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Too often we are dogged by the dark clouds of guilt and regret. Regret is the feeling of wishing we had (or not) done something in the past different than we actually did. Guilt is feeling bad, or even disliking ourselves, over some past act or omission that caused unjustified hurt.
Dealing with Regret
Time, as we perceive it, is linear. What is done is done and can never be undone. The most powerful man on the planet cannot change by one iota what happened a fraction of a second ago. Given that, stop worrying about the past. You’re only wasting precious energy that ought to be channeled into now. Continue reading Dealing with Guilt and Regret
Happiness and sorrow are two sides of the same coin. Without sorrow there would be no such thing as happiness. And vise versa. Both are emotions of the incarnate form, devoid of intrinsic Spiritual significance.
The Spiritual concept of life is as an opportunity for experiential growth. Pleasure is not its primary purpose. Buddhism teaches that life is suffering, with the cessation of that suffering as its goal. Perhaps it is the ability to recognize the ultimate insignificance of earthly trials and tribulations and to rise above them that is meant by divine happiness. As Kipling said, “If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same…” Continue reading Finding Happiness
A Coping Strategy for Dealing with Life’s Problems
The question of meaning, purpose, or why we are here is one we’ve all surely asked at one time or another. Given that physical death (and maybe taxes) is the only certainty of this incarnation it is a question without answer in a purely materialistic framework.
Instead we must seek a solution through Spirituality. If we accept that at essence we are immortal Spirit temporarily journeying the earth plane in a body of atoms and molecules then clearly it is in the Spiritual journey that our true purpose lies. Continue reading Facing Difficulty
I am no psychologist, but I have suffered from stress and depression for as long as I can remember. I therefore present the following framework based upon my first-hand experience, observation and reflection in the hope it may in some way be of help to my fellow sufferers.
Depression is something that will inevitably be your close companion throughout the journey of life. It cannot be beaten or banished, but it can be managed and controlled through knowledge and understanding. There is no reason why those of us with depression cannot live fulfilling and successful lives. Continue reading Coping with Depression and Stress
Despite, or maybe because of, the miraculous advancements that characterize the 21st century, cases of depression and its close cousins stress and anxiety continue to increase. Depression affects millions of people regardless of age, gender, social or cultural background. Its effects are not limited to sufferers but impact on all those close to them.
If you have a broken leg people generally hold doors open, give up seats etc, but unlike physical conditions the symptoms of depression are invisible to others. Those who have never experienced mental illness are often unsympathetic, suggesting sufferers “pull themselves together”. But depression is all too real, and can and does have a devastating effect on the life of sufferers and their loved ones. Continue reading How to Beat Depression
Anxiety is a natural human reaction that involves mind and body. It serves an important basic survival function: Anxiety is an alarm system that is activated whenever a person perceives danger or threat.
When the body and mind react to danger or threat, a person feels physical sensations of anxiety – things like a faster heartbeat and breathing, tense muscles, sweaty palms, a queasy stomach, and trembling hands or legs. These sensations are part of the body’s fight flight response.
They are caused by a rush of adrenaline and other chemicals that prepare the body to make a quick getaway from danger. They can be mild or extreme. Continue reading Anxiety and anxiety disorders
I wanted to scream. I remember myself trying to say to my husband that I was feeling weird, but I couldn’t talk even tough all my body and mind was shouting Anxiety Attack Help. At that time I wanted the best anxiety attack remedy. I had several anxiety attacks and they are frightening but the good thing is, episodes are generally harmless. In most cases, attacks rarely last for more than 30 minutes, with peak of intensity within the first 10 minutes. Continue reading Living with Anxiety? Find the Best Anxiety Attack Treatment For You
by Barry McDonagh
There is phobia that is linked to the experience of panic attacks, and that is agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is the fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places such as shopping markets. It is a fear associated with leaving a safe zone, such as the home.
Because of a feeling of being vulnerable, people who experience this fear often suffer from panic attacks in these “open” situations. It is true to say many people who have regular panic attacks experience different degrees of agoraphobia. Some have a lingering background anxiety about being away from home should they experience a panic attack. Other people are so immobilized by this fear that they find it very difficult to leave their home for even a short period. Continue reading Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks
by Barry McDonagh
People who experience panic attacks will often say that they feel out of control as soon as the panic is in full swing. Christian Nevell Bovee once wrote:
“Panic is a sudden desertion of us, and a going over to the enemy of our imagination.”
Doesn’t that sum it up well? Continue reading The Enemy Of Our Imagination
by Barry McDonagh
Why do some people have a problem with anxiety and others do not?
This is a question almost everyone who experiences anxiety asks themselves at some point or another. Why me?
My understanding of anxiety is that yes, some people seem more susceptible than others but that the key trigger tends to be exhaustion. By exhaustion I mean mental, physical, or emotional exhaustion. (Under physical exhaustion I also include things like diet or substance abuse)
For some it may be exhaustion caused by a hectic life and never taking time to release the stress. People like that often do not notice their stress levels are so high until they get blindsided by a spontaneous panic attack.
For others it may be an emotional exhaustion caused by the loss of a loved one or the break up of a long term relationship. Continue reading Exhaustion and Anxiety
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