Childhood abuse or neglect can permanently alter an individual’s physiology
In a previous column, I pointed out that nature and nurture should not be regarded as enemies or polar opposites. Rather, they are two intertwined realities that work together to make up the human experience. Nature was designed for nurture. Many studies in recent years have documented the effects that early childhood experience can have…
Make a written list, set priorities, breathe and relax, and then focus on one task at a time
I recently woke up sleepless at 2:30 am. If you’re in a leadership role in a business or even in your household, you probably know the drill. My mind was spinning with the long list of tasks I had to complete. The 75-unit project I’m working on for a client; the three people who need…
It’s not always obvious when you are under stressed or anxious. While this might seem not to be true, the reality is that we adjust to stress levels until chronic stress becomes a way of life and is barely noticed, if at all. Nevertheless, it still has a very negative effect on our body. The…
Mike Sloan’s positive, upbeat tone and zest for life in the face of adversity has truly been inspiring
“Death is not the opposite of life but an innate part of it,” Haruki Murakami wrote in his acclaimed novel Norwegian Wood. “By living our lives, we nurture death.” This is rational. Nevertheless, death isn’t something we enjoy spending every waking moment thinking about. That’s especially true when we’re still at the point in our…
Psychiatric symptoms commonly associated with fibromyalgia make the condition worse for those who experience pain and depression or anxiety
Fibromyalgia has stumped health-care professionals for years. Patients experience chronic and sometimes excruciating pain with no obvious physical reason. It's long been understood that fibromyalgia is somehow connected with co-existing psychiatric conditions. New research has examined this relationship more closely. Fibromyalgia is the existence of widespread pain throughout the body. In order to be diagnosed…
The mental health benefits of exercise are well documented, and even moderate sadness and feelings of anxiety can be improved
Not only is exercise good for our bodies, it’s also good for our minds. Most people with a regular exercise routine will tell you that it makes you feel good physically and is a helpful way of reducing stress, improving confidence and self-esteem, and increasing energy. It adds to a general sense of well-being. Although most fitness…
But there are strategies — and medications — that will help you control this all-too-common condition
Do you worry constantly about your family, money, health or work? Does this uneasiness affect your sleep or your ability to function? These are a few of the common hallmarks of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). We all worry to a certain degree about the well-being of our families, our financial situation or jobs, but it isn’t an anxiety…
Fear has the power to hijack our thoughts and behaviours, even when a new path makes sense or is harmless
I’m often fascinated by how rigidly some folks cling to the familiar, especially when it comes to being asked to do something novel. Not something dangerous – just unfamiliar. In my former career, this came up a lot, with leaders standing up in meetings and asking for “out of the box thinkers.” Then they would point…
But memory loss can also be a symptom of treatable disorders such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse
A very common concern among my patients aged 45 and older is a fear that they are losing their memory and may be on their way to Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Although these are possibilities, some memory loss is common as we age and not associated with a degenerative dementia. This kind of memory…
Agoraphobia literally means ‘fear of open or public places’
One condition that commonly exists alongside panic disorder is agoraphobia. Agoraphobia literally means ‘fear of open or public places’. However, in a clinical setting it is defined as a fear of situations from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing, or in which help may not be available in the event of a panic attack.…