Spring Full Moon
PHOTO: The eclipsing full moon near a Rocky Mountain Hot Spring.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) increase the likelihood of adult diseases. Some may be traumatic experiences that begin while still inside the mother. However, by recognizing the behaviors associated with trauma (fight, flight, and freeze); a sense of empowerment follows this awareness. Knowledge of the unhealthy thoughts or actions provides an option to modify unhealthy behaviors. Contemplative practices are empowering to behavior change. Here, inside a deep breath, an option to modify the behavior arises because trauma can be released via meditative practice. Adverse childhood experience is not in the present moment and subject to change.
The benefits of collaborative efforts to reduce stress are the result of tools and trainings provided in an integrated scope and spectrum environment.
"As the number of ACE experiences increased, so did the chances of the individual experiencing cancer, chronic lung disease, skeletal fractures and liver disease. The correlations between addictions-nicotine, alcohol and illicit drugs-and early adverse experiences were so strong that the researchers concluded that "addiction" is more attributable to characteristics intrinsic to early life experiences than to characteristics within the drugs themselves." according to Robin Karr-Morse's book: Scared Sick: The role of Childhood Trauma in Adult Disease. Traumatic experiences relate to the individual; but some are part of a social condition, such as war, adoption, or poverty. Social conditions have lasting health effects. The contemplative practice works to control survival responses and unhealthy behaviors which affect individuals' health. How important is recovery from trauma within our community?
Hyper-vigilance is defined as a form of acute anxiety. Most often the behavior is rooted in a traumatic event, and potentially part of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The nervous energy arises based on either real or imagined threats. An obsessive concern with others is the marked behavior related to hyper-vigilance. A treatment includes therapies that process emotional trauma and social anxiety. These behaviors compromise your mental health because your constant awareness of those around you detracts from your ability to focus, and provide productive insight. Often, a hyper-vigilant person displays knee-jerk reactions, which then erode personal and professional relationships. Both anxiety and hyper-vigilance create further isolation socially, and reinforce a learned helplessness.
Some level of stress is beneficial in motivation and endurance. Long-term stress associated with hyper-vigilance can be processed by massaging pressure points. This massage relaxes contracted muscles that disturb skeletal alignment. Hyper-vigilance treatment includes therapies that process emotional trauma and social anxiety. Art therapists, massage therapists and support groups help both adults and adolescents bring the subconscious negative influences of anxiety into their conscious awareness. Then the emotional charge can be released. Journaling, hiking, making music, gardening, and talking to someone are free activities that potentially bring relief. These activities take your mind away from the obsessive thoughts that compromise your ability to function. Doing this work alone can be a struggle. Find a stress reduction activity and build a network of supporters you can access when anxious feelings emerge. Use your stress free network to prevent the watchful behaviors of hyper-vigilance.
All therapeutic activities contain value. Stable social connections increase potential for positive outcomes. The benefit of changing the systemic hierarchy to fully embrace group program education as the economic system that empowers behavior change. We know addiction and mental health disease is contextual. Remove the unhealthy thoughts or actions to modify unhealthy behaviors. Rewarding therapeutic activities that support behavior change might include longer workshops in more rugged settings.
