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5 Ways our Psyche can Cause us Physical Pain and How to Combat Fix It

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We suffer from certain illnesses that are usually felt by the mind and body. They are also called psychosomatic diseases which came from the terms psyche and soma, meaning mind and body respectively. It means that your current mental state has adverse effects on your body. If you are too stressed out or if there are certain problems that are causing emotional trauma, it could eventually affect your body.

To some extent, all illnesses involved both mind and body. For instance, if you are heartbroken, you tend not to eat or take good care of yourself and it can lead to physical problems such as headache. However, there are certain illnesses that are made worse due to emotional problems. Here are some of the most common ways in which the psyche can cause physical pain. 

Stress triggers migraine

How often do you feel headache at the end of each day? Common migraine is actually triggered by the stress that you encounter on a daily basis. Take note that undue stress can lead to that thumping in your skull that is extremely painful. The best wat to sole this is to give yourself a chance to relax and let go of things that cause stress. Heading to the spa could also be a solution to this problem.

Guilt and Inability to Forgive may cause Neck Pain

According to experts, the neck is where you hold guilt. If you are unable to forgive yourself for what you have done or you hold too much grudge, it could cause neck pain. The best way to solve this problem is to forgive yourself. Stop feeling guilty about something by doing the right thing. Most of all, you have to learn to love yourself and don’t put too much pressure.

Doing the entire Job by yourself could Lead to Shoulder Pains

If you usually feel pain on your shoulders regularly, it could mean that you have the tendency to do everything by yourself instead of delegating the task to other people. You overwork yourself. You no longer have time to relax. This is why the best solution is to learn to delegate the task and trust other people. You can gradually feel the pain going away because you stop burdening yourself. You might want to re-evaluate your current career path to better understand where are the points in your career that you fail to let go of responsibility and delegate or de-stress.

Inability to reach out to others lead to Hand Problems

If you constantly feel problems with your hands, this could mean that you are a very closed person. You don’t spend time to reach out to others. You keep everything to yourself. You have to take some time to make new friends or welcome your neighbors to your place.

Depression Exacerbates Foot Ache

When you are depressed and there is too much negativity in your life, it could heighten your feet problems. According to experts, these two are interconnected. Therefore, you need to let go of what causes stress and start to mingle with others. As always, there is nothing wrong to feel the pain but don’t dwell in it and be depressed.

Other problems like ulcer, shaking, fast heart rate, chest pain and sweating are also considered psychosomatic disorders. The best way to solve them is to learn how to deal with your emotional issues and be a better person.

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Mindfulness or Rage Room, Which is Better for Anger Management?

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by Lloyd Wells

Apparently, smashing up your office printer as a way to release stress and tension is now a thing. Since we all suffer from excessive anger, brought on by the chaos of our lives – traffic hold-ups, office tensions, relationship problems and so on – we should go right ahead and take a baseball bat to office equipment because it’ll help us feel better.

Bear with me.

Anger’s a perfectly reasonable emotion, the gurus tell us, so rather than keeping it bottled up, we should smash the living daylights out of old household items like printers, televisions, toasters, fridges and even washing machines, in order to restore our inner calm.

Let’s put this into perspective.

I suppose in a world that permits tennis players to grunt and scream to their heart’s content, where spectators can shout ‘get in the hole!’ at golf tournaments without being thrown out of the club, where parents allow their children to run amok in shops and restaurants but won’t allow their school teachers to tell them off, and where people are seriously considering the rules of sports games to that no-one loses, I suppose encouraging wanton destruction of innocent office machinery in the name of anger management is just the next logical step.

Whatever happened to taking a few deep breaths to calm down? To teach methods and techniques to keep anger in check? Too much to ask??

Now, I’m not an unreasonable guy, I’ve sometimes been known to curse and swear at my printer when she jams or malfunctions and I’m running late for a meeting. But I’d like to think that I can control myself sufficiently so as not to inflict terminal equipment damage.

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However, there seem to be plenty of people who would disagree with me. Perhaps they’ve watched the slow-motion scene of the 1999 cult classic movie Office Space – where three office workers brutally destroy their malfunctioning printer with baseball bats – too many times?

A recent Wall Street Journal article on this printer bashing trend stated that they’d done extensive research to reveal that an average of 10 good whacks is all it takes to demolish a printer.

And in an article I read just the other day, readers are informed that because of rising stress levels at work, many companies are now investigating new and less harmful ways to help employees manage their anger. This kind of ‘let it all out’ anger management facilitation is gaining in popularity and there are now places knows as ‘Rage Rooms’ where people can pay for a smashing session! One rage room provider goes through more than 15 printers a week, saving their biggest and juiciest machines for corporate smash parties! Apparently, printers inspire more hate and loathing than any other machine.

So, is this expressive and explosive kind of anger management a good idea? Does smashing an inanimate object make people better at handling stress in a healthy way? Is it working? Sigmund Freud certainly thought so. He and his contemporaries believed that punching objects was a good way for patients to rid themselves of anger, and that they could then deal with the underlying issues causing the feelings in the first place.

Today, our knowledge of anger management and how to deal with it in the workplace has become somewhat more sophisticated – dare I say enlightened?

Concepts like mindfulness and meditation help people experience emotions including anger, sadness or jealousy and deal with them in a detached and calm way. The more detached we become from harmful emotions like anger, the more we’re able to reduce its impact on our lives, and on the lives of our loved ones. That’s a bit more like it!

And just to prove my case, scientific evidence suggests that venting anger makes things worse, not better. People who regularly express anger, even in controlled situations like a Rage Room, are more likely to suffer from heart disease. Letting out our anger actually increases our aggression towards others. Even when people feel better as a result of smashing something, they’re still more likely to be aggressive towards others. I rest my case.

Just one final thought on the issue. If your company’s printers are forever jamming and malfunctioning, making you as mad as a rattlesnake, don’t look for a hammer to smash them, rather get on the phone and outsource your print management.

Problem solved, by Lloyd Wells – a freelance writer in the tech world, working with the PBS Group  to avoid the Rage Room and remain mindful.

Why Mindfulness at Work Really Does Work

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Thanks to Lloyd Wells, a freelance writer and Mindful technique practitioner – working with Planday, a staff management software solution aiming to relieve stress from the workplace wherever possible.

Largely a concept of Eastern origin, here in the Western world, we are waking up to the benefits of mindfulness. It’s a hot topic. Not just on a personal level, but in the working environment too. While many still scoff at the idea, success stories akin to those of the Canadian Police Force (starting their day with a meditation session) are hard to ignore.

Over in the UK, Police in Manchester have followed suit. In the face of scepticism, the Greater Manchester Police Force is offering mindfulness classes to staff. It’s a bid to stem the growing level of anxiety and depression amongst their officers.

Police officers are being asked to cope with increasingly violent and stressful situations. It’s no surprise with the recent spate of Manchester’s gangland-style shootings, to hear that stress and sickness rates across the Greater Manchester Police Force have soared. While the world may be a far cry from offering mindfulness techniques to the gangs on the street (though not a bad idea if it could somehow be socially engineered), mindfulness it seems at the moment may be the constabulary’s best answer.

What is mindfulness?

Essentially mindfulness is practising the capacity to be fully conscious and aware. Mindfulness is often practised by paying full attention to your breath (mindfulness of breathing meditation). The concept is to try and observe and be aware without criticism. Mindfulness (or meditation) is not a religion and you don’t have to sit cross-legged on the floor to practise. It doesn’t take a lot of time and it’s not complicated.

How do you practise mindfulness?

You simply sit (on the floor or in a chair) and pay attention to your breathing. When thoughts arise and you find yourself drifting into a mental dialogue, bring your attention back to the breath. That’s it. Easy. Mindfulness practise can be used doing any task. When washing-up, for example, bring your focus to the feel of the water, the crockery, the smell and the sounds. It’s all about bringing awareness to the task in hand.

What’s the difference between mediation and mindfulness?

Not a lot essentially. Meditation is a practice, which uses the art of mindfulness of breathing. So meditation is actually a form of mindfulness.

Can we believe the hype?

Mindfulness is not just a Zumba-style craze. It’s an ancient tradition. It’s been part of Buddhist psychology and practice for 2,500 years. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, but to really feel the benefits it does take committed practice.

Who’s doing it?

More and more big corporates are bringing mindfulness to the business table. Innovative companies need focused innovative staff. In the last decade business has woken up to the importance of staff well-being. There’s been a sea change in the workplace, with employee satisfaction moving up the boardroom agenda. When answering the question, ‘what makes a business successful?’ employee well-being is gaining ground, with a much more sizeable chunk on the pie chart.

Many high-stress companies are catching on. They’re making mindfulness a part of their corporate mission. Well-being is definitely the new HR buzz word, and mindfulness it seems can take your business to the next level. Apple, Google and Nike get it. Some corporates are ahead of the crowd. In some innovative companies, mindfulness at work is in full sway and its proving successful.

Where’s the evidence?

Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the brain (from the stress-prone right frontal cortex to the calmer left frontal cortex). Research shows that mindfulness works. It increases happiness and reduces stress.

Dr. Sara Lazar, who works at the Harvard Medical School, is a leading expert in the field of neuroscience and meditation. In her research, MRI neuroimaging techniques show an increase in gray matter of the brain in four different areas after periods of meditation. Her research concluded that these changes were in places associated with increased focus, empathy and compassion.

How does it help?

Over time mindfulness has shown to bring about long term changes in mood and happiness. It increases our childlike sense of curiosity, seeing things and people as they are without judging them. Mindfulness improves our ability to focus without the mind wandering. It enables greater clarity at work and in our personal lives. Mindfulness isn’t a trick to deaden your mind or turn you into a work zombie, it’s a means of waking you up and growing your potential.

Employee focused culture isn’t a new phenomenon in the business world. There’s a greater understanding of the importance of quality in employee productivity. How to get employees more focused is the new buzz about town, and mindfulness it seems for now is providing the answer.

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Do I need a physiotherapist or an occupational health therapist?

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Written by Lloyd Wells, an independent marketing consultant working with Corrigo Design; the UK’s tailored, innovative, back care chair specialist.

Physiotherapists work under the umbrella of occupational health services, so it’s no wonder that there’s often confusion between these two professions. There are some significant differences between the two professions, but there are also a lot of grey areas where the two overlap.

While physiotherapy tends to focus on the physical, with aims to increase mobility and function, occupational therapy focuses on strategies to help people to live as independently as possible. There are some overlaps, and occupational therapists use some physical therapy to help a person perform more meaningful and purposeful activities.

Physiotherapy – a definition

Physiotherapy, often shortened to physio, helps to restore movement and function to someone affected by injury, illness or disability. Physio treatment also combines prevention education to reduce the risk of future injury or illness, or a return of the current complaint.

Occupational therapy (OT) – a definition

Occupational therapy is also a client centred health profession, helping people of all ages carry out everyday activities, which are essential for health and well-being. Occupational health practitioners don’t just help with working activities, they cover all the things people need to do, want to do and are expected to do to participate in everyday life.

How can a physiotherapist help me?

Physiotherapists possess knowledge and skills to identify and treat a broad range of physical problems. They treat complaints of the neuromuscular system (brain and nervous system), and the musculoskeletal system (soft tissues, joints and bones). They also help with physical symptoms associated with the cardiovascular and respiratory systems (heart and lungs).

Physiotherapists help to identify and treat a whole range of injuries and conditions. Physios work mainly with musculoskeletal injuries and in rehabilitation after surgery, but are also trained to help with neurological or cardio-respiratory problems.  A physiotherapist will help you to find the best way to restore function to body systems, and how best to manage pain.

They also work extensively in prevention strategies and will help educate you in the future management of your condition. They will work with you to develop goals for your rehabilitation. Using a combination of joint mobilisation, massage, dry needling, exercise and biomechanical re-training, physiotherapists aim to improve movement and restore function.

What are the main problems helped by physiotherapy?

  • Musculoskeletal and sporting injuries – back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain
  • General aches and pains
  • Headaches
  • Movement issues
  • Postural re-training
  • Vestibular disorders (vertigo)
  • Women’s physical health issues (poor bladder control)
  • Joint disorders
  • Post-surgery rehabilitation
  • Movement problems as a result of a stroke, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease
  • Rehabilitation after a heart attack
  • Ongoing support for lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

How can an occupational therapist help me?

Occupational therapists help you to live as independently as possible. They help regain function and facilitate strategies for coping after the onset of illnesses, injuries or developmental delays. While an occupational therapist will not treat any physical injury, they will help you to optimise your ability to accomplish certain tasks.

They also help people with drug addiction, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, dementia, and personality disorders. Occupational therapists will help you to plan, manage money, build social skills and participate in community activities.

An occupational therapist will evaluate daily living needs and assess home and work environments. Where necessary, they will recommend adaptations to home and work environments to ensure you can continue with your activities. They will identify any difficulties you are having in daily life and help you to work out practical solutions.

To assist you in participating in everyday tasks, an occupational therapist will help by practising an activity in manageable steps. They will teach you different ways to complete tasks and recommend changes to make activities easier. They will also provide devices where necessary. Daily tasks could include washing, dressing, cooking and gardening, even cleaning your teeth. OT’s can also conduct assessments in your working environment, and suggest changes to your desk, chair and ergonomic equipment.

What are the main problems helped by occupational therapy?

  • Medical conditions restricting movement, such as rheumatoid arthritis
  • Rehabilitation after surgery, such as a hip replacement
  • Support for people with mental health problems, such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders or personality disorders
  • Support for people with learning disabilities
  • Planning strategies for people with dementia
  • Any other problem where someone is having difficulty with daily tasks

Can I see a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist at the same time?

Yes. It’s often the case, especially after extensive surgery. A physiotherapist will help you with the physical recovery, while the occupational therapist will help you adapt to your home environment and coach you to continue with normal everyday activities. Both physios and occupational health therapists will focus on education to prevent and avoid injuries.

Occupational therapists will help you to carry out your daily activities as normally as possible. Physiotherapists will help you to improve your physical ability to carry out those activities.

 

6 Reasons Why Mindfulness and Meditation are Good for You

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Mindfulness and Meditation

Written by Mike James, a Mindful content specialist working with Wickwoods Country Club Hotel & Spa.

If all the influential business thinkers and lifestyle gurus are doing it, then surely we should be taking more notice? Big business is taking it seriously so why shouldn’t we? It’s getting harder and harder to ignore the fact that mindfulness and meditation practices can have a positive impact on our health. Big business has grasped the fact that extended working hours are leaving employees frazzled. It makes financial sense for them to improve employee focus, reduce stress and increase productivity. Schools are also following suit with positive results being found in students’ focus and behaviour.

The public are now warming to the idea that meditation and mindfulness have tangible benefits. Get used to it folks, meditation and mindfulness have arrived in mainstream society and they’re here to stay – they are no longer confined to spiritual practices and hippy conventions. Even the NHS are steering their unwieldy ship crammed full of conventional approaches a little left field on this one.

So, if you’ve been pondering the idea of giving it a go, you shouldn’t ignore this calling. Here are six good reasons why.

  1. Take care of your emotional well-being

We’re pretty good at noticing and dealing with physical complaints, but our capacity to identify changes in our emotional well-being isn’t so easy. Before we know it we’re having negative thoughts, worrying or buying into patterns of behaviour that sabotage our well-being. The good news is there is plenty of evidence to show that regular meditation and mindfulness practice can help. Engaging in a process of emotional awareness lets us know how we are feeling before we’ve taken the wrong path.

  1. Sleep – getting the right amount of zzzzzzs makes all the difference

We all know that sleep disturbance in any form can leave you feeling lousy. There’s nothing worse than turning up to work feeling like you need to crawl under your desk for a nap. Well the good news is mindfulness meditation evokes a relaxation response and has a positive impact on sleep.

Mindfulness and Meditation

  1. Feel more positive

It’s becoming increasingly acknowledged that those who practise mindfulness and meditation have a more positive outlook on life. In fact research shows that mindfulness alone can have a significant impact on depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. Thoughts become things. You may have heard of ‘The Secret’ and the law of attraction. The practice of meditation and mindfulness itself doesn’t mean thinking good thoughts, it’s all about connecting with the present moment and understanding the transience of our feelings. It’s this ability to connect with ourselves that brings us to a place of acceptance and a greater sense of intention and direction.

  1. Improve your physical awareness

Practicing mindfulness and meditation improves our ability to identify emotions and become more aware of tension in the body. Take heed and you can avoid stress settling into those shoulders when you are hunched over the computer keyboard for hours on end. Take it as a cue to get up and walk around for five minutes.

  1. The health benefits

Meditation is known to have a positive impact on stress and is most known for its benefits in helping depression and anxiety. Clinical research has also demonstrated that meditation practice reduces blood pressure. And there’s more – mindfulness training has been shown to have a positive impact on inflammation in the body, as well as correlating with faster physical recovery from stressful situations. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D has written extensively about the mindfulness solution to chronic pain. The health benefits keep on coming.

  1. Improve your relationships

According to Melanie Greenberg Ph.D writing in Psychology Today, mindfulness training makes us “more compassionate and better able to stop destructive impulsive behaviour. It can help us resolve conflict”. The Buddhist practice of Meta Bhavana, a meditation cultivating loving kindness towards others, is a method of developing compassion. The good news is you don’t have to be a Buddhist to give it a try. If you fancy cultivating some compassion you might like to give one of these guided meditations a go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6E9Pu9kqJ8

https://youtu.be/S6E9Pu9kqJ8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz7cpV7ERsM

https://youtu.be/sz7cpV7ERsM

Mindfulness and Meditation