THINK BEFORE YOU TWEET

Free from other constraints, in the privacy of the interaction with the PC or phone, users are becoming more bold. The trend is to impulsively write what they might not say face to face.



According to psychologists, a phenomenon known as online disinhibition effect is associated with the conditions of online communication. In particular it is anonymity, invisibility and fantasy elements which may create a feeling of disconnection from the usual everyday persona. We are seeing this greater confidence in online dating websites, the use of the internet to access information that would be otherwise difficult to obtain such as in porn sites and social networking such as facebook, twitter, myspace etc.



There may be some advantages if used responsibly. For example, a shy person may gain greater confidence online while developing friendships and information. If this leads to improved chance of face to face contact and healthy relationships then this could be a worthwhile thing. Also the speed and range or population allows greater chance of finding like minded individuals.


Families and friends are meeting more frequently through the ease of communication to arrange contact. This is a healthy indicator for the community.

Disadvantages include the possible lack of authenticity. Whereas when we meet face to face , humans are programmed to read the thousands of body language signals of the small muscles of the face, skin, eyes, tone of voice, posture etc which communicate nonverbal messages. Even with the visual assistance of cameras such as in Skype communication, the quality of resolution is insufficient to accurately read complex emotional messages.

Rebecca Matthews researching social networking for the Australian Psychological Society was quoted in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Weekend 22nd January 2011 . She stated that people consistently overestimate their ability to communicate effectively online. People are overconfident to communicate anger, sadness, seriousness, humour or sarcasm accurately. This ofcourse can lead to unsatisfactory responses for the recipient and a flow of adverse misunderstandings. To concisely convey an emotional message requires considerable language talent.

Twitter has a somewhat older average user of about 39 years of age. This method of short tweeting has led to some tragic online misunderstandings in the public arena. Perhaps these users are more overly sensitive than those who those younger users of Facebook and Myspace.
Researchers suggest our social skills are lagging behind our tech. communication ability and that Gen Y may have better online communication than Gen X.



Reminder: THINK BEFORE YOU TWEET........Calm down, think .. then PRESS SEND

The Good Oil

A well oiled machine!


Cooking oil is an essential ingredient in a wide variety of dishes. Some oil is healthy and should be included in our daily diet. There are many varieties including: olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil and so on.


Olive oil is one of the healthiest and goes well with most Mediterranean dishes. Clinical research has shown that olive oil can promote heart health and assist in cholesterol regulation. Extra virgin oil is the most pure.

Flaxseed oil is rich in essential fatty acid which work throughout the body to protect cell membranes. Like omega 3 fish oil, this reduces the risk of heart disease, lowers cholesterol, improves hair and skin, reduces risk of cancer and balances hormones.

Sunflower oil is very low in saturated fat and high in vitamin E. It is also high in omega-6 fatty acids. It is often the oil of choice for snack foods such as chips.

Preferences for good health

Extra virgin olive for cooking

Cold-pressed unrefined vegetable oils such as sesame, sunflower, etc for salads

Oils low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat

Unhydrogenated margarine

Reduce high fat such as butter

Avoid trans fatty acids or hydrogenated oils :coconut oil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil and palm oil.



Weight gain/loss

All oils have the same effect on weight.One gram of fat is equivalent to 9 calories.


Oil Storage

All oils whether refined or not are effected by exposure to light, heat and oxygen. Oil that is rancid loses the majority of its nutrients so it is best kept in a cool dry place or in the refrigerator. It may thicken if refrigerated but it should retain its liquid nature upon warming to room temperature.


Oils have different expiration dates. Refined oils can keep for well up to a year with the exception of olive oil which will keep for longer- even up to a few years. Oils high in polyunsaturated fats have shorter life spans keeping for about 6 months.



http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/cholesterol/cookingoil.html

Focus welcomes David Taplin

David joined Focus Psychology in May 2010 as a consulting psychologist with over 22 years experience. David shows warmth and genuine empathy in helping people to live their lives more fully. In addition to private practice, he has worked in hospitals, mental health services, schools and university services to assist people whose lives have been effected by anxiety, depression, grief or trauma.

David has a particular interest in fathering and working with men and boys to achieve healthier emotional lives and relationships. This male perspective in therapy is particularly evident in the success David achieves with adolescents and young men. David has also worked in Health Service and Education Management and consults with executives and managers to achieve better outcomes while maintaining good mental health.

Getting Along With Family

Getting along with family members always has some difficult moments. Sometimes unresolved issues or habits impact our current situation. It helps to understand how our communication developed as well as finding ways to improve communication.
People may have different patterns of responding due to earlier life experiences. For example some people with military training may believe there is one 'right way' to do things and at times react angrily towards semingly small events, due to being trained to be ready to 'fight'. Some may find they tend to focus on the practical part of the problem rather than the emotional or relationship elements.
When a person is experiencing depression, anxiety or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) they may have less energy towork on their relationships. Physical Illness can also impact on relationships in a similar manner to mental health problems.
Here are some techniques that we can choose to improve relationships with family members.

• Choose a time and place to talk when you won't be disturbed and both are willing to talk.
• Talk when you are not highly emotional
• If either person becomes emotional or if the argument gets too heated, have a break and resume when both parties have cooled down. Undertake some constructive and calming activity during the break which may need to be up to 24 hours.
• Be Respectful through listening, open body language and your tone of voice. Try not to criticise, be defensive, call names or use sarcasm.
• Attack the problem, not the person. Own your part of the problem and use "I" and "We" statements rather than "You", which sounds blaming and creates defensive responses. For example, 'when this happens ....I feel hurt" rather than "You're such an idiot, you always do that!"
• Stay on the Subject. Handle one problem at a time and do not bring up past mistakes.

Information taken from the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service Newsletter 2010

Serotonin - Some Useful Information

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid with is conerted in our bodies into serotonin, a neurotransmitter or chemical in the brain. Low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin are often associated with depression.
Our bodies can't produce tryptophan so we need to get it through our food.
Amino Acids are protein fragments, so it is protein-rich foods that can keep your serotonin levels in the happy zone. And the need for serotonin may even explain why we crave carbs - the blood-to-brain absorbtion of tryptophan is helped by carbohydrates, so those cravings may be our brains crying out for more serotonin.
This means protein and tryptophan-rich foods-such as chicken and turkey, tuna and salmon, beans and seeds - can be most effective when eaten alongside slow-release carbohydrates.
If you can improve your diet to include more tryptophan-rich foods, as well as increasing exercise, cutting out caffeine and sugar, and drinking more water, this will boost sertotonin production - doctors claim acts "exactly the same way as anti depressant drugs"

Extract taken from "How to lift your mood with the right food" SMH 22 April 2010

Lift Your Mood with Food

There is a wealth of research that suggests that certain types of food actually contain essential components for good mental health, with deficiencies potentially worsening diagnoseable mental disorders such as depression.

Two recent articles provide some useful information including links .

Thyroid problems can contribute to fatigue, moodiness, anxiety and depression, but a simple step to combat thyroid dysfunction is to get enough selenium. Selenium is a micronutrient found in plant matter that helps the body function and is found in abundance in brazil nuts. "If you have one to two brazil nuts a day, you get your daily intake of selenium".

Top Foods for increasing our intake of folic acid include yeast extract, green vegetables (lightly cooked) and beans and pulses.

One study showed that Mediterannean-style eaters were 30 per cent less likely to develop depression. Try swapping red meat and dairy for fish and olive oil and ditch processed foods in favour of fresh fruit and veg.

How to lift your mood with the right diet

http://www.optuszoo.com.au/news/130364//how-to-lift-your-mood-with-the-right-diet.html

How food can change your mood

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/sunday-heraldsun/how-food-can-change-your-mood/story-e6frf936-1225846356958

Smile for Life

Smile and the world smiles with you. Now Research shows that smiling may give you more time in this world as well. US researchers analysed the smiles of professional baseball players from the 1952 Baseball Registry, rating each player's expression, noting where they had no smile, a partial smile or a full smile. Players with a broad smile lived an everage five years longer than players who didn't smile, the researchers reported in the Journal Psychological Science.

The Washington Post