
How I came to free myself of
anxiety, panic attacks, and
recurring bouts of depression.

I have no miracle cure.
But I do have plenty of tips,
and lots of love and laughter
to share.

My mission--and I do accept it-- is
to hear your say, loud and clear:
"Been there...done that!"

So let's get ready
to bust the anxiety
out of our lives
once and for all.

Hugs,
Mudd

P.S.: Questions or not, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at
anxietybuster@gmail.com or simply click the link on the sidebar.