Author: Debbie Myers

It is no surprise that counselors or therapists often have issues with their talk sessions, especially if it involves teenagers. That is because teens are not entirely into the process as they believe it to waste time, energy, and effort. That explains why most experts can’t seem to accomplish their treatment sessions. But the issue is not entirely exclusive since some professionals also commit mistakes in counseling. So when something goes off, it’s not always the patient’s fault. It is essential to realize that counseling work hand-in-hand between the patient and the healthcare provider.

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Understand And Communicate Privacy Issues

Often in most cases, counselors cannot establish a good relationship with teens because they cannot fully understand how to communicate with them regarding personal issues. Counselors make mistakes by assuming that all teenagers are flexible and can easily adapt to the changing environment. However, that is farther from the truth. While some teens are more mature and capable of acknowledging their fast-faced involvement, some struggle to figure out where and how to belong. Counselors can be guilty of pushing teens to their limit only to get to the bottom of what’s going on without minding that some children need time and deep understanding in expressing their thoughts and feelings.

Recognize The Difference Of Children Over Adult Needs

Again, in most instances, some counselors live up to the idea that their patients should comply with the procedure of counseling. Regardless of the age, everyone should 1) Express their thoughts and feelings and be honest about them. 2) Spend more time talking regardless if the information is significant for the process or not. 3) Commit to the treatment plan that counselors prepare without understanding mental and emotional health issues. 4) And comply with the requirements despite not getting the best out of the counseling session. Some counselors think that teens are capable of doing things when instructed to them. They don’t realize that, unlike adults, teenagers require a lot of adjustments and considerations.

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Motivate Teens To Go For Treatment

Unfortunately, in some counseling sessions, when the counselors feel like they are not getting any possible outcome or do not see any future advancement with their teen counseling, they end up letting go of the process. Though not all counselors do that, it is quite real, and it is happening. As a result, some counselors fail to motivate their teen patients to acquire treatment. But it is not because they can’t, but because they too get exhausted and pressured. Yes, there is no point in blaming these professional experts since they are also human. However, choosing the field requires more than just accomplishing the instant result. Counselors fail because they believe that sacrificing their time, effort, and energy is unfair when the process gets too daunting.

Establish Connection Among Youths

There are some cases in counseling that teens feel uncomfortable and insecure whenever they are with their counselors. Actually, there is a reason behind that. Most teens struggle with mental and emotional processes. Sometimes, they often get stuck with different ideas, and their reality seems different from everyone else. When counselors fail to establish a connection to their teen patients, they get caught up with the negative approach. The problem with that is due to the range of individuals that counselors often talk to. Since most of the time, they communicate frankly or openly with adults, counselors sometimes struggle to deal with teens’ needs. As a result, they copy the adult counseling process and test if it will work with their teen patients.

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Recognize Different Developmental Periods

Another issue with counseling that not everybody understands is the different developmental periods required for healing and recovery. Some counselors make mistakes when they assume mentally and emotionally unstable teens who went to therapy or counseling will immediately recover. But that is an obvious mistake since not all teenagers can fully grasp the process. Some counselors are intolerant that they couldn’t wait for their teen patients to get better and pass them to another healthcare provider stating that their condition is “severe.” Sadly, some counselors wouldn’t like to spend more days, weeks, and years for some of their patients, believing it to be an unfavorable situation.

Develop Perspective Within A Family System

Counseling is a method of figuring out ways to cope with life stressors accompanying different emotional and mental struggle types. The whole idea of counseling is talking to someone knowledgeable about the coping mechanisms that are somewhat unavailable to the teen patients’ understanding. Some counselors do not intend to look beyond the teenagers’ struggles and would back off a little bit if it concerns family involvement. Not all counselors are willing to take risks in understanding their teen patients’ family systems.

We all know that it can sometimes be hard to reach out to someone, especially when mentally and emotionally unstable. And even if we take counseling as a treatment option, everything about it can be exhausting, time-consuming, and expensive. Thus, we need to have a guide to get the most out of our time in a counseling session. But since we have to try our best to make things better, we have to rely on its effectiveness. Here are the things we should consider.

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Be Picky In Choosing The Right Counselor

When it is about our mental and emotional health, everything is crucial in making it better. So to decide on the right individual that we want to work with, we have to be picky in choosing. We shouldn’t settle on the first person we see even if we think they could be the best. Instead, there should have to be a specific connection between the professionals to work with our overall betterment comfortably. We should always feel that the professional is on our team and share the same goals with us.

Also, it is essential to note that despite counseling merely focuses on expression, the whole session should not have to be just like chatting with a friend or someone close to us. We have to choose the right counselor that challenges us to get better every day. Nevertheless, it is okay to consult a few counselors, and we shouldn’t feel guilty about it. We need to realize that the development and progress of counseling lie within the strong relationship we have with our healthcare providers.

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Be Honest With What Our Thoughts And Feelings Are

One way we can get the best of counseling is by putting everything in the line. We seek professional help because we have some issues that we cannot solve alone. To get through the possible resolution of those emotional and mental health burdens, we must embrace honesty. Yes, we will struggle to talk about things because some might be too personal or hurtful even to remember. But we have to become prepared so that our counselor could come up with a better treatment plan to get rid of whatever it is that is bothering us.

We must work together with our counselor to be able to figure out what is holding us back. It would help if we can be as open as possible about what challenges we are dealing with, what issues we want to resolve, and how we can find a way to heal and recover fully. It is essential to note that a counselor cannot read our minds. So it is our duty to do everything we need to share our thoughts and feelings honestly.

The Counselor Should Have An Idea Of What The Patient Wants

Counseling can automatically become a waste of time, effort, and money when there are no clear or any possible positive results. Thus, it is significant that our chosen counselor is knowledgeable enough to assist us with our mental and emotional problems. Obviously, not all professionals are aware of what we are going through. But as much as we put the effort to open up about our mental and emotional crisis, the counselor should also exert an effort to figure out how to help us and not just simply piling up things that we should and shouldn’t do.

Our effort of trying to be honest with a stranger should have to align with the counselor’s knowledge in determining our symptoms. The professional should clearly explain why we are stressed, anxious, and depressed and not just list a couple of things they thought is our problem. Understandably, some factors can affect our mental and emotional dilemmas. But then again, the counselor should have that edge in fixing our issues because if they don’t, we will doubt the first reason we seek professional help.

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Insight

Achieving something good in a counseling session is everyone’s dream because, as we know it, some counselors would only care about the amount of money they will get from us. Therefore, we have to make sure that we are getting what we deserve and our counselor is working with us towards our overall betterment. The whole counseling process should entail some goal-setting and follow-up procedures. Because otherwise, we would not know when or how we are going even to make satisfactory progress. It is significant to note that the investments we put up in keeping our mental and emotional health should be respected and appreciated. Thus, we need to recognize the things we can do to enjoy and make the most out of our counseling session.

I am not that interested in any psychology subjects. I find it too boring and too broad, so I don’t pay much attention to each lesson. I wouldn’t say I like the subject because I never genuinely care about a person’s personality and how psychology understands and describes it. I am not eager to learn about psychology because it is usually all about these doctors and psychologists that I am sure I would not remember once I graduate.

But before I finally convinced myself that psychology for me is a dead-end, things changed when I attended a class for my best friend. I wasn’t supposed to be there. I just entered the psychology class because I had to be present for the subject on behalf of my friend. At first, I wouldn’t say I liked the idea. That is because aside from me not liking psychology class, I would have to pretend to be “her” for the next couple of hours.

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But when the lesson started, I got hooked from the very beginning. The topic was all about classical conditioning, which seems pretty interesting because it focused on understanding human behavior. Stupidly, I thought that humans behave based on their will. But classical conditioning made a point when it showed me how the environment affects humans’ conditioned and unconditioned responses.

What is a good example of classical conditioning? 

One of the good examples of classical conditioning is when you hear a notification sound on the phone. Whenever we are around with someone and hear their phone ringing like yours, we reflexively begin to reach our mobile device. The phone notification serves as a stimulus, while what your body does is an unconditional behavioral response. Another example is conditioning a dog using the sound of a bell so it could salivate. From there, you pair the presentation of food repeatedly with the sound of the bell. And as soon as the dog begins to salivate in response to the bell tone, that is where you can conclude that the classical conditioning response has been acquired.

 What are the four elements or principles of classical conditioning? 

The principles or stages of classical conditioning are acquisition, spontaneous recovery, extinction, stimulus generalization, and discrimination. These are significantly important to produce a behavioral response known as a conditioned response, which applies to the neutral stimulus sufficient to produce a specific behavior.

 What are the three stages of classical conditioning? 

The three known stages of classical conditioning are before acquisition, acquisition, and after acquisition. At each of these stages, stimuli and responses are identified by diverse terminology, in which associations are made between situations and events that come about together. Two stimuli get linked together to produce a new learned response.

 What are the different types of classical conditioning? 

The different classical conditioning processes are Unconditioned stimulus, Unconditioned response, Conditioned stimulus, Conditioned response, Extinction, Generalization, and Discrimination.

 How does classical conditioning work? 

Classical conditioning is t happens unconsciously. It is an automatic conditioned response paired with a specific stimulus that creates a behavior. A good example of it is when someone else’s phone rings; we automatically check on ours even if we already knew there is nothing there. It usually happens when the conditioned stimulus is presented alone.

 What are the five elements of classical conditioning? 

The basic components of classical conditioning include Neutral Stimulus, such as sound. The unconditioned response or the unlearned naturally occurring responses, such as feeling hungry when smelling the food. Then there is the unconditioned stimulus or something that is presented and makes you react. An example of this is when you sneeze because a feather tickles your nose or flinch away because you heard a loud bang. Conditioned response reflects from the triggering stimuli, and conditioned stimulus is the response to the trigger.

 How does conditioning influence behavior? 

In physiology, conditioning is a behavioral process whereby it creates a result of reinforcement that is more frequent or unsurprising in a given environment. There is the understanding of a person’s behavior where he focuses on looking at the reason for his actions and the consequences that go along with it.

 What is classical conditioning in consumer behavior? 

Consumer behavior is the study of a consumer’s way of thinking. From how they use to choose, consume or use, and dispose of products and services. These can include consumers’ mental, behavioral, and emotional responses. Consumer behavior incorporates all aspects that affect their search, selection, and purchase. Consumer behavior ideas often come from several sciences, including chemistry, biology, psychology, and economics.

 What is classical conditioning theory? 

The Pavlovian or classical conditioning theory, also known as respondent conditioning, is based on the assumption that learning is developed through an individual’s environmental interactions. It is a convincing theory that the environment shapes a person’s behavior and internal mental state. However, feelings, thoughts, emotions are not included as it does not explain human behavior.

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 What is another name for conditioning psychology? 

Another name for conditioning psychology is operant conditioning and instrumental conditioning.

 Does conditioning affect emotion? 

Yes. The conditioned emotional response usually comes from the association of a quite neutral stimulus with a few levels of painful or fear-inducing experience. Since emotions are innate, biologically, the conditioned emotional response includes the expression of learned emotions that usually depends on the social environment that drives reactions to certain challenges and opportunities. Typically the fear or anxiety, or any negative emotional response, becomes associated with a neutral stimulus resulting from classical conditioning.

 What are the two types of conditioning? 

The two types of processes that lead to learning conditioning are both classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning pairs two stimuli that often work with involuntary responses. Meanwhile, operant conditioning pairs behavior and response that works with voluntary behaviors.

 What is conditioning in animal behavior? 

Conditioning in animal behavior is a type of learning in which an animal gain knowledge, behaves, and operates in the environment. An animal can get conditioned to respond to the new response with a familiar stimulus, particularly the ones needed for survival. The types of learning in animal behavior include sensitization, habituation, and classical conditioning.

 How does classical conditioning affect learning? 

Both operant conditioning and classical conditioning are processes that lead to learning. Classical conditioning pairs a given stimulus (or signal) that becomes increasingly effective in evoking a response. There is a response that occurs with increasing regularity in a well-specified and stable environment.

 What is an example of a conditioned response?

The best example of a conditioned response is the smell of the food. It is an unconditioned stimulus that promotes a feeling of hunger, which responds to the smell of untested food. It becomes a conditioned response when hunger gets partnered with and the sound of a whistle. Thus, the conditioned response revolves around the sound of the while that allows you to become hungry even without the food’s presence.

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Final Thoughts

After knowing a lot about classical conditioning, my take on psychology changed. I now love to learn more about how people’s personalities, thoughts, behavior, and feelings are affected by stimuli. With the understanding of the subject, perhaps I would enroll in a psychology class next semester.

Understandably, most people do not want to sit in front of a stranger only to talk about fear, stress, anxiety, and depression. The fact that the treatment sessions can last up to a couple of weeks, the whole idea is pretty much a waste of time. On top of that, it requires a large sum of money despite just sitting in front of an expert and talk for a couple of hours. However, as much as you thought that talking to someone who knows how to handle your psychological issues is nonsense, it actually works. But it is essential to note that not all talk therapy sessions are created equally. Thus, the different methods of therapy suit individual mental health conditions.

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Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is the most known talk therapy that is scientifically studied. It helps address specific mental health conditions such as mood disorders, depression, and even schizophrenia. It runs through a process by assisting individuals in identifying their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, intending to alter the negative stuff with healthier ones. The therapy involves cognitive learning to help individuals look at things differently. CBT assists individuals to understand unusual life events and experiences. These include other people’s judgments, trauma from abuse, and distressing belief of one’s self. Cognitive Behavior Therapy also caters to different developing strategies that are often people’s main issue. It helps reduce stress, maintain an excellent mental and emotional balance, and improves overall well-being.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a promising talk therapy technique. It is more than just an advice-giving process. That is because of its ability to alter the structure and function of people’s brain’s circuitry. It promotes awareness of individuals’ reasons for happiness, anger, fear, and other emotions. CBT assists in the proper regulation of thoughts and feelings to help people decide how to act, respond, and behave accordingly. Remarkably, a week of Cognitive Behavior Therapy allows people to discriminate specific emotions better.

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Typical Access On Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Cognitive Behavior Therapy can assist individuals with face-to-face interaction. Individuals set up an appointment with a professional and sit and talk with the mental health expert for a couple of hours. However, it can also be useful even if delivered via the internet. This type of CBT arrangement helps a lot, especially for those people experiencing severe social anxiety. Since they are afraid of personal interaction, it becomes impossible for them to discuss mental health problems personally. But with an internet-delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy, individuals are promised to improve health over time without the pressure of somebody else’s presence. Thus, it is understandable that CBT assists in brain alteration even if it gets delivered online.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is significant because of the change it can provide on people’s behaviors. Those changes often help a lot and are necessary for clinical improvement, provided with followed guidelines and essential therapy. However, it is vital to understand that what works for some does not guarantee to work for others. So it would be best for people to know their preference when it comes to treatment and therapy options that are available.

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Cognitive Behavior Therapy Benefits

Support System – For most people experiencing different emotions, the one thing they crave more is attention. Along with a professional mental health expert, CBT promises to provide that needed comfortability, guidance, and support.

Improved Self-Esteem – CBT increases people’s self-esteem. That is because of its talk-therapy procedure that allows individuals to express themselves in someone’s presence without criticism and judgment. There is the assurance of given confidence and self-worthiness.

Creations Of Positive Thoughts – Cognitive Behavior Therapy is clinically proven and recommended because of its primary function. That is to create a positive thought that would eventually remove the negative ones. Thought the fulfillment of the procedure may take a while, the therapy still ensures a bit-by-bit change that is also beneficial in long-term impact.

Relapses Prevention – Talk therapy, particularly CBT, can prevent people from degeneration. It aids in decreasing symptoms that may result from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, abuse-related fears, shame, some sexualized behaviors, etc. With CBT, it becomes easy for people to control the negative impact on particular aspects of their lives.

Better Communication Skills – For individuals experiencing a mental health issue, it is hard for them to maintain communication. But with CBT, the patients learn to communicate effectively without the risk of getting a bad feeling associated with their life problems.

Improves Coping Skills – Cognitive Behavior Therapy allows individuals to learn and practice their emotional and mental ability to control thinking and beliefs. It helps them sort out their issues and never to ignore it. The ongoing process of CBT improves people’s better logic and reasoning, as well.

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People should recognize the importance and benefits of talk therapy. They must understand that dealing with mental health issues are not always through medication and surgeries.

We agree that we have the responsibility to care and support our loved ones as a family member, especially when these individuals are dealing with a mental illness. But have you ever thought how much you should excuse family members for their unacceptable behaviors? When members of your family have been diagnosed with severe cases of panic disorder, anxiety, and depression, would you allow them to treat you and the rest of the family negatively? Understandably, your loved ones with mental health issues are not their normal selves. At times, they are short-tempered and irritable. They can also become quite vindictive and mean. Unfortunately, those negative behaviors are just part of their mental illness. As a concerned family member, would you confront and stop your loved ones from practicing negative behaviors? Or would you rather let them slip?

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What Can You Do?

First of all, you need to realize that it is not your loved ones’ fault that they behave differently. There is something wrong with their emotional and psychological function, which makes them respond to things unfavorably. Thus, it is reasonable to allow family members to feel that way. It is the only way your loved ones can validate their strengths and weaknesses. It becomes their outlet in dealing with so many overwhelming things. However, there is a catch. When you let your loved ones take their frustrations out on everybody, you are not helping them. If you think that often ignoring their mean behavior towards the rest of the family will help, it will not.

As a family member, you have to allow your loved ones to experience the different levels of their emotional and mental state. It would be best if you never let them use that as an opportunity to feel entitled to everything they do. It would be best if you let them know when they are hurtful sometimes. It is okay to give your family members a break from criticisms. But if that process does not help them build up themselves and contribute to their fight against their negative voices, you need to undergo treatment, such as family therapy.

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What Can Family Therapy Do?

Experts recommend family therapy because it promises to provide everyone a safe place to talk about things that family members struggle to talk about every day. Of course, you don’t have all the time to sit around with members of the family to discuss specific issues. That is especially if you feel scared to let your opinions out. You don’t want to hurt others with your words, do you? Honestly, you do not have that setup in your regular lives where people in the house allow someone to talk without receiving any backlash. Thus, it is essential that when discussing behavioral issues among family members, you need to have a mediator to control the situation.

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It will be an excellent experience for everyone to attend a family therapy session that caters to mental health issues as well. That is because everyone will have a safe place to vent their frustrations as to what is going on with their relationship within the family. Family therapy can help in externalizing the issue. It is where instead of pointing out that it is your loved ones’ behavior that some members feel bad, you try to explain to them that their mental illness is the one causing the damage. It is like trying to put the blame onto something that shouldn’t have to be there in the first place. It is more about targeting what is causing the whole misunderstanding instead of focusing on the resulting behavior. This way, it makes your loved ones seek relief for the problem because they will start to see that it is not them that is causing others to feel bad. Instead, it is their mental illness.

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Things To Remember

Usually, when you talk to your loved ones about the changes in their behavior, it upsets them. It makes them feel that you don’t understand their situation, and things can pretty much escalate into a huge argument. It can affect your emotional and mental state at some level. When you think too much about the impact of your actions and words toward your family member, there is a tendency that you will feel guilty of either saying or not saying anything. With this, you need to consider seeking your personal therapy.

It is entirely reasonable to feel exhausted and frustrated to almost feel trapped in an unfortunate family situation. That is because of the fact that you don’t want to hurt the people you love, who are already hurting due to their mental condition. So before you make any move in either trying to confront members of the family with mental health, seek personal or family therapists’ advice.

The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in preventive measures to limit the transmission of the disease. In response to this, there has been a shift to the delivery of healthcare around the world. Public health experts are taking steps to provide service remotely to avoid further risks of the virus spreading.

For people who undergo therapy and counseling, there is a growing shift to teletherapy. Through these remote sessions, patients can still receive treatment at the comforts of their home. It is a huge transition in your therapy experience, but this adjustment can be a great help in the unforeseeable future.

As we face an uncertain future with the COVID-19 pandemic, this can be a start of a worthwhile change.

What Is Teletherapy?

“While this can certainly vary depending on geographical location and the diversity of clients seen by a therapist, teletherapy ensures maximal privacy every time,” explains Goali Saedi Bocci, Ph.D. In teletherapy, patients and therapists utilize digital platforms where they are comfortable with. It can be through the format of audio or live video conferencing via Skype or Zoom.

Teletherapy is an effective method, especially for people who are not comfortable talking to their provider face-to-face. It can also reduce the anxiety of needing to go out at this time. Furthermore, patients can vent their worries to their provider, who can then help them develop effective coping tools.

Who Is It For?

Teletherapy offers a beneficial way to receive therapy for a range of people with different circumstances. Depending on your preference, you can undergo one-on-one sessions or join group therapy sessions. This method is helpful for mental health therapy and counseling, as well as speech and occupational therapy.

How Does Online Therapy Work?

Your provider will set a session schedule based on the suitable time that you both agreed on. Patients and health professionals work hand-in-hand in deciding which secure online platform to use. You can interact with each other in the virtual environment in various ways. As with face-to-face therapy, your provider can integrate traditional techniques to execute each session.

Tips For A Successful Transition To Teletherapy

It can be challenging to know where to start with this shift. Thus, it can take some time before you get used to this mode of healthcare. Here are  some tips that can ease your transition and make the most out of teletherapy:

• Reserve Space And Time For Sessions

Although this is a flexible mode of therapy, distractions can take away the essence of the session. As much as you can, set space and time to engage with the process fully. It is crucial to have a soothing environment where you can feel safe and comfortable.

• Find The Mode Of Therapy That Works For You

Find a platform that will work for you. You can combine messaging, audio, video, or live conference depending on your preference and circumstances. Depending on what you and your therapy agreed on, you can explore a combination that works for you. Get creative with how you’ll utilize these available tools to make each session engaging.

• Embrace The Awkwardness

Be open to feeling discomfort and awkwardness; don’t take this as a discouragement. It is normal not to feel in-synced with your provider right away. The process can be awkward at first, especially if you’re unfamiliar with communicating virtually. Also, remember that it is a different experience for different people as you use different modes and platforms.

• Name Your Needs

Do not invalidate your response to the situations that are happening around you. For many of us, at this period, we are facing a struggle with meeting our needs physically, emotionally, and mentally. It can lead to a spiral of fearfulness and loneliness. Thus, it is essential to be extra patient on how we are taking care of ourselves at this time.

Remember, your feelings are valid, and it’s never wrong to ask for help from your therapist in organizing your thoughts. 

• Be Open To Your Therapist

Be open to your provider about your suggestion in improving the transition. Let them know what you find a challenge and difficulty in doing. Giving them feedback is essential for both of you to figure out what doesn’t work and what needs working on. Keep your communication open and transparent.

Using Teletherapy As A Coping Tool

Virtual therapy can be a powerful tool to alleviate stress and worries in this time of isolation. As we are facing anxiety that is stronger than ever, now is the time to focus on ourselves. Don’t be afraid to try out methods that are beneficial to your mental and emotional health. If you choose to undergo teletherapy, be willing to meet your provider halfway to make it work.

In the last 2019 memorial day event, I realized that the thing that ruins my daily mood is anxiety. I understand that it is a mental illness that requires a lot of patience and perseverance for someone to overcome. But lately, I noticed that my anxiety gave me an emotional and mental strength I never knew I had. It is why I came to the question if anxiety can be a good thing.

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Anxiety is the feeling of nervousness and worries from a forthcoming event or an uncertain outcome. There are many types of it, ranging from a social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety, agoraphobia, selective mutism, PTSD, and a lot more. But despite that, there are some levels of anxiety that can help us in away. Anxiety can be motivating in some circumstances. It is sometimes what makes us get out of bed and think about our duties for the whole day. It can pump some of our adrenalin whenever there’s an immediate thing we have to do.

In some cases, it helps us manage our decisions better because we can think of things in both wrong and useful ways. Not only it stimulates the brain, but anxiety also keeps us safe. That is because the more anxious we get, the more we become aware of what is going on with our surroundings. That is why we pay attention to noise, people’s voices, and body language.

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In general, though anxiety is harmful and can cause devastation, small doses of it can help. Yes, it can be uncomfortable in some states because of the stress response. But using it to stimulate the fight-flight-freeze can activate the anterior insula. It is the brain’s function that predicts harm and makes you learn to avoid it. Thus, giving you enough time to think about your situations through.

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The 2017 emotion conference emphasizes on how people should handle their anger. Though it is not that simple, there are still ways to do that. According to the speakers of the conference, managing anger is just a matter of emotional and mental health development. So how can individuals observe that?

Take Time To Think Before You Speak – One thing that people should focus on first is their thoughts. Uncontrolled anger can do a lot of damage, primarily when expressed in an outburst. So before the situation escalates into a conflict, one must take his time to collect all his thoughts before saying something.

Be Calm Before Expressing Anything – Well, frustration is an emotion that validates anger. Sometimes, expressing it can help in emotional growth. But experts suggest that when delivered incorrectly, it can move into a confrontational scenario. So to avoid that, one must stay calm. That way, he can express his concerns without the impression of hurting or trying to control others.

Pause For A While – There is no immediate resolution in controlling anger than a quick pause. Yes, not thinking or saying anything is the best way to kill the momentum of anger. It is not like a person who ignores the situation, though. It is more about taking a step back to realize the situation so one can handle it without getting angry or irritated.

Release Tension With Humor – Well, this one is not easy. When an individual is angry, he might not be able to think about good and funny stuff. However, when there is a chance to hop it in, it can defuse the tension.

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Seek Professional Help – Sometimes, anger issues are more complicated than you think. If you are having trouble controlling it, and you find yourself unable to shut it off, you might want to consider asking for professional advice.