Modern psychology has managed to connect mental health to everything, from driving down a crowded highway to sexual health. They’ve even managed to cover almost everything in between. However, one aspect that they have ignored and have not recognized is the possibility that one’s environment and surroundings might play a larger role in mental health than previously noted. The existence of the problem known as seasonal affective disorder SAD implies that things like the weather can have an effect on mental health.

However, in most cases, psychological effects that might be caused by environment can often be adequately explained by other factors. For example, if depression comes during a time of year when seasonal unemployment kicks in, the prospect of losing a job is more likely to be seen as the cause of the problem. By most standards, a vast majority of mental health disorders that appear to be related to environmental factors can be explained by more…mundane things. This also contributes to the nature of the aforementioned SAD, which can only be diagnosed by eliminating all other possibilities.

Despite the situation, there are a few who are attempting to establish greater links between nature and mental health, but the research has been slow to progress. With the exception of SAD, the obvious angle to take in this endeavor would be using nature as stress relief. It is not unusual for certain sights and sounds in nature to have a calming effect on people, often quickly alleviating things such as stress and anxiety. There are a lot of things from nature that can be used to calm and relax someone, though what exactly performs best can often vary depending on the personality and tastes of the patient in question.

The main focus of the studies linking sanity to nature, however, focuses on whether or not nature can have an appreciable effect on one’s mental state. This, of course, does not include high-pressure situations that a person can find himself in. For example, studies of this sort would typically exclude being stranded on a deserted place or running from predators, as those situations can easily have factors that can rule out the nature part of the study. The research also focuses on everyday situations where nature would have an effect, but would also allow researchers to rule out other possible causes.

Understandably, this is exceedingly difficult to pull-off. High-risk and high-stress situations in a natural environment are not suitable for this study, simply because the natural environment is merely causing the factors that affect mental illness. The most confusing part of this is, it is difficult to really ascertain what the study would actually cover. SAD, as noted, is an example of what nature can do to the human mind, but there is the possibility that the reason psychology hasn’t found anything similar to it is because there are no others like it.

There is, of course, the distinct possibility that besides SAD, nature doesn’t directly cause any form of insanity in people. It would be a reasonable assumption, but only because of the lack of evidence pointing to the contrary. Besides, for some reason, most researchers simply aren’t interested in delving deeper into the why or how nature calms the mind and clears it of negative emotions.

Stress and anxiety go hand in hand. It is said that one of the major symptoms of stress is anxiety. Aside from that, it is stress that is commonly blamed for a staggering eighty percent of all illnesses either directly or indirectly.

Stress comes from the pressures we feel in life, as we are pushed by work or any other task that puts undue pressure on our minds and body, adrenaline is released, extended stay of the hormone causes depression, a rise in the blood pressure and other negative changes and effects.

One of them is anxiety. With anxiety, fear overcomes all emotions accompanied by worry and apprehension, making a person a recluse and a bagful of jitters. Other symptoms are chest pains, dizziness, and shortness of breath and panic attacks.

When this happens to us, we are endangering our overall health. Stress and anxiety affects many factors in our body not only in our mental state. Cancer and other deadly diseases are related to stress and anxiety because of the changes in the chemical composition in our body due to stress and anxiety.

You don’t have to be a victim of stress and anxiety, its just all about discipline and having a proper schedule. Not taking in anything you cannot handle will be a lot of help. Learn your limitations and stick to it. Do not over exert yourself. Just try to go over the border an inch at a time.

You can lead a productive successful and fulfilling life and career without the need to endanger your health. If not, you are not only killing yourself, you are also sending your family and friends and all the people around you away.

How is it that an OCD sufferer can never leave a room or walk through a door without looking back?

Why do we fight the urge to look back? Well let me tell you? It is because we find ourselves going back to fluff up the cushions, god only knows how many times the doors are checked to see if they are locked before retiring to bed, that trickle of glistening water on the draining board needs to be wiped. No matter how tired we are someone has to straighten the rug or dust the television. Whatever it takes for peace of mind an OCD victim will do it.

Actions of an over OCD sufferer is very similar to that of Feng Shui followers, where prosperity energy and good luck comes to those if objectsfurniture is placed in the right location. Our daily habits are duplicated in a similar manner only we do not seek prosperity and luck it is that of peace and contentment.

Over compulsive disorder is recognized as a disability it is one of the top ten causes that destroys a person physicallymentally.
Approx over 5 million US citizens will develop it if not already suffer from OCD.
What is so frightening about over compulsive disorder is not to know the statistics behind it all.

Fatigue is a major factor that leaves us so lethargic all because our brain focuses on the next chore before we start the first.
Children can develop OCD and have obsessive rituals like keeping toys in order, teens also fall under the spell.
Mumdad if you notice any change in your child’s behaviour then get help fast. If left to fester then this disease will spread out of control. The early bird catches the worm, nip it in the bud.

I am not sure of any proven cure but help is out there to ease the stress, OCD is serious, it murders the mind.
A recent research proved children in their preschool years have a strong chance of developing OCD. Most adults battling OCD will have been affected since in their teens.

Repetitive thoughts and odd behaviour as some outsiders would see it become a part of our life where it takes over our life

Obsessions and compulsions is where a victim experiences disturbing thoughts and ideas?
These senseless and stressful symptoms are enough to destroy the sane. To ease anxiety we get an urge to repeat some actions over and over again.

OCD is a part of me where I can not imagine life without it. What would I do if ever this condition was to take leave?

I would live life to the full and walk down the road of freedom with a promise to myself that I will never look back.

Creating art is one way to combat mental illness and many people have actually found it to work for them. Over the last few years, the practice of art therapy has grown so much that it is now even used as a therapy for cancer patients. More and more doctors are now seeing the benefits of using art therapy as a way to administer alternative treatments for depression.

It was generally thought that children could not become depressed. Now, researchers recognize that children, like everyone else, are not immune to this emotionally-drained condition. Because children often do not have the capacity to step back, look at themselves, and recognize that the way they’re feeling isn’t normal for them — they are not able to communicate their feelings accurately enough for adults to realize that they are depressed.

Depression has been defined by some as anger turned inward. It is very common among young people and affects as many as one in eight teenagers. Depression affects people of every color, race, economic status, or age. However, it does seem to affect more females than males during adolescence and adulthood. According to the American Psychiatric Association, five percent of the nation’s children are ill with depression. In spite of the alarming rise in depression among young people, many parents and adults are still clueless about the treatments that can work best to address depression. Moreover, diagnosis and treatment of depression is more difficult for children than for adults.

It is therefore very helpful to provide a safe outlet for a child that is experiencing depression. Research shows that children with depression when they are allowed to express their anxieties through art therapy. In one study, art therapy was used to help suicidal teenagers, and results showed that it indeed has positive effect as part of an overall treatment plan. Guilt, worthlessness, and hopelessness are all emotions that can cause depression, and the creative process of art therapy can help a child or teenager cope with these emotions.

At a public school in Chicago, a non-profit organization conducts art therapy as a means of self-expression and self-discovery. Most of the children in that school live in poor communities or come from dysfunctional families. The art therapy works to increase concentration levels, self-esteem, and self-control. It also helps teenagers to enhance their interpersonal skills and defuse angry feelings.

In Thailand, a group runs art therapy camps throughout the year for children living with HIV, bringing them together to learn from and support each other and overcome feelings of depression, stress and anxiety. There is an estimated 20,000 children under the age of 18 living with HIV in Thailand. Like the public school in Chicago, these art activities help to build their self-esteem, restore their confidence and teach them that they have as much worth as any other child.

Art therapy provides children experiencing depression an opportunity to achieve personal growth through improved self- awareness, and to explore unresolved emotional conflicts. Art as an expressive language, provides an access into a relationship with children by tapping into their creativity and offering a form of communication that is nonthreatening as well as provide healing mechanisms to cope themselves with depression. It can bypass language and impairment and allow for the expression of thoughts or feelings from children who find it too difficult to communicate with words.

Weight training or resistance training is one of the most common means to improve one’s health and physique. People who lift weights aim to lose unwanted pounds and gain muscle mass. Weight training also develops strength, endurance, nerve-to-muscle coordination, and helps prevent osteoporosis. During weight training, the body burns calories while toning and firming a person’s muscles.
Weight lifting can also be used as a therapy for stress and anxiety. Research shows that when people undergo strenuous activity, the body excretes a substance called endorphin. These endorphins, short for endogenous morphins, are the body’s natural pain killers. Endorphins are released when the body is engaged in activities of moderate to high levels of intensity. The substance makes a person experience moments of relaxation interspersed with elation, which some health experts call the runner’s high. Endorphins make people ‘high’ and happy. Research also shows that people who exercise regularly have more energy and better self-esteem.
Doctors, however, warn that weight-lifting and other physical activities should be done properly to avoid unwanted effects. Improper weight training, over-stressing the back muscles, or failure to perform warm-ups may cause lower back pain that may lead to serious back injuries. A recent study led by Dr. Geraldo Magela Vieira of Brazil revealed that weightlifting may increase the risk of glucoma, an eyesight-threatening condition. Vieira and his team of researchers found out that lifting heavy weights was linked to a brief increase in pressure within the eye. This takes place when a weightlifter holds his or her breath when performing bench presses and lifting too much weights. Health experts advise weight lifters to perform sets using light weights and do many repetitions instead of heavy sets with few repetitions. Many individuals think that lifting more weight is the key to attain a finely shaped body. But experts claim that lifting light weights properly using proper techniques may play a big role in improving one’s physique.
Health specialists also add that weightlifting and other strenuous activities should be done in moderation. Men who over-train experience fatigue which temporarily reduces sperm count and quality. This happens because the body literally kills itself during training. The resting period according to health experts is as important as the training period because the body needs to recuperate to attain normal cell development. Fatigue may reduce the level of hormones in the bloodstream that affects sperm production. Training properly and devising a proper training program may help develop muscles and avoid over-training.
There are many reasons why people undergo weight-training. From weight-loss, to toning, improving posture, and building bulk. People who exercise and lift weights regularly have a more positive outlook and are happier overall compared to their inactive counterparts. However, regardless of how and why people perform exercises, exercise should not only improve physical health, but also mental health. Utilizing the physical and psychological benefits weight lifting and exercise may help enhance one’s quality of life.