The Importance of Relaxation

image from Fir0002/Flagstaffotos

Relaxation can :

• Help speed up psychotherapy
• Decrease depression and anxiety
• Decrease agitation which is a sign of a mood swing that is going to occur.
• Reduce stress hormones which in excess can cause various health problems including heart disease,depression,sleeping problems,headaches,stomach problems...
• Improve your communication skills
• Reduce anger
• Help you find what your deepest personal value is
• Help you deal with a crisis and with impulsivity in a healthy way.

Various Types of Relaxation & Stress-Reduction Techniques

Diet for Mental Health Part 1

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Berries -good sources of
 antioxidants& nutrients

What You Eat Affects Your Mood!

Inflammation is associated with psychiatric disorders,especially clinical depression.Psycho-social stress and anxiety can start the inflammatory response in the brain,¹⁰ this stress causes oxidation in the brain which  damages parts of the brain including the parts that regulate mood and can result in cells dying.This process increases your chance of depression and uses up nutrients like fatty acids,zinc and magnesium causing more damage to the brain.Antioxidants (lutein,lycopene,zinc,vitaminE,A,C,beta-carotene & selenium) can help as they protect body cells from the damaging effects of oxidation.Omega 3 fatty acids,EPA specifically reduce inflammation.¹¹ 

A diet rich in antioxidants,nutrients and EPA will help your immune system and cells in both the brain to prevent and reduce symptoms of psychiatric illness.

Poor Nutrition is a Risk Factor for Mental Illness ³

Symptom & Mood Charting

What?

Basically it is where you will be recording your symptoms & treatments over time.

Why?

It can be difficult to remember especially with a mental illness how you have been doing if your doctor asks and you can get a clearer picture of what has been working for you,your triggers,patterns of how your symptoms may be affected by things such as your menstrual cycle,the seasons,sleep... What treatments are helpful,some triggering patterns, behaviour you may carry out before making suicide attempts,early warning signs

BPD and Mood Disorders

Did you know ?

If you have BPD (borderline personality disorder) chances are very high you will also have a mood disorder (a.k.a affective disorder)

One study found that about 96% of patients with BPD met criteria for a mood disorder. 

•  about 83% of patients with BPD also met criteria for major depressive disorder(aka clinical depression)

• about 39% of patients with BPD also met criteria for dysthymic disorder.

According to NAMI :

Co-morbidity with other disorders:

Major Depressive Disorder                                                --  60 percent

Dysthymia  (chronic, moderate to mild depression)          --  70 percent

Eating Disorders                                                               --  25 percent

Substance Abuse                                                               -- 35 percent

Bipolar Disorder                                                                -- 15 percent

What is Major Depressive Disorder?