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Consciousness Studies go beyond the realm of the natural sciences and the social sciences. Consciousness Studies can include a variety of disciplines: humanities, critical theory, comparative religion, functionism, mysticism, neuroscience, phenomenology (which describes intentionality as the basic structure of consciousness), philosophy and transpersonal psychology. The discipline of Consciousness Studies explores the human experience as it pertains to psychotherapeutic practice, behavior, spiritual exploration, idealism and religious tradition.

Consciousness Studies courses integrate classroom studies and seminars, and incorporate critical thinking, methodology, research skills, the nature of philosophical knowledge and its foundations, as well as theory. Consciousness Studies avails essential readings relevant to various principles of consciousness and allows one to instill acquired knowledge into the application of practices of healing, spirituality, education, and community.

Additional coursework often encompasses a broad variety of relevant and unique topics including but not limited to quantum approaches to comprehension of the human mind; modern science in relation to the mind; exploration of conscious emotions; cognitive neuroscience interfaced with emotions and consciousness; and expansive dialogues. Furthermore, in addition to classroom settings, consciousness studies are often provided through online learning programs and distance education courses.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved
K. Monteith in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

K. Monteith is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Consciousness Studies at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

THE TRUTH ABOUT TROUBLED YOUTH

How accurate are your assumptions about troubled youth and
children? In our recent on-site workshop for the Black Clergy
Alliance in Daytona Beach, Florida, the issue of stereotyping
came up a lot, and inspired this topic.Here is a quick quiz to
test how much you really know about youngsters who struggle.
You may be surprised or even shocked to discover how much
of what you thought you knew is actually myth, not reality. If
your skills are at least somewhat based on myth instead of fact,
you may be quite limited in what you achieve with troubled students.

THE TRUTH ABOUT TROUBLED YOUTH

QUESTIONS

(Answers follow the list of questions.)

1. Are inner-city or suburban kids more likely to use alcohol?

2. Who is the most likely to be involved in a school shooting?

3. What are the top two most serious family problems?

4. Who has the highest rates of anxiety and depression?

5. Who is most likely to use tobacco?

THE TRUTH ABOUT TROUBLED YOUTH

ANSWERS

1. Are inner-city or suburban kids more likely to use alcohol?

Suburban youngsters are more likely to drink than their
urban counterparts, according to a recent Psychology
Today article. The article cites a Columbia University
study that challenges our “cultural assumption that parents
who make more money are more affable, more available to
their children than parents in dire poverty.”

2. Who is the most likely to be involved in a school shooting?

If you listen to the mainstream media, you answered that
bullied children are the most likely to become school
shooters. The truth is more complicated than this simple
sound bite would indicate. The truth is that while bullied
children can blow up and become shooters, a more accurate
answer would note that conduct disorders, thought
disorders and extreme agitated depressed youth can
be shooters. Bullied youth are severely depressed kids
who explode, but not all severely depressed kids have
been bullied. While bullying may or may not have occurred,
the depression will be present. If you just watch for
bullying, you will miss identifying some non-bullied,
depressed students who are at risk of extreme violence.
If you watch instead for depression– that may or may not
include bullying– you won’t miss anyone. Of course, you
must be sure to also remember the two other types of
students who can be of concern: the conduct disorder and
thought disorder, who were covered in the second and
third issues of this magazine, and on our web site.

3. What are the top two most serious family problems?

We ask this question in each of our workshops. Most
youth professionals say “poverty” and “divorce.” But
the real answer may involve problems that are often
considerably more devastating to children. The top
two most serious problems may be sexual abuse, and
physical/verbal abuse. Most mental health professionals
would evaluate childhood sexual and physical/verbal
abuse to usually be far more destructive than poverty
or divorce. In our culture, we don’t like to think about
abuse– especially sexual abuse– so your training may not
include much preparation to help children with the
two biggest problems they are actually encountering.

4. Who has the highest rates of anxiety and depression?

In general, suburban teens have the highest rates of
anxiety and depression, but upper-class suburban girls
are three times more likely to suffer depression than
other teen females. (This data was included in the
recent Columbia University study, as detailed in
Psychology Today magazine.) As our workshop has
traveled around North America, we often hear from
staff who work in affluent areas that “Our students
don’t have those types of problems here.” Staff
with upper-class students are often particularly
vehement that sexual abuse doesn’t happen in their
region, however there is no data to support that
contention. In fact, there is every indication that youth
from wealthier homes endure the same amount of sexual
abuse as other children.

5. Who is most likely to use tobacco?

You may be pretty confident that inner city youth are
the ones who are most likely to be smokers. That is the
dominant stereotype, but it is an incorrect assumption.
Surprisingly, suburban youth are more likely to smoke.
If you now imagine that this discrepancy is due to
suburban youth having more money, guess again. The
Columbia University study attributed this occurrence
not to relative affluence, but to inadequate parental
involvement– a factor that is completely unrelated
to income.

WANT MORE ANSWERS TO YOUR WORST “KID PROBLEMS?”

Click our link below to go to our free Solution Center that
is packed with hundreds of additional solutions you can use
right away.

The ART Hotel Atelier sul Mare, the only one Art-Museum-Hotel in the world, is on the northern coast of Sicily (Italy), just few meters from a fantastic blue sea. The hotel is situated in Castel di Tusa, an enchanting little village near Cefal (20KM) and S.Stefano di Camastra (9KM), in the Messina’s province.

Just the perfect stay for your new and old clients doing a Sicily tour. Our hotel offers memorable experiences since its main feature is the presence of many important contemporary artworks of well known artists inside and outside the hotel. In fact 20 out of 40 rooms were realized by important internationally recognized artists: Danielle Mitterand, Mario Ceroli, Fabrizio Plessi, Mauro Staccioli, Renato Curcio, Maria Lai, Raoul Ruiz, Paolo Icaro, Luigi Mainolfi, Michele Canzoneri, Hidetoshi Nagasawa, and many others.

That’s why Atelier sul Mare is mentioned by the world famous hotel publications, like HIP HOTEL, and top hotel guides, and gets so much media coverage (ex. CNN ). It has style and much to offer to the VIP as well as the curious and smart tourist and travelers.

But most of all Atelier sul Mare offers the unforgettable experience of sleeping inside art. The art rooms provide to the guest a unique and powerful experience. They are appropriate for an ‘inner youney’ of meditation. The art is not designed to be displayed to the viewer; it is meant to surround the guest: ‘Only after entering and living in a room the artwork will be complete. The guest’s presence and use of the room is an integral part of the artistic creation.’ Our clients are even encouraged to change a different art-room each night to get the fullest experience.

Atelier sul Mare offers 100 beds, and apart from art rooms, which are true art suite, our standard rooms are wide, comfortable, with flowery balconies facing the sea. It is possible to attend pottery making courses inside the hotel, as well as courses on Italian language, Italian cuisine, on Sicilian wines, horse riding, and going out fishing with local fishermen. Also classical music concerts and art exhibitions are very usual in our hotel. Besides, many ancient art and interesting ruins few minutes by car or train.
Few kilometers from the hotel you can visit the park of Fiumara d’Arte, the biggest Regional museum of contemporary sculptures in Europe. The park, made realized from Antonio Presti, consists of an unusual attempt at exhibiting contemporary sculpture in a kind of open-air museum, that takes advantage of the natural landscape to arrive at a symbiosis of art and nature and provides interested visitors an opportunity of exploring secluded and off-the-beaten-track spots. The monumental sculptures have been realized by international artists: Pietro Consagra, Piero Dorazio, Tano Festa, Hidetoshi Nagasawa, Paolo Schiavocampo, Antonio Di Palma and many others. A very pleasant art walk amidst the Sicilian wild and picturesque nature.

At some level, all of us experience at different stages of life.
Quite often it’s a circumstantial anxiety due to a feeling of
being out of control, dissatisfied with life circumstances,
worried that something bad or worse will happen, or a general
feeling of not dealing well with uncertainty. So anxiety is a
normal feeling for many, and even a normal sign of being human.
But for many anxiety has become a dominant force in their life,
one that affects their self-esteem, confidence, relationships,
career, and is a constant inner voice churning that things are
not right and that they may get worse. What may have initially
been a circumstantial anxiety that ebbs and flows and shows up
in minor non-debilitating ways becomes something more. For these
people, it’s an issue of physiology or biology - one where the
anxiety starts in the brain or chemical makeup in the body. And
this is where anxiety can become debilitating. What scarier
feeling in the world could there be for your own body and mind
to become your own enemy, and for the emotions you’re feeling to
be largely beyond your control. And frequently the results can
become acute, such as an anxiety attack or a regrettable
conversation or out of control behavior at work or at home. For
these people, after months or years of suffering in silence,
help is needed and available. Frequently this is through the
support of a therapist or mental health counselor who can
provide a safe forum in which to process and discuss what is
going on - mostly someone who can normalize and help regulate
one’s experiences. A close friend or small group of friends can
also lend support. Additionally, a visit to a psychiatrist can
help uncover whether this condition truly is biochemical in
nature. Through brief experimentation with various medications,
it could be determined whether a deficiency exists in a specific
brain chemical that regulates anxiety. Often the use of
medication, despite some side effects, and add normalcy to one’s
life. Despite having a condition which may be with them for
life, at least they can experience a sense of freedom and relief
from what otherwise may be a predominant way of being. Relief is
available for someone suffering from anxiety.

Link up both of everybody’s chief pursuits and you’ve got is a vogue that’s normally named a web based sportsbook. Well: what could feasibly be more inventive? Envisage a clique of guys cheering their chosen sports heroes, and frequently stakes will be announced going with the turmoil. Enthusiastic to get a share of the delights, onlookers will on a regular basis venture to speculate who will make it in the approaching competition. All of this is set to turn into a nice little competition known as web based sportsbook. Texans QB Schaub likely out for Sunday

Ok, so it may seem to be neurotic though sports betting is actually just an amusing entertainment and to team up with friends. Here, you’ll be able to risk a a puny quantity of boodle and nonetheless enjoy a outstanding time. Furthermore, here are a select number of basics to get going sports betting.

If you want to bet, we would advise you go to a web based sportsbook, i.e. a setup which takes in web based sportsbook. In America, there are no less than four states where to go for sports betting lawfully, but beyond legal you may attempt it everywhere providing you can locate a bookie AND you’re a legal adult. Included in the track-and-field events you can wager on are professional besides college level basketball as well as football, pro hockey and baseball, besides betting on both dog and horse racing. Visitors will have the option of placing wagers on the overall results of a competition, when any given opponent will be knocked out, and even whether a given tossed coin in a competition comes out either heads or tails.

The sportsbook provider will confide in stats and maths make it easier for you infer which sports heroes you trust will make it. First off, there’s the chances, that is to say specific points lead given to a a disadvantaged lineup assumed to lose by a specific number points. Self-Evidently, this constitutes the odds maker’s formalized style of making evenhanded bets possible for a sportsbook. For instance a customer might choose to risk money on a team assumed to lose and and nonetheless make money on that bet providing the lineup does actually take a licking by a specific number of points.

Of course there are many different brands of wagers- straight, teasers,parlay bets, including, naturally, over-unders, the straight being the best known in sports betting. So do have a stab at it and chill out in the process? Only be on the guard so that you won’t get ripped away and exhaust your entire pension plan on a bee… If you don’t, you will certainly end up contrite till the end of your life…

Some of the stereotypes we have about the brain and aging are being dispelled by recent research. Here are some myths and new reality.

1. Myth: Once you’re born, all you can look forward to is a long and steady loss of brain cells.

REALITY: “Stem” cells in the brain can create new neurons, and idle neurons will extend their branches to carry signals to and from other neurons indefinitely, under the right conditions.

2. MYTH: We can’t get smarter as we age.

REALITY: Mice in an enriched environment (new toys and playmates), increased 4000 new neurons in the hippocampus (crucial to memory and learning) compared to 2400 in the control group. Older mice’s brains also got bigger and better quickly! (Diamond and Rosenzweig, Elizabeth Gould, Princeton)

3. MYTH: Creativity diminishes with age.

REALITY: According to Ralph Warner, author of “Get a Life: You Don’t Need a Million to Retire Well,” “older artists often do well, commonly experiencing a sustained burst of exciting creativity after 65.”

4. MYTH: There isn’t much you can do to avoid Alzheimer’s.

REALITY: According to David Snowden, Ph.D., “Aging with Grace,” hardworking brains (the ones that keep learning new challenging things) do well because their stimulated cells branch frequently. This results in millions of new synapses so the brain actually becomes larger and a larger brain can cope better with the effects of brain diseases, like Alzheimer’s and strokes. Theoretically because it has more active tissue, and therefore a greater number of ways to work around diseased or damaged areas.

5. MYTH: What you’ve got, is all you’ll ever get.

REALITY: According to Paula Tallal, Rutgers neuroscientist, “You create your brain from the input you get,” i.e., intellectual stimulation strengthens the brain because in the normal course of living, our brains constantly reorganize themselves, which is called neuroplasticity.” Neuroplasticity accelerates with the amount and complexity of the new information our brains receive.

6. MYTH: As you age, it’s too hard to learn new things, so stick with what you already know.

REALITY: According to Arnold Scheibel, head of UCLA’s Brain Research Institute, the brain’s axons and dendrites (which send and receive messages) grow fastest with new material. “The important thing is to be actively involved in areas unfamiliar to you,” say Golden and Tsiaras, in “Building a Better Brain.” “Anything that is intellectually challenging can probably serve as a kind of stimulus for dendritic growth, which means it adds to the computational reserves in your brain.” Sounds to me like building new hard drive, yes?

7. MYTH: Watching the Discovery Channel suffices for stimulation.

REALITY: Dr. Robert Friedland reports that adults over age 70 with brain-stimulating hobbies were two and a half times less likely to suffer from the effects of Alzheimer’s later in life than were those whose main leisure activity was watching TV.

8. MYTH: In order to stimulate and grow the brain, you must engage in formal schooling.

REALITY: According to Warner, traditional academic subjects aren’t the only answer. The key is to find something both new and challenging to you. Therefore, if you’re an engineering professor, for instance, you’re better off learning how to grow roses, write poetry, or fly a plane.

9. MYTH: I can ignore it for a while and it will still be there when I get back.

REALITY: According to neurologist Oliver Sacks, our body’s economy dictates that if neurons dedicated to perform a given skill are not being used, they’ll either atrophy or be co-opted to some other function.

10. MYTH: Intellectual stimulation is enough.

REALITY: Aerobic exercise may be especially beneficial to brain function in aging people, because it tends to keep blood vessels in better shape (Marion Diamond). Mice that exercised regularly on a running wheel grew twice as many new brain cells (in the hippocampus) (Salk study).

So there you have it! Jog on out for those new toys and new playmates and get a better brain and a better life! And it’s never too late unless you don’t start now.

Any form of physical exercise can be a great way to reduce stress. By regularly going to a gym, for a run or competing in a team sport, an outlet is created that gives you the opportunity to focus on an enjoyable activity and literally forget about the day to day events that may contribute to stress in your life.

By doing physical exercise the body will inevitably get fitter and stronger. A fit person is less likely to get sick and tired especially during stressful periods. As a person becomes fitter, their self esteem and self worth will naturally increase. This also reduces the likely hood of succumbing to stress and in fact will typically have a better chance of coping with stressful situations.

Competitive forms of exercise can also help reduce stress. Normally, competitive sport will require participants to regularly train, set goals and work in a team. They are also required to learn how to cope with stressful moments during a game as well deal with both victory and defeat. Such activities emulate real life situations and therefore will help you to deal with the challenges that life may bring you.

Some physical exercises which involve repetitive movement, such as running or riding a bike, can have a meditative effect bringing on change in your the state of consciousness. Like any other form of meditation, the result is usually an increase in mental alertness and feeling calm yet more alive.

On an “etheric” level, it is believed that physical exercise has a cleansing affect on the energy body. All the dirty energy that contributes to stress is automatically expelled during physical activity. The energy body will naturally replace this with fresh energy freely available in the air and the earth.

Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, is classified as a type of affective disorder or mood disorder that goes beyond the day’s ordinary ups and downs, becoming a serious medical condition and important health concern in this country. Manic depression is characterized by periodic episodes of extreme elation, elevated mood, or irritability (also called mania) countered by periodic, classic depressive symptoms.

Who is affected by manic depression? Manic depression affects more than 2.3 million American adults - or about 1.2 percent of Americans age 18 and older in a given year. When symptoms are present before the age of 12, they are often confused with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - a syndrome that is usually characterized by serious and persistent difficulties resulting in inattentiveness or distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.

Affecting men and women equally (although women are more likely to experience more depressive and less manic symptoms), manic depression often begins in adolescence or early adulthood. In fact, the average age at onset for a first manic episode is during the early 20s.

Manic depression is likely to run in families and, in some cases, is believed to be hereditary. Researchers are still undergoing intense research to identify a gene that may be responsible for this disorder.

What are the symptoms of manic depression? The following are the most common symptoms of manic depression. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently.

Depressive symptoms may include:

persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood loss of interest in activities once previously enjoyed excessive crying increased restlessness and irritability decreased ability to concentrate and make decisions decreased energy thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

increased feelings of guilt, helplessness, and/or hopelessness weight and/or appetite changes due to over- or under-eating changes in sleep patterns social withdrawal physical symptoms unrealized by standard treatment (i.e., chronic pain, headaches) Manic symptoms may include:

overly inflated self-esteem decreased need for rest and sleep increased distractibility and irritability increased physical agitation excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that may result in painful consequence; this may include provocative, aggressive, or destructive behavior increased talkativeness excessive “high” or euphoric feelings increased sex drive increased energy level uncharacteristically poor judgment increased denial For a diagnosis of manic depression to be made, an individual must exhibit both depressive and manic symptoms to a varying degree, depending upon the severity of the disorder. The symptoms of manic depression may resemble other psychiatric conditions. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.

How is manic depression diagnosed? Because depression has shown to often co-exist with other medical conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, or diabetes, and other psychiatric disorders, such as substance abuse, or anxiety disorders, seeking early diagnosis and treatment is crucial to recovery. A diagnosis is often made after a careful psychiatric examination and medical history performed by a psychiatrist or other mental health professional.

Treatment for manic depression: Specific treatment for manic depression will be determined by your physician based on:

your age, overall health, and medical history extent of the disease your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies expectations for the course of the disease your opinion or preference Treatment may include either, or a combination, of the following:

medication (i.e., mood-stabilizing anticonvulsants such as lithium, valproate, or carbamazepine, and/or antidepressants such as Prozac, Zoloft, or Paxil) psychotherapy (most often cognitive-behavioral and/or interpersonal therapy that is focused on changing the individual’s distorted views of themselves and the environment around them, working through difficult relationships, and identifying stressors in the environment and how to avoid them)

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) Recognizing the varied and extreme mood swings associated with manic depression is crucial in obtaining effective treatment, and avoiding the potentially painful consequences of the reckless, manic behavior.

In most cases, long-term, preventive treatment is necessary to stabilize the mood swings associated with manic depression.

It is commonly believed myth that personality testing instruments can measure your personality and predict your future behaviors. The pre-employment testing mechanism has been following this creed without any solid evidence. The testing industry claims all out validity. The educational institutions and employer organizations use them for screening purposes. Their transparency and equity has even convinced the courts of law.

But it is still an unresolved riddle; what do they test?

Do they test personality? What is personality then? What is its nature? How does it come into existence? Is it outcome of evolution? Does matter has capability to generate a personality? Why animals don’t have a personality? Does it remain the same during whole of your life? And many more questions.

It is like peeling off an onion. Every strip leads to many more. Finally you get a heap of onion strips. Where is the onion?

But personality is not an onion…

Allport has recorded hundreds of different definitions. Most of the psychologists equate it to your style, behaviors and reactions. They have devised instruments to measure these main areas. The collected data about your behaviors and temperaments help them to decide your career. You may organize your behaviors in future but you may never be able to go for a career of your passion.

Why?

Experts like to predict. They predict weather. They predict political situations. They predict economic conditions. They predict your future with signs, numbers, cards or palms. And they predict your future performance with the help of personality testing instruments.

What’s Your Personality?
———————–

It is well recognized fact that every human being has a personality. It is not merely your physical body. It is not merely your consciousness. It is not merely your ego. It is not merely your behaviors. It is not merely your physical expression. It is not merely your style. It is not merely your temperament.

But they all and many other characteristics are expressions of your personality.

I don’t find it wise to define personality. Admittedly it is an abstract reality. You get it with your birth. You can either develop it or disintegrate. Your style, behaviors and reactions are expressions of your developed, undeveloped or under-developed personality.

How do you look? How do you react? How do you talk? How do you live? How do you think? They all are expressions of your personality. The psychometrics measures these expressions and not your personality.

The abstract nature of personality can neither be measured nor be analyzed with any scientific or non-scientific tool. It can only be visualized. It can be developed. It can be disintegrated. Your thinking and doing makes all out the difference. A developed personality gives better style, behaviors and reactions than an undeveloped one.

Why Psychometrics are Getting Popular?
—————————————

The very first reason is that every one wants to know who he is.

But bigger reason of their massive use is just a desire of the employers to avoid bad-hire. They get hundreds of applications for a single situation. They are the only available tools to avoid idiosyncrasies.

They don’t have alternatives for psychometrics.

Tests are going to stay. Whether you are trying to be admitted for a specific discipline or looking for your dream job, you are going to encounter psychometrics at one stage or the others. You need to prepare before encountering them.

How to Prepare for Personality Testing Sessions?
———————————————–

Keep in mind…

Personality is an amazing entity. You can think. You can visualize. You can discover. You can express. You can plan. You can create. You have unlimited hidden potentials. But your selected options on paper are going to decide your future.

You should practice offline and online personality tests before encountering a real session. Your practice shall not only make them familiar to you but also generate a list of your strengths and weaknesses. You can improve them with your conscious effort.

However, it is much more important to learn how different personality and aptitude tests measure expressions of your personality. What theories are working behind them? How do they relate different jobs with different types? This knowledge shall make it a lot easier to encounter psychometrics.

Psychometrics? Some believe in them and others reject them altogether. However, reality lies in between. Saqib Ali Ateel unlocks secrets of personality, intelligence, aptitude and testing at www.personality-and-aptitude-career-tests.com/art

“I’m 20. I have got a loved and loving husband. Problem that always follows me - is my overweight. My height is 170 cm, weight - 69 kg - this is not a critical situation, but I try to keep to a diet, go in for sport. My husband loves me very much, tries to do everything for me, and tries to support me during my depressions as for imperfect figure. He gives me no reason to jealous.

But if I see he looked on some interesting girl, I’m upset and quarrel with him. It seems to me that I’m the ugliest one in this world. I create conflict situations unconsciously. I don’t know what to do. I cannot live in constant depression because of my figure, and I feel sorry for my husband - I understand that I can lose him due to my shouting and critics. Please, advice me what to do.”

“It occurred to me that I have never really loved anybody (men), and I thought: I may miss this feeling at all. I have got a boyfriend, we have been together for 2 years, I broke with him 3 times for this period, tried to be with other man, then came back. Now we’re together, I say him I love him, but I know it’s not truth. I started thinking: may be I cannot love at all? Probably, no, as love begins from ourselves, and I don’t love myself, my body.

I’m always angry with myself, if I want something very much, I try to hide this feeling deep inside, as I think I will not get it. I attended ball dances for a while, went to classes gladly, adored my partner, but quit dancing. I’m living with a feeling of despair, feel I’m not necessary for anybody, know that dances will be only my dream, I gained weight (64 kg while 174 cm). I don’t want anything and even living…”

Everyone has an image or portrait of himself in his mind unconsciously. An idea of himself as of a personality. And in most cases this opinion is formed unconsciously, basing on past experience, attitude of other people to us.

We will always act like that personality, which we identify us with. A man, who thinks he is a loser, will always find a way and reason to ruin business, despite of will power efforts. Image of our Ego changes to better or worse in the process of accumulation of practical experience. But our self-esteem does not depend on things that took place in this experience; it depends on our own estimation of events, which occur to us.
Inferiority complex appears more often from our conclusions, than of facts and events. For example, I sing badly. This is fact, but it does not mean I’m an inferior person in general. A person with broken acceptation of reality may make absolutely another conclusion: “I sing badly, I do everything wrong, I cannot do anything, I’m a loser.”

Everything depends on norms we measure ourselves with. Feeling of inferiority appears, when we estimate ourselves using “maximum” standards of other people. When we act this way, we are on the second place surely. And as we suppose we should correspond to standards, we begin feeling we’re people of second sort. This wrong idea sounds like this: “I should be like someone else” or “I should be like everybody”. That’s why we are trying to look like top-models from magazines’ covers, invent standards, which we have to correspond to. But in fact: does this common standard exist? No. Beauty standards change often, like fashion trends.

Convictions form our behavior and emotions. And we value these or those events basing on our convictions. People with low self-esteem have wrong opinion of other people’s opinion of them. They concentrate on negative aspects, ignoring good qualities. Wrong self-esteem leads to a feeling of inconsistency or incompetence. Low self-esteem, and further, depression, are results of constant break of estimation of events.

Here are main types of psychological mistakes, which appear, when a person has low self-esteem:

Maximization
One sees everything in black or white colors. A person, thinking in categories “everything or nothing”, sees himself as a loser while slightest discrepancy of things to his criteria. This way is destructive, as only 2 variants of estimation can be seldom met. Nobody can be either absolutely unique or complete fool, either attractive, or ugly. There’s nothing that corresponds to extreme concepts.

If you try to live according to absolute categories, lots of reasons for resentment with yourself will appear. Majority of psychological disorders together with low self-esteem are caused by maximization. If a person estimates his life from a position “everything or nothing”, then he’s assured that his actions can be either great or worthless. Straight results of such world view - are laziness and passivity.

General conclusion based on single facts
The only negative event is accepted like an endless “black period”. For example, a pupil with excellent marks failed to pass exam to enter the University. Further he builds his reflections this way: “I failed to enter now, I will not enter ever, and I’m a loser”.

Psychological filtering of events
A person chooses only negative details of situation. For example, while passing exam you make one mistake. You are thinking of it all the time and make a conclusion you will receive bad mark. In fact, this is the only mistake, which is absolutely unnoticeable on the background of a wonderful answer.

Disqualification of positive

A person does not accept positive facts, insisting on their impossibility, keeps negative impressions, in spite of their discrepancy to real events. For example, you may accept compliments as mockery. I.e. you may always find something that allows you affirming that you’re worse than others. You choose only negative details of any event. So you always confirm negative impression of you:

“Your dress is beautiful”

“I guessed it is provoking”.

Negative interpretation of reality

It happens because of ignorance of real state of events or belief that bad presentiments always come true.

A man decides that someone thinks bad of him and does not strive to understand real situation. Feeling that people look down on you prevents you from normal communication. For example, a girl decides that on a party everybody is thinking of her overweight and unattractive appearance and avoids meeting everybody. An interlocutor, facing such cold attitude, thinks that he’s not interesting for her and is in a hurry to make off.
Or: a man feels that something bad will happen and is assured that this will surely happen. I.e. he concentrates on negative result. For example, somebody forgot to tell your boyfriend about your call. You decide he does not want to talk to you and does not even guess that somebody just forgot to tell him about your call. You make a conclusion that he will consider you annoying, if you call him again.

Overestimate and understatement

Overestimate of meaning of good events and understatement of bad ones. Effect of a “spyglass”. Usually overestimate concerns your own mistakes. You always decide: “my reputation is broken”. And when you think of your successes, you look at them from another side: “nothing special”. Both understatement of achievements and overestimate of failures guarantee bad state of health. Especially, if you compare yourself with others. “These top-models from magazines are so slender, and I…”, “Marsha is really successful, and I can do only small things”.

Conclusions based on emotions

Belief that negative emotions reflect real situation: “I feel this, so it is real”. In fact, feelings reflect thoughts, if latest are broken, then emotional reaction does not correspond facts. For example: I feel guilty, this means I did something wrong. One of results of such reaction - is delay.

For example, you feel fear in front of communication, and always excuse your not wishing to go on contact - a person is inappropriate, situation is wrong etc. When communication takes place, it turns out, that nothing awful has happened. Negative feelings were an obstacle.

I would…
An attempt to motivate situation from a position “it could happen” and “it could not happen” causes complex of guilt and is a reason of exasperation. One feels offence, he feels depressed because the things he did not done. He falls into depression because of impossibility to change something. When behavior falls down below his standards, then possible and impossible cause feelings of disgust for himself, shame and complex of guilt. You may avoid it, if you adjust your requirements to reality and not try to measure your actions by those norms, which other people seem to use.

Labels

Labels are self-image and opinion about other people, based completely on negative facts. This is an extreme form of general conclusion of some separate facts, labels are stuck instead of description of one’s own or other people’s mistakes. “I’m an idiot”, “He’s bad” - labels can be based on unfounded, even single cases - these are results of emotional splashes. Instead of thinking: “I made a mistake”, one thinks: “I’m a loser”. A woman ate ice-cream and is angry: “I’m a pig, I’m fat”. We cannot characterize our “ego” by one thought. Life is complicated, everything flows and changes. A person is not like a monument. So any label is false and pared-down.

Taking responsibility for events that do not depend on you
This means seeing a reason caused negative events, in you, regardless of the fact that there was no possibility to affect them. One thinks that that those were his mistakes and failures that affected negative situation. Taking responsibility for events that do not depend on him creates feeling of guilt, suffering from his own helplessness.

For example, a lecturer notices that somebody is sleeping on a lesson. He thinks at once: “I’m a bad lecturer”. But in fact, this person had no sleep during 3 days and just “switched off”. Lecturer is not guilty, but he took responsibility for this on himself.

How to improve your self-esteem

Understanding of the fact that our actions, feelings and behavior are just a result of our ideas and beliefs, gives powerful starting-lever of change of personality.

Create a realistic image of your Ego

The first step to satisfaction with life and yourself consists in creating of a realistic and adequate idea of yourself. As we live in a real world, an image of our Ego should reflect this reality. If your idea of yourself is complete and stable, then you will feel calm and comfortable, otherwise you will feel anxiety and worrying.

Make a list of your pluses and minuses. Write down pluses in one graph, minuses - in other. Remember situations, which confirmed these characteristics. Pay a special attention to minuses - examine each one separately, asking questions: is it true or not (who said it, or why did you decide that you have this minus)? Which facts confirm it? In which situations it is showed? Does this worry you in life? Do other people have this quality? Does it worry them?

Try to balance graph with minuses with characteristics from graph with pluses. For example: I’m plump, but kind and witty. Or: there’re lots of plump women, but successful and popular. Bring your minuses to positive side. As a result you will receive your portrait, including strong and weak sides, where weak ones are compensated by strong. This will be real estimation of your personality.

Another step - is composing an image of a person, whom you would like to become. For this you need to draw a person, whom you would like to become, in your thoughts. This should not be an invented unreal image of you, as such ideas do not correspond to reality. Think about the way you can change present situation. Probably, you need to go in for sport, receive additional education, communicate more etc.

Your task is to find your real Ego and bring your images of yourself to complete correspondence with an object they reflect. It is very important that pictures would be as much brighter, correspond closer to real experience. You need to pay attention to small details: sounds, color, separate objects. You should imagine yourself in real time. This exercise forms new information in a memory of your nervous system, helps to create a new image of your Ego. After training you will discover with surprise that you are already not trying, but acting in other manner.

Stop measuring your abilities with other people’s standards. You are not the worst, not the best, you are unique. Now you have an image of your Ego, and you live in correspondence with it. So the only criterion of estimation of events - are inner standards.

Work out habit to happiness

Happiness - is a mood, while which we have pleasant thoughts. Ancient Roman philosopher Epictetus said: “People are worried not by events themselves, but by their opinion about these events”. According to other famous philosopher and poet Emerson R. words, a measure of psychic health is a habit to search positive sides in everything. If you prefer light thoughts on purpose, this does not mean you live wearing rose-colored glasses. These thoughts form positive image of your Ego. They create positive experience, basing on which you confirm your opinion of yourself like of a successful person, and, thus, act like a successful person.

Habits - are just methods of reaction, which we learned to do automatically. Not less than 95% of things that we call peculiarities of behavior, emotions, reactions, are a result of formed habits. We can change them. For this you need to practice new methods of reaction to events. In other words, replace a habit of constant criticizing yourself and searching minuses by a habit of finding positive sides in any event.

Put only positive goals in front of you
If we always come back to past mistakes and failures in our mind, they turn into a goal, which is kept in imagination and memory. At the moment when we change direction of our thoughts, stop intensifying past negative stereotypes, past with its mistakes and failures loses its power over us. Negative purpose is replaced by positive.

Using effort to stay away from undesirable manner of behavior, you really only make it stronger. For example, you want to grow thin and make you eat less by unbelievable efforts of will power. But very soon you slip out and everything repeats. The best way to overcome any habit - is to form a clear image of a wished result in your mind and exercise in gaining your goal effortless.

Yana Mikheeva is the creator of All about women site, it is an on-line resource for women and about women. Here you can find articles on various subjects, such as: diets, receipts, health, cellulite, figure, aromatherapy, wholesome food, psychology of relationships, pregnancy, parenting, fashion and many others.
She also has Blog for women