At the end of March I'm going to Kenya for 2 weeks to help build a rescue center for young girls escaping forced marriage and female circumcision. To raise money to support the project I'm doing a bungee jump at the London O2 Arena on Saturday 23rd March. I'd really appreciate any donations, just follow the link below - thank you!
Fundraiser profile page - BT MyDonate
Monday, 11 March 2013
Saturday, 17 November 2012
Difference between Normal and Abnormal Anxiety
What is the difference between normal and abnormal anxiety?
Anxiety often causes feelings of tension or uneasiness and stems from the apprehension of danger. Anxiety is an emotion and like all emotions it can be experienced at varying degrees of intensity. One definition of an emotion is "A mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by psychological changes" (www.thefreedictionary.com).
At the right level, anxiety is normal and can help you to perform well, although it can become a problem if it is experienced too often, for too long, or at the high end of the intensity range. For example, experiencing panicky feelings or anxiety before giving a speech or taking an exam is a completely normal emotion, however, abnormal anxiety interferes with everyday life and may cause you to avoid certain situations because you are too worried about them. For instance, I used to try and avoid any quiet settings as I used to feel severe levels of anxiety and panic. It really affected me in school during lessons and it controlled my decisions about which subjects to take at A-level. This is clearly abnormal anxiety as there should be nothing worrying or dangerous about quiet places!
Anxiety can cause bodily sensations such as an increase in heart rate, faster breathing, sweating, dizziness, chest pains, nausea, hot flushes and many others. Anxiety can cause you to overestimate the risk of danger and underestimate your ability to cope and this can make your symptoms worse, but always remember that however extreme they may feel they can't harm you.
Anxiety disorders have been shown to best respond to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). It focuses on what people think, how these thoughts effect them emotionally, and how they ultimately behave. If you think you are suffering from abnormal anxiety go and see your GP, and also, why not try some CBT techniques? For example take a look at the STOPP worksheet that I posted about back in February.
Anxiety often causes feelings of tension or uneasiness and stems from the apprehension of danger. Anxiety is an emotion and like all emotions it can be experienced at varying degrees of intensity. One definition of an emotion is "A mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by psychological changes" (www.thefreedictionary.com).
At the right level, anxiety is normal and can help you to perform well, although it can become a problem if it is experienced too often, for too long, or at the high end of the intensity range. For example, experiencing panicky feelings or anxiety before giving a speech or taking an exam is a completely normal emotion, however, abnormal anxiety interferes with everyday life and may cause you to avoid certain situations because you are too worried about them. For instance, I used to try and avoid any quiet settings as I used to feel severe levels of anxiety and panic. It really affected me in school during lessons and it controlled my decisions about which subjects to take at A-level. This is clearly abnormal anxiety as there should be nothing worrying or dangerous about quiet places!
Anxiety can cause bodily sensations such as an increase in heart rate, faster breathing, sweating, dizziness, chest pains, nausea, hot flushes and many others. Anxiety can cause you to overestimate the risk of danger and underestimate your ability to cope and this can make your symptoms worse, but always remember that however extreme they may feel they can't harm you.
Anxiety disorders have been shown to best respond to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). It focuses on what people think, how these thoughts effect them emotionally, and how they ultimately behave. If you think you are suffering from abnormal anxiety go and see your GP, and also, why not try some CBT techniques? For example take a look at the STOPP worksheet that I posted about back in February.
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Thought Record Sheet
The Thought Record Sheet is a self-help sheet that is often used in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. The aim of the exercise is to become aware of how we think and the thoughts that may trouble us. Normally, therapists ask their clients to record their thoughts for two weeks, however, the longer you do it for, the better.
In columns 4 and 5 you are asked to look for evidence to support the negative thoughts that you have written in column 3. Ask yourself: "Did I find some evidence? Was it available easily? Did I find any evidence that was not supporting my thought?" These columns are very important and will help you to evaluate whether the thought was actually rational or not.
If you find it difficult to record your thoughts during the day, then keep it beside your bed and fill it out before you go to sleep at night. Try to complete three troublesome thoughts that you have had during the day, and think about how you felt at the time of having each thought. Look back on it, and consider what you are thinking about it now. Hopefully you will be able to complete the sixth column and give an alternative, more positive response.
Even if you don't think you have that many negative thoughts throughout the day, it is still a good idea to give this a go - you may be surprised at what you find!
In columns 4 and 5 you are asked to look for evidence to support the negative thoughts that you have written in column 3. Ask yourself: "Did I find some evidence? Was it available easily? Did I find any evidence that was not supporting my thought?" These columns are very important and will help you to evaluate whether the thought was actually rational or not.
If you find it difficult to record your thoughts during the day, then keep it beside your bed and fill it out before you go to sleep at night. Try to complete three troublesome thoughts that you have had during the day, and think about how you felt at the time of having each thought. Look back on it, and consider what you are thinking about it now. Hopefully you will be able to complete the sixth column and give an alternative, more positive response.
Even if you don't think you have that many negative thoughts throughout the day, it is still a good idea to give this a go - you may be surprised at what you find!
Friday, 2 March 2012
Right Brain vs Left Brain Test!
Take this test to find out if you are right brained or left brained. At the end it gives very detailed information about your results and breaks them down into percentages for each characteristic. Really good if you want to find out more about yourself and how your brain processes information. It may even help you to find the best ways to study or learn things!
CLICK HERE to take the test!
CLICK HERE to take the test!
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Monday, 20 February 2012
Psychometric Testing: How Content Are You?
The British Psychological Society defines a psychometric test as: "an instrument designed to produce a quantitive assessment of some psychological attribute or attributes". The word "psychometric" can be split into two parts: "psycho" meaning mind, and "metric" meaning measure.
Psychometric tests are basically tools for measuring the mind and they have existed since the nineteenth century, although attempts to measure he differences between the psychological characteristics of individuals can be traced back to Hippocrates at around 400BC, who attempted to define four basic temperament types as optimistic, depressed, irritable and sluggish.
These days, psychometric tests are sometimes used by employers as part of the selection process, because they believe that such tests assist them in providing an accurate assessment of whether an individual is able to do the required job and whether the person's character is suited to the work.
How content are you? Take this personality test to find out how content you really are! (Taken from the book "More Psychometric Testing" by Philip Carter and Ken Russell).
1. Do you ever vent your own frustrations on other people?
a) occasionally
b) rarely or never
c) more than occasionally
2. How often do you wish that you were someone else?
a) not often, but occasionally I have thought that some people are luckier than me to be who they are
b) it is something I have never seriously wished on myself
c) I have more than occasionally wished that I was someone else
3. Do yo feel that yo were born under a lucky star?
a) perhaps I have had sightly more than my share of luck in life
b) most definitely
c) no way
4. Do you ever feel you are stuck in a rut?
a) yes, from time to time
b) rarely or never
c) yes, I often feel frustrated that I am stuck in a rut
5. Do you feel that opportunities keep passing you by?
a) sometimes
b) rarely
c) never
6. If you could swap your lifestyle for a year, would you?
a) maybe in certain circumstances
b) I don't believe I ever would
c) yes, I would relish the opportunity
7. Do you envy the rich and famous?
a) occasionally
b) rarely or never
c) more than occasionally
8. Do you enjoy your job/school/college?
a) mostly, but not always
b) yes
c) generally, no
9. Do you often long for exotic holidays just to get away from it all?
a) yes, occasionally
b) holidays might be nice, but they are not a necessity in my life
c) yes, often
10. Would you ever consider plastic surgery to improve your appearance?
a) perhaps
b) no
c) yes
11. Do you feel that you make the most of your leisure time?
a) perhaps I do not have as many leisure activities as I would like
b) yes
c) no, because I do not have time for leisure activities
12. Do you get a good nights sleep?
a) I try to, but do not always succeed
b) yes
c) not usually
13. Are you envious of other people's possessions?
a) occasionally
b) rarely or never
c) more than occasionally
14. Do things ever weigh on your conscience?
a) yes, perhaps sometimes they do
b) rarely or never
c) yes, I am a worrier in that respect
15. How do you see the future?
a) with a certain degree of apprehension
b) hopefully things will carry on as they are now
c) I hope that the future will be much better than the past and the present
16. Do you ever feel you have an inferiority complex? (a feeling that you are inferior to others in some ways).
a) maybe, on occasions
b) no
c) yes
17. Which of the following words do you think best sums you up?
a) balanced
b) satisfied
c) restless
18. Have you realised some of your ambitions so far in life?
a) most of them
b) I cannot think of any particular ambitions at the moment that need to be fulfilled
c) not at all
19. Do you feel that you have a loving and stable family life?
a) yes, on balance
b) without a doubt
c) not really
20. Do you have a light-hearted approach to life?
a) yes, with most things. However, some things are too serious to be taken light-heartedly
b) I do try to adopt a light-hearted approach to life in general
c) I would not describe myself as a light-hearted person
21. Are you getting the most out of life?
a) hopefully
b) I believe that I am
c) I do not believe that I am
22. How easy is it for you to sit back and relax?
a) sometimes it is more difficult than at other times
b) easily
c) not at all easy
23. How often do you feel frustrated about wanting to do more?
a) sometimes
b) rarely or never
c) almost a the time
24. If you were to step back and take a look at your life, which of the following would be most applicable?
a) reasonably satisfied but still feeling that I could achieve much more
b) I would count my blessings that I have had more ups than downs in my life
c) I would feel somewhat angry with myself that I have not made more of my life
25. Do you often feel pleased with yourself?
a) occasionally
b) more than occasionally
c) rarely or never
Assessment:
Award yourself 1 point for every 'a' answer, 2 points for every 'b', and 0 points for every 'c'.
40-50 points
One definition of being content is satisfaction with the way things are.
Your score indicates that you are content with your life. Therefore, you are likely to have happiness and inner peace. It is this happiness which rubs off on those around you, especially your immediate family.
Even if contentment in some people means that they lack the ambition and drive of others, this is no reason to change their relaxed attitude. If they are content, then there is no reason to change, since increased success does not necessarily bring with it increased happiness.
Remember the story of the man who was only happy when he was fishing. Fishing was all he ever thought about. He went fishing morning, noon and night and, as a result, he was always happy.
You are in the fortunate position of having found your own niche in life. You re happy and content with your lot, and that must be the envy of many people.
25-39 points
You are satisfied with your life, although perhaps you may not realise it as much as you ought to.
Although you do not lack ambition, you would never wish to pursue these ambitions at the risk of jeopardising not just your own happiness and settled lifestyle, but that of those nearest and dearest to you.
There is, however, often a feeling at the back of your mind that you could achieve more, and at times you find this a little frustrating.
Despite this, you do find that in general your aspirations have been fulfilled and there is, therefore, no real reason for change even if a host of other people such as friends, family, parents, teachers and co-workers are eager to tell you what you should do with your life. It is, after all, your life and these goals only matter when they matter to you, and you are, therefore, the foremost expert in defining which path your own life should take.
Less than 25
Your score does indicate that you re in the main somewhat discontented with your life.
Perhaps you feel exasperated that you have not fulfilled your ambitions or yet realised your full potential. Maybe you think that life is too short and that you have insufficient time to do all the things you always wanted to do, or perhaps you are just going through one of those difficult and stressful periods in your life that all of us, from time to time, experience.
If this is the case, then now might be a good time to step back and take a look at your life, and look especially at all the positive aspects. Ask yourself what you have achieved. Maybe you have got good exam results, or won an award for art or sport. Perhaps you have a hobby that you enjoy, and could devote more time to. Any one of these things is something to be thankful for, rather than a cause for despondency.
All in all, there are many things in our lives for which we can be thankful, and there is always someone worse off than ourselves. If you are able to focus on the positives, no matter how trivial or insignificant they may seem, then there is every chance that you will begin to find the inner peace and satisfaction that seems to have so eluded you in the past.
Although we should always try to plan for the future, we can only truly be happy right now. If you do enjoy the present and make the most of what you have now, then there is every chance that this will create in itself a much better future!
Psychometric tests are basically tools for measuring the mind and they have existed since the nineteenth century, although attempts to measure he differences between the psychological characteristics of individuals can be traced back to Hippocrates at around 400BC, who attempted to define four basic temperament types as optimistic, depressed, irritable and sluggish.
These days, psychometric tests are sometimes used by employers as part of the selection process, because they believe that such tests assist them in providing an accurate assessment of whether an individual is able to do the required job and whether the person's character is suited to the work.
How content are you? Take this personality test to find out how content you really are! (Taken from the book "More Psychometric Testing" by Philip Carter and Ken Russell).
1. Do you ever vent your own frustrations on other people?
a) occasionally
b) rarely or never
c) more than occasionally
2. How often do you wish that you were someone else?
a) not often, but occasionally I have thought that some people are luckier than me to be who they are
b) it is something I have never seriously wished on myself
c) I have more than occasionally wished that I was someone else
3. Do yo feel that yo were born under a lucky star?
a) perhaps I have had sightly more than my share of luck in life
b) most definitely
c) no way
4. Do you ever feel you are stuck in a rut?
a) yes, from time to time
b) rarely or never
c) yes, I often feel frustrated that I am stuck in a rut
5. Do you feel that opportunities keep passing you by?
a) sometimes
b) rarely
c) never
6. If you could swap your lifestyle for a year, would you?
a) maybe in certain circumstances
b) I don't believe I ever would
c) yes, I would relish the opportunity
7. Do you envy the rich and famous?
a) occasionally
b) rarely or never
c) more than occasionally
8. Do you enjoy your job/school/college?
a) mostly, but not always
b) yes
c) generally, no
9. Do you often long for exotic holidays just to get away from it all?
a) yes, occasionally
b) holidays might be nice, but they are not a necessity in my life
c) yes, often
10. Would you ever consider plastic surgery to improve your appearance?
a) perhaps
b) no
c) yes
11. Do you feel that you make the most of your leisure time?
a) perhaps I do not have as many leisure activities as I would like
b) yes
c) no, because I do not have time for leisure activities
12. Do you get a good nights sleep?
a) I try to, but do not always succeed
b) yes
c) not usually
13. Are you envious of other people's possessions?
a) occasionally
b) rarely or never
c) more than occasionally
14. Do things ever weigh on your conscience?
a) yes, perhaps sometimes they do
b) rarely or never
c) yes, I am a worrier in that respect
15. How do you see the future?
a) with a certain degree of apprehension
b) hopefully things will carry on as they are now
c) I hope that the future will be much better than the past and the present
16. Do you ever feel you have an inferiority complex? (a feeling that you are inferior to others in some ways).
a) maybe, on occasions
b) no
c) yes
17. Which of the following words do you think best sums you up?
a) balanced
b) satisfied
c) restless
18. Have you realised some of your ambitions so far in life?
a) most of them
b) I cannot think of any particular ambitions at the moment that need to be fulfilled
c) not at all
19. Do you feel that you have a loving and stable family life?
a) yes, on balance
b) without a doubt
c) not really
20. Do you have a light-hearted approach to life?
a) yes, with most things. However, some things are too serious to be taken light-heartedly
b) I do try to adopt a light-hearted approach to life in general
c) I would not describe myself as a light-hearted person
21. Are you getting the most out of life?
a) hopefully
b) I believe that I am
c) I do not believe that I am
22. How easy is it for you to sit back and relax?
a) sometimes it is more difficult than at other times
b) easily
c) not at all easy
23. How often do you feel frustrated about wanting to do more?
a) sometimes
b) rarely or never
c) almost a the time
24. If you were to step back and take a look at your life, which of the following would be most applicable?
a) reasonably satisfied but still feeling that I could achieve much more
b) I would count my blessings that I have had more ups than downs in my life
c) I would feel somewhat angry with myself that I have not made more of my life
25. Do you often feel pleased with yourself?
a) occasionally
b) more than occasionally
c) rarely or never
Assessment:
Award yourself 1 point for every 'a' answer, 2 points for every 'b', and 0 points for every 'c'.
40-50 points
One definition of being content is satisfaction with the way things are.
Your score indicates that you are content with your life. Therefore, you are likely to have happiness and inner peace. It is this happiness which rubs off on those around you, especially your immediate family.
Even if contentment in some people means that they lack the ambition and drive of others, this is no reason to change their relaxed attitude. If they are content, then there is no reason to change, since increased success does not necessarily bring with it increased happiness.
Remember the story of the man who was only happy when he was fishing. Fishing was all he ever thought about. He went fishing morning, noon and night and, as a result, he was always happy.
You are in the fortunate position of having found your own niche in life. You re happy and content with your lot, and that must be the envy of many people.
25-39 points
You are satisfied with your life, although perhaps you may not realise it as much as you ought to.
Although you do not lack ambition, you would never wish to pursue these ambitions at the risk of jeopardising not just your own happiness and settled lifestyle, but that of those nearest and dearest to you.
There is, however, often a feeling at the back of your mind that you could achieve more, and at times you find this a little frustrating.
Despite this, you do find that in general your aspirations have been fulfilled and there is, therefore, no real reason for change even if a host of other people such as friends, family, parents, teachers and co-workers are eager to tell you what you should do with your life. It is, after all, your life and these goals only matter when they matter to you, and you are, therefore, the foremost expert in defining which path your own life should take.
Less than 25
Your score does indicate that you re in the main somewhat discontented with your life.
Perhaps you feel exasperated that you have not fulfilled your ambitions or yet realised your full potential. Maybe you think that life is too short and that you have insufficient time to do all the things you always wanted to do, or perhaps you are just going through one of those difficult and stressful periods in your life that all of us, from time to time, experience.
If this is the case, then now might be a good time to step back and take a look at your life, and look especially at all the positive aspects. Ask yourself what you have achieved. Maybe you have got good exam results, or won an award for art or sport. Perhaps you have a hobby that you enjoy, and could devote more time to. Any one of these things is something to be thankful for, rather than a cause for despondency.
All in all, there are many things in our lives for which we can be thankful, and there is always someone worse off than ourselves. If you are able to focus on the positives, no matter how trivial or insignificant they may seem, then there is every chance that you will begin to find the inner peace and satisfaction that seems to have so eluded you in the past.
Although we should always try to plan for the future, we can only truly be happy right now. If you do enjoy the present and make the most of what you have now, then there is every chance that this will create in itself a much better future!
Thursday, 9 February 2012
STOPP Worksheet
This is a worksheet that I found online, and I thought that it may be a useful tool for some of you. Its really simple to follow, but I think it can really help to actually write things down on paper rather just keeping it all in your head. It allows you to go through your feelings, look at them rationally, and put them into perspective.
When you have a bad thought or memory - Stop; Take a breath; Observe what the thought/memory is; Pull back and it into perspective - what would others think? Practice what works - for you and for others. Remember for the last 3 boxes it is very important to write down your responses!
When you have a bad thought or memory - Stop; Take a breath; Observe what the thought/memory is; Pull back and it into perspective - what would others think? Practice what works - for you and for others. Remember for the last 3 boxes it is very important to write down your responses!
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
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