Stress Hygiene

All of us have been worried about the global economic situation, money, the weather as well as out own more personal issues. So revisiting stress seems appropriate.


on Waking coffee, some carbohydrate, a little conversation,
10:00am-11:00am Buy a bagel, some liquid and a pack of muffins -
Put your hands behind your head and stretch backwards clenching up the whole of your body breathing in to the count of five. Hold for one second and then slowly release while breathing out to the count of five. The re-orientate and go on with your day.

1:00pm: Do the seated exercise above Sit on seat with your hands on the seat of the chair. Pump your feet one at a time. Breathe in and tense up your body and push with your hands up and away from the seat. This can be done at any seat - including taking a break from driving

4:00pm: Eat a bran muffin breathe as at 10:00am

6:00pm thru 9:00pm: with dinner, conversation, mull over some weekend plans Watch TV go for a walk. Do the seated exercise while you watch TV as well as massage the back of your neck:


Bedtime: Take a shower, look at email/ read a book/ watch TV, then get into bed.
With light on or off put your body at a 45 degree angle. Put your hands behind your head and breathe in to count of five, hold for one and then breathe out to count of five. Repeat five times. Sleep

Think of a picture or event in your life that you can describe to someone you care about - try to do this before you ask any questions .... the idea is to get to talk with you about what has been experienced - to share.
Every other weekend plan a small outing that you could do.

NB Do not ask any question or seek any information that you can't handle. Concentrate on YOU becoming at home with yourself and establishing your own sense of home within.

Pick up on an activity that is just yours. And make a list of three things that you wished you had done before the age of 14yrs. Can be something as simple as back packing ..... don't be too thoughtful. This is about fun.

1. Remember, do some simple stretches several times a day. If you have time, say when watching TV, breathe in to the count of five while tensing muscles from fingers and toes up to shoulders - hold your breath for one second - then exhale, release breath, and let muscles relax for count of five. Let your shoulders slump forward. Slowly uncurl and notice how your body feels.

2. An easy quick exercise program - under twenty minutes a session at home with no equipment, 5BX. Adapt the more elaborate stretches to do under the massaging water of a shower. Start with hot water - stretch - and then gradually cool the temperature to a refreshing level.

Exercises

Death By Flu Med!!!

Many of us saw the Finale of House, when Amber dies, May 20th 2008. The science behind the show is accurate ~you CAN risk dying ........
Amantadine can result in serious complications, even if an overdose or poisoning was not to take place, the side effects alone are disturbing enough.

Amantadine, an antiviral drug that has been approved by the FDA in fighting influenz a, has many side effects and overdose effects.

So think carefully before you think of short term relief .......

Amantadine (flu medication) for anti-viral therapy blocks the M2 protein which prevent viral uncoating, which in turn inhibits the replication of the virus. Amantadine is a drug that is poorly regulated by the human body and most, approx 90% get excreted in its original form through the kidneys. However in patients with renal problems this can result in increasing circulation of the drug. As the toxicity leave is reached the symptoms include confusion, depression, aggressive, jittery, nausea, hypotension, and congestive heart failure. It is also noted that the patients may have exhibit ataxia, and hallucinations.Amantadine can cause Rhabdomyolysis, which I believe played a part in an earlier episode of House. Rhabdomyolsis is often a complication in crush/traumatic injuries, where muscle tissue breaks down causing an overload of myoglobin at levels that become toxic to the kidneys.

Treatment for Rhabdomyolysis is dialysis. Cut and dried, once diagnosed. The diagnosis is the tricky part.

Treatment for Amantadine poisoning is far more problematic, as it is an anticholinergic in some of its effects. Severe effects on the CNS are the results. Some effectiveness with intravenous physostigmine has been shown, but its dicey at best.

Declining effectiveness of amantadine

Early in the 2005/2006 flu season, the United States' Center for Disease Control [CDC] found rates of amantadine resistance to be much higher than in previous seasons. Looking at samples from 26 states yielded the following findings:

A total of 193 (92.3%) of 209 influenza A(H3N2) and 2 (25%) of 8 influenza A(H1N1) viruses analyzed contained point mutations resulting in a serine-to-asparagine change at amino acid 31 (S31N) of the M2 protein that conferred amantadine resistance.

A resistance rate of 92% for the major flu strain was called "alarmingly high". The CDC issued an alert to doctors not to prescribe amantadine any more for the season. Among some Asian countries, A/H3N2 and A/H1N1 resistance has reached 100%.

~Tamiflu .....

Tamiflu, the anti-viral drug manufactured by the Swiss Roche Holdings, is the only neuraminidase inhibitor approved for the treatment of influenza in the United States. Tamiflu treats influenza by trapping the influenza virus in cells that are already infected. It is approved for use on children over one year and on adults who have had symptoms for less than two days.

The first concerns raised about Tamiflu related to skin reactions. By December 2005, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had received reports of severe, and sometimes fatal, skin reactions and allergic reactions. These included 24 cases of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a potentially fatal skin condition caused by an allergic reaction to a drug, and 14 cases of erythema multiforme, a similar condition. There were also several cases of anaphylactic reactions, including 17 cases of potentially deadly anaphylactic shock. These reactions caused three deaths in adults. On December 21, 2005, the FDA required an update to the Tamiflu label warning about these reactions.

So think carefully before you think of short term relief .......
Again, with all medical advice - seek professional care and information. Be aware - be safe.

Talk to your OB/GYN ~

A younger woman was talking to us about this ....... if you are suffering then consider it.


Say No More with the NovaSure procedure, the quick, safe and simple one-time treatment with No Hormones and No Hysterectomy. NovaSure can treat excessive bleeding so that you can go on with your life.

Breathing again .......

The Four Stages of Breathing in Yoga

1. Puraka (Inhalation)

A single inhalation is termed Puraka. It is a process of drawing in air and is expected to be smooth and continuous. If a person should pause one or more times during the process of a single inhaling, the process might be spoken of as a broken Puraka rather than as a series of Purakas.


2. Abhyantara Kumbhaka (Pause After Inhaling) Full Pause

Kumbhaka consists of deliberate stoppage of flow of air and retention of the air in the lungs, without any movement of lungs or muscles or any part of the body and without any incipient movements. A beginner may experiment by using some force to keep such pause motionless. Quite elaborate instructions and techniques have been worked out for this purpose.


3. Rechaka (Exhalation)

The third stage, Exhalation, is called Rechaka. Like inhalation, it too should be smooth and continuous, though often the speed of exhaling is different from that of inhaling. Normally, muscular energy is used for inhaling whereas exhaling consists merely of relaxing the tensed muscles. Such relaxing forces air from the lungs as they return to a relaxed condition. Muscular effort may also be used for both inhalation and exhalation. You can force air out with muscular effort like when you sit or stand erect with your abdominal muscles under constant control. When you deliberately smoothes the course of your breathing and hold the cycle in regular or definitely irregular patterns, you are also likely to use muscular energy at each stage, including the pauses. However, in a condition of complete relaxation, you should expect to exert some effort for inhalation.


4. Bahya Kumbhaka (Pause After Exhaling) Empty Pause

The Fourth Stage of Breathing, the pause after exhaling, is also called kumbhaka, especially when the stoppage is deliberate or prolonged. This empty pause completes the cycle which terminates as the pause ends and a new inhalation begins.

Alternatives to serious Self Harm

SING as loud as you can for as long as you need to ....

Doodle .....

Breath and imagine .......

"You may be wondering why someone would intentionally harm themselves. Self-injury can help someone relieve intense feelings such as anger, sadness, loneliness, shame, guilt and emotional pain. Many people who cut themselves, do this in an attempt to try and release all the emotions they are feeling internally. Others may feel so numb, that seeing their own blood when they cut themselves, helps them to feel alive because they usually feel so dead inside. Some people find that dealing with physical pain is easier than dealing with emotional pain. Self-injury is also used as a way to punish oneself. If they were abused, they may feel ashamed, guilty and blame themselves for the abuse, which in turn causes them to feel the need to punish themselves by inflicting pain to their bodies. Some people have such hatred for themselves and their bodies that they will carve demeaning names on their bodies as a way to remind themselves of how terrible they are. Whatever form of self-injury is used, the person is usually left with a peaceful and calm feeling afterwards. Since those feelings are only temporary, the person will probably continue to self-injure until they deal with the underlying issues and finds healthier ways to cope.

If you feel the urge to injure yourself, below is a list of suggestions that might help you to overcome that urge. Please be advised that not all of these suggestions will be helpful to everyone. What is helpful to one person, may not be helpful to someone else. These suggestions have been provided by individuals who self injured and what they found helpful to them. If you feel that a certain suggestion may in fact cause you to want to self injure even more, do NOT use that suggestion. Find ones that are helpful for you. Again, these are only suggestions and may not be helpful to everyone.

• deep breathing
• relaxation techniques
• call a friend, your therapist or a crisis line
• try not be be alone (visit a friend, go shopping, etc.)
• take a hot bath
• listen to music
• go for a walk
• write in a journal
• wear an elastic around wrist and snap it when you have the urge to harm yourself
• some people find it helpful to draw red lines on themselves with washable markers instead of cutting themselves
• hold ice cubes in your hands - the cold causes pain in your hands, but it is not dangerous or harmful (some people find it relieves the urge to harm themselves for that moment)
• punching a bed or a pillow (when nothing but a physical outlet for your anger and frustration will work).
• scratch draw a picture on a thick piece of wood or use a screw driver and stab at the piece of wood. (can be another physical way to release your emotions without harming yourself.)
• avoid temptation (i.e. avoiding the area in CVS where the razor blades are kept, etc.)
• try to find your own creative ways as outlets for emotions.
• learn to confront others/making your own feelings known instead of keeping them inside
• go outside and scream and yell
• take up a sport (a form of exercise can help you release tension, etc.)
• work with paint, clay, play-doo, etc. (the person who suggested this mentioned that they would make a big sculpture and do whatever they wanted to it. They said it was helpful to calm the urge to self-injure, plus it gave them some idea of what might be underlying the pain.
• draw a picture of what or who is making you angry
• instead of harming yourself, try massaging the area you want to harm with massage oils or creams, reminding yourself that you are special and you deserve to treat yourself and your body with love and respect
• go to church or your place of worship
• wear a pipe cleaner or something that will fit on the places that you injure. One person did this as a way to remind herself that she could call someone instead of hurting herself and that she had other ways to cope.
• break the object that you use to self-injure as a way to show that you have control over it.
• write a letter to the person(s) that have hurt you and express how they made you feel. Theses letters do not have to be in perfect form and you do not have to please anyone but yourself. You do not have to give these letters to the people, but it is a great way to release the feelings that you are carrying within. After you write the letters, you can decide then what to do with them. Some people find destroying the letters help (i.e. tear them up, throw them in a lake, etc.)
• do some household chores (i.e. cleaning)
• do some cooking
• try some sewing, cross stitch, etc.
• recite a poem, prayer or anything else familiar the comforts you multiple times
• write down all your positive points and why you do not deserve to be hurt
• write in your journal why you want to hurt yourself and if you have hurt yourself, write down what caused it to happen so in the future you can prevent it from happenings - or find out what your triggers were
• Play some kind of musical instrument. Even if you don't really know how to play, picking out tunes is a way to concentrate and help get rid of the urge to harm yourself.
• yoga
• allow yourself to cry. Getting the tears out can make you feel better. It allows the inside to release, as opposed to self abuse. Picture your "ickies" pouring out as you cry.
• Take a shower
• write down a word best associated with what you are feeling (i.e. horrible, sad, lonely, angry) and continue to write it down, over and over. Sometimes when you do that, the words looks silly etc., and it puts humor or a smile in your life.
• sing a song on what you are feeling. It's another way to get it outside. Shout if you are made, etc. Let the words just come to you.
• Scribble on paper. Clutch the pen in your fist. It's a way to diffuse it on to paper. (Get a few sheets so they don't tear.)
• Take item you are self injurying with and use it against something else. For example, if you are using a razor blade, rip it across a towel. Sometimes seeing what "can" be done to an object can make a person think twice about using it on themselves. Can also give the feeling of "doing it"...the tangible aspect.
• Make a list of reasons why you are going to stop cutting. Every time you get the urge, read the list to remind yourself why you shouldn't. Also remember to put on that list that you do not deserve to hurt yourself. You are important and special and you do not deserve to be hurt.

If you have any suggestions that have helped you in the past and feel might be helpful to someone else, please email Colleen and I will add it to the list.

It is very difficult for people to admit to someone that they harm themselves because there is usually so much shame and guilt that goes along with it. It's important to try and remind yourself that there is no shame in what you are doing and that it's okay to reach out and ask for help. In order to help yourself overcome this, you need to want to stop the behavior and you need to find a therapist that you like and trust to help you deal with the underlying issues causing you to do this to yourself. Sometimes treatment may also involve the use of medications such as Xanax and Klonopin. Hypnosis and relaxation techniques can also be helpful, and in extreme cases, hospitalization might be required for a short period of time. If there are support groups in your area, you may want to think about joining them for extra support.

Many people who self-injure keep it a secret because they feel like they are crazy, insane and evil. They fear if they tell anyone, they might be locked away forever. The truth is, people who intentionally harm themselves are in fact very normal and sane people, who are in a lot of emotional pain. They self-injure as a way to cope, because they were probably never taught how to deal with intense feelings and emotions in healthy ways. Unfortunately, when people hear about this form of self-harm, they do tend to place labels on these people as being psychotic and crazy, which is why so many people do not come forward and ask for help. Until society dispels all the myths surrounding self-injury and start to educate themselves on this subject, sufferers will continue to keep quiet and this form of abuse will continue to be a secret for a long time to come."

Colleen Thompson
Copyright © 1996 by [Colleen Thompson]. All rights reserved.
Revised: 28 Feb 2008 21:56:28 -0500.

Emmanuel Lévinas

Existential Phenomenology, you asked ..........

"Lévinas derives the primacy of his ethics from the experience of the encounter with the Other. For Lévinas, the irreducible relation, the epiphany, of the face-to-face, the encounter with another, is a privileged phenomenon in which the other person's proximity and distance are both strongly felt. "The Other precisely reveals himself in his alterity not in a shock negating the I, but as the primordial phenomenon of gentleness."^[2]. At the same time, the revelation of the face makes a demand, this demand is before one can express, or know one's freedom, to affirm or deny. One instantly recognizes the transcendence and heteronomy of the Other. Even murder fails as an attempt to take hold of this otherness.

In Lévinas' later thought following "Totality and Infinity", he argued that our responsibility for-the-other was already rooted within our subjective constitution. It should be noted that the first line of the preface of this book is "everyone will readily agree that it is of the highest importance to know whether we are not duped by morality."^[3] This can be seen most clearly in his later account of recurrence (chapter 4 in "Otherwise Than Being"), where Lévinas maintained that subjectivity was formed in and through our subjected-ness to the other. In this way, his effort was not to move away from traditional attempts to locate the other within subjectivity (this he agrees with), so much as his view was that subjectivity was primordially ethical and not theoretical. That is to say, our responsibility for-the-other was not a derivative feature of our subjectivity; instead, obligation founds our subjective being-in-the-world by giving it a meaningful direction and orientation. Lévinas' thesis "ethics is first philosophy", then, means that the traditional philosophical pursuit of knowledge is but a secondary feature of a more basic ethical duty to-the-other."