10 Positive Quotes To Encourage Positive Thinking And Motivation

1. Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain. - Joseph Campbell 




2. Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. - Helen Keller 



3. Minds are like flowers, they only open when the time is right. - Stephen Richards 



4. A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely. - Roald Dahl



5. You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream. - C.S. Lewis 


6. We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. - Walt Disney 


7. It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. - William Shakespeare


8.  For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone. - Audrey Hepburn 

9. Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced. - Soren Kierkegaard



10. With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. - Eleanor Roosevelt 

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Understanding Phobias And The Difference Between Specific And Social Phobias

A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder that an individual has a consistent and exaggerated fear of a specific object , place or situation. This means the individual is most likely to avoid what they fear , although what the individual fears often poses no actual threat or danger to the person themselves. 

There are two different types of phobias. One called " Specific Phobias" which can also be known as " Simple Phobias". The other main phobia group is called " Complex Phobias" which may be referred to as " Social Phobias". 

Specific phobias are usually a phobia of a particular object or situation  that an individual may experience. Often specific phobias start at a young age and though some may grow out of their phobia, for others it may be a phobia they cope with throughout their life. 

Here are some examples of Specific phobias below:

Animal Phobias - It is not uncommon that an individual may have a fear of an animal. The most common animals fears are usually spiders , snakes , mice, birds , incests , cats and dogs. 

Environmental phobias - An individual may be afraid of thunder and lightening , hurricanes or tornadoes , water or even heights.

Situational phobias - Situational phobias tend to be related to situations or circumstances such as having a fear of flying , visiting the dentist , lifts and escalators or even being in small spaces.

Body related phobias -  Body related phobias often refer to having a fear of things such as injections , blood or vomit. 

Social phobias are  more complex than specific phobias. Individuals with a Social phobia tend be extremely anxious and very self- conscious in everyday social situations. Social phobia comes under the diagnose of  " A Social Anxiety Disorder" and individuals have an increasingly intense fear of being watched or judged by other members of society. For somebody with a social phobia their fear can be so severe that simple things for other people such as work , school , meeting friends or being social with people , shopping or everyday activities is very difficult for somebody with a social phobia. Their fear can be so extreme that it may effect and interfere with the individual from leading a normal day to day life.


Some Of The Most Common Phobias Include:

Social interaction fear - Social interaction includes things such as meeting friends , going to parties , meeting new people , busy places or even a working environment.

Performance fear - Performance fear relates to public speaking such as presenting a presentation to other individuals.

Observation fear - Observation fear relates to an individual having an intense fear of being watched or seen by others, even just walking down the street to the shop. 


AGORAPHOBIA 

A person suffering with a social phobia is most likely to suffer with Agoraphobia which is also an anxiety disorder. Agoraphobia is one of the more extreme social phobias , a person suffering with Agoraphobia is severely afraid of any kind of social situations. The individual feels like they are at a high risk of danger and becomes fearful of the outside world. The extreme anxiety they experience often leads the individual to become housebound.  

Other  Known Phobias :

Arachnophobia 
Emetophobia 
Dentophobia
Trypanophobia
Cibophobia
Erythrophobia 
Aerophobia  


Possible Causes Of Phobias      

There is no one particular set cause of why somebody develops a phobia. Every individual is different , therefore the causes of the individual developing a phobia will differ from each other. 

However here are some possible causes which may contribute to a person developing a phobia:


. Genetics - Genetics may contribute to a person developing a phobia. If there is a family history of someone having a certain phobia it is possible that an individual may have developed the same phobia. Some people may be born with a propensity to be more anxious than others. 

. Incident/ Trauma - A phobia can be linked to a specific incident or trauma that an individual may have experienced. For example somebody who got trapped in a lift / elevator because it broke , may become fearful of using  a lift / elevator and develop a phobia of  using elevators. 

. Learned Responses - The family environment may be a factor that can contribute an individual to developing a phobia. A person may have picked up on a family members responses and anxieties  towards different things in their earlier life. 





Psychical And Emotional Response Of Having A Phobia     


Psychical 


  Sweating  

Short Of Breath

Chest Pains 

Fast heart rate

Dizziness / Fainting 

Butterflies in their tummy 

Tearful 

Feeling like their are going to be sick
        

Emotional 

Disappointed 

feeling stupid 

Useless 

Unhappy 

Distress 

Embarrassed

Defeated 

Fearful 

Lonely 

Worried               

Self Help


Lifestyle changes may help an individual reduce the symptoms of a phobia. Lifestyle changes may include: 

. Regular exercise

. Regular and balanced meals 

. Getting enough sleep 

. Avoiding things such as caffeine or other stimulants 

Another self help is " Self-exposure Therapy " which includes the following : 

Relaxation techniques such as a variety of physical exercise , breathing exercise , meditation or yoga. This may help an individual to have some control of their breathing when suffering the symptoms of a phobia. Self help groups may be useful for an individual with a phobia , as meeting other people who share similar experiences as the individual could be useful as they may share different coping mechanisms with each other. 





Help , Support And Treatment 

For individuals who are struggling with a phobia there is help and treatments available to support them.

Here are some options available who seek help :


Counselling - Counsellors will listen to individuals problems and help them find a way to overcome their problems. 

Psychotherapy - A psychotherapist will use a more direct and in - depth approach to find the cause of the individuals problems and suggests coping mechanisms to help deal with their problems.  

CBT - CBT is a type of counselling that explores the individuals thoughts , feelings and behaviour which will help find practical ways of dealing with the individuals phobia. 

Medication - Medication is not essential but may help a person suffering with a phobia which causes them to have anxiety symptoms may be useful to some individuals. 

GP - Making an appointment to see there doctor is important  for an individual to seek help for there concerns about their phobia. A doctor can provide help and information for the individual and will usually refer the individual for therapy. 



More Help And Information        


MIND.ORG

HELP GUIDE. ORG

TOPUK.ORG

PHOBIA.ABOUT.COM

RCPSYCH

MAYO CLINIC

NHS CHOICES

BUPA UK







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What Is A Sociopath? And The Signs Of A Sociopath

A Sociopath is a person with a personality disorder who lacks empathy and emotion towards others. Their attitudes and behaviours are severely antisocial. A Sociopathic personality disorder can both occur in men and women. The easiest way to explain a sociopath is that they have no conscious and have no guilt of their actions of there antisocial behaviour. Sociopath's  are usually highly intelligent and are mastermind's at deception. They are often geniuses at scamming people and being untruthful. 

Signs Of A Sociopath 

1. Sociopath's are incapable of feeling remorse or shame for their actions and behaviours. They betray , threaten and harm people without a second thought. Some may find it humorous and get a twisted buzz out of hurting someone.

2. Sociopath's hate to lose. The individual has to be the dominate one in every situation , they like to be in control and may go to extremes to win at all costs. ( This may include , arguments , fights, activities , being better than someone else) 

3. They will never apologize and often make someone else feel as though it is there fault and they owe the Sociopath an apology. 

4. Soicopath's tend to be delusional and believe what they want to believe. They often change the story they have already told and are convinced every time they change the story it is true.

5. Soicopath's can be very charming and because of their charm they can be extremely manipulative.

6. They are convinced that they can do no wrong.

7. Soicopath's do not tend to follow the law or rules , which sometimes can mean they are dangerous and violent to others. However this does not mean all Soicopath's are violent or threatening. 

8. They always play the victim role. 

9. Sociopath's often lie about their past , present and intentions for the future. 

10.   They tend to have a huge ego/ narcissist and are obsessed with themselves.

11. Soiciopath's can often be paranoid.

12. They have impulsive behaviour and are more spontaneous than others. 

13. They are incapable of love , they may be with somebody romantically but will not love them like the person they are with does.

14. Because of them being narcissists they are very sensitive to criticism from others.

15. They find themselves superior to others. 

     

  

Possible Causes Of Becoming A Sociopath 

Although there is no specific cause of a person becoming a Sociopath , there some factors that can contribute to a possible cause of becoming a Sociopath.

. Child abuse or neglect 

. Sexual , physical , mental or emotional abuse

. Genes - If there is a family history of a family member being a Sociopath , it is possible an individual may be vulnerable to becoming a Sociopath.

. Being in a hostile environment for a long period of time

. Being bullied

. Lack of acceptance 

. Abnormal brain function 

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Turning Negative Thoughts About Yourself Into Positive Thoughts About Yourself

Hello there everyone! :) Often people dwell on negative thoughts during a depressing and stressful period in their life. I am guilty of doing this too , during my low days I often think negative thoughts about myself and seem to bully myself in my head over and over. Doing this time and time again is not mentally or psychically healthy for anyone. So I recently came up with a strategy to help decrease these ridiculously negative nonsense thoughts. I wrote down a list of  the negative things I tell myself and turned them into positive things I NEED to tell myself. I am going to read this list everyday until the positive thoughts are implanted in my brain. Whenever I am feeling low and them nasty negative thoughts try and slip into my head , I will remember the positives that I changed from the negatives and repeat them to myself.    

I hope anyone who is struggling with negative thoughts finds this list helpful , or I would love to see you come up with your own list of changing negative thoughts into positive thoughts! :)  

I tell myself I am WORTHLESS 

I need to tell myself I am WORTH IT

I tell myself I am STUPID 

I need to tell myself I am a different kind of SMART

I tell myself I am UGLY 

I need to tell myself I am BEAUTIFUL in my own way

I tell myself I am DAMAGED 

I need to tell myself things take TIME to be fixed

I tell myself I am WEAK

I need to tell myself  your not weak because your heart is still beating STRONG

I tell myself  nobody CARES

I need to tell myself  there is somebody who will always CARE

I tell myself I am INFERIOR 

I need to tell myself I am equally UNIQUE  

I tell myself I deserve to be UNHAPPY 

I need to tell myself everyone deserve to be HAPPY including yourself

I tell myself everybody hates me

I need to tell myself the people worth keeping LOVE you

I tell myself I am a failure 

I need to tell myself you have to fail once or twice to eventually SUCCEED 

  

I tell myself I CANT  do this

I need to tell myself I CAN do this

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xoxox

5 Myths And Facts About Mental Health

Myth: Mental Health is very rare and only affects a few people. 

Fact: Mental Health is more common than people think and often affects one in four people.

Myth: Children can not suffer with a Mental Health illness.

Fact: All ages include Children are capable of suffering with a Mental Health problem. 

Myth: People suffering with a Mental Health illness are violent and unpredictable.

Fact: It is actually fairly common that individuals suffering with Mental Health Problems have been a victim of violence or abuse.

Myth: Parents are to blame for an individual suffering with  an Mental Health illness.

Fact: The way a parent brings up their child is not to blame for an individual having a Mental Health Problem. There is actually no specific cause itself that is to blame for a Mental Health illness.

Myth:  People with a Mental Health illness are not able to work and function in society.

Fact: Actually 90% of people suffering with a Mental Health problem are able to work and function within society. Although they may find it more difficult it doesn't mean they are not capable. 

















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An Addiction Too Laxatives ( The Horrible Truth About Laxatives )

Hello everybody , I hope everyone is well and are having a lovely day! :) Today's blogpost is going to be about my personal story about having an addiction to laxatives. If you are easily grossed out or repulsed by nitty gritty details about the human body ,you may want to skip this post as I am going to tell the honest truth about the affects of having an addiction too laxatives. 

   An addiction to laxatives comes under Bulimia Nervosa as you are forcing the removal of food that you have consumed. If you have followed me or been reading my blog's for awhile you may be aware that I have suffered with Anorexia Nervosa for a long time.  Back in 2011 I became addicted to taking laxatives. Previous to 2011 from the age of 11 / 12 years old (2006) I had taken diet and slimming pills on and off till I was 17 years old. In 2011 at 17 years old I became addicted to laxatives , I couldn't go a day without taking them. I mentally , psychically and emotionally felt like I couldn't survive without taking laxatives, if I ran out or could not get hold of any laxatives my body would start to become shaky and I would panic which would result in having an anxiety attack. I took laxatives mainly in liquid form ( Lactulose) from the age of 17 for 3 years up to the age of 20 I would constantly take laxatives in hope of loosing more weight. The more I became addicted to laxatives the quantity of the amount I would take would increase. By the age of 19 I was taking 500ml of lactulose within 2 days , my body felt like I would not be able to cope without consuming the liquid. I became reliant  and obsessive towards laxatives which increased my anxiety and I began to be aggressive in the way I spoke to loved ones. 

             The psychical affect of taking laxatives is not exactly pleasant. I spent 90% of my day on toilet because of the amount of lactulose I would consume. The pain was agonizing , my belly was swollen all the time , I felt like somebody was slowly grazing a knife in my tummy and because of constant straining while being on the toilet my chest , lungs , kidney , stomach and bottom was painfully aching. I had lack of sleep at night due to running to the toilet regularly. I sat at night in the bathroom crying asking myself was putting myself through this pain really worth it? I was so determined to lose more and more weight that I would continue to put myself through this pain for 3 years. 
I felt embarrassed that taking laxatives constantly made me windy.  It got to a stage where I felt so bad about myself and I hated myself so much that I felt like I deserved to be in pain. I was dehydrated all the time and when my belly was in excruciating pain I would walk hunched over because I couldn't lift my body up it was that painful. 

How Laxatives Could Affect Somebody Long Term

. Organ damage 

. Kidney Failure 

. Death 

. Heart disease of failure 

. Damage to the intestines 

. Muscle and joint problems 

. Infertility 

. Depression / Anxiety 

. Irregular periods 

. Bowel disease

Every day is a struggle living with an eating disorder , but I am happy to say it has just been under a year since I have last taken any laxatives. In summer of 2014 with lots of help from the eating disorder team and dietician I was under at that time helped me to come up with a routine and strategy to help reduce the amount of laxatives I was taking until I completely stopped. I am not going to lie and say it was easy , it was a struggle and hard work. There were times I wanted to give in and go back to taking the 500ml bottle of lactulose and there where times where it all felt too much and I wanted to jump off a cliff. One of my main motivations that helped me reduce and stop taking laxatives was that when I was told by my dietician that if I continue to take laxatives it could possibly make me infertile in the future. As somebody who has always wanted children it made me panic and motivated me to stop taking them.   

   How Taking Laxatives Affected My Life 

. Isolation from society

. Lack of sleep 

. Crying and emotional 

. Aggressive towards others 

. Depressed 

. Irritable 

. Spending most of the day in the bathroom

. No social life

. Dizziness

. Weak limbs 

. Embarrassed

. Addictive  

If you are somebody seeking help for a laxative addiction or would just like to know more about this topic see some of the links below or visit my help and information page :)

NATIONAL EATING DISORDERS.ORG

BE-AT.CO.UK

NHS

PRIORY GROUP

SUPPORTLINE.ORG

BULIMIA HELP

Love Ava

xoxox