Medi-tots

I just gave a lecture on barbiturates and benzodiazepines. We talked about the usual- chemical composition, effects on the nervous system, behavioral effects, and my favorite- reproductive effects. I ended the lecture with a movie on Ativan addiction. Ativan is a benzodiazepine which is often prescribed for anxiety. The most interesting part of the day was the interest my students had in the portion of the movie which talked about alternative therapies such as electromagnetic acupressure... hmmm?? not sure what that is. But what I am sure of is that we need to the skills to deal with the stressors and pressures in our lives. How different would our lives be if we had been given the tools early on. This semester, the students, in my pharmacology class, are leaning sharply towards the young side BUT they hold a sophisticated amount of information and knowledge about pharmaceuticals!!!! I often get nervous they are gonna trip me up! They often know trade names (company names) as well as chemical names. They and/or someone they have an intimate relationship with SSRIs and/or "benzos" .
I have no problem with meds- they help but why aren't we taught the skills we need to first before we reach for a little "pharm" help?

The truth is that life is stressful!!! The Dog WILL die; money will be low at some point; break ups inevitable; fights with friends; car breaks down; parents get sick. I know I'm breaking all the rules of "The secret" by making this mini-list and will probably suffer some great calamity because of it. I take the risk by stating the obvious. It's tough and we need ways to push through and not be too bruised by life.

Things like meditation help. Meditation helps decrease and control the body's stress responses. Benefits of Meditation:

• improves concentration!! - leads to better grades; better performance at work;
• strengthens the body/mind connection- athletes who meditate or visualize have better coordination and control over their bodies. **most competitive athletes meditate**
• decreases respiration (ever notice when experiencing high levels of anxiety respiration increases???)
• leads to relaxation which leads to lower levels of Cortisol
• Helps you i.d. who you are- some great guru (whose name I can't remember) once said that who you are is the person you are when no one is looking. Tap in!! Figure out who you are when no one is shooting glances your way.
• For moms to be: it helps them refocus and slow down some of the hormone-induced craziness; it also helps to tune into the good emotions. Feelings of love and well being are a crucial part of good health. Scientific studies have shown that love and positive feelings can ward off illness, increase vitality, and best of all increase quality of life.

On my Internet travels, I found the coolest book!! Baby Buddhas. Lisa Desmond focuses on the benefits of teaching YOUNG children to meditate. She provides techniques for both parents and tots to start meditation and relaxation rituals. She claims her techniques work on children as young as 18 months. I think it's great. She actually got a grant to go off and study meditation in TIBET!!! She travels to schools and pediatric hospitals to share her oms and mantras = )

School-aged children suffer their own sets of stessors and anxieties such as peer pressures and test anxieties. I'm sure we all remember the stress of being picked on by a bully, humiliated in gym class, or perhaps having a overly strict teacher. It's important that they learn to mediate these situations.

Children also suffer "second hand" stress as a result of watching stressed parents and family members. I remember feeling stressed as a kid if I experienced my parents argued- my heart would race and I would feel a rush of fear and anxiety come over me. I couldn't quite label or verbalize that I felt stressed. I justChildren don't often have the prefrontal abilities to label what they feel.

I also think as younger children are headed off to day-cares, stress will begin to affect them from a much earlier age. Exposure to prolonged or chronic levels of stress have been shown to affect learning and memory. Chronic stress has also been linked to heart disease, cancer, and obesity. In one study, chronic stress impaired the ability of male rats to learn in an enriched environment. How this translates: if your kids are undergoing long term stress (Divorce/illness) they are not able to benefit from the best schools or enrichment programs. Stress Hurts!!