NoPanic

Category: Articles from Outside No Panic

  • Book Review – Anxiety And Self-Esteem

    Book Review – Anxiety And Self-Esteem

    This is a big topic, isn’t it!  So, how to tackle it?  I suppose there are as many ways into this area as there are people as well as specialists in mental health.  Although I’ve had plenty of issues with both anxiety and self-esteem, I am by no means an expert or mental health professional.  I am an artist and a writer.  But I’d like to take this on from a certain angle, one that I feel I can contribute from experience.  This is the world of work or what we do in our lives.  It doesn’t have to necessarily be paid work but it can help our self-esteem to do something that we enjoy and it’s even better when we can (eventually) earn some income from it.

    To help me out, I am going to rely on a book called: Follow Your True Colors To The Work You Love by Carolyn Kalil.  (If you’d like to get her book the best prices I’ve found are on Abe Books (abebooks.co.uk)  According to this book people come in four colours and these colours represent what gives them a sense of self-esteem when it comes to the work that they do.  It is broader in scope than just work, it does go into the personality for each one of the colours as well.  It is a hopeful, positive, encouraging and inspiring book.  How so, you may be wondering.

    The four colours are green, blue, gold and orange.  It is incredibly easy to ‘diagnose’ one’s self with the book.  She calls these colours the four paths to self-actualisation.  I’ll outline them briefly; Greens need power and mental competence, Blues need meaning and purpose, Golds need social status and security and finally, Oranges need freedom and spontaneity.

    On p.44 she writes, ‘In order to discover and appreciate the kind of work that would be satisfying to you, you first must understand how your personality (colour) achieves self-esteem and self-actualisation.’

    Don’t worry, she guides you through each colour and she fleshes out what she means in the above statement.  

    If we are lucky and we know what we need to be doing in our lives and what gives us this self-esteem we may not need this book.  But I would say that many of us can use a little guidance and this book is enlightening.  Naturally, we derive self-esteem from different things, but there is something truly magical when we are able to use (or discover!) our gifts and talents.  We are not all coloured the same according to this author and to understand our natural, innate traits we may need a little help.

    Perhaps many of us have some inkling of what it is that brings us joy.  But we can always learn some more about ourselves and this book is truly fun and helpful.  

    As I said, there are so many things that build up or undermine self-esteem.  The environment that we’re in, the people who surround us (or don’t) all have an effect on it.  But there are always small changes that we can make.  This book may have a small piece of that puzzle for you to help you out in your life.  I really hope that if you decide to get it, that you’ll benefit from it for the rest of your life and maybe even inspire others with any change that you decide to make to enhance your life.  Living with anxiety can be challenging.  But somehow when we face some of our fears and venture out into a new pasture that feels right for us we can gain some self-assurance and healthier self-esteem.  Good luck!

    By: Eszter Rajna

    How can No Panic help?
    No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
    Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
    Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs

  • MTB’s BIGGEST CHARITY RAFFLE

    MTB’s BIGGEST CHARITY RAFFLE

    Spending time outdoors can benefit both your mental and physical health in many ways. Ryan Oldfield knows this more than most as he has lived with anxiety, panic and even a full breakdown over the years. 

    “I have tried different exposure therapies, medication etc but the thing that helped me best was taking up a hobby. Through mountain biking, I’ve found a new lease on life. Being outside in the fresh air and beautiful countryside has helped me so much. I started TotalMTB to encourage others to get outside and feel all the benefits that I did. Through TotalMTB, I am not just leading a healthier way of life but have found some truly awesome and supportive friends.

    The sound of birds, the wind in the trees, breathing in the fresh air all help to switch off the stresses of life. Nature is a beautiful thing and helps clear your mind from anxiety .” 

    For the third year in a row, Ryan and the amazing TotalMTB team are pulling out all the stops to not only raise money for charity again this year but also raise awareness and encourage others to try out new outdoor hobbies to better their own mental health.

    With £9,000 of prizes to be won, this is MTB’s biggest ever Christmas raffle. This year the money is being split with 50% going to No Panic and 50% going to fund the planting of trees with Ecologi.

    There are two ways that you can help:

    • Buy a raffle ticket here.
    • Share this article and spread the word.
    TotalMTB’s Big Christmas Charity Raffle 2021!

    Raffle page – https://www.totalmtb.co.uk/totalmtbs-big-christmas-charity-raffle-2021/

    Donation page – https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/totalmtb-2021

  • Are You Bullyied At Work?

    Are You Bullyied At Work?

    As a coach, I have spoken to a lot of people over the last 18 months who have been struggling with anxiety. Whether that is something an individual was dealing with before the Covid-19 pandemic, something that has crept in over time through the ongoing lockdowns, changes in restrictions and constantly having to navigate another ‘new normal’ or whether it is a result of a new trigger which has come into their life.

    One of the triggers we have been hearing a lot of, both at CHAMPS for Change CIC and at No Panic, is difficult working environments, particularly when it comes to toxic relationships with a work colleague or a manager. Navigating these workplace situations can sometimes get a little easier the more life experience we have, but often they can still send us into a spiral of anxious thoughts, low moods and a whole range of other emotions that are difficult to deal with.

    If you are experiencing colleagues who are being difficult, a manager who appears to constantly have you in their line of fire, or someone who is bullying you outright, it is useful to know how to get the right support or help to deal with the situation.

    I remember being bullied back at secondary school, to the point where my mum came into the school. I was determined to resolve it myself, so even though the teachers and my parents knew it was happening, I wanted the ability to sort it out my way, which was not easy at all but felt at the time the right thing to do.

    Firstly, how do you know it is workplace bullying, as there is a line between a tough boss or someone who we may not connect with or would want to be friends with, to an abusive boss. The National Bullying Helpline describes workplace bullying as:

    “Bullying generally refers to being subjected to repeated emotional or even physical abuse. The workplace bully deliberately manipulates, belittles, intimidates and tries to control or undermine their victim using any means available to them. In this digital age, the workplace bully’s playground has now extended to cyberbullying with the use of email, mobile phones and social media sites like Twitter or Facebook.”

    Your workplace has a duty of care to keep you safe both physically and psychologically, just the same as when we were at school, but as we know, bullying happens under the radar and that these types of individuals are often manipulative with controlling behaviours which can sometimes make it hard to spot or call out.

    Some questions you might want to reflect on to understand if you are being bullied at work include:

    • How am I feeling about heading into the workplace after the weekend?
    • Do I feel threatened or intimidated by that person/group of people?
    • Have I been called names, experienced emotional or physical abuse?
    • Do my signs of anxiety feel heightened when heading into the workplace e.g., nausea, upset tummy, headaches or panic attacks?
    • Have I been called out in front of other people, for example, been called names, laughed at, humiliated or felt as if someone was gaslighting me?
    • Do I feel that my efforts are not good enough or undervalued to the point of having an impact on my job and career?

    So, what do you do if you answer yes to some of those questions above?

    You might want to sort the situation yourself by seeing if it stops and eases. If you do, that is fine, just remember to ensure you are practising lots of different self-care strategies to ensure you sandbag your own psychological safety and be mindful of the toll that it will take on your mental health to deal with a significant amount of stress in your burden bucket, plus the impact to our loved ones around us whilst we are struggling. 

    First, recognise that this situation cannot carry on. Bullying is a stressor and related to mental health problems, it is a huge trigger for both anxiety and depression and in some instances, bullying can lead to an individual having suicidal thoughts or even contemplating taking their own life. 

    Please do not suffer in silence or alone, no matter how isolated you may feel – something a bully can be very good at making us feel. Know there are people you can reach out to and talk to:

    • The wonderful team at No Panic can help you deal with those feelings of anxiety and how to manage them
    • The National Bullying Helpline is a fantastic resource to gain the right professional support 
    • If you have a trained Mental Health First Aider in the workplace, seek them out for a confidential chat. Alternatively, if you do feel comfortable in speaking to your manager (if they are not the one doing the bullying), Human Resources, or another trusted colleague
    • Your confidential Employee Assistance Provision (EAP) if you have one, most medium to large-sized workplaces have at least the basic services
    • A professional trained coach (like me!) who can work with you in a practical way whilst you are dealing with the situation and support as you move forwards
    • Do also let your family or close friends know what is happening with you if you have not already shared with them. They will have likely picked up on something that is not quite right and often we do take out our frustration or hurt on those who are closest to us.

    Do not feel there is any stigma or shame associated with experiencing bullying at work, this is what bullies create within us by dimming our self-confidence and self-belief, which can make us feel worthless and powerless.  Therefore, the more we empower ourselves to share what is happening, speak up even when it is the most difficult can allow us to step forward into the light out of the shadows. The more we do that the less the bully has control over us. 

    There is always someone who cares and someone who will listen.

    By  Ruth Cooper-Dickson

    Ruth is an active patron of No Panic as well as a positive psychology practitioner and resilience, wellbeing and trauma-informed coach. You can get in touch with her and find out more about what she does here: https://ruthcooperdickson.com/

    How can No Panic help?
    No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
    Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
    Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs

  • Anxiety And Bipolar

    Anxiety And Bipolar

     

    Very often with the territory of bipolar comes anxiety.  This can be distressing, but the good news is that with time, effort and knowledge it can be managed well.  I’ve written a new book called ‘Bipolar Feelings’ which discusses this aspect of anxiety in bipolar.  Overall, I aimed to make it an uplifting and accessible book for people who struggle with both of these states of mind.  I am an artist and a writer (not a mental health professional) but I know these experiences from personal experience.  

    For all of us, feelings can be a minefield.  But they can also be very rich to mine for creativity, joy and living a deep and meaningful real life.  We know that when we’re around people who seem to be shut down emotionally we can struggle to communicate with them.  And this is also true with ourselves (intrapersonally).  This usually happens when our feelings overwhelm us and a state of anxiety is created.  Then we need to do what we can to find peace and solace.  For many of us, a walk in nature, meditation and other soothing activities will help.  It needs to be something that is genuinely soothing (even baking a cake will do)!  Social media will not help.  It needs to be an activity that promotes mindfulness.

    Feelings need to be felt and it really helps if we have the awareness to label them.  This is a great first step to being able to calm ourselves down.  Those of us with bipolar (or even anxiety alone) know that our feelings can go up and down very fluidly or even suddenly.  We need to bring an attitude of empathy and self-compassion to ourselves when this is happening.  It may take some practice, but taking good care of our feelings is more than an art and a science.  It is as basic to our self-care as diet and exercise.  We can only truly solve problems when our feelings are calm enough and we can access our logic as well.

    If we ignore our feelings they just get louder.  When the anxiety alarm is ringing at full blast in our system we need to know how to de-activate it.  While we are learning how to be kind with our feelings we may need the help of others.  (No-Panic can also be a source of help in this.)  We also need our own support and understanding.  I realise that when we are feeling anxious we may be feeling reactive and even be inclined to abandon ourselves.  But we need to do the very opposite.  We need to approach our heightened feelings with consideration and respect.  It will help us to calm down.

    It is never too late to learn skills to help ourselves with this or to discover new avenues of creativity and strengths that can help us.  Our intuition can also guide us.  If you think these reflections could be of help to you, I very much hope that you’ll enjoy my book and benefit from it.    Bipolar Feelings by Sophie Rose Peters on Amazon

    By: Sophie Rose Peters

    How can No Panic help?
    No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
    Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
    Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs

  • The Pain Of Family Estrangements And Arguments

    The Pain Of Family Estrangements And Arguments

    Whatever our age, not getting on well with family (relatives) can be a great source of pain.  For some of us, it may even be a source of shame or a sense of failure.  Even if we understand the dynamics and why we prefer to have/keep the distance, it is stressful and makes us unhappy.  It can even make us feel vulnerable.  It may be the case that to have our mental health in good order, we need the estrangement.  Yet, it can feel like a cold war at times.  There may be anger and resentment in the air, and if we are sensitive, we will feel it and know it.

    The famous British psychiatrist John Bowlby  (famous for his work on attachment) wrote the book, ‘A Secure Base.’  It is a fascinating book.  I remember when I first read it I thought to myself, ‘Finally!  Someone gets what I’ve been through.’ The attachment styles that we develop are formed early on.  (For attachment styles please look at the work of Mary Ainsworth).  If we don’t have the secure attachment style we may be more prone to suffering from anxiety.  We need to give ourselves self-compassion.  It is not our fault.  It is very difficult for many of us to have this style.  We only ever truly acquire it after a lot of work on ourselves and mainly in healthy relationships.  

    Being estranged from our relatives and even having the occasional (or frequent) arguments is in many ways not good for us.  We feel different to the happy families around us and often grieve for what we can’t have.  

    We need a lot of courage on this path.  If we’ve done something to hurt someone in our family then we can apologise and accept that we don’t always get it right either.  If we’re expecting an apology for something that was done to us (and it was deeply serious) it may not come.  I say that we need courage because ultimately we need to be on our own side.  Family members may feel resentful towards us for the estrangement and we may feel like the black sheep.  But when we know our truth we need to stand by that.  They may never get it or get ‘us.’ 

    It is not easy and we will need to be civil and diplomatic.  Arguments often just create more pain and can be exhausting.  Sometimes our families cause us more harm than good and make our lives very difficult.  Where we are on this spectrum of family estrangement will be different for each one of us.  

    If we feel a lot of shame for things we never did, I also recommend the book ‘Compassion Focused Therapy’ by Paul Gilbert. 

    But in the meantime, what can soothe this pain and bind up this wound in our hearts?  It may help to know that we are not alone.  Many people are in the same boat as us.  Being estranged from family, while deeply painful, doesn’t exclude the possibility of true belonging in the web of life with help/support from the right person, group God or other beliefs.  It may take time, but it is worth the journey.  I’ll leave you with the wise counsel of one of my favourite doctors who treated me for depression and anxiety when I was a teenager: ‘stick your courage to the sticking pole.’  But we do need to make sure that we get help, we don’t need to struggle alone.  It’s going to be okay.

    By Mary Jones

    How can No Panic help?
    No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
    Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
    Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs

  • Pill Shaming

    Pill Shaming

    This morning I woke up and downed my medication. It’s something I do every day and it keeps my symptoms in check and allows me to function at a relatively high level. There have been times in my life when I didn’t need medication but coming off tends to lead to relapse. Throughout my illness I have been pill shamed – told that I didn’t need my drugs and that I was somehow weak to give in to the chemical haze that people expect. So what do these people say to me? 

    In some cases it was benign and trying to be helpful – “you’re stronger than that” or “you’re taking the easy way out” (doesn’t everyone?) – I understand they were attempting to reassure me but ultimately leads me deeper into anxiety as I am left in doubt as to my own weakness.

    Then there’s what I would consider the zealots. “Just try drinking hoby joby oil” or “Take up running”. All good (albeit strange) but the danger is that it encourages you to take their particular “treatment” in lieu of the pills. Running, in particular, is shown to help depression and anxiety but no self-respecting doctor tell you that it is a chance to come off their medication 

    “It’s only a placebo!”,. Maybe it is but you know what? I flipping love the placebo effect. If it’s the thing that gets me up in the morning, I couldn’t care less if it is down to the effects of the medication or placebo. 

    What really hacks me off is calling medication “happy pills”. No, they treat my crippling anxiety disorder and allow me to function.  The pills themselves don’t cause happiness, they just give some people the ability to get their anxiety to a level where they are able to tackle it (and if they decide to stay on the medication then that’s THEIR decision.

    In conclusion, some anxiety sufferers are able to manage their condition through CBT, eating a healthy diet and doing exercise but there are some of us out here who need medication to help. Not because I’m weak, not because the drugs are placebo, not because they’re happy pills, not because I haven’t tried running marathons. It’s simply because that’s what it takes for me to be me. And you don’t get more important than that. 

  • A Clear Mind and Calm Heart. Anxiety and Acupuncture

    A Clear Mind and Calm Heart. Anxiety and Acupuncture

    Mental health and needles? Helping to achieve a clear mind and calm heart? Surely not I hear you say! However, the reality is that increasingly Acupuncture as a form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is being sought and used in the treatment of mental health conditions including Anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

    In England, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year, (1) and the year 2020 brought about unprecedented change to all our lives, a global pandemic and has led to a concerning increase in reported mental health symptoms. We will be dealing with the medical, both physical and mental, and economic impact for many years to come. Mind (2), the mental health charity, states that since the outbreak ‘more than half of adults and two-thirds of young people said that their mental health has gotten worse during the periods of lockdown restrictions,’ and that ‘loneliness has been a key contributor to poor mental health.’ The reality is that anxiety is not something that anybody should suffer in silence about, the numbers clearly show that anxiety is highly significant in our society and something that people need to speak openly about and understand what treatment options are available.

    Research has shown that acupuncture can help to treat the symptoms of anxiety and the amount of high-quality research being carried out to study the efficacy of acupuncture for several conditions including anxiety is increasing. Studies show acupuncture can be an effective treatment for anxiety, with few side effects and serious adverse events are rare. Acupuncture is thought to stimulate the central nervous system, thus releasing chemicals into the brain and the spinal cord. Biochemical changes help to bring about homeostatic balance. The body’s natural healing response is triggered, consequently bringing about improved physical and emotional health.

    As a person-centred approach to treatment, Five Element Acupuncture addresses the balance at a mind, body, and spirit level, therefore treating at a root cause level rather than simply addressing individual symptoms. By firstly addressing any blocks, and then moving on to treat the spirit, the mind and the body begins to heal. When the spirit becomes distressed imbalance occurs, manifesting in symptoms. Anxiety is diverse, presents differently in each patient, it can be chronic or acute. Depending on each patient’s constitutional factor the emotional root cause will be different, and the symptoms will manifest in an individual way. Many treatment options and point combinations are therefore feasible and are person-centred and individualised.

    As we unfold through the complexities that recent events have brought, we acknowledge that 2020/21 has brought about many challenges with a considerable increase and exposure to stressors, but with challenges, we have hope and optimism as we navigate into the future. The global pandemic has changed our lives in many ways, the way in which we work and how we live, but it has also brought about greater openness and a wider discussion about our mental health. Clinicians and practitioners are at a critical juncture to consider patient needs more than ever and we must all think differently about how we approach mental health wellness and draw nationally and globally on both ancient teachings and new emerging treatment options. We move forward collectively, to bring about balance, and positive emotional, mental, and physical health.

    Julia Ugrinic is the owner of Green Rose Acupuncture and is a Five Element Acupuncture practitioner covering Telford, Shrewsbury, and surrounding areas in Shropshire. As part of Julia’s final year Acupuncture course, she focussed on the benefits of Acupuncture in the treatment of mental health conditions such as anxiety and Julia currently treats patients with conditions including anxiety.

    References:

    How can No Panic help?
    No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
    Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
    Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs

  • Anxiety in the Classroom – A Teacher’s Story

    Anxiety in the Classroom – A Teacher’s Story

    After having taught in primary schools for the last decade, I have come to realise that there are countless ways that children display signs of anxiety at school. Some of these, of course, are more obvious than others. For example, a young child might scream, shout, cry or kick as they come into school out of anxiety over leaving parents or carers. Similarly, this might happen at the end of the day if a child’s parent is a few minutes late.  Often, children crave constant reassurance, which might display itself through persistent calling out during whole class inputs, or through always getting out of their seat to come and speak to you – both of which might sometimes just be called ‘bad behaviour.’  

    I once taught a child who needed to bring a toy from home everyday and would always need it within his eye line, even during PE lessons when it would sit on the hall piano. Every day he would also claim to feel ill in the hope that he would be sent home. It turned out that his parents were going through a difficult break-up and he was worried about his mum. I know that any teacher will be familiar with children who pretend to be ill – a classic sign of anxiety.  This year I have taught a child with selective mutism. Although she would happily talk to her good friends, she was extremely uncomfortable in groups with unfamiliar children and would completely freeze if asked a direct, personal question by an adult or asked to contribute to class discussions. We had to ensure we didn’t make eye contact with her when trying to have a conversation and removed any expectation for her to join in large group discussions. She was still able to make good progress, without the anxiety always hanging over her that I was about to pick on her. Children with other mental health issues such as ASD (Autism spectrum disorder) or PDA ( Pathological demand avoidance) also demonstrate their anxiety over school expectations through a wide range of behaviours – refusal to complete work, running away from the classroom, playing on their own, playing too physically, curling into a ball etc. 

    Some children’s anxieties are displayed in much more subtle ways. For example, they might display their concern over what other children think of them by using a silly voice to try and seek approval.  They might ask to use the toilet frequently during a lesson in an attempt to avoid the learning. I have sometimes caught children sneaking ‘pretty things,’ pieces of blu tack or shreds of paper into their pockets that they then use to play with later in the day during whole-class learning. This gives them the opportunity to distract themselves from lessons they might otherwise find stressful, or gives them something to do with their hands.  

    There is no single way to help children who are suffering from anxiety, just as there is no single reason for their anxiety or one single way that their anxiety manifests itself.  My biggest tip would always be to build a strong relationship with every member of your class. Without this, you won’t be able to spot the subtle signs children often show that they have worries. On the last day of term, I caught a boy in my class looking for a spare sunhat over lunch and fretting that he hadn’t brought his own hat. A sociable boy who would never normally care about such things, I knew that he had come inside because something else was worrying him. This child was clearly worried about the holidays and about not having the continuity of school. I wouldn’t have picked up on this if I hadn’t known him and his personality well. But instead, I was able to have a reassuring chat with him.  It is also imperative that you build strong relationships with the children’s families and make sure that they know how to contact you. Otherwise, you will often be left unaware of any external issues that may be causing anxiety for your class.

    Strong relationships, of course, benefit all children, as do any measures you put in place to support anxious children. Using a visual timetable will help prepare all children for the day ahead, but particularly helps any anxious children who may feel concern about the unexpected nature of school. Building routines into the school day will have the same effect. My recent class all insisted that we looked at the timetable, worked out the date, chose the children for class jobs and talked about how we were feeling every single morning and would correct me if I missed anything out. A routine in the morning really helps create a secure start to the day for any children that struggle coming in. 

    Finally, staying calm no matter what is happening is a difficult skill to master, but it is so important that you try as much as possible not to let an anxious child feel that you have lost control of a situation. A few years ago, I taught a child who was eventually diagnosed with PDA. One day, we had to evacuate the classroom when he started throwing chairs. The deputy head stayed in the classroom with him, with my Learning Support Assistant watching on. She later reported to me that the deputy head stayed completely calm even as the boy destroyed the classroom around her, throwing tables at the electronic whiteboard and hurling objects at her. After he calmed down, she then became the person that he always elected to spend time with when he was too distressed to be in class. Clearly, her calm approach helped him realise that no matter what he did, she would always be in control.

    YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS TOOL KIT

    By Jess (Key Stage 1 Teacher)

  • Chocolate Bears & Intrusive Thoughts

    Chocolate Bears & Intrusive Thoughts

    Like any self-respecting French student, I have a two-hour break for lunch each day. It’s just enough time for me to walk the 25 minutes home, stopping off to buy my baguette on the way (unfortunately not wearing a beret or with a string of onions or garlic draped around my neck). Yesterday, as I was leaving the boulangerie I walked past the shelf full of pick and mix, including a huge box of chocolate bears. Suddenly, the thought struck me that I could steal one and that nobody would know. I quickly brushed it away and went on with my day, but it made me think about the universality of intrusive thoughts, something that is sometimes hard for someone with OCD to understand and accept.

    In 1978, Stanley Rachman and Padmal de Silva interviewed 8 patients with OCD and 124 non-clinical subjects (people who didn’t have OCD) about the presence of intrusive thoughts and impulses that were deemed to be unacceptable by the respondents, as well as how frequent they were and how easy to dismiss. The results were fascinating –  to quote directly from the paper…

    To conclude Study I, obsessions (thoughts andior impulses) are a very common experience. There are no sex or age-related differences in occurrence, and most thoughts and impulses are easily dismissed. There are individual variations in the threshold of acceptability of obsessional thoughts or impulses.

    – Rachman & de Silva (1978)

    They then looked at the content of these intrusive thoughts and urges – can you guess which of the following lists were intrusive thoughts reported by the 8 people with OCD and which were reported by the 40 individuals in the non-clinical group?

    Were these impulses and thoughts from people with or without OCD?

    Intrusive thoughts and urges –

    Impulse to jump out of window
    Impulse to attack and harm someone
    Thought of ‘disgusting’ sexual acts with males (male subject)
    Thought whether he has been poisoned by chemicals
    Thought that his eyes will be/are harmed

    What about these ones – OCD or not OCD?

    Impulsive thoughts and urges –

    Thought that she, her husband and baby (due) would be greatly harmed because of exposure to asbestos, with conviction that there are tiny asbestos dust particles in the house
    Thought whether any harm has come to his wife
    Impulse to shout at and abuse someone
    Impuise to crash car, when driving
    Impulse to attack and violently punish someone

    The answer is that the first list comes from people with OCD and that the second list is entirely thoughts and urges reported by people from the non-clinical group. Don’t worry if you didn’t guess – Rachman and de Silva then presented the lists to a group of psychologists, and to quote from the paper –

    It appears that the judges were not able to identify the clinical obsessions too well, but on the other hand they were moderately good at identifying non-clinical obsessions. From this we can conclude that clinical obsessions are not as readily discernible-even to experienced clinicians-as might be expected.

    Rachman & de Silva (1978)

    Back to the chocolate bears. I was able to brush this thought away, to see it as illogical and ego-dystonic (inconsistent with my beliefs and personality – in other words, I’d never steal. I’m far too much of a wimp) and therefore not concentrate on it, but this isn’t always the case. Had my OCD seized upon the thought, I could have interpreted it very differently, tangling myself into a web of doubt and worry over what it meant. How could I think such a thing? What does that mean? Does it make me a terrible person?

    Take the classic CBT model of the vicious flower (see below), the trigger (the thought that I could steal the chocolate) would be misinterpreted as “I am a terrible person, probably a thief or a criminal”, which would cause emotional reactions (guilt, distress etc.), safety behaviours (trying to push the thought away) and neutralising actions (asking for reassurance that I wasn’t a terrible person, trying to rack my brain to see if I had previously done something similar etc.). I would probably try to avoid going into shops where I could steal, and soon my life would be revolving around this thought.

    And yet this didn’t happen. Instead, I went home, had a very nice ham sandwich and went on with my day.

    It’s a funny old thing, OCD, isn’t it?

    TD&M Bellsie

    THE VICIOUS FLOWER

    How can No Panic help?
    No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
    Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
    Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs

  • The Beauty of Tears (Why crying can be good for anxiety)

    The Beauty of Tears (Why crying can be good for anxiety)

    ‘Why so sad?’ ‘Why the long face?’ ‘You’re so much prettier when you are smiling.’  And some other such questions and comments came to me as a child.  Perhaps you heard them too.  Really?  What are we supposed to do?  Explain? Share our pain?  I don’t know about you but I like to cry in private.  When I am feeling sad, bad, mad or hurt, sometimes I just need to cry it out.  If I am feeling worked up over something that has caused me to feel anxious or overwhelmed I feel better if I cry.

    Crying means that feelings are moving through us.  It means that our hearts are human hearts made of flesh and not stone.  They feel.  Those of us who are empaths or highly sensitive know this already and those of us who aren’t will also know the relief that tears bring.  It hurts to feel bad in one’s self, to experience pain, grief, shame, self-doubt or anger that has turned inward.  While we can’t cry on cue, if we do cry as a result of our powerful feelings by the end of the day or by the time the sun rises on a new day we will be feeling better.  Even a little lighter.

    If we can remember in the moment to be kind and gentle with ourselves as we would with a little child or a friend we will find the calm centre in the tornado of feelings and be reassured that ‘this too shall pass.’  I know that some things don’t simply pass.  A chronic illness, loss of a loved one will not pass, for example.  But as wisdom says if you want guidance, enquire within.  We often need quiet time with ourselves when heightened emotions come at us.  If we can get ourselves to a space such as a place of worship or the park, we can allow our feelings a healthy outlet through tears if need be.  

    And when they have come, we can acknowledge that we were courageous to be with them and strong enough not to have given in to greater despair.  In this way, we can open up once again to the free-spirited hope that lives inside of us.  This is but one way of looking at the beauty of tears.  I am sure that you have shed your own tears and have your own story to tell.  

    How can No Panic help?
    No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
    Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
    Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs

    Mary Peters