Gosia Leitch’s Post

Stress shortened telomeres speeding up cellular aging;stress hormones increase oxidation stress, damaging cells moreover chronic stress triggered inflammation linked with age related disease.The hormonal imbalance caused by stress further complicates matter affecting metabolism immune function and other process essential for maintaining healthy. sleep quality is also impacted by stress with chronic stress disturbing sleep patterns linked with poor sleep or insomnia. Furthermore stress can have profound psychological effects contributing to conditions like depression and anxiety which exacerbate its physiological impact on again managing stress through techniques such as social support mindfulness practice and relaxation methods.

It doesn’t just affect how you look (not a priority in my view), it actually shortens your life expectancy! Lengthy exposure to stress hormones shortens telomeres, the physical indicators of how long we’re likely to live. Let’s be clear, health is a whole organism thing. Eating healthily and exercising enough can not stop stress related damage. Your mental landscape matters to your physical health and longevity. What can you do to support your whole being to better health and self-care right now?

📍 Why Stress Could Make You Age Faster KEY POINTS ▪ Folk wisdom suggesting that stress speeds up aging is increasingly supported by research. ▪ Stress and trauma can create a cascade of biological aging and mental health difficulties. ▪ Existing studies suggest that stressors alter the genetic material, which in turns changes the brain. ▪ Treatment and prevention efforts could help on two levels as they address both aging and psychiatric illness. Excerpt: Folk wisdom tells us that major stresses can speed up the aging process, causing someone who has had a hard life to look older than their years. People often attribute going gray or losing their hair to a difficult job or stressful relationship; pictures of presidents before and after their terms in office tend to underscore that stress and aging go hand in hand. Biological Markers Link Mental Health to Aging There is now much research evidence to back up these impressions, according to a new article in the leading mental health journal JAMA Psychiatry. The author of the study, psychiatrist and research scientist Dr. Anthony Zannas, notes that various biological measures are linked to stress and mental illness. Many of these measures are epigenetic variables such as telomere length and DNA methylation that affect how genes are expressed rather than the genetic sequence itself. These measures are tied to lifespan, health span (the amount of life spent in good health), as well as age-related diseases. But it turns out that the causal arrow between biological age and mental health runs in both directions, such that biological aging can influence mental health. Other research has found that markers of aging significantly predict whether a person will develop PTSD after a trauma; those with the greatest signs of aging were 44 percent more likely to have PTSD at follow-up than those with the least signs of aging. Similar results have been found for anxiety and depression, with markers of aging at baseline predicting depression and anxiety over the following 8 to 9 years. It's not known exactly how psychological stress and trauma are translated into wear and tear on the body and signs of aging. Zannas hypothesizes that "persistently elevated neuroendocrine effectors," such as the stress hormone cortisol, can damage susceptible parts of the genetic material and other biological structures. These genomic effects may then lead to changes in brain structure, such as: ▪ shrinking of the emotion and memory areas deep in the brain ▪ thinning of higher-level cortical areas, such as prefrontal regions ▪ small-vessel disease within the brain Alterations in these brain regions would then predispose a person to psychiatric illness. Read ➡ https://lnkd.in/ezBKsGdU #trauma #stress #ageing #PTSD #mentalhealth

Between B and D there is C. In other words, there is a Choice between Birth and Death. Experience is the outcome of choosing. If you choose a challenge, you'll experience a challenge. If you choose fear, you'll experience fear. We live our lives making as many choices as a feather every day. Like studying today and giving up, growing and neglecting yourself, being considerate and disrespectful of others, cherishing and doing things carelessly, cutting off addiction and falling into addiction, understanding and hating family, solidarity with others and being isolated alone and so on, our life is a series of choices, and those moments of choice build up to determine the direction of life. From "Objective and scientific study methods (Lee, Ji-seong &In, Hyun-jin)"

How does one find meaning and purpose in their life? Austrian psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl was a prisoner of the Nazi concentration camps during World War 2. He made a vow to survive the holocaust so that he could go on to teach the lessons he learned about himself and about human nature while enduring some of the most hellish conditions in recorded history. Dr. Frankl would go on to author the book 'Man's Search for Meaning', and founded logostherapy, which is a form of psychotherapy that emphasises the search for life's meaning to be a central part of human motivation. Frankl would closely observe people's behaviour while in the concentration camps. People were subject to some of the most cruellest forms of torture and abuse, and Dr. Frankl found that those who checked out and gave up quickly deteriorated. However, he found that those who attributed meaning to their situation had the best chances of survival. We can say that the idea of 'God' is a vehicle people use to attribute meaning to hard situations in their lives. You hear people say, "I'm here as part of God's plan" - they are using their belief in God as a means to finding some sort of meaning from their situation. The human mind is a meaning searching machine. You're always looking to find the meaning behind things, people, stories and events; and according to the groundbreaking work of Dr. Frankl, attributing meaning to difficult life circumstances is healthy and advantageous. Therefore, to find meaning and purpose in your life, look inward. What are your deepest struggles? What do they mean? How might you be able to learn from them? How can you use your lessons to enhance your own life and the life of those around you? Are these challenges here to prepare you to be a better employee, a better spouse, a better parent? - this is your purpose.

I’m currently doing research for a project and I'm looking to interview 25 - 50 year old humans who are warm, humorous, imaginative, nature-loving, drawn to spirituality, with an amazing strength of character and empathic - can put themselves into anybody's shoes with extreme ease, go from the pivotal point where change becomes not just a desire but a necessary lifeline from the depths of emotional despair and self-doubt. If you are emotionally drained, showing serious signs of depression, and shut down. Daily routine is on autopilot or non-existent and you are on a constant high alert. Relationships are kept to such a superficial level, intimacy is nonexistent. You're not able to look in the mirror and not experience complete overwhelm. Your energy levels are very low or gone completely. You struggle with groups/large events. You feel a deep need, a longing for more, for better, for something different. Society is showing Its face and you're feeling bamboozled, confused, are questioning everything and c Continue to easily lose yourself in the suffering of others, and want to be able to Prioritize authenticity over perfection, Deepen spiritual connections; Establish healthy boundaries; Embrace life-long learning; Stay grateful; Maintain and experiences fulfilling relationships; Practice holistic wellbeing; Enjoy continued sense of peace; Learn to play, again; Love & accept their skin suit; Spend more time in and find solstice in nature; Heal generational trauma and inner child trauma; Respect diversity; Learn to be present and acquire a metaphorical toolbox so that you can live gracefully, without guilt and experience joy in everyday life. It would mean so much to me if we could chat for 15/20 minutes, as I would like to know what topics are of importance to you. If you are open to it, please use this link to book a call with me: https://lnkd.in/gB-SMPG6. In exchange for your time, I would be happy to answer any relationship or sex ed questions that you have for me. Chat soon, Skyy. ❤️🎶🌴

Very good article. Now I can understand better the similarities between IFS and TA.

Hope is a powerful force able to help us get through the hardest times in life. Hope is a cornerstone of resilience. But it’s important to point out that hope requires us to act in ways that bring about the better days we hope for. My latest “Stonewall Strong” blog for Psychology Today: https://lnkd.in/ejUTi8AS

Discover the invisible wounds of childhood adversity and how individuals can overcome them. Learn more in our latest blog post about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their lasting effects. https://sbhc.tech/3wiZcQc

Client: My mom begged my dad to stay, but he left anyway. I've always tried to be what men want, hoping I wouldn't have to beg them to stick around like my mom. Yet, no matter how hard I try, I still end up begging for them to stay, only to watch them walk away in the end. Me: Childhood experiences can deeply impact how we view ourselves and relationships. Traumatic events in the past may have led you to believe that you need to please others to be loved. This can make it hard to demand respect and love for who you are. Our therapeutic goal: By understanding and addressing these past hurts, we can boost our confidence and self-assurance, recognizing our own worth and pursuing what truly best us. This process sets the stage for forming relationships with those who genuinely respect and appreciate us for being our authentic selves. Note to self: I forgive myself for trying so hard for so long to prove my worth to someone who fails to see it. READ AGAIN. ~ Dr Jasmine www.hthpsychotherapy.com