Instead of a sugar-filled candy bar, have a sugarless protein bar. Instead of driving 80mph on the freeway, slow it down to 70mph. Instead of scrolling through an endless stream of Facebook posts, search for a long-ago friend and say hello. Instead of making a fun-filled purchase, pack up a piece of clothing you really like, and drop it by Goodwill. Instead of an angry, profanity-laden response to someone, take a couple of deep belly breaths, and jot it down [...]
No clinical article for December, instead I'd like to speak to the issue of resilience. For the majority of 2020, we've been in the clutches of a major pandemic, for which there has been no easy answers, where science often seemed befuddled, and predictions were all over the place and often abysmally inaccurate. We've postponed or canceled weddings, birthday parties, family reunions, holiday celebrations and even funerals. We've had to face the anguish of not being able to tend to [...]
Want to give yourself a gift to get 2021 off to a good start? Choose a fear that's been dogging you, and devote some time to vanquishing it. Seek help if warranted. Fears are notorious for masking talent, impeding progress, and are the worst energy suckers ever! Have a candid face-to-face with what scares you, and do a dive into its underlying cause. Conquering a fear is one of the most liberating accomplishments we can experience.
Optimism isn’t about a false sense of assurance that an endeavor, a project you’re working on, or a relationship, for example, will work out. Optimism is about making a choice to go ahead with something – whereby you’ll be putting your best foot forward to achieve your desired outcome. Optimism is generated by way of work and planning, fueling the positive mindset that success is not only a possibility, but is likely. Optimism too, is about outlook, and whenever our [...]
I sincerely hope that all of you are staying safe during this unprecedented set of circumstances. In spite of wall-to-wall daily coverage of this virus and its impact, little media attention has been devoted to helping children navigate this -- outside of a few print articles here and there. Parents -- and you may be among them -- are concerned about how to bring up this pandemic with their kids without stoking fear and additional worry. Here are my suggestions: [...]
Because of the current pandemic circumstances gripping every area of our country from coast to coast, I decided not to send out my customary clinical articles this month. Instead, I prefer to offer this: To all of you -- my friends, colleagues, clients, acquaintances, newsletter followers -- no matter how you know me or where you are, I wish to extend my heartfelt and best wishes for your health and safety during these challenging times. It is my sincere hope [...]
Right now, in our pockets or purses is a device with a name or a logo on it where you’ll find an alert, breaking news, or a text just waiting for your attention, as long as the battery lasts. Unless…we choose to redefine whatever our mission is and concentrate on it right now, as the thing we’ve chosen to do.
Humor is an integral component of a keen intellect, so laugh often – with others, and particularly at yourself.
People are often prone to offering us unsolicited feedback. A good reason to not accept it is because you didn’t ask for it in the first place. Such feedback always acts to benefit the sender, not the recipient. Listen to it if you choose, but do reserve your right to discard it afterward.
Primary insomnia is comprised of three components—difficulty getting to sleep, trouble staying asleep and early morning awakenings. People with chronic sleep difficulties may experience all three of these components. The nonbenzodiazepines Ambien (zolpidem), Sonata (zaleplon) and Lunesta (eszopiclone) are the most commonly used drugs in the treatment of primary insomnia, but they’re not without their problems. “Complex sleep behavior” has emerged as a phrase which encompasses various problems that can occur after taking a sleeping pill. Such adverse circumstances include [...]
