Mosaic Mental Health Center in Schenectady, NY

04/02/2023

03/15/2023

02/23/2023

02/23/2023

02/23/2023

About 10 years ago, I made a huge shift in thinking that has helped tremendously in managing my ADHD (and my household.)

{TL;DR - Be intentional to simplify your life to clear mental/physical clutter. Examples listed.}

I finally recognized and accepted that I can only keep about 10 balls in the air at a time.

I stopped over-volunteering, guarded my “YES”, hunkered down, and decided to get serious about what I'd allow back on my plate. Simplicity would be the key.

Here are a few changes I've made to simplify life:

- I say no to meeting up for FB Marketplace. Instead, they have to pick things up on my porch.

- I say no to garage sales. Instead, I donate or place things on the curb to be picked up for free.

- I say no to borrowing things, especially movies, books, magazines, etc. Keeping up with other people's things? Too complex.

- I say no to Red Box. Why rent it for $4 on Amazon, when you can get it at Redbox for $1? (Late fees, that's why.) 😉

- I say no to taking home leftovers if I'm expected to return the container/dish.

- I have ONE place I donate things, and it HAS to be a place with 24-hour drop off.

- I say no to clothes that require ironing or delicate handling. Instead, I stick with wash and go items - mostly darks.

- I say no to bringing complex dishes to a potluck or party. Instead, I sign up for drinks, cups, chips, napkins, etc.

- I don't keep odd-sized or novelty cups, plates, or other dishes.

- I use only ONE type of plastic food storage containers, and I try not to bring other brands/sizes into my kitchen.

- Until they are old enough to do their own laundry, I buy only ONE brand of socks for my kids - all solid white.

- I buy only clothes for my boys that mix and match. This is harder with a daughter, but I try my best to stick with solid-colored bottoms to keep life simple.

I am trying to help my ADHD son to examine his own daily life and simplify his own processes. I remind him that we don't have to live like other people live. We may not be able to manage the number of things other people can, and that's okay. We can lean into our wiring and create environments that work for us.

02/14/2023

02/12/2023

02/05/2023

We will quickly gain daylight minutes in the month of February.

01/26/2023

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎. The parasympathetic nervous system works to 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 certain 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒔 and bring about a state of 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒔 to the 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚, allowing it to 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒙, and 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓 itself. Parasympathetic responses include an increase of digestive enzymes, decreased heart rate, constriction of bronchial tubes in the lungs, and more relaxed muscles. It is this system that helps us to rest, relax, and 𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎. The sympathetic nervous system is known as our 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 or 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 response. When we are faced with a perceived 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 of any kind, whether 𝒑𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 or 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍, our sympathetic nervous system kicks into gear and brings about automatic and involuntary responses, such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, elevated respiratory rate, and more sweating. The sympathetic nervous syste also shuts down many
parasympathetic responses in order to utilize more energy for the 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 or 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆.

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎: Stimulate the Vagus Nerve
𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆
Forrest bathing and sunshine are medicine for the nervous system.

𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆
and unnecessary stimuli to activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

𝑯𝒖𝒈, 𝒄𝒖𝒅𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆
to elevate, and release endorphins and oxytocin. Co-regulation is very powerful if the other person is calm.

𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅
Try a weighted blanket or walk barefoot, it helps relieve anxiety and ground. Meditation, breath-work or Yoga can also help. Disciplines like yoga increase vagus nerve activity to help keep you calm and are particularly effective for people suffering from anxiety or depression. Breathing slowly and deeply activates your vagus nerve to send messages to your brain that help lower your blood pressure and heart rate.

𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆
to tend to your needs, and do activities that feed your soul.

𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒇𝒇
by physically moving your body to shake off built-up energy.
Exercise is good for your brain's cognitive faculties. your mental health and your gut flow, thanks to its ability.

𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑷𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔
Cold water plunges or ice baths alleviate inflammation + increase our repair mechanisms. Exposure to cold dampens the light or flight response and increases the rest and digest response, like taking a cold shower or drinking ice water.

𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆
Fats are essential to build nerve tissue (including brain + nerves)
and hormones. You can improve your mood simply by silently repeating positive phrases about your friends and family.

𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑
Set a personal goal of 8 hours to gain all the benefits of our body and mind in rest.

𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈
Humming, chanting and singing are all exercises that increase heart rate variability (HRV).
Higher HRV is linked with reduced morbidity and mortality and improved psychological well-being and quality of life. Laughter is a natural immune booster which, like singing can increase HRV in a group setting. Gargling with water stimulates the muscles of the pallet and has been shown to improve working momory performance.

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒄𝒌:
Dr. Levine was inspired to study stress on the animal nervous system when he realized that animals are constantly under threat of death, yet show no symptoms of trauma. What he discovered was that trauma has to do with the third survival response to perceived life threat, which is freeze. When fight and flight are not options, we freeze and immobilize, like "playing dead." This makes us less of a target. However, this reaction is time-sensitive, in other words, it needs to run its course, and the massive energy that was prepared for fight or flight gets discharged, through shakes and trembling. If the immobility phase doesn't complete, then that charge stays trapped, and, from the body's perspective, it is still under threat. The Somatic Experiencing® method works to release this stored energy, and turn off this threat alarm that causes severe 𝒅𝒚𝒔𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 and 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.

𝑾𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎:

• humming
• listening to calm music
• deep sigh
• shacking
• exercising
• yoga
• touch therapy
• gargling
• cold shower
• singing
• chanting
• connecting with nature
• massage
• aromatherapy
• deep breathing
• butterfly hug
• squeezing a stress ball
• practicing mindfulness
• dancing
• body scan
• connecting with loved ones
• placing your hand over your heart with deep breathing
• petting an animal
• doing art
• gentle touch
• regular self-care
• laughter
• gentle tickling
• body therapy
• Suck ice-cubes/splash face with cold water
• Run/walk/dance/sing
• Journal
• Guided meditation
• Box breathing
• 4-7-8 breathing
• Tapping technique
• Practising gratitude
• Visualisation

Picture:

𝒃𝒚
Knowledge is Power

Via Trauma Geek - Trauma and Neurodiversity Education