Mental Health Articles

Holidays 101: Handling Holiday Stress

Thanksgiving may be behind us, but we are still entering the major holiday season… or the major stress season for some. The holidays are stressful for many during a normal year, but couple that with shipping delays, shortages, and inflation, many people may be finding it hard to cope this year.

So how can you better deal with your holiday stress? Experts suggest the following:

• Talk with your family and find out what holiday traditions mean the most to them and focus on those activities and not ALL of the holiday activities.
• Make a holiday schedule and invite your family members to help you keep on that schedule.
• Make it a proactive event to find out what worked and what didn’t from year to year.

In the News Exercise For Your Brain

Despite what many people think, our brain can remain sharp, active, vital and creative no matter what our age.

Our brain can create new brain cells and new connections between them over the years, but our brain vitality is completely up to us. Maintaining that vitality is truly a “use it or lose it” situation.

Studies done by several schools of medicine suggest that the more stimulating and intellectually challenging that we make our lives, the better our odds are to keep our brain sharp as we get older.

Some ways to keep our brains sharp include:

Reduce stress: stress can wear down the hippocampus, which plays a major role in memory function.

Exercise regularly: exercising delivers more oxygen-rich blood to the brain which is vital for producing new brain cells and preventing atrophy.

Eat low-fat and healthy: glucose spikes and fatty plaque deposits due to overeating can damage the brain, so a lower-calorie diet promotes better circulation and helps to control weight.

Challenge your brain: challenging your brain by learning and doing something new every week helps to create new neural pathways, helping to make your brain more versatile and able to multi-task.

In the News Brain Injury Awareness – Part II

(Continued from Part I…)

An acquired brain injury (ABI) is an “injury to the brain that is not hereditary, congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma. Essentially, this type of brain injury is one that has occurred after birth. The injury results in a change to the brain’s neuronal activity, which affects the physical integrity, metabolic activity, or functional ability of nerve cells in the brain.” 

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as an “alteration in brain function, or other evidence of brain pathology, caused by an external force. Traumatic impact injuries can be defined as closed (or non-penetrating) or open (penetrating).”

Often referred to as an acquired brain injury, a non-traumatic brain injury causes” damage to the brain by internal factors, such as a lack of oxygen, exposure to toxins, pressure from a tumor, etc.” falls, assaults, motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, abusive head trauma, gunshot wounds, workplace injuries, child or domestic abuse, and military actions. 

Non-traumatic brain injuries include stroke, hemorrhage, blood clot, infectious disease, meningitis, seizure, electric shock, tumors, neurotoxic poisoning, lack of oxygen, drug overdose, and aneurysm. 

Just as no two people are exactly alike, no two brain injuries are exactly alike. For some, brain injury is the start of a lifelong disease process. Brain injury requires access to a full continuum of treatment and community-based supports provided by appropriately educated clinicians serving on an interdisciplinary treatment team.

The individual who sustains a brain injury and his or her family are the most important members of the treatment team. Their choices, goals, and backgrounds will be taken into consideration when it comes to the appropriate treatment.

In the News Brain Injury Awareness – Part I

Every March in the United States, we recognize Brain Injury Awareness. Brain injuries are unpredictable in its consequences and change everything about a person in a matter of seconds.

Here we look at some aspects, causes, and treatments of brain injuries and remind those that have either personally suffered a brain injury or are caring for a loved one with a brain injury, that you are not alone.

Understanding the brain.

The brain is divided into sections called lobes. Each lobe has an important and specific function. The lobes and some of their functions are:

Frontal Lobe: attention, concentration, organization, problem solving.

Temporal Lobe: memory, receptive language, hearing.

Parietal Lobe: sense of touch, depth perception, identification of shapes, sizes, colors.

Occipital Lobe: vision.

Cerebellum: balance and coordination.

Brain Stem: breathing, heart rate, sleep and wake cycles.

Damage to specific lobes.

An injury to the frontal lobes may affect an individual’s ability to control emotions, impulses, and behavior or may cause difficulty recalling events or speaking.

An injury to the temporal lobes may lead individuals to demonstrate difficulty with communication or memory.

Individuals who have injured their parietal lobes may have trouble with their five primary senses.

An injury to one’s occipital lobes may lead to trouble seeing or perceiving the size and shape of objects. 

An injury to the cerebellum may affect balance, movement, and coordination. 

The brain stem controls the body’s involuntary functions that are essential for survival, such as breathing and heart rate.

(Continued in Part II…)

In the News Autism Acceptance Month – Part II

(Continued from Part I…)

Autism can affect anyone at any span in their life, but research has shown that early diagnosis can lead to a better quality of life. Things to watch for in young children include:

• Prefers solitary play rather than playing with other children/peers.
• Prefers predictable, structured play over spontaneous or make-believe play.
• May not respond to name being called.
• Struggles to make eye contact to communicate interests and/or needs. 

Therapies take up the large bulk of treatment and support of those living with Autism.

Occupational therapy teaches skills that help the person live as independently as possible.

Sensory integration therapy helps the person deal with sensory issues.

Behavior and communication therapies address the range of social, language and behavior difficulties associated with ASD.

Speech therapy helps to improve the person’s communication skills.

Education therapy are highly structured educational programs that children with ASD often respond well to.

The prognosis for a child with autism depends on the severity of their initial symptoms but can be influenced by early intervention and treatment. For years autism was thought to be irreversible. While autism is a lifelong condition, there are now evidence-based treatments that can help and support people with autism.