By STEVEN PETROW DEC. 20, 2016
Credit Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
“So why did you stop drinking?” my friend Brad asked recently when we were out for dinner. “You never seemed to have a drinking problem.”
The question surprised me, coming as it did a full two years after my decision to take a “break” from alcohol. He was scanning the wine list, and I sensed he was hoping I’d share a bottle of French rosé with him. So I decided to tell him the truth.
“To get my depression back under control.”
In my late 50s, my longstanding depression had started to deepen, albeit imperceptibly at first. I continued drinking moderately, a couple of glasses of wine most days of the week, along with a monthly Manhattan.
Then two dark and stormy months really shook me up, leaving me in a black hole of despair as depression closed in. At my first therapy appointment, the psychopharmacologist listened to me attentively, then said bluntly: “Stop drinking for a month.”
The shrink wanted to know whether I was in control of my drinking or my drinking was in control of me. He explained that we become more sensitive to the depressant effects of alcohol as we age, especially in midlife, when our body chemistry changes and we’re more likely to be taking various medications that can interact with alcohol and one another.
On doctor’s orders, I went cold turkey off alcohol. When I returned a month later and volunteered that I hadn’t touched a drink since our last visit, he was satisfied that I didn’t have “an active alcohol problem” and told me I could drink in what he considered moderation: No more than two glasses of wine a day, and never two days in a row. He also suggested I keep a log.
More Americans than ever are taking antidepressants. The prevalence nearly doubled between 1999 and 2012, increasing to 13 percent from 6.9 percent, a study in JAMA found. Antidepressant use increases with age, with more than one in six of those over 60 taking a drug for depression.
Drug companies err on the side of caution, warning those taking the drugs to “avoid alcohol.” Alcohol is itself a depressant and may worsen depression, though few studies have explored the clinical implications of mixing it with antidepressants. Dr. Daniel Hall-Flavin, an associate professor of psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic who studies addiction, said: “While select individuals may be able to have an occasional drink without complications, that cannot be generalized to an entire population, some of whom may have drug interactions.”
Andrew Solomon, a professor of clinical psychology and among the world’s best-known depressives thanks to his book “The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression,” couldn’t provide much more guidance. “It definitely varies by how I’m feeling over all,” he told me when I asked about his personal habits. “When I’m in good spirits — no pun intended — I am easier about this; when I feel more fragile, I’m more cautious.”
“People just don’t know,” said Dr. Richard A. Friedman, a professor of clinical psychiatry and director of the psychopharmacology clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York and occasional contributor to The New York Times. “There simply aren’t any good studies of whether there’s a safe amount to drink while taking antidepressants, which is why you have such variable opinions from doctors, ranging from none to modest, whatever that is.”
Dr. Friedman pointed out one thing we do know: “The risk of alcohol abuse and dependence problems for those who suffer from depression is about double the risk of people who don’t.” And if you have an accompanying psychiatric condition like bipolar disorder, he said, the risk of an alcohol use disorder is six to seven times higher.
He noted that some medications may be more dangerous than others when combined with alcohol. Specifically, he warned me away from Wellbutrin, preferred by many patients because it has virtually no sexual side effects; unfortunately that antidepressant, when combined with alcohol, can increase the likelihood of a seizure. Lexapro, the antidepressant I take, belongs to a widely prescribed class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and is no better or worse when it comes to drinking than other S.S.R.I.s.
Dr. Friedman added that an older type of antidepressants known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors Dr. Friedman added that an older type of antidepressants known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or MAOIs, could be particularly dangerous when combined with alcohol. Alcohol contains variable amounts of tyramine, a natural substance also found in certain foods like aged cheese and cured meats that, when combined with these drugs, could cause blood pressure levels to skyrocket.
So what to do? Dr. Friedman suggested an experiment: Try having one drink a couple of times a week or less. If no problems arise, such as the return of feelings of depression or anxiety, or a disruption in sleep, you can maintain that level of very moderate drinking. Such side effects may become apparent the next day or take days or weeks to develop, he cautions, especially with higher levels of alcohol intake.
“Many people don’t recognize and make those connections,” he said, so they think that they can continue drinking — or drink more. They can’t. The bottom line is that anyone taking an antidepressant should first speak with a doctor before drinking any alcohol.
As for me, my experiment about how much to drink has been unambiguous: Even a half glass of wine opens the trap doors to depression in my head. Abstaining keeps those doors closed, and my depression at bay. At least for now.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Hypnotic Approaches for Chronic Pain Management
Hypnosis for Pain Management - Clinical Implications of Recent Research Findings
"The empirical support for hypnosis for chronic pain management has flourished over the past two decades. Clinical trials show that hypnosis is effective for reducing chronic pain, although outcomes may vary between individuals.
The findings from these clinical trials also show that hypnotic treatments have a number of positive effects beyond pain control. Neurophysiological studies reveal that hypnotic analgesia has clear effects on brain and spinal-cord functioning that differ as a function of the specific hypnotic suggestions made, providing further evidence for the specific effects of hypnosis.
The research results have important implications for how clinicians can help their clients experience maximum benefits from hypnosis and treatments that include hypnotic components."
- Mark P. Jensen and David R. Patterson, University of Washington
February - March 2014 American Psychologist
2014 American Psychological Association
"The empirical support for hypnosis for chronic pain management has flourished over the past two decades. Clinical trials show that hypnosis is effective for reducing chronic pain, although outcomes may vary between individuals.
The findings from these clinical trials also show that hypnotic treatments have a number of positive effects beyond pain control. Neurophysiological studies reveal that hypnotic analgesia has clear effects on brain and spinal-cord functioning that differ as a function of the specific hypnotic suggestions made, providing further evidence for the specific effects of hypnosis.
The research results have important implications for how clinicians can help their clients experience maximum benefits from hypnosis and treatments that include hypnotic components."
- Mark P. Jensen and David R. Patterson, University of Washington
February - March 2014 American Psychologist
2014 American Psychological Association
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
What are we saying to Ourselves?
Positive Self Talk: We all talk to ourselves. It's How we talk to ourselves that makes the difference in our Happiness and Success. See this Psychology Today Article:
The Voice of Reason
Everyone engages in self-talk. But much depends on the way we do it. Scientists now find that the right words can free us from our fears and make us as wise about ourselves as we often are about others.
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
The Basketball Experiment
Remember the experiment with the students and the basketball. Several years ago a 30-day study was performed to see the effect of mental imagery in relation to actual performance. Thirty students were divided into three groups. All were tested as to their ability to get a basketball into the net from the free throw line. Group 1 was sent home and told not to practice basketball or even think about it for the next 30 days. Group 2 was asked to come into the gym and practice shooting baskets for one hour every day for the next 30 days. Group 3 was told to mentally visualize throwing basketballs into the net for one hour a day for the same 30 days. The results were amazing. Group one as you would expect had no change in their ability to get the ball into the basket. Group two demonstrated a 24% increase in their ability to shoot balls into the basket. Group three, the mental imageries, increased their abilities by 23%!
As Napoleon Hill and others before and since have said - "Whatever the mind can conceive, the heart believe, the hand will achieve".
As Napoleon Hill and others before and since have said - "Whatever the mind can conceive, the heart believe, the hand will achieve".
Apply this to Your Sport. Hypnotherapy for Sports Performance.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Perfect Yoga Pose for Relaxation and Anti-Anxiety
Magarasana: Crocodile
The Perfect yoga pose for retraining your body to Relaxation Breathing Naturally.
Breathing normally and naturally is Very important to your level of relaxation and calmness; very important to your overall health.
When we breathe high in the chest area, we are not getting a full natural breath. Even if you breathe faster or slower, if you are breathing high in your chest (your upper chest, ribs and shoulders are moving when you breathe) you are not getting enough air. This will contribute to your stress, anxiety and fear level.
Normal Natural breath is a Diaphragmatic Breath or a Relaxation Breath, as I like to call it. This breath originates from the diaphragm muscle, which is located across the body below the lungs. When you are breathing normally your stomach area below the rib cage and above the navel will rise and fall. The Diaphragmatic Breathe originates here.
For example, when you watch a toddler running around in their diaper, you will notice that their nice round little belly is easily and freely moving in and out. You do not see their upper chest, ribs and shoulders heaving up and down, right?
This is because they haven't yet experienced any trauma or drama in their lives. Observe this phenomenon the next chance you get.
Some people have been breathing so long in a "Fight, Flight or Freeze" breathe that they have difficulty getting back to a normal breath. For those people there is a simple exercise:
The Crocodile
This is a simple Relaxing yoga pose that anyone can do.
1. First lay on your belly on the floor. Put your legs about a few feet apart. Drop your heels inward, or move your legs to what is a comfortable position for you.
2. Next put you arms in front of you, so that your upper chest is off the ground and hold onto your elbows, making a square with your arms. Rest your forehead on you top arm. Close your eyes and Relax, Breathe.
3.Notice that you feel only your legs, hips and lower abdomen on the floor.
This position provides a gentle compression to your lower stomach and abdomen that provides you with physical feedback on your diaphragmatic breathing. It helps you learn to do this correctly.
The gentle compression is very soothing and comforting. Slow and deepen your breathing.
This is a beautiful yoga pose for Self Calming and Restoring Natural Relaxed breathing. It is helpful for headache relief and calming digestion.
Strongly recommended for the treatment of Stress and Anxiety.
Amelia Hasenohrl, LPC, CHt. April 7, 2016
The Perfect yoga pose for retraining your body to Relaxation Breathing Naturally.
Breathing normally and naturally is Very important to your level of relaxation and calmness; very important to your overall health.
When we breathe high in the chest area, we are not getting a full natural breath. Even if you breathe faster or slower, if you are breathing high in your chest (your upper chest, ribs and shoulders are moving when you breathe) you are not getting enough air. This will contribute to your stress, anxiety and fear level.
Normal Natural breath is a Diaphragmatic Breath or a Relaxation Breath, as I like to call it. This breath originates from the diaphragm muscle, which is located across the body below the lungs. When you are breathing normally your stomach area below the rib cage and above the navel will rise and fall. The Diaphragmatic Breathe originates here.
For example, when you watch a toddler running around in their diaper, you will notice that their nice round little belly is easily and freely moving in and out. You do not see their upper chest, ribs and shoulders heaving up and down, right?
This is because they haven't yet experienced any trauma or drama in their lives. Observe this phenomenon the next chance you get.
Some people have been breathing so long in a "Fight, Flight or Freeze" breathe that they have difficulty getting back to a normal breath. For those people there is a simple exercise:
The Crocodile
This is a simple Relaxing yoga pose that anyone can do.
1. First lay on your belly on the floor. Put your legs about a few feet apart. Drop your heels inward, or move your legs to what is a comfortable position for you.
2. Next put you arms in front of you, so that your upper chest is off the ground and hold onto your elbows, making a square with your arms. Rest your forehead on you top arm. Close your eyes and Relax, Breathe.
3.Notice that you feel only your legs, hips and lower abdomen on the floor.
This position provides a gentle compression to your lower stomach and abdomen that provides you with physical feedback on your diaphragmatic breathing. It helps you learn to do this correctly.
The gentle compression is very soothing and comforting. Slow and deepen your breathing.
This is a beautiful yoga pose for Self Calming and Restoring Natural Relaxed breathing. It is helpful for headache relief and calming digestion.
Strongly recommended for the treatment of Stress and Anxiety.
Amelia Hasenohrl, LPC, CHt. April 7, 2016
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Stop Smoking this Year Be a Nonsmoker
You have wanted to Be a NoNsmoker. You may have tried all of the gums, prescriptions, patches, e-cigs, etc. that are out there, but they didn't help.
You are the kind of person that Hypnosis Can help. Many of my patients have tried these alternatives and not been successful, only to find success was easy and pleasant with hypnosis.
My program is 4 sessions, an initial 1.5 hour session to start and then 3 - 1 hour follow up sessions. I have a 92% success rate for patients completing the 4 sessions. You will be supported. You will feel comfortable and relaxed, urges for cigarettes will melt away. Weight gain is unnecessary with hypnosis.
Breathe Easy. Be a Successful NoNsmoker Now.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
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