Category Archives: purelysimplewords

A blog about Life as a DIY project.

May6

Stalkers Do Not Take Days Off

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Stalking is a violent crime. Stalking is conduct directed at a particular person that causes fear.

Ignoring a stalker’s menacing behavior hoping they will go away doesn’t work. You must act right away to protect yourself. Early intervention is the key to your safety.

  1. be alert and proactive.
  2. create security methods like locks, alarms or cameras.
  3. tell everyone you are being stalked.
  4. save any presents, emails, cards, documents.
  5. photograph everything and the person who is stalking you.
  6. keep a log of events.
  7. document everything.

Start a paper trail with the police department, if you are in danger call 911 and keep calling 911 until the stalking stops.

For more information:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-to-do-if-youre-being-stalked-advice-from-an-expert/

Stay safe.

May5

Feelings – Darn It

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Those gosh darn feelings can be so annoying. They are looming up to get my attention and I will do almost anything to chase them away. But those pesky feelings keep chasing me.

I use busyness, procrastination, eating, TV and any distraction to keep those uncomfortable feelings of anger, grief, sadness and past memories that need to be processed just under the surface of my awareness.

Hold on one minute. Bashing feelings are not the best way for me to check in with my inner life.

As hard as it is I must be willing to sit quietly and let the feelings come up like waves rising up and crashing on the shore. Let these feelings come in to focus and let them go. Create a tiny space for opening up to my inner life.

This commitment to quiet time creates trust between me and my inner world that I can examine my feelings without judgement and in a very gentle and natural way I can heal.

 

May4

Symptoms of Depression

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To be clinically depressed one would have at least two symptoms almost every day for at least two weeks.

Very sad mood.

Loss of joy and interest in activities that used to be enjoyable.

Lack of energy and tiredness.

Feeling worthless and guilty for no good reason.

Wishing to be dead and thinking about it often.

Can’t concentrate and making decisions.

Unsettled and restless, sometimes too slow sometimes agitated.

Sleep difficulties.

Changes in eating habits.

This list is not all-inclusive and not everyone will exhibit all of these symptoms. Symptoms of depression affection emotion, thoughts, behavior and physical well-being.

The causes of depression are varied. A break up or living in conflict, poverty, unemployment, disability, victimization, victim of a crime, long-term illness, death of an important person, side effects of certain medication, stress of having another mental disorder like schizophrenia, withdrawal from substances, hormonal, there is also bipolar disorder depression, depression following childbirth, seasonal depression.

It is ideal to have early intervention but that is not always possible.

If you are suffering with any of these issues reach out to mental health care providers and if you are involved with someone who needs help remember the Mental Health First Aid Action Plan: ALGEE – Assess the risk of suicide or harm. L – Listen non judgmental. G-Give reassurance and information E-Encourage professional help. E-Encourage self-help and support strategies.

And of course if the situation is dangerous call 911.

Helpful Resources:

http://www.depression-screening.org

http://www.moodgym.anu.edu.au

American Psychiatric Association Answer Center _ 1-888-357-7924

May3

Thoughtful Thursday #211 – ALGEE

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Most have never seen this acronym. I learned it in my Mental Health First Aid class. This is the acronym for the action plan for anyone dealing with trying to help others with mental or physical distress. Many times those closest to us reveal their problems and we want to help but don’t know how. Here’s an effective action plan.

Action A – Assess for risk of suicide or harm. Is the person having suicidal thoughts or behaviors, or engaging in non-suicidal self-injury like cutting.

Action L – Listen non-judgmentally. This can be hard in a crisis, instead try very hard not to express your own negative judgements. Stay calm.

Action G – Give reassurance and information. Treat the person with kindness and respect and give hope for recovery. Have empathy.

Action E – Encourage appropriate professional help. Refer to resources like mental health care providers. Give ideas where to get help.

Action E – Encourage self-help and other support strategies. Healthy lifestyle, support system, problem solving, belief in taking control of their life.

If someone is out of control and dangerous to you or themselves call 911.

 

Here’s just a few Helpful Resources:

If you are in NYC call 1-888-NYC-WELL. They will help all age groups.

Suggest going to their personal physician and ask for resources for mental health.

The Balanced Mind Foundation – http://www.bpkids.org

Cyberbullying Research Center – http://www.cyberbullying.us

National Alliance on Mental Illness – http://www.nami.org

American Psychiatric Association Answer Center – 1-888-357-7924

American Psychological Association Public Education Line – 1-800-964-2000

Hope this helps.

As a helper you can get overwhelmed by another’s mental health issues.

As a helper it is perfectly OK to reach out for help too.

As a helper your work is important.

Good Luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May2

A Healthy Lifestyle for Good Mental Health

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This information is from MentalhealthAmerica.net, take a moment and read up on how to help your mental health and the mental health of others.

Mental Health Month 2018 – Toolkit Download

Full Toolkit

Full Toolkit (PDF 39.4 MB)

Full Toolkit Zip (zip file – images included)

Mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being, and mental illnesses are common and
treatable. So much of what we do physically impacts us mentally –it’s important to pay attention to both your
physical health and your mental health, which can help you achieve overall wellness and set you on a path to
recovery.
This May is Mental Health Month; purelysimplewords.com  is raising awareness about the connection between
physical health and mental health, through the theme Fitness #4Mind4Body. The campaign is meant to educate and
inform individuals about how eating healthy foods, gut health, managing stress, exercising, and getting enough
sleep can go a long way in making you healthy all around.
A healthy lifestyle can help to prevent the onset or worsening of mental health conditions like depression and
anxiety, as well as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other chronic health problems. It can also play a big role
in helping people recover from these conditions. Taking good care of your body is part of a before Stage Four
approach to mental health.
Getting the appropriate amount of exercise can help control weight, improve mental health, and help you live
longer and healthier. Recent research is also connecting your nutrition and gut health with your mental health.
Sleep also plays a critical role in all aspects of our life and overall health. Getting a good night’s sleep is important
to having enough physical and mental energy to take on daily responsibilities. And we all know that stress can
have a huge impact on all aspects of our health, so it’s important to take time to focus on stress-reducing activities
like meditation or yoga.
purelysimplewords.com wants everyone to know that mental illnesses are real, and recovery is always the goal. Living a
healthy lifestyle may not be easy, but by looking at your overall health every day – both physically and mentally –
you can go a long way in ensuring that you focus on your Fitness #4Mind4Body.

For more information, visit http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/may.

Fact Sheets/ Poster

Fitness 4Mind4Body: FACT SHEET Diet and Nutrition (PDF)

Fitness 4Mind4Body: FACT SHEET Exercise (PDF)

Fitness 4Mind4Body: FACT SHEET Gut Brain Connection (PDF)

Fitness 4Mind4Body: FACT SHEET Sleep (PDF)

Fitness 4Mind4Body: FACT SHEET Stress (PDF)

Fitness 4Mind4Body: POSTER Take the Challenge (PDF) Meant to be printed 11 x 17 paper

Worksheets

When Changing Diet is Hard (PDF)

When Changing Exercise is Hard (PDF)

When Changing Sleep is Hard (PDF)

When Managing Stress is Hard (PDF)

Social Media Materials

Sample Social Media Posts (PDF)

Images (To download, right- click the image and select “Save Image As.”)

Challenge Call to Action (PNG 250 x 250 px)

Screening Call to Action Button (PNG 250 x 250 px)

Facebook Profile Picture (PNG 180 x 180 px)

Facebook Cover (PNG 820 x 312 px)

Facebook Shareable (PNG 1200 x 630 px)

Twitter Profile (PNG 400 x 400 px)

Twitter Header (PNG 1500 x 500 px)

Twitter Shareable (PNG 442 x 220 px)

Instagram Profile Picture (PNG 110 x 110 px)

Instagram Shareable (PNG 1080 x 1080 px)


Horizontal Banner (PNG 468 x 100 px)

Vertical Banner (PNG 100 x 468 px)

 

Mar1

Thoughtful Thursday #202 – Cognitive Bias

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One of my FB friends gave me this idea. I am passing it along to you. Hope it helps.

It’s a detailed article about cognitive bias that we all carry at one time or another.

 

180+ cognitive biases, designed by John Manoogian III (jm3)

The better you know yourself the better your life experience.

Feb15

Thoughtful Thursday #200 – Love Yourself First

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Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and many share their love and enthusiasm for our families, lovers, friends.

Let’s not forget to give a big Valentines to ourselves. After all we are very important too. Here’s some helpful ways to love yourself.

  1. Stop calling yourself names. eg. I am such a jerk.
  2. Stop thinking about the worst case scenario. eg. The world will end if I say the wrong thing.
  3. Identify negative beliefs you have about yourself and get rid of them. eg. I am a really bad cook.
  4. Rewrite and reframe your internal dialog. eg. I am a good dancer.
  5. Celebrate yourself. It’s OK to give yourself a reward.
  6. Visit a therapist. Self examination is healing.
  7. Support yourself with positive self talk.

Every day is a chance to take good care of yourself and be your own Valentine.

“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

 

Dec22

Thoughtful Thursdays #193 – You Are Wired For Success

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You are wired for success.

Remember the time you took a left and ended up in the right place. You should do more of that.

Remember the time you had a hunch and it worked. You should more of that.

Remember the time you were terrified and took the risk anyway. You should do more of that.

Remember the time you went against your better judgment. Don’t do that anymore.

Remember the time you had a gut feeling and didn’t follow through. Don’t do that anymore.

Remember the time you believed a lie because you were too desperate to see the truth. Don’t do that anymore.

You are wired for success, Think about all the times things just worked out the way they were supposed to and you were in your zone.

That is where your success is. In that zone. It’s hard to feel the zone all the time but the more you pay attention to it the easier it gets to stay there more often.

Describe what zone is for you, how does it feel, where is it in your body, what does it remind you of, how can you get there more often. Does your zone come with obstacles, what are the obstacles?

You are wired for success; all it involves is a little more awareness on your part.

 

Dec14

Thoughtful Thursdays #192 – Prisoner Of Your Own Mind

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Any kind of entrapment feels uncomfortable. You can become a prisoner of your own mind too. Do you have obsessive thoughts? Are you adamant about your beliefs and won’t listen to other points of view? Do you have self-defeating tendencies?

The good news is being a prisoner of your mind is mostly artificial.  A lot  these thoughts are based on fear and insecurities.

The work to open that cell door comes from grounding yourself in some way. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Writing.
  2. Redirecting your thoughts.
  3. Exercise.
  4. Making art.
  5. Talking to a mental health professional.
  6. Meditation.

I am sure you can add to the list. The idea is to be in the present moment for as long as possible so your mind does not hijack you back to being a prisoner.

This takes effort, consistency, and even scary at times to go into this new territory.  The results are so worth it and will strengthen you. Go for it.

Dec8

Thoughtful Thursdays # 191 – Today is not over yet.

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If your heart is beating, if your lungs are breathing, if you are still alive… then it is not too late to do something kind, creative, generous, satisfying, and courageous. Today.

It is not too late to behave like the person you want to be — instead of continuing in a cycle of behavior that you will regret.

You might feel sleepy. It might be tough. It could seem preferable to just sit this one out.

But…

Today is not over yet.

http://www.alexandrafranzen.com