Devanchal Body & Mind Clinic

What can I do to keep myself healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak?

Proper nutrition and hydration are vital. People who eat a well-balanced diet tend to be healthier with stronger immune systems and lower risk of chronic illnesses and infectious diseases. So you should eat a variety of fresh and unprocessed foods every day to get the vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, protein and antioxidants your body needs. Drink enough water. Avoid sugar, fat and salt to significantly lower your risk of overweight, obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Eat moderate amounts of fat and oil
Eat less salt and sugar
Eat fresh and unprocessed foods every day
Drink enough water every day
Counselling and psychosocial support
Avoid eating out

Positive Affirmations-What Are Affirmations?

Affirmation is the act of affirming or confirming that something is true. Positive affirmations can help develop a powerful positive attitude to life in most areas of our lives for instance work, finances, family, relationships and health. Affirmations work because your subconscious mind accepts whatever you say to it. Affirming positively is a very powerful way to make those changes and achieve your dreams. The power of our thoughts is limitless and incredible, as our thoughts affect how we feel and act, if you feel positive you act in a positive way and on the other side if you feel negative your actions and behaviour will reflect that. When you have a belief in yourself that you are a success your mind is going to work towards nothing but success, because you are feeling it and if you think about being a failure you are going to feel it and your thoughts and mind will manifest failure. The thoughts that pass through our minds are responsible for everything that happens in our lives because as human beings we act on our thoughts.

Working with affirmations is a great way to create change as affirmations are very effective when used properly and consistently. As well as helping to make changes affirmations are also a great way for removing negative thoughts.

Continually repeating affirmations with passion will eventually breakdown even the strongest resistance. Once the resistance is broken, the subconscious mind will reprogramme your old beliefs and learned habits thereby changing the way you think, feel and act because you have replaced the old negative patterns with new positive ones and then the changes in your life will start to take place. Any success has to be achieved in the mind first and then the body will follow.

How affirmations work

Affirmations work because they have the ability to programme your mind into believing whatever you are affirming and this happens for the reason that the mind doesn't know what is real and what isn't. For instance if say you are happy over and over again you will find that you will start to feel happy feelings flowing through you and even smiling and if you state that you are sad, that's exactly what you are going to feel, very sad. To write your own affirmations;

Make a list of the things that you always think negatively about, it might be you feel judged by others and you feel unworthy, you are critical of yourself, ashamed of your choices in life, your habits, the way you look, it can be anything negative.
Now write out affirmations but rather than saying “I am an unworthy person" say “ I am worthy and deserve all the good things in life" then repeat your affirmations to yourself or you can ask someone to do it for you. Affirming at least five or more times a day will help reinforce the new beliefs.
Affirmations work better when you are in a relaxed state of mind, when the subconscious mind is more open to the suggestions you are giving it.

What is in a smoke?

Nicotine; this is a poison and the substance that causes cravings as it builds up in the body and remains overnight. It is a well known poison causing nausea, vomiting

Carbon-monoxide; is an invisible odourless gas that starves the body of oxygen causing cardiovascular disease. When inhaled, it combines with the blood, preventing the efficient absorption of oxygen. It contributes to low birth weight in babies of women who smoke in pregnancy.

Tar; is a sticky black residue containing hundreds of chemicals, some of which are classed as hazardous waste.

Hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, nitrogen dioxide; all these chemicals paralyse the tiny-hair like brushes knows as cilia in the respiratory system, making the lungs more sensitive to cancer causing chemicals because the cilia are responsible for clearing the lungs of dust and mucus.

Naphthylamine and Nitrosamines; these chemicals cause lung cancer and when absorbed into the body they contribute to other cancers.

Why people smoke

People smoke for a number of reasons and some of them are listed below;

Addiction
Smoking helps them relax and feel good when they are stressed
Peer pressure mostly common in teenagers, they smoke because they want to fit in, fear being labelled boring and wanting to look cool.
As a wav of socialisina

and smell thereby reducing their appetite.

Experimenting and curiosity

Smoke related illnesses

There are many forms of cancers caused by smoking that you should be aware of:

Lung cancer- This is at the top of the cancer death chart. Amongst the symptoms are persistent coughs, hoarseness, pneumonia or bronchitis.
Bladder cancer- It is estimated that about half of bladder cancer death can be related to smoking.
Oesophageal cancer- This type of cancer is on the increase and due to the fact that the condition is usually advanced before diagnosis can be made, there is only about a 10% five year survival rate.
Oral cancer- Smoking cigars, cigarettes or pipes increases the risk of this cancer by 60% and treatment can involve the removal of the larynx. Also the incidence and death rate due to cancer of the stomach, kidney, pancreas, leukaemia are also linked to smoking.
Cardiovascular disease- is the main cause of death due to smoking
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) a number of conditions that block the airflow out of the lungs and make breathing very difficult.-

Benefits of giving up smoking

Reduces risk of smoke related illnesses and death hence living longer Stopping smoking saves money as it is a very expensive habit

Better sex - smoking improves the body's blood flow therefore improving sensitivity.
Good dental hygiene
Improves smell and taste
Less stress which is caused by withdrawal symptoms
Improves fertility in both men and women and the chances of giving birth to a health baby
Improves eye health
Healthy skin
Fresh smell- breath, home, clothes, hair, car
Non-smoking sets a good example to children
It Improves self-confidence by making you feel in control

In 20 minutes - blood pressure and heart rate return to normal.

In 8 hours - nicotine and carbon monoxide start to leave your body and oxygen levels return to normal.

In 24 hours - your lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking toxins

In 48 hours - nicotine has been eliminated from your body and your sense of smell and taste both improve.

In 2-12 weeks - Exercise becomes easier and your breathing improves.

In 3-9 months - Any coughs, wheezing and breathing problems are reduced as the lungs repair.

In 1 year - Your risk of coronary heart disease is now half that of a smoker.

Remember that belief is very important in the stop smoking process, previous studies show that people who believe that they can quit smoking have a higher chance of succeeding.

Together with self-hypnosis and positive affirmations part of having an efficient stop smoking plan is to keep a diary for a week and record your smoking habit, this will get you to understand the reasons why you smoke. In your diary you record;

Where you smoke
The time you smoke
The company you keep when smoking
And how you feel after smoking -

Weight Loss

Weight loss is a decrease in body weight and obesity is defined as carrying too much body fat for your height and gender, to the extent that it poses a risk to health. Losing weight has to be done the healthy way and can't happen over night with a quick fix. It requires long term commitment and changes in your lifestyle. For successful weight loss, time, motivation, dedication and effort together with a vast amount of physical and mental strength are required to make lasting positive changes with realistic goals. A person will be considered medically obese if their body mass index (BMI) is 30 or greater, an ideal BMI will be between 20 and 25: BMI is worked out by ;

Squaring a person's height in metres
Dividing the result by their weight in kilograms.

For example if a person was 1.75 metres tall and weighed 70 kg then their BMI will be calculated as follows;

22.88 is the person's BMI

Overweight: means above a weight considered normal. A BMI of 25- 29.9 is over weight.

Obesity: means too much body fat or in other words excessively above normal weight. A BMI of 30 or more is obese.

A person becomes over weight due to taking in more calories over a given period of time than their body needs for maintenance, growth and activity. The rate at which we burn off calories is termed the metabolic rate. Our metabolic rate is often faster during periods of growth and puberty but generally steadies out during adulthood. If we are active, our metabolic rate is generally higher as we need more calories to maintain an even weight. If we have a less active life then we would need fewer calories and taking in more calories than we need would cause us to put on weight.

It has been reported that obesity causes around 30,000 death in England a year and is only beaten by smoking. Obesity increases the risks of several serious conditions including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, gall stone, infertility and depression. Obesity often occurs alongside a lack of exercise and seems to contribute to cancer of the colon, breast cancer, kidney cancer, and stomach cancer. In other words, to lose weight you have to reduce the amount of calorie intake and increase your activity/exercise and stay active.

Health risks of weight gain

Coronary Heart Disease: as your body mass index increases so does your risk of getting coronary heart disease. Extra weight can also lead to heart failure where the heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs.

High blood pressure
Stroke
Type 2 diabetes
Cancer: risk of colon, breast, endometrial and gall bladder cancers.
Osteoarthritis: a common joint problem of the knees and lower back, extra weight puts more pressure on joints causing pain.
Sleep Apnea: a common disorder where you have one or more pauses in breathing while you sleep, fat stored around the neck can narrow the airways hence making it hard to breathe.
Obesity or being over weight causes menstrual and fertility problems in women.
Obesitv increases the risk of havina aallstones. This mav result in an enlaraed aall

The best way to prevent obesity is by eating healthily and exercising regularly. The idea behind weight loss is that the person alters their life style to a healthier one and this becomes a habit for them instead of their previous more destructive ways.

In our society, body image is very important, if we feel attractive generally we have a higher self-esteem, although many people would not consider themselves as attractive also maintain a high self-esteem. Our self-esteem should come from within rather than from the outside but the influence of external factors throughout our lives often means that we find this inner confidence hard to express.

Self- help tips for weight loss

Eat a healthy balanced diet - three meals a day, plenty of fruit, vegetables and water remember that skipping meals will only make you hungrier. Cut down on sugar, salt and fat.
Exercise daily, be active and stay active.
Sleep at least 7-8 hours a night.
Mind fitness is crucial and plays a big role in weight loss, find ways to calm and relax your mind for instance relaxation techniques, yoga, meditation, calming music whatever works for you.
Positivity, motivation and patience will take you a long way its not going to be easy you require both mental and physical strength but with perseverance and determination you will achieve your desired goal.
Losing weight should not be based on deprivation- DON'T starve yourself as this will <?hnt down vnur mptahnlkm it akn makps; von di77v and tirpd von should not

It is about identifying and accepting where you are going wrong, and why and then deciding to change those habits.
Identifying where the habit comes from and which in turn helps you to understand the situation and stop blaming yourself.

Stress Management

Stress is the feeling of being under extreme mental or emotional pressure. Stress is a normal physical response to events that make a person feel threatened or upsets their balance in some way. When a person senses danger the body's defences kick into high mode in a rapid automatic process know as ’ fight or flight" mode or stress response. The stress response is the body's way of protecting it. But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to health, mood, productivity, relationships and quality of life.

We all deal with stress but in different ways, stress is not an illness but it affects the way we feel, think and behave and if not addressed it can cause serious illness. Long term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems, chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in the body, it raises blood pressure, suppresses the immune system, increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, contributes to infertility and speeds up the ageing process. Long- term stress can even rewire the brain leading to more vulnerability to anxiety and depression. Recognising the signs of stress will helo vou find wavs of cooina and dealina with it and oreventina serious

Aches and pain Diarrhoea Nausea Constipation Dizziness Chest pain Rapid heart beat Loss of sex drive Frequent colds Moodiness

Irritability or short temper

Agitation

Inability to relax

Sense of loneliness

Depression or general unhappiness

Memory problems

Inability to concentrate

Poor judgement

Negativity

Anxiety/racing thoughts Feeling overwhelmed Isolation

Neglecting responsibilities
Constant worrying
Using alcohol, drugs, cigarettes to relax
Nervous habits such as nail biting and pacing

The causes of stress are both internal and external with the internal factors being psychological problems such as worry, fear, guilt, frustration, anxiety and the external factors being work, relationships, family, finances and health among others.

Self-help for managing stress

Understand what is stressing you and take steps to deal with the situation rather than ignoring it because it will not go away until you address it.
Have plenty of rest and sleep for a healthy balance for both your body and mind
Take time to exercise as exercise produces hormones that induce positive feelings.
Use of breathing and relaxation techniques will help to calm your mind. (Chapter Two)
Avoid people and situations that cause you stress.
Check and re-assess your diet- a healthy balanced diet is very important and avoid toxins like drugs, alcohol, nicotine and also cut down on caffeine as these

much and you're not coping then seek advice from your doctor.

Self- hypnosis is the most valuable exercise for control of stress. Self-hypnosis for stress revolves around helping you to learn to relax and also to learn some triggers that will assist you to deal with the physical symptoms of the condition, which in turn will enable you to make physical changes that you need to make in your life. The hypnosis script should be used twice a day at least until full effectiveness is achieved.

Depression

Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and sense of well being. Depression causes sadness, anxiety, emptiness, hopelessness, worthlessness, guilty feelings, irritability, anger, and hurt.

Depression can also be looked at as a defence mechanism that a body adopts in order to escape from distress. Depression can affect anyone from different age groups, sexes, and cultures, it is very common. If it's mild most people can lead a normal healthy life with the right treatment and support, however if it's severe it can be devastating and also become life threatening or even cause death. A depressed person looses interest in activities that once were pleasurable, experiences loss of appetite or over eating. A depressed mood is not necessarily a psychiatric order. It may be a normal reaction to certain life events, a symptom to some medical conditions, or a side effect of some drugs or medical treatments. Spotting the signs early and getting help is vital. It's important to seek help from your doctor if you think vou mav be deoressed. manv oeoole wait a Iona time before seekina helo. and it's

Feelings of sadness
Irritability or frustration
Loss of interest in normal activities
Reduced sex drive
Insomnia or excessive sleeping
Loss of appetite or excessive eating
Weight loss or weight gain
Agitation or restlessness
Slowed thinking, speaking, body movements
Anger
Decreased concentration
Fatigue, tiredness, loss of energy
Crying spells for no apparent reason
Suicide thoughts
Unexplained physical problems for example back pain or headaches

Causes of depression

It's not known exactly what causes depression. As with many mental illnesses, other factors may be involved in its cause.

Biological differences; People with depression appear to have physical changes in

thought to play a direct role in depression.

Hormones; Changes in the body's balance of hormones may be involved in causing or triggering depression.
Inherited traits/Hereditary; Depression is more common in people whose biological family members also have this condition.
Life events; such as death, divorce, financial problems, childbirth, illness, high stress can also trigger depression in some people.
Early childhood trauma; Traumatic events during childhood such as abuse or loss of parents may cause permanent changes in the brain that make you more susceptible to depression.

Self-help tips for depression

Eat a healthy balanced diet
Exercise regularly- get out and be active go for a walk or a run and shake off all the negativity and low moods. Keeping active lifts your moods and fills you with positivity.
Have plenty of sleep and rest
Relaxation techniques will help you calm and relax your mind (Chapter Two)
Avoid the use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco
Meditation and yoga are also a great way to relax your mind and calm you down
Join a self-help group where you can discuss your feelings and concerns with other

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Be positive and stay around positive people who will help lift your moods

Hypnosis and deep relaxation techniques are a very effective and versatile tool for treating depression. Clinical depression is one of the most prevalent mental health problem today. If you are clinically depressed you need help as living with depression is a daily struggle. Life is too short to be depressed. When people are depressed they don't think clearly. They hold a pessimistic view of the future, unrealistic expectations and are overly critical of themselves.

Depression causes negative thoughts and private self-talk that perpetuates your negative feelings and predicament. Self-hypnosis can interrupt this process because negative thoughts repeated over and over again become imprinted in your subconscious mind. This is where hypnosis can be helpful in offering a positive way of thinking your way out of a negative predicament. Through self-hypnosis, the doorway to your subconscious mind is opened with use of positive suggestions to;

Change your negative self-suggestions
Reduce your feelings of guilt and self-blame
Help you to begin making positive choices again

Anxiety

Anxiety is the feeling or more correctly the set of feelings that we get when we feel apprehension or fear. We can feel anxiety when we are subjected to long-term stress or when we feel threatened by something or someone. We can also experience anxiety when we are not aware of what we are feeling anxious about. How we respond to stress is in some ways inherited from our parents and will also depend on the environment we live in.

Anxiety or a tendency towards it is also inherited in the fact that some people are more susceptible to feelings of anxiety than others. We all feel anxious at some point in our lives and this is a normal instinctual response that serves as a protection to aid survival. It teaches us to avoid dangerous situations, this way anxiety is a learning process. This works very well in obvious situations like being mugged or attacked where we will run or fight back defensively depending on what seems to be the best option.

Anxiety will affect our whole being., our emotions, our behaviour and our physical health It nrimarilv creates feelinns of fear that make us want to avoid situations that it

anxiety creates in us, it is a cyclical process whereby the more anxious we feel, the more anxious we become and hence the more negative we feel, which then creates a greater need to avoid things that make us feel anxious. Anxiety therefore can be a precursor to depression.

Anxiety becomes abnormal if it persists even when the stressful situation has gone or if it appears for no reason and if it interferes with your everyday life. Although feeling anxious can be normal , you should seek help from your doctor if it affects your life and causes you extreme distress. Anxiety can be accompanied by physical symptoms which include;

Trembling^
Tense muscles
Churning stomach
Nausea
Diarrhoea
Headaches
Backache
Heart palpitations
Numbness
Sweating or flushing

Causes of anxiety

Stressful life chanaina events such as divorce, childbirth, bereavement, home

Physical illness
Drug use
Medication side effects or drug withdrawal
Work, school, exams, tests
Financial difficulties
Anxiety can be hereditary or run in families

Panic Attacks

A panic attack is a sudden wave of extreme anxiety and fear causing the sufferer to experience heart pounding, breathlessness and even feel as if they are out of control and dying. Panic attacks cause acute anxiety reactions and sometimes they come with no apparent reason or warning. Their cause is not clear. Panic attacks usually last between five to twenty minutes but for some people they come in waves that may last for two hours. It can be very stressful living with panic attacks and many sufferers go on to develop further problems such as depression, drug and or alcohol abuse.

Panic attacks are related to slight abnormalities in brain messenger chemicals known as neurotransmitters, which is the reason why medications can be effective in their relief. Like stress and anxiety, panic attacks tend to run in families and can be triggered by life crises like bereavement, divorce, accidents, illness among others.

According to the American Psychiatric Associations Official Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders IV(DSM-IV) In order for a panic attack to be diagnosed, the sufferer has to display at least four of the following symptoms: ~ Trembling and shaking

Feelings of Choking
Sensations of shortness of breath
Nausea and abdominal distress
Chest pain and discomfort
Feeling dizzy, unsteady or faint
Detachment from one self
Fear of losing control
Fear of dying
Numbness or tingling sensations
Chills or hot flushes

As with many mental health conditions the exact cause of panic attacks is not fully understood It is thought that it is probably caused by a combination of physical and psychological factors. If you have the symptoms of panic attacks see your doctor. A diagnosis will be made for you if you experience recurrent and un expected panic attacks.

The main aim of treatment for panic attacks is to reduce the number of attacks that you have and to help ease the severity of symptoms. Self-hypnosis helps with panic attacks by enabling a more relaxed state. Hypnosis can help alleviate panic attacks by direct suggestion and by behavioural training it can also be useful in the following;

Learning new ways to relax

Help take back control by recognising and regulating inappropriate responses Dissociate the sufferer from anxiety causing problems

Pain Management

Pain is defined by the International Association for Study of Pain as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of damage, medications which block pain are called analgesics; hypno-nalgesia is the use of hypnotherapy/hypnosis as an analgesic. Pain may be caused by injury, illness or surgery and its a common condition that may be anything from mild to extreme.

Pain is usually used by the body as a warning that all is not right within our physical body and sometimes more covertly in our emotional selves. Without the ability to feel pain we would be in grave danger as we would continue to damage tissue and ignore symptoms for illness which would eventually cause death. Pain is categorized into two types:

Acute Pain; This is pain that results from disease, inflammation or injury. It will generally come on suddenly and be accompanied by anxiety or emotional distress. It is treatahle and defined hv the fact it will have an endinn and will lessen as the hodv unromc pain; i ms Type ot pain persists over a longer period ot ume ana is maae worse by the environment the person is living in and their psychological state. Chronic pain is often resistant to orthodox medical treatments.

We feel pain in a variety of ways, in an ache, a prick, a burning sensation or a tingle. We can use self-hypnosis to help both types of pain (although acute pain is often helped by the person learning or having learned self-hypnosis) How hypnosis works in the treatment of pain is not yet fully understood but the fact is that it does work for some people. It is generally used to control and contain the amount of pain a person can stand. The use of relaxation techniques seems to assist in a person's ability to deal with the pain and the reduction of anxiety helps further. Hypnosis may also be useful due to the effect it may have on some chemicals working within the nervous system, the effect being that certain impulses are slowed down.

Self-help tips for pain management

Heat or cold packs can help relieve pain, an ice pack can help reduce swelling after an injury.
Massage works well with soft tissue and a lot of people find relief from having a massage, however massages should be avoided with joint pain.
Relaxation and breathing techniques work well in relieving pain together with yoga and meditation. (Chapter Two)
Acupuncture- several studies have found that acupuncture can be helpful in relieving pain for people with serious illnesses like cancer.

Self-help tips for pregnancy and childbirth

Information is one of the best ways to alleviate people's fears and child birth is no exception. Find out about the different stages of your baby's growth, the trimesters in pregnancy, labour and postpartum.

Join a pregnancy class where you can meet other expectant mothers. These classes will help you feel prepared, be able to talk about your feelings and fears with other women in your situation, make you feel confident and in control and will also be good for socialising as pregnancy can be isolating for women when they take their maternity leave and find themselves lonely at home.

Breathing exercises are crucial to help you calm your mind and relax so find the time to practice, they will also help a great deal during labour. (Chapter Two)

Try and be positive- most births are straightforward and trust your body to know what to do, birthing is instinctive and believe in yourself that you can do it.

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always a useful technique. Pain as an avoidable part of birth that has to be tolerated and learned from- this can be seen as a challenge to the woman's coping strategies and ability to cope with varying degrees of pain 1 a test of womanhood'

Using hypnosis to assist in pregnancy and child birth works by helping you relieve anxiety, preparing your body for pregnancy and childbirth, allaying fears and dispelling myths and building trust between your mind, body and those that will be there with you at birth. The pregnancy and childbirth self-hypnosis script should be used at least late in the pregnancy (six to four weeks before the due date).

Insomnia

Insomnia is difficulty getting to sleep or the ability to sleep as long as desired. It is thought that a third of people in the United Kingdom have episodes of insomnia. It tends to be more common in women and more likely to occur with age. Insomnia varies in how long it lasts and how often it occurs, it can last a short time or a long time, it can also come and go and anyone can suffer from insomnia although its more common in women who are going through the menopause, the elderly, smokers, alcoholic, and drug users.

A person's age, lifestyle, environment and diet all play a part in influencing the amount of sleep they need Sleep is essential to human beings to be able to function properly. At least seven to eight hours of sleep are required for a healthy mind and body. As well as being unhealthy lack of sleep can be very depressing, frustrating and exhausting.

The most common symptoms of insomnia are:

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Feeling irritable and tired and finding it hard to function during the day
Tiredness
Difficulty concentrating
Headaches

Causes of insomnia

Insomnia can be caused by many different things among them are, stressful events, underlying physical conditions, psychiatric problems, alcohol and drugs use. It can also be a side effect of certain medications.

Stressful events: Some people experience insomnia due to stressful experiences for example divorce, bereavement, illness (themselves or loved ones) work problems, loss of job, money- debt problems, moving house, marriage, new baby or even a noisy neighbourhood or light and so forth.

Psychiatric problems: Underlying mental health problems can affect a person's sleep for instance;

Mood disorders like depression or bipolar disorders.
Anxiety disorders such as anxiety, panic attacks or post-traumatic stress disorder
Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia

Physical conditions: Insomnia can be caused by underlying physical conditions including

Hormone problems such as over active thyroids, menopause
Joint or muscle problems like arthritis
Problems with genital or urinary organs such as urinary incontinence or an enlarged prostate.
Sleep disorders like restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy or sleep apnea
Chronic (long term) pain

Alcohol, drug and substance misuse: All these affect sleeping patterns.

Medications: Some prescribed medicines or those available over the counter can also cause insomnia for instance anti depressants, epilepsy medicine, high blood pressure, (hypertension) medicine, hormone replacement therapy(HRT) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS, stimulant drugs such as methylphenidate which often used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The first step to treating insomnia is to find out whether the problem is being caused by an underlying medical condition. If it is then once the condition has been treated your insomnia may disappear without the need for further help. Your doctor should advise you on what you can do at home to help you sleep. The good sleep hygiene should include;

Trying to relax before going to bed
Avoiding napping during the day
Establishing fixed times for going to bed and waking up
Avoid eating heavy meals late at night

Using the bedroom mainly for sleep

Addictions

Addiction refers to a strong uncontrollable need to repeatedly take substances and repetitive behaviours like sex, porn, gambling, internet to the extent that they have harmful consequences, causing pain and suffering to not only to the person addicted but also to their family and friends. The addiction starts out as pleasurable which triggers a powerful need for the user to carry out the activity so that they can recreate the pleasurable feelings again and again which in turn develops into a repetitive cycle whereby the person will start to depend on their addiction to cope with daily life so that the pattern becomes very difficult to break. People with addictions do not have control over what they are doing, using or taking. Nevertheless, drug addiction is not just about illegal drugs like heroine or cocaine it is reported that more than a million people in the United Kingdom are addicted to prescription drugs. Medicines can be effective if used properly but some can be addictive and dangerous if abused, drug abuse is taking a medication in a way different from what the doctor prescribed.

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behind alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and heroin, pain killers, tranquillizers, sedatives, stimulants, anti depressants, opiates, antihistamines are very addictive.

Alcohol
Smoking
Sex
Gambling
Porn
Food
Internet

Difference between addiction and a habit Addiction: With addiction a person is unable to control their addiction without help because of the mental and or physical aspects involved.

Habit: A habit is done by choice, where a person can choose to stop if they want to.

Causes of addiction

Genetic or family history- There is a genetic link to addiction whereby if your parents or any other family members have had addiction problems you have a higher risk of developing an addiction. Numerous studies have shown that children who have parents with addictions are more likely to develop an addiction themselves.
Childhood appearances- Traumatic childhood experiences for example sexual abuse, emotional abuse and physical abuse can trigger addiction whereby a person is seeking for an escape from their trauma and pain from their past troubles. Because addictive feelings are pleasurable and liberating., they want to repeat it again and again as an escape route.
Social environment and peer pleasure- People are more at risk to addiction if they live, work, have friends, or go to school in an environment where addictive substances are used.
Stress - When people are stressed, they may turn to substance use to release their stress or help them cope with whatever situations they are going through. Low- self-esteem, lack of confidence, financial difficulties race, gender, sexuality, disability, poverty, homelessness, divorce, grieving, loss of parents, lack of a social life , not doing well in school can all contribute to causing stress and addiction.

Types of addictions Physical addiction: This is where the body becomes dependent on a substance or activity so that the body cannot function without it. Physical addiction causes withdrawal effects such as vomiting, trembling, nausea, headaches. It's the body's way of telling the user that it needs to return to normal or its original state, the pain of withdrawing is often so painful that an addicted person will take another dose to ease it as soon as they can. However, although physical addiction can lead to painful and thinks that they need the drug or activity and cannot survive without it, their whole life revolves around getting the next fix, hit or high. So psychological addiction is more or less perceived as a need. Often people fall into addiction as a result of overwhelming psychological issues for instance their addiction fulfils their needs and helps to block out negative experiences and relieve anxiety, depression and stress associated with them.

Psychological addiction is more difficult to treat than physical addiction while the body can be treated and helped to reduce desire by detoxification. Detoxification cannot cure the mind's desire. So this is where hypnosis, positive affirmations, other therapies and rehabilitation programmes step in.

Signs and symptoms of addictions

The person takes the substance and are unable to stop themselves however much they try to.
Withdrawal symptoms for example cravings, mood swings, bad temper, poor focus, anger, frustration, desperation, bitterness, resentment, emptiness, sweating, trembling and agitation among others.
Increased or decreased appetite.
Lack of sleep is also a very common withdrawal symptom.
Addiction continues despite health problem warnings and awareness, the person continues regardless of the consequences.
Denial is another sign of addiction as the person is not aware that he or she has a

addiction to a point of obsession.

Weight loss or gain due to increased or decreased appetite.
Unexpected persistent coughs
Pupils of eyes seeming smaller or larger than normal in drug users.
Secretiveness
Financial difficulties as most of or all their money is spent on the addiction.
Changes in friendships
Keeping stashes of drugs
Stealing or prostitution to feed the habit
Repetitive relapsing

Beneath everything that makes up the wiring of the human brain lies the force and intelligence that makes our minds work. Our mind plays a powerful role in causing and curing our addictions. Hypnosis is a very effective way to combat all types of addictions, it aims to get to the root of the addiction by inducing a state of heightened awareness, and in this relaxed state you become more susceptible to suggestion. Self-hypnosis will then help you gain control over your addiction while altering your ingrained behavioural patterns.

Anaer Management

Anger is a natural human emotion in response to annoyance, displeasure, irritability, threats, injustice, or hostility. Anger inspires powerful harmful feelings and behaviours which allows us to fight and defend ourselves when we face attack therefore a certain amount of anger is necessary for our survival. Anger can be expressed, suppressed or re-directed and can vary in intensity from mild to extreme. We all get angry at some point in our lives because anger is a normal healthy emotion but we experience and express anger in different ways. Even though anger is a natural human emotion, too much anger can have serious consequences to health, relationships, work, family and state of mind and can also cause harm to ourselves and other people. Anger for sure does more harm than good, causes feelings of revenge, blaming others, is very negative and creates fear and anxiety.

Anger becomes dangerous to our health when it's against our best interests and others. If you find yourself responding to many situations with anger or violence then you may have a problem and should seek help to manage your anger.

rdbbive diiyei is, me type ui diiyei wiien emotions die uibpidyeu db meanness ui

sarcasm, it's a repressed kind of anger so it can be hard to recognise.

Aggressive anger: With this anger a person is aware of their emotions but don't know the roots of their anger, such anger can lead to intense damage of possessions.

Sudden anger: Comes from nowhere, it happens quickly and is usually over as quickly as it comes although it might leave damage.

Chronic anger: This type of anger happens for no reason at all, with this form of anger a person is almost angry all the time, it's a very damaging type of anger. Behavioural anger: Is usually aimed at whatever has triggered it, and can end in physical abuse.

Paranoid anger: feelings of jealous towards others as the person feels intimidated by them.

Verbal anger: Is mainly expressed with words, insults, criticism, and putting others down.

Volatile anger: Comes and goes in varying degrees and can be expressed verbally or physically.

Self-inflicted anger: This self harming anger, a person punishing themselves for something they have done of which they feel ashamed of and also being highly critical of themselves. Examples of self-inflicted anger are, over eating, self cutting and other self- harming habits.

Causes of anger

Financial problems
Relationship problems
Abuse- Physical or verbal
Medication and drugs such as sedatives, amphetamines, tranquilizers, cocaine, hypnotics, nicotine, alcohol, caffeine
Grief
Disappointment
Mistreatment
Threat- self and loved ones
Illness
Criticism
Feelings of being judged

Physical symptoms of anger

Headaches
Fatigue
Heart palpitations
Increased blood pressure
Stomach ache
Sweating of palms
Feeling hot in the face- redness
Dizziness

Clenched jaw

Irritability
Anxiety
Sadness
Depression
Stress
Guilty feelings
Fear
Mood swings
Bitterness
Resentment
Aggression
Panic
Worry
Paranoia and loss of control

Fear of Flying

Fear of flying is also called aerophobia, it's a common problem which can limit a person's horizons and it's caused by the unconscious part of the mind warning you that its dangerous to get on a plane. It would be okay for that to happen if the plane is in an unfit condition to fly, however in the case of a flying phobia the protection mechanism which is meant to keep you safe has become very sensitive and is now causing a problem.

Aerophobics respond differently to fear of flying although the most common reaction is to avoid flying, which keeps the fear alive and makes the sufferer even more anxious. It is important that you accept that you have a problem and start taking steps to overcome it which will take a lot of courage and practice and also identify your triggers which are very many, it might be terrorism, fear of crashing, turbulence, take off, landing, fear of heights, being in a confined space or being far from home. If this fear is affecting and limiting your life in any way that you don't like then you should not accept it as normal.

Self-hvnnosis can heln the sufferer with the fear of flvinn nsvcholonicallv and

relaxation skills. Many people have used it not only to overcome their fear of flying but also to look forward to flying and to enjoy it!

Causes of aerophobia

The cause of fear of flying is disputed. While most researchers believe its a learned fear, other factors may also contribute to it such as: stressful life events, personality factors, misinformation about the danger of flying., biological predisposition, worrying about the dangers of flying, fear of heights, fear of enclosed spaces, fear of crowded conditions, sitting in hot stale air, being dependent on the pilot's judgement, not being in control and the possibility of terrorism.

Fear of Public Speeches

Fear of public speeches also known as glossophobia is the fear of public speaking or speaking in general. It is a common phobia ranging from slight nervousness to a vast amount of fear and panic. Many people with this phobia avoid speaking in public situations or go through them with shaking hands, fast heartbeat, breathlessness: sweating and a quavering voice. If not dealt with this fear can be career damaging and also cause unnecessary worry, stress and anxiety.

Glossophobia if not tackled can damage careers and lead to many sleepless nights. Together with hypnosis the following can also help you overcome your fear;

Know your topic and research it beforehand and consider questions that your audience may ask you and have your answers ready.

Practice your speech as much as you can
Practice deep breathing as it can be calming
Focus on your material rather than your audience seeing that people will pay more attention to what you are presenting and probably wont even notice your speeches.
Recognise your success- after the speech give yourself a pat on the back and don't be disheartened by any mistakes you have made, see those mistakes as opportunities to improve your skills.

Causes of fear of public speeches

Lack of confidence
Self consciousness
Fear of making mistakes, saying the wrong thing, falling over, being laughed at
Fear of being the centre of attention
Fear of forgetting what to say
Fear of criticism and being judged
A traumatic event in the past which may be or not linked directly to public speeches.

The symptoms of fear of public speeches are; inability to speak, sweating, shortness

of breath, shaking or trembling, nausea, rapid breathing, blushing, mental blocks, dry

mouth, tight chest, feeling nervous, feeling embarrassed, feeling panicky, rapid

heartbeat, tightness in throat and quavering voice.

Fear of Spiders

The fear of spiders is also known as Arachnophobia. It is estimated that there are one million arachnophobics in the United Kingdom. The fear of spiders is the most common specific phobia with 50% women and 10% of men showing symptoms of arachnophobia. People fear spiders because of their angular shaped legs, hairy bodies., dark colours, quick movements, which are unpredictable, their potential to harm or even as a learned habit. Different people suffer to different degrees from intense to mild., people with the fear of spiders will go to great length to avoid situations or areas they believe might harbour spiders, somewhat limiting their activities and life experiences. Symptoms of fear of spiders are; feeling anxious in places they are suspicious of spiders, worrying, trembling, trouble breathing^ excessive sweating and rapid heartbeat.

An arachnophobic person has subconsciously linked feelings of anxiety with spiders. They have become conditioned to produce the fear response at the sight and sometimes thought of spiders. Often the actual phobia has been forgotten by the conscious mind and the oerson feels as if thev have had this fear all their life, such and help eliminate it.

Fear of Heights

The fear of heights or Acrophobia can range from a fear when on the top floor of a very tall building to fear of standing on a chair. People with this fear feel a sense of panic when they are at certain heights and often become unable to trust their sense of balance.

Fear of heights can be caused by early traumatic experiences, these experiences might include falling from a tree or witnessing someone get hurt from falling from a high place.

Acrophobia can also be transferred from parents to their children, children of acrophobic parents are more likely to be acrophobic themselves. Acrophobia however is so common that it may have a genetic component. Heights are a reasonable danger for people to fear, most people suffer from some degree of acrophobia and feel some discomfort, such as standing at a very high cliff edge.

Claustrophobia or Fear of Confined Spaces

The fear of confined spaces or claustrophobia is an anxiety disorder, it affects 10% of the UK population, people with claustrophobia react with mild or extreme anxiety in confined spaces, the sufferer has an irrational fear of having no escape or being closed in. It frequently results in panic attacks and can be triggered by certain situations, for example being in an elevator, room without windows or sitting in an aeroplane. People with claustrophobia can find the disorder hard to live with as they go to great lengths to avoid small spaces and situations which trigger their fear.

Causes of claustrophobia

Claustrophobia is generally a result of an experience in the person's past usually in their childhood that had led them to associate small spaces with the feeling of panic or being in imminent danger. Examples of such experiences are;

Being locked in a cupboard, dark room, basement, attic

Being involved in an accident where doors or windows won't open such as in a train, bus, car, airplane, building

As the experience will have dealt some kind of trauma to the person, it will affect their ability to deal with similar situations rationally. The mind links the small or confined spaces to the feeling of being in danger and the body reacts accordingly, how it thinks it should react. This type of cause is termed as classic conditioning and can also be a behaviour inherited from parents. For instance a child observing their parents' reactions and behaviour develop the same fear. Symptoms of claustrophobia are sweating, fast heart rate, increased blood pressure, shaking, headaches, panic attacks, nausea, fainting, fear of actual harm or illness, and irritability.

The following are examples of how a claustrophobic sufferer may behave:

They may urgently check out the exits of the room as soon as they get in and position themselves as near as possible to the exit.
Avoid driving during busy times when traffic is likely to be congested
If the venue is in a large and spacious room at a crowded event, they will be at the nearest door, when all doors are closed they may feel trapped and troubled.
They may avoid travelling as a passenger in a car, bus or train during peak times.
In severe cases, some people with this fear may have a panic attack when the door is closed.

to view your experiences subconsciously and thereby helping you to develop a new perspective that does not hold the fear that was programmed into you by earlier experiences. Self-hypnosis re-programmes the mind with positive ways of thinking and hence getting rid of the negative patterns of thinking behaviour.

Fear of Public/Open Places

Fear of public places or open places also known as Agoraphobia is an intense fear of being in public places, being in areas with no easy reach, being in unfamiliar place or leaving your home. The severity of agoraphobia can vary significantly between different people, for example someone with extreme agoraphobia may not be able to leave their home at all whereas someone with mild agoraphobia may be able to travel short distances from home without problems. People with severe agoraphobia will avoid situations where they have to leave the house.

Causes of agoraphobia

Panic disorder- is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurring panic attacks

Social phobia- an anxiety disorder whereby a person has an excessive fear of social places
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder- an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening and distressing life events like such as bereavement, illness, divorce
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Symptoms of agoraphobia

Agoraphobia symptoms can be classified into 3 types;

Physical, Cognitive and Behavioural

Physical symptoms are:
Rapid heartbeat
Rapid breathing
Feeling hot
Feeling sick
Upset stomach
Chest pain
Difficulty swallowing
Diarrhoea
Trembling
Dizziness
Feeling faint
Cognitive symptoms may include fear of:
Inability to escape from a place
Losing sanity
Losing control in public

~ Looking stupid and embarrassed in case of panic attack in front of people

Behavioural symptoms are:
Avoiding situations that could lead to panic attacks such as crowded places, public transport, and queues.
Not being able to leave the house for long periods of time
Needing to be with someone you trust when going any where

Avoiding being far away from hom

Fear of the Dark

Fear of the dark also known as Nyctophobia is one of the most common phobias in children. The fear is usually associated with dangers concealed by the dark other than the darkness itself. This fear is common in children and passes when they get older, however most people retain some form of fear of the dark as a form of survival instinct to be alert to the natural dangers of darkness. In many cases, childhood fears of the dark pass as the child matures. However this fear can become unhealthy with frequent panic attacks, sleepless nights and nightmares. In severe cases the sufferer may avoid being in the dark, sleeping by themselves and even sleep with the lights on.

Causes of fear of the dark

Negative past experiences

Fear of the unknown
Media portrait of the dark such as in movies and events like Halloween
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Symptoms of fear of the dark are characterised with nervousness and anxiety in any darkened environment. People with extreme fear of the dark may only sleep at night with the lights on and may be reluctant to go out at night. Other symptoms also include sweating, increased heart rate, tightness of muscles, increased blood pressure, dilation of pupils- to let in more light, trembling and even illness when forced to spend time in the dark.

The only way to eliminate fear of the dark is to re-programme the subconscious mind under self-hypnosis. It is said that the conscious part of the mind accounts for about only 10% this is to say that if a person wills to make positive changes purely on a conscious level, they are bound to fail. By using self-hypnosis you will break free from negative patterns of behaviour and accept positive new conditions, which is why hypnosis is so effective in overcoming phobias and creating permanent positive changes.

Fear of Water

Fear of water or Aquaphobia is a common specific phobia. Like all phobias it may vary dramatically in severity from person to person. Some people are scared of deep water or strong waves or a mass of water such as oceans, seas, lakes while others fear swimming pools and bathtubs. Some are scared of getting in contact with water whereas others cannot even bear to look at a large body of water.

Aquaphobics always fear the worst which is drowning and will avoid activities involving water like swimming, boating, or even be anxious about water in the bathtub or shower.

Causes of Aquaphobia

The most common cause of aquaphobia is a previous negative experience, for example if a person has been through a near drowning, shipwreck or other scary occurrences in the water. The way that these experiences are handled plays a major role in determining whether a phobia will occur.

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The fear of water or aquaphobia is a learned or conditioned response. In this case the response most likely derives from some part of experience probably in childhood, which involved a person finding themselves struggling under water and feeling a sense of oncoming panic as their air supply was cut off. Or perhaps a person witnessed something similar happening to a loved one or close friend who may not have survived the incident. Either way whatever circumstances took place, the terror and shock of the experience imprinted itself on the subconscious which has since :: learned1' to associate water with the original terror and shock.

Through self-hypnosis this fearful memory-negative association can be ventilated and neutralized by easily !: persuading" the subconscious to let go of its irrational attachment to exaggerated fears about water. Through this process the phobia about water either quickly or gradually disappears leaving you with a balance between a sensible respect of water to having no needless fear of it.

Fear of Death

The fear of death also known as Thanatophobia is a very common phobia. It's normal to be scared of death because none of us knows what will happen to us after we die Nevertheless to be extremely scared of death can be unhealthy and detrimental to our lives. If one fears death excessively, it can impact on their quality of life hence preventing them from enjoying life and appreciating it.

Types of death fears

Fear of pain and suffering
Loss of dignity and independence
Fear of non-existence
Fear of eternal punishment/judgement/hell- due to wrong deeds
Loss of control and everything
Fear of what will become of loved ones- very common in parents, single parents., and care givers

It's possible for the fear of death to be healthy when we fear death, we are more careful and behave more responsible and take precautions for example not smoking, taking drugs, excess alcohol consumptions, wearing seat belts, life jackets, not drink and driving, eating healthily, having health check ups, taking out life insurance cover and so forth. A healthy fear of death also reminds us to make the most of our time here and enjoy life to the full. It can also push us to work hard to leave a lasting and memorable legacy.

The world is not our permanent home but rather a place to experience and learn, the lessons we encounter as we go through life make us wiser as we grow older. Everything we acquire in life, for instance relationships, material things, power and even our bodies we leave behind. Its what we do in our lives that matters and the recollection of positive life experiences of love, courage, compassion, humility, courage, and joy that we take with us and what stays in the hearts of our beloved ones left behind. When we are sacred of death we ignore it by working for things that will be left behind, more so creating lots of negative energy hence wasting the opportunity to live life to the full and enjoy it. Nevertheless if we acknowledge death and not view it as a finality but accept it as a natural process or rebirth to the next level, we will value our lives more and view our time in the world as an opportunity to create as many positive actions as we can such as love, compassion, understanding, patience, kindness, empathy and by doing so creating more happiness and contentment within ourselves. Inevitably when our time comes to an end, we will be able to accept it and pass without fear, resentment, anger, guilt, regret, judging and mir ^pIvp*; or hlaminn nthpr«; RpraiKP mir mind*; will hp pmnnwprpri hv all thp nnnrt

Self-hypnosis for fear of death will help you to accept that death is inevitable so that you can make the most of life. It will reprogramme your inner mind to allow you to appreciate death rather than dread death, in the process adding love to life and making living much more fulfilling, positive and meaningful.

Fear of the Dentist

Fear of the dentist also known as dental phobia is one of the most suffered phobias among people. A British study suggested that four out often British people are afraid of visiting the dentist in one way or another, while an American study claims that it's between five out of ten in their group. Hence this shows that among all phobias and fears, the fear of the dentist is by far the highest in numbers. Fear of the dentist is caused by post traumatic stress disorder. A previous painful dentist experience might have been the trigger.

Not only a visit to the dentist causes such fear, but also a simple narration of a painful dentist event by someone can increase this fear. The fear of the dentist is caused by the invasive interventions like surgery -teeth extractions that the patient undergoes, the strong smells and lack of control. As a consequence the sufferer will only seek professional help when the problem has gotten out of control. It's very crucial that the patient relates with their dentist because a calm, caring and understanding dentist will lighten the experience and he will also put the patient at ease.

Mental symptoms:

Obsessive thoughts
Difficulty thinking about anything other than fear
Bad images of teeth
Fear of losing control
Fear of fainting

Emotional symptoms

Anticipatory anxiety- persistent worrying about upcoming events involving teeth
Terror- overwhelming fear of the pain
Desire to free

Physical symptoms

Dizziness, shaking, palpitations
Shortness of breath
Pounding heart
Chest pain or discomfort
Trembling
Sweating
Feeling of choking
Nausea or stomach distress

Hot or cold flashes

Self-hypnosis will help you in overcoming dental phobia by relaxation, when you relax you cannot feel frightened. Being relaxed removes fear that is why people drink alcohol to stop fear, it relaxes them. In this relaxed state you can visualise in great detail going to the dentist feeling very relaxed, confident and without fear. Selfhypnosis suggestions also help in eliminating any fear and realigning the subconscious with reality so that you're free to resume your life in a normal and natural manner free of your dental anxiety with which you have lived for so long.

Fear of Driving Tests

No one likes tests and exams, but the driving test seems to create the most anxiety for most many people. Despite the fact that you know you can drive competently, somehow it is impossible to feel confident about taking the actual driving test. And the fact is that the more nervous you get, the more likely you are to make mistakes. Worrying and thinking negatively about your test creates havoc with how you feel about the test. Many people feel so nervous that they fail again and again and again. Nevertheless some nervous anticipation is useful because it gives you the edge.

According to the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) the current overall pass rate for the driving test is just 42% and the first time pass rate is even lower, with 90% of the people believing that their negative thinking and nerves had a bad impact on their test results.

Self-hypnosis for fear of the driving test is designed to help you prepare mentally, to focus and relax before and during your driving test. Ideally success or failure starts in your mind.

Fear of Exams

Examination fear, also know as Testophobia, is something that most students go through before the onset of examinations. Exams are a way of assessing what a student has learned during the academic year. However for most people exams bring a lot of tension, stress and anxiety because of increased pressure and high expectations from the students, parents, teachers and peers to perform well. Although a little bit of fear and anxiety is important to study and learn before the exams, too much tension can hamper the learner's ability to do well. To do well in exams you have to get over your anxiety and also have a positive mind set on passing. Many times, due to exam nerves and fear students tend to forget what they have learned, get confused, feel tense, dizziness, sleeplessness, lose appetite and feel blank hence scoring less than they could have scored. Therefore it is extremely essential for students to learn about how to reduce this fear, be able to relax and take their examinations confidently, subsequently earning good grades and passing them.

The Most Popular Blog Types

So, you want to start a blog but don’t know what to blog about. Well in this guide I will show you all of the most popular types of blogs that are out there on the internet. Blogging is something that can be very rewarding if you are truly committed to it and absolutely love what you’re writing about. However, getting started and staying focused on a particular subject is something of a challenge to a lot of individuals in the beginning.

I can certainly give you a boost by helping you narrow down your choice of subject matter and focus. To do that, we’ll answer a common question:

What are the most popular blog types?

I’ve compiled a list of 26 popular blog types and a little bit of information on each one so that you can determine which one is the best fit for what you want to accomplish.

Starting a blog has never been easier. There are loads of user friendly blogging platforms to choose from. You can literally be set up with your own domain, hosting, email and blog in just 30 mins. Take a look at Hostgator or Bluehost to see just how easy it is to get up and running with your blog.

With that goal in mind, let’s dive right in.

Health & Fitness Blog
A hot blog for those who are focused on fitness is the health and fitness blogs. Those who have a background in training athletes, leading exercise classes, are knowledgeable about diet and nutrition, or a combination of any of these areas and more often accomplish a great deal with this type of blog. Bloggers in this niche tend to consider things like:

• Specific workout plans to target problem areas.
• Supplements that can help their readers get the most out of their workout.
• Various types of diet plans as well as tips and tricks for sticking to them.
• Recipes and menu planning.
• Sharing scientific studies focused on various aspects of fitness.

There are a wide variety of subjects to be covered in this type of blog, even if you choose a specific niche. These blogs are also read by a broader audience, but the competition is fierce, so you better come with your “A” game.

I really like NerdFitness’ approach to the health and fitness niche. It’s a great example of a fitness blog that comes at things from a different angle. Here’s what they say about themselves: “Regardless of where you’re at on your fitness journey today, we’re a community of underdogs, misfits and mutants that can’t wait to help.”

They’ve targeted a certain type of person and created content that they’d want to read. They’ve approached this target audience with exactly what they want to hear which “We’re not about getting jacked / ripped or staying slim – its to feel good about yourself and live a happier, healthier and more fulfilling life!” Nerd Fitness operates like a video game – you create your character and track your workout quests online.

DIY Blogging
There are some who enjoy the satisfaction of making and fixing their own things. If you are one of those people, you know that feeling and you probably enjoy sharing your experiences and knowledge as well. A DIY blog is a great outlet for you to help teach others how to accomplish various tasks with their own hands and enjoy that same satisfaction you feel.

These blogs can be very broad in nature, but the most successful ones tend to focus in on a specific subject, such as:

• Home maintenance hacks.
• Landscaping.
• Woodworking.
• Welding.
• Arts and crafts.
• Construction.

These are only a beginning point for ideas, because there are tons of niches found within those subject areas as well. You will need to be very focused and at the top of your game with this type of blog as well, because there is a lot of competition when it comes to DIY blogging.

My favourite DIY Blog is Paper & Stitch

Created by Brittni Mehlhoff when she was a high school art teacher, she started her blog, Paper and Stitch, to document her passion which is DIY and crafts. She blogs about her own experiments in fabric, paper, paint, and more. Over the years she has developed the blog further by widening the site’s content focus into fashion, travel and recipes.

She monetises the site via Google Ads, sponsored posts and affiliate programs such as Amazon and ebay.

Sports Focused Blogs
Estimates place the number of indigenous sports and sporting games at over 8,000, so there is no lack of sports fans or sports to write about. If you are an expert in a particular sport or simply love all sports in general, then a sports focused blog might be the outlet for sharing your knowledge and passion.

Sports blogs tend to focus on specific sports, specific sports teams, or even specific players or participants. The more popular sports tend to be well covered and those who have established blogs have a loyal readership, making it tough to break into those areas, but there are niches within them and sports that do not garner as much attention where you might buildup your own audience. If you are passionate about a particular sport and have a lot to share, consider this type of blog.

I’m a massive Carlisle FC fan ( for my sins ) and love all aspects of the Beautiful Game ( Soccer ). I love reading about the history of football and alternative stories and views. This is why I absolutely love In Bed With Maradona or IBWM for short.

Its a beautifully written world football / culture blog that has a loyal following. It takes a different angle when it comes to football blogs, which is why its so popular.

Finance Related Blogs
Regardless of whether you are talking about households, small businesses, major corporations or non-profit organizations, there is always a need to understand how to best handle income and expenses. Those with a heart to help individuals, business or institutions through financial difficulties might want to consider a finance related blog.

These blogs tend to look at such aspects as:

• Saving and retirement planning.
• Budgeting and expense planning.
• Investment advice.
• Loans.
• Building up capital.
• Long-term planning.
• Insurance and securities.

These are only a few of the suggested topics to be addressed in this area. There are plenty of niches to be found inside each of these subjects as well. These are highly read blogs and there is a ton of competition, so you will want to be someone who really knows your stuff and you will want to start out in a niche where you are a recognized expert to make this one fly.

My favourite finance related blog is SaveTheStudent. I love blogs that do things differently or target audiences that you’d never think would be so popular.

Blogs about Politics
The single topic on most people’s minds on a daily basis is politics. Politics tends to stir up passion about as much as or more so than any other subject matter. Those who step into the world of blogging about politics had better be thick skinned and able to handle themselves well when confronted with differing opinions.

These blogs can take a serious and informative approach to the governance of one’s local area, the nation and/or the world as a whole, or it can take a more humorous approach. There are tons of niche areas to be brought into light with a political blog and plenty of opportunities to be either a conformist to a particular viewpoint or a rogue to all of them. Regardless of which approach you take, you can expect to have plenty of active participation whenever you venture into this arena, and not all of it will be complementary, so be prepared to deal with criticism or don’t start this type of blog.

My top pick for a Politics Blog is Guido Fawkes – Order-Order.com

Fashion Blogging
A subject matter that is also very popular among bloggers and readers alike is the fashion blog. Those who have an eye for fashion, fashion trends or even alternative fashion can find a home within this style of blog.

These types of blogs tend to focus on major events, new releases, alternative fashions or creative fashion. The range of subjects within this particular area is broad as well. Those who consider starting a fashion blog will likely find their greatest success through focusing on a specific niche within the broader world and building up a name for themselves in this highly competitive area. However, if you are passionate and know your stuff, you can break in and draw a huge audience as you develop your blog.

Food and Recipe Blogs
Besides providing nutrition, food is one of the world’s most popular pastimes. Those who enjoy gourmet cooking, eating healthy, fine dining or simply trying out new recipes will find an excellent outlet for their passions by writing a food blog.

These types of blogs can take in a broad range of subjects that match up with local cuisine or explore that which is more exotic for a unique dining experience. But dining and eating out is not always the focus. Many food blogs concentrate on various types of recipes and cooking as well, including:

• Baking.
• Cultural cuisine.
• Diet and health focused recipes.
• Party and holiday cooking.

The most successful food blog tend to have found a particular niche and establish the authority of the author as the expert in that particular type of cuisine.

Travel Blogging
Everyone likes to getaway to new and exciting destinations. Regardless of whether they are retired and exploring the world, taking their family to the very best vacation spots or looking for the best place to honeymoon, travelers are always looking for the very best. The very best can include:

• Discounted airfare, hotels or rentals.
• Vacation and holiday packages with the highest quality and service.
• Dream getaways.
• Most exotic places.
• Places that provide for plenty of adventure and new discoveries.

If you love to travel and can design your own niche in this highly competitive blogosphere, where you can be the go-to authority, you can have a very successful travel blog. In addition, when you promote certain packages and destinations, you and your family might even get the opportunity to try out new places and take some fabulous trips at a significant discount.

My top pick for a Travel Blog is Dan Flying Solo

Blogs about Music and Musicians
It has been said that music is food for the soul. That must certainly be true because just about everybody cherishes some sort of music or rabidly follows some musician, group or band. Because of this, those who know music and have a passion for sharing that passion and knowledge might make a place for themselves blogging about music or specific musicians.

These types of blogs tend to be extremely competitive on a broader scale, especially when you focus on more popular styles of music and those groups and musicians who are in the limelight. Breaking into this world among those will take some special connections and credentials, but there are plenty of underrepresented genres of music and musicians that can be a great subject for blogging. Another approach is to promote a particular type of cultural music with an informative and exploratory approach. Establishing yourself as an authority in those lesser publicized genres and musicians can become building blocks to higher exposure and greater overall authority in the industry.

Lifestyle Blogs
One of the most commonly read sections of local and national newspapers and commonly visited channels in your cable package have to deal with lifestyles. No doubt it is our curiosity of how the other half lives that drives this fascination with lifestyles. Regardless of the motivation, if you love exploring various lifestyles and cultures, you are probably a good fit for this type of blog. Topics included in lifestyle blogs revolve around:

• Local events.
• Cultural events.
• Arts and crafts.
• Archeology and artifacts.
• Local history.
• Human interest stories.

You can picture yourself as a museum curator whose medium for displaying their discoveries in a blog. This is a great blog for someone who enjoys a wide variety of interests and has a knack for bringing out the dramatic and unexpected.

Parenting Blogs
Let’s face it, if raising children were a picnic, then there would be a whole lot less stress in our modern world. Those who are raising children or who have successfully completed the task are often the best at providing advice for those who are new at the job or needing advice on how to improve their job performance. Parenting blogs tend to have a huge following and they tend to be faithful followers.

Blogging topics included in parenting focused blogs tend to follow age-ranged categories. They look at techniques for dealing with certain challenges in each age range, finding activities suited to them, varying nutritional needs, early education or remedial educational efforts, or specifically geared toward meeting the needs of special needs children. Finding a niche where you can establish yourself as an expert rather than trying to paint with too broad of a stroke is the best way to break into this sector of the blogosphere and begin to see some early success. So, if you know a little something about raising children, don’t hesitate to step up and deal out your much needed advice to worried and frustrated parents who need your help.

Business Blogging
Business is what drives the American dream. If you have a lot of business experience as well as a passion for helping others to meet their goals and grab hold of their dream of greater independence, then this just might be the place where you will shine.

Business blogging is highly competitive and requires a fairly high level of expertise and some pretty impressive credentials if you are going to be among those rated at the top. However, there are plenty of niches within the world of business that you can zero in on and establish yourself as an expert. You will be best served to start with small and locally based subject matter and work your way up, unless you have already built a name for yourself in the business world. Stick to what you know and let that drive your business blog.

Pet Lover’s Blogs
Do you have a love for animals, especially pets? If so, then a pet lover’s blog might be the way to go. Not only does this blog work well for pet lovers, but it is also a great way for those who provide veterinarian services, grooming, operate shelters and perform training services to educate and communicate with clients and potential clients.

Pet blogs have a large readership in the blogosphere, especially in the broadest categories and with the most popular pets, so the competition is fierce. However, there are plenty of niches within those broader and more popular categories that you can work your way into. In addition, there are plenty of opportunities to start blogs about exotic or alternative pets that will allow you to establish yourself as an expert, and then you can build upon that success. If your passion is for animals and pets, don’t hesitate to start a pet lover’s blog.

Gaming Related Blogs
Games and gaming are an ever growing sector of our modern culture. In fact, gaming is growing at such a rapid rate that keeping up with everything that is new and hot can be an overwhelming challenge. If you are passionate about gaming and can put down your controller long enough, you just might be able to establish a well-received gaming related blog. Gaming blogs typically consider:

• Events.
• Hardware.
• Cheats and hacks.
• Game reviews.
• New releases.

Avid gamers who want to start a gaming blog are best advised to find a niche and build up their reputation, but with such a wide range of topics and such a broad readership, those who know their stuff will move up quickly in the ranks.

Blogs Sharing Personal Experiences
Human interest stories appeal to a lot of people. So, if you have a knack for capturing the dramatic in life and tend to find yourself enjoying a wide variety of exciting experiences, this might be the perfect outlet for you.

Those who write personal experience blogs discuss their most recent adventures, daily life in an exotic locale or experiences that are unique and capture the attention of an audience. These blogs tend to have plenty of photos and videos to go along with their content.

Movie Buffs Blogs
Movies give people the opportunity to live vicariously through the lives of their favorite characters. Those who are big movie buffs and are passionate about sharing their opinions and experiences with various movies might do well with a blog for movie buffs.

Movie blogs often include news and reviews of new releases or upcoming features. Sometimes they also follow specific stars. These bloggers are often given opportunities to watch premium movies before they are released to the public and enjoy a lot of extra perks when they make it up toward the top of the ranks.

Car and Automobile Blogging
Nearly everyone dreams of a certain car or auto that the hope to have one day. Many look back at cars they once had with feelings of nostalgia as well. Few people are more passionate than car, truck and auto enthusiasts. If you are among those who share this passion and know your stuff, a car or automobile blog might be the answer for you.

Car blogs take on a very broad spectrum of possible subjects. Those subjects could include:

• Sports cars.
• Luxury cars.
• Auto racing.
• Auto restoration.
• Tricked out trucks.

These are just a few examples of subjects you could choose for your blog. You could also get into detailing, special maintenance, classic cars, or where to get hard to find parts. The sky is the limit in this genre and you are sure to be able to find a niche where you can begin to grow you audience.

For a car blog that’s a little different than the normal “petrolhead” approach to car blogs, have a look at GreenMotor.co.uk

Natural Remedies Blogs
Though a lot of what is involved in this type of blog is health and fitness focused, the primary objective of a natural remedies blog is to examine the various health benefits of certain foods, herbs, spices and compounds as alternative forms of medicine. These blogs tend to focus on either preventative measures, remedies or a combination of the two.

These blogs can be broad, providing a guide for all types of conditions and remedies or more narrowly focused in a specific niche of natural remedies, such as aroma therapy or teas and tinctures. You will want to be sure that you inform your readers that your blog is meant as a supplement to professional medical advice and not a replacement for it in order to cover yourself legally. If you have an understanding of a wide variety of compounds and the impact they can have on individual health conditions and you have a heart for sharing your understanding and discoveries with others, you might consider this type of blog.

Blogs Focused on Being Frugal or Saving Money
Those who have a heart for helping people stretch their household income a bit further might want to create a blog that focuses on being frugal or saving Money. These types of blogs tend to have a wealth of tips and tricks that have helped a lot of households make ends meet. They might include such things like:

• How to create a household budget.
• How to use coupons.
• How to properly use credit and credit cards.
• How to save money on common items by doing it yourself.
• How to locate quality products and services at discounted prices.

These are just a few of the many suggestions and tips that this type of blog might focus on. Adding your own twist, tips, creativity and approach is sure to be a way that you can help others, just like you, manage their household finances and stretch their income a bit further.

Hobby Related Blogs
This is probably the broadest category of blogs possible for obvious reasons. There are innumerable hobbies of all sorts. Some hobbies are a lot more common and popular than others, which makes it a lot easier to find an audience. However, there are less popular hobbies that don’t often get the coverage that the big ones receive.

Often times, a niche hobby, which reaches a very specialized audience can become quite successful simply because there is such a small amount of competition. Regardless of which hobby you choose to write about, you can become an authority on all things related to your hobby or be the one authority specializing in a particular niche within the wider framework of that hobby. Your voice and your particular expertise is what really makes it fly, so be bold and share your those special talents with the blogosphere.

Prepper & Survivalist Blogging
There is plenty of uncertainty in our modern world. Natural disasters, political upheaval and economic crises abound. Being prepared to face the various challenges of providing your home with an alternative power source, being able to grow and store your own food, or being able to filter contaminated water are just the beginning of the types of subjects covered in prepper and survivalist blogs.

Writers of these types of blogs tend to have a wealth of subjects to cover, even if they specialize in just a few of the many subjects. A great number of these blogs are “How to” or “DIY” type blogs, but with a focus on accomplishing these goals when resources are limited and individuals are forced to survive. If you have a heart, the knowledge and the desire to help instruct others on how to be prepared to face the challenges of an unstable world and survive, then this type of blog is a good one to keep in mind.

Blogs Focused on News and Current Events
Journalism students who want to build their resume might seriously consider a blog focused on news or current events. This is a great way for you to show off your stuff and catch the eye of important editors. Besides journalism students, there are people who just enjoy taking a look into what is going on a reporting about it.

News and current events blogs often focus on local events, scientific and technological breakthroughs, politics, religion, or cultural events. Local or regional type blogs can cover a broader range of subjects, but those who hope to be exposed on a national or international stage will want to pick a particular subject matter as their niche and stick to it to build their audience.

Guest Host Blogging
The best way to think of this type of blog is to channel Conan O’Brien, Craig Ferguson, Oprah or some other talk show host. The point of this type of blog is to provide your readers with a variety of experiences and a broader perspective of our modern world by bringing guest bloggers into your blog, much like a talk show host brings guests onto their show.

This sort of blog can be as general or specific as you want it to be when it comes to what subject matter you prefer to provide to you audience. Some who choose to be guest host bloggers will even allow their audience to drive the subject matter. However, those starting out will need to focus on providing the content until they build an audience before going off on an audience driven venture. If you are one who likes to explore and share your discoveries, this might be the type of blog you want to start.

Rogue Blogging
There are a lot of people going rogue in our modern society. Let’s face it, being just like everyone else and conforming to the masses is not suited for everyone. Those who have to be rebels also need an outlet to explore their particular bent and share their views with fellow rogues.

Many rogue bloggers investigate and explore conspiracy theories, discuss alternative lifestyles or simply present alternate viewpoints that go against the grain of the main beliefs of the masses. Rogue blogging is not for the faint of heart, because the subject matter covered tends to rub people the wrong way, but challenging social norms has its place and its purposes. So, if you have alternative viewpoints to express, are thick skinned and love swimming upstream, rogue blogging might be your thing.

Blogs Finding Bonuses and Discounts
There are deals, discounts, bonuses and coupons to be had. The problem most people run into is that they don’t know where to find them or how to get their hands on them if they do. Those who know how to navigate the world on bonuses and discounts have a special talent and a set of skills that can be of great value to households, businesses, non-profit organizations and numerous other institutions.

These blogs tend to be driven toward where to find the best deals on various items. Bloggers of this type can have a broad or general perspective or specialize in a certain area. This type of blog differs some from the frugal living or saving money type of blog, which we discussed earlier, by focusing more on the consumer side of saving money rather than on managing expenses. However, if you are considering two blogs, or want to link to a friend or associate who has a frugal living blog, this extremely complimentary to that type.

Consumer Guide and Product Review Blogs
Also related to getting the best deals on products are consumer guides and product review blogs. The purpose of this type of blog is to provide you audience with sound advice when it comes to making purchasing decisions.

This type of blog tends to focus on the features and benefits of various products and comparing which products actually provide those features and benefits at the best possible price. Essentially, these bloggers select a specific product category, discuss how it is best used and what benefits might be gained from it, build up the value of various features, and then compare various models and how each measures up in overall value. These blogs can be niche specific or broader in nature. If you like gadgets and have a heart for helping people get their hands on the very best ones at the best price, this could be the blog type for you.

Conclusion
Venturing off into the blogosphere to share your knowledge and understanding of various specific or general topics is a noble undertaking. Your commitment to increasing your knowledge and passing that knowledge along to others through a blog can be very rewarding in a wide variety of ways. We hope that our guide of the most popular blog types has helped you zero in on the type of blog that best fits you. If it has, then hesitate no longer, get started writing your blog today.

by Jamie Spencer
Ref:https://makeawebsitehub.com/popular-blog-types/

What are the 5 types of blogs?

To help you identify the best type of blog for you, here are five of the most common types of blogs.

Personal Blog. As the name implies, a personal blog is about the person who runs the blog. ...
Business Blog. ...
Affiliate Blogs. ...
Niche Blog. ...
News Blog.

What are the different types of blogs?

Best types of blogs to create:

Food blogs.
Travel blogs.
Health and fitness blogs.
Lifestyle blogs.
Fashion and beauty blogs.
Photography blogs.
Personal blogs.
DIY craft blogs.

How many types of blog are there?

The four most common types of blogs are Personal blogs, Business blogs, Niche blogs, and Affiliate blogs.

How do I choose a topic for my blog?

How to Choose What to Blog About

Choose a subject that genuinely interests you. Don't choose a topic that you think looks good to be interested in or will attract a lot a readers. ...
Decide whether any topics are off limits. ...
Think about your potential readers.

How do I start blogging?

Create a blog

Sign in to Blogger.
On the left, click the Down arrow .
Click New blog.
Enter a name for your blog.
Click Next.
Choose a blog address or URL.
Click Save.

Can you blog on Facebook?

You can blog on Facebook for free using either the social channel's post or Facebook Notes features. For peak blogging results though—especially if you want to make the most money from your blogging efforts—it's best to build your own blog and use Facebook to promote that blog.

Can I blog on Instagram?

If you want to start blogging on Instagram but don't want to set up a website, you are in the right place! Starting a blog on Instagram is quick, easy and can be done within an hour. ... You don't need to deal with web hosting, web design or writing lengthy content in order to begin blogging on Instagram!

What is the most read blog?

Business Insider. Estimated monthly visitors: 30.4 million. ...
Huffington Post. Estimated monthly visitors: 16.7 million. ...
Estimated monthly visitors: 13.8 million. ...
The Verge. Estimated monthly visitors: 11.6 million. ...
Estimated monthly visitors: 3.5 million.

Which blog is best for earning?

30 Blog's That Make A Lot Of Money Online

Rank

Website

Monthly Earnings

The Huffington Post

$2,330,000

Techcrunch

$800,000

Mashable

$600,000

Perez Hilton

$450,000

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