You were pretty sure you had it. Still, it was good to get the diagnosis. Are you looking for more restless legs syndrome info? Maybe cause, treatment? Here’s what you need to know…
Dopaminergic agents: These drugs, which increase dopamine in the brain, can reduce symptoms of RLS when taken at night.
If you or someone you care about has restless legs syndrome, you know how troublesome it can be.
You also know it doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
We started a two-part series on restless legs syndrome last week. In part one we defined it, reviewed its symptoms, and who’s more likely to have it.
Now it’s on to cause and treatment…
What causes restless legs syndrome
Like most of the conditions we discuss, the cause of restless legs syndrome (RLS) is unknown. That means we have to turn to triggers and scientific supposition to connect the dots.
If someone is experiencing RLS-like symptoms and any of the following are going on, the dots are connecting…
Family history of RLS
Parkinson’s disease/dopamine imbalance
Neuropathy
Sleep deprivation and other sleep conditions, such as sleep apnea
Pregnancy or hormonal changes, especially in the last trimester
Use of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine
Iron deficiency, even without anemia
Using medications, such as some anti-nausea drugs, antidepressants that increase serotonin, antipsychotics, medications that contain older antihistamines
End-stage renal disease and hemodialysis
What’s in the works?
Lots of mystery, supposition, and dot connecting going on when it comes to the cause of RLS. It’s terribly frustrating. But what can I say? It’s the brain.
The good news is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is funding a lot of fantastic research.
“Yeah, participating in a clinical trial is a great way to help the cause. Good idea, doc.”
Included: investigating changes in the brain’s signaling pathways with an emphasis on dopamine, discovering genetic relationships, studying the role of endothelial cells in the regulation of cerebral iron metabolism, using advanced MRI to measure chemical changes in the brain’s arousal system, testing non-drug therapies, such as a non-invasive nerve stimulation device to use during sleep.
If you’re dealing with it, you know that’s the kind of attention RLS deserves.
How is restless legs syndrome treated?
There is no treatment that directly addresses RLS. So to secure relief we have to focus upon contributing medical conditions, lifestyle habits, and self-care.
Medications
Let’s start with medical conditions – reference the “triggers” above. Here are medications frequently used in the treatment of RLS…
Iron supplements: Check with your physician first.
Anti-seizure drugs (anticonvulsants): The first-line prescription drugs for those with RLS. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant, Regnite) for the treatment of moderate to severe RLS. Other anti-seizure drugs, such as pregabalin (Lyrica), can decrease sensory disturbances and nerve pain.
Dopaminergic agents: These drugs, which increase dopamine in the brain, can reduce symptoms of RLS when taken at night. Ropinirole (Requip), pramipexole (Mirapex), and rotigotine (Neupro) are FDA-approved to treat moderate to severe RLS. Levodopa (L-Dopa) plus carbidopa (Lodosyn) may be effective, but can only be used intermittently.
Opioids: Drugs such as methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), codeine, hydrocodone (Hysingla ER, Zohydro ER), or oxycodone (OxyContin, Roxicodone) are sometimes prescribed to treat individuals with more severe symptoms of RLS who do not respond well to other medications.
Benzodiazepines: They are anticonvulsants. Medications such as clonazepam (Klonopin) and lorazepam (Ativan) are generally prescribed to treat anxiety, muscle spasms, and insomnia; and can help individuals get more restful sleep.
Lifestyle habits and self-care
Lifestyle habits and self-care have a major impact on distress. The following often provide relief for those with mild to moderate RLS…
Avoid or decrease the use of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine
Change or maintain a regular sleep pattern
Moderate, regular exercise
Massage the legs or take a warm bath
Apply a heating pad or ice pack
Use foot wraps specially designed for people with RLS or vibration pads to the back of the legs
Aerobic and leg-stretching exercises of moderate intensity
With creativity, we can come up with more.
The attention it deserves
That’ll do it for our series. Restless legs syndrome makes life challenging for tens of millions worldwide. If you or someone close to you has it, that isn’t front page news.
No cause, no cure. So quality management options will have to hold us over as research continues.
But there’s plenty of hope because restless legs syndrome is finally getting the attention it deserves.
To get the full scoop on restless legs syndrome, be sure to read part one.
Like our friend with his doc, if your interested in participating in a clinical trial for RLS, or any other disorder, start with NIH Clinical Trials and You. When you’re ready to find a trial, visit ClinicalTrials.gov.
Would you like to read more Chipur mood and anxiety info and inspiration articles? Head to the titles.
Bill White is not a physician and provides this information for educational purposes only. Always contact your physician with questions and for advice and recommendations.
You’ve been having strange sensations in your legs and overpowering urges to move them. You can’t even sleep anymore. “Do I have restless legs syndrome?” Here’s what you need to know…
Do you think there’s a relationship between RLS, depression, and anxiety? Sure is. And one incites the other.
Restless legs syndrome can turn lives upside down.
If you’re one of the tens of millions struggling, or think you may be, here’s what you need to know. In fact, there are so many need to knows that we’ll go with a two-part series.
Let’s get after defining restless legs syndrome, reviewing its symptoms, and who’s more likely to have it. And we’ll come back in part-two with causes and what to do about it.
Off with us…
What is restless legs syndrome?
Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, is a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant or uncomfortable sensations in the legs and an irresistible urge to move them. It can also affect other parts of the body.
The occurrence rate of RLS in North America and Europe is 7-10%. It’s believed to be quite a bit lower in Middle Eastern and East Asian countries.
What are the symptoms of restless legs syndrome?
Here are the primary symptoms – characteristics – of RLS…
Sensations – aching, crawling, tingling, itching, throbbing, pain, burning, tugging – that typically begin after being inactive and sitting for extended periods of time.
Relief of discomfort with movement of the legs (or other affected body part). Keeping them in motion may minimize or prevent the sensations. It may come down to pacing the floor or constant movement while sitting.
Worsening of symptoms at night with a distinct symptom-free period early in the morning.
Difficulty falling and staying asleep, which can worsen with a reduction of sleep due to events or activity.
With moderately severe RLS, symptoms may only occur once or twice a week, but often result in significant delay of sleep onset with some disruption of daytime functioning.
Periods of remission may occur for weeks or months, especially during the early stages of the disorder. But not only are they likely to reappear, they can become worse over time.
By the way, can you see why RLS is considered both a sleep and movement disorder?
Severe cases
“I love this show, but enough’s enough. It’s time to see the doc.”
Some 3% of RLS cases are considered severe, which means intense and persistent symptoms occur more than twice a week.
In addition to sensations and movement, mental distress, insomnia, and daytime sleepiness may present. And since RLS is worse when resting, those with severe cases may avoid daily activities that involve long periods of sitting.
But that’s not all. Sufferers of severe RLS are more apt to isolate socially and experience frequent daytime headaches, compromised memory, impaired concentration, and libido issues.
Do you think there’s a relationship between RLS, depression, and anxiety? Sure is. And one incites the other.
Who is more likely to have restless legs syndrome?
Just like our specialty, the mood and anxiety disorders, the root cause of RLS is unknown. When that’s the case, triggers help us identify who’s more likely to have a disorder.
Let’s take a look…
Family history of RLS
Neuropathy
Sleep deprivation and other sleep conditions, such as sleep apnea
Use of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine
Pregnancy or hormonal changes, especially in the last trimester. In most cases, symptoms disappear within four weeks post-delivery.
Parkinson’s disease
Medications, such as anti-nausea drugs, antipsychotics, antidepressants that increase serotonin, cold and allergy medications that contain older antihistamines (e.g., chlorphenamine, doxylamine, hydroxyzine)
Iron deficiency, even without a diagnosis of anemia
End-stage renal disease and hemodialysis
Heads up, right?
Come on back for part two
That’ll do it for part one. Whether you know you have restless leg syndrome or you’re considering the possibility, the information will lend you a hand.
If you’re interested in participating in a clinical trial for RLS, or any other disorder, start with NIH Clinical Trials and You. When you’re ready to find a trial, visit ClinicalTrials.gov.
The United States Surgeon General has declared a youth mental health crisis. He says social media is a primary driver and he’s calling for immediate action. Let’s see what’s up.
When asked about the impact of social media on their body image, 46% of adolescents aged 13-17 said social media makes them feel worse…
Molly Rose Russell was 14-years-old when she died on November 21, 2017.
At the conclusion of last September’s judicial inquiry, her death was attributed to “…an act of self-harm while suffering from depression and the negative effects of online content.”
It was the first ruling of its kind.
Social media and youth mental health advisory
On May 23, 2023, the United States Department of Health and Human Services issued a news release announcing that Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is urging action to ensure social media environments are healthy and safe.
Citing the risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents, he called on policymakers, technology companies, researchers, families, and young people to gain insight into the full impact of social media use.
The goal is to create safer and healthier online environments.
As we consider the crisis, it’s important to keep in mind that children and adolescents are in critical stages of brain development. And that makes them especially vulnerable.
The release introduces a 25-page PDF, “Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health.”
Reality
Up to 95% of young people ages 13-17 report using a social media platform and more than a third say they use it “almost constantly.”
From Surgeon General Murthy
Let’s get right on it by going to the source, Surgeon General Murthy…
The most common question parents ask me is, ‘is social media safe for my kids’. The answer is that we don’t have enough evidence to say it’s safe, and in fact, there is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harm to young people’s mental health.
He goes on to point out that children and adolescents are often exposed to violent and sexual content on social media, as well as bullying and harassment.
And for too many young people, hanging out on social media compromises sleep and in-person time with family and friends.
According to Murthy…
We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is an important driver of that crisis – one that we must urgently address.
Good, sounds like he means business.
The impact of social media on children and adolescents
Of course, the impact of social media on children and adolescents depends upon a number of factors…
Amount of time spent on platforms
Type of content being selected or to which they’re exposed
Degree to which the content disrupts health essential activities, such as sleep and physical activity
Cultural, historical, and socio-economic factors
No doubt, there are more.
Benefits
Is it too much to hope for?
Can children and adolescents benefit from social media? Sure they can, as long as rules pertaining to the factors above are made – and monitored.
That’s not unreasonable, is it?
Let’s catch the view from the adolescent side of the fence. They report that social media helps them feel more accepted (58%), like they have people who can support them through tough times (67%), like they have a place to show their creative side (71%), and more connected to what’s going on in their friends’ lives (80%).
The dark side
Okay, we know social media use can be excessive and problematic for some children and adolescents. Let’s do details…
Recent research shows that adolescents who spend more than three hours per day on social media face double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, such as depression and anxiety
Relating to the previous point, a recent survey of teenagers found that the average amount of time spent on social media is 3.5 hours a day
One-third or more of girls aged 11-15 say they feel “addicted” to certain social media platforms and over half of teenagers report that it would be hard to give up
When asked about the impact of social media on their body image, 46% of adolescents aged 13-17 said social media makes them feel worse, 40% said it makes them feel neither better nor worse, and only 14% said it makes them feel better
64% of adolescents are “often” or “sometimes” exposed to hate-based content through social media
Studies have shown a relationship between social media use and poor sleep quality, reduced sleep duration, sleep difficulties, and depression among youth
Extremely problematic, don’t you think?
The Surgeon General’s recommendations
The Surgeon General certainly makes the case for a major crisis. And a tip of the hat to him for suggesting ways to address it. Let’s take a look…
Policymakers
Murthy calls upon policymakers to take steps to strengthen safety standards and limit access in ways that make social media safer for children and adolescents. He also suggests funding for additional research.
Tech companies
Murthy states that tech companies can better and more transparently assess the impact of their products on young people, as well as make design and development decisions that prioritize safety and health.
He emphasizes protecting privacy, better adherence to age minimums, and improving systems to provide effective and timely responses to complaints.
Parents and caregivers
For my money, this is where it’s at. Murthy recommends establishing tech-free zones that better foster in-person relationships, teaching kids about responsible online behavior and serving as a model, and reporting problematic content and activity.
Children and adolescents
Children and adolescents can adopt healthy practices like limiting time on platforms, blocking unwanted content, being careful about sharing personal information, and reaching out if they or a friend need help or see harassment or abuse.
Researchers
Researchers need to further prioritize social media and youth mental health work that can support the establishment of standards and evaluation of best practices to support the health of children and adolescents.
Will we pull out of it?
So what do you think? Does the Surgeon General make the case for a social media and youth mental health crisis? How do you feel about his recommendations?
Most important of all, do you think we’ll pull out of it?
My take
We’ve been in an escalating state of social media and youth mental health crisis – along with several contributing crises – for a number of years. And I wouldn’t bet the farm we’ll pull out of it.
Just a few of the things on my mind…
I wrote the first of six Chipur articles on social media’s negative impact upon mental health, most backed by research, 11 years ago. And here we are.
During last year’s judicial inquest into Molly Russell’s death, representatives of the two platforms involved – Pinterest and Instagram (Meta – also owns Facebook) were required to give in-person testimony under oath. That was a first, by the way. The Pinterest rep was contrite. The Meta rep was defiant. Lots of money and power in the equation.
Policymakers and researchers go with the dough. Reference the previous point.
I wonder if we’re past the point of no return when it comes to the involvement of parents and caregivers – children and adolescents. I mean, there are way too many seductive hooks in the world of social media. And the frantic pace of life makes it hard to slow down, consider all the angles, and make adjustments. Our biggest hope are the children, but parents, older siblings, adult family members, and caregivers need to amp up the modeling and guidance.
Pessimistic, I know. Still, I really do believe hope springs eternal.
The chips are down, the stakes are high
The United States Surgeon General has declared a youth mental health crisis. Social media is a primary driver and immediate action is required.
The chips are down, the stakes are high. Will we answer the call?
It ain’t always sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows. Life can become difficult and dark. Many say there’s no “can” about it. Are you struggling right now? How ‘bout 12 pieces of hope.
Something marvelous was about to occur, until we threw in the towel.
With some 50 years of difficulty and darkness backing it, try this on for size…
If we don’t accept life’s inherent difficulty and darkness, we’ll never have a shot at peace of mind and personal growth.
Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, no diagnosis – doesn’t matter, it applies to everyone.
Of course, acceptance is one thing, taking action is another.
”If-“ by Rudyard Kipling
Let’s kick things off with the second verse of English poet Rudyard Kipling’s “If-,” written in 1895.
Couple of interesting notes going in. Kipling wrote the poem in the form of paternal advice to his son. It’s been cherished around the world since it was published. And it’s said that Muhammad Ali carried the poem in his wallet.
See how you feel about it…
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master; If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools
Gut reaction? And that’s just one of four verses.
12 pieces of hope when life becomes difficult
So we’ve established that life can become difficult and dark. Maybe that’s the way it is for you right now. From my experience, those pieces of hope…
Take comfort in constants. We may feel dark and cold, but the rest of the world hasn’t changed.
The day after the very worst of days often brings surprisingly positive developments.
The difficulty and darkness factors of life are permanent – only if we turn away acceptance and action.
Hope is like the sun on a cloudy day. We may not see it, but it’s there.
Answers exist, though they’re not always immediate and clear.
Knee-jerk running for emotional and mental cover doesn’t work.
It’s never over until we say it’s over.
We can’t underestimate the power of reason in changing how we think – feel and behave.
Living in yesterday eliminates tomorrows.
Something marvelous was about to occur, until we threw in the towel.
Rumination is ruination.
Anybody can cruise through the good times. Give me someone who’s fought for their sanity, survival, and peace of mind.
I’ll bet each of us can come up with more.
Keep our chins up
It ain’t all sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows. I’ve come to expect it. And when life gets difficult and dark, acceptance and action are all that matter.
Those pieces of hope? A little something to keep our chins up.
As cliché as it may sound, do you have anger issues? If you do, are they dominating your life – and the lives of others? Maybe it’s time to free your troubled mind. Learn how to manage anger…
The motivation to avoid or numb Core Hurts generates all harmful behavior.
How do you feel about an anger intervention discussion that features Core Value and Core Hurts?
Are you familiar with them?
Well, buckle up because that’s where we’re going. And we have just the right teacher…
Dr. Steven Stosny
Psychologist, author, and speaker Dr. Steven Stosny is an expert in assorted forms of anger, abuse, and violence. He’s the founder of Compassion Power and a regular on the media circuit.
What you’re about to read is a highlight reel of a portion of Dr. Stosny’s work. The information is excellent, so you may want to reference it down the road. Saving or printing the article would be a good idea.
Let’s go…
What is anger?
Anger is our number one self-revealing emotion. And it mobilizes us for one thing, and one thing only – a fight.
It’s important to know that anger points directly at the status of our Core Value. It’s ultimately a cry of powerlessness, and the more reactive we become, the more powerless we feel.
Power? It’s the ability to act in our long-term best interests. Responsibility gives us the power to make our lives better, while blame renders us powerless.
The role of compassion
Getting to where we need to go in this piece is a learning progression. So let’s first take a look at Stosny’s take on compassion…
More important than love because love without compassion is controlling, possessive, even dangerous
A sympathetic understanding of our Core Hurts and those of others
Loving others because it makes us feel worthy of love
Recognizing our Core Value and that of others, even when we don’t like present behavior or perspectives
Motivation to do the right thing
Not the same as forgiveness or condoning offenses
Not the same as reinstating relationships
Compassion has great healing power and protects us from Core Hurts. And keep in mind, the more we hurt, the harder it is to feel compassion.
Finally, compassion requires assertiveness – standing up for our rights and feelings. And we need to become comfortable with it because compassion ultimately defuses anger.
What is Core Value?
The next component is Core Value. It’s our deepest experience of self and it’s the foundation of our personal security, well-being, self-esteem, competence, creativity, and power.
When we’re in touch with our Core Value we can do no wrong. And when the impulse to control or harm arrives, we can bet the farm our Core Value has flattened.
“It wasn’t easy, and I have to keep after it, but I’ve learned to respect and value myself.”
The self-statement from Stosny…
I am worthy of respect, value, and compassion, whether or not I get them from others. If I don’t get them from others, it is necessary to feel more worthy, not less. It is necessary to affirm my own deep value as a unique person (child of God). I respect and value myself. I have compassion for my hurt. I have compassion for the hurt of others. I trust myself to act in my best interests and in the best interests of loved ones.
That’s a keeper, don’t you think?
What are Core Hurts?
Next in our learning progression are Core Hurts. Feeling…
Disregarded
Unimportant
Accused
Guilty
Devalued
Rejected
Powerless
Inadequate/Unlovable
Okay, things are coming together now. When Core Hurts are active a quick drop in Core Value takes place. And whether or not we realize it, many of us learned early on to protect ourselves from Core Hurts – Core Value hits – by using some form of anger, aggression, or resentment.
Any wonder why Core Hurts trigger anger?
Bottom-line: The motivation to avoid or numb Core Hurts generates all harmful behavior.
HEALS
Now that we have the pieces in place, let’s get after relief with HEALS. Here’s how to intervene when anger slaps us upside the head…
Healing: When we first feel angry, visualize the word “heals” in bright lights. If it’s being triggered by someone, picture “heal” written across their face.
Explain to ourselves the deepest Core Hurt that’s causing the problem.
Apply self-compassion: Access our Core Value by asking ourselves if we’re unimportant, not valuable, or unlovable because of an external event or someone’s behavior. If need be, take an inventory of what makes our life worth living – good deeds we’ve done, loving relationships, or admirable personal values.
Love ourselves.
Solve the problem: Once we’re more calm and relaxed, it’ll be easier to address the conflict that’s generating the anger.
HEALS takes us beyond anger management techniques to an automatic regulation of anger and resentment. And that generates power.
With repetition, HEALS builds a conditioned response to increase self-value whenever resentment or anger occur. And since HEALS repetition strengthens Core Value, it makes the defensive use of anger and resentment unnecessary.
By the way, to get to the point where HEALS comes automatically when anger strikes, Stosny prescribes 750 repetitions over four to six weeks.
Free your troubled mind
If anger is dominating your life – and the lives of others – isn’t it time to free your troubled mind?
Dr. Stosny has created a wonderful intervention to help you out. Come on, give it a go.
Puzzles: with an unsettled mind they just keep coming. In fact, I’ve been working on a couple of toughies for some time. The truth about puzzles when you’re living with mental illness? You can’t solve ‘em all.
’You struggle to make the change because the old behavior is still meeting a need. Instead of shaming yourself…”
I’m a mental illness lifer.
My first derealization episode hit when I was nine. And things went full throttle generalized anxiety, panic, agoraphobia, social anxiety, OCD, depression, and alcohol 11 years later.
Sharing air with mental illness for the bulk of my 68 years has been an odyssey.
Physical, emotional, and mental puzzles
If you’ve coexisted with mental illness – what I really prefer calling emotional/mental disorders – for any length of time, you’re likely not stunned when a new puzzle gets tossed your way.
And human beings that we are, we don’t much like aggravation and pain. So if a particular puzzle delivers a good portion of it, we’re going to do all we can to solve it.
But is it always possible? My version of the truth…
Physical puzzles
When it comes to anatomy, physiology, and genetics puzzles, there’s no way they’re all going to be solved.
I don’t get wound up about it because I’ve studied and written about them for years. And when you view the lay of the land you realize an unsolved puzzle isn’t going to do you in.
We also have to consider the fact that the brain and the rest of the body will always generate “unsolved psych mysteries.” And if the greatest minds in the world can’t solve the puzzles, why should we sweat nails over them?
Emotional and mental puzzles
Now, those emotional and mental puzzles – I absolutely get wound up about them. To underscore the point I’m going to share those “couple of toughies” I mentioned in the opening.
But before we jump in…
It’s hard for me to open up about deeply personal information. It would be one thing if I were telling you I’ve always wanted to be a CIA agent. But to me, what you’re about to read exceeds Top Secret.
Still, it’s good to get it off my chest. And who knows, it may hit home for someone, providing a measure of relief.
The unsolvables
Generalized anxiety, panic, agoraphobia, social anxiety, OCD, depression: as challenging as they are, they aren’t puzzles to me anymore. They’re just part of life.
But low self-esteem and emptiness – the “toughies?” In my mind, they’re 1,000 piecers. Solving them would be an unexpected gift.
I’ll open the book…
Low self-esteem
I struggle with self-esteem. And that means self-confidence and insecurity can also become problems. I call them the “Big 3.”
The puzzle doesn’t include awareness or acceptance. Even why isn’t much of a factor anymore. But it definitely includes what to do about it.
“I guess I’m going to have to let this one go – unsolved. I tried and that’s all I can do.”
I’ve wrestled with the Big 3 since I was a kid. I mean, the derealization episode I mentioned earlier bears witness to the fact that goofy things were going on in my head.
Curiously, most things came easy to me growing up. Athletics, social life – you name it – I did well. And I enjoyed the spotlight. I’ll even go so far as to say I was a lot of people’s “pick to click” in life. That is until the puzzles appeared and devoured me at the age of 20.
I’d fooled my share of people, most of all myself. There was a ton of mind work to be done and it didn’t happen. But then again, I didn’t know.
What to do about it? I work hard on coming to grips with myself. Will the puzzle ultimately be solved? No.
Emptiness
Just as my self-esteem puzzle is a combo package, so it is with emptiness. Its partner is loneliness.
By the way, isn’t it interesting that we’re most often dealing with a constellation of signs and symptoms? Never seems to be just one thing, does it.
Okay, for years I’ve affectionately referred to it as “The Feeling.” It’s this overwhelming sense of emptiness – desolation. Maybe I could call it “The Black Hole.”
And that’s just what it is – a feeling of gnawing anxiety, loneliness, and “Where did everybody go?” “Everybody” includes me.
No problem tracing its roots to childhood, so the why’s are handled. What to do about it? Just like self-esteem, I do everything I can to manage, but the puzzle will never be solved.
I never grew up
As long as I’m on a revelation roll, I may as well go all the way.
Low self-esteem, low self-confidence, insecurity, emptiness, loneliness, and more. I really believe I never learned how to live. And in many ways, I never grew up.
That accounts for a whole lot of unsolvable puzzles.
New ways to meet the need
As we begin to wrap things up, take a look at this brilliant observation I found on The EQ School’s website…
You struggle to make the change because the old behavior is still meeting a need. Instead of shaming yourself, identify the deeper need and allow it to exist. Then get curious about a new way to meet it.
Regardless of your truth on the solvability of puzzles, what a remarkable take – and great advice.
You can’t solve ‘em all
Anatomy, physiology, genetics, the emotional and mental: puzzles just keep coming when you’re living with mental illness. And that’s never going to change.
The truth is, you can’t solve ‘em all.
Looking to improve your emotional intelligence? See what’s up at The EQ School.
And if you’d like to read more Chipur info and inspiration articles, just hit the titles.
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