Mental Health Tip of the Week

10 Quick Mood Boosts When You Feel Overwhelmed

By: Andrea Bonior Ph.D.

Many of us know what we should do long-term to help ourselves feel healthier, mentally and physically, and to be more resilient in the face of stress and adversity. Eating well, getting enough sleep, watching our caffeine and alcohol intake, and getting regular exercise, social time, and time outdoors are all healthy habits that can contribute significantly to our physical and emotional health. But when we start to feel underwater with being busy or overwhelmed with a consecutive series of stressful life events, sometimes just taking care of ourselves in healthy ways can seem overwhelming in and of itself.

When you find yourself overwhelmed in the moment, a long-term plan doesn't always mean much. Though we should always strive to take care of ourselves over time, here are some things that can work right away to reduce your stress level and calm your mind and body.

Slow your breathing. One of the classic first signs of an increased stress response is quickened shallow breathing. Many times, we don't even realize that we're doing it, but it's very hard to keep calm and on top of things when we're not getting enough oxygen. Inhale slowly through your nose, and an even slower exhale through your mouth. Challenge yourself to increase the length of time you spend on each breath and watch your belly expand as you let the air truly fill you.

Seek out something or someone who makes you laugh. Laughter can be such a potent stress reliever that it is even incorporated into cancer support group treatments. The physical process of laughter can decrease blood pressure, and give you a mental break that can be a lifeline in times of stress. Haven't laughed in a while? Seek it out. You may be surprised at its benefits, even if it feels a little forced at first.

Nourish your senses. One reason why aromatherapy can be helpful is that novel smells can stimulate different parts of your brain, in addition to what you may believe about the specific power of different scents. Smells are also intimately connected to memories, so you can use that to your advantage like when cinnamon takes you back to your grandmother's happy kitchen. Or envelop yourself in a warm, soft blanket or a hot bath.

Hug someone you love. There's a reason why hugging, and cuddling have become such a common way of expressing affection, across various cultures: it feels comforting. And there is evidence that especially if part of what was bringing you mood down was interpersonal in nature, then hugging can help boost your mood even more.

Accomplish one tiny thing. Sometimes part of feeling overwhelmed is believing that you have so much to do that you will never make progress. If it tasks that are making you stressed, choose one tiny, specific thing to get done. Need further help? Try the five-minute rule.

Help someone else. Helping other people has been shown to create a mood boost. Though doing something for someone else may feel like the last thing that you want to take on when you are feeling like your own self isn't cared for, performing a simple act of kindness can help to put things in perspective and make you feel connected.

Write your feelings down. Labeling your emotions may make it easier to manage. This is probably part of why confiding in others about what you're going through can be so helpful. But even if you are not involving anyone else, merely "talking" about your feelings by labeling them and writing them down—may make you see things more clearly and make whatever you are going through at that moment feel more manageable.

Express gratitude. I've written about it here before but taking a stance of gratitude—even when it feels like the universe is raining on your parade—can improve your emotional well-being. It may feel hokey to summon feelings of thankfulness when you feel upset about what is happening to you in life. But gratitude need not mean you are glad that everything bad in your life has happened. Instead, it is about being willing to see the whole of your life and recognize that there can be beauty and strength even in the imperfections.

Visualize your safe place. If your central nervous system feels like it is under threat, it can be hard to convince your body that it should relax. One potential way to do so is to visualize a place that feels safe and calming to you, even if it's a fantasy place where you've ever been. Gentle waves at the beach, a deep blue sky above a lush forest, get creative. If you can close your eyes and place yourself there mentally, calming your mind, your body can follow suit.

Get some fresh air, nature, and sunlight. Getting outside—even just for a five-minute walk—can help you press the mental reset button. For people who suffer from the seasonal subtype of depression—also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder—getting enough daylight is crucial (which is why lightboxes can be helpful in terms of treatment.) But even if this is not the case, a little sunshine can often provide a mood lift. And greenery—even if it's in the form of a houseplant—has been shown to have a positive emotional effect.

Accessible Halloween ideas

With Halloween coming up this week, we thought we'd share a few more accessibility tips for Halloween if you have any grandchildren who are blind/visually impaired!

original article found here: Wonderbaby

Holidays are great for getting family together, decorating, cooking and of course crafts! Halloween is no exception, and it doesn’t take too much work to come up with fun, accessible Halloween crafts and decorating ideas that are perfect for kids who are blind or visually impaired. Pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns can be tactile, lights are great for decorating and what about pumpkin slime?

#1. Pumpkin Decorating on a Light Box
You can cut out jack-o-lantern pieces from felt or construction paper and then let your child decorate their own pumpkin on their light box! Throw in yarn for hair or other textures to make it even more interesting.

#2. Pumpkin Lite-Brite
The whole point of a jack-o-lantern is that it glows, right? So how about a really bright pumpkin decorated with lights from your Lite-Brite! Kids with light perception will love the way this illuminates your front porch.

#3. Pumpkin Slime
For all those adventurous kids (and parents) out there, how about pumpkin slime? This recipe is ooey gooey, but not edible. But it does smell heavenly!

#4. Textured Pumpkin
This is a simple idea to make a textured drawing by placing mats or other bumpy surfaces under your paper while you color with crayons. If your child can’t see the outline of the pumpkin you can always raise the lines with puffy paint too!

#5. Puffy Paint Pumpkin
Speaking of puffy paint, why not decorate your pumpkin with puffy paint this year? You can create really striking designs simply by using dots of puffy paint, plus it’s textured!

#6. Turkey Squash
OK, enough with all these pumpkins. What about all the squash we also see in the grocery store this time of year? The croock neck squash can be turned into a lovely turkey!

#7. Pumpkin Guts Exploration
Scooping out pumpkins for all those jack-o-lanterns leaves a lot of seeds behind, so let’s turn that into a project too! Let your child explore the seeds and goo inside the pumpkin as you’re scooping it out. If your child is adverse to touching sticky things, you can place them in a ziplock bag for a cleaner exploration.

#8. Pumpkin Sensory Bin
Sensory bins are all the rage these days and here’s a nice one for Halloween and pumpkin exploration. This is one of the best times of year for smells, so make sure you get lots of cloves and cinnamon sticks in your bin!

#9. Sprouting Pumpkins
This is one of those “why didn’t I think of that” projects! Scoop out a pumpkin and leave some seeds behind. Fill your pumpkin with dirt and next thing you know you have a festive planter! If you can keep your pumpkin plant alive through the winter then you can plant it outside in the spring and grow your own pumpkins for next year!

#10. Candy Corn Marshmallows
Here’s another simple activity with a fun festive flare. Dip marshmallows in orange and yellow frosting to make candy corn marshmallow pops. And then you get to eat them. Yum!

Mental Health Tip of the Week

Respecting the Privacy of Others

Everyone should be entitled to a private life, private thoughts and private feelings and have the right to share those thoughts and feelings with the person of their own choosing. At times, people take it for granted that being close friends to someone means no boundaries between them. Some people’s idea of closeness is revealing one’s secrets totally to a confidant, but there are still some things that one might not want to share with anyone. Most people consciously respect other people’s property yet sometimes fail to respect his/her privacy.

How important is privacy?  Privacy is as important as respecting other people’s opinions. When you respect a person, you allow the person to determine the limit of your involvement in their life. If a friend does not recognize, respect and stop at this border, the other person might begin to feel disgusted with intrusion, causing the friendship to weaken. Every individual values his or her privacy. The right to privacy could refer to your right to be left alone or to your right not to share every aspect of your life. To intrude on this is like stealing from someone or trespassing on the person’s domain.

There are several different ways a person’s right to privacy can be invaded. We should not eavesdrop on people’s private conversations or read their private letters. Neither should we read other people’s text messages, or share private conversations. This in itself is a blatant violation of the friendship and a total disregard for others privacy. If we do so and find out something private about them, we should NEVER discuss it with others.  It is important that we respect another person’s privacy if we want ours to be respected as well. Think about it. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. How would you feel if you discovered that someone was eavesdropping on your private conversations? Failing to respect the privacy of others is not just bad manners, but could cost you so much more than what you bargained for. It could cost you a treasured friendship.

Google Maps made Easier for those who are BVI

Google maps is a great feature for navigating especially for those who are BVI and walking. Now, google has introduced even more advanced walking directions and detailed voice guidance! Keep reading to find out how to gain access to the new feature and how it could help you stay safe. 

original article found: here

On 10 October, World Sight Day, Google introduced a new feature for blind and visually impaired people. They have upgraded a feature where in a detailed voice guidance and verbal announcement will be made so that navigation is made easier for a blind person. It is not currently available in India, but people from the disability community here hopes that this new feature will revolutionise the way a blind person commutes independently.

10 October marked the World Sight Day to draw attention on blindness and vision impairment across the globe. Technology giants Google, who have always been accessibility pioneers, came up with something unique this year for blind and visually impaired people. Their Google maps will now offer a detailed voice guidance and verbal announcement so that navigation is made easier for people with visual impairment. Though Google map has not yet upgraded this latest feature in India, people from the disabled community are sure that this initiative will revolutionise the way blind people commute independently.

So when a blind person walks, the latest feature will tell them whether they are on the correct route or if there is a turn that needs to be taken. It will also point out obstacles on the path.

Tony Kurian, who is visually impaired, is a student at the Indian Institute of Technology -Bombay. He is currently doing his Ph.D. Kurian and says that this latest initiative from Google is much needed.

The latest version, which started almost a week back, is available only inEnglish and Japanese languages. Google has assured that they will roll it out in more languages in the days to come. "Can't wait to try out @googlemaps's new detailed voice guidance. Its intention is to provide a better sense of awareness to blind & visually impaired travelers using Google Maps. Great work!", tweeted James Rath, blind film maker and accessibility advocate.

Apart from this latest feature, Google had also introduced automated images descriptions feature for Chrome in order to reach out to people with visual impairments. Yet another venture as part of World Sight Day, it received a lot of applause from disability rights groups.

Amazon Echo can now identify foods

 We all know the Amazon Alexa is a great tool for the visually impaired and blind consumer. But it just got even better! Alexa can now use a feature Show and Tell that can tell users what an item of food is. Read on to find out more! 

Original post here

Amazon has released a new feature for its Echo Show smart speaker enabling the device to identify grocery items for blind or visually-impaired users.

The update, called Show and Tell, requires customers to hold a product to the speaker's front-facing camera and say aloud: "Alexa, what am I holding?"

Digital assistant Alexa uses computer vision (tech developed to allow machines to 'see' as humans do) and machine learning (teaching computers to learn without being explicitly programmed to do so) technologies to identify the object and say aloud what it is.

“We heard that product identification can be a challenge [for blind and visually-impaired people) and something customers wanted Alexa’s help with," Sarah Caplener, head of Amazon’s Alexa for Everyone team, said in a statement.

"Whether a customer is sorting through a bag of groceries, or trying to determine what item was left out on the counter, we want to make those moments simpler by helping identify these items and giving customers the information they need."

The update is currently available for owners of first and second-generation Echo Show users in the US.

The company introduced another accessibility feature earlier this month giving users greater control over the speed at which Alexa speaks.

Users can now chose from seven speeds of speech, four rates of faster speech and two slower, triggered by speaking aloud: "Alexa, speak slower" or "Alexa, speak faster".

Despite Amazon's efforts to make its technology more accessible for all users, Alexa's robotic voice can cause "deep distress" to dementia patients who are unfamiliar with it.

Spoken reminders to take medication can cause distress to people with dementia, while people who have had a stroke or have learning disabilities may not be able to formulate questions in the way the assistants' AI understands, a report from Doteveryone, a think tank promoting responsible tech, claimed.

Mental Health Tip of the Week

12 comments that are unexpectedly detrimental to people’s mental health

By: Jamie Wiebe

If a friend suffers from mental illness, wanting to help or offer supportive words is understandable. Seeing someone you love in pain hurts your heart, too. There’s nothing wrong with reaching out about a friend’s mental health — but respect and delicacy is paramount. A callous or poorly thought-out comment can cause a spiral or depressive episode for someone with mental health challenges.

Pay attention to your words. These 12 comments might actively damage someone’s mental health — and at a minimum, they won’t help improve their well-being.

“Someone else has it worse off than you.”

Mental illness doesn’t stop just because someone out there suffers more than you. We wish we could tell our brain,

“Things aren’t so bad, comparatively!” Mental illness often doesn’t listen to reason. The world is dark and full of terrors, so don’t make us feel guilty about our own struggles.

“You can do it! You’re so strong.”

Thanks? But strength doesn’t help. Mental illness is a life-long battle, and just because we’ve knocked out the anxiety demon for the day doesn’t mean it won’t come back next week. Praising our strength now may lead to worse lows later, when our mental illness returns, and we struggle to loosen its grip.

“Snap out of it.”

Believe us: we would if we could. But if mental illnesses disappeared with a snap of our fingers, why would anyone suffer? Telling us to “snap out of it” can even make our problems worse. When our mental illness doesn’t magically evaporate, we worry we’re disappointing you.

“Everyone gets stressed out!”

Sure, this is accurate. Everyone does get stressed out! But being “stressed out” is not equivalent to “having an anxiety disorder.” Mental illnesses don’t go away when midterms are over — this is something we deal with our entire life.

“You’re making excuses.”

Yes, depression can cause avoidance or tardiness. An anxiety attack might mean leaving a party early. We might miss a date. But the mental illness isn’t an excuse — it’s the cause, and our behavior is the symptom. Saying our anxiety or depression is an “excuse” is like saying the flu is an “excuse” for a nasty cough.

“Why are you still stressed out? It happened so long ago!”

Don’t dismiss the concerns of someone suffering from diagnoses like post-traumatic stress disorder by reminding them that the event in question happened “a long time ago.” Events in the distant past can loom large in our memory, meaning they don’t feel “long ago” to us.

“Face your fears! You can do it!”

No, we literally can’t — and frankly, it’s not that easy. We’re facing our fears every day. Acrophobia (or a fear of heights) won’t be miraculously cured because we decide to jump out of a plane. And social anxiety doesn’t disappear because we attended our best friend’s birthday party. If we do face our fears, it will be on our own terms, or with a therapist’s care and guidance.

“You’re just looking for attention.”

The opposite. If our mental illnesses could stop attracting so much attention, that would be great! Please don’t look at a friend suffering from depression and think their tears are just for show.

“Chill out.”

A mental illness is not a refrigerator. Believe us: We would love to relax. We’d be thrilled if we could tap our heels together three times and suddenly be less high-strung. But requesting we “chill out” might just exacerbate our spiral and lead to more stress — for everyone — in the long run.

“Do you really need meds? Or: Maybe you need meds?”

Are you a doctor? Are you my doctor? Clearly not, because no doctor would suggest we suddenly dump our medication. And if we’re not taking medication, please trust that we’ve fully considered the slate of options and determined med-free is the best strategy for our specific illness. We want your support, not your unqualified medical opinions.

“Have you thought about what you’re putting your family through?”

All the time. Literally every day. Most people with mental illness struggle with the belief they’re hurting their family, making this guilt trip highly effective. But if you’re hoping to help us overcome our mental illness by invoking our loved ones, think again. All you’re doing is adding weight to our burden.

“Think positively!”

Yes, practicing positive thought patterns is a valuable treatment for some mental illnesses. But it’s a long process, typically undergone with a therapist’s guidance. If we could “think positively!” on a whim, we wouldn’t have a mental illness, or could at least lessen it’s symptoms. So, while your positivity may be appreciated, please keep these thoughts to yourself. Otherwise, you’re adding to the weight that mentally ill people carry every day.

We’re All Working Through Something

The best way to support someone working through mental health challenges is to listen, not talk. We all want what’s best for each other and are eager to provide any solution to help ease someone’s pain. But suggesting random solutions isn’t always the answer. Sometimes all we need is to know someone cares enough about us to stand by us and understand our issues without judgement.

Halloween Safety tips for kids who are Blind/VI

Do you have any grandchildren who are blind/visually impaired? Check out these tips on how to keep them safe for Halloween! 
original article found here: here

1. Stay away from costumes that include elaborate masks, eye patches, long-haired wigs or over-sized hats. They can become unwieldy and may frustrate children. Be prepared to wear them yourself if your child decides to discard it!

2. In lieu of a freakishly scary mask, which can feel claustrophobic and limit vision, try creating a mask with makeup or face paint. Kits can be purchased from specialty stores or just about any drugstore or supermarket. Moms, you can also use your own makeup! Just make sure it’s hypo-allergenic before applying it on your child’s skin.

3. Be careful with fake eyelashes. These can be dreadfully irritating to a child’s eyes if not applied correctly.

4. Grisly boots, princess slippers and any other shoes should fit snugly so they don’t fall off in the fog on Halloween night.

5. Ensure all your child’s costume elements are fire resistant. You can do this by checking tags or the costume packaging. (Don’t take a match or lighter to it like a mindless mummy would.)

6. If your child is uncomfortable in a traditional costume, let them pick out something they enjoy instead. Maybe they prefer a Halloween themed T-shirt, or forgoing a costume altogether. Some children with cognitive differences are uncomfortable with trick-or-treating. That’s okay! Let them hand out candy at home, with parental supervision of course.

7. After a night of fun, go through the candy haul and remove anything that looks like it may have been opened or tampered with. For those with food allergies, look for these teal pumpkins! The Teal Pumpkin Project is a movement to provide non-food treats, so children with food allergies or other conditions can still fill their bucket.

8. Don’t be afraid while walking around your neighborhood in the mysterious moonlight of All Hallows’ Eve. Sport a bright and/or reflective costume so street traffic can easily see you. Remind your ghoulish gang to walk on the sidewalk and look both ways before crossing a street!

9. Children with visual disabilities who are not fully blind should use a flashlight to brighten walkways, sidewalks and staircases. Parents: you can also utilize the flashlight function on your smartphone if you prefer not to lug around a flashlight all night.

10. Children with disabilities may need a little practice trick or treating before the big day! If your child has a visual disability, mapping the route you’ll take can help them feel more comfortable and confident. Children with cognitive disabilities may be comforted by practicing the trick-or-treat ritual beforehand. Let your kid practice knocking on your front door, or try it out on a neighbor’s house!

11. Avoid pointed or sharp costume elements like swords, spears or lightsabers. While they are fake and usually made of plastic or Styrofoam, they can still cause harm to someone if a bizarre accident occurs.

12. Younger ghouls and goblins should always trick-or-treat with one or more adults alongside. It’s better to be safe than sorry when you’re out during the one night a year when warlocks, monsters, werewolves and vampires rule the streets!

13. Tweens and teens are encouraged to troll neighborhoods in groups. Being in a group is safer and makes it less frightening if you’re approached by shadowy specters or worse yet, a spooky stranger who is walking the streets without a costume.

14. If you find yourself in a creepy or unfamiliar neighborhood, only stop at houses with bright porch lights or visible Halloween decorations. Kids with blindness should rely on sighted parents or friends to guide them to the right houses.

15. Bring a cauldron of common sense with you. Stay away from strange streets that are under construction, agonizing alleyways and horrifyingly heavy-traffic areas.

Developmental Therapy Assistants Needed

What is Developmental Therapy?

Developmental therapy is a specialized field of work that focuses on the manner in which children from birth to five years of age learn and develop. It is a discipline that takes a holistic look at child development, that is, everything from physical growth to mental functioning to personality development and so forth.

Due to the global nature of developmental therapy, it is a service provided to a wide range of clients. Children with physical disabilities, cognitive delays, sensory processing difficulties, speech delays, and visual or hearing impairments often participate in developmental therapy activities.

Likewise, children with psychological disorders, like Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder are often referred for developmental therapy to be evaluated and treated for their conditions.

Employment outlook

According to CareerPlanner.com, the employment of DTAs is projected to grow 29% through 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.

DTAs are needed to assist the Developmental Therapists in the assessment and delivery of services. 

For more information about becoming a Developmental Therapy Assistant, contact Rebecca Reid at 501-664-7100 ex/265 or rreid@wsblind.org