Annapolis

Health

The Health Column | December 2008

By Bridget Avila

How to Break Up with Your Therapist
A relationship with a psychotherapist can be one you sorely need at the outset, but when or how to end it might be unclear. Richard A. Friedman, a professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College, offers tips on how to stop seeing your therapist: “With rare exceptions, the ultimate aim of all good psychotherapists is, well, to make themselves obsolete.. . . To put it bluntly, good therapy is supposed to come to an end.” How to determine the ending point can be tricky. The word cure doesn’t apply very well to issues like depression, anxiety, or relationship problems, which can’t be obliterated like a tumor or an infection. As Friedman puts it, “There will always be problems to repair.”

Even when therapy has become an expensive form of chatting, patients tend to stay with their therapists because they have come to rely on them. And therapists might be reluctant to release patients from their care because, being human themselves, they have their own emotional needs that might be fulfilled through treating patients. And of course, there’s the financial impact of letting go of a revenue source. Friedman suggests that, if you wonder whether you’re done with therapy, you confront the issue head-on. Periodically taking stock of your progress, asking your therapist for direct feedback, and seeking the opinions of close friends can help you evaluate whether you’ve reached your goals. If you think it’s time to end treatment but your therapist doesn’t, get an independent consultation. If there’s still any question, try taking a break from therapy for a few months to see how life is without it to gauge the effects of therapy without being in it. “Remember,” Friedman says, “you can always go back.”

Energize Me
The holiday season is here—the time of year when a lot of people try to spread themselves too thin and fall ill. How do you get everything done, keep your energy level up, and keep your immune system in tip-top shape? The secret is easy (and fun!): by eating and drinking! Of course you need to get your sleep, and exercise is always a good thing, but by following these simple dietary tips, you’re sure to have a “Bah, humbug!”–free holiday

Protein: it’s power-packed. Include poultry, legumes, lean meats, fish, and low-fat dairy in every meal.
Green tea: a spot o’ green tea gives you a gentler buzz than coffee. It also keeps you hydrated—and it can speed up your metabolism, too.
Snacks: snack away. Mini meals throughout the day keep your energy up and your blood sugar from dipping—just make smart choices. (No, chocolate Santas and food court French fries aren’t smart choices.)
Fiber: be sure you get yours! Eat whole grains and fruits at breakfast. This will help your digestion and keep you energized for hours.
Iron: a deficiency of it can make you sluggish. Fortify your body with iron-rich foods such as lean red meat, veggies rich in Vitamin C (such as spinach, broccoli, and bok choy), nuts, and soy products and other legumes.

Quick Tips for Winter Skin
Our skin-care needs change with the seasons. Cold, dry, blustery weather can wreak havoc on our skin. So as we make our way into the cold days of winter, get ready to make your skin as dewy fresh as a spring day. Here are some tips to protect and soothe it:

Take a lukewarm shower. While it may feel good after you come in from the cold, hot water robs your skin of moisture. If you must use hot water, keep your showers brief. And hot tubs? Skip those too. Not sure if the water’s the right temperature? Check the color of your skin. If it’s red, the water’s too hot.
Moisturize early and often. Apply moisturizer to still-damp skin after you wash your hands or bathe. Carry hand cream with you to make up for the damage done by harsh antibacterial soaps in public bathrooms. Pay special attention to your lips, hands, and feet.
Exfoliate, baby! Dead skin gets in the way of proper moisturizing. Once or twice a week, exfoliate with a scrub in the shower or a body brush on dry skin—dry brushing removes flaky skin more effectively than brushing in the shower does.
Moisturize from the inside out. Low humidity indoors and out can not only dry your skin but also leave your nasal passages susceptible to infection. Get your eight glasses of water per day and consider running a humidifier in your bedroom.
Consider supplements. Fish oil and essential fatty acids, such as lipoic acid, have been credited with improving skin and nail quality.

Tags: dec 08 bridget avila