The Benefits of Exercise for Mental Health

/ Life Balance Counseling/

The past two years being in the quarantine has shown us many things. It appears we are slowly working our way out of it. Maybe some level of normalcy is returning and although the quarantine was not something we wanted or even saw coming it made us look at circumstances different. It made people consider being plant parents, learn new hobbies, and learn what does and doesn’t work for them and their mental health. Many people realized that in the quiet of life, without back-to-back schedules, not going out, not going to stores, etc. that there were mental health issues that were never fully addressed.

Being quiet and being still has ways to make us look at things we may have never looked at before. This was true for new hobbies and even coping skills people learned about during the quarantine. People learned that YouTube was overflowing with ways to be active without going to a gym or even knowing anything about exercise before. YouTube, Nike apps, and even virtual exercise classes were available and being used more than maybe ever. The best thing about working from home was also that the gym was also at home too. Many began to learn how being physically active caused positive results in their mental health too.

Studies have shown that exercise can help reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, ADHD and stress. For many of these, exercise increases different chemical levels in our brains that help us feel relaxed, happy, and can honestly be a welcomed distraction to the negative feelings that can come to our minds. These benefits alone can make someone want to lace up their shoes and even get a short walk in around the neighborhood.

Other benefits of regular exercise include:

  • Sharper memory and focus

  • Better sleep

  • More energy

  • Stronger resilience – particularly in the area of being able to cope in a healthy manner and building resilience when mental or emotional challenges arise.

Not everyone has the ability to run a 5k or devote an hour to swimming or making their way to a gym but even 10-15 minutes of physical exertion can improve mood and energy levels. So, feel free to start small and then work your way up to more time, if you have the time. And always before starting exercise make sure to consult with you doctor or physician to ensure that it will be safe for you.

Here is a list of YouTube videos to start getting those “happy chemicals” activated in your brain:

This list is just the beginning to all the resources available on YouTube. If for any reason jumping is too much for your body, you can find videos focused on exercises that do not involve jumping, or if you want to focus only on doing yoga and committing to that every day, there are yoga challenges that you can participate in.  This is all about making changes and doing things that will be the best for you and helping you reach your goals. The benefits of exercise have been studied and proven and that paired with therapy can prove to yield many positive results. If for any reason you may not know where to start ask your doctor or therapist where could be a good place to start and making some simple and measurable goals for you in the area of physical health.

By: Brandi Hatter, MSW

Feelings and Meanings

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Feelings and Meanings

Feelings such as sadness, loneliness, anger, love, and hopelessness are tied to some meaning in our lives. For example, if you are lonely, it likely means that connection is important to you. Feeling love means another person is important to you. Anxiety may mean that something important to you is in danger. 

It can be hard to put into words WHY you feel the way you do. Finding words to describe the feeling is easy, but why you feel an emotion is a little trickier to define. Below will help you work towards noticing and identifying your feelings, because understanding their meanings can help you live with a full range of emotions. Look for the meanings contained in your feelings.

Once we can identify these parts of emotions, we can make choices to change them. We can affect our overall emotional experience by changing any one or all of these five components. 

The Five Parts of an Emotion

Emotions have several parts to them. Often, we are not fully aware of them when we experience an emotion, but they are:

Sensations: Body reactions when experiencing an emotion. 

Example: When I feel angry, I notice that my heart beats rapidly, I feel my body getting tense, and sounds are more intense to me. 

Questions to ask: What sensations do you notice when you feel certain emotions? (Anxious, angry, sad)

Beliefs: A thought or belief that we have about what is going on in the moment. 

Example: That guy is so rude. He totally cut me off on purpose! 

Questions to ask: What thoughts do you have when you are feeling angry? Do you place blame? Do you think they or you are a bad person?

Goals: An emotion is about something. Finding that meaning is key!

Example: I may be angry because I am stuck in traffic, and I think I will be late. This thought may not be enough to make me feel angry. The goal is that I need to get to work on time. I am angry about traffic because it is getting in the way of my goal. I might not be angry or frustrated about traffic if I am indifferent about being on time. 

Questions to ask: Is this emotion triggered by your concern about being listened to, treated unfairly, or blocked in achieving something? Your emotions point to your goals. Dig deeper!

Behaviors: We all have a tendency toward some behavior related to the emotion. 

Example: In the case of anger, I might want to attack. I might also clench my fists, stomp my feet, throw things, or pace. 

Questions to ask: Look at your own emotions. What do you do when you feel certain emotions?

Interpersonal Tendencies: We may feel inclined to say something, seek out reassurance, clutch onto someone, or avoid people. 

Example: I might feel inclined to tell the driver that he is rude. When I am feeling anxious, I might turn to a close friend and seek reassurance. 

Question to ask: What do you do interpersonally when you have an intense emotion?

Here is an example of how to complete this activity at home. Feel free to pick as many emotions as you want and dive deep into WHY you have certain feelings.

Loneliness

Sensations

Beliefs

Goals

Behaviors

Interpersonal Tendencies

Heavy feeling in my body

I will always be alone

To feel connected

Withdraw from others

Seek out support

Feeling empty inside

No one cares about me

To feel cared about

Lie on the couch watching movies

Contact a friend

Check out this book for more great ideas to help you discover and understand your unique emotional type.

Don’t Believe Everything You Feel, A CBT Workbook to Identify Your Emotional Schemas and Find Freedom from Anxiety and Depression by Robert L. Leahy, PHD


Signs Your Child Might Be Self-Injuring 

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The thought that your child might be self-injuring is frightening and can be alarming. It can often be difficult to understand why your child is or wants to self-injure. The good news is that by understanding causes and signs, early interventions and help can take place. 

What is Self-Injury?

Self-injury, or self-harm, is the act of hurting oneself physically without the intent to end one’s life. It is often a sign of emotional distress in which it is often used as a coping skill to feel better. 

Causes of Self-Harm

Today adolescents face many challenges and often do not have the coping skills to deal with those distressing emotions. Challenges teenagers and children face today may include both internal and external factors such as being excluded by peers, high academic expectations, low self-esteem, history of trauma or abuse, expectations by social media, trouble making friends, history of alcohol or substance abuse, difficulties within the family unit and feelings of hopelessness. 

Used to Cope 

Self-injuring may bring temporary relief used to manage underlying pain and emotions. The relief can act as a reinforcing behavior, which ultimately provokes further self-injury to deal with painful feelings. 

Signs of Self-injury 

  • Unexplained cuts, scratches, burns, bruises or bite marks

  • Wearing long sleeves in warm weather

  • Talking about self-injury

  • Wounds that aren’t healing

  • Increased isolation from peers and family

  • Blood stains on clothing

  • Becoming withdrawn and spending more time alone in their room

  • Anger outbursts

  • Wearing numerous band aids

  • Suspicious looking scars

Next Steps  

If there is a discovery that your child is self-injuring the first step is to seek help. Self-injury is a serious behavior and the behavior should not be ignored for what might be a serious mental health issue. These steps usually include an evaluation, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and family therapy.  

To start, have your child evaluated by an experienced mental health professional. This mental health professional will work with them to find out the reasoning behind the self-injury and what emotional difficulties are being experienced. Examples of mental health professionals include licensed counselors, social workers and psychologists. 

In most cases, these professionals will utilize cognitive behavioral therapy to challenge negative and distressing thoughts and to recognize those patterns while shifting them.  Dialectical behavior therapy is also an effective approach where your child will learn to tolerate uncomfortable feelings which can include anxiety, anger and rejection without the want to self-harm. 

Family therapy is also a beneficial route to go if there are issues within the family unit which could include a recent divorce, fighting, job loss or sickness or death of a loved one. It is important families try to be open and supportive. Adolescents often hide feelings and emotions and understanding that can be the first step to catch self-injurious behavior. 

Crisis Resource

If the crisis is life threatening, call 911. 

If you are in crisis and it is not life threatening and need to talk to someone text HOME to 741741 to reach a volunteer crisis counselor.

Educational Resources  

https://childmind.org/article/what-drives-self-injury-and-how-to-treat-it/

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-your-teenage-daughter-self-harming-7-signs/

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/self-harm/

Written By: Danielle Sturm, Mental Health Counselor 

ADHD

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This year has begun, and it feels like it is in full swing for everyone. School is back in session, there have inconsistent weather changes, and although many can feel ready to be back to “normal”, it has been a much slower process than any could have imagined. Children have been trying to adjust to all the changes that have been happening for over a year now. Some are back in school, with mask, and maybe others in a hybrid form. There are sports and extra-curricular activities and spending time with friends that we did before the pandemic that were incredibly helpful to children and teens and their mental health and well-being. Without these activities and consistency in their days, children and teens were impacted greatly. 

Being at home more it could be easy to see high energy and lack of focus. Now being back at school your child could still struggle to focus when in the classroom setting. For a parent or guardian this could cause some questions for you and what may be happening with your child. It could be Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder that your child/teen is struggling with. This diagnosis is not just that a child has a lot of energy and does not focus but that the level of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity are inconsistent with the child’s developmental level. For a diagnosis, this must interfere significantly with the child’s life and daily functioning. 

Some signs your child may be struggling with ADHD:

Inattention: 

◦ Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or with other activities.

◦ Often has trouble holding attention on tasks or play activities.

◦ Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.

◦ Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (e.g., loses 

focus, side-tracked).

◦ Often has trouble organizing tasks and activities.

◦ Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to do tasks that require mental effort over a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).

◦ Often loses things necessary for tasks and activities (e.g. school materials, pencils, books, tools, wallets, keys, paperwork, eyeglasses, mobile telephones).

◦ Is often easily distracted

◦ Is often forgetful in daily activities.

 Hyperactivity and Impulsivity: 

◦ Often fidgets with or taps hands or feet, or squirms in seat.

◦ Often leaves seat in situations when remaining seated is expected.

◦ Often runs about or climbs in situations where it is not appropriate (adolescents or adults may be limited to feeling restless).

◦ Often unable to play or take part in leisure activities quietly.

◦ Is often "on the go" acting as if "driven by a motor".

◦ Often talks excessively.

◦ Often blurts out an answer before a question has been completed.

◦ Often has trouble waiting his/her turn.

◦ Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games)

In addition, the following conditions must be met:

• Several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were present before age 12 years.

• Several symptoms are present in two or more setting, (e.g., at home, school, or work; with friends or relatives; in other activities).

***This is not an extensive list of symptoms of ADHD. If you have suspicions that your child is suffering from this, please find a therapist to conduct a thorough assessment with you and your child. ***

Here is a video that you can watch to learn more about ADHD, and it is expressed in a simple, animated way for children to watch and learn about their diagnosis also. 

https://youtu.be/YeamHE6Kank 

Here are some ways you can support your child with their energy and focus, whether or not they have been diagnosed with ADHD. 

Brain Breaks/Move Breaks!- if you can see that your child is getting a little wiggly that could be a great chance to do some movement. Dance videos are great, simple exercises like 10 jumping jacks, 20 frog jumps, or balancing on one foot for 15 seconds can help get some wiggles out and give the child a chance to think about something different than what they have been focusing on. 

Organization- This can be very helpful in chores or homework. Make a set folder for homework and then all the assignments can go in one place or having a checklist of what needs to be done can help the child focus and give a guide for their chores. Make a routine and stick to it every day! This will help with consistency for the child and can help the child remember their chores.

Breathing Techniques- there are a lot of these on the internet but when the child is beginning to become hyper, they can do a breathing technique to help calm down. Here is one called “Candle and Flower Breathing”. You imagine smelling a flower and blowing out a birthday candle.  https://youtu.be/qTN_MtV5TFw

Remember that the child is in a learning process too and it may take some repetition with you before they can do these things on their own. Give them chances to try and give their best. Most of all if you are unclear of what to do or ADHD is something your child may be struggling with, find a therapist and they can support you in finding out. 

Written by: Brandi Hatter, MSW