In this inspirational podcast interview, pancreatic cancer survivor Anne Shafer shares the story of her battle and recovery. She opens up about the emotional aspects of the fight as well as practical strategies for self-care after diagnosis and through recovery. Anne also discusses the 'Whipple Procedure' and its impact on her recovery. This interview is a 'must listen' for anyone with a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, or those that love them.
Podcast Links:
www.pancreatic.org www.pancan.org Mayo Clinic on the Whipple Procedure: Link Greenville Health System’s Center for Integrative Oncology and Survivorship
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Article by Shaun O'Connor Edited by Maureene Danielle Post Design by Christy Zigweid Photo by using @WordSwagApp Of all the symptoms associated with anxiety, depersonalization (DP) is possibly the most persistent and overwhelming. It’s a condition that’s incredibly common yet rarely spoken about. DP happens when the mind seeks to protect itself from trauma (a bad drug trip, a car crash) and temporarily creates a sense of disconnection with the outside world. It’s only supposed to last a few minutes to allow the trauma to pass; but for many, the disconnection becomes a focal point (“Why am I feeling this way?”) and persists far beyond the initial trauma. The mind’s awareness of its own defense measure turns into a feedback loop that can last for years, even a lifetime. It’s as frightening as it sounds. You know that phrase, “crazy people don’t know they’re crazy”? Depersonalization is like that, except you know that what’s happening is crazy. Your mind is constantly going off on frightening, bizarre tangents, but your reality testing stays intact. I’ll never forget my first few months with the condition. I genuinely thought that I’d gone insane, that somehow reality had turned inside out and only I could see it. It was horrifying. There’s also retrospective guilt and examination: What brought this condition on? One puff of weed too many? A fight with my parents? A childhood trauma? There are no definite answers and so the logical brain finds itself in a state of constant, anxiety propelled flux. Sufferers find themselves sucked into this spiral of self-examination to frightening degrees. Check out any DP forum (or preferably, don’t) and you’ll find the darkest, wildest existential concepts being discussed in concrete terms. I was no stranger to that myself. At one point, I considered the possibility that I had died on the night that I first experienced depersonalization and that I was now in some purgatorial state. It seems crazy now but that type of deduction is not uncommon in the DP community. In an extreme situation with no rhyme or reason, one explanation is as good as the next. While I pretended to engage in an ordinary life, depersonalization obsessed me. While driving my car, watching tv, chatting with friends, or lying in bed, my mind feverishly raced down endless metaphysical culde-sacs. I embarked on fractal mental odysseys while feeding the dog. I concocted complex theories that existed for mere seconds at a time. It was exhausting and unbearable. And yet, when I look back on it now, after years of complete recovery, I believe that it’s primarily the condition’s very ineffability that causes it to persist. You see, everything about DP invites self-analysis and analysis is its oxygen. Without paying attention to it, the condition would dissipate just as naturally as it should have done in the first place. But it’s tough not to analyze it when everything in your experience insists that there’s an actionable way out of this. In a culture that tells us all ailments can be cured with the right medication, it only makes sense that somewhere out there is a pill or therapy that will fix everything instantly. And so, with no immediate antidote available, DP sufferers become DP researchers. They even become experts. They know the stats, the texts, and medications, yet, they can’t get rid of the DP itself. They don’t understand why this mountain of knowledge isn’t stopping the thoughts. They rarely, if ever, pause to think that it’s specifically the pursuit of an answer that’s perpetuating the condition. In the end, researching depersonalization is like a Chinese finger trap; struggling against it is pointless. Fundamentally, it’s the same thing as having a song stuck in your head. It’s a habit of thought and you can’t “logic” your way out of it. The only way to deal with it is to overwrite the habit. If you had a song stuck in your head for months, what would you do? Would you research the song in an attempt to understand its inner workings? How about if you spent all day looking at forums related to that song? If you had copies of the lyrics strewn around your house or if you actively engaged in conversation about the song every day? Of course, that wouldn’t help. Technically it’s “research,” but it’s certainly not going to fix your problem. And yet, that’s exactly what the vast majority of DP sufferers do. They often end up researching it for years on end, wondering why it never goes away. What would be much more effective would be to get rid of all traces of that song from your life. Throw out the CDs, the lyrics, the reminders. Stop looking it up. Stop discussing it. And then, with all the strength that you can muster, fill your life with new songs. Your brain will absorb the new information and naturally overwrite the thought habit of the old song. That’s what your brain is designed to do. In fact, it’s what your brain wants you to do; not to bury yourself in the ephemera and texts of anxious thought. It wants you to do what is natural and propel yourself forward in life and knowledge, and to allow old thoughts, anxious or otherwise, to dissipate naturally. About the Author
Article by Claire Adams Edited by Maureene Danielle Post Design by Christy Zigweid Photo by kroppek_pl using @WordSwagApp My sister is a mother of two and since birth she has suffered from various diseases. Recently, she was diagnosed with celiac disease, which totally crushed her because it is a lifelong condition with no cure. So, instead of feeling sorry for my sister or doing nothing, I decided to do some research and try to find out a way to help her. If she was not so motivated to get better and take back control over her own life, it would all have been worthless. Her children are her biggest motivation and give her a reason to stick around as long as possible. Motivation My sister did not want to let diseases control and ruin her life, and that of her children. She wanted to continue to be there for her kids and family, and that was a major source of her strength and motivation. I knew that I had to push her when things got tough, and motivate her on a daily basis. Otherwise, she could become depressed, which is the last thing we wanted. We both knew that if she stayed strong mentally, her physical health would improve. Sure, she had to make some sacrifices, but it was all worth it. Lifestyle Change Both of us realized that she had to change her lifestyle if she did not want to experience those dreadful symptoms of celiac disease, not to mention the other conditions she suffers from. The most important change she had to make was related with her diet. She had to exclude many foods that she adored from her diet and switch them with unprocessed, natural foods. She also had to give up eating at restaurants that she loved because of cross-contamination. Moreover, when travelling, she had to make plans ahead and even cancel a trip, if she could not find a gluten-free place to eat. When we were doing research about the disease, ways to treat it, some advice and instructions, we bumped into SCD lifestyle and also found some information about how beneficial growing your own food can be. Growing Her Own Food My sister started growing her own food for both herself and her family. She now has a very limited choice when going grocery shopping. And, she can never know for sure if manufacturers are honest or not when it comes to listing ingredients on the food label, which she has to read in full detail. The benefits of eating homegrown, natural food were numerous. Besides not going through the hassle of grocery shopping, she and the whole family were much healthier. My sister managed to keep the celiac disease symptoms to a minimum. Now we are all happier than we have ever been. She Is Much Happier Now The sacrifices and choices my sister made helped her change her life for the better. My sister, along with her entire family, are now leading a much healthier life which has made her very happy. About the Author Claire Adams is a marketing manager by day and by night she passionately fights for travel, art, and her health.
This “I AM” exercise is designed to help you create a positive mental state and reduce your negative self talk. The program takes some work on the front end, but in my experience it has provided fantastic results. This is our version of a program that the late Zig Ziglar used to teach in some of his personal development programs. I believe he called it an “affirmation” and supported and reinforced the exercise with flashcards. The affirmation was three or four paragraphs long and you are asked to repeat it in the morning and evening. The ConquerWorry™ “I AM” mantra is a simpler and customized exercise. A mantra is generally considered to be a word or sound that is repeated to aid concentration, particularly in meditation. It can also be a statement or slogan that is repeated frequently. The word finds its roots in both Hinduism and Buddhism. Building your Mantra The first step in the process requires self-reflection. I highly recommend getting up early in the morning, grabbing a cup of coffee and a blank notepad. Stay away from your computer or tablet for this exercise as it is too easy to find distractions on electronic devices. Write down a list of positive adjective that describe you. Don't be humble! Once you have an initial list, ask your spouse or a good friend for their thoughts. If you are not comfortable with sharing your list, you don’t have to, but it should not stop you from doing this exercise. Once you have your entire list of adjectives, it is very easy to construct your mantra. It looks something like this: I am adjective, adjective and adjective. I am adjective, adjective and adjective. Then, personalize the sentences. Look at the example below for ideas, but please customize it to yourself. Example: I am adventurous, creative and charming. I am also empathic, intelligent and forgiving of not only others but myself as well. Repeat this to yourself twice a day. You will be amazed at how your self-talk changes!
Jay Coulter is an author, keynote speaker and mental health coach. He is the author of Conquer Worry - How To Build A Simple Daily System To Reduce Stress. He is also the founder of ConquerWorry.org™. The platform is a volunteer run organization dedicated to inspiring, educating and advocating for those who struggle with their mental health. ConquerWorry™ has almost 150,000 social media followers and we would love to have you in our community which can be found online and on most social media platforms. TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | MEDIUM
The ConquerWorry™ Podcast with Jay Coulter can be found on: iTunes | YouTube | Stitcher | TuneIn Radio Therapist & Author Jodi Aman joins Jay on the ConquerWorry™ Podcast to discuss managing anxiety. Her passion is teaching people how to win their life back from anxiety. Listen to her fantastic strategy on this episode. In This Podcast We Discuss
Jodi Aman wrote the bestseller, You 1, Anxiety 0 to help people WIN their life back from fear and panic. With sharp empathy into the complexities of people's pain–since she has recovered from her own family chaos and panic attacks–and a keen understanding of how and why people get stuck there, Jodi has decided to dedicate her life to helping people feel less lonely and afraid.
Find her at http://jodiaman.com. Check out her videos at http://youtube,com/jodiaman. Get inspired on Instagram @JodiAmanLove. Or feel loved on Facebook: http://facebook.com/jodiamanlove. Guest post by Annalise Sinclair Editor and blog post designer: Christy Zigweid Photo made using @WordSwagApp The semester of college right after I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder was the worst of my life. I was in a terrible relationship with a real loser. I was on a highly competitive, world-ranked winter guard team, which I never, ever felt good enough for. I stupidly decided to take on way too many credits in school. I had just joined my sorority and wasn’t prepared for the time, energy, or self-commitment. I was struggling to figure out my identity as someone saddled with a mental illness. Essentially, I ran myself into the ground and then decided to dig a little bit deeper, just for good measure. Somehow in the middle of all this, I found some time to adopt a kitten. I grew up around animals and had convinced myself that if I got a kitten, everything would magically get better. My aunt (another crazy cat lady) took me to the local Humane Society to “look around,” knowing fully that I couldn’t leave without my own ball of fur. So insert Addy, the cutest, spunkiest kitten you’ll ever meet. Photo courtesy of Annalise Sinclair Unfortunately, getting a kitten didn’t solve all of my problems; shocker, I know. I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into depression, which felt impossible to overcome. I felt like my only out would be taking my own life. Living each day was so hard and all I wanted was some peace. Suicide seemed so serene, like I could finally get some rest. I planned everything out: I cleaned my apartment so no one would have to bother, figured out my method (something simple and painless), and wrote a goodbye to everyone that I loved. However, there was one problem. I had no idea how long it would take for someone to realize that I wasn’t answering my phone or showing up to things. I was worried that Addy would have to go too long without someone giving her food or water. I couldn’t be responsible for both of our deaths. So I drove the 45 minutes home to drop Addy off at my parent’s house. That is when everything changed. My mom had come home early from work that day and had already started dinner. My plan to drop off Addy and run was no longer feasible; I had to stay and pretend to be the happy, wonderful daughter and sister my family knew. It was all too much and for the first time in my life, I finally broke down and talked to my mom about what I was feeling. I told her I was so unhappy that I considered suicide. The pain in her eyes was more than I ever wanted to see. I knew I had to find my courage and do whatever it took to get better. I couldn’t hurt my family by taking my life; my personal pain would never amount to the pain my death would have caused them. I started seeing a new therapist the next week. I often think back to that day, my decision day where I chose life over death, and think about what would have happened if I had never gotten Addy or didn’t care about her well-being. Suicide isn’t rational and I’m thankful that it isn’t. My concern for a kitten saved my life. So when people reproach me for being a crazy cat lady, I couldn’t be more proud. For if it wasn’t for a sassy cat and an irrational love, I wouldn’t be here today. About the Author
10 Year NFL Veteran Discusses Finding Happiness By Building A Performance Mindset (Podcast)5/13/2016
Jon McGraw was living what he thought was his dream. He was playing in the NFL for his hometown Kansas City Chiefs. It was not until he went into training camp one season expecting to be cut due to a new coaching staff coming to town that his life changed. He went from 'Bubble Guy' who was about to be cut to team captain. Once he retired he studied what happened during that time period and realized that the happiness he found was not an accident. It was a mindset change. As a result Jon, and his business partner Russ Rausch, have built a business with the goal of helping others.
About Jon
Jon attended Kansas State University with a major in business finance and walked on the football team, 1997-01. He was twice selected as a First Team Academic All American. He was a second round draft pick to the New York Jets where he played 3 seasons. He then played for the Detroit Lions for two seasons before playing his final five seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs. Jon retired from the NFL in 2012 and received the Ed Block Courage Award. The award is presented annually to one player from each NFL team who, in the eyes of his own teammates is a source of inspiration and courage. Jon also completed NFL-sponsored business management and entrepreneurship programs at Harvard Business School and Wharton Business School. Jon has been actively involved as President of the Jon McGraw Foundation which supports various charitable causes. He is now a principal partner at Vision Pursue, a performance mindset training and technology company. Jon is married and has two children. Last week I was honored to co-host the This Is My Brave show in Greenville, SC. The event was a huge success as there were 200 people in the audience and 150 viewers on Periscope from all over the world. Rebecca Shafer and Julia McDonald co-produced the show and Rebecca also served as co-host with me. The non-profit's co-founder Jennifer Marshall kicked off the evening with her story followed by 11 individual performances. I started the ConquerWorry.org platform five years ago, so you can imagine that I thought that I had heard just about every 'story' surrounding a mental health struggle. Last week I learned that I was wrong to make that assumption. One story in particular struck me as so powerful that I wanted to share it with you. A young woman named Annalise Sinclair shared an articulate account of her battle with her mental health. I met her before the show and she outwardly appears to be the girl next door. Someone you would hire to babysit your kids or house sit for you while you are on vacation. For her performance, she detailed her struggle with mental illness and overwhelming suicidal thoughts. She shared that she had planned her own suicide down to the day, but had one obstacle to overcome. She had acquired a cat and being concerned for her cats well being after she was gone was important to her. So, she decided to drop the cat off at her mothers house before she took her own life. On the day she decided to take her own life, fate intervened. Her mom unexpectedly came home as she was dropping off her beloved cat. That started a discussion and saved Annalise's life. As Annalise was eloquently sharing her story from the stage, I was sitting behind her. I could see her mother in the audience, watching her daughter tell her harrowing story of mental anguish and suicidal intent. I was choked up, but her mom was smiling. That choked me up even more! While it can't be quantified, Annalise and all the cast members had a dramatic impact on the lives of people who are struggling and their loved ones. After the show I heard from people who watched the show online. The one story that I heard brought up the most was the story of 'The Cat Lady.' I know from experience that there are many young women out there that need to hear the story of 'The Cat Lady' and others like it. That is why the This Is My Brave organization is so powerful. Annalise's cat is not the only one in her house saving lives. Storytelling Saves Lives. Jay Coulter This Thursday May 5th the non-profit This Is My Brave® will host a show in Greenville, SC and ConquerWorry™ will be there to stream it LIVE on Periscope. It is FREE to watch so please join at 8.00pm EST by clicking www.periscope.tv/conquerworry. (no app required) The co-founder of This Is My Brave®, Jennifer Marshall, has been a previous podcast guest (Link). It is a fantastic organization focused on helping people who struggle with mental illness tell their story. Please consider a donation to their cause: thisismybrave.org/support
Article by Two Wise Chicks Post Design by Christy Zigweid Photo by quinntheislander via @WordSwagApp (Pixabay CC) It's exam season again, and we all know what that means... Photo courtesy of Pixabay by Counselling It may be the dreaded Exit Exams, end of year exams, College exams - whatever they're called, it's no picnic - and for many of us it leads to feelings of panic. We'll keep this short 'n sweet given that your eyes are probably weary from all the other reading (and breathing into a paper bag) you're doing. Our tips are evidence based and doable, and will help you feel less overwhelmed - promise. DO's: 1. Stick to your routine (studying, sleeping, eating) - now is NOT the time to make any big changes. 2. Use summary cards to whittle down your notes to key points. (Interesting fact: if you're dyslexic it really helps if you use yellow cards with red pen). 3. Eat - healthfully and regularly. 'Dieting' or otherwise restricting yourself in order to get your body 'beach ready' for the post-exam holiday is not a priority (see #1 above). 4. Sleep. You'll be tempted to pull all nighters. Understandable but ineffective. We need to have slept well to be able to reproduce learned material well. 5. Get out in the air. Exercise. If you feel too tired, it may be study induced inertia - get out and you'll notice your energy level will come back up. It will. And you'll think more clearly too. 6. Talk if (when) you are stressed, choose someone who will actually listen and be helpful. 7. Take a lot of breaks. 8. Study at a desk if possible, not in bed, or on a couch. (We have reasons for this but trying to keep this short ;)). 9. Wear the same perfume/ aftershave/ deodorant studying as when taking your exams (lots of scientific reasons for this). 10. Visualise yourself succeeding. Visualise yourself getting your results and being happy, getting that placement, result or even that job you want so badly. Mental rehearsal works (yes, there's proof of that too!) DON'T 1: Over-do caffeine or take vitamin supplements that you're not used to just because you heard or read somewhere that they help you concentrate. 2: Don't take those study drugs that people are trying to sell to students. All they care about is your money (goes for all drugs, but we digress...) and we know that the side effects can actually damage your performance. 3: Don't engage with relatives or adults who are pressuring you (as opposed to encouraging you) to perform well. They may well have their own regrets and are now foisting them on you. #NotYourProblem. 4: Don't tell yourself or others that you'll fail, not even jokingly. It's not kind and you wouldn't do it to someone else. It also falls into a negative mindset that can mess with your motivation. 5: Don't take fewer breaks now because you're running out of time. Now is the time for more breaks, because you're getting more stressed. It can feel counter-intuitive but it's true! 6: Don't talk to your friends before the exams if there's a chance it will make you anxious. It's OK to avoid people now unless they're supportive and calming. It's always ok to limit exposure to people and situations that are not supportive... 7. Avoid chats, FB threads and friends who are panicking and negative and lying about how much work they've done ("I still haven't opened a BOOK!!" - Right? You know the ones..). 8. Don't stop having fun - TV shows, Netflix, music or socialising that makes you laugh or feel good, keep doing them. Just not too late at night and remember to give your brain screen time rest for 30 mins before sleepy time. Photo courtesy of Pixabay by ClkerFreeVectorImages Students in their teens need 8-10 hours of restful sleep for optimum brain functioning. It's better to sacrifice study time than sleep time... it really is Stay as present as you can, breathe.... You've got this - and we've got your back! P.S. PLEASE add any tips you have that have helped you cope in the comment section below (you never know who you might be helping!). ABOUT THE AUTHORS Sally O’Reilly
Sally wants to help create a world of compassion for ourselves and others. A world where mistakes are allowed, gender roles don’t exist, sex ed in schools is a real thing and everyone dances – lovely! As a psychologist and psychotherapist in Ireland, she’s worked for nearly twenty years in private practice, with adults and trainee adults of all ages. She blogs on her own website, is a feature writer for super duper parenting website Voiceboks.com, does print and radio media work and has been known to Tweet. She’s the one running our Twitter page! When she’s not working, you will find her engrossed in Science Fiction or some dark and Danish TV show, listening to music, watching the sea (while really, really wishing it were warmer), or figuring out how to work Lightroom on her Mac. All while munching on Bombay mix. #multitasker! She’s happiest when dancing and erm…. her cat has his own Facebook page. We won’t link to that, it’s too embarrassing.. Tanya Tinney Tanya looks forward to living in a world where people know their worth, respect boundaries, and always have time for tea and chocolate. A magic bubble that protects her from sticky fingers, hormonal girls and dog hair would be awesome as well. Her education and much of her training is in the areas of psychology and human potential. She worked as a licensed psychologist for over 14 years, with 10 of those years spent building her own successful private practice. In total, she has over 20 years of varied experience working, volunteering for non-profit agencies, and consulting to small business. Most recently she has launched her dream online coaching practice where she gets to work with motivated, amazing women who need help overcoming life’s hurdles. Exciting times! She has lived in Ireland, Ethiopia (okay, just 6 months), Canada, and currently lives in central Texas with her husband, three girls (including fraternal twins), two dogs and three cats. When she’s not finding ‘everyday moments’ to write about here or on herown blog, you can find her being walked by her dogs, unearthing unidentifiable food-objects under the couch cushions or baking her famous banana bread. Tanya runs our Facebook page – and not to be outdone by Sally’s cat, her dog has its own Facebook page too. |
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