The Importance of Verbal Communication in Treating Patients with Personality Disorders
“In therapy with patients with personality disorders, paying attention to their verbal expressions can reveal more about their true selves than their non-verbal cues.”
Introduction:
In teaching psychotherapy techniques to psychiatry residents and psychology interns, I provided advice that diverged from conventional wisdom. Contrary to focusing on non-verbal expressions and body language, I emphasized the significance of paying attention to the words verbalized by patients with personality disorders. This approach was based on the understanding that non-verbal behavior in individuals with personality disorders is purposefully misleading due to their role-playing tendencies.
The Significance of Non-Verbal Communication:
Evolutionary Importance: Non-verbal communication evolved earlier in our species than language, making it a primal representation of our internal states.
Reflecting True Feelings: In general, body language can be more reliable than verbal expressions in determining a person’s true emotions and beliefs.
Understanding Personality Disorders and Role-Playing:
Playing Roles: Individuals with personality disorders often engage in role-playing within their families, assuming specific personas to fulfill various roles.
Acting and False Persona: These individuals develop a false self or persona to effectively play their roles, concealing their true beliefs and emotions.
Purposeful Misrepresentation: To convincingly play their roles, individuals with personality disorders deliberately project misleading body language, giving off impressions that contradict their genuine selves.
Trial and Error: They learn to exhibit the appropriate body language through trial and error, perfecting their acting skills.
The Significance of Verbal Behavior:
Ambiguity in Language: Verbal behavior of individuals with personality disorders can also be misleading, but language presents a peculiarity that therapists can leverage.
Exploring Alternative Interpretations: When patients express ambiguous statements, therapists are advised to consider less obvious interpretations, opening up possibilities for deeper understanding.
Unveiling Subtle Clues: Examining the less apparent meaning behind ambiguous statements can unveil hidden emotions and beliefs that may align with the patient’s true self.
Case Example: Ambiguous Verbal Communication:
Mother’s Criticism: The case of a nurse whose mother yelled, “I can’t believe you talk to doctors that way!” is analyzed.
Tone vs. Words: Although the nurse interpreted her mother’s remark as criticism based on the tone, the words themselves did not contain a value judgment.
Hidden Admiration: Considering the ambiguity, it is speculated that the mother actually admired her outspoken daughter but could not openly acknowledge it.
Vicarious Fulfillment: The nurse’s behavior allowed the mother to experience fulfillment vicariously, contributing to the complexity of their interaction.
Conclusion:
Understanding the dynamics of verbal and non-verbal communication in patients with personality disorders is essential for effective therapy. While non-verbal cues may generally provide valuable insights, the deliberate role-playing tendencies of individuals with personality disorders can render their body language misleading. By carefully attending to verbal expressions and exploring alternative interpretations, therapists can gain deeper insights into their patients’ emotions, beliefs, and underlying motivations. This comprehensive approach enables more nuanced and effective interventions for individuals with personality disorders.
“Understanding the complexity of verbal and non-verbal communication is essential when treating patients with personality disorders and navigating the intricacies of their role-playing tendencies.”
Wellcare World specializes in providing the latest advancements in wellness technology, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that improve health and increase the quality of people's lives.To learn more, visit WellcareWorld.com and begin living a better life today.
Hormone levels can impact a dog’s mood, energy levels, and overall well-being
From estrogen and testosterone to adrenaline and cortisol, your dog’s hormones have a profound impact on their well-being — physically, mentally and emotionally.
Most people know that hormones are important for regulating body systems. These natural chemicals impact systems and metabolism on almost every level of the body, and also have a significant influence on behavior and mood — not only in ourselves, but in our dogs as well. Read on for a discussion of the most common hormones and how they affect your dog’s health and behavior.
DEFINING HORMONES
A hormone is a chemical transmitter substance produced by cells in the body. It is transported through the bloodstream to the cells and organs on which it has a specific regulatory effect. In other words, hormones act as chemical messengers within the body, in order to stimulate or suppress certain processes or actions.
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON PLAYERS?
There are dozens and dozens of different hormones in the body, but the most well-recognized players include:
Testosterone
Estrogen
Adrenaline
Cortisol
Thyroid hormone
Growth hormone
Insulin
Melatonin
Additionally, specific neurotransmitters act as hormones in the body, and these include serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.
All these hormones act within complex networks collectively referred to as the endocrine system. The endocrine system is a network of glandular organs that produce and regulate hormones to control and coordinate the body’s metabolism, energy level, reproduction, growth and development, response to injury and/or stress, and mood.
Crucially important glands within the endocrine system include:
Hypothalamus
Pineal gland
Pituitary gland
Thyroid gland
Parathyroid gland
Thymus
Adrenal gland
Pancreas
Ovaries
Testes
The gut (gastrointestinal tract) also acts as an endocrine gland since it works with endocrine cells, neurons, and immune cells, using gut peptides as signaling substances. In fact, some of the hormones in the gut are also found in the brain, which supports the concept of the gut-brain axis.
These health problems are very common in our canine companions, and appear to be on the rise. There are many reasons for this, such as:
Processed foods and toxins: Many toxins are known to be direct endocrine disruptors, and include common pet food preservatives such BPA and BHA, and herbicides in foods such as glyphosate (Roundup).
Nutrient deficiencies: Trace minerals such as magnesium, selenium, zinc, potassium and iodine are critically important for the body’s glands to function appropriately. Trace mineral deficiencies are very common in both dogs and humans.
Spaying and neutering: Typically, when pets are de-sexed, the gonads (ovaries or testicles) are completely removed, which means the majority of testosterone and estrogen are gone for good. It is important to note that a certain level of sex hormones is crucially important for sustaining normal health and well-being.
As it turns out, the only other glands in the body that can produce some sex hormones are the adrenal glands. This means the adrenal glands in a spayed or neutered dog are placed under extra stress and demand throughout the animal’s lifetime. The adrenal glands are also responsible for regulating and releasing adrenaline and cortisol hormones, which is in itself a big job. Adrenaline is the hormone released during the body’s fight or flight response, triggered when stressful events occur.
Cortisol is also released by the adrenals in fight or flight scenarios, and is continually released in chronic stress situations. Ongoing stressors for dogs can include things like chronic pain, chronic itching due to allergies, environmental stressors, household upsets, separation anxiety, etc.
CHRONIC ANXIETY AND THE HPA AXIS
Chronic anxiety is becoming more common in animals, with growing numbers of dogs being placed on prescription medications to manage it. The common metabolic causes of anxiety include HPA dysfunction, compromised gut health, and nutrient deficiencies.
The HPA axis describes the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, which is known as the command center and communication feedback system in the part of the brain that senses stress. The HPA axis controls reactions to stress and regulates digestion and the immune system, as well as mood and emotions.
When this system is continually firing under conditions of chronic stress, the negative feedback loop mechanism (which normally keeps things in check) can break down. This HPA dysfunction is recognized as a cause of chronic anxiety.
If the situation continues, this dysfunction can lead to adrenal gland depletion, otherwise known as adrenal fatigue. Other health conditions associated with adrenal dysfunction include Cushing’s and Addison’s diseases. All these adrenal gland conditions can affect a dog’s behavior, causing everything from anxiety and restlessness to low energy and fatigue.
ESTROGEN AND TESTOSTERONE
If your dog is still sexually intact, they will have higher levels of sex hormones — i.e. testosterone in males and estrogen and progesterone in females. These can certainly also affect behavior and mood.
Testosterone is known to influence confidence, dominance, and potentially aggression. However, this is not to say a neutered dog won’t display these behaviors. In fact, some dog parents see their dogs’ aggressive or reactive behaviors actually heighten after neutering; it appears that, in some circumstances, removing the confidence-supporting testosterone hormone could lead to more fear-related aggression behaviors. This demonstrates that hormones have very complex effects on the body, mind and mood.
Estrogen is known to help regulate mood. In human women, low levels of estrogen are shown to influence anxiety, depression and stress.
Progesterone is a “feel good” hormone that has a calming effect. In female dogs, progesterone is released after ovulation during the heat cycle, whether they are bred or not (even if they do not become pregnant), and continues to be measured at high levels for many weeks after.
In conclusion, it’s clear that hormones exert vast effects on the body and directly influence the emotional and mental well-being of our dogs and ourselves.
Wellcare World specializes in providing the latest advancements in wellness technology, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that improve health and increase the quality of people's lives.To learn more, visit WellcareWorld.com and begin living a better life today.
As it turns out, the only other glands in the body that can produce some sex hormones are the adrenal glands. This means the adrenal glands in a spayed or neutered dog are placed under extra stress and demand throughout the animal’s lifetime. The adrenal glands are also responsible for regulating and releasing adrenaline and cortisol hormones, which is in itself a big job. Adrenaline is the hormone released during the body’s fight or flight response, triggered when stressful events occur.
