Psychology & Neuroscience of Movement

Psychology & Neuroscience of Movement Exploring Psychology, Neuroscience and everything Movement related!

😰 Low moods can bring about drastic changes in a person’s life, daily routines, and their behaviour. Lack of motivation,...
25/01/2023

😰 Low moods can bring about drastic changes in a person’s life, daily routines, and their behaviour. Lack of motivation, isolation, low energy, avoiding activities, neglecting daily tasks..

🌀 When we stop doing the things we love, we miss out on pleasant feelings and positive experiences. Our low moods may worsen and when this happens, we may feel trapped in a never ending downward spiral of negativity.

🚨 Before turning to antidepressants or mood stabilisers, interventions such as Behavioral Activation have proven to be extremely effective.

🔹By increasing our activity level and tackling a list of tasks and responsibilities in a realistic and achievable way, we can slowly begin to feel better and set ourselves up to succeed. This doesn't happen overnight, but with the right guidance and support anyone can break the cycle of low moods!

💙 Keep on fighting & reach out 💙

😱 When a person avoids a feared situation (whether through physical avoidance, the use of drugs and alcohol, or otherwis...
19/01/2023

😱 When a person avoids a feared situation (whether through physical avoidance, the use of drugs and alcohol, or otherwise) the uncomfortable symptoms of anxiety quickly fade away.

🙅‍♂️ Unfortunately, the relief doesn't last long. And next time, the anxiety will be worse. The brain thinks: "Last time I avoided this situation, I felt good."
The desire to avoid a situation becomes increasingly difficult to resist.

💆🏻‍♀️ Many anxiety treatments, such as CBT and exposure therapies, work by breaking the cycle of anxiety and avoidance. Individuals experiencing this are encouraged to face the source of their anxieties, which has the opposite outcome of avoiding them.

‼️When faced head-on, anxiety will eventually shrink, and the desire for avoidance diminishes!

🟢🚦WELLBEING TRAFFIC LIGHT MAP🚦💚 Act. After choosing the best solution for your problem, try act on it. Encourage your po...
16/12/2022

🟢🚦WELLBEING TRAFFIC LIGHT MAP🚦

💚 Act. After choosing the best solution for your problem, try act on it. Encourage your positive ideas. Now that you have learned how to identify and manage your feelings safely, notice how you feel and name three feelings when you are calm in the green light.

🟩 When you are calm, you can go ahead and resolve your problem safely. If it involved another person, try and look at the situation from their perspective. How do you think they felt? What would work best for both of you? Choose the best solution and write it down next to the green light.

🚥 This activity uses the traffic lights system to help identify and manage difficult emotions safely. Recognising early warning signs of anger and frustration is an important skill that will allow you to self-regulate during times of distress and respond in a calm and positive way.

🟡🚦WELLBEING TRAFFIC LIGHT MAP🚦🟨 Wait and think. Now, calmly let yourself express what you're feeling, what has triggered...
16/12/2022

🟡🚦WELLBEING TRAFFIC LIGHT MAP🚦

🟨 Wait and think. Now, calmly let yourself express what you're feeling, what has triggered that feeling, and what is the best way to fix it and feel better.

😠 Think about a situation when you felt angry and try to identify possible feelings underneath your anger. Did you feel sad, embarrassed, disappointed, frustrated, anxious, scared or annoyed? What were the causes? Write these feelings down next to the yellow light.

🔸Naming feelings can help us understand where they come from and feel calmer in order to think about a healthy solution to your problem. What would be the most appropriate response? How would you like others to help?

🚥 To help you reflect and feel even calmer, you may choose to talk about it, write it down, draw, listen to the music or play. Choose what works best for you and write it down next to the yellow traffic light!

🔴🚦WELLBEING TRAFFIC LIGHT MAP🚦🔺This activity uses the traditional traffic light colours to help us identify and learn ho...
16/12/2022

🔴🚦WELLBEING TRAFFIC LIGHT MAP🚦

🔺This activity uses the traditional traffic light colours to help us identify and learn how to manage emotions safely.
Being able to control our emotions and responses is called self-regulation❗
This is an especially important skill that will allow us to better cope with and overcome any difficulties and disappointments in life.

😡 Now take some time to think about how you respond when you feel irritated? What about when you feel extremely angry? This could be sweating, crying, feeling hot, shaking, arguing, breathing fast, going quiet, insulting others, punching walls, throwing things, screaming, etc.

🛑 Whenever you recognise these signs in yourself, remember to stop as soon as possible before your emotions become unmanageable.

🤗To help you stop, you could count to 100, imagine your safe place, take a few deep breaths, squeeze a stress ball or walk away from a situation that is causing you upset.

📍 Write down the best strategy that works for you!

🚨 SELF HARM CYCLE 🚨😔 Self-harm can bring a momentary sense of calm to negative feelings and emotions. However, this is o...
15/12/2022

🚨 SELF HARM CYCLE 🚨

😔 Self-harm can bring a momentary sense of calm to negative feelings and emotions. However, this is often temporary and can lead to feelings of guilt and shame. This in turn can stimulate the original emotions which can lead to further self-harm. This is commonly known as the self-harm cycle.

✨We can break out of this pattern through seeking help, accepting support, exploring healthier coping strategies and engaging in effective distraction techniques.

18/11/2022

When you know who you are
Other people can enter and exit your life
Without it rocking your world
As your foundation is solid and unshakeable
Because you have yourself

When you know who you are
The opinions and judgements of others matter far less
And people can speak words of criticism, unkindness and malice about you
Without it affecting how you feel about yourself

When you know who you are
Other people can reject you or abandon you
Without it changing your identity
Because you know that your destiny is not tied to those who have chosen to leave you
And you feel whole and complete from within

When you know who you are
You appreciate
That putting your happiness and sense of self-worth
In the hands of another person
Is akin to making them your jailor
And remaining locked in a prison
That only they have the key to rescue you from

While liberating yourself
Means taking full responsibility
For your emotions, identity and wellbeing
And setting yourself free
To live and feel however you may choose.

And when you know who you are
Rather than devoting so much time and energy to trying to impress others
Or projecting the fulfillment of your own unmet needs and desires onto them
You choose to prioritize your own needs and wellbeing
And make time for your most important relationship
Which is with yourself.

Words by Tahlia Hunter

Image source: The Wild Matryoshka

💭 Sometimes our thoughts happen so quickly that we fail to notice them, but they can still affect our moods: these are c...
15/11/2022

💭 Sometimes our thoughts happen so quickly that we fail to notice them, but they can still affect our moods: these are called Automatic Thoughts.

💢 If these are negative and irrational, they will inevitablly cause pain and suffering. However by becoming aware of our thinking patterns we can alter and redirect our thinking.

💬 Try this CBT exercise by writing down.

1. TRIGGER: What's happening that is making me feel this way?
2. AUTOMATIC THOUGHT: Identify the irrational conclusions..
3. NEW THOUGHT: Is it a fact or assumption? Is there an alternative thought I could be thinking?

(I'm on a Psychoeducational Roll atm, in case you hadn't noticed 🤣)

💞 Whilst the Anxious Attachment seeks closeness, intimacy and reassurance, the Avoidant sends mixed signals, prefers dis...
15/11/2022

💞 Whilst the Anxious Attachment seeks closeness, intimacy and reassurance, the Avoidant sends mixed signals, prefers distance and struggles with communication.

⚠️It is clear how these two styles may bring out the worst of both worlds.

💘Anxious- Avoidant relationships can thrive if each individual is willing to work on themselves and understand the other's emotional needs.

🔸IE: Avoidants may need to be patient with their partners, maintain openness, intimacy and not avoid important conversations. Anxious could work on de-escalating anxiety through coping strategies and challenging negative thinking (will post something about this next) .

💬Regardless, honest communication is always key!

*Protest Behaviour is any action we take to try and draw attention and re-establish connection. For example: making our partner jealous or threatening to leave.

💚 Avoidant Attachment Part 3.🟢 How to cope with it? ✳️Become aware of parts you had to shut down✳️ Avoid shaming others ...
11/11/2022

💚 Avoidant Attachment Part 3.

🟢 How to cope with it?

✳️Become aware of parts you had to shut down
✳️ Avoid shaming others for having too many emotions
✳️ Learn to deeply listen
✳️Reconnect with your emotions daily
✳️ Identify your needs and share them
✳️ Allow others to support

💚 Avoidant Attachment Part 2.🟢 What causes it? ✳️Distant parents when child needs support ✳️ Unaffectionate / unavailabl...
11/11/2022

💚 Avoidant Attachment Part 2.

🟢 What causes it?

✳️Distant parents when child needs support
✳️ Unaffectionate / unavailable caregivers
✳️ Unresponsive to childs needs
✳️Display of emotions is not tolerated
✳️ Parent expects their child to be independent
✳️ Physically unapproachable

💚 Avoidant Attachment Part 1.🟢 What does it look like?✳️Dismissive towards relationships ✳️ Steps back when other get cl...
11/11/2022

💚 Avoidant Attachment Part 1.

🟢 What does it look like?

✳️Dismissive towards relationships
✳️ Steps back when other get close
✳️ Unresponsive to others needs
✳️Uncomfortable depending on others
✳️ Downplays importance of relationships
✳️ Emotionally distant
✳️Higher self esteem

🧡Anxious Attachment Style Part 3.🔶 How to cope? Here are some tips.. 🔸Become aware of parts that get scared 🔸Take respon...
11/11/2022

🧡Anxious Attachment Style Part 3.

🔶 How to cope? Here are some tips..

🔸Become aware of parts that get scared
🔸Take responsibility when acting out
🔸Chose an emotionally stable partner
🔸Accept need for security
🔸Communicate needs
🔸Work on earned secure attachment
🔸Avoid avoidantly attached people
🔸Let your partner know when feeling anxious
🔸Be compassionate with yourself as you acknowledge the painful past

🧡Anxious Attachment Style Part 2.🔶 What causes it? Here are some explanations.. 🔸Inconsistent parenting 🔸Mistreatment an...
11/11/2022

🧡Anxious Attachment Style Part 2.

🔶 What causes it? Here are some explanations..

🔸Inconsistent parenting
🔸Mistreatment and abuse
🔸Emotionally unavailable care
🔸Nurturing at the same time

🧡Anxious Attachment Style Part 1.🔶 What does it look like in adults? Here are some signs.. 🔸Needing constant reassurance...
11/11/2022

🧡Anxious Attachment Style Part 1.

🔶 What does it look like in adults? Here are some signs..

🔸Needing constant reassurance
🔸Oversensitivity to others moods
🔸Tendency to depend on others
🔸Worries of abandonment
🔸Low self esteem and worth
🔸Difficulty trusting others
🔸Strong fear of rejection

👀 An invaluable lesson I was reminded of this week!
10/11/2022

👀 An invaluable lesson I was reminded of this week!

🧠 Neurodiverse individuals brain are wired differently, that's why they (or I should probably say we) perceive the world...
06/11/2022

🧠 Neurodiverse individuals brain are wired differently, that's why they (or I should probably say we) perceive the world in atypical ways.

🔬By examinining the brain volumes of 1,713 people with ADHD and 1,529 without ADHD, researchers at Radboud University found that five areas of the brain were smaller in the brains of people with ADHD.

‼️ The caudate nucleus (learning, memory, reward, motivation, emotion, and romantic interaction)
- Putamen (motor control, speech articulation, cognitive functioning, and addiction).
- Nucleus accumbens (motivation, reward and pleasure)
- Amygdala (emotional regulation, detection of threat and activation of appropriate fear-related behaviors)
- Hippocampus (learning and memory)

🖼️Picture shows what they discovered (2017)

⚠️ There are 3 types of ADHD:🔹 Hyperactive: impulsive type by an excess of energy and a lack of self-control.🔸Inattentiv...
06/11/2022

⚠️ There are 3 types of ADHD:

🔹 Hyperactive: impulsive type by an excess of energy and a lack of self-control.

🔸Inattentive type (aka ADD): characterised by forgetfulness, a lack of attention to detail and inattention.

🔹Combined: mix of both.

💁🏻‍♂️ 3/4 children I work with have ADHD, struggle to fit in, feel overwhelmed and unable to cope. This stresses the importance of creating a neurodiverse inclusive environment at school and in the workplace, where individuals are supported as they should be!

👀 Embracing inclusivity, spreading awareness and sharing knowledge are the first steps!

Address

Bristol

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Psychology & Neuroscience of Movement posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Psychology & Neuroscience of Movement:

Shortcuts

Share