Using Self-Regulation and Private Speech For Self-Improvement By Michelle Green

There are several studies that have dealt with the use of private speech in adults and its application to learning. These studies have used private speech to assist adults in improving their performance in several tasks. The term private speech is seldom used in reference to adults however and the term that is often preferred in self-talk or voice dialog. To understand this mechanism we must review the processes of using the simple elements.

This process is the utilization of simple statements that can be used to control behavior and this may be through the guidance or even management of emotions of the individual. It has been seen that the use of this action as a form of therapy has been seen to positively affect performance. When people talk when they are doing a task there performance is enhanced. The words spoken can often be classified into some standard categories related to the type of thoughts that are verbalized.

There are five main types of verbalizations that are observed in adults and that are believed to aid in the increase of performance. These include the use of repetition, answering your own questions, read to yourself, describing the activity and guiding yourself along and inaudible utterances. These vocalizations will be the ones that are most found in adult private speech. There are other types of vocalizations but those are found more in children rather than adults.

You may use self-talk to benefit you in a variety of tasks and this also includes dealing with stress. The approach that is followed with self-talk can greatly aid in the alleviation of stress. This can provide a different approach to dealing with stress. Stress is dealt with in a more logical fashion rather than the typical emotional approach. You are able to focus your energy and deal with the root cause of the problem through logical thinking.

Problems of low self-esteem can also be handled by the use of self-talk. You can learn about yourself and learn to like yourself as well. Self-talk can increase self-awareness. It can improve our outlook of ourselves and direct us to more positive action. Self-talk is one of the major ways that we can overcome nervousness and anxiety in stressful situations and remain grounded and logical.

Self-talk can also work in improving the ways that we interact with others. It is often important that we are calm when we attempt to socialize. If we are unable to relax we will not attract bonding but in fact discourage it. This means that self-talk is an essential part of the equation towards the improvement of our social interactions as well. It is essential in life to be able to get along with people. If we are unable to accomplish this we will not be able to progress in life. We will not function at full capacity on the job or even in our personal interactions. It is essential that we learn to interact with others properly. All these reasons make self-talk a great tool.

The ability of self-talk to adjust our way of thinking and provide us with a more logical approach to life is invaluable. We are able to perform better using self talk as a motivational tool as well as a learning tool. It is essential in our self-development that if we have never used self-talk or private speech that we do so today and start the road to a better way of thinking. You can visit the Internet to learn more about your gift, self-talk. The latest discussions are hitting this topic heavily today.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=267194&ca=Self

The Highs and Lows of Manic Depression By Dr. Rose Windale

The moods of a manic depressive person are like that of a pendulum swinging from one extreme to the other. As the term itself implies, manic depression is a psychological disorder wherein a person has bouts of mania and depression. Manic depression is associated with extreme mood swings and sudden behavioral changes. In one instance, a person may be extremely buoyant and talkative, has rapid flight of ideas and heightened energy that may lead to decreased amounts of sleep. This manic phase of manic depression can last for hours, days, weeks or months, and it is a racing, giddy state of elevated mood.

This hypomanic episode can present itself as a strange behavior, as although it can pass for sociability, the hypomanic person can sometimes exhibit aggressive behavior. A person usually has a turgid and aggrandized self image when in the hypomanic state. When deeply traced, though, the person usually has fragile self-esteem Another phase of manic depression, also called bipolar disorder is the major depressive episode. This phase basically has a greater drawback as a person’s enthusiasm for life takes a back seat. In the major depressive episode, a person deviates himself from his peers and his family and his normal activities are put to a halt.

This might also strike as an unusual behavior as the depressive person isolates himself from his external environment. In the depressive episode of manic depression, a person’s self-confidence is not only lacking, but is at an all time low at that. Whereas the hypomanic phase make a person “sociable” to some extent, the major depressive episode can be devastating and debilitating. Another episode of manic depression is the mixed episode, and as the term implies, it is a combination of both mania and depression. Manic depression is categorized as Bipolar I disorder and Bipolar II disorder. Bipolar I is categorically the hypomanic phase and this heightened mood can last from hours, days, weeks or months.

Bipolar II disorder is the depressive episode with at least one hypomanic episode. Bipolar II disorder is more incapacitating as this category of manic depression gravely hampers a person’s social life and elicits erratic mood changes. Anybody can potentially suffer from manic depression as it is not exclusive to any specific age bracket. Manic depression episodes initially occur during late adolescence or early adulthood but there are cases wherein children and the elderly have bouts of manic depression. Neither is bipolar disorder confined to a particular gender, race or class although manifestations between men and women are generally different. With proper consultation, medication and therapy, manic depression can be treated.

Once diagnosed, the medications can regulate the mood swings and the accompanying psychotherapy can trace and unravel the psychological causes of the manic depressive bouts. As psychiatry also trace mental disorders to a chemical imbalance in the brain, certain antipsychotic drugs are generally prescribed to normalize the imbalance and neutralize the extreme mood swings. Psychotherapy on the other hand allows the patient to express and relieve his anxieties. Regular therapy is the flushing out of psychic garbage until eventually the patient comes to terms with himself. Manic depression must never be left untreated as it can result to personality deterioration and eventually dysfunctionality.

Family and peer support are also essential for a person to overcome manic depression. Psychological disturbances can be curable. Advances in psychiatry as well as community education and awareness have made it possible for those with mental disorders to live a full and happy life.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=340204&ca=Self