Search Results for: lisa firestone/feed/2009/11/fear-of-intimacy

You Don’t Really Want to Get Better

…low them to develop and overcome their psychological maladies. Most people fear a basic change in their identity, be it positive or negative. From an early age, children form a powerful bond with their parents whom they are dependent upon for their ultimate survival over a prolonged period of time. Every child needs protection, love, and affection from adults who ideally possess both the desire and ability to provide satisfaction of the child’s ba…

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Changing Your Sense of Identity

…Therapy is a method developed by my father, psychologist and author Robert Firestone, to help people identify and act against their “critical inner voice,” a negative internal dialogue that criticizes and undermines us and others in ways that hurt and limit us in our lives. The steps of Voice Therapy help us to identify the destructive things we’re telling ourselves. Some of these are right at the surface. “You’re so stupid, fat, ugly, lazy, annoy…

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The Scientific Approach to Changing Your Life

…hey’ll want a healthy outlet and support system to help them deal with the fear and anxiety that accompanies the excitement of evolving into who they want to be. Once someone has made a change, they will need a plan to prevent relapse. A person’s critical inner voices will be present at every stage of change, including the maintenance phase. By learning tools to combat this inner critic, knowing its tricks and ignoring its directives, the person i…

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The Gifts of Depression

…otect itself against, that safety is an illusion. In this seeing lies true fearlessness. For as we may find when faced with a physical danger, sometimes the safest place to be is as close as possible to what we fear.” About the Author Meredith Watkins, M.A. is a CA licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with years of experience working with women, teenagers, couples and families. She has worked in many settings, including an outpatient psychiatric…

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Adolescent Suicide: Speaking Up for Our Children

…for our adolescents. They struggle with a sense of identity and belonging, fear of stigma when it comes to mental health and behavioral disorders, isolation, moodiness (often encompassing clinical depression), career choice difficulty, and various peer-related difficulties. I am of the firm belief that a stable, healthy environment and parental support can offer enormous protection against typical teenage difficulties. Learn more about the teenage…

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The Link Between Childhood Trauma and Depression

…been altered by the trauma,” said Perry. “Understanding the persistence of fear-related emotional, behavioral, cognitive and physiological patterns can lead to focused therapeutic experiences that modify those parts of the brain impacted by trauma.” In some cases, beating depression will involve a journey toward healing from early trauma. Making sense of our experiences and feeling the full pain of them can help us to move on and feel better in ou…

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What Happens When You Give Up Your Phone for 3 Days?

…eep. I even find it hard to put it face-down on the table, while eating in fear someone “needs me.” My partner always tells me to put it down and have a chat with her or concentrate on the issue or job at hand. In recent years, mobile phones have become a prevalent part of our lives. In England in the year 2000, 49 percent of people had mobile phones. In the year 2013, that number had jumped to 94 percent. So, in the past 15 years, you have gone f…

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Separation Theory

…essive separation predisposes a state of anxiety and unrest. The resultant fear is compensated for by forming a fantasy or illusion of connection, which I term the fantasy bond. The fantasy process soothes the anxiety and pain, but generally predisposes maladaptation as well. In order to maintain the fantasy bond, children tend to idealize their mother or primary caretaker at their own expense. In denying her faults, children come to believe that…

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Which is Worst for Your Mental Health: Instagram, Facebook or YouTube?

…pp negatively impacts body image and sleep, increases bullying and “FOMO” (fear of missing out), and leads to greater feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. The positive effects of Instagram include self-expression, self-identity, community building, and emotional support.   Facebook was found to have similar negative effects to Instagram in the categories of bullying, FOMO, body image, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Facebook also…

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Gut Health Linked to Bipolar Disorder?

…myself about how I shouldn’t let myself refrain from enjoyment because of fear of gaining weight, how satisfying my craving will be proving to myself that I am body positive, and how I should prioritize my mental health. I call it “happiness calories.” Activating pleasure centers in the brain is an important part of maintaining well being, and this chocolate cake will do just the trick. However, new research seems to invalidate my logic. Science…

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