Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Winter Time Blues

For years now, I have watched people suffer from what I term the winter time blues. Instead of making life more relaxing and less stressful, they just add more stress.

One client recently told me, "Last year I started a new job the day before Thanksgiving. The whole rest of November and December were terrible. Partly because of the circumstances of the job itself and partly because it was that time of the year. I made it through and still have the same job, now love it and am doing great. This year I adopted a Lab pup from my daughter who bought it for my grandson and they then decided it was too much trouble. It is a sweetheart, but of course trying to train it is a challenge. I think it too, like the job, will be fine by the time my winter funk runs its course, so I'm not going to give up on it. However, next year I will be keeping my life as stress free as possible from November to February, if at all possible. I hate this feeling of fatigue and nervous stomach all the time and the blah feeling. I am just looking for some advice, support, and encouragement."

If you are experiencing the winter time blues, make an appointment at the Relationship Clinic for therapy.

Monday, January 21, 2008

How Can I Stop Cutting?

Cutting is dangerous and at the very least, unhealthy. Despite this, in the absence of actual coping skills, many people cut themselves, young people especially. Many people cut for the same reasons, they hurt, they feel numb and there is little or no help available. People say that cutting helps release their emotional pain. It lets them know that they are … "still alive” … and can feel something.

Cutting is a sign that someone needs help. If the immediate family is unable to help sufficiently, professional treatment can help. Talk to either your school counselor or a trusted adult family friend. Tell them how much you are suffering and that sometimes you cut yourself to feel better.

There are better and more appropriate ways to deal with your emotional pain and hopefully, when you inform the school counselor or a family friend, they can steer into the appropriate treatment. Inform someone of your cutting immediately.

Professional help is available.