Why Early Detection Of A Mental Illness Is So Important

Despite wishing for a mental illness to disappear overnight, the reality is that a diagnosable condition such as depression, anxiety or schizophrenia, won’t go away on its’ own. However, early detection of a health condition that is affecting your state of mind means that support and treatment can commence, and the issues will lessen (and much quicker than it would have had you not gotten a diagnosis and sought help).

When a mental health condition is left untreated, the individual can quickly go on to feel as if they are alone with their problems and that nobody understands them, sometimes leading to spiraling thoughts of negativity. Should they seek help at a much later stage, the treatment process becomes far more involved.

Taking preventative measures to combat a mental illness:

Ideally, people should begin receiving treatment for their mental health condition before their symptoms begin to encroach on their daily lives. Diagnosing and treating children (before they reach the point of getting themselves into trouble) can help them to overcome their problems and function in everyday life without growing up being defined by their illness.

Detecting mental health concerns early enough can also help to prevent the number of people living rough on the streets, in jails and in mental health institutions, and can in turn, go a long way to combating the stigma surrounding mental health.

How to admit that you might need help:

It can be tough to face up to the fact that you might be suffering with a mental health illness, but if you feel yourself struggling to live and function normally and if your work, personal or social life is being impacted negatively due to unhealthy or unbalanced thought patterns or feelings, then the sooner you can get a diagnosis, the better. The first step may be to admit it to yourself, and the second would be to seek professional help to get an opinion and diagnosis as to what you are believed to be suffering from.

Talking to those whom you trust can ensure that your concerns do not go unaddressed, and can help you to face up to what you are going through.

If you, or someone close to you is believed to be suffering from a mental health illness, then please don’t waste any time in seeking help from a professional. Whether you choose to visit a counselor or a psychologist to talk about your problems, please don’t push your concerns under the rug or hide your feelings. The sooner you can get help, the sooner you can begin rebuilding your life and start looking forward to a bright, positive future.

Learn more at: https://heartcenteredcounselors.com

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The Link Between Body Positivity And Mental Health

Having a positive approach to life along with an acceptance of uncomfortable situations has proven to help keep our minds healthy and resilient. But what about the way we feel about our physical selves, and what we think when we look at ourselves in the mirror?

Body positivity is an incredible thing that can help to keep us feeling at peace with ourselves, so let’s find out a little more about it:

What is body positivity?

Body positivity encourages people to refrain from making judgements about their own bodies and those of others around them. The way to achieve body positivity is by attempting to build, for the self, a stronger relationship that is based solely upon love, kindness and acceptance. This will enable the individual to choose their own personal path toward physical health and move forward in a meaningful way, often influencing others with their positivity, too.

Media and body positivity:

We are bombarded daily by images of the human form in the media and are often encouraged to view them in a biased and incredibly judgemental manner. What body positivity tries to do, is to remove the superficiality from how we ourselves feel when we look at a person’s physical appearance, rather than trying to compete with the notions of how a person should and shouldn’t look. Once we begin to appreciate that the way a person looks is not what defines them as beautiful, we can step back from passing a negative judgement.

Sometimes, our nature as humans is to compare ourselves to others, particularly those whom we see portrayed as being ‘perfect’ in the media, and as a result, unrealistic body imaging becomes the norm. Thinking we’re not normal because we don’t look as perfect as these individuals can lead to a whole host of disorders, each of which can cause intense suffering.

Eating disorders caused by an unhealthy body image:

Obsessing over what they eat, those suffering from eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia can struggle to cope with daily life. More often an issue for women, eating disorders may cause the individual to be underweight, malnourished and there is almost always an increased risk of secondary illnesses. While it may be true to say that such disorders are not caused by negative body imaging alone, this has been found to be one of the many contributors.

Body image and the link between depression and anxiety:

Stress and anxiety – from moderate to severe – has sometimes been found to be caused by the way in which body images are portrayed in the media, and the way in which we as society, are encouraged to think about bodies. With such unrealistic expectations about what a body image should conform to, it’s perhaps no surprise to know that the development of body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, is becoming more common, and individuals are developing obsessions about their appearances that often have a negative impact upon their behavior and perception of reality.

Body positivity – a summary:

Facing a constant barrage of unrealistic body imaging from the media and society in general, trying to cultivate a sense of body positivity is no easy feat. However, it’s important to remember that body positivity isn’t about you trying to overcome those opinions or even challenge them, but more about focusing on yourself and creating a more meaningful and rewarding positive experience. To find out more about body positivity and achieving a healthier state of mind, speak to your local mental health professional.

Visit our website to learn more: heartcenteredcounselors.com/

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Are You Stuck In A Cycle Of Negativity?

It’s not uncommon for a person’s perception of themselves to be entirely different to that of those around them, and without even realizing it, they could be stuck in a cycle of negativity. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t know themselves very well, they’re just not recognizing the symptoms of negativity that they may be displaying, or may have trouble facing them.

Here are some ways to increase your awareness of negativity:

Do you dwell on past failures?

Precious few of us will avoid having some bad things happen over the course of our lives, but it’s important to learn from them and move forward. Continually going over and critiquing past failures can create a cycle of negativity and unhappiness.

Is gossiping about others a favourite pastime?

It may seem a harmless thing, to gossip about others, but it can signify that you’re harboring negative thoughts and feelings about yourself. If you find yourself often criticizing people or being overly judgmental, then you may benefit from addressing this, as you’re likely doing to yourself what you’re doing to others.

How easily do you accept compliments?

You may struggle to accept compliments. Instead of being pleased that others are congratulating you for something, you might become a picture of modesty and undercut your own efforts without even realizing it. Learning to accept a compliment and thank others for their kind words, is not always easy, but if you’re to share in the joy of your achievements, you’ll want to learn to accept and take in kind words.

Do you automatically see the negative in everything?

If your mind has gotten into the habit of picking things apart and seeing only the negative, then it’s likely that these thoughts will transgress into your inner life and also reflect upon how you communicate with others. What you say in your head is equally as important as what you choose to say out loud, and learning to hear and find a caring way through your negative thoughts is important in feeling happiness and a sense of success.

If you’re stuck in a cycle of negativity, it can affect your mood and your health, and addressing this will help you to truly love yourself and those around you. Having consistently critical thoughts can take its toll by inducing tension and perpetuating anxiety and stress hormone production. Over time your blood pressure may become raised and your muscles turn into knots, and your social, romantic and work life may begin to suffer. Be honest about the way you see yourself and those around you, and try talking to a qualified counselor if you believe that you may be stuck in a harmful cycle of  negativity.

Learn more at: www.heartcenteredcounselors.com

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How To Embrace Your Emotions So They Don’t Control You

There is no doubt that emotions can be incredibly powerful, and what mood you’re in can determine how you interact with those around you, how much money you spend, how you face up to challenges and how you spend your time. If you’re not careful, your emotions can end up controlling every aspect of your life, but learn to regulate them, and you’ll become mentally stronger.

Accepting emotions that make you feel uncomfortable, and learning to control them:

Nobody is asking you to suppress your emotions, instead, try to acknowledge and accept the way that you’re feeling and be confident that you can do something to change it. It’s important to remember that you are 100% in control of how you choose to react and behave, and that the emotions making you act that way can be addressed and altered.

Suppressing emotions that you don’t feel comfortable with can lead to any number of unhealthy coping mechanisms, so it’s important to you learn how to better regulate your mood: here are a few ways to do this:

• Identify your emotions

Before you can even think about changing your emotional responses, you need to acknowledge how you’re feeling right now. It may be that there are several emotions present, but each one can be identified and named.

• Check your emotional filter

We all look at things through an emotional filter, it’s part of human nature, but it’s important that we learn to reposition our emotions to give us a more realistic perception of what is really happening, instead of engaging with an automatically negative response.

• Take action to feel more positive

If you’re experiencing a bad mood or bout of sadness, then it can be tempting to remain in that mental state, either by keeping away from others, complaining to others or engaging in mindless activities that are not likely to improve our mood. Instead, take action to feel more positive by doing some of the things that make you happy, whatever they may be.

If your unruly emotions are beginning to have a negative impact upon your everyday life, and you’re struggling to regulate how you’re feeling, it might be time to accept some help from a professional. Talking can be immensely cathartic, and as a qualified and experienced professional, they will teach you the mechanisms with which to change your life for the better.

Learn More At: https://heartcenteredcounselors.com

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What Is CBT And Could It Help You?

Our behaviors are influenced by our thoughts and feelings, and a psychotherapeutic treatment called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help us to better understand the connection between the way we act, and the way we think. Often abbreviated to CBT, this form of treatment can be used to treat common disorders such as addiction, phobias, depression and anxiety, and is usually short-term. Individuals are taught how to identify destructive thought patterns and learn to change them so that they don’t have a negative influence on the way they behave and feel.

The overriding goal of CBT is to teach a person that while many things in life may be out of their control, they can however, take control of how they interpret and respond to events or circumstances.

CBT and automatic negative thoughts:

CBT focuses primarily upon changing the automatic negative thoughts that when experienced, can lead to emotional problems, or to the exacerbation of any existing mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. When negative thoughts are always at the forefront of an individual’s mind, and rear their head automatically, they are often accepted as being true and can have a downward effect upon mood.

During their therapy session, the individual is helped to examine their thoughts in greater detail and encouraged to look at any evidence that might support or refute what they’re thinking. Being realistic is a vital lesson to learn, and in doing so, they can be more objective about their thoughts and how they contribute towards their feelings of anxiety or depression. Once the unhealthy thought patterns have been identified, with the help of the therapist, they can then begin to engage in healthier patterns of thought.

Could CBT help you?

It could be said that we all have issues with our mental health to varying degrees, and most of us would benefit from help through counseling. There is no shame in seeking a treatment such as CBT if your thoughts or emotions are preventing you from leading a fulfilling life or stopping you from reaching your goals. If you seek counseling, you can be proud that you’ve taken positive steps to enrich your life and help yourself feel better.

So, if the way you think is beginning to impact negatively upon any aspect of your life, it could be that CBT is the answer. Schedule a meeting with a qualified and experienced counselor who can assess your needs and guide you through this healing form of therapy.

Learn More At: https://heartcenteredcounselors.com/

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Growing Pains Offer a Chance to Serve

When a community grows, there’s bound to be pains related to increased demands on systems and resources. El Paso County, home to Colorado Springs, leads the state in population growth and its growing pains are palpable as it strives to meet demands for access to nutritious food, housing, and physical and behavioral/mental health care.

Mental Health

The latter, mental health (and the oft co-occurring issue of substance abuse), tops the list of Colorado’s 10 Winnable Battles—topics the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment along with stakeholders from throughout the state have decided Coloradans must fight for. El Paso County’s health department agrees so has made decreasing “the incidence of poor mental health and substance use and misuse” one of its primary goals for 2018-2022.

Serving the Greater Colorado Area

With an office suite in Colorado Springs since September 1, 2019, a second coming in March 1 of 2020, and more planned for later that same year, and its offering of telehealth services, Heart-Centered Counseling is one of the stalwart partners in the fight to increase access to behavioral health care in El Paso County and throughout the state.

Most Affordable Counseling Services

Darlyn Baker, a long-time public health nurse in the area, says “Heart-Centered Counseling is filling gaps in the community by offering care to anyone, regardless of payor status or circumstances. Its acceptance of Medicaid, Medicare, and Tricare, Triwest and CHAMP patients is so welcome. Plus, Heart-Centered Counseling’s unique focus on integration with community services and other health care providers helps the organization address needs in a thorough and thoughtful way.” 

Heart-Centered Counseling is grateful for the opportunity to continue helping people learn to live their best lives—one community at a time.

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