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Stress: Does Job Stress Contribute to Mental Illness

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Stress: Does Job Stress Contribute to Mental Illness

By Josette DeFranco

Work stress is not often addressed. We tend to take on many tasks, leading to feeling overwhelmed physically and mentally. For some, work is a routine and many find working under stress helps them concentrate. On the other hand, some people don’t work as much and try to maintain a slower pace. In either circumstance, work can cause severe stress. Stress in the workplace can lead to decreased productivity and burnout. It is important to note how our body feels so we can find signs earlier that our mental and physical health needs a break.

Some negative effects of stress in the workplace manifest in various ways such as a lack of motivation, reduced job satisfaction, physical and mental health problems, and interpersonal conflicts. If you notice you are feeling more fatigue, irritability, or apathy it may be best to give yourself a break. Job stress can lead to some mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Stress prepares your body for a defensive action, like an alarm for the brain. It impacts your nervous system releasing hormones that help sharpen your senses and tense your muscles. You may have heard of something called the “flight or fight response.” This is important because it helps you defend against situations your body finds threatening. If stressful situations go without being addressed it will keep your body in a state of activation. Some ways to help alleviate job stress are to ensure that the workload is in line with workers’ capabilities and resources, allow yourself to take a break, create boundaries, provide opportunities for social interactions among workers, and establish work schedules that accommodate your responsibilities outside the job.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit https://aristapsychiatrypsychotherapy.com/

Resources:

https://business.talkspace.com/articles/the-negative-effects-of-stress-in-the-workplace#:~:text=The%20effects%20of%20work%20stress,%2C%20interpersonal%20conflicts%2C%20and%20more.

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/99-101/default.html#Job%20Stress%20and%20Health

Work-Life Balance

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Work-Life Balance

By: Josette DeFranco

Are you feeling overwhelmed due to the lack of balance in your work and personal life?

Work-life balance is important because it affects you, your family, and others. You need the time and energy to participate in your own personal interests, family, and community activities. A workplace that supports employees’ well-being and allows their employees to focus on their mental health is an excellent way for them to avoid burnout.

Here are some healthy work-life balance tips:

  • Take breaks
  • Set boundaries
  • Learn to say no
  • Prioritize your mental health
  • Set goals
  • Practice Mindfulness
  • Create a flexible work schedule
  • Seek support

It is important to acknowledge how this balance can benefit you. It’s easy to get caught up in your job and neglect your wants and needs. These are just a couple ways having a work-life balance can help you; create healthier workplace relationships, improve your mental health, enhance your physical health, and have better productivity at work.

If you, your child, or someone you know is experiencing back-to-school anxiety, social anxiety, or other anxiety disorders or mental health issues, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan offices respectively, at 201-368-3700 or 212-722-1920 to set up an appointment. Please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/ for more information.

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/presence-of-mind/201509/hows-your-work-life-balance

https://www.timedoctor.com/blog/work-life-balance-tips

Insomnia: Stress, Anger, and Anxiety

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Insomnia: Stress, Anger, and Anxiety

By: Isabella Favuzza

Numerous individuals lay in bed each night, staring at the ceiling, consumed with thoughts of the past, present, or future. These anxious thoughts may concern life’s stresses and prevent good-quality sleep. The human body requires 7-9 hours of quality rest to function properly and perform daily tasks. A lack of rest negatively affects one’s quality of life due to moodiness, delayed responses, drowsiness, impaired memory, etc. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that affects 10% of the population, ranging from children to adults. Those suffering from insomnia frequently have difficulty falling asleep, remaining asleep, or receiving good-quality sleep. Insomnia can affect those enduring challenging situations like mental health conditions, life transitions or circumstances, medical conditions, etc. Although insomnia typically isn’t dangerous, it can lead to additional stress, irritability, and anxiety.

For some, insomnia is a minor inconvenience; however, others find it detrimental due to its excruciating symptoms. Psychologists and psychiatrists can offer life-altering support to reduce and even eliminate these chronic symptoms. Psychologists perform hypnosis, which provides deep relaxation by placing one in a trance-like state to clear the mind of anxiety and stress and induce sleep. Individuals can learn these techniques to perform self-hypnosis in the comfort of their own homes. Psychiatrists prescribe hypnotic and sedative medications to psychically rid the mind of undesirable thoughts. Ultimately, the support of psychologists and psychiatrists can reduce insomnia and drastically improve one’s quality of life.

If you or someone you know is struggling with insomnia please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Source:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12119-insomnia

Child Therapy: Behavioral Issues

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Child Therapy: Behavioral Issues

By: Isabella Favuzza

Many assume that children are naïve; however, they are quite receptive to social cues and environmental issues. Children typically sense unpleasant emotions from surrounding adults and internalize these feelings due to an inability to discuss complex situations. Children who experience these larger-than-life moments for their age may resort to behavioral defiance. There are numerous environmental stressors that lead to behavioral outbursts, such as divorce, separation, lack of friends, etc. These stressors may cause aggression, lack of empathy, refusal to adjust behavior, school disruptions, lack of social opportunities, or self-injury. A psychologist assists children challenged with complex obstacles and channels these undesirable emotions into positive, constructive thoughts.

Behavioral therapy identifies unwanted behaviors and enables children to understand said behaviors and their root causes. Children can understand complex issues in latent terms and cope with or adjust their actions to make healthy choices. There are various types of therapeutic techniques to communicate these feelings and provide greater insight. Play therapy involves toys that engage the child while acting out distressing situations. During exposure therapy, the psychologist discusses troublesome triggers and explores solutions if or when a child encounters them. Clinical reconstruction enables children to transform negative, destructive thoughts into positive emotions through therapeutic exercises. Ultimately, behavioral therapy utilizes reinforcement of pleasant actions, trigger identification, and therapeutic techniques to prevent outbursts while modeling proper behavior.

If you or your child is struggling with behavioral issues or mental health please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Source:

https://www.lumierechild.com/blog/does-your-child-need-behavioral-therapy

Divorce Therapy: Former Couples & Children

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Divorce Therapy: Former Couples & Children

By: Isabella Favuzza

A divorce marks a challenging time in most people’s lives, especially for the former couple’s children. The couple’s emotions can range from relief and gratitude to grief and fury. The former couple may subconsciously pass these emotions onto their children, creating an unhealthy or unstable home environment. The children may also internalize these feelings, causing behavioral outbursts. Although the former couple no longer loves one another, they do love their children and must work together to ease the transition. Therapeutic services enable the former couple to mutually come together, operating as a united front for the sake of the children.

Many are accustomed to marital counseling to solve issues and prevent a divorce. However, divorce counseling has gained popularity as former couples are unsure of the next steps as parents. Although the former couple has separated, they love the children unconditionally and strive to provide a warm, healthy home free of tension. A psychologist allows the couple to disclose their thought on parenting and next steps without a heated argument. The therapist acts as a guide to put aside the former couple’s unwanted feelings toward each other and create a resolution that benefits the children. The therapist provides insight and parenting styles that ease the effects of the divorce on the children. Ultimately, divorce counseling allows the former couple to put their emotions aside and unite when deciding on parenting styles, communication, living arrangements, etc.

If you or your partner is struggling with divorce or mental health please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Source:

https://www.aamft.org/Consumer_Updates/Children_and_Divorce.aspx

Marriage Therapy: Couples

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Marriage Therapy: Couples

By: Isabella Favuzza

A marriage is similar to a long, winding road with hills and valleys. All couples experience upward and downward periods due to life’s challenges. However, couples must actively choose to continue traveling down that road to maintain a healthy relationship. Marital partners may encounter various relationship stressors, such as psychical or mental concerns, financial issues, deciding whether to start a family, infidelity, etc. These stressors can lead to arguments as each individual feels passionately about these topics. Marriage counseling enables couples to strengthen or rebuild their relationship.

A marriage counselor or therapist helps a couple work through these concerns and regain control of their relationship through their love for one another. A psychologist creates a safe space for both individuals to disclose personal issues that are negatively affecting the relationship. When learning about these issues, the therapist remains neutral to support the relationship rather than a sole party. This space improves communication as both partners express their thoughts, concerns, and emotions regarding specific situations. This newly found communication also enables individuals to gain a deeper understanding of their partner and provides a new perspective. Discouraging marital concerns with a therapist aids the couple to resolve conflict without adding fuel to the fire with anger or resentment. Therapy provides the essential foundation for couples to solve future conflicts with a specific set of tools, rather than sweeping issues under the rug. Ultimately, marriage counseling enables couples to deepen their bond and find their way back to each other by shaping respect, improving intimacy, and rebuilding trust.

If you or your partner is struggling with marital issues or mental health please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Source:

https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/does-marriage-counseling-work

Anger Management: Relationships

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Anger Management: Relationships

By: Isabella Favuzza

A romantic relationship is synonymous with a roller coaster; there are ups and downs and unexpected twists and turns. Those downward periods are associated with bumps that must be navigated together as a couple. These bumps may cause arguments as each individual feels passionately about situations, opinions, etc. Arguments are normal and healthy within a relationship, as partners must express themselves to one another; however, if one individual feels frightened or intimidated due to intense rage, counseling services can be of service. These spouts of fury are known as dysfunctional anger because they do not provide a function during the argumentative stage and cause one’s partner to feel attacked and fearful. Dysfunctional behaviors like extreme rage or fury can be damaging to a relationship, as one individual feels terrified to disclose their feelings and becomes emotionally distant from their partner.

This anger can be diminished and prevented with proper therapeutic treatments. A psychologist can aid couples in overcoming bumps in the road by allowing each individual to communicate their emotions toward one another in a safe environment and dissect the cause of anger during arguments. Psychologists are clinically trained to find the root cause of these behaviors to manage anger and provide relief for the couple. Anger management therapy enables individuals to release their destructive mannerisms and adapt positive life-enhancing reactions to improve the relationship. These treatments also allow the couple to communicate their emotions effectively and have functional arguments to solve problems together as a unit, ultimately preserving the relationship.

If you or your partner is struggling with anger or violence please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Source:

https://www.harrymotro.com/couples-anger-management

COVID-19: Coping with Anxiety

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By: Melissa Molina

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic might be upsetting and stressful for individuals. Anxiety and fear about the virus and what could happen can be overpowering and cause forceful feelings in adults and children. General well-being activities, for example, social distancing or wearing masks, can cause individuals to feel detached and forlorn and can result in anxiety. Nonetheless, these activities are important to decrease the spread of COVID-19.

Being able to cope with anxiety due to COVID-19 is important and here are some tips on how to do just that:

  1. Educate yourself and your loved ones on what to do if one is sick. Contact a healthcare provider before starting any self treatment for the coronavirus.
  2. Take breaks and do not over-stress yourself with reading fake news, social media and/or conspiracies.
  3. Isolate and protect yourself but stay connected with friends and loved ones.
  4. Find a new hobby, something to keep you busy and something you can control.
  5. Focus on positives: cooking, reading a new book or tv shows.
  6. Practice self care: try to eat well balanced meals, get plenty of sleep and unwind by taking deep breaths.

It is completely ordinary and justifiable to feel anxiety in the time of COVID-19. Indeed, uneasiness is a solid response to new, perhaps difficult conditions. It can provoke us to focus, prepare, and guard ourselves. However, your anxiety, when coped with, can in turn transform from something that controls you to something that can help you.

If you or someone you know needs support with anxiety, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/ .

Sources: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hope-resilience/202003/coping-anxiety-in-the-age-covid-19 https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/coronavirus-anxiety.htm

Picture Source: https://images.app.goo.gl/kLzf9JG3FSaXdWFi6

Burnout in College Students (Part 1)

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Tatyana A. Reed

With school coming into full swing, before we can even get that deep, it’s time to look at burnout, particularly in students. Have you ever taken on way too many tasks and at the last minute realized it’s causing an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion and being stressed out? Or have you ever been so busy you feel like nothing is going to get done correctly or done at all? If you have felt like this, nine times out of ten you were experiencing burnout.

According to pyschologytoday.com burnout is “a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress.” Burnout is not a widely talked about topic unless the causes have been detrimental to an individual. In this article, we will talk about the symptoms, affects, and how to avoid burnout.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STRESS AND BURNOUT

Before we can talk about the signs of burnout, we first have to understand that there is a difference between burnout and stress. David Ballard, member of the American Psychological Association, describes burnout as “an extended period of time where someone experiences exhaustion and a lack of interest in things, resulting in a decline in their job [academic] performance.”

SIGNS OF BURNOUT

Here are just some of the early indicators of college burnout according to collegeinfogeek.com:

  • Constant exhaustion
  • Lack of motivation
  • Constant frustration
  • Grades beginning to decline
  • Struggling to pay attention
  • Disengagement from friends and colleagues

WHAT MAY BE CAUSING YOUR BURNOUT 

A study conducted by University of South Maine in 2006 had 354 students answer questions that helped look at why burnout may be happening to college students. Here are the four most prevalent answers:

  • 13% said it was due to lack of motivation on their personal part
  • 25% attributed it to issues caused by their part time job ( finance and lack of time) and due to family issues
  • 5% said it was caused by a professor
  • And the most prevalent answer was because of having too many assignments on their plate

 

If you or someone you know is dealing with burnout, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.

 

References:

Harrison, Mike. “Avoid College Burnout.” Great Lakes Christian College, 22 Jan. 2018, http://www.glcc.edu/avoid-college-burnout/ (PHOTO)

Jerry, Lisa M. “10 Signs you’re Burning Out — And What To Do About It.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 3 Jan. 2018, http://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/04/01/10-signs-youre-burning-out-and-what-to-do-about-it/.

Stephanie Cushman & Richard West (2006) Precursors to College Student Burnout: Developing a Typology of Understanding, Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 7:1, 23-31, DOI: 10.1080/17459430600964638

Vaiana, Dominic. “Burnout in College: What Causes It and How to Avoid It.” College Info Geek, 5 Mar. 2019, collegeinfogeek.com/student-burnout/

Your Brain on Stress

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

By: Stephanie Osuba

Our brain has an automatic response to stress located in the amygdala, an almond sized structure in our brain that regulates emotion. Once a threat is perceived, the amygdala releases a number of hormones – adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine – to prepare for the “fight or flight” response. This is all well and good for physical threats, but what about interpersonal threats? Threats that are far more complex that need an actual solution rather than simply running away. That’s when your prefrontal cortex comes into play as it handles all of the executive function in your brain and allows you to think critically about situations. This way you can learn how to deliberately take a step back and think about how you are going to handle the stressor. So instead of letting your emotions dictate when you are angry with your significant other, dealing with rude customers, or have one too many, here are some ways you can learn to manage your stress in a constructive way:

  • Take a Breath: Calm things down and take deep breaths. This clears your head long enough for you to regain control of your emotions and let your prefrontal cortex get onboard. Once you do that, you can start critically thinking about what to do with your stressor.
  • Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the act of being in the present and being aware of your surroundings and the social context you are in. By asking yourself, “why am I feeling angry?” or “is saying this mean thing the best thing to do right now?” you can stop yourself from acting out in a way that you might regret.
  • Focus on What You Can Control: Some situations allow room for you to intervene, and others do not. Focus your energy on aspects you can anticipate, while at the same time mindfully accepting the aspects that you cannot.
  • Broaden Your View: When the amygdala gives off negative emotions due to the stressor, the anxiety usually narrows your point of view and drives you to find the quickest solution to the problem. As we know, the fastest solution isn’t always the best and it prevents you from using the stressful opportunity to grow and learn from the situation and finding a creative solution.

As much as we would rather not have to deal with it, stress is part of our daily lives and learning how to manage it can give us the life skills to handle, relatively, any situation thrown at us.

Source: Greenberg, M., Ph.D. (2017, September 7). Five Secrets to a Stress-Proof Brain. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201702/five-secrets-stress-proof-brain

If you or someone you know is experiencing psychological distress due to stress, please contact our psychotherapy/psychiatry offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.