People with bipolar disorder experience periods of unusually intense emotion, changes in sleep patterns and activity levels, and unusual behaviors. These distinct periods are called “mood episodes.” Mood episodes are drastically different from the moods and behaviors that are typical for the person. Extreme changes in energy, activity, and sleep go along with mood episodes. People having a manic episode may:People having a depressive episode may: Feel very “up,” “high,” or elated Have a lot of energy Have increased activity levels Feel “jumpy” or “wired” Have trouble sleeping Become more active than usual Talk really fast about a lot of different things Be agitated, irritable, or “touchy” Feel like their thoughts are going very fast Think they can do a lot of things at once Do risky things, like spend a lot of money or have reckless sex Feel very sad, down, empty, or hopeless Have very little energy Have decreased activity levels Have trouble sleeping, they may sleep too little or too much Feel like they can’t enjoy anything Feel worried and empty Have trouble concentrating Forget things a lot Eat too much or too little Feel tired or “slowed down” Think about death or suicide Sometimes a mood episode includes symptoms of both manic and depressive symptoms. This is called an episode with mixed features. People experiencing an episode with mixed features may feel very sad, empty, or hopeless, while at the same time feeling extremely energized. affordablecounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingtampa.com

Communication issues may potentially develop in any circumstance or social relationship. It can be easy for individuals to misunderstand or misinterpret others, and these misunderstandings may lead to arguments or tension in personal, platonic, or professional relationships. In some instances, conflicts may arise, and these conflicts can make communication even more challenging. A number of factors may contribute to communication challenges between two or more parties. Differences of opinion may lead to disagreements between friends or coworkers, and this can contribute to communication difficulties. Those who seek counseling for relationship concerns may frequently cite communication issues as a reason for seeking treatment.

Coping with the loss of someone or something you love is one of life’s biggest challenges. Often, the pain of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. The pain of grief can also disrupt your physical health, making it difficult to sleep, eat, or even think straight. These are normal reactions to significant loss. But while there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can ease your sadness and help you come to terms with your loss, find new meaning, and move on with your life. affordablecounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingtampa.com

People with generalized anxiety disorder display excessive anxiety or worry for months and face several anxiety-related symptoms. Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms include: Restlessness or feeling wound-up or on edge Being easily fatigued Difficulty concentrating or having their minds go blank Irritability Muscle tension Difficulty controlling the worry Sleep problems (difficulty falling or staying asleep or restless, unsatisfying sleep) Starpointcounselingbrandon.com Starpointcounselingtampa.com affordablecounselingbrandon.com

The death of a loved one, loss of a job or the ending of a relationship are difficult experiences for a person to endure. It is normal for feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations. Those experiencing loss often might describe themselves as being “depressed.” But being sad is not the same as having depression. The grieving process is natural and unique to each individual and shares some of the same features of depression. Both grief and depression may involve intense sadness and withdrawal from usual activities. They are also different in important ways: In grief, painful feelings come in waves, often intermixed with positive memories of the deceased. In major depression, mood and/or interest (pleasure) are decreased for most of two weeks. In grief, self-esteem is usually maintained. In major depression, feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are common. For some people, the death of a loved one can bring on major depression. Losing a job or being a victim of a physical assault or a major disaster can lead to depression for some people. When grief and depression co-exist, the grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief without depression. Despite some overlap between grief and depression, they are different. Distinguishing between them can help people get the help, support or treatment they need. affordablecounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com starpointcounselingtampa.com

As we get older there are certain things we shouldn’t tolerate in a relationship. Our lives are complicated enough; filled with careers, family, friends, our plates are full to overflowing. Add a new relationship to the mix and you have one more issue with which you have to deal. If the relationship is a good, solid one and you can get through the minor problems that seem to affect all partnerships, that make life easier. But what happens when you find out that this new partner has lied to you? Should you stay with someone who has been less than truthful? It all depends on you as a person. How much are you willing to put up with and how much time are you willing to spend with a liar? The key ingredient in any relationship is trust, especially as we grow older. Coupled with respect and love, trust gives you a strong basis as a couple. While trust is a bond, it is also a tenuous one, easily broken, if one of the partners constantly lies. When we talk about lying, we’re not including innocent white lies as in, “Did you close the outside lights?” We’re talking about untruths that affect a relationship to the point where trust becomes simply a meaningless word. It no longer is an active part of being a couple. That breaks the strong bond of partnership. Lies about fidelity and money are the two most common ones that affect couples. They make it almost impossible to have real trust ever again in a relationship. If your partner has cheated or if you feel that he or she will cheat again you have a trust issue. In addition to lying to you, he or she is making you constantly wait for “the other shoe to drop.” You know the cheating is bound to occur again; you just don’t know when and the suspense is literally killing you. Staying together is not an option for you. Life is too stressful. “They lied about cheating before and I just know he’ll do it again. I absolutely cannot trust them. Once I caught them in a lie that changed everything. I can’t take them back no matter how charming he seems to be right now.” Lies about finances are also trust breakers. A fifty-something woman confided to me about what her new husband had done that constituted a complete marital trust breaker. In the glow and trust of a new marriage she had put his name on her checking account. There was over $200,000 in it, not a cent contributed by him. A week after coming home from her honeymoon she had gone to cash a check for two hundred dollars only to be told there were insufficient funds in her account. The account showed a balance of $150. Her new husband it seemed had used her money to pay off his heavy debts he had accumulated with his first wife, debts this wife knew nothing about! He had told her that he was debt-free when they were dating. starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com affordablecounselingbrandon.com

Turns out, its not as easy as I thought. Also, once you stop dancing to the narcissists manipulations, they don’t necessarily give up, they just start whining about how you don’t love them anymore, and aren’t trying to make your relationship work. In addition, once you stop freaking out when the narcissist threatens to leave you, they start trying to make YOU leave, i.e. kick you out. I quote, “you just need to leave for a couple days and then you’ll realize that I love you”. Really?! Ugh, I don’t think so. He really thinks that once I am without him I will shrivel up into a ball of neediness and come begging him to take me back. Living with a narcissist will always be a roller coaster of emotions because they will push and pull you in many directions emotionally.  Narcissists will seek out co dependent partners because they know they can keep a co dependent in their web of control and emotional withdrawal. Whenever we have a narcissist as a client they tell us everything we are doing wrong. They do not want to talk about the issues they are having and the reason they made an appointment to see us. When we have a couple for couples counseling and one of them is a narcissist they want to blame the other person for everything wrong in the relationship. A narcissist will never take responsibility for their action. Instead, they will project their behavior onto their partner, as if their partner actually did this to them. starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com affordablecounselingbrandon.com

Family conflict often occurs when members of the family are stressed out or anxious. Family counseling can help relieve families of conflict through conflict resolution. Bringing the family in to counseling provides a save and neutral setting to explore thoughts, feelings and experiences that shape the complex family dynamic. Lasting change and improvement in a family takes time but the process can begin when every individual in the entire family has a voice. Allowing each member a voice brings understanding that provides insight that can impact future choices and bring positive transformation. affordablecounseling.com starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com

Everyone experiences stress and anxiety at one time or another. The difference between them is that stress is a response to a threat in a situation. Anxiety is a reaction to the stress. Star Point Counseling Center does stress counseling and anxiety counseling. Sometimes clients are experiencing both stress and anxiety. Whether in good times or bad, most people say that stress interferes at least moderately with their lives. Chronic stress can affect your health, causing symptoms from headaches, high blood pressure, and chest pain to heart palpitations, skin rashes, and loss of sleep. But you can learn how to reduce the impact of stress and manage your symptoms. Physical activity is a proven way to reduce stress. Regular participation in aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, and improve sleep and self-esteem. Other effective methods include mind, body practices of breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation. I play ice hockey a few times a week for fun and exercise, but it also helps with stress and anxiety. I also work out a few times a week so I can play hockey without injuring myself.  Physical exercise should be something you enjoy doing, so think of a sport you enjoy and go do it. Always consult with a physician before trying a new type of exercise. starpointcounselingtampa.com starpointcounselingbrandon.com affordablecounselingbrandon.com

If you are experiencing relationship issues (conventional or alternative) related to communication, sex & intimacy, trust, stress or anger management, infidelity, emotional cheating, substance abuse/dependence, internet/facebook obsession/addiction, or any other source of discord or distress, we are here to help you improve your relationship through marriage counseling or couples counseling. Communication breakdown occurs when any one of the above issues has taken place and then couples start fighting. We will help you get back to the open communication and teach you how to fight fairly. Visit our website: http://www.affordablecounselingbrandon.com http://www.starpointcounselingbrandon.com http://www.starpointcounselingtampa.com

It’s okay to get angry in a relationship – everyone does at some point! What’s important is that you resolve conflicts in a healthy way. If you get angry with your partner, here are a few steps to take: Stop. If you get really angry about something, stop, take a step back and breathe. Tell your partner you’d like to take a short break before continuing the conversation. Give yourself time to calm down by watching TV, talking to a friend, playing a video game, taking a walk, listening to some music or whatever helps you relax. Taking a break can keep the situation from getting worse. Think. After you’re no longer upset, think about the situation and why you got so angry. Was it how your partner spoke or something they did? Figure out the real problem then think about how to explain your feelings. Talk. Finally, talk to your partner and when you do, follow the tips above. Listen. After you tell your partner how you feel, remember to stop talking and listen to what they have to say. You both deserve the opportunity to express how you feel in a safe and healthy environment. Communicating isn’t always easy. At first, some of these tips may feel unnatural or awkward, but they will help you communicate better and build a healthy relationship. At Affordable Counseling Center, we provide counseling services to individuals, couples, families, children, teens, and adults with any type of crises.  We help you build tools as well as help design and implement individualized goals and objectives, help you sort out beliefs, thoughts, and behavior patterns that may be hindering you in your relationship(s) whether at the work place or in other areas of your life. We have the tools you need for managing pain, anxiety, disappointment, frustration, hopelessness, or anger resulting from circumstances that interfere in achieving a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.  By working together, we will show you how to set and achieve goals and objectives therapeutically designed to meet your needs that will allow you to live the life you know that you deserve. We can be reached by phone/text/or email. We have offices in Tampa and Brandon and schedule your visits at times that are convenient to you. Call or Text us at (813) 244-1251 Visit us online at: http://www.affordablecounselingbrandon.com http://www.starpointcounselingbrandon.com http://www.starpointcounselingtampa.com #communicationskills #couplescounseling #anger #Stress #stressmanagement

Tips for Staying Calm in a Hurricane When hurricanes or tropical storms are forecast to reach us, we often go into a panic and fear the worst about the coming storm. The uncertainty of the storm provokes a certain in anxiety in most of us. Calm is a hard emotion to muster when our entire environment is turning against us. It is ever harder to remain calm when you’re asked to evacuate your home, and live in a shelter or with a family member for a few days. Will my home still be standing when I return? What about my most cherished possessions? Even folks who aren’t asked to evacuate fear the loss of electricity to their homes, and whether they’ll have enough food and water to last the duration of the storm. What can you do to help stay calm during a hurricane or tropical storm? Here are 5 tips for staying calm when a storm approaches. 1. Be prepared. Being prepared ahead of time makes a person generally feel better about themselves — that you’ve done everything you can to ensure you’re ready to weather the storm. That means stocking up on a reasonable amount of food and water, having batteries for flashlights and matches for candles. But don’t go overboard. While winter storms can keep you home-bound for a week or more, hurricanes and tropical storms generally clear the area within a day, and major damage from roadways is cleared usually a day or two later in the U.S. In other words, you won’t be stuck in your house for long. Review all of the information provided by the government’s hurricane preparedness website. 2. Know and review the family plan. Many families live close by one another. Since phone lines and mobile phones may not be able to function, and the Internet may be unavailable, plan ahead with your extended family and friends. If you’re worried about an older parent (or a younger adult in college), let them know how and when you can expect to hear from them. Remind them the phone lines may not work for awhile, but not to worry because you’ll call as soon as the storm passes and service is restored. Sometimes the Internet may be more accessible than other means, so a posting to one’s Facebook wall or twitter stream might be all that’s needed to let others know you made it through safe. 3. Accept the forces of nature. Too often we can feel out of control when faced with nature’s fury. That’s a normal and natural feeling to have — accept it. Nature is stronger than man (think earthquake), and all we can do is button down our hatches and hope for the best. That means keeping your windows shut, removing and storing anything from your lawn or porch that can become a flying object in high winds, and staying indoors during the storm. Make sure your pets are indoors too and don’t go out during the storm. We cannot change nature, so it does little good to try to. Watching the weather forecasts on the TV or online helps some people calm themselves; for others it provokes greater anxiety. Know which one you are and adjust your behavior accordingly. For instance, if hearing about the coming storm just makes you more anxious, now might be a good time for an all-day movie marathon or curling up with a favorite book. Catching up on reading, cleaning something you’ve been putting off, or organizing a closet are all examples of activities that can help take our minds off of it. 4. Storms are temporary. Hurricanes, like most natural events, are usually short-lived — especially when viewed in the context of your entire 80- or 90-year life. If you can make it through the usual fury of a hurricane for the few hours it usually takes, you’re done! Keeping perspective about the storm can help you remain calm during the storm itself. Sometimes the worst can occur at night; if you can get to sleep, you might just sleep through the worst of it. 5. Imagine the worst that can happen. A tree collapses onto your home. The electricity goes out. You come dangerously close to having to open your last can of beans. Imagine the worst case scenario that might happen. Then look at how imagining that makes you feel. Now follow those fears through… A tree collapses onto your home. After the storm subsides, you start the process of cleaning up. Everyone’s safe, the only thing you lost were some material possessions. It’s bad, but you can carry on with your life afterward. The electricity goes out or you almost run out of food after 2 days. Well, if you followed through on Tip #1, you should be okay. You have batteries for the flashlights, and sandwiches ready in case you’re hungry. You’ve stocked up on water (faucet water filling empty water bottles before the storm comes works fine too). The electricity will be restored within a day or two in most cases, so while it’s an inconvenience, you will be okay. In other words, even if our worst fears are realized, it’s probably not as bad as our imaginations suggest. Unrestrained, our imaginations can sometimes cause us more problems than we might realize as they are often a wealth of irrational thoughts. Great for writing fiction and stories, not so great for trying to stay grounded and calm in a storm. Answer those irrational thoughts back and you will feel more at ease in time. If you need help finding the tools to overcome the stress of a hurricane or any other natural disaster, call us anytime to schedule an appointment. (813) 244-1251. From all of us at Affordable Counseling Center, we hope our friends, family, and clients are safe from the path of hurricane Irma. http://www.affordableconselingbrandon.com http://www.starpointcounselingbrandon.com http://www.starpoincounselingtampa.com