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    10 Of The Most Common Phobias, Explained

    By Nikolina Ilic

    Did you know there are more than 500 recognised phobias? Ranging from super common to incredibly rare, and from NBD to deadly serious, they’re more common than we think: according to Australasian Psychology Services, specific phobias are thought to affect around 11 per cent of the Aussie population. In South Africa, the biggest animal phobia is arachnophobia or the fear of spiders.

    “Approximately one-quarter of the population have one or more phobias, with the number one fear being glossophobia: fear of public speaking, which affects up to 75% of the population,” explains Mark Stephens, lifestyle hypnotherapist and phobia specialist. “Phobias can develop at any time of your life, but will often start when you’re a child and can be triggered by a single traumatic event or a series of events that induce fear.”

    The most common phobias:

    Trypanophobia: Fear of needles

    Mysophobia: Fear of germs

    Coulrophobia: fear of clowns

    Catoptrophobia: Fear of mirrors

    Glossophobia: Fear of public speaking

    Leptophobia: Fear of losing weight/ being skinny

    Hadephobia: Fear of going to hell

    Decidophobia: Fear of making decisions

    Pteronophobia: Fear of being tickled by feathers

    Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia: a fear of long words

    Phobias: Everything you need to know

    What is a phobia?

    A phobia is a concern or fear about certain situations or activities, like animals and objects. Fear is a rational response in certain situations, however, some people react to objects, activities or situations (the phobic stimulus) by imagining or irrationally exaggerating the danger, resulting in panic, fear or terror that is out of proportion to the actual threat. Sometimes, even the thought of, or simply seeing the phobic stimulus on television, is enough to cause a reaction. These types of excessive reactions may be indicative of a Specific Phobia.

    What happens when I have a phobia?

    People with phobias are often well aware that their fears are exaggerated or irrational, but feel that their anxious reaction is automatic or they are not able to control it. When exposed to the phobic stimulus, anxiety can reach excessive levels. Specific Phobias are often associated with panic attacks, during which the person experiences and is overwhelmed by physical sensations that may include a pounding heart, choking, nausea, faintness, dizziness, chest pain, hot or cold flushes and perspiration.

    How do I know if I have one?

    A person may have a phobia if they:

    Have a persistent fear that is excessive and unreasonable in relation to a specific object, activity or situation, such as heights, seeing blood or encountering a dog. Adults will be able to recognise that the fear is excessive; children with Specific Phobias may not be able to.

    Avoids situations in which they may have to face the phobic stimulus, for example not walking down a street where there may be a dog or refusing to go further than the ground floor of a building. If the situation is unavoidable, it is endured with distress.

    Finds that the anxiety or avoidance associated with such situations makes it difficult to go about daily life (for example, working, studying or seeing friends and family).

    What are the main categories?

    Specific Phobias are generally divided into the following categories:

    Animal type: fear that relates to animal or insects (e.g. fear of dogs or spiders).

    Natural-Environment type: a fear associated with the natural environment (e.g. fear of thunder or heights).

    Blood-Injection-Injury type: A fear associated with invasive medical procedures (e.g. injections), or by seeing blood or injury.

    Situational Type: a fear of specific situations (e.g. elevators, bridges or driving).

    Other: Any other Specific Phobias (e.g. fear of choking or fear of vomiting).

    What causes phobias?

    Several factors are likely to increase a person’s risk of developing a Specific Phobia. These include:

    A family history of mental health problems:

    A predisposition to anxiety may be passed down from a parent with a mental illness. Research has shown that children of moderately to severely depressed parents are up to three times more likely to have an anxiety disorder, and specifically a phobia, than children of non-depressed parents.

    Traumatic experiences: someone who has, for example, witnessed or experienced a traumatic event (e.g. being bitten by an animal or trapped somewhere like a cupboard) may feel extremely fearful of situations or objects associated with the event afterwards. By avoiding these, even when they are in a non-threatening situation, they may develop a phobia.

    What treatments are available?

    Phobias are treatable and seeking professional help is the first step towards recovery. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is the most commonly- used therapy for people with Specific Phobias and can be conducted either in group sessions or individually. Cognitive behaviour therapists work closely with people to develop a shared understanding of their thinking and behavioural difficulties. Therapists will help people to uncover unhelpful and unrealistic ways of thinking (e.g. “I will be trapped. Medication is also available, like antidepressants, however, there has been no clear indications of efficacy in using medication have been found in treating phobias.

    This article was first published in womenshealthmag.com.au More

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    “How I Overcame Disordered Eating And Found What Works”

    Foodstagram is a universe on its own. Scrolling through, you’ll find Reels upon Reels of delicious dribbles and salads packed with #healthy ingredients. What you may not find in the caption is people talking about why they’re so into food – healthy food, specifically. Many people are struggling with bad eating habits, but how many actually overcame disordered eating?

    When Jo Hill, the personality behind the popular foodie account @pullupsandpeanutbutter started on a journey where she overcame disordered eating in 2018, she realised that part of her food journey was to also speak about her recovery openly. It formed part of her entry into our very own Women’s Health Fit Foodie competition in 2018.

    “I hadn’t realized at the time that there were other women who could relate to what it was that I’d been through,” she says.  

    How it started

    At the time, Jo was competing in powerlifting competitions and it felt empowering. “It was quite a liberating sport because you’re focusing on the weight that you’re lifting and not what you look like,” she says.

    However, the competitive side of the sport came with restrictions that forced Jo back into uncomfortable territory. In order to compete in her weight category, she needed to lose weight in a very short amount of time for the weigh-in that preceded competitions. “The diet that I was given by my trainer at the time was like 800 calories [a day] and I needed to weigh myself every day,” Jo recalls. While it was only for two weeks, Jo experienced problems, since she had done restrictive dieting like this for years. “I was under-eating so much and my metabolism was just so used to receiving so few calories that I wasn’t losing any weight,” she says. Soon after, she quit the sport for something more mindful.

    The big change

    With this, Jo decided to “flip the narrative” on the content she shared. “I think the first blog post on my website was about me ruining my metabolism through extreme dieting,” she says. Soon thereafter, sharing became part of her journey toward healing.

    This involved gaining weight, which was a scary prospect for someone who’d been so afraid of food for so long that she’d stuck to tiny caloric allowances for years, even eliminating nuts and avocado from her diet (even healthy fats can become scary). “I think that’s when I decided to start creating healthy recipes that I could include and to try and make little challenges for myself to overcome fear foods,” she says. Part of overcoming her fear? Creating decadent treats with healthier ingredients. Enter protein doughnuts and anything chocolate, including low-calorie waffles, brownies and power balls.

    How it’s going

    Through sharing her journey, she realised that many women had unhealthy attitudes towards food and viewed so many things as “bad”. Jo disagrees with this view completely. “There is no messing because there’s not a diet and there’s no finish line. It’s creating a healthy lifestyle that you can sustain,” she says. “And if it’s having a slice of cake, that’s healthy. Yes, it’s obvious it’s not ‘healthy’, but it’s healthy for your mental health.” More

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    Banesa Tseki On How Yoga Gave Her A New Lease On Life

    Banesa Tseki, a yoga teacher and co-owner of a Johannesburg-based inclusive wellness centre known as The Nest Space, owes much of her mental wellness to yoga. Diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder at 15, Banesa was placed on anti-depressants and anxiety meds that made her completely numb.

    READ MORE: 7 Ways To Meditate For Anxiety Relief That Are *Actually* Easy To Do

    “In an attempt to ease my pain, the meds made me completely numb. Granted I could no longer feel the pain, but I could also no longer feel joy nor happiness and that was too big a sacrifice for me. There had to be another way,” she shares.

    NEW BEGINNINGS

    Then things took an interesting turn when she moved to Cape Town for university in 2008…

    “In Cape Town I came across breathwork, meditation and yoga through a five-day course offered by a society called Art of Living at the University of Cape Town. I did the course and was hooked for good,” recalls Banesa.

    Plus, signing up for the course made sense since she’d just finished reading Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth, but lacked practice in the book’s teachings. With regular practice, Banesa found yoga to be an incredible healing tool that later stood her in good stead when she went off the depression and anxiety meds.

    READ MORE: What Is Holotropic Breathwork—And What Can It Do For Your Mental Health?

    When she moved to Johannesburg in 2015, Banesa met Itta ‘Ravi’ Roussos, who became her kundalini yoga teacher.

    “I trained in community-based yoga at African Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training of Southern Africa (AKYTTSA), whose motto is ‘social justice is a spiritual practice’, and served on the founding board. Itta was big on teaching yoga to more people of colour so we could go back and spread the teachings in our communities,” shares Banesa, who’s since taught yoga to both adults and children in various community centres and townships.

    YOGA AND HEALING

    Banesa is also a full-time head yoga coach at Shapa Soweto powered by Nike, where she teaches roughly 10 sessions weekly. “I’m more suited for community-based, rather than studio, yoga,” she notes before continuing: “Our yoga is trauma-based. It’s for the disadvantaged, and people who’ve experienced trauma, to use this healing modality to connect to an inner power that will encourage them to take control of their lives.”

    READ MORE: Ease Tight Muscles And Lift Your Mood With This Quick First-Thing Yoga Flow

    On the relationship between yoga and healing, Banesa explains:

    “A lot of the time, emotions are experienced through our body or breath. When we’re sad or excited, the rhythm of our breath adjusts to the emotion we’re experiencing,” she says, warning that unprocessed emotions usually manifest as tension in our bodies.

    READ MORE: Here’s How To Actually Do A Digital Detox, According To Experts

    She explains that unless one works through these emotions, that feeling of discomfort just sits there. Her advice? Being aware of that tension and where it sits, then working through it to release the trapped emotion.  “As this tension is released, a lot of people in my classes start crying or going through something. That’s because there’s therapy through the body, and talking is just another form,” she says. Through the body, she adds, we release emotions without necessarily naming them. 

    THE BUSINESS OF YOGA

    Banesa and her business partner Dr Anesu Mbizvo opened The Nest Space in 2018, and pivoted online during lockdown. In November last year, they reopened their boutique wellness centre in Parktown North, Johannesburg, which now features a yoga studio, a vegan café and a zero-waste grocer in. With that said, cheers to healing – may we embrace it wholeheartedly! More

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    Here’s How To Actually Do A Digital Detox, According To Experts

    It’s 7 am. Your phone alarm goes off and, after snoozing for twenty minutes, you grab your phone. Inevitably, you’re littered with notifications: Uber Eats, that workout app you never open, WhatsApps from while you were asleep and some viral tweets are all demanding your attention. Of course, you open one and before you know it, it’s 8:30 am and you’ve got 30 minutes to be at your desk.  

    Like it or not, we’re humans enslaved to our digital devices. Come evening, mindlessly scrolling TikTok on mute while simultaneously watching Netflix is the norm. It feels impossible to just ignore every ping and vibration. It stands to reason, then, that our interests pique when someone says they’re taking on a digital detox. The international practice, used by celebrities, CEOs and regular people alike, allow us some distance from our devices.

    “It’s a period of time where you intentionally disconnect from technology, including phones, laptops, tablets, and social media, yes, that means even a quick WhatsApp,” says Melissa Lain, health coach.  

    But there’s more to it than that. Every time you open your phone, your brain is flooded with dopamine, the body’s innate reward hormone. It’s the same thing that makes you feel so satisfied after eating chocolate or winning an arm wrestle. But being exposed to it 24/7? That’s flooding our brains with the stuff, making us addicted to our tech. And, per a new survey, South Africans are spending upwards of three hours a day on social media alone. A digital detox, also called a dopamine detox, can help. “The idea is to take a break from the constant stream of information and stimulation that comes with being connected all the time,” says Lainn.

    How to tell when it’s time for a digital detox

    There are various signs that it’s time to shut down those reward centres for a while. First, if you’re spending excessive periods of time in a scroll hole, it’s time to put the phone down. Zahraa Surtee, counselling psychologist, notes that sleep disruptions – and checking your phone in the middle of the night – is also a tell-tale sign.

    Also, pay attention to how you’re feeling when you’re not on your devices, notes Melissa. “If you feel like you can never switch off, are constantly checking your phone or emails, even when there aren’t notifications buzzing, and feel overwhelmed by the amount of information you are consuming, it might be time for a digital detox,” she says. Zahraa agrees. Are you feeling anxiety when your phone’s not within reach? You’re likely in a dopamine rut. You might even find a feeling of disconnect with the real world, says Melissa. “If you find yourself spending more time online or watching other people live life rather than creating and experiencing your own, it’s a sign that you need to intentionally disconnect for a while and re-engage with the present moment.”

    Then there’s the physical ramifications: “Spending long periods of time in front of a screen can cause eye strain, tension headaches, neck and back pain, and other physical symptoms,” says Melissa.

    How to detox, digitally

    Zahraa sees digital detoxes as a way to carefully curate what you’re exposed to. “It’s not about giving up screen time completely,” she says. “Rather, it’s firstly about recognising that the media we consume DOES affect our mental health and the way we choose to show up in the world.” Spend some time curating your phone. Go through your apps and disable those notifications that annoy you, or that cause you to scroll endlessly. Do you really need a notification every time someone likes your Reel? “Just as we get to choose the type of foods we ideally want to nourish our bodies with, so we do get to choose the type of content we’d like to nourish our minds with,” says Zahraa. “Digital detoxes are ideally about spending screen time more mindfully and in moderation.”

    To Melissa, the digital detox you embark on can be individualised to you. “It can be as short as a few hours or as long as a week, or even more,” she says. “During this time, you commit to disconnecting from digital devices and focusing on other activities that promote stillness and well-being. Don’t overcomplicate it, an hour or two a day is a perfect way to start, especially when there’s load shedding.”

    Keen to try? Instead of using the time to stare into space, itching to check your phone or Netflix, try scheduling a tech-free activity. Maybe that’s a bubble bath, some colouring in time or just some tea and time with your thoughts. More

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    Many Women Are Battling Depression During Pregnancy. Here’s What To Know, If You’re Struggling

    In South Africa, between 21 and 47% of women experience depression during pregnancy. The global average? 12%. This means South African women are at higher risk during a crucial period of their lives. Depression during pregnancy can also often continue well into childbirth and beyond. “Pregnancy-related depression is often dismissed as ‘just the baby blues’ and women are told to ‘just pull yourself together’, but it is a serious mental health condition which not only negatively affects women’s quality of life and experience of motherhood, but the prospects of the next generation too,” says Doctor Bavi Vythilingum, a member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists.

    Why does depression during pregnancy happen?

    Dr Bavi says this is down to a number of factors. For one, pregnancy is an inherently life-altering event that can be stressful, and hormones might play a role. For another, the rates of intimate partner violence in South Africa are high and could lead to depression.

    In South Africa, violence against women worsens when a woman is pregnant. Substance abuse during pregnancy can also be a driver of depression. “The use of alcohol and substances puts the woman at risk of depression and also creates a vicious cycle where depression makes somebody use substances more, putting both the mother and the child at risk,” says Dr Bavi.

    There are also genetic factors. “If your mother had depression, you are more likely to get depression,” explains Dr Bavi. And then there are cases where women might have been depressed in earlier pregnancies (or, who get depressed during their menstrual cycle), which increases the risk of depression in any subsequent pregnancies.

    READ MORE: Want To Manifest Your Goal? Don’t Make These Manifesting Mistakes

    The risks of depression during pregnancy

    “Depression during pregnancy can have an effect on the unborn child,” says Dr Bavi. “It’s associated with an increased risk for things like preterm labour, for small gestational age babies (when the baby doesn’t grow properly) and for pregnancy-induced hypertension.”

    If depression continues after childbirth, this affects mother-child bonding, growth and development of the infant.

    READ MORE: 7 Ways To Meditate For Anxiety Relief That Are *Actually* Easy To Do

    Signs of depression

    Generally, a low mood that’s prolonged can be a sign of depression. Also, changes in appetite, sleeping too much or too little, wanting to self-harm, lack of motivation and lack of interest in things that used to be interesting are also warning signs.

    READ MORE: How To Support A Loved One If You Think They Are Suicidal

    What to do, if you think you’re depressed

    The first line of defence would be psychotherapy, says Dr Bavi. “Many women don’t get better on psychotherapy or can’t access psychotherapy,” she notes. If this is the case, medication in the form of SSRIs can be taken. They’re safe for use during pregnancy and won’t pose a risk to the baby, Dr Bavi says.

    Depression during pregnancy is a serious issue and poses risks to both the mother and the child. If you suspect you’re struggling, get help by contacting a psychologist or psychiatrist.

    The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) lists toll-free helplines for general depression and anxiety, and has free support groups around the country for various issues, including support for expectant and new mothers. Call 0800 21 22 23 for help and information.

    In addition, you can join the network mumsupport.co.za for a caring community of women supporting women. More

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    A Therapist Answers 6 of Your Questions Around Feeling Lonely at Christmas

    Whatever your typical set-up around December the 25th – perhaps a chunky get-together with the extended family, a little celebration with a few key friends and fizz or a firmly ‘non-traditional’ takeaway from your local Chinese restaurant, Christmas can feel a little strained and sometimes lonely.

    The festive period is a core cause of the feeling, even though we’re allowed to all be together again this year, after the global pandemic. While covid might be largely gone, loneliness manifests in different ways, pandemic or not.

    To help you through, WH asked leading psychotherapist and author of This Too Shall Pass, Julia Samuel, to respond to some of your questions, musings and comments on feeling alone, this Christmas.

    READ MORE:Mindful Drinking: How More And More People Are Becoming ‘Sober Curious’

    How should I deal with Christmas loneliness?

    But first, there is some universal advice to root yourself in. Regardless of your situation, the below is likely to be a tonic, to some degree, in this bizarre time.

    Keep a routine

    ‘It helps to have regular routines that you can rely on that give you some certainty, so it might be structural routine of exercise before breakfast, or meditate after work,’ says Samuel.

    Just breathe

    ‘Both exercise and any breathing technique also reduce the anxiety caused by uncertainty, so you get double benefit. Intentionally choosing to do things that give you joy also helps manage uncertainty, so it might be listening to wonderful music as you cook.’

    Know what you can control

    ‘Recognising and jotting down the things you can change and influence and those you can’t is worth sticking on your fridge door,’ Samuel details.

    Remember that, even amid wild uncertainty, you are in control of some aspects of your life. ‘It is important to be proactive, make times for online connection and if possible real connection through walks together, even taking hot drinks that you can stop and drink together,’ she adds.

    ‘We need connection to others more than anything else. People need people and love in every form is vital medicine right now, we have to commit and work to have it, not wait for someone else to connect with us.’

    Scroll on for her response to WH readers who are feeling a little stuck, sad or solitary, at this time.

    READ MORE: How To Manifest Something From Start To Finish

    6 of your Christmas loneliness questions, answered

    1. ‘I feel sick about Christmas! I am alone and dreading seeing people with their families on Instagram. What should I do?’

    ‘I can understand that living alone is heightened over Christmas when you both imagine and see on Instagram families being together,’ says Samuel. ‘I wonder if you might contact an organisation that connects people in communities, young and old online and in person.

    ‘Another thing to note is that using our skill and agency to make something through painting or any kind of craft gives us both purpose and satisfaction, there are also many online craft meet-ups that you can join to discuss your area of interest.’

    READ MORE: If The Festive Season Stresses You Out, Try These Psychologist-Backed Coping Strategies

    2. ‘I am struggling with uncertainty. It looks as if Christmas will be very miserable this year and there’s a shortage of money through no work…’

    ‘The uncertainty and shortage of money make celebrating anything worrying. I wonder if you can schedule virtual meet-up with, say, four good friends to wish each other a happy Christmas.

    ‘I have been pleasantly surprised how meeting with a small number of close friends can feel intimate and enriching.’

    3. ‘My main concern is my 94-year-old mom, who lives alone, abroad. My sister is nearby and sees her a couple of times a day, but if there’s a bad snowstorm, she might not see anyone.’

    ‘I imagine not being with your mom on Christmas day is particularly hard, when the number of Christmases you are likely to have together in the future is uncertain.

    ‘Could you perhaps create a Plan B for your mother if there is a snowstorm – does she have a next door neighbour who she could ring and would agree to drop in, and could you agree a time you will telephone each other on Christmas day whatever the weather?

    ‘I would write and send her a card with a message of all that you feel about her, and memories of your happy Christmases of the past that she could open on Christmas Day.’

    4. ‘I lost my mom four years ago and she made Christmas magical. It’s not ever been the same again.’

    ‘Having memories of those very Happy Christmases with your beloved mom must be bittersweet.

    ‘I would create an annual Christmas ritual which reflects your mom and your love of her, maybe light a candle with flowers and a photograph of her that you can turn to at particular times or do something that connects you to her over Christmas.

    ‘Touchstones to memory are a way of expressing the love of the person who has died, for our love for them never dies.’

    5. ‘I think I will get depressed as I alone am expected to carry out all household chores. I used to have my friends as support, but, because I’ve not been in touch with them regularly through lockdown, they have left me.’

    ‘I can hear how hurt you are not being in touch with your friends, but I would suggest you draw on your courage and contact them and agree to reconnect. I am sure they would welcome hearing from you as they might well be feeling left and lonely too.

    ‘Partly it is about just daring, taking the leap to text or call and it is also cognitively recognising that the feeling of fear doesn’t in anyway match the reality of fear – feelings are not facts.

    ‘The worst that can happen is the status quo, they don’t respond, so you have lost nothing and may gain a friend so it is definitely worth the jump.’

    READ MORE: 21 Best Self-Care Gifts For Her That Go Way Beyond Face Masks

    6. ‘I have no family anyway and I think Christmas is over-amped as a time of togetherness – and that itself is the key cause of the seasonal loneliness.’

    ‘I wonder if you would find some sense of enrichment over a time that feels over-amped by volunteering on Christmas Day or around it? Helping others is both good for those that receive but also the giver.’

    *This article was originally published on Women’s Health UK More

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    The Results Are In: Running Proven To Significantly Improve Mood

    Johannesburg, 28 November 2022. A total of 99% of people feel good or great after going for a run. This was the key finding from a series of running support groups set up by Nedbank in partnership with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) leading up to and throughout Mental Health Awareness Month. The runs took place every day in August and September and were led by Nedbank Runified, Africa’s biggest virtual mass participation race. They aimed to show the nation that exercise, particularly running, can be a starting point to address what has become our nation’s next great health crisis: mental health.
    Nedbank Runified for mental health saw athletes, mental health advocates and running enthusiasts lead group runs across the country that were open to anyone who wished to take part. All those who participated were challenged to be cognisant of their mood before and after their run and to report back on how they felt.
    READ MORE: 4 Ways To Boost Your Mental Well-Being
    ‘The results were staggering, but also not totally unexpected’, commented Tobie Badenhorst, Head of Group Sponsorships and Cause Marketing at Nedbank. ‘It has been scientifically proven that exercise, particularly running, improves mental health and reduces depression, stress, and anxiety – this is widely known. But we wanted to illustrate this to South Africans in the most practical way – by facilitating support groups for anyone who felt they needed them. These groups were designed to allow participants to experience the mental effect of even light exercise first-hand.’
    Of those who participated, 59% described their mood as ‘flat’ before their run, with only 7% saying they were feeling great. Post-run, just 1% felt their mood hadn’t improved, with 17% describing their mood as ‘good’ and 82% as ‘great’.
    ‘With South Africa’s mental health stats being one of the worst in the world (one in three South Africans battle with their mental health), our hope is that Nedbank Runified not only gave those who participated an outlet to boost their mood but that it will broadly raise awareness and drive education on mental health. Ultimately, we hope it can create a shift in how we think about and approach mental health. We’d like to thank Nedbank for providing its Runified platform as the vehicle to help us do this and look forward to building on the achievements of the past months,’ added Badenhorst.
    ‘Nedbank has been involved in running for decades, and we are proud to use the Nedbank Running Club as a partner to create a lasting impact in the communities we serve. Through Runified, we were not only able to raise awareness while driving education on this issue, but through clear insights, we have also demonstrated that running, particularly in groups, can reduce stress, depression, and anxiety,’ concludes Badenhorst.
    Nedbank Runified for mental health is not yet over – those who want to join the movement can participate in November from anywhere in the world by joining the Nedbank Running Club on Strava or by searching #NedbankRunified on social media for more details.
    If you or your loved ones are battling mental health challenges, there is hope. Visit sadag.org or call 0800 567 567 in the event of an emergency. More

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    7 Ways To Meditate For Anxiety Relief That Are *Actually* Easy To Do

    A way to meditate for anxiety relief that’s actually easy to do? Please, say some more…
    Anxious thoughts are (arguably) the least pleasant kinds of thoughts—and as soon as they pop up, your main goal is to get them gone (which, honestly, only seems to make them multiply). Real talk: You can’t necessarily stop yourself from ever having them…but you can learn how to manage them (and prevent them from going rogue)—that’s where meditation comes into play.
    Meditation can actually teach you how to recognize anxiety-inducing thoughts, observe them, and then let them go. Basically, you’re learning to recognize and respond to your feelings rather than instantly reacting to them, says Andy Puddicombe, meditation and mindfulness expert and co-founder of the meditation app Headspace.
    Still, it can be hard to know where to start—and, uh, what to do when you’re actually feeling anxious. Try one of these seven quick meditation tips for anxiety to help bring yourself back to reality ASAP.
    7 Ways To Meditate For Anxiety Relief

    1. Focus on the rising and falling of your breath.
    With your hand on your stomach, focus on your breath as you inhale and exhale. Count your breaths—”one” on the rise, “two” on the fall—as you pay attention to the movement of your body, to bring you back to the present moment, suggests Puddicombe. Do this for 10 seconds, he says, repeating if necessary.
    READ MORE: 8 Things That Are Sucking The Happiness Right Out Of Your Life
    2. Pay attention to how your feet feel on the floor.
    Or how your hands feel on your keyboard; or how your back feels against the chair—anything that grounds you to where you are and what you’re doing at that very moment.
    Allow thoughts to come and go as you normally would (because they will—meditation isn’t void of thought), but as soon as you realize you’re lost in the thought, pivot your thinking back to the sensation you were focusing on, says Puddicombe.
    3. Do a full-body scan, starting at the top of your head.
    Close your eyes and focus on your forehead—then begin to scan down your entire body, stopping at specific parts (like your eyes, your mouth, your neck, etc.) to take note of each sensation—good or bad—that you feel, says Puddicombe.
    Don’t pass judgement or fixate on any specific feelings—just make a note of it and move on; scanning your entire body two to three times, paying attention to how you feel before versus after the scan is complete.

    4. Imagine bright, warm sunlight shining down above your head.
    You know how it feels when you’re sitting next to a window (or lying on the beach) and a beam of sunshine hits your face just right? Imagine that feeling the next time you’re overwhelmed—but instead of just your face, imagine the light beam filling up each part of your body, from your toes to your head, suggests Puddicombe. “Allow the warmth, light, and spaciousness to melt away any tension in the body,” he adds
    READ MORE: 11 Ways To Beat Year-End Fatigue
    5. Let your mind think about whatever it wants to think about.
    Yep, that even means feeling anxious, says Puddicombe. It sounds counterintuitive, but when you sit with your thoughts—without any expectations, sense of purpose, or focus for several minutes—you give your mind the extra space needed to help it unwind, he says.

    6. Picture someone you love—and breathe in their anxieties.
    All right, this one sounds weird but just go with it: Hold an image of someone you love in your mind, and imagine yourself taking on their anxieties and insecurities with every inhale. On the exhale, think about all of their good qualities and the great times you’ve had together—kind of like breathing in the bad and breathing out the good.
    This exercise of putting the happiness of others before your own is called “skillful compassion” according to Puddicombe, and it’s “one of the most effective ways to let go of a strong emotion such as anxiety is to focus on another person,” he says.
    READ MORE: “I Travel Solo Even Though I Have Anxiety — This Is How I Cope”
    7. Talk to yourself like you’d talk to a friend.
    Ask yourself, “what do you appreciate most in your life?” Once you’ve got something (or things) in mind, dwell in that gratitude for 30 seconds.
    Inquiring in the second person separates you from your mind and encourages a space of appreciation, free from any overwhelming emotions, Puddicombe explains.
    This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com  More