Month: March 2018

Don’t Leave Them Behind

 

You Can Overcome Past Trauma

Posttraumatic stress disorder, also called PTSD, was first thought of as a mental illness caused by wartime experiences. Yet, PTSD impacts thousands of people who have never been in combat. Posttraumatic stress disorder is the body’s enduring physical and emotional response to extreme stress. That stress can be triggered by life-threatening or extremely difficult events—either a single incident, such as a car accident or sexual assault, or chronic trauma, such as battle, abuse, or chaotic relationships.

Following a trauma, you may want to withdraw from others, but isolation only makes things worse. Connecting to others face to face will help you heal, so make an effort to maintain your relationships and avoid spending too much time alone.

You don’t have to talk about the trauma. Connecting with others doesn’t have to involve talking about the trauma. In fact, for some people, that can just make things worse. Comfort comes from feeling engaged and accepted by others.

Ask for support. While you don’t have to talk about the trauma itself, it is important that you have someone to share your feelings with face to face, someone who will listen attentively without judging you. Turn to a trusted family member, friend, counselor, or clergyman.

Participate in social activities, even if you don’t feel like it. Do “normal” activities with other people, activities that have nothing to do with the traumatic experience.

Reconnect with old friends. If you’ve retreated from relationships that were once important to you, make the effort to reconnect.

Source:  helpguide.org©

Career Focus

 I have worked with leaders who are too paranoid about the results that they don’t care about relationships and the ones who are so internally focused that they miss the beat of the market. 

Leadership in a complex world requires leaders to have a more holistic focus on these needs.   First, their own needs (and values). Then, the needs of the others (stakeholders, customers, employees). And finally, the needs of the context that they operate in (trends, future outlook, changing market needs, tech disruptions etc.)

Leaders need to cultivate their awareness at three levels and what they can do to improve upon these three areas of focus. This is timeless advice for leaders and learners who really want to create an impact through their work.

Here is the sketch note version I created to capture the essence.

 

Source: TANMAY VORA

Related:  The Career Planning Process – TUTORING YOU

Seriously Still Alive

How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive?

2.7 million, the estimated number of veterans who actually served in Vietnam, rather than at home or in some other theater. This made it appear that nearly one-third of those veterans were dead in 2000 and that they were dying at a rate of almost 400 a day. That would have meant more than 100,000 deaths a year, or nearly two million between 2000 and 2015 — a path to near-total disappearance.

But I remain…

PTSD Survivor

Who is a PTSD Survivor

Symptoms of PTSD in Survivors

PTSD symptoms typically fall into four categories:
  • Intrusive memories: flashbacks, nightmares, or distressing recollections of the trauma
  • Avoidance: evading reminders, places, or conversations related to the trauma
  • Negative changes in cognition and mood: hopelessness, low self-worth, emotional numbness
  • Changes in arousal and reactivity: hypervigilance, irritability, sleep disturbances, or exaggerated startle responses 
     
    Survivors may also experience emotional swings, difficulty maintaining relationships, and challenges in professional or social settings

 

 

Sniff sniff. I love this

 

Post-Traumatic Growth

Many PTSD survivors experience post-traumatic growth, developing deeper self-awareness, stronger relationships, renewed purpose, and resilience. 
 
This growth coexists with ongoing challenges, highlighting the survivor’s capacity to transform trauma into personal strength.
 
Here is an article that can help one cope with PTSD.
 

PTSD Survivor

 

Trauma impacts everyone in a different way. Post-traumatic stress disorder is not an indication of how “strong” or “weak” you are. It’s simply a reflection of your natural attempts to process what’s going on. This condition forms when a traumatic event, such as abuse, violence or a disaster, overwhelms your ability to manage it — and that capacity is different for everyone. Even seemingly less significant events can have a profound and painful impact on you.

PTSD often co-occurs with addiction and other mental health disorders. This condition can also lead to addiction, as trauma sufferers sometimes use alcohol and other substances to self-soothe painful symptoms and emotions.

Get help today!

 

RELATED:  Coping with PTSD Symptoms – TUTORING YOU

Words to use more often

Here are 15 words to learn and use more often.  These words will expand your vocabulary and improve your communication skills.

Adept

When used as an adjective, “adept” means very skilled or expert.

Example: He is an adept Accounting student.

As a noun, “adept” refers to a person who is skilled or expert at something.

Example: He is adept at accounting.

Articulate

As an adjective, “articulate” refers to a person who can speak clearly and effectively.

Example: The articulate presenters at the IncubatorCTX Speaker Series provide attendees with valuable insights.

As a verb, it refers to the act of expressing an idea or feeling with clarity.

Example: The student was able to articulate her findings in the essay.

Candor

“Candor” is a noun that refers to honesty, being truthful and sincere.

Example: I appreciate my professor’s candor regarding my paper. Now I know the areas in which I can improve.

Conducive

The word “conducive” is an adjective that means to help make an outcome possible.

Example: Concordia’s small class sizes are conducive to class discussions.

Deference

“Deference” is a noun that means respectful submission to or courteous regard for another person.

Example: Children, regardless of age, should treat their father and mother with deference.

Egregious

“Egregious” is an adjective that means extremely bad, horrifying or appalling.

Example: In history class, we studied the egregious acts of dictators who gained power in socialist and communist countries.

Entail

As a verb, “entail” means to involve something necessary or require.

Example: Successful completion of the degree entails coursework, exams and presentations.

Facilitate

“Facilitate” is a verb that means to make something easier.

Example: The professor’s real-world examples facilitate my comprehension of core business principles.

Gist

“Gist” is a noun that refers to the essential meaning of speech or text.

Example: Her executive summary helps readers understand the gist of the report.

Knack

“Knack” is a noun that refers to a special skill an individual possesses that is difficult to teach.

Example: He has a knack for helping others understand complex business principles.

Novel

When used as an adjective, “novel” means new and innovative.

Example: Concordia’s outdoor classrooms offer a novel approach to learning.

Obsolete

“Obsolete” is an adjective that describes something that is no longer produced or used.

Example: DVDs are quickly becoming obsolete; streaming is now the new standard for watching movies and television shows.

Paramount

As an adjective, “paramount” means more important than anything else or chief in importance.

Example: The paramount goal of every student is to earn a degree.

Reinforce

The verb “reinforce” means to strengthen and add support.

Example: The survey reinforced the conclusion that more students are choosing to take classes online.

Tremendous

The adjective “tremendous” means extraordinary in size, amount, intensity or excellence.

Example: They spent tremendous time studying for the final.

 

Source:  concordia.edu©

English Literacy Pronoun Chart

 

 

A Pronoun Chart with Examples in English is a visual or tabular guide that categorizes pronouns based on their types, such as personal, possessive, reflexive, demonstrative, and relative pronouns. It shows how pronouns replace nouns in sentences to avoid repetition. Each pronoun is listed with an example sentence, helping learners understand usage and improve clarity, fluency, and grammatical accuracy in English communication.

 

365 Questions for a Better You

 

365 Questions–December edition

 

335. Do you greet strangers?
336. What are the characteristics of a true friend?
337. Are you into vintage style?
338. Name a place you felt home from day 1?
339. Have you ever had a pleasant surprise?
340. What have you been procrastinating lately?
341. What’s the hardest aspect of planning in your opinion?
342. What’s your favorite kind of music?
343. Your number one worry these days.
344. What are your plans for the next year?
345. How do you feel about the current obstacles you’re facing now?
346. What needs to happen this month to make it an amazing year?
347. Name 3 areas in your life you improved this year.
348. What good habits did you develop this year?
349. Favorite book you read this year.
350. One unforgettable moment of this year.
351. How would describe your progress toward your Dreams?
352. What will your focus be on the next 12 months?
353. What do you need to do to leave your comfort zone?
354. Your favorite movie this year.
355. How much did you grow as a person this year?
356. The most rewarding moment of the year?
357. What was your most productive month?
358. Name 5 success you had the past 12 months.
359. Use one word to describe how you feel about yourself today.
360. The biggest lesson you learned this year.
361. What do you want to achieve next year?
362. What will your motto be for the following year?
363. What’s your word for the next year?
364. What are you willing to do have an amazing next year?
365. How did you like 365 Questions For A Better You?

Medications for PTSD, Explained

Sometimes, meds are the only way to go.

 

The symptoms of PTSD can affect every area of your life. The good news is that there are treatment options that can help. While psychotherapy, sometimes called “counseling”, has been shown to be the most effective treatment for PTSD, certain medications have also been proven to help decrease many of the core symptoms.

Is Medication Right for Me?

Medication may be a good choice if you don’t want to try talk therapy now or if you can’t fit weekly therapy appointments into your life. Some people find that taking certain medication for PTSD while they are in therapy makes the process easier. Talk to your health care provider about which medications are right for you.

What Medications Work Best?

Recommended medications for PTSD are called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) or Selective Norepinephrine/Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs). They are both types of antidepressant medicine. These can help you feel less sad, worried, and improve your overall functioning. SSRIs include sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil) or fluoxetine (such as Prozac), and the SNRI venlafaxine (Effexor).

Do I Need to be Cautious about Certain Medications?

Some doctors have prescribed medications known as benzodiazepines for patients with PTSD to help with symptoms such as anxiety or insomnia. These medications may be known as Valium, Xanax, Klonopin or Ativan.

Benzodiazepines may help these symptoms in the short term, but we now know that they do not improve the overall symptoms of PTSD. Their helpful effects do not last and they come with possible safety concerns.

Atypical antipsychotics are another class of medication occasionally used for symptoms of PTSD. They also can have concerning side effects and are not typically recommended to treat PTSD.

What Medications Can I Take to Improve my Insomnia or Anxiety?

The first-line medication recommendations for PTSD, the antidepressants, are effective in treating your anxiety and insomnia symptoms. You also can benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy. Talk to your provider about safer, more effective treatment options.

Prazosin is a medication that works by decreasing the adrenaline produced by your body when you are stressed and has been shown to help some Veterans with trauma-related nightmares. Ask your health care provider if it may be right for you.