Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Summer 2015 - (Page 53)
Healing
Preparing for the Unexpected:
Your Emotional SOS Plan, Part II
Dr. S. D. Shanti
A.T. Still University, Mesa, AZ
What can you do when faced with an upsetting
situation? The circumstances might involve
something "big," like a threatening letter from
the IRS, or something "smaller," like a family
member or patient who irritates you.
In Part I of this column, I wrote about how one's
thoughts and emotions are interconnected,
thereby allowing a person to manage upsetting
emotions by managing his/her thoughts. Our
bodies and minds are also interconnected; thus,
we can use our bodies to help us more effectively
manage emotional challenges.
Take a Deep Breath
The simplest and most direct path to physically
managing your emotions is through your breath.
Your breath is an automatic function, but it can
also be managed through intention. For instance,
you can choose to hold your breath for a moment,
or breathe more rapidly or slowly than usual.
When you make your breath part of your SOS kit,
it is important that you breathe deeply and
slowly - ideally through your nose so you are
less likely to hyperventilate. Doing so will allow
you to breathe in a way that signifies relaxation.
(The opposite - short, shallow, rapid breathing
- tends to be aligned with anxiety or fear.)
When faced with a threatening or stressful situation, it is immediately helpful to just take a deep
breath and slowly exhale. Keep doing this for as
long as needed. Slow and deliberate breathing
can momentarily open up space in which you can
think about the situation calmly. Your physiology
and minds can be "hijacked" by stressors or fearevoking stimuli, but as long as you keep breathing evenly and deeply, using your diaphragm,
and exhaling slowly, you give yourself an edge
by reducing the chance of being swept away in
a tide of negative emotions. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the
part of our nervous system that helps to restore
equilibrium in the face of excitation.
Summer 2015 PCSO Bulletin
The more you consciously practice this style of
breathing, the more it will become second
nature. Think of it as a skill that you can practice
and call upon in times of need.
Your breath can also be used to train your mind
to focus on the present moment. By watching
your abdomen gently rise and fall, for example,
you give your mind something to tether itself to,
so it is less likely to run wild with all kinds of
annoyances, fears, worries, and "what if's" that
can threaten your ability to see things with
maximum clarity.
Responding Calmly
When things go wrong, it's important to be as
clear-minded as possible so you can make the
best decisions in the heat of the moment. By
regularly practicing deep breathing with your full
attention, you are training yourself to respond to
emergencies or other unexpected situations. In
such moments, deep breathing reduces your
chance of freezing up in panic or shock, and your
body can help soothe your mind, thereby
allowing you to more effectively seek solutions to
the situation.
S. D. Shanti, DDS, MPH, PhD, CPH is a full-time
faculty member at A.T. Still University in Mesa, AZ,
where she teaches public health. She is a dentist
with a doctorate in clinical psychology and she
is the author of the book, The Time-Starved
Woman's Guide to Emotional Wellbeing. She
offers workshops and coaching on emotional
well-being.
53
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Summer 2015
Staying Connected in a Large, Diverse Orgainziation
Palm Springs: A PCSO Favorite
Trustee Report
PCSO at a Glance
PCSO Member News
AAOF Report
Special Section on CBCT
CBCT Imaging Protocols Within PCSO Residency Programs
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography in Orthodontics - Benefits of Comprehensive Visualization
Case Report Pre-Treatment
CBCT in Today's Orthodontic Practice
Case Report Post-Treatment
Differentiating Posterior Crossbites with CBCT Volumetric Images
Apps for the Orthodontist
Dr. Ib Leth Nielsen, San Francisco, CA
Dr. Robert J. Bendzak
Dr. Arthur A. Dugoni's 90th Birthday Makes for a Special Alumni Meeting in San Francisco
Preparing for the Unexpected: Your Emotional SOS Plan, Part II
Resident Spotlight
Hygiene: A New Battle for an Old War
Dr. Peter Picard, 1919-2013
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