Seasonal Mental Health

Are you already starting to feel the "bah-humbug" of the winter season coming on? Does it feel like what was once a joyous time of year, has now become the longest time of year? You could be afflicted with winter-based Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

One of the most common symptoms of SAD is the feeling of wanting to be isolated and wanting to avoid social situations. This is a natural disorder that can come about from the decrease of natural light that you have access to during this time of year.

Other symptoms of this disorder are depression, sluggish feeling, unable to concentrate, change in sleep patterns, weight gain. And, not unlike Mr. Scrooge, increased irritability.

Mr. Scrooge may have been a lot happier sooner if he knew of these recommended treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder. If only someone had gifted with him with a negative air ionizer or light box for Christmas:

If he had seen his health care provider, maybe medication, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy or Melatonin Hormone Treatment is some of the treatments that they could have prescribed.

They won't call you "Scrooge" any longer.

Mild case of SAD may easily be rectified with the use of artificial light to make up for the loss of daylight hours. Fortunately, there are many Light Therapy Products on the market that anyone can easily purchase, making it a simple and quick solution that may change your mood for the better this winter season.

Who else doesn't know what a Sugar Plum is? I certainly did not. Every time I sang about Visions of Sugar Plums Dancing in My Head, it bothered me. To no end, it bothered me. I became obsessed about it and started asking around and found that I was NOT alone. It was interesting to find that not a lot of people knew what a sugar plum was; yet, all the Christmas Carolers (professionals and shower singers like me) croon about it all the time.

The result of my research is my Hawaiian-Style Sugar Plum Recipe:
Yields: Approximately, 3 dozen

1 C dried Ohelo Berries (currants)
1 C finely chopped dried pineapple
1/4 C finely chopped dried mango
1/2 C finely chopped dried papaya

(Alternatives to the currants, pineapple, mango, papaya - approximately 2 1/2 cups total of any combination of dried fruits such as: raisin, dried dates, dried figs, dried apricot, dried cherries, dried cranberries.)

2 C finely chopped pitted prunes (dried Plums)
1 C finely chopped Macadamia Nuts (Alternatives: pecans or walnuts)
1/4 C sweetened flaked coconut If you use unsweetened coconut, you can sweeten the sugarplums up with a topping later, if you prefer.
3 T orange juice squeezed fresh from the orange. (Alternative: orange liqueur)

Directions:
I prefer to chop the ingredients up by hand but you can use a food processor for a more uniformed look and it's way quicker.

Mix all the ingredients together and form them into balls that are approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Optional Toppings
Sprinkle on your preferred topping (it's delicious plain also).
1/2 C unsweetened flaked coconut. (Alternative toppings: confectioner's sugar, dark chocolate powder or flakes, finely chopped nuts. My twist is using spirulina powder).

I wrap each of the completed balls in it's own piece of cling wrap. I use a little bow to hold the wrap together and to give it some color. This helps the sugarplum balls to keep it's shape.

Refrigerate in an air-tight container until ready to eat.

Festive and Fun At Hanukkah!

Perfect for "Chrismakkah" too! This Plush Blue Hanukkah holiday costume includes a Blue Santa-styled jacket with white trim, black boot covers, matching elastic waist pants, black belt with gold color buckle, matching hat, white gloves and a white Santa-styled wig and beard set.

Click To See All Santa Christmas Costumes Here. Including Blue Santa.


Blue Christmas Present Adult Costume

The Blue Christmas Present Adult Costume includes a sexy velvety blue mini dress with white faux fur trim around the bottom and a white satiny bow in the front with a jeweled accent. An accentuating white faux fur stole, a blue and white classic style santa hat, and blue and white stripe thigh-high stockings are also included to complete this sexy ensemble.

This is the only way to be blue this holiday season. Guaranteed to be a sweet treat this Holiday!

October 10th has been dubbed "Blue Day." The actual title from the World Federation for Mental Health is World Mental Health Day - A Global Mental Health Education Campaign of the World Federation for Mental Health.

This day is celebrated all over the world in a hundred countries and in six continents.

Also of notable significance is the implementation and relationship with the World Health Organization's (WHO) World Mental Health Survey Initiative This is an intensive study on mental health and psychological disorders. Data was gathered from all over the world (within the jurisdiction of WHO).

It is important to note that the surveys that they used was not limited to statistical "head counts" but also took into consideration of indicators and issues relating to good mental health or mental health issues.

In the United State's the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) states that they are the largest grassroots organization who's function is to provide support to persons with mental illness and their families.

"NAMI is dedicated to the eradication of mental illnesses and to the improvement of the quality of life for persons of all ages who are affected by mental illnesses."

When most people think about using manifestation to get a love interest, they automatically think of it as a negative action. They think of it as controlling other people's minds against their will.

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One of my friends provided me with her story of how she used manifestation to find love and I think that you will agree, there is nothing negative about how she used manifestation. In fact, manifestation through visualization, used in the proper way, can be used to better our lives.

Enjoy her story and Have a Happy Valentine's Day!

A Swedish Valentine's Day Story

Yes, you can manifest love! I know, because I have done it.

To manifest love, it is not enough to know what you don't want - you must have a clear image of what you do want. I began with the notion that I wanted someone just like my husband, but without the 20 years of baggage.

Along came a delightful man, who fit that description exactly, but who was just 26 years old and simply not suitable for a long-term relationship. It was blissful, but brief. I tried again to manifest love, with the image of someone just like my sweet boy, but having about 5 years more emotional maturity.

Four months later, I met him - almost exactly five years older, and perfectly matched to me in every way. The only problem was - he was visiting from Sweden. I didn't have to try again, though - he's emigrating to be with me.

So if I can manifest love, and draw the right person to me from the other side of the world, then you, too, can manifest love!

I was about seven years old, I decided that I was too old to go Trick-or-Treating. I wanted to pass out the candy to the kids who came to our door.

My parents thought it was odd but they had seven years to figure out that I was a bit of an odd child; harmless, but never-the-less, odd.

Click on Gorilla for More Scary Gorilla Outfits

To my defense, what was really going on in my mind was that I wanted control of the candy that was passed out. I had a plan to pass out the "junk" (aka healthy) candies and I would have to eat the leftovers.

I got excited when it got dark and the first time the doorbell rang. I jumped up, eagerly grabbed my tray of candies, and opened the door so I could give the little (littler) kids their candy.

But I wasn't prepared for what I saw.

As soon as I opened the door, I saw three pairs of humongous black shoes. I followed the shoes upward, past black furry-ness, in slow motion, and almost fell backwards, by the time I got to their scary gorilla masks on their scary heads.

They grabbed some candy from my tray and stood there for awhile, silently scaring me, then left.

Turns out, they were probably students from the nearby college, but they sure gave me a fright! Imagination gets you all the time.

I wish I had known about Boo, you know that little girl in the children's movie, Monster's Inc. She may not have known it but she was using reverse psychology, a type of mind control, to protect herself from the monsters.

I could have used her technique or some other schnazzy Mind Control Technique to scare away my own monsters.

Suffice it to say, the next year, I went out Trick-or-Treating with the other kids.

Halloween is a time when you can see plenty of masks, costumes and makeup. It is a time when it is okay to pretend to be someone else or something else.

These days, it seems that whatever you can envision, there is a mask for you. So it should be even easier to use simple visualization techniques to conjure up your own costume in your mind.

Remember the television show, Beauty and the Beast, starring Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton, The Beast (Ron) uses Halloween as the only time when he can walk among the rest of the people and have the freedom to express himself without fear or repercussion of how he looked.


In one way or another, most of us put up mental masks or mental walls up. These walls mask the part of ourselves that you may not want other people to see.

You can use this to your advantage when it comes to visualization and manifestation. The clearer your vision, the more real your goal becomes in your mind and the more accurate your outcome will be.

So make sure that your "mask" accurately represents your goal.

Enjoy yourself this Halloween.

Maybe dress up as one of your goals. For example: Do you want to go on a much needed vacation? Dress up as a tourist. We are. What do you think?

Click Tacky Tourist Couple Image for More Hawaiian Costumes

If You Must Be a Turkey, Be An Adult Turkey

This great Adult Turkey Costume includes a body section with attached wings and tailpiece, all in shimmering orange, tan & brown fabric, a character hood attached to the turkey body with a long red shimmering fabric neck, and a pair of leg/shoe covers in the same shimmering red fabric. May require stuffing (not included) for fuller body.

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Just a quick post to let you fellow Squids know that we are extremely grateful for all of you this Thanksgiving as we run off to...

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Alpha Mind Control MP3, originally created to help soldiers with post traumatic stress disorder. This powerful audio will help you reach deep levels of alpha brainwaves, helping you to become more creative and aware. It's good for your health too. It can help you sleep better, boost your immune system and make you feel good.

It will help also raise your consciousness levels. To View the Video and for more information about the Alpha Mind Control MP3. Check out the link.