The Daily Mind

Daily Steps To Mindful Living

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10 Ways to Help You Break Free From Your Phone

Mental Health, Mind

Smartphones have changed the way we live our lives, but did you know that they are also changing the way our brains work? According to a study by Microsoft, since 2000 when smartphones began to take their regular place in our palms, the average human attention span has dropped to less than that of a goldfish.

It’s no wonder, when heavy users can be tapping and swiping away for up to 3.8 hours a day, and if these stats are scaring you, there are things you can do to break your own phone addiction. They have been developed to keep us picking them up and using them, no matter what else we are doing at the time, so you need some techniques to help you resist those temptations.

[bctt tweet=”Are you addicted to your phone?” username=”thedailyminder”]

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Originally posted on January 15, 2018 @ 11:00 am

10 Apps to Have a More Mindful 2018

Mindfulness

While all the technological advances of the 21st century have made our lives more convenient, they’ve also made our lives far more complex. We now know that the longer we spend on the Internet, the more likely we are to develop anxiety or depression. However, let’s face it, most of us aren’t just going to quit our cellphones cold turkey. In fact, about 44 percent of American cell phone users say they would experience crippling anxiety if they were to lose their cellphone.

If you’re one of those people who has an “uncomfortable dependency” with your mobile device, then it’s time for you to download a mindfulness app. Yes, there are plenty of apps online designed to help you gently unplug…while you’re still technically plugged in!

[bctt tweet=”Apps designed to help you gently unplug…while you’re still technically plugged in!” #mindfulness #apps username=”thedailyminder”]

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Originally posted on January 2, 2018 @ 8:30 am

Are You Getting an ESA Dog? Here are the Health Benefits

Mental Health, Mind

Pet lovers will quickly tell you of the joy and unconditional love they get every day from their pets. The feel-good-combination is capable of warming the heart of even the most cold-hearted person you know. Moreover, it is for these reasons that mental health professionals now acknowledge that emotions and the resultant release of endorphins helps people suffering from mental, emotional and physical health problems.

Sigmund Freud (legendary psychoanalyst) often used his pet Chow during therapy sessions with patients. Freud was obviously way ahead of the rest of the world at the time, but other mental health professionals are fast realizing that pets are good for people! You can get an emotional support animal online to help an individual dealing with intellectual, physical or psychiatric disability; here are the main benefits of having an ESA dog. [Read more…] about Are You Getting an ESA Dog? Here are the Health Benefits

Originally posted on December 7, 2017 @ 4:49 am

Using Mindfulness to Get Through the Holiday Season

Mind, Mindfulness

The holidays can be an exciting time to catch up with loved ones and take a much-needed step back from hectic schedules and busy lives. But the celebratory season is also a period in which many experience depression and anxiety.

Whenever possible, those dealing with mental illness should always seek professional help. People are also turning to mindfulness practices such as meditation to help manage depression and anxiety, either in tandem with therapy and prescription medication or as an alternative to drug treatment.

[bctt tweet=”Find the holidays too stressful? Here’s a great way to lessen the burden on your mental health.” username=”thedailyminder”]

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Originally posted on December 5, 2017 @ 8:00 am

How Mindfulness-Based Therapy Helped Me with Schizophrenia

Mindfulness

Imagine hearing a chorus of voices inside of your head at any given time of the day. Whether magnanimous or menacing, this group of voices can disrupt productive thoughts and daily activity. Furthermore, imagine that no one else can hear these voices, but you and that other people respond with fear or pity when you cry out for help. While it may sound like the plot of a horror movie, this condition is the reality for people with paranoid schizophrenia.

In my journey to treat chronic schizophrenia, I have encountered numerous hurdles, including anxiety attacks, stress problems, disrupted relationships, and negative reactions to psychiatric medication. Often, I believed that there was no answer, and I would need to simply accept the negative effects of hearing voices. Fortunately, my condition began to slowly improve with the discovery of mindfulness-based therapies and writing about personal and other paranoid schizophrenia stories. [Read more…] about How Mindfulness-Based Therapy Helped Me with Schizophrenia

Originally posted on October 3, 2017 @ 10:00 am

Five Ways a Positive Mindset May Help People with Terminal Cancer

Body, Inspiration, Mental Health, Mind, Spirit

Depression, grief, and anxiety are common emotions when a person is diagnosed with a terminal cancer. The experience can feel overwhelming and it may be tempting to mentally shut down in order to avoid the pain of reality. But a cancer diagnosis does not have to rob you of your right to a rich, happy, and fulfilling life, even if the prognosis seems bleak.

While there is no evidence that positive thinking alone can cure cancer, maintaining an overall positive attitude can certainly help make the experience more bearable for you and the people you love. Paul Kraus, a 20-year survivor of metastatic malignant mesothelioma, credits his unprecedented survival, in large measure, to a positive attitude and a healthy lifestyle. [Read more…] about Five Ways a Positive Mindset May Help People with Terminal Cancer

Originally posted on August 9, 2017 @ 4:14 am