Are You Picking The Right Signal?

      

Do you know the working principle of radio that we use in daily life? I guess you know. Still, let me tell you that each station sends some signals of some specific frequency. And the receiver in your radio receives them. There are signals of all sorts roaming around. The frequency, to which your receiver is tuned, is received by the receiver. I think we all know that.

Now let's imagine all the humans on earth are receivers - that radio. And all the events are those stations - signal. Being a receiver, a variety of signal roams around you. Isn't it? Now, it's up to you to which frequency you tune yourself. Right? And accordingly, you can enjoy all those signals. This may seem a bit hypothetical. But don't you think it's a very practical way of thinking?

Though it seems simple - I mean you are a radio and all the events are stations. That simple... But is it so? Don't you think there's a lot more to this radio-station relationship? Can't we change our life just by tuning to the proper frequency as we do so in the case of real radios? What I'm going to discuss is much crucial to your life.

Each day a lot of things happen to us. You may get promoted in your job, your children may get good grades in school, your spouse may be happy with you, your health may not be that good, your friends may betray you. So on and so forth. Our daily events decide our lifestyle. Sometimes we are happy about them, sometimes sad. But the thing is that you only consider those events which happen to you or to persons close to you. Isn't it? But in a day, within 24 hours, billions of things happen to billions of people around the globe. Do you know about them? If in a day, you have bought a new car, may be that day, someone might have lost their loved ones. Are you concerned about them? No. Right? But still those events happened without your knowledge. You like it or not, but a billion things happen in a minute without your knowledge. It's only that you know about those events which happen to you or to people you know. But you're not concerned about other events. And you needn't be.

In this world a lot of such events, such signals roam around. We all tune in some particular frequencies. And that's why we all receive different frequencies. Everyone's life is different. Some tune into the optimism mode. Those are the guys who only receive signals that are productive. Meaning to say, they only respond to events that are productive for them. And discard other non-productive events. Yet, some people tune into the negative mode. These are the guys who always lament. They can't see positivity behind anything. In reality; both good and bad, positive and negative, productive and worthless events keep happening. Sometimes with you. Sometimes with others. But it's up to you to which frequency you tune your receiver. And it's a matter of experience and inspiration that decide to which frequency you tune into.

Though all good and bad keep happening, it's nothing to worry about, because as I told you, there're billions of events that keep happening that you don't even know. Then why can't you ignore those negative events that happen to you? Can't you tune in to a positive frequency? It may be funnier to consider yourself a radio and the events the stations. But isn't that a powerful way of representing our relation with events of our life? Only when you respond, an event takes its form. You ignore it, it's simply nothing.

Let's say in your workplace, a colleague of yours mocked you for something or your boss is dissatisfied with you. Now if you give importance to that event, it keeps on dominating your mind and with time it'll turn to a scar. May be with time, you feel yourself inferior to your colleagues and may be that your productivity goes down. Now, if instead you ignore those events, you can focus on other productive stuffs and maybe someday those colleagues or your boss appreciates you. Everything depends upon your tuning capacity.

Sharing my personal experience, I had been suffering from a bit of anxiety disorder since my childhood. It was not serious. But still, every time, I'm asked to do something new, I get anxious. One day our science teacher asked us for a lecture presentation in the class. He asked us to prepare a topic and we had to explain that to our classmates. As I just heard him saying that, it gave me a faster heartbeat. I mean I was dead. Still, I decided to do that and prepared a lecture on 'Gravitational Force.' It was a page long. I had to memorize that and explain to my classmates. I couldn't carry that paper. I memorized and next day went to the class. Believe me from the very first class, I got so anxious that I couldn't concentrate well.

And then came the science class. My roll number was in the middle (alphabetical order). So I could relax for some time. As my name was approaching, my heart started throbbing faster. And then he called out my name. I was dead in the water. Still with great hope and confidence I went to the teacher and started... In the middle of my lecture, I got so nervous that my hands started shivering holding the pencil. And then, just in the middle, I stopped and said - 'Thank you' and went to my seat. It was a bad lecture. First, I was not explaining it well and second I stopped in the middle. Now let me tell you the reality. In that class of some 40 students, I had studied astrophysics and cosmology books like no one else. I knew about gravitational force the best. I had even read some academic books on General Relativity. But just because, I was anxious I did terribly bad. That teacher knew me and later suggested me to work on my speaking skills.

But it had nothing to do with my speaking skills. It had to do with my capacity to tune in to positive signals. Even before the lecture presentation, I was so afraid. I had been thinking about all possible bad things that could have happened to me. If you also do that, you can never perform well. That character also made me average in math in the beginning because I was afraid of making mistakes. I was picking all the wrong signals.

Though with time, I improved and today I can boast of my math to a lot extent. I've not given any public speech yet, still I'm confident enough to do so. Things improved just because I started picking the right signals. In any sphere of life, it's very important that you pick the right signal. Only then, you can be successful. There are criticisms, discouragements, trolls, fears in this world. Everyone realizes that. But for you to be audacious, you need to start discarding those signals and instead pick signals that are lifting your life for good.

So again, I'm asking you - 'Are you picking the right signal?'

http://ezinearticles.com/?Are-You-Picking-The-Right-Signal?&id=9750762

Calm Down! Chillax

God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay...

No one knows who wrote these lyrics but it is believed that they originated in the sixteenth century when bands travelled around London singing in taverns. The first publication was in 1833 and since then, people in different countries have adopted this carol as part of their traditional celebrations at Christmastime.

The word "dismay" is not one that we usually use in everyday conversation. It means "distress". There are more contemporary ways of stating "Let nothing you dismay". One day, for example, when I was in a bit of a panic at work trying to get everything done, my son said "Chillax". At first I was puzzled as I had never heard this word before. Once I thought about it though and realized that it is a combination of the words "chill" and "relax" I laughed.

People need to chillax more often. Those who focus on the past and worry about all the things that they cannot change, set themselves up for depression. On the other hand, individuals who are concerned about the future and waste both time and effort trying to predict what hasn't even happened yet are vulnerable for an anxiety disorder.

The best way to stay peaceful and calm is to practice living in the moment. Each day focus on doing things that will promote self-care and well-being. Take action and do things rather than staring at the wall while chaos piles up around you. Ensure that your environment is clean, organized and positive. Bring out all the special items that you have been saving for company and enjoy them! Chillax!

If you have issues and feel "stuck", find someone who has a record of successfully resolving similar problems. Do some research so that you will gain understanding and know the options that are available for you to consider.

The first line of this carol gives us a good hint about how to handle life better. It suggests that gentlemen (and gentlewomen of course) should rest. The ability to think clearly and enjoy a good mood are improved when we get enough sleep. I was going to suggest that you turn off the television and head to bed a little earlier. But then I thought about the fact that there weren't televisions in the sixteen hundreds. Funny to think that the tavern singers were trying to encourage those who were drinking and dismaying to go home and get some sleep!

It really doesn't matter which century in which a human is born. There always have been and always will be temptations that can interfere with healthy living. But getting enough rest and not allowing distress to rule our lives will bring us the rewards offered in the final line of this carol: Tidings of comfort and joy!

Chillax!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Calm-Down!-Chillax&id=9591492

Seven New Genes Linked To Anxiety Disorders

Researchers have linked seven new genes to anxiety disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder.

These gene links mean that new drug treatments could be created to target these gene products specifically in the treatment of anxiety disorders. It gives hope to thousands of people who currently have no treatment plan.

Treatments for anxiety disorders involve both drug-free and drug-based therapies. The most effective treatment strategies are a combination of the two, differing in application from patient to patient.

To treat these conditions using drug-based therapies, drugs have been designed to target specific genes which produce proteins associated with the progression of disorders. Because these disorders are so complex, gene discovery is difficult.

Currently, there are only two core pathways that are associated with drug-based therapies: the dopaminergic and the serotonergic pathways. Dopamine changes have been linked to movement, motivation, reward-response and addiction. Serotonin in the brain has been linked to mood, social behaviour, memory and cognitive function.

Drug-based therapies work on roughly half of those affected and treated, leaving a large number of people without tangible assistance. The current treatments for anxiety disorders are not as effective as hoped. A better understanding of why and how these disorders exist is essential for better treatment strategies.

Looking At Novel Gene Targets

Our research uncovered several new genes that could potentially play roles in how anxiety disorders develop and progress. We used an interdisciplinary approach on both animals and people to uncover these genes.

To help us identify the candidate genes, we focused on the striatum section of the brain in which the synaptic plasticity pathway was chosen. In neuroscience, synaptic plasticity refers to the ability of synapses (connections in the brain) to strengthen or weaken over time in response to a stimulus. The striatum helps co-ordinate motivation with body movement. It can be as simple as fine-motor function or as complex as behavioural inhibition depending on social interaction.

The result was that we identified seven new genes as possible candidates for further study. Six of these genes have never been implicated in anxiety disorders before.

To date, global research has identified a number of risk factors for anxiety disorders. These can be grouped into two categories: genetic factors and environmental factors. Genetic factors relate to differences in one’s genetic code that either protect or put you at risk for developing anxiety disorders. Environmental factors include childhood trauma and substance abuse.

To further complicate things, these categories tend to interact with one another. Scientists believe the interaction is what results in a plethora of differences among patients even when they have the same disorder. For example, two people may have severe obsessive compulsive disorder and be on the same treatment schedule. Due to the differences in their genetic make-up and lifestyles, they could respond differently to treatment.

Drug-based therapies only work for half of the people suffering from anxiety disorders. shutterstock

Some of these candidates also appear to interact with environmental stressors. Trauma experienced during early developmental years has been thought to be a risk factor for anxiety disorders for a number of years now. It is believed to be a key factor in the variation seen among different patients.

Although this theory is difficult to investigate and depict, it was possible using the strict and specific conditions that we did. The finding provides a precedent for future work to try and better understand how the environment interacts with genetics to manifest in disease.

Anxiety disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder are among the most severe and debilitating conditions. They currently affect up to 350 million people worldwide.

Despite this disease burden, they have not achieved the visibility, attention or funding they comparatively deserve. For example, the US allocated (in millions) $3920 to cover all brain disorders research for the 2015 financial year. HIV, with an incidence rate well below anxiety disorder – let alone brain disorders in general – received $3000 (in millions).

Myths, fear and stigma are the persistent barriers in the understanding of mental illness. It also hampers public awareness. As a result, as history has shown, those who suffer from mental health illnesses have been ostracised in communities, treated with prejudice and considered second-class citizens.

The Way Forward

By uncovering these new candidates genes – involved not only in risk, but environmental interplay – there is new hope for better and improved treatment strategies.

But whether it is by realising new drug targets, a better understanding at a molecular level or how one’s environment influences disease, a small – yet promising – arsenal of candidates could shed a little more light on a rather dimly lit road.

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/seven-new-genes-linked-anxiety-disorders

What It’s Like To Feel Anxiety-Ridden, Sometimes With No Control

If I hear a sound at night, I assume there's a stranger in the house. Mailing letters terrifies me. Dancing stresses me out.

Sometimes, I shut down and don't know what to say because socializing is hard. My mind goes blank because it's all too much.

Some days, everything in the whole world makes me nervous. Birds, fax machines, the subway, phone calls, sleeping, food, leaving, staying — you name it, it all makes me anxious, even you.

Am I a weirdo? Well, yes, but that's not why mailing letters makes me squirm.

I have an anxiety disorder, and it scares me away. It scares me away from so many things.

People sometimes want to know why I can't just "get over it." They phrase it in a less aggressive, nicer way than that (usually), but it's still what they mean.

Why is it such a big deal? I shouldn't let things bother me like they do. I just have to forget about it.

It's not a big deal, they say, and that's what I try to remind myself, too — over and over again, every day. I know none of it should be a big deal, but my anxiety tells me a different story, and anxiety is very loud.

I have never not been anxious. Even as the youngest version of myself I can remember, I bit my nails, pulled my hair and was an anxiety-ridden mess. I will always have my anxiety, but it will never define all of who I am.

I am stronger than my anxiety, and I can live with it. I know that, but my anxiety still scares me away.

It's not crippling or anything. Unless I told you about it, you'd probably never know I'm an anxious mess. But, still, I don't want to be anxious and I don't understand why I have to be.

The rest of the world doesn't always get it, either. When they see the anxiety in action, it can be perplexing.

Dishes make me anxious; every time I've lived with friends, dirty dishes have always been an issue. Twenty-somethings don't like to do dishes, but my anxiety convinces me the dirty dishes will infect and kill me.

I try to explain this, but my friends just assume I'm a clean freak -- Type A, anal.

It's hard to explain and it's hard to understand – even for me.

I am always early because being just on time feels like being late to me. Not everyone is like that (thankfully for them), and I often end up waiting for my friends.

My anxiety resents them because they are late — they are making me late — and I become irritable and teary-eyed for no reason other than being late.

If there is a set plan, it should be followed, my anxiety says. No rhyme or reason. That's just the way it is.

Sometimes, I think all of my friends hate me. I become sure they do. Or, at least, that's what anxiety says. I know my friends love me, but it's hard not to think my anxiety might scare them away, too.

Interviews usually make me anxious. If my anxiety is distracted on interview day, then I'm awesome, engaging and conversational. I know what to say because I'm not over-thinking it.

If anxiety is alive and well, I'm hesitant; I second-guess myself. There are so many wonderful reasons to hire me and I forget them all. If the interview starts to not go well, I can't pull myself out. I convince myself I'm doomed.

"You won't get the job, anyway," anxiety chants.

Relationships make me anxious. Well, not relationships, per se, but since my anxiety is always present, it affects relationships, like everything else.

When you date someone, he or she becomes part of you, and since my anxiety is a part of me, it becomes part of him or her, too. My constant need for attention is not easy. My panic attacks are not fun: I ask a lot of questions; I cry; I freak out.

There are girls who don't do that; they don't want to know everything. Of course, they are not perfect, but maybe, they are a kind of imperfect that is easier to handle – the kind that's cute, not obtrusive.

"Don't let my anxiety scare you away," I pleaded with a guy I was seeing. "It won't," he assured. Impossible.

It wasn't a promise, but to my anxiety, it sounded like one.

Existing in general makes me anxious. I ask a million questions because I'm convinced if I don't, I might misunderstand something and do it incorrectly. Everything new I am asked or expected to do is an anxiety.

With something simple, like making copies, I think, "What if I can't figure out how to work the copier or it's out of paper or it breaks or it explodes?" Bake a cake, do taxes, learn to drive, figure out what to do with my life -- existing is one of the most anxiety-producing things around.

It's not easy for any of us. Anxiety is draining. It's a pain in the ass and it's way less than ideal. I know.

My anxiety sometimes scares me away. I don't want it to, but I can't control it and neither can you.

My anxiety is a 15-year-old child, thinking it knows what it's talking about, when really, it's immature and naïve and will never know how to handle things correctly.

Anxiety is like electricity running through my brain with no "off" switch.

My whole chest fills with fear and I can't breathe. My brain morphs into a petulant child who will not listen to logic. There are monsters in its closet, and nothing can convince it otherwise.

If you're anxious, too, then you know. Did you also know, sometimes, anxiety can be a blessing in disguise?

Anxiety-ridden people appreciate the little things. If something doesn't make an anxious person anxious, then, oh-my-goodness, it's wonderful and so, so appreciated. The moments when I'm not anxious are ones I will always remember.

Anxious people will never hurt you because they know too well what it means to get hurt. Boy, do they ever know. They don't want you to go through it. They don't want anyone to go through it.

Anxious people tend to also be empathetic; they even care about people who hurt them.

People with anxiety are intuitive and great at listening. They also love fiercely; they love jobs, friends, significant others and, most importantly, life. People with anxiety know how hard everything is and do not take any of it for granted.

My anxiety might scare me away – but as much as I cannot control it, I try not to let it control me.

Are you anxious, too? If you are, you understand what I'm saying. You feel like a burden. You feel like an inconvenience to the people about whom you care. You know it's not your fault, but that doesn't matter.

It's coming from inside of you and feels like you should be able to control it. Sometimes, I control it; I'm not always anxious.

Sometimes, I run through a Florida apartment complex at 1 am with a boy I just met, dripping wet from the pool and glowing from his eyes on me.

Sometimes, I get brunch with my best friend and I order a vanilla chai with confidence and without second-guessing myself because of calories or price or whatever.

Sometimes, a stranger calls me pretty or smart or stellar and I think, "Yes, yes I am."

For these fleeting moments, I don't have to be anxious.

Anxiety is trying. Anxiety is crippling. Anxiety can be a nightmare. But, sometimes, anxiety is bearable. Anxiety shows me all I have, can and will overcome.

I have anxiety, but I am not anxiety. That's the difference.

My anxiety might scare me away; it might try to scare you away, too. But, maybe, sometimes, it's okay to be afraid.

https://www.elitedaily.com/life/like-feel-anxiety-ridden-sometimes-no-control/945502

6 Things You Didn’t Know About Insomnia and How to Treat It

   

Waking up on the right side of the bed can be tough…if you only fell asleep 30 minutes ago. We all know what it feels like to toss and turn throughout the night but for nearly 10 percent of Americans, insomnia is a chronic problem — lasting a month or longer, and characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep.

Untreated insomnia can be a dangerous issue, too, says Steven Feinsilver, M.D., director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Even if you’re not nodding off behind the wheel, a consistent lack of sleep can still contribute to headaches,back pain, irritability, lowered immunity and other health problems, he says. “People with poor sleep quality have a higher risk of everything from depression to high blood pressure to early death.”

Sleep is a powerful biological drive and if you don’t mess it up, it tends to work.

That doesn’t mean that sleepless sufferers are doomed. Talking to your doctor can help you determine the root cause of your disorder and the best treatment to get you back on schedule. (Hint: It’s probably not a pill!) But before you make an appointment, here’s what you should know about insomnia.

1. You may be predisposed.

“Some people are simply better at shutting their brains off at night,” says Feinsilver. Those who aren’t naturally good sleepers could have a biological reason as to why they’re not (having to do with unique brain chemicals, perhaps). They could also have grown up with bad “sleep hygiene” — never having a regular schedule or a consistent bedtime routine, for example.

Even if you are prone to insomnia, though, treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) can help retrain your brain. “Sleep is a powerful biological drive and if you don’t mess it up, it tends to work,” says Feinsilver. “And if it does get messed up, it’s usually fairly easy to fix once we pinpoint what the patient is doing wrong.”

2. Look out for the “two p’s.”

When a person who has always slept well suddenly has trouble falling or staying asleep, doctors look for two factors, says Feinsilver: The precipitating cause and the perpetuating cause. The former is a stressful event, good or bad, that creates an initial disruption of sleep. The latter is the reason insomnia continues, even after that stressful event has passed.

Precipitating causes can be anything from an upcoming test you’re worried about and need to study for to planning a wedding. The biggest perpetuator, says Feinsilver, is behavior — for instance, not going to bed and getting up at the same time every day.

3. It’s linked with depression.

“Depression can cause bad sleep and bad sleep can cause depression; it’s often hard to tell which one comes first,” says Feinsilver. A recent Australian study found that insomnia was linked to depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder in teenagers, and the study authors note that “having insomnia in addition to anxiety or depression can further intensify the problems being experienced with each individual disorder.”  Likewise, a 2013 Canadian study found that treating the two conditions simultaneously can improve symptoms of both.

4. Popping pills won’t get you far.

If you want to kick insomnia for good, medication isn’t the answer. (Sleeping pills may help jump-start your slumber party, but their effects can wear off if they’re used long-term.) What’s really important is following the rules for good sleep, says Feinsilver. Keep your bedroom dark and cool; avoid caffeine up to 12 hours before bed; go to bed at the same time every night; and don’t sleep in more than an hour on the weekends — even if you broke the previous rule and stayed out late the night before. “You’re better off getting up at your regular time and taking a nap midday to make up for some of that lost sleep,” he says.

And about those naps: They can be very helpful for people who don’t get seven or eight hours of sleep at night. But keep them to an hour or less, and don’t take them within six hours of your bedtime. Plus, if your doctor recommends sleep restriction therapy (which means spending only a set number of hours in bed, whether you sleep or not), you’ll want to avoid crawling under the covers during the daytime entirely.

5. Kitchen “cures” may or may not help.

A recent Louisiana State University study found that drinking tart cherry juice before bed improved insomnia symptoms in older adults, and previous research has suggested that herbal remedies, like chamomile tea, may help as well.

Feinsilver says these probably won’t hurt, but believes that much of their benefit comes from the placebo effect. “That’s not to say they won’t work or that I’m against them,” he adds. “If drinking something seems to help you fall asleep, I’m all in favor of it.”

Sometimes, the calming herbs in drinks and teas can help slow your mind and give you that sleepy feeling. (Even just hot tea or milk sometimes works for individuals.) Give it a try and see if it’s right for you.

6. Attention can make it worse.

Doctors sometimes ask their insomnia patients to keep sleep diaries in order to help identify lifestyle factors keeping them awake, but Feinsilver advises against logging and analyzing your slumber for an extended period of time. “The more you think about it, the harder it is to fall asleep,” he explains. “The best thing you can do is try to ignore it and take your mind off it.”

One way to shut out the worry could be through meditation: In a recent study from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, insomniacs who practiced mindful meditation for eight weeks reported better sleep and higher remission rates than those who didn’t.

http://dailyburn.com/life/lifestyle/insomnia-causes-treatment/