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10 signs your emotional life may need a tune-up
Emotional Life
Your stressed-out days outnumber your good days. We arent meant to be stressed out all the time. You may want to ask for help if you notice that you are having more than three stressed-out days a week. - photo by istockphoto.com/bugphai

Being emotionally healthy is like owning a well-running car. If your vehicle is taken care of, you can get through construction zones, traffic and bumpy dirt roads with no trouble. If your car is a run-down old clunker, you won’t be able to rely on it to get you where you are going on your terms. This comparison also holds true for a well-functioning brain. A good therapist is like your brain’s mechanic. Here are 10 signs that indicate a professional might be of some help in tuning up your life:

Your stressed-out days outnumber your good days. We aren’t meant to be stressed out all the time. You may want to ask for help if you notice that you are having more than three stressed-out days a week.

You’re getting the distinct impression that your friends and family have stopped listening to your “complaining.” Humans are social creatures. We like to air our grievances to those who will listen.

Something big just happened or is about to happen. Getting married, moving, a death in the family, loss of a job, finding a new job, having a baby and going off to school are all major life events that can be stressors. Even joyous events can mean upheaval in your emotional life.

Getting out of bed in the morning is taking you forever. Sleeping too much can be a sign of depression.

The boss or a co-worker is telling you you need to take some time off. If you work full-time, you spend about a third of your time on the job. The people who see you the most are going to notice when you aren’t quite yourself.

You just feel out of sorts. Something changed in your life and you aren’t sure what it is. You don’t enjoy the things you used to enjoy as much as you used to enjoy them.

Everyone is giving you their impression of what you should do with your life. Sometimes we need someone outside of our circumstances to tell us what they see so we can make an informed decision.

Nightmares. If you are having distressing dreams or nightmares, this could indicate a serious mental health concern.

Do you ever get that “Stop the world; I want to get off!” feeling? This is likely anxiety. You may need help to organize your thoughts and discover which event is the most important for you to deal with in the moment.

You’ve started to think you may have a problem with an addiction. For some of us, enjoying something turns into craving something, which turns into that habit owning us and we can’t get away from it. That's when we start looking at addiction. If one or more of these items describes your situation, you may want to seek out a competent professional. A few sessions with a counselor will make all the difference in the world. On average, people see an outpatient therapist for about three visits.

When you schedule a visit with a therapist, ask all your questions about the process. You may want to write them out in advance beforehand so you remember. The most important part of the therapeutic relationship is the relationship. If you like the person you are telling your deepest darkest secrets to, you are more likely to move forward. If a therapist seems disinterested or unfriendly, they are probably not a good match for you. Find a therapist you can trust and don’t wait until the wheels fall off your life to get help. If you are having thoughts of death or suicide, do not hesitate to call a crisis line immediately. The national suicide prevention hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Martha B. Fallis, LCMHC is a therapist at Life Stone Counseling Centers specializing in helping others overcome life's challenges. To learn more about Martha, please visit www.lifestonecenter.com.

Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.