Mindful Monkey.

Alcohol Awareness

Mixed messages on Alcohol Consumption

Here is question to consider; what happens to alcohol (and drug) use in a time of recession?

When I used to work for the community drug team in Leicester the focus was very much on illicit drugs, and alcohol problems appeared to have a more low key profile.  A recent article in the Guardian newspaper (“How Britain fell out of love with drugs”, G2 Thursday 24.2.11, by Leo Benedictus) points to a decline in the use of illicit drugs. At the same time a lot more attention is being placed on alcohol consumption in Britain. There was another article which was also widely reported in the press and BBC. A study published in the Lancet (21 February 2011) suggests that up to 250,000 more people than expected may die in England and Wales over the next 20 years due to harms done by alcohol. They point to a doubling of deaths from Liver disease since 1986. Also 1 in 4 people are drinking above what is considered safe levels.

Hence while there is some evidence that, overall, there may have been a slight decline in alcohol consumption, there are many who are drinking more than ever. One statistic above others caught my eye: There are 171 Countries around the world where alcohol consumption is lower than in Britain. How many people know the number of units of alcohol they consume in a week? It may be that fewer people are going to bars to drink, but what about the cheap availability of alcohol in shops that leads to drinking at home? Similarly, harms from problematic drug use are very much with us.

While the politicians and academics discuss the availability and minimum costs of alcohol, much can be done by workers in a variety of settings to help people who may be drinking in a hazardous or harmful way. Anyone working in the addictions field will know that just telling people how something is not good for them does not seem particularly effective. Effective training for staff can highlight how there is far more to alcohol problems than dependant drinking or alcoholism. Good information and an effective way of putting across that information can make a real difference. Ideas borrowed from the field of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing can provide practical skills. There is also good evidence that brief interventions can help people. I am providing training on Alcohol Awareness in Nottingham for those who may be interested in finding out more.

Getting things done in difficult times

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When the pressure is on we can be forgiven for rushing around in our desire to get things done. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be effective, the intention is good. However, the problem is our mind can end up seeing this as a fight or flight emergency. Again, the intention is positive and good, to protect and keep us safe. If there is a tiger chasing us we do need the fight or flight. Our minds can just as easily perceive a psychological threat such as dealing with difficult phone calls, traffic and work deadlines as a fight or flight emergency. But is that so? In these situations the triggering of fight or flight can shut down higher functions of the brain, just when we really need them most. In this state we end up reducing our ability to problem solve, consider options and to bring out our best, most creative efforts. It is not that there is anything wrong here. Fight or flight is important when we need to rush, to protect ourselves. In tough times, however, we need our creative ingenuity, our ability to weigh up options and to make good decisions. So what if we were to consider how many of the situations we face in the modern world are flight or fight emergencies or situations that require a more subtle and complex response (rather than an automatic reaction)?

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What can the placebo effect tell us about the mind-body connection?

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No one knows exactly how the placebo effect works! The more one considers this fascinating phenomenon, the more intriguing it becomes.

We know that if someone is given a tablet that has no active chemical in it but believes it to be an active substance, a certain number of people show a response (as if it were an active substance).  So a sugar pill can in effect work as an analgesic if the person taking it were to believe it is a pain killer. What is now even more puzzling is the efficacy of the placebo is further enhanced by a number of factors such as:

  • The colour of a tablet
  • The size
  • Two are better than one
  • The price (the more expensive, the more effective it is)
  • The trust and quality of relationship with the prescriber
  • If given as an injection (placebo here being just sterilised water for injections) rather than a tablet taken orally…

It would appear healing is more complicated than we thought. Of course there will be times when we need conventional medical interventions. In many situations, however, wouldn’t it be useful if we were to believe we are getting better, and then be on the way to being healed? This could have so many important implications for our day to day well-being. There are a number of chronic conditions around that could be helped. Think of psoriasis & eczema, IBS, insomnia or many other problems. If psychology and our mind can play a part in recovery and well-being then perhaps we should use it more often.

I leave you with this thought: What if stress, worry and striving are not nearly as effective in terms of getting things done as being in a flow state? Mindfulness, Guided Imagery and Relaxation skills may all help.  When calm you get things done even better; and you may well enjoy the process of getting things done. In difficult times is this an idea more important than ever?

Mindfulness & Therapeutic Change

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The concept of mindfulness is deceptively simple. Attempts at describing or explaining mindfulness cannot do the subject justice. Often it really comes down to actively engaging in rather than passively reading or hearing about the ideas. It is not a new concept. It is, however, showing great promise as a way of helping people deal better with the way they feel. It has emerged from ancient Eastern Philosophical traditions. It has also been on the margins of Western “Positive Psychology” for some time. The resurgence of these ideas may have much to owe the recent transformation in “Psychological Therapies”. Emerging out of and working alongside Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness Based Approaches can be used in many ways to help people deal with a range of psychological and physical difficulties. (more…)

Mindfulness for Everyone

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Mindfulness/ Meditation: should be available on prescription was a headline which caught my eye (Tuesday 5.1.10 The Guardian). Meditation is a term which brings to mind Eastern religious images. It is a deceptively simple concept. Often in my trainings and therapy I start explaining it in words, then at some point say

“Oh just let me show you what I mean, sit comfortably, with your eyes open or closed…”

In the mindfulness sessions I started to run in Leicester, I noticed a wide variety of people attending, from social workers, nurses, lecturers to students form the local University. At times I would finish work, feeling exhausted, I would drag myself to deliver the session. Then something wonderful would happen. After a 40 minute session I would experience a sense of well-being (I hope the participants did too). There would be an opportunity to speak to some of the participants who wanted to share ideas and ask questions. By the time I made my way home I felt energised, refreshed and in a great mood.

Some people who have recovered from depression and anxiety worry about possible relapse of their problems. Research is showing Mindfulness based therapies can help prevent relapse. People learn skills to use themselves in times of pressure or when working too hard.

So what is it? (more…)

News, Economics and Well-Being

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Just a glimpse of unexpected economic news emerged in January 2010. Few could have predicted what appears to be a small reduction in unemployment!

This got me thinking about two recent articles in the press relating to getting people back to work. The first one looked at making Cognitive Behavioural Therapy more widely available, in job centres for example. Lord Layard has been involved in a Government initiative to increase the availability of ‘talking treatments’ for people who could benefit from psychological therapies for problems for a range of issues. (more…)

The thing you are looking for is already within you

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A good few years ago someone said to me that ‘ the things you are looking for are already within you, just look inside’. I didn’t really understand the significance of this sagely sounding advice at the time but have since come to realise just how many levels it works on. For example, next time you have misplaced something and are getting wound up looking for it but not getting anywhere, try this: Just stop, sit down take a slow breath, relax and wait ‘without attachment’. Soon an image or sense of where to find the thing will appear. The more you let go and relax the sooner it will happen. This is a skill and gets better with practice. I have lost count of how many times I have ended up smiling when I could have been stressed or anxious or frustrated.

Simply yellow…

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Turmeric (Curcuma Longa)

The advice around what constitutes ‘healthy eating’ can seem confusing and contradictory. However, there is one humble spice that has popped up in media from time to time. Turmeric (which contains the active ingredient curcumin) is often found in curries, giving the food its distinctive yellow colour. It is also available as a food supplement. In a recent study by Dr Lesley Walker and Cancer Research UK (BBC 28.10.09) is has shown to have anti cancer properties. It may also have an anti inflammatory effect. If you want to watch out for high levels of fat and salt, often present in restaurants and take away food, then you could add a small amount to your cooking.

Can Economics be Exciting?

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In October 2009 the Nobel Prize for economics went to a woman for the first time. What is another departure from the norm is that her work has gone beyond the established boundaries of what economics “should” be about. The “Co-operation theory” put forward by Elinor Ostrom is both refreshing and optimistic as it considers what economic wisdom could be. She has studied what happens when groups in society, from the family to community level manage resources (water, fish, land and forests, for example). Through co-operating, the research showed the results were surprisingly good. This approach side steps the conventional choice of either the central Government regulating things on our behalf or the free market being allowed to run wild.

She argues that while International agreements are a good start, we need not wait for experts/geniuses to solve problems such as managing the environment in a sustainable fashion. Co-operative steps taken by groups may have, cumulatively, a huge effect.

This idea of a new economics is finding allies in unexpected places. Consider the New Economics Foundation and the Happy Planet Index asking if competitive economic growth, for its own sake, has really brought people as much satisfaction and prosperity as we thought. How about faith based environmental groups adding a spiritual dimension through “Operation Noah”? Maybe economics is no longer a distant, mysterious force. As more and more people get a glimpse of another way of doing life and business, based on a spirit of co-operation, why would anyone settle for anything less?

Why Love Matters

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This was a book title I saw while browsing in my local bookshop. It seemed to echo what I felt as my core value, so of course I brought it home to read. It might also have something to do with the fact that I had just become a dad and my little baby boy Ethan was teaching me some important things about these sorts of things. It strikes me that Love creates the world.

In the first few years of life, food, water, air, shelter enable us to grow, our bodies are made of these things. Yet who we are is literally made of Love. Simple as that, and when we feel a lack it is really because we are trying to make up for something in these early years. Over all these years of working with people, whether in addiction or with other issues, it seems to boil down to this: Love matters, because we are as people made of the love we have received. Our society seems obsessed with buying things, or consuming things when the space in us can only be filled by…

Why We Created This Space

Over the years we came across lots of people who resonated with some of our ideas. So we decided to find a way to continue our dialogue.

A growing community of people have been coming to the same conclusions: That having more ‘things’ does not correlate well with fulfilment. Instead mindful living, positive relationships and being involved in activities that contribute to the well-being of others seem to help us feel better about ourselves and the world.

This seems to be pointing to something essential. Wellbeing stems from our connection with ourselves, other people and the natural world. We want to be one small voice that adds to this discussion. Mindful-monkey is a space to find ideas and resources, so stay in touch by subscribing to our newsletter or by 'liking' our Facebook page below. Read more about us.

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