tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2009-11-08:/MokoFeed2009-11-08T17:07:49+01:00tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-09-12:/2005/09/12/please_don_t_hurt_me_any_more~176535/TGR2932005-09-12T14:21:18+02:002005-09-12T14:21:18+02:00 <p>By</p> <p>Thomas G Richardson</p> <p>Please don’t hurt me any more<br> You know I loved you and still do<br> A better friend you never had<br> So please don’t hurt me any more</p> <p>Looking back over the years<br> I remember still the time we met<br> I couldn’t believe my luck<br> That someone like you could love someone like me<br> So please don’t hurt me any more</p> <p>Remember how I waited for you on our first date<br> When you approached me rather late<br> My heart skipped a beat<br> And a love was born that never ended<br> So please don’t hurt me any more</p> <p>Time flew by and soon I took the plunge<br> I asked you to be mine<br> The answer you gave made life seem worth while<br> But today you’ve left me for another<br> I am crying as I write<br> Please don’t hurt me any more</p> <p>All those years we spent together<br> Mean nothing to you now<br> I cannot believe it happened<br> It’s worse than death to me<br> Life without you seems so bare</p> <p>One day I know you will return<br> And when you do I’ll still be here<br> I’ll open wide my heart all you have to do is call<br> So pick up that phone and call me<br> And please, oh please don’t hurt me any more</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/09/12/please_don_t_hurt_me_any_more~176535/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-09-12:/2005/09/12/unlock_the_door~176488/TGR2932005-09-12T14:00:13+02:002005-09-12T14:00:13+02:00 <p>By</p> <p>Thomas G Richardson</p> <p>You have the key to my heart<br> Just open up the door<br> Hold me close and turn the key<br> Please don’t hesitate my love</p> <p>Your tender touch<br> Is just to much<br> So turn the key<br> And let my love for you flow out</p> <p>When I feel your warm embrace<br> And see your lovely face<br> My heart opens up<br> My defences are down<br> I can’t resist so don’t desist</p> <p>Overhead the sky is blue<br> And my heart is open<br> Just for you<br> I will hold you and kiss you<br> Never let you go</p> <p>So now you’ve turn the magic key<br> My life is now complete you see<br> I need no other in my life<br> Please consent to be my wife<br> And make my wish come true</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/09/12/unlock_the_door~176488/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-09-01:/2005/09/01/legalise_drugs_now~156547/TGR2932005-09-01T19:32:56+02:002005-09-01T19:32:56+02:00 <p>By</p> <p>Thomas G Richardson</p> <p>About fifteen or so years ago Judge Pickles a controversial figure wrote an article in the Times. It started along the following lines:</p> <p>“It is around 1897 a young man is seated on a chair. He is thin, white and pasty. His hands constantly shake and his eyes dart about. His hair is unkempt and his clothes in dire need of cleaning. This man is an addict. He needs regular fixes of the only drug that can keep him going”.</p> <p>So what exactly was this drug? Could it be heroin no it was coffee. People who drank this evil substance quickly became addicts and would no doubt decline in their life style and health. That is what the media of that time was telling people</p> <p>There are many fables about drugs and their devastating results on our lives if we consume them. I have done a fair bit of research on this subject and do not want to bore you with the lot. But here are some. The average heroin user can be helped of the drug within 2 or 3 weeks. Heroin addiction is just above that of cigarettes in its potency. The main difference being that cigarettes are legal and heroin isn’t. Cigarettes are quality controlled where as heroin is cut with talcum powder, brick dust and sometime god help us rat poison. Pure heroin administered correctly in sterile conditions although addictive is about as harmful (and some argue less harmful) than cigarettes.</p> <p>Many addicts in fact are not addicted to the drug but to the needle and are known as needle freaks. Police did a survey of wraps of heroin in New York and found that the drug was so adulterated that it contained less than 3 per cent of heroin hardly enough to get anyone addicted</p> <p>I have helped several drug addicts come of these substances but the hardest thing is keeping them off it. The main reason for this is because many addicts have only other addicts as friends. These friends will be determined to get them back on the needle. With cigarettes if you are giving up people will be helpful and of course no one minds being friends with someone who smokes but how many can say they don’t mind having heroin addicts as their friends.</p> <p>Judge Pickles then went on to give a detailed argument why all drugs should be made legal. The main one being that 86.5 per cent of crime is drug related in some way whether it be through corruption of officials, burglary, muggings, or other crimes to feed the habit. Once made legal (after lots of pre education about the dangers etc) most of these crimes would disappear. The addicts would go to their nearest chemist pick up a pack of five or so prepared doses of their drug and discreetly inject themselves. Their life span would probably be that of the cigarette smoker and personally as I hate smelling of other peoples cigarette smoke I would prefer to sit next to the heroin addict.</p> <p>Many people have taken these drugs for years with very little bad effects they are the lucky ones who can get the real drug and administer it correctly. I believe a few years ago a high ranking civil servant in the NHS admitted to having taken heroin for over thirty years. Nurses, doctors etc can get access to the drugs but only some use them illegally.</p> <p>Once made legal the drugs can hen be taxed like other items and bring in revenue to the government which could be used to help those who wish to give up to do so. There is an area of the brain which controls what we become addicted to and scientists are working on an antidote which will knock out this control centre and then all addicts could be released from their misery if they so wished.</p> <p>If they were made legal the horror stories given out by the do gooders about us becoming a nation of drug addicts would I believe not happen. I like many of my friends do not smoke and never will. I would have never taken heroin or any illegal drug. I like a drink say a few pints a week and that is it. The fact is the country is awash with any drug that you want or so we are told. Even in the small village where I live apparently you can get them if you want them. But the price is high so if you get addicted you will have to turn to crime to support your habit.</p> <p>The illegal drugs business is at the last count has a 380 billion pounds annual turnover which makes Walmart and Bill Gates look like paupers. How can any government fight that sort of money and organisation. Anyone with half a brain knows the drug war was lost years ago. Make them legal and we can all benefit. No doubt the criminals will find other sources of income but they will lose that large amount of money which they use to bribe officials to turn a blind eye. Personally I believe we all have a price. Just go high enough and most of us will give in. And I know full well dear reader that you wouldn’t so don’t write to me to tell me this. In the 1920s Al Capone was discussing this point of price with his hoodlums. He pointed to a middle aged cleaner and said “I bet I can get that old bag to do a strip tease for us” One fool bet against him. He asked the lady to step into one of the hotel rooms and asked her to take her clothes off for their entertainment. In disgust she refused. He pulled a huge bundle of notes out of his pocket and started throwing them down in front of her when he reached 600 dollars off came her clothes that amount was probably 2 or 3 years of hard work as a cleaner. She earned it in five minutes! Now imagine what you could do with 380 billion. You could buy countries, politicians, officials all who have influence.</p> <p>Most of the illegal drugs are grown in poor countries and these countries would probably benefit if the drugs were legal and there are probably many other spin offs.</p> <p>I have written this article in the hope of getting a debate going don’t write to me write to the journal the editor will only too pleased to put your comments forward but please think about what you write and be constructive.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/09/01/legalise_drugs_now~156547/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-08-23:/2005/08/23/looking_for_the_obvious/TGR2932005-08-23T17:14:06+02:002005-08-23T17:14:06+02:00 <p>BY</p> <p>Thomas Richardson</p> <p>Sometimes it is to easy to miss the obvious when seeing a patient for the first time. About 10 years ago I had a young boy come to see me with his mother. His problem was bed wetting.</p> <p>His mother said he had been wetting the bed regularly since the age of five. I took an extensive history from her with the intention of then asking the child about the problem. He had jumped through the usual hoops of seeing the family GP, trying herbal remedies etc but nothing seemed to work for him.</p> <p>In the history the mother said they lived in a large old house. The toilet was situated at the end of a long corridor. When I heard this I asked what to me was the obvious question i.e. was the child frightened of the dark because if he was the answer could simply mean leaving a light on along the corridor or a chamber pot in the bedroom. She did not think he was frightened of the dark but admitted she had never asked him. Under hypnosis(while the mother was present) it came out that he was frightened of the dark and I told him that from now on his mother would leave a night light for him and a light in the corridor.</p> <p>I used several other techniques suggesting that he would not wet the bed in future and after a week he came back and the mother was over the moon that he had not wet the bed for a week. A couple of months later she rang to say he was completely cured. I believe the light in the corridor was the main thing that helped in the cure and not necessarily the hypnosis. Using the obvious in this case worked wonders.</p> <p>Another obvious case was that of a 20 per day smoker only I did not work this one out for weeks. Of all the patients we see on a regular basis the smoker can be the one that gives the most problems some stop instantly others take longer and there are quite a few who never stop.</p> <p>I went through several routines over a four week period but he never budged from his 20 per day which I found unusual. On the fourth week I was ready to admit defeat and told him I could not think of any reason why he had not stopped. Then he told me he knew the reason it was because he did not want to stop.</p> <p>His wife wanted him to stop and at her insistence he had tried chewing gum, patches etc to no avail. She then said “Right go to see this chap he stopped my friend and her husband from smoking so he will stop you” He said “Ok but if I go and fail that is the end of it. I want to hear no more about it” His wife was convinced that I was invincible and she would win.</p> <p>Her husband told me “I do not want to stop. I am happy smoking and I only came to see you to get her off my back. All the time you were giving me suggestions to stop smoking in my head I was saying “I will not stop. I will not stop.” And of course his own suggestions were stronger than any I could put into his mind and so naturally he did not stop smoking. I offered to refund him the cash he had paid but he said he was just pleased that his wife would now stop nagging him about stopping smoking and he was quite happy to pay the price because he felt it was not my fault he had not stopped but his own. From then on besides asking why they wished to stop I also started asking if it was them or their partner who wanted them to stop!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/08/23/looking_for_the_obvious/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-06-12:/2005/06/12/dark/TGR2932005-06-12T22:26:00+02:002005-06-27T17:49:44+02:00 <p> by </p> <p> THOMAS G RICHARDSON</p> <p>You lie in bed at night<br> Surrounded by a deep blackness<br> Unbroken by light from bulb or moon<br> Monsters may lurk within your touch<br> They wait keeping you from dreams</p> <p>You fall asleep but wake<br> A noise, a movement, perhaps a sigh<br> Is someone else breathing close by<br> You hold your breath, your heart beats faster<br> No sound breaks the dark you breath again</p> <p>Cold air touches your cheek<br> From an open window<br> You're all alone no one to help<br> You pull the covers ever closer<br> Eyes widening to pierce the night</p> <p>You know there's nothing there<br> Just pictures from your mind<br> Nothing to fear, nothing to harm you<br> But is there?<br> Can you be sure?<br> What if:</p> <p>While lying in the dark<br> you stretch out<br> To feel if anything is there<br> What shock, surprise or horror<br> If something takes your hand!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/06/12/dark/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-06-12:/2005/06/12/butterflies/TGR2932005-06-12T22:23:59+02:002005-06-20T12:13:00+02:00 <p>BY</p> <p>THOMAS G RICHARDSON</p> <p>Before befriending butterflies<br> You have to meet with<br> Midnight moths</p> <p>But taking time to love<br> is what it`s<br> all about<br> That doesn't mean<br> lying close<br> In shut up rooms<br> or staying always<br> face to face</p> <p>I know not of what love is like<br> except my feelings<br> guide my actions towards you<br> Remember how happy in these last<br> few weeks I've become</p> <p>You say<br> that you have not found yourself<br> but have you?<br> I'm sure you have<br> but you live in worlds<br> Ill never know</p> <p>And is this merely a pause<br> or is this goodbye<br> Well little butterfly<br> fly<br> But I plead not too far<br> afield</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/06/12/butterflies/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-06-12:/2005/06/12/green/TGR2932005-06-12T22:22:35+02:002005-06-20T12:10:38+02:00 <p>BY</p> <p>THOMAS G RICHARDSON</p> <p>Green has depth<br> Green has beauty<br> Carpet a valley in green<br> Create a beauty that<br> waits to be seen</p> <p>Green trees, green grass<br> gives a sense of calm<br> Acts like a soothing balm<br> Relaxes the body and the mind<br> Rests us from the toil and grind</p> <p>Green is growing, green is living<br> Thrusting up from moist brown earth<br> It breaks the monotony<br> Giving a sense of wonder<br> to a weary mind</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/06/12/green/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-06-12:/2005/06/12/but_for_the_grace_of_god/TGR2932005-06-12T22:20:09+02:002005-06-20T12:11:30+02:00 <p>BY</p> <p>THOMAS G RICHARDSON</p> <p>Through a hole in the door<br> Blows the winter wind<br> Cold fingers of air grasping you<br> Pulling and tugging</p> <p>You shiver crouching in a corner<br> of a filthy room<br> Pulling an old discarded blanket<br> around you</p> <p>Nothing keeps out the bitter cold<br> But better a squat than a cardboard<br> box<br> Darknesss falls and with it the temperature</p> <p>Huddle ever closer to the ground<br> Seeking warmth but none can be found<br> Reach for the bottle get lost in its<br> depths</p> <p>Cheap booze coursing down an<br> open throat<br> Brings neither warmth or hope<br> Just a numbness of the brain<br> To match that of the body</p> <p>By morning a stiffening body lies<br> unmoving<br> A dirty old man scarcely human<br> One more statistic and no one cares<br> Someone's father, someone's son, or<br> Just another bum?</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/06/12/but_for_the_grace_of_god/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-06-12:/2005/06/12/once_you_have_stopped_smoking/TGR2932005-06-12T22:14:14+02:002005-06-20T12:13:35+02:00 <p>BY</p> <p>THOMAS G RICHARDSON</p> <p> Once you have stopped smoking that is it. You cannot decide to have the odd cigarette now and again. If you do you will quickly be back to the twenty or more per day that you used to smoke. Being a smoker is a little like being an alcoholic. If an alcoholic takes one drink after stopping he knows that he will quickly be back to drinking day and night. The smoker is the same. To take one cigarette is fatal. The entire craving for nicotine quickly returns and so does your previous habit of smoking twenty per day.</p> <p> There is never any good reason to re start smoking once you have stopped. Believe me in my years of practice I have heard them all as I am sure you have. The mind is very devious and can find many reasons why we should carry on smoking or re start. An alcoholic can give you many reasons why he should drink two bottles of whisky a day and likewise the smoker can give convincing reasons why he should smoke.</p> <p> I think many of us have lied to others at some time in our lives although there are some saints out there who will say: "What me lie. Never! Perhaps worse than lying to others we tend to lie to ourselves. That is we find reasons (lies) why we should be doing something that we know is harming us. It is called rationalisation or easing our conscience. Here are some rationalisations specific to smoking:</p> <p>• I only stopped because I wanted to save money. I started again because I thought I was no better off.<br> • I don’t need the money so why should I stop.<br> • So smoking gives you cancer. Big deal you have to die of something.<br> • I could stop tomorrow but I don’t want to. I enjoy smoking.<br> • My smoking only harms me so why should you care if I smoke. It's me that will die not you.<br> • Who wants to live to ninety any way? I might as well smoke and enjoy myself.</p> <p> When we look at this list a little more closely the reasons given don’t add up. The person who stops to save money must be better off. The chance are that he spends a pound here a pound there and doesn’t see the benefit or feel better off. So he decides to start smoking again. I have never met anyone who can't do with some extra cash. Even millionaires like extra money that is why they stay rich!</p> <p> There is now no medical doubt that smoking can give you cancer and particularly lung cancer. It is true that you have to die of something but if you have seen anyone die of cancer I doubt you would choose to die that way out of choice.</p> <p> Then we have bravado. I could stop tomorrow if I wanted to. Every time there is a new cancer scare we see our roving TV reporter questioning people about their smoking habits. There is always someone with a cigarette hanging from his bottom lip who says: "</p> <p> "I could stop right now (cough) if I wanted to. I enjoy smoking so why should I?"</p> <p> He is kidding himself and we all know it. He couldn't stop if he wanted to, at least not without help. But he can't admit that can he? That would destroy his macho image. So he lies to the reporter and worse to himself.</p> <p> So smoking only harms the smoker. Who are you kidding now? What about your spouse and children. They are breathing in your smoke and damaging their lungs in the process. Living with a heavy smoker and breathing in their smoke is estimated to be the equivalent of smoking 5 cigarettes per day. Would you agree to your child smoking 5 cigarettes a day? If not why lie and say you are harming no one but yourself. It is our old friend rationalisation again.</p> <p> Who wants to live to 90 any way? Wait till you are 90 the chances are you will want to live to 100. Ask the guy who is 89. With modern day medicine and a better life style people are not only living longer but are healthier and much fitter than before. Why not decide to be one of them and stay stopped.</p> <p>Recent research has now shown beyond doubt that smoking ages. It can add five years to your life you look over sixty when in realty you are fifty five. You often see this in a middle ageperson who has smoked for some time. If you look around the mouth you will see lines brought on by sucking on a cigarette. If it is yourself just look in the mirror!</p> <p>A Plan of Action</p> <p> Begin right now to formulate a plan of action and be determined to put it into practice that plan once you have stopped smoking.</p> <p> To stay stopped you must stop lying to yourself and take positive action. You are probably spending in the region of one thousand pounds or more on your habit per year. When you stop work out exactly how much you used to spend on smoking and religiously save that amount in a bank account. We will say the amount is £25 a week. In ten week when you look at your account you will have £250 and because you have it in an account you can physically see that amount. If you do not do this you will fall into the trap of saying, "I don't feel any better off. So make the effort. Open the account and start saving for a nice holiday, a new car, new furniture what ever you wish can come true. Within a short time you will be able to realise some of your dreams. One smoker I stopped said he had that much money in his pocket he didn't know what to do with it but I bet he found something he wanted!</p> <p>There are people who are doing menial jobs, which they hate for perhaps £25 -£30 per week on a part time basis. Often they are smoking 20 to 40 cigarettes per day. In other words the money they are getting doing a job they hate is going on feeding their habit. Why not stop smoking pack in the job and go on a holiday. Makes sense doesn’t it.</p> <p> Once you have stopped smoking your lungs quickly begin to clear the filth and debris away. Within a few weeks your breathing will become better and you will have more energy and drive. Decide to take up some sort of keep fit. Perhaps join a local gym or start jogging or walking more. By taking exercise you will increase your lung capacity, stamina and generally improve the quality of your life. Your sex life will improve dramatically and that is a promise!</p> <p>FINALLY<br> If for some reason you feel you are going to fall by the wayside reach for the tape I made for you rather than a cigarette. PLEASE don’t restart surely if you are under stress it would be much better to pick up the phone and I will get you in immediately for a booster believe me it will be a lot cheaper than smoking!</p> <p>TO STOP SMOKING<br> RELIEVE STRESS<br> GAIN CONFIDENCE<br> SLIM<br> AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS THAT CAN BE HELPED WITH HYPNOTHERAPY</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/06/12/once_you_have_stopped_smoking/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-06-12:/2005/06/12/stage_hypnosis/TGR2932005-06-12T22:09:38+02:002005-06-20T12:12:21+02:00 <p>BY</p> <p>THOMAS G RICHARDSON</p> <p>Many of the old hands will be aware of how a stage hypnotist works and performs but those newly qualified or fairly new to the profession may not be. I feel it important that as therapists we should know about stage hypnosis and the differences between stage hypnosis and hypnosis as practiced in hypnotherapy. Many patients we see will have got their knowledge of hypnosis from what they see on stage or TV. They will have many convictions and incorrect ideas about hypnosis garnered from these shows.</p> <p> Many stage hypnotists run perfectly ethical shows and I hasten to point out that I have no wish to denigrate stage hypnosis merely to show how it works so that it can be explained to a client. To do this I am going to show you how a typical stage show works. Every show of course is different but many of the points are the same.</p> <p> The hypnotist comes on stage. There will be an air of expectancy. He may start by describing the effects of hypnosis and what it can achieve throwing in the odd one line joke to warm up the audience and establish a rapport. Once he has the audience receptive he will say something along the lines of:</p> <p> "I want every one to clasp their hands together. Clasp them tighter! Tighter still! Imagine them locked together. When I count from one to three you will be unable to open your hands. Locked tight! Locked tight! One, two, three!"</p> <p> At three everyone tries to open their hands. Many do so quite easily, others with a struggle, but much to the amazement of 15 to 20 per cent of the audience they are unable to open their hands. They are in what is called a waking state of hypnosis.</p> <p> "Would all those who cannot open their hands please come up onto the stage".</p> <p> Once on the stage these people are chatted to and cut down to the number that the hypnotist wishes to work with. He won't want anyone too old and frail but rather the young, enthusiastic and flamboyant. They make much better performers for a stage show.</p> <p> He has now achieved several things. He has got volunteers without the need to ask for them. He knows that these people will go quickly into deep hypnosis as they are already responding well to suggestion. He has further pruned down the number and type of person he wishes to perform with. Stage hypnotists are master technicians and very good psychologists. If you have not made the effort to see a stage show it can be an education to do so.</p> <p> Once the subjects are placed in deep hypnosis the show carries on. At the end all subjects are awakened and return to their seats. They will have taken part in hopefully an ethical and entertaining show. Many Hypnotherapists disagree with stage shows and see many problems with them. This is not what I wish to discuss. The main problem as I see it for the Hypnotherapist is this: the audience will now be convinced that the stage hypnotist could place each and every one of them into the same depth of hypnosis as those on the stage. He cannot, but he will not let the audience know this. He could probably place each one of the audience into a light to a medium state of hypnosis but this is rarely sufficient for a stage show, as could any good hypnotherapist. The stage hypnotist will not enlighten his audience after all he is billed as the great Marvo. He who can bend everyone to his will etc. He does not wish to spoil this illusion and indeed why should he.</p> <p> When a client comes to us they may expect to be placed in the same depth of hypnosis as those they have seen in a stage show. We also get the 15 to 20 per cent that go into deep hypnosis immediately but this leave the 80 per cent who go into a light to medium state of hypnosis. We know that light stages of hypnosis can be very beneficial to the patient and this has to be explained preferably before the patient is placed under hypnosis. If you can explain how the stage show operates and how subjects are selected with the hand clasp test and that people selected in this way can be hypnotised by practically anyone, you will find it that much easier to convince a patient he/she was under hypnosis when in a light state of hypnosis.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/06/12/stage_hypnosis/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-06-12:/2005/06/12/the_therapeutic_value_of_sleep/TGR2932005-06-12T22:04:39+02:002005-06-20T12:14:49+02:00 <p>BY </p> <p>THOMAS G RICHARDSON MBATH, MNCH</p> <p>INTRODUCTION<br> Night with her train of stars,<br> And her great gift of sleep.<br> (V.E.HENLEY 1849-1903)</p> <p>The only total escape from daily worries and illness is provided by long periods of nightly sleep. Attempts to survive without this nocturnal release have quickly led to mental as well as physical collapse. This is because sleep is even more important as a brain-rester than it is as a body rester.<br> Babies sleep more than adults and the middle-aged sleep more than the elderly. There is a good reason for this. Infants are faced with a whole new world to comprehend. The input to their brains is enormous and they need correspondingly long periods of dream time to file away all their new information. The elderly by contrast are usually set in their ways with not a great deal of new information arriving and they can get by with fewer bed time hours.<br> During a typical adult night there are between 48 to 78 shifts of body posture. Serial photographs of sleepers tend to make them appear agitated and restless because of these shifts, but even the deepest sleeper undergoes these natural changes of position which prevent cramping of limbs and other parts of the body and prevent formation of pressures sores.<br> Body tissues are constantly being broken down and renewed. This breaking down and renewal is subject to biological rythms (circadian variation). Studies have shown that breakdown and degradation of tissues is greatest during periods of alertness and that cell renewal is greatest during periods of sleep (I Oswald 1987). Enforced wakefulness in rats leads to widespread lesions and death after about a week (Gilliland, Bergman and Winter 1982). Man has a slower metabolic rate but the same principles apply. In elderly persons who are endlessly active and sleepless during manic phases of manic depressive psychosis there is exhaustion, congestive cardiac failure and in years prior to neuroleptic drugs this exhaustion led to death (Oswald 1987)<br> Burns, infection and fear also shift the balance towards breakdown. This can be explained by the release of catecholamine hormones promoted by the stress of illness. Catecholamines and cortisol are hormones that increase the breakdown of amino acids. Sleep inhibits the production of these hormones (the destructive ones) and at the same time stimulates and promotes secretion of anabolic hormones, growth hormone and testosterone (Parker, Rossman, Kripke 1980).<br> Many patients complain that hospitals are difficult places in which to sleep, having been in hospital a couple of times for minor problems, I can only agree with them. I found I was pleased to return home in order to get good nights rest. After major surgery sleep is very seriously disturbed in intensive care units (Aural & Elmqvist 1965). In the US Army Institute for Surgical Research it was concluded that the proper management of surgical stress should include all possible means of helping sleep (WILMORE, LOND MASON, and PRUIT (1976).<br> How To Get A Good Nights Rest<br> Exercise<br> If you are physically tired rarely will you have difficulty sleeping. Workers such as those working on building sites, miners, ship builders, Dockers and others with jobs that require hard physical labour get off to sleep without any effort.<br> Unfortunately more and more people are now either unemployed or working with their brains rather than their bodies. Although this type of work may leave you feeling mentally tired; physically you are hardly tired at all. Is it any wonder that you have difficulty in sleeping if your bodily systems are scarcely fatigue?<br> The answer is to take some vigorous exercise two or three hours before you go to bed. Perhaps a work out in the gym or better still a half-hour walk in the fresh air which costs you nothing. Your mind has a chance to unwind and the exercise tires you physically raising the chances that you will sleep with little trouble.<br> Bedtime Drinks<br> Avoid alcohol. As well as being a depressive it is also a diuretic. Although at first it may help you to fall into a deep sleep you will wake perhaps several times during the night to urinate. This broken sleep leaves you feeling worn out by the time morning comes.<br> Any drinks containing caffeine should not be drunk after six o’ clock in the evening. These include coffee, tea, cola drinks and perhaps surprisingly drinking chocolate and cocoa. The best drinks are plain water, warm milk, ovaltine or horlicks made with milk<br> Prior to Going to Bed<br> Enjoy a warm bath taking between 20 to 30 minutes or longer if so desired to soak away your cares. Have a cassette player (battery not mains electric!) playing relaxing music in the bathroom<br> Only eat a light meal in the evening. Avoid late night fry-ups, greasy take away meals and anything that would overfill your stomach. It is also important to avoid going to bed feeling hungry as you will lie in bed thinking of food and not sleep.<br> In the Bedroom<br> Your bedroom should be cool but not cold. If possible sleep with a window slightly open but avoid draughts. Beds should be comfortable and not too soft. A light duvet is preferable to heavy blankets<br> If you like to listen to the radio in bed this is fine but avoid rock music or news items which may excite the mind and set it racing. Choose easy listening music that takes little concentration and just washes over you wafting you to sleep.<br> Modern homes are warmer than in days gone past and many people now sleep in the nude. This is by far the most comfortable and relaxing way to sleep.<br> If you wear pyjamas or a night-dress they should be loose fitting and comfortable.<br> Conclusion<br> Once you have a routine that works stick to it. If you condition your mind and body to a set routine you will find it easier to get to sleep.<br> Finally, if everything fails, remember that nobody has ever died from a lack of sleep, but thousands have made themselves ill worrying about not sleeping!<br> REFERENCES<br> Adam K & Oswald I Protein synthesis, bodily renewal and the sleep-wake cycle Clinic Sci 1983, 65: 561-567<br> Aurell J & Elmqvist D, Sleep in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, British Medical Journal 1985, 290- 1029-1032<br> Brezinova V & Oswald I, Sleep after a Bedtime Beverage, British Medical Journal 1972 p 431-3<br> Carter D, In Need of a Good Nights Sleep, Nursing Times Nov 13 1985 p 24-26<br> Kleitman N, The Stuff of Dreams, New Scientist No 18 p 409-410<br> Oswald I, The Benefit of Sleep, Holistic Medicine Vol. 2 p 137-139<br> Park DC, Rossman LG, Kripke DF, Endocrine rhythms Across Sleep Sake Cycles in Normal Young Men under Basal State Conditions, Physiology in Sleep, Academic Press, London 1980 p145-179<br> Webster RA & Thompson DR, Sleep in Hospital, Journal of Advanced Nursing 1986, 11: 447-457<br> Wilmore DW, Lond JM, Mason AD, Pruitt BA, Stress in Surgical Patients as a Neurophysiological reflex, Surg. Gynecol Obstet 1976 142: P257-269</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/06/12/the_therapeutic_value_of_sleep/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-06-12:/2005/06/12/bereavment/TGR2932005-06-12T22:01:58+02:002005-06-20T12:16:02+02:00 <p>BY</p> <p>THOMAS G RICHARDSON MBATH, MNCH</p> <p>The death of someone we love is something we are all going to have to face in our lifetime. How we deal with death varies from person to person. Often we will have to find a new balance within our lives to replace the one we love. Coming to terms with death is one of the most difficult problems we shall ever face. No one is immune doctor, sailor, soldier or sailor or for that matter a Hypnotherapist like myself.<br> After a death most people will experience a period of mourning. This can last for between 18 months and 2 years. You may have feelings of guilt; despair, anger against all and sundry including God for taking away the one you loved. Often people who are looked upon as confident and able to deal with any problem however difficult are hit the worst. They tend to repress their feelings and weeks or months later they may go into deep depression and become suicidal.<br> You should never hold back your feelings. If you want to cry then do so. We who live in the Northeast are in what is commonly known as a macho area. This means men are not suppose to cry or show emotions. Bereavement can therefore hit men much harder than women who will do the natural and sensible thing and cry. The sooner you begin the grieving process the sooner you will get through it. Hold it back and you could be visiting a doctor in 18 months time suffering with deep depression and unable to understand why.<br> Patients never expect Doctors, nurses or Hypnotherapist to be ill. Perhaps they believe that we have some strange magic that stops us from experiencing the things others do. I am sure you will understand that this is nonsense and that we do indeed get ill and we also suffer when bereavement occurs within our family. To illustrate let me tell you how I re-acted when my father died 9 years ago.<br> I always had great respect for my father but I cannot really say we were close. I loved him and I am sure as a father he loved me but like most men of that era he found it hard to express emotions so it always was left unsaid. Heart attacks tend to run in my family so although it was a shock when my father had a heart attack at the age of seventy it didn’t really come as a surprise. Fortunately he made a complete recovery and it was as if he had got a new lease of life. He started shooting and fishing again going off to Scotland on a regular basis to catch salmon. He had the energy of a man of much younger years. I was pleased that he was coping with the heart attack in this manner because he must have known that at some point he would have another. Statistically he could expect another heart attack within 5years of the first one. And this was to prove the case.<br> One Saturday morning in 1989 I answered the phone to be informed by my parents next door neighbour that my father had died of a heart attack during the night and would I come immediately as my mother was in a state of shock. I had the terrible burden of informing my sister who was very close to my father as are most eldest daughters. I knew her reaction would be one of total disbelief and that she would find it extremely difficult to cope. As the eldest son I did as I would expect most eldest sons to do and started to sort things out. I was calm, confident and fully in control. I knew someone had to hold things together and that someone had to be me. I arranged for the funeral, sorted out the will, comforted my sister and mother and generally tried to keep everyone on an even keel.<br> About six weeks after the death I started waking at 4 or 5 0 clock in the morning thinking of my father. I would then break down and start sobbing. This went on for almost a fortnight. My wife had never seen me like this and tried to comfort me but couldn’t succeed. Every time my sister rang I couldn’t talk to her. If she mentioned my father on the phone I would hand the phone to my wife and go to the bathroom and cry. At the same time as this was going on I had to keep on working. Like most people if I don’t work I don’t eat and bills don’t get paid. However I felt that it was not fair to my patients to be seeing them when I was not in the correct mental state myself. One of the good things my father had always taught me was to save a little each week for a rainy day. At that moment it was pouring and I decided to take at least a two week break or longer until I felt well again. It was obvious to me as a therapist that I was showing the typical signs of clinical depression. I went to see my doctor and with his help and the use of self-hypnosis I started to get back to normal. It was six weeks before I felt able to see patients again. For months afterwards when I went to visit my mother I fully expect to see my father’s car parked outside the house or to spot him through the window pottering away in the garden. Eventually I had to accept that my father was gone and that life had to go on. Although not religious I do believe in God and life after death and I consoled myself that my father was in a much better place than us and probably wouldn’t want to come back any way.<br> One of the good things that did come out of this experience was that I could not only sympathise with a patient who was depressed because of a death in the family but more than that I could emphasise with them. I knew almost exactly what they were experiencing and as a result was in a much better position to try to help them get through their bereavement. Hopefully the above will help you, if you are suffering a bereavement to understand that you are not alone and that you will in time get back to normal.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/06/12/bereavment/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-06-12:/2005/06/12/perserverance/TGR2932005-06-12T21:58:33+02:002005-06-20T12:18:02+02:00 <p>By</p> <p>Thomas G Richardson</p> <p> When my daughter was 14 years old I asked her what she would like to be when she left school.</p> <p> "A nurse", she replied.</p> <p> "An excellent choice but why not be a doctor", I said.</p> <p> "Do you think I could be a doctor?"</p> <p> "Of course. It takes perseverance and hard work but I am sure you could succeed if you really wanted to. Perseverance is the answer to achieving most goals in life. If you can keep going one day you will be a doctor."</p> <p> She started to study for "O" Levels and after much study and hard work gained ten "O" levels all with either A or B grades.</p> <p> Two years later she passed five "A" levels again all with high grades unfortunately she had been badly guided by her school and needed to take another "A" level in physics to gain entry to medical school. She squeezed a two-year course into 6 months and passed physics with a "C" grade, which was enough to get her into medical school.</p> <p> Knowing that we did not have a lot of money she started working on an evening in restaurants to supplement her grant. She was working from 6 in the evening until midnight and then would study until 2 am getting up at six to do further study before college started. I began to worry whether this was taking perseverance a little too far. On and on she went. She applied for training as a doctor at the Royal Free Hospital in London and passed the selection process with flying colours.</p> <p> Whilst at the Royal Free she carried on as a waitress working almost every night. She studied long into the night often getting only two hours sleep before returning to hospital to learn medicine.</p> <p> When she sat her finals the whole family could hardly wait to hear her results. I had told my wife not to phone me at work unless it was absolutely essential.</p> <p> One morning the receptionist said, "There is a call for you Gordon. It is your wife". I picked up the phone expecting to hear bad news.</p> <p> Excitedly she said, "I do not know whether this is important enough to call you at work but Theresa rang to say she has qualified as a doctor".</p> <p> Tears rolled down my face. I could hardly speak. "Important enough. It is wonderful. Tremendous."</p> <p> "Is it a boy or a girl," joked the receptionist.</p> <p> "A girl," I said, "And she's a doctor".</p> <p>additional note (June 2005) My daughter is now a consultant working for the NHS and also a practice in Harley Street London. To say I am proud of her is understating the obvious. I never fail to somehow fetch it into a conversation with every new acquaintence I meet. I am sure most parents are like this.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/06/12/perserverance/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-06-12:/2005/06/12/a_blue_bird_flies/TGR2932005-06-12T21:55:55+02:002005-06-20T12:19:54+02:00 <p>By</p> <p>Thomas G Richardson</p> <p>Some where over the rainbow a blue bird flies<br> Why Oh Why Can't I<br> Judie Garland</p> <p>Within every one of us there is a blue bird. It wants to fly over that rainbow. Many things within our lives hold us back. Perhaps we lack inspiration, love, or trust within another human being. Maybe we are held back by blindness, deafness or other disabilities. We may be old and feel noone cares. But every one of us however old or infirm, ugly or deformed has that need to fly over the rainbow. I fly over many rainbows perhaps just perhaps if you let me I can help you fly over yours.</p> <p>Every time we deny an older person, a disabled person, a person of another race, colour or creed there divine right to fly over the rainbow we are saying they are less than we are. If this is true and that is what you believe or think you will never fly over your rainbow. </p> <p>Sometime ago an elderly lady of 93 said to me "You know Gordon when they look at me I am 93. But in my head I am a young girl of eighteen. My thoughts are those of a young girl of eighteen. Do you understand?"</p> <p> "Of course Margot I understand. I am 51 but in my head I am 21 I am an Army Judo Champion I am undefeatable. I understand what you mean. You are flying over the rainbow" </p> <p>Margot laughed "Do you know you might be right". Margot was the first lady I was privileged to visit as a visitor to the Blind and visually handicapped.</p> <p> But how many of us do understand. You may age in body, you may become blind, you may be old and infirm but in your head you are always young. Your mind never ages. Even if you are senile it makes no difference. One night I was on duty at a local hospital working as a nurse on the geriatric ward. During the night one of the elderly ladies became disturbed. She was shouting out instructions such as: </p> <p>"Get them hosses in David. Grab it by the nuts. Ayup hold em David. Where's John. He knows how to hold Galloways. For God sake hold 'em, hold 'em. Get back Get back. The bastards hold them back hold them back. Watch yourself. Hold em! Where the hell is John?"</p> <p>A nurse on duty with me said, "She is away with the fairies". She said this in the kindest way because she didn’t know what I knew. The lady was a relative of mine. The man she called David was my grandfather, John was his brother. They all came from a family of hawkers and Romanies. Galloway is a Romany term for horses. The old lady had no idea who I was but I knew who she was. I insisted that she be treated with great care so much so that someone remarked "You'd think you were related."</p> <p>You see that lady was a blue bird. And at that moment "She was flying over her rainbow". She had returned to her youth. She was strong. She was vigorous. She was eighteen perhaps twenty. She was in a stable with some unruly horses. David her brother was there but he was the younger brother and not as versed with horses as John his older brother would have been. Because of patient confidentiality I cannot go any further. Suffice it to say I knew because I asked the right people the right questions.</p> <p>So the next time you see someone who is old, appears demented, perhaps senile think. Is that person senile or are they just "Flying over their Rainbow". Never stop a Blue Bird. One day you might be that blue bird. Perhaps, just perhaps, you may find your rainbow! </p> <p>Before befriending butterflies<br> You have to meet with<br> Midnight moths</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/06/12/a_blue_bird_flies/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk,2005-06-12:/2005/06/12/relaxation_and_you/TGR2932005-06-12T21:51:29+02:002005-06-20T12:21:46+02:00 <p>BY</p> <p>THOMAS G RICHARDSON MBATH</p> <p>INTRODUCTION</p> <p>The demands of modern day living particularly in towns and cities are such that almost everyone suffers from some sort of tension. It is an occupational hazard. Most of us seem to be rushing to keep to a rigid time schedule and even those hours, which are supposed to be for leisure, tend to be misused.<br> How many busy people work through their lunch times in order to keep up with their commitments, and how many take their work home with them? Similarly, how many housewives neglect too often their own needs for rest in looking after their families?<br> They would probably all argue that what they did was essential and their main interest lay with their work. But, although their bodies show no immediate signs of stress or strain, there is a slow build up of tension which transmits to the mind and ultimately leads to nervous stress, dulls efficiency and can in extreme cases end in a nervous breakdown.<br> Even if this is not the case, a lot of people in what might be regarded as dull jobs carrying little responsibility find themselves becoming tense through boredom and a sense of futility.<br> You do not have to suffer from the strain of a busy life, nor do you have to drive yourself unreasonably hard to achieve your aims. Serenity, poise and increased efficiency can be yours through relaxation. My aim is to teach you how to relax and improve your health both mentally and physically. It carries a message which none of us should ignore.<br> There is nothing wrong with stress and tension they are necessary for success, but when they become excessive and prolonged, your reactions to them is inappropriate, the body and mind protest in various ways producing illness both mental and physical.<br> Relaxation to combat stress and tension can be learned by anyone and can be applied to daily living situations. It involves no drugs whether legal or illegal and there are no unpleasant side effects. And just as important it costs nothing! It requires some understanding of the basic principles and above all the confidence that the body can repair itself and adjust to stress if we give it a chance to relax.<br> There are several reasons why we should take the time to learn to relax:<br> a. It is an effective way of coping with stress and the problems it can cause.<br> b. It helps relieve unnecessary fatigue and is useful in aiding recovery after strenuous exercise<br> c. It can alleviate aches and pains caused by inappropriate muscle tension<br> d. It can help with self -confidence because you get on better with people when you feel relaxed in body and mind.</p> <p>It is important to realise from the beginning that pain, fatigue and stress are warning signs. Pain and fatigue are indications that the body requires some remedial action to be taken to help it recover.</p> <p>Unfortunately over the past few decades we have come to rely more and more on drugs both social and prescribed to help relieve the burdens of every day life. The results are plain to see in the rising number of alcoholics and drug addicts. In the past doctors handed out tranquillisers to a public wishing for release from their worries. It is now realised that most of these drugs are highly addictive and that many western countries have become nations of pill poppers.</p> <p>Worries about addiction to anxiolytics (Valium, Librium, Ativan) and hypnotics (Mogadon, Temazepam) has meant that people are now looking for more natural methods of relieving stress and anxiety. The most simple and natural way to achieve mental harmony is offered by relaxation. Even relaxing for a short time, say 15 minutes per day can be of great benefit.</p> <p>STRESS</p> <p>What is Stress?</p> <p>Stress as defined by the Encyclopaedia Britannica is any strain or interference that disturbs the function of an organism. (Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol. IX p 612). Physical stresses such as cold, heat, or noise evoke biological reactions and psychological stresses such as frustration, deprivation and conflict, which in turn evoke psychological defences. Many situations call forth both types of response. Dr Han Selve an international authority on stress defines it as “the rate of wear and tear of the body” (H Selve, The Stress of Life).</p> <p>Because of the difficulty in defining stress it is becoming customary to talk of “arousal” instead. Arouse means to stir up and this describes very well the way the body prepares for action.</p> <p>The fight or flight response</p> <p>When danger is recognised the muscles immediately tense for action ready to respond by either fighting or running away. This is a reflex action, which shortcuts the brain because it has to be instantaneous. The brain receives the message of danger and dramatic changes are initiated by the hypothalamus. This is the centre that integrates all the functions of the body, which are not normally under your conscious control. The message is passed on by the hypothalamus to the pituitary by means of hormones. The body is alerted for action to prepare for vigorous physical action. In a flight or fight response the muscles, heart, lungs and brain have priority and all other systems take second place.</p> <p>Preparation for fight or flight</p> <p>In order for the muscles to work effectively they require fuel in the form of glucose so the liver releases some of its store of blood sugar and it is carried to the muscles in the blood stream. Oxygen is required to transform the glucose into energy so the blood also carries this. The heart has to pump harder to get the blood to where it is most needed and blood pressure rises as a result.</p> <p>There is a limit to the amount of blood available in the body so it has to be diverted from somewhere else for the time being. Digestion slows down, the salivary glands dry up, the stomach and intestine stop working and the sphincter muscles close to avoid defecation and urination taking place (sometimes there is an over reaction and the opposite occurs and you wet your pants with fear!). The blood vessels in the kidneys constrict. Because the lungs must take in more oxygen and get rid of more carbon dioxide breathing becomes faster, deeper and perhaps gasping. The adrenal glands secrete adrenaline and other hormones to keep the process going.</p> <p>Even the skin changes under stress. Because the body is likely to get over heated in vigorous activity the skin prepares for cooling by sweating and the electrical resistance of the skin is lowered. In order that some of the blood is diverted to muscles the capillary blood vessels constrict and we may look pale as a result. The skin also has to excrete more of the body’s waste products.</p> <p>All these and many other complex changes occur, some of them in a split second. When physical action has been taken and the danger is over, the biochemicals of stress used up as intended, everything returns to normal and no harm is done. The body has responded to normal stress and equilibrium is once more established</p> <p>Prolonged stress</p> <p>It is when stress is prolonged without release that trouble and problems begin. Often we cannot give vent to our emotions of fear and cannot take physical action such as punching someone on the nose! Our heavily developed fore brain also enables us to dwell on past events or imagine future ones and maintain the circulating stress biochemicals.</p> <p>Consequently the reaction to stress instead of being short lived persists over a long period and can have profound effects on the body sometimes damaging the organs and predisposing them to infection.</p> <p>Stress disorders</p> <p>If you think about the changes that take place in the body as outlined above, it is easy to understand how stress can play a part in bodily dysfunction. For example, if blood pressure remains high and blood vessels restricted there may be cardiovascular disease in the form of a heart attack or stroke.</p> <p>If the stomach remains with a lessened blood supply and the mucous membrane of the gut engorged there will be digestive disorders such as stomach ulcers, however see, Tomorrow's World Ulcers & HB.doc, mucous colitis, constipation or diarrhoea.</p> <p>If the lungs continue to gasp for air there will be over breathing with associated giddiness and fainting or it may add to the problems of asthma.</p> <p>The skin changes may lead to skin allergies and rashes for those who have a disposition towards such problems.</p> <p>Where muscle tension is prolonged there may be headache, backache and aches and pains in the muscles particularly in the neck and shoulders.</p> <p>If the anti-inflammatory mechanism is subdued for long there will be a greater susceptibility to infections of various kinds. The Common Cold Research Unit in Salisbury found that anxiety had a marked effect on the chances of volunteers catching a cold. (CCRU Anxiety & the Common Cold 1957) It has also been observed that illnesses and infections appear to come in clusters following times of stress.</p> <p>It is important to note that stress is not the only factor involved in these disorders nor is it necessarily the main one, but there is now plenty of evidence to show that it may play a significant part in promoting or triggering off a great many illnesses.</p> <p>Some Causes of Over Reaction</p> <p>Dr R Rahe of the USA conducted a survey and study on the effect of life-style changes in relation to stress. It was found that four out of every five people who experience dramatic changes in their lives could expect a major illness within the next two years. Dr Rahe listed 43 life style changes using a major change such as the death of a spouse for a score of 100, and marriage as 50. Some of the typical changes are listed below (Carruthers the Western Way of Death, Panteon 1973 p 158).</p> <p>Death of Spouse 100<br> Divorce 73<br> Personal Injury or Illness 53<br> Sacked 47<br> Retirement 45<br> Sexual Difficulties 39<br> New Family Member 39<br> Change in Work Responsibilities 29<br> Outstanding Personal Achievement 29<br> Change in Living Conditions 25<br> Change in Work Hours or Conditions 20<br> Change in Sleeping Habits 15<br> Christmas 12<br> Minor Violation of Law 11</p> <p>Necessary Stress<br> A certain amount of stress is required if we are to attain anything within our lives but too much impairs performance and produces exhaustion and illness. Stress tempered with periods of relaxation can help ensure steady progress, a healthy body and a feeling of ease. You may feel reasonable fatigue, but do not deny it and take steps to remedy the situation as soon as possible. Inessential drains on energy should be discarded sometimes it is better to let others down and assert your own personality than risk over loading your circuits by taking on too much at the insistence of others.<br> The Tell Tale Signs of Stress (Taken from health pamphlet on stress.)<br> 1. Do you feel guilty when relaxing – uneasy when not on the go?<br> 2. Do you lie awake worrying about tomorrow?<br> 3. Are you tense – does your neck feel knotted up?<br> 4. Are you impatient or irritable – do you interrupt when others are talking?<br> 5. Do you feel that you have a lot on your mind – have difficulty concentrating?<br> 6. Are you drinking or smoking more – do you eat in a hurry?<br> 7. Does life seem full of crises – are you always having rows?<br> 8. Do you find it difficult to make decisions?<br> 9. Do you feel frustrated when people do not do what you want?<br> 10. Do you frequently experience a butterfly stomach, a dry mouth, sweaty palms or a thumping heart?<br> If you say yes to any of the above in all probability you are suffering from stress.<br> Coping with Stress<br> There are certain situations which are intolerable and where only help by counsellors or friends will help in the crisis. There are ways of diminishing the effects of stress, some of which are shown below:<br> 1. Know yourself and how much stress you can take. Have the courage to say “NO” when things become too much.<br> 2. Change your environment. Get away from the situation causing the stress. It could mean changing your job, moving house, leaving home. This may be impossible and in any case may not solve the real problem.<br> 3. Get used to it by facing the stressful situation frequently.<br> 4. Keep fit and healthy. When you are in good shape i.e. exercise, nutrition and sleep are adequate it is much easier to cope with the problems of life.<br> 5. Hobbies are a distraction and can help to take your mind of current problems and help you relax.<br> 6. Accept the feelings of stress and do not let them alarm you. Later use the experience to deepen your understanding of others.<br> 7. Help others. Getting the gratitude of others can be a help in coping with stress. Often by helping others you begin to realise that compared to some of your friends your own problems are really of a minor nature.<br> 8. Learn to level off stress. A state of muscle relaxation is incompatible with that of anxiety. It is muscle tension that first signals danger to the brain. By relaxing the muscles a message is received that all is well. Muscle relaxation can be an effective way of lowering arousal.<br> Activity is essential to life. If we stay in one position for any length of time pain and fatigue can be experienced both physically and emotionally. Muscles benefit from movement. Movement directly induces relaxation because muscles work in pairs, one group relaxing as the opposing pair contract.<br> If muscles are held tight and tense in static contraction for long periods the circulation is impeded and there is a build up of fatigue products. This can cause the muscles to go into a cramp like spasm causing the aches and pains so familiar to tense and over worked people. This can be felt in the neck and shoulders. Sustained muscle tension can have other harmful effects. Even holding a fist clenched for a while can significantly raise blood pressure.<br> Why Muscles Ache<br> There are about 620 skeletal muscles in the body. These are the ones that move the limbs and spine and produce movement. They are also called voluntary muscles because unlike the muscles of the blood vessels and internal organs we can exert conscious voluntary control over them.<br> When muscles are given the message by the brain to move, chemical reactions take place which ensure a release of energy. Some of the energy is converted into activity and some into heat. In addition to heat being generated the breakdown of glycogen products produces fatigue products mainly lactic acid. When the circulation is impeded prolonged contraction of muscles takes place. There will be an accumulation of lactic acid and it is this that leads to pain, stiffness and physical fatigue. This is okay when it is the result of strenuous exercise but not when it is the result of poor use of the muscles as in a stressful tense situation, where muscles are tense and stiff. Learning to relax can help release these tense stiff muscles and negate the build up of lactic acid leading to relief of pain and a feeling of well being.<br> Learning to Relax</p> <p>The most difficult thing to make the tense person believe is that if he relaxes his muscles he must automatically relax his mind. It is well to realise the truth of this principle and to accept it with implicit faith. For here we have the most powerful tool in securing mental calm. That horrible tension of the mind which seems so intangible, so difficult to cope with can be defeated. The more we try to fight it the worse it seems to get. It really does get worse when we try to fight it, because we are simply adding to the existing strain. Mental tension is always accompanied by bodily tension and it is this physical tension which by reflex action produces the unpleasant symptoms that can be felt. It could be argued that if there is not physical tension then it is impossible for there to be any mental tension the two go hand in hand.<br> Ticking Over<br> In relaxing you must realise that the chief thing is to do nothing. You simple have to give yourself up as it were. If you try to do anything you will get farther away from the goal you wish to achieve. Imagine your body to be an engine and that you are allowing it to “tick over”. When a car is ticking over it is creating no outside movement. This is how you are during a state of relaxation just ticking over.<br> Do not bother about thoughts and ideas that run through your head just keep concentrating on the looseness of a sense of repose in the limbs. To start relaxing you should be seated in a comfortable chair or laid in a comfortable position. There should be a minimum of distraction around. Close your eyes and begin breathing deeply, evenly and slowly. Imagine someone in a deep sleep and picture his or her rhythm of breathing that is what you should be trying to imitate. Now concentrate on each part of your body in turn starting with the feet and toes. Mentally, or verbally, repeat the suggestions that your feet and toes will begin to relax. Repeat the suggestions several times before passing on to the next part of the body. The suggestions should be along the following lines:<br> “My feet and toes will begin to relax, they will relax more and more, heavy and relaxed, heavy and relaxed but very comfortable and they will relax more and more.”<br> Move on from the feet and toes to the legs, stomach, back muscles, chest and shoulders, head and neck, facial muscles and finally the arms, hands and fingers. Now give yourself the suggestion that you are going to count slowly from 1 to 10 and that as you do so you will relax ten times more with each and every number. Between each number strengthen the suggestions of relaxation perhaps suggesting that all tension is draining away leaving you more and more relaxed with every number that you count.<br> Once you reach ten, within your imagination begin to create a beautiful restful scene. Picture yourself walking along a pleasant country lane. The lane is long and winding, but you have all the time in the world. It is a warm, relaxing day, a slight breeze rustles in the trees, over head a blue sky with a few fluffy white clouds and a warm sun beaming down, warming, relaxing and calming. You come upon a small cottage. Opening the door of the cottage you see a pleasant room that has a relaxing golden glow emanating from it. As you walk into the room you see a figure seated in chair. A blue calm light surrounds this person. He or she looks very peaceful, calm and relaxed. You approach the figure and as you get closer you realise it is you. You get closer still and seem to melt into the figure and a deep sense of peace; relaxation and well being overcome you. Such a wonderful feeling. You may now stay in this state of relaxation for as long as you desire. Depending on the time available you can stop the sequence at any time. You may decide not to go right through the routine perhaps stopping once you have relaxed each and every part of your body or after you have finished counting from 1 to 10.<br> Points to remember<br> 1. Do not rush the relaxing of each body part.<br> 2. Ensure that you will not be disturbed when you decide to relax.<br> 3. Mental strain must lessen when you relax all the muscles of the body.<br> 4. Do not wait until you feel you can relax. You may wait forever! Just do IT in spite of everything.<br> 5. Once you have learnt the art of relaxation you will never forget it but like all arts it has to be practised. Do not be impatient with practise you will succeed.<br> 6. It can help to put all the suggestions on to a cassette tape and as you play the tape mentally repeat them thereby strengthening each suggestion.<br> The importance of leisure<br> The worth of your activity is governed entirely by the quality of your leisure moments. During these we build up our resources of nervous energy to spend in the hours of activity which follow. How can we spend what we have not got? It is impossible. It follows that your leisure is even more basic and important than your activity.<br> By cultivating a technique of relaxation as outlined we can build up big reserves of nervous energy. You then have the balance on the right side.<br> I have met people who have collapsed with nerves under some unexpected strain. Inquiry into their life style has shown that no effort was made to prepare them against any emergency. They had gone along merrily frittering away their leisure time too absorbed in work to take time out to relax and enjoy themselves.<br> They were trading on a sound constitution. When they thought they were resting, they were using up as much energy as when they were working. The crash comes and they have no reserves to fall back on. Their work, which was their whole life, has now become a burden with which they find it hard to cope. They had been living from hand to mouth, psychologically speaking and as long as things went smoothly they were content.<br> It is a short-sighted policy. If I had to live from hand to mouth financially, I would make the best of it, but all the time I would be concentrating on building up a balance, however small in case of an emergency. It is exactly the same where nervous resources are concerned only more so.<br> Sense of purpose<br> The most important fact in the attainment of a well-balanced life is the possession of a set purpose, pursued in sane moderation. Having this you will work hard, feel the need for rest, and supply that need through proper relaxation. You will realise that your leisure moments are just as important as your active ones and will therefore be patient and content in their use.<br> The person without a purpose is always restless. He does not use up his energy in a natural way. He is never healthily and happily tired, During attempted rest his conscience tells him that he has not earned time for rest. Moreover, during rest periods he has nothing definite to look forward to, nothing to justify his resting. No wonder he becomes more and more restless.<br> Enthusiasm unlocks the doors of energy, rightly used this makes relaxing easier. Thus the balance is preserved where life is lived on a well-directed plan of action. Of course too much relaxation would be almost as bad as too much activity. You must have balance. You have only to take the case of an individual muscle to realise this. A muscle kept at continuous tension would soon become worn out. A muscle kept in a permanent state of relaxation would soon atrophy from non-use. So it is with all the vital forces of the body. The equilibrium is maintained by the alternation of activity and rest.<br> When the balance is seriously disturbed you may it difficult at first to make yourself relax. You must persevere anything worth having is only gained by putting some effort into it. When you have secured a small amount of relaxation your activity will become a little more normal and natural. This, in turn, will make the next period of relaxation less difficult. Nothing succeeds like success. And as one phase helps the other the proper balance gradually returns. The greater the actual need for relaxation the harder it is to relax. This is a pity, but it is as well to be aware of this fact.<br> Daily Living and Relaxation<br> The real advantages of relaxation come when it is applied to every day living, As you become more accustomed to relaxing in every given situation the benefits that arise become more and more apparent. Here are some typical day to day living situations which can be helped by relaxation.<br> Driving<br> A tense and anxious driver is a danger to everyone including himself. Road accidents are a primary cause of death, but there are other subtle dangers. Aggression releases stress biochemicals, in particular, noradrenaline (the”kick” hormone associated with the better known adrenaline). </p> <p>An aggressive “let me be first” attitude in driving shows in body posture. The shoulders will be hunched up, hands tightly gripping the wheel, a frown or perhaps a scowl on the face, neck jutting forward and teeth clenched. This adds to muscle strain and fatigue.</p> <p>Relax the shoulder muscles, support the back well, relax the jaw and face muscles and use traffic delays to practise slow breathing with the emphasis on the out breath. The aim is a state of relaxed awareness. To relieve neck tension on a long journey make small circling movements of your head at intervals and then pull your shoulders down and reach up with your head. Then let the head rest in a good position without strain.</p> <p>Shopping and housework<br> Shopping and exhaustion often go hand in hand. Try to have a break before you get really fatigued. Use a trolley if you can or spread your load evenly between both arms.</p> <p>Make your housework as active and rhythmical as possible. Modern equipment is a splendid time saver but limits movement and activity unless you introduce it deliberately. Plan for ten to twenty minutes relaxation during the day.</p> <p>Telephone<br> The telephone is often the cue for stress so it makes a useful cue for practising relaxation. If you are making the call relax while you are waiting for it to be answered, let your free hand go slack and breathe slowly as you relax. When the phone rings be aware of the stress reaction and give yourself a moment to quieten down before you answer. Try to keep tension out of your voice, it always gives you away.<br> In the office<br> Try to put aside a time when you can relax either upright in a chair or resting your head on your arms on a table, or if you can have fifteen minutes of uninterrupted quiet honoured by your staff, lying flat on the floor. Ten minutes or so will improve your efficiency so it is not a waste of time.<br> Social occasions<br> Some young people are often acutely embarrassed at the thought of attending social functions and they even avoid the fun of parties by staying away. They can help themselves by learning how to relax, using calm breathing, relaxing their shoulders and standing tall. A relaxed friendly manner helps everyone else to feel at ease and this make matters easier. If you are the hostess relax for ten minutes before the guests arrive.<br> Physical skills<br> Most top musicians practise relaxation in some form or other but sometimes inappropriate muscle tension creeps in unobserved. Relaxation can help you give of your best whatever the skill you my have.<br> A degree of aggression is necessary for some sports but really skilled performers say they reach the stage when, in the “inner game” they just let it happen in relaxed enjoyment. Recognition of unnecessary muscle tension or the relaxing of it will undoubtedly improve performance.<br> There is growing concern both within the medical profession and among the general public about the huge increase in the taking of pills and potions for every illness either imagined or genuine. But the main concern is for the growth industry created by the reliance on tranquillisers to relieve stress and tension. As this concern grows many people are turning to relaxation classes and seeking the help of complementary practitioners such as Hypnotherapists and Aromatherapists to help them cope with the stresses and strains of modern day living.<br> If time is taken to learn the art of relaxation the general health of the nation would improve, the huge drain on the health service for the supply of prescriptions would lessen and the real danger of addiction to prescribed drugs could be avoided.<br> Although relaxation cannot be described as a panacea for all ills, it can without doubt alleviate many of the tensions of modern living and although not necessarily curing every illness it has a part to play in any illness. A person who is relaxed in both body and mind has less chance of contracting illness and if unfortunate to do so can often recover more easily than an uptight person.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://gordonrichardson.blog.co.uk/2005/06/12/relaxation_and_you/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>