This means that it is at times possible to relieve symptoms by teaching people to examine and question automatic thoughts, beliefs and meanings in order to determine whether or not they are rational or useful. People are not only taught to question their thoughts and beliefs, but also to devise experiments to test the validity of their beliefs.

The efficacy of CBT is more researched than any other psychotherapeutic intervention. The efficacy of the approach is good enough for it to be the recommended treatment intervention for numerous emotional problems, for example anxiety conditions, depression and trauma. There are a number of studies which indicate that CBT alone is more effective than medication alone in the treatment of anxiety conditions and depression. There is also evidence that relapse happens less often following CBT than when using other forms of psychotherapy or medication.

In what way does CBT differ from other psychotherapeutic approaches?
CBT is orientated in the present. CBT does not ignore the past; it is acknowledged that various dysfunctional or unhelpful beliefs develop because of difficult life experiences. For example, a child who grows up with parents who are very critical and demeaning may believe he is not capable of achieving anything in his life, or a woman who is raped may feel that she is dirty and damaged and will never again have a normal life. In CBT the main focus is on challenging and changing those beliefs and the behaviour which results from them in the present.

CBT is orientated towards problem-solving. It is extremely practical and focussed. Changes in thinking and behaviour are actively pursued.

CBT is a skills-based intervention. The focus is on teaching people the necessary skills to be able to apply them in their daily living.

Rational and irrational thinking
As mentioned, CBT claims that irrational beliefs underlie discomfort in our lives, as well as psychiatric symptoms. It is related to various unhelpful emotions and can lead to bad decisions and behaviour.

How are rational and irrational beliefs defined?
Rational beliefs are adaptable and moderate, help people attain their goals, are logical and consistent with reality. Irrational beliefs are rigid and extreme, not pragmatic, illogical and not consistent with a tested reality.

People everywhere brag and whimper about the woes of their early years, but nothing can compare with the Irish version: the poverty; the shiftless loquacious alcoholic father; the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire; pompous priests; bullying schoolmasters; the English and the terrible things they did to us for eight hundred long years.”

Does a bad childhood (not only an Irish one) inevitably lead to problems in life? Not inevitably. Not everyone will demonstrate the effects of a bad childhood, but it does seem that many people do. And they do in surprising ways. We would expect a bad childhood to affect our psychological make-up and our ability to form relationships. Bad childhoods do this, but they appear to do much more than mess us up psychologically.

A very interesting group of studies, known as the ACE (adverse childhood experiences) studies have indicated that having a bad childhood can lead to numerous problems. The researchers who did the studies, divided adverse childhood experiences into the following categories: childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, substance abuse in the family, domestic violence. They did not determine the number of experiences in a category, simply the number of categories.

The researchers have demonstrated that even when controlling for lifestyle factors (such as drinking and smoking) that people who have had experiences in a number of these categories have an increased risk for physical illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Their risk for psychiatric illness and drug abuse also increases.

The researchers demonstrated that ACEs are extremely common – for example more than 30 percent of the group they studied indicated that they had been physically abused, almost 20 percent indicated they had been sexually abused and over 23 percent had been exposed to family alcohol abuse. This was not a group of people who had reported to mental health professionals. These were normal, everyday people who probably did not think they had too much wrong with them.

This study confirmed that adverse childhood experiences are linked to the development of depression, suicide attempts, alcoholism, drug abuse, sexual promiscuity, domestic violence, cigarette smoking, obesity, physical inactivity and sexually transmitted infections.

The more ACEs experienced, the more likely a person is to develop heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes, skeletal fractures and liver disease.

It appears that chronic trauma interferes with neurobiological development. Children who have experienced miserable childhoods struggle to integrate sensory, emotional and cognitive information.

There are many other studies which confirm these results. Having a bad childhood does not lead to inevitable problems, but it certainly increases your risk for them.

What are the typical emotional problems which children have who have had these experiences?

Children who have been exposed to ACEs often present with attention problems, difficulty recovering from intense emotions, they are often not aware of their own bodily experiences or find it hard to describe them. They may also experience difficulty in sleep, their appetite may be affected and they may react intensely to sounds or touch. They also often struggle to protect themselves. They may be easily distracted from goals. These children often do not feel good about themselves and may feel helpless or defective. They often find it very hard to trust adults, and may be aggressive with their friends or adults. Some of these children have a too strong need to get close to others, at times sexually.

They will often demonstrate problems at school, in the family, with their friends, and may have problems with the law. They may have health problems.

Do these problems continue into adulthood?

The area in which we see most of these problems is in the area of relationships. This is not surprising as relationship trauma will probably be triggered most severely in relationships. For both parties in these relationships it can be extremely frustrating. The person who has not had similar trauma will often struggle to understand their partner. And the person who has experienced severe interpersonal trauma as a child finds themselves behaving in inappropriate ways and feeling incapable of changing their behaviour.

They find they experience emotions such as panic at inappropriate times; they may feel abandoned in situations which other people will regard as every day. They may find that the respond to sexual advances of someone they love as though they were threatening. They may find that they experience emotions much more strongly intensely than someone who has never had ACEs. Alternatively they may struggle to experience emotions and may feel that they have none. They may struggle to stick to goals and despite their best intentions being distracted. They may struggle to trust others and may find that they lose their temper more easily than others do. They may find that they have health issues which are not always fully explained by medical science.

Can something be done about it?

Yes, psychotherapy does help. But long-standing trauma and long-term ways of functioning do not change overnight. They change in a relationship which demonstrates different ways of relating to the dysfunctional patterns were exposed to. This takes time and typically many obstacles have to be negotiated along the way.

It is a state that is not at all easy to define. Without much ado, it could be described as follows: To feel sufficiently secure to allow our “awake selves” to move to another state: that of sleep. It is useful to regard the process of falling asleep as a personal, spiritual practice, which also has its psychological aspects.

Research indicates that approximately half of the world’s population experience sleeping problems. The most common practice flowing from this, is the use alcohol, sleeping tablets or reaching a state of total exhaustion to bring on sleep.

WHAT NATURE TEACHES US ABOUT SLEEP

When we look at nature, we see a whole lot of information that is logical and makes sense. The sun rises in the morning and shines all day. Then the sun goes down and dusk descends, until it is totally dark – night-time. The process is also necessary for our brain functions. We are meant to work during the day while the sun shines brightly. When dusk descends, the brain starts to produce Melatonin, the sleep hormone, and we are supposed to become calm and relaxed. As the darkness intensifies, the brain produces ever-increasing quantities of this hormone, we become sleepy and we want to go to bed.

THE REALITIES OF THE MODERN-DAY SOCIETY

But what has happened since? We have to return home via cars, busses, trains and planes, amidst the noise and pollution of the city – and often it is already dark when we get home.

In addition, men-made lights are switched on as soon as dusk descends: flashing neon advertisements, street lights, etc. On arriving home, we are met by lights from the garden, from the house, from computers, radios, television sets, videos, MXit, ipods, movies, the theatre – you name them. Eighty percent of the stimuli that reach the brain via the senses is visual – i.e. we absorb it via our eyes.  And 80 percent is rather high. Light stimulates the production of  Serotonin, which provides us with energy. Twilight time has disappeared – it is no longer part of our lives. The majority of people drag out their day for as long as possible, as though they are fleeing from the night. Have we become a hyperactive, essentially visually stimulated society?

Increasing evidence indicates that even the slightest exposure to light during the night disturbs our circadian rhythms – i.e. our sleep/awake pattern. The result is that we lose our awareness of life’s normal rhythms – our experience of being ‘intact people’. The link between sleep and mental health is of critical importance and highly complex. Approximately 80 percent of people with psychiatric disorders suffer from sleeping problems. Insomnia, especially the lack of ability to sleep right through the night, has been regarded as a classic symptom of depression for many years. Eventually we find ourselves in a situation where we are half-awake while asleep, and half-asleep during the day.

COMPENSATIONS

As energy addicts we require instant solutions, such as caffeine, food with a high sugar content, alcohol and all kinds of pills and opiates: tranquillisers, pain killers, sleeping tablets, dagga, maruana, etc. The effect of these substances manifests itself as nervousness and restlessness, which only serves to camouflage the underlying exhaustion. They help in the short term, but with long-term results that will cost you dearly.

During 2006, almost 50 million prescriptions were issued for sleeping tablets in the USA – 15 percent more than in the previous year.

THE EFFECT OF SLEEPING TABLETS

The long-term use of sleeping tablets can negatively affect our ability to fall asleep naturally.

• Both over-the-counter and prescription sleep medication leads to dependency.
• It affects the memory of some people.
• The “second life” of some sleeping tablets causes us to wake up in the morning, without really being wide awake.
• In the four phases of sleep, sleeping tablets only promote the first two. Therefore, the quality of the sleep that we do manage to achieve is not satisfactory.
• To top it all: The critically important role that every person has to play in taking responsibility for his/her own lifestyle is being disregarded.

New research into sleeping tablets indicates that only about 25 minutes of additional sleep is gained – sometimes even less – because the pills function in such a way that they cause amnesia about episodes of lying awake at night and they lead sleepers to believe that they sleep better than they in fact do. Some pills contain an ingredient that suppresses dreams, and others again contain an ingredient that causes liver damage.

However, the other side is not to throw out the baby with the bath water. In the event of medical and personal crises, the short-term use of sleeping tablets could have its advantages. However, the idea that we have no control over our sleeping patterns and need to be assisted by an external substance to fall asleep, should be seriously questioned.

A FEW MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT SLEEP

• The idea that someone who falls asleep immediately or within five minutes is a good sleeper, does not necessarily hold water. On the contrary, it could indicate over-exhaustion or an accumulated debt of sleep – which is a symptom of a sleep disorder.

• The majority of people like to watch TV or read before going to bed. Even if their eyelids become heavy and they fall asleep, they actually resist falling asleep. Apparently this is to get even sleepier so that they can just fall over and go to sleep instantly. The idea of spending 15 or 20 minutes alone with only their own company could perhaps prove to be too much. And yet, that is precisely what is required to sleep well.

• It sometimes happens that a person who has lost a loved one escapes into activities and light by, for example, working very late and, in so doing, trying to avoid the process of mourning. In the long term, this is not the solution.

• It is actually impossible to “go to bed to sleep” as though we were purposefully underway to a destination. It works far better to let go of “being awake”.

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

A few tips:

Stimulated Twilight Time

Do you allow twilight time in your lifestyle? It is not a technique to sleep better – it is an attitude, a growing awareness of a neglected facet of humanity. It is to cut your self loose from your awareness of the day and to switch over to an awareness of the night. It is to change gears emotionally, let go of the day and welcome the night. Dusk and darkness are natural tranquillisers. They could be used to decrease visual stimulation and, in so doing, promote the production of Melatonin. The best sleeping tablets come in the form of darkness.

Rest and Rhythm

Even short periods of simply looking out of the window during the day, going for a brisk walk, or just sitting down and allowing yourself to be quiet, can be of great help. Due to the fact that we are overly busy, we function in fifth gear and do not grant ourselves a breather or even something to eat.

Habits before going to bed

Excessive exercising, watching videos (especially those that cause the adrenaline to pump), reading thrillers, socialising until late, working on your computer until it is time to go to bed, coffee and tea that contain caffeine, as well as alcohol after two-o’-clock in the afternoon, are some of the most effective methods to disturb a good night’s sleep. Television sets and computer monitors radiate a host of blue light waves, which hamper the production of Melatonin. It would be a good idea to turn down the lights a short while before it is time to go to bed, and if you want to read before going to bed, to use a very soft light.

Processing the day’s events

We need time to reflect on the day’s events and to process these. If we fail to do so, we suppress them and they turn into baggage which causes us wake up later during the night, or they can even cause nightmares. However, a very fine balance is required here. To lie in bed, endlessly brooding about an issue that you can do nothing about at that particular stage, is unproductive. That is the so-called racing mind which, in my opinion, is one of the major causes of sleep disturbances. It feels impossible to stop the drama playing out in your thoughts or the dialogue that you are creating to get back at the person who had made you angry in the first place.

This is where meta-cognition comes in very handy. This means asking yourself: “What am I busy thinking about?” Can you do something about it now and do you really want to lie awake because of it? Then you take a decision about what you will do about it tomorrow, or  decide to shelve it, or to let it go and become at peace with yourself. Then take your thoughts to, for example, a tranquil scene that you appreciate very much. Deliberate, deep and regular breathing is yet another resource at your disposal.

To fall asleep easily, actually requires only two things: that we relax and concentrate on something neutral or positive. Sleep emanates from a mind that is at peace – and from darkness. It works much better to let go of being awake, than to try and force yourself to fall asleep.

Source:

Rubin Naiman, Psychotherapy Networker September 2009

Another difficulty which arises in the replaying of extremely traumatic events is the nature of the memories. It feels very different to normal memory in which we are aware of our surroundings, we know that what we are thinking of happened in the past and is not currently part of our reality, beyond our recollections. When we experience flashbacks it is as though the traumatic event is happening, again, now. We are experiencing it without the sense that it happened in the past. With a bit of imagination you can understand how debilitating this can be. Let us take an example: If a woman has been raped and she experiences a flashback during her and her husband’s lovemaking, she may see, smell and feel the rapist again.

The person who has severe PTSD is never free of the trauma. He or she will often fear going to bed, as they often wake from severe nightmares in which they relive the trauma or something related to the trauma. Again, consider the implications: If you get into bed at night (every night) knowing that despite your intense desire to have it different that you will wake in the middle of a nightmare, with heart racing, struggling for breath, skin clammy and totally disorientated, it becomes frightening to go to sleep. You may try and avoid it to the point of exhaustion, but when you fall asleep you will again experience the horror of the nightmare. Often, after awakening, they find it impossible to sleep again. Sleep deprivation becomes part of the problem. Often, especially if the trauma happened at night, people start to switch day and night, finding they can sleep in the day and not at night which they associate with danger. If you have to be at work early the next morning, this becomes an enormous problem.

Reminders of the trauma are everywhere. Generally traumatic events happen while we are living our lives and our normal experiences can lead to debilitating symptoms. If someone you love died in a car accident, you will be reminded of what happened where ever you go. Newspaper stories report on crime on every page.
Avoidance
The recognition that a traumatic experience can lead to avoidant behaviours is part of folk-wisdom. Hence the directive that if you fall off a horse to get back on again as soon as possible. People with PTSD avoid reminders of what has happened to them. So if someone has been hijacked, they might find themselves avoiding driving in the area in which they were hijacked, or not driving the time of day that they were hijacked. They may also avoid conversations and activities (such as reading newspapers) which remind them of what has happened. As you will realise, this can become quite debilitating, especially if it involves your own home or generalises to all shopping malls and so on.
Numbing and some other unpleasant symptoms
People with severe PTSD may sometimes find that they cannot remember an important part of the trauma. It is not forgetfulness, it is the awareness that something important happened and I do not remember it. The thought of eventually remembering can be extremely threatening.

People who have PTSD often lose interest in things they normally enjoyed. Other aspects of their experience of life are often affected. They may find that they cannot experience emotions which they normally experienced. If you struggle to express love to the people who are close to you it starts to affect the relationships you have with them. People often feel as though they are detached or estranged from the world. When you have experienced horrors others have not, it is very hard to believe anyone can understand or relate to the experience. In actual fact people who have not experienced severe trauma do not understand the experience.
Increased arousal
Every time you have intrusive images your body responds to them as though you have just been exposed to the trauma. Your body responds by releasing stress hormones. This eventually leads to a state of increased arousal where you are constantly in a physiological state of responding to the traumatic event. You experience difficulties in falling or staying asleep – not only as a result of the nightmares. People frighten easily, finding that they are much more reactive to sounds or sudden movements than they normally are. This is paired with constantly being on the lookout for danger. They may become irritable or have aggressive outbursts. When we consider the problems in relating to others already caused by difficulties in experiencing emotions and by a sense of detachment it is easy to see why aggressive outbursts or irritability can compound relationship difficulties. People also find their ability to concentrate is badly affected.
Treatment of PTSD
There are a few principles that are important in the treatment of PTSD. Medication is often useful and sufferers may be referred to a psychiatrist for medication. However, psychotherapy is generally necessary in managing the symptoms of PTSD. Let us look at the logic of treatment. All psychotherapeutic interventions which have proven to be effective are exposure-based (mainly prolonged exposure and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing). Effective treatments all entail revisiting the traumatic event. In the beginning this entails the visualisation of what has happened and telling the story. Later the revisiting can include going to the actual places and so on where the trauma occurred. Why is this necessary? By revisiting the events we are mimicking the natural process of coming to terms with events. We also, by revisiting the trauma, are helping people to desensitise to the event – to no longer have the intense physiological response they initially had. If the traumatised person then experiences reminders or images relating to the trauma, he or she no longer has the strong physiological response to the trauma. They have a sense of mastery over the traumatic event and no longer have to avoid it. It also means that the symptoms of increased arousal abate.

Traumatised people are generally taught some skills before starting desensitisation. These entail managing flashbacks and skills which ameliorate the worst of the anxiety and discomfort associated with the increased arousal and physiological response to exposure to reminders of the traumatic event.

An intrinsic part of coming to terms with trauma is to reconstruct our lives. As discussed, people who have been been exposed to severe trauma experience that their lives and much that they have built their lives on has been shattered. This has to be reconstructed in a way which the person finds meaningful. Often this process also entails coming to terms with how we have responded before, during and after the event. People often experience guilt around trauma which has to be resolved.

As I mentioned in the beginning of this article, it is possible to treat PTSD effectively. Many people find that their symptoms abate completely with treatment, others find that their symptoms are more manageable following treatment.

WAT IS SLAAP?

Dis ‘n toestand wat glad nie maklik is om te beskryf nie. Sonder omhaal van te veel woorde, kan dit beskryf word as:  om veilig genoeg te voel om ons “wakker self” toe te laat om na‘n ander toestand te gaan: die van slaap. Dis nuttig om aan die proses van aan die slaap raak te dink as ‘n persoonlike, spirituele praktyk wat ook sielkundige aspekte het.

Navorsing leer dat ongeveer die helfte van die wêreld se bevolking slaapprobleme ervaar.
Die algemene gebruik is dan om alkohol, slaappille of totale uitgeputheid te gebruik om te kan slaap.

WAT DIE NATUUR ONS LEER OOR SLAAP

As ons na die natuur kyk, is daar ‘n klomp inligting wat logies is en sin maak. Die son kom in die more op en skyn die hele dag. Dan gaan hy onder en dit begin skemer word, totdat dit heeltemal donker-nag is. Die proses is ook nodig vir die brein. Ons is bedoel
om bedags te werk terwyl die son helder skyn. As dit begin skemer word, begin die brein Melatonin, die slaaphormoon, afskei en ons is veronderstel om rustiger te raak. Soos dit donkerder word skei die brein al meer van die hormoon af, ons word vaak en wil gaan slaap.

DIE REALITEITE VAN DIE HUIDIGE SAMELEWING

Maar wat het intussen gebeur? Ons moet met behulp van motors, busse, treine, vliegtuie en die geraas en rokerigheid van die stad huiswaarts keer – en dikwels as dit reeds donker is, tuiskom.

Afgesien daarvan kom die mensgemaakte ligte aan sodra dit skemer word: Advertensies, straatligte; tuis gekom is dit tuinligte, huisligte, rekenaars, radio’s, TV, video’s, mixit, Ipods, flieks, teater, noem maar op. Van die prikkels wat via die sintuie na die brein gaan, is 80% visueel, dws deur ons oë. Nogal baie. Lig stimuleer die afskeiding van Serotonien wat vir ons energie gee. Skemertyd het verdwyn. Meeste mense rek hulle dag so lank as moontlik uit, asof hulle vir die nag vlug. Het ons ‘n hiperaktiewe, hoofsaaklik visueel gestimuleerde  gemeenskap geword?

Groeiende bewyse toon dat selfs geringe blootstelling aan lig gedurende die nag, ons “circadian “ ritmes versteur, dws ons slaap/wakker patroon. Die gevolg is dat ons ons bewus-wees van die lewe se natuurlike ritmes verloor – ons ervaring van ‘heel mense’ te wees. Die skakel tussen slaap en geestesgesondheid is krities en kompleks. Ongeveer 80% mense met psigiatriese steurings kry swaar om te slaap. Insomnia, veral die vermoë om snags deur te slaap, is vir baie jare al bekend as ‘n klassieke simptoom van depressie.
Uiteindelik bevind ons onself in ‘n situasie waar ons half-wakker is in ons slaap en bedags half aan die slaap is.

KOMPENSASIES

As energie-verslaafdes benodig ons kitsoplossings soos kafeïne, hoë suikerinhoud kosse, alkohol en allerhande pille en verdowingsmiddels: kalmeerpille, hoofpynpille, slaappille, dagga, marujana, ens. Die effek hiervan is senuweeagtigheid en rusteloosheid wat net die onderliggende moegheid verbloem. Dit help oor die korttermyn, maar met duur langtermyngevolge.

In die VSA is daar gedurende 2006 byna 50 miljoen voorskrifte vir slaappille uitgereik – 15% meer as in die vorige jaar.

DIE EFFEK VAN SLAAPPILLE

Die langtermyn gebruik van slaappille kan ons vermoë om natuurlik aan die slaap te raak,
ondermyn.
• Beide oor-die-toonbank en voorskrif-slaapmedikasie veroorsaak afhanklikheid daarvan
• Sommige mense se geheue word aangetas
• Die “tweede lewe” van sommige slaappille veroorsaak dat ons soggens wakker word, maar nie helder wakker is nie
• In die 4 fases van slaap bevorder slaappille net die eerste 2. Die kwaliteit van die slaap wat wel plaasvind, is dus nie goed nie
• Nog meer: die krities-belangrike rol wat elkeen moet speel om persoonlik verantwoordelikheid te neem vir sy/haar eie leefstyl, word verontagsaam.

Nuwe navorsing oor slaappille toon aan dat slegs ongeveer 25 minute addisionele slaap bewerkstellig word, soms minder, omdat die pille so funksioneer dat dit geheueverlies veroorsaak vir nagtelike wakkerlê en slapers laat  glo dat hulle beter slaap as wat hulle in werklikheid doen. Sommige pille bevat ‘n middel wat drome onderdruk en ander weer ‘n middel wat lewerskade veroorsaak.

Die baba moet nou ook nie weer met die badwater uitgegooi word nie. Vir mediese en persoonlike krisisse kan die korttermyn gebruik daarvan voordele inhou. Die idee dat ons geen beheer oor ons slaap het nie en deur ‘n substans van buite gehelp moet word om in te plons in slaap, moet egter ernstig bevraagteken word.

ENKELE WANOPVATTINGS OOR SLAAP

• Die idee dat iemand wat dadelik of binne 5 minute aan die slaap raak ‘n goeie slaper is, is nie noodwendig waar nie. Inteendeel, dit kan oormoegheid aandui of opgehoopte slaapskuld – ‘n simptoom van ‘n slaapsteuring.

• Meeste mense kyk graag TV of lees voor hulle slaap. Al word hulle ooglede swaar en raak hulle al aan die slaap, weerstaan hulle dit om te slaap. Blykbaar is dit om nog vaker te word en om vinnig net om te val en te slaap. Die idee om vir 15-20 minute alleen met hulleself in die donker te wees, is dalk net te erg. Tog is dit juis wat nodig is vir goeie slaap.

• Dit gebeur dat iemand wat ‘n geliefde verloor het, ontsnap na aktwiteite en lig, bv baie laat werk, en so die rouproses probeer vermy. Op die langduur is dit nie ‘n oplossing nie.

• Einlik is dit onmoontlik om te “gaan slaap” asof ons doelbewus oppad is na ‘n bestemming. Dit werk baie beter om “wakker wees” te laat gaan.

WAT NOU GEDAAN?
Net ‘n paar wenke:

1. Stimuleer Skemertyd

Laat jy skemertyd toe in jou leefstyl? Dis nie ‘n tegniek om beter te slaap nie – dis ‘n houding, ‘n bewusword van ‘n verwaarloosde faset van menswees. Dis om los te knoop van dagbewussyn en oor te skakel na nagbewussyn. Dis om emosioneel van rat te verwissel, die dag te laat gaan en die nag te verwelkom. Skemer en donkerte is natuurlike kalmeermiddels. Dit kan gebruik word om visuele stimulasie te verminder en sodoende die produksie van Melatonien te bevorder. Die beste slaapmedisyne is donkerte.

2. Rus en ritme

Selfs kort periodes gedurende die dag om net deur die venster te kyk, ‘n entjie te gaan stap of net ‘n bietjie te sit en stil te word, help al baie. As gevolg van oormatig besig wees, funksioneer ons in vyfde rat en gun onsself nie ‘n blaaskansie nie of om iets te eet nie.

3. Gewoontes voor slaaptyd

Oormatige oefening, videos kyk (veral die wat die adrenalien laat vloei), spannende leesstof, kuier tot laat, op die rekenaar sit en werk tot net voor slaaptyd, koffie en tee wat kafeïne bevat asook alkohol na 2 uur in die middag,  is van die mees effektiewe metodes om ‘n goeie nagrus te versteur. TV’s  en rekenaar monitors straal baie blou liggolwe uit en verhinder dat Melatonien afgeskei word. Dit sou ‘n goeie idee wees om ligte ‘n rukkie voor slaaptyd dowwer te maak en as jy wil lees voor slaaptyd,’n lig wat so sag as moontlik is, te gebruik.

4. Prosessering van die dag se gebeure

Ons het tyd nodig om na dink en te voel oor die dag se gebeure en dit te prosesseer. Anders onderdruk ons dit en word dit bagasie wat ons later in die nag laat wakker word of nagmerries gee. Hier is egter ‘n fyn balans nodig. Om te lê en tob en tob oor ‘n saak waaraan ek op daardie oomblik niks kans doen nie, is onproduktief. Dis die sogenaamde “racing mind” wat na my mening een van die die grootste redes is vir slaapprobleme. Dit voel onmoontlik om die drama in jou gedagtes stop te sit en die dialoog wat jy uitwerk om die ou wat jou kwaadgemaak het, op sy/haar plek te sit.

Dis waar meta-kognisie baie handig inkom. Dit beteken om vir jouself te vra: ”Waaroor is ek besig om nou te dink?” Kan jy nou iets daaraan doen en wil jy regtig daaroor wakker lê? Dan neem jy ‘n besluit oor wat jy more daaraan kan doen, of om dit op die ys te sit, dit te laat gaan en rustig te word. Neem dan jou gedagtes na bv. ‘n rustige natuurtoneel waarvan jy baie hou. Doelbewuste diep, reëlmatige asemhaling is nog ‘n hulpmiddel.

Maklik aan die slaap raak vra eitlik net 2 dinge: dat ons ontspan en die aandag op iets neutraal/positief vestig. Slaap kom uit ‘n rustige gemoed – en donkerte. Dit werk baie beter om wakker te laat gaan as om slaap te probeer forseer.

Bron:
Rubin Naiman, Psychotherapy Networker September 2009

Until relatively recently, the only preventative measure was the use of medication as a prophylactic (in other words staying on medication in order to attempt to prevent further episodes).

An approach has now been developed which appears to be giving good results in preventing depression by developing and using various skills. It is known as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). It was developed by Segal, Williams and Teasdale. Training is normally done in groups. Participants are taught various skills using mindfulness meditation. Participants learn to be more fully aware and present in life and facing what is there, even when it is unpleasant. Being aware of unpleasant feelings, thoughts and experiences as they arise, helps you to counter them before they become more intense or progress to more persistent depressions.

The training demands considerable commitment. You will have to be prepared to attend eight weekly meetings of two hours. You also have to commit to an hour’s practice six out of seven days. This sounds reasonable, but it is really difficult to fit into a busy schedule.

This effect of this programme has been researched and it is giving good results. In a randomised clinical trial it was found that people who had had three or more episodes of depression had a relapse rate of 66% over a period of 60 weeks when given treatment as usual. Participants who were referred for MBCT had a relapse rate of 37%. In other words, relapse rates were almost halved.

If you are interested in MBCT groups, please contact us and we will send you the preliminary information.

If you feel happy with the person, make the appointment. You will probably be very apprehensive going to the first appointment and consider cancelling or simply not going on numerous occasions. Go. You still have to decide if you like the person and whether you can work with him or her.

In the first appointment the psychologist should ask you why you have come in. They should take down a history of the development of the problem as well as your family, education, relationships and work history. They should find out about other possible emotional or physical problems you have had. They also need to find out about previous trauma and how you have managed it.

After you have given the psychologist a brief outline of your life, he or she should look at possible diagnoses of your problem. These have to be explained to you. Possible treatments then have to be discussed with you with all your questions answered. You need to be told of risks in the proposed treatments. The possible consequences of choosing not to treat the trauma have to be discussed. Please make sure that you are given alternatives and that all your questions are answered. You should also make sure that the treatment the psychologist is proposing is scientifically validated. You are entitled to ask what research has been done on the proposed treatment. You are also entitled to ask the psychologist what training and how much experience he or she has in the proposed treatment.

Treatment may include both medication and psychotherapy. Ask questions and ensure you understand why medication is being suggested. You may be referred to your general practitioner or to a psychiatrist for medication.

If you decide on psychotherapy, the psychologist must explain exactly what it entails and what you may experience. You should never feel unsure of what is happening or going to happen. Traumatized people already feel that their lives are out of control and should be assisted in regaining control.
The process of psychotherapy
The relationship you have with the psychologist is critically important in treatment. Before any intrusive or difficult work is undertaken, a good working relationship has to be established. You need to know that you are safe in the relationship and that he or she will be able to handle what you bring in.

The trauma may be focussed on early in treatment if it happened recently. Otherwise, the focus initially will be on gathering more information, consultations with family members if necessary, and teaching you skills to cope with the emotions, images and physiological reactions you have when you think of the trauma.

These containment skills are extremely useful. Generally trauma-work will not be done until you are feeling emotionally stable and competent in using containment skills.

Very often the therapist will group the traumatic events if you are confronting more than one type of trauma. This makes it easier to manage them, and if events are targeted correctly, can lead to a domino effect where events you have not targeted are automatically better once core experiences are dealt with.

If you have multiple traumas, your therapist may start with one that is less upsetting to establish a “way-to-go”. Alternatively he or she may start with an event which happened when you were very young, or with something very bad. Starting with the worst and resolving it often makes all other traumas immediately more manageable. Initial traumas are often useful to target as disabling beliefs are laid down then.

Confronting trauma in psychotherapy is generally upsetting. The material is bad, and it would be unreasonable to expect to feel good while confronting it. However, this is one of the reasons you have been taught containment skills. Use them to control the bad feelings, particularly between sessions or when feeling overwhelmed during a session. Always communicate these feelings to your therapist.

Traumatic events should be targeted specifically. It is often not possible to work in a generalised fashion with trauma. It is also easier to measure whether you have achieved what you set out to do when you confront the event directly. You can check whether you feel better when you think of the traumatic events or not.
In summary
Although confronting trauma is a very frighting thing to do, it should be a controlled process in which you know exactly what is expected, what is happening and recognise improvement in yourself.

You can use your imagination to create containers in which you put your uncomfortable emotions. You visualise yourself doing this. Any visualisation which helps you control your emotions helps. Avoid violent visualisations of where you act out your aggression or anger.

A technique taught in mindfulness meditation is helpful. In essence you recognise that you have a painful emotion. You do not get involved with it, but simply note its existence. It is there and you can note the effect on your body, your emotions, your thoughts. You note it, recognise it and allow it to pass. This takes a bit of practice, and some training in mindfulness meditation can be helpful.

Self-talk, especially rational talk can be useful. In this you can for example tell yourself that you are in no danger now, that you have control where you never had it and so on.

When experiencing flashbacks it is useful to become aware of your surroundings, of becoming aware of the feel of the floor, the chair, how your clothing feels on your body, what you see around you and so on. It is then helpful to tell yourself the date and time and place and to note that you are safe. Tell yourself that you are only remembering the traumatic event, it is not really happening. Although you are then painfully aware of the event, force yourself to become aware of your current reality.

Introduction

So much has been written and spoken about relationships, but the last word has not yet
been spoken. Sometimes it is a positive experience, easy, uncomplicated and heaven on
earth to be together. At other times things turn negative and we become entangled in
conflicts that remain unresolved and then we become one another’s hell on earth.

The Systems Approach in Communication is a practical and easy way to assist us in
creating a little bit of order in the confusion that sometimes goes hand-in-hand with
relationships.

SECTION A

The Systems Approach in Communication

The system comprises inputs, delivered by persons A and B, into the invisible
communication field that exists between them, namely system C. In diagram format, this
may be represented as follows:

 
In accordance with this approach, there are three conditions for communication of high
quality in system C.

Honesty. This entails saying exactly what you mean and meaning exactly what you say
because, in a relationship, only honesty can result in mutual  trust and respect. I believe
that these 3 elements form the foundation of a relationship that facilitates openness and
growth.

However, honesty could be cold and cruel and could cause major damage to a
relationship – therefore, warmth is of crucial importance.

Warmth.  That is reflected in the  way in which we talk to each other, in the words that
we use – i.e. verbal communication, but also in our body language or our non-verbal
communication. Honesty and warmth are essential in a relationship, but then we still need
an even deeper level of communication, namely understanding of feelings or empathy.

Empathy or understanding of feelings
This implies trying to understand my own, as well as the other person’s feelings and
verbalising this understanding. It assists us to be in contact with our own as well as each
other’s feelings on a deeper level, namely emotionally. Emotional contact is a satisfying
experience because we feel understood and accepted by our partner.
Discussion

The three concepts mentioned above seem to be very easy to accomplish. However, it is
not all that easy, because:

* If A is honest and B uses this honesty at a later stage during an argument in
order to cause hurt, then A learns that it is dangerous to be honest and
discontinues this practice. When I observe the above in therapy I see red lights
flickering and I know the relationship is in trouble.

* If we feel that it is going to cause too much damage. For example: A younger
sister is sexually abused by her prospective brother-in-law. She could decide
to protect the family system against the truth, only to carry this burden all
alone in the years to follow. Many people often feel obliged to protect each
other against the truth – usually at high cost to themselves.

* Should a third person be brought into the relationship, usually, at some stage
or another, the truth will surface and the results are usually disastrous! It is
extremely difficult to  regain trust and respect that have been lost.

* Should A and B become entangled in a situation of conflict, warmth usually
flies out the window. The trick is to handle the conflict and to try and find a
solution so that the warmth in a relationship could be rekindled.

* In my consulting room, I often see people who have no contact with their own
feelings, with the result that they are totally incapable of talking about their
emotions or “reading” their partner’s feelings. The implication is that
emotional needs go unsatisfied, that one or both partners feel that they are not
being UNDERSTOOD, with the result that they find themselves in a
relationship lacking in emotion.

* We filter that which we say by means of our own perceptions, prejudices,
values, culture, self-image and a whole lot more. The other person does
exactly the same. In one way or another we have to penetrate each other’s
filters in order to decipher the true message. An even worse scenario: We
build walls in system C by withdrawing, ignoring the other person or refusing
to discuss an issue. Research has shown that the person behind the wall feels
safe and experiences greater control. However, the one standing in front of the
wall gets frustrated and hesitant, because he/she does not know where he/she
stands with the other person. And, in the majority of situations, to withdraw
results in losing your partner somewhere along the way.
And yet, honesty, trust and respect remain the foundation of a healthy
relationship. Should these elements be lacking, the chances are excellent
that the relationship will be broken off, or that it would end up being a
most unhappy relationship. Warmth in a relationship is akin to the sun
shining on flowers in the garden. Without the warm rays of the sun,
everything withers.

When empathy is absent, then an important, deeper dimension is absent
in the relationship. 

PLEASE NOTE: The communication process is not finalised before it has
not become clear to both A and B what the sender of the message actually
MEANT. Therefore, when the message is not fully comprehended,
without fail, the secret lies in asking for clarity or for an explanation with
regard to the meaning of the message.
 
Underpinning everything that has been said so far, is the skill to really
LISTEN to each other. Nobody can be accused of perfect listening – there
is always room for improvement.

To summarise:
Many people say: “I have to WORK at my relationships, but few people have the tools to
enable them to know HOW to do this. The systems approach lays the foundation and
gives one an idea of the basic components of a good relationship.

In Sections  B, C, D and E, additional tools are discussed .

I refer to relationships as magic, because we constantly have to use our analytical and
social judgement while we are busy communicating. For example: Should a vehicle
suddenly swerve in front of me, I have to analyse the situation and decide how to react. It
is of great value to, at the very least, keep control of our emotions and react in a socially
acceptable manner. We experience the process of analytical and social judgement
hundreds of times, if not a thousand times per day. It is therefore small wonder that we
sometimes stumble and say and do the wrong things. However, the magic is present –
and, after all is said and done, relationships do actually work!
 

SECTION B

Assertiveness

Assertiveness is a key concept in relationships, and yet few people understand what it
constitutes and how it works. Assertiveness is one of the most important tools in
relationships of high quality.

In terms of the systems approach, as discussed in Section A, an easy definition of
assertiveness is to give input  in system C and to Say on two levels:
  
* what I am really (that is where honesty comes into play) THINKING, i.e.
what is going on in my head; and
* how I really  (once again honestly) FEEL, i.e. what goes on in my heart.

If I do the above-mentioned in an honest fashion, with warmth towards, and an
understanding of the other person’s feelings, it can do no harm. On the contrary, it helps
me to say NO if that is what I want to do, and to establish healthy boundaries in the
relationship.

Assertiveness works very similarly to a radio. A radio that plays too softly cannot be
heard and makes no difference. A person who cannot be assertive will withdraw by rather
keeping quiet at all times, be too modest and too gentle. Being a pleaser is yet another
characteristic, with the  resultant bottling up of emotions. The consequence? Frustration
with the self builds up and an outburst could follow, or physical symptoms could occur,
such as a headache, a tummy ache, an aching back or numerous other symptoms. The
bottling up of emotions could eventually be a cause of depression.

On the other hand, being too assertive is like a radio that is playing too loudly and is
therefore painful to the ears. Behaviour characterising this, is displayed by people whose
noise levels are very high. Such a person could easily be sarcastic, dominating or a
control freak. The actual word that depicts too much assertiveness is AGGRESSION.
Aggression may be observed at three levels at least:
* Physical – as in physical violence – hitting, kicking, stabbing with a knife,
shooting.
* Emotional – using verbal aggressiveness or playing on the other person’s
feelings by using manipulation (i.e. causing someone to feel guilty should
he/she not do what I want him/her to do). The simple test to find out whether I
am being manipulated, is to decide:
have I done anything wrong? If the answer is NO, I know I am being
manipulated
* Sexual – abuse, rape.

Is there a difference between assertiveness and aggression?

Very definitely. If I could control my anger, I can act assertively. If my anger gets the
better of me, I am no long in control and I could act inappropriately –  and sometimes
cause irreparable damage to a relationship. 

The balance is to be found between too little and too much: rather say what you think and
how you feel as soon as possible, in a mature way, with control over your emotions, and
avoid unnecessary damage to the relationship.

By now it is crystal clear that assertiveness has everything to do with the handing of
conflict. A person who cannot act assertively will find it very difficult to handle conflict
effectively.  

 
SECTION C

Dealing with conflict

We normally inherit our style of dealing with conflict from our parents. If you never saw
how your parents handled their differences, because it took place behind closed doors
“for the sake of the children”, then your style will be to avoid conflict. Or, if conflict was
dealt with by using aggression, you might think that this is the natural way of dealing
with it.

I think life entails moving from one situation of conflict to the next. It is impossible to
lead a life free of conflict. The clever thing to do is to master the art of the effective
handling of conflict and to apply it with ease – as quickly as possible after the conflict
has taken place.

The principles of healthy communication, which are discussed here, also constitute the
foundation in terms of which conflict could be handled that much easier, even though it is
not exactly a pleasant task.

 
 
Tips for dealing with conflict in a constructive fashion

1. Stick to the point. Don’t use the opportunity to rip up old wounds. These
“funerals” are probably old conflicts that were not properly worked through. Place
them on another conflict agenda and first deal with the one at hand so that the
process is not unnecessarily prolonged.

2. Teach yourself the art of non-defensive listening and speaking. A style of
attack/defence is a style severely lacking in effective communication and often
deteriorates into naming, blaming and shaming. It does not assist us in any way to
defuse the conflict. (Section D further explains these styles.)
3. Practise detoxifying self-talk – i.e. first try to understand. Let us look at an
example. Your partner is late and has forgotten to let you know why. If you
immediately think: “I do not deserve this kind of treatment. I am no longer going
to put up with it”, you immediately assume the role of the innocent victim or that
of the justified, indignant sufferer! Oh, woe is me!

Rather ask yourself: “Am I perhaps overreacting? Is it the end of the world? What
does my partner regularly do that actually makes my life easier? Maybe I should
perhaps first try and establish why my partner is late?”

4. Take a few deep breaths and relax a little.

5. Always criticise the person’s BEHAVIOUR, not his/her character, otherwise you
once again elicit a defensive reaction and/or cause unnecessary hurt.

6. Do not generalise – i.e. do not use words such as “always” or “never”. It is simply
not true and would result in a reaction of: “But what about the time when …” –
i.e. once again defensive.

7. Shift to your adult voice and remain there. (Section D).

8. Empathy is an excellent way of relieving tension – i.e. acknowledge your
partner’s feelings. For example.: “I can understand that you are very angry”.

9. Do not avoid conflict. Air your grievances and negotiate towards change before
an explosion takes place – if this is possible.

10. When you are peacefully together, find the time to ask: “Did something happen
during the past couple of days which made you upset”. It is far more productive to
discuss an issue when both parties are relaxed, and it assists towards preventing
the escalation of conflict.

11. Be patient. It takes time to change established negative patterns of behaviour.
SECTION D

Transactional Analysis (TA)

This model of communication was developed by Eric Berne, MD. It gained world-wide
acceptance to the extent that it is still being used today in all four corners of the globe.
Should you wish to know more about the topic than merely the basic core information
that I have included in this discussion, simply Google Transactional Analysis and have a
look at what the Internet has to offer.

In order to explain the concept of TA, I am using the following example: Should you
walk into a shop, put a few items into your basket, walk to the cashier, pay, receive your
change/till slip and pick up your parcel and walk out of the shop, a financial transaction
has taken place. During the communication process, communication transactions take
place. TA focuses on these transactions with the objective of improving your
understanding of communication, and to facilitate changing our way of communication,
if that is what we would like to do.

In terms of TA, there are three ego states inside every person: a parent, an adult and a
child. The parent could speak with one of two voices, and so could the child. That means
that each one of us could speak with one of five voices. However, the same is true of the
person to whom you talk. If you are aware of which voice you are using and with which
voice, coming from the other person, you are connecting, then you understand the
transaction that is taking place. Should you then find it necessary to change the level of
the transaction, you could easily do so – provided you now how to.

Here follows a brief description of the five voices, as well as a diagram:
 

1. The Critical Parent (CP)
This is the part of the personality that finds fault and delivers negative comment.
Criticism is often expressed. Should you become sensitised to identifying this
voice, you can hear how often it is used and abused during communication.

2. The Caring Parent (CP)
This parts tries to understand and support, and constitutes the gentle side of the
parent.

3. The Adult
This is the voice of REASON. It is that part of the personality that likes to think,
gather facts, take good decisions and carry out these decisions. It also keeps the
other two parts, namely the parent and the child, out of trouble (if possible), by
thinking and planning in advance. This is the voice which assists us most in
effective communication.

The Child constitutes a VERY POWERFUL side of you and me, and likes to
react emotionally. It could be either positive or negative emotions.

4. The Free Child (FC)
The free child likes fun and to give expression to all the other emotions.

5. The Adapted Child (AC)
This is the part that reacts in response to the other person’s communication. In
other words, I do not start the communication process, I merely react to what the
other person is saying. The AC could give a rebellious, sulky, moody response –
or a number of other responses.
  
Application. For example, I come home tired and frustrated, and my partner immediately
says to me, in a voice that I experience as the Critical Parent: “Where have you put my
cheque-book?”. I can now choose any one of five voices to respond with. Should I 
become annoyed and give a Free Child, i.e. an emotional response, I might angrily say:
“How in heavens name should I know where your cheque-book is? Are you incapable of
taking care of your own possessions?” More than likely, my partner would also get
annoyed and also resort to an emotional response. Then the transaction has shifted to the
FC level, which is one of the levels where conflict takes place. Conflict is not resolved at
this level and neither on the Critical Parent level, where I could respond without emotion,
but for example, with sarcasm. Two CP voices do not resolve the conflict either. It is only
when one or both move to the adult voice that a solution, which is acceptable to both
parties, could be found. For example: “I do not know. When last did you have it with
you?”

It would also be possible to respond in the CP voice and perhaps say: “I will immediately
see if I can find it for you!” This, of course, places the last speaker in the position of
parent and the other speaker in the position of the child. This could work, but it defines
the situation to work similarly in future: Snap your fingers and I will jump! This does not
sound either assertive or in the adult voice.

The last voice that could be used is the AC, and that could, for example be: “If only the
house was not in such a mess, things would not have disappeared like this. I will really
have to do something about it.” This is a typical victim response, which will not resolve
the problem.

THEREFORE:

If you want to deal with conflict in an effective and constructive manner, remain in your
adult voice and behave in an assertive way –  not aggressively..

In summary

Eric Berne wrote quite a bit about “ The Games People Play”. We often (mostly
unconsciously) get trapped in negative communication transactions. Read more about this
on the Internet, or consult a psychologist if you are not successful in your efforts.

 
SECTION E
Differentiation

This is a concept  I learnt from David Schnartz in his book, “Passionate Marriage”. It is
of utmost importance and I regard it as the cherry on top of everything that we have done
up to now. He describes it as follows:

 “Differentiation involves balancing two basic life forces, the drive towards
   individuality and the drive towards togetherness.”

Note the strong words, “two basic life forces”. He explains as follows:
Individuality:
We are all born as babies – rather selfish little creatures who want all their needs satisfied
immediately: hunger, thirst, a wet nappy, pain, etc., by crying if there is an unfulfilled
need. The parents are on duty and must establish what the need is and fulfil this need as
soon as possible.

As time goes by, the baby becomes bigger and starts developing – an own identity,
interests, self-image, personality, etc.. Schnartz calls it a “sense of self”. This entails
everything that turned me into the person I am today and that turned you into the person
you are today.

Should the development process of the “sense of self” NOT be successful, the typical
result is a person with feelings of inferiority and a poor self-image.

Should the process be successful, then the result is an assertive person who, in his or her
own right, could be himself or herself.

Should the process develop too far, then the person becomes like a baby once again –
selfish and egocentric, who expects others to fulfil his/her needs as soon as possible.

If the “sense of self” develops out of context, we find a personality disorder, which is
referred to as narcissism. These are people who believe: “The entire world revolves
around ME”.

Emotional connections:
As development continues, we realise that we are not alone on this earth – there are also
other people with whom we can establish emotional connections. If the “sense of self”
has developed well, we are capable of initiating positive relationships and maintaining
them.

If the process develops less satisfactorily, the person builds a wall around him/her and
keeps people at a distance. It is difficult to know where you stand with such a person and
then the relationship becomes complicated.

A third possible position is what Schnartz calls “emotional Siamese twins”. These are
people who become overly dependent and easily say: “If you break off the relationship, I
will commit suicide, because I cannot live without you”. People like this become a
burden because they expect to be carried in a relationship.

To summarise

Ask yourself the following questions:
 
* Do I have a positive ”sense of self”?
* Do I keep people at a distance unnecessarily?
* Am I like a creeper, suffocating my partner?

It is not always easy to find a balance between being too independent or too dependent
but rather inter-dependant. It is possible.

In conclusion

If I take a broad look at  A, B, C, D and E, my conclusion is that relationships require
continuous hard work, but if we have the necessary tools – and use them – can be very
rewarding. It helps so much if ;
* I am honest and communicate with warmth and an understanding of my
partners feelings, as well as of my own feelings.
* I can be assertive.
* I can handle conflict in an effective manner.
* I can be aware of the TA voices and successfully handle the ‘games people
play’.
* I can ensure that my “sense of self” is positive and that I am able to establish
healthy emotional connections.

Relationships that work well result in a life that is meaningful and worthwhile. An open,
growing relationship remains filled with surprises and magic.

How do we define mindfulness practices? It is to be aware of the here-and-now. There are practices in many cultures and religions world-wide which have practices which help people to focus their attention. Dan Siegel, an interpersonal neurobiologist, describes mindfulness awareness as not only being reflectively aware in the present, but that we approach our here-and-now experience with curiosity, openness, acceptance and love.

It may be useful to start with a very basic and yet commonly used exercise in mindfulness which you can easily try. All you need to do is make sure that you are sitting upright and that you are comfortable. You can keep your eyes open as long as you remember to blink. Notice how you are sitting in the chair, notice the position of your limbs. Become aware of whether they are comfortable or not. Simply notice. You do not need to react and change anything. Then notice your breathing. Notice how you breathe in and out. Note how it feels. Simply be aware of it. Again, do not change your breathing, just notice the sensations. You may find your mind wondering to other matters; notice and gently bring it back to your breathing. It will be necessarily to do this repeatedly. Do it, always gently and just noticing that your mind wondered. Do not get involved in the thoughts, emotions or sensations. Allow them to pass.

This is just a start – there is much more to mindfulness than a brief exercise.

Why would we bother with training in mindfulness techniques? The research is giving us good reasons, as learning to be mindful helps lower our stress response, gives a general sense of well-being, improving our immune response, help with weight management, help us in approaching learning and education with more openness and curiosity, reduce a subjective sense of suffering, preventing relapse in depression, helping prevent relapse in substance abuse, assist in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder.