Comments Off on Most Frequently Asked Questions and Answers on Cataract Surgery
Not many people prefer to go for cataract surgery even when they have been accurately diagnosed with an eye ailment. From research, I have discovered that most cataract patients choose other solution options because they feel a mere clouding of the eyes does not necessarily require surgery.
From an entirely different perspective, some believe that cataract surgery does not absolutely cure the eyes but incurs further damage to the lens, which might affect the patient’s sight for a lifetime.
In reality, cataract surgery is the best solution for cataracts. Regardless of the stage (whether mild or severe), so far, you have been diagnosed with cataracts; the next best step is to approach an expert cataract surgeon to help you fix your eyes.
As a professional surgeon and consultant, I feel obliged to make ‘cataract surgery’ an open knowledge to reorientate people on how to care for their sight, taking the right step at the right time.
In this post, I have helped you gather the most frequently asked questions and answers on cataract surgery to provide solutions to any questions you might have on cataract surgery. These answers will also help you to get the best surgical outcome when you go for the surgery. Click here to read more about cataract surgery.
Here are some professional answers to most of the questions you might want to ask about cataract surgery.
Is cataract surgery a major surgery?
Well, I will say no from a professional point of view. Though many people perceive cataract surgery as major surgery, in the medical community, it is not so. For any other experienced surgeon, cataract is simply an outpatient practice.
How long does cataract surgery take?
If you are working with a seasoned cataract surgeon, it won’t take you more than two and a half hours. And, that time frame already includes the time you as a patient enter the surgery center and leaves. Unless the surgeon does not know what to do or wants to try any other option, cataract surgery does not take time. If you register with a veteran surgeon, it might even take you less than that.
Does cataract surgery hurt?
Absolutely no! cataract surgery does not pain the patient’s body – not even the eyes. For me, most cataract patients I have treated always ask a general question, “Are you done?” that is for you to know how comfortable they feel during the surgery. However, some surgeons prefer giving relieving medication to some nervous patients to calm them before the surgery. There are anesthetist eye medications that can numb your eye before the procedure.
Could there be complications if I blink during cataract surgery?
You can’t blink during a cataract surgery session because the surgeon will use an eye holder to keep your lid open till the operation is done successfully. Although utilizing an eye holder might pose fear to you, I am glad to tell you that the eye holder would have little or no effect on your lid since your eyes would have been numbed. The other eye can remain closed or opened till the surgery finishes.
Are there side effects of cataract surgery?
The only side effect that can happen after accurate cataract surgery is clearer vision. How do I mean? A cataract prevents lights, and when it has been removed, there is the possibility that your lens detects more light and becomes more sensitive. Of course, the pressure in the eyes might be reduced, and you may notice more floaters. Also, you might start to see a dark crescent shape in the peripheral view. If that happens after you have done a cataract surgery, don’t fret. The dark crescent will disappear in the next few months without any serious medication.
Can cataract surgery last for a lifetime?
Yes! You can enjoy a lifelong clear vision after cataract surgery. Let me tell you why. During the surgery, the surgeon will implant a lens into your eye. That lens is durable enough to serve you as long as you live.
Can I become a cataract patient again after cataract surgery?
The surgeon will remove the damaged lens in your eyes during cataract surgery and replace it with an artificial lens. Since the natural lens has been removed, cataracts can not grow again. If cataracts develop again after you have gone for surgery, it is possible that the surgeon did not replace the clouded lens.
Will I have a clearer vision after cataract surgery?
What your vision will be like after you have done cataract surgery depends on several factors, including the size of the cataract, the type of anesthesia used during the surgery, the health of your eyes, and the overall health of your body. All things being equal, you will see clearly within the first 24 hours and then have a better sight as time goes on.
Do I still need to use glasses after cataract surgery?
Well, most people will have to use glasses after cataract surgery. The reason is that you will not get a perfect vision immediately after the surgery. Typically, the healing process takes a few more weeks to become perfect. Since you will have to wait for some weeks to get a perfect vision, your doctor might ask you to get glasses to make specific changes in your eyes.
How long does it take to recover from cataract surgery?
How quickly you will recover after cataract surgery largely depends on the size of the cataract and how fast your body heals. However, it takes not more than a couple of days for your eyes to heal. In addition to that, how well you cater to your health will also play a massive role in the healing process.
Final Words
How quickly and perfectly you recover from cataract surgery depends on several factors, but it gets better if you are well educated on how it works. Hence the above answers to the most frequently asked questions will help provide you with every information you need to manage your eyes’ health after cataract surgery.
Comments Off on Jobs that need eye protection to prevent cataracts
Some specific industries and occupations need a piece of personal protective equipment to prevent the workers from getting cataracts. Research has shown that the more significant percentage of people with cataracts in Sydney got it from their various occupations. There are several jobs where the eyes can be exposed to materials and conditions that can cause injuries, strain, and diseases. Some jobs can lead to loss of vision, burns to the face if one fails to follow the safety protocols.
However, we cannot stop you from doing your daily job, but we feel that there’s always a way out so that you won’t later spend your income doing cataract surgery. Do you know you can get a cataract if you don’t protect your eyes? Of course, with that your job, if you are not careful, you may spend your total income on cataract surgery Sydney.
There’s no cause for alarm. We are here to show you some jobs or occupations that should not joke about protecting their eyes if they don’t want to end up doing cataract surgery.
Then, what are cataracts? Cataracts are a dense, gloomy area that forms in the lens. Cataracts start when proteins in the eye form clumps that prevent the lens from sending clear images to the retina. Mind you, the safest way to get rid of cataracts once you have them is to go for cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery refers to the process of eradicating the lens of your eyes and replacing it with an artificial lens. Therefore, it is expedient for you to protect your eyes while working to avoid cataracts. Also, cataract surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist.
Below here are the jobs that need eye protection to avoid cataracts:
Welding: Are you a welder, and you don’t want to have an eye problem? Then, it would help if you derived a means of protecting your eyes. Welding is among the jobs that are at high risk of eye injuries. This job requires a full face shield to protect the eyes against the rays of light from the fire. The glow of light and the heat in doing welding are also other problems that can cause cataracts. One of the things that can quickly affect one’s eye is heat. Therefore, the face shield must be a thick one. It should be able to protect the eyes from heat and the rays of light during welding. Dear welder, it would be an intelligent decision to wear protection whenever you are working. Honestly, welders must get a good face shield if they don’t want to spend half of their income on cataract surgery.
Construction company workers: If you work with a construction company and don’t protect your eyes, you are prone to get cataracts. Remember, your job has to do with dust and some falling particles that may cause a severe injury to your eyes. Therefore, putting on a safety glass while on duty can save you from spending part of your income on cataract surgery. Also, don’t forget you are working in a hazardous environment where an accident can occur at any time. Therefore, our advice for construction company workers is to always put on a face shield while on duty. Click here to read about Most Frequently Asked Questions and Answers on Cataract Surgery.
Manufacturing industry workers: Employers in a manufacturing plant must follow the safety protocols in protecting their eyes. This occupation sometimes requires grinding metals and other materials that can send some particles to the eyes. Therefore, wearing a face shield shouldn’t be something new to those working with a manufacturing company. Some manufacturing industries like the automobile industry and the electric appliance industry are all environments that demand protection for their workers. It is expedient for one to follow all measures of safety strictly when engaging in such work.
Receptionist: If you are a receptionist, you need to protect your eyes from UVB rays. You are prone to cataracts because your eyes are constantly exposed to glare and harmful blue light from computer screens. Light from a computer system can gradually damage your natural lens. Once the natural lens in the eye is faulty, one will not see things. Therefore, without a face shield, a receptionist can also end up doing cataract surgery.
Health care workers: Health care workers too are also prone to get a cataract. They can get cataracts due to the exposure of their eyes to infectious body fluids and waste. That is why cataract surgeons cannot do surgery without protecting their eyes. Therefore, health care jobs like medical lab work, surgery, and nursing must also prevent their eyes from getting cataracts.
Freelancers: If you are a freelancer, then you also need to protect your eyes from injuries. Most freelancers spend a more significant percentage of their time on a computer system. And if care is not taken, light from a computer screen can later affect your eyes. For instance, there’s no how a website content developer will not be working on a computer system. Of course, a freelancing job is a brain-tasking job that requires a lot of time placing one’s eyes on a computer system. Therefore, as a freelancer, you need a face shield to protect your eyes from getting cataracts.
Conclusion
Eyes are energetic, subtle organs and are one of the most sensitive areas of the body. It demands complete maintenance and attention. So an employer who ensures their workers’ safety should make it a necessity for workers to wear a face shield. If you are working in any of the above-listed industries, then you should not neglect preventive measures. Also, if you do any of the jobs mentioned above, you must assess your risk for eye strain, injuries, and diseases. We will also advise you to always go for a regular checkup per time. Several workers in Sydney have not visited a hospital this year to know the condition of their eyes. It is dangerous. At least, you should visit your eye doctor once in three months for a proper checkup.
Effective therapy that gets at the heart of the matter…
for Women, Men, Couples, Adolescents, and Children addressing issues that range from:
Depression
Anxiety
Relationship/Family problems
Integration of Faith and Spirituality
Stress Management
Addiction/Recovery
Eating Disorders
Conflict Resolution
Parenting Support
Grief Counseling
Work and Career issues
Personality Issues/Disorders
Trauma (including abuse & relationships)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
As an experienced therapist in Orange County, I work with a broad range of people to help them with emotional, relational, and behavioral struggles. My approach helps you feel better while getting at the deeper issues and providing helpful coping strategies. More than likely, you’ll start to feel better and have the opportunity to work through the issues that seem to feel deeper or out of your awareness.
In a comfortable and compassionate atmosphere, I work hard for you to understand how we can join together to meet your individual needs. Together, we’ll embark on a journey that will help you understand yourself more and overcome particular issues that stand in your way–allowing you to have better relationships, a deeper understanding and perspective of yourself, more peace and joy, and improved confidence and purpose in your life.
Call or email today to schedule an appt. and learn how you can benefit from some one-on-one time that’s just for you.
Feeling upset is a fairly normal experience. Sadness is a totally natural emotional response to certain circumstances and events in our lives. Sometimes, however, this sadness turns into depression. When we experience depression, it drains our energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to do what we need to feel better. We may just feel like giving up, laying in bed all day, or eating a lot. While you can’t overcome depression through sheer willpower, you do have some control—even if your depression is severe and stubbornly persistent. There is hope, and there are ways to help!
Major depressive disorder can be a disabling condition that adversely affects a person’s family, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health–at least before you intervene by taking the steps below.
You May Wonder, Why People Get Depressed?
Life may feel unfair and awful, leading you to question how you got this way.
The truth is many factors play a role, including genetics, environment, life events, medical conditions, and the way people react to things that happen in their lives. Many of us have experienced very distressing events in life which lead to depression. Like an accumulation of stress building up over time. It can also come on as a result of suppressed anger, fear, and disappointment. Others have long-standing negative thinking and feeling patterns, which stem from certain disabling beliefs, which are often unconscious.
These beliefs really dictate how we live, limiting our experiences in life, and affect us all the time, whether we are aware of it or not, and most often we are not aware that we even have these beliefs because we learned them subconsciously. It is like many other things we learn, they become part of us. The good news is those beliefs or messages don’t have to continue to inhibit us or have the effect they have had on us for so long. There is help in the form of really effective therapy, combined with a variety of other small changes we can make.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) is a highly effective therapeutic approach that targets these self-limiting beliefs and unconscious processes that can lead one into a depressive episode. Research has shown that EMDR can help alleviate depression by creating change at a deep internal level.
In essence, it helps us make unconscious thoughts, beliefs, and feelings conscious, allowing us to reprocess those things that are limiting us, and maybe the culprit of depression. These unconscious processes affect us in a myriad of ways, so it is vital to one’s mental and emotional health to work through these.
By doing so, we can undo the negative learning, and reprocess it in a way that allows us to move through it, and on to the other side toward a more empowering, freer, and sometimes, positive, experience. It enables us to get rid of and integrate that which is not serving us well. For example, if I have a deep belief that “I am helpless,” even if I am not aware of it, it’ll affect me in a myriad of ways. I will find myself in situations where I feel as though nothing will ever change and I am stuck.
With EMDR, we would uncover this deep-seated belief and reprocess it in order to move through it and get all the negative-laden “stuff” out–similar to a clearing or cleansing process. Then, it begins to have less and less of an effect on us. We start to feel more empowered and know that we have choices and are not helpless.
More About Some Factors as to Why People Get Depressed
Genetics Research shows that depression runs in families and that some people inherit genes that make it more likely for them to get depressed. Not everyone who has the genetic makeup for depression gets depressed, though. And many people who have no family history of depression have the condition. So although genes are one factor, they aren’t the single cause of depression.
Life Events The death of a family member, friend, or pet can go beyond normal grief and sometimes lead to depression. Other difficult life events, such as when parents divorce, separate, or remarry, can trigger depression. Even positive events like having a child, moving, or changing schools can be emotionally challenging enough that a person becomes depressed. And, certainly, being in an unsatisfying marriage, or feeling misunderstood and disconnected from others can have a cumulative effect, leading one into a depression.
Family and Social Environment For some teens, a negative, stressful, or unhappy family atmosphere can affect their self-esteem and lead to depression. This can also include high-stress living situations such as poverty; homelessness; and violence in the family, relationships, or community.
For adults, it can be due to transitions and feeling unsure of the future. It could be due to frustrations and letdowns.
Substance use and abuse also can cause chemical changes in the brain that affect mood — alcohol and some drugs are known to have depressant effects. The negative social and personal consequences of substance abuse also can lead to severe unhappiness and depression.
Medical Conditions Certain medical conditions can affect hormone balance and therefore have an effect on mood. Some conditions, such as hypothyroidism, are known to cause a depressed mood in some people. When these medical conditions are diagnosed and treated by a doctor, the depression usually disappears. While there are medically-based depressions causing one’s serotonin levels to drop, more often than not, depression is due to other factors.
What to Understand About Yourself, and Others, While Depressed, and Tips to Help You Overcome It
Feeling better takes time, but these tips can help.
1. Pace yourself. Expect that your energy will be less than usual. Don’t expect to do everything you normally can. Set a realistic schedule and make time for self-care. This may be easier said than done. But even carving out 15 minutes for yourself here or there can make a significant difference.
2. Exercise. Physical activity has been proven to cause a chemical reaction in the body that may improve your mood. If you get your heart rate up to an aerobic level, your body releases endorphins, which are those feel-good chemicals. Exercising 4 to 6 times a week for at least 30 minutes each time is a good goal. But even less activity can be helpful. The biggest challenge may be actually starting since depression often has the effect of causing one to feel depleted of energy. If you start small, such as 15-20 minutes per day, that may help you to slowly increase your exercise time.
3. Eat Healthily. Many people when depressed want to turn to comfort foods, or junk food, because of the temporary satisfaction it brings. That kind of food can actually have a counterproductive effect on depression because what you need most are mood-boosting nutrient-dense foods. So, watch your nutrition! What you eat has a direct impact on the way you feel. Aim for a balanced diet of protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables.
Don’t skip meals. Going too long between meals can make you feel irritable and tired, so aim to eat something at least every 3-4 hours. In between meals, make sure you stay hydrated with water and electrolyte drinks.
Minimize sugar and refined carbs. You may crave sugary snacks, baked goods, or comfort foods such as pasta or french fries. But these “feel-good” foods quickly lead to a crash in mood and energy.
Focus on complex carbohydrates. Foods such as baked potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain breads, and bananas can boost serotonin levels without a crash.
Boost your B vitamins and Omega 3s. Deficiencies in B vitamins such as folic acid and B-12 can trigger depression. To get more, take a B-complex vitamin supplement or eat more citrus fruit, leafy greens, beans, chicken, and eggs.
Eat more raw foods. Nutritionists report that people who even add one or two raw meals, or beverages, a day, will significantly increase their intake of antioxidants, enabling their immune system to ward of toxins and viruses that we all get exposed to daily. Also, many people find that the more raw produce they eat, such as juices made from veggies and fruits, aid in boosting their mood.
4. Get outside. Getting up at sunrise and getting outside, or going for a walk before sunset, are two ways to get your daily dose of sunlight, that aids in feeling alive. Exposure to bright sunlight for 30 minutes a day either through sunlight or light made for this, helps keep your internal clock set. This circadian rhythm helps to regulate our sleep/wake cycle and ensures a good night’s sleep which in turn, helps our physical and mental health. If you mix your sunlight exposure with some exercise, even better.
5. Reexamine your expectations or priorities in life and, if necessary, adjust them to suit reality better. Someone who is depressed often thinks they can’t be happy without certain things, such as a particular mate, material possessions, a much higher income, etc. You can eliminate such problems by changing your negative thinking and learning to accept the situation. Acceptance can be a key to giving yourself some peace and hope for the future. It doesn’t mean accepting being treated poorly or losing hope altogether; it is simply about learning to be okay with the way things are for right now, and finding out how to look at life with a lighter touch. Saying, “This too shall pass,” is a common saying one can use to start moving toward acceptance. Certain situations or troublesome people simply won’t change. When you can do something about a problem, however, you should. For example, you may need to leave an alcoholic spouse or to go to school to prepare for a better job. Some actions would actually make a big difference in how you’re feeling right now, and help you accept reality for the time being.
6. Avoid drugs and alcohol. Both make depression worse. Both can cause dangerous side effects with antidepressants if you are taking them. Like comfort foods, alcohol and drugs may provide that temporary relief, but they can also cause more problems, and further your depression. You can also put yourself at risk for developing an addiction, which can further complicate your life and those you love.
7. Journal your feelings. Often by processing on paper, (or on a keyboard), what you are going through, we can experience some relief. It helps us get out of our heads and feel stuck. This can also help us to see life a little more objectively, and serve as a starting point for processing what’s really going on with us internally.
8. Join a support or process group.
Research has shown that finding a group of people who are in our corner, supporting us along the way the toward resolving problems, such as depression, is vital to our mental and emotional health–and some even say for our physical health! Simply put, we are made for relationships, and if we don’t have people in our life who can help us get through a difficult time in our life, then sometimes we have to go out and find them in the form of a support group, process group, or small group (such as what churches have). Process groups are designed for participants struggling with similar issues to join together and process through their issues, which is often led by a psychotherapist, trained to help individuals process their issues and overcome them via intervention and emotional support. Support groups can be helpful for issues such as alcoholism, codependency, and other addictions.
9. Find more balance in your life. We all need a healthy balance between pleasure and work. A few depressed and overwhelmed people need to quit pushing themselves so hard, relax more, and eliminate some work activities, but most depressed people need more interests and activities, or at least be working to find out what activities or interests might be enjoyable, and maybe even passionate about. Often these desires and passions arise after the depression lifts or is being worked through, such as in therapy or in a process group. This is simply because depression can leave one feeling like they don’t want to do anything, even things that used to bring them joy. The reason finding balance in life is beneficial is that idle time often leads to negative thinking and depression. Many of the above tips, if all combined together, can create balance in life. Choosing more interests and activities, including those you once enjoyed and could resume, and asking yourself which ones you might do if you didn’t feel depressed, can help one feel better, a step at a time.
10. Start therapy. Taking an honest look at yourself and your personal problems, paying particular attention to repeating problems in your life, is one of the single best things you can do for yourself. A professional therapist, who specializes in treating depression, can help you identify and work through the issues contributing to the depression, and help you to feel better and live a more fulfilling life. A therapist can not only help you cope with day to day life, but can also help you discover what is underlying the depression in order for the depression to not only be alleviated but also so you recover to the extent that you have insight, understanding, and some wisdom about yourself, which is empowering and healing. Seeing a therapist in Orange County who specializes in depression can help free you from that place of feeling stuck and unable to move forward.
EMDR therapy when combined with traditional talk therapy can do just that. It can have a ripple effect, alleviating symptoms of depression as well as deeper issues such as increasing self-esteem, and self-confidence.
If you have a history of abuse or destructive relationships, problems on the job, or low self-esteem, perfectionism, or people-pleasing, you may be depressed as a result of these life experiences, and therefore, need to work through the root issues in order for the depression to be lifted.
EMDR therapy is an effective, accelerated form of treatment for depression–many people have experienced not only relief from the symptoms of depression through the use of EMDR therapy, but have also experienced a shift in their personal beliefs about themselves and their life. It has the potential to help boost one’s self-esteem and increase confidence.
So, there are many ways to overcome depression! You have control over your life and where you go from here. Today can be the day that you take your life back into your hands and do something that can help you feel better and live a better life!
Mrs. Tyra Butler is a clinician who specializes in depression and many other related issues. She integrates EMDR and has been successfully counseling a diverse range of clients in Orange County, Ca. They’ve experienced alleviation from depression and anxiety, renewed confidence, healing from past family and relationship pain, and trauma, accomplished goals, and overcome many obstacles. Most of all, they report having increased peace and hope for the future.
She can be reached at 949-292-2923. Mrs. Tyra Butler is registered with the Board of Behavioral Sciences as a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern (IMF 70602) and is employed by Dr. Steve Harris in Newport Beach, Ca. She’s a therapist in Orange County and currently accepting new clients.
A Marriage and Family Therapist is considered a Family-Friendly Mental Health Professionals (information from the Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, AAMFT).
Marriage and family therapists are professionals with a minimum of a master’s degree from an accredited university and two years of supervised clinical experience. Marriage and family therapists (commonly referred to as MFTs or family therapists) are trained and licensed to independently diagnose and treat mental health and substance abuse problems. MFTs are trained in psychotherapy and family systems and focus on understanding their clients’ symptoms and interaction patterns within the current environment. MFTs treat predominantly individuals, but also provide couples, family, and group therapy. Whomever the client, MFTs approach therapy from a relational perspective that incorporates the family in some way.
Studies demonstrate that therapy is a preferred approach for anxiety, depression, substance abuse, alcoholism, marital problems, child problems, couple enrichment, and schizophrenia, to name a few.
Family therapy is even known to be effective for severe mental illness: it is one of the most well-studied and effective interventions in the mental health literature. Family involvement—including family psychoeducation, multifamily group therapy, and family therapy—has been consistently linked to better individual and family functioning. Research on couples therapy for depression indicates that couples therapy is the treatment of choice for couples in which there is both depression and couple distress. Family therapy outcomes for severe mental illness include improved overall well-being, fewer medical illnesses, less medical care utilization, and increased self-esteem.
Family-based interventions are also effective for persons with medical problems. Therapy outcomes show improvement in the person being seen, as well as in other family members. Family therapy is particularly effective with families who are providing care to elders and to a child with a chronic illness (e.g., asthma, cancer, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, etc.).
Who are Therapists?
Licensed or registered practitioners Educated with a master’s or doctoral degree Trained with a minimum of two (2) years supervised clinical experience One of the five core mental health professionals (along with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and psychiatric nurses)
What Disorders Are Commonly Treated by Family Therapists*
Depression and other Affective Disorders Childhood Behavioral and Emotional Disorders Marital and Relationship Problems Conduct Disorder and Delinquency Substance Abuse Alcoholism Domestic Violence Severe Mental Illness Physical Illness Who are the Clients of Family Therapists*
6.1 Million People are seen annually by Therapists (2.1% of the Population) 2,294,728 Individuals Per Year 808,798 Children Per Year 752,370 Couples Per Year 526,659 Families Per Year 3.4% of Households have seen an MFT
Do I have to be married to go to a Family Therapist?
No. Individuals often seek therapy for help with anxiety and depression, behavioral problems, relationship issues, or mental and emotional disorders. MFTs provide the same services as other mental health professionals, with a approach where the whole family is taken into consideration.
Can you do family therapy with only one person?
Family therapy is effective with just one individual or with couples, families or groups.
Do Clients typically appreciate the services of Family Therapists? *
98.1% rated services good or excellent 97.1% got the kind of help they desired 91.2% were satisfied with the amount of help they received 93% said they were helped in dealing more effectively with problems 94.3% would return to the same therapist in the future 96.9% would recommend their therapist to a friend 97.4% were generally satisfied with the service they received 63.4% reported improved physical health 54.8% reported improvement in functioning at work 73.7% indicated improvement in children’s behavior 58.7% showed improvement in children’s school performance
What is the Cost for a Family Therapist’s Services?
Mental health services provided by Family Therapists are cost-effective. MFTs provide results with lower costs to the client.
MFT fees are 60% of psychiatrists and 80% of psychologists, therefore it is more cost-effective to be seen by an MFT.
68% of Private Practice MFTs reduce fees based on an individual’s ability to pay
Family therapy has been shown to reduce health care use by 21.5%
Comments Off on Finally, a Way to Rid Yourself of Anxiety and Worrying
Anxiety and worries can be like our worst enemies. They can keep us from falling asleep at night, rob us of the simple pleasures in life, and lead to many other problems, like thinking the worst is going to happen, and feeling quite down and depressed. It can start to seem as though life is an uphill battle, and you may not even remember what it was like to feel calm and peaceful, or simply okay.
Questioning, “What if ….?” And worrying about this, that, or the other thing can make one feel crazy and sick inside. It can lead to stomach aches, headaches, back pain, and even disease.
Part of this has to do with the fact that when we are anxious, nervous, or worrying, we are at Dis-Ease, meaning there is something or some things in life that are causing us to fret and fear. We may recognize there may be a problem, or acknowledge that something may happen, and we get caught up in thinking the worst and dwell on it; especially what we really care about. For some, it may be how others perceive them; for others, it may be worrying about their kids, fear of losing a job, not having enough money, or not finding that soulmate or perfect career. The list could go on and on.
Now that I have you feeling depressed, let me just tell you that it is possible to quiet those worries and anxieties, and actually feel peace and calm despite what you may be feeling now. Recognizing this struggle you have, you probably want relief and to feel better. You may think, “if only there was something I could do, or if only someone could take these anxieties and this worry away, life would be so much better.”
Well, there is. There are plenty of ways to “cope” with anxiety. Some of which you may have tried or heard about. But you probably still feel the same and are unable to shake that constant feeling of tension, and momentary panic that can seem to come out of nowhere. And those thoughts that can seem to plague you.
There’s a good reason for that. You may have an idea of why you’re feeling anxious, worried or fearful, and you’ve most likely noticed that simply because you know why you’re all tied up in knots, it hasn’t gone away. In fact, it may have gotten worse. Or it goes away and then comes back. Obsessive thoughts, thoughts that are unwanted, and constant worrying are three ways this can occur.
Or you may not know yet why you’re worrying so much; you just do. Other signs and symptoms are physical tension, sickness, headaches/migraines, insecurity, and feeling uneasy a lot of the time. If you find yourself wanting to do something, like drinking, overeating/undereating, smoking, doing compulsive behaviors (such as checking), or anything that seems to help you at the moment, to alleviate the anxiety, it’s most likely a direct result of unresolved issues that go a bit deeper than they seem right now.
The reason for that is there are roots, or a core, to these worries that have not been resolved. Picture weeds, and the green sprouts you see, popping out of the ground, represent the worry and anxiety. Our thoughts and feelings underneath that lead to worry, and our underlying patterns are the root cause of it all. Here’s an important thing to know: We cannot resolve these root issues, or underlying patterns, on our own, through rationalizing them, thinking about them more–or even using better-coping skills. Even if we have faith or beliefs that help us “let go” of this anxiety, we never truly resolve the cause of it, which is what would allow us to become completely free of that worrying impulse. Often, after we’ve come to a place of using all the coping skills we have, we feel stuck again, like we’re going to have to just feel and be this way forever. But, I want you to know that you don’t, and your life could be so much better without this anxiety and worry. Whether your anxiety and worries are a minor annoyance or an overwhelming experience, your life can be so much better without them.
So, if you’ve become aware of your tendency to feel anxious and worry, you can now take a step to change that. Otherwise, I hate to break it to you, but you will continue to default into anxiousness without even knowing it, leading you to feel worse and worse–and stuck.
The reason we cannot, on our own, rid ourselves of this anxiety and worry is that the patterns leading to the anxiety are at work within us under our radar, in our subconscious. (I realize this may seem odd to some people, but bear with me here).
This subconscious “stuff” is the culprit of anxiety, fears, and worry. Because some of this stuff–these patterns of thinking and feeling–remain in our minds unprocessed (because it resides in the sub-conscience), these patterns continue to affect our everyday lives, always happening under the surface. But we feel it on the surface in the form of anxiety, depression, worry, fears, etc. What we need is some help to bring it to our awareness so we can process it, otherwise, it remains stuck, unable to be processed.
We simply cannot focus hard enough to figure it out on our own, or talk about it enough, because it is underneath our conscious awareness, lodged in a part of our mind that requires a particular approach to bring it to the surface. What’s so amazing is that there is an approach, something that can be done, do this, and resolve the anxiety and worry, with long-lasting results. It does take someone who’s trained in this approach to help you uncover those patterns–the good news is that it is so effective (as long as it’s done by a qualified and trained EMDR therapist), and works faster than most other therapy approaches, which will save you time and money!
By identifying this underlying “stuff,” or patterns, through the guidance of a therapist trained in EMDR, you have the opportunity to bring it to your awareness, and reprocess it so that it no longer has a negative effect on you, and you can resolve the anxieties and worry. This can lead to a powerful shift in your perspective, freeing you to think and feel differently–and better–and most importantly, to feel normal and peaceful. It can have a profound effect on how you feel about yourself, allowing your relationships to improve as a result. It may sound rather mysterious or scientific, and it is because we are talking about how the brain works. There is so much research to back this up though, and any trained EMDR therapist can explain more of the science behind it if you’re interested.
EMDR, a therapeutic approach that helps us access what’s in our subconscious, and process it to a point of resolution, has been thoroughly researched and shown to be an effective therapeutic approach for stress and anxiety. It’s drug-free, is not hypnosis, and is completely safe and verifiably one of the most effective therapies available. If you’re looking for someone who can help you resolve the anxiety and stress in your life, I’d be happy to help. As an Orange County EMDR Therapist, I am equipped to help you not only feel better and cope with the anxiety but also really resolve it, allowing you to be free of anxiousness and excessive worrying. If you’re struggling with depression, an eating disorder, an addiction, or have experienced trauma in your past, EMDR is very effective for all that as well. This is also very effective for children and adolescents going through a difficult time or transition in life. Resolving these issues can have all sorts of amazing benefits for you and your loved ones.
Don’t you want to feel better and more calm and peaceful in your daily life? Are you curious if this could work for you? If so, I look forward to hearing from you. Click here to schedule an appointment to learn more, or if you are ready to start feeling better and becoming free from anxiety and worry.
