“Within our community God has appointed . . . those who have gifts of healing, or ability to help others or power to guide them.” I Corinthians 12:28 (NEB).
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Listed below are articles that have previously appeared on this site.
Who and What is Driving Your C.A.B. in the New Year?
January 1, 2011
Today we begin a new year and many people will make resolutions. Some will make and keep these resolutions with little or no difficulty, while others will struggle to keep them. Still others will simply give up, tired of the struggle, and finally some will not even entertain resolutions this year, having long given up on being able to do things differently. This article is being written with the hope of helping those persons who want to keep their resolutions this year and for those who may want to consider them.
A resolution is a goal; something Webster’s dictionary describes as being a “firmly determined . . . course of action, method or procedure.” Goals can be long term, typically one year or longer to accomplish or short term requiring six months or less to achieve. To be achievable, goals must be realistic and broken down into manageable parts, known as objectives with specified time frames. Also goals need to be based on what is important to you; your values. If you are determining your goals based on other people’s values, they become more difficult for you to achieve.
We are reminded that “As a man thinketh, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7a KJV). Your thoughts are driven by facts, life experiences, perceptions, and your attitudes. All of which influence your choices. Theodore Roosevelt put it this way, “Your attitude about who you are and what you have is a very little thing that makes a very big difference.”
Is it time for an attitude adjustment? Is it time to erase the old negative tape playing over and over in your head with new truthful, positive affirmations that are encouraging? Affirmations are available through a number of sources, but most of all they are within you. You are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God; God is love. Therefore, you are loving, you are lovable and you are love. God also has plans for your life; plans for good that give you hope for your future (Jeremiah 29.11 paraphrased).
Life is a journey and as you consider a different path in this New Year, please ask yourself “Who and what is driving your C.A.B. (Cognition = what you are thinking; Affect = how you are feeling; and Behavior = how you choose to act). Is your C.A.B. being driven by faith in God’s love for you and His plan for your life, or is it being driven by fear, despair, negative tapes, and/or toxic people?
Listed below are some basic suggestions to help you take the next step to successfully making and keeping resolutions this year.
February 15, 2012
THE TRUTH ABOUT DEPRESSION
Depression is more than feeling sad, blue or a little down. It is common and it is a treatable! Individuals who struggle with depression can not "just snap out of it." Very much like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and stomach ulcers depression is a treatable medical condition affecting a person's behavior, body, feelings, and thoughts. It can keep someone from working or enjoying life to the fullest.
Depression does not discriminate. Although it affects all races, ages, socioeconomic groups, educational backgrounds, women, teens and the elderly have a higher risk of suffering from this condition. Contrary to popular belief depression does not mean an individual is weak or lazy. Instead the person struggling with this condition needs help to become more fully the person God created him/her to be. Without treatment depression can to on form months, years or even result in death.
Some factors that contribute to depression include: genetics, brain chemistry, hormone changes, illness, alcohol/other drug use, medication, severe stress, grief or abuse. Please note that depression is common and most people will experience feeling some form of it depending on life situations.
If you or someone you know has expereinced several of the following symptoms on a daily basis for at least two weeks, contact your health care provider. Your primary care physician may run tests to rule out other conditions.
If you are interested in receiving assistance in developing your goals and a personalized action plan, please call 614-258-6324 to schedule a confidential appointment.
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Understanding Problem Gambling
May 2011
Gambling is typically considered “any game of chance or skill” involving financial risk. Like most other behaviors, gambling is not addictive or “bad” in and of itself. It often offers more than mere excitement, but seems to give life meaning and offer hope for something more. However, many individuals find themselves moving from what was once innocent fun that they could control to something that seems to control them, problem gambling. Problem gambling is an addiction, resulting in other areas of an individual’s life becoming negatively impacted. Whether you or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling there is help available.
What is Problem Gambling?
There are several characteristics that define problem gambling, and problem gambling has many damaging effects for the person struggling with it, their family, friends and society. The person struggling with problem gambling also known as compulsive gambling may experience the destruction of relationships, career, finances and/or self-esteem. Additionally, society pays for gambling problems through court costs, increased costs in social services, losses from theft, bankruptcy and or loss of productivity.
Problem gambling is more than just a bad habit. It is an addiction and like other addictions it is not a respecter of persons. Anyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or socio-economic status may develop a gambling problem. The younger a person is when (s)he starts gambling increases the likelihood that the person will develop a gambling problem. The person struggling with gambling addiction is unable to stop or begin recovery without some type of intervention or outside help. However, this help may not come readily, because until the person struggling with gambling addiction has his/her life start to fall apart the addiction may go undetected. It is believed that approximately 2 percent of adults and 4 percent of youth have a problem with gambling. These numbers tend to increase in areas where gambling is legal.
A gambling problem like any addiction is primary, progressive, and chronic. It is a disease that affects the body, mind and spirit. As a primary disease, this means that gambling addiction is a problem all on its own. It is not a part of some other problem. As a progressive disease it is a problem that only gets worse over time. Finally, as a chronic disease gambling addiction is a disease that once you get it, is something you will always have to deal with.
The Development of a Gambling Problem
There are typically 3 phases to the development of a gambling problem. The first is the “winning phase.” During this phase the person gambling sees gambling as fun and exciting. The “winning phase” may involve gambling a little and winning, with wins outpacing losses or the person experiencing a big win early on. A big win will feed the gambler's hunger for more and fuels the hope of recreating that early win; this is the excitement that hooks the person to keep coming back for the adrenalin rush.
The second phase involves the “losing phase” where the person gambling is starting to lose on a regular basis. The individual no longer sees him/herself as a winner, but is now gambling in an attempt to win back some of the losses, which may be heavy. (S)he my start borrowing money, which strains relationships even to the point of the person gambling starting to avoid those persons from whom (s)he has borrowed money.
Phase three, the “desperation phase,” reflects gambling as the person’s ultimate concern. It has become the most important thing in his/her life. The person gambling will do almost anything to obtain money with which to gamble. (S)he may lie, cheat steal, sell stolen goods, embezzle, etc. Oftentimes, the person feels helpless and hopeless and may become deeply depressed. The depression experienced may be to the point of this individual seeing suicide as the only way out of their situation. Suicide is not the answer, gambling addiction is treatable. There is hope.
Warning Signs of Problem Gambling
Individuals at the greatest risk of developing a problem with gambling tend to be those persons who are impulsive, thrill seekers, struggle with other addictions and have a history of depression and/or anxiety.
An individual does not need to gamble every day to have a gambling problem. It is the consequences that result from the gambling and the things the individual does in order to continue gambling despite of the consequences that determines if it is a problem.
If you are the friend or loved one with a gambling problem encourage the person to get into a treatment program to deal with his/her addiction. Offer appropriate support to the person once (s)he has stopped gambling and is in treatment.
Although problem gambling can be treated, an addiction never goes away. Therefore, the person recovering from gambling addiction must avoid gambling completely. There is no such thing as a “social gambler” for someone recovering from gambling addiction.
Gambling Problems Can Be Treated
For treatment to work the individual struggling with problem gambling must admit to him/herself that gambling has become a serious problem and that (s)he needs help. Secondly, the individual must avoid gambling completely. Thirdly, the individual must be open and honest with family and friends. Secrecy and lying only keep an individual bound and recovery is much easier when loved ones know the truth and can be supportive.
The types of treatment available include individual counseling with a professionally licensed mental health and/or addictions counselor, who can help you understand the underlying causes of your gambling problem and learn new, more effective coping skills. Self-help groups such as Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon and The National Council on Problem Gambling are also good resources. Family therapy is helpful in healing the wounds caused in the family as a result of problem gambling.
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Columbus, OH 43203-1550
ph: 614-361-5100
alt: 614-515-4452
pinckney