Talking About Health, Mental Health & Recovery

February 2012Monthly Archives

Crossword Puzzles and Career Choices

Traditionally speaking, people have considered the crossword puzzle a game, something to relax and enjoy with while reading the rest of the paper and drinking our morning coffee. Since recent decades and the corresponding medical research has brought about a focus on increasing our mental capacities and preserving them as we age, we also recognize this simple daily activity as one of the standard resources for it. Words and particularly the crossword puzzle has become a symbol of mental acuteness and more people play it now than ever before. Interestingly, they are also excellent tools for vocabulary enhancement, which can increase abstract thoughts and help us to become more articulate and succinct in our speech. With that being said, it makes great sense that crossword puzzles can also play a significant role in our careers and might even boost our edge at a job interview.

It’s commonly recognized that certain careers carry with them a strong need for large vocabularies, and have a priority on the ability to communicate. There are others that this is equally true for or perhaps even more so, though this is less commonly understood. The law field is one example. In fact, some of the most highly regarded lawyers today emphasize the importance of being able to speak well, articulate our arguments clearly and eloquently is fundamental to successful litigation. More than one famous lawyer has claimed that the best undergraduate degree you can get prior to going to law school is in English. That puts a new twist on the old sarcastically expressed question, what can you do with an English degree? F. Lee Bailey would tell you exactly what you could do.

Of course there are other career choices that a strong command of language is essential for. And among those any type of writing profession would figure strongly. Whether you intend to be a journalist, or hold any other writing position at a newspaper, or pursue one of the creative writing fields, you will definitely have to demonstrate a strong use of language and grammar. In addition, the broadcasting field of journalism also demands clear articulation as well as solid enunciation skills. Can you imagine your evening newscaster stumbling over the pronunciation of their words or using them incorrectly? As we continue to recognize the importance of language skills, we return to the faithful morning puzzle and reach for our handy crossword solver . One day perhaps, maybe we’ll be putting our crossword accomplishments on our resumes.

Helping a Loved One Kick an Addiction

Having someone with an addiction in your life can be stressful and unbalancing, especially if the addiction is to drugs. You love the person will all your heart, and what they are doing to themselves – and to you – is ripping the relationship apart. Part of you will want to sever ties and just walk away. But mostly likely there is another part of you that wants to help them get better. And maybe they themselves are ready for it. They have to enter drug treatment willingly in order for it to work. But once they have made that decision, you can help them along the way so that they will be successful.

Be supportive

Once they decide to seek help, be supportive; whether it’s their first time or they’ve been to several drug treatment centers in the past. Knowing that they have the support of friends and family can go a long way in their treatment.

Ask what you can do

Don’t be scared to ask what you can do to help. Something as small as watering their plants while they are in treatment can help. Or maybe visiting weekly for coffee (if it’s allowed). And if they say they don’t need anything, don’t believe them! Send a surprise care-package with their favourite foods and magazines. Something to let them know you are thinking of them.

Be there when they get out

Staying clean in a rehab centre can be a walk in the park compared to what a recovering addict is faced with once they get back into the real world and their life. Help them to ease back into their life and help them avoid old patterns that could lead to temptation.

Trying to kick a drug addiction can seem like an impossible feat. If you have a friend or family member who is going through it, be as helpful and supportive as you can. Knowing that people still care and love them can go a long way in helping with their recovery.