Humans

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A Pause for Justice

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Photo courtesy of @bingandruth 6/3/20

Photo courtesy of @bingandruth 6/3/20

 

We’re taking a necessary pause from our usual posts to honor George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor (and countless others), and to acknowledge the nationwide anguish ignited by injustice, racism, and violence.

Now more than ever it is time to listen.

To work to understand and validate others’ experiences, particularly those who have been oppressed and marginalized. 

To be open to others’ stories, their truths.

Even if they are difficult to hear. 

Even if they are at odds with preexisting beliefs.

Now is the time to educate and re-evaluate.

To seek allyship by asking those in need what they need. 

To engage despite discomfort.

There are many avenues for action, but one of the most important is to try to find ways to connect and to dialogue with people who are different from you.

We at CoreStory believe that every individual’s story matters and deserves to be heard.

Right now, we hold space for everyone encountering fear, anger, helplessness, and voicelessness.

Don’t hesitate to reach out for support.

Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others.

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Body Talk: 4 Ways To Maintain Body-Positivity

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Image courtesy of @gracedchin

Image courtesy of @gracedchin

In honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, we feel it’s important to open up a discussion about body image.

The way we feel about our bodies can affect so many aspects of life: our self-esteem, relationships, sexual satisfaction, and academic/work performance. Studies have shown that negative body image can create anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and even increase the risk of suicide.

Body Image

What exactly is body image? It could be described as the story we tell ourselves about our bodies. In short, it is our subjective interpretation - and sometimes a skewed one - of what we look like. If this view becomes overly negative, it can escalate into symptoms of body dysmorphia (imagining or exaggerating a physical imperfection that is unnoticeable to others) or even eating disorders.

What can we do to ensure that the story we tell ourselves about our body is a positive, healthy one?

Body Love

Put simply: balance, appreciation, kindness, and perspective are some key elements needed to create a healthy body story.

  1. Balance - Feed yourself wholesome, healthy foods, but don’t fear indulging once in a while. Exercise to stay strong and happy, not to look a certain way or to feel like you need to control your body. Eat if you’re hungry, rest if you’re tired.

  2. Appreciation - Accept your body for what it has given you. Take time to thank it for the all the things it allows you to do. It allows you to move through this world, to communicate with others, to do important work.

  3. Kindness - You may not always love what you see when you look in the mirror, or when you compare yourself to others’ bodies. Your body, like everyone’s, is perfectly imperfect, constantly changing, and it’s important to be compassionate toward it. Why punish it? It’s your lifetime companion. Seems wise to make friends with it.

  4. Perspective - Try not to become too focused on your one body. There’s a wide world out there that needs you. If you’re feeling negative or insecure, a great way to break that critical self-talk cycle is to help someone else. You as a person are so much more than just your physical appearance.

What do you tell yourself when you see your body in a mirror? Do you feel that you’re seeing yourself clearly? We’d love to know - leave a comment below.

Further Reading

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Gut Feelings: The Connection Between Digestive Health and Mental Health

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Image via Consumer Reports

Image via Consumer Reports

Body + Brain, Together Forever

Over the past decade, diet, nutrition, and general health have become particularly hot topics. Health encompasses both our emotional and physical well-being, so it shouldn’t surprise you that they’re intimately connected.

The Human Microbiome

Emergent research has pointed more and more to the gut-brain linkage. Many studies have begun highlighting the role of inflammation and the importance of maintaining a balanced microbiome.

What is a microbiome, you ask? It is defined as the collective genomes of the microbes (composed of bacteria, bacteriophage, fungi, protozoa and viruses) that live inside and on the human body.

Gut Health’s Relationship to Mental Health

The body reacts to stress in two primary ways - hormonally and immunologically.

Hormones

We know now that chronic stress can create elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, leading to physical and emotional issues such as anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, headaches, as well as gut issues. But this is only half the story.

The Immune System

The other half is that our immune system is also affected by stress. Our immune system responds to stress like it’s an infection, creating inflammation to counteract it. This system is highly effective at protecting our bodies from pathogens, but if the inflammatory response persists for too long, it can create the same sorts of physical and emotional issues as with elevated cortisol levels.

Tips For A Healthy Gut

Diet

Studies suggest that to encourage a healthy microbiome, it’s best to:

  • Limit refined, processed, or saturated fat ingredients (e.g. white sugar, white flour, meat/dairy fats).

  • Incorporate fermented foods (e.g. active culture yogurt, kefir, pickles, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, or kimchi).

  • Include fiber-rich foods (e.g. whole grains, legumes, whole fruits and vegetables).

  • Look into a low FODMAP diet.

Probiotics

  • Disclaimer: despite much hype, probiotics on their own are not currently FDA regulated or reliably proven to be effective in alleviating symptoms of mental issues such as anxiety or depression. However, research suggests that they are helpful when used in concordance with psychiatric medication. The question remains: can probiotics alone (without pharmaceutical medications) alleviate these symptoms? We’ll have to wait and see what future studies tell us. In the meantime, if they work for you, run with it.

Take Care

  • Keep stress levels to a minimum.

  • Stay hydrated.

  • Get proper sleep.

  • Exercise, do yoga, meditate, or try diaphragmatic breathing exercises.

The Takeaway

As always, it’s important to always be tuned in to your body and emotions. If things feel out of whack - you’re not sleeping well, feeling anxious/depressed/exhausted, having digestive problems - then perhaps it’s time to change something. The solution will look different from person to person; the balance of our bodies and minds is unique to us. But don’t underestimate the power of nutrition. We can harness that power to help keep us well, too. Joy Yang, a National Institute of Health microbiome researcher said it best:

“We have learned that the bacteria living in and on us are not invaders but are beneficial colonizers. The hope is that, as research progresses, we will learn how to care for our microscopic colonizers so that they, in turn, can care for our health.”

What do you eat that makes you feel good, happy, and healthy? Leave a comment below!

Further Links

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Useful Tips for Starting Therapy

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Step 1: Deciding to Begin Therapy

Ready Or Not?

How do you know when to start therapy? You might choose to start therapy for countless reasons. To name a few:

  • Feeling isolated, overwhelmed, or stressed

  • Having friends or family express concern about your well-being

  • Dealing with a major transition (breakup, unemployment, etc.)

  • Having trouble organizing or sorting through emotions and thoughts

  • Needing a fresh, neutral perspective

  • Knowing something isn’t right, but unsure about what to do

  • Feeling ready to change and learn more about yourself

Basically, there are many factors that might make us want to speak to a professional counselor. There is no right or wrong time per se, but if you find yourself relating to one or more of the listed items above, now might be a good opportunity to start considering it.

Step 2: Finding a Therapist

Window Shopping

Finding a therapist you can authentically relate to and connect with is a priority. The elements of therapy are highly personal, intimate, and vulnerable, so feeling comfortable with your counselor can is crucial for fully engaging in the process. Shop around! Learn about the different types of therapy that exist to see what might work best for you - cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychoanalysis, psychodynamic, the list goes on. (Psychology Today provides solid, comprehensive information on these - read more about them here).

Additionally, some excellent resources for finding a therapist include:

  • Psychology Today

  • Your insurance company’s website

  • Employee Assistance Program

  • Referral from friend, family member, or a trusted medical professional

Once you’ve chosen several counselors, call them to set up an initial phone or face-to-face consultation. Prepare some questions to learn more about them, how they operate, and if they have experience with specific issues you might be dealing with.

Step 3: Engaging in Therapy

What Do You Want To Gain?

Different people have different goals and levels of involvement for their therapy experience. Some people go into it as a more short-term, solution-focused approach. They might want to address a particular problem or gain certain coping skills.

At CoreStory, we primarily integrate psychodynamic, psychoanalytic, and narrative therapy orientations. These approaches emphasize the relationship between therapist and client, encourage deeper exploration into thought processes and emotions, and empower clients to tell or rewrite their life stories. Read more about CoreStory’s therapy style and specialties here:

A Note on Stigma

It’s important to mention that being in therapy in no way implies that there is something wrong with you. Far from it. In fact, it indicates quite the opposite - that you have the desire and curiosity to understand yourself. As a society, we need to continue the good fight against negative, false assumptions about mental health.

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How do you feel about starting therapy?

If you have already, how did you decide to begin?

Please share your thoughts and experiences with us - comment below.

Further Links

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6 Physical Symptoms of Anxiety

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6 Physical Symptoms of Anxiety

 
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Body Talk

Our bodies are sensitive systems that are constantly communicating with us. You’re walking through a field of flowers in springtime and start uncontrollably sneezing - that’s your body telling you it’s allergic to pollen. You eat a chicken sandwich that you found sitting in the backseat of your car and start feeling nauseous - that’s your stomach rejecting tainted food and telling you you’re about to pay handsomely for a questionable decision.

These examples involve symptoms that clearly point to physical causes. It’s common to assume that a physical symptom means that the cause is also physical in nature. But what about mysterious, general physical problems where the cause is harder to determine? Like headaches, muscle tension, or a suddenly racing heart? In these cases, our bodies are again trying to tell us something, but the symptoms are harder to decode.


How often do we consider that these symptoms could be manifestations of emotions, not just the body?

Anxiety: A Monster with Many Faces

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health issues today. As of 2018, The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 31.1% of adults in the United States will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America have documented that people with anxiety disorders are 3 to 5 times more likely to go to the doctor. These statistics show us that anxiety is not only incredibly common, but that it affects people’s mind and body. This is why it is so important to learn to recognize some of the physical symptoms of anxiety.

6 Bodily Symptoms of Anxiety

Anxiety can show itself in many ways, so we’ve highlighted some of the most common ones.

  1. Muscle Tension - Particular areas of your body might be quite tense or tight. The neck, back, chest, or jaw are often affected.

  2. Repetitive Nervous Habits - Restless leg shaking, lip/cheek chewing, skin picking, nail biting, or teeth grinding are classic signs of anxiety.

  3. Digestive Issues - Gastrointestinal troubles are strong clues, ranging from stomachaches to constipation/diarrhea, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, abdominal cramps, nausea, or increased frequency of using the bathroom.

  4. Sleep Disruptions - Anxiety can make you feel keyed-up, or wired to the point of insomnia, but it can also exhaust you with fatigue. Additionally, it can cause vivid nightmares, further interrupting restful sleep.

  5. Racing Heart - A common symptom of panic disorder is elevated heart rate. It often brings with it dizziness, shortness of breath or low blood pressure.

  6. Increased Body Temperature - Feeling hot, having a flushed appearance, and sweating are also red flags of anxiety.

The Takeaway

This list is by no means exhaustive, but might prove helpful in identifying the root of physical discomfort. It is worth noting that mental health issues can occur independently of or in addition to physical medical conditions. Thus, it is important to be evaluated by both a medical professional as well as a therapist.

Recognizing these signs can help you get a handle on feeling better. Developing coping skills such as breathing exercises, physical activity, meditation, working with a therapist, and in some instances medication, are just several of many methods to work with these symptoms. Understanding what you are experiencing is an important first step in alleviating the pain of anxiety.

What helps you when you feel anxious? If something helps you, it might help someone else dealing with the same. Please share with us - leave a comment!

Further Reading

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What Makes Us Human

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Whether it’s our earliest childhood memory, a family trauma, a heartbreak, or a three minute conversation with a stranger in the grocery store checkout line, relating our stories can be a powerful act.

Recounting personal narratives can be complicated. The process can be painful, eye-opening, hilarious, infuriating, transformative. Ultimately, storytelling is a uniquely human experience. It helps bring out emotions, empowers us, helps us connect and empathize with one another.

Neurological effects of storytelling. [Source: Fast Company via Forbes] 

Neurological effects of storytelling. [Source: Fast Company via Forbes] 

Everyone has a story. Let us help you find yours.