Soul Systematic - Simple Program to help with feelings of Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, and General Stress. by Steve Watson - HTML preview

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Introduction

As a child, everything was pretty normal. I had a fairly happy childhood as things go. No signs of worry, fear or anxiousness. In fact, I didn’t have a care in the world; it was just like gliding on an open ocean, ful of happiness and joy. Of course, most could relate to what I am saying. When you’re a child, you have nothing to worry about; that’s the adult’s job to do that. When you’re a child, the innocence, the sweetness and the passion are so natural. It’s as if, when you were born into this reality, you were made of that material of wonder and you just carried it through with you as a gift. At this point it seems a shame we have to grow up, especial y when things are so fun and worry-free.

After childhood, the next phase of my life was becoming a teenager.

There has always been a stereotype of what becoming a teenager is about, and it isn’t too far off the truth. This is when things started to become very difficult for me and the problems began to surface. I often wonder if, when you become a teenager, someone flicks a switch and you suddenly become ful of fear of life and everything else around you. It’s as if you wake up from a happy dream and suddenly realise where you real y are; it’s not a pleasant feeling, I can tel you. My troubles real y began when I hit 18. After that, I started to have the onset of fear come over me like a wave. What happened was I started to get a feeling of panic in public places, but it was not Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 6

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present al the time; it was just a sudden attack out of the blue.

I actual y went through a period when I not only continued to get panic attacks, but also suffered low self-esteem and had a feeling of people watching me. It was the worst feeling you could have, and it was very hard for me, because I would be asked out publicly for social gatherings and I often didn’t want to go. I felt reluctant to attend, because of the fear of a panic attack. I never knew when it would strike and it was very hard to control, or indeed stop. Despite the fear of the attacks, I decided to do some socializing, going out drinking with people, and this is when it became real y hard for me. I remember sitting in a bar, and someone ordered me a drink. So far everything had been fine - until I lifted the bottle. My hand just started shaking, and I thought I was going to drop it. At that point I just stopped and put the bottle down. I actual y never got to have a drink, because I was so nervous about holding it.

It was a very embarrassing moment, because I thought someone might have noticed my panic episode, and al I wanted to do was just leave and run away to hide from the fear. Only someone who’s been through this wil wholeheartedly understand how debilitating this panic condition real y is, and how it can wreck your life and stop you from trying to be normal like everyone else. After numerous panic attacks, I decided to see a local therapist to help cure me. It was the very first time I had ever met a therapist, and at first I felt the process was a bit strange - almost alien, actual y.

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The things she was tel ing me to do were just strange and at the time I kind of felt “Is this going to help?” It was a very frustrating time for me. After the therapy I was none the wiser, stil feeling my panic was there and that no resolution had occurred. Years afterwards, the panic continued on and off as before, and it never seemed to leave my poor soul. I just accepted at the time that I was going to have to live with the burden and simply try to carry on, which was al I could do. During the periods of panic attacks, I also suffered with depression in my life.

Depression became a major part of my panic attacks, making me feel completely worthless and out of place.

My panic attacks and depression carried on now and again into my late 20’s. In my early 30’s I suffered my first anxiety attack. At this point, from memory it’s hard to put a finger on how or when it real y started, only that it did start and it hit me like a ten-ton train. I actual y woke up one morning and just had the terrible feeling of extreme anxiousness throughout my whole body. The thing that had me in most fear was the racing heart; I felt so wound up and out of control.

Even though I felt awful, I decided to venture into work and sit at my desk, which was hard bearing in mind how I was feeling that morning.

As the day went on, I began to feel my symptoms worsen. I started to feel sick in the stomach and my heart was racing. I told my work col eagues I needed to leave quickly, as I just couldn’t handle the feeling any more, so I left and drove myself home. The anxiety never stopped; it just kept on coming. I had a constant racing heartbeat and I just couldn’t slow it down.

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These anxiety episodes had continued for weeks, and I was in and out of work constantly. At the time, I felt that I needed to work, even though I was feeling so anxious. I was afraid I would lose my job if I didn’t go in each day. So I decided to head to A&E in desperation to find out what was wrong. Just to make something clear, at this point I didn’t actual y know what was wrong or what I was suffering with at al . After al , this was my first anxiety attack, and I didn’t real y understand what was going on. When I arrived at the hospital, it wasn’t long until I was seen, and I had to lie down on a bed so they could run some tests. After the test was done, I had to wait a while, lying on the bed with my heart racing at a mil ion miles an hour. The doctor came back with the results. They had done the usual tests: blood pressure, blood sample and heart rate. They told me they couldn’t find anything wrong. I had a clean bil of health, except that my heart rate was a little high, that was al .

It was a relief to discover nothing serious was wrong, only that my heart was racing a little faster than normal. The thing is, though, no-one at the A&E could tel me what was wrong. They just said

“You’re fit to leave us now.” So, feeling no better than before, and very confused, I left to go home. I was asking myself “Why? What is happening to me?” I was in a total state of confusion and desperation.

I just didn’t know what I was experiencing.

So, day after day, my anxiety continued to haunt me. I never real y went anywhere. I just mainly stayed at home and buried my head. In Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 9

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my mind, I just wished it would leave me alone and let me be a normal human being again. After weeks of suffering, my anxiety levels did, amazingly, start to drop and become less extreme. I actual y got to the point where I was feeling so much better that I booked a flight to America to go away for three weeks. Compared to where I was before, this was a revelation to me, I can tel you. Only there was a slight problem: even though I was feeling much better, in my head I felt as if my anxiety might return, and I was real y worried about going on holiday. I thought if I went, it might return, maybe even worse than before.

Another issue to add to that worry was my fear of flying. I real y don’t like planes much. I kind of see travel ing by plane as like being strapped into a rocket with wings attached; you probably get my drift on this one. So, not only was I worried about my anxiety returning, it was the 7-hour journey too. In the end everything actual y went fine. I managed to get on the plane and my anxiety didn’t seem to manifest itself at al . Having been in America for a week, everything seemed to be going fine. I hadn’t had any sign of my anxiety, and I was fairly happy at that point. It wasn’t until I was walking round a shopping mal that I suddenly felt my heart skip a beat, and a big one too; I real y felt it. I stood, a bit shocked, and I thought “Oh God, please don’t tel me this is happening again.” I was very upset, because I thought that I had overcome my problem, but clearly I hadn’t completely.

Fortunately, that was the only occurrence, and afterwards everything seemed good again.

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I actual y continued to progress without any real problems with anxiety; maybe general stress, but obviously that’s quite normal. For a few years, I was back to normal again, with no signs of anxiety, and it wasn’t until a year later that it returned with a vengeance. Things took a drastic turn for me; after years of being married, my partner and I separated. It was at this point that my life went into a complete downward spiral and almost into oblivion. Months after the split, I was in pretty high spirits. I felt good about myself even though I’d lost my partner. Until, one day, I began to become severely depressed. I started to real y miss this person I loved and didn’t know what to do. I was literal y sitting at home with my head in my hands, rocking about in pain; I felt hopeless and completely lost. I actual y felt as if someone had stolen my soul. I real y felt dead inside and very numb from my mindset.

My deep depression lasted for many months. I just didn’t seem to be getting any better. Unfortunately, my depression led to thoughts of self harm, and I actual y thought about taking my life because I real y felt so lost and worthless. These thoughts continued over a period of time, and I managed to seek professional help. I went to see a doctor who specialized in mental health, especial y depression. At first I thought it might help; at least talking to someone about my problems might help uplift my mood. I paid numerous visits to the same doctor, and eventual y she suggested going on antidepressants. Now at this point, most people would have taken the tablets with both hands, but not me, I’m afraid. Why? Wel , I have never believed in tablets, Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 11

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especial y those coming from the pharmaceutical industry. I haven’t liked the side-effects of tablets, and that’s why I rejected taking anything for my depression.

It was a very tough period in my life. I went back to work and tried to carry on as normal. But for a while, something was missing; I just didn’t feel myself. Gradual y, over time, things started to look a little brighter for me. My depression was much better; in fact, I was feeling pretty much back to my normal self. Everything was running quite swimmingly, until one day I was told I was going to be laid off from work.

At first, it was a bit of a shock. I had been at the company for at least three years, so I didn’t real y want to leave. But real y, I wasn’t entirely happy at my work place either, so I actual y felt afterwards maybe it was a good thing. Luckily I got a fairly decent payoff from the company, al owing me time to try and find another job. At first I was pretty relaxed, feeling confident I would find another job fairly quickly.

I’m quite experienced in what I do, and I real y thought I would be working again reasonably soon. Unfortunately, I went for month after month without any job. In fact, I was finding it hard to get interviews at the time. Of course, my stress levels began to rise as time went on without any sign of work.

With al this going through my head, my worst fear came back to haunt me again. My anxiety returned - but not immediately. It began Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 12

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with a feeling of nausea in my stomach, which lasted for a number of days. It did actual y come and go, but it never real y went away. Wel , unfortunately, the worst was yet to come, and my anxiety came back with a vengeance, like nothing before. This time, it was worse than the first attack, and I had a feeling of nausea, which was horrible, to say the least, plus the racing heart rate once again. However, other things started happening. I was experiencing sharp pains al over my body, primarily around my feet, legs, back and chest.

During my anxiety, I actual y had a number of very bad nights; in fact, for some reason at night I felt even worse than during the day. But there was one particular night that was the worst of them al . I remember getting ready for bed, and at that point I was feeling pretty awful. I thought I was going to get hardly any sleep that night. Wel , I began to lie down, and suddenly I started to feel real y sick in my stomach, with my heart racing nineteen to the dozen. I actual y recal lying there, thinking to myself “This is it; I think I am going to die this time.” I was feeling so unwel in myself that I just couldn't see me getting through the night, to be honest. I started to think how I would miss my family and friends. I didn’t want to go because I felt surely it wasn’t my time yet. Wel , an hour or so afterwards, incredibly, I started to feel better and the feelings had worn off. After that horrible night, I woke up one morning and continued to get the same symptoms as before.

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It's important to note that my anxiety, panic attacks and depression continued on and off. I found it was so easy to fal into the same feelings as before, and it continued to be the bane of my life. It wasn’t until a short time afterwards that I started researching and finding techniques, especial y for mental health, that final y began to help me through my recovery.

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The Route to Recovery

After a decade of being plagued with anxiety, panic attacks and depression, I final y discovered the only sensible solution that would relieve my symptoms. I actual y woke up one day and realised that the sure-fire solution was indeed myself, and that I needed to take drastic action. This was my biggest wake-up cal , and it empowered me once I had a plan of what I was going to do. However, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and would be a real chal enge. Firstly, my plan would require many changes in my lifestyle, and after years of having the same old routines, it proved to be an actual chal enge for me.

My route to recovery was inspired by al kinds of methods I discovered and applied during my period of suffering with mental health issues.

My recovery was based on holistic methods only, with no drugs or therapy required. I decided to try and resolve my problems myself, rather than pass them over to someone else, and it’s this very philosophy that got me back to ful wel ness again. The Soul Systematic Program, revealed later in this book, is the primary key to overcoming these mental disorders. From my experience of suffering with these problems, it has never been a speedy recovery. It doesn’t matter whether it’s anxiety, panic attacks or depression; al of these mental health issues can take time to overcome.

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For example, when suffering with anxiety it took me over a month to final y get rid of the anxious feeling and be myself again. Furthermore, my experience with depression also took me a month or so to overcome, but again, I did overcome it and feel better than ever. But as you wil discover later on in this book, it wil require some changes to your lifestyle and an effort on your part.

I started to implement many changes to my life in order to relieve my symptoms. At this point, my plan was to do things that would help me cope and recover as quickly as possible. The first things that came to mind were family and friends. I decided to surround myself with them as much as I possibly could. It’s very important to do this as it wil help you recover more quickly and also give you a distraction from your negative feelings and symptoms. I also began to take time out more and make time to listen to uplifting music to boost my mood and relax myself.

As I began making more changes, I started to get more confident and do the things I would normal y do. Whether it was driving, shopping or seeing family and friends, I just forced myself to live my life as normal. Obviously, I was doing al this while I was stil suffering, but the key was that I kept on going despite the bad feelings I had, and that helped me so much. Right now, I can tel you the worst thing you could do is shut yourself away and hide. This wil not help and wil only cause a delay in your recovery. Another important aspect in my recovery was something extremely simple, and that was walking. I Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 16

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found walking a life saver, and it has literal y transformed my life in so many ways. Obviously, walking is a great exercise to do, but it is also very relaxing, especial y when done in the right locations. Walking wil become a very important part of the program, as I wil discuss later on.

Of course, altering your diet is another obvious solution that is often mentioned. I do believe moving to a healthier diet wil certainly help recovery. I didn’t make drastic changes to my diet - not at first, anyway

- I just made smal changes. Most people wil find it hard to make drastic diet changes, so starting smal is best. After al these alterations, I noticed my anxiety, depression and panic began to dwindle. They no longer had power over me, because I was the one who had the power. The key to recovery is not “coping”, it’s “control”.

In order to recover you need to be in control, so that it’s not in control of you. These mental disorders feed on fear, they feed on lack of self control; that’s why the symptoms can be very nasty. For myself, I just took back control and al owed my body to recover in good time.

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Doctors, Medicine and Therapists When we feel unwel , we wil always turn to a doctor for assistance, and maybe grab some tablets or even visit a therapist. In society, it is very common to rely on others to help and to provide the solutions.

However, although in most cases getting help is a good thing which we do need, we forget that we have the ability to help ourselves too.

For myself, my experience of doctors, medicine and therapists is a mixed one at best. Original y, I used to feel that the mainstream way of coping with anxiety, depression and panic attacks was the best way forward, but I real y don’t think that any more.

For example, doctors are far too quick on the draw to pass you a drug for your il ness these days. Usual y, they wil prescribe a similar type of drug that covers a variety of mental il nesses. According to mainstream medicine, there is only one way, and that’s taking a pil and al your worries wil go away. Unfortunately, the hard truth is that there is no magic pil that wil cure you instantly. That is just the bottom line. Taking a pil wil only mask the symptoms in the long run, but it certainly won’t cure anything. In fact, in most cases, taking these medications for long periods of time can result in the symptoms coming right back again, sometimes worse than before.

I am not advocating refusal to take drugs offered to treat mental disorders, by the way. It’s just I don’t feel it’s the only solution we have Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 18

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at our disposal. In over a decade of suffering from anxiety, panic attacks and depression, I have not taken one single pil to relieve the symptoms I have endured throughout that time. I simply don’t believe in them, and, when offered, refused many times to take any for my problems.

Drugs were designed only as a band aid, not as anything that wil resolve the root cause of the problem. The big question is: Why is everything this way? Does it real y make any sense? The primary reason behind al this revolves around one thing, and that is - money.

Part of the problem is that drugs are very big business and are treated as such, therefore drugs are pushed on everybody in the name of profit. However, I don’t blame doctors in general. They mean wel , but they have little chance when they have powerful corporations tel ing them what to do.

We face many serious problems when we are dealing with major drug corporations that wil put profit before actual health. Many doctors today think in a very one-dimensional way, and it often clouds their judgment. Doctors also seem to know more about the side effects of drugs and their applications than anything else. You won’t hear many doctors recommend holistic treatments, mainly because the drug companies won’t make any profit, and that is of grave concern to humanity. However, what about the drugs themselves? Are they real y useless and overpriced? In some cases drugs can be useful and in other cases they can do more harm than good.

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There are two key issues with drugs in general. Firstly, they don’t always relieve the symptoms you suffer from, and secondly, they are often associated with quite horrible side effects. Regarding anxiety, panic attacks and depression, the drugs often prescribed can actual y make the condition worse than before. So what options do we have if taking drugs isn’t the sensible answer any more? Wel , to be honest, that’s the point of this book. As you wil discover, there are plenty of solutions other than taking drugs.

Of course, another solution would be to see a therapist to relieve the symptoms rather than take those expensive drugs. I don’t personal y have a big problem with therapists in general, and sometimes they can be effective in helping with mental health issues. However, in my experience with therapists, I haven’t real y found much success and often felt that I would be better off dealing with my problems alone.

The problem with having therapy is that you’re wanting someone else to help you. What you’re doing is passing your problem to someone else rather than dealing with it yourself.

So, what is the final conclusion here? Right now, I am not saying that you shouldn’t see your doctor or take any medication offered to you.

However, I do recommend you take note of what I am trying to explain and understand the reasons why it might not be the best route for you. You can start any program and run it alongside medication treatment, and even therapy too, without any problems.

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An Overview of Mental Disorders

There are many different types of mental disorders that affect people every day. This can be anything from anxiety and depression to phobias, bipolar disorder or panic attacks, to name just a few.

However, this book focuses only on the mental illnesses I have suffered with previously, as I have extensive experience with them.

Mental health issues are very commonplace and affect one in four people. It is not an easy condition to treat, as there are multiple causes. Usually drugs and therapy are administered. Having a mental illness is not a disorder with you as such; it is more a disorder with our world and how it affects us.

Mental illness can be overcome with the correct treatment, and most people recover fairly quickly. Below is a brief description of these mental disorders:

Anxiety

Anxiety can affect your daily life and cause you to become restless, be unable to sleep, and suffer physical symptoms such as rapid heart rate, upset stomach and dizziness. Anxiety symptoms, such as a racing mind and palpitations, are also very common with sufferers.

There are many different types of anxiety disorders that people suffer from today.

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These include the fol owing:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Social anxiety disorder

• Specific phobias

Depression

Depression usual y relates to very low moods and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. It can affect your general sleeping pattern and your eating habits. Usual y your physical health can suffer, especial y if your depression is chronic. Depression can range from very mild to very severe, and can be related to anxiety too.

The fol owing are different types of depression:

• Major depressive disorder

• Manic depression (bipolar disorder)

• Dysthymic depression

• Situational depression

• Psychotic depression

• Endogenous depression

Panic attacks

Panic attacks usual y come out of the blue, unexpectedly. The symptoms are very similar to general anxiety, except they appear without warning and can be very unpleasant. Common symptoms Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 22

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include feeling faint, trembling with fear, chest pains, or an increased heart rate.

There are many common symptoms associated with al three of these mental disorders:

• Trembling

• Nausea

• Heart palpitations

• Numbness or “pins and needles” in arms, hands or legs

• Trouble fal ing or staying asleep

• Anger or irritability

• Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness

• Sleep changes

• Unexplained aches and pains.

General y, the common symptoms of mental disorders can be very scary in how they make you feel. However, not everyone wil experience al the common symptoms; some border on the very mild while others are very severe. It is vital y important to seek professional medical help if you have any of these symptoms, to avoid any further suffering. You may find some of these symptoms just wear off; that does happen, sometimes fairly quickly or in other cases taking longer to go completely. For myself, I did experience many of the above symptoms, and they made life very uncomfortable, but they did go eventual y, and that’s the good news.

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The Root Cause of Mental Disorders Everything in life has a cause of some kind and mental disorders are absolutely no different from anything else. Regarding anxiety, panic attacks and depression, the causes are very complex. The root causes are often internal or external in how they affect each person. It very much depends on events happening in one’s life and how one manages to cope. As mentioned before, these conditions are al interrelated and there are many common causes.

In everyday life, we often have many things to be concerned about.

The list of problems we face can seem never-ending. Firstly, psychological trauma is very common regarding mental il ness. This could be severe emotional or physical trauma, or a significant early event, such as neglect or the loss of a parent. Secondly, we also have environmental factors that have a big impact. This could be losing your job, having a marriage break-up, financial difficulties, or maybe even moving home. Any of these could actual y cause problems to surface. Whatever the root cause might be, it al ends up being put down to one thing: and that’s fear.

As a society we have so much fear piled on to us that we just reach breaking point and can’t handle things any more. We have so much to be fearful of, so much happening in our lives, that it isn’t real y a surprise that we are suffering. For example, if your marriage has Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 24

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broken up, you’l usual y find yourself feeling a sense of loss and loneliness about the situation. But yet again, it’s that word ‘fear’. It’s a fear of being alone again, or whatever may be causing that fear.

Throughout our lifetime, we experience so many events and situations that put us into fear mode. There are actual y many good examples of events that cause us to be fearful in the not-too-distant past. Heading back to 2001, an event took place in America that changed the face of the world and everyone’s overal security in general. September 11th 2001 was a major event in our history and had a massive effect on the human physiological state. The state of fear after that fateful day went off the scale around the world, and people became quite anxious.

Obviously, after this event people suddenly became anxious about flying. It’s a great example of an anxiety state triggered by an event, and this is very common, even in general life situations. Becoming anxious, depressed and panicky is easy within this environment. And it’s becoming a more common theme within this world, and more chal enging to resolve these problems. Mental disorders al have a common association with each other and are hard to resolve properly.

Unless you remove what’s causing the problem, it won’t get resolved and wil remain. That's what makes mental disorders so complex; it’s identifying the real cause.

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The mainstream medical community states that chemical imbalance is the cause of mental disorders. I strongly disagree. It’s the world that’s out of balance, not any of us. The human species simply wasn’t designed to cope with this kind of pressure in life, and the overal figures of mental suffering are a testimony to this. As an experiment, if you were to put humans on a different planet, away from the usual stress of Earth life, it would be interesting to see the end results. If we al lived in tranquil, stress-free environments, I believe we would al be better off.

Here are other common causes that can trigger an anxiety attack, panic or depression:

• Trauma from events such as abuse, victimization or the death of a loved one

• Stress in a personal relationship, marriage, friendship or divorce

• Stress at work

• Stress from school

• Stress about finances and money

• Stress from a natural disaster

• Lack of oxygen in high-altitude areas

• Stress from a serious medical il ness

• Side effects of medication

• Symptoms of a medical il ness

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Whatever the actual cause might be, al kinds of situations are responsible for it. Another complex cause of mental disorders can be about the pattern of the mind.

Often, as children, we develop mind patterns that pretty much govern our life’s reality and how we live it. This general y carries into adulthood, unless something alters the pattern of thinking.

Mind patterns are a habit; it becomes habitual to think in a certain way. However, this kind of pattern of thinking can carry very grave consequences. It is a way of thinking that can trigger mental disorders. For example, a mind pattern can cause anxiety, and someone may wel have had this pattern of thinking for some time in his or her life.

You may have a habit of worrying about everything, but again this is a mind pattern. Al mental disorders are related to how we think, whether it’s anxiety, panic attacks or depression. Of course, the way we al think can be associated with how we were brought up by our parents and how we were taught at school.

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The Soul & Body - A Higher Balance Often when we think of our overal health, we think of our physical body. Usual y, when we feel very il , we do things to our bodies to remedy the ailment, whatever it might be. We get so caught up in treating our bodies that we often forget our soul side of the problem.

What about my soul? What’s this got to do with anything? Actual y, it has a lot to do with so many things. Our souls, just like our bodies, also require a little bit of TLC, should I say. The primary problem today is modern medicine doesn’t directly treat the soul as such; it’s more the physical body that gets the attention.

But doesn’t treating the physical body affect our soul too? Yes, it does, but to achieve a higher state of wel ness, both have to be treated. For example, if you visited a doctor and described your ailment, his direct thought would be to treat your body, but not your soul. Hold on – wouldn’t it make more sense to treat both the body and soul? Wouldn’t that be a better solution? Wel , I think we would al be better off if both were treated. Despite the introduction of drugs, which can affect the soul too, the soul work is down to us. We have the power to heal both the soul and body, if we so choose, with pretty amazing results.

There’s a saying, “What we think, we become.” Yes, exactly, very true.

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we do, we become, too; because it’s al about cause and effect. The human body is just basical y like an outer shel vehicle that the soul has taken over operation of, and the soul is the driver. However, because we are the soul driver, that means we have a lot of responsibility. Every part of our bodies - cel s, organ, and blood - gets affected with how we think and what we do with both the soul and body.

That’s why it’s so important, and by understanding this truth, it can bring about profound healing. We have the power to bring both into a higher balance of health, just by doing the right thing; that’s al it takes. But what’s the difference between the soul and body? The soul, as I understand it, is basical y our state of consciousness, the main overriding factor of our existence. Simply put, if you had no soul, you wouldn’t exist. This is why I cal ed this book Soul Systematic, because the soul is even more important than the body in many cases.

There is a system for the soul, to systematical y exist in a higher balance of being. We need to remember that both the soul and body are important, and both need to be treated. It’s not that I feel the body isn’t important and shouldn't get as much attention; we need to treat each as much as the other. When suffering from mental disorders, it is especial y important to treat the soul, as that is what is being mostly affected. Your body wil show signs of symptoms, as it always wil , but the soul wil be making these symptoms manifest - do you get my drift? The basic conclusion to this is: treat both the soul and body.

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The Meaning of Life

I have had this recurring question that keeps bugging me, and it’s basical y along the lines of: What is al this about? Who are we, real y?

What is Human? Why are we here and what is the point of life in general? Why is it we have to suffer so badly on Earth and why does it have to be like this? I am pretty sure at this point that I am not the only one who thinks this way, or indeed asks the same questions. It’s a funny old life, this one, and often doesn’t make much sense; at least on the surface it doesn’t.

However, despite my own doubts, I believe we are here for good reasons. We might wake up in the morning and dread the day ahead sometimes, and even think “Why me?” But I believe strongly there is a purpose to this existence and our life experience. The whole universe was created with a purpose, not by chance. The human race is not an accident; it was by design and we are here for a particular reason.

Something is responsible for us being here - apart from our parents, of course - but I am talking on a much deeper level.

Do I believe in God? I guess I do, yes, although I cal it a creator as such. While we al live our lives on little old Earth, the universe keeps on going and new planets get born, etc. Creation is a constant occurrence, and it is what it is and wil always be so. I often hear people say the words “Wel , life is too short, so you’d better make the Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 30

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best of it”. Wel , actual y if you think about it, it doesn’t make any sense. Surely life isn’t short at al . Just think about this for a brief second; do you think one lifetime is enough to learn everything you need to know? I think you would struggle with a ‘yes’ on this one.

You see, from my point of view, you would need multiple lifetimes to learn from your mistakes and everything you did in that lifetime. It’s a sobering and exciting thought: that we have multiple chances, multiple lifetimes to experience and learn. I kind of see it like moving up a ladder and learning more and more. But this thought brings in a complication, and that’s this: Is there an afterlife? I would say absolutely, but it’s more a continuation of life, except elsewhere, like a different location, that’s al .

This is especial y important when we deal with anxiety and depression. Sometimes it’s our insecurities about the future that can cause us to feel this way. When we realise there is no end, just a continuation of life, it changes our whole philosophy towards life. Al of a sudden the fear factor goes away and we realise life is basical y an experience; that’s al it is. And we wil have further experiences, much more beyond this one.

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Soul Systematic

This program was developed to target the core problem of mental health issues. It is my belief as the author that mental healing comes from multiple methodologies and not just one single method. When the 13 key methods outlined in this program come together, it al starts to make perfect sense. With regard to treating anxiety, depression and panic attacks, I used this very same program myself, to recover.

Your success from this program rests with you and your desire to get wel again. This program may seem overwhelming, but actual y it’s not; it can be achieved easily and incorporated into your current lifestyle. These methods are al effective to treat these mental health disorders; however, if you are on medication to treat your symptoms, please carry on as indicated by your physician. These methods are just guides to help you pul through and come out on the other side, smiling once again.

To get yourself wel again, the fol owing actions are required from you in order to succeed with this program:

• Time

• Commitment

• Support

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• Motivation

• Patience

• Faith

It’s very important you set aside plenty of time to practise everything within this program. You’l also need to commit yourself and have the patience to carry everything through to the end. You also need to have the motivation and faith to get through it and receive the required support. Remember, you are the only one who can heal yourself with your own actions. It’s down to you and you only.

This program is designed not only to provide solutions for anxiety, panic attacks and depression, but also for general everyday stress.

Also, its aim is not only to heal these issues, but also, more importantly, to prevent them. Healing and prevention are the two important aspects of this book. In reality, this program is easy to fol ow and can be mastered very quickly.

Let’s begin the program.

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Oxygen

“Oxygen is the primary element for al life on Earth.”

Oxygen is absolutely essential in maintaining a high balance of health. Getting plenty of oxygen every day wil help strengthen your immune system and boost your clarity of mind. When you lack oxygen, it creates too much stress on the body, which struggles to maintain proper functioning. Simply put, every time you breathe, everything changes: your heart rate slows down, blood pressure drops, muscles relax and the anxiousness calms. Oxygen is simply your medicine.

However, there are two primary factors as to why most people today are oxygen-deficient. Humans in general usual y breathe at a shal ow rate, which has become the normal way of breathing for a long time now. The problem is that shal ow breathing doesn’t supply the body with enough oxygen, thereby causing a lot of strain on our heart and lungs in the process. Living a sedentary lifestyle is another big factor.

Most of us just don’t get out enough, so we end up lacking quality oxygen. Being indoors for most of the day wil certainly hinder your wel -being and cause many health issues.

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In fact, oxygen has many added benefits:

• Improves concentration and memory

• Boosts your general mood, increasing happiness

• Supplies your body with plenty of energy

• Increases profound healing

• Strengthens your heart

• Helps recovery from extensive physical workouts

• Improves sleeping patterns

• Assists the body with toxin elimination These are just some of the benefits that oxygen can give your body.

The next part of the process is learning deep breathing exercises. This wil help to decrease the feelings of anxiety, depression and panic attacks. This is something that wil take a little getting used to, especial y if you haven’t done it before or tried it in this particular way.

However, it is very simple to do, but must be done properly to have the desired results.

Energised “Deep Breathing” Exercise The fol owing exercise wil help ease the uncomfortable feelings and make your day much easier. Find a comfortable place to sit. This can be outdoors or indoors.

Now close your eyes and inhale slowly through your nose. Your bel y should be fil ing with oxygen more than your chest.

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When your lungs are ful and your bel y has expanded, try holding your breath for at least 5-10 seconds. Then slowly exhale through your mouth, releasing the air from your bel y.

This exercise should be done for at least 10 minutes each session, for an average of three times a day. The best way to achieve this is to do it once in the morning after you wake up, once in the afternoon and once just before you go to bed.

Usual y, doing this exercise wil give you a boost and ease those horrible feelings you’re experiencing. Of course, you can do it more than three times a day if you feel you need to, then try doing more sessions if you can manage it. Doing this exercise wil also strengthen your heart muscles and make it much stronger and healthier.

If you feel, after doing this exercise, you see no noticeable results, then do not worry. It wil require persistence on your part and maybe several sessions in order to see any real results. As for myself, I found this exercise very helpful. It certainly helped me through my rough period dealing with these awful feelings.

There is another version of this deep breathing exercise you can also try. This one differs a little, as it uses your nostrils instead. It’s just another way of doing it, but can also be effective.

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Energised “Deep Breathing” Exercise Using Nostrils Find a comfortable place to sit. This can be outdoors or indoors.

Now close your eyes and inhale slowly while closing your left nostril.

Your bel y should be fil ing with oxygen more than your chest.

When your lungs are ful and your bel y has expanded, try holding your breath for at least 5-10 seconds. Then open your left nostril and slowly exhale through your mouth, releasing the air from your bel y.

This process can now be repeated for the right nostril, exactly the same as above. This exercise again should be done for at least 10

minutes each session, for an average of three times a day.

I would suggest experimenting between the two types of exercises and seeing what you feel works better for you. You should feel the difference after doing these exercises, but as I mentioned, it often requires persistence. Hopeful y you’l feel more energised and refreshed to go about your normal daily routines.

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Visualisation

“Visualisation is a powerful way to exercise your five senses.”

This amazing ability, which we al have, can real y help with relieving stress and calming the mind. However, the most powerful aspect of using visualisations is the use of our five senses. When you perform a visualisation you have the potential to use your touch, taste, hearing, smel , and sight. What I am going to explain wil differ somewhat from the usual way visualisations are used and promoted.

For example, usual y you would be asked to close your eyes and imagine being on a nice, beautiful beach somewhere; a place that makes you feel nice and relaxed. Now, I don’t have anything against this philosophy; this is a good visualisation and it can work wonders.

However, what I am going to show you wil take it much further. The beauty of using your five senses is that you can take it to another level entirely.

The greatest aspect of using your five senses is that your brain cannot tel the difference between whether you are actual y, physical y doing it or whether it’s just a visualisation using the power of the mind. Therefore, in some ways you’re tricking your brain into thinking it’s actual y real and happening at that moment. This is why it is a very powerful tool, and can work many wonders.

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For example, instead of just visualising yourself on a nice calm beach, why not be adventurous? Why just visualise lying down on the beach and feeling the sun? The fact is, our minds are very powerful tools and we can actual y do much more than this. We have the ability to project ourselves into our own mini-reality and experience amazing things using our own natural senses.

Let’s now look at some exercise examples of what it is possible to achieve in a visualisation:

Visualisation location: Tropical beach Firstly, close your eyes and imagine you are on a beautiful tropical beach and you’re lying down on a nice comfortable sun bed. Using your five senses, imagine the smel s of the ocean and sand around you, feel the sun beating down on your skin, giving you a nice warm sensation al over your body. Now let’s take it a step further. Get up off your sun bed and stand in the sand, feeling it underneath your feet.

Try to imagine the warm texture of the sand, as you remember it from actual y being there yourself. Next, look down upon the sand and pick up a rock. While holding this rock, feel the smooth and rough texture with your hand and make it as real as you possibly can. After you have done this, look up and throw the rock as far as you can towards the open sea. As this happens, see it head towards the sea and actual y drop into the water with a big splash.

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Now, at first you might find this a chal enge. Sometimes it’s not easy if you’re not used to doing visualizations. It wil take a bit of practice, as anything does, but I believe most people can achieve this type of visualisation. So, just like learning to drive a car or bike, it may take many sessions in order to achieve the above exercise. However, the more you practise, the more your mind wil adjust and you wil find you can visualise with no problems.

The greatest thing about this is you can visualise wherever you want to be at any time; a beach is just an example. Just think of somewhere you feel most relaxed and at ease.Visualisation types: The next levelThe first example is just a starter; you can take visualisations even further. As I mentioned before, you can be adventurous and get creative in your visualisations. Here are some more examples of what can be achieved with the power of your mind.

Be an explorer

Fol owing on from the previous example, I am going to be using the tropical beach location once again. This time, we are going to be moving a lot more and real y push it to the limits. This time, rather than standing stil , I want you to look up towards the far outreaching beach and begin to walk across the sand. Again, as before, imagine the texture of the sand underneath your feet as you walk. Feel the warmth of the sand and continue to walk as far as you can, feeling the calmness and peace. You might find it hard at first to keep the vision, Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 40

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but as I said before, the more you practise, the more real you can make it. Make sure you use al your five senses. You need to make it as real as you possibly can.

Be a swimmer

Of course, walking isn’t the only activity you can use. You can also imagine yourself swimming and relaxing in a pool. As before, imagine yourself standing next to a swimming pool and smel its aroma. Now, get yourself into the pool, either using a ladder or just easing yourself in from the edge. Once you’re in the pool, imagine the warmth of the water around you and the smel s and the feeling of the water touching your skin. Next, visualise yourself swimming across the pool, again as far as you can, making it as real as you can manage.

The above visualisations are more advanced examples. But there are a few more simplified exercises you can do.

The white bal of light visualisation This exercise is much easier to do and can have very good results. Sit down and find a comfortable chair. Now, imagine a white bal of light passing down on to your head, giving you a warm and calm feeling.

Imagine this warm feeling starting on your head, then imagine it moving down on to your neck. As the white light moves down, imagine al your muscles are relaxed. Work your way down your body, imagining every part, including your arms, hands, legs, chest, bel y, Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 41

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and feet are total y relaxed. Always begin with your head and work your way down to every other body part.

You may find the above visualisations a chal enge at first, but with a bit of practice you can achieve some amazing results. This wil certainly help with the feelings of panic, anxiousness and depression, as you are imagining being somewhere else entirely, somewhere that’s comfortable for you. Furthermore, you can be anywhere you want to be, at any time; there is no limitation. It also serves as a distraction technique. Rather than focusing on your uncomfortable feelings, you’l be much more focused on your visualisation. Once you become more efficient at visualisations, you'l begin to realise how much fun it is to do these things.

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Tranquil ity

“Tranquil ity is a way of creating inner peace.”

In our busy world today, we don’t often find time for ourselves to just sit back and relax. Far too many obstacles are placed in front of us and we struggle to find any time whatsoever for relaxation. However, even within a busy lifestyle we can find time to relax and chil out. The human species was designed for tranquil environments and not the mega-busy ones we often experience today. Despite that common problem, we do have useful tools at our disposal. Meditation is something that has been used in the ancient Asian part of the world for centuries.

It is something very effective in calming down the mind and deliberately focusing yourself on total peace. General meditation is often associated with calming background music and soothing voices that help you get into a deep meditative state. Or it may be that you just sit in silence in a comfortable manner and achieve relaxation this way. However, from experience, the most effective way is using calming sounds to help relax you enough to reach deep meditation.

The best ambience I have discovered is relaxing sounds of nature.

This might be calming drops of rain, waves of the sea, or maybe tropical nature sounds.

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There are many different varieties of these ambient sounds on the market today. The primary aim of ambient sounds is getting your mind to focus, so you tune out of what’s going on around you. Meditation almost acts like a distraction, so it’s actual y distracting your mind from what’s usual y going on. The more you meditate, the more you wil get into a habit of reaching relaxed states. Regular meditation wil help clear your mind and make life easier. Meditation doesn’t need to be very long; results can be achieved in 30 minutes to an hour.

Meditation can be done at any time during the day; it doesn’t real y matter much. However, depending on circumstances, you might find doing meditation during the evening, or just before bedtime, best.

When doing meditation you wil often discover you visualise too; this often happens during deep meditative states. For example, if you’re listening to relaxing rain, you may visualise yourself in that environment. Visualisations and meditation go hand in hand, and can have very effective results.

Here is a very straightforward meditation for beginners.

Sit in a comfortable chair or lie comfortably. Now, close your eyes and do a few deep breathing exercises until you feel relaxed enough. Next, focus on breathing natural y while inhaling and exhaling. Once you feel at ease and relaxed, imagine al your muscles relaxing, starting from your head. Imagine al your muscles feeling as if they have had a release and al that tension has been eased out. Now work your way Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 44

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down your body through your neck, to your arms and then your fingers. Then continue to do the same for your stomach, hips and then your legs and feet. The aim of this meditation is to relax each part of your body gradual y, in order to achieve a relaxed meditative state. Try this exercise for 5-10 minutes and increase the length as you become more experienced.

There are other more advanced meditations, but this was a simple one to begin with.

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Emotions

“Releasing your trapped emotions can heal the soul.”

Throughout our lifetime, we often have so many experiences that sometimes it can take its tol . In general, we undergo many good things in life and have happy memories. Unfortunately, we also have to go through many traumatic events in our lives, which can often cause us to carry “emotional baggage”. Today, most people don’t realise they are carrying emotional problems with them, so it can often go undetected. Sometimes emotional issues wil turn up in dreams, especial y if they are unresolved emotions.

Over time, layers of emotions can build up in our system and cause our mind to go into overload. Sometimes these emotions can be so painful it affects our overal health, and unless these emotions are dealt with it can affect our whole life. The best solution for these trapped emotions is to deal with them directly and release the overal effect it has on our conscious and subconscious mind.

Firstly, we can use the power of visualisation to help with resolving emotional issues.

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Release traumatic events using visualisation The most proficient way to do this exercise is to think hard about anything that may have upset you in your past. For example, it may be a marriage break-up, someone being nasty to you, or maybe you are lacking self-esteem. Try to think of a major traumatic event in your life and sit down and make a list of al your problems. As you do this, you might be surprised at how many you can list, but this is good practice as it wil highlight these issues with more clarity. Once you have made a list of everything you feel could be an issue for you, try the fol owing session.

Sit down in a nice comfortable place and close your eyes. Now, pick one event in your life from the list and focus solely on that issue. Next, imagine the event visual y if you can, and try to hold it for a moment.

As you hold the event in your mind, turn it into a physical picture, just like a photograph. You are now holding that event as a picture. It is no longer active; it has almost become frozen in time. Next, imagine that picture you see before you just gradual y burn up and disintegrate before your very eyes. Just like the visualisation examples previously, make it real. As you imagine it burning up, smel the ashes and see the picture in flames.

The aim of this exercise is to instruct your mind that this emotional issue is no longer a problem, thereby limiting its effect on you and helping to release its grip on you. The best way to work through these Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 47

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issues is to tackle them one at a time, and focus on one issue first. It may take a number of sessions to have an overal effect and you might feel a sense of release afterwards.

There are other methods to explore in releasing your emotional past, too. Rather than using the mind directly to deal with emotion, we can also use physical solutions.

EFT, known as Emotional Freedom Technique, can also help with emotional issues. With these exercises you use your hands, for example using your fingers to tap certain areas on the body to release trapped emotions. This is targeting the meridian points on the body, which, when tapped, basical y shifts energy around. The main exercise involves tapping and saying an affirmation at the same time, which adds extra power to the regime.

EFT has been found to help with the fol owing:

• Removing negative emotions

• Reducing food cravings

• Reducing or eliminating pain

• Implementing positive goals

Acupuncture, similar to EFT, has been used for many generations, especial y in its place of origin, the Far East. It can have many benefits. Its effectiveness stems from the use of the body’s meridian points. The human body has a myriad of meridian points al over it, al Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 48

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connecting together, forming something almost like an electrical grid.

When each of these meridian points is tapped into or pressurised, it causes the energy around your body to shift around. Regarding emotions, when these points are touched it can cause profound energetic healing to occur.

Emotional issues often get trapped, so when acupuncture is applied, it’s as if you’re releasing these trapped emotions from your body.

However, it is not possible to release emotions entirely, only to limit the effect they have on you, so that they are not as painful and profound as before.

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Exercise

“Exercise is vital in keeping your body and soul in balance.”

Everybody knows exercise is good for our health; obviously this is no secret. However, because of general lifestyles, it can often be hard to fit exercise into your life. Our lives are so busy, and we are so occupied and focused on other things, that our health tends to be forgotten. I do strongly believe, though, more effort can be made to exercise more frequently, without overdoing it either. Exercise isn’t just effective for building muscle or improving circulation; it is also highly effective in boosting your mood and clarity of mind.

Exercising is especial y effective in treating anxiety, depression and panic attacks, primarily because it releases a positive electrical signal to the brain, which makes you feel better about yourself. Of course, there are many types of exercise which can be applied to your life, and al can be very effective. My personal preference is what I cal low impact exercises. Going to a gym and hammering your body for 30

minutes to an hour isn’t exactly what I am talking about here. When I mean low impact, I mean just using your body, with absolutely no equipment required.

The human body is capable enough itself of exercising without heavy equipment. So, what type of low impact exercises are available to us?

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Firstly, one of the best forms of exercise is walking. Yes, it sounds simple, but it works wonders in improving your mood and vitality.

Although, if you’re going for a walk, you want to make sure you’re in a relaxing environment. The best locations for walking are usual y remote ones, far away from busy places. When you walk, you need to feel relaxed and feel that tension released. For example, usual y for myself, I go for a walk in the countryside or into woodland. For some it might be a walk in a local park, which is fine also, but I prefer remote places myself.

Going for these kinds of walks wil dramatical y alter your feelings of unease and real y help you to feel better about yourself. Plus, it doesn’t need to be a very long walk; usual y 25-30 minutes is enough.

If you feel the need to walk for longer, you can always push it to an hour if you like. As always with exercise, your body wil tel you when it’s had enough, so listen and don’t overdo it. Walking, of course, isn’t the only exercise we can do; there are various others.

Another very effective exercise to do is qigong. What is qigong?

Qigong is an ancient Chinese exercise to help improve attention, physical posture and relaxation. It is practical y a system used for health maintenance, healing and enhanced vitality. Qigong exercises range from simple to more complex. Obviously it’s best to start with the simple exercises first, then work your way up. The great thing about qigong is that it can be done in the comfort of your home or, if Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 51

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you’re feeling brave, outside. I would definitely recommend trying this form of exercise, as it wil help you to focus, relax, and be less concerned with your problem.

If you don’t fancy doing exercises like qigong, you can always perform other similar ones, like yoga or aerobics. It doesn’t much matter which; what you are aiming for is complete relaxation. From my experience I feel low impact exercises are more effective than using heavy gym equipment. Especial y when dealing with anxiety, you want to be as relaxed as possible. If you get exhausted from too much exercise, this could trigger anxious symptoms.

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Love

“Love is the most powerful healing force in the universe.”

When we think of the word “love”, we think of our family, friends and partners. Love is a very strong force and al of us feel better in life when we are being loved and giving our love to others. Over time, we have lost our desire to love as much, often because of the culture we have been brought up in. It isn’t because we are not natural y loving; it’s just that we have lost our way a little, especial y towards others.

You would be forgiven for thinking that expressing love towards others is actual y considered a crime in some cases. It appears as a species we have lost that loving feeling, that true loving essence we once had in abundance. There was a famous song by The Beatles which sends out a strong message; it’s cal ed “Al you need is love”.

Exactly, this is so true. It is pretty much al we need, with our desire to express it towards others. We have to ask ourselves a big question, and that is “Do we love enough?” Is it ever enough, or can we love more?

The reason why the world is in so much turmoil is simply because we are lacking the power of love. When you express love towards another being, usual y they respond in a positive and loving manner towards you. There is actual y a science behind love and the reasons it is so Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 53

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powerful. Love in reality is actual y like a frequency, and when you send out love, you’re sending out a message that connects with others. The reason they feel your love is because it’s like an energetic force, connecting with your soul on a very deep level.

“Love real y is the answer”

However, being loving towards others isn’t just about making us feel good about ourselves. Love is also a powerful natural healer. It can have a profound impact on one’s health. In fact, love can provide you with the fol owing benefits:

• Increases healing

• Keeps your heart healthy

• Lowers blood pressure

• Helps you live a longer life

• Reduces physical pain

• Promotes enhanced mental health

Expressing love in your life, and receiving love, wil go a long way to helping your anxiety, depression and panic attacks. Love is a wonderful healer. It’s always heartwarming to see normal people, just off the street, offering “free hugs” to strangers just walking by. We have the ability to affect those around us in many positive ways; it’s just a shame it doesn’t happen more often. If you have children, a partner and family, try hugging them more than usual. Express that love and feel it coming back.

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Happiness

“Happiness is one of the keys to life.”

Of course, love and happiness go hand in hand, both promoting the same feelings. But just like love, happiness also helps our overal health and certainly wil dramatical y improve anxiety, depression and panic attacks. However, in a world that often chal enges our state of happiness, how do we keep ourselves real y happy? The best solution would be to anchor yourself to happiness. Force happiness to manifest itself by surrounding your environment with everything that makes you feel real y happy.

If you’re suffering real y badly with mental problems, then surrounding yourself with happiness is very important. Firstly, there are a number of things we can do to boost our moods fairly quickly. One effective way to do this is to watch your favourite comedian or favourite movie.

You may also have a pet you can spend time with; that wil increase your happiness. Try spending more time with family and friends. The more you surround yourself, the less likely you’l feel that horrible empty feeling.

There are some simple techniques that can be used as wel to boost our happiness. Firstly, when we smile, an electrical signal gets sent to the brain, giving an instruction that we are happy. Can we do this if we Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 55

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are not happy? Of course, your brain doesn’t know the difference; if you smile it thinks you’re happy. It’s just a signal. Also, try to think of a funny moment, with a friend, partner or family, that real y makes you laugh a lot. Make plans to visit places you enjoy that make you happy; maybe a special destination, or favourite restaurant. You can also use visualisations to anchor yourself to happiness. Using your five senses, just imagine hugging your loved ones and picture yourself in a happy state. These are al very powerful ways to manage our happiness and manifest that feeling.

Another thing that wil improve our happiness is forgiveness. Maybe someone upset you in the past and you’ve never forgiven them. It’s important not to hang on to the pain and to try forgiving that person; it wil certainly help you feel much better. Expanding your circle of friends wil improve your happiness and help you realise you’l always have someone there for you. You might even want to consider changing your profession. Maybe you’re not happy in your job and feel you need to change. Be more compassionate and help others in real need; helping other people is a very rewarding feeling.

Spending less time watching television and reading the newspapers wil increase your happiness. Having a de-cluttered house improves our moods and makes life much easier. Throwing out old clothes taking up space and reorganizing can make you feel much better.

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Sound

“Sound can heal the soul.”

We al know that listening to our favourite tunes can lift our overal mood and help us live a happier, more vibrant life. But sound can also play another important part in our health, one that has a more scientific explanation. Sound actual y expresses a vibrational frequency that can heal the soul and physical body. A good example of sound healing in action comes from an unlikely source - cats. If you have ever owned a cat, you would know as an owner that when a cat sits on your lap, you feel much more relaxed. The reason for this is because the cat is emitting a vibrational frequency that is beneficial to your health.

The cat is expressing its happiness at being cuddled with its purr, which then is being directed at you for your own benefit. Cats are just one brief example of the health benefits of sound and the potential of profound healing. However, does conventional music have the same effect? Yes. Anything that emits a sound is broadcasting a frequency that wil determine our state of health and mood. If your favourite tune is being played on the radio, your mood is suddenly improved, even though you might have had a bad day. As a general rule for myself, I tend to listen to music that uplifts me and avoid anything that could be depressing.

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If you’re suffering from mental health issues, you real y want to avoid music and even environments that could bring your mood down -

which brings up another issue we face in our day-to-day lives. The sound or noise of the environment we live in wil also affect our state of mind, and the mood we wil be in, on any particular day. If you live in a busy city then the sound from the place wil affect your overal mood and you may find it hard to relax. On the other hand, if you live in the remote countryside, you may find it easier because that particular environment is more relaxing.

If you are constantly hearing people and traffic, that sound wil cause you to become unsettled. If you live in the remote countryside you wil hear the birds singing and other natural sounds that wil calm you.

The point of this is to explain the differences between the two. In terms of sound, you need to create a space that wil improve your overal mood; not just music, but also the environmental sounds around you each day. Sound has the potential to dramatical y increase our state of being, and can be used to keep it that way. Avoid music that contains negative words, and just keep to uplifting tunes.

Also try to be in places that are relaxing, away from the general hustle and bustle.

You would be surprised at the results, and for mental health this is very effective treatment for the soul.

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Light

“Light is the universal healer.”

Getting light to our skin is very important, whether it’s sunlight or daylight. We al know that when summer arrives and we get plenty of sunlight, it dramatical y improves our health and mood. Having enough sunlight wil help produce Vitamin D in the body, which is vital y important to our overal wel -being. Receiving regular sunlight can also help with depression, building a strong immune system, and lowering blood pressure. Of course, getting sufficient sunlight regularly throughout the year is often a chal enge, depending on your geographic location.

When getting exposure to sunlight, it’s unnecessary to be out in the sun for long periods of time. Having around 5-10 minutes’ exposure, and getting plenty of rest in between sessions, is sufficient. This wil greatly improve your mood and you wil feel so much better from the exposure. Daylight is also vital y important. It isn’t something that is mentioned much, but daylight is just as beneficial. Even if it’s walking to the shops local y, and it’s a cloudy day, try to get out in the natural light of day as much as possible.

The sun is there for a reason. Without the sun, al life would cease to exist. That’s why it’s so important to expose yourself to light.

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Nutrition

“Nutrition revitalises the soul”

With health problems, nutrition is always mentioned as a possible culprit. These days we like to think we are doing the right things, especial y where our diet is concerned. People, though, are starting to realise more and more that improving our diet is the key to long-last-ing health. One of the biggest questions that comes up is ”What should I eat and what shouldn’t I eat?”. Western diets are often poorly constructed. Most people eat the wrong things and don’t get enough of the right things inside their bodies.

So what is the right diet? Wel , in order to maintain optimal health you need to switch your body into a highly alkaline state. This is achieved by eating foods that are alkaline natural y, which can have dramatic results on your health. The key to switching to an alkaline diet is to maintain balance. The alkaline diet features foods divided into groups, one being alkaline as mentioned, the other being acidic. The primary aim of this diet is to maintain a ratio of 80% alkaline foods to 20%

acidic foods initial y. This is a guide to help shift your health towards a highly alkaline state.

Once you feel better, and you notice a dramatic improvement, the ratio can be adjusted. To maintain general good health, it is recommended Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 60

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you consume 60% alkaline foods and 40% acidic foods. At first, this may sound complicated and require major diet alterations. Actual y, it doesn’t, it just involves a slight learning curve of the food groups and which foods you should be eating less and more of in your diet. The best way to manage an alkaline diet is basical y to use the philosophy of eating more alkaline foods.

In my own diet, I have a philosophy that I use when preparing meals.

When eating meat, such as chicken, I just make sure that I am outnumbering meat, which is acidic, with loads of vegetables and other alkaline foods. So it’s more of a general rule of thumb. You don’t need to dramatical y alter your diet, just make slight adjustments, and learn the food groups. Another part of the science of nutrition is how food can be related to mood. Eating our favourite foods boosts our overal mood as wel , so it’s important to eat the correct foods, too.

If you’re someone who loves fast food, and eats it on a regular basis, it could actual y be affecting your mood - and not in a good way, either.

Make sure your diet consists of home-cooked, healthy foods, and cut down on fast food. Even better, cut it out completely. Is there a link between mental health and diet? I would say so. People who eat plenty of junk food are more likely to become depressed and feel sluggish, as opposed to someone who eats healthy, home-cooked food.

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Water

“Water cleanses the body”

Water is a vital y important ingredient in our diet regime. The human body is made up of over 70% water and, as with oxygen, it is right up there in terms of importance in regulating our bodies for good health.

Every time you breathe, exercise or talk, water gets used up in the body, and that’s why it’s vital that you replenish it. Drinking water on a regular basis wil help with concentration, stress levels, detoxing, joint pain and emotional outlooks. In fact, the benefit of drinking good, clean water wil have a variety of positive results; those were just a few.

Talking about clean water, that’s another important point to raise. Is our water safe enough to drink? Wel , water filtration is another key thing we should take into consideration. Tap water and bottled water both contain a number of chemicals and real y should be filtered properly before drinking. So it is worth the time and effort trying to locate a good filter to be able to drink the cleanest water you can. Of course, we know the health benefits of water, and that we should filter it, but how much should we drink?

The amount of water we should drink wil depend on each person. Not everybody wil require the same amount; it depends mainly on body Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 62

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weight. In reality you want to be aiming for at least five glasses of water a day, because that’s a manageable amount for any one person to consume. The best thing to do is just increase your consumption to a comfortable amount; the five a day is just a target.

Is bottled water better than tap water?

Bottled water in theory is better, but would stil require filtration.

Obviously tap water is worse, as it’s recycled and contains so much junk. However, of the two, I would choose bottled water, but stil invest in a proper filtration system. If you find the thought of drinking water boring because of the lack of taste, I have a handy trick I use. A very simple, cost-effective idea is to cut a lemon in half and squeeze it into a glass of water. This is a very refreshing and cleansing way to drink plain old water, and it real y works wonders.

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Sleep

“Sleep re-energises the soul”

Having plenty of sleep is a no-brainer. We al should be getting adequate amounts of rest. These days we are struggling to get quality sleep because of the high demands of modern life. Not getting enough sleep can lead to mental health problems if it’s not resolved quickly. Usual y a visit to a doctor would result in having to take sleeping pil s to prevent restless nights. Going to bed late each night won’t improve your mood and can aggravate health issues.

But what measures can we take to improve our quality of sleep?

Firstly, we can try some of the methods I mentioned earlier on in this book. Meditation just before bedtime can be used to help you achieve better quality sleep, as that wil clear the mind of any clutter that might affect your natural sleeping pattern. Secondly, deep breathing exercises can be used to help you prepare to sleep and calm the mind down. Also, music, as mentioned previously, can help you relax enough to sleep wel .

It’s important to understand that, during the sleep state, profound healing can take place. So obviously, seven hours is the recommended minimum amount of sleep, so that your soul and body recharge and energise ready for the next day.

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Temperance

“Temperance keeps your soul healthy”

What we consume on a day-to-day basis becomes a habit, and humans are creatures of habit. We think we are doing the right things, but are in fact doing everything wrong. In al honesty, what we consume is very different from what we should be consuming. This is partly down to the media and social pressure to conform and be like everybody else. The question is, though, isn’t “being like everybody else” part of the world’s problems? If you’re like me, then you would be saying yes. In order to progress as a species we need to change and educate ourselves about what’s best for us.

We desperately need temperance in our life to avoid certain things that can be harmful to our overal health. These days we are lucky that we have alternatives, which is a good sign; we are not short of substitutes. The human body needs to avoid anything that’s bad in order to heal again, so the fol owing list should help:

• Tea & coffee - Highly concentrated beverages such as tea and coffee contain huge amounts of caffeine, which most people get addicted to. The downside to drinking both of these beverages is that they cause dehydration. You may be adding water, but by the time the milk, sugar and coffee have been added, you are no longer Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 65

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getting the benefits. (Note: You want to avoid this like the plague if you’re suffering with anxiety, as it wil make your condition worse.)

• Refined sugar (white & brown) - The only thing sugar is good for is rotting your teeth and poisoning your blood stream. Natural y occurring sugars are better, such as the ones found in fruit, but sugar should be kept to a minimum.

• Alcohol - This substance may help relax you on a night out, but its effect is detrimental to your overal health. Once again, you’re not only poisoning your bloodstream, but also dehydrating your system. When a policeman stops you and says you’re intoxicated, you must listen to the key word. Because alcohol is actual y a toxic substance and you’re greatly harming yourself. (Note: Please don’t drink alcohol as a treatment for anxiety or depression; it’s a very risky road, and as I have mentioned, there are other ways to cope.)

• Dairy milk & meat - The issue with dairy-derived products, especial y from cows, is what happens to them beforehand. Cows’

milk contains multiple al ergens, fat, cholesterol and steroids.

Dairy products in general can be linked to many health problems.

Meat, like milk, has exactly the same problems, and especial y red meat should be cut down on to help the body survive.

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• Nicotine - I don’t need to sit in front of you and tel you how bad nicotine real y is. Talk about humans having bad habits! This is right up on the high priority list. If you know what’s good for you, then you also know the answer to resolve it too.

• Artificial sweeteners - If I could think of anything worse than sugar, this would top the list. These sweeteners are just as bad as sugar, but even more so in many ways. They can cause many horrible side-effects, some bordering on the serious. Usual y diet products use sweeteners, so it would pay to read labels when buying off the shelf.

What you decide to pass into your body is entirely up to you. This is more of a reminder of what we ideal y should be trying to avoid, or at least cut down on. Education is the key to good health and also awareness too.

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The 30 Day Recovery Guide

At this point you wil have a very good idea of what you need to do now to achieve success over the next 30 days and beyond. It might al seem a lot to take on board, but trust me, it isn’t that much at al , and it’s easily manageable. The best way to start is with smal steps, and gradual y add new things to your daily routine.

Over the next 30 days I want you to integrate as many of the 13 key methods of recovery as you can into your lifestyle. Remember to start smal and gradual y add more as the days progress. Don’t take too much on in one go; you have plenty of time.

Below is a summary of tasks to complete over the next 30 days:

• Deep breathing exercise – It’s vital y important to do deep breathing exercises as a priority, as this wil help with any depressive or anxious state. The best time to do this is first thing in the morning once you have woken up. It wil give you a good boost for the day. If you can’t manage three times a day, then once in the morning is better than none at al .

• General exercise - This is the second most important thing to do if you’re suffering with any mental disorder. Plan a particular time to go for a good walk somewhere where you feel comfortable. Try for Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 68

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at least a 30 minute walk to begin with, and increase it as you become fitter. Walking is the best therapy and you wil find it helps so much in recovery. If you can’t exercise outside and are confined to the house, then try exercising indoors.

• Visualisations - Doing visualisations can help distract the mind from unwanted feelings or thoughts you may have. Set yourself some spare time to perform some visualisations for 20-30

minutes. You need to do this only once a day; this wil be enough.

Of course, if you can do it more than once per day, it wil be even more beneficial to you.

• Meditation - Another important aspect of recovery which can be used with visualisations. Again, take some time out to practise deep meditations. This works very wel , and is even better when combined with visuals. A 20-30 minute session is again a good way to start.

• Trapped emotion - Getting rid of any emotional baggage is also a good thing to do. Try the exercises I mentioned earlier, and again set aside 20-30 minutes of your time.

• Sound - One of the best things you can do is surround yourself with relaxing sounds. Try to find calming music or relaxing sound effects such as fal ing rain; these are the best ones to start with.

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meditation exercises to help you reach deep meditation.

• Happiness - Laughter and general happiness wil go a long way to helping you through. Try to watch things that make you laugh and feel happy, and spend time with family and friends. You basical y need to anchor yourself to happiness.

• Water - Drinking plenty of water wil help aid you in recovery. Make sure you add 5-8 glasses of water a day to your diet. Stay clear of coffee, soda or anything artificial. This wil help balance your body’s system.

• Light - If you live in a climate that gets regular sunlight, you wil want to use it to your advantage. The sun has the power to heal, and regular exposure wil help dramatical y in altering your health and your mood. If you have no sunlight present, then just daylight exposure is also good enough.

• Love - The power of love is within al of us, and it has the power to heal. Whether it’s your partner, kids, family members or friends, giving that extra bit of love wouldn’t go amiss. Not only wil it make you feel better, but it wil make others feel good too.

• Nutrition - Diet also plays a part in our overal wel ness, which also affects our minds. Try taking on a more alkaline type of diet, maybe substituting a few foods you usual y have. Make smal Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 70

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changes gradual y. If your body feels good, then your soul wil feel it too.

• Sleep - Getting plenty of sleep is vital in recovery, and you should make sure you get to bed at the right time. Make sure you are getting at least seven hours of sleep. You can use meditation as a tool for better quality sleep; this can work wonders.

• Temperance - Getting rid of anything toxic from the body wil greatly help your recovery. Try to remove anything that could actual y cause your symptoms to become worse, as outlined.

Once you have a routine, things wil seem a lot simpler and you should start seeing improvements. How long does it take? This wil depend ultimately on how bad the condition is, and what action you take. It took me over a month to feel better; it may take you just as long or it may happen sooner, in a matter of days or weeks. Time shouldn’t matter so much; what matters is what action you take and what you are wil ing to do about it.

Anyone can make these lifestyle changes and come out at the other end a winner. Your destiny lies within yourself. You are the one who can make it happen.

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Final Conclusion

Suffering with mental disorders is a very unpleasant thing, and it’s not something anyone wants to experience. With so many mil ions of sufferers around the world, it seems as if there’s a never-ending number of people who just want help. The aim of this book was to open up the minds and hearts of people, to make them realise that there is another way. In life I have learned that there is always another way, and there isn’t a road block at al . However, in cases on mental health, there is also no magic wand.

You won't resolve your health in five minutes; it’s just not as straightforward as that. The soul and body require “time”, and that can mean anything - as long as it takes. As long as you do what wil help you through, you wil come out at the other end smiling. I kind of see mental issues as entering into the eye of the storm. You may be hit with strong winds that hold you back, large hailstones that hurt your skin, but you know if you keep walking, you wil eventual y get through to the other side of the storm and reach calm and serenity.

That’s exactly what this is about. It’s a test of how strong you are within yourself. What’s interesting is that when you do get through it, you wil realise it’s made you stronger because of that experience. Am I saying this is a good thing? Wel , even though it’s bad, it could be the silver lining, and could actual y end up as a positive experience for you Copyright © 2014. Steve James Watson. All Rights Reserved. www.soulsystematic.com 72

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in the future. Whatever you’re afraid of doesn’t matter, because you wil get through the rough period.

I know from my own experience that what I have gone through has helped make me a stronger individual. My experience wasn’t a nice one, and I suffered greatly because of it. But the fact that I am able to sit here and write this means you can get better again and get over your mental issues.

This isn’t the end; this is just the beginning. A brand new start is upon the horizon and things are about to change for the better.

Soul Systematic - Simple Program to help with feelings of Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, and General Stress. by Steve Watson - HTML preview

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