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Tag Archive for: mental health

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What’s Your Emotional IQ?

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

I have four daughters – two are teens and two are tweens.  That is a lot of estrogen in our house.  Yet it is an interesting time for our family – as our girls are navigating the perils of adolescence I too am finding myself in a stage I am calling “adultescence” whereby my thoughts, feelings and emotions are changing as theirs are.  This creates an interesting ebb and flow of all of us learning together what it all means as a teen girl to “grow up” and as an adult to start “letting go”.

I had one of those adultescent “ahaha” moments the other day with one of my teen daughters.  She is very socially driven and relationships are very important to her.  Over the last few months as school has resumed, she has been struggling with some of her friendships.  One girl just suddenly stopped responding to messages, one takes pleasure in forwarding hurtful messages, and another treats my daughter as the weekend “last resort”.  In talking to my daughter about these events, my “ahaha” moment came when I realized that my daughter, already, is highly emotionally intelligent.  She has the ability to put herself in the position of others and regulates her own behavior (so far) on how she would feel as the recipient.  This is a gift for her, but puts her at a relationship disadvantage as many of her peers are not there yet.   She “feels” in a relationship like she is 25, but is trying to rationalize the emotional behavior of kids 13 and 14.

According to psychology today, Emotional Intelligence includes three skills:

1. Emotional awareness, including the ability to identify your own emotions and those of others;

2. The ability to harness emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problem solving;

3. The ability to manage emotions, including the ability to regulate your own emotions, and the ability to cheer up or calm down another person.

Emotional intelligence then includes:  self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.  It can affect: personal relationships, workplace (or school) performance, physical and mental health, and how you deal with situations such as loss or disability.

The good news is that experts believe that emotional intelligence can be learned, even in adults.  How do you know if you are emotionally intelligent?  Perhaps reflect on your relationships – are you able to sustain positive and loving bonds with others?  Can you empathize and relate to people during their struggles, and do they know that you “get it” and are emotionally available to them?  Do you regulate your own behavior based on how others might feel if you act a certain way, or say certain things?  Before sending that text, email or calling someone in anger do you consider how you want them to “feel” following your interaction?  Do you take pleasure in being right even if that makes others feel bad?  If you want to test your level of emotional intelligence, or raise your emotional IQ, take a quiz to see where you’re at:  Emotional Intelligence Quotient Quiz.

Do you think you need to improve in this area?  Some suggestions include:

  • practice mindfulness – in social situations, at work, at home with family relationships.
  • Stay in touch with your feelings through journaling or meditation “check-ins”.
  • Connect your feelings to the situation and try to separate the person from their behavior.
  • Check your thoughts – how you think can become how you feel, and the good news is you can change how you think!
  • Communicate with others and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable to those close to you to help sort through feelings, thoughts and emotions.
  • And if you can, don’t take the comments of others personally.  Their thoughts about you do not need to become the thoughts you have about yourself.
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Recognizing Psychological Tramua in Kids Following An Accident

As Occupational Therapists we use a holistic approach to help our clients.  After an accident we assess and treat not only the physical effects, but the emotional impact such a traumatic experience can have on one’s life.  The following article by Roger Foisy, a Canadian Personal Injury Lawyer, discusses how approximately “15-25% of children involved in car accidents show symptoms of depression that remain even months after the accident.”  Take a look at the article to learn how to recognize the signs and some great ways to help children cope after the traumatic experience of a car accident.

Roger Foisy:   Helping Children Overcome Psychological Trauma after Car Accidents

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The Healing Power of Animals

Animals are amazing.  Dogs specifically have been known to help reduce stress, provide companionship, and trigger the release of helpful chemicals in the brain.  Therefore, they are helpful, not only as guide dogs and service animals, but as companion animals for those suffering from mental illness.  The following from the Huffington Post shares an amazing story of how one dog helped a young woman manage her anxiety and depression.

The Huffington Post:  How a Dog Helped Me Manage My Anxiety and Depression

Be sure to check out our previous posts related to dogs and service animals:  Dog Awesomeness and Service Dogs are in the Grocery Store, Why Not the Schools?

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The Role of OT in Suicide Prevention

Sometimes occupational deprivation, as a result of illness or injury, can be a catalyst for suicidal thoughts, or even actions. While this may be a heavy topic, we’re here to talk about how Occupational Therapists can make a positive difference in the lives of people who are struggling with thoughts of suicide.

The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention reports that 1 out of every 10 Canadians experience thoughts of suicide at some point in their lives. Occupational Therapists work with people who have experienced a loss of ability to complete everyday life tasks. When a person can no longer work, care for their children, or even go to the bathroom independently, it is easy to understand how thoughts of suicide can seem like an option. The good news is that Occupational Therapists are in the perfect role for addressing these types of situations, and inspiring positive outcomes.

When people have experienced a sudden disability onset like in a motor vehicle accident, we often hear statements like:

·        “I can’t do anything anymore”

·        “This isn’t how it was supposed to be”

·        “I’m missing out”

·        “I’m lost”

·        “I don’t know what to do”

The common thread in all of these statements is that people feel hopeless, and are experiencing occupational deprivation. Occupational deprivation is when a person feels that they can’t participate in meaningful activities due to factors beyond their control.  If this feeling gets strong enough, some people begin to feel that they may be better off ending their lives.  Occupational Therapists are skilled at enabling occupation, so it is easy to see how OT’s  play an integral role in addressing suicide.

One strategy proposed by Kim Hewitt, a leading OT in suicide prevention, is to ask the following question:  “Do you want to die, or do you not want to live like this anymore?”

This question fosters hope in people who are struggling, and it also leads to action; if a person does not want to live like this anymore, they simply need help to make some changes in their lives.  Occupational Therapists can then use their skills in occupational engagement to bring hope into the suicide discussion, and to try to address some of the negative thoughts and emotions the person is feeling.

Remember that occupations are defined not just as paid jobs, but also as things we do that occupy our time.  Occupations can include cooking a meal, going to the bank, or reading a book.  Occupational Therapists therefore give people solutions for living, so that they have all the skills and tools necessary to re-engage in these meaningful life activities. This type of therapy takes time, and sometimes trial and error, but in the end it can help people get back to feeling like themselves again.  These positive feelings can help to combat thoughts of suicide.

Not everyone has training in suicide prevention, but it is a responsibility we all share; someone may approach you about it whether you’re ready or not.  Here are some basic strategies to consider if someone brings up suicide with you:

  • If a person discloses thoughts of suicide to you, they want help, or else they wouldn’t have talked to you about it. This is a compliment – don’t be afraid.
  • Listen to what the person is telling you. Don’t try to relate, or offer false promises like “you’ll feel better tomorrow.” Just listen to them.
  • It’s okay if you don’t know what to do at first. You can tell the person that you want to help because you care about them, but you’re not sure how. Offer to stay with them, call a crisis line with them, or call 911 for professional assistance.
  • Remember this is a medical emergency, just like a heart attack or loss of consciousness – you need to do something.

Our motto at Entwistle Power Occupational Therapy is hope, empower, succeed, and I can’t think of any better population this applies to than people struggling with mental illness and suicidal thoughts.

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Hoarding and Decluttering: 10 Suggestions to Free your Home and Mind

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

We all have keepsakes that are difficult to throw away. Personally, I still have a bag of stuffed animals from when I was a kid (downsized from the four garbage bags of stuffies I had when I got married), and also have a box called “sentimental stuff” that is filled with cards, letters, and keepsakes that I just can’t emotionally part with (poems from my great-grandmother, the last card my grandparents sent me before they passed away, etc).

While these items and “stuff” may be taking up some closet space, they do not significantly affect my ability to function.  That is when being a “pack rat” can cross a line and refers to the subset of the population whose life is significantly impacted from ‘stuff’ building up in their homes. In 2013 “hoarding disorder” officially became a clinical diagnosis, and it is estimated to affect 3-5% of the population.

Hoarding is defined as “persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of the value others may attribute to these possessions. People with this problem accumulate a large number of possessions that often fill up or clutter active living areas of the home or workplace to the extent that their intended use is no longer possible” (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition).

This is a real disorder that has a negative impact on an individual’s emotional, physical, social, financial and even legal aspects of life. Hoarding can get in the way of a person’s ability to participate in daily meaningful occupations, which can result in a deterioration in health and wellness.

It is important for individuals struggling with hoarding to seek treatment. The two current “best treatments” for hoarding disorder are pharmacological and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT recognizes that a person’s thoughts and feelings and behaviors are interconnected and influence one another. Occupational Therapists can use CBT to help someone with hoarding disorder address their disruptive thoughts and feelings to decrease the behavior of hoarding.

While the majority of the population does not struggle from hoarding disorder, the build-up of clutter in a home can sneak up on all of us, and lead to negative consequences such as a disorganized home, feeling discouraged and overwhelmed, and the frustration of misplacing or taking time to find items, to name a few. Here are some unique ways to decrease clutter in the home:

1. Start with 5 minutes. It can be overwhelming to start the process of decluttering, therefore, start with 5 minutes a day and be satisfied with your accomplishments at the end of this time.

2. Give one item away every day for a year. Check out www.365lessthings.com, a blog about a woman who gives away one item a day.

3. Start by filling one bag. Whether it is a donation bag or a trash bag see how quickly you can fill one bag of items to give away or throw out.

4. Do the “Closet Hanger Experiment”. Hang all your clothes with hangers in one direction. After you wear an item replace the hanger in the closet facing the other way. After one year throw away all the clothes on hangers facing the original side – you did not wear these items for a whole year!

5. Do the “12-12-12” challenge. Find 12 things to throw out, 12 things to donate and 12 things to be returned to their proper place in your home.

6. Use the “Four-Box Method”. Systematically go through each room in the house and assign every item to one of four boxes: trash, give away, keep, or relocate. Every item must be assigned something! Remember – you do not have to do this all at once, take your time to go through each room!

7. Make a list and set a time. Make a list of areas in your house you want to clean/declutter then set a time for each one (i.e. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 40 minutes). Start with the first thing on the list and then STOP when time is up. If you did not finish that area within the given time, set a new time and try again later!

8. Try the “Travelers Method”. Think about how small a suitcase is and how you have to prioritize items when packing for a trip. Use the same mindset when decluttering.

9. Rearrange the room. Every few months rearrange furniture in major rooms (i.e. couches, desks, shelves). This will force you to find the junk that has been collecting throughout your home.

10. Play “Musical Chairs” with your closet. Remove all your clothes and hangers from the closet. Take away 5-10 hangers. Start to put your clothes back one at a time, each time assessing whether to keep the clothing item. STOP once you run out of hangers and donate remaining clothes.

A few other useful tips can include calling a friend to come to help – then reciprocate the offer, or call for a free pick-up of household items and once this is on the calendar make sure you fill a box to donate!  Diabetes and Cerebral Palsy are a few local (Ontario) programs that turn your unneeded items into charity.

Decluttering can seem like a daunting process, but using these strategies, and setting small attainable goals, can help you have a peaceful, clutter-free home and mind!

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Postpartum Depression in Men

Postpartum depression is common and, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association, affects 8-12% of mothers.  But did you know that this depression can also affect fathers?  Studies show that postpartum depression can affect anywhere from 10-14% of new fathers.  Check out the following article from the Toronto Star to learn more and take a look at our previous blog post “Man Therapy” to learn about some innovative help for men struggling with mental health issues.

The Toronto Star:  Postpartum depression affects one in 10 fathers

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Eating Disorder Awareness

This week, February 1-7th, is Eating Disorder Awareness Week.  According to a Government conducted 2002 survey, 1.5% of Canadian women aged 15–24 years had an eating disorder.  However, one of the biggest myths about eating disorders is that only females are affected.  Take a look at the following video from the National Eating Disorder Information Center that discusses some of the other common myths about eating disorders and how to seek help for yourself or a loved one.

 

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The Anxiety of Social Media

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)
Co-written with Jacquelyn Bonneville, Occupational Therapist

I can only imagine how it must feel to be a teenager in today’s era of technology and social media.  When I was young, our social circles were those we could call, or see at school, in the neighborhood, at camp, or when playing sports.  If we did something wrong, embarrassing, or “bad” it could only ripple so far in the small puddle that surrounded us.  Now, that puddle is an ocean and our activities, photos, thoughts and feelings can not only reach people that we would not otherwise engage with, but can extend across continents.

Over the last decade researchers have been attempting to capture the good, the bad, and the ugly of social media, with mixed results. Social media platforms include websites like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. People of all ages are engaging in social media, as it becomes one of the most predominant forms of communication. Social media has its benefits and risks, and as the rate of anxiety in North America rises it is important to consider how and why you may be using social media, and what it may be doing to your health.

In some ways, social media is not a new concept at its core. Humans have always desired information, gratification, and social exchange to a certain extent – they also require opportunities to de-stress, to socially disengage, or to feel surrounded by others and yet not obliged to interact with them. Social media trends have made it increasingly more difficult to switch off, leading many to feel constantly bombarded by notifications of what others are doing, thinking, saying, feeling (good or bad).

The concept of instant gratification is now more prominent than ever, with instant “likes”, comments, “re-tweets”, or number of “shares” available, and many strive to measure their social success in these numbers. As social media instant gratification is almost a new norm in society, this is likely to transcend into offline world. How will this expectation of instant gratification affect our ability to be patient with life events that typically take a long time to achieve, such as relationships or career development? What is all this pressure to be well-liked (literally) on social media doing to teens who are developing their social identities in the midst of a social, public world? What does online popularity mean for people who are easily influenced, or have low self-esteem and self-concept? These are questions many therapists are now addressing regularly in sessions with teens and adults alike.

You may have heard hot-topic terms like Facebook Addiction Disorder and Social Media Anxiety Disorder; though neither of these are valid diagnoses currently, it points to the notion that a serious shift is happening in our society. Social Media helps us to create a highlight-reel of our lives – either the life we are living, or the life we want to live – and we only post the things we want people to see and this is often enhanced, truth-stretched, fabricated, sepia-toned, and cropped. It leads people to believe that this is what college is supposed to be like, or what my summer is supposed to look like, or how I’m supposed to look as a mother out with my children. Some literature suggests that social media may be holding us up to completely unrealistic expectations, resulting in us feeling less pride for our accomplishments, and more anxious about how we may be measuring up. For more information on this, and an interesting video of youth explaining social media related anxiety, check out these two articles:

The Very Real Anxiety That Comes From Texting, ‘Likes’ And FOMO

Yale psychiatrist has one explanation for why students these days are so anxious

A study published by The New York Times in 2015 reports anxiety is now the #1 mental health diagnosis on college campuses. The constant comparisons, fear of missing out (or ‘FOMO’ as it is often phrased), and misinterpretations of texts are certainly impacting the mental wellness of people of all ages. As a result, anxiety rates are rising exponentially.

Self-reflection is an important tool often encouraged by therapists to help you understand your own behaviour. Occupational Therapists may encourage self-reflection through mindfulness techniques. For instance, why do you use social media? Look at your last status update or picture upload; why did you post that? Maybe the last interaction with social media you had was to write a comment on a co-worker’s LinkedIn profile, and you believe the reason why you did so was to support their competency of certain skills in hopes of maybe boosting their reputation. Now, think deeper than that, to subconscious reasons that may have also motivated you for doing this: Does it make you look like a good coworker or friend for doing that? Does it help spread your name to gain more connections based on who views their profile? Would you be even a little upset if they didn’t return the favour? So, it is important to ask yourself the question: Why am I really posting this? How does it make me feel afterwards? How am I hoping to make others feel?  Do I have a motive deeper than a simple “like”?

It is important to check-in with yourself regarding your thoughts about social media and why you use it, and to respect that the youth of today have entirely different challenges socially than you may have had. To completely withdraw from social media, or to stop your children from using it entirely, may actually be more harmful than good. However, if your urge to use social media becomes so strong that it is negatively affecting your relationships, work, enjoyment in your accomplishments, time-spending, or if it’s making you feel anxious, professionals like Occupational Therapists (especially those with additional training in Psychotherapy) can be an excellent resource to help get you back to functioning in a way that is meaningful and enjoyable for you. OTs are experts and understanding competing life demands, and have a wealth of experience and knowledge helping people to rebalance into productive function.

For other strategies on how to attempt to manage social media related anxiety, check out:

How to Calm Your Social Media Anxiety

In the end, the verdict is still out on the benefits and risks of social media – from a mental health perspective.  Personally, I could not find what I could call “authenticity” on Facebook but still found myself checking this too often.  So I decided to go on a hiatus and have not returned.  I miss the funny videos and seeing photos of my friends’ children, but don’t miss the ads, bothersome images, or personal crusades that people use this platform to promote.  The most important thing here is behavioral regulation – check your screen time, understand your thoughts, feelings and behaviors when engaging in Social Media and make changes if you are not happy with what you find.  And good luck – kicking or changing any habit is not easy!

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Let’s Talk About Mental Health

Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day in Canada.  Again this year Bell will be raising funds to support mental health initiatives across Canada and to help put a stop to the stigma surrounding mental health.  Take a look at these 5 great ways to help end the stigma and watch one of this year’s powerful videos.

 

Remember to tweet using the hashtag #BellLetsTalk and/or share the Bell Let’s Talk Day image to generate a 5 cent donation by Bell!