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ARE YOU REALLY A SOCIAL DRINKER OR COULD YOU BE AN ALCOHOLIC?

www.beachway.com

Increasingly, women are going head to head with men when it comes to binge drinking.   It’s not surprising: society normalizes, encourages, and promotes drinking so heavily that it can be nearly impossible, at times, to know what’s “normal” or not. A 2015 report by the National Institutes of Health, says an exploding number of Americans are in the drinking danger zone. According to the report, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, nearly one-third of American adults at some point in their life have an Alcohol Abuse Disorder, and only 20% seek treatment. Drinking may seem harmless but overindulging in alcohol is responsible for more than 80,000 deaths in this country per year and is the third leading cause of preventable deaths. We turned to Carrie Carlton, Clinical Director (LCSW) of Beachway Therapy Center in Boynton Beach, Florida to outline the differences between social, problem and alcoholic drinking.

Addicted alcoholics hide their habit

Carrie Carlton says, “When people veer from social drinking to alcoholism, they usually try to conceal their drinking from those who are close to them. This is a warning sign because they deliberately wish to hide their drinking habit from their loved ones so as not to alarm or disappoint them. The fact is, the more they try to hide their drinking habit, the more serious their drinking problem becomes.”

Missing work

Alcoholics tend to miss work, damage other people’s lives, and not fulfill obligations because they stay busy drinking. Social drinkers will drink at specific times when they are usually free so that no important work is hampered. Social drinkers make sure that they do not over-drink, which ensures that they can tend to important obligations. “If they start ignoring these obligations because of drinking, they have likely become alcoholic,” says Carlton.

You’re a weekend warrior.

“If you don’t drink daily, but are drinking regularly, such as binges every Friday night, that’s a red flag,” says Carlton. While research shows that having about seven alcoholic beverages per week lowers your risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, abstaining all week only to guzzle five or six glasses in a single sitting negates any of alcohol’s potential health benefits. Moreover, binge drinking can raise blood pressure and interfere with certain medications.

Drinking just “creeps up on you.”

Have you ever told yourself you were going to have only a drink or two at happy hour, and before you knew it you’d downed five? One of the clues that you may be a binge drinker is not knowing your limits—or feeling surprised when you've "suddenly" passed them. “Like diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems, drinking problems develop gradually and alcoholism is progressive,” says Carlton.

Drinking and driving

Alcoholics end up in alcohol-related accidents, while social drinkers do not. However, for a social drinker, they know that drinking and driving is not permitted and can be fatal. So, even if they over-drink on a particular social occasion, they don’t get behind the wheel.

You wonder if there will be enough alcohol available

“This most likely means that you are probably chasing the buzzed feeling and are unable to enjoy yourself without the fear of losing that high” says Carrie Carlton. “It is most definitely a warning sign of addiction and it can be a sign of obsessive thinking around alcohol, which should absolutely raise red flags.”

You “Pre-Game It”

Perhaps you are going on a blind date and don’t want your date to think you drink too much so you have 2 drinks at home and 2 drinks while on the date. You know you’ve had 4 drinks, but your date perceives you as a “normal” drinker. You are aware of your true quantity and have the buzz to go along with it.

You hide alcohol

If you don’t want your spouse, roommate or family member to see you drinking, perhaps you hide alcohol in a closet or bathroom cabinet and put your drinks in a colored paper cup so only you know you’re drinking. Carrie Carlton says, “alcoholics will do this to be able to indulge in their addiction while attempting to “act sober” and deceive others around them.”

You switch drinks or try to make rules for yourself that you don’t follow

Many people will negotiate with themselves. For example, “I will switch from 4 glasses of wine to two Vodkas” or “I will only drink on weekends,” “I will only go to happy hour when I have a new client win.”  “Normal” drinkers don’t make these kinds of bargains with themselves because their lives don’t revolve around alcohol or attempts to control consumption of it,” says Carlton.

A ”problem drinker” versus an alcoholic

Carrie Carlton explains that, “A problem drinker is able to self-correct when they are given sufficient reason to do so – negative consequences, painful hangovers, birth of a child, new responsibilities, etc. An alcoholic, on the other hand, is unable to permanently cut back or stop drinking even when they have numerous reasons to do so. When faced with serious consequences and reality, an alcoholic may temporarily stop or limit themselves, but they will invariably return to their regular excessive drinking patterns.”

What to do if you’re not sure you have a problem

Carrie Carlton suggests, “If you are not certain you are an alcoholic, seek the advice of a therapist, or attend an AA meeting and speak with those who have long term sobriety to see if they share similar thoughts and experiences. If you feel that you need more than therapy to stop drinking, in patient treatment (rehab) may be the course of action you need to get both the therapy and tools to live a sober life.

Carrie Carlton, Clinical Director (LCSW), Clinical Supervisor at Beachway Therapy Center

Carrie holds a BSW and MSW in social work from Florida Atlantic University, an MA from Barry University (Miami), and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She also has a background in medical social work. Her understanding of cognitive behavioral therapy, solution focused therapy, and family systems guide her treatment of addicts and families. Her clients thrive under her guidance because of her honesty, empathy, and compassion. Recognizing the severe impact of addictions on both the addict and the families, Carrie is dedicated to consistently serve her clients.

About Beachway Therapy Center

Beachway provides a continuum of care, from PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program) to Outpatient services. The facility offers a fully individualized treatment plan that meets the clinical and medical needs of each client usually lasting between 30 and 90 days.  Beachway provides an extremely low client to therapist ratio and under high level professional supervision, clients can begin to recover in a safe, residential-like environment.  CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) motivational interviewing, addiction counseling, 12-Step orientation, DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy,) trauma-informed practices and a wide variety of supportive group therapies are offered.

Hamad Bin Khalifa University's Qatar Biomedical Research Institute Forms New Partnership With Harvard Stem Cell Institute

Loss Is A Four-Letter Word: A Bereavement Boot Camp for the Widowed

By Carole Brody Fleet

"Carole Brody Fleet is forthright in dealing with many of the difficult issues surrounding widowhood, demonstrating that you do not have to live in your past. It's not an either-or situation. She teaches the important lesson that you can incorporate your previous life into a new life.”
—Jane Brody, personal health columnist, The New York Times

Deerfield Beach, FL, October 5, 2018 — No widow or widower look exactly the same. No widowhood looks exactly the same. Therefore, no healing journey or timeline is an identical experience. The word "loss” contains only four letters, but its size belies the amount of fear it produces at even its mere mention. Even more terrifying and enormous is the reality of loss–specifically, the loss of a spouse.

Widowhood has the capacity to keep those affected from moving forward into a new and fulfilling life. The loss of a spouse is frightening. The call for relatable and actionable direction and advice remains a very real need for the widowed community, and that is just what Loss is a Four-Letter Word offers. Award-winning author Carole Brody Fleet personally experienced the pain and grief as a young widow and mother; leaving her and her 9-year-old daughter alone. Loss is a Four-Letter Word shows readers a way out, a way to move forward– not "get over”–their most profound loss in positive ways. Fleet combines no-nonsense, direct advice with specific, boot-camp style "assignments” that are framed with compassion and humor to help them through a most challenging life-journey.

A short sample of the Bereavement Boot Camp Lessons:

•    Lesson One: I'm Still Here
•    Lesson Two: "My Healing Journey Is Mine”
•    Lesson Three: Stop Putting Off Proactivity
•    Lesson Four: "I Turn to… Who?”
•    Lesson Five: Put Your Tits on Your Back
•    Lesson Six: Get Up, Get Moving… Get Out!
•    Lesson Seven: It's Your Turn
•    Lesson Eight: Past, Present, and Future: You Can Have All Three

Loss is a Four-Letter Word gives readers help without reproach, education without lecture, and support without judgment, condition, or negative opinion. All of which provides a necessary light during such devastating times. Fleet tells them, "Because while our spouses may have departed this earth, we are still here. And we matter too.”

About the Author:

Carole Brody Fleet is the award-winning author of When Bad Things Happen to Good Women, Happily EVEN After, and Widows Wear Stilettos. Widely recognized as America's go-to expert on life adversity and grief recovery, Ms. Fleet is also a three-time contributor to the iconic Chicken Soup for the Soul book series, as well as a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and to ThirdAge.com. Ms. Fleet is also a popular motivational speaker and with her inimitable message of "What Now and What Next?” Ms. Fleet offers practical, emotional, and even humorous guidance to the millions who have experienced any kind of loss or challenge in their lives.

Loss Is A Four-Letter Word: A Bereavement Boot Camp for the Widowed
By Carole Brody Fleet
ISBN: 9780757321214
September 2018
$15.95
Available wherever books are sold or to order directly from the publisher, contact:
(800) 441-5569 or www.hcibooks.com

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Suggested Interview Questions:

1.  Where did the title of the book come from?

2.  How does Loss is a Four-Letter Word differ from all of the other "grief” books?

3.  What inspired you to write Loss is a Four-Letter Word?

4.  What inspired you to begin writing in the loss / grief recovery genre in the first place – after all, these are not the happiest subjects in the world.

5.  This is the first time that any of your writings have included a discussion on spirituality in connection with grief recovery.  Why did you decide to include a chapter on spirituality when you have shied away from it in the past?

6. What are some of the lessons and experiences that you felt were especially necessary to communicate in the book?

7.  What are some of the most common problems and challenges that face the widowed and what are the best ways to move past those challenges?

8. You have received hundreds of thousands of letters over the years.  If you had to pick just one thing, what would be the one most common problem that people write to you about?

9.  One of your favorite subjects concerns some of the things that people say when trying to help or otherwise comfort someone coping with loss.  Even though most likely mean no harm, what are some of the dumbest things that you know people have said?

10.  What are some of the first steps to take at the beginning of a healing journey?

Reviews:

Karen Noé, author, We Consciousness: 33 Profound Truths for Inner and Outer Peace and Your Life After Their Death: A Medium's Guide to Healing After a Loss: "Carole Brody Fleet has done it again! In Loss is a Four Letter Word, she offers practical, straightforward advice on how to move forward on a positive path after losing a loved one. I've had Carole as a guest on the "Angel Quest” radio show a number of times because of how much she has benefited my listeners with her knowledge. If it sounds like I am impressed with her, it's because I am. I love this book, and I love Carole!”

Lisa Lockwood, crime analyst, author, police and military veteran: "What I love and appreciate is Carole Brody Fleet's firsthand knowledge and approach on the most taboo topic in society. Having gone through personal loss, I always learn something about how to approach the topic with empathy and how to permit others to comfort me in the worst of times.”

Stacey Gualandi, Emmy award-winning journalist: "Carole Brody Fleet has faced painful challenges and loss with courage and resilience. Through her own personal healing, we can all learn from and be inspired by her.  I have a four-letter word for Carole: HERO.”

Kristin Higson-Hughes, Senior Features Editor, Women's World Magazine: "Just as there is no timetable to grief, there certainly is no checklist on how to recover strength and joy after suffering a loss. Here you will find authentic, candid, trustworthy, and--perhaps most pertinent of all--pragmatic advice promising that although the landscape of life may forever be changed, the future can still hold purpose, beauty, and magic. With a signature style all her own, Carole Brody Fleet "trains" you to find yourself again (hint: there's no wrong path, but some are healthier for your soul!). Together, you will navigate everything from social media to financial matters to the possibility of finding love again. Sure, it can feel impossible to do, and even more so to find answers, but sign up, dear recruit, and discover this book's wit and wisdom, and its author's enormous-as-the-universe heart!"

Kim Iversen, nationally syndicated radio show host: "Carole is an angel, not just an expert. Many of us have no clue what to say to a loved one going through tremendous loss. We sit by and watch helplessly as they struggle with their 'new normal'. Carole's book is a must read; not just for widows, but for those of us who love a widow as well. As a relationship radio talk show host, I have always had words to comfort and guide someone through every type of heartache-----every heartache except the death of a spouse. This type of loss leaves many of us speechless. Finally, someone who knows what to say when the rest of us do not."

Healthy Lifestyle Habits Can Prevent Dementia

Chattanooga, TN, October 4, 2018 ― Dr. Timothy R. Jennings speaks expertly on a subject that concerns over 5.5 million people across the nation: how to prevent dementia and keep our mind sharp as we age. A psychiatrist and international speaker, Jennings introduces his new book, recently rated #1 by Amazon in books on dementia, The Aging Brain: Proven Steps to Prevent Dementia and Sharpen Your Mind.

Dr. Jennings prescribes simple, everyday actions we can take to stave off disease, promote vitality, and prevent dementia and late-onset Alzheimer's. "The choices we make now can help us to keep our minds sharp and maintain our independence as we age,” says Jennings.

An easy-to-use guide to maintaining brain and body health throughout life, The Aging Brain is based on solid, up-to-date scientific research, and the interventions discussed can prevent progression toward dementia, even in those already showing signs of mild cognitive impairment. The recommendations also may help reduce disability and depression.

"This book isn't just for people hoping to slow the aging process,” says Jennings. "It's also for anyone who is a caregiver to someone at risk of or already beginning to suffer from dementia. It offers a hopeful, healthy way forward.”

Jennings, who maintains a private practice in Chattanooga, TN, has authored several books, including The God-Shaped Brain and The God-Shaped Heart. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and Fellow of the Southern Psychiatric Association, and is president and founder of Come and Reason Ministries.

For more information about Dr. Jennings, please visit the website: https://www.agingbrainbook.com.

To connect with Dr. Jennings, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/DrTimJennings/ and https://twitter.com/timjenningsmd.

The Aging Brain: Proven Steps to Prevent Dementia and Sharpen Your Mind
Baker Books
Released: June 2018
ISBN-10: 080107522X
ISBN-13: 978-0801075223

Reviews for The Aging Brain: Proven Steps to Prevent Dementia and Sharpen Your Mind:

Dr. Caroline Leaf, Cognitive Neuroscientist, Communication Pathologist and Author: "Great advice and excellent science on aging! It's well worth following and applying these principles so as to age the way we are supposed to.”

Rodney A. Poling, MD, DFAPA, medical director, Behavioral Healthcare Center, Columbia TN., and board-certified geriatric psychiatrist: "A well-researched and commonsense book aimed at helping one understand the complexities of dementia, while offering recommendations for maintaining healthy brain function into our later years.”

Michael Lyles, psychiatrist, author, and speaker: "Dr. Jennings clearly describes how to practically manage the medical and lifestyle variables that can positively impact brain health and the process of aging. Age is a number, but getting old is a lifestyle.”

Struggling with Weight Loss? 5 Ideas to Help You Hit Your Diet Goals

There are many obstacles that can stand in the way of losing weight. You may have tried many diets and workout plans with limited success. As you continue to pursue your goal of dropping the extra pounds, these five ideas could help you with your diet.

Avoid Prolonged Hunger

It’s natural to feel some hunger pangs while dieting, but feeling hungry for too long could end up sabotaging your weight loss goals. Being hungry for extended periods of time may eventually provoke you to turn to unhealthy snacks to satisfy your appetite. The best way to prevent this from happening is to carry some healthy snacks on you that can help keep you satiated in between meals. Prevention.comsuggests snacking on some whole grain crackers or pistachios when overwhelmed by hunger.

Find Healthier Alternatives for Sweets

If you have a sweet tooth, you can find other ways to sweeten your diet without munching on candy bars, cookies and other sugar-filled snacks. Strawberries, blueberries and apples are some of the fruits that taste sweet and contain fewer calories and fats. Cinnamon can also be sprinkled on fruit, oatmeal and toast for a healthier alternative to sugar.

Hire a Nutrition Coach

Nutrition coaching can help you adopt a healthier diet. Your nutrition coach will review your current eating plan and let you know what needs to be changed to achieve greater success. You can find a coach in your area who specializes in creating customized nutrition plansthat include the right amounts of foods that are both healthy and tasty.

Use Plates for Portioning

How you portion food on your plate can make a big difference when it comes to losing weight. At least half of your plate should be reserved for vegetables or fruits. Meat, pasta or fish can fill the remaining section of your plate. There are even plates on the market that have designated food sections to make portioning easier. Using smaller plates can also help you control your portion sizes better.

Keep a Food Journal

Writing down what you eat each day in a food journal will help you be more accountable for your snack and meal choices. You can also choose to write down the caloric and nutritional content of each food item that you consume. It’s important to be honest and write down everything you’ve eaten that day. You should also record what you were doing and the moods that you were in while eating to identify any patterns that cause you to make unhealthy food choices.

Losing weight can be an easier task when you follow the right tips and maintain consistency in your efforts. Making smart food choices is one of the key factors to weight loss and should be prioritized as you work tow

The Kindness Advantage: Cultivating Compassionate And Connected Children

By Dale Atkins, PhD and Amanda Salzhauer, MSW

Greenwich, CT, October 4, 2018 — Kindness leads to compassion and happiness, future success, better relationships, improved self-esteem, and good mental and physical health. And don't we all want that for our children, our families and our community? The Kindness Advantage: Cultivating Compassionate and Connected Children provides parents with a practical and concrete guide to equip their child with the skills they need to have a positive influence on the world. This book goes well beyond teaching "please” and "thank-you.” It will show parents how to help their child form compassionate habits that will last a lifetime.

The Kindness Advantage is written by mental health professionals Dale Atkins and Amanda Salzhauer. Both experts are available to speak on topics that affect children and families to emphasize how to tap into kindness when dealing with such issues as bullying, school shootings, child welfare, community service, and the intergenerational divide. The Kindness Advantage is for parents who see the need for more civil, respectful, and considerate behavior among children. Research shows that children who are raised in a culture where giving and compassion are valued become happier and more positively engaged with those around them. Some of the characteristics in deeply connected people are empathy, acceptance, and questioning. These and other characteristics are essential to being kind and charitable, and vital to living a purposeful life.

First, The Kindness Advantage helps parents recognize these qualities; next, it shares ways to nurture them in everyday life. Finally, it shows parents how to teach them to their children. In Part Three there are additional chapters to support these efforts, with conversation starters, strategies to help children relax, tips for troubleshooting challenging situations, along with recommendations for adults and children interested in learning more. There are also several blank pages at the end of the book for taking notes, writing questions, and keeping track of resources with the hope that this book with turn into the family's personal activity workbook. Each fundamental characteristic includes an introduction along with:

1)    Text to be read and discussed with the child.
2)    Questions to help children connect the concept with their own life experience.
3)    Ideas and activities to weave that concept into everyday life.
4)    Inspiring real-life stories about children who make a difference.
5)    Quotes from children, clergy, and community leaders and others about the values of caring and compassion.

The Kindness Advantage is based on a simple yet powerful premise: that living a compassionate life, one in which kindness is highly valued, is the key to our children's current and future wellbeing. There are so many ways to create meaningful connections with others. The Kindness Advantage is designed to be used in whatever way works best for families, giving their children the advantage of kindness to last a lifetime.

About the Authors:

Dale V. Atkins, PhD, is a licensed psychologist with more than forty years of experience as a relationship expert focusing on families, wellness, managing stress, and living a balanced, meaningful life. Author of six books and many chapters, articles, and journals for popular and professional audiences, Dale is a featured speaker who leads seminars worldwide on raising financially responsible, and charitable children. Dale is a frequent guest expert in the media and appears regularly on NBC's TODAY and CNN. Dale has a private psychology practice in New York City. She has two children and six grandchildren, and lives in Connecticut. She can be found on Twitter (@DrDaleAtkins), Facebook, and at www.drdaleatkins.com.

Amanda R. Salzhauer, MSW, has worked as a social worker in clinics and private practice. She has been a member of several nonprofit boards, including Riverdale Neighborhood House and the Board of Overseers for the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact. She has three children and lives in New York City.

The Kindness Advantage: Cultivating Compassionate and Connected Children
By Dale Atkins, PhD and Amanda Salzhauer
Available wherever books are sold or to order from the publisher, contact: (800) 441-5560 or www.hcibooks.com
ISBN: 9780757320997
$15.95
Release date: September 2018

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TIP SHEET:

Suggested Author Interview Questions:

1)    Why kindness/What is the Kindness Advantage?
2)    What were we seeing that made us want to write the book? Tell us about the journey of writing this book?
3)    Talk about your relationship and family background?
4)    How do you get kids to be charitable?
5)    What are 3 everyday things you can do to help your child become kinder?
6)    Why start so early? Where is the evidence for starting early?
7)    How do you teach kindness?
8)    Why is it important to be kind? Examples of what society looks like when people are not kind.
9)    What do you do when your kid is not being kind?

Praise for The Kindness Advantage:

Dr Atkins and Ms. Salzhauer are keenly aware of how we as parents grow, learn and change.  They support our deepest intention to support our children to thrive in the world by providing clear and actionable steps to build up this tremendously important capacity.  Atkins and Salzhauer offer a map for parents and children to travel together, so that the same daily routine might add a detour or re-route to take the high road. Bravo to Dale Atkins and Amanda Salzhauer for focusing parents around a path to true fulfillment for our children.  Enjoy sharing this adventure in kindness with your children!

Lisa Miller, PhD, author of The Spiritual Child; The New Science of Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving: "In this day and age, kindness and connection are especially important. An accessible and informative guide, The Kindness Advantage is a must read for parents of all ages.”

Judson Brewer MD PhD, author of The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love – Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits: "Dale Atkins and Amanda Salzhauer's book, The Kindness Advantage, can serve as a partial antidote to these turbulent times. They remind us that kindness is both a moral behavior that can improve the status of the world, but also be advantageous to the individual who practices kindness. The book's blend of significant and relevant issues in psychology, education, and humanism provides a myriad of practical suggestions to help us raise kind children. The book will serve as a resource to parents and educators. By teaching the components underlying kindness children can be provided a framework where we can both teach and weave these crucial lessons into the lives of children.

The section on relaxation, breathing, visualization and mediation is a gift to the children in our lives and ourselves. We cannot impart the lessons of kindness when we ourselves are agitated and distressed by the tumult in our lives and in our worlds. Likewise, children have difficulty being kind when they are in the grip of negative emotions. This section provides children and adults the tools to master negative emotions.  We highly recommend this book to be read, saved and used as a long term resource in your child rearing library.”

Norma D. Feshbach, Ph.D. Professor, Chair, Interim Dean Emeritus UCLA, and
Laura E. Feshbach, Ph.D. in Child Clinical Psychology from University of Washington: "The Kindness Advantage is the perfect book. Building on scientific evidence about developing aspects of kindness, such as empathy, it gives clear, practical advice to parents and suggests engaging activities and stories for children. Nothing could be more important today than increasing compassion and decreasing polarization and acrimony. I am going to give this book to my son who has a young daughter.”

Dr. Susan Fuhrman, Ph.D., President Emerita, Teachers College Columbia University: "In times of discord and polarization, kindness is a family value that can often be overlooked and underestimated. But, in truth, few parental responsibilities carry more weight -- and bring more joy -- than teaching children the power of flexing their own kindness muscles. Steeped in research and brimming with practical tips, The Kindness Advantage provides parents with a blueprint for nurturing empathy in young children, while offering real-life stories that both instruct and inspire. This is a thoughtful guidebook for parents, caregivers, and any adults looking to help build happiness, raise good citizens, and create harmonious communities."

Myung Lee, Executive Director of Fund for Cities of Service: "The Kindness Advantage … is exactly what we need more of right now. With empowering examples and science-based truths, Dale and Amanda share what it takes to foster kindness, empathy, compassion, and heart in our families. Parents will learn how to take on social questions and connect in a way that will improve the lives of their children and help create a more nurturing world. Highly recommended!”

Amy McCready, Author and Founder, Positive Parenting Solutions: "This enormously insightful book provides an inspiring and fundamental blueprint on how kindness can and should be taught to children.  It provides essential ways to have conversations with your children on how to be kind.  The Kindness Advantage reinforces how considerate and kind behavior can be life-changing and life lasting for children to help make the world a better place.”

Laura Schroff, #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of An Invisible Thread:
"The Kindness Advantage is the ray of hope that we all need in this harsh, heavy, world. It is a blueprint of how to partner with the next generation to live our inherent values, to tap our organic ability to love, and to create a kinder culture. Many thanks to Dale Atkins and Amanda Salzhauer for bringing this much-needed gift to the world!”

Rev. Susan Sparks, Pastor, Comedian, and Author of Laugh Your Way to Grace: "As a physician who uses mindfulness practices extensively in working with patients, health care professionals, and people dealing with all varieties of stress, I love that this book incorporates those practices into a guide for parents who are teaching their children to be kind.  The authors wisely lead with the evidence that kindness leads to greater happiness, meaning, and wellbeing, and then provide a myriad of inspirational examples and ideas for children and parents.  Grandparents, who are often crucial inspirational figures in children's lives, may particularly benefit from ideas for intergenerational collaborations in kindness.”

Patricia A. Bloom, M.D., Certified Teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction;
Clinical Associate Professor of Geriatrics, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY: "With optimism and compassion, The Kindness Advantage offers practical tips and real-world examples parents and educators need to teach empathy, compassion, and kindness to our children. Along the way, it also provides opportunities to reflect on our values and experiences as adults. This book speaks to the innate desire of every child to be good to themselves and those around them. Dale Atkins and Amanda Salzhauer make the case for kindness as the tool to radically transform our children's lives, and our own.”

Naila Bolus, President & CEO, Jumpstart: "Just like we see in kids who have the empathy advantage, children who are raised with the kindness advantage are happier, connected, compassionate, and will have what they need to become change makers in their world. The Kindness Advantage offers parents the tools to teach these skills and more to their young children. With the extensive examples of activities provided in the The Kindness Advantage, parents can pick and choose what resonates with them to create a personalized approach to bringing kindness into their everyday lives.”

Michele Borba, Ed.D., author of UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World: "It is through kindness that we find inner peace, and understanding of our humanity, our interconnectedness. Thank you Dale Atkins and Amanda Salzhauer for gifting us with The Kindness Advantage, a guide to share this most powerful and important tool with our children.”

Janet Slom, MFA, founder, Mindfulness-Based Self Expression: "The Kindness Advantage provides practical wisdom and good-sense guidance to help you scaffold your child's journey toward goodness of heart. This book is a gift which has arrived at the perfect time for our world.”

Amishi Jha, Ph.D., Neuroscientist and Researcher: "Before we expect kindness from others, we have to nurture it in ourselves. Thanks to The Kindness Advantage we now have the recipe to raise children that better the world not because of what they have done, but because of who they are.  And, in the process, we can learn to become kinder people in an often divisive and complicated world.”

DO YOU SUFFER FROM PANIC ATTACKS?

IF SO, YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH A- LIST CELEBS

Here’s what to do to cope without breaking the bank

www.comprehendthemind.com

Over 40 million adults in the U.S. suffer from anxiety and panic disorders. And as privileged as they are, celebrities are no exception when it comes to panic attacks. Whether it's a one-time event or something they consistently struggle with, dealing with a panic attack is never easy. Most recently, in the media and her new book, Gisele Bundchen described the debilitating panic attacks she experienced when she was younger and how they almost led her to suicide.  Gisele is not the only celeb who has confessed to former or current panic attacks.  Others include Lena Dunham, Caitlyn Jenner, Emma Stone, Ellie Goulding, Amanda Seyfried, and John Mayer.  We turned to New York City-based neuropsychologist and Teaching Faculty Member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College for some insight on what average Joe and Janes can to overcome panic attacks. The good news is, recovery is possible does not take an A-listers budget.

What is a panic attack?

Panic attacks typically begin suddenly, without warning. They can strike at any time — when you're driving a car, at the mall, sound asleep or in the middle of a business meeting. You may have occasional panic attacks, or they may occur frequently. Panic attacks have many variations, but symptoms usually peak within minutes. You may feel fatigued and worn out after a panic attack subsides. Dr. Hafeez states that “One of the worst things about panic attacks is the intense fear that you'll have another one.  A panic attack occurs when the body experiences a sudden surge adrenaline out of proportion to any perceived danger or threat.”

What is a panic disorder?

You may fear having panic attacks so much that you avoid certain situations where they may occur. It can become so severe as to cause agoraphobia where people become housebound.  When this occurs, it is known as panic disorder.” She adds, “the word ‘attack’ is actually a misnomer as nothing is being attacked. Panic occurs when the body goes into a state of fight or flight even when no real danger is present. A person can be sitting at their desk typing, yet feel as if they are being chased by a lion and the body is responding with adrenaline appropriate to a dangerous situation, but not realistic for the situation the sufferer is actually in.”  Dr. Hafeez stresses to those who suffer from the panic that, “Nobody has ever died from a panic attack! A person may feel as if he/she wants to die, or death is imminent, but it simply will not happen!”

How did Gisele Bundchen reduce her panic?

As Gisele Bundchen has mentioned, her panic attacks subsided when she made lifestyle changes such as not drinking a bottle of wine per day, stopping a pack a day smoking habit, incorporating meditation, yoga, and cutting out sugar.  After a few months, she says she stopped experiencing any panic attacks and had a new outlook on her life and her health.

What can you do to reduce and cope with panic?

Calm breathing

Dr. Hafeez says that “Taking control of breathing is the first step to controlling a panic attack. The goal is to create a slow stream of air by breathing in and out. This prevents hyperventilation and a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood. It is helpful to practice mindful breathing outside of panic attacks. This equips people who experience panic attacks with the techniques designed to stop them. There are apps and YouTube videos people can watch to practice breathing techniques for panic. “

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Another helpful strategy is learning to relax the body. This technique involves tensing and untensing various muscle groups. This lowers overall tension and stress levels that can contribute to panic attacks. Start with the feet and work up to your forehead. Tighten the muscle while taking a deep breath in, hold for a few seconds and then release the tension while breathing out. Move up the body, one muscle group at a time.

Mindfulness

This is the act of accepting thoughts as they come, but not letting them blow out of proportion. It is a mental framework designed to help people stay present at the moment without overanalyzing the stressful elements of life. Mindfulness incorporates many relaxation and meditation techniques.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Panic attacks can originate from thoughts that spiral into deep-seated worries. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is an effective, lasting treatment for controlling panic attack symptoms. CBT is a helpful option for people who experience repeated panic attacks. CBT challenges fearful thoughts. What are you afraid will happen? Is there evidence to support these fears? A practitioner trained in CBT can equip an individual with the tools to successfully control and defuse a full-blown panic attack.

Yoga

There are many uncomfortable physical symptoms of panic and anxiety, such as feelings of tension, tightness, and pain sensitivity. Yoga postures, known as asanas, help ease the physical discomfort that is caused by anxiety. Asanas work to stretch, lengthen, and balance the muscles. These postures can assist in releasing built-up muscle tension and stiffness throughout the body.

Cut Down on Sugar and eliminate caffeine

Although many people can’t start their day without a “cup of Joe,” Dr. Hafeez says that “for panic sufferers, caffeine can trigger panic attacks because it is a stimulant and can cause people with anxiety to have palpitating hearts and shaky hands. Sugar can cause blurry vision, difficulty thinking, and fatigue, all of which may be interpreted as signs of a panic attack, thereby increasing worry and fear. A sugar high and subsequent crash can cause shaking and tension, which can make anxiety worse. While dietary changes alone cannot cure anxiety, they can minimize symptoms, boost energy and improve the body’s ability to cope with stress.”

Stop Smoking

“If you think smoking calms you down, think again,” says Dr. Hafeez.  A study of thousands of smokers shows that they are three times more likely than non-smokers to have panic attacks and panic disorder. Tobacco smoke may induce panic attacks in susceptible individuals. "There can be other mechanisms by which smoking induces panic: the effect of nicotine for example," says Dr. Hafeez. “Nicotine has a stimulating effect on the brain.”

Reduce or eliminate alcohol

There are clear links between alcohol and anxiety, and between alcohol and panic attacks. Alcohol can trigger panic attacks because on a physiological level drinking can cause low blood sugar, dehydration, increased heart rate, and increased levels of stress. Dr. Hafeez offers that, “A drink from time to time is not harmful, but when people use drinking to deal with anxiety and panic, they can experience severe consequences. Like other frequently abused substances such as caffeine or cocaine, the combination of alcohol abuse, hangover, and withdrawal can lead to an increased risk of panic attacks. As a consequence, this kind of abuse can result in both an alcohol addiction and more severe anxiety and panic disorders.”

Medication

There are many anti-depressants, mood stabilizers, and benzodiazepines like Valium, Ativan, Clonopin, and Xanax that can help keep panic under control when combined with therapy. Antihistamines (such as hydroxyzine) and beta-blockers (such as propranolol) can help mild cases of anxiety as well as performance anxiety, a type of social anxiety disorder. Patients need to keep in mind that benzodiazepines carry the risk of tolerance and addiction and are better suited for short-term or “as needed” usage.

Smartphone apps to assist with panic disorder

There are many great ones that exist such as Dare, Rootd, Anxiety No More, ACT Companion and Pacifica among many others.

About the Doctor:

Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD is an NYC based licensed clinical psychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services, P.C. a neuropsychological, developmental and educational center in Manhattan and Queens. Dr. Hafeez masterfully applies her years of experience connecting psychological implications to address some of today’s common issues such as body image, social media addiction, relationships, workplace stress, parenting and psychopathology (bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, etc). In addition, Dr. Hafeez works with individuals who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), learning disabilities, attention and memory problems, and abuse. Dr. Hafeez often shares her credible expertise to various news outlets in New York City and frequently appears on CNN and Dr.Oz. Connect with her via Instagram @drsanamhafeez or www.comprehendthemind.com

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