Filed under: 1 | Tags: 91301, 91302, agoura hills psychotherapy, Agoura Psychotherapy, alcoholism, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, calabasas pcyotherapy, camarillo psychotherapy, celebrity rehab, cocaine counseling, couples counseling, depression, divorce, dr drew pinsky, Law of Sobriety, Malibu Psychotherapy, marriage counseling, meth addiction, moorpark psychotherapy, Newbury Park Psychotherapy, post traumatic stress disorder, psychiatry, psychology, Simi Valley Psychotherapy, trauma, Westlake Village Psychotherapy
I had no idea I would be writing this weekend about this subject but after getting a very disturbing email from another Psychotherapist this week, who I thought was my friend, I have no choice. When I blog, I blog from my heart, and when something calls me to express my thoughts on an important issue, I have no choice but to blog away about it.
I have used Facebook, Twitter, and my Blog for at least three years to express subject matter related to my field. I have written about subjects ranging from adolescents and the dangers of pain medication, baby boomers and addiction, and finding your life purpose in sobriety, as well as a host of other blogs related to many important mental health issues. It was only in the last few weeks I started to write about my upcoming book, “The Law of Sobriety.” The book is a great resource for anyone new in sobriety and for those who have a secure sobriety and wanting to discover “What’s next?” for them now that they have embraced a clean and sober lifestyle.
My goals for facebook and blogging never was intended to be used like an email to contact friends, although it has been a blast finding old friends from the past. I thought it was a vehicle that college students were using and then discovered us baby boomers could enjoy the many aspects facebook has to offer. Then when twitter came around, I didn’t even hook it up to my phone and still haven’t. I thought how cool it would be to write inspirational quotes and to continue to meet other like minded individuals in recovery and in the mental health arena.
Well, this supposed friend wrote to me that she doesn’t use Faceboook for marketing and that it wouldn’t be fair to her friends. She doesn’t write about work and would not use her personal Facebook page as a marketing tool. She believes talking about herself is “too indulgent” and that anyone who uses Facebook or Twitter as a marketing tool should be embarrassed and expect to be un-friended.
I sat there like a deer in headlights not believing what she wrote on my wall. I was at first hurt, then baffled. For the most part, my Facebook messages have been inspirational quotes, articles and blogs related to addictions, and just recently blurbs about my book. I haven’t tried to get clients, sell products, or anything remotely related to a full blown “Sherry Gaba” marketing campaign. Yes, now that my book is coming out, I hope to reach as many people as I can who will benefit from what I have to share. I work endlessly helping clients day in and day out in one on one sessions helping them getting sober, stay sober, and to live a joyous and free life while sober.
I am so grateful that this book opportunity came up for me and I will proudly share it with anyone who is interested in reading it. Thank you to all my Facebook Friends who have commented on my wall supporting everything I do. You have re-affirmed what I already knew, but to be acknowledged by others who work in recovery or are in recovery, is beyond a blessing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Sherry Gaba, LCSW, is a Psychotherapist and Life Coach who works in addictions in Agoura Hills, CA. She is the Psychotherapist and Life Coach on Celebrity Rehab 2 and 3 with Dr. Drew. Her new book “The Law of Sobriety” will be out in September 2010. She also works with other mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, as well as with adolescents, single parents, couples, and, divorce and co-parenting. She can be reached at sherry@sgabatherapy.com or www.sgabatherapy.com. http://www.sgabatherapy.com/AgouraHillsPsychotherapy.en.html
Filed under: 1 | Tags: addiction, adolescent psychotherapy, agoura hills psychotherapy, anxiety, Calabasas Psychotherapy, camarillo psychotherapy, depression, divorce, Malibu Psychotherapy, moorpark psychotherapy, Newbury Park Psychotherapy, post-traumatic stress, Simi Valley Psychotherapy, single parenting, substance abuse, thousand oaks psychotherapy, trauma, Westlake Village Psychotherapy
Lately I have noticed a theme amongst teenagers as to one of the reasons they are using and abusing drugs and/or alcohol. They they tell me they are “bored.” As someone growing up in the seventies, there were no video games, cell phones, texting, emailing, or computers and the internet. In other words, there wasn’t the instant gratification that there is with today’s youth. We walked to our friends house, we didn’t text, facebook, or twitter them. We had to wait until we got home to call a friend, not while we were driving or shopping. We went to the movies on the weekend. There were no renting or downloading movies. We played games in the streets outside where we enjoyed the sun and nature. We didn’t sit in our bedrooms with the doors closed for endless hours playing video games.
It is no wonder our adolescents are so bored? Everything is instant and the pleasure centers of their brains are being over stimulated. They are needing more and more stimulation to just feel normal that in my day a bike ride could have provided. When the activities die down, boredom sets in and lack of coping skills takes over. Dopamine activates neurons involved in attention and learning and works with the pleasure system of the brain to create feelings of motivation, happiness, euphoria, appetite control and controlled motor movements. This neurotransmitter is central to the creation of reward systems such as food, sex, positive social interactions, even laughter. Nearly all drug abuse and forms of addiction involve dopamine systems. As a result, elevating dopamine levels can improve mood, alertness, libido, yet too much or an imbalance can lead to a tendency towards addictive behaviors.
Adolescents ages 12 to 17 who are bored are 50 percent likelier than those not bored to smoke, drink, get drunk and use illegal drugs, according to a study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. Boredom is also known to cause eating disorders, compulsive gambling, anger, low school and work performance.
The solution to counter attack boredom is to feel fulfilled. Teenagers need to be involved in activities that make them feel productive with something they know they can master, it should bring them joy, and it should provide personal growth and well-being. Another solution is to give to others. Take your teenager to a soup kitchen and feed the homeless for the holidays. A study of 1500 volunteers found that participating in activities that made them feel they were contributing to someone else’s well-being caused them to feel a greater sense of euphoria, serenity, and energy.
Adolescents need to be kept busy with activities that nourish them such as sports, music, drama, and positive support systems. As a single mother, I was concerned with the statistics that my daughter could be prone to drug abuse. Dance was my daughter’s saving grace. It increased her self-esteem on so many levels. She felt fulfilled and it kept her busy in a positive way.
When adolescents feel gratified and engaged in healthy activities, let’s hope alcohol and drugs suddenly become the “boring” solution.
Sherry Gaba, LCSW, is a Psychotherapist and Life Coach in Agoura Hills, CA. She is a contributing author to the “Conscious Entrepreneur” and her book “The Law of Sobriety: Attracting Positive Energy for a Powerful Recovery” will be out in September 2010. She specializes in addictions, trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, single parenting, and divorce, as well as helping her clients find their life purpose. She is the Psychotherapist and Life Coach that appeared on Celebrity Rehab 2 and 3 on VH1 with Dr. Drew Pinsky and worked behind the scenes of Sober House. She can be reached at sherry@sgabatherapy.com. www.sgabatherapy.com.
Sherry Gaba Psychotherapist and Life Coach 